Chapter Text
Peter’s tray thunked as he dropped it on the table. It wasn’t nearly as much food as he ate some days, but for the shitty cafeteria stuff public school gave out, it was like a mountain. He only ate lunch with Ned and MJ--both of whom knew about Spiderman--so generally there wasn’t much explaining to do about just how much he ate. However, he was still careful about not looking like too much of a freak because, of all the ways to be outed, the fact that he ate a lot was a stupid one. And no, it wasn’t insecurity, it was keeping his identity a secret. That. Definitely that.
At home, the Tower, Peter could clean out any and all takeout orders with ease. The penthouse kitchen currently had three refrigerators, a pantry the size of his old bedroom, and two ovens. Even that was barely enough to feed two super soldiers, two ex assassins, three mad scientists, two badass women, one woman with magic powers, a man with metal wings, a spiderling, and a literal robot. Let it be known that Peter loved his family, but damn they could eat. He could still remember the great Thai feast of 2018. The fact that listing them sounded like the 12 days of Christmas also didn’t help.
“Peter,” MJ said, jerking him out of his thoughts, “Please tell Ned here that Criminal Minds is an incredible tv show that is necessary for literally everyone to see.” She leaned across the table to look him in the eyes while Ned gave him a pleading look behind her back.
“Um, well, you know--”
“ You’ve never seen it? ”
“I’m sorry! I know you told me to watch it a while ago, but I’ve just been so busy!”
“You’re not too busy to spend nearly every night at Ned’s watching Star Wars!”
“Not every night!”
“Uh huh, sure. But you will watch it, right?”
“Yeah yeah, I will, swear. So,” he turned to Ned without skipping a beat, “Tonight, your house? Legos, ice cream, and The Empire Strikes Back?” Ned nodded enthusiastically, but MJ sighed quietly and lightly touched her hand to her forehead. It was her version of an over-dramatic groan.
“ Again ?” she asked, “Do you guys do anything else with your free time? No wait, don’t answer that, we both know you don’t.”
“Hey, don’t hate! Star Wars is too cool for you, anyway,” Peter joked and dug into one of his three baskets of tater tots.
“Dude. It’s our senior year and you are spending it holed up in Ned’s basement watching kids’ movies.”
“How dare you!” Ned gasped, “Peter, why are we even friends with her? She just insulted the biggest movie franchise in history!”
“Nerds,” MJ laughed.
“Like you aren’t one too,” Peter cut in with a smile and popped a tot in his mouth. In the past year he had become much closer with MJ, and was even on a level where he could tease her. Tease MJ . “There’s a reason I’m only second highest scoring in this school, Ms. Jones.”
“First of all: I’m smart, not a nerd. Second: If you call me that again I’ll punch you in the mouth so hard you bite your own heart.” Ned looked terrified, but Peter was unfazed. Living with the Avengers and their weirdass threats did that to a person.
“We both know you just quoted Brooklyn 99, MJ. But noted.”
“Ugh, alright, the rest of your plan is cool, but tonight I’m coming too and we’re watching Criminal Minds .”
“All of it?”
“Uh, no, man. There’s like 15 seasons. We can probably get through like the first season if we watch until really late. It’s a Friday though, we have all the time in the world. You’d better have some cookie dough.” The boys merely nodded in agreement, knowing there was no point in fighting her on it. “Anyway,” she said, “I’ve got something. Peace out losers,” She flashed them the bird and swaggered out of the room. It seemed like either her tray had magically disappeared, or she didn’t get one in the first place. Either was very possible. Peter would never put anything past MJ.
“...Something?” Ned asked.
“I’ve got no clue, and I really doubt she’s going to tell us.”
“Fair enough.”
Peter dug back into his food, this time focusing on the half-decent mac n cheese.
They slid into the kind of silence you can only get with your best friend. Where there isn’t any need to talk or fill the air with senseless chatter. You already know each other so well, there’s no point in talking when you can be completely comfortable with the quiet.
