Peter Parker laughs as he sings, following the words on the massive screen on his best friend's T.V. The people around him clapping as Harry Osborn wraps his left arm around his shoulder and sings along.
The rich teen decided to throw him a surprise party, at first he was hesitant. He had never been to an actual party before, at least not one that wasn't a birthday party, but despite it being filled with people he didn't know and drinks he wasn't even allowed to be near his apprehension was quickly forgotten.
He takes a gulp of his drink, it's disgusting and tastes like bleach but it's not like it does anything to him, so what's the harm?
Not only that but it makes everyone else happy.
"Here! Here! Try this!" Someone pushes another drink in his hand, it's filled to the top and he recoils at the smell but shrugs it off and gulps it all down.
It burns, like lava sliding down his throat. When he's done he stumbles and the world goes sideways, the sides of his vision darkening but after a few seconds it clears.
"Oh my god! This dude is a fucking maniac! He just drank a full cup of Everclear and barely blinked!"
The guests scream in glee.
"You damn right I did!" Peter roars out and everyone roars with him.
Harry laughs and hugs him, "That's right party people, this guy can drink anyone under table!"
Elizabeth Allan looks on in worry at her boyfriend as she sips her soda, she turns to her friend who's playing beer pong like her life depends on it, "D…do you think Petey and Harry are going overboard?"
Sally Avril waves the younger girl off, "It's a party Liz! Let them have their fun!" She throws a ping pong ball into one of the cups at the opposite side and groans when it misses. "Your turn."
The girl rolls her eyes and grabs a ping pong ball and throws it, landing it in a cup.
"Yes!" Sally pumps her fists in the air.
"Ugh! It's not fair!" One the opponents whine, "She's not even drinking!"
"Too damn bad!"
Liz huffs and turns back towards the boy who is now being held up by his legs as he handstands on a keg while Harry holds the tap to his mouth.
Her face twists in worry when after a minute he's still drinking. She hesitantly takes a step forward before pulling herself back and rubs her arm.
She doesn't want to be one of those girls who ruins their boyfriend's fun. The young cheerleader shallows in worry when Peter is still drinking after two minutes.
"Fucking christ! How hasn't he tapped out?!" Someone yells as they hold their phone up, recording everything.
Eventually he's pulled away and is placed back onto his feet, he sways again before burping and raises a fist in the air like he just won a boxing match.
"YEAAAH!"
"THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT IN QUEENS!"
"I THINK HE BROKE A WORLD RECORD!"
Liz finally walks over as the genius is being pushed around in comradery. He's smiling so wide, she would be surprised if it wasn't hurting his face, "Petey?" She lightly grazes his wrist.
He turns and his wild eyes soften, "Liz." He takes her hand and laughs. "Isn't this amazing? God, I can't believe how much fun I'm having! How much everyone loves me." The absolute wonder in his voice is clear to hear.
The girl blinks in surprise at how coherent he sounds; there's no slurred speech, no unsteady movements. If she didn't just see him drink nonstop for three minutes and before then drinking a whole cup of everclear she wouldn't even know he was drunk.
"Don't you think you should slow down?" She mumbles out.
The preteen blinks, "No, no I'm fine." He turns away and smiles at all the excited faces. "Can't let down all my new friends, right?"
Liz bites her lip, she tightens her grip on his hand, he turns back to her in question, "Please, I'm worried about you."
Peter's eyes widen and frowns for a moment before smiling, "Yeah, yeah. If you're worried I'm going overboard then I'll slow down."
Sighing in relief, she pushes herself on her toes and pecks his lips before wincing, "Whoa, that burns."
The boy laughs and kisses her forehead, making the girl blush, "You're so cute." He says.
"Get a room, you lovebirds." Harry calls out.
Peter throws the teen a middle finger, "Want to head outside? Get some fresh air."
His girlfriend nods and the two amble through the crowd of party goers, they reach the sliding door to the balcony and open it. Walking through, he closes the exit behind him.
The couple looks at the beautiful skyline, Liz rests her head on his shoulder and he wraps an arm around her shoulder.
The mood is ruined when Peter's phone rings. Pulling it out, he sees that it's May calling him.
