💕Better Off As Lovers💕 (peter parker x reader)

part 4

Tony Stark, arguably the richest and smartest person in the world, just said the words I'm sorry? Even Nat looked surprised, though Steve and the others just looked proud.

"It's okay," I said quietly after a moment of silence. "The only thing that matters now is how we're going to handle this attack. By the way, who exactly is attacking us?"

For some reason, Tony glanced at Steve with a reproachful expression, which Steve shared as well. He stepped forward, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder, like I've got this.

"An old enemy," Steve began. "I fought them myself a few times, but they always have a way of reviving in different forms. The organization is called HYDRA, and they've been tracking you ever since you were born."

He paused for a moment, gauging my expression. I didn't speak; just waited for him to continue. I wasn't sure what I would have said anyway.

"You are more powerful than you know," he told me. "Your parents, they died protecting you from HYDRA, knowing that you would only be used there for evil things. HYDRA wanted to take you and manipulate you to do things that your parents would never have wanted from you.

"Tony was a family friend, and your parents offered you into his care because they expected to die fighting for your protection, just as they did. You came into Tony's possession, and he vowed to take care of you for the rest of his life and especially to protect you from the evil clutches of HYDRA." Steve stared at me with sad blue eyes, though he seemed millions of miles away. A hint of nostalgia swirled in his irises, and I couldn't help but feel bad for him.

Bruce, taking notice of Steve's expression, stepped forward to continue the explanation. "Basically, what we're looking at here is a last resort attempt to recruit you to HYDRA and get trained to become an assassin." His voice was a little shaky, which was typical of Bruce, but he spoke logically and clearly despite this.

"Assassin?" I broke in finally. My name and the word assassin didn't belong in the same sentence. I mean, I love fluffy kittens and playing old Atari games with my best friend. Being ordered to kill people wasn't really my style.

"Targeting us," Nat said, crushing the crumbs of Thor's Poptart between her fingers. "Your first mission would undoubtedly be the extinction of the Avengers."

My heart ran a marathon at the word extinction. As if I would ever be able to murder my family. Yet something in the back of my mind told me that when I would kill them, I wouldn't recognize them as my family anymore, sort of like the story I heard about Cap's friend Bucky. HYDRA would do something to me to make me forget them entirely. And forgetting the Avengers as my family would ultimately be forgetting myself.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me and a little heat rushed to my face, though I tried to keep it down. Steve's faraway baby blue eyes, Nat's cold but knowing expression, Bruce's wary eyes tinged with a bit of panic; Clint, in the background, hunched over and preening his arrows while occasionally looking up at me; Tony, with his warm, fatherly eyes and Peter, biting the inside of his cheek nervously. Thor, though, was in the corner, digging in the remaining Poptart box for another before discovering that it was empty and scowling. This was my family, and it nearly brought me to tears that they were willing to sacrifice themselves for my protection. For my future, really.

"I can't ask you guys to do this," I said, my voice surprisingly clear despite how nervous I felt. "Risking your lives for me, some nerdy teenager who can't even land an A in gym? You all are willing to do this knowing that you might die?"

Bruce's shaky voice broke the silence like a knife. "You're family to us. Of course we would."

"I'd rather throw myself off a cliff than give you over to HYDRA," Tony added sentimentally before enveloping me in a hug that nearly squeezed the life out of me. I returned gratefully after a moment of shock. Tony wasn't really a physical affection type of person (as far as I was concerned), and the gesture kind of made me want to bawl my eyes out. I stayed calm and collected, though, for the sake of everyone around me.

Thor clapped loudly, wearing a stupid smile on his face. "Child of Tony, we would gladly give our lives if it meant that you would be safe."

"Thanks, Thor," I said, pulling away from Tony. I didn't mention to him that I wasn't directly Tony's kid, but, hey, one can dream, right?

Clint clapped his hands together, slinging his quiver over his shoulder. "Alright, now that all the sappy stuff's over, let's talk battle strategies. What are some things we should expect from them?"

"Advanced technology," Steve said immediately. "Living underground for all these years, I wouldn't be surprised if they charged with tech that we've never seen before."

Tony crossed his arms over his metal suit. "I've got gear to combat that, Capsicle. Just whipped up a fresh batch of blasters that'll blow their minds. Quite literally, I'm sure."

"Good," said Nat, "but keep in mind that they're going to try to separate our youngest Avenger here from us." She gestured to me. "We should anticipate a diversion."

Peter's ears pricked up at the word. "Diversion?"

We glanced at each other, knowing immediately what the other was thinking.

"I think Peter and I might know about a diversion," I said.

That metal hydra lurking in the streets? It all made sense now.

***

thank you for reading!