Chapter Text
Peter knew it was rotten of him.
Strange was calling out, some odd power holding him away, from where Peter stood. He tricked Strange, the first time was Peters fault genuinely, but the second?
It was on propose.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing! You’ll tear yourself apart!” His voice yells over the raging vortex that Peter stands just in front of. “Whatever magic is reacting to your wish is going to tear this world apart!” He yells out struggling to free himself from the odd circling magic.
The plan was to make it so nobody remember Peter Parker.
But he had thought of something in the process of the spell being written.
‘Could i be sent back?’
‘Before Nat died?’
‘Before Rhode's injuries?’
‘Before .. Before Tony?’
‘Before Ben?’
And something in the world had responded. Something beyond infinities Range and Domain.
Wether it be a sentient being or simply a rule put in place from the beginning
Space was warping, pulling Peter farther from Strange.
the Power of the vortex raging to loudly that it managed to outweigh the danger screaming in his head.
Time was a drag and yet felt like he couldn't get enough.
His Mind was so shattered with guilt. But inside that guilt was the knowledge he couldn't set everything right.
That his Soul may be rewritten.
But so would everyone else's.
“Im going to fix everything.” Peter cements out loud.
“YOU’LL KILL YOURSELF! YOU’LL REALLY DIE!” Peters never seen him this frazzled. Stephens yelling, brows furrowed and raised.
The spell still contained the ‘Peter Parker is not known’ clause.
But thats better for him.
Because if Peter didn't leave the door unlocked then the robbers never would have gotten into the house before Ben could grab the gun from the safe.
And if the door was never unlocked?
He would have survived
And without Ben dead? May wouldn't have her heart issues, not nearly to the extent, and she wouldn't struggle to pay for her medications.
“THIS ISN’T SELF SACRIFICE THIS IS SUICID-“ Strange's voice cuts off as Peter extends his arms to his sides, and tips himself backwards into the portal.
"Im going to save as many as i can." He says, hopefully loud enough for him to hear "Because thats what a Hero would do."
But despite his confidence in the plan his life flashes before his eyes.
The bite, Ben, Ned, Mj, Mr Stark..
Titan.
“I don't want to go- i don’t-“ He remembers sobbing, now standing a few feet away from the scene, Tony holding him into his cold armor.
The burning from his chest as he was atomized.
The dryness of his eyes.
He couldn't even cry.
“You’ll be alright kid- you’ll-“
It wasn't what he wanted to hear.
He didn't want a lie.
Coming back from the snap..
Not even saying goodbye to Mr Stark the right way.
“No- no please don’t leave me-“ He had sobbed. Guilt ate away at him, the thought that for even a second his words could have haunted Tony, that his passion would not be in peace but riddled with the guild of his own death.
He could never. Never live that down. They both said the worst things possible to each other, too stubborn, too embarrassed to say a simple ‘I love you, ill miss you, thank you, i’ll remember you.’
…
Earth
Ned had aged 5 years.
Mj had aged 5 years.
May was dead.
Everyone.
Mr Stark.
He was left as a stone.
A grey stone with his name on it.
And a mural that followed him everywhere.
He's falling, its a void of pitch black but he knows hes falling.
Colors and voices rush past, screaming, crying, laughter, talking, whispers. But he doesn't dare open his eyes as he falls.
More sounds and smells start to fade in.
The blue sky, tall concrete pillar reaching for the sun.
The smell of smoke and grime.
People talking.
New York. Queens, he knows the sound.
He stumbles to his feet, hand on the wall of an alley to support himself. It feels like he’s been hit with a truck, before he got his powers. But he can still feel the spider in him, yelling to get to safety to hide to get warm.
He pushes himself out of the alley, gasping for air.
The first green flag. It looks different, just a bit, different faces, familiar but younger. Much younger. People who he knew were in their late 20’s looked like older teens.
And upon seeing his own face in a puddle on the road, he can see they aren’t the only ones who’ve changed. 6. He looks about 6, but to confirm it he needs a solid date.
