[Once safely backstage and away from the crowd, Spider-Man immediately relaxes his posture and reaches out to exchange an enthusiastic high-five with Aunt May, his relief evident even through his mask.]
["That was absolutely amazing! Did you see how many people showed up?"]
[Aunt May returns the gesture with equal enthusiasm, though her own nervousness is still apparent in her voice.]
["It really was very successful! The turnout exceeded all our expectations!"]
[Spider-Man removes his mask partially, running his hands through his hair as the post-adrenaline crash hits him.]
["Oh man, I was so incredibly nervous up there! My heart was beating so fast I thought people might actually be able to hear it through the microphone!"]
[Aunt May, ever the perfectionist, shakes her head with a self-critical expression.]
["I'm sorry about my performance, Peter. I felt so stiff and awkward up there - definitely not my best public speaking moment!"]
[Spider-Man immediately rushes to reassure her, his voice carrying the genuine warmth and protectiveness he always shows toward his aunt.]
["Are you kidding? You were absolutely incredible! You had the entire audience hanging on every word!"]
[Aunt May turns the tables on him with a knowing smile, pointing directly at her nephew.]
["Thank you, sweetheart! But I think you might have been just a tiny bit stiff yourself up there!"]
[Spider-Man's shoulders slump in acknowledgment, and he repeats the admission several times as if trying to convince himself to accept it.]
["Yeah, you're probably right! I definitely was! I really, really was!"]
[Both of them share a moment of mutual understanding about their shared discomfort with public attention.]
["It's completely okay, though! We both did our best!"]
["Absolutely! Next time will be even better!"]
[Having moved past the post-event analysis, Aunt May shifts into her characteristic nurturing mode, running through the mental checklist she's been obsessing over for weeks.]
["Now, more importantly - have you gotten your passport sorted out and ready for the trip?"]
["Yes! Got it right here in my bag!"]
["What about the travel-size toothpaste? You know they have those ridiculous liquid restrictions at airports now!"]
["Yep! Already bought the tiny tubes and packed them in my carry-on!"]
[Just as they're settling into their familiar routine of pre-trip preparation, there's a sudden commotion behind them - footsteps, voices, and the sound of something large being maneuvered through the narrow backstage area. Spider-Man immediately snaps his mask back into place to protect his secret identity.]
[Happy Hogan appears around the corner, struggling slightly with an enormous greeting card that's almost comically oversized for the cramped backstage space.]
["Hey there! Sorry I'm running so late! Traffic was absolutely insane!"]
[The moment Spider-Man recognizes Happy's voice, his entire body language changes from defensive alertness to relaxed familiarity, and he pulls his mask back off.]
["Happy! Hey! Good to see you!"]
[Happy makes his way directly to Aunt May, and Spider-Man immediately notices something different about their interaction - a warmth and familiarity that seems to go beyond casual friendship.]
["May, you look absolutely stunning today! That color is perfect on you!"]
[Aunt May's response carries a note of pleased surprise, as if she's still getting used to receiving such compliments.]
["Thank you so much! You're looking pretty good yourself!"]
["Is this a new dress? I don't think I've seen you wear this one before!"]
["It is new! I bought it specifically for today's event!"]
[Spider-Man watches this exchange with growing bewilderment, his head turning back and forth between the two adults like he's watching a tennis match. Something about their interaction feels fundamentally different from what he's used to observing.]
["And is that a new beard? It looks different somehow!"]
[Happy grins and strokes his facial hair with obvious pride.]
["This is actually my 'Blip beard'! It grew out during the five years when everyone was gone, so I decided to keep it as a kind of memorial to that time period!"]
["I love it! It really suits you!"]
[After this exchange of pleasantries that makes Spider-Man increasingly uncomfortable, Happy looks down at the massive card he's been carrying and seems to remember his official purpose for being there.]
["Oh right! I was so late because I spent forever searching through Tony's office trying to find this thing! Can you believe how big this card is? I mean, the physical size is ridiculous - though the amount inside is also pretty substantial! The Stark Foundation really went all out for this donation!"]
[Aunt May accepts the oversized card and opens it to reveal a check for $50,000, her eyes widening in genuine shock at the generosity.]
