How The Blood Mixed With Tears
Some people say that love is equal to suffering. Because there is no love that bring no pain. Even so, humans always yearn for love, hoping that all of the pain will be worth it in the end. Because, sometimes, they gain more happiness than the pain itself. But, it doesn’t always work like that.
There are times when love only brings more suffering, and some people need to call it quit.
But, at what point…?
Peter Parker, now known as Peter-Three as his dear brothers, is thinking about that now.
He sees how Peter-One steps out from their embrace and takes, kind of, a protective stance facing the floating wizard. Peter-Two shifts his arm and Peter-Three realizes that the oldest needs him for support. His nosebleed has stopped but Peter-Two still looks pale. So, Peter-Three wraps his arm around Peter-Two’s back and supports the oldest’s weight.
It reminds him of how their first fight together, where Peter-Two got stabbed and Peter-Three was supporting him just like this. Back then, the oldest also put on his brave face, not showing any sign of being in pain despite being stabbed in his back.
Well, Peter-Two has been like this, Peter-Three suspects.
“Do you all understand the grave of the situation here? While I can respect your decision to cherish your brotherhood and memories together, the consequence is-“
“I might lose my mind or worse, die, I know,” Peter-Two answers quickly with a serious face. “But, I refuse to do as you say, I can’t give up on my brothers.” It is rare to see the oldest look cold and serious, without any hints of warmth on his expression.
The strange wizard lands on the edge of the rooftop with an annoyed face.
“Is there really no other choice? Usually for doctor treatments, there should be alternative choices,” Peter-One suggests, sounding quite desperate.
“First of all, it isn’t an illness. Second, do you think I will resort to this extreme measure if there are other choices?” Strange asks back with sarcasm. He pinches the bridge of his nose while frowning as if he is having a headache.
“But, you don’t know much about Peter-Two’s condition either, right? So, let’s brainstorm together! We might find other solutions!” Peter-One adds with such a bright positive attitude.
Peter-Three feels how Peter-Two shifts a bit, maybe keeping standing too long is hard for the oldest. The middle brother is about to crouch down so Peter-Two can sit on the floor but the oldest grips his clothes and then shakes his head slowly. He mouths ‘I’m fine’ with a thin smile.
Peter-Three frowns and grips Peter-Two tighter. Obviously, the oldest doesn’t want to look weak in front of this strange wizard now. Maybe, to show just how resolute he is with his choice.
Strange gives the youngest an exasperated look, complete with a looking-down expression. “Then, what do you suggest?” based on his flat tone, he doesn’t expect anything good from Peter-One.
“Uhm…” Peter-One folds his arms and taps his feet. “You said that… our bonds are like opened blood vessels… How about… Do you make the bonds narrow? Maybe if you can do that, Peter-Two won’t take our pain too much…?”
Strange is openly glaring at Peter-One. “If I know how to do that, I will. I was a neurosurgeon in the past, and unlike the contrary belief, I won’t operate on someone unless there is no other beneficial treatment for my patients. Cutting someone open isn’t always the easy choice, but sometimes it is the last choice we have,” he sighs then he glances at Peter-Two. His gaze is quite complicated, Peter-Three can’t distinguish the meaning of it.
Peter-One stops fidgeting around and he looks more nervous. “Then… how about Peter-Three and I… train our brain to make a mental shield or something like that? You know… so that people can’t read our minds or hypnotize us, maybe that can work?”
If Peter-Three isn’t busy holding the oldest, he might have covered his face with his hand with a bit of embarrassment. The middle brother feels like he is familiar with what Peter-One is talking about, probably he is inspired by a certain fantasy novel.
Strange is frowning at the youngest, probably wondering whether Peter-One is joking or not. “While it is true that kind of technique exists, you need to train for a long time to be able to use it,” Strange raises his hand when Peter-One is about to talk again. “Hear me out, that isn’t the problem. The problem is, you and your brother there don’t even realize that he has been taking away your pain.” Strange points out at the pale Peter-Two a bit rudely.
“Imagine that you have a leaking bath-up filled with water, you don’t know where the leak is and you are trying to block the leak using your hands. Not to mention that you need to cover the leak when you are in pain or overwhelmed with emotions, it won’t be easy,” Strange sighs. “By the time you two can master the mental shield or something like that, he will be long gone.”
Peter-One looks dejected to hear that.
Peter-Three doesn’t have the heart to tell the youngest that he also agrees with that rude wizard. He doesn’t have the best and strongest mentality here, so he doubts that he can do something like that.
