Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

If someone told me that I would wake up in a dark pub surrounded by people who should be dead this morning, I would have thought they were crazy.

Of course, that’s what happened.

I had been awake for a while now. I’d explored the area and found no exits. At least none that would lead me home. There was a door, but it opened into some weird wormhole kind of vortex.

Eventually the people started to wake. They were familiar, some more than others. Some should have been dead. I’d nearly broken down once he saw Tony, Ned, and MJ there, albeit younger than he remembered. Liz was there too.

God… I hadn’t seen Liz since Homecoming. The last I’d heard of her was during my Mysterio court case where she claimed that Spider-Man had ruined her life. Of course, that was before the memory spell.

Soon everyone was awake. I could spot some familiar faces. Ned, MJ, his old midtown classmates, Tony, Pepper, Happy and tons more.

Tony was the first to speak up.

“All right what’s going on?”

I was about to reply, before shutting his mouth.

What if…

Mysterio?

Could he still be alive? Manipulating things? Was all that stuff with the multiverse real or were Peter 2 and 3 just more illusions?

No… This was real. My spider-sense was sensing any danger and the illusions were definitely a danger.

That meant…

Oh god…

That really was Tony there… and Ned and MJ…

Everyone he lost… was there again.

My train of thought was disrupted by the sudden appearance of someone new. He was an old man. With a bushy white mustache and slicked back greying hair. He seemed familiar.

“Excelsior! You’re all awake!”

Tony took a stance, obviously sensing a threat.

“Oh, I’m not here to hurt any of you! I’m here to help.”

“Help how?”

I turned to see who spoke and… was that Sam Wilson?

“I’m going to show you a future timeline. Well… future for some of you. Others? It’s the past.”

Tony faltered. “Show us a future? How? Time travel shouldn’t even be possible!”

Oh, the irony…

The old man just smiled. “Oh, I’m doing this because of one certain hero over here. He has suffered unnecessarily so I’m going to show his future.”

Suffered unnecessarily?

“Who is it?”

The old man smiled again.

“Before we get into it, I need you all to introduce you by your names and what year you are from. If you are a superhero, don’t say it. It will probably be shown anyway but I just like the suspense!”

With that he disappeared. A screen showed up as the pub transformed into something else… a cinema?

The screen lit up showing an image. Like a movie. It started off with just one sentence.

Introduce yourselves.

The introductions came in one by one.

“Tony Stark, 2018”

“Steve Rogers, 2018”

The two glared at each other. They clearly hadn’t made up yet. Thanos hadn’t come for them.

“Ned Leeds, 2016”

“Michelle Jones, 2016”

Oh. They don’t know about my secret yet.

“Cindy Moon, 2016”

“Sally Avril, 2016”

“Flash Thompson, 2016”

“Abe Brown, 2016”

“Bruce Banner, 2024”

That explained the big green not smashing everything. Tony did a once over when he saw Bruce, clearly confused but just accepting it with a thumbs up.

More names came in. Sam Wilson, 2024; Bucky Barnes, 2024, etc. Most of the Avengers were here. Most members of my school were there too. I was waiting for it to be my turn until one voice came out.

“May Parker, 2023”

Oh god… May….

How did I not see here before?

I nearly started crying but held it in. I waited my turn. I heard a couple other names that I didn’t recognize (Kate Bishop, 2024; T’Challa, 2017; Liz Allen, 2018; etc.) before I spoke up.

“Peter Parker, 2024”

People stared. I could see the AcaDec team members wondering how I looked so young still. They’d probably find out about the Blip here too. Liz looked at me, obviously not comfortable. This version of her had been ditched by me at homecoming. She decided not to speak up.

Obviously, I looked uncomfortable enough for people to stop staring but my super-hearing picked up a whispered ‘Kid?’ from Tony. 

Before anyone could ask any questions, the film started. I stared. This wasn’t going to be good.

[Adrian Toomes and his coworker, Phineas Mason, are studying a child's drawing of the Avengers.]

Toomes : Things are never gonna be the same now. I mean, look at this. You got aliens. You got big green guys tearing down buildings. When I was a kid, I used to draw cowboys and Indians.

Liz stared, silently. She was obviously surprised at her dad being there. Tony looked at me, recognizing that this was the Vulture.

Mason : Actually, it's Native American, but whatever.

Toomes : Yeah. Tell you what, though. It ain't bad, is it?

[Toomes squints at the drawing and Mason nods.]

Mason : No. Yeah. Kid's got a future.

Out of the corner of my eye, Peter could see Liz blush. Obviously, she remembered that picture.

Toomes : Yeah, well... We'll see, I guess.

[Toomes looks up at the damaged Avengers Tower. Helicopters pass overhead. Scaffolding covers the tower's lower floors. A roving view sends us into a ruined building across the street.]

Tony swore.

“Of course, it’s that day”

The rest of the original Avengers looked just as disgruntled.

[A clean-up crew works around a giant deceased Chitauri alien creature with pointed teeth. Alien artifacts lie among the rubble. Walking through the site, Toomes gives a worker a thumbs up. He turns to Herman Schultz, who is one of his workers.]

Toomes : No, hey! Uh-uh! You can't saw through that stuff. These alien bastards are tough. You gotta use the stuff they use.

[He picks up an alien object from the ground and uses it as a tool to break down the Chitauri chariot.]

Toomes : See?

Schultz : All right.

Toomes : All right. (to Brice) Oh, hey! Glad you could join us. Afternoon.

Brice : Yeah. My alarm didn't go off.

Mr. Harrington scoffed, (since when was he here?)

“Oldest trick in the book”

Some students chuckled nervously.

Toomes : Yeah, yeah, yeah, your alarm. Look, just go stack that armor plating like I asked you. This is a huge deal for us.

[Anne Marie Hoag, the director of the Department of Damage Control, walks into the salvage site with her crew.]

Anne Marie Hoag : Attention, please! In accordance with Executive Order 396B, all post-battle cleanup operations are now under our jurisdiction. Thank you for your service. We'll take it from here.

Toomes : Who the hell are you?

DODC Agent : Qualified personnel.

“Okay this guy is a bit of a dick”, Betty muttered. I would have chuckled, but I was a bit preoccupied with the fact that this guy sounded a whole lot like Cleary.

Toomes : Look, I have a city contract to salvage all this, okay, with the city, so-

Anne Marie Hoag : I apologize, Mr. Toomes, but all salvage operations are now under our jurisdiction. Please turn over any and all exotic materials that you've collected, or you will be prosecuted.

[The workers look puzzled. A worker slips an alien artifact that looks like a power source into his pocket unnoticed.]

Toomes : Ma'am, what am I- Please. Come here. Hey, lady, come on. Look... I bought trucks for this job. I brought in a whole new crew. These guys have a family. I have a family. I'm all in on this. I could lose my house.

Liz whispered, “Oh Dad, tell me this isn’t where you started.”

Anne Marie Hoag : I'm sorry, sir. There's nothing I can do.

[Toomes is left to stare at her back as she leaves. Behind him, a Damage Control Agent speaks up.]

DODC Agent : Maybe next time, don't over extend yourself.

“Definitely a dick”, Betty muttered.

“Definitely Cleary” I muttered. Some people cast me weird looks, but I ignored them. This was gonna show who I was, so I wanted to keep attention off of myself till then.

[Toomes looks around and grins.]

Toomes : What'd you say?

[He looks around at his crew of workers. Brice whistles.]

Toomes : Yeah, he's right. I overextended myself.

[Suddenly, he punches the agent. The agents point their guns at him.]

A couple people gasped and I could distinctly hear some people saying ‘Yeah go old man!’

Worker : Don't do it.

Anne Marie Hoag : Put them down.

[The agents lower their guns.]

Anne Marie Hoag : If you have a grievance, you may take it up with my superiors.

Toomes : Your superiors. Who the hell are they?

[We see a TV screen playing the news about Tony Stark and his contract with Damage Control. Toomes watches the TV with an angry look on his face.]

Steve turned to Tony.

“You drove them out? Why?”

Tony’s eyes widened at the accusation.

“No! I had asked the DODC to work with the people already on the scene! They shouldn’t have kicked them out!”

News Anchor : A joint venture between Stark Industries and the federal government, the Department of Damage Control will oversee the collection and storage of alien and other exotic materials.

Schultz : So now the assholes who made this mess are being paid to clean it up.

Mason : Yeah, it’s all rigged.

[Mason is tinkering with the alien power source that one of the workers stole from the salvage site earlier that day.]

News Anchor : Experts estimate there are over fifteen hundred tons of exotic material scattered throughout the tri-state area.

[The glowing alien artifact is now connected to a motor with wires. The blades on the motor start to spin and the machine floats off the table. One of the workers pulls off a tarpaulin sheet covering a large piece of Chitauri artifact, revealing a dozen of glowing Chitauri energy cores.]

Worker : Hey, chief! We still have another load from yesterday. We’re supposed to turn this in, right?

Brice : I ain’t hauling it.

Mason : It’s too bad. We could have made some pretty cool stuff from all that alien junk.

[Toomes stares at the truck full of alien items and makes up his mind.]

Toomes : I tell you what, let’s keep it. The world’s changing.

Liz looked down again. “No Dad. Why?”

[Mason lifts his magnifying goggles and looks at his boss.]

Toomes : It’s time we changed, too.

4 YEARS LATER (Set during the airport battle in Civil War as it matches the timeline better than the whole 8 years thing)

[The Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” is playing in the warehouse. Workers are moving piles of alien tech and tinkering with machines. Mason works on an elaborate rifle gun. Another worker fires a neon blast from an exotic gun. The blast shears a large item in half. Workers load piles of high tech weapons onto a van.]

[Cash pours through a money counting machine.]

[A figure wearing a flying suit with expensive metal wings soars toward the warehouse. Doors in the ceiling open and the figure drops crates of alien tech from the suits’ claw-like feet. The helmeted figure comes through the roof and lands on the platform. He steps out of the wing suit and faces Mason.]

The AcaDec team stared in astonishment. This was their friend’s dad! They had no idea he was doing this!

Toomes : There you go, Mason.

[The helmet opens, revealing Toomes. Mason grins.]

Toomes : Business is good.

a Film by Peter Parker

Flash piped up. I mentally cringed. This was not going to be good.

“Hey why is Parker in this? I thought it was about a hero!”

Tony was about to speak up, but he caught my expression from across the room. He knew I didn’t need the attention. He relaxed back into his seat.

Ned on the other hand was ecstatic. He turned to me buzzing.

“Peter! You’re in this! What do you think is going to happen? Oh! Do you think you’ll become a superhero?”

I chuckled. I’d missed Ned’s enthusiasm.

“Ned this is the past for me. That’s 2016 and I’m from 2024.”

“So do you think you could tell me?”

“No point. You’ll find out in like a minute anyways.”

[Through a small, rectangular screen, we see the scenery of New York passing by at a high velocity. We seem to be on a highway.]

Peter : (in a gravelly voice) New York. Queens. It’s a rough borough, but hey, it’s home.

Flash snickered. I blushed.

Happy : Who are you talking to?

Happy groaned. If I remembered correctly this Happy was from 2023, presumably from before the Identity reveal nonsense. He was also sitting right next to me.

“Oh man there gonna find out I snore.”

I stared at him incredulously.

“Snoring? You think that’s bad? Think about what they’ll find out about me!”

Flash scoffed.

“What could we possibly want to know about you Parker?”

“None of your business”, I snapped.

He looked surprised. Then I remembered he was from 2016. Back then I barely spoke up.

I heard Cindy whisper to Sally, “Since when did Peter have muscles?”

Since I was wearing just a normal t-shirt instead of the baggy shirts I used to wear, they were a lot more prominent. I hadn’t felt the need to hide that I’d gotten super muscles overnight since the spell. 

[Camera quickly pans to reveal Happy Hogan driving in the front seat.]

Peter : (in a normal voice) No one. Just making a little video of the trip.

Happy : You know you can’t show it to anyone.

Abe muttered, “But why?”

I winked, “It’s confidential.”

Peter : Yeah, I know.

Happy : Then why are you narrating in that voice?

Peter : Uh... Because it’s fun.

Happy : Fun.

[Apparently, Happy thinks this whole situation is the opposite of fun. He puts on his sunglasses and solemnly looks out the windshield.]

