Angsting Our Boy Peter

Days Are Numbered

On the first day, Peter stumbled across an article online. One with a picture of him in the suit, commenting on how it looked like Spider-Man had gained weight. Peter read through the article and then stared at the picture for nearly an hour, before putting the suit back on and staring into a mirror.

Had he gained weight? He knew, logically, that it was nearly impossible; his enhanced metabolism meant that he burned through calories at a ridiculous speed. That combined with the constant exercise that came with being Spider-Man, and an Avenger, meant that he had to eat nearly three times the amount than that of a normal teenage boy just to maintain his weight.

There was, however, a little voice in the back of his head that tended to surface when he was feeling particularly down, that did not like to be logical. And that voice whispered that he had gained weight, that he looked fat , and that nobody wanted a fat teenager.

Peter pulled his phone out and sent the article to Ned.

You see this? He asked.

It took Ned nearly twenty minutes to respond, and when he did, his response was predictable.

Yeah. Pay no attention to it, that site is always slamming supers. They're just pissed that they're not as cool as you lol

Peter stared at the message, and then at the article that was still up at the screen.

Yeah, he thought. They're just... pissed.

-{}-{}-{}-

On the second day, Peter sat in the high school cafeteria, and picked up the candy bar he'd thrown into his lunch. As always, Flash decided to share his demeaning opinions.

"Watch out, Parker," he called across the lunchroom. "Keep eating like that and you'll end up like Leeds! Looks like you're already on your way there!"

Most of the room had laughed. MJ had gone off on Flash, and the rest of their classmates, but Peter didn't hear her. He glanced down at his stomach, then looked back at the candy bar.

After the room had quieted, Peter and MJ both assured Ned that there was nothing wrong with how he looked and Flash was just being his usual dickish self. Ned shrugged it off, saying he knew he was on the bigger side and it didn't bother him. He, in turn, assured Peter that he had nothing to worry about. Peter smiled and said he knew.

Peter put the candy bar back into his bag.

-{}-{}-{}-

On the fifth day, Peter skipped breakfast.

Tony had shouted at him, as he left the tower, to remember to eat something, because they didn't need him passing out on them, did they. Peter had laughed it off and grabbed an apple to appease him, promising to grab something on the way to school.

Peter only stopped once on the way to school, and that was to give the apple to a homeless man he saw on the streets.

-{}-{}-{}-

On the tenth day, Peter didn't pack a lunch.

It was fine, he reasoned with himself. It wasn't like he wasn't going to eat with Tony in the lab when he got home. Besides, people skipped breakfast and lunch all the time. There was nothing to worry about.

Ned was concerned. He asked where Peter's lunch was.

"I forgot it," Peter said vaguely.

Ned kept offering Peter parts of his lunch.

"No, I don't want to take your food," Peter had insisted. "I'll be fine. I'm not even hungry."

Ned believed him.