Chapter 1
Peter was buzzed. Years of being a weapon of Hydra made him an adrenaline junkie. High school didn't quite stave the itch and the clubs he went to in an attempt to spar were worse.
Peter Parker was a goody two shoes with a moral compass as strict as a Navy captain. The perfect kid. Nice to everyone he encountered without question. Peter was the one that parents compared their kids to or hired for a tutor. No one suspected him. Not May, not Ben or anyone else at Midtown High. No one knew that the only reason Flash got away with bullying him as he does was because Peter knows that he's jealous. The pressure Flash’s father puts on him was too ridiculous for even Peter to comprehend.
Hardly a single soul alive would regard him with caution.
No one suspected him to be an ex-Hydra weaponized mutant. Mission after mission in the outside world had been essential preparation for running away. He couldn't imagine trying to live in this world without recognizing all their societal rules beforehand. After so many years living with Hydra, with an unknown body's blood warming his hands each week, it was pretty hard to get used to the mundane life. Peter doesn't miss Hydra, but some of the things it gave him — or trained into him, from what he could remember, he didn't have any killing urges before they got him but then again, he can't even remember his name on bad days — like the skills to evade almost anyone came in handy more often than not.
Presently he was stuck. When he ran, he implemented everything that Hydra had taught him on how to prevent tracking, Black Widow and Captain America may have destroyed what they thought to be Hydra but it was naive of them to think there weren't already precautions in place. Peter was part of one said precaution. The base he primarily resided at was off record and therefore so was he. It was only a matter of time before they came for him so he ran and they let him. Truth was he was a hindrance. His compliance relied too heavily on one thing. He was the perfect weapon but one wrong move from him or Hydra and the other would make sure consequences were faced. He was just compliant, scared enough to stay but given the option he would turn on them in a moment.
One of the most substantial things that he had to face in this world was building himself a place in it. From a brief search he realized there were no records of him. It didn't bother him all that much. In a time like the war people were not overly strict about keeping civilian death records, especially for some underprivileged kid from Queens. Honestly, it was helpful. It meant he didn't have to worry about some eager historian who would start looking into him like a true crime specialist - no one would recognise him. Hence, he constructed his identity fairly simply.
It wasn't complex to discover a couple that could be believable as his parents. The trouble was narrowing down which of the lot might have a secret preteen kid. It ended up pretty simple in the end. Mary and Richard Parker, deceased since two weeks ago. They worked for the government, scientists in an elite division. Making it seem like they had an unknown child was easy, what type of parents would they be if they exposed him to all their enemies? No one was to know about him. Not even their own family.
He left the local library that he’d been exploring, throwing a quick thank you to the lady at her desk. Her only reply was a nod of her head and a light smile. Four blocks later and he was standing in front of a slightly run down apartment complex. The man, Ben, was a police officer, so Peter expected hesitance and suspicion when first showing up. He knew it wasn't typical to hide a kid away for years. However, Ben was desperate for a little peace off his brother to be left so didn't think twice before scooping him into a hug. It was uncomfortable, only one person hugged him and only because Peter held a huge amount of trust and respect for that man. Allowing a stranger so close to his neck was disturbing and Peter was delighted when he overheard a woman interrupt from the adjacent room.
It took a moment to compose himself when he was released, he would need to improve his acting if he wanted to get by on the orphaned child act. When Ben’s wife May looked at him with confusion, it would be a lie to say Peter did not get nervous. In his experience, if a man loved his wife enough then he would do anything for her and Peter really didn't want to be sent away into a government system like foster care. If they found out about him then there was no telling what they’d do.
Fortunately for him all it took was Ben stating that,”He’s Richard and Mary's boy.” for all the resistance to fall from her face to be replaced with surprise and joy. No more promptly had he realised this than he was being herded into the kitchen for a meal and a conversation.
Peter wasn't an amateur by no means. He had conducted his research, four years ago May had gone for fertility treatment only to find out that she was infertile. His whole plan with them had relied on them still wanting kids. But after years of training he had learnt it was always better to be cautious.
