Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s chaos. Max has honestly never given much thought to how much damage some sand can do. There’s buildings being filled with sand, windows breaking, people screaming. It’s a cacophony of chaos and noise. He lands in the middle of the street and zaps the closest sand-made people. They look eerily like Flint and he winces to do it, especially when they turn to glass with their lifeless eyes.

“Flint!” he roars as more form from the sand swirling around him. “C’mon man! It’s Max!”

“After me! After me! After me!” The copies say it in unison and Max fries them all.

“I don’t wanna hurt you man,” Max tries to reason. He knows Flint, knows the man only got on the wrong side of the law to help his daughter. This attack is more in line with someone far more sinister. “I’m here to help Flint. What’s going on?”

“Help!” a woman’s scream pulls him from trying to reason with the piles of sand. He turns, seeing a mother with two young children cowering as the Flint-like copies amble closer. Max fries them, turning them into glass, and she cries as she gets her children away from the semicircle of frozen nightmares.

“Flint!” Max shouts, forcing himself into the air amidst the swirling sand. “C’mon man! This isn’t like you at all.”

“He’s after me!” The shout is deep and, to be honest, rather terrifying. Max turns in the air and sees that he’s definitely dealing with Sandman now, not Flint. The giant hulking sand-formed Flint towers over the skyscrapers around him.

“Who?” Max shouts the question, flying higher through the swirling sand to reach the man who he’d still like to consider an associate. “Flint, I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”

“He’s hunting us, all of us,” Flint whispers. “I know he killed Shocker already.”

“Herman’s dead?” Max asks, horrified by the news. “Who got him?”

“He threatened my daughter!” Flint screams as a giant fist smashes into a nearby building. The entire structure groans under the force of the blow and Max holds out his hands.

“Easy Flint, you know we’re not gonna let anything happen to Penny,” he replies in what he hopes is a soothing tone.

“You think you can stop him? He’ll come after you too!” Flint roars as he swings another giant fist. Max hates to do it, he really does, but he fries the sand with his powers and watches glass take over the sand. A web flies, catching the glass fist and arm before it can drop, just as a red and blue blur swings by.

“Spider-Man!” Flint shouts as he turns to attack the new presence. Max lets a noise of frustration leave his lips as he hits the side of the face with as much electricity as he can. Flint roars, the hulking body of sand shrinking into itself, until there’s nothing left but Flint curled on the sand covered street in the fetal position.

Worried, Max lands beside him. He sets a hand on a shaking shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze. That earns him wild eyes.

“He’s coming for all of us. You aren’t safe,” Flint whispers.

“Who?” Max asks as he hears sirens drawing closer.

“Kraven.”

XxX

According to the woman Herman was renting a room from he started acting strange before vanishing. When pressed she claims he said someone was following him. Max swallows down a wave of nerves and bids her goodbye.

This is bad. This is really bad. He dials Adrien, knowing that the man is out on parole just like him, and tries to calm his racing heart when the phone rings and rings. When he gets the generic voicemail he hangs up and takes off, hand gripping his rubber stress ball as he flies.

He knows where Adrien’s old offices are, back before he went into the business of flying around being a menace, and knows that whenever the man’s out of prison he always starts there. It’s eerie to land on the roof of the building and know no one’s there. Max gulps and heads inside, hoping he’s somehow wrong about the lack of electricity being used in the rundown office building.

There’s a spot where he knows Adrien keeps a spare set of Vulture wings. The man had always been proud of the fact that no matter how many times the police searched the building they never found the false wall. Max finds it easily, sensing the low level hum of a charger plugged in somewhere behind what looks like a solid wooden wall. He touches it, fingers skimming the smooth wood grain, until he finds a knot that is slightly rougher than the rest of the wall.

With a press the wall slides to the side and he walks in. He hopes to find the backup wings, but all he sees is dust and an empty display. A curse leaves his lips as he goes to the workbench and spies a notebook. On the page left open for anyone to see is a scribbled drawing of a weird looking dog and a strange bird. Adrien isn’t the most put-together of them mentally, but even those scribbles seem odd for him. It’s not new wings so why would he draw it up?

Max rips the page out and shoves it in his hoodie pocket before leaving. He closes the false wall and tugs his hood all the way over his head before leaving the building. His mind is racing as he squeezes the stress ball.

XxX

His phone buzzes in his pocket and Max quickly pulls it out. The contact photo is Peter, smiling and blushing at the camera, and Max lets himself get lost in those brown eyes for a second before hitting answer. There’s no one else out that he feels comfortable talking to, so it looks like he’ll have to bring his boyfriend into it.

“Hey Sweetheart,” he greets as he raises the phone to his ear.

“I have two things to tell you. I got fired for abandoning the class,” Peter says, voice dejected.

“I’m sorry, I know you were looking forward to that job,” Max offers, genuinely upset for him.

“Yeah, I had some cool labs planned,” Peter responds wistfully. It makes Max smile.

“Thing two?” he prompts.

“Oh! Miles and I are watching Mac’s transfer if you’re interested in joining us.”

“Mac’s transfer… Sweetheart keep your eyes open,” Max says, thinking about the things in common with his missing former comrades.

“Why? Do you think he’s going to break out?” Peter asks. Max hums as he pulls the drawing from his pocket and unfolds it. Weird bird. Weird dog.

“No, I think someone is after your powered villains. Flint said someone threatened him and his daughter, Herman is missing, and so is Adrien. I went to Adrien’s old office and his spare wings are gone. The only thing he left behind is this weird drawing of a bird and a dog.”

“The bird I could understand from him, but the dog does sound weird,” Peter says. Max can practically hear his brain working on the puzzle.

“Look, just keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, I’m going to see if anyone else on parole has seen something,” Max says as he approaches the go karts at Coney Island. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Same here. You’re… coming over this evening right?” Peter asks hopefully and Max bites his lips together. This is a big step for them. Peter’s inherited house has been off limits for date nights for the last ten months. It feels oddly like they’re really making things official for him to be invited over.

“I’ll be there Sweetheart,” he promises. He says his goodbyes and hangs up, flagging down the hulking gray form of Tombstone as he steps onto the racetrack.

XxX

Max doesn’t like to be around too many people. Crowds make him anxious, and that makes him zap, so he tries to avoid them as much as he can in the bustling city. That doesn’t mean he breaks the rule Peter set forth about powers near the house. Zapping around is a no go and he complies, even if it means taking the subway and standing away from everyone he possibly can.

He spends the ride trying to reach Adrien and the old number he knows won’t connect for Herman. He still can’t believe they’re missing. It’s like a fact that is decidedly incorrect and won’t fit in his brain. They’re not friends, they never have been, but they’re always a call away. It’s the code of conduct for them. If one calls you answer and help if they need it. Sure that sometimes means owing something to someone, but Adrien’s always answered his calls in the past.

He steps off the subway and walks along the sidewalk, just taking in the calm atmosphere of the neighborhood Peter grew up in. It’s almost nerve wracking to be walking up to the house, he checks the street name and house number every few seconds, but when he sees the house he just knows immediately that of course Peter was raised there.

It’s a simple thing really, nothing special about the building. It’s small, two stories like those around it. There’s the front porch just like next door, but something about the home screams a love that Max had never known until he was accepted into the apartment of Rio and Miles.

He climbs up the steps and knocks on the faded door. His other hand is squeezing his rubber stress ball as his knuckles tap against worn wood. When the door swings open he immediately sees the concern in Peter’s eyes. It sets off a warning bell and a need to soothe.

“What’s wrong Sweetheart?” he asks. Peter says nothing, just grabs his hand and tugs him inside. The door barely shuts and he’s pulled into a tight hug. He returns it, releasing his stress ball to do so, and Peter sags in his arms.

“They grabbed Mac,” Peter mumbles against his shoulder. “Miles and I couldn’t even stop them-”

“Hey hey,” he says, cutting in and forcing the brown eyes from his hoodie. Once they finally meet his he sees the blatant worry written across the face of his boyfriend and presses a kiss between his brows. “I’m sure he’s going to be fine. You know Mac’s a pain in the ass.”

“Max,” Peter practically sighs his name as he looks away. “I know he’s either in danger or going to be used for something big. It’s not easy to get away from both Miles and myself.”

“Whatever it is, whoever this Kraven thinks he is? We’ve got this,” Max reassures firmly. When Peter remains silent he touches his chin. They stare at each other in silence, Max waiting for his words to sink in. At Peter’s nod he grins, steals a soft kiss, and turns his eyes to the room around them. “So this is the house huh?”

“Yeah, this is it. I haven’t… really changed much,” Peter says sheepishly as he steps back from Max’s arms. Max takes his hand, presses a kiss to his knuckles, and gives the fingers a gentle squeeze.

“I don’t know what it’s like to lose someone like you have, but you know that there’s no right or wrong way to get through it right?” Max asks carefully. Comforting someone is new territory for him. “I’ll help you out however I can, but if you just want to shove stuff in a room for awhile that’s valid too.”

“I think I might,” Peter says, casting his thoughtful eyes around the room. “There’s so much here that’s her… I don’t know where to start and it all feels like a betrayal to get rid of it.”

“It’s not, if that’s what you want to do,” Max assures. He looks at a table beside the couch and can’t help the evil laugh that bubbles out of his mouth. “Oh my god you were such a dork!”

“No!” Peter groans as he drags them to look at the photo so proudly displayed.

“You have glasses!” Max crows as he scoops up the picture frame. “Oh my god look at your dorky lil face!”

“Max!” Peter laughs, cheeks going red as he buries his face in Max’s shoulder. Max laughs, taking in how absolutely adorable and dorky his boyfriend used to be.

“Sweetheart you have a blue ribbon for science, the thickest glasses I’ve ever seen, and you have negative muscles. This is my new favorite picture of you,” he decrees and Peter groans.

“You’re the most evil man ever,” Peter mumbles. Max drops a kiss to the messy mop of hair. “I bet you would’ve been so mean in school.”

“Sweetheart I would’ve been all over you,” he confesses with a kiss to Peter’s reddened cheek. “I’d have been begging you for a date.”

“Yeah?” Peter asks, shyly looking up from his hiding spot in Max’s shoulder. Max grins and steals a soft kiss. He pulls back just enough to separate their lips and grins.

“I also would’ve had you bent over a science table, but I’m not ruling out the possibility of that happening now.” His words make Peter squeak before kissing him and they stumble blindly onto the couch.

Max sits first, Peter greedily following and straddling his lap. It’s heavenly to grip those hips and seal their lips together. It gets even better when he slides a thumb under Peter’s shirt and feels the webbing of the costume. Just that simple touch of fabric makes him hard and he feels Peter’s smile against his lips before his boyfriend pulls back with a smug expression belied by the blush staining his cheeks.

