#flash thompson fanfiction

[iridescentparkers]

study buddies - tasm!peter parker x female reader

a/n - this also works for any peter ;)

THE BRIGHT BLUE flyer posted on the Midtown bulletin gave Peter flashed lightbulbs in his already crowded brain. 

Tutoring. It was the only way he could talk to Y/N. Intentionally walking his body in her direction and offering to buy her dinner? Heck no. Baby steps, he thought to himself. 

So after school today, Peter put on a new hat, an actor. He was amazing at physics, even planning to take AP next year, but he couldn’t tell her that. 

Now, he sits in the dark physics room, putting on an amazing show for his new study buddy. 

���Coulomb’s law?”

“Something with electric fields?” He asked, looking down at his worksheet and tapping his pencil rapidly on the desk.

“Something like that.” She informed, her voice raising an octave as she lowered her lids. 

She picked up her pencil, writing out some numbers in her textbook, “All of these variables should be over “F” squared.”

“Actually “r” squared,” he muttered, looking at the sheet.

“What?”

“What!” 

“You knew I already knew this?”

“And you dumbed yourself down to come talk to me?” Y/N laughed, darting her eyes from the false practice problems to his large, droopy brown eyes. “I think you win.” 

“Why did you lie?”

“To talk to you.” He informed, shrugging a shoulder as he darted his eyes to Y/N’s expression.

“I know you’re a genius, Peter.” she laughed, patting his shoulder. “We were in the same classes in 9th and 10th grade”

“But if you knew that, why did you agree to study with me?”

“Cause…” she trailed, moving her eyes up and down. “I think you’re cute.”

He felt heat in his cheeks as he ran an index finger over his forehead. Y/N reached up to place a long kiss on his cheek, “Except for when you fake being dumb.”

“The nerd thing is really hot.”

[indyanapolis898]

Mastermind

Peter Parker x f!reader

Synopsis: Peter has a crush on you from afar. One day you ask him to tutor you and things go from there.

Note: This really doesn't follow any specific canon from the movies.

"You know staring at Y/N won't make her like you."

Peter's head shot up at the sound of a voice behind him, that of MJ's. 

"W-what are you talking about?" Peter chuckled awkwardly, doing a horrible job of lying. 

"Me and Ned notice how much you watch Y/N. You always bring up any interaction you two have- and so much more! You like her. Just admit it, nerd," MJ explained amid the noisy school cafeteria. 

"So what if I do?" Peter shrugged as MJ sat next to him. 

"You should make a move- oh wait- you're too scared," MJ said with a sly smirk, begging him to fight back, which he did. 

"Nervous? I'm an Avenger! I don't get nervous!" Peter hissed.

"Then go talk to her, Avenger" MJ shrugged like it was the only obvious option.

"Well- I- I just don't want her to think I'm weird."

"Well, then you're out of luck in that regard," she joked dryly. "You two used to be close. Why can't you spark up a conversation about, like, the past?" 

"'Cause it's random, and also, we were friends in middle school! That was a while ago, MJ!"

"OK, Parker, I give up. Enjoy your futile people-watching."

Peter watched as MJ walked away to the lunch line. She wasn't wrong. He was too scared to even consider being near Y/N. 

The boy sighed, going back to eating his lunch after you left the room. 

___

"Alrighty!" Mr. Harrington clapped his hands together. "We have a new member for this semester's Academic Decathlon!"

The club whispered among themselves in anticipation of who it could be. Peter glanced up from his book when, of course, you entered the classroom with a new copy of the textbook. 

"I'm sure you all know Y/N, so welcome her into the club and help her get acquainted with the material for today's practice."

You smiled shyly at the group, waving and going to take a seat in the open chair next to Flash.

Peter silently groaned, letting his head fall onto the desk. Of course, it was you, and of course, you had to sit next to Flash. Flash had an obvious crush on you as well. 

"Peter. Wanna start off today's practice?" Mr. Harrington asked, staring directly at Peter as he lifted his head off his desk. Everyone was looking at him.

Peter sighed, standing up with his textbook to go to the podium to call the questions. 

The first round went by fast. You answered three times, getting all answers right. Peter could feel himself smile every time you rang the bell. 

Peter tried his best to compliment you when you answered during the second round. 

At one point, Peter asked a question the Flash rang in for. Peter watched as the boy mouthed to you: watch this. 

Flash got the question wrong, making you slightly giggle. Peter chucked, as did the rest of the class, at Flash's misplaced confidence. However, Peter wasn't laughing at Flash this time- he was laughing because you laughed. Peter wanted to cling on to any bit of you he could. He was glad Flash's terrible attempt to show off failed. 

After a few more rounds, Peter traded off with another student. Peter didn't want to be like Flash and do a flashy show-off of his skills, but he did want to impress you. 

Peter heard the first question- ringing in as soon as he could. He wasn't confident with his odds but gave a shaky answer, which was revealed to be correct. 

Peter smiled slightly. When he glanced to the left, you were smiling at him, presumably because he aced the question. He smiled back at you, hoping this was some sort of connection. You were noticing him!

If that was what it took, he could do it. Peter answered every question he could, getting almost all right. He got a thumbs-up from you once after a question!

___

After practice ended, he was packing his bag to leave when you approached him. Peter felt his heart speeding up dramatically.

"Hey, Peter. Love the jacket," you started things off, making Peter smile and examine his jacket, vowing to wear it more often. 

"Thank you. I... like your shirt. Um- you did good on your first day," Peter gave a tightlipped smile, trying to act normal. 

"Thanks, but you were on fire! Like seriously, some of those questions were insane," you gushed, grinning the whole time.

"Oh, wow, uh, thank you!" Peter stuttered out, causing you to giggle. "You gave great answers, too!" He rushed to follow up.

"Yeah, about that... those were the bare minimum. I joined this club to help raise my grades. Clearly you know your stuff, so... I have the biggest favor to ask."

Peter raised his brows. "Uh, yeah, what's that?"

"So, it's OK if you say no because it's so random, but could you tutor me in some of the subjects covered here? I could really use the help, but again it's OK if y-"

"I'll do it," Peter agreed quickly, blushing at how eager he sounded. You grinned largely. 

"Seriously? 'Cause I could pay you if that's necessary." 

"Y/N, you don't have to pay anything. Honestly, I mean, it's the least I can do for the girl who defended me from Jose in 8th grade," Peter recalled a memory from their past, mentally punching himself for saying something that most likely meant nothing to her.

"You still remember that? Wow, I didn't know I could even make an impact like that," you said, surprised in a good way.

Peter decided to roll with it. "Uh, yeah, I mean, Jose was a jerk, so I was just glad someone stood up for me. So, uh, yeah," Peter awkwardly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

You shrugged nonchalantly. "Anytime. But yeah, thank you so much for agreeing. When are you free to go over the material?"

Peter supposed one evening without Spider-Man wouldn't hurt. "Tonight," he said right away. "Um, like five?"

"Can do. At the library?"

"Absolutely."

"See you then, Peter. Thanks again," you waved at him as you left the class to go to your next. 

___

"So, you're telling me that all you had to do was be nerdy, and she just came up to you?" MJ recounted Peter's story in a tone laced with disbelief.

"Yes! Seriously. If you didn't have to miss today's practice for your re-do test, you would've seen it! So, believe it or not, I've gotta get to the library soon and tutor Y/N," Peter said cockily, standing up from the barstool at the cafe MJ part-timed at. 

MJ just rolled her eyes but gave a genuine smile. "Good luck. Don't screw it up."

"Thanks? I'll try not to."

With that, Peter slung his bag onto his back and left the shop, library-bound. 

___

The library wasn't awfully busy that weekday, making it easy to find a table in a corner. Peter laid his books and notebooks out, realizing you wouldn't know where he was, nor did he have your number to text you. 

Everything worked out, however, when you wandered into the back section he was sitting, looking lost. Your eyes lit up at the sight of him, making Peter's stomach churn in a good way.

You walked with a purpose over to the table, sitting your stuff down. "I was looking all over for you," you grinned, not meaning it in a guilt-tripping way. 

Peter realized he actually had to reply instead of staying in a daydream. "Oh- yeah. I sat here and realized you might not be able to find me, but luckily you did."

"Yeah, it only took like, seven different aisles," you laughed before opening your notebook.

Peter couldn't tell if he was just nervous or if he just loved the sound of your laugh, but his heart raced. 

"So, I was thinking... we could piggyback off what we did in practice today?"

"Sounds good. I'm sure whatever I learn will be good when you're teaching it," you said, laying your chin on the palm of your hand. 

Peter could feel his face heat up. He ducked his head down to the textbook and chuckled. "Yeah... I- uh- just start in on page five right here."

For thirty minutes, Peter was able to impart some knowledge your way. After you two finished a chapter, you turned to Peter with a closed-mouth smile. "This has been really helpful, thank you."

Peter frowned. "You're done?"

You continued smiling. "Just for today, yeah. But I'm really hungry... do you wanna get something to eat?"

Peter perked up at the invitation to continue spending time together. "Yeah, I'd love to!" He said very excitedly, to which you just giggled. 

"OK, c'mon. I'll show you this really good Thai place I like down the block."

You and Peter collected your things, exiting the library together to walk down the sidewalk to the restaurant of choice.

"So, you had that Stark Internship, right?"

"Yeah- still do, actually. I'm still just the young guy, though."

"Hey, they'll realize what a dedicated worker you are, and when they do, they'll have to give you more opportunities."

"You think so?"

"You seem like you have a great work ethic, Peter, so yeah, I do think so."

Peter just grinned, looking down at the sidewalk. You were making him nervous.

___

The restaurant you two entered was moderately nice for a casual New York City restaurant. 

You both ordered at the counter and then sat at an empty table.

Peter wanted to try and flirt, but he knew he'd be super awkward and make things weird. Nevertheless, he still attempted to gain your favor.

"You caught on really fast with the Academic stuff. It was like you already knew it! So, I guess you're a natural."

You looked away and grinned. "Thank you. I- um- guess I just needed a few reminders, is all."

Peter cocked a brow, but their food was placed in front of them at that moment. The two ate, sharing conversation about middle school and how annoying some of their classes were now. 

Somehow, the topic got moved on to Flash. 

