6. Introductions. Again, I Guess

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After I woke up, I decided to make myself some breakfast. Verdienen suggested french toast, and I obliged, making three pieces. After I cleaned the kitchen, I combed through intel for a few hours, stopping for lunch after my search proved unfruitful.

"Why don't you go out to eat?" Gestorben said.

"Staying in is safer."

"Going out is more fun. Plus, you need exercise, or you'll dream." V reminded me.

I paused, thinking it over. "I hate it when you're right." I rolled my eyes at the two grinning like tomcats, pulling on my coat. "Where's the closest diner?"

"What are we, Google?" The mammoth of a man complained.

"Do you know the answer?"

"Yes."

I paused, waiting for one of them to continue as I pulled the veil over my face and slipped on my shoes. "Care to share it?"

"Three blocks north, straight ahead."

"Thank you."

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 I climbed the few stories up to my level, then reached into a small pocket in my bag that I always put my key in. It was empty. I dug through the rest of my bag, looking for it, but still couldn't find it.

"Oh no, where ever could your key have gone? I guess we'll never know." V taunted. I turned on my heel to look at her.

"V, I swear, give me my key." I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Or. I was thinking, you haven't talked to your neighbors since Peter delivered that present. And he's not a jerk, I've been watching him." She hinted, winking at me.

"First thing: don't creep on people unless I ask you to. Second, I'm a little bit busy for any sort of friendship." I looked at Ben. "Please tell her she's wrong."

"Actually, I'm siding with her on this. You need friends that are still alive, as I keep telling you." He shrugged.

"And I keep telling you that that is a terrible idea."

"Knock on their door and I'll give you the key."

"You two are unbelievable." I rolled my eyes and tried to grab the key from the short girl, who would just vanish every time I got close to her. After a few minutes of this, I was standing in front of the stairwell door, my back to it, finally getting the key to my door when someone bumped into me, causing me to lose my balance.

Before I had fallen, I felt a strong hand circling my arm, preventing me from hitting the ground. Quick reflexes, I thought, and shifted my feet under me so I could support my own weight. I turned to see a boy, about my age, with one earbud in his ear, and his chocolate brown eyes wide with surprise.

"Alice. Hi." He smiled.

Thank god I'm wearing my veil. "Hey, Peter. Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Tell the truth."  V chided.

"No, totally my fault. It's okay." The brunette apologized.

"Okay. Um, bye now." I quickly turned, only to run straight into Ben's chest. As I stumbled back, again caught by Peter, I saw Ben disappear.

"Y-You." He stuttered. He sounded like he was afraid.

"Yes?" I asked cautiously, standing up again. I looked into his thoughts.

That's Y/N. Wait, watch your thoughts. She can't know I'm Spider-Man. Great, if she was listening she knows. Stupid.

I couldn't help to keep the shock off my face. "What? " I brought my hand to my face, feeling my skin instead of the veil. He took my veil off, the prick. "Damn it, Ben." I muttered before half-smiling at the boy in front of me who looked like he was panicking. "Well, hi Bugsy."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He lied, his eyes still wide, his thoughts still freaking out.

"You know who I am now, thanks to someone. I know who you are because of your voice; I never forget anything. And even if I didn't, I was listening and your body language is a dead giveaway."

"Oh."

"Not that this isn't fun, but for the sake of our protection, I suggest we talk about this where others won't overhear." Trusting he would follow, I walked over to my door, at the same time he walked over to his. "No, my place. Your Aunt is home."

"Oh. Wait, how do you know?" He looked confused.

"I will tell you, in a second." I unlocked my door and waved him to follow. He crossed into my apartment, and I noticed his shoulders were tense, ready for a fight. Once the door was closed, I continued. "She's in range, so I can hear her thoughts."

"Wait, so you can hear us? Even through the wall?" He asked.

"Yes. The only barrier I know of for my abilities is distance." I explained. "Like right now, you're trying to think of a way to sneakily call 'Mr. Stark'. It would be useless, of course. I wiped everyone, to keep them safe. What happened with Bucky was my fault, as much as everyone else thinks it isn't."

"Oh." He said simply.

"Yeah."

"Ask him about being Spider-Man." V insisted.

Rolling my eyes, I answered her out loud. "I am currently still upset that this conversation is happening at all, thanks to you, but ask him yourself, we're not in view of anyone. But please don't scare him. I'm looking at you, Ben." I pointed at the invisible figure, who frowned like a child after you take away their toy. "Don't look at me like that. You aren't the same age as V. Stop acting it."

"Um, who are you talking to?" Peter spoke up.

"Us." V announced, revealing herself on the couch with Ben. Peter jumped back, and out of habit shot a web at her. She disappeared and reappeared right in front of him, which only made him fall over. She began to laugh. "I like him."

"What did I say?" I reprimanded her, but she just smiled shamelessly. I helped him up, and his head bounced from the smug girl in front of him to the huge man still on the couch who was looking amused. "Sorry about her."

"Who is she? And who is he? And how did they just . . . come out of nowhere?" His eyes were still wide.

"While I answer that question, do you want some lemonade?" I asked, walking over to my kitchen and opening the fridge. He nodded, not taking his eyes off of the ghosts in my living room. I poured us both glasses and motioned for everyone to come sit at the counter. Verdienen and Gestorben took a seat, but Peter decided to stay with me on the other side. "Okay, so, first things first, understand that they are technically not here. They are dead."

"They don't look dead." He commented.

"Is this better?" Ben said, and they both switched their appearances to show Verdienen's oozing bullet hole and Gestorben's spewing slit throat. Peter screamed and the glass slipped out of his hand as he jolted backwards, glass exploding all over the floor with a sharp note.

"Guys, cut it out. I would like him to not hate us." I smacked the top of Ben's head, and they switched back to a more normal look. "Sorry, they're not good with people." His face was still white, but he nodded. "Okay, so his name is Gestorben, or just Ben, and her name is Verdienen, or V. They were Hydra agents with me." I explained.

"Yep. Until she killed us." V added cheerfully. Peter's head whipped to look over at me, and he took a step away from me.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Yes. The morbid way you just saw them was how they looked when they died." I paused, reading his thoughts. "No, I will not hurt you." Another question popped into his head, so I continued. "Ben is seventeen, and V is seven. No, they won't hurt you either."

"Please stop that." His voice was shaking.

"Sorry." I apologized. "So, um, Peter, my friends, friends, Peter." I motioned between the three of them.

"Hi!" V greeted, smiling, as always. Ben simply held out his hand. Peter hesitated for a second, but accepted the handshake, and waved at the grinning girl.

"Any questions?" I asked.

"So many." He replied, his eyes still wide.

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Aim: Hydra | Y/N Story | Sequel to "Aim: Avenger"Where stories live. Discover now