'kidnapping' via Merc with a Mouth
After the incident with the Avengers, Peter stayed low for the last few days, staying on the edge of Queens and traveling between Brooklyn and the lower areas of Brooklyn. This was to avoid any areas the Avengers might be or where they suspect he could be since Black Widow had found him dead center in Queens last time. So, staying away from the area was the safest option he had. He wanted nothing more than to just spill it all and tell them, let Mr. Stark knew… but his spidey sense went off for a reason and these weren’t his Avengers. This wasn’t his Mr. Stark… No, his family was dead and gone or didn’t know he existed. Off in another universe he had almost torn apart.
Did he feel guilty for living on after all the harm he caused?
“... I’m too tired for this.” Peter uttered the words as he trudged through the streets of Manhattan. He had researched places the Avengers might not be in due to other heroes, and Hell’s Kitchen was top of the list. Apparently a vigilante or antihero dude was in charge. Peter didn’t like going into other people's turf, he knew he didn’t like it. But right now he needed to stay low and find supplies.
The city was still loud for the dead of night, although this part was definitely more friendly than Queens in his universe since it actually had a hero to protect it. Peter was out here to enact his original plan of raiding the donation bins at a thrift store that had been left out after the store closed for the day. Keeping his head down, he made his way behind a christian thrift store… Hey, it was for charity already? Plus if they saw it on the cameras maybe they would feel compelled. Honestly, he just didn’t want to feel shitty about stealing, even if it was a donation in the first place.
Peter sifted through the bin, discovering only 2 trash bags of clothes had been left inside. He pulled them out and knelt down, quickly discarding the first one back into the donation bin as he was greeted with a bunch of pink and sparkly children's clothes.
“Someone clearly had a growth spurt.” He muttered with an amused smile as he grabbed a pink backpack, he didn’t exactly have options to carry his stuff and it was more environmentally friendly than a plastic bag, from the bag then closed it up before turning back to the other bag. He opened, shifting through and to his pleasant surprise there was some clothing in his size. The bag was a mix of mediums and smalls in mens and a handful of shoes that were a size too big for him, the laces all missing, it was a major improvement from the oversize and messy clothes he currently wore. Plus it wouldn’t immediately give away his identity if the Avengers went looking for him.
Looking around cautiously, Peter grabbed the two pairs of shoes, one being a torn up pair of faded black sketchers and the other a red pair of hightop converse, the souls peeling off a bit. But the fight was comforting and familiar to Peter. Immediately Peter took off the shoes he was wearing, unthreading the laces and putting them in the red converse. He beamed as he tied them on with a deep seated feel of comfort and familiarity. Turning back to the bag, he grabbed a dark blue hoodie, swapping it out with the dirty one he wore. The clothes smelled like cigarettes and were relatively clean. He grabbed another hoodie, this one a black and red design, then a couple shirts, the Nintendo logo and other gaming references printed out on them in faded and cracking material. Not exactly him, but it wasn’t like he had room to complain. Searching through he managed to find two pairs of jeans and a pair of black pants, the rest of the stuff was either jeans with holes, or too much for him to carry. Quickly shoving his findings into the pink backpack, having to force the zipper shut, he slung it over his shoulder,
He smiled, feeling semi better. He was still hungry, dumpster diving for food and managing to wash his hair and clean up in a gas station bathroom earlier today. Overall, it wasn’t half bad. He obviously knew he could go to a shelter, but the likelihood of being reported to CPS and therefore connected to the Avengers since it was clear Jarvis had a database, just like FRIDAY did.
… man he missed KAREN.
He hadn’t even thought about his AI since he didn’t have the suit anymore. He would figure out how to recreate her when he had the chance, although it could never be the same. Mr. Stark had made her for him after all.
… okay now he's just depressing himself.
Moving on, Peter left the area, looking around as he looked for somewhere to find some food and water, having traveled all the way from Queens earlier was tiring when you had to sneak onto subways and dodge your way through alleys.
