the strongest avenger

forty

"Yes, yes, no. Hey put that down! It's worth more than me."

Talia chuckles as she walks into the lab and sees Happy yelling at Dummy. She watches as he answers his phone.

"Yeah? Hey take a breath. Okay, I don't have time for ATM robberies or the thoughtful notes you leave behind, I have moving day to worry about, and everything's gotta be outta here by next week. Yeah don't you watch the news? Tony sold Avengers Tower, we're relocating to a new facility upstate where, hopefully, the cell service is much worse. What about you? Look, just stay away from anything too dangerous, I'm responsible for making sure you're responsible. Kay?" Talia follows him into the elevator, not missing the way his eyes narrow. "That doesn't sound responsible." He hangs up and glances at the girl.

"Your boyfriend lost his backpack. Also you need to be careful out there with your identity, that video circulating caused a lot of press for Tony."

"Whatever, anyways...Not my boyfriend. I didn't tell him we were moving yet. Also, I thought it wasn't until November."

"Tony didn't tell you?"

"Nope. Another thing he decides not to inform me of. Now I gotta pack my whole life up in a week."

As the elevator gets them to the next floor, Talia heads to the nearest balcony and jumps off. Flying towards Peter's apartment, to explain herself. She's trying to avoid his inevitable text.

She swiftly makes it there just as he heads into his window. She lands on the fire escape and rushes in after him.

"Okay okay, I know I didn't tell you about moving," she starts watching as he climbs the ceiling and closes his door with a web. "I was going to obviously." The girl's nervous energy causes a few sparks of lightning flicker on her fingers. She looks down and quickly activates her gloves.

Pete faces the door and turns around, his eyes widening as he looks at her—no. Past her.

Talia turns around and gasps. Ned sits on the bottom bunk of Peter's bed, holding the lego death star. It falls from his hands and breaks while Ned stands up.

"What was that?" May asks from the living room.

"Uh—nothing!" Pete calls out.

Talia's frozen in place, unsure what to do. "I can make him forget seeing you, if you want."

"WHAT?" Ned asks.

"No, Tal."

"You're the Spiderman. From Youtube." Ned states.

Peter slaps his chest, his suit expanding and loosening. "I'm not, I'm not." His suit falls to the ground, leaving him in nothing but his boxers.

"You were on the ceiling."

"No that wasn't me! What are you doing in my room!"

"Death star." Tal states, gesturing at the broken legos.

"May let me in, you said we were gonna finish the death star!"

"You can't just bust into my room!" The door opens and May stands there, mouth slightly open.

"That turkey meatloaf recipe is a disaster. Let's go to dinner, Thai? Oh hey Tal, didn't know you were here." The girl waves sheepishly. "Ned, Tal you want Thai?"

"Yes—"

"No— he's got a thing."

"A thing... to do after."

"Okay...maybe put on some clothes." With that, May shuts the door and leaves.

"She doesn't know?"

"Nobody knows! Well Mr Stark knows cause he made my suit but that's it."

"Tony Stark made your outfit? Are you an Avenger?"

"Well basically."

"No, he's not." The boys turn to Tal, forgetting she was standing there.

"Tal knew?" Ned practically yells.

"You can't tell anyone about this, you gotta keep it a secret." Pete says.

"A secret why?

"Because you know what she's like! if she finds out people try to kill me every single night she's not gonna let me do this anymore! Come on Ned, please."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay. I'll level with you. I don't care if this is a secret, this is the greatest thing to ever happen to me Peter!"

"Ned, May cannot know. I cannot do that to her right now. You know? I mean everything's thats happened to her...I—please."

"Okay."

"Just, swear okay?"

"I swear."

"Thank you."

"Yeah."

"I can't believe this is happening right now." Peter groans.

"Can I try the suit on?"

"No."

"It was bound to happen Pete." Tal says.

"Wait wait wait. I saw your hands, you have powers!" Ned's eyes bug from his head.

"Um. No I don't. Trick of the light."

"Holy shit! Are you Eden? How'd you get your powers? Oh my god you are Eden! You guys have the same hair! Holy shit!"

"Shit. Uh—no. Wait—gah I'm turning into Peter."

"Tal's an alien."

"Peter shut the fuck up. I'm not an alien."

"You're lying." Ned says with eyes wide as saucers.

"I—maybe. I thought we were focusing on Peter not me!"

"How does it work is it magnets?" Ned asks going back to Peter's suit.

"I'll tell you about this at school tomorrow okay?"

"Great!" Ned says as Peter leads him to the door. "Okay wait—how do you do this and the Stark Internship?"

Talia groans. "This is the Stark Internship Ned."

"Ohh. Wait then you're an Avenger too? Well obviously she's Eden." Peter shushes Ned and pushes him out the door, leaning against it while catching his breath.

"Shit."

"Yeah shit." Tal echoes.

"And you're moving? And you didn't tell me?" Talia can see the hurt in Peter's eyes.

"I was scared to tell you." She turns away from him.

"Why?"

She shrugs. "Apparently we leave in a week, my father neglected to tell me that. So now I have to pack up everything." She ignores his question.

"Are you—are you moving schools?"

"Hell no. I told Tony that if he wanted me to move I would have to stay at Midtown."

Peter cracks a smile at that. "Good. How are you gonna get to school?"

"I'll be driving myself. No more early runs at Delmar's. Speaking of—is he alright?"

"Yeah he'll be good."

She sighs a sigh of relief. "Kay well, I'll let you get your Thai. I heard Happy on the phone and wanted to come by and clear the air. I didn't want you mad at me."

"I could never be mad at you." Pete says.

"That's a relief." She heads towards the window. "See you tomorrow."