Chapter Text
“How does it look?” Peter picked up the invitation from the table and held it in front of his face, facing Ned.
“Well…” his friend tilted his head. “A little bit crooked?”
Parker sighed.
“Why are my thoughts always easier to read than my handwriting?”
“Well, you can always become a doctor and your handwriting won’t matter,” Ned pointed.
“Well, if apparently this is the most important factor, my five year old cousin would make an amazing neurosurgeon” MJ stranded behind both of them. “What are you doing anyway?”
“Inviting Tony Stark to our graduation” Peter replied as it was the most obvious thing in the universe, not stopping his attempts to make a piece of paper with couple sentences written on it a piece of modern art.
“Okay,” she raised her eyebrows. “Any particular reason?”
“Not really,” Parker answered. “I mean, why not? James’ brother invited Miley Cyrus last year, with a special request for her to wear a Hannah Montana wig”
“Please don’t say your request is for him to come as Iron Man” Michelle rolled her eyes.
“Please don’t make him do the Tony Stark is a real superhero not Iron Man speech for the hundredth time” Ned groaned and Peter stopped his work to give him an offended look. Leeds just shrugged his shoulders.
“It looks amazing, looser” MJ ruffled her boyfriend’s hair. “But I think it could use more pink glitter”
The price for that addiction was a pen thrown at her, but she decided it was worth it anyway.
***
“Where are you going?”
Pepper Potts was sitting on the couch in casual clothes, checking something on her phone. It was one of these rare days when she didn’t have to spend the early morning hours in a rush. Apparently, she couldn’t say the same about her fiancee who was standing in front of the mirror, making sure his suit looked right.
“I have an important meeting, Miss Potts” he replied, using a tone so official she just had to smile.
“I am pretty sure I have a better knowledge about your meetings than you have, Mr Stark” she said.
“Not this one” he said, adjusting a tie. “I’m going to high school graduation”
“Well, high time, congratulations” his fiancee sounded amused. “But seriously, why?”
“Because I was invited and it’s rude not to reply to invitations” he pointed out, turning out in her direction. He gave Potts a questioning look.
“You look amazing,” she assured him. “Are you seriously still doing this whole “attending random people's weddings” thing?”
“Well, not only weddings now” Tony put on his sunglasses. “See you soon, time to show the new generation what being cool really means”
Pepper rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to the phone.
“Have fun”
“Oh, I will”
***
The school looked.. normal.
Which was kind of a point, to be honest. Isn’t it why he started doing things like that a few years ago? To be around normal people, who are living their normal ordinary lives, experiencing the important and emotional moments. Maybe it was his way to compensate for all the times he wasn’t allowed to have a turning point in life that wouldn’t involve hundred reporters and noisy people?
On an almost unrelated note, he was also Tony Stark and he could do whatever he wanted. He could as well make some random person feel special.
Well, it wasn’t really a random person anymore. Of course, he did research about this student - Peter Parker - who wrote his name on the invitation card (which was honestly endearing, like, who these days made an effort to prepare a cringe card themselves?).
The kid was smart.
Really smart. His grades were straight A’s and he’d already won many prizes in subject competitions. He was also kind and selfless and even though his story was full of tragic events, it seemed like the kid never stopped seeing good in people.
The only complaint some teachers had about him was his habit of disappearing in the most unexpected moments, especially when some kind of danger was involved.
That certainly catched Tony’s attention, but he decided not to dig deeper into this, at least not until he’ll actually meet the kid.
He arrived fashionably late to make sure his appearance would not interrupt preparations and small talk. He didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself - after all, he already had his graduation. It was a moment that belonged to these kids. Well, that was probably their parents' moment too in some ways, but he certainly wasn’t the part of that group either.
Unfortunately when he entered the school auditorium where the whole event was supposed to be hosted, it seemed like the start of the ceremony was delayed, so his whole plan fell apart. Parents were still talking to each other, kids were looking for their places to sit - it was a mess and the ridiculous decorations and teenager’s outfits didn’t exactly help to make this look any more organised. But it was a good mess, the kind of mess that a gathering of hundreds of excited people under one roof created, the kind of energy that happens at concerts right before the artist hits the stage.
He watched the entire thing from behind his glasses that he didn’t intend to take off, at least not for now. Standing on the doorstep, he studied the crowd in search of one of two faces that he had a chance to recognise.
