chapter five.
deep digging

Tommy took a second to understand.

          "So, you think that you're becoming a cross between spider and human hybrid. Like uh—I don't know. A spiderman?" Tommy's eyebrows knit together curiously as he looked up across his shoulder, frowning at Peter. He'd entertained Peter's bad ideas for most of his life. Sometimes he was the one proposing the things that ended with them getting in trouble, but occasionally even he saw the stupidity of one of their propositions. And this was definitely one of those moments. He briefly looked away to keep himself from giving in, his frown disappearing at the look Peter was giving him. "You can't be serious."

"But I am. Very." Peter nodded proudly as he defended his words. He knew it was going to be hard to completely get Tommy on his side, but that was the exact reason he'd brought him along on this coming adventure. He didn't care if others didn't believe, nor was he particularly jumping at the chance to expose his new found identity to the public. But sharing something like this was Tommy was almost as if it was a necessity. They told each other everything, and he didn't want that to change. "That's why we're here."

Tommy turned. "Where's here—"

Before he could finish his question, Peter ran up the steps to the big house they stood in front of. He knocked lightly as he motioned Tommy forward, turning back to face the door—just as it opened—with a full toothed smile. The glasses upon the bridge of his nose raised as his eyes crinkled. Tommy ran forward protectively. Tugging on the sleeve of Peter's jacket nervously, until he saw the face standing in front of them. And instead he only became more confused. "Dr. Connors?"

          Peter laughed awkwardly as he looked between Tommy and Connors. He saw the confusion in his best friends expression and the fear in the doctors before completely cutting in. Taking a short step forward calmly, "I know you probably don't remember us."

          "The interns from the other day," Connors stated carefully as his eyes narrowed in on the teen's face. He spoke in an eloquent voice, as if he was used to dealing with crazed interns who would randomly show up to his home. Tommy felt like an intruder, growing more guilty as he let go of Peter's sleeve. He tried to nudge him away but Peter ignored him, listening to Connors as the man continued. "I'm sure you're both very nice young men but this is a home. And I'll have to ask you to make an appointment at my office."

          "Peter. He's right, let's just go." Tommy urged his best friend to move but he wouldn't budge. Instead he spoke the words that made both other men present blink at him in shock. Peter's tone was usually nervous but as he spoke this time, the shaking was evident. If you could reach out and console a voice, Tommy would've tried. "I'm—Richard Parker's son!"

Connors slowly turned back around, opening the door slightly as he met Peter's eyes. His heart rate increased as his head cocked sideways in confusion, "Peter? Come in, come in. And you? Are you?"

"No." Tommy quickly answered, looking at Peter and than back to Connors. He continued mouthing no with a shake of his head as the doctor directed them towards the kitchen. Although he was a scholar of science all on his lonesome Tommy didn't want to be related to the Parkers in any sort of way. His love for them was a different kind of bond, and if he was to become family with them in the future. He wanted it to be by his way.

          By his own proposition.

         "I'm afraid I can't help you Peter bc I don't know why they left or where they were going." Connors said as he poured coffee into a cup beside Peter, who was now standing against one of the kitchen counters. He turned back around with the coffee pot in hand, absentmindedly knocking over the other empty cup beside him. Tommy didn't realize nearly as quick as Peter did, who instantly duck and caught the green ceramic before it could hit the floor. Connors looked up slowly, "Good reflexes."

          Peter nodded appreciatively as he handed Connors the other cup. Connors eyes focused on him inquisitively as Peter stood up and grabbed his own cup of coffee. But instead of drinking it, he took one whiff of the bitter substance and turned it Tommy's way. A simple habit to remember, but Peter ever since they'd gotten to the age to drink coffee it always ensued. Peter liked his coffee light and sweet, whereas Tommy took it bitter and strong. And whenever one was given the other—if they were with the other person—it went to the other. It complimented them.

          "I read your book. It's uh, something. So you really think it's possible? Cross-species genetics?"

"Yes, of course." As Connors spoke, Peter glanced at Tommy out of the corner of his eyes, nudging his best friend sharply. "But for years your father and I were mocked for our theories, not only in the community at large but in Oscorp as well. They called us mad scientists. And then your father bred the spiders and everything changed. The results were beyond encouraging. They were spectacular! We were gonna change the lives of millions. Including my own. Then it was over. He—he, was gone. Took his research with him. And I knew without him that I," Connors took a deep breath as he turned back to Peter with a sympathetic frown. "I was so angry. I stayed away away from you and your family. And for that, I'm truly sorry."

          As he drunk his coffee, Tommy looked to Peter. Searching for his eyes to see his reaction to the intensity of the topic. Peter looked away slowly, "Say, say it worked. Say you got it to work. Like, how much would the foreign species take over? What could the side effects be?"

