Chapter 2
Peter and Wanda shared a light-hearted laugh as they sat in the break room. The Black Widow just regaled them with the tale of how Hawkeye got arrested during one of their past undercover assignments. Apparently, his fake beard dropped in the midst of being questioned by a security guard at an airport and that's when they nailed him. It took SHIELD two weeks worth of pulling some strings before they could get Clint back stateside.
"That must've really sucked." Spider-Man wiped away a tear before his cellphone suddenly buzzed. "Sorry, I got to take this...hello?"
"Hey, Peter. How was your patrol? I hope you didn't get hurt."
"I'm alright, May. I finished my patrol about an hour ago."
"I'm glad to hear that. Are you coming home?"
"I'm about to head back soon. Need me to pick up anything?"
His Aunt chuckled on the other line. "No, we're good. Just come home safely...I love you."
"I love you too."
Putting the phone away, Peter looked up to see the Scarlet Witch giggling while Black Widow had a teasing grin on her face.
"What?"
"Nothing. We just think it's sweet that your Aunt calls to check on you." The young Sokovian said. "It'd be nice to meet her one day. She sounds like an amazing woman."
"She's the best part of my life. You're welcome to visit my place and meet her if you'd like."
Wanda smiled at Peter. "I'd love that."
"Mind if I come along?" Natasha asked. "It's been a while since I've spoken to May and I miss eating the amazing lemon meringue pie she makes."
"You're always welcome at my house. My Aunt loves seeing you anyways."
"Tell her the feeling's mutual."
"I will...I better get home then. It's almost past midnight."
Wanda stood up and wrapped her arm around Peter's. "I'll walk you out. You coming, Natasha?"
"Nah. I'm going to get some sleep before Steve has a chance to wake us up for something stupid again." The former SHIELD agent said. "See you soon, Маленький паук."
Spider-Man waved goodbye before he left the room with his best friend. Natasha just watched Peter and Wanda leave with a fond smile...the two really did look good together.
...
Two weeks later...
"May, I'm home."
His aunt looked away from the bills on the table and got up to give her beloved nephew a hug. "Welcome back. How did your final exams go?"
"I think I did well. The questions weren't exactly hard to figure out."
May chuckled, her hand ruffling Peter's hair. "That's because you're a hard-working genius and I'm proud of you."
As she gazed at the cute face of her nephew, tears began to well up in her eyes. It was hard for her to believe how fast he's grown.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." She whispered, wiping her tears. "I was just remembering when we first took you in. You were the most adorable little boy we've ever seen and now here you are...a handsome young man who's about to graduate high school. Your Uncle Ben would be so proud right now."
His own eyes were starting to feel wet but he did his best to hold the tears back. "...You think so?"
"Peter, stop." She already knew what her nephew was thinking. "It wasn't your fault. There was no way you could've known that would happen so don't blame yourself."
"I know. I...I just miss him."
"I miss him too." May pressed a kiss on Peter's forehead. "What do you say we have something special for dinner? To celebrate your graduating high school?"
"Maybe you could bake a lemon meringue pie for dessert?" He suggested. "I'll make the famous Parker lasagna for dinner."
"Sounds like fun. Let's get to it."
May headed to the kitchen first while her nephew left for a moment to put away his backpack and hoodie. Getting the ingredients he'd need from the cupboards and fridge, Peter made sure to measure the right amount for everything before he began to cook the hamburger meat. It felt nice to be able to just hang out with his Aunt again. His duties as Spider-Man kept him busy and with her hectic work schedule, they weren't able to spend as much time together as they used to.
"How we doing, sweetie?" She asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Laying down the last of the noodles now."
"It smells really good...honestly, I'm a little jealous that you cook better lasagna than I do."
Peter just gave a sheepish grin. "I'm only good at making it because I learnt from the best."
May giggled as she caressed his face. "Pie's almost done. I'll go set the table."
Taking a moment to double check everything, he put the lasagna into the preheated oven and set the proper temperature so it would cook right.
"There...now all we have to do is wait." He muttered before the ringtone of his phone played out from his pocket.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Маленький паук."
"Tasha?" Peter asked. "What's up? I haven't heard from you guys in a while."
"Sorry about that. Steve rounded us up to take out a hidden hydra base in Switzerland and we just returned yesterday."
"There was a mission? How come I didn't hear about it?"
"...Clint and Steve didn't want you to come. They thought you'd be too reckless for this one. Wanda and I tried to tell them not having you was a mistake but we were ultimately outvoted."
Peter sighed. He wasn't surprised to hear the team had benched him again but it still hurt to be reminded of the little faith they had in him.
"It was probably for the best. I had to write my final exams for the entirety of last week anyways." He muttered. "...Is everyone okay?"
"Well, Sam twisted his ankle and that's only because he tripped over one of the hydra agents. Nobody else suffered any injuries though."
"That's good. I'm glad no one was hurt." He said, taking a moment to chuckle on Mr. Wilson's mishap.
"Yeah...except maybe bird head's pride." Black Widow joked before her voice softened. "Don't take what Steve or any of the other idiots say seriously, Маленький паук. You're an amazing hero and I'm proud to have you on the team."
Peter smiled. "Thanks, Tasha."
"You bet. So what were you doing before I called? I hope I didn't interrupt anything."
"Not at all. May and I were just making dinner."
There was a pause on the other line for a moment. "Did she make lemon meringue?"
"Uh, yeah? It's in the oven right now."
"...May we join you for dinner then?" Natasha asked, the tone in her voice almost sounding like an excited child.
"Sure. Wait, who's we?"
He could hear something shuffling in the background before a different voice spoke into the phone. "Hello."
"Wanda? Oh man, it's good to hear from you."
She smiled on the other end. "Likewise, Peter. Remember when you invited me to meet your Aunt? We were hoping we could visit your home now."
"Of course...but isn't the compound kind of far from Queens? It'd take an hour at least to get here."
"We know. That's why we left an hour earlier and are now downstairs in your parking lot."
Peter froze before he poked his head out the nearest window. Parked next to his Aunt's car was an expensive looking silver Camaro...and Wanda and Natasha were standing on both sides of the vehicle as they waved from below.
"Hi, Peter." She grinned. "Would you mind opening the lobby door for us?"
...
"It's great to have you here again, Natasha. You look beautiful as ever."
The Black Widow gave May a friendly hug. "Always the flatterer. It's good to see you too."
Behind them, Peter stood next to Wanda...who was taking in the sight of her best friend's home. It was a humble looking place but she could tell it was well taken care of and there were many years worth of memories here for Peter and his Aunt.
"Sorry." He whispered. "I know it's not as fancy as the Avenger's compound."
"No, your home is nice. It reminds me of the house we had when I was younger."
May walked towards the two and smiled warmly at the young Sokovian lady. "You must be Wanda. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"You know who I am?" She asked, shaking her offered hand.
"Of course. Peter talks about you a lot."
Wanda smirked. "Really? What has he said?"
"Well, he often mentions how badass you and Natasha are, how pretty you both look, and the time-"
"May!" Her nephew interrupted with a flustered look on his face.
"What? It's true."
Peter groaned, trying to hide his embarrassed face behind his hands. Natasha ruffled Peter's hair while Wanda just giggled as they sat down at the table.
"I hope you're all hungry." May said, taking the lasagna out of the oven. "I'd wait for it to cool a little before you eat."
