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Chapter Forty-Five
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Doctor Strange only gave them a minute to compose themselves as he quickly debriefed them on what was happening. They were about to join a final battle against Thanos - which was a strange thought to think on, because to all of them, it felt like they had only just battled against Thanos, but were defeated.
But Doctor Strange was adamant that everyone would be there to fight on their side this time. That they would have the numbers that they needed on their side. "I'll make sure of it." He said with a note of finality.
Peter wanted to ask more questions, and he tried asking a few, but the doctor wouldn't be swayed. He stayed silent on the details of what was yet to occur.
Their minute of composure was up, and Doctor Strange then used his arms to swirl in the air to create a glowing, twisting portal. The Guardians of the Galaxy immediately made their way through the opening but Peter lingered for only a moment.
This wasn't the first time Peter has seen Strange's portals… he had fought Thanos before while jumping through them. But he hadn't been able to really anazlye and appreciate them then, as everything had been moving so fast.
It was then that he came up with a scientific hypothesis - that magic was beautiful. He would be interested in studying it further in the future.
But he didn't linger for long. His chest was nearly bursting with the desire to join this fight - alongside all of their allies. To prove that he deserved to be labeled as an Avenger just as much as the rest of them.
He was going to fight and he was going to fight hard. He would give his all until nothing was left, if need be.
With that in mind, Peter leapt high in the air, attached his web to a broken piece of the ship just beyond the portal, and used the momentum to swing himself through the magical barrier so that he was laying foot on planet Earth once again. It was surreal to be back where he belonged after he had spent the entirety of his time in space thinking that there was the possibility that he may never return home. He basked in the feeling of relief that swelled in his chest. Never before had he been so glad to be wrong.
The mask on his suit retracted once his straightened from his landing pose and the sight that he was met with was startling to his senses. The Avengers Compound that he had always looked so forward to visiting… it was nearly gone. Destroyed. Up ahead - across the vast field that Peter had once done some training exercises on with Mr. Stark - was charred, burnt and covered in debris. And just beyond that, stood an entire army of aliens with - Peter's heart lurched at the sight of him - with Thanos at the helm, wearing golden armor like he was some sort of god. He was standing perpendicular with Captain America - but at a vast distance. Cap looked worse for wear, except his face was gleaming with hope as his eyes roamed all that lay before him, his back now facing Thanos as he silently greeted his reinforcements.
This caused Peter to take a look around himself, and he realized that they were certainly not alone.
Doctor Strange was right. Everyone was here - having walked through their own portals to get here.
There was King T'Chala and his Wakandan army, chanting a war cry lead by the King himself. Out of their portal came the Falcon, flying around with his gleaming wings. It seemed that they also their own war ships as they flew through the portals. There was also the Winter Soldier. A walking tree? Asgardians. He nearly gasped in relief when he saw that Wanda Maximoff also joined the fight, as no one could really deny her strength and power. And so many more wizards with powers just like Doctor Strange!
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thor on the sidelines as he stumbled to his feet, using his hand to summon a giant ax, and- wait, did Thor gain weight?
But he didn't have the time to linger on Thor. Because that was the exact moment that Peter saw him.
Tony.
Mr. Stark.
It also appeared that he had been fighting alongside Captain America before everyone else had arrived. As he was currently laying on the ground, seeming to be trying to get up from a brutal beat-down while he stared at all of them with his mouth agape in pure shock. Peter stared right back, his heart nearly bursting as his eyes shone.
Yeah. That's right, Mr. Stark… Peter, he was backup.
Both of their eyes shifted as what seemed to be a blue torpedo flew through the air and landed on the ground between them with a distinct thud. The mask came off as Pepper Potts locked eyes with Mr. Stark. Peter gasped aloud in excitement as he recognized the suit she was wearing - the one that Mr. Stark had named 'Rescue'. Peter had only ever seen the blueprints for it - back when Mr. Stark was merely mulling over the idea of creating a suit for Ms. Potts.
It really had been five years, hadn't it…?
"Is that everyone?" Doctor Strange asked from beside him, and Peter turned to see that he was talking to another wizard.
"Like you wanted more?" The other wizard replied back in disbelief. Peter couldn't blame him. They already had quite the army…
Then - contradicting this notion immediately - what was left of the Averger's Compound roof burst open as Ant Man - no, Giant Man - stepped out of the rubble as though he were merely stepping out of a taxi. He lowered his giant fist to the ground and released his hold on Rhodey, the Hulk, and… a raccoon with a blasting gun?
Ooookayy…. Weird. But Peter wasn't going to turn away the help. Trash pandas can fight now too. Cool.
Captain America slowly turned away from taking in their newfound numbers, his face set with determination as he turned to face Thanos and his army once again.
