Video; UN: p.parker

[madeupnames]

[The feed opens with Peter on his bed.

Not hungover, thank you. 

But he looks a little rumpled, in that healthy way, a way that says he's actually gonna sleep early today.]

Ummm. So... This is weird. I, okay — here it goes.

Number one... Hey, hi, I'm — I'm 16-year-old Peter Parker. Not the puny one in the Iron Man mask anymore. But thanks a lot if you helped me out, back there; it means a lot. I was a little bit of a handful and all, but you guys were awesome babysitters? That's kind of embarrassing, but you know, that's just how a Parker rolls.

[Peter breathes out a sigh after a moment's hesitation, leaning back from the feed and tapping a pen on a notebook on his knee that is probably too full of science mumbo-jumbo and math notes — among other things. Liiiike bullet points on what to say for this message. He feels like he's got butterflies in his stomach, honestly. Which is stupid. But he's never been great at having an audience; you wouldn't catch him in drama with all those actor-types.

Okay, Pete. Just go down your list, you got this.]

Mr. Stark — Tony Stark, that is... and Sam Wilson, they've gone home. Captain America, too. A lot of people have: people from my world, some from worlds like it — and friends I got to make from wildly different places have left, too. And I just... wanna say, this place has been so good to me, you know? Sure, some really messed up stuff happened here and there, but. But it's been a place where I could think. And make new friends. And be way more open than I was back home.

I just know what I have to do now. It's been eating at me for a while, so... Decisions made. And all that.

I'm gonna take the next portal they can give me, and I'll be going home as soon as I get the word. [Some people know what that means. A lot of people don't, and he doesn't plan to tell them the grim reality behind it] There's a ton I have to do back home, responsibilities I gotta tend to and things I gotta be a part of, for better or worse. And it's not right for me to put it off. Like... how you avoid studying for the SATs until the night before? Yeah, it's super irresponsible.

... I don't know when it'll be exactly. I guess nobody does. Or else we wouldn't get pulled here or pushed away.

But yeah.

[He swallows.]

Anyway. I'd like to do as much as I can on my dumb to-do list thing, for this really weird and long vacation I've been on. I wanna hang out with all my friends who're still here and really just... have a lot of fun? Until I go back to my usual life. I hate goodbyes, so I'm not gonna think about saying them right now, but I just wanted everyone to know you've been so awesome, and I've learned so much, and I've had a blast.

... Mostly. Not including being hungover.

[He smiles a little more, warm and confident in his words.]

And, um, for certain people, I've got something else to tell them?

But I'll let you know in a more private feed.

Comments

video; un: yakyuu.luvr

[yakyuuman]

[ This is a lot to take in... and it really hurts, too, because he'd been the closest to this kid for so many weeks.

Jyushimatsu appears with a light frown, hiding his unsmiling mouth with his sleeve. ]

Peter...

video;

[madeupnames]

[Peter bites his lip, considering what to say. Jyushi doesn't know he's in big trouble in a year or two. That's alright. He doesn't need to know that kinda sad stuff anyways, you know? So he just smiles a little instead.]

Hey, Jyushi. Sorry if, um, if I just bummed you out. But don't be!

...

That doesn't really sound as helpful as I thought it'd be, in my head.

[yakyuuman]

Hehe, it kind of doesn't.

[ He's trying to smile, still covering his mouth. Keyword is trying though, and his honesty doesn't sound quite humorous as he meant. ]

But I understand your feelings! You have a future and I guess staying here is not going to help achieve what you want.

private;

[madeupnames]

... Uuuh, about that, actually. I mean, I have something I should probably tell you.

You know how you're buddies with Spider-Man?

private;

[yakyuuman]

[ ... ah. Something in his stomach flutters at that, like he somehow known what Peter is going to say next. ]

I am! ... How do you know that I am?

video, private;

[citharede]

You're serious about this?

[ She knows he is. She knows him well enough to be sure already that he is. ]

video, private;

[madeupnames]

Athena, I—

[Hesitation. Is he sure about it? Not at all, and he knows he never will be sure.

But...]

I have people to take care of. My city, I gotta... protect it and the people in it.

I know I have so much to do.

