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Their entire class stood in the Avenger’s Tower secondary lobby, the one for news reporters and tours.
Peter Peter was nervous. Extremely nervous.
Avenger’s Tower was home to the Avengers, given the name.
Peter Parker was not the same as Spiderman, given the name. Secret identities and all that.
Just because Spiderman was occasionally working the Avengers now, that did not mean that Peter was going to sacrifice his privacy and secret identity.
The amounts of time Tony Stark had personal attacks since he revealed his identity to the world was a lot. And said attacks were dangerous. Very dangerous. The kind that Pepper Pots or Colonel Rhodes might be able to withstand, but certainly not ones that his Aunt May could.
There was a difference between a massive tech company CEO and a civilian nurse who only made enough to pay their monthly bills by taking extra shifts.
And that didn’t even take into account his classmates. They didn’t ask to be affiliated with Spiderman.
“Yo, Parker.” Flash flicked him in the forehead. “You deaf as well as blind now?”
Peter flinched back, glaring at his classmate as he covered the spot, trying not to get fingerprints on his glasses. “What?” He’d gotten distracted again.
“Peter Parker?” A rather important formal looking business woman called his name.
“H-Here!” Peter raised a hand.
She held up a card that Peter quickly pushed through his classmates to grab. “This is your pass.”
He thanked her and stepped back.
She continued down the roll, not even giving him a second glance.
“Good job, Parker.” Flash snickered, finding his way to Peter’s side and elbowing him in the ribs. “You managed to make attendance awkward.”
Peter shot him a glare but he just attached the card to his lanyard. Of course his friends couldn’t be in the same class. Their presence would have at least made this bearable. It was the ‘Parker Luck’. Flash was in every single one of his classes, well, except for graphic design and his AP Chemistry class.
“Eugene Thompson?” The tour guide called.
Flash sent Peter a glare, as though he were going to say something about the dude’s name. Peter just held up his hands in surrender. He didn’t touch that with a 7 foot pole. Just like Flash didn’t talk about Ben. There were lines they didn’t cross.
“I suppose there might be a worse name out there than Eugene.”
Peter turned, surprised to see the Osborne heir. “Harry?” He looked nervously over at the Vice Principal. “Dude, what are you doing here?”
Harry shrugged, hands tucked into his pockets with the confident nonchalance that all the Osbornes exuded. “Couldn’t just let my best friend go see the Avenger’s Tower without me.”
“I don’t believe for a second that you’re here to see the Avengers.” Peter countered with narrowed eyes, crossing his arms. “You won’t touch anything Tony Stark is involved with.”
Throwing an arm over Peter’s shoulders, Harry gave him a squeeze. “Okay, so maybe I pulled a little strings to get out of AP Brit Lit and onto the field trip list with my bestest friend.”
“Your only friend Mr Osborne didn’t hand select.” Peter rolled his eyes. “You’re doing this just to get back at your dad.”
Harry grinned. “Caught me, there.” He held up his own pass. “How furious do you think he’ll be to see this?”
Peter let out a small sigh. “Probably an 8 on the scale of mad to disappointed.”
Peter Parker wasn’t eye catching. The whole point was he was rather bland and plain. There was a reason he was such a good target for Flash.
Harry Osborne, however, attracts attention like moths to a flame.
“I’d like to welcome you all to Avenger’s Tower.” Their tour guide spoke loudly enough to gather their class’ attention. “A friendly reminder that all electronic devices need to be powered off completely while on the tour due to security protocols as well as emp technology installed by Mister Stark in the halls.” She gave a small smile. “So unless you want fried phones, I’d advise you power down or place them in the lock box we provide just for this purpose.”
Peter didn’t want to push the ‘Parker Luck’. He’d be lucky if the battery didn’t spontaneously combust given his track record.
He dropped his phone into the lock box before returning to Harry’s side.
