Tony isn't ready for this. He thought he was strong, but there's no way for a father can ever be prepared for this.

It should be easy enough. Tony knows his son will have an easy first day. Peter's a smart boy - he really has inherited his father's intelligence and wits. And the boy's incredibly attentive and neighborly to everyone he meets - something he definitely inherited from his mother since Tony's social skills are still rocky at best. There's no way anyone could not love Peter. Everything will go off without a hitch.

Yet there's still a seed of doubt that seems to be planted deep within the father's psyche. He tries to ignore the swirling dark thoughts growing in the back of his mind - the reflection of his own shitty childhood - but the more he thinks about his son, the more stressed out he becomes. There's a deep panic growing inside him and with his eyes closed tight, he doesn't even have the comfort of his wife's wings.

He palms his hands in desperation. It's an attempt to calm himself that Pepper's seen so many times before. The action is mostly done in his workshop when a project is stressing him out, but he's sometimes done it naturally without his tools. And without the tools in his hand and a way to output the energy, there's no relief in her husband's motions.

"You need to calm down, Tony. It's okay to be nervous sometimes, but Peter's going to pick up on it too. We can't have him freaked out on his first day of school."

Pepper is right. He doesn't want to freak out Peter on such an important day. Peter is exceptionally attuned to other people's emotions.

He forces himself to take in deep breaths in a risky attempt to calm himself. He squeezes his hands still even though the energy is still surging within him. And although he's still feeling just as chaotic and scared on the inside, he looks almost entirely natural on the outside. His wife will surely still sense his distress, but it should be enough to keep Peter in the dark.

Pepper takes her husbands hand and slowly entangles their fingers together. She squeezes in a show of support. He squeezes back as he takes in her calming scent. It doesn't do much to calm the swirling dark inside of him, but it reminds him that he isn't alone.

"What if we just kept him home for another year? Home school him for a bit. It's only preschool. Surely we can just hire him a top of the line tutor."

"You know why we can't do that. He needs proper human interaction and natural experiences. It's good for him to be around other children. He's ready for this, Tony. You just need to believe in him."

Tony believes in his son so much it hurts. He would never want to give off the impression that he doesn't believe in Peter.

He just doesn't trust everyone else. He knows people will use Peter and take advantage of his giving nature - his angel's complex. Surely someone will hurt his innocent little boy. He isn't ready for Peter to bear the weight of the world on his wings - even if it seems the rest of the world is okay with the fact the two people Tony loves most will be gone someday for a higher purpose.

"What if he gets hurt? What if someone hurts him? And we aren't there to protect him?"

When there's no response, he looks up into his wife's eyes. They're swirling blue, reflecting the light the same way as the holiday gala so many years ago. She's the same woman he fell in love with and for a second, he can't believe they've built such a happy little family together. If this is their biggest problem, they're living a pretty good life.

"I don't want him to worry. Or suffer. That isn't too much to ask. He deserves a better childhood than I ever have."

"We can't bubble-wrap him and hide him away from the world. He's such a good kid. He'll make lots of friends today. Good friends. I promise."

Tony thinks to himself. Inside all his fear, he can feel the love of his friends and family. Pepper is right.

All the kid needs is one really good friend. All the father can do is hope.

Peter isn't used to being woken up this early, so when he feels his mother gently shaking him through his thin covers, the boy's first reaction is to roll over and hide. It's easy enough to do when he has extra appendages that dual function as a shield. His wings form a protective bubble around his already curled up form instinctively, creating a barrier between the two angels without Peter even thinking about it. He doesn't mean to hide from his mother, but the exhaustion from being up so early runs deep, and his body is fighting for sleep the only way it knows how.

He can feel his wings tightening in resistance up as his mother places her warm hands on his wings. There's a gentle effort to wedge them aside as she tries to break the bubble, but he's fighting back too hard. His wings are too tense and she makes very little progress since she doesn't want to hurt her boy. They both know this is only a natural response. There's no need for her to get upset. That isn't the kind of mother she wants to be.

