Chapter Four: Moral Animal
"FUCK. NO!"
Peter jumps at the sudden blurt, watching with wide eyes as Billy gives him a plastic, irritated smile, grabbing MM's shoulder and attempting to guide the suddenly raging man out of the room. "'Scuse us Peter, it's his time of the month-"
"Get your fucking hands off me Butcher-" MM tosses Billy away from him, shaking his fists angrily as he stares down the man, struggling to collect a calming breath. "FUCK. NO! How many times do I gotta scream it to get that shit through your sick fucking head!? FUUUUUUUCK NO!"
Billy curls his lip, looking the man up and down with displeasure and a raising brow as the last remaining echoes of his shouting bounces throughout the hollow shell of the warehouse. "Oh sod right fucking off it MM, did you or did you not see this little shit go toe to toe with fucking Homelander?"
That does suddenly quiet MM, a silent, stormy fury building in his expression as Billy laughs mockingly, gesturing towards Peter. "Face it, if he wanted the kid to be dead he'd be dead already. Now, said kid might be a fuckin' ass but he took on Translucent and Homelander all within' the same hour and lived to tell the tale.. Can you say the same?"
MM scoffs, disgusted as he shakes his head, eyes flickering over Billy with betrayal. "You- you still just don't get it, do you, Butcher? That kid..? Is more of fucking man then you'll ever be. He- he didn't hesitate for a second to offer his help, even after what we- what you- did to him, and yet somehow you're still running your FUCKING MOUTH! SHUT UP!"
MM backs up a large step with a mirthless, angry laugh. The man breathes deeply as he crosses his arms out repeatedly, head shaking. "I'm out, he's out, done. This is over."
"Is that right Peter?" Billy immediately asks loudly, provokingly, turning to face him with raised brows as he hikes his thumb in MM's direction, mockingly widening his gaze into a look of unstable concern. "Has MM screamed loud enough yet to scare you off, son?"
"Don't listen to a fucking word he says Peter, he doesn't give a shit about you kid, you're just another pawn to him." MM scoffs, suddenly glaring strongly towards the silently brewing Hughie, who swallows under the shift of attention. "You agree with this? Huh? C'mon Hughie, I know Butcher hasn't sunk his claws into you too deep yet, you can see this for the fucking insanity it is, yes?"
Hughie glances towards Peter.
"Hughie!"
"Yes! Okay, yes, It's fucking insane," Hughie bursts, fidgeting as he catches Peter's observing gaze.
Whatever Hughie seems to see in it spurs him on to continue on however, brows furrowing as his restless movements slow, "Well, I mean.. No, no.. you know what? You guys… you guys didn't see him, in the store last night… he- you, you saved me, against one of The fucking Seven no less and you didn't even know me, and it's just like MM said, you didn't hesitate for a second… Like, an actual, through and true, goddamn hero even though you're just a kid.. And- And now you're saying all this stuff about 'with great power comes great responsibility,' I mean what even the hell, is that?"
"It's…" Peter closes his eyes as the sudden wave of thick emotion threatens to barrel him over, his grief always waiting to surface at the given opportunity. He swallows his way through it, throat left feeling left raw despite being nearly completely healed from the smoke bomb. "A mantra, I guess you could say, to remind myself of who I am and why I choose to be Spider-Man. If you have the power to stop something bad from happening and you don't, then you're just as at fault as doing it yourself."
Peter opens his eyes to meet MM's distraught gaze head on, hand clenching into a fist. "The truth is, this is exactly what I do MM. If Homelander were back in my hometown I wouldn't hesitate for a second to help, so it would be a bit hypocritical for me to abandon you now, despite, er… how unorthodox you're asking me, I guess…"
"Shit," MM mutters after a stretch of bated silence, blinking rapidly while shaking his head with disbelief as he rubs a hand over his jaw. "Shit."
"Well, now that that's sorted..." Billy continues to look at Peter, his shuttered expression quickly shifting into something more akin to fascinated disgust as he tips his head goading. "What all can you do, anyway, Peter? Other than jizzing from your wrists and stickin' to places, obviously."