Peter : So, uh, why do they call you Happy?

[Happy raises the limo’s partition. We see a reflection of Peter Parker holding up his phone and filming.]

Happy muttered a small apology but I’d waved it off. I’d already forgiven him.

[Peter gets out of the car to find a small private plane waiting for him.]

Happy : Come on. I’m not carrying your bags. Let’s go.

Peter : Hey, should I go to the bathroom before?

Happy : There’s a bathroom on it.

[Inside the plane, we see a view of the cockpit. Two seats for the pilot and the copilot are there no one is sitting in them.]

Peter : Whoa. No pilot? That’s awesome.

[Peter sits down across from Happy, directly facing him.]

Happy : Is that where you’re gonna sit?

Peter : Yeah.

Happy : This is your first time on a private plane?

Peter : My first time on any plane.

[Happy moves away to sit in another seat.]

Peter : Should it...? Should it be...? Should it be making that noise?

“I’ve always meant to ask”, Happy whispered to me, “Why were you afraid?”

“My parents died in a plane crash. It just had bad memories.”

Happy nodded, an expression of pity adorning his face.

[Later. Peter puts a finger to his lips and makes a shushing sound.]

Peter : Shh.

[Camera reveals Happy snoring. At the sound of Peter’s chuckle, Happy jerks awake, causing the whole frame to shake.]

[Inside Berlin Brandenburg Airport, we see German signs, Happy dragging his luggage behind him, and Peter’s face in quick succession.]

[Peter is sightseeing Berlin. We see Berlin streets, the Brandenburg Gate, a street performer, foreign girls, and a pretzel vendor.]

Peter : No one has actually told me why I’m in Berlin or what I’m doing. Something about Captain America going crazy.

A cacophony of sounds appeared in the cinema.

“Wait why was he in Berlin?”

“Was he at the airport?”

“Captain America? Why would Parker have something to do with him?”

All the while Tony muttered, “Not my best decision.”

[Happy and Peter enter a hotel.]

Happy : (pointing at a door) This is you.

Peter : Oh, we’re neighbors?

Happy : We’re not roommates. Suit up.

“Suit up? Wha-”

I braced myself. They were gonna find out. This was it.

[Peter's hotel room. Standing in front of a mirror, we see Peter wearing his homemade Spider-Man suit, consisting of a thin, baggy sweatshirt, goggles with shutters, and web-shooters.]

…

“WHAT?!” (Flash)

“TONY, YOU BROUGHT A CHILD TO THE FIGHT?” (Steve)

“BUCK, ARE YOU SEEING THIS!” (Sam)

“MY BEST FRIEND IS SPIDER-MAN!” (Ned)

“Yeah, Sam, I’m seeing it.” (Bucky)

“LOOK STEVE YOU KNOW I WASN’T THINKING STRAIGHT DURING THIS TIME!” (Tony)

“PARKER CANNOT BE A SUPERHERO! HE CAN BARELY BENCH HIS OWN ARM!” (Flash, again)

“Oh god he fought my dad.” (Liz)

“A FUCKING FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD KICKED YOUR ASS BUCK!” (Sam)

“He kicked your ass too Sam.” (Bucky. I think I like Bucky)

“Holy shit Peter fought the Avengers and won!” (Cindy)

During all the shouting, the old man came back, although this time through the back. I was the only person who noticed him entering. He whispered in my ear:

“If you want some privacy, there’s a place for you to sit on your own. I’ve even given back your web shooters if you want to get back up their kid.”

I looked up. Sure enough, there was a sort of platform. I thwipped up there before anyone noticed. By the time all the shouting had died down. Nobody had noticed I had gone. May and Happy had seen me up there and smiled. At least I had some privacy. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Please read Author's note at the end

Ned Leeds POV

I didn’t know what to think. Sure, I had been excited to find out my best friend was a superhero, but it was also disheartening to find out that he didn’t tell me! I thought we told each other everything but I guess some things just remained private.

Peter : Okay, Peter, you got this. You got this.

Happy : What the hell are you wearing?

[Happy is staring at Peter with a horrified look. Peter tilts down the camera to reveal his feet.]

Peter : It’s my suit.

Happy : Where’s the case?

Peter : What case? That’s not my...

[Happy opens a door, showing Peter another area of his suite.]

Peter : What? I thought that was a closet. This is still my room?

Happy : Go. Please.

Peter : My room is way bigger than...

Happy : There.

[A case is sitting on a coffee table.]

Peter : I found the case. I found the case. I found the case.

[He plucks up a card that says “A minor upgrade -TS” from the case.]

Peter : “A minor upgrade”?

Whoa. Is Peter gonna get a new suit? Is there gonna be a new Spider-Man suit?

[When Peter unbuckles a lock the case unfolds itself, revealing a high tech Spider-Man suit complete with awesome holograms.]

Holy shit. That looks awesome.

Flash just stared wide eyed. Cindy yelped in amazement. That suit looked awesome!

Peter : Whoa. Oh my God.

Happy : Put it on.

Peter : What the...? This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen-

Happy : Let’s go.

Peter : But, yeah. Well, I don’t understand. Is it for me?

[Camera spins to find Happy leaving the room.]

Peter : Happy, Happy, wait.

[Peter takes off the mask of his homemade Spider-Man suit with a huge, excited grin on his face.]

Peter : This is insane. Insane. Look at this thing. Look. Look at the eyes. This is the greatest day of my life.

Tony Stark chuckled. Wait… Does this mean that Peter also knows Iron Man? Maybe even personally?! My best friend knows a superhero!

Wait. Before we’d gotten here, Peter mentioned that he was leaving for a Stark Tech September Foundation thingy in Berlin… Is Peter there right now?!

Happy : Let’s go.

[He has come to drag a hyped-up Peter out of the room.]

Peter : Okay.

Happy : Come on.

[Outside Flughafen Leipzig-Halle, We see Iron Man, War Machine, Captain America, Black Widow, and Black Panther confronting each other.]

Peter : (whispers) Okay, there’s Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow. Whoa. Who’s that new guy?

“Oh my god are you gonna fight with the Avengers?” A student, Seymour, I think, asked loudly, turning to Peter’s hiding place at the back with an excited look on their face. Seymour’s face fell once he couldn’t find Peter. Where did he go?

The Winter Soldier (Holy shit that was a cool metal arm) turns to Falcon, “We fought that kid?” 

“Oh my god I punched a five-year-old.” The Falcon looked mortified. They fought Peter? Peter fought two Avengers?

Bucky looked down at his metal hand. “He caught my hand? This thing murdered like 600 different people and that kid just caught it!”  

“I dropped a plane bridge on a child…” Captain America looked mortified. He what.

Tony : Underoos!

Underoos?

[We see Peter, now dressed in the Spider-Man suit that Tony gave him.]

Peter : Oh, that’s me. I gotta go. I gotta go.

[Peter puts down the phone and proceeds to snatch Captain America’s shield with his web.]

[Later.]

Peter : Hey, everyone.

“Holy shit that was awesome,” I called out before realizing what I’d just said.

[He is holding his camera and flying through the air to find a safe spot. We see and hear explosions everywhere.]

Peter : Okay, so the craziest thing just happened, right? I just had a fight with Captain America and I stole his shield and I threw it at him-

“I’m sorry, he what?”

 Students and teachers look at him in shock, “You fought The Captain America.” One student says.

[We hear a metallic noise. Ant-Man grows into a giant in the background and grabs War Machine by his ankle. Peter turns to see this.]

“Holy shit!”

Peter : What the hell? He’s big now. I gotta go. Hang on.

[The phone is put down and for a moment, all we see are the sky and the clouds. Then we hear the battle commencing and see Peter being flung through the air.]

Peter : Whoa!

Oh god. Peter probably got hurt during this. Was he okay? Where was he anyway? I scanned the theatre before noticing the platform at the top. How did he-? Web thingies probably.

[Back in Peter's hotel room. Peter is facing the camera, now dressed in a grey NASA T-shirt. It is obvious that he is still high on adrenaline.]

Peter : It was the most amazing thing that’s ever happened! So Mr. Stark was like, “Hey, Underoos!” and I just sort of flipped in and I stole Cap’s shield. I was like, “Hey, what’s up, everybody?” And then...

[There’s a knock on his door.]

Peter : Hey, just a second! Coming!

[He backflips to the door, but before he can open it, Happy enters in a bathrobe.]

“Okay that was kinda cool,” Flash said. The AcaDec team stared at him. “What? Just because I don’t like the guy doesn’t mean I can’t admit he did cool stuff!”

Peter : Hey.

Happy : We have thin walls here.

Betty snorted.

[Camera starts rolling. We are now inside Tony's car. A hand reaches for it and we tilt up to find Tony Stark in a suit and sunglasses ensemble.]

Holy shit, Peter was in the same car as Iron Man.

Wait a minute…

Holy shit.

I am in the same room as Iron Man!

Tony : What are you doing, a little video diary?

Peter : (embarrassed) Yeah.

Tony : It’s all right. I’d probably do the same.

Happy : (from the driver’s seat) I told him not to do it. He was filming everything.

Tony : It’s okay.

Happy : I’m gonna wipe the chip.

I seriously hope he didn’t. I’m gonna need to see that later.

Tony : Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. You know what? We should actually... We should make an alibi video for your aunt anyway. You ready?

[Tony takes off his sunglasses, revealing a badly bruised face.]

Oh man. What happened to him?

Peter : Yeah, hold on.

Tony : We rolling?

Peter : An alibi? Sure.

Tony : Get in the frame.

Peter : Okay.

Tony : Hey, May. How you doing? What are you wearing? Something skimpy, I hope.

Was… Was Iron Man hitting on Peter’s aunt?

From slightly further away, I could see May’s face spasm as if she was horrifically disgusted with the idea.

[Peter turns to Tony with a frown on his face. Tony chuckles and pats Peter’s shoulder, whose face now wears an uncomfortable smile.]

Tony : Peter, that’s inappropriate. All right, let’s start over. You can edit it.

Okay that’s better.

Peter : Mm-hmm.

[Looking at Tony, Peter chuckles.]

Tony : Three, two, one. Hey, May. My gosh, uh, I wanted to tell you what an incredible job your nephew did this weekend at the Stark internship retreat. Everyone was impressed.

[Tony is putting on a solemn face. Peter offers the camera a wide-eyed, tight-lipped smile, trying to look innocent. Suddenly, we hear a loud honk.]

Okay this alibi video does not seem to be working very well. 

Happy : Come on! It’s a freaking merge. (to Tony) I’m sorry.

Tony : This is because you’re not on Queens Boulevard. (to the camera) See, Happy is... is hoping to get bumped up to asset management. He was forehead of security, and before that, he was just a driver.

Ummm…. What?

From the back I could hear Iron Man chuckle.

[Still driving, Happy gives Tony a sidelong glance.]

Happy : That was a private conversation. I don’t like joking about this. It was hard for me to talk to you about that.

Tony : No, seriously, was he snoring a bunch?

[Happy slams on the brakes, making the car screech to a stop.]

Happy : All right. Here we are. End of the line. Whoops.

[Tony laughs and films Peter, who looks a bit pale.]

Tony : Happy, can you give us a moment?

Happy : You want me to leave the car?

Tony : Why don’t you grab Peter’s case out of the trunk.

[Peter’s film finally stops rolling. He slowly lowers his phone, shocked.]

Peter : I can keep the suit?

Wait… Peter gets to keep the suit? And… was that Cindy just whispering about how cute he looks? I could definitely feel MJ giving her a stare. Did MJ and Cindy have a crush on Pete? Doesn’t he have a crush on Liz?

Tony : Yes, we were just talking about it.

[Tony puts his sunglasses back on and clears his throat. Through the rear window, we see Happy struggling with Peter’s case.]

Tony : Do me a favor, though. Happy’s kind of your point guy on this. Don’t stress him out. Don’t do anything stupid. I’ve seen his cardiogram. All right?

Peter : (enthusiastically) Yes.

Tony : Don’t do anything I would do, and definitely don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. There’s a... There’s a little grey area in there, and that’s where you operate.

What?

Behind me I could hear some other people voice their confusion. Even some Avengers.

Peter : Wait, does that mean that I’m an Avenger?

Holy shit my best friend is an Avenger!

Tony : No.

Oh.

[Happy knocks on the window and holds the case up.]

Happy : This it?