Voice - UN: Lolo_coco416

[threatenwithcuteness]

A to-do list, like a bucket list?

*It feels like a bucket list with the way he's talking. Like- not a death list but a 'gotta do it before time runs out' list. All this, all of it, feels super... wrong. to Lola's mind. But she can't really name what's wrong. It just feels wrong. You know?*

But, if the list is about having fun, I'm probably one of the best at having fun in the city. I've got a lot less of the world weighing on my shoulders compared to everyone else here. I've never had to save the universe or battle evil, just- make sure nobody goes out with really awful hair. Or in clashing colors.

And my fun usually doesn't end with hangovers.

Voice; Private

[madeupnames]

[That pulls a laugh out of him; bless you, Lola.]

It's definitely about having fun. Trying new things, and making the most of a vacation. Also, uuuh. I figure... since we're friends, I should probably admit something to you? Since we're here? I mean, about the... battle evil thing.

... You know... that Spider-Man guy?

Voice; Private

[threatenwithcuteness]

That spider-themed robot thing that swears he wasn't a robot?

Voice; Private

[madeupnames]

Yeaaaaah. That was... kinda me?

I mean, not kinda.

That was me.




In the suit.

[threatenwithcuteness]

So... why spiders? Do you just think they're cute, like bees?

Or are you some weird alien that worships spiders?

Or are you really full of spiders in a weird human suit?

*Lola!*

Private.

[11calls]

...Are you sure, Peter?

[This is Alex's concerned voice.]

Private.

[madeupnames]

[A quiet, pregnant pause. He rubs a hand over his mouth.]

I'm still gonna be Spider-Man for another year or two back home, right? And friends and family to protect, or to keep happy. [He smiles, almost matter-of-factly (and masking that anxiety, that dread-)] What kind of hero ducks out on that, just because he's scared of dying?

Private.

[11calls]

[Alex just sighed softly, and she rubbed her hand across her face. She gets it, she really does but...]

One who's human, I'd think. But I get why you need to go.

Private.

[madeupnames]

[He nods.]

... Mr. Strand doesn't know, does he? About...

[The bad news. The superhero stuff, Peter knows he knows. But...]

Private.

[11calls]

No, I didn't tell him. I thought you might want to do it yourself.

video | un: scarletwitch

[seeingscarlet]

Peter, I--

[She hasn't talked about it with anyone. Thor had returned home soon after he'd showed her and everyone else...

And she knows Peter too well, and she just knows he's the kind of person to get mixed up in that, and all she can see is her brother running off into danger for the last time. Her throat tightens, and for a brief moment she can't find the words.]

I don't think that's the best idea.

video

[madeupnames]

[Peter's talked about it, but — sparingly, and with people he thought could handle it better than people from his world, for the most part. People who didn't have to worry about their own stakes in it, people who could help him work everything out in his head without panicking over their loved ones, or their own lives. But... here we are. And it sounds like Wanda knows something about it, too.]

Y-yeah?

[Stupid reply, Pete, think of something less stupid.]

What, uh. What makes you say that?

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda steadily grows paler.]

Don't. Just-- don't.

[She closes her eyes.]

Don't make me say it.

[madeupnames]

[.... Crap.

His shoulders slump, and he has to take a moment to think of what to say.]

Did you... go back? Or did — someone tell you what happened?

[nobasisinfact]

I should be able to assist with several of these.


[He's not going to tell you how upset this post is making him.]

[madeupnames]

[Peter grins at that, more earnest.]

You can, huh? Which ones? 'How to pick a lock'?

[nobasisinfact]

Among others.

5, 9, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23,24, 25, 26, 28, 34, 36, 42, 45, 53, 54, 57, 58,

46 and 50 aren't possible as there are no such things as actual haunting or auras. I can, however, read your palm.

The caveat is that you don't ask me how or why I know how to do these things.

[Look kid, if you're going to leave then he's going to do everything he can to at least let you leave feeling accomplished.]

[madeupnames]

Heh. It's hard for me not to ask, but I guess I can do that much for you.

[He looks at the list, thoughtful.]

... I think I've played enough new games with you and Alex to cross off number five...

You know where to find a pottery wheel?