PETER FOUND HIMSELF LIMPING THROUGH A FIELD OF COLORFUL TULIPS IN SEARCH OF HIS FRIEND. The previous event had taken a turn, and Peter wounded up in a completely different location--one he surely has no way of pronouncing. Alone and panicking, Peter felt like his world was crashing down like dominoes, and he was freaking out because while Beck is searching for his friends, Eszter was God knows where, and Peter can't help but think he'll never be able to find her. Everything happened so quickly. There was no time to adapt to the situation because Peter was too busy focusing on one thing than worrying about another. But here the couple was, separate from one another as they were torn to the very bone of their body, discarded to two different locations, both unaware of each other's situations.
Memories of Eszter's terrifying possession had imprinted itself in Peter's mind, and as hard as he tried to deny it, Peter felt differently toward the enhanced. Eszter had snapped so quickly. She barely blinked an eye before inflicting some pain onto Peter and Michelle; the enhanced had bottled up so much, it all came barreling out together, making it difficult for Eszter to cope with the emotions that she had tried so desperately to numb. However, Peter couldn't exactly forget that moment because he remembered the nasty insults practically spitting past his lips; Peter would never say anything that horrible, especially not to Eszter, but the anger and grief he felt were no match against the sadness and grief he felt for Tony's passing. This was different. It was like a strong wave of emotion clouded his judgment, and instead of feeling his own way, Peter felt a forceful shove of another's stacked over his aggressively.
Although Peter tried to come up with any excuse that could make up for Eszter's mishap, there was no denying the fact that she had completely violated him; with the overstepping boundaries that were laid out on the table, Eszter had used her powers against Peter, and unwillingly. It wasn't going to be easy to forgive the enhanced and her actions, but it wasn't indefinitely; surely, over time, Peter can find it in himself to forgive Eszter.
But now, Peter wasn't sure how he was going to inform Happy about Eszter.
A roaring sound captured Peter's attention as it pulls him from his deep thoughts, glancing over his shoulder almost achingly as his eyes locked onto the Quinjet soaring above him. With a heavy limp, Peter faced forward and continued to trudge through the beautiful field of tulips as they danced against the powerful wind of the Quinjet's thrusters. Swooping around, the jet lands in front of Peter as he staggers with each step; the jet's door opens and revealed Happy speeding the small set of stairs.
Happy peered over to see Peter's frail figure struggling to stand, striking the man to be fully concerned for the teen's well-being. He's seen Peter hurt before, but something about this was far more concerning, and it troubles him to see the distraught boy on the verge of tears. Happy didn't comment on it so soon, but it baffled him how easily Peter hid his feelings for so long.
"Peter? Are you okay?" Happy nears the bottom of the stairs as he calls out to the boy. His eyes squinting against the harsh glare from the sun, but they swish from side-to-side as if he were searching for something--or someone. "Where's Eszter?"
However, Peter completely dismisses them.
"Happy, is that you?" Peter questions, trudging forward again.
Making his way to Peter, Happy furrows his brows weirdly. "Is it me? Yeah, of course, it's me."
But Peter grew hesitant as he halts from his desperate stride to safety. "Stop!" He orders weakly. Peter held his arm out as he motions for Happy to stop, to which the man obliges as he continued to look on in concern. "Tell me something only you would know!"
"Only I would know," he took a second to think. "Uh. You--I--uh, remember when we went to Germany? You pay-per-viewed a video in your room? They didn't list the titles, but I could tell by the price it was an adult film at the front desk. And you didn't know how I knew--"
Horrified, Peter stammers. "Okay! Okay! Fine, it's you, it's you, stop," he flipped. He remembers that time and would rather not think back to it. Limping forward as he grunts from the pain shooting up his leg, Peter meets Happy in the middle before pulling the man into a hug. "It's so good to see you."
"Peter, you're going to have to tell me what the hell is going on here."
Happy pulled away from Peter as he turned his body to his side, wrapping his arm around the boy's waist as he helps Peter toward the jet; they struggled a little with getting Peter up the small set of stairs, but somehow, they managed to do so.
