Chapter Text
Max really doesn’t mean to do it. Honestly? He just wanted to grab a soda from the bodega on the corner. He never has trouble with the guy behind the counter and the cat named Spider-Man purrs when he gives him chin scratches. It’s a nice little spot, a bright dot in his depressing days, and he really just wants a caffeine boost. He doesn’t want to get involved.
Look, it’s not like he even knows what’s happening in the criminal world these days. He’s out on parole and he wants to stay out. Mac might like it behind bars but Max? He hates it. It makes the voices in his head act up and they never take his medication needs seriously.
All of that to say it’s not his fault that the younger Spider-Man happens to be fighting a guy just a few car lengths away. Max almost doesn’t let it slow his stride. It’s not the one that he has history with so why bother? This one doesn’t make that confusing rush of emotions flood his brain and shut up the voices for a moment.
He just wants a damn soda. That’s it. So why is he stepping forward? Why is electricity coursing through his arm and sparking at his fingertips? Why? Because despite his own arrest record he’s not a heartless asshole. Ask the lady who runs the restaurant he lives above. He’s not good by any stretch of the imagination but he’s not a dick.
“Hey asshole!” he shouts at the guy in the weird suit. It’s obviously someone trying to make a name for themselves and hey, he’s not one to judge, but hasn’t the idiot ever heard of branding? What’s the point if you can’t step out, have someone like Triple J take one look at you, and slap a nickname on you that sticks better than anything else?
“Huh?” the would-be villain stops and Max almost groans in frustration at the lack of eloquence.
“You’re kinda giving all of us a bad name with this,” he drawls as he steps closer. Younger Spider-Man halts, head tilting to the side in confusion, and Max knocks back his hood. “What are you even supposed to be?”
“I’m Metal Man!” the guy screeches indignantly and Max snorts.
“You look like you rolled around in the reject pile after a bad day in shop class,” he fires back. Younger Spider-Man looks between them, obviously torn on what to do, and Max nods in his direction. “You really think you’re a match for Training Wheels over here?”
“Hey!” the younger masked hero fusses. Max ignores him as the villain-wannabe turns all of his attention to him.
“You dare to insult me?” Metal Manchild asks haughtily.
“I bet you’re dumb enough to not even have insulated your suit,” Max taunts back because he really needs this idiot to attack him first. Terms of parole and all. No throwing the first punch or, in his case, bolt.
“I don’t need to prove anything to you,” the man starts with a menacing step his way. Max waits him out, letting him step into his space as he glares into the hard green eyes. This is almost fun. Is this why Spider-Man does it? The man cocks back a metal covered fist and Max smiles as he sets his palm against the metal across his chest. Immediately sparks dance over the surface of the metal.
“I’m Electro dumbass,” he growls out as the man screams in agony. He doesn’t want to kill the idiot, not in front of the kid, so he counts to three as slowly as he can before letting go. The would-be villain slumps, body twitching as sparks dance across the metal suit.
“What was that?!” Younger Spider-Man screeches out in shock. Max looks at him and shrugs.
“He’s too close to my favorite bodega. You want a soda?” he asks over his shoulder as he turns to the mentioned bodega. Younger Spider-Man makes a noise in the back of his throat as he catches up to him.
“He’s alive right?” the kid asks and Max nods.
“Probably going to need a doctor but definitely alive,” he reassures casually as he opens the door. The cat sleeping on the counter looks up, blinks lazily at him, and yawns wide enough to show off all of his little teeth. “Hey Teo.”
“Max!” the man behind the counter greets with a smile.
“You get that truck in?” Max asks as he walks towards the fridge that holds his favorite soda. He slides the door open with a smile at the bottled red that promises sweet deliciousness and picks up two of them. “Teo you’re my favorite person in this city!”
He holds open the door and the younger Spider-Man warily grabs his own. Together they move to the counter and the orange cat named Spider-Man stands with a lazy stretch. Max coos at the lazy ball of fluff and scratches under his chin with his free hand.
