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If Flash had known what a disaster the decathlon team’s sponsored three day trip to Boston would be, he’d never have begged his mother to sign his permission slip.
It starts off fine, with Mr Harrington renting a decent buss to take them to Boston and organizing for lunch at a nice restaurant. Their hotel isn’t the most pricy, fancy one there is, but it’s good enough. For two nights, anyway.
It may start off fine, but trouble emerges before they’ve even left New York. It turns out, one day before they’re due to leave, that Sally’s mom won’t be able to chaperone, like she’d volunteered for. The whole team despairs, because Mrs Avril was their only hope. She was the only one, aside from Ned’s parents, who’d signed up as a chaperone for any trips the team considered going on. And according to Ned, his parents already had plans for the weekend.
So that, of course, because why make Flash’s life easier, is when Penis pipes up from the back, “I, uh, I might be able to get someone to help us out?”
Which is how the decathlon team of Midtown High School end up being chaperoned by the Winter Soldier.
*
To be fair on Barnes, he does a pretty good job. He turns up on time, introduces himself as “Peter’s friend, certified grown up, part time Avenger,” to Mr Harrington and seats himself at the back of the bus, pulling out a battered copy of “On the road” and proceeds to completely ignore the decathlon team for the entirety of the journey.
Well, aside from Peter that is. There’s no making out or anything because – duh, Mr Harrington – but Peter and Ned don’t get ignored with the same intensity as the others. There’s small signs, here and there, of the friendship Barnes spoke of to Mr Harrington.
Huh, seems all is well in fairytale land, then, Flash thinks. Barnes’ unfaithful ways seem to have been long forgotten – or at least pushed aside. Come to think of it, there hasn’t been any new photographic evidence of Peter’s boyfriend cheating on him in months. Maybe he stopped? Grovelled on the ground enough for Peter to forgive him and give him a second chance? Or maybe Barnes is simply not making out with his side chick in full view of gossip hungry paparazzi anymore?
Other than the small hiccup that is Buck Barnes turning up in their school’s parking lot, announcing his intention to guard their every move in Boston, the journey itself goes smoothly. They entertain themselves like they always do, - MJ asking question after question the have to answer by ringing their bells – despite not having to attend a competition when they arrive in Boston. Mr Harrington participates. Barnes continues to ignore them all.
*
Their hotel is nice enough that it won’t feel disgusting to spend two nights sleeping there. It’s not like Flash’s a snob or anything, but he has standards, okay? And this hotel in the outskirts of Boston meets, like, half of them. And he’s sharing with Charles, so that’s all right. Charles is better than Abe or Penis. Or Ned.
The others pair up as well, leaving Mr Harrington and Barnes with a room each. Flash swears he sees Barnes wink at Peter when they all go to put their luggage away.
They decide, as a group, to go swimming. Just like in Washington, Flash thinks as he moves silently down a deserted corridor, Charles giggling next to him. Except this time, Liz isn’t here. It’s MJ joining in on the shenanigans instead, while Cindy says, “We’re not supposed to do this. What if Mr Harrington finds out? Lights were supposed to be out by eleven!”
MJ scoffs at that. “Mr Harrington’s probably already asleep. He wouldn’t notice even if we were dancing around beneath his window, anyway. Parker’s boyfriend, on the other hand-”
“Already knows. Hiya, kids.”
Charles startles so bad he almost falls into the pool. Sally shrieks, slipping on the wet floor. The Winter Soldier glares at them from the doorway, looking way too frightening than it should be possible to look while wearing sweatpants and a pajama top that proclaims Sweet Dreams, Honeybee.
“What you gonna do about it?” asks MJ, the only one who hasn’t been startled badly by Barnes’ sudden appearance. In answer, Barnes shrugs. “Nothing.”
MJ looks as suspicious as Flash feels. As if.
“Honest. Won’t tell on you or anything. You can do what you want, I don’t care.”
“So why are you creeping around like that?”
“All I ask of you is that you keep the nature of my relationship with Peter a secret from your teacher. I couldn’t care less about what would happen to me, but if you even think about revealing Peter’s secrets to Harrington, I’m going to make your lives absolute hell.”
