Time travel?
Peter moved to a house out of the city, the death of Gwen Stacy nearly tearing him in half and the betrayal cutting too deep for him. So, after battling the Sinister Six and almost dying, Peter decided that Spider-Man was no more. Especially, for the new person in his life who couldn't live without him.
Peter's twenty-two and had his own house with his technology and even his comfy king-sized bed. He barely let himself bathe in wealth but he had too for this one. He looks outside his home in the kitchen watching Ben play with his pail and sand along with Odie, Logan, and DeDe. Peter smiles and starts to put the rice in the rice cooker before going to the fridge and getting Ben his snack.
Peter walks to the backyard and shouts, "BEN! BENJAMIN! TIME FOR A SNACK!"
Benjamin, Peter's two-year-old son crawls out, with his old Spider-Man mask and the way too big web-shooters, "Define snack or prepare to be webbed!"
Peter bends down to his height and takes the Spider-Man mask off before kissing his crown. Benjamin was a blonde with coffee-colored eyes, a big toothy grin, and his nose small enough to leave a big kiss. He was way shorter than Peter (Peter didn't want him to grow up, he'd sob if Ben was going to be taller than him), and was currently wearing boxers and an IronMan tee.
"How did you find this, kiddo?" Peter asks Ben.
"I didn't find it! It found me." Benjamin exclaims and his grin turned mischevious.
"Well, I guess I don't use this mask anymore, but! What do you want to eat? Nasty, gooey bugs?!" Peter asks, trying to exaggerate the bugs part by putting his arms up and going "RAWRRRR!" before grabbing Benjamin and kissing his cheeks with glee.
"Daddy! Stop!" Benjamin said between giggles, "I don't want nasty, gooey bugs! I want rice and chicken!"
"You will get what you wish for, kiddo," Peter said and they walked hand-in-hand to their home, "Ben, go wash up before I finish up the food, I'm getting started on the chicken right now."
Ben nods and goes down the hall. All that was left was Peter in his thoughts as he was cooking the chicken the way Pepper taught him when he first told her that Benjamin was showing an interest with solids. She taught him how to cook anything he needed to know and now since Pepper was doing her job, she would leave Morgan with Ben and Peter.
Peter lets the chicken cook as he thinks about the years throughout the snap. Inheriting Stark Industries, meeting Gwen and reuniting with Harry, The Sinister Six, Gwen's pregnancy, her death when Benjamin was just seven months, Fighting and killing the Green Goblin and nearly dying himself before seeing Ben and that made his motivation to stay alive.
He quit being Spider-Man for his kid and he wouldn't trade his decision for the world. Benjamin is his sunshine and he would die for Benjamin.
Peter hears the water running and decides to check up on Benjamin.
Benjamin was in fact, having way too much fun. He had his snorkel and swimming under the tub with his Spider-Man themed swim trunks, "Hey there bud." Peter says and Benjamin pops up from the water and splashes Peter which made Peter laugh.
"I'm a mermaid, dad!" Benjamin said excitedly.
"Yes, you are! The coolest mermaid, ever." Peter goes up and grabs the soap and soaks it with the loofah, "Bathe yourself, mermaid."
"Okay, daddy!" And Peter leaves him at that before running back down and stirring the chicken.
Ding!
"Huh, I hope that's Morgan coming over for a playdate." He murmurs and puts the stove on low before going over to the door and peaking through the hole.
He'd seen Steve, Ant-Man, and Rocket Raccoon.
Peter opens the door but gets out and leaves the door open. He looks at them, it's been two years since he'd ever talked to them and back at them. Steve didn't age, he still had the same face but had a jean jacket, sweatpants, and slippers. Ant-Man wasn't in his suit but instead sleeping clothes, while Rocket was wearing a suit and weirdly enough, no gun strapped to his back.
Peter wasn't sure he wanted any part of whatever they wanted to plan.
"Uhh, sit down and ignore..." Odie comes in and jumps onto Ant-Man, "Odie. Her children are just playing around. I'll get you guys water."
"That's okay, Peter, we need to talk." Steve said softly.
Peter frowns but sits down with the others, "Okay..."
Scott, as he learned his name, took the floor and talked. He talked about time traveling to get the Infinity stones and using them to bring back the dusted. Peter's heart tightened at that, he got his family. Gwen and Harry may have been dead, but Benjamin wasn't and he didn't want to leave Benjamin behind.