But, fixing this problem for the very sources feels more doable. Rather than doing something to Peter-Two, maybe something can be done to the younger brothers.
Erasing their pains is simply impossible…
Cutting the bonds that are attached to them is still the same as cutting the bonds from Peter-Two.
Huh… the bonds?
“Why does Big Bug have bonds and we don’t?” Peter-Three asks in wonder, his voice is soft because he is mostly mumbling to himself. He turns to the oldest who is standing with his support. Peter-Two frowns and it seems he doesn’t know why either. Then, the middle brother turns at the wizard.
Strange sighs again, he sighs a lot today. “No, I don’t know either.”
Peter-Three gives him an exasperated look. For a wizard, he is unreliable.
“Mind you, this is also my first to encounter such a bizarre case like this,” Strange huffs and folds his arms, defending himself probably because he feels wronged.
Peter-Three is trying to find the answer. If they can understand the origin of the bonds, maybe they can find different solutions for Peter-Two.
The difference between the oldest and the younger brothers is…
“Does the fact that he has organic webs matter?” Peter-One turns around, he is facing his brothers now, but mostly he is asking for Peter-Three’s opinion.
“Maybe? I think Big Bug definitely has extra organs inside his body,” Peter-Three comments.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here please…” Peter-Two looks a bit annoyed but he sounds low with energy. “If I have an extra organ that produces bonds between us… then why have I never bonded with other people before? And… even if I do have that extra organ, it will need to be removed, that is still the same thing.”
Peter-Three snaps from his thinking when he realizes that Strange has approached the three of them closer. With his rob and stern expression, he is quite intimidating. “You three have different powers as Spider-men?” he asks with a shocked but also serious face.
“Uhm… yes, Peter-Two can produce his own webs inside his body,” Peter-One explains, gathering his composure. “Peter-Three and I can’t do that.”
“Is there another difference in your power compared to him?” Strange asks again.
“I don’t think so… the rest of our ability is roughly the same…” Peter-One answers again, though he doesn’t sound that confident. Then again, the three brothers never properly compare their powers with each other.
Strange looks at them with a serious face, maybe he is thinking about something. “You all get your power from spiders, is that right?”
“Yeah, we all got bitten by radioactive spiders,” Peter-Three answers this time. “Maybe… the species is different? Is that why?” Peter-Three wonders, but even if it is true, he doesn’t think it will help to find the solution.
“You three are from different universes, I think all of the spiders that bite you are different,” Strange answers as he mulls again.
“Genetic and mutation were never my strong points…” Strange trails off. “But, I guess the levels of your mutation with the spider genes are different.”
Peter-Three blinks as he is processing those words.
“So, in simpler words, Peter-Two has a lot more spider genes inside him?” Peter-One asks back.
“Probably,” Strange huffs. “We need to run a DNA test if we want to find out more, but his bonds aren’t something that can be explained by biology or physics. If I have to explain it, it is more akin to animal instinct or senses.”
“So, in conclusion… because Big Bug has more spider genes inside his code, he has more animal instinct compared to us…” Peter-Three glances at the oldest. Set aside that he doesn’t think that spiders can have that kind of instinct, but what Strange said is plausible.
“Then… can we jack up our mutation with spider genes then?” Peter-Three asks the wizard again. “You said that we have different levels of mutation, right? If Little Bug and I have the same level as Big Bug, maybe we can make the bonds as well.”
“And what do you hope after gaining the ability to create bonds as well?” Strange asks, challenging the middle brother Spider-Man to explain further.
Peter-Three is raking up his brain. Gwen was much smarter than him, but Peter-Three couldn’t lose this one. He needs to make up for being useless today. Peter-Two, despite his horrendous condition, is refusing to give up, so Peter-Three needs to stop giving up quickly.
“Based on what I understand, Big Bug’s bonds are one way now. But, if Little Bug and I can make the bonds too, then there will be circulation. Everything won’t all pooled up in Big Bug,” Peter-Three suggests. After all, Strange was the first one who use the metaphor of the bonds being blood vessels. Then, maybe they can make a circulation like blood vessels in their body.
Strange gives him a look. “So, you think that passing the pain around is a good solution for all of you?” he frowns. “The worst outcome is, the three of you can lose your minds together. The pains that will circulate won’t just originate from you but from the others. I said that transferring others’ pain to yourself will crush you down-“ Strange stops abruptly then he glances to Peter-One. The youngest looks confused.
