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It was crazy to begin with. Such an unfamiliar, yet at the same time, native world that needs more than one particular Spider. Who knows what would have happened to this universe if not for Ned and his inexperience with the Strange ring.
At first it was just strange: it was as if you were ‘at home’, but something kept screaming that all of this was a cardboard set that was about to collapse. It didn't, and the world is quite real, even with all this absurdity. Two Peter Parkers running into each other – how much sillier? The impulses in brain are so strong they're akin to a migraine, but they're the ones that make it clear that this isn't stupid or a dream or some kind of prank, and Peter, on the other hand, is real, just a little bit from another universe. Thank you, spidey sense.
Witchcraft is the norm here. So maybe it's doing all those inexplicable things that make it possible to sense each other at a distance? They even tacitly agree not to bring up the subject of the relationship again, after which the younger Peter becomes unbearably painful. He hasn't had time to save the one he loves more than anything in this world. And the older Peter understands this, feeling his mood change as he talks about it.
The fleeting glances that others would regard as an interest in another self, they also understand without words. Something definitely attracts them, connects them, something that does not exist with Parker, the owner of this dimension. The man even thinks for a second that he was here for a reason, never having decided with MJ what to do about their ambiguous relationship. The death of a mutual friend has shaken them up, but who among Harry's acquaintances hasn't been stunned by it? People move on with their lives, and they just stood in one place without ever telling each other if they even loved each other.
This situation was an escape for both Spiders, a means of distraction from routine and gloomy thoughts, albeit in such a wonderful way. The hugs, the support – it became at once so familiar, as if that was all that was needed to live life to the fullest. Two Peter's did, for sure. One admires the other's web, that it's very cool to have it all the time, and the other just doesn't want to explain it, for he himself doesn't really understand how it happens. He is embarrassed, because no one has ever been as enthusiastic about it as his new friend.
They shower each other with compliments, genuinely delighted that somewhere in other universes there are such unlikeable Peter Parkers with their stories. The oldest one talks about the battle with the black goo from outer space, and Peter, the one in the suit with all the Tony Stark gadgets, backs up his colleague by talking about how he literally fought a purple alien in space. The third responded to these statements by saying that he wasn't as cool as they were because his enemies were of the ‘accidentally fell into a pool of eels’ and ‘I'm a doctor without a limb for becoming a lizard’ levels.
“You're amazing!” tries to cheer him up, Peter the most experienced. Their gazes are fixed on each other, as if they were not two connected words, but a mesmerizing mantra that makes him involuntarily blush. “Well, say it! You're amazing!”
“What you said is enough for me.”
And the truth was enough for him. It wasn't a sweet lie to satisfy his self-esteem, but something like a confession. And then Pete realizes that from the very first touch, the look, the touching dialogue, he is drowning in sympathy, hell, the desire to touch a man. Surely magic or interest is to blame?
“I love you, guys,” the words that should be for both are meant for only one, who understands everything perfectly and hugs the other's shoulders tighter.
The battle was more difficult than anyone expected. But the toughest test awaited them after neutralizing almost every villain. Peter, who had recently lost Aunt May, confronts Osborn one-on-one, no longer able to control his anger and pain, which he blames on the Green Goblin. He punches his opponent in the face, unable to see where he is striking because of the pall of tears in front of his eyes. And everyone is familiar with that feeling of emptiness in their heart, the anger that pours inside.
At some point it goes too far. Peter, completely distraught, grabs the glider, already preparing to strike one last blow. It's the emotion, the feeling of grief, that he wants to transfer to someone else. The other Parker puts his body under the sharp blades at the last moment, without expecting it, but believes that he is atoning for the death of Harry, his best friend. He thinks little of anything except the warm hand in spandex that strokes his hair.
“Not the first time,” Spidey consoles as if to himself, feeling the blood oozing from the wound.
The guy just agrees, smiling sadly. He lifts the wounded man up, and he immediately wraps himself around the stiff neck. Not how they imagined their superhero adventures, of course, but that's the only way this job works: by sacrificing one thing, you save something much more valuable. That's what the youngest but no less courageous Peter Parker did, saying goodbye to himself one last time, but only from other universes.
“It hurts terribly, doesn't it?” Peter-3 asks and thinks about the imminent parting. It really does hurt terribly.
“God, yes,” Peter-2 understands him better than ever.
So that's it? ‘That strange sorcerer’ completes his spell, after which they will return to their worlds, to their New York, where they will continue to fight for justice. It's not satisfying, not now, when two halves of the same whole have found each other and even in these brief moments of time together have felt good. It hurts deeper than any knife.
The older man hugs his support tightly, holding back tears. He inhales the metallic scent of blood and body, trying to remember it, but the longer he thinks about the separation, the harder he squints, still not letting the tears come out.
“No, Pete,” Peter-3 wants to reassure her, teetering on the edge of deep sadness and consciousness.
He touches the face with the slight wrinkles, tracing the line of his cheekbones. Leans close and kisses him in time for the end of the spell. The kiss is slow and soft and so intoxicating that they dissolve into each other, touching the face opposite, touching the hair with their fingers. It's so intoxicating that they don't quite understand at first why the ground is shaking and the body is trembling. Parker-number-two lets her tears flow and touches her pink lips one last time.
“You're unbelievable,” the younger one smiles and suddenly disappears into a golden mist.
Both of them disappear. Forever.