Crossing into various alleyways, Peter made sure his path wasn't so easily predictable. Based on the criminal's reactions, Eraserhead has been a hero for quite a while. So, that meant a lot of experience.
He probably has a better chance of tracking down Peter through these streets. It was a pain trying to outmaneuver a hero.
Crossing more alleyways, Peter continued to run, ignoring his own injuries. He could hear Eraserhead behind him but with every turn, the hero was getting further and further away.
Good… But there was no guarantee that the hero didn't alert his friends.
Gritting his teeth, Peter picked up the pace, weaving in and out of alleys at random. He needed to disappear.
Stumbling into a residential area, Peter darted into one last alleyway and out his back against the wall behind a dumpster. With his strength fading, he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the cold pavement.
Closing his eyes, he listened for the hero to show up. He figured there was only a matter of time before Eraserhead made his appearance since he could distantly hear a thwip sound from the ribbon being used.
Sighing, he closed his eyes, accepting his fate. His body was worn out.
Letting out a big breath, he leaned his head back against the wall and that's when he heard the scampering of feet.
It sounded like it was coming from the mouth of the alleyway and getting closer but it wasn't Eraserhead. Was it another criminal?
Cracking an eye open, he looked toward the source only to find a random kid, maybe a teenager if he was being generous, with a habit of mumbling while writing in a journal. Rolling his eyes, Peter closed his eyes, finding the kid to not be a problem at all.
Yet, the feet stopped walking and the mumbling stopped, "Uhh, e-excuse me, uhh, a-are you alright?"
Confused, Peter opened his eyes to find the kid directly in front of him nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot as he looked at Peter expectantly. "Not really," Peter mumbled.
"I-I-I could call an am-ambulance, i-if you need one," The kid stammered out.
Peter sighed, it seemed like he would keep encountering good samaritans, "Not a big fan of hospitals, can't really afford it either… Just pretend like you didn't see me."
Closing his eyes again, Peter settled back against the wall, hearing the hero even closer.
"I-I-I have a first aid kit in my apartment."
Sighing, Peter asked, "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"
The shaking kid shook his head. 'Fine,' Peter thought. Pushing himself up, Peter gestured for the kid to start walking so that he could follow. It would help him not be found by the heroes.
"What's your name kid?"
"I'm not a kid!" The kid finally had a sentence without stuttering. "My name is Midoriya Izuku and I'm fourteen."
"Oh? You're still younger than me. Name's Peter… Parker Peter, recently turned fifteen," Peter lied about his age.
Izuku led Peter into a nearby apartment building after exiting the opposite end of the alley. He even held the doors open for Peter.
The whole time Izuku was leading Peter, it was quickly learned that Izuku has a tendency to ramble and ask questions.
"What happened to you? Was it a villain attack? Recently there have been a lot more criminals in the area, especially those with fire quirks and camouflage quirks… Not that all quirks of those types are bad! In fact, there are many heroes with such quirks like…"
Peter will be honest, he thought he himself was a bad rambler but that was before he met Izuku. Izuku Midoriya was ten times worse and didn't seem to have any semblance of a filter.
Cutting the boy off, Peter asked, "Is your hobby quirk analysis?"
Considering quirks seemed to be the term for powers, Peter figured it was a safe question.
At the question, Izuku blushed red which extended from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. "I-I'm just really fascinated by quirks. I-I want to be a hero," Izuku quietly responded.
"Cool. Do you have a hero name picked out or a potential suit design?"
Izuku whipped his head to look at Peter with a dazed but hopeful expression. "Y-Y-You think I can become a hero?"
"Well…" Peter started noticing Izuku deflate at his first word.
"Right now, no, I don't think you can become a hero," Izuku looked even more embarrassed and disappointed.
"You see, you look weak. I mean, a breeze could knock you over. You should start conditioning your body to be strong but nimble at the very least, then I think you have a better chance at becoming a hero," Or whatever that meant. Was becoming a hero a career path?
Izuku though, perked right up after Peter finished and immediately started rambling under his breath as he brought out his notebook to take notes at a lightning-fast pace.
Upon coming to Izuku's apartment, he let Peter in, all the while still contemplating under his breath.
Izuku led Peter to the dining table's chair before disappearing deeper into the apartment. 'Huh,' Peter thought. 'Izuku never answered my question.'
Closing his eyes, Peter extended his hearing to see if he could detect if the hero was close. Luckily, or unluckily, depending on how you view it, he heard the hero on top of a nearby building having a stressed phone call.
"I don't know where the kid went," Eraserhead started.
There was a reply but Peter couldn't make out any of the words.
"No, he disappeared weaving through the alleyways. He was fast."
"He wasn't in a good condition so he could have dropped in one of them…"
"I'm going to do a grid search to see if I can find him."
"I'll report soon."
Smiling ever so slightly, Peter stopped listening and looked towards Izuku as he entered the room again, with a first aid kit.
"Hey, Izuku, what about your hero name and costume?"
Izuku blushed at the question. "I-I don't h-have anything concrete… I-I could sh-show you after b-bandaging your wounds?"
"Deal."
Peter watched Izuku, concerned by Izuku's earlier response. "Izuku, did someone tell you that you couldn't be a hero?"
Izuku froze for a moment, glancing at Peter slightly before turning his attention away. He quietly responded, "I-It's b-because I-I'm qu-quirkless."
Peter's brow furrowed, "So?"
Izuku glanced at Peter again from beneath his bangs, "A-All the gr-great h-heroes have qu-quirks."
"And?"
"I-It-"
"Look Izuku, those heroes probably rely on suits or technology to help manage their quirks and give them an upper edge in a battle, yes?"
"Y-yes but-"
"The best don't rely a hundred percent on their powers. They have other tools to make up the difference. They use their problem-solving skills to find a solution. Besides, a hero's powers are just another tool in their arsenal."
Izuku was opening and closing his mouth like a fish in shock.
"Why don't you show them that a quirkless hero is possible."
Peter thought back to Iron Man, Black Widow, and many other heroes from his universe. He knew for a fact that powers were not essential to becoming a hero.
Returning his attention back to Izuku, he noticed big tears flowing down Izuku's face.
"Hey, Izuku are you-"
"Thank you!" Izuku cried out while falling into a deep bow. "You are the first person to believe I can become a hero!"
Peter opened his mouth and shut it with a click. He did not know what to do in this scenario.
Izuku began wiping away his tears, sniffling, "Do-Do you want to be a hero too?"
Peter paused. Being a hero in this world could help him spread his image for when the Avengers came to get him. "Yeah. I want to become a hero."
"Oh! Are you planning on going to UA?"
Crap. "Yes…?"
"Awesome!" Izuku didn't notice his hesitance. '"What's your quirk? Do you have one? What about your hero name or costume? Or..."
Well, Peter was going to be here awhile. Cutting Izuku off, "We could meet up and talk about this another day." Or when Peter gathered more information about this world and created an identity for himself.
"Oh. Right. Anyway, I bandaged all your wounds. Do you need help getting home?"
Peter found Izuku's caring personality to be quite adorable. "Ahh, no. I'll be good from here."
Izuku had a contemplating look on his face before his eyes narrowed as he looked at Peter. It looks like he figured something out. "Do you even have a home? I mean, since you lack money for a hospital visit, didn't ask to call your parents, I didn't mean to be rude…"
Well, it looks like he was found out.
