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The new kid was… weird, to say the least. He swept through Gotham High like a wraith, barely noticed by teachers and students alike. He had just shown up one day, appearing in almost all of Duke’s classes, nobody took a second glance. That wasn’t the weird part, new students appeared in Gotham every so often, nothing strange about that. No, the weird part was the white blonde streak in his hair and the glowing green eyes, both of which signified he’d been in the Lazarus Pits. The weird part was the delicate waif-like visage he constantly sported, like he’d seen more horror than anyone could ever imagine and was broken for it. The fucking weird part was the multitude of shades that followed the young boy around, whispering in his ear at all times, guiding him from what Duke could tell.
There were many of them, most in strange costumes, some even alien looking, but all following the boy. Peter. Sometimes only one or two of them were there at a time, most frequent were a black man wearing a pack on his back and flight goggles and another man with a super advanced looking metal arm. Sometimes more of them appeared, all floating around Peter and conversing with him as though that were a totally normal thing to do.
He could only hear them sometimes and he wasn’t sure why. But still, even if nobody else noticed, Duke did. And so he watched.
School had ended fifteen minutes earlier and Duke had unfortunately had to stay behind to turn in a late assignment from when he’d been home on bedrest.
His footsteps came to an abrupt halt when he heard a familiar voice around the corner. Standing outside the bathroom, was Peter, groaning in frustration.
“ Come on, Pete.” One of the ghosts, the man with the flight goggles whined, pouting at Peter dramatically while the metal arm guy cackled eerily. “ Just talk to them.”
“No!” Peter retorted.
“Sam’s right, kid.” The metal arm guy said, throwing a non corporal arm over Peter’s shoulder.
“I don’t need any help!” Peter snapped. “I’m fine.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “ Hey! Listen to your Uncle Sam and Uncle Bucky. You’re not fine. You’re starving.” He said, his worry clear.
“I am fine.” Peter hissed, clenching his eyes shut. The ghosts flickered in and out of view, a bald man with an eyepatch joining them and looking straight at Duke.
“You’re being watched.” Duke read the man’s lips, flinching back around the corner and booking it away from the school when Peter’s eyes snapped towards him.
He didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all.
Duke was sitting directly behind Peter in physics class, his lips pressed together as he tried desperately to focus on the lesson. He needed to pay attention, he already sucked at Physics and he didn’t need anything to distract him.
Too bad today was one of those days that Duke could audibly hear Peter’s ghosts. There was only one right now, a woman in a red leather suit with some sort of crown, her ginger hair defying gravity. She was floating next to Peter, a serene smile on her face. There was a small quirk to her lips as she pestered Peter.
He’d come to find out that the shades could hear Peter’s’ thoughts, so even in situations like this where they were in class, the ghosts were having full conversations with Peter.
“ Peter, you should be paying attention to the class. Not doodling. ” The woman scolded gently, a teasing look in her eye.
“ I know you already know this but it’s rude to draw while your teacher is talking. ”
“ Don’t ‘Wanda’ me. ”
A scoff. “ Just because I didn’t finish highschool doesn’t mean- oh whatever nerd.”
“ You definitely are! ”
“May I go to the restroom?” Duke blurted, shoving his hand into the air.
Mrs. Thomas sniffed at him, narrowing her eyes but nodded. “Take the hall pass.” Came her nasally answer. “Be quick.”
“Yes ma’am.” Duke said, face burning as he grabbed the hall pass. He couldn’t handle this. He could handle a lot of things; his parents attack, being a vigilante, joining the Wayne Family. But not this. This random guy with over a dozen ghosts attached to him. That he talked to! Like they were real, living people.
Ghosts weren’t supposed to be like that. Ghosts were usually attached to something or someone extremely important to them and have a singleminded focus or obsession. They can’t think or talk the way Peter’s ghosts did. Peter’s ghosts acted like (mostly) normal people, able to keep up with the moment. They were aware of their surroundings and Peter especially.
And, well, Peter? He glowed.
Duke had been watching closely for signs of Lazarus Pit effects. He had heard a lot about how Jason had been when he’d first come back to life. Jason wasn’t exactly the nicest person nowadays but he was far from the man everyone else described from not so long ago. So, he made sure to keep an eye out.
But to his surprise, nothing. Not even a twitch. Peter was placid and smiley as ever, no random bouts of anger or frustration, no flashing green eyes or clenched fists.
It was strange. Duke couldn’t help but take notice. How was he able to control it so well? It had taken Jason years and from what Duke could tell of Peter’s aura, he had died rather recently.
