Chapter 25: Teamwork makes the dream work

The top of the Clocktower was covered in snow but, thankfully, the wind had been calm so far this afternoon, and the blizzard had long since stopped. The city glistened with frost and ice, a jewel with a dark and corrupted heart. It looked beautiful.

Even better, the sun was high enough to help with some of the winter's chill. Peter felt infinitely thankful for it, as he could feel the cold even with his brand new coat on -yet another cut taken out of his budget. Jason had insisted on dropping him in front of a secondhand clothing store when he heard he wanted to take some time to think on his own. For a human who drove so carelessly and had no issue shooting directly at a vigilante's tank, he was oddly concerned about his younger friend's health.

As soon as he had finished picking up some new cheap clothes and shoes, he had headed out, to get some privacy. He needed to think.

The highest place he knew in that area of the city was the Clocktower. By then, he did not truly care who saw him run slightly faster than the average human and the trip to Old Gotham had been fast, full of jumping and sliding. He missed the freedom of swinging between buildings but, hopefully, he would soon feel it again.

He had not been able to find a jacket as good as his damaged one but he did sport an almost new pair of pants and some thick leather boots. He simply would have to wait until he had more time to fix it up. Until then, he would have to settle for the thick fabric of his winter coat.

Well… technically he did have time. He was simply choosing to spend it on top of a Clocktower, right next to a police station.

Sneaking past the dozen or so officers around the old church had barely been a challenge, what with everybody seemingly being busy with various forms of work. He had quickly ended up sitting there, on the edge of the roof, staring at the city under him. The streets were oddly quiet this late in the morning. He could taste the apprehension dripping off the civilians who did dare come out of their houses and apartments. It was thick and sour, a mix of fear and excitement.

It wasn't quite the highest spot he could get to in North Gotham but the bridges seemed too risky in bright daylight. On top of that, he had always had a fondness for old buildings, especially when he needed some time to think by himself. Ancient stones spoke to him in a way glass and metal never could. 

Still, he wished he did not have to deal with so much snow and, more than that, he dearly missed his perfectly insulated suit. Unfortunately, he doubted his next one would protect so well against the cold, a necessary sacrifice to be able to make the more importants parts of his outfit.

Better get used to it, I suppose, he thought idly. Jason never seemed as affected by the cold as he was, at least not in the few days since he had met him. Yet another thing the older boy appeared more experienced with than him. 

It had been such a short amount of time between now and their first encounter, yet it had seemed much longer. He felt as if they had known each other for weeks, perhaps even months. Having to go out during a disaster so soon after meeting each other likely had a lot to do with it. More than most, he knew the power this type of shared experience held in the way of forging bonds. Nothing quite like having to face life threatening odds together to bring people closer.

Still, it had truly been a short amount of time. Jason had said it was an "opportunity" for him, yet had also mentioned that he was beginning to trust him. Was it the truth or was it simply a way to convince him to work together?

He did not use to doubt people that much but, after so many surprises and bad experiences in Gotham, and after what happened in his original universe, he couldn't help but feel a bit jaded. Only a few days… But they had spent a lot of time together, all things considered.

He sighed, bringing his legs back from the edge of the roof to cross them. He rested his elbows on his knees, chin tucked in his hands. A former rogue…

The more he looked at it, especially with a calmer mindset, the more it looked like Jason had either made a rash impulsive decision by asking him to join up, or had been thinking about it all along but did not wish to tell him. The second option was a lot more worrying than the first, especially since, as teammates, they were supposed to trust each other.

I do trust him to have my back, he decided. But do I trust what he told me?

He felt like something was missing. Going from villain to vigilante was quite a switch in attitude and, although he wanted to take a shot at helping rehabilitate someone, would always want to take a shot at it, he still could not shake that thought. There was something he didn't know, or did not fully understand about Jason. It could be something the other teen wanted of him, or perhaps something in his background he hadn't divulged yet.

Whatever it was, it was disturbing him enough that he had to come there.

Only a few days…

But if he had been a villain on the way to redemption, how would he have reacted at the opportunity to team up with someone he was friendly with? It wasn't like Jason hadn't been helpful or kind before that night.

He already knew you were a metahuman.

Even then, his friend- yes, his friend, had ran into a collapsing building with him. He had come back to help him escape a group of vigilantes who clearly outgunned both of them in terms of technology and means.

