Chapter Text
Peter stood in the back of the alley, back leaning against the brick wall. His hoodie was pulled up and over, so it obscured his face. He held his backpack against this stomach while trying not to look down to the street. He didn’t like staying in one place for too long, it just made him anxious that someone would see him.
A second later he picked up on the sound of Ned heading down the street. The familiar sound of his stride was easy to pick out. Ned appeared around the corner and waved cheerfully as he approached Peter.
“Hey!” Ned said, smiling at him. He held out a plastic bag. “Here’s the stuff you wanted.”
“Hey, thanks,” Peter said, he put his backpack down and took the bag from Ned. He looked through it. “Dude, you don’t have to keep giving me money.” Peter pulled out an envelope he knew had cash in it. He slid the lip open to see several $20 bills.
“Too bad,” Ned responded, “I don’t need it.”
Peter closed the lip and put the envelope back in the bag. He couldn’t look at Ned for a minute, feeling too grateful for his friend. “Thanks, you know how much I appreciate this, man. As soon I can get a job, I’m paying you back for everything.”
“How about instead you just come to my house,” Ned insisted, reaching out and putting his hand on Peter’s arm.
Peter flinched and looked up at his friend. Ned’s hand didn’t move, instead, he gave his arm a little squeeze. “I can’t, dude. If your Mom calls CPS I’ll be back in foster care. You know I can’t do that again.”
“You know my Mom wouldn’t!” Ned exclaimed, he was treading over the same conversation they’d have multiple times since Peter took off from foster care. It wasn’t as if he didn’t like Ned’s family or didn’t trust them, he just couldn’t put them at risk. “I worry about you man. It’s been over a year and you look like you aren’t even eating anymore.”
Peter darted his eyes away from Ned’s face. “I eat,” Peter said without much conviction, “it might not be a lot but I get what I need.”
“You need more than the normal person,” Ned reminded him, “and you know that.”
Peter sighed. “Ned, you know I appreciate everything you’re doing for me. I just… I have to do this on my own. I need to do this, okay?”
Ned gave him a look but shrugged his shoulders. “I hate having to do this. You’re my best friend and I want you to be safe.”
“I’m also Spider-man,” Peter said, “I’m what’s making everyone else here safe.”
Suddenly Ned reached over and hugged Peter tightly. It took a second but Peter leaned into it and brought his arms around his best friend. It was the first hug he’d have in a while and Ned’s hugs were always the best. It made him miss his best friend and his old life so much. He knew if he held on any longer he’d go home with Ned in a heartbeat. He pulled away and gave Ned a genuine smile. “Thanks. I’ll text you next week, okay?”
“Yeah,” Ned sighed. “Sure.”
====
Peter liked his makeshift home.
It wasn’t much of anything, it had taken him almost a week to find shelter once he hit the streets. He eventually found an abandoned building with an old greenhouse structure on the roof. You couldn’t access it from going inside the building, there were no longer suitable stairs. The only way to get up was to climb upside the building, which eliminated any random people from stumbling upon it.
In his almost year on the streets, it’s become a good home for him. It wasn’t perfect. Any kind of weather was difficult to deal with, but Peter was learning how to make due. With the money Ned gave him, he was thinking of buying a nice tarp or maybe an actual tent. When the night was nice and there weren’t many clouds, Peter could lay on his cot and see the night sky with barely visible stars shining.
He’d been camping once with Ben before he died. They’d gone out to some wooded area, bought some nice tents and tried to tough it out for the weekend. Peter didn’t hate it, but he certainly didn’t care for the experience. The best part was the marshmallows and campfire Ben had put together. They ate them together, as they looked above them into the sky, the stars were far more visible outside of the city. Neither Ben nor Peter knew any of the constellation names, so they made them up instead. Naming them after their favorite movie characters.
Ben promised Peter they’d do it again, maybe even rent an RV to go camping somewhere else.
But then the Parker Luck took its course and only a few months after their camping trip, Ben was dead and Peter was an orphan on the run. He tried foster care, he did make the effort, but he couldn’t stay there. He needed to be out on the streets. He needed to help people and if it meant he was homeless, then it was only fitting.
He finished climbing up the wall of the building, making sure that no one could see him. Even if they did, they’d just assume Spider-man was out and about. He had started wearing his mask more often than not, just as a precaution. He’d much rather someone spot Spider-man living in an abandoned place, then a fifteen-year-old kid.
