Chapter 15
DAY SIX
The days in the forest stretch out like an endless tapestry of survival, and friendship. Peter and Lyv spent the days laughing with one another, determined to survive. They found comfort in each other’s presence. They may not have known each other for long, but there was something familiar about each other. Maybe it was the insect-themed powers, or maybe it was the bond between their personalities – neither were sure. But, quite frankly, neither of them cared.
Together, they navigated through the forest, Peter bounding through the trees while Lyv flitted beside him with her wings. Sometimes, during the day when they were both sure they were safe, Arla flitted in the air alongside Lyv. She was pretty protective over her Familiar, though, and didn’t let her into the open air for too long.
“If she dies, then I die. If I die, then she dies,” Lyv carefully explained to Peter when he accused her of animal abuse for not letting her out. “And she’s not an animal.”
Peter found amusement in sharing with Lyv his method of collecting and boiling the bark of any oak trees they came across. He taught her how to identify the correct trees, their fingers brushing against one another accidentally as they traced the lines of the rough bark. Lyv chipped away at smaller pieces of bark with one of her throwing knives.
Amidst the towering trees, Peter and Lyv began to gather a pile of dry twigs and leaves. Crouching down, Peter guided Lyv through whittling a sharp stick in order to start the fire. After she had got it sharp enough, Peter took it from her and began to demonstrate how to rub it against the larger log to start the fire. Lyv, standing by with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow and remarked, “So this is how the ever-mighty Spider-Man starts a fire, huh? Rubbing sticks together like a cosmic troglodyte?”
Peter had to bite back a chuckle. He couldn’t give her the satisfaction. He glanced up at her with a mischievous grin. “Well, miss sarcasm, it’s a tried and true method. Besides, maybe I want to embrace my primitive side.”
Lyv rolled her eyes, unyielding. “Ah, yes, the primitive side of Spider-Man who comes from the middle of a city. How could I forget?”
Undeterred, Peter held the sharpened stick out. “Alright, Lyv, your turn. Give it a try.”
Lyv huffed, taking the stick from Peter’s hand. She knelt down next to the firepit and pressed it against the log, quickly beginning to scrape the sharp edge back and forth just as Peter had been. “Right, let’s see if I have the ancient technique of stick rubbing down to a science.”
With a deliberate motion, Lyv started rubbing the stick, producing nothing but a feeble friction. Peter couldn’t help but chuckle when she realized it was going to be a lot harder for someone without super-strength. “Come on, Lyv, put some muscle into it! The forest gods demand your best stick-rubbing skills!”
Lyv shot him a glare before intensifying her efforts. The stick squeaked and squealed in protest, but the fire remained elusive. Peter kept stifling back laughter but he admittedly wasn’t great at it. “Don’t make me regret saving you, spider-brains.”
Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, a tiny wisp of smoke emanated from the friction. Peter quietly cheered, clapping his hands together. “There you go, Lyv! Now the fire gods are smiling upon us!”
Lyv’s deadpan expression cracked, and she couldn’t help but allow the corners of her mouth to tug into a grin. “Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I might disappoint the all-mighty fire gods.”
As sparks began to jump out from the friction, Peter quickly directed Lyv to blow and guide the sparks into a flame. She watched in surprise as the method worked, and flames began to lick at the twigs. He guided her into gently placing the flaming log under the teepee. “And that, my friend, is how you create fire,” Peter said with a sarcastic embellishment.
As the flames began to lick at the teepee, Peter passed Lyv the canteen which he’d already packed with snow. “Now, it’s time to unveil the secret art of bark cuisine. Watch and learn, oh wise apprentice.”
Lyv smirked, playing along. “Yes, master chef. Teach me your ways.”
Peter demonstrated how to place the canteen delicately on the top of the teepee, perched precariously. They watched through the top as the snow melted, and eventually, began to bubble inside of the canteen. He then instructed her to place all of their strips of bark into the canteen, and then wait. “How long?” Lyv asked.
Peter shrugged. “I dunno. You have to feel it in your chest.”
Lyv rolled her eyes. As the water roiled and bubbled inside of the canteen, bark scraping against the sides, they exchanged playful banter as they sat in the snow, their laughter echoing quietly through the forest. It was nice having company, Peter decided. At least he didn’t have to sit here half brain-dead. He actually had someone to talk to, to laugh with, to run thoughts by.
But now, he had someone he had to protect.
