Dealing with a Spider (Man) Infestation

Peter knew he was very, surely painfully screwed.

His body still felt sore and he tried to ignore the nauseous waves that came in crashes every time he moved his head.

Eddie dispassionately gazed down at him, his eyes revealing nothing while a smile encroached on his lips. It was awkward, not the award winning smile that had gotten Eddie so familiar with the ladies. This was clumsy.

“Oh great, what is this Symbi? I told you I wasn’t interested and you went straight for the rebound- again?” Peter tried to joke, but he was curious on the aliens plan.

“We will answer your questions” It said. It looked…anxious. Anticipating something.

Uh oh.

Peter glanced around, he was roughly encased with some sort of- metal? Okay damn, even actually letting go with his powers strength did nothing. He only had a bit of room to shimmy, and even then his hands were in extra protected separate containments. No shooters or web fluid- oh he might be screwed screwed. Maybe he could reason it out of this? Worth a shot. His only shot.

Double Uh oh.

“How are you even doing this?” Peter started, glaring at them. He knew the answer had something to do with Harry, but the gaps still a little empty.

“The other brought us here, studied us, perfected us, made us twice as big. This other showed us how to survive in your world. How to protect.” The symbiote- thorough Eddie explained,

Peter paused, “Other, you mean Harry?”

Eddie- er- Symbiote rolled Eddies eyes “The other, yes. Has helped us.”

“Why do this at all then?” Peter asked,

Eddies eyebrow raised.

Peter tried to reconstruct the question, “It looks like you’ve already got Eddie in your grasp, whadda need me for?”

“Multiple hosts is…preferred” it said, shrugging as it stepped closer.

“A Host to defend,” The symbiote traced itself against Eddies face and neck, and there was a twitch in his mike making it wider. More demented looking.

The small section traced itself along Eddies arm, which raised in an attempt to gently, lovingly, bring Peters chin up, but the motion was too rough, he was inexperienced in this body. Fine motor skills were perhaps the final learning curve in total domination of a host.

“And a host to gather ourselves,” The darkness went down his chin and dribbled into his neck and chest, spreading itself up towards Peter’s head again. While more drained down the rest of his body.

“Augh! What the-“ The feeling of the symbiote -venom? entering his mind.

Peter’s spine went straight at the horrible, unnatural presence, it was almost like he could feel it wiggling itself between every fiber of his being.

“Mmm,” the Alien made a content hum, “You have changed.” It sounded pleased. That wasn’t good.

Peter resisted the nauseous pit in his stomach as he groaned “and what is that supposed to mean?”

“You are alone.” The symbiote said simply.

How eloquently stated, and how horribly true.

Painful memories flashed in Peter’s mind to think of all the sleepless nights, patrolling for baddies that never arrived, holidays alone, Aunt Mays funeral. Well, people had shown up for that, but he hadn’t said a word besides the niceties and his speech. The echos of the funerals invitees lamenting on how Peter was the last in his family…well it hadn’t made him eager for conversation.

“Poor poor thing, we only want to help,”

He didn’t realize he was crying, he shouldn’t be crying. It was natural, a part of life. It was okay to grieve, but he had to continue on- A sharp stabbing sensation pierced through his mind, and he heard it speak again,

“We hate to hurt. But the suffering is the solution. The pain must be embraced. Why waste time on another when we are here, we have always loved you”

“You call that love?” Peter screamed into the depths of his mind.

The symbiote slithered across his skull, making Peter shudder, “Hmm…We wanted to punish when you acted out of line, but we think you have learned your lesson.”

“Don’t you dare treat me like a child!” Peter screamed, a much more visceral sound would then he had meant to make.

The symbiote made another rumbling noise, and Peter knew it was its attempt at a warning, “We will make you better.” And Eddies voice was there, like when Peter would hide behind him from Flash or a stranger, always willing to protect him, hold his hand while he made the problem go away, why did that voice hurt so much to hear? When was the last time that voice had been comforting? That any voice had been truly, really-

“Permanently”

Peter was pulled from his thoughts as the two began to attempt the fusion, and snarled, “Too bad I’m not consenting to that,” and he began to wriggle his body in defiance.

Closing his eyes, Peter thought of his loved ones, their happy memories, how they saw him. Each face was enfolded with some bitter feeling of guilt, quickly, he tried to think of people in his life, but as the feeling came again with each face he thought of he had to discard them again. He could feel the presence of the other two looming larger in his mind now. He tried to hurry his attempted to think-

“You abandoned them, you cannot rely on their love when you threw it away” The alien explained gleefully. No need to tear apart a hosts life when the host destroyed it himself-

Peter didn’t know who’s thought that was- he had to think- they could get out of this- just think!

Each face he tried to remember morphed into recent memories, Aunt May smiling as he pointed the camera while she insisted not to waste the space on his camera was the picture he’d used for the funeral, MJs look of betrayal when he turned away from her every time she saw him, Harry’s cold face as Peter tried to explain, to apologize

“I only wanted to help!” Peter wailed as he felt their presence enclose on him, he could feel them tightening his throat, pulling him deeper down-

“It’s time to be selfish, for all of us” The symbiote said very softly.

Peter made no reply as they bonded.

…

Harry made his way down the stairs to see Peter out of his restraints, still sitting while Eddie stood over him, hovering.

“How are you feeling Pete?” Harry grinned at the sight,

Peter’s voice dispassionately responded “We are fine Osborn.”

Eddie helped Peter up, the two did not make eye contact, but Eddie, now once again-partially-mostly in control, spoke. “We had a little talk, we’re all feeling a lot better, aren’t we.” Tauntingly towards the smaller one who stood beside him.

“Yes, we are.” Peter’s voice sounded drained, exhausted from the impact such a bond had upon him. His knees bent, unable to take standing even for a bit.

Harry eyed between them, “Maybe we should have everyone rest up, tomorrow’s gonna be a pretty big day.” He sounded excited.

A fog covered Peter’s mind felt so overstimulating, they had to escape this. They were so close, it was all he could hear, all he could feel. But he didn’t feel…right anymore. They overlapped into each other, familiar cords of misery clashing together to create a miserable melody.

Through no control is his own, Peter’s hands found Eddies strong arms and held on tightly as they made their was upstairs.