Peter had been at the compound for a couple of weeks now, and not that he didn't appreciate it, but he was clawing at his own skin to do something. He's trained with Natasha, he'd even danced with her. He's taught Buck how to do several hairstyles and sneaked in several hair clips. He'd read almost every book in the library, and had even taken last-minute entrance exams for every school in queens. He'd even met Bruce and almost short-circuited, and he's spent a whole day working with Tony and Bruce in the lab, testing his abilities, he'd even told them how he got them. He'd even trained with Steve in an attempt to control his powers.

He was pacing in his room, holding his camera, he's managed to keep it safe since May died, and there were photos on it that he really wanted. He was a lot older than when they were taken, but they were memories nonetheless. He sighed, pushing his hair out of the way. He carefully opened his door and headed to Tony's lab. He pushed open the door easily and sneaked into the room, Tony was typing something so Peter decided to scare him. Tony turned around though but still jumped out of his skin.

"Jesus Ben! You gotta stop doing that!" Tony paused to catch his breath, pointing to Peter's camera, "What've you got there?" Tony asked Peter raised the camera to show him.

"My camera, I don't have batteries and I was wondering if you did. It has some photos on it that I want to print. And I kinda wanted to go out of the compound to take some photos, because I'm kind of bored out of my mind?" Peter said hopefully, but still hesitant. Tony shrugged.

"Sure, just as long as you're home before dark. Here, I've got some here." Tony handed him a handful of batteries and Peter smiled, running out fo the lab excitedly.

Peter was on his bed, hesitating before putting the batteries in and turning it on, going to the library of photos. He couldn't help but cry. There were hundreds of photos, photos of May, of Ben, of MJ, of Peter himself. He looked so young and so carefree, he was really. He kept swiping through the photos, crying harder when he found his favourite. It was him on his eleventh birthday, he's invited MJ, and Ben and May were there, they went to the science museum. There he was with all of them, his most favourite people in the whole world. He stood up and quickly operated the printing machine, printing every single one of the photos. He made quick work of sticking up the photos above his desk, still crying and sniffling. He held the final photo from his birthday in his hands, he wanted it in a frame but he didn't know where to get one, and so far only Natasha had seen him cry. But he knew he couldn't avoid it. He's been in his room for several hours now, he would usually be roaming.

He Stood up, still clutching the photo in his right hand. Perfect timing, the team were gathered in the kitchen for lunch. Peter hesitated before entering the kitchen, taking a deep breath. The conversation immediately stopped, they all turned to look at Peter who was bracing himself with a hand on the wall, tear still running down his face, he looked like he was struggling to talk.

"What've you got there Benny?" Steve said, ignoring that Peter was crying. Peter looked down at the photo in his hand. He frowned at it before handing it to Steve, who's eyes bulged out of his head. He passed it around the group, who had the same reactions. Tony was the last to hold it, he looked between the photo and Peter.

"That's you?" Tony questioned, pointing to Peter who was in the middle, smiling wide, one of his teeth was missing making Tony smile a little. Peter nodded, whipping his face clean.

"When was this taken?" Bucky asked. Peter cleared his throat.

"Um, my eleventh birthday. We went to the um, the science museum. I'd wanted to go for weeks, and I invited my best friend, MJ." Peter pointed to the girl in the photo, who didn't look at all happy to be there, but she had her arm slung around his shoulder anyway. Peter was holding a small cupcake in his hands, he smiled at young him. "We could never afford a fancy cake, but we always got what we could. That's May, and that's Ben, my aunt and uncle." Peter pointed to the two adults in the photo. Tony narrowed his eyes at young Peter and then looked back up at fifteen-year-old Peter.

"You haven't changed at all, other than the fact that you have all your teeth now," Clint said, cooing at young Peter.

"A couple other things have changed too." He said quietly, Clint looked panicked.

"Don't worry, I don't mean my scars or anything." Peter took in a deep breathe, "What I mean is that even though my life has changed in the four years since that photo, I'm now surrounded by people who I care about, and make me feel safe again." Peter shifted on his feet slightly, "What I'm trying to say is that I really really appreciate everything you guys have done for me. You've given me a home, food and clothes, but most importantly you've given me a family. Although I miss my aunt and uncle and my parents, I love you guys, so much." Peter took in a shaky breath and looked directly at Tony.

