Log | The Multiverse Is Weird

[heyunderoos]

Who: Peter Parker & You
When: December 13th and beyond
Where: Around the ADI building and downtown Gloucester
Summary: Peter tries to understand why, who, how and what all at once.
Warnings:claustrophobia, spiders

A. Well, This Is Awkward - OTA - cw: claustrophobia, spiders

[Falling into a vent when one had been previously walking away from a bar in Prague was sure a thing. A time even. Peter can't even really process what happens before he lands heavily on his stomach with a loud metal thunk. He grunts in surprise, clutching at his side with a wince. The Night Monkey costume does a decent job of cushioning some of the landing.

He looks around, just staring at the darkness. It takes him a moment to actively put together that he's trapped in a vent. The musty smell and metal walls surrounding him just make him guess that anyway.]

...Why am I in a vent?

[Peter's active confusion is why he isn't panicking. Normally an enclosed dark space would freak him out. Right now he's too baffled to actively panic. His grip tightens on the straps of his backpack as he forces himself to take a breath. Peter bites the inside of his cheek as he opts to just start crawling forward. The best way out is to find an opening somewhere. He can do that. Just focus on that, not the oppressive feeling of being inside of a vent.

Anyone below him will hear him moving around. Peter focuses on his breathing as he goes, grimacing when he bumps into something.

Why is his life like this? Why?

The spider drops on his face and he yelps in surprise, recoiling back. The sound of something jolting around in the small metal space is very hard to miss.]

B. Its Free, Actually! - OTA

[Actually getting a chance to walk around Gloucester feels freeing. A little nice even after going through all the weird introductions on base. Its definitely not New York by a long shot but it's pretty nice all the same. He's gotten the warning to avoid Dogtown, whatever that is, so, he's sticking with something kind of normal so far.

Peter is trying to not freak out about all of this and focus on anything else. Start small, build up. He can do that.]

Okay, so, in theory, I could start around here. Clothes, shoes, a flip phone, maybe. [He slows to a stop on the sidewalk, mentally trying to figure out just store to hit first. People drift by him, absorbed in their day to day lives, Peter is barely a footnote in their lives. He's fine with that. He wants to be normal, unnoticed for a while longer. That was what his whole summer vacation had been about until Elementals showed up. He couldn't help but worry about home given what he had been dragged away from.

Thankfully, Mr. Beck had it handled now. He had E.D.I.T.H, he could help Mr. Fury with Avenger stuff until Peter got back. So everyone was in good hands. He would worry about that later.

He lets the thoughts drop out of his head as he dug his hand into his jean pocket, tapping his fingers against the surface of his wallet. He had been given some money to get some new clothes and necessities off campus. It isn't a lot of money, but it can get him started somewhere.

He frowns a little debating with himself before releasing a sigh. Dumpster diving would save him some money, even if he would have to sort through everything he found.

Peter ducks between two stores, walking down the alleyway until he ends up somewhere behind an electronics store. He waits to see if anyone comes outside before approaching the dumpster. He flips the lid open carefully, picking over the array of electronics thrown inside. Older computer consoles, broken phones, keyboards, monitors... There is a lot to go over in here.

He shifts his backpack off his shoulder, unzipping it and already grabbing a few smaller components to stash away inside. He turns his attention back to the dumpster, frowning thoughtfully now.

Peter for his part is rooting around for anything useful, his attention focused a bit too intently on the finds within to notice anyone who could have found him amidst his crime.]


C. Survival Of The Fittest (test drive meme based prompt) - OTA

[Peter is definitely out of his depth here. After the lengthy introduction process, some mass confusion and strange conversations an ADI agent strongly suggested he take one of the training courses. Thus, Peter wound his way to the underground gym.

Peter stares at the various stations. He knows logically, he probably should learn some kind of self defense, but the idea of it makes him uncomfortable. What if his powers come back? Would a better punch hurt someone worse?

