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Take me back to the night we met

Pairing: Peter Parker/Tony Stark (Starker)

Rating: Teen (T)

Notes: This has been sitting in my drafts for literal ages, so I decided to post it to give me motivation to write chapter 2... here’s hoping that happens soon y’all!

Warnings: None, meet-cute/awkward Starker. More to come in chapter 2!

Word count: 7k

Summary:

Peter and Tony are both hesitant to head back to their small town for a close friend’s wedding. Little do they know they’re from the same town, and little does Peter know that Tony Stark knows who he is. Awkward boys flirting ensues.

Or, Peter works for Stark Industries and is beyond shocked when bumps into Tony on a trip home.

Read on AO3

Peter sat at his desk, looking out the floor to ceiling windows, still unable to fathom how he got to this point in life. From his desk in the open floor plan of Stark Tower, he had a panoramic view of New York City. Every day he looked out on the skyline that people would travel thousands of miles to catch a glimpse of just one time. Thinking back on how he got to this moment, he remembers being one of those people - eager and hopeful for something more, something greater.

He glanced down to his desk, eyeing the invitation he’d been steadily ignoring for a few too many days. Any reminder of his hometown was a bittersweet one and, for some reason, this one was particularly tough to swallow. Having left home immediately after graduating high school, Peter cut ties with too many people and burned several bridges. He didn’t regret a second of it though; he worked hard to earn his scholarship to NYU and would have never let that opportunity slip through his fingers. In the years since he moved to New York, his trips back home became less frequent and his ties to the town dwindled more than they already had. Sure, he was still close with MJ and Ned, and obviously May was still the most important person in his life. But otherwise, there was nothing left for him back home.

With those thoughts swirling around his head, Peter looked down at the wedding invitation with a twist in his gut. May’s best friend was getting married and there was no way he could miss it. He may not be particularly close with Pepper anymore, but at one point, she was like family to him. He knew she would want him there, and so would May. There was no way he could disappoint either of them. Besides, it would be a good excuse to spend some time with MJ and Ned - he knew he didn’t get back to see them enough.

With his mind made up, Peter quickly filled out the card indicating that he would be attending by himself. Who doesn’t love attending a wedding alone, he chuckled to himself. Yes, he’d have May and his friends with him, but that didn’t replace the longing he had for someone else by his side. Peter had worked hard and tirelessly through college and to get his foot in the door at Stark Industries. For years he told himself that he didn’t have time for anything too personal, always prioritizing himself and his career. Now that he was settled in his job, he allowed himself to want other things, other people. He had a few close friends in the city, but never sought out anything romantic. There had been a few fleeting flings here and there, but Peter always ended things before they could get serious.

The shrill ringing of his desk phone brought Peter back to his surroundings and he shook off the lingering thoughts about his loneliness. As he chatted with someone from the developer team, he slipped the RSVP in an envelope and placed it in his stack of outgoing mail. He pulled up his group chat with Ned and MJ to let them know he’d be in town for the wedding.

Peter: Welp, guess who’s coming to Pepper’s wedding?

Ned: HELL YES!

MJ: I’ll believe it when I see it, Parker.

Peter smiled to himself. Maybe this wouldn’t be as awful as he was expecting.

Several floors above Peter on the executive level of Stark Tower, Tony Stark himself was pacing his office, whispering into his phone at his childhood best friend.

“Can’t I just send an expensive gift? Come on, you guys will love it. I’ll send you on your honeymoon. Where do you want to go? I’ll send you anywhere. Just please don’t make me come back there.”

“Tony, come on. You’re my best friend. I know coming here isn’t exactly your idea of a vacation, but I need you here for this. I’m getting married for fucks sake. You’re not getting out of it.”

Tony sighed loudly into the phone, he knew Happy was right.

“I know, I know. I want to be there for you, I really do. You know it’s not about you - you know how hard it is for me to be there."

“I know Tones. I know it’s not the same, but, you’re family to us. I can’t get married without you standing up there next to me and embarrassing me the whole time."

Tony snorted at that.

“Well you know I can’t pass up an opportunity like that. Just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there."

“Thank you, Tony. It means the world to me. I’ve gotta run, but I’ll send you some more details soon. Love you man."

