It had been supposed to be just another day of school.
Ever since the accident with the Vulture on homecoming Peter and Ned had bonded, if possible even more. And MJ now spoke with them from time to time – even other sentences than "You're losers.". Life couldn't have been better.
The only problem, as usual, was Flash.
The boy wouldn't stop harassing Peter over his "obviously fake internship" with Mr. Stark and wouldn't stop gloating over having met Spider-Man. But since such treatment wasn't anything new, Peter had just ignored him.
But that had been apparently the the wrong thing to do, were Peters only thoughts, as he stared into Flash's eyes, which were burning with hatred and rage.
To be fair, Peter had seen the punch coming. Peter could have avoided it. But he didn't. Here in school he was Penis Parker. He didn't have any powers. So he let Flash punch him in the face.
It didn't really hurt, not after the throwing around from the Vulture at homecoming, but it wasn't pleasant either.
Peter could hear the slight crack as his nose broke and his blood began to freely run down his face.
Ouch.
Peter winced as Flash continued to beat him up – being more than happy, when Mr. Harrison came and pulled Flash off of him. Peter's entire body hurt, as he pulled himself up.
"Are you okay, dude?" asked Ned worried.
"Yeah, all good."
Peter suppressed a wince. Ned shouldn't think of him as weak. Ned looked suspicious, but didn't rat him out, for which Peter was grateful.
()LINE-BREAK()
When Peter arrived home that evening he felt as powerless as never before. Silently he thanked all higher powers, that May wasn't at home yet – he wasn't quite ready for that conversation.
Instead he thought over the day.
He thought over what Flash had said to him. That he was a looser. A nobody. And Flash was right. Nobody cared about him anyway.
Aunt May. Ned., his brain supplied unwanted.
Shut up! Peter thought angrily. So nobody wanted him anyway. So why should he live? In the end he would die anyway. So why not now, instead of later?
Peter thought about it.
Then he put on his Spidey-suit. It was amazing.
Karen greeted him as usual.
"Hello, Peter. You seem nervous. Your heart rate is elevated. Did something happened in school?"
"No, Karen, everything is alright."
Or everything would be alright. Nobody would miss him anyway.
Instead of going (swinging) his normal route, Peter went to the Empire State Building.
He crouched down on top of it. People were hustling through the streets, the New York Skyline stretched on and on… There was Avengers Tower… It was an amazing view. Peter enjoyed to just sit there and watch the cars and people down on the streets.
But this time he wasn't here to watch the people. Peter felt slightly nervous.
"Peter, your heart-rate..." began Karen, but in this moment Peter jumped. The free-fall felt amazing. He just stared down onto the fast bigger growing people.
But suddenly, two or three meters above peoples heads, Peter felt strong arms around his torso.
Then he was pulled upwards.
And Peter couldn't help but feeling a little bit thankful.
He knew these arms. The red and gold. Hell, who didn't? Mr. Stark must have sent one his his robots. Again.
Peter felt shame burning.
Mr. Stark shouldn't care about him. The man was probably busy and Peter had interrupted his work.
The suit landed on one of the rooftops nearby. Indignantly Peter crawled out of the arms of the suit.
"Couldn't have left me alone?" he asked bitterly.
He took the mask from his face. Then Peter threw it at the feet of the armor.
"You're gonna take it back anyway," Peter murmered sourly, clearly thinking about the incident with the ferry.
This had been one year ago. In that year Peter had managed to fight Toomes, the man responsible for the ferry-incident.
The suit seemed to look down at where Peter was sitting.
Then the face-plate opened.
And Mr. Stark was in the suit.
Peter fixed his look somewhere on the ground. He didn't want to look at Mr. Stark and tell him.
"What's up, kiddo? Normally you're happier."
Peter heard what Mr. Stark tried to say: 'Normally you don't try to commit suicide.'
Peter's face burned with shame. When the suit – Mr. Stark – sat down beside him. Peter looked up at him, curios. But the superhero was just looking over the city, clearly waiting for an answer.
Peter sighted. "There's this boy in my class, Flash. He doesn't believe me I know you. He always just pushes me into lockers and he always says these mean things about me and Ned and I can't stand it anymore."
In the end Peter broke out into sobs. Only manly sobs of course. Mr. Stark said nothing.
Later they parted ways without either one speaking.
Emotionally drained, Peter went home and snuck inside through the window.
Ouch. Now Mr. Stark thought, he was weak.
Getting out of his suit Peter got into bed, forgetting about brushing his teeth.
()LINE-BREAK()
When Peter got up the next morning he felt miserable.
Later he would have decathlon practice with Flash.
Urgh.
Don't get him wrong, he liked decathlon practice, but Flash… Flash ruined anything.
In school everything was boring. There was nothing interesting in chemistry or any other of the classes. Peter just knew everything already! Not that he would want to brag about him being like super-smart. (Okay, he wanted to brag, but he wouldn't. Because of… Flash. Surprise!)
Decathlon practice was just the same. MJ asked them questions and they answered.
Until suddenly everybody stopped and looked behind Peter, mouths wide agape.
Slowly Peter turned around himself.
And looked.
And looked.
Why the hell would Mr. Stark and Happy show up at his school…?!
"Hey kid!" Mr. Stark greeted full of energy whilst he waved at Peter.
"Mr…. Mr. Stark! What are you doing here? I thought Happy would just pick me up as usual."
"What? Mr. Stark frowned. "No no, it was time for me to meet your friends."
He looked at the people.
"Who's Ned? Hands up!" Mr. Stark asked.
Peter felt himself flush.
Curios Ned lifted his hand.
"Great job hacking my tech, kid", Mr. Stark said and now it was everybody's turn to stare at Ned. The boy just grinned.
"Now, if you'd excuse us?" Mr. Stark told Mr. Harrington and snatched Peter out of his seat. "Spider-Man wanted to swing by later and I wanted for Peter to be there and to help me with Spidey's suit. This is, if wants to. I' understand if you want to continue your 'Star Wars'-game..."
Mr. Harrington nodded speechless.
Peter too.
And then he was dragged out of by Mr. Stark.
Once in the Audi, Happy behind the wheel and Mr. Stark and Peter in the backseat, Mr. Stark grinned at Peter.
"I Hope you have your suit with you."
"O- of course!" Peter stammered.
"Great!" Mr. Stark beamed. "Oh, and I believe this 'Flash'-kid wont bother you anymore.
Peter grinned. "Yeah, thanks because of that..."
"That? That was nothing. You know, you should get the latest StarkPhone, then everybody would take you serious."
"Uh, no, Mr. Stark, you don't have to..."
"Nonsense! No boy of mine is allowed to walk around with the thing you call a mobile phone."
"But my mobile phone is the StarkPhone from six months prior..."
"Nope. End of the discussion. You will get a new StarkPhone. Maybe I could even…"
Peter sank back into his seat, feeling much happier than before, just listening to Mr. Stark going on and on about his new mobile phone and the Spidey-suit.