Stark's Avengers Academy for Future Heroes

Chapter 2 - Anxiety Sucks

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The Limousine pulled up to the Stark Tower and Peter could see the reporters and cameras waiting for them outside the door. He turned to Tony who tried to give him a comforting smile but in reality he was just as anxious as Peter was to face the reporters. They were surrounding like a pack of wolves and Peter suddenly regretted going against Tony's advice to keep his identity a secret.

"Pete, you okay? You look like a deer caught in the headlights. We believe in you kid." says Tony.

"Don't worry we're right here with you. You're not alone." Pepper reassures him. The frightened teenager looked up into the comforting face of his father figure and the woman who has become his surrogate mother. The paralyzing fear of his privacy vanishing and putting his family in danger remained in his mind, but it was buried by the warmth of his new guardian's smiles. Peter took a deep breath and watched as Tony opened the door and stepped out. Peter followed behind and Pepper took up the rear of the pack.

To their left they could see the rest of the heroes and tennagers from the conference step out of their own limosuine. Peter looked over to see Shuri, Ned, MJ, and Harley waving and beaming at him. Harley and Shuri were also new additions to his hectic life. He met Shuri shortly after the final battle with The Mad Titan when they took Tony to Wakanda for his injuries. They were able to save him with help from Dr. Helen Cho. He was able to connect with her through pop culture references and their love of STEM subjects.

Harley showed up one day at StarkTower where the Stark family was staying. From the beginning he saw how much mutual care him and Tony had. Peter knew he was important to Tony so he tried to talk to him. At first it was awkward but eventually through their love for Tony and other shared interest he became like brothers.

Peter knew that with his makeshift family he would be able to take on the pack of vultures waiting for him. They began to walk forward towards the crowd and Peter smiled and waved at all of them. He didn't succumb to the building anxiety and fear. The voices hurt his sensitive ears and he felt like he was going to break down crying but he wouldn't let himself because everyone was counting on him. And just like that he reached the entrance, walked inside, and it was all over.

"You see no need to be anxious." Tony grins at Peter. Peter could see something in his eyes; it wasn't happiness. It was something more than that. It was pride. He was proud of him.

"I barely did anything," Peter sighed, "I just walked past a few reporters."

"But you were scared and you didn't let that stop you." Pepper tells him, "That's amazing Pete."

Peter knew it was an accomplishment. His anxiety had held him back but he overcome it. For some reason though he felt like he didn't do anything. It wasn't some big thing he just acted normal.

"You have 3924 new notifications and 567 emails Mr. and Mrs. Stark."

"WHAT?!" shouted everyone in the room. The number was absurd they'd expected a response but that was quick. They underestimated the public in this way.

"Well Stark," starts Steve, "You got a hell of a project to work on, but we really should get going." Steve, Bucky, and Sam all stood and said their goodbyes. They all lived together in Brooklyn nowadays, but they'd come to the conference because Steve and Bucky decided to become teachers at the Academy. After that many of them started to leave. Lila and Clint Barton left for home. Ned and MJ had to go as well. The only ones left were. The Starks, Shuri, Bruce, Wanda, and Harley.

"Well we should get started shouldn't we?" Pepper said gesturing towards the elevator. The 7 walked into the elevator and up to the penthouse ready to start choosing the rest of the first class at S.A.A.F.H.