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Life had been hard for Peter but things were finally starting to look up for him. He had two amazing parents who cared for him more than anything. He had an internship that was legal and true right down to the paperwork and stuff he did while there and even though school wasn’t all that great, he’d decided to graduate this year, a year earlier than his peers. He’d been sad to leave Ned and MJ but they agreed that this was probably better for Peter in the long run. Anyway, it was a Saturday and thus Peter started his day at the intern level.
The intern level is by far Peter’s favorite out of the whole building, except for perhaps his own lab because that’d been tailored specifically for him and his use. Despite all of that. Peter was up bright and early today at approximately six in the morning. He’d been working on the intern floor since seen am because one of the floor directors had gotten sick and Peter was called in since he wasn’t at school and it was all hands on deck in the labs right now as it was the end of the project season.
“Peter!” someone called from across the floor. Peter turned from where he was getting another cup of hot tea and headed towards the voice that called him. Just like it was a dance, Peter ducked and dodged flailing limbs, objects, and occasionally a robot as he made his way to the other side of the large floor. Miraculously no tea was spilled in his walk across the room.
The rest of the day went pretty similar with a few minor breaks when someone shoved food in his hand. Pepper came down to shoo all of the interns out at one am and told everyone they weren’t to be back until six or later. With some grumbling from various interns who weren’t quite done with their project reports, the interns and the floor directors were all sent on their way.
Peter was dragged upstairs by Pepper and sat down at the table. There were four grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches placed in front of Peter. “Eat and then you can go to bed.” Peter went to refuse but Pepper just held up her hand. “No patrol tonight. I know you scheduled yourself to be a floor director again tomorrow so you need your sleep. No, you can’t wait up for info on the Avenger’s mission right now. They checked in earlier and it looks like it might be a fake. They should be back by tomorrow night.” Peter’s jaw snapped shut. “Now, if you don’t eat, I will call the others and I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate being interrupted while they’re sleeping because you decided to skip a meal again.” Peter ducked his head while trying to hide a smile. He didn’t know if he’d ever get used to this after May. Peter’s mood dropped but he grabbed a sandwich none the less. It wouldn’t do to make Pepper miss out on more sleep because of him.
Peter woke up bright and early less than five hours later. At six o’clock on the dot, there was practically a stampede into the intern lab. And that’s how the day began. The high energy and rushed pace continued for most of the day. However, what most interns began to see was Peter’s tired figure but the newer interns thought little of it as their deadlines grew closer and they knew that he’d been sent home last night. However, the older interns and floor directors noticed how drained Peter seemed and made sure to keep an eye on him. Mary, the most senior floor director for the level slipped away into her office for a moment. She quickly shut the door before turning her eyes to the ceiling.
“Hey Friday, when was the last time Peter slept?”
“Mr. Parker slept for two hours last night. Insomnia Protocol is not available to be initiated yet without an override. Would you like me to put in a request?”
Mary hesitated. “Can you ask for someone to escort Peter to his living space to get some rest by seven o’clock tonight?”
“Of course, Miss Schön. I recommend you get back to work. There is a growing situation at table seven.”
“Thanks Friday,” Mary called as she rushed out the door back into the chaos.
Mary didn’t see much of Peter after that. She only really knew he was still there because at seven o’clock on the dot, Barnes was spotted dragging Peter away gently with his shining metal arm. Mary sighed. She was about to get a lot busier.
“Bucky!” Peter wined when the elevator doors shut. “They finish their projects tonight. I should be there to help out!” Bucky just looked down at Peter.
“You need a break or I could set Natasha on you.” Peter’s eyes widened.
“No, I- I think I’ll take a break now.” While Peter was graduating early, Tony had made him take some tests and Peter tested out of all the science and math classes at Midtown. Thus, Peter only really had to take English, social studies and a foreign language to graduate. Plus, since Midtown moved to block scheduling, on Thursday and Friday of every week Peter had the day off from school. So, Peter worked at the internship at Stark Industries. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday though, Peter was at school, Midtown School of Science and Technology, walking through his days and hating every moment he wasn’t with Ned and MJ. But since Peter wasn’t in science or Math, they had very few classes together.
It also meant that Peter barely had any classes with Flash which was a blessing of a sort but it also meant that when Flash ran into Peter it was worse than it used to be. But it also meant Peter didn’t get any field trips with them and didn’t know about them unless he was told about them.
