bad luck relies on absolutely perfect timing
"Bad luck relies on absolutely perfect timing."
- Catherynne M. Valente
July 19th, 2029
Peter sighed in satisfaction as he took a large bite out of the burrito Deadpool had tossed him. His legs were swinging softly over the edge of the building they had sat down on. He let his gaze drift across the New York City skyline. He would never tire from that view.
“Hey asshole! Get your own!” Daredevil yelled, swatting Wades hands away from his own food.
Wade pouted audibly from behind his mask. “But I already ate mine!” He whined.
“I don’t care.” Matt growled back, holding his meal to his chest protectively and swinging at the air in front of him.
Peter snickered as he watched the two of them. He still couldn’t believe his life had turned out this way. After Stephen’s spell, he figured he was destined to be alone forever but before he knew it the two idiots next to him had wriggled their way into his closely protected heart without his consent.
It had still been two years of teaming up before Peter opened up about his own past and he would be forever grateful he did.
The other two members of Team Red had promptly dragged him towards Bleeker street and shoved him through the doors of the Sanctum Sanatorium, demanding the sorcerer fix his mistake.
Unable to do so without risking the universe, he did what he could to make up for it. Peter had been nervous. Those three years of being own his own had changed him irreparably. He was a different person than he had been when he knew them. A kid and then a man. An extremely broken and twisted man. Spider-Man might have remained beloved in New York and Queens especially but they definitely didn’t call him the ‘friendly neighborhood Spider-Man’ anymore. But he was fine with that, he had earned his reputation fair and square and he refused to be ashamed of that.
Soon enough he was being reintroduced to Pepper, Happy, and Morgan. Stephen helping him explaining everything that had happened that fateful night.
Pepper had pulled him and Morgan into a tight hug, a single tear leaking from her eye after Peter went into more detail about his relationship with Tony. With her and Morgan.
Happy had done the same when he realized that Peter was May Parker’s nephew and Spider-Man.
It had been a surprise to everyone when, the first time he visited the cabin after telling them the truth, FRIDAY greeted him. Warmly and familiarly. All of Peter’s strength had left him then, and he broke down in tears in the middle of the living room.
After questioning FRIDAY extensively they found that all files about him had been encrypted so heavily by Tony, saved under nicknames and aliases, that they were left untouched by the spell.
He’d been able to build a new suit in Tony’s lab and reconnected to Karen, who also remembered him to his relief. He used the same design as the Iron Spider suit that Tony had built for him with his own flare. Instead of the bright blue and red, it was a more muted, dangerous looking color scheme. He adored it.
Later the group had spent hours watching videos from the lab, family vacations, messages to Peter when he was snapped. They cried together and after it was over, they were closer than they’d ever been before.
Pepper became like a mother to him in way she hadn’t before and he got to be Morgan’s big brother like he was always supposed to be. Happy took longer to adjust but soon enough they were as close as they had been before the mind wipe.
Pepper immediately invited him to live with them at the cabin and arranged things so that he could transfer from NYU to MIT with minimal issues. She encouraged him to reach out to Ned and MJ and soon enough it was as though the spell never happened.
He had spend the last year and a half surrounded by his team, friends, and family. He had graduated from MIT with three degrees alongside his two best friends and was supposed to start working at SI after the summer.
If you’d asked him five years ago if he’d thought this would be his life you’d have received a very bitter smile for an answer and nothing more.
But now and for the next two months he would be spending his time relaxing, preparing himself to enter the company, watching his little sister grow into an amazing person.
He let out another sigh as he continued to watch the sunset, contentedness warming his chest. He ignored the squabbling happening off to the side and breathed in the warm summer air.
His peace was abruptly interrupted when a familiar portal opened behind him. His head snapped over and he stood, his mask coming down over his mouth (thanks Karen) and tossed his remaining food over to Wade.
The man loosed a cheer as he bit into the half eaten burrito but Peter didn’t pay him any mind. He was focused completely on the three figures that stepped through the portal, eyes on him.