While Peter went to go get a pitcher of water, his Aunt sliced a huge portion of the pasta meal for Wanda first. The Sokovian woman smiled in thanks and cooled it with a few breaths of air before she took her first bite... and the rich succulent flavours that hit her tongue made her eyes widen.
May just chuckled at the awe expressed on her face. "Is it good?"
Wanda nodded as she took another bite. "It's delicious!"
"I agree." Natasha murmured, partaking in the delectable lasagna herself. "This is amazing...you really are a talented chef, May."
"Well, thank you but it wasn't me who prepared dinner. My nephew's the one who cooked the lasagna."
Wanda and Natasha looked at Peter with incredulous eyes, who only blushed as he poured them a glass of water.
"You made this?" His best friend asked. "I didn't even know you could cook."
Peter shrugged. "Well, I've only ever made food at home. May's the one who taught me the original recipe and I just added a few things of own. Wait till you try the lemon meringue pie she's baked...it will ruin all other sweets for you."
The Sokovian woman spared a glance at Natasha...who only smiled in anticipation for dessert. The Black Widow was seriously considering the idea of coming to her little Spider's home more often for all her meals now.
Chapter 3
...
"So this is your room."
Wanda smirked as she inspected her best friend's bedroom. Natasha was helping May clean up the dishes in the kitchen. Both she and Peter had offered to help but the two insisted that they could take care of it. The living space was small but considering he and his Aunt lived in a modest apartment, it made sense. A single bed sat in the middle of the room and beside it was a desk that had a rather aged looking computer placed on top.
The walls were decorated with some posters for movies that she's never seen before but other than that, it seemed like a regular looking bedroom.
Peter scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, it's a far cry from my quarters at the compound but I like it."
"I like it here too. Your room feels nice and cozy." Wanda praised before she noticed some framed photographs sitting on his desk.
There was one picture that stood out as she picked it up. In the photograph was Peter and his Aunt, happily smiling as a kind looking middle aged man held them close by the shoulders.
"...That's Uncle Ben. It was the last photo we ever took together before he died."
His eyes turned sad for a moment before he sat down on the bed. Wanda took a seat beside him and placed the family picture in his hands.
"You would've liked him." He said, his fingers tracing around the image of his Uncle . "He was nice to everyone and would listen to you if you had any problems. Ben always gave great advice and while we were never rich, he worked hard to provide for us. We never needed much though...we were happy with what we had."
Wanda put her hand on top of Peter's. "Your uncle sounds like a good man...I'm sorry I'll never get to meet him. I know he'd be very proud of you."
"...Thank you." He whispered.
The young Sokovian woman just smiled reassuringly at Peter. After all the times he's helped her, it felt good to be able to help her best friend for a change.
"So...did you enjoy dinner?"
Wanda happily nodded. "Of course I did! You think you could cook that again for us?"
"Well, I don't mind but you think Cap and the others will get mad at me for using the kitchen? They always gets antsy whenever I touch something vaguely important there."
"Peter...you're just making food. They're insane if they get mad at you for doing that."
"Fair point." He conceded with a goofy grin. "What did you think of dessert?"
Her mouth nearly watered as she remembered the heavenly sweet taste of the pie his Aunt baked. Now she understood why Natasha kept bragging about it...May's lemon meringue may have ruined all other sweets for her.
"I loved it. Your Aunt May really knows how to bake." She praised. "...Do you know how to make it?"
"Uh, yeah. It's been a while since I've made dessert but I remember the recipe."
"...Please bake a pie for us when you're at the compound." Wanda begged, her lips cutely pouting. She even threw in the puppy dog eyes for extra measure, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist.
Peter crumbled almost immediately. "C'mon, you didn't have to pull that move on me. I was going to say yes anyways."
"Sorry." She said jokingly. "I just wanted to be sure."
"...Part of me wants to get back at you now."
"Oh? How do you plan on doing that, Mr. Parker?"
Peter just smirked before he suddenly pounced her. Wanda squealed in surprise as she found herself laying on her back. She was about to ask what he was planning when his fingers started to poke at her sides.
"W-wait-ahahaha! Peter, stop-" Wanda was unable to control her laughter as Peter continued to mercilessly tickle her. "I-I can't brea-hahahaha!"
He let up just enough so she could breathe but nevertheless kept prodding her ribs.
"Had enough?" Peter asked, smiling at how much Wanda was chortling. It may have been slightly unintentional on her part but it was good to hear his best friend's carefree laughter.
"Hehehehe! Y-yes!" She managed to say before her giggling broke out again.
With a triumphant smirk on his face, Peter finally got off of Wanda. That turned out to be a mistake as the Sokovian woman suddenly grabbed his collar and flipped him over. Now Wanda was sitting on top of Peter with an evil grin on her face.
"My turn." She whispered before her fingers began to poke underneath his arms.
"Wanda-eheheha! S-stop-wahahaha!"
A chuckle escaped her lips as she watched Peter squirm beneath her. Any words he tried to say quickly dissolved into uncontrolled laughter. She knew his ticklish spots just as well as he knew hers.
"You know what they say about payback, Peter." Wanda teasingly sang.
"Heheha! I-I get it! Just sto-ehahaha!"
The bedroom door suddenly opened and Natasha came bursting in. "All right, what are you two doi-"
The Black Widow didn't finish her question as she took in the sight of Wanda straddling Peter's hips...and on his bed no less.
"Hey, Tasha." Her little Spider greeted. "What's up?"
Her lips slowly curved into a teasing smirk. "Uh, nothing. May and I just wondered why you guys were laughing so loud. I'll leave you two to your fun...and Peter?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't forget to use protection."
Natasha couldn't hide her snickering as Wanda and Peter blushed a bright red almost simultaneously, having finally realized they were in a rather...compromising position together.
"I-it's not what you think." The Sokovian woman muttered, sliding off of Peter. "...Don't you dare tell May."
"What, that I saw you trying to seduce her nephew? Hm...I think I will." The Black Widow said, grinning mischievously before she left the room.
Peter frantically leapt up to try and stop Natasha from telling his Aunt her misinterpretation of what happened. Wanda sat on the bed and waited for her face to stop blushing. Leave it to the Black Widow to catch them at the most awkward moment. She just hoped it wasn't too late to stop Natasha from mentioning it to May.
As she left the room, Wanda couldn't help but admit...being so close to Peter felt really nice.
...
A few days pass...
Peter delivered quick powerful jabs at one of the many training dummies located in the gym of the compound. Wearing a simple black t-shirt and sweats, he changed out of his suit not long after the team left. He'd swung by the compound immediately after finishing up his afternoon patrol of Queens and caught the Avengers just as they were about to leave for yet another mission.
Not surprisingly, most of the team had ordered him to remain here despite Black Widow's and the Scarlet Witch's protests. Tony argued with the Captain on this as well but it did little to change the minds of Steve and the others who agreed with him.
Spider-Man just sighed sadly before he bid them good luck. Wanda and Natasha stayed behind long enough to give Peter a hug, with Black Widow instructing her Маленький паук to practice some of the fighting moves she's been teaching him for the past few months.
Two hours have passed since they left and Peter kept himself busy by doing what his mentor asked. The two broken punching bags lying on the other side of the gym served as a good indication to anyone who walked in of how hard he'd been pushing himself thus far.
"Hello, Peter."
The webslinger stopped his fists midpunch and looked upwards. "Hey, Friday. How's it going?"
"I'm good, thank you." The A.I. said, her voice sounding upbeat as usual. It always seemed that way whenever she spoke with him. "You've been working hard for a couple of hours now. Might I suggest taking a break?"