["This is... this is incredible! Please tell everyone how grateful we are!"]
["Pepper Potts specifically asked me to apologize that she couldn't be here in person today! She really wanted to attend but had some urgent business to handle!"]
[Throughout this entire conversation, Spider-Man stands off to the side with his arms crossed, observing the interaction between Happy and Aunt May with the kind of intense scrutiny usually reserved for potential threats. Something about their dynamic is setting off his Peter-tingle, though not in a danger-sense way.]
[Aunt May checks her watch and suddenly remembers her other responsibilities for the event.]
["Oh goodness, I need to run to the kitchen and get the solid alcohol for the vegetarian lasagna before the dinner service starts!"]
[Before leaving, she turns back to Spider-Man with the kind of gentle but firm tone that brooks no argument.]
["Spider-Man, don't forget to go back out there and shake hands with people! They really want to meet you!"]
[Spider-Man gives her a mock salute, complete with exaggerated military precision.]
["Yes ma'am! Will do!"]
[The moment Aunt May disappears around the corner, Spider-Man immediately turns to confront Happy with all the directness of a teenager who's noticed something suspicious about the adults in his life.]
["Okay, what exactly was that whole interaction about? What's going on between you two?"]
[Happy clearly doesn't want to discuss his developing relationship with May, so he immediately deflects to the reason he actually came to find Spider-Man.]
["Listen, Peter, we need to talk about something important. Nick Fury wants to meet with you!"]
[The mention of Nick Fury's name instantly captures Spider-Man's full attention, though not in the way Happy was hoping for.]
["Nick Fury is looking for me? Why would he want to see me specifically?"]
[Happy's surprise at Spider-Man's reaction is evident in his voice.]
["Why? Because he needs you to handle some serious superhero work! You're a superhero, and he's literally the guy who coordinates superhero activities! It's pretty straightforward!"]
[But Spider-Man's response reveals just how much he's still struggling with the weight of responsibility that comes with his powers.]
["Look, if something really serious is happening that requires superhero intervention, he should be calling someone with more experience! Not me! I'm still figuring all this stuff out!"]
[At that exact moment, Spider-Man's phone begins ringing from inside his backpack. Happy immediately recognizes the significance.]
["Well, apparently he disagrees with your assessment of the situation!"]
[Spider-Man reluctantly retrieves his phone from his bag. Happy moves closer to get a look at the screen.]
["Look at that! 'Unknown Caller'! That's definitely him - that's how Nick Fury always calls people!"]
[Spider-Man stares at the ringing phone with obvious reluctance and anxiety.]
["I really don't want to talk to Nick Fury right now!"]
[Happy's patience begins to wear thin as he realizes how serious this situation could become.]
["Peter, you need to answer that phone!"]
["But why do I have to be the one to deal with this?"]
[Happy's frustration finally boils over, and he raises his voice in a way that's very unlike his usual laid-back demeanor.]
["Because if you don't talk to him, then I'm going to have to deal with him! And I absolutely do not want to be the one explaining to Nick Fury why Spider-Man is avoiding his calls!"]
[Spider-Man's curiosity gets the better of him.]
["Why don't you want to talk to him? What's so scary about Nick Fury?"]
[Happy's admission reveals just how intimidating the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director can be, even to people who work in the superhero community.]
["Because he terrifies me! The man has a way of making you feel like you've disappointed him even when you haven't done anything wrong! Now please, just answer the phone!"]
[Instead of following Happy's urgent advice, Spider-Man makes a decision that shocks them both - he deliberately hits the decline button, ending the call.]
[Happy stares at him in complete disbelief, as if Spider-Man has just committed some form of cosmic blasphemy.]
["Did you just... did you actually reject a call from Nick Fury?"]
["Yeah, I did!"]
["Peter, you cannot reject calls from Nick Fury! That's not how any of this works!"]
[But Spider-Man has already decided he's done with this conversation and starts looking for an escape route.]
["Did you hear that? I think someone's calling for Spider-Man out front! I really need to get back out there!"]
[Happy makes one last desperate attempt to convince him.]
["Peter, you absolutely have to talk to him eventually! This isn't going to go away!"]
[Spider-Man continues backing toward the curtain while offering empty reassurances.]
