THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN -
ARC V: YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN
EPILOGUE
Slowly climbing down a tree, Peter touches his feet to the ground and immediately feels his knees buckle. Letting out an exhausted breath, Peter clutches his shoulder. His healing was good. The stab wound closed, but he would be feeling it for days regardless, along with his other injuries.
With a limp on his left, a bruise on his chin, a cut on his cheek, Peter rubs his face while painfully limping down the sidewalk in the suburbia Queens.
The Houses lining the streets with trees on the sidewalk as far as the eye could see, Peter takes his time walking as pain shoots up his arm. All in all, despite the near death of experience and not being ‘dead’, Peter looks at his hand, surprised how a cut on his palm is fully healed.
His healing was in fact getting better. Though he couldn’t bear to swing home, changing his clothes in the tunnel and catching a train, the following hour ride allowed his body to heal quickly than he even thought. Anyone else would’ve been dead from a 33 story drop to the street, but using Vulture to break his fall did help too. Could he survive a fall like that on his own again? Certainly NOT worth finding out anytime soon he thinks to himself.
Still his arm throbs and his side ribs ache but less than earlier. The stab wound constantly reminded him it was there with each step he took.
Looking up at the dark blue sky with slight illumination from the distant setting sun behind all the houses, stars slowly reveal themselves like diamonds in the sky as he walks down the street. With memories of his day flooding his thoughts, catching a crane, saving a stabbing victim, stopping a Geriatric Bird Man who probably got that idea from hat Michael Keaton Movie and Transformers…was nothing in comparison to helping Maryjane.
She was a good friend even though he wasn’t the best as Peter Parker, he was as Spider-man, which was still a ‘win’ for him. And through the pain, the aches and probably one or two stitches he’d need to get later after a lengthy explanation to Aunt May…it was all worth it.
The idea though of Toomes getting hold of Globulin D was disturbing though. How did he get it? Why did he even have it? Didn’t Doctor Connors have the only samples? Is that the reaction of using it? So many questions and no answers, but one thing for sure, if Globulin D could do THAT to an old man, heaven forbid a psychopathic smart guy. He’d have to find a way to find the sample and maybe, somehow destroy them. No need for super-criminals hopped up on ‘green chemical juice.’ But all that could be handled on another day, all another day.
However as Peter rounds the corner, a half a block left before reaching his home, Peter’s train of thought is interrupted as he hears, "....hey buttlick!"
“UGH REALLY!” Peter exclaims, slowly turning around and sees his brother taller Eddie running up behind him, but slowly stops and opens his eyes wide at the sight of Peter.
His face dirtied, a black eye, his clothes rumpled (although nothing new) and bleeding slightly from his nose.
Eddie drops his backpack and looks at Peter with concern, "Bro what the heck happened to you? You look like you got jumped or something? Look at you!" he says, brushing off Peter's dusty hoodie, but pulls back, covering his nose, “Oh gawd, you smell like the subway or sewer or somethin’.
Peter rolls his eyes.
“You get jumped or something?”
Peter takes a deep breath, not having had time to prepare his excuses and cover story as he fell asleep on the 'R' train, but seeing his brother face the way it was, and having already provided the excuse, Peter shrugs and nods, not having the energy for all this.
"Yeah, I did." he says.
Eddie's eyes open wide, "WHO! Who was it! Who freakin’ jumped you ON A SATURDAY!”
Peter lowers his head, pinching his nose, “Look Eddie…”
“Just Tell me!" he says insistently.
Rolling his eyes Peter walks away, "It makes no difference." he says.
Eddie grabs his bag and pulls Peter back by his shoulder, by watches him wince in pain, before trying to clench his jaw and disguise the pain readily in his face, "PETER!" he says.
Peter stops, sighs simply looks at the cement ground, closing his eyes, " Eddie, I'm tired. I had a long day. I don’t want to recount it, I don’t want to talk about it…I just want to go home. Can we do that please for once, just go home?” he asks.
Eddie seeing Peter is in no mood to talk about it, simply snorts, “Tell me you at least got in one good punch?”
Peter can’t help but smirk and nods, “oh yeah, he got a broke nose.”
Eddie smiles proudly and takes Peter’s bag from off his shoulder, “Alrighty then, so what are we telling Aunt May? huh”
Peter smiles, limping beside his brother as they walk home, “Oh I was gonna say I got tripped.”
“You’re SUCH a bad liar.” Eddie laughs.
“Oh well.” Peter replies, "So what were you doin’ today?”
Eddie raises his eyebrows while rubbing the back oh is head, “Lookin’ fer’ a new job.”
“Already?” Peter says, “I though you liked the hardware store.”
“Oh yeah, hammer and nails, wonderful future Pete.” Eddie retorts, “No I wanna do somethin’ else, like, photography or work for a newspaper place or somethin’?”
“You? Work for a newspaper?” Peter says with a smirk, mildly impressed as they approach the stairs, “I see you as a reporter honestly, but then again, remind me, can you read, I vaguely recall you calling letters pretty lil pictures.”
Eddie frowns, "Doofus."
"Girly man." retorts Peter with a half tired smile.
As they walk to the front door, Eddie puts in his key and turns the lock but glances at Peter, “You ready? You know Aunt May is gonna freak?”
Peter sighs and nods, “Yeah, lets go.”
