Chapter Text
Peter sat on the edge of the medical bed with his right arm rested before him on the examination table. The surface was cool against his warm skin, much like everything else in the lab. The air smelt of medical tools and medicine, bringing an uneasy feeling to his stomach. His eyes trailed to the thin transparent tube that was attached to his arm and watched as the warm red liquid steadily flowed through it and poured into a small test tube. Peter looked up at Tony who was focused on the process, too.
“Do you think it will work?” he curiously asked.
When Tony first proposed the idea, Peter wasn’t sure if it was possible. He didn’t know how it could work. And even after Tony had laid out all the scientific facts that pointed to no failure to this at all, he was still amazed at how this had occurred to him in the first place.
For him to be the cure for a deadly disease that has been wiping out the lives of millions of people across the world, this was something that would take time to fully process. It was today that they were going to find out if they will ever be able to put an end to this.
Tony pursed his lips, “I don’t see a reason for why it shouldn’t.”
“Unless your blood turns out venomous and kills them all.” He smirked as he disconnected the tube and pressed a cold piece of cotton to where the needle was in Peter’s arm.
His jaw dropped, panic rising inside him as quick as a rocket. “That- that can’t happen, right?” he stammered.
Tony chuckled. “God, no.”
Peter sighed in relief and wiped at his arm with the sterilized cotton and then threw it away. He hopped down from the bed and went to stand next to Tony who was hunched over the microscope with a sample of Peter’s blood under it. So much has happened in the past few days now that WCKD has finally been exposed. The whole premises was taken over by the government, and all the ongoing activities were stopped. Tony, Matt, and everyone who was involved in the Maze trials and had an insight to Fisk’s plans were trialed before the people of New York. Peter didn’t like remembering most of that day.
It was so chaotic. They had just been out of the Maze, and everyone was confused and scared. It wasn’t until the government had miraculously announced Tony and Matt innocent, and with Matt’s data about Fisk and his history, they were able to track the rest of his followers and had them imprisoned. The Candidates, whom Peter was considered one of them, given the circumstances of how he was blackmailed into working at WCKD at such a young age, were declared innocent as well.
Matt’s situation was better than Tony’s, having been proved to be of benefit to the government when they needed to know more about Fisk. They considered the period of time he worked at WCKD, a successful part of his strategic plan to take down Fisk, and therefore, he was reassigned to lead the Resistance and was given a new headquarters instead of the one that got wrecked. Peter was happy for him, finally getting a chance to do what he loves in the light of day, getting the resources he needed, and providing a better occupation for every member of the Resistance. Which was now more of an investigation facility than a secret organization.
However, it was decided that the burden of the responsibility of untangling the mess Fisk has created over the years, shall fall on Tony’s shoulders. In the government’s opinion, if he was good enough at his work to design a “death trap” and a list of other things, sure he was capable of fixing the lives of the very kids he watched get their memories wiped and thrown out into the Maze. It wasn’t much of a burden to Tony, because part of him did take the blame for everything they have endured. Peter tried to ease his mind more than once, but he wouldn’t listen.
Until last night, when Tony came up with the idea of trying a sample of Peter’s blood in a formula for the cure. The group of guys were kept at WCKD, given the medical care they needed, undergoing the required tests, and waiting to get their memories back. Tony was still somehow the one in charge, and he was glad the government did not strip him of his job. Peter knew how much Tony loved working, and he wouldn’t have borne watching him lose everything.
“I still don’t know how you’re convinced that this is going to work. How is my blood supposed to be a source of help?”
Tony drew back from the microscope and Peter could see a faint smile on his face. “Looks like you’ve forgotten about the good old days.” He placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder and urged him to look down at what he was examining earlier. “Take a look.”
Peter listened and glued his eyes to the gadget before him. He was shocked at what he saw. “This is a drop from your blood sample forced onto another one that is infected with the Flare.” Tony explained as Peter watched the white-outlined cells angrily move among the black ones, repelling them as they both swam in a dark red liquid.
