Work Text:
Sunday, 5 PM
Peter swings onto the balcony of the Avengers Tower common room. He's cursing loudly in Russian as he walks into the room, throwing his mask on the coffee table. His entrance causes more than a few raised eyebrows from the Avengers but he ignores them and goes straight to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and downing it.
It's not until the water bottle is empty that he realizes that everyone is staring at him. “What!” He snaps at them, uncharacteristically. Steve's looking nervous, Clint is looking curious, Natasha and Bucky are eyeing him, Bruce is focusing on his bruised face, and Tony – Tony is the loudmouth who answers him.
“Wow, sassy. And bloody. What happened, sunshine?” This time it's Peter's turn to raise his eyebrow at Tony. Sunshine? Peter swiftly ignores that nickname and tries not to growl at them. “Where the fuck were you!?” It comes out as more of a yell than he would've liked, but his control is slipping and all the anger, fear, and hurt are crashing out.
Steve opens his mouth to reprimand Peter, but promptly shuts up as he notices the tears welling up in Peter's eyes. He's not sure what to say or do. Bucky and Tony look a bit insulted and angry. Clint's eyes are wide and Natasha's face is hard. Bruce anxiously fiddles his his tea cup. It's obvious that Peter's hurting, even if they couldn't see the bruises and cuts on his face, they could tell from his body language. He's defensive and lashing out.
“Peter,” Steve approaches him carefully. “What's wrong?” Peter grits his teeth and he crushes the bottle in his hand. “'What's wrong?'” Peter echoes. “'What's wrong?'” His face heats up beneath the bruises and he yells, gesturing wildly. “What's wrong is that you all fucking disappeared for the entire weekend! What the fuck!?” His outburst causes the entire team to startle and flinch back. His voice is as loud as Thor's if Thor had been there.
Tony's surprisingly silent, unsure of what to do or say. It's Steve who softly speaks to Peter. “Peter, you need to calm down… Did something happen while we were gone? Tell us what's going on.” Peter takes a deep breath, trying to push down his anger visibly.
“Sir? Director Fury is on the line for Mister Parker,” Jarvis' robotic voice informs them.
Peter's head snaps up towards the ceiling and this time he does growl, body suddenly prepared for an attack. “Tell Director Fury that I don't want to talk to him now. Better yet, tell him that if he sends anyone here I will kick their ass and throw them off the Tower!” Peter barks out, anger exploding again.
He pays no attention to the fact that jaws have dropped open in the room. This was not characteristic of Peter. Peter was a sweet, gentle boy who obeyed rules. Peter would not want to start anything with SHIELD. Starting something with SHIELD was something he did his best to not do. He actually hated to get involved when he was out on patrol.
“Very well, Mister Parker.” Jarvis answered, his tone cooly even.
Peter sets the crushed bottle on the counter, resting his hands on the edges and leaning into it as he takes deep breaths. Nobody wants to speak. They are afraid to set him off again. They know they have to. Something is obviously very wrong with their young friend.
Ring ring! Ring ring!
The anger has drained away from Peter's body as he wearily digs out his cell phone from his pack and flips it open. “Yeah?” His voice is worn and dull. “Ahhh – Logan – Yeah, yeah, I made it back. - No, I'm okay, just tired. - Do you have any leads yet? - Rogue huh? Fuck. - Yeah, like I wanted to get involved. - I know, Logan. I know. - Listen, thanks for getting me out of there. I don't think I would've made it out alive if you hadn't of been there. - No seriously. I'm extremely grateful. - Huh? No, I can't buy you beer. I'm still underage. - 'Kid?' Oh shut it. You can come to the Tower when you want. Tony's got plenty of alcohol here. The good stuff too. - Ha. You're hilarious. - Yeah, I'll be careful. I'll see you soon, yeah? - Okay – Yeah, 'bye.” After the call ends, Peter stares at his phone, looking like he's trying to decide whether he wants to throw it and if it would help.
He sighs and stuffs it back in his pack, walking over to the couch and just slumping on it beside Clint. He can feel the gazes of the Avengers on him, analyzing everything they know and forming theories. Peter doesn't want to deal with this shit right now. He's tired and hungry, but he knows that they're going to ask. He's also aware, however, that they don't know how to ask.