          Connors's eyebrows furrowed. "It's hard to say considering no subjects survived. Problem was always the,"

          Tommy paused, "Peter."

          "Decay rate algorithm?" Peter asked, interrupting Connors as he glanced at Tommy arrogantly out of the corner of his eye. He gained a slow nod from Connors and walked around the counter, stopping at the island as he slid into the seat. He quickly drew up an algorithm Tommy was almost sure he remembered. He walked up to him at the same time Connors did, they both stopped in front of him but Connors closer as he paused. "Extraordinary. How did you come up with this?"

Peter just tapped his head with his two fingers, a dorky smile coming upon his face as he replied. But then he looked up and nodded towards Tommy, "And a little bit of help from him. I told him it was a physics project."

Tommy didn't get the chance to snap at Peter for calling him out on helping before Connors turned to look at him too. The attention only made him more nervous as Connors breathed out. "How would you two feel about coming to the tower after school? One of these days?"

🕸

          Tommy's head leant up inquisitively.

          "Most things on this street were already stolen. We're just working secondhand," Al had commented to his brother before sending him off on his own. They were short on rent and if they wanted to continue paying for their small end apartment, someone needed to bring more money into the house. Although Al was more than experienced enough to swipe something small and sweet, it was about time that Tommy put his training to test. At least once.

          Tommy swallowed nervously as he looked around the street before falling into step behind a random lady. He brushed back his hair with a cough covering his expression. As his sleeve tilted upwards it fell close to his elbow, showing off his bare wrist to whoever was watching behind him. He couldn't turn to suspiciously check if Al was following behind him but his eyes still turned back to the street, searching around the walkway.

          His eyes fell upon someone two feet ahead of him. Tommy cleared his throat as he starts towards the lanky man, struggling with his cup of coffee. Until he heard another noise come from beside him. Tommy paused, his feet sinking into the crowd as he heard someone struggling in the alleyway to his left. He turned abruptly as he heard someone call out loudly, "Help! Please, help! Help!"

          Tommy didn't wait to check if the lights surrounding him in the darkness of New York City's streets were enough for Al to see him slip into the alleyway, but he didn't very much care. He peeled off his outer jacket, flattening against the dark wall for a second as the suit he'd been given. He slipped the rest of his clothes off as he threw himself towards the people at the end of the block. The mask he'd slipped on his head hung lopsided for a second as he ran towards them, but his agility gave him the speed to fix it as he pulled the thief away from the woman who struggled underneath his grip.

          "Fuck!" The woman yelled as he got loose of the man's grip, struggling as she fell back against the brick wall. Tommy didn't get a chance to reassure her as the man in front of him stumbled back to his feet. Tommy looked down to the man's hand and kicked out, knocking the gun from his hand. As the man turned back up, Tommy took a deep breath. He lifted his fist to the man's face and started to strike him as uncontrollably as he could.

          A muffled gasp came from the lady as she watched the brutality unfold. A disgusted gasp came from Tommy's mouth too as he struggled too pull away. He regained his balance as he took a step away from the man, wincing as the thief knocked him across his jaw. Tommy pushed himself through the pain as he whirled around, kicking the man across the face one more time as his head lolled back against the trash can behind him.

          Tommy caught his breath as he watched the thief continue to groan in his own pool of sad misery. He straightened as he turned to the lady he'd just saved. Though this wasn't exactly what he'd planned for, he'd still helped someone after all. Which was ultimately all that mattered to him. He carefully lifted an eyebrow softly, "Ma'am. Are you okay?"

          Before Tommy could comfort her more the lady took one long strike. Tommy stumbled as her foot connected with his crotch, his hands falling over in defense late as he folded over. Then she reached across his chest with a shaking hand, pulling the rusty knife she'd found on the floor back with one hand before pushing it straight into his arm. Tommy barely had time to process his pain before he fell deeper onto the ground, squirming uncontrollably.

          The lady weeped again before letting the rusty knife fall. She screamed out in horror before running the opposite way, her purse back in her hand as she swiftly reached down to where the thief lay in agony. Her running became more persistent until she made it near the end of the alley, and an arm wrapped around her instead.

          Al's voice grew dark as he pressed his arm deeper around her neck—keeping her in a chokehold—as he kept her from screaming with his other palm. He slowly extracted the thin knives at his fingertips, sharpened into claws as he plucked the ladies purse from her fingers. As she continued to fumble, he let her go and shoved her off. Keeping his idenity secret before lifting a finger to his mouth in a silencing motion and making her flinch as he motioned to jump at her again.

          As she finally fell out of view, Al ran the opposite way. He dropped to his knees beside his brother as he realized where he lay. A pool of blood surrounded Tommy's arm as he refused to look at Al's eyes. His pride keeping him from doing so.

          Al seethed through gritted teeth, "What is it about not being heroes do you not get?"

