The front door slammed open.
“Peter Benjamin Parker.”
Ugh, full name. Never meant anything good.
Peter looked at the window, wondering if jumping out would be safer than facing the wrath of his aunt. Two options, either he lands on the ground like a stack of potatoes (not a good idea, the apartment was a few floors up), or he plays the spider and walks on the wall (still not a good idea, his suit is currently in the washer). Both situations would probably end up with his identity being discovered though, because no normal person would be still alive after falling that high. And no normal person can walk on walls, duh.
Probably still worth it if it meant escaping May.
“I can hear you thinking all the way here. Don’t even think about it, young man.”
Yup, okay too late. She knows him too well.
Be a man Parker, time to face your mistakes. Even if you don’t know what you did wrong.
Peter came out of his room, and joined his aunt in the living room. She was holding his suit, a scowl on her face.
“Hi aunt May, you’re home early.” Peter said, a weary smile on his face. He gauged the distance to the door, should he have to make a run for it.
But May was a smart woman who knew her nephew way too well. She was in the exact spot between the teen and the door.
“What did I say about putting your suit in the machine with our clothes ?”
Peter’s hands rose up. “I washed it to take the blood out first, then I put it in the washer with the clothes. So no blood !” he smiled, proud of having done as she said.
After all, she spent fifteen minutes explaining to him the importance of not mixing clothes when you wash them. He may have zoned out a few times during those fifteen minutes, but he got the hang of it !
May pursed her lips and her brows furrowed more. “You didn’t listen to the whole explanation did you ?”
Peter’s smile turned sheepish. He avoided his aunt's eyes, scratching the back of his neck. He couldn’t have missed something that important, yeah ?
He could hear Foggy’s voice in the back of his mind, telling him how important it was to listen to your elders when they explained things you’d need to do older. Like clotheswashing.
May sighed. “Some material, like cotton shrinks in the machine if you don’t put them at the right temperature. That's why I always do a different pile of clothes depending on their material. You mixed your suit with clothes that are not of the same material.”
Peter’s eyes closed as his mistake started to settle in. He could already see Wade laughing at him when he knew. He’ll never live it down.
“Don’t make that face Peter. I can make you a new one, but for now you’ll have to make it with this one. Or you can just take a pause of a few days from all the spidermaning.”
May still sometimes tried to dissuade Peter from doing his vigilante activities. She had long given up making him stop, but she would still hint at him taking pauses. It wasn’t healthy.
May threw the suit at Peter, who caught it without opening his eyes. Maybe if he didn’t look at the suit, it wouldn’t be different. Stay in denial people.
He croaked an eye open and glanced at the red and blue suit. It didn’t look that small actually, he could probably wear it without seeing the difference.
You definitely couldn’t miss the difference.
The suit was tighter, which made it hard to move. But that was fine, Peter could hide the discomfort. No, what was a real pain ( You should have listened to your aunt , Foggy would tell him) was how short the suit was on the edges, meaning you could see his wrists, his ankles and his neck (probably his abs when he’ll start swinging).
Peter was holding his head in his hands, already deciding where he’d be hiding until May would be done. Maybe if he disappeared, no one would find out about the situation ?
Nah, if he went on silent radio, Matt and Wade would ask May, then they would sniff him out of his hidden place and make fun of him even more.
May walked in, dropping more clothes on his bed. “You’re being dramatic Peter.”
Peter let out a pain sound. “You don’t understand aunt May. I will never ever hear the end of it. I can’t give Wade more bribe material.” the teenager made a broken sound. “It’s gonna be all over the internet. MJ is so going to make fun of me. Jameson is gonna attack me for being indecent.”
May pat him on the shoulder, a smile on her face. “And like everything else, people will move on eventually. It’s fine Peter, you’re just being dramatic.”
Peter’s head rose up, looking hopefully at his aunt. “You think ?”
May nodded.
Maybe she was right, and he was thinking too much about it. (He was definitely not being dramatic, he could already hear the sound of Wade taking pictures and could hear MJ’s snickering, but then again, denial ).