“Maybe it will work?” Strange mumbles with a conflicted face.
“Huh? But, you said-“ Peter-One asks with a confused face.
“No, you mentioned about mental shield… for now, the two of you can’t locate where the bonds are attached to you. But, if you two can make the bonds as well, you might be able to locate the bonds and close the leak easier that way,” Strange says. “But, it is still only a hypothesis, there is still a risk that all of you will get crushed by the circulated pains.”
“But, it is worth trying,” Peter-Three interjects. “It is better to carry the burden together rather than letting one get crushed with it.” The middle brother grips Peter-Two’s back tighter. He glances at the oldest, looking for approval. Because, if the oldest is against this then-
But, Peter-Two only gives him a thin smile.
Peter-Three takes it as the oldest is giving him the approval.
Strange looks at Peter-Three and Peter-One. “Do you two even know why you have different levels of mutation than him?” he gives them a quiz.
Peter-Three blinks and thinks for a little bit. “Because Big Bug is so accepting?”
The old wizard gives him a glare, as if Peter-Three is joking. But, the middle brother is serious about his answer. “He is far than accepting for me,” the wizard scowls.
Peter-Two chuckles weakly, as if he finds it funny.
“It is just my theory, but the reason why the two of you have a lower level of mutation than him, is probably because instinctively you stopped the spider genes invading your body,” Strange gives the answer of his question. “Maybe you two resisted it, trying to preserve your humane side as much as you can. That is probably why.”
“So, if we accept the spider genes inside our body, we can have a higher level of mutation?” Peter-One asks for confirmation.
“Yes,” Strange nods.
“But, how?” Peter-Three asks again.
“That’s easy, that isn’t the hard part,” the wizard disses out Peter-Three’s concern. Peter-Three gives Strange a glare. “There is another risk that if the two of you try to amplify the spider genes mutation now, the spider genes can take over your human genes completely and turn you into spider monsters.” The wizard explains with a serious face.
Peter-Three feels how his blood runs cold.
Monster…?
“Is there not a safe way to amplify their mutation without that risk?” Peter-Two finally speaks again, the oldest looks concerned.
“I don’t know whether there is equipment out there that can manipulate someone’s genes mixed with animal genes and control the mutation that precisely,” Strange folds his arms with a concerned face. “Not to mention that the spider genes are already inside of you all, but we need to push the mutation further. That’s unheard of.”
“You said that it is easy to do that, how exactly you can do that?” Peter-Two asks the wizard. He takes off his arm from Peter-Three’s shoulder, stopping relying on the middle brother to support him.
“My approach will be sorcery, obviously. The spiders are inside of the three of you, these two need to face their own spider and take it from there,” Strange points out at Peter-One and Peter-Three.
“My spider…?” Peter-One sounds bewildered as he pats his own chest.
Peter-Three does the same. He can’t imagine that there is something else living inside of him, probably Strange only talked in metaphor. Wizards and their cryptic words.
“So, now the three of you understand just how complicated and full of risk this choice is. It is easier and safer to just cut it out,” Strange gives his opinion.
“So, either Peter-Two loses his memory and affection for us or the two of us need to face our spider with the risk of being monsters…” Peter-One concludes everything.
“And also, even if we manage to make bonds with each other, we can still get crushed with the circulating pain…” Peter-Three adds.
The middle brother can see Strange’s point. The alternative is way riskier and there are so many chances it can go wrong.
But…
“All in or nothing, huh?” Peter-Three mutters. He has reached his decision. He turns at the youngest.
“Honestly, I still think the alternative choice is better,” Peter-One nods with a smile.
Strange looks shocked. “Do you even fully understand the risks!?”
Peter-Three snorts at him. “I do, I’m not an idiot,” he fully understands everything.
He turns at Peter-Two who is silent and doesn’t say anything.
Even if…
If somehow everything works in the end, they will stop seeing each other… Maybe this old wizard will close their portals and stop them from meeting each other…
Peter-Two notices Peter-Three’s staring and his eyes look a bit solemn. Peter-Three gives him a sheepish smile.
Maybe… maybe it is still better for them to remember everything. True, he will feel lonely and hurt because he still remembers but…
They have been so happy… there might be some bitter and painful memories, but he has tons of happy memories with his brothers…
That way, even if he ends up alone again like before, at least he can remember that…
He was happy.
He knows how happiness feels.
“I see…” Peter-Two nods and smiles thinly. “So, that’s what you two have decided…” Peter-Two glances at both Peter-One and Peter-Three then nods again.