Harry raised an eyebrow at him. “You could have just shut if off, Peter. Or just have let me take care of it.”
Rolling his eyes, Peter shook his head. “I’m not going to push my luck, Osborne.” He poked Harry in the side. “And neither should you.”
Something that he said caught on Harry, but the shuttered it away behind a smile before Peter could figure out what he had said wrong. “Ah, yes. The infamous Parker Luck.” He grinned. “Is that why you still haven’t found a girlfriend?”
Peter didn’t have time to date anyone. That and, again, secret identity that put others at risk.
He didn’t voice that though. Instead he elbowed Harry in the ribs, and smirked at him. “Just because you’re dating Gwen doesn’t mean I have to be dating someone right now.”
“Wait.” Harry looked startled. “You know about me and Gwen?”
Peter shot his friend a sideways glance. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”
“You can’t tell my father.” Harry tugged Peter aside, classmates still turning off devices or placing them in the lockbox. “He’d actually freak out.”
Peter rolled his eyes. “Dude, I haven’t told anyone. Wasn’t planing on it.”
“Osborne.” Tony Stark’s eyes only briefly passed over Peter before latching onto the Osborne heir. “What are you doing in our tower?” His voice was light and friendly, but they could read between the lines.
Harry gave him the certified Harry Osborne smile, the one he used on reporters and at dinners. “I’m here with my peers to learn more about the great heroes that protect our city.”
“You’re not even in our class, Osborne.” Flash rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. “You’re just here because of Parker.”
Peter wanted to sink into the floor. Could Flash shut up? He didn’t want to get noticed by avengers. Harry probably just didn’t want Stark to try and recruit him, but he at least could be discreet.
“Parker?” Tony Stark looked back at Harry and then at Peter, who was stood right beside his friend.
Harry shifted slightly, moving slightly so he was stood between Peter and Tony Stark. The billionaire could still see Peter over Harry’s shoulder, but the implication was clear.
“It doesn’t matter.” Harry shrugged, CEO voice in affect. “Aren’t you interrupting our tour?”
Peter could practically see calculations and questions whizzing through the genius’ brain. He seemed to settle on an answer after a moment, letting an easy grin slip onto his face. “Why don’t I hijack this tour and show you guys the cool stuff?”
Peter’s classmates didn’t need any convincing.
Peter couldn’t bring himself to look away from the complex notes Bruce Banner had splayed up on a holographic screen.
Studying radiation and how it affects the body is quite difficult to do -because . . . well, ethics- but with his own statistics he could do any number of tests.
“I know, I know.” Tony Stark’s sudden appearance made Peter jump. “It may not look like it, but that really is the Hulk. He’s just a little less green and smashy right now.”
Peter tried his best not to look disgruntled or irritated. “He’s Doctor Bruce Banner, the leading scientist currently in the American studies of actinobiology and human genetics.” Peter waved a hand at the screen. “Those notes are about his Thesis on Fauna Radiation.”
Tommy Stark blinked in surprise once before grinning and throwing an arm over his shoulder. “Banner! You’ve got a fan!”
Doctor Banner sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking up wearily. “Tones, I’m not going to ‘hulk out’ for some high school student.”
“Brucie, it’s you.” Mister Stark grinned before presenting Peter. “Bruce Banner, this is Peter Parker.”
Bruce looked uncertainly at Tony for a moment before turning to look at Peter.
“Your thesis on inter species radiation is brilliant.” Peter held out his hand. “Well, all of your work is brilliant, but I’m a bit partial to your work in zoology.”
Bruce seemed startled, but he reached out to shake Peter’s hand anyways.
Peter beamed. “Your pioneering work in genetics is absolutely incredible and brings up so many possibilities for medical professionals, aside from just better psychological assistance the more and more we can understand the brain.”
“You-“ Bruce looked from Peter to Tony and then back at Peter. “You’ve read my papers?”
