June 27, 2016
"Hey man," you greeted Peter as you closed your locker, the boy leaning against the ones next to yours with a wide smile. "How was the internship retreat?" You asked immediately, seeing his smile widen even more and he stood up straighter as you got a more secure grip on your school things.
"It was so cool Y/N!" He breathed out, and you could see memories flash through his mind as his eyes sparkled brighter. "You should've been there. I fought—" you glanced sideways at him as he cut himself off abruptly, clearing his throat.
What you were sure of was that you already knew he fought someone. The fading yellow bruise around his right eye was only further proof. Peter still hadn't told you about Spider-Man yet, and you were okay with it. You were nearly 100% he was the hero after all. When he called you and Ned Thursday night and excitedly told the two of you about Tony Stark himself coming to his apartment and told him he got accepted into an internship neither of you knew he applied for, it was only more clues to further your hypothesis. And the "initiation retreat" with Tony Stark only added to it, especially when on the news Saturday night it was all over the news about The Avengers fighting—complete with Iron Man and a new superhero. You were seriously wondering if anyone else was picking up on all of this if you were.
"I mean, I didn't fight anyone. It was really boring actually." Peter quickly said. "Um, there was a fight, so we basically just stayed inside the hotel the entire time. You know, just talking about what I get to do with this whole new internship and all."
You nodded your head, looking understanding. "You didn't get in a fight, huh?" You asked him after a beat, and Peter knew exactly what you were talking about as he scratched the back of his neck and the both of you began to walk up the hall to Ned's locker.
"Oh, well, I mean, I did get caught up in it for a little bit. Got decked by some dude named Steve...but it's okay! I got a couple good hits in too, though."
You laughed, partly because of how obvious Peter was unknowingly being. You ignored the part of you that just wanted to tell him you knew and that he didn't have to keep it from you, as much as that part was telling you to do so. It's been a good couple of months ignoring that urge, and while it has gotten easier, it's also gotten simultaneously harder at certain times.
"What?" Peter frowned but and a playful glint in his eyes. "No way, is me getting hurt funny to you?" He nudged you with his elbow and you shook your head.
"No," you chuckled. "I'm glad a black eye is the worst that happened. Next time, don't take on guys double your size, yeah?"
You only realized what you and said once Peter stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes in your direction. "I didn't tell you he was that big," he said carefully, tilting his head accusingly and you couldn't help the small feeling of panic rise and send your thoughts into overdrive.
You chuckled nervously, glancing to your side where you saw Ned waving and heading in your direction. "It was just a lucky guess, Pete. Besides, you just told me, so I was right anyway."
"Oh. Right." Peter shook his head and looked down at the ground before his head shot back up when Ned called both his and your names before fitting himself in between the two of you.
"Okay, first matter of business: we need to work on a plan to keep hanging out over the summer." Ned grinned as you, him, and Peter turned towards the cafeteria. "Secondly: how was the retreat, bro?"
Peter glanced over at you and you just gestured back to him. "All you, man."
You stayed silent as Peter retold the story, adding a few more details now that Ned was there for him to hear too. Sitting down together with your food at lunch, the three of you worked out a plan for weekly video calls and hangouts and pretty much anything that you could fit in as long as it didn't conflict with Decathlon practice for both Ned and Peter, and Peter's new internship hours.
You were handling keeping two secrets from Peter a lot better than you thought you would be able too, and you just hoped it stayed that way and you wouldn't say something wrong and slip like you almost did just now.