Peter-Three can see the youngest’s determined face which probably mirrors his own.
Of course, the two of them choose the same thing.
“Are you two serious about this?” Strange looks a bit annoyed and pissed. Peter-Three glances at the youngest, and Peter-One gives him the same look. The two of them nod.
“Yes, we are,” Peter-One answers with a serious look.
“The three of you will be the death of me,” Strange massages the bridge of his nose with a frown.
Peter-Three looks at both of his brothers.
Yes, this is his decision.
He will do it. He has to.
0o0o0o0
Peter-Two quickly erases his new nosebleed, thankfully this time it doesn’t flow that heavily so he can still cover it. Based on how his headache starts to pound again, he knows that the brothers are being anxious now.
Especially Peter-Three.
“So, we need to lay on the bed?”
“You will need to face your spider inside your subconsciousness, so it is better to lay down,” Strange says with a sigh. It seems he has resigned to their choice, but he seems quite displeased about it.
“Okay.”
Based on how Peter-Three is only staring at one bed and Peter-One takes a sweet time to fluff up his pillow, Peter-Two knows that his brothers are putting on their brave faces.
After all, if something goes wrong with this, they can turn into a spider monster or something like that.
Who won’t be afraid of that?
“You two come here,” Peter-Two calls his sweet little brothers.
“Huh? You won’t change your mind now, will you, Old Bug?” Peter-Three is frowning but he still comes to him. Peter-One follows with a timid face.
If someone asks him for his honest opinion about this, Peter-Two feels heavy letting the younger brothers choose this. Especially because of him. But, he also knows that he doesn’t have the place to stop them. He chose not to give up his affection and memories about them, so in return, his brothers chose this.
“Of course not, I just want to say something,” Peter-Two answers with a smile. He can feel how his nosebleed is dripping and his headache pounding, but it is more bearable than before.
He puts his hands on their shoulder, patting them and giving them his smile.
“Don’t worry, don’t be afraid, whatever the outcome is… I will make sure that I get you home,” he says.
There is a heavy silence that follows.
“Even if we turn into a monster?” Peter-One asks with a small voice.
He must have a second thought, but still, he won’t back down. He is just afraid, like the rest of them.
“Yeah, even if you do, I will always get your back,” Peter-Two caresses their cheek, hoping that he can give them his best encouragement. “I have said it, right? I will always support your choice, so it is okay. I will wait.”
Peter-Three chuckles bitterly, probably having a hard time fully believing in Peter-Two’s words.
“Please make sure that I won’t do something something that I will regret,” Peter-Three requests with glassy eyes.
Peter-Two gets that Peter-Three is asking him to stop him if he can’t stop himself. The oldest remembers how he hit him when he lost his reasoning yesterday, it feels as if it was weeks ago. Peter-Two nods. “Don’t worry about that.”
“It feels foreboding as if you two are saying your last words,” Strange sighs. “You are still sure about this?”
Peter-Three steps away from Peter-Two's hand and he nods. Peter-One follows up and looks determined.
“Alright, alright… whatever will happen happen, let’s do this.” Strange gestures both of them to move to the beds.
This is a different room from the one that Peter-Two used earlier, there are two twin beds here.
They lay down respectively on each one and prepare themselves.
Peter-Two looks at how Strange moves his hands and some gold circles are glowing around him. There are some unreadable characters on the glowing gold circles, Peter-Two wonders whether it is called the magic circle.
Then he sees how the magic circles fly to each of one of his brothers. They glow brighter before they disappear and his brothers close their eyes.
Peter-Two blinks in surprise when his heaviness diminishes suddenly. His headache is gone and his nosebleed stops flowing.
He turns at Strange with a confused face.
“As expected, even your bonds can’t travel far into their subconsciousness,” Strange nods. “Use this time to recuperate yourself.”
Peter-Two rubs the back of his neck, he feels strangely anxious about how he can barely feel his brothers through his brother-sense. He can feel that they are still alive, but he can feel nothing besides that. It is the first time his brother-sense feels this… quiet, not even when the younger brothers being peaceful resulted in this eerie quietness.
He hopes that both of them can do whatever they have to do in their subconsciousness because he can’t help them with this.
Or can he?
“Don’t ever think about it.”
Peter-Two snaps back at Strange. If a glare can kill him, Peter-Two will be dead already. The wizard is giving him a glare, a warning look. “I didn’t say that to challenge you to make the bonds even stronger. Be careful with what you wish for, Spider-Man.”
