Peter winced, stretching his back as carefully as possible. It still burned horribly. If only he had managed to avoid the Lizard's claw in the last bout, he wouldn't have this problem. Gwen had gone and bandaged him, but it still was a horrible pain. He had no idea how he was going to sneak this by his parents.
He took the stairs, telling Jarvis to be quiet and let him sneak in. He shut the door silently behind him, making a valiant attempt at getting to his room.
"Why did you tell Jarvis not to tell us you were home when you still have an hour and a half until curfew?"
Peter cursed the AI, and slowly turned around. Pops looked worried, while Dad just looked annoyed.
"Peter, were you trying to avoid us for-" Pops' voice cut off as he saw the corner of Peter's face, slightly bruised from being thrown around. Peter swallowed hard. "Peter, what is that?" Pops was in his face within a matter of seconds, turning his head this way and that.
"Pops! Stop!" he complained, tugging his head away. Pops looked at him with wide, worried eyes.
"Peter, are you being bullied?"
Oh crap. Peter had no idea whether he'd rather they think that then know the truth. Pops was so against bullying. He might just flip out.
"Steve, he's not being bullied. He would tell us. Right Peter?" Dad was always taking his side, giving him a way out. Peter swallowed hard.
"I-No. I'm not being bullied…but….I have to tell you something." He led him to sit next to his Dad. Then he stood in front of them. They stared up at him expectantly. "I-Nope." He shook his head. God, it was like telling Gwen all over again, except ten times worse. "Never mind." He attempted.
"Peter." In sync. Lovely. He exhaled in one big huff of breath.
"I-" he paused. This probably wasn't the best way to go about it, but… Peter reached down, lifting his shirt off, then he turned around. The bandages were there, but blood was spilling through.
"Holy shit!"
"Peter!"
He felt his Dad's hands skimming over his back, tracing the marks, while Pops slipped around to his front, looking into his eyes.
"Peter, what did you do?" he questioned.
"Have you guys heard of that new villain in town? The Lizard?" Their synchronized intakes of breath assured him that they had.
"Oh Peter…we're so sorry. Fury wanted to leave that new vigilante in town, Spiderman, after him, so he could know if he was good enough for the Avengers…Peter, we should have taken care of the Lizard…Spiderman obviously can't handle him." Peter flushed.
"Steve…Spiderman can handle the Lizard just fine." Steve glared over Peter's head at Tony, but he was still tracing the lines in Peter's bandages.
"Obviously not if civilians are getting injured by him." Tony shook his head, and Peter knew that he realized.
"Steve…no civilians have been injured by the Lizard." Steve's brow furrowed.
"Tony. Then what do-" Steve cut himself off with a gasp. He looked at Peter with all new eyes. His Dads weren't stupid. They could put two and two together.
"Dads…" Peter trailed off. He really didn't know what to say, so he would wait for them to speak. It took a few moments.
"Peter…" Steve heaved a sigh, "Okay. Okay." He nodded, "I….I am proud of you. I'm upset that you didn't tell us and that you went out with next to no training….but I understand how you feel and I accept it." Steve nodded. Tony raised an eyebrow at him, disbelief evident.
"Yea…no. I'm proud and everything, but that's kind of being overshadowed by the overwhelming rage I feel right now." Tony laughed lightly, "Yeah…" he looked down, "I am seriously pissed. I can't…how could you not tell anyone?"
Peter swallowed. This was…okay. He was expecting more screaming and refusals to let him continue being Spiderman.
"I…I told Gwen….and Harry….and…..Aunt Natasha." He mumbled the last one, knowing Tony would be upset and hoping he wouldn't hear.
No such luck.
"Natasha knew?! And she didn't tell us?!" Tony gaped at him, before scoffing, "She always was on your side in everything. You two always did have your little secrets…" he trailed off to an end. Steve was still silent, but his brow was furrowed.
"Natasha…she let you go out….with no training?" Steve questioned. Peter shook his head.
"I…okay, first I should explain. Last month when Gwen, Harry, and I visited that science lab, I got separated and accidently got bitten by a genetically mutated spider. A couple hours after that, I got this…tingling sensation telling me when danger was happen, faster reflexes, and super strength…I created the web compound and the web shooters…" he noted Tony's eyes light up and made note to exploit that, "And Natasha taught me some hand to hand combat." He finished. He waited for them to comprehend that.
"Okay…" Steve said slowly, "Okay. We're not going to stop you, because we know how it feels to help people. But, you are going to take a short break-"
"The Lizard!" Peter interrupted. Tony nodded impatiently.
"Fine. A short break. You're going to let Bruce look into the changes in your genetics. You're going to let me make you a better suit and show me those web shooters. You're going to let your father teach you some fighting skills that aren't for super spies. You're going to get Clint to explain to you how to tell stable roofs from unstable roofs, because from what I've seen on Spiderman, you need help with that. You're going to let Thor show you how to use strength over agility. And you're even going to let Loki put some protective healing shit on you." Tony crossed his arms, "All that, or you're not leaving this house ever again."
"And you'll talk to Director Fury about the Avengers." Steve chipped in. Peter grinned at that one. "Don't look to excited!" Steve objected and Tony snorted.
"Seriously. Fury will probably refuse you entry simply because you're my spawn." Tony grinned. Peter chuckled.
"Hopefully the fact that Pops is the other half he'll at least consider me." Peter smiled, "Thank you!" he threw his arms around them, seemingly just realizing that he was not going to be punished.
Yeah, they put that idea to crap soon enough.
"Oh, and Peter? You're grounded for…forever." Steve smiled happily at him. Peter groaned.
Lovely.
R & R. Don't really like this one, but eh, a prompt fill.