"Dude," Peter makes a face, abashed by the constant insinuation the people of this universe keep trying to throw in his face. "Okay, first of all, gross, second of all they're webs, I make them. I'm a spider…er, man… not an exhibitionist." I feel like there were many, better ways to phrase that, Parker…
Billy raises an eyebrow, grin tapering into something akin to faux innocence as he briefly eyes his damaged suit. "Could've had me fooled with the tighty-whities, sonny, but moving swiftly on. What I meant was, have you got the usual sorts. You know, bullet proof, super strength, a hankerin' for the blood of the innocent..?"
"What?" Peter blurts, appalled, although it would definitely start to explain some things around here… "Is that true..? Does that mean that they can't.. necessarily help it or-?"
Billy laughs cuttingly and it's bitter, lips pulling back until it's almost a snarl rather than anything resembling humor. "'Fraid that was sarcasm, Pete. No, the cocksuckers know exactly what they're doing, that's the problem."
"There's a whole lot more than one problem going on here," MM speaks up through a pinched expression, staring down Billy pointedly as the man gives him an annoyed glance. "But I'm done screaming, alright? I'll hear the kid out. But that's it! No action, no more inciting him into your fight and definitely no Homelander. Got it?"
"Fine, I've fucking got it, alright? Now will you stop whinging and actually contribute to the fucking conversation? Besides, the kid seems to attract homicidal supes like flies, it's only a matter of time before they go bumping into one another again . Though I have to say, this could certainly work in our favor, accordingly…"
Right… Peter turns towards the man, eyes widening in sudden realization. The invisible guy, the one that's in The Seven... If they're here, then he's probably told Homelander everything by now… great.
"Wait a minute, uh, sorry but uh, what happened to that guy anyway…?" Peter glances between the suddenly silent men. "The invisible jerk, Translucent, right? I didn't even think... What happened after I left?"
Hughie's eyes widen impossibly at the question, immediately turning his head towards Billy who is already staring. They share a loaded look before Billy turns back towards him and MM, waving his hand out carelessly, face impassive.
"Alls handled. Ain't nothin' for you to worry your little web head about."
Hughie nods in agreement hesitantly after a moment, smiling tersely while shooting Billy another glance. "A-huh.."
"'Handled'…?" Peter wonders as his eyebrows rise skeptically. "So, like, you just.. left him there or..? Did you call for any help..?"
MM looks between the two men with growing impatience and suspicion as they share another secretive glance. "What the hell did you assholes do? Because I sure as hell know it wasn't call for a damn ambulance."
Billy quickly gives Hughie a stern glance, silencing the already silent man, before focusing back on him and MM, smirking with a calm shrug. "I think it'd be easier if you just saw yourselves, hm?"
Hughie's eyes widen with alarm but he doesn't speak up, swallowing thickly. Peter looks away from observing the expression with narrowed eyes, focusing on Billy as the man continues to grin at him specifically with raised brows, coercively. "What'dya say, Pete, you up for a quick road trip?"
A bit daunted, Peter relents nonetheless, curious despite himself. "I guess…"
"Wonderful," Billy immediately spins on his heel with a roll of his eyes, heading for the nearest door. "Let's get a fuckin' move on then, we ain't have all day to sit around and tweedle our dicks inside an abandoned warehouse now do we?"
"Butcher..."
"Oh simmer down MM, where's your sense of adventure?"
"At home, with my wife and daughter." MM mutters through a sigh, rubbing at the bridge of his nose before focusing on Peter, sincere and wary as he drops his hand to point a finger severely. "Now's your chance, kid. And my advice? Go. Leave now while you still can. Don't be stupid like me Peter, go home to your family before it's too late."
Peter ducks his head, the shame and frustration of his situation building. Don't you think I know that?
