Stolen
“This is a real big mess.”
¨You know he is only going to grow more dangerous as his power grows,¨ Wong stated, handing over the book the wizard was searching for. Strange paused, looking at the book then his friend before grabbing it.
¨He's already powerful enough to wipe out a whole species and the kid doesn't even know it.¨ Strange flipped through the pages of the book, skimming through it. He stopped on one of the pages, reading through it.
¨I should never have let him go,¨ The hero muttered under his breath, heavy regret in his voice.
¨You couldn't just keep an enhanced boy in the sanctum against his will,¨ Wong pointed out. ¨He's not a boy Wong. He's a weapon.¨ Strange shook his head cursing. He knew it was foolish to depend on the book to have the answers he needed.
¨We aren't even sure he caused the tears.¨
¨No, but I already took a risk letting him go. I'm not gonna take any chances again.¨ Strange lowered the book, resisting the urge to throw it. No matter how frustrated, he wasn't stupid enough to destroy one of Wong´s books. He didn't need the man throwing him through a portal over a large cliff or something. He actually enjoyed life unlike most self sacrificial heroes he knows.
¨I know what you´re thinking. Do you really think Stark is gonna hand over his ward just because you ask nicely?¨
¨Who said anything about asking?¨ Strange called to his cape, letting it wrap itself around him. ¨You're insuffrable.¨
¨Thank you.¨ Strange smirked, turning around, his cape flapping with the wind. ¨Even if he does reveal where the boy is, how do you plan on stopping him?¨ Wong questioned. There was a pause. The hero didn't reply for a good five minutes. Wong had begun to think that the man already left the building by the time he heard Strange’s voice again.
¨With whatever means are necessary.¨
¨Could you be any more cheesy?¨
¨Shut up.”
“Where’s the boy?”
“You know, a simple hello wouldn’t have killed you,” Tony stated, his eyes glued onto the wizard in front of him, who had just chosen to walk through a portal into his home. The man hadn’t changed a bit in the last two months. He was the same man with a stick up his butt.
“I’m not in the mood for games Stark. Where’s the boy?” Strange straightened his back, watching the billionaire intensely.
“Wouldn’t you like to know Alex Russo ?” Strange frowned, confused, at the smugness in the billionaire's voice. “You know, from that kids show from the 2000’s on the Disney channel? Peter showed it to me-you know what nevermind! Tell me what you want with the kid!”
“He’s dangerous. His power growing stronger. I made a mistake letting you handle him and the fact he isn’t here proves my point.”
“First off, the kid isn’t glued to me 24/7. Second, what do you mean?” Tony asked, suddenly feeling concerned for the kid he grew to love as a son.
Why would Strange be looking for the kid?
The mechanic had little to no contact with the kid since his last visit. The kid had shut him out, pushed him away and refused to even glance his way. He had, though he didn’t like it, stayed away. It was clear his presence made the kid uncomfortable and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt the kid by forcing himself back into his life. He let the kid step away from him. Though judging by the upset wizard in his house that that probably wasn’t the best plan.
“I underestimated him,” Strange states blankly, “He’s no longer just a nuisance, he’s becoming one of the universe's biggest threat.” Tony scoffed at the idea. Peter wouldn’t hurt a fly. He knows this kid like the back of his hand. He wouldn’t even dare raise his voice let alone destroy the universe. Now Thanos was a threat. Peter was a puppy.
“Hold on. Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a little? The kid wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone destroy the universe or whatever you think he’ll do! Or at least not on purpose.”
“Exactly. He may not mean to, but what if he does something on ‘ accident’ ? The chance of him losing control is too high. He’s unstable. What do you think will happen when he gets upset and decides he can save the world by destroying it? The innocent blood would be on both our hands.”
“The kid isn’t Thanos.”
“He isn’t,” Strange acknowledges, separating Thanos and Peter from his mind, “but he’s still human and like any human, he has a dark side. You probably just haven’t seen it.”
