Spiderkid

Replacements and Hospitals: 四

(TRIGGER WARNING: Separation anxiety, Peter feeling very replaced. He's pretty sad here guys. If you want to skip the heaviness ~~~ means it's over, there's nothing plot worthy in there.)

(Recap: Baby Stark is on his way and Peter is feeling cheated, though he definitely hasn't let the team know.)

Have you ever felt replaced? Overlooked? Or maybe just plain shoved aside for someone else to stand in your spot.

It's starts off with small things. You start to realize wait, I was about to say that.

Hang on, that's my nickname.

Whoa, what are you doing sitting where I always sit?

It's the feeling you get when your best friend sees you and some other person, sitting alone, and they go to them instead of you. Now you're the weird kid with no friends because your supposed 'bff' likes being with someone else.

They might not even realize what they're doing. Then you start to notice the way that your friend goes to this new person for things they used to come to you for.

You really want to hate that person. For taking your friend away, for butting into your life.

But you can't. Because you see what your friend sees in them. They're always nice to you, always offer to help. The worst part is, they do a better job at your old job than you ever did. So you just let it happen while drifting further and further away.

And finally one day your bff makes a casual comment about that person being their new best friend. Maybe they meant it as a joke, you can't really tell, but you knew they were dead serious. I thought I was your best friend?

Then you finally figure it out. You can be best friends with someone, but that doesn't mean they have to be best friends with you.

~~~
(Just talked about how it feels to be replaced.)

That's how Peter felt, and the baby hadn't even been born yet.

Except he hadn't lost a best friend. He had lost two aunts, an older sister, four older brothers and four uncles along with a mother and a father. How had his life nose-dived so fast?

The team was always distracted preparing things, watching YouTube videos tips and baby-proofing the Tower and compound. Considering how many deadly weapons, sharp objects and dangerous science experiments there were, it had been taking them a while. People barley even glanced up at him when he swung through the window anymore. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he seemed invisible.

Had he just been a place-holder the entire time? Waiting for Tony's real son to arrive? How clueless and naive he had been to think that the universe would have mercy on him.

He tried to avoid the Tower and the compound after that day. He was there maybe two times a week in comparison to his normal long hours every day after school. Even Ned was worried about how many excuses he had made up just to spend time at his house watching documentaries or Space Balls while learning D&D.

"Hey, dopey," MJ glared at him from the Player's Handbook and referenced his droopy attitude. "Your phone is ringing for the third time now. If you don't pick it up, I will."

"Dopey. That's a new one," Peter snorted softly and pulled his phone out, already knowing who would show up on the caller ID. "Do you want to talk to Tony Stark?"

"Peter." MJ narrowed her eyes farther, knowing all about their relationship. "Talk to him."

He groaned. "But MJ..."