Chapter Text
Well. That's just great.
Peter sighs as he sluggishly swings into the air and leaps into Hells Kitchen, trying to fight whatever he's fighting these days. Sleep depravation? Hunger? Who knows. But why here and not Queens? Because he just had to catch this new villain of the week who went from Queens to Hells Kitchen thinking he could escape Spiderman. And he could have! Peter could have let Daredevil deal with it after giving Matt a heads up, taking his advice to rest and go home but nooooo. Why not chase the Mind Manipulator down instead?
And as he finally caught him, he had to get hit by this... force, the villain of the week produced. But, knocking the manipulator out should have done whatever needed to be done.
Well, that's what he thought initially, but everything is so... fuzzy. It is as if something is trying to get to him, or he's just dizzy. Lack of water maybe?
"My name is Steven Westcott, but you can call me Skip!"
His spider senses would not stop blaring.
His breath hitched, it sounded like... he was exactly right next to him. Again.
He lost control of his webbing, he realized, because not only was he falling, (that may have been the reason why his spider senses were going off), Skip Westcott was back. Peter quickly shot a web on the edge of a rooftop, sky rocketing him to the top as fast as it could. His heart beat was in his ears beating over and over,
"Say, haven't I seen you around here before?"
...again and again and again.
He wobbled trying to compose himself, but his knees buckled and forced him to plummet downwards into the rough ground, his trembling palms being his only support at staying upright. Everything was happening to fast, he needed to call Matt, he needed Matt, he-
"Bet you've never seen those kind of pictures in a stuffy textbook!"
Stop.
Skip Westcott is not actually back. Why would he be back?
"C'mon Einstein!"
"No," he croaked, "no, you can't bring me back there again."
Was that why he's back? To get more enjoyment out of him?
He won't let that happen. He can't let that happen.
"Lets conduct a experiment of our own."
"Lets see if we can touch each other like the people in that magazine!"
"What's the matter? You shy or something?"
"No!" he screamed out into the air, "stop!"
"Please skip! Don't!"
"We can have lots of fun-- staying up late and playing grown ups."
"I want to go now!"
"LEAVE!"
And then it was silent.
His chest was falling up and down and then up too fast, but he didn't mind. It was gone. He was gone.
He was shaking all over, and he rubbed his quivering hands up and down his arms trying to stop the feeling, the feeling of him on him, and trying to slow his heartbeat. But it was getting hard to breathe.
"Matt," he wheezed, "I-"
Calm down, he reminded himself, calm down and get to Matts apartment.
He can't.
Call him.
He can't do that either. What will Matt think if he knows? When he knows. He can't just-
Or you could just jump off.
The thought stills him. He feels like someone is sliding a large ice cube down his spine slowly, tormenting him, begging him to do something. Something is really. really not right. He hasn't thought about doing that again since... since, well... a long time. He knows he couldn't. He... shouldn't.
He needs to get to Matt.
He throws a quick glance at the edge of the rooftop and lets out a short shiver before swinging off.
-Matts POV-
It's just him, the fire, cases, and the night.
Training could be more fun though. Or going out as Daredevil. He hums to himself in agreement, shifting papers into his hands and organizing them into their rightful places. Maybe he should go out as Daredevil tonight. But, Foggy might find out. And the Foggy will of course lead into Karen, who will just sigh at him in disapproval and perhaps lecture him once more.
A smile finds its way in on his face, but so does a familiar rhythm that comes into place.
Except, this heartbeat is quicker, panicked, nervous, scared. But it's young, and he shoots up from his chair as it scrapes against the floor.
He knows who that is.
He slightly races to the door as Peter faces his doorstep. And Matt lurches the door open before Peter can even knock.
He can feel Peter staring at him in slight surprise, but his heartbeat goes down slowly.
"Peter," he says softly, "are you alright?"
"Matt," he breathes, "I'm fine."
His heart races again, and he doesn't need his senses to tell that Peter is obviously lying to him.
"Come inside, Peter."
Usually, Peter would have gladly walked in or let himself in for the matter, and would have started to ramble, or go on about something. But this time, he hesitates going in. And Matt knew imideatly knew something was wrong.
