#Tem speaks

[heretherebewolves]

I intended to vacuum but I seem to be (metaphorically) superglued to the floor

I'd say send help but I'm actually pretty fine with this.

[voiceoffenrisulfr]

Becoming Spider-Man Chapter One Penny Parker's New Suit

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> Peter Parker & Tony Stark (IronDad)

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 -> Penny Parker comes out of the closet and into a new suit. Set immediately following Civil War. Mostly non-AU, aside from the obvious transness and uncharacteristic behaviour (every good story needs an antagonist, after all).

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 -> 1245

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> (T) None applicable.

𝐀/𝐍 -> Welcome to our intense daydream/series of loosely sequential one-shots about what would happen if Peter Parker were a trans guy, inspired by rileys_cosplay on TikTok. The initial chapter comes from an interpretation of one of their videos – hope you enjoy it! Check it out below, or on AO3 here! Cute divider by @sweetmelodygraphics!

Next Chapter (2/16) ->

"Penny? You got a sec?"

Tony's voice snapped me out of my brooding, head jerking to attention. "M-Mr. Stark, Sir... I didn't realise you'd be home."

"Well, it is... My home," he replied without emotion, one eyebrow cocked as the lamp over his place on the sofa clicked on, casting him into an softly eerie light. I flushed deeply, ducking behind the curtain of my dark hair.

"I just mean... I haven't seen you much while I've been here," I stammered, sweat beading against the nape of my neck. I'd been at Tony's for almost a week, under the care of the Incredible Iron Man while my Aunt May was at a nursing convention, but I still hadn't gotten used to having a man in such close proximity to me for an extended period. It was nice, though. Mr. Stark was kind to me, even if he was pretty cocky sometimes.

"Yeah, sorry about that, kid. Places to see, people to do, you know the drill," he offered with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Actually, I've been fixing up something for you the last few days."

"For... Me?" I repeated tentatively, fingertips brushing the front of my shirt in a meaningless gesture, repressing a shudder as pain cinched my ribcage at the contact. He nodded, getting to his feet with a world-weary sigh and crossing to where I still stood motionless by the front door.

"The onesie was cute and all, but you're an Avenger now, kid. You've gotta look the part."

I swallowed dryly, taking the paper bag held before me. "Oh... Uh... T-thanks, Mr. Stark."

He waved off my gratitude, taking a swig from the cut glass in his free hand, the amber liquid within depleting at an alarming rate. "Go try it on, let me see how it fits."

I nodded, turning to leave, but his fingers grasped my wrist gently, drawing my gaze back to his. "You'll have to go without your bandages if you want to keep up with us," he added, his voice low and uncomfortable. "It's not safe, and this suit isn't designed to accommodate it."

My clammy face, which had at last begun to lose its blush-induced hue, roared to life once more, my internal furnace stoked by humiliation at his words. "Oh! O-oh, uh... Yeah, of course. S-sure." My hand fell to my side, still grasping the bag weakly, lapsing into stunned silence as I again moved to exit.

I found myself sat on the edge of my neatly-made guest bed, the sheets pulled taut and flawless beneath me, speaking of a professionalism only afforded to the wealthiest of the elite – a far cry from my usual haphazardly-tossed duvet spread unevenly over a part-removed sheet. The idea of having income so disposable that you could pay someone to make your bed was an almost laughable one, if not for the dread climbing my throat, snaking lianas entwining and suffocating without pause or mercy.

I ripped my shirt from my body, disgusted and ashamed as I untangled the well-worn bandages from my ribcage, flinching despite myself. The material had a penchant to roll into the dips and valleys between the bones, chafing the paper-thin skin it found there – but what other choice did I have? Aunt May had threatened to kick me out for merely mentioning a desire for shorter hair. Approaching her and asking for some of her own money (hard-earned, as she reminded me often) for a real binder was unthinkable. But I'd gotten by until now, more or less. I had no idea how Tony had been aware, but the idea of him knowing brought a humiliated flush to my cheeks once more.

It's just three more days. It'll be fine. It's only while you're wearing the suit, and that might not even happen again.

My boxers were riding low on my hips, and I paused before pulling out my makeshift packer – a balled pair of socks, acting as a comforting bulge to replace the anatomy I should have been born with. Even my old suit hadn't allowed for packing in familiar company; the tight material gave no mercy or chance of concealment.