“You’re wrong. Pete’s the lightest shade of vanilla cream I’ve ever seen,” Tony shot back. Who was Strange to judge the kid? He barely knew him! The billionaire had the urge to suit up and go a few rounds with mister David Copperfield over there.
“Oh really? Then tell me why that as soon as he goes missing from his aunt's home, there was a disruption in the universe?”
Tony’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What are you talking about? He’s not missing, he’s at home,” He told the wizard.
“Oh great, you don’t even know! Never trust a Stark,” Strange muttered, feeling strained from the stress.
“What’s going on Strange?”
The wizard began to count down from five.
Tony was gonna say something like for him to tell him but by the time he thought of what to say Strange had lowered his last finger. On cue his wife came charging downstairs in distress. The look on her face was enough for the billionaire to realize something was very wrong.
“It’s Peter,” That was all what Pepper said, “he’s gone.”
It was all he needed to hear for his heart drop onto the floor.
“I-I woke up and he wasn’t in bed,” May sobbed, “I-I c-check the closet and all his stuff was gone!”
Tony held the sobbing woman, trying his best to comfort her while attempting to hold back his own emotion.
Neither of them paid any attention to Strange who waited impatiently on the side.
Both hero’s had rushed down to the Parker residents when he heard. Peter had went missing. What had happened was unclear to him, but all he knew was the kid was gone again. Just like what Strange said. Stupid wizard. He wasn’t sure if he was alive or hurt somewhere. His Aunt was beyond hysterical when he arrived on the verge of calling the whole us army to come look for her nephew. Tony had been there in seconds when Pepper told him, taking Strange’s portal, but it still didn't feel fast enough.
“What if he’s hurt or d-dead again?! O-Oh god, my baby needs me!” May exclaimed, her breath growing shallow as panic took over her body, overwhelming her limbs causing her legs of give out in Tony’s arm. The billionaire had to hold onto the woman to keep her from falling onto the ground. He helped the woman back onto the couch, setting her down before looking her in the eyes.
“May listen to me, I need you to tell me exactly what’s missing,” The billionaire told the sobbing woman.
“H-His backpack, a-a bunch of clothes, his wallet, a-and his suit...oh god this is my fault. I-I should’ve s-seen he wasn’t okay-”
“May, none of this is your fault,” it’s mine, “Nobody could’ve predicted this.” He could’ve. If he had just held Peter close instead of letting him push him away none of this would’ve happened. “But I swear to you I’m gonna find him May. I promise,” Tony told her. The woman looked at him with her puffy eyes, staring at him for a moment, before nodding seeing that the billionaire was truthful. She trusted Stark to bring her baby home.
Leaving May’s Tony felt on the verge of a panic attack as he told Friday to set Peter’s face in facial recognition and alert the proper authorities. He knew the boy was smart enough to not take anything traceable with him. If he truly was running away than the kid knew how. He could only hope that he was wrong.
“Miss Parker, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to step in now but has Peter been acting out of character lately?”
Peter wasn’t running.
No, he was just walking in a fast pace in the opposite direction of problems while panicking.
What if the bad guy reports him to the police for attempted murder?
Or worse, what if the man was hurt badly and Peter didn’t see it?
Or even worse, what if his family finds out.
Or even more worse, what if that man is dead? His death would be on Spider-Man’s hands.
Dozens of questions ran through his big brain, all of them unanswered and left for him to linger on. Nothing made sense to him anymore. Than again, when did anything make sense to him in the past two months.
With no answers he took desperate measures to ensure his loved ones safety until he knew what was happening to him. He didn’t return home, only stopping by to pick up some clothes, and ran. Instead he grabbed his bag he left hanging in an alleyway and ran. He had made it to Brooklyn so far and was planning to go further when he passed out on a rooftop.
Peter had quickly changed out of his suit, placing on his normal street clothes, slipping into a hoodie and jeans.
