Not So Friendly Anymore

Chapter 37: Humbling A Trickster

The Staff of Anansi felt alive in Peter's hands, warm and buzzing like it was whispering old secrets just for him. The moment he grabbed it, a rush of heat surged up his arm, and golden light spilled out, weaving intricate patterns across his skin. Runes, swirling, web-like symbols, danced over his forearm, alive and shimmering. They pulsed once, twice, then sank beneath his skin.

Peter's breath caught, and he flexed his fingers around the dark wood handle, carved with dragon-like patterns that seemed to twist under his touch, the spikes brushing his palm like they knew his grip. The silver spider's head at the top gleamed, its ruby eyes catching the vault's dim light, staring back like an old friend with too many stories to tell.

Without thinking, he gave it a flick, and the staff vanished, melting into a shimmer of gold that sank into him, the runes on his arm flickering faintly before fading. Another thought, and it was back in his hand, solid and perfectly balanced, like it had never left. He spun it, once, twice, the motion as easy as swinging through New York's skyline. It twirled over his head, flipped behind his back, and he caught it mid-spin, the staff singing through the air with a soft whistle. Peter Parker, the kid from Queens, had never touched a staff in his life, but Anansi? Anansi knew this thing like an old dance partner.

Sable tilted her head, her silver braid catching the light as a sly grin tugged at her lips, her gray eyes glinting with that sharp, playful spark. "What, it carves a tattoo on you every time you pick it up?" she teased, leaning in a bit, like she was daring him to spill more.

Peter glanced at his arm, where the runes had faded, and grinned, shaking his head. "Nah, not a tattoo," he said, his voice easy, like he was still piecing it together. "More like... It's tying itself to me." He flexed his hand, feeling the staff's hum settle deep in his chest, right where the Web of Life buzzed.

Susan stepped closer, her golden hair glowing in the vault's soft light. She reached out, her fingers brushing the spot where the runes had been, her touch light but steady.. "So, it's stuck with you for good?" she asked, her blue eyes locking onto his, soft but curious.

Peter's grin widened, that familiar mischief sparkling in his eyes, "Yup," he said, tossing a look between her and Sable. "Kinda like you two. Stuck with me forever, whether you're cool with that or not."

Susan rolled her eyes, but her smile was all warmth, like she couldn't help but love his dumb quips. "God, you're such a pain, Parker," she said, giving his shoulder a playful nudge, her laugh light and easy, like a summer breeze.

"And you're crazy about me anyway," Peter fired back, his grin stretching as he spun the staff one last time, the motion so smooth it was like he'd been doing it forever. With a quick thought, it vanished again, the golden light folding into him, leaving just a faint glow under his skin. He wiggled his fingers, marveling at how right it felt, like slipping on his web-shooters after a long day.

Odin stood by the pedestal, his single eye glinting with pride. His fur-lined cloak shifted as he stepped closer, his presence big but warm, like a storm that decided to hold off for a bit. "This is the Staff of Anansi," he said, his voice low and rich, like he was telling a story by a campfire. "You forged it in the fires of creation, tied it to the Web of Life itself. It's not just a weapon; it bends fate, boosts your power. But it has a mind of its own, Brother. It remembers you, just as I do. Use it well, like you used to."

Peter nodded, Odin's words settling over him like a warm jacket. He ran his thumb over his wrist, where the runes had glowed, feeling the staff's hum still tingling in his bones. Flashes of memories, not his, but Anansi's, flickered in his head: spinning webs under starry skies, outsmarting gods with a sly grin, weaving stories that reshaped worlds. It was a lot, but it felt right, like finding a missing piece of himself he didn't know was gone.