Chapter Text
1943 Howard Starks lab, newyork, usa
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the news had been heard around the world of captain ‘america’ steve rogers, and private ‘america’ peter parkers (but known to the press as private rogers-barnes) actions in italy against hydra.
peter may have zoned out in the plane ride that howard had given him but now here he was sitting in his lab.
“Sir” peter started warily, he didnt really know what howard wanted with him. But peter went where the government gave him orders to go so thats how he ended up in Howard Starks lab.
”you ever had an iq test private parker?” The man cut off peter before he could start rambling.
”i believe you know my history past the comic books, you should know that i havent been to even a regular doctor before joining the military”
”well im giving you one now my friend” howard slammed his hands on the table in excitement. “You know my theory parker? Behind that whole street punk act I think you’re smart. Smarter than you even let steve or bucky know. Ive seen your work around here. Youve been under my wing for what one two weeks now? You can do math equations off the top of your head that m.i.t graduates struggle with. You also have the guts to correct me when i make mistakes. So now i get to put my theory to the test.” He passed a thick sheet of papers over to peter.
”is this optional?” Peter asked his legs swinging as he turned to look at the video camera that howard had set up.
”nope” the man said popping the p on the word.
”well, then i guess i better get started.” He looked at the man one last time before he started on the test.
The test wasnt all that hard for peter he could figure out all the problems in honestly record time, he picked the the patterns apart, did the math, and all the other things the iq test required. He handed the papers back to howard and the man arched an eyebrow at him.
peter looked at the ground “sir it’s been fun making weapons and stuff with you but when do I get to go back to the howlies? I do field work, they need me”
howard scoffed slightly “do you want to be like captain america?”
peter looked confused at the question “well yea,steve is more than just a brother in arms to me. He was the one who got me off the streets. If not him then id be barnes.”
howard had a smile on his face. “That isnt what i meant. I want to make you a super soldier” howard opened a case revealing a blue liquid in iv bags.
“Off government record ive made more serum, it’s different than steve’s, maybe make you even more strong. I want you to test it out. Youve got the guts, the skill, and the super soldier big brother. Imagine what the comic books will say when you become a super soldier too.”
peter had a frown on his face. He didnt see a way out of this. Howard stark always got what he wanted and if he wanted to turn him into a super soldier than that’s what he was going to do.
”ok” was all he managed to squeeze out with a small breath.
”perfect! Tomorrow bright and early, you me and the lab will have a date with some serum.” With that howard walked away uttering a dismissed as he went.
peter had a pit in his stomach something about this was off, something smelled rotten and it wasnt just the mre’s that peter had in his back pack. He quickly got up from the room that honestly felt more like an interrogation than anything else.
he went back to his assigned bunk in the barracks, howard told him he shouldnt eat before the procedure so he couldnt have dinner. He laid in the bed, he missed steve and bucky more than anything right now. He wished he was back in active combat. He knew the rest of the howlies had orders right now to find dr zola on a train. He wanted to be on the train with them and fight not stuck being howards personal lab rat.
He laid in his bunk and just tried to sleep.
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The universe was both merciful and cruel. Peter was not on the train to see the death of his friend bucky.
The word of the incident hadnt made its way back to peter by the morning. If howard knew he didnt tell peter. The world knew the story of the three, atleast the government sanctioned version. They didnt know that bucky and steve were each others fellas, they didnt know that peter viewed both of them as father figures after they took him in off the street from being homeless. What the world did know was the comic book story. Peter was a jewish orphan taken in by a military base, the same one steve trained at. Steve took a liking to him and in turn made him his sidekick.
what they didnt know was peter was never on a military base until steve took him to one after explaining to the commanding officers that peter would end up alone and probably in a boys home , that was how he ended up on a military base with steve.
that was how he ended up doing shows with the uso shows with steve, and how he raided a hydra base to rescue bucky in azzano, and thats how he ended up a howling commando.
That was also how he was here about to become a super soldier thanks to howard stark.
peter was already sat in the lab waiting for howard. He was analyzing all the equipment, when howard came in he jumped slightly.
”for a soldier your awful jumpy parker” he teased as he prepared the lab equipment they would need.
”that’s what keeps you alive sir, second you let your gaurd down a hydra opeative nabs you. Especially if your jewish like me” peter explained.
Howard let out a hum as he finished setting up the equipment. “Well, try not to be so jumpy when you have super soldier serum running through your veins. Not exactly a good look.”
peter nodded as he went closer to the machine. It looked similar to the one steve had been put in, all peter could think was how had howard built all this without some one noticing.
”same deal as what happened with steve, i know you were there so you know what to do.” Howard jestured to the machine. Peter removed his shirt and climbed into the machine.
What he wasn’t expecting was just how painful this would be. He couldnt help but scream in pain. Howard was not as kind as dr erksine. He didnt care that peter was screaming all he did was tell him to hold on.
once it was done, well peter was still tiny. Maybe he grew an inch or two but no where near as tall as cap. His skin and bones turned into a lean muscle build. At least his ribs didnt show anymore.
peter stumbled out of the machine, he felt feverish and sore. He looked up at howard with a pained look. All he could see was a sour look on his face.
