Today's the day! The sun is shining, Peter's healed, and it's time to confront JJ :') I hope you're all ready for the beginning of the end,, we'll be having a lot of things going on from here on out, so I hope you're prepared for action, angst, and FEELS
**Drawing of the new suit on my instagram kevyfanfics!
No TW!
Have fun and stay safe ❤️️ 💛💚💙💜
Extending the Olive Branch
"You did what?!" Peter demands clarification in a flabbergasted, high-pitched voice.
"You said we were cool with him!" Ned hastily defends. MJ and Shuri sit off to the side, watching the scene unfold as Peter paces.
"Yeah! 'Cool' doesn't mean invite him to the Tower when we're gonna have a top secret mission!" Peter gesticulates wildly while trying to reason with his best friend, his voice cracking the higher it goes. He continues pacing back and forth as the rubber soles of his shoes squeak against the linoleum floor.
"If you're going to be friends with him, then he'll find out sooner or later," Shuri points out evenly. Peter stops long enough to send her an exasperated glance mixed with copious amounts of anxiety. Unfortunately, MJ doesn't take pity on him either.
"With the way you keep secrets, he probably already knows," she adds relentlessly, only adding to Peter's shot nerves.
"I'm not telling Flash I'm Spider-Man!" he argues accompanied by his voice cracking. Because of course his voice cracks. Nothing is on his side, why would his voice be? So much for keeping up the illusion of confidence. "I mean, the last time he found something out about me, he shouted it over the school's loudspeaker." Ned and MJ look to each other, wincing slightly, unable to argue with that. Contrarily, Shuri suspiciously looks from one of them to the other.
"What did he find out?" she asks hesitantly. "And how was he able to use the speakers?" Peter groans at the mere thought and flops into a nearby chair with his face in his hands. When he doesn't seem like he's going to answer, MJ answers for him.
"He found out Peter has a Captain America Build-A-Bear." She a tinge of pity in her tone, causing Peter to groan even louder at the memory. Awful. That day had been awful.
"I will never be ashamed of Stebe," he tells himself as if it were some type of mantra. Then, he lets out a breath and sits up straight. Back to the topic at hand. "He can't be here, okay? I'm meeting with Mr. Jameson in less than an hour and I don't want to worry the whole time about Flash accidentally walking into the wrong room and finding out my secret identity. We just, we don't need that today." There's already enough pressure on him right now, he doesn't want the added nerves or hypotheticals running rampant when he's supposed to be focused on Jameson. Catching onto the gravity of Peter's request, Ned nods and pulls out his phone.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll tell him that-" He stops short and all but pales as he gazes over the phone screen. Peter instantly notices it and rushes over, his panic getting the better of him.
"What? What is it?" he questions before looking over Ned's shoulder. Shuri and MJ do the same, and all three of them freeze. 'Heading over right now! I can't wait! Tell Peter I'm bringing Recado de Pepian Indio.' The one thing Peter wishes for is a pillow. So he can scream into it. This is it. This is how I die. I survived dying just to die from this. I'm dead. After a few moments of just breathing with his eyes closed, he attempts to remain optimistic.
"Okay. That's fine. Everything's fine. Someone has to babysit Flash while I go see JJ." He looks between the three of them, none of which look particularly enthused at the idea.
"I don't have nearly enough patience," MJ instantly removes herself from the equation without so much as blinking. "Why not just tell him to not come?" She makes a good point, it would be easier, but Peter lets out a sigh instead.
"Because he already spent Christmas without his parents. I'm not just gonna cancel on him," he explains begrudgingly. It puts a wrench in their plans…but maybe it's worth it. Besides, it doesn't throw everything off. "Ned, you started this so you get to keep him distracted until I get back. MJ-"
"No."
"Yes. You punched him once, so you'll be able to scare him enough to keep him from doing anything he's not supposed to." He smiles briefly at the memory and wonders how they got from there to welcoming Flash into the Tower. Funny how a heart-to-heart and a few texts can make such a difference. MJ mildly flares at him, grinding her teeth, before giving in.