Peter seemed calm for the most part, if a bit jumpy at times. Given his situation, of which Duke was sure he knew very little, it was understandable that he be on edge sometimes.
Sometimes, when Peter’s emotions did get the better of him, because he was human after all, a man in a cape and a female with antennae would show up. The female would put her hand on Peter’s shoulder and close her eyes, her antennae would glow white. The caped man would whisper into Peter’s ear, but Duke had yet to get close enough to hear during one of those moments.
Why were there so many and why were they all attached to Peter? He had come to terms with the fact that these were not normal shades, but the more he watched, the more curious he became. He couldn’t stop himself from watching, from absorbing everything he could about Peter. He was just so interesting .
He wouldn’t have known who Spider-Man was if it weren’t for the ghosts happily trailing the vigilante. He didn’t say a word.
School food was disgusting but Duke was starving so he rushed into the lunch line, into the mass of sweaty, smelly teenagers, to get something to fill his stomach. He sighed, grumbling under his breath as people kept bumping into him. As he waited, his eyes scanned the room for Tim and Steph, but instead caught on a passing figure.
Peter was alone for the first time that Duke had ever seen, no clear ghost in sight. The shades were still surrounding him, but it seemed like none of them had pushed forward to talk to Peter directly.
He was sitting alone at the corner table, shoveling the disgusting school food down at an alarming rate. His mind raced.
‘You’re not fine. You’re starving’
Duke bit his lip, he knew how this kind of stuff went. Kid that doesn’t have any known address on file, who acts as a vigilante in his spare time. Yeah, no. He really should look into this guy more closely.
Maybe he should go sit next to him. For interrogation purposes only. And maybe because he looked a little lonely and it made Duke’s chest clench.
So he might have stolen Tim’s laptop to run a background check, but in his defense, Tim had better software on his personal devices.
Peter Benjamin Parker, age sixteen, born and raised in Queens, New York. Parents died when he was four, grew up with his Aunt and Uncle until they both died in a mugging gone wrong last year. Like he thought, no known Gotham Address but weirdly enough it seemed like he’d been emancipated after his relatives deaths. No mention of any other family or friends that had passed away, nobody in relation to him that looked like any of his ghosts. It was all so… normal.
Then he realized it was all forged.
Jesus, who was this kid?
Duke was out on patrol, Tim and Steph deciding to come along with him for the day. School had gotten out a few hours ago and since then, Duke had been on the streets.
He may or may not have been keeping an eye out for Spider-Man but that was neither here nor there. Unluckily for him, Spider-Man was nowhere to be found so far.
It seemed like the arachnid themed vigilante had a knack for not being found unless he wanted to. He had been driving the whole family crazy with his sudden appearance and startling competence. They were, of course, suspicious. Duke was suspicious too, but he had far different reasons for that suspicion.
His thoughts were racing as they landed on a rooftop, surveying the streets below. He jumped out of his skin when a fourth body dropped onto the gravel, landing on light feet.
Duke looked up to see Peter, Spider-Man standing in front of them nervously. He was wringing his hands and shifting on his feet, the eyes of his mask wide.
The two ghosts, Sam and Bucky, were floating behind him, each keeping a gentle hand on the boys shoulder.
Duke’s eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. Against his will, his gaze was drawn to the two men behind Peter and unfortunately for him, they noticed.
Bucky’s eyes narrowed while Sam’s went wide, surprise clear on both of their faces. Duke fought a flinch and let his eyes drift away in what he hoped was a natural manner. Unless they were experts in reading body language, they wouldn’t notice. Bucky’s eyes stayed narrowed behind Peter’s shoulder but he turned his attention to Peter instead of watching Duke.
“ You can do this, kiddo. They’ll help you .” Bucky murmured, incorporeal hand squeezing at Spider-Man’s shoulder. He wondered for a moment if Peter could feel them.
Spider-Man didn’t say a word, just shook his head minutely.
“ You do need help, kid, even if you won’t admit it. We need help. Come on, be brave Pete.” Sam said, scoffing lightly.
Spider-Man’s hands fisted and he took a deep breath, looking at the three vigilantes in front of him with a grim look that somehow translated through his mask. “I need your help.” He gritted out through clenched teeth.
“A-Are you okay?” Duke asked softly, unable to help himself. He ignored the looks shot at him by Tim and Steph.
Spider-Man blinked, eyes darting towards Duke. “No.” He said succinctly. “I’m from another universe.” He practically blurted in a whisper. “And I need your help.” He repeated again.
What the hell?