Those brown eyes
Earth-616, 14.12.2024
"So just to get it right? You are a nerd, like Star-Wars and build Lego? We even went to the same High school, and we weren't best friends? C'mon Dude! That's unfair, why did we never cross path?" Ned whines, taking a frustrated bite from his chocolate donut.
"I don't know, man. Unlucky I guess?" Peter shifts, uncomfortable in his seat.
They were best friends, not that Ned would remember that, but it hurts to be the only one who remembers that they actually were best friends since Peter could remember. Spending weekends at each other's houses, building Legos together, the Star-wars marathons, Decathlon Practices, everything was just erased, and sometimes Peter wonders if he is simply just insane, and if he's the one remembering it wrong.
"More like, strange coincidence." MJ says, handing him his coffee. "Here Peter Parker."
Startled, Peter takes the coffee and gave her an awkward smile.
"Thanks, for the coffee."
"It's what I do, you know."
Peter shakes his head, smiling, turning around to Ned.
"It was a nice chat, dude. See ya guys next time?"
Ned and MJ share a look before nodding.
"See ya Peter."
Earth-1610, The Present.
"Peter?"
His breath stopped. After what feels like years, someone says his name. Someone says his name, knowing it's his name. Knowing him as Peter. The World stops feeling so busy and calms when he sees Ned. Like the Storm inside of him just stopped. Ned looks just the same, except that he lost a lot of weight and kept his hair a little longer. He still wears that stupid Jacket Peter bought his Ned, and still wears the same Jeans. If Peter didn't know he traveled universes, he wouldn't know that this, was not Peter's Ned.
"Peter, is that really you?" Ned's Voice sounds shaky.
Peter doesn't answer, he just steps closer to his best friend, more into the light of the street. He can see Ned's Face a little better now. He doesn't look much older, which meant that he wasn't blipped, but if he calculates it right, Ned must be a year older than him. Ned looks unsure, also taking a step closer. His face is full of concern, worry, and a hint of sadness.
"Yeah, it's me. Well, not your Peter, but uhmm- I am Peter?" Peter struggles to find the right words.
"Not my Peter?" Ned asks confused.
"Yeah, I'm like, from a different universe? I traveled here by accident and i can't get back." His lips wobble and Peter feels like he will breakdown in tears any second now. "I'm sorry, Ned. You probably think i'm crazy. It was stupid to call-"
Ned doesn't respond to Peter's rumbling, just stepping closer to him, scanning him from head to toe. His eyes focus on his Face, and then he hugs him. He hugs him tight, wrapping his arms around him, like it's the only thing that saves him. Ned is taller than him now, and he rests his head on top of Peters. Peter takes in the kindness and warmth of his Friend, leaning into the hug. He feels secure and safe for the first time in months, and he thinks that maybe everything will be alright again. That possibly life would stop fucking with him now and give him some well deserved rest. He can feel Ned trembling and knows that he is crying. Why was Ned crying? Peter doesn't want people crying because of him. He gets teary. Got he missed this. Missed hugging Ned, talking to Ned, just Ned. A Ned that remembers him. Peter sobs, hiding his face in Ned's shoulder.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry." he cries out, hugging him back, not really knowing what he is apolising for.
Peter feels himself break, his knees can't hold his weight anymore, and he collapses to the ground, with Ned still holding him. The familiar feeling of home makes him feel so safe.
"You don't have to be sorry, Peter. We figure this out, alright? I'm your guy in the chair."
Peter just nods, rubbing away some of the tears that keeps flowing. All the emotions he tried to keep to himself, bottling up, began to spill. The Loneliness, the emptiness he felt over the last months that begged him to tell MJ and Ned everything, overwhelms him now, and he doesn't know what to do except cry his pain out. The relief he felt when Ned said his Name is all he can think about, and suddenly he is just so goddamn tired. The over shifts he took to keep himself from starving, being Spider-Man in all his free time. His body feels like it aged a good 10 Years. But now he is safe, he is comfortable in Ned's arms, and he knows nothing can happen to him. The constant ringing of his Spider tingle stop and for the first time in a long time his head is empty, no danger alert, just comfortable silence.