“Love you too Happy. I’ll talk to you soon."

As Tony hung up the phone, he took in his surroundings. His floor of Stark Tower loomed higher than several of the buildings in the vicinity. He could see for miles from this vantage point. This right here was everything he’d ever dreamed of - This city, this job, this company. He rarely thought about who he was prior to all of this, but Happy’s wedding was changing that.

-

More than 20 years ago, Tony left his hometown in the dust as he sped off to MIT at the young age of 16. He’d never been particularly close with anyone back home, except for Happy, so it was easy to leave and never look back. Upon arrival at MIT, he worked harder than anyone around him, determined to prove everyone from his small town wrong, especially his parents. People in Springdale didn’t believe in leaving for something better. Everyone graduated from high school and went to the local university, only to stay trapped with the same 10,000 people for the rest of their lives.

That was the opposite of what Tony wanted. From a young age, Tony knew he was different. He couldn’t get enough of the meager machine shop his school district had and was quickly building engines far beyond the scope of his instructors. After the engines, he got his hands on some of his own tools and resources and began building computers and robots in his garage. He never bothered with making friends, much preferring to spend time building and tinkering at home.

All of these experiences helped him to get through high school faster than his classmates, and before he knew it, he was accepting a scholarship to MIT. His parents didn’t understand, but with the value of his scholarship, their opinions were irrelevant. The summer of his 16th birthday he packed up his most important possessions and moved to Cambridge without thinking twice. MIT was nothing like his small hometown and Tony thrived surrounded by like-minded students and faculty. He practically drooled over the technology and resources he had at his fingertips.

As soon as he could, Tony started doing research in one of his professor’s labs. There were very few research positions for undergraduate students, but Tony was nothing if not persistent and he worked hard to earn one of the coveted positions. A few years, countless sleepless nights, and several technological advances later, Tony was finishing his degree with plans to continue at MIT to pursue his Master’s. While completing his Bachelor’s degree at MIT, Tony’s trips home were few and far between. He went back for the occasional major holiday or birthday, but, for the most part, he stayed in Cambridge.

The second year of his Master’s program, everything changed. He’ll never forget the call from the local police station alerting him of an accident involving his parents. He may not have been particularly close with them, but they were his only family. Through his haze, he managed to get himself home the next day. That entire trip home was one he would gladly forget. The news of his parents passing away and the loneliness he felt was something he would never truly shake. He didn’t surround himself with many people, but the loss of his parents created a hollowness that he couldn’t have expected.

That trip back to Springdale was the last time he’d been home in the past 25 years. His friends from MIT and Stark Industries didn’t even know where he grew up. After MIT, Tony had pieced his own version of family together - he had everything he needed in those few close friends.

The transition from MIT to New York was a quick one; Tony landed a prestigious internship with Oscorp and quickly worked his way up from there. Over the course of a few years, Tony had enough of his own ideas and resources to venture out on his own and start up a small tech company. A few of his closest friends and best colleagues from Oscorp joined him and slowly built Stark Industries into the powerhouse it was today.

“Nat!” Tony called from his office, the door always slightly ajar.

“What is it Tony?”

“I need a flight home."

-

Several weeks later, Peter found himself pulling into May’s driveway, kicking up plenty of gravel and dirt in his rental car. Before he could bring the car to a full stop, May was bursting through the front door, eagerly approaching Peter. He pulled himself from the driver’s seat, taking a brief moment to stretch after the long drive from the airport. Seconds later he was engulfed by one of May’s all-encompassing hugs, somehow wrapping him up entirely despite the fact that he was at least a full head taller than her.

“You’re taller."

“Missed you too, May."

“Maybe you wouldn’t be so tall or miss me so much if you came home once in a lifetime. FaceTime isn’t the same, Pete."

Peter grimaced at that. He knew she was right - he didn’t come home enough despite how much he loved her. Being home was a strange mix of emotions. It was familiar and unsettling at the same time and Peter didn’t quite fit here anymore.

“I know May, I’m sorry. Work is just so busy and you know it’s hard for me to be here. I’ll try to-”

“Uh uh,” May interrupted. “No excuses. I know how hard you’ve worked for what you have out there. Just don’t forget about little old me." May cracked a grin and elbowed Peter in the ribs, just hard enough for him to know she really meant it.

