HISTORY == peter parker

- prologue -

"I don't wanna go I don't wanna go I-"

PEPPER POTTS switched on the lamp on her bedside table and gently tried to rouse her husband from his fitful sleep.

"Tony, honey? Tony, wake up, it's just a dream," she cupped his cheek with her hand and his eyes shot open, his breathing heavy and irregular. "Shhh, it's okay, you're okay. I'm here sweetheart."

Tony Stark wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand, Pepper's fingers tracing delicate circles on his back helping him calm down.

"Was it the same dream?" asked Pepper, concern lacing her features.

Tony nodded, "I can't stop worrying about that kid."

Pepper smiled grimly, "I know, but he's okay now. You guys fixed everything. You're killing yourself over something that technically didn't happen."

"It did happen, we just... un-happened it. He died. In my arms. He's a child, Pep. I dragged him into an intergalactic war and got him killed. I basically killed a child becau-"

"You did not kill a child, Tony. You technically saved him, and a few million others," Pepper gave Tony a pointed look when he sighed frustratedly, "He's almost an adult now anyway. And he's got superpowers. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"I don't know if he can. Look, he's a good kid, and he means well. He just... needs a little guidance."

"You're really worried about him, aren't you?"

Tony pressed his fingers to his temples, feeling a stress headache brewing, "I can't watch him die again."

"I understand, but Honey, what are you gonna do, hire a babysitter for a teenage boy?" Pepper laughed softly, and began to laugh harder when she saw the expression on Tony's face. "You're not seriously thinking of hiring a babysitter for a teenage boy, are you?"

If bright ideas actually did conjure lightbulbs above people's heads, Pepper would have been blinded by the one above Tony's.

"I gotta make a call."

•••••

"So, let me get this straight: You want me to move into the apartment next door to this kid, go to the same school as him, attend all the same classes and become his friend just in case he does something marginally dangerous or stupid?" The girl looked at Tony incredulously, sure that this was just some weird joke of his.

"Great, glad we're on the same page," Tony said, clapping his hands together.

"Dude, why the hell would I want to do that? High school sucks. As do teenage boys. I thought you said you had a job for me."

"Yeah, this is a job. Surveillance, bodyguarding, all that stuff."

"He doesn't need a bodyguard, he's a masked superhero! No one knows the identity of Spiderman. Plus, as I said before, high school sucks. Why on Earth would I want to go again?"

"Thor told me you wanted to have a 'normal-ish' life for a while, after the whole being-imprisoned-in-a-floating-space-jail-for-decades thing. This is pretty normal. You're technically Peter's age."

"I'm five-hundred and twelve, Tony."

"No, you're seventeen, you've just... been seventeen for a few more years than most people."

The girl scoffed, "Right, sure."

"Look, this is a great opportunity to start over. Graduate high school, go to college, become an Avenger..." Tony smirked as the girl's face briefly flickered with excitement. "You'll be part of a team for the first time in decades, right? Won't that be worth it?"

The girl's bright green eyes narrowed at him for a moment, before she let out a short breath and crossed her arms over her chest, "Fine. I'll do it. But I'm gonna need to go shopping before I'm caught dead at any high school." Tony raised his eyebrows at her. "I have no cute outfits," she shrugged.

"Fine, fine, you can buy all the clothes you want. Just- don't look too good, the kid's gonna have a big enough crush on you as it is."

"You don't give him enough credit. Guys can be platonic with girls, old man."

"He's the biggest nerd I've ever met, old lady, anything remotely feminine showing interest in him will literally flip his world upside down."

"You're totally discriminating against your own kind right now, you know. I'm sure he'll be-"

"Just make sure he doesn't fall in love with you."

"What if I fall in love with him?"

"Then you're fired."

"Right, got it," the girl sighed, "Fine, I'm in."

Tony grinned, "Great! Welcome aboard, Emerald."

"Okay, first of all, It's Em, not Emerald. Second, are you sure this kid will appreciate the fact you hired me to 'keep an eye on' him?"

"Probably not, but that's fine. He won't find out."

"So I'm just gonna hang out with Spiderman and pretend I don't know he's Spiderman while also pretending that I'm not a five-hundred and twelve year old telekinetic assassin you hired to babysit him?"

"Exactly."

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a/n: so like,, this fic isnt gonna be good, im just super bored and i love peter too much for my own good. expect to be majorly confused throughout this whole thing.