"Peter. It's your first day of school. You have to wake up," she whispers.

When Peter fights to hide himself a second time, clinging tightly to his spider plushie under the comfort of his wings and tightening his body around itself, his mom knows she has to try something else. No fighting or yelling will happen this morning. Just love. She still hasn't attempted relaxing his wings open.

Pepper softly sits on the edge of Peter's bed with her own wings tucked carefully behind her form. She takes a moment to pull her son into her lap, which is exceptionally easy to do with the boy's small form.

Peter's wings are still tucked protectively around his body as he settles onto her lap and listens to the beating of her heart. Pepper tries to look into his chestnut eyes and floppy brown curls, but the boy's face is still completely shielded by his wings. She'll have to work a little bit harder to look into her son's soul this morning.

The mom tucks her fingers into the fuzz of her son's wings and begins running them through his feathers and down. They're soft. Most of his feathers are still small and baby like, only beginning to grow to their proper length of her own. She can feel herself calming from the sensation of her son's down in the most maternal way.

Pepper finds this completely different than when her husband plays with her wings. Unlike the passion of Tony's fingers, the mom's fingers move in a slower, more careful motion. Her actions are purely maternal, only further deepening the bond between mother and son. The mom takes her time as she works through his wings, combing his feathers into the proper direction, picking out any tiny pieces of lint, and checks the overall health of his wings. Even after she's finished the ritual, she continues the motion to further bond with her son.

As much as Peter wants to return to dreamland, he can't help but find the activity calming with mother so close. His whole body purrs as his mother holds him close and works through his down. He finds his wings naturally relaxing and opening up to the idea of a new day as his eyes open up. He tucks his wings out of the way and enjoys as his mother plays with his messy curls for just a bit longer.

"My little angel," Pepper hums. Her wings ruffle around her in solidarity. It's a nickname she rarely gets to use with Peter's father so on edge about their species, but she really does feel a special bond with them sharing this gift between them. Angels are rare enough. Two angels in a single family are statistically impossible.

"Good morning, mommy." His voice is barely a whisper, but he's cuddled close enough that Pepper hears it perfectly and can't help but smile in return.

"It's time to get ready for school. Aren't you excited for your first day?"

"No," the boy replies stubbornly. He'd much rather stay at home and play with his parents all day. There are already so many cool toys are home and his father always makes up the best stories. Plus he can't even begin to imagine nap time without his mother sharing the bed. How will he nap with a bunch of strange kids?

"You said the same thing with the angel playgroup," she reminds him.

Her face is sympathetic - she loves her boy so much - but she knows Peter just needs to be pushed sometimes. As nervous as he'd been for his angel classes, the boy had really shined when he'd gotten a chance to stretch his wings. "And once you went, you made friends and enjoyed all the games. You didn't even want to come home that night."

Peter begins to crawl out of bed a little grumpy that his mother's always right, though he'd never admit it. He just needs a few minutes to seethe and be resistant. Even if he did make lots of friends and really enjoys the angel group classes he takes weekly. He just didn't like going at first.

He even ignores his mother's hands as he gets to the floor. He doesn't need her assistance right now. Pepper has to admit the fluffing of his wings and his pouting face only make him more adorable than ever. She silently watches as her son's wings flutter a bit during the leap. They're still too small to make much difference in flight, but she's happy to see them reacting just the same.

"What do you want for breakfast? Since it's a special day today, you can have anything you want."

Peter thinks to himself for a few moments. He wonders if he can truly have anything he wants.

"Dinosaur chicken nuggets?" he whispers. When his mother nods, he just hops around his room, excited by his own idea.

"Dino nuggets! Dino nuggets! Dino nuggets! Dino nuggets!"

Pepper only watches with a proud smile on her face. She never would have thought of dinosaur chicken nuggets for breakfast herself, but that's one of the things she loves so much about Peter. He's always so happy and very creative. He always seems to think outside the box.

