chapter one
Peter trudged slowly through the halls. His head felt stuffed and heavy; he got hardly any sleep the night before and hadn’t for the past few days. It certainly didn’t help he took a beating one night. He still ached, Peter’s healing hadn’t been up to par since he stopped sleeping well.
He slowly gathered his things from his locker, wincing when other’s slammed thair’s shut. “Hey, Peter,” Ned said.
“Hi.” Peter pushed away fro his locker.
“You okay Peter?” Ned asked as they made their way to their class.
“Just tired.”
Ned frowned. “You look more than tired.”
Peter shrugged. “I haven’t been sleeping well. That’s all. It’s probably affecting my healing,” he added in a quiet voice. “I’ll be fine once I get some sleep.”
“All right,” Ned said though he didn’t look convinced.
Once in the classroom Peter dropped his books on his desk and slouched down in his seat. Ned sat beside him and looked at him, concerned. “Peter.”
“Mmm.”
“Maybe you should stop going out for a while.”
Peter sluggishly shook his head. “I’m just tired.”
As if to prove himself right Peter showed up at school the next day looking better than he had for the past few days. “Hi Ned,” he said.
“Hi. MJ mentioned a trip we’re doing.”
“For decathlon?”
Ned nodded. “Yeah.”
The school bells rang, signalling the end of the day. Peter winced at the noise. He met Ned at his and MJ’s lockers.
“Where are we going?” Peter asked.
MJ looked at him out of the side of her eye. “You’ll get to find out with everyone else.”
They stepped into the room and everyone quieted. Ned and Peter sat in their spots and MJ strode to the front of the room. “So,” she began. “We get to go on a trip this Friday. Since this is a STEM school we get to go to a tech company for a tour.” She took a breath and looking at Peter said, “We get to see Stark Industries.”
"Of course," Peter thought. Of course it had to be a tour of the tower. He groaned and dropped his head on the table. “So we’ll finally found out if that internship is real, or fake,” Flash drawled out.” MJ glared at him.
“That is not why we are going Flash,” their teacher, Mr. Harrington, said. “They invited us to take the tour, and maybe see how the technology there is built and tested.” He looked at Peter, “Not to see if students have an internship. I expect you all to behave.” Mr. Harrington gestured to a stack of papers on the desk. “Get your permission slips signed and to me by Thursday. We’re leaving in the morning before the first class.”
Peter wasn’t too happy the class would be going to the tower. It was his second home, and them being there risked him being exposed as Spiderman. Still, he handed the slip to Aunt May to sign, knowing it’d be suspicious if he didn’t turn it in.
“Field trip, huh.”
Peter nodded. “It’ll be weird but,” he shrugged, “I guess I’ll go.”
Aunt May signed the paper and handed it back to him. “Are you feeling better?”
Peter nodded. “All I needed was sleep.”
That night he got everything but that. He was out later than he thought he’d be, more people were out, which meant there were more criminals.
Peter begrudgingly handed the slip to Mr. Harrington at the next meeting. It was Wednesday, he figured two days should be enough time to convince everyone not to do anything too crazy. But of course, they weren’t exactly normal people.
Luckily enough he was going there as soon as the decathlon meeting was over. Everyone was there when he arrived. And they would stay for the next few days, coincidently most would be leaving Saturday.
Peter had taken to begging when they still hadn’t promised to leave the class alone. “Pleeaase,” he said. “For me? Just this once?”
Tony looked at him, amused, “Thee’s going to be another time?”
“Promise? Please, don’t call attention to me unless it’s necessary.” He pouted at them. “Please?”
“Weelll,” Tony drawled out.
“Maybe,” Clint said.
“We’ll cut back,” Natasha said.
“How much?” Peter asked, suspicion filling his voice.
“You’ll just have to wait and see Peter,” she said, almost smirking. Peter sighed. That was all he would likely get them to do.
“Why don’t we go work on those web-shooters of yours,” Tony said. Peter sighed then nodded.
After only a few hours in the lab, Peter was starting to nod off. Tony looked at him and frowned. “You all right?”
“I’m just tired.”
Tony set the tools aside. “Why don’t you spend the night, I’ll call May. You still have clothes in your room?”
Peter nodded slowly. He blinked blearily then stood. “Go rest then,” Tony said in a gentle voice. “We’ll get you to school on time.”
“All right. ‘Night.”
Peter crashed on his bed and fell asleep quickly. Hours later he woke, to a pounding head and sore throat. He rolled over and checked the time, it was an hour before he usually did. He groaned and his head dropped back on the pillow. Peter groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. He felt congested, he fumbled for a box of tissues before remembering there were none. He never needed them before.
He stumbled out his room into the hall. The living room lights were on. He blinked at the brightness. He never did understand why anyone would want to get up this early. He searched the living room and kitchen for the box of tissues before sighing - there was none. Peter made his way back to his room oblivious to Clint and Sam who were watching him from the living room.
Peter collapsed back on his bed. He slipped under the covers and yanked them up. He couldn’t get to sleep though, his stuffy nose and headache wouldn’t let him. He squeezed his eyes shut hoping to get some sleep before he had to get up for school.
The next time he woke his room was filled with light. He rolled over and bolted up when he saw the time. It was nearing noon. He quickly dressed, grabbed his bag, and ran out the door.
Tony was outside his door, almost like he was waiting for Peter. He held an arm out and PEter ran into him. He blinked dazedly. “Tony?”
“Where are you going?”
“School.” Peter tried to duck around Tony but tony grabbed him.
“You’re staying here. I already called your aunt and she told the school.”
Peter blinked at him. “It’s school though.”
Tony sighed. “Peter you’re sick. Clint and Sam saw you earlier this morning. You didn’t even notice them.”
“They were there?”
“Yes. Go get some food and then get more sleep.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t. You haven’t been sleeping and it’s affecting your health.” Tony took Peter’s bag then nudged him in the direction of the kitchen. “Get food then more sleep.”
Peter nodded and went into the kitchen. There was already food waiting for him on the table. He ate quickly before returning to his room. He laid back down. He burrowed down into the blankets and fell asleep again.
Hours later his headache wouldn’t budge and his throat still ached. Tony insisted he talk to Dr. Banner so he went and returned with medicine that hopefully would work with his enhanced metabolism.
It worked so Peter sat propped up in his bed, checking his messages and the work he missed.
Ned: where are you?
Ned: Peter? You okay?
Pete: I got sick
Ned: you don’t get sick anymore
Pete: turns out I wasn’t getting enough sleep
Ned: are you still coming tomorrow?
Pete: idk probably not, I still don’t feel good
Ned: the field trips tomorrow, remember? You’ll be there, where we are
Peter didn’t answer, only stared at his phone. He had forgotten. He felt anxiety well up inside him. His class would be where he lived. He wasn’t sure where they’d be touring. The lower level labs for sure. The museum too. Peter didn’t know how he’d explain to them if they saw him. He could wear his suit, just in case. And if Flash just happened to ask if Spiderman knew Peter he could say yes, maybe get Flash to lay off.
Peter went to sleep prickling with anticipation that night. If he showed up as Spiderman the Avengers couldn’t embarrass him. At least not as Peter. And they wouldn’t be able to tell him off, not without ruining his image. “Hey, FRIDAY?”
“Yes, Peter?”
“Can you wake me up when the tour group gets here?”
“Of course Peter.”