Chapter Text
Seconds after the goo covered his head, making Peter feel incredibly claustrophobic, it had seemingly melted into the suit. Looking around, Peter could see his surroundings just fine. Everything was in surround sound and color, all perfectly normal and dandy, well except for the fact that his suit was now black and not online like it should be.
"What the hell!" Peter said looking down at his suit, "Karen? Why is my suit black?" He patted his chest down, almost as if he had a whole new body. Well to Peter it felt so different and strange, for all he knew it could have been a new body.
"I don't know who Karen is," a disembodied voice interjected, "but you're welcome for the new color scheme. That red and blue was garish, it was giving me an eye sore the entire time I hid under it in your backpack."
"Who- Who is that? Where's Karen? Why is my suit offline?!"
"Oh, was Karen the one hanging out in here before me?" The voice sounded amused, "I'm sorry, If I had known I was going to be sharing..."
"Can- can you please, just get off of my suit?" Peter said, trying to even his breathing, "I don't know what you want but if you could just extract yourself from me and explain what's going on then that would be great."
"I'm sorry, Peter Parker, but I can't do that," the disembodied voice at least seemed apologetic, for what it was worth, "Forgive me for not being able to ask for permission, but I was so weak and I can't communicate with anyone on this planet unless I attach onto a host."
Peter wasn't even attempting to calm down his breathing at this point. "a HOST? What the- Am I a host now?! What are you- are- are you a virus or something?! Some sort of sentient goo parasite thing hiding in teenager's backpacks?? And what do you mean by this planet?!"
Peter could practically feel the thing rolling its eyes as it said, "There's no need to panic about it, I just need to get my strength back and I'll be on my way. No harm done."
"So, what I just let you hang around on me and I should just relax knowing that you'll eventually leave? You're a parasite!"
"Well now, that's just rude."
"Well, I'm sorry, I can't help but panic a little because something just latched onto me and is refusing to let me go!" Peter was panicking for sure, he waved his arms around, as though the thing was actually standing across from him and not hitching a ride on his body.
"Is that what's happening, Peter? Because from where I'm sitting, it seems as though you have full control over your body," the sentient voice sniffed, "I'm just hanging on for the ride and then I'll be out of your hair."
Cringing at the image of the black goo from before stuck in his hair, Peter was about to respond when he heard his phone buzzing from inside his backpack. Unzipping the front pocket, he pulled out his phone to see "Mr. Stark" on the screen. Thank God, Mr. Stark probably saw the suit go dark, now all he had to do was accept the call and then Mr. Stark could get this parasite thing off of him. He was a genius, he would know what to do. He was just about to swipe the green button to accept the call when the voice interjected, "Are you sure you want to bother Mr. Stark with this?"
"Wha- what do you mean?" Peter said, thumb paused over his cracked screen. Mr. Stark had never called him directly before, he'd only ever received calls and texts from Happy. Mr. Stark had only put in his number into his contacts list with strict instructions to never use it unless it was an emergency like his suit going offline. Like it was right now.
"This doesn't have to be something to worry Mr. Stark about, you're a big kid. Besides, Mr. Stark is a busy guy, he can't be worried over you all the time, why not prove to him that you can handle yourself?"
Peter watched as his phone dropped the call, going back to his lock screen. He didn't know why what the parasite said stopped him from answering Mr. Starks call... Well except for the fact that it was true. Suddenly, Peter wasn't sure if he should call Mr. Stark about this. Peter should be able to take care of this himself. Just like he should have taken care of the ferry. Whatever has latched itself onto him didn't seem to be overly aggressive or forceful. It had to latch onto somebody in order to gain its strength. Honestly, Peter was more thankful that it latched onto him instead of some other kid that wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Let's make a deal," the sentient voice said, Peter would have thought it was almost menacing if it weren't for the fact that it seemed more playful than cruel.
"A- a deal?"
Peter jumped as his phone immediately started buzzing in his hand, Mr. Stark's name flashing across it again. Peter stood frozen, staring at the screen instead of answering it like he was supposed to.
