Chapter Text
ONE —
Webs, Masks, And Moonlight: A Collision Of Fates
Steven's feet gently padded across the sidewalk, his ankles twisting and turning from the ridges and casualties left amongst the pavement.
"That's bloody brilliant." He said while glaring at the ground, attempting with all of his might not to roll his eyes. He was unsuccessful, unfortunately, as his downcast lids scrutinized the floor he walked on.
Steven's head pounded against his temples, an aching and guttural feeling lacing his chest. It wasn't like he meant to stay awake for three days, honestly. Steven had adopted a somewhat normal sleeping schedule after discovering his late-night endeavors were just his alters. No, this time, it was a pure accident.
"Yeah, right. Like it was an accident when I pushed that guy off of the roof."
Steven's mood worsened. "Not the time, Marc!" He practically screeched into the bustling nighttime of New York. His hands stayed safely in his pockets, where it was warm and comforting against the chilly air that blew at his hair.
Steven had been so enraptured with his latest job: a tour guide at a museum he managed to get hired at. When the email came that he was hired, it shocked all of them. Well, not Layla, at least. It was loads better than the other place. He genuinely got recognized for the knowledge he held. As he went to work day by day, the urge to keep awake grew stronger with the thirst for more information.
"You have to sleep at some point," Jake grumbled. Though his voice cords were the same as Marc's, his tone was rough and sliced; a deep contrast to Steven's.
"Alright, alright. We'll get a good rest tonight, eh? Sounds good to me." Steven babbled, his voice growing softer in his tiredness. His eyelids closed on their own every few seconds, a movement he forcibly stopped by pinching his hand.
Practically falling into his building's doors, Steven felt his knees go weak. The desperation to sleep at that very moment suffocated all else. Suddenly, someone grabbed him. They held onto his shoulders and arm, slowly helping him into a standing position.
"Woah! Are you okay, man?" The young voice filtered into his ears. His eyes snapped open (they were closed?) and he focused on the red and blue creature that stood next to him.
"Spider-Man?! Bloody- what?" Steven kept cutting himself off, his tongue getting tied at meeting the very elicit Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
"This is so amazing to meet you!" He gushed out.
Spider-Man nodded his head, grateful for the support, but here for a different reason. "Be straight with me, dude. Are you on drugs? I can recommend a few places, you would be surprised how many facilities I call a night."
Steven maneuvered from the obviously young boy's hold, grasping onto the wall for help instead. In the double door reflections, he could see Marc and Jake flickering over one another. Concern and annoyance fighting for dominance.
Steven nodded his head rapidly. "Yep. All good, mate. No drugs here, just three days of no sleep." He could comically see the white of Spider-Man's costume narrow.
"A different kind of facility then? I saw you talking to yourself from on top of the building." Even in his suspicion, his voice remained kind and nonjudgmental. Almost playful, like a mental illness was nothing to be ashamed about.
Which it isn't, Steven thought. But it was sure easier living without one.
"Let me take control and teach this kid a lesson," Jake demanded, full bite in his tone as he glared at Spider-Man on the reflective door. His threat held no weight. Both of them knew Jake wasn't the same man who punched a kid in the face. Whoops.
Steven pursed his lips, "You were sitting there on that flat? Watching over the night? Kind of creepy, I must say."
Spider-Man tilted his head in curiosity, wondering where the older man could be going with this.
The taller of the two awkwardly laughed. "Recently diagnosed D.I.D., we're able to function without an asylum, cheers though." He quickly went back to unlocking the doors, uncaring of the wince Spider-Man let out.
Spider-Man grabbed his shoulder. "Sorry, then. You looked like you were dying, stumbling over the street and all."
And okay, Steven had to give it to the kid. If he saw himself he wouldn't think he was right in the head either.
With a gust of heavy wind, Khonshu appeared a few feet away, watching the situation unfold with a shining glimmer in his sockets. His long hands rested on the staff that followed with him wherever he went, slight amusement filling his features.
"This arachnid protects the travelers of night. For that, he is in my good graces." And then he was gone as if he was never there. Silence filled the city.
It was like the god was permitting him to be around Spider-Man. Yeah, well he didn't want to hang around a teenager. Thank you, but no thanks.
"Like I said, three days, no sleep." The excitement of meeting Spider-Man faded into background noise.
