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Harry’s helped to his feet by a few shield agent’s who’s already safely on the beach. Far away from the smoking and burning helicarrier. His head is fuzzy, every step shaky and weak. He can feel a deep ache behind his eyes, as the sun makes it into the deepest darkness in the very back of his eyes. His dad, Venom, that attack, it was all a fuzzy blur, without a beginning and without an end. At least, mostly without an end.
He can still feel the electricity run through his body. He can still feel Peter’s arms tighten around his body, as he pulled him through the water, towards safety.
He remembers trying to hold onto Peter, intently begging him to go with him. His eyes filled with horror and panic, but it didn’t work. Harry wasn’t surprised that Peter shook his head, eyes saddening behind the red mask, and swam out. Searching for other survivors. Other agents. Other heroes who might, or might not be able to get out on their own. The doors closing in front of him, the water draining form the emergency capsule, before he was shot out.
It doesn’t surprise him, because he knows spider-man, he knows Peter Parker. He knows that their one and the same. And that no matter which mask he wares that day, he can’t leave anyone behind if he’s gotten a chance to save them. He learned that back with Ben…
He remembers, so deeply that night as he held Peter tight as he sobbed. Unable to form a real sentence, unable to tell him what had happened.
He remembered how the pain and grief in Peter’s eyes had turned into determination, guilty and passion. And while, he hadn’t always known why that was, he respected it.
There was a jealousy for a while, as Ava, Danny, Sam, and Alexander had show up. As Peter had lied straight to his face. As they had slipped apart, in a way Harry would have never imagined. Now, so many months later, he understood all that.
So after a few steps, being guided through the heavy sand, Harry stopped. Turned around, pulling himself lose, and ran back towards the ocean, watching as more capsules came up onto the beach. Leaving wide trails in the send behind them, praying that Peter would walk out of one of them. That Peter was going to walk out, smiling, the mask in his hands, hair wet and sticking to his face.
The heroes, White tiger, Power man, Iron fist, and Nova, helps Nick Fury, director of shield out. Humping on his one leg, as he with a little help get’s a good look over the helicarrier. A scientist, Dr. Conner’s if Harry remembers correctly holds his arm tightly to his body as he too is helped out, and while Harry isn’t a doctor or half as smart as Peter, he knows that injury is really bad. He watches as more and more shield agents make it out, their boots and shoes leaving imprints in the wet sand. But Spider-man never shows up. Peter never shows up.
“We’re spidey” one of the heroes, Power man asks Fury. Harry watches from a distance, slowly making his way closer, as Dr. Connor’s makes a reply, Fury looking lost, dead to the world around him. Eyes so distant. A silent tear running down his cheek.
And Harry can’t breathe, as he hears those words. “He’s down there, saving everyone”.
Harry pushes past them, running, using the little power he has in his body. Getting out into the water, his pants getting soaked to right below the knee. Wet to the skin in the matter of seconds.
He’ll never get out there in time to make a different, but Harry isn’t in a good state of mind. His dad is a super villain, his friend is saving everybody but himself, and Harry just wants to hug them both close as the world falls apart around him. Well aware that things will never go back to the way they were. Knowing that this… this is the end of life as he knows it.
“Kid I don’t know what you’re trying to do” a soft hand holds him back, prevents him from running future out into the water, “but whatever it is, it won’t work. You can’t do anything. You need help, Mr. Osborn”. Harry looks back, to see the dark-skinned man behind him. The patch over his eye.
“No, no. You don’t… you don’t get it, he’s out there, we need to help him. He’s… he’s my best friend…” Harry’s voice is barely above a whisper because he knows, he can’t do anything. Nick Fury just plants it deep in his heart. “I can’t let him die… out there… alone”. Fury seems to think about it, but only for a few, pressions moments before he pulls his com link out and presses it into Harry’s ear. So, Harry tries to steady his breathing, sound a little more confident. His friend doesn’t need to know about the pain he’s going through and, he speaks. “Spidey? I… you need to come back. I can’t lose you, I… me, me and Mary Jana, we can’t lose you now. Not yet. Please come back. For once in your life, don’t play the hero. Ben would have been proud, but he wouldn’t want you to waste you life like this. I… please, Pete”.
But it’s too late. The words barely leave Harry’s mouth before he hears it, the explosion. The smoak rises to the sky, the helicarrier sinks into the dark ocean, and Peter never replies.
The light is blinding. The sound is deafening.
Distantly Harry can hear people call for help, he can hear people who starts crying and screaming. People who pray and people who just, says nothing.
