text / anonymous / encrypted

[unmasking]

[There are some things you can't run from. For Peter, he's been trying to run, but things keep coming up, keep reminding him. He went a good month of pretending that he was just a normal guy who made it out of his world alive. It was a good lie. Even for those people who knew him as Spider-Man, no one needed to know that his final moments in his life were spent saving Aunt May. They didn't need to know that he had given his all and that he was actually happy with what he managed.

But there's dying. And then there's finding out you aren't dead. There's finding out that you have a whole new life, and that somewhere, in another dimension, a "you" managed to grow up. Sue knew him. Bucky knew him. Even that grumpy Nathan guy knew a Spider-Man. And for all that, he's been trying to make it less obvious that he's surprised that he grew up. It's been hard, and he knows it'll continue.

It has to, after all. With great power and all that, and this world has bigger problems than his.

But still, he sets out to ask this question, because he knows it's better to ask now than later. He had to be careful about what thing he said to Charlie that one day. When he phrases his question, he rereads it a couple times, taking out anything that sounds too much like him. The last thing Peter needs is someone tracing it back to him.

He's not ready for those conversations.]

I've got a question, but first, please don't try to trace this back to me. If you've already done that and broken my encryption, let's just pretend you didn't. [Also, you're a jerk, but he had to cut that part out. Too ... him.]

What happens if you died before you came here? What's left for me after this all ends? Before you ask, yeah, I definitely died.

I just thought I'd ask.

Comments

[totallytrustworthy]

buy me a solid cup of coffee for my efforts and consider it done

though its a shame there arent any cars to be found out here right now

[unmasking]

Were there before? Did you race around and do stunt driver-esque stuff for fun?

[totallytrustworthy]

nah. was building a motorbike from spare parts though till the bombing took it out. total beauty if not for the fact that it was a complete bastardization of all things known and loved over the years but beggars cant be choosers right ;)

you drive?

[unmasking]

[He died before he got his license.

But that's sad and also identity-revealing.]

I learned how, but most people don't drive where I come from.

[... Which is revealing enough given his New York City joy. But he's trying.]

[totallytrustworthy]

[Not to worry, Peter. Chloe's dense as anything when it comes to superheroes and their nonsense: the last Spider-Man she spoke with she wound up assuming he was one of those shut-in sorts with a penchant for giving themselves bizarre usernames.]

horses? camels? elephants? llamas maybe

[unmasking]

Worse: we brave public transit during rush hour.

[totallytrustworthy]

are you actively trying to make me pity you?

[unmasking]

You should admire my generally cavalier attitude when it comes to that stuff. It might be worse, but it's life.

[totallytrustworthy]

fair enough. lets say youre my new hero and leave it at that ;)

[unmasking]

I'll take it.

[totallytrustworthy]

cheers then darling

and should you ever need a dose of advice I'll be about no questions asked

[unmasking]

I'll remember that.

Thanks.