After taking a moment to think on it, Peter nodded. "Sounds good to me. Thanks, Friday."
"You bet."
Spidey grabbed a clean towel from one of the racks before he headed to the break room. Wiping off the sweat from his head, his phone suddenly played a little tune which notified him of an incoming text.
'I'll be working late tonight, Peter. I left some money on the table if you want to order in food. Remember to be careful when you're out on patrol. I love you!
It was hard to believe three years have passed since she first found out about his alter ego. His Aunt had been understandably upset at first but after he explained how it all began and his reasons for doing so, May reluctantly agreed to let Peter continue to be Spider-Man as long as he followed the rules she set.
Her conditions were simple and reasonable. He had to be home by midnight and if anything happened, he would immediately call her or one of the Avengers. The most important one was that his grades would not suffer and if they slipped, his duties as Spider-Man were to be put on hold until they improved...which didn't happen fortunately.
Peter just smiled at May's text. He was lucky to have such an understanding and supportive individual like her in his life.
Vision phased into the room and placed a hand on the unsuspecting webslinger's shoulder in greeting...nearly making him jump to the ceiling as he yelped.
"My apologies. I did not mean to frighten you."
"I think I almost had a heart attack." Spidey joked as he caught his breath.
Vision looked inquisitive. "Does your spider-sense not alert you of intruders?"
Peter shook his head. "No. It only warns me of immediate danger and where it's coming from or if anyone has the intent of causing me harm."
"Interesting..." The android muttered before his mouth quirked into a smile. "So how has your day been?"
"Not bad. Things have been a little slow since my last day of school but I can't complain. How about you?"
"I am doing well. For the past few days, I've been teaching myself how to cook."
Peter's eyes rose out of interest. "Oh yeah? How's that been going?"
"I've had various degrees of success. I am happy to say I have yet to burn anything though." Vision said, a hint of pride detected in his synthesized voice.
"That's good. You're doing better than I did...first time I tried to cook anything, I nearly torched our kitchen back home."
Peter just shook his head at that particular memory while Vision chuckled. "It is fortunate you did not actually set your kitchen on fire then."
"You have no idea. Aunt May would've killed me for sure had I actually burnt the place down."
The guardian of the mind stone smirked. "I highly doubt your Aunt would've done so. More than likely, she'd set a strict but suitable disciplinary action as punishment."
Spider-Man laughed as he opened a bottle of water and took a long sip. It was comfortably silent for a moment before they heard something go boom from outside.
"Friday? What was that?"
"Hold on. I'm checking now."
Vision looked to the door. "Someone has arrived."
Peter stood ready in case an attack was coming from the other side. The android standing beside him followed suit...before he unexpectedly relaxed his guard with a smile.
"It's okay." FRIDAY said, her voice echoing over the room. "We can relax...an old friend has just returned with some company."
"Old friend?" Spidey asked just as the doors slid open...and his mouth gaped open when a tall individual stepped into the room with a broad smile etched on his godly face.
"Vision! Man of Spiders! It is good to see you again, my friends."
Chapter 4
...
"Hey, Thor." Peter greeted before the God of thunder's powerful arms enveloped around him for a firm hug.
The son of Odin smiled as he lifted Peter off his feet. "I have missed you, my young friend. How fares you of late?"
"I missed you too, man. I'm doing well...how about you? It's been a long time since we last saw each other."
"Indeed it has." Thor said, his blue eyes turning serious for a moment. "I have been trying to find answers for why the Infinity stones have resurfaced in the past few years. Alas, my duties in Asgard has kept me from making a more concentrated effort and the information I've found thus far amounts to precious little."
Peter admittedly knew very little about the Infinity stones. The last time they met, Thor had explained to him the basics of what they were and he was aware the mind stone was used to create Vision. Speaking of Vision, the android had phased into another room after FRIDAY informed him of an incoming call. It must've been pretty important considering he hasn't returned yet.
"Father suggested that I take a break from all my duties, which is why I've returned to Earth. I wish to see our friends again before I head back...although it seems they are not here."
"The team left for a mission not too long ago." Peter explained. "Right now, it's just me and Vision here."
"I see. Do you know when they'll return?"
"I'm not sure but you're welcome to wait here. I don't think they'll be gone for too long." The young Spider said before he remembered something. "...Friday mentioned you brought company. Where are they?"
Thor smiled brightly. "Ah yes, I nearly forgot. I'd like you to meet two dear friends of mine."
The doors slid open again and this time, two beautiful brunette women entered the room. One of them wore glasses and a look of excitement adorned her face as she checked out the living area. The other lady appeared more calm in comparison and when she met eyes with Peter, she gave him a nervous wave.
For some reason, he felt like he's seen her before...where from exactly he couldn't remember but his mind was getting closer to figuring it out.
"This is Jane Foster." The God of thunder introduced as she stepped forward. "The world's foremost expert in astrophysics. Jane, this is my friend, Peter Parker."
The famed astrophysicist extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise, Dr. Foster." He shook her hand, finally realizing why she seemed so familiar. "I'm a big fan of your work. I've read your papers on the theory of using wormholes as potential gateways."
She looked pleasantly surprised. "You understood what I wrote? I haven't even translated the scientific terms for the general public yet...and I didn't think anyone under the age of twenty five read research papers."
Peter sheepishly chuckled. "I love science. Biochemistry's what I've studied the most but I like learning about the other scientific disciplines too."
"Young Parker is very intelligent. I daresay his aptitude for science rivals that of Stark's or perhaps even yours, Jane." Thor praised, patting a strong hand on Peter's back.
"That's amazing! Are you interested in being an intern? It'd be nice to work with someone who actually understands my research."
"Uh...I'll have to check with Mr. Stark. I'm kind of already his intern." Was it even legal to be an intern for two different people?
"I'm sure we can work something out." Jane said with a grin before she turned to her friend...who was using her phone to take pictures of the dining area. "Darcy, stop snapping photos and introduce yourself already!"
The pretty woman with glasses, presumably Darcy, huffed out of annoyance as she put her phone away. "Okay, okay. I just wanted to check out the place where the Avengers eat."
"It's a kitchen." Jane deadpanned.
"A really cool one..." Her friend muttered before she waved at Peter with a smile. "Hi, name's Darcy Lewis. I'm Jane's intern."
The young Spider waved back. "It's a pleasure. I'm Peter Parker...are you an astrophysicist too?"
"I wish. I get lost whenever Jane starts using those really complicated words. No, I'm more into political science."
"Oh, that's cool." Peter knew almost nothing about that particular field but he had to admit it sounded kind of interesting.
"Thanks!" Darcy said, beaming at the praise. "So where are the Avengers? Thor brought us here so we could meet them and hang out for a bit."
"They are presently out on a mission. Until they return, we will have to wait." Thor informed.
Vision phased back into the room, making Jane and Darcy nearly jump out of shock. The God of thunder laughed while Spidey quietly chuckled...almost everyone who's ever witnessed Vision for the first time had similar reactions.
"My apologies." The android said before he turned to Spider-Man and Thor. "Captain Rogers has just informed me they've completed their mission and they are now returning."
The son of Odin had an excited look on his face. "Excellent! I cannot wait to see them all again."
Spidey grinned, knowing the Avengers would be happy to see Thor too after his lengthy absence. He just hoped none of the team was hurt in any way.
...
"How did you guys meet him?"
Peter asked as he passed over a cup of coffee. Darcy smiled in thanks before she took a sip. Thor and Jane were conversing with each other on the couch while Vision was trying to make risotto in the kitchen.