Eddie nods and pushes the door open, "AUNT MAY I'M HOME!" he yells, stepping through the door, “WE GOT A LITTLE SITU-ooooo…oh.”
Eddie and Peter freeze at the entrance at the sight of Maryjane with a swollen lip and bruise on her cheek while holding two suitcases in her hand while standing before Aunt May!
Eddie points at her, “WHAT IS IT WITH YOU GUYS GETTING BEAT UP!”
“OH my word PETER!” Aunt May gasps, seeing Peter’s disheveled state.
Peter, speechless as he looks at Maryjane, watches her simply gulp and try to hide her embarrassment as concern streaks across her face, “Oh my goodness Peter are you okay?”
“Uh-uh…” Peter stammers as Eddie steps forward, “Uh Aunt May...what's going on?" asks Eddie as Peter seems to stand there in a state of shock.
Peter just looks at MJ with memories flooding his mind of earlier in the afternoon he left MJ at the police station.
Aunt May looks to Eddie and points at Maryjane, "Well, Maryjane is going to be staying with us for a little while until she gets a more, uh, situated living circumstance" she says.
Eddie tilts his head, "What do you mean by that?"
Peter looks at him with a raised eyebrow, "Maybe Photographer is better."
Eddie rolls his eyes.
Aunt May rushes over Peter, “But I’ll explain later, what happened to you!?! Oh dear I think we need to take you to the hospital!”
Peter, trying to hold her hands back, pulls back from her, “Au-aunt…AUNT MAY! “he exclaims, watching her bristle back as Peter sighs, upset at himself for snapping as she looks at him with great concern.
Peter sighs, looking up at her with a half-smile, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m okay.”
“You look like you got hit by a truck and you smell like it was a garbage truck.”
Eddie covers his mouth trying not to laugh.
Peter leans to the side, looking at Maryjane and smiles, “WELCOME to the parker home.”
“Well its nice to know...” Maryjane says, folding her arms, “…someone out there atleast wants me around.”
“OH sweetie…” Aunt May says to her, "…you don't have to talk about it now. Let’s just get you settled in and talk about it all in the morning. Sunday is pancake day.”
“More like rubber cement.” Eddie mumbles under his breath as Peter elbows him in the rib.
“HEY!”
“You’ll enjoy Pancake Sunday here for as long as you want.” Peter says, to Maryjane walking over to her, which, Maryjane readily runs into his arms, teary eyed as she hugs him tight.
“Thank you.” Maryjane says with a sniffle.
Peter holds his arms out awkwardly, looking at Aunt May who smiles and nods at him approvingly.
“I smell like garbage MJ.” Peter blurts out.
“I know.” MJ mumbles, “its okay.” She says, hugging him tighter, "Its all okay now."
Eddie looks at her and Peter and starts to feel a gush of jealousy start to engulf him from the inside out as it erupts onto his face but he keeps himself in check as Aunt May stares right at him.
Peter hugs MJ back as MJ tightens her grip on him, 'I'm sorry, I...I'm not like this...I just had...I had a really long day." she sniffles.
Peter nods, "I...know...we all did."
Eddie looks at Aunt May, "I'll take the cot out in the basement." he say, abruptly leaving, unable to see anymore of MJ in Peter's arms.
Aunt May nods at Eddie, watching him storm off to the basement, in wonderment of his sudden attitude.
Peter pulls MJ back as her face is flush pink with her green eyes glassy with tears. Peter smiles to her as she forces on a smile, "It'll be okay MJ. Sometimes we have bad days, outstandingly good days...and ones like today, unjustifiably long. But I promise you, even long days have to end and when they do, another day will begin, and you can start all over again in making it better day."
Sitting at his desk, his hand wrapped in a bandage, Peter Parker looks out his window, looking up at the full pale moon in the night sky that shines on him through the window.
Looking over his shoulder, Peter looks at his brother sound asleep before turning back to his notebook.
Grabbing his pencil, Peter smirks momentarily.
March 8th....
Hey Uncle Ben, I figure I write to you again after I did earlier today. Man I wish you could have seen me today. I had obstacles I never thought I'd ever encounter. I wish I could ask you how you dealt with, disruptions in your life or kind of like, meeting the expectations others wish for you even though they don't know you.
But I don't mean to sound like, all sad and what not. lol. I just mean to say that, I miss you. Today more than ever I missed you because I think you'd have been proud of me. People cheered for me, for SPider-man! They stood up for me Uncle Ben, FOR ME!
I can't begin to tell you how many times I nearly cried on the way home. I did it Uncle Ben. I was a real hero today. I didn't care how many times I could've died, or how many times I was exhausted and in pain, I was a hero and I only say so because I finally can say I became like my hero, you.
By the way, Maryjane is living with us now. I KNOW! EEK! X-O
talk about trying to sneek out the house now for spidey-escapades is gonna be harder. But dont' worry, i'll be good and in the other way too. I remember what you use to tell Eddie. Work Hard, save your money, keep your snake in the cage! LOL. Yeah I remember.
Anywayz, just wanted to write you tonight, because, I missed you. I always do, but I know, that in someway, when I put on that mask, when I swing through those streets, when I am Spider-man....you're there too. Right alongside me, helping me do my job and be the man I know you wanted me to be.
Miss you Uncle Ben.
Peter P.
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