"Fine. But Shuri or Stark or someone keeps us updated," she orders, leaving no room for a disagreement. "Leeds, you owe me." For once, Ned looks just as disappointed as MJ does.
"But I'm your guy in the chair," he counters with his bottom lip sticking out. Peter can't help but chuckle and smiles reassuringly.
"And if anything happens and I need you and MJ, Shuri will come get you," he promises, pulling all three of them into a shoulder-to-shoulder group hug. "And until he gets here, we can all set up." At the notion, Shuri's eyes practically sparkle with anticipation.
"Are you ready to try it on?" she asks eagerly, just as, if not more, excited at the prospect of the new suit. Peter mirrors her anticipation and beams radiantly.
"So ready," he confirms, already bouncing on the balls of his feet. He hasn't tried it on yet, only seen the finished product. The thought alone is enough to drive him nuts, so he can't wait to finally slip it on and see how it feels. With the sun lowering in the sky and time being a precious resource, they join the others in the lab and prepare for the rendeavour. Tony is standing before the abundance of holographic monitors with Rhodey beside him, May and Happy are going through all the nearby medical supplies, and Shuri leaves them to recheck communications, but Peter beelines for the folded suit resting on a workbench. It's now or never, he reassures himself. He takes the suit into a side room and changes into it.
The new suit already feels more insulated than the previous one. Its fabric comfortably fits against his body like a second skin while allowing it to simultaneously be breathable. His spare web canisters are still attached at his hips, but now they're configured in a pyramid pattern across his obliques as well in order to fit more. Along with the Droney in his chest emblem, two new Droneys have been placed in their respective spots atop his shoulders. Beneath them starts the shimmering, iridescent material that drapes across the red webbed pattern and wraps around his arms and legs. As if the metaphorical cherry on top, his lenses now emit a dim, electric blue glow, signifying the newly added night vision. Tying it all together, an almost imperceptible sheen glosses over the entirety of the suit, which is his last minute edition. The sheen is a thin layer of the diamond nitrile they added to the webbing. Since it's chemical resistant, it should protect him against any acid that's flung his way.
"Dude, that looks so cool," Ned compliments in awe when Peter rejoins them. "I can't believe you made that!" Tony turns to them when he hears Ned's flurry of words and assesses the new suit.
"We made it," Peter corrects with a genuine smile being heard in his voice. He blinks a few times to make sure the lenses overlap smoothly and scrolls through the added web settings.
"Your design, your programming," MJ sides with Ned. "We just helped out." She shifts her gaze over the suit and nods her approval.
"Not bad, kid," Tony commends, his hands now resting in his pockets as he meanders over. "I got the comms all patched through. Anything you say or hear, we'll hear. You can tell me how great I am later." That usual Tony Stark ego makes an appearance along with a lopsided smirk, but what else is new? MJ rolls her eyes while Ned all but basks in his glory, but Peter simply double checks that his systems are properly booted up.
"Okay, I think we're good?" He double thinks his word choice. "Maybe I should sound more confident." Despite his minor ramblings, he shakes out his arms and legs as well as blinking some more.
"We'll have your back," May reminds to cut off his possibly low esteem. "We always do," she adds after the fact.
"Everything is operational, Peter," Karen's sweet, supportive voice also assures. "Nothing to worry about. You made an impressive suit." Her commendation makes Peter duck his head bashfully.
"Thanks, guys." He takes another slow, deep breath before bouncing over to the nearest window and sticking to it. "Wish me luck," he says while looking back at them, seeing nothing but unwavering support in his found family.
