stark, peter parker

xvii. i would do anything for harry styles

"you're not going to hang out with peter anymore." tony said simply.

"what?" dakota asked, her jaw dropping. "that's so unfair. i know what he did was dangerous and stupid, but you've already punished him, why punish me?"

her father clenched his jaw, avoiding eye contact with her for a brief second. "i don't want you getting involved in this more than you already are. he's a bad influence, kodes. you're just going to get hurt."

dakota laughed under her breath, something she only did when she was angry. "that isn't your call to make. this is my relationship, not yours. you can't break us up just because-"

"yes, i can." he cut her off. "i don't want you seeing him anymore."

although she wanted to fight, she didn't know what to say. so, dakota just stood there a moment, feeling tears form in her eyes. "i knew you were an asshole, dad, but i never thought you'd stoop so low as to try something like this." she said, watching as his gaze softened.

"kodes, i-"

before he could say anything, dakota turned on her heel and ran to her new room in the avengers compound. by the time she made it to her room, her throat was stinging from the anticipation of the tears to come. a hot set of tears rolled down her cheeks as she flopped her back onto her bed.

was she going to listen to her father? no. she would continue to see peter as frequently as she could. but tony stark was a mastermind, and had cameras and artificial intelligence at his fingertips. if he wanted to make it so that dakota and peter never saw each other, he could do so easily. and that was what worried her. 

it was so unfair, was the only thought running through her mind as she lay there, letting out silent whimpers. she reached out a weak arm to her bedside table, grabbing her phone and immediately going to text peter.

she had planned to ask him if she could come over to his apartment before she noticed that he'd already texted her, asking simply 'can we meet at norma's?'

‎⎊‎⎊‎⎊

dakota got onto her motorcycle, looking at the gears in front of her. it felt uncomfortable to sit on the bike at first, seeing as she hadn't ridden it in so long. with happy at her assistance, she would typically just get a chauffeured ride to wherever she needed to go. she didn't really want happy lurking over her and peter's shoulders, though, nor did she want him to tell her father that she was leaving. after a brief second, her body adjusted to the vehicle she had made by hand. just like riding a bike.

the motorcycle was the same one she had ridden alongside natasha romanoff before the sokovian accords had broken the avengers apart, and the same one she rode into avengers missions only a few years prior.

she now kicked it on, driving it out of the cramped "garage" of the avengers compound, driving down the road. the wind blew her hair even from underneath her helmet, and she smiled as she sped her way through a turn.

dakota had forgotten how freeing the motorcycle was. she was in control of every movement, something that she had taken for granted when she rode the bike before. the new compound now in the distance, she rode to the coffee shop peter had asked to meet at.

as she arrived, she saw through the shoppe's large glass window peter sitting at a booth by himself. keeping her helmet in her hands, dakota entered the store, immediately enveloped by the dinging of the bell and the comfortingly familiar scent of the freshly roasted coffee.

"i already got you your usual." peter said as he pulled her seat out for her. "they said they'd cool it and put it on ice, but i let it cool for a bit just in case."

dakota smiled up at him, kissing his cheek. "thank you, you're the best."

he sat down across from her, adjusting his shirt slightly. "are you okay?" he asked, sensing somehow that something was wrong.

"yeah! yeah, i'm fine." she took a sip of coffee, looking up at his knowing gaze. "um, my dad is just.. he's throwing one of his fits, i guess. it's just annoying."

peter nodded, reaching for her hand across the table. they sat in silence for a few moments before he cleared is throat. "so, um, i was wondering if maybe.. maybe you'd want to go to homecoming with me? it's okay if not, i mean, i understand if you can't, or if you don't want to, that's okay, too, but-"

a smile spread across her face as he rambled. "peter, stop, stop." he looked up from his hands and back into her eyes, quitting his ramble. "i'd love to go to homecoming with you, pete."

"oh, thank goodness." he let out a sigh of relief.

"what, did you seriously think i'd say no?" her brows furrowed, sensing his insecurities.

"i was just.. i mean, you haven't gone to school since your dad took you out and taught you himself, so i didn't know if you would want to go to a school event. and, plus, i didn't know if you'd.. if you'd even want to go with me."

"peter, this is important to you, and i don't want to miss it." kodie said, squeezing his hand. "and there's no one i'd rather go with than you." 

"what if harry styles asked you?" he retorted.

dakota immediately gasped. "you know i would do anything for harry styles." she replied. "but.. i think there's this guy named peter parker that i like more." 

a grin spread across his face, and he brought her hand up to his lips to kiss it. "i'll pick you up at 7:00?"

"with what car, pete?"

"uh.. you'll pick me up at 7:00?"

dakota smiled, shaking her head. "sounds good."