“I guess, I’m just being protective toward them, sorry…” Peter-Two smiles sheepishly. He sighs as he observes his unconscious little brothers. They look peaceful as if they are sleeping. But, the quietness from his brother-sense tells him otherwise.
“Just rest, I don’t know how just rest for now,” Strange says as he sways his hand toward Peter-Two, then he floats away from the room with a frown. Peter-Two sees how the door is closed and he is left alone inside the room with his brothers.
“He didn’t even tell me to leave,” Peter-Two smiles thinly to himself. Because it doesn’t like he will leave even if Strange told him so.
Peter-One pulls out a chair and positions it in between the two beds.
He did say that he will wait.
Strange didn’t inform him how long it will take, probably because he doesn’t know either. So, Peter-Two can only wait for his brothers.
And pray to whoever that can hear him that they will be alright.
As long as they are alright and can come back to him, that’s enough.
That is what Peter-Two thinks solemnly as he observes his younger brothers.
0o0o0o0
Peter-One is looking around, trying to recognize his surroundings. He is standing inside of a nest.
A nest made of webs.
But, the webs are all in disarray and all over the place. It doesn’t look systematic, and it looks as if it is all tangled in a bunch of places.
He tries to remember why he is here, but strangely he can’t remember at all. Why is he here? How did he come here? What is this place?
“Hello?” He tries to call anyone… or anything. It feels strange to be alone in this kind of place. If it is a nest, then there should be someone that made it, right?
Peter-One can feel how a presence is slowly coming down behind him.
He turns around and sees how someone is descending behind him using a web, with his head upside down.
“…huh? Spider-Man?”
But, he is Spider-Man.
And the one in front of him is… no, he isn’t one of his brothers either. He is-
“Say, why do you come here?”
Peter-One always jumps backward to hear his own voice come out from that Spider-Man.
“Uh… hhm… who are you?” Peter-One dodges the question because honestly, he doesn’t know either.
“Me? I’m you,” the Spider-Man points out to himself and then to Peter-One.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Peter-One asks in confusion.
The Spider-Man jumps down and flips, landing on his feet gracefully. “Oh, right, you come here because you want more power, don’t you? There won’t be any other reason why you come here.”
Peter-One blinks in confusion. Is that so? But that doesn’t seem right-
Peter-One jumps backward when he realizes that the Spider-Man is coming so close to him. As if he is observing him curiously. “But, what’s the change of the heart? I’m not the power that you want,” he shrugs and backflips then he sticks his feet on the vertical nest.
“Not the power that I want…?” Peter-One asks back again in confusion.
“Ugh… gosh, you really don’t know anything, do you?” the Spider-Man sounds frustrated. He webs the ceiling of the nest then swings and lands on the other wall of the nest. “Do you really not remember anything?”
Peter-One blinks again in confusion. It is weird to hear how this other him seems to know him better than himself.
“I always want to be stronger, I don’t get what you mean that you aren’t the power that I want,” Peter-One replies back with a serious face.
That’s the truth. Peter-One yearns to be stronger. So that he can protect the ones that he loves so that he can stop losing the one he loves…
If only he is better… if he is stronger…
“Yeah, right, but not me…” Spider-Man replies back. Despite his mask and how Peter-One can see his face, he can tell that Spider-Man’s aura becomes different. Somehow, he looks very menacing.
Then Peter-One sees how his body slowly trembles and grows, breaking through the suit. The eyes multiply and more limbs grow from his torse. It feels as if he is watching Hulk transforming, but it is far more horrifying because now Peter-One can see a giant spider sitting on the wall of the nest.
Peter-One steps backward and he trips, he falls on his butt as his eyes are fixed on the giant spider.
“You are… afraid of me.”
His voice has changed, it sounds lower now, Peter-One can’t recognize it anymore.
Peter-One is trembling slightly. He doesn’t know why he feels this intimidated or scared, while he has faced many aliens and unknown living beings before, his aura is very imposing.
Peter-One feels that this spider can eat him alive—
Peter-One sees how the spider slowly crawls down with his eight legs. “You do want power… but you… resist me… You want to use your head… not me.”
Peter-One is trying to process his words, because somehow unlike before, this spider doesn’t use elaborate words.
His head… not the spider.
“Oh… Iron Man…” Peter-One remembers that.