Jumping on an opportunity or planned manœuvre? 

Still, he had agreed to a month of working with him and he would not go back on his word. If there was a shot at helping someone get out of the environment that had ended so many lives he had once loved, he would take it. Rehabilitation was something he believed in with his whole heart, despite everything that had happened.

In the end, his convictions had been validated, he had managed to help people, before Strange cast his second spell.

"Whether or not he's lying," he muttered, his words accompanied by puffs of pale air, "I still have to try it."

He liked Jason, he was becoming a close friend. Even if he had hated him, he would have taken this opportunity. That was what it was, in the end, an opportunity to do something, change someone's life.

"I need to encourage him." He whispered to himself, hands aching from the cold. "Do it right."

Peter nodded, his mind now fully made up. Getting up on the very edge of the roof, less than an inch away from the void, he stood up and stretched. He felt worn out but having reached a decision helped settle his nerves tremendously. He breathed in and out, tasting the crisp, cold air and smelling the thousands upon thousands of humans going about their daily lives under his feet.

He had not slept well on that thin, cold mattress, but at least he had gotten a couple hours of rest. The same couldn't be said for Jason, who had insisted on taking the floor. Same floor that was nothing but stone. He did not understand the older boy sometimes. Still, his friend had looked completely unbothered by his sleepless night.

Maybe he should put a carpet there, if he meant to sleep in the garage regularly. Then, with the bike, perhaps it wasn't such a good idea.

"I should put a carpet in my room."

And, on those wise words, Peter let himself fall forward, grabbing onto a stone gargoyle a few feet into his fall and quickly beginning his climb down. It only took a few seconds for him to reach the ground and, once he did, sticking to the shadows was enough to let him leave the area undetected. This was a good spot to sit and think, he would likely come back, especially once he finished his suit.

The way back to his apartment was familiar by now, most of North Gotham being part of his delivery route. He slid and jumped over mounds of snow and slates of thick ice, sometimes stopping to look down at the streets below. The previous night had left its mark on the city and only a few citizens were out that day, all of them armed. In contrast, the GCPD was roaming the neighborhood with numbers he hadn't seen them use before. Every road seemed to host at least two police cars, if not more. Thankfully, they did not seem to be patrolling the rooftops.

Now he just had to hope he didn't run into any Bats before making it back home. That would be a disaster.

oOo

The remainder of his run home was blessedly free of any trigger happy vigilantes. Better even than that, his room was completely devoid of bugs when he combed through it. He could hear Jason move around from behind the few walls separating them. Oddly, his presence remained calming. He had a friend, someone he could talk to.

Someone his age who knew he was a superhuman… a metahuman. More than that, someone who was aware of his desire to become a vigilante in this universe. Perhaps he should have felt wary, considering his neighbor's criminal history, but he had to go through with what he said. He had to try and, in order to give the team up a proper shot, he would have to trust the man, no matter his own misgivings.

You have met and worked with people who have done much worse, Parker. It's not like there's anyone he can kill if he betrays you anyway, May isn't there anymore.

Instead of soothing him, the thought sent a pang of pain in his mind and he had to sit still for a moment, breathing in and out deeply. He missed his aunt. He missed MJ and Ned.

How long had it been now? Two weeks? Three? His time in this world felt both like it had dragged on forever and like it had lasted the span of a few days. Everything was going so fast and changing so abruptly yet the events surrounding Strange's two spells seemed to have happened only a few hours ago. He remembered it in every single details, the fights, the research, the deaths…

The look on his friends' faces as he was dragged away into a maelstrom of raging colors, torn from their existence and thrown into a new one. Thrown into Gotham City.

If I had a chance, would I go back? Are they better off without me or do they miss me?

He never found the answers to his dark thoughts: a knock at the door shook him out of them before he could. He let Jason in with a smile, determined to give everything he had to their team up. It would not fail because of him.

"Hey kid, got some stuff for you." The older boy informed him, pushing the rest of the door open with his shoulder. His arms were full, carrying a large box that smelled like cardboard, fabric, leather and something… mechanical.

"Is there a sewing machine in there?" He wondered, trying to peer inside. "I have one already."