If nothing else, the new suit was softer – gone was the coarse cotton of my own creation, replaced with a silky elastane that guaranteed a form-fitting fabric. My breathing hitched in my throat as my unshaven legs slid into the suit, stumbling back to sit on the bed as my emotions threatened to send me tumbling. The material was denser around my hips, lined with some rough synthetic material of indeterminate origin that caught on the curve of my flesh as I fought to pull the suit over the repulsive softness. The issue began again at my chest, sending me wriggling and struggling against the mattress until I finally slid my arms into the fabric with a gasp, panting until the beads of sweat on my forehead began to cool.

Swallowing dryly, I moved to my feet, feeling both at once cradled and revealed by the thin weave. The mask lay curled in the bottom of the bag, and I tugged it on, blinking in disbelief at the mechanical display that overlayed my usual reality. "F… Friday?"

"Yes, Penny?" The soft, melodic voice resonated in my skull, a faint trace of the speech's intonation appearing in the corner of my view.

"No way," I whispered, head pivoting in stunned reverie. Information boxes expanded before me, outlining the materials within and uses of the sparse contents of my guest room. A shocked laugh burst from my lips, spiking the sound wave.

I was viewing the materials of my suit before recognition dawned, so dumbfounded by the number of unknown components that it took longer than it should for the reality before me to sink in.

The thickened fabric along my torso flattened and sculpted my body in invisible ways, carefully crafting soft curves into hard lines, adding bumps and bulges where that had only been smooth skin and devastating hollows. My fingertips traced a line – a straight line – between collarbone and navel, struck to silence as tears pricked in the corners of my eyes. My hips and chest had become imperceptible, and I watched with fascination as my shoulders shifted under the fabric, every inch of muscle lovingly emphasised, when my hand moved to touch the curve of my throat, the imbedded comms system appearing, for all the world, as an Adam's apple.

"M… Mr. Stark…"

"Yes?"

I looked around in shock at the empty room before letting out a gentle laugh, turning back to the mirror. "You can hear me?"

"Built-in communications. Pretty standard Avenger stuff." I could almost see the nonchalant wave of the hand – Tony was, on occasion, almost humble.

"The suit…" Words failed me, hands caressing the length of my body once more, enraptured by the transformation the blue-and-red material had afforded me.

"It's just a prototype, of course," he replied quickly, his voice pitching minutely upwards in his uncertainty. "Changes can be made, if that's what you-"

"No!" I yelped, holding up my hands to an invisible champion. "No… It's… Mr. Stark, it's perfect. I love it."

A soft laugh echoed through the suit, encompassing and comforting. "I'm glad, Penny. But please, call me Tony."

I examined the harsh lines of my body once more, standing taller as I blinked back tears. "Sure, Tony. But only if you'll call me Peter." The smile was audible in his voice as he replied. "You got it, Spider-man."

[fandom-free-bingo]

Cards requested: 41. Cards done: 41! Cards in Queue: 0!!!

Dang, y'all really ran with this, huh? But we've finally caught up! How have we had nearly as many requests in four days as we did in the entirety of December? O.O We love you all, and can't wait to see what you create!

[heretherebewolves]

Just went on an intense blocking spree

I do not need that anti-endo negativity in my life ✨️

[fandom-free-bingo]

It's almost that time again!

@thebigbangblogproject

[voiceoffenrisulfr]

Hail Hydra - Chapter Five "You Can Chain Me, You Can Torture Me, You Can Even Destroy This Body, But You Will Never Imprison My Mind."

The torture turns violent, and Bucky struggles to cope. CW: Stab wound, shock collar, humiliation, forced nudity. Prompts filled: ‘Jugular, December 5th prompt, Dead Dove December ‘Dead’, December 5th  Prompt, Hurtcember 2023 ‘Impaled’, December 5th prompt, Whumpcember ‘Got to Do What You Got to Do to Survive’, Winter Wonderland Bingo (2) ‘Humiliation’, Fandom-Free Bingo (Frosty Edition)

Check it out on AO3 here, or below the KR with the boards!

The heat sapped my strength and resistance far quicker than the cold ever did. It took a matter of hours for the dizziness and dehydration to have me slumped over, sweat pouring from my body in rivulets. The sun hadn’t yet begun to rise before the darkness closed in, finally unable to fight the weight pulling down my muscles.