"You know Flash has a thing for you," Peter decided to throw bait into the water as the pair left the restaurant, being that they had finished their food.

You furrowed your brows. "Yeah, I know. We actually have two classes together- three counting Decathalon now. He hits on me every day. It gets tiring really fast."

"What?" Peter exclaimed in fake shock. "You don't appreciate all his futile attempts to be a womanizer?"

You laughed and shook your head. "Crazy, right? I might be the only one who doesn't. I just- I just already have my eyes on someone else."

"Oh," Peter mumbled aloud, regretting how disappointed he sounded. "Um... is it weird to ask-"

"Who it is?" you cut him off. "Yeah, I was hoping you would've guessed by now," you stopped walking, Peter doing the same, peering at you with confusion. 

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be invasive. I-"

"It's you, Peter. I've been trying to flirt with you and give you hints, hoping you'd make a move," you chuckled to fill the air.

"Oh... Oh!" Peter put a hand to his chest. "You," he pointed at you, then back at himself. "Like me?"

"Yes!" You desperately hoped he felt the same.

"I- woah. I really like you too, Y/N," Peter sputtered out.

"Really? Because I was starting to think my plan failed."

"Plan?"

"You said it yourself in the restaurant... I already knew that stuff we were learning. I don't need tutoring. I just decided to ask you so... I dunno," you looked away embarrassed. "So we could do something outside of school."

When you looked back up, Peter was grinning widely. "You made a plan just to be with me?" 

You nodded. 

"That's- wow. I was trying to drop hints all day too, but I suck at anything flirting-wise. I was just excited you kept asking to do stuff, but you planned this all along. You made the dominoes fall until we were here."

"I didn't know this would be how I confessed, but yeah. I don't need tutoring when I'm the mastermind," you joked and shrugged.

"Maybe it's my turn to do something..." Peter looked into your eyes, searching your face. "Can I kiss you?"

You leaned in, letting that be your answer. His lips met yours as you two kissed in the darkening evening. The cool Queens air hit the side of your face as you pulled away, catching your breath. 

"Was that good? Because I'm definitely not an expert."

You just giggled. "Yes, it was great, Peter."

"Can I walk you home?" Peter pursed his lips, waiting for an answer.

You nodded and thanked him graciously with another kiss. With that, you two set off toward your apartment as the street lights flickered on in the chilled air.

___

"...And then we kissed. Boom! In your face!"

MJ rolled her eyes and laughed while Ned clapped Peter on the back.

"Dude! You got a girlfriend!"

Peter chuckled at Ned's enthusiasm. Peter's phone dinged at that moment. It was a text from you. 

"Gotta go, guys. Peter has a second date today with Y/N."

"Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?" 

"Yep, deal with it!" Peter called, already out the door of the cafe. 

___

You were waiting at the subway station. Peter jogged down the stairs, joining you to enter the train and go ice skating. 

You reached your hand out, Peter taking it as you two entered the train. 

It was only the second date, but you knew Peter was going to make you happy. You simply looked up at Peter, smiling, which he returned with his signature grin.

The train's doors shut, and you two were carried away down the tracks, ready for what was to come. 

[agentianlegend]

Fire with Fire Chapter 14: The Haunting of Flash Thompson

A DP x MCU Spider-Man crossover! Read it on AO3 or FFn

-------

Chapter Summary: Midtown reacts to an unexpected fallout of the FAHM night events. Meanwhile, the Academic Decathlon team is choosing a location for their annual haunted house fundraiser, but their first choice is allegedly *actually* haunted. Why not call on the Fenton siblings to come investigate?

A Very Special Episode of Fire with Fire: Halloween edition! 🎃👻

-------

"Every Halloween, the Academic Decathlon team does a fundraiser," Peter explained. "A haunted house."

Danny rolled his eyes. "And what exactly does that have to do with me? I suck at being scary. Just ask Jazz."

"True," she agreed, swallowing a bite of her salad. "Least ghostlike boy I know."

Danny elbowed her.

-------

"Fenton, you good?" Flash asked.

"Y-yeah, fine," Danny replied. "Just…weird vibes. Did you guys not feel that?"

They all shook their heads.

"Danny, I swear to God, you better stop messing with us," Ned threatened with a quiver.

"I swear, I'm not!" he defended. Regardless, as Danny eyed the quivering beam of Ned's phone's flashlight, a seed of an idea was planted.

[reaperlight]

Baiting The Dragon

[More post Venom 3 Carnage found family au]

[*Eddie wakes up, tied up next to Cletus in a dark warehouse somewhere, trying to mentally retrace how they got here.

That's right, they were ambushed on the way back from the store.

Aw shit, the groceries....

They were rotting in the street somewhere if they weren't just incinerated by flamethrower. (Goddammit that was so expensive.)

The flamethrowers!

There was no way he would have survived that without Venom.

Venom?

Where was Venom?

Oh, of course--with Flash. He had work today.

Fuck!

They were supposed to meet them for the trade off at six tonight. (What time was it now?)

One moment they were just walking down the street, enjoying a nice sunny day.

The next the blast of searing heat, burning--

Venom wasn't here, how had he survived...?

That's right. Cletus--Cletus pushed him out of the way, He and Carnage took the brunt of it.

Looking over, they still looked to be in a bad way. Were they healing slower than usual?

Eddie's racing thoughts were interrupted when his eyes focused upon the gloating face of someone he was never expecting to see again...*]

Eddie: Oh come on! You are dead. Dead. Go fuck off and stay dead.

Drake: I'm hurt. Truly. Big journal entry about that tonight.

Cletus: Hey Eddie, who the hell is this dipshit?

Eddie: [*Sees it clearly irked Drake to not be recognized*] Oh just some asshole who screwed up my life. Don't worry about it.

Cletus: Oh, I see. Well fuck him then.

Drake: Really, Eddie, I should thank you. Once I got my symbiote under control with the suppressor collar... having the world think I'd burned up in the rocket was a convenient way to fake my death and launder my money so I pay even less in taxes. So, thank you for that.

Eddie: ...No problem. Uh... That means you're going to let us go, right?

Drake: Hmm, no... You may have noticed that you're symbiotes can't come out to play right now. State of the art symbiote suppressor collars. My own design and I spared no expense. Wasn't that nice of me? Say thank you.

Eddie [*Can't let him know he was currently Venom-less because he'd probably just kill him.*] Go to Hell.

Drake: Rude and ungrateful as ever. Long journal entry about it tonight.

Cletus: Gotta say, it's not really to my taste.

Eddie: I think you look good in it. The collar. If not for the whole suppressor thing. But then you can make anything look good. You can make those eyesore Aloha shirts look good.

Cletus: What's wrong with my shirts?

Eddie: Nothing. I just said you look good.

Cletus: What I'm getting from this is you want to see me in a collar. Shall we ask our wife on our next trip to Hot Topic?

Drake: You use humor as a coping mechanism to avoid feeling anything. But don't worry you will feel it by the time we're done with you.

Cletus: Ah, as they say on them internets, 'cool beans.'

Eddie: You know you could have just tried Tinder...

Drake: Brock, I did not seek out your company by choice I assure you. I need you.

Eddie: You... need us?

Drake [sighing]: I have a bit of a problem. Whenever I let Riot out he takes a bit more from me.

Eddie: Well, that sounds like a you problem.

Cletus: Yeah, that's got nothing to do with us.

Drake: Au contraire, but it does. What is it about you? Or evidently your heyseed friend here that allows for a successful symbiosis? I simply must find out. Time is of the essence. What is it about you...? You don't even understand, do you? The gift you've been given.. What an amazing creature you are.

Drake: [*invading Eddie's personal space*]

Cletus: Hey... you only need one of us right? So let him go.

Eddie [*concerned by Cletus's yet labored breathing and slow rate of recovery*]: No, Cletus we are not doing this. [*to Drake*] I'm the one you want. Let him go.

Cletus: Eddie, you really don't wanna see what I'm about to do to this bastard.

[*Eddie realizing that since Carnage is in his blood he could just bite his lip or something and probably get around the suppressor collar thing but no need to let Drake know that.*]

Eddie [*shooting him a knowing look*] What are you gonna do, Cletus? Say mean things to him? Breathe on him hard? You're in no shape for this.

Cletus [*sharing said look*]: Yeah, well neither are you. Stop being so damn noble and get the hell out of here!

Drake [*Looking over both of them*]: ...That's it, isn't it?

Cletus: Don't you dare touch him, you creep!

Drake: [*caressing Eddie's cheek*]

Cletus [snarling]: ...I am going to make you eat your own hands.

Drake: I'm afraid you're a bit too late for that. Drake [*peeling back "skin" to show he has robot hands*]: Riot left to his own devices would have had all of me by now. Time is of the essence while there's still anything left of me.

Eddie: Jesus!

Cletus: No Eddie, don't you dare feel sorry for this asshole.

Eddie: Who says I do? Really, just let me get the world's smallest violin.

Cletus: ...Touch him again and I'll still make you eat those hands. You'll get your daily supply of iron.

Drake [*grinning*]: Hmmm... it seems Brock you have a type. You have no shortage of violent, protective men and entities clamoring to be your boyfriends, do you?

Cletus: ...huh?

Drake: Thats the answer, isn't it? Extreme empathy. That's what makes a successful host. A shame. That's not really a quality one can afford to cultivate in the business world.

Eddie: ...That's why you brought the symbiotes to Earth isn't it? Humans disappoint you. You think you're above them... You're lonely.

Cletus: ...But all you found was more disappointment, didn't you? The same patterns repeat. Because you never did the work. Never reflected why you do what you do or how you got here. Never tried to change or grow as a person. Because of course you're already perfect... why would you need to evolve? But now your 'perfect creature' has rejected you as insignificant and is eating you alive... Well, that's gotta sting.

Eddie: You thought your symbiote would have no choice but to love you, didn't you?

Cletus [*grinning*]: No one will ever love you.

Drake [*has clearly struck a nerve*]: ...you are right. I only need one of you. And I have no use for your boyfriend when I have my Patient Zero.

Eddie: What? No...

[*Shoots Cletus, the bullet impacts his chest and tips his chair over*]

Eddie: No!

Drake [*looking Eddie over, frowning*]: Where is he?