The spider pulls out something from his behind and Peter-One sees how his old Spider-Man suit from Tony is dangling above him. “You yearn this… not me…”
Peter-One sees how the spider covers the suit with his web until it becomes a bundled white web then he throws it on the ground. It is weird that Peter-One can tell that the spider feels spiteful, despite he can’t read this spider’s body language.
Then the spider turns around and starts to climb back to the wall. “Go back to your place… before I eat you.” The spider warns him as he crawls on the wall.
Peter-One grits his teeth.
That is right.
He adores– adored Iron Man, and he wanted to become a superhero like Tony Stark. He remembers his joy when he first realized his power after being bitten by a radioactive spider, but also a conflicted feeling.
Tony Stark became Iron Man fully with his own power. There was no cheat or trick, just him using his brain and talent to become one. Peter-One wanted to become like him, it resonated with his love for science as well.
As for his spider power, he felt like he was cheating. It was because pure of luck that he got bitten by the spider and became Spider-Man.
And because of that… in a way, he refused to acknowledge his spider part fully. He depended on the suit that Tony gave him, which granted him more power than what his spider genes could give. Sure, there were times when Peter-One used his own strength to win but—
He yearned to use his brain more, to invent more powers using science. He used Tony’s technology to invent greater suits… he wanted to become more like Tony, like Iron Man.
Rather than delve down inside of him, to his spider power.
Afraid… maybe he is indeed afraid of his side of the spider. After all, it is his insect part, his animal part. He doesn’t want to lose his brain, his thoughts, his mind. Because his brain is what makes him Peter Parker.
In other words, even without his spider power, Peter-One still wanted to be a hero. Not necessarily Spider-Man, but a superhero like Iron Man. Whatever power that he gained, that didn’t matter.
But, that is wrong… isn’t it?
Because, regardless of everything, Peter-One rarely feels enough. He rarely feels satisfied with himself. He always has the urge that he needs to prove something, that he can be something more, that he can do something more.
Even with his spider power, even with his cleverness, even with Tony’s suit, he never feels enough.
He never accepts himself for who he is.
He is a combination of Peter Parker and Spider-Man.
Now, he has other role models to whom he looks up.
His brothers.
He never heard the full story, but Peter-One guesses that his brothers never wanted to become a superhero.
But, they still became Spider-Man.
They have no role figure as a superhero, nothing. They were granted powers that they never asked and they chose to become Spider-Man. No one taught them but they become superheroes with their own way and power. No fancy suits, no group of heroes that can have their back, nothing.
Peter-One wonders, what if there was no Iron Man in his world, no Avengers, would he still become Spider-Man?
Maybe… he would, just like his brothers.
He is a Spider-Man because of his spider part. He wouldn’t survive without his spider-sense, he wouldn’t be able to swing and do acrobatic stunts without his stickiness. Then his great strength, his stamina, his healing factor. He is different from Iron Man, from Tony.
He wouldn’t meet his brothers if he didn’t become Spider-man.
He is Spider-Man and part of him is a spider.
“I guess… I take you for granted…” Peter-One concludes. “I’m sorry for not fully accepting you all this time…” He raises his head to see the giant spider on the wall.
“If you want my power… I will eat you,” the spider gives him a warning.
“You won’t be able to eat me,” Peter-One gives out a confident smile. “I’m not that weak, even without the spider power.”
Because that is what he learned from his brothers. Peter Parker is never a weak person, with or without their spider power.
Peter-One observes how the giant spider moves his mouth.
And before he can react, the spider jumps from the wall.
…and eat him.
Peter-One feels a burning sensation inside his body. He is full of pain that he never experienced before. It feels like his skin is melting and his inside is turning around.
But, even inside the waves of pain, Peter-One holds on to something.
He needs to get out of it alive.
Peter-Two is waiting for him, his brothers are outside and waiting for him.
Even if the spider wants to devour him, he won’t let himself get devoured. He won’t--
0o0o0o0
Peter-Two is used and also not used at waiting.
He is used to waiting for MJ to come back to him because they have a complicated relationship. But, he never waits for someone’s return… like this. He wonders if this is how MJ always felt whenever Peter-Two was gone for his night duty.
“So, this is the portal.”
Peter-Two isn’t surprised to see that the wizard is following him to the portal. Though, Strange only waited in Peter-One’s apartment while Peter-Two fetched various things from his apartment.
“Magnificent if I might say… really troublesome as well,” Strange huffs as he observes the portal.
Peter-Two turns off the portal device and carries the heavy handbag over his shoulder. The oldest doesn’t want to think about the fact that the time he can spend with his brothers is running out. He prefers to focus that his brothers aren’t awake yet.