“And no,” Barnes continues, turning to Abe, “that’s not a threat. I don’t do threats, I only do promises.”
With that, the man stalks off.
“I mean,” says MJ, “it’s a wonder Mr Harrington hasn’t caught on yet, really.”
Their pool party doesn’t quite get into swing after that and they end up calling it a night early. Sometimes Flash hates Peter Parker.
*
It’s not until their third and final day that shit hits the fan. They’ve done several touristy spots in Boston and Mr Harrington has saved the best for last; The museum of science.
So what if Flash is secretly a little bit nerdy?
The day starts out sunny and warm, with pancakes for breakfast. Mr Harrington is in the best mood, Penis is only mildly annoying and his boyfriend does what he does best; ignoring them all. Everyone’s excited.
The walk to the museum is good, nice, awesome. They buy their tickets for the museum, debate which exhibits they need to see and which are okay to miss. Mr Harrington thinks they should all go together. “School trip,” is the only explanation he gives when Abe questions this.
Flash is honestly a little relieved at that. Not that he’d admit it out loud, but he’s been feeling uneasy for the past couple of days. Like someone’s after him. Like he’s being followed, but every time he looks over his shoulder, there’s no one there. He’d thought getting out of New York would make the feeling disappear, but no. If anything it’s grown stronger. He’s tried shaking it off, because his dad thought this would be a good idea too. His dad, who’s been receiving death threats on a daily basis lately, but kept them a secret from his family. Like Flash wouldn’t find out, seriously.
So yeah, he’s more than happy that they’re all walking together, though he makes a big show of being disappointed about it. He has a reputation to keep up, okay?
*
They’ve reached the Triceratops Cliff when the alarms go off. A recorded female voice first urges everyone to leave the building and then in the next breath she urges everyone to stay put, nothing’s going on. It’s seems the security system’s going haywire. The lights go out, and the room turns pitch black for a few minutes until the emergency lights come on, bathing everything in an eerie light.
Flash’s heart feels like it’s on it’s way out of his chest.
Mr Harrington starts rounding everyone up, making to leave the room. Only, he doesn’t get further than a couple of steps before the doors to the room opens and six large men with shawls obscuring their faces appear in the doorway.
“Hello,” says the middle one, sounding incredibly polite. “We’re looking for Eugene Thompson.”
*
Next to Flash, Ned whimpers. The bad guys zero in on him and Ned, gulps loudly.
“You him?” asks the leader before laughing. “I’m just messing with you, kid. I know you’re not him. He is.”
He’s pointing straight at Flash, which, okay, that’s fair. Doesn’t help the situation with Flash’s heart trying to force it’s way out of his chest, though.
“What do you want?” interrupts Mr Harrington, stepping forward.
“His daddy’s been losing our money,” the leader explains. “We don’t like that. Thought we’d take an eye for an eye, so to speak.”
At that, Flash can’t help the desperate guff of laughter that forces itself from his mouth. His dad's been using up money that ain’t his to use and these guys expect them kidnapping Flash will do what? Force his dad to pay a ransom?
Fat chance.
One of the thugs step forward to take a hold of Flash’s arm while their leader speaks.
Flash had almost forgotten the unfortunate presence of Peter’s boyfriend, but he’s never been more grateful than when he hears Barnes’ voice from behind him.
“I don’t think so,” says Barnes as he, too, steps forward and places his metal hand on top of the thug’s own.
“Who the fuck are you?” sneers the thug, his shawl having fallen down enough to reveal his face. He doesn’t look like he’s all that much older than Flash himself.
“Me?” says Barnes, eyes glittering. “I’m just somebody asking you to quit this stupidity while you can.”
“And what if we don’t?” mocks the thug, tugging at Flash’s arm. Barnes’ grip tightens immediately. The guy turns white. Flash wonders how fast bone can pulverize. Jesus, that arm is strong.
“Then I’ll be forced to make you,” answers Barnes, just as mockingly.
“Is that a threat?” asks the leader, his companions advancing on Barnes. And Flash, though he feels he might be momentarily forgotten in this testosterone filled fight.
“No.” Barnes shakes his head. “It’s a promise.”