“And you’re looking as cozy as always,” he compliments the cat. He gets a slow blink in response as Teo laughs.
“If Spider-Man likes you then I like you,” Teo says as he rings up the sodas. Younger Spider-Man reaches out a gloved hand and the cat sniffs his fingers curiously. “He’s not named after you.”
“Oh I know,” the teen says with a smile Max can hear. Teo rattles off the total as cop cars pull up outside.
“Uh oh. Max?” Teo asks warily.
“I’m innocent this time,” Max defends himself as he pulls his hood up. “Can I use the back?”
“Sure thing. Grab a bag of chips from the rack, they expire tomorrow.” Teo gives him a nod and Max hops the counter. After a beat the younger Spider-Man follows and they move through the back room of the bodega.
“So…” the teen starts as Max grabs a bag of chips and pushes open the back door. He holds it for the teen. “Thanks. What exactly was that back there?”
“I’m assuming you mean the fight?” Max asks to clarify. When the teen nods he shrugs. “I dunno kid. You could’ve handled it no problem, I just found myself walking over.”
“Yeah but,” the teen steps to be in front of him and Max raises an eyebrow, “you’re Electro.”
“Kid-”
“I’m not a kid,” the teen immediately defends and Max snorts.
“I’ve got a couple years on the original Spider-Man, so to me you are.” He pauses to open his soda, the hiss of carbonation the only sound between them. “I’m not going back to prison. It’s not good for me. I’m out, I’ve got good meds, and I’ve been in therapy. Life can be more than what it’s been y’know?”
“That’s… actually really insightful,” the teen says and Max can hear how impressed he is. Feeling a touch uncomfortable about the compliment he shrugs it off and nods towards a nearby roof as he takes a sip of his soda.
“Bet I can beat you to the roof.” It’s a taunt, one he knows the teen will fall for, and he takes off before the kid can even process what he’s said. The sparks from his body arc and hit the ground, springing him from the cracked concrete to the tar roofing in no time at all.
“You cheated,” the kid accuses as he lands next to him and he laughs.
“Still a villain. C’mon, don’t make me eat these chips by myself.” He takes a seat on the edge of the roof, letting his worn out boots hang off the side of the building. As he rips open the bag of chips the teen sits beside him slowly. He holds the bag between them, not looking at the kid as he uncaps his soda with his free hand.
“Thanks,” the kid says and he shrugs it off. They say nothing for a moment, the only sound between them the hiss of another soda opening and the crunch of chips. It’s kind of nice.
“You in school?” Max asks as he raises his soda for a sip.
“Yeah. I’m on break for the holidays, but I’ve got some projects to finish.”
“Your grades good? Keeping ‘em up despite the hero stuff?” he asks. The kid nods and he grins. “You smart?”
“I like to think so,” the younger Spider-Man says with a laugh. Max shakes his head as he grabs a few chips. “So… can I ask why you helped back there?”
“I shouldn’t have,” Max admits before popping the chips into his mouth. He crunches them slowly, eyes sweeping over the city before landing on the teen at his side. He doesn’t want to unload his mental health issues onto the kid so he goes for joking. “I wouldn’t exactly expect Vulture to swoop down and save you.”
“Or Rhino,” the kid says with amusement, a smile on his lips that Max can see with his mask rolled up. Max laughs, trying not to think about that particular villain crashing into the kid at his side. They fall into a comfortable silence as the kid eats a few more chips. “So, is this gonna be a regular thing for you? Helping save the day?”
“I don’t think anyone would buy that,” Max drawls as he raises his soda to his lips. He takes a few gulps before lowering it and giving the kid a bump with his elbow. The teen smiles at him and Max knows what he’s going to do. With the meds there’s no voices to talk him out of it. “If you need help you let me know okay? I get that you’re your own hero and all that, but part of being one should be knowing that sometimes there’s shit you need help with.”