From the pleased look on his face, it seemed the cooking was going well.
"Thor? Well, we were taking some readings of the night sky in New Mexico when a wormhole suddenly tore open." The pretty intern explained. "He came out of the portal but we didn't actually find him...until Jane hit him with our van."
"You guys ran Thor over?"
"No, no. We just knocked him out...twice. Jane backed the van into Thor again when we tried to find him at the hospital."
The young Spider couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't think it was possible to knock him out ."
Darcy chuckled along. "Me neither but I think he didn't have his powers at the time. That's probably why we were able to drop him on his ass."
"I would've loved to see that."
"I'll take a video for you next time it happens."
Peter grinned before his gaze shifted upwards. "Hey Friday, how much longer till the team gets back?"
"It'll be another fifteen minutes before they return."
"...Is anyone injured?"
There was a pause for moment. "It's okay, Peter. I have confirmed that no one is hurt."
"That's good." He breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for letting me know, Friday."
"Anytime."
Darcy just smiled...it was obvious the young intern cared about the famous heroes and heroines he got to work with.
They only just met a couple of hours ago but she was really starting to like Peter a lot. Not only was he smart but he was also humble and polite, admirable traits that most folks his age severely lacked. Plus it didn't hurt that Peter was a pretty handsome guy...and he was only a few years younger than her.
Thor strode over with Jane right behind him. "I have been told our friends will be arriving soon. Shall we wait for them by the landing bay?"
"Sounds good to me." Spidey said as he and Darcy got up. "Vision, you coming?"
The android looked away from the boiling pot for a second. "Go on ahead. I shall be with you shortly."
Peter nodded before they all made their way towards the hangar. The familiar shape of the Quinjet could be made out in the sky as it flew closer and closer by the second. Spider-Man and Thor stayed relatively calm, although the happy smile never left the son of Odin's lips.
Jane and Darcy looked more excited in comparison and understandably so but there was a hint of nervousness in their eyes. Soon as the quinjet landed, Thor immediately embraced the first person that exited the ship...who turned out to be Iron Man.
"Whoa, whoa! What the heck-" The billionare stopped squirming once he got a better look. "Wait...Thor? Is that you?"
"Indeed." He said, setting Stark down on his feet. "I am glad to see you again, my friend."
The shocked look on Tony's face was priceless. "Uh...great to see you too, goldilocks. What brings you here?"
"I am taking a break from my duties in Asgard. What better way to do so than to come see my old friends? My companions have accompanied me so they could meet you all."
"I see." Tony muttered before he waved for the rest of the team to join them. "C'mon down, guys. Guess who decided to grace us with his godly presence today?"
From the side, Peter just grinned as he watched the other Avengers happily greet their old teammate. Darcy and Jane stepped forward to introduce themselves and they were now shaking hands with each member of the team.
The Scarlet Witch gave Thor a simple nod and greeted his two friends with a polite hello before she walked towards Peter. She didn't know the God of thunder very well. The one time they've met, it was during the battle against Ultron and even then, they barely spoke to each other. Not that she hated him or anything...they just never really interacted much.
"Welcome back. Are you okay?"
"I'm alright." Wanda gave Peter a quick hug. "I hope you weren't bored while we were gone."
"Not really. I was just training like Natasha asked...until Thor showed up out of nowhere."
She smirked. "That must've been quite a surprise."
"Well, he did make a loud entrance." Peter said with a grin. "But I'm glad to see him again."
Black Widow headed their way after she introduced herself to Jane. Her eyes looked a little tired but otherwise she seemed to be okay.
"You guys might want to get ready." Natasha said, ruffling Peter's hair. "Tony's planning on having a party tonight in celebration of Thor's return. Jane and her intern are invited too."
"A little sudden, don't you think?" The Sokovian woman asked.
She shrugged. "I guess but we've been working pretty hard for the past few weeks. This party might be a good chance for us to relax a little."
"I've never really been to a party before." Peter muttered. Being considered one of the uncool kids back in high school, nobody ever invited him to their parties...except for Liz Allan once. It was a nice gesture on her part but unfortunately, he couldn't go due to his responsibilities in keeping the streets safe as Spider-Man.
"Neither have I." Wanda admitted. After her parents died, she and her brother didn't really have the luxury nor time to attend such things. "I guess that means we can enjoy our first party together, Peter."
Her best friend smiled. "I guess so."
"Well, it is a party so remember to relax and have fun." Black Widow advised as she threw her arms around the two youngest Avengers. "...Just try not to drink too much or else you're gonna have to deal with Steve and his lectures."
Spidey wasn't too worried about that one. He wasn't old enough to drink anyways...and May would probably kill him if he tried.
...
"I am so out of place..." Peter muttered as he moved around the lounge area. There weren't many guests as the Avengers only invited those they were personally close to. That being said, he didn't know most of their friends very well but nevertheless gave a polite greeting whenever one of them noticed him.
His lips quirked into a smirk when he saw Thor having a drinking contest against Colonel Rhodes and Tony while Vision was watching the competition with curious eyes. The God of thunder was clearly having fun with his old friends. Sam and Captain America were having a private talk about something regarding a missing person as they sat on the couch.
Black Widow and the Scarlet Witch were at the bar, having a friendly conversation with Darcy and Jane. They hadn't brought any other clothes when they arrived here so Natasha lent them some of hers to hold them over.
It was funny to see his best friend be the only one with a glass of fruit punch in her hand while the rest drank wine. It wasn't surprising though...Wanda hated the taste of alcohol.
"Hello, Peter."
Spider-Man nearly jumped at the sudden hand that patted his back before he took a deep breath and looked behind him.
"Ms. Hill?"
The SHIELD agent chuckled. "How many times do I have to say it? Just call me Maria."
"Sorry...force of habit." He said, scratching the back of his head.
"No worries. Where have you been? I didn't see you with everyone else when we arrived."
"Oh, I just got here about fifteen minutes ago." Peter explained. "I've never been to a party before and I was having some trouble deciding what to wear."
In the end, he chose to wear a simple outfit consisted of a dark blue long sleeved shirt with a black jacket on top and jeans.
"You look nice, Peter." Maria praised, eyeing his choice of clothes in approval.
"Thanks! You look great too!"
It was rare to see her without the usual SHIELD uniform but nevertheless Maria still looked beautiful in the white dress she was wearing tonight.
"Always the charmer, aren't you?" Hill smirked before she pressed a kiss on Peter's forehead. "So how's it been fighting alongside the Avengers?"
Over at the bar, Wanda noticed Maria kissing Peter...and her eyes twitched in annoyance. She knew the woman adored her best friend like that of a little brother but seeing her give him such an affectionate gesture really irritated her for some reason.
The webslinger didn't answer right away as it took a moment for his face to stop blushing. "U-uh, it's going okay. I don't get to join them on their missions very often though."
"What? Why's that?"
He sighed. "Cap and most of the others usually order me to stay behind. They think I'm too young and reckless to help out."
Maria frowned...she's witnessed Peter in action as Spider-Man before and knew firsthand his skills and abilities would be a great asset to the team. Why the Avengers chose to bench him at the compound instead was beyond her but she made a note to confront Steve and the others later for making such a dumb decision.
"They're fucking idiots for thinking that." She deadpanned, her blunt language shocking the young Spider for a second. "Don't let them get to you, Peter. You're doing a great job keeping the streets safe."
Spidey's eyes brightened at her words. "Thanks, Maria."
