Resilience | Marvel

Chapter 22

A/N Here it is! I'm excited! Love you all. Next chapter out in 2 weeks.

Peter paced the white hallway waiting for someone to get him. At the crack of dawn, he'd gotten his half-asleep self out of bed and made his way upstairs. Steve came out of the infirmary, rubbing his tired eyes. 

"You can go in now. I'm gonna head up to my room." He said.

Peter nodded and caught the open door as Steve walked out, pulling it closed behind him. 

"Hey, Mr. Stark" He said sheepishly, inching forward. He didn't want to get any closer. He felt he might break his boss. 

"You look pale kid. I'm flattered. Were you really that worried?" He gave a grin. Peter was relieved. 

"Only because if you died, I'd lose the internship." Peter joked halfheartedly. He looked down at his feet. 

"How'd it happen?" He looked back up. He pursed his lips and sighed a huge, quivering breath, staring intently with his big brown eyes. 

Tony grew confused as he realized something. 

"I got knocked out of the sky, J.A.R.V.I.S. should have caught me, but he's been buggy. And he wasn't working when I fell. That's what I get for going out even though I knew there could be consequences." Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could he even consider blaming himself?

"You aren't dead. That's what matters. It's nobody's fault. Not everything has to be somebodies fault." The teenager reasoned. 

"Bit hypocritical, don't you think?" They exchanged a look. Peter retreated into himself. 

"I've got to go now, do Intern-type things. I'll be back later." He said blankly. Tony watched as Peter turned on his heel and left out the door. Laying his head back down on the pillow with a sigh.

Peter walked down the hall. As soon as he'd turned the corner he regretted how cold he'd been. He went up and started inventory for the day. He knew he was going to have to apologize later.

Tony and Bruce sat at a panel in the lab. Bruce had an exposed wire ready to solder in his hands. 

"That's our problem. There's a short causing the system to switch on and off. It's going to this node right here. We should switch to solar." 

Bruce said, reaching his hand in carefully.

"It wouldn't fry like this if we did. Look at this. Yeah this wire is shot." He yanked the wire and looked at it, tossing it on the table with disgust.

"Solar is a big switch." Tony mused.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Bruce looked up 

"Okay. J.A.R.V.I.S. Bear with me. You'll be back online in a few minutes." Tony pulled up the maintenance menu. 

"Of course. See you soon, sir." JARVIS replied. 

He shut down and the building was hauntingly silent. 

There was a garbled warped noise, it was an audio file. The unmistakable voice of Peter Parker spoke. 

"Hey Jarvs.""Yes Mr Parker?" His AI responded. "Keep this a secret between you and me."The recording stopped. Bruce was bewildered and Tony was clenching his jaw. He blinked and seemed to come back to Earth. With a sharp, disdainful twist of his screwdriver Tony reset the box. It lit up and he pressed his thumb to the panel. 

The system whirred back to life as Tony quietly continued working, checking the system. Bruce's eyes kept flickering back to the billionaire, who gave no sign that he was even bothered by the news. 

"Tony..." Bruce started but was interrupted by his friend. 

"What would that kid need to hide from me? Why would J.A.R.V.I.S. not tell me about it?" His eyes were heavy and questioning everything.

"He's a teenager. I dunno. Maybe he snuck out to see a girl, a boy?" Bruce ran his hands through his hair and shrugged. 

"He isn't that kind of kid. I know from being that type of kid, he's not. I dunno, maybe he is, we're very much alike. How much do I actually know him?" He rambled without pausing. 

"Do you think, maybe, you're overthinking this?" Bruce tried to reason, but Tony's devastated expression told him all he needed to know.

"Do you think I shouldn't be worried?" 

"He's not your kid Tony, it's not like you can tell him what to do." Tony looked like he just remembered that Peter was not, in fact, his kid.

"Well then, I'm at a loss. What the hell do you suggest that we do?" He stopped and glared at Bruce.

"I don't know, maybe Nat can help, I mean, she knows lying, she lies all the time. Maybe she can give some insight." 

"You think so?"

"Got a better idea?"

"You're right." Tony grumbled. 

"Look Tony, You're not the only one who's noticed."

"'Parker, do you trust him?" Bruce questioned.

"I trust him. I think he's keeping secrets, but I trust him." Natasha raised an eyebrow, 

"Shit." Tony blurted

"What?" Natasha asked.

"We we're fixing J.A.R.V.I.S. And it seems Peter told him to keep something from us." Bruce said, Tony was quiet.

"I wouldn't worry, teenagers keep secrets all the time." She said. Peter walked down to the training/stock floor. He need to check how many pounds of aluminum they had left. The gym door was cracked. He heard several people talking.

"I'm worried about the kid. I mean, don't act like you don't see it too, all bruised up every morning, so tired he can barely stand." A male voice, it sounded like Tony to Peter, said.Peter put his ear to the door. 

"I see it too." 

"Yes but you were in a camp to be a KGB sleeper agent. There's a difference."

"He's keeping something from us. I know that much." Were they talking about him?

"I should ask him." Tony stated proudly.

"No, don't ask him!"

"If you really want to find out. See what he does at night. See if he sneaks out." Natasha advised.

"Um, I vote how about we just leave the poor kid alone?" Bruce suggested to no avail.

"I like her plan, it's a good plan." Tony nodded.

Peter backed away from the door, everything had suddenly fallen apart.Peter backed away from the door in shock, he couldn't believe they were going to spy on him.

The group made their way to the door. He panicked, finding a spot on the ceiling to hide. The three walked under him, discussing the plan. As soon as the coast was clear, Peter jumped down, landing softly on his feet. His heart was racing. 

What was he going to do?