Best Bomb Squad

Yeah, this chapter does deal with bombers at school, so don't read it if it might trigger you. It was a request for a threat at Peter's school and this was one of the only things I could think of.




Sure, Peter didn't like school. In fact, it was probably one of his least favourite places to be since the teachers either favoured him too much (which lead to bullies) or hated him (which made them bullies). However, that did not mean Peter wanted to hear someone call for a lockdown over the school intercom. It was mere seconds after someone got on their phone to try and figure out why that they discovered there was a bomber that had chosen their school for a target. So yeah, Peter didn't like school, but he didn't want it to be blown to bits whether he was inside or not.


"Dude, they're right outside," Ned hissed at Peter.


The teacher violently shushed them and Peter rolled his eyes. The bomber already knew there were people inside. No one shut down a school on a random Thursday.


"I have to get out," Peter told Ned urgently.


His Spider-Man suit was in his backpack which was still sitting by his desk. If he could just grab it and change in a bathroom, he could call Mr. Stark then go and delay the bomber.


"I'll distract the teacher," Ned promised, getting to his feet.


Peter nodded and got ready to run for his backpack.


As Ned drew everyone's attention by standing up, he yelled, "We're all gonna die!"


Just as Peter expected, the resulting panic was large enough to hide him as he rushed towards his backpack and out the door. He changed into his suit, dropped his backpack in his locker, then ran outside to confront the bomber.


"Karen, call Mr. Stark and tell him to get down here," Peter said, running out through the front doors and down the steps.


The bomber stood at the bottom of the steps, backpack over his shoulders and smiling widely.


"Spider-Man!" the man greeted warmly, making Peter hesitate.


"Hey! What are you doing here?" Peter asked, slowing his pace and eyeing the backpack in the man's hands. "Got a bone to pick with someone inside?"


"Not anymore," the man said with a grin.


Peter frowned. What was that supposed to mean?


"He came right outside to me," the man explained, gesturing towards Peter. "Just like I was told he would if I threatened Midtown Tech."


Peter froze. This guy knew who he was. Well, maybe not exactly, but he was in contact with someone who knew Peter went to Midtown and that he was Spider-Man.


"Your friend Toomes tell you that?" Peter guessed. When the man nodded, he wasn't surprised. "I haven't heard much about him. How's he doing? What else did he tell you?"


Glancing over his shoulder, the man turned back to Peter and said, "He told me you like to talk a lot."


"Wow! He really does know me—Hey!"


If Peter had any doubt in his mind that this man knew Toomes, it was gone as soon as he pulled out the all too familiar alien tech and tried to shoot him.


"Let's just talk—" dodge "—this—" dodge "—out."


Peter dropped to the ground to avoid another hit.


"Man, I know I need to exercise more, but could we maybe not use the gun?" Peter asked, jumping back to his feet and up onto the wall to avoid yet another shot.


"I like it," the man said, admiring the alien weapon in his hands.


Not taking his eyes off the bomber, Peter asked, "How we doing with Mr. Stark, Karen?"


He didn't want to web the gun away from the man as he wasn't sure what would happen if he did. He didn't have much experience with alien technology and what little experience he did have hadn't ended very well.


"Look up," a metallic voice said from above.


Peter did and was met with the sight of Iron Man flying his way. He grinned. As Iron Man dropped down beside Peter, the bomber frowned.


"Hey, pal," Mr. Stark asked, "Anyone ever tell you threatening kids is bad?"


He raised a repulser and shot the guy in the chest. The man flew backwards, causing the gun to fly out of his hands and skitter across the pavement.


"Little late," Peter mumbled, climbing down from the wall.


Mr. Stark rolled his eyes.


"I think I did fine," he replied, walking towards the man with Peter hot on his heels. "You're not Peter Crisp yet."


"Great," Peter said, picking up the gun to allow Iron Man to destroy it. "So when I am, you'll panic?"


Instead of a verbal answer, Peter got a real one.


Behind them, the bomber had pulled out another gun and shot Peter. Too busy talking to Mr. Stark, Peter didn't notice the warning until the laser hit his left shoulder.


Peter screamed and dropped to the ground. Just like he'd said he would, Tony panicked.


"You son of a bitch," he muttered, turning to the bomber.


He shot a tranquillizer at the man and he dropped unconscious before he could try shooting Peter again.


With the bomber taken care of, Tony turned around hastily and picked up Peter as best he could without injuring him further.


Peter whined at the pain and Tony apologised, "I know, I'm sorry, kid. You're gonna be okay."


Not bothering to wait for the police to show up, Tony took off towards the Tower and rushed Peter to medical. He was admitted to emergency surgery as the laser had torn through his shoulder and chest, too close to his heart to be worth risking.


While Tony waited anxiously, he called May to let her know what had happened. She arrived shortly after and together, they waited impatiently outside until a doctor finally arrived to bring them back to Peter.


