tushanshu | AUDIO; from a cafe; post-bottle

Oh it's very real. It's in my head right now, screaming at me to kill you. That's the only difference between that monster and the real one--the real one is already inside me.

[He shakes his head stubbornly.] That doesn't mean that that's you. It's not who you are.

Because you know nothing about me! You want to know the real reason I wanted to go to Mexico?! Because I'm wanted by at least four government agencies, the NYPD, and the SLCPD. [Speaking of police agencies, Kaine sure does have a shiny police badge on his waistband right now.]

[Which he points right at.] You're wearing a badge, Kaine! And you never tell me anything when I ask! I'm wanted by the NYPD all the time, and Nick Fury made a team of Spider Slayers because he was convinced I'd go mental. That doesn't make me evil! It doesn't make you evil, either!

[Kaine laughs at that, but it's that creepy, slightly unhinged kind of laugh and not the "funny ha ha" kind. He takes the badge off his belt and tosses it at Peter.] This belonged to Louise Kennedy, the only woman I ever loved. [Clenches his fist.] I snapped her neck because I believed she betrayed me. She was the only person who gave a damn about me for years, and I killed her for it! That's the kind of person I am, Peter!

[He catches the badge automatically with his now free hand, turning it over so that he can get a proper look at it. And that gets Peter to bring things back down, his gaze fixed on the little piece of metal and a small frown across his face.]

That's who you were. That's not- That's not you anymore. If it was, you would've stopped fighting it and killed me a long time ago.

{Peter believes this whole-heartedly. Kaine's the older brother he'd never had. Maybe Kaine thinks that Peter putting his trust in him is a huge mistake, but he'll never see it that way. He can trust Kaine to look out for him, he's sure of it.]

You have no idea how easy it would be to kill you. You think I haven't fantasized for years how to do it?! Over the years I handed Reilly and Parker their ass over and over again, and the only reason I never killed Reilly in the first place was because I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to feel the way I did every second of every day! [And then he had to go and ruin it all by trying to redeem him.

He pulls the Scarlet Spider costume out of the larger bag and throws that at Peter too.] I put that stupid thing on because I thought I had a second chance at life. That I didn't have to be that anymore. I was wrong. I'm done fighting it, Parker. I'm not you, I'm not Reilly, I'm not May--and I never will be.

I'm done trying.

[He uses the hand holding the badge to swat at the incoming costume, to knock it away from him. He can feel his gut churning, his anger bubbling beneath the surface.]

So that's it, huh? You came over here - You went out of your way to come here - to tell me that, what, you're an evil evil monster, you don't like your costume anymore, and you want us - your friends - to stay away from you?

No. No, you have your second chance at life, Kaine. You have it. And I'm not-- I'm not letting you throw it away because it's hard, or because your big secret's been blown.

[Well that takes the wind out of his sails fast.]

What? No! [Well, yes to that first part. Because he is an evil evil monster and he thought Peter deserved to know.]

I came to tell you that I'll tell you anything you want about my past.

[And now it's Peter's turn to deflate. His eyes go wide and he very nearly drops the bag of takeout.]

... What?

The damn monster aired most of my dirty laundry anyway.

[He stares at the couch.] What do you want to know?

[It's really like he was full of air and someone jabbed a giant needle into his side. Peter slowly sinks down onto the couch next to Kaine, now staring down at the bag. He really should put it down on the table, but everything feels a little surreal right now.]

... See, now that you're telling me to ask you, I'm blanking.

[Of course he is.]

Come on Parker, there must be something.

[He's quiet for a second, keeping his eyes exactly where they are on the bag.]

... What's... your favorite movie...?

Really?! That's your grand question? "What's your favorite movie?"

[Then, just when it seems like he isn't going to answer:]

...Unforgiven, Fight Club, or Blade Runner.

Dude, you caught me off-guard!! The last thing I was expecting today was Suddenly Share Time.

[... He does appreciate that he actually got an answer, though.]

Nice. If we ever become capable of movie night here, we should totally get those.

What the hell did you think I wanted to talk to you about?

That would first require there to be movies here. Or TVs for that matter. [Notice that wasn't a flat out "no."]

I don't know! First I thought it had something to do with, y'know, Venom and the trying to eat everyone and- I don't know.

We have like, five Tony Stark genius-types here. Someone must've made a TV by now, right?

It's Venom. That's what it does. That wasn't even the first time Venom's tried to kill me. I'll admit I was a little creeped out "you" were saving me for a rainy day, but again, Venom.

[He doesn't say anything about the Tony Starks. He's still reeling from the revelation there's more than one.]

Anything else, or is the beginning and end of your deep questions involve my choice in movies?

[Inadvertently, Peter pulls the bag of takeout in closer to his chest. Venom.] I hate that thing.

[And then he catches himself getting mighty close to foodstuffs, and that cues him to actually start putting it out on the table so they'd be more easily accessible.]

... Why didn't you want us to know? About the- the other guy, I mean. And don't say "because I was trying to protect you."

I'd rather deal with Venom than its offspring. [He should have lobotomized Kasady a long time ago. Then maybe those 23 people would still be alive... and that's not counting all the people in the tiny universe.

He rolls his eyes at the question.] Like I'm that cliched. [Spoilers: Yes, you are.] I didn't see any reason to talk about it... I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't exactly like to talk about myself. I willingly agreed to be its host in exchange for my life. [It almost seems like he's going to stop there, but almost reluctantly he adds:] I needed it to save Aracely.

I choose neither. Is there a "neither" option? Because I choose it.

[Once all the food's spread out, Peter just... stares at it. Though he does spare a second to give Kaine a "bitch please" look when he denies the cliche. He knows Kaine would've said it. Peter would've said it, because it's usually true.]

Does it-- Does it come out a lot, or only when it wants to, or...? [He hesitates a moment before he throws out anything more. Whatever Kaine said about answering everything truthfully, he's not about to push his luck.] What we saw back there, in the alley... That girl was Aracely.

Now they're both going to show up, you know that, right? [Because Parker luck.

Kaine doesn't look at the food. It wasn't for him. Besides, after that last question, his hands are looking way more interesting, even as he digs his fingers into his thigh.]

Yes. What you saw... it was a twisted version of something that actually happened. When I died, it confronted me in a version of my church. When I agreed to its deal, I came back as that creature. I had no control, it was just the monster... and when it was fighting the werewolves, I didn't care.

But then it turned on Aracely. Somehow I managed to wrestle control from it before it could hurt her and I've looked normal ever since... but I have no idea if I could ever turn into that again.

... I hate that you're probably completely right.

[The story has Peter going quiet, eyes set unseeingly on the food again. He can understand what that must've been like. It sounds a lot like what had happened when Venom had overtaken him completely, when he nearly ate all of the Ultimates and he'd been powerless to do anything but watch it all happen. He still doesn't even know how they'd managed to neutralize him.]

And you said a little while ago that- that it talks to you. Do you hear it right now?

Your luck sucks. [Luck he inherited.

He nods.] It's not as coherent as it was in that nightmare. It sticks to one word. "Prey."

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