So he explained how he had been hidden away from danger. May and Ben obviously didn't know much about his supposed parents' work as they were willing to believe that with ease. Ben recognized the dangers that too many people knowing something could mean from his experience as a cop, so any sadness at being out the loop was minimal. Not long after he finished his explanation, he was being taken to the police station to have it all sorted out. The process was lengthy and tedious but worth it. The blood test was tricky to work around, but Peter easily tricked the rudimental machinery.
For about a week, Ben and May spent copious amounts of time trying to get to know him. It was a constant swarm of questions, “What's your favourite colour, Pete?”
“Red”
“Favourite band, Pete?”
“Don't have one but I'd be willing to listen to your collection to try to work it out.” Every answer he gave was full of fake enthusiasm, as he tried to juggle being a grieving kid, while also projecting some level of excitement at the fact he was staying with the cool aunt and uncle he had heard stories about. It was tiring for him and he dropped the facade whenever he could.
Eventually Peter managed to settle in. He got used to the enthusiasm and excitement that seemed to be a constant staple in their apartment. After that he started to relax, secure in knowledge of his cover. Ben and May also became people that he could claim to like and enjoy the company of.
Before long he was enrolled in Midtown High for the new term. He had taken placement tests and done well enough for them to offer a scholarship, luckily, as he didn't think that Ben and May could afford it without. It was pleasant there, everyone was reasonably intelligent and he made friends with a kid called Ned that happened to be obsessed with Star Wars. Peter found this quite interesting as he had never watched any of these films before - when he told Ned that, Peter thought he was going to pass out from how his face reddened and stilled.”What- What did you just say Peter?”
“I don't know what Star Wars is, I also don't know what this ‘Lego’ you keep talking about is eiter.” Not knowing Star Wars may as well have been one of the seven mains sins to Ned. Safe to say he was thoroughly educated in both by the end of the day and that multiple sleepovers had been arranged to binge the films.
He carried on for months. Learning about life, trying to fit in with those around him. He won't deny it being difficult, he was almost ninety hundred years old and still looked like an innocent child. The squabbles of teenagers meant little to but he tried his best to fake interest for the sake of Ned. Some people just seemed to think that he was more mature than the other teens and praised him for staying out of all the drama that teens seemed to fall into. Ironic, really seeing as he was old enough to be some of the teacher's grandfathers.
It was pleasurable, but the itch was consistently there. He had been through a drastic change in lifestyle, and adjusting was difficult in some areas more than others.
One of these areas he struggled with was the killing. In Hydra he had inevitably received a new mission. They were his purpose. Presently, however, his life was kind of meaningless.
All he had to trouble about was handing in his ridiculously easy homework and being on time for dinner. The peace made him restless. To try to satiate himself he enrolled in different martial arts clubs, as many as he could. He concealed it as a want to protect himself to Ben who was more than willing to encourage him. May was a harder sell but she eventually gave in. Ned didn't even try to discourage him, to wound up in the utter awesomeness that he related to anything like martial arts. He seemed to be under the illusion that Peter was training to be some kind of knight.
They did nothing, though. The violence was minimal and even the most harsh members of the club were hesitant to injure him because of his age. It pissed him off. All he was looking for was a bit of release and no one was helping. This was really the only way he could go about it anyway, the type of people that wanted to sleep with him deserved to be in a prison cell. God if it wasn't difficult, sleeping with anyone at school was out because it made him feel like a peodophile - which he didnt relish in - meaning that there would be no sex for a little while longer. He wondered how many other people felt sexual attraction, wanted sex yet were still virgins at ninety.
It was becoming too much for him. If he didn't get a good fight soon, then he wouldn't be sure what he might do and he really did not need the attention that may bring.
This was the last club that he could find, it was underground and illegal. All he could hope for was that the people there would have a little looser morals. Just a little away from the club entrance, though, Peter stopped at the sound of a childish whimper. Kids remained a sensitive spot for him. He had no problem intimidating them, but it was always with regret that he harmed them for Hydra.
Only a couple of seconds later and he was following the noise. They sounded wounded and cowed. In an alley a little away from him he found the source pinned against the wall. The boy looked to be around eight, lanky with messed hair. His eyes were red and puffy, and streaks of reddened skin striped his face.
