As the bus pulls in, the whispers around me fade into stunned silence.
Everyone stares.
Even I cannot look away.
Stark Industries Tower rises above us, a gleaming monolith of steel and glass. Sunlight fractures across its surface, blinding and beautiful all at once. The shadow it casts stretches over the bus like something alive.
Five hundred and sixty-five feet tall.
Students shove past me as Mr Harrington shouts over the noise.
"Quickly off the bus in an orderly fashion. Hurry along now. We must not be late."
I am pushed back into Ned before I can stand. By the time I reach the aisle, most of the class is already pouring out the doors. I follow the line toward the entrance, heart hammering.
"Whoa, Pete, are you seeing this?" Ned whispers excitedly. "Look at everything. This place is insane."
He is already craning his neck, eyes darting everywhere. This might be his favourite place on Earth. He has not stopped talking about it since we got the permission slips.
"Yeah," I say quietly. "Those doors are huge. And the security looks intense."
Cameras line the walls. Guards stand near every entrance. For a moment, I feel safer than I have in weeks.
As if summoned by the thought, Flash leans closer.
"Do not think I forgot about you, Penis," he murmurs. "You're going to love what I have planned for you today."
My stomach drops.
My palms start to sweat as Mr Harrington steps up to the front desk.
"Ah, good morning," he says nervously. "I'm Mr Harrington from Midtown School of Science and Technology. We have an all-day tour booked."
The receptionist smiles brightly.
"Yes, of course. If you could gather your students, I would love to speak with them before we head in."
Mr Harrington waves us over.
"Gather around, Midtown. Quickly now."
We bunch together in front of the desk. A woman steps forward, smiling easily.
"Welcome to Stark Industries," she says. "My name is Emma, and I'll be your guide today."
She motions for us to sit.
"Before we begin, I need to go over a few rules. Breaking these rules may result in students being removed from the premises and collected by their parents."
The room quiets immediately.
"At Stark Industries, we take pride in humanity and equality. Please keep your hands to yourselves. No violence is permitted on the premises. Stay with the group at all times. We will only be accessing cleared areas, and wandering beyond them can be dangerous."
She pauses.
"Our AI system, FRIDAY, will alert security if anyone strays from the group."
A chill runs down my spine.
"These are your Level One access badges," Emma continues as her coworkers begin handing out thin grey cards. "You'll need them for bathrooms and dining areas. Do not lose them."
A hand goes up.
"So if we have Level One," Ella asks, "what other levels are there?"
Emma smiles.
"Levels One through Ten. Levels One through Four are for tours and guests. Levels Five through Eight are for interns, employees, and security. Level Nine is reserved for Avengers and hero affiliates. Level Ten belongs to Tony Stark, his wife Pepper Potts, and his head of security, Happy Hogan."
My chest tightens.
"Now, please line up and scan your badge at the door. FRIDAY will announce your name, and then we will begin the tour in the museum."
Flash shoves forward, knocking into me hard enough that I stumble.
"Eugene Thompson, guest, Level One," FRIDAY's voice announces.
One by one, students scan in.
"Ned Leeds, guest, Level One."
"Peter Parker, guest, Level One."
I step inside.
The air is cool and clean. Everything is white, polished, perfect. People move with purpose, smiling as they pass. No one looks tired. No one looks afraid.
It feels unreal.
"Alright, Midtown," Emma says. "Line up and follow me. No flash photography, and no touching the glass."
The museum doors slide open.
To the left, old Avengers suits stand frozen in time. To the right, alien weapons and wreckage gleam under flawless glass. My reflection stares back at me from the surface, pale and thin against the sterile brightness.
"Pete," Ned shouts suddenly. "No way. That's Ultron's head."
I turn.
The metal face stares back, eyes dark, wires spilling from the neck. It looks almost peaceful now. A reminder that even something powerful enough to threaten the world can be reduced to scrap.
Nearby sit alien crafts, shattered armor, remnants of a war that created heroes through loss.
"So much death," I murmur.
"So much saving," Ned counters softly.
We keep walking.
I soak in every word Emma says. Captain America's shield. Thor's hammer. Iron Man's suit. History sealed behind glass.
My spider sense prickles.
I scan the room.
Flash is watching me.
I move closer to Ned.
The next room is massive, filled with screens and consoles.
"This is our command centre," Emma explains. "From here, Stark Industries monitors global threats and internal operations. Please do not touch anything."
I feel small here. Watched. Exposed.
As we continue the tour, my awareness sharpens. Every laugh behind me. Every shift of movement.
Something is coming.
I stay with the group.
I do not let Flash out of my sight.
YOU ARE READING
Bruised But Not Broken - Irondad/spiderson
FanfictionPeter Parker is tired. Tired of scraping by, of pretending he's fine, of enduring a school bully while carrying struggles no one knows about. Living in a cramped apartment with his aunt, Peter learns how to disappear - how to survive quietly. A scho...