“Your blood is dominant. If you take a closer look, you could see the infected cells rebounding, and yours just keep increasing in number.” And it did, the longer Peter observed.
His eyes then shifted to Tony, fascinated by what he saw. “But that doesn’t mean that the Flare is going away.” He frowned.
Tony scratched the back of his head, as if he was still trying to figure out this part himself. “The body doesn’t rid itself of it, yes, but your blood is preventing the infection from spreading out through the rest of it.”
Peter sat speechless, not knowing how to react. “So, this is all because…”
“Because you’re Spider-Man.” Tony simply replied. “The Flare can’t affect you. With the way your body works, it doesn’t stand a chance.”
“That’s why you thought it could work in the first place.” Peter concluded. “It wasn’t just statistics and calculations?” He shook his head, a smile creeping its way up to his lips.
Tony shrugged in amusement. “I couldn’t have you too hopeful about the idea when I had no guarantee that it would work.”
“But it did, right?” Peter asked, remembering what he watched under the microscope.
“It isn’t what I had in mind, but that’s the closest we could ever get to a cure.” Tony sighed.
“What happens if we try to increase the dosage?” Peter wondered.
“Dosage?” Tony raised an eyebrow.
“The portion of my blood, I mean. Wouldn’t that enhance the impact?”
“It could do the exact opposite.” Tony shook his head. “Their bodies wouldn’t tolerate it. The bare minimum is going to work just fine.”
“So, technically, it is not a cure?” Peter raised his eyebrows.
“No. It just makes you immune to the Flare.” Tony explained. “One could be carrying it, but they won’t be harmed.”
A few silent moments passed then, “that’s it?” Peter looked around at the boxes that carried numbers of small empty vials that waited to be filled with the final formula.
Tony softly smiled. “We have waited long enough, don’t you think?”
“Yeah.” Peter whispered in response.
“Just wait until your little gang starts teasing you about being “their cure”.” Tony joked, air quoting the last two words.
Peter chuckled at the image, fully knowing that it was something that they would actually do.
“I don’t want them to know.” He shook his head, “about me being a part of this.”
“Why?” Tony frowned, clearly disagreeing with him.
“It’s better this way.” Peter trailed, “I just don’t want to feel like everything revolves around me. They matter, all of them. Just as much as I do.”
“Just for once, I don’t want them to think of me as some kind of a savior.”
“But you are one.” Tony casually replied.
“No.” Peter firmly replied. “I’m just a kid.” he said, repeating the words Tony always used to say to him.
“You were never just a kid, Pete.” Tony quietly said. “Well, my kid, so that doesn’t make you just any kid .”
Peter grinned. Before they could continue their conversation, a knock came from the door. An employee pushed the door open and stood there, “the Candidates are ready, Mr. Stark.” She announced, and the men shared a look.
“I will be right there in a few.” Tony said, sending the woman away.
After the door fell shut, Tony glanced at Peter. “Shall we?”
Peter nodded, taking a deep breath. They spent the next thirty minutes preparing the syringes and getting everything ready for his friends. Tony had the personal records that carried their history ready. The tracking chip-remover was set beside them, waiting to be of use. Tony had agreed with his supervisors that the first ones to get the cure would be the Gladers. Peter quite liked calling them “Gladers” instead of “Candidates” or “Subjects”. It was a name which they created for themselves, and as he helped his mentor, Peter wondered if that name would mean anything to them after they got their memories back.
He was too consumed in his thoughts that he didn’t hear someone come in and greet them until the familiar voice rang in his ears.
“Matt!” Peter smiled, automatically going in for a short hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Today is the big day, isn’t it?” He beamed, his dimples showing. He looked healthier and brighter, Peter thought. His eyes were no longer shaded with dark circles and the creases in his forehead had smoothed. He was wearing a white dress shirt with the top buttons left undone, and a pair of gray pants that dimmed the white of the shirt. “Guessed you’d need a hand of help.” He shrugged.
