Chapter Text
Bruce walked out of the elevater heading over to lab seven. Nearly everybody called it the 'Chaos lab'. Bruce thought that the name fit, considering that the Interns in that lab blow up something once a day.
Today though nothing blew up. That was of course a good thing, but it was unusual. Maybe from now on the Interns would be a bit more careful. Or maybe the New Intern Peter Parker had something to do with it. The kid looked like he knew what he was doing.
Of course Bruce had heard of the Kid, he stood up mid meeting and looked afterwards like he wanted to be everywhere but in that room. Steve and Tony talked about the boy a lot. And since recently, also Natasha and Clint. That alone was weird enough, but every one of the Avengers has a feeling that something is wrong with that kid.
He feels too familiar, familiarity that shouldn't be there. None of them knew the boy. They are aware of that. Still, it feels as if he were someone they have known for eternity.
Bruce knocked at the white door in front of him. The Interns tapet a sheet of paper to the door with the inscription 'chaos lab'. After waiting for a few seconds he stepped in to the room, closing the door behind him.
An intern greeted him immediately. "Dr Banner!" she called out directing the other interns attention to him.
"Hello Ms Williams, I just wanted to check in for a second and make sure everything is fine." he told her. His gaze swept around the room before settling on Peter, the boy had his back turned to him. Bruce looked away from him as another girl joined the conversaition, "We were just about to leave." Her name was Aveline Hunter, if he remembered correctly.
He knew that the interns in this lab didn't have to work anymore for the rest of the day. Bruce wanted to get to know the new intern himself. After all, he had heard a lot about the boy.
"Ah, I see, maybe I'll come by again tomorrow." Bruce suggested while eying the kid again, he was still cleaning the table.
"That would be amazing Dr Banner." Aveline said.
"See you tomorow Dr Banner." one of the boys, Jason Synicer, called while leaving the lab with Aveline Hunter and Leon Verlando. Peter was walking towards the next table, with his back still towards Bruce.
The room fell quiet, until Raelin Kennedy's voice broke the silence. "See you tomorrow Dr Banner." She and Maya Williams quickly left the room leaving Peter and Bruce alone.
The silence that filled the room after that again was getting awkward, so Bruce decided to try to talk to the Intern. "Mr Parker?" He called, "How was your first day in the Chaos Lab?"
He could hear the tension in Peter's voice as the boy answered, "It was...quiet. Much quieter than I expected it to be."
Bruce just hummed knowing how stressful the first day could be, "quiet is good, in this lab things have a tendency to explode." Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say to a new Intern.
The Kid didn't show much of a reaktion, just answering with a short "I've heard."
Still the kid's back was turned to Bruce, the situation was slowly becomming awkward. So Bruce decided to call him out on his actions. "You should go home Mr Parker, your intership is over for today and I am pretty sure that the table is already clean enugh after three minutes."
"Yeah, I will go in a few minutes." Peter answered, Bruce could hear the disstres in his voice.
He was getting a bit worried about the kid, "Is Everything fine?" he asked him with a frown. Why wouldn't Peter turn around?
A quick, "Yeah." was all Bruce got before deciding to stop the qustioning for a few seconds. Instead he choose a diffrent tactic, "Come on, I'll walk you out, I wanted to talk to you about the test anyway."
"It's fine I can walk by myself." the boy denided the proposal. But Bruce wouldn't let it go so easily, something told him that something was wrong with this child. "Nonsense", he insisted.
It seemed as if Peter had given up, because he slowly turned around. Bruce took in his appearance. Baggy clothes, a few scars on his hands and face, curly brown hair, and all-too-familiar eyes. A very familiar scar ran through his eyebrows. Bruce's breath caught, it couldn't be. He stared at the scar, at the eyes, at the face of the boy the Avengers had been talking about for weeks.
