Removing My Mask ; Peter Parker

5.5

PETERS POV

"What are you gonna do about the water monster?"  Ned asked while I ran my toothbrush under the water.

"Nothing. it's dead. And besides, that Mysterio guy's all over it. Look... I just wanna spend some time with y/n and relax."

"That's nice." Ned hummed, "Reminds me of when Betty and I first fell in love. I had just finished my first fruit cobbler, right-"

I took the toothbrush out of my mouth, looking over to see my best friend hit the floor, a dart in the back of his neck.

"You're a very difficult person to contact, Spider-Man." Nick Fury sat with a leg crossed over the other in the corner.

"You just shot Ned!" I gasped, staring at my unconscious friend.

"It's just a mild tranquilliser. He'll be all right. So good to finally meet you. I saw you at the funeral, but I didn't think that was a good time to exchange numbers."

"No, that would have been really inappropriate."

"That's what I just said." Fury gave me a pointed look.

"Right." I nodded.

"The important thing is, you're here. I tried to bring you here. You avoided me, and now, you're here. What a coincidence."

My eyebrows scrunched down. What was he talking about? "Wait. Was this a coincidence?"

Fury sighed heavily, "I used to know everything. Then, I come back five years later and now, I know nothing. No intel, no team, and a high school kid, is dodging my calls."

I smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of my neck.

"Here's what I do know... a week ago, a village in Mexico was wiped out by a cyclone. Witnesses say that cyclone had a face."

"Three days later, a similar event in Morocco. A village was destroyed by what may well be another world threatening dynamic." Fury explained, standing up from his chair, "Suit up."

"R-right now? I mean, we have to get up early in the morning and-"

"Yes. Right now." Fury smacked his lips.

"O-okay."

[...]

The soft cool breeze blew past us as Fury steered the boat through the canal.

"Stark left these for you." He said handing me a small case.

I opened the case carefully, revealing a pair of glasses. The velvet lining of the case behind the glasses says 'Stark Industries'.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." He glanced at me. "Stark said you wouldn't get that because it's not a Star Wars reference."

Fury docked the boat and led me down a underground bunker of sorts, a few agents at the computers.

"You can lose the mask. Everyone here's seen you without it. You'd only be breathing through spandex for no good reason."

I pulled the mask off, taking in a deep breath of air.

"Over there we have Maria Hill."

I waved awkwardly at the agent.

"That is Dimitri."

Dimitri cocked his gun with a small growl and I gulped.

"And this is Mr. Beck."