Work Text:
Catch Me
"...so kid, what do you think?" Noir asked, looking down at the child.
Both Spider-Man Noir and Peni Parker were in the detective's universe investigating a robbery, glass on the floor as Peni looked at the footprints visible to the ground with a magnifying glass. Her SP//DR was still in the works, so she cannot use the large robot for the time being. But she did have a few weapons on her own to defend herself with. Plus, she would not stop giving Noir the puppy eyes when he said he was going into seeing a bank robbery in his universe.
He tried to resist, but the kid was smart and kept using her 'puppy eyes' until he gave in.
So here they were, in the detective's monochromatic universe, gentle rain pouring down. Luckily, he had a smaller coat to cover Peni from the rain, and to not raise any suspensions from other people that she was not from this universe.
"...well, there was definitely a struggle by the looks of the glass shards." She said, then tapped on her watch and a strange light came from the watch. She taps on the watch before nodding in satisfaction. "We are looking for a guy that is 6'1, short black hair and a tattoo on the top of his right hand. There is also a scar on his left eye. We got our guy." She smiled with satisfaction, then giggled when she felt Noir's hand on the top of her head, ruffling her hair softly.
"Good job, kid. Let's go find our culprit." He said before scanning around the area. He then noticed a man tucking his hands in jacket, a bandage around his wrist. Noir looks down to notice a spot of blood on the ground. "...and I think we found him." He said, about to get his gun out, but then remembered that Peni was here. He didn't want her to witness a violent death. So guess it's beating a man senseless instead.
They both start to track down the man until they saw him go to an alley way. "...got my back, kid?" He said softly, Peni nodding as she held what appears to be a taser gun, but only more advance. "If he slips pass you, I got you covered. Don't worry, it'll stun him for a good few hours." She said, noticing how he was just looking at her. He seemed satisfied with her answer and went to the man. The stranger saw Noir and stilled before getting out a gun. Luckily, the detective saw this coming and shot web at his wrist, pinning the armed hand to the wall. "Look, pal. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way, police will be alerted."
The man grunts as he tries to throw a knife, which he was able to web when it flew past him, nearly hitting Peni as she backed up. He threw the knife to the side and webbed the man to the wall. Nodding in satisfaction, he turned to Peni.
"You okay, kid?" Noir asked.
Peni nods, but was smiling. He was about to ask something else when his spider senses went off; warning him.
LOOK OUT!
Noir dodge to the side, grabbing Peni as something large crashed through the bricked wall from behind. He can hear flaps of mechanical wings, making him tense up. He knew exactly who the villain was.
"Well, well, if it isn't Spider-Man? I guess you're back for more, huh?" A scratchy voice said. He turned to see Vulture, hovering above them. He had his wings back, the mechanical wings brighter than usual as a scar was across his mask and cheek. Noir had his eyes narrowed, holding Peni more protectively as his hand reaches out for his gun slowly. Peni was staring at Vulture, not liking this version of the villain. There was 'Extreme danger' written all over him, making her cling to his coat more.
Vulture seemed to noticed Peni and smirked, perching on top of a light post, the mechanical wings clacking together as they fold. "Is that your child? Such a shame that's she's all the way out here...about to witness another death in New York." He said, his grin showing his sharp teeth. This made Peni clings to Noir even more, the detective doing the same as he had one arm wrapped around the small girl.
"Peni....when I give the word....I need you to run as fast as you can....hide in a spot and I will find you."
"Noir, I can't--"
"Kid, this Vulture is not like the ones you faced. He's more deadlier. Please, I am asking you to do this." Noir said, still having one hand on his gun. She looks at Noir, then at the Villain before she clenched to his coat again and nods. Noir kept his eyes narrowed at Vulture, noticing how the mechanical wings starts to unfolding slowly. He needs to time this right so the kid can get away from the villain. She was young. She does not need to witness this.
He pulled his gun out in a flash, letting out a few rounds as Vulture flies away. "Go, NOW!