And then it hit him. Spider-Man was a child. A seventeen year old boy from queens. Just a college student. The guy that had buildings fell on him, bullets shot at him and knifes aimed to kill him. The person whose wounds he only treated a few days ago in the med-bay because another building fell on him.
"You're-", was the only thing he could say before Peter cut in, with a shaky voice, "Please don't tell anyone". After those words left his mouth the boy left the room.
Bruce just stood there, trying to get his brain to process what he just discovered.
Peter Parker was Spider-Man.
Peter was trying to leave the building as fast as possible, his thoughts circiling in his head.
Fucking Parker Luck. Why did this has to happen. Now Bruce knew his identity.
He had to go to Matt imediatley. Maybe he knew what to do. So after Peter left the Tower he changed clothes in a nearby alley.
A few Minutes later civilians could see Spider-Man swining out of that alley. Peter just half ran half swung above the city. He wanted to get to Matts apartment as fast as possible. Panick was climbing up in his body. His thoughts were spirailing.
God how did this happen on my first day. Fucking Parker Luck
Peter knew that somebody would find out eventually, but how high was the possibility that his secret would get out on the first day. Hopefully Peter could trust Bruce to not tell every Avenger that he was Queen's Vigilante.
With his luck Tony will be in the lab tomorrow or some other Avenger.
Peter could already see Matt's apartment.
He swung one last time before he reached the fire escape. Peter quickly opened the window and got into the apartment. Matt was sitting on the sofa looking at him.
"Matt you don't belive what just happened. Everything was going fine. I was assigned to this really cool lab, lab Seven, but everyone just calls it the chaos lab."
Matt raised an eyebrow, "Isn't there always a problem."
Peter just ignored the comment and continued, "There are six interns in total. No supervisor. It's super cool. I worked on a project with two other interns, who I think are about my age. Everything went well, but just as we were about to leave, I heard a way too familiar heartbeat. One of the Avengers came up to us, so I turned around and cleaned the table for what felt like the hundredth time. And because I didn’t already have enough bad luck in my life, Bruce came in. And it’s not like the man had spent several hours looking at and treating my wounds a few days ago. So he knew exactly what that part of my face looked like and my scars. I tried to make sure he didn’t see me, but no, after everyone else was gone, Bruce wanted to walk me out and talk to me about the test. And since there was no way out of the situation, I had to turn around. Then he saw my face and figured out that I am Spider-Man. And now he knows and I don't know what I should do. Should I quit? I don't know! I'm just completely panicking right now!"
"Hey, Hey stop for a second," By now, Matt was standing in front of him, "It's gonna be alright. Even if the Avengers found out that you are Spider-Man, I don't believe they would tell the whole world."
"I know that they wouldn't tell anyone." Peter was still Panicking.
Matt's voice was calm as he spoke. "Then why are you so panicked right now?"
"Because..Because everybody who knows me dies. Everybody who knows Peter Parker is in danger! They can't know me. They..They can't die!"
He saw May's face before his eyes, as she lay in the rubble of the building. Her heartbeat slowly fading just before she died. "Something bad happens to everyone who knows me and means something to me." His voice breaking at the end.
"Peter look at me, you know that that's not true. It's not you fault." Matt tried to calm him down.
Tears were streaming down Peter's face by now, he nearly screamed at this point. "But it is my fault. May's death was my fault, Ben's death was my fault and I nearly destroyed the whole universe!" He didn't mean to say the last Part, but it just slipped out, "It is all just my fault. Because I am Spider-Man, Because I am Peter Parker!" His knees gave out and he sank to the floor.
Matt's hand shot out to catch him, and he wrapped his arms around him. "Whoa Peter it's fine, everything is going to be fine. The Avengers can Protect themselves, and so can I. Just because we know you dosen't meant that knowledge puts us in Danger."
"You're saying that now, I-I don't want-I can't bury anyone else. I just don't want to loose you or any of them."
"You won't have to bury me, I promise."
