Chapter Text
Peter wasn’t fond of the term ‘hero’. He had been when he was younger and naive. Before he met Matt and Wade. Before “The Incident”, the one where aliens poured out of the sky. Before he realized that heroes didn’t really help the little guy, they didn’t have the time . The Avengers were testament to that.
They didn’t stop muggings, or tackle arms dealers. They didn’t care about a lone super powered whack job terrorizing the streets of the city. They didn’t tackle organized crime, well not the smaller echelons of organized crime. The Avengers hunted down organizations like A.I.M. and Hydra. Dealt with Alien invasions.
Wade said they were the big leagues. That it just meant that they got a fat paycheck for killing bad people, but were wrapped to hell in red tape and buried under a mountain of publicity.
Matt said they were corporate sellouts and found the pomp and circumstance surrounding them disgusting.
“You’d like them a little more if you could see Captain America’s ass.” Wade had leered. Peter nearly choked on his taco.
Matt called Wade a Himbo.
Wade called Matt a man whore with a raging hate boner for Tony Stark.
Matt put him into a particularly vicious headlock and tossed him off of the roof of Fogwell’s. He had the courtesy to aim for a full dumpster.
Peter pointed out that when Matt resorted to physical violence with Wade it usually meant he had lost the argument somehow.
Matt stole his last taco, the audacity.
Things started to get weird for Spider-Man about a week later when he was waved down by a man in a black suit on a rooftop along one of Peter’s favorite patrol routes.
“Spider-Man.” The man greeted cordially. “Wonderful to meet you, my name is Agent Blake. I’m with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division.”
Peter squinted at the man. “What can I do for you?”
“We have been watching your activity for a while now, and we are very impressed by your capabilities. ”Agent Blake smiled, it was a plastic thing.
Oh no. Peter had school work to do.
“Shield has a proposition for you.”
No, no. He had Spider-Man level responsibilities.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the Avenger’s initiative?”
No No No. He had stuff to do. Things
“No.” Peter stated aloud.
“No? It’s a group of enhanced individuals such as yourself that-” Peter wanted to smack his head, and then maybe smack Agent Blake a little too. But that wouldn’t be very nice of him.
Instead he cut the guy off. “No I meant, no as in I’m not interested in whatever you’re proposing.”
"You don't even know what I was going to say." Agent Blake’s smile was becoming brittle.
"Not hard to figure out. You wanted me to work for shield, possibly adjacent to the Avengers, right?" Peter scoffed.
"Yes-" Agent Blake fidgeted with his tie. "But-"
“Think I'll pass.” Peter blurted out, “But thanks for the offer!” He was gone with a thwip.
Since the encounter with Agent Blake, Peter had seen more suited men and women on rooftops trying to get his attention. He studiously avoided them all. So it doesn’t shock him to run into Black widow and Hawkeye on his patrol route a week later. He spots Hawkeye first. Peter knows it’s only because he wants to be seen. The guy is as sneaky and deadly as his partner, who was probably lurking nearby.
“Hawkeye.” Peter greets him with a nod. His spider sense is a low buzz at the back of his skull.
“Oh Hey!” Clint aims a cheeky finger wave at him. “Fancy running into you out here Spidey.”
“Spider-Man.” Black widow greets him from the shadows. Called it. “We were hoping to have a chat-”
“Save it.” Peter rolled his eyes. “I’ve told Shield that I’m not interested.”
“Can’t hurt to ask one more time.” Black widow smirked at him. “From one professional to another-”
“Is that what this is?” Peter gestured between them, "Spider solidarity?"
"Is that a thing?" Hawkeye grinned, "Please tell me it's a thing. Spidey squad has such a great ring to it."
"It's not." Peter shot back.
"We could make you guys matching sweatshirts." Hawkeye cackled.
"It could be." Natasha edged closer. “Shield could really use someone with your skillset.”
“It won’t be.” Peter hopped onto the roof edge, fingers itching towards his web shooters. "No sweatshirts!" Peter was starting to seriously consider carrying around a no soliciting sign. "I’m not interested."
“You sure?” Hawkeye hedged, twirling an arrow between his fingers. “Pays decent, offers healthcare, paid time off-”
“And the catch?” There’s always a catch with these government agencies.
“Just for you to trust us.” The Black Widow answered a calculating gleam in her eye.
“With my identity.” Peter snorted. Too many people already knew who he was, and Peter wasn’t too keen on an entire organization having that level of knowledge.
“That info would be kept in house.” Natasha insisted. “Need to know basis.”
“Thanks, again, for the offer,” Peter didn’t bother to hide his irritation. “But... I hate it.” With a flick of webbing he launched away from the pair of spies and the awkward conversation.