stark, peter parker

xiv. some crazy life-360 parent

"and then he just, he just, like, swooped down like a monster," peter explained, "and he picked me up and, uh, he took me up, like, a thousand feet and just dropped me." he looked up at the iron man suit in front of him "how'd you find me? did you put a tracker in my suit or something?"

"i put everything in your suit." tony replied. "including this heater."

"actually," dakota corrected, "the heater was my idea." she'd just flown into the scene, and was standing with her suit off, arms crossed over her chest.

steam began to rise from peter's suit, enveloping around him. "whew, that's better. thanks."

"what were you thinking?" tony asked, clearly disappointed.

"the guy with the wings is obviously the source of the weapons." peter replied. "i gotta take him down."

tony scoffed. "take him down now, huh? steady, crockett, there are people who handle this sort of thing."

peter's brows furrowed. "the avengers?"

tony shook his head. "no, no, no. this is a little below their pay grade."

peter shook his head. "anyway, mr. stark, you didn't have to come all the way out here. i had that. i was fine."

"oh, i'm not here." the iron man helmet opened, revealing an empty space where tony's head should've been. this was one of his drones used in his absence. "thank god this place has wifi or you would be toast right now." tony said from india. "thank ganesh while you're at it. look, forget the flying vulture guy, please."

peter's shoulders slumped. "why?"

"why? because i said so!" tony nearly shouted. "sorry, i'm talking to a teenager." he explained to someone who had walked by him in india. "stay close to the ground. build up your game helping little people, like that lady that bought you the churro. can't you just be a friendly...neighborhood spider-man?"

"but i'm ready for more than that now." peter argued.

"no, you are not." tony replied as the iron man helmet closed again.

"that is not what you thought when i took on captain america." he pressed.

"trust me, kid. if cap wanted to lay you out, he would've." tony replied, exasperated. "listen to me. if you come across these weapons again, call happy. and if he does anything dangerous again, you stay out of it." he said to dakota, who watched as the suit pointed a finger at her.

a car engine revving caught peter's attention. "are you driving?"

"you know," tony replied, "it's never too early to start thinking about college. i got some pull at mit. end call."

"no, i don't need to go to col- mr. stark-"

"mr. stark is no longer connected." friday spoke as the iron man suit flew off.

peter watched it go before mumbling to himself, "that's awesome."

"i think i remember you saying you could handle it." dakota said when it was just her and peter.

"i had everything under control!" peter replied.

kodie scoffed. "are you sure about that? because, from where i'm standing, it looks like you nearly got killed. and if my dad hadn't been checking your tracker like some crazy life-360 parent, you would have." peter hung his head, knowing that she was right. "pete, i know you're strong and more than capable of taking care of yourself. but you need to stay away from these weapons, they seem dangerous."

"i'm being careful, okay? i just.. i fought guys with these weapons and they were nothing like i'd seen before. i need to stop them before they hurt anyone." peter said, looking over at dakota.

the girl sighed, uncrossing her arms from around herself. she walked over to the jungle gym that peter was sitting on, climbing up the side to sit next to him. her head instinctively fell onto his shoulder as she looked up at the sky. "i trust you, pete. i just don't want you to get hurt."

peter's hand reached down for hers, carefully intertwining them. "i know. i won't."