Not like his parents, not like Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Certainly not like Tony either.
Peter didn't want to do it, "Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale, which then triggers the Deutsch proposition. Do you want too?"
Steve and Scott looked puzzled, he knew science wasn't their forte. But Rocket didn't look convinced, "Parker," Rocket said and furrowed his eyebrows, "I know what you're saying but come on-!"
"You want to pull off a bigger plan than Ultron and risk your lives for it?" Peter asked. Risk his life?
"I lived." Scott said.
" No, you accidentally survived, Scott. It's a one in a billion chance fluke and you want to pull off?"
Scott tries to hide his pride and he almost succeeds, if Peter didn't work as Spider-Man for the last decade, "A time heist?"
If this was during before Benjamin or before the snap, Peter would've been up for it. He remembered wanting to be an Avenger and even sought to prove to Tony and his mom that he was worthy enough to be an Avenger, but now he had Benjamin and he was over his heavy, heavy loss. But most importantly, he had Benjamin.
He doesn't want to lose Benjamin or Benjamin to lose him.
"A time heist. Scott, Steve, Rocket, I can't participate in this." Peter said, trying to feign sadness, "I-"
Benjamin runs to Peter with only a towel and wet underwear, tackling his father, "I'm here to save dad!"
Peter smiles and grabs Benjamin to put him on his lap, "I am saved. Spider-Boy truly saved my life from other people!"
Steve looked confused, "I-Is that-?"
Peter nods, "Steve meet Ben. Ben meet Steve."
Ben, with his Black Widow themed (Pepper sewed it herself) towel, shakes his hand and Steve smiled sweetly, "Hello, Ben. Nice to meet you."
Ben didn't say anything but smiles and nods in acknowledgment.
"Peter, we have to take a stand." Steve said.
"We did," Peter said sharply, "And yet, here we are."
Benjamin looked at Rocket and even poked the animal in the foot. Rocket only smiled that could've easily been missed. Peter could tell that even though Rocket had a tough exterior, he was soft towards kids. He may have not seen Rocket in a while but he knew that he lost his child. He called him Groot and said that he was a tree.
"Peter, I'm happy for you, I really am but this a second chance." Steve said to him and frowned.
"Steve, this is my second chance." Peter points out and refers to Benjamin who had left to put on clothes since a towel couldn't fully cover his chubby tummy.
Peter could hear Benjamin shout, "HULK! HULK! HULK!"
Peter just smiled.
Scott, Steve, and Rocket stood and bid farewell to Peter and Benjamin before leaving.
-
"I'm so confused." A confused Scott Lang said loudly. Firstly, he was trapped in the Quantum realm for five years, met his now teenage daughter after those five years (Scott cried and he'd proudly admit it to anyone because wow, the years haven't been nice to anyone as he noticed she lived alone. No Maggie or Paxton and he made a mental note on how she survived living when the world snapped since she was about 9), Then, apparently, half of the world was annihilated and now he was in front of the Hulk wearing clothes.
He was so confused.
"These are confusing times." A big, green Bruce Banner said seriously.
The big guy had on a cardigan, a white shirt, and shorts with glasses and greying hair. It's an absolute surprise to see the short Bruce Banner from pictures in 2012 to the gigantic Professor Hulk who had a science T.V. show featuring a rock named Korg and Miek.
"That's not what I meant." Scott replies to Bruce just as seriously.
"I know right! I'm wearing a shirt and a jacket and it goes with my skin!"
Scott sighs. Sitting in a restaurant with a big green guy and Captain America was in itself, a little pressuring considering their fame and probably to the media's eyes, he'd be their twink. Not that he didn't mind.
"How are you wearing a shirt with a jacket?" Scott asked, and ignored the done look Steve had on his face.
"Five years ago, we had our asses handed. It was worse for Bruce because Bruce lost twice. Once as Hulk and the other as Bruce. Then, we all lost together... Or as Natasha's kid said... Separately."
"Natasha had a kid?" Both Bruce and Scott asked.
"Yeah," Steve speaks up, "We were just talking to him, Scott. He's Peter. The one with the little kid."
It must've been Bruce's first time hearing that because he dropped his pancake in surprise, "No. Way."
Steve nods with a smile, "He has a kid named Ben. Probably short for Benjamin."
"So, who's the mom?" Bruce asked. The air quickly went from upbeat to solemn.
