Peter was starting to worry that the Avengers were starting to worry about Peter (Inception!). And it made sense, kind of, because Peter was acting a little strange around them. As Peter. Well, as Spiderman too, but they didn't know that so it couldn't hurt them.

The day after the Doom bot battle Wade had had to apply even more make-up to Peter's face before heading to work, as the bruises he'd amassed were, if not awfully dark, than at least many and varied. Thankfully he didn't have anything as telling as a split lip, though considering his luck, he didn't hold out that there would be much longer before he got one. The Thor-hand-shaped bruise on Peter's cheek had lessened into a pale purple that was turning a sickly yellow/green around the edges. The foundation and whatever else Wade had smeared onto Peter's face was working wonderfully, and Peter was amazed once more about the things that one could do with make-up. He should have taken before and after pictures, to show just how much black and blue had turned into perfectly smooth skin-colored skin. Make-up was amazing…and scary. Another reason to fear Natasha. And Pepper. And Tony.

Despite being able to flawlessly hide his darkened skin, Peter still wished he could take the day off. He'd rather not have to worry about stopping his hands from rubbing against the bruises hidden under the shallow layer of powder and cream. And, if he was being honest, he didn't really want to face any of the Avengers. Not after everything. He knew that if he just saw them as Peter that he'd have nothing to worry about, but it was difficult trying to differentiate between how they treated Spiderman and their camaraderie with Peter when they truly treated both sides of him completely differently. He wasn't sure how to talk to any of them without giving away who he was and all of the lies he'd built up around himself.

And Wade. Most importantly, if he took off work than him and Wade could laze about the house all day, watching Golden Girls and having terrific sex. Only, no they couldn't, because Wade had to go to work too.

As it was, because of both Peter and Spiderman's busy schedule, and Wade's own agenda planner filled with an odd assortment of Avenger-ly duties, they hadn't really had time to do the do with any great regularity in a while. On a side note, Peter did not count the quickie they'd had that morning in the shower together as sex. Mostly because Peter had tried to be more flexible than his tender muscles and bruised skin would allow for and ended up pulling both of them out of the shower and onto the floor with nothing but a ripped shower curtain and a stubbed toe to show for it.

It might have been worth it, though, as Wade couldn't stop laughing at him for a full five minutes, even as Peter tried to see how much damage to their little bathroom he had done. Every time Peter tried to stand up Wade would just pull him back against his scarred chest, ruffle his hair, and begin laughing anew, with breathless "I can't believe—"s, " Spiderman tripping over his own feet"s, and "Pete the klutz"s being thrown at him. It was nice to hear Wade laugh so openly, even if it was at Peter's expense. If Peter finally yanked himself out of Wade's grasp only to accidentally kick him in the head on his way out, well Peter had to get to work sometime, there was no time to laze about. And it only made Wade laugh harder and try to push himself off the ground with minimal success, as his hands, still wet from the shower, kept slipping on the tile.

The point (keep it together, Parker!) was that despite wanting to take the day off of work, there was no point in doing it if Wade wasn't home too, and that it would really just be better to get seeing the Avengers over and done with as soon as possible.

Which was totally why Peter completely avoided all of the Avengers that he didn't have to work in close proximity with, and mostly ignored those who he had to see, namely Tony and Bruce. Though, avoiding the other Avengers was easy, since no one had come to visit him yet, and he just stayed in the lab.

"Peter, ready for lunch?" Bruce asked as he stretched his hands over his head. Peter imagined the arrow lodged in his back grinding against his bones as he twisted this way and that.

Peter shook his head and gave them a false smile. "Not today either, sorry. I told my Aunt I'd call her on my lunch break."

Tony raised his eyebrows as he too stepped over to Peter's work station. "You're going to talk to your Aunt for the entire break?" He sounded far too skeptical. If he'd met Aunt May he'd know…

Not that Peter was really going to call Aunt May, though now that he thought about it, it would make her happy, and it would add a certain edge of realism to his story. Why not, right?

Peter couldn't help letting a small snicker escape. "Sorry Tony, but I'll probably have to fake an alien attack just to get her off the phone."

Tony shook his head. "Peasants are strange."

Peter shook his head and turned back to Bruce, "I overheard Thor saying this morning that Steve made another pie." Tony's eyes lit up. "I don't suppose you could save me the tiniest slice?"

Bruce indulged him with a smile and then headed out. Honestly Peter was expecting more of a resistance, and though Tony did look over his shoulder at Peter one last time before they were out of sight, neither of them tried to do any more convincing.

Oh well, better call Aunt May to give his avoidance some credence.

And then you know what? Peter was done hiding. After talking to Aunt May he would go up and at least get dessert with his friends. And if getting more than just a tiny slice of pie was his deciding factor, well than that was his business.

He was scared.