[*Eddie starts laughing.*]

Drake [*realizing*]: Where's Venom?!

[*Eddie needs to keep Drake focused on him, keep him distracted... Give Cletus and Carnage the chance to recover...*]

Eddie [*thinking*]: (C'mon buddy, you regrew your whole fucking head. Don't let a little gunshot bring you down...)

Eddie: You seriously didn't check first? Some scientist you are! One isn't a sample size! [*No, no, no don't look at Cletus, gotta keep his attention on me.*] Even I know that and I'm a journalism major. I learned that in high school science class!

[*Good, Eddie could see Carnage seeping out of the wound but clearly needed to dismantle the nullification collar in order to start healing him. That was gonna get noisy, he had to figure out something to keep Drake distracted.

Drake [*spitting mad*]: Of course I checked! Your blood is full of symbiote matter!

Eddie: Huh...?

[*Venom must have left something behind when he went off to work this morning. Just like when they left something behind when they spawned Carnage...*]

Eddie: Oh shit, we're pregnant again aren't we?

[*Shit shouldn't have said that around the wannabe mad scientist.*]

Drake: Pregnant? Again?

[*Did he just break him?*]

Drake: He abandoned you while you were pregnant?!

Eddie: He didn't abandon me. He... [*he's working, but that's classified and even that sentence would be a bit too revealing*] He just has shit to do.

Drake: Oh sure... I'm sure he's gone to get a pack of cigarettes, he'll be back in ten minutes.

[*Eddie knew Flash and Venom were currently helping some Skrull refugees move into their new home in Queens but that was classified and Drake didn't need to know that*]

Eddie: That sounds like that might be more of your issue, dude. I trust Venom. And he trusts me. I know he'll come home to me.

Drake: ...How touching. A pity you won't be alive for him to come home to.

Eddie: Really, I thought you needed me?

Drake [clearly at the end of his patience]: Not much longer, I assure you.

Eddie: Well in either case, when he returns, finds out what you did... and he will, he's gonna find you and he's gonna eat you.

[*If Carnage doesn't do it first which seemed increasingly unlikely. C'mon you bloody ooze, you can do it...*]

Drake [*sighs*]: ...You understand given my circumstances that's not exactly a threat to me. If anything that would be a mercy.... but... What did you mean again? This has happened before?! You've been pregnant before?!

Eddie: I don't really see how that's your goddamn business.

[*On the other hand that was the perfect distraction they needed.]

Drake: You survived, uneaten, not only as a host but incubating it's offspring, multiple times? Of course it's my goddamn business! How?

Eddie: ...Are you asking me how to have sex or...? Well, you see when a symbiote and their host love each other very much...

[*Drake slaps him, Eddie laughs again too amused to even mind and too relieved seeing more of Carnage break free and that Cletus was still breathing.*]

Eddie: ...Well I imagine the normal way one gets pregnant with an alien... You ever see Alien? You should really talk to Riot about it honestly because really that's between you and him...

Drake [tersly]: We don't talk anymore.

Eddie: Well then... who says you're not already a mom too? I'm sure you've been with him long enough to be popping them out. Maybe he was laying eggs in you while you were sleeping--

[*They were interrupted by the metallic screech of Carnage's nullification collar being ripped to shreds*]

Drake: [*making a face journey as he realizes that 1. They tricked him 2. A symbiote had worked out how to get around his nullifier within minutes and 3. Riot was fully capable of learning from that.*]

Carnage: [*Fully restored, letting out a furious roar. Eddie wondered if they'd absorbed a bit of Shriek's powers when they bonded because the roar shook the warehouse to its foundations*]

Eddie: You may wanna be running, it seems my eldest daughter isn't too happy with you right now.

[*Drake is slammed from behind by a mass of red tentacles*]

Eddie: Oops, too late. [*To Cletus and Carnage*] Thanks.

Cletus: Eddie, you okay?

Eddie: Yeah? You?

Cletus: Never better. Let us get you out of that thing.

Eddie [teasing]: You don't think I look good in a collar?

Cletus: Oh you look very fetching but I'm sure your husband would get jealous and I'm not in the mood to get my head bitten off again.

Eddie [*regarding Drake, knocked unconscious on the ground*]: Do you think maybe Teddy or Sadie could--

Cletus: What did I say about feeling sorry for this asshole?

Eddie: I know... I know. It's just... wouldn't it be better to know where he is rather than wait for them to regenerate and try this shit again? And even if Riot ate Drake--Riot on his own could be a problem. We should call this in.

Cletus: We need to call Venom and Flash anyway to let them know why we're running late before they tear New York apart looking for you.

Eddie: They wouldn't...

Cletus: Eddie... They would. It's what we would do if the circumstances were reversed, is it not?

Eddie: Shit. Where's my phone? And we still need to get groceries, what all did we need again?

Cletus: The usual for us--chocolate, milk, eggs... also more soy and coconut milk for Frances. She wants to make cookies.

Eddie: Oh, nice!

Carnage: So, father... what are you going to name my siblings?

Eddie: Huh?

Carnage: You're carrying twins.

Eddie: Oh right... that happened. I think... I think I need to sit down here for a minute.

Carnage: How about Slayer?

Cletus: [*to Carnage*] You already named your cat Slayer. [*To Eddie*] I'll call Flash.

Eddie: Thanks. I appreciate it. I really do.

[s10127470]

Meet the Spider Family

Hey there folks!

I'm back again with another post about Spider-Man!

But luckily, this one isn't gonna possibly give me a hernia.

I'm here today to introduce you to the main cast of my upcoming fanfic, Spider-Man: Family Values, which will be premiering next month during Thanksgiving week.

I don't really have much of a intro to this, so we're just gonna ahead and get in.

Spider-Man:

Real Name: Peter Parker

Age: 28

Height: 5'9

Weight: 162 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has a lean and muscular build, fair skin, brown hair in the form of a mullet with his trademark frontal bangs, and hazel eyes.

Relationship Status: Married

Causal Outfit: A red sweater with a white, long-sleeved collared shirt underneath, a open blue jacket, blue jeans with rolled up cuffs at the bottom, red and white sneakers, and round lenses glasses.

Hero Outfit:

-Still goofy and kinda silly, but also mature and very empathic.

-Is a HAPPILY MARRIED to Mary Jane and the proud father of Mayday Parker.

-An amazing and valuable mentor to Miles and many of the other younger superheroes.

-Works part-time as a substitute teacher at his old high school, Midtown High. He's essentially kind of a stay-at-home dad and house husband, which gives him more time to patrol the streets.

-Always visits his dear Aunt May.

-A true friend.

-Well-liked and respected by nearly all of the superhero community.

-Honorary member of The Fantastic Four and a part-time Avenger.

-Still the Friendly Neighbor Hero we all know in love.

Mayday Parker:

Age: 5

Height: 3'4

Weight: 49 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has a slim build, fair skin, long brown hair, and green eyes.

Relationship Status: Single

Casual Outfit:

-A little ball of hyperactive joy and wonder.

-Inherited her father's goofiness.

-Also inherited his spider powers. Luckily, Peter is helping her learn how to control her strength.

-Currently in kindergarten.

-Wants to follow in her father's footsteps and continue his legacy, which while touched by, makes Peter a little concerned.

Mary Jane Watson-Parker:

Age: 28

Height: 5'10

Weight: 130 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has an hourglass figure with a top heavy build, fair skin, long red hair with her trademark bangs, red lips, and green eyes.

Relationship Status: Married

Casual Outfit: A green navel-bearing sweater, blue jeans with a black belt and gold buckle, and black Mary Jane heels.

-Confident and free-spirited, but also loving and understanding.

-Got with Peter during their college years, and eventually got married shortly after graduation.

-Works as AN ACTRESS, MODEL, AND FASHION DESIGNER. She also pays the apartment's rent (thanks to how much she makes from her career), hence why Peter only has a part-time job.

-Has a stash of weapons just in case of a potential home invasion. Her favorite is the shotgun.

-Always thinking of new suit ideas for Peter.

Spider-Man:

Real Name: Miles Morales

Age: 18

Height: 5'9

Weight: 165 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has a lean and slightly muscular build, dark skin, brown hair in the same style from the Spider-Verse films, dark brown lips, and brown eyes.

Relationship Status: Dating

Casual Outfit: A red hoodie with a white X-Men symbol at the center, black shorts, black socks, and red and white Nikes.

Hero Outfit:

-Cool, friendly, artistic and street-smart.

-Has been a Spider person for about 4 years now.

-Peter and Mayday see Miles like a brother.

-Is a freshman at Empire State University, majoring in art.

-Currently dating Hailey Cooper.

-Works as a freelance artist.

Venom:

Real Name: Eddie Brock

Age: 38

Height: 6’5 (7’5 as Venom)

Weight: 270 lbs (470s as Venom)

Physical Appearance: Has a broad and muscular build, fair skin, scruffy blonde hair in something of a flattop style, a beard, and blue eyes.

Relationship Status: Divorced

Casual Outfit: A black T-shirt, blue jeans, and tan army boots.

Hero Outfit:

-Was once Peter's greatest enemy and hater, but eventually became his friend and one of his most trustworthy allies.

-Awkward, a little reversed, and pretty goofy (especially as Venom).

-Is not only Mayday's honorary uncle, but also her godfather.

-Still works at The Daily Bugle as a reporter.

-Was previously married to Anne Weying and they owned a dog named Woody together. But due to his previously slipping sanity and madness caused by Peter, she left him and took the dog with her. To this day, Eddie is still ashamed by this and wishes to patch things up with Anne and Woody, but doesn't know if he can.

Agent Anti-Venom:

Real Name: Flash Thompson

Age: 29

Height: 6’3 (5'3 while in wheelchair)

Weight: 170 lbs (470s as Venom)

Physical Appearance: Has a broad and muscular build, fair skin, long curly blonde hair with frontal bangs that cover his eyes, a stubble beard, and no legs.

Relationship Status: Single

Casual Outfit: A blue T-shirt and tan shorts.

Hero Outfit:

-Was once Peter's bully, but grew to become his closest friend.

-Still quite prideful and boastful, but far more humble than when he was a teenager.

-Is Mayday's other honorary uncle.

-Dropped out of the college to serve in the Army.