"Peter?"
"Sorry," he whispers, and walks slowly in.
Matt shuts the door behind him, all focus maintained on Peter. Had Peter gone through something traumatic? He must have, because his heartbeat and emotions are everywhere. Not to mention, Peter seems like he feels as if he is out of place. Which, he's not and Matt will make sure he very much knows that.
Peter stumbles over over to his couch and runs his hands over his face and hair as he plops down. Matt follows him, and slowly sits on the chair across from him.
"Matt, you know... you know the mind manipulator guy we just took out?"
"I would say more of that you took out, but yes. Why?"
Peter swallows. "I think he did something to me."
"What?" he tries not to sound alarmed, trying to remain calm and reign in his fears. They are vigilantes after all. But damn that, Peter needs him right now. "I thought you said you didn't get hit?"
Peter nervously shifts himself on the couch.
"Peter."
"Well, he might have hit me with... something."
God, teenager's. Matt sighs as he stares at Peter hoping he can see his huge disapproving look.
Peter hardly notices despite his best efforts.
"What's wrong Peter?" Matt tilts his head trying to understand what was troubling him so much. Peter seemed in control of his own body, so had the mind manipulator done something to Peter personally? Verbalize something?
Peter was just quiet, and that ticks him off even more. Peter is never quiet. He's loud and bubbly, and known as the friendly neighborhood Spiderman for crying out loud. Not the silent-dark moody kid.
"I just... saw something. Again. Well- and heard stuff again."
Peter fumbles with his fingers as he looks away from Matt. Again? Peter had gone through something traumatic in the past, and now it followed him back to the present.
"What kind of stuff Peter?"
Peters heartbeat rapidly goes up, and this startles Matt a little more than the question scared Peter.
"Peter, woah, Peter, it's okay. You're okay."
Matt stands up, but he can feel Peter immediately flinch. Matt knows Peter is just scared right now, and not scared of Matt himself. But the movement is so off putting considering how long they have been side by side with each other. He slowly walks over to Peter and crouches down in front of him. His stick keeps him still as he looks up to him.
"I'm sorry, I-I don't understand why this is happening. It's... it's too much. These memories its like... it's like he's back again. Like he's- he's right here." Peter trembles the last sentence out as he tries to gain his composure.
"Who's back again Peter?" Matt says quietly.
"I..." he chokes, "I can't say."
Matt tightens his hold on his stick. Who ever the hell caused Peter this much pain, he was going to find him and beat the ever loving shit out of them for doing... whatever they did.
"Okay," Matt says calmly, "okay Peter, that's okay. Why don't you come to the office to meet Karen and Foggy there?"
Peter has a good relationship with them, too. Matt knows they can most definitely help, and maybe Karen can comfort him in a better way than Matt can.
"You'll be there too?" Peter says quickly.
This brings a traitorous smile to Matts face.
"Of course, Peter."
Then something odd happens.
Peters heartbeat goes down increasingly fast until it is deadly calm. Usually, this would comfort Matt in this very moment, but something is so very off about it. One minute Peter was panicked and scared, the next his emotions have stilled at an amazing quick rate. Like a light switch flipped off.
"Peter-?"
"Actually, I'm fine, thank you."
This throws him off immediately. Peter turning down to see Karen and Foggy? What??
Peter stands up, and so does he. Peter is way to calm, way to fast.
"I need to go home now, but thank you for being here for me Matt."
Too formal.
"Are you sure Peter? You can stay here if you would like that better, your free and welcome to do whichever."
He's scrambling to find a way for Peter to stay with him. Figure out what the hell is wrong. But something is so very off, it feels like Peter is not even in the same room with him.
"Thank you, Murdock, but I'll be fine," he reaches for the doorknob and creaks the door open before stopping. "Until next time." And he shuts the door behind him. Walking away.
Murdock.
Murdock.
Since when has Peter ever called him Murdock? Peter has come up with numerus nicknames for him, or calls him his first name on occasion, but never Murdock.
Matt is definitely sure of one thing:
Peter was not Peter when he walked out that door.
And something is screaming at him that if he doesn't go after him,
he's going to die being his Peter.