#the tangle web

[the-tangle-web]

Well… there’s only one way out of these sewers…

No, I’m not going back to the tower- instead-

. . .

Okay, may or may not have used a fake name for me and my friends to get into college and enroll in dorm rooms…

[the-tangle-web]

Question, how does one go back to the Avengers tower without being bombarded and lectured by the star spangled Boy Scout for being missing for like a good while without telling them and not contacting them and just sort of making it look like I had died but in reality I escaped from a lab prison after being experimented on and I opted to stay with someone I trusted and all of my friends who I also has a symbiote parasite who also just told me to stop trying to help and ran off to go to whatever and leaves you and your friend alone with some lawyer devil guy and destroyed the door.

[the-tangle-web]

“Where are you going?”

A low growl.

The red symbiote turned his head slowly over his shoulder, white eyes pale and teeth bared in a forever smile. He saw a flash of his tongue as he licked his teeth before reaching his claws against the ceiling, digging into the wood and leaving marks with a skkt… crack

Anthony stood still, wearing Gabe’s sweatshirt. He wore if for the past few hours and Gabe hasn’t yelled at him to take it off.

He hasn’t for days.

And he hasn’t stopped Gareth from picking at his bandages.

Anthony had to do that.

They moved out of that damn sewer and into a safe house Murdock dragged them to. Jen has been near them ever since. And Jen hasn’t let Anthony outside alone for the last few months.

She argues he has to go back to the tower. That she should tell someone, at least Rogers. Steve was worried as hell. Fury was pissed, apparently even Tony was trying to get full access of surveillance in the city to try and locate him.

But Anthony refused. He didn’t want to go back. Not yet.

Jen still had to tell someone, so she told Bruce the whole story.

And, despite himself, Bruce agreed to not say a word of where he was. But he did tell everyone at the tower that Anthony was safe, but not where he was.

And that would give him a bit of privacy.

Anthony swallowed the lump in his throat and stuck his chin outward, looking up at the symbiote.

“Where are you going?” He asked, more firm this time.

Carnage narrowed his eyes, a heave of his shoulders and a slight downward tilt of his head.

“To fix things.”

“Without me?”

Carnage turned his head back around, “Yes. Without you.”

Anthony clenched his fists to his sides, “You’re a fucking hypocrite-“

“We are not in the mood for this conversation again.”

Carnage snarled, his claws closing in around the wood until it splintered.

Anthony stopped.

Another beat of silence.

“Gareth said his brother isn’t picking up.”

“We know.”

“We need you, man-“

Carnage shook his head, “Stop it-“

Anthony took a step forward and felt his vision get blurry, “You don’t tell us shit anymore- we don’t see you anymore- I haven’t seen Gabe in forever!” He shouted, “I haven’t seen you sleep, I haven’t seen you do anything but come in and out of that door- and sometimes, you’re gone for days!”

Carnage reared his head back and let out a roar, “STOP IT!”

The symbiote snapped, his head turning over his shoulder and the claw gripping the wooden boards over his head splintered and broke, landing on the ground in between the two as he swung his hand around and turned his body, baring his teeth with in arch in his assumed brow.

Anthony stepped back.

Silence.

“You will go back to the tower! You will take off that suit and when it’s night, you’re going to sleep! You won’t fight, you won’t kill, you won’t hurt yourself, you won’t die!”

. . .

“You will stay alive! Both of you! All of you- and you won’t follow us!”

. . .

The door was torn off its hinges. It was fucking cold.

Anthony felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle and messy black hair over his shoulders. He felt Gareth pressed his face against the divot in his back between his shoulders.

It was a little less cold.

But not warm enough.

[the-tangle-web]

Still no real luck in finding exactly where Gabe is- or any of the other boys for that matter. We overheard one of them escaped! And that’s good news! But… I don’t think it’s appropriate to bombard her with questions at this moment.

I just hope they’re doing alright. We’ve not left the sewers ever since Gabe told us not to. And Splinter doesn’t take it lightly. We’re still not allowed to leave until we get an all clear! And Leon is REALLY getting bored and when he gets bored- he goes into my lab and touches things. And I want him to NOT touch my things. So the situation is becoming dire.