Peni starts to run as she can hear the two battling. She was determined to get away from the fight, hearing gun fires going off and mechanical wings colliding against things. She ran as fast as her tiny legs could take her before she collapsed against a dock, hiding behind some boxes as she was gasping for breath. She didn't know if she lost Vulture or not, but she hoped that Noir would be okay.
That's when she can hear footsteps.
She thinks it's Noir, but when she peered over the boxes she was hiding, she stilled when she saw it was Vulture, something dripping on his wings as he lets out a growl. "Damn spider-man. At least I gave the man a slip." Vulture growled before he clenched to his injured arm. Peni covered her mouth with one hand, praying that he does not find him. She can his footsteps before he stopped. Vulture starts to sense something and then lets out a smirk.
"It seems like a little mouse is lost. If you come out, I promise that your death....will be soft." He flexed his metal claws out. Peni was starting to shake in fear. She can bolt for it, but then she would be caught by Vulture. The clacking in the wings seemed to make her on edge more and more, the boxes being pushed aside by Vulture to find the girl. Peni looks around to find anything to help herself, knowing that the taser gun wouldn't be enough.
"Where are you?" Vulture sang, his metal claw hands scraping against each other. He turns to the last stack of boxes before he pushed them out of the way. He saw nothing and growled, making him look around. Peni was silently gasping as she hung onto the lose boarding underneath the dock. If she moves quietly, she can get pass him and go to another spot. "Aww, what's wrong, little mouse? Afraid of the big bad bird? Well....if you show up....then I will let you have your mercy before your death. I don't take kindly to waiting games." He said before tossing the other boxes out of the dock and into the ocean.
"If I can just get to the other side of the dock...." She said, slowly starting to maneuver her way over to the dock--
Something grabs her by the scruff of her shirt. She lets out a scream until a clawed hand covered her mouth to muffle her scream. "Well, well....you're pretty young to hang out with that spider-man, fellow. What's a small thing like you hanging out here? Didn't your daddy tell you it's dangerous to hang out with masked men?" Vulture chuckled, holding her by the back of her shirt as she struggled, trying to kick him.
"L-Let me go!" Peni yelled out, trying to struggle free.
"Huh...you got spunk, kid....but I don't like witnesses on my hands." He said, using his injured arm as his metal clawed hands flexed out. Peni realized she still had her taser gun and pulled out, able to electrocute Vulture as he lets out a scream of pain, managing to drop Peni as he dropped to his knees, gasping, electric cackling on his body from the shock. Peni runs around him to make a run for it, but does not make it far when she was suddenly was no longer on ground.
Vulture growls as he held Peni by the throat. "You will pay for that, you little brat!" He said, clenching his hand around her throat to nearly cut off her breathing. She didn't want to die like this as she kept trying to pry the villain's hand off of her throat. Her vision starts to blur out-
"VULTURE!"
Peni and Vulture look down to see Noir as he had a gun pointing at him. Peni could not see his expression, but she could tell that he was indeed PISSED.
"LET. HER. GO." Noir growled, loading the gun and pointing it at him, the wind picking up as the rain starts to pour down more.
Vulture can only smirk. "You want her? You'll have ta catch me!" He laughed before he flapped his wings. Noir lets out a curse before using his webbings to catch up to Vulture. He had one shot as he saw his vulnerable spot on his mechanical wings. With one swing, he got to a high altitude and shoots from his gun. The bullet lands on the mechanics of the wings.
It starts to smoke as Vulture tries to gain altitude, but saw he was losing it. He then smirked as he looks at Peni. "Hope you can fly!"
He then tosses Peni.
Noir stilled when he saw Peni no longer in Vulture's clutches, seeing her falling. He forgets about the villain and went straight to rescue Peni, trying to get to her the fastest he could go. He could see tears in her eyes, making his chest tighten up more.
