Chapter Text
Some would argue that anger was the worst emotion of all. Others would argue that sadness was the worst. Peter Parker would have to disagree with those people. Peter Parker would argue that loneliness was the worst emotion of all. A combination of the worst feelings, and having nobody to stand by you.
Peter Parker knew that feeling all too well. After his parents had died, he had felt it more than ever. Then again, when he was bullied and had no friends behind his back. And then again when his Uncle Ben had been murdered.
Thankfully, Peter didn’t feel this emotion too often anymore. His aunt had swooped in to become his guardian. He had Ned, and now MJ to stand by him through the difficulties of school. And he had his favourite father figure (though he would never admit this out loud) along with his family of the avengers to keep him from dipping his toes into the dreaded emotion.
Peter was distracted from his thoughts as Ned dumped his lunch tray beside Peter’s and sighed extremely loudly.
“I’m done. I’m done! Why did Ms Warren have to assign us another essay?” Ned exclaimed.
“I know! I’m swamped with enough homework. She hasn’t even graded our last one yet! How is that fair?” Peter agreed.
“How is that fair?” Ned echoed while shaking his head.
“Besides, Peter's got to have his existential crisis tonight. When is he going to have time for the essay?” MJ murmured.
“I do not!” Peter gasped. He grabbed his chest, opened his mouth, in mockery of being offended.
“Believe me you will, I was about to start drawing you, but then Ned came and disrupted us.” MJ smirked.
“Sorry.” Ned said sheepishly.
MJ turned back to her drawing, which Peter assumed would still be of him. Although he wasn’t thinking of his loneliness anymore, Peter was sure MJ could remember the face he had been making. But who knows? Midtown always had someone having a crisis, and Peter was sure MJ wouldn't have to look hard to find one.
Peter finished the rest of the school day uneventfully. On top of the essay, he had a chemistry paper due, a maths test the next day, and his part of an english project. Peter was ready to go home, but he still had AcaDec after school.
Slowly Peter made his way through the hallways, trying to remind himself of the things to look forward to at practice. Although Flash would be there, he still had the whole rest of the team there who made him laugh.
As he passed through the halls he noticed a poster for the spring musical. Peter was slightly embarrassed by the fact that he was a theatre kid. Growing up with May, they watched plenty of musicals, and went to many Broadway shows.
When Peter was a freshman, he had auditioned for a part in the ensemble, to be a farmer. Instead he got the role of a housewife. Peter never stepped foot onto the stage again after that show.
It wasn’t the fact that he wouldn’t play a woman. Okay maybe he wouldn’t but he had reasons for that. It was the fact that purposely put him in that role, because he was trans. It was like they had to prove something to him.
Well he didn’t need that in his life, so he never did theatre anymore, no matter how badly he wanted to. Instead he joined the AcaDec team, which although wasn’t his first choice, was still a lot of fun, and he had made plenty of friends through it.
Peter stepped into Mr Harringtons’ classroom, and was met with 8 kids shuffling the desks around to make a long table, instead of being spaced out individually.
Peter grabbed a desk just like everyone else, and placed his beside where Ned was going to be seated. After everyone shifted and adjusted their desks, they all took a seat and stared at MJ, their team captain.
MJ began to lead the practice, somehow managing to hold a group of teenagers attention for the entire two hours of practice as she always did.
“Is everyone excited for the tournament next week?” Cindy Moon, one of Peter’s classmates asked.
“I mean I’m excited, but are we even ready?” Betty admitted, “I feel like we are going to go in all confident, and then do terrible because we lost sight of our goals you know?”
“And we have to keep our heads clear, and in the game for us to win. We can focus on blocking out distractions at the next meeting if you all would like.” MJ offered.
“That’d be great!” Betty responded, sounding much more relieved.
“Besides, we’ve got Peter, I don’t think we should be too worried.” Abe reassured.
“If he even decides to show up this time.” Flash pointed out.
“I don’t even know why you're complaining Flash, you complain when he shows up because you're the alternate, and you complain when he doesn’t. What do you want him to do?” MJ asked him. Flash sunk into his seat, not meeting anyones eyes. “Anyways, we are done for today, you can all pack up.”