-Lost his legs during his service. Usually gets around in either a wheelchair or with a pair of prosthetic legs.

-Works as the gym teacher at his old high school, Midtown.

Silk:

Real Name: Cindy Moon

Age: 27

Height: 5'7

Weight: 130 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has an hourglass figure with a well-rounded and muscular build, light skin, long black hair, pink lips, and black eyes.

Relationship Status: Dating

Casual Outfit: A black bandeau, blue sweatpants jeans, and black sandals.

Hero Outfit:

-Was an old classmate of Peter's who mysteriously disappeared one day during high school. The reason why was because during the Midtown sophomore field trip to Oscorp, Cindy found herself bit by a radioactive Golden Silk Orb Weaver spider. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of the company and soon enough, found herself whisked away by them to an off-shore facility, where she was experimented on like a guinea pig for the next 10 years. Luckily, she was discovered by Peter and Felicia, who promptly broke her out.

-Suffers from a bit of social anxiety, so she tends to come off as quiet and quite reserved. But she's ultimately quite caring, friendly and imaginative.

-Isn one of Mayday's honorary aunts.

-Is currently dating Felicia.

-Shares an apartment with Flash.

-Works at The Daily Bugle as a journalist. Usually works close with Eddie.

Black Cat:

Real Name: Felicia Hardy

Age: 29

Height: 5'11

Weight: 125 lbs

Physical Appearance: Has an hourglass figure with a well-rounded build, light skin, long platinum blonde hair, black lips, and green eyes.

Relationship Status: Dating

Casual Outfit: A black crop-top, black leggings that bear the G-string of her thong, black heels, and golden neck rings (with similar sets on her arms).

Hero Outfit:

-Thanks to Peter, Felicia has given up her thieving ways. But she hasn't gotten rid of her skills though. She's now uses them as a private detective instead.

-She's the founder of Cat's Eye Investigations, which she runs with street-level heroes Tarantula and Humbug.

-Still flirtatious and sassy, but does have a lot of sincerity and heart.

-Is one of Mayday's honorary aunts.

-Despite her previous romantic feelings for Peter, she holds no ill will towards MJ. Essentially since she's moved on to someone else (Cindy).

Well that's all for now!

Let me know what you guys think about this little family idea of mine! Definitely planning on doing some more with other Marvel characters!

[symbiotic-slime]

late again BUT my fic for @venomfest week 5 is done!! it's a short drabble about the Venom Symbiote exploring their relationship through the different forms of symbiosis: parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism!

[anticomedygarden]

memory of you

Four students at Midtown School of Science and Technology start a car chase with Spider-Man. Only problem? Spider-Man doesn't know that he is part of a car chase.

read on ao3

-

Do you remember when we used to study together? I sat behind you in English and calculus. You explained As I Lay Dying to me, and I taught you differentials.

-

Betty Brant was no idiot. By her junior year of high school, she had made it into a prestigious STEM school despite her liberal arts future, she had gotten an internship with an up and coming newspaper that put a focus on accountability, she had won half a dozen awards for her work in her school's journalism club, she had been accepted into all the top schools of journalism and earned the scholarships to pay for it, and she had helped Spider-Man defeat Mysterio.

But no matter how hard she thought about that trip from hell, she could not figure out why she was around Spider-Man in the first place.

And she could not for the life of her remember the name of the kid in this photo.

It was a stupid picture, just her and the academic decathlon team goofing around after she interviewed them for her article on their win (and the attack on the Lincoln Memorial, but the school hadn't let her publish that one). They were sitting around a table in the library, Liz Allan next to her and the rest of them scattered around, and Betty knew each and every one of them, even the ones not in her class. In fact, Betty would bet she could name every person in their school if asked. Her memory was excellent.

But this kid.

She had no fucking clue.

And despite not knowing who he was, Betty got the strong impression that he was someone important - maybe not important to her, but important.

Brown curls sat wildly over a face still round from childhood (probably freshman or a younger sophomore - that put him way too close to her own age for her not to know him), brown eyes crinkled from his deep smile cutting through pale skin, and speaking of cuts - there were several dusting his whole body, butterfly bandages doing a poor job of hiding the little red scrapes. The rest of the team had little injuries like that, too, but not as many as him. Honestly, she felt the need to find him if only to ensure he wasn't being abused.

Scouring the school website and social media pages did nothing. Flipping through her yearbooks, even staring at the Academic Decathlon club picture like a damn Where's Waldo puzzle yielded no results. It was like the kid in the picture was a ghost.

She hadn't even been looking for this photo. It just happened to randomly pop up in her Snapchat memories. Look what you were doing seven years ago! Because apparently Meta didn't factor the Blip into their little nostalgia reels. And now it was fucking torturing her.

The next day at school, Betty cornered MJ in their first period, biology. The other girl was sitting at her desk in the back of the room reading, hiding from the too loud morning masses behind her long wavy hair. Betty almost felt bad disturbing her, but if anyone knew him, it would be MJ. Her memory was even better than Betty's, and she was AcaDec captain, although not the year of Mystery Boy's picture.

"Good morning," she said brightly. Always a good place to start. "Do you know this kid?" She shoved her phone in MJ's face over the book. Her mother would be horrified at her total disregard for manners. Whatever. Nice people didn't make headlines.

Not expecting Betty's early morning interrogation, MJ flinched backward, then scrunched her face in focus. Betty didn't blame her. It was pretty zoomed in.

Even so, the blonde knew the exact moment MJ recognized the guy because her eyes got super wide. Score. A good journalist always knows who to ask.

"What's it to you?" MJ asked - no, ordered.

Betty could have slapped herself. Of course MJ wouldn't give her a straight answer. (She made a mental note to figure out how MJ asked questions so commandingly. It would be helpful for her future.) "I can't remember who he is, and I remember everyone."

Some unknown emotion flashed across MJ's face (frustration, annoyance, longing? it was so hard to tell with her), and she said, "Well, I don't either."

That was a bald faced lie, Betty was sure of it.

She brought her phone back to herself and zoomed out, thinking maybe adding the memory to the face would help. "How about now?"

Betty didn't have to look at the picture anymore to know exactly what the other girl's eyes were scanning. She had it memorized.

First, her eyes would be drawn to Liz Allan. Because of the memories. And the trauma.

Next to Liz was MJ herself, book open in front of her and a small smile on her face. Mystery Boy was next to MJ, but the interesting part was how close he was to Ned Leeds. He was sideways in his chair and leaning back against Ned's. You could just see Ned's face around Mystery Boy's shoulder. Cindy Moon sat at the end of the table, then in order, Sally Avril, Charles Murphy, Abe Brown, Flash Thompson, and Mr. Harrington, then Betty standing up to take the selfie at the head of the table.

"That's still a no, but it looks like Leeds might." Smooth lie, then misdirection. She was good, Betty had to admit, but not good enough because this guy's memory had settled into the back of her brain like an itch, and she'd be damned if she didn't scratch 'til she bled.

"Right, but I'm asking you," she insisted. "And I don't have a class with Ned until eighth hour."

MJ narrowed her eyes, and, wow, Betty really needed to perfect that look. That was a look that demanded truth. "Do you not have his phone number or socials?"

"Why are you avoiding the question?" Fuck. Too confrontational, she was starting to get loud. MJ's face snapped shut like a Venus fly trap.

The other girl sat back in her chair cooly. Great. Betty definitely wasn't getting answers out of her now. "I think it's time for you to sit down."

Betty took the cue, but vowed to keep on.

Betty did not have Ned's phone number, and his socials were all private. This was particularly unfortunate because the next class she had with AcaDec members was English, third period. The good news was that she did still have Liz's number, so she fired off a text with the picture attached during second period.

It was a writing day in English, a bit more good luck since Betty was already done with her essay (she wrote a stunning exposé on cafeteria food as a seventh grader - a character essay on Jay Gatsby was a walk in the park). She did get a couple odd looks when she sat with Charles, Abe, and Cindy instead of her normal spot at the front table, but that wasn't her problem. She got the picture set up on her phone and placed it against her laptop screen so that the teacher couldn't see it, then she tapped Cindy on the shoulder and quietly repeated her question for what she was sure would be only the second time of many. "Do you know this kid?"

That was all it took to draw Cindy's attention away from her essay - oh, no, that was minesweeper. Well. "I-" she paused. "I don't think so? I don't know, he looks really familiar."

Betty nodded, then zoomed the picture back out. "What about now?"

If anything, Cindy looked even more confused. Eventually, she shook her head. "It's so weird. I feel like his name is on the tip of my tongue."

"Right?" Betty agreed. "I feel like I know him, but any time I try to think about it, it's like a mental block."

Cindy nodded, brows furrowed. "His name starts with an S maybe?" She jumped a little in her seat. "Hey, I don't know why, but I think Flash might know something? Try him."

Betty nodded and added both points to her list, then got similar answers from Charles and Abe. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

When Betty Brant was 11, Loki and the chitauri attacked New York City. She was fine and so were all her people, but there was a city full people that weren't right outside her door. She saw it in the eyes of her friends that lost family members, the missing seats in class, the destruction of her city - everywhere, there was evidence of pain. It lit a fire under her ass that she - and her parents - still couldn't explain.

She read article after article about the invasion, got all the different perspectives, taught herself the difference between credible and bullshit, and then she interviewed her classmates that were hit the hardest and used that testimony to get a week off school for mental health days. Her classmates hailed her as a hero.

A few years later, the Black Widow dumped all of SHIELD's secrets online, and she read every last piece. Then, she wrote an essay on corruption and government overreach to submit to a national journal. The essay became much more robust after the Sokovia Accords.

She'd written pieces on Wanda Maximoff. She had debated the ethics of Daredevil and Iron Man and the Hulk. She wrote in favor of Bucky Barnes when his truth came out.

But there was a file on her computer labeled 'Spider-Man' with nothing in it, and it was less than a year old. She didn't remember making it. Worse, she didn't remember why she felt the need to write an article on Spider-Man, hero of Queens. The only person who didn't like him was J. Jonah Jameson, and he was a bad journalist if Betty ever saw one. It didn't make sense.

But she currently had two distinct memory lapses, and she knew they were connected.

And so the fire burned brighter.