It was one of the rare Mondays that Peter got to take off and Peter had been working practically non-stop since Wednesday night on a special project. He’d also been locked up in his lab for a majority of this time which meant Peter hadn’t been hearing the slight bustle in the labs as they hid all confidential work in preparation for a field trip, a trip from Midtown School of Science and Technology.
“Hello Midtown, my name is Mandy and I’ll be your tour guide for the day. If everyone would please step forward and grab a white lanyard. Please wear the lanyard around your neck and keep it visible at all times for our security team. No food, drink, gum, or any other edible item in the labs. Your cellphones need to be turned off and placed in this bin until the end of the tour. Are there any questions?” There were some frowns but no one objected. Mandy started to move towards the elevators.
“You all signed non-disclosure agreements so essentially everything you see today may not be discussed to the public without the explicit permission of our CEO Pepper Potts. Does everyone understand?” Various expressions of acknowledgement occurred throughout the group, too excited for a coveted tour of the tower. After all phones were placed in the bin, they headed off towards the elevator.
Peter walked into one of the intern labs without paying any attention to his surroundings. “Mary, I’m going to borrow the testing room. Stark exploded the one upstairs and the rest are full.” Peter babbled. He stepped into the test chamber. The moment the door closed, the elevator doors opened and the swarm of field trip students topped out.
Mary tried to take her mind off of Peter and the exhaustion he exuded, not even responding to a majority of his surroundings. However, that could be because of his sound dampeners and holo-spec glasses Peter is wearing. Mary turned her thoughts back to the newcomers.
“Welcome to the intern labs! My name is Mary and today we’ll give you all a tour of the floor and the pair you off with one of our interns to take a look at some of the things interns work on here.” Mary led the short tour of the floor. All of the rooms on the floor were open for observation with the exception of the testing room which Peter had blacked out the windows for. As this room was obviously in use and they couldn’t see in there were questions from the group about who and what was going on in there.
“One of the higher-ups and a part-time floor directed is in there. He’s requested not to be disturbed. Now moving onto pairing up with the interns.” About ten minutes later, the lights turned off abruptly. There was panic from some of the inters and visitors.
“Friday what’s going on?” came a tired voice from the back. Upon the sound of his voice, many of the people in the room quieted until the room was in dead silence.
“There seems to be a situation in the basement but security is dealing with it Peter.” Peter sighed.
“Do they need any help?”
“No Peter.”
“Why are the lights off Friday?” There was a slight hesitation.
“There was an overload on the generator running on this floor. Sir says you are welcome to fix the problem as it will be a while ‘til he is available.”
“Thanks Friday.” There was a pause and then the lights turned back on. There was some cheering and the visitors from Midtown were looking around for the person who fixed the lights.
“Parker?!” exclaimed Flash as he spitted his slightly estranged classmate. Peter had been speaking with Mary, the floor manager after getting the lights back on. Thus, upon hearing his name Peter tiredly glanced up and around and promptly froze.
“Who might you be?” Mary asked while glancing worriedly at Peter.
“Flash, Flash Thompson.” Upon seeing he wouldn’t continue, Mary prompted Flash.
“How do you know Peter?”
“He’s our classmate but he isn’t in this class so he shouldn’t be on this tour. Tired of being left out Peter?” Flash boasts. Mary frowns as Peter sighs.
“I work here Flash. It’s why I only go to school half the week. You know this.” Peter exclaims tiredly.
Mary interrupts. “I think it’s time to continue with the projects, Interns!” Suddenly all of the interns go back to work. Flash reluctantly turns back to his intern’s table with frequent glances back at Peter. Mary rounded on Peter but Peter had already disappeared back into the testing room.
“Friday, when was the last time Peter slept?” There was a pause.
“Would you like me to call someone down to activate the Insomnia Protocol?” Mary sighs.
“How long Friday?”
“Mr. Parker is coming up on seventy hours without sleep.” Mary worriedly overrode the tinted windows that were on the testing room to make sure Peter didn’t hurt himself.
“Call the nearest person please Friday.” Mary watched as Peter tested out the new Avengers tech he’d created. Not even two minutes after the request was made by Mary, Clint Barton shows up with a set of headphones. He makes a bee-line for Mary.
“Friday called. What’s up?” They stoutly ignored the people behind them who were trying not to stare or trying to hide it (very badly).
