Chapter 32
Peter tugged on the ski mask, the holes riding up and covering his vision with every head shift. This would definitely get annoying if he actually succeeds in his plan.
His dad tried to hide it but Peter noticed. He’d been injured from patrol. By someone dangerous enough to even get close to his dad. Someone who hurt his dad was out there and his family was in danger. His dad was the best out there. If he was hurt, what would happen to his siblings?
Just because Spider-man couldn’t go out, doesn’t mean Peter couldn’t. He saved Tim from Red Hood afterwards and he won’t wait for his dad to get hurt by this person again.
The sewers smelled terrible and no doubt even worse for his senses. Peter’s eyes watered when he first dropped inside, fortunately his nose is now just numb to it all. He ignores the stuffy feeling as his nose tingles strongly with every inhale. Alright, maybe not numbed enough.
He couldn’t hear anyone or anything down here but if the maps were accurate then the sewers stretched and connected everywhere. He had to travel a little farther north before going west at the first chance to reach the best spot.
While his family were occupied with everything else above ground, Peter could handle things here. Batman and Robin would be looking for Killer Croc in the sewers too, but from what Stark found on the batcomputer, they already canvased this area. His dad wouldn’t come back since he didn’t find anything before.
Assured that he was perfectly safe in handling this, Peter continued down the little walkway beside the sewage. Talia said he should be able to handle this, that he could start proving himself. She said this was the first step to showing his family what he could do. That this would help protect them. His dad would have to see that he’s ready if he arrests Killer Croc!
After nearly half an hour of walking, Peter finally makes it to the spot he planned for. The only interruptions were occasion spiders gossiping about the ruckus from the night before.
It didn’t require a genius to figure out the disturbance was the fight between his dad and the Rogue.
Peter stands on the edge of the walkway in the intersection of the sewers, he takes a minute to go over the math. Raising his wrist to pull on the web shooters, Peter fires them off quickly down each long passageway.
Once each hall had a few lines connecting to whatever it managed to reach, Peter crawled onto his makeshift web. He gets himself comfortable in the little bed in the center, whistling a tune softly.
“Goin’ on a gator hunt. Gonna catch a big one.” Peter grins as he sings, throwing one leg over his knee as he stares into the darkness above. “I’m nooot scared!”
A roar echoes down the walls as the water ripples below him. Peter shoots up, eyes wide. His webs were still blessedly still so Croc couldn’t be that close. He couldn’t tell if his heart beat was close, the sounds of beating hearts from rats and spiders mixed together too much for him to pick out a specific, humanoid one.
“I’m nooot scared.” He continues, quieter.
One of the lines twitched, the movement reverberated down to him from the left. Peter’s head shoots to the side, eyes searching the dark for the cause of the disturbance.
The water splashes distantly, the sound traveling to him despite how far it was. Right. Water. Crocodiles can swim, even in sewage. Peter pulls himself to stand in the center of the web as he focuses on the water below him. He was probably small enough to get eaten in one bite.
Though he wasn’t that small. He’s gonna grow as big as his dad eventually.
The water continued to splash as dirty sewage lapped onto the walkway below. Peter balanced himself on the webs, eyes darting from each shadow in an attempt to find the escaped Rogue.
Another vibration reached him from the line, this time coming from behind. Peter danced on the line to face the new direction. He could hear another splash.
A deep, booming laugh erupted from below him as water exploded. Killer Croc surged from the sewage, large teeth chomping into the webbing as Peter leaped to the walkway across from him.
“So Batman’s usin’ bait now?” Croc sneers, rows of sharp teeth gnashing through the webs.
“No. I’m Spider-man! And you’re under arrest!” Peter huffed, wishing he could have stolen the suit from the cave before heading out. He would look a lot more intimidating with that. He had scared the three thieves before, Croc would have been too if he had the suit.
“Says who.” Killer Croc laughs, stepping through the water to approach him. The water splashed and surged as he moved, lapping at Peter’s feet.
Puffing up, Peter raised his head. He knew he was short but he could still be threatening. “I do.”
This was the first time Peter had a good look on the rogue, pictures of the guy generally being blurred or obscured. He was huge with green scales and large teeth. A tail whipping through the water from behind him.
