Hey, brand new story, something that's been in my mind for a while! Well, enjoy!

Taking off the Mask – Chapter one

Peter

Peter swung back home, various injuries screaming for him to stop. He'd done it. He'd stopped the vulture. And possibly ruined his life, after he'd gotten a date with Liz, and then ghosted her. And then almost died. Mr Stark didn't have to know the details.

He shot another web at a nearby building, holding onto his side as he swung, letting go, and then falling, shooting another web as he went.

A sharp pain to his side made him see spots, and he tumbled on top of a roof. He rolled to prevent breaking anything further, lifting up his hand from his side to see a startling amount of blood.

That… wasn't good.

He fell down on one knee, that was a lot of blood, oh god. He inspected the wound, a large gash accompanied his injuries. For the last few hours, all he was functioning on was adrenaline, and as he sat there on the rooftop, his fatigue came crashing down on him, all his injuries evident.

Peter grunted as he pushed himself off the concrete. Only a few more blocks. He couldn't make it back to the apartment, it was too far away, and how could he explain this to May?

He almost called out for Karen.

He limped over to the side of the building and did a kind of trip jump, starting to swing again. Ned would just have to have a surprised visit from him, that's all.

Damn this, less than an hour ago he felt like such a badass, sitting on that rollercoaster, giving all that superhero gaze shit.

Now he was tapping on the window of his friend's room, covered in blood, dirt and yeah, tears. Having a building dropped on you, being in a plane crash and having to fight a guy with wings made you cry a little.

The curtain of the room flung back, and Ned's face appeared in the window.

He opened the window, already starting to give him a panicked look.

"Peter, what the hell, what happened? You left after that guy and- and… is that blood?"

Peter practically fell into the room, tumbling on top of Ned.

"Wow, im sorry dude, just… really tired," Peter scrambled, getting up.

"Peter! What happened to you? Why is there so much blood?"

"Um, I stopped Liz's Dad, he's in jail, I'll tell you the rest in the morning," Peter mumbled.

"No, Peter we need to call Mr Stark, get your wounds treated."

"No! We can't call Mr Stark."

"Peter! You need to call someone! Dude, you're getting blood on my bed!"

Ned waited for a reply.

"Peter?" No response. Holy crap. Did he just die? Ned silently panicked, running up to his friend, shaking him frantically.

If Peter died, his mom would kill him, Mr fricking Stark would kill him. He was his guy in the chair, if he died on his watch…

"Peter? Peter? You can't die on me now, I don't think I would be able to handle it. You think I can survive high school without you?"

Peter stirred, "Ned, I'm really tired, just give me a little bit of sleep, let my healing kick in, and I'll talk to you in the morning."

"oh, yep. All good." Ned breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing into his desk chair silently. He stood up once more, pulling a blanket over Peters body. His cut up face peaceful in sleep.

He could've died tonight.

As much as Ned was excited about having a superhero as a best friend, this was terrifying. Just the bruises and cuts on his face alone was enough to give Ned a heart attack, never mind all the injuries he was sure were hidden under his suit.

His phone started vibrating, and Ned casually looked at the caller ID. Hm, unknown.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Its Happy, where's Peter."

Ned's eyes widened. He was talking to a close personal friend of Mr Starks!

"He's fine, at my house, a little beaten up, but all right."

"You swear to me? Because if that kid is hurt…"

"I promise, he's gonna be fine, he's sleeping at the moment."

He looked over at his friend, he hoped he would be fine.

"I'm a little ahead of the game, but we will need a new team captain next year, so… I'm appointing, Michelle."

MJ looked up from her notebook, her usual calm demeanour replaced with surprise as the decathlon team started to clap.

"Uh, thank you, my friends call me MJ." Ned turned to her, a smug grin on his face.

"I thought you didn't have any friends."

"I didn't."

Peter smiled, glad to see MJ finally opening up, she was a pretty cool person.

His phone started to buzz, causing a few heads to turn up at him fumbling for his device.

'Go to the bathroom'. The ominous message stared up at him from his screen, his heart raced, it must be Mr Stark!

Who else could it be!

Finally, he had been waiting for a message from him.

"I uh, gotta go."

"Hey, where you going?" Peter looked up at MJ's suspicious gaze. Panic gripped at him, why was she looking at him so weirdly? He awkwardly responded with a point to the door, a bad excuse on the tip of his tongue.

"What are you hiding, Peter?" All he could respond with was more staring, struggling for an excuse. He could say he had… diarrhea… explosive.

He was about to blurt that out when she grinned, saying, "Im just kidding I don't care, bye."

With wide eyes, Peter looked at Ned, both thinking the same thing. That was… weird. Even for MJ.

Peter rushed to the bathroom, puzzled as to why Mr Stark would meet him in a bathroom. He didn't peg him for a public toilet kinda guy. He pushed open the door, and to his surprise, Happy stood there, giving him the first smile since they met.