-

Do you remember when I outscored you by one point on a physics test when I started Midtown, and you decided right then and there to hate me, the prodigal kid on scholarship? That's okay. I know now that you had your own problems. I almost miss it sometimes. The only bullying I get now is from my boss.

-

Flash wasn't stupid, but he had enough gaps in his memory from alcohol and generally poor self care that not knowing the kid Betty basically interrogated him on could almost be explained.

But alcohol couldn't explain the bone deep envy he felt when he saw the kid, or that the word that floated to the front of his mind was 'penis' of all things.

Like. Why? Did he have a crush on the kid before he apparently disappeared from their lives forever? Did they actually fuck? Did they have an unfortunate encounter in the locker room? Was he one of the people he sent a dick pic to on that sad, lonely, high night last year? He didn't know because he couldn't freaking remember, and he definitely wasn't telling Betty that his first thought when looking at the guy was (his maybe impressive? Seriously, where was the jealousy coming from?) genitals.

And why did that make him feel guilty? Ugh.

And to think, two minutes ago, he was about to step into the cafeteria to eat shitty pizza with the assholes on the football team. Now, he was stuck in the hallway outside it thinking about the dick size of a stranger.

"No, I have no idea who that is," he said, and felt uncharacteristically bad when Betty's face fell.

"What about now?" she responded, and then it got so much weirder.

The whole AcaDec team, including Flash, were in the picture in a moment he actually did remember, but he definitely didn't remember that kid being there.

Or did he?

The next thing he knew, images were flashing through his mind of this lame ass kid, visions of AcaDec practices, classes, moments from the Europe field trip, even a party at Liz Allan's house, seemingly random except that all of them were accompanied by that same jealousy he'd felt before, so intense it kinda made him uncomfortable.

And then he was thinking 'penis' again, although this time it was clear that it wasn't in a horny way or, like, anatomical. It felt like a name, like it was in the same brain space as 'mother' or 'asshat'.

"Uh..." he said intelligently. "Maybe?"

"Maybe?" Betty repeated, frowning in annoyance. "How do you maybe know someone?"

After a second, he shrugged, not knowing how to explain without it getting very awkward very quickly. And if he was gonna think about a flood of altered memories, it was gonna be in the safety of his bedroom where he could have a breakdown.

There was also the fact that he was starting to get the feeling that he wasn't very nice to this guy when they knew each other, which, honestly, kinda tracked. He knew he wasn't the nicest person before senior year, but ever since that one day in October when he'd been making fun of Leeds for - something - and couldn't even figure out why, he'd been making an effort to not be a dick. If he was gonna be a dick, he at least wanted to have a reason, even if it was just a vibe, and this kid was giving him all sorts of vibes. Not necessarily bad in a worldly sense, but bad to Flash. He did not like this guy, and it wasn't just because he reminded him of a time he was really not proud of.

Betty's sharp voice shook him from his thoughts. "Is there anything you can tell me?"

No. Nope. Absolutely not. Thankfully, he was saved by a text flashing across the top of Betty's screen.

Liz Allan

I don't think I know him, but I'm getting a real bad feeling from him. Sorry

Wasn't that just dandy? Both Flash and possibly the nicest person in the world didn't like someone they didn't even know.

Oh god, what if he was involved with alien weapon smuggling with Liz's dad and used the tech he'd stolen to erase their memories?

Now he had to know.

"Hey," he said, officially accepting that he wasn't getting lunch today, "why don't you search for his face?"

Betty's brows furrowed. "What, like a reverse image search? I don't think that would work on my own photo."

Flash snapped his mouth shut before he said something rude. "Send it to me."

She cocked her head but did it anyway, and a second later, both their jaws had dropped.

"Holy shit," Betty breathed. "That's Tony Stark."

Flash didn't know why, but his first thought was, No, it's not. His second thought was, Must be Photoshop. His third thought was, Goddamn that Penis Parker.

His fourth thought was, Where the hell did that come from?

Not wanting to betray his internal turmoil, he said tentatively, "Are we sure that's real?"

Betty glared at him, but he thought the question was reasonable. This photo was the only result his search had come up with. "Of course it's real. That's way too good to be fake. Besides, who would make the certificate upside down like that on purpose?"

Flash looked closer and, sure enough, the certificate was upside down. That paired with the fancy cursive script made it impossible to read the name, yet that didn't stop Flash's suddenly strong urge to call the internship certificate fake.

This problem was quickly veering from weird communal mental lapse to 'I need to make a quick call to my therapist so that they can assure me I'm not losing my mind.' Besides finding the guy to get the truth out of him, that seemed the most logical course of action.

"Is there a source for the image?" Betty asked.

That would have been a good idea, except when Flash clicked the external link, it took him to the '404 URL not found' page.

Betty made a strange noise, somewhere between a frustrated groan and a confused 'huh.' Sounded like she needed to call her therapist, too. "How does a kid who is apparently our age, if not younger, meet Tony Stark, go to our school and make an impression on all of us, then disappear off the face of the Earth and take his name with him?"

Flash shook his head, stumped. "Maybe he's a criminal, and he took himself off the grid?"

He always forgot how expressive Betty was until she was glaring at him. "And took himself out of our minds? No, something weird is going on here." She gasped. "Maybe it's magic."

"What? No, that's insane." Then he thought about it. Really, the only other option was they were all hit with some mad Winter Soldier type mind wipe. Somehow, that was weirder. "Holy shit, maybe it's magic."

Betty nodded, glad to finally be getting somewhere. "We need to talk to Ned and MJ."

[himbofrankenstein]

Update for my other fic???

Belated Christmas miracle? You get a two for one deal. Finally I've gotten around to writing a chapter to my Symbiot3 fic. Whats a better then 2 slowburn? A 3 maybe? Anyway I'm new to the writings of this ship so take it with a grain of salt!

Sleep. It had always been the freedom the man needed in his life. Sleep, to regain many years of missed and broken. Sleep, to have a moment of peace from being trapped inside his head. Sleep, where everything was so much better, so right and perfect. Sleep, where there was no death to those lost. Well, there was generally no death these days for the man. Maybe he was finally learning to control his thoughts. Maybe he was even finally accepting everything that had happened. But no that is not true. That will never be true. Sometimes things just don't get any easier. The man's body stirs under the warm sheets. His face slightly screwed up as his mind is once again trapped in his dream world. A complete prisoner to the Sandman.

Linky:

Christmas Brock Family Fic:

Tendrils Entwined Update:

[grahambaham]

PJO & SPIDER-MAN FIC REC

Cracticus tibicen by AlzazelSustrai

Summary:

Flash Thompson hates water polo days. He's definitely not a simp, as the internet lingo calls the, not for the handsome stranger who walks in looking for Peter Parker one day. Absolutely not. No way. He could never. Be a simp, that is. Obviously.

A funny one-short of Percy from Flash's point of view.

[remarcely]

How To Cover For Your Vigilante Classmate- Remarcely AO3 [MCU Spider-Man Fanfic]

“Your shoe’s untied.”

“Hm?” Peter jerked around at a tap on his shoulder. Michelle was stood behind him, pointing down at the floor, and he followed it down to find that his left shoe was in fact untied “Oh, thanks.”

“Figured you’d want a heads up before you trip and smash something.” She shrugged and wandered off, staying far from the rest of the groups of their classmates. It wasn’t hard to duck out of sight, the museum was littered in glass cases and exhibits, and it was mere seconds before MJ had disappeared from sight all together.

He crouched down and began to retie his laces, leaning his shoulder slightly against the wall to keep his balance. As he was tying it off, pulling the double knot nice and tight, a familiar buzz began and hovered in the back of his mind. Peter stayed crouched on the floor but moved closer to the window, following the buzz, in a weird crawl.

Outside, down the street, there was a totally inconspicuous black van parked up on the curb, right outside the bank. Anyone else, like the pedestrians walking past the van without a second glass, might have brushed it off and paid the car little thought. Not Peter. If the little buzz was to be trusted- and after all the dodged knives and bullets it was only fair to put his faith in it- it was trouble. He stared at the van- no logos or dents, and the license plate was blocked by another car.

“Uh, Peter?”

He jumped and landed butt-first on the floor, looking up to see a confused Ned standing above him.

“Ned!” He whisper-shouted and beckoned for him to crouch down too “Someone’s about to rob the bank across the street! You’ve got to cover for me, man.”

“What?” Ned whispered back and lightly whacked Peter in the shoulder “Are you kidding me? The last time for you I got detention for like a week!”

“No one told you to tell the librarian you were watching porn, my guy, that was all you.” Peter glanced back to the window. A guy, dressed in casual clothes, sunglasses and baseball cap pulled down to cover his face in shadow, was leaned up against the van. His hands were in his pockets and he glanced up at the bank ever few seconds, eyeing the security inside “I’ve got to go, man, I’ll be like ten- maybe fifteen minutes max.”

“What are we whispering about?” MJ jumped up close behind, her sneakers stomping on the ground, and smirked when the boys flinched and Ned joined Peter on the floor.

“Peter needs us to cover for him because someone’s trying to rob a bank.”

“Say no more.” She grinned and walked away; no further explanation needed.

-

One minute, a quick costume change, and a bank alarm later, Ned was visibly sweating as he tried his best to look as normal as possible. He walked about for a short while and stopped by an interactive exhibit, dragging his finger across a table-screen to fast forward and rewind the timeline on the animation. However, he paid it no attention, and instead stared at the clock hung up on the wall, each tick passing agonisingly slow.

When Betty approached him, Ned gulped and sent her a shaky smile.

“Ned, are you feeling alright?” She frowned sympathetically and reached out to place a hand on his forehead “Wow, you’re really sweating. Do you need some water?”

“I-uh, no I’m fine, it’s just, I um… have IBS?” He stammered and mentally slapped himself in the face for the answer.

“Oh!” She took a small step back and wiped her hand on her skirt, talking slowly “Do you… need to go, or something?”

“No, I’m just constipated?” Ned wanted to curl up in the corner and just die.

“Ah, alright.” Betty nodded and awkwardly tried to change the subject, looking around the hall “Hey, where’s Peter? You guys are joined at the hip half the time.”

“H-He also has IBS.” He shook his head and shut his eyes. Goddamn it “He said he felt sick, he’ll be back soon.”