I’m getting real sick of waking up to that face. Hands slapped my cheeks firmly, and I groaned weakly, lids flickering open reluctantly to find sharp green eyes staring at me through thick spectacles. “Ah – he wakes! Not dead yet, I see.” “Not yet,” I rasped, averting my gaze. “Despite your trying.” He smirked, tutting under his breath. “I suppose I will just have to keep trying, hm?” A needle sunk into my jugular, and I hissed through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to spit fury at him, his warnings from the morning still ringing loud in my ears. “What do you want from me?” I asked quietly, grimacing at the syringe of fluid being pushed into my neck. “I don’t know what the Germans did to me. I can’t tell you anything. Why not just let me go?” He tutted again – a patronising sound that set my teeth on edge, and I winced automatically. “We do not need your words, Американский. We need your body’s secrets.” With a sigh, he ran a fingertip over my sweat-sticky forehead, and I couldn’t help but sigh, his touch delightfully cool on my clammy skin. “But! First things are first. Do not let it be said we do not take care or you...” My restraints were removed, and I bolted upright, biting back a yowl as a sharp metal bar impaled my good shoulder at my haste. Another infuriating tut as the was buried in my flesh and muscle had me shaking fiercely with barely contained rage, but he only smiled sickeningly. “Will you never learn?” Bridling under his gaze, I snarled wordlessly, hand raising to wrap around the iron, intending to bury it between his eyes without hesitation- but my hand dropped in surprise as my body convulsed, torso dropping back to the table as spasms and writhes made my muscles contract, jaw clenched against my will. Each second felt like a lifetime as burning energy stirred my limbs without my consent, until I finally relaxed, shaking and panting. “... Shall we try this again, упрямый Американский? Sit.” I moved slowly, hesitantly upright, wincing at the pain in my shoulder, fingers curling instinctively as I fought to remove the rod submerged beside my collarbone. He smirked, leaning closer to yank to metal from my body, but I swallowed my grunt of pain as three inches of steel were dragged from me. “Better...” His fingers curled around the device at my throat, eliciting a pained wince as he dragged me to my feet, the skin beneath still sensitive from the shocks. “Now... Strip.” “I-I... What?” He smirked, leaning forward, a small control in his hand. “Don’t make me ask again, упрямый Американский.” Swallowing dryly, my fingers shook despite myself as I stood a little taller, meeting his eye, every bit as stubborn as he called me as I began to unbutton the heavy woollen jumpsuit still clinging to my body. I won’t let them humiliate me. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to survive. It’s better than dying. The wound in my shoulder ached as I wriggled free of the heavy material, kicking off my boots to remove it entirely before straightening, back stiff, to glare at him. My skin crawled as his eyes ghosted over me, and he smiled once more. “Good. It seems you can obey, with the right motivation. Ivan, hose down this dog and put him back in his cell. We are done for today.”

As it turns out, ‘hose down’ was not a figure of speech. I was forced, naked and trembling, out into the snow covered yard, where dozens of Soviet soldiers paused to stare and smirk, the only sympathy found in a pair of pale eyes that met mine steadily rather than probing my flesh like all the others. The remote now rested in Ivan’s hand, so I made no effort to resist as he secured me to manacles attached to the wall, willing to be hosed if it meant avoiding another round of electrocution – my muscles were still clenching intermittently. The temperature was below freezing, and the frost beneath my bare toes made my feet ache, but it was a welcome relief after the intolerable heat – at least, until he turned the frigid, high-powered hose on me, eliciting a yelp audible over even the sounds of the populated yard and earning a few snickers for my pains. The cold seeped into my bones immediately, nausea wracking my body at the rapid change in temperature, but I simply closed my eyes until Ivan deemed his job complete and unchained me. I was tossed back into my cell with a threadbare blanket – cold once more, but only as it had been upon my arrival. Curling up in the corner, knees clutched to my chest in a desperate attempt to preserve my body heat while I dried off, I could only wait patiently for him to come again, wondering absently about the needle plunged into my neck.

I was still trembling lightly by the time he slipped into my prison, tray in hand. The water was gone first, swallowed desperately – despite the easing of my symptoms, I was still painfully dehydrated, lips cracked and sticking to my tongue. He pressed against me to keep me warm as I ate, murmuring apologies for his failure to intervene in the yard. But I understood. The penalty for going against your unit was not one he could afford to pay – and it would, in all likelihood, end with us both dead. With a soft sigh, I rested my head on his skinny shoulder, exhausted by several nights with little sleep and shitty rations. “...What did they inject me with?” I murmured, leaning heavily against him. His fingers probed my throat gently, and I winced at the feeling of him palpation a mass under my skin. “...To track you, I think. Or maybe... Neutralise you. If they cannot control you.” I flinched, my own hand raising to my neck, fingers brushing his as I found the small, hard lump before wrapping around the collar at my throat. “They seem to be controlling me pretty effectively…” He grimaced sympathetically, one hand smoothing my hair, my eyes closing despite myself. “I don’t know how long I can keep doing this.” “Bucky, you-” “They’ve already left me for dead with sickness, frozen me, melted me, stabbed me, injected me, and tore my arm from my body. How much more until I can’t come back from it? Until it kills me?” I whispered, tears leaking out unconsciously, vulnerable in the darkness and his arms. “I won’t let that happen,” he vowed softly, squeezing me tighter. “You’ll be okay, Bucky. I promise.” @whumpcember @hurtcember @deaddovedec @fandom-free-bingo @seasonaldelightsbingo

[fandom-free-bingo]

January board available from 1/1/24... Mark your calenders!

