Sorry, I've been too busy to proofread, so I hope it's not too much of a mess!

Sitting in your room at the Avengers compound, found at the back corner and on the top floor like it should be for the youngest and the newest, you were relieved at your location; you needed solitude and you needed exclusion to hide away from the others. You were deep in a study session for the SAT examination the following morning, and the stress had reached its peak. You weren't completely alone, however, if for no other reason than to be sure that your misery was shared.

"How does this come so easily to you, Parker?"

"Hmm?"

"I said, how does this come so easily for you?"

"What?" Peter mumbled back, inattentively. He had four books splayed out in front of him, though his attention was fixed on his phone and the latest text from MJ. Ever since the two of them moved up to couple status, you had the worst time getting your best friend to pay attention to anything else.

"I was gonna say the genius, but you've gone monosyllabic and I'm rethinking my original assessment."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind," you scoffed, pushing up to stand with a loud groan of pained muscles. "I think I need a break. My eyeballs are melting."

"No!" he finally perked up, standing to meet you. "Come on, I'm sorry! Just one more hour. We're so close to being done."

"Pete, the SAT's are tomorrow. If I don't know this now, then a cram session isn't going to help. Look, I'm hungry and cranky, and I need a break."

"Like a toddler?"

"I'm just gonna act like you didn't say that," you smiled flatly. "I bet if we ask Tony he'll let us order out and use his tab-"

"(Y/N), we just ate like an hour ago," Pete practically whined. He looked down at his phone yet again when the vibration from it caught his attention, but when your stare at him caught him even harder, he shoved the device into his pocket and gave you his worried expression in return. "What's with you? Since when are you a stress eater?"

"Since the stress is crushing me, Pete. Thanks for being so understanding once you took a second to actually pay attention...dick." Before he could say any more, you turned to leave, slamming the door closed behind you so that he wouldn't follow. You cried when you were angry, it was a terrible habit that you could barely stop, but you were determined to not let him push you that far. Your only means to make it was to run.

~~~

You were hoping that the kitchen would be empty, given the late hour; most of the team had turned in for the night and you thought you had a clear shot. You weren't sure how you could've made such a simple mistake when you heard the team's master snacker foraging around in the refrigerator. Turning the corner into the room all you could see was a butt sticking out from the appliance and a few choice curses as his grip slipped and something spilled onto his feet.

"Aw, hell," Tony grumbled, standing up and backing away, but you caught his eye almost immediately. "Hey, kiddo. What brings you down here? Thought you and webs were studying for the big test?"

"We are, but I need a quick snack time."

"Didn't you just-"

"Yes, Tony. I did just eat. My brain is completely fried, and I need another break. I figured that you of all people would understand."

Those stupid tears were trying to make an entrance again, and you pushed them back, but not before they were noticed. You used a weak attempt of a wipe of your sleeve over your eyes to try to play it off, hurrying to the refrigerator before he could stop you, but Tony's hand gently rested on your arm before you could get very far.

"I do. I do understand," he said softly. "Hey, it's okay. How can I help?"

"Take the SAT's for me?"

"Um...is there another option?" he chuckled softly. "I completely bombed my own and I don't think you deserve that at all."

"Woah, hold on," you gasped in shock. "You what?!"

"I'm a terrible test taker. I overthink a question until all the answers seem right or all completely wrong and I never pick the actual right answer."

"Wow. Learn something new every day, after all."

"Let's not make that public knowledge though, okay?" he practically begged. News of any ineptitude, particularly anything to do with his level of genius, would put Tony Stark at a very awkward disadvantage amongst the rest of the team.

"Never. Lips are sealed."

"Now, let's have it. The truth. This can't be just about the test. What's going on?"

You shrugged and turned back to return to the refrigerator with a renewed need. "Eh, the usual crap. School. Boys. Girls. Just...piles of crap. I feel like I haven't been a part of the team like I should be either and I'm really sorry about that."

"No, you shouldn't be worrying about that. We completely understand, and this comes first."

"Yeah, sure," you attempted weakly; it didn't ring true to him at all and you knew it. There wasn't much point to saying any more, though, and all that was happening was further exhaustion anyway. "I think I'm gonna just turn in for the night. I'm not really hungry anymore. Goodnight, Tony. Oh, hey Rhodey," you greeted dismissively as he passed by and into the room.

"Tone? What's going on there?" he asked, pointing back down the hall towards where you had all but run away from him. "She okay?"

Tony furrowed his brow in thought; he was pretty sure that you were doing okay, and he wanted to believe you when you said that you were, but something deep in his gut was churning up doubt that had gotten him into plenty of trouble in the past when ignored. "I think so, for the most part, but the stress is getting to her and she doesn't seem to want help. Got any ideas?"

"Not off the top, but we need to think of something. With how much she does for us, we owe her."

"Oh, I know," Tony agreed quickly. "Even with how she is right now, I still had breakfast and a really sweet note on my desk this morning. Every. Day. Never fails."

"You think she knows that we know it's her doing that?"

"If she does, she's got a solid poker face going. I don't think we should say anything to her though. She seems to like lifting our spirits. Lord knows we're bitchy often enough. Her little surprises for us really have helped, you know? That's why we need to help her now."

"I'm with you," Rhodey agreed with a friendly slap on Tony's arm. "Call a team meeting? Get some ideas?"

"Yeah, but we gotta keep it quiet."

"Well, Parker has the SAT tomorrow too, right?"

"All morning," Tony perked up, immediately on the same wavelength as his best friend.

"Perfect. That's when we gather the troops."

