Later that day after two stopped robberies, three muggers apprehended and one sweet old lady crossing the street safely, Spiderman sat on the roof of a tall building. His legs dangled carelessly over the edge and a familiar feeling of peace flashed through him as he felt his hair ruffle in the breeze watching the sunset.
Peter loved to come up to this rooftop. Whether it was watching the sun setting or beginning to rise, the building offered such a great view and was a place of comfort for Peter. He could watch over the whole city from here, his own apartment building lingered in the distance and it provided a great place to store his rucksack when he was on patrol. It was the rooftop of a decrepit old abandoned building where the only access was through a broken down stairwell which was near impossible to get up. Unless you could climb walls of course. He could leave his bag here safely so that it was protected from the rain and thieves while he was busy.
Peter took a few minutes to bask in the peace a little while longer before his spidey senses flickered to life and could faintly hear commotion from an attempted mugging in the distance a few blocks from the roof.
Peter had just finished webbing the man against a wall in an alley when his spider-sense began to tingle again. It was an odd feeling, although he could feel the presence of people behind him it wasn't so much an aura of danger rather than caution. Peter glanced behind him warily into the darkness contemplating if he should just leave or address the instinct.
'Screw it, I'm supposed to be brave right,' he thought to himself, 'so what if talking to strangers in dark alleys goes against every lesson I was taught as a child. "Be brave Peter,'' he muttered to himself, slightly hysterical.
"I know you're there," He said loudly, trying to be confident and disguise the crack in his pubescent voice.
"Hey, we're just here to talk spidey," freaking Iron man said as he walked out from the alley, the rest of the avengers appearing out from behind him.
Peter couldn't believe it, he felt himself gasp for breath in shock. He hoped belatedly later that they didn't see the way his jaw fell wide open, that would be so embarrassing.
But seriously emerging from before him was Captain America, Iron Man, and War machine! It was insane.
"W-w-what, umm" he cleared his throat, trying to speak in a deeper tone'.
Cautiously he began "what can I do for you".
His body tensed as he felt the presence of another creep up behind him. A puddle on the ground betrayed the blurry figure of Black widow and looking up he could see the profile of the archer Hawkeye on a building in the distance out the corner of his eye.
'Damn' he thought, his head throbbing as he began to panic. An ambush.
"Look we need to bring you in Spiderman" Captain America said calmly to him, his hands lifting in a placating manner to indicate they didn't want to 'harm' him. "We just want to talk, understand a little about where you got your powers from, what you're about"
"Hey I haven't done anything wrong, im just your friendly neighborhood spiderman" Peter squeaked out in Protest. Steve seemed amused by this, the others looking on curiously, although Black widow still crept closer behind his back.
"Okay. Look '' Captain America began again. "I have nothing against what you're doing, we just need to know where your powers are from, who you're working with? Maybe you could even join us? You're starting to pop up on S.H.I.E.L.D'S radar and trust me that's not gonna be good for you, we can help you if you come with us."
'Oh Man', thought Peter panicking. He knew that S.H.I.E.L.D had been sending people out recently, he and Ned had managed to cover up Peter's tracks but he didn't know it was that bad.
He couldn't go with them or let them know who he was, he needed to protect May! And his identity!
Plus, a small voice said, the avengers won't protect you, they work for S.H.I.E.L.D, they won't betray them for you. What if they experiment on you, lock you up in some bunker.
Spiderman's eyes betrayed him, he tried to force his body to remain casual as though considering Roger's offer however his eyes shot around nervously looking for escape routes. His hand raised and body tilted preparing to use his web-shooters if needed. He could feel Black Widow raising her hand behind him while Captain America shot looks to others in the alley and War Machine spoke hushedly into the comm. Peter could hear him ordering Hawkeye to be ready for an attempt to escape.
"Look Spiderboy'' Iron man spoke, smirking slightly at the muffled protest of 'man' from spidey. "Were not really taking no for an answer here"
Suddenly Peter's senses flared up dangerously and he had a split second to dodge, flipping backward hastily before black widow shot what looked to be a tranquilizer dart at him from her gun. He could hear the muffled 'shit' from Iron man as he dodged and shot an angry look at the avengers. He shook his head at them in disappointment, feeling strangely betrayed even though he had no reason to trust them truly. He had felt a certain kinship with them, they all had powers which made them different from other people in this world.