He nodded. “Any I could get my hands on.” Including a couple that were technically classified, but Peter had been looking for answers after the spider bite, so he felt it was explainable. “You’re working on your thesis about fauna radiation, right?” Peter glanced at the screen. “Fauna native to Wakanda?”
“That’s- That’s right.” Bruce gestured to the screen and several images lit up. “The plants in Wakanda should be affected by the vibranium in the soil, or rather, the minerals that compose vibranium. But I can only find one of the necessary components for vibranium in the soil. Which leads me to assume the rest is being absorbed by the fauna.”
“Peter?” Harry’s hand fell on his shoulder, but he didn’t look back. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Rock should make dirt taste funky, but rock is missing.” Peter offered without missing a beat. He then turned back to Dr. Banner. “So either the fauna is breaking down the minerals at an incredible rate or the minerals are radioisotopes with a life span far shorter than uranium or thorium.”
Banner grinned. “Or, the fauna is a radioisotope in of itself, all be it on a low level, that interacts with the soul and creates the necessary components for vibranium.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Mr Stark looked between the two of them.
“Slightly radioactive plants might make the necessary building blocks for vibranium.” Dr Banner offered.
Peter nodded. “Plant make rock.”
Harry’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “We should probably leave the doctor to his research, Pete.” He tugged on Peter, and reluctantly Peter followed.
Peter caught the low conversation behind him.
“Tony, that kid is a genius.”
A sigh. “I know. But Osborne’s got first dibs on the kid.”
“I don’t think you understand, Tony, my papers on anything regarding radiation are classified. Either that kid can hack through government firewalls or he’s done his own independent research.”
“Well, it’s not too complicated what you two were talking about. Sure I missed some of the big vocab, but it was pretty simple stuff.”
“Most of it is, Tony. The complications come when applying it to living creatures. Unpredictable at best and career ending at worst.”
“You think-“
Harry shook his shoulder. “Peter? Are you listening to me?”
Peter grinned, ignoring what he’d heard for later as he turned to his friend. “Harry, I just met the Doctor Banner.”
His best friend sighed. “I noticed.”
Harry’s grip was tight on his shoulder. “Peter, don’t.”
“But-“ he gestured helplessly at the board the scientists were gathered around. “They wrote it wrong! That is 100% going to blow up on them!”
“Not our problem.” Harry tugged him toward one of the old hover car prototypes. “Besides, the more you nerd out, the more Stark is going to try and recruit you.”
Peter rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. “What a stark bleak future.”
Harry shot him a look but didn’t bother with a response.
“I’m allowed to think other science stuff is cool, Harry.” Peter nudged his friend. “Doesn’t mean I’m just going to drop you. Can’t get rid of me that easily. You’re stuck with me.”
Harry let out a soft chuckle, shoulders easing a bit. “I know.” It wasn’t really an apology, but Peter wasn’t expecting to hear one while they were still in front of other people.
“Yo, Parker!” Flash waved at him from across the room. He stepped to the side revealing a section about Spider-Man.
Peter’s eyes widened and he scurried over to Flash’s side. It was a harmless exhibit of what they thought his powers were and how they worked, but it looked so cool.
Flash’s voice lowered. “They don’t actually know what Spider-Man’s powers are? Don’t they work with him now a days?”
“Sometimes.” Peter shrugged. “I still catch plenty of photos with Spider-Man patrolling on his own.”
Harry finally caught up to him. “What’s this? Spider-Man?” The Osborne heir sounded bored and disinterested.
“Spider-Man is the best.” Flash glared at Harry, as if he were insinuating otherwise. “He’s out there for the little guy!”
Harry smirked, amused. “Guess it’s just that I’m not one of the ‘little guys’, Flash. I don’t really need the everyday vigilante.”
Peter was very uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was heading. “Okay, why don’t we just go look at some of the old Avenger gear?” He tugged Harry away, ignoring the dirty looks Flash and Harry were shooting at each other.
