It was difficult to pinpoint exactly when your boyfriend started acting weird, but it was definitely getting more noticeable. What first started as him growing more, uncharacteristically reserved, blossomed into him being so quiet and moody that even you were bothered.
Even Peter, who tried his best not to care about your relationship with Flash, was worried - mostly because the way he was acting was effecting the way you were acting.
"You need to eat," he said softly, not wanting to stir up any anger.
You were currently sitting across from him, leg bouncing, fork jabbed into a piece of lettuce, eyes locked on the open cafeteria doors, wondering if your boyfriend was finally going come to school or if this was going to be another no show kind of day.
"___," Peter said, tilting his head, frowning. He grabbed your hand, the one holding the fork that you hadn't quite realized was moving.
It was shaking. Had you remembered to eat breakfast? You weren't sure. You did feel weak and tired, though, and that wasn't a good sign.
"I'm not hungry," you said.
"Eat," he said. "Just a couple of bites so you don't pass out on me. I'd hate to carry you to the nurses office." He smiled warmly. It was a smile that reassured you, a smile from the boy that always loved you but never did anything about it. "I know you're worried about Flash and all that, but that's no excuse to through your blood sugar all out of whack."
You reluctantly agreed, reaching over and snatching a couple of fries off his plate. He held out his hands, surprise on his face.
"Hey!" he protested. "If you wanted fries so badly, you should have gotten some."
You smiled and chewed. "Sharing is caring, Peter Parker." You pushed your tray towards him. "Feel free to have some of my salad. No croutons though!"
He grabbed his fork and gave you a look of disbelief. "Seriously?" he asked, jabbing the prongs into a piece of lettuce and grilled chicken. "Croutons are the best part."
"Fine. One," you said.
"Thank you," he said, scooping one up with the fork.
You glanced down at your phone, turning on the screen to see if you had received a message. Although you didn't expect one, you still felt a surge of disappointment run through you.
Peter frowned, chewing the salad in his mouth. He hated to see you so upset almost as much as he hated to see you with Flash. "Hey, he'll be alright."
"I don't know," you mumbled. "I mean, all of the stress of his parents separating and him getting sick randomly last month... everything has just been so bad for him, Peter, and I don't think I can make it any better."
"Are you kidding me? Flash is lucky to have you," Peter said. "If anyone can help him, it's you." He smiled at you, his heart clenching as he thought about how happy you made him. "You're just that kind of person, ___."
Which led him to think about how much he loved you.
And brought him to the realization that you didn't love him, but loved Flash instead.
And then how he couldn't be mad at you because of that because he was so stupidly in love with you, and you were just his best friend, but he swore he saw everything he'd ever wanted in a girl in you.
"Thanks, Peter," you said, reaching across the table. You placed a hand over his. "You're a good friend."
Peter's smile slowly disappeared. You pulled your fingers back, collecting your trash and tray. He watched you with a fallen expression, his heart nearly breaking in two.
"I'm going to call him and see if he's alright," you said. "I'll see you in study hall?"
"Of course," he said.
You stood up and smiled.
The hall was quiet and mostly empty as you went to your locker. Just as you started to unlock it, you head a set of footsteps as Flash walked out of the principal's office, head down, arms full of papers and books from missed assignments.
Your heart skipped a beat and you felt yourself fill up with joy and excitement, only for it all to come crashing down. If he was okay, why was he ignoring you?
"Eugene," you called out, leaving your locker and walking towards him.
His head snapped up. You stopped dead in your tracks.
He looked sick.
The skin around his eyes was purple and his hair was a mess on top of his head. He looked ten pounds skinnier than the last you'd seen him, and that was only six days ago.
"Oh my gosh, babe." His eyes filled with tears at the name, which only added to your concern. "What happened?" you asked, voice falling soft. You took a step forward.
He took one small step back, cringing like it hurt to look at You. "You need to stay away from me," he mumbled.
"What?"
"Please," he said. "Just leave me alone."
You dropped your shoulders, exhaling sharply. "Eugene, what-"
He was walking around you, head down again. You stayed still in shock as you heard him walk out the exit doors and hurry outside. Through the glass, you noticed he didn't have his dad's car and instead ran towards the back of the school, where the fence was.
Why did he want you to stay away from him?
In that split moment as the question ran through your mind, you followed him. There were a thousand reasons why he wouldn't want you around and none of them were good.
One, he could be cheating on you. Although he promised he loved you more than anyone in his life and never wanted anyone more, it was a possibility.
Two, and even worse than cheating, his dad could be hurting him. His father, who was never impressed by his son and found any reason to hate him.
Three, Flash could be mixed up in something so terrible that he wasn't allowed to talk about it.
Whatever was wrong with your boyfriend, you would figure it out.
You quietly opened the doors and walked out, not hearing Peter softly call out your name as he turned into the hall.
Peter Parker stood back for a moment, waiting. Then, as if he needed a reason to follow you, his spidey senses started to buzz. He ran to the set of lockers his web fluid was hidden under and grabbed a supply before stuffing it in his jacket and running after you.
...
