Peter slowly entered the lab. He was speechless, never in is life he had expected to see a place as advanced as this, Peter couldn't even imagine the variety of things that could be invented in this place.

"This, kid, is my sanctuary" Mr. Stark broke the silence gesturing to the large room, "so I expect you to respect it. Of course, if you're going to work here, I have some rules to establish".

"Work here?" Peter interrupted. He expected Mr. Stark to just show him the lab, not allowed him to work in it.

"I figured you're sick of reading books. We need something more stimulating for that brain of yours. So, I think it's time to put in practice what you've been reading"

Peter could only nod vigorously in agreement, not even breaking the gaze with all the tools that Peter never seen in his life

"Come on, Pete, you can't do anything just standing there" Mr. Stark exclaimed, pushing him gently to stand near the worktable.

"Mr. Stark, this is.... Whoa!" Peter didn't even know what to say.

"I know, I built it myself" the king said showing him around the lab, stopping in front of a worktable

"Alright kind, since you aren't used to this kind of tools, we will start with you helping me out, and then we can move you to do your own little project. How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing, Mr. Stark" Peter excitedly responded.

"Great, put your safety goggles and let's get started then" the king said passing him some goggles for him to put on, but not putting one himself, before starting to explain what he was working on.

Peter was amazed by the majestic of Mr. Stark work. With his explanation, it almost seemed easy the theory behind the technology, and Peter couldn't help but notice that all that Mr. Stark was doing he had already read in the books that were assigned to him.

He was fully into what Mr. Stark was doing and explaining that the world seemed to stop around him, he forgot all his worries all his homesickness, he didn't even feel the time passing.

Their bubble burst when in a middle of an explanation when connecting two wires a small spark went on

"that's ok, we just need to-" Mr. Stark was interrupted when a sea off white foam covered both of them from head to toe. "Dumb-E, What the hell!" tony yelled wiping his eyes looking at a robot arm holding a fire extinguisher

"See, Kid, that's why you wear safety googles, because this shit burns. Now, allow me to introduce you to Dumb-E, my robot that will go to the garbage if he does this one more time."  the king said the last part quietly looking at the robot, making the machine emit some sad noises

"Mr. Stark, don't say that you'll hurt his feelings" Peter said, regretting the same moment he blurted out the words.

Instead of being mad, the king laughed at him "kid, he doesn't have feelings, he's just a piece of junk" he said ruffling his hair, that immediately made him raise his arms to fix it

With that statement Dumb-E made some more sad chirping noises making peter point at the robot "see, he's sad"

"sure, kid you win" the king laughed before looking at his clock "shit, it's already 8, I made you miss lunch"

"Mr. Stark, it's ok, I'm not even hungry." and it was true, when he was home, he could go days without eating so missing one meal it wasn't a big of a deal, but that wasn't what Mr. Stark thought.

"It's not ok, Peter, I'm responsible for you. And you're still healing I don't want you to relapse" he explained" so this is what we are going to do, you're going to take a shower to clean all that foam, and I will order some food. It's too late for me to send you back".

With that said, Peter was shown a bathroom and handed some clean clothes to dress after. Peter thought that the academy was the epiphany of luxury, but after seeing that pristine bathroom he knew that he was wrong, especially when he needed some time to figure it out the shower.

Meanwhile, Tony was in the kitchen ordering some food for the both of them, he couldn't help but feel guilty, how could he forget to feed the kid. How could he parent the kid if he didn't remember to feed him.

But he was determined, and like the kid he was still learning. He couldn't let a simple set back to prevent him from his objective.

"Friday, from now on, if the kid is here, alert me at 1 PM, for lunch."

"Certainly, Sir" the AI responded

"great! Now, send orders to the kitchen to bring me two pepperoni pizzas and some beverages, for me and the kid" 

Half an hour latter both Peter and tony were sitting on the couch, now both cleaner and devoid of any foam from the fire extinguisher, when two royal servants came with the food and drinks putting on the table in front of the couch.

"I figure you were sick, of the healthy food, that you had all month, so I got you something with a little more grease"

Peter eyes widen, "no, Mr. Stark, the food is really great." Peter said, referring to the food served at the academy.

"Regardless, a little of grease and sugar is good for you" the king said passing a plate with a couple of slices and a cup with a bubbly drink "so what you want to watch?"

Peter shrugged his shoulders, already with his mouth full of pizza. He never had many opportunities to watch movies, nor there were many to watch, or the means to do it. Peter didn't know if section one wasted resources on doing movies, but section two surely didn't, so all the movies that were left were from the old world, the perfect world, where no problems existed.

"It's alright, I'll choose one that I think you will like" Mr. Stark browsed through a selection of movies, while Peter focused on eating his pizza. Now that he was eating, he realized how hungry he was. That thought left an unsettling felling. He was here a little over a month, and he already was used to all the luxuries that were his three meals a day.

Finally, Mr. Stark selects a movie, leaning back on the couch eating his pizza. "It's Star Wars, I'm confident that you will love it" he said looking at him.

Peter didn't say anything as the munched on his pizza and focused on the movie. While, eating, Peter took a moment to think of what did his life became. A little over a month ago, he was planning with Ned their future jobs that they would have started by now.

He wondered if his friend did manage to find one, he hopes he did, they were supposed to search together, but all their plans were ripped away in front of them. Peter couldn't help but also wonder what would be like if Ned gotten selected as well.

He felt a little ashamed for having these thoughts, but he missed his best friend so much, he knew that his life at the academy would be a lot more fun and bearable. He for sure wouldn't be so lonely there, being the late arrival even if it was for just a few hours had its consequences, he couldn't be friends with anyone without them trying to know what had happened with Peter. Besides, he didn't really connect with anyone there, Harley was an exception but even him Peter didn't fell like he could talk openly with him.

But over all, it is crazy to Peter to think that in just a few weeks he moved out of poverty to be literally eating pizza with the freaking king. Peter realizes that it was selfish of him thinking like that, it was almost as if he was trading his aunt for Mr. Stark, but he wasn't, he swears he wasn't.

With these thoughts running in his head, Peter tried to distract himself by focusing on the movie playing in front of him. Relaxing his body letting himself sink into the couch, he realized just how tired he was, he didn't stop all day and suddenly all the tiredness hit him all at once.

Slowly he let his eyes closed being lolled to sleep by the sound of the TV, he finally falls asleep, escaping his intrusive thoughts.

In fact, Peter wasn't the only one that couldn't concentrate on the movie, next to him, the king kept one eye on the TV and another on the kid.

The day didn't go exactly how he planned to be, but when he was in the lab with Peter, explaining to him his work, it felt like an empty spot had been filled inside him, he couldn't help it but get lost in the time. In the end, both of them had a great time.

When he looked again at Peter, his eyes soften with what he was seeing, the kid was completely knocked out from today's events. Pausing the movie, he got up, covering Peter with a blanket.

The day's events made one thing clear to Tony. Peter was the one for him, Peter will be his heir, Peter will be the prince. Peter will be Peter Stark.

The fate of the boy was sealed, either he likes it or not, it will happen.