"Go get 'em, kid," Tony encourages, earning him a confident nod from Peter, who then pushes open the pane of glass and leaps out. Peter falls for a few meters, looking at the snow-covered cars and streets below, before thwipping out a fresh web and feeling the way it stretches against the force as he tugs himself forward. The wind races through his suit, but it isn't cold anymore. Somehow, the suit feels even more intuitive than before, the threads becoming a part of his muscles instead of merely moving around them. The edges of his vision glow with the new lenses, adding to the aesthetic of his new HUD setup.
"How's it feel?" Tony double checks through the comms as Peter races towards the Bugle, the sun setting.
"Awesome! It feels so cool!" Peter shouts, a thrilled grin beneath his mask. He never thought the suit would turn out this good, and he thought the last suit was intuitive. It's like his first time swinging around the city all over again. but the buzzing excitement in his chest dissipates as the Flatiron building and red Daily Bugle lettering comes into view. This isn't about having fun. He lands on the "G" with quiet finesse and stays in a crouched position as he peers through the window. The last time he was standing on this letter, the following conversation with Jameson didn't exactly go well.
"Do you have a plan?" Shuri checks in, her voice clear enough to seem like it's directly beside him. "I know the goal, but do you know what you are going to say?" she inquires, somewhat worriedly but more so in a "get your shit together" way. Peter pauses for a brief second, considering his response.
"Uh…yeah!" No. "Karen, can you, like, scan for outgoing frequencies?" As soon he asks, his HUD takes on a black and white filter as Karen searches for possible pings, delving into all the electronics in the office like computers, cell phones, and anything else of the like. The bright orange from the sunset is dulling as the blues and purples of dusk begin to set in.
"There are several computers online as well as a phone emitting 72 gigahertz of radiofrequency radiation," she informs Peter as well as everyone on the other end of the comms.
"You know what that means," Tony prompts, sounding a bit too eager and Peter can hear the smirk in his voice. His mentor might be a tad enthusiastic, but it might be the best way to go anyways.
"Okay, fine," he concedes. "Karen, any way we can switch the electrical circuit in JJ's office?" That way, it'll create a minor, sharp EMP that will only affect the electrical connections in the immediate vicinity, i.e. Jameson's phones and computers.
"Of course. What would you like me to do?" Peter internally sorts through his options for a moment, trying to decide what to settle on.
"Look for any relays, solenoids, or those brush contact things in electric motors and reverse the flow. It'll make a mini EMP, so he won't be able to pull anything." The last thing he needs is their conversation, whatever it might entail, to be recorded and go viral.
"You get to have all the fun," Shuri teases while the EMP is executed. Peter smiles at her teasing, but then hears a loud curse from behind the window in front of him.
"What the hell is this crap?!" Ah, music to my ears, Peter sarcastically muses as Jameson shouts. He takes that as his cue to flip open the window and soundlessly hop inside.
"Careful, JJ, they don't make phones like they used to," he greets, already adding some humor to both relieve some stress and lighten the mood. His voice automatically switched over to the modulator to make his voice deeper than it actually is. Jameson whips around to face him with wide, accusing eyes and immediately points at him.
"I'm gonna sue you for all your worth! You're nothing but a moron in tights!" As usual, Jameson instantly starts firing off insults after throwing his cigar on the nearby desk.
"Well that's no way to say hello," Peter mockingly banters, crossing his arms. "Especially after asking me so nicely to come over." His nonchalance only causes Jameson's face to turn bright red.
"You listen here! The only reason I got you here was to make you listen! You either do that or take your overpriced Halloween costume and get the hell out!" Jameson shouts, shifting his extended finger towards the window instead. Peter tilts his head in a mix of confusion and disappointment.
"Aw c'mon, man. I worked hard on this," he pouts, holding out his arm to look over the new material again.
"Is this a joke to you?!" Jameson suddenly interrupts to demand. Peter instantly straightens up and shakes his head.
"No, sir!" he answers stiffly, then loosens up slightly. "I, uh, I actually wanted to talk to you too." While kicking at the carpeted floor, he awkwardly clears his throat. Before he can get another word in, Jameson beats him to it.