“I thought we could celebrate ten months with some fun,” Peter says, going for casual and missing by a mile. Max hums his approval of that plan as their lips meet once more. Before he can get much further than the first button of Peter’s shirt a knock rings out from the door. He groans with frustration as Peter slides off his lap.

“That better be food or I’m frying them,” he growls as he lets his head fall onto the back of the couch. Peter laughs, which makes Max grin, as he buttons his shirt back up to hide the red and blue suit beneath it.

“I haven’t ordered food yet,” Peter says as he reaches the door. “I don’t know… MJ?”

“Hey Pete,” a very feminine voice calls out. Max sits up on the couch, immediately going limp in his jeans as he puts the nickname to the memory. MJ. Ex girlfriend.

“Why today?” he asks himself quietly as he pulls his hood on and grabs his stress ball in his pocket.

“I have a few, well more than a few unsold books and I was hoping to use some of your space for storage?” MJ asks and Max does his best to keep his face neutral as she steps into the room. Really? Did Peter just let her come in?

He wonders if he should say something, but she’s already putting down two boxes like she owns the place. One of his eyebrows goes up as she looks back at Peter with a fondness that makes his hand spark. Thankfully the stress ball absorbs it. He’s pretty sure Peter would be pissed if he zapped his ex.

“Still moving in?” she asks, an obnoxiously flirty lilt in her voice that has him squeezing the stress ball tighter.

“I’m working my way through everything,” Peter responds sheepishly. Max looks at his boyfriend, wondering if he’s going to still be able to call him that. Peter looks at her in a way that’s different from the blushing sweetness he always gets. He also wonders if he’s going to be introduced or completely forgotten about on the couch.

“Pete, I know this has been hard for you, but I think getting everything out would be good for you,” she says like she’s some sort of expert. Max already doesn’t like her but that rankles him.

“I will in my own time,” Peter defends himself, shoulders hunching just a bit. Max opens his mouth, almost ready to tell her where to shove her unwanted advice, when she steps up to Peter and puts a hand on his arm. That has Max on his feet and seeing red.

“Look Pete, I really wanted to talk to you about us… I’d like to give it another chance. With Miles taking on more responsibilities I think you can step back a little and have more time for us.”

“Us?” Max can’t help but ask aloud. She whirls around at his question, eyes wide, and Max knows she immediately recognizes him.

“Pete..?” MJ asks warily, trailing off.

“MJ this is Max. Max, MJ,” Peter introduces, face turning red. “He’s my… he’s my boyfriend.”

The stumble over the title isn’t lost on Max. Neither is the fact that MJ looks like she just got served a shit sandwich at whatever fancy bistro she probably wants Peter to take her to. He pulls his shoulders back, readying for a verbal attack, without looking away from her.

“Boyfriend? For how long?” she asks and yep, he hears the judgement. Whether it’s about the same sex angle of the relationship or the fact that Max is apparently the boyfriend he doesn’t know. He just knows he wants her out.

“Ten months today actually,” Max answers when Peter seems to not be able to talk anymore.

“Ten months?!” It leaves her lips a shocked half-screech. Max squeezes the stress ball to control the spark he feels dancing over his fingers. “You can’t be serious Pete!”

“Yeah it’s been ten months,” Peter says with a soft smile at him that has Max relaxing a little. She makes a weird strangled noise in the back of her throat.

“He’s Electro,” she blurts out as if Peter is somehow not aware. It makes a wild laugh bubble out of Max. It earns him a glare from her and a pleading look from Peter. He glares back at both of them. MJ grabs Peter’s arm and drags him from the living room back outside. Max lets them go, too worked up to follow.

An annoyed growl leaves his lips as he sits back on the couch and leans forward. He braces his elbows on his knees and scrubs at his eyes with both hands. This could be bad. What if she gets in Peter’s head? What if the history between the two of them is better than the ten months Max has given him?

The sound of a car pulling up has Max rising from the couch to look out the window. It’s a nice car and the guy that gets out of it beams as Peter and MJ rush his way for excited hugs. It hurts, the pain registering somewhere deep in his chest. This hurts and it sucks because Max realizes just how much he loves Peter, but he knows that he’s not good enough for him.

This house? An ex that obviously still loves him? A friend he holds onto for dear life that looks like a model? Where does Max fit in with that? Where does Electro?

When MJ hops back on her motorcycle and drives off the newly arrived friend pulls out bicycles from the back of his expensive car. Max sees Peter excitedly get on. He watches them pedal out of view. That cuts deeper than the realization that he’s been living in dreamland. Peter completely forgot about him, forgot about their ten months, for two people he obviously loves.

Max doesn’t cry, he’s trained himself not to with his powers, but his eyes burn as he leaves the house behind and runs.

XxX

It’s not even a conscious decision to go out and find trouble. He’s angry and hurting, so it’s almost second nature to just find some wannabe bad guys and zap them into oblivion for the police to come collect. The patrols with Miles and Peter help him find troublesome areas and he spends the evening arcing through the air and letting his stress ball take the night off.

By the time he heads home he’s exhausted and ready to crash. He barely makes it up the stairs to his crappy apartment, fumbles his way through unlocking the door, and collapses on his lonely futon in the dark. Sleep sounds good. Oblivion so he doesn’t have to think? Yeah, he’ll take that. He lazily kicks off his boots and tries to ignore the Peter sized hole in his heart as he closes his eyes.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he almost ignores it. Then the thought of Miles needing help has him fishing it out. As an afterthought he opens his eyes and sees Peter’s blushing smile for the contact photo. It feels like a jab in the chest. He hits answer and puts it on speaker.

“Max?” Peter asks his name, voice wary. “Where are you?”

“I went on patrol and came home,” he says, forcing the words past the lump in his throat.

“You could’ve stayed-”

“You left me on your couch, in a house full of sentimental things. Since I got worked up I decided the best course of action was to leave,” he spits out flatly. Peter makes a noise of annoyance and that sets him off. He’s hurt and angry. At MJ, at the model friend with obvious cash, at Peter, and at himself for believing he somehow could get away with happiness. “Spit it out Pete.”

“Don’t-”

“Don’t what? Don’t call you the nickname everyone else does? Everyone else calls you Pete, everyone just shows up at your house… why did it take me ten months to earn that level of trust?”

“Max-” Peter starts but Max is nothing if not self destructive, especially when worked up. His hands spark and he quickly grabs for his stress ball.

“You hesitated to tell MJ I’m your boyfriend and completely forgot about me the moment model-boy showed up. You left me alone in your house and you just now decided to call,” he says, aware that his hurt and anger are bleeding into his voice but unable to care.

“Model-boy is my best friend Harry, he’s the one I told you about. Went overseas for medical treatment? He’s got a new startup and he’s asked me to be on the board with him,” Peter explains. “Max… I’m sorry. I haven’t seen Harry in years and I couldn’t say no.”

Max tries to put himself in Peter’s shoes, but he’s never had a friend like that. He can’t imagine someone like that, so he tries another angle. If Miles was gone for years and showed up how would he react?

“You know much I love Training Wheels? How he’s my little brother I never knew I needed?” he asks. At Peter’s affirmation he takes a deep breath. “I’d still have come inside and told you. You literally just left after I watched your ex try and flirt her way back into a relationship with you.”

“Max… I don’t know what you want me to say,” Peter responds. Max squeezes the stress ball tightly, wondering if it might finally give.

“I just want to know that I’m not the only one falling in love over here Sweetheart,” he admits softly. A strangled noise sounds from the phone and he sighs, accepting that maybe he is.

“Did you just say that you love me?” Peter asks, voice tinged with what Max wants to call awe.

“Yeah..?” he responds hesitantly.

“I’m coming over.” The call hangs up and Max tries to not get his hopes up. It lasts all of two seconds. His door flies open and webs hit him in the chest and arms, pinning him to his futon.

“What the hell?” he asks around a laugh as Peter swings in and gracefully lands on his feet on the edge of the futon. In the full Spider-Man suit Peter’s a sight to behold, especially when he falls to his knees and straddles his lap.

“Say it to my face,” Peter commands as he pulls his mask off. Max grins.

“I love you.” It leaves his lips soft and true. Peter whimpers and brings their lips together. Max licks his way into Peter’s mouth and rolls his hips into the teasing weight against him. His hands are still bound by the webbing and as much as he’d love to grab those delectable hips to really grind them together he knows that Peter’s web fluid formula won’t melt away from his powers zapping into it. Peter, obviously aware of that fact, doesn’t even try to let him go free.

Without stopping the mind melting kiss he feels those nimble fingers undo his belt and open his jeans. A groan that’s half frustration and half want leaves the back of his throat as Peter slowly slides his jeans and boxers down. When the kiss is broken Max opens his eyes to see Peter using his lithe body to bend over the side of the futon to grab the lube. He’s half tempted to make a point about how he can be of more help if his hands are free when Peter bites off a glove, pours a generous amount of the lube onto his palm, and wraps the now slicked appendage around his aching cock.

Max bucks, unable to help the instinct, as Peter spreads the lube over him with one hand while he crouches. Max isn’t sure what he’s doing, his brain is quickly melting, until the red and blue suit is dropped to Peter’s knees. That has him opening his mouth, ready to protest, but without any prepping Peter sits back down and takes every last inch of him. It has Max seeing stars and fighting with every single ounce of willpower to not move a muscle as Peter sits upright on him.

“Sweetheart,” he manages to gasp out and Peter grins.

“You’re always so careful,” Peter tells him as he slowly starts to move. “I’ve got a healing factor remember?”

“Never ngh-” Max cuts himself off as he fights down the urge to thrust. When he’s tamed the urge he takes a steadying breath to start over. “Never want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” Peter says with conviction and confidence as he slides to the point Max is afraid he’ll slip out. When Peter drops back down to fully take him once again he shouts in ecstasy. “So fuck me while you tell me you love me.”

“I. Love. You,” he grits out, emphasizing each word with a thrust that has Peter moaning as they move together. He keeps the movement going, the words falling from his lips as he tries to stay in control. Peter leans back and Max knows he’s hitting that sweet spot when he cries out and his head falls back limply.

Two more thrusts and Peter whimpers as he goes over the edge. The tightening around him makes Max follow swiftly. A soft curse leaves his lips as Peter falls against his chest, both of them breathing heavily.

“I love you too,” Peter whispers in the silence and Max hums.

Eventually they get up and shower. One of the best things about spider powers happens to be that Max can pick Peter up, stick him to the wall, and give him a blowjob in the shower. It leaves him with a boneless spider to carry back to his futon, but he doesn’t mind at all. He quickly throws blankets on the cushions and sets Peter down as if he’s made of glass. With a soft kiss he lays beside him and they fall into a blissful silence.

“Max?” Peter whispers in the dark just as he starts to fall asleep.

“Yeah Sweetheart?” he asks back.

“Would you want to move in with me? At the house?” The question is hesitant, a vulnerable waver in Peter’s voice, and Max finds his lips in the dark.

