marvel one shots

Can't Turn Back Now, I'm Haunted: Peter Parker Centric

NOTE:

•The song for this work is 'Haunted' by Taylor Swift
•This is Part 2 of my work titled 'You Won't Break Me', and is a part of the same AU.
•YOU MUST READ PART ONE TO UNDERSTAND PART TWO.

Word Count: 5,500

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Peter tossed and turned in his bed, his face scrunched in pain, trapped in a nightmare that was tainted with a dark haze of green. His breaths came out in sharp, painful gasps as the images of Mysterio's illusions swarmed his mind. There was debris crashing around him, his friends were screaming for help, and he deplored the helpless feeling of being completely alone in the chaos. 

The illusions distorted reality, bending his surroundings, and the sound of Mysterio's taunts echoed in his ears.

'You think you're a hero, but you're just a kid in over his head. Stark chose wrong when he trusted you.'

'That's right, Spider-Boy. It's all fake. He's not real. He's just another illusion.'

"No..." Peter muttered in his sleep, his voice trembling as his fingers clutched the sheets. His hand shot out, as if trying to catch something, or someone, before it slipped through his grasp.

Across the hall, Harley stirred in his own bed, the faint sound of Peter's distressed voice reaching his ears. At first, he rolled over, thinking it was just the wind, but then the sound of Peter's murmurs got louder, desperate. Harley shot up from his bed, his heart already racing, his breath staggered. Something was wrong.

He rushed to Peter's room, knocking lightly.

"Pete?"

When there was no answer, Harley slowly pushed the door open and found Peter tangled in his sheets, drenched in sweat, his face twisted in fear. Peter was shaking his head, trapped in the nightmare, his lips moving in a silent plea.

"Please... don't..."

Harley's chest tightened as he watched Peter, who looked so vulnerable and lost, completely different from the confident superhero everyone saw. He knelt beside the bed and gently touched Peter's shoulder.

"Hey, Pete, wake up. You're dreaming."

Peter's head jerked slightly, but he didn't wake, still stuck in the nightmare, his breaths coming in short, rapid bursts. His fists were clenched tightly around the sheets, knuckles white.

"Peter," Harley said more firmly now, shaking him a little harder, "come on, buddy, snap out of it. You're safe."

Peter jolted awake with a sharp gasp, his eyes wide, panicked, and filled with fear. For a moment, he didn't seem to recognize where he was. His breathing was erratic, eyes were darting around the room like he was still trying to find his footing in reality. Beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face, and his hands were trembling.

"It's okay, it's just me," Harley said quietly, his hand still on Peter's shoulder, grounding him, "you're safe. It was just a nightmare. You're here in the tower."

Peter sat up, trying to control his breathing, but his chest heaved with the weight of it all. He buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed.

"I... I couldn't stop him, Harley. I couldn't stop him from hurting them."

Harley frowned, watching his little brother come undone in front of him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, giving Peter a moment to breathe before speaking.

"It wasn't real, Pete. Mysterio messed with your head, but that wasn't real. You didn't fail anyone."

"It feels real. Every time I close my eyes, I see them... you, Morgan, Tony, Pepper, Ned, MJ, everyone. I see them getting hurt because of me," Peter shook his head, his voice thick with unnecessary guilt.