Chapter Text
They didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Alive Aunt May, nor did they have time to apologise for ruining her house, all they did was swing and rush. They couldn’t let the cops catch them, and they had to get to Miles.
Was this how Peter Two and Peter Three felt? Peter One wondered, helplessly. He just had this sense that... that he needs his help. Or, well, their help. Something happened to The Prowler, Miles’ Uncle Aaron, and Peter One was pretty sure he knew what had happened.
His mind flashed to Green Goblin, of Peter One saying through clenched teeth, “I want to kill him. I want to tear him apart.” He paused on a rooftop suddenly, and Noir stopped too.
“What’s wrong?” Asked Noir, gaining the Spider’s attentions.
Peter One sighed, “he’s not ready. I’m going to shut it down.”
“What?” Gaped Peter B. in surprise. “Weren’t you the one who was vouching for him?”
“And, I still am. But, realistically Miles’ is now consumed with anger. He’s going to want revenge.” Peter One sighed, rubbing his face. “I have to do this...”
“Or, I can — ” Said Peter B. walking forward, but Peter One raised a hand.
“No... I messed up in my dimension, I lost everything... I don’t want that to happen to you guys,” sighed Peter One, looking over to Noir who frowned.
Gwen also frowned, “B, you know him best. Is there any place he would go?”
Peter B. sighed, and shook his head, “I haven’t a clue. Maybe... home?”
“Or, school,” reasoned Gwen.
“Which is where?” Asked Noir, looking between them.
“Brooklyn,” answered Gwen, “Brooklyn Visions Academy.”
“Oh, that’s a prestigious school,” hummed Peter One, in thought. “Logically, he wouldn’t go home. Remember? He went to his Uncle’s rather than his parents - if he even has any, and if he does, it means he and his parents aren’t getting on right now. And, he wouldn’t go to his Uncle’s either due to what’s just happened. Upsetting memories. Probably too nervous to climb up any tall buildings, hasn’t been around long enough to know how to blend into the shadows, so school.” He nodded, and moved to the ledge. He rolled his shoulders, “maximum effort.” He jumped off, and swung, listening into his Spider Sense.
Peter One grinned hearing Noir whisper, “oh that was so cool.”
“The swinging or...” Trailed off, Porker, confused.
“No, that was some critical thinking, prattled off in less than a minute,” hummed Noir, thoughtful.
“Well, he did say he hung around Jessica Jones,” Peter B. said, following after Peter One.
They arrived at Visions Academy, and paused, seeing a sketchbook fly out of a window, and Peter One caught the book, throwing it back through the window, almost as if it was a boomerang, as they swung over to the window.
Peter B.’s head popped into the window. He climbed into the room, followed by the other Spiders, Peter One staying close to Noir. Peter B. walked up to Miles, and frowned, seeing as he furiously wiped a tear. “Hey, bud. You okay?”
Miles took a deep breath, muscles tight and coiled, holding back tears.
“Sorry...” Apologised Peter One, voice soft. “About Aaron. I’ve got some understanding of what it — ”
“No, no, no...” Whispered Miles, voice tight in rage and sadness. “Please don’t tell me that you know what I’m going through.”
Peter One nodded, face soft, “okay.”
“We’ve all been there.” Peter B. said, pushing forward, placing a hand on Miles’ shoulder. “For me it was my Uncle Ben.”
“For me it was my Uncle Benjamin,” Noir said, placing his hand on Miles’ other shoulder.
“For me it was my father,” Peni said sadly, looking down with teary eyes.
“For me it was my best friend.” Sighed Gwen, eyes sad and frowning.
Peter One frowned and his fists tightened, “for me, it was my Aunt May.” It would always taunt him, and haunt him. That would never leave, nor change.
“Miles,” sniffed Porker, eyes sad and teary, as he sat on a chair, his ears drooping. “The hardest thing about this job is you can’t always save everybody.”
“He’s gone. And it’s all my fault.” Miles said, his voice broken. “He died for nothing. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Miles, we’re probably the only ones who do understand.” Tried Gwen, voice soft and sad.
Peter One watched, and opened his mouth in realisation, maybe he didn’t die for nothing.
But, a jiggling at the door made everyone look over with wide eyes, and Peter One and Peter B. whispered in unison, “oh no...”
It swung open revealing a Korean boy in a blue uniform, who looked ever so slightly sleep deprived and in a beanie, and scarf. He entered with his headphones on, playing music, and crossed over to his desk. Missing the glaringly obvious out of place thing in the room.
The Spider-Team plastered to the wall above the door. Peter One was in the middle, with Miles and Peter B. on either side of him. Noir was on Peter B.’s side, and Porker was behind Noir. On Miles’ side, Peni was sandwiched between him and Gwen.
Oblivious, the boy sat and grabbed his Spider-Ham comic (that’s a comic here?), and started to read, foot up on his desk. He spun in his chair, and slid over to one side of the desk, but with his comic blocking his view.
Peter One furiously whispered, “that way! That way!” And, the clump of Spiders moved to the ceiling, and onto the wall behind the boy.
As Peter One looked over the boy, he realised, he reminds me of Ned. In his own world, a fanboy who never sleeps, smart, black hair, similar body shape.
The boy then crossed back, because he just had to make it more difficult.
Peter B. whispered this time, “other way! Other way!” And, the spider clump shifted back to where it was, Porker lagging behind slightly in a very cartoon like fashion.