“I don’t know if you want that. I mean, with my luscious hair I’m gonna clog the drain-”

“Max!” Peter laughs his name sleepily. He steals another soft kiss.

“On one condition. We go through every last nerdy photo of you in that house and I get to pick ones to show off.”

“No!”

“I’ll get a giant frame and we’ll put the best one right there in the front room so I’ll always see it,” Max whispers against Peter’s lips. It draws a scoff from his boyfriend and he chuckles before turning serious. “You really want me to move in?”

“I wanted to ask you this evening before I got completely sidetracked,” Peter admits softly. Max hums and steals another kiss.

“I wanna be there when you break the news to little miss still-wants-in-your-pants,” he says before nibbling on Peter’s bottom lip. He’s too exhausted for more than that so he pulls his boyfriend closer and closes his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Peter responds, words tinged with the happy smile Max can feel against his chest.

XxX

Max flies around Miles, zapping the snarling robotic dog that tries to attack the teen. This is bad. This is really bad. He knows that Peter is spending time with Harry, the two reconnecting after years of being apart, but he’s half tempted to call his boyfriend up and tell him to get his ass over to them. Considering they’re helping out an ex of his, the very famous Felicia Hardy, he kinda feels like Peter should be involved.

“Watch out!” Miles shouts and Max barely dodges a mechanical bird that swoops from the sky. He fries it, snarling with frustration, and turns his attention back on Miles who is being overwhelmed by more of the dogs. Adrien’s drawings make a lot more sense now than when he first saw them.

“Hold on Training Wheels!” Max screams as he grabs onto the air conditioner of the building they’re on top of. It’s definitely a strange building, one he’s never given much thought, but the second he tries to draw on the building’s power to give him a boost he realizes that something more than he understands powers the building. The energy surges through him and he screams as it bursts out of his body.

“Thanks boys!” Black Cat coos as she vanishes into a portal, leaving them to face the few remaining enemies still standing.

Max sways on his feet, almost toppling over, as he raises a hand and sends the strange energy from his body. It arcs through the air differently than his normal electricity and he’s glad to feel it leave his system, even if the hunters burn into ash. He staggers, only staying upright when Miles catches him.

“What was that?!” Miles asks with horror.

“Let’s get away from this building yeah?” Max whispers, hating how much he has to lean on Miles to stand up.

XxX

Miles has to help him back to his apartment. It would be embarrassing if he could summon the energy to feel anything but half dead on his feet. When Miles helps him onto the futon he winces and tries to catch his breath.

“We’re never gonna mess with that building again,” he says with an exhausted chuckle. Miles nods, hovering before him warily. “I’m not gonna fall over dead Training Wheels, I just grabbed onto a power I don’t use.”

“I just… I can’t let anything happen to you,” Miles responds, voice thick with emotion. Max smiles up at him, wondering how he ever managed to get such sunshine to give a damn about him.

“You’re a good kid, but you don’t need to worry about me. Get on home, tell Ganke what we saw and see what his brand of genius can pull up. I’ll get in touch with Peter when he’s done with his night on the town with Harry.”

“You okay with them hanging out?” Miles asks. Max bobs his head from side to side.

“I’m not worried about Harry, they’re like brothers. MJ though… she basically tried to get back in his pants right in front of me. I trust Peter, but I don’t trust her.” It feels good to say it out loud, like a weight he’s been ignoring all night is off his shoulders. He smiles at Miles. “Get home Kid. Don’t you have college application stuff to work on?”

“Ugh, I still don’t know what to do with that paragraph. How do I sell myself without mentioning that I’m Spider-Man?”

“You brag about the heart in your chest and the brain in your head,” Max bluntly tells him. Miles chuckles, rubbing the back of his head. “Kid, you’re amazing. I can’t think of a better kid brother to be adopted by.”

Miles laughs, springs forward, and Max braces himself for the bone crushing hug. He ends up with a too-tall teen kneeling beside him and those deceptively strong arms around his shoulders. He chuckles as he returns the hug, hoping that the kid knows how much he loves him. When Miles pulls back they say goodbye and he just collapses onto his futon, ready to go to sleep, only for there to be a knock on the door.

“What the fuck?” he grumbles as he staggers to his feet. With shaky steps he makes it to his door and swings it open, ready to spark if it’s trouble. His eyes take in Adrien in the doorway, staring at him with wild eyes, and he lets him in without saying anything.

“We’re in trouble,” Adrien whispers the second he has the door shut. Max grabs his stress ball, giving it a squeeze before nodding.

“Is Herman dead?” he asks. Adrien makes a noise in the back of his throat before nodding.

“They got to him first. This… this Kraven is targeting all of us. He’s messing with our minds and hunting us like prey. I’ve been hiding in the goddamn sewers!” Adrien hisses. Well that explains the smell. Max can’t help but look down at his damp clothes.

“Where’re your wings?” he asks curiously. “I found your fake wall-”

“He took them!” Adrien growls. “My wings! He grounded me! It’s bad enough to be hunted, but then he makes the fight unfair!”

“It’s okay Adrien,” Max says placatingly. “We can make you new wings and we can work together to keep you safe.”

“Me?!” Adrien asks, voice cracking. “Max I’m a dead man walking. You are too. If you’re smart you’ll get out of town and take your little brown eyed boyfriend with you.”

“Adrien-” Max starts, ready to fight if he’s going to make any negative comments. Adrien just holds up a hand.

“I’m vanishing Max. I’m gonna get out of town. Grab your boyfriend and run, it’s the only way you’ll survive this. He’s taking away our means of fighting back. He can’t take away your power, but he can take your mind.” With that Adrien spins and opens the door, vanishing into the darkness outside.

Max leans against the wall, unable to move. His mind is finally on the right path, he’s got meds that actually work, and he has three people that readily claim they love him. He can’t lose anything he has.

XxX

It’s a little sad that his entire life fits in one duffel bag, but it does make it more convenient for him. He shoves the last clean pair of jeans in, zips it up, and shrugs it onto his shoulder. The plan is to get to Peter and get them out of town. He’s got the money to get them anywhere Peter wants to go.

He doesn’t trust using his powers so he walks, keeping his eyes open for any sign of the weird birds Adrien drew or anyone out of the ordinary. Despite his own criminal past he’s not an idiot, so he’s not exactly going to just lead the hunters to Peter’s front door. Hood up, head down, check every few minutes. He probably looks incredibly suspicious but hey, that kinda goes with the territory of being Electro.

When he’s finally off the subway and heading to the house he checks his phone, a little worried that Peter hasn’t called or texted. Logically he knows that he’s out reconnecting with Harry so he’s not too concerned, but that doesn’t stop the way he hastens his steps. At the front step he sees all the lights off and that makes him squeeze his stress ball anxiously.

Before it even registers in his mind he’s rushing up the steps and unlocking the door. He steps into the empty entryway and lays his hand on the wall. Aside from the general hum of electricity nothing is being used. He takes the stairs two at a time and bursts into Peter’s room, only to find the bed empty.

Max sinks onto it heavily and squeezes his stress ball. Where the hell is Peter?

XXX

Chapter Text

Max wakes up, confused by his surroundings until the night before rushes back to him. Kraven. Adrien. Peter missing. He stands from the bed, worried when he feels the same low level hum of electricity in the house. Without hesitation he pulls his phone out and dials Peter, hating when it rings and rings.

“Hello?” Peter’s voice is groggy on the tail end of the final ring and Max sits back down on the bed in relief.

“Sweetheart! Where are you?” he asks, trying to contain his nerves.

“I’m… in the park? How’d I get here?” Peter asks, confusion in his voice. Max lets out a shaky breath.

“I’m at the house. I need you to come home okay?”

“Yeah… I’ll uh,” Peter pauses. He takes a breath. “Kraven got Doctor Connors.”

“Connors? Okay, get home we’ve got a lot to go over,” Max responds, scrubbing a hand over his scarred face.

“Okay,” Peter agrees, sounding a little more put together. They say goodbye and Max goes downstairs to wait. As much as he’d love to poke around at all the nerdy things in Peter’s bedroom on a normal day, he’s far too anxious to do that now.

He ends up in the kitchen, fidgeting with the outdated coffee pot as he squeezes his stress ball to absorb his energy. The coffee pot starts to make a noise and he gives himself a mental pat on the back for figuring it out just as a knock sounds from the front door. He knows it can’t be Peter, besides he has a key, so he looks through the peephole first before swinging it open. When he sees model-boy he frowns. What the hell happened on their “reconnecting” trip to Coney Island? He opens the door and the man gives him a weak smile.

“You must be Max,” he says, sticking out a shaking hand. Max takes it in a quick shake, taking in the cane Harry grips onto for dear life with the other. “Pete wouldn’t stop talking about you last night.”

“You’re Harry right? He brings you up a lot,” Max responds as he steps back to let the man in. Harry limps inside, looking like every step hurts. “This is gonna sound really rude, but you look like shit. You okay?”

“I’m dying. Again,” Harry hisses out. Max grabs his arm gently and leads him to the couch. A soft thanks is muttered as he sits down. “How… much do you know about Pete?”

“How much do you know?” Max fires back. Harry laughs weakly, makes a web-shooter motion with his hand, and Max nods.

“Okay, so you know, that’s… he never told me. I only found out last night because I helped save some people on the coaster.” Harry says with a frown. Max shrugs.

“Considering I’m Electro and the first time we were about to get it on a web hit me in the face I think he kinda had to say it,” Max points out. Harry’s whole face crinkles with his laugh then.

“I guess that makes sense. There’s no real way out of that one,” Harry says with a smile up at him. Max shakes his head with an exaggerated wince.

“He’s got a must-protect-everyone streak a mile wide, he probably thought you knowing would put you in danger,” he offers as he sits on the other end of the couch. Harry shifts slowly to get comfortable and Max really hopes the guy doesn’t die right there in the living room. “What happened man? I thought you were cured.”

“So did I,” Harry whispers. He runs a hand over his face and lets out a heavy breath. “Okay so I didn’t go to Europe...”

XxX

“An organic exosuit?” Max asks, wondering when the hell he jumped into the Twilight Zone. Harry nods weakly. “You’re being kept alive by an organic exosuit that is now attached to Peter.”

“Yes,” Harry confirms with another weak nod. “Look, when you have the money my father does-”

“And Connors on your payroll,” Max adds. Harry chuckles, the sound soft.

“Yeah, he’s really smart. I get why Pete idolized him. I don’t… I don’t know how it works. I just need it back.”

“Of course he’s going to give it back,” Max comments with certainty. “It… fuck I can’t believe he would’ve died last night.”

“I can’t imagine life without knowing he’s there, so I’m glad the suit worked for him, but I need it back before I get worse,” Harry whispers. Max, still really uncomfortable trying to comfort someone, sets a hand on his arm.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure-” his words are cut off by the front door flying open. Max turns his gaze to find Peter storming into the house, brown eyes narrowed as he stares at them. That’s… a little odd, but Max smiles as he stands. “There you are Sweetheart.”