”did it work?” He asked wiping sweat from his brow.
”not as well as i want it to.” Was all howard said before turning away to look at a computer.
“hey mr. Stark. Im not feeling so good” peter said as he laid down on the floor.
howard had a frown on his face as he moved closer to peter. He put a hand over the boys forehead his frown only deepend. “You have a fever. Im giving you back to rogers. He can take care of you. Dont tell him about our little experiment. It was a failure anyway.”
all peter thought was this guy is a jerk. But if he was going back to steve he didnt care.
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The same day of the experiment was the day he was shipped back to captain rogers.
the captain looked worse for wear himself. Peter didnt know why steve looked so bad.
It didnt matter he went up to the man and hygved him. His fever ridden skin was slick with sweat
“Are you sick?” Steve asked as he put a hand on the boys forehead his brow furrowing as he felt the high fever.
”yea, a little. Just a fever. What’s wrong? Why do you look so sad?” Peter asked letting himself out of the hug.
”oh god did howard not tell you?” Peter looked confused and shook his head.
“buck is dead peter. He fell off the train.”
”youre lying!” Peter shouted back at the man. Bucky cant be dead, it was a mean joke. Some cruel prank a way to get back at peter for being with howard stark instead of the howlies. “He cant be dead. It’s not fair!”
”i wish i was lying petey, it would be so much better if i was. It isnt fair.” Steve said as he looked at the boy. Pain radiating off both of them.
”what are we gonna do about it?” Peter asked, he had made up his mind about what he was going to do to the red skull.
”we have a plan. What your gonna do is rest, fight off this fever. Then we cut off the head. We are gonna give em hell kid.”
peter nodded “sounds like a plan. But you better not win this thing without me.”
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it took three days for peters fever to subside. When he was on the other side of it though he felt different. He felt stronger, more agile, and most importantly he was sticky. He literally woke up and he was stuck to the top of the ceiling, he had to use all his power to unstick himself. Howard said the serum hadnt worked but it sure as hell did something to him.
he wouldnt tell steve yet, he didnt want to be benched for this mission. He was going on it and he didnt care what anyone had to say about it.
He left the barracks to find steve. He offered a salute which made the other burst into laughter. Peter nearly punched him in the arm like always but remembered he didnt really have control over his super strength. He put his hand back down and puffed.
”you all better?” Steve asked while actively going to check peters forehead. Peter let out an annoyed sound but then said “yea steve im better, guess i just inhaled to many motor oil fumes.”
”yea that’s why im not leaving you alone with stark again. You may be a soldier but your also still my 15 year old kid brother, i gotta look out for you and howard clearly wasnt.”
peter let out a wry chuckle. If only steve knew how true that was.
”is the mission ready?” Peter asked while bouncing from foot to foot.
”yep, we can load up today. Stay by my side. Dont leave it” steve said.
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by steves side is where peter stayed the whole time, when they pretended to get captured, when the rest of the howlies broke in. When they jumped onto the plane scmitt escaped in, when the red skull evaporated with the tesseract. And he stayed under steves wing until
”come in this is captain rogers do you hear me?”
“Captain roger w-“ the male voice was interrupted by agent carter. “Steve is that you? Are you alright?”
”scmitts dead!”
”what about the plane?”
”thats a little tougher to explain.”
”give me your cords ill try to find you a safe landing sight.”
“theres not gonna be a safe landing sight, but i can try and force it down.”
”ill get howard on the line, he’ll know what to do”
peter unintentionally flinched at the name howard but steve was to busy directing a plane to notice.
“Theres not enough time, this things moving to fast and its headed for newyork.”
A beat then steve said
“i gotta put her in the water”.
”please dont do this, we have time we can work this out.”
“Right now we’re in the middle of no where if i wait any longer alot of people are gonna die”
Steve looked at peter. The boy nodded he knew what needed to be done and he was ok with it. Even if he wasnt on the plane it wasnt like he had anything to go back to after steves death.
”peggy, this is our choice”
peter let out a hum in agreement.
with that steve turned the plane towards the water. He looked at peter again.
”petey?”
“yea?” The boy asked holding onto him
”im sorry you got roped into this”
”nah dont be, remember im the one who decided to join the war. We did it steve, now we get the heross ending aint that cool?”
steve had a smile that didnt meet his eyes “yea pete, it is cool.”
they braced as the plane hit the water, it quickly become submerged into the sea. Both men let out on last gasp of air, a fruitless attempt by the body to stay alive.
steve grabbed peter into a hug. “I’ll keep you safe” he whispered before the plane became fully engulfed in water.
witn that the heros tale was over for peter, the scrappy orphan from queens and steve, america’s golden boy as they held eachother in the last moments before the water overtook them. They would freeze in an embrace. One a father would give his son and really thats what steve was. He took in the kid and gave him a home a last name and a purpose.
despite the freezing waters of the artic all peter felt as he took his last breath was warmth.