A Second Family

-Chapter 10-

  EDITED
  When Peter got back, he quickly jumped into the shower. When the warm water hit his skin, it slightly stung due to a few scrapes and cuts that patterned his skin from a literal building falling on top of him. Peter figured that a few bones were broken, but that could be taken care of later.

  He stepped onto the bath mat as drops of water dripped from his wet hair. He wrapped his waist in a towel and stepped out of the bathroom, suddenly finding himself almost running into Clint who was walking down the hall.

"Oh, Peter when'd you get here?" He was no longer wearing his fancy hero getup.

  "Ah... awhile ago. I don't think you were in the room," Peter had always had trouble with lying to his heroes.

  "Hm," Clint scratched behind his neck. "So, have you seen Spiderman, he had a pretty good beating a bit ago."

  The kid had no choice but to quickly deny seeing the Spiderman... well, himself.

  "Wait a minute..." just before Peter was off the hook, Hawkeye stopped him once again. "What the heck happened to you? Did you get into another fight? Nat's gonna kill you, kid."

  Crap. Parker completely forgot that he was standing, half exposed, covered in cuts and bruises that had yet to heal.

"Don't tell Nat anything! I didn't get into a fight! I-I fell into a-bush," Peter awkwardly smiled, knowing that his smile was beyond noticeable, but hoped that Hawkeye wouldn't keep picking at it.

The kid's heart sunk when he saw Clint raise his eyebrow, "How about we talk about this later, maybe when you're ready to tell the truth."

Peter hated how the man before him was talking to him. Clint was acting as if he were his dad, didn't he already have kids he needed to take care of? Either way Peter knew that the only way he could safely out of this situation was by agreeing.

"Okay fine," he'd soon have to come up with a lie to tell to the man good with a bow.

"Oh uh, Pete?" Clint called out to him just before he was about to go to his room. "You sure you haven't seen that Spider-guy? He was pretty beat up when we got back."

"Sorry no," Parker pulled his lips into a thin line to try avoiding giving something away. "But I'll let you know if I do!!"

~•~

"Hey Steve," Clint flopped himself down next to the super soldier. "Have you seen Spider-boy around anywhere? Wanted to check up on him."

  "No, I believe that Tony said he went to shower," Rogers sat himself up into a proper sitting position.

  "Really? Because when I was looking for him, Peter Parker had just gotten out of the shower. Actually, Peter was acting pretty weird.

  "He looked like he'd been beat up, but the kid swore he hadn't gotten into another fight. I dunno, he was lying about something." Clint flipped through the channels on the tv, leaving Steve very confused and wanting more answers.

  "Peter was beat up? Why else would he be beat up besides getting into a fight? It's not like he does any sports that could be dangerous," Rogers stood up from his seat on the couch and stood in front of Clint.

  "Y'know, you do have a point there. I probably shouldn't have let him walk away."

  "You think?" When Steve started walking to the kid's room, Clint stood up as well and followed after. "Peter, its Steve, in coming in."

  The two basically barged into his room to see a slightly shocked Peter now fully clothed in his shirt that read 'If You Believe in Telekinesis Please Raise my Hand.' (I chose that one because I own it)

  "Is something wrong?!" He rushed forward but was stopped when Steve put both of his hands on Peter's forearms and looked at his now only slightly bruised arm. Good ol' quick healing am I right?

  "What is this?" Captain America was giving that sort of look that a mother would give as if they were saying, 'I'm not angry, just very disappointed.' "I thought you'd learned your lesson after getting in a fight last time?"

  Parker slowly pulled himself out of arms reach, "I already told Clint that I didn't get into a fight! I tripped when I walked out of sch-"

  Clint quickly barged in, "Hm, just a few minutes ago I remember you telling me that you fell into a bush?"

  Crap. Now Peter was in deep water. About now was the point where he continued to dig down into his hole of lies, "I uh, tripped and fell into a bush... on my way home from school?" The kid didn't mean for it, but what he said come out more as a question instead of a statement.

  "Right," Steve closed the door that was still open behind him. "Sorry Pete, but you're not allowed to leave this room until you tell us the truth."

  Exasperated, Peter flopped down onto his bed and groaned into his pillow, "Fiiiine. You guys were gonna find out sooner or later."

  Captain America and Hawkeye both shared a look with each other, letting the other know that neither had any idea of what the kid was talking about.

  Peter Parker started digging under his bed until he came out with a wadded up ball of red fabric. He quickly looked at it himself one last time, before tossing it at Steve Rogers.

  The super soldier un-balled the stretchy, red fabric and held it out in front of him for both he and Clint to see.

  "Peter?" Clint looked up from the mask in Steve's hands over to the kid. "Is this what I think it is?"

  "Well," Parker scratched behind his ear. "What do you think it is?"

  Barton shut is eyes and rubbed his temple in what seemed to Peter to be complete annoyance, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Peter, you're Spiderman aren't you?"

  "Wow! Nice job," Peter looked down at his feet that suddenly seemed so interesting as his voice dropped to more of a mumble. "Right on the ball with that one."

Ha ha I feel like a horrible person for so many reasons... first of all, that cliff hanger tho! Second of all, I abandoned you all for what, 2 weeks? I dunno it might've been less, but believe me, I am beyond sorry! Please forgive me!!!

  OH MY GOODNESS THOUGH!!! THIS STORY ALREADY REACHED 2K READS AND 100 VOTES?!?! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!