Work Text:
Peter knows for a fact that Happy hates his guts. Well, maybe hates and guts is a little strong, but it's more than just a gut feeling Peter has that Happy really doesn't like him. He doesn't like him at all.
That's ok, Peter tells himself when the grumpy man picks him up from school three days a week to take him to the lab. Not everyone has to like me. In fact, most people don't like Peter. He has exactly one friend at school, and he's grateful to have Ned at all. He'd spent all of middle school without a single friend, and the last friend he'd had before Ned had been a kid from Brazil that lived in their old neighborhood in Queens and had barely spoke a word of English. That had been in the fourth grade, and by the start of fifth grade, Adriano had moved away.
So Peter is used to it. He tries not to let it hurt his feelings, and honestly, with Happy, it doesn't, because he's not being mean to Peter or anything. Not like the kids at school that make fun of his ratty sneakers, his hoodie with holes at the hem, his hair, his face… really just anything about him. In fact, Happy is the opposite. Usually Peter gets into the back of the waiting black SUV after school, Happy glares at him in the rearview mirror, grumbles on occasion about him being late, and then rolls up the divider for the ride back to the tower. It had weirded Peter out at first, but after a couple of weeks he'd gotten used to it. Happy doesn't like him, and that's ok, because Mr. Stark does.
Like Ned, Peter is just grateful that Mr. Stark seems to like him and take an interest in his life. He hadn't at first–had ghosted Peter for almost six months after Germany–but now things are different. Unlike Happy not liking him, thinking that Iron Man disliked him had stung more than he likes to admit. There's none of that now though. Peter goes to the tower to mess around with him in the lab three days a week, and sometimes on weekends just to hang out. It's a real internship (or at least, that's what the paperwork says), but Peter's not sure that he and Tony ever accomplish anything of consequence in the lab. They throw ideas back and forth, laugh and joke as they tinker and build what Peter would consider fun projects, not productive ones. If Peter has to endure (free) but lonely rides to the tower for all of that, he's fine with it.
Besides, the ride isn't all that bad. Once, a couple weeks into their new internship arrangement, Peter's stomach had been complaining loudly as he'd slid into Happy's back seat. Happy must have heard, because he'd complained and told Peter not to skip lunch again. He hadn't skipped lunch, but it hadn't mattered. His metabolism is just like that now… never satisfied with the normal amount of food he gets in a day. The next time Happy had picked him up, there had been a bag of chips waiting for him in the back seat. "Eat it. Don't get crumbs on my seat or you'll be cleaning it up." Peter had opened his mouth to say thank you, but the man had put the divider up quickly, leaving Peter isolated in the back half of the SUV.
He'd thought it was a one-off at first, but the next time that Happy picked him up there was a clear plastic container with a single blueberry muffin inside. It looked like the container was meant to hold four muffins, but the other three were gone. "No crumbs," Happy had grumbled. The divider went up, and Peter ate the sweet muffin, savoring every bite.
Rolled up dividers and muffins waiting for him in the back seat every day after school. It's a thing now, and Peter kind of loves it. Well, he loves the snacks part of their silent arrangement anyhow. He especially loves the fall treats that Happy has been bringing lately. One day at the end of September Peter had climbed into the back seat and found not only an apple cider donut with cinnamon sprinkled over the top, but a hot mug of pumpkin flavored hot chocolate as well! He'd been giddy, happy to have his hands on the hot drink after he'd been feeling chilled all day. The donut had been amazing too. Happy always puts really good snacks in the back seat for him, but that one had been, and still continues to be his favorite.
The following time that Happy had driven him to the tower, hot apple cider had been waiting for him along with a chocolate chip pumpkin muffin. Peter was in heaven. He rarely gets fall flavored treats like that. Sometimes May tries to bake them for him, but more often than not they just end up with burnt cookies or muffins that haven't risen. Fall and Christmas treats were always Peter's thing with Ben. Ben had been a great baker, and had made things like banana bread, lemon bars, and other amazing tasting things for fall and Christmas. It's been more than two years since Peter has tasted the flavors of the season like this.
Some days Peter has had a terrible day at school, usually because of other kids. He walks out to Happy's SUV, shoulders slumped, frown settled firmly in place. Then he opens the back door and the smell of hot apple cider, spicy and sweet hits him. He thinks of Ben, and of afternoons spent lying on their apartment floor coloring as Ben baked. He thinks of going to the park with Ben and jumping into piles of leaves that Ben had raked up just for him. He bites into the treats and the flavors hit him, and for the first time all day, the stress and tension ease out of his face and shoulders, and he remembers that he's on his way to Mr. Stark's lab where he'll be getting to spend time with someone that actually likes him. Pumpkin bars, apple cinnamon muffins, maple glazed pecans, cinnamon roll flavored Chex mix, and hot apple cider. Peter is going to be sad when fall is over, though he hopes Happy will continue on with Christmas flavored treats after that.
