A New Home (2.0)

Chapter Fourteen:

Okay gang, I know a lot of you were asking when I was going to update. Well after weeks of nothing, here's an update.

But before we get started I would like to explain myself if that's okay...

I've been in a rough place over these past weeks. Just about every negative emotion has been bottled into this mess of a human. It's been an overall disaster, and I really hadn't had the motivation to do anything.

However, I'm trying to fix it. So hopefully my updates will be back on schedule.

Just wanted to let you guys know that I didn't abandon you or forget about you.

Anyway, on to the chapter:

Because the room he chose...

was full of spiders.

     The teen scans the room, his heart racing and his mind on edge. In running away from one fear, he managed to run directly into another. Peter honestly can't decide which is worse; Flash or the Spiders. Despite the fear building in his chest, he moves further into the room, observing the arachnids spinning webs in their cases of glass.

     He's studied the creatures and some of the different species in biology class at his old school, but he recognizes none of the species set before him. They appear to be... hybrids. Different species and traits mixed into individual spiders. One to his left has the markings of a black widow, while its behavior mirrors that of a funnel spider.

     He's approached the third group of arachnids when one in particular catches his eye. A bright red and blue spider diligently spins a web in the corner of its enclosure. The  boy gently touches the glass, leaning forward to get a closer look. In that moment, things go from bad to worse.

     "Hey! You're not authorized to be here!" A voice booms from the doorway. Turning on his heel in a panic, he manages to knock over the glass case in the process. Peter can't help but cringe at the sound of glass shattering against the tile, the case breaking and releasing the spider he had been admiring seconds before. The spider was gone in an instant, but he would have to think about that later. Right now, he needs to try and explain his way out of this.

     "I-I'm sorry, sir. I can explain, honest." Peter stutters, raising his hands slowly in surrender. He must look terrified, because the man who caught him (a lab technician, maybe?) gave a sympathetic look. "You see, sir, I was runnin' away from a guy in my class. The door was open, so I hid in here. I can pay for the case I broke-"

     "Don't worry about it, kid. Just go ahead and get out of here before someone a little less friendly finds you." The man gives him a small smile, and Peter doesn't hesitate before walking out the door and into the now-empty hallway. He looks back to the man, who followed him out.

     "I swear, I'm gonna pay for the damage, sir."

     "Don't worry about it, I can handle it. Now I take it you're with a tour group. Do you know where they are?"

     "No, sir." The boy admits timidly.

     "Well let's go find them, shall we?"

     About 10 minutes after the incident, they managed to locate Peter's class. Peter hadn't realized how long he'd been gone, but by the time he'd located his peers the tour was over. After thanking the man for helping him (again), he follows his class out the front door and to the bus. He listens intently as Ned explains everything he'd missed, completely unaware of the spider that had managed to come along with him.

    

     "Peter, are you sure you're okay?" His friend had asked for what felt like the millionth time. A few minutes after they'd boarded the bus is when the headache hit. He'd dismissed it, passing it off as exhaustion. But Ned was adamant in his belief that something was wrong. "Maybe we should call your dad."

     "Nah, I don't want him to worry. I'll be alright."

     "Dude, your pale and there's no doubt you have a fever. I know something is wrong." Peter gives his friend a half-hearted reassurance, before leaning his head against the the cool glass of the window, allowing his eyes to drift shut. Ned was right, something was definitely wrong. But Peter was a southern boy with pride, and if there was one thing he never admitted too, it was being sick.

     Peter managed to make it back to the school in one piece, and for a minute things started looking up. Until he remembered that he'd told Mr. Stark he wanted to walk home today. He wouldn't call his dad, because as we all know, Peter Benjamin Parker was one of the most stubborn teens out there. So with an exhausted sigh, he waves to his friends and begins walking home. Completely unaware of what awaits him.

<><><>

     "Okay so you're telling me that you have a son that you've only known about for a few months?"

     "Three months and fifteen days, spangles." Tony corrects. Steve was still sat in disbelief, attempting to process the information. The others seemed a lot less surprised and Clint honestly couldn't care. He was mainly excited he had someone to play video games with. He only ever played with Natasha, and she always won. "But I love the kid. And if any of you even think about hurting him, I swear I'll kill you"

     "And I'll help." Natasha adds in. From the pictures alone she could tell she was going to love her new nephew. "So, when do I get to meet my nephew?"

     "He should be home soon-" the ding of the elevator ends the billionaire's response. "That's him now."

     "Mr. Stark?" A small, quiet voice sounds from the elevator, and out stumbles a tired looking teen. One look and Tony knows something is wrong. Call it parental instinct, or maybe common sense. Probably both. Either way something was definitely wrong.

The kid was white as a sheet, his usually bouncy curls were plastered to his forehead with sweat. He was shaking, his speech was slurred, and he could barely walk a straight line. "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good." (Still too soon? I'll just leave...)

     "Bambi?? What's wrong? What hurts?" Tony runs over to his son, just catching  him as the teen falls forward. "Bruce-"

     "Already on it. Get him to the couch." Anthony scoops his half-conscious son into his arms and gently places him on the couch, hesitantly moving out of the way so Banner can get through.

All he can do is watch as it all dissolves into absolute chaos.

And there you have it folks. A cringeworthy update from a cringeworthy author.

Just kidding. I actually kind of liked this chapter. Anyway, I hope you all liked it and I hope you have a fantastical day. I'll see you next Wednesday (loki dayyyy) my amazing arachnids!!!!

Love,

Nat 🕷🕸❤