Peter stood his ground as the rogue approached. Something about this guy reminded him of something . Had he seen Croc before? He didn’t think he’s ever met him and doubts his dad would have ever allowed him to anyway.
Sometimes, Peter’s dreams felt real enough. Memories and events that felt like they happened . He would wake up occasionally in pain as his heart broke all over again. Loses from a life he left behind.
“I think I dreamt of you.” Peter tilted his head as he stared up at the looming figure. There was no light but even still, he could make out each line of sharp, pointed teeth. Deep pools of yellow and gold pierced through the darkness, staring down at him.
“The fuck is that supposed to mean?” Killer Croc laughed, a large clawed hand caught Peter around his ribs. He stayed still as he was brought closer to Croc’s face, close to sharp rows of teeth. “Whatcha talkin’ about, fishbait.”
Peter scrunched his nose as he considered the reptile. “I think we were friends?”
That sounds right. Peter felt like they had to have been. Sharp teeth and a lashing tail mixed with lab coats and science. He didn’t feel afraid exactly… maybe pity was right. Croc has a lot of good in his future if he left behind the pain he felt inside. Maybe he just needs a friend, too? Like Red Hood who turned out to be Jason.
“I don’t think so, guppy.” Croc snorted, dropping him back onto the walkway. Peter staggered a little as the cement greeted his feet. “Go home, now. This ain’t a place for kids.”
–
“Stark, if you don’t tell us where he went I’ll donate you to Gotham U.” Tim growled, leaning heavily against the batcomputer.
Spoiler and Orphan were scouring the woods nearby with Selina. Hood and Nightwing were out in Gotham trying to find him while Oracle searched the camera’s to try and spot Peter. Tim had rushed back to the manor with Batman and Robin to try and find any clue of where Peter went.
Stark had to have obviously helped Peter. The camera’s were frozen for a while so obviously he helped. Tim found evidence of the cameras freezing more often than it should have which is not good. Peter must have been sneaking out a lot more than any of them realized.
“I can’t track him, Copycat. Peter asked me to turn off the cameras so there is no footage.” Stark sassed back. For once, Tim regretted letting Peter teach Stark sarcasm and sass. It was not helping right now.
“ Maybe if B wasn’t so harsh Peter wouldn’t have ran.”
“He has a point though.”
“And where’s that leaving us? Huh? Where’s Peter then?”
Tim sighed, pushing away from the camera. The argument over comms was not helping and Bruce already looked ready to kill.
Peter had argued about being a vigilante, about training and joining them. So he left to go on patrol, right? Where else would he go?
But if he wanted to go out, he had to have a reason. Peter might only be eight now but he was also smart , despite the recent facts stating otherwise. He wouldn’t go out without some kind of plan, some reason to go out now rather than yesterday or last week. Well, he has run out often enough lately. But there had to be something different about today. This didn’t follow the apparent schedule of the previous camera freezes. Peter wanted to be a vigilante forever but he never really ran out to fight. Only to join them.
So he left for them, but not to find them.
“Where’s Killer Croc?” Tim turned to Batman, eyeing his stance. Batman had an altercation with Croc before losing him in the sewers. Peter would have noticed if not smelled the injury with his senses. Add in the fact he always insisted on protecting them…
“Sewers.” Batman growled. “You think…?”
Tim didn’t bother answering him, instead taking the lead towards his bike. Robin diverted towards the batmobile where Batman rushed for the doors immediately. Peter was in the sewers, he had to be. And they had to get there now .
“Everyone, go below ground. Peter’s gone to find Wylan.” Tim cut off the arguing as he sped out of the cave.
He knew he was right. There was no way Peter went anywhere else. Hopefully Croc wouldn't bother too much with a kid… but with Peter’s strength and if he uses it against him…
They should have been there an hour ago. Peter’s bare training was not enough to fight Croc. Especially not alone and without proper armor.
*–
“You hurt Batman.” Peter groaned, rolling back up to his feet. Killer Croc won’t fight him but he won’t go to jail either.
The crocodile meta hurt his dad and probably did other bad things so he had to go to Arkham, right? Peter was starting to second guess his abilities to bring in Killer Croc on his own, despite the encouragement from Talia. Unless he used more of his strength but… what if he hurt Croc too much?
