Peter's POV

I attempted to chuckle, but felt pain everywhere.

“Your name is Viper?” I spat.

“Yeah, do you have a problem with that? He questioned.

I shrugged. “Just asking.

He hummed, “Alright, well, I'm going to go now.”

I was super confused. “No!” I yelled, “Are you a hero or something? I've never seen you before.”

He rolled his eyes. “Y'know, I just saved your life. A “thank you” would be nice, Arachne.”

‘Arachne?’ I thought, ‘Why is he calling me Arachne?’

“You know who I am, right?”

"Yeah, of course I do. You were all over the news as the hero who couldn't defeat the havoc and bolted.”

My face turned as red as a cherry. “Shut up” I grunted, “And stop calling me Arachne; it's Arachnite.”

“I don't think I will." I knew he was smirking coyly underneath his mask, and I huffed.

“Dude, can you leave me alone? I have to capture Havoc before he escapes.”

He made a whistling sound. “I think it's a bit too late for that now.”

I turned around, and to my surprise, havoc was nowhere to be seen. I scoffed. I was furious that this guy ruined my chances to defeat Havoc.

I spun around and forcefully shoved him, and then I seized the front of his suit, which was a striking combination of neon red and purple.

“Look, Viper” I spat his name out like it was venom. “You're going to help me find Havoc, or I swear on my parents’ grave I will kill you.”

Viper stayed silent for a couple of minutes. I could feel his heart picking up. I let go of his shirt and backed up a bit.

He shook his head. “Yeah, ok, fine, I'll help just this once.”

I smiled with Viper helping me. I will finally be able to capture this guy.

“What are we waiting for?” I asked, “Let's go.”

He stood there, seemingly lost in thought, his eyes locking onto mine as if he were trying to penetrate the mask and understand the person behind it. I allowed him to observe, but as the seconds passed, the intensity of his stare became increasingly uncomfortable, and I began to feel a sense of unease.

I stepped closer to him. “Viper? Did you hear me?”

He immediately turned away from me and shook his head, clearing his throat.

"Um, sorry, what did you say?” He asked.

I rolled my eyes. “I said that we should get going now before Havoc leaves the country.”

“Oh yeah, I just need to call my boss real quick,” he said.

“Ok”

I watched as he quickly stepped away and disappeared around the corner. Unable to resist my curiosity, I quietly followed after him, determined to find out if he could be trusted. With lingering doubts about his allegiance, I couldn't shake the suspicion that he might be collaborating with Havoc. Although I could only catch fragments of their conversation, it was better than being left completely in the dark.

“He escaped before I had the chance to kill him. I got distracted,” Viper said.

It sounded like his boss was mad at him. I could hear faint yelling coming from his phone.

“Yeah, I know. I know. Just give me a few more weeks, boss. I promise I'll kill him.”

‘Kill who?’ I thought, as this tense situation unfolded, a wave of realisation hit me—I didn't even know the identity of the man standing before me. While I had initially assumed he was a hero, a chilling thought crossed my mind: what if he turned out to be a villain far worse than Havoc? Suddenly, the implications of my earlier threat weighed heavily on me. What if this mysterious figure decided to track me down and carry out his threat while I slept? It was a troubling realisation that I had placed unwarranted trust in a stranger.

“Do you normally eavesdrop on people's conversations?” A voice asked, reeling me back into reality.

I looked up, and Viper was right there in my face. My heartbeat started picking up speed, probably because I was scared.

“What are you?” I asked.

“That's none of your business, Arachne." I could hear him grin, and that made my blood boil.

“Yes, it is. If we're going to be working together, you have to tell me who you are for me to trust you,” I argued.

He sighed "Fine, I'm a-” He began but then stopped, his eyes wide.

“You're a what?” I urged

“No time I saw Havoc, we need to get going now if we're going to catch up to him,” he said and jumped up.

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I watched him hop from one building to another, and I got on all fours. I rolled my eyes. I don't get why he can't just tell me who he is. It's irritating.

“Wait up!” I yelled.

“Hurry up, then you slow poke.”

“I'm going to kill this guy,” I muttered under my breath.

**

I groaned, my suit torn and blood running from my hips. We managed to catch up with Havoc, yet he still had the advantage and defeated us easily. I initially believed Viper to be a skilled fighter, but he ended up being useless and even started making jokes about the situation instead of helping me.

Upon reaching the castle, Nic immediately approached me, appearing extremely exhausted with red eyes and dark circles underneath. I felt guilty, wondering if I was the reason for his state. I was prepared for him to yell or even hit me out of frustration, but instead, he surprised me by embracing me tightly.

“Nic-” I started, but I was cut off by him shushing me and continuing to hug me like he was trying to reassure me that everything was okay and that I was not at fault.

I found myself overwhelmed with emotion, as I couldn't understand how Nic could be okay with me failing to capture Havoc. I felt like I was tarnishing the heroic image of those who risk their lives to safeguard Earth. It made me question whether I was truly cut out to be a hero. I regretted ever receiving these powers and agreeing to take on this mission. It was as if I was proving my father right by calling me a failure, just like he had done so many times before.

‘Thank God the Noveas aren’t here to see me like this’ I thought, but then I remembered that they were coming back in a few weeks. If they find out I wasn’t able to capture Havoc, they’ll never let me go on a mission again.

