Sorry this is so late. I've had a few setbacks, one of which included a death in the family so I haven't been able to do any writing for the last few weeks. But I hope everyone enjoys this. And thanks for all your wonderful feedback!
The next time Peter sees Lucky, he's really not expecting it. He's in the cafeteria, just minding his own business, figuring out how many ketchup packets he can smuggle out before they catch him. Which, when he thinks about it, is a whole new level of pathetic. But Wade's still away on business, which he tries hard not to think about, and it doesn't really occur to him, until Wade's actually gone, just how much he relied on him. You know for free food and stuff. Peter's so busy thinking about how much he doesn't miss Wade, he's totally unprepared for the assault until he's already staring up at the ceiling.
For an embarrassingly long period of time, Peter just lies there, blinking. Apparently though, whatever hit him isn't satisfied with that and proceeds to bury a cold, wet nose right into the base of his neck. And no, no matter what anyone else says, Peter absolutely positively does not squeal like a little girl! No really, he doesn't!
He totally does.
"Lucky! Bad dog!"
Peter freezes, he knows that voice. He also knows this dog. Oh god…he can't move. Why can't he move?
"Sorry about that kid, you okay?" It's Hawkeye, no wait…Clint. He said he could call him that, didn't he?
"I uh…yes?" Well this is embarrassing, it's like his brains been severed from the rest of his body. He was all these thoughts and feelings swimming around up there, but something stopping him from getting any of it out.
"Lucky, off!"
Peter coughs once, wincing as the dog whines before reluctantly climbing off him. Considering how skinny the dog looks, he's surprisingly heavy.
"Here kid".
Before he knows it, Peter's being yanked to his feet. He stumbles a little before looking up, freezing as he finds the man mere inches from his face.
"You sure you're okay?"
Peter nods, clearing his throat. "Y-yeah. A little surprised maybe. Uh, this might be a stupid question, but should this be something I need to watch out for in the future? You know, random dogs scaring the hell out of me and stealing my lunch?" Peter spies the dog, Lucky, balancing precariously on one of the cafeteria chairs. It's face currently buried into what was left of his cheeseburger and fries. Their loss hurts him, probably more than it should. But damn, that had been a good cheeseburger. Stark clearly didn't scrimp on the cafeteria food, hell it was probably the first time he could admit to actually liking something from a cafeteria.
"I wish I could say no, but Lucky's got a thing for…well just about anything that's swimming in grease. Can't think where he gets it from". Peter's like ninety percent sure Clint is teasing him.
It's only when Lucky's head suddenly pops up, his mouth smeared with ketchup and his eyes wide as anything, that Peter begins to panic. Lucky knows him. Not him him, but Spider-man him. But then if the dog knows Spidey, he'll probably recognise Peter's scent and then everyone's gonna find out his secret! So yeah, Peter feels pretty justified in having a mini freak-out right about now.
As he'll later reflect, Peter really should have expected the second ambush. The signs were there, the tail was wagging and there was this odd gleam in the mutt's eye, the kind he's seen Wade get when things have gotten a little…well let's just say out of hand. But no, he's so busy freaking out he doesn't even have time to react when the dog pounces a second time. Clint, the bastard, is no help whatsoever. And can he just say, he really did not need to know what it felt like to have a tongue up his nose. Somehow he doubts he'll ever be able to get rid of the smell of ketchup, he's not even thinking about the dog breath that goes with it.
"Shit man, he must really like you. You got a dog at home?" When he finally stops laughing, Peter notes sourly that it takes a good five minutes, Clint yanks him up once more.
"Uh, no. I don't even have a plant". When would he have time for a dog? Hell, between Spider-man, the internship, classes and Wade, he's lucky if he gets time to sleep most nights.
"Huh? I figured that had to be it, like scent marking or whatever. Then why's he so into you? You're not like a pizza delivery boy or something, are you?" Clint asks, chuckling as Lucky begins bathing Peter's hand in drool. Well at least it's no longer his face.
"No. Is that why his breath's so bad? You've been giving him pizza? Is that even safe?"
Lucky whimpers, his head dropping as he gives a long, mournful whine. Peter watches in disbelief as the dog retreats, hiding behind Clint and giving him a hurt look. 'Shit' is Peter's only thought.
"Ah, sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. You're a good dog, really!" Peter backpedals. In the back of his mind, he can feel his Spidey sense stirring. Or maybe that's just his conscience. Either way, it's like he can sense danger's near, but at the same time, it's not real danger. He's not quite sure how to describe it.
"You hurt his feelings" Clint explains. He doesn't look too happy himself, but Peter doesn't have time to deal with the both of them. For now, his focus is on the dog.
"It's uh Lucky, right?" Lucky's tail wags briefly, Peter takes it as an encouraging sign. "Okay Lucky, you're a good boy, aren't you?" Lucky's tail wags again. "Yeah, you're a good boy. I uh, I'm sorry about what I said about your breath. I mean, well it's pretty bad actually, but that doesn't mean you're bad. I mean uh, you can get those dog chews can't you? The ones to treat bad breath?" Peter looks up at Clint, having crouched down to Lucky's level. Clint, the bastard, is just staring at him, that stupid little smirk on his face.
"That's not what he's upset about. Can't you tell?" Clint informs him, Lucky barks in agreement.
Well no, Peter can't tell because he doesn't speak dog. And despite what Wade claims, he's pretty damn sure he can't either. "Then what is it?"
"Lucky loves pizza. You told him he shouldn't have it. Get it now?" At this point Clint sounds more amused than pissed, which is kind of a relief. But still, it's not like any of this is Peter's fault. Hell, he's like ninety percent sure that dogs aren't supposed to eat people food. Apparently though, he's the only one to think that.