He answers it, pressing the device against his ear.
"Hey Ma–"
"Peter! Yo…you nee…need to come home now!" The woman cries, the distress in her voice easily heard.
"May? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" He pulls away from Liz, she looks at him worriedly.
"It's, it's Ben." She sobs, he can hear distant crying of someone younger, Teresa maybe, "Something terrible ha…has happened. Oh Petey…"
His heart stutters at her words, "Aunt May, what happened to uncle Ben?"
"Just… I can't say it over the phone, just co…come ho…home, please!" His aunt hangs up and Peter pulls the phone back and stares uncomprehendingly at it.
He feels a gentle touch on his back, turning towards his girlfriend he sees her eyes are full of worry.
"Pe–"
"I, I need to go." Peter walks past her, he takes a hold of the handle of the sliding door and pushes it open.
A little too hard as the glass shatters.
"Peter!" She calls after but he ignores her, the people around stare wide-eyed at the scene.
"Peter!" Harry calls out, stomping over with a scowl, "What the fuc–"
"My uncle, I think…" He can't get the words out, "I think…"
The rich kid's face immediately softens, "Go." He pushes the other forward. "Alright everybody! The guest of honor needs to go home, so the party's over!"
The guests groan.
"Yeah! Yeah!"
Peter rushes through the crowd, he quickly exits the living area and enters the foyer where the elevator is.
~Spider-Man Evolution~
May Parker sits on the curb outside her house, Anna Watson holding her closely as she cries with Mary Jane Watson holding her hand tightly, the moon shining brightly above them.
Anna is a heavy set older woman, about half a decade older than her with a natural complexion, deep green eyes, and short medium brown hair that barely touches her neck.
She hears her niece sobbing as Anya and her mother hold the girl, her own eyes watering at the painful sound. Multiple police cars are parked around her home, officers talking with neighbors.
"May! Teresa!"
Both Parker women look up and see Peter running down the street. The two stand up and rush forward.
"Petey!" "Peter!"
His little sister holds him tightly by the waist, as if she's trying to crush the life out of him while his aunt takes both of them in her arms.
"What's wrong? What's happened to Ben?" He asks, the worry and panic clear in his voice.
May rests her forehead against the side of his head, "Oh, it's terrible..."
The boy pulls away, "What happened? Just tell me." He begs.
Teresa sniffs, "Unc…uncle Ben is… is…" She covers her eyes with her palms and heaves.
Peter takes her into his arms and holds her, clenching his eyes tightly, "Oh god." His body shakes. He looks up towards his house and can't help but listen in.
"This can't go on, damn it! He's making a fool of us!"
"Not just us but the F.B.I. I just don't understand how? He's as sloppy as they get, he literally cuts his victim wide open like a goddammit pig with a carving knife and rips their heart out, yet there's no fingerprints!"
Peter heaves and clenches his eyes.
"I know, I know." The detective sighs and slaps his face.
"At least thanks to this guy fighting so hard the residents of this place got a decent look at Carnage and he's dri...ing ar…nd in a…"
The preteen can't focus, the world dulling as he hears the familiar names, one he heard almost a week and a half ago.
He could have… he could have…
"No… no…" The strength in his legs give and he falls down barely catching himself on the palm of his hands.
"Petey!" His sister screams as she drops to the floor beside him, "Are you okay?!"
May couches beside him and gently rubs his back, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"What have I done…" He whispers to himself, so quietly that the only one who can hear him is himself, tears staining the ground.
M.J looks on, crying as she watches a boy she once considered a pretty good friend break down. Her aunt holds her close with her own eyes leaking.
Peter forces himself to his feet, "I… I…"
The Parker woman reaches for his hand but pulls away, he turns away and runs, "PETER?!" She calls out. "PLeAsE!" Her voice cracks as she presses her hands against her chest.
Teresa rubs her eyes as she watches her brother run, "Be safe, Petey."
~Spider-Man Evolution~
Harry cleans the mess his guests made, multiple filled trash bags littering the floor and one more in his hand almost a quarter full.
"CreaK."
He turns around and sees Peter walking through the patio entrance with red, tear filled eyes.
