- It has nothing to do with this but for those who are a big fan of Red Dead Redemption 2, there's a wonderful story titled May the Sunrise bring Hope where it was once forgotten written by deathmallow that's a fantastic read. Just search up the writer or story on .
- I've read that story over and over again and it never gets old to me. There's no way I could ever match that high quality level of writing.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy.
…
Later in the week...
Captain Marvel slowed her flight speed once she saw the Avengers Compound and descended down to the roof. After weeks of flying through space to get to Earth, it felt nice to be able to walk on solid ground once again. A lot of planets were left in turmoil after the Decimation. Saving the lives on all these different worlds had kept her and the two surviving Guardians of the Galaxy extremely busy for the past few years. Nebula and Rocket stubbornly insisted for her to take some time off and she agreed albeit with much reluctance. As powerful as she was, even Carol knew when to stop so her body and mind could properly rest.
Friday greeted her once she entered the elevator. ""Hello, Ms. Danvers. It is good to see you again."
"Thanks, FRIDAY. Are the others inside?"
"Peter, Ms. Lewis, and Ms. Foster are the only ones in the building. Ms. Romanov and Ms. Jones have left to investigate a murder scene in London."
"What about Captain America or what was his name again? Uh, Bucky...I think?"
"Captain Rogers and Mr. Barnes are in the city, running their weekly group therapy sessions."
"I see." Carol said before she noticed something funny. "Hey, how come you refer to the rest of us as miss or mister but you never call Peter Mr. Parker?"
"Peter asked me to use his first name a long time ago as he doesn't feel old enough to be called Mr. Parker yet." Friday explained.
"Makes sense...I guess. Well, it's fine if you want to call me Carol."
"I will remember that. Shall I notify the others that you're here?"
Captain Marvel shook her head. "Nah, I'll just surprise them. Thanks anyways."
"Of course. Have a nice day...Carol." Friday said before she stopped the elevator on the third floor and opened the doors.
Carol just smirked at the ceiling as she walked down the hall. For an artificial intelligence, Friday had a pretty good sense of humor. She entered the lounge area and found Peter...reading some papers while he hanged upside down from the ceiling with his webbing.
"Ahem!"
The young Spider spun around and widened his eyes upon seeing her. "Carol!"
"Hey, Peter Parker." She greeted with a friendly smile. "Did you miss me?"
Peter let go of the webbing and gracefully landed on the floor. Wrapping his arms around Carol for a warm embrace, the former Air Force pilot happily hugged him back.
"Welcome home. When did you arrive?"
"Just now. What were you reading?"
He looked at the papers in his right hand. "Oh, just Jane's latest research notes. Go ahead and take a seat. I'll bring you something to drink."
Carol removed her coat before she sat down on the comfy couch and relaxed. Peter went to the kitchen and grabbed a cold bottle of root beer as well as a bag of chips for her to snack on.
"I figured you were probably a little hungry too." He said, handing her the root beer and bag of chips.
She took the refreshments with a grateful nod. "Thanks, Peter."
"How was space?"
"Busy as always. Thanks to that purple asshole, a lot of different planets were left in chaos. It hasn't been easy for the Guardians and I to keep the peace."
Spidey grew a little concerned. "Do you guys need help?"
"I'm not sure." She said, eating a handful of chips. "Things are okay for now but just barely. If I do need some extra help, I'll let you know."
"Understood."
"What about you? How are things here?"
"Okay. I still patrol the streets every night but there hasn't been a lot of bad guys to stop." Peter mumbled.
Carol gave him a funny look. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yeah but it just feels odd. I'm used to stopping at least a dozen crimes a night but in the last two months, I've only had to catch a carjacker and mugger for the police."
"Maybe the Decimation erased the majority of the criminals on Earth."
Spidey snorted out of amusement. "Wouldn't that be nice? Are there no bad guys to stop in space?"
"Not often. There is the occasional space pirate that tries to make trouble but I just blow up their ships before they can even do anything."
"You get to fight space pirates...that is so cool."
Carol laughed as she raised a glowing fist. "Well, shooting down enemy vessels is a lot of fun."
Peter just chuckled along. "I bet. So what are your plans for the next few days?"
"I'm going to get some rest first. It's been weeks since I've slept in a actual bed. After that, I'm not really sure."
"...We could finish watching the Star Wars prequels if you want." He suggested. They were only able to watch the first film together before the call to fight Thanos one last time came.
She nodded thoughtfully at the idea. "That sounds good. I've been dying to know how the rest of the films play out anyways. Just don't forget to bring the snacks."
"Of course. I'll have a junk food buffet set up for the both of us."
…
Captain Marvel spent the next two days sleeping in her room. Carol hadn't realized how tired she actually was until her body laid down on the soft bed. Peter had to come wake her up whenever it was time to eat so she wouldn't miss a meal. The others were happy to see her again and welcomed her back with open arms. Carol had offered to assist with any problems the Avengers may be dealing with but Natasha assured her that everything was already being taken care of.
"Just go ahead and relax." She had said with a warm smile. "I'm not going to make you work during your time off."