Peter stood atop Tower 28, staring at his city. Queens was more than just a borough to him. It was like a big web, a territory to protect. It was alive, every inhabitant part of the city’s beating heart. He enjoyed the view of the declining sun for a few more seconds, then closed his eyes to listen to his city.
(Spending so much time with Matt had eventually brought him to learn how to use his super sense. He wasn’t really aware of how far he could hear when he started. After the bite, he was more worried about not sticking to walls and crushing every handle, than hearing a bit better or not needing glasses. Yeah sometimes he would hear things he probably wasn’t supposed to (that one neighbor who performed his best solos under the showers two stories up, or that couple who used to always argue in the next building), but he never put too much thought into it. But when the weeks went by, he started being more sensible, started hearing clearly things blocks away, or the mutter of someone in another building.
It was similar for his sense of smell, of seeing and tasting.)
In the tower he was standing on, a man was loudly swearing after dropping his coffee. In the street, a kid was staring straight at him, mouth hanging open. His mom was on the phone, talking about a conference. Down the street, a guy was crossing the road.
Peter extended his senses further, searching for indications someone needed his help.
A bit further, come on, there must be something happen-
There. A man was hanging out from the window of a building, way too high from the ground.
Peter jumped from the Tower, enjoying the free fall, and started swinging. He would never get tired of the thrill of the adrenaline thrumming through his veins, the wind hitting his face, the blurring sigh of the street around him.
He landed on the window, standing up on the wall, perpendicular to the building. He walked over to the man, grabbed him under his arm and pulled him up and into the room. The man slumped down on the floor, breathing heavily. Peter, crouched down, listening to the man’s heart beating erratically.
“Are you okay sir ? Do I need to call someone ? The paramedics ?” Peter asked the man, slowly reaching for the phone on the table next to the window.
“I was trying to change the curtain, and the chair fell, and I dropped out of the window.” the man looked at Spiderman, his hands shaking.
“Now you’re okay sir. Do you want to call anyone ?” the vigilante could hear a car stopping in front a
shop a few blocks away, a shop he was pretty sure sold jewels. The car, more like a truck, was filled with five men, with guns. He had to get over there before they broke into the shop.
“Uh, I think I’m good.” the man looked around him then stared at his hands. “Yeah I’m fine. Thank you Spiderman” he smiled, looking up. The man frowned, glancing at the hero. “Is there something different with the suit ?”
Peter stood up, readying himself. “Maybe next time, close the window.” he quipped, avoiding the question. “Maybe drink some water, it should help calm you down.” he said, before swinging away.
The night was pretty calm, nothing too big to take care of.
Peter stretched, exposing too much skin to his liking. The suit really was less comfortable now, tight around his body. He grumbled about dumb clothes material, before sighing. He was starting to feel hungry, and he could hear Wade a few blocks down the street.
If he went to the mercenary, he could probably get free food. But was it really worth it showing up in his condition ? The growl his stomach made answered his question and he jumped down. In a few seconds, he was landing next to Wade, who seemed engrossed in a discussion about the right color of the Christmas tree (It’s march ?) with, well himself, since Peter was the only other person on the rooftop. Matt and him had long accepted the craziness of Deadpool and just rolled with it, most of the time ignoring the Canadian.
Peter waited a few seconds, but Wade didn’t look like his conversation was going to end any sooner.
“Hi Wade.” Peter walked a little closer to the mercenary, who twirled around, a huge grin on his face. Well, Peter couldn’t see it, but the way the mask contorted and just by knowing the man, he could easily guess he was grinning.
“Petey Pie ! So good to see you !" the mercenary took the hero in his arm, lifting as if he weighed nothing. “We really gotta work on that food intake Spidey, you are way too thin. I know ! We should go grab some tacos. Or pizza !” he said, already walking closer to the edge. “There’s this new place that opened a few days ago and the waiter has a piece of ass, you should see it. Not as good as DD’s obviously. Nothing could beat that ass. Wait no- Maybe Cap’s, that’s America’s ass. OMG White I know, I could never choose who has the best ass.” Wade dreamily sighed.