Though Peter knew he didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to run. Quite frankly it was a heavy load he was carrying alone and he was tired. However he couldn’t risk hurting anybody else. He couldn’t be responsible for that. Not again.
The teen always knew something was deeply wrong with him from the moment the battle at the compound happened. Walking away from it felt strange. Like it had changed. His body felt like the after effects of the spider bite again. The newfound strength, the heightened senses, the awareness of the world around him. However his senses didn’t pick up subtle smells or details, it went farther. Like he saw things beyond human capabilities. Almost as if he could see things of universal properties.
The kid knew it was crazy but so far crazy was all he had.
Peter saw the news while trying to buy a train ticket to god knows where. He got a few stares then decided to leave finding it far too risky to leave now his face was plastered on tv. Pushing past dozens of people, hoping none of them truly recognized them. His heart heavy, he decided to continue his journey on foot missing the strange looks one of older male occupants at the bus station gave him.
Tony Stark rewatched countless hours of old security footage he’d stored under the Baby Monitor Protocol. Inside was dozens of hours worth of lab footage of Tony and Peter hanging out together. He rewatched all of it for what felt the thousand time, unmoving.
After scouring the city for hours with no sign his friend Rhodey forced him to take a break after agreeing to search while he rest. However he couldn’t rest. Not with the kid out there all alone. He couldn’t rest until he had him safe in his Aunt’s arms.
‘...has Peter been acting out of character lately?’ Stranges voice rang through his ears, haunting him was May’s answer.
“Y-Yes but I just thought he was depressed like when B-Ben died,” May told the sourcer. “He’s just been so off lately. Like something was bothering him. Anytime I’d talk about anything in 2023 he’d get so upset. I-I tried to help him to see a therapist and it worked a little bit! H-He was getting better!” May sobbed at the thought of her nephew. His big brown eyes looking so dead after he returned to her. “S-Sometimes I’d hear him talking in his sleep and he has horrible night terrors but never tells me about them. T-Though one time he dreamed about B-Ben. I-I could hear him calling him out,” May reminisced about seeing the boy laying in bed all sweaty and calling out to his Uncle desperately, “h-he hasn’t had an Uncle Ben dream in months.” Tony felt guilty listening, thinking he should’ve been here. Wondering why the boy didn’t reach out. He had failed to help Peter again. Strange on the other hand took the information, his face never evading to what he was thinking.
He watched the footage in front of him intensely. Only now noticing little details towards Peter’s mood until now. Noting everytime his kid would look off with a heavy look in his eye or tense up at something he says like it was acid that burned him. Then he watched older lab footage from before the original snap where Peter was much more animated and always acted like a kid at Disneyland. The kid’s chatter about Star Wars or some other pop culture always making him joyous despite Tony looking like he wanted to jump out the window in the footage. He compared the teens upbeat voice to the heavy distant one he had now. It filled him with guilt, pain, and mourning. He missed the younger happier Peter because he wasn’t going through all this pain. He was actually happy. Now the kid looked like a mess. Far much more thin, eyes cheeks sunken, tired bags underneath, paler skin.
Why didn’t he do something?
Tony wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew the kid was pushing him away. That was obvious when the kid refused to visit him the whole month, always giving him excuses. Though he didn’t know why. At first he was hurt, but thought it best to bad away. He let the kid have some space like Pepper suggested. Now in hindsight that was the worst idea ever.
How could he let it get so bad?
Why didn’t he hold Peter close? Why did he let the kid push himself away? Why didn’t he hold him tightly and tell him about how much he loved and cared for him? This was his fault. Tony had brought the kid into the Avenger mess. He took the kid to Titan. He watched the kid disappear in his arms, and told him he was alright. He watched the kid practically bring him back to life with the stones. All of it was because of him.
It felt like he lost him again.
