[ Currently ]
Peter sighed heavily as he lay down on May's bed after a relaxing bath. The woman he thought was asleep soon snuggled up to him, opened her eyes, and just by that, he knew she wanted to hear about his day.
- My first payment. He showed her the wallet containing USD 435.82.
- W-what!? - May gasped in surprise, seeing Peter's happy and tired look.
- I sold the three photos... in the end, I got a permanent job that pays daily instead of freelance, a very well-paid job but with many responsibilities. - He commented on how he was fitting in more as the leader of the graphic sector than just an employee. - But yeah... now I can help with the bills and the mortgage payments... we just need to buy a house.
- Peter... - May murmured, really not believing this was happening. Not that she didn't trust her Peter, but so suddenly and with so much conviction... Peter was showing the same qualities that made May fall in love with Ben Parker. - This is a lot... - She said, undecided, but Peter silenced her with a kiss.
- Just accept my help, and when we buy a house, we can plan how to open the café you've always dreamed of, whether at home or not... I don't know. - Peter said happily. - I just know I want to repay everything you've done for me in life so far. - He continued, giving her little kisses, showing some tiredness from the day.
- No. - May joked, turning him over in bed and making him the little spoon. - Tonight, I'll take care of you, so relax. - She said, grabbing the radio control and turning it on, where "Knocking on Heaven's Door" started playing.
- I love you, May. - Peter said seriously, leaving no doubt about what he felt since she had taken care of him all his life, with even greater affection based on him having lived three lives being so well cared for.
- I love you too, Pete. - She responded lovingly, while her arms caressed his chest and her face nestled in the folds of Parker's neck.
[ Previously ]
It was with a completely renewed aura that May had presented herself last week, an arduous week for Parker who had to rationalize his thoughts and personality being shaped into three versions of his own, his student life with Gwen and Eugene, who practically treated him like their protégé in the face of his uncle's recent death, his new professional life with his complicated boss Jameson, along with the flirting and mischief that Betty always provoked in him when she saw him shy and not knowing how to react to compliments, and of course his more dominant and free side as he traveled all over New York, saving his people and being a little more difficult against the bad guys.
If you take into account that the bad guys only carried out big acts at night, everything was going well, although he still helped out against small-time crooks and petty crimes against civilians during the day, he had the night to really act as Spider-Man, with the bravest bad guys appearing at that time.
His life was busy, but he wouldn't trade it for anything, because who wouldn't want to give up their quiet, boring life to have moments of freedom and action that made him feel more and more alive.
He came home exhausted every night and even left in the middle of it, but it was there that everything seemed to renew itself, as if May's lively presence was restoring him from everything he had accumulated during the day, as if the fact that she knew about his identity allowed him to have his moment of venting and normality in not having to hide or hold back, he could be himself with her.
And he wouldn't complain in the slightest, because of all the three lives he had lived so far, this was the only one in which he really felt he had something fixed to keep him stable, it was liberating that after a stressful day he could expose everything to someone, whether it was his interactions at school, his ideas at work that clashed with J. J., and also the stress he was under. J.J., and also the stress of confronting bandits with his arachnid hero persona, of which every day he put on the costume, he had to be a little tougher and more ruthless against crime, because it seemed to be the force that would make him respected and have less crime occurring in his neighborhood and even in his city.
Where again that night, when he arrived home with a sigh, he found May, always present, excited and eager to hug him and make him relax in her arms, as if she saw him carrying out his actions and knew how much he needed comfort.
Little did the boy know that the same was true of his aunt, who in recent times had aimed to close herself off little by little after the tragedies in her life, and that she now felt free to enjoy her dreams and ambitions on this mature and independent side of her nephew, all alongside Peter with both of them planning a life together, without worrying about having to separate at some point.
And so it was, at 00:00, that both of them could have been doing anything apart, whether sleeping or messing about on their cell phones, but they were there, sitting in the bedroom, enjoying the comforting atmosphere in which they were playing a classic called "The Police - Every Breath You Take".
- And it's funny that every time we hear that song, it starts to rain. - May said, staring at the window where it was beginning to drizzle outside.
- Hm... - Peter mumbled, focused on what he was doing, extremely committed to it and drawing on the memory of two versions of the spider men that had been fused to his soul.