"He's dead, Har. He's dead and it's my fault." Peter faces twists in grief, he curls his fingers through his bangs and sobs.
The teen drops the garbage bag and walks over, he takes a hold of the boy's shoulders and pulls him into his embrace, "It's okay, it's okay."
"I could have saved him, Ha…harry. If I was braver, he would be alive ri…right no...o…ow!~" He wraps his arms around the other's frame.
"You're not making any sense, Pete." The older boy, "What happened."
The genius tries to explain, "I… I… a week ago when Liz and I left a diner we were eating at, a, a guy wal…walked in, he sent my Spider-Sense off a…nd I focused m…m…my hearing and I heard him threatening the waitress! Bu…but I didn't do anything! I just walked away! An…and the same guy ki…killed Ben! He's dead because of me, Har…harry!~"
The athlete hugs the boy tighter, "No." He shakes his head. "It's not your fault, Peter."
"It is." He mutters in the other's chest, "I knew what the right thing to do was, the thing Ben would have done if he was in my shoes but I, I turned away! I had all the power but… but…" His voice loses strength. "I didn't use it responsibly."
"Oh, Pete." The rich kid mutters.
"What I'm I supposed to do, Har?! I can't… can't live my life witho…ut him!" Peter heaves out.
Harry looks up towards the ceiling, as if it had the right answer, "Honor him." He says. "Avenge him." The only answer he can give is the one he feels in his heart.
The preteen freezes, "Avenge him?"
"Avenge him, you're Spider-Man and like you said, you have all the power. Find him and take what he took from you."
The other stumbles away and stares up at his friend with wide eyes but the longer they stare at each other and the deeper the silence becomes the more the idea sounds right.
He shutters out a breath and nods.
The teen nods, he walks away into the foyer and leaves his friend alone.
When the older boy comes back he's carrying the genius's costume, folded neatly in the palm of his hands.
Peter stares at the yellow eyes of his mask. Looking up, he can feel himself fills' with determination.
He steps out of his shoes and pulls his shirt off before yanking his pants down.
He quickly throws the outfit on before turning around, running out onto the balcony and leaps over the edge headfirst before raising a hand up.
"Thwip!"
He swings, his body cutting the air like a butter knife. Pulling himself up, he raises the opposite hand.
"Thwip!"
As he reaches the height of his arc, he lets go and flies, aiming a hand to the side he spins a web line and pulls, changing directions.
It takes him no time to land on the opposite building from the diner he and Liz ate on their second date. Focusing his hearing, a half a dozen heart beats enter his ears.
Narrowing his eyes, he waits patiently.
Hours pass, more come in and some leave until eventually only two heartbeats pound in his ears.
He leaps off the jut and lands in front of the entrance of the restaurant and walks in.
"Welcome to–"
'Good, it's the same waitress.'
"Carnage, where is he?" Peter barks out, anger radiating off him.
The woman takes a step back at the tone, she clears her throat, "I don't know what you're talking about, now please leave before I have to call the police." Her eyes narrow.
The boy lays a hand on the back of the booth and with no effort at all raises it above his head.
The worker gulps and trips over her feet as she backs away, falling on her ass.
The superhuman drops the booth, a loud crack reverberating through the diner, he jumps up and lands on the register, balancing perfectly on the device.
"Don't. Make. Me. Ask. Again." He growls out.
The woman blinks away tears, "I… I don't know. I swear, I don't. He comes in, asks for money and leaves. That's all."
The cook rushes out, "Please!" He shouts out as he crouches beside the woman, almost covering her with his body, "We really don't know anything!"
Peter growls and closes his eyes, trying to think before they snap open, "Does he collect money from anyone else?"
"I… everyone for the next few blocks. They all pay him for protection." He tells him.
"Is there a clinic that pays him?" Peter asks.
The two look at each before nodding, "Yeah." The waitress nods, she quickly gives him the directions.
He backflips off the register and walks out towards the exit but before stepping out, he turns back for a moment, "You don't have to worry about Carnage, he'll never threaten you again." He opens the door but just before leaving he stills.
"Yeah, and what about you?" The female worker mumbles out.
Peter closes his eyes but doesn't say anything, stepping out he leaps up and swings away.
