Go Big or Go Home

Peter and Michelle decided that in order for them to truly go big or go home, they would have to wait for a major event the press would already be covering. They did go to a movie, but they were careful to make sure nothing of their relationship leaked to the media. Now, nearly two months since the media had officially met Peter, they had come up with what Michelle deemed the perfect plan. With any luck, they'd be given a bit more freedom after announcing their relationship.


It was hard to go out without Peter being recognised which, of course, had been date nights hard up until now. Peter didn't really like the attention, but his mom and dad were rather skilled at keeping the press from getting too close or from poking in places they shouldn't be. For the most part, the only reports that got published were mundane ('Do You Enjoy Fruit Loops? So Does Stark's Son, Peter! Read More Inside'). That didn't mean he liked it. The attention made it more difficult for him to go out in public as himself, but especially so if he wanted to go out as Spider-Man.


"Are you almost ready?" Pepper yelled down the hall.


Peter jumped out of his thoughts and hastily tied his tie. Tonight was his first time at a big public event Stark Industries put on as well as the night Michelle had dubbed their 'Go Big or Go Home Night'. Unfortunately, this was just all the more reason for Peter to be nervous.


"Yeah," Peter yelled back, grabbing his phone to see a text from Michelle announcing that she was at the Tower.


He walked into the living room just as Michelle walked out of the lift. While Peter had known his mom had taken her dress shopping just for tonight's event, he made a mental note to thank her again for all her wonderful talents. One such talent being knowing what looked best on Michelle.


"Hey," Michelle said, walking over to Peter.


After a heated argument with his mom, Peter was thrilled to see Michelle had gotten her way as was wearing flats.


"You look nervous."


"Of course I am," Peter replied, kissing her cheek. "I've never been to one of these before."


"You'll be fine," Michelle assured him, resting her hand on his arm.


He smiled, but they were soon interrupted by Tony and Pepper walking into the living room together, arguing about whether or not Happy should drive.


"Happy can drive the kids," Pepper suggested. After all, they couldn't fit all four of them and Happy in one car comfortably.


"Or we could take the limo."


Pepper sighed and looked at Peter and Michelle.


"Which would you prefer? Happy driving you two, Dad driving all of us, or the limo?" Pepper asked.


Peter looked at Michelle, but he already knew the answer.


"Go big or go home," they both said.


Pepper nodded.


"Limo it is," she said before turning away to call Happy and tell him to get the limo.


The ride to the event wasn't that long but when they pulled up in front, dozens of reporters surrounded the car on instinct. Peter felt his heartbeat rapidly and subconsciously reached over for Michelle's hand.


"We'll get out first and hopefully draw them away," Tony assured them.


Peter nodded, regretting their idea already. If he knew anything about the press, he knew that night was going to involve a lot of cameras and people throwing questions at them.


"You'll be okay," Pepper promised, leaning forward to kiss Peter's cheek.


Sliding smoothly out of the limo, Tony led the way forward with Pepper on his arm. As expected, the paparazzi surrounded them as they slowly made their way up the stairs. However, a large number of reporters noticed the car didn't drive away and waited for Peter to get out.


"Are you sure you want this?" Peter asked, turning to face Michelle. Once he brought her into the light, there was no way she'd get out.


She nodded and before Peter could try to convince her otherwise, she knocked on the window.


At the sound of them knocking, Happy pulled open the door and Peter stepped out first. Cameras flashed in his face but the glasses his dad had made him kept them from blinding him. He was particularly thankful for them when Michelle stepped out after him, hand latched in his, and the cameras flashed even more. Suddenly not as confident around the dozen cameras, Michelle pulled herself closer to Peter as he slowly followed his dad and mom up the stairs.


"Peter! Who is with you tonight?"


"Peter Stark! I have a question."


"Is this your company for the night?"