It has been almost two days…
Peter-Two wonders whether it is normal or not, whether his brothers have some difficulties inside their inner minds.
But, of course, it isn’t that easy to ignore Strange’s presence either. The wizard reminds him that traveling between multiverses is something forbidden and Peter-Two knows that Strange has a plan stored for them later.
“So, are you going to destroy it?” Peter-Two asks, trying to sound casual, but inside…
He feels mad.
Strange isn’t disturbed by his curtness, or maybe simply not noticing it.
“Probably, though I’m still thinking about how to stop you all to not remaking the devices again,” Strange admits easily. “It is still amazing that you brothers could make portals through multiverses only from junks.”
And yeah, if the portals are destroyed, they can make it again.
“Is it really that… wrong?” Peter-Two mutters quietly, mostly to himself. Strange did say that it is unnatural for counterparts of multiverses to be as close as them but still…
Peter-Two guesses that it will be hard for anyone to understand the nature of their brotherhood.
Peter-Two looks at the device with solemn eyes and then puts on his mask. He climbs outside of the window and doesn’t forget to close Peter-One’s window first before he swings outside.
Based on how quiet his brother-sense is, Peter-Two knows that his brothers aren’t awake yet. But, he still prefers to be by their side even though he can’t do anything else but wait.
Peter-Two lands at the wizard’s place, ignoring the presence of other people there, and goes straight to the room where his brothers stay.
Peter-Two doesn’t know what to feel to see two cocoons made from webs on the beds. He never thought a spider could metamorphose like a butterfly, but he guesses it is what it is. After all, his brothers are going through the second phase of mutation, if it works, then they will gain new organs inside their body, like him, probably.
There is nothing else for him to do but wait. Maybe, he can try to go back to his daily life-
Impossible.
Peter-Two huffs as he pulls out his mask. He doesn’t feel hurt or in pain anymore, but he feels empty and…
Lonely.
He wonders whether this is how he feels if they go their separate ways later. If that wizard finds a way to stop their meeting…
Peter-Two secretly swears that he will find another way to go find his brothers.
But for now, he needs to focus on what he can do. And that is waiting.
And a lot more waiting.
0o0o0o0
Peter-One gasps in surprise and opens his eyes. Strangely, he can’t really see anything and he can hardly move. It feels like he is being bound and covered by something.
But, he won’t give up, so he struggles and tries to move his body as hard as he can. It feels like he is ripping something and he moves his limbs even further.
And finally, the youngest manages to break through.
He takes a full deep breath outside and realizes that he has been covered by webs from head to toe.
“Peter?”
Peter-One turns his head quickly and he sees the worried face of his oldest brother.
“Peter-Two!” He shouts in happiness and jumps to the oldest. His body is a bit aching, but he doesn’t care. He misses his brother so much, it feels like he hasn’t met him for ages—
“Huh? How long I have been sleeping?” Peter-One asks in confusion and he also only realizes that his body is covered with some kind of sticky slime. “Oh—what is this--- yuck… I’m sorry!” Peter-One steps back quickly because he only realizes that he smearing Peter-Two with disgusting goo.
Peter-Two chuckles, he doesn’t seem to mind. “It is okay, I’m glad that you are okay.”
Peter-One blinks again as he just realizes what happened. “The spider ate me… but, I survived?” he mutters to himself in confusion. He pats and checks his body, making sure that he doesn’t change into a monster or grow extra limbs.
It feels like he is okay, he is—
There is this strange calmness that is radiating somewhere… it is subtle but Peter-One can feel it. But, Peter-One is far from being calm right now, he feels weirded out but also excited but also a bit anxious--
Peter-One turns at the oldest again. Peter-Two is smiling at him and also observing him calmly like he usually is.
This calmness…
“I can feel your emotions… that is what it is, right?” Peter-One asks in bewilderment. He pats his chest and moves around his hands in giddiness.
“I guess? You are a bit all over the place, Peter,” Peter-Two chuckles as if he is finding this situation amusing.
“Then, it works! It works! Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it--- uhm, so, do you feel any pain? I don’t feel any pain, just some aches…” Peter-One wants to jump and hug the oldest again, but his body is covered with goo is a bit disgusting so he stops himself.
“I don’t feel any pain, thankfully,” Peter-Two answers with a smile. Then, the youngest can feel a hint of sadness, both from their bond and from the oldest’s expression.
Peter-One quickly turns around and sees a big bundle of webs from the other bed. He blinks in confusion before he realizes that…
That is Peter-Three.