"But I wanted to thank you for the most, you've been incredibly patient with me, even though I can be an asshole, and I can be cryptic and cynical. The first time we met I broke your wrist, and then a couple days later I threatened to break your other one. Whether I like it or not I think of you as my father figure, and when I confided in Pepper she convinced me to tell you, so here I am telling you. That picture reminded me that even though I've lost a lot, it doesn't mean I can't allow myself to open up, and let someone care for me again." Peter looked down at the ground, suddenly regretting telling him, "I promised myself that when I cam here that I would never open up to any of you, and that I would be leaving in a few days, or that one of you would hurt me. But I've been here for a few weeks now, and you've all been patient with me. You've allowed me to be me, and you've shrugged it off when I do something weird, like sitting on tables because I can't sit in seats." Peter looked back up at Tony who was crying. Peter realised he was rambling and waited for Tony to say something, for him to say anything. Tony opened his mouth, and closed it again, looking down at the photo again.

"When I look at this photo I can't help but feel angry for the boy in the photo, because he went through so much that he didn't deserve. A boy that is so unbelievably damaged beyond relief, but so strong, and kind, and caring, smart, and considerate. This boy also managed to work his way into my heart, and become more than someone in my care. He managed to make me realise I loved him like a son." Tony looked back up at Peter, who had more tears slipping out of his eyes, "That boy is you Benjamin, someone who I only wished of getting to know, who I now can't get to stop talking. You've changed so much since I first met you, and yet you are still the same. And you're so unbelievably brave Benny, so so brave. And I'd be proud to call you my son." Peter surveyed him closely.

"I'd like that," He paused, drawing in a breath, "dad." Peter surged forward and wrapped Tony in a hug, Tony let out a gasp, the only person who Peter had allowed to touch him was Natasha, and here he was hugging him.

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Peter was signing something, it was his first day of High-school, somewhere Peter never thought he'd see himself. Everyone knew he was, he'd been on the news for a variety of reasons, the abuse he faced in the foster system, but also as Spiderman. He also thought that people were also giving him strange looks because of the scars that were visible, that being the ones running across his face, and the one wrapping around his neck. Tony wanted to come with him, but Peter insisted he didn't want any more unnecessary attention on him, so they decided Natasha would accompany him on his first day. They had managed to convince the principal to let Natasha sit in with him on his classes for the first week while Peter got comfortable in the school, his recent PTSD and Anxiety diagnoses helped.

Peter was currently putting in his code to his locker, opening it and depositing several brand new textbooks into it, and several things he wouldn't need that day; Tony really went overboard. He still wore the necklace MJ gave him all those years ago, it made him feel safe. He got frustrated with the door that wasn't closing so Natasha stepped in.

"Hold your horses, I'll close it for you." She really didn't want Peter getting upset not even a class into the day. Peter sighed, but stepped back so Natasha could close it for him. He played with the hair tie on his wrist self consciously, aware of everyone looking at him. He quickly tied up his hair into a bun, he was suddenly extremely sweaty. They easily walked to his first class, navigating the school was going to take Peter a long time, hopefully he would make friends with someone. He looked out of place obviously, his StarWars shirt combined with ripped jeans and doc martins, and his dark curly hair coming out in wisps over his forhead. He clutched his backpack straps harder, letting Natasha speak his first teacher, who was confused by her presence, Peter attempted to fish the not out of his pocket explaining the situation.

"It's from the principal, it briefly explains my problems with new environments and my discomfort around new people and male adults." The teacher took the note from him and nodded, handing it back.

"Take a seat, Mr Parker, role call will be in a moment, there's a free seat next to Ned." The teacher pointed to a large boy with dark hair. Natasha made to protest but Peter raised a hand.