"This isn't about you! I made this happen, so I'm going to say what I want to say!" the man shouts without remorse for his ear-piercing volume. Peter's mouth clamps shut of its own accord. He knows he won't get anywhere if he's just battling Jameson for the power to speak. Instead, he knows he has to wait and listen for now. Otherwise, he'll just be subjected to more screaming. Let him do his thing, earn his trust...if he has any...and then get the last puzzle pieces about Scorpion. Realizing that the hero won't be speaking, Jameson begins.
"We both want information. You want information about a certain psycho with a vendetta and I want Bugle-exclusive information about you." The first thing Peter notices is that Jameson is no longer being pushed by his emotions, which is new. He isn't a raging, cigar-wielding, adjective-loving newspaper publisher; now he's a stone-cold, calculating businessman. Talk about a 180°.
"Careful, Pete," Tony faintly warns. He's right, Peter knows he needs to tread lightly. Fortunately, he at least knows Jameson can't take anything he says out of this room.
"If you wanted an exclusive Spidey interview, why didn't you just say so? I'm flattered. Shoot." He leans against the windowsill and crosses his arms. For some reason, a light buzzing sensation tickles the back of his neck…
"What the hell is your goal? Watch the city tear itself apart while you chase around an acrobat wannabe?!" There's the yelling. "Is this a game to you so-called heroes?! Watch New York burn down to the ground?!" Jameson slams his hand down on the wooden desk, but Peter doesn't flinch. Not when he knows where the anger is stemming from.
"My goal is to help people. The Avengers want the same thing," he tries explaining. "I don't wanna see anything bad happen. I'm trying to-"
"Trying doesn't get anything done!" Jameson interrupts him in a flurry of emotions. "Trying got half of Manhattan destroyed in 2012! Trying got all of Sokovia leveled! None of you know what you're doing! You're just too proud to admit it!" At the end of the heated rant, Peter simply blinks as he processes the abundance of insults. He takes a steadying breath, and takes the calm approach.
"Mr. Jameson, we do the best with what we can. We try and save as many people as we can. And I'm, I wasn't at Sokovia, so I can't say anything about that, but I know that none of us want to see anyone get hurt. I'm trying my best out there and there's only so much I-" Once again, his reasonings are cut short by shouts of repulsion and denial.
"There's only lunatic villains because of idiots like you and Tony Stark with hero-complexes as big as your egos! No one can trust super-powered vigilantes who hide behind a mask! You all need to be leashed!" Amidst the yelling, Peter internally acknowledges he won't get anywhere this way. If this continues, it'll become a shouting match sooner or later. He needs to empathize. If he doesn't, he'll never get the intel to defeat Gargan. He needs to get Jameson to trust him. He…he needs to get Jameson to trust him… As soon as the idea pops into his head, he knows it's the only leverage they've got. He needs the intel and, maybe even more so, Jameson needs the support. Despite Jameson barreling forward in the background, Peter takes on a calm, empathetic tone that takes the abrasive man by surprise.
"I know why you don't trust us, and I don't blame you. I can't hold something like that against you. Joan didn't deserve what happened." Jameson's eyes go wide with shock and disbelief, his anger momentarily being overshadowed by astonishment.
"How do you-"
"And I know how you feel," Peter continues on without letting him interrupt. This is too important. "How these heroes can save all these people, but can't save the ones we care about. I get that. But that doesn't mean they're out to get us. Not every guy in a mask is trying to ruin your life or, or hide some big, horrible secret. Sometimes they just want to help people. And keep the family they have left safe as they do it. Sometimes…" He takes a breath and steps forward. As Jameson is still trying to process those words, the voice modulator is turned off.
"Sometimes we're on your side." Peter pulls off his mask. His brown curls flop out as he smiles reassuringly at Jameson. But Jameson doesn't look reassured. He actually looks...sad. Ashamed. Regretful. But not for the reasons Peter thinks.