He got to the top of the building but before he pulled himself over the ledge he stopped. There was someone else there, someone else was on the roof in his home. He couldn’t see them right away but he could hear someone. He ducked down and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on what he could hear. It sounded like one person, most likely a man and he was standing in the greenhouse.
Peter could make a run for it, he had nearly all of his belongings in his backpack. It’s something he figured out to do the hard way. One day he’d left some items where he had slept, but when he came back a few hours later, they were all gone. Most of it had been his web fluid, but thankfully Ned was still able to borrow his ingredients from school still. Peter tried to think of what he’d left behind, he knew some of his school books were sitting on the floor. It would be a loss for him to lose those but the other items were just blankets and pillows. He was sure he could get more of those at the homeless shelter he went to occasionally. He could even try coming back here again, maybe a few weeks from now and live here again.
He was just about to take off again when a voice startled him. “I was wondering when you’d be coming back.”
Peter’s head darted back up to look over the ledge and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Standing in front of his place was none other than Tony Stark.
The sheer surprise of it was the only reason Peter pulled himself up and over the ledge of the roof. He didn’t walk over, but instead stood where he had landed. “Uh.”
“You’re a hard man to find, Spider-man.”
Peter’s heart leaped again but he stayed rooted in his spot. Why was Tony Stark here? How did Tony Stark even know who Spider-man was? He wasn't some big-shot hero, he stayed to the streets, he was a neighborhood Spider-man, nothing more. He made a point to stay out of the way of other heroes.
A year ago if Peter came home to find Tony Stark in his living room, he would have been ecstatic, maybe even a babbling idiot. But seeing him now and here, Peter was just confused and scared. Do they send Iron Man to get teenage runaways now?
“I can see you’re a little shocked,” Mr. Stark started, it was close to evening but he was still wearing his sunglasses. In a well-practiced gesture, he had them off and back in his hand. “Why don’t you take the mask off and we can have a little chat.”
Peter didn’t move but neither did Mr. Stark. They stood there, a few feet apart for what seemed like a million years before Peter took a deep breath. “Uh, I’d rather keep it on, thanks. What are you doing here, Mr. Stark?” Peter wanted to preserve as much of his identity as he could, the less Mr. Stark knew the better.
“Alright, kid have it your way. Mask can stay on,” Tony Stark responded, “I’m here because you are clearly some kind of enhanced individual and you’re running around in an onesie.”
Peter scuffed. “It’s not an onesie, Mr. Stark.”
“It’s not anything, kid and that’s the problem. If you want to go out there and fight crime you need to have something better then what you’ve got now.”
He wasn’t wrong, Peter knew. The hoodie and sweatshirt combo he’d been sporting for months was worse for the wear. Without access to laundry, it was hard to keep it clean. He also didn’t have many other clothing items either, so his choices were limited. He looked down at his arms and chest for a second, the red and blue were faded and covered in dirt and grim. There were more holes then he could count.
“Okay,” Peter said, shrugging, “I can use an upgrade. Still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
“I’m here because I’m offering you a once in a lifetime chance to get said upgrade from Iron Man. You’re also, what 12?”
“Fifteen,” Peter counted, crossing his arms.
“Still a fetus and you’re out on the streets.”
“I don’t have a choice,” Peter answered quickly, “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“From what I understand,” Mr.Stark said and made a micro-step forward. “Peter Parker has been missing for over a year after running away from his foster family. That’s you, isn’t it? Peter Benjamin Parker.”
Peter flinched at the sound of his name. Mr. Stark knew who he was, he might as well take the mask off. He was getting too warm with it anyways, it was already a hot day out. He pulled the mask off, his brown hair matted to the side of his face from sweat. He pulled his hair away from his face the best he could and straightened up. “Yeah, so.”
“So, you’ve got a nice foster family to go back to. Why not?”
“Because,” Peter said, “if I go back there I can’t Spider-man anymore. I need to do this.”
“Why do you need to do this?” Mr. Stark asked him, a look of genuine curiosity seemed to appear across his face.
Peter thought about it for a moment, wondering how much of his life Mr. Stark knew about. He couldn't have known how Peter got his powers, no one but Ned knew that. Mr. Stark had to have known about Ben’s death but most likely not what happened that night. It took a second but Peter finally settled on something vague but hoped wouldn’t warrant any more explanation.
