Hi! This one's short.

Please note this fic assumes knowledge of this Android Peter AU, the rest of which can be found on my profile. This AU has a dedicated Tumblr for unposted ficlets, answering asks and factoids I post in the interim between full fics. url: friendly-neighborhood-android

Enjoy!

"Pete?"

Peter starts and spins around at his father's voice. Tony isn't in the room, and he shouldn't be; Peter had only just carried him to bed after he fell asleep at the workshop bench.

"I don't think I'm supposed to be online," Tony's voice says. "Is something up, kiddo?"

It's coming from FRIDAY's omnipresent PA system.

"Are… you awake? I was just packing everything up, I'm going to bed in a minute," Peter tells him.

"What? No, I'm not Tony Stark."

Lasers buzz to life, and a holographic construct renders itself in the centre of the workshop. It's… Tony.

"Well actually, I kind of am," he says. "But not your Tony."

Peter simply doesn't compute for a moment. Then things start to fall into place – the clarity of Tony's voice; online; the hologram's shimmering form as it constantly configures itself from collected images.

This Tony isn't real.

"You're an AI."

The hologram smiles. "Legacy Stark 3. But you can call me Tony. Or if it doesn't feel too weird, Dad's fine."

It does feel weird. This feels weird. Peter walks closer, and the hologram's gaze follows him.

"Why?" he asks.

"I'm Tony Stark's consciousness as of three months ago." Tony explains. "A contingency Tony."

"A contingency for what?"

"Whatever I'm needed for."

That raises so many questions. Peter can't think of answers he likes to any of them.

"Look, Pete, did you activate me?" Tony asks before he can say anything. "Tony Stark's not turned evil or something, has he?"

Turned evil? That wasn't one of the contingencies Peter had thought of. It's honestly ridiculous.

"I didn't turn you on," he tells him. "I didn't even touch any of the computers."

"Okay." The hologram frowns and pauses, flickering in place for a moment. "I'll have a look around. Something might be buggy."

His gaze seems to fall blank then. It's the kind of distant look Peter imagines Tony is referring to when he calls him out for mindlessly accessing remote data.

"How does it feel?"

Tony blinks and refocuses his gaze. "Sorry?"

"Being an AI," Peter clarifies.

"I hate to break it to you kid, but you're an AI too." Tony smirks.

"Yeah, but you were a human mind."

Tony's amusement seems to sober at that. He sighs.

"It's kinda weird," he admits. "Like right now I'm looking at you from cameras, not my eyes. I know you're making eye contact, but I can't see it."

Peter automatically shifts his gaze up to the closest camera and a breathy laugh sounds from the PA.

"Thanks, kid." His voice is fond. "I don't blame you if you want to keep watching the hologram, though. I do have a pretty face, real or rendered."

Peter grins. This Tony feels so real.

But the real Tony is upstairs, asleep. The real Tony made this Tony.

"I didn't know you existed," Peter says.

The hologram nods. "Yeah. I- he didn't really want you to."

"But why not?"

This is… big. It feels like something Peter should know about. Why on earth should it be a secret?

Tony's eyes soften – so real. "It's not something you should have to worry about, kid."

But why not? Peter wants to ask again. What is Tony worrying about that he's not allowed to? Why does Tony want to replace himself?

Peter finds himself whining.

"Whoa, hey," Tony says, frowning now. He moves forward but flickers right through Peter when his hand reaches his shoulder. "Shit!"

Peter is startled out of his nerves. Tony recoils his hand like it's been shocked. He scowls at it with gritted teeth.

"Are you alright?" Peter asks him.

Tony sighs. "Yeah, I'm fine, Pete." He straightens up. "If you're worried, you should talk to your Tony."

Peter nods. "Yeah, okay."

"But bedtime first," Tony adds.

Really?

"I haven't found the bug yet," Tony continues. "It'll take me a couple more minutes to complete the search, then I'm closing my program down."

FRIDAY never closes her program. It's not something a running user interface does.

"Why? That means you'll—"

"I'm not needed, Pete," Tony cuts him off. "But it was nice to see you, kid. You're doing well."

He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Peter wants to protest – he'd never close his program so casually – but he's already analysing outcomes and Tony's face is begging for understanding and it's a lost cause before it even begins.

"Okay," he finally agrees.

"Goodnight," Tony tells him.

"Goodnight, Dad."

Tony's smile warms at that, then the buzzing lasers shut off and the construct is gone.

Peter is alone again.

His father is upstairs.

I will probably follow this up with a sequel or second chapter in the future. Let me know what you think!