She heeded her advice and took it easy for the next couple of days. Most of the time, she just hung out with Peter or Darcy. They watched the second episode of the Star Wars movies last night. Carol wasn't sure why most people believed the prequels to be terrible. Granted the romance between Anakin and Padme was a little cheesy but other than that, she thought the first two films were okay. The actor that played the young Obi-Wan/future Ben Kenobi suited the role well.
Carol was looking for Peter now so they could watch Revenge of the Sith together like they planned. Darcy wasn't able to join them tonight as Jane required her assistance with their ongoing research. She had checked his quarters and the lab but he wasn't in either of those rooms. Captain Marvel entered the workout area in the hopes of finding the young Spider but alas there was no sign of him here either.
"Damn it..." She muttered. "Where is he?"
"Is something wrong, Carol?" FRIDAY asked.
Captain Marvel almost jumped at the sudden smooth Irish voice that came out of nowhere but she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Sometimes she forgot there was an A.I. installed in the Compound. "You almost scared me there, FRIDAY."
"My apologies. May I ask what troubles you? Perhaps I could provide some assistance."
"Everything's okay. I'm just trying to find Peter...he and I were suppose to watch a movie together right now."
FRIDAY took a second to scan the building. "I have located Peter. He is currently sitting on the rooftop of the building."
Carol blinked twice before she shook her head out of amusement. "...I probably should've just asked for your help earlier, huh?"
"That would've made your search easier, yes. I'd advise you approach Peter in silence though."
"What? Why?"
"...He appears to be in a contemplative state of mind." The A.I. said.
That piqued Carol's interest and it also raised some concern too as she got into the elevator. FRIDAY directed the elevator up and didn't stop until it reached the rooftop. Captain Marvel took her advice and quietly approached Spider-Man...who was looking at the night sky while sitting near the edge of the roof.
"Peter?" She called out.
Spidey snapped out of his thoughts and turned around to look at her. "Hey, Carol. What's going on?"
"I've been looking for you all over the place. We were going to watch the third Star Wars film of the prequels, remember?"
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. Our snacks are already prepared in the kitchen."
Carol nodded and looked around for a moment. "Good...what are you doing up here anyways?"
"Just admiring the night sky." Peter said, turning his attention back to the stars. "I've been working on my suit for most of the day and I just wanted to get some fresh air."
"I see." Captain Marvel smiled before she sat down beside him. "...The stars are pretty, aren't they?"
"That they are. I always liked to stargaze even as a kid."
"Me too. Sometimes I'd just lay down on the front lawn of our house and dream about flying through the stars as I looked up at the night sky."
The young Spider gave her a curious look. "Is that why you joined the Air Force?"
She nodded. "Being a pilot was always a dream of mine and Maria's. Most of the Air Force recruits were men back then though and they didn't like the idea of a woman being a pilot at all. It was why we weren't allowed to fly into combat."
"...Are you serious?"
"Times were different back then. A lot of people thought men were just better than women."
It wasn't as accepted now but he was aware that there were still a lot of folks who actually believed in such an outdated idea. Having been practically raised by a strong woman for most of his life, Peter couldn't understand why anyone would think that...nor did he want to.
"That's really stupid." The young Spider said bluntly.
Carol smirked. "Yeah, it is. The best part was my asshole parents actually believed that ridiculous idea too."
"No wonder why you don't want to try and find them. So...do you miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"Do you miss being an Air Force pilot?" He clarified.
Captain Marvel thought about it for a moment. "Sometimes...but there's no way to go back and change what's happened. I love being a superheroine and I don't regret what I've been doing for the past twenty seven years."
Peter smiled at her words before he decided to inquire about a silly matter that'd been on his mind for a while. "May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"...How old are you exactly?"
Her eyes narrowed. "You know it's rude to ask a woman about her age, right?"
Spidey grew a little flustered. "S-sorry. I meant no offense."
Carol kept glaring at Peter for a moment before she suddenly began to laugh. "I'm just messing with you. There's two answers to your question. Biologically speaking, I'm only thirty years old. I was born in 1965 though so timewise, I'd probably be sixty now."
"Sixty?"
"Yeah. Not sure how it works but ever since I got my powers, I've pretty much stopped aging."
Spidey didn't know how that worked either but it did explain why Carol still looked so young. He wondered if Wanda had also been gifted with an extended longevity when she got her powers. It was possible...after all, her abilities came from an Infinity Stone too albeit a different one.
"I'm guessing birthdays must be very confusing for you then."
She chuckled. "Oh man, you have no idea. It's tough to keep track of my age sometimes. When I think about all of the years that have passed since I left Earth...it makes me feel like an old woman."
Peter clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe...but you aren't. I think you're an incredible superheroine who's still in the prime of her life."
Carol could feel her cheeks growing a little hot. The way Peter praised her just now...his words may have been simple but they were honest and genuine. It was much better than the empty platitudes she used to hear.
"Thank you, Peter." She said with a warm smile.
"Of course." The young Spider smiled back before he stood up. "I think that's enough stargazing for one night. Ready to go back and watch the movie?"
