Of Apocalypses and Revenge

7

The Avengers arrived back at base after a few minutes, courtesy to Peter. After some food and medical help for the injured Avengers, especially Tony, who was in really bad shape and Peter had to stitch him up again and fix his suit, they all gathered on one of the decks overlooking the forest and sat down. Peter stood with his arms crossed, looking out at the forest.

"So, what's it you want to talk to us about?" Sam asked.

"Well, Wilson. I just showed HYDRA precisely where I am, well at least who I'm with. Also, that ship was sent to kill you but luckily and unluckily," Peter turned and looked at Bruce. "Hulk destroyed the ship. That's the lucky part. The unlucky part..." he paused again, surveying the Avengers. "You know what happened."

"Um, I don't." Wanda said tentatively raising her hand.

Thor, Clint And Steve nodded along.

Peter sighed. How can they be so stupid?

"Long story short: the ship was coming down. Stark, you idiot were stuck under it. I arrived before the ship would smash you into smithereens and held it up on my back. Then I lifted it off and we got out." Peter explained.

The Avengers were shocked again. Peter just lifted a huge ship and acted like it was nothing? How did that happen? Even though most of the Avengers saw the ship crashing they didn't know the what had happened until Peter lifted it off to reveal him and Tony, who were both stuck under.

Oh yeah, and Peter had used himself as a human shield.

The Avengers were silent for a minute, processing Peter's words.

Peter looked at them with a serious face.

"We must prepare for battle. Now that Strucker knows my whereabouts he will send all his forces against us in order to eliminate me. Stark, I will take care of your suit. Everyone else, pack food and supplies. We will be leaving in three days. We cannot lead HYDRA to this base and let them kill the innocents that now reside here during the apocalypse." Peter finished and walked away to his 'lair'.

<•>

Three days later, the Avengers and Peter stood by the exit of the tree base. They checked their supplies and Peter created a force field that surrounded his tree kingdom. It would protect the humans from the creatures. After he made it, Peter felt satisfied. He had only taken along his swords, a change of clothes, some food and medical supplies and his willow whistle. For old times' sake, he thought. They journeyed towards the direction of New York, knowing that there would be less people than anywhere else since it was currently overrun by creatures and HYDRA agents.

They walked for days, taking a long route since they had heard of little villages of people here and there and they wanted to avoid them since they would attract the creatures to the civilians. Peter didn't talk much the whole time while the others chatted with each other and joked around.

A few nights later, Rhodey started a conversation with Tony:

"Hey, Tones." He began.

"Yeah, what's up?" Tony asked, not looking up from cooking dinner over an open fire.

"I think Peter still cares about you. Like really cares."

That sentence completely startled Tony.

"What? How could he still care?! I did all those horrible things to him and you think he would still-, he would still..." Tony sighed deeply. "I don't think he does anymore. I lost my chance." He said sadly.

"I have a different theory." Rhodey explained, "if Peter didn't care about you, then why did he come out to the battle only when you were in trouble? Thor and I got knocked right out of the sky and Peter never came out to help. The others were having a ton of trouble on the ground and Peter never spared a second glance. Only when you were stuck under that falling ship did he show himself to the enemy in order to save you. At his own risk."

Tony seemed to consider this.

"Please, don't give me any false hope. He might-, just might still care but I doubt he'll ever forgive me." Tony got up and left, leaving his dinner and walking away into the dark forest. Rhodey swore he saw tear tracks down his friend's face but he wasn't sure: it was too dark to see clearly.

<•>

Meanwhile, Peter was in the forest. He sat on a boulder and looked up at the stars, thinking.

He still didn't know why he had rushed out to save Tony that day. It wasn't like that man mattered to him. Or did he?

Peter shook his head, trying to clear away his thoughts. He got up and walked into the dark forest. Peter enjoyed the solitude. He was used to being alone and in the forest, and the wild, he was very, very alone.

But he was also at peace.

Well, not really. Whenever Peter walked in the woods alone he would remember the camping trip he had with his uncle when he was young  and the one he had with Stark when they were still-, still friends.

Peter sighed, feeling a bit sad. He had lost so much over these recent years, he felt like he had nothing more to lose.

But as Peter thought about it, he realized that he did have more to lose: Nat and Loki, for example. They are probably his only friends so far. The Avengers, they can help during the apocalypse. Oh, and the apocalypse. Peter couldn't lose the battle that had began because he existed. He didn't think about Tony, he just couldn't bring himself to.

It was completely dark now. Peter trudged forward into the gloom of the forest, inhaling the dense, woody smell of the trees. He felt at ease in the wild, with nothing to distract him from his thoughts and no dangers that he couldn't sense.

But doesn't fate always ruin the good things?

~•~

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