Damian Robinson stirred the artificially yellow macaroni and cheese with his oversized ladle and, as usual, he couldn't help wishing for a break in the monotony. He worked in one of ESU's cafeterias three times a week to help pay for college. While it paid better than most of the jobs on campus, it was painfully boring.

Every day, as he stood behind the food counter, he wished for a little taste of excitement.

Damian thrived on the surprise and thrill of never knowing what was coming. He had always wanted to try skydiving – and although he loved the idea of the adrenaline rush, he was too chicken to actually jump out of a plane. Two semesters ago he started taking improv classes. He loved the spontaneity of it and that you always had to think on your feet. Improv had the thrill, the rush – all without jumping out of a plane.

He wasn't bad at it either and he'd done a couple performances with a group on campus. While it was fun hobby, Damian doubted that acting was in his future. He knew it was a tough profession to make a living at. Moreover, he wanted to do something meaningful with his life. Acting, while glamorous, seemed somewhat vain. His family had always taught him that he was here on Earth to make a difference, in whatever small way he could.

He was hoping to choose a career that would provide the adrenaline rush he loved while also making a difference in the world.

Eventually, he considered journalism, specifically television journalism. It had everything he wanted – the thrill of never knowing where or when news would break combined with the rush of being in front of a live camera. There was the added benefit that Damian could sleep at night knowing that a truly good journalist exposed injustice and fought for truth.

His career was still a little ways off – he was only a sophomore, after all. For now, Damian would have to settle for taking journalism classes at ESU, and in between, serving whatever the cafeteria cooked up.

Today, like most days, he wasn't paying much attention to the people that passed through the food line. Most of them were his classmates and he felt mildly embarrassed to be working in the cafeteria - even if it was one of the better paying student jobs. He tried not to meet people's eyes and remain somewhat distant as the people went by.

Damian snapped out of his haze when he recognized Peter Parker making his way through the line.

Peter never ate in this cafeteria. Damian suspected that he rarely ate in any of the cafeterias - he just wasn't on campus that often and Damian knew the reason why.

He first met Peter Parker last semester. Well, it would be wrong to say that he 'met' him. They were both in Journalism 101, the intro class, but Peter was hardly ever there. He'd only seem him once or twice in class and never really gave him much thought. At first the professor praised Peter and made him stand up in front of everyone – he already had more journalism experience than any of the other students with his job at The Bugle. But after he missed several classes, the teacher, and most of the students, mistook it for arrogance and laziness.

It wasn't until a certain train ride that Damian drastically reevaluated his opinion of Peter.

It was funny how every day he had wished for something to break the monotony of everyday life. He definitely got his wish that day. While Damian was always hoping for something exciting, he never wanted anyone to actually get hurt.

After Spider-Man stopped the train, Damian made his way through the crowd to get a closer look at the unmasked hero. He was shocked to recognize the face of his classmate. Damian could have sworn that Peter met eyes with him and maybe even recognized him from class.

His suspicions were confirmed a few weeks after the incident when Peter finally showed up again for class. Damian had approached him but Peter awkwardly avoided him as he rushed out of class.

Damian could tell that Peter didn't want to talk about it or bring attention to himself.

Still, Damian needed to speak with him. Enough time had passed now – it had almost been a year. And no one from the train had exposed him so far, so maybe he'd be more trusting.

Damian turned to his supervisor, "Can I take my break now?"

His supervisor nodded. "You got five minutes."

Damian saw Peter sitting alone at a table near the door. He approached him cautiously and mumbled, "Uh, hi."

Not the most brilliant introduction but he wanted to seem humble and unthreatening.

"Hi," Peter replied.

"We had Intro to Journalism together," Damian continued.

"Yes, we did," Peter replied.

"Can I sit with you?"

Peter clutched his tray tighter. "I guess."

"I can't stay. I've got to get back to the lunch line – but I wanted to introduce myself." He offered his hand to shake. "Damian Robinson."

"Peter Parker."

"I just want you to know… I got your back."

"I'm sorry?"

"I appreciate all that you do, you know, and if you ever need anything… let me know. I can't offer much, maybe just notes from class or something like that. But if there is anything… you let me know."

"I'm not sure I understand…"

Damian's lips curled into a smile. "I just thought that you should know that there are people out there who are really thankful and want to help… I bet you don't get thanked much?"

"No… no, I don't."

"I've got to get back to work. But it was good talking to you, Peter."

He didn't think Peter was going to say anything more so he started to get up from his seat. Before he walked away he heard Peter reply quietly, "It's nice."

"I'm sorry?"

"To be thanked."

Damian smiled in return.

As he made his way back to the cafeteria, Damian thought about what had happened that day on the train while they were waiting for the authorities to get them down from the tracks.

For a moment after seeing his face, Damian realized that this was the kind of thing that could break him into the journalism world – but he didn't want his start to come like this. He wanted integrity, class. So he quickly dismissed the thought from his mind.

After Doc Ock returned and took Spider-Man away, Damian heard the hushed whispers of the surrounding passengers. None of them recognized Spider-Man the way he had, as far as he could tell, but he knew that the hero's identity was still in jeopardy.

It was in that instant, perhaps seizing a much coveted thrill or maybe it was his subconscious desire to be like Spider-Man and help another in need, that Damian decided to put his improv skills to the test.

"Yo, everybody. Listen up."

He stood up on the seats of the train car and tried to look menacing as he continued, "Look. Anyone says anything about this, anyone says we saw Spider-Man's face, then I'm gonna find you. I know people, I can find out where you live and I will hunt you down. So you better not tell nobody, not the police, not your friends, not even yourself, that you saw Spider-Man without his mask. Spider-Man don't need any more trouble. So if I find out you've been talkin', I will make you wish you never were born."

He hoped his tough front would be enough to convince the passengers not to talk. Truth be told, he had grown up in the suburbs and he'd never been in a fight unless you could a shoving match in third grade. He was young and black – which was usually enough to scare some people – but he hoped his act would be enough to at least make the others think twice before talking.

As Damian found his way back to the cafeteria lunch line, he realized that his improv skills must be pretty good. He'd never heard about anyone from the train mentioning what they had seen.

Damian hadn't approach Peter to tell him what he had done for him. Peter saved people everyday and never took any credit. Damian just wanted him to know, if he ever needed him, that he had his back.

AN: Special thanks to htbthomas and Mark C. I've got one more chapter planned and that will hopefully (fingers crossed) be up in the next few weeks. Thank you to all who have stayed with me through this series of one shots. Your support means so much to me!