“Oh… Peter-Three isn’t awake yet?” He asks carefully, slowly feeling nervous.
“Yeah, he isn’t,” Peter-Two answers. “It has been two days.”
Peter-One’s eyes widen in shock. “Wait, what!? Two days-“
“But, he will wake up for sure, we just need to wait,” Peter-Two answers calmly with a smile. Peter-One is trying to control his nervousness because it is a bit embarrassing now that Peter-Two can feel his emotions-
Well, he did before as well, but now that Peter-One knows it, the youngest feels self-conscious.
“I think it is better for you to clean yourself first, I have prepared a change of clothes here,” Peter-Two says again, showing a big handbag beside the chair. Peter-One receives his set change of clothes and notices that the oldest is looking pristine and a lot better than before.
…no, just a bit tired based on his darkened eye bags. But other than that, he looks alright.
“Okay…” Peter-One agrees obediently. He turns around and sees Peter-Three’s bundle of webs. It looks like a cocoon if he observes it carefully. So, Peter-Three is inside there, and… he will wake up soon enough, probably. So, in the meantime, Peter-One just needs to wait for him together with Peter-Two.
That’s okay, he can do it.
Everything will be alright.
Peter-One walks to the door, a bit hesitant to leave but he needs to go find a bathroom if he wants to properly clean himself. So, he forces himself to do so.
It is still a bit strange to feel Peter-Two’s emotions through their bond. He needs to focus harder if he wants to distinguish between his emotions and Peter-Two’s. But, in the other way, Peter-Two’s calmness is grounding him.
“He is really zen…” Peter-One mutters softly, he is in awe of the oldest.
…that was what he thought.
After Peter-One cleans himself and is in the middle of changing his clothes, the youngest can feel a strange spike of emotions inside his chest. It feels as if he is getting a panic attack out of nowhere without reason-
“Peter-Two…?” he mutters in confusion. He grimaces when he feels another strange emotion that he can’t describe. It feels ominous… it is really weird.
Peter-One fixes his clothes as quickly as he can then he sprints back toward the room.
When he opens the door, he feels as if his heart stops beating for a second.
Peter-Two is fighting…
Is that a monster…?
With the eight eyes that look familiar and hairy limbs that resemble insect legs…
“Peter-Three…?” Peter-One mumbles in shock and fear. His eyes and his body are all shaking.
Peter-One sees how the spider monster changes his attention from Peter-Two to him. But, strangely, Peter-One can’t move. He is stunned in his place.
“Peter!”
Peter-One sees how Peter-Two quickly jumps on the wall and shoots his webs at the monster then pulls him back as he jumps to the floor.
The spider monster shrieks in an inhuman voice and Peter-One can feel how his body is shivering.
“No, no… there is no way—this shouldn’t happen…” he shakes his head in disbelief. This isn’t real, this isn’t—he is still dreaming, he must be—
“Peter!”
Peter-One looks at how Peter-Two takes a protective stance in front of him, then shoots his web at the monster and sticks the other end of the web to the wall. He does it repetitively in the span of less than a minute before slowly the monster’s movement can be hindered.
“Peter-“ Peter-One sees how the monster is still capable of stretching one of his legs toward Peter-Two, the youngest instinctively raises his hand and shoots his webs to stop the monster.
Peter-One is panting, both in surprise and confusion. But set aside how he can shoot his own organic webs from his wrist now…
“Peter-Three… there is no way—” Peter-One turns at Peter-Two, hoping that the oldest can explain something. There is no way this humanoid spider monster is their brother— despite how the web cocoon is empty on the bed, despite how there are shredded familiar clothes on the monster’s body, there is just no way--
But, Peter-Two looks at the monster with a complicated expression.
A mix of sadness, regret, and more emotions that Peter-One can’t tell.
The youngest feels his knees go weak and he crumbles to the ground. The struggling noise from the tied monster is sounding so eerie and repulsing that Peter-One just wants to scream in madness.
“Hey… Peter…”
Peter-One is panting, but realizing that Peter-Two doesn’t call him.
The oldest has approached the monster closer, now that he is completely immobilized with webs.
“I know you are afraid… it is okay… I have promised you that I will get you home, so I will, okay?” Peter-Two says, so gently, despite his voice shaking a little bit. Not from shock or fear, but Peter-One can feel a surge of sadness from the oldest.
It is Peter-One’s first time… to see the oldest’s tears.
To Be Continued