Peter probably just heard the words ‘ass’ more times in that sentence than he ever did in his entire life.
“What’s this about my ass this time ?” Daredevil asked, landing on the rooftop. He walked over, standing next to Peter, hand on his hips.
“Daddy Devil !” Matt sighed. He had long since given up on making Wade stop using the nickname (he would find something worse anyway). “You have a perfect ass. Yellow says we’d be able to recognize you anywhere with that piece of ass.”
Peter groaned “Are we done talking about ass ? I’d like to eat please”
Matt turned toward the teenager “Ah, of course Peter.”. He tilted his head, a frown on his face. “Is there something different about the suit ? It sounds.. tighter”.
Deadpool, who was ready to jump down, stopped dead in his tracks to stare down at the boy. “On my Magneto plushie, did you buy this suit in the kids section ? How didn’t I see the way it makes your muscles come out ! You could make Wolvie jealous.” he cupped his face in a faux surprised manner.
“I’m pretty sure it’s still his usual suit, just somehow different.” Matt said, head still tilted.
“Well it’s definitely smaller, I can see your skin. What did you do Petey Pie” sang Deadpool, poking at Peter's stomach, where the suit was slightly lifted.
The boy squeaked, jumping away from the two older men. “I didn’t do anything.” he answered defensively.
“You do know you can’t lie to me right ?” Matt smirked. “Let me guess, it’s the washing machine ? You mixed your suit with the wrong material.”
Wade cooed at him “Aw the baby made his first washing mistake. You really are growing. Next we’ll have to give you the talk. Don't worry baby boy, I have all the material we need.”
“You didn’t listen to May did you ?” Matt asked, still smirking.
Peter huffed, wondering what could he have done wrong in a previous life to deserve this. Maybe it was time to listen to his instinct and go into hibernation ? He batted Wade’s hand away, who was still poking at him, and walked to the end of the rooftop. “I’m gonna order at the usual place, if you want something, you better come along.”
Wade draped himself over Matt’s shoulder. “Aw Matty, our baby is becoming a man. I feel so proud.” he said, drying imaginary tears.
“Let go of me Wade, you stink.” he pushed the merc off himself and followed after Peter.
A few hours later (insert spongebob voice) and some criminals knocked out, Peter felt like his life was ending. He wouldn't mind taking the Hulk on right now. At least the green guy wouldn’t make fun of his situation. The two other red themed heroes had been annoying him all the time they patrolled. It had gotten worse the moment Wade saw him swing.
“How long are you gonna wear it ?” Matt asked.
“I don’t know ? Aunt May said she’s going to make me a new one.”
“Maybe it’s time for you to have a more protective suit, rather than just spandex. We can ask Melvin if you want.” Daredevil offered.
Peter’s face lit up. “Really ? I mean sure, but the perk of spandex is its elasticity and the fact that I can move freely.”
The lawyer hummed. “We can tell him about that. And anyway, it’ll save your aunt the trouble of making a new one.”
“There’s no picture of you trending yet, Spidey.” Deadpool complained, pouting. “But I know it will eventually, I have faith in New Yorkers." He nodded solemnly.
Matt jerked up at that. “Wait, if there’s gonna be pictures, Stark is probably gonna see them right ? He's probably gonna try to talk you into letting him make you a new suit.” he said, scowling.
Peter dropped his head in his hand, and made a distressed sound. He really didn’t need more problems. It had been a pain to get Stark off his back, he didn’t want him back. Where was Frank staying ? Maybe he would let Peter hide in one of his warehouses ? He wouldn't mind living with Max, and if he took care of the dog, then the Punisher would probably let him stay. But then he’ll want to know why Peter was avoiding the rest of the world, and when he’ll know, he’ll make fun of Peter. He really couldn’t trust anyone. Time for hibernation then.
“I want to disappear."