Tony : Seventh floor.

Peter : I can take that. You don’t have to take it.

Happy : You’re gonna take it?

Peter : Yeah, I can take that.

Happy : Thank you.

Damn is it really that heavy?

[Happy drops the case by the car.]

Peter : So when’s, when’s our next... When’s our next “retreat,” you know? Like...

Tony : What, next mission?

Peter : Yeah, the mission. The missions.

Tony : We’ll call you.

Peter : Do you have my number?

Tony : No, I mean, we’ll call you. Like, someone will call you.

I definitely heard Iron Man whisper that he did have Peter’s number anyway which, holy shit, was cool.

Peter : Oh.

Tony : All right?

Peter : From your team.

Tony : Okay.

[Tony reaches for the door. Peter mistakes the gesture as a hug and brings his arms around Tony.]

Tony : It’s not a hug. I’m just grabbing the door for you. We’re not there yet.

Oh god this is painful to watch.

[Peter awkwardly climbs out of the car. Almost as an afterthought, Tony calls out:]

Tony : Bye.

[Tony and Happy drive off. Holding his bag and the Spider-Man suit case, Peter grins.]

Peter : They’re gonna call me.

[He heads to the apartment entrance. There is a definite spring in his step.]

TWO MONTHS LATER

[Peter is standing in a packed subway train. He takes out his phone and types out a text.]

Hey Happy just checking in. I'm out of school at 2:45 PM

Ready for my next mission!

It's Peter BTW.

Parker

[He scrolls through numerous unanswered messages to Happy.]

“Oh man I was kind of a jerk to Peter back then,” Happy groaned. Wait… did he have a beard now? It did not suit him.

[The train drops Peter off at 36th Avenue Station, which is right next to Midtown High. He walks downstairs to street level where football fields stand surrounded by fences. Peter strolls down the sidelines and approaches the main building. We see students playing all kinds of sports on the field. He climbs a flight of stairs, then quickly avoids being hit by a convertible driven by Flash Thompson, a slick-haired teenager.]

“Did that kid just try to him with a car?” Captain America said.

Flash winced. Serves him right!

Flash : What’s up, Penis Parker?

[Students chuckle at that.]

“And now they’re laughing. Great. You guys are awful people.”

The students in question at least had the decency to look ashamed. Serves them right for bullying us nerdy kids! Who knows if we become superheroes in disguise!

[Peter suppresses a sigh and moves on.]

[A school news report is playing in the hallway, Betty Brant and Jason Ionello as the news anchors.]

Betty : Rise and shine, Midtown Science and Technology.

Jason : Students, don’t forget about your homecoming tickets. Do you have a date for homecoming?

Most, if not all, of the students chuckled at that.

Betty : Thanks, Jason, but I already have a date.

“The pain of rejection… We’ve all been there buddy.”

Jason : Okay.

Betty : Yeah.

[We see the rest of Peter’s school day. We see his obvious crush on Liz and his classes. We saw Ned. This part is mostly glossed over as I cannot do the reactions for this.]

[A poster hangs on the auditorium wall. It is for the Academic Decathlon nationals taking place in Washington D.C. on October 13-15. The Decathlon practice is commencing. Liz is standing at a podium, reading the quiz cards. Ned, Charles, Abe, and Cindy are seated on the stage. Bells are placed in front of them.]

Liz : Let’s move to the next question. What is the heaviest naturally-occurring element?

Charles : Hydrogen’s the lightest. That’s not the question. Okay. Yeah.

Some of the team members snickered at Charles’ comment.

Abe : Uranium.

[Cindy Moon, who was frantically searching the books, glares at Abe.]

Liz : That is correct. Thank you, Abraham.

Abe : (quietly pumping his fist in the air) Yes.

Liz : Please open your books to page ten.

[A few feet away, Peter is conversing with Mr. Harrington, the teacher who is in charge of the Decathlon team.]

Mr. Harrington : Peter, it’s nationals. Is there no way you could take one weekend off?

Peter : I can’t go to Washington because if Mr. Stark needs me, then I have to make sure that I’m here.

Flash : You’ve never even been in the same room as Tony Stark.

The real Iron Man frowned at Flash. Clearly he was a little pissed.

[Flash speaks up from behind them, reading a book with his feet propped up in a chair.]

Cindy : Wait, what’s happening?

[Sally Avril, who is lying on her stomach and studying her notes, answers her.]

Sally : Peter’s not going to Washington.

Cindy : No. No, no, no, no, no. No. No.

[Abe rings the bell beside her.]

Abe : Why not?

Liz : Really? Right before nationals?

Michelle : He already quit marching band and robotics lab.

The entire AcaDec team stared suspiciously at Michelle.

[Everyone looks at Michelle, who is leaning on the wall with a book, with a suspicious look on their faces. Michelle quickly adds:]

Michelle : I’m not obsessed with him. Just very observant.

Flash snickered. “Sure.”

Liz : Flash, you’re in for Peter.

Flash : Ooh, I don’t know. I gotta check my calendar first. I got a hot date with Black Widow coming up.

The real Black Widow glared at Flash. Holy shit that was Black Widow.

[Abe rings the bell.]

Abe : That is false.

Mr. Harrington : What did I tell you about using the bell for comedic purposes?

[Peter turns to see the clock: it’s still 1:18 p.m.]

[We see quick glimpses of Peter fidgeting as he looks at the clock. Fingers drumming the desk, foot tapping on the floor until finally, the clock hits 2:45 p.m. and the school bell rings.]

[The bell barely stops ringing before Peter reaches the front steps of the building. Looking around to check if anyone’s watching him, he leaps over a fence taller than himself without touching it.]

“What the-”

“How did we not notice this?”

[Peter runs toward a deli and nods at a man sitting at the corner.]

Peter : Hey, what’s up?

Man : Hey, man.

[Peter enters Delmar's Deli-Grocery and heads to the counter. He seems like he’s quite a regular at the store.]

Peter : What’s up, Mr. Delmar?

Mr. Delmar : Hey, Mr. Parker. Number five, right?

[Peter picks up jelly in a plastic bag and puts it on the counter. It says "Best By 03.16.18."]

Peter : Yeah, um, and, uh, with pickles, and can you smush it down real flat? Thanks.

Deli Clerk : You got it, boss.

Mr. Delmar : How’s your aunt?

Peter : Yeah, she’s alright.

[Mr. Delmar turns to speak to his staff in Spanish.]

Mr. Delmar : La tía de é les una italiana muy bellissima.  (His aunt is a very hot Italian woman.)

Deli Clerk : ¿Ah, sí? (Oh, yeah?)

Oh my god is everyone going to flirt with May? This is so awkward.

Peter : ¿Cómo está tu hija, eh?  (How is your daughter, huh?)

Most of the AcaDec team chuckled. They all liked the comeback

[The deli staff hoots behind the counter. Delmar’s grin fades.]

Mr. Delmar : Ten dollars.

Peter : It’s five dollars.

Mr. Delmar : For that comment, ten dollars.

Peter : Hey, come on, I’m joking. I’m joking.

[Peter pulls out some cash from his wallet and hands it over to Delmar. Delmar takes the money with a grumpy look on his face.]

Peter : Here’s five dollars.

[Peter moves toward a fat cat lying on the counter and pets him.]

Peter : What’s up, Murph? How you doing, buddy?

[When he returns to collect his food, Mr. Delmar strikes up a conversation.]

Mr. Delmar : So, how’s school?

Peter : Ah, you know, it’s boring. Got better things to do.

Mr. Delmar : Stay in school, kid. Stay in school. Otherwise, you’re gonna end up like me.

Peter : This is great.

Mr. Delmar : Best sandwiches in Queens.

[He hands Peter his sandwich.]

[Peter leaves the store and runs across the street with a bag of sandwich in his hand. He passes under an elevated train track, holding up his palm at a cab that honks at him, and runs into an alley. He takes off his shoes and throws them aside. He seems to be in a hurry.]

Wait a minute… Is he?

[From his backpack, Peter pulls out a blue and red Spider-Man suit.]

He is! He’s gonna do it!

[He knocks over a garbage can as he awkwardly takes off his pants. Peter yanks off his shirt and sweater, then steps into his suit, wearing only his boxers.]

Okay that’s not something I wanted to see. He’s my best friend but… him in boxers? Awkward.

[Jumping, he pulls the full-body suit up over his legs. Peter fits his arms in the sleeves, then puts on the mask, which covers his entire head. The baggy suit hangs loosely over his slender frame.]

[Peter webs his backpack against a dumpster, then hits the spider emblem on his chest. The material shrinks, fitting him snugly.]

So cool!

[Peter presses a button on his web-shooter, activating hologram displays, adjusts the lenses on his high tech mask, and jumps onto the roof of a building. “Blizkrieg Bop” by Ramones starts to play as he leaps across roofs with his sandwich bag in hand. Crouching down on a ledge, he looks down at the streets and sighs.]

Peter : Ah, finally.

[A bicycle chain is broken. The thief rides the stolen bike down a sidewalk, pushing passersby off the street. Peter swings after him, lands in front of him, and holds out one end of a strand of web.]

Peter : Hey, could you hold this for a second? Thanks.

[When the thief looks down at his hand, Peter uses his momentary distraction to glue him to the web. Peter lets go and the thief is pulled into the air. The thief still dangling above him, Peter holds up the bike and searches for its owner.]

Peter : Hey, is this anybody’s bike? No?

[A man comes out of a store.]

Peter : Hey, buddy, is this your bike?

Man : I have no change.

That’s not what he asked.

Peter : Does anyone have a pen? Do you have a pen?

[On the handle of the bike, Peter has left a note saying: “IS THIS YOUR BIKE? IF NOT, DON’T STEAL IT! SPIDER-MAN.”]

There is no way that worked. Someone definitely stole it again.

[Peter swings by a train station high above ground level and strikes a pose.]

Peter : Whoo! Everybody good?

[He then rides on top of a subway car, reading something on his phone.]

[Peter is slowly standing up on the edge of a building, the flag of the United States billowing in the wind behind him, when a man calls out:]

Street Vendor : Hey! You’re that spider guy on YouTube, right?

Peter : Call me Spider-Man!

Street Vendor : Okay, Spider-Man. Do a flip.

[Peter does a backflip on the roof.]

So cool!

Street Vendor : Yeah!

Man : Not bad.

[One moment, Peter is swinging down from rooftops and yelling, and another moment, he is patiently giving directions to an old woman. A thin strand of web suspended between a building and an old, rusty water tank, he practices his tightrope skills, too.]

[A man tries to open a car door with a thin slab of metal. Peter sees this, jumps onto the roof of the car, then uses his web to bang the man’s head on the car. The car starts to make loud beeping noises.]

Peter : Hey, buddy. Shouldn’t steal cars. It’s bad.

[Peter glues the man’s hand to the car and jumps off.]

Car Jacker : It’s my car, dumbass!

[An old woman, Marjorie, looks out from her window and starts to shout at Peter. All hell breaks loose.]

Marjorie : Hey! Shut that off!

Peter : I was just tryin’ to-

Car Jacker : Can you tell him it’s my car?

Day Sleeper : I work at nights! Come on, dude!

Old Man : That’s not your car! That’s his car.

Peter : How was I supposed to know? He was putting that thing in the window!

Resident 1 : Every day with these damn alarms!

Resident 2 : Shut it off!

[The neighbors continue to shout at Peter. An old, white-haired man wearing sunglasses (Stan Lee cameo) shouts at Peter, but then Marjorie notices him from the building across the street.]

Gary : Don’t make me come down there, you punk!

“Holy shit!”

“That’s the old man!”

“He’s the dude that brought us here!”

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared and the old man appeared once again.

Captain America spoke up. “We need some answers. Who are you?”

The old man smiled kindly. It was hard to imagine him as some malevolent figure. “I figured you’d ask something like this right about now. I am called the One Above All. I also occasionally go by Stan. I’m what you may call God. I created your universe and all others with it.”

Others?

He continued. “The reason for my appearance was, I just like checking in on you guys sometimes! Any ways keep watching!”

Before anyone else could get a word in he dissapeared and the recording restarted.

Marjorie : Hey, Gary. How you doing?

Didn’t he want to be called Stan?

Gary : Marjorie, how are you? How’s your mother?

[Later. Peter swings through an alley. His grip on his web slips, causing him to fall on his face.]

