Peter could finally say that he was adjusting to being in Gotham.
Sure, it had taken a few (six) months but he’d fallen into a sort of rhythm that worked for him. He’d enrolled himself into Gotham Prep under the Wayne scholarship and sold enough pictures to the Gotham Gazette to get his own apartment.
Creating a fake identity was easier than he’d thought it’d be, especially with the outdated tech he found himself surrounded by. Which, yeah weird, especially since he had seemed to come to a universe in the year 2019. And even though he wasn’t there that year, he knew tech was way more advanced in his universe, than in the one he’d found himself stuck in. The wonders of having a Tony Stark in the world, he guessed. He ignored the pinch in his gut at the thought.
He’d kept his background as close to the truth as possible, even creating fake identities for his parents, as well as May and Ben. Birth certificates and death certificates that were almost identical to the ones that existed in his universe. He was Peter Benjamin Parker. Born August 10, 2001. Raised in the heart of Queens, New York. Hospital and school records as close as he could remember. It had hurt to put it all down into words but he had to do it if he wanted to survive here. He could only be glad he was eighteen and didn’t have to worry about faking having a guardian. Being a legal adult made things a lot easier when you were on your own like he was.
And maybe he was a bit lonely, living by himself, but he’d officially been going to Gotham Prep for three month and he’d made a few good friends if he did say so himself. Well, more like he’d been adopted into their friend group and decided to go with it. He’d enrolled himself halfway through the senior year but with his (fake) transcripts it wasn’t hard to get a scholarship.
He still hadn’t gotten up the nerve to be Spider-Man in this new and admittedly scary universe. But hey! Trauma did that to people and Peter decided for the first time in his life to give himself a break. He’d repaired his suit but it sat untouched in his closet, where it would stay until he could put it on without a panic attack.
There were enough vigilantes in Gotham already and he didn’t need to draw any attention to himself by adding another one to the roster.
He already stuck out like a sore thumb with the stupid blonde streak in his hair that he couldn’t seem to get rid of and the green eyes that glowed when he got emotional.
The point was that Peter was doing okay, he’d come to terms with the fact that he probably wouldn’t be going home any time soon. Wouldn’t see May, or his best friends, Ned and MJ, his fucking girlfriend. He wasn’t… happy about that fact but he was okay. And well, it wasn’t like he would’ve had them anyway, what with the entire universe forgetting about him.
He was so okay that the last thing he expected was to feel like all the air got sucked out of the room when he walked into school one morning with Tim and Steph on either side of him and saw one Felicia Hardy sitting primly in their home room class, notebook and pencil set aside, her chin resting on her palm.
“Felicia?” Peter called out, unconsciously stepping forward. It was still early so the four of them were the only students in the classroom. He heard Tim and Steph let out confused mutters from behind him. The second the words left his mouth, he cursed himself. Just because he hadn’t found a counterpart for anyone he knew in his universe didn’t mean there weren’t any. This probably wasn’t even his Felicia.
The last thought fled his brain however when the blonde girl twisted in her seat so fast Peter was surprised she didn’t fall. Her feline like green eyes were wide with shock and began filling with tears the moment they came to rest on him.
“Peter?” She whispered hoarsely, and hecouldn’t help but gape at her. What the hell was she doing here? “Peter!” She called louder, now jumping out from behind her desk and launching herself into his arms. It was her, his Felicia. His girlfriend. How was she here and how the hell did she remember him?
He caught her with a small grunt, redistributing her weight so he could hold her as closely as possible. “Isha!” He gasped back, arms wrapped snugly around the girls waist.
“What the hell.” He heard Duke mutter under his breath, apparently having joined their little gathering.
They stayed that way for a minute or two before Felicia leaned back to press a deep loving kiss to his lips. He found himself responding before he could remember that he was currently in school with his friends standing not a few feet away.
He leaned forward to chase her lips as she pulled away but was startled from his attempts when she smacked him across the back of the head.
“Ow! What the hell Cat?!” Peter winced, letting the girl onto her feet and rubbing his head.
“You’re alive! You’re here!” She choked out, eyes still wide as she looked him up and down as though he would disappear. She blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that were filling her eyes.
If there was one thing Peter knew about Felicia Hardy it was that she hated showing weakness, especially in front of strangers. He edged a glance back at Steph, Tim, and Duke, all three watching the scene in front of them with shrewd eyes.
