Synopsis: AU in which Spider-Man has been swinging around NY, saving people, and webbing up criminals for a short while. He has gotten to know and work with all the other street level heroes while the Avengers are off dealing with bigger, more global threats. Then suddenly an offer is made to him. A friend of his calls him over for lunch to have an important talk regarding this offer.

A/N: This cheesy little one-shot is packed with references and written in the first person for 99.9% of it (1 line is in third-person at the end). Got this idea right after finishing Netflix's phenomenal Daredevil series. No major spoilers though.

Disclaimer: I own none if these beloved Marvel characters.

:Great Opportunity:

Yet another cloudy day this fine afternoon in Manhattan, and it's Saturday! No school for good ol' Peter Parker. I swing in between the buildings as per usual; a bounce off the window here, a triple flip there, and a free fall whenever I get high enough. I love those. It's the closest feeling I get to flying.

Anyways, I got a call from my colleague; said he wanted to meet me for lunch. We're becoming really close friends. We kinda have to, because we're always running into each other and the dude can sense just about every little thing about me, even when I'm wearing day's old underwear. Plus, he's got a cool red costume. Not as cool as mine but still, team reds gotta stick together. Actually, he's rockin' the body armor. I should get body armor…nah, don't need it. Bullets never even graze me thanks to my spidey-sense and all.

Whew! Made it to the construction site, I'm starving. As I leap and zip up in between the metal jungle gym I quickly realize the place is vacant. Day off. Huh, no wonder my buddy chose this spot to chill. Speaking of which…

"Hey there you handsome little devil."

The man without fear sits on a steel beam about a good 500 feet above ground. He's in full costume, having himself a nice burrito. I land on my two feet right next to him.

"Hello, Peter." He said nonchalantly.

Did he just?

"Dude! Superhero Bro-code remember? No blurting out my secret identity."

"No one can hear us up here."

"Oh yeah, how do you know?"

"…" He gave me a blank stare.

Then I remembered all his heightened senses. He could tell if someone was close long before my spider-sense would go off. Also…we're way the hell up here!

"Oh…right. Heh hehh," I chuckled embarrassingly.

He reaches into a brown paper bag by his side. "I got you something."

Nice! He handed me a warm burger. I read the logo as I do away with the silver wrapping, realizing this was too nice of a gesture. "A double from my favorite burger joint…we're gonna have a talk aren't we?"

"Have a seat."

I did so, swinging my dangling feet off the edge. I pulled my mask up over my nose, exposing my mouth to take a big bit out of the juicy, American broiled treasure. Ah, the melted cheese and sauce get me every time. Whatever serious talk we were about to have, it was worth it.

"Papa Cage couldn't make it for this lecture?"

He finished up his protein burrito. "No, he's currently enjoying some quality time with Jessica."

"Ah those two crazy kids. They're so cute together. You know I always said-"

"Why haven't you accepted the offer?"

He knew I was stalling. With these skills, why doesn't he win more cases? Naturally I still tried to dance around the subject.

"Mm? Why so positive that I haven't?" I took another bite. Taste buds have never been happier.

My buddy looks forward at the cityscape. "Because you've kept yourself extremely occupied as of late, as if you're avoiding something. You've even gone poking your nose into Hell's Kitchen."

He wasn't wrong. Man, he's good!

"I thought you enjoyed our pow wow team-ups?"

"I do. But I also want what's best for you."

"Really dad?" I sparked in a kiddy voice.

"I'm being serious, Peter."

Alright…he's not gonna let up, I might as well be honest. He can tell when I'm lying. Halfway done with my lunch, I set it down on my lap.

"Okay, look, I just don't know about it yet. I don't wanna rush into things."

"But they see something in you."

"Probably just my powers." I fiddle around with the crinkled wrapping.

"It's not just that. There are more and more gifted individuals popping up around New York these days. Yet they want to recruit you."

That's true: Me, Matt, Cage, Jessica, Danny, and who knows how many others are out there with powers. But the superheroes who offered me the chance of a lifetime; the ultimate team; the first ones who kicked it all off. They're just way out of my league. How do I explain that to Matt?

"I'm just a kid from Queens."

"Rogers was just a kid from Brooklyn."

"I'm not Captain America." I begin to shoot out excuses. "Besides, there's still so much to do here. Crime on the streets hasn't gone away as much as we'd like it to. And Kingpin's out of prison. Ugh, we almost had him!" I slammed my fist into my palm.

Matt remained rather calm despite his intense history with the tubby, crime lord. He always knows how to keep his cool.

"Fisk will unfortunately still be here. He'll fall soon enough. But offers like yours go just as quickly as they come."

I pick up my burger and chomp down. I make sure to chew slowly. But there's no prolonging this. "They're all grownups, Earth's Mightiest Heroes, skilled, experienced. I haven't been doing this for very long." I wipe my mouth clean.

