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]

[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.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Peter settles back a little at that, his gaze shifting slightly while he lets all of this process. It sounds to him like Kaine wanted to give the clones - himself and Reilly - a chance to live on happily.]

... What made you stop gunning for him?

[unobtainableredemption]

[Almost. Kaine knew he was beyond the chance of a happy ending from the beginning, so he wanted someone to have it. Only fate was cruel and had a sense of humor.]

He held out his hand. [He could still feel the rain on his back and in his hair as he begged Reilly for death. He could still see the pity--no, concern--in Reilly's eyes. After everything he had done those past six years, including his latest attempt at his life no more than a half hour before, Ben still thought he could be redeemed. More than that, he genuinely wanted to help, not because it meant getting Kaine off his back, but because they were brothers. Because Ben wanted to help.

Why was it such a man had to die when a man like Kaine manages to keep coming back again and again?]

[nerdylilspidey]

[He studies Kaine for a moment in silence, brow only slightly furrowed in thought. After all this time, he'd like to think that he knows Kaine well enough. Obviously this is the first time he's ever opened up, but still.

Plus, he's really glad that they're talking like this. Even though some horrible things had to go down to make it happen.]

I'm really glad he did.

[unobtainableredemption]

[...Kaine was too.]

It didn't matter. Reilly was dead two weeks later.

[nerdylilspidey]

[That takes the wind out of Peter's sails a little bit.]

...Sorry to hear that.

[unobtainableredemption]

You'd have liked Ben.

[nerdylilspidey]

Did he inherit my boyish charm and good looks?

[unobtainableredemption]

He was identical to you. [Unlike Kaine, who only sort of looks like Peter.] Had to dye his hair blonde when he came back to New York to stop looking quite so much like you.

[nerdylilspidey]

Whoa... Well, whatever helps?

And you said that he- he got some tights and dude the hero thing, too.

[unobtainableredemption]

I think he ran into one too many of Peter's friends.

He was the original Scarlet Spider before Parker gave him Spider-Man. May actually wears his version of that costume.

[nerdylilspidey]

[His eyebrows arch upward. For one thing, it's never a good thing to hear about his many "friends" bugging people. And for another-- May's costume was actually... kind of cool. Color Peter slightly jealous.]

..I'm starting to think that everyone gets cooler tights than me.

((lol, my spelling back there was great. go half-asleep me))

[unobtainableredemption]

You've seen his Scarlet Spider costume. You really want to go with Reilly being the better costume designer?

[nerdylilspidey]

... Well, except for that one. But that was like, his very first one, right? At least he switched things up eventually.

[unobtainableredemption]

How I don't know. He had even less money when he started as Spider-Man than he did when he was the Scarlet Spider.

[nerdylilspidey]

He could've read up on how to sew in the library?

[unobtainableredemption]

That wouldn't magically make his money problems disappear.

...Wait, did you not make your own costume?

[nerdylilspidey]

Well, no--

[He cuts himself off short at Kaine's question, blinking.]

No, I- The wrestling company sent it to me. Y'know, when I started out. I put the webs and the spider-emblem on myself, but MJ's been fixing it up for me ever since.

[unobtainableredemption]

[Ah, that explains the disconnect.]

Parker made his, so Reilly always knew how too.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Chalk that up to one more thing...]

Oh. That's not a bad skill set to have at all.

[unobtainableredemption]

[He sort of nods offhandedly.]

And before you ask, the answer's no. I have no clue how to sew.