Tribulation

Three

Three Weeks after May Parker dies, Peter is happy.

Happy, as in, not horribly depressed, that is. He's learning to live in a new life, a life that he could have only dreamed of having. He has a lavish room, living in the Stark Tower, somewhere only superhero's lived! He had a high-tech phone, and laptop. He got to tinker in a lab every day, and most importantly, he got to be with Anthony Edward fucking Stark, every single day!

It was like he was living a dream, but being haunted with nightmares.

Nightmares he knew he would have to face eventually, because- as he's been told excessively- facing them is step one in healing.

But right now he's not healing, he's playing online Poker with Ned and MJ, while on video chat.

"Hah!" Peter exclaimed, "A full flush!"

"You cheated! No way could you-"

"Ned, it's online. He couldn't cheat."

"He's literally the smartest kid I've ever met, he could ha-"Peter cut him off with a loud laugh. Both of them stopped, and smiled at their screens fondly, and Peter wrinkled his nose, the smile not faltering.

"What're you nerds looking at, we still have a game to play." He smiled again, eyes fixated on his own screen, missing the pleased look on MJ's face when she muttered, "It's just nice to have you back, is all."

Ned nodded, (not that Peter could see) "Yeah, dude. I missed you like hell- still do, when're you coming back to school?"

Now that made Peter stop. When was he going back to school? It wasn't necessary he goes, he knows this. He's been offered to up a grade, to graduate early, and even Tony told him he was the smartest kid he's ever met (other than himself). But Peter needed the human interaction, he was an extrovert, after all. And he missed his friends, missed lunch break and study dates with them. Or having them stay over at his and May's on school days when they studied too late, and May not caring enough to make them go home.

Peter frowned.

"I... I don't know guys, but I have to go, I think Mr. Stark needs me.." They both raised their eyebrows at that, but didn't say anything, just bidding goodbyes as Peter shut the laptop screen. He let out a breath of air, before standing up and stretching, popping his back loudly.

He jumped when he heard the sound of someone rapping on his door, and opening it seconds later, revealing Tony, looking clean cut, with a nice button up and slacks on. His hair was slicked back, and his beard (which had been growing out slightly) neatly trimmed. Peter raised his brows. Turns out his white lie came true, when Tony said, "Kid, I need you."

Peter gave him a confused look stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You need me? For what?"

"Dinner."

Again, Peter looked at him with confusion. "What?"

"Dinner, Pete, get with the program."

Peter blushed. "Why do you need me? What's it for?"

Tony stopped then, giving the kid an apprehensive look. "Not for anything, just... wanna go out, I guess. And I want you to come." At this, Peter nodded, finally grasping what Mr. Stark was saying somewhat.

He looked the other man up and down, and then it came to him that Tony was dressed up for this dinner, and he didn't have anything to wear, to said dinner.

"Is it like... fancy?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly "Because, I don't have anything, you know, fancy?" He felt like a little kid, standing in front of Stark, who wasn't even all the way dressed, but still looked better than Peter did, by a long shot.