"I'll be fine Nat, I can always leave the class for a minute if I need to." Natasha nodded, standing next to the door, watching Peter for any signs of distress. Peter could feel eyes on him as he weaved his way through the tables, sitting next to the boy, Peter shifted, he was already feeling extremely overwhelmed. The boy turned to him, and if he noticed Peter's countless scars he didn't say anything.

"I like your shirt, I think I have the same one at home." The boy, Ned said. Peter smiled wide at him.

"Thanks, I like yours too." Ned had a StarWars shirt on too, he nodded in thanks.

"I'll warn you, this teacher is incredibly boring." Peter laughed, leaning back into his shirt. They spend the rest of the lesson conversing about several pop culture topics, finding they were extremely similar. Ned obviously already knew who he was, but didn't mention it. Peter was laughing when the teacher called on him.

"Peter, please pay attention, I know it's your first day and that you came under extraordinary circumstances, but I can't have you not paying attention." Peter's breath caught in his throat, his face losing all colour, Natasha stepped forward for him.

"His name on the roll is Benjamin, he prefers not to be called by his first name as it brings back distasteful memories, he is fine with any variation of Benjamin, but it would be in your best interest to call him by the name he wants." The man nodded, clearly fearful of Natasha's wrath. The lesson continued easily, but Peter found it hard to concentrate for the rest of it.

They cruised through the day better than the first lesson, making several trips to his locker with Ned and Natasha. He found out that he shared almost every class with Ned, which he was extremely grateful for. He grumbled every time he closed the locker.

"I swear, lockers are so dumb, I haven't used one since middle school. I will break it if it doesn't close properly next time." Peter grumbled. Natasha showed him how to close it again, she understood why he was so frustrated, trying to understand things and do things he hadn't done for years was going to be hard for him.

"No breaking things, you promised your dad." She said jokingly, they had had many incidents of Peter breaking things back at the compound when he couldn't operate them.

Peter was currently carrying some books, talking animatedly with Natasha about his excitement of being back at school, he had greatly missed it. What he didn't miss was someone calling him by one of his nicknames.

"Benji?" Someone said, making Peter turn around in confusion, he dropped his books, his mouth hanging open.

"MJ?" He said softly. Her face screws up, she was about to cry. She surged forward, pulling him into a hug, which he returned gratefully, Natasha was surprised he let her touch him.

"You remembered me? After all this time?" She said, examining his face. He pulled the necklace out of his shirt.

"I never took it off, I wanted to hold onto you. I don't think I could ever forget you." He said softly, pulling her into another hug. People were whispering around them, they had never seen MJ this animated, let alone the scary kid with scars covering his body, who they'd seen on the news years prior.

"I was so worried about you when on the news they said you were missing. I looked everywhere for you, where you used to live. I was so scared for you when you kept showing up on the news. They kept getting more photos of you with your new scars, and I was so scared, Benji." She said into his shoulder, Peter was crying now too.

"I thought I'd never see you again, I thought you'd forget about me as everyone did." He said quietly.

"I could never, too many memories of you." She said Peter pulled back. They silently walked to class, which they found out they had together. Natasha didn't question them as Peter hesitantly held her hand. He was definitely going to be ok.

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Peter was recounting his day, leaving out the fact that MJ had kissed him goodbye as he hopped on the back of Natasha's bike. His face drained when Natasha had a sly smirk on her face. He fiddled with his hair, knowing she was going to mention it.

"Ben here is forgetting to mention that he saw an old friend. They didn't stop holding hands all day, and she even kissed him goodbye. He almost fell off my bike." Peter grew extremely red, hiding his face with his hair.

"Oh, has my little boy got a girlfriend?" Pepper said, making Peter grow redder.

"It's not like that." He mumbled.

"Kid, she kissed you, and let me remind you you've known her since you were six," Tony said, Peter scowled at him.

"Ok, maybe it is like that but I wasn't going to say anything for a while," Peter said, making the team laugh.

"So that's what you guys were doing when you managed to get away from me." Peter sputtered.

"Ok, it was definitely not like that, we decided we didn't want to wait and put a label on it," Peter said, sinking into his seat. Tony ruffled his hair, shouting about how Peter was just like his old man. Peter smiled, thankful for his family.