“I don’t know why you tolerate him.” Harry straightened his shirt, shooting a narrowed glance back over his shirt. “He’s an irritation at best and a bully at worst.”
Peter rolled his eyes. “That sounds exactly like you, Harry. You can’t go around suing people just because they bother you.”
“He was bothering you.” Harry countered.
This man-
“Harry, Flash doesn’t bother me.” Peter tried to refrain from getting frustrated, a battle he was already loosing. “He’s backed off a lot since Ben . . .” Peter trailed off, not looking at his friend, hoping to get some sympathy points so Harry wouldn’t push any further.
Harry let out a huff, crossing his arms. “Fine. I’ll leave Flash alone. But only because you asked.”
His friend really was tyrant. A tyrant that was fond of Peter, but a powerful individual who used his position to get what he wanted.
Peter just sighed. “That’s all I ask.”
Peter knew he was gripping Harry’s arm too tightly but that was Thor. And Thor was the first Avenger that Peter had ever met as Spider-Man, so sue him, he was a little excited to meet the man.
“Ah, Stark!” Thor greeted the billionaire before pulling the man into a crushing hug. “It has been too long since we have seen each other last!”
Tony wheezed as he was released from the hug, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. “We saw each other 3 days ago, Pointbreak.”
“Far too long!” Thor grinned. “And who might,” He turned to face their class, “these young ones be?”
The Vice Principal stepped forward, eyes wide and a hand held out in greeting. “I’m Vice Principal Gorak from Midtown High, we’re here on a field trip to see Avenger’s Tower.”
Thor greeted Gorak pleasantly enough, though Peter could tell the vp’s exuberance was making Thor a bit uncomfortable. He turned to face their class. “Welcome, young ones of Midtown! I am Thor, Odison, protector of Midgard and Asgard.”
One of his classmates gasped. “Can we try to lift Thor’s hammer?”
Excited whispers broke out among his classmates. The story about only a worthy person could lift the hammer was well known. It was almost a meme at this point.
(The Calc teacher couldn’t open the door one class period and someone had muttered ‘He’s not worthy’. Now anytime anyone failed something so spectacularly and humiliating, a reference was made to Thor’s hammer)
Harry nudged Peter with a grin. “Do you think you’re worthy, Peter?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. And what would it matter? Lifting Thor’s hammer wouldn’t magically help me with all my history assignments.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You manage to find a way to take the fun out of everything, Pete.”
“It’s a gift.” Peter grinned, bumping shoulders. “Besides, I thought you didn’t want Stark to notice me?”
Harry scowled at the hammer now. “You’re right. You shouldn’t touch the hammer at all.”
Peter had to hide his grin. Harry was easy to read, but they’d been friends for years. Even before Peter’s fascination with space turned into a fascination in biology. Before Harry had lost his mother.
“You can’t stop me though.” Peter grinned, poking his friend in the ribs. “What if I want to go lift Thor’s hammer? What will you do then?”
That got an eye roll and the smallest smirk. “Okay, now I know you’re just doing this on purpose.”
“You caught me!” Peter held out his hands in surrender. “I knew my days playing devil’s advocate would catch up to me eventually!”
Harry scoffed, but the smile was growing as he pushed Peter’s face away. “You’re so dramatic.”
“Maybe.” Peter grinned with a shrug. “You’re not dramatic enough.”
“Tell that to my father.” Harry muttered, smile fading, not looking at Peter.
Mopey Harry was hard to handle. He’d be 75% more likely to try and sue someone when he got like this.
“Parker! Why don’t you give it a hand first?” Tony Stark called.
Peter felt his eyes widen as everyone’s attention turned to him. He wasn’t actually going to try and lift Thor’s hammer. It had been a joke to get a rise out of Harry.
“No thank you?” He managed to squeak out, trying not to flush. “I-I’m good! Already have a hammer back home!”
That earned him a few snickers from his classmates.