Any ideas? Literally anything to help in this overall situation would be splendid.

[the-tangle-web]

Loud ass beeping in his ears.

Being stuck restrained in some sort of metal tube isn’t a fun experience. And certainly not one Gabe wants to experience again.

His whole body under his neck was numb for the first few days. There were needles in his arms and some sort of mask over his face. After awhile, he started to gain more feeling in his body. But something wasn’t right. It wasn’t all him.

Everything else felt like flesh. But one side was off balance. He could feel it, but it wasn’t the same. It was hard to explain, but it just felt…. Different.

Carnage wasn’t far away from him. Stuck in a different clear tube. Even when separated, he could have sworn he felt how Carnage felt. Both of them were trapped and didn’t know how long it had been. He started to forget as days passed what exactly happened.

It was a muffled alarm that tore him from his thoughts. Shouts and a roar. He flinched as something cracked just outside his holding. Like something shattering. Then, he felt a familiar sensation, tendrils gripping at his legs and sneaking through his confinements. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. He couldn’t even move his head anyways. His fingers stretched downwards at his sides, and he felt Carnage grip at his hand.

. . .

Karma swallowed the scientist whole, her tongue licking her teeth as their screams muffled and the room was clear. Red lights flashing and a promise of backup.

The symbiote flinched and whipped her head around as a side of the room shattered. Emerging a red symbiote with bared teeth.

“Carnage,”

“Karma,”

Karma growled, “Go get the others,” and she gestured over her shoulder to the opening of debris that led to another room, “we are finding Teddy and Ravage,”

“Our memories are jumbled- but your brother is not far. They are separate but in the same room. Just beyond here.”

. . .

Ravage bonded to a weak body that disoriented him. But slowly, he was able to repair what he could not after all this time. Slowly, he stepped outward from the glass cell Teddy was in. Across the room, he saw the box he used to be stuck in, now torn. Glass littered the ground.

“Ravage,”

“Karma-“

The other symbiote shook her head, “No time, we are leaving. You both can move?”

“We are dizzy, but we will be fine,”

. . .

His head hurt like shit… he went from being restrained upright to almost face planting the cold ground. Anthony gritted his teeth, slowly lifting himself up with his arms. A large claw gently but firmly lifted him to his feet.

“Gareth is feeding. Backup is coming. We need to leave, now.”

He blinked rapidly, his gaze falling across the room. Several dead and drained bodies of scientists and Gareth still hunched over one. When the vampire lifted his head, his mouth was bloodied, but he no longer looked so crazed. His eyes dilated and his eyes shut tightly before opening again.

“What- where the fuck-“

“No time. We have to go!”

A loud crash and Anthony whipped his head over his shoulder. Heavy footsteps and shouts were getting louder.

He looked back ahead and he saw a large opening in the wall to the outside of the building. The rooms trashed and broken, research destroyed and littered with bodies.

Anthony ran on autopilot. He wasn’t sure who gave him a zip up jacket, but it was most likely Gabe. He didn’t remember when Ravage and Karma came around the corner and they all reassembled. And he didn’t remember forcing his body to sprint and jump through his opening to freedom.

. . .

Jen stood in front of the TV, her body frozen and eyes wide. An Oscorp lab destroyed and escaping it, three symbiotes and two humanoid beings. One shooting a web and swinging across to hide in an alleyway. Their faces unable to be recognized.

But she knew.

And she was relieved and horrified.

. . .

Castle was already searching the city, top to bottom, and tearing it apart.

Nick Fury and the Avengers have been failing to find the lost teen.

And Carnage led them, for the time being, the only place he knew they would be safe until the coast was clear. And safe to say, the turtle mutants had lots of questions.

“HOW THE FU-“

[the-tangle-web]

You Deserve Better.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Stark shouted. A hiss followed.

Stark left through the open door, storming out, rubbing his wrist, “Fine! Fine! I’m leaving!” His wrist was bruised black and purple as the man muttered in pain.

Bruce was leaning against a table, taking a slow sip from his coffee mug, watching the millionaire storm off. He let out a short scoff and shook his head, brows furrowed.