"I think It might be a bit past that point," He breathes carefully, picking up his head as he dimly recalls Homelander's echoing voice around him in the sewers, a chill running down his neck. "Homelander, he…"
Peter frowns, struggling to find a way to explain what had exactly happened, unsure of it really himself. "He was pretty upset. The things he said were, um, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if he comes searching out for me again some time in the near future… Translucent too, actually, now that I think about it…" And considering the possibility that the portal baddy might be working with them… that might be exactly what I need to get back home…
Awesome. Amaze-balls. Perfectamundo.
"Peter..." Hughie asks slowly, carefully meeting his gaze with concern and distant, bubbling anxiety. "What exactly.. happened when you were in the sewers?"
"I cornered myself by accident and Homelander caught up and he, um, said some threats and uh, left…" Peter shuffles a bit awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. A large part of him is still ashamed over the fact that he completely fumbled, overwhelmed by his panic. He's only had a few attacks as intense as that since titan, but never had they been so.. surreal.
It really had almost been like the titan had actually somehow found him in that tunnel against all odds…
"That's it?" MM asks tightly with a hard gaze, almost in reassurance, standing stiff. Peter shakes his head in an attempt to physically scatter away his trailing thoughts, objectively noticing the sudden funk in his mind threatening to stick. "He spewed off some threats, that's all?"
"I guess you could say he asked some questions too?" Peter nods his head towards the doorway Billy had disappeared through, uncertain and looking to change the subject. "Shouldn't we, uh, be following him?"
"His ass can fucking wait a couple more minutes." MM raises his brow, unimpressed at his obvious attempt at deflection and unmoving from his spot as he gestures for Peter to continue, lips pursed. "Go on son, don't worry about him. What all was Homelander saying to you? What does he want from you, exactly?"
"Uh, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself actually…" Peter shakes his head, dubious as he sorts through his memories, still somewhat hazy from his insane adrenaline at the time. "At first he was just upset about me webbing up the city I think but.. then he started talking about 'my shtick' and how popular it could be? And I guess that set him off, because then he was attacking me and talking about how… durable I am and stuff. He also said something about my uh, mom at some point, I think…?"
MM and Hughie share a wide eyed, assumptive glance.
"Peter," Hughie starts slowly, almost painfully as he focuses back on him with concern. "When was the.. the last time you went home and saw your mom?"
Peter blinks, shaking his head with a flat smile. "Uh, never? I don't have one? So, I don't really get why he started asking about her in the first place.." Maybe it was just to throw him off his game and distract him, not that Homelander necessarily needed the upper hand in the first place though…
"Father then? Aunt, shit, do you got a cousin or something looking out for you, kid?" MM looks at him almost desperately, the sad downpour of his features making Peter fidget uncomfortably. "Where do you live?"
"O-Or something, ha..ha…" Here comes the fun part, Parker. It's all about the half truths..! Peter licks his lips, gaze flickering between the both of them as he spreads his hands out a bit, laughing nervously. "Uh, no… nowhere? I'm kinda here alone…" At least, I think so..?
"You-" MM makes a strange face, a mixture between 'of course he is' and disbelieving as he clarifies. "You're not… an orphan or anything, right, kid?" MM closes his eyes tightly as Peter can only sheepishly hunch his shoulders. "Shit."
Peter feels a bit bad about upsetting the man over his sort of made up backstory but stays silent all the same. He'd prefer to have the people of this universe as clueless about his own, as much as possible. Especially about Aunt May.
With the portal baddy being the unfortunate exception of course, because Peter obviously can't stop that guy from telling whomever whatever he knows… Specifically, Homelander comes to the front of my mind…
Man.
Alright, Aunt May, I give, you've made your point ha.. ha… You can go ahead and say I told you so already…
"So's, we got ourselves a homeless, supe orphan with a savior complex nearly the size of Homelander's raging ego," Billy twists around the doorway corner to look at their lot with visibly growing impatience, having apparently come back noticing their absence. He raises his brows as Peter meets his unreadable gaze, the man's wicked, seemingly signature smirk picking up rapidly. "Well ain't it just convenient you've got us, respectable gentlemen to guide you in the right direction now, son? But don't worry, you ain't gotta call me daddy unless you want to. Now are you finished braiding each other's hair? Can we get a fuckin' move on already?"
