Miles wished he would have pushed a little harder. If he’d been able to get to Peter even a few days earlier, maybe things wouldn’t be this bad. Peter was patient, kind and made a habit of talking. Always talking. To villains, himself, Miles now that he was around for a lot of the fights.
Now Peter was silent, brutal, and carried a danger that Miles hadn’t even seen in those very villains they fought together. This wasn’t Peter, not the one who had taught him how to fight and how to make fun of villains, insisting that banter was an essential skill. The Spider-Man that always gave people a second chance. This Peter had Kraven by the neck, Miles could barely see where Peter even was, the black tendrils of the alien symbiote were everywhere, branching off him in a tangled mess of goop. He certainly looked like an alien
Kraven was doing everything he could to push him further. He was after his "final hunt" and it looked like Peter was about to give it to him
We don't kill
“STOP”
Peter turned his way, but the cords around Kravens neck remained. Kraven clawed at the symbiote, not to get away, but to anger and it was working. Peter’s attention was back on Kraven, ready to end him. Miles jumped forward with venom, kicking Kraven back and out of the room. Peter could handle it, especially with the suit… and he needed to snap out of it.
Miles landed, watching the spot he’d thrown Kraven to. It seemed like he wasn’t coming back at the moment.
“Sorry about that, I…”
Peter was approaching him, taking slow careful steps, the eyes of the mask narrowing, and a deep inhuman growl filled the air. Peter was completely silent, which was almost as concerning as the spider-sense quickly building with every step Peter took
“Hey, it’s… It’s just me” Miles stepped back, raising his hands slightly. Peter wouldn’t attack him… right?
The spider-sense seemed to disagree. Miles was internally panicking. Was he about to fight Peter? In a real fight? Peter was the one who taught him everything he knew about combat, did he even have the skills to hold his own against him? How was he supposed to talk him down? Even MJ wasn’t able to get through to him
“Pete... dude, talk to me…" Miles leaned forward, "are you in there?”
Peter- or the symbiote more accurately- roared a high-pitched screech and the black spread, webbing out across the ground, encompassing the trees and cut off several paths away from the fight. It didn’t seem like the thing was trying to trap Miles, the most obvious Spider-Man path to the roof was still clear.
Peter lunged for him, and Miles was caught off guard. It’s what I get for not listening to the spider-sense. The symbiote wrapped up around him, lifted him into the air before slamming him back to the ground hard. Miles felt the concrete beneath him crack and pain exploded in his shoulder. Miles released as much venom as he could muster, and Peter let go, stumbling back. Miles noticed the electricity traveling up the vines of the symbiote. The thing was at least a little vulnerable to electricity. Nothing like the sound though.
Sound. The bell. Kraven left him a gift to help Peter. How thoughtful. The sound seemed to cause a lot of pain, Miles didn’t want to use it unless he absolutely needed to
“What are you doing? You almost killed him!” Miles shouted as he swung away
“You’re in the way Miles!” Peter said
"Always in the way” The voice came from Peter but sounded nothing like him. It was like several voices speaking at once. They needed to get that thing off him. Peter attacked with the symbiote, a fighting style Miles wasn't familiar with, and Miles was caught again and thrown into the wall. Miles got back up, ignoring the pain. This wasn't Peter, he had to stay on his feet, fight, stay alive.
“I could have fixed everything”
“How?? By strangling Kraven to death? We don’t do that”
“You don't get to mentor me!” Peter shouted. The voice was Peter, but It still didn't sound like him “You're the one running from your problems! You're the one set on revenge!”
“It's not like that man, all I wanted was to protect my family” Miles tried to reason with him, reach out to him, anything “I wanted to protect you”
Peter was attacking furiously. There was no strategy or grace to his moves. It was like Peter was trying to win using raw strength, but he was fast too and caught Miles in the side, all he could do was brace his arms against it and managed to take the hit without breaking anything. He couldn’t afford too many of these
“You’re not better than me!” Peter snapped back
“I’m not saying that” Miles had to dodge, roll, and push Peter back while trying to find the right words. “You’re stronger than some suit Pete! Don’t listen to it!”