"No, yet even at your young age you've handled yourself better than the rest of us, and have managed to make this city a better place. Despite what the Bugle says, you've quickly become a symbol of hope, a symbol I could never be. Children even cheer your name. They look up to you, Peter."

His words speak to me, but I clearly don't have the same faith in myself that he does.

"I don't know, Matt…I mean before I got bit, I was a little kid too and I looked up to those guys. I loved learning about the ultimate underdog, Steve Rogers, in history class. Wishing I could, one day, invent something awesome like Tony Stark did. They're the reason I got the guts to put on a suit in the first place. And then I kept doing it because…"

"Because with great power…"

He remembered…he remembered what I told him that one time we were working a big case together. The quote that defines me…uncle Ben's last words.

"Yeah…"

He faces my general direction. "Wise words…your uncle was a good man."

"He was…"

I still miss him. Again, I haven't been doing this for too long so I still recall everything. I'll never forget, and I'll never forget his words. And I'll sure as hell never let anything like that happen again. I had the power but I did nothing, and uncle Ben paid the price. Now I'll always take responsibility. Wait…am I…in some way doing 'nothing' again by not joining?

"Peter…" He goes on in the most sincere voice. "People like us, who've lost so very much…loved ones. We rarely get a chance to make things right or to even prove ourselves."

We've both lost loved ones. His dad…his dad was all he had, and he felt responsible too. But he was left all alone. At least I had my Aunt and Uncle. Boy, does law school Murdock know just what to say to get me really thinking. He never talks down to me either. His calm tone; the way he articulates; he speaks to me with genuine understanding. He speaks to me like a…friend.

"So you're pretty much saying I should take the offer."

"I'm saying…you have saved countless lives, and you'll save countless more. But now you have a great opportunity to save the world; perhaps even the whole universe."

"Yeah, no, that's not intimidating, like at all."

"It is very intimidating, but you can take it. I know you can. And you know it too. Again, even at such a young age, compared to the rest of us, you were always far more-"

I couldn't help been finish with a conceited little remark. "Amazing?"

Hah! I made him crack a small smile. "Yes, but fighting alongside the likes of the Avengers; they can train you, guide you, be the mentors you need to grow up and become something…" He looks over to the city. "Spectacular."

So glad he can't see the goofy smile across my face. "The Spectacular Spider-man? I like the sound of that."

"Don't let it get to your head."

He's right. He's just absolutely right. I'm hesitant because I'm scared. But I can't let fear dictate my life decisions. If I do this…I can be the best I can ever be. I can make uncle Ben proud. No more being a pansy. Time to take a cue from the Daredevil himself.

I pull my mask down and stand up tall, looking over the city. Way off in the distance, I see Avengers Tower. I see my future. "…looks like I'm gonna be the freshman all over again."

"Aren't you already a freshman?"

After I've finally made my decision, he felt my mood lighten up and makes a joke. He actually made a joke. I place my hands on my hips and lean in with sass. "Ahem, I'm a sophomore, thank you very much."

He chuckled. "I'm proud of you, Peter. We all are."

"Even Cage?"

"Yes," He chuckled again, "even Cage." He nodded with a smile.

Cage is always hard on me and making fun of my tights, but I guess it's only because he cares.

"Aww, I guess I better fess up and tell him I was to one who borrowed his sweet ride when he was tearin' through Harlem looking for it."

"You stole his car?"

"Don't you have super hearing? I clearly said 'borrowed'."

"Why would you do such a reckless thing?"

"There was this redhead I was trying to impress."

"Teenagers," He scoffed, shaking his head amusingly.

"Well I highly advise against your confession. There are some things you don't have to take responsibility for; especially when it comes to Luke Cage."

I give him a little salute, not that he could see it. Or maybe he can, I don't know. For someone who's blind, he can see better than most. "Good call, mister attorney. And um…" I think about everything he said. If it wasn't for him calling me up here for this talk, I'd probably still be on the fence about this. I couldn't get rid of this goofy smile of gratitude off my face. And the way he was smiling back, I'm assuming he could tell. "Thanks."

"Happy to help."

After the touching Hallmark moment, I scan for the nearest tall building.

"I'll be sure to swing by every now and then."

"I'm certain you will." He grinned.

I wrap up the burger he got for me and web it to my thigh. I'll finish this baby later. I extend my arms and fall, welcoming the windy rush. When close enough, I shoot out a line of webbing to the closest tall building and swoosh across at incredible speed.

"Woo!"

I keep swinging through the city, blocks away from the construction site.

Daredevil smiles proudly as the young, red and blue hero ventures off into the next chapter of his life. "Good luck, Spider-man."

I swoop low enough across an open electronics shop that was blasting a chill remix of 'Coming Home'. How fitting.

I sing along being the dork that I am. "I know my kingdom awaits, and they've forgiven my mistakes. I'm comin' home, I'm comin' home, tell the world I'm comin'!"

That beautiful song keeps playing in my head as I make my way over to the Avengers.

~End~