Thanos was also taking in their army, and Peter was satisfied to see the slight amount of wavering to his proud stature. He wasn't as confident as he had been during their fight on Titan. Peter could only see that as an advantage that they had to somehow utilize.
"AVENGERS!" Captain America cried as Peter lowered himself into a crouch at the rallying cry, poised and ready to attack. His spider-sense was going haywire but it was now a pleasant thrum compared to the last time he experienced it before he died. It was now clear and direct on where the danger was… straight across that feild - Big and purple and ugly. Captain America held out his hand and called for mjolnir, Thor's hammer, surprising Peter for a moment when Cap was able to - not only catch it - but hold it in hand. But then a beat later and upon further reflection, he came to the realization that if anyone would be worthy enough to hold the Hammer of Thor, it was Captain America. Because everyone, including the aliens on their side, the wizards, and the Wakandans that were tensed for battle, were also waiting on Captain America's word to strike. And he didn't make them wait for it. "Assemble."
Everyone released a battle cry of epic proportions as they ran to join the fight. Peter leapt high in the air, using his webs to increase his momentum as he launched himself high in the sky alongside his fellow comrades. Across the field, Thanos released his own army with a wave of his doubled-ended sword. With the most inhumane screeching coming from the aliens, they burst forth to meet their attack.
And with a clash in the middle, both armies on the ground met. Shooting and stabbing occurred almost immediately. Peter twisted and spun in the air so that he headed for the ground like some sort of weird variation of a flexible rocket, where he landed on an alien three-times his size, taking him down immediately.
Peter was never one to kill. Not any humans, at least. And he supposed that he could extend that mercy onto the good aliens that were born with empathy and consciousness - like the Guardians of the Galaxy. But these aliens he was fighting… they were more animal than humanoid. Peter had no qualms killing each and every one of them in order to protect his precious Earth - his home.
And it seemed that he wasn't the only one with these ideals - as nearly everyone on their side, both alien and human alike - were leaving aliens bodies left to rot in a trail behind them.
It was some time later when Peter caught sight of him again… Mr. Stark.
A cry of elation bubbled up in his chest at the sight of the red and gold armor that he had admired for so long… ever since he was a little boy. He was currently blasting aliens four times his size that had surrounded him. One shot it's giant hand out at Mr. Stark and managed to knock him down with a hefty swipe. A different cry escaped Peter's lips as he pushed himself to get to him in time.
Out of the corner of his vision, he could see Giant Man walking their way. This was his chance! If he planned this just right…
Releasing his sticky webs at the alien that was just about to cut down Mr. Stark with a giant spear, they attached to its back and Peter pulled the line of webs taught with his super strength, forcing the alien back on the ground - only to be immediately crushed into the dirt by Giant Man's boot with a sickening squelching sound.
Ugh. He wouldn't want to have to be the one to clean that off later…
Peter leapt from his vantage point through Giant Man's legs, desperately making his way toward Mr. Stark, who was still laying on the ground. Was he hurt? Severely injured? Or did he just get the wind knocked out of him?
"Hey," Peter panted as he landed nimbly on his feet in front of the man he so admired and reached out gingerly for his hand, helping him steadily to his feet. His mask retracted so that he could better breathe and speak at the same time.
"Mr. Stark. Holy cow. You would not believe what's been going on! Do you remember when we were in space?" Peter ranted and raved as he looked up at Mr. Stark's face earnestly, willing him to try and understand his rambling words. As soon as Mr. Stark's focus attached to his face, a look of awe overcame his features and Peter thought that maybe he was actually grasping onto the gravity of what Peter was trying to describe to him. "And I got all dusty? I must've passed out, because I woke up and you weren't there, but Dr. Strange was- and he was like, 'It's been five years, they need us.' And he started doing that yellow sparkly thing he does-"
"Hey," Mr. Stark muttered as he took a tiny step forward. Peter cut himself off. "Come here."
Then, Mr. Stark did the unexpected. He severely wrapped Peter in an embrace, smashing Peter's face into his chest plate.
"Wh-What are you doing?" Peter couldn't help but ask in his surprise, but not at all displeased. "Oh." He was being held so tightly. It reminded him of the hugs that Uncle Ben used to give him. It wasn't exactly warm, due to the armor Mr. Stark wore, but there was still warmth behind the notion of it.
It felt… nice.
Peter hesitantly raised his own arms to wrap around Mr. Stark. It was a bit of an awkward angle due to the bulky armor that Mr. Stark wore, but Peter wasn't about to complain.
In his ear, he heard Mr. Stark give a distinct sniff. Was- Was he crying? His chin rested on Peter's shoulder as he just held him there. And Peter was content to let it happen - his spider-sense was quiet. There was no danger near to them at the moment. Mr. Stark gave a notable pat on his back before he squeezed him even tighter, almost as though he was afraid that Peter was going to disappear. Perhaps… that was a valid fear. It had happened once before, after all.