His clothes are drowning him, the be in hooding nearly swallowing him up, lucky for him he has his belt to attempt to secure his pants, in any way mitigating the chances of a mortifying situation.
His hands cant stop shaking. Adrenaline slowly pittering down like the drizzle overhead. But he has to move,
The walks jankily, shoes a few sizes too large, so he picks them off. Booking it to a bodega, the bell ringing loudly as he forces in.
“Woah there kid, you look like you just crawled out of hell-“
“I need a newspaper.” He says hardly out of breath “Sir, please, thank you” He adds on at the end, the memory of Aunt mays teachings haunting him.
The man at the counter is large, thick bushy eyebrows and a mustache to match,
“Jesus, where are your parents-“
“Newspaper.”
“I hear you I hear you, only because I’m a nice one, alright?” The man sighs shaking his head slowly, reaching behind the counter then handing over a rolled. “I aint charging you a penny, your ma or pa have ya fetching the news on Stark right?”
Peter yoinks it from his hands, fingers crinkling as he reads the headline.
-Anthony Stark Famous Missile Printing Millionaire Missing Spanning 3 Months, Yet to be found? Or halfway through decomposing?-
The date in the top corner of the paper reads a very simple
5/3/08
He’s not even 6 yet, needing just about 4 months from hitting that milestone.
Mr stark would return on the 7th of may, he remembers because he was home with Ben and May, watching the Secret Saturdays on the couch when Ben rushed in changing the channel just in time to watch the live news broadcast of Mr Stark getting off of the helicopter bruised bloodied and a stuttering mess.
“Not good news eh? Im startin to doubt that the damn mans alive, good riddance though, last thing we need is more weapons of war.”
Peter pulled his lower lip in desperately fighting the urge to yell and defend Tony, to say he was a hero, anything. But the Tony from 2008 and before?
Yeah no he was a total asshole smart asshole, but still an asshole and a sleaze bag. Pepper used to tell him all about how much of a personality change he had after returning from the Ten Rings. So much so she got his brain scanned fearing permanent damage.
All they found was a hairline fracture in his skull. And all the other injuries around his body but he found the crack the most amusing.
He even framed the X-Ray. ‘The Crack That Made Iron Man.’ Peter found it funny, So did Tony. Pepper however would always try to throw it out.
“You sure you alright kid?” The man leans over the counter slightly, brows so furrowed they touch in the middle, not much of a feat considering their already near linking proximity. “Do you need someone to drive ya home? I can call my wife down if so”
“Im fine, Thank you Sir” Peter tries to hand the paper to him but the man shakes his head pushing it back into Peters hands.
“Keep it kid, I aint one to pinch pennies with paper clippings” his eyes stay on Peter for a while. “Stay safe out there champ.”
Peter nods, rolling the paper up and holding it to his chest like some kind of ancient important scroll in a long quest ahead… I miss playing Dnd with Ned and Mj…
“I’ll try, Thank you Sir” Peter gives a short bow of his head, then makes his way out, just a few steps removed from the door he hears the man say something more to himself than to the world.
“God, he was barefoot.” The man mumbled “Wish my sons where half as polite as him at double his age.”
Peters hands clench and unclench, before he shakes his head. He has some time before Mr Stark comes back, a couple of days sure but time nonetheless.
So he makes a mental list as he walks down the mucky streets of Queens, socks soaking up grime.
- Check if an alternate version of him exists at May and Bens apartment. (There shouldn’t be one)
- Research at a local library what events have happened, and look for any big names (also any dirt on Obadiah Stane to give in as evidence to Mr Stark(somehow))
- The most important one for right now and the one he really should do first: Find a safe place to spend a few nights, before he can secure a more permanent spot.
- Make a timeline of every event he can remember.
- Make contact with any other active vigilantes in New York to build connections (through blackmail), Matt was active just around 2010 for his first few appearances. But that’s all the way over in Hell’s Kitchen.
Oh right and most importantly
No man, woman, human or not left behind
Save
Everyone