She hopes to herself that she finds a friend just like him today. Even with all the friends Peter's made at his angel classes, he's yet to find a best friend that he really clicks with or asked to bring over. She can feel it in her soul. The upcoming days will be much easier if he has someone to share it with.

Everything seemed good. The two parents had made so much progress in the span of the short sunrise.

Peter seemed to be all ready for school. He's stuffed to the brim with dinosaur chicken nuggets. He's clothed in his favorite feel-good outfit made of the softest textures that almost never irritate his skin. And his backpack is packed with all of his brand new school supplies that he got to pick out himself. He's even managed to pack his spider plushie in when he thinks his parents aren't looking. (Pepper did notice but doesn't say a thing.)

The small family had even managed to drive the entirety to the preschool in relative silence, as Peter spends the entire trip watching people through the car window and pointing out dogs whenever he managed to spot one. It's a game that Peter had created all by himself and his mother just loves to look at the dogs he finds, though his father is usually too busy driving to play along.

It wasn't until they arrive at the school that Peter's meltdown becomes inevitable. Seeing the other children on the playground is enough to send Peter into a mini spiral, tensing up his body as he holds onto the car seat for dear life. There's no way they can force him this way.

When his parents came around to let him out of the booster seat, Peter's emotions are already too high for his little body to properly process. It only takes one look into his mother's eyes before he starts sobbing, a sense of disappointment and fear flooding through him. He really doesn't want to let his mother down, but the day ahead has just become so daunting.

"Peter, honey. What's wrong?"

He can't get any words; his crying is just too powerful right now. Though, he's not sure what he would even say if he could get out the words. He isn't exactly sure why he's crying. He just feels overwhelmed with emotion. He doesn't like change and this day just feels like too much happening at once.

The boy tries to wipe his tears and force his little body to behave, but a few more dry jerks leak out anyways. He looks into his mom's eyes and reaches out towards her. She picks him up and holds him close, the beating of her heart calming him down a bit. "I'm sorry, mommy."

"It's okay, Peter. Everybody gets nervous sometimes. Even mommy and daddy get nervous sometimes. Right daddy?"

Peter peaks over his mom's shoulder to judge his father's expression. Pepper quickly adjusts her wings to let her husband fully into view.

Tony is standing straight and stiff as usual, hidden behind his pair of darkened glasses. The boy observes thoughtfully as his father gulps down his nerves and pulls off his sunglasses, letting his son look straight into his usually hidden face.

There's a darkened expression behind his father's eyes deep in his soul - a darkness Peter doesn't yet understand. But even more so, there's a powerful love that pulses between the two boys. Peter feels responsible for his father's happiness. There's a draw between them that gives Peter the utmost trust in his father.

"Of course. Everybody gets scared sometimes, Peter. We just have to force through it and be brave."

Peter listens to his father's words carefully. And when his father finishes speaking, he really stops and thinks about the words.

"Do you think you can be brave Peter? For me?" his mother asks.

He really does want to be just like his father. And if his father is telling him to be brave in fear of the unknown, he knows that everything will be okay. He can be brave for them.

They walk into the preschool together, his mom holding the boy's backpack in one hand and his hand in the other. Peter clings tightly to her side, but he's mostly calmed by the sight of his father walking behind them. He's thankful that his entire family is dropping him off today.

Peter walks into his first day of preschool with his wings held high, even if he can feel the bottom of his feathers trembling nervously.

The beginning of the day is slow. Peter isn't sure what to think, so he just goes with the flow of the room.

His teacher seems nice at least. He can't really pronounce her name, but she welcomes all the children with a kind expression and greeting as they enter. Peter doesn't feel singled out by her yet, which is helpful because he's doing his best to fly under the radar.

Peter is shown a cubby hole spot where he can store his backpack, extra change of clothes, and his lunch for later today. His parents help him put everything properly away before quickly saying goodbye. His mom kisses him on the forehead and tells him how much she loves him before slipping away to have some last minute words with the teacher.

The boy settles onto the carpet with a few other children, watching as his parents have a few last words with the teacher.

