಄ | Peter Parker.

You had been homeschooled your entire life.

Growing up as Tony Stark's kid meant privacy was almost impossible to come by. Your father was protective, maybe a little too protective, and with his reputation, enemies were practically guaranteed. Everywhere you went, there were security systems, cameras, alarms, and at least one bodyguard nearby. You had never experienced anything close to a normal childhood. You couldn't walk down the street without someone checking the area first, and even simple things like going to a store required planning.

So, naturally, you begged to go to a public school.

It took years of convincing, arguing, pleading, and more than a few promises that you'd be careful, but eventually, Tony finally gave in. You could still remember the way he'd sighed dramatically before agreeing, as though sending you to school was somehow more dangerous than fighting an army of robots. There was only one condition: you couldn't have a team of obvious bodyguards following you around all day. You wanted to be normal, and Tony reluctantly agreed.

Well... almost.

Instead of surrounding you with security, Tony assigned one person to watch over you. Peter Parker. Peter was supposed to be subtle. He wasn't supposed to interfere unless something actually happened. His job was simple: stay close enough to protect you, but far enough away that you wouldn't notice. Tony trusted him, mostly because Peter was young enough to blend in with the other students and, according to Tony, "looked harmless." Peter wasn't entirely sure whether that was a compliment.

At first, he did exactly what he was told. He'd sit a few tables away from you during lunch, pretending to scroll through his phone while occasionally glancing up to make sure you were okay. He'd walk the same hallways between classes, always several steps behind you. If someone bumped into you, he'd immediately look over. If you stayed late after school, he'd stay late too. If you walked through a crowded hallway, he'd subtly position himself nearby without making it obvious. It was supposed to be nothing more than protection.

But somewhere along the way, Peter stopped simply keeping an eye on you.

He started memorizing things.

He knew which classroom you went to first thing in the morning. He knew which hallway you took between periods and which staircase you preferred because it was usually less crowded. He knew who your friends were, which teachers you liked, and which ones you couldn't stand. Then he learned your coffee order. Then your usual lunch. Then the time you normally left school. Peter told himself it was all part of the job. Knowing your routine meant knowing when something was wrong. If you suddenly took a different route home, he needed to notice. If you skipped lunch, he needed to know. If someone unfamiliar started following you, he needed to be aware.

Eventually, watching you from a distance wasn't enough.

Peter started following you home.

He'd trail behind from rooftops, keeping far enough away that you wouldn't notice him. Sometimes he'd watch from across the street. Other times he'd swing ahead and wait somewhere nearby before casually walking past you as if he'd just happened to be there. It became a routine. School ended, you left, and Peter followed. He'd tell himself he was simply making sure you reached home safely, but the longer it continued, the harder that excuse became to believe.

Then he started learning things he wasn't supposed to know.

He knew which days you stopped at the café after school. He knew which route you took when you were in a hurry. He knew which afternoons you stayed later than usual. He even started noticing the little habits you probably didn't realize you had. The way you checked your phone whenever you were nervous. The way you'd adjust your backpack before crossing the street. The way you'd pause outside your house for a moment before going inside, as if you needed a second to mentally switch from school back to home.

And the strangest part was that you had no idea.

To you, Peter Parker was just that somewhat awkward boy from school who always seemed to be around. Sometimes you'd catch him looking at you before he'd quickly look away. Sometimes he'd appear in places you'd never expected him to be. Once, you'd even seen him walking several blocks behind you before he suddenly disappeared around a corner. You assumed it was coincidence.

Peter knew better.

He'd started out protecting Tony Stark's daughter.

Now, he knew your schedule better than his own.

Every time he realized just how much he had memorized, he'd tell himself he needed to stop. He'd remind himself that you deserved privacy, that Tony had asked him to keep you safe—not become obsessed with your routine. Peter knew where the line was, and somewhere along the way, he'd started crossing it without even realizing. Yet every time he tried to step back, he found himself looking for you again.

Then one afternoon, you left school earlier than usual.

Peter noticed immediately.

You weren't supposed to leave for another thirty minutes, but there you were, walking through the front doors with your backpack over your shoulder. Peter hesitated for only a second before following. He knew he should give you space. He knew he was becoming far too invested in your routine.

But then he saw you walking home alone.

And he followed.

Because Peter Parker could convince himself of almost anything if it meant believing he was doing the right thing.

He was only watching because he had to.

He was only following because you needed protection.

He was only memorizing every little detail about your life because he was your bodyguard.

At least, that was the excuse he kept repeating to himself. ♡ one day, you were coming home from a long day at school, you walked into your room and heard rummaging in your closet. You nervously opened it. expecting a bat or an animal..

Not spiderman stealing your underwear.