“Love you, May,” Peter grinned.

They each grabbed a bag from the car and made their way up the front steps of May’s house. As soon as they entered the hallway, Peter couldn’t help the feeling of home that washed over him. This town may not feel like home anymore, but the smell of pine and just slightly burnt bread would always send him back to his childhood.

“Shower up, Pete. You stink and we have a dinner to get to,” May called from where she was already bringing Peter’s bags to his room.

“What dinner, May? I thought things weren’t happening until this weekend?”

“Tonight is just family, and us obviously. Pepper insisted on us being there! I know you want to see Ned and MJ, but they’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Peter trudged up the stairs to his room, finding May already hanging up the formal items he brought for the various events attached to the wedding. He didn’t quite understand why someone needed to rehearse a wedding, but, whatever.

“I can finish this up,” Peter insisted, taking the hangers from May. “When do we need to leave?”

“In about an hour. Do you need anything?” May asked as she headed for the door.

“I’m good, May, thanks,” Peter grinned at her. “Can you get the door?”

With that, the door closed with a thud and Peter let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. Hanging up the rest of his clothes, he realized the room was exactly as he’d left it when he sped off to NYU. He picked up his phone and snapped a picture of his surroundings, quickly sending it to Ned and MJ before getting himself ready for dinner.

An hour later, Peter was feeling much more human thanks to a hot shower and some fresh clothes. As he and May pulled up to Recipe, one of the few nicer restaurants in town, a swanky black Tesla caught Peter’s eye. In this town, the nicest car you usually saw was whatever new pickup truck could haul the heaviest trailer - or whatever. Peter didn’t care to know.

“May, who the hell is at this dinner?” Peter gestured out the window toward the car that clearly didn’t fit in along their historic downtown street.

“Oh, just family and maybe a couple close friends like us. That must belong to one of Happy’s friends.”

As they rounded the corner, they could hear laughter from the large patio behind the main house that was the restaurant. The patio was surrounded by large trees with strings of lights woven throughout the low-hanging branches. Peter was happy to see that this place was still here after all these years.

“May! Peter! You made it!”

Pepper, May’s lifelong best friend, called out to them, beckoning them closer. Peter recognized nearly everyone around the large table - one of the things that comes along with a small town. The circular table was situated at the center of the patio, and he spotted the back of a man’s head that looked familiar, yet out of place here. He couldn’t quite figure it out, seemingly due to the sheer amount of time that had passed since he’d seen this particular group of people.

Peter ducked under a couple branches and approached the table, quickly giving Pepper a hug and kiss on the cheek before finding the empty seat on the other side of May. He rounded the table and slid into his seat, interrupted by the waitress before he could even say hello to everyone else. As he turned back to the rest of the guests, he expected to be faced with Happy, Pepper’s fiance.

What he didn’t expect was to be faced with Tony Stark - founder and CEO of Stark Industries, his very own employer. What the hell is Tony Stark doing at this table? In Springdale? For May’s best friend’s wedding?

As conversation swirled around them, Peter forgot how to speak momentarily, staring dumbly at the man across from him. Tony smirked back at him and threw him a wink while extending his hand across the table.

“You must be Peter. It’s so hard for me to believe that you’re someone’s nephew.”

Peter stared at Tony’s hand, fighting an internal battle to remember what he was supposed to do. Eventually, he reached across the table, nearly knocking over an entire glass bottle of water, and grasped Tony’s hand. He couldn’t help but appreciate the way Tony’s hand gripped his. The handshake was firm, his skin slightly calloused but soft, and Peter held on for an unacceptable length of time.

The waitress approached with his old fashioned, causing him to yank his hand back, as if he’d been shocked. He looked up to find Tony quickly averting his eyes back to the menu and Peter wished the ground would open up underneath him and swallow him whole to avoid the embarrassment that he knew was about to ensue.

The rest of dinner continued mostly uneventfully; however, Peter continued to make a fool out of himself any time Tony so much as glanced in his direction. Anytime Peter looked up, he was met with Tony’s intense gaze, but the man seemed to take pity on Peter and avoided any further embarrassment. Instead, Peter chatted with May about the city, but tried to avoid work; no one seemed to be acknowledging the elephant in the room, and Peter didn’t want to rock the boat.