“Alright, I’m gonna… leave now. Hold in there, buddy.” She patted his shoulder; she was standing so physically far away from him at that point she had to slightly lean to even reach him.

-

In a place where every nook and cranny held some sort of artifact or sign, it was surprising MJ had found a space to tuck herself into. Her legs were squished into the spot with just enough space to rest her sketchbook on them, open to a half blank page with the beginnings of the tour guides strained-customer-service-smile as she answered questions for her classmates.

Mr Harrington found her there, his eyes a bit wild and hand permanently plastered across his face in worry “Ah, Michelle. Good to see you’re still here- where’s Mr Parker? I’m doing a headcount and I can’t seem to find him.”

“Who?” She didn’t stop drawing, working on the shadows around the eyes.

“Y’know, Peter? Your friend?”

“I know a Paula, is that who you mean?”

“No, I mean Peter. Come on, I need to make sure we haven’t lost anyone.”

“I don’t know a Peter, sir, do you need to sit down for a bit?”

-

After a few minutes of being thoroughly confused by MJ, Mr Harrington went in search of Ned instead and found his student in the gift shop, turning the rack of postcards. He clapped his hands and walked towards him, hoping for an answer that actually made sense.

“Ned, you wouldn’t happen to know where Peter has run off to, would you?”

The boy froze and quickly plucked a postcard from the mix, turning his head away from his teacher to look intently at the art “Oh, he um, his tooth fell out.”

“What, really?” Mr Harrington took a step forward as his voice rose slightly in panic “How? Did he hit his face on something? Is it bloody? Do I need to call an ambulance?” He lowered his voice for the last question, getting closer to Neds face .

“No, it was a uh-” Ned narrowed his eyes, deep in thought on how to climb out of the hole he’d just dug “-a baby tooth.”

Mr Harrington paused “Peter is sixteen, Ned.”

“He’s a late bloomer?”

-

MJ had moved onto her next drawing- an old man squinting at an exhibit as he tried to read the label- when Flash strolled her and hit her knee to grab her attention. Pencil freezing on the page, she slowly looked up to glare at him and felt a hint of satisfaction when he took a cautionary step back.

“What do you want Eugene.” She muttered lowly, turning back to her book.

“Where’s Peter?”

She sighed and shook her head “Eugene, I don’t know anyone called Peter.”

“W-What?” He stammered and looked around, as if searching for a hidden camera “Yeah you do, where is he?”

“This is a weird joke to make, skip to the punchline.”

“What punchline?” Flash stared at her in disbelief “You literally have a picture of him, it’s your background!”

“That’s a stock image, Eugene.” She shook her head again and sent him a withering glance, as if it were obvious.

“You’re being so fucking weird.”

“I agree, it is strange I have a random stock image as my background.” She moved on from the old mans sketch, finding the face Flash was pulling at her far more interesting.

-

Having watched the man jog around the museum while counting his students, Betty waved over Mr Harrington.

“Ah, Betty, have you seen Peter?”

“He’s probably by the toilets, sir.”

He thanked her and jogged off to follow the signs in the direction of the restrooms.

-

As promised, not twelve minutes later an out-of-breath Peter rounded the corner, back in his civilian garb with the Spider-Man suit tucked safely at the bottom of his backpack. The only thing off was a small bruise starting to form on his cheekbone, barely noticeable unless you were up close, and the thing would likely be healed before they even got on the bus home. Thankfully, the fight had been easy as pie and a bank employee had already called the cops, leaving Peter to simply web the guys up and check on the hostages.

As he crossed the hall, he bumped into a sweat-drenched Ned, who grabbed him by the shoulders on sight, shaking him slightly.

“You have IBS and a missing tooth.” Ned looked him dead in the eyes with a face unnaturally serious for the utter nonsense he’d just uttered.

“No? I don’t?”

“Listen man, I panicked and now Mr Harrison thinks you knocked a baby tooth out and Betty thinks we have irritable bowel syndrome.”

“I’m sixteen, Ned, why the hell would I still have baby teeth?” Peter shut his eyes in despair, just to open them a beat later “Why do we both have IBS?”

“I panicked!”

They were interrupted by Flash, still stood next to MJ who he’d been arguing the entire time and all but shouted while pointing madly pointing at Peter “See! He’s real!”

“Eugene, most people stop seeing their imaginary friends by the time they hit high school.”

[iridescentparkers]

vanilla palm trees → three - late night talking

vanilla palm trees → three - late night talking

summary ⇢ it’s been years, he should get over it, right? but, peter just can’t. he looks up, he sees her. he goes to bed, he dreams of her. he wakes up, he can smell her. he goes out one night and he sees…her. no, not gwen but his ticket to stop moping around on the anniversary of her death. what is meant to be one quick night of putting sadness on the back burner, is now a blossoming new love that feels all too perfect for peter. was this new woman in his life meant to be? or was this just another set of poorly dealt cards that would leave him walking away empty handed. all or nothing, right? ↝ college!au ↝ one night stand gone wrong trope | masterlist

parings ⇢ tasm!peter parker x female reader

warnings ⇢ alcohol use and sexual themes

a/n ⇢ THANKS FOR 500 AAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAH LFG! love y'all. answer my poll if you can, i wanna write something new. also this one is kinda short!

HE WATCHED as his windows clouded with condensation and fog, making his New York City apartment a bit dreary. Lighting the match on his old gas station matchbox, Peter saw Y/N’s tired reflection stare back at him in the window. 

“You look exhausted,” he remarked as he lit candles around the room. “You should get some sleep. Take my bed.  I’ll sleep out here.” 

“I’m fine,” she remarked, followed by a stifled yawn. “Don’t worry about me. I just hope nothing too bad happened to your circuit.” 

“It’s all good,” he assured. “My roommate texted and said the powers' out on the entire block.” 

 He saw her shiver under her blanket, rubbing her hands quickly back and forth, “If the hand warmers aren’t working, there is always a beer.” 

“I know we aren’t that far in age, but I cannot drink like I used to in college,” she informed, pulling her blanket close to her body. 

He laughed, grabbing a blanket nearby, moving to his couch, and opening one of the beers on the table, “We were both barely drunk.” 

“I was barely tipsy, but my tolerance is still not as good as it used to be. I went to USC. The parties here are tame compared to the LA lifestyle.” 

He lifted the bottle to his lips as she spoke, Y/N's eyes watching his hands. “I’ll take one.” 

“You sure, don’t feel pressured-

“I don’t, I promise." She began. "You already have me in three layers of your clothes. If this isn’t working, what else will.” She stated. 

“You miss it?”

“What? LA?” She asked, and he nodded. 

“Sometimes. I grew up here though. I left to get a drastic change of scenery.” She mentioned, watching him as he took a swig of his drink. 

“What part?”

“Manhattan. My parents owned a gallery for years, both art curators, and when they need me to, my brother and I plan to run the whole thing.” 

“Which one?”

“My Mom’s family gallery, we’ve had it for years.” 

"There is more than one?"

"A couple here and there. That's the biggest one." 

“What’s the name ?”

She hesitated, glancing around his apartment before meeting his eyes again, “The Trenton.” 

That was his favorite gallery, the curations changing every month with local artists that people come from all over the world to see. Peter spat out his beer, the words making him choke, “Holy shit-”

She pressed her lips firmly together, pushing her hair away from her face, “Sorry.”

Peter had apologized. Y/N waved a gentle hand, “You’re not the first.” 

“That’s my favorite gallery,” he lit up, drinking more of his beer. 

She smiled, her leg drawing closer to his. “I should take you some time.”

“I’d love that.”  

Y/N shrugged her shoulders as she sipped her beer, leaning back further on the couch. Peter mirrored the position, placing his body even closer to Y/N, “What do your parents do?”

“My Aunt and Uncle raised me,” he informed. “My Aunt May runs a non-profit and my uncle passed years ago, a mechanic.” 

“Peter, I’m so sorry,” she stated, placing a gentle hand on his thigh, rubbing her thumb along his kneecap. 

“It was all a while ago. I’ve been healing for years.”  He smiled, Y/N removing her hand from his leg. The ghosts of her gentle hand lingered and he slowly looked down and back up at Y/N as she took another sip of her drink. Peter watched as Y/N moved her lips to the bottle, swiping her thumb along her bottom lip. He looked back up at her eyes, watching as they quickly jolted back and forth. She leaned into him, kissing him hard. After placing her beer aside, him doing the same, she crawled into his lap. She grinded onto him, Peter grabbing her ass as she wrapped her arms around him. She pulled from him, narrowing her eyes at Peter.

“It’s almost 3, and I’m feeling warm,” she whispered, getting out of his lap. “I’m going to get some sleep.”

“Yeah, go ahead. Take my bed.”

She quickly ran to Peter’s room, letting the door crack behind her. Peter followed her down the hallway, slowly peering inside of his room. He watched as she pulled back his neatly made sheets, folding them forward as she got under the covers. He stepped closer inside, veering towards the edge of her bed. 

“If you need anything Y/N, let me know.”

She shifted to sit on her knees, eyeing Peter in his stance. Ending the space between them, she crawled closer, grabbing his hand as he stood before her. “Stay with me.”

She was glowing, the same way as she did in the bar, even like this. There was something so angelic about her touch, hell her entire being. He wanted nothing more than to fall into her and see all of her, but he couldn’t. 

“Please.” She asked, placing a warm hand under his shirt, and moving her fingers along his abdomen. 

“Please.”

She put her other hand along his cheek, her face almost touching his. “Okay.”

He nodded, looking down at her lips. She pressed her lips on his gently, slowly pushing herself further into him. Peter broke the kiss stating, “We shouldn’t, I’m not that intoxicated.”

“I’m not either, I swear.” She assured, kissing along his neck. 

“Still, just to be safe.”

He grabbed her hand, holding it to his chest before moving her to one side of his bed. Lying down, he moved her hand around his torso, allowing her to tuck her head into his neck. 

“Peter?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you blow out all of those candles?”

In the morning, Peter awoke before Y/N, his body now to her backside. The apartment was still chilly but it felt amazing. The warmness between them was so natural and comforting that it left Peter not wanting to let go. 

“Good morning.” 