"No…no, no, no! It's not supposed to be you!" Jameson suddenly shouts, shocking Peter into stepping back. This wasn't the reaction Peter was expecting. He was expecting more rage, maybe even accusations of betrayal, but this? Disbelief? He's so caught up in the moment, that he doesn't even recognize that with his mask off he's away from the comms.
"Mr. Jameson, it's, it's okay," he tries to calm the now pacing man, reaching out with his hand clenching his mask. "We'll beat Gargan and I won't let him get you! You're not alone in this." His voice is shaking slightly as Jameson's panic begins to flow into him as well.
"You're a good kid, Parker! It can't be you! This wasn't supposed to happen! Not like this!" Jameson's voice is hoarse with emotion while fists grip his hair. Peter doesn't know what to do. He doesn't understand where this is coming from.
"I don't…" he trails off, unable to articulate his concerns. His hands tighten around the fabric of his mask. Then, like the usual ticking time bomb he is, Jameson rushes over to a camera on the corner of his desk, beside the picture of him and Joan. Peter is hit with dreaded realization as Jameson throws the camera to the ground in fury, breaking it and shattering the lens. Now, with terror-stricken eyes and a heart that's beating too fast, Peter frantically pulls his mask back on.
"-at's going on?!" Tony's demanding voice is the first to come through, followed by Shuri's.
"What happened?!" Peter doesn't absorb any of what they're saying before he's tripping over his own words.
"I, I thought we, but Karen said there were no outgoing frequencies! We, we used an, an EMP! How could, how did-" The hyperventilation cuts him off as it sets in what just happened. "There's, there was a camera," he does his best to clarify, leaning against the windowsill for support. The wooden frame splinters against his shaking fingertips.
"Shit," Tony curses, a crash sounding in the background. "Where's the camera?"
"He, he broke it. It was just us. That means it's fine, right? We don't-"
"Peter, you have an unread message from Flash," Karen interrupts out of the blue. The whirlwind of information and emotions makes Peter's head spin.
"Just-"
"You have an unread message from MJ. You have an unread message from Betty Brant. You have an unrea- You have an- You have an- You-"
"Mute all texts!" Peter interrupts, resisting the urge to tear off his mask again. "What's, I don't get it!" Jameson stands still, emanating an air of self-reproach and staring at him as if he's unsure whether or not to say anything. He clenches his jaw in frustration, but ends up opening his mouth nonetheless.
"It was live." And with those words, Peter's heart drops. Did I…did I just…
"Shuri, check any news stations for any mentions of Spider-Man," Tony grinds out over the comms. However, Jameson talking is what has Peter enraptured. It's all he can focus on with all the input.
"It was supposed to be my biggest story. He didn't say this would happen! It wasn't supposed to be you!" he reiterates in a desperate, infuriated tone. Peter's eyes dart over his face, and he believes him, but it doesn't change the fact that…
"Spider-Man isn't trending," Shuri reports back, briefly pausing, "but Peter Parker is." Peter's fears are confirmed and he digs the heels of his palms into his eyes, willing all of this to be some kind of massive mistake.
"It's fine, this is gonna be fine. We can-" The window behind him shatters, sending shards of glass and the surrounding wood flying in all directions with a startling clash. Peter shields his head with his arms without thought and Jameson ducks behind the desk for cover. Before he even registers it, Peter is staring up at a grinning, maniacal Mac Gargan emerging from a hole where the window used to be. Sparks shoot out behind the villain and into the office from the short-circuiting letter that once made up the "U" of the Daily Bugle sign. A deep, merciless chuckle fills the room.
"Good to see you again," Gargan's gruff voice greets, "Peter Parker."
oops. oh darn. oh no. what a shame. rip peter.
on a serious note tho this is gonna get REAL FUN AND INSTENSE
Thank you for reading! ❤️️ 💛💚💙💜
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