When Flash turned into the third alley in ten minutes, your anxiety spiked to new levels. You were having to jog to keep up with him and he wasn't showing any sign of stopping.
The height of the buildings cast out almost all sunlight and the deeper you walked in the dirty, grimy alley, the darker it became. You heard a shuffle inside and you grew stiff and afraid, thinking of all the creeps that could be hiding in the dark.
"Eugene," you said, voice breaking.
You heard another noise. You gasped, stepping backward as you tried to see what was moving in the dim alleyway. Where was Flash? The only thing in front of you was a large brick wall.
"Eugene," you said again.
"I told you to leave me alone," he said.
You jumped, spinning around to find him. But you were totally alone in the alleyway, looking at dumpsters and trash bags and cardboard boxes.
"Where are you?" you asked. "Eugene... baby, I'm worried about you." You crossed your arms over your chest. "What happened? Did I do something to you? Please, babe, talk to me. What's wrong?"
"There are a million things wrong," he said, "and you can't fix any of them so just leave me alone."
You shook your head. "Eugene-"
"Leave me alone!" he shouted, his voice altered. There was a loud hiss and them a black creature scrambled off the wall, showcasing sharp teeth and a long, dropping tongue.
You yelped, staggering backwards and falling on your bottom, hands up. You slid backwards, legs cutting against the pavement, panicked breaths escaping you.
The breathing coming out of the creature was his. Somehow your kind, loving boyfriend had transformed into this thing - a thing full of hate and fear and anger towards you.
"Eugene?"
"I told you," he said, cement cracking beneath the stress he was putting on his arms. He stood up straight, standing over you. "I told you."
"Eugene!" You cowered away from him, unable to feel anything but fear. He was so close to you, so dangerous looking, so different from the gentle boy that loved and cared for you-
"Whoa, man! You look a little tense."
You peeked out from behind your fingers and saw Spider-Man perched up on the roof of the building. You shook as you called out for Peter, your voice weak and shaky.
Flash looked from Peter to you, his voice changing almost back to normal. "___?" he said, shame creeping its way into his tone.
"You know what helps when I'm tense? Relaxing." Spider-Man shot a web forward and swung off the building. "So maybe you should sit down!" He kicked Flash in the chest, sending him barreling towards the brick wall behind him.
The bricks crumbled and he collapsed in the center of them all, dust clouding the alley. You coughed and sputtered.
Peter was at your side, hands under your arms, lifting you to your feet. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. I'm here."
Realizing you were sobbing, you turned towards him and clutched Peter by his biceps, cringing away from the creature your boyfriend had turned into.
"___, listen to me, okay? Okay?" He cupped your cheek. "I am here. I'm here, you're safe-"
The bricks moved. The creature rose to his feet, limping as he stepped out of the pile of rocks. Peter moved you away, turning so that you were behind him.
"I wasn't going to hurt her, Peter Parker," Flash said.
"Really? Because it sorta looked like you wanted to." Peter held up his hands.
"I don't. I would never- I, oh gosh, ___, please-" He lowered himself towards the ground, looking at his hands. "I don't know how to stop this."
You squeezed Peter's arm. "Help him, Peter! He's hurting."
Peter looked at you, hesitating. The last thing he ever wanted to do was get involved in your relationship with a guy he didn't like. But now, you looked at him pleadingly, the hurt in your eyes mirroring the hurt in Flash's.
You loved him so much.
"Peter, please," you sobbed.
He set his jaw tight, brown eyes swimming with tears. The pain in your voice, your face - he would do anything to stop it, even if it meant bringing you closer with Flash.
He turned back towards the broken mess of a monster on the ground and walked towards him, kneeling down and placing a hand on his back.
"Hey, man, listen," he mumbled softly. "Whatever happened to you can be fixed. Let me get you some help."
Flash shook his head. "N-No-"
"Flash," Peter said. "She's scared. She needs you, okay? And I know you need her. I know you pretend you don't need anybody but you need her just as bad as I do. Don't let her down, man. Don't become something she won't like."
Flash slowly raised his head. His white eyes looked at you and, slowly, he nodded. You sobbed out in relief and squeezed your eyes shut, covering your face with your hands.
Flash slowly managed to change from monster to human. Peter helped him to his feet and let him stumble towards you, wrapping his arms around you and bringing you close against him.
"Eugene," you cried, throwing your arms around his neck.
Flash hushed you and kissed the side of your head, murmuring apologies and things Peter couldn't hear in your ear.
Feeling too awkward to watch anymore, Peter put his mask on and webbed himself to the top of the building. He would be sure to let Mr. Stark know that a boy was somehow given the ability to turn into a monster, but for now, he needed to leave.
"Wait!" Flash called out. Peter looked down. "Thank you, Peter." He nodded once. "Spider-Man."
Peter smiled and saluted you and Flash before swinging off.
You looked back up at Flash, who kissed the tip of your nose and squeezed you tight. A thousand questions swarmed your head but you didn't dare ask them, too afraid to break the moment.
Flash was the first to speak up. "Wait... Peter Parker is Spider-Man?"