—

How was it Anthony’s fault? He was just trying to do his homework in the meeting room before Stark came striding in and trying to give him a pep talk on becoming a fully fledged Avenger on one condition, he takes classes lead by Bruce Banner on anger management. Like that was going to fucking work. It’s like Stark thinks he trying to join the Avengers, how delusional can he get?!

Of course, the only way for Anthony to give him a hint was to grip at his wrist, threaten to bite him and break the meeting table for the eighth time. How much more will he have to do to get some alone time to do homework.

He half assed most of it, tried on some, and called it a day. From there, he curled himself on the couch, tucking his knees under his chin and scrolling through his phone. However, he wasn’t alone. The TV was playing in the background and on the same couch was someone he knew pretty well.

Jennifer Walters is Bruce Banner’s cousin. She’s a lawyer and even had to represent him once at Nick Fury’s request. She was pissed off at him at first, reasonably so, he didn’t like her that much either, but after awhile she started to catch on that Anthony hasn’t been given the resources he should be given. She visits often because Bruce is her cousin and well, the TV is lit. Anthony didn’t mind her. If anything, he trusted her way more than anyone else in this tower. How do you explain it… she’s like that cool aunt that lets you eat as much candy as you want when your parents are away.

Jennifer didn’t mind Anthony either. All she saw was some troubled kid who needs therapy but can’t receive it because of some stupid ass guy in an eye patch and an annoying millionaire set on trying to “fix” him. She herself had trouble with her powers, still does. Though it’s not the same, she can sympathize with being given something you didn’t want. Jen was sitting on the couch, criss cross apple sauce, in her lap was a small bowl of M&M’s as she watched some random show on TV. It was comfortable silence, the two didn’t bother each other much. Though, there are some days when Anthony knows when Jen is in the building and activity wanders to find her and just sit in the same room as her. She doesn’t ask questions unless he speaks first and well- just lets him stay.

It’s nice. Anthony liked her, she understood, somewhat. Everyone else was to quick to talk, she wasn’t.

The teen thought for a moment, staring blankly at his phone. Then, he took a short breath and spoke, still staring at his phone, “How’ve you been- after- well… everything,”

Jen’s chewing slowed as she thought, brows furrowed. Her lips scrunched up and lifted to the side. She swallowed before answering, “Well, Todd is in jail-“

“Thank fucking god-“

“I got my job back-“

“As you should-“

“Aaaaaand Luke is my tailor again, by the way and no more creepy guys-“ she said with an eye roll, shoving some more chocolate into her mouth.

Anthony hummed, reaching into the bowl to steal some m&m’s to eat. Jen, whilst still looking at the TV, pulled down the arm rest on the couch and set the bowl of chocolate onto it in between the two of them. The teen leaned on the armrest, finding himself looking up and watching what the other was watching. He titled his head,

“What show is this?”

Jen hummed, glancing over at him and waving a finger, using her other hand to shove more chocolate into her mouth before chewing, swallowing, and answering, “Great British Bake Off,” she said, “good shit,”

Anthony faked a scowl, earning a snirk from the other,

Jen rolled her eyes, “Cmon, it’s fun! I know you like this show,”

The teen scoffed, “You’ll never find me alone watching this shit,”

The other rolled her eyes and shrugged, “Whatever you say,”

They sat in silence for a few moments, Anthony looking down at his lap for a short while. He thought…

“I’m glad you’re safe,” he muttered, “you deserve better,”

Jen looked over to him, her face solemn. She pursed her lips into a smile. She nudged the teen with her elbow, making him look up to catch her gaze,

“You do too.”

[the-tangle-web]

Loathing

“You know I know, right?”

“I- I don’t even know you-“

“Don’t play dumb, Anthony, we know it’s you,”

“I-how- I uh-“

“We’re not stupid,”

—

“Don’t be such a killjoy, live a little!”

“I said no,”

“Why not?”

“M’not in the mood,”

“You’re a fucking bore, you know that?”

“Fuck off,”

—

“You sure you have to go out again? Can’t we just, I don’t know, get some of those blood packages?”

“From where? Sam, get the fuck over it! I gotta eat or I’m eating you, and not by choice!”

“Hey… I just-“

“You did this to me! You know that! I’m tired of doing this every night, you know I have to!”

“But do you want to?”