For the first half of sitting in the jet in silence, beside the muffled noises of discomfort coming from Peter, Happy hadn't heard a single peep from the boy. Not a hint to ease Happy's thoughts as he continued to wonder what the hell happened to Peter or where Eszter had disappeared to. Knowing the teens, they would've been glued to each other's side because Eszter had always been quite attached to Peter for as long as Happy remembered. But now, seeing no Eszter, it was a little unnerving to see the enhanced was missing while Peter showed up beaten up.
Happy was aiding Peter's wounds here and there, but there was a huge gash in his back that was begging to be cleaned, so Happy started there. He made sure it was properly cleaned and disinfected the wound before covering it, then Happy started digging further into his aid kit and found some thread and needles. Happy would like to think he has the skill to operate a fine job of stitching someone up, but it didn't mean Happy enjoyed it. However, Peter was bleeding badly, and the ugly gash on his back needed to be closed before it rips further.
Sitting in front of Happy and gritting his teeth with each pain shooting through his back, Peter remained silent as he attempted to avoid the conversation that Happy had been waiting for. Peter wasn't looking forward to admitting his stupid actions to Happy because he had already gone down the road, and screwed up his relationship with Eszter, and drove the girl overboard; then, Peter had endured some crazy manipulation from Eszter before he was awoken by the sensation of not being able to breathe anymore. It terrified Peter. He's never found himself scared of Eszter and the level of her powers, but last night, Peter realized that the enhanced could snap at any moment. She didn't even hesitate.
As Happy poked the needle back into Peter's skin, the boy flinched and clenched his eyes, locking his jaw to handle the pain, but it proved more difficult than he anticipated.
"Ouch," Peter huffed sharply.
"I thought you had super strength."
"It still hurts," Peter sat through it once again, mentally preparing himself for the pain to continue. The needle found its way poking at his skin again, and this time, Peter's frustration and pain tolerance were peaking. Flinching, Peter balled his fist and pinched his nose. "Happy, come on."
Happy leans forward, trying to get a good look at the needle peeking through the other side of Peter's skin. "Alright, relax," Happy reassures. He pulls the string up and back down, about to go again. "Just a few more . . ." Happy stabs Peter again. "There we go."
The pinch sets Peter off. "Oh, my God, Happy!" He slams his fit on the table.
"Relax!"
Peter jumps from his chair in frustration, moving away from Happy as he created a distance between them. The tears were practically burning in his eyes, and his throat was starting to close up, making it harder for Peter to form the words. The world around him was crashing down, and Peter was doing his best at holding everything up, but the weight of the world was too much for him to carry.
"Don't tell me to relax, Happy! How can I relax when I've messed up so bad? I trusted Beck. Right? I thought he was my friend, so I gave him the only thing that Mr. Stark left behind for me, and now, he's going to kill my friends and half of Europe and take Eszter to God knows where. So, please, do not tell me to relax!" Finally, Peter sat down for a breather, gathering himself with the silence. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I shouldn't shout. I just really miss him."
Happy frowns lightly at the thought. "Yeah, I miss him, too."
Peter dips his head as his eyes starting turning red from the crying. "Everywhere I go, I see his face. And the whole world is asking who is going to be the next Iron Man, and . . ." Peter wipes his hands across his eyes and nose, sniffling as he tried to control the sobs that were sitting on his chest. "And Eszter is holding this huge grudge over me, and I . . . I don't know if that's me, Happy. I'm not Iron Man."
There was a short pause. "You're not Iron Man. You're never going to be Iron Man," Peter's face softens, and a nerve was struck, so he looks away in distraught. "Nobody can live up to Tony. Not even Tony. Tony was my best friend. And he was a mess." That caught Peter's attention. "He second-guessed everything he did; he was all over the place. The one thing he did that he didn't second-guess was picking you--both of you, you and Eszter. I don't think Tony would've done what he did . . . if he didn't know that either of you was going to be here after he was gone."
Peter sniffles through the silence. "Yeah, well, only one of us is still here," he flicks his wet eyes up and met Happy's curious and puzzled eyes. Peter ran his hand through his messy mane, clutching it in an overwhelming feeling before dropping his hand on his lap, staring at it with a broken stare. "Something happened to Eszter back at the hotel, and she--she kind of just . . . snapped." Happy crinkles his brows in worry, though still unaware of what Peter means. "Eszter's gone, Happy, and I'm pretty sure she's not coming back."
