An-when Peter comes to the tower after school and is confronted by the team he is very confused until they mention they read his medical file

TW-Mentions of eating disorders, starvation and forced throwing up

An-having had experiences with eating disorders this is very close to home, if you or someone you know has an eating disorder, SEEK HELP!

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Peter POV

I sighed as I shuffled out of the elevator, seeking out food I headed toward the kitchen, whistling a little as I went. Only to be surprised to find the whole team gathered in the kitchen, throwing them a confused look I shrugged, heading toward the fridge, opening it I bent over to peer into it. "Hey does anyone want the spaghetti leftovers?" Peter turned to look at the team.

"They're all your's kid," Tony said.

"Nice!" Peter said, opening the container and shoving it in the microwave, noticing the team was still looking at him, he turned away from them worried he was in trouble. Once the microwave stopped he got a fork from the draw the stuck it into the container, walking over to the island and putting it on the counter, he was about to start eating but felt uncomfortable with the whole team staring at him. His hands started to shake slightly, the need to throw up overwhelming. He sighed in frustration, pushing the container away. "Can you like not stare at me when I'm trying to eat?" he said, getting more and more annoyed that the team continued to stare at him without saying anything. "Nevermind I've lost my appetite anyway," he said, pushing the stool back from the counter.

"Wait, kid, we're sorry," Tony said. Peter turned back around, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Why are you even waiting for me in the kitchen and then just staring at me anyway?" Peter said, his eyes still narrowed and his tone warning.

"Well, Bruce and I may or may not have read your medical file and found some things that really worried us and we told the rest of the team." Peter stood in shock, his arms now hanging limp at his sides. Fuming he spoke barely above a whisper. "Why'd you do that Mr Stark? I told you I didn't want to read it." Peter said, now feeling utterly betrayed but also incredibly angry. Tony sighed before answering. "Well, I wanted to see if you were allergic to anything then saw an inpatient file for-" Peter slammed his hands on the island, shocking Tony into silence.

"You had no right! I know I should have told you but this is the whole reason I didn't! Everyone always treats me different after they find out I had eating disorders! I know that boys dont usually feel self-conscious and hate themselves but I do! Just drop it!" Peter said, tears now streaming down his face. Suddenly clutching his own stomach, his other hand over his mouth "I think I'm gonna throw up." he said, muffled, before running out of the room and down the hall, slamming the door open and rushing to the toilet, getting to it just in time before spewing into it.

Suddenly memories kept rushing to the front of Peter's mind. Memories of him forcing himself to trow up in the school bathrooms, in the apartment, all the times where he brushed his teeth after so that no one could smell the vomit on his breath. Peter realised he was sobbing, with is head still over the toilet seat, frustrated he was crying but crying because the memories were too much.

He jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder, realising it was Tony he calmed down, "It hurts Mr Stark." Tony hummed.

"I know kid, come on let's get you cleaned up." Peter nodded, letting Tony pick him up by the armpits and run a wet cloth over his mouth and face. "Can you get me a toothbrush?" Peter said, only just loud enough for Tony to hear. Tony nodded, opening the vanity cabinets and pulling out a travel toothbrush, handing it to Peter who quickly brushed his teeth then rinsed his mouth with water.

Peter then straightened his clothes and walked back into the kitchen, sitting down again. Staring at the counter. He heard Tony sit beside him. "You're a right kid I shouldn't have looked into your file, I should have just waited to ask you what I wanted to know, and I also shouldn't have told the team. But Bruce and I were so scared and didn't know what to do." Peter hummed a little.

"You're right. You shouldn't have looked at my file. But I should have told you sooner so that this didn't happen." Peter sighed. "But I guess this is a good time as ever to talk about it."  Peter shifted so he could see the teams faces better.

"Ok kid, but let's move into the lounge." Peter nodded, following Tony to the couches, and sitting next to him, waiting for the team to sit before talking.

"When my uncle Ben died I felt like I'd lost all of the control in my life. Suddenly people were pitying me and making fun of me, and people wouldn't stop fussing and letting me get away with everything. And eating was one of the things I could control, and it felt good. It started with just skipping a meal or two a week, or maybe not eating something after school. But soon I couldn't stop skipping meals, and then I started to force myself to throw up. It was like an addiction I guess." Peter paused to look up at the team, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But then it wasn't just a control thing. Soon I started to hate the way my body looked and losing more weight felt like the only option. I was losing weight faster then I could handle and suddenly I was fainting at school, and hiding things from May. I would've died had I not fainted on a school field trip and hit my head. When I got to the hospital they realised I wasn't eating and did an examination, and I got transferred to an eating disorder ward." he sucked in another breath. "I was there for at least three months." he finished, examining his hands.

"What were you diagnosed with?" he heard Wanda say.

"Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, and Body Dysmorphia. And I was a high-class patient. Which meant I had one of the strictest eating plans and supervision." He looked up to see Wanda nodding.

"Do you still have relapses?" Bruce said.

"Yes, when I'm having a really bad day I won't eat the whole day or I'll throw up. That's why I dont come to the tower every second Tuesday, I see a phycologist so I can come up with healthy coping mechanisms, but also to talk about how I'm feeling, and my body image," he said, seeing bruce nod.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Tony said beside him.

"Well, there are a couple of things that can trigger me, like when people try to look at me while eating, or look at me a lot when I'm getting food and stuff. But I also still have an eating plan because it helps me relapse less. Today was my first relapse in three months." Peter said the last bit quietly. Tony put an arm around his shoulders, rubbing his arm slowly. "We'll keep that in mind Pete if we ever do anything to make you uncomfortable you better tell us. It's ok to not feel confident in your body, and it's ok to relapse every once in a while. When I first stopped drinking, it was really hard not to relapse during the first stages of withdrawel." Peter nodded, now leaning into Tony.

"I just get so scared because when I went into the ward it almost tore Aunt May and me apart. Not to mention Ned, he was destroyed when he found out because he thought it was his fault for not noticing. Then when I went back to school everyone knew because a teacher told my class. Everyone was treating me like when ben first died, I think that was my hardest relapse ever, but also the hardest time because everyone was trying to force food down my throat cause they just didn't understand how it worked." Tony nodded.

"I think a movie is in need Underoos, dont you think?" Peter nodded, laughing a little.

"One sec I had spaghetti to eat." Peter said, rushing up out of the couch and to the kitchen, leaving behind a smiling Tony.

"I think he's gonna be ok." he said with a smile.