Harry feels his knees grow weak, his body falling forward, barely caught by the arm. Fury’s strong hands holding his body up in the water. Tears prickling behind his eyes. And Harry screams, with his lungs full force. “Peter!”.
***
“Harry what’s the deal?” Peter asks as he’s being pulled towards the boy’s bathroom. Harry watching under each stall to make sure nobody can hear what’s about to be said.
Harry’s smirk gives nothing away, but he seems happy in a way Peter rarely sees. “Oh nothing” he brushes off, “Just the biggest secret you’ll ever hear in you life. You know about that new hero, right?”. And yes, Peter does. The new venom, the black spidey, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s called. But Peter nods and sighs as Harry goes on. “The guy in the cool black outfit” Harry points to his watch with a smile, before pressing the one of the side buttons.
The black symbiote crawls over, Harry’s skin, covering every inch of his body. And Peter has to fight himself, not to take a step back in fear, and in panic. Has to fight every instinct in his body, not to pull the web shooters out of his backpack and glue Harry tightly to the side of the bathroom.
“That’s right. I’m the man!” Harry says, his voice muffled by the symbiote. And Peter begs him to take it off, because he can take it off, right? Please, somebody tells him he can take it off. “Watch this”, and the suit crawls back into place. Out of sight, but definitely, not out of mind. “How cool was that?” Harry chuckles, “You’re freaked out. I freaked you out? Look” Harry seems to falter, “I get it, but I wanted you to be the first to know Pete. I’m gonna be the king of the world here! I mean, imagine how proud my dad’s gonna be”.
“What do you think you’re doing Harry? We both know what happened last time, isn’t that the thing that tore up your house? Come on, that’s venom you’ve got in your watch” Peter can’t help but argue, he knows what venom can do. He’s been stuck inside the black suit before, himself. Unable to do anything but watch passively as his friends fought against him. Well… team, not friends. Team. Just his team.
Harry smiles in the mirror, “Well, it’s just a small piece of it. I found it, and I totally got it trained” break, “But come on, this is the best thing that ever happened. I am the new and improved spider-man and everybody loves me!”.
“I really don’t think you are” Peter says quietly, “And being a superhero isn’t so easy”.
“How would you know?” Harry’s eyes grow dark.
***
“Oh no… it was… I couldn’t control it. I thought I could, but… I almost lost myself. Didn’t it?” Harry voice breaks apart, and Peter isn’t sure how to help his friend.
“You where you sick, that’s all” Peter reassures, that best he can. But is it good enough? “Trust me, I know what it’s like” he points to himself. He hopes, Harry might understand. But how would he. He doesn’t know Peter’s secret; he doesn’t know the person behind the spider-man suit. The red and blue spandex.
“I guess I owe you. Big time” Harry response, before reaching out his hand in introduction “I’m Harry Osborn, by the way” he smiles carefully.
Peter squeezes his hand tight, “Listen… I probably should have told you this before…” Peter knows it’s a bad idea telling Harry his secret. He knows it won’t lead to anything good. But, he hopes he’s wrong, as he let’s go of Harry’s hand let’s his fingers dig into the red spandex. Pulling off the sweaty, stinky mask. Before letting his hand’s drop to his side, looking down into the concrete of the rooftop. Down into his feet. “I’m sorry”.
“Peter! But… that is so cool” Harry’s eyes widen, but he smiles. Folding his arms tightly around Peter, “My best friend’s spider-man” he whispers into Peter’s ear, “But, how is that even possible. Why didn’t you tell me?”.
“I… I didn’t want to risk anybody else’s life. I couldn’t put anyone else through that. Not after Ben” Peter can feel his voice go small as Harry doesn’t let go, “I told you, being a superhero isn’t always easy. And you have no idea, how many times I’ve wanted to tell you”.
***
Standing over Peter Parker’s grave, two weeks later, Harry get’s to his knees. He let’s the flowers rest against the cold, gray stone. A picture of himself, Peter and MJ leaning against the stone already, carefully placed in the wooden frame. As Harry smiles.
“I got this Peter” he tells him, “I won’t let spider-man be forgotten”. He tightens his grasp around the spandex mask, before pulling it over his head. Rest of the suit already resting upon his shoulders. “I’ve got this” he repeats, “I’m doing this for you. You taught me, how to be a hero. How to be strong. How to be the best version of myself” he shakes his head, “I’m doing this for Ben. Like you did before me”.
Because Harry get’s the words Peter always said now.
With great power, comes great responsibility.