C589 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
Returning to Becca Butcher’s house alongside Black Noir and the unconscious Soldier Boy, Peter gestured to Noir to place the Captain America knock-off on the couch.
The swirling portal they arrived through closed behind them, leaving the moonlit night undisturbed. Sensing that everyone in the house was asleep, including Maeve, who seemed to be in one of the guest rooms, Peter cautioned Noir to be quiet as they navigated through the darkened living room.
‘I thought they would be awake…’ Peter was sure that at least Billy and Maeve would wait up to learn what happened, but that didn’t seem to be the case. ‘Maybe MJ put them to sleep because they were being annoying?’
Entering the kitchen, Peter began rummaging through the fridge, searching for sustenance. The hunger that had been gnawing at him became apparent.
"Hope you're hungry. Because I’m starving," Peter said, pulling out ingredients to prepare a simple meal. “Hopefully, Becca won’t mind us stealing some of her food…”
Black Noir, unsure of what to do with himself, followed Peter into the kitchen after dropping Soldier Boy on the couch. He contemplated the recent events, grateful that Peter had spared his life. A small part of him, however, lingered with the notion of finding an opportunity to strike back, to return to Vought's service. But deep down, he sensed the futility of challenging the seemingly indomitable force that stood before him.
As Peter began cooking, Noir stood awkwardly to the side, observing the efficient movements of the man who had just effortlessly defeated the Seven. The aroma of food filled the kitchen, yet Noir hesitated to engage or even move out of place, for fear of angering Peter.
Peter, sensing Noir's uncertainty, turned and looked at him. "Take off the mask and set the table. Our late dinner will be ready soon," he suggested, his tone casual yet commanding. “Oh, and wash your hands…”
Black Noir hesitated, then reluctantly removed his mask, revealing the scars that marred half of his face. Old burns and a damaged eye came clearly into view. Peter, focused on cooking, showed no visible reaction to Noir's disfigurement.
[Insert picture of Black Noirs face here]
Of course, Peter watched the show so he knew what happened to Black Noir. Before Soldier Boy was captured by the Russians, he managed to pin Black Noir's face to the hood of a burning Jeep and bashed his head in with his shield, severely damaging and even removing a part of Black Noir's brain, leaving him brain damaged and scarred forever.
‘Though he did betray Soldier Boy in the first place…’ Peter thought, though he also knew the reason why Black Noir and the rest of Soldier Boy’s old team betrayed him…
Soldier Boy treated them like trash, abusing his authority as their leader to do whatever he wanted, even playing with their lives.
As the food was swiftly finished, Peter took two plates and swiftly served the meal. "Nothing fancy, just a quick pasta," he remarked, sitting down and motioning to the chair across from him. “Sit.” He ordered, and Noir did as he was told.
Peter started eating, but Noir remained hesitant, unable to comprehend the abrupt shift from fierce combat to this shared meal. The awkward silence lingered until Peter, looking up from his plate, broke it. "Eat. We've got things to discuss," he said, the veneer of affability momentarily giving way to a more serious demeanor.
Startled, Noir picked up his fork and began to eat, unsure of the direction this was going. Truthfully, this entire situation was beginning to scare Noir. Peter was being far too nice, which was a polar opposite to what he witnessed just moments ago.
As they sat down to eat, Peter finally started talking. Between bites of pasta, he attempted to engage Black Noir in conversation, realizing that the man before him had been shrouded in mystery. "So, Noir, tell me about yourself?" Peter asked, his tone casual but genuinely curious.
Noir remained silent, offering no verbal response to Peter's inquiry. “...”
"Can you talk?" Peter questioned, acknowledging the ambiguity that surrounded Noir's ability to communicate.
In the show, Noir’s brain damage seemed to impact his ability to speak. Although some fans believed that he could speak but just chose not to, his current silence seemed to disprove that.
A subtle shake of the head from Noir was all the response Peter needed. It was a revelation that he expected. As Peter continued his meal, he contemplated whether he should heal him or not. ‘Can I even heal a brain injury?’ The scars and the eye would be easy, but the brain was a much more complicated organ.