Turning back to his lovely girlfriend, he gave a weak set of jazz hands. “Surprise!” He said with a wince.
“You just disappeared! How did you even get here!?” Felicia asked, arms gesturing wildly.
He chanced a look back at his friends again before giving a nervous snicker, “Uhh? Scholarship?”
“Peter, you know that’s not-“ Felicia started, rolling her eyes.
“Um, excuse me?” Steph interrupted with a frown, pointing between the two of them. “How do you two know each other?”
“Oh, uh, Steph-“ Peter stuttered, eyes wide.
“He’s my boyfriend, Blondie.” Felicia cut in, eyes twinkling with mischief. “The one I’ve told you about, from New York.”
“You’re that Peter?! Oh shit dude! We had no clue.” Duke spoke incredulously, eyes wide.
“Y-you know each other?” Peter questioned in an equally incredulous voice. What was actually happening? How was Felicia in this universe and why did these people know her?
“Of course we do, lover.” Felicia purred, smirking.
“Our dad is engaged to her mom.” Tim supplied with a careless shrug, gesturing to himself, Duke, and Steph.
“Her mom… wait! You guys are siblings?!” Peter cried out, shock after shock hitting his system.
Steph raised a brow, “Adopted.” She clarified.
Duke sent him a smile. “You know? Bruce Wayne?”
“BRUCE WAYNE IS YOUR DAD?!” Peter yelled, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed. “Wait how long have you all known each other?”
“Four years or so?” Tim replied, looking for Felicia for confirmation, who nodded.
“WhAt?!” Peter cried.
“Spider. Calm down.” Felicia cut into his sudden panic, her voice barely higher than a whisper. “I’ll explain everything later, I promise. But class is about to start.”
“O-okay.” Peter said, letting himself be led into the seat directly next to his apparently dimensional traveling girlfriend. That lying liar who lies.
As soon as the school bell rang, Peter was rushing back to his apartment, Felicia trailing leisurely behind him.
She gave him a judgmental look as they approached his building. “Crime Alley? Really?”
Peter gave the cat burglar a glare. “It’s cheap and I like Red Hood.” He supplied, not stopping until they were safely closed into his living room.
The apartment wasn’t anything too fancy but it was the home. A home Peter had built from the ashes of his old life. Literally.
“So…” Felicia started, scuffing her foot against the wood floors and looking at him from under sooty lashes. Science, it was so hard to be mad at her when she looked like that. Not to mention the fact that he’d missed her desperately for the last six months, his entire being aching to be with her.
“So?” Peter retorted, confusion and adrenaline making his head feel fuzzy.
“How did you get here?” Felicia asked with a sigh as she made her self comfortable on the
couch.
Peter scrunched up his nose and crossed his arms, fighting the urge to tap his foot. “You first.”
Felicia rolled her eyes, throwing her legs over the arm of the sofa. “I’ve always been able to do this, lover.” She said, nonchalantly as if she wasn’t dropping a massive bomb in that moment.
Peter blinked a few times and moved to sit down, putting his head in his hands. He turned to look up at her, feeling the green begin to stir up in his chest. “You’ve always been able to do what? Travel dimensions?” He asked hysterically.
Felicia clicked her tongue. “I’ve always been able to travel between these two dimensions. I was born in both, somehow. I exist in both. Lived in both for as long as I can remember.” She explained, looking at him with a hint of steel in her eyes.
Peter’s brows shot up and he shook his head. “And you didn’t think to share that with me?” He questioned, pain building up inside of him.
“I’ve never told anybody.” Felicia snapped back, baring her teeth. “Not a soul. So no, I didn’t think of telling you.”
Peter hissed in a breath through his teeth, staring at her with thinly veiled hurt.
Her eyes softened, and she looked away for a moment before turning back to him with a sad smile. “I wanted to tell you, Peter, I promise.” She said, unusually soft, “I was scared.”
“I knew there was a Black Cat in this universe but I didn’t realize it was you.” Peter huffed, changing the subject, his sharp edges softening at her admission.
She smiled winningly. “That’s me.” She then turned with a sudden shrewd look in her eye. “Your turn, Spider.”
“I- “ Peter sighed, biting his lip before continuing. “My identity got revealed.”
Felicia nodded, of course she had already known, she was there. It was just before she had gone on one of her… trips. He wanted to smack himself, of course her trips were code for traveling to another universe.