Peter : Ugh! I’m good, I’m good.

[Later. The sun is setting]

Voicemail : You have reached the voicemail box of...

Happy : Happy Hogan.

[We find Peter perching on a fire exit high above the ground and munching on his sandwich.]

Peter : Hey, Happy! Um, here’s my report for tonight. I stopped a grand theft bicycle. Couldn’t find the owner, so I just left a note. Um... I helped this lost, old Dominican lady. She was really nice and bought me a churro. So I just, um, feel like I could be doing more. You know? Just curious when the next real mission is gonna be. So, yeah, just call me back. It’s Peter. Parker.

[Peter hangs up his phone and sighs.]

Peter : Why would I tell him about the churro?

[A warning signal blinks on his web-shooter. Web fluid low. Peter ejects the cartridge, then scrambles to catch it, standing sideways off the fire escape. He places the cartridge on his belt. And spots four men entering a closed bank.]

Chittering erupted amongst the audience. Were we gonna see Spider-Man take on some bad guys?

Robber 1 : Can’t wait to see this thing, guys.

Peter : Finally, something good.

[Inside Queens Community Bank, a robber wearing a Hulk mask is cutting the ATM with a high tech tool that has a glowing Chitauri energy core inside.]

Robber 1 : Yo, this high tech stuff makes it too easy.

Whoa. What is that stuff? It looks so cool!

Robber 2 : Told you it was worth it.

Robber 1 : Okay, go, go, go.

[Another robber uses a high tech device to grab and pull off the front of the ATM. The huge chunk of metal is suspended in air. Other robbers start to bag the cash.]

Robber 3 : Oh, nice.

Robber 4 : We can hit, like, five more places tonight.

[Behind them, Peter silently comes through the door and awkwardly tries to strike a casual but cool-looking pose.]

Peter : (clears his throat) What’s up, guys? You forgot your PIN number?

[The robbers turn to him. Reveal that they are wearing cheap plastic masks of the Avengers. The Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and Iron man.]

Wh-what? Are these guys kidding? When did Thor even wear that helmet?

Peter : Whoa! You’re the Avengers. What are you guys doing here?

[One of the robbers loads his gun but Peter uses his web to grab it and hit “Iron Man” and “Thor” with it. He then proceeds to push “Hulk” away. His sticky feet hold “Thor” and throw him into a wall.]

Peter : Thor. Hulk. Good to finally meet you guys. I thought you’d be more handsome in person.

[Peter is hanging upside down from the ceiling when “Iron Man” starts to throw aimless punches at him.]

Peter : Iron Man. Hey, what are you doing robbing a bank? You’re a billionaire.

[“Hulk” comes up with a high tech weapon. Peter quickly dodges a punch from “Iron Man,” who loses balance and ends up punching “Hulk” instead. They both fall to the ground. Meanwhile, “Captain America” succeeds in picking up the high tech device that had been used to pull the metal chunk off the ATM and aims it at Peter.]

Okay maybe less cool.

[Peter jumps at him but is suspended in air for a short time. His voice is all distorted when he says:]

Peter : Hey! Oh, this feels so weird.

[He is thrown against the wall.]

Peter : Whoa, what is that thing?

[He is once more caught in the force field of the device and is thrown back and forth between the ceiling and the floor.]

Peter : I’m starting... to think... you’re not... the Avengers!

Really? Was this the time?

[With his sticky fingers, he holds onto the ground and shoots his web at a desk in the corner. He pulls on it and hits “Captain America” with his force field device.]

[Mr. Delmar is watching the attempted bank robbery from his deli across the street; money flying everywhere, Spider-Man jumping off walls, the “Avengers” trying to fight him.]

911 Operator : 911. What’s your emergency?

Mr. Delmar : Uh... Spider-Man is fighting the Avengers in a bank on 21st street.

Huh?

Peter : Alright guys, let’s wrap this up. It’s a school night.

[Peter kicks “Thor” into a glass wall, making it crack. “Iron Man” holds up the force field device, but before he can do anything, Peter webs the device against the glass, jumps onto “Iron Man,” and checks his face underneath the mask.]

Peter : So, how do jerks like you get tech like this?

[“Hulk” fires up the device that cuts through metal.]

Peter : No. Wait, wait, wait!

[Peter quickly pulls “Iron Man” and himself out of the way. The plasma blast cuts through walls and hits Mr. Delmar’s store across the street. The deli-grocery bursts into flames.]

Peter : Mr. Delmar.

[Peter quickly runs into the decimated store.]

Peter : Hey, Mr. Delmar, you in there? Is anybody in here? Hello?

[He helps Mr. Delmar, who is wheezing and coughing but alive, out of the burning building. Murph the cat is safe in Peter’s arms, too. But when he turns to the bank, he finds that it is empty. The robbers have escaped.]

Peter : Oh, come on. You’ve got to be-

[The cat starts to meow. Peter hands Murph to Mr. Delmar.]

Peter : Here, here.

Mr. Delmar : Good, yeah.

[Inside the Avengers Tower, Tony’s belongings are being packed up. Dum-E picks up an expensive-looking china vase.]

Happy : (to Dum-E) Okay. Good. Yes. Yes- No. No, put that down. That’s worth more than you or me. (takes a call) Yeah?

[Peter is running down a rooftop.]

Peter : Happy, the craziest thing just happened to me. These guys were robbing an ATM with these high tech weapons-

Happy : Hey, take a breath, okay? I don’t have time for ATM robberies...

Peter : Yeah, but-

Happy : ...or the thoughtful notes you leave behind. I have moving day to worry about. Everything’s gotta be out of here by next week.

[Peter jumps onto another rooftop, then stops in his tracks.]

Peter : Wait. Wait! You’re moving? Who’s moving?

Happy : Yeah, don’t you watch the news? Tony sold Avengers Tower. We’re relocating to a new facility upstate where, hopefully, the cell service is much worse.

Peter : But what about me?

[It is Happy’s turn to be confused.]

Happy : What about you?

[Peter sits down on a streetlamp.]

Peter : Well, what if Mr. Stark needs me or something, I don’t know, something big goes down? Can I please just talk to Mr. Stark?

Happy : Look, just stay away from anything too dangerous. I’m responsible for making sure you’re responsible, okay?

[Peter leaps down into the alley he stashed his backpack in.]

Peter : I am responsible. I- Oh, crap. My backpack’s gone.

[Happy is now standing inside an elevator.]

Happy : That doesn’t sound responsible.

Peter : I’ll call you back.

Okay I’m not liking Happy too much right now. Judging from future Happy though, he does end up getting better.

Looking back I noticed May glaring at him, while he was looking a little sheepish.

Happy : Feel free not to.

[The elevator doors slide close as Happy cuts the call.]

[Peter puts his mask back on and runs out of the alley.]

[Peter climbs up his apartment building, still clad in his Spider-Man suit and dodging windows. He slides the top of his bedroom window open and looks inside. Aunt May passes in front of his open door.]

[Peter climbs into the bedroom via his ceiling and closes the window with his foot. He pulls off his mask, throws it away, and crawls across the ceiling. Trying to make no sound, he pushes the door close and hops down to the floor. We hear a quiet click as the door latch slides into place.]

[Peter makes a turn to find Ned sitting on his bed. Shocked, mouth agape. The Lego Death Star crashes to the ground and breaks down into pieces.]

Holy shit that’s me! Wait… I found out! This is so cool!

____________________________

Here's a chapter to appease the rabid fans. 

I want to point out that since this is not my main story, the updates will be very erratic. 

Heck, even my main story is very erratic. Seriously I got such a serious writer's block that I get past a single paragraph for a full year, but that's not happening anymore. 

Thanks to that writer's block however, I have many drafts drawn up for so many different stories that I want to publish, but I need to go through my main first. More Spidey stories will come but not for some time. This will be pretty much my only Marvel fic for some time. 

Although if any of you are interested in Pokémon, go check out my main story, Alpha Squad. The main character's are OCs but it is set in a sort of Game/Manga/Anime style Pokemon world with some of my own changes. This story will take up my main writing but if I get some form of Writer's block or just decide to go onto a different story, you can expect some updates here. 

For some reason, despite the little effort needed for this kind of story (for the moment, it will become a lot more plot heavy later) this is my most popular story, so I am afraid I might upset some people with the news that this will not get regular updates, but then again none of it is really regular. I am a heavy procrastinator. 

I will not give some BS excuse cuz I know no-one will really care that much, so just hang in there for chapter 3

also it will switch to 3rd person for the foreseeable future. 

Writing a react fic is just annoying to do in 1rst person, even if it is my main form of writing.  

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Conversations

Main Theatre

Tony didn’t know what to think. This entire situation was bizarre.

After that little reveal of Peter’s best friend Ned finding out, Stan had reappeared. He’d told everyone that they’d all be having regular breaks in between the movies.

Movies.

A recording of moving images that tells a story and that people watch on a screen or television for entertainment.

Is that all they were? Entertainment for those cosmic beings in the sky? Nah. The sky was probably too pedestrian for them.

Not like I’m any better, Tony thought.

This being, Stan, acted kind. The only problem was that he was pretty much all powerful. Tony knew from experience, if you had that kind of power, it would corrupt you. That was why he was so adamant about the accords.

Left unchecked, people like Captain America and Iron Man would be corrupted.

Steve couldn’t see that.

We’ll do that together too.

But he wasn’t there.

When Tony had to keep grappling with the power hungry politicians who just wanted their own superhuman task force rather than a team of heroes, where was Steve?

…

No.

Don’t think like that. You’ll just get angrier.

No sense getting angry now.

Tony looked around. There were multiple doorways that weren’t there before. Each of them were labelled.

The sleeping quarters were labelled with whoever would sleep in them. He peeped into the one titled ‘Avengers Initiative’. Separate rooms for everyone.

Thank god.

Tony took a look at the labels of the other rooms.

GotG. There were seven rooms. The names seemed to be obscured to his vision.

Weird, he thought.

When he had looked at the Avengers room, he’d seen them all perfectly. Maybe it was because he was one of them? But Steve was in there.

Tony frowned. Steve wasn’t an Avenger.

The other labels included MotMA, WW, SH, SHIELD, GotG and CV.

Why were they abbreviated, and Avengers wasn’t?

Tony vocalized his question to May.

She stared, confused. “Only Avengers Initiative isn’t abbreviated? But that doesn’t make sense. I don’t see it.”

Tony frowned. “So which ones do you see?”

She pointed at the one titled CV. “That one. It says Civilians.”

Understanding dawned on Tony.

The one where you were supposed to go was the one you could see. For the others, you would just see abbreviation.

Tony looked up to Peter’s hiding spot. He was staring, confused at the door titled WW.

He gestured for Peter to come down. He stared, unsure, before jumping down.

Tony nearly had a heart attack before remembering that Peter was superhuman and a fall like that was barely anything to him.

Some of his classmates stared at where he had just dropped to, making Tony realize why he was up there in the first place.

He didn’t want the attention. Tony could relate.

They stood there awkwardly as everyone herded themselves into their respective rooms.

Soon it was just Peter and Tony.

“So,” Tony started. “This is crazy.” Peter let out a small chuckle. The laugh sounded alien coming from Peter, as if he hadn’t used it in a long time. That left a bitter taste in Tony’s mouth.

“Tell me about it.”

Tony took in Peter for the first time. He was so different from the Peter he knew.

The Peter he knew wore science pun shirts, light hoodies, headphones, and a permanent smile on his face. Despite what had happened to his uncle and parents, he was still able to smile.

This Peter was different. He was rougher around the edges, black shirt, hair unkempt and wild, as if it hadn’t been brushed or cut in days. He wore a new set of web shooters around his wrist. Not the ones Tony had given him, but not his old homemade ones either. They looked like a modified version, a mix of the two. He kept Tony’s sleeker design but the button to fire the webs looked retractable. Impressive.

“New shooters?”

Tony cringed. Of all the things he could have said, he chose that? Although, it was probably a better choice. From his body language Tony could tell that Pete probably didn’t want to answer any heavier questions just yet.

“Built ‘em myself. I didn’t exactly have access to your tech so it’s a little rudimentary, but they get the job done.”

Didn’t have access to Tony’s tech?

Peter cringed. Clearly, he hadn’t meant to say that.

