"Are you okay?"
Nikolas blinked a few times before seeing Peter touch his shoulder to get his attention. In his eyes the dilation of his pupil was reduced, when he began to get angry his pupils slowly spilled out like liquid until covering his entire eye in a dark color then his bones twisted and a transformation could begin.
"Finally someone I know." Nikolas relieved looked at Ned who almost had his mouth open any longer if it wasn't for Nikolas catching him staring at him.
"Ned." He offered his hand, closing his mouth, Nikolas took it hesitantly and shook it, Ned still genuinely surprised by what Peter had told him.
"Ignore them okay? They don't know what they're saying." Peter shrugged his shoulders worried about what could have happened if he didn't show up.
"It doesn't really affect me, I could easily finish them off in less than a second by ripping their throats out or....."
He kept talking although in reality only Ned paid attention to him, Peter was caught up in the charms of the girl who passed on the other side of the hall with her group of friends. He even stopped to appreciate and take a breath. His eyes sparkled. Now he was the one who had his mouth open.
"Yes, rip out their throats." Peter repeated off guard, shaking his head at him, and looking at Nikolas, clutching the sleeve of his backpack nervously at him, muttering rapidly. "I MEAN! NO! no ripping anyone's throat.
"Pretty, do you like her?"
"Are you kidding?" Ned said. "Liz Allen is the girl Peter Dies for."
"Peter dies for someone?"
Nikolas felt uncomfortable remembering the conversation he had with Tony the first day.
"You will have to adapt, it will be difficult but I know you will, living a life is part of the process which means that you will have to surround yourself with people and their social circles but never stop being you, do you understand kid? i trust in you."
"Adapt. I promise." Nikolas repeated.
Did that mean he also had to die for someone?
Someone like Peter did for Liz Allen?
It had to be easy, Tony said so, but everything was being the opposite.
That day he tried to ignore, tried to adapt, slow as Tony indicated. Balls of paper hitting his back that made the voices startle, shouting in his ear to let them in and take over his body just like the container he was.
"A demon cannot be a hero" the voice said.
"Everyone will fear and hate you" another one continued.
"You can't save them"
"You will kill them"
The voice was getting louder, Nikolas took his hands on both sides of his head trying to repress what was exhausting his patience and human stability.
And when he least noticed it, before entering the stark tower, he deviated from the path.
Peter took a third look at the school supplies he had in his backpack and the ones that were left outside on his bed, deciding which ones could serve as a tutor for Nikolas when he offered to helped him catch up with classes. He said goodbye to May with a kiss on the cheek and after getting lost in a Queen's alley, he changed into the suit.
Halfway there a call with Happy's photo appeared on his viewfinders, Peter landed on a factory roof and answered.
"Happy?" With a confused tone he put his hands on his waist. "Did something happen? Where is Mr. Stark? Right now I'm heading over there.
"Change your routes then because in fact something did happen." Happy responded a bit angry and worried. "Tony will be out for a couple of days and I'm in charge and my first problem? The young man doesn't arrive at the time that Tony left me indicated."
"Time indicated? Nikolas has limits?"
"You know what he is and what he can become, that's why he has a schedule that he has to follow to the letter, no more no less, if he passes the agreed time it will be considered a threat. We discussed that before we get him out of that place." Happy's heavy breathing could be heard over the phone. "Look for him, will you? That's your mission or task, whatever you want to call it kid. Don't call until you tell me you found him.
Peter couldn't help but smile behind his mask after hanging up.
Mission. He had prepared himself for this moment and he wasn't going to fail either of them, it didn't matter if it involved fighting his new partner.
The sunset was beginning to go down, New York was under a blue sunset when Peter found Nikolas in an old park in the city. Peter stayed watching and studying his movements from a branch. Luckily there were no people walking or else the situation would worsen if someone saw Nikolas in this condition.
He walked a little hunched over, moving his head everywhere as if he could smell the arachnid, his eyes opaqued by that dark color and his jaw was covered in dried blood taking on a brown color.
"I know you're here. I can smell you but I can't see you!" The last words were accompanied by a laugh that was not pleasant at all. "If I find you I'll....-
"Eat my face?" Peter sarcastically waved his hands on his knees revealing his position. "I think you tried that before mate, and it didn't work by the way.
"Peter?? I-Is that you??"
For a moment his deep and unusual voice, as Peter thought it was when Nikolas was his transformation, mixed with his normal and sweet voice. But that didn't stop him from being defensive and running towards him. Peter shot two webs to the sides propelling his body towards Nikolas causing the two to collide.
Nikolas got up first, his transformation was halfway through so the fight was on Peter's physical level and not with bones sticking out of his arm. Peter missed a web shot at his foot but his fist smashed into Nikolas's stomach at the same time his claws scraped across his cheek, taking away part of his mask and skin.
Nikolas arched up to the sky with Peter watching as dark smoke came out from his mouth and spiraled out disappearing on the air. Nikolas fell to his knees wearily holding his stomach.
"It's okay, it was just a blackout." His voice trembled and on his forehead there were beads of sweat sliding down as he slipped his words. "I-I don't how----"
"Are you crazy? They were worried about you, me too. Why didn't you get home as you have indicated?"
"You don't give a damn about me, or Tony towards or that assistant he has, all of you are concerned about what I might cause, you think I don't know? Your pulse gives away your intentions Peter, you want to prove yourself so much to what you would do anything to be the perfect little soldier."
"That is not true." Peter clenched his teeth as the words came out bitterly.
"Whatever, I should go back and apologize." Nikolas stood up and Peter got in his way stopping him by grabbing his arm tightly in case he tried to escape.
"Not in these conditions, you will attract a lot of attention and maybe the police, May won't notice if we go to the apartment and enter through my window."
"May--? Who is M--? WAIT! I'm not going to get on your back!"
"Unless you have wings." Peter shrugged his shoulders. "It's just heights, I thought some of your species had wings."
Nikolas looked at him offended when he said "species" but he didn't continue arguing and just held on to his neck leaving the weight of his body on Peter's back with his knees on his hips.
(23/12/2022)