"Anytime." Hill smiled, ruffling Peter's hair. "Keep up the good work."
"Underoos! Get over here!"
Maria and Peter shared a funny look at the nickname before they shrugged and headed to where Tony was. Everyone else was already sitting down on the couches, except for Hawkeye...who was stretching his arms for some reason.
Peter sat down beside Wanda. "What's going on?"
"Barton wants to see if he can lift Thor's hammer." She explained, pointing to Mjolnir that was set on the table. "Most of the others want to try it too."
"You don't?"
The Scarlet Witch shook her head. "Nah...I probably wouldn't be able to lift such a powerful weapon anyways."
Clint finally finished his warmup and tightly gripped the handle . Thor was watching with a bemused look in his eyes.
"Are you sure you wish to do this?"
The archer smirked. "Oh yeah, I'm definitely gonna be able to pick it up this time."
Black Widow just rolled her eyes...she already knew the outcome wouldn't be any different than the last time he tried. Clint pulled with all the strength he could muster but the hammer didn't budge.
Tony was the next to try and he even had an upgraded gauntlet prepared. He was confident at first...before the expression on his face quickly turned into that of annoyance as Mjolnir didn't move even with the Iron Man glove desperately trying to pry it off the table. Rhodey and Sam didn't fare any better than the first two.
While Natasha already knew she wouldn't be able to raise Mjolnir, she still gave it a shot anyways. As expected, the hammer didn't move but she took it in stride. Wanda decided to try after some encouragement from Peter...but even with her best efforts, she couldn't raise the hammer either.
Captain America was the last to go. For a moment, he thought he felt the hammer twitch a bit but not even the supersoldier was able to raise Mjolnir in the end.
"Goddamn it!" Hawkeye swore. "I'm telling you it's some kind of trick!"
"Or perhaps it is as I've said before..." Thor picked up Mjolnir and swung it as though it weighed nothing. "None of you are worthy."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Alright, who else hasn't tried yet? How about your girlfriend there, Thor?"
Jane nearly spilt her drink before she waved off the idea. "Ex-girlfriend, Mr. Stark and no. I probably won't do any better than you guys did."
"Your intern then?"
"No thanks, dude." Darcy shook her head. "I already tried once before and it didn't even budge."
"So is that it? Nobody else?" Steve asked, looking around the room.
Hill glanced at Spider-Man...and deviously grinned. "Why don't you give it a shot, Peter?"
All eyes were on Peter now, who looked a little surprised at the idea. "Me? Uh, I don't know."
Falcon scoffed. "No offense, kid but I seriously doubt you're gonna be able to lift the damn thing."
"My Маленький паук's got the best chance out of all of us." Natasha coldly glared at Falcon before she gave Peter an encouraging smile. "You can do this."
"Seriously?" Clint asked, looking incredulous. "If none of us were able to lift Thor's hammer, what the hell makes you think the kid can?"
"How about a bet then, Barton? Five hundred bucks says Spidey will be able to raise Mjolnir." Maria challenged. She was confident that Peter could do it.
"You're on."
Sam raised his hand. "Make that a thousand bucks then...I still don't believe he'll be able to lift the hammer."
"Maria, a-are you sure?" Spidey asked, looking a little worried. He didn't want her to lose such a costly wager because of him.
"I'm certain." Hill reassured, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "You got this, Peter."
"Well...all right then. Here we go."
Wanda grasped Peter's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, calming his nerves a little. Peter smiled in thanks before he approached the awaiting Mjolnir. The others were watching closely as his hands gripped the handle.
Taking a deep breath, Peter pulled with all his strength...and almost hit himself in the head with Mjolnir as it swung through the air.
"Whoa, that was close." He whispered, giving the hammer a few swings. He hadn't expected the weapon to be so light.
Spider-Man looked up and noticed everyone was now staring at him. Natasha and Maria grinned proudly as they watched the young Spider with impressed eyes. Wanda stared at her best friend in awe while Jane's jaw nearly dropped at the sight. Darcy was just smiling as she took a photo with her phone.
Clint and Sam's reactions were similar to Jane's...only difference being that their eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their heads. Steve was silent as he looked on in disbelief. Tony was frantically asking FRIDAY if she recorded the whole thing and Thor simply had a proud look on his face.
"That's a thousand dollars you guys owe me." Hill said, smirking at Hawkeye and Falcon. "Pay up."
...
Chapter 5
...
Wanda covered her mouth as she let out a yawn. It was late into the night and most of the guests had already gone home after the party was over. Barton, Wilson, and Rogers were already in their rooms while Stark dozed on the couch next to Rhodes...who'd passed out hours earlier from their drinking contest against the God of thunder.
The two men were going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning.
Thor left not long after they all witnessed Peter lift Mjolnir. The only thing he said while leaving was that he'd return by dawn with a gift for her best friend in celebration of him being worthy. Maria and Natasha were showing Jane and Darcy their rooms after they decided to stay for the night. The young Sokovian woman was pretty tired herself and she was planning to go to bed soon.
She was just waiting for Peter, who was texting his Aunt to explain he'd be staying at the compound for tonight.
"All done." The young Spider mumbled before he put his phone away. "Sorry. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"Of course not." Wanda reassured as they walked together to her room. "What did May say?"
"She said it was okay for me to stay here. I just have to be home by dinner tomorrow. Did you enjoy the party tonight?"
The Scarlet Witch nodded with a grin. "It was nice meeting Dr. Foster and Darcy. They're very kind people. Watching you prove Barton and Wilson wrong by lifting Mjolnir was the best part though."
"I still can't believe that happened." He muttered. "I'm not even sure why the hammer thinks I'm worthy to wield it."
Wanda reached for Peter's hand and held it gently. "Maybe because it sees what Natasha and I see when we look at you...an amazing superhero who will grow to be the very best of us."
"...You really believe that?"
"I do."
Peter chuckled out of embarassment. "Thanks but don't sell yourselves short. You guys are my role models...half the reason why I chose to be Spider-Man is because I wanted to be just like all of you."
"That's sweet of you to say."
The two youngest Avengers looked to see Black Widow approaching them from the right with Maria behind her.
"...But Wanda's right." Natasha said, ruffling Peter's hazel hair. "You definitely have the potential to be the greatest hero of all time."
Spidey blushed at the Black Widow's praise. "Thanks, Tasha."
Hill playfully pinched Peter's cheeks with a grin. "You are so adorable...how did it feel to hold Mjolnir?"
"I thought it'd be heavier but I can see why Thor likes using it in battle. That hammer's pretty well balanced in terms of weight and power."
"Maybe you should try using Mjolnir on one of your patrols sometime."
"...Sounds a bit overkill, don't you think?"
Maria thought about it for a second. "Perhaps. Still, it couldn't hurt to have such a powerful weapon with you just in case."
"Maybe." Peter conceded before a yawn escaped his lips.
Natasha smirked. "Go to sleep, Маленький паук. We can talk more in the morning."
"You'll get no arguments from me. Good night, Tasha."
Black Widow ruffled Peter's hair once more before she left for her quarters. Maria bid them both good night and made her way to the room she was staying in.
"She's right. You should go to bed...after all, you're still a growing boy." The Scarlet Witch teased.
"Haha, very funny." Spidey muttered before he noticed her eyes were fighting to stay awake. "...Looks like you should get some sleep too."
"I guess so." Wanda leaned in and kissed Peter's cheek. "Good night, Peter."
"Sweet dreams, Wanda."