Croc already said they weren’t friends and Peter was pretty sure those dreams were about someone else. That didn’t mean he wanted to hurt him! He’s never used more of his strength against someone else and a part of him was scared that he might not know how to hold back enough.
Peter had been on the offensive for every attack and Croc only ever threw him back on the walkway or into the sewage. It was disgusting and smelled a lot worse on him. There was definitely no hiding this from Alfred when he snuck back.
“Yeah? That what this is about?” Croc groaned. “Go home , fishbait. I’m bein’ nice here.”
“Go back to Arkham and I’ll go home.” Peter snarked, crossing his arms over his chest. Trying to rush him again won’t do anything. Maybe he could try webbing him? He hadn’t tested it yet against someone like Croc but Tim must have, right? He’d have performed enough tests on the webs before he gave it to dad.
“Not gonna do that, kid.” Croc sighed, leaning back against the wall across from him. “What’s Batman got to do with ya?”
He couldn’t exactly say Batman was his dad. Could he? It connected Batman to Spider-man but could someone draw conclusions to Peter and Bruce?
Distantly he could hear people drop into the sewers farther south of them. Peter tilted his head, listening to the familiar heartbeats of his family. The voices echoed, resonating through the cavernous sewers. What were they doing here? Peter was sure that no one would be looking for Croc in this area.
“He’s Batman.” Peter shrugged, tugging once again on the ski mask that sat uncomfortably over his face. Talia’s lessons in the dark and with blindfolds were becoming a blessing. The bruises and hurt from the fighting only served to help him with the lack of visibility now.
“Uh huh.” Croc snorted. “What’s it gonna take then? I ain’t going to Arkham and I bet you’re onea his kids. Yeah?”
How many connections before Bruce Wayne and Peter Wayne can be compared to Batman and Spider-man? Robin calls Batman Father, so could he get away with the same thing? Peter’s mind spiraled at the connections. As words of nightmares warped the potentiability of his identity being revealed.
The world would hate him. No one wants to know who’s under the mask. They would want him dead or in Arkham or Blackgate. Peter was a nobody. Peter wasn’t important. Spider-man was supposed to be good. He was supposed to be untouchable. They would hate him again .
His skin crawled as coldness seeped through his clothes. His fingers tingle with a numbness as faint shouts echoed in his mind. They overlapped with the same message, screeching lies they didn’t understand. They didn’t know. “Murderer!”
He couldn’t protect them if they found out who he was. His family would be in danger if their identities were revealed. Criminals would target the manor, they would come for Alfred and his mom. Titus and Alfred the cat would be in danger. Gwen and Nate. Kon and Jon. They would die and it would be his fault. He'd be the reason they die again.
He could imagine the paparazzi that already chase after them surge like a tidal wave with those secrets revealed. No one would be safe if they knew. He would have to die again. He would have to leave again. He'd be alone again.
Be forgotten.
Again.
Peter couldn't do that. Not for a third time. He couldn't lose his family. He can't leave them.
He’d have to watch them die again .
No.
No.
He can’t.
He can’t lose them again .
“Fishbait?”
He can’t watch them die.
He can’t be alone again.
He can’t be forgotten again.
“Puisor? Hey, it’s okay.” A soft voice called.
Peter rubbed at the felt mask, tears soaking into the fabric. He was cold. So so so cold. Why was he cold? Where was he?
He can’t lose them. He can’t lose anyone else. The voices rose with every lungful of breath, a cacophony of noise in his ears. A brick shattering through a window. Shouts and screams followed him wherever he went. Aunt May hiding in the apartment to avoid the crowds. MJ staying home to avoid the vitriol spewed after her on the streets. Ned hunkering in his room to break down alone, away from prying eyes.
He wasn’t safe.
No one was.
Not again.
Please please please not again.
“Let’s go home.”
Please.
Please.
Please.
Not again. He can’t do it again. He wasn’t strong enough to survive again. He can’t lose his family. He can’t handle it. He can’t get up from that.
–*
Peter sobbed into his shoulder as Dick carried him towards the batmobile. The others were quick to climb out of the sewers as they congregated by the opened door, everyone was eager to check on Peter.
He felt so light. So small.
When Tim figured out where Peter had gone… it’s safe to say everyone was panicking. Wylan might be doing better right now but he was still dangerous. Anger him and you would be in for a brutal fight.
