- What's up, guys? Though I'm obviously more of a Marvel fan, I still enjoyed watching some of the DCEU movies like Man of Steel and Wonder Woman. A few of my friends told me not to watch Justice League when it first came out in 2017, since there were a lot of parts in the initial movie that didn't make much sense. I saw the Zack Snyder version instead and it's pretty good.
But enough about that. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
...
"I'll get this done as soon as I can."
"There's no need to hurry." Spider-Man said. "Besides, I don't think this is a task that you want to rush through."
Maria nodded and gave Peter a quick kiss before she stepped into her office. He slowly walked away in the opposite direction to let her work in peace. The White Wolf and Falcon called a few minutes ago to ask for Hill's assistance in finding some information about a terrorist group they were tracking. The two of them had been working together a lot in the last few months.
Spidey hoped Bucky and Sam were able to take this terrorist group down. He couldn't understand why anybody would even want to try to tear the world apart after they only just restored it not too long ago. The two of them never asked but if they needed some extra help, he was prepared to provide it.
He turned at the corner to the left and walked a little further down the hall. Stopping in front of Carol's room, Peter raised his fist and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
Captain Marvel opened the door from the inside, drying her wet hair with a clean towel "Hey, Peter. Come on in."
The young Spider obliged and stepped into her room. "Did you just finish showering?"
"Yeah, I forgot to take one after I was done training this morning. It wasn't until after Darcy and I were done gaming that I remembered I still smelled like sweat."
"Right. I heard about it from FRIDAY...something about you crying when you reached the ending of the game."
Carol frowned as she shut the door. "She told you about that?"
Peter nodded. "Don't worry, you're not the only one who cried. I played Red Dead Redemption 2 a few years ago and I was barely able to hold myself back from bawling."
"...Darcy and I wanted Arthur to survive so badly. I swear I almost shot the TV with a photon blast when Dutch and Micah just left him there to die."
"Trust me, I was pretty mad about that too. Good thing you didn't blow up the TV...otherwise, you would've gotten an earful from Pepper."
"That wouldn't have been pleasant." She muttered, folding up the towel in her hands.
Having seen Pepper chew out her husband more than once before, he didn't argue. "No, it wouldn't. That woman is almost as scary as May when she's pissed off."
"I don't doubt that. Anyways, you're probably here about the present that I got you."
"I came to see you." Peter clarified. "...But I admit I have been wondering a bit about this gift that you brought back for me."
Carol motioned for him to take a seat before she went to the table that held up her TV. Peter sat down on the bed, watching as the cosmic powered heroine reached into one of the drawers and pulled out her present for him. He didn't know what the object in her hand was exactly but it looked like some sort of a compact diamond shaped battery pack. There were small lines going down the middle of each corner and they glowed with calm blue lights.
Captain Marvel held it out for him to take. "I stole a cache of these from one of the Kree weapons depots about two years ago. Wasn't sure what to do with it though so I left most of them with Talos and Soren."
"...What is it?"
"A forcefield generator, one that's powerful enough to stop a missile attack. I thought maybe you could tinker with this and equip it in your own suit, to keep yourself more protected if needed."
His eyes widened with excitement as he accepted the gift. "Are you sure it's okay for me to have this?"
She shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry, it's fine. Soren's already reverse engineered many of these for her own people to use in the field. She said it was okay for me to take one. I don't really need it so I'm giving it to you."
Grasping his fingers around Carol's chin, Peter raised his head and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle manner. Carol eagerly kissed Peter back with a warm smile.
"Thank you." He said as their mouths separated after a long minute.
She nodded, her face still flushed a bright red. "You're very welcome."
Captain Marvel sat down on his lap and made herself comfortable. Spider-Man held her close by wrapping his arms around her waist. Running her fingers through Peter's soft hazel hair, she couldn't help but giggle when he breathed out a content sigh and leaned towards her touch.
"Ever wonder what life would've been like if you never got your powers?"
"Sometimes...although I'm not sure I would've liked it too much."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"There's a couple of reasons." He muttered. "For one thing, I would've remained a very sick person for the rest of my life. I had severe asthma and allergies for a long time until I was bitten by that radioactive spider."
"Right...I remember you telling me about that before. That must've sucked."
"It wasn't too bad. Besides, being sick didn't really bother me. The worst part was that it cost my aunt and uncle a lot of money just to be able to afford the medicine and care that I needed."
"That's not your fault." Captain Marvel said. It sounded like he was blaming himself for being a burden for his guardians. "It's not like you chose to have those health issues."
Spider-Man chuckled. "I know. Don't worry, I'm not taking the blame for something that was beyond my control. I just wish life could've been a little better for May and Ben."
"Their life was better because you were a part of it. Don't ever doubt that. You mentioned a couple of reasons. What was the other one?"
"Well, there were more than a couple but almost all of them are stupid and trivial. I usually just remind myself of the most important reason."
"And that would be?" Carol asked.