He shrugs internally, leaning back onto the couch as he closes his eyes.
Over his head everyone is exchanging looks of concern. Hearing about Logan and something about 'getting him out alive' were bothering them. They had gone out on a mission to explore the rumor of a Hyrda facility which turned out to be a bust. It was comm silence except for those on the mission. Leaving Peter had been the obvious thing to do. It could be dangerous. Hydra was not the kind of organization that a teenager, even a teen superhero, should get involved with. So they left him behind for his own safety.
At least, that's what they had thought. They were beginning to think that leaving him behind wasn't as safe as they had thought it would be.
Things move slowly and delicately for the rest of the evening. Everyone is walking on egg shells around Peter and it would normally piss him off, but he just lets it go. At one point, Clint tried to bring it up. That was an absolute disaster when Peter decidedly webbed Clint to the ceiling for half an hour.
Everyone got together after Peter had eaten a snack and disappeared into his room to theorize what had happened to their young Avenger. Tony had jokingly suggested that Peter had been taken over by an alien and they should take him to SHIELD but was met with a quick, loud whack to the back of his head. They obviously thought that was a shitty idea. Natasha and Bucky wanted to talk to SHIELD and see if they knew what had happened to Spider-Man in their absence. Steve and Bruce agreed with Natasha. As it often had happened, Tony was overruled for the good.
Natasha, Bucky, and Clint consequently vanished to visit SHIELD and Tony was surfing news sites to see if there was some news that they'd missed. Steve and Bruce were stuck sitting in the living room, confused and concerned. Steve had wanted to go to SHIELD with them, but the thought that perhaps Peter might need him kept him at the Tower.
Despite the worry about an eventful night, it was anything but eventful. Peter didn't leave the room at any point. The assassin trio didn't return that night. Bruce and Steve wandered around common area. Tony was in and out from his lab for coffee and to randomly rant about how much of a prick Fury was for keeping secrets. He hadn't had much luck finding out any information on what had happened during their absence. The only thing they knew was that Spider-Man made one appearance on Friday and then went poof. Had Thor been there, they would've asked him if Loki had been in town.
After they realized Peter wasn't going to school, he walked into the room around 9 AM fully dressed. Now that he was out of spandex, Bruce, Tony, and Steve could see the cuts and bruises in the open. “Want some breakfast, Peter?” Steve asked from the kitchen. Peter grunted 'yes'. Tony exchanged a glance with Steve, who just shrugged and began making pancakes.
Peter plopped down at the kitchen counter and began dialing a number. “여보세요? - 예? - 예. 좀.. 유자 차가 있습니까? - 네, 세개 주세요. - 어디로? - 어벤져스 타워까지. - 네? 누가 좋아? - 아 나도. 몇분 걸리나? - 네, 알겠습니다.” He yawns after he hangs up the phone and stretches a bit, either ignoring or just oblivious to the blank looks from the other three Avengers present. Steve shakes himself a little and sets a fresh plate of pancakes in front of Peter.
“So… what was that about?” Tony offhandedly asks as he pours himself another cup of coffee. Peter shrugs as he starts eating the pancakes. Hearing no response, Tony raises an eyebrow in question. “So… Korean?” Bruce mentions. Peter just gives a nod, cheeks stuffed with pancakes. Tony and Steve exchange worried glances. Peter knowing Korean is one of the most unusual details to find out. As far as they knew, Peter did not know Korean before they left for the mission.
“Master Parker, there's a delivery of Yujacha on its way up for you,” Jarvis cuts in. Peter swallows his bite and whistles. “That was fast.” Peter hops up and walks over to the elevator in time for it to open. He grabs a box on the elevator floor and carries it into the common kitchen. “Is there still some hot water in the kettle, Bruce?” Peter asks as he sets the box on the counter and opens it. “Yes,” Bruce replies, unable to keep an edge of curiosity out of his voice.
For the first time since Peter's return, they see a look the look of exhaustion fade into something akin to bliss when Peter scoops up some of what looks like tea into a cup and pours hot water into it. Peter practically groans with happiness when he takes a sip of the hot drink. Tony and Steve look at Bruce, because – hey, he's the tea guy, but Bruce just shakes his head. He's clueless himself.
