Family is More Than Blood

Defense

"You dirty, disgusting faggot!" Mark's voice screamed across the hall. He was new to Midtown High, and was the worst kid Peter had met. Even Flash, the former resident bully of the high school, was someone Peter considered more of a frenemy than an enemy. Mark was totally different. However, for once, Peter wasn't the target of bullying. The honor of that position went to Eli, Ned's boyfriend, a wiry kid whose eyes were brimming with tears. Ned's eyes were trained on the floor. Peter bit his lip. He remembered, very distinctly, his Aunt's warning -

'Stay out of trouble, honey,'

and Tony's warning - 

'Don't let them know who you really are. It's too dangerous.'

But they didn't understand how it felt to be mocked with no one coming to your rescue, and Peter would be damned if he didn't help someone out in the same predicament. 

"Hey!" He yelled, throwing a pencil at Mark's head. As usual, he didn't miss, but others would probably take it as blind luck. Mark turned his head. 

"Are you defending the slime?" He taunted, "Maybe you want to taste his dick too, huh? Like your gross, fat, low-life of a friend!"

The bystanders' laughter died a little. Peter had gained social status in Midtown High - not much, but enough to avoid the worst taunts. This may or may not have had something to do with his internship at Stark Industries, a position that could make any the tiniest bit cool.

"Beating others to a pulp just to feel good about yourself isn't going to get you anywhere in life," Peter distracted him. "You'll just end up a jerk whose sole enjoyment in life is going to a bar Friday evening, watching football and drinking yourself into oblivion to avoid thinking about the fact that your life is falling apart around you.

"Goody-two shoes has spoken," Mark laughed. Peter was pretty sure the comment had gone over his head.

"Oh, shut up" a voice from the crowd. With a sick feeling, Peter looked at the speaker and his eyes landed on the ripped jeans and denim jacket of MJ. 

"Dude, just back off," she gave Mark a withering look. 

"Standing up for your wimpy boyfriend, bitch?" Mark's eyes glimmered with sadistic power. Peter saw red. Nobody, nobody, insulted his friends, and Eli, Ned, and MJ had all been targeted. He landed a punch so solidly on Mark's jaw that the boy stumbled backward and he could hear a quick cracking noise. Mark punched him back. Peter could have stopped him but he thought it was only fair that it was a punch for a punch. Peter had the advantage with superhuman powers and didn't want to hurt Mark too badly. Then he saw Ned comforting a crying Eli and he grabbed Mark's legs, flipping him onto his back and stomping his foot on his groin. Mark doubled up, and (of course, Peter's luck) Principal Rennings stepped out of his office at that exact moment.

He sighed dramatically. "Go to my office."

Peter considered offering Mark his hand to help him get up, but he caught MJ's eye and she gave him a look that clearly said, 'Stop being nice.' He followed Principal Rennings inside his office. Peter had only ever been there twice - once, when Aunt May couldn't pay tuition and they had to come and negotiate more financial aid, and the other time when he and Ned hacked the school's mainframe and put pictures of Sidney getting drunk and admitting that he had cheated on his old girlfriend. Both times Principal Rennings had looked calm, collected, and open to whatever they would say. This time his expression was firm and intimidating.

"Peter, what were you doing?" He asked. Peter knew that Mark would mock him for being a snitch if he told the truth but he needed to reduce the amount of trouble that he was in or else Aunt May would have a heart attack. He had already broken one of her rules, no need to push it.
"He insulted my friends for being gay," he explained, "I punched him out of rage. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"No, it won't," Principal Rennings, "We'll discuss punishments with your parents, since this was your first physical offense. Mark, care to explain your side?"

"The runt punched me! I didn't lay a hand on him," Mark glared at Peter. Peter gestured to his split lip.

"Well, it was self-defense," Mark amended, "But he punched me first."

"Did you insult another student for their sexuality?" Principal Rennings asked, rubbing his temples.

"God made us to love the opposite gender," Mark growled, "He's a sinner."

"You have in-school suspension for two weeks including Saturdays and Sundays for bullying and your third physical offense," Principal Rennings declares, "No parental intervention will be allowed. I'll send an email to them. Go into the back room and start doing the past three homework's that teachers have reported you missing."

"Sir?" Peter asked tentatively, "my aunt is working. Is it possible that we could all talk after school?"

"Who's your emergency contact?" Principal Rennings asked, "We have to do this now, sorry. It's protocol, so that you don't get any ideas in between now and then."

"Right," Peter said slowly. This would be awkward to no end. "Um, my emergency contact is Mr. Stark.