Avengers Family

Not on My Watch (Natasha and Peter Centric)

*** Request by MarvelObsessedgirl3:
Please do a chapter on spidermom comforting content with Peter! Xx
***I made this comfort a little different than between Steve and Peter because I feel like Natasha would have her own approach to helping Peter out.

"Yes!" Peter pumped his fist up and down in delight. He leaned forward a bit and stuck out his tongue. "Who's next?"

Bucky sighed and sat down. He placed the paddle on the table for the next player. As the team was now learning, Peter's "Spidey Sense" was making him a pretty unstoppable table tennis player. It was like he knew exactly where the ping pong ball was going before his opponent even finished their swing. He'd already beaten almost everyone there, Clint, Tony, Bruce, Natasha, Steve, and Bucky, the only person who was still in the tower that hadn't played was Thor.

"I will best you in this game of small tennis young spider." Thor boasted as he approached the table and grabbed the paddle. The rest of the team was hesitant. Their suspicions weren't misplaced: Thor was a little bit buzzed from the mead he brought with him and they weren't even sure if he'd ever played before. After Peter's displays of victory though, their competitive spirit got the best of them and they egged Thor on, eager to see someone beat Peter.

"Go for it!"

"You've got this!"

"Keep your eye on the ball!"

"Don't mess this up Goldilocks."

Thor took the paddle in his hand and looked it over. "I have over a thousand years of experience swinging the mighty Mjölnir. My aim is excellent."

"Bring it on!" Peter made a 'come here' gesture with his hand.

Thor wound up his swing, slammed the ball on the table, and BANG. The ping pong ball was now flaming as it zipped right into Peter's shoulder. The fabric of his science T-shirt was burnt off.

"Thor" He whined. "Now my shirt only has one sleeve."

"The ball has to bounce on your side first buddy." Steve said in the calm voice he always used to explain new, human things to Thor.

"Woah, did that already cause a bruise?" Clint's question cut through the chorus of groans and suddenly everyone was staring at the offending purple mark.

Thor's expression was horrified. "Peter, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"-That was already there. Don't worry about it." Peter assured, glancing at his shoulder.

"From what?" Clint was curious.

"Just a blip while I was out on patrol. I wasn't paying attention and accidentally swung into one of the bank robbers. Hurt like a...." Peter trailed off when he remembered Steve was in the room. "It did the trick though." He laughed.

"Karen should've informed me if you were injured. Maybe I should..." Tony started fussing and rapidly coming up with suit modifications like he always did when Peter got even a tiny injury.

Peter grinned. "Don't worry. It won't happen again."

Throughout this whole exchange, Natasha was silent. She was staring at Peter in an intense way. She noticed the sadness that flashed through Peter's eyes when he glanced at the bruise. She could tell he was faking the casual laugh and grin when he talked to the team. She knew he was lying about the way he got the injury.

When the others were cleaning up, she approached Peter and pulled him to a hallway. "How'd you get the injury?"

"On patrol. Remember the-"

Natasha's eyes narrowed and Peter stopped talking. He knew she knew. Natasha wasn't someone to put up with bullshit.

"I," Peter averted his eyes to a speck on the wall over her shoulder, "I got into a bit of fight at school."