Tony briefly wondered if that’s why he left. He couldn’t protect the kid from this world and now Peter felt like he had to go through all this pain in the world. Was it because he didn’t show him enough love? Or was it because the kid saw him like how he saw Howard? With bitter resentment and hatred? Worry trickled down his spine at the thought.
The sound of his phone going off caught his attention. In annoyance he hung up the phone beside him, ignoring the number on it.
Tony shook his head, drinking a glass of cranberry juice before continuing on to the next video numbly.
Peter sat on a bus bench, using it as his temporary resting place. His eyes were finally felt heavy, and his body was a pile of bricks. His legs begged for him to rest, his eyes wishing for at least twenty minutes of darkness. His mind wandered to his Aunt. He hoped she would be okay without him. He knew after Ben she was afraid to be alone. The thought of losing another would always send her into a panic. Peter would do anything to take away that pain from her. She deserved better than that. However returning wasn’t an option, not yet at least. He had to find out what was happening to him first. He couldn’t take the risk of putting his Aunt in danger.
Peter’s eyelids slowly began to fall, the weight finally pulling him down. He lost track of how long his eyes stayed like that because next thing he knows he wakes up to his senses telling him somebody was near him. His eyes peeled opened to see the sun was rising. He groaned, his head moving to look next to him to see a small kid sitting on the bench next to him.
Peter blinked, unsure if he was still dreaming. A small little brown boy sat next to him, his body bundled head to toe to warm clothing to fight the cool weather, in his small hands a bus ticket. Awkwardly the teen sat up, finding it uncomfortable to be around a small child. He was socially awkward around kids his own age, let alone little kids. Peter rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the exhaustion he felt.
“You snore a lot.”
Peter jumped at the small voice that spoke up, caught off guard. He mentally cursed, trying to think of what to say.
“My daddy does that a lot too.”
“T-Thanks?” Peter laughed nervously, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. The boy looked at Peter, oblivious to the teens nervousness, and said, “so what’s your story?”
“E-Excuse me?”
“Why are you sleeping on the bench?” The boy shifted his body to face the older teen. Peter raised a brow, surprised by the words coming out the kids mouth.
“Cause I’m an adult.”
“Nuh uh. You’re a kid just like me!”
“Not true. I’m much taller,” Peter pointed out. “So? Doesn’t mean you’re a grown yet.” The teen opened his mouth to reply but he shut it slowly when he didn’t come up with anything to fire back.
“Where are you going?” Peter asked, eyeing the ticket in the kid’s little hand, desperate to change the topic. The kid shrugged, “My Uncle’s home.”
“All by yourself?”
“I’m six and a half,” The boy argued, as if his age would excuse him being out so early with a bus ticket. “Does your mother and father know?”
“No,” The boy muttered, “my daddy thinks my uncle is a bad man but I think he’s cool.”
“Uncles are cool,” Peter agreed, briefly remembered his deceased Uncle Ben. All the times the two of them hung out together despite their differences. He was the closest thing he had as a father growing up. They’d go to ball games, despite his hatred for sports, and go to expos together. He was the definition of an cool uncle despite what his younger self thought.
“Do your parents think your uncle is bad man too?” The boy asked, his voice small.
“U-Uh no. My parents left me when I was little. My uncle actually raised me before he left too..” Peter felt tense at the mention of his deceased family. All the Parker’s were deceased, leaving little him to carry on the family name. Such a great job he’s done. Nearly killed a man, died, and is a terrible friend. Not that he has any to be terrible to anymore.
“So who takes care of you if you don’t have a mommy and daddy?”
“My Aunt,” Peter smiled, “a-and my mentor...though I’m pretty sure he’s moved on. He got a family of his own and doesn’t have time to care for some kid from Queens.”
“Is that why you’re running away?”
“H-How did you know that?” Peter looked at the kid wide eyed like a deer caught in headlights. The kid look in his eyes with big brown innocent eyes. “You have the same look like my uncle when he goes away for a while. He does it a lot. Especially after I went away.”
