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Fighting was a heroes gig, it was kind of their thing, no? Just fighting, violence was bad yes but fighting is something people do all the time, not just heroes, whether its for justice or their fighting grief or rage, fighting is something people do everyday. People fought to get out of bed, people fought to brush their teeth, people fought to eat, to sleep, to get up, for rights, for rights, many were born fighting.
Fighting wasn't something reserved for heroes, it was something everyone did, it was a task needed to survive because you had to fight for that too. Peter wished he didn't have to fight, fighting bad guys was one thing, fighting bullies was another(and one he rarely did), fighting grief and the anxiety of people close to him dying... Was another. Today was a day like no other or maybe it was all the same, days blurred together when it was roughly the same, wake up, eat, get ready for school, go school, get locker slammed by Flash Thompson, laugh it off with Ned and MJ, then get them to cover for him in class when someone decided they wanted to say 'fuck the law' and the town would cry out for Spider-Man like he wasn't a high schooler who was only getting by because his memory was good and MJ would give him her notes.
Fighting was boring, every battle the same, villain with whatever name wants to do whatever because whatever childhood, maybe sometimes it would switch up to just an angry man who was fired or a girl like Black Cat who just loved to steal because it was *fun* and convenient for a pass time. Sometimes it was scientists who had lost their mind (looking at Dr Connors and Dr Octavius now. No one seemed to care for the 'I'm 17yrs old and have to graduate' lines, not that Peter ever said it but still... One thing villains all had in common was that they were reckless, selfish and longed to ruin Peter Parkers day, at least it felt like it.
When the sun bled through the blinds today and the birds sang to him in alarm Peter buried his head in his pillow and longed for silence, he longed for the world to go quiet and let him sleep, for the land to go dark and allow him to chase back those 20+hrs of sleep he had kissed goodbye like a widow saying goodbye to her husband. Life was grim when you were a teenager, it was filled with bullies, homework that chased you, teachers that didn't want to teach you, peers who didn't want to remember you and friends who loved you but just like you wanted an out.
Peter had pulled himself out of his bed like a slug would out of a salt circle, if you asked, it probably did burn, the cold air sent goosebumps cascading down Peter's skin, his eyes were barely peeked open and he could smell Aunt May's fried eggs from downstairs. He was too tired for this, he wasn't injured yet every breath felt like a chore and he wondered if Aunt May would fall for a 'I'm sick' but he hadn't gotten sick since he got bit and she knew that.
The bus ride to school was a blur, Peter sat at the back with Ned and MJ, his eyes closed the second Ned offered his shoulder as a resting place and within a blink(literally) Peter was at school wishing for the end of it. "Penis Parker!" Peter didn't even turn, his spidey-sense went off but he didn't care, he was slammed against the locker and that familiar pain flared up his side but he simply nodded and watched Flash walk off. "He's such a douchebag" Peter hummed at Ned, every morning Ned had called Flash a douchebag and when he was feeling fancy he'd call him a jerk but nothing ever came of it, it felt so rehearsed Peter wished it was a play and he could just sit back and pretend to watch as he let sleep greet him.
"Why are you so tired?" MJ prodded suddenly, curly hair tied back in a low ponytail, her brown eyes staring at Peter's tired ones "up all night"
"obviously" MJ scoffed and Peter let out a tired chuckle, dropping his head in submission
"two bank robberies, cat went missin', fire truck thingy hit somethin'"
"did you even get you homework done?" Ned had joined the conversation, his smile and awakeness a polar opposite to Peter, MJ glared at him at the mention of homework and Peter groaned in annoyance-if it wasn't obvious, he hadn't done it.
The school bell rang and a faint sense of dread pooled in Peter's stomach before he could feel the familiar lick on his brain, the urge that something was wrong-spideysense. "Saved by the Rhino" MJ snickered and Ned's eyes were glued onto his phone, jaw hung open but eyes filled with admiration "how much material do you think he had to-" Peter snatched the phone and Ned pouted like a child, Peter gave an apologetic smile before he looked at the phone. It was the news, terrified screams were heard on the video, fire and smoke into the camera and a bank came into view, its loud security alarm screeching and stood in front of it was a giant metallic Rhino.
"MJ-"
"I'll cover for you, go"
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Being tired was one thing but it was hard to even feel drowsy with his head pounding in alarm, his spidey-sense flaring, telling him to hurry up. Wind rushed at him, the streets of New York greeted him from below and he followed the giant cloud of smoke to the bank, he moved on instinct, his autopilot bringing him to a street he had walked down many times. The bank came into view and Peter sighed, his suit was on, his web shooters full, his spidey-sense blaring as he stared at the huge back of the metallic foe. The foe who hadn't noticed him.
In hindsight a good plan would've been a surprise attack but this was Spider-Man. "Woah I didn't know the zoo had security issues! Where you from big guy?" He called out like he was talking to a scared animal but it was laced with cockiness, he shot a web at a fire hydrant which exploded water onto the police car that was in the pits of hell flame, at least the fire was taken care of. The back stiffened scarily like muscle and a *clank* and whir were heard as the Rhino straightened and turned around, there was a window in the chest of the suit where Peter could make eye contact with his foe. The man was hefty, he'd be a problem outside of the suit but manageable, with the suit? Well Peter hadn't fought him before, a little part of him was excited for a new foe, a change up in the week, it was only Thursday after all and all week had been the same villains going over and over in a boring rotation like his school schedule.