A woman had him pinned, obviously a couple of decades older at least. Her hair was blonde and tied up out of the way, she also seemed to be threatening the boy in her hands if his terrified face was anything to go by. In an instant he was on her, seizing the hair of her scalp and hauling her along by it. As soon as she was away from the boy her head was forced into the harsh concrete of the alley wall. The blow was violent but careful. Peter didn't want to execute her, at least not yet, but he couldn't resist the temptation of hearing her jaw dislocate as teeth spewed out her mouth.
The lady's nose was twisted unnaturally and her mouth hung open with a silent scream. He crouched down to pick up a handful of gravel from the floor before plunging it down her already sore throat and forcing her to swallow. The sound of her terrified heartbeat was music to his enhanced ears. Eventually, she calmed slightly, probably thinking he would leave just because he stopped his assault, only to be pulled up again by the scalp so that they were face to face, ”Do you want to tell me what you were doing to that little boy over there?” The voice he employed was murderous and the threat in it evident.
Obviously not enough though, as she explained to him with as much fake confidence as she could muster, ”I-I didn't, ugh, didn't do anything. Okay? I was just helping the boy, yeah, helping him you see. He was upset ‘cause he didn't get what he wanted. As if I didn't take ‘im in. He's just been spoiled a bit too much.”
Peter almost laughed at how fake she sounded, anyone could see past it. At the minimum he could assume this was her first time attempting something like this. A repeat offender would have precaussians already in place and lies ready.
All it took was one more bang to the head before she admitted to it but she nevertheless kept pleading, trying to excuse her actions, ”The boy needs it, ya know? He's got bad ideas in ‘is head, abnormal thoughts. I was just aiding him, okay? Setting him straight.” It was clear to Peter what she was stating. Not purely was she a child predator but also a homophobe. This girl was going to die and all Peter could do was hope that whatever happened to the boy that he received some help.
One final push to the floor was all it took for her body to stop. It seized for a moment, defying death, before giving in and going motionless. It was satisfying to know she deserved it, it might even be enough to stave off his impulses for a bit but right now he needed to focus on the kid.
The boy was curled round with his knees pulled to his chest. His eyes were just poking out from behind them. Terror was present there, but Peter chose to believe that it was mostly left over from what the woman was doing. As he crouched down, he made sure to paint a small smile on his face. It was the one he usually used on children of his victims. This child did not relax as he intended though, instead his muscles tensed even more. ”Look kid, I know what I just did was kinda bad, okay, but I’d appreciate it if you would keep it between us, yeah?” He smiled vaguely but it was strained and grimace like. He had hoped for some enthusiasm, but the boy just nodded, panicked.
Peter sighed, knowing this wasn't going to get him anywhere. The kid was terrified of him. Deciding to use this to his advantage, he clapped as he stood and looked the boy in the eyes, ”I am going to go over to that woman,” he pointed at the corpse to his side, ”retrieve her phone, and then you are going to call the cops with it. Inform them that I was tall and blonde but that you didn't see my face, understood?” He was talking to the kid like a subordinate he knew but it looked like the only way to get anything done. Hence, at the boy's hesitant nod, he did as he said before handing it over to the kid.
With fumbling fingers, the boy dialled 991 before whispering his location into the speaker, he added that he needed help at the end. Peter thought it was unnecessary, why else would you call 991 than for help? He let go soon enough, and the boy hung up the phone before tilting his head to stare up at him. Taking it as his que, Peter turned and started to leave before changing his mind and turning back only slightly, ”Hey kid?What is your name?”
A gentle voice whispered, ”Daniel.” Before the boy's head was back to his knees; Peter didn't mind, he hadn't expected anything but silence to be honest. Turning back again he started waking and detected the sounds of sirens around the corner. All the while he couldn't stop considering how satisfying tonight had been.
Maybe he didn't have to be bad? He had heard of people like Deadpool or Daredevil in New York that people branded as vigilantes. Peter could do that, only hurt the bad guy and defend the worthy ones, especially if every night would feel like this at the end. Ben liked to say how ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ all the time. He was right, of course, Peter knew first hand how power could be corrupted. Maybe this time he could use his powers for better, to try to repent for his previous sins with Hydra. It was with these thoughts in mind that Peter continued his walk home with a smirk on his face, unaware of the news waiting for him.