Tony Stark was not your average wedding guest, and everyone at the table seemed intent on ignoring his status. Peter knew he was missing something, but now wasn’t the time to ask why the CEO of New York’s largest tech firm and self-proclaimed “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” was in their presence.

Peter was certain that Tony had no idea who he was. Sure, Peter had been working at Stark Industries for a while now, but he’d only met the company’s founder once and it was by complete accident. When Peter interviewed for his first entry-level position, Mr. Stark himself just happened to be on the HR floor for another matter entirely. Peter had nearly collided with him as he exited the elevator and frantically looked around for the office number he’d been given. He could have never expected Tony Stark to point him in the right direction before heading down the hall in the opposite direction. Peter had stared at the back of Tony’s head for a moment too long that day, but headed off toward his interview before he could see Tony throw a glance back in Peter’s direction.

Now, back in Springdale, Peter was baffled at Tony’s appearance in the small town.

Dinner came to a close and Peter nearly leapt away from the table to escape back to the safety of May’s home. Before he could make a move, Pepper grabbed him and May by the elbows.

“You two better be coming with us for drinks!”

Peter hesitated, exhausted after a day of traveling, but May was beaming.

“Of course, Pepper. We wouldn’t miss it,” Peter agreed with a soft smile.

Out of the corner of his eye, Peter could see Tony leaving in the direction of his out-of-place sports car. Peter felt relief wash over him, realizing he'd get a break from embarrassing himself for the rest of the evening.

Pepper and Happy decided that they wanted to go to Barley & Vine, the only good place for drinks in their small town. It was just a couple blocks away so the four of them decided to make the short walk together. Peter and May walked together, a few paces behind Pepper and Happy, wanting to give them a bit of space. Thinking back on dinner, Peter couldn’t help but laugh at himself. May didn’t miss it and threw a sneaky glance at Peter.

“What, May? You’re not subtle, so just spit it out."

“So that’s the hot CEO you never shut up about, isn’t it?”

“May! What is he doing here? You do realize that’s Tony Stark right? Like, the Tony Stark! And he’s here?”

“That must be the Tony that Happy mentioned to me,” May shrugged. “I didn’t know he meant Tony Stark. I guess everyone in this town forgot that he grew up here, not in some lab in New York.”

“Tony Stark is from Springdale,” Peter deadpanned. “You have got to be joking. How is that even possible?”

“You’re the one that works for the man, ask him yourself! The brainiac had already left town by the time I got to high school so I never knew him. How could I have known that he and Happy grew up together?”

Peter just shook his head as they approached the small bar. After tonight, he’d spend the rest of the trip with MJ and Ned and hopefully avoid any further embarrassment in front of Tony. He knew they would give him a hard time for the whole thing, so he could only hope they didn’t find out about his antics at dinner that night.

Barley & Vine was one of the only places Peter enjoyed visiting when he was home. The cozy interior was inviting and the eclectic furniture set the place apart from the other dives in town. Pepper, May and Peter settled into some plush chairs and couches tucked into a corner near the back of the bar as Happy grabbed them a round of drinks. Peter was grateful for the quieter atmosphere after the long and unexpected day he’d had. When Happy returned, May and Pepper were already wrapped up in a conversation that seemed to be about the seating arrangements and predicting who from high school would hook up with an old flame.

Happy extended a beer to Peter, which he took with a grateful smile. Peter had only met Happy once before this weekend, but he seemed nice enough.

“So,” Happy started. “It seems like you and Tony had the same idea about getting out of this town."

“I guess so. Although, I had no idea he was from here. Everyone back in New York just knows he went to MIT when he was 16 - no one talks about what came before that. Seems pretty unreal that you guys grew up together." Peter eyed Happy nervously, unsure if this was a topic he’d be comfortable talking about.

“Yeah, Tony’s a pretty private guy and when he left Springdale he never really looked back. There’s too much here that he doesn’t like to revisit. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when he agreed to come out for the wedding."