"This is nice…" Peter couldn't help but comment.
"Sorry," Mr. Stark apologized in response, though he still didn't relinquish his hold on Peter.
"Don't be." Peter assured. There was no way in hell he wanted Mr. Stark to be sorry about this. They really had come a long way from after their fight against Cap in Germany - where Peter had tried to give Mr. Stark a hug in the car and the man pushed him off, stating that they weren't there yet. Once an embarrassing moment for Peter to look back on and cringe but now… it was just a part of their history. And Peter had a feeling that there was an evident shift between them - that going forward, there would be less constraint on showing affection. Peter couldn't help but look forward to that. To have a future where he wouldn't have to worry about showing Mr. Stark how much he cared.
Because somehow, throughout the course of their shared history, Mr. Stark has become someone that Peter has grown to love as a father-figure. Not to say that Mr. Stark replaced his own father or Uncle Ben in Peter's heart, only that it expanded to include the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.
There was another sniff in his ear, this one a bit more broken sounding than the one previous. "I just- missed you, I guess…"
"You guess?" Peter asked, his own eyes filling with tears as he laughed breathily through them.
"More than you could ever know."
The tightening of his throat was uncomfortable and made it difficult to breathe. The earnestness in Mr. Stark's voice was compelling. So different from the brisk and blasé manner that he normally spoke - usually writing off anything that got too emotional. Had Peter's disappearance really affected Mr. Stark that much?
"I was really gone five years?" He couldn't help but ask. It was a scary notion to think on - one that he wasn't ready to think too deeply on the implications and ramifications of. Not yet. Not when there were more pressing matters to focus on.
"Yes," Mr. Stark admitted, as he finally let go, pulling back from the hug to roam Peter's face with his gaze. His eyes were red-rimmed and his face was splotched with tears. It wasn't a look that Peter was used to seeing on Mr. Stark. His emotions were usually so controlled - hidden behind a wall of sarcasm and humor. His earlier assessment of the change between the two of them must be correct. It seemed that Mr. Stark was no longer afraid to show Peter how much he cared either.
"But it felt so much longer than that." Mr. Stark continued in a low tone, enough so that Peter could barely hear him.
Peter opened his mouth to respond, but there was an explosion a small distance away from them, followed by a barrage of inhumane cries from Thanos' aliens. They both turned to observe to chaos. Some Asgardians were trying to fight the aliens off but it was clear that they were outnumbered. Peter swallowed thickly and turned to lock eyes with Mr. Stark. He flashed him a shaky smile. It was clear in Mr. Stark's gaze that his thoughts aligned with Peter's, as per usual.
This wasn't the time or place for a reunion.
"Talk later?" Peter asked in a quiet voice.
Mr. Stark matched his tiny grin and gave a nod of affirmation. His Iron Man mask dropped into place. "You can count on it, Kid."
….
What followed was pure and utter chaos for Peter as he somehow took on the role of protector of the Infinity Gauntlet. King T'Challa had tossed it to him after getting compromised by a hoard of aliens - a position that Peter soon found himself being in the same predicament of.
"Activate instant kill!" He cried to the A.I. in his suit. He watched as his vision turned red through his eye templates and his robotic spider-arms released from his suit with a snap. They immediately got to work at slashing any alien that came close with expert precision. But that hadn't lasted long… there were too many aliens! They were starting to over-ride his defences as the pile of dead bodies surrounding him continued to grow. His spider-sense was going wild with frenzy and it caused for Peter's already panicked disposition to increase to new heights. Especially as he kept having to step up and stand on top of the dead alien bodies in order to keep from getting smothered by them.
It was like something out of a nightmare.
He was panting furiously as the horde of aliens just kept on coming. His red vision was filled with them. He couldn't even see past them and out toward the field. And he knew that he couldn't keep this up forever, and yet, that seemed to be the alien's exact plan - to keep attacking him until there was nothing left.
He couldn't stop himself from crying out for help then as he realized that there was no end in sight for this chaos.
It was Captain America that had managed to give him an escape - by throwing Mjolnir overhead, which Peter took the chance of attaching a web to. The lines of his webbing tightened and he was then pulled to safety. He couldn't help but pant in relief, nearly bursting a lung as he did so. He would have to thank Cap later for that - if he ever found the chance. That had been getting quite scary there for a minute.
But then a blast shot at him and immediately knocked him out of the sky, severing the attachment his webbing had to Mjolnir. Metallic arms caught onto the frayed ends of his webbing. Peter looked up to see the blue 'Rescue' armor that Pepper Potts wore. The name of her suit now being ironically correct.