“And what!? Listen to you?”
Miles felt a tiny spark of hope. This was an actual reply, a real response built on Miles’ words. Not an angry reaction, not an insecurity voiced and twisted by the suit
“Yes! Listen to me! What are you so afraid of?” Miles knew one of the big ones was if Peter ever lost himself. Maybe Miles could help him see what he was doing. If Peter turned on the suit, he could break out of it
Peter’s attacks were getting more intense, the change could be good or bad. Maybe he was getting somewhere and the symbiote was lashing out, or maybe Peter was losing more and more control. All Miles could do was keep going, keep fighting. Using the very tools Peter had invented against him.
Miles sent out the web bombs, only earning himself a few seconds as the symbiote tore through them. Miles was able to get several hits on Peter, and it felt wrong. Every move he made against his friend tore him up inside. Every grunt as Peter tanked hit after hit, every jolt as the electricity went through his system made Miles feel helpless.
Miles hit Peter with venom, sending him in the air. Peter recovered fast, jumping towards him, the symbiote branching off him, ready for an attack. Miles matched it, letting venom flow through his body. It was fast, a brief struggle in the air. Miles felt the symbiote wrap around his body and the next thing he knew, he was thrown into the ground with Peter bearing over him, holding him down and Miles tried not to panic
“I need this suit! It makes me a better Spider-Man” Peter pushed him down harder, tilting his head “You just want it for yourself”
Yeah, all of that was wrong. Everything was getting twisted, words were being poisoned and an honest effort to help was being corrupted. Peter thought Miles was against him. It was like trying to pull someone out of a toxic relationship
Miles kicks Peter off of him, sending him into the air
“All I want is to save you!” Miles shouted, Please just listen to me, Pete
“I’m the hero! I don’t get saved ” Peter shot back, swinging away from him
I'm a hero too Pete, I can save you
“Why are you doing this? I made you! You owe me!” Peter shouted, anger marking every word
“I know you don’t mean that!” Miles said, Peter always made sure Miles knew that even though Peter trained him, all he was doing was letting him skip the trial-and-error part of his hero path. Miles knew too, that if Peter had refused to train him, he would have done it himself
“All I wanted to do was save everyone. MJ, May. Now the city thinks IM the problem”
There it was. That was how the symbiote was keeping ahold of Peter. Miles was hearing in real time Peter's greatest anxiety. The reason Jameson's podcast was auto-programmed into the suit. If he heard the criticism first, he could make it into a joke, defend himself, and hide behind humor. Peter feared he was always making everything worse, and the symbiote was using that, promising that with it, Peter was strong enough to take down anything, and save everyone.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that article helped. Sorry MJ
“You think I’m the problem, but I’m not anymore” Peter sounded scared, defeated and the voice of the symbiote took over “I’m the solution”
The solution. To kill Kraven, kill villians. Peter didn’t really believe that, did he?
“This isn't the right way. You taught me that!” Miles desperately tried to draw on any part of the past that might draw Peter out. Miles fought against the growing possibility that Peter might be too far gone. What was he supposed to do if Peter truly became his next villain?
Miles pulled on the bell, the ringing had an instantaneous effect. Peter screamed with the symbiote, black threads branching off him as if it were writhing in pain. Miles took the opening to fight, pushing Peter back, towards the bell. Miles hoped he could break some of the connection the symbiote had on Peter, even just a little.
Peter just retreated, bracing against the sound and Miles’ hits before webbing up the bell. Even his webs were black, just another part of the symbiote. Miles jumps forward in the air and Peter turns to meet him. This time, Miles wins, and pins Peter to the ground as the venom spreads across the symbiote
“I can’t let this go. I’m finally everything everyone needs me to be”
C'mon Pete, it's not all up to you. You’re not alone
“Yeah?” Miles pushes Peter down as he tries to fight against him “You don’t even answer my calls anymore man!”
