The atmosphere at Leipzig Airport had become strangely awkward.
Just moments ago, both sides had been staring each other down, preparing for an inevitable clash.
Now?
Everyone was looking at Peter Parker.
Specifically, they were looking at the teenager holding Captain America’s shield while accidentally introducing himself in the most embarrassing way possible.
Tony Stark pinched the bridge of his nose.
His patience was rapidly evaporating.
“That,” he said slowly, “is not what I told you to say.”
Peter scratched the back of his head beneath the mask.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Oh.”
Peter waved cheerfully toward both teams.
“Hello, everyone.”
Tony’s eye twitched.
For a brief moment, nobody spoke.
Then Clint Barton coughed to hide a laugh.
Sam Wilson looked away.
Even Natasha Romanoff’s lips twitched slightly.
Tony felt a headache coming on.
The kid was impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
Peter, meanwhile, wasn’t nearly as nervous as he appeared.
In fact, after observing the situation for a few minutes, he had already reached his own conclusion.
This wasn’t some battle between heroes and villains.
Nobody here was evil.
Nobody wanted to kill anyone.
At its core, this was simply a disagreement that had spiraled out of control.
Tony Stark wanted Captain America and Bucky Barnes detained.
Captain America wanted to stop a larger threat before it was too late.
Both sides believed they were right.
Both sides refused to back down.
And that was how the Avengers had ended up pointing weapons at one another.
A Civil War.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Peter wasn’t stupid.
If he treated this like a life-or-death battle, he’d only make enemies on both sides.
So instead…
He treated it like the world’s strangest meet-and-greet.
After all, standing before him were legends.
People he’d admired for years.
Especially Steve Rogers.
Captain America wasn’t just another superhero.
For Peter’s generation, Captain America was practically everywhere.
In school.
On television.
In history books.
During physical education classes.
Every time students needed motivation, there was Captain America.
Every time teachers wanted a moral lesson, there was Captain America.
The man had somehow become a living public service announcement.
And honestly?
Peter liked him.
Most people did.
The world needed symbols.
Over the last decade, humanity had been forced to face one disaster after another.
The battle between Bruce Banner and the Abomination.
The arrival of Thor and the destruction caused by the Destroyer.
The Chitauri invasion of New York.
The catastrophe in Sokovia.
Each event had left scars.
Each event reminded ordinary people how fragile their lives truly were.
Fear had become common.
People wanted something stable.
Something reassuring.
Someone they could believe in.
And Steve Rogers had become that person.
The perfect symbol.
A war hero.
A selfless soldier.
A man who always seemed to know the right thing to do.
Compared to veterans like Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, or Clint Barton, Peter knew he was an outsider.
A rookie.
A kid.
So instead of stressing himself out…
He decided to enjoy the experience.
And maybe test himself against some of Earth’s strongest heroes.
Just a little.
Unfortunately, the adults weren’t in the mood for fun.
Tony’s expression had grown increasingly dark.
“Steve.”
His voice carried a dangerous edge.
“You dragged Clint into this.”
Nobody answered.
“You dragged Wanda into this.”
Still silence.
Tony’s frustration finally erupted.
“I’ve spent months trying to keep the Avengers together!”
His voice echoed across the runway.
“I’ve bent over backward trying to fix this mess!”
Steve’s gaze remained calm.
“The Avengers were already broken.”
Tony’s jaw tightened.
“The moment you signed the Accords, everything changed.”
The words hit harder than any punch.
Several people visibly tensed.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The wind howled across the empty airport.
Tony looked away.
When he finally spoke again, his voice was quieter. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
Almost tired.
“Enough.”
His helmet retracted fully.
The anger on his face gave way to exhaustion.
“Hand over Bucky.”
No response.
“Come back with us.”
Still nothing.
Tony closed his eyes.
Then opened them again.
“Please.”
The single word stunned everyone.
Because it wasn’t Iron Man speaking.
It was Tony Stark.
A friend asking another friend to stop.
For years, they had fought side by side.
They had survived New York together.
Saved the world together.
Built the Avengers together.
Tony didn’t want this ending.
Not like this.
Not against Steve.
Yet Steve’s answer remained unchanged.
“No.”
The disappointment in Tony’s eyes deepened.
And Peter suddenly realized something.
Neither side was going to convince the other.
The fight was unavoidable.
At the same moment, a tiny drone circled overhead.
Sam Wilson’s reconnaissance device.