He just shakes his head before looking at his fellow drafted ADI agents for some idea of what to do.]

Uh, any... recommendations? I kinda have no idea where to even start.

[Will you help him, oh stranger?]


D. Wildcard

[Got a different idea? Want to go apeshit? Hit up this prompt.]

Comments

B; diceroller said so

[neonleon]

[All right. Leo's been on the downlow since he got here. He has not felt right, his ninpo doesn't feel right but he's been chalking that up to his brothers not being here and not... whatever....... he was told about his powers.

But he knows he's not """suPpOsEd""" to go outside in town without a disguise, so he's wandering around in a big hoodie he snagged and pants at least. Cruising the city dumpsters for anything interesting. He gets to the mouth of one alley and peeks in to see if there's-

Huh. He keeps his hood pulled far over his face so his whole situation isn't so obvious and hands in the pockets.]

Thought I was the only one going through these. Anything interesting?

[heyunderoos]

[Peter startles a little at the sudden voice, he turns to look at the other person. Both relieved it is seemingly another teenager, and relieved the person doesn't seem outright disgusted he's digging through the garbage.

The distance along with the hoodie means Peter can't completely make out what the guy looks like.]

People really should dumpster dive more often, we'd have a lot less stuff wasted honestly.

[He glances down into the open dumpster.] So far, its a lot of broken electronics. I can probably turn these into something pretty easy.

[neonleon]

Right? People throw so much good stuff away.

[At the mention of electronics, he starts stepping closer. Probably the weird thing for Peter is the utter silence as he moves. But he's considering... He doesn't really like.. know electronics? And Don's not here, so what could he conceivably find to be useful. But he'll step closer to peer into the dumpster next to him.]

Like what? Tech isn't really my scene, but what've you got?

[heyunderoos]

[The fact the other teen moves so quietly is a little weird, okay more than a little weird. Peter isn't sure what to make of it. He's used to hearing people walk and recognizing their gaits. He makes a mental note of that.

Peter's attention turned back to what he dragged into his backpack.]

I was thinking of building a computer. There are a few things in here I can pull apart pretty easily. Newer than my last laptop too. My cellphone is kinda old now, so, in theory, I could swap some stuff around.

[He shifts to look back in the dumpster itself.] It looks like a game console is in there, like, if it wasn't in the worst shape it could probably get saved too.

Let's go with A! Welcome to the arrived-in-a-vent club

[punched_hitler]

[Steve knows firsthand what it's like to arrive in a vent. Granted, he might have been more cramped than some, but it sure sounds like whoever is banging around in there isn't having a great time of it.]

Hey, [he calls up from below - he patrols this area relatively frequently for newcomers,] d'you need some help up there? There's a cover you can knock out about... two feet toward the sound of my voice, if you think you can make it.

[Otherwise, he'll do what he can to help from down here.]

they've both been vented,,,

[heyunderoos]

Help would be- great, actually! [Peter's voice is unsurprisingly strained at this point. He's managed to swat some spiders off of himself, but he's not thrilled.]

Okay, uh- cover, got it!

[There is some shuffling, awkward shuffling before the grate in question shakes. Fingers poking through it. Peter shoves at it, and pauses in confusion when he realizes it isn't giving.

Why can't he just push this open?]

|D

[punched_hitler]

[Steve has moved over to underneath the grate, and he can see that the poor guy inside the vent has done the same.]

Try giving it an elbow, [he suggests, but the scraping sounds coming from the room below probably indicate that he's dragging something over to climb on so he can help. Because he can't just jump and assume he'll make it, which he has finally started getting through his head by now.]

[heyunderoos]

[Peter just stares at the grate, before shaking off his confusion. Okay, not great. He should have been able to do that with zero effort.]

Right, I just didn't think it was in this good.

[He slams his elbow into the grate. He has to do it again to make the grate pop off entirely. Peter pokes his head out hanging upside down fairly unafraid of it for someone stuck inside a vent.] ...Where even is this?