“I'm sorry, did you want a cup?” Peter asks the three, seeming to remember that they might like some – maybe. “Sure,” Bruce says gently. Tony, however, comes right out and asks, “What is it?” Peter smiles a little. “Korean citron tea,” Peter says as he makes another cup for Bruce. “It's honey and citrus fruit. It's very delicious and can be drunk hot or cold. It's also perfect for colds,” he informs them as he hands Bruce his cup.
It smells divine and even Steve and Tony ask for a cup, which Peter happily makes for them.
The atmosphere turns silent. Nobody's sure what to say, but it's more relaxed now. Peter looks like he's just enjoying the tea and it's enough for them for the moment.
And then the assassin trio walks in. “What the fuck, Peter!?” Clint practically shouts at Peter. Peter's eyebrow raises in question. He can see the other two Avengers, faces cold and bodies tense.
“Tea?” Peter gestures to the bottle of yujacha. Clint's face scrunches up, confused at Peter's lack of explosive reaction. Tony, Steve, and Bruce are looking over the trio and noticing subtextual signs that they are upset. Peter rolls his eyes and motions for them to take a seat at the kitchen counter. He doesn't wait for their permission and makes them each a cup of yujacha.
As he sets down the last cup in front of Bucky, he sighs. “So how much do you know?”
That's when Clint bursts out. “The fuck were you going to tell us a rogue SHIELD faction fucking sold you to North Korea!?” Bucky and Natasha look furious, but they let Clint yell enough for them. Peter just raises an eyebrow and waits for Clint to stop yelling. Bruce, Tony, and Steve look downright horrified at the news of what happened.
“Um, eventually?” Peter says tenatively, for which he receives glares. “Look, I'm sorry I was angry last night. It wasn't fair to you. I'm just…” Peter sighs, shoulders drooping as he ignores the rage he can tell is building up in his friends. “Yes, I was out on patrol and I met some SHIELD agents, who – you know, ended up kidnapping me and selling me to the highest bidder at some wackjob Black Market down by the docks.” He takes a sip of his tea, relaxing a little as the warm flavor hits his tongue.
“And, yeah, I got sold to North Korea.” He shudders a little as memories, horrible memories, bubble up. He quickly takes a gulp of his tea to calm down.
Shyly, he lifts his gaze and looks around at the expressions of the rest of the Avengers. Most of them are horrified, broken looking even. Some look like they are struggling between wanting to stay for Peter and wanting to go out and gut the sons of bitches for what they'd done to Peter.
It's Bruce who abandons his tea and walks around to Peter, eyeing his shirt. “Up,” he demands, his doctor instincts telling him something's wrong. Peter stares at him for a moment, trying to decide whether he wants to run or give in. He's tired, so he just sets his cup aside and lifts his shirt up and off his torso.
This time he definitely does not look at their expressions, their gasps and wounded sounds enough for a picture of how they're reacting. He knows what they see. Peter's bruised the majority of his body and there's a long thin cut from his collar bone down to his hip that's been stitched up tightly. He knows they're taking in the bruises from restraints and the needle marks that his body hasn't gotten around to getting rid of yet.
“Peter,” Steve chokes out, sounding like he's about to cry. Bruce bites his lip, anxiously trying to subdue the wave of rage he sees as he takes in the damage. Tony, for once, has no words and just gapes. Bucky and Natasha's faces are blank slates. Clint's, however, looks beyond angry.
“Peter, this… they...” Bruce stutters out, unable to finish his sentence out loud. “Experiments,” Peter says, his voice dull as he emotionally distances himself. He tries to believe that it's not him he's talking about. “Live dissection,” he motions to his torso where the stitching is. Bruce is starting to look more than a healthy shade of green, so quickly Peter tells him it's okay if he needs to leave the room. Bruce just shakes his head and does some deep breathing techniques to calm down.
Peter bites his lip, nervously and replaces his shirt, hurriedly as he ignores the twinges of pain. Movement catches his eyes and before he knows it, Tony's thrown his arms around Peter and is hugging him like he's made of glass. It annoys him to be treated so delicately, but he's actually kind of grateful because too much pressure would just really hurt. He's been through enough pain, thank you very much.