Peter was so small. He could have been eaten if Croc wanted to.
Spoiler and Orphan hovered behind him, peering over his shoulder to check on Peter. Everyone could hear his sobs. The quiet “Not again.” breaking out, choked and pained. Batman stood stiffly in front of the car, waiting for Peter. His fingers twitched by his side, clearly holding back from stealing Peter from Dick’s arms. Catwoman shifted at Batman’s side, her eyes zeroed in on Peter in his arms.
“Here, I’ll drive.” Dick passed Peter to Batman, carefully sliding him into waiting hands.
“I’ll… I’ll meet you at the cave.” Catwoman whispered, biting her lip before visibly pulling herself from the pair. She swung off into the sky, heading who knows where for now.
Hood stayed behind to talk to Croc. Hopefully he’ll learn something about what led Peter to this state.
When everyone arrived at the sewers, they split into teams of two. Nightwing searched north with Hood. Batman and Catwoman went south. Spoiler and Orphan had gone east and Red Robin, Signal and Robin took West.
He hadn’t expected himself and Hood to stumble into the scene they did. Croc, kneeling beside a shaking Peter. Ski mask clinging to his face as choked sobs broke through, shoulders shaking with force. Croc’s eyes were wide with worry, the usually enraged rogue surprisingly gentle and consoling as he tried to catch Peter’s attention.
There was no blood pooling the walkways. Webs fell into the sewage and hung from the tunnels, some sort of plan Peter must have enacted to catch him.
Peter was unharmed as far as they could tell. In the midst of a panic attack brought on by something they couldn’t figure out.
He hated seeing his little brother so broken.
Even now, in Bruce’s arms inside the batmobile, Peter sobbed. Batman’s cape wrapped around him as Bruce whispered softly to him. Dick glanced at them occasionally, careful to drive both fast and safe in his rush to get home.
Selina and Alfred should be waiting. Catwoman had to have rushed home, she wouldn’t just leave Peter like this.
“Almost there.”
–
Selina paced the cave, Quack and Zitka sat on the table with blankets and an oversized batman hoodie waiting for Peter. Alfred had joined her, hot chocolate and biscuits on a tray sat beside a cart where he stood. She bit her lip, fingers tapping on the table beside the stuffed duck she stole from Jason’s safe house.
Her baby, her kitten had run off to face Killer Croc for some inane reason she can barely comprehend and now he’s practically catatonic in his panic.
Her baby is so strong. He held himself together so well, even with each funeral they held and each injury his brothers and sisters bore. He always tucked himself by their side, cheering them up and smiling.
She knew he would leave into the night some day. She knew there was no stopping her baby from following the family.
Selina had only hoped he wouldn’t do it alone. She wanted him to be close, to have a shadow of family trailing him as he went. To have backup and safety measures. She wanted her baby to not be going into the dark with only his shadow for company.
The engine of the batmobile roared, signaling the arrival of her baby. She moved before even registering as she reached the door just as the brakes screeched to a halt. Bats stepped out, carrying her crying kitten in his arms.
Peter might not be the toddling baby that broke past every baby gate they could buy, but he was still so small in Bruce’s arms. She cooed, Alfred’s hand grazing her side as he passed the blanket quickly. She wrapped her kitten up as she pulled him close, tapping softly on his back as he cried.
“It’s okay now, kitten. You’re safe.” She whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“Please.” Peter’s broken voice cut through his sobs, choking on the pain and anxiety coursing through him. She held onto him tighter, clutching him close. “Don’t go.”
Bruce returned to her side, Quack and Zitka held in his hand. She nodded softly, releasing Peter just enough for him to slide the animals into Peter’s arms. Peter quickly latched onto them, pulling them to his chest as he curled into her more.
She moved to the table, sitting in front of the cup of hot chocolate Alfred placed for Peter. The others situated themselves around the cave, occupying themselves in their worry.
Steph and Duke slunk into the far seats at the other end of the table, their eyes focused on Peter. Tim sat at the batcomputer, typing away on the keyboard. Cass sat on her left, her hand gently pressing on Peter’s shoulder to further ground him. Dick leaned against the table on Cass’s other side, fiddling with his gloves as Bruce took a seat to her right.
