Peter Parker's New Groove by CambrianBeckett

Fragments of Infinity

Instinctively, Peter knows that he stands before the personifications of Infinity. These six women, each brightly glowing with the color that represents their aspect of the universe, are the very same Infinity Stones that Peter utilized when he snapped his fingers and destroyed Thanos and his armies, all those months ago.

However, they're not just those fragments of Infinity. Each of them has taken on a… guise, of sorts. They've all taken on feminine bodies, and the likenesses of women who have interacted with them in some way in recent times. Specifically, within Peter's lifetime. He doesn't recognize all of them, these women. And yet, he knows them instinctively all the same.

For Soul, the likeness is of Natasha Romanoff. For Space, Carol Danvers. Mind, Wanda Maximoff. Reality, Jane Foster. Power, Gamora, Daughter of Thanos, and Time, the Ancient One… but that was just the final moniker she was known by. When she was still young, when she first touched the Time Stone hundreds of years before, the woman who would go on to become Sorcerer Supreme had been known as Boudicca the Celt, her red hair long, voluminous, and flowing.

Before him, Time constantly loops through Boudicca's lifespan, her body constantly changing from young to old, though even old, she was still striking and wrinkle free.

All of them stand there, smiling at him. Peter wishes he could smile back, but it's hard. Because in spite of Soul's words… he can't help but feel like this is all his fault. Smiling softly with Natasha's beautiful lips, Soul shakes her head as she steps forward and places a hand on his shoulder.

"You are a heroic soul, Peter Parker. I should think I, of all beings, would know that. You are selfless to a fault and do everything in your power to help those around you."

Peter swallows thickly and lowers his gaze, down and to the side so he's not staring at Natasha Romanoff's admittedly perfect breasts. All six of the personifications of Infinity are naked, after all. Clothing isn't a concept they seem to care to mimic from the likenesses they've copied.

"… But I've failed, haven't I? I've been selfish. I've been hiding from the truth."

The moment he says it out loud, Peter feels crushed by his own actions. Because, all this time… he'd known, deep down inside, what he'd done. What he must have been doing. And he'd ignored it in favor of letting it all continue. Well, the chicken was home to roost. There was nothing left but to face the facts.

"You have been. But… Peter."

Soul's glowing orange hands come up and touch his face, resting on his cheeks and forcing him to look up into her swirling eyes as she smiles benevolently.

"Did you not hear me? You are not responsible for any of this."

How could that be? How could he not have-?

"Let me guess."

Another of the fragments of Infinity pipes up. Stepping forward, grinning crookedly, is the likeness of Wanda Maximoff, aka the Mind Stone. Eyes swirling golden, body alight with a yellow glow, Mind giggles at him.

"You think that this universe is you're doing. You think your subconscious mind, in the moment you snapped your fingers and dusted Thanos and his ilk, brought about the world you now exist in. Is that it?"

Gulping down his nerves with limited success, Peter nods shakily. That's exactly what he'd been unwilling to let himself recognize, the realization that he'd buried and ignored all these months. It was the only explanation… wasn't it?