With her eyes closed, Y/N greeted Peter, her words still mumbled with sleep. 

“Morning,” he greeted back, kissing the back of her neck. “How are you feeling?”

“Warm,” she smiled, running her hand along Peter’s arm. She turned over, her face about an inch from Peter’s to place a lazy kiss on his lips. She drew her hands up and down his back as he gripped the side of her face. Her tongue moved lazily in his mouth, and his response muffled in moans of pleasure. 

“Woah there bossman!” A voice yelled,  “You’re breaking roommate rules It's 10 AM.”

The two broke apart and Peter jolted from his lying position, “Shit.”

“Who’s that?” Y/N asked, sitting up.

“My roommate.”

“Alcohol, candles, blankets, pillows,” Harry noted, his voice growing closer to Peter’s door. “Parker! I’m so proud of you!”

“Parker? Who’s Parker?”

“It’s my last name,” He hurried, getting out of bed. “Listen I-”

With his hand over his eyeballs, he walked up to Peter’s door, “Now I’m not coming in, but I would just like to say, this is a monumental event that will go down in Osborne and Parker history.”

“After years, Parker’s got his groove back!"

“Harry!”

[agentianlegend]

Fire with Fire is updating this week, and it’s a Very Special Episode: Halloween Edition!

Get caught up on AO3 or FFn!

[reaperlight]

Jealousy Saga, the eventual conclusion

[Post Venom 3 murder fam AU, when all hope seems lost and Eddie is convinced Venom doesn't want to see him again there's an unexpected face at the door.]

Flash: Hey. Yeah, I understand I'm probably the last person you want to see right now. But I learned what they did to you and my partner. That wasn't cool...

Eddie: Partner...

Flash: Uh, I think there's been a misunderstanding. When I said partner I mean Venom is my co-worker. As I was saying. It wasn't cool that they ripped him away from his spouse. I am truly sorry...

Venom: Eddie!

Venom: [*reaching out tentacles*]

Flash: Oh, uh. Of course.

[*Flash unfolds a wheelchair they didn't see previously because it was leaning against the wall and sits down.*]

[*Eddie is happy to have Venom back but now feels guilty because he realizes Venom was clearly what was allowing him to walk unassisted.*]

Flash: Yeah... Venom let's me get back in the field for a while. But that's besides the point. It was wrong of them to kidnap and exploit him as they did. Let's just say we unionized. Venom and me, and our friends over there on the project. We got the the top brass to agree that while Venom has a job with us and his cooperation is vital, he should have the same rights as any human employee to go home to his spouse after work. Also we managed to negotiate him a salary of his own. It's the same salary that any of us human soldiers make on the project which I don't exactly think is fair because he's doing so much more but considering he was getting nothing before...

Eddie: Woah!

Flash: It goes to an account that either you or I can access, it's opened in both our names for him since he is unable to interact with the bank directly. Also... we negotiated pardons for all of you... on the condition you'll join our team.

Eddie: No offense but...

Cletus: We're not really big fans of the military industrial complex.

[*because Eddie is too polite and Cletus has no qualms about saying it because his abusive dad was a military man*]

Frances: You understand we're not exactly eager to work for the guys who locked me up?

Flash: I'm sorry that happened to you. That wasn't us. We looked into your case...

Cletus [tersly]: ...What exactly took my wife then?

Flash: Ravencroft was a private prison company.

Frances: Was?

Flash: From what I understand they disappeared after your jailbreak exposed them and their doings but the most likely scenario is they just changed names and are operating somewhere else. [with genuine sympathy] I'm sorry.

Eddie: Okay, assuming all that is true... we still don't exactly know what you're doing.

Cletus: Yeah, what if they ask us to do something against our conscience?

Flash [snorts]: You're trying to say you're pacifists? [Looks at Cletus] You?

Cletus: Well... I have been trying to stay out of trouble, avoid doing this sorta thing. It leads to... bad habits. This is like asking an alcoholic to work at a bar. You understand?

Flash: ...yes. I do understand. Did you want me to sponsor you?

Cletus: Sponsor?

Flash: I attend A.A. regularly. I know that's not exactly the same but...

Cletus: [*considering it, glancing at Eddie who recently had a problem with actual drinking*]

Flash: If it helps our unit doesn't fight anyone on Earth. I'm not supposed to say this... but since everyone here already knows aliens exist I think I can tell you what we do. Project Space Knight is dedicated solely to protecting the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. So what do you say? Are you folks interested? We'd really value your skills and expertise in this.

[Later, Eddie and Venom in a private moment]

Eddie: Flash he's... He's a good guy.

Venom: Yes, he's my friend.

Eddie: Now I feel like an asshole for hating him.

Venom: Well, you're my asshole. Who I'd save this dirtball for.

[kenny-the-blink]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Peter Parker & Flash Thompson Characters: Flash Thompson, Peter Parker, Harrison Thompson, Jessica Thompson Additional Tags: one bed trope, Kinda, Child Abuse, taking care of wounds, forceful medical care, neither of them know what they're doing, Peter Parker destroys a hotel bed, Angst, i have no clue how to tag, no beta we die like men Summary:

Flash tries his best to recover from his father's surprise visit but a school field trip and Peter Parker as a roommate make that very difficult... or easier. He isn't sure

[xxcocoiiixx]

𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞

[anticomedygarden]

memory of you part 3

read on ao3 | part 1

Do you remember Europe? Do you think of Spider-Man or Peter Parker when you remember all the destruction I caused? I kinda hope you think of Spider-Man. At least Spider-Man managed to save your lives.

-

When the bell for dismissal rang at the end of eighth period, Betty ran straight out of the classroom and still somehow managed to miss Ned. First, the asshole had the gall to ignore her during class - during which she took no notes, by the way, didn't even open her backpack - and then he disappeared? On Betty? Not to quote Carly Rae Jepsen, but they were never, ever getting back together.

She quickly changed her trajectory for the class Flash was getting out of, pushing through throngs of now very angry teenagers and didn't even make it all the way to Flash's class before she found him.

"We have to go find that kid," they both said at the same time.

Betty nodded, at once excited and a little worried that Flash has been so haunted by the ghost of Mystery Boy that he was skipping his post class networking to talk to her. "Get your keys out. I have a plan."

Frantically, he pulled his keys out of his pants pocket, and she grabbed his arm to drag him through the hallways and out the side door leading to the parking lot. Within seconds, they had tossed their school stuff in the backseat and climbed in the the front, not wasting any time on the trunk.

Even with their small headstart and Flash's honk inducing exit from the parking space nearly into someone else's car, they were still caught in the long line of people trying to leave the lot. From catching rides with friends, she knew it could be another 10 or 15 minutes before they even made it to the street, let alone the front of the school.

"Motherfucker," Betty muttered, perching her arm on the car door and looking mournfully at the brick boxing them in on the right.

Flash echoed the curse, then glanced at Betty questioningly. "Why do you want to find out about this kid so bad anyway?"

"Do I need a reason?" she snapped, then winced. "Sorry. I just don't like not knowing." She also didn't like her devices knowing more about him than she did. As a future liberal arts major, that just couldn't stand. "What about you?"

Flash went uncharacteristically quiet as he finally managed to pull out onto the road, still stuck behind more than a dozen other cars but at least out of the parking lot. After another minute, he said, "I'm not sure. Something about this just feels important."

She sensed there was more to it than that; after all, when did Flash ever do something unless it would benefit him? Hell, the guy had tried to publish a book about being Spider-Man's best friend. But she let it be since the road had just opened up in front of them, allowing them to pull out in front of the school.

Scanning the crowd, she didn't see Ned or MJ, but there were dozens of students milling around, so they could still be there.

Who was she kidding? They were long gone. But it was fine. Because Betty knew where MJ worked, and she knew that the other girl had a shift starting right about now.

"Go to the café on 6th and 38th," Betty instructed. "MJ has a shift right now."

Flash side eyes her but did as she said. "Should I be creeped out that you know so much about our lives? I feel like should be creeped out."

Betty scoffed. "You go to a school for nerds, just be glad I don't know your exact risk of mortality at this specific moment." MJ or Ned would probably know. They were the nerds at the nerd school.

Once they got to the café, Betty had him park on the opposite side of the street while she took out her phone and opened the camera. She pointed the lens at the cafe's big window and zoomed in until she could see the faces of the people inside. First, there was MJ behind the counter talking to someone and already in her blue uniform. On the other side of the counter was Ned, also talking to the same person as MJ. Whoever it was had their back to the door.

Momentarily, the sound of sirens distracted her, and she almost missed the person turning their head around. Miraculously, she managed to catch a glimpse of their face.

"That's him!" she exclaimed. "Mystery boy."

"What? Where?" Flash's head whipped around. "In the café?"

"Yes! That's him!" Betty started unbuckling her seatbelt. "Let's go, I-"

Suddenly, a fire engine sped past them followed closely by multiple cop cars. When she looked back into the café, the guy was gone, and MJ was barreling out the doors with Ned close on her heels.

"Nevermind, follow them!"

Fortunately, Flash was already ready to go, and the next two minutes were a nerve-wracking mess of sharp turns and missed stop signs until their classmates finally came to a stop seven blocks away.

She didn't even need to say anything to Flash for him to pull up right next to Ned and MJ, their shocked and winded faces barely registering as Betty leaned over and said, "Get in losers, we're going stalking."

-

Do you remember when we watched our first rated-R movie on my bedroom floor on my shitty laptop that we rebuilt with parts from a dumpster? It kept buffering, but we were too caught up in the teenage rebellion of it all to care. You were 14 and I was 13. My uncle died less than a year later, and you held me as I cried.

-

Ned was having the weirdest day. First, MJ told him to lie to Betty. Then, suddenly everyone was randomly obsessed with Peter from the café who they all apparently met before and had something to do with Spider-Man, which all led to right now, after a series of increasingly strange events, being packed into the very small backseat of Flash's convertible alongside MJ and Flash and Betty's backpacks while Flash drove - or, really, careened - toward the column of smoke several blocks away.

"So, what, you've just been following us?" MJ asked, accusatory. She was remarkably calm, or at least appeared so, after her sprint and near melt down after Peter vanished.

"Well-" Flash started.