"Hey Happy. What are you- what are you doing here?"

"I really owe you one." Happy breathed a sigh of relief.

Wow, Happy was… thanking him. He had thought he had annoyed the man in his text messages, phone calls and the brief encounters he had with him, but he seemed grateful.

Happy shook his head and smiled, "I don't know what I would do without this job, I mean, before I met Tony-" A toilet was flushed.

Right in the middle of Happy's monologue. Peter frowned, why did Happy choose to do this in a bathroom, again?

A kid walked out, looking between Happy and Peter, both of them remaining silent.

"So uh… how long you been here?"

"Long enough for it to be awkward. The boss wants to see you."

Peter was appalled, looking at Happy with wide eyes, he peaked at the other stalls.

"Is he here too?"

"In the toilet? No he's upstate"

"Upstate as in upstate, upstate?" Happy brushed past Peter, exiting the bathroom.

"Yeah. Let's go."

Peter sat in Happy's luxurious car, thankful he wasn't in that stale limousine like the one on his trip to Germany. In the limousine, 5 minutes into the trip, Happy had rolled up the barrier/window thing, but now, with him sitting in the backseat, he was free to chat.

Peters heart was pounding as they rolled into the compound, its magnificent exterior gleaming in the sun.

Ok, he needed to prep.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how angry did he think Mr Stark was with him. He thought he would've impressed the man… but you could never be too sure. I mean, he had crashed his multi-million-dollar plane.

And gone behind his back and became Spider-man again.

And he went after the Vulture.

Ok maybe Mr Stark was a solid 7 on the anger scale.

Peter started to panic, oh god he was so screwed.

"Take a look, its pretty impressive huh?" Happy's voice jolted Peter out of his thoughts, looking up at the compound.

"They just finished remodelling the whole thing."

Peter took a look at the compound, a good look. This was probably the one and only time he would be able to see it. The modern building looked incredible, glass covering one whole side of it. Multiple other smaller buildings sat beside it, all following the same sort of design.

Surrounding it was pristine finely cut grass, trees and… was that a mini lake? Wow. Ned was gonna freak out. He was about to ask Happy if he could take a photo, but decided against it. Wait.

Was that a quinjet? Oh boy that is so cool.

As Happy rounded a corner, the signature 'A' stood out in silver against the white building, making the moment feeling all more incredible to him.

This was his life now. Crazy.

Peter stood in a room overlooking the mini lake beside Happy, again, a large Avengers 'A' standing bright behind him. He smiled, he was actually here.

He had spent so long trying to get Mr Starks attention, sending Happy so many updates on his progress, as small as it was.

As much as he texted Happy, he always had a growing suspicion that he was never going on another mission with Ironman again.

He wanted, needed to prove himself, going after a supervillain like Toomes. After Mr Stark took away his suit… he felt like nothing. How easily he was made vulnerable. But after everything, here he was, Avengers headquarters.

Mr Stark was probably pissed at him. Maybe? But as he stood there in the sun, Peter had a feeling he had made Stark proud.

"Oh there they are," came a familiar voice, Mr Stark walking up behind Peter. His heart jumped. The last time he had seen the man, he had taken away his suit.

But Mr Stark smiled, strutting up in a suit probably more expensive than everything in his apartment plus the rent, also wearing his signature glasses.

"How was the ride up?"

Happy nodded, "Good."

"Give me a minute with the kid."

Happy paused.

"Seriously."

"Yeah, I gotta talk to the kid."

Happy looked displeased at that, Peter almost felt like laughing.

"I'll be close behind."

"How 'bout a loose follow, alright? Boundaries are good."

Mr Stark walked up to Peter, giving him a light punch on the arm, before wrapping it around his shoulder. He guided him along the hall.

"Sorry I took your suit, I mean you had it coming. Actually, turns out it was the perfect sorta tough love moment that you needed, right? To urge you on, right? Wouldn't you think? Don't you think?

Peter fumbled, as usual, awkward around his eccentric and abrasive personality.

"I-I guess."

"Let's just say it was." He sighed.

"Mr Stark, I really-"

"You screwed the pooch hard, bigtime. But then you did the right thing. Took the dog to the free clinic, you raised the hybrid puppies. All right not my best analogy." Yeah it wasn't, that was a really um, awkward analysis of my life.

"I was wrong about you. I think with a little more mentoring, you could be a real asset to the team."

Wait. Wha- what? Did he mean… what team? Did… did he mean the Avengers?

"T-to the team?"

"Yeah anyway, theres about 50 reporters behind that door. Real ones, not bloggers." He tapped his watch twice, causing the big metal cylinder attached to the wall to open up.

"When youre ready, why don't you try that on." It was… incredible.

A Spiderman suit, metal, spun up from the floor, it was… so advanced. Peter's heart stopped. This was for him?

"And I'll introduce the world to the newest official member of the Avengers: Spiderman."