“And you’re just on time.” Tony said, clicking a pen in his hand.
“I also have news.” he said, grabbing their attention. “Fisk has been found.”
“What?!” Peter breathed. “How is that-- how is that not on the news yet?”
“Because they’re still trying to identify the body.” Matt said, the words sounding just as morbid as the image in Peter’s mind.
“He’s dead?” Tony asked as if he wasn’t even interested in hearing an answer.
“Well, he’s-- pretty much, yeah.” Matt ran his hand across the light scruff on his face. “The investigation is still going, but everyone is certain that it’s Cranks work.”
“So, until they’re a hundred percent sure, this stays between us.” Peter said.
“Exactly.” Matt nodded.
“Well, we should be celebrating.” Tony’s eyes flickered between his two companions.
But the image in Peter’s mind was too gory for him to feel any triumph at the moment. He wasn’t surprised, given that he was the one who wanted to leave him out in the open for every danger to feast on him. And his mind often drifted to what could happen to him until Matt came today and confirmed it, putting an end to the unwanted thoughts that struck him every now and then.
Tony tapped different spots on his tablet, and seconds later, numerous employees filled the room. They came to transport the boxes to their destination while Peter, Tony and Matt took off minutes after them. The walk to the room where the Gladers were prepared and waiting for them was silent. Tony was ahead, walking with his tablet in his hands, fingers typing in things that Peter couldn’t see from where he was. Matt was next to him, his shoulders relaxed as his pace mimicked Peter’s. So many thoughts raced in his mind, weighing down on his chest like a rock. What if something went wrong? What if they had changed their mind about him and didn’t want to be anywhere near him again? What if their bodies reject the cure?
“You sound like you’re about to jump off a cliff.” Matt noted, a corner of his lips quirked up in a smile.
“You never stop enjoying that, do you?” Peter chuckled, not surprised that his erratic heartbeats reached Matt’s senses.
He shrugged, his shoulders slightly brushing Peter’s. “It’s hard to ignore when we’re this close.”
Peter nodded once and looked down at his feet that steadily walked over the white tiles.
“Stop worrying about it. You have done everything you could, and so did Tony.” Matt’s voice spoke again.
“I suppose so.” he replied, mostly to himself.
“From what he told me, we both will be observing, right?” he asked as they rounded a corner that led to another long corridor.
“Yeah.” Peter casually replied. “There’s no need for me in there, anyway. I already have my memories.”
“But you want to be there.” Matt wondered.
“Yeah, I still need to get the tracker out and Tony said something about removing those tattoos.” He brushed his fingers over the inked words.
“And MJ?” he asked, surprising Peter.
His mouth automatically curved into a smile at the mention of her name. “She’s cleared. Tony freed her as soon as he could. She is staying with her family these days.”
“Good.” He smiled, and then silence fell between them.
“I don’t want to have it removed.” Peter blurted.
At that, Matt’s head whipped to the side with a puzzled expression. “Why would you want that?”
“I… it’s a reminder.” Peter said, “that I survived something as horrible as that.”
Matt’s lips parted to say something, but Peter heard no words come out.
“I was challenged to fight for my life and the lives of many others, and I did it. I don’t want to forget that.” They came to a halt, a foot away from the door that led to the observation room where Tony disappeared.
Peter’s eyes examined Matt’s face, trying to get a hint of what he would say, but then his mouth shut and turned into a proud smile. He concluded that Matt understood him, which brought a grin to Peter’s own face.
“I’ll be honest with you, though. He is not gonna like that.” Matt laughed.
“Care to join us?” Tony’s head popped out of the doorway with a look of disapproval on his face which sent Peter and Matt into a fit of suppressed laughs.
He exchanged a look with his friend, “has he ever ?”
