Secret Wars

Last Days Pt. III

"B-But you ... you died?" she stuttered, face paler than normal as Peter's hand gripped yours a bit firmer.

"No thanks to you," Peter hissed.

"Pete," you whispered, giving him an odd look.

A shadow seemed to have passed over Peter's face, and you were startled once more by the look in his eyes that didn't seem to be his own. At least, he didn't look like the Peter Parker you had known your whole life.

"Take if off," Ana snapped, "It's killing you."

You felt a twist in your gut as you looked down Peter's body at the black suit he was still wearing.

"What happened?" you asked, turning to Ana now as she huffed.

You noticed bruising on her neck, an obvious sign of a hand that had been wrapped so tightly around her throat that it had left a mark. You couldn't believe it as you turned to look at Peter with wide eyes, but he refused to meet your gaze.

"Ask your boyfriend," Ana replied flippantly. "He tried to kill me."

"I didn't ..." Peter growled, stepping forward. "She tempted me, but I didn't."

You watched almost in horror as Peter's suit seemed to glisten like oil under the sun. It seemed to be moving, and you had had enough.

"Peter," you said firmly, standing in front of him and blocking his gaze from Ana.

His eyes now trailed to you, and you could see them soften as he looked at your face - a face he never thought he'd see again.

"I know you like the suit," you said softly, "But it's ... it's making you do things that aren't you. If Ana's right about it being a symbiote, you have to remember that this was a technology or entity that Doc Ock was trying to weaponize. It was something your parents fought hard to protect the world from. It shouldn't be you that falls prey to its dangers."

Peter felt a pain in his chest as he looked down to where you were holding his hands tightly. He knew you were right and for the first time since the suit had latched itself to him, he was starting to understand where you were coming from.

"Y-You're right," Peter whispered.

It felt difficult for him to breath, as if deciding he needed to get rid of it and stating that the suit wasn't a positive part of his life was almost painful to physically speak.

"Take it off," you said softly, "Please. Get rid of it."

"I-I don't know how," Peter admitted, "I ... it's part of me now, I think."

"It's not too late," Ana spoke up, "Just demand its release."

Peter nodded, his chest still constricting painfully as he cleared his throat. Taking a couple steps back from you, Peter closed his eyes, sucking in a shallow breath as he did his best to flush out whatever it was that had linked itself to him through the suit.

You and Ana, along with some of the other Avengers, watched as the black substance started to slowly drain itself from Peter's body starting at his shoulders. It was as if it were melting off him, suddenly becoming no longer stuck to his body, and you started to feel a sense of relief.

You winced, noticing the pattern of the black substance was trailing along Peter's skin as if running out of his veins. A sharp sting of guilt tore through you as you thought of the fact that you'd left Peter alone in the world while still at the mercy of the symbiote.

"What do we do with it once it's off him?" you asked Ana quietly.

She hesitated, "You're not going to like it."