Avengers Requests and Oneshots (Requests Open)

Sensory Overload - Peter P.

Summary: "Everythingw is j-just annoying. I l-love that sweat-sweatshirt you gave me, but now it's annoying me. A-and my skin is crawling. And e-everything's too loud."

Pairings: None

Genre: Hurt/comfort, fluff

Rating: T

TW: sensory overload/mild panic attack

"Alright, number 24. Anyone care to answer that for me?" my chemistry teacher asked, his voice too loud for my overly sensitive ears. My head was pounding like a drum, just like it had done since early this morning. I had woken up with a headache, my blaring alarm clock not doing anything to help that. I rubbed my eyes with my heels of my hands, trying to relieve some of the tension. To my misfortune, it only served to make my head pound more. I groaned inwardly and let my head drop to my desk atop my folded arms.

"Come on, guys!" the teacher shouted and I winced. "This is basic nomenclature of covalent bonds. You all should be able to do this in your sleep!" I scratched at my arms which were hidden under my hoodie. I grumbled to myself when it didn't make a difference and pulled the sweatshirt off, hoping to give myself a little relief. I continued to scratch at my skin. It felt like my skin was crawling, like insects under the top layer of skin.

I was getting increasingly frustrated as I scratched at my arms relentlessly as I filled in the chemistry paper in front of me. I couldn't seem to focus on the paper in front of me which I should be able to do with my eyes closed. Taking off my sweatshirt hadn't made any more comfortable. I thought it had been too warm with the sweatshirt on and now it was too cold.

What confused me even more was the fact that the sweatshirt I had with me was my favorite sweatshirt. Tony had given it to me last month when we were sitting out in the landing pad of the tower watching the stars after a particularly hard day of patrol. The soft cloth smelled like motor oil and grease mixed with something that was uniquely Tony. But today, the scent was absolutely revolting, and it worried me. That was my favorite sweatshirt. It was worn down and soft, and it smelled like Tony, someone I could always rely on.

I let out a huff, dropping my pencil on my desk as I reached up to scratch the back of my neck where short hairs were tickling the skin. I scratched at my shins where my pants were too tight, too constricting only to return to scratch the crawling skin in my arms.

There was suddenly a tap on my shoulder. I jumped and turned to the right to find Ned with a concerned look on his face. "Dude, are you okay?" Ned asked in a whisper, glancing to make sure the teacher didn't hear or see that we were talking.

"I'm fine, Ned. Just tired. Long night," I said with a smirk, hopping I could convince him it was just a long night of patrol. He was my guy in he chair, he would understand. Only, he didn't. He nodded, but there was a still a clear frown playing on his lips. He held my gaze for a moment longer, maybe hoping I would tell him what was really wrong. I knew he expected something was wrong. He was my best friend and I his. We could read each other like a book. "I'm fine," I repeated, picking up my pencil with one hand while I absentmindedly scratched my arm with the other.

Not soon enough, the bell rang. I winced and rubbed behind ears as I pulled myself out of the chair and onto shaky legs. Thankfully, chemistry was the last class of the day, and now I could just go home and rest. I groaned and threw my head back only to regret it when a pang of pain shot through my head. I'm supposed to go to Mr. Stark's today. I just shook my head and gathered my things knowing it was too late to get out of it. Happy was probably already waiting outside.

Sure enough, just as I threw my bag over my shoulder, my phone chimed with a text from Happy.

Happy Hogan:
I'm outside, kid. Tony's waiting on you.