* * *
Happy doesn't know what to do with the kid… this kid that is slowly becoming Tony's kid. It's not that Peter is bad, far from it. Talkative and overexcitable, yes, and sometimes, when he's sending daily action reports with a blow by blow of eating churros, he can be a little annoying. But that doesn't mean he doesn't like him, he just doesn't know what to do with all of that. Happy has never really been around kids. Neither has Tony, but his boss and best friend has been taking to spending time with the kid like a fish to water. Happy, Pepper, and Rhodey have all talked about it… noticed how parental Tony seems to be getting when it comes to Peter. None of them had ever thought they'd see the day when the man known for wild parties in Vegas (and every other major city) would settle down enough to mentor a living, breathing kid. But it's happening, and they all agree that this new thing Tony has going for him is a good thing. Peter has been good for Tony, and Happy is a thousand percent sure that Tony has been equally good for Peter.
So he likes the kid a little. Sue him. Tony spends time with Peter in the lab, and recently on various weekends as well. Good for him. Good for the both of them. Happy isn't there for most of that though, and doesn't know what it looks like to spend time with a teenager. He doesn't know anything about teens other than that Peter is one. He expects most teens to be moody, and brooding, and irresponsible. He hasn't seen any of that from Peter yet. The kid is polite, respectful, and always tries to put a smile on his face, even when Happy knows for a fact that things aren't going his way.
Happy has seen Peter come out of school with his shoulders slumped forward, dragging his feet, almost like he's headed to the gallows. He's seen Peter look exhausted because he stays up way too late patrolling as Spider Man. He's seen the kid come to the tower on a non-lab day with a stab wound in his side. Still, through all of that, when Happy or Tony catch his eye, he pulls out a grin from somewhere. "Oh hey, Mr. Stark! Don't freak out or anything, but I got a little cut while I was helping this little old lady cross the street." "A cut?! Kid, that's a stab wound!" "Nah, it's like… a papercut. When I was helping her across the street I got into an argument with a purse snatcher." He'd smiled, and sometimes Happy isn't sure if Peter just has a sunny disposition, or if he's trying to reassure them, or if he's trying to reassure himself.
Whatever his reason, Happy finds Peter's odd little quirks and his bright smile a little endearing. He can see why Tony likes him so much. But still, what does Happy do with all of that? What's his part in this? So far, his part has been chauffeur. He probably wouldn't mind driving the kid around so much if it was before his workday started. Most of the time it's around three thirty in the afternoon after he's already had a long and trying day, and isn't feeling very talkative. He wouldn't even know what to talk to a teenager about anyway. It's better if he just rolls up the divider, for his own sanity and peace of mind, and for Peter's as well. The kid does not need Happy grouching at him after a long day of school.
It's a few weeks after Peter starts his sophomore year at Midtown that Happy finally figures out something he can do aside from just driving him around. The kid has a bottomless pit of a stomach. Tony talks about it all the time, and he's heard May mention it as well the few times he's had conversations with her. Snacks, Happy can do. Snacks are easy. There are always things like fruit and muffins around the various security offices, brought in by members of his team to share, or provided by SI. It's easy for him to grab a banana or a bag of chips and set it in the back seat before he leaves to pick Peter up from school.
He also has food floating around his own apartment in the tower that he can take with him for Peter. And when there's nothing to scrounge up, he just leaves a few minutes earlier than normal on his way to Midtown and picks something up at a bakery. Peter seems to enjoy the bakery items the most, he's noticed. Happy never leaves the divider down as they drive, but he takes pleasure in the way Peter's eyes light up when he first slides into the backseat and spots apple cider donut holes or sees a to-go mug full of hot chocolate.
At first Happy starts going to the bakery only when there's nothing good to bring from around the tower. But soon enough it becomes part of his routine. There's a bakery down the street from the tower that Tony loves and rarely has a line, and another one a few blocks from Midtown that Happy sometimes stops in at. It's fall, so all the things he buys are fall themed. He thinks Peter will get tired of pumpkin spice this and apple cinnamon that, but he never does, or at least, Happy hasn't heard any complaints.
Happy adds a coffee shop into his routine, and stops in sometimes to get Peter hot apple cider or hot chocolate. It's a little coffeehouse next to the bakery in Queens he stops at, so it's easy to go into one, and then into the other for a drink and a snack. He's been in so much by the end of October that they know his name.
"Hey, I never see you drink the hot chocolate you buy. What's up with that?"
Happy looks up at the barista and shrugs. "It's not for me. It's for a kid I pick up from school."
"A kid, but not your kid?"