"Hang on, Kid! I've got you." She cried as she dragged him above the fray, before tossing him to Valkyrie who had been flying past. Never before had he felt like he could equate himself to that of a rag doll, but there was a first for everything. Peter twisted in the air so that he was now perched atop Valkyrie's Pegasus.
Peter's life was certainly strange… but it wasn't without its excitement.
If only Uncle Ben could see him now - riding atop a supposedly mythical creature. He couldn't wait to rave to Mr. Stark about it later. They could exchange notes on all that they each did during the fight. And maybe he could even be introduced to Thor and Hulk for the first time. Actually… there were quite a few people that it seemed he'd get to meet… well, no time like the present.
"Nice to meet you!" Peter cried over the bustling wind in his ears to Valkyrie. "My name is Pet-"
Valkyrie spurred her Pegasus into high gear, dodging the cannon fire that was being shot down at them from the heavens… but it wasn't fast enough. A blast managed to knock into Peter, plowing him off of the winged horse as he tumbled to the ground. There was a distinct crunch that he could hear when he landed. It took a second for the pain to follow, but it did. He gasped out, covered in debris, cuts, burns, and blood as he held the gauntlet tight against his broken rib. He may have hit his head when he landed as well… as his vision was slightly blurred and everything around him seemed to be swaying and moving that shouldn't be.
Lord help him… how could he hope to move now, let alone get the gauntlet to the time machine like he had been tasked?
That was when a woman landed in front of him. Peter looked up, confused. She had dark, blonde hair, which was cropped short. And wore a red and blue uniform with a gold star in the middle of her chest.
"Uh, hey. I'm Peter Parker." He said, meekly, still holding on tight to the Gauntlet.
She gave him a look that appeared to be a half smile - half smirk. "Hey, Peter Parker. You got something for me?"
In the end, Peter was glad to hand it off to her. He was in no condition to fight his way through the horde of aliens to get to the Time Machine. Hell, he wouldn't have even known how the Time Machine worked once he got there. But as Peter watched from a distance, trying to catch his breath, the woman he had handed the gauntlet to hadn't been successful in her mission. The van had been destroyed completely by the double-ended sword that Thanos threw at it, blowing it up in a massive explosion. And the woman dropped the Infinity Gauntlet to the ground from the impact of the blast.
Peter could only stare on in horror as their plan crumbled before his very eyes. Just like it had on Titan… Oh no… what were they going to do now? The plan had been to return the stones to the past - where Thanos wouldn't be able to obtain them. But now? The Mad Titan wouldn't stop until he had all six stones in hand, where he would snap away half of existence once again. There was no place that they could hide them where he wouldn't find them. He was relentless in his pursuit. There was no doubt in Peter's mind that Thanos would track the stones to the very edges of the universe.
Peter could feel his face draining of blood and he suddenly felt very light-headed. What if… What if it happened again? What if he was snapped and dusted away just like last time? It was bound to be him, after all. His bad luck was inevitable.
Or it would just be his luck that if he happened to be one of the ones to survive this time around, then he would wind up losing everyone that he ever loved.
Rage, like a bolt of lightning, boiled as white hot heat burst through his veins. IT WASN'T FUCKING FAIR! He had only just gotten his life back! It was as though his life was just some sort of sick joke to the fates, twisting and pulling at him until there was nothing to pick at left.
Well, fuck the fates.
Fuck them straight to hell.
All he could do was watch in mounting dread as history started to repeat himself. As Thanos started to get the upper hand on them once again.
Mr. Stark had spotted the Infinity Gauntlet on the debris-covered ground, where the gold-starred woman dropped it, and he practically made a dive for it. But Thanos was already there, beating down on him in their struggle to get to the stones. Thanos then reared back his arm before he elbowed Mr. Stark right in the face - sending him flying a short distance away. Peter cried out for him, causing an ache in his rib that was only just starting the healing process.
Thanos made to reach for the Gauntlet again, but Thor was suddenly there to block his way, swinging his new, giant Ax at the Mad Titan as he swiftly dodged the blows.
"Come on, Thor," Peter whispered under his breath as he watched with desperation in his eyes. "Just land one hit. Just one."
Captain America soon joined the fray and both he and Thor tried to force the blade of the Ax into Thanos' throat. Peter perked up as he watched. They were so close. Could they really do this? Was it finally happening?
The blade of the Ax was nearly touching Thanos' purple skin, but Thanos managed to worm his way out of the double-sided headlock by rearing his head forward so that it collided with Thor's, who fell back and took the Ax with him. Thanos then reached behind him and grabbed at the back of Captain America's head and forced the both of them to tumble to the ground so that Thanos landed on top, before he started punching down on him into the dirt with his giant fist. Cap could only lay there in the aftermath. Lord knew if he was actually dead from the impact or not. All Peter knew now was that he had to now try his best to struggle to his feet despite the agony in his midsection. He was no match for Thanos, especially in his current state, but who was he if he didn't at least try?
