~Iron Family~

Wait A Minute...

Peter was dropping by Ned's house after patrol.

He felt bad not telling the Starks where he was going, but it would be a quick visit. He needed to drop off some library books Ned had let him borrow, which couldn't wait until school since they were due and it was a weekend.

It'd gotten so cold that he'd tugged his hat over his suit while he swang around, wishing he had something warmer than spandex. When he stayed out the time he usually spent at 'band practice,' he dropped to the street and changed into his normal clothes in an alleyway. It was one he'd slept in once, and he was pleased to see it was the exact same way he'd left it.

He was now walking down Ned's street, dark aside from the dim street lamps. A dog barked, rowdy neighbor kids laughed, and a truck without a muffler sat running at the gas station at the end of the road.

He knocked on Ned's door, hoping he wasn't interrupting dinner--the Leeds usually ate dinner rather early compared to him, around five.

Alex stuck her head out of the door, glaring. "Don't you know that--Oh! Peter!"

She barreled into him, giving him a tight squeeze.

"Hey, Alex," he laughed. "I'm just here to drop some library books to your brother."

"Cool!" She led the way into the living room, where it looked like Ned and Mr. Leeds were having a heated conversation about Star Wars at the dinner table. When he saw Peter, he jumped up so fast he knocked over a glass of water.

"Peter! Oh, sorry dude! I forgot you were coming tonight!"

"That's okay," Peter chuckled as they went into his room.

"Ah, no. I thought it was Friday."

"It is."

"No, I thought it was--I thought it was last Friday."

"Ah. Makes sense."

Peter tossed his backpack on Ned's bed and handed him the books in his arms. "There ya go. Woahh. Is this the Death Star?"

Peter went over to Ned's desk, where the Death Star sat. He could practically feel Ned bursting with pride behind him.

"Sure is! I added only a couple of pieces since you worked on it with me, I don't see why you should be surprised."

"It just looks so cool!"

Peter walked around the desk, staring at all the cool legos, grateful he could nerd out for a few minutes without worrying about the Starks or Spider-Man.

"Oh, dude, where's Macbeth? I don't see it in the stack."

"Uh...check in my bag."

Aaand just like that, he'd let his guard down for two moments and ruined everything.

Ned went silent, which was so unlike him Peter turned around to see what had happened.

Yup. He was holding Peter's suit.

And his jaw was hanging open.

"Uh!" Peter ran forward and snatched it so fast Ned's eyes hadn't even moved from the spot where Peter'd been standing moments before.

"You're--you're the Spider-Man," Ned breathed. Peter gave a nervous laugh.

"What? Neddd. Don't be ridiculous. That's just a costume."

Ned slowly held up a webshooter, which still had some webs attached to it.

Peter cussed in his head and snatched it, shoving it back into his bag and holding it close to his chest.