“Why’re you here?” Peter asks, turning those narrowed eyes on Harry. Max doesn’t like that at all. He steps closer to his boyfriend and takes his hand with a gentle squeeze. Peter returns it a touch too tight and he bites back a wince.

“Are you okay?” he asks softly, not sure what else to ask.

“I’m fine,” Peter says, meeting his gaze. Instantly the hardened look is gone. He sees those brown eyes search his as Peter smiles.

“I need it back Pete,” Harry speaks up. Immediately the smile drops. Peter steps around him, letting go of Max’s hand to face his friend.

“Kraven has Connors. He turned him back into Lizard. I need the edge this gives me.” There’s something wrong with Peter’s voice, something about the way the words are leaving his mouth. It sets Max on edge and he quickly grabs his stress ball to not spark.

“I’m dying without it,” Harry pleads, standing up on shaky legs. Max, unsure what else to do, goes to help him stand. An arm blocks his path and he follows the black sleeve up to Peter’s face, staring at his profile in shock.

“Sweetheart?” he asks as he sets his hand on the arm. He tries to push it down but Peter must be using his strength because he’s incapable of moving it at all.

“Do you want this city to be overrun with these hunters?” Peter asks, that edge in his voice making Max swallow thickly. “They’re attacking every villain they can find and I’ll be damned if I let them anywhere near Max.”

“Hey,” Max says, grabbing onto Peter’s face and forcing him to look his way. The hardness of those brown eyes he loves melts just a touch. “They’re not gonna get me Sweetheart.”

“They won’t because I won’t let them,” Peter says, voice cracking with emotion. Max swallows and tries to make his mouth open.

“Give Harry back the exosuit okay? You don’t need it. We can get out of town, just the two of us-”

“No!” Peter growls, literally fucking growls, and Max knows that something more is wrong. He tries to think back, mind racing over what this could be. He can’t help but draw parallels to his first few weeks on meds. Still volatile and hearing the voices, still fighting the urge to give into their whispers. If this is a mental health issue then Max is hardly the best help but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t try. “I’m not letting these animals run loose in my city.”

“Adrien came to my apartment last night, he’s been hiding in the sewers since they stole his wings,” Max says firmly. “I don’t want them hunting me and I don’t want them to kill you again.”

“They won’t,” Peter spits out before stalking away. His steps are heavy on the stairs, and the slam of a door definitely cracks something. Max just stares at the spot where he was, brain not comprehending what he’s just dealt with.

“I’m going to die aren’t I?” Harry whispers the question. Max isn’t sure if he’s supposed to have heard it or not, but he shakes his head.

“Not if I can help it.”

XxX

He helps Harry back into the fancy car that’s now under the control of a driver. The man eyes him warily as he helps Harry get into the backseat but says nothing. The moment the car pulls away from the curb he checks his phone for anything from Miles.

•Ganke says he might know a way to track down Connors and the hunters. Have you talked to Pete?

Max quickly types up a response, telling them to do whatever they can, but doesn’t answer the last part. He hasn’t talked to Peter, not yet. He pockets his phone and goes back inside. Slowly climbing the stairs, he tries to piece together how to approach this. If Peter is having some sort of mental problem then he needs to be careful. The last thing he wants is to make it worse.

“Sweetheart?” he asks through the door, eyeing the large crack in the wood from the earlier slam. It doesn’t really register how much Peter hides his strength until he’s facing the evidence of it. “Can I come in?”

“Is he gone?” is the muffled reply. Max takes that as permission and carefully opens the door.

“Yeah, Harry left,” he answers as he looks at the bed. Peter is face down on the covers, the pillow dipping to hide his face. “Are you okay?”

“I have no idea,” Peter says softly as he turns his head. Max catches those brown eyes and sees the wariness in them. That decides his next move. He quickly crosses the room and sits beside Peter, only to end up with his boyfriend in his arms. “I shouldn’t have snapped at Harry.”

“Sweetheart, from the story I heard you almost died last night. That’s gonna shake up anyone. I’m sure Harry understands that.” He doesn’t push the suit issue, not right then. Instead he runs his fingers through the messy brown hair and pulls his boyfriend closer. He presses a kiss to the mass of hair and sighs. “Just hearing about it scared the shit out of me.”

“Sometimes I just want to stop,” Peter whispers against his shoulder. “I want to put up the suit and walk away.”

“Sweetheart-” Max starts to reassure him, starts to tell him that he can take a break if he needs it, but Peter tenses in his arms.

“Did he flirt with you? He was always interested in MJ-”

“Hey hey hey,” Max says, unable to help the chuckle that slips out. He grabs Peter’s face gently and tilts until he can see those brown eyes he loves. “I wake up every single day amazed that you somehow want me. It wouldn’t matter if he did flirt with me, which for the record he didn’t, because I wouldn’t trade a single second of my time with you for anyone else.”

“Good,” Peter says, smiling smugly for just a brief flash. It would feel good, but Peter is never smug about anything other than when they have sex.

The slight rollercoaster of emotions is still worrying to Max. His best bet, as far as he can figure, is to ride it out. Peter almost died last night and it’s hitting him hard. Max tries not to think too hard about past fights in his days as Electro where he singed that red and blue suit. Is this always the outcome? It makes him hold Peter tighter.

“I uh,” he starts, scrambling for something to say, “I either made coffee or some ungodly liquid downstairs in the kitchen if you want some. I haven’t tried it yet.”

Peter’s laugh sounds normal. It gives Max hope.

XxX

They’re around the small table, steaming cups of actually not too bad coffee in their hands. Max knows he should say something about the suit but he’s wary to do so. There’s something really weird about the energy Peter is putting off. He’s used to the slightly above average level hum of energy that his boyfriend exudes, a very natural thing considering his enhanced abilities, but now it feels… dark.

“Well,” Max says, breaking the silence that feels almost oppressive, “I’ve got Miles on recruiting Ganke for help with tracking. With that kid’s hacking skills we’ll know where to find Connors and the hunters in no time.”

“Good.” That’s it. That’s all Peter offers in return. It’s… not normal. Max flexes his fingers, watching for his anxiety to manifest in sparks, before he digs out his stress ball and gives it a squeeze.

“We can still get out of town before they start hunting me,” he offers, fist clenched around the stress ball as he says it. Peter turns his head, that weird darkness in his usually bright brown eyes.

“I’m not leaving the city to those animals,” Peter spits out. Max nods, unsure what else to say. He almost feels like he’s going crazy, like he forgot his meds. It’s unnatural for Peter to be so volatile.

His phone buzzes with a call. Glad for the distraction he grabs it from his pocket. Relief floods him at the sight of Miles’ sunshine smile. Training Wheels is always a welcome addition to their time and right now he’s happy to have the chance for some of that sunshine to rub off on Peter. Maybe it’ll cheer him up?

“Who is it?” Peter asks, voice neutral.

“Miles,” he says as he accepts the call and puts it on speaker. “Hey Training Wheels, I’ve got Peter right here.”

“Hey Pete!” Miles calls through the phone. That instant dose of cheer has Max smiling. He steals a glance at Peter to see a tiny smile on his lips and that gives him a little more hope. “So Ganke’s on the way over with his laptop, we think we might have a way to track these hunters. Good news is we definitely have a way to track down Connors if we have an antidote for his uh, condition.”

“I have one,” Peter affirms. Max gives him a smile, aiming for encouragement.

“Alright I’ll text you when I’m in the suit. See you soon?” Miles asks.

“I’ll be there,” Peter confirms, standing from the table. Max says goodbye and hangs up, rising to his feet only to freeze as the black shirt on Peter’s body seems to melt all over him. In a blink Peter is in a black Spider-Man suit.

“Woah.” It’s all he can manage. “Is that because of the suit from Harry?”

“Yeah, it’s… I like it,” Peter says, spinning in a slow circle. Max has to admit it fits the same as the blue and red, but its oil-slick sheen is a little alarming.

“It’s uh, not what I’m used to seeing on you,” Max offers carefully. It’s definitely not a bad look, it just adds to that feeling of not-quite-right that buzzes under his skin. Peter chuckles and that only adds to his unease. Whatever this organic exosuit is? Max hates it and wants it off his boyfriend.

It peels back from Peter’s face which, seriously? Ew to the highest possible level of ew. When Peter steps closer for a kiss Max warily leans in and gives him one. He can’t help the hesitation, he’s almost afraid the damn thing’s gonna jump off and bite him. It doesn’t jump and bite, but he feels it slither against his chin and that has him pulling back swiftly.

“I want you to stay here,” Peter says, voice flat as the black mask slithers up from the suit to hide his face again. “I need to know you’re safe.”

“Okay,” he concedes without any argument. Peter hums, the sound almost rumbling out of him, and steps against him.

“I have plans for you later,” Peter purrs and for the first time since New Years Max thinks he might decline whatever is being offered. He doesn’t want to just flat out say that, not with Peter being so volatile, so he grins and tries to ignore the fact that he can definitely feel that creepy suit sliding over the front of his hoodie.

Peter steps back, taking the creepy slithery suit with him thankfully, and webs out the small window in the kitchen. Max almost sags in relief, but then he notices the string of webbing left behind. It’s black. He curses and runs a hand over his face. What the hell is going on with that suit?

XxX

“So… Pete’s acting weird right?” Miles asks over the phone. Max almost lets a manic laugh slip out but bites it back.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “What happened?”

“We got Connors. He chased him down, got him with the antidote-hold on.” Miles is obviously thwipping around the city and Max leans against the counter in the kitchen as he waits. “Sorry, had to avoid some pigeons. Anyway, he was super aggressive in chasing him. And that suit? What the heck is that?”

“Some organic exosuit according to Harry,” Max explains. “I wish I had more information about it. That thing is literally attached to my boyfriend and making him act twenty different kinds of wrong.”

“He’s definitely out of character… he didn’t even check in before he swung off to go hunt the hunters.” Miles’ voice is worried and that bugs Max. He squeezes his stress ball as he tries to think of what to say. “Ganke’s got a way to track them thanks to me taking down one of their drones.”

“And that’s why I’m glad I’m on your side now,” Max teases. Miles laughs at his joke and he feels better. A knock comes from the front door and Max says his goodbyes before going over to it. When he sees a leaning Harry he opens it and easily catches the swaying man.

“Sorry,” Harry whispers as he helps him inside.

“You’re fine,” Max reassures as he walks them both to the couch. He eases Harry down and looks him over. Model-boy doesn’t really fit as a description anymore. The guy looks two seconds away from death. “I hate to tell you, but Peter’s not here.”

“Dammit,” Harry sighs, squeezing his eyes shut as he leans against the back of the couch. “I can’t begin to tell you how much this hurts.”