Thanos turned on the ground and moved on his hands and knees toward the awaiting gauntlet on the ground. Peter released a web that attached to a nearby large piece of debris from a broken ship's wing and used that to help propel him upward to his feet. He wasn't going to make it in time… Thanos was nearly on top of the Infinity Stones. Thanos grabbed it in hand and made to stand to his feet but a shot of light burst out at him from a distance.
It was the gold-starred woman that Peter had handed off the gauntlet to. She punched Thanos in the face, causing him to stagger back. He shoved her back and stuck the Infinity Gauntlet onto his hand, just about to snap his fingers when the woman rushed at him again and held his hand forcibly open.
Thanos head-butted her. She didn't budge an inch. So Thanos then did the unthinkable. He took the purple Power Stone out of its place in the gauntlet, held it in his bare hand, and used it to enhance his punch that sent the woman flying a great distance away.
When she disappeared from sight, Thanos painstakingly put the Power Stone back in place within the glove. Peter now tried to scramble his way down from the hilltop that he had landed on. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain as he pushed himself to go harder, faster.
But then, like a beacon of hope, Mr. Stark lunged for Thanos, trying to tear off the Gauntlet from the giant's beefy fist but was immediately thrown off, tossed aside as though he were a mere toy.
"No!" Peter gasped, his feet now on solid ground as he broke out into a gruesome run toward the Mad Titan. He was too far away! Why did it have to be so far?
Thanos raised his hand in the air, paused to say something to Mr. Stark that Peter couldn't hear, snapped his fingers, and-
Nothing happened.
A look of shock crossed Thanos' face as he turned the gauntlet over… only to find all six Infinity Stones missing. Both of their sights shifted over to Mr. Stark in a snap, who sat on his knees before the mad giant. Sparks burst out from Mr. Stark's suit. His veins bulged with light, nearly bursting with the power that was surging through him... All of it stemming from the Inifity Stones that somehow wound their way into Mr. Stark's fist as the suit worked to lock them into place.
"No!" Peter cried out in desperation as the realization dawned on him. He pushed himself harder - faster. Mr. Stark was just an ordinary human who just so happened to have an extraordinary brain. He wouldn't be able to handle the impact, the radiation! - of the Infinity stones. He would die. "Wait for me, Mr. Stark! Let me do it!"
There was more of a chance for Peter's survival if Mr. Stark let him be the one to use the gauntlet and snap his fingers in Mr. Stark's stead. Peter's veins were already thrumming with radioactivity. He was certain that his body could take it.
But if Mr. Stark heard him, he didn't show any indication of it. He paused just long enough to say something to Thanos, twisted his fingers in a painful contortion in order to get the placement right for-
"NO!"
Snap!
Energy burst out in a ring of light, all of it originating from the focal point of one Tony Stark. When the dynamic energy reached Peter, it drove him onto his back, exerting all of the breath that he had in his lungs as soon as he landed. A ringing spasm echoed in his broken ribs, so terrible that he couldn't keep from crying out.
He wasn't sure how much time passed. But during his time lying on his back on the filthy ground, it felt as though he hadn't taken in a single breath at all. His eyes snapped open and he sucked in gasping air, stablizing his breathing as he mentally prepared himself for how agonizing his next movements were sure to be. He took in three rapid breaths then clenched his teeth before he heaved himself up into an upright position.
Peter whipped his head around, his gaze searching in panging distress. The first thing that he noticed was that Thanos and his alien horde were gone, disintergrated into nothing but dust. Then, not too far off in the distance, he saw Rhodey standing over Mr. Stark, who was leaning heavily against the upturned roots of an overturned tree.
Adrenaline burst through Peter's veins as he got onto his knees and jumbled to his feet. He ran. He ran as though his life depended on it. And then, with one giant leap, Peter closed the remaining distance, landing nimbly on his feet meters away from where Rhodey stood.
He froze. Heaving in lungfuls of air as he took in the state of Mr. Stark… his armor was smoking. The arm that still housed the Infinity Stones was withered and blackened - dead looking.
Rhodey straightened and seemed to be shaking his head in dismay as he turned away. Peter's heart leapt up to his throat at the sight.
No…
Don't go.
One foot somehow managed to make its way in front of the other… and so on until he landed on his knees next to one of the greatest men that he has ever known. "Mr. Stark?"
Peter took Mr. Stark's hand, the one that wasn't nearly crumbled to a crisp. Peter's lungs contracted painfully as he hyperventaled through the tears. "H-Hey… Mr. Stark, can you hear me?"
Mr. Stark was gazing in his direction, but his eyes were glassy, like he was seeing right through him rather than looking at him. "It's Peter…" He felt the need to tell him, remind him.
