Glasshouse

The newest Avenger

The newest Avenger

The last thing Peter Parker had expected to see today was Happy Hogan standing in his school's bathroom. Normally, he would have been quite happy to see the (frankly very rude) man, but on top of everything else, he wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with Happy.

"Hi, Happy... How are you doing?", he asked

"I... I really owe you one. I don't know what I would do without this job. Before I met Tony, I..."

Happy's surprising declaration was rather unceremoniously cut short by someone flushing the toilet. The kid awkwardly walking out and carefully washing his hands was a couple of years below Peter, so he didn't actually know him. Peter wasn't sure if this made the situation more or less awkward.

"How long have you been here?", he asked Happy, not daring to make a comment about his job being in security.

"Long enough to make it weird. Boss wants to see you."

Peter couldn't stop himself from envisioning Tony Stark hiding out in a high school toilette.

"Is he here, too?", he whispered.

"In the toilette? No. Come on."

Peter followed Happy outside, where a car was waiting. When Happy opened the door for him, Peter nervously slid inside and almost screamed in shock. Tony Stark was already sitting inside, looking at him behind tinted glasses.

"Mr Parker, it's a joy to see you alive and well."

"Mr Stark! I... What... I... I mean... What are you doing here?"

"Here? In my car? Driven by my employee?"

"Yes. No. Ehm. Hi!"

"Hi. And to answer your question: I just realized that for some reason my brother and I always have important conversations in a car. This conversation is important. So I brought a car. Happy! Drive us around. A drive in, maybe. I feel like a cheeseburger. Do you feel like a cheeseburger?"

"Ehm. Yes?"

"Cheeseburger it is."

They sat in silence for a bit, until Peter couldn't take it anymore.

"You and your brother always talk in cars?"

"Not always, no. But surprisingly often."

"Your brother isn't exactly human, is he?"

"Oh. He is very human. He is just... enhanced.'

"Cool. You guys talking again?", Peter knew it was the wrong thing to ask the moment he said it. Stark's slightly wistful expression closed down immediately.

"My brother", he explained through gritted teeth, "feels like he always had to safe everyone. As soon, as he realizes that Barnes is no victim, he and I will be fine again."

Peter nodded dutifully, but he remembered the determined look on the younger Stark Brother. The conviction, that he was right... There was no way in hell, it would all fall back into place like that. And Peter didn't think Mr Stark actually believed that.

He shivered at the memory of the cloaked CEO standing straight, arm pointing right at him. There had been a blinding light. A heavy weight hitting his chest... And then nothing. He had awoken hours later in a jet that had to be send for them all, since the other team had so rudely taken their ride.

Harry Stark had managed to knock him out with one word. Enhanced. That was one word for it.

"Anyway. I am not here because of my pig headed brother. I am here because of you."