The Scarlet Witch smiled at her best friend before she closed her door. The young Spider returned to his room and removed his jacket. Lazily kicking off his shoes, Peter collapsed backwards onto the soft bed...falling asleep almost immediately after his head touched the comfy pillow.
...
"Peter?"
Spidey groaned as he reluctantly opened his eyes. Fortunately, the blinds were closed so no unnecessary sunlight was getting in...not when he wasn't fully awake yet.
"What's up, Friday?"
"I'm sorry for waking you up but it is currently nine in the morning." The A.I. said, lowering the volume of her voice. "Ms. Romanov is making breakfast and was wondering if you wished to join her?"
Peter sat up on his bed and yawned. "Tell her I'll be there shortly. I just gotta brush my teeth first."
"Will do."
The young Spider splashed some water on his face to help him wake up. Not wanting to keep Natasha waiting too long, he brushed his teeth quickly and changed into a pair of comfortable sweats and shirt before exiting his quarters.
"Good morning." Black Widow greeted, looking up from the frying pan in her hand.
"Morning. What's for breakfast? It smells really good."
"Just some scrambled eggs and bacon. Unlike you and May, I'm not that great of a cook."
"What? No, this is great! Aunt May and I are so busy in the morning, we usually only make toast or have cold cereal for breakfast."
Natasha chuckled. "Well, thank you. Now eat before it gets cold."
Peter obliged and dug into his breakfast, smiling in appreciation at the good taste of Black Widow's cooking. Natasha took a seat across from him and read her book as she nibbled on some bacon.
Wanda soon entered the kitchen with a sleepy look on her face. The Scarlet Witch was mumbling something in Sokovian as she sat beside Peter and tiredly put her head down on the table.
"Didn't sleep well?" He asked.
"I did." She muttered with her eyes closed. "Until my damn alarm clock decided to ring an hour earlier than usual."
"Let me guess. You threw your alarm clock at the wall out of annoyance."
"No...I just pulled it apart with my magic."
Peter paused for a second. "...Is it weird that I feel bad for the poor clock?"
Wanda quietly laughed as she moved her head up and rested her chin on Peter's shoulder. "Well, I suppose ripping it in half may have been too harsh."
"Here." Natasha said, placing a cup of hot green tea in front of her. "This should help wake you up."
"Thank you."
"You bet. Would you like something to eat?"
"Just a bit of toast, thanks. I'm not really hungry right now."
Black Widow nodded and moved to grab some toast from the fridge. Wanda took a long sip of the tea, savouring the warmth that the hot drink provided.
"So what are your plans for today?" She asked.
Peter took another bite of bacon before he answered. "...Not much. I'll probably patrol the streets after breakfast and come back for lunch. I'll hang around here until suppertime."
"After breakfast? Kind of early to be patrolling, isn't it?"
"Maybe." He shrugged. "But I have to make up for not doing so last night. It's not like the bad guys take a day off and I got to be there to stop them as much as I can."
"Well said, Peter." Hill said from behind, surprising the two youngest Avengers. "It's no wonder why Mjolnir deemed you worthy enough to wield it."
Maria sat down and kissed the top of Peter's head...not noticing the subtle glare Wanda was giving her. The young Spider just blushed, finishing the rest of his breakfast in a flustered fashion.
"So is Thor back yet?" She asked, greeting Natasha with a nod. "He said he'd be here by dawn with a gift."
Black Widow shook her head. "Not yet. I wonder what he plans to give Peter as a present?"
"...I just hope it's not Asgardian mead." Wanda said, having witnessed the God of thunder drink his preferred alcoholic beverage nonstop last night.
Colonel Rhodes unfortunately took one sip of it during their drinking contest...hence the reason why he passed out and still hasn't woken up yet. From how Thor explained it after Rhodes had collapsed, the rich taste was far too powerful for his mortal tongue to handle.
Maria frowned. "If it is, I won't let any of it get near Peter. He's not old enough to drink yet."
"It appears you will not have to worry about that, Commander Hill." FRIDAY's voice rang out above them. "Thor has just arrived and he does not have anything resembling the kegs he brought the Asgardian mead in on his person."
Soon as she finished saying that, Thor strode into the room with a joyful look on his face. Held in his hands was a box wrapped in blue cloth with a red bow tied on top.
"Greetings, my friends. I have returned." The son of Odin said before he looked around the room. "Where is everyone else?"
"Still asleep." Natasha informed. "Rhodes and Stark there are still unconscious from that little drinking contest you guys had yesterday."
"Ah, I see. It was a valiant effort on their part to try and outdrink me." Thor chuckled before he looked at Peter. "Man of Spiders! On behalf of Asgard, please accept this gift."
"Uh, thanks." The young Spider said, nervously taking the present. It felt really light in his hands. "But you didn't have to get me anything."
"Nonsense! You are the only mortal who's been deemed worthy to wield Mjolnir. The least I can do to honour such a feat is to give you a present all young warriors of Asgard receive."
Everyone crowded around Peter as he carefully unwrapped the red bow. Inside the box was a black sleeveless shirt with thin metal plates spread out evenly across the chest and abdomen area. Underneath the shirt were a pair of black pants and boots.
What stood out the most was the pair of silver vambraces...and etched in the centre of both was an intricate black Spider emblem with blue highlights around it.
"This is an Asgardian warrior's outfit, given to those who have completed their training. I had one custom made just for you." Thor explained.
Peter was speechless. "Wow...but do you really think I deserve this?"
"Of course! You have the heart and fighting spirit of a veteran warrior, young Parker. Try it on!"
"Go ahead, Маленький паук." Black Widow encouraged with a smile. "We're all curious to see how you look in Asgardian clothes."
Peter nodded and left to go change in another room, with Thor following so he could help him put it on. Darcy and Jane wandered into the kitchen not long after they left. The intern looked like she was still half-asleep but the good Doctor seemed fully awake in contrast. Much like Wanda earlier, Darcy took a seat and quickly put her head down on the table while her boss went to go make some coffee.
"Good morning." Jane politely greeted. "Where are Peter and Thor going? They seem to be in a hurry."
"Thor came back with some Asgardian clothes made for Peter." Maria answered. "They're just going to the next room so he can try them on."
Darcy perked up with a look of interest. "Seriously? That sounds pretty cool. I wonder what he'll look like?"
"It suits you, Man of Spiders! You look like a true warrior of Asgard!"
Everyone turned around at the sound of Thor's loud voice as he stepped back into the kitchen...seemingly alone.
"Where's Peter?" Jane asked, looking around the room.
The son of Odin smiled proudly. "He is right here."
Thor stepped aside, revealing a shy Peter Parker who'd been standing behind the God of thunder. The Asgardian clothes fitted the young Spider just right. His muscular arms were being shown off nicely, thanks to the lack of sleeves. Granted they weren't hulking biceps like that of Thor's but Peter's arms still looked well toned and strong nevertheless.
"Whoa..." Darcy whistled appreciatively as she took a photo with her phone. "Nice muscles there, dude."
Jane smiled as she nodded in approval. "I like it. It's a nice look for you."
Spider-Man nervously laughed. "Heh, thank you. "
"You look very handsome, Peter." Wanda praised, her face reddening as she admired her best friend's attractive looks. Like Darcy, she couldn't help but let her gaze linger on Peter's very fit arms.
Maria smirked. "Good-looking and cute...only you could pull off being both at the same time."
"Really?" Peter asked, checking himself in a nearby mirror. The webslinger didn't think he looked any different.