“Went away?”
“Ya know, turn to dust?”
Peter fell silent. He couldn’t help but feel pity for this kids uncle. Having your family turn to turn to dust, despite not being very close, was a horrible experience for anybody. His Aunt had barely made it through losing him, only living with the hope that Stark would bring him back.
Worst part of it all, an innocent boy was caught in the crossfire as collateral. It left him feeling sick. There was so much evil in this world that there was gonna be a lot more of this kid in the world. Each and everyone of them paying a price they didn’t deserve. No matter how hard the Avengers fought, they would never save them. As long as there’s evil in the world, nobody would be safe.
“I turned to dust too,” Peter lamented, “I’m sorry that you had to too.”
“It’s okay. I’m just happy the Avengers brought us back. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I never got to eat my mama’s pasteles again!” Peter chuckled. The bus pulled up, signaling it was time to go their separate ways. The kid pushed himself off the bench, turning to Peter for a second as people climbed off the bus.
“Your Auntie and mentor must miss you very much even if you snore a lot. They’re probably looking for you right now and when they find you they’ll give you a big hug like my mommy does when I get home from school!”
“Thanks…” Suddenly he had a pair of small arms wrap around him, squeezing him tightly. The teen was not prepared for the hug, looking down at the kid wide eyed. When the little boy pulled back he explained his actions by saying, “you looked like you needed a hug. Mommy says they always make people feel better.”
The teen watched the kid board the bus, handing the driver his ticket and taking a window seat. He could see the kid waving him goodbye as the bus pulled out and left. He hadn’t realized how much he was smiling until his cheeks began to hurt.
“Can’t your track him?! You’re the wizard with magical powers aren’t you?!” Tony exclaimed, his patiences thrown over the edge as frustration poured through him. He vented on the wizard, annoyed the man had done little to nothing to help.
“If I could, I wouldn’t have gone asking you where the boy was!” Strange snapped, frustrated at the billionaire. “Something is blocking him from me. Not even the best sorcerer in this universe can track him!”
“Oh great, now I’ve got a missing kid and a useless wizard to deal with! This is just perfect!”
Strange turned around, his expression dangerous, his face nearly touching the other human. “This would never have happened if YOU had actually told the kid the truth! Your selfish need to protect everyone is what got us in this mess in the first place!” If it weren’t for the immediate need to find Peter, Tony might of actually put on the suit and gone a few rounds for doctor douchebag. Whether he liked to admit it or not, he needed Strange. He was the only one who had experience with this kind of stuff. What if Peter was slipping? What if he found out and ran away? Tony needed a plan that ensure the safety of the kid and the planet. He needed to keep himself composed till then.
But his words stung.
Not telling Peter about the stones was his idea. As far as the kid was concerned, those stones turned to dust along with the Thanos squad. He convinced himself that it was for the best. That maybe the stone didn’t actually do anything to his beloved intern and he could continue living normally. However from the moment the kid told him he was fine after Nat’s funeral he knew something was wrong with the kid.
Tony could only pray the kid was okay.
Peter dodged walked through the city life with his head down. His body was tired from the lack of rest, and his limbs threatening to go out. His stomach growled for some grub, throwing sharp knives at his gut demanding food. His eyes stayed glued to the ground below, counting the steps mentally to keep his head moving.
The outside world was foreign to him. Not leaving his home for months, afraid to accept his new reality, Peter couldn’t move on. His mind still stuck 2018. He kept chasing the ghost of what the world once was. It was probably why he had such difficulty navigating himself through the new city. Most of his time period Queens was gone, replaced by the future. It was like a stab in the gut.
“Your Auntie and mentor must miss you very much even if you snore a lot. They’re probably looking for you right now and when they find you they’ll give you a big hug like my mommy does when I get home from school!”