This was news to Happy. Eszter lashing it definitely wasn't new because he's seen the enhanced freak out and accidentally use her powers when she didn't mean to, but Eszter has never run away from her problems. The enhanced always stuck around and made up for her actions; Eszter faced them and got her punishment in return. Happy couldn't believe his ears. He had lost another one of Tony's kids, and he was certain Pepper won't be too happy to hear Eszter had taken off without a word.
Still, Happy had a small bit of hope of Eszter's return. There was no way she'd leave Peter alone where he was brutally beaten up and nearly left for dead. No, Eszter wouldn't do that. Would she?
Happy peels his reading glasses from the bridge of his nose, setting them beside him on the table gently as it clicks from contact. "What happened between you two?" Peter yanked his head up to meet Happy's gaze again, but there was a look in the boy's eyes that screamed secrecy. "Eszter wouldn't leave without a good reason, Peter. I'm not only watching out for you but her, too."
"Uh," Peter quickly clears his throat. "We, uh, got into an argument after I told her that I gave Beck E.D.I.T.H."
The man nods subtly, digesting the situation with a calm demeanor. "That's understandable," Happy lightly shakes his head. But when he really looked at Peter, he could see the teen was trying to mask something down. As if he was trying to keep Eszter out of trouble but from Happy. "What really happened, kid?"
Suddenly, Peter drops his head into his hands, and his shoulders began to shake; Happy watched in puzzlement, realizing Peter had broken out into a heavy sob. The emotion buried deep in Peter's chest became unbearable and difficult to suppress, so he allowed the sobs to shake through his body with a strong force. Happy frowns profoundly, leaning forward in his seat as he reached forward and pats Peter's shoulder to show his support.
"Things are so messed up, Happy. I don't even know what happened, but they're so bad," Peter sobs into his hand. He couldn't hold this in anymore. The truth was bound to spill, and Peter couldn't suppress this anxious feeling that was starting to cloud his mind. "Me and Eszter . . . we're not the same, not since Tony, and . . . I knew it hurt Eszter, too, you know? I just . . ." Peter wipes his eyes to clear his vision, barely meeting Happy's puzzled state that was shifting into solemn ones. "I should've pressed more about how she was feeling. I should've known she was holding everything inside, and all I did was push her to do things she didn't even want to do. I should've--"
"Peter, what did Eszter do?" Happy asks again, but Peter seemed to be avoiding it. Tilting his head lightly to meet the boy's gaze, Happy asked again but more firm. "Peter, you're gonna have to tell me."
Bobbing his head aggressively, Peter sniffled loudly. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Uh. After I told Eszter about E.D.I.T.H., she was angry," the memories were beginning to flood Peter's mind, and the dark look in Eszter's eyes nearly haunts him. Now, Peter started picking at his nails. "Like, really angry. She--She did something to me because I felt weird, like, I wasn't in control of my own feelings, but was given more." No longer finding his nails interesting, Peter lowered his hands and lifted his gaze, shyly looking at Happy. "Happy, Eszter went dark."
It took Happy a second to register everything regarding Eszter and the incident that happened before now; for a second, Happy assumed Peter was referencing Star Wars, claiming Eszter went to the Dark Side. However, by the looks of it, Peter wasn't trying to make a joke nor reference to explain Eszter's actions; the enhanced had used her powers against Peter, and that took Happy by surprise.
Happy has seen Eszter's powers be inflicted on someone else without meaning to, but it was never to the extent of physically hurting anyone. Eszter going on the dampener prevented those accidents, and Happy had thought Eszter had gotten better at controlling her powers. With a lot of training, the enhanced should've been able to hold her emotions together as she practiced. From what he remembers, Eszter's powers reacted horribly to the enhanced's emotions. But this time was different. Eszter lost another person close to her.
"We'll find her, okay? We'll find her and bring her home, but for now, we just have to hope that she's safe and okay," Happy assures Peter. "Your friends are in trouble. You're all alone. The tech is missing. What are you gonna do about it?"