Peter's gaze traveled to a nearby bar that was still open, he considered as he reached into his pockets and paused when he felt some paper in it. Grasping at it, he pulled out a twenty dollar bill. Now.. should Peter be smart and use this at a dollar store to buy twenty food items, maybe. But as he felt his stomach clench and growl in hunger he thought, fuck it. Maybe a bar wasn't a good decision but he wasn’t drinking, alcohol didn’t affect him anyways due to his metabolism (thank aunt May for that realization) and Spiderman didn’t condone underage drinking. But the bar looked rundown and probably wouldn’t report him, and he couldn’t think of anything else open at what was probably 2 am by now.
Against his better judgment, Peter walked up, blinking up at the sign.
“Sister Margaret's School for Wayward Children?” He raised an eyebrow as he read out the crossed out name.
Well… he was a wayward child, he supposed before stepping inside. No one seemed to notice him, thankfully. He walked up to the bar and sat down, blinking up at the menu of drinks before looking over to a few snacks that were labeled three dollars each. The only thing that looked appetizing were the overly salted pretzels. Three dollars for pretzels were a lot- but… he could probably get a soda and total it up to five and get even change back. He rationed as he tapped the bar, looking over to the bartender.
The bartender was a man with dirty blonde hair, stubble, and goggle like glasses. He wasn’t exactly tough like the patrons Peter had caught glances of even through his avoidance. He glanced up, raising an eyebrow as he took in Peter.
To be fair, a scrawny teen with messy clothes and pink backpack was a little off at 2am in a bar. But- okay well he didn’t have a defense.
“... can… I have pretzels and a soda?” Peter asked, handing the man his twenty with a nervous smile. Mr. Stark and Aunt May would have killed him for even being here.
The man sighed, motioning for the kid to keep his cash as he poured him a soda, putting the drink and bag of pretzels in front of him.
“Just stay out of trouble, i'm not babysitting.”
“Aww! Weasel, you given out freebies to- holy shit that IS a baby!” a leather clad man exclaimed as he walked over, staring at Peter who had opened the pretzels hesitantly and started to eat.
Peter stared over at the strangely dressed man and narrowed his eyes.
“You’re… Deadpool-”
“You know me? Wow, that's new for a little baby like yourself!” Deadpool ruffled Peters hair, making the teenager shift uncomfortably.
“I know… a lot about heroes.” Peter mumbled out, swatting his hand away.
Deadpool laughed in amusement.
“You’re a weird kiddy. So-” Deadpool plopped himself in the seat next to Peter.
“What's a tot like you doing out here on a school night?”
“It's Saturday.” Peter said blankly, glancing over with a flat look.
“Plus I graduated already.”
Deadpool gave him a look that said ‘you’re full of shit’.
“And I have a doctorate. Let’s not play cupcake, you’re like what, eight?”
“I’m 14…” He paused and thought.
“Probably.” Peter added.
“... that's mildly concerning.” Deadpool muttered.
“Very concerning, now leave the kid alone Pool.” The bartender, Weasel, spoke up as he placed a drink in front of the merc.
“But he's a baby! And I can’t see a baby being left alone!” Deadpool narrowed his eyes at Peter.
“Oh I know!” He grabbed Peter, catching the kid off guard.
Peter hesitated, his Spidey sense hadn’t gone off- so this guy wasn’t going to kill him.
“Can you- let me go-”
“Matt can babysit you! You’re clearly a little… off.” He looked Peter up and down with a raised brow.
“Rude- also I can take care of myself.”
“When’s the last time you had a full meal? You’re like a runaway right? Considering how mature and weird you are, the voices are saying you probably had a good reason.” Deadpool said, leading Peter out of the bar, who sent a pleading glance to Weasel.
“Uh- something like that but-”
“Plus you like- majorly need a shower kid, you smell like cigarettes and mildew.”
… Peter considered. Yea- he did, that gas station bathroom had shitty soap and ran out half way through his ‘bath’.
“Fine.” His spidey senses would have warned him if he was getting kidnapped so- why not. Plus he needed to build connections to start to fix the future, and while deadpool wasn’t ideal. He was a start.
“Perfect! Matts gonna love your depressed little my chemical romance ass! You already have so much in common!
also- love the splash of pink, its really a statement.”