The reality of his life caught up like a wrecking ball. His shoulder slumped forward, eyes unthinkingly casting themselves to the ground as his mind froze.
With a regretful sigh, Spider-Man backed off, lifting his hands up in mock surrender. "Get some sleep tonight. People can go crazy from lack of sleep, you know."
Steven’s lip quirked down, an attempt to let his emotions be known. "Right, goodnight Spider boy. I hope you finish your homework and get to bed on time." He waved off Spider-Man with a tired hand, not looking back to see the teenager laugh in amusement.
His flat building was of Layla's choice, a mutual decision they agreed upon when she wound up on the website for their temporary home. It was a moderate architecture with little needing to be done to it; a few decorative pieces and self-adhesive film made the home look cozy and properly lived in.
With his back against his door and safely inside his flat, he let out a squeal that could rival an infatuated teenage girl.
"Oh my god! I just met Spider-Man and he's a teenager -- Layla will devour this news." His hands went to his cheeks, body vibrating like he just met his favorite boy band.
"Steven. Bed, now. You can message Layla tomorrow. She's already asleep." Marc ordered. His face came into view in the mirror, eyes hardened and tone deeper than Steven's.
Steven plopped on his bed, a resting place he hasn't visited in quite some time.
"You don't know if she's asleep." Steven sassed back. He knew Marc's words to be true because, unlike someone, she had a normal sleep schedule when given the chance. But that didn't mean he liked the other man telling him what to do. It could grow agitating sometimes, the insistent nagging.
"You know I'm right." Marc argued back, no real heat behind his words. "She'll be pissed that you got to meet him before her." Even in his no-nonsense tone, Marc relented when talking about his wife.
Steven snuggled into the bed, a conforming pillow tucked under his arm. "Yeah, but not for long once I tell her he's not even in college."
Unfortunately, working late and waking up early was not a good combination for a rejuvenating sleep.
Marc opened his eyes with a groan, the light pouring in through the white curtains Layla had chosen. He rolled out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom in haste to get Steven to his job on time.
"Brush teeth after breakfast, Marc. You can't eat anything for thirty minutes when you brush your teeth." Steven reminded, sounding groggy.
Marc conceded and toasted a slice of bread, not bothering to add anything to it.
"Heathen," Jake commented.
After throwing on the clothes Steven would wear, Marc brushed his teeth rapidly. He grabbed his phone as he ran down the stairs, scrolling through his contacts.
"Hey, Layla." he grounded out as he pushed the double doors open, beginning to walk across the street and towards the museum with the phone to his ear.
Layla replied warmly. "Marc," Her tone was soft and inviting, the complete opposite of Marc's strained one. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, fine. What are you up to?" He suspiciously gazed at the people walking next to him. There was a surprising amount of individuals walking the streets of New York at 8 AM.
"Taweret's given me new coordinates that lead closer to the trafficking ring." She started. Marc could hear her ruffling her hair in stress. "There's just so many levels to this shit. "
"If you need-" He began to offer before being cut off. Marc bit his tongue to stifle the slight annoyance that bubbled up in his chest.
"I don't need help. It's appreciated, but I got this." Layla held no bite to her words, just a relieved sigh that followed. "How are Steven and Jake doing?"
"Let me speak to her! Marc, I have to tell her about the Spider bloke." Steven broke through, no longer quiet at the mention of his name.
With the contraction of his eyes and a rigid neck, Steven took over. The stiffness in his back melted away, a slight hunch added in its place.
Steven spoke in a rush of words, some becoming jumbled together with how fast he talked. "Hello, love! I can't speak for Jake but I'm doing well. How are you?"
"Hi, Steven. I'm stressed, yet that's expected."
Steven's eyes grew glum, his free hand rearranging into his pocket. "Sorry to hear that. I'm certain you'll get them in no time. You're the best of the best."
Layla laughed on the other line, "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."
"Oh, now you're just poking fun at me."
"Get to the point, Steven," Marc grumbled.
"Alright, alright. So pushy today aren't you?" Steven griped out. "You'll never guess who I saw last night, sweetheart."
"Who?" Layla's voice grew louder in interest.
"Spider-Man!" He whisper-shouted, smiling at the audible gasp Layla let out.
She screeched into the phone, feet running across her hotel room floor as she paced in circles. "What?! Oh, my god Steven, tell me everything!" Layla demanded.
