Decisions of a Hero
After Richard told him those words, Peter let out a small sigh while trying to calm his emotions, which felt completely out of control.
None of the teenagers around him were even paying attention to him as they ran and headed into the school excited for the party that night.
But even though Richard told him to enjoy himself, it was really hard to focus on that when you had just received a death threat while a gun was pointed at your head. Especially because Peter had never thought someone would discover his real identity so easily. And the threat toward the people he loved because of that was far bigger than he could really handle emotionally.
Peter let out another sigh to calm himself and looked toward the entrance of the school, now completely restored and even more modern thanks to the repairs sponsored by Stark.
Peter walked straight toward the entrance while his feet felt like lead. Inside, the music was already playing and the teenagers were dancing.
For a moment he could see his friends there waiting for him. The same people who had just been threatened because of him. Smiling and enjoying themselves, unaware that a villain now had them in his sights because of him.
Only making his legs feel even heavier as he walked forward.
Even so, Peter forced them to move as he entered the party and walked directly toward where Liz was, softly dancing while waiting for him.
When Liz saw him arrive, she gave him a sweet smile. But then she noticed Peter's slightly pale face and serious expression, making her look at him briefly in confusion before walking closer.
"Hey, are you okay? Did he say something bad to you? If he did, don't pay attention to him. Sometimes he can be really overprotective, but he wouldn't actually dare to do anyth—"
"Liz…," Peter interrupted the young woman. "When I saw you for the first time, I really fell in love with you at first sight. Your smile, your expressions… the way every time you walk into a room, everything around you feels brighter," Peter said softly.
Liz hadn't expected such a sudden confession, which left her frozen for a moment. But she couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Though Peter wasn't finished.
"I'm sure any guy who dates you would be truly happy. To the point he'd feel like the only reason he got someone like you was because in a past life he saved a kingdom… or the world. And it hurts so much that I can't be that guy,"Peter said with a devastated look on his face, though he still tried to smile. "Please forgive me. I have to go. You don't deserve this. Nobody does," he added while looking into her eyes one last time, seeing the complete confusion on her face.
But without thinking twice, he turned around and walked straight toward the back exit without looking back.
"Peter?" Liz managed to ask, but all she saw was his back disappearing among the other students dancing, leaving her standing there alone at the school dance.
…
Peter ran through the school hallways straight toward his locker, which he opened before looking at a small password-protected box that he unlocked, revealing two web shooters and an emergency mask, since he had left his suit at home, not prepared to be Spider-Man during his date.
"I hope this suit is really as durable as Mr. Richard said," Peter muttered while looking at his elegant suit, which cost millions. But he was determined not to think about that right now, since it would only distract him.
Peter put on the mask and ran straight out through the school's back door while adjusting the web shooters.
But the moment he opened the emergency exit…
His spider sense activated.
So he ducked his head while a metallic fist surrounded by electricity barely grazed past it, causing several sparks to explode right in front of him.
Peter moved to the side just as the same fist, after missing the first strike, tried to swing downward to electrocute him with the electrical sparks surrounding the gauntlet.
That was when Peter finally saw his attacker's face.
It was a tall, muscular man. The same one he had seen during the arms dealers' exchange. One of the Vulture's employees. And on his hand was that mechanical fist throwing out powerful electrical sparks, while several of those Chitauri batteries could be seen feeding it energy.
"He gave you a choice. You should've accepted keeping your life safe. Though, knowing him, he probably would've killed you anyway. That's why he sent me," the man said while adjusting the massive mechanical gauntlet as the electrical sparks increased in power. "And why so fancy?" he asked while looking at the expensive suit and the Spider-Man mask over it.
And without waiting for an answer, he moved his body and threw a hook with his mechanical fist.
Peter, with good reflexes, moved and dodged to the side while feeling the slight tingling of the electricity.
Then he ducked again when the man, who seemed fairly skilled at boxing, threw several punches in a row.
But all of them seemed to barely graze Peter's body. Though that was more thanks to the control he now had over his own body.
And even though that gauntlet was genuinely dangerous, the one using it was still just an ordinary person.
Even while Peter dodged blows that could've been fatal for anyone else, he kept adjusting the web shooters on his wrists, without even looking at the fist flying toward his head, he simply tilted his head slightly to the side to dodge it easily.
When that fist brushed past his face, Peter barely raised his hand and pressed the trigger, letting a web stick to the metal wrist of the gauntlet.
And then he pulled hard.
Ripping the mechanical fist off without too much difficulty and sending it flying several meters away.
The man, who barely reacted to that, looked at the mechanical fist now lying on the ground and then back at Peter.
But Peter hadn't stayed still.
Immediately he shot a web at the man's foot and then another at a nearby streetlamp, pulling both with force, causing the guy to be lifted by his leg and left hanging upside down. He didn't even have time to scream before Peter, moving his hands with great control, covered him in webs, turning him into a completely immobilized mummy.
"Sorry, what were you saying? I zoned out for a second," Peter said while looking at the man, who could now only let out muffled noises since his mouth was covered by webs. "Well, whatever you want to say, you can tell the agents, because Mr. Richard probably already sent them here," Peter said, trying not to waste any more time before turning around to continue on his way.
That entire fight had barely lasted a minute.
Peter moved forward using the nearby buildings to swing with his webs while using his smartwatch to call Ned, who answered a few seconds later because he was still at the dance.
"Peter? What's going on? Weren't you with Liz?" Ned asked the moment he answered the call.
"Ned, Liz's dad is the Vulture," Peter said instantly without stopping his swinging between buildings.
"What?" Ned said in shock.
"Get to a computer. I need you to track my phone. I left my suit at home and my current mask doesn't have visual assistance. I left my phone in his car. I also sent you Mr. Richard's number; send the location to him too," Peter said quickly.
"What! Peter, wait a second, slower," Ned said while trying to process everything Peter was saying.
"Ned, you wanted to be the guy in the chair, right? Well now this is your big moment," Peter said seriously.
Ned, who was still standing in the dance hall holding the phone against his ear while trying to catch every word Peter said, widened his eyes in complete excitement.
And without hesitating anymore, he practically ran straight toward the computer room.
"Oh, and Ned," Peter said as he realized swinging with his webs was way too slow and his gaze landed on a convertible car approaching with a familiar figure driving it. "Do you know the brand of Flash's car? Get me a user manual. I'm gonna need it very soon," Peter said while changing his trajectory toward that car.