Rite of Passage

Chapter 1

 "That's so cool!"

Peter sighed for what felt like the millionth time that evening. Leaning from his web-hammock, he grabbed the web shooter from Ned's hand and flipped it the right way so webs wouldn't blast his best friend in the face. "Don't break anything."

"I know, I know. I promise I won't."

"'Cause if you do, Mr. Stark's going to flip out on me."

"I know. I won't break anything." Ned held the shooter in a very precarious position. "See? I'm your Guy in the Chair. I got this."

Ned had the Spider-Man mask pulled over his head, and the eyes' lenses narrowed and widened as he examined the shooters. "Hook web, timer web, venom web..."

Letting his legs dangle over the edge of the hammock, Peter watched his best friend act like a kid in a candy store. He knew from experience that Ned was repeating the names that the suit's AI, who Peter named Karen, was telling him.

Karen was chill. She didn't report everything to Mr. Stark anymore, unlike FRIDAY. She was good to talk to and even gave him sweet, but often completely unhelpful, life advice.

***

Example: Just last weekend, Peter as Spider-Man was debating whether or not to check out the back alley a few blocks down, which was a little bit outside of his usual stomping grounds, when his spidey-sense alerted him to another figure on the rooftop next to him.

Slowly, he turned, careful to keep his fingers poised over his web-shooters. Thanks to the suit's night-vision, the figure on the opposite rooftop was in stark relief: a tall-ish guy, maybe 5'10", 5'11", built stocky and muscular. His clothing looked less like cloth and more like a red leather of some sort.

His face, like Peter's, was hidden beneath a mask. Two nubs stuck up from the forehead like ears. Or horns.

It was Daredevil.

Peter's heart immediately started fanboying almost as much as the time he met Captain America. This was Daredevil, the original vigilante of New York City. Yeah, his methods were sometimes questionable, but he was AWESOME in Peter's suddenly ten-year-old mind.

"I wonder what he would do if I asked for an autograph?" Peter asked, mostly to himself, then giggled.

Karen chose this exact moment to say, "He has many fans, but most of them are intimidated by him. It would probably make him feel admired if you asked."

"No, Karen, I was kidding," Peter hissed back, waving her off. He probably looked insane talking to himself, but no one was there to see. "I'm just gonna go over and say hey."

"Would you like to rehearse your speech?" Karen teased. "You are awfully funny when you rehearse speeches."

"Oh my God, Karen," Peter groaned. "Tell Mr. Stark to turn off Baby Monotor Protocol already."

He swung over to the building, landing lightly on the concrete. Daredevil stiffened slightly but didn't move from his perch on the roof.

Peter cleared his throat. "Uh. Hey."

Daredevil whirled around, dropping into a defensive stance. "Who the hell are you?" he growled.

"Um." Maybe this wasn't the best time to ask for an autograph. "I'm Spider-Man. Big fan." Ugh, he sounded so nerdy.

Daredevil relaxed. "Oh. Okay. What're you doing outside Queens, kid?"

Peter stiffened at the word kid, but tried not to let it show. "I'm, uh, patrolling. Also, I love how you tied up those guys robbing the bank last week."