Pretense [P.P.]

Chapter 1 - Gummy Worms

A/n: I started this series back in like 2019 I think, published 2 chapters, and put it on hiatus so here I am revamping it and finishing it lol A few things: NWH is mostly canon, Endgame is not canon

With the slam of a neighboring door, Peter's eyes shoot open. He's laid in his bed and only a few seconds pass before a sense of panic floods through him. In a swift motion, he reaches for his phone, ripping it from the charger, and sees he was supposed to be awake nearly twenty minutes ago.

He overslept. Again.

Peter shoots out of bed, annoyance consuming him as he frantically tries to get out of bed, tripping from the tangled blanket. His face nearly smacks the wood floor before he catches himself but there's no time for a sigh as relief so he's back to his feet in seconds, grabbing clean clothes and getting changed.

This has become somewhat of a normal experience. In high school, the whole balancing Spider-Man and school weren't too difficult. High school was much easier but after entering college, he's been slipping a little. More late nights as Spider-Man, patrolling and fighting crime, balancing late nights with friends, and late nights studying. His grades have been perfectly fine but his sleep schedule is an utter wreck and now he's left constantly oversleeping and hoping he just manages to make it to class without being late.

As soon as Peter gets his shoes on, he's running out of the door. On the way through the dorm hallway, he pumps into a few people, quick apologies spurring from his lips without slowing pace. His feet patter against the pavement and the lingering summer sun hits his arms. Peter's heart pounds inside his chest as he enters the building off the quad. More apologies spurred from his lips as he bumped into a few people. The classroom comes into view and to his relieved disbelief, it's still open. Barely.

The professor starts closing it just as Peter closes in. He quickly speeds up and comes into view. With heaving breaths, Peter reaches the door and barely stops it from closing. Peter offers an apologetic expression as the professor looks him over. The professor shakes his head, a few loose grey hairs shake with him, but a very faint and gentle smile is written across his lips.

"Mr. Parker, cutting it close." The professor says, he's serious but it's said with a light-hearted tone.

"I'm sorry." Peter mutters while the door closes.

Peter doesn't spend time looking for a seat. He goes to the first open seat he spots, his cheeks tinting while a few people stare at him. He never did like it when people looked at him for being late. A breath falls from his lips as he sits behind a girl with pink hair. His heart rate starts to go back to normal as the professor takes the front of the class and gets ready for the lecture. Peter digs through his bag and pulls out a tablet with a holographic keyboard, a late graduation present from Tony.

The lecture proceeds and Peter is less than attentive, his mind focusing on the night before. A massive fire ripped through a seven-floor apartment. Peter didn't even think before going inside. It was reckless, thoughtless, and stupid. He's Spider-Man, not a firefighter. Of course, he did save a few people who likely would have perished if it weren't for him but Peter's suit isn't designed to withstand temperatures that hot. A bit of flaw the more he thinks about it. The fire was out of control and too hot. It was burning everything in its path within seconds. He's lucky he didn't die or get burned.