"We were almost too late," the doctor said, guiding Tony and May down the hall. "The blast was extremely close to his heart and he did flatline once in surgery."


May gripped Tony's hand tightly and if it had been any other occasion, he would have teased her about it. Right now though, he was thankful for the comfort.


"He'll need to stay on bed rest for two days even with his accelerated healing," the doctor told them, "After that, he can exercise for short periods of time, but no school for at least a week. His heart has to recover."


Tony nodded his thanks and followed May into the room where Peter was lying. Despite how the doctor had sounded, Peter was awake and happily watching TV.


"Oh, Peter!" May exclaimed, rushing to his side.


Although careful not to hurt him more, she wrapped Peter in a tight hug and held him for just a little longer than usual.


"Hey, May," Peter said with a smile. He pointed to the TV. "I'm on TV."


May nodded and Tony sat in a chair beside Peter's bed.


"Of course you are," she replied, "Spider-Man was a hero. A stupid one, but one—"


"No, Peter Parker is," Peter interrupted.


May and Tony both frowned and looked up at the TV. Sure enough, news reporters were still covering the incident. There was footage of Spider-Man being shot and collapsing followed by Tony shooting the bomber. Unfortunately, in the time Tony had been distracted with Peter's injury, the reporters had talked to some of the students and pieced things together.


"I had no clue Peter was the Spider-Man," Betty was saying on the TV, "He was always so quiet. Everyone picked on him but he never did anything."


Tony's frown deepened and Peter kept his eyes on the TV.


"Yeah, I know Peter," Flash said eagerly, "He's in my class. I talk to him every day and sometimes we hang out after school. I never knew he was Spider-Man though."


Peter pursed his lips but said nothing for the sake of Tony and May beside him.


Tony groaned as all the students began telling the press that Peter was Spider-Man, publicly thanking him for saving them and giving him 'get well soon' wishes. It was only a matter of time before the whole world knew he was Spider-Man.


"Mr. Stark?" Peter asked quietly, turning to him for help on what to do.


"I'll deal with it, kid," Tony promised. He leaned forward and squeezed Peter's hand. "For now, it's bed rest and nothing but easy living."


* * * * *


When Peter was able to return to school, Tony went with him. With the looming threat of paparazzi waiting for him, Tony hadn't wanted him to return alone. Happy had offered to go in his place, but for both Peter's sake and Tony's own peace of mind, he had insisted on being the one to take Peter to school.


Peter had argued, of course, promising that he would be fine. Tony hadn't let him waste too much time trying to convince him and got up early Monday morning, a week and a half after the incident, just to drive Peter to school. As expected, paparazzi swarmed them outside the school and kids surrounded them inside.


"It's okay," Tony quietly told Peter.


He put a hand on Peter's shoulder and steered him through the crowd of kids comfortingly. While Peter went to his locker and grabbed his books, Tony waited patiently beside him.


Just as Peter shut his locker and turn to his right, he came face to face with Flash.


"Hey, Peter!" Flash said, looking at Tony in awe. Tony stared back with a look of irritation. "I'm so glad you're better!"


Flash hugged Peter tightly and Peter groaned. His shoulder still hurt and he was fairly certain Flash knew that.


"Get off of him," Tony said, pulling Peter away from Flash.


Peter hadn't told him anything about Flash other than that he was a classmate, but Tony wasn't blind. He knew someone had been bullying his kid and based on how Peter acted around Flash, Flash was the one that bullied him.


"Wow, you really do know Tony Stark," Flash said, looking back at Tony in wonder. "Hey, think you could give me an internship like Pen-Peter's?"


"Sorry," Tony said, catching Flash's mistake despite his attempt to correct it. "Stark Industries doesn't hire bullies. Now if you'll excuse us, we have a class to get to."


Tony gently pushed Peter around Flash and together they walked down the hall to his first class.


"How did you know?" Peter asked Tony quietly. He looked up at his mentor who just smiled.


"You can always tell," Tony murmured, "And you're not the best at keeping secrets."


Peter sighed as they walked into the empty classroom.


"He's a good kid," Peter insisted. Tony silently disagreed. "Please don't ruin his life. I'm sure he'll stop bullying people now that he knows Spider-Man goes to his school and knows Iron Man."


"You can't be sure of that," Tony pointed out. Peter looked down at his desk.


"Just promise you'll leave him alone?" he asked, looking up at Tony pleadingly.


Tony held back a bitter retort and nodded.


"Fine."


Peter grinned and hugged him tightly.


"Thanks, Dad," he whispered, causing Tony to freeze.


"What?"


Turning red, Peter stuttered, "I just said 'thanks'."


Tony nodded hesitantly.


As Peter awkwardly turned in his seat to face the front, Tony asked FRIDAY to replay the audio in his ear comm. If Tony couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day, well, that was hardly anyone's business.

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