Matt just shook his head, his face still tinted with humor. He threw an arm over Peter’s shoulder and led them to where Tony was. As soon as they stepped in, they were met with complete silence. Monitors lined the walls and tables, displaying all the data they needed to be informed of. The room was dimly lit, leaving the greater source of light to the screens that casted different colors of light around them. One of the walls was glass, a gray tinted one, which Peter figured looked like a mirror to the group of boys who laid beyond it.
So, they couldn’t see him, Peter thought. They couldn’t see him carefully watching every single one of them. He saw Ned laying obediently in his bed, nervously waiting for the nurse to approach him and get her work done. Newt was alright, as he had always seemed to Peter, his posture calm and cautious as his eyes travelled to the IV that was attached to his arm. Minho was moderately calm, but Peter could see how impatient he looked while an employee held his head steady in place and said something to him before he stuck the tracking chip-remover to the side of his neck.
Peter hadn’t noticed that Tony slid in and out of the room multiple times before he finally came back and took a seat behind one of the monitors. He turned to him, giving his back to the now sleeping guys behind him. He raised his eyebrows at him, his arms firmly crossed over his chest.
“Well?” he quietly asked.
Tony’s eyes lifted from the screen in front of him to meet Peter’s. “As soon as they wake up, they’ll be good as new.”
***
One week later.
He stood on the porch of the beach house he was invited to, waiting for the door to open after he had knocked. The sun was high and bright today, bringing a thin layer of sweat to his skin. The air was clean and fresh, leaving his lungs happy with the slight smell of salt that the wind carried every time it blew past them. Them. He couldn’t help the butterflies that erupted in his stomach at the feeling he got from holding MJ’s hand in his, their fingers interlocked together. He turned to glance at her and wanted to voice out how pretty she looked again , but he knew she would tease him about it, so he just smiled and gave her hand a light squeeze.
She was wearing a pair of jean shorts, topped with a white tank top and a loose floral kimono. Her hair was down in soft brown curls that flew with the light air. She smiled back at him, her skin looking like it was glowing under the sunlight. The sound of the waves as it softly crashed ashore brought memories of his childhood when he used to go to the beach with May on the weekends. Peter’s thoughts were interrupted when the door flew open, revealing a middle-aged woman who smiled brightly at the two of them.
“Mrs. Leeds?” he asked, nodding politely and extending his hand out for her to shake.
“Come in.” She cheerfully motioned for them to step in. “You must be Peter and MJ.” she exclaimed, her smile never leaving her ageing features.
So, the rest were already here.
She was short and stout, some of her black hair graying at the roots. She was wearing an apron over her dress, and the other hand held a spatula. Peter felt slightly embarrassed that they had distracted her out of the kitchen, but it didn’t weigh on him much as she was too lovely to seem bothered. The way she spoke reminded him of Ned, who was nowhere to be seen in his own house . He remembered how much he had insisted on inviting him, MJ, Minho and Newt over to spend a day with him here. And as Peter took a look around him, he understood why Ned wanted it so much.
“I will go fetch him.” Mrs. Leeds excused herself and disappeared inside, leaving the couple to explore the place.
The place was amazing. It held the characteristics of a family home in every corner of it. Family photos, simple furniture, cozy interior design, everything. The windows were all open, letting in the natural breeze. Peter was thankful that it was cooler in here, unlike how hot it felt outside. He was too busy examining his surroundings when he felt something bump into his leg. No, someone .
Peter looked down and he spotted a little girl who had just stumbled back from the impact of colliding with his leg. “Oh, hello there.” He crouched down to his knees so he could be at eye level with her.
“Are you alright?” he asked her and she nodded.
She had big brown eyes that looked at him curiously with her head tilted to the side. Her hair was short, ending right with her cheeks. It was black and soft, just like Ned’s hair. Her mouth slightly took the shape of a triangle, found between two chubby and rosy cheeks. She was wearing a blue dress with small cherry prints on it.
