Preview to Chapter 41

(Avengers Tower)

There is an odd comfort Natasha finds when she is cleaning her guns. Something about the methodical precision of disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly centers her thoughts. Each piece has its purpose, each movement deliberate. The ritual offers her a momentary respite from the chaos that usually defines her life as an Avenger.

She sits at the kitchen island in Avengers Tower, behind her Red Hulk is devouring his third bowl of cereal, said bowl is as big as a cooking pot and the spoon is bigger than a ladle, Clint and Jessica are snuggled on the couch watching some cheesy rom com that makes Natasha want to shoot the TV.

So it’s basically another day of at the Avengers Tower.

Except for one thing. She glances over to where Tony and Steve are, having a private discussion about what happened just a few days ago with Spider-Man at Mt Rushmore. She can hear them talk about political ramifications of Spider-Man's involvement in the Mt. Rushmore incident and how it creates ripple effects that extend far beyond the immediate destruction.

Politics. Always politics.

She's lived through enough regime changes to recognize the pattern. When something goes wrong, the first instinct is always to find someone to blame, someone to sacrifice to appease the masses. Spider-Man's involvement at Mt. Rushmore, regardless of his actual role in stopping Osborn, makes him a convenient target. The fact that he's a leader to a team meant to represent a new age for mutant and non-mutant is just icing on the cake.

Natasha has seen this dance before. In Moscow, in Budapest, in dozens of other places where politics trumped truth. One man becomes the scapegoat because it's easier than admitting the corruption. Spider-Man stopped a madman with a cosmic cube, and yet the headlines focus on the destruction, the casualties, the spectacle.

Public opinion is a fickle beast, easily manipulated by those who understand its rhythms. Fortunately, the hero has an ally in that now. Mayor Jameson, who was once the hero’s greatest foe, is now doing what he can to help him. Which included threatening to expose the corruption if they did not back down.

Honestly, after that, Natasha can say she’d vote for him if she could.

The sound of the elevator draws her attention. Spider-Man steps out and waves, “Hi everybody!” He says jubilantly says, “Okay, now you guys say, ‘Hi Dr. Nick.’”

The room falls silent except for the sound of Red Hulk's spoon scraping against his bowl. Clint pauses the movie, Jessica turns around on the couch, and even Tony and Steve stop their conversation to stare at Spider-Man.

"Wrong crowd for Simpsons references, I guess," Peter says, his usual quip delivery slightly forced as he surveys the room full of blank stares.

"We got it," Clint says dryly. "It just wasn't funny."

"Ouch," Peter clutches his chest dramatically. "My pride."

Natasha allows herself a small smile as she continues cleaning her Glock. The hero's ability to maintain levity even when clearly nervous is something she's always found... intriguing. She can see the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers tap against his thigh—tells she's trained to notice.

Tony approaches, his expression serious despite Peter's attempt at humor. "We were just discussing the political fallout from South Dakota. Hill's getting pressure from multiple angles."

"Let me guess," Peter says, his tone becoming more subdued. "They want someone's head on a platter."

"Something like that," Steve confirms, crossing his arms. "Jameson's doing what he can, but there are forces at work that don't care about the truth."

Peter nods, his mask hiding what Natasha suspects is a grimace. "Well, I’m happy to hear that but that's not why I'm here." He tells them before he turns to Natasha, “I’m actually here to talk to you.”

The kitchen falls silent except for the soft click of Natasha sliding the magazine into place. Even Red Hulk stops chewing, his massive head turning toward the conversation. Clint pauses the movie, and Jessica sits up straighter on the couch.

Natasha sets down her weapon, her green eyes studying Peter with newfound interest. "What do you need from me?"

Peter glances around the room, noting the sudden attention from everyone present. Steve has that look he gets when he's trying to figure out if this is mission-related. Tony's eyebrows have climbed toward his hairline. Clint looks like he's watching the most interesting movie of his life.

"I was hoping to not make a spectacle of this," Peter says with a rueful smile, "but apparently that's not in the cards today."

He takes another breath, steeling himself. "Natasha, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me. On a date. With my girlfriends."

The silence that follows is deafening.

Steve does a spit-take with his coffee, spraying it across the table where he and Tony were sitting. Clint chokes on his popcorn, Jessica immediately patting his back as he coughs. Red Hulk's spoon clatters into his bowl with a sound like a church bell. Tony just stares, his mouth slightly open.

Natasha blinks once, twice, her expression cycling through surprise, confusion, and something that might be amusement.

"Excuse me?" she says, her voice perfectly controlled despite the chaos erupting around them.

Peter's face flushes beneath his mask as he realizes there's no graceful way to retreat from this moment. "I said I'd like to ask you out on a date. With my girlfriends, me, and Silver." He pauses, then adds quickly, "It was actually one them that came up with the idea."

Clint finally stops coughing long enough to wheeze out, "Did he just—Jessica, are you seeing this?"

"Shh," Jessica hisses, settling back into the couch with her popcorn like she's watching premium cable. "This is better than the movie."

Natasha's training kicks in, her expression smoothing into that unreadable mask she's perfected over decades of espionage. But Peter's enhanced senses catch the slight quickening of her pulse, the almost imperceptible shift in her posture.

"Let me understand this correctly," she says, her accent that she usually buries more pronounced than usual. "You want me to go on a date with you and your three girlfriends?"

"Silver too," Peter corrects automatically, then immediately regrets it. "I actually asked her out before coming here and she said yes."

"Oh, this keeps getting better," Clint mutters, getting an elbow from Jessica.

Red Hulk finally swallows his cereal with an audible gulp. "Kid's got bigger stones than I gave him credit for."

"Or less brains," Clint mutters, earning another elbow from Jessica.

Natasha tilts her head, studying him with those sharp green eyes. "And if I were to say yes to this... date... what exactly would that entail?"

Peter hadn't actually thought that far ahead. "I... honestly, I don't know. Maybe dinner? Somewhere we can all talk and see if there's any chemistry worth pursuing?"

She continues to look at him with a scrutinizing gaze, while everyone around them watches with rapt attention.