“That’s what Pe-Spider-Man said,” the teen says, quickly trying to correct his mistake. “He’s uh, going out of town for something and he’s trusting me to keep an eye on the city while he’s gone.”
“This whole city?” Max asks, unable to help the disbelief in his voice. The question earns him a nod and he groans as he fishes his phone from his pocket. “Give me your number. If you need help, I’m the last person anyone expects to see at your side.”
“You’d really help me out?” the teen asks. “What if it’s Scorpion? Or Vulture?”
“If Mac or Adrian break out of prison you’ll definitely need the help,” he points out. The young hero nods before rattling off a number. Max sends a lightning bolt emoji to the number before standing up. “I’ll see you around Training Wheels.”
“Hey!” The indignant shout makes him laugh as he lets himself drop from the roof to the ground.
XxX
The worst part about being out of prison when so many of the others are in is Max has no social circle and a million little requests. Mac wants him to bring a certain candy. Adrien wants pictures of birds. The hardest one? The one that makes him the most uncomfortable? Checking on Flint’s daughter.
It’s not like she’s a bad kid or anything, in fact it’s quite the opposite. She’s doing really well. Her health has improved since Flint got the money for her medical treatments. She even goes to school now which is where the problem is. Flint wants to know that she’s hanging out with a good crowd and that leaves him trailing behind a group of four very obviously high school aged students.
Max knows he’s a suspicious looking guy even if no one knows exactly who he is. The scars? The worn out clothes? He’s lucky if he can get anywhere them without someone calling the cops.
He’s seen the pictures Flint keeps of his daughter in his cell, so spotting her is easy in the cutesy outdoor market. Max keeps his beanie covered head down, making sure no one can see his scars clearly, and moves closer to the group. Flint’s daughter is deep in conversation with the girl beside her, both using sign language to communicate. He makes out a few words from his angle. Something about studying, something about her mother, before he checks out the other two teens.
One looks like the word harmless given human form. His thick glasses are pointed directly at his phone that he hasn’t looked up from since Max started tailing them. It’s almost impressive that he hasn’t run into anything. The other teen… he’s absolutely adorable but something about the way he looks around sets off a warning bell in Max’s head. He doesn’t look like trouble, doesn’t look like he’s readying for a fight, but something about the set of his jaw says that he could handle one if it happened.
Max is slightly impressed with the choice of friends. He knows Flint will be proud when he relays that his daughter is doing well. He almost turns to go, wanting to just make the call and be done with this for the week, when the glued-to-his-phone one makes the other boy smile. Max stares at it, easily able to picture a black and red mask obscuring the top half of the face, and can’t help the words that tumble past his lips.
“Training Wheels.” It doesn’t leave his lips a question, but he’s got about a million of them for the Spider-Man he’s actually fought. This kid? This is his protege?! He’s adorable! He looks like preciousness given human form! Maybe he’s overdone the whole therapy thing because nothing is going to stop him from keeping this kid safe.
With a slightly evil smile he pulls out his phone and pulls up the contact named Training Wheels. His thumb hovers over the dial icon, wondering if the kid has two phones or if he really gave Electro his actual phone number. Curious, he taps and watches the kid fumble to pull a phone from his pocket. Those innocent eyes widen as he stares at the screen. Max ends the call without letting him pick up.
“Are you kidding me?” a rather indignant female voice scoffs. Max tries to school his expression as he pockets his phone.
“Hey Penny,” he greets as the teen stomps over to him.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Why are you here?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Your dad-”
“If he really cared he’d be here,” she snaps and that sends a bolt of anger sparking over Max’s hand. He quickly fumbles for the rubber stress ball he keeps in his hoodie pocket, squeezing it and letting the ball absorb his annoyance.
“He’s in there because he cares about you,” he says flatly. “He just wants you to be okay, wanted me to check-”
“I don’t need a convicted felon following me,” she hisses out.
