#tiny spiders

Itsy-Bitsy Spider

July 2024

Musical inspiration, The Soft Moon, "Tiny Spiders" (album "The Soft Moon", 2010).

“Not going to lie, I’m shocked anyone can fall asleep with Clint’s talking.” Tony nodded in the direction of Peter who was still strapped into the Quinjet was leaning heavily to the side and clearly fast asleep.

Steve hummed but in comparison to the planes he remembered from the War, the smooth vibrations of the engine were particularly nice after such a long fight. He had his reservations about bringing a kid out there but Peter was useful, albeit confusing and hyper. In the field however he fought like the rest of them.

Now however the Captain had to remember this was just a kid. It weighed on him a bit, thinking about all the ways things could have gone sideways. Sure he could lift ten tons but he also had homework and a life beyond the Avengers. It was too early for fulltime service. “Damn Stevie, were we ever that young?” Bucky sheathed the knife was cleaning blood from with a casualness that added another weight to Steve’s stomach.

“About a hundred years ago.” He replied in all seriousness.

Suddenly Peter shot straight upward with a ragged inhale and Steve was out of his seat in a second. Missed injury, he thought immediately. It could be a collapsed lung? “Peter what hurts?” He asked as the kid blinked wearily at him.

“Oh, hey Captain Rogers Sir.” He made an effort to sit up straighter. “I’m fine! Just a bad dream.”

Shellshock at his age? Steve was never going to forgive himself for allowing Tony to convince him Peter was ready. “About the mission?” He thought of all the comforting things he could. Sam could talk to him. That would help. “You did what you had to do — ”

“Not about the mission.” He gave the team looking at him an owlish look. “Guys. It was crazy. You wanna hear it?”

Steve exhaled carefully. Maybe he hadn’t allowed him to be scared for life. He went back to his seat and Tony humored him. “Why not kid? We’ve got an hour until we’re back at the Tower.”

“Okay,” Peter grinned. “So like, I was at the Tower, just chilling you know and I walk past Captan Rogers who’s holding his shield. And y’know how the edges are really sharp? Well, I cut my arm on it.”

Steve looked down at his shield lying innocently beside him. The edges weren’t so sharp they should cause nightmares but maybe it was more intimidating than he realized.

“But!” Steve almost jumped at Peter’s suddenly increase in pitch. “When I cut myself, blood didn’t come out. My platelets had all grown legs so all my viens were just filled with tiny spiders and they all just came pouring out and I kinda deflated.”

Steve’s jaw was slacked and Tony’s brow furrowed. Steve was just imagined a swarm of spiders and he never was frightened of arachnids but now, maybe, he had gained a new fear. “What you’re just full of spiders?” Clint sputtered.

“Yeah! Crazy right!” Peter’s grin faltered a bit. “But that’s not possible right Mr. Stark?”

“Er, I fucking hope not.”

Peter’s eyes went impossibly wider. “Wait is there a chance I’m just a skin bag full of spiders?”

“Y’know I’m not loving this conversation topic.” Bucky snapped. “Not while we’re thousands of feet above the ground and going hundreds of miles. I don’t need to be covered in tiny Peter spiders thank you. I’ve been through enough.”

A silence fell, uneasy and everyone felt the ghost brushes of tiny spiders beneath their clothes. Bucky squirmed a bit. “Oh for fucks sake now I can’t stop thinking about it,” he shuddered and looked toward the cockpit. “I’m going to ask Bruce.”

“Don’t ask Bruce, this is a ridiculous thing to even consider.” Natasha said. “Peter how would that even make sense.”

“Well, I am Spider Man. Maybe the radioactive spider laid eggs in my veins.” Peter seemed to ponder it. “My spider sense is actually just all the spiders inside of me screaming at once.”

Tony shifted down another seat and Steve didn’t blame him. “If you don’t talk to Bruce I am,” Clint said suddenly. “He’s got like a billion PhDs. He’ll know if Peter is actually just full of tiny spiders.”

“You know this fear is completely irrational right?” Natasha threw her hands up. “Do you think I’m full of spiders because they call me Black Widow?”

“No! You weren’t bit by an actual spider.” Clint pointed at her accusingly. “I am a grown man, if I want to fear teenagers full of spiders that’s well within my American rights. Isn’t that correct Steve?”

Steve wondered if they tiny spiders were poisonous but felt foolish asking. “Yeah — in your dream did they...do anything?”

“Just kinda scurried all over.” Peter shrugged helplessly. “Free from my skin prison.”

“Clint! Ask! Banner! If! It’s! Possible!” Bucky practically roared.

Clint hastened to do just that. “Peter you’ve gotten cuts before right? Did you bleed spiders then?” Bless Natasha for trying to end this ridiculous charade.

“No. But maybe they weren’t ready yet.”

“Shut up Peter.” Bucky snapped and Steve glared at him. “I don’t like spiders Steve in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Oh.” How had Steve forgotten about his hatred of all things with too many legs. “God, I forgot about all that.”

“I’m supposed to the forgetful one Rogers.” Bucky winked a bit as Clint came clamoring back in.

“So! According to Banner there is no known ways you could be full of tiny spiders. He also added there is also no known ways that you couldn’t be full of tiny spiders because you’re virtually unstudied and he doesn’t know how your biology works. He says it’s a fascinating subject and if you’re worried about it, try and keep your skin unpuntured until you get to the lab.”

Clint took the furthest seat from Peter who stared down at his hands in a sort of childish fascination. “What the fuck.” Bucky breathed.

“Think I could name them all Peter Parker and just one of them Parker Peter so like they get together and are like ‘my name is Peter Parker’ and ‘oh my name is Peter Parker’ and ‘everyone is Peter Parker! Except that guy he’s Parker Peter. No one knows where he came from’.” Peter looked up expectantly as if anyone could respond his nonsense.

“That would be a positive spin to you being full of spiders.” Clint nodded his head in agreement.

“How would we tell them apart? Besides Parker Peter.” Tony cut in. “It makes more sense to number them.”

“We could just kill them all. With fire.” Bucky said with a shrug.

“But they’re my babies,” gasped Peter.

“You wouldn’t want the tiny spiders inside of you to be killed?” Steve didn’t understand. “You’re just empty skin without them right? Do you have organs or are those spiders?”

“Maybe I’m just all spiders,” Peter poked his leg in a testing away and Steve flinched. “My brain is probably not spiders.”

Goldenrod Crab Spider on a Sunflower

September 2023

July 2024