"Yeah, a deal," The voice interjected, "You let me hang around and I'll make it so that you will never be weak enough to need Mr. Stark's help ever again."
Peter gulped, how was it that it seemed like this parasite knew all of his darkest insecurities? The phone went back to the lock screen as Mr. Stark's call was sent to voicemail again.
"I can make you stronger," The parasite continued, "You'll never need to refill your webs, you'll never tire, you'll be stronger..."
"Would you make me strong enough to protect people?" Peter asked hesitantly, he wasn't sure if this parasite was going to be as helpful as it claimed to be. But he didn't want to be bothersome or a nuisance to Mr. Stark. He wasn't strong enough to hold the ferry together, even with Karen and Mr. Stark's web combinations. Maybe with the help of this parasite, he would be strong enough so that Mr. Stark wouldn't need to intervene. If Peter was strong enough to handle more situations, he would never mess up again and have Mr. Stark take his suit away again.
"Together, we will be able to protect everyone, Peter Parker."
Peter's phone started buzzing again, he really needed to answer Mr. Stark, so that he could stop worrying.
"Go ahead, answer it," the voice said.
Peter swiped the green telephone icon and instantly put his phone up to his ear, "Uh- Hey, Tony- Hi To-" Peter cringed, he's never called Mr. Stark Tony before, "uh- Mr. Stark, Hey- Hi..."
"Want to tell me why I'm getting a code red, only for your entire suit systems to go down? And for that matter, did you also ignore my calls? Don't do that again." Peter cringed again at the sound of Mr. Stark's voice, he sounded really angry.
"Is he always that irritated with you?" the sentient voice interjected. Peter didn't reply. It did seem like nearly every time he interacted with Mr. Stark the older man was angry with him. For some reason, that made Peter feel a flash of anger at the thought.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry, Mr. Stark."
"Whatever Kid, why don't you tell me what you messed around with this time and you can come on down and I'll fix it myself."
Of course, that was why Mr. Stark was calling, he just thought that he opened up the suit and changed the protocols again, not that he was actually in trouble.
"I didn't do anything to the suit, Mr. Stark..."
"Yeah, well I'd believe you only you've already done it before. So don't expect me to instantly trust you when you say you haven't. The dig is up, kid."
Peter felt a flash of hurt across his chest. Mr. Stark didn't trust him. He didn't trust him when he said that he didn't mess with the suit. Just like when he didn't trust him to go on missions. Just like when he didn't trust him to handle the Vulture. Mr. Stark babied him and gave him a suit when he needed Peter's help, but just threw him away when he didn't need him anymore. His hurt rapidly turned to a fury Peter didn't know he even felt towards Mr. Stark.
Peter couldn't help the scoff he let out, "You know what, Mr. Stark. I don't think I need you to fix anything." he bit out. Letting his anger fuel his words. If Mr. Stark was so ready to throw Peter away when he was no longer needed, then he wouldn't need Mr. Stark anymore either.
"Oh! I see, well sorry to burst your bubble, Spider-man. But I'm not too inclined to deal with whatever teenage rebellion phase this is, so why don't you step out of that multi-million dollar suit and I'll take it back!
It was a low blow, claiming to take back the suit. Peter almost said that he could go ahead and have it because he didn't need it anymore, when the sentient voice said, "Do you always do what Mr. Stark says? How is he ever going to think you can handle yourself if you keep letting him treat you like a little kid all the time."
It was as if the sentient parasite was throwing his own words back at him. Wasn't It the same exact thing he said to Ned in that hotel room all those months ago? Was everything between Mr. Stark and Peter that transparent? The only thing that Peter could tell was that he was tired of Mr. Stark treating him like a kid all the time.
With that thought in mind, Peter made his decision.
Before he could even think about it, a chuckle escaped his lips, "No, Mr. Stark, I don't think I'm going to need anything from you anymore." he bit out with as much venom as he could muster. He had no idea his voice could sound so menacing.
And with those last words to his ex-mentor, Peter dropped the phone onto the ground, and crushed it with his foot.
"Do we have a deal?" said the sentient parasite.
"We have a deal."