That is, until it’s very rudely interrupted by the friendly neighborhood bully.
“Hey, Penis!” Flash grinned as he slid into the seat directly beside Peter with no invitation whatsoever. “I just can’t wait until Decathlon this afternoon! You’re gonna love the announcement!”
“What do you want, Flash?” Peter grumbled, annoyed and bored at the same time. He rolled his eyes at Ned, who was looking on with pinched eyebrows.
“I just thought you’d like to know, Petey-pie! Big news today, I really think you’ll like it!”
“Is that so?” Peter’s voice dripped with sarcasm. He let Flash bully him because it was better him than others, but he felt no need to be nice about it.
“Yep! I think a lot of secrets are gonna be revealed real soon!”
“Ok Flash, thank you for that courteous announcement. Can I eat my food in peace now?”
“Sure thing, Penis!” Flash cackled, fucking cackled , then scurried off to his own table. Asshole.
“So?” prompted Ned. He was met with blank confusion.
“So what?”
“What do you think the announcement’s going to be?”
“I dunno, and I don’t really care. If Flash is that excited about it, it can’t be good.”
“Are you worried about it then?”
“Eh,” Peter shrugged.
“ Eh ?”
“Well, I don’t know, okay! Like, I can’t think of anything that could be super terrible, unless they’re going to kick me off the team. I guess I’ll just… deal with whatever happens, no reason to worry, right?”
“Yeah, right.” Ned nodded, seemingly pacified.
And it was nothing to worry about. Really, nothing. Nothing at all. But that did nothing to stop Peter from worrying about it constantly.
Calculus test? That conversation was in the back of his mind.
AP Bio experiment? He nearly spilled acid all over his front because he was thinking about what would happen if he were kicked off the team.
Lecture on the Civil War? He thought about how Flash probably knew all about his superhero identity and was going to reveal him to the whole world.
Dodgeball during gym? He planned how he would survive in the world if the school expelled him, Tony and May decided they didn’t want him anymore, and his suit was taken away.
And somehow, somehow , the actual result was even worse. Well, not worse than the last one, but it still really sucked.
The literal second he walked in the door it started going downhill. Flash was sidled up beside Mr. Harrison, whispering with him. Peter strained his spider-enhanced hearing, but the room was already so loud that he couldn’t make out the conversation before Flash split off to go bother Peter.
He hitched his bag up higher on his back and quickened his steps in one last attempt to reach his seat before Flash got to him, but it was in vain.
“So, Penis, you excited to hear the big announcement?” He smirked.
“Considering you’re so happy about it, no, I’m really not.” Peter slouched into a seat beside MJ, who was sitting right in the front, closest to Mr. Harrison. Once she had taken charge, her attitude during practice had really changed. She used to just sit in the back of class and glare at people, barely saying anything except to answer a question. She was still just as sullen, but now she was angry and in charge.
Peter was glad that she sat so close to Mr. Harrison now. Maybe keeping the teacher in hearing distance would at least shield him from Flash. True to his hopes, Flash slunk off after glancing at the teacher and found his own seat.
MJ turned to grin at him and Ned, who had just sat beside him. A gleam in her eye made Peter think maybe she already knew what the announcement would be. With the way it looked like she was expecting bloodshed, his fear skyrocketed.
“Alright everyone!” Mr. Harrington clapped his hands and grinned hugely. “I have some great news for you all! The team trip for this year has been decided, and thanks to some generous sponsors,” Flash nudged his friends and whispered ‘ My parents’ in their ears, “We will be going to none other than Stark Tower !” The room erupted into cheers and wild whispering about the trip. Nearly everyone leapt out of their seats to rejoice in this incredible turn of events. Everyone, that is except a certain spider-child. He was currently slipping into a panic attack.
Peter’s ears rung. His breath stopped. His heart pulsed loudly in his chest. Stark Tower. The Tower. Home. His home.
Fuck.