peter parker whump ✓

"unmask yourself, spider-man."

"What would even happen if you found him?"

"Well, off to Pirate Spy he goes, and if he's good enough, he'll probably join the Avengers. If he's not worthy, or a villain, then the Avengers will probably have to take him down."

Peter bit his tongue. He didn't want to be taken down, but as much as he adored the Avengers, he didn't want to join them either. He was okay being a Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man. If he didn't look out for the little guy, who would? Police weren't always fast enough.

"What if he didn't want to join?"

"I didn't, but here I am. I was forced to and, don't tell anyone I said this, I'm actually glad I did. The Avengers are like my family. JARVIS you can't tell anyone that either."

Peter smiled in defeat. He was so screwed if he was caught.

"Hey Stark, I-" the Black Widow barged in. "Is this your intern?"

Oh shit I'm so screwed. She's going to figure out who I am- her entire career is based off being a manipulative, people-reading superspy.

"Yeah. Peter meet Tasha, don't call her- that she'll break your neck, Tasha meet Peter." 

His mouth felt dry as he tried to reply. He held his hand out to shake hers instead, nodding like an idiot.

"He admires the Avengers, you included. Don't mind his sudden speechlessness." 

Natasha smirked, walking over to the teenager to shake his hand. "Strong grip you got there, Peter."

Fuck fuck, double- fuck that, sextuple fuck.

"Thanks. Er, lots of lab work helps with that."

"He's not wrong." Tony laughed. "What do you need Tasha?"

"I told you not to call me that Antoshka." Natasha gave him a blank look. "I was just coming to see how the Widow's Bites were going." 

"Oh Peter helped me fix those up for you, didn't you, kid?" Tony put his arm around Peter and ruffled his hair, causing the boy to flinch in shock. 

Both adults noticed, but stayed quiet about it.

"Yeah, they're just, er, over- I'll get them for you." 

Once Peter had scurried away, Natasha spoke up. "He sure is jumpy."

"He's lost a lot. It makes sense that he's a bit jumpy." Tony explained vaguely, not wanting to expose Peter's loss of a set and a half of parents. 

"Sure nothing else's up with him?" 

Tony shrugged, smiling when Peter returned with the improved Widow's Bites. Natasha nodded as a thank you before leaving with the thought of Tony's jumpy intern on her mind.

Once Natasha met Peter, it seemed that all of the Avengers had to. Peter was getting a snack for break, since both him and Tony seemed to be incapable of taking care of themselves properly when they got in the zone. 

Unfortunately, he went to the team kitchen when the whole team was sitting and eating dinner. Peter was, at first, surprised that it was dinner already, and disappointed that he'd have to go home soon, and also regretting everything because a group of dysfunctional but dangerously smart superheroes were there.

"Peter." Natasha nodded at him. 

He nodded back respectfully, trying to quickly reach the cupboard for some snacks before anyone else could say anything to him. But we can't always have what we want, so he was stopped by Thor.