- What are you doing? - May asked, approaching and noticing some of his costumes lying around.
- Custom sewing that I got from variant knowledge... I'm thinking of creating an all-black costume and also something more basic. - He said, pointing to a sketchbook where he had detailed drawings of each outfit he had in mind. - This one is the easiest, I've taken this jacket and I'm customizing it with black details of a spider, it will be accompanied by red gloves and the mask of course... and gee! If I put my mind to tailoring, it would be a success. - He laughed at how, for two of his lives, he had been a professional in the art of sewing and customizing costumes by hand. - But in general, this is the only uniform I'll be customizing, because on the bottom I'll be wearing some black jeans with elastane and dark military boots.
- But... why so many different uniforms? - May asked, confused, but then gave a mischievous smile. - Is my spider trying to win a girlfriend?
- What? - She feigned annoyance. - I don't know about you, but the water bill is getting higher and higher with me having to wash a single sweaty uniform every night. - He said, now laughing. - So at least eight outfits in the closet, one for each day of the week, while on the last available day I put all the others in the wash or mend them. - He finished by winking at her, while he went back to sewing a spider onto his jacket.
- So... where are we? - She asked, all excited about this side of him that was open to his hero stuff.
- This one I'm sewing will be my base costume... something for when I want to walk more on the street and patrol outside buildings. - Peter pointed to the suit, mentally cursing the embarrassment he felt when people stared at him in the other tight suits, and how the bulge at the bottom was quite noticeable, but he would keep that to himself.
- Then there's Spider-Man, a costume made entirely from blue and red elastane stitching, along with those details of hardened clear webbing and white lenses.
- Next up is Amazing Spider-Man, which is also blue and red, but in darker tones, along with those dark hardened web details and the black lenses.
- Then I got my Civil War costume, which comes with the ability to widen and adjust to make it easier to put on, also contains ten extra cartridges of special webbing on the belt, along with these digital lenses that express my reactions from inside the mask, with extra varieties of webbing to use, but which are currently inactive.
- My ideas from now on are to create a night outfit, preferably one that's completely black with emerald green details. And in the future, who knows what idea will come up, I'm still sketching... but in case of emergencies, I have the Iron Spider that materializes in this necklace that I always carry. - Peter said, elated. - In case something gets complicated and I really need to face an enhanced enemy... you never know. - Peter smiled mysteriously, his aunt not understanding, but Parker seemed to know what he was saying, based on the recent news of a kidnapped Tony Stark.
- What about Karen? - May asked, referring to the Artificial Intelligence that Peter's suit contained.
- I don't know yet, she's been silenced since the snap anomaly occurred... I guess I'll just have to keep studying the suit and figure out what settings I need to change for her to be reactivated. - Peter explained, sighing heavily as he finished sewing and studied all the work he had done, proud of where he was, but still a long way from reaching the level of sewing that those two versions of his had. - I have the knowledge of other versions of myself, but I'll need practice to explore all these memories.
- Good, but tomorrow you'll continue. - May had pulled out his costume and put it in the closet. - It's time for bed... you need your eight hours of sleep. - May smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
- More like five. - The boy retorted, returning the kiss and dragging her to bed, with some not-so-innocent ideas of what to do.
Seeing Peter smile jovially was what captivated him most at the moment, and then seeing a look from her, she explained:
- Tomorrow... show up at the address I left on your cell phone. - May said, giggling briefly as he kissed her chin and neck. - I want your opinion on something. - She finished, turning him on the bed and wanting to get on top this time, where she was already thinking of something new to teach the younger Parker, something that Peter didn't see as a problem, really enjoying this new game of theirs, one day with him being the active one and the next with his aunt being the active one.
[ ... ]
- And now for the emails from listeners. - Peter had listened to J.J.J.'s show, "Just the Facts", which always came on when he was available to leave the company building in order to "capture" a photo of Spidey, a great excuse he got when he always had to leave work and everyone was excited about the idea of a new cover that could put them in charge of the Daily Planet. - May from Queens wrote: "You carry so much anger, I hope you get help to deal with it. It's bad for your health". - Jameson finished, with Peter smiling that his aunt had actually sent something like that to her boss.
