Super Powers, Steph. Super Powers
Peter now had a plan for his phone. With his fancy address that led to his favorite abandoned building and his new bank account that he had set up through less than legal means, he had gotten what he needed for his phone to work in this universe! He now had Tim’s number and Steph’s number and Duke’s number and even Jason’s number. Sure he’d had to scrounge some parts to downgrade the phone in order to make the older tech work, but he did it! And the library meant he had wifi fairly frequently. (Miss Barbara’s eyes still followed him wherever he went, but he was kind of getting used to that at this point.)
Now, if he could keep getting away with scrounging electronic parts from fancy businesses, he could start working on an arc reactor. Because his beloved abandoned building needed electricity if he was going to survive the winter and sure it would be a pain to learn how to wire everything and then pay for the parts necessary and then actually wire everything, but Peter was a quick learner. A very quick learner.
Peter jolted awake at a very cold hand touching the back of his neck. “Jesus dude what the fuck?!”
Tim grimaced. “Sorry, Pete. I didn’t want you to fully fall asleep in the cafeteria.”
Peter mumbled something incoherent and tried to look more awake. If the faces of his friends were anything to go by, he clearly wasn’t doing a great job of it.
“What’s got you staying up that late anyways?” Duke asked.
“I’m working on an arc reactor. It’s something from back home that I want to replicate.”
The trio of heroes blinked at Peter. What, did Peter say something wrong? “I mean something from New York,” he corrected.
Steph gave him the most done expression Peter had ever seen and deadpanned, “So can we stop pretending that you’re from this planet? ‘Cause like. That’s a pretty big admission if I’ve ever heard one.”
Peter froze and coughed awkwardly. “I can neither confirm nor deny anything. But it would be cool to finally get some stuff off my chest about back home.”
“Any other confessions you wanna make while you’re at it?” Tim asked hopefully.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, like how you spend your evenings?”
“I don’t know, Tim,” Peter snarked, “is there anything you wanna tell me about how you spend your evenings? Or how all of you spend your evenings?”
You could hear a pin drop. Well, Peter could no matter what, ‘cause super hearing, but that wasn’t the point!
“So you know then?” Tim eventually asked.
Peter nodded. “Once I figured out that you guys smell the same as your counterparts it was kinda obvious.”
Steph raised her arm and sniffed, then looked at Peter in confusion. “I don’t smell, and I would have called the other two out by now if they did.”
“Super powers, Steph. Super powers,” Peter reminded her.
“What do we smell like to you?” Duke asked.
“Nothing bad, just. I don’t know, every human has their own scent.”
“So what do we smell like?” Tim urged with big Science Eyes.
Peter sighed. No getting out of this one. “Duke smells like sunshine. Think mountain meadow early morning dew. Steph smells like badassery, I don’t know how else to explain it. And Tim, you smell like coffee, like waking up in the middle of the night to realize that everything is right with the world, like danger and electricity and new books—”
“Not old books?” Tim interrupted.
“No, Jason smells like old books. You smell like new books with a sense of danger and adventure. That’s all I’ve got for you guys.”
Silence.
“Dude, that’s pretty gay,” Duke pointed out.
Peter’s face grew bright red and he attempted to dissolve into his seat. “What?! You guys asked and I answered. Fuck off.”
Peter risked a glance at Tim, who was also bright red. At least Peter wasn’t alone in his embarrassment. “Oh! And somehow all of your guys’ scents get stronger when I’m around Duke, I have no idea why.”
“I might,” Duke offered. “I’ve found through working with other meta’s that I kinda enhance everyone’s powers a bit?”
Peter gawked at him. “Oh man that explains so fucking much! I can hear better, smell better, I can sense the vibrations of everyone in the fucking school, I can pick up on even more in depth ways that people are dangerous omfg Duke thank you I thought I was going crazy!”
“Yeah no problem. That sounds overwhelming, are you okay?”
“Probably not, but it’s not like it’s a big deal. It’s worth it if it means I get to spend time with you guys.”
“Awww,” Steph cooed. “You really love us!”
“Or one of us,” Duke muttered.
Peter glared at him teasingly. “Hey! Shush!”
“Soooo,” Steph drawled, “Peter, you wanna patrol with me tonight?”
“Yeah sure. Just don’t get us into too much trouble and it should be fine.”
“When I said ‘don’t get us into too much trouble,’ this is exactly what I meant!” Peter shouted, leaping from the shoulders of one Black Mask goon to another and knocking them upside the head.