His parents wave goodbye from across the room one more time before they leave, but Peter's already too busy staring down at his cross-legged lap. There's too much going on right now and he's focusing on not crying as his parents leave.

Peter isn't sure of the other children yet, but he feels like it won't be a good start to his schooling if they catch him crying about his parents. None of the other children at his angel group ever complain about such silly things. He just needs to remain calm and brave for his father.

"Welcome everyone. Good morning. We're going to get started now, so I'll need everyone's attention."

Peter pulls his face from his lap. It's the first time he's really taken in the room around him. He's been so distracted with staying calm up until this point.

The room is bright. Almost too much so. It's decorated from floor to ceiling with posters and activities that seem educational in nature. There's something in every corner for Peter to focus on. And even though he's only begun reading this year, he's excited to take in every bit of information he can.

He also can't help but notice the large shelf of beginner's reading material that's calling out to him. His mom already spends the night sharing bedtime stories with him, but he's excited for a chance to read all on his own and explore new stories.

"We're going to start by going around and introducing ourselves. I want you all to share your name and a fact about yourself."

The children start introducing themselves, though Peter has to admit he's only half paying attention with so much going on. He stays quiet like a good student, quickly noticing how the teacher discourages them talking out of turn, but isn't really listening to the names of any of the other children. He barely even notices when it's his turn until the teacher points him out.

It's at this moment that Peter realizes something. As he looks at the children now staring in his direction, his wings feel more evident than ever. Unlike his angel play group that he's so used to attending, he is the only one sporting wings in the small classroom. And he's suddenly burdened with the weight of his difference.

"I'm Peter. Peter Parker Stark," he chokes out timidly. The attention on him is strong and focused as the other students give him their full attention. Peter can feel his wings tensing up to move. His instincts are trying to form a protective bubble around his face, but he fights back against them and holds his wings in place. He doesn't need any more attention than what he's already getting. Moving his wings will undoubtedly make this whole situation worse.

"And your fact, Peter?"

"I had chicken nuggets for breakfast?"

Even though the teacher doesn't seem very entertained, the rest of the classroom finds the sarcastic response hilarious. It was really the last thing any of them expected to come out of the little angel's mouth. It feels like every single student is laughing out loud at his response and the sudden noise is deafening to Peter. He has to fight to keep his hands or wings from covering his head in response.

Their positive response only makes little Peter feel worse about the day. His ears are still pounding and his heart pounds at the fact the other kids were laughing at him. He feels excluded and even more weird than before. His wings aren't the great blessing his mom always tells him about. They make him different. And right now, in this horrible moment, he just wants to hide them away.

The morning passes by relatively quickly. A few hours later, the teacher pairs together the children in smaller groups for some one on one interaction.

This is much easier for Peter, although he's still a bit jittery. His whole body is inward from the earlier day's events, making him much more introverted than usual. He's already spent the majority of the morning keeping his wings completely still - pushing down his body's natural reactions and instincts. He doesn't want to seem anymore out of place than he already does. The less he moves his wings, the less of a distraction he'll become. And the less of a laughing stock.

The boy keeps his hands tucked into his pockets to level his emotions. He's almost ready to snap at any moment - his tank is running on empty - so he's quite relieved when he's paired with one of the quieter children in the class. He just needs to stay calm a bit longer and he can recharge with a snack.

"Hi. I'm Ned," the other kid says as he joins the small table dedicated for reading.

Peter quickly looks Ned over. His earlier assumptions were correct. Ned seems shy. Peter's definitely appreciative that Ned speaks in a calm, quiet voice, compared to the rambunctiousness of his other classmates. And there's an air of easiness around the thick-boned boy. Peter's also grateful that Ned doesn't seem to be focusing on his wings, allowing him to rest the muscles for the first time that day.

"Hi, Ned. I'm Peter. It's nice to meet you."

The pair color their work pages in relative silence for a while. Peter can feel himself calming a bit as he focuses on staying within the lines. It's so much easier for him to focus on the task at hand instead of the mental clutter of his classmates around him and not having to worry about Ned. They can just play in silence.