“No! No I don’t but that’s how it is! What else am I going to do?”

“I’m telling you, Gareth! I can find ways, I-I can fake an ID I can rob a damn hospital I’ll do it!”

“I don’t want you to!”

“Why?! I’m here just let me help!”

“We lost mom and dad, we lost our sister, I’m not losing you to jail, Sam! Their death couldn’t be avoided but yours can!”

—

Tara scoffed, taking another breath from her cigarette, smoke leaking from the sides of her mouth and rising into the air,

“I’ve seen you around, ever since you came here… we knew you weren’t normal,” she said, holding the cigarette between her middle and pointer, resting her elbow on her elevated knee, her other leg hanging down on the edge of the building they sat on.

Anthony had his mask off, hood up. He sad next to the symbiote host and stared down at the streets below. He let out a low hum, “I knew I wasn’t hiding it well, I didn’t try to. More to spite him more than anything,”

“I get that. I’d do the same,” Tara said, “but with Karma, well,” she shrugged, “it’s a bit different,”

“I’d figure,”

—

One less student went to their high school, at least. But they weren’t anyone Gabe liked anyways. That didn’t keep him from feeling guilty. Carnage begged to differ.

“It was deserved, he never left us alone about this and we barley know him!” The symbiote snarled, “he wants us to go to his parties that are shit anyways even though we already said no!”

Gabe pursed his lips, brows furrowing as his face scrunched angrily, his hands curled into fists in his pockets, “I know-“

“Then why feel like this?! We should be happy he’s gone!”

Gabe slammed the door closed in the bathroom and flicked on the lights, staring at the mirror and at the red and black symbiote’s face, slamming his hands against the counter at the sink, “It’s not about that! It’s the fact that you ate a fucking person on the streets without letting me know what the fuck you were going to do!”

—

Gareth never thought that standing over a body drained of its blood would get any easier, but now, he barley even feels it. It’s just another day, another lost soul. All because he had to eat.

He could go weeks without it, but once its time, it’s time. He doesn’t go for the parents, the children, he tries to desperately not to and avoid them. Instead, he prefers going for those spoiled rich CEOs.

However, murder is murder. It didn’t feel good afterward. No matter how much that bitch deserved it.

—

“It gets better,” Tara said, “it was an adjustment… us getting used to each other but, we made it work,”

Anthony hummed, looking at the other, then back down at his lap, “I’d imagine- I just- well,” he shrugged, “I’m not entirely like you two, I can reason with my powers, they just… are,”

The red haired girl put out her cigarette with symbiotic claws, tossing it to the side as her hand transformed back to human. She straightened her posture, stretching her arms over her head before setting them behind herself, bracing her body onto her arms as she let both her legs dangle over the ledge,

“You’ll figure it out. After all, they’re still your powers. In control or not, they belong to you… I guess you just have to make the best of a situation sometimes,” she scoffed, staring down at her own lap, “damn, I suck at comfort-“

“No,” the other teen said, taking in a breath. Tara looked over at him, titling her head,

He clasped his hands together in his lap, gripping at them tightly,

“No it-… it helps… it does,”

—

“You can’t just do whatever the fuck you want like that!”

“He was hurting you! Hurting us!”

Gabe exhaled sharply, whipping his head to the side before facing the mirror again, staring at the stubborn symbiote in their pale eyes,

“The least you could have done was tell me!”

“You would have said no! I did what I had to!”

Gabe pointed an accusing finger at the mirror, “Don’t fucking baby me! You share this body!”

“We share a body but you let it get stepped on all over!”

Gabe knocked over a glass cup off of the counter and it smashed on the ground with a loud crash, “Don’t lecture me about keeping myself alive!”

“And don’t lecture me about saving our dignity!”

“THIS ISN’T OUR BATTLE, THIS ISN’T YOUR BODY!” He screamed, “ITS MINE! MINE! NOT YOURS! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” The teen mindlessly gripped the side of the mirror and ripped it off of the wall, throwing it to the side into the empty bathtub where it shattered with a crash into massive shards.

He was breathing heavily. The symbiote kept quiet, as silent as he could. Gabe knew he was there, but somehow, he felt even more alone. Gabe pressed himself against the wall, not even realizing he was backing up to it and slid to the ground. He didn’t realize he was crying either.