“I know!” Steph yelled back. “Isn’t this so much fun?!”
“Depends on your definition of— agh! Fuck!” There was now a knife sticking out of Peter’s thigh. Luckily that was the last of the goons and they now had the warehouse secure. Perhaps Parker Luck didn’t apply to Steph? If that was the case she was one lucky human being. Maybe that was her super power…
“O?” Steph called. “We need you to get B over here. Spidey and I cleared out the goons but we can’t stick around until the Comish shows. Spidey took a knife to the thigh!”
“I used to be an adventurer like you till I took an arrow to the knee,” Peter mumbled.
“Sending B your way, Spoiler.”
Steph grabbed one of Peter’s arms and slung it over her shoulders. “C’mon Spidey, we’re gonna get you out of here.”
“Hey Spoiler?” Peter slurred.
“Yeah?”
“Tell Red Robin he’s cute for me?”
Steph fake retched. “Fucking nasty.”
“Don’t be homophobic.” The land was beginning to swim in Peter’s eyes, and he was certain that wasn’t a good sign. Also his leg felt like it was on fire, which Peter was sure also wasn’t a good sign. They stumbled out of the warehouse door and watched as one of the most badass cars Peter had ever seen pulled up beside them. Batman and Robin jumped out, nodding to Peter and Steph.
“Don’t crash my car, Spoiler. Get Spider-Man back to base,” Batman ordered.
Steph nodded. “Robin, help me get Spider-Man into the passenger seat.”
“Affirmative.”
The child helped Peter, who was limping as best he could. He securely buckled Peter in, and away they went. The pain came and went in waves of agony, having Peter writhing in place every couple minutes. “Just a little longer,” Steph promised. “We’re almost there and then you can finally confess to Red Robin, all right?”
“You know everyone can hear you, right?” Tim’s voice came over Steph’s comms, sounding a bit strained. “I’ll be at the cave in a couple of minutes. Just hang tight, ok?”
“Okay,” Peter mumbled.
Steph took a sudden turn into an alley, heading for a brick wall. Peter blinked, not fully trusting what he was seeing. Pain kinda made everything blurry, so it was especially hard for Peter to believe it when the wall slid into the fucking ground, revealing a ramp leading down into a foreboding tunnel.
“You didn’t think we were just going to drive there, did you?” Steph teased. “If we did that, anyone would be able to just follow the Batmobile and then we’d all be fucked!”
“We’re actually heading to a cave? An honest to god Batcave?”
“Yeah. Why, what’s wrong with that?”
“You guys are fucking insane.”
Steph cackled and drove a little faster, pulling into what was a genuine fucking cave. She parked quickly and was met by an older man who immediately helped Peter out of the car.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Master Peter,” he greeted. “Though I wish it were under different circumstances. I am Alfred, the Wayne family butler.”
“Oh sick. It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Alfred!”
“Anyone who keeps such manners up with a knife in their leg is immediately on my good side, so you’re doing well for yourself and you’ve only been here for a couple seconds. Well done, Master Peter.”
“Thanks.”
Alfred easily scooped the boy up, carrying him princess style to a bed with an examining table. “If you have the wherewithal, would you kindly remove your mask?” The older man asked.
Peter did so.
“Thank you. Now, since you are a meta, what would be a good dose of anything for you?”
“Take what you have, triple it.” Peter gasped. Alfred looked like he blinked a couple of times at that, but again, Peter’s vision was a little fucked at the moment, so he couldn’t be quite sure. Something felt like it was injected into Peter’s thigh, and a certain Tim rushed into Peter’s vision. Or at least, Peter thinks that’s what happened.
“Master Tim, would you be so kind as to fetch Master Duke? I know he’s sleeping at the moment, but if Master Peter has any kind of enhanced healing, he should be able to help immensely.”
The Tim nodded and ducked away from Peter again, to which Peter whined and stretched out a hand at the receding figure. “Master Peter, I’m going to remove the knife. Miss Steph, if you would be so kind as to help hold him down?”
“Sure, but the guy has told us he can lift ten tons at least. I don’t know what help I’m going to be.”
“A familiar and grounding presence should help him, and I am but one man. Any help would be appreciated.”
Steph nodded and held Peter’s shoulders down on the table. “I’ve got Duke, Alfred!” Tim called from somewhere out of view.
