Chapter Text
Peter Parker.
Who is he?
Or more so who was he.
22 year old Peter Parker has been through it. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, it just seems life loves to kick him in the ass.
So let’s start from the beginning.
At six, he lost his parents, became an orphan and was adopted by his aunt May.
Thirteen, got bit by a radioactive spider while on a field trip, and got his spider powers.
A year later at fourteen, the billionaire iron man himself basically came to his home and was basically like “I know what you are, come to Germany with me and fight.”
To Germany they went.
And he got a high tech suit as an added bonus.
Then ANOTHER year later at fifteen he had to fight a villain named vulture while his suit was taken away by Mr. Stark, Oh and the same vulture guy dropped a warehouse on him and made him crash a plane on Coney Island.
Did he mention that his homecoming date her dad was that same villain?
You just haaaad to be there.
After that it seemed like things got… better?
Him and Tony got close, he met the avengers who then practically became his family.
Then he met a beautiful, perfect girl named Michelle Jones (MJ), and of course his best friend Ned was there with them.
Things were fine.
Hell is perfect even.
Game and movie nights, having people he can vent his struggles to who could understand him on a certain level, and a certain level was enough.
Though things don't last forever no matter how much you cling to them, life keeps going and shit happens.
At sixteen (again) he died on a foreign plant, and fuck was that shit was horrible.
He stumbled toward Tony(His mentor and father figure) while he began to feel his body less and less.
“I don’t wanna go.”
“I’m sorry.”
He wished he had something better to say.
He turned to dust.
Things should have ended there.
Key word: Should.
But it seemed like the universe wasn’t done with him yet.
Five years passed and suddenly he came back. It shouldn't have been possible but he had spider abilities for hell’s sake.
He lost five years of his own life and others.
But he didn’t sulk or duvwel
He had to keep going.
Not want, but had.
Because sometimes we do the things we don’t want to.
He had to.
Spider-man has to do the thing Peter Parker wouldn’t want to do.
He fought Thano's army. Which was crazy but he did good if he did say so himself.
It happened so quickly.
One moment they were fighting next, Tony had the stones.
He snapped his fingers, power of infinity stones coursing through a human body.
Peter thought he lost him.
Though Bruce, and a couple specialists of SHIELD managed (Somehow?) managed to stabilize Tony.(Gratefully.)
Peter waited in the hospital room if he could. In the hallway when visiting hours were over. He always kept his phone charged when he was with May.
The moment he got that call, best believe he swung over here. He didn’t care that Spider-Man was running into a hospital building full of gear and everything into the iron man hospital room.
That mask came right off as he entered that room and hugged Tony.
”Mr.Stark!” Peter cried out. Partially hugging the returned life out of him.
Natasha was brought back too! He was surprised to see her walk in through the door. Of course he asked about it, and it was a bunch of time travel stuff about Captain America coming back and reversing a bunch of stuff.
You're keeping up right?
Because things didn’t end there.
They always get messed up when things finally start going well for Peter.
Things were falling back into routine again for him.
Then a trip to Europe.
Things couldn’t get any better.
He was getting a chance to ask out MJ! A break too which was very much needed.
Until NICK FURY HIMSELF!
Called him up and needed him for a mission.
He could have asked any of the other avengers but he was convinced it only applies to him… Peter supposed.
Rightfully he was pissed and did send him to voice mail once (as payback) but ultimately did the mission.
Because he was always on his toes ready for a mission (texting happy many times) just when he gets a mission he declines.
A bit hypocritical…
But everything was fine…
Then he met Beck. An older man reminding Peter much of Tony.
He was happy to help.
Then that same exact BITCH, made him see illusions and his worst fears, After he gave him EDITH which was a special AI in glasses form gifted by Tony, then a cherry on top he got hit by a fucking train.
Which yeah dude were the illusions not enough?
Though he got his pay back, defeating Beck in London and getting more in touch with his spidey senses and getting EDITH back.
Score!
Though it seems like after that low things would go up like they always would.
He bounces back, things happen, he gets back up again.
Parker luck.
Or at least he expected it to go that way.
A video was released.
Of beck, cut and clipped to make Peter out as a villain and revealed his identity.
Which not only screwed over his life (he would have done all of this if it only came to him.)
But it effected MJ, Ned, His aunt may, so much harassment was aimed toward them.
The avengers got black lash for bringing a ‘child’ under their wing, especially Tony.
Then hate and distrust.
He was offered protection at the tower.
But he didn’t want protection, he wanted things to be right again to protect those he loved.
It was at this moment he realized how much being spider man affected those around him.
He is better off alone.
So he did what anyone would do.
Go to Doctor Strange.
It was supposed to be a simple spell, until he changed it five times.
He should have learned from Beck to not trust anyone.
Villains came to his world, he tried to help. To cure them. Though he got screwed over in the end.
Aunt may got killed.
And damnit… the life draining from her eyes the hot blood on his hands that stuck on his suit.
“Comes great power comes great responsibility.”
…
He won’t ever forget that.