'stupid Peter' he thought to himself. He needed to get away, keep his identity a secret.
" You just wanted to talk huh" he accused. Captain America bowed his head down in shame briefly from the acknowledged betrayal of his actions from his original words.
Peter instead focused and got ready. He felt Black widow approaching once again from behind him. Unexpectedly he, using the piles of rubble and trash behind him kicked it at her, distracting her before he gave her a firm kick to the stomach, slamming her hard into the wall of the alley. Peter winced at the sight of her briefly in guilt before using his webs to bind the closest avenger, War Machine to the wall as he began climbing the walls of the alley in retreat.
Captain America and Hawkeye gave chase and followed him running along the rooftops behind him, while Iron man took to the skies, Peter slung around from building to building with his webs as they chased him. Peter swung trying to dodge and avoid arrows from Hawkeye while shooting webs at the avengers in return. He managed to evade them for a while longer before the distraction of a shot from Iron man close to the wall beneath him distracted him and he cut his arm rather nastily on a pipe sticking out from the roof of the building he was climbing. Peter collapsed over the edge of the rooftop gasping for breath as he saw Captain America and Iron Man appear seconds later having caught up.
"Please, leave me alone. I really need to go, I'm not trying to hurt anyone" he said earnestly.
"I believe you, but we can't let you leave," Steve said, seeming to regret the state of the vigilante's arm before clearing his expression so that Peter could see the determination to complete this mission come through.
"You can't 'let' me leave, you're dont 'let' me do anything Grandpa" Peter scoffed snarkily at him. He was way too tired for this.
He could hear the laughter from Iron man and Hawkeye in the distance at his comment and the brief surprise on the captain's face but he didn't care.
He was already recovering from bruised ribs from some mugger earlier and this cut hurt like a bitch, he sealed the gushing blood using his webs. Plus, well, he really needed to return before May got home!
Iron man began to walk hesitantly towards him, while he couldn't read his expression through the armor he could see the man didn't really care about this apparent 'mission' and flushed in embarrassment as his idol walked towards him.
Iron man walked up to the spiderthing laying pathetically on the floor, looking at his wound before sighing, "Sorry about this kid. Please just come with us, no one needs to get hurt, just let us help you okay".
Peter couldn't help but trust the man, something about him just felt honest and Peter really was tired, he hesitantly began to nod along sitting up however suddenly his senses flared and his hand shot out harshly to catch an arrow by hawkeye, another tranquilizer he deduced as he snapped it and threw it to the side. He couldn't believe it! That one actually did hurt, he thought, retreating angrily from Iron man. Later he would think it through and recall the curses Iron Man and Captain America shot through the comm toward Hawkeye for something that wasn't planned, however for now at this moment Peter truly was pissed at this man, his idol for lying to him.
'So Sorry about this' He said mocking Iron man's earlier words as he lept up suddenly.
Peter shot forward in a startling move of agility which would later reluctantly serve to impress the team when watching the footage later.
He snatched the Captain's shield out of his hands with his web and sent it hurtling towards Hawkeye. The captain looked in the direction of his shield in shock for a moment of disbelief at what had happened before Spiderman punched him hard, nearly knocking him off the edge of the roof before Steve caught himself, clutching at the edge with his fingers.
Tony barely had time to register what had just happened before was knocked down with the force from a kick to the side.
The Captain had just managed to climb back up with Black widow and Hawkeye appearing on the roof too at his sides just in time to see a snickering spiderman slinging away but not before lifting his hand and raising a certain middle finger at the genius, billionaire, philanthropist, and former playboy: Tony stark.
...
Peter retrieved his bag and hurried home quickly not wanting to risk any detours and headed straight to his room where he closed his eyes and laid against the floor taking large deep breaths to calm himself from his adrenaline-fueled panic.
For some reason the one thought racing through his mind was. I can't believe I just flipped off Iron Man!
Aunt May arrived home five minutes later and called out to Peter. She, receiving no response, confused and slightly concerned, walked slowly towards his room to find her nephew laying on the floor of his room with his head between his hands rocking backward and forward muttering something about idols and lawsuits.
May had just finished a 10-hour shift, stilled before walking slowly out and shutting the door. What the hell is wrong with teenagers these days she thought to herself beginning to prepare Peter's favorite lasagna.