He looked imploringly into the man's eyes, trying to find any spark of that intelligence that the man was know for - the one that Peter knew was in there. But all that Peter could see was a thick glaze over the man's brown eyes. He inhaled another shaky breath.
"We won, Mr. Stark," He put his other hand gently on the man's shoulder, trying to coax any sort of response out of him. "We won, Mr. Stark. We won. You did it. You did it, sir."
Please be okay. Please be okay.
Please… don't die.
Peter shook Mr. Stark's shoulder slightly, attempting to entice any signs of life left in his beloved mentor. There was nothing, no movement, no words… nothing. Hands from behind him found their way to Peter's shoulders as he hung his head over Mr. Stark's still form, trying to tug Peter away. Tears rolled thick down his cheeks as he tried to hold on for a moment longer. He couldn't bear the thought of letting go. "I'm sorry… Tony…"
He was pulled away, urged silently to his feet as he released a broken sob that originated from deep in his chest. Pepper took his place by Mr. Stark's side. They gathered around, unable to do anything but watch as the life left Tony's body in… one... last… shuddering… breath.
…..
It took two days for Aunt May to be brought to him.
But until that moment, he hadn't moved from that spot. Tony's body had been taken away and all of the others followed almost immediately… but Peter stayed. Sat. And stared at the upturned roots of that tree. Unable to eat. Unable to sleep. His cheeks and eyes burned with what seemed to be permanent tear-stains that washed away at the dirt and grime that coated his skin in a thick layer.
It was during those two days where he came to the probable conclusion that perhaps he was cursed.
There had been three very important men that had been prominent figures in his life.
And all three of them died.
The only correlation that he could see was Peter himself.
He was the cause. He was the curse.
Anyone he got close to only ended up hurt or dead.
Periodically, people would come out to talk to him, to try and coax him to leave. But Peter didn't budge. He hardly paid them any mind, unable to even recall who it was that had bothered to come see him. He honestly didn't think that he was even capable of moving.
At least… not until they escorted Aunt May across the debris-covered and shambled field to where Peter sat.
He hadn't noticed her presence until she was kneeling right next to him, tears in her eyes as her soft hand on his cheek tenderly turned his head so that he could look at her. As soon as his eyes connected to her face, something within him crumbled. A wretched sob escaped his chest as he fell into her motherly embrace.
….
They stayed at the Stark's cabin for three days following after that. Ms. Potts was kind enough to host them even in her grieving. Because apparently, a five year absence meant that they lost their apartment and no longer had a home.
They planned to only stay until the funeral. Aunt May, as amazing a woman that she was, managed to find them a temporary living situation in the Bronx while they figured out their finances and how to get their bank accounts reinstated.
Everything… was a mess. His life was in shambles. He still didn't eat. He barely slept. All he did around the cabin was mope about and cry until there physically weren't any more tears left to be shed. He spent a lot of time perched on the roof of the cabin, whenever it got to be too much and the guilt felt as though it was about to eat him alive.
He couldn't look Ms. Potts in the eye, let alone little Morgan Stark… Peter couldn't help but feel responsible for Mr. Stark's fate. Who was he to live while Mr. Stark died? It seemed like an unworthy trade. The world now left bereft in the wake of Mr. Stark's absence - Earth's mightiest hero and protector.
Who was Peter in comparison to that? How could he ever hope to live up to Mr. Stark's prominence and good name? It was an easy question for him to answer - he never would.
The funeral came and went in a blur of colors and faces that Peter could hardly remember. He walked about in a daze most of the time, letting Aunt May lead him by the arm to wherever it was that she wanted him to go. Her soothing touch helped to sustain him. Kept him on the cusp of that thin line - where, if he fell over the edge of that line, he was bound to crumble once again - to resort to a state that was half-alive - brain deteriorated into a zombie-like existence.
When the funeral ended, Peter was finally startled out of the deep and most inner workings of his mind when Ms. Potts approached him directly. His brain was immediately on alert as he watched her draw nearer, and for a second, his eyes shifted to all sides around him - looking for an escape. There was none… as, in what felt like an instant, she already stood before him, her eyes red-rimmed and her face splotched with tear-stains.
"Come with me…" She said, softly. And Peter had no choice but to obey.
Aunt May trailed behind him, one hand always on the crook on his elbow as he followed Ms. Potts deep into the woods down a worn and used trail. For half of the trip, Peter's mind was blissfully blank for once. His thoughts empty and foggy. The other half of the time, Peter found himself naturally curious as to Ms. Pott's intentions… Was she taking him out to the woods to yell at him? To take out her frustrations and grief on him in a screaming fashion away from prying eyes and ears?
He found himself hoping for this outcome. It was what he deserved. Because he could've done more. He could've pushed himself harder - torn Mr. Stark's Iron Man glove right off of him before shoving it onto his own fist.