Sneak peak beneath the cut! 👀

[voiceoffenrisulfr]

Hail Hydra - Chapter Seven "The Only Way to Deal With an Unfree World is to Become So Absolutely Free That Your Very Existence is an Act of Rebellion."

Bucky gives rebellion another go – and his only comfort is taken from him. CW: Canon-typical violence, neglect, locked outside in the cold, homophobia, shock collar, cliffhanger. Prompts filled: ‘First Night’, December 7th prompt, Dead Dove December; ‘Broken’, December 7th  Prompt, Hurtcember 2023; ‘Fainting’, December 7th prompt, Whumpcember; ‘Locked Outside’, Winter Wonderland Bingo; ‘You’re Insane!’, Multifandom Flash (Double).

Check it out on AO3 here, or below the KR with the boards!

I woke slowly, pressing closer to the warm, slender body half-beneath me, comforted by gentle hand stroking along my spine, unerring over healing wounds and fading scars. “Hey,” I whispered, shifting to rest on my chin and meet his gaze, his free hand propped behind his head to smile softly at me. “Good morning,” he breathed, fingertips moving to skirt my jaw affectionately. “I… I must go. It is getting later than I would like… I’m sorry.” I nodded once, letting those fingers guide my chin up to brush my lips against his, humming contentedly. “It’s okay… I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.” He kissed my forehead gently, slowly easing my body from his, and I couldn’t help but wince at the cold floor on against my sleep-warmed skin. “Try and get some more rest before Ivan brings your breakfast, Bucky. I will see you tonight.” I nodded softly, wincing at the sunrise that came through the door as he opened it and lighting him from behind. Ethereal.

Ivan’s typical routine was to open my cell door, toss the tray onto the floor – often scattering most of the contents onto the concrete – and back out, leaving me to eat in silence until I was called upon for more torturous experiments. But the light under the door brightened, and still, nobody came. The hours trickled by slowly, my boredom so great that I almost began to miss the torture by the time I finally heard the grate of the bolt on the door. “Американский. On your feet.” “I haven’t had breakfast,” I growled, fingers clenching into a stubborn fist, raising my head where I was propped against the wall. Short of a few broken toes, smashed with a hammer and healing slowly, I was relatively unharmed, and would not be going quietly after a day of endless waiting. All I had here was the vague routine, and taking it from me had threatened to drive me mad; I would not be meek and compliant for their ease today, no matter what they threatened me with. “Is that the next plan? To starve me out?” He snorted, and my body crumbled beneath me as he hit the control in his hand, muscles spasming automatically at the electricity flowing through my bones. My jaw clenched unconsciously, biting back the agonised scream building in my throat as he approached me. “Yпрямый Американский.” Despite my pain, the second the convulsions stopped I lashed out, his own groan of pain sounding alongside the crack of his snapping tibia as my fist collided with his shin. I scrambled upright as his leg folded grotesquely beneath him, scrabbling in a panicked excitement to my feet and towards the door. I barely made it two steps before he hit the controls once more, sending me to the ground, cursing my idiocy and clawing at the concrete, the current frying my mind until I faded from consciousness.

