Web Swinger

Two: Stealth-Spider

Flash didn't exactly know how this had happened. Some crazy black and neon blue spider had crawled onto his wrist and bitten him; he hadn't thought anything of it until weird things started happening to him. Spider-Man things.

Crawling on walls, enhanced reflexes. Things a normal teenager should not be able to do.

So of course he'd decided to do the only logical thing, which was to seek out Spider-Man for help. And of course he'd then leapt in to try and help in a battle; a stupid thing to do in hindsight, but it had ended with Spidey agreeing to teach him.

Which had led to this, Spidey hooking him under one arm and webbing one handed across the city. Flash didn't get a chance to complain about this, however, because before he could even open his mouth Spidey was carefully dropping him onto a rooftop.

It was secluded, quiet, the kind of place that would make someone nervous about the other's intentions if it wasn't for the fact that the other person was literal Spider-Man. Despite this, Flash still had to make a joke.

"Why'd you choose such a quiet spot, Spidey? Got some ideas ?"

The hero chose to ignore him. "Let's see what powers you've got."

"Alright!" Flash rubbed his hands together in excited anticipation, and he swore Spidey rolled his eyes, though he couldn't tell under the mask. Spider-Man dropped into a low crouch.

"Copy me," he said, leaping up onto a nearby wall and sticking there. "We'll see exactly what we have in common."

Flash copied, but was a lot clumsier. He slipped down the wall a little before he finally stuck, but Spidey seemed happy with it. Thinking about it, the hero had probably been no better when he'd first gotten his powers.

Spidey dropped back onto the rooftop, and Flash followed him, again more clumsily. "Okay. Let's check your agility."

"How-" Flash didn't even get to finish before something in his head was telling him to move, and reacting on instinct he dodged, leaping aside; the little wad of webbing Spidey had shot in his direction hit the wall behind him with a thwap.

"Agility, check," Spidey said and Flash glared at him.

"What if that had hit me?"

"Then you wouldn't have agility," Spider-Man replies matter-of-factly. "Now, let's check for superstrength. Try lifting..." The hero spun around, and spotted a dumpster. "... that dumpster."

"The whole ass dumpster?" Flash couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes, the whole ass dumpster," Spidey replied, his tone showing he wouldn't take any of Flash's shit. Flash stared at him for a moment, then walked across the rooftop and attempted to lift the dumpster.

Key word being attempted . He couldn't move it at all, not even the tiniest bit. It stayed there, stubbornly refusing to move from the rooftop.

"No superstrength," Spidey observed. "Stealth? Maybe."

The hero seemed to be talking more to himself by now, but Flash still chipped in. "Stealth? Like sneaking around? Like a burglar?"

"Not like a burglar. Like a stealthy hero," Spider-Man corrected. "But yes, sneaking around. Look, I'll go to the edge of the rooftop and turn my back to you. If you can sneak up on me without alerting my Spidey senses... well, I'll be impressed."

The hero did as he had set, and Flash set himself up on the opposite side. He studied Spidey, the way he was standing, then the roof. Something in him quickly identified the weaker points, and exactly where to step if he wanted the roof to creak loudly.

From under his mask, Flash grinned. He began to slowly creepy forward, keeping his footsteps light, and his weight off of his feet. He'd made it halfway across the rooftop when Spidey spoke up.

"Either you haven't moved or you're really, really good at this."

Flash allowed himself a small moment of satisfaction, smiling under his mask as he continued to creep forward. Finally, he was standing right behind Spidey; grinning, he leaned forward and tapped the hero's shoulder.

Spider-Man literally leapt into the air, spinning around to face him. "Jesus Christ!"

"That stealthy enough for you?"

"That's extremely impressive, Stealth Spider ."

"Did you just give me a hero name?" Flash gasped, excitement welling up in him again. Spidey just shrugged.

"Maybe I did."

"Yes!" Flash leapt and punched the air, then caught himself. "Sorry."

Spidey just chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Oh! I almost forgot. I can get you some of my old web shooters, for now, until I can make you some more upgraded ones. I can teach you how to use them to swing around and in combat, if you want to meet up again tomorrow?"

"Of course I do!" Flash knew he sounded far too enthusiastic about this, but he didn't care. He had Spider-Man as his mentor .

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Spidey said with a mock farewell salute, before he leapt off the building to swing away.

"Wait! Where will I meet you?"

"I'll find you!" The hero called back, then he was gone. Flash slumped against the wall of the building, and pulled his mask free.

Spider-Man was training him . Out of everyone who could train with Spider-Man, it was him, Eugene "Flash" Thompson. On top of that, he was a hero .

He had Spidey powers! And a superhero name!

Then it hit him. Having powers and being a superhero was all good and well, but people would try to kill him now. And he couldn't tell a single soul who he was, for fear of endangering his family.

Man, was that a way to kill the mood.