The kids innocent words resonated in his heart leaving him second guessing everything. Though he was struggling to cope and understand himself, he missed his Aunt. She’s a strong woman, more than Peter ever have her credit for. His heart longed for his family. Maybe he should just talk things out with Mister Stark. Maybe he could help explain. Or maybe help him find out what was happening to him and help make sure people are safe around him. Or just maybe, they’ll both finally talk their problems out. He was tired of ignoring his mentor. He couldn’t stay upset any longer. He was too afraid to care anymore. He just wanted his mentor to hug him and tell him it was okay. Like a father would tell his child he thought before shaking it out of his head.
His Aunt deserved better than this. So much better and so does Mister Stark.
For a moment he was thinking clearly.
Running away wasn’t helping him learn anything. He was alone, cold, hungry, and dehydrated. He needed help and he wasn’t getting that by running away.
The teen stopped in his tracks, staring down the sidewalk recognizing it instantly. If he turned down the alleyway next to him, Peter would be on route home and would end this whole thing. However if he kept going forward, he’d still be running away. He hesitated before his heart made the choice for him.
He dipped down the shady alleyway.
The time for running was over. It was time he grew up and faced his problems for the sake of his sanity. He need Mister Stark to help him find out was going on. He needed his Aunt support. He needed to go home.
Suddenly Peter nearly tripped over his feet when he felt a familiar unbearable buzzing in his skull. It was sudden and sharp, throwing the teen off. He could barely react before he’s grabbed from behind. He gasps has his body collides to the stone cold brick wall, feeling somebody press up from behind.
“Little past your bedtime isn’t it,” the person behind tells him, his breath reeking of cheap alcohol and old cigarettes.
Peter squirmed under the grip, trying to break free from the grip the man held him in.
“I’ve had my eyes on you for a bit. Got to say, not as impressive as I was told you were.” He heard a click and suddenly he couldn’t move his arms. They were being held back by some sort of cuffs. He couldn’t really see them. However as soon as the metal hit his skin, he was hit with a wave of fatigue hit him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He felt a strange tingly feeling shoot through his body, like his atoms were buzzing.
“No-“ He tried to cry out but a sweaty hand covered his mouth, muting him. His other hand grasping onto his arm dangerously tight. The scents, the sudden danger, the need to break free hit him like truck speeding down the highway. All of it overwhelming him. His breathing felt unnatural as his limbs turned to jelly. To his horror, his mind couldn’t wrap itself around what was happening.
Though by the sound of the man’s voice it should’ve been obvious.
“You know, after all that hard work I put in following you, I might have some fun now,” The man whispered into his ear making him whimper. Peter could hear the man’s zipper and feared what was to come next.
No no no no.
Peter tried to struggle, squirming under the man’s grip. He managed to get a kick in before he heard the man grunt. The teen was spun around, forcing him to look at the older man, his attacker. He tried to raise his arms to fight only to come to the reminder he was cuffed. The first hit from the man felt like comet collided into his face. It was unlike anything he felt before during patrol. This was more like pre spider when getting hurt actually really hurt. Back when even the slightest hit would leave his head spinning for days.
Unfortunately the hits kept coming until he was subdued onto the ground battered.
“Ain’t so tough now huh?”
He wanted to keep fighting, kick, punch, bite but it never happened. Instead his body started shutting down turning him into a limp doll, forcing him to accept his fate as an attempt to protect after realizing there was no escape.
Why wasn’t he fighting? Why won’t his body move? Why won’t he do something?!
Peter imagined hearing his mentors repulsors like he did as a child. Stark swinging down to blast the big bad robot away to save him. The real life hero next to him, standing in the light of glory. Tony’s soothing blue light of the suit arc reactor telling him he was safe. The suit opening revealing the billionaire to come save the day. He just imagined it as he was held helplessly against his will.
“Scream and I’ll show you what a real bad guy looks like.”