"Can you read minds too?" Jason raised an eyebrow, setting down his burden in the center of the room. He shot an unimpressed glance at Peter's tiny machine, shaking his head. "That isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Hey, I modded it!" The boy protested, heading towards his desk to pick up the item in question. "It can do a lot." He fidgeted with the various different add ons he had attached to it, raising an eyebrow at the other teen.

"It can do a lot, sure." As he replied, his friend crouched and started opening his box, revealing a monster of technology that had of sewing machine only the name. If Peter had modded his, Jason had completely deconstructed the concept of the machine to turn it into something both completely over the top and extremely complicated looking. It was bulky, with many different parts dangling, clamps and mean looking hooks. For some reason, it had also been painted bright red.

Whatever it had been modified for, it was not for simple clothes making. This had been designed to work with something extremely resistant. He thought he could see several different end pieces to fit on the machine, all with different shapes and sizes. Some were so small he would be afraid to break them by simply breathing too hard in their direction, some big enough to look like a comically large needle straight out of a cartoon.

"What is that?" He asked, once he was done staring in astonished silence. "Does it really need to be that big?"

Jason shrugged. "It can do pretty much anything I want it to. I even rigged it to help with soldering."

"Soldering."

"Yeah, not everyone can get away with Kevlar and some fancy synthetic fabrics, some of us need proper armor." The grin accompanying the sentence took all the bite it had out of it, but it did not help explain any of what the young man was saying either.

"Your sewing machine can solder metal." Peter repeated, just to make sure he hadn't misheard anything.

His friend grinned at him, looking more than smug now that he realized how much he had surprised the younger boy. "It can do that and more." He fiddled with the metallic beast for a few seconds then beamed again. "It can also insert cables and chips, among other things."

The New Yorker shook his head, at a loss for words. Upon seeing his friend's satisfied expression he shrugged. "That's not a sewing machine that's a- I don't even know what it is."

"It's Jason's Craft-It-All®." He was still smiling widely when he added: "I call it that because it can craft it all."

"I-" Peter sighed. "I don't know if that's any better than just calling it a sewing machine."

After a few seconds of silence, he leaned forwards, trying to figure out how exactly the beast of a machine was staying together. Not only was it large, it was also quite roughed up. Obviously, it had been taken along as his friend travelled and it had been broken then fixed up many many times before.

"Are you going to teach me how to use it?" He asked, wondering if he really wanted to be using this unholy amalgamation instead of his more rudimentary but still efficient tools.

Jason hesitated, frowning. "Depends, do you already have an idea of what you want?"

Peter snorted. "Of course I do!"

He shook his head with a laugh and headed to his red locker, pulling out the remains of the Iron Spider and his boxes of nanopods and components. After setting them down in front of his friend he went back to his desk and picked out his current main notebook, flipping through the pages until he found the schematics he was looking for.

'Spider-suit Mark I, by Peter Parker', the bottom of the page proudly identified the main sketch. He looked over it, overtaken by an odd feeling of anxiety as he read his ideas over and over again. His very first completed Spider-Suit and one he hoped could rival the efficiency of Tony's old and now defunct technology. No Stark machine to help him make his projects become reality this time, he only had his hands and his wits.

It was only after he plopped down next to Jason that he realized his friend had been silent for an uncharacteristically long time, staring at the destroyed battle suit on the floor.

Right. Not everyone had access to that kind of technology, especially not in this world. He fidgeted uncomfortably, wondering for yet one more time that day if he had just made a major mistake. 

"Did you steal this?" Was the first thing out of the older teen's mouth. It would have been offensive if not for the fact the young man had himself stolen his own hyper advanced bike. He could go with it as an excuse but, in the end, he could not bring himself to tarnish the memory of Tony's gift to him.

"No." He sighed, remembering Iron Man as he had been, at the very end. "A friend had tech he lended me to make this. It's destroyed now though."

"You made this." Jason mouthed, voice so quiet it was barely more than a breath of a sound.

"With help from his tech. He had a whole interface and AI to help with it. It's not that big of deal." He crossed his arms, now quite uncomfortable. "It's destroyed now." He had to repeat it a few times and, each time he did, it hurt a bit more.

It was hard to tell how advanced the suit was simply from looking at it but the level of craftsmanship that was put in it still remained obvious. It was a state of the art battle-suit, even now that it had been partly taken apart and that half of it had melted away.

