Work Text:
Peter had been Spiderman for about six months. Not to toot his own horn but he thought that he had gotten quite good at it. But, he was still new, so, he figured, now that he was established it was time to network. He was not the only vigilante in New York City, far from it. He figured it was about time to get to know the others better.
He sat on a rooftop in Queens and ran through his mental list to figure out who he’d reach out to first. Jessica Jones would be the easiest to find as she had her own office but she was not known for being the most friendly. So, maybe not the best choice. He could try Luke Cage but he had no idea where to find the man. The same went for Frank Castle. Frank was also scary as hell thank you very much. So that left Daredevil. He almost never left Hell's Kitchen and was notoriously territorial. If another vigilante showed up on his turf he would certainly come to investigate. There was also the bonus of the man's secret identity. Maybe Daredevil would have some tips on dealing with that whole thing. Peter made up his mind and started to swing.
Peter was right. He had just barely entered Hell’s Kitchen when his Spider Sense started to go off. He turned around and the Devil himself stood before him. He hadn’t even heard the guy come up behind him!
“What are you doing in my city?” the vigilante growled
“Hi Mr. Daredevil! I’m Spiderman! Wait, you probably know that. I just wanted to network! You know, meet the rest of NYC’s vigilantes” Peter rambled. Daredevil just stood and looked at him for a few seconds. Peter started to fidget under the man's gaze.
“Come with me” he eventually growled then leapt off the roof.
—-----------------
Matt had known the Parker Family for years. He and Foggy had met May Parker when they interned at Landman & Zach. She had been a paralegal at the time. The three of them hit it off and they kept in touch even after they all moved on from L&Z. They knew May when her husband’s brother and his wife died in a plane crash and she and Ben had taken in their niece Piper. He’d known them when 10 year old Piper declared that he was actually Peter. He had distanced himself from the family during the Fisk Fiasco but he had been there six months ago for Ben Parker’s funeral.
So, when the new vigilante named Spidermen swung his way into Hell’s Kitchen to “network” and he figured out that this kid was the same one he’d known for nine years he understandably freaked out a bit. He made a split second decision.
“Come with me” he growled. He waited just long enough to make sure Peter followed before launching himself off the roof. He parkoured to another building where he knew there was no danger of being recorded or overheard before rounding on Spiderman.
“Peter Benjamin Parker! What do you think you’re doing?” he heard the sound of Peter’s muscles tensing.
“Ha I think you must have mistaken me for someone else! I don’t know anyone by that name, it's not mine!” Lie his heartbeat whispered. Matt tugged his helmet off in one fluid motion. Peter gasped.
“Matt!? What? You’re Daredevil? That's so cool!”
“Does May know?”
“No, and you can’t tell her! Please Matt, I can’t put her in danger like that!”
“Go home Peter”
“No. I have to do this.” Matt heard the conviction in Peter's voice and his heartbeat whispered truth.
“Why”
“I have these powers. I can stick to things, I heal faster, I’m stronger, I can take punches that others can’t, I have a danger sense. I have to use these things to do good.”
Matt’s stomach clenched. He knew that feeling all too well. “It’s not your job”
“When I first got my powers I buried my head in the sand. I heard a mugging happen and I did nothing. I could have stopped it but I didn’t. Later that night that mugger killed Ben. He… The last thing he said to me was ‘Peter always remember that with great power comes great responsibility.’ That's why I can’t stop. I have a responsibility to protect my city and the people who live here.”
Matt’s heart ached for the boy. He knew that feeling. He knew it well. He hated that Peter knew it too. “When I was nine my dad and I were at Fogwell’s gym. He was training and I was practicing my braille. This was a few months after I was blinded and my abilities started to develop. Roscoe Sweeney, the Boss of the Kitchen Irish and one of his lackeys came to talk to my dad. I eavesdropped. They told him they had set up a fight for him against another boxer. His name was Creel and he was big in boxing. They told him they bet against him and he would drop in the 5th. Later that night I essentially asked him not to throw the fight. I said ‘we’re Murdock’s we always get back up again right?’ He changed his bet. Put everything on himself. He didn’t go down in the 5th. He won that fight. Sweeney killed him for it. He died because I asked him not to throw the fight.”
Peter let out a hollow laugh. “We’re quite the pair aren't we?”
“Ya kid. We really are.”
“Are you going to tell Aunt May?” Desperation laced Peter’s tone. Matt let out a breath.
“I won’t tell her on two conditions. 1. You let me train you. You’re still green, you don’t know how to fight properly. And 2. You let me take you to the man that made my suit and let him make one for you. The pajamas you're wearing have no protection.”
“Deal!” Peter didn’t even hesitate. Matt held out his hand and they shook on it.