Air I Breathe

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Wednesday, March 4

"It's only for a couple more weeks, okay?" May says, squeezing Peter in a tight hug. "Just until the end of the month. Then I'll be home and you can come back for a little bit. We'll get some Thai and binge-watch Netflix."

"I'd like that," Peter says, looking up with sad eyes. He knows he has to go back to Tony's, that May's got a flight to catch later today for a business trip. Steve has called her about a million times in the last 24 hours to reiterate that he knows asthma first-hand and can make sure that Peter's okay while she's on her trip, that Tony will come to his senses soon and apologize. She's not entirely convinced, but she knows she can't just stay home. "I just...miss you." He goes into another round of tears, May rubbing his back as Happy pulls up in front of their apartment.

"I know, baby. I miss you, too." She gives a small smile, kisses him on the forehead, and watches with tears in her own eyes as he climbs into the backseat of the SUV.

Thursday, March 5

Peter rests his forehead atop his forearms on the lunch table, is trying to block out the overwhelming noise of the cafeteria. His head pounds and his chest feels heavy, but a trip to the nurse three periods ago revealed no fever, so here he sits.

The nurse, Shannon, offered to send him home, but Peter decided to suffer through this at school rather than at the Tower. With Tony.

"Are you having a sensory overload? You should go to the nurse," Ned comments.

"M'fine," Peter mumbles, feeling anything but.

MJ rubs his back and leans in close. "I can feel your wheezing, Peter. You're not fine."

"Took my inhaler," he mumbles. Was that an hour ago? Two?

"And it isn't working," MJ says. "You need the nurse."

A coughing fit that nearly has him bringing lunch up is what sends Peter over the edge, has him giving in to MJ. She lets him lean on her, an arm around his shoulder, as she helps him to the nurse.

"Peter," Shannon greets him when he enters the office. MJ signs him into the log book. "Chest still tight?" she asks.

"Yeah," admits, rubbing it.

"Did you take any puffs?"

"Not yet," he admits, a string of coughs escaping as the nurse leads him to a cot. She changes the paper and raises the back, brings a chair over for MJ.

"This your lunch period, MJ?" she asks, an eyebrow raising. "Or should I be sending you back to class?"

"It's my lunch. I'll go to class when the bell rings," she promises.

"She can stay," Peter adds before the nurse can question her being there. "For moral support. You know."

"So you don't barf again?" MJ asks, and Peter laughs, coughs again, which leaves him wheezier than before.

"A little warning would be nice next time," the nurse jokes, looking Peter over. "You're looking a little feverish," she comments, digging into her nearby cart before clipping a pulse ox onto his finger and pulling a portable thermometer. She slips on a cover and slides it beneath Peter's tongue. It beeps. "Hmm, no temp. Odd. But your pulse ox is only 95. You, my friend, get to go home. Are you with May or Tony right now?"

He closes his eyes, forces himself to mutter, "Tony," because May is Nashville, will be home Saturday morning. Tony's technically his closest legal guardian.