Nic slowly and reluctantly disengaged from the embrace, finally pushing himself out of the hug.

“Pete, Shadow, let me know what happened," he said, gently wiping away my tears with his fingertips. “Your plan was risky. What did you think would happen?”

I responded with a flat expression, “I don't know.”

He flashed a strained grin, his eyes not quite matching the expression. “Let's get you cleaned up, you reek, dude.”

I let out a light chuckle, noting the weariness in his features. “I could say the same about you. You look like you've been through a rough time.”

He playfully rolled his eyes, the brief glint of amusement not quite masking the underlying exhaustion.

Nic went above and beyond to help me mend my wounds, and I couldn't help but break into a smile as I realised how fortunate I was to have him in my life. Our friendship was incredibly deep, and the bond we shared made him feel like a brother I had known forever. It's not an exaggeration to say that I owe so much of my progress and well-being to him. Despite my lack of prowess in combat and my sensitive nature, Nic continued to stand by me. His unwavering support and acceptance, despite my flaws, mean the world to me. I feel incredibly blessed to have such an extraordinary friend by my side.

Shadow walked in, and her expression softened when she laid eyes on me.

“Peter, you look like shit!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, I know,” I muttered under my breath.

“I'm assuming you couldn't take down Havoc,” she said with a knowing look.

I nodded, my lips forming a hard line.

“Did you even land a single punch?” She pressed.

“I don't want to talk about it,” I grumbled.

“Was it that bad?” She asked, concerned.

“I'm feeling completely drained. I don't think I have any energy left in me,” I announced wearily as I pushed myself up from the chair. However, before I could take a step, Shadow reached out and stopped me in my tracks.

With a fragile smile, Shadow said, “I truly am relieved that you're okay, Peter.”

“Thank you,” I replied, feeling a mix of exhaustion and gratitude wash over me.

I limped over to my cosy bedroom, feeling the dull ache in my muscles with every step. Slowly, I eased myself onto the bed, my body craving the comfort of its familiar touch. The weight of the day's exhaustion enveloped me, and soon I found myself slipping into a peaceful slumber, the events of the day melting away as I sank into the soft embrace of sleep.

**

I was in the middle of a side quest, trying to rescue a kitten trapped in a tree, while Havoc was nowhere to be found. On my way, I spotted Viper seemingly idle and decided to seize the opportunity to startle him. Slipping into stealth mode, I advanced towards him from behind, carefully closing the gap between us. Suddenly, Viper whipped around and attempted to throw a punch at me, but I managed to intercept it just in time.

“What on earth?” I blurted out.

As Viper caught a glimpse of my face, his hostile stance softened.

“Hey, Arachne,” he greeted me.

Realising his mistake, Viper swiftly retracted his fist. “I'm so sorry, Arachne. I didn't mean to do that. I thought you were attacking me. I'm really, really sorry,” he apologised, his tone filled with remorse.

“It's all good, man,” I said with a supportive smile, hoping to convey my sincerity.

He seemed to brush off my reassurance. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” He asked, his voice laden with guilt.

It wasn’t that big of a deal, but I still paused, considering his question carefully. “Hmm,” I mused. “I have an idea.”

Viper met my gaze, his expression hopeful. “Yeah?”

**

Viper and I were having a great time together, filled with laughter and lively conversation. I was feeling quite famished and had a strong craving for some Mexican cuisine, so I decided to take Viper to a food truck. To my surprise, he insisted on paying for the meal. Before long, we found ourselves on the roof of the iconic Empire State Building, indulging in delicious chicken chimichangas. While I eagerly devoured my meal, Viper seemed hesitant, gazing at his untouched food.

“Are you going to eat that?” I asked, pointing to his untouched food.

“What? Oh, I’m not hungry,” he replied, momentarily puzzled, before his stomach growled, giving away his true hunger.

“Your stomach says otherwise,” I remarked, teasingly.

Viper sighed, “Okay, I am hungry, but I don't want to reveal my face under the mask.”

“Why not?” I inquired with genuine curiosity.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “My face looks... odd.”

Determined to put him at ease, I reassured him, “I'm sure it's not as bad as you think. Just raise your mask to your nose like me.”

Reluctantly, he agreed and gradually lifted his mask to his nose to reveal his features.

As I gazed at him, I noticed tiny scars across his chin and jaw, giving his face a unique and intriguing quality. His lips, with their beguiling fullness and a rosy hue, exuded a peculiar allure as they enveloped the chimichanga with graceful finesse. His teeth, resembling fangs, added an unexpected mystique to his appearance, leaving me curious about the rest of his face and whether it bore similar scars. Lost in my thoughts, I found myself staring, captivated by his appearance. Unable to resist, I reached out and tenderly cupped his cheek.

“You're stunning,” I blurted out, immediately feeling a fervent blush spread across my cheeks at my candid declaration.

Following a moment of stunned silence, Viper let out a hearty chuckle. “Now you can eat,” I mumbled, trying to recover from my unexpected outburst.

Despite my earlier embarrassment, we continued chatting, savouring our meal while basking in each other's company. In Viper's company, I found myself thoroughly immersed in the moment, momentarily forgetting about everything else, including the lingering presence of Havoc.

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Author's Note!

Hello, my Luvs! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you're still reading this story, tell me how you're liking the story so far!