Peter sat in silence as the question runs through his mind, racking up ideas and plans to help him win this fight. Happy was right, even though Eszter wasn't here to help him fix the problem he created, it was probably best to keep a distance between the couple to allow them to cool down; both were frustrated and hurt from the situation, and having a moment to breathe was good for Peter.
Although Eszter was missing in a bad state of mind, there wasn't time to worry about the enhanced as Peter had his mindset on finding his friends. Unlike Eszter, who can clearly protect herself, Peter was worried about Ned and Michelle--alongside the whole class--and their safety because, without Eszter, they're defenseless.
Standing up with a strong wave of determination, Peter sniffles a little. "I'm gonna kick his ass."
"No, I mean right now. Like, specifically, what are we gonna do? Because we've been hovering over a tulip field for the last fifteen minutes."
Oh, Peter knew that.
"Right, um . . . I can't call my friends because he's tracking their phones," Peter smacks his fist light into his other hand, thinking. "Uh, give me your phone?"
Peter stepped closer to Happy as he held his hand out, waiting for the cellphone. Happy looked at him, confused.
"My--My cellphone?" Peter hums in confirmation. Obliging, Happy opened his blazer and dug through the inner pocket, fishing out his phone before handing it to Peter. "Okay. Here."
Snatching the phone, Peter opens the phone but was stopped when Happy's phone required a password. "What's your password?"
"'Password.'"
"No, what is your password?"
"'Password.' The word. Spell it out, password."
"You're the head of security, and your password is 'password'?"
"Yeah, I don't feel good about it either."
Peter nearly cackled in response, but as soon as he unlocked Happy's phone, he hurried to the man's Instagram account--which was a little funny to him. Deciding to ignore the embarrassing and some memorable images on Happy's account, Peter quickly typed in Flash's account into the search bar.
A little red circle wrapped around Flash's profile picture and the small word 'LIVE' on the bottom of the photo; Peter internally cheered, glad that Flash decided to live stream the entirety of their trip.
"Ello, governor!" Flash's voice blared through the speaker as he vlogs to a bunch of random people he called friends. "Cup of tea for you?" His voice switches back to his normal American accent. "I'mma be in London soon."
Peter turns the phone, flashing it to Happy. "They're in London."
"London? Okay," Happy springs up to his feet and circles around his chair, making his way to the cockpit.
"Yeah," then it hit Peter. "I need a suit!"
"Suit?" Happy turned around, but he pointed at Peter with a knowing grin, already knowing what to do.
Peter furrows his brows in confusion as he watches Happy walk away from him and entering the cockpit, unsure if the man had heard him or not. Happy raised his arm and pressed the pad of his finger into the button on the ceiling, activating the back end of the jet.
The teenager turned around abruptly when he heard something opening. Peter gawked at the sight. It was like Peter knew exactly what it was and why Happy had initiated the secret room, so he glanced over his shoulder to find Happy grinning like a fool. There was no coincidence that Happy had brought a Quinjet meant for someone like Peter.
A grin slipped on Peter's face before yanked his attention away from Happy and back to the secret room. Moving toward the compartment, Peter tosses the phone on the orange chair and enters the small room, eyeing all of the high-tech that practically covered the compartment. A small metal pad descends from part of the ceiling, and Peter watches in awe before laying his hand on it; a blue light appears as if Peter had activated the system specifically for himself.
Amazed and purely overwhelmed, Peter had to take a step back and catch his breath.
"Okay, um . . . bring up everything you have on Spider-Man," on command, the hologram appears with different types of Spider-Man suits, completely throwing Peter back with the amount of work Tony must've put into this. Getting to work, Peter starts scrolling through them. "Yeah, open that. Okay. No, no, no." Unaware of lingering eyes, Happy stood back as he couldn't help but watch Peter do his work, but there was a small resemblance and pride that sat on his chest. Peter slid his arm into the holographic we-shooter when he noticed Happy. "What?"
Happy smiles softly. "Nothing. You take care of the suit; I'll take care of the music," he comments.
Turning around and making his way back into the cockpit, Happy presses another button, creating music to boom through the speakers of the jet.
"Oh, I love Led Zeppelin!"