"Peter didn't say her name except it was just Stacy. I know she died. Peter tried to save her but whiplash effect was what took her," Steve said heavily, "Blamed himself and nearly killed her assailant and nearly died trying to do so if it wasn't for Benjamin who was only about five months, I think."
"How do you know all of this?" Bruce asked.
"It was on the news. Menance Spider-Man killed a girl who fell off a building. Pepper sued the Daily Bugle and Peter spent his time wallowing in grief before telling the Avengers that he would quit being Spider-Man to focus on his kid."
Bruce nods, understanding what Peter went through, "Can't believe I had something with his mom," He said chuckling, "I'd be his stepdad. Wow."
Steve only shrugs, "You would've been a great stepdad." Steve cheers him up.
Then, three kids came up to "Professor Hulk". Scott watched as Bruce and the kids exchanged words, one of them saying he loved the episode where Thor did an electrical discharge to a balloon to prove his hair had Asgardian DNA (Which Scott immediately wanted to see). They asked for a picture and Bruce, with his big hands, gave Scott the camera. Scott of course, took the picture and they left without even asking Ant-Man himself for a picture. But, to be fair, he was gone for five years and when he was active, he could barely be seen since he was the size of an Ant or a big giant.
"Bruce," Steve says, trying to get the mans attention.
"HULK!"
"Bruce."
Bruce dabbed and Steve only rolled his eyes, "Bruce."
"Listen to your mom, she knows better!"
Scott could've laughed at this. Super-soldier tried to get Hulks attention but to no avail.
"About the time-traveling issue." Steve said and flicked Bruce's ear.
"OW!" Bruce said and rubs his ear, "Steve, time-traveling is out of my expertise. I don't think I can do that."
"You never know until you tried." Scott supplied.
Steve nodded in agreement.
Bruce looked between both Steve and Scott and only dug into his food.
Scott looked at Steve anxiously and Steve only drank his cold iced water.
Scott wondered if Back To The Future would work if only the Avengers wouldn't eat instead of facing their problems. He could tell that they lost their hope and the only one trying to hang on the thread of hope was Steve who could never seem to quit.
Scott only frowned and took a piece of the breadstick and began eating.
-
Peter was done washing dishes, Benjamin watching an episode of Professor Hulk like the same reruns were never tiring. He had clung onto the IronMan plushie Peter bought for him when they went to a carnival and now it seemed like Benjamin would never let go of the plushie unless he was going somewhere that was far from their home.
"Dad, when will I meet Nonna and Abuelo?" Benjamin asked.
Peter still questions where he learned Spanish from since the only thing they'd remotely watch that included Spanish was Dora, The Explorer.
"Probably never, Ben." Peter replies just as easily as Ben asked. He hated being a realist with grim topics such as his mother and his mentor who both perished when battling Thanos. Peter used to tell stories of the battle. The one where they won despite the odds of 14,000,605 to 1 and they won that one. Ben loved the story so much and his favorite part was when Peter would always say, "Thanos lays down and cries while eating salt and vinegar lays".
Peter didn't know where he got that from, but if it made Benjamin laugh and sleep with good dreams, then so be it. He also told Ben about the snap. Ben didn't seem to mind as he preferred to look on the bright side and said that at least the lines for rides would be a lot shorter. Peter didn't like it, but the kid was two. Who was he to tell him about the pain of losing his whole family within one minute?
And then other times, he'd tell Ben the tales of the incredible Black Widow and the invincible Iron Man. With forces combined, they could end any threat especially with the help of the Avengers.
Needless to say, Ben loved bedtime when Peter was narrating his life before he quit being Spider-Man.
Ben remained silent and watches the T.V. show Thor (who is now absent for some reason) tell the kids about the magic in what used to be Asgard.
Peter later gets Ben who fell asleep on Odie and next to her two grown-up pups, to bed. Ben drooling on Peter's shoulder, holding on to the IronMan plushie as if it were to bring Peter's late mentor closer to being alive. He opens Ben's room and puts him down on his Lighting McQueen themed bed and tucks him in before kissing him goodnight and going back downstairs to fix the living room and kitchen.
If Peter hadn't gone downstairs, he wouldn't rediscover an old, old picture.
One from 2017.
He saw the picture under the laundry detergent and lifts it to reveal a frame protecting the picture. The image had a younger Peter (who was 15 at the time) along with Tony who had a silly smile holding the internship certificate, and hugging him on the right was his mother who recently dyed her hair blonde to avoid capture. She was smiling beautifully, her motherly nature seeping to Peter and he hadn't even noticed.