Awareness came slowly, with a biting wind on my bare skin and heavy weights around my limbs, shivering even in my forced sleep as I blinked into the darkness. “You will not stand? You will kneel instead.” My eyes raised at the voice, and I shifted to raise my head, but found a strong rod keeping my head bowed and knees bent. Snow swirled, eliciting another shiver, and I realised for the first time that I was outside, the drifts around my legs stretching as far as I could see, interrupted only by a pair of black boots. “Chilly out here in the evening, is it not? I thought you would be tired of the cold.” “Why am I out here?” I spat, watching the clouds formed by my words drift beyond my eyeline. “This? Oh, there is no experiment here, Американский. This… Is punishment.” The doctor’s grin was predatory as he squatted before me, eyes sharp when they found mine. “You and that предатель have been very bad boys.” “Предатель?” He smirked viciously, moving forward to drag me around by the hair, eliciting a pained hiss. My eyes rose just high enough to see the snow-smeared outline of another person opposite me, restrained in a similar manner. “Traitor.” “B-B-Bucky,” the man opposite stuttered, his teeth chattering audibly, and as I squinted through the dusk I found him dressed only in his shorts, bare legs submerged in snow, my heart stopping as pale eyes found mine. “Aleksi,” I breathed, bile raising in my throat. “No…” I can survive this, but he can’t. “Please,” I whispered, turning my eyes to the doctor once more. “Please. You can do what you want to me. I won’t fight you anymore. Please, leave him be.” He simply smiled once more, shaking his head. “Oh, I do not think so. He does not deserve forgiveness, and neither do you. Maybe watching your lover die will break your spirit.” “No!” I snarled, straining against the chains that held me fast, the bar at my back digging into my skull as I fought to straighten my head until warm liquid dripped steadily onto my bare shoulders. “You can’t do this! You’re insane!” I cried, my muscles aching as I fought. “At least I am no педик,” he spat, leaning forward with dark eyes. “Faggot.” I let out a roar of pure hatred, lunging as best my restraints allowed, hand curled into a fist as I trashed – but I was too weak, and held too fast. “Bucky.” My eyes shifted automatically at the murmur, my sensitive hearing picking up his voice even over the whirling snow and the sound of my own heart pounding. “Bucky… I-It’s okay. It’s okay.” “No. No!” I roared, tugging harder, the cuff around my throat cutting off my breath and forcing me to relent. “It’s o-okay,” he repeated, hands shaking violently as they rose to placate me. “I do not regret my actions. I-I knew this cou-could be how it ends. It is ok-okay.” “No,” I whispered, tears filling and spilling from eyes, voice cracked and broken. “It… It was just once. It was the first night. It was a mistake- it won’t happen again. Please… Please don’t do this.” The doctor smiled once more, moving closer to me, his breath warm and scotch-scented on my face. “Beg.” “Please,” I breathed immediately, trembling. “I’ll do anything. Don’t kill him – not for me. I’ll do anything you want. Please. I won’t fight; I’ll let you do whatever you want to me, just… Let him go.” He straightened up once more, hands curling into fists by his sides as he considered my request. “You want me to show him mercy? You’ll behave?” “Yes! Yes, please. Please!” I begged, straining once more. “I’ll do anything you ask of me!” He took a step back, body shifting slightly as he turned to consider the man restrained opposite me, shaking violently from the cold.

@whumpcember @hurtcember @deaddovedec @multifandom-flash @seasonaldelightsbingo

[heretherebewolves]

Oh look

It's Icarus

We are MotherFather.

[fandom-free-bingo]

Queue Update

Alrighty, all caught up! Cards Requested: 59 Cards Delivered: 59! Cards in Queue: 0!! Phew! It's been a busy few days! We're heading away to see our partners today, so reblogs/cards may be a liiiiittle slow, but we'll still aim for the 72 hour turnaround on card requests. I hope y'all are enjoying your cards, and have a great Maritime May!

[heretherebewolves]

🐠🐬🐙

🐠 You? ;) /t

Nah, uhhhhh.... Hm. Oh! Jericho... *Elsa*. As in, from Frozen.

🐬 Definitely Beek. Just sounds like it's luck...

🐙 Who's best at fronting... Probably Clint! He's excellent at the whole Laundry thing. ;)

[voiceoffenrisulfr]

FIC WRITING REVIEW 2023

Thank you @loki-is-my-kink-awakening for coming up with this!

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

(I just copied @foxywrites)

Words and Fics

608,490 words published in 2023

10 fics worked on

6 completed fics

most productive month: July with 241,381 words

monthly words average: 50,708 words

Words Written per Fandom

Supernatural - 10,725

Pirates of the Carribean - 52,753

Marvel Cinematic Universe - 545,012

Top 5 by Comments

Multitudes - 286

Magic and Madness - 146

Becoming Spider-Man - 46

With Eyes to See and Ears to Hear - 36

From Street to Ship - 10

Top 5 by Kudos

Becoming Spider-Man [kudos:164]

From Street to Ship [kudos: 147]

Multitudes [kudos: 99]

Salvation [kudos: 35]

With Eyes to See and Ears to Hear [kudos: 22]

Top 5 by Hits

Multitudes [hits: 4,499]

From Street to Ship [hits: 3,137]

Becoming Spider-Man [hits: 2,722]

Magic and Madness [hits: 1,678]

Salvation [hits: 733]

Fandom Events in 2023

I discovered fandom events in July, I've never finishe- no, that's a lie!

