Natasha indeed said that she wanted to speak with the Spider, but she'd almost forgotten it. Had so many things to do, so many things to take care of. Mostly small missions, but they were important nonetheless.
At first, she wanted to confront him about the Goblin, but then she thought about it. She became more and more suspicious. Didn't really know what for, though.
Why would Tony bring him to Germany, just to toss him aside when they were done fighting?
All these years since then, the Spider hadn't showed up at their doorstep, demanding a place amongst the Avengers. Why?
Tony didn't let her and Hawkeye investigate, again, why?
They knew absolutely nothing about the Spider.
Yet, somebody with his abilities could be considered a threat. A serious threat.
So, Natasha was after him in these past few days. She started her investigation with the university. Since FRIDAY told them, that the Spider was studying there, she spent a whole day trying to find out his identity.
It was no longer of her concern that Tony specifically forbid them to do something like this.
After asking nicely, lying easily and paying good money, she got inside the school's database system. Eventually, after hours of slouching in front of her laptop, she found something at this particular night.
She found only one boy – the Spider was just a boy, oh – who was suspicious. His grades were absolutely perfect, and he was in the athletic team, but she also discovered, that the boy was given an internship at the SI.
Four years ago.
Why? He was still in high school back then. It didn't make any sense.
But indeed, there was an official record of him being an intern for Stark Industries for two months.
It got her attention, to say the least.
Exactly that time, when they all had met Spider-Man at the airport.
It was no coincidence, she knew. Natasha found the Spider.
As she looked at the clock next to her bed, she quickly decided that her discovery could wait till the morning. There was no need to wake everyone else up in the middle of the night. Natasha thought it was unlikely that anyone would be awake at two in the morning.
With a wide grin on her face, she glanced at the screen again, looking for the name in black letters.
Peter Parker.
*
Peter Parker was gracefully leaning on a dirty wall in a dark alley. He was also trying to throw up, which was not so graceful, to say the least.
He could already make out the shape of the building, he was trying to get to. It was not so far from his apartment in the first place, but being beaten up, half-deaf and having two literal hole in both of his thigh while he was trying to run from his friend, was no pleasure cruise.
From one of the smelly trashcans, he fished out a huge – and dirty as hell – blue shirt. It was big enough for him to cover almost even his thighs. As he was digging deeper in the literal shit, he flinched and had to fight back a yelp whenever his fingers touched something wet, sticky or furry. He was about to give up, when his hands found a torn ski mask. Oh, it was his lucky day. It was black, and covered his face perfectly, though he couldn't really breathe properly.
Peter tore apart his own t-shirt in order to – attempt to – stop the bleeding in his legs. He knew his enhanced healing was doing its best to close his wounds, but he hadn't eaten in almost days now. He felt dizzy even at the thought. He limped towards to a fire escape at the end of the alley and quickly made his way to the rooftop. Hoping, he'd knocked Harry out for at least half an hour, he launched himself from the edge.
Of course he didn't have his shooters on his wrists, but he actually had organic web. He just hated it, and almost never used it. It was not that as strong as the one he made, and it was stickier. And, in Peter's opinion, it was absolutely disgusting.
Being able to produce white, sticky material from his wrist, was... well, not something he would wish for in a normal situation. But now, oh man, he was so glad for his weird biological defects. It literally saved his life.
Peter was swinging from rooftop to rooftop, only stopping for long moments to catch his breath. His wrists were already aching from the sudden use and the heavy burden – being his half-limp body. He also couldn't use it as precisely as his shooters, so at one point he flew straight into the side of a skyscraper. Now, at least two of his ribs were broken, he was sure.
But, he couldn't stop. The Tower was so close now.
Peter hoped, that Tony– Mr. Stark would let him stay there only for a few hours at least, until his injuries get better. It was his last hope now.
*
Sam and Bucky were still perfectly awake at that unholy hour. Steve was also cooking quietly in the kitchen – whenever he couldn't sleep, he turned to cooking, because it calmed him down. And not like the others would oppose, they very much liked this weird habit of his.
Bucky couldn't sleep either – like most nights, but now he'd gone down to the common floor with his friend to keep him company, only to be greeted by a red-eyed Sam. He'd been watching some shitty drama in the middle of the night, and Bucky knew, he would bully the hell out of Sam for this. Probably for weeks.
Natasha had gone to her room without a word, as soon as she got home, but they knew, that's just how she was. Hawkeye had likely gone back home for the weekend to his family, or he was playing video games all night long in his room. All alone. They could never know when it came to him.
Tony had told everyone not to disturb him, because he'll be in his room, and that he needed his beauty sleep. But it was obvious, the man didn't go nowhere near his bed. He was in his lab, doing God knows what.
So Bucky stick to Sam, while Steve played house in the kitchen. Yes, Bucky found it weirdly adorable and absolutely ridiculous at the same time.
The movie was over, now Sam was sniffing, trying to hide his watery eyes from the other man's mocking gaze. Steve was humming off-key some shitty old song from back at their time, and Bucky felt strangely content. Even happy, maybe.
It was comfortable.
He got used to living there like this.
Bang.
All three of the ex-soldiers were on their feet in an instant, when they heard the sound. It was followed by a loud crack and a low groan. Bucky snapped at the huge wall made of glass next to them, when a dark figure in torn clothes practically fell inside their living room. They formed a small circle around the shady intruder, who now where on his knees, hands holding his side while breathing unevenly.
Bucky's metal arm was around his throat without warning, his grip was firm. Steve wanted to warn him, they had to interrogate him before killing him, but he bit his tongue – Bucky wasn't an assassin anymore, he did not need warning.
Sam was eyeing the guy in front of them, his black mask only let his eyes to be seen, but they were warm, chocolate brown – with fear in them. Good, Sam thought, he should be damn right afraid, if he had the guts to break into the Avengers Tower.
"Damn. This– Th-this arm's st-still cool, dude–" he tried to choke out, his voice hoarse, while attempting to pry Bucky's metal fingers off of his throat.
"Who are you?" Steve used his 'army voice' as Tony would always call his cold and rough tone.
"H-hey, Cap–" Bucky looked at the whimpering figure in his hand again, then at Steve, his eyes incredulous. "Big f-fan."
What the hell?
They couldn't even imagine, how the hell this man climbed up there. Sam didn't like it, it was like this guy already knew where he should go. And the Towers windows were made of one-way glass, so he just couldn't look inside. Or guess this right.
"P-please, let m-me go. Please, I– I remember you too," Bucky could feel when the guy swallowed hard, after pointing at Sam with shaky hands. "We– We've met 'efore. F-fuck, 's true."
Bucky and Sam looked at him again, pity in their eyes. Steve nodded, and the soldier released the now shaking guy almost instantly. He immediately collapsed to the floor, shattered glass around him. Steve wondered for a second – again – how the hell he got in. Tony had told them, that glass was bulletproof.
"I suggest you start speaking, asshole." Sam kicked him in the side, which earned him a muffled scream.
Steve glared at Sam, but he was shocked too, he didn't even use real force, just–
The guy was still trembling uncontrollably as he turned to his back, his hands shakily tugged at his thick black mask. When he was able to get it off, the three men almost gasped at the sight of a... boy. He had dark brown hair, his face was handsome. The features weren't a child's, but he looked young.
So young.
But before they could say anything, the next moment someone stepped out from the elevator with enough rage to kill a whole alien army. FRIDAY alerted him moments before about the intruder. And when he got into the room, the man was just as frozen as the others at the sight in front of him.
"What the actual fuck, kid?!"