“Penny?” Training Wheels asks as he steps closer. Max looks at him, sees him realize who she’s yelling at, and smiles.
“Go away,” Penny hisses before the teen is at her side.
“Everything good over here?” Training Wheels asks warily.
“I’m fine Miles,” she says as she spins and walks back to the others. It leaves Max and Miles staring at each other.
“Miles huh?” he asks, just to be a little bit of a shit. Still a villain y’know? “I’m still gonna call you Training Wheels.”
“How did you…” Miles trails off and Max shrugs.
“Secret’s safe with me kid. Just… keep an eye on Penny yeah? Her dad worries and obviously I’m not someone she wants hanging around.” Max turns to leave, mind already on what he can coax the little old lady who runs the restaurant beneath his apartment to give him for dinner.
XxX
He’s halfway through a container of chicken teriyaki when his phone buzzes. Max sighs, rolls his chopsticks to the side of his mouth, and grabs his phone from the empty seat beside him with his now free hand. He lifts it to his ear as he answers the call, not looking away from the laptop balancing on his lap.
“What?” he asks of whoever is on the line.
“Max?” Training Wheels’ voice is quiet and weird. Immediately he pauses his show.
“Where are you?” the question is out of his mouth before he can even think it through.
“I’m on the roof of an apartment building in Harlem. Look… you obviously know electricity and I need help.”
“Someone stealing my shtick?” he asks as he stands and closes his container.
“Uh, I might be?” The words sound like a question and that worries him.
“Stay where you are I’m coming kid,” he reassures as he shoves on his boots and opens his door.
XxX
He makes it to the roof that Training Wheels texts him, landing softly and rushing over at the sight of the slumped spider. With a wary hand he touches the kid’s shoulder and feels the hum of electricity in the smaller body. This is definitely weird but not unusual for him. It’s feels like how his own body processes electrical energy. A relieved chuckle leaves his lips as he crouches beside the teen.
“You had me worried Training Wheels,” he chides halfheartedly. It earns him a panicked noise that’s something between a whimper and a grunt. “It’s electricity, you’re channeling it like I do. Did you touch something? A wire? A generator-”
“I was fighting someone with some weird new tech,” Miles says, voice dripping with discomfort. “They jabbed me with it and now I’m zappy.”
“You’re channeling it. Send it to me,” Max coaxes gently. A webbed glove rests over his hand and Max feels the power flow into him. “Okay, so this is a thing. I’m guessing this is a new power?”
“Yeah? I think I did it once before but this is the longest its ever lasted.” The kid already sounds better. Good. Max curls his hand into a fist and lets the sparks dance across his knuckles.
“C’mon Training Wheels. Teacher Max is here to help.”
XxX
They spend an hour on the roof together. Max takes it slow, starting with sending just enough electricity the kid’s way to get him used to the sensation of it coursing through his body. When it seems like Miles is growing used to it they work on ways he can use it for fighting. Contact seems like a great place to start. Learning how much incapacitates is vital to the whole hero thing. Max is the obvious choice for a practice dummy, especially since it doesn’t harm him at all, and they work on getting the current under control until Miles’ stomach growls.
“Alright swing home, I’ve got some teriyaki chicken to finish anyway,” Max says as he steps back. The kid surprises him by holding out a fist and he bumps it warily. “Call if you need anything okay?”
“I will,” Miles reassures as he hesitates. “Uh, Max?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have… plans for the holiday?” The question is surprising. Max shakes his head no in response. “Would you want to come to my place for dinner? My mom’s making it and it’s really good.”
“Kid I don’t think your mom would approve of Electro sitting at the dining room table,” he points out. When the teen looks ready to protest he sighs. “How exactly are you going to explain me showing up? Does she know you’re doing this whole hero thing?”
“No,” the teen sighs, looking down at the rooftop. “She’d definitely freak out about it.”