Another set of steps and there's a hand on his head, running his/her fingers through his hair. He looks around and realizes that it's Bucky's hand. Bucky's eyes look like they are remembering all the sick experiments that he's been through and he knows weekend or not, he hates that Peter's been through that. Peter reaches out, one arm around Tony loosely and runs his fingers down Bucky's arm, trying to comfort him.
Clint moves and drags Tony away just to turn around and pull Peter into his arms away from Bucky and Tony. “Shit, kid… fucking shit…” It takes a lot to make Clint cry, as it does the other Avengers, but he feels Clint's tears fall on his temple and it just about breaks his heart. “Damnit, Clint,” he says softly, determinedly. “I'm okay,” he murmurs trying to soothe Clint. “I'm here, I'm safe.”
Peter rubs circles on Clint's back, trying to calm him down. While he does so, he looks around at the others and wonders if he should give them all hugs. God, he knows he was pissed when he got back, but it wasn't their fault. They need to understand that.
Pulling away, slowly from Clint, he looks each of them in the eyes. “It wasn't your fault. I'm okay,” he repeats, even though he's not sure he's going to make it back to 100%. He spent the majority of the night tossing and turning and running in his nightmares only to be caught and experimented on. He can still feel the metal restraints and the needles plunging into his skin. There's a ghost of a blade running along his cut as a remainder.
It's surprising when Natasha leans over and kisses Peter on the forehead, but it makes him smile. Steve comes over to pat his shoulder, lightly. Bruce just gives him a smile. “We're here for you,” Bucky tells him, unusually the group speaker for the moment because Tony is oddly quiet. But that doesn't last long. “Kid, we'll get them,” Tony promises, eyes blazing.
Peter just shrugs. Honestly, he's not ready to think about taking revenge – ahem, getting payback. He's not even sure he's ready to stop them as Spider-Man. He's back to chewing his lip, nervously and they can see that he needs time. He's not ready for the 'we'll kick their asses' speech, so they just settle back down with their tea.
“So, was Wolvie the rescue party?” Tony asks, absently as he types in something on his StarkPad. Peter nods. “Yeah, just shows up out of the blue, cuts my restraints off, and throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as he runs out of the compound.” They chuckle at the visual of Peter looking like a sack of potatoes on the shoulder of a big, hairy mutant they all know.
“How did he find out you were in trouble?” Steve questions, looking at Peter. Peter shrugs. “Apparently he was in the area and heard some chatter about special project involving an 'Experiment Spider' and decided to see who it was. Said he didn't really think it could be me because I'm usually with you guys, but he ended up checking it out anyways.” He doesn't look at the group because he knows that they feel guilty for having left him behind.
“How was your mission?” Peter changes the subject. They grimace and suddenly he thinks it wasn't a good idea. He sees them shake their heads and sigh. “It was a bust. No sign of any recent activity.” Peter winces, which causes them to sharply look at him, thinking he's in pain. But Peter shakes his head. He's not in pain. It's just that if he had gone with them, none of this would've happened.
He can see that they're thinking the same when they frown. Peter shrugs and makes himself another cup of yujacha. He's about to take a sip of his freshly made tea when his phone rings. He grimaces as everyone looks at him, their conversation about whatnot forgotten. “Hello?” He answers. It's Logan again.
“Seriously? - It's – Yeah, I'm not going to school today. - You took a team back.” Peter answers blandly. “I know, I know.” He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, frustrated. “Is everyone okay? - Good. - The experiments? - Yeah, send me the data. I want to see just what they wanted with me. - Thanks – You're what? - Coming here?” He's just as confused as the eavesdroppers now. “Well, okay. - Yeah, see you, Logan.” He pockets his phone after the call ends.
“So, Logan's going to come here,” he mentions to the group. Natasha's the one who quirks the eyebrow and asks, “Why?” Peter shrugs. “Some things about the facility, or whatever. I think he just wants to check up on me,” he says like that doesn't raise concerns from the others, which it does. Logan doesn't stop by for pleasure. He rarely stops by for business. This is serious.
“Do we have to talk about this now?” Peter asks them, a bit contrite. He feels a bit guilty when he sees them frown, eyes sad. He sighs softly. “Yeah, okay,” he murmurs. “Are you sure you want a more detailed version,” he questions them, hoping they say 'no' but knowing that they probably want every last fucking detail so that they can get the bastards and 'fuck them up,' as Clint would put it. “Yes,” Tony says, sternly. Bruce, however, pats his arm lightly, “Please?” Peter sighs.
