how to be a Gen Z, by Peter Parker

How to get respect-be sick

Warnings: swears.

ships: Spiderfrost.

There are not many things that I hate, getting sick is one of them. Guess what? I'm sick, in bed, in the Avengers tower, on the day of the surprise field trip. Ughhhh. By the way, you know that dream you have of living with the Avengers, and them taking care of you when you're sick? Yeah, no. They are-

"PETER I GOT YOU SOUP, DO YOU WANT MUSHROOM OR TOMATO?" Tony barreled through my door. Yeah, that basically sums it up. Protective, overbearing. I love them, but gosh, I don't think they've left me alone for more than 5 minutes when I woke up sick today. I'm not even that sick, just a slight cough, but noooooo. I'm not allowed out of bed until my temp is below 40. 

So I may be a bit sick, but that's besides the point.

"Can I please have mushroom, da-Tony." ugh dammit, Tony doesn't see me as a son I have to stop doing that. Tony smiles widely and gives me the mushroom soup and a spoon.

"I have an important meeting today so I can't take care of you, but you can head down to the labs later, hang out with the interns down there. Stay safe, ask anyone if you need anything-" Oh thank god.  "I'll be fine Tony, go to your meeting, otherwise Pepper will have both of our heads." he took a deep breath and nodded, leaving.

"Don't forget, medicine is in the kit-" "Tony. I'll be fine. Go" he nodded again and left. I sighed, finishing my soup. I'll probably go down to the intern labs and finish building Karen her body. Besides, apparently there's a new impossible question on the board. I love solving them. I lay down to sleep for a little bit longer, might as well catch up on my lost sleep.

-time skip-

I stretched in bed, not at all like a cat, and stood up. I grabbed a blanket and tied it around my shoulders, over my tracks and science pun shirt. I quickly measured my temperature, 36 degrees, sweet. I'm free to go downstairs.

I took the private elevator and went down to the intern labs, now usually there are tours so I didn't bat an eye when I saw the group in the hall. I paused in the doorway, looking at the whiteboard. Let's see, carry the 6, times by x, where's the marker? I shrug it off and head inside my lab. I don't have my own, I share with some of the interns. I like having people to geek out with. Also, it feels more normal. I head over to my workspace and pull out what I already have of Karen's body. She's going to be a cat, why? Because I want her to be.

"Hey, Ben, how's Seb going?" Ben is dating a boy called Sebastian, we've met him a few times, he's really cool.

"Good. we're going on another date tonight." I look up from rummaging in my drawer for a screwdriver, honestly where do they go, and look at him.

"Oooh. where to?"  "Going on a picnic and stargazing. By the way, Boss came down. Said you were sick?" I sighed. Course he did.

"Yeah. That's why I'm not at school today. By the way, anything interesting?" He nodded, thinking.

"Sasha finally got promoted to give tours. She's giving one today. Said she would stop by." I hummed in acknowledgement.

"Any idea which place?" This happens a lot. This lab is one of the best to show off to other places. A lot of the best interns work here.

"Yeah, I think she said a school called Midtown?" "cool- wait Midtown?" he nodded, "yeah, why?" I looked around, scared. And made direct eye contact with Mr Leyva. fuck.

"Yeah, it's my school" his mouth made the perfect O shape,

Before he started laughing.

"Oh, you're fucked." "Thanks Ben. Great help." "You're welcome, Pete. Have fun!"

"Hey guys. Welcome to Stark industries. How are you?" If you ever think you were in an awkward situation, think again.

"Sooooooo. I work here, which to be fair I did tell you, but interns aren't required to leave, so I stayed overnight yesterday, and today woke up sick, but got permission from the head intern to stay here, so I did." I mean, I did get permission from the head intern technically, cause I am the head intern. And I did wake up sick, and interns are allowed to stay late. Ben threw a skittle at me, and I whipped my head around, glaring at him. I picked up the skittle and chucked it myself. It fell off his forehead with a satisfying klink. He stuck his tongue out at me. Real mature Ben.

"Peter Parker, you are in so much trouble-" I rolled my eyes. This is my house, ain't nobody disrespecting me here.

"For what?" he paused.

"For-um. For"

"You don't know, do you. Cause I did nothing wrong. Now, as head intern, I can throw you out, so to make sure you don't disrespect me, I'll take care of the rest of this tour. Thanks Sasha." she nodded and said goodbye, not that many people heard it, staring at me. Then she handed me the slip of paper explaining what has already happened and what is due to happen. I nodded my thanks and got changed with my invention, you put it on your chest and it covers you with a blue light, getting you a change of clothes that you put in earlier. It's a prototype that I made and I use it for when I have to go to something formal, it holds a button up white shirt,  a black blazer, and black skinny jeans. I look great. Except for my still red nose, but I'm not sick anymore, or at least my fever broke, and I feel great, and the spider bite stopped me from being contagious. I led the group outside, they had to go to the last lab for a demonstration of what we do here, and then there's a Q&A with all the Avengers at the tower that day. As we went outside I turned to them.

"Let me make this clear, I am the head intern, I take care of all these interns. I was sick today, lucky for you I was barely sick to begin with so I'm fine now, but I will not be disrespected here. Yes, my internship is real, don't ask. And Eugene? No bullying, no off hand comments insulting someone, nothing. I will kick you out. Am I understood?" Everyone nodded. I wouldn't normally do that, but I am still a bit tired. I sighed and we finished the lab work, and I gave the group back to Sasha.

It's safe to say that I wasn't bullied by anyone any more. And that's how being sick got me respect, and as I trudged back up to my bedroom, a new robotic cat wrapped around my shoulders, I sighed in relief. I walked out of the elevator and was met with a very angry team. Shit, I didn't tell them I was going downstairs.