“And having a guy that’s attacked the original Spider-Man in her home is probably the last thing she wants this time of year. It’s… thanks for offering,” he says sincerely, “but it’s just who I am y’know? Besides I’ve got people to visit. Mac, Adrien, maybe Flint if he’s not on his ex’s good side. I’m a text or call away if you need me Training Wheels, but I’m not gonna ruin anything for your family. I’ll see ya.”
He can’t stay with that. There’s something in him about to give up and agree. That’s a horrible thing to do, which he absolutely knows, so he jumps from the roof and lets electricity guide him safely to the sidewalk.
XxX
It hits Max as he sits on his futon in his tiny apartment that night. Training Wheels? Miles? He’s like the kid brother he never had. He wants to help him, wants to be there for him, but he’s basically poison to a family gathering.
What’s he supposed to do? Knock on the door? Bring a nice wine? A dessert? How does he even explain that? “Hi Miles’ mom, why yes I am Electro. Why yes I’ve hung out with your teenaged son twice and he invited me to dinner.” Just the thought of that meeting has him scoffing. She’d scream, call the cops, and he’d be right back behind bars.
His mind wanders to the original Spider-Man, unable to help but think about what he’s doing. Is he okay? Why would he leave Training Wheels like this? It has to be something important right? Maybe he’s helping the Avengers? Max has never tangled with them, but he knows that they get up to a lot outside of the city. If he’s helping them does that mean he’s done in New York? What if he doesn’t come back?
“Woah,” he says aloud to his empty apartment. “Why do you care?”
The answer is there, unspoken but felt in his chest. He knows why he cares. Hell, he knew before he got on the meds, the voices just made it harder to recognize. He’s got a suspiciously spider-shaped hole in his heart that he can’t ever let himself focus on.
With a groan he pushes the thoughts away once more and lets his eyes close.
XxX
“Ganke, this Max. Max, Ganke,” Miles introduces him to his friend. Max nods in greeting, unsure if the teen would be comfortable with shaking his hand.
“Wow you’re… scarier in person,” Ganke says carefully and Max looks to Miles for how to handle this.
“He’s fine, c’mon. We’ve built an app for people to report crimes and hopefully make getting where I’m needed easier,” Miles explains as he pulls out his phone. Max cautiously leans towards him, hoping that his mom doesn’t look at the window of their apartment and see her son talking amicably to him. “This thing’s already pretty popular, but I’m worried about this Tinkerer. Their guys are the ones I fought last night and-”
“They’ve got serious tech,” Max agrees as Miles pulls up reports about suspicious activity that happened overnight. “Okay, I can poke around, see what my sources know. If this isn’t just some idiot with too much money and no common sense then count me in.”
“Awesome,” Miles responds, that adorable smile on his face that makes Max want to wrap him in bubble wrap.
“Are you… seriously helping?” Ganke asks warily, phone in his hand. Max shrugs, trying to figure out how to explain that this is all really new to him, when the door opens and a woman stares.
“Miles..?” she trails off slowly and Max knows who she is. Panic shoots through his body and he grips the rubber stress ball to keep from zapping.
“Mom! Hi,” Miles greets. “This is uh, this is Max. We ran into him at the market yesterday with Penny and Hailey. He was checking on her for her dad.”
“Right…” she says, voice dripping with wariness.
“I’m not… I’m on meds now,” Max offers, hating how awkward that is to say to someone. “Trying to be a better person than I was. I was walking by and I can just go-”
“No,” Miles’ mother says with a smile that actually seems genuine, “please, I’m sorry. My name’s Rio. Do you… want some coffee? We’re having a dinner tonight for the holiday, why don’t you come join us?”
“Uh,” Max responds, glancing at Miles who nods emphatically. “I don’t want to impose ma’am-”
“Come inside, that hoodie doesn’t look warm enough with all this snow,” she insists and Max nods.
“Okay…” he offers for agreement as they are ushered up the steps and into the building.