🕸

Tommy felt himself start to bleed again.

          Usually Tommy paid no attention to Flash Thompson's antics, but as the basketball he'd thrown away from his chest landed directly into Tommy's shoulder before knocking over the jug of paint below them. Tommy felt the need to retaliate. He tried to turn with an accusatory finger ready to antagonize Flash but he couldn't bring his arm to move. Instead he cursed and bit the inside of his cheek as the younger girl beside him yelled out, "You did that on purpose, Flash!"

          "No but I should've. You better watch your back." Flash said menacingly as the ball got thrown back to him. Tommy watched with a sneer as he dribbled it back behind him and continued to play with the rest of the boys in their gym class. Desperately waiting for their head to return.

          Peter rushed over to Tommy, he carefully slid a hand onto his shoulder. It caught Tommy's attention as he felt his best friend's hand press onto his wound. Although he hadn't told Peter of his recent injury. That wasn't a welcome to grab there specifically. Tommy instinctively reached behind him, pulling Peter forward as he pressed a hand into his back. He quickly let go of Peter upon realizing who it was, "Fuck, Peter! Give me a warnin next time."

"You've never complained about me touching you before!" Peter defended in a whining voice as he turned to face Tommy. For a second their words seemed only between them as they locked eyes in the loud gymnasium. Until the younger girl in front of them cleared their throat, and the two teens looked away awkwardly. Peter second as he forced himself to look back up to the girl. "You alright?"

She swiftly nodded as Tommy brushed the dust off his pants and pulled himself up off the ground. Peter walked around his best friend as he tilted the girls spilled paint can upwards. He turned back to her appreciatively just as another ball came whirling towards them. Before anyone had time to process it coming, Peter reached towards his size and caught the ball directly between his palm.

          Tommy eyebrows went up as he rushed forward to Peter, slipping a hand through the crook of Peter's elbow protectively as he glared at him closely. He spoke in a hushed yell, "Do you really think showing off your spider powers in front of all these people is a good idea right now? Tell me no."

          Peter's eye fell to his lips, "No."

          "Mean it." Tommy chastised, "I'm serious. Wanting to be some sort of hero does shit in this world."

          "Where did that come from?" Peter softened his gaze as his eyes flickered back up to Tommy's eyes. He started but was quickly cut off by the sound of Flash coming towards them. He finally broke away as the Thompson boy called out to him in a direct voice. He was always stern and was used to never hearing no, but in this case? Peter wanted to have some fun. "Give it up, Parker!"

          "One sec." Peter said calmly as he shoved his camera into Tommy's chest. He rolled his eyes as Peter walked into Flash's direction. He stopped in front of him and outstretched the basketball in his hand, smugly grinning as he realized what he could do next. "Come and take it."

Flash reached forward for the ball but Peter swiftly pulled it away as he rolled it around his head. He threw it forward and back, spinning completely around the Thompson boy. The group of boys behind them started to laugh, along with the rest of the people in the gym that had started to watch the interaction. Peter finally pulled away for a second, lowering the hall in front of his chest as an embarrassed red tone came to Flash's face. Tommy tried to keep his frustration but upon seeing the dorkish smile on Peter's face, he gave in immediately. Finding humour and relief in his stupid ideas.

"Just take it. Take it. Alright. How about this?" Peter turned himself around dramatically as he placed his hand on top of his eyes, poking one eye through jokingly before covering his eyes again. Flash tried to reach again but Peter's reflexes we're entirely too quick for him to get within an inch of the ball. Flash finally grunted as Peter turned back to face him oppositely. He grew more insecure as he yelled out to the boy with a feverish shaking to his voice. "Let's go Parker! Come on now!"

Peter glanced to his side momentarily, catching Tommy's eye briefly before facing Flash again, an arrogant smile on his face. Then he pushed off. His ratted sneakers squeaked against the floor as Peter took off, instantly knocking Flash off his feet as he passed him on the gym's small basketball court. Before anyone could have the chance to react to Flash's untimely loss, Peter pushed himself up as if he was climbing on the air. Two jumps ensued before he reached the hoop, dunking the ball directly into the middle. But it was as if time moved in slow motion as the glass behind the board broke and fell down with him, coming down to the ground with both Peter and the hoop.

He looked up slowly as if he was just realizing what he'd done. At the same moment Tommy's smile fell from his place, quickly turning into a frown as he watched from his place too. But instead of arguing, this time he just let his face fall into his hand.

Hopefully his actions would speak for him.

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okay so basically this chapter is probably really bad since it was written over the course of a lot of time but i'm so sorry i haven't updated! as much as i love this book the holidays have literally been kicking my ass and i've been focused on family and my own personal things but i'm definitely gonna get to updating again as soon as i can. i hope this was okay and idk uh qotc maybe, gwen or mj?