Natasha ruffled her Маленький пау's hair. "Definitely. You look good in those clothes, Peter."
"Indeed, young Parker. You do all of Asgard proud in donning the traditional outfit for a young warrior. Do you like it?"
Spider-Man nodded as he adjusted the vambraces. "Yeah, I do. I thought it'd be kind of heavy wearing this but it's light as a feather. What's the fabric made of?"
"A special kind of leather made in Asgard." Thor informed. "It's enchanted to help protect you from small attacks. The plates and vambraces are made of Uru, the same metal used to make my hammer."
"Wow...maybe you should wear this instead for your patrol today." Hill jokingly advised.
Hearing that helped Peter remember the tasks he had to complete for the day.
"Oh man, I better start my patrol now if I want to make it back in time for lunch." The webslinger said before turning to the God of thunder. "Thanks for the clothes, Thor. I really like it."
"You are very welcome, Man of Spiders!"
Peter waved to everybody before he left to change into his suit. Wanda followed her best friend to see if he needed any help.
"I think I'm missing something here..." Jane said, looking a little confused. "What does Peter mean by starting his patrol and why do you keep calling him Man of Spiders?"
Natasha looked at Thor with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't tell them?"
"I did not wish to reveal young Parker's secret identity without his blessing."
Maria sighed. "Well, I don't think Peter's going to have a problem if we tell them now. You really have to learn to be more discreet, Thor."
The son of Odin sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I shall remember to do so in the future."
...
Back in his room, Peter was in the midst of putting on the pants section of his suit. The present Thor gave him were already folded into a neat pile and placed in his closet. The Asgardian warrior outfit was one of the coolest gifts he's ever received and the young Spider couldn't wait to try them on again later.
Out in the hall, the Scarlet Witch knocked on his door. "Peter?"
"C'mon in."
Wanda entered the room and froze when she saw her best friend...half naked from the waist up. The tight suit he always wore showed his fit figure beautifully but this was the first time she'd ever seen him in his bare skin. Every inch of Peter's muscular body was rock solid and well defined...most notably his chest and abdominal muscles.
"You okay?"
Realizing that she'd been staring for quite a while, the young Sokovian woman quickly recomposed herself. "Y-yeah, I'm alright. Just came to see if you needed any help."
"No problems here." Peter said before he pointed to the left. "Could you grab my webshooters for me? They should be inside the table there."
Wanda nodded and moved to the table. Opening up one of the drawers, she pulled out what looked like a pair of highly advanced looking silver bracers.
"Are these it?" She asked, holding them up.
"Yep. Thank you."
She handed them over to Peter, who promptly slapped them onto his wrists. There was a clicking noise coming from the webshooters as they wrapped around his hands. Her best friend looked hilarious though...his suit was all loose and baggy.
Peter noticed her quietly laughing. "Is something on my face?"
"Nothing like that. Your suit just looks a little funny right now."
"Huh? Oh...you mean the bagginess." Her best friend said before he pushed the Spider emblem on his chest. The sound of something whirring could be heard before the suit suddenly tightened up, fitting around Peter perfectly.
"So that's how that works. I always wondered how you manage to suit up so quickly."
Peter smirked. "Yeah, Mr. Stark and I designed it this way. It would've been a hassle if I had to put on the suit one piece at a time."
The Scarlet Witch spotted his iconic red mask on the bed and picked it up. "You know I've always wanted to try this on at least once...may I?"
"Of course. Go ahead."
Wanda smiled as she pulled Peter's mask over her head. The mask's systems activated and tightened up to fit her head comfortably.
"So how do I look?" She asked, standing with her hands on her hips.
Peter chuckled and gave Wanda a thumbs up. Seeing her with his mask on while she wore a blue camisole and shorts made the pretty Sokovian woman look nothing less than adorable in a innocent sort of way.
Then again, the young Spider always thought she was both beautiful and cute no matter what point in time it was.
"Like a fellow Spider-hero. I guess we should start calling you the Scarlet Spider now." Peter quipped.
Wanda giggled as she took off the mask. "Combining my alias with yours...I like the sound of that. It's pretty clever."
She returned the mask to her best friend, who thanked her before he put it back on his head. The blank white lenses zoomed in and out a few times before they finally adjusted to their normal settings.
"All set. Friday, could you open the top window?"
"Of course."
The window on the ceiling of his room slowly slid open, letting in a rush of cool air from the outside. "Done. Kick ass out there, Peter."
Spider-Man smiled and stood ready to jump. "I will. Thanks, Friday."
"Wait."
Peter turned to his best friend...who suddenly looked nervous for some reason. "Wanda? What's up?"
The Scarlet Witch took a deep breath as she lifted Peter's mask halfway. Her heart was beating so fast she'd thought it might burst out of her chest. She had no idea where this sudden surge of courage was coming from but it didn't matter to the young Sokovian woman. She's been wanting to do this for a long time now and she wasn't going to let anything stop her.
"You alright?" Her best friend asked, sounding a little worried.
"I've never been better..." Wanda whispered before she leaned in and kissed Peter.
Spidey's eyes widened at the feeling of Wanda's soft lips pressed against his. The shock quickly dissipated though as Peter instinctively kissed her back. Her lips tasted sweet...like that of honey and peppermint mixed together.
Wanda was pleasantly surprised at how good of a kisser Peter was. She couldn't help but moan as her hands held onto his face, not wanting their kiss to end anytime soon.
After what seemed like an eternity, the need for air forced them to pull away from each other.
"Wow..." The young Spider whispered, his face blushing a deep red.
Wanda breathlessly smiled as she gave Peter another quick kiss. "Be careful out there, okay? We'll talk about this when you return."
Peter smiled back before he pulled the mask down. Giving her a playful salute, Spidey leapt out of the window and began to web-swing his way towards the city. He was looking forward to finishing his patrol quickly today.
Chapter 6
...
The Scarlet Witch let out a sigh of happiness as she sat on her best friend's bed. Her heart finally managed to build up the courage to kiss Peter and she enjoyed every second of it. It was a wonder why the young Spider had never dated before...Peter's kissing prowess alone could make any woman fall for him.
"Congratulations on sharing your first kiss with Peter, Ms. Maximoff." FRIDAY praised, her voice sounding cheerful. "How did it feel?"
"It was wonderful. I'm still a little breathless to be honest." Wanda said. Her face blushed a bright red as she remembered how good it felt to lock her lips with Peter's.
"Shall I inform Ms. Romanoff and the others of your newfound relationship with Peter?"
The young Sokovian woman thought for a moment before she shook her head. "No, not yet. We'll tell them ourselves when we're ready. Just keep it a secret for now."
"Understood. I shall keep this between us until you inform me otherwise."
"Thank you, FRIDAY." Wanda replied before her eyes spotted a framed picture on his nightstand.
Upon taking a closer look, she couldn't help but giggle. It was a photo of herself hugging Peter from behind as his mouth was stuffed with a forkful of pancakes Natasha had made that day.
"Come back safely, Peter." The beautiful Sokovian woman murmured as she held the framed photograph. Her fingers traced around the image of the young Spider. "I miss you already."
...
"You ever consider just getting a job so you can buy a car legally? Nah, probably not."
Spider-Man's fist tapped the back of the webbed-up car thief's head, knocking him out immediately. The tools in the now unconscious man's hands dropped and clattered onto the ground.
"Have you called the police?"
Karen's melodic voice sang out within his mask. "They are already on their way. We should depart before they arrive."