No one said anything anymore, the only thing that could be heard was Peter's sobbing.
"Im fine, Im fine, really." Peter pushed himself away from Matt a few minutes later.
Matt looked at him, "Are you sure?" he asked.
Peter nodded, as he wiped the tears from his face. He stood up and Matt followed.
At this moment Peter got a text, he fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at the display.
Peter muttered a quiet "Shit" at the message.
Kayle: Where are you Peter?
He had completely forgotten that he had to work today, so he quickly wrote back.
Peter: I'll be there in ten, sorry traffic is crazy
Kayle: okay, see you soon
"I gotta go Matt, I completly forgot that I have to work today." He was already halfway out of the window when he heard Matt's voice behind him. "be careful."
Peter chuckled, "I always am, see you later!"
A few Minutes later Peter was running towards the resturant, he changed out of the suit a few blocks away in an alley.
When he arrived it was already full, the lights too bright for his taste, and it was definitely too loud.
"Peter" Kayle appeared at Peter’s side out of nowhere, eyes wild, as if the kitchen had personally declared war on her. "Please hurry and go change, we need help like everywhere."
Peter was already moving towards the back room to change into his work clothes and put his backpack away.
Shortly after Peter stepped into the kitchen, "How can I help?" he asked one of the employee.
"Table two needs water, table four want's their check and Table six is currently fighting with one of our coworkers."
That was...much. "Okay I can do table two and three and meanwhile you could take care of table six, if that's fine with you."
The guy just shrugged "Sure"
On the way to table four, Peter grabbed more water for table two. He first refilled the glasses at table two before moving on to table four. "Here's your check, I hope you have a good day." Peter said with a definetly-not-real smile while putting their check on the table.
"Peter!" Kayle called out.
He imediatley turned around just to see Kayle, looking like she got attacked by a ketchup bottle. Her whole shirt was covered with the stuff.
"What's going on?" He asked while walking towards her.
"Could you take care of table three? Table seven spilled half a bottle of ketchup on me while I was passing by. I need to go change." she explained.
"Yeah sure, no problem", he tried to sound as calm as possible.
"Thank you" she turned around, leaving a very stressed Peter behind.
Okay you got this Parker, just don't freak out and don't scream at any customers
Peter quickly moved towards table three to take their oder, "Hello, what can I get for you today?" he asked with a tight smile. The need to be friendly to every customer and smile at them was really starting to get on his's nerves.
"I’ll take the burger with fries and a water please."
Peter quickly wrote down the order, before turing towards the other Customer.
"And I will have a coke, and a salat- but please with the dressing on the side, no tomatoes, a bit of cucumber and without Onions." Jesus, how many modifications can a salad have before its no longer considered a salad.
"Sure, coming right up." Peter turned around, walking towards the Kitchen to drop off the order.
The rest of the shift was quiet, well as quiet as it can get in a resturant full of Hungry people.
After his shift Peter walked to his apartment to dropp off some of his stuff. Deciding to not take the subway today, he changed into his Spider-Man suit.
Peter put on his Backpack, and jumped out of the window. New York was finally cooling down from the heat of the sun.
It didn't took him to long to get to Matt's apartment. It was nearing eight pm when he jumped in through the already open window.
It seemed as if Matt wasn't in the apartment. Peter focused on Matt's heartbeat and found him a few blocks away.
He checked his phone, he had a message from Matt.
Matt: I'm already on Patrol, some criminals tried robbing the Bank again. Theres Pizza in the fridge. See you later Kid!
Peter wanted to join Patrol as soon as possible, so he quickly took the pizza out of the fridge and put it in the microwave.
While he waited for his pizza to be warm, he send a message back to Matt.
Peter: Thanks I'll be there in like twenty Minutes! See you!
He took the now steaming pizza out of the microwave and sat down at the counter.
Fifteen minutes later Peter jumped out of the window again, heading for Matt's current location. He was standing on a roof watching over Hell's Kitchen.