"I wish my mom let me have chicken nuggets for breakfast," the strange boy whispers. The words are unexpected, causing Peter to clench up as he goes on the defensive.

"I don't usually get chicken nuggets. Mom just let me pick because it was a special day. Usually, I have pancakes or cereal."

"Still. Chicken nuggets. For breakfast. What can be better than that?"

Peter shakes his head. He can't believe the direction of this conversation. And how easy it is to talk to Ned. He doesn't have to be defensive. The boy isn't laughing at him because he's dumb. He actually thinks that Peter is funny. And he actually thinks he's cool because he had chicken nuggets for breakfast.

"I don't know. Ice cream maybe?"

Ned's eyes widen, his mind truly blown from the implications of the answer. The biggest grin spreads across his face.

"Oh, man. Why didn't I think of that?"

Peter giggles a bit in response, his feathers ruffling behind him. He's really beginning to like this kid.

Peter is too relieved when the teacher announces that it's nap time. He's already feeling the exhaustion of a long day in his dreary eyes and even though lunch helped him recharge a bit, there's something about sleep that's always helped him clear his mind and recharge.

The children set up little cots around the room that seem comfy enough, even though he'd much rather be sleeping in his bed at home. It almost feels like a camping trip - similar to something his mom would set up in their living room. It's the closest thing Peter's ever had to a sleepover since he doesn't have too many friends.

The boys tuck themselves under small blankets the teachers handed out. Even though they're trying to stay silent under the cloak of ocean sounds playing, they can't help but giggle at the weirdness. As tired as they are, they aren't used to sleeping surrounded by so many other children and are too busy being social among themselves.

Peter considers grabbing his toy from his bag. A few of the other children seem to be doing the same including Ned, but he doesn't want to draw any attention to himself. Instead, he waits for his friend to return and they select two cots next to each other and matching superhero blankets. They settle down facing each other, both closing their eyes to the room around them.

Even as the room begins to fill with the sound of snoring, Peter remains fully awake as his heart pounds in his chest. He really is doing his best to sleep, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to slow his breathing, but every fiber of his being knows this isn't really his bedroom. There's so much he misses right now: the perfect dimness of his room and nightlight, the softness of his sheets against his hands, and most of all the comfort of his spider plushie held against his body. Everything is changing and he just can't keep up.

"Are you awake?" he whispers to Ned in the deafening silence when he can't keep quiet a second longer.

Ned's eyes flutter open groggily and Peter feels a bit guilty for waking his new friend, but Ned shakes head anyway. It doesn't matter if he was really sleeping or not. He's always ready to help a friend, even one he just met earlier that day.

"What's a matter?" he asks in the quietest tone possible. Peter can only just pick up the words in the quiet room.

"Can you keep a secret?"

Ned nods immediately. There's no hesitation and Peter senses that his new friend is actually a really good secret keeper.

"I can't sleep. Usually, I have my mom's wings or my spider to calm me. I miss her so much."

"Did you bring your spider today? I brought my toy. His name is Stitch."

Ned carefully lifts the blanket so that Peter can peek inside. There's a small blue alien plush tucked underneath Ned's arm, with long ears and a large nose. It's a bit weird looking and worn down, but also super cute.

"My spider's name is Spidey, but I left him in my backpack. I didn't want the other kids to know I brought a doll."

It's quiet for a few moments. They're already putting in a lot of effort to stay quiet to avoid waking the other children, so they collectively take a few moments to work through the problem together. It's too late for Peter to grab his toy now, even if he could live down the embarrassment of grabbing it in front of the other children. And he can't stand asking the teacher since it'll pull even more attention in his direction. He'll just have to live without it for a little bit even if he seriously needs this rest.

"Is there anything I can do?" Ned asks quietly.

Peter shakes his head solemnly. With his parents so far away and his spider tucked into his backpack, he's truly alone. He just has to get through it.

"Maybe you could move closer? And then we could share Stitch?"