It was about a mile trek away from the cabin when they happened across a small clearing near the edge of the lake. Here, Ms. Potts paused and turned to face Peter, her face conveying so much emotion. He braced himself for her wrath, her anger. But it never came… Instead, she gestured with her hand toward the lake, clearly trying to indicate that she wanted him to shift his gaze.
He did so. Of course he did. He couldn't deny her anything. Not now.
His eyes landed on two planted stones of white marble, shining and glimering against the sunlight so brilliantly that Peter couldn't help but wonder how he hadn't noticed them immediately. His head tilted as curiosity plagued him against his will. He took two steps closer without thinking before he caught himself and paused.
"No," Ms. Potts urged in a shaky tone, "Go ahead… look."
Peter only hesitated for a moment before he obeyed, taking half a dozen more steps until he stood before the two stones.
He read the engraving etched onto the stones and his heart gave a violent twist.
Peter Parker
2001 - 2017
His Mind Brilliant And His Bravery Unmatched.
The World Will Never Forget His Impact.
His Memory Lingers Now And Forevermore.
His stomach gave a distinct lurch up to his chest as his eyes roamed repeatedly over the words. He kept swallowing against the forming lump that was growing in his throat. And his eyes stung with tears, even though he had previously thought that he had been dried completely.
"Tony did this…" Ms. Potts then spoke up behind him. Peter didn't dare tear his eyes away from the words before him in order to look at her. "He insisted on it, actually…"
A shuddering breath escaped him as he tried his best to inhale past the tightness in his throat. A light hand rested on his shoulder then from behind, her thumb rubbed soothing circles into the thick fabric of his black suit jacket.
"He loved you, Peter," Ms. Potts said, "He loved you so much that he just couldn't let you go. He saw you as his own, like his own son…"
A broken sob escaped his chest as his vision welled with tears, blurring his sight in the process. He rapidly tried to blink past it, wanting to read the words again, needing to memorize them in order to secure them safely in his heart.
"He had so many plans for the future, and nearly all of them included you… But in the end, I think that he achieved what he set out to do. Tony wouldn't want you to regret anything, Peter. Because bringing you back is what helped Tony become whole again, allowed him to finally be able to rest."
"I miss him…" Peter rasped, thick tears trailed down his cheeks, "So much."
"I do too…" Ms. Potts admitted. "But Tony knew that there was a chance that this would happen. He planned for it, actually… which is why he left you something in his will."
His eyes widened against his tears and immediately, he was shaking his head in protest. "I don't need anything. I-I can't take away from you or Morgan, I-"
"Tony loved you, Peter," Ms. Potts reminded him, her voice pressing but still tender at the same time. "And he wanted to take care of you… The records for your portion of the will are sealed until your eighteenth birthday. I can't say what it is that he left you, but I thought that you would like to know that he cared so much for you, believed so severely that he could bring you back, that he set out to do that… Somehow he knew that you would be here again even if he couldn't be. And he made his peace with that long before he stole the Infinity Stones away from Thanos."
There was nothing that he could say to any of that. And Ms. Potts left with Aunt May, giving him time to dwell in the words that she left behind by himself.
His thoughts were a massive storm of confusion, doubt, acceptance, grief… But in the end, he come to one conclusion - at least for now…
If Tony had really planned for this, Peter wished that he would've made other contingency plans… ones where Mr. Stark had been allowed to live. Ones where he hadn't left Peter behind…
…..
Peter carried a stack of piled cardboard boxes up the stairs of the dingy apartment in the Bronx. They had been one of the fortunate ones that still had their things after the snap… Annabelle Watson had decided to box up their apartment and put their items into storage when it was clear that there was a chance that they wouldn't be coming back. She told Aunt May over the phone days ago that she always had a difficult time letting go… and that this was a way for her to hold onto the memory of her favorite neighbors.
Peter kept moving through the motions of life, his mind only now starting to come to terms with everything. How different life would be now.
He thought about Ned, Harry… and Mary Jane.
It was only natural to be curious about them - what had happened to them and what they were all up to now. Had they been dusted too? Or had they continued to live and moved on with their lives?
Peter felt like he was scrambling to try and pick up the pieces of his former life, but he also found himself terrified to find out the answer of what had become of those close to him… He knew that he would have to find out eventually, but for right now, he was trying to find the courage to seek them out.
All in due time… Peter had to take one step at a time, learn to cope with every new decision that they were making in this new life.
Tomorrow. He would reach out to Mary Jane tomorrow. There was a part of him that recognized that he desperately needed her despite how terrified he was to find out her circumstances. Aunt May never mentioned Mary Jane when she relayed to him her short conversation with Annabelle Watson, and Peter was too afraid to ask for any details.
But he knew that in the end, his need for Mary Jane to be close would win out over his fear. He would do his best to find his courage to seek her out by tomorrow.
