Bullets || Peter Parker

Five

Emil was lounging in the corner of the spaceship, eyes fixed on the expanse of stars shooting past through the window. His legs were crossed and he busied himself by listening to music, glad that he had brought his phone and earphones with him. He made a mental note to thank Shuri for equipping the suit with numerous secret pockets. Peter silently joined him, falling to the floor with a slight huff. He stared out into space with a sigh.

"Are Strange and Stark still arguing?" Emil asked, pausing his music. Peter nodded. Behind them, Mr Stark's and Dr Strange's raised voices echoed around the room.

"We have to turn the ship around!" Strange was saying. He glared across at Stark who was slowly pacing around the control panel. Mr Stark appeared to be thinking about something. Rising to their feet, the two boys approached the loud adults, watching the conversation with a mixture of concern and worry.

"Yeah, now he wants to run, great plan", Stark scoffed as he examined the controls.

"I want to protect the stone", Strange huffed.

"And I want you to thank me now, go ahead. I'm listening", he replied sourly without turning around.

"For what? Nearly blasting me into space?" Strange replied sarcastically, stepping closer to the controls.

"Who just saved your magical ass? Me!"

"I honestly don't know how you fit that head into your helmet".

Mr Stark whirled around angrily to glare at the wizard. "Admit it. You should have ducked out when I told you to. I tried to bench you, you refused". Emil could taste the rising tension.

"Unlike everybody else in your life, I don't work for you".

"Due to that fact, we're now in a flying donut millions of miles from Earth with no backup", Stark stated.

Peter raised his hand. "We're backup", he offered innocently. Emil patted him on the shoulder.

"No", Stark pointed at them judgmentally. "You're a stowaway and he got himself kidnapped. The adults are talking".
Peter fell silent, chastised, and Emil flipped Stark his middle finger as soon as he had turned his back.

Strange looked between the three of them. "I'm sorry, I'm confused as to the relationship here. What is he your ward? And the what about the goth kid? His boyfriend?"

"No. I'm Peter by the way", Peter held out a hand. "And this is my boyfriend Emil

Strange looked at it before turning away. "Dr Strange".

"Oh we're using our made up names. In that case I'm Spider-Man". Strange gave him a confused expression before walking towards the control panel. Peter turned to Emil. "What did I do?"

Smiling, Emil pecked his adorable boyfriend on the cheek. "Nothing. He's just being a dick".

"The ship is self correcting its course on auto pilot", Stark was saying as he explored the alien controls.

"Can you get us home?" Emil spoke up. Stark didn't seem to have heard him, eyes still observing the controls.

"Stark!" Strange raised his voice making Tony and Peter jump. "Can you get us home?"

"Yeah yeah, I heard you". He turned to face them, suddenly looking slightly sheepish. "I just don't think we should". Everyone gaped at him in shock.

"Under no circumstance will we be bringing the stone to Thanos", Strange growled, voice threatening. "I'm not sure you understand what's at stake"-

"No! It's you who doesn't understand", Stark snapped. He marched forward until him and Strange were nose to nose. "Thanos has been inside of my head for six years and now he's back. So I don't know if it's better to face him on our turf or theirs. At lest on his turf he's not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him Doctor". They stared at each other for a moment, locked in a battle of wills.

Eventually Dr. Strange sighed. "Fine we take the fight to him. But let me be clear Stark. If it come between saving you, the kids or the time stone. I'm not above letting you all die. The fate of the universe depends on it". Emil and Peter both shivered at the prospect of death. Their hands found each other and clutched at almost fearfully at the other's warmth.

"Good moral compass", Stark remarked, awkwardly patting Strange on the shoulder before retreating towards the window. The ship descended into silence as the four heroes separated into different corners of the ship. Strange remained near the controls as Emil and Peter escaped to the other side of the widow, opposite Stark.

"Are you afraid?" Emil asked quietly once they had sat down. The two boys were leaning back against a pillar wrapped in each other's arms.

"Yeah", Peter admitted, voice soft. "I miss May. She must be going out of her mind with worry". Emil thought about May Parker and guilt coursed through him. The woman treated him like a second nephew. She must be so concerned about them. He then turned his thoughts to Bucky. In the last two years, their relationship had grown and although they weren't at father/son level yet, Bucky still had gained a parental role in Emil's life. Every other weekend was spent in Wakanda, sometimes with Peter who Bucky had accepted with open arms. They would spar, both former assassins enjoying the familiar routine, and explore the country together.

"I'm scared too. What if we don't make it back?" He thought aloud. "Would you tell my father for me?" Bucky probably didn't even know what had happened in New York. He was probably unaware of the danger his son was in. The thought made Emil feel anxious and sad. He missed his dad. "Would you tell him that there was nothing that could be done".

"Hey, don't talk like that", Peter hushed. He rubbed a soothing hand across Emil's cheek as he pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "We'll make it back".

"But if we don't", Emil spoke with desperation.

"Then I'll tell him", Peter promised.

Emil sighed and gently kissed his boyfriend, lips moving smoothly and softly with Peter's. They spent the rest of the trip in comfortable silence, sharing Emil's earphones and gazing out into the moving space. Every few minutes one would turn and they would share soft reassuring kisses, absorbing the other's presence and memorising their taste. But fear still hummed in Emil's bones. It was all he could do not to curl up in Peter's arms and never leave, keep him and peter safe. But he knew that Peter was stubborn and would fight no matter what he did. So he strengthened his resolve.

Unedited.
I'm going to see Spider-Man Far from home later. I'm so excited.