He dropped down behind Matt walking towards the vigilante. "Hey DD, How are you ?" Peter asked as he positioned himself in such a way that he hung upside down halfway over the edge of the building.
"Good, you?"
Peter shrugged, as well as one could, hanging headfirst halfway off a building. Today was one of the rare days in New York where you could see the stars. Peter recognized a few constellations.
He had to think back to the events of the day. Bruce had discovered his identity. It was his first day at the Chaos Lab, and Peter had a mental breakdown, he not only half-yelled at Matt, but he also revealed things he wanted to keep secret.
"Hey Spidey?" Matt spoke up.
"Hm?" the question obvious in Peter's voice.
"We have to go, work is calling."
Peter concentrated on his hearing for a moment; a few blocks away, a jeweler was being robbed.
First the bank and now the Jeweler, whyyyyyyyyy?
"See you there," Peter said, let himself fall headfirst from the building. He shot a wen and began swinging towards the jeweler.
When Peter climbed back into the apartment through the window, it was almost one o'clock in the morning. After the jewel robbery, many more criminal activities followed.
Peter pulled off his mask with a sigh "I have the feeling that since we started protecting Queens and Hell's Kitchen, even more criminals have shown up."
Matt huffed, and took his Mask off too. "Maybe, but if that's the case, it's kind of your fault, you know."
"Why is it my fault now?" Peter gasped, clutching his chest in mock offense.
Matt gave him an unimpressed look, "You are Queens first vigilante."
Peter dropped back on to the sofa. "So what, isn't that a good reason to stay away?"
"Aparrently not."
"New York's Criminals are dumb."
"I know."
"They don't."
"Exactly"
A beat of silence, then, "So… hypothetically speaking—can I crash here tonight?" Peter asked.
Matt crossed his arms. "Counsel would like to clarify—are you actually asking me that?"
"Yes?" Peter said slowly.
Matt uncrossed his arms again. "Peter you practically live with me at this point. Of course you can."
"Thanks Matt"
"Yeah no problem kid, now go to sleep."
"Will do"
"Hey, Wake up" Matt said, while walking towards the kitchen.
Peter groaned
Matt sighed "You're so gonna be late."
"I knooooww" Peter drawled, standing up from the sofa and walking towards the kitchen.
"Why are you even awake Matt and what I want to know more, why am I awake?" Peter asked slumping into the chair at the counter. He let his forehead hit the table with a soft thud.
"I am awake because I have work myself. Im a lawyer you know, and you are awake because you have you're Internship." Matt sounded amused.
"Remind me again, why didn't I quit the Intership?"
"Because you like it there. I understand that the situation with the Avengers is a bit...odd. But just ignore them, even if they find out you're identity, it won't be the end of the world."
I'm not so sure about that
"If you think so."
"I do, and you have to go now or you will be late."
"You just want to get rid of me." Peter teased.
"I know that you don't even belive that yourself."
"And what if I do?" Peter said with a grin.
"Then that's kind of your problem."
"I know that you love me."
"Yeah, Yeah now go to the tower, I'll see you later."
"See you later Matt."
Since Peter was still in the suit, he just grabbed his backpack and jumped out of the window.
As Peter was almost there, his ears picked up a quite scream, like that of a child. He imediatly changed direction and swung toward where the sound was coming from.
When Peter found the owner of the voice in an alley he froze. There was a baby, lying on the floor, hidden behind a dumpster.
Peter snapped out of it and rushed forwards picking the baby up, it couldn't be older than a few months, maximal.
There was a note that just said, 'Her name is Ella'.
Saying that he was panicking was an understatement. Obviously, Peter didn't know how to deal with a child, and certainly not with a baby.
So Peter did the only resonable thing, first he held the baby a bit closer before walking up the wall. He then sat down on the roof and took out his phone, making sure that the baby wouldn't fall.
Peter dialled the number of the only Person he could think of, Matt.