It shouldn’t be terrifying. He’s Electro. He’s faced Spider-Man how many times? He’s literally a human being capable of channeling and controlling electricity with his body, and he’s almost squeezing the stress ball in half as he kicks off his worn out boots to the side of a nice welcome mat. He’s shaking and definitely sparking as he follows Rio into the cozy kitchen filled with the smell of delicious cooking.
“I hope you like a rather non traditional version of a Christmas meal,” she says pleasantly as she pours him a mug of coffee.
“If the way it smells in here is any indication,” he responds carefully, “I’m gonna love it.”
XxX
It’s nicer than anything Max has ever been invited to before. Rio, Ganke, Miles, and the late arrival Phin are all ridiculously nice. He’s so at ease that he hasn’t had to use his stress ball since he initially walked in. Rio is telling embarrassing stories about Miles growing up and Max wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. He likes the family dynamic that he’s never been apart of before.
They eat together around the table and Max joins the conversation with ease. It’s really refreshing to be seen as Max and not Electro. They aren’t judgmental about his past. He laughs at a robotics project gone wrong that Ganke tells them about and, before he knows it, he realizes that he’s been accepted into this mishmash of people. It makes it that much harder when he looks at Phin and sees the distance in her gaze. There’s something wrong, something she’s not talking about, and he can’t help but wonder if she’s in trouble.
He doesn’t know her at all, doesn’t know how to begin to ask about something like that, so he grabs Miles and drags him down the hall. Once they’re out of earshot he tells him that something is definitely wrong with Phin, he knows the signs, and that Miles should talk to her later about how she’s doing. The teen looks distraught over the possibility and he can’t help but set a hand on his shoulder, promising that he’ll help if it’s something dangerous. It earns him a hug and he freezes at the contact before carefully returning it. Yeah, he’s definitely earned himself a little brother.
XxX
“Phin’s Tinkerer!” Miles hisses over the phone. Max immediately sits up on his futon.
“What? How do you-”
“It’s a long story but I need help!” Miles whispers. “This is beyond bad-”
“It’s alright kid,” Max reassures as he grabs his hoodie and zips it up. “Tell me where you are and I’m there.”
XxX
There are benefits to having a recognizable face in the underbelly of the crime world. Max just shows up to the hideout and they let him in, promising him that he’ll be seen by Tinkerer as soon as she’s done with something. He’s led into a big open room and looks up when he feels a shift in electricity in the air.
“Training Wheels?” he asks the air before him.
“Yeah. I followed Phin, realized who she was. Can you figure out why she’s doing this? Maybe we can help her out.”
Before he can respond someone in a mask storms in. He knows it’s Phin, but he has to admit that the branding of her little criminal organization is pretty good. She stops when she sees him, her mask pulling back slowly, and he changes his stance into a ready pose without consciously doing it.
“So this is the thing you were distant about at dinner,” he says in way of greeting. She scoffs and walks up to the table.
“You don’t know why I’m doing this,” she fires back with enough pain in her voice that Max knows she’s lost someone.
“Tell me, let me help in a better way than this,” he returns gently. She stares at him, her frown breaking down into acceptance, and explains.
XxX
“Okay so, without letting Phin know you’re Training Wheels,” he says as they stand on the roof across from the NuForm headquarters, “we need to get in, grab the evidence that this is actually an evil corporation, and get out.”
“Sounds ridiculously hard,” Miles says with a frown Max can hear behind his mask.
“You can go invisible and we can both manipulate electricity,” Max points out with a shrug. “This is going to be the easiest thing I’ve ever broken into. I’d rather not get caught, what with the parole and all, but I don’t want her doing something dumb.”
“I don’t want you getting arrested for helping me,” Miles says and Max snorts.
“Kid, you’re fine. I’m an adult making my own choices here. Let’s get in and out before they even know we’re there.” With that Max jumps from the roof and uses his powers to glide through the air, landing on the roof of the building with silent feet.
