saudade

Peter didn’t know how but he knew he had to save Aunt May. But he also knew that he couldn’t take both of his enemies. Peter went to the closet and grabbed his red-blue suit. This was who he was. This was Spider-Man, not the black suit.

Nevertheless, he needed help in this battle. There was only one person he could think of, but he was aware that the chance of Harry helping him was very small. But Harry loved Aunt May, didn’t he?

He swung through the streets and climbed up the wall of the Osborn mansion to get to the balcony. The door to the living room was open. Harry was turning off the TV. Peter took a deep breath before he knocked. “Harry? I need your help.” The look Harry gave him made his innards cramp. How could a single look contain so much disappointment, pain and hatred?

“I can’t take them both, not by myself”, Peter explained.

Harry turned around so Peter could see his whole face. The right half was a net of scars. Harry was broken. Because of him. Peter swallowed. He couldn’t look away.

“What? What’s your problem, huh? Are you afraid to look at my scars? Disgusted? You think you, the great Spider-Man, are superior because I’m ‘damaged’?”, Harry yelled.

“I- of course not”, Peter stuttered.

“Then look at me like I’m still a person! Look at me like you used to. Look at what you did to me!”

Peter wanted to hug him so bad.

Peter cleared his throat. “I know I did inexcusable things to you, and I know I’ll never be able to make it up to you. I understand that you can’t forgive me. I can’t even forgive myself.” He sniffled at wiped his eyes. “But Aunt May needs us. She still loves you. I still love you.”

“You don’t deserve my help”, Harry said, struggling to keep up a merciless tone.

“Harry-“

“Get out, Peter.”

Peter nodded and with a last look at Harry who had been his worst victim, he left. He knew it was futile. Harry wouldn’t help him, and he respected it. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to help him either if Peter was in Harry’s situation.

But Aunt May needed his help and he’d do everything to save her, no matter what it will cost him.

Harry was still staring at the spot Peter stood before. Did he really think Harry would just ignore what Peter did to him and fight with him like everything was fine between them? That he’d ignore that Peter betrayed him? A small part of him, the part that still loved Peter and wanted to forgive him, wanted to help Peter. After all, Aunt May had nothing to do with their problems and Harry was grateful for everything she did for him.

“Sir? I was cleaning up and I found this. I’m not quite sure what to do with it so it’s your choice”, Bernard said as he entered the room. He handed him a photo.

Harry took it and his heart stopped beating for a second. It was the photo he had destroyed as he packed his things in their old flat. The photo showed him and Peter kissing during sunset. The glass had multiple scratches, just like their relationship.

“How did you get this?”, Harry asked.

“I’ve been in your old flat a while ago and I found it on a table. I know what Peter means to you and I thought it could help you with your feelings or something. It was a stupid thought, forgive me.”

“No, it’s okay. Thank you, Bernard.” Harry couldn’t look away from the photo.

This photo meant everything to him. They had been so happy. Harry had been loved. Peter loved him as no one else did. He was the only one he had even as his father was still alive.

And Peter assured him he still loved Harry. Even after everything he tried to make Peter suffer.

Maybe love really was stronger than hatred.

“I have to go now but thank you, Bernard. Thank you so much.” Harry quickly hugged him before he ran into the corridor that led to the chamber where his father hid all his Green Goblin stuff. He put on his armour and took the glider and his sword.

He’d save Aunt May.

He’d protect Peter and her with his life.

“Harry!”, Bernard called as Harry ran on the balcony. “Be careful!”

Peter jumped up to get on the giant web where a taxi with Aunt May in it was hanging above the ground. He climbed up the web and approached the taxi.

“I’m gonna get you of this Aunt May, I promise.”

“Oh, Peter, watch out!”, she shouted but when Peter turned around, it was too late.

The person in the symbiote suit jumped onto him and threw him over the taxi, causing the roof to break away. Aunt May screamed. Peter was just able to hold on to the trunk of the taxi. Careful not to aggravate the situation, he climbed onto the taxi.

The person allowed himself to be seen. It was Brock.

“Hey, Parker”, he grinned.

“Eddie.”

“Oh, my spider-sense is tingling”, Brock imitated Peter and shot some symbiote slime at Aunt May to grab her.

“Let her go!”, Peter yelled and jumped onto Brock, but he threw Peter off the edge of the taxi.

Peter was caught by the web spun with the symbiote slime but as he tried to get up, the slime grabbed him and held him back. Brock jumped onto him and pulled off Peter’s mask. Aunt May was screaming again because the taxi fell a few centimetres.

“We can find a way to settle this”, Peter told Brock. He needed to make him see senses again before Aunt May falls into death.

“You’re so right, Parker. I’m thinking of humiliation. Kind of like you humiliated me. Do you remember? Huh, do you remember what you did to me?”, Brock said.

It was just now that Peter realised Aunt May’s taxi wasn’t the only vehicle in the net. A small truck was also hanging there, and it was losing its cargo. It fell directly onto the taxi. Aunt May screamed again but she seemed to find a way to save herself.

Brock grinned. “You made me lose my girl. Now I’m gonna make you lose your precious aunt.”

Rage pumped through Peter’s veins. No one hurt Aunt May without having to pay for it. He tensed his muscles, trying to free himself. A concrete block hit Brock’s head.

“How does that feel, you rowdy?”, Aunt May shouted from above.

Peter couldn’t help but smile. That was his aunt.

He grabbed Brock by his neck and punched him so hard that they fell off the edge of the web. But Peter didn’t let that stop him. He continued punching him. They hit and kicked each other, trying to free themselves from their enemy.

Brock let go of Peter as they were close to hitting the ground and Peter didn’t have time to prepare for it. He bumped into some barriers before he fell into a heap of sand.

Meanwhile, the truck fell off the web, directly onto the taxi, and fell on the ground. Aunt May made it out of the car but now she was hanging on a single thread.

“Hold on, Aunt May!”, Peter yelled and tried to get up, but the sand moved.

The sand was sucked into the direction of a giant heap. Peter had to get off the sand. He needed all his strength to escape the fate of being sucked into Sandman. As Sandman was fully materialised, Peter knew the situation just got out of hands.

Sandman wasn’t just Sandman anymore. He was a Sandgiant.

Peter could escape the giant fist with the size of a truck just in time. The people on the streets screamed full of fear. But it was one scream that made him feel sick. Aunt May screamed as the thread she was hanging on was torn apart.

Then she fell.

“Aunt May!”, Peter yelled in panic and swung his webs around Sandman to catapult himself onto the webs.

Her screams ended abruptly as she landed on another web. Peter swung higher and higher. He was almost there. One more jump and he could save Aunt May. But he was thrown aside by Brock.

Peter crashed into the scaffolding of the construction side. His whole body hurt but somehow, he managed to get up. Sandman materialised before him.

He had no chance.

Peter knew it. It was confirmed as Brock grabbed him by his throat, trying to strangle him. Sandman punched Peter with his giant fist, making him struggle to breathe.

Peter reached out for Aunt May. He wouldn’t be able to save her. “I’m sorry, Aunt May”, he whispered. Peter knew he was about to die as Sandman raised his fist.

But then Sandman’s hand exploded. Harry crashed into the scaffolding and threw Brock into a wall. Then he flew to Peter who lied on a small bar.

“Harry. You came”, Peter whispered.

“Of course, I came.” Harry stretched out his hand to help him get up. Peter took it. Both smiled at each other.

But a shriek jolted them out of their privacy.

Sandman and Brock encircled them.