"Pick up, Pick up, Pick up." The longer the phone rang, the smaller his hope became.
When nobody picked up Peter was panicking even more. He had nobody to call, nobody who could help him out. Maybe....
An idea was forming in his head, Peter knew it was Probably the dumbest thing he could do, but he didn’t know what else to do.
So he decided to call a number he hadn't called in a long time.
After ringing a few times the Person picked up.
"Hi Bruce, I know its weird that Im calling but I need your help. Like imediatly."
"Wait who's there?" Bruce asked.
"It's me spidey. And as I just said I need your help. I know I kind of stormed out yesterday but I really really need your help right now." The disstres was clear in Peters voice and it seemed as if Bruce heard it too.
"Okay where are you right now? Can you come to the tower?"
"I'm on a rooftop near the tower and I can't really go anywere right now."
The line was quiet for a few seconds before Bruce spoke again. "Okay send me your location, I'm on my way."
"Thank you" was all Peter said before he hung up and send his location over to Bruce.
A few minutes later he could hear Bruce's Heatbeat nearing so he climbed down the rooftop as careful as possible. Bruce was just coming into the alley when Peter arrived on the ground.
The scientist froze at the sight of the baby in Peters Arms. "Is that-"
"It's not what it looks like, I found her on the way to the tower. I just heard some screaming, swung here and found this baby lying on the ground and I didn't know who else to call."
Bruce walked towards Peter, taking Ella out of his arms.
"Do you know anything about her?" The Hero asked.
Peter shock his head and held up the note, "Just that her name is Ella."
"I'll take her to the Tower with me, do you want to come with me?" Bruce asked him.
"Yeah, of course just give me a second." Peter took his backpack off his back and pulled out his civilian clothes. He quickly put them over his Spider-Man suit. Finally, he took off the mask and stuffed it into his Backpack.
"Okay lets go." Bruce said while truning around and walking towards the tower.
Peter quietly walked beside the man until they reached the tower.
In the lobby Bruce turned towards him, "Go to the lab, I'll take care of her, we will talk later."
Peter wanted to protest but he knew he should get to the lab, he was already half an hour late, so he just nodded and headded for the metal detector.
After swiping his card and getting his level announed Peter took the Elevator to level three. He couldn't see Dr Miller so Peter just decided to go straight to the lab.
"Where were you?" Maya asked him as soon as he stepped into the room.
"It's kinda hard to explain," He said nervously, "But I promise it won't happen again."
Maya just shruggs and walked back to her workbench where she was working with Leon and Jason, "If you say so."
Peter dropped his bag next to the workbench. He spent the rest of the day working with Rae and Aveline on the prototype for the new Starkphone.
While they were just packing their stuff, Bruce came into the lab.
Maya was again the first Person to notice him, while Jason and Leon already left.
Peter truned the conversation between Bruce and the rest of the Interns completly out until somebody said his name behind him.
He turned around to find Bruce standing behind him, the three grils already gone.
"How's Ella?" Peter asked.
Bruce's gaze softened, "She's fine, CPS took her a few hours ago."
Peter just nooded.
"Peter" Bruce started, "I wanted to talk to you about yesterday."
"Theres nothing to talk about."
"Yes there is and you know it."
"Fine, what do you-" At this moment his hearing picked up two more heartbeats, familiar ones.
"Shit" Peter muttered before turning around, standing with his back to the door.
"Wha-" Bruce's question was cut off when the doors opened.
Natasha and Cllint stepped in.
"Hey Bruce we need your help, Nat here accidently broke Steve's arm while sparring." Clint explained nodding towards Natasha.
"It was a mistake." Natasha defended herself sounding slightly offended, tho the smile on her face said soemthing diffrent.
"Who's this?" Clint asked pointing at Peter.
Yup, this is it, I can just turn around know and in a few minutes every Avenger will know
"This is a Intern from this lab." Brouce introdusted him without revealing too much.