Peter's mouth tenses in thought for a few moments as he considers the idea. Stitch isn't the same as his spider, but he could use all the help he could get right now. And he really does appreciate the offer his friend is making. He doesn't know if he could ever share his spider so easily. With the exhaustion so deep in his feathers, Peter will try about anything if it helps him sleep.

Being careful to not pinch his wings as he moves, Peter scooches over closer to his new friend. He's mostly off his own mat now - half of him on the floor with a few bits of him resting on Ned's mat. Only Peter's wings remain tucked behind him on his cot. They rest peacefully behind him.

Once settles in, Peter stretches out his hand and places it against the alien plushie that's now resting between them. They lay there together, each holding a side of the doll. Peter focuses his attention on his own hand as he tries to relax again, thankful for the effort his friend is putting out.

"Better?" Ned whispers faintly.

A yawn stretches Peter's face as he dips his head. With his new friend so close, he's feeling much calmer than before. He can barely keep his eyes open in the dimly lit room.

The teacher can only smile to herself as she watches the two boys fall asleep side by side.

Peter's mom was right that morning. The day turns out to be pretty good.

The day is long and exhausting. Peter's learning to deal with his new setting and classmates slowly. It got off to a pretty rocky start and he'd spent a good half of the day trying to act like someone he wasn't. But once he started to be himself and found someone similar in nature, Peter actually has a really good day. The second half is much more enjoyable with Ned at his side.

The boys spend the majority of the afternoon glued to each other's sides as they enjoy a variety of activities. There's an endless stream of jokes and stories shared between them. They just seem to fit so perfectly together. They're both quiet in nature and eager to behave in the classroom.

Peter's also very appreciative that Ned doesn't really ask about his wings or try to touch them like other children. He just treats him like a normal kid. Peter almost even forgets about them by the end of the day.

They're sitting together making a silly pretend world with their plushies when the school day comes to an end. They barely notice as the teacher starts encouraging them to pack up and helps the bus students head out to catch their bus. It'll be a few more moments until parents start arriving so the two boys continue to chat. They're in no rush to go home.

"Is your mom or dad dropping you off?"

"I'm not sure," Peter answers. "They both dropped me off this morning."

"I live really close. Maybe you could come watch a movie one day since you've never seen Lilo and Stitch?"

Peter smiles. Although he's really tired from all the new things he's experienced today, that really sound awesome.

The boys pack their bags side by side and sit calmly as they wait to be picked up. They make secret plans to work on a secret handshake tomorrow, which gives Peter some hope for the next day. Maybe he can even think up some ideas tonight to impress Ned.

When Ned's mom arrives first, Ned quickly takes the chance to introduce her to his new friend Peter. She's also very kind and welcoming, seconding that Peter should come to visit sometime soon, but she does seem to hover her eyes on Peter's wings for a bit too long for his liking. Peter shakes it off since it's something he's pretty used to and gives Ned a quick hug goodbye. Peter hopes that another day he can introduce Ned to his mom too.

Peter's mom arrives not much later. It doesn't seem like his dad has come too, but Peter embraces his mother just the same. The classroom is mostly empty, so he runs right into her and hugs her leg tightly. Their wings ruffle instinctively as they hold each other so close, embracing each other's touch lovingly.

"I missed you, mommy."

Pepper wraps her wings around her little boy. As much as she didn't want to admit it - she had to stay strong for Peter's sake - this day has been hard on her too. She's thrilled to be taking him home now. She can cook dinner with him sitting on the counter as he tells her all about his day. But, there's just one thing she needs to know now.

"Did you make any friends today?" she asks hopefully as they head out to the car. Pepper's holding her breath, hopeful that after such a surely rough start that her son has at least found someone to spend his preschool days with. She hopes so bad for his happiness. She'll always be here for him, but boy needs a friend his own age to share secrets with.

Peter holds his hand in hers, still unwilling to separate from his mother's side as he replies joyfully. His wings fluff up proudly as he responds.

"Only one, but he's a really good friend."