"I think we have a lot to talk about, Peter."
"Yeah, we do."
The walk to Ned's house feels weird. They stay silent for the walk, the only things that keep Peter grounded and feel like this is real, is the fact that Ned holds his Hand. Sometimes he squeezes it and Peter squeezes back, and he wonders if that was a thing they did in this universe or if Ned just wanted to check if Peter was really here. Peter buries his other hand in his jacket, seeking the warmth it gives him. Normally Ned and Peter wouldn't stop chattering on the way to Ned's, but this was different, and he knew that. Still, it didn't mean it wasn't an odd feeling walking through the mirrored version of his New York, entering the mirrored house from Ned and his Lola. Ned leads him to his room, offering his bed to sit when they enter. Peter just settles for the floor, feeling more grounded there. Ned joins him.
"We have about an hour before MJ is going to bust through that door asking for an explanation."
"What?!" Peter looks at him with wide eyes. "Why?"
"I Panicked, okay? I thought this was like a prank call or a scam so i just texted her. I mean what else was I supposed to do? Believe my best friend just woke up from the dead?"
Peter shrugs. Ned was right. Peter was lucky enough that Ned even showed up.
"It's fine. I would probably have done the same."
Ned just nods. Then they sit in silence again, both not knowing where to start. A few minutes pass before Ned grabs a blanket, laying it over them. He then slides closer to Peter. He looks at him, and he takes it as the sign to begin.
So he starts, by explaining how he got sucked into a different dimension, because of Wanda and how he got lost here, because everything was so different, how he never survived the snap like here, how he dusted and came back 5 Years later, just so see how his mentor dies. Not like in this Universe where Peter snapped, no Tony does. How Tony doesn't live, but he Peter does. How he comes back, confused, falling for MJ and the Trips, thinking that maybe things would change for the better and that he will get a break, but Mysterio ruining his plan of calmness. How Beck turns out to be evil and just using him, to the point where he gives him Edith, the only thing Mr. Stark left for him. How he wins the fight, but his Identity get revealed, Doctor Strange trying to help him but failing, college, the Multiverse, the other Spider-Mans, May…and everyone forgot who Peter Parker even is.
Peter didn't know he was crying until Ned hugs him, and telling him that it's alright, and that he never ever had to feel alone again. Peter hopes Ned is right.
"I can't believe you're really here. I thought you were dead, dude. I came back from the snap just to figure out my best friend is an old man that died saving the world."
"Hey! I wasn't old." Peter says defensively.
"You were! Like 23 or something." Ned retorts.
"Well duh, but 23 isn't old."
They giggle, leaning against each other. The Atmosphere is warm and calm and lulls Peter into tiredness.
"You're not really different from my Peter." Ned’s says looking at his Hands. "I feel weird talking to you, it's like talking to, well my Peter."
Peter smiles sadly.
"You feel like my Ned too."
"I miss him."
"Tell me about him?” Peter ask in a quiet voice, trying to keep the warm feeling between them.
Ned looks at him, scanning his Face.
“Well, you definitely look exactly the same, He was a nerd. Like full on Nerd, never shut up about anything, but I must admit he was really smart. Like next Level smart, genius smart, probably got it from his dad. He worked a lot, never really had Time with all the meetings and stuff, but he always made room for me and MJ. He was funny, and always knew how to cheer you up, and he made the best fucking Sandwiches not gonna lie. His Italian side probably.”
Peter stays silent, listening to Ned. The Other Peter seemed like a pretty nice guy and even though they were familiar they were not the same. Peter wasn’t Italian, so he thinks, and he definitely was not good at making sandwiches, he came after May, cooking was not something the Parkers were good at.
“He also was really kind, always helped the smaller Guys, even before he was bitten. He protected me from the bullys, eventhough that meant that he was going to be the one that get picked afterwards.”
He looked around Ned's Room. It looks exactly like he remembers his Ned's room. Still the same old Star-wars Poster, The Legos, the same chair and brown desk. He remembers sleeping over here as a kid, making pillow tends, giggling about the legos they build together. Peter feels himself gets teary again, and wipes with the end of his hoodie over his eyes.