Peter was beating his strength, slipping away, and Miles pulled him into the air, hoping the move would throw him off enough to get pinned again, and thankfully it worked. He didn’t have much time like this, so Miles went with the big guns
“And what about MJ?? YOu could have killed her!” Miles seemed to have managed to leave Peter speechless, and a bit of the fight died down “I know you’re hurting Pete, but you’re better than this!”
“I know… I know” Peter muttered, voice uneasy and indecisive.
Miles’ heart soared. That was Peter, unmistakably Peter. He could come back
“I know… but…” Peter trailed off and the symbiote growled “No… NO”
Peter threw him off, taking to the air with a push from the symbiote but Miles had a feeling he was getting somewhere. Peter was beginning to take his side, he just had to keep going
“People in my life keep dying. I blame myself for that. My dad… aunt May… I thought if I had been around for all that, I could have made a difference, it’s why I trained so hard” Miles said, dodging between masses of the symbiote “but Phin… that was all me. I wasn't strong enough. We’re human too, we can’t save everyone”
Miles kept talking as the inhuman screeches came from the symbiote. He dodged attacks, tangled Peter up in webs, and threw him into the air with the anti-gravity pulse
“If I thought some suit could save them, maybe I would have taken it too. I’d be where you are right now… but this kind of power is the reason they’re gone. Not you, not me. This kind of thing is what we fight against, Pete,”
“Shut up!”
Despite everything, Miles smiled. Peter was the one who taught him to banter during fights. Keep talking, annoy them, pester them, and watch how they react. If they tell you to shut up, you’re getting under their skin. That's your cue to kick it up a notch
“C'mon Pete, you’ve been my hero for years! I was there watching the news every night, looking for Spider-Man news. I collected photos, news articles- Ganke and I even snuck past police tape to get a piece of your suit that got torn during a fight with Vulture” Miles braced and deflected a mass of the symbiote branching off Peter like an arm “You should have seen the day my dad came home and told me hed just worked with you all night. I didn’t leave him alone for days”
“Stop talking!” Peter roared and Miles couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Peter’s attacks were becoming more and more symbiote. Stronger, harder to deal with, but he was making progress
“When my dad died, I was lost man. I felt so helpless, but you reached out and got me to go to FEAST. Getting to know you was like finding a long-lost member of the family. I was always jealous of kids who had older siblings but now…” Miles hesitated, just letting that hang in the air for a moment “I hadn’t told anyone about that spider, not my mom, not Ganke, not even Spider-Man who I knew would know what to do. I told Pete”
Miles caught Peter, throwing him to the ground again, and held him there. He wanted Peter to know how much he meant to him. If it was a choice between Spider-Man and Peter, Miles would choose Peter.
“I told you, and you didn’t even hesitate to tell me you were Spider-Man. I know how far you go to hide your identity, but…” Miles jumped back from a kick and Peter was on the offense again. Miles jumped away from the attacks “We need to be stronger than this, Pete. This time, you have to save yourself”
“I…” Peter's voice was back, absent of the anger and it shook as he spoke, “I can’t”
“You will,” Miles said, hope soaring. He was breaking through “I’m not losing you Pete”
It was time to end this. If it didn’t work here, Miles didn't know if he could get this close again. Miles hopped up onto the bell and let it ring, hitting it again to keep the sound going. Peter fell to the ground screaming. The symbiote branched off him again as they both writhed. Peter rolled, holding his head. It hurt to look at, and Miles hesitated on the next blow to keep the bell ringing.
“Pete, cmon man just…” Miles paused, he hated this, hated causing pain like this. Hated fightingPeter. “Just focus on me”
Peter just kept screaming, and Miles had to wonder if this was helping. If it hurt the symbiote, that was good, but was he hindering Peter’s chances of fighting back?