"When he spoke, Layla, it was obvious he's not eighteen. I've heard all ranges of children crying out for toys and snacks at the gift shop. The Spider boy could match the bloody frequencies!" He ranted, ignoring the unhidden side eyes of other people.
"So... the Avengers are fighting with a kid? Yeah like that's not weird as fuck." Her happy tumbles stopped, feet sticking in place as a scowl decorated her face.
Steven came to the steps of the museum. "Agreed. Right, well I'm off. I have to give a tour to high schoolers." He glanced at the yellow school buses that lined the front of the structure.
"Love you guys."
"Love you too, cheers."
The mass of children made Steven sweat. By now, he was used to crowds that came through his workplace. However, this group nearly tripled, taking over half of the small building's entry floor.
"Don't worry, Steven. Help is on the way." Siadh said through the intercom. She was new to the museum as well, being Steven's partner in training and a fellow tour guide.
A few seconds later she tapped on his shoulder, then stood next to him. "Hello, dear." She said in her scratchy voice. She was young, her face devoid of any wrinkles or stress marks. Her thick brown hair reached the middle of her back, and today it was neatly crafted into a braid.
"Morning. How was your vacation with your girlfriend?" He nervously looked back to the group before him, feeling some of the chaperone's eyes on them.
"I can't even get into it right now, there's so much to talk about." She flicked her manicured hand to the side.
Steven looked at her in concern, worrying the worst when Siadh laughed at him.
"Good stuff! I don't want to leave you on a cliffhanger, babes. I'll tell you during lunch. You'll wanna stab your ears out and glue them back on." She mimicked stabbing her ears, a sharp smile on her face at his reaction.
"Always so graphic with you, Siadh." He shook his head.
"You know it, puppy eyes." Siadh returned her attention to the group. "Bus two you're with me! We're starting from the top, let's go." She made wild gestures with her arm, quickly walking to the stairs that led one level higher. As she talked to her group, her raucous voice carried throughout the building.
"Hello everyone, I'm Steven." He introduced himself.
"Are you British?" One of the girls shouted all eyes turned to her before focusing back on Steven.
"Yes. Thank you, for that by the way."
Jake let out a snort. "Someone is sassy.”
Steven led them throughout the museum, accidentally going on tangents as he happily discussed ancient Egypt.
"This," He gestured to dung that was encapsulated in a glass case. "Is dung. Women used to use this as a form of contraceptive."
There were mixed reactions. Some of the students gasped while others were awed, all a form of shock that had spread like wildfire.
One girl, who had introduced herself as MJ (one of the only ones asking questions, really), stepped forward from the spot in the crowd.
"I'm not asking for you, Peter," she said to the boy slightly standing behind her. His pale face grew red when he looked at her, scrutinizing her silently with his eyes. Another boy stood to the other side of her, trying to stifle his laugh.
"How, how would they exactly use the dung?" Peter, asked.
Alarm bells rang in Steven's head, blaring loudly in his thoughts. That voice was familiar. "They would insert the dung into themselves after sex or for long periods of time."
More faces grew disgusted, a boy even going as far as to step away from the girl next to him and plug his nose with his fingers.
Steven's brows furrowed. "Oi, none of that now, lad."
He at least had the decency to look bad before laughing with his group of friends.
"Spider-Man." Marc drawled out.
“Over here is a mummified cat. The Egyptians used to mummify many animals, but the cat was the most sacred of them all. In fact, harming a cat was punishable by death.”
Whoever this Spider-Man or Peter was, he didn’t want to get to know him. Better to keep him away from Khonshu.
Peter stared at Steven as he moved fluidly through each exhibit, confident in his familiarity and oftentimes delving into stories.
It was interesting to see him standing so upright. His body was not as slouched as it was last night, or the other handful of times Peter had seen him walking late at night.
He didn’t look as roughed up. Though a tiredness was clear on his face, the man was able to keep his eyes open and be attentive.
People had been disappearing for the last year and a half in the same district. Gone without a whisper and never seen again. The majority of the cases were pushed as insignificant, as the someones who went missing were deemed as ‘people of the streets.’
Steven seemed nice enough. So when Spider-Man saw the man walking alone, the usual way people were taken, he couldn’t help but make sure he was alright. In hindsight, it was better to get the ‘people of the streets’ in facilities where no one would be blatantly snatching them up. At least, he thought so.