Happy shifts, uncomfortable for a moment. "Nephew." It's not true, but it's as close as he can come to the truth he supposes, without giving away that he works for Iron Man and is charged with getting his fifteen year old intern to and from the tower several days a week.
"Oh yeah? Good kid?"
"Yeah. Goes to a fancy school for smart kids. He's always got a smile on his face."
After that, the barista asks after his 'nephew' regularly. Happy gives them vague details that he gets from listening to Tony talk about Peter. He mentions Peter learning to solder, and how much he seems to like fall flavored treats, and an A he got on a recent chemistry test.
Happy doesn't think anything of the short, easy conversations he has with the strangers serving up his order. The exchanges are brief, and nothing more than a chance to fill the awkward silence while he's waiting for them to pour Peter's drink. He takes his order and then goes on his way. He doesn't always stop for a drink because he doesn't always have time, but when he does, the baristas always take note of his presence as soon as he comes in. "Hey Hogan, what's it going to be today?"
"Something hot and sweet. No caffeine. Kid isn't allowed. I'll get in trouble." Tony has a lot of rules for Spider Man, but this is his one and only rule for Peter. Happy doesn't know why exactly, just that Tony had been clear to him that caffeine is off limits.
* * *
Peter slides into the back seat with a grimace, but his eyes light up and a smile crosses his face as soon as he sees the bag of donut holes from the bakery. He presses his lips together, as though he's trying to hold in a squeal of delight, and instead wiggles in the seat a little before hurrying to put on his seat belt. Happy takes it all in, but only in the back of his mind. Instead, his eyes are focused through the rearview mirror on the massive dark bruise across Peter's left eye and the side of his face.
"Geez kid, what the hell happened to you? You weren't out as Spider Man instead of at school, were you?"
Peter looks up from the little paper sack of donut holes he's peering into, confused for a moment. "Huh?"
Happy pulls away from the curb in the pickup line because the car behind him honks, but as soon as he does, he points into the mirror and says with a frown, "Your eye. What's going on there?"
"Oh, it's no big deal. Just some guys at school."
"Guys at school did that to you?"
Peter nods, pulling out a donut hole covered in cinnamon and sugar. He pops it into his mouth, closes his eyes, and hums in enjoyment.
"What happened?"
Peter lets his head rest against the back of the seat for a moment longer before he opens his eyes. Mouth still half full of donut, he says, "I knocked into one of them on accident."
"And he did this to you?"
"Him and his friend."
"What are their names?"
Peter shrugs again. "I don't know, they're seniors."
"Uh huh. And they do this often?"
Another shrug is his answer as Peter reaches into the paper sack again.
"How often?" Happy asks.
Peter frowns as he looks up at him from the back seat. Happy only catches it because they're at a stop sign and he's been sitting there for a little too long, busy watching Peter through the rearview mirror. A car honks behind him again, maybe even the same one from the pickup line at the school.
"Uh, Happy? We're like… in the road."
Happy grumbles about jerk drivers, and pulls away. He turns right instead of heading straight like he usually does to take Peter back to Manhattan.
"Where are we going?"
"To get ice for your eye."
"It'll be ok. I'm good."
"You said a stab wound was a little cut. Do you have a concussion back there?"
Peter for his part, actually stops to think about it for several moments. Happy's stomach squirms. With how bad the bruise around his eye and on the side of his temple is, Happy thinks that he probably does.
"Maybe," Peter concedes. "I'll be ok though. You don't have to go to the trouble of stopping for ice, really. I'm sure Mr. Stark has some."
"We're stopping," Happy says. His tone is a little sharp and filled with anger. He's not mad at Peter, but his tone does what he wanted, which is to end the rambling Peter is spewing out because he doesn't want to be a burden.
"There's a convenience store up ahead," Peter points out.
"We're going to a coffee shop. They have ice."
Peter's brows pull together at that, but he doesn't ask anymore questions. He reaches into the bag of donut holes and pulls out another one to munch on.
It's only a few minutes until they pull up in front of the coffee shop and bakery Happy has been frequenting more and more of late. "Come on."
"You want me to come in?"
"I want them to see why I need a bag of ice. It's not a normal request."
Peter slides out of the back seat, giving his bag of donut holes a longing look as he goes. He follows Happy in, and they get into the short line. There's only two people in front of them. Peter gives a curious look around the place, taking in the cozy little booths, the warm lighting, and the plants hanging from the ceiling. His eyes slide up to the menu, and it's only a moment before he says, "Ooh, Happy, they have hot cider! Can I have that? I'll pay, I have five dollars in my wallet."
Peter reaches for his pocket to pull his money out, but Happy puts a hand out and makes a 'stop' motion. "I'll get it." He eyes Peter's face again. The kid is grinning. Happy wonders how he can when he looks like he's in pain. He has to be with a bruise that dark and deep. "You like that huh? The cider?" Happy knows that he does.