Amidst the growing bond, Peter couldn’t ignore the lingering pain radiating from his wound. Each passing day seemed to bring not only a deepening connection with Lyv but also a slow deterioration of his physical well-being. He concealed his discomfort, not wanting Lyv to be burdened with concern for him. He brushed aside the nagging thoughts that whispered of infection or worsening injuries, focusing instead on just surviving.
Two days after Peter’s run-in with the shadow tributes, another cannon boomed. Peter and Lyv tried to see where the body got picked up from, but by the time they got to the top of the nearest tree, it was too late. They eagerly awaited nightfall to see what tribute had succumbed either to the arena, or to other tributes.
When the sun began to set, Peter and Lyv sat in a large tree, high up where branches formed a sort of nest that they were able to sprawl out in. Peter decided it was an “extra-nourishment” day, and they split one of the dehydrated meal kits that Peter had. He now had two left, which they’d have to ration well. With the meal kit they both split a pack of dried fruit. It was sincerely one of the best meals Peter had since coming into the arena, if not the best.
A large part of that certainly had to do with having someone to share it with.
As the first few notes of the song sung in the sky, Peter and Lyv craned their necks up. There always seemed to conveniently be a gap in the tree canopy above them. Peter started to realize just how truly powerful the Gamemakers were. Tribute Nineteen’s picture blazed in the sky for a few seconds before giving way back to the starry night sky. “What were his powers? I don’t even remember half of these people,” Peter grumbled, shoving his last dried fruit into his mouth.
“It was really weird,” Lyv said, giggling. Peter tried not to think about the fact that they were about to make fun of a dead kid. “He had, like, super strength and speed in his jaw, and he could eat and digest anything.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “Ohmygod, like Kirby?”
“What in the stars is Kirby?”
The next two days proved to be uneventful. They continued their daily routine of boiling tree bark and migrating through the forest. The two had developed some games while the days went by, though. Peter had found a solid ball of ice around the size of a baseball that he and Lyv spent the entire day messing with. He would throw it into the air while she was flying, challenging her physical limits to see if she could catch it. When it was her turn to throw, she’d make Peter bounce and twist in the trees, and even do some parkour. Peter realized that his wound was finally feeling better; it just happened a lot slower than normal. Peter wondered if it had something to do with the shadow blade and the other tribute’s powers.
Lyv also outlined a lot of the other tributes for Peter. She realized how overwhelming things must’ve been for him, and how his brain must’ve gone through so much overload. “The shadow tributes – Velma and Scux – they’re Eleven and Twelve.”
The two were currently moving through the trees at a leisurely pace as the sun began to set. As soon as they found a tree big enough for the both of them, they’d settle for the night.
“Nine and Ten – they’re both gone, now – they could both, like, turn themselves into metal.” As Lyv said that, a ringing hit Peter’s ears and his senses grew blurry. The image of the boy with the metal fist with a spear sticking straight through his chest, blood trickling from his mouth and spurting from the wound, flashed through Peter’s mind. He couldn’t stop thinking about him – Peter felt responsible, he felt like he could’ve saved him. There should’ve been something he could’ve done.
“...still seventeen people left. These games are going to be one of the long ones. I think the Gamemakers are trying to milk it up. There haven’t been long games in a while, you know?” Lyv explained, drawing Peter out of his trance. Peter nodded.
“Yeah, I was getting a little worried about that.”
Eventually, they settled on a large tree with a crevice in the middle. The trunk stemmed into two separate parts, creating a cozy nook just large enough for the both of them to fit into. The perk of having an ally was the warmth at night – Peter was getting colder and colder by the day, and the combination of danger-run-fight-hide, frigid temperatures, and gruesome nightmares was making it harder and harder for Peter to stay asleep.
As the two settled into the nook, Peter turned onto his side and crossed his arms, grabbing his shoulders and trying to make himself as small as possible to conserve the most heat. Naturally, after a few minutes of laying there, Peter began to shiver. Usually, he just tried to fall asleep before it really bothered him. Tonight, however, the nook was small enough for Peter and Lyv to be touching back-to-back, and she immediately noticed.
“Peter,” Lyv said, the frown on her face shining through in her voice. “Are you okay?”
Peter feigned a nonchalant, sleepy tone. “Er-yea-I’m fine. I’ll just go to sleep and it’ll be okay.”
Beside Peter, Lyv propped herself up on her elbows.
“Dude, you’re not going to be okay like this,” she chastised. There were a few moments of silence. “This sleeping bag is big.”