- Well, I know that little lady must just be worried. - Jameson began his reply, with Peter now laughing. He had no idea how this woman in some parallel universe could really be a little lady, but here the situation was very different. - But that's a common misconception that I need to correct.
- I don't carry anger, I carry love. - Peter found his boss even funnier, he could really be offended, but something about having someone challenge him and not flatter him was so good that it made him want to prove himself even more and show that this man was wrong. So, noticing the bandit he was hunting along with his gang that he was tracking, he quickly descended to the ground, punching the first one right in the center. - I denounce injustice, corruption and crimes against humanity... because I love this city. - His boss had a point, if it weren't for his obsession with the spider, everyone would give more credit to how he showed no fear and always aimed to expose the corruption of high-ranking members of society, members that the police themselves were afraid to go against and Jameson openly declared his point of view.
Then, punching and jumping on three more tattooed and muscular members of the gang, the spider knocked them out coldly and ruthlessly, gluing them with webs to the structure of a building and looking at them with disappointment.
- I want this city to improve... so, May from Queens! What does my voice show? - Jameson continued his speech while Peter got deeper and deeper into knocking out the thugs with brute force, in order to make it clear that beating up and robbing that teenager from his school hadn't been a good idea... that this city wasn't unprotected... and that from now on Spider-Man wasn't just going to play around with serious things, that if someone hit a civilian, they would receive double the damage. - It's love! NOTHING BUT LOVE.
- Hm... - Peter muttered as he aimed at the last gang member, who pointed a gun at his head, but Peter quickly slapped him with great force, breaking his wrist in the process and breaking the gun into a few pieces, with bullets rolling to the ground. - Maybe I'll write on the bridge in New York: I LOVE YOU JAMESON. - Peter said to himself.
- And you, you little creature. - Peter turned his gaze back to the thug, as his lenses closed and glowed crimson. - You'd better stop fucking around with teenagers who should only care about grades and school romances, or you won't be able to walk anymore. - He pointed at the gangster's legs, while steel claws came out of his back and seemed to want to slice the man's limbs in sheer menace. - So, I ask you? After you get out of the chair... will I see you carrying out crimes?
- Or will you come to your senses and try to find a job... we all start from the bottom and I don't see the slightest problem in helping those who come to me on the YouTube channel... but defending crooks is the last thing you'll see me doing, because know that this was my warning... and from today onwards I'll only warn you once. - Peter had said everything in a voice altered by the costume, from which someone in the corner was recording everything and this warning would surely soon be exposed on social media. - Anyway, have a great time in jail... I look forward to hearing from you if you choose to change your life. - Peter had finally said this when a police car came braking towards him, and he spun his webs, speeding out of the area, under the gaze of the civilians, the police and, above all, an animated woman in black clothes, crouched above a building.
- Spider... - The stalker whispered, all excited by this new side of him.
[ ... ]
It was 7:50 PM when Peter left his job, sighing exhaustively after having to respond to three more police calls to assist with criminals attempting to rob a bank, holding the manager hostage, and another related to an attempted rape that the beta version sensors he placed in the city were able to detect. This filled him with extreme fury as he secured the woman and beat the scum of society who almost caused the torment of the worst nightmare a woman could suffer.
Thoughts of improving these sensors and radars often made him daydream about methods to enhance this technology, seeking ways to finance it, perhaps with the police, but he knew he needed something quickly... He knew that the moment Tony Stark returned from his abduction, the range of heroes and villains would be exposed very quickly, and he wanted to have the city well prepared for it, maybe even others beyond the United States... but he still didn't know how to explore this, not with his strength and abilities as unexplored as they had been.
Finally, he had a case where he had to rescue a kitten from a tree, receiving in the process a radiant smile from a child, which made Peter at least happy about something in the day... seeing the joy of the child, he realized he would never forget his biggest fans, he wouldn't grow as a hero and forget the civil and working class, he wouldn't focus his life on fighting grand villains and then isolate himself in some organization or building, he would be there for everyone.