Peter rocks back on his feet, one hand twitching down at his side like he might be excited. "Yeah, it's like a warm hug in a mug after a bad day at school. Sometimes it's like, the only thing I have to look forward to all day. Like, I know there's something waiting for me and then the lab, and that makes it easier sometimes, ya know?"
Happy stares at him, mouth hanging open a little. He'd only meant to feed the kid… ensure he wasn't showing up at the tower hungry. And yeah, he'd taken a little joy knowing that he could put a smile on Peter's face, but this- "sometimes it's the only thing I have to look forward to all day." Happy is both glad that he could give Peter something to look forward to, and angry at the implication that Peter is probably having a terrible day at school more often than not, likely because of bullies. He wonders if Peter has other bruises that he can't see… wonders how many days a week he climbs into the back of his SUV covered in bruises.
The line moves but Happy doesn't notice until Peter says something. "Uh… we're next," he says, shifting uncomfortably. Maybe Happy has stared at him for just a little too long.
Happy clears his throat and they move up to the counter. "Hey, can I get a bag of ice in a ziplock bag? I'll pay for it." He motions to Peter, and the barista's eyes slide over to Peter's black eye. "And a hot apple cider, same as always."
The barista nods and rings them up. He takes Happy's credit card, scans it, and hands it back. "Hey Drew, hot cider and a ziplock bag of ice."
The other barista throws up a hand in acknowledgement, and then the one that rang them up turns to Peter.
"You must be the kid Hogan is always talking about. His nephew, right?"
Peter freezes, and pulls his eyes up from the jar of chocolate covered coffee beans he'd been looking at. "Uh…"
"Peter, right?" the barista asks. Drew hands over a bag of ice, and the barista hands it across the counter to Peter. Peter doesn't seem to know what to say to that, so he takes the bag of ice and puts it against his eye, wincing a little as the cold meets his face. "Got a good shiner there." The barista tries to prompt Peter again, and finally he answers.
"A couple kids at school."
"Shame. They're probably jealous because you're smart or somethin'. Kids are awful like that sometimes."
Peter nods, but doesn't look up at the barista again. He does look up at Happy, giving him a brief look of curiosity, but it's only a moment before Drew has his hot apple cider ready. The barista at the counter takes it, grabs a black sharpie, and starts scribbling out a name on top. Happy doesn't pay it any attention. Peter accepts the hot drink, Happy thanks the employees behind the counter, and they head back to the car.
Peter slides into the back seat again, buckles in, and starts sipping on his hot apple cider. "Thanks," he says, though his voice is a little quiet… shy, almost.
"No problem. Now are you gonna tell me who did that to your face?"
Peter shrugs. It's fine. He won't tell Happy, but maybe he'll tell Tony or May. Happy will send Tony a text as soon as they're back at the tower.
As they pull away from the coffee shop, Happy leaves the divider down. He thinks that maybe if he had left it down before this, that Peter might have told him about getting bullied. Then again, maybe not. Peter always tries to put a smile on his face. In fact, he's sitting in the back seat right now, smiling as he holds a bag of ice over his eye with one hand and drinks hot apple cider with the other. Having him around hasn't been so bad, especially not for Tony. Maybe on Wednesday when he picks the kid up from school, he'll leave the back door locked, and tell Peter to sit up front.
In the back seat, Peter smiles to himself as he stares down at the white lid of his cup. It's usually plain white, but today there's a little pumpkin scribbled in black sharpie on it with a smiley face in the center. Next to it are the words, 'Hogan's nephew'.
He thinks about what the barista said. "You must be the kid Hogan is always talking about." Peter had been surprised to hear that, and to hear the barista ask if he was Happy's nephew. He hadn't thought about it before, but now he realizes that Happy has been stopping off at a coffee shop several days a week just to get him something to eat and drink. He'd assumed that Happy had been bringing things from one of the cafeterias at SI. But he hasn't been. Peter eyes the bag of donut holes and turns it around to see the logo on the other side. It's from a bakery. He's been stopping off at bakeries and coffee shops, all for Peter. That takes extra time, and thought.
He looks down at the white lid of his cup again. 'Hogan's nephew.' The words of the barista run through his mind again. "You must be the kid Hogan is always talking about."
He smiles to himself. Peter knows for a fact that Happy likes him a lot. Likes, and a lot, aren't strong words at all, Peter thinks. It's more than just a gut feeling Peter has that Happy likes him quite a bit. The divider is down, and he has a bag of ice, and hot apple cider, and donuts to prove it.
Autumn treats had always been his thing with uncle Ben. Now? Now it belongs to him and uncle Ben, and uncle Happy too.