Its sensors had located something important.
The Quinjet.
The transportation Captain America’s team needed.
Sam immediately relayed the information.
Steve’s eyes sharpened.
The objective had been found.
There was no reason to delay anymore.
The negotiations were over.
Without warning—
SHHHK!
An arrow sliced through the air.
Peter barely registered movement.
Clint Barton.
The projectile flew between Steve’s restrained wrists with unbelievable precision.
The web restraints snapped apart instantly.
Steve was free.
Peter blinked.
“Wow.”
That was actually pretty impressive.
Then—
A faint tingling crawled across the back of his neck.
His Spider-Sense.
Peter immediately frowned.
Something felt wrong.
Not dangerous.
Just…
Strange.
Very strange.
His gaze lowered.
Toward the shield in his hand.
Toward a tiny moving shape.
Peter squinted.
“…Huh?”
Standing on the shield’s surface was a microscopic person.
A very tiny person.
A tiny person wearing a suit.
A tiny person who had just realized he had been discovered.
Scott Lang froze.
Peter froze.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Peter leaned closer.
“What are you?”
Scott’s soul nearly left his body.
How had he been spotted?!
Nobody ever spotted him at this size!
“Uh…”
Scott desperately searched for an answer.
“Lint.”
Peter blinked.
“What?”
“I’m lint.”
Peter stared.
Scott stared back.
Silence.
Then Peter slowly nodded.
“That is the worst lie I’ve ever heard.”
Scott sighed.
“Yeah, I know.”
Instantly, Scott expanded.
WHOOM!
His body rapidly returned to normal size.
One second he was microscopic.
The next he was hanging halfway off Captain America’s shield.
Peter jumped backward.
“What the heck?!”
His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“You can do that?!”
Scott looked equally shocked.
“You can see tiny people?!”
Peter pointed dramatically.
Scott pointed back.
“You’re seeing ants!”
Both men looked horrified.
The entire battlefield watched in silence.
Natasha slowly lowered her pistols.
Rhodey looked confused.
Even Vision seemed uncertain how to process this conversation.
Tony covered his face.
Of course.
Of course these two had found each other.
Scott attempted a heroic kick.
Peter casually caught his ankle.
Then everything became awkward.
Very awkward.
Scott’s left hand still gripped the shield.
His right arm flailed uselessly.
One leg remained trapped in Peter’s grip.
The rest of his body dangled in midair.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The pose looked so ridiculous that even Steve Rogers looked embarrassed.
Sam Wilson burst out laughing.
Clint nearly doubled over.
Tony considered pretending he didn’t know either of them.
Scott cleared his throat.
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
Peter tilted his head.
“It looks exactly like what it looks like.”
“Fair.”
Scott sighed.
Then he pointed accusingly.
“This is your fault.”
“My fault?”
“You’re stronger than you look.”
Peter grinned.
“Thanks.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“It sounded like one.”
Scott groaned.
“Okay.”
He raised both hands in surrender.
“Can you put me down?”
Peter thought for a moment.
“Maybe.”
“Please?”
“Maybe.”
“Mr.
Spider-Man?”
Peter smiled beneath the mask.
Finally.
Recognition.
Respect.
Validation.
Everything Tony refused to give him.
Scott immediately noticed the change.
“…Oh no.”
Peter nodded.
“That’s right.”
Scott sighed deeply.
“What do you want?”
Peter pointed.
“My name.”
Scott closed his eyes.
Tony laughed.
Steve shook his head.
Natasha looked away.
Scott finally surrendered.
“Spider-Man.”
Peter smiled.
“Good.”
“Now put me down.”
Peter nodded.
“Okay.”
Then he casually hurled Scott across the runway.
“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!”
Scott disappeared into the distance.
Everyone watched him fly.
Several seconds passed.
Then—
CRASH!
A distant impact echoed across the airport.
Peter winced.
“Maybe I threw him too hard.”
Tony immediately burst out laughing.
Unfortunately for everyone involved…
The laughter only lasted a moment.
Because the next second—
Captain America charged forward.
Black Panther moved simultaneously.
War Machine ignited his thrusters.
Falcon launched into the sky.
Wanda’s hands began glowing crimson.
Vision’s forehead crystal lit up.
The real battle had finally begun.
And Peter suddenly realized something.
Up until now…
Everyone had merely been warming up.
Now?
The Avengers were going all out.
And Spider-Man was standing directly in the middle of the battlefield.