"What's your name, kid?" Clint asked him.
"Peter"
"What are you still doing here Peter?" Natasha asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Cleaning the tables." Peter kept his answers short, hoping that the two Avengers would quickly lose interest in him.
Clint frowned, "Why"
"Because they're not clean. Why else should I clean the tables?" Peter responded.
"Maybe you like cleaning tables I don't know." the archer shrugged.
"I don't"
Peter could hear a sigh, then Bruce turned around."Peter it's fine, they're gonna know regardless of this situation, just turn around." The scientist said so quiet that Peter could only hear it with his super hearing.
Bruce was right, there were two spy's in a room with him, of course they will know.
Why do you hate me so much universe
Peter remembered what Matt had said the other day, "Peter it's fine, everything is going to be fine. The Avengers can Protect themselves, and so can I. Just because we know you dosen't meant that knowledge puts us in Danger."
Peter took another breath and then turned around. The two spies needed a few seconds, but then they connected the dots. He could see the realization hitting them both.
"HOLY SHIT" Clint shouted.
Here we go
Bruce sighed, "Clint-Spidey, Spidey-Clint"
"Hi" Peter murmured with a little wave.
Clint looked dumbfounded but still waved back slowly, still trying to process whatever the hell just happened.
Natasha meanwhile looked amused.
Clint looked at Natasha for a second before he groaned. "Why do I have the feeling that you're not surprised by this?"
She just shrugged, "Because I'm not, I knew."
Now it was Peter's turn to look dumbfounded, "Y-You..What?"
"I knew" she repeated.
"How" Peter dragged out slowly.
"Spider-Man's a kid, you two are the same height and you sound similar. You were also at a meeting with a group of vigilantes."
"It was a public meeting."
It seemed as if Clint had recovered from his shock, as he joined the conversation again.
"Yeah, but you were the only civilian we didn't know had a secret identity."
"I was there with Matt!" Peter protested.
Clint snorted, "That doesn't exactly make it better kid."
"Oh no" Peter muttered.
Another very familiar Heartbeat was coming towards them.
"Well, the others would've found out eventually " he said.
Clint was looking at him a bit confused. At least until the doors opened and Tony stepped in.
"What's taking you so long? In a few minutes the wound will be already closed, before bruce here had the chance to take a look at it" Tony asked, stepping into the room.
"We were talking to Peter." Natasha pointed at him.
The man turned his attention towards Peter. He could see the moment when Tony realized who he was.
Before the Hero could say anything Peter cut in, "NO-if you say anything about my identity -anything I swear I'll jump out of the window!"
Peter really didn't want the whole oh you're Spider-Man thing again.
Clint had just finished his realization process, he couldn't go through the same thing with Tony.
He heard Clint whispers to Natasha, "Well technically he does that all the time."
Peter pointed at Clint, "Hey, shut it, the kid is talking!"
In the Background Peter could hear Tony snort.
Bruce was quiet most of the conversation, now he spoke up. "You guys needed me right?"
"Yes, Nat broke Steve's arm while sparring, the guy has a quick healing factor, but we thought you might want to take a look." Tony explained.
Bruce nodded, "That would be better, otherwise it will end in chaos again."
Peter knew what he meant, once Steve had broken his arm and no one had checked if the bone was aligned correctly. They had to break Steve's arm again because the bone had healed incorrectly.
"Are you coming with us? Meet the team?" Tony asked, looking at him.
"Erm...I don't know."
"Then come, they're gonna know either way."
"Fine"
Peter followed the Avengers out of the lab and into the Elevator. "Hey F.R.I.D.A.Y, take us to the Gym would ya?" Tony requested.
"Of course Boss"
The Elevator started moving Immediately and soon the doors opened revealing the Gym.
There were five people in the room, people he remembered.
Wanda noticed him first, Bucky, Steve, Sam, and Vision followed.