Peter’s mind went blank, turning into a white wall. Though he felt the man’s creepy hands move to places they shouldn’t be his mind reminded blank.
Help...please.
Peter’s could only pray. His mind muttering multiple pleas as he drifted away from his body. His mind off drifting through some water bank, eyes staring upwards at the dark foggy sky above. The clouds painted a gloomy purple with a magenta sun, its water reflecting the colors making it dark. He felt something nearby, watching him intently. His eyes turned to see a figure standing a fre steps away, floating over the water underneath.
Help me. He begged mentally, unable to move his mouth.
“Oh shit-“
Peter heard the man scream though the teen couldn’t see why. His mind was still stuck in the water. He heard the man collapse beside him, his body falling with a loud thud. Then there was deafening silence. His body remained still, waiting for the next hit or whatever treacherous thing came next but it never did. There was a click, his arms were set free to fall. The tingling suddenly faded, completely disappearing from his body leaving him feeling physically normal again. His gaze wandered from the dark sky’s above to the cuffs themselves. They looked odd. Unlike the standard cop handcuffs, these were bulkier and looked heavier. Like giant metal collars for his wrists.
Peter didn’t look at them for long, his eyes moving to the sky above. His body didn’t make a move. He just laid there broken, his body aching as a harsh sob escaped his lips. The sky no longer purple but a dark blue with white specks all around. He no longer was stuck in the water but back in reality. He bit his lip, fearful of letting all his emotion go. The hero didn’t look away from the sky until he heard somebody say,
“It’s alright my gem, you are safe now.”
A figure floated in front of him, its face covered by a dark cloak and surrounded by dark smoke. The cloak itself was dirty and ripped. It was clearly old judging how battered it looks. However none of that mattered. Peter’s broken eyes fell onto the man who a few moments ago held him against his will and nearly…He was now laying dead beside him. No visible wounds were present telling him how he died. Though deep down he knew his soul suffered deeply as he passed.
He was suddenly hyper aware of how dirty he felt. Despite not having a speck of dirt on him, he felt like a trash dump. He felt exposed, like he was standing naked for the whole world to see him. He just wanted to scrub his skin until all the dirt was gone.
“You killed him,” Peter stated, his voice monotone, inattentive to the floating figure being in the real world now.
“Yes I did.” No remorse or regret in the figures voice. It was flat, not a single care about the deceased in his voice.
Peter’s fists clenched, his body feeling dirtier than it’s ever felt before. Not even being covered in actual filth could even begin to replicate how he felt now. He wished the world would just stop. For once not spin and just rest for a second. However the world didn’t stop for him. It kept spinning with every breath he took, the clock still ticking.
The teen stared at the deceased man for a while before his attention fell onto the floating figure reminding him that he wasn’t alone.
“Why’d you do that?” No, who are you? No what’s your deal? No superhero talk. Just a small kid asking why this figure had saved him. “ It’s my job to protect you from all harm my gem. Tis’ my duty to serve you till the end. ”
Peter wanted to ask what the figure ment but he couldn’t find the strength. His mind wandered back to the dead body, feeling all the pain within him swirl, choking him till his face went blue.
“I’m sorry,” He whispered to nobody specific.
The figure was gone by the time he looked at him again. Left to be thought of only a figment of his imagination.
Peter body felt like it was on auto drive as he ran through the streets of New York searching for a payphone.
Peter’s body suddenly collided into somebody, knocking the body out of the way and onto the ground.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!”
Peter didn’t respond, he just stumbled away like a druggie in need of a fix. Wearing new clothes he changed into unable to bare wearing his other clothing anymore. He made it to a payphone, scrabbling for the quarters he kept in his bag. With shaky hands he looked at the quarters, trying his best to ignore the numb feeling his body gave him.