“When you… left for the mission, I went out to patrol like I always do. It started out fine. No big problems. Then my spider sense went crazy and suddenly I ran smack into a team from SHIELD.” The spies' eyes narrow at that. Bruce, Steve, and the others are just listening, apprehensive. “Well, they asked me if I could give them some back-up on their mission in catching some local Black Marketeers,” Peter pauses, frowning in the memory.
“I said yes. I mean, it was SHIELD. I may hate the it, but they do do some good. So I followed them to a warehouse on the docks and then something stabbed me and I must've been knocked out. Woke up to an private auction when they were trying to sell me off.” Peter bites his lip, feeling the wave of fear and terror at waking up to being seen. It wasn't unusual. Heroes, vigilantes, they get seen. But being seen as an object to be bought and used… that was a first and he didn't enjoy it.
“They couldn't get my mask off,” he gestures to himself. “Lucky byproduct of spider DNA.” He cleared his throat to continue. “And I did, you know. Get bought.” His eyes glaze off a little, the memory of being sold for billions bubbling up with fury. “It was actually a country that b-bought me. Sadly not Canada or Mexico. This little Spider went global,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Got knocked out and when I woke up I was on the other side of the world in North Korea,” he chuckled at the thought of waking up in another country a little. “Didn't speak a lick of what language the guards were using. The scientists and head honcho used English. Ended up at the mercy of their fucking experiments for almost the entire weekend. They poked, prodded, cut, tore, broke… It's a wonder I'm still in one piece.” He looked down at his torso where beneath the shirt the long gash still lay. “Mostly,” he amended.
“I blacked out a lot and then the last time I woke up, there was an attack on the compound. Lucky for me it was Logan and some of his friends,” Peter sighed. “Logan grabbed me and we got the hell outta there. He helped tend me for a little bit and then the X-Jet gave me a lift back here,” he concluded, knowing that he'd left out the details of his torture at the hands of the bad scientists and evil militarists, but he was okay with that.
Peter ran a hand through his hair, wincing when his body twinged with pain. He'd been lucky that the Professor was able to contain most of his pain with some mental barriers, but he'd been assured that those wouldn't hold off everything and would eventually fall. That was what he was definitely not looking forward to.
“Sorry,” a voice croaked, bringing him back to the present. Peter blinked. “What?” he questioned. Brows furrowed, he looked at the guilt ridden faces of the Avengers. “We're so sorry,” Tony blurted out, deep sadness in his eyes. “We should've let you come with us,” he continued. “If we had you wouldn't have been taken, none of that would've…”
Peter shook his head. “It's fine, guys. You didn't know,” he told them. “Nobody knew.”
“Look, I'm okay. I'm back safe and sound. A little worse for wear -” Tony and Clint scoff at Peter's understating his injuries “- but I'm back,” Peter said with a small glare for Tony and Clint. “I can still web your asses to the ceiling you know,” he threatens Tony and Clint. They stick their tongue at him and make childish gestures that lighten the mood. Peter's grateful for it. He's tired of the guilty, dark atmosphere.
“Since you're obviously not going to school today. Or tomorrow,” Tony adds with a thoughtful expression, “let's watch some movies. You said Logan would be coming by, right? I guess we have a while before he pops up from whatever dark forest he hides in.” There are some raised eyebrows towards Tony's remarks, but they are all amused. Nobody says anything about Peter missing school. They just grab some snacks and drinks and head back into the living room, plopping down as Tony has Jarvis pull up the new Gods of Egypt movie, which Thor goes onto this big rant about Egyptian gods.
They're on their third movie, Zootopia, and Peter's got his limbs thrown over Clint, dozing, with Steve on his other side as a leg rest, when Jarvis alerts them that Logan is on his way up in the elevator. It's not loud enough to wake Peter, or maybe it is and he's just freaking tired, but he finally wakes up when Clint nudges him slightly sharply. He jerks awake in time to see Logan step out of the elevator, looking as gruff and grouchy as always.
