Chapter Text

The steady beeping of a heart rate monitor pulled Peter from his dreamless sleep.

He felt an I.V poking his arm.

'What happened to me?' Peter thought groggily.

All he could remember was Wanda's terrified scream and red swirls all around him.

And pain.

Lots of pain.

He cracked open his eyes to see the clear glass walls of the med room.

Tony was next to him, fast asleep on the armrest of his chair.

Natasha was also there, reading a book.

She hadn't noticed him yet.

'Where's Wanda?' He thought, surprised to not see her next to him.

They were best friends, after all.

Peter quietly turned his head to see Wanda unconscious in another hospital bed.

He sat up suddenly.

Tony startled, accidentally banging his head on the wall behind him.

Natasha just closed her book calmly, marking it and staring at Peter.

"How are you?"

Peter noticed red rims around her eyes, almost as if-

No.

Nat didn't cry.

Did she?

Tony's eyes were puffy and red.

He looked exhausted.

"What happened? Is Wanda okay?"

It was Tony who replied.

"You had a seizure, Peter. She had a panic attack. She's not dealing with it too well." His voice was rough and tired.

"Dealing with what?" Peter was confused.

He remembered red magic.

He assumed that was Wanda, so how had she lifted him up if she had been in the middle of a panic attack?

"Peter..." Tony began reluctantly, as if he didn't want to tell Peter something.

Nat interrupted.

"The seizure revealed something we didn't see before." Natasha paused. "Peter, you have 15 years to live. I'm so sorry, but the shock severely damaged your heart and brain. That's why Wanda panicked and passed out. She doesn't want to lose you. Nobody does."

Peter sat quietly for a moment in shock.

After about a minute, he spoke up, surprising even Natasha.

"It's okay. We still have a few years together." Peter's voice was a little shaky, but he kept speaking. "I chose this, guys. I didn't think I was going to live when I jumped in front of Tony and took the blast. You guys did the best you could, and I thank you for that."

Tony was crying again.

"Just promise me one thing, Tony."

Tony looked up. "Anything, kid."

"Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault."

"Okay, kid." Tony answered, his voice choked.

Natasha wouldn't have owned up to it, but a tear ran down her face as well.

Tony hugged Peter close to his chest.

"You are so strong kid."

They stayed like that for an hour before Peter finally fell asleep.

Two weeks later...

"Alright guys, get in position." Peter whispered into the comms.

Tony, Nat and Wanda made affirmative noises.

"He's coming down the hall towards the kitchen, just like we thought. Tony, get the camera ready." Peter said.

Tony scoffed. "The camera's been ready since it was made, Peter. F.R.I.D.A.Y is recording."

"Oh. Right." Peter said, his face glowing red.

Natasha's irritated voice rang through the comms.

"Get ready and stop talking, he's almost here!"

"Okay, okay. Ready in three, two, one... mission is go!" Tony said sarcastically.

Peter was in the hallway to the kitchen.

Clint turned the corner and waved.

"Whatcha doing Peter?" He asked, looking around him.

"Give us the signal when he's there, Peter."

Peter knew the signal well. It had to be a conversational piece that wasn't suspicious.

"How's your morning going?" Peter asked.

"GO!" Wanda jumped out from the closet and used her telekinesis to stop Clint in his tracks.

"What the heck Wanda?" Clint half-shouted in surprise.

Suddenly, Natasha jumped down from the vents above Clint.

She had her new taser.

"No! Nat! N-"

Natasha used the taser.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Clint fell to the ground, paralyzed.

Peter was hunched over in his wheelchair laughing at Clint's frozen expression of indignance and surprise.

Wanda stopped using her powers and doubled over, laughing so hard she was crying.

Nat allowed a smile to show. Inside, she was laughing just as hard as the others.

Tony clapped over the comms. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., that's a wrap!"

Wanda high fived Peter, still laughing with tears in her eyes.

The plan had worked.

The next day...

The video was shown to the team.

There were good reactions, with Steve spitting out his coffee and Sam laughing so hard he fell off his chair. Bucky ended up asking Sam if he was okay, and Sam punched him in the stomach. As a joke, of course.

Tony and Peter hacked into Clint's personal TV and played the prank video on a loop.

Clint was furious. He stormed into the lab, demanding that they stop.

"Stop what?" Peter asked innocently, a smile on his face.

Clint just turned around and hit the keypad, turning off the lights in the lab. He then left, leaving Peter in the dark.

Peter just sighed and told F.R.I.D.A.Y. to turn the lights back on.

A faint cry of "COME ON! WHY CAN'T I PRANK PEOPLE TOO!" from Clint echoed throughout the halls when he saw the lights on in the lab.

Peter laughed and wheeled himself to the nearby training room, where Wanda and Steve were sparring.

Wanda had Steve floating in the air, immobilized.

Steve had a look of defeat on his face, and Wanda wore a smug smile.

Peter later joined them, firing webs from his wheel chair at Steve and Wanda.

It would be a great next fifteen years, he decided.

But what would happen if their time was cut short?

To be continued...