~~~

Back at the testing center, the exam just finished, and you barely had the strength in your legs to push you up from the chair so you could make your escape. It had been a painful, terrifying day, which was saying something for an Avenger. Pete didn't look much better, but you were sure that he was just carrying the façade to make you feel like you weren't alone in your suffering. He was almost pulling it off.

"If I could drink, I'd be so wasted right now, Pete. That was rough. How are you doing?"

"Would you believe me if I said that I think I blew it?"

"Not for a second."

"Really? You're that confident in me?"

"You're not?" you scoffed, fully disbelieving that Peter Parker failed in anything, ever. Sure, he stumbled around a bit at first on most things, but eventually he'd get to where he needed to be.

Pete stood from his chair now too, grabbing his bag from the assigned lockers that you were given and slinging it casually over his shoulder. He still didn't match his story in his appearance; he looked far too calm for all of this. "Not exactly confident, no. Believe me, (Y/N), I struggled too. I'm not a great test taker."

"Ooooh, Tony's gonna disown you."

"Shut up."

"He will."

Peter stopped his momentum and turned back to you, eyes now wide as he grabbed your hand with a trembling grip. "Oh, god. You think?"

"Who knew you were such a blaring disappointment?" you mocked. "You suck at lying too, by the way, so he's gonna know. If nothing else can be taken away from this nightmare of a day, I'm glad that I'm not you."

"Ugh...I hate you."

"You love me."

"Not today I don't."

The normal hustle and bustle and constant activity of the compound was eerily missing when you and Peter arrived back home. Sure, it was heading into evening but that never stopped things from going on before. At the very least, you both expected for the lights in Tony's lab to be on with the insomniac hard at work inside, but it was dark.

"Seems a little quiet," you whispered, looking around. "Was there a mission today?"

"If there was, no one said so. Maybe they got called out," he shrugged in return. "FRIDAY?"

"Shit! Cap, quick, go!"

Tony was trying to stop his A.I. and have you intercepted before she could ruin the surprise that the team had ready for you, but he should've known that he had programmed her a little too well and her speed of processing was as legendary as he was. She was speaking before he could take a single step in your direction.

"The team is currently hiding in the kitchen awaiting your arrival, Mr. Parker-"

"Dammit, FRIDAY, what part of keep your mouth shut was hard to understand?" Tony snapped, entering the room behind Steve. "Well, cat's outta the bag now."

"Sorry, boss."

Looking at each member of the team one by one, all they did was look at Tony as the scapegoat and mastermind to answer for them. "Mr. Stark? What's going on?"

"Um...well, we wanted to do something for you guys, since you've been so worried about your test. We grabbed dinner, and thought maybe a trip into the city for a show later? Sound okay?"

"Sure, sounds great," you both agreed, nearly in unison, but it clearly lacked the enthusiasm that Tony had expected. He looked back and forth between you for more, but neither of you offered it.

"What?" he asked urgently. "It doesn't?"

You hurried to answer, because the look on his face was just too painful to see. He had tried so hard to do something that both you and Peter would enjoy, and it looked like it would break him if he had gotten it wrong. There was no way that you were going to let that happen. "No! It does! I'm just exhausted. Can I grab a quick nap before we go?"

"Sweetheart, after this ridiculous amount of food that Romanoff ordered, we're all gonna need a nap. You've got yourself a deal."