Captain Marvel nodded and followed him back into the elevator. FRIDAY did them the courtesy of getting them to their floor without any delays.
…
"It's over, Anakin! I have the high ground!"
"You underestimate my power!"
Peter couldn't help but roll his eyes as the young Vader foolishly leapt up to attack his old mentor. He liked the Star Wars prequels but there were a few lines in the films that just sounded awkward. Anakin's bragging about his power was one of them. Carol didn't seem to notice though as she was completely into the movie and gasped when they watched Obi-Wan cut down all of Vader's biological limbs.
"Damn..." Captain Marvel muttered, seeing the former Jedi collapse near the river of lava before he was set on fire.
Spidey grimly nodded. "Yeah, it's not pretty."
Goose let out a soft meow as if to agree. The young Spider reached up and scratched the Flerken behind the ears, making her purr. She must have felt pretty lucky because two of her favourite resting places were in the same room together. Goose lazed about on Carol's lap for most of the movie before she climbed on top of Peter's head just as Obi-Wan and Anakin began their epic duel against each other.
Carol smirked at Goose as she gently lifted her off of his head. "I think we're spoiling her. She doesn't usually nap this much."
"What does she usually do?"
"Chase down alien rats and pests whenever we're on another world. Sometimes Goose helps me fight off the enemy in battle."
Peter raised an eyebrow. The Flerken may have claws but it didn't seem like they could do a lot of damage...unless she attacked the eyes or other vulnerable areas. "She does? How?"
"...She swallows them whole." Captain Marvel explained, remembering the way her pet tends to eat random stuff. "I still don't know how Goose is able to digest things so fast though."
Spidey looked down at Goose, who simply meowed at him. It was hard to imagine such a small creature like her just eating things ten times bigger than her. He took Carol's word for it though...and made a mental note to never go near the Flerken when she was hungry. They turned their attention back to the movie, where it was showing Vader coming to oversee the construction of the first Death Star alongside Palpatine. It then transitioned into the scene where Obi-Wan delivers an infant Luke Skywalker to Beru on Tatooine.
Once the credits started to roll in, Peter stood up from the couch and stretched his back. "So what'd you think of the movie?"
Carol smiled. "The film was good. I liked it...especially the lightsaber duels. The lightsaber battles in the original trilogy weren't bad but I think I prefer the ones in Episode I to III."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. We'll watch the new trilogy another day...right now though, we should probably clean up this little mess."
Snack bowls that had once been filled with butter flavoured popcorn and empty bags of chips were scattered all over the table. There were a few candy wrappers on the floor too. Spidey and Captain Marvel got to work in tidying the place up. While she went to go place the bowls into the dishwasher, he gathered the empty wrappers and snack bags and threw them into the garbage can. Goose just watched them work from the couch with sleepy eyes.
"I'll wash these tomorrow." Carol said, closing the dishwasher. "C'mon, you lazy cat...it's time for bed."
Goose leapt into her owner's arms and made herself comfortable. Peter quickly washed his hands before he followed her out of the break room. The two of them walked together down the hall, feeling tired yet relaxed at the same time. Carol was glad to have this little mini-vacation...it felt nice to be able to get away from her duties for a little while. They stopped at a split down the hall. Her quarters were located to the left while his at the right.
"Good night, Carol. I'll see you tomorrow morning." The young Spider reached over and petted the Flerken on the head. "You too, Goose."
Goose nuzzled her head against his hand with a soft purr. Captain Marvel just smirked as she watched them interact. An idea sprang up in her mind and for a second, it seemed a little too forward but she decided to hell with it in the end.
Leaning in close, Carol pecked a light kiss on Peter's face. "I had a good time with you tonight, Peter. I'm looking forward to our next movie night together."
"Uh, y-yeah. Me too." He stammered, looking very surprised.
Carol giggled before she turned around and walked back to her room. Peter went in the opposite direction, still trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Her quarters was just around the next corner but when Captain Marvel made the turn, she almost ran into Natasha. The Black Widow nimbly moved out of the way before their heads could collide against each other.
"Sorry. I didn't know you were on the other side. What are you doing up so late?"
Natasha shrugged. "Just reading over some police reports from London. How was movie night?"
Carol smiled brightly. "It was fun. Peter and I had a great time. Makes me wonder what other movies I've missed while I was away."
"There are some good ones to be sure. A lot of bad remakes and pointless sequels to perfect standalone movies were also made in the past decade though."
"Seriously? Why would anyone mess with a good classic film?"
"For money, what else?" Black Widow deadpanned with a frown. "Some directors think just by adding improved graphics to the movie, they'll be able to milk more money out of die-hard fans. The sad thing is that it usually works too."
Captain Marvel rolled her eyes. "That doesn't surprise me one bit."
…
- We're getting close to continuing the plot of Avengers Endgame. I'll have to rewatch the film again to refresh my memory so I don't miss anything by accident.
- I again recommend the Red Dead Redemption 2 story I mentioned earlier to anyone who enjoys a good heartwarming tale. Till next time, folks.