He missed them.
Can time travel become true?
After an hour of working, Peter figured out how to do time travel. He was in absolute excitement and amazement. Peter sits down, not being able to stand up since his legs were wobbling. He had just figured out how to time travel. That was not an easy feat.
"Holy fuck!" Peter said.
"Fuck." A cute voice said.
The cute voice murmurs the word again and Peter turns to Benjamin with a confused look, "What are you doing up so late, little mermaid?"
"Fuck!"
"We don't say that," Peter quickly says, "You say that, your whole allowance is gone!"
"Why you up?" Benjamin asked innocently.
"Because I'm doing some... important things," Peter replies and watches as Ben scowls, "In fact, I got something on my mind."
Ben puts his finger up as if a lightbulb had finally turned on, "Was it yogurt?"
Peter smiles fondly, "Definitely, yogurt." He takes his son's hand and goes to the kitchen and they both got sour patches yogurt.
"Do you miss your mommy?" Ben had asked.
"All the time," Peter answered simply but frowns, "Do you miss yours?"
"I don't know my mommy, So I dunno."
Peter's frown only deepens, "Maybe, one day, I can tell you about your mommy and how much of a good person she was."
Benjamin's face lit up, "Really?!"
"Really." Both of them smiled and once they were finished with their yogurt headed down the hall to Ben's room again and this time, Peter sits down across from his kid while Ben lays in his bed, his red blanket covering him up to the neck.
"Tell me a bedtime story." Benjamin requests, "The one with the Queen spider and her son."
Peter smiles, "Well, once upon a time, there lived a queen spider. The queen spider was... lonely. She didn't know why but she was missing something. She didn't know she was missing something so important because her own spider people were doing mean things to the queen spider."
"Like what?" Benjamin asked, intrigued despite hearing the story many times.
"The spider people wiping her memory. But she managed to escape with the help of her knight, a hawk. It was weird, but weird is what they strive for. Being weird is good, don't forget it. Anyways, while all of that was happening her spider son was living with aunt and uncle. They were happy but the spider son was missing something too."
"He was?!" Benjamin asked, gasping at the fact.
"Yes, he was! He was missing his mom but he didn't know it yet. Even though he made spider-webs and even a bracelet for her and he didn't even know. It was all until one day where he found a video where he saw the queen spider with his dad and then after that, a red..."
"Ladybug?"
"Yes! A red ladybug came to the spiders home and offered to meet the queen spider. The spider son was ecstatic and said yes! After landing where the queen spider was, They both hug and promised to never leave each other again. They even added to their family. Like the Ladybug also had a mini ladybug and the spider son had his spider son son. So, they lived happily ever after. The end."
Benjamin smiled at his father, "I'll always be your spider son. I won't ever leave you."
Peter fondly smiled back, "I won't ever leave you either," Peter stands and goes to the door and turns on his nightlight, "Sleep or I'll sell your Spider-Man sticker collection."
"Goodnight, dad." Benjamin said with a giggle.
"Goodnight, kid."
Peter turns off the light and heads down the hall to his room. He leaves the door open in case Benjamin wanted to come. His room was fairly simple. No Star Trek posters or any IronMan merch as he had either given it to charity or Benjamin. Just a simple golden-colored wall, a king-sized bed, drawers, a closet, and a tv.
Not that different from his old apartment room which he hadn't put up for sale yet. And couldn't do it since he can go along with the time heist Scott pitched. Peter just lays in bed, he couldn't sleep. It wasn't from the excitement or the fact that Benjamin mentioned his late mother.
It was from a pang of sudden guilt that he had moved on. He mad moved on from the entirety of his family and created one of his own. Even if it was just himself and Ben with the inclusion of Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, Morgan, even Nebula and Clint (he wondered where his uncle was at but he was in Tokyo, killing people. He noted to stop him.). He had moved on from his dusted friends, mom, aunt, and mentor.
He didn't forget them, but he slowly ceased to visit their graves once Gwen got pregnant and just stopped focusing on the dusted since Benjamin came along.
Maybe, he did forget them.
Peter didn't cry.
He didn't want too.
He had cried so much over the past five years.
So now, he just lays in bed. His eyes looking on the roof while the rest of him went to limbo.