“I know it can’t be easy,” Max offers as he takes a seat at the other end once again. “Can I ask you something about the suit? Did it… affect your mood at all?”

“My mood?” Harry asks, looking at him curiously. “Doctor Connors had me check in with him daily… I think I snapped at him a few times? Do you think it’s affecting Pete?”

“I think it is.” Max grabs his stress ball, rolling it in his palm before closing his fist around it. “I don’t know how to get that thing off Peter, but I need it to come off.”

“I don’t know how it climbed off me onto him,” Harry says, wincing as he shifts on the couch. “Please tell me there’s something easy to eat in the kitchen.”

“I think I saw some peanut butter and bread, I’ll check the fridge for jelly. Stay here yeah?” Max stands and goes into the kitchen, mind racing as he tries to make any of this make sense.

It’s calming to do something as simple as make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so he sets about making it as he pieces together what he knows in his mind. First things first, that suit needs to get off Peter. Harry needs it and he’s pretty sure that the thing is somehow affecting his boyfriend negatively. Second? They need to stop Kraven. Maybe his order of doing things is influenced by his own personal needs, but he just wants things to be normal with Peter. He wants blushing sweetness, soft laughs as they watch a show on the laptop, and almost shy kisses that leave him feeling lightheaded.

When the sandwich is done he brings it to Harry and helps the man sit up straighter on the couch. Instead of watching him fumble with the triangles he pulls out his phone and opens the internet. He almost hates to do it, but he pulls up the Daily Bugle page and gulps. There, front and center, is a photo of Peter in the black suit. The headline under it is telling.

“New Suit New Attitude?”

He reads the blurb carefully. It’s true that the paper has hardly ever been on Spider-Man’s side, but this claims that the developing story is that the webbed hero is already putting petty criminals in the hospital with potentially life threatening injuries. Max tries to keep from sparking but can’t. Thankfully the stress ball absorbs it, but he knows Harry saw it when the guy lets out a soft “wow”.

“I can’t… can you get the files on that suit?” Max asks as he turns to face the man still staring at his hand. Harry finally looks up.

“I might be able to. My father and I… he keeps a lot from me,” Harry says with a frown.

“See if you can. Or maybe you can talk to Connors? We need to figure out how to get that thing off Peter.”

XxX

It’s kinda weird for Max. He knows next to nothing about Peter’s teenage years and the guy at his side knows everything. The reverse must be just as strange for Harry. Max knows him now, and Harry knows very little. So, naturally, they swap stories. Harry tells him about the science fairs and the late night studying. Max tells him about reminding Peter to eat between bad guy takedowns.

By the time Harry is done with his sandwich they have a weird bond over their love for Peter. Harry loves him like the brother he always wanted, and Max loves him romantically. It’s… nice. Max can gush about Peter’s heroics and heart, and Harry can back it up with a similar story pre-Spider-Man days. They end up laughing about the fact that Peter has more responsibility in his little finger than they do combined because seriously? If Max were getting pushed around by Flash with any kind of power? They’d be scraping the little shit off the pavement. When he tells Harry that the man laughs with an emphatic nod.

Of course, when they’re leaning on each other laughing, is when Peter jumps through the window. Max startles on the couch, eyes going wide at the tension radiating from his boyfriend in angry waves. The mask of the black suit almost seems to snarl, but he really hopes that’s just a trick of the light.

“What. The. Fuck. Is. This?” Peter spits out. The curse alone is enough to have Max on his feet and wary. Peter never curses, never says fuck unless he’s begging Max to be inside him.

“Pete,” Harry says, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Why are you here?” Peter demands, voice angry and harsh.

“I need the suit,” Harry says, voice almost pleading.

“You need the suit?” Peter asks back mockingly. “For what? Stealing another person from me?”

“What? No!” Harry refutes. Max puts up his hands in a placating gesture.

“Sweetheart I have no interest in your best friend,” he says with as much soothing confidence as he can imagine. “He came over to ask for the suit back and we’ve been bonding over our shared love of you.”

“Yeah?” Peter asks with a sneer Max can hear. “You think this is all innocent? He did the same thing with MJ. Next thing I knew the two of them were dating when he knew that I was in love with her.”

“Pete I was an idiot teenager then,” Harry explains. “Besides, you know that I’m straight. I like Max, I think he’s great for you from hearing you both talk about each other, but I don’t like him in that way.”

“Get out of my house,” Peter growls.

“Peter-” Max tries but is cut off by a genuine growl from his boyfriend.

“Get. The. Fuck. Out. Harry.” Each word has gravitas behind it and sends chills down Max’s spine. Harry sniffles on the couch as he struggles to his feet. Max would turn around and help him up, but he’s honestly terrified to turn away from Peter.

“You’re an asshole now Pete,” Harry hisses as he moves to the door. “I miss my friend.”

The door closes behind him and Max feels the sparks dance across his hands as Peter turns his full attention on him. There’s something undeniably dangerous about this black suited Peter and it’s setting off his fight or flight response. He wants to run, wants to get away, but he’s rooted to the spot as the black mask peels away.

“Do not let him back in my house,” Peter demands and Max nods.

“Okay Sweetheart,” he agrees without hesitation. Peter’s jaw works for a moment before he takes a step closer. Max can’t help but step back until the back of his legs hit the couch.

“What were you two talking about?” Peter asks, voice still demanding.

“We talked about the suit a little bit, but then it was just stories about you. I was loving the background story I don’t have firsthand experience of.” Max tries to keep his voice light as he talks. Peter looks down at his hands and he knows that his sparking is noticed. “Sweetheart I can’t help it. You’re kinda scaring me.”

“Scaring you? How?” Peter asks mockingly as he steps even closer. “Is me doing the right thing so terrifying? This suit makes me better-”

“You don’t need to be better!” Max insists. “You’re amazing just as you are. You, just you, are what I want and what I know I don’t deserve. This suit is messing with you and I don’t like what I’m seeing.”

“The suit makes me stronger! I’m not giving it back!” Peter snaps. The suit slithers around his throat and Max squirms uncomfortably.

“You’re going to kill your best friend if you keep it,” Max says sadly, eyes on the way it slides over Peter’s chin. “Whatever that thing is? It’s not good for you.”

Peter laughs. It’s cold and heartless. The sound of it sends chills down Max’s spine. It sounds so off and wrong he can’t help but gulp down his nerves. He doesn’t know how to fix this. He can’t make this right.

“Sweetheart I love you,” he tries and Peter scoffs.

“Do you? Or am I just a fun little hole to fuck?” Peter snaps at him. Max’s jaw drops.

“You know I love you,” he whispers, his hurt lacing every syllable. “What is this?”

Peter’s jaw works for a moment. The silence in the room is so tense and uncomfortable that he can’t help but squeeze both hands in tight fists as sparks dance across his knuckles. This is bad. This feels like Electro versus Spider-Man, not like ten months of the first true happiness Max has ever known.

“Get out of my house. Now,” Peter spits, the suit climbing onto his chin as he speaks. Max feels the words like a punch to the gut. His eyes burn with tears he can’t cry as the black crawls up Peter’s cheeks. “Now!”

Not sure what else he can do, Max runs. He leaves the house behind, feet pounding on the old wooden steps as he descends them. He runs until he has to stop for a breath, doubling over and gasping down air. It hurts, like nothing he’s ever felt before, but he can’t let the tears fall from his eyes. His entire body is sparking as he jumps into the dark night air, uncaring for the rain that batters against his skin or the lightning that arcs across the sky.

It doesn’t hurt when a bolt of lightning strikes his body. He absorbs it and lets out a scream to try and release the emotional pain. It doesn’t help so he flies higher, rising to the middle of the storm clouds and waiting for another bolt to strike him.

He doesn’t hear the mechanical bird cry, doesn’t know he’s not alone in the air, until something slices his arm. He whirls, throwing electricity at the retreating robot with a snarl on his face, when a dozen surround him. It hits him then how stupid doing this was. He’s been so caught up with the trouble with Peter he almost forgot about the very real threat of Kraven and his hunters.

With a snarl of pure hate he throws out almost every ounce of energy he has stored, frying every last bird and making them drop from the sky. He only holds onto enough to get him back to the ground safely. The minute his boots touch the ground a rubber net ensnares him and he falls to his knees with a grunt. Out of the darkness a man steps forward, boots splashing in the forming puddles.

“Electro. You have been so hard to find.”

“You must be Kraven,” he spits out, struggling against the weight of the rubber netting.

“I am. Congratulations are in order my friend. You have the esteemed honor of being my prey.” Kraven nods to someone behind him and Max feels a needle jab into his neck. He cries out as the world goes black.

XXX

Chapter Text

Max knows he’s in trouble when he wakes up on unforgiving solid concrete. His entire body aches with both staying in one place for who knows how long and the weight of the rubber netting still around him. He blinks to clear his vision, only to realize that he’s in some sort of cell with all of the wiring removed. There’s no cot, no water, nothing but him and the rubber net.

“Fuck,” he curses as he tries to wiggle his body. The netting is tightly wrapped around him, no doubt to subdue his ability. He takes a steadying breath and tries to think of a way out of the situation. He can’t move his arms or his legs, so he’s pretty much fucked. His powers are nullified by the rubber bindings, so he can’t even zap his way free.

In the distance he hears the roar of a crowd. It sends chills down his spine. How many hunters are there? Is Peter safe? Is Miles? Do they know he’s been taken? He wishes then, with the clarity of afterthought, that he had stayed. He could have talked Peter down from the rage. He could’ve gone along with what Peter wanted. Creepy suit or not, he loves Peter and leaving was the dumbest thing he’s ever done.

He lays his head limply back on the concrete, wondering if he can at least die fighting.

XxX

He’s pulled from a light sleep by the cell door opening. Heavy boots stomp closer and reflexively he sparks, only to have the netting absorb it. The heavy boots belong to two different hunters and they haul him up with ease. He staggers from being in the same position for too long but they have an iron-tight grip on him so he doesn’t fall on his face. Together, they haul him from the small cell, letting his feet drag on the ground.

“I can walk if you undo this crap,” he points out. The duo laugh.

“We are not stupid,” the one on his right says.

“Kraven has plans for you,” the one on his left explains. Max rolls his eyes. If they plan on making this a fair fight? If they actually let him free? He’s going to fry every single one of these assholes.

He’s shoved ahead of them, right at a wall that looks pretty solid. Max fights to stay on his feet, unbalanced by the heavy weight of the netting. When he feels them tug it open he immediately sparks, letting electricity out of every exposed inch of skin. One of them yelps in pain and he grins as the wall before him drops and they shove him forward.

The roar of the crowd is deafening. Max looks around, glaring up at every hunter obviously set up to watch this fight. He then takes in the wide open space of the arena and almost facepalms. Really? Gladiator style? He bites back a snarky remark about them not being entertained and tries to instead find weak spots.