“It’s fine, Lyv, really,” Peter reassured. Honestly, the thought of being trapped in a sleeping bag with so much warmth sounded to him like the Met Gala sounded to D-list celebrities. He would’ve given anything to be in there. However, the thought of sleeping so closely to Lyv made a part of him squirm. No, not squirm. He got butterflies in a way he rarely ever did. Honestly, the last person he felt this way about was Liz, and maybe MJ. But not always MJ. He was never quite sure how to feel about her yet, especially because she didn’t know he was Spider-Man.
“I’m not going to save you from those bullies just to have you die from hypothermia. I’m not kidding. Get in here. I can keep us super warm.”
Summoning his resolve, Peter sat up and glanced at Lyv, contemplating his options. He knew his shivering would only worsen, making sleep elusive. Reluctantly, he conceded to Lyv.
“Alright,” Peter relented, his voice tinged with resignation. He still kept an air of sarcasm to try to lessen the awkwardness. “But no funny business, okay?”
Lyv rolled her eyes indignantly, a hint of amusement dancing in her gaze. “Don’t flatter yourself, Parker. I’m not here to snuggle up for romance. It’s about survival. We’re bugs, dude. The cold sucks.”
With careful movements, Peter inched closer to Lyv, finding his place beside her in the sleeping bag. As they settled in, the shared warmth immediately enveloped them, offering respite from the biting cold. Despite his initial apprehension, Peter couldn’t help but appreciate the comfort that radiated between them. Still, there was a biting chill that swept through the sleeping bag. Peter furrowed his brows as he felt Lyv… vibrating? Besides him.
“Lyv?” Peter whispered. “What are you doing?” He glanced over at the girl and saw the air around her head shimmer with a faint heat haze, and a gentle warmth stronger than typical began to emanate from her skin. Peter closed his eyes; it felt amazing.
“Careful, Peter,” Lyv mischievously murmured. “I don’t want you to start melting.”
There were a few moments of silence while Peter soaked in the heat. It felt incredible. Lyv began to talk again. “There’s a trick to harnessing the heat from Arla’s power. It’s all about finding the right frequency, like a finely tuned orchestra.”
Peter raised an eyebrow. “Frequency?”
“Arla’s sonic booms are generated by vibrating her body and wings at an incredibly high frequency. It creates a shockwave that stuns her – our — prey. But if I dial down the vibrations, the energy is transformed into heat.”
“So you can turn yourself into a walking heater? Are you serious?”
“Yup. It’s like having a personal fireplace wherever I go. But be warned, if I vibrate too much, things might get a bit shaky around here.”
Curiosity brimming, Peter flipped around in the sleeping bag to face Lyv. “Can you show me? This is so cool. I can’t wait to tell Ned.”
Lyv raised an eyebrow, and Peter quietly cursed himself, knowing she’d have to tell her who Ned was now. He preferred to not talk about his old life because it would just make him miss everything he’d probably never get back. Lyv closed her eyes and started to concentrate, her body shaking more and more as she tapped further into Arla’s power. A warmer heat began to emanate from her skin, really feeling like a fire – Peter’s spider instincts jerked him closer, relishing the toasty sensation on his skin that melted down into his bones.
“This is incredible!” Peter exclaimed. Lyv smiled and opened her eyes. When she stopped vibrating, the heat stuck in the sleeping bag like a dutch oven. For the first time in nine days, Peter felt warm – he felt normal, and not like he was struggling to survive in an icy, desolate wasteland. The two shared a few more comments and sentiments about each other’s powers and the games before they both drifted off into sleep. It was the first time that being still in this arena wasn’t painful for Peter. Thanks to Lyv, he drifted off into the good first sleep he’d had in nine days.
The next two days proved to be relatively uneventful. In fact, it was calm enough to the point where Peter and Lyv began to wonder if the Gamemakers forgot about them. Lyv told Peter that there was probably a lot of drama and action elsewhere in the arena, and that they couldn’t have too much going on at once, lest the viewer’s distraction get split. She explained how they liked to play dramatic things up. Unfortunately, Peter deduced that it was probably their turn for action soon. It was only a matter of when.
They also learned a lot about each other – they figured out even though they were from opposite ends of the universe, they had more in common than they would’ve thought. During a brief rest on a tree branch to munch on some bark, Lyv shared her love for collecting shiny rocks. She excitedly described her impressive collection that was back on Astralis, showcasing stones of various colors and sizes. Peter, in turn, excitedly ranted about his and Ned’s collection of Legos – which led to Peter having to explain to Lyv what Star Wars was.
