Take Off The Mask // Son of Stark 2

Chapter 10

Once dinner was finished, Peter and Ned decided to head back into the games room, deciding to venture into another reality....

Virtual reality.

Peter and his father had spent a good month, or two, coming up with the designs on how to make the most efficient, realistic and most importantly fun VR headset in the market. Not only that but they had also created a room in which the user could experience a three dimensional effect- basically, it connected to the mainstream server, its code telling the room when to spray water or when to create vibrations. It did plenty of other stuff too. However, something had gone terribly wrong in there last time Peter had used it... and the room may, or may not, have been a little bit wetter than it previously had been. Let's just say that swimming through the ocean wasn't his best idea.

So, they had decided to go into the other room, hoping nothing would go as badly this time.

"This is sick!" exclaimed Ned, his hair sticking up in every direction as the headset sat on his face. His face had turned a shade of crimson, glistening slightly from the sweat he was producing in masses. It was probably a very good idea that he was wearing a black sweatshirt.

Peter grinned, turning off his VR Lightsaber, chucking it onto the seat. They had been battling each other, recreating the Battle of The Heroes, which from their favourite episode of Star Wars. "I know right!"

"I totally agree with you, now. Sure, I wanted to choose a fight that included The Inquisitor but that was really fun." He pulled the headset off of his head, waiting patiently as his friend did the same.

"We can do that next, let me just set up the-"

They were submerged into darkness. An empty, cold darkness. The pair's confusion was voiced as the once yellow light began to flicker a crimson red. The heating must have turned off too; the boys were now beginning to shudder.

"What the heck is happening, Peter?"

Peter didn't know what to answer with. He could remember darkness. He could remember coldness. Lots of it. And it was never good.

Zemo.

The Winter Soldier.

Hydra.

His head was spinning. His heart beating faster then it ever had before. He tried to block the memories, the thoughts he had been locking away for so long. But, it was impossible.

What was it that Dad had told him? Name five things you see that are you favourite colour, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

"The Xbox."

"What?" Ned asked, unsure of what his friend was trying to raise to his attention. He seemed scared, worried... Ned had heard of people listing stuff to calm themselves down but he didn't understand why Peter was so panicked by the dark.

Oh right... Peter thought to himself. Ned didn't know about anything that had happened. He just thought that Peter was away: travelling. To him there was no coma, no fighting, no torture, no Hydra. No Spider-Man. And, that was the it had to stay. Peter wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to Ned because of him.

The Xbox... The Gameboy. The television. The headset. Ned! Okay, so now things that he could feel. He could feel his clothes, the headset in his hands and the floor beneath his socks. He could hear Ned's breathing, the sound of the headset powering down... and, was that the Imperial March?

Peter spun on the spot to face the door. His eyes widened at what he could see. Ned was laughing, pulling out his blue lightsaber as a joke, whilst the other teen tried to stop his shaking.