Peter gazed into her blue eyes with a serious look in his own. "...If I never became Spider-Man, I might never have gotten to meet you, Wanda, or any of the others."
Touched by his words, Captain Marvel kissed Peter again with her hands cupping his face. Spider-Man let out a muffled groan as his tongue wrestled around with hers for a brief intense moment.
"I'm glad we met too, Peter. I have no regrets about my life amongst the stars but it always felt a bit empty and lonely. If I didn't have you to come back to, it probably would've remained that way."
"...Have you ever considered staying here on Earth for good?"
"On occasion...but I'm not ready to give up on my duties as a peacekeeper just yet." She admitted. "One day though, I hope to retire and live a quiet life with you."
He smiled. "I'd like that too."
Carol gave Peter another kiss before she rested her chin on top of his head. The two of them held each other, enjoying this quiet little moment together.
"Did you play the epilogue of Red Dead Redemption 2 yet?"
She shook her head. "No. Darcy and I shut off the game after we saw Arthur die. I was just too upset to continue playing."
"I see. Well, how about you and I play the epilogue together then?" Spidey suggested. "It'll be a good way to kill time until dinner."
"Okay. Just tell me one thing..."
"What's up?"
"...Do I get to put a bullet through Micah's skull in the epilogue?"
Peter blinked twice before he laughed a bit. "Let's just say you won't be disappointed."
...
At the same time...
"A little to the left please."
Wanda nodded and moved her fingers over to the left. The older woman breathed out a relaxed sigh as the Scarlet Witch massaged away the tight knots in her shoulders. The back of her neck and shoulders had been feeling sore for almost a week, most likely due to her busy and sometimes stressful job as a nurse. The young Sokovian woman offered to help with that by giving her a massage and May graciously accepted.
"Feeling better?" Wanda asked, rubbing her fingers against a stiff knot in her neck.
May smiled with her eyes closed. "Very much so, yes. Thank you again."
"It's no trouble at all."
"You're pretty good at this."
The Scarlet Witch grinned. "Thanks. Peter taught me a few things about giving a proper massage on the back and shoulders. I'm nowhere as skilled as he is though."
"I wouldn't say that. You're doing well so far. Most of the tension in my shoulders is already gone."
"She is good." The Black Widow chimed in. She'd been sitting in the chair across from them, reading a book. "Still, I prefer to get my massages from Peter. No offense."
Wanda shrugged her shoulders. "None taken. Peter's massages are still the best."
May raised an eyebrow. "Are you two talking about the stress relieving massages or the more...intimate ones that my nephew gives you in private? I'd rather not hear about it if it's all the same to you."
The young Sokovian woman sputtered as her face grew red out of embarrassment. Natasha on the other hand didn't react as strongly but her own cheeks were glowing an awkward twinge of pink.
"W-we didn't mean it like that." The Black Widow muttered.
The middle aged woman just kept a steely gaze on them for a moment before she let out a small laugh. "Relax, you two. I was only teasing. Just try to keep the intimate details of your relationships with my nephew to yourselves...it's a little awkward to hear about it."
Wanda sighed and resumed her work in massaging the last of May's tense shoulder muscles. Natasha turned her attention back to the page that she'd been reading. She should've realized that May would mess with her and Wanda just for their innocent comments about Peter's massages...she often managed to tease them when they least expected it.
May briefly stared at the Black Widow before she snuck a quick glance at the Scarlet Witch behind her. There was a matter that she'd wished to speak with them about and now seemed a good time as any to begin the discussion.
"I'd like to ask you both something if that's alright."
The two of them looked at each other curiously before Natasha nodded her head. "Of course. What is it?"
"Out of the seven of you, you two have been with Peter the longest." She said. "...Have you thought about the idea of possibly settling down with him?"
It was a simple enough question but one that neither Wanda or Natasha could answer right away. They never expected her to ask them about such a life changing decision. May wasn't in a hurry to hear their responses and gave them time to sort their thoughts out.
The Scarlet Witch has pondered about it on a few occasions. They both enjoyed their work as superheroes but it wasn't a job that could be done indefinitely. One day, the two of them would inevitably have to step down from their heroic duties so they could enjoy a life of their own.
While the idea of being Peter's wife brought a warm feeling of joy to her heart, Wanda couldn't help but wonder if they've been together long enough to take their relationship to the next level. She may have been the first to date Spidey but it wasn't her who was by his side the longest. That honor belonged to Natasha, who's been together with him for almost five years now.
The young Sokovian woman once again cursed the bastard Thanos for having the audacity to erase her and so many others from existence five years ago. It was his fault that she missed out on being a part of Peter's life for so long.
As for the Black Widow, she didn't know what to think about the matter. Not because she didn't like the idea...Natasha just wasn't sure if she could live a normal life. For as long as she could remember, she always had to look over her shoulders for potential dangers. Some people like the Falcon have called her out on this and believed she was just overly paranoid.