- But for that, I need to explore more of my physical capabilities... now that I'm stopping to hold back against the criminals, maybe I can start to loosen up a bit and really train my strength, speed, and endurance. - Peter murmured to himself as he traveled between buildings, performing maneuvers that made him feel alive. - Oh, how I wish I could build a Scouter like in Dragon Ball. - He laughed at how having a power level notion like in the games would be so useful. - Unfortunately, I didn't transmigrate to this universe like those manga, where's my status window? - He shouted to himself as he landed in an alley, where, noticing no cameras around, quickly changed his suit.
Sighing deeply as he fitted his headphones and placed his skateboard at his left foot, he finally played "Stealth - Judgement Day."
His path to where May had asked him to go was calmer as he watched people leaving their jobs, teenagers going to have fun with their friends, cars stuck in traffic.
Yes... as strange as it was, Peter loved watching the traffic, how everyone there was starring in their own lives and he was just one among billions.
As he passed by an alley, Peter heard a thud he was very familiar with. Turning off his headphones, he noticed the sounds coming from an alley he would pass with his skateboard and finally stopped before entering.
It was a dark alley, but with his vision, he could clearly see five figures surrounding one against the wall, taking turns punching and kicking cowardly at one person, with no chance to fight back.
He wondered if he should use his suit, but knowing it was just a fight between teenagers, he opted to act like an interfering teenager. Who would be crazy enough to think he was Spider-Man just for getting involved in a little alley fight?
- So, are you going to give us the money or not? - A muscular man said sarcastically, spitting in the face of another boy, a boy very familiar to Peter. - Answer, Thompson. - He indicated he was going to hit with a baseball bat.
- I... - It was Peter's new friend who tried to say something. With the man approaching with his ear, sarcastically and confidently, while pretending to be superior, something that made Peter widen his eyes as he saw Flash bite the guy's ear and brutally tear off a piece, spitting the piece out in the process that fell to the ground.
- Ah! - The man screamed, pushing the blonde and aiming the bat back, as if all this movement would make him hit harder. - Kill this son of a bi... - He would continue, but Peter grabbed the end of the bat and stopped the man from continuing the beating.
- Language, kids. - Peter announced with an emotionless face to the leader, who tried to wrestle the bat from Peter, but only served to lose the bat when Peter pulled it and threw it to the other side of the alley. - Didn't your mothers teach you that it's very wrong to hit others? - He continued, when he felt a blow coming towards his neck, which, by ducking and picking up the torn piece of ear, saw the gang leader fall to the ground from the impact of his colleague.
Seeing that two more were going to surround him to beat him, Peter quickly pulled a knife from his boot and spun it in his hands:
- No, no, no. - Peter smiled sarcastically. - You don't want to do that, so do yourselves a favor and get out of here, your little friend is going to need some stitches... - He extended the piece of ear. - Go quickly, you need to put this on ice fast, otherwise, everyone here will need it. - He finished, gripping the knife and making it clear in his eyes that he had no problem stabbing them.
- Parker... - Flash murmured, spitting blood as he got up and saw the thugs running away, carrying their leader.
- Eugene. - Peter said the name his friend always hated and that Peter loved to call him by, seeing the surprise on his friend's face, but also the contained resentment. - Care to explain?
- No! - Flash cut in as he picked up his broken phone from the ground. - And I don't know what kind of steroids you've been taking since you lost your uncle, but don't get involved in this or you'll end up dead. - The blonde finished, leaving hurriedly, with Peter left speechless.
- "What the hell is happening in this city?" - Peter thought as he went to get his skateboard. - "Is there a new leader of these gangsters, with some crazy power that gives them the courage and audacity to act in the city like this, or was Jameson right that with the fall of the Lizard, really every criminal would feel brave enough to rise and want to take power of something?"
- Ah, screw it. - Peter cursed as he put on his headphones, but his ears heard the sound of footsteps nearby. Looking around suspiciously, he didn't notice anyone... but with the strange feeling of being watched and as he lightly approached the wall, he could only look up and down, getting a shiver. - Creepy. - He finished, putting on his headphones and quickly getting on his skateboard as he left the alley, away from any ghostly presence there, or maybe just his own delusion, you never know.
Little did he notice that his approach put him face to face with a breath-holding entity, an invisible blonde woman who became visible and sighed in relief, thinking she had been caught:
- Ahh... Johnny will love this. - The woman laughed excitedly, giving signs of stopping a recording on her phone with something characteristic of the number "4.