Peter nodded in understanding. “I can understand that. I pretty much did the same thing when I left for NYU. I don’t get home enough, that’s for sure." Peter smiled in May’s direction knowing she missed him more than she ever let on.

At that, Peter and Happy fell into comfortable conversation about Peter’s experiences at NYU and now at Stark Industries. Happy had visited Tony in the city a few times, and they swapped stories about their favorite places, discovering that Tony had taken Happy to Peter’s favorite greasy burger joint.

Before long, all four of them were chatting excitedly about the coming weekend and Pepper and Happy’s honeymoon plans. Before Pepper could continue her ramblings about some private beach they were going to, the group was interrupted by Tony’s arrival. Peter was on his second beer of the night, giving him just enough of a buzz to be less chaotic than he was at dinner.

That was before Peter realized the only empty seat was on the couch next to him.

“Sorry I’m late guys. I had to run to the house for a minute and I forgot how slow the speed limits in this town are.” Tony already had a drink in hand as he settled into the spot next to Peter, leaving a comfortable distance between the two of them.

Peter snorted into his beer. “As if you follow speed limits."

The comment seemed to catch Tony off guard and he let out an unexpected laugh. Peter told himself that the blush he could feel on his cheeks was from the slight buzz, not from making Tony laugh. Before Peter had a chance to embarrass himself any further, Happy interrupted.

“May, did you ever meet Tony before he left us for MIT’s fancy labs?”

“Ha ha, very funny Hap,” Tony said with a genuine smile. They’d been friends long enough and been through so much that Happy could give Tony a hard time for just about anything. “Anyway,” he turned to May, “no, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m sure I would remember meeting you,” Tony said with a wink.

Peter rolled his eyes. He knew the reputation that Tony Stark carried in New York, hell the reputation he carried around the world. But he also knew May and that she wouldn’t be amused by Tony’s flirting.

“Well, you sure don’t seem to remember everyone you’ve met." May narrowed her eyes at Tony. “Have you met my nephew Peter yet Mr. Stark?” May asked with a playful glint in her eye.

Peter glared at May, willing her to shut up before she said anything else.

Tony moved back in his seat next to Peter to get a better look at him. “As a matter of fact, we have met. Peter, you’re on the implementation team, yes?”

Peter’s jaw dropped in disbelief. At a company the size of Stark Industries, there was no way Tony knew who Peter was. Peter barely came into contact with any of the executive team and had never worked directly with Tony himself.

“I may be the CEO of the company, but I keep close tabs on who we hire. Chalk it up to my perfectionism,” Tony finished with a sheepish grin.

“I, uh, yeah. Implementation team, that’s me,” Peter stammered. He took a big gulp of beer and stared at his feet, hoping the attention would turn away from him if he just pretended he wasn’t there.

The other four seemed to take the hint and started reminiscing about growing up in Springdale along with the trouble they all got in during school. Tony chatted with them for a while, surprisingly enjoying the conversation about a town he hadn’t considered home for decades.

“Oh my god,” Pepper laughed, “was it junior prom that you spiked the punch, Hap? I’ll never forget the lecture you got from Mr. Houser that week!”

“Hey now, it’s not my fault that I lost my touch for sneaking around after Tony left town. He was always the brains behind the operation."

Noticing that the conversation was taking a turn toward a time after he’d left, Tony retreated to the bar for another drink. When he returned to the couch, he handed Peter another beer.

“I saw you were getting low. Figured you could use another."

“Thanks, Mr. Stark."

“God kid, please call me Tony."

Peter felt the dip in the couch as Tony sat back down, sitting slightly closer to him this time. May, Pepper, and Happy were wrapped up in a dynamic conversation about some town-wide scandal from a couple years prior. Neither Tony nor Peter knew what was going on.

“So, you’re from Springdale?” Tony asked.

“Uh, yeah. But wait, you’re from Springdale?” Peter asked incredulously.

Tony let out an uncomfortable laugh and took a long sip from his glass. “Against all odds, yeah kid, I am. I left when I was 16 and hardly ever came back - haven’t been back since my folks died."

“I get that. My parents died when I was young; that’s why I lived with Aunt May until I left for school. It’s tough coming back here when there isn’t much left here for me."

Neither man really knew what to say after that; they were both surprised by their similar history with the small town.

