[Third Person's PoV]
"What, so you want me to take a psyche test or something to prove I'm eligible to buy back my own shares?" Tony scoffed arrogantly, arms folded as he leaned back in his chair.
"What? No, there's no need to go that far," Peter said, casually waving him off. He shifted the lollipop in his mouth, then added, "Although, I am willing to come to a compromise—since I understand we're both businessmen, after all. So let's negotiate."
"So it was about the money in the end!" Stark exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "All that talk about genius and insanity was just nonsense!"
Peter rolled his eyes. "Of course not. I know what I've said might sound strange, even paranoid, but that's the thing—I am paranoid. I've only made it this far because I prepare for every possible scenario, no matter how unlikely. So think of me holding onto your shares as... pacifying my paranoia."
He sat forward, resting his elbows on the table and interlocking his fingers as he looked seriously at Tony. "But that doesn't mean I'm unreasonable. I understand your frustration—not being able to make decisions in your own company would drive anyone insane. I know I'd lose my mind if I were in your position."
Tony tapped his fingers rapidly against the armrest. "And what exactly does this 'compromise' of yours entail?"
"I won't remain the major shareholder of your company," Peter said simply. When Tony raised an eyebrow, he continued, "I'm willing to sell back enough shares so you regain the majority. That way, you'll be able to run your company the way you want."
"Only some?" Stark frowned, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You're giving me crumbs."
"Yes, some. For one, I can't be bothered to attend every meeting or give approval every time you want to make a move. I'm not your nanny, and I have zero interest in playing nanny to some grumpy old man."
"Oi! Who are you calling old?! I've just entered my prime, you cheeky brat," Tony growled, glaring at him.
"You're more than a decade older than me, old man. You're ancient by comparison," Peter shot back dryly. "But we're getting off-topic. Like I said—nanny duty isn't in my job description."
He leaned back slightly. "Second, I paid a lot for those shares. It's the reason I'm not officially listed as a billionaire yet. If I sell them all back to you, I'm losing out. And I don't like losing."
Tony pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "So how much are you willing to sell them for?"
"Just enough for you to become the majority shareholder again. Enough so my voice still carries weight and I stay in the loop—but not so much that you need my approval for everything. I'd say... 5% should be enough."
"Five? That's practically nothing! You're tossing me crumbs and calling it a feast. What do you take me for? Make it 20, and we've got a deal."
"Five," Peter replied flatly, his expression unreadable.
"Nineteen," Stark countered firmly.
"Five," Peter repeated, unflinching.
"Fifteen. That's my lowest offer," Tony said, leaning back with crossed legs, trying to exude confidence and control.
Pepper and MJ watched silently from the side, clearly intrigued by the back-and-forth. Pepper tried to jump in and help Tony but they were too busy with themselves to notice.
"Four," Peter said, his tone dropping a degree colder.
"What?! Why the hell are you going lower now?" Tony barked, narrowing his eyes.
"All you really need is to become the major shareholder," Peter replied smoothly. "I could sell you just 1% and it'd accomplish the same thing."
He pulled the lollipop from his mouth, smirked, and let the silence speak.
Tony gritted his teeth. "Fine... ten percent."
"Three."
"Nine."
"Two."
"Eight."
"One."
Tony's grip tightened around the armrest as he glared, voice low and frustrated. "Seven…"
Peter remained silent for a moment… then shrugged. "Sure."
Tony groaned, slumping slightly as MJ sighed and Pepper tried to hide a smile.
"Honestly," Peter added with a teasing grin, "if you'd just stuck with ten, I would've caved. I only needed to stay above 30% to feel secure."
"Then why—?!" Stark began, outraged.
Peter just shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "No reason. I just wanted to see how far I could push you—how low I could get you to go. You're surprisingly easy to manipulate, Mr. Stark. You should probably work on that."
Tony's eye twitched, a muscle visibly jumping in his cheek as MJ snorted and turned her head to hide her laughter. Pepper stood beside him with a slightly apologetic smile, having clearly realized what Peter was doing far too late to intervene.
