Democracy
The Avengers are sitting around the table in the conference room. Peter doesn’t really know what they’re meeting about, however he was promised free food so he turned up anyway. He’s munching on a blueberry muffin while Tony hands out an agenda.
He peers at the glossy page in front of him, his brow furrowed. One the top there is a name, Daredevil, with a picture of the masked vigilante below, like Tony was uncertain if people would recognise the name of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Underneath there is a list of abilities and stats.
“Um, why are am a looking at a catalogue of Daredevil?” Peter asks the room around a bite of muffin.
Tony rolls his eyes at him. “Peter, please wait until the meeting has officially started to ask questions.”
“Mm-kay,” Peter replies, taking another bite.
Tony starts to fiddle with the screen in the room, and surveillance footage of Daredevil is spread across it. Scattered amongst them are pictures of Matthew Murdock, obviously taken by news agencies from big cases he’s been involved in. In one photo, Matthew is walking down the steps of the Courthouse, his cane held out in front of him, his arm wrapped around Foggy’s. There’s a smile on his lips, and his signature red glasses are disguising his eyes.
“Avengers, I have called you all here today to discuss the election of a new Avenger,” Tony says to the room, his hands planted on his hips. “The proposed hero is Matthew Murdock, AKA Daredevil.”
“We know who he is,” Natasha says with a smirk as she scans the page in front of her.
“I spoke to Matt yesterday, and he has said that he would be willing to become a member of the Avengers. However, because this is a team, I thought it best to open up the decision to all of you.”
Kate Bishop is leaning against the doorframe. Her dark curls are pulled back in a high ponytail, and she’s wearing her signature purple. She’s chuckling slightly, so naturally Peter turns to raise an eyebrow her way.
Tony clears his throat, “Miss Bishop, do you have an opinion?”
Kate shrugs, “I don’t know, I just thought maybe you’d be getting more female members. There’s Wanda, Nat, and me. Yet there’s lots of male heroes in the Avengers? Why not She-Hulk? She’d be a great Avenger?”
Peter was thinking this himself. The group was hardly diverse, and adding another man may spark publish backlash.
“Jennifer is not interested in being an Avenger,” Bruce says, taking this opportunity to speak for his cousin.
“So why Daredevil?”
“He’s worked with us many times,” Clint says to his protégée. Peter sees dark rings under his eyes and wonders how much sleep he’s getting. “Matt is a good man and will do well as part of our team.”
“He can’t sign,” Kate counters. “What if your aids get broken again?”
“He’s blind, Kate,” Clint says with an exasperated sigh. “You can’t expect him to be able to sign!”
“Well what happens on the mission if you need to communicate?”
“That is a problem for the future, Kate. You cannot be suggesting we don’t take someone because of their disability.”
“I, too, was wondering how Mr Murdock would cope with his physical disadvantage,” Vision says in his monotone voice. Wanda shoots him a dirty look and shakes her head.
“I disagree. I like Matt. He’s quiet. He can stay,” she says in her thick accent.
“There’s something else we need to discuss about Daredevil,” Steve says, and Clint shoots him a look.
“That isn’t your information to share,” Clint warns in a tone Peter has never heard the man use. Frankly it’s quite chilling.
Steve stares back at the archer. “It is information pertinent to the appointment of Daredevil.”
“Can Matt not have any privacy?” Clint asks. The intrigue is almost too much for Peter to bare, and he has to force himself not to ask questions.
“The team has a right to know,” Steve counters.
“Clint, Buddy, I know you care about him, but everyone needs to make an informed decision,” Tony says, leaning forward to squeeze Clint on the shoulders. Clint brushes his hand off.
“I’m informed, and Matt has my vote.”
Bruce Banner is the person who just spoke. He’s sat to Peter’s right, and the younger man can see the annoyance etched onto his face.
“I’m informed, and he has my vote,” echoes Clint.
“Everyone gets a vote,” Steve argues.
“I’m informed, and he has my vote,” repeats Natasha, crossing her arms over her chest.
Peter takes this opportunity to speak, “If so many people are vouching for him, Mr Rogers, I think we should just let him join. I like DD anyways – he’s a good man.”
Steve is visibly agitated now. He is facing the rest of the group, and his blonde hair is sticking up in spikes from where he’s been rubbing it back.
“This needs to be an informed decision,” Tony repeats to the group, and Clint’s shoulders sag from defeat. “It’s important because this is going to be something we are all going to keep hidden.”
“I don’t agree with this – I am just letting you know that,” Bruce announces, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I understand, Bruce.” Tony faces the Avengers. “Before you decide if Matt should join our team, you need to know that he is pregnant with Clint’s child. It happened when they were both taken.”
Peter’s absolutely frozen. His hands are clenched under the table, and he knows his expression must be stunned shock, his mouth open in a gaping circle. He never knew Daredevil was trans. Suddenly he feels sick to his stomach, because Matt is being outed to a bunch of cis people without his permission.
“You can’t just fucking out people, Tony!” Peter says, standing up suddenly. His chair falls over behind him, and he finds himself lurching out of the room. When he’s down the corridor, he lets himself fall against the wall and take in a deep breath. He closes this eyes.
Daredevil is trans. He can’t believe it.
All this time, Peter thought he was alone. He would have never thought there was another trans superhero out there.