Peter Stark Oneshots

The Spider Gene: Part 2/2

*** The Second & Final Part, Of A Two Part Mini-Series, Going Through Peter Stark's Early Years As He Learns To Live With His Spider Gene Abilities. ***

Age 20

Most young Americans graduated University at twenty-two years of age, but then Peter and MJ were no ordinary Americans. Peter had studied Biochemistry, MJ studying Journalism In Business, whilst also keeping up his patrols as Spider-Man, on the side. Even through they went to two different Universities, they keep in touch during the day and then MJ would drive to MIT, where she lived in an apartment with Peter and Ned. It was modest, for a Stark, and though MJ was unhappy with how much it must have cost, she conceded that Karen was an incredibly useful addition.

Even though the three were very bright, they still need to study, and Peter had to juggle studying, Spider-Man, and his relationship with MJ. Especially when his relationship with MJ was announced to the world a year earlier, at the same time he was announced as the Heir to Stark Industries, ("...wow Mom and Dad, thanks for the added pressure.") Amazingly, the Sensory Overloads did not bother him as much anymore, both in terms of their frequency and severity. Peter assumed he'd just grown out of it, but he still wore his specialised noise cancelling headphones, now in an almost invisible hearing aid like form, just in case.

On days where they were on top of their studying, it wasn't a patrol day (Peter only went every other day now, unless it was an Avengers Level Emergency), and Ned was staying with Betty, Peter and MJ could enjoy a night just for them. Nights that MJ knew allowed Peter to forget he wasn't an Avenger, or the Heir to a Tech Empire, or a mutant. Nights that allowed her boyfriend to be a normal young man.

Age 21

After they had graduated, MIT for Peter and Harvard for MJ, they had both immediately taken up their pre planned roles at Stark Industries. Roles that had been in the works since Peter and MJ announced their relationship to the world three years prior. MJ never thought her interest in Reporting, and then Business Journalism would lead her into the role of Head Of Public Relations. In Peter's case, he knew from a young age that he'd become the 'Heir To The Empire' -as his Dad had put it - one day. Yet he still had to work hard to become SI's Chief Operating Officer (COO), and reporting directly to his Mom and CEO Pepper Potts meant slacking was out of the question.

As well as this Peter Stark balanced his alter ego Spider-Man carefully with his other demanding job. After showing up to one too many Board Meetings completely exhausted, Pepper and Tony had re-introduced the 11pm curfew. Peter had been annoyed at first. A curfew! He was twenty-one for crying out loud. Here his partner MJ, had reminded him that both were important and so both needed to be focused on with equal attention. Being tired affected COO Peter and Super Hero Peter, and as the Board were now beginning to grasp Peter as The Heir, he needed to keep their opinions of him high. Peter agreed.

Peter's day as COO, mostly consisted of overseeing staff and their training, creating strategy to create maximum value for shareholders, and organising company resources, from company cars to Wakandan Vibranium orders. A job Peter, as a member of Senior Management, was conducting interviews. The vast majority of interviewees were polite and excited to be applying for a job, but there was one that wasn't. Eugene 'Flash' Thompson. An unexpected interview that had ended in Flash attacking Peter, before being pulled away by security. Peter escaped with just a small cut to his face, from a flying stapler. Thank god for his Spidey Sense, (because "...we're not calling it my Peter Tingle, guys.").

Age 25

Even though they had preparing for this moment for years, Peter still found replacing his Dad as Head of the R&D Department as incredibly daunting. How does one replace the great Tony Stark. Similarly MJ said found succeeding Pepper Potts as CEO of Stark Industries, equally scary, though Peter thought she handled it brilliantly.

The company and public had been prepared for the changes ever since the conference announcing them six years prior. Though that didn't stop the reels of 'newspapers' printing on how Peter would run the company into ground. Tony reminded Peter he experienced the same backlash when he scrapped the Weapons Division of Stark Industries. Peter then reminded Tony, that he only taken over his Dad role, he hadn't even made any major changes yet and they still hated him. MJ reminded Peter that not every publication hated him. Pepper reminded Peter that she experienced the same treatment when she took over as CEO, even though she hadn't made any major changes at the time, ("Nobody like change Peter, this'll be old news in week.")

For the first few months Peter's workload was monumental, and Spider-Man was forced to take a back seat for a couple of weeks. Peter wasn't too worried, the other Avengers had offered to take on some of his patrols and that new kid he'd meet at the Foodbank his Aunt May ran, was looking promising.

+++++

One quiet evening, MJ and Peter sat lazing around in Peter's office, both their offices had amazing, skyline views but they'd ended up in Peter's today. They were sitting in a comfortable silence, when MJ turned to Peter.

"Don't forget Tony and Pepper are coming down from the cabin, for dinner this evening."

"I haven't."

"Just making sure, love. Did you invite May?"

"Of course I did, I invited Miles too."

"Actually can't wait to meet him, how's he doing."

"He's doing really well in training, Nat says she's pleased with his progress."

"That's great, but you'll always be my Spider-Man."

"That was really cheesy, isn't that normally my job?"

"I know, it won't happen again."