Nothing can talk me out of this ship. Not the comics, the movies, or anything in between.

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Chapter 3- Ned

Ned was stressed out, to say the least. Peter was a little unhinged and everyone who had a lot to offer the world was depressed and it was all just really worrisome. And worrying about Peter was pretty much a full-time gig. Peter was well-meaning but impulsive. Earlier today he could have seriously hurt those guys, and so Ned was cautious. He wanted Spiderman to be Spiderman and save lives and help people, but not at the cost of losing Peter.

When Shuri texted him later, just to say she'd had a good time that day he jumped on the chance to explain his friend's behavior.

"Peter doesn't usually act like that," he texted. His phone lit up with her caller ID and he answered.

"What do you mean?" Shuri asked.

"I don't know if you saw, but Peter kind of assaulted some guys who were getting in my face, he's not normally like that."

"What did they do?" Ned blushed and was glad she couldn't see him. He got out his homework so he could work on it while they talked.

"They just called me fat and ugly, nothing new."

"That's rude." He could practically hear her frown.

"Yeah, but Peter could have really hurt them."

"Well, he was standing up for you. You should know that you aren't fat and ugly." Now his whole face was on fire.

"I'm just worried about Peter. He's so on edge right now. I think it might be a very hard line to walk to help people by being Spiderman and not go too far."

"During the battle against Thanos, he used instant kill mode." Any color that had remained in his face disappeared. Just knowing that about Peter made him worry a hundred percent more.

"That kind of thing has me worried. I'm afraid that if he doesn't continue to be Spiderman he'll become apathetic and depressed, but I'm also afraid that as Spiderman he's becoming defensive and impulsive. And he's always been impulsive."

"I can tell you care a lot about him."

"Well, yeah, he's my best friend."

"I'd say that the person who saves a hero is a pretty big hero himself." Ned cracked a smile.

"Like the guy in the chair?"

"The what?"

"The person behind the hero who tells him or her where to go. The guy in the chair." Shuri laughed on her end, a pretty, earnest laugh.

"I've never thought of myself as the guy in the chair but I guess I am for my brother."

"We're the people behind the people who save the world. Although you shouldn't be so modest Shuri, Peter told me you could hold your own in a fight."

"I'm sure you could as well." Well, the only heroic thing he'd ever done was fire off a web shooter... So, not really.

"Eh, I couldn't even stand up to some jerks in a bagel place."

"I could argue that you made a braver choice by not letting it get under your skin. You said that Peter is impulsive, so it's good that you aren't." Ned wanted to argue with her, to tell her that he and Peter were just different types of immature. But he could fight that battle alone, and he really was trying to fight it. To be a better guy in the chair, and really, just to be a better guy.

So he changed the subject.

"Tell me about the outreach program." He was pretty sure he could hear her flop back on her bed, cheap hotel springs squeaking. His pencil squeaked in time as he did his math homework, a late-night duet. Well no, it would only be six there and nine here.

"One of our biggest objectives is to introduce Wakanda technology into the community. Into schools and hospitals, for instance. We also want to help impoverished communities, start charities and soup kitchens and offer jobs and job training." When Shuri talked about her plans her voice filled with life. She sounded excited and confident and happy. She sounded like she was seizing her future now and he admired her for that. His life had always felt segmented like right now was the time designated for going through high school and being kind of miserable. And in a few years in college, he'd figure out who he was supposed to be and seize his future. Right now, he had no clue. But Shuri did, and listening to her talk was refreshing.

"There's a lot to do, but it's something Wakanda should've been doing for the past five years. Thanos threw everyone off their game, and now we're needed more than ever. I'm just glad I get to be a part of this." Ned didn't say anything for a moment, though he had been intently listening to her.

"Ned? You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry. Just, listening to you talk about this makes me happy." Now his face was on fire, and maybe hers was too. He was mortified that he'd let those words escape his mouth, especially since he'd only just "met" her.

"So um… Do you think we'll do another touristy thing tomorrow or soon?"

"Yeah, I'm sure we will. I'll ask Peter tomorrow and uh, one of us will text you."

"Are you busy? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you on the line forever." Shuri apologized suddenly.

"Hey no worries, I'm just working on homework."

"Yeah? What're you working on?"

"Math."

"Talk me through your problems, I might be able to help."

"Talk you through my math problems?" He laughed.

"Yeah, unless you have real problems you need to talk out." Ned hesitated.

"If I let you help me with my math homework, which you want to do for some reason, will you tell me more about the program?"

"Yeah." He blushed at her voice, though he tried not to.

"Great." They didn't mean to, but the phone call lasted two hours until he literally fell asleep at his desk talking to her and she hung up.