I have so many SpideyNova one shots that I'm working on, but this one popped into my head yesterday, and for some reason it made the cut. I figured since there are so few fics for this ship that people wouldn't mind word vomit. It's written... differently than my other stuff, and that's because I think my writing style is changing, which is weird, but oh well. Hope you enjoy this slightly AU mess :)

Honestly, Peter was handling it just fine.

The grass is green.

Everything was going according to plan until they showed up.

Aunt May's favorite color is purple.

"I had it, Bucket Head!" he seethed.

"Yeah right, Webs," Nova glared. "The dude had a bomb. You would be dead if it weren't for us."

"I knew he had a bomb!" Peter shouted. "Because I actually scoped the place out. Because I have experience. Because I-"

"Boys!" White Tiger interrupted, stepping between the two. "You can flirt later. But can we please bag this guy?"

And he was never, ever going to join that stupid team. Or first with Bucket Head of all people.

While Nova turned red in the face, Peter webbed the bank robber to the ceiling.

"Like I said," he told the team, "I work just fine on my own."

Power-Man scowled, and White Tiger clenched her fists. Iron Fist, the only one of the heroes Peter could stand for more than five minutes sighed, and Nova yelled a string of curses to his backside as Spider-Man swung away.

He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him, and only swung a few blocks away before landing in an alley and dressing into his civilian clothes. Leaving as Peter Parker, the brunette crossed the road to Midtown High, where his normal life awaited.

"Peter!" MJ called. "You're on time for once."

Sticking out his tongue, Peter lightly shoved the red heads shoulder. "I woke up early," he lied.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Harry asked, looking around the crowd of students.

Peter looked too, searching for the dark hair of Sam. "I don't know," Peter said. "Isn't he here way before me?"

MJ snorted. "You're kidding, right? Sam is usually ahead of you by about three seconds."

"Way more than three seconds," a voice said behind them. "Probably closer to five."

Peter grinned, turning to face Sam. The shorter boy was smirking, and leaned forward to peck Peter on the lips. "How'd you beat me?"

"Woke up early," Peter repeated. "How did you get here later than me?"

Sam shrugged, glancing behind him towards his foster siblings. "Got held up," he mumbled. "We still on for tonight?"

Peter pretended to think. "Depends," he shrugged, "who's turn is it to pay?"

He got two slaps in the arm for that one, one from Sam and the other from MJ.

"Kidding, kidding!" Peter laughed. "Yes, we're still on. Pizza, right?"

Sam nodded. "Yup. Your treat."

For the first time in the three months they had been dating, the two boys arrived at the pizza parlor at the agreed time. Neither said anything about it, not wanting to jinx their luck, but from the surprised look on both boys faces, it was noticed.

As soon as their order was placed, Sam dropped his head dramatically on to the table, letting out a pathetic moan.

Laughing fondly, Peter reached out to play with his boyfriends hair. "Tell Petey what's wrong."

Sam didn't say anything for a moment, silently taking advantage of the affection. "Ava," he started. "And school. And my... job. And especially that jackass who waltzes in and thinks he can do my job better than me. God. I'm actually trained. He's just this... guy who thinks he owns the place."

"At least I know I shouldn't be jealous of this guy," Peter smirked.

Sam recoiled, and sent a half hearted glare his way. "Dude. Don't even joke."

Peter held up his hands in mock surrender. "At least you don't have a group of amateurs trying to come in and put you out of a job."

Sam shrugged, nodding his head in a agreement. "Yeah. That'd suck."

Peter's phone dinged from a notification, the same time Sam's stated to ring with an incoming call.

With one glance at their phones, both boys were standing and placing money on the table.

"Foster dad needs help in the yard," Sam rushed.

"Aunt May needs me move some boxes," Peter explained. He turned to leave, but Sam grabbed his arm.

"Rain check?" he asked.

"You mean a rain check for this rain check?" Peter smirked.

Sam winced, but nodded.

"Of course," Peter told him. "I'll even pay."

They shared a brief kiss, and then they were gone, taking different routes. Peter ducked behind a dumpster, and in ten seconds flat (honestly, he should get a medal for how fast he can change), he was swinging between buildings.

The police scanner app directed him to the bridge, where the Trapster had stuck several cars off the side.

"You're late," Iron Fist greeted, having just withdrawn from an attack.

"Yeah, well, not all of us have fancy technology," Peter growled.

White Tiger got blasted and flew back to the support beam closest to Peter. "That could change, you know," she reminded, using her razor like claws to free herself. "The offers still on the table."

"Uh, no it is not," Nova called from above.

Peter rolled his eyes and charged towards one of the cars. Power-Man was already dealing with Trapster, punching and throwing anything available to him.

"Flashlight," Peter called. "We need to start getting civilians out of here, now."

"Don't call me-"

"I said now, Nova."

Peter didn't wait for a retort. He climbed down the first car and, one at a time, helped a father and daughter out of the window. When both were safely on solid ground, he moved on to the next dangling vehicle.

Nova was faster than he was, but Peter couldn't find himself to care too much. The civilians were getting out safe, and that was what mattered. With Nova's help, the people were safely deposited back on the bridge. With one car left, Peter ordered the glowstick to help his teammates.

"You puny heroes," Trapster laughed, dodging an attack from Iron Fist. "You can't even work together. How do you plan on defeating me?"

Someone gave a smart remark ("Like this!") and there was a flash of light.