Not even a minute later he lands on top of the one story tall clinic the two talked about.
It's already closed.
'A doctor can't put a cast on right away, they usually have to wait a week so the swelling can go down.' Peter punches the ceiling and the stone cracks, 'I can't wait a week.' leaping off to the back, he lands in a crouch in front of the back door.
Taking a hold of the handle he pulls it open, breaking the lock. Walking in, he looks around and finds the light switch, flicking it on.
Striding further in he winds up in the front at the receptionist stationed, he walks over to a silver three drawer filing cabinet, yanking the top one open he starts looking over the folders.
One by one.
Finding nothing he yanks the second forward and repeats the process. A third of the way though he finds who he's looking for.
'Cletus Kasady, you're mine.'
He puts the folder back, closes the draw, and walks out of the clinic. Leaping up to the roof of the opposite building.
Finding the directions he needs to swing and springs' up, spinning a web that catches him. Moving through the streets like a man on a mission, he pushes forward becoming a blur of motion.
Landing on the side of a run-down five story apartment building. He crawls to the top floor as he sharpens his ears, 'Got you.' Moving to the side, he passes several oriel windows and finds an awning window.
Looking through it, he sees Cletus sleeping below it.
Pressing his hand against the glass, he pushes and smiles as it opens. Climbing through, his head pointing down towards the man.
Reaching forward with his right hand he presses his hand against the killer's mouth and squeezes.
Cletus eyes snap open and he jerks but Peter holds firm.
The man hits him with his good arm and immediately recoils, he hears the murderer's hand fracture.
Peter pushes himself off the wall and lands on the man's chest, "You… you…. You!" His face twisted in pure unadulterated fury. "You killed a good man!" With barely a heave he stands up and drags the man up before throwing him to the side.
Cletus' back hits the wall, cracking it and thumps harshly against the floor, he looks at the boy with an unreadable look, "Spider-Man?"
"You took the life of a good man, an honest one!" He jumps and stands above the redhead, grabbing him by the shirt he yanks him up, his feet dangling in the air. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't tear your heart out like you tore out Ben's?!"
The man stares at him unflinchingly, "You want a reason? I can't give you one." He laughs and the frown on the boy's face deepens. "I killed what's his name because he had a nice car and I hadn't eaten a good meal in a long while."
Peter balks and realizes what he's applying. With a roar he tosses him across the room and they hit the wall, flopping on the bed.
The serial killer groans as he gets on their knees and looks at the costumed figure with a tilt of their head, "You know, he begged me to spare his life. Cried like a little bitch." His voice drops into something soft and mocking. "It was fucking pathet–"
The genius aims a wrist at the man and shoots a glob of webbing that covers his mouth, "Shut. Up!" He walks over and reaches for him only to fill a sharp pain in the back of his head.
Tilting back he avoids a vicious slash aimed for his throat. Peter grabs the wrist and bends it, breaking it and forcing them to drop the weapon.
"Agmph!" Cletus's shouts are muffled as he falls back and presses the hand to his chest, he glares at the boy.
Peter reaches forward and wraps his hands around their throat, "I can snap your neck like a twig but I'm going to do it nice… and…" He pauses as he realizes what exactly he's saying.
The kind of man he's sounding like.
Ben… Ben would be so ashamed, "No, no." He shakes his head and clenches his eyes. "He would never want this." The superhuman mutters to himself. "Would never want me to kill in his name." Tears gather at the corner of his eyes.
He opens his eyes and they meet the man who murdered the closest thing he ever had to a father.
'Great Power, Peter.' The boy thinks, but the words are Ben's, 'Great Responsibility.' He aims his wrists at the madman and giant webs shoot out, pressing the other tightly against the mattress. "You're going to rot, Cletus."
He turns away from the killer and finds his phone on the nightstand, grabbing it he dials 9-1-1.
"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
Peter is silent for a moment, unsure what to say.
"Hello, is anyone there?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I found Carnage, his real name is Cletus Kasady and I've webbed him to the bed, you have about two hours before they dissolve." He gives the address before hanging up and tossing the device to the side, turning to look back at Cletus he feels hate bubbling in his gut.
'I hope you're proud of me Ben.'