C

[musicdied]

[Yelena has been drafted, though not as a student. While she's not one of ADI's powerhouses, she's a skilled fighter - and unlike some, she has no qualms about imparting her knowledge to other people.

It might keep them alive a little bit longer, and she's grown more than tired of losing people.

She's testing the heft of a practice baton when Peter's question catches her attention, and she turns towards him, eyes widening momentarily in surprise before she offers him a crooked little smile.]

I would recommend starting with learning how to throw a proper punch.

[She sets the baton down and plants her hands on her hips, giving him a quick once-over, looking for signs of injury more than sizing him up.]

Hello, Peter. I wasn't expecting to see you again.

[heyunderoos]

[The recognition surprises the teenager. He blinks a little. Did he meet her recently? When? Peter is mentally trying to place her face and failing.

In contrast to the last time they met, Peter seems steadier. More present and less like a startled animal ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger. He's wearing something casual, but too big for his frame. Large t-shirt, flannel shirt that's left open. Something that makes him seem smaller than his actual shape.]

I- probably should learn more about fighting.

[He hates asking this, but he has to.]

I'm sorry, if its rude, but- did we meet before-?

[musicdied]

[Given the circumstances of their first meeting, she can't quite be sure whether he seems more stable due to the absence of any hallucinatory prisons, or due to whatever he'd experienced during his absence. Either way, it's a relief to see him a little less on edge.

The apparent gap in his memory, however, is not a relief.

She considers, briefly, the sawdust-filled doppelgangers that had wandered out of Dogtown, but puts aside the notion for the moment - it's something to keep an eye out for, but so far, no double seems to have appeared from someone who wasn't active in Gloucester at the time.]

We did. You weren't having a very good day. This place likes to mess with people's heads.

[heyunderoos]

[Peter is decidedly unaware of sawdust filled doppplegangers. He just seems baffled by the lead this conversation is taking. He just seems openly confused, but willing to hear Yelena out.]

I... I'm gonna take your word for it, because as far as I know right now, I arrived like this week?

C...D...

[ployboy]

Well, it's the gym. Not quite where they're hosting the training days; connected by modern locker rooms, the courts are divided into their respective spaces for the chosen sport. Tim is currently in one corner digging through a seemingly pathetic array of basketballs with far too much focus, all in different states of disuse. He's been... back, long enough to borrow joggers and to fix his head. Not long enough to resolve the clusterfuck of this morning, but that's why he's here.

To blow off steam.

He takes one basketball, bounces it once, twice against the floor. Once against the wall he's facing.

Content with the-- bounce, and feeling antsy at the echo of being (presumably) alone in this square of ADI, Tim puts his all into slinging the ball out into the court. His plan had been to. y'know. jog after it, get the game started. He didn't mean to hurl the thing right at this other guy, and all he can do is squawk a regret-filled warning of

"Watch out!"

because oh that is not going to end well, no.

[heyunderoos]

Peter isn't particularly sporty, well, as Peter Parker. As Spider-Man he's fond of leaping around and stopping crimes, which requires some athleticism. Now he was back to being normal-? Kind of. He hadn't gotten back his asthma or illnesses, so all in all it balanced out.

He had ducked into the gym to scope it out, wondering what else lay in the building. This place is huge.

Peter without his spider sense absolutely gets beaned in the head with a basketball. He absolutely hits the ground with a startled yelp as the ball bounces off free and wild from its first kill of the day.

Peter groans, clutching at his head. "Well, I caught it with my head."

[ployboy]

And there it is.

Tim sucks in a breath through his teeth and, wouldn't you know it, he gets his jog in regardless. The second the ball had been in the air was a bit like a trainwreck and Tim had been able to power through the cringe. He's by the guy's side in a moment, body language bleeding lament.