They’re set up in an arena with a tall glass dome. He could easily just… take off. Just as he decides to do that a laser grid covers each pane of glass and he scowls. Electric shocks are nothing to him but lasers? He’d rather not have more scars.

“You will fight!” Kraven’s voice booms out and Max scoffs.

“Go fuck yourself!” he shouts back. He rolls the tightened muscles of his back and lets his hands spark with power. “You wanna fight? Come and fight me!”

Kraven laughs and the floor shakes. Max braces himself, unsure what to expect, when the far wall opens and Adrien steps out. The first thing Max notices is the completely wild look in his eyes, a sure sign that he’s off his meds entirely, and then he notices the wings on his back.

“Adrien,” he says, pulling back his power as he holds his hands up in front him, “you in there?”

“They’re going to kill us,” Adrien’s voice hisses out and Max tries to keep his expression neutral. Adrien is very volatile off his meds. A genius with technology yes, but absolutely a mad scientist.

“I’m not gonna hurt you Adrien, it’s me, it’s Max.” He takes a cautious step closer and the wings on Adrien’s back expand. “Adrien-”

“I told you to get out of town!” Adrien roars as he launches forward. Max dodges the attack, zapping the ground to help him jump above the metal wings that could easily tear his skin. He lands and instantly spins to keep Adrien in his sight.

“Adrien!” he shouts, trying to reach the man he knows beneath the madness. “C’mon man, you don’t wanna do this!”

“They’ll take my wings!” Adrien roars as he spins with a snarl. “I have to!”

“Adrien, you know I’m not a threat,” Max tries, hoping to reason with him. “You’re one of the few people who I can almost call a friend!”

“You don’t get it Max,” Adrien sneers as he floats into the air. “This is survival of the fittest, and I’m a bird of prey.”

“Really? Bad bird jokes?” Max can’t help but taunt. Adrien screeches and starts his way. He doesn’t want to, he really doesn’t, but he’s seen enough of Adrien’s wild sketches to know exactly where the metal isn’t insulated. All it takes is one bolt of electricity and the wings are fried, dropping Adrien from the air and leaving him to crash on the ground. He isn’t dead, Max refuses to kill the man, but he won’t be flying those wings again.

“Kill him!” Kraven shouts from his safe perch on the other side of the divider amongst the crowd of hunters. Max meets his eye and raises a middle finger.

XxX

Mac is next. Max has never been too fond of the whole getting-poisoned idea so he’s mostly kept his distance from him, but now they’re in an enclosed space with nowhere to hide. Mac is… a strange duck, to put it politely. Anyone that willingly signs up for a job to be genetically altered to fight Spider-Man has to be. Max, standing there, eyes on the flicking scorpion tail, tries to think of anything he knows about the guy.

“Mac…” he says carefully, drawing out the name as the tail raises, “let’s talk about this.”

“I heard you’ve been hanging around the spiders,” Mac hisses as he lowers himself into a crouch. “Let’s see if they’ve taught you anything.”

“Goddammit,” Max curses, firing off lines of electricity from both hands. One is to keep that tail in place, the other hits Mac square in the chest. The man goes flying backwards in an unconscious heap and Max looks up at Kraven. “Why’re you doing this?!”

“I noticed that Shocker was beneath my talents,” Kraven shouts back. “I do not want to waste my time.”

“His name was Herman!” Max shouts up at him. “You want a fight to the death? Face me yourself! I’m not killing anyone!”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” the voice of Martin Li calls out and Max tenses. He turns, glaring at the negative energy-being that steps into the arena. “I’m sure we’ve got some unresolved problems.”

“You fucked with my mind,” Max spits at him. “If anyone here deserves to get their ass beat it’s you.”

“Do you really think you can face me?” Li asks, weird negative eyes flashing under the light. Max swallows down his nerves. Miles hates the guy, has struggled with wanting him dead for murdering his father, but Max? Max sees a potential way out.

“Bring it,” he taunts, letting sparks dance up his arms. They draw nearer to each other, neither one looking away, and he drops his voice to a whisper. “Can you get a signal to Spider-Man if I get you out of here?”

“What do you have in mind? Lasers aren’t exactly skin friendly,” Li responds. Max bobs his head from side to side.

“We fight, I draw power. It’ll take out the lasers. You jump through the roof, get a message to Spider-Man about where we’re being held.”

“Deal,” Li says before swinging his sword. Max yelps in shock, that definitely not faked, and jumps into the air. Li laughs, spinning his sword around his hand. “I can wait all day for you to use up your power!”

“I can conduct it from anything!” Max shouts back, throwing his arms out. He pulls with all his might, knowing that he’s going to overload his body, and absorbs every ounce of electricity that the lasers use. Martin Li just laughs and leaps into the air, using his shoulder as a springboard to get higher. He smashes through the glass with a battle cry and Max uses his power to create a force field of energy around him. The strength of it burns the glass fragments into nothing as he glares at Kraven.

“You are resilient,” Kraven says as he stands from the ostentatious chair covered in furs.

“You wanna see how resilient I am?” Max taunts back, letting the electricity arc around him. “I won’t kill anyone you send in here, but I’ll kill you.”

“Worthy prey,” Kraven says with a menacing flash of teeth. Max, well versed in being a villain, just laughs coldly.

“I’d say it’s more like the hunter becoming the hunted.” With a wave of his hand electricity flows from him to smack into the thick bulletproof glass that separates him from the hunters. He grins as it cracks and they scatter like roaches.

This is what the voices always promised. This moment of luxuriating in other’s fear. Becoming a being of pure energy was the goal, to lose his mortal form, and be eternal in his power. Now? With the energy from the laser grid running through his body? He’s closer than he ever was before. Kraven won’t know what hit him.

Kraven just laughs and picks up his weapon. It would be intimidating for most. Giant guy holding a giant machete? Pretty piss-your-pants-worthy. Max though? The whole blade is metal and he’s basically made to be a pain in the ass when it comes to metal.

He cracks the glass that separates them and stops, letting Kraven make the first move. The leader of the roaches just swings his machete and takes a few steps forward. Does he really think he’s intimidating anyone? How has this guy been able to survive? How’d this asshole even kill Herman?!

“You gonna keep swinging that around?” Max drawls. He gives an exaggerated pout. “Is some kind of compensation? Big knife, little dick?”

“You, like many others,” Kraven says casually as he jumps from his perch to the floor of the arena, “seem to misunderstand what hunting truly is.”

“Enlighten me,” Max fires back sarcastically.

“The kill is only the final result, not the point. To be the best hunter, one must study their prey. The animal you wish to dominate, where do they graze? Where do they sleep? How do they respond to stress?” Kraven smiles, a ruthlessness to the set of his lips and the gleam in his eye that has Max ready to run. “You see my knife and my furs and have picked your targets, while I have already planned ahead. My knife has a rubber handle, with rubber in the center of the blade to absorb whatever you throw at me. My furs? Lined with rubber to absorb your power as well.

“You never go for the face,” Kraven continues casually, as if they’re just discussing the weather. “Perhaps because of your own scarring? Who can say. Now that I have drawn attention to it, I am certain that you will try. However, I am faster than a normal human and will be able to easily block whatever attack you try. I know that you are medicated, a pill that you have to take once every single day to keep your mind intact. I know that it has been over twenty four hours since you have taken it. Do you hear them yet? The voices?”

Max pales with horror. Had he been out that long? He’s never missed a pill. He’s been voice-free for eleven months. They’ll ruin everything.

“Do you see?” Kraven asks with a wicked grin. “I know you. You have overextended yourself. The power you hold now will overwhelm you, which will just make your medication run out faster. You will hear the voices, if you are not already hearing them, and you will be your true self for me to fight and kill.”

Genuine fear is something Max hasn’t felt in a very long time. He knows the last time, the day he got his powers, and he’s barely scratched the surface of that day in therapy. He feels it now.

The ice in his veins.
The cold chill running down his spine.
The terror of knowing that he’s facing certain death and unsure if there’s a way to cheat the reaper again.

“You think you know me so well,” he taunts, feigning a bravery that he absolutely doesn’t feel. “Tell me, do you know how much electricity it takes to boil your eyes in their sockets? Do you know how little effort it takes for me to stop your heart? The human body is a weak machine powered by natural electrical impulses and I can overload them all.”

“Oh? Try,” Kraven sneers. Max doesn’t need to be told twice. If he’s going to die? If this fucker is the one that takes him out? He’s going to go out sparking and fighting. Hell, if he does get mortally wounded he can just expand all of the energy outwards and kill them both.

With a shout he fires off a bolt and rises into the air. Keeping out of the range of that machete is the obvious choice. If Kraven throws it he can fry the bastard. The bolt of energy is blocked by the blade and deflected, arcing through the air only for Max to grab it again. He’ll stay overcharged and ready to explode. It’s his final move if there’s no other option. At least he’ll die taking Kraven out too, then Peter and Miles can clean up the stragglers.

Just as he raises both hands he feels the charge in the air shift. What feels like a very thick web yanks him backward and a black blur rushes forward with a growl. Max blinks, confused by the sudden change in position, only to realize that Peter has arrived. Dangerous, black suited Peter, but still his Peter.

“You think I’m going to let you hurt him?” Peter snarls out and yeah, Max sees the black of the suit pulsing with his anger. What the fuck is that thing? “I’ll kill you!”

Peter lunges at Kraven, the black suit seeming to have a mind of its own as it blocks a blow from the machete to his stomach. Peter ends up on top of Kraven, fists a blur as he punches the man over and over. It’s terrifying. Max has never seen Peter so out of control.

“Sweetheart!” he shouts as he moves to the blurring fists. It doesn’t even slow them down. He reaches out a hand and carefully sets it on the black shoulder. Instead of slowing, Peter stops, turns to him, and the mask definitely snarls with sharp teeth as he growls. “It’s me! It’s Max!”

“You,” Peter says, the one word dark and dangerous. It’s as though another voice is talking at the same time. A deadly, definitely-going-to-kill-someone deep voice with an edge of pure hate. Max gulps and gives him a nod.

“It’s me Sweetheart,” he says softly, hoping to break through the influence of the suit.

Peter rises from the prone Kraven and Max knows he’s in trouble. There’s something too fluid about the way Peter moves. His boyfriend is very acrobatic, a fact they’ve taken advantage of in their relationship, but that level of fluidity looks inhuman. It looks wrong, even when Peter tilts his head.

“You wanted me to get rid of the suit,” Peter says with the other voice, “but it makes me better.”

“I think Kraven’s half-dead body over there would disagree,” Max points out as he takes a reflexive step backward. “Sweetheart, you’re not yourself anymore and it’s scaring me.”

“You’re right,” Peter growls out. “We aren’t.”