“So, there’s this dude named Luke, right? And he finds out, he’s like, super important because his dad is Darth Vader, who is this really evil guy in a black suit. But then there’s this really small green guy named Yoda, who talks funny, but is like, a Jedi master. And then there’s this thing called the Force, which is, like, this invisible power that makes people do cool stuff. Oh, and there are these walking, beeping robots everywhere, and-”
Peter stopped when he saw Lyv smirking with one eyebrow raised. She leaned back against the tree trunk, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she playfully interrupted him.
“Wait, wait,” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “So let me get this straight. There’s a guy named Luke, his dad is the bad guy in the black suit, and there’s a tiny green guy who talks funny? Oh, yea, and the Force is, like, some invisible power that makes people do cool stuff? And this is supposed to be… cool?”
“Yea, well, I guess I didn’t quite capture, like… how awesome it is,” Peter admitted, laughing in embarrassment. “But trust me, it’s like, an epic story with lightsabers, battles, and really cool characters. You’ll have to watch it. I’m pretty sure you’d like it.”
Lyv grinned mischievously. “Oh, I have no doubt it’s captivating, Peter. But I must say, your enthusiasm is quite infectious. I’ll have to remember to rely on you for all my future Star Wars explanations.”
Peter lightly punched Lyv on the shoulder, his knuckles barely scraping her shoulder. “Oh, you’re gonna make fun of my Star Wars skills, huh?” Peter said while he playfully acted indignant and hurt. “You just wait, one day I’ll blow your mind with my rendition of Lord of the Rings or… or Harry Potter!”
Lyv burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking as she let it all out. “Oh please, Peter. I can only imagine the epicness of your storytelling skills. I am so looking forward to it.”
“Okay, deal, but just be wanted, I might throw in a few, like, extra sound effects, maybe a quiz here or there to make sure you’re listening…” He got cut off by Lyv almost falling off the tree, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard. He grabbed her shoulder and lifted her back up, grinning at the girl’s giggling.
That night, Lyv and Peter repeated the routine they had before. “I don’t think I’m ever going to be warm again,” Peter groaned. Lyv nodded in agreement, pulling the fabric of the sleeping bag as close to her as possible.
“I know.”
Her powers could only take them so far. Lyv explained she was limited in what she could do. Unlike Peter, her powers drew upon Arla – and if she drew too much, it would hurt Arla. She could keep the sleeping bag warm enough so they didn’t die, but not warm enough where they’d be comfortable. Fortunately, between the two of their bodies in the same small, enclosed space, it worked well enough. No deaths that day. Peter’s anxiety grew. Something bad was coming for them.
The next day, as Peter and Lyv moved throughout the treetops, quietly chatting. Every once in a while they’d stop in time for Peter to ensure there was nobody else nearby. As they continued to swing, Peter brought up something that had been tugging at the back of his mind for days now. “There has to be a way for us to escape this place,” Peter said. “We can’t stay trapped here. We- we can’t die here.”
Lyv’s gaze was distant as her wings dodged through the canopy. “I know. It’s kind of like the games they used to have before the Champion Games. I think it was called, like, the Champion’s Challenge or something? I don’t know, they like the word Champion, I guess. Anyways, there were these two guys, Thor and Hulk, who were brought here. They were incredibly powerful and became these huge legends. People loved watching the Hulk, like, murder anyone who challenged him, until Thor came and gave him a run for his money.”
“Wait,” Peter said. He stopped on a tree branch, crouched down with one hand to steady him on the branch. Lyv paused in midair and swiveled around to face him.
“Wait, like, Thor and Hulk? I thought I heard you mention them – but like, I know those guys! They’re like… legends where I come from. And… they’re kinda like, my friends and my teammates!” Peter excitedly rambleed. Okay, so Thor and Hulk would know how to help them escape. Lyv’s eyes widened slightly.
“No way! You know them? They’re like, legends, Peter! What’s even crazier is…” her voice lowered and she glanced around as if to make sure nobody was listening. “What’s crazier is that they escaped. They were the only ones who ever managed to break free and get off Sakaar.”
Peter leaned in. He wasn’t surprised, but now his curiosity was piqued. If they could do it… maybe Peter could, too. “Really? How did they do it?”
“I dunno. I just know that after they escaped, there was almost a rebellion. People were inspired by them, I guess, and it threatened the authority of the rules. To keep everyone in check, they created the Champion Games. It was a way to show everyone that no matter how powerful they were, they couldn’t escape, and things wouldn’t change,” Lyv explained in a low, warning tone. Her eyes were filled with sadness and despair. Peter reached out and put his hand on her shoulder.
