"Fix the alignment." Natasha instructs the VR goggled Peter. He slightly adjusts the joystick, levelling out the wings. Natasha watches as the teen flies a simulation plane perfectly. Little does he know, the exercise is to test how he will respond when it starts crashing, not just how to fly it. She discreetly pulls a button out of her pocket and pushes it, red lights flashing immediately.

"Miss Natasha? Engine 2 is out, I promise I didn't break anything it just happened," Peter yells over the roar of the crashing plane. "So is Engine 3, and none of my controls are working."

Natasha just watches, letting Peter figure it out.

"I can't do anything! My joystick is frozen, and everything is on fire!" Peter is starting to panic, memories flooding back.

"Please, no fire! The Vulture is gonna get me, we're gonna crash on the beach! I gotta save the amusement park and I can't hold on I can't do this! Mr Stark? Mr Stark please save me, Dad! NO! I can't save myself again I'm gonna die!" Peter is hyperventilating, and when the plane is about to crash, he yanks off the goggles and runs out of the room, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry Miss Natasha!" He sobs, and Natasha stands in bewilderment at the surprising reaction of the boy.

Clint is hanging out in the shadows on the roof when Peter swings up onto the roof. He watches as the boy stumbles across the roof and collapses at the edge. Peter is hyperventilating, his whole body shaking. Clint immediately runs over and puts a hand on the shivering boy's back.

Are you okay kid – oh." Clint starts, and without even looking back, Peter throws his arms around Clint's neck, and holds tight.

"I can't do it anymore, I can't go back, I'm not gonna make it, I can't even save Uncle Ben, he's in my head, I'm crashing again, I'm failing." Peter is sobbing into Clint's chest, who is a bit uncomfortable at the contact, but leans into the boy when he realises how much Peter needs it.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe here." Clint sooths, and Peter's breaths slowly steadies.

"I'm sorry." Peter mumbles, still shaking.

"You did nothing wrong kid. Your name is Peter, right?" Clint assures.

Peter nods, then looks up. "Yes sir, Mr Clint, Barton."

"Just Clint is fine." Peter nods, then untangles himself from the hug.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Clint asks hesitantly.

Peter brings his knees to his chest. "I'm not sure, it happened recently."

"If you want my advice? It's better to tell someone before it gets too hard."

"It's already too hard, I can't even get through a stupid simulation without freaking out. I'm pathetic."

Clint narrows his eyes. "You're not pathetic, if you say that again I'm gonna punch you." Peter nods again. "And lemme tell you something, kid. We've all been through it. Tony had PTSD from the first war against the Chitauri, Steve has flashbacks to the first war, same as Bucky. Natasha and Bucky both suffer from the Red Room, Rhodes can't even walk from the Civil War. And me? I went on a murdering spree when my family went missing from the blip. I'm not saying what you've been through isn't bad, just that we all understand what it's like to suffer from past events, and any of us are willing to talk to you about it."

Peter just sits there for a while, and Clint is about to get up when Peter starts talking.

"My Uncle Ben was killed in front of me, and I didn't do anything to save him," He begins, and Clint already feels terrible. "When I went after the Vulture, he collapsed a building on me. It was the worst feeling in the world. I couldn't breathe, or move, or see. I've gotten claustrophobia from it. I chased him to the invisible plane full of Avengers stuff and it started to crash. The whole thing went down in flames. He beat me up, then I ran through fire to save him. I can't be in a plane or around a fire anymore.

After the blip, I fought Mysterio. He-he got in my head, playing tricks on me, freaking me out, leading me to a train track. A train ran me over. No more train rides for me, and I can't stand the thought of going to Europe again.

I had to watch Mr Stark, my second dad, almost die. I couldn't stand by and let him die like Uncle Ben. If he died, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself." Peter has tears in his eyes, his hands shaking again.

"That's some tough stuff Peter." Clint says after a long silence. "Thank you for telling me."

Peter nods. "I needed to tell someone. Thank you."

After a few minutes, Clint starts getting up. "We should probably get you back down there."

Peter hesitates. "I don't know if I can do it Clint." He whispers, and Clint offers his hand.

"I know it's hard, kid. We won't make you do anything you can't handle." Peter accepts, and Clint leads him back down into the compound.

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