"I actually started to feel bad," Peter added with a mischievous grin, "Bullying an old man who just regained his freedom? That's low, even for me. So I decided to leave it at 7%. Honestly, I could've kept more, but look at me—what a generous young man I am. I should definitely be praised for this"
"I dislike you intensely," Tony muttered, glaring daggers at Peter. "You might just be the reason I never have kids."
Peter just smiled, completely unfazed. "Now then," he said, clasping his hands together, "let's talk about pricing that precious 7%."
"I'm buying it at market value—" Tony began, sitting up straighter.
Peter cut him off immediately, "Absolutely not. You must be out of your mind if you think I'd settle for market price. Especially when you consider the future profit I'll be missing out on by letting go of those shares."
He leaned forward, lollipop dangling loosely in his fingers. "500 million. Each."
Tony recoiled like he'd been slapped, slamming his palm down on the table. "Five hundred million each?! That's highway robbery! They're barely worth fifty million apiece!"
Pepper, trying to mediate, jumped in gently. "Mr. Parker, I have to agree with Tony here. 500 million is a stretch by any metric—"
But Peter interrupted coolly, "As I already explained, I'm factoring in future valuation. Right now, Stark Industries might be on rocky ground, but once Tony turns things around—and he will—500 million a share might actually seem like a bargain. I'm not just selling you a number. I'm selling you control, reputation, and future power. And let's not pretend here—you need them more than I do. So no, my price isn't changing."
Despite their efforts, both Tony and Pepper soon realized Peter wasn't bluffing. He was firm, calculating, and unfortunately for them, entirely in control of the situation. The 7% stake amounted to 3.5 billion dollars, and Peter made it clear he wasn't budging from that figure.
After some more back-and-forth, filled with persuasive arguments and increasing frustration, they ultimately accepted Peter's offer. The facts were undeniable—Peter held the upper hand, and they needed the shares far more than he needed the cash.
"So," Peter said, casually tapping his phone screen to notify his assistant secretary that had just arrived shortly, "shall we move on to finalizing the agreement? I'll have my assistant draft the contract and send it over shortly."
Tony and Pepper exchanged exhausted glances before nodding in agreement.
"Um, actually," MJ piped up, stepping forward with her camera in hand, "can I get a picture of you two shaking hands?"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
MJ grinned. "Well, this is basically the birth of a new business partnership between Stark Industries and Parker Industries, right? A symbolic handshake photo would show the world you're back in action and already making a move towards that change that you were talking about during your press conference. Good PR, strong narrative—it's a statement."
Tony looked at Pepper, who nodded supportively. "She's right," Pepper said. "This could be a great way to publicly show that you've bounced back. Strong visuals go a long way, it would help regrain the support that Stark Industries once lost."
"Alright, alright," Tony sighed, standing and motioning Peter over. "Come on, kid. Let's shake hands for the camera. And if I'm in a good mood later, I'll even sign a copy for you."
Peter rolled his eyes, rising from his seat and stepping around the desk. They moved the chair out of the way and stood shoulder to shoulder.
"Be sure to get my good side," Tony called to MJ.
Peter scoffed, flashing his trademark grin. "Damn, you actually have a good side? That's unfortunate. All my sides are my good ones."
"Yeah, keep dreaming, kid," Tony retorted as they shook hands. The camera snapped away, MJ capturing multiple angles of the moment.
When it was done, Tony casually wiped his hand on his jacket. "It was a displeasure doing business with you."
Peter laughed, unbothered. "I'll live," he said, walking them both to the door. He waved pleasantly as they left, only collapsing into his chair once the door closed behind them.
"Man… that was exhausting," he exhaled, dragging a hand down his face.
MJ placed the camera gently on the desk and raised an eyebrow in amusement. "So, how does it feel to officially become a billionaire?"
Peter grinned, stretching his arms over his head. "Once I see that money hit my account, I'll be a billion dollars happier."
MJ laughed, shaking her head.
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