July Break Bingo! (31/07)

Upcoming Plans

Fic's I'm hoping to finish writing/complete next year:

[MCU] On the Tide

[MCU] With Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

[MCU] Silver & Gold

[MCU] Hail Hydra

Fic's that I'd abandoned at some point, which I'm hoping to return to this year:

[SPN] Salvation

Writing Reflection

Finding JBB was a revelation, and very much accounted for our absolute mania in July. We now have a delightful collection of 700+ bingo prompts spread across too many boards to remember, and it's giving us so much motivation! We've started foraying into works written more for us, though, so we 100% expect less engagement over the next twleve months... But that's okay, because writing them has been an absolute delight.

The goal of this year is to finish the current four WIPS mentioned above! And hoooooopefully hit 500,000 words again... Though there's also a novel we should start. Oops.

Tagging some of my favourite authors: @buckys-wintersoldier, @gammacousin, @42donotpanic, @mrsbarnesblog, @un-unavoidableanxiousball

There's something important to be said, though. The most important thing, for us, that came out of this year wasn't the words. It was the very specific, 'pretty prevelant' commenter that found Multitudes a third of the way through after looking for something different. This... Amazing, beautiful person, making great statements of philosophy and shrewd insights through a computer screen at three am (leading us to wonder "Are you okay or do you need therapy-"). This person who Lia adorably demanded become our friend, and subsequently, we fell head over heels in love with. What's 153 miles (or ~207, given I'm not a crow) when you find the person - or rather, people - you've been looking for? @unfortunatebeetleandfriends Our Bug, our beloved... We can't wait to see you again. We will love you as long as we live. Lieutenant, Yoshitsune - y'all were unexpected, but just as much as a goddamn blessing, and we'll see you in 16 days and 22 hours. All of our love, forever and always, infinitely and endlessly. Thank you for deciding to backscroll.

[heretherebewolves]

And this is why I know so many systems called Aspen! 😍

Meet Pando, not a forest but a single tree. Every trunk of the Quaking Aspen is genetically identical & connected by a single 80,000 year old root system, making it one of the largest and oldest living entities on Earth!

[fandom-free-bingo]

Cards requested: 32. Cards done: 25. Cards in Queue: 7.

I'm gaining on y'all at last! XD

[heretherebewolves]

Ah, tumblr. You're a fun addendum to our therapy.

[voiceoffenrisulfr]

Becoming Spider-Man - Chapter Fourteen

Peter Parker Wakes Up

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> Peter Parker & Tony Stark (IronDad)

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 -> In which Peter comes home, and Tony makes a choice.

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 -> 2097

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> (T) Implied Major Character Death

𝐀/𝐍 -> I'm so sorry </3 There are two versions of the next chapter (15) though, in a pick-your-own-ending style, depending on if you want to cry or not. Check it out below, or on AO3 here! Cute divider by @/sweetmelodygraphics!

<- Previous Chapter (13/16) Sad Ending (15/16) -> Happy Ending (16/16) ->

I swung through the portal Doctor Strange had opened, retracting my helmet to survey the battlefield before me, unable to hide the slight smile that tugged at my lips.

We have another chance.

There were portals opening everywhere, all different sizes, with allies of every kind flowing onto the scorched battlefield. I turned my head slightly as Doctor Strange stepped forward, tipping his head toward his friend.

“Is that everyone?” he clarified, his voice optimistic, yet clipped. His fellow sorcerer’s face creased in shocked confusion, the magic circles by his hands flickering minutely. “What, you wanted more?”

My eyes flicked to my left at a resounding crunch, watching the giant form of Ant-Man plow through rubble I distantly recognised as my beloved Compound, now reduced to shattered remnants. His clasped hand lowered, heroes spilling from his fingertips, the ground shaking beneath my feet as the impressive bulk of the Hulk hit the dust. The crowd around me stilled, waiting with bated breath for the signal to go to war, flocking in behind the straightened form of Captain America. “Avengers!” His voice rang out clear across the near-silence, hand extended, Thor’s faithful hammer finding his palm with a resonant thud. I bounced on the ball of my feet, exhilarated, buoyed by a vengeance so close at hand.

“Assemble.”

The command was quiet, but the roar was deafening, body after body pushing forward. Thanos’ sword pointed toward the oncoming masses as I threw myself forward, watching with distant disbelief as Scott punched a familiar, bulky ship from the air, writhing with a life-like quality I’d seen only once before. All around me was a vaguely organised chaos, explosions, bullets and pieces of bodies flying thick and fast. After ducking and weaving, throwing a few of the enemies high into the air, I leapt onto a fallen slab of concrete, surveying the battlefield before me.