“If I could ask, what happened?” Peter stared. “Let me clarify. What happened that made you so… different from what you used to be?”

“Like you aren’t different from what you used to be?” Peter snapped. “Sorry, it’s just been a long few… months for me,” He apologized.

“It’s a long story. I can’t tell you all of it. I’m not ready to do that, but I can tell some.”

“It’s okay. I got time Underoos. You’re practically family so-”

“Stop,” he cut off. “I’m not.”

“But-”

“No listen. You may think that. Heck, I thought that at one point. But this whole, you filling in my father-figure position thing we had? That’s not happening. For the longest time, I kept latching on to people to replace my real dad. My dead dad. First it was my Uncle Ben. Then you. After that-”, he stopped himself. “Look what I’m trying to say is this. I wasn’t grown up yet. I wasn’t ready to leave my dad, so I kept looking for the nearest replacement. You had no right to replace my dad or Uncle Ben, and I had to right to try and replace them. Maybe for a while, I needed it. Maybe you did, but you are not my father.”

Tony looked to interject but Peter stopped him.

“What I’m trying you say is that, just because you aren’t, doesn’t mean I don’t want to know you. I needed to fill a void. That need is gone. I just want to try to be friends. I can’t disrespect Uncle Ben or Dad’s memory again.”

Tony stared. Then he broke into a smile.

“I can work with that.”

Peter smiled for the first time since coming here. It looked great on him. It looked like Peter.

Tony remembered a question he wanted to ask.

“There is one thing I wanted to know, and I hope this isn’t too intrusive but… the room you’re in, is it that one?”

He pointed to the one labelled WW.

Peter nodded. “The problem is that I have no idea what that means so I’m not sure why I’m there.”

“What does it say?”

Peter looked hesitant before responding.

“Web Warriors.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Civilians room

“This is so awesome!”

The entire Academic Decathlon team, except for Peter and Liz, were huddled in the Civilians common room. It had multiple hallways that led to each individual bed. Most of the civilians had gone to their rooms but the AcaDec team had stayed to chat.

Betty spoke up.

“Okay we need to discuss a few things!”

“What?”

“A lot. So first up is Liz. From what she told me, she will apparently move to Oregon and leave the team and MJ is the new leader.”

“What?” Betty forged on, ignoring Flash like any sane human being.

“Next up, Ned apparently knows about Peter’s extra curriculars.”

“Not yet!”

“And third, Peter’s extra curriculars”

The room went silent.

Abe spoke up. “Man I can’t believe that Peter is a superhero.”

Cindy pitched in. “Did you see the Peter that was with us? He looked so down. I wonder what happened?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Peter had a big origin story event! You know? In like every comic the big hero loses someone close to them and goes all hero like after it! Aw man I bet it was a big awesome battle!”

Ned scowled. “Are you really comparing our friend’s life with a book? You’re getting excited at the idea of a real living person just dying so Peter can become some big hero?”

Flash shut up.

Ned pondered. As insensitive as Flash was, he may have been right. Ned had never seen Peter so down.

As everyone was busy discussing the whole Spider-Man thing, Ned snuck off. He wanted to talk to Peter, and he was pretty sure that he’d seen him stay behind with Iron Man (so cool!) earlier.

As he left the door, he overheard quiet voices.

Normally Ned didn’t like eavesdropping but, his mind justified it. That was Peter. Peter was his friend, so he had to look out for his friend, right?

Absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the other voice was Tony Stark.

They were inspecting one of the dorms, WW.

“It doesn’t make sense! I’ve never heard of them. Why am I part of this dorm?”

Mr Stark held his hand to his chin, pondering the situation. What was going on? What dorm was Peter a part of?

“Maybe, since we’re all from different times, you will be a part of this group, just not yet.”

“Seriously? You have to, at some point, be in the group? By that logic I should have a room in the Avengers area and the civilian area!”

Wait… Peter was an Avenger?

“Wait, you’re an Avenger now? Congrats!”

“Nah, I quit.”

What?

“What? Why?”

Peter smirked dryly. On the one day I was an Avenger, I got enough trauma to last me like seven lifetimes Tony.”

Tony stared, worried. “What happened on that day?”

Peter stared at him, sadly before looking away. “You’ll see. There’s no way they won’t show it.”

Tony stared on, wanting to say more but knowing he wouldn’t get anything back.

Ned was about to walk in before the doors opened.

Everyone reentered the room. Well… not everyone.

Stan reappeared before the screen, still paused on that image of Ned’s dropped Lego Death Star.

“I just want to clarify the reason some of the people aren’t here! Not all of you will be watching the same thing. There are other events that are being seen by your other friends that you won’t need to know. You are all the people that still need to see Mr Parker’s future and past!”

He turned to Peter.

“You are not one of them.”

Peter stared, confused.

“Wait, this is literally about me why wouldn’t I-”

“You will be seeing something else. This is you’re past. You need to see your future.”

Stan waved his hand and Peter disappeared in a flash of gold.

“Now! Onwards with the viewing!”

Okay! That was not a react chapter but a bit of setup as I feel most reaction fics squander their potential by adding unnecessary characters. People like Thor don’t need to learn more about Spidey and Peter doesn’t need to be there for his past. Now I know that Peter doesn’t canonically have any events happen to him after NWH yet, but I have a sort of plan. I know this was intended to be a phase 4 to 5 react fic alongside homecoming and infinity war but that’s not happening. This will split into multiple fics now as part of a series. Peter will be going off to see the Spider-verse movies with the Spider-verse gang because I feel like there is so much untapped potential of making MCU peter interact with spider-verse characters.

Gwen and Peter as trauma buddies!

Seriously that lives rent free in my head all the time. Also peter and peter b, showing that, yes Peter can overcome troubles and depression like Peter B! I know I set up some talks with tony and everything but just because I’m rocketing Peter off to another react fic, does not mean he won’t interact here again.

I plan on doing several breaks where everyone from every react fic I plan on doing will interact. Some reactions will be shown, and some won’t. for examples, Thor and the Asgardians will be watching Ragnarok, but I won’t show it. I’ll just reference that during break scenes.

Spider-verse will be shown however as I just really want to write Gwen. Even if they aren’t in any sort of romantic relationship, despite the fact that I think that the characters fit quite a bit, I just really want to see them react.

Besides SV!Gwen is down bad for Miles.

Ain’t no way I’m ruining their whole thing.

My other plan was for Peter to react to a fanmade future that I am writing, which you can read the plan for in my spidey saga, also on ao3.

638studios' Spider-Man saga

Also the whole IronDad thing people have on all Marvel fics is just disrespectful to the whole character of spider-man. Sure he needs a mentor figure for his earlier years but that does not need to become a parental relationship. The comics version itself handled it much better for the most part, where it was a slightly more murky partnership. They had their ups and downs, but the principle was that they were friends. At the point of NWH especially I feel like it’s even worse for it to become a father son partnership.

I rewatched all the Tony and Peter scenes as well and I noticed that the whole IronDad idea was basically nonexistent with the exception of endgame. Their relationship was negative, but it is my head canon that they had a lot more positive moments between movies so I’m writing it with a slightly more positive spin.

I do understand where is comes from however as the whole MCU was originally based off the Ultimate Universe in many aspects and the brief interactions between Spidey and Iron Man were very fatherly but nowhere near as much as Ben Parker, the TRUE DAD OF SPIDER-MAN. The whole idea of IronDad is just disrespectful to Uncle Ben and Richard Parker.

Anyone read Spider-Man: Family Business? They literally confirm in an off-hand comment that Peter’s personality is pretty much a carbon copy of his dad’s during that one scene with his parent’s… butler? Whoever he was, he was basically the Alfred to their Batman.

Anyways…

See you in the next installment!

Also for my like two readers who are looking out for Evolution CH17, it’s going to take some time but nowhere near as long as 15 and 16 as it is one of the shorter ones. Also Evolution earlier chapters will be rewritten.

If you haven’t read it yet but are into Pokémon, I’ll give a sneak peak by posting the prologue here as a self-promo. If you don’t want to read it, don’t! But I would really like you too as I put so much effort into this.

It began with a whisper. The whispers spread. They grew. Soon they became louder and louder until… they cheered. One phrase dominated all the regions. Through every city, every town, every nation. From Kanto to Kalos. From Orre to Paldea. All the cities of Galar and all the villages of Alola. Everywhere, there was one cheer.

“The Warlord is gone!”

“The Warlord is gone!”

“The Warlord is gone!”

Everywhere, except one place. It was a forest, crawling with the smallest bug types, to the largest flying types. Sneaking through, were six people. Each one of them wore a black jumpsuit. Scattered across these suits were patterns of stars and galaxies, as if each person was a living universe. A living cosmos. In the centre of their outfits, the letter C, written in pearl white. They weren’t cheering because they needed to be quiet. They couldn’t be seen.

After a few minutes of trekking, they emerged from the forest. In front of them was a majestic building with columns of marble and brick red walls. Etched into the stone gateway were the words:

Indigo Plateau

The building was grand, but that’s not what they were focusing on. They needed to get in. Not the main hall. They needed to get underneath. One of the six people drew out a black and yellow orb from their belt. He rolled it onto the floor, and it burst into a bright blue light. Some might think it was mystical, even extra-terrestrial. It wasn’t, but it was the closest thing there was. A large, mole-like creature, with a dark brown body and diagonal red splotches materialized in the light. The man who had released it pointed down below their feet.

“Excadrill, we need to get in. Do your thing”.

The Excadrill grunted and closed its drill like claws over its head. Its body became rigid as it floated into the air. The claws pointed down at it started to spin, like an overcharged ceiling fan. Without warning, it slammed down into the floor, slicing through the ground like a knife through hot butter. The lead man signaled down towards the hole as each person jumped in after the Excadrill. Soon the Excadrill broke through, followed by each man, one by one. They emerged out of a wall into a large corridor. Every part of it was in pristine condition, with marble walls and all, other than the hole they had emerged from. The lead man turned around to the rest of his group.

“Alright everyone. We know where he is being kept. Let’s get a piece and go. We can’t draw attention to ourselves.”

Each person nodded. They navigated through the hallways, each seeming like another dead end in this pearl white labyrinth, before eventually finding the room. The Private Archives. They waited outside, hidden behind different objects and columns until someone walked in. Three men, each wearing a high-tech bodysuit, were holding a conversation. Something about type advantages. Completely irrelevant. What they needed were for these guys to give up their key cards. Now was the time to strike.

One of the agents snuck up behind the three men and lunged forwards. They struck him right in the back of the head as the other two men turned around.

“Hey! How did you get in here?!”

The agent did not respond. Instead, he threw out a singular Pokémon. A Lunatone. It released a ray of Hypnosis energy. Before they could utter their next word, they both fell to the ground. The agent checked their key cards.

Vulgo Maken: Level: 5

Not enough. They needed at least an 8.

Ogganal Dallari: Level 4

No. Next.

Nox Crayson: Level 9

Bingo.

Chapter Text

Hey what’s up guys! Just wanted to tell everyone about the name change from See the Future to StF: Homecoming just means that this is the first fic in the See the Future series. 

Anyways, now we can move on. I just want to clarify something about the whole, Peter is going to watch Spider-Verse thing. I will be making a few changes to the movie. Now I know that isn’t usually what people want when they see these kinds of fics and I grappled with that fact quite a bit before I realized that I am my own person and can do whatever I want just as long as it is legal. So yeah. 

The change is that MCU!Peter will be replacing Peter B. Yes Peter B is one of the greatest ever versions of the character and one of the only characters that show actual burnout properly, but I felt that MCU!Peter is in a similar place to what Peter B was at the start of the movie. The entire movie will literally be the same except some dialogue will be minimally changed. 

Since there isn’t any canon for Spidey after NWH yet I really want to do this because I want to give him something he hasn’t seen before. Yes we will do Across the Spider-Verse with its mentions of Earth 19-99-9-9 (Yes I like to write it like that it just looks cooler), the official MCU handbook has stated that the MCU Sacred Timeline continuity is 616, along with Dr Strange. So what I’m doing is making the Sacred Timeline replace Earth 616-B, Peter B’s earth. This does not mean the MCU is now 616-B. I am still keeping it as 19-99-9-9. 

