Chapter Text
"You got everything? Notebooks, backpack, lunch?" Tony asked his son as Tommy got ready for his first real day of high school. It had been a time and a half to get the school to agree to the fake last name, Shepherd, for Tommy, but it was well worth it.
"Yes, dad," Tommy snorted, shifting his backpack onto his shoulder. "I got to go."
This was only really possible, going to school without people recognizing him because Tommy stayed out of the news as much as possible. The white-haired teen had been found by Tony in the Facility back when the billionaire first became Iron Man.
Tony and Tommy had both agreed that Tommy shouldn't be in the spotlight, at least not at first. He needed time to readjust to freedom and the outside world as well as start working through his past, well, the parts he remembered anyway. It was a lot, but now the white-haired speedster at least felt comfortable enough to go to school.
There was, however, one thing he did take advantage of…
Tommy quickly pulled on his green knit beanie Natasha had made for him, carefully adjusting it over his hair. Of course, it wouldn't stop the stares, especially since he also wore medical compression gloves, but it would at least keep people from staring because of Tommy's pure white hair. Albinism was a bitch.
"Be careful, okay?" Tony sighed and hugged his son. "And have a good first day."
"I will, thanks, dad."
-
It was only first period, and Tommy already regretted this decision. No one told him everyone who went to this school looked like models. This, unfortunately, included his charming lab partner, one David Alleney. They were only lab partners because of random chance; Tommy sat next to him as soon as he walked in because the speedster didn't want to give the impression he was a loner.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, I guess," Tommy said, tapping the table.
"You too," David chuckled. "I'm David, which I guess you heard in attendance."
"Tommy," Tommy laughed and nodded, relaxing a bit. "Glad I met one person at least."
"Yeah?" the dark-skinned teen asked.
"Uh, yeah, this is my first year here."
"Oh! What a coincidence, same here! I just moved to New York from Chicago."
The two managed to hit it off, and after meeting a kid in his shop class, Peter, Tommy, and David quickly had a group of friends to sit with at lunch.
MJ and Michelle were scary smart and unstoppable together. Gwen was their third in command and good at convincing Peter to go along with their schemes, Harry was the designated Rich Boy™ and Peter's childhood friend, and Ned was a huge Star Wars and space nerd.
Tommy quickly found out they all met through Peter, who was pretty shy unless you could get him talking about one of his interests. Tommy would admit to liking everyone in the group.
By the time lunch was over, it was like David and Tommy had known all of them for years.
"So welcome to the chaos," Gwen mused. "We're smart, bored, mostly not rich kids."
"I feel so called out," Harry deadpanned. Tommy snorted and tapped the table.
"You two seem cool, so you can hang with us," MJ decided.
"She means well," Ned chuckled. "It's nice to meet you two; welcome to being dragged in."
"Happy to be dragged in," David joked.
-
"Welcome home son, did you make friends? Can I meet them? Are they good eggs? Not that having delinquent friends would be bad," Tony said as his son got home. He was currently sitting in the living room, trying to look busy.
"I made friends. They're a mixed bag," Tommy chuckled and placed his bag down in the living room. "I can tell you all about them after I get homework done in five minutes." Superspeed and super processing were sometimes nice, Tommy had to admit. "Then we can blow stuff up in the lab."
Tony grinned, relieved and happy his son already made friends. He was secretly worried since Tommy didn't generally allow himself attachments to others. Natasha, Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy were the exceptions, but the genius was glad Tommy was making friends his own age.
-
"... well, that wasn't the most dignified fall," Tommy, in his Speed suit, mumbled as Spider-Man placed him down on a nearby rooftop. "Hi, I'm Speed. I'm guessing the weird Goblin dude is one of yours?"
"Spider-Man, and yes," the spider-themed hero said with a wince. "Sorry, you got caught up in this."
"It was bound to happen," Tommy said, shrugging. "Man, what is it about New York that attracts crazies?"
"Big, densely populated city?" Spider-Man suggested, and the green and white-clad teen laughed.
"Yeah, that's gotta be it. Thanks for the save," Tommy mused. "Now help me get out of here before my dad sees the news and freaks out and goes into overprotective mode."
"I know a place nearby. However, Green Goblin first."
Tommy didn't expect to be brought to Hell's Kitchen after helping defeat the Green Goblin. He also didn't expect to meet a chick named Claire, who immediately started patching him and Spidey up. He also didn't expect to meet the infamous Devil of Hell's Kitchen or the Merc with the Mouth.
"Any friend of Baby Boy is a friend of ours," Deadpool declared as Claire patched up Tommy's arm. "I'm Wade!"
"He may not keep his own identity, but he's great at hiding others'," Spider-Man hummed.
"Good to know," Tommy snorted. "Thanks for the record."
"I'm used to dumbasses," Claire snorted. "This is Daredevil's third concussion this week."
"It's Tuesday," Tommy balked.
"I'm aware," Daredevil grumbled. "You don't have to rub it in."
"I'm going to anyway," Tommy decided. Wade cackled.
"Man, if only your suit had red, you could join Team Red," he said cheerfully.
"Um…" Tommy glanced at Spider-Man, lost. Spider-Man just shook his head in amusement.
"He's like this with strangers."