"Sounds like you were friends with some interesting people." Jason mused, not pushing any further. That was one of his greatest qualities, in Peter's eyes. The young man would never push him, especially if he sensed he was uncomfortable with a topic. As if he had not revealed a high tech battle suit, the older boy went on: "So you said you had an idea?"

Biting his lower lip, the meta pushed his notebook forward, explaining his thought process as he flipped through the pages showcasing his first project. As he went on, Jason's posture straightened and he leaned forward slightly, nodding.

"The lower layer would be a mix of spandex for the inner joints and the synthetic silk. I thought of adding other materials but this will have to do for now." He switched to another page, tapping the spider web patterns drawn there with his index finger. "This will be made from the salvaged Ir-… the salvaged battle suit." He had to flip through the notebook a few more times to find the example he was looking for, showcasing the two different layers to his friend.

"So the web will be made of metal?" The older boy asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head back slightly. "Won't that hinder movement?"

"It's not just metal," Peter smirked, his anxiety now replaced by inspiration. "This suit was made to be fully programmable, the plates can move on a microscopic level, you just have to program the patterns in, or have an AI do it."

"I assume we don't have an AI available so do you plan on-"

"-writing it myself, yes."

His friend did not appear overly offended at being interrupted. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully, looking down at Peter with an odd look on his face. Was it curiosity, or perhaps… surprise? He couldn't stop himself from talking long enough to do more than wonder about it, though. He kept thinking about his project, what they could make together, how they would build it.

"So in the end this suit would be two layers, one of fabric and padded material and one of intelligent technology. When deactivated, it would look like this." He tapped the web pattern again, then turned the page. "When activated, it would go through different shapes, moving along the web to spread wherever I need it on the suit."

"A shifting spider web." Jason whistled. "I guess I should have expected you to pull something like this, you're very good at surprising me."

"That's not the only thing," Peter smiled, feeling his face heating up ever so slightly under the praise, "On the areas I can't bend, like the back of my thighs, I want to keep a larger amount of metal. If something shoots at me or hits the suit, I can shift it to where it's needed. I would need to program commands for it of course but-"

"-you would have an built in shield against brute force attacks."

Perhaps they weren't interrupting each other, he realized. They were simply finishing the other's idea, a good sign if they were meant to work together. His smile grew. He reached back to pick up the laptop on his bed, opening it to show the progress he was making on his coding projects. He did not mention most of it was a direct translation of the old Iron Spider protocols, instead staying silent and watching Jason's eyes widen.

"You wrote this?" His friend sounded more impressed than incredulous. "Damn kid, you're better at this than me, I can barely read what you made." He shook his head, whistling. "This is really solid. This might actually work."

They kept scrolling through the different files for a bit before focusing back on the two bundles in front of them. The damaged Iron Spider and the pile of fabric would come together to form a brand new suit and, if Peter was right, they should have enough materials left to make at least two more intelligent body armors. He had several different ideas for a more specialized Spider suit he could use in difficult situations. It would take a lot of effort to make it happen, but if he figured it out, he knew he would have a massive advantage out on the streets.

He clapped his hands, too excited to hold his energy back any longer. They still had more than five hours before having to head to work, a lot could be done in that time.

"If you want to help, I could really use someone to work on the lower layer. I'm more into tech than fabric, and there's still a lot I need to salvage." He pointed at the destroyed Iron Spider and the precious technology it held.

Jason nodded, rummaging through the cardboard box he had brought in, taking out a small silver object. As he started pulling a long strap of plastic out of it, Peter realized what it was.

"I need to check you out before I can do anything," the older teen wiggled the measuring tape at him, motioning for him to stand up. "It'll be a second."

And so, the two of them started working on the suit. It would not be done that night, or even the one after. However, once it was finished, it would be everything Peter had hoped for and more. Not quite as impressive as Tony's last gift to him but powerful enough to take on anything Gotham had to throw at him.

At least, he hoped so.

Notes:

Spider-man will be back soon ❤️

Am writing a side story with Dick's POV starting from the Firefly fight. It will be a mostly serious fic about what the bats are doing and what they think of our two boys.

Also we're getting close to the point where everything will start going faster. It's not quite there yet, but in a few chapters get ready for some violence.