He stopped short and Michelle grabbed his arm. He had known people would assume he was the same way his dad had been when he was younger and he was okay with that. What he was not okay with, however, was that they had attempted to drag Michelle down as well. Before they'd even settled on the date for her reveal, he had sworn to himself Michelle would not be viewed negatively in the eyes of the press if he had anything to say about it. And he definitely had something to say about it.


"Who said that?" he demanded, scanning the group of reporters all jumping in his face.


"Peter, leave it," Michelle hissed. He frowned and looked at her, but she shook her head. "They'll know they were wrong by the end of the night. Just leave it alone for now."


Peter definitely didn't want to, but he did and allowed Michelle to pull him away, both of them hurrying up the stairs to get out of the reporters' cameras. As soon as they stepped inside, they searched for Tony and Pepper who were waiting for them near the back.


"They're all awful," Peter exclaimed as they approached.


Pepper nodded, pulling Tony's attention away from a martini and to his distressed son.


"It's okay," Pepper said, rubbing his arm soothingly. "Just continue on with your plan and it will all work out. Instead of focusing on the reporters, go try some of the food."


The distraction worked as both Peter and Michelle eagerly moved to the refreshments table and piled two plates full of little snacks and fancy kebabs. Returning to a corner of the room, they settled down to try everything


"This is good," Michelle said, handing a kebab to Peter.


Although Peter tried it and nodded in agreement, Michelle could see all the people were starting to get to him.


Finishing off the last cookie, Michelle set her plate aside and grabbed Peter's hand as she said, "Come on. Let's go show your parents how to dance."


"You know how to ballroom dance?" Peter asked in surprise.


Michelle rolled her eyes and pulled him onto the dance floor.


"I know a lot of things you'd find surprising."


He didn't have time to ask what she could possibly mean by that before he was promptly tugged across the dance floor and twirled gracelessly towards the nearby wall.


* * * * *


Nearing the end of the night, Peter excused himself to the bathroom to change out of his tux while Michelle went to talk to a reporter that wanted to know more about her and Peter's relationship. While wearing his Spider-Man suit under his tuxedo hadn't been terribly comfortable, there had been no other way to get it inside without suspicion.


Now, all he had to do was leave his tuxedo in a bathroom stall and climb out a window before going around the block.


If Peter Stark's appearance had been surprising, Spider-Man's appearance was even more so. Before he'd fully landed in front of the event room doors, reporters surrounded him, asking Spider-Man what he was doing here and how he got in.


"Oh, my girlfriend invited me," Spider-Man said, searching for Michelle.


From across the pavilion, he could see a small smile on her face despite still talking to the reporter.


"My dad also made me come," Spider-Man continued, much to the confusion of the listening reporters. "Something about it looking good for the business."


While the reporters stuttered in confusion, Peter took the moment to dart over to where Michelle was doing a live interview. Unlike the reporter beside her, Michelle frowned.


"You're late."


Peter grinned through the mask.


"Sorry, there was a line in the bathroom," he replied, "Do you know how hard it is to sneak out of a bathroom full of people?"


"Apparently hard enough it took you ten minutes," Michelle said, giving him a look and grabbing one of his hands tighter than usual.


"Well, now I'm here," Peter said, squeezing her hand reassuringly.


In front of them, the reporter stared with a slack jaw, looking between his cameraman and Michelle helplessly.


Right as the reporter decided to end the interview and moment before the camera stopped filming, Spider-Man took off his mask and ran a hand through his hair.


With a teasing smile but still bubbling with nerves, Peter asked Michelle, "Will this excuse my tardiness?"


His hands were shaking and Michelle squeezed his one free hand tightly, but he still leaned down to kiss his gently, just like she'd written in their plan.


Not only was the first camera recording them, but all the reporters that had shown up were surrounding them, taking photos of Peter Stark, Spider-Man, kissing his girlfriend, Michelle Jones. No one even covered Tony's announcement that Stark Industries was opening up a new division for high school interns. Instead, Michelle and Peter covered every page and every news report the next day and for the rest of the week. 

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