“C’mon, Peter.” Ned nudged his shoulder in the direction everyone began walking in.
His best friend's face looked concerned, lips turned down into a frown. “You okay?”
MJ turned her attention to them, mother-hen mode activated. Her eyes were sharp and focused, scanning Peter’s face for any sign of what was bothering him.
He couldn’t exactly say he was nervous about taking this whole operation down. Not with so many people here, at least.
“Nothing, oh! Look at that thing.” Peter pointed to the odd stick object.
“That is a toothbrush,” MJ said flat out, her expression unimpressed. “We will be talking about this, Parker.”
Peter conceded. “Later.”
The third time Steven met Spider-Man, was when Jake was out as Moon Knight. Technically, it wasn’t Steven who met him, but the same body, innit?
Steven was on the way home from his local cafe, enjoying the donut and coffee he ordered just moments ago. The bags under his eyes were significantly less prominent; now just faded colors. He had been sleeping well this past week, with no nightmares or memories. Just pure, unfiltered rest. The moon in the sky paradoxically soothed him yet was the bane of all of his worries.
“Worm.” Came the shrewd and recognizable nickname.
“Can I help you, mate?” He took a sip of his coffee, the hot sensation burning over his tongue and into his throat. A distinguishable pain began to spread in his temples, a common cause of the giant bird being near.
“Let me speak to Marc,” Khonshu demanded.
Though Khonshu had come to an agreement that both Jake and Marc agreed upon, it still didn’t mean Steven had to like the manipulative bastard. “Mm, no. Sorry, you get me.”
“Let me speak to Marc or Jake this instant, worm! Lives are at risk.” He slammed his staff to the ground, throwing a mini tantrum for only Steven to see.
“Fine! You don’t have to be a child about it big, baby bird.”
“What?” Jake asked furiously, a frown adorned his face as his eyes grew to a hard glare. Jake’s knuckles whitened; his fists caused the coffee cup to dent and let the liquid spill out. The donut was not spared.
“Oh, my days! My food!” Steven shook his head disappointedly through the store's windows.
“There is an organization kidnapping the lonesome walkers of the night. Their warehouse is just there.” His bony finger pointed to the building at the end of the street, tall and wide in all of its glory.
Jake was able to understand what Khonshu wanted in the first sentence. After all, he was the protector of the night and it doesn't take a genius to figure out his motives.
The suit expanded around his body, engulfing Jake in swift protection as it charged his body up.
His muscles flexed under the wrap, feeling like they were going to explode and freeze up all at the same time.
“Safe traveling.” Khonshu’s body melted into sand, the wind taking him off to his next destination.
Jake wasn’t used to the bird's warnings. He knew how to get the job done swiftly. In, kill, out. A straightforward task that regarded no questions asked. Simply for Jake to do. He was quick and efficient. Never once had the bird spared a second of pleasantries.
Running to the warehouse that stood tall compared to the buildings on that street, Jake missed the creature that lurked behind him. While most of the surrounding landscape was illuminated from the inside out, the warehouse looked as if it was abandoned.
“On your left!” The identical high-pitched noise called out. Spider-Man swung in over Moon Knight’s shoulder, kicking a guy square in his neck before landing smoothly on the warehouse’s ground.
Hundreds of people surrounded them. In the infrastructure of the tall building, there were three levels in which gangsters encircled the two superheroes. Many had guns in hand, all pointed in the same direction. Knives were held tightly by their owner, recently sharpened with the skull of a person who dared to walk the late-night streets alone.
“Steven? What are you doing here?” Spider-Man asked in a low tone, quiet enough to keep his voice at a level where they could only hear each other. “And what is this?” Referring to the suit.
“How does he know my name? How does he associate my name with Moon Knight?” Steven started to panic, and worry started to etch into him. If he were the one in the body, sweat would no doubt begin to infiltrate his face as his hands ring together.
Jake looked around the warehouse, creating a mental note of how many people there were. More than one hundred. “Not Steven.”
“I was waiting on the building and I saw you. You started talking to the sky and got this kick-ass suit. Is it like Iron Man's? Like how it forms from his reactor or, or you don’t happen to have one of those do you?” The kid yapped on, oblivious to the numerous threats surrounding them. His initial interest was in Moon Knight and Moon Knight alone.
Steven glinted from one of the machetes. “You guys have to get better about transforming in public.”