With one last fast swing, he managed to grab Peni and lands harshly on a building, taking most of the damage to the fall as he lands on his side, skidding a few feet before stopping. He was gasping for air before looking down at Peni. She was safe, her face buried into his shoulder as she was shaking. Noir holds her tightly to him, one hand on the back of her head as he struggled to get his breathing back. He didn't like how tight her hands were holding onto his coat, making his chest tighten up.
He could also feel something warm and went landing on his sweater. "I got ya...you're okay.....it's okay, I got ya..." Noir whispered, despite still being out of breath. She just sobs silently into his chest, refusing to let go of him.
He was going to say something, then heard another crash from behind them. He pushed Peni out of danger as Vulture tackled him, both of them in combat as Noir blocked the punches from Vulture.
He then blinds Vulture with a webbing, then kicked him in the stomach to get him off. As he skids away from them, Vulture starts to blindly lash out at anything in front of him, trying to get the sticky web off of his eyes. One of the wings made a huge powerful flap that it made both Noir and Peni get pushed back. Noir kept webbing him until he was completely pinned to the ground, about to put a bullet in the villain's skull until he heard a scream.
He turned to see Peni holding onto the ledge, the rain making it hard to grip the side of the building. He looks back at Vulture. "...remember who gave you mercy tonight..." He growled, putting his gun away as Vulture kept struggling to get free, but he knew it was futile, letting out a growl of defeat.
Noir then ran to where Peni was and managed to grab her arm. "I got ya, kid." He helps her pull up before hearing the sirens of the police. He has to get Peni out of there.
He made sure that Peni had a hold of Noir as he picked her up with one arm, her arms immediately wrapped around his neck in a tight grip as he webs away. The rain slowly starts to go away softly, only now drizzling as Noir found a spot for them to land. It was the alleyway of where his apartment was. His body was aching from the fight as he rests against a wall, sliding down until he was sitting down. He took off his hat, letting his head fall back. Now that the danger was over, he could now focus on Peni.
"Peni, are you hurt?" He asked, looking at her. She has not pulled away from him, but he needed to be sure that he was okay.
It took her a moment to get her to pull away. He could see red marks around her neck where the bastard had the hold of the girl. That damn fiend. He tries to be as gentle as he could as he looks at the red marks, feeling Peni wince when he touched one. Tears were still falling down her cheeks, her shoulder shaking as she starts to sob softly. "H-He-He tried to...I-I didn't think that h-h-he....I-I was so scared and--"
Noir hushes her, cupping her cheeks with his hands, one thumb stroking one of her cheeks to brush a tear away. "Shh....it's okay....it's over now." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers, feeling Peni holding onto his wrist. She then wrapped her arms around his neck again, her face buried into the crook of his neck and starts to sob again.
She cried of the fear that just happened.
She cried of the nearly death experience.
She cried of how everything nearly flashed before her eyes from that villain.
And Noir lets her, wrapping his arms tightly around the small girl in return. One hand was placed on the back of her head, the other rubbing her back in soothing circles. He didn't care how long they stood like that, as long as she needs a shoulder to cry on, he was going to let her. He then felt her shift a bit before she just rest her cheek against his chest, her head tucked underneath his chin. "...c-can we go home?" He looks at her and his heart melted almost immediately.
"...I want to go home, Dad...."
His only response was to tighten his grip on Peni. "....alright, sweetheart." He slowly stood up and made his way back to his apartment, slowly opening the door to his home and walked in. He looks down at Peni as he made his way to a small mattress he called a bed, then looks at Peni. "...I need to put you down real quick, okay?" He asked, looking at her. She was hesitant for a moment before she nods, slowly loosening her grip on Noir as he sets her down. Once that was done, he sheds his coat off and placed it around her shoulders.
He then pulls out a first-aid kit, then starts to tend to the markings on her neck. Seeing the markings alone made his blood boil, but took a deep breath and calmed down. Noir tries to be as gentle as he could before wrapping the bandages around her neck. "It'll be a lil' sore, but you'll be fine in no time." He said, then felt a small weight fell against his chest. He looks down to see Peni resting her head against his chest.