Flash, with his perfect timing, stepped forward. “If Parker’s too scared to do it then I absolutely want a try!”
He didn’t succeed in lifting the hammer, but he and Flash both knew he probably wouldn’t be able to lift it. The distraction was successful though, and all the class was clambering for a try at lifting Thor’s hammer.
Harry remained by Peter’s side though. “Is it just me or is Flash. . . ?” He trailed off, looking at Peter.
Peter tried his best to not look guilty.
It didn’t work.
“Wait.” Harry’s eyes flicked back to Flash before returning to Peter. “Wait, when did this happen?”
He tried to be nonchalant. “A while ago.” Peter tugged on his sleeve. “After Ben died . . . Flash wanted to back off but someone else started trying to take his place.” Peter shrugged. “We came to an agreement ages ago.”
“I knew I should have transferred sooner.” Harry scowled. “Who was picking on you? I can-“
Peter put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Harry, don’t.” He glared at his friend, trying to get the severity across. “I don’t want you to fight my battles. Heck, I don’t want you fighting people period. Fighting changes you.”
He knew Harry was thinking of the man who shot Ben. Peter was thinking of Vulture, and Doctor Octavius, and any number of the villains he had to fight. He didn’t want that for his friend.
Someone tapped his shoulder. “Could you hold this for me?”
Peter took whatever it was, still focused on Harry. “Don’t go picking a fight just because you can. The past is in the past. Can’t change it, can only try to prevent it from happening again.”
Harry wasn’t looking at him anymore. He was staring at Peter’s hand.
Peter frowned turning to look before yelping and dropping Mjöllnir onto the ground.
Thor laughed, clapping him on the back. “You are worthy! I had a feeling you would be.”
Peter had just held Mjöllnir. He’d actually held it.
“I think it’s fitting given your lecture.” Harry looked a little smug, though Peter wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like anyone had been proven wrong. “Peter Parker, worthy to lift Thor’s hammer.”
“Mjöllnir.” Peter corrected. “The hammer’s name is Mjöllnir.”
Harry rolled his eyes before throwing an arm over Peter’s shoulders. “You’d name all your notebooks if you thought for a moment I wouldn’t tease you relentlessly.”
Peter glared at his friend, poking him in the ribs. “Just for that, I’m naming the purple one Oswald.” He looked back at the god of lightning.
Thor was beaming. “I knew such a strong soul would be worthy of Mjöllnir!”
strong soul
“Strong soul!”
“The name’s Spider-Man!”
“You are a funny one, Soul.”
Wait, Thor knew?!
Mr Stark clapped Thor on the shoulder. “Come on, Pointbreak. ‘Tasha is calling a meeting.” Then he turned to their class and waved. “It was nice to meet you Midtown, but I’m afraid we have to take our leave and return you to your regular touring route.”
There were several goodbyes and a lot of waving, but Peter was still trying to catch up with the fact that Thor knew.
“You all good, Pete?” Harry frowned. “You’re looking a bit more pale than usual.”
“Just- peachy.” Peter rubbed his temples, already feeling the headache coming on. “Everything is just-“ His senses always dialed up when he started panicking or stressing or generally worrying. Yeah. He needed to work on that.
Harry pulled out a familiar pair of sunglasses and ear plugs. Peter accepted them gratefully, not bothering to make a comment about Harry having them. Harry Osborne, whether or not anyone believed him, was a good friend. A bit much and head strong, but sincere.
The glasses and ear plugs didn’t completely shut out light and noise, but it brought it back down to a manageable level. Peter shot his friend a quiet thank you.
He was ready to go home.
Tony Stark watched the screen as Midtown finally exited the building. “JARVIS, keep an eye on the kid.”
“Sir?”
"Peter Parker." He had the cameras zoom in on the kid. "He's going to be big and important some day. I'd rather know what he's up to in his free time. See if he's a threat."
"Yes, sir."