Without waiting to see if his presence is detected he fries the machinery on the roof. Everything sparks and the building falls silent from the usual hum. Cue Miles going in a vent, and Max has to do the hard part of wait and see what happens. It’s torture, he wants to make sure the kid’s okay, but he can’t go invisible so he’s stuck flying off to a safe roof and waiting with his phone in his hand. When it buzzes he raises it to his ear without looking away from the building.
“What?”
“I’ve got the live feed,” Ganke’s voice says softly. “He’s okay.”
“He better be. I’m not exactly known for my understanding nature,” Max spits out.
“Can I ask why you’re helping? I mean, I’m happy you are, but you have to admit it’s weird.”
“He’s a kid, my meds, take your pick,” Max responds, unable to help but grab the stress ball and give it a squeeze. “We need his files and we need her phone. Tell me if there’s anything going on with his end of it and I’m busting in.”
“Will do.”
XxX
Miles manages to grab both, much to Max’s relief. He hugs the teen when he’s back on the roof and doesn’t say a word about the nervous way the gesture is returned. They fly back to Harlem, find the roof Ganke has taken over, and Max sits on the folding chair in front of the camera.
This is the part that scares him. This is the part he can’t take back. He gives the teens a nod and watches as Ganke presses the button. This is it. He takes a steadying breath as they get everything plugged in, and gives the camera his full attention.
“My name is Max Dillon, though you probably know me better as Electro. As the resident expert on all things electricity I have to tell you that NuForm isn’t safe. In fact it’s proven to be highly toxic to those who have worked on bringing it into existence. The following is cellphone footage taken by an employee and his younger sister. The employee was terminated from his job and barred from speaking to the public, preceding his death.
“Every news organization in New York City is getting copies of files detailing exactly how the owner Simon Krieger knew it was dangerous and pushed the project through development anyway. Simon has not only the blood of Rick Mason on his hands, but the other employees who worked on the project. And Simon, if you’re dumb enough to come after me for exposing you, just know that I’m more dangerous than you.”
Ganke switches the feed to the cellphone footage and Max stands from the chair. He walks over to Miles who takes off his mask. A brilliant smile greets him and he waves whatever the teen wants to say away.
“Using my evil reputation for good… I like it,” he says as Ganke uploads the video to the app and other social media sites. Max doesn’t really understand what he’s doing, but he feels good about it.
“Just wait until I tell Spider-Man,” Miles says, bumping their shoulders. Max huffs out a laugh.
“I doubt he’s going to like that you’ve been anywhere near me, but we’ll fight over custody of you away from you,” he jokes as he walks to the edge of the roof. “See you around Training Wheels.”
XxX
Simon Krieger is arrested. Max watches it happen on Miles’ laptop as the teen finishes up his new suit. When a web hits his arm he turns in the desk chair and nods at the red and black suit, clapping his approval. Miles bows to him before tossing something his way. Curious, Max catches it and unfolds the fabric to reveal an electric blue spider on the long sleeve shirt.
“Oh no,” he laughs as he stands. “I’m not joining the Boy Scouts. Besides, I can’t exactly spin webs or stick to walls.”
“No, but you can do good. You’ve proven that.”
“Kid-”
“Miles,” the teen insists and Max grins.
“Miles,” he amends, “I don’t think I’m ever gonna have the approval of Spider-Man.”
“He just got back into town,” Miles says as he pulls on his mask and opens the window. “Why don’t you see what he has to say?”
“What? No,” Max declines, looking away as he feels his face heat up.
“Wait… do you-”
“I’m leaving,” Max quickly says as he tries to move past the teen. The little traitor laughs as they climb out the window and onto the fire escape.
“You like him! I’m gonna tell him!”
“Don’t you dare!” Max shouts, amusement and panic in his voice.
“You don’t want me to? Then you better catch me,” Miles taunts before firing off a web and flying.
“Dammit,” Max groans before he takes off in his wake.
XXX