“Lyv… we’ll figure something out. If they can, we can, too. I promise.”
A cannon boomed seconds later, as if to remind them of their fate if they didn’t work a way out of here. Lyv frowned, and flitted up past the treetops. Peter craned his head up and watched her just barely poke her head above the canopy for a few moments, and then come back down. “They picked the body up from the Cornucopia. Either somebody is targeting the Careers, or they’re starting to turn on one another. I couldn’t really see much else, though.”
Peter nodded.
That night, they decided to skip their whole bark-making process. They had enough to last them a while, and they were just starting to get bored of it. As they settled into their chosen tree for the night and the sun faded away, they listened for the familiar song. As always, it came. Tribute Seven’s face lit in the sky above them, smiling as though she would never get killed in horrific games such as this. Peter wondered what picture they’d use of him if…. He shook his head, trying to get the thought away. “He was, like, animal control or something, right?”
Lyv nodded. “I think so? I’m not quite sure.”
The two lay in silence after that, their breaths softly puffing in the air every time they breathed out. Above them, they could see the sky. Tonight, it was clear and full of scintillating stars everywhere. Peter scanned and studied the twinkling lights. The formations were so different from what he was used to on Earth – he still couldn’t believe what was happening to him. This was insane. He was in space! Kidnapped by aliens, and forced to kill other kids! This was not on his bingo card for the year. He wondered how long it had been outside of Sakaar. Did Tony just now realize he was missing? Were they still trying to scramble the Avengers together to figure something out?
Were they even looking for Peter at all?
He found his thoughts spiraling into deeper and darker places that were getting harder and harder for Peter to stay out of. He gazed into the twinkling lights of the sky, their light reflecting in his somber eyes.
“You know, Lyv,” he began. She noticed that his voice was quieter and deeper than usual. “I never asked for these powers. They came to me, and sometimes it feels like an immense responsibility, a-a burden I carry every day. It’s not easy, you know. There are times when I wish….” He took a deep breath. “I wish I could just be a regular dude, you know? A regular guy without all the dangers and sacrifices.”
He paused, his voice filled with melancholy and an internal agony that Lyv could so clearly hear. She didn’t say anything, and just let Peter continue talking. “I’ve had to make so many sacrifices, you know? Missed opportunities, canceled plans, relationships gone… there are things I’ve had to give up because I know that I have to help others, because if I don’t, and bad things happen… that’s on me.”
Now, Peter turned his head to look at Lyv. Her head turned and their eyes met, gazes filled with both sincerity and melancholy. “But you know what, Lyv? I… I don’t think I’d trade it for anything. Deep down, I love it. It’s a part of who I am. I think. Even when things get hard, when they get… you know. Just knowing that I can make a difference… it’s all worth it.”
Lyv listened intently, her youthful innocence shining through her eyes as she absorbed Peter’s words. She wasn’t really sure what to say; as Peter shared his story, her heart panged with empathy and anxiety for the poor boy who’d been taken from everything he’d known and thrown here. At least with her, she had some inclination of what she’d been getting into, and had grown up with things being this way. Peter… “That’s… incredible,” she responded softly. “And this might be the only time I’m nice to you, Peter Parker, so soak it in. To have what you do, to have that drive… It’s… it’s really admirable.”
A slight smile tugged at Peter’s lips as he appreciated what Lyv had to say. “Thanks.”
She reached out underneath the sleeping bag and placed her hand on Peter’s arm, her touch warming and reassuring. No, her touch wasn’t just warm on Peter’s skin. It flamed. “You’re not alone, Peter. I… I may not be able to do the things you do, but I’ll do whatever I can to help you get back to that. Because… because you’re my friend.”
Peter’s stomach twisted. If he got back to Earth, it would mean Lyv was dead. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Peter was stuck at a split in the road. One side meant saving Lyv but disappointing May, Mr. Stark, the team, Ned, and everyone else who knew and loved him. The other side meant getting back to Earth, protecting people who needed protection, not letting anyone down, but… Lyv would be dead. He would’ve failed to protect her. If he couldn’t protect and save her, was any of the rest of it really worth it? He didn’t answer that, and simply accepted the touch of her hand on his arm. He kept staring at the sky for a long time. Eventually, Lyv let out gentle, soft noises of sleep.
Peter didn’t sleep that night. How could he?