"I'm glad you called me. I know you're not my Peter, but you might as well be him. I grieved my best friend, and I'm sure you did too. But this, this feels like a second chance, don't you think?" Ned's Voice is hopeful, and something inside Peter begs him to just say yes. That this was a second chance, that he could stay here forever with Ned in his room talking about everything, getting to know each other in a new way.
"Maybe? But I'm not sure, I bring chaos everywhere I go, and multiverse travel has his consequences."
Peter knew he couldn't stay here, even if he wanted too. His Universe could lose his balance and collapses. That's what Doctor Strange said, at least, well in the worst-case scenario. He wishes he could stay here, though; it seemed like a wish came true.
"Well, I'm not letting you go! And you try to convince MJ, she wasn't only your girlfriend in your Universe, she was here too! And when she sees you, she won't let you go."
"Ned..."
"I don't care about the consequences, Peter! I need you! The Last year was miserable without you! And now I got you back, and you’re telling me you want to leave again to your sad Universe where no one even remembers you? Why won’t you stay? There is nothing left there for you.”
Peter shakes his head rapidly. He feels overwhelmed with everything. This was not right. Ned should understand that Peter doesn’t really have luck, and sooner or later he would bring it upon them too.
“Of course, I want to stay Ned, but my Universe needs me. Maybe not Peter Parker, but Spider-Man.”
“Peter, this Universe needs a Spider-Man too.” Ned sounds desperate, looking at him with this sadness, he can’t stand.
Peter is taken back. He rubs his eyes, he probably looked really stupid right now.
“I love you, dude. Really! But this feels too good to be true. Can we just talk about this later?”
“I don’t think we can. You got a lot of explaining to do, Parker, right now!” MJ's Voice rings in his ears.
He looks up, she looks furious, standing with crossed arms in the door frame. But she looks beautiful. Her Brown eyes shining in the dim light of the room. Her Hair is open, flling over her shoulders. She is wearing a green Hoodie and brown baggy jeans. She looks mature, but still like the MJ he had known.
“How the fuck are you here? Is this some kind of sick joke?”
“MJ…”
“Don’t you dare MJ me right now.” Her voice trembles and breaks in the end. Peter stands up.
“Let me explain.” He begs.
“This better be good, Parker.”
Earth-616, 21.12.2024
“This shit better be good, Parker!”
MJ Laughs at him. It's a bitter laugh, and he knows he fucked up big this Time.
“There is no excuse for my behavior, and I get that, okay? Like, I should have called you and cancel beforehand. But there was a Family Emergency, and I forgot to call-“
Peter hated lying to MJ. He really wanted to tell her everything. Tell her that he had to go safe those children in the burning house and was too late because of Spider-Man, but that would risk her if someone found out she knew Spider-Man.
“Cut the bullshit, Peter. I know you’re not telling me the truth, and honestly it has been going on even before we started doing this, and I’m so sick of it. Tell me the Truth, or whatever this is what we have, it’s over.”
MJ's Voice breaks, the rain dropping on them. She is soaked, he realized.
“I waited here, in the rain, for an hour. Waiting for you to show up. It’s humiliating. Am I just some dumb joke to you?”
“Of course not!” Peter tries to take a step closer, but MJ steps back.
“Then Tell me!” she yells.
Peter wants to cry. It took him a month to take up the courage to ask MJ out and when she agreed, he felt so happy. It felt like, maybe, she still remembered him. That they could start over. He wanted her so badly. To believe him.
“I can’t.”
“Then we’re done, Parker. Okay? Don’t visit the shop anymore. It’s weird anyway, Stalker.”
No, please not again.
“MJ…”
“Michelle.” She interrupts him.
“What?”
“It’s Michelle for you, now. Bye Peter Parker.”
And then Michelle walks out of his life for the second time. There goes Peter's second Chance of being with her. He will never see her again, never see those brown yes again. This is unfair, Peter thinks.
But then again, when was life fair to Peter.