“Stephen, Wanda, America.” He greeted with a nod, eyeing their faces warily. All three looked tired and grim and Peter knew that didn’t bode well for him.
“Spider-Man.” Stephen greeted, eyes flicking towards Peter’s companions before dismissing them. “We need your help.”
Peter groaned loudly, wiping a hand over his masked head. “What?” He snapped out.
Stephen winced at the venom in his tone but that was par for the course these days. He wasn’t the innocent little boy he had been five years ago. No he’s lost whatever innocence he had left when he lost everything else.
The sorcerer didn’t answer immediately, instead gestured to the portal that was still open behind him. Peter sighed but hefted himself up and walked forward, waving goodbye to his team as he went.
Once they were safely in the Sanctum, Stephen looked at him seriously. Wanda had a grim but determined look in her red eyes and America was shifting nervously from foot to foot.
“This universe is unraveling, Peter.” Strange said grimly. “We have an idea but-“
“And what does this have to do with me? I thought this was more your forte.” Peter cut in with a sharp grin.
“It is.” Stephen agreed with a tense nod. “But there’s nothing we can do. This universe is doomed and it has been since Thanos destroyed the stones.”
“Oh great!” Peter laughed caustically, causing America to flinch. “So what you just wanted to warn me about our impending doom?”
“No.” Strange said. “We want to send you to a universe parallel to our own. America would go alone but she doesn’t have the knowledge to stop Thanos. You do.” He corrected, a note of pleading lacing his voice.
“Yeah. No.” Peter said, shaking his head. “Pick someone else.”
“We can’t.” America whispered, looking up to him with scared brown eyes. She was too young to be a part of this.
“Why not, ‘Mer?” He indulged, softening his tone slightly for the girl.
“I can only bring one person with me, otherwise the ritual we’re doing won’t work.” America started.
“You have a special connection to the multiverse, Parker. You understand it in a way others cannot, the events on the Statue Of Liberty saw to that. This ritual is specific and if we try with anyone else it might not work.” Stephen explained, cutting the girl off.
“No.” Peter said again. “I don’t want to do this.” He tilted his head towards the Scarlett Witch. “Why can’t she go? She messed with the multiverse too.”
Wanda shook her head and smiled sadly. “I cannot trust myself not to be selfish.” She answered honestly.
“And you can trust me?” He scoffed, rolling his eyes at the thought.
America stepped forward, grabbing his hand. “Please Peter.” She begged. “I can’t do this alone. I can’t.”
“You are one of the most selfless people in this universe, Peter.” Strange said, earning another scoff.
Peter couldn’t look away from Americas pleading gaze, Wanda’s determination, Strange’s quiet confidence in him.
“I- can’t-“ Peter stuttered, breaths coming heavier until his mask retracted into a pair of headphones, Karen’s voice calling soothingly in his ear.
“You must.” Strange said grimly. “We cannot save this universe but we can make sure it doesn’t happen to another.”
Peter slammed his eyes shut, thoughts running madly through his head. His senses were pinging loudly in his mind, or that could just be anxiety.
“Where would we end up?” He asked on a sigh, hand still clenched tightly in Americas.
Wanda smiled sadly. “Exactly where you need to be.” She answered vaguely before locking eyes with him.
‘When you see me, show me everything. I’ll help you. I promise Peter, you’ll be okay. You’re so strong, just like Pietro.’ Her voice whispered into his mind like a song.
He sent her a shaky smile before nodding repeatedly. “Okay. Okay. How much time do I have?”
“Enough to say your goodbyes.” Strange answered, already creating a portal to a teary Pepper, Morgan, Happy, Ned, and MJ.
He cracked a halfhearted grin as he stepped into the portal. “So you all knew about this?” He asked.
Pepper nodded, stepping forward and squeezing him into a tight hug. “Stephen gathered us and told us about a half an hour ago.” She answered wetly.