"Spider!" His accent was thick and heavy, a slur to it like an alcoholic, his eyes were grey and crazed, stubble on his chin and a barbed wire tattoo on his forehead that looped around. "You have finally come to stop me" he snickered, his eyes held a mischievous gleam of someone who wanted Spider-Man's attention opposed to a scared villain, he hadn't fought Rhino before but it seemed like Rhino had fought him before, he held no fear at all. "Well that was the plan, but since you seem to know it I make have to make some adjustments" Peter quipped and the Rhino rolled his eyes, the eyes in the suit whirring as they too rolled, they were in sync, the suit and the man inside, it was something even Iron Man's suit didn't do. Suddenly Ned's admiration was understandable.
Rhino raised his hands up and the suit followed, the suits hands drumming against the suit chest like a gorilla and Peter snorted "you're a Rhino, or did you skip pre-school?" Rhino's eyes set and he glared, he rolled out his shoulders and threw himself onto all fours, he popped a bubble of gum he was chewing before he charged forward at the street light Peter was perched upon. Peter leapt into the air, his eyes focused as he shot a web on each shoulder of the suit, he landed just behind the Rhino and tugged backwards to try and make him stumble but Rhino twirled and grabbed the webs.
Peter gasped as he was slammed into the glass doors of the bank and they shattered, showering him in sharp shards, he groaned as he landed on his back but he quickly got to his feet and instinctively shook the glass off of him. He held his hands up in surrender "easy" he whistled "lets get you back in your cage"
"I did not come from a zoo!" Rhino was seething, the gum in his mouth hanging out, his teeth clenched and salvia dripped from the gaps between them, Peter grimaced "I bet your dentist hates to see you" he threw himself to the floor as Rhino threw an employees desk at him and the wood shattered on the floor behind him.
"I will break your spine!" Rhino hissed and charged forward, Peter leapt above him just before he slammed into the bank wall and he landed behind him, he shot a web at Rhino's back but Rhino was quick and turned around, grabbing the web again and yanking Peter towards him, a metallic hand grabbed Peter's torso and the spider gasped as his ribs suddenly felt claustrophobic. "I was told you're smart ass" Rhino grinned, his eyes set on the prey in his hands, Peter threw out a fist and Rhino fell back, his hold on Peter loosened so he squirmed to get free but Rhino was a sore loser.
"No!" He roared and surged forward, the Rhino's horn slammed into the ceiling ripping a hole in it like it was paper, his metallic body slammed into Peter and pinned Peter below him, a firm metallic paw on his chest, the man in the chest cavity of the suit smirked with pride and a whir sounded as the cavity clicked opened. Rhino's human hand wrapped around Spider-Man's throat, Peter choked out a cough "no quips" Rhino smirked, he chewed his gum as if in thought and popped a bubble, the minty scent filled the air and Peter gritted his teeth, his feet found themselves against Rhino's robotic thighs. "Minty, you forget to brush this morning?" Peter wheezed before he threw his feet at the Rhino suits ones, the Rhino flew back as his legs were kicked out from under him, the chest cavity closed just in time to slam into the bank floor opposed to Rhino himself as the suit slammed face first into the floor and Peter launched out from under him.
The brunette slammed into a pillar back first and winced as the wind was knocked out of him, his eyes watered and he shakily got himself to his feet, his eyes were teary, he'd been slammed into plenty of walls and this was how normal people reacted when winded but... He was Spider-Man. Peter cleared his throat and held his fists in front of his face like a boxers, staring at the Rhino suit on the floor, and to his amusement-and utter luck-the suits arms were too short to push itself up. Peter stood there, silence echoed through the bank, Rhino's grunts as he tried to push himself up filled the silence before Peter burst into laughter "oh man! Miscalculation say what"
"what?!" Rhino roared "I'll get you for this Spider-" a loud creak followed by an echoing crack and a storm of debris was what followed next as the ceiling gave way and collapsed on Rhino. His angry screams could barely be heard and were completely gone when Peter fled the scene.
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"Desks were ruined! Windows shattered! Ceilings collapsed! Is there anything this Spider-Menace won't destroy?! Who are we to say he wasn't using Rhino as a distraction to get away with the money?! Our precious, hard earned, dollar bills! He doesn't get paid to be a menace! Why not inconvenience the great people of New York just for his joy of menacing?!"
"Sir..."
"WHAT?!"
"No money was stolen"
"Because he didn't get away with it!" JJ Jamerson was a character, a man who never lost his flare, his rights, he saw wrongs and reported them, he was one of the best journalists in New York with nerves of steel... And a hate for the fan favourite Spider-Man that rivalled all of Spider-Man's enemies, he was dedicated Peter could give him that.
Truth was that the bank was completely destroyed, no ceiling, desks all smashed, windows shattered and glass everywhere, it needed to be rebuilt from scratch as salvaging it was a lost cause which Peter of course felt bad about but there was nothing he could do. He sighed as he rubbed his watery eyes, being thrown onto his back so many times had done a number on him and even though Peter asked for a change of pace in fights he didn't mean he wanted to still be irritated afterwards.
Being winded included: watery eyes, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, dry mouth, adrenaline. Peter had caught his breath within minutes but swinging back to school he had to keep licking his lips as they kept getting dry and lacked, now sat in class his eyes kept watering and the adrenaline of the fight had long worn off. His arms hurt from swinging, his back even ached from being thrown but his suit had protected him from the glass shards(thank you Tony Stark). His tiredness from this morning seemed to be back in full force, he had his elbow on the desk, his fist holding up his chin but his arm kept giving out and he'd catch his head before it smacked against the desk.
Until he didn't. A loud smack sounded and Peter's head throbbed, MJ simply reached into her bag and put her black water bottle on Peter's desk while Ned dropped his book way too late to mask the noise of Peter's skull hitting the desk(and leaving a dent). Peter was slumped over his desk, sipping the water from the bottle with the built in straw while the whole class collectively ignored Peter and instead watched Ned clumsily pick up all his books, Peter was woken up later when class ended by Ned shaking him.