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“Spider-Man’s real name is-“ the screen flickers with static as Peter watches in horror as Mysterio fades in and out of view. “Spider-Man’s real name is Peter Parker!” The crowd below him murmurs with questions as they stare up at the news report in confusion and shock. Peter’s head spins and he nearly loses his footing on top of the building.
“Did Spider-Man kill Mysterio?”
“He wouldn’t do that, right?”
“It seemed pretty real, I bet he really does want to be the next Iron Man.”
“Wait, look! That’s him up there!” He stumbles back as the crowd turns its attention towards him, yelling a mix of questions and insults. Usually his suit would block out extra noise but everything is suddenly too loud. He turns away and leaps off the building, swinging down the block as fast as his webs will allow. Peter barely makes it 6 blocks when the pounding in his head and the overwhelming sense of dread causes him to lose his rhythm, sending him plummeting straight through the roof of an old building. He falls through the top two floors and lands with a sickening thud, but barely registers the pain in his rib cage. He coughs as the clouds of dust swirl around him, and with a loud sob, he curls up beneath a partially rotted wooden table. Peter’s head replays the yelling of the crowd over and over again. He covers his ears and cries harder, shaking as his fingers dig into the sides of his head.
“No no no I wouldn’t kill him he’s lying,” he whimpers between sobs. He can see Aunt May’s horrified face as she watches the broadcast, and MJ’s confusion and fear in his head. “He lied about everything please believe me.” Peter’s close to hyperventilating now as Mysterio’s voice fills his head.
“You could have saved Tony. But you’re just a little kid who couldn’t step up. Tony wouldn’t have let this happen. You’ll never live up to his legacy. You’re nothing but a scared child who got caught up in something way bigger than him,” it sneers. “You’re a disappointment.”
“Get out of my head!” Peter sobs. He flings his hands out, clawing at the floor next to him in an attempt to bring himself back to reality.
“Peter? Peter are you here?” MJ’s voice cuts into his thoughts, but he can’t tell what’s real anymore.
“I swear I didn’t kill him please you have to believe me-“
“Peter oh thank god there you are-“ the feeling of a hand on his shoulder causes him to jolt violently and shoot a web towards the hand’s owner. MJ’s surprised shout is what gets him to finally open his eyes.
“Oh god MJ I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to hit you I thought- I don’t know everything is falling apart and-“ MJ peels the webs off the front of her sweatshirt and pulls herself under the table next to Peter.
“Peter, I need you to look at me,” she says softly. “I’m here, and Ned’s on his way too. He tracked your suit after you ran off. It’s gonna be okay, okay?”
Peter shakes his head and another wave of tears overtakes him.
“But it’s not! Everyone knows I’m Spider-Man and they think I killed Mysterio and they’re gonna hate me and I’m such a disappointment and-“
“Peter. I need you to listen to me.” Her voice is soft, but firm. “We’re gonna get this all worked out. I’d be lying if I said it was going to be easy, but it’s not the end of the world. You have me and Ned and May and Happy and I’m sure Nick Fury will help too.” She gently takes Peter’s hands, which are scraped raw from the rough floorboards, and runs her thumbs over the knuckles. She doesn’t say anything else, but Peter takes an uneven breath and nods.
“Oh thank god Peter I’m so glad you’re here we were so worried!” Peter and MJ look up to see Ned coming up the last few steps. “When you fell you must’ve messed up something in your suit because the signal was all over the place, you’ve been gone for almost an hour and a half,” he says. He sits down next to them and takes his bag off his shoulder. Ned pulls out a pair of noise cancelling headphones and gives them to Peter. “I thought you would need these.” Peter takes them and puts them on with another shaky breath, a few stray tears running down his cheeks.
“Thanks. Both of you, I mean,” he says hoarsely, still holding tight to MJ’s hands. Ned smiles and nods.
“That’s what friends are for.”