Finishing his food, Peter set down his fork and looked directly at Noir. The question that followed caught the battle-hardened hero off guard. "Would you like to talk again?" Peter asked, his gaze steady.
Noir sat still for a moment, the unexpected question sinking in. Confusion clouded his scarred features, but as Peter repeated himself, Noir jolted from his shocked stupor and hesitantly nodded. The prospect of regaining his voice seemed both improbable and surreal.
"Stay still," Peter instructed, a serious undertone in his voice. As he waved his hand, intricate golden spell circles materialized in front of him. Noir watched with a mix of fascination and apprehension as the spell circles completed their formation and shot towards him.
Before Noir could react, the spell held him in place, rooting him to the chair. Panic flickered in his eyes, a silent plea for reassurance. Peter, undeterred, snapped his fingers, conjuring a mirror on the table before Noir. The reflective surface showcased the spell's transformative work, a golden light enveloping Noir's scarred visage.
As minutes passed, Noir witnessed a miraculous change. The scars that adorned his face vanished, leaving smooth, unblemished skin in their wake. Even the cloudy, damaged eye underwent a transformation, gradually reverting to its original state. The spell's healing touch extended beyond the visible, mending the unseen wounds within Noir's brain, regrow the part of his lost brain.
[Insert picture of Noirs original face here]
As the golden glow faded, Peter released the spell's hold on Noir. The mute hero sat there, speechless, as the reality of the transformation settled in. ‘This is me?’ Noir thought, shocked by his own reflection.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, Black Noir couldn't believe what he was seeing. His once scarred and damaged face had transformed into perfection. The smooth skin felt unfamiliar under his fingertips as he cautiously explored the features that had haunted him for years. An accidental poke to his once-damaged eye confirmed the reality of the change, leaving him both astonished and relieved.
As realization dawned, Noir's eyes welled up with tears. He couldn't comprehend the miraculous healing that had taken place. The burden of scars, both physical and emotional, seemed to lift, replaced by a renewed sense of self. The tears escaped, tracing paths down his cheeks, as he beheld the unfamiliar yet welcome reflection before him.
To Noir, his face being destroyed all those years ago was a heavy blow, especially since he always wanted to be a movie star. Noir wasn’t always the silent Ninja-like hero, who lived only for the job.
But sadly, he was never able to accomplish that dream.
…
Early in his career as a hero, he was forced to conceal his face due to his race, in order to make him more marketable. Of course, he hated wearing the mask and hiding himself from the world, which is why he tried to resist, but that didn’t go well either.
One attempt to break out as an unconcealed star was to audition for the movie Beverly Hills Cop, but due to Soldier Boy's interference, he lost his role to Eddie Murphy.
Of course, Noir confronted his leader about this, to which Soldier Boy beat him in retaliation. That day, he told the bloodied and beaten Noir that he would be the only star on the team, and that if any other team member attempted to outshine him, he would kill them, fueling Noir and the teams resentment for him.
…
Turning towards Peter, Noir's voice struggled to break free after decades of silence. The first words he spoke were hesitant, the sound hoarse from disuse, yet the gratitude within them resonated profoundly. "Th-thank you," Noir stuttered, the weight of his unspoken gratitude carried by those two simple words.
After all, Peter gave him back the opportunity to fulfill his dream.
For the first time in years, Noir heard the sound of his own voice. The reality of being able to communicate again overwhelmed him, and his eyes widened with astonishment. The echo of his hoarse, unfamiliar voice seemed like a distant memory brought back to life. The tears continued to flow, a mixture of relief, disbelief, and the release of pent-up emotions.
As the words settled in the air, Noir struggled to contain the overwhelming surge of emotions. His chest tightened with a mix of vulnerability and newfound liberation. Speaking after years of silence had unleashed a floodgate of feelings that had long been suppressed. The tears, once an impossibility for the stoic hero, now flowed freely, marking the release of all the pain he’s had to endure.
Peter, witnessing Noir's emotional state, nodded, a small smile on his face as he stood up. “You’re very welcome.” He said as he picked up the dirty dishes and walked over to sink. “Now come over here and dry these dishes as I wash them. We don’t want to be bad guests after all.”
A/N: 1607 words :)