Flash bolted out of the room, which was very unlike him. Peter knew MJ was scary, but he didn’t know how much Flash was terrified of her wrath.
As they began to pack up, Cindy spoke up, “I’m heading to the bakery near the library if anyone wants to join me.” Everyone nodded in agreement and followed Cindy to the bakery she had suggested.
Peter often spent his free time at home, or at the lab. Due to him being Spider-man he had even less time, so he didn’t typically find himself hanging out in bakeries often. But the Acadec team was the exception.
Peter was in no means popular, and Ned and MJ were his only close friends, besides his online friends of course. But after he spent 3 times a week with the team, and after doing this for multiple years, they found themselves forming bonds. Besides Flash of course.
Peter and Ned had found that Sally loved Star Wars as well. She didn’t play with the lego, but it still was a win. MJ loved to draw, and Cindy loved to paint, so they often talked about art. Peter enjoyed photography, and he and Betty enjoyed discussing cameras, as she worked on the Midtown news station.
It was a strange group of people, who you would have never expected to work, but despite their differences, they could still find things in common.
“Today I would have been sitting in front of the stage, waiting to see Why Don’t We, but nope. They had to break up!” Sally declared.
“Same here. Wouldn’t have to deal with all of you.” Charles said, shaking his head.
“I didn’t know they broke up.” Peter admitted.
“Well, technically they didn’t, they're on hiatus.” Sally said with air quotes. “ But we all know what that means.”
“Another One Direction.” Peter finished.
“I think it’s great that they took a stand against their management, but it still sucks.” Charles said to be met with lots of nodding.
They finally made their way to the bakery and began to order. Peter got a cinnamon bun, and Ned got a chocolate croissant, and they decided to share them both.
They sat in a booth that fit everyone, and Abe began discussing a new show that he had been watching. A bunch of the team had also seen it, and they all were talking about how they wanted these two characters together, but they weren’t yet.
Peter clung onto every word glad to have someone to listen to. He occasionally spoke up, but as he hadn’t seen the show he didn’t have too much to say.
Everyone finished up their baked goods, and decided to head out as they all had similar amounts of homework.
Peter didn’t live close to anyone, so he walked alone back to his apartment.
Peter would be spending the evening in the lab the next day and he was beyond excited. Although he went to the lab 3 times a week, and typically even more than that, he still got excited. It was what he looked forward to all day.
Tony Stark had decided to give Peter an actual internship after he had seen how good he was at science. He was considered Tony Stark's person intern, and spent most of his time in Mr. Starks lab. But he spent lots of time in the intern labs, alternating between a few, because he loved the interns that much. That and they complained when they hadn’t seen him in too long.
Peter made his way back to the apartment, which was empty as his aunt wasn’t home from work yet. He made himself a cup of ramen (he couldn’t cook much else) and sat down to get his homework done.
Hours went by before he finally set down his pencil, and finished his last paper. He checked his phone, only finding a few notifications from his aunt and a few from his friend Harley. He opened them.
Aunt May
Aunt May: Hey Pete, won’t be home until late tonight. An emergency surgery came in, and they need my help.
Aunt May: Feel free to order in for dinner, and please call Tony if you need anything.
Peter: No worries May, I’m going to patrol anyways. Don’t worry I won’t be out too late, and I’ll let Tony know when I leave and come back.
Aunt May: Thanks kiddo, I’ll see you in the morning 🙂
Harley
Harley: Sooooo Tony said I might be able to come to New York this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Harley: Since you know he doesn’t know we are friends, I think it’d be hilarious to surprise him.
Harley: He kept going on and on and on about how he had this intern that I would get along well with.
Harley: Had to just keep on saying ‘oh yes’ ‘this person sounds so interesting’, ‘oh wow I’m so excited to meet this mysterious intern of yours’
Harley: As if I didn’t know your deepest and darkest secrets already 😏
Peter: HARLEY JESUS
Peter: We are totally making him out to be an idiot
Peter: He’ll be like trying to introduce us, and we are already hugging and calling each other nicknames
Peter: He’ll be like wow I was right, they became friends so fast
Harley: HAHA
Peter put his phone away, and changed into his suit. He opened the window, and was surprised to find it was still light out. He took a breath of fresh air and leaped out, not knowing that this patrol was about to change everything.