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When the man’s body collapsed on the floor, Harry was practically dancing with euphoria. And who could blame him - everything was just perfect. Finally, things were going according to his plans.
He carelessly stepped over the motionless body, or corpse, who cared about the details, grabbed the carafe from his minibar and poured himself a victory drink with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm, before he let himself fall into the leather chair.
"Cheers!", he announced, lifting the glass up high to salute this beautiful god-sent being that had given him back everything, and took one greedy gulp. The whiskey burned in his throat and he felt fantastic.
Harry Osborn was still in the race, and he was winning. All thanks to him, his new friend, his partner in crime, this man made of sheer unbridled electric energy.
From across the room, Electro was watching him. Despite the distance between them, Harry could sense him. The air was charged with static.
It made his skin prickle and him feel giddy with anticipation, like a boy on Christmas who had been given unlimited power just waiting to be unleashed on all who’d stand in his way.
"The power grid", Electro demanded, in a voice so distorted, it was otherwordly.
Harry did not let it faze him, he was in a way too good mood right now.
"Ah, before you go, do me a favor", he said and swirled his chair around to face Electro directly. "Lose that suit for a moment, will you?"
For emphasis, he gesticulated with his glass towards him, and his grin widened expectantly. ”Let me admire you.”
The playful grin he gave him was apparently lost on Electro, but for a moment, his weirdly intense eyes were on him. Harry felt his heart beating in his throat but paid it little heed.
Then, after a few very long seconds, Electro complied, and Harry, allowed to witness this extraordinary way of motion again, stared in awe at the body losing both suit and shape, flowing, forming, until it resembled a human again, hovering right above the ground.
It certainly was a sight to behold. This whole being was thriving with energy, alive, pulsing and buzzing, and only barely resembled the man he used to be.
The human shape was only a remnant, really, Harry thought. He was so much more than that now.
Mesmerized, Harry got up, and slowly approached him, step by step. When he got so close the hairs on his neck were standing up, he raised his hand, carefully, inch by inch. It was not only reverence that made him hesitate, his fingers still remembered the sudden sting of an electric shock.
Even though he anticipated it, the first jump spark made him flinch, yet he did not withdraw his hand.
This was clearly not a good idea, yet the glow pulsating beneath his fingers, the power coursing through this magnificent creature, was captivating, fascinating. He wanted to feel. He wanted to know. He was drawn to it like a moth to the light.
"Say, if I touch you", he asked, hesitating, his fingers hovering above the man’s chest, "will I die?"
"Yes", was the curt answer. Electro wasn’t one to sugarcoat things.
Harry nodded. Still, it took him some willpower to close his hand and retreat. There was no time for this, not now, not when he was so close to the cure.
"Sorry, it’s just hard not to be fascinated by you", he admitted with a smile. But then, curiosity got the better of him and he added: "Can’t help but wonder how it feels, you know. To be you. But you can’t even feel things like that, right?"
Instead of answering, Electro raised his hand and Harry almost instinctively took a step backwards, yet caught himself just in time. Not a good idea. Who knew whether Electro would take that as an insult, and if he did, Harry knew that no running would save him.
So he looked straight into those eerie eyes and forced himself to stay right where he was.
"I don’t need to touch", Electro said simply. "I can see it. I can sense it coursing through the walls, through this city. Even through you."
Harry swallowed, but he did not move, transfixed by the intensity of his gaze. His pulse was beating in his ears as Electro’s hand moved dangerously close to the side of his face, but he remained frozen to the spot. At the first sparks, he flinched involuntarily, more out of surprise than pain. It was uncomfortable - like little pin pricks.
"I don’t feel your skin", the distorted deep sound carrying these words was resonating within him and Harry found himself listening, despite his fear, "There’s barely any resistance. I could run right through you."
Harry shivered at the thought and pressed his eyes shut. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he could swear he felt the electric current prickling under his skin, in his legs and fingertips.
"You", he couldn’t rely on his voice, so he swallowed and quickly wet his lips, "You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?"
There was uncertainty swinging in his words, a vulnerability he fully exploited, desperately looking for trust. And finally, the presence seemed to shift away, the sensation drained out of him, and he was able to breath again.
That was not an answer, but it was enough. Even though Electro could easily switch him off, he wouldn’t. Not now.
It was all he needed to know.
"Wow", Harry said as he dared to move again, rubbing his neck and flexing his fingers. "You just scared the shit out of me."
With a shaky laugh, he quickly took up his glass again and downed the rest of the whiskey, before he took a few deep breaths.