"Sorry, I'm sorry--" And now is not the time to think of chan-board greentext. He holds out a hand to hopefully help Peter up and, uh, smooth his guilt. The other kid doesn't look... too beat up. Which is. good. "I didn't look, and I should have. I thought I was alone here."

[heyunderoos]

"No, no- you're good!" Peter offers back with a wince accepting the offered hand to get back onto his feet. It takes Peter a second to steady out on his feet. He keeps the other hand pressed his hand against the part of his head the ball collided with. It is definitely going to hurt for a while. He really misses all the perks of the spider bite right now.

"I know it was an accident. I've been beaned by basketballs before on purpose. So, I know you didn't mean to get me."

C

[worthallthis]

Winter is hanging out by the weaponry and practice mats and dummies, but he's close enough to overhead the question, and he eyes Peter for a beat. He remembers that kid. From here, not from his own world.

"Well. What do you like to do," he asks. Yes, that is a question. Winter still has some issues with getting his tone right, so his voice tends to wind up a bit flat.

[heyunderoos]

"Uh." Peter for his part does not realize they met at all. He pauses, wondering why Bucky Barnes is here before drawing back from the thought. He can ask in a little bit. The fact he's out of costume means he's hesitant about springing that on the other man.

"Engineering? Science-y stuff? This is more survival, which I don't know a lot about honestly." He rubs the back of his neck. "I should probably learn to really throw a punch too." No super strength means he's operating on muscle memory and bad impulses. He's more used to relying on his strength first.

[worthallthis]

"Survival isn't my best skill, either," Winter agrees with a solemn nod. He knows a few things, like how to hunker down in the snow behind shelter, or navigate by the stars for some reason, but finding things to live off of or starting a fire are not high on his list of abilities. "Punching, however, I am very good at."

He looks Peter over briefly, and offers, "I can show you some things, if you want. If you want to put in some time to really learn things. I've taught several people here the basics of how not to die in a fight."

B. child what are you doing

[fightinginfinity]

[ In a world where it isn't uncommon for Tony to be confronted with three different and uniquely horrific supernatural anomalies before he's had first cup of coffee for the day, it reads as immediately ironic that the thing he finds most shocking in the present moment is the sight of Peter Parker dashing into an alleyway as if he'd just got caught shoplifting from a 7-11.

He almost can't trust his eyes. Maybe he doesn't want to. Whichever it is, he keeps doing what he's doing for the time being, which at the present moment is caffeinating by the window of a dingy little Seattle-style hole-in-the-wall coffee place across from the electronics store as he weighs his options. Just as things often go in Tony's head, a full-on existential battle is silently taking place, in which his emotions launch an all-out offensive against his logic and a novel's worth of interior dialogue ensues within the span of a handful of seconds. The Cliffnotes version is as follows:

If it isn't the kid, then Tony is most definitely going to have to contend with some supernatural fuckery or another, and like, he'd just sat down. If it is the kid, though, then he'll probably still have to contend with some supernatural fuckery or another, and then he'll have to contend with the emotional turmoil that will inevitably come from seeing the kid again and subjecting himself to the the risk of losing him for a third fucking time, which he cannot fucking handle.

It's actually kind of a short battle, all things considered. More like a skirmish, really.

Because regardless of whether the kid is real or not, he's still Tony's responsibility, and there's at least some probability that he won't fuck it up this time...however infinitesimal. So he resigns himself, abandons his spot, leaves a tip that's way too generous for a guy who isn't rich anymore, and makes a straight beeline out the shop and across the street to the store in question (a store he's quite familiar with, incidentally, because of course).

He's armed, like he always is. Pre-Gloucester that meant wearing his nanobots on his chest 24/7 in lieu of the arc reactor; now it means concealed carrying any one or two of the makeshift weapons he'd built and stockpiled over the months and praying that they'll work in a crisis. He's got his hand on one of those now as he makes it to the back of the shop and searches around for Peter, feeling the stirrings of anxiety in his chest when he doesn't spot him right away.