"Yeah, dick, we're coming." Hughie says, if a tad angrily as he moves to follow the man's second departure as he glances over at them anxiously.
!
"Peter," MM grabs hold of his shoulder as he moves to walk past him, lowering his head and subsequently raising his brows. He gives him a leveled look as Peter takes a breath, settling his nerves. "I don't think you understand what exactly you're walking into. If Homelander catches you out here working with us…? There will probably be nothing stopping him from killing you this time, do you get that? Are you hearing me, son?"
"With all due respect, MM, sir," Peter carefully removes MM's hard grip from his shoulder, stepping back as it drops to the man's side limply, fist clenching. He makes sure to meet MM's eyes to punctuate his next words, hoping to convey his conviction as he sets his shoulders. "But I'm not your son. I appreciate your concern but I've been dealing with people like Homelander for a long time now. I've-"
Died to them.
Peter licks his lips, eyes tightening as he clenches his fist, faintly hearing the fabric of his damaged gloves groan under the pressure. "If I don't stand now then I don't deserve to call myself Spider-Man."
"It's not just Homelander I'm worried about here kid." But MM sighs nonetheless, tipping his head towards the exit with an almost blank expression as he looks at Peter with something indecipherable in his eyes. "But alright then.. But if at any second you change your mind kid, I don't care, I will pull the truck over in the middle of the fucking road if I have to. I will get you out of this shitstorm the second you say this isn't where you want to be. So don't listen to anything Billy says to you, he's just a fucking asshole. Hear me?"
"Loud and clear," A part of him that's been unknowingly wound tightly since Karen's absence loosens in him a bit. Peter lets out a breath, smiling somewhat shyly as he holds his hand out to shake. It's.. nice, knowing somebody's looking out for me again too. "Thank you. I'll do my best not to let you guys down."
MM purses his lips, seemingly reluctantly convinced as he grips his hand into a firm handshake, his disbelieving tone walking a fine line, bridging on hope. "And I, you, kid. Shit."
Famous last words.
"Took you long enough," Billy gripes, leaning out the driver side window as he and MM walk alongside the rusted, 'Pack-N-Go' moving van. "Hurry up and get in would yah? We're wasting precious daylight."
Peter eyes the small setup once inside the truck cabin, the walls thin enough to keep it light enough to see just fine. There are some papers scattered across a low desk with a closed laptop connected to some wires sticking out from the wall but otherwise it's pretty empty.
Peter takes a seat on the floor as MM shuts the doors behind them, the engine rumbling as they pull away from the curb with a jerk.
"So, Peter," MM starts cordially as he sits down himself about a foot away, leaning his back against the wall to brace himself against the slight rocking of the truck. He crosses his arms, raising his brow once he's satisfied he's gathered Peter's full attention. "How long have you been doing this 'Spider-Man' thing of yours anyway?"
"Uh, maybe two years?" Peter sits criss-cross applesauce, patting his hands on his knees as he puffs out his cheeks. Technically it's been seven years since the snap, though… "I guess you could say I used to be better at keeping a lower profile…" Uh, more like understatement of the fricken' century, Parker.
"You don't say." MM looks towards the corrugated ceiling, fingers tapping a rhythm on his arm and swaying as the truck makes a turn, tires squealing. "How old are you?"
"16."
"Huh… My daughter, she's uh, just a few years younger than you…" MM shakes his head, turning to look at him solemnly. "And yet at the same time you're complete fucking worlds apart…"
You have no idea pal. "Yeeah, you could say that… Hey uh, so what did they tell you about that Translucent guy? Um, if you don't mind me asking…"
MM raises his eyebrow at his less than subtly deflecting again but humors him anyway. "Peter, If we're going to be working together you better speak up son, because Butcher has a real problem of running his fucking mouth if you don't. There can't be any secrets or lies between us, got it? Trust is a two way street, and all that other shit. Bearing that in mind… They didn't tell me jack, Butcher only showed the footage of you fighting Homelander to convince me to get you, and my dumbass actually believed him. Turns out we're both a lot more stupid than I thought."