“People can get hurt if I don’t. When you have powers like I do, you can stop the people you love from getting hurt. If I’m not out there doing it, then it’s my fault if they do.”
Mr. Stark gave him an odd look, cocked his head sideways and stared at Peter. He looked down, the mask twisting and turning in his hand. There would be nothing stopping him from running now if he wanted to. He could go back into hiding, just because Mr. Stark found him once doesn’t mean he could find him again. He could be careful next time, he could be better.
“I’ve been looking for you for a while, Underoo. I was hoping to use you when I had my… disagreements but you disappeared off the map around that time. I’ve been keeping my eye out for you since.”
“Then why now?” Peter asked. He knew about the Accords, how could he not. They scared him, the thought of having to reveal his identity and become a puppet. He was glad they were over, he’d never had to sign them.
Mr. Stark shrugged his shoulders casually. “I’ve been busy, now I’ve got some free time. Anyway, you’re looking worse for wear. You might as well just come with me, get some food and clean clothing. You can even help me with your suit.”
Peter thought about it for a second. The smart part of his brain was telling him to go with Mr. Stark, go now, quick. Iron Man had always been his hero growing up, but Peter was his own hero now. He didn’t need anyone to come by and save him. He’s been doing this for a year now, he’s gone on this long without the help.
But he was also tired. And he hated the way Ned looked at him now. Like Ned didn’t think Peter was going to last any longer. So he sighed and started to walk towards Mr. Stark. “As long as you don’t turn me in, I’ll come with you. But I’m not staying for awhile. Just a new suit and then I’m gone.”
“Alright, Underoo. Get your stuff and come along.”
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After spending so much time on the street, going to Mr. Stark’s tower was a weird adjustment. Everything looked so clean and expensive. Mr. Stark showed him an empty room, it already had clothes folded on the bed, as if he knew Peter would come back with him. He showed Peter the bathroom and then left, directing him to call his AI, FRIDAY when he was finished and he’d show Peter to the living area.
Peter took his time taking a shower. It had been nearly a month since he had an actual shower. He’d been using the gym for a while, but it was getting difficult to get in and out without someone noticing him. He was too young looking to do many things on his own. People were suspicious, so he had to avoid a lot of things.
The whole bathroom was an experience for him. Everything was so clean and nice, so expensive looking. He felt more and more out of place the longer he stood around. There were several options for shampoo and body wash, Peter found having so many choices to be odd.
It wasn’t as if Peter always had high-class luxuries, to begin with, either. His Uncle Ben, before he died, brought in enough income for a two-person home. Peter lived comfortably, had nice things, got a scholarship to attend a fancy school.
But then Ben died and Peter had none of that comfort anymore. Peter didn’t deserve any of that comfort anymore.
When he finally finished in the bathroom, he avoided the white fluffy robe that was hanging and instead just used one of the towels. He changed into the clothing left on the bed. The pants were a little bigger on him, but it was nice to wear something clean. The shirt said Stark Industries across the front and hung off of him. Peter felt like a kid wearing his Dad’s clothing.
“Uh,” Peter said into the room, “FRIDAY?”
“Hello Mr. Parker, are you ready for food?”
“I guess,” Peter responded. He couldn’t help but grin a second later, talking to an AI was so cool. He knew a lot about Iron Man and his technologies but it was different getting to see the AI and use it.
“Please exit your room and turn left,” FRIDAY responded. Peter followed her directions until he walked into a large living room. Mr. Stark was sitting on a couch, there were several pizza boxes opened and out in front of him. Peter walked over and stood aside on the couch, not ready to sit down just yet.
“Mr. Stark,” he said slowly, “why are you being so nice to me?”
Peter didn’t expect this from Tony Stark. He knew what type of person he was, he didn’t come across as the type to help some random kid from Queens.
Mr. Stark gave him a squinty eye look. “Do I need a reason? I mean, if you want to continue to live on the streets, be my guest. As I said, I saw the types of things you were doing out there and I thought you could use some help.”
Peter hesitated for a moment but the smell of real food was far too overwhelming for him to ignore. Instead, he sat down on the couch, farthest away from Mr. Stark, and reached over to grab a slice of pizza.