He found the first one pretty quickly. May Parker, the woman whose photos he saw while doing research, was sitting in one of the last rows, close to the place where he was standing. She was talking to some elderly woman sitting next to her, so Tony could see her face from the profile. Seeing her made him realise how hard it is to capture this amount of kindness on camera, because even from observing the way she listened to her interlocutor, he was sure it was clear that this woman was the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice something if it meant helping someone in need.
And there was Peter.
The kid was standing a little further, laughing with a boy and a girl next to him. They looked like they were having fun and Stark was just about to stop staring at them, when Parker’s eyes turned straight into the billionaire direction, staring in disbelief.
Ah, now it was the time to act.
Stark raised his hand slightly and waved at the teenager, smiling cheekily.
For a few seconds the kid was just standing there paralysed and those few seconds were enough to make his friends wonder what Peter was so shocked by.
Ah yes, now he had three teenagers looking at him.
Finally, Parker came to his senses and waved back.
Tony held back laugh. This is going to be fun.
***
“Dude” Ned looked Peter straight in the eyes, making Parker even more uncomfortable, which he himself didn’t think was even possible, given the situation they were in.
Even MJ looked like she wasn’t sure how to react.
And if MJ looked like that it meant they were screwed.
“Okay loser, you really gotta stop doing these jokes. I have enough to stress about right now even without all paparazzis that will inevitably show up here any moment”
“I’m going to throw up,” Peter decided, which resulted in a loud “NO”.
“You know what, I’ve changed my mind. This is our territory and we have the advantage. So I’m just going to ignore the fact that the man who was my idol since I was like seven is casually sitting in the audience at my graduation ceremony. It’s just some random guy. My eccentric uncle. My father decided to show up after he disappeared years ago while going to buy some milk. I’ll make up some story to convince myself it’s fine”
“Whatever helps you, man” Leeds said while trying to find the subject of conversation in the sea of adults.
“Ned stop looking there!” Peter whispered nervously, despite his earlier claim to be calm.
“Please take your seats!” the head teacher shouted, ending all conversations.
Parker took a deep breath. All these hours spent on being a superhero and of course he meets Tony Stark at his school graduation.
One problem at a time. He needs to close this chapter of his life. He can worry about making a great first impression later.
It’s going to be so fun.
***
At the end of the part where teachers were giving their speeches Tony was absolutely sure that the most important quality that qualifies a person to be a teacher is a complete lack of any personality.
How a developing brain can bear hearing something that boring for that many years, Tony couldn’t get his head around. Fortunately, for that particular group of teenagers it was probably the last time they had to do so. College is much more fun.
The things that the students themselves had to say were much more interesting. The guy they picked to speak on behalf of the whole year - unlike the teachers - had the whole speech memorised by heart and it was obvious that he enjoyed preparing it. He even managed to throw a few pop culture references and Tony couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of them, which resulted in a critical gaze from some woman in glasses sitting in front of him. She didn’t seem to realise who she was judging, it was probably just a kind of person who needed everyone to know where their place is - not as high as hers.
Then there was finally a moment when every student had to enter the stage to get their diploma. Unfortunately for Stark, he was invited by someone who’s last name was not at the top of the alphabetical list so he had no other choice but to wait. And wait. And wait again.
And then, just as Parker was about to stand up, Tony’s glasses obscured the view and displayed a notification.
“Not now, FRIDAY” he hissed, which made the lady in the glasses even more furious at him.
“Boss, sorry to interrupt you, but this is an emergency”
***
To be completely honest, Peter never related to people who have some profound existential thoughts during crucial moments of their life. A little later or some time before, sure, but during a big emotional moment his brain was only capable of thinking about some mundane stuff.
Like please don’t fall please don’t fall please don’t fall.
Which he was thinking now, while entering the stage.
Because what could be worse than falling down the stairs (well, it was only three steps but his talent to do things that seemed impossible should never be underestimated) in one of the most important moments of his life?
Right, there was one worse thing. Falling down the stairs during one of the most important days of his life in front of freaking Tony Stark. Embarrassing.
So he focused his whole energy into getting on the stage and forcing a smile, because he was sure May was recording the whole thing. He shook hands with one teacher. Then another one. And then…
Then he stopped. Mr Smith had to be really offended by his behaviour, but he didn’t care because he could feel something was wrong. There was a subtle change in the air and he knew what it meant.
Parker moved his eyes to the audience, scanning the crowd, looking for the source of danger.
Instead, he found Tony.
Later both of them couldn’t really explain how it happened, but for a short moment, this crucial second, they both looked at each other, as they both somehow understood that they’re the only ones in this room that know what’s about to happen.
“Everybody down!” both men screamed.
And then they heard the explosion.