“So,” Peter started with a grin. “Did you really build DUM-E in your parents’ garage in high school?”

For the first time that evening, Peter saw Tony’s face stretch into a wide smile, his eyes even crinkling a bit.

“How the hell would you know that?”

“The R&D team at Stark Industries tells a lot of stories about your robots. Rumor has it that you built it before you were at MIT, so, now, I figure that means you had to have built it here."

Tony only smiled bigger and shook his head before launching into the story of how DUM-E came to be. Peter listened intently, amazed at the brilliance of the man in front of him. Of course he knew that Tony was a genius, you don’t build a company like Stark Industries without being the smartest person in every room, but it was different to witness it up close. It also seemed like Tony’s hard exterior had softened enough to let his guard down just a bit. Peter was enjoying seeing a more human side to the enigma that was Tony Stark.

“There was this one time in college when I was working on new technology for engine propulsion and I had DUM-E on fire safety and the stupid thing would douse me with the fire extinguisher every single time I ran a test. He wore the dunce cap for a while after he cleaned up the mess he made."

Peter leaned forward out of his seat to take a drink from his beer sitting on the table in front of him. When he leaned back, Tony had moved closer to the middle of the cushion and casually thrown his arm along the back of the couch. At this point, Peter was fully tipsy, and didn’t think twice about setting back in, feeling the warmth from Tony’s body where they were nearly pressed against each other. Peter and Tony were so close together that Peter could barely turn his head to make eye contact with the man next to him. He didn’t let himself think about what would happen if they both turned toward each other.

Peter sat quietly for a moment, gathering the courage to ask Tony the question that he hadn’t been able to shake since he arrived at the bar. The consistent buzz and warmth just under the surface of his skin helped push him to get the words out of his mouth.

“So, how did you know who I was when May asked?”

Tony looked away from Peter, seeing that Pepper, Happy, and May were all still engrossed in their own conversation.

“You’ve been at the company for what, five years now Pete?”

“Six years in the spring, yeah."

“Sounds about right. Just over five years ago I seem to remember going down to the HR floor to sign some paperwork. Natasha was out of the office, so they hadn’t gotten delivered to my office, but the head of the department needed them by the end of the day. So, I popped downstairs for a minute to get those done. On my way back to the elevators, I was nearly the victim of a head on collision, thanks to a very stressed kid. He was lanky and had the softest looking curls and these bright red cheeks." Tony smiled to himself, and if it was brighter in their corner, Peter would have sworn he saw Tony blushing.

“Anyway, I pointed him toward the entrance to the main HR suite, assuming that he was there for an interview based on the stress rolling off of him in waves. He practically sprinted away from me, and by the time I looked back, he had already rounded the corner. A couple weeks later, I saw those same curls rising a full head above all the other new employees passing by my lab on the tour included during the onboarding process. Bummer for me, I didn’t know his name and we never seemed to cross paths again."

Peter sat quietly, slowly processing the words that had come out of Tony’s mouth. The alcohol rushing through his veins seemed to slow his thought process drastically, leaving Tony sitting in awkward silence. After a moment, Peter turned to look at Tony with a cautious smile - he was surprised to see Tony already watching him intently.

“You remember me. From my interview. When we didn’t even meet."

“Yeah, kid, I remembered you,” Tony said carefully, unsure of what was running through Peter’s mind.

Throwing caution to the wind, Peter scooted even closer to Tony; any space that remained between them was now gone. Tony’s arm that had been resting along the back of the couch came down around Peter’s shoulder, settling the younger man into his side. Their legs were pressed firmly together and Peter attempted to make himself smaller, wanting to rest his head on Tony’s shoulder. From that position, Peter turned his head just slightly, his nose now resting in the crook of Tony’s neck. The grip around his shoulder tightened, and Tony turned his face into the curls on top of Peter’s head.

Tony glanced up, seeing his friends and Peter’s aunt eying them curiously. May locked eyes with Tony, her gaze piercing for a moment. Tony held strong, so as to not alert Peter to the silent conversation they were having. Just as Tony thought was going to be forced to peel Peter off of his side, May’s eyes softened and she just shook her head with a fond smile. Tony let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as May, Pepper, and Happy let him and Peter remain in their little bubble.