—

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, right? Right. Gareth felt full and then some. At least he ate sooner than later. He might last longer. Who fucking knows anymore. Not like Sam asked what the hell this serum did or the effects of it before letting that scientist bitch give it to him.

He sighed. Pulling his knees to his chest as he sat on his bed in clean clothes after washing up. It wasn’t Sam’s fault but… no, he couldn’t have known, they didn’t tell him everything.

He would have died without it.

But was it worth it? Would Sam have given him the serum if he knew what it would do to him?

Would Gareth have wanted to die there and then if he knew this was what he would be?

He didn’t know. He couldn’t decide what was worse.

He decided he didn’t want to figure it out now. He was tired.

So he lied down in his bed, pulled the covers over himself.

And he stayed awake, staring at the ceiling. His mind begged to differ.

[the-tangle-web]

“Cya, spider guy”

“You’re Tangle Web?” Tara scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, “we thought you’d be older,”

Tangle Web tightened his hands into fists, his visors narrowing as he shook his head and waved the other teen off with both his hands, “I don’t have time for this-“ and he turned away only for the teen to be in front of him again,

“How-“

Her hands bore symbiotic residue, her fingers shaped into claws as she poked him in the chest, “You got a lot of nerve, trying to turn your back on me when I’m talking to you,” she raised a brow with a smirk, looking up at the masked vigilante,

“Your tall as fuck,” she commented, now on her tippy toes, both teens now nose to nose, “what’s up with super guys being so tall? Is that a side effect? Just be average!”

Tangle felt his face warm, thank god for the mask, his visors widened slightly, arms stiff to his side. He shook his head violently, Tara smirking and sinking down to her feet, Tangle titled his head in a way as if he was rolling his eyes, “I don’t see how height effects anything in this situation-“

“It doesn’t-“

“Can you stop interrupting me-“

“Hey!” She titled her head, hands on her hips, “Only I can interrupt you, not the other way ‘round,” she leaned back on her heels, “why can’t a sweet girl like me ask a few questions and get a few answers?”

“Your questions are irrelevant and I’m busy-“

“What counts as relevant? I don’t remember us having a set conversation before you stopped us from our little…” she glanced up, as if listening to something, then back at Tangle, “outing,”

Tangle’s hands gripped into fists again, his leather gloves making a squeaking sound as he did, “I don’t have time for this,” he tried walking past her, only for Tara to take a step back and to the side to be right in front of him again,

“You’re quite moody, you remind me of someone-“

“No I don’t-“

Tara gave him a look, raising a brow. His whole face heated up and he snapped his mouth shut with an audible click from his teeth. Tara stared at him for a few moments, eyes narrowed with her lips twisted into a pout. Then she shrugged,

“Okay,” she chuckled and pushed his shoulder playfully, earning a small hiss from the other, “we were getting bored anyway,” she turned away, lifting a hand in the air as she walked to the edge of the rooftop, “don’t have to much fun without us, Hm?” She turned on her heels, facing him again as she stood at the ledge, “cya, spider guy,” and she fell backwards.

The symbiote was quick to react, as if on queue, protecting their host and clawing the side of the building and leaping off to another.

The pair left Tangle Web alone, dumbfounded and flustered.

. . .

Do It For Them

“That’s all you need?”

“Indeed. We thank you for your assistance and cooperation,”

“…”

“You are troubled?”

“I- well…” sigh, “dunno… I’m just… concerned,”

“Enlighten us,”

“Just- if this ‘OsCorp’ likes to study mutants… and they’re in the area… and me and my brothers and my dad are mutants… well…”

A low growl, “We are just as concerned. We hope to sort that situation when we are able, if we can. We advise you stay low, maybe lower than you are now. We are unaware of what they can do or why they do it,”

“… that wasn’t as comforting as I thought it would be-“

“We like to speak logically, not speak of false promises for a small moment of euphoria, no matter how much we wish to,”

“That’s- relatable, actually… well… if you need anything else…”

“Your help is appreciated, all we ask is for you to stay safe. We shall not bother you further unless we are wanted,”

“Heh… yeah… same here…”