"Yeah, you could also say that…" Peter breathes, brows furrowing in thought. "Well… I can tell you what I know, if you want?"
"Peter," MM shakes his head, giving him a wide, genuine smile for the first time since they've met as he points at him, clenching his hand into a fist as he closes his eyes with relief. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear those words. Please."
Peter perks up at the invitation, leaning forward and gesturing with his hands. "Okay, well I went to the computer store last night for uh, a project of mine and that's when I met Hughie. Translucent must have followed behind me into the store because next thing I know he's throwing a flatscreen at me. Though I think his real problem was with Hughie, and I just so happened to be there, because he was asking him questions about some guy in a car…? He had this thing, too, like a little black disk the size of a big coin. He seemed to think Hughie knew something about it but that could have been just because he worked in a computer store, now that I think about it…"
MM nods, resting his head back onto the wall in thought. "Knowing Butcher is involved somehow, I have a feeling Hughie might know a thing or two more than he's letting on. Yeah, this whole secretive, 'come if you dare' bullshit that the two of them have got going on? I'm not putting up with it any longer, not anymore, and certainly not with you here. The moment we get to wherever the fuck were going, I'm getting us some real answers. Are you with me?"
"'Course." Peter immediately responds, nodding, only to then pause. "But uh, what's the plan, exactly?"
"I'm going to ask him straight up, man to man."
Peter nods slowly, unsurely, "Oh, like.. When I asked him earlier?"
MM gives him a bit of a stink eye before cracking a grin, rolling his eyes. Peter can feel his shoulders settle from their sudden tense, heart tempo steadying. It's always about a 50-50 when it comes to his sarcasm these days, it seems...
"Okay smart ass, I'd like to hear your big idea then."
"We could… uh… ask him…" Peter trails off, smiling a bit meekly, embarrassed as MM's grin only widens. "Yeeah.. I kind of walked myself into that one. Laugh it up."
"Oh, I am." MM looks up as the truck makes a sharp jerk, laughter falling silent as the wheels squeal and it suddenly comes to a halt, seemingly parked. Three quick bangs on the outerwall assert that fact, the muffle of Billy yelling outside now heard without the running engine. "Up and attams' lads!"
"Thanks." Peter smiles briefly at MM as he jumps down, the man holding the truck door open for him as Billy gestures for them to follow him with a jerk of his head.
Peter looks around the truck up the narrow lot, noticing the car Billy had run through the store parked next to the decrepit building he's walking towards, half hidden under a tarp, another black van parked in front of it.
"Butcher, hold up, what the hell is this-"
"You've come this far now MM, what's stopping you from jumping down the rabbit hole?" Billy turns back towards them, hand held on the edge of the boarded up door pointedly as he raises his brows. "Don't tell me the kid has got a bigger pair of balls than you? Hell, Alice's are looking quite grand right now…"
"Oh fuck you Butcher, you prick. Fine, let's get this over with." Peter blinks at MM's words, glancing towards the man but he is suddenly avoiding his gaze as Billy yanks the door open to reveal the dark inside of the abandoned building, almost fanning it temptingly.
Billy grins devilishly at them as MM walks forward, canary. "Atta' boy."
So much for the plan, I guess… Peter follows behind the man, squinting as his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness as Hughie walks in behind him, the door swinging back shut. This place had clearly been a restaurant or diner of some sort before, abandoned trolleys and benches still scattering the dusty space.
Billy guides them towards a door with a circle window, walking through it and disappearing down the wind of stairs it led to with a silent wave of his hand for them to pick up the pace. "Now, before you get all-"
"Oh, fuck no."
"Merde- What is he doing here?!"
