Always Silent, Peter Darling

Chapter 8

[[A/N: Up until this chapter I've literally just been putting random city backgrounds for the pictures lol]]

Peter was nervous all throughout the next day, he almost couldn't focus in his classes but had to force himself anyways. During lunch Ned and MJ joined him in the library as he typed up his extra credit papers to turn in later that afternoon.

"Peter, what's up with you," MJ asked abruptly. The three of them were quietly working on their own projects while eating, it wasn't uncommon for MJ to break the silence with random comments aimed at no one in particular, so being called out specifically while deep in focus was almost disorienting.

He was making final edits to his second assignment when he looked over at her with a confused look.

"You're doing that thing where you obsessively touch your phone when you're nervous." She looked down at the desk in front of him nodding towards it to draw his attention to his hands.

Looking down Peter noticed she was right, while one hand was resting on the computer mouse the other was tapping the back of his phone. He forced himself to stop within that moment, he hadn't even known he was doing it before. He sighed realizing she was right, his mind was constantly wandering back to the thought of the dinner. With so many ways it could go wrong it was hard not to worry.

He picked his phone up and began to type, he really didn't see a reason for not telling his friends. It was dinner with Tony Stark, they would never guess the real reason he was nervous and think it was just because Mr. Stark was a celebrity.

<Mr. Stark invited me and aunt May to dinner tonight> Ned had looked up from the textbook he was working out of and his eyes went impossibly wide.

"Dude, no way. That's awesome! Can you get his autograph for me? Wait no! I want him to sign my yearbook!" Ned said quickly.

"Ned, chill out. It's just Tony Stark." MJ said, she seemed unfazed by the news and held her usual stoic expression.

"Just Tony Stark? Are you serious? The guys like a genies and he's Iron Man!" Ned's voice got a little too loud and the librarian shushed him from across the room. "Sorry," Ned whispered loudly.

"The guy's a billionaire who thinks he can do whatever he want and has no spine to stand up for what's right or even to stand up for what he believes in," MJ replied quickly. "Have you guys actually read the accords that he so willingly signed?"

Ned and Peter just glanced at each other before shaking their heads. Peter wasn't surprised to find the sudden change in topic, it was how a lot of their conversations flowed. He was a little thankful for that trait since it took the attention off himself.

"Did you guys know that if an enhanced individual brakes any law, they are refused the right of due process? Those accords completely nullify the fifth and fourteenth amendments for anyone who has superhuman abilities." MJ tone was furious but still remained quiet so the librarian wouldn't get onto her. "Not to mention the fact that all those who sign the accords are required to wear a tracking device and reveal their identity to the United Nations, which is a complete invasion of privacy! So with that in mind, look at Spider-Man..." She paused, Peter had to resist the urge to look at Ned who was, not so subtly, glancing at him. "He's a vigilante that's working outside of the law. No one knows who he his, no one knows where he came from, and a seriously doubt he signed the accords because someone would have leaked his identity by now even if they were putting effort into keeping his name a secret. AND I also doubt he hasn't been noticed by Tony Stark since the guy has eyes and ears everywhere, plus Spider-Man's not exactly discreet, so a question remains..." She trailed off looking at them both, she always had a thing with dramatic pauses.