Peter rolled in the quarters, he glanced at the number pad ready to type his mentors number his body came to a screeching halt. He craved his mentors voice, desperately needing somebody to hold him. He was scared and confused, feeling like a child once again as the rain suddenly began to pour over him. His breaths were heavy as his finger shook over the first digit. After a moment of hesitation, he punched in the numbers quickly. He awaited by the ringing phone, his beating heart racing as dozens of thoughts plagued him.
How could he explain that he almost…
Would he blame him?
He was suppose to be a superhero, how could he let this happen?
This was all his fault.
Peter’s body shook, his mouth latched onto his fingers in his fist, biting down deeply, trying to get himself to feel anything. By the time he tasted blood, someone picked up the phone.
“M-Mister Stark?” Peter’s voice was small and sounded like a frightened child calling out to their parents. He sounded desperate to hear his mentors voice once again.
“ Hello? ” The sound of a little girl's voice made his blood run cold. It wasn’t Mister Stark but his four year old daughter who answered. “ Who’s this? ”
Peter couldn’t speak, feeling a wave of emotions flood him.
“ Morgan, what are you doing of you dad’s phone? ” Happy’s voice came through from the background. Peter knew calling was a bad idea. Stark didn’t care about him. He didn’t need him. “Daddy’s phone was ringing!” Peter could hear the older man take the phone, picking it away from the young Stark’s hand.
Hang up, hang up, hang u-
“ Who is this? ”
Peter couldn’t form words, his shaky breathing growing heavier and uneven. His sight grew foggy as a small sob escaped him. His fingers wouldn’t unclutch the phone. They stayed locked on, his arms refusing to hang up.
“If this is some kind of joke-” Peter took a shaky breath. He felt so small compared to Happy’s annoyed voice. He couldn’t help but shrink under the loud voice.
“ H-Happy ?”
“Big brother!” He heard Morgan exclaim.
Peter couldn’t help but feel happy to hear their voices. It made him feel better to have a familiar voice to listen to.
“Jesus christ, Peter?” Happy asked.
“Happy,” He replied, unable to say anything else in the moment. His voice even more broken than before. “Oh shit! Are you alright? Are you hurt?” The kid could tell the man was moving around quickly by the sounds of shuffling coming from the other line.
“ I-I’m sorry Happy. ”
“What the heck happened to you? You just disappeared! You nearly gave everyone a heart attack! Stark nearly had a stroke when he heard about your little Houdini trick!”
“I’m sorry...I wasn’t thinking straight. I-I was scared,” Peter confessed, his eyes watering. “S-Something’s happening to me and I-I don’t know what to do.” He didn’t mention the assault, finding it too difficult to say the words.
“ Kid tell me where you are? I’ll pick you up and I’ll bring you to Tony. Then you can talk to him about whatever is bugging you. Just tell me where you are.”
“I’m-”
“Don’t tell him.”
Peter froze, hesitating to speak. The voice was firm, like it meant business. This wasn’t just his hallucinations or dreams anymore. He was hearing things in real time.
“We can't trust him.”
“ Peter?”
“I can’t tell you.” Peter couldn’t control the words that were coming out of his mouth. His voice was abrupt, like he had to force the words out. It pained him to say it but he couldn’t say anything. Something was telling him to hang up but his body remained still.
“ Kid listen to me-“
“I-I’m sorry Happy. I’ve got to go.”
“ Wait, Peter don’t hang up-“
Peter’s arm broke free from whatever paralyzed state it was in, hanging the phone up quickly on the receiver. If he had stayed on the line a second longer, he might of actually told the older man his location.
Peter kicked the payphone leaving a forever dent on the chunk of metal underneath it. Outburst of angers weren’t usually his thing but everything felt so crazy. His whole life kept falling into pieces and now he didn’t know who could trust.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps caught his ear, each step coming from behind getting closer.
‘Not again,’ Peter thought. His mind spinning as the footsteps grew closer. He awaited his senses to go off warning him, too frightened to make a move. He awaited the pain to hit him again but it never came.
“Rough night, Spider-Man?”