Max doesn’t have time to question the pronoun usage there. Before it even fully registers he’s being hit square in the chest by what feels like a mallet. He realizes, as he’s flying backwards in shock, that Peter just hit him with the creepiest web he’s ever seen in his life, and barely has enough presence of mind to stop himself before he crashes into the structure that holds an old fashioned bell. He takes a steadying breath, feeling the bruise forming on his chest already, and tries not to panic as he hears Peter slithering closer.

“Peter,” he says, forcing his voice to be calm, “I know you’re in there. This… thing isn’t you. It’s making you do things you don’t wanna do-”

“You want to separate us when we are so much better together,” Peter’s voice mixed with the other calls back from the darkness. Max swallows thickly. This is bad. He’s fought Peter before, but he’s not Electro anymore. He doesn’t want to hurt the man he loves.

“I just want my boyfriend back,” he admits softly, flexing his fingers as the spark. He’s pushing it, holding onto so much power for so long. “I want quiet dates. I want to wake up to beautiful brown eyes and wild bedhead that you can never tame. I want-”

“What about what we want?!” the two voices scream back. Max lets out a shaky breath and inhales a steadier one.

“I don’t care what the suit wants. What does Peter want?” he asks, thinking back to his early days of therapy. The quiet office and the kind smile through his curt answers. The insistence that he was more than Electro, more than trauma, that he was above the voices. “Sweetheart, what do you want?”

“I want…” Peter’s voice, just Peter’s and it sounds so good he could weep, says softly, “you and your bad jokes that make me laugh. I want to see… your relationship with Miles continue to grow. I want…”

“Name it Sweetheart,” he encourages as his boyfriend steps through the darkness. Even the way he walks looks more like Peter and that sends hope coursing through his heart. “What do you want?”

“I…” Peter doubles over with a pained grunt and Max rushes forward. He’s about to set his hand on the black-clad shoulder when he hears a growl. “We want to be free.”

“What are you?” Max asks, carefully touching Peter’s shoulder.

“We are Venom,” the two voices say in unison. Max shakes his head and pulls Peter upright to look him in the eye. The white of the eyes narrows and flickers, the black slithering around menacingly.

“No. You are Venom, he is Peter. He’s my everything. Get off of him,” he commands.

“We need each other… to survive,” Venom’s voice growls. “Peter is strong, a good host. Better than the other one.”

“I know he’s strong, but he’s not yours.”

“I will die without a host,” Venom growls. “You Max… you are strong too, strong in different ways.”

“What?” Max asks, confused.

“How much do you love Peter? Enough to live without him? Enough to become my host?” Venom asks, a tendril snaking from Peter’s face and hanging between them.

Horror fills Max. He can’t take that thing on. If he does he’ll succumb to it faster than Peter did. He can’t… but he can’t let it have Peter. His hands spark and he remembers how overcharged he is.

He thinks of the shining light of hope that Peter is both as himself and Spider-Man. What’s the alternative? Let this thing, this Venom have him? What is he afraid of? Prison? Death? Peter is worth that and so much more. His plan solidifies in his mind as he nods.

“Okay,” he agrees, staring into the white eyes. Venom purrs and the world turns into darkness as the monster jumps from Peter.

It’s vile. He can feel it, feel Venom slithering through his body. It feels like a cold version of the way electricity feels coursing under his skin. It’s wrong and disgusting and he hates it as he feels the entity seep into his organs.

Peter looks up at him, the blue and red suit a beautiful sight, and he smiles sadly. There’s so much he wants to say. There’s so much he wanted to do with Peter. He can’t though, not with this… thing in him.

“I love you,” he says before he launches himself into the air.

“Max!” Peter’s scream of his name follows him, barely heard over the rush of wind as he climbs high into the sky. When he clears the buildings he grits his teeth as Venom stops slithering.

“What are you doing?!” his voice asks, distorted by Venom.

“Ending this,” he growls out before letting go of every single ounce of power within him.

He’s never done this before. Never pushed every bit of electricity from his body. It feels like he’s tearing himself apart. He can’t hold back tears as his skin explodes in pain. Venom hisses and snarls, tries to stop him, but it’s too late. Like flipping the breaker for a building, Max’s body is empty.

XXX

Chapter Text

“…electrical impulses. It should work.”

“Should?!”

“Yeah Pete, should. If he isn’t… I don’t know okay?! He taught me how to do this but I’ve never had to do it before!”

Miles? Peter?

Their voices sound far away. Max tries to focus on them, but he doesn’t seem to have any energy stored up. Weird. Why’s that?

He feels it then. A flash of bio electrical energy that only comes from Miles and his powers. Max latches onto it, drawing it into himself. Miles lets out a strangled sort of noise.

“Max! Max can you hear me?! Pete! He’s drawing on my power!”

“Max?!” Peter’s voice is normal and beautiful. Slowly everything comes back to him. The suit. Venom. Exploding his own reserves of energy. Huh. Did he die? “Max please open your eyes.”

“Ghff.” He tries to speak but gibberish crawls out of his throat. That’s not right. He draws a little more energy from Miles and finds his tongue capable of moving. “That… hurt.”

“Max!” Peter and Miles cry out in unison. He grimaces and forces his eyes open. Peter’s face should never look so worried or tear-streaked. He raises a hand, trying to control the way it shakes, and Peter takes it.

“You okay Sweetheart?” he asks. Peter scoffs as his eyes well up with fresh tears.

“You saved me from that thing. Max… I thought I lost you,” Peter whispers. Max tries to snort but it comes out a stream of bone-rattling coughs. They both help him to a sitting position and he catches his breath.

“It’s gonna take more than that to get me out of your life,” he promises with a wink. Peter laughs out a wild laugh that sounds close to manic and leans forward. Max meets the gentle press of lips with his own.

“Okay, let’s keep it clean in front of me,” Miles reminds them and Max laughs as he pulls back.

“You good Training Wheels? Didn’t draw too much did I?” he asks, just to be sure. Miles rolls his eyes and crashes into him with a hug. “Ow.”

“I’m not apologizing,” Miles says, voice wavering. Max hugs him back, looking at Peter and seeing his watery smile.

“I’m kinda loving being the center of attention, but don’t we have an army of hunters to stop?” Max asks dryly, just to remind them that there’s more going on than his revival. Miles scoffs but pulls back, swiping at his eyes with one hand. Peter tries to smile, but it comes out wobbly.

“You sit this one out okay? Maybe… head back to the house? If you want.” The doubt and worry in Peter’s voice is thick, enough to make Max shake his head.

“Sweetheart if you think for one second I’m gonna let the chance to get pampered by you pass me by then you don’t know me very well,” he says with a grin. It’s like he lifted a weight off Peter’s shoulders with the bright smile bestowed upon him. “Go on. I’ll be at the house okay?”

“Okay,” Peter says with a nod. They share a smile, Peter steals a soft kiss, and both Spider-Men thwip away on their thankfully white webs.

Max takes a moment to just breathe, rises on shaky legs, and takes off.

XxX

He doesn’t head straight for the house. There’s no way he’s going to be able to make enough energy to keep him going as it is. So, like any good electrically powered person would, he gets to the power station and uses the live wires to recharge until he’s feeling more alive. That done, he goes to the house.

It’s… weird to know when he walks in the front door that he’s only been in the house a few times. And to think that only one of those was when Peter was himself? That’s even weirder.

He doesn’t let himself linger in the realization. The most important thing is that Peter is himself once again and Venom is gone. The second most important thing is that he’s aware of the smell of ozone clinging to his skin mixing with sweat. It’s unpleasant, to put it mildly.

With that smell really registering in his nose he kicks off his ruined shoes and starts up the stairs. The bathroom is weirdly still very old-lady-decorated, but there’s Peter’s soap and shampoo on the side of the tub and shower combo and he’s grateful. He pulls off his ruined clothes, already lamenting the loss of his green hoodie, and catches sight of his face in the mirror.

“Fuck,” he curses, touching at the renewed scars on his face. They look fresh and new, a brighter pink to the skin that he hasn’t seen since he initially healed from the accident. They stand out in a very look-at-me way and he knows he’s going to hide until they fade once again. He gets enough staring, thank you very much.

He turns, starts the shower, and peels off the remains of his shirt. It’s not pleasant at all to feel it stick to burns, but he knows from experience that they’ll heal up. In just his jeans he turns back to the mirror, trying to take stock of the damage, and winces as he sees the giant bruise on his chest. That’s going to take some time to heal.

He finally peels off the remnants of jeans and boxers, toes off his socks, and hops into the shower. The warm water is a balm against his battered skin and he groans in approval and appreciation. For a moment he just stands there, letting the water relax his muscles, before he starts cleaning himself.

When he’s done he shuts the water off and uses the mouthwash by the sink to rinse out the taste of fried saliva from his mouth. That done, he wraps a towel around his waist and goes into Peter’s room. His duffel bag is on the floor by the bed and he quickly pulls out his gray sweats and backup green hoodie. It’s not nearly as broken in as the one he lost, but it’s still comfortable.

All of that done he lays down on the bed, not bothering with the mess of blankets Peter has. His head hits the pillow and beautiful oblivion takes him.

XxX

“Max?” Peter’s voice is a soft whisper. He hums, burrows into the pillow a little bit more, and opens one eye. Peter is there, Spider-Man suit still on, with his mask in his hand.

“I like the red and blue a lot more,” he says with a lazy smile. Peter bites his lips together.

“Max… I am so sorry about-”

“Sweetheart, you’ve got a guilt complex bigger than this city,” he yawns out, “but you don’t need to apologize for what that thing made you do okay?”

“But-”

“Okay?” Max repeats, hoping it sinks in. Peter worries his lower lip between his teeth and he chuckles. “I mean, if you wanna make it up to me I can think of a much better use for those lips.”

“Max!” Peter fusses, red exploding across his cheeks. Max just shakes his head and snakes an arm out. When he has it around Peter’s waist he pulls his boyfriend close.

“I like this bed more than the futon,” he says as Peter gently settles against him.

“I like it better now that you’re in it,” Peter fires back. Max chuckles, kisses the mop of wild hair, and closes his eyes again.

XxX

It takes two days of sleeping and a nervous Peter bringing him food, but he does recover. On the morning of the third day he gets up, brushes his teeth, and goes downstairs to find Peter bringing out old photo albums. He grins as he grabs one and flips it open, startling his boyfriend who blushes.

“I’m still getting used to the fact that you don’t set off my spider sense,” Peter admits sheepishly. Max grins wolfishly as he steps closer.

“Oh yeah? Maybe I wanna test how far that goes. For science of course,” he says, voice dripping with faux seriousness. Peter smiles, cheeks still tinged pink, and Max grabs for the photo albums. “After I find the dorkiest pictures.”

He races to the couch and sits against the arm, letting Peter take the spot next to him. When he opens the album Peter points out the people he doesn’t know. May, Ben, his parents. Max had been in the system his whole childhood so he doesn’t know what that’s like, to lose his family, but he throws an arm around Peter’s shoulder and kisses his temple. When they come to the first picture of a grumpy looking newborn he laughs.