“C'mon, you’re stronger than this. You hear me?” Miles was desperate, unsure of what to do next and Peter’s cries were becoming more and more panicked. Miles let the bell settle, watching Peter close
Peter pulled himself to his knees, and Miles saw the shift. The symbiote retreated back to Peter, clinging to him and Peter grabbed ahold of it, and pulled, revealing the red mask. It was the best thing Miles had ever seen, and a shaky smile grew on his face
“Yes! Yes, fight it!” Miles nearly cheered, grinning like an idiot under his mask. He went to hit the bell again but stopped. How was he supposed to keep Peter’s trust, tell him he was there to help if he kept hurting him? Miles just hung there, cheering Peter on where he could
The symbiote fought back, quickly covering the mask, sticking to it like glue. Peter pulled it off his chest, but as soon as he let go, it covered him again
“You can do it Pete, don't let it win”
Peter went for the mask again, but a tendril wrapped around Peter’s neck, twisting and tightening. Peter clawed at it, trying to pull it away, but the symbiote simply split, continuing to strangle Peter and rendering his efforts useless. Peter fell forward, back on the ground
“NO!” Miles shouted, jumping down from the bell. Peter was wheezing, struggling to breathe. The symbolic was trying to knock him out, gain control like it had the night Peter had been asleep
Miles rushed towards him,
“Stay back Miles!” Peter shouted voice strained, speaking despite a lack of air and it stopped Miles in his tracks
“Kill…” The symbiote growled. Peter braced one arm on the ground, the other struggling with the mass tightened around his neck, his head ducked almost to the floor
“Stay back” Peter wheezed and despite the spider-sense remaining completely silent, Miles realized the danger he was in
“Bro…” You can do this… keep fighting… don't let some alien get the best of you… all the replies died in Miles’ throat. All he could do was watch. Let Peter win or lose on his own “Bro…”
Peter pried the symbiote away from his neck, and it wrapped around his hands, twisting even tighter. Peter tried pulling the symbiote away from himself anyway, peeling back his mask again, and the mass joined the vine around his neck before slowly creeping up his face again
Miles watched the struggle, dread and hope both building the longer Peter fought. Peter was going to win. He had to win. Spider-Man always won, he always got back up. This thing wasn’t strong enough to match Peter’s willpower, not even close. But… Peter’s efforts were slowing down. Peter pulled at the mass around his neck, only coming away with a few strands. Peter choked, clearly out of air and Miles wanted to cry
“Pete…”
Peter let go, rolling to his back, pulled the symbiote from his hand, shot out a web, and pulled on the bell hard. The sound was loud, the bell swinging even faster than before. The symbiote screamed and it lost its form, dispersing back onto Peter and he gasped before his screams joined in
“Loud and clear man,” Miles said, jumping back onto the bell, swinging with it to keep the pace Peter set “You’ve got this!”
Peter sat up on his knees again, tore the symbiote off the mask and his screaming stopped, but the high-pitched screeching from the suit continued. Peter kept pulling pieces of the symbiote off, the sound from the bell slowed it enough for him to get ahead. Miles jumped down again, holding the Oscorp tube. If it was this determined to stay on Peter, the fight wouldn’t end when it was off
…and finally, it was gone, bundled up in a small wriggling mass on Peter’s shoulder and was thrown to the ground. Peter sighed, leaned forward on his hands, clearly exhausted. Miles ran forward as the mass clawed its way back to Peter. It was so focused on him, it never even saw Miles coming and he scooped it into the container.
“You alright man?” Miles asked, holding out a hand to Peter
“Yeah… you?” Peter took his hand and got to his feet
“Never better,” Miles said, grinning. He wanted to hug Peter, celebrate... something- but they still had a few things left on the to-do list
"Let's get out of here," Peter said, taking off toward the roof, still unusually quiet. Once they were safe, away from the Hunter's HQ, they could talk over things