Peter almost killed the same villain that killed may, he should have. Though thanks to Peter 2 he didn’t…
He wouldn’t want to think how that would affect him today.
Everyone needed to forget him. That's what he told himself.
Even doctor strange was hesitant, he was a kid back then after all.
He should have told the avengers, he kissed MJ good bye and hugged Ned goodbye. Peter promised to find them.
But what good would it have been telling the avengers about or do?
It was an empty promise.
He found MJ, note in hand ready, so fucking ready.
Then he saw it, the faint cut on her eyebrow, on the same delicate face he kissed so many times.
He backed out…
He didn’t want them to be affected like that again.
Not MJ.
Not Ned.
Not Tony.
Not the avengers themselves.
He was better off alone, or Peter Parker was anyway.
They were safe, what happened if a situation like that happened again? What if Tony or MJ was killed? Or hell even Ned?
He didn’t want them to suffer like aunt may.
So he left.
Trying to focus on himself but damnit some days were hard to get out of bed.
It was hard to eat.
It's hard to sleep.
Though he pushed through, he was the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, people needed him. People needed him more than his desire to give up.
And hey… he needed to keep an eye on everyone else right?
Cheer them on from afar, protect them from afar.
So he picked himself up and kept going.
Peter moved into a dusty, run down apartment. Making it his new home.
Made a new suit, inspired by his original suit and Peter 2’s and 3’s. A nice reminder that even though he felt alone at least two people understood him on a certain level.
And a certain level was always enough for him.
He decided to apply to college, one Bruce worked at. Not like it mattered and it wasn’t for that reason!
He just wanted to learn more about biophysics. His plan? Become a science researcher and if able do scientific and environmental research and work. If that fails… teacher in physics!
Pretty solid and laid back plan, and flexible schedule if you ask him.
Though he would have to wait until next fall to apply.
Until then he has a job in the daily bugle. (Taking pictures of himself) Though he isn’t a push over anymore so best believe he asked for more than the bare minimum for the high quality pictures of him.
And in this economy? Yeah he fought tooth and nail.
Then he fought some crazy villains like Tombstone, shocker, and scorpion.
Then he met Frank, which yes he did save! Can you believe that same guy hit him with a car but without ill intention? (His spider senses didn’t go off) crazy. Peter almost saw him as a father figure which jeez the amount of panic attacks he had. Scared something would happen to him.
Thought that was it.
One person.
Someone who can defend themselves.
He didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of him.
While Peter was rebuilding his ‘life’, finally finding some stable ground… of course something came knocking at his door. (Not literally)
Tony woke up from his coma, he learned that when a newspaper hit his face while he was swinging.
He just sat there on the edge of a building staring at the paper, the headline, the picture.
He was filled with relief and so much happiness. At the same time, a pit in his stomach formed. He couldn’t visit him. Hell he had to remind himself nobody remembered him.
Tony wouldn’t remember the intern he took in, who he called a kid and basically treated him like his own son which now he looked back spoiled him rotten.
Peter sighed, jumping off the edge and swinging thinking it would be easy to ignore.
It wasn’t.
He saw him on billboards, magazines, posters, hell even on social media with the other avengers with that gold and red metal like arm, and the slight scarring on his face.
He missed him, but time passed and so he needed to.
Now with Tony back the avengers were back too, great.
Anytime a big threat happened and the avengers came to help, he would leave immediately after.
No words, no talk, not even a thanks or welcome.
He was gone, he didn’t wanna see them. He couldn’t see them.
It would hurt too much if they treated him like the stranger he was.
Then the situation with Jean Grey happened. A ginger girl with telepathic abilities, around this time his DNA just SUDDENLY began mutating, oh and Frank was there too helping him out.
Then he figured out Jean's real intentions, and the intentions of DODC.
He found it all too late but it didn’t stop him from getting to Jean grey and helping her from the place they put her in.
Then when it seemed like everything was over and fixed, his spidey senses went off.
Frank shot him.
Not on purpose of course.
Though the fear in the younger girl's eyes reminded him of his own, when he was almost Tony.
He didn’t want to put the same girl through more loss, especially after saying he will be there for her.
Though his eyes were so heavy…
Just a moment.
It wouldn’t hurt.
Next thing he knew he woke up in a hospital, which scared his broken ass.
Though after that situation, Jean left but made sure to keep in touch.
Peter was glad, The ginger girl reminded him a lot of his sixteen year old self which he felt a bit protective over the girl but he knew she could protect herself.
“And that’s basically it…” Peter muttered while he stood in front of May’s grave.
“I’m fine now.” Peter said while he fixed his beanie. “I got accepted into college a month ago.”
A moment of silence.
Suddenly an alarm blared on Peter's phone. He took it out to check it immediately, police alert.
“Shit. I have to go, but I’ll try to come again this weekend… I’ll change the flowers.” Peter said softly as he kissed the tip of his fingers and pressed it against May's grave.
Something changed.
Peter didn’t know, but he was too hard to find after all.