A Different Kind of Family

Chapter 5: A Shopping Experience

It took Peter a moment to even move from the side of the super car. Tony simply continued walking, adjusting his glasses and occasionally glancing at his watch. Seeing as Tony wasn't slowing down Peter quickly ran to catch up to the now impatient genius who was holding open the door for him. The minute he walked through the door he could feel the temperature drop immediately. Compared to the smoldering heat outside the AC-ed building was a good change of pace. Not knowing the mall layout or any of the stores inside Peter simply followed Tony around. The genius seemed to have a destination in mind; before he knew it Tony had entered the most expensive looking store in the whole mall. Tuxedos and suits lined the walls with dress pants and shirts on the racks and shelves. None of the clothes were really any of Peter's taste but he refused to lose the millionaire in the mall that was worth more than his entire apartment building. So he quietly followed him fidgeting with his hands or stuffing them in his pockets only to learn that he wasn't comfortable like that. Peter was currently focused on his hands again when he felt someone staring at him. Tony was staring at him with a confused face, his one eyebrow quirked. "Umm, kid?" 

Peter quickly stopped fidgeting with his hands, "Yes, Mr. Stark?"

Tony gestured around, "Aren't you going to go look for clothes?"

"Oh- umm," he nervously rubbed the back of his head, "I've never been here before and well..." he trailed off fidgeting with his hands again, his gaze quickly going to the shiny floor, "I also really don't have any money.." A moment of silence passed by and Peter quickly looked up only to see the still confused face on Tony. The genius finally sighs and puts down the shirt he had been looking at and gestures for Peter to follow him. Tony doesn't even look up to see if the kid is following him before leaving the store. Once outside and in the main stream of the mall he simply gestures his hand.

"Where to kid?" Peter's face slightly paled as the question of where to go was cast on him. His brown eyes quickly went about scanning the nearby shops and stores but they all screamed expensive. He wasn't about spending other peoples money. He rubbed the back of his head again as he desperately tried to find a store that didn't scream "spend hundreds of dollars on these two shirts!". It was much harder than he thought it would be. Before he knew it he found his gaze going back to Tony, his eyes pleading for help. This caused the genius to sigh again and then Tony went about scanning the stores. Having found his pick he begins to briskly walk over to it, Peter quietly following behind. The only sound the mellow music playing over the overhead speakers. The music seemed to be the only sound they heard. The mall was huge but there was barely any people around. They seemed to be the only two there besides the workers. Before Peter could question it more there where in a casual store. The floor still shined like in Tony's store and the dark wood glistened in the perfect lighting. The shirts were still "fancy" to Peter but they were more of the shirts you would wear on a first date, say to the movies or just a sit in diner. Peter should would have preferred a simple t-shirt with a funny science pun or just a 5$ dollar shirt from Wal-mart. But what kind of millionaire shops at a Wal-mart? Seeing that this was a casual as he was going to get he went about looking at shirts. Every time he found something in his size or something he decently liked the price would turn him away immediately.  Does this mall not know what a sale is? As Peter put away what felt like the tenth shirt he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to find Tony giving him that look again. The look of, "What gives, kid?" 

Peter sighs and rubs his face with his hand before showing Tony the price tag of one of the shirts he liked, "They're so expensive Mr. Stark..I-I don't wanna make you spend this kind of money on me.."

This only causes Tony to roll his eyes and give him the "Are you kidding me look? I am literally a millionaire" glare. Before Peter could protest Tony was taking the shirts away from Peter and slinging them across his arm. But Peter just continued to stand there, a little bit of shock still in his eyes. Tony sighs, "Seriously kid? We came here so you could get some clothes. Stop giving me that look and stop worrying about money. If I didn't have money to spend on you I wouldn't have adopted you," he shoos him with his hand towards the pants, "Now pick out clothes in your size before the whole mall closes down." With his head still slightly swimming in the clouds he picks out some pants in his size and Tony walks them over to the register where Peter can't force himself to look at the price. With a slide of his card and a "Have a good day" from the employee they left. Peter had somehow found himself stuck with all the bags well Tony typed away at his Stark phone. He glances up at Peter from his rapid texting, "Need anything else?" Tony's eyes slowly travel down to land on Peter's shoes. The shoes that were ripped and tattered in some places. Without even hearing from Peter Tony was already pushing him towards a shoe store where a random employee came by and took his shoe size. How had his shoes gotten off of his feet? Where did all of those boxes of shoes come from?! Before Peter could even blink there were about 10 different boxes of shoes laid out for him. There was a pair of dress shoes, a pair of running shoes, and about a few pairs of what this store deemed "casual". Choosing the least flashiest and least expensive shoe he picked a pair that looked similar to his converse. Before he knew it they had checked out and Peter was carrying even more bags than before. It's not like the bags were a strain to carry it just got in his way of following Tony out of the store. After what seemed like an eternity they were back at the Audi and he was loading the bags into the backseat. As Peter slid into the passengers seat Tony was typing away again, "Hungry, kid? We can get something on the way back if you want." As soon as Tony asked him the question he felt his stomach growl in response. If Peter was choosing where to pick up a snack he knew exactly where he was going.

He made Tony stop on the side of the road by a Doughnut shop. "I'll be right back," and with that Peter hopped out of the car and quickly walked into the home run store. The people inside were silently gawking not at Peter but at the car parked outside. This wasn't a rich neighborhood, this was the neighborhood that he and May lived in. Well. Peter silently flinched. Where they had lived. The couple in front of Peter smiled and said good-bye as they left with their white to go bags. The man behind the counter paled, and then before Peter knew it he was hugging him from behind the counter. The shop owner rubbed a few circles on his back.

"I'm so sorry about your loss kid," he pulled apart from him, the shopkeepers eyes tearing up, "I truly am. Here," and before Peter could even mutter out what he wanted he handed him the two doughnuts him and May would always get together. Two doughnuts, one with pink frosting, one with chocolate frosting, each one having sprinkles on them. As Peter tried to hand him money the shopkeeper simply stopped him and shook his head, "It's on the house, Peter." And with that Peter simply stood there, outside the Audi door. He wasn't even sure what happened. He had thanked the shopkeeper and had walked out not even blinking an eye. But now he found his hands shaking as he tried to reach for the door handle. His grip on the white to go bag getting stronger and stronger. The tears flowed once more, down the road that they had carved down his face. By now the shaking had moved to his whole body and he simply stood there, hugging himself with the two doughnuts he would always get after school. He would get them as a surprise for May because he knew how much she loved their frosting. Sure, she would yell at him for spending his money on food but the smile he would get from her was worth it. Choking down a sob he quickly forces himself into the car and buckles up, slamming the door a little to hard. He drops the bag in the cup holders and press his fists against his eyes, trying, willing, the tears to stop. But they don't. Tony doesn't say anything and simply pulls away from the home Peter once knew. Shaking away his wandering thoughts he forces himself to look out the window and watch the people walking by. He remembered that building or that stand. He would always skate pass them as Peter Parker and swing by them as Spider-man. It made his heart break just a little more. The Tower comes into view but Tony doesn't pull towards it, he turns instead. Now it was Peter's turn to look at the genius with a confused gaze. Tony simply sighs and hands him his debit card as they stop. That's when Peter quickly looks around, a small smile forming on his face. They were in the Wal-mart parking lot.