“Peter, whatcha doing down there?” Tony asked, his voice smooth and low. Peter could feel the words vibrating in his ear from where he was pressed against Tony.

Peter thought for a moment. What was he doing? His entire body stiffened as he realized the way he’d tucked himself into Tony’s side. Before he could pull away, Tony’s hand settled on his shoulder, halting the mindless wandering it had been doing along Peter’s arm. Tony squeezed his shoulder tightly and kept him in place. Tony leaned down even further, his lips brushing the shell of Peter’s ear. Peter could feel Tony’s warm breath on his ear, causing him to shiver despite the warmth of the man next to him.

“Nuh uh, I’m not complaining. I’d like to keep you right here, actually.”

Peter could feel butterflies erupting in his stomach, and the beginning tingle of arousal just at Tony’s words and the way he whispered in Peter’s ear. As much as he wanted to just curl into Tony even more or simply climb into his lap, Peter knew that if this was going to go any further, it couldn’t happen here. Peter pulled back from Tony’s neck and took in his surroundings. Tony’s arm returned to the couch’s backrest, but his intense gaze never wavered from Peter’s face. Peter could feel the blush rising in his cheeks, burning its way down past the collar of his shirt.

“It’s late, you’ve had a long day of traveling. How about you let me take you home. Those three are bound for a late night." Tony nodded toward the other three, and Peter wondered how long he’d been tucked into Tony’s side based on the quantity of empty pints and shot glasses in front of them.

“Yeah, okay. Let me just give May a heads up."

“Sounds good. I’ll say goodnight to Happy and meet you up front."

Peter nodded and pushed himself out of his seat, finding his legs far less stable than he expected. After a moment of catching his balance he caught May’s attention and nodded toward the door. He wove his way among the various groups in the bar, smiling at a couple familiar faces that he couldn’t quite match with a name. He reached the entrance and leaned against the wall, feeling exhaustion settle deep within his bones.

May approached a moment later with a massive shit-eating grin on her face.

“What in the hell was happening on that couch, Peter?”

Peter scrubbed his face with his hand letting out a long breath. “Fuck, I have no idea May. I’ve never said a word to the man before today. I have no idea what’s going on."

May reached up and ruffled his curls like she had done when he was growing up. He couldn’t help but lean into the familiar touch, comforted by her presence.

“Well whatever it was, you two aren’t subtle."

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, Tony’s going to give me a ride home. I’m exhausted and I know you’re having a good time with Pepper and Happy."

May only smirked at that. “Yeah, sure, he’s just giving you a ride home."

“Oh my god, May, not happening. Call me if you need anything, yeah?”

“Same to you mister. Have fun."

Leaning up on her toes, May pressed a kiss to Peter’s cheek before heading back to Pepper and Happy. Tony was already heading toward the entrance and May quickly grabbed his elbow as their paths crossed.

“Be nice to him." Before Tony could open his mouth to reply, May had already moved past him, rejoining Pepper and Happy.

Tony found Peter leaning against the wall at the entrance to the bar, eyes practically closed and looking like he was about to melt into a puddle on the floor. Tony cleared his throat softly, hoping to get the boy’s attention without scaring him too much.

“You ready to get out of here, kid?”

“I’m not a kid,” Peter pouted as he headed out the front door and looked down the street for Tony’s car.

Tony just laughed, not bothering to argue with Peter. Tony placed a gentle hand on the small of Peter’s back, guiding him toward his car around the corner. Peter leaned into the touch, reveling in the warmth radiating from Tony’s hand. The two of them walked in comfortable silence, taking in the familiar sight of their hometown. When they approached Tony’s car, Peter paused and tilted his head back to take in the night sky.

“I forgot how bright the stars are here,” he said with wonder.

Tony looked up too. It had been so many years since he was anywhere besides big cities with all their bright lights and never ending noise. Tony closed his eyes, taking in the silence around them.

“It sure is different from the city."

When Tony opened his eyes, Peter had moved closer than he had been before. His eyes were wide, flickering between Tony’s eyes and his lips. Without realizing it, Tony’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips and he swore he saw Peter go cross-eyed following the movement.