"Yes, we've obviously been following you," Betty interrupted, white knuckling her car door as Flash took another 90 degree turn at 75 miles an hour. "But you're following Spider-Man, so I really don't see what the problem is. Also, you wouldn't tell me about Mystery Guy, so really, this is on you."

"Mystery Guy?" Ned echoed. "You mean Peter?"

MJ glared at him, but the effect was somewhat lost as the shaking car rumbled over the uneven road at cheetah speeds, and the wind from the open top whipped her hair every which way. "Ned!"

"What? They are clearly in this as much as we are. We should pool our resources." He couldn't be the only one to understand that. Besides, he'd seen enough movies of all genres to know that secret keeping always bites the hero in the ass.

"So that's his name," Betty said, sounding very triumphant. Then she thudded against her door.

"And you know him!" Flash cut in, palming the wheel like an expert Formula 1 racer. Ned wondered if he'd been street racing in his spare time.

"I wouldn't really say that we know him," Ned said, thinking about the twitchy boy who rarely said much, just grabbed his coffee and donut everyday, then sat and listened.

"Ned!" MJ admonished again.

Ned rolled his eyes. "Look, none of us really know what's going on, all of us have different information-," he paused for Flash to cut a corner close enough to scrape a trash can, "-and we all have the same goal. The most advantageous thing would be to share info."

MJ pursed her lips but bit out a "fine".

"I'll go first," Betty announced, which was probably for the best. Even after agreeing to this, MJ woild still want to construct her additions based on everyone else's, and she still might not give everything away. "Everyone I've talked to said they feel like they recognize him from the picture I found, but none of them know why. I also found an empty file on my computer labeled 'Spider-Man' that gave me strong Peter vibes."

Ned thought there might have been a better way to word that, but it was still interesting. Not much they didn't know already, though.

In the driver's seat, Flash had started vibrating a little, which was mildly concerning. "I think I bullied him." When no one responded, he continued, "Peter. May have been bullied. By me." When still no one said anything, he threw up a hand and said, "You could be a little more surprised!"

"We really couldn't," Ned said. He still remembered all of the jabs and whatnot from before Flash's random turnaround and was mildly mollified when the other boy's shoulders crawled up to his ears.

"We're sorry, Flash," MJ said in a tone that clearly said she wasn't sorry. "Can you please explain in great detail why you think that, you, the former bully, formerly bullied Peter?"

Flash huffed but answered the question. "When Betty showed me the picture, I got this whole flood of memories with Peter in them." Flash took a deep breath. "I think he went to Midtown. And I called him Penis. Penis Parker. So his last name must be Parker."

"So you did know why you know him!" Betty screeched and started laying into Flash for not telling her before, apparently ignoring the revelation of Peter's last name for the time being.

But Ned wasn't paying attention to that because MJ, putting the pieces together far faster than the rest of them, muttered, "Peter Parker," just loud enough for Ned to hear, and then everything got so much weirder.

Just as Flash described, it was like a barrage of memories smacking right into his brain, memories that he hadn't thought about in forever that were inexplicably altered, plus some that felt totally new and perpetually familiar at the same time. There were movies and video games that Ned thought he'd seen and played alone, there were school lunches and study sessions, there were Lego builds with pale hands next to Ned's darker ones, tears over black clothes, explosions across Europe and D.C., AcaDec practices, burned food in a little Queens apartment, awkward parties next to curly brown hair, investigations into alien tech smuggling and fake superheroes, and so much more. It was like watching his entire lifetime in the span of 30 seconds with one critical addition: Peter Parker, his best friend, who Ned didn't even realize was missing from his life until just now, when everything that had been knocked askew was suddenly right again. Also, Spider-Man, and the guy in the chair. That was also a thing. But more importantly, his best friend, who was probably so lonely right now, and where was he even living? What was he doing? Did he have any friends?

And the biggest question: why hadn't he said anything to Ned and MJ like he'd promised? What made him think that haunting the narrative was the better option?

On top of all the questions, Ned was left with three unacceptable truths: May was dead, the world forgot Peter, and Peter was alone. That couldn't stand.

Ned had been there for Peter when his parents, his Uncle Ben, and Tony died. He would be there for him now.

Fuck Doctor Strange. Fuck the multiverse. Ned's friend needed him.

"Guys," Ned said over the sound of Flash and Betty's bickering. "Peter is Spider-Man."

That shut them up real quick.

In front of him, Betty swiveled in her seat and made a 'go on' motion with her hand. MJ looked pensive; it was to her that he spoke and to her narrowed brown eyes that he focused in a valiant effort to keep his voice even. "I think I just got the same thing that happened to Flash when you said Peter Parker. I remember everything." Ned had to take a deep breath. "He's my best friend. And he's Spider-Man. And he needs us." Just that little bit of information was hard enough to get out, so he decided to save the revelation of Peter being MJ's boyfriend for a more private setting, or to just try and let her remember it for herself. She probably wouldn't believe it if it came from anyone but herself, anyway. She was already looking at Ned with suspicion in her eyes, mouth slightly parted.

"That's great and all," Flash started, voice raised, "but how does that help us right now?"

"Yeah, do you remember why we forgot him?" Betty asked, still peaking around the side of her seat.

Without even thinking, a memory floated to the front of Ned's mind of the Statue of Liberty, Doctor Strange, and despair. Suddenly, Ned didn't feel much like talking.

MJ must have picked up on his mood shift because she said, "It doesn't matter. All that matters right now is finding Spider-Man."

Flash started grumbling, but Betty somehow perked up even more and turned to him. "Speaking of, where the hell are you going?"

"What do you mean, where am I going? I'm going to the fire," Flash said incredulously.

Betty looked to dramatically. "And where do you think the fire is?"

"IHOP," Flash said confidently. "Where do you think it is?"

"McDonald's," Betty intoned with a pointed side eye.

MJ's sharp gaze turned to the front of the car. "It's obviously coming from the DMV."

Ned had thought the fire was coming from the Laundromat, but between the other three people in the convertible, he was never getting that out, so he let them argue about the psychology of localization and something about sensory and perception - he didn't bother to listen or contribute, everything that had to do with AP Psych from last year was currently overtaken by holy shit best friend Spider-Man Peter - while he took out his phone and found the Spider-Man spotting TikTok page.

A few seconds later, he leaned forward in his seat. "As of 15 seconds ago, Spider-Man is at a burning building on 175th and 90th."

Everyone stopped talking after that because their seat belts were in their throats.

-

Do you remember how many pictures you drew of me? You made fun of me because I was always in crisis. If you could see me now, you'd have so much more material.

-

After all that arguing, it was a bit of a surprise to turn a corner and see a billowing fire - not that bad, honestly, she'd seen worse - and blue and red lights, a frantic crowd, and emergency responders. Through it all, MJ didn't see Spider-Man, but he was probably in the building being a hero or whatever.

She jumped out of the car right onto the street as Flash did another terrible parallel parking job, Betty following close behind her. Like a loser, Ned waited for the car to come to a full and complete stop before joining them.

"Have you remembered anything yet?" Betty asked once they were across the street. It was a struggle to hear her over all the sirens and screaming.

MJ pursed her lips, stubbornly wanting to refuse to share her lack of information, but she could see that that wasn't right. She just tried to not sound too disappointed, mollified by the likelihood that the other girl could barely hear her as long as she didn't scream it. "No. You?"

Betty gazed intently at the smoky fire and partially destroyed building. "Some stuff's coming back."

And, see, MJ didn't understand how that was possible. Because everything she was feeling right now? That was the strongest she had ever felt anything: love, panic, loss, despair, desire, all of it; and she didn't understand why she of all of them was the last to remember. She clearly had a strong connection to Peter Parker and Spider-Man, maybe stronger than any other connection she'd ever had, so why couldn't she remember any of it, but freaking Betty did?

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of tangible red and blue spandex wrapped around a screaming child. Within seconds, the figure had passed the kid off to a firefighter and swung back into the building. Inexplicably, MJ found herself taking a step forward as if to follow the vigilante.

That, more than anything, was proof that he was something big to her. If it was anyone else in that spider suit, even Betty, she would never have considered running into that building.

A hand jumped into her peripheral vision. "There he is!" Ned screeched.

Sure enough, Spider-Man was back on the sidewalk, landing gracefully next to the nearest firefighter on top of the bright red truck. He was actually close enough that she could hear him. "I think I got everyone, but I'm gonna do another sweep."

The man didn't get a chance answer before the vigilante was turning back around. This was her chance. "Spider-Man!" she screamed.

He jolted so hard that he almost smacked his head on the ladder. "MJ?" His eye lenses went wider than they already were. "I mean, yes, ma'am? What is it?"

Ned snorted next to her, and she could imagine that the others had similar unimpressed expressions. Her face would have mirrored theirs if she wasn't so pissed off.

"What the fuck, dude?" Ned said with a voice crack more characteristic of someone three years younger than him.

MJ quickly found that the mask could convey much. more than wide eyed shock. Panic, for example. "Gotta go!"

He started to take off again, but MJ gathered all the breath left in her and shrieked, "PETER PARKER!"

It was kinda comical how fast he stopped, like a Looney Tunes character realizing there was nothing beneath them but empty air. She could almost hear the, "Ruh-roh."

Now she found that the mask could show guilt as well. "I have no idea-"

"No," Ned spoke up for the second time, surprising MJ with a voice of steel. "You don't get to do that. You promised you would find us and tell us about all of this, and now you're gonna tell us in detail why you didn't."

For a second, MJ thought it worked and he was actually gonna stay and talk, but then he pivoted, laser focused on something in the direction of the building. He leapt away.

"That fucker," Ned murmured.

"What do we do now?" Flash asked. "I mean, we already followed him here. What else can we do?"

That was the question, wasn't it? This whole thing had been one long Achilles paradox, and now Peter had gone somewhere he knew they couldn't follow.

Was that true, though? MJ looked at the fire again, pushing past the pain in her eyes. The flames seemed to be contained to the top floor, and heat and smoke rose. Plus, the fire wasn't that big. She'd certainly seen bigger ones, both living in post Chitauri New York and traveling through Europe with Mysterio on the loose. And, Peter said he'd gotten everyone out, so she wouldn't be distracting him from those actually in danger.

So she took a deep breath and ran.