“You can’t speak when your suit was a literal suit.” Marc bit back.
Jake shook his head in response to Spider-Man's question. “No.”
Spider-Man stood at full height, puffing his chest out as the whites on his suit scanned the area. It didn’t do much, considering most people were taller than a young, teenage boy. “Not to sound stuck up, or whatever, but this is my case. We have to go now! I’m still on the stakeout part of this whole process.”
Moon Knight grabbed two moon-shaped daggers from his chest, hands wrapping around the sharp objects with familiarity. It didn't matter to him that Spider-Man put some sort of claim on the organization. He was given a task and he would complete it, no matter the pesky spider who wouldn't leave them alone.
Jake was never much of a talker. "No."
In a brisk movement, his arms shot out to throw the daggers. With a sickening splatter, they cut through two of the member's heads before they returned to his hands.
"Shit! Okay, this is what we're doing now. I usually have a no-killing rule, but I don't think you're Steven right now." Spider-Man mumbled. He webbed to the highest floor, quick reflexes dodging the bullets that were sent flying his way.
"You can't let him get hurt, Jake. He's just a kid." Steven begged, his voice filled with fear as his reflection watched every movement the spider made.
"I think he’s got himself handled," Jake replied as Spider-Man sent a woman to the floor. She let out a groan before closing her eyes, giving in to the unconsciousness.
With one final punch that sent a man twenty feet back into the compound's other wall, Moon Knight gathered his daggers. While they never ran out, neither Jake nor Marc ever saw the reason to give the detectives an M.O.
Jake gave Spider-Man a once over, taking in the fact he was perfectly fine, then left.
He trudged out of the building, the blood that once coated him slowly disappearing.
"Hey! Wait up." Spider-Man swung down by him, quickly falling in pace with Moon Knight. "Dude, that was so not cool. Do you know how long I've been investigating this place? Three weeks! And you just swoop in and go full Deadpool mode-- don't tell him I said that."
The suit unwrapped around him, placing Jake back in his civilian clothes as his fists clenched. "Don't care."
Spider-Man practically skipped in his walking. "You have to get better about suiting up and down in public. You have no idea who could be watching."
“He’s right.” Steven obnoxiously toggled on.
"Get lost."
Peter ignored the comment, "So, who are you right now?"
Jake glared at the teenager, lips thinning as he imagined fitting a jar onto his head.
Steven shouted. "You better not!"
“I’m not going to, but it sure as hell sounds like the best option,” Jake muttered under his breath. He walked across the street, making sure to avoid the cars in ongoing traffic.
“Not going to what? You know, I don’t even care.”
In the distance, tall establishments stood in the sky. They melted twinkles and enough light to make up for the absence of stars and the sun.
Spider-Man simply followed him, his arms behind his back as he shook his head from side to side.
Soon, the short infrastructure around him morphed into apartment groups, row after row containing families and individuals.
“You know, your neighborhood is where most of the people are going missing from the institution, right?” Peter let out right before he could go into his apartment lobby.
Jake lifted his hand from the door handle, turning to face the Spider Kid. His fingers drummed on the side of his leg, tongue wetting his lips in agitation.
“I’m assuming by your face no. Can’t really blame you, it’s been happening for years. That group is strategic when they take them.” Peter reached behind his back. “Lucky for you, I got the files I needed.”
He pulled the three files from thin air, waving them around in mock arrogance. “Just the thing I was looking for. Fear no longer, Moon on Chest Guy, I plan to finish the job and end the organization.”
The taller man grunts, waving off Spider-Man one last time before turning for his door. The lights above him flicker once he’s inside, a small breeze tickling his neck.
“You fight well together,” Khonshu announced, his boisterous voice filling the small space.
Marc glared from the mirror in the hallway, eyes lit ablaze with something kin to rage, but worse. “Is that why he sent you there?!”
“Is that why you sent me there.” Jake seethed for Marc, their frowns matching one another. His question came out as fact, already knowing the answer Khonshu would provide.
“Among other reasons.” The god circled him, back hunched in the manner it is always in. “ The spider is better than you. Than what you’ve become.”
“You do not control us any longer.” Jake pointed out, tone matter of fact. “We made a deal. If you don't like it, leave.”
“Hm.”
Jake was encompassed in darkness once more before the lights flickered on. An everlasting glow shining the room. He was alone.