Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

27 - The Devil In Hell's Kitchen

"I know he's trying to protect me but I can do more than just recuse kittens in trees or track down some bike thief in Queens. We stopped Green Goblin, yeah it had consequences but we did it." Peter added in quietly. "I can really help the city again, only if he would actually let me."

Apparently, his desire to fight again had grown stronger lately. "I know you really want to show him that you can handle more," I started slowly, letting my hand snake across the table to take his own. With my skin against his own, I noticed his eyes soften a little bit. "I also know, you won't drop this...so, let's go slow, yeah? We'll figure out who this guy is together and be smarter than last time. We don't need another kidnapping situation. Deal?"

Peter grinned, "Deal."

***

Our date ended on a sweet note with a shared bowl of ice-cream, something that I could still taste on my lips as we wandered down the streets of Hell's Kitchen hand-in-hand. We had opted against heading to the nearest subway station for a little stroll through the city with a blanket of stars above us. The night was quiet, almost still even, like the calm before a storm. The neon lights of Royal Dragon faded from our view, darkness taking shape around us. While Peter was mentioning something about his hero duties, I couldn't help but wonder where the infamous Devil was hiding tonight. I hadn't stopped thinking about him since putting the connections together and even though my vision had been a bust tonight, nothing remotely going wrong at the Chinese restaurant, I still found myself looking down alleyways and expecting to find a red suited hero with devil horns waiting for me.

"--Ned seems to think we could design you some suit or mask. It's really silly."

I was just about to inform him that I was no hero, which meant getting a suit would be somewhat pretentious when something groaned through the night air. Already, Peter was standing taller, his head whipping around. I knew his Spidey sense was acting up, which meant danger was coming quickly. "What is it, Pete?" I questioned lamely, my gaze trailing to try and see what he was seeing, to feel what was coursing through his body right now.

Before he could even reply, the ground underneath us was trembling. My balance shifted quickly, my hand grabbing Peter's shoulder to steady myself. Car sirens were already going off with the shaking that rattled through the city right now. On the other side of the road, the street light was falling towards the concrete and smashed loudly. The buildings around us tilted uncontrollably and a few people up ahead had fallen to the ground as screaming echoed through the streets. Within moments, the loud cracking sound had faded and the city was doused in complete darkness.

"Wait...was that an actual earthquake?" My lips trembled, the noise and chaos bleeding into the once quiet night. Quickly, Peter was tightening his grip around my wrist and moving us along the street as we bypassed people who was screaming into phones, checking on loved ones and demanding information from authorities about what had just happened.

Peter didn't slow down, "An earthquake in the city? That's...crazy. Something like that doesn't just happen. Not to the entire island." Words were pouring from his open mouth and I knew he was itching to yank open his backpack and suit up, but worry was screaming in his mind right now. "I have to get you home, Flo. Who knows what chaos could follow tonight. Hell's Kitchen isn't safe on a normal night."

We bypassed a darkened alleyway, my hand yanking away from his own. With panic biting at my mind, I was quickly fishing my phone out of my pocket. "I need one second, okay? I need to call my parents. They were at the labs. What if--" I couldn't even finish that sentence.

While my fingertips were dialling a familiar number, somebody brushed by me, my phone scattering towards the ground and cracking. My head snapped up, watching as two kids carrying boxes in their arms run by. They were shouting out curses and muttering something about a guy with a gun. My heart was racing, the chaos of an earthquake already setting in with kids looting stores. "Hey! You can't just steal like that!" Peter was calling out after them. The kids hurried towards the alleyway without so much as a glance in our direction and I saw Peter's back straighten again, sensing something bad again.

Without warning, Peter was racing after them. "Pete! Just let them go!"

"Stay right here, okay? I'll be right back." he called out.

With a frustrated sigh, I bent down to retrieve my broken phone which wasn't even lighting up and cursing Peter Parker and his sense to always be the good guy and run into danger without even questioning it. I had been standing on the corner of the sidewalk for about a minute when the echoing sound of a gunshot reached my ears. The sound had come from the alleyway Peter had just disappeared down and my gut was heaving. Knowing it was a completely stupid plan, my shoes were already slapping against the footpath as I raced towards the alleyway. The darkness cleared for a moment with a flashing light from the building on my right when I spotted somebody running at me. A girl with a black beanie over her head pushed by me without a word. A second boy followed and I realised they were the kids that had looted a store, the same kids Peter had followed down here only moments ago.

Down the alleyway, I could hear signs of a struggle and my defences kicked in, fearing that Peter was in danger. With my throat tightening up, I scurried through the dark and found Spider-Man squared up against a man holding a loaded gun. Beside him was another man, his tie loosened and his head lowered, who was currently giving one hell of a beating to the second man who had decided shooting kids was a good idea as revenge.

I watched for a second, noticing how the man's movements were fluid, almost like he had years and years of training in combat. I didn't even have time to question how Peter had changed so quickly, or how this other man was skilled in fighting when another ear piecing gunshot fired. "Stop trying to shoot me!" Spider-Man blurted out and yanked the gun from the man's grip, breaking it in half and throwing away the pieces. Quickly, his hand was snapping out as white webbing struck the man and within seconds, he was hanging upside down.

Spider-Man twirled around, quite pleased with himself. The second man who had been his partner tonight was wiping a hand across his jawline. I saw him open his mouth, blood touching his lips as he spat thick oozing redness onto the ground. I didn't even get the chance to connect that very action with one of my visions when my knees were buckling, pain howling in my abdomen suddenly.

"Florence?" The words sounded distant all of the sudden, my chest growing tight as he hurried towards me and fell to his knees while taking hold of my waist. When he finally removed his mask, his eyes jolted down to the redness that coated his hands. "Oh, God. You're bleeding." I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes rising to meet the man that had helped Spider-Man tonight. His head was tilted to the side, his eyes not focused on my face which suggested he couldn't see. Something heavy was clicking in my mind with seeing his perfect ability to fight and the way he wasn't surprised to be standing next to Spider-Man. It was all very clear now, this man was The Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

- author's ramblings - 

Another cliffhanger? whoops

Anyway, this chapter links up with the beginning of The Defenders with the earthquake and how Matty was in that alleyway. If you don't watch the show, don't worry, nothing will be spoiled or featured hugely. I realise that many don't watch the Netflix shows (do it, you're missing out) so this won't be turning into a Daredevil or Defenders story, it's still very much Spider-Man. I really like connecting the MCU with Netflix's Marvel shows, something they don't do in the movies and I actually write both and connect everything. So, yeah that's why. I realise my timeline if off but that's done on purpose to fit everything in the way I want. I'm not even a little bit sorry for leaving you guys hanging with that ending. Oh well. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Also, thank you to rebellionofhope for the amazing graphic again! You're a goddess!

- tinkertaydust