"Good thinking." Peter said before he swung away into the air.
This was the fourth car jacking he busted up in the last hour. Before that, he'd already stopped two robberies and a mugging attempt just minutes after arriving in the city.
"So much crime happening right now and it's barely even noon..." He muttered, landing on the top of a building. "I just don't get why these people think it's okay to better their lives at the expense of others."
"Their motives for breaking the law are varied but the important thing is that you've stopped them just in time before their criminal activities continued."
"Yeah, I guess. Thank you, Karen. You always know the right thing to say."
"You're very welcome, Peter." The A.I. said, sounding pleased. "Congratulations on your newfound relationship with Wanda by the way."
Peter sheepishly chuckled. "Heh...I guess you saw our kiss this morning, huh?"
"I did...plus you've been thinking about your kiss with Wanda nonstop. You must be very happy to finally know she returns your feelings."
"I am but it also makes me a little nervous." The young Spider admitted. "I've never had a girlfriend before."
"You're afraid that you might accidentally do something to ruin the relationship because of your inexperience in dating?"
"...Pretty much, yeah."
"Well, keep in mind you're the only one Wanda's desired to be with. This is her first time dating too and it's more than likely she's worried about the same thing." Karen reasoned, the tone of her voice seemingly one of comfort. "I highly doubt you'll ruin your relationship with her though. You're a kind-hearted young man and I know you would never do anything to hurt Wanda."
That brought a smile to Peter's face...it was times like this he really wished he could give his A.I. partner a hug. "Thanks, Karen. You really are the best, you know that?"
"I am always here for you, Peter." She said warmly. "I-oh. There's an incoming phone call."
"From who?"
"It's your Aunt May. Shall I patch her through?"
"Go ahead...Hello?"
"Peter!" May's kind voice filled his mask's audio receptors."How did the party go last night?"
The webslinger just shrugged. "Eh, it was okay. Do you remember Thor? He came back yesterday and brought over a couple of his friends."
"Really? That must've been quite a surprise. How is he?"
"Thor says things have been really busy in Asgard. His father ordered him to take a break, hence why he came back to see us. Othe than that, he's still the same happy pop-tart loving Norse God of thunder."
She giggled at her nephew's funny description of Thor. "I'm glad to hear he's doing well...I trust you didn't drink at this party, right?"
Peter just smirked behind his mask. "Not a drop of alcohol touched my lips, May. I know better than to risk getting scolded by you."
"Smart thinking."
"Heh...so is there something you need?"
"Oh, that's right. Could you pick up some eggs and milk on your way home? We ran out yesterday."
"Uh, yeah. I'll swing by the grocery store on the way back."
"Great!" May said, smiling on the other line. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Alright. I love you."
"I love you too, Peter. Bye."
"See you later." The young Spider replied before Karen hanged up for him. "Now I'm really glad I didn't drink last night. I would've hated to lie to Aunt May about it."
"You've considered consuming an alcoholic beverage?"
Peter snorted out of bemusement. "The one time I tried, it was a shot of whiskey...and it tasted like muddied water to me. I've stayed away from alcohol since then."
It happened when he was nine...and the funny thing was that he drank it by accident. He had mistaken the glassed drink for iced tea after having just played outside and downed the beverage in an attempt to quench his thirst. Needless to say, the bad taste that met his tongue made him spit it out immediately just before his Uncle came back into the room. The confused and shocked look on Ben's face was humourously memorable when he asked why he just drank his shot of whiskey.
Karen giggled within his mask. "Looks like you were always an adorable guy from the start."
"Um, thanks." Peter blushed a little before he stood up and stretched his arms. "What time is it anyways?"
"It is currently eleven twenty."
"What, seriously? I feel like I just got started."
"Well, you have been working pretty hard since you arrived. You probably just lost track of time." The A.I. pointed out.
"Oh...that makes sense." Spidey said, nodding at her logic. "Well, I think we have time for one more look around before we go back for lunch."
"I'm ready when you are, Peter."
Spider-Man grinned behind the mask as he casually stepped off the ledge. Freefalling down the tall building at rapid speeds, Peter fired a web-line just before he could hit the ground and swung himself high into the air...keeping an eye out for the safety of the people below with his heightened sense of sight.
...
Half an hour later...
The webslinger gracefully landed on the outside walls of the compound and wall-crawled into his quarters from one of the windows that FRIDAY had opened beforehand. Peter dropped down from the ceiling, pulling off his mask before he pressed the spider emblem on his chest.
His suit immediately loosened up and the young Spider took it off with ease. Taking care to fold it properly, Peter placed his suit and mask back into it's specialized suitcase. He quickly threw on a pair of comfortable sweats and t-shirt before his stomach suddenly growled.
"Sounds like someone's hungry."
Peter turned around to see Wanda grinning as she stood by his doorway. The Scarlet Witch slowly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Spider-Man.
"Welcome back." She said softly. "I've missed you."
Peter held her close with a smirk. "I've only been gone for a few hours."
Her lips pouted. "That's far too long for you to be away from me...you should know Darcy and Dr. Foster are now aware that you're Spider-Man."
"What? How did they-"
"Maria and Natasha told them after they figured it out from Thor and the way he addresses you." She explained. "But don't worry, they promised not to tell anyone and that they'll keep your secret identity to themselves."
Her best friend let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. I'll have to thank Jane and Darcy later when I see them...I'm guessing Thor calling me the 'Man of Spiders' was what gave it away?"
"That and Jane got kind of suspicious when you mentioned you were going to start your patrol this morning. It didn't take her long to put two and two together."
The young Spider just shook his head with a impressed chuckle as they sat down on his bed. Wanda clasped Peter's hands in hers and held on with a firm but gentle grip.
"So...how long have you felt this way about me?" He asked, breaking the silence.
The beautiful Sokovian woman smiled as her face reddened a bit. "I've been in love with you for a long time, Peter...probably since we've first met. I didn't realize it back then but you've always been more than just my best friend. Just being with you has always made me feel safe and happy."
"...You know when I first met you, I couldn't believe that such a beautiful woman like yourself wanted to be friends with a geek like me."
"What, why?"
"Most girls tended to avoid me for most of my life because they thought I was a nerd. I guess I was just afraid you would've thought the same thing."
"Those girls are idiots then." She said, frowning at the stupidity of such people. "There's nothing wrong with you being smart. It's one of the many reasons why I like you."
Peter looked into her eyes and nervously smiled. "Wanda Maximoff...will you be my girlfriend?"
"...You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to ask me that." Wanda whispered before she gave Peter a loving kiss. "Yes, Peter Parker...I love you."
The Scarlet Witch laid on top of Spider-Man as she gently pushed him down onto the bed. Caressing the side of her face, Peter leaned in to kiss Wanda again. The beautiful Sokovian woman shuddered in delight at the feeling of his lips pressed against hers and she eagerly kissed Peter back.
Their lips remained locked together for a long while...until the need for air finally caught up to them both and they reluctantly parted.
"I love you too, Wanda." Peter breathed out, his forehead touching hers.
Wanda happily smiled and was about to kiss Peter again when they heard something grumble loudly. The young Spider sheepishly scratched the back of his head as his stomach growled again out of hunger.
"Uh, sorry. I completely forgot it's lunchtime now."
The beautiful Sokovian woman just giggled at the cute expression on her boyfriend's face. Getting up from the bed, Wanda wrapped her arm around Peter's before they left the room.
"C'mon, let's get you fed. Natasha and Maria are probably waiting for us anyways."
...