AUDIO; from a cafe; post-bottle

[nerdylilspidey]

 [Peter's not quite in the right place, mentally, to put up a video post. And he definitely isn't sure he should put it up from his own suite. So he's found his way to the nearest cafe, with an oversized hoodie pulled up over his head, and is starting up only an audio feed.]

Never a boring moment around here, is there? One minute we're normal-ish, celebrating Valentine's Day, and the next we're battling evil miasma inside a magic bottle.

Does anyone ever wonder what happened to the idea of rest and relaxation?


[FILTERED to the Spider-family]

...Sorry. About what happened back there. You-- You guys know that that-- That wasn't me. You know that, right...?

Oh, God... [There's a sigh, and then a beat of silence before he continues.] Anyway, just- I'm sorry.

Comments

[unobtainableredemption]

Why compare yourself to him at all!? You are not him! [Words he has told himself over and over again for the last ten years.]

The spider signal. I wish I was kidding.

[nerdylilspidey]

I'm not him, I know, but-- And I mean, I don't regret what I did, but... He's survived. In one universe he's even got kids.

[unobtainableredemption]

Peter, I've died four times. If God can bring someone like me back when He knows damn well where I should be... You, more than anyone I know, deserve to be brought back too. If not... there's worse places to live than this damn turtle.

[nerdylilspidey]

[He's quiet for a moment, and then he looks back over at Kaine with a small, grateful smile.]

If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to cheer me up.

[unobtainableredemption]

[There is the barest hint of a smirk on his lips.]

Then it's a good thing you know better.

[He pauses to let the moment pass.]

...Anything else you feel like knowing about me?

[nerdylilspidey]

Can I feign ignorance for two seconds?

[He says, but then he also lets the moment go by. It's how Kaine works, and he's fine with it.]

..Your shirt size might be good. So I can get your "I Heart Houston" shirt ready.

[unobtainableredemption]

[This is just like Peter. He just admitted to being a murderer, a wanted felon, and to torturing Ben for five years, and all he wants to talk about are TV shows and T-Shirts.]

That's never going to happen.

[nerdylilspidey]

Awww, but then what do I do for your birthday?

[He keeps a mostly straight face, though his eyes are completely betraying him.]

Okay, real question- Is this a one time thing, or are you gonna answer me all the time now?

[unobtainableredemption]

I'll make it real easy for you--I don't celebrate one.

[Because really what was there to celebrate? And even if there was something worth celebrating, was he just supposed to go with Parker's birthday? Or the day the Jackal released him from his pod? Yeah, he's better off without one.]

I can only guarantee that I'm going to be forthcoming today. [That said, he hasn't exactly ruled out being more open with him going forward.]

[nerdylilspidey]

In that case, today is your birthday. [Quick, what's the date.] The truth has set you free.

And every year on your re-birthday, we can celebrate honesty and trust.

[unobtainableredemption]

Are you forgetting the part where I'm a murderer? Because I will kill you. [And he says it a bit more strained than usual, since his "birth" is one of his more touchier subjects.]

[nerdylilspidey]

Can I pretend you'd only kill me 'cause you like me?

[And he's totally about to ask about that, in 5... 4...]

[unobtainableredemption]

[...Heh, in a sick way Peter was right. He only wanted to kill Ben out of his love for Peter. As such, Kaine doesn't answer the question.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[Slooooowly Peter starts to smile.] That's totally a yes.

[unobtainableredemption]

How can you still joke about this when you're still holding the badge of a woman I killed in cold blood?

[nerdylilspidey]

Because. I've said it before, Kaine. You're- You're like a brother to me. I trust you.

[unobtainableredemption]

[Looks down at the floor and fists his hands into fists, digging his nails into his lap in the process.]

Louise trusted me too.

[nerdylilspidey]

... I'm not Louise.

And on a good day, I'm actually pretty hard to kill.

[unobtainableredemption]

[Lifts one of his hands enough to be able to fire a strand of webbing at Louise's badge, then yanks it back to him.

Opens his mouth, but closes it again. If Norman Osborn could kill him, Kaine certainly could. But Peter was too blinded by trust to see the truth in front of him. Typical.]

...What do you know about clone degeneration? [He had to know something. The kid had said he an entire set of dead clones at home.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[Peter stands by the belief that his final fight might not have ended the way it had if he hadn't saved Captain America's skin first.

He doesn't object when the badge is taken back, but at the question Peter can only blink in surprise. Clone degeneration? He knew what the term meant, but he'd never really seen an example of it before.]

Not much. I mean, for the clone that thought he was my dad, for the purposes of his experiment he'd been aged up, so in the end the aging process accelerated to a point where he died of old age... Besides him, everyone but Jessica were killed before anything like that could take effect. And so far Jessica's been totally fine. She's even running around as Spider-Woman.

[unobtainableredemption]

[Runs his thumb along the edge of the badge and unclenches his other fist.]

For almost ten years, I had it. The left side of my face was covered in scars, and I'm not even going to start on the rest of me. My every nerve ending was on fire as my cells exploded one by one. I wanted to die, but first I wanted to take out the person who made me this way.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Peter frowns. Cells exploding one by one, scars everywhere- a slow, tortuous, horrible death. He can't even imagine. It's no wonder Kaine's so... gruff and closed off. Angry.]

So... You went after that Jackal guy..?

[unobtainableredemption]

[No, because that would be logical.]

I went after Reilly. I thought he was the original back then.

[nerdylilspidey]

[His eyes widen. Kaine went after the original. After Peter.]

Why...? Did he do that to you...?

[unobtainableredemption]

Of course not! Neither of them had any idea who I truly was for years. I just wanted Reilly to suffer like I was... and keep him far away from Parker.