Selina glanced at Damian, who stood over her shoulder. His eyes were hard as he looked over Peter from a short distance. He didn’t make a move to come closer, choosing to stand guard behind them. Ready to leap in their defense if anyone managed to break into the cave while they were distracted.
“Peter, chum, what are five things you can see? Can you tell us?” Bruce asked, his cowl left on the table by his hand. His voice had gone impossibly soft. A tone she only ever hears him use for Peter, or during the soft moments with his other children.
“Mommy.” Peter whimpered, squishing the animals closer to himself. “A-and Quack… Zitka… You and Cass.”
“Good job, chum. What about four things you can hear?”
“Mom… You… the…the bats…” Peter sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. “Dami.”
“Three things you can feel?”
“Mom. And Quack. And the… the blanket.” Selina took the napkin Alfred offered, smiling at him before focusing on wiping the stray tears from her son’s cheeks.
“Two things you can smell?”
“Chocolate… and mom.” Peter hiccuped. Selina rubbed his back softly, pressing gentle kisses to his hair. He was calming down now, his grip on the stuffed animals loosened from the deadly hold he had before.
“One more chum. One thing you can taste?”
“Sewage.” Peter made a face before reaching for the mug of hot chocolate Selina held for him. Everyone sat silently, watching as Peter drank.
No one wanted to break the silence yet the answers were the treasure at the end of a rainbow. They needed to know what happened. Selina needed to know what scared her kitten so much. Could it have been the Rogue? No, Peter’s love for animals in general would not have led him to break so easily in front of a crocodile meta. No, it was something else that she just couldn’t figure out.
For once, it seemed as if Bruce himself didn’t want to ask his questions. He sat, imitating the gargoyles on rooftops as he watched Peter sip on the cocoa.
Tim fiddled with a batarang, sitting by the computer still. Steph, Duke, and Cass watched silently, none of them willing to break the silence. Dick tapped on the table, his eyes darting around the cave before returning to Peter. Selina glanced at Damian, his fingers running along the handle of his katana before gripping it in an iron clad hold.
“Peter? Kitten, can you tell us what happened?” Selina whispered, running a finger gently over his cheek.
“I’m sorry.” Peter whimpered, wrapping himself around her. She held onto him tightly in kind, closing her eyes as she wished they could fix this. “I don’t wanna lose you.”
Her heart shattered at the broken confession. The others took a collective breath as his voice carried in the silent cave.
“Oh kitten, you’ll never lose me.”
She held onto Peter as he cried into her shoulders. Selina glanced at Bruce, seeing how tense he was as he watched Peter. He’s already gone through so much, hasn’t he? Tim’s conclusion that he had gone after Killer Croc because Bruce had been hurt was right. Not because Peter was reckless, but because he didn’t want any of them being hurt again.
The confession with the reasoning behind it hurt so much more. They had hurt him without realizing it. She knew they had. Peter was not as used to the dangers the others faced every night, he couldn’t help but want to do something about it. She had hoped that if he had only trained that maybe that would alleviate some of those fears.
That he could see just how skilled they were.
Of course, Bruce couldn’t fathom even teaching Peter.
“I will. I always do .” Peter whimpered, pulling back to look up at her. “I couldn’t do it. She- She said I was ready.”
Selina cooed, petting Peter’s hair as the tears started up again. A glance at Bruce showed that he heard the same thing.
She .
“Peter, chum. Who told you to go after Killer Croc?” Bruce was obviously holding back the anger in his voice. No doubt directed to the mysterious woman. The tightness in his voice carried into his physical self, sat like a drawn bowstring ready to fire after the target. Someone told her kitten he could take on Killer Croc, alone .
“Nobody.” Peter lied, rubbing his eyes.
Selina carefully drew his fist away, wiping the tears with the handkerchief. Right now wasn’t the time for an interrogation. Her kitten needed sleep before she was ready to grill him for his thought process.
Who had told Peter that facing a Rogue right now was a good idea? Who told him, an eight year old, to go after Killer Croc?
She was all for the training he wanted so badly. She could let it slide the occasion patrols under watchful eyes on slower nights. Selina refuses to allow Peter to join any fight against the larger fish.
A motorcycle rolled into the cave, Jason finally joining them with hopefully more answers. For now though, “It’s bedtime, kitten. We’ll talk in the morning.”