"I didn’t harm you."
"No", Harry conceded as he unconsciously let his fingers run over his arm where he still felt the residues of the prickling sensation, "You didn’t."
And wasn’t that the most fascinating part of it.
"It felt— intriguing, though", he added softly, absentmindedly tracing the invisible tracks of the current over his shoulder to his chest.
Either Electro did not pick up on subtleties or he was not in the mood to fool around, because did not rise to the bait.
"You got your part of the deal. I’ll leave now."
Actually, yes, he did, and Harry knew he was lucky with that. He should probably just let him go. Electro was getting impatient and it could be a dangerous gamble to keep him around any longer. Also, there was little Harry could do to make him stay.
Except that he wanted him to.
"Wait", he said quickly, and lo and behold, Electro did not vanish into the power grid but turned around. Harry repeated it, softer this time, an earnest plea for him not to leave him alone, not now, not yet, "Wait."
And Electro hesitated.
"Max." Harry looked up and inclined his head just slightly, keeping their eyes locked. "I’m dying. I’m dying and you are the only one who could save me. You already did, in fact. But you could do more. For me." The begging tone in his voice was deliberate, yet raw and open. "You could make me feel alive again."
Electro did not move, and Harry knew he could not refuse him.
He drew a trembling breath and added, “Please.”
-
Harry braced himself, swinging his arms as he tried to not tense up too much. Electro was waiting, and there was no backing out now.
“Lay it on me.”
His smile was forced, but he knew he meant it, he meant for this to happen. He could take it.
Electro barely flicked his fingers and the current struck him like lightning, effectively knocking the air out of his lungs. It ripped through him, like thousands of needles piercing his skin, and Harry staggered backwards, almost falling over his chair before he managed to hold onto it for support.
"Ouch", he laughed, wavering, and pressed his hand on his chest. "Not bad", he breathed as he carefully got to his feet again, "No, really. That- that was good."
And so very intense. He still was tingling all over, but it was a fleeting feeling, only a weak echo already, tugging and teasing. He’d never felt anything alike.
His cheeks hurt when he grinned.
"More."
-
Nothing could have prepared him for that. Not for the heat beneath his skin, burning though him, piercing his flesh. He didn’t remember when he’d hit the floor, he could barely move, he couldn’t breath. The pressure was omnipresent, overwhelming, and he was writhing on the ground, twitching in utter helplessness as his heart contracted erratically, painfully. It was too much, too much— but in the blink of an eye, it was over.
Harry’s breath was labored, and he could barely prop himself up. Everything hurt, but that was a small price, he was used to the aching. This, this was something different. No creeping sickness that had him toss around in his bed at night. Every fiber of his body was humming, and he was alive.
Electro was above him and these piercing eyes saw him, saw right through him, as he was trembling from exhaustion beneath him. The unmoving face was not much to go on, but Harry was sure he had to be intrigued.
And what a tease he was. One second, it was too much to bear, but as soon as it stopped, it was not enough.
"Again", he demanded, as soon as he found his voice. It still trembled horribly, just like his fingers as he tried to get rid of his jacket. He felt so unbearably hot, but his muscles weren’t obeying him anymore, so he only managed to half-wrestle himself out of it.
Expectantly, he looked up and waited, but when Electro did not comply, Harry steeled his tone, to show him he was more than ready. “Again.”
-
He had collapsed on the floor, a shaking, quivering mess.
"Please", he was unable to prop himself up anymore with his muscles twitching uncontrollably, "Please, Max", were the words he was mouthing, whispering, even audible between his sobs, he wasn’t sure, "I need you, oh god, please, I need—"
Raw energy was surging through him, filling him up, purging him. It was inside of him, surrounding him, his entire body was going up in flames, and all was hot and white.
-
When Harry jerked back into consciousness, he felt it still in his bones - the ache, the residue of Electro inside of him. His breath was unsteady and shallow, but that barely concerned him. It was alright, he was untouchable, elevated, he was floating and numb, so deliciously numb.
With a weak smile he noticed that he was indeed no longer on the floor, but that Electro was lifting him up with some sort of electromagnetic force field.
"You were gone", he said, and Harry was not surprised to hear little concern - after all, Electro had apparently brought him back with ease.
Harry closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. It hurt, but it felt fresh, new. His body was cleansed, no trace of sickness crawling beneath the surface. The curse was silent for now.
"You alright, boy?", Electro asked.
"Oh, yes", his exhausted smile widened, "And I will be even better."
Now was the time for Harry Osborn to rise from the ashes.