Marvel's Kid Arachnid: Vol 1

i can't see you anymore

Harper shook off the cold as they walked up the stairs and headed for the door of their apartment. They reached to unlock it when they heard someone walking up from behind. They peered at the person, then turned around fully.

"Tanya," they said. 

Tanya, unlike Harper, had prepared for the sudden rain. She held an umbrella in one hand, the other busy fidgeting with her coat. 

"The funeral was today."

"I know," Harper replied solemnly. 

"Did your parents-"

"They didn't let me go."

Tanya sighed. "Oh, Harper. I'm sorry." She gently rubbed Harper's arm, her brown eyes sympathetic. 

Harper chewed on their lower lip and looked away for a second. Tanya rose her hand to Harper's face and brought her thumb over their cheek. But Harper moved away.

"I can't do this," Harper muttered. "I can't do this to you."

"What?"

Harper unlocked the door and grabbed the knob, but didn't open it. For some reason, their hand was shaking. 

"I can't see you anymore," they said, abruptly, taking Tanya by surprise. 

"What do you mean?" She asked, reaching for Harper's other hand. 

"Everything's too dangerous. I'm not good for you- I can't do this to you."

They looked Tanya in the eyes. She looked heartbroken, sad and confused all at the same time. Harper didn't want to do this, to...leave her. Abandon her. Because that's what they felt like they were doing.

But if Harper was Kid Arachnid, and Kid Arachnid was a vigilante, then they'd just be putting Tanya in danger. 

They had lost someone already. Someone dear to them. Harper couldn't bear to lose Tanya.

Not Tanya.

"What are you talking about?" Tanya took Harper's hand into her own and squeezed it firmly, looking up at them, pleadingly. "What do you mean you're not good for me?" 

When Harper didn't answer, Tanya put the pieces together herself.

"It's you. That's the reason you were skipping class. Why you weren't answering your cell, why you seemed so tired, why you were so busy...you're Kid Arachnid."

"I'm sorry, okay? I can't see you anymore."

Tanya bit her lip, blinking away the tears in her eyes. In Harper's eyes, she could see their guilt. She could see the mask Harper had taken up. And instead of arguing, she sighed and gave in, defeated, not wanting to put more stress on her friend but feeling betrayed nonetheless.

Harper watched her leave, wanting to reach out, but only standing there. They were frozen in place as they heard Tanya's steps down the stairs. 

They pushed their feelings down and trudged to their room, where they shut the door and plopped on their bed. 

They stared at the ceiling. Waiting, but not sure what for. Reliving the events of two weeks ago. Their leg still ached sometimes from getting cut after the explosions. They dragged their thumb over where the scar would be. 

Their phone buzzed in their pocket, and Harper initially ignored it. It vibrated again, so they pulled it out of their pocket, the large crack in the corner of the screen still making them wince in annoyance.

A few texts from their parents, Miles, and some from Tanya from earlier in the day. Most importantly, there was a text from Spider-Man. 

Or, Peter.

"Up for a little crime-fighting?"

Slowly, Harper felt a smile coming on. 

They shoved their phone back in their pocket, grabbed their bag off the ground and put their hood up. 

Police sirens came and went, the red and blue lights breifly speeding through the street. Harper watched them, taking a deep breath as their hands balled into fists.

They threw the window open and leapt up, their web carrying them through Brooklyn, soaring through the air like a bird.

Tanya glanced overhead, watching Kid Arachnid swing from a thread before running in the opposite direction.