Spiderman: Into the Voidverse

Peter POV

"What did you guys do?" asked me James, resignedly.

"We kissed at the edge of the building..." I confessed to him again.

He didn't react very well to this. I don't blame him. He told me not to cave, but I didn't listen to him. He was always my reason, but this time I listened to my heart.

"Peter... you know none of this is going to happen?" he told me reasonably.

He sympathised with me, that was for sure. As a superhero, I've had to sacrifice many things, including distractions like love. However, I am also a teenager. Sometimes it's hard to reconcile the two. Feelings are the worst, they nag the most.

"I know... but can't I sometimes drift away from all this mess?" I asked resignedly.

James looked at me with a sad face.

"You're going to break her heart. She didn't deserve it," he said.

I sighed. He was right. I'd done something stupid again and someone was going to get hurt because of it. I just can't have a normal life. This is my fate.

I heard the sound of a text message. I know very well from whom. I specifically gave it a different jingle. I looked at my mobile phone.

"The robot wants something?" asked me James, curious to see what would come of it.

I read the message. Something bigger was brewing.

"He wants to meet me tonight. He wrote that we're finally moving on," I summarised the contents of the text message.

James lifted one eyebrow up. He was surprised, and so was I. So far we had been standing still the whole time.

One thing was certain. Something thick is coming. I have to be ready for it.

I met at a certain time and place. Null always chooses the worst hovels or the darkest places. The boy knows how to sow terror. Although I don't even know if he is a peasant. I address him as he, but he often uses they. He is strange, but I prefer to have him as an ally rather than an enemy.

He was waiting for me. He was sitting on an old chest. His white blinds were visible in the shadows. Only them. He looked at me with a combing gaze.

"Spider. Are you ready?" he asked me.

I noticed he was holding something in his hand. A small one. I wondered what it was. And what the question meant. Another test? Hopefully the last one. I had to concentrate and answer it properly. Even this morning I wasn't sure, but now I am. I have an extra motivation, a fuse.

'I am,' I replied with a raised chin.

Null stood up from the box. He tucked the thing into his coat. He moved closer to me.

Suddenly he took a swing towards me. At the last moment I dodged the attack. What was he doing? What if this guy was right.... Well, then I'm done for.

Or is this the final test? I landed next to him in a spider pose. He put his arm out for me to fight. I crossed my eyebrows.

I used the web and lunged at him. A couple of blocks I managed to get through, our chances were even. I used both my moves and his moves, but he did the same. I, however, had the web, he only had his reflexes.

I hit him on the mask. He flew a little further but landed spectacularly. We fought with both feet and hands. He was focused and I was looking for his weak points. I got low and used my legs to knock him to the ground. I then threw myself at him and held him down by his coat. I was already about to deliver the final blow, but he showed me a thumbs up. I was surprised and jumped aside.

He stood up and looked at me.

"You are," he chuckled, propping himself up on his knees.

He rummaged for something from his pocket. He threw it to me and I caught it. I looked at what it was. An earpiece? Really? That's what it's all about?

"We're going on missions tomorrow. We need to keep in touch other than by phone. We'll split up," he explained to me.

So many questions, he is always so secretive. He builds an undercover environment around himself. It's a good thing this fight wasn't for real. Still, I'm glad that my training has yielded results.

"What mission is this?" I asked, hoping he would answer me.

He came closer to me.

"We're going to go visit the old ones and find out what they need people for," he explained.

It's good that the null has finally noticed that there is some use for me. I just hope I don't let him down. I'll give it my all.

We went on patrol together, but the night was unusually quiet. I made my way back to my room. James had been up all night in front of the computer. I needed to rest, but I wasn't going to get much sleep.

I changed into my pyjamas. I looked up to see what my friend was doing. The usual late-night hacking of police files. Normal. James was helping me look for something on the people who work with Black Eagle. Most of them are criminals who are strangely out of prison on parole. Classic. Those are the easiest to recruit.

James took off his headphones. He had been listening to music loudly earlier. He didn't pause it and I could hear what was so catchy in his ears. Gwen Stacy's new track. He is so predictable. And in love with her up to his ears, even though he denies it.

"Miss Stacy uploaded something new?" I asked shrewdly.

Osborn jumped up in his chair. He made a confused face. Then he looked at the computer again.

"Yeah... even cool" he said with a blush on his face.

I lay down on the bed. I contemplated. About everything. About the kiss, about the null. I wish it was over so I could finally embrace my own life. I hope tomorrow we can at least get halfway done with these birds.