A year to Remember. Part 2, the Internship

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He smiles, "Just realised you've been calling me 'Peter' Today". I shake my head in playful annoyance. "Don't get used to it loser".

We both walk out the bathroom door to a frustrating lack of Ned, who makes his presence seen running back through the hallway, May behind him. "Sorry I left, Karen told me May was outside so I went to find her."

"May?! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at the hospital!", Peter asks confused, worried. "And you were supposed to call me if you needed help", She challenges, I smirk while Ned giggles, Peter acting defensively at her. "I was a little preoccupied".

She returns an unimpressed look. "And if Karen hadn't messaged me would you have told me at all?". I copy her look, interested at the question. "Before I got home?", She adds.

Peter looks ready to fight, speechlessness stopping him dead in his tracks. "No", he mutters. "Exactly", May smirks, "Now let's go to the office, I have a few words for your Principal, then I'm signing you out and taking you home". Peter seems to have learned from his mistake, choosing not to fight this time.

May turns to Ned and I. "You're welcomed to come over after school if you want". I nod confidently as Ned replies, "Thanks May", before She and Peter leave down the hallway, the two of us returning to class.

-

Tony's POV:

"Please", I can hear his voice break, eyes rimming with tears as he runs for the door. "Please never contact me again". The room falls silent after the door closes, me running through what just happened.

"Mr Stark, Ms Potts, I apologise for his behaviour. I assure he will be punished Accor...", I don't bother with his grovelling, not in the mood. "Meet you at the tower". I am not in the mood or patience to deal with a high school for one more second.

I walk out of the school, running by a gawking kid on my way, right into our car. "Happy, back to the tower."

He turns back confused. "And Pepper?".

"I asked FRIDAY to send another driver for her". I wave at the road. "Now go". We only get about half way through of peace before he chooses to interrupt. "You ok Tones?".

"What do you think Hap?", I snap back. "I mean, Why would I be?". I grind my teeth, digging my left hand into my thigh. "Just my-", I stop myself, barely realising what I was saying as I amend. "The kid hates me. I never got to officially meet him before blowing all my chances!".

I punch the passenger's seat in front of mine. Tension built in the car broken by my strained words. "Can't even text him cause he blocked us. Go figures, I had to ruin it didn't I? That's what I get for giving a damn".

We fall into a minute silence, me scrolling through my phone, disrupted by Happy's soft words. "Tony-".

"Shield Up", I command.

Was I mean? Probably, but who cares, why care? That only leads to problems.

Making it into the private elevator I get Friday to take me up to the kitchen, I need more coffee, a critical mistake. At the elevator doors opening, 9 pairs of eyes falling on me. All but Thor, Loki, Bruce and Vision sat on the living space waiting.

"How did it go?", Pietro blitzes past me, asking incessantly. "Is he coming? When does his internship start?". Clint asks bursting through his vent. I'm shot a couple more questions, my anger bubbling before Natasha cuts through all. "What went wrong?".

Everyone stops, quietly staring at me and that is so worse than the noise. It's drowning me. "Friday, play the recording." I call as the avengers all turn to the couches, me turning to the kitchen for a quick coffee before turning back down the elevator and into my lab.