“No!” I roared, shooting out my web with furious precision, the fibres wrapping around the arm of a monstrous creature towering over the recently-tossed, ragdoll but familiar figure of Iron Man. He jerked to the ground under my tether, a wordless shriek escaping him as Ant-Man’s enormous foot descended upon his helpless form. I darted between the colossal legs, landing before my mentor, my beloved guardian – my father – retracting my helmet as I tugged him to his feet. “Hey! Holy cow. You will not believe what’s been going on. Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? I must have passed out, because I woke up, and you were gone. But Doctor Strange was there,” I garbled, my words tripping over themselves in my enthusiasm, as I gestured wildly off to my side, “right? He was like “It’s been five years. Come on, they need us”. And then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time-” I began to wave my hands in demonstration as Tony simply watched me wordlessly, a shocked, soft smile on his face.

“He did? Oh, God,” he added under his breath, falling forward into me, the solid bulk of his suit making me sway back on my heels.

“Th-this is nice,” I stammered, confused, but content to stand wrapped in his arms for a heartbeat. He squeezed me hard, and I closed my eyes, tipping my head against his softly.

We fell back into the battle seamlessly, fighting near one another, Tony’s eyes constantly flicking to me despite the urgency. My eyes zeroed in on T’Challa, the unmistakable glint of the Infinity Gauntlet catching my gaze. “I got it!” I hollered, my webs latching onto the shiny surface, drawing the creation against my body uneasily as the masses converged upon me.

Tony met my eye through the glowing slits of his suit, and nodded once. I nodded in return, squaring my shoulders. “Activate Instant Kill!” I bellowed, letting my body be jostled by the robotic legs bursting from my spine, impaling the creatures circling. They climbed stubbornly over the fallen bodies, getting closer and closer.

“I got this, I got this… Okay, I don’t got this! Somebody, help!” I yelped as the mass threatened to overwhelm me, the daylight rapidly shrinking between the flailing limbs.

“Hey, Queens, heads up!”

Captain America’s voice sounded over my earpiece, and I blindly fired my web into the sky, hoping against hope that I’d hit my target, letting out a euphoric holler as I was dragged along behind the hammer hurtling through the air. A bolt of blue light falling from the sky cut short my flight, and I gasped as I began to fall before jerking to a halt, skimming the ground.

“Hang on. I got you, kid.”

I winced at the name but glanced up gratefully, watching an unfamiliarly familiar suit as it launched me higher, landing gracelessly on the back of a flying horse.

What has my life become? I wondered silently as I slipped into place behind the silver-clad woman, the Gauntlet still hooked carefully over one of my robotic legs. “Hey! Nice to meet you- Oh my God!” I was cut off by the rapid dive of the Pegasus, the creature artfully dodging the further shots of white-hot light until I found myself once more flung through the air, the Gauntlet leaving its place of safety and arcing away from me. My fingers strained toward the falling object, tucking it clumsily against my chest as I plummeted toward the Earth.

But Tony had made my suit well. The legs wrapped around me, cushioning my fall, and I came to a bumpy, but mercifully uninjured, halt, the speed of my skid sending dirt spraying ahead of me. Scrambling to my feet, I started off at a sprint – directly into the path of another falling bolt.

The air rushed from my lungs as I hit the ground once more, the legs shattering beneath me on impact as the Gauntlet spilled from my grasp. I yelped, arms wrapping over my head defensively as further blasts rained down around me. I lay in disbelief, reluctantly peering between my limbs as the shots stopped exploding the earth around me, instead raising to the sky, firing furiously at the clouds. I was distantly aware of the voices echoing over the comms, but the bright light illuminating the grey sky, streaking toward us rather than away, drew all of my attention. One of the ships high over the water exploded as the meteorological object moved seamlessly through it, curving back around for another shot that sent the extra-terrestrial craft plowing to the water with a shockwave strong enough to blast back my hair.

A woman dropped to the earth before me, looming over the crater where I lay cowering, arms wrapped possessively around the Gauntlet. “… Hi, I’m Peter Parker,” I squeaked out, conventionally polite despite my terror.

She looked down at me, an unmistakable air of authority on her face, accompanied by a playful smile. “Hey, Peter Parker. You got something for me?”