But then there's an audible shuffling sound, and some muttering, and...oh. Oh, my God. Tony releases the breath he'd been holding with an audible sigh and lowers his stun gun immediately. ]

Well, you can take the kid out of Queens...

[heyunderoos]

[Peter for his part is decidedly unaware of the threat of being stun gunned. His mind focused on the task at hand. Rooting through the dumpster for anything particularly useful. He hasn't properly dug around any dumpsters back home in a while, his life became too complicated for that. Balancing patrol, schoolwork and everything in between meant he was stretched thin on actual time or energy.

More or less starting over in Gloucester means he is back to square one, so its time to dig for something useful. If he's going to be able to help, he needs to have something to work with. His powers aren't really working far as he's aware, so he needs to improvise.

That line of thought bolsters him through his digging.

The familiar voice makes Peter go completely still. His grip tightens at the edge of the dumpster. Is he going crazy? What is going on? Is this the weird stuff the other agents were warning him about?

He turns around slowly. His expression drops into something shocked, and sad all at once as he stares at Tony. The recognition is obvious, but Peter looks better than he did before. More present, less disconnected from reality.

He opens and close his mouth, teeth clicking together.] ...M-Mr. Stark-?

Its- you're- [And he stumbles over his words. His voice is much smaller than he intends it to be.] You're... here?

[fightinginfinity]

[ ...Ah, shit.

Tony's brain synapses start firing at hyperspeed, the way they usually do when he feels that first swoop of anxiety low in his stomach. It's not like he hadn't expected this; he'd calculated a higher-than average probability, actually, that this Peter would arrive from a different point in time than the 'last' Peter did-- but Lady Anxiety is, as always, completely irrational. Impossible to reason with. A real dyed-in-the-wool bitch.

But...

The knot in Tony's stomach tightens.

But, she so helpfully reminds, there's that other layer to it now, isn't there? Now that Tony knows. He knows now that this Peter, just like the last, is shocked to see him because...in all likelihood, in his timeline, Tony had just... ]

Yeah. [ He replies immediately; as is typical for Tony, all that thought just happened in the span of a microsecond. ] I'm here, kid.

[ It's surprising to Tony how quickly his own voice softens, but that kinda thing always is. Call it Pavlovian, a natural reaction to Miss Anxiety's nonstop reminders that he's the Worst Person Ever, Actually. Seriously. Bitch. ]

Here, let me help you outta there. [ He extends a hand mostly out of courtesy; even without his Spider-ling powers, Peter is more than capable of climbing out unassisted. And...maybe Tony could use the extra confirmation that the kid is really here. Maybe. ]

D.

[semilethal]

[This whole 'living with and around people who are not his brothers' thing blows. Like, it's horrible, it sets Donnie's teeth on edge, even with the familiarity of the lab equipment in his apartment and his battle shell on his back. He's spent as little time as possible in the apartment over the past day and a half, and he plans to keep it that way as often as he can manage. It's too cold to sleep outside though, and besides that Donnie is not about that life.

He did check out Bonnie's. And then he left right after. Good god.

So it is with disappointed trepidation that he drags himself back to his very temporary lodgings, resigned to another night pretending like he can sleep around a bunch of strangers with just a locked door between he and they.

He passes the other apartments in his block, up the stairs.

He ignores Leonardo's annoying yells from behind a nearby door.

He-]

[semilethal]

[-r UNS BACK TO THAT APARTMENT AND KICKS OPEN THE DOOR]

LEO?!

i'm cackling

[heyunderoos]

[The line of conversation Peter and Leo had been on is decidedly derailed by Donnie's sudden very loud entrance.

The brunette awkwardly stares at the doorway, blinking before looking back to Leo, then back at Donnie.]

Oh- two of you-? [Not the most particularly brilliant response, but it sure came out of his mouth first.]