Peter groans and rights himself on the couch and waves at Logan. “How ya doin', kid?” Logan asks, saltering up to the group on the couch. Jarvis mutes the movie when Tony requests it. Peter just shrugs. “Nightmares. Trauma. The whole fun “I-got-kidnapped-by-rogue-SHIELD-agents-and-sold-to-North-Korea-for-experiments” sheebang.” Everyone except Logan and Peter visibly wince at that statement, even the spies.
Logan reaches a callosed, heavy hand and ruffles Peter's hair, oddly affectionate to the Avengers. “It gets better,” he reassures Peter, voice soft. Bucky, in the background, is nodding because he's definitely gone through that crap. Peter smiles a little. “Thanks, Logan.”
Tony coughs to interrupt the emotional atmosphere because he's pretty emotionally challenged when it comes to being warm and fuzzy. Peter rolls his eyes as Steve shoots Tony a look that he ignores. “So, what happened Mr. Grouchy-pants,” Tony asks Logan. “Get any information on the rogue SHIELD agents?”
Logan looks annoyed with Tony, but let's face it, when Tony's around that's kind of everyone's default expression. He huffs and doesn't waste his time telling Tony what an egotistic dick he is. “Seems Hydra offered some better benefits than SHIELD. In return all they had to do was deliver Spider-Man to the auction and whichever country paid the most would get a durable little super soldier to dissect.”
Peter squeezes his eyes shut at the word 'dissect' when everyone else's eyes narrow at the mention of Hydra and he shamelessly curls into Steve's side. Let's face it, when things go to shit who wouldn't look to Captain freaking America for protection? He lets himself relax when Steve throws a muscled arm around him and lets his thumb swirl soothingly on Peter's upper arm.
Logan continues. “I was in Asia when I got wind of some government experiment lab.” Logan shrugs like its not affecting him, but everyone who pays attention to his fists can see the way that he's curling his fingers into a fist and out, trying not to let his claws slip out in anger. “Me n' some of the X-Men decided to check it out, so we bust in there and see Pete here locked in a cage beat ta Hell and back.”
A chair groans as Logan plops down on it, sighing. “Blew the place sky high after we grabbed the kid and any info they had.” He inclines his head towards Peter slightly. “Hank fixed him up as best he could when we got back in town. Kid didn't want to be away from you guys any longer though so he flew the coop.” Peter blushes, embarrassed. Clint reaches over and musses his hair, smirking. The Avengers smile at the adorable sight.
“I stayed behind to make sure everything was good. Kitty looked through all the information and made you a copy,” Logan tells them as he tosses a USB to Tony, who awkwardly fumbles, catching it causing everyone to either smile or snort in amusement. Tony just scowls and grabs his StarkPad to look through the information.
“Anyways, I wanted to make sure the kid was okay,” Logan tells them, looking over Peter. Peter waves off the concern. “I'm good,” Peter tells him. Pausing for a moment with a thoughtful look. “Butttt...” He draws the word out as everyone looks at him curiously. “I'd be better with pizza,” he finally says, giving them a perfectly innocent face. They laugh. “Sure, kid,” Tony says and tells Jarvis to order pizza.
Logan sticks around for the pizza lunch, eating a whole lot and somehow managing not to skewer Tony for any jokes about 'eating his weight in pizza'. He does, however, throw a sausage bit at Tony and hits him smack in the eye. Everyone cracks up when Tony release an indignant squawk. Peter just eats his pizza and grins at their antics.
When they finish eating, Logan heads off, promising to look more into the SHIELD agents and making rogue-SHIELD-agent kabobs. There are a few looks of 'really?' For the most part, the Avengers don't argue his point. In fact, Natasha, Bucky, and Clint offhandedly ask him to let them know when he goes after them and they'll go too. They say they want to find out if it was localized but everyone really knows that they just want to beat the rogues bloody for what they did to Peter. Tony secretly not so secretly hacks into SHIELD after their information and Steve and Bruce just hunker down with him to finish the movie. Peter doesn't mind. It just makes him smile.
So his international debut totally sucked. Kidnapped, sold to North Korea, and experimented on – not the best way to get his first trip abroad. 'At least there's now,' he thinks as he sits with the Avengers, watching Zootopia. They may have their troubles at times, but it's nice to know that they care. 'This,' he smiles to himself, 'is family.'