["I'll call him back! I promise I'll call him back as soon as I get a chance!"]
[Happy immediately sees through this transparent attempt at avoidance.]
["Peter Parker, you better not even think about blocking Nick Fury's number!"]
[The four mechanical spider legs of his Iron Spider suit emerge to help him navigate through the curtain with dramatic flair, and he disappears back into the main event area.]
[Once he's safely escaped from Happy's lecture, Spider-Man mutters to himself with the kind of optimism that only teenagers possess.]
["I'll deal with this whole Nick Fury situation when I get back from my European trip! Problem solved!"]
[He then switches back to his cheerful public persona and waves enthusiastically as he rejoins the crowd.]
["Hey everyone! Who wants to take some pictures?"]
[Meanwhile, back behind the curtain, Happy's phone immediately starts ringing. He answers with the forced cheerfulness of someone who knows he's about to be in trouble.]
["Hey there, Nick! How's it going?"]
[Whatever Nick Fury says on the other end of the line clearly isn't pleasant, because Happy immediately goes into damage control mode.]
["No! No, no, no! He definitely didn't block your number! I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he didn't answer! Maybe his phone was on silent? Or the reception was bad? You know how these charity events can be..."]
Back in the current timeline, Nick Fury stared at the Sky Curtain with his characteristic intensity, though there was a hint of genuine bewilderment in his expression as he turned to Maria Hill.
"Am I really that intimidating? Do I come across as so frightening that superheroes actively avoid taking my calls?"
Hill paused for a moment, clearly weighing how honest she should be with her response.
"Well, sir, if I'm being completely honest... you do tend to maintain a very stoic facial expression most of the time. It gives you this aura of authority and intensity that can be quite intimidating to people who don't know you well. Even experienced agents sometimes find you... imposing."
Nick Fury processed this feedback with the analytical mind of someone who's spent his entire career reading people and situations.
"As a professional intelligence operative, you're absolutely right that I should be more conscious of how my facial expressions affect others. Non-verbal communication can reveal more about our intentions than our actual words."
He took a deep breath and made a decision that surprised Hill with its practicality.
"Contact May Parker immediately. Tell her I'd like to arrange a more informal meeting with Peter Parker - something casual where he might feel more comfortable. Ask her when she might be able to bring him for a tour of S.W.O.R.D. headquarters."
Hill's surprise was evident in her voice.
"Sir? Are you certain about that decision? The S.W.O.R.D. project is classified at the highest levels. Even Tony Stark hasn't shared details about it with Pepper Potts. Having civilians, especially teenagers, visit the facility..."
"I'm absolutely certain," Nick Fury interrupted with the confidence of someone who's thought through all the implications. "Execute the order."
He paused, then explained his reasoning with characteristic strategic thinking.
"Based on what we've seen in these Sky Curtain revelations, there's a very strong possibility that Spider-Man will eventually inherit Tony Stark's role as a central figure in superhero operations. If that's going to happen, I need to establish a positive working relationship with him now, while he's still young and forming his opinions about authority figures. I can't afford to have him avoiding my calls when the world needs saving."
Nick Fury's expression grew more calculating as he continued.
"Besides, there's also Harley Keener to consider. That young man is showing remarkable intellectual potential - possibly genius-level intelligence that could rival Tony Stark's. If I can recruit both of these teenagers while they're still impressionable and idealistic, S.W.O.R.D. could benefit enormously from their contributions in the future."
His tone became slightly more pragmatic.
"It's much easier to build loyalty and trust with young people than it is to repair damaged relationships with adults who already have preconceived notions about government agencies."
When Tony Stark learned about Nick Fury's plan through his extensive network of contacts and monitoring systems, his reaction was surprisingly mild. He simply shrugged and made a note to keep an eye on the situation.
In Tony's opinion, exposing Peter and Harley to the realities of superhero coordination and global security wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Both were intelligent enough to handle the knowledge responsibly, and the experience might help them understand the broader context of their potential future roles.
"It might actually be good for them to see behind the curtain," Tony mused to himself. "Better they understand what they're getting into sooner rather than later. And if Nick Fury wants to try his hand at mentoring the next generation, who am I to stop him? Just as long as he doesn't try to turn them into his personal agents without their full understanding and consent."