He grins then, gripping a knife in his right hand. “Where did he get that?” Flash faintly hears someone ask in the background, but he’s much too focused on the guns in the hands of the goons to really care about Barnes’ wicked looking knife.
Parker’s boyfriend takes out two of the thugs without even moving from his spot next to Flash. One gets pinned to the wall by the knife – by the way of his crotch. Ouch. - and the other gets a metal hand to the face, going down swiftly. His gun clatters to the ground and Barnes kicks it all the way to the other side of the room.
The remaining thugs look confused by that. “Why didn’t you pick it up?” asks one of them, gesturing to the dark corner where the gun disappeared. Barnes shrugs apologetically.
“I would, but the boyfriend asked me to play nicely.”
The goon nods, as if this is a satisfactory enough explanation.
Back by the door, Flash realizes with a sinking feeling of fear, the leader is bringing out the biggest bazooka Flash’s ever seen.
At the sight of it, Barnes lights up like it’s Christmas day. “Aw, is that for me? You shouldn’t have,” he purrs, practically glowing. He looks like a cat that got the cream, Flash thinks.
“Come here, you asshat! “Barnes mocks the leader, seemingly not giving a fuck that the two still standing henchmen are fast approaching him. The leader shouts something Flash doesn’t hear and then Barnes whistles. Honest to god whistles, like he’s in the park, walking his dog.
And then there’s spider web everywhere and Spider Man comes hurling down from the roof, aiming straight at the leader. The goons go down immediately, both neatly wrapped up in white web and the leader, his surprised face ingrained in Flash’s memory forever, gets Spider Man’s feet directly to the nose. The man falls to the ground with a thunk and there’s nothing but silence.
Barnes struts over to the man, steps over him and collects the bazooka. “Finders keepers, am I right?”
*
Everything’s kind of foggy after that, Flash feeling like he’s in a dream. The police arrive at the scene within minutes – the museum on lock down – collecting the criminals and taking statements. Flash gives something he thinks is a statement but might as well have been him going “do, do, do, do” the entire time. He doesn’t remember anything of what he told the cops.
Barnes pouts because he doesn’t get to keep the bazooka and makes up for it by swaddling Ned and Sally in as many blankets as he can find. And then he swaddles Peter after Peter has tugged off the mask that’s been covering his face. Spider Man’s mask. Peter Parker is Spider Man and he doesn’t even seem to care that the decathlon team knows now.
Peter Parker is Spider Man. Flash’s biggest idol. Weak, boring, nerdy Penis Parker battles evil goons in his spare time. The guy Flash’s been making fun of for years is his idol. Flash loves Spider Man.
“Penis Parker is Spider Man,” he mutters and the police woman standing next to him shifts. “What?” she asks, concerned.
Flash shakes his head. “Nothing. This just explains so much. And at the same time, I’m so lost.”
“Honey,” the woman replies, “it’ll be all right.”
*
“Why’d you think I volunteered Bucky?” asks Peter, grimacing at Flash beneath the lone, flickering light bulb that lights up the grimy closet Flash shoved both himself and Peter into.
“The Avengers have kept tabs on your dad for months. It’s shady business, dude. And then those guys showed up, plotting to kidnap you. We knew they were following you, so Mr Stark thought a trip out of the city would do the trick. But then those goons decided to follow us to Boston so Mr Stark payed Mrs Avril to say she couldn’t chaperone us and I volunteered Bucky. That’s it. Extra protection or something. And I like him.”
“Yeah, but why me?”
“Because your dad sucks. I’m sorry, I don’t have a better explanation.”
Flash slides down the wall until he’s sitting on the floor. “This is so weird. You’re Spider Man. You’ve been Spider Man this entire time?”
Peter shrugs. “Pretty much.”
*
“Remember what I said about keeping Peter’s secrets?” asks Barnes quietly while Mr Harrington exits the bus to deal with the worried parents that have come to meet them back at the school. Peter’s leaning against his shoulder, fast asleep.
The decathlon team all look at each other and then back at Barnes.
“Yes,” they chorus, all pretending they’re not seeing the promise of pain in the Winter Soldier’s eyes.