"But-" Peter tries, only to be interrupted by another bark. "Well it's not really any of my business" he amends. "Sorry" he adds, looking straight at Lucky. He doesn't dare look at Clint, even though he just knows the bastard is smirking at him.
"You're right, it's not" Clint replies. Peter can actually hear him smirking, no matter how impossible that sounds.
Luckily, Lucky doesn't seem too upset. In fact, as soon as Peter says the magic word, all seems to be forgiven and he finds himself on his ass yet again. He doesn't even try getting up this time, he doesn't see the point.
"What's going on?"
Peter freezes, well as best as he can with a squirming, slobbering dog trying to use his chest as a bed. Though he does manage to sneak a look at the man who just joined them. It's at that point he realises they've got an audience, besides Captain freaking America, that is. It probably should have occurred to him sooner, that getting ambushed by a dog in the middle of the cafeteria, would inevitably draw some attention. At least he'd sure hope so, then again, these people had probably seen worse. But somewhere along the line, Peter had more or less forgotten they were in public. A fact he was now entirely too aware of.
"Lucky made a new friend. They've been getting along great, right kid?" Clint turns to Peter, raising one eyebrow. Peter wishes he could do that, whenever he tries he just ends up looking constipated. Or so Wade tells him, once he's finished laughing at him that is. What an ass.
Peter just nods, finally managing to push the dog off him, even if Lucky does give him another wounded look. To be fair, if he really wanted to he could probably throw the dog off him, not that he would obviously. Just super strength and all that jazz, you know? But he can't. Obviously aside from the whole, it's an adorable dog who's clearly been through hell and back and everyone would hate him forever if he ever did anything along those lines, there's the whole secret identity thing he has going on. Sure it sucks, but he'd rather this than what might happen if his secret were to ever get out. He doesn't even want to imagine what might happen there.
"You're lying".
Peter gapes, he's pretty sure Clint does do, judging by all the spluttering he's doing.
"Wh-wha-what!? What the hell, I'm-" Clint argues.
"A lying liar who lies. That's how the kids say it these days, isn't it?" Captain America turns to Peter, yanking him to his feet and waiting for him to respond.
Peter stops gaping long enough to shrug. "Some do" he concedes. Even Wade used it just the other day, not that he's a kid. Sure does have the maturity of one sometimes. Then again, Peter's just as bad, so he's not one to talk.
"Where the hell did you even learn that? What the hell's Stark been teaching you?" Clint stands there, alternating between spluttering and gaping while Peter, Lucky and Captain America look on.
When Peter dares to look at the man once more, he's stunned to see the smug little smirk as the man watches his comrade make a fool of himself. Whether he notices Peter staring, or just wants to see his reaction, Steve turns, giving him a wink and a grin that Peter absolutely does not go a little weak at the knees over. No way, not gonna happen, he outgrew that little crush when he was like twelve. Okay so maybe it was like thirteen, no fourteen, oh fuck it. Fine, so he may still be sporting the tiniest crush on the man, but it's all hero worship, honest! No perving or anything…well okay, maybe a little. He totally blames Wade.
"I think you broke him" Peter confesses, glancing nervously back at Clint who hasn't seemed to come around.
Steve chuckles. "You're Peter, right? Bruce asked me to keep an eye out for you. I think you're running late son. You'd better get back; I'll handle these two". Steve smiles.
"Wait what time is it?" Glancing at his phone, Peter curses. "Shit! I mean uh, th-thanks Captain…uh sir!" he replies, before making a hasty retreat.
Dimly, Peter recognises the sound of racing footsteps before they're drowned out by a sudden crashing noise. But he's too preoccupied with getting back to the lab as soon as possible to look back. Had he though, he'd have seen a rather impressive tackle made by Captain America himself, and a rather forlorn looking mutt slathering his captor's face with drool. On the plus side, Clint finally seems to have snapped out of it.
By the time Peter makes it back to the lab, he has an entirely new appreciation for his abilities. Were he just another human, there's no doubt he'd be sweating and heaving and probably fighting the urge to gag. But as it is, he feels perfectly fine. Embarrassed as hell sure, and freaking out just a little at being late, so not professional, but hey, this is probably the only time that whole blaming the dog excuse would actually work for him. He even has witnesses! Witnesses with Stark phones and high speed internet…crap. He's so gonna end up on youtube. That's just what he needed.
"S-sorry Dr Banner! There was this thing and I didn't realise it had gotten so late and-" Peter pauses for breath, "I swear it won't happen again!" Peter glances at the man, who inexplicably starts chuckling.
"I see. And how is Lucky? It seems you and he became fast friends" Bruce smiles.
Gaping, Peter fails to notice the other man until he feels a hand on his shoulder, scaring the crap out of him. So much for his spidey sense, then again, he's never considered Tony a real threat.
"Wha-how did you-?" Peter frowns, glaring at Tony who merely grins in response.
"Jarvis, bring up the security footage" Tony interrupts. And suddenly there it is, the footage of him being outwitted by a dog, which reminds him, he never got to finish lunch. Damn it. But right now he's got bigger things to worry about.
"You know kid; I'm thinking of adding this to my blooper reel. I could use a laugh and this, this is fucking hilarious". Tony proceeds to laugh quite heartily, and while Peter can't see his face, he can tell that even Bruce is joining in a little.
"Damn dog" Peter mutters to himself. That only makes the other two laugh harder.
Again, I can't make any promises when I'll next update, though I'm going to try and make it within the next two months. Like I've said before, I have a few other fics to update.
Please review!
KB