“It has been seventy hours since he last slept and he was having trouble with people noises it seemed.” Clint frowned and moved to the door. It was locked.
“Friday, door please.” There was a soft click and Clint moved into the room. Peter didn’t acknowledge him and instead continued to draw in the air from behind his glasses.
“Pete?” Clint asked quietly. Peter jerked slightly at his voice. Peter turned off the glasses and rubbed his eyes. Clint waited ‘til Peter looked at him again.
‘You okay?’ he signed.
‘Fine.’ Internally Clint smiled. He’d been so excited when he found out Pete signed. Clint and Natasha were in the common area hashing out who should make what for dinner when Peter had walked in and requested, they work together to make that ‘heavenly mac and cheese’. Clint and Natasha had been so surprised when Peter had cut in and signed that Peter had looked unsure. After a short conversation, it had turned into the three of them having secret conversations behind everyone’s backs.
Needless to say, Peter’s fluency in sign was brought into question by the rest of the team at the tower leading Peter to have to explain his sensory problems and causing the rest of the team to try and learn rudimentary sign, especially when they (finally) realized Clint was deaf and that’s why Clint and Natasha knew and so often conversed in it, not just to hide what they were talking about from everyone else.
‘It’s time to stop and eat some food and sleep, Peter.’ Clint signed back. Peter changed the topic.
‘I heard there was a situation on one of the lower floors.’ ‘It wasn’t an avengers problem kid. The person was trying to get into the private elevator insistently.’ Clint paused as he saw Peter’s concentration on him wavering.
‘I brought your soundproof headphones.’
‘I already have my sound dampeners.’
‘You and I both know that’s not the same thing. Come on. We’re going up to the penthouse so you can get some sleep. Insomnia Protocol was activated kid.’ The kid frowned but didn’t fight. The protocol had been used multiple times before and Peter knew he wasn’t getting out of this. So, he leaned down to pick up the tech he’d been testing that was on the ground where he’d sat it so he could sign with Clint.
Peter started to topple over when he leaned down causing Clint to have to catch him. “Yep, he definitely needs some sleep,” Clint thinks. Clint stuffs the tech into Peter’s bag before slinging it over his shoulder and swapping out Peter’s headphones.
‘Your lead.’ Clint signs before dramatically bowing, trying to lighten the mood a bit. Honestly, Clint was really worried about the kid.
After sliding the door to the main lab open, Peter remembers why he slid back into the testing room in the first place. The sound of the doors sliding open caused some heads to swivel in their direction. Thankfully, the new and improved soundproof headphones prevented Peter from the whispers but it also stopped him from being able to hear Mary, the senior floor director.
“I hope to see you less tired next time you’re down here,” Mary says and Clint translates. Peter just gives and exhausted smile.
“Will do.” He signs back. Clint and Peter head to the elevator and Clint starts a conversation to try ad take Peter’s mind off of his classmates who were in the room.
When the elevator doors closed, Flash blurted, “What the hell?”
“Did you know Peter knew sign?” Ned asked MJ. She just shook her head and went back to paying attention to the intern in charge of them. Flash was still sputtering when the groups started to work again while the rest of the class was whispering and there started the rumor mill.
Meanwhile, Peter was slowly spiraling into a panic, unconsciously of course, as the panic wouldn’t breach Peter’s mind until he began to be more coherent the next day.
Tuesday rolled around and Peter was up at eight due to some very annoying people (aka Clint and Bucky). He’d been asleep since he was brought upstairs yesterday by Cint, thus it had been more than twelve hours. Peter felt the aftereffects of his long awareness as he moved to get up.
“Every time,” Peter thought as he stumbled into the wall as he attempted to stop swaying. Once he was halfway steady, Peter made his way into the living space/kitchen where he saw Bruce and Tony and Steve. Bruce was the one standing at the stove.
“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Tony joked. Peter merely grunted and collapsed onto a stool at the bar-like table thing the others were sitting at.
A few minutes later, Bruce plopped down a few plates of food. “Eat. You shouldn’t go so long without food Peter. Your metabolism needs sustenance.”
Peter nodded his head in thanks, still half-asleep, and started in on his pancakes. The others shared fond glances around Peter.
“How’s the new project coming along kid?” Tony asks. Peter brightens up a bit and began to ramble about the tests he’d been doing. Clint and Tony shared a short look. They wouldn’t be bringing up the certainly panic-inducing incident any time soon.