Lost in Translation

A Deeper Truth

Tony took the phone out of Peter's hand hesitantly, looking at it like he expected it to explode any second now.

"Hello?" The billionaire lifted himself off the couch as he lifted the phone to his ear, walking down the hall a bit to get away from the listening ears. As he disappeared behind the corner, Steve turned to the teen, eager for an explanation.

"How do you know Fury?"

Peter wasn't prepared for them to know just yet. He didn't want them to think differently of him. Air seemed to elude him as he sucked in a breath, but he kept his cool. Natasha noticed, instantly going into comfort mode.

"Breathe, just breathe" she coached in soft tones, moving to sit next to him. A soft hand reached out slowly, as if it was still deciding whether or not to physically hold the teen, but before Natasha could make up her mind, Peter's hand had shot out and captured hers.

A little baby wrapped small fingers around the girl's pointer finger, cooing. "Hello, Petya. Hello, my son."

Peter had always relaxed into physical touch. It was grounding. It was safe. It was familiar somehow, even with a stranger.

After a short moment, the teen cleared his throat. "Fury was the one who first found me and gave me to my Aunt. He said I had my powers by then, that I was already part Spider. He gave me to two SHIELD agents, Mary and Richard Parker, but they were killed soon after and I went to live with Mary's sister, May. When I was 8 years old, Fury requested I begin training, and by 10, I was going on solo missions. It's why I speak so many languages."

Peter took a breath, so Clint took the opportunity to ask another question.

"You said you resigned. When did that happen?"

"A couple weeks ago," Peter said with a shrug. "I was tired of lying to my Aunt, and I wanted to do something more... noble. I hated- that feeling- ugh." The teen put his head in his hands. "I didn't like what I did for Fury. I didn't like who I was."

Natasha and Clint shared a moment of silent communication when he said that. It was almost exactly what they had said to one another when they decided to leave all those years ago.

"Were you assigned to Recon and Capture, then?" Natasha asked, part of her curious if her son had followed in her footsteps, the other part ready to tear Fury limb from limb.

"My first Recon and Capture was when I was 10." Clint recoiled in shock, his eyes blown wide. Natasha gasped, just barely.

"I don't understand," Bucky said, holding up his hands. "You were a SHIELD agent?"

Peter nodded.

"Okay, and what is Recon and Capture?"

Natasha, Clint, and Peter all winced slightly. It was Clint who answered first.

"You're sent in to map the place. Whatever you can get, entrances, security, traps, it's all mapped out. You capture whoever you can, usually a guard or janitor to be interrogated back at the base, and-"

"You kill anyone who sees you do it." Peter finished, looking down at his hands.

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"I don't really care what you want, Fury," Tony raised his voice, slamming his hands down on the table. "I'm not letting you poke and prod a teenager!"

"I didn't ask to poke and prod him, I just asked to talk," Fury responded coolly.

"Why would you want to talk?" Tony was highly suspicious of Fury anyways, but after May's warning, he was especially worried.