“You still make that face!” he crows with delight and Peter scoffs.

“I do not!”

“Oh you definitely do,” Max confirms as he turns the page. “Oh my god you were an adorable baby.”

“This was a bad idea,” Peter laments against his shoulder.

“Nah,” he disagrees as he drops another kiss to his temple. “This is perfect.”

XxX

The elevator ride up to the penthouse apartment is dead silent. Max keeps his hand in Peter’s, watching the floors scroll by. The call about Harry has his boyfriend rattled and he wishes he could soothe the obvious worry.

They’re let in by a maid and led straight to Harry’s room. Once they’re inside Max releases Peter’s hand to let him go to his friend’s bedside. The duo talk in soft whispers. None of it is for Max’s ears so he pretends to be interested in the bland art on the wall.

“It’s really gone?” Harry asks, just loud enough for Max to hear. He shuts his eyes, grabbing his new stress ball and giving it a squeeze.

“We’ll find something, I promise,” Peter vows. “I’ve brought Doctor Connors on at the Foundation. Between the two of us? We’ll figure it out.”

“I trust you Pete,” Harry says softly. Their conversation continues for a moment longer before Max is called over.

“Hey Harry,” he greets as he takes Peter’s spot. The man gives him a weak smile.

“I don’t know how you did it, but thanks for bringing my friend back.”

“I’d do anything for him,” Max admits, casting a quick glance at his boyfriend in the corner wiping at his eyes with his sleeve.

“You’re better for him than anyone I’ve ever met. Keep an eye on him yeah?” Harry asks as he holds out a hand. Max takes it, gives it a gentle squeeze, and nods.

“You got it.”

XxX

MJ looks like she’s been served a double shit sandwich on shit bread. Max loves it. He just grins as he stands at the door, knowing that Peter’s less than subtle bedhead at his side is short circuiting her brain. Peter belatedly runs a hand over his hair to smooth it out but c’mon, Max doesn’t have hair so burying his fingers in Peter’s is fun. Plus, if he grabs it just right Peter moans loud enough to wake the dead.

“What’s up?” Max asks when it’s apparent that he’s going to need to break the ice.

“I uh… wanted to see if I could bring some more boxes of books by,” she answers, looking at him warily.

“I’m actually going through everything right now,” Peter speaks up. To Max’s surprise he leans his head on his shoulder. “I was going to text you and ask if you could pick up the ones you dropped off.”

“Oh,” MJ says elegantly, looking between them. “I have no idea what to do with so many unsold copies.”

“You could donate them,” Max points out. “Between F.E.A.S.T. and the prison library who knows? It might make someone think twice about their actions.”

“Did you read it?” MJ asks, eyes curious. Max bobs his head from side to side.

“I flipped through it, mostly to see Peter’s photography. I did like the passage you wrote about the people caught in the middle of everything. It was humanizing. Might make a villain or two rethink a few things.”

“Did it work on you?” she asks, an edge of judgement in her tone. Max just grins.

“Meds and therapy worked for me. Then meeting Training Wheels.”

“She knows that I’m Spider-Man and she knows about Miles,” Peter says with a grin Max can feel against his shoulder.

“You know?!” she asks, surprised. Max laughs at that, remembering the moment when he found out.

“I’ve known since New Year,” he says cryptically and Peter lets out a little laugh.

“I forgot to lock my web shooters,” Peter explains vaguely. MJ looks confused until her eyes widen.

“Ohmygod,” she says all in a rush as she starts to smile, “I’ve gotta hear that story.”

“No!” Peter yelps, quickly clapping a hand over Max’s mouth. Max licks his palm and Peter pulls it back with a glare without any heat behind it. “I don’t need that hanging over my head.”

“Why not? I already told Harry.”

“You what?!” Peter squeaks and Max laughs as he motions for MJ to come in.

XxX

“Put on music!” Max calls over his shoulder as he adds the diced onion to the oil. “Rio says it makes the food taste better. She’ll know if I didn’t.”

Peter laughs at him but complies. A soft and light song fills the air and Max gives the diced onion a stir. It had taken some coaxing, but Peter had let Ganke and Miles set up speakers and, as he sets the water to boil for the rice, he has to admit it was a good thing. It helps the house feel lived in, even when Peter is out at the Foundation.

“Is the music to your liking Chef Max?” Peter asks as he leans against the counter.

“It will suffice,” Max says in a posh accent as he adds some spice to the onions and tosses in the minced garlic. “Are you sure you’re up for bringing everyone together like this?”

“Yeah,” Peter says with a nervous smile. “I’m mostly worried about Harry. I know he’s doing better but we haven’t cracked the formula.”

“Sweetheart if anyone can? You will,” he says as he leans over to grab the meat. “If anything, you should be worried that you’re basically setting yourself up for Miles to never respect you again.”

Peter gives him a faux offended gasp and he chuckles as he grabs the tongs. He gives them a few clicks and Peter leans against his shoulder. They say nothing for a moment, just the two of them existing together, and Max wonders if Peter has any idea how much the moments like this mean to him.

XxX

“Max! This is so good!” Rio decrees. Miles nods emphatically, mouth full of food, and Max gives her a seated bow.

“I learned from the master,” he says, motioning dramatically to Rio as she laughs.

“It’s amazing,” MJ agrees with a smile.

“I’ve got no appetite and it’s good,” Harry agrees with a grin. “Maybe that’s the next business venture? Max, the master chef?”

“Oh no,” Max disagrees with a shake of his head. “I only cook to make sure Peter eats.”

“He’s always been bad about that,” Harry agrees and the table laughs as Peter goes red with embarrassment. Max just wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close enough to press a kiss to his cheek.

“Told you this was a bad idea,” he whispers against Peter’s warm skin. Peter giggles as he steals a quick kiss and Max’s last bite of rice.

XxX

Max stares at Peter, wondering if there’s a stronger word to use for what he feels. Love just seems to fall flat. It doesn’t express the depth of what those brown eyes do to him. It doesn’t explain the way a smile can light up his day. It just doesn’t seem to match the way Peter makes him feel.

“So,” Peter continues, talking to himself as he hangs upside down from the ceiling with a tablet in his hand, “if we rework the code we should be able to solve the bee drone issue.”

“Do you do all your best thinking upside down?” Max asks as he lays back on the bed. Peter looks down at him, a sheepish smile on his face.

“I don’t even think about it before doing it,” Peter admits as he lowers himself from the web to the bed. Max shakes his head fondly and snatches the tablet. “Max-”

“You know you’re nervously going over every little detail for tomorrow because you’ve got that meeting with Osborn,” he says with a grin as he sets the tablet on the bedside table. “You’ve made progress with Harry’s disease. He looked so much better today than he did when we saw him at the penthouse.”

“Yeah but he’s not cured-”

“And tomorrow you and Connors will make another breakthrough that keeps you there late, which will lead to me bringing you food and bending you over that desk-”

“The office is all windows!” Peter cuts in with a laugh. Max shrugs.

“So we’ll give ‘em all a show.” He props himself up on an elbow to lean over his boyfriend. Peter boldly stares him down, a smile wavering on his lips as he tries to fight it.

“We’re not having sex in my office,” Peter says firmly. “Besides, when Harry’s back? That desk is his so-”

“When Harry’s back? Why Mister Parker, I do believe that was optimistic!” Max says as he slides between Peter’s bent knees. “One might think that you believe in your genius!”

Peter rolls his eyes and Max lowers himself down. When those delightful legs wrap around his hips he grins. With a raise of his eyebrow he goes in for a kiss and Peter sighs into it.

He knows that Peter’s got a big day in the morning so he doesn’t push it. They can make out but he has no intention of taking it further. The last thing he wants is to fuck the genius out of him. When Peter whimpers against his tongue he pulls back with a wink.

“When you get home tomorrow, I promise.” His words make Peter sigh and nod. As he settles behind his boyfriend in the dark he feels the way his arm is held tightly. “You still nervous?”

“No… well yes, but actually there’s something I wanted to ask you about,” Peter admits as he rolls over. Max slips an arm around his waist and waits. “Do you want kids?”

“Kids?” Max asks, surprised by the question. Peter nods, eyes darting between his. Max doesn’t know how to navigate this question so he goes with honesty. “Sweetheart I’ve never even thought about having kids. I mean, with my shitty childhood and y’know, mental struggles I never thought about it. Why do you ask? Are you laying little spider eggs?”

“No!” Peter giggles the word out and Max holds him closer. “It’s something Doctor Connors said. We were discussing the possibility of, if we cure Harry, the chances of him passing on the disease to potential children. He then brought up that his running theory is that Spider-Man would probably pass on the powers to his offspring and…”

“Well if powers get transferred I don’t think that I’d be a great candidate for sperm donation to a surrogate,” Max says with a shake of his head. “It’s a lot to control electricity and I doubt any woman would sign up for getting internally zapped for months.”

“Yeah,” Peter agrees, voice a touch sad. Max swallows and kisses his forehead.

“But,” he continues with a kiss to Peter’s nose, “I think I can handle an extra clingy spider-baby. I mean, I’ve survived everything with Miles and he’s not too many years out of diapers.”

“He’s eighteen years old!” Peter fusses. Max can hear the underlying excitement in his voice. It’s… it’s fucking terrifying. Him? A dad? Raising a kid?

“You uh, you think I’d be up to something that serious?” Max asks warily. “I mean, I don’t exactly know the first thing about babies.”

“Max? Are you serious? You’d be great. You joke about Miles but you’re amazing with him. I think there’s a lot more love in your heart than you give yourself credit for,” Peter says, kissing the tip of his nose. Max makes a noncommittal noise and Peter scoots closer. “I’m not saying that tomorrow I’m going to run out and find a surrogate. Just… think about it? Maybe?”

“Okay,” Max agrees, nodding. Peter’s smile lights up the dimly lit room and the kiss pressed to his lips is enough to make him swoon. He returns it, tongue sliding against Peter’s, until both their phones chime with app alerts. They roll in opposite directions, grab their phones, and Max gets out of the bed with a groan.

“He really just doesn’t understand does he?” Peter laments as Max throws on his clothes.

“Adrien? Understand something? Those words never go together. I’ll be back when he’s down,” he promises. As he zips his hoodie he looks back at Peter in the bed and grins. “Y’know Sweetheart, before I get baby-trapped I think there’s a serious question that needs answering.”

“Oh yeah?” Peter asks back around a yawn. “What’s that?”

“I’ll ask you when you’re not half asleep. I love you, be back soon.”

“Love you too,” Peter says on a sleepy sigh. Max leaves the room and goes downstairs, a giddy spring in his step.

After he handles Adrien? When Peter’s at the Foundation in the morning? He’s gonna pick up that ring.

XXX