lie to me ➳ peter parker (2)

0.4

Peter Parker had never claimed the identity of Spider-Man. The only people who knew the sixteen year old boy behind the webs and red and blue mask were the Starks and maybe the crazy homeless guy who always calls him Sally and tells him to get a haircut. Otherwise his crime-fighting facade remained incognito from any immediate friends or family.

The boy, after a long night of crime fighting, decided it was time to head home and get a few study sessions in before he hit the sack for the night. As usual, he uses the fire escape and his window as an entrance to keep his whereabouts a secret from his Aunt. So, he stealthily climbs through before removing his mask, trying to be as discreetly as possible, as he climbs up and scurries across the ceiling. But, due to his unclear thoughts and images of Rowan plaguing his brain, he fails to notice the horrified company watching his every move.

Just as Peter touches the ground, his plan seeming to run smoothly, he notices Ned sitting on his bed with a half-built LEGO Death Star in his hands. His friend, his mouth hanging agape, drops the sculpture in a state of shock.

"What was that?!" Calls May from the kitchen.

"uh- nothing! Nothing!" Peter stammers, waging his friend with a hinged jaw.

"You're the Spider-Man." His best friend states in awe, "from YouTube!"

The boy, completely shocked, replies, "I'm not. I'm not." Trying to mask the evidence as best he could, Peter detaches his suit from his muscular body and allows it to fall to the ground.

"You were on the ceiling."

"No, I wasn't. Ned! What are you doing in my room?" Strains Peter.

"May let me in! You said we were gonna finish the Death Star!" Ned replies.

"You can't just bust into my room!"

May then bursts into the room, a chuckle escaping her lips as she fans some smoke, "That turkey meatloaf recipe is a disaster. Let's go to dinner. Thai? Ned, you want Thai?"

"Yes-"

"No! He's got a thing."

"A thing to do after..."

"Okay..." The auburn haired woman starts before closing the door, "maybe put on some clothes."

As soon as the coast is clear, Ned whisper-yells, "oh, she doesn't know?"

"Nobody knows! Well, Mr. Stark knows, because he made my suit, but that's it!" Peter replies in the same tone.

"Tony Stark made you that?!" Ned pauses, a look of amusement on his face, "are you and Avenger?"

"Yeah, basically." The boy replies, slipping on a gray tee as his best friend holds onto his bed for support. He then steps closer to Ned, a pleading look on his face as he speaks, " You can't tell anybody about this. You gotta keep it a secret."

"A secret? Why?"

"You know what she's like. If she finds out people try and kill me every night, she's not gonna let me do this anymore. Come on, Ned, please?" Strains Peter.

"Okay, okay, okay. I'll level with you." The Asian boy starts, "I don't think I can keep this a secret. This is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, Peter!"

"Ned, May cannot know. I cannot do that to her right now. You know? I mean, everything that's happened with her, I-- Please." The boy's face held a look of genuine exasperation, his eyes locked with his friend's as he begs him to comply.

Ned nods, "okay."

"Just swear it, okay?"

"I swear."