“I’m Peter.” He smiled.
“I’m Ellie.” she said, her small palm resting on her chest as if to refer to herself.
Peter couldn’t help but smile again, and carried her up in his arms so he could stand. He mentally sighed in relief that she didn’t mind him carrying her. I know just who you are , he wanted to say, but he stayed silent.
“What have you got there?” Peter nodded towards one of her hands.
She raised it up and smiled, her pearly teeth showing. “My brother gave it to me.” She looked down at the horse-shaped piece of wood with happiness in her eyes. Ellie looked no older than three or four, judging by how she communicated with him and her size.
“Do you know my brother?” she asked, tilting her head to the side again. Strands of hair fell into her eyes, and Peter brushed them out of her face, tugging them behind her ear. He smiled at how “brother” sounded more like “bwother” when she said it.
Peter nodded enthusiastically, “yes, we’re friends.”
“She too?” Ellie asked, pointing over his shoulder. Peter turned to find MJ standing not too far from him, looking at a family photo. When she noticed that they were staring at her, she awkwardly smiled and approached them.
She shot Peter a confused look before she smiled at the little girl.
“You’re pretty.” Ellie smiled, reaching to touch MJ’s face who leaned into her touch then lightly poked her nose. “Not prettier than you.” she said.
She then turned to Peter and stared at his face for two seconds before she spoke. “Your hair is funny.” She reached to tug at his now tousled hair that did not react nicely to humidity.
Peter laughed at her remark, because he himself has always hated how his hair looked in this weather. It would get oily and start curling and standing out in different directions. He was just putting her down to her feet when Ned finally appeared, looking as excited as Peter had ever seen him. He was wearing a pair of bright orange joggers and a white t-shirt. His face was beaming with happiness, his cheek flushed with pink color, unlike how he had seen it before; dull and pale.
“You’ve already met Ellie.” He smiled, hugging Peter. He then turned to MJ and greeted her.
“Come on, we were just setting the table for lunch.” Ned ushered for them to follow him.
They walked down a narrow hallway that ended with an open door. The door looked out directly onto the beach, and as Peter went down three steps, his feet landed in the dry sand. He could feel the heat of its warmth through his shoes. There was a long table set for them near the house. Newt and Minho’s shouts were loud enough to interrupt his thoughts. They stood at the end of the table that was covered with a white cloth, arguing over something. Their short fight came to an end when they spotted Peter and MJ, and they raced each other to greet them.
“It’s good to see you again, Fireball.” Newt smacked his shoulder and Peter laughed at the nickname, secretly feeling happy that they were still this friendly around each other.
Minho briefly hugged him and MJ, his narrow eyes nearly closing as he smiled wide. It was the first time they met after that day at WCKD when they had woken up with their memories back and everything. He barely got a chance to greet them that day before Tony advised him to leave them be and give them some space. Peter was surprised when he got Ned’s invitation two days ago, he was anticipating how the gathering would be, but so far, it was better than he expected.
MJ helped Mrs. Leeds carry their food out to the table and they all sat together. Peter had forgotten about the heat and humidity and instead was consumed in the conversations they had over lunch. The food was so good, and by the end of it, Peter felt like he was a full tank, ready to explode at any second. Newt and Minho had excused themselves a few minutes ago and went back inside house where Mrs. Leeds and Ellie were. Peter was constantly fighting the urge to go inside and play with her every time he remembered their earlier encounter.
Peter looked at MJ next to him and asked her quietly, “how are you feeling?”
She smiled and her shoulders raised in a shrug, “happy.”
He reached for her hand under the table and held it in his. “What about you?”
Before Peter could answer, something was smashed into his face out of nowhere, blocking his vision. His mind abruptly stopped thinking, having no idea what just happened. Howls of laughter filled the air around him and he felt MJ’s hand slip out of his. Whatever was crushed in his face was removed, and now his senses were invaded by a sweet smell of vanilla. He licked his lips and he was met with the familiar taste of whipped cream lingering on his tongue. He wiped at his eyes where his thumbs picked up the remnants of cake coated with cream.