“Pete,” Tony whispered. “You gotta tell me what you’re thinking."

Instead of answering, Peter invaded Tony’s space entirely, fisting his hands in the fabric of Tony’s all too expensive dress shirt. He tilted his head until his nose bumped against Tony’s and he could feel the other man’s breath on his lips. Tony groaned at the feeling and wrapped his arms around Peter’s narrow waist, pulling him into his chest. Their lips were so close to touching that Tony swore he could feel them brush against his. Peter let out a shaky breath and smiled softly at Tony, nodding his head just slightly.

He couldn’t tell which of them moved first, but before he knew it Peter’s soft lips were pressed against his own. Tony swallowed Peter’s soft moan and allowed his tongue to explore the seam of Peter’s lips. One of Peter’s hands let go of its tight grip on Tony’s shirt and traveled up his chest, over his shoulder, and settled on the back of his neck, just able to wind his fingers through the strands of hair there. The move made Tony let out a loud moan as he pulled back from Peter, nipping his full bottom lip as we went.

They pressed their foreheads together, panting against each other's lips, not loosening their grip one bit. Tony could feel Peter’s face stretch into a grin and he pulled back just far enough to catch a glimpse. Tony leaned back in to press another kiss against Peter’s soft lips before taking a step back, allowing his hand to find Peter’s.

“God, you’re gorgeous. I should get you home before we horrify this entire town,” he said breathlessly.

“Yeah, you’re probably right."

Tony quickly opened the passenger door and allowed Peter to slip inside before closing the door. As he rounded the front of the car to the driver’s side, he swore he could feel Peter’s eyes following his every move.

“You’re staying with May, right?” Tony asked as he got settled into his seat.

Peter nodded. “Yeah, the house is just off the highway by the Dairy Queen."

Tony hummed in recognition and started the car. Peter, being about as subtle as a trainwreck, couldn't take his eyes off of Tony the duration of the short ride to May’s house. Watching Tony’s hands grip the wheel and grasp the gear shift should not have affected Peter the way they did, but he simply couldn't help it. After a few minutes, Tony glanced over and caught Peter staring at his right hand on the gear shift. Peter turned bright red, realizing he’d been caught, but Tony simply slid his hand over the center console and settled his palm on Peter’s thigh.

“You’re pretty cute when you get flustered, Pete." Tony squeezed Peter’s thigh and just laughed at Peter’s garbled reply.

Deciding it was safer not to speak, Peter stayed quiet until they neared May’s house. Even then, he only said enough to direct Tony down a couple quiet streets until the house came into view. Tony’s hand remained firmly on Peter’s thigh the entire time, squeezing in acknowledgment as Peter directed him. When Tony came to a stop in May’s driveway, both men hesitantly turned toward each other.

Tony lifted his hand from Peter’s thigh to cup his face, running a thumb along Peter’s cheek. Peter’s hand reached out to wind his fingers in Tony’s hair, pulling the man closer as he did so.

“I would invite you in, but I think I might fall asleep walking to the front door,” Peter said, disappointment evident in his voice.

“Well then I better make sure you get to the door in one piece."

They reluctantly dropped their hands and stepped out of the car. Tony came around to Peter’s side and wrapped an arm low around Peter’s hips. Peter couldn’t help but lean into the warmth and firmness of Tony’s side as they made their way to the front door.

Tony used his grip on Peter’s waist to turn the boy to face him.

“Get some rest, kid."

Peter nodded in agreement, already slumped against Tony’s chest.

Tony chuckled and took a small step back, making sure Peter remained upright. Tony leaned in cautiously, but Peter answered the question before Tony could even ask it by pressing his lips firmly against Tony’s. They got lost in each other for a few moments, before Peter pulled back with a yawn.

“I’ll see you soon, Tony."

“Absolutely, Peter." Tony squeezed Peter’s hip before heading back to his car.

Peter unlocked the front door and stepped inside the familiar threshold. Before closing the door, he called out to Tony. “If you thought I looked good in a suit all those years ago, just wait until you see me at the wedding." Before Tony could say anything, Peter closed the door.

Tony stood frozen in the driveway where he’d already opened the door to his car. He just shook his head and laughed, knowing he was in trouble with this kid.

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