“Master Duke, remain where you are. I don’t want the leg to begin to heal around the knife anymore than it already has. Master Tim, please help Miss Steph and I hold Master Peter down.”
Footsteps approached Peter— why couldn’t Peter see them? Or anything? Oh. Peter giggled. His eyes were closed; that would explain it. Several pairs of hands were holding him down, two at his shoulders, two at his knees, and one arm holding his torso. “I shall remove the blade on the count of three. Are you ready, Master Peter?”
“Sure.” Peter steeled himself, not wanting to hurt anyone around him by throwing them and impaling them on a stalagmite or something.
Alfred counted down to one and searing pain ripped through Peter. He screamed, trying his best to stay still but ultimately failing. “Hey, it’s okay, Pete,” Tim soothed. “We’re all right here, it’s going to be okay.”
Peter nodded, trying to listen, but things were swimming in and out of focus. “I’m gonna nap now,” Peter slurred.
And with that, his body tapped out.
Tim held onto Peter’s hand, clutching it tightly.
“Master Duke,” Alfred called. “Now would be a good time to approach, if you feel up to it. If not, I’m sure we can take care of Master Peter just fine.”
Duke rushed over, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Miss Steph, if you could bring over another cot or perhaps a chair, that would be wonderful.”
Steph rolled over a cot, and Duke sat down. “All right, we just have to get this stitched up and hope Master Peter’s body will take care of the rest,” Alfred remarked.
Tim went to go wash his hands and help anyway he could, but he could not remove his hand from Peter’s grasp. It wasn’t that the grip was even that tight, as even passed out, Peter was being careful to not hurt others with his super strength, Tim just couldn’t remove his hand. Tim’s mind flashed to all the times he’d seen Spider-Man climb up a building with nothing but his fingertips and toes. “Fucking spider,” Tim whispered, utterly fascinated and a little freaked out.
Duke nodded in agreement. “And with me around…” he trailed off, not needing to finish.
“Alfred!” A familiar rough voice yelled desperately. “Where is he?!”
Jason came sprinting into view, changing direction as soon as he saw Peter. Alfred had finished prepping the needle and thread, beginning the stitching just as Jason bolted towards them. His helmet was already off, apparently thrown to the ground somewhere around the cave, and he was leaning over Peter. “Shit, Alfie, how is he?”
“He’s doing just fine, Master Jason. He’s lost a bit of blood, but luckily the knife wasn’t removed before he arrived, and we were able to staunch a lot of the bleeding. He wasn’t hit in any major arteries, so he should be alright. He’ll appreciate you being here… I appreciate you being here. I just wish you would visit when one of us wasn't gravely injured in the field.”
Jason winced. “I know, Alfie, I know. I’m trying.”
“And that’s all we can ever ask of you, Master Jason.” With that, Alfred tied up the stitches and traded his gloves for a pair of fresh ones and bandaged Peter’s thigh. Alfred gave Peter one more onceover before moving onto the rest of his family.
“Is anyone else injured in any way?”
They all shook their heads, and Alfred nodded, content. “I don’t know how long it will take Master Peter to heal, but if he’s anything like Master Duke, he’s going to be hungry when he wakes up. I am going to go prepare some food. Those of you that are able are more than welcome to join me.”
Alfred turned and headed towards the elevator, Steph jogging to join him. Jason, Tim, and Duke were left there awkwardly. Jason cleared his throat. “I’m going to go grab a chair for you and me, Timbers.”
Tim nodded, flashing a brief, unconvincing smile. “Thanks.”
Jason nodded and left, returning with two chairs almost immediately afterwards. “So he just hasn’t let go?” Jason asked, seeing how Peter stuck to Tim like flypaper. Or was it Tim sticking to Peter like flypaper? Tim certainly felt caught in a spider’s grasp, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing…
“Yeah. And I imagine Duke being around means Peter’s even less likely to let go.”
“Interesting.”
Peter moved a bit, pulling Tim’s arm to his chest and curling around it. Tim’s face was on fire at this point and he was very pointedly not looking at Jason. His peripherals decided that that didn’t matter, so Tim could see Jason studying the two of them.
“You hurt him and I finally end you,” Jason growled.
“Fuck, Jay, the last thing I want to do is hurt him, okay?”
“Fine.”
Bruce came into the cave to find Jason slumped over in a chair, Tim half on the bed with Peter, and Duke sleeping on the cot next to them. If he took a picture, well, no one would be the wiser.