Spider-Man/Peter Parker One-Shots

(HC) All Alone

Heavy No Way Home spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk!

It was lonely living alone. Sure he saw his landlord and neighbors on occasion, but he had never lived alone like he was right now, and it bothered him more than he cared to admit. No sounds of May trying to make dinner, maybe catching something on fire or finding out the recipe called for sugar not salt. No sounds of May bustling about the house, talking to Happy or calling for Peter to come pick up his socks he left on the couch. No sounds of May at all. So to keep his mind off her, he was never home.

This plan worked out fine initially, at least while he was finishing his GED and spent most of his time out protecting the neighborhood. It was kind of freeing not having any relationships with anyone, as free a spirit as he possibly could've been. But when he lay awake at night, struggling to shut out his thoughts, he remembered just how much of a curse it could be.

He relived May's last moments every time he shut his eyes, and if anyone could see under his mask, they'd see just how sunken and dark his eyes had become. To gain a little bit of reprieve, he thought about his time with the other Spider-Men. He wasn't completely alone, even if it felt like it. They'd all been through similar experiences, at least as far as loved ones dying. Was that just a Peter Parker curse? To get the only people you loved killed? If it was, he was just glad Ned and MJ couldn't get hurt anymore.

So he spent the last bit of what would've been his senior year and summer working enough to pay off his rent and saving as many people as he possibly could. He did his best to avoid visiting his old friends for fear they might catch on, but he made time every now and then to check in on them. It would be exponentially harder once they both went to MIT, but at least he didn't have to avoid them at college. He applied to go to a local community college nearby, one he could afford and work towards his tech degree at. With college classes that meant he would have to work quite a bit more, on top of handling schoolwork, on top of trying to still be Spider-Man.

He lasted a month. One of them always had to be ignored, and most of the time it was the thing he ended up needing to do the most. So with nothing else to do, he turned to his landlord.

"Hey sir," he started, playing with his hands as he pinched the phone between his shoulder and cheek. He paced as he tried to keep from verbally showing his anxiousness. "So I was just wondering if there would be some way I could pay you a little late for the rent this month? I just started college and I don't have as much time to work and-"

"Ya know what, I'll give you a deal." Peter grinned, just happy he had a chance. He really didn't want to live on the streets.

"Of course!"

"I've got a niece that asked for an apartment, and the guy in room 3 was supposed to leave, but something got messed up with the paperwork so he's sticking around. So until that gets cleared up, would you want to room with her? You'll both split the rent, obviously, but she gets part of the space. How's that sound?"

"How long would she be staying?" Peter was pretty much sold on the idea. Having to pay half the rent to simply exist in the same place as someone else didn't sound too bad.

"At least a couple months. She's going to Long Island Tech." That was the same college as Peter. "Oh, and if you accept, I'll throw in an extra $100 off the total rent." Peter couldn't stop his grin.

"Thank you so much sir. I'd love to."

ーーー

You struggled up the stairs with your suitcase and backpack as your uncle chuckled behind you. "You got it?"

"Yeah," you grunted, practically throwing your bags onto the top step. "Which room was it?"

"Room 2." You fished for the key he had given you and fit it into the lock. It turned easily and the door popped open. "Don't forget, you've got a roommate, so do your best to respect him. This was his space first." You rolled your eyes.