Chapter Text
Peter Parker has always been the odd one out. His first indicator was in kindergarten, when his classmates teased him for being smarter. After a month of this, he was the kid who all the others avoided, calling him a freak, nerd, teachers pet, attention seeker, and cheater. As a result, he never outwardly showed his smarts.
Except to his mom.
He knew he could always count on her, through thick and thin. They didn't have much, but that was ok, they didn't need it. They had each other. He knew that after every insult, all the bullying, all he needed to do is go to her. She was his safe haven. She taught him to always show respect, but to also stand up for himself. To always have manners, but to never let others walk over him.
When he was 7 years old, his mom needed to fly a few hours away for work. "I'll be back in two days," she promised. He believed her.
Meanwhile, he was going to stay with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. They had gotten tickets to go the the Science expo. He was ecstatic.
He held his mom tight before she left. He didn't want her to go, but knew the routine by now. A few days away, while he was with Aunt May and Uncle Ben, then she was back.she would come back, she always has, why would this time be any different?
"I love you, Mom!!!"
"I love you too, my little scientist. Be good for your aunt and uncle, ok?"
"Ok!! Be safe, Mom!"
His mom smiled and held him close. Kissing the top of his head.
"Alright Pete, it's time to let your mom go! She's got a plane to catch, and we gotta get to that science expo!" Uncle Ben announced as he scooped Peter up.
They watched as Mary Parker, the lead scientist at S.H.I.E.L.D., Peter Parker's mother, got in the taxi headed off to her next great adventure
***
"THAT'S SO COOL!!!" Peter exclaimed as he watched the awesome firework display going on behind the showing of the army suits. He watched in awe as right as they were coming to a close, a new figure came down into the stage. "IRON MAN!!!" Peter could hardly contain his excitement as the crowd screamed it's praises on the local hero, Iron Man. Then everything started going wrong...
***
The screams from the crowd turned from screams of adoration, to screams of terror as the suits started attacking, and everything started exploding. As they started running towards the exits, his hand slipped from his uncle's grip. "PETER!!!" Was the last thing he heard from his uncle before both him and his Aunt faded from view.
***
"Good job kid." Was the only thing Iron Man said before taking off into the sky as Aunt May came and grabbed Peter and herded him to safety. Peter had just stood there in his Iron Man mask and light up hand that he had bought along with an Iron Man action figure at the gift shop not long before. He had looked so similar to the actual Iron Man that a rouge suit had mistaken him for Iron Man. The rouse had given the actual Iron Man enough time to dispose of the rouge suit, while at the same time given Aunt May a heart attack over Peter.
***
After a few minutes of both Aunt May and Uncle Ben coddling him and making sure he was ok, then getting him in the car and away from the expo, they started driving home. As they were driving along, Aunt May rambling about how dangerous that has been, and Ben just driving, a slightly shaken look on his face, Peter just stared at the small action figure.
"This," he thought looking down at the action figure, "this is my good luck charm, it has to be. If it was really as dangerous as May was making it out to be, and he was safe, it had to be lucky."
By the time they got back it was Peter's bedtime. As they were tucking him into bed, there was a knock on the door. Uncle Ben, with a slight frown, went down to answer the door after saying goodnight to Peter.
They heard him open the door and the sound of muffled conversation. Then heavy footsteps up the stairs. A few seconds later Uncle Ben walked through the door with a weary and defeated look, saying "I think we need to postpone bedtime for a few minutes..."
As the three of them headed downstairs Peter saw 3 men in impressive suits with grim expressions in the living room, watching them come down the stairs. The suits had the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem on the breast pocket. With a looks of trepidation Peter, Ben, and May joined them as they started breaking the news.