Resilience | Marvel

Chapter 4

A/N Here's an agnsty treat. My wifi's fucked up again but I found a way around it, for now anyways... Enjoy.

The morning started off alright for Peter Parker, as he walked into school he was reminded of the assembly and dreaded the noise he would have to endure. The spider bite gave him his powers but, with the powers came heightened senses

When lunch ended and the teachers told the students it was time for them to gather in the gym, Peter walked through the gym door feeling incredibly nervous. The bright white gym lights made everything look washed out and already made his eyes hurt like someone had them in their hand and was crushing them in their fist.

He found a place on the bleachers, among other students. He was grateful he was one of the first students in the room, it wasn't full of hundreds of obnoxious people yet. He played with the hem of his shirt as more and more people packed into the room. When it was almost packed to capacity, Peter was trying his best to stay calm and wait it out, the principal walked into the middle of the room, holding a microphone.

"Students, it's my honor to announce our guest, a beneficiary of Midtown High, his father was one of the founders. Boys and girls, Mr. Anthony Stark!" Peter was too surprised at the coincidence to remember to brace himself for the thunder of applause.

He groaned as he regretted his decision. The high pitched ringing in his ears echoed painfully for a full half a minute before he could hear again.

Tony Stark had already started talking.

"No really, it's an honor to be here, My father cared very much about education, whether he was founding a school or lecturing me to go to college when I was fifteen. He knew, education is an important step in life." He paused.

The students clapped and Peter subtly covered his ears. It wasn't enough. He gritted his teeth.

Tony spat random bullshit about the importance of education for the next few minutes. People cheered, people clapped. But one boy, in a Star Wars hoodie looked uncomfortable, almost panicky. The kid was young, with big, kind, brown puppy dog eyes. Tony was curious, and when Tony got curious...

"You there." Tony Stark pointed at Peter, Peter tensed up.

"What's your name kid?"

"P-p-peter, Peter Parker, Sir...um...Tony...um...Mr. Stark." Peter babbled, confused, and in shock at being put on the spot at the one time he didn't want any attention to be put on him.

"What's your biggest accomplishment since you've been here?" Tony asked, trying to make a point.

"I got a 100 percent on my standardized test." Peter answered uncomfortably.

"No no no no no, a real accomplishment, something personal to you, more than tests and statistics."

"I made a computer program that infected all the other school computers and made them all play

The Benny Hill theme on a loop. And each time they tried to close it, the song got faster. They had to restart every single computer in the school. I got suspended for 2 days." Peter recalled fondly, feeling a little pride, a few people laughed, a few teachers sighed at the memory.

"Kid, you're my new hero." Tony joked, Peter chuckled nervously. "Everybody give this rebel a round of applause." Tony clapped was followed by the whole auditorium and Peter cringed, silently wishing he was invisible, and didn't have ears.

"Anyways, the point I'm trying to make is that we don't have to rely on numbers to determine who we are.

Be who you want to be, without all the statistics, which is why, I'm offering one of you guys a summer internship at Avengers Tower." Tony finished with a flourish.

The audience was in uproar and the screams and whistles didn't seem to end. Peters head felt like a squished grape. He pulled his hood over his head, he slung his backpack over his shoulder. He made the smart choice in sitting near the door in case he needed to escape. Barely anyone blinked as he walked past people and out of the auditorium. Tony noticed and watched the boy storm out.

Peter somehow found the bathroom, even with a splitting headache. somehow he managed to find his way into a stall and flipped the lock shut. He got his hands on Spider-Mans mask stuffed in his backpack. 

He pulled the familiar cloth over his head. He wanted to feel better, and the comforting red fabric against his face usually helped when he was freaking out like this. His breathing slowed and his head slowly felt better. 

The assembly had concluded, Tony decided to make a quick pit stop in the bathroom before he left. As the door opened and Tony walked over to a sink. A stall door opened and a pale, sweaty Peter Parker stumbled over to a sink. 

He splashed his face with water and dried it with his sleeve. The teenager turned to leave, realizing Tony Stark was in the room with him. He froze like a deer in headlights.

"You okay bud?" Tony looked at Peter in the mirror. Peter looks flabbergasted as he nodded.

"Y-yeah, thank you, Mr. Stark." He hung his head and hurried out of the room. Tony was puzzled by this young man. 

As Peter stepped out the double doors as the bell rang, he felt relieved to be breathing fresh air in the sunlight.