I will also remove all mentions of the comic book versions unless I want to so SV!Gwen is from E-65 not E-65-B

I just want to do it and I feel gratified by the fact that no-one can stop me. If you don’t enjoy that then don’t read. That will be a separate fic to this one but put in the same series.

However I will be putting a short sneak peak into See the Future: Into the Spider-Verse here!

“My favorite thing about Peter is that he made us each feel powerful. “

Miles stood in the crown, the store-bought Spider-Man cosplay loosely hanging off his shoulders. 

“We all have powers of one kind or another. But in our own way, we are all Spider-man. And we’re all counting on you.”

He remembered what Peter had said, moments before Kingpin-

Oh god…

Kingpin

Miles shook that thought out of his head. 

Don’t think like that. They’re counting on you 

“They’re counting on me.”

The funeral attendee next to him whispered something, but before he could get a word out, Miles blacked out. 

We need to save the future. 

_________________________________________________________________________

When Miles awoke, he was in a bed. 

Not just any bed…

His bed. This was his room. 

“Mom? Dad?”

Nothing. 

He stared down at himself, realising he wasn’t wearing the suit anymore. 

It’s cosplay, his mind said. Nothing more than a fake. 

No Miles, stop thinking like that. Pete needs you. They're counting on you. 

He walked to his bedroom door and opened it. 

This was not his house. 

It opened into a sort of common room, except nothing was in the right place. It was like there was no concept of floors and ceiling. There was a gaming set on what should have been the left wall with a set of couches on the right. On the ceiling was a study with what looked like college textbooks in a bookcase. 

How was anyone supposed to be able to reach that?

Next to Miles, a few more doors materialised. One was labelled ST. The others were labelled with numbers as well as letters. 

65

19-99-9-9

50101

928

138

90214

14512

8311

Miles stared at the one he had just come out of. 1610. He idly wondered what these numbers meant but he couldn’t focus for too long as someone stepped out of the 199999 door. Someone who was meant to be dead. 

Peter Parker was alive. 

Chapter Text

Hey everyone!

This is probably going to be a very disappointing announcement for you but for me this is incredibly exciting!

I, along with a group of friends of mine, am writing a COMPLETELY ORIGINAL NON FANFICTION superhero universe, not using marvel characters or dc characters but instead taking inspiration from all forms of media, culture and our own imaginations to create our own universe of superheroes. 

This universe is titled Arcane Ascension which will be cross-posted on Wattpad and Ao3 like all my works. The link to both will be down below. 

This universe is in its productions stages with some of the writing being complete and some planning complete. Unfortunately, due to exams, this will most likely release in late February or early March as my mock exams will end early February and I will need to catch up on the upcoming Percy Jackson show and Avatar remake during that time, and possibly the Madame Web movie, which has actually got me kinda excited although that's probably because I really like the casting choice for Anya Corazon. 

Unfortunately due to Arcane Ascension and the exams, all my other fics will be put on hiatus with the exception of my Pokémon Legends Universe which is getting its rewrite nowadays. That will still be worked on during my free time. 

The links are down below. 

Arcane Productions - Wattpad

Arcane Ascension - Ao3

Also please do go check out the PLU!

638studios out!

Chapter Text

Hey just wanted to let everyone know that my other project is complete and I will be returning to this story now!

Next chapter is in the works

If anyone wants to go check out my other story it is Arcane Ascension and its a series of original superheroes

Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Questions 

Hey what’s up guys! 

Been a long time. Enjoy. I’m not posting much but my other fics will pick up again as I have now finished my writing for Arcane Ascension (read it when it releases!) 

This is now off hiatus officially!

Enjoy this chapter. 

_________________________________________________________________________

After Peter had been zapped away, everyone sat back down as the recording started to play. 

May: What was that?

There were some chuckles from the rest of the group. 

Peter: Uh, it’s nothing. It’s nothing!

Ned: You’re the Spider-Man. From YouTube.

“Youtube? Really Ned?”

Peter: I’m not. I’m not.

Tony blanched. “That is the most unconvincing thing I’ve heard him say and he once tried to convince me he hadn’t gotten hurt on a patrol when there was a knife in his abdomen.”

Everyone didn’t know whether to laugh or be concerned. 

[Peter presses the spider emblem on his chest. The suit becomes baggy again and falls down from his body.]

Flash turned to Ned. “You don’t seem that bothered by the fact that he’s in his underwear in front of you. Not that it’s anything bad, seriously I’m not that much of a dick”

“At least he’s self-aware,” Betty muttered. 

Ned blushed. “I think I was a little more preoccupied by the fact that my best friend had super powers and was just on the ceiling!”

Ned: You were on the ceiling.

“See?”

Peter: No, I wasn’t. Ned, what are you doing in my room?

Ned: May let me in. You said we were gonna finish the Death Star.

Peter: You can’t just bust into my room!

[May opens the door, setting her hair free from a low bun. She waves a rag in front of her face to dissipate the smoke coming from the kitchen.]

May: The turkey meatloaf recipe is a disaster. Let’s go to dinner. Thai? Ned, you want Thai?

Ned: Yes.

Peter: No. He’s got a thing.

Ned: A thing to do after.

May: Okay.

[She waves a finger at Peter, who is clad only in his boxers.]

May: Maybe put on some clothes.

“Shoutout to May for being the most chill parent ever. Not many people would react like that watching their kid half naked with their best friend.”

[May leaves and closes the door behind her.]

Ned: Oh, she doesn’t know?

Peter: Nobody knows. I mean, Mr. Stark knows because he made my suit, but that’s it.

Ned: (whispers) Tony Stark made you that? Are you an Avenger?

“No he’s not,” Tony said, with a tone of finality. “Not yet anyways. I did-.”

Tony was cut off. His lips seemed to have been sealed shut. Soon they unsealed. “What the hell?” 

A voice boomed from the ceiling. It was Stan. 

Unfortunately the magic of this cinema is that no spoilers must be given under any circumstances, with very few exceptions. It is a sort of control to make sure everyone experiences these events at the same time as the recording dictates. 

“So to prevent it, you superglue my lips shut?”

Tony didn’t get an answer. 

“Not even that big of a spoiler anyways,” he grumbled. 

Peter: (hesitates) Yeah, basically.

Ned: Whoa...

Peter: You can’t tell anybody about this. You gotta keep it a secret.

Ned: A secret? Why?

Peter: You know what she’s like. If she finds out people try and kill me every single night, she’s not going to let me do this anymore. Come on, Ned, please.

Ned: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I’ll level with you. I don’t think I can keep this a secret. This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, Peter!

Peter: Ned, May cannot know. I cannot do that to her right now, you know? I mean, everything that’s happened with her, I... Please.

Everyone let that sink in. That was why he kept it a secret. To protect the ones he loved. He was sacrificing having people in his life just so they would be safe. 

Steve sighed. A teenager should not have to go through this. 

Ned: Okay.

Peter: Just swear it, okay?

Ned: I swear.

Peter: Thank you.

Ned: Yeah.

[Peter walks away, running his hands through his hair.]

Peter: I can’t believe this is happening right now.

Ned: Can I try the suit on?

Peter: No.

Ned: How does it work? Is it magnets? How do you shoot the strings?

“No Ned, he’s just sticky.”

“I know that now!”

Peter: I’m gonna tell you about this at school tomorrow, okay?

Ned: Great. Okay, well, wait, then. How do you do this and the Stark internship?

Peter: This is the Stark internship.

Ned: Oh.

Peter: Just get out of here.

[Peter ushers Ned out, leans on the door, and facepalms.]

[Peter and may are sitting at a small table at Prachya Thai and eating dinner. May tries to make Peter talk, but he looks distracted.]

May: What’s the matter? Thought you loved larb. It’s too larby? Not larby enough. How many times do I have to say “larb” before you talk to me? You know I larb you.

May chuckled. Peter wasn’t able to do that with her anymore. Especially not after Mysterio . 

May grimaced. He would end up being shown wouldn’t he. The things he did to her nephew… it just made May want to take Ben’s old shotgun and ram it up his backside. 

Peter: I’m just stressed. The internship, and I’m tired. A lot of work.

May: The Stark internship. I have to tell you, not a fan of that Tony Stark. Distracted all the time... he’s got you in your head.

[A news report on the television behind May catches Peter’s attention.]

News Anchor: The beloved Queens’ institution, Delmar’s Sandwiches, was destroyed...

May: What does he have you doing?

News Anchor: ...in an explosion...

May: You need to use your instincts.

[She becomes quiet as she turns to listen to the news reporter.]

News Anchor: ...earlier tonight after an ATM robbery was thwarted by Queens’ own colorful local crime-stopper, the Spider-Man. As the Spider-Man attempted to foil their heist, a powerful blast was set off, slicing through the bodega across the street. Miraculously, no one was harmed.

[Aunt May turns back to Peter with a serious expression.]

May: If you spot something like that happening, you turn and you run the other way.

May laughed, without humor. If only. 

Peter: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course.

May: Six blocks away from us.

Peter: I... uh... I need a new backpack.

[May puts a finger to her ear, disbelief clear on her face.]

May: What?

Peter: I need a new backpack.

May: That’s five.

[A waiter brings a new dish to their table, his eyes glued on May.]

Thai Waiter: Sticky rice pudding.

May: Oh, we didn’t order that.

Thai Waiter: It’s on the house.

[The waiter winks, then leaves.]

May: Oh! Thanks. (to Peter) That’s nice of him.

Peter: I think he larbs you.

[At Peter’s joke, May points at herself with a exaggerated look of surprise.]

[The next morning, Peter is walking down the street with Ned, carrying a huge stack of thick books in his arms due to the loss of his backpack.]

Ned: You got bit by a spider? Can it bite me? Well, it probably would’ve hurt, right? You know what? Whatever. Even if it did hurt, I’d let it bite me. Maybe. How much did it hurt?

“Wait what? A spider?”

“Flash man, just shut up!”

“No, no! Does not no-one else want to know more? How does a spider bite give someone powers?”

Everyone pondered the question, seemingly stumped. 

Really should have asked him about it, Tony thought. 

Peter: The spider’s dead, Ned.

[Peter cuts the conversation short, allowing no room for further discussion on the subject. Ned shrugs and looks ahead. His eyes go wide.]

Ned: Whoa.

[Ned and Peter stop short, examining Delmar’s Sandwiches. It is almost burnt down, the store name almost illegible. Police tape and barricades surround the shop. Various police officers and crime scene investigators are working around it.]

Ned: You were here?

[Peter warily eyes the agents standing near the scene.]

Peter: Yeah.

Ned: You could’ve died.

Everyone stared on with a sombre expression, truly appreciating for the first time what a dangerous job Peter had. Judging by his future version, it seemed that it had taken its toll. 

[The teens stare at the badly damaged building. Expressions completely serious.]

Ned: Do you lay eggs?

“Wh- Ned? The fu-” He blushed.

“What? Maybe I was curious!”

Peter: What? No.

[Peter laughs at the absurd and anticlimactic suggestion.]

[In the middle of a chemistry lecture. A torch is boiling a dark-colored liquid on the desk. Peter and Ned are wearing safety glasses. Ned rolls over in his chair toward Peter, who is scribbling in his notebook.]

Ned: (in a low voice) Can you spit venom?

Peter: No.

Ned: Can you summon an army of spiders?

[Suppressing a sigh, Peter looks up in the guise of concentrating on the lecture and bends down again to take some notes.]

Peter: No, Ned.

“Dude you’re gonna blow his identity.”

History Teacher: The Sokovia Accords were put into place…

“What are the Sokovia Accords?”

Tony tensed. The Accords. The political minefield in the world of superheroes. They’d caused so much trouble but they were needed, weren’t they?

They needed to be kept in check. 

You will have to explain. The Accords are essential moving forwards and I felt that showing the actions may end up painting the heroes as villains in the civilians eyes. There was truly no fully correct side on the Civil War you all had. 

All the civilians' eyes widened. 

“Civil War?” Ned breathed. 

Steve decided to put the civilians out of their misery. 

“The Civil War, as Stan put it, was a… severe disagreement amongst the enhanced community of the world.”

“Disagreement is an understatement,” Tony drawled. Steve winced. 

“Basically, the United Nations proposed the Sokovia Accords in response to the actions we had to take to defeat Ultron in Sokovia. The destruction of a city was the last straw for them. The heroes had to be kept in check. They wanted to turn the Avengers in their own personal lap dogs to await their every beck and call-”

“That’s not it and you know it,” Tony roared. “The Accords were to make sure the UN knew what missions we were doing to make sure they knew who to hold accountable whenever something went wrong! You’d know that if you even bothered to read it before making a decision!”