What the…
“Happy birthday, loser!!” He recognised Newt and Minho’s voices as they shouted in between laughs.
In the flash of a second, Peter was on his feet, and was chasing his two friends across the shore. He heard Ned and MJ running after him, both trying to shout his name instead of laughing it out loud. He, himself had started laughing while he was running, feeling the remainder of the sweet dessert falling off his face. As he stopped for a split second to take off his shoes, he saw Minho tripping and falling face-first into the damp sand, causing Newt who was running at his feet, to fall twice as hard. MJ and Ned had caught up to him, catching their breaths.
“I’m-- sorry,” he panted, “we couldn’t do much, Mr. Stark h--”
“Mr. Stark?” Peter raised his coated eyebrows. His eyes shifted to MJ. “You knew about this?”
MJ shrugged, shooting him a sheepish smile. Movement behind her and Ned caught his attention, and he saw three figures ascending from the house and towards them. Two males and one female. His vision was still blurry from the white that clouded his eyes, but he knew them too well to recognize them as they jogged towards them.
“You’re kidding.” Peter grinned, eyeing Ned. “This is why you insisted on having a “reunion”?” He laughed, lightly punching his shoulder.
“My my, look at you, all caked up.” Tony joked as he stopped by them, followed by May and Matt.
They burst in laughter at his remark, Ned covering his mouth, fighting the urge to laugh louder and causing his face to redden.
“You thought I’d let your twenty-first birthday pass without making a fuss about it?” May asked, amusement covering her features.
“You, too?” Peter nodded towards Matt who only smirked in response.
“Happy birthday, honey.” She smiled at him.
Peter stepped closer to hug her, but she held up her hands, stopping him in his tracks. “No, you stay right where you are, Peter Parker. You’re not getting near me with all that on your face.” She took a step back, hiding a smile as she did.
As if he had forgotten about their presence, Newt and Minho appeared behind him out of nowhere. “You ready to get your birthday present?” Newt asked, his breathing heavy as he spoke.
Peter was now standing barefoot on the wet sand, feeling the cuffs of his beach pants soaked with water. His red flannel shirt was now smudged with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles, but he didn’t care. Before he could answer, Minho had dashed to seize him by the ankles and Newt was quick to catch his wrists as if they had been planning this. They stumbled with his weight towards the water and attempted to swing him forward, letting go of his body.
“Have a blast, Spider-Man!” Peter heard Matt shout before his body hit the water, splashing everywhere around him.
The salty water stung at his eyes but that was the least he could care about right now. A wave came up from behind him, causing him to dive underwater again. He then scrambled to his feet, feeling heavier with the weight of his wet clothes. He saw Newt and Minho cheering loudly. Minho was shirtless, his shirt fisted in his hand as he swung it away and dove head-first into the clear water. Newt followed, attempting to reach Peter. Ned and MJ were giggling by the shore, seeming to think that what they were doing was foolish. And just in time, Peter had made his way out of the water to drag them in with the rest of their friends.
MJ squealed and ran away from him, her feet splashing water everywhere as she attempted to escape Peter’s grip. It wasn’t long before she lost balance and fell with him into the water, hysterical laughs leaving her throat. He glanced next to him where Ned was supposedly standing, and was not surprised when he found him already halfway close to Newt and Minho. Peter tugged on MJ’s hand, pulling her closer to him and further into the water where it reached right under their chests. Her laughter had died down to a fit of stifled giggles, and as she wrapped her arms around his neck, she was grinning. His hands rested on her slim waist under the water as she rested her forehead against his.
“Thank you.” he whispered, a smile on his face.
“You deserve the world.” She withdrew one hand from around his neck to rest it on his cheek, her thumb softly brushing over his bottom lip.
“I have my world right here with me.”
The End