He pulled away, raising a sardonic brow at them. “And you all just knew I’d say yes?” He questioned.
MJ snorted from Ned’s side. “Of course we did, loser.”
Peter smiled shakily and quickly fell into a series of long hugs from everyone. He held Morgan the longest, whispering soothing words. Her confused cries broke his heart and he felt a few tears slip through his eyes as he stood.
“I’ve packed everything you need. Clothes, pictures, weapons, a little money.” Pepper said, standing and gesturing to the two suitcases he hadn’t noticed standing there.
“Money?!” Peter yelped. “I don’t need-“
“Yes you do.” Pepper said firmly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “What are we going to do with it anyway? We won’t need it where we’re going.” She joked, voice cracking on her last words. “I need you to be safe, Peter. I know you. I know you won’t ask others for help. Even us. This is the least I can do.”
“Pep-“ He started protesting again but went silent at Pepper’s next words.
“It’s what Tony would’ve wanted.” She said firmly, a soft smile on his face.
Peter slumped in defeat, ignoring her smug look as best as he could.
He then made his way to his best friend’s sides and gave them a firm hug. Pulling back, him and Ned did their signature handshake.
That had been another surprise, apparently Ned’s subconscious had been able to retain their handshake.
Then he turned to MJ. They had decided to stay friends after they were reintroduced and he was glad for it. He smiled softly at her grim face and gave her a reassuring nod which she returned.
Another few minutes went by before Pepper spoke up, interrupting the trios murmured conversation. “Now, you’ve got somewhere to be.” She said softly, tilting her head towards an impatient looking Stephen.
After another round of hugs and teary goodbyes Peter stepped towards the portal, luggage in hand.
Before he could go through Morgan ran forward again, wrapping her small arms around him. With Tony’s eyes she looked up at him. “I love you One Million, Petey.” She said tearfully.
Pressing a kiss to her head he replied, “I love you to space and back, Morgs.”
“Be safe” “Be smart.” Ned and Pepper called out at the same time.
“Don’t do anything stupid, stupid.” MJ added with a small smile.
With a deep breath, he nodded, stepping back into sanctum. With one look at the home screen of his custom StarkPhone he spun around to look at the three sorcerers. “Alright, let’s do this.”
They nodded, walking further into the building where a ritual was already set up.
“Wow.” He laughed without humor. “You guys really knew I’d say yes, huh?”
“You’re selfless, Peter.” Stephen repeated his earlier sentiment as though that were answer enough. “But you must remember that there are fixed points in time across every universe. Some things even you, with all your foreknowledge, won’t be able to stop.” He warned seriously.
Scoffing under his breath Peter nodded shortly, disregarding his words without a thought.
America darted forward, crushing Stephen in a hug. “Thank you for everything. I love you.” Peter heard her whisper and saw the wizard nod in response.
Then, him and America stepped into the middle of the ritual circle while Strange and Wanda began chanting around them.
Wanda began drawing runes in the air. Soon enough, America joined them in their chant and an unfamiliar portal snapped open, pulling them forward.
It looked like a bastardized version of America’s portals but instead of blue, it was an entire rainbows worth of colors, twisting and changing faster than the human eye could see.
They were sucked in with a loud pop, Peter felt his hand being crushed into Americas and made sure to focus on not using more than four percent of his strength, lest he break her hand during the journey. His insides felt like they were twisting and then with another ear piercing pop they landed in an alley, luggage splayed across the ground.
His Spider-Sense started pinging immediately and intensely the second they landed.
He quickly called his mask back and looked around, trying to identify the cause.
His head snapped up as a (holyfuckingshit) familiar alien species started attacking the building a few blocks away from them.
“Of fucking course. Asshole had to drop us in the middle of the 2012 invasion, great.” Peter spat out, pacing.
He pivoted on his heel and turned to look at a shell shocked America. “Don’t move.” He ordered, pointing a stern finger at the girl before swinging away, Karen’s soothing voice whispering directions in his ears.