[ ... ]
== Forest Hills, Queens ==
Entering a predominantly residential neighborhood in the central part of Queens, Peter looked for the address May said she would meet him at.
He barely had time to change out of his company suit, just wanting to leave there and go home, but in the process, something always had to interrupt him, this being the last place he sought to go before just wishing to crash into bed after a very relaxing bath.
Arriving at a house where a large truck had just left, Peter noticed the comfortable environment here, a place with a rustic and beautiful house, far from the standards of city buildings, along with a grassy plot surrounded by a white fence.
Next to it were also houses with this rustic aspect, but in unique ways he had never seen in his other lives, maybe a different standard of this universe, little he knew, only that he liked it a lot. Where studying the environment and checking if this was indeed the address May sent him, Parker finally heard:
- Peter! - It was a very familiar cheerful voice, which immediately made him smile as he felt comfortably hugged from behind.
- Good evening, May. - Peter said smiling as he kissed her forehead, then smiled as she seemed all excited and couldn't help but kiss him on the mouth, looking at him face to face with that cheerful smile.
- So? - She asked, smiling towards the door she left open.
- So what? - Peter asked. - Are you ready to go home?
- Think, silly. - May flicked his forehead. - This is our home from today. - She indicated, taking a step forward and extending her arms to the whole property with the house.
- No way. - Peter laughed at her censuring face.
- Let's go in, I have a lot to tell you. - May pulled him inside. - And, by the way... Welcome home. - She finished, kissing him on the mouth, then pulling him the rest of the way and taking him inside.
Into his new home, his new life, where he would create new stories with his aunt from today, forming a whole new arc of adventures and living with May Parker, his aunt who would always be with him in this everyday life and tumultuous life of a hero.
Little did they both notice, that in the neighboring house, a blonde and a redhead were watching the scene with wide eyes:
- Uh... Gwen? - A redhead said strangely. - Is that really his aunt?
- Yes... - Gwen replied. - I think so, Mary. - She finished thoughtfully and even surprised by the kiss she saw from her best friend and his aunt.
- I think I'm starting to get interested in this friend of yours. - Mary replied mischievously, while pulling her new friend. - You can start telling me everything about this Peter Parker.
And with that, I end the sixth chapter of Infinite Change and the last chapter of the first arc.
I hope you are enjoying this initiation and integration of Peter, an MCU Peter who used the Infinity Stones to end the war with Thanos, was targeted by an anomaly when he safely restored everyone from universe M-199.999.
He died in that universe, having his soul cast through space-time, fused with the souls of two versions from different universes (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield).
Finally, his MCU aunt's soul was brought to this one, having the similarity of the other versions of May Parker from the film universes, and thus she and her nephew embarking on a journey together, living the day-to-day routine and supporting each other, whether at work or in the hero's life.
Don't forget to give that awesome support in the comments.
Theorize about the new characters presented, ask me questions, but please react in the comments.
Soon in the following chapters new characters will be integrated, focusing on Spider-Man's villains in the city, before the characters from the Iron Man movies and the like appear.
Just know that when Tony, Hulk, Captain America and the like appear, the city will already have a history of Spider-Man being the first hero, and he will not be a submissive member who bows his head to Shield and Nick Fury scolding him, blaming him for the destruction, when that blame should fall on the villains and not on those who save people.
Music May Listens To (The Police - Every Breath You Take):
https://youtu.be/OMOGaugKpzs
Music Peter Listens To (Stealth - Judgement Day):
https://youtu.be/SNjdrhwMlkA
-- Characters Introduced --
--------------------------------
Hidden Stalker:
--------------------------------
Eugene Thompson:
--------------------------------
Invisible Woman:
--------------------------------
Gwen:
--------------------------------
Mary:
--------------------------------
May Parker:
--------------------------------
-- Suits Introduced --
--------------------------------
Urban Suit:
--------------------------------
Spider-Man Suit:
--------------------------------
Amazing Spider-Man Suit:
--------------------------------
Civil War Suit:
--------------------------------
Iron Spider Suit:
--------------------------------
Night Suit in Process:
--------------------------------