He spun in his chair, now facing the Spider-Team, comic book blocking his view, and slowly lowered the comic to see the clump all looking nervous and smiling tightly and awkwardly. But, his eyes landed specifically on Spider-Ham, who grinned.
Miles winced, and smiled, “hey there!”
“Do animals talk in this dimension?” Asked Porker worriedly, yet calmly as they looked at him, “cause I don’t wanna freak him out.”
The boy fainted to the ground, unconscious, the chair toppling back and his headphones falling off.
Peter One blinked, “he seems nice.”
Noir gently hit Peter One’s shoulders, making Peter One laugh slightly.
“So, who’s he?” Asked Porker, jumping down to look at the comic book in awe.
Miles pointed to the boy, “Ganke. My roommate.” He and Peter B. shared a look.
Peter One hummed, “bang name.” He looked at Noir, “did I use that right?”
Noir wiggled a gloved hand, “eh.”
Miles quickly put Ganke into the lower bunk bed, putting a blanket up to his chin, while the other Spider’s left the room, with Noir helping Peni get onto SP//dr. Gwen was in the middle of climbing through the window, only Peter B. and Peter One remaining in the room.
“What’s going on?” Miles asked.
Gwen gave Miles a sad look, “bye Miles.” She jumped out of the window.
Peter B. gently and playfully pushed his knuckles into Miles’ jaw, “see ya around, kid.” He climbed out the window, disappearing.
“Miles, I came to say goodbye,” Peter One sighed, leaning on the opposite desk. This is probably gonna be the hardest thing he’ll have to do.
“We can say goodbye at the collider,” Miles said, not missing a beat.
“You’re not getting it.” Peter One said, tone soft and sad. He stood up, no longer leaning on the desk, “you’re staying here.” I’m so sorry kid...
“I need to be there. So you can all go home.” Miles said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He pushed a book, and picked up the goober from his desk, walking off.
“They are going home, Miles.” Assured Peter One, “I’m the only one staying.” He heard Peter B.’s and Noir’s skip a beat, and could hear their breathing short and ragged.
There was a long pause, before Miles turned and asked, tone confused, shrugging, “you’re taking my place...? If you stay here you’ll die.”
“I’m doing what needs to be done.” Peter One said, his voice a bit harder now. He sounded older, and more worn out. It served as a reminder to Miles that yes, Peter One wasn’t old, but at the end of the day, he had a job. “I just wanted you to hear it from me.”
Miles squinted up at One. “What about MJ and Ned?” Asked the boy. “What about them remembering you?
Peter One let out a deep breath, and sounded a bit defeated. “Not everything works out, kid. I need the goober.” Peter One held a hand out, and Miles moved away. Peter One said, nearly begging, “please don’t make me take it from you.” Peter One step forward.
Miles yelled in a furious rage, “that’s not fair!” He said, holding the goober away. “You’ve gotta tell them I can do this!”
“It wasn’t their decision,” Peter One informed, calmly, a hand over his heart. It killed him, seeing the look of betrayal flash through Miles’ face, his eyes hurt.
“I gotta make Kingpin pay! You have to let me make him pay!” Miles raged, voice loud and angry.
I want to kill him. I want to tear him apart.
“Been there, nearly done that, got the promotion,” Peter weakly joked, though his eyes were as firm as ever. “Miles, you’re gonna get yourself killed.”
“But I’m ready,” Miles said, finger jabbed into Peter’s Ones chest, “I promise — ”
Peter One moved, doing a combo move, swiping the boy's feet from him, and nearly knocking Miles to the ground, if Peter One wasn’t there to catch him by the suit. Miles hanged down, held up by Peter One who was crouched on the ceiling, much to Miles’ shock.
“Then venom strike me right now, or turn invisible on command so you can get past me.” Peter One demanded. Yes, it was harsh making him use an ability the kid wasn’t used to. (The panic, trapped under the rubble. No escape, no suit. “Hello! Hello! Please. Hey, hey, please. I’m down here. I’m down here. I’m stuck. I’m stuck. I can’t move. I can’t...” Stark’s mocking voice, tense with anger, “If you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”) Yes, it wasn’t fair, but there was another way to get out of this. Rip the suit kid... rip it...
Miles tried to do what he was saying, squeezing and groaning, straining, but it only made Peter One seem even more right. Come on, buddy... come on, Spider-Man...
“Focus,” Peter One urged softly. “Focus, imagine it like a blanket, or like sparking a lighter...” Please kid...
Miles sagged in defeat.
“Look, I know how much you want this, kid.” Assured Peter One, voice sad after a moment, eyes soft.
Peter One heard Noir mumble from outside, “poor little guy.”
One put Miles down, and landed behind him, “but you don’t have it yet.” He quickly thwipped a web, and dragged a swivel chair over, and made Miles fall onto it and began webbing the boy up.
“I’m sorry.” Peter One said, patting the boy's shoulder and taking hold of the goober, now facing away from Miles, unable to look at the boy.
“When will I know I’m ready — ” Started Miles, desperate, but quickly Peter One webbed Miles’ mouth shut.
“You won’t. It’s a leap of faith. That’s all it is Miles. A leap of faith.” Peter One said, voice firm yet soft.
Peter One jumped out of the window, a sad look on his face as he pulled his mask down, and swung away, quickly followed by the other spiders.
Noir and Peter B. turned, seeing Miles, tied securely to his desk chair, watching sadly from his window, and they gave the boy a sad wave, before swinging off.