With a slowness that was unbecoming to Peter's nature, he set down the boxes gingerly on the floor of their one-bedroom apartment. He paused to take a look around at his surroundings, not even really absorbing the smoke-stained yellow walls or the rotten musk that generally came from lurking mold. No… his thoughts were fixated on flowing red hair and piercing green eyes. His heart clenched.
Perhaps… he would be better off if he contacted Mary Jane tonight instead. There was only so much more that he could take.
But fate, as it would have it, had other plans in mind. Aunt May had been busy unpacking a box in the tiny, alleyway kitchen, placing plates near the sink to wash up before they would later be put away, when there was a faint knock on the open doorway.
Peter looked up and his eyes widened in surprise at seeing Annabelle Watson standing in the hall just outside of their new apartment. His heartbeat spiked, as he deliberately peered beyond her, looking for any sign of her niece trailing behind her.
There was no one else.
His gaze shifted back to look at Annabelle and his breath hitched at the expression on the older woman's face. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes stained crimson as she stared imploringly at Peter.
"Belle?" Aunt May gasped as she dropped the plate that had been in her hand onto the countertop, immediately making her way to the older woman. She tried to coax Annabelle into the apartment, her hand gently rubbing at her back, but Annabelle didn't even glance in her direction - her eyes never once straying away from Peter.
"I-I've come to see, Peter…" She announced definitively as more tears escaped her eyes.
"Why don't you come in and have a seat?" May said as she led Annabelle past the doorway. "Peter, please get her a glass of water-"
"No, wait. Please." Annabelle begged, her gaze piercing through Peter so that his feet felt rooted to the floor. "I need to talk to Peter."
May led Annabelle to the only chair that they had brought up to the apartment thus far, and Peter followed her movements with his eyes. "Me?"
Annabelle nodded as May helped her into the chair before she left to get the glass of water herself. He could hear the faucet turn on as water hit an empty glass.
"I have to know- I need to know…" Her eyes searched his, so raw and deep that Peter could only stop breathing at the sight. "H-Have you heard from my niece? Has-" She swallowed thickly before managing to continue. "Has Mary Jane contacted you?"
Her words hit him like a freight train, that he had to stumble back a step. It took a moment for him to gather his bearings, his mind a jumbled mess of confusion as he tried to comprehend what it was that she was asking him. "...N-No. I- She- I haven't heard from her."
Annabelle Watson's entire stature crumbled as she finally dropped her gaze from his, her face contorted into gasping sobs as she weeped down toward her lap.
"It's just as I've feared…" She managed to rasp in between heaving breaths. "Mary Jane is missing."
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A/N: Finally I mention Mary Jane, right? I hope it was all that you wished for and more. 3
I know, I know. I'm cruel. But haven't you figured it out yet? The real villain of this story is the author, herself. ?
And some of you may have noticed the distinct lack of scene where all of the Marvel women gather together to face the camera, giving the audience a proverbial wink as they push Peter Parker back from the fray…
Yeah… I hate that scene.
It's just so in your face, you know? And I'm saying this as a woman myself. It really took me out of the movie when I watched it for the first time. Because it was so clear what it was that they were trying to do - win brownie points with the ladies in the audience.
But that's not how you write a strong female character. Just because your female character punches well or has a lot of power, doesn't make her a strong female character. They totally missed the whole point of that.
A strong female character has depth. Layers.
They did this well with Wanda - where she is so obviously broken as a person mentally but that's what gives her depth. Makes her feel real.
Because real women have flaws.
They did this horribly with Captain Marvel. They thought that just because they branded her as the strongest Avenger that we would just automatically care about her character? They gave us no emotional depth with her character and basically made her infallible. She won her fight easily in her solo movie and learned no lessons from it. All that happened was she got her memories back and remembered who her true enemy was - and quickly overcame said enemy.
Infallibility is not a strong female character trait. In fact, I would even say that it is a character weakness.
It's all a part of the hero's journey that the hero must stumble and fall before they rise above it. They cheated Captain Marvel's character of this. As a result, I don't relate to her at all.
Even Superman falls to his knees when faced against the poison of Kryptonite.
So, yeah… hated that scene in Endgame. Deliberately excluded it from this story.
Female characters need to be written better than that. Us ladies deserved better. Rather than Marvel writing scenes that displayed the female characters in a way where they overcame adversity and struggles, they just clumped them all together in a short 10-second scene. All while undermining a beloved male character (Spider-Man) in order to better boost up all of the female characters.
Marvel took the lazy way out.
Ugh. Sorry. I'm still salty about it.
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Please leave me a comment/review! It should be easier for me to write this story now that I don't have to do so much research by rewatching Infinity War/Endgame, so I will hopefully be updating soon.
Thanks so much for reading!
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