"I-" he chuckled, speechless. No way. This wasn't real

"Yeah, give that a look. After the press conference, Happy will show you to your room-"

Him. An Avenger. Waking up every day, going training with the team. The team. Spiderman, not just saving the neighbourhood anymore.

Having inside jokes with the Avengers. Seeing the Avengers every day. Saving the world with them, being treated as an adult.

"-your new quarters. Where's he between, he's next to vision?" Mr Stark looked at Happy for confirmation.

"Yeah, Visions not big on doors," came Happy.

"It's fun."

"Or walls."

"You'll fit right in." He could. This could happen. Wait. Move here? Away from May? He wouldn't be able to go to school anymore… no Ned. Everyone would know who he was. He- he didn't want that.

Mr Stark, wouldn't make him an Avenger, surely.

No, this- this wasn't real, it couldn't be. He wouldn't actually want him to be an Avenger, right? It was- it was a test. To see if he was 'pure of heart' or something. It had to be. It… it couldn't be real.

He turned back to Mr Stark, "Thank you Mr Stark. But, I-I'm good."

Mr Stark stared at him in confusion.

"You're good? How are you good?"

"W-well, I'd rather just stay on the ground for a little while, friendly neighbourhood Spiderman. Somebody's got to look out for the little guy, right?"

Mr Stark took of his glasses. "You turning me down? You better think about this. Look at that." Mr Stark pointed at the new suite, he turned to glance at it too, confident with his decision.

"Look at me. Last chance, yes or no."

Peter's response was quick.

"No."

"Okay. Its kind of a Springsteen-y working-class hero vibe that I dig. Uh, Happy will take you home. Yeah?"

"Yeah," Happy replied, following through with his promise of a tailing.

"Mind waiting in the car? I need a minute." Asked Happy.

"Thank you, Mr Stark."

"Yes, Mr Parker, very well." Mr Stark reached for his hand to shake, gripping it firmly.

"See you around."

"Okay," concluded Mr Stark.

Peter, clapped his hands, skipping down the hall, before turning back, needing to ask one more question.

"That was a test, right? There's nobody back there?"

Without missing a beat Mr Stark replied, "Yes, you passed. Alright, skidaddle there, young buck."

"Thank you, Mr Stark!"

Yes! He knew it, he was so good at this.

Tony

"Yeah, thank you."

He watched the kid scamper off, proud as punch. Damn, he kept doing stuff that surprised the hell outta him.

He thought, that after a while without Spiderman, Peter would learn to appreciate his abilities, maybe listen to a goddamn thing he said. But he did the complete opposite, going out, without his suit and taking down the Vulture himself.

Yeah, he was proud as punch.

I mean, he gave him a heart attack when he found out. Almost went into full on panic attack, but in hindsight, damn.

And just now? Turning him down? I mean, Peter thought it was a test, but it didn't change how mature he was being about this. If Tony had superpowers when he was his age, everybody would know.

He actually did something with them, helped people.

Another reason why this kid was the future of the Avengers. Peter was an image of what he wanted the team to be.

If only Cap could've met the kid, properly. Tony thought Steve would've like him.

It was a mature decision. But he couldn't shake the sadness that crept up on him. Tony has set up his bedroom for him, complete with extremely embarrassing Star Wars bedsheets.

He hoped that… that after everything with Steve, Peter could hang out… help him with projects.

"Told you he's a good kid."

Tony threw up his hands. Yes, Happy did say that.

The door opened behind him, the explosive noise of the reporters leaking through. Behind Tony, Pepper walked out.

"Where's the kid?"

"He left," responded Happy, Tony still thinking.

"Everybody's waiting."

"He actually made a mature choice, just surprised the heck outta us," Tony spoke up.

"Did you guys screw this up?"

"He told the kid to go wait in the car," Tony replied, ready to pin it on Happy.

"Are you kidding me!" Pepper walked towards Happy, who pointed at Tony.

At first, Tony thought Pepper was going to yell, but she frowned.

"You said you were excited about this Tony, said he could be like a little intern, running around helping you with projects."

Tony sighed, "Yeah, well he made his choice, gotta respect that."

Pepper put her hands on her hip, "Tony, don't do this, swallow your pride-"

"My pride is not damaged-"

"Tony! Don't get upset that he said no, and go ask him if he wanted to work with you in the lab sometime."

"What?"

"Tony, since Steve happened, I saw how devastated you were, but then you got to act all paternal to Peter, and you were so happy."

"Paternal? I gosh darn-"

"Tony. You need him."

Tony sighed, yeah, he did. He turned to Happy, "I swear to god, if you repeat back what you just heard I will drop you in the middle of the Pacific."

"Yeah yeah yeah, go and get him."

He smiled, and walked out, hearing behind him, "What are we going to do about these reporters?"

"You'll figure out something."

Thanks for reading! This was more of a set up chapter, I thought it was important I include the end of Homecoming in this, just to justify everything that is about to happen. *cackles.