Peter sat in his mom's computer chair, watching YouTube Vine compilations and spinning slowly. While Pepper had gone downstairs to help out a new intern fill out forms and get ready for their first day, Peter had been left to entertain himself in her office. He could have gone up penthouse, but Peter didn't like being up there alone and his dad was busy on a mission, so he was more than willing to hang out in his mom's office for an hour or so after school. Besides, when she was busy giving the interns a tour, Peter could listen to his vine over her Bluetooth speaker system without bothering her.

In the middle of his fourth YouTube video, FRIDAY's voice sounded over the PA. "Miss Stark would like you to meet her on the ground floor."

Peter frowned and turned off his Stark phone. Were they going somewhere? That was a quick tour.

"Tell her I'm coming," Peter said, jumping off Pepper's chair and hurrying to the elevator.

He got off at the ground floor and looked around for his mom. Her voice carried across the hall and he quickly found her speaking to an intern. With a little hop in his step, he pocketed his phone and walked up behind the new intern that was strangely short.

"Oh, Peter! FRIDAY successfully got you off your phone," Pepper said.

Peter rolled his eyes at her and she smiled.

"Peter, this is Eugene," his mom introduced, featuring to the intern in front of her. When the intern turned around, Peter choked on his own breath when he saw Flash Thompson and almost missed what his mom said next. "He says he goes to Midtown, so I thought you might know each other."

"Yeah, we know each other," Peter said, staring at Flash. Flash stared back, looking as surprised as Peter felt.

"Oh, good! I thought you might like to give him the tour," Pepper said, looking at him again. Peter wanted to tell her she had thought wrong, but he decided against it. "I'll go finish up in my office and when you're done, we'll head out."

He was glad when his mom stopped herself from kissing his head and decided to just nod at him.  It was likely she hadn't told Flash he was her son, but he also didn't want to give Flash anymore reasons to bully him.

"Okay," Peter nodded weakly.

They both watched Pepper leave then Peter took Flash around the ground floor. The walk was uncomfortable and quiet except for when Peter explained what little he wanted to.

"You'll be working on floor seventeen for the most part," he informed Flash as they walked into the lift. "All the other floors are off access and if you get caught on them without an advisor's permission, your internship will be terminated and you'll be asked to leave Stark Industries."

Peter knew the whole intern tour. When his parents were both busy and no one else would do it, Peter was often called to lead them around. So far he'd only done three, this was his fourth, but he knew the gist of what he was supposed to say.

"You probably think you're above me, don't you?" Flash said suddenly, breaking the tense silence.

Peter blinked, almost having forgotten he was giving Flash the tour and not a stranger.

"Just because you've worked here longer doesn't mean you're better than me," Flash grumbled, "I'm still more important and I'll make sure you don't forget it when I see you for work tomorrow."

"Oh, I actually don't intern—"

Peter was cut off by Flash shouting.

"Ha! I knew you were a liar!" he exclaimed. He crossed his arms and gave Peter a smug smirk. "I bet Mrs. Stark only knows you because you come in and regularly beg her for a job."

"That doesn't even make sense, Flash," Peter sighed. They were only on floor five and they were getting off at floor seventeen.

"You can't fool me, Penis," Flash snapped. "I know you're a liar and a wannabe rich boy. You'll never live this down at school."

Peter sighed and looked at the floor numbers again. Floor eight. Floor nine. Ten.

His counting was interrupted by his spidey senses tingling and a sudden hit to his jaw. He gasped and cupped his jaw. Flash shook his fist, glaring at Peter.

"What the heck?" Peter yelled. He glanced worriedly at the security camera and silently begged FRIDAY to cut any footage of that from her database. "You can't bully me here."

"Why? Is it your safe place?" Flash taunted, jutting his loser lip out in a mock pout.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open before Peter could come up with a decent reason. He dropped his hand from his jaw and pulled Flash around a corner by his sleeve. That only angered Flash more and he lunged forward to punch Peter again. This time, Peter ducked away.

"I'm serious, Flash," Peter said, looking around worriedly. If anyone saw them, it would only take minutes before Pepper found out Peter was getting bullied. As much as he hated Flash, he didn't want him to be on the wrong end of his mom's anger.

"Don't tell me what to do, Penis!"

He dove at Peter again, but Peter quickly stepped to the side. Flash grabbed Peter's shoulder and slammed him into a wall.

"You think you're all mighty just because you're giving me a tour," Flash hissed, his face close enough Peter felt spit land on his cheek and nose. "Don't think for a second that just because we're at Stark Industries, I won't bother you."

Peter gave up and closed his eyes. It was too late. Flash was dead.

From behind them, his mom's voice sounded, "He was actually trying to protect you, I imagine."

Flash froze then quickly stepped away from Peter to look at a furious Pepper.

"It's not what it looks like, ma'am," Flash denied instantly.

Peter stayed silent.

"We were just playing around."

Pepper didn't look convinced.

"Give me your badge," she said, holding out her hand.

Flash shakily took off his badge and handed it to her. She stared at him and he shifted on his feet.

"How long have you been bullying my son?" she asked evenly.

"Son?"  Flash whispered. Pepper nodded. "I'm not bullying him, I swear. I didn't even know he was your son! His name is Peter Parker, not Peter Stark."

"Now you're lying to me," Pepper said.

Flash shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe if he wished hard enough, he'd discover this was a dream.

Unfortunately for Flash, Pepper was still speaking. "If you knew he was my son you would have treated him differently?"

"Yes, yes of course!" Flash responded, only realising it was the wrong answer when her eyes narrowed.

"Someone belonging to a certain family should not determine how you treat them," Pepper told Flash.

He wasn't sure if he should nod again or not, so he just stayed still.

"Now, I'm only letting you go because the legal nightmare of this would be too much," Pepper warned. Peter rolled his eyes, but his mom was still looking at Flash as she told him, "But I want you to know that if you ever set foot in here again or I hear so much as a rumour about you bullying anyone, I will make sure your life is difficult. You will never forget it."

"Yes, ma'am," Flash squeaked.

Pepper stepped aside and he shot towards the lift. He pushed the button several times, nervously watching Pepper who stared at him until he got on the lift and the doors had shut. Once he was gone, Pepper turned to Peter.

"What were you thinking keeping that to yourself?" Pepper asked. Peter didn't answer. "Your father and I want nothing more than to protect you but we can't do that if we don't know about someone bullying you. How long has it been going on?"

Peter waited until he was sure she wanted an answer before responded.

"Beginning of high school," he mumbled, wringing his hands together.

Pepper recoiled in disbelief. Here he was, months away from graduation, and she was only just now finding out about him being bullied. Not only that, but it was the longest and only secret he'd ever kept from them.

"Peter!" Pepper cried. Peter's face dropped and he looked at the ground. Pepper sighed and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Peter asked, his face pressed against her shoulder.

"For getting upset with you when it's not your fault," Pepper answered. She kissed Peter's head. "I never want you to think you can't tell me something, alright?"

Peter nodded.

"Can we go home now?" he asked, his voice still muffled by her shoulder.

"Okay," Pepper agreed.

She let Peter go and together they got in the lift and rode it up to the penthouse for the evening. When Tony called to check in on them that night, Pepper told him about Flash where Tony made the mistake of admitting that he found out a year before, but promised Peter he'd keep it a secret as long as he updated him on everything that happened. After a very long and rather loud argument, Peter got a text early in the morning from both his parents.

Tony was no longer allowed to keep secrets from her and, according to his mom's text, going to tell her every single thing Peter had ever told Tony to keep secret. She allowed Tony to stop after realising it mostly consisted of presents Peter had gotten her.