Only three more chapters after this. Enjoy it!

"I'm pine, May," Peter said, trying hard not to squint at his aunt.

May frowned, looking at him with her hands on her hips.

"I mean fine. I'm perfectly fine."

"If you say so," she said doubtfully. She opened the front door and motioned for him to go out. "When you decide it's too much, call me and I'll come to get you."

"I won't, but okay," Peter agreed as he grabbed his backpack.

Giving May a sloppy wave goodbye, he stumbled down the hall with blurry vision. He couldn't believe he was actually going to school with a headache this bad, but no school meant no lab afterwards which meant no hanging out with Mr. Stark. Since Peter didn't want to skip out of a day in the lab with Mr. Stark, he was going to force himself through school then go to the Tower no matter what. His headache would be gone by then.

* * * * *

By his second class, Peter could barely sit upright. Ned had noticed early on and much to Peter's relief, he was answering all the questions teachers asked Peter. If the teachers noticed Peter staring blankly down at his textbook, they didn't seem to care.

Ned tried asking him what was wrong, but Peter played it off as a small headache. Perhaps Ned had believed him at first, but after Peter nearly collapsed in the hallway, he didn't.

"What's next?" Peter slurred, following Ned down the hall his third period.

Ned grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the way of two girls talking by their lockers. "Physics for you, like always."

Peter hummed and let Ned guide him into the classroom. Ned took Peter to the back and made sure he was all settled before turning to head to his own science class. When Ned started to walk away though, Peter stopped him and stared at him in confusion.

"Where are you going?" he asked, squinting at Ned.

"Biology, like always," Ned answered slowly.

Peter nodded and let go of Ned's arm, watching him in a daze as he left the room.

Peter didn't turn his eyes away from the door where Ned had left until his teacher was suddenly standing in front of him, waving a hand in front of his face. A few kids snickered as Peter blinked quickly, trying to adjust his focus onto his teacher's face.

Frowning in concern, Mr. Amos asked if he was okay. It took a couple of seconds for Peter to process the words then he nodded.

"Yeah," Peter said blearily, "I just... just kinda feel... light?"

He'd hardly gotten the word out before he toppled forward off the stool and onto Mr. Amos.

Mr. Amos caught him before he hit the ground and turned worriedly to the remaining students. "Someone go get the nurse!"

* * * * *

Tony was in the middle of fixing Dum-E's claw when his music was turned down. With a loud groan, he turned around to look for Pepper, only to discover the lab was just as empty as it was before his music had been all but turned off.

Before Tony could ask JARVIS what was wrong, the AI told him. "There's an incoming call from Peter's school."

Tony froze and told JARVIS to answer.

"Hello, is this Peter's emergency contact?" a male voice asked.

Wiping his hands clean for grease, Tony reached for his phone and replied, "Yes, what's happened?"

Leaving Dum-E without a claw and his lab a partial disaster, Tony was in the lift before the man on the phone had even told him that Peter had passed out during one of his classes.

"We couldn't get ahold of his aunt and tried his emergency contact. Are you able to come to pick him up?"

"Already on my way," Tony said, clambering into the nearest car and giving JARVIS full control. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Thank you," the man said.

He hung up and Tony took control of his car, turning down a side street to avoid a stoplight in hopes of reaching Peter faster.

He knew why the kid had gone to school with a headache and he wouldn't have been surprised if the kid had gone to school with a collapsed lung. Part of him had worried Peter would do something like this if it meant he could work in the lab, but up until now, it hadn't been a problem. He'd have to change the rules now.

Skidding as he pulled into Midtown High, Tony jumped out of the car and ran inside to find Peter staring at the wall just outside of the front office.

"Peter?" Tony asked softly, kneeling down in front of him. "You okay, bud?"

Peter blinked then gave him a sloppy smile. "Hey, Mr. Stark."

Tony smiled back then stood up and turned to the woman at the front desk.

"I'll take him," he told her.

The woman just stared at him, so he sighed and found the sign-out sheet himself. Once he had signed Peter out, he helped him stand up and walk to the car.

"People are gonna be so surprised when they hear you came to pick me up, Mr. St—Whoa!"

Peter tripped over a small stone. Keeping a hand on Peter's back, Tony kept him upright and helped him climb into the passenger seat.

"I don't know why," Peter mumbled to himself, letting Tony fasten his seatbelt. "I talk about you all the time."

Tony grinned, turning on the car and leaving the parking lot. "I am pretty cool."

Peter shrugged.

"I guess," he agreed, tipping forward in his seat.

Tony frowned. He'd thought the kid adored him. Maybe he was wrong. Perhaps Peter hated him.

"It's just weird because they get all freaky-out-y around you but you're basically my dad so I don't know, I guess I'm just used to you."

Tony glanced at Peter to make sure he'd heard him right. How sick was the kid feeling?

"Really?" he asked.

Peter nodded resolutely, looking sure of his decision. "Sometimes when I think to myself, I call you Dad, but I don't say it out loud cause that's weird and you would think I was crazy."

"No, I kind of like it, kiddo," Tony said, smiling at him through the rear view mirror.

Peter smiled.

"Then I'm gonna call you Dad from now on."

"Alright," Tony agreed, wondering if Peter would remember the conversation once his confusion and migraine wore off.

To Peter's complete and utter horror, he did remember. He ended up waking up in his room in Stark Tower and groaned when he remembered what he'd said in the car. After clarifying with JARVIS that it hadn't just been a dream, he wanted to jump off the balcony without his suit on. However, JARVIS informed him Mr. Stark had saved the audio and renamed his contact to say 'Son'.

"Really?" Peter whispered, looking up at the ceiling with a small smile. "I'm glad I didn't mess everything up."

"Me too, kid," Tony said, standing in the doorway with medicine. "Now, how about we talk about why you thought you should go to school with a severe migraine?"