"OI." caught on the stairs between two suddenly lunging men, Billy shoves his way into the basement room past the strangers flailing, MM hot on his trail and Peter on his. "Cool it will you? What's done is done, water under the bridge…!"
"'Water under the bridge', huh..? Tell that to Mallory's grandkids." MM immediately spits out with venom, incensed and prickly up like he's about to blow.
"You- smelly motherfucker!"
!
Peter's wrist snaps out quickly, a web whizzing and latching onto the knife the stranger suddenly pulls on MM, yanking it from his grasp and tossing it to the floor with a clatter as he releases it. The action is apparently enough to freeze all movement, heads snapping in his direction in the sudden, hyper silence of the basement.
Peter blinks, smiling awkwardly as he lowers his hand. "Uh… Sorry?"
MM closes his eyes, taking a breath as he turns back towards Billy, the stranger warily eyeing the exchange and Peter with a glint in his eye. "We had an agreement about him, Butcher..."
Billy settles down a bit himself, looking between the two men with narrowed eyes as he lets his hand slide from holding the stranger's shoulder, brushing off MM's claims as he goes. "We agreed to put a pin in it."
But MM had already been shaking his head, stepping back, nonplussed. "Nope, I'm done dealing with your shit Butcher. I am not working with this French whore!"
!
The man spits on the floor, lunging forward again as Billy suddenly holds him back, rolling his eyes. "I'm more American than you, you racist piece of shit!"
Peter reaches a hand out on instinct, lightly grabbing MM's arm as the man makes a move to go forward himself. MM pauses, taking another deep breath before lightly shaking Peter off. "It's fine Peter, he isn't worth my time. C'mon, were getting the fuck out of here, I don't know why I keep doing this to myself…"
"Aren't you just the least bit curious about what I dragged you all the way out here for?" Billy taunts, brows rising as he subtly gestures just behind his shoulders. "I mean, this was all about that Translucent cunt in the first place, wasn't it?"
"Can you- just, get to the fucking point already?" Hughie snaps, making his presence known again while crossing his arms and rubbing them as he avoids their gazes. "Just- show them."
"Ex-fuckin'-scuse me then princess, but alright, fine, I'll stop blueballing." Billy walks towards the fridge locker door just a little bit a ways from their little half circle of a group, grabbing the knob and swinging it open.
Peter feels his heart plummet, squeezing vice. Is that..?
"Oh fuck-" There's a shift, a haunting creak of metal. A release of breath from seemingly nowhere. "It's- you're that fucking kid from the store-!" Billy slams the door back shut, quieting Translucent's angered shouting to a dull muffle.
"There you fucking have it. One, translucent cunt, all wrapped up nice n' invisible in a box. Well, cage."
A piercing, shrill ring zings through Peter's mind like a pole vault, nearly knocking the wind out of him as he stares sightlessly at the shut door in front of him, the little box window fogged white.
"Holy- SHIT! BUTCHER!" MM explodes, flying into a pace, throwing a hand out as he groans. "What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck is the matter with you?!"
"He's seen our faces, MM."
"What- you didn't tell them we have a man in the freezer?" The man with the French accent tilts his head, as if impressed, giving a breathy little chuckle. "What did they think was going to happen here, hah? A family reunion?"
MM whirls back on the man, bristling as he points a finger, tone severe. "You don't get to say shit about family."
"Alright, alright, you two knobbers, would you just kiss and make up already?" Billy spreads out his palms, forearms hovering low as he meets their eyes. "Yeah? We've got a fucking job to get done."
"And how, exactly, do you propose we do that? The coated bullet was a bust, my favorite drill bit is snapped in two and what do we have to show for it? Nothing." The French man shakes his head, pinching his fingers together. "He can re-order his carbon on his skin into metal material. It's as hard as diamonds. It's nearly impossible to penetrate."
"It's a good thing we seem to be getting on the same page here, Frenchie." Billy smirks, staring Peter down and avoiding the rest of their gazes as slowly the others turn to look at him too. "Because it ain't us who I'm suggesting try and kill the fucker."