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I’ll come find you, okay? He felt like a piece of shit. He knew he was lying, he had a feeling they did as well.
“I know you will.” Ned had said with such conviction Peter couldn't tell if he was lying of not. He wanted so bad to believe it with him. He prayed to Thor and every other god knowing that he would go unheard to let him and Ned build a Lego set one last time, with May alive and food cooking in the kitchen. He knew no god would save him, but he supposed it was just human instinct to wish for a being greater than one’s self to save them.
“You better, if you don’t I’m just gonna figure it out. I’ve done it before I can do it again.” MJ continued, interrupting his thoughts. He could hear in her voice that she could tell that he was lying his ass off, that they would likely never encounter each other again. He hated that this was as much as a goodbye that he was ever going to get from these two.
”I love you.”
He knew he couldn’t fix this, he could never see them again. He had to start over. He has only ever brought them pain and agony by being in their life, even if they couldn’t see it themselves.
”I love—”
Maybe he just didn’t want to be alive at all, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. No, he couldn’t go there. He had to live if only for the sake of the people who had died for him, because of him.
”Just wait. Wait and tell me when you see me again.” The guilt tugged at him as he made an empty promise to the only girl he has ever loved.
Still, he knew, whether it was the universe or him who was corrupt it didn’t matter. He couldn't hurt the people he loved most again. He could not bare the burden of watching them being tainted more and more by his life and actions.
Peter Parker could not exist in this universe, not with them.
This was the reason he had to make a deal with Dr. Strange. The man wouldn’t kill him but they both knew he couldn’t stay here, that he could never truly live in this universe. But Ned and MJ didn’t need to know that. Soon they won’t remember him at all.
Dr. Strange may had wanted to keep him in this universe but he knew in his heart that the fate of seeing his loved ones live without him and never even mourning him was far worse than death. It was a cruel, cruel fate. One that would never allow him to love ever again.
The action felt selfish but he was doing it for them. No good person will die because of him again, not here. Hopefully not anywhere.
So many people dead with his hands at fault. Bloody from blood of good people.
Not again.
In a new universe he can help people without people that can so easily be used against him. He can live in a world without regrets etched into every atom he passes.
With great power comes great responsibility.
He can use his power to help people, without the pain of knowing no one could ever truly know him again.
That was the most selfish part.
Peter Parker truly just wanted to be known.
___
He awoke in an alley surrounded by webs and dust. The city was somehow reminiscent of both New York and 16th century gothic architecture yet the air felt thick with pollution and cigarette smoke.
Where was he? The wind did not answer but he could tell it was a far cry from New York, if only by the noise of the city, yet alone everything else.
New York was loud but alive and proud. This place felt like it was rotting, crying, screaming for help and yet it knew no one would save it. That the place was heavy with sorrow and guilt from the very stone it was made out of.
He could tell that they were right too from the distinct scent of blood that covered the place. It was far from the only smell that was rather pungent and grotesque.
He soon called out for the one name that could follow him across dimensions.
“Karen?” He choked out, overwhelmed by his senses lack of familiarity and the lack stark difference of air quality.
Damn, even New York wasn’t this bad. How do people breathe?
“Peter, I highly recommend getting to a library. Most features are not accessible due to lack of Stark satellites, I do not know where we are...” Karen reported, far more worried than and AI should be.
But, WiFi would have to wait, he needed to get a true read on this place first and get the necessities first. He glanced at a nearby dumpster before opening it. Surprisingly it didn’t reek as much as the rest of the alley. He spotted a bag of clothes and quickly broke it open finding a good pair of jeans and a T-shirt to throw over his suit.
“Karen, disable the suit.” He said as the suit swiftly transformed into a pair of headphones and a watch.
He quickly put on the clothes before walking the opposite way of the dumpster. He was stepping towards the road and out of the alley on the hard pavement as he quickly reached the sidewalk before he saw something out the corner of his eye.
Very shortly after he felt something collide into him.
“Watch where you're going kid!” Like he wasn’t the one who ran into him. He had more audacity than more New Yorkers, geez.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. He had enough manners to make it sound genuine, even if it was the most insincere apology he had ever spoke aloud.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” He doesn’t even know where here is! He murmured an agreement regardless. “Whatever kid, welcome to Gotham. Try to get out of here as fast as possible and live longer than a week.” The man replied before walking away. It was a rather ominous welcome but his chest felt lighter with reassurance.
He could bring this place to life. He could improve it like he did Queens. No, better than how he had tried to help Queens. He had experience and knowledge that he could have never dreamed of when he first started.
Gotham? The name is a little on the nose, in his humble opinion. But, he could tell this new world needed some saving.
So, he had some work to do.