Air I Breathe

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Mon, January 6

Peter's glad he's already faced MJ, because he knows seeing Mrs. Benninger and the rest of his chem class his first day back is going to throw his anxiety into overdrive. That, and he has to check in with the nurse's office at lunch like he's in elementary school. Tony's orders. He knows it's really May's orders, though, that she already spent an hour on the phone with the nurse this past Friday going over every little detail of his treatment plan. May has been a wreck about sending Peter back to school. An overbearing, obsessive wreck.

Which is why he's going back on a Monday, even though everyone else went back last Thursday.

His backpack is weighed down with extra inhalers, nebulizer medication, and epi-pens for the nurse's office, as well as his own set. Tony's even bought him a smart case for his epi-pens that connects to an app on all of their phones. It gives Tony and May an alert and his location when it's opened. At first, Peter found it ridiculous, especially since he knows his StarkWatch can sense his vitals and has an emergency button, but the thought of having another severe attack is the only reason he hasn't fought the added layer of protection. He's been thinking about that attack, how he was convinced he was drowning and dying, more than he wants to. A lot more than he's wanted to. But then again, there's been a lot in the last few weeks that Peter hasn't wanted to think about that's been right there, in his face, forcing its way into his everyday life.

Peter wakes up groggy and anxious, fights Tony on his morning treatment even though his lungs feel like they need it. He tries to get away with an extra puff of his reliever inhaler instead, but Tony catches on quickly when he hears him wheezing in the kitchen, makes him do the Atrovent/albuterol treatment that tastes like metal, makes him shaky, and can't go in the quiet, quick nebulizer. It takes him fifteen minutes to complete it at the kitchen island, makes his mouth dry and his body wired, earns Tony the cold shoulder for the next half hour while Pepper forces a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit on Peter. He downs his morning pills, hates the way the chalky steroids combine with the aftertaste of his treatment and his breakfast. Tony insists that Happy drive him to school, and Pete doesn't mean to be so grumpy about it when he protests with a scowl, but he wants to be left alone, wants to get today over with as soon as possible. He's not used to being up so early, is struggling to keep his eyes open, and his spidey senses are making the awful taste in his mouth from the medications unbearable.

"He needs his independence back," Pepper whispers to Tony as she pours him a second cup of black coffee, Peter in the living room putting his coat on. "Let him take the subway. Today's gonna be hard enough. He's already having a difficult morning."

"He's not usually like this," Tony whispers back, taking the cup from Pepper.

"Yeah, well, he's not usually this sick, Tony."

"Doesn't excuse it."

"No, it doesn't, but you have to pick your battles. He did all his meds, ate some breakfast, is running on time. Let him choose how he wants to get to school today. I still think he needs another week, but Bruce and May cleared him, so my opinion doesn't count."

"Hey, have a good day, honey. Call or text if you need us, okay?" Pepper calls out when she sees that Peter's ready to go.

"Thanks, Pep," Peter answers, the elevator doors closing down the hallway. He puts his headphones on, starts a playlist, and heads for the subway once he's let out at the ground floor.

Ned meets him at his locker before the first bell, is talking so rapidly about the Lego kit he got for Christmas that Peter's mind is swimming as it tries to keep up. His spidey senses are overwhelmed by the sheer volume in the hallway, and he hopes he can make it through the day without his pounding headache getting worse. He rubs his temple and tries to think about what books he needs for the first three periods.