Peter was just bringing the last person up when a stray global of glue charged. His spidey sense gave him enough warning to push true startled cab driver out of the way, but then he was hit and he was tumbling over the bridges edge. His hands were stuck to his side, and at the angle he was falling, he couldn't aim any way. The only thoughts ringing in his head ran along the lines of oh, shi-

He hit the water with a splash, and it was cold, so cold. He thrashed around, hoping to free his arms, or something.

Nothing helped, and his vision was going dark and his blood was pounding in his ears, and he didn't know which way was up and which way was down. But he's pretty sure that things don't glow down here, and despite this knowledge, he can't will himself to fight the figure as it drags him towards something - life or death, Peters not sure.

But he's laid down on hard pavement, and the mask is pulled from his face, and he still can't really breathe, but it's easier, and the gasps around him tell him he should be more worried for his identity, but he can't bring himself to care.

"Pete," someone called. "Petey, come on, wake up."

Lips pressed to his, and air pushed into his lungs, and sooner or later, he's coughing, but he's breathing between each hacking of his lungs.

"Peter, come on, stay with me."

But he was tired, and he only struggles with consciousness for a moment before he gives up and sleeps.

In his mind, he repeats facts.

The sky is blue. Water burns. And his secret is out.

The room he wakes up to is foreign. It resembles a hospital room, but it's far too high tech.

There's a pressure on his hand, and Peter looks over to see Sam asleep, his head resting on the bed and his fingers clutching on to Peter's hand almost desperately. No one else is in the room, so he gently shakes Sam's shoulder.

"Sam," he calls. "Hey, wake up. Where are we?"

Finally, he stirs, and it takes a moment for Sam to blink sleepily at him before he gasped and tugged him into a hug.

"I thought you were dead," he whispered, and the emotion that burns in those words are enough to make Peter stroke his hair and coo reassurances into his boyfriends ear.

"I'm okay," Peter promised. "Honestly, it takes more than that to get rid of me." He pauses, and pulls back. "Speaking of which, uh, what exactly happened?"

The door to the room slides open like something out of Star Trek, and Peter has to force himself to not geek out. Especially when Director Fury of SHIELD steps through.

"Mr. Parker," he greets. "Nice to see you again. You have us all quite a scare."

Peter sends a panicked look towards Sam, who seems to be doing the same thing.

"Fury, I said I would handle it," Sam glared, standing up and stepping in front of Peter.

"Sam...?"

Fury raised an eyebrow. "I'll send Ava in if I feel like your leaving out information."

And then he leaves, out the same way he came, leaving nothing behind but tension.

"Are we at SHIELD?" Peter finally asked. "Oh my god. That's why you thought... Sam, do you-?"

Sam collapsed next to him on the bed with a groan, nuzzling his head into Peter's neck.

"You almost drowned," Sam said, his voice so soft, Peter thought he imagined it. "I thought you would pull one of those crazy stunts, like usual, and pop up with a smart remark. But you didn't, and for some reason I just knew something was wrong. So I flew down and got you, and I thought that I was too late-"

"Wait, flew?" Peter asked. "What do you mean you- oh."

A faint memory, one where a bright like was approaching him like an angel, pulling him back to the living.

"Sam... You're the glow stick?"

The Latino buried his head further into Peter's neck, and with a start, he realized Sam was shaking.

"I'm sorry for everything I said and did to you," he rushed. "I didn't know you were Webs, I thought... I don't know. But, god, then I went and complained about you to you, and I'm the worst boyfriend ever."

Peter chuckled, and hugged Sam (freaking Nova) tighter. "Hey," he said, "I did the same thing, remember? And yeah, I'm pretty pissed that we didn't notice it, because come on, we literally saw each other everyday, but you shouldn't be upset over it."

Sam sighed, still not moving, and they say there for a while in silence.

Sam is Nova. Sam knows Peter is Spider-Man. Does that mean...?

"Sam?" Peter asked.

The boy hummed in response, and Peter shifted, trying to word his question properly. "So... Your foster siblings..."

Sam chuckled and pulled back. "Not my foster family. My team. Ava is White Tiger, Danny is Iron Fist, and Luke is Power-Man."

"And you guys just go out there with hardly any experience?" Peter balked. "Sam, it's dangerous. It's stupid."

"You did it, when you first started," Sam reminded, glaring slightly.

"Well-" Peter cut himself off, and sighed. "Well then, there's only one thing we can do about this. Because I'm not going to put away the mask, I kite you won't put the bucket away-"

"Helmet."

"-and I don't want you out there with hardly any experience. So, logically, the only way to solve this is if I'm there to make sure you won't screw up."

"I'm not leaving the team, Peter," Sam stated, pulling away.

"I'm not saying that." Peter ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I'm saying, that... If there's still a spot on the team, and Fury's willing to put up with my bull shit, then-"

"You'll stay?" Sam finished.

"Yeah," Peter nodded. "I'll stay."

In the back of his mind, he knew he was making a mistake. Bring in a team would take some getting used to. And if Fury was serious about making him team leader, Peter would make some serious adjustments to his fighting style.

But the smile Sam gives him let's him forget about the trouble this will cause, so he leans forward and kisses his boyfriend, long and hard.

There are things in this world Peter knows for certain. The grass is green, the sky is blue, and the sun rises in the east before setting in the west. But most importantly, Sam is a fact. He is Peter's light.