Natasha couldn't deny there was a grain of truth to that but her honed cautious nature was what allowed her to stay alive for so long. Living in peace with Peter while no longer having to watch out for dangers on a constant basis would be challenging for her.
...But she knew the effort would be worth it in the end.
The Scarlet Witch shuffled over to sit beside May. "Peter's the best part of my life and I would love for us to get married. That being said though, I think it's still a little too soon for us to tie the knot. We've only been together for technically a year and a half."
"That's understandable. A decision like this isn't something that can be made rashly. His uncle Ben and I dated for six years before we married each other. What about you, Natasha?"
"...I haven't really thought about it much." The Black Widow admitted before a small smile graced her face. "That being said, I can't imagine my life without Peter. Spending the rest of my days as his wife would be wonderful."
"I see." She muttered.
Wanda reached over and placed her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "...Would you be okay with it though? Natasha and I marrying Peter?"
May didn't answer that right away. Instead, she leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. The Scarlet Witch and Black Widow waited patiently for May to collect her thoughts but both of them were a little worried that she wouldn't approve of them being her nephew's wives.
So when she finally opened her eyes again and began to giggle, it caught the two of them off guard.
"Sorry, I was just picturing the kind of wedding you both would have." May reached for both of their hands. "...You two have my blessings. I'd be proud to have you both as my daughter in laws."
A sense of relief filled Wanda's and Natasha's hearts as they intertwined their fingers with May's. The two ladies didn't feel ready to settle down with Peter just yet...but they were looking forward to saying yes when he finally popped the question one day.
...
Maria let out a quiet belch as she undid the buttons on her blue blouse. Her stomach was still feeling a bit full from all the food she ate. Peter and his aunt cooked dinner together for everyone tonight. They made their famous Parker lasagna for the main course and whipped up a large lemon meringue pie for their dessert. None of them would ever say no to their cooking and they all ate until there was practically no leftovers. Hill laughed softly as she remembered the way the Black Widow devoured her food at a quicker pace than usual...all so she could be the first to grab a couple slices of pie for herself.
Not that she or anyone else blamed her. While the baked goods the Parkers made always tasted amazing, their lemon meringue pies were on another level and simply to die for.
It turned out to be a smart move on Natasha's part as everyone else made a mad rush to get a slice of the tasty dessert too. Darcy and Carol almost ended up fighting over the last piece of pie that was available. Spidey solved the problem by giving his own slice over to the beautiful brunette.
Darcy was a little reluctant to accept it at first but he reassured her that it was okay. He could always just bake another pie for himself tomorrow.
Sliding her pants down her long legs, Maria took the clothes she just removed and placed them in the laundry hamper. She was getting ready to turn in for the night...all that was missing now was Peter.
The brunette woman moved to the dresser to organize some of her things. As she gathered up some loose papers, someone knocked at her door from the other side.
"Maria?"
"I'm here, Peter. C'mon in."
Peter entered her room and closed the door behind him before he locked it. His lips curved into a smile upon seeing Maria clad in only her underwear. "...Hey there."
Hill smirked as she placed her hands on her hips. "Like what you see?"
"Always. You look beautiful."
"Thanks...you're making me feel a little underdressed though."
Spider-Man grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Then let's fix that."
With a simple tug, he pulled the shirt off over his head. Maria happily ogled Peter's toned fit body for a moment before she approached him. While Peter folded his shirt into a neat little square, she lent him a hand in getting undressed by undoing the belt that held up his jeans. He didn't move a muscle as Hill gently slid his pants down past his hips.
"Thank you." Peter said, wearing nothing but his boxers now.
Hill placed her arms around Peter's neck and sealed her lips against his for a kiss. "My pleasure. Did your aunt go to bed yet?"
"Yeah. We talked for a little while before May decided to turn in for the night. It didn't take her long to fall asleep."
"Probably because she's been working pretty hard at the hospital. Your aunt deserves to have this time off."
"No arguments here." He mumbled. "I had FRIDAY tweak with the digital clock in her room so the alarm will go off at noon instead of in the morning. That way, she'll get to sleep in."
She nodded in approval. "Good idea...you think your aunt will get upset with us though?"
"I doubt it. May might get a little annoyed at first but she understands we're just watching out for her."
"I hope so. Let's worry about that tomorrow. We should go to bed too."
The brunette woman grabbed his hand and pulled him with her towards the bed. She slipped in beneath the covers first before he followed suit and laid down beside her. Snuggling into Peter's side, Maria smiled when she felt his arm settle around her. Just being able to sleep in the same bed with him was something that she sorely missed during the months that her injured arm remained in a cast.
Peter pecked his lips on the top of her head. "Sleep well, Maria."
"Good night, Peter. I love you." She whispered before the two of them closed their eyes and quickly fell asleep.
...
- Ever seen two people fight over the last piece of dessert at a dinner table? It's not a pretty sight...good thing Peter stepped in when he did.
- There's only a few more chapters to go until this tale is complete. It always saddens me a bit to finish a story that I've been working on for so long.