I grunted as I got to my feet, head turning unconsciously to seek out Tony amidst the chaos. “I… Don’t know how you’re going to get through all that,” I finished lamely, trying to act for all the world like my main concern – my only concern – wasn’t the wellbeing of my guardian. She reached out to take the Gauntlet from me as the Scarlet Witch landed beside her, closely followed by a Wakandan warrior and the Pegasus lady.

“Don’t worry,” Wanda assured me with a gentle smile.

“She’s got help,” the Wakandan warrior added, facing the onslaught. Further women closed in, leaving me stood behind as they barrelled forward, endlessly impressive.

I returned to the onslaught as best I could, catching the last of the opponents left in their wake until I was floored by a huge wave of power, sending me sprawling in the dirt once more. Fighting my way to my feet, depleted body struggling, I focused on the fight before me, closing in on Thanos as he hurtled Avengers away. Even the flying woman found herself in the dust, and my steps faltered as Thanos slammed the Gauntlet onto his hand, orange lightning streaking up his arm, a roar echoing from his gritted teeth. Before I could blink she was back, falling to her knees as she gripped the glove, close enough now to see her hair flop over her face as she strained desperately. Her hands forced the fingers open, entirely impervious to the huge purple head colliding with hers as she rose, forcing the titan to his own knees. His free fingers found the knuckles of the Gauntlet, prising the glowing purple stone from the glove and palming it in his other hand before launching her bodily from him. I slowed to a halt on the perimeter of the fight, watching helplessly as the sprawled Tony made eye contact with Doctor Strange, who was still straining to hold back a tide of floodwater. The wizard raised a single finger – an unknown indicator, and Tony panted for breath, his face an indecipherable mask.

My gaze flicked back to Thanos at a flash of light, lightning once more working around his arm as the stone was replaced, surrounding his limbs.

“No,” I whispered under my breath, taking a step closer as Mr. Stark lunged forward, grasping the Gauntlet in his hands. The two tussled briefly, before a backhand sent my guardian rolling in the dirt once more. I whimpered, trembling fingers raising to my throat as I fought for breath, the destructor’s arm raising for a final time.

“I am inevitable.” His baritone voice was quiet but clear as he brought his fingertips together, snapping together with a resounding, metallic thunk.

And then…

Nothing happened.

My gaze moved back to my mentor, who had gotten to his knees, one hand raised purposefully, unmistakable dots of colour flickering in the red metal. His head tipped back as the power flowed, an animatronic whirring sounding, but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out his grunts of pain, bringing tears to the corner of my eyes. He met the gaze of the stunned titan steadily, something akin to shock evident on his own face.

“And I…” Tony murmured, his voice low and clear, “Am… Iron man.”

His gaze held that of Thanos, unwavering and sure, as he brought his fingers together in a blinding flash of white light.

The earth trembled beneath my feet as the remaining enemies faded to dust, powdery shards hitting their targets harmlessly. I looked about myself in shock, entirely dumbfounded at the disintegration around me. The titan watched the devastation silently, sinking to a seat in his disbelief and grief, still panting from his fight as his own body began to crumble.

I let out a short, sharp laugh of shock, turning to my mentor with a broad grin, the expression fading from my face as I saw him stumble to a sitting position, breathing heavily.

“No.”

I found myself swinging through the air before I’d even registered the movement, landing a few paces away, panting lightly but entirely oblivious to the unrecognised pain in my body. “Mr. Stark?” I hesitated before moving forward quickly, dropping to my knees before my fallen guardian, the tears now flowing freely. “Hey- Mr. Stark? Can you hear me? It’s Peter.” My voice cracked, and I sobbed, feeling the muscles of my face tremble in my grief. “Hey. We won, Mr. Stark- We won, Tony. We won. You did it, Dad. You did it.” I clenched my jaw as my eyes screwed up, curling myself against his body as he blinked blankly. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

His weak hand found the back of my head, and I raised my gaze, briefly hopeful as his eyes met mine. “Hey, son.”

I swallowed around another sob, fighting the vomit threatening to rise in my throat at the grief overwhelming me. “Friday?”

“Life functions critical,” Friday’s melodious voice replied quietly. Tony offered me a weak, reassuring smile, and I put my hand on his cheek.

“Tony… Dad, look at me.” His eyes met mine once more, fighting to maintain focus, and I smiled back. “It’s okay. I’m gonna be okay. You don’t have to be Iron Man anymore. You can rest now. I… I love you, Dad.”

His smile froze as the arc reactor in his chest flickered, a single, solitary tear cutting a trail through the grime encrusted into his cheek.

I howled as his hand left my hair, dropping my head into his lap as I screamed, throat tearing, soul shredding, heart breaking.