“The safest hands are our own Tony!” Steve fired back. “We can’t be tied back by Red Tape!”

“We needed limits. If we cross every line, we’re no better than the people we fight against!” Sam raised his hands to the civilians. 

“Sorry about this. At least the fight’s not as bad as they normally get.”

“If this isn’t that bad, I don’t think I wanna know how bad they can get,” Mr Harrington muttered. 

Sam chuckled. 

“You do know, at least a bit. The fight at the beginning was basically a small section of the big final showdown. A lot more happened. You’re friend Peter basically knocked Bucky down,” he pointed to the former assassin. “Right on his ass.” Bucky snorted. 

“If I recall correctly, you were tied up on the floor. Don’t throw me under the bus when you had it worse.”

[Over Peter’s shoulder, we see a teacher droning on. Ned leans into frame and engages in a whispered conversation with Peter.]

Ned: How far can you shoot your webs?

Peter: I don’t know. Shut up.

History Teacher: ...to begin regulating...

Ned: If I was you, I would stand on the edge of a building and just shoot it as far as I could-

Peter: Shut up, Ned.

[Peter’s voice rises a little in volume. The girl sitting in front of Peter and Ned turns around and shoots them an irritated glare.]

[A small, old television is set up beside Coach Wilson, the PE teacher, who is standing with a bored expression. Captain America’s Fitness Challenge is playing on the screen. Captain America, in his full uniform, smiles pleasantly, standing in a locker room.]

Steve: Hi. I’m Captain America. Whether you’re in the classroom or on the battlefield…

“What the-? Steve? What the hell’s this?”

Steve sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Well I didn’t have any way to make money after I got out the ice, Tony, and I hadn’t really joined SHIELD yet so…”

“Weren’t they just fighting a second ago?” muttered Abe. “It’s like a sitcom.”

[Midtown High students are sitting in neat rows on the bleachers, watching Captain America give a speech on screen. We close up on Peter and Ned. Behind them, Michelle is completely engrossed in a book called ‘Of Human Bondage’.]

Ned: Do you know him too?

Peter: Yeah, we met.

[Ned’s eyes widen in awe and his jaw goes slack.]

Steve: ...fitness can be the difference between success or failure.

Peter: I stole his shield.

[Peter boasts, feigning nonchalance. Ned’s jaw drops even more.]

Ned: What?

The audience looked at Steve. 

“He did kinda steal it… I got it back though!”

[Peter and Ned continue to watch the television with their classmates. We can see Captain over their shoulders.]

Steve: Today, my good friend, your gym teacher...

[Captain points to his right. Coach Wilson, who is apparently standing on the wrong side, waves his hand to the students.]

Steve: ...will be conducting the Captain America Fitness Challenge.

[He raises his hand in a salute. The screen transitions to ‘Station I: Sit-ups’.]

Coach Wilson: Thank you, Captain. I’m pretty sure this guy’s a war criminal now, but whatever. I have to show these videos. It’s required by the state. Let’s do it.

[Coach Wilson blows his whistle.]

[Midtown High School students are engaged in various exercises. Climbing ropes, doing chin-ups, push-ups, et cetera. Michelle is lying on a mat by herself and wielding her book like a weight, still immersed in its contents. We travel between students doing sit-ups in pairs.]

Ned: Do Avengers have to pay taxes?

Peter: Shh!

Ned: What does Hulk smell like?

Peter: Shh!

Ned: I bet he smells nice.

Peter: You have to shut up.

Ned: Is Captain America cool, or is he like a mean, old grandpa?

“Is this what people wanna know about us?”

“Shut up Sam I wanna watch.”

Peter: Ned, just, shh, okay?

[We finally find Peter lying on a mat and doing sit-ups. Ned is holding his legs in place for him.]

Ned: Hey, can I be your guy in the chair?

“What?”

Peter: What?

Ned: Yeah. You know how there’s a guy with a headset telling the other guy where to go?

“Oh yeah! I think I’ve seen that in some movies before.”

“Flash, shut up.”

[Peter’s face contorts into a weird expression. He is still doing sit-ups faster than any other student.]

Ned: Like, like if you’re stuck in a burning building, I could tell you where to go. Because there’d be screens around me, and I could, you know, swivel around, and... ‘Cause I could be your guy in the chair.

Peter: Ned, I don’t need a guy in the chair.

Coach Wilson: Looking good, Parker.

[The teacher points at Peter as he passes the mat that Peter and Ned are working out on. Peter glances at him, then frowns and takes a huffing breath, trying to look as if the exercise is really taking a toll on him.]

“Wait, why is he purposefully trying to do bad?” Abe asked. “He could be so much better than all of us!”

“I think I can answer that.” Tony interjected. “When I first met him he told me he wanted to play football but he couldn’t before he got his powers so he shouldn’t be able to now.”

“He’s keeping up appearances!” Betty realised. 

[On the bleachers, Liz is sitting with a group of friends.]

Betty: Now, see, for me, it would be F Thor, marry Iron Man, and kill Hulk.

“I am going to just block out this conversation from my brain.” Tony muttered while Betty held her head in her hands. 

“At least Thor and Dr Banner aren’t here.”

Charles: Well, what about the Spider-Man?

“Oh my god I just said that in the same room as Spider-Man.”

Betty: It’s just Spider-Man.

[When the word “Spider-Man” reaches Peter and Ned’s ears, they stop and turn at the same time to see Liz and her friends.]

Liz: Did you guys see the bank security cam on YouTube? He fought off four guys.

Betty: Oh my God, she’s crushing on Spider-Man.

Charles: No way.

Liz: (shrugs) Kind of?

Betty: Ugh, gross.

[Ned and Peter exchange a look, surprised at the turn of events. Then they look back at Liz and her friends, still listening in on their conversation.]

Betty: He’s probably like, thirty.

“Thor’s like, three thousand Betty.”

“Shut up! He’s Thor! What did you expect?”

Charles: You don’t even know what he looks like. Like, what if he’s, like, seriously burned?

Liz: I wouldn’t care. I would still love him for the person he is on the inside.

Ned: (in a loud voice) Peter knows Spider-Man!

“...”

“I am officially a dumbass.”

[Peter looks at Ned, shocked. Mouth comically agape. Everyone in the gym simultaneously drops their assignments and stares at Peter. Peter hurriedly gets up and walks to the bleachers. Ned scrambles to his feet to follow him.]

Peter: (stuttering) No, I don’t. No. I... I mean...

[Flash, who was climbing up a rope, slides down to the ground.]

Ned: They’re friends.

Flash: Yeah, like Coach Wilson and Captain America are friends.

Peter: (stuttering) I’ve met him. Yeah. A couple times. But it’s, um... through the Stark internship. Mm-hmm.

[Peter turns to Ned, teeth set.]

Peter: Yeah, well. I’m not really supposed to talk about it.

“Oh he’s pissed.”

Flash: Well, that’s awesome. Hey, you know what? Maybe you should invite him to Liz’s party. Right?

Liz: Yeah, I’m having people over tonight. You’re more than welcome to come.

Peter: Having a party?

Flash: Yeah, it’s gonna be dope. You should totally invite your personal friend Spider-Man.

“Flash, you’re a dick.”

“Hey!”

Peter: Um...

Liz: It’s okay. I know Peter’s way too busy for parties anyway, so...

[Liz comes to Peter’s rescue, saving Peter from embarrassing himself even further. Flash saunters closer and walks by Peter.]

Flash: Come on. He’ll be there. Right, Parker?

[The bell buzzes. Tilting her head toward Peter in a tiny nod of farewell, Liz walks off. Peter, frustrated, throws his hands in the air and swivels to glare at Ned. He moves closer.]

Peter: What are you doing?

Ned: (in a hushed voice) Helping you out. Did you not hear her? Liz has a crush on you.

[Peter hesitates, searching for words.]

Ned: Dude, you’re an Avenger. If any one of us has a chance with a senior girl, it’s you.

“Why is that your priority?”

[Ned walks away. Peter stands rooted in place, considering the idea.]

Liz’s eyes lit up in confusion. She remembered this party, but Peter had ditched it. He’d run off somewhere, maybe on Spider-Man business?

[May drives Ned and Peter to Liz’s house. Exciting, upbeat music pours out from the house. May slows her car and talks to the boys.]

May: House party in the suburbs. Oh, I remember these. Kind of jealous.

Ned: It’ll be a night to remember.

May: (laughs) Ned, some hats wear men. You wear that hat.

Ned: Yeah, it gives me confidence.

May: Hmm.

[Peter is looking out the window, removed from the merry conversation taking place beside him.]

Peter: This is a mistake. (to May) Hey, let’s just go home.

May: Oh, Peter. I know. I know it’s really hard trying to fit in with all the changes your body’s going through. It’s flowering now.

[The absurd, out-of-place speech makes Peter chuckle.]

“The amount of awkwardness here is too much”

Peter: Uh-huh.

May: (to Ned) He’s so stressed out lately.

Ned: What helps with stress is going to a party. We should go to the party.

Peter: Yeah, let’s do it. Yeah. I’m gonna go. I’m gonna go.

[Peter opens the car door and steps out.]

May: Peter.

[When Aunt May calls his name, Peter stops and leans in to listen to his aunt through the window. Ned gets out behind them.]

May: Have fun, okay?

Peter: (nods) I will.

May: (in a soft voice) Okay.

Ned: Bye, May!

[Ned waves with a huge grin on his face. Peter closes the door and catches up to him. They approach the house side by side.]

Ned: Dude, you have the suit, right?

[Peter pulls up his sleeve in order to offer Ned a glimpse of his Spider-Man suit under it.]

Liz was surprised. He’d actually brought it?

Peter: Yeah.

Ned: This is gonna change our lives.

[The front door opens, revealing Peter and Ned. They enter the crowded house party and glance around anxiously. Peter looks especially nervous. Two girls pass by in front of them, not taking any interest in their arrival.]

Girl: Annie, over here!

Annie: Hey.

[Flash is running a DJ station. Ostentatious in headphones and a yellow shirt.]

Male Voice: DJ Flash!

Ned: Okay. We’re gonna have Spider-Man swing in, say you guys are tight, and then I get a fist bump or one of those half bro- hugs. 

“Ned, once again, this is terrible.”

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking!”

Michelle: Can’t believe you guys are at this lame party.

[Michelle carelessly throws her hair back, trying to act cool. She is in the process of spreading jam on a slice of toast.]

Ned: But you’re here too.

Michelle: Am I?

“Mood.”

[The toast crunches as Michelle takes a bite out of it and walks away.]

Liz: Oh, my gosh.

[When Peter hears Liz’s voice, his eyes go wide. He turns his head towards the sound. Liz walks down the hallway to Peter and Ned.]

Liz: Hey, guys. Cool hat, Ned.

“Yes! Someone likes my hat!”

Ned: Hi, Liz.

Peter: Hi, Liz.

[Peter’s high-pitched and squeaky voice betrays his nervousness.]

“Sometimes I forget he’s a teenager.” Tony commented. 

Liz: I’m so happy you guys came. There’s pizza and drinks. Help yourself.

Peter: What a great party.

Liz: Thanks.

[The sound of glass breaking catches their attention.]

Liz: (sheepish) Oh, I... My parents will kill me if anything’s broken. I gotta-

Peter: Yeah.

Liz: Have fun.

Ned: Bye.

Liz: Bye.

[Liz walks away.]

Ned: Dude, what are you doing? She’s here. Spider it up.

Peter: No, no, no. I can’t... I cannot do this. Spider-Man is not a party trick, okay? Look, I’m just gonna... be myself.

Ned: (sighs) Peter, no one wants that.

“That came out wrong! I’m sorry! Just want to apologise right now!”

Peter: Dude.

[Peter starts to walk away, a little bit hurt by the remark.]

Flash: (into a microphone) Penis Parker, what’s up?

“Flash, you’re a dick.”

“Shut up! I know that now!”

“And you didn’t before?”

[Flash plays a honking sound on the stereo system.]

Flash: So, where’s your pal Spider-Man? Let me guess. In Canada with your imaginary girlfriend?