Peter sighed again, bracing himself for her reaction when she heard what he had done. “So after that whole thing, everything was getting a little better but then- “He winced. “-then Ned, MJ, and I all got rejected from MIT and I had this stupid idea to go to Doctor Strange and have him make everyone forget I was Spider-Man.”
“Peter!” She gasped, eyes wide with shock.
“I know!” Peter winced. “I know! And I didn’t think of my friends and family, of you, until halfway through the spell so I may have… distracted Doctor Strange enough to mess up the spell.”
“Oh my god. Spider.” Felicia said.
“I know, okay?! Let me finish!” Peter snapped, eyes glowing. Felicia’s mouth snapped shut, not often having been on the receiving end of such a sharp tone.
“So the spell caused villains from other universes who knew Peter Parker was Spider-Man to come to our universe, as well as two other Peter Parker’s who were also Spider-Man. Strange wanted to send them back but-“
“Ugh!”
“But! I found out that they had all been sent moments before their deaths. And May convinced me that we could help them. Save them.”
“Oh shit.” Felicia muttered, face paling.
“Yeah.” Peter gave a wet chuckle. “Anyway, one of them- one of them killed May and- and the universe started breaking apart.”
“Guess I’m lucky I was in a different one, huh?” Felicia gave a weak smile. At his unimpressed look, the smile fell. “Right not the time.”
It was silent for a moment as Peter’s thoughts raced to that last fight, where he’d almost killed the Goblin. Sometimes he still wishes he had.
“I’m sorry about May.” Felicia said softly, cutting into his thoughts.
He smiled weakly. “Thanks.” He said. “So the universe was breaking apart and the only way to stop it was to make everyone forget Peter Parker ever existed at all. Somehow Strange also managed to send me to another universe.”
“That’s why I couldn’t find anything about you anywhere! And when I talked to Ned and MJ they had no idea what I was talking about. Everyone was talking about Spider-Man’s death and I couldn’t figure out what had happened. That’s why you haven’t seen me in school until now, I was there for months, looking for you.” Felicia uncharacteristically rambled, absentmindedly twirling her hair.
He quickly reached forward and grabbed her hands, rubbing a thumb over the back of her hand. “I’m okay.”
“You’re not okay! You died!” Felicia snapped, wrapping her hands from his.
“What?!” Peter squawked, shaking his head. “I didn’t die!”
“Then why have you been in the Lazarus Pit?” She asked, flicking her eyes to his hair for a moment before meeting his eyes.
“The what?” Peter questioned, feeling choked all of the sudden.
“You know.” Felicia rolled her eyes. “Green glowing pit from hell?”
Peter’s mouth dropped open. So that’s what that was. Yeah, he might’ve woken up drowning in a pool of rancid green liquid in the middle of a cave seven miles from the city but he’d pretty much blocked it out of his mind since he wound up in Gotham.
“That’s what that is? Why does that make you think I died?” Peter questioned, brows raised.
“Because the Lazarus Pit brings people back to life, Peter.” Felicia explained, eyeing him worriedly.
Peter sat with the thought for a few seconds before giving a shrug. “Wouldn’t be the first time I died, I guess.”
She still seemed a bit wary, setting a soothing hand on his arm. “Have you been having any… unexplained anger? Emotional outbursts that are out of character?”
Peter shifted in his spot, discomfort thrumming in his chest. “Maybe?” He hummed, thinking of his snapping at her a few minutes prior.
“Not good, Peter.” Felicia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“It’s fine!” Peter assured her. “I’m managing it, I promise.”
“Peter.” She said with a look.
“I am!” Peter swore, and Felicia deflated with a huff.
“So then why haven’t I heard anything about a Spider-Man in Gotham?” She asked after a few minutes.
Peter winced, eyes darting to his bedroom door. “I just- I can’t. Not after May…”
“It’s okay Peter.” Felicia said. “You don’t have to explain. I’m just glad you’re okay, that you’re here.” She said, leaning forward to hug him tightly and leave a peck on his lips.
“Fuck, I missed you.” Peter whispered, almost a whimper as he leaned into her warmth.
“I missed you more, lover.” Felicia purred back, a smirk tugging at her lips as she kissed him once more.
Peter groaned into her mouth, reaching forward to pull her into his lap. “I love you.” He said against her mouth.
“I love you.” She returned warmly