Rundown (Spiderman x Reader) (II)

45. Living With The Ghost

Meet me where they stop time...
Traded nightmares for dreaming
Go tell your shadows that I got out alive

The last things I heard before opening my eyes were people calling my name, a phone ringing, and a big explosion. They echoed in the distance, though, as if the Avengers were watching an action movie in another room. It was odd.

When my eyes shot open it was because my lungs struggled in catching air. I coughed and gasped into a wide-awake state. I looked around, hoping we had saved the world.

Wait a minute, this is not the Avengers compound... I'm alone. Covered in water. Infinite water, to be exact. Like, there's not a limit on it. I can't see where it ends. Why is the sky yellow but with no sun? And I'm not even wearing the Iron Bee suit. I'm barefoot on a white dress. I'm super lost.

Slowly but surely, I stood up, the skirt of my dress sticking to my legs. "Hello?" My words echoed, despite the irony of zero walls present. I spun, confirming my suspicions of being alone. "Shit. Did I die?"

"You haven't," a mysterious voice announced.

I almost fell, splashing water all over in the process. "Holy... hell! You scared me!" I grabbed my chest in fear.

The voice came from a guy sitting on a bench. He wasn't there before. Neither was the bench... That's not comforting at all. "The best part, am I right?" He grinned, the right corner moving farther than the left. 

My eyes squinted, focusing on his features. His figure in general appeared ethereal (for a lack of better words in my personal dictionary). "I feel like I know you from somewhere..."

Not every day do you get to see a silver-haired boy like him, especially his rapid foot-tapping over the water was somewhat familiar.  He loosened his shoulders. "I would be surprised if you didn't, given your, uh, involvement with Avengers."

The lightbulb finally sparked. "You're Wanda's brother! Pietro, is it?"

"Something like that. I'm what's left of him. A spirit, y'know?" His thick, Sokovian accent made way more sense now. He patted an empty place next to him. "Come. Sit here."

Sighing, I plummeted my body (...or is it my spirit?) on the bench. I'm still getting used to the space. "So if I'm not dead, where are we?"

He opened his arms and then left them laying on his thighs. "Limbo. Welcome, by the way."

I rubbed my temples. This doesn't make any sense L-limbo? "I'm confused... If you don't mind me asking, where's everyone? A-and why am I here?"

"Your recent accident with the stones brought you here. As for your family, they're safe. I promise," Pietro reassured, intertwining his fingers to hold his knee.

"Great." Although my intention was to sound enthusiastic, it came in a grumble.

In the corner of my eyes, his head tilted, analyzing my deep focus in the abyss. "Something else bothering you?"

My hand gestures were all over the place. "Kind of. I- I don't know. I mean, limbo is a weird-ass concept to grab right now."

"I understand." His voice was calming, but maybe it was the effect this place had on me. 

Was he real or just a figment of my imagination? I guess we'll never know for sure. "And the fact that you're here too. Like, wow. I've only seen you in the news and pictures. You were great."

"Still as handsome I presume?" He flexed his arm muscles with a smirk.

I scratched my head. He's technically six or seven years older if we compare when he died and my current age. "I mean... yeah...?"

After chuckling, his jokingly tone switched into serious mode. "...Listen, (Y/n), it's not a coincidence you ended up here. You did a weird sacrifice I don't understand myself. But you're brave. And bold. And the universe noticed it for some reason. You're special. And I think you've known since the first Avengers battle."

"Not to be mean, Dumbledore, but you're saying I'm the 'chosen one'?" I genuinely asked. I may sound cliché, but of all people, why me?

"I don't who that is, but I suppose something like that," he deadpanned. "You can change the world. You have been doing so, Killer Bee."

I locked my view into my fidgeting hands. I'm not certain I still deserve the title. Heck, I had trouble wearing my suit again before the heist. "I did so. Not anymore... I just want my friends and my powers back."

"And that's great! But you deserve more credit. How do you say? Your, uh, golden heart is the because. And the reason why you've been given a second chance." He bumped my arm with his fist.

Blinking rapidly, I said, "I'm not following..."

Pietro whipped the silvery hair covering the upper part of his face. "When you go to Earth again, you're not going to be the same. Different powers, different life. The second chance you wanted's different."

The message slowly seeped into my brain. I'm getting my powers back as I dreamed of! And with that, my own interpretations arrived. "Okay, but deep inside the same old (Y/n) Lang. Changing's the risk I took when I chose this lifestyle, right? I-I'll do whatever it takes." If coming here and transforming my image was the risk, well, hey, at least I didn't almost die this time.

He seemed impressed with my determination. So was I currently experiencing one of the few moments where uncertainty abstained. He leaned more into the back of the bench, his arms crossing simultaneously. "It's not going to be easy when you come back," he bluffed.

"It never has been easy, but I've had the right people on my side. They're waiting for me... probably." I unstuck a piece of the wet dress that was wrapped tightly over my calf. "Thank you, Pietro."

"My pleasure." We stretched hands, and I knew that was my cue to go back; I'm going straight into battle, possibly after 'passing out' and with someone screaming on my ear 'waking' me up.

"Quick question: do I get a starting guide with those new powers or...?" My question lingered in the air, expecting he'd fill it out. When he shook his head, my sarcastic mode activated. "Got it. Of course not. What was I thinking?"

"I like you, (Y/n). Hope I won't see you soon!" When I did a double take, he laughed. "You know what I mean. Don't die!"

Although I understood my time here was over, I hesitated with spewing out my last doubt. "Wait! Before I go—I promise this is the last question. Did you by any chance meet a Noah in your realm?"

"Your friend from San Francisco, yes?" Pietro made a slight pause, selecting carefully his choice of words. "He's very annoying. Keeps asking me to run with him on my back. But always keeping watch."

That's better than I could ask for: closure. Feeling ready to fight, I looked into his blue, icy eyes. "Tell him I said hi." He nodded.

My body and mind drove in automatic. I sat on the water again, taking deep breaths and focusing on where I needed to go. My family needs me. Think of the Avengers facility. Avengers facility.

And when I opened my eyes and gasped, I was back, bitches.

_-_- 🐝 -_-_
Author's note:

This is more of a filler episode give or take, but I hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless.

I had thought about writing Pietro at some point in the story because well.... he's Pietro! I tried to write his speech as accurately as I think he would, but if someone wants to correct me or add comments I'll gladly take the feedback.

~ Winter ❅

P.S. Happy pride! Sending lots of love and virtual hugs to all of my LGBTQ+ readers <3