[Honking noise again. Everyone around them laughs except Peter and Ned.]

Flash: That’s not Spider-Man. That’s just Ned in a red shirt.

[The crowd boos and chuckles. Peter frowns, determined.]

[A shirt drops to the floor and joins the already discarded pairs of jeans and shoes. Peter is standing on a roof. He steps over his clothes, wearing his Spider-Man suit, pulls off his T-shirt. As he mutters to himself, he tries to find a way to make his voice sound different.]

Peter: Hey, what’s up? I’m Spider-Man. Just thought I’d swing by and say hello to my buddy Peter. Oh, what’s up, Ned? Hey, where’s Peter, anyways? He must be around…

He really was about to do it, Liz thought. But something changed his mind.

[Peter sighs, watching the party through glass walls with a discouraged look.]

Peter: God, this is stupid. What am I doing?

[Peter spots Ned looking for him. Then something catches his eyes. A bright blue explosion in the distance. He stands, staring at it with concern.]

Whispers broke out amongst the audience. 

“What the hell was that?” Bucky exclaimed. 

“It looked like an explosion, you one armed idiot.” Sam shot back. 

“I know that! I’m asking why it’s blue, you overgrown chicken.”

“Well you should have just said that then!”

_______________________________________________________

Hey guys! It’s been a really hot minute but here is our new chapter! Don’t worry. The next wait won’t be as long. 

Enjoy!

Next chapter? The Vulture is coming.

Chapter Text

Hey guys sorry I've been away for so long

I've been recently working on another project that has taken up way too much of my time but right now I'm able to kick back and work on this for a while. 

There will be a chapter releasing later today, but I just want to say, that whole thing about sending Peter to watch Spider-Verse? 

That was solely because I was coming off a high from watching Across the Spider-Verse and thought it would be cool to have Peter in that story but right now, months after I made that choice, I decided I was going to absolutely hate writing that as a reaction fic. 

Maybe as it's own fic one day and then a reaction to it but not as a reaction fic off the bat. I'm no rosetta_46 (She did a canon divergence reaction fic for How to train your dragon and its one of the best things ever. Literally 2nd on HTTYD Kudos rn. Go read it.)

So my solution is not to go back and edit because that would just be a pain, but instead to just retcon it and hope you ignore the fact that Peter was absent from the reaction for one chapter. 

The next chapter, Vulture will be dropping in a few hours. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Vulture

Peter: What the hell?

[Peter runs across the roof and puts on his mask. Shooting webs through trees, he swings down the street.]

[He lands on another roof, flips off the house, then shoots a thin line of spiderweb over a vast golf course. It flies off, having nothing to attach itself to. Wide shot on Peter running across the golf course. The sprinklers are activated.]

Peter: (gasping) This sucks!

This brought some chuckles from the group. 

[Beside a bridge, we see a discarded car, scraps of metal ripped out from it. A blue ray shoots through the air at a great speed towards it. The car blows up in a huge explosion and makes the shooters cringe in surprise. One of them hoots and laughs as bolts of electricity burst out from the explosion.]

[Jackson Brice powers down the weapon. The fingers sticking out from the end of the gun curl in on themselves, forming a loose fist.]

Tony narrowed his eyes. Whatever that weapon was, it looked familiar. 

Brice: Now, this is crafted from a reclaimed sub-Ultron arm straight from Sokovia. Here. You try.

“Ultron?” Tony started. “How did these guys get a sub-Ultron arm? The DODC was supposed to take care of them!”

Peter chuckled darkly. “Just wait and see.”

Everyone turned to look at him. 

“When did you get back?” Ned asked. Peter frowned. 

“What do you mean? I was never gone.”

[Brice hands over the weapon to Aaron Davis, who takes it.]

Aaron: Man, I wanted something low-key. Why are you trying to upsell me, man?

[Behind them, Peter silently crawls down the side of the bridge.]

Brice: Okay, okay, okay. I got what you need, all right? I got tons of great stuff here. One sec.

[Hiding, Peter watches as Brice walks up to his van and looks inside. Spider-Man’s eyes narrow. The back of the van is full of machinery and weapons.]

Brice: Okay, I got, uh, black hole grenades, 

Betty let off a yelp. “What? These things are just out there?”

Brice (continued): Chitauri railguns…

Schultz: You letting off shots in public now? Hurry up. Look, times are changing. We’re the only ones selling these high tech weapons.

Peter: (whispers) Oh, this must be where the ATM robbers got their stuff.

Aaron: I need something to stick up somebody. I’m not trying to shoot them back in time.

“I like this guy. He’s chill. He’s like my older brother Hobie!” Abe said. 

“Your older brother buys high tech weapons from a black market?”

“What? No!”

Brice: I got anti-grav climbers.

Aaron: Yo, climbers?

[Suddenly, a yodeling ringtone plays. The weapon dealers look around, alarmed.]

Tony facepalmed. “You didn’t put it on silent?” He neglected to comment on the ringtone. He’d been around Peter enough by now to know that was the tip of the iceberg.

Peter blushed in embarrassment. “I forgot.”

Brice: Okay, what the hell was that?

[The phone continues to ring. Peter takes his phone out to check caller ID. Ned is making a funny face on the screen. Schultz aims his gun at Aaron.]

Schultz: Did you set us up?

Aaron: Hey, hey, man.

[Peter flips off the wall and lands on the ground.]

Peter: Hey! Hey, come on. You gonna shoot at somebody, shoot at me.

Tony groaned. “We have got to talk about your lack of self preservation.”

Schultz: All right.

[Schultz turns the gun on Peter, but Peter shoots his web, disarms Schultz, and charges. Using a high tech gauntlet from his van, Brice punches Peter with a burst of energy. Peter slams into the side of the bridge and lands on the ground.]

[Schultz jumps in and starts the car. Brice, laughing triumphantly, jumps onto the back of the van as his accomplice drives off.]

Peter: What was that?

“Peter!” May cried in anguish. 

“Who the hell are these guys?” Steve cried out.

[Peter shoots his web, attaching it to the weapon dealers’ open van door.]

[The van drags in through a neighborhood, knocking Peter into a trash can.]

Peter: What? Ah!

[He shoots a second strand of web.]

Schultz: We gotta call him.

Brice: No, no, no, no.

Him . 

Peter had forgotten this was where he’d met him. 

He silently moved his way to where Liz was seated. 

“Hey, Liz. Just a heads up about…” She looked at him in sad resignation. 

“This is where you met him first isn’t it.” Peter nodded. 

Liz sighed. “It’s okay. I knew this was coming.”

[Brice readies another high tech weapon. Outside, Peter is holding on with two thin lines of web, trying to maintain balance. Brice fires another burst of energy. It breaks off the van door.]

Schultz: Did you just do it again?

Brice: Shut up.

Schultz: I’m calling him.

[We see a phone buzzing on a table littered with computer chips and various tools. Mason picks it up. Glancing around, he answers it.]

Mason: Toomes’ phone.

[He cringes at the sound of combat coming from the other end. Toomes is working nearby, welding something, when Mason calls for him.]

Mason: Boss.

[Peter is still being dragged through the neighborhood, clinging to the back of the van.]

Peter: Oh, my butt! Unh!

[Brice powers more energy blasts at Peter, causing him to lose his grasp on one of the webs. Just as Brice powers up the weapon once more, the van meets a road bump. The whole car wobbles, making Brice accidentally fire a hole in the van. He drops the weapon and it rolls out of the vehicle. The weapons comes to a stop in someone's yard.]

“Oh god,” Ned muttered. “Those weapons are dangerous.”

[Schultz makes a sharp turn, making Peter slam into the side of a parked car. Peter then gets dragged through a line of garbage bins. He hits a solid brick pillar and drops to the ground along with a heap of bricks. Peter’s webs break off. Schultz checks the side mirror. Peter has recovered from the collision. He runs to get a clean shot and extends his hand. The web travels through the air and attaches itself to the remaining van door, but the door breaks off, already weakened by the rough treatment it received. Peter throws his arms up, exasperated.]

Peter: Great. Guess I’m gonna have to take a shortcut.

[Peter jogs on the sidewalk, jumps over a tall metal gate, and slides over a parked car. Two men are playing ping-pong in a garage as Peter runs across the yard.]

Peter: Hey, guys. Good game. Have fun.

“What the?”

“I mean, he’s called ‘friendly neighbourhood’ for a reason I guess.”

[The neighbors stop their game and gape after Spider-Man in disbelief. A dog runs into Peter, barking and standing on its hind legs to lick Peter’s face. Peter retrieves a ball with his web and throws it to the side for the dog.]

Peter: Hey, hey, buddy. Sorry, no time to play. Here, go fetch.

[Peter swings through the neighborhood, hanging on tree branches and streetlights.]

Peter: Whoo! Now, this is more like it.

[He glides into another yard. Shooting his web, he accidentally holds onto a treehouse and knocks it off the tree. That makes him lose his grasp and land hard on the roof of a shed. It collapses under his weight.]

Peter: Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[After a few awkward banging noises, Peter rips through the door, runs across the yard, and slams through a wooden fence. He leaps into the air only to land on a small toy car, which rolls forward. Losing his balance, Peter gets tangled in a soccer net and stumbles through the hedge.]

Peter: Whoa.

[He waves his hand to a man having a barbecue in his own backyard.]

Peter: Smells really good!

[“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is playing on the television at a pool party, the sequence closely resembling Peter’s travel through the neighborhood. Suddenly, Peter flies into frame.]

Peter: Great movie!

[Peter skims over the pool, splashing water over the partygoers and making them scream in surprise. He then gets tangled in fairy lights and crash lands on another yard, right beside two little girls having a sleepover in a tent. The eyes on his mask malfunction, fluttering open and close in a creepy fashion.]

Peter: Ugh... Oh, hey, guys.

Tent Kids: Aahhh!

Peter: No! No!

[The tent flips over in the girls’ overzealous attempt to escape.]

[Ned stealthily brings his phone up to his ear, only to reach Peter’s voicemail.]

Peter: (on recording) Hey, it’s Peter. Leave a message.

[The phone plays a beeping tone.]

Ned: (whispers) Peter, where are you? The hat’s not working. This is not cool.

“I think there are a few more important things happening right now Ned.”

[The van zooms down the suburban street. Smoke is billowing out from the back of it. Peter falls from above, narrowly missing the car.]

Peter: Almost got you.

[He knocks over some garbage bins in his attempt to leap up onto a roof. Running across the roofs of neighboring houses, Peter tries his best to keep the van in sight. Slates become loose and fall off the roof under Peter’s feet.]

Peter: (panting) Thought you got away from me, didn’t you? I got you right where I want you.

[Finally catching up, Peter jumps toward the van.]

Peter: Surprise!

[Suddenly, Vulture snatches him from behind, flying in the wing suit, and soars high. Peter screams, looking down.]

Liz yelped. Her dad was here. 

Peter: What the hell?

[Peter wrestles to pull his leg free from Vulture’s grasp. Noticing the struggle, Vulture trains his glowing eyes at Peter menacingly and carries him even higher.] 

What was he doing? 

[Suddenly, the spider drawn on the back of Peter’s suit starts to beep and blink. A parachute unfolds itself from the hidden compartment. The air resistance from it makes rips Peter from Vulture’s grasp. During his descent, Peter gets wrapped up in the fabric.]

Liz paled. He dropped him. Her dad just tried to murder her friend. 

Oh god. 

Peter: Aahhhh!

[Peter’s chaotic point of view shows him plunging toward the city.]

[Peter plunges into a lake. He struggles to free himself from the parachute as he sinks deeper and deeper.]

[Up above, the surface is calm, not betraying Peter’s desperate fight underwater.] 

Cries of concern echoed through the theatre, muted only by the fact that they knew Peter survived somehow. 

[A figure dives into the water in an admirably fast speed. Iron Man emerges, carrying Peter. Holding him under his arms. Peter’s head hang slumped. The eyes on his mask blink open.]

“Yeah! Go Iron Man!”

Peter: Huh? Oh, hey.

In that instant, Liz forgave Peter for ditching her at Homecoming.

It must have been her father, Liz reasoned. The man had tried to kill him. 

Her father was a killer. 

Hi 

New chapter

I know I promised it would come yesterday but turns out I had plans I didn’t know about.

Sorry it's not the best

The next chapter has a much larger potential though.