"...thank you..."
He smiled a bit through his mask and wrapped one arm around Peni. "You're welcome, sweetie..." He whispered. He rest his cheek against the top of her head, breathing deeply as silence was over them both, the gentle rain pouring outside of the window. Noir opens one eye open before seeing the time, seeing it was almost six in the morning. He didn't think that they would be out this long if Vulture didn't showed up. "...let's get some sleep....we had a long night..."
He helps Peni lay down, letting her use his coat as a small made-shift blanket. Just as he was going to the couch and let her have the bed, she felt a tiny hand clinging to his sleeve. He looks over at Peni and saw her eyes and already knew what she wanted.
He sighs deeply before nodding. "Alright, scoot up, kid." He lets out a groan as he laid down on the mattress, feeling Peni already laying her head on his chest, one hand clinging to the front of his sweater. He wrapped one arm around Peni, using his hat to place it over his eyes so that he could rest a bit.
"...hey, Noir?"
"Hmm?"
"...what if he escapes again?" She asked. She knows that Vulture was more sly than the other villains. He knows how to escape if he wanted to. Her thoughts were cut off when Noir's arm tighten around her. When she looked up, she was surprised to see him without a mask. He look exactly like Peter B., only...he looked a little older, a few scars on his face. And that's when she saw a small smile on his face. "Hey...we're spider-men and spider-women....if he gets out, he'll know we'll be waiting for him. And we'll put his ass in jail again."
Peni looks at him before he shifts again, now wrapping both arms around her and lets out a sigh. Peni glanced at him before she snuggled up to him even more. Before she could let sleep take a hold of her, she could feel a soft kiss on the top of her head.
.......
.......
.......
Peni woke up from a nightmare, Noir reaching her too late in her dreams and remember Vulture's clawed hand pierced her heart, killing her. She nearly screamed as she sat up quickly, her hands around her neck and chest so that she was not in the villain's clutches. She could feel her heart pounding and her head hurting, her breathing irregular as they were fast and quick. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, making her want to jolt at the touch and was about to jolt away.
Arms were wrapped around her, making her struggle against the unknown person. That's when she heard a familiar voice.
"Peni, stop, it's okay. It's me, Noir. We're back in my place, you're safe. It's okay." Her struggle starts to decrease, her breathing starts to slow down as un-shedded tears were in her eyes. Noir rest his cheek on the top of her head, his arms still wrapped around her to keep her calm. "Easy...easy...." He could feel her not struggling anymore, her breathing now at a normal pace. When he looked down at her, he could feel her turning around his arms and hugged him tightly around his chest, sobbing into his sweater.
"...bad dream?" He asked, looking down at her as he rubbed her back gently.
She was hesitant, but she did nodded. She calmed down after a few minutes of crying before she rest her cheek against his chest, the rhythm beating of his heart calming her down. One hand was stroking the top of her head, then there was a kiss on the top of her head. "....wanna try to sleep a little longer?" Noir asked. Peni nods again, then felt Noir leaning back so that she was resting against his chest, almost curled up against him. He still had both arms wrapped around him.
"....sorry..."
"Peni, you have nothing to apologize for." Noir looks down at the child, an exhausted look on his face due to the mission they had. "...everyone has bad dreams. And there's no shame if you talk to someone about it." She looks up at him, her eyes shining up at him like they always do.
She could only nod and snuggled up against Noir, closing her eyes again as she tries to drift off to sleep once more. There seemed to be a lot of things blocking the blinds, probably so that the sunlight would disturb them and their sleep.
Noir was nearly about to fall asleep until he could hear Peni say something, making his heart flutter;
"I love you, dad...."
He cracked one eye open at her before a tired and yet soft smile was on his face, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"....love you too, Peni."