Memories of Home

ｘｉｖ． ｎｅｗ ｂｌｏｏｄ

Dark eyes settled in silent fire.

He wouldn't lose his chance not again.

Harry remembered all too well a few universe's ago how Peter had always, always taken away everything that mattered to him.

His father. His friendship. Her.

Not this time. Not again.

A year or so ago, he had found himself jutted through a portal to this world, unsure of how he got here or what the hell was going on....until he ran into the last person he'd ever expect to meet. 

Himself.

That version of him was a sad, sniveling excuse for who he really was. Too scared to do what it took to get the things he deserved.

So Harry did the best kindness he could think of for him. He got rid of him.

And then....there was months of darkness after that. His father in this universe didn't even seem to notice the change in his own son.

It had all been for nothing. He could only laugh.

Harry had come up with multitudes of ways to hurt himself across the multiverse at the expense of his father's lack of attention. 

Had he really hated himself so much that he could do that to himself? Or maybe he was just capable of anything at this point. 

It was that thought alone that allowed him to embrace the darkness, as if it hadn't always been there in the first place.

And then...there was MJ. Meeting her here, something lifted that  in no other time, and no other place, had MJ been able to do for him.

In this universe, for the first time, he felt truly seen and recognized a kindred spirit in her own haunted eyes.

He was so sure there was no hope, that this universe had another equally annoying Spiderman she was obsessed with...and yet somehow MJ had no idea who Spiderman was. It was too easy.

He was finally allowing himself to believe that maybe he had finally found a universe he could have been happy in. Happy with her. As much happiness as the world would allow them, anyhow. Until she had confided in him that night...that Spiderman had found his way back to her. 

That's when Harry had to step on the gas.

And yet... right on schedule, Peter Parker started sniffing around things he shouldn't have.

 Harry should have guessed that even without MJ knowing who he was, Peter would always be her shadow, no matter how much pain it caused him, following her every step, making sure there was nothing in her path that he couldn't use his super strength to destroy and keep her safe. Peter Parker had always been a sad puppy, torturing himself for everyone at his own expense.

In reality, all Peter was really doing was keeping her from where she should be. With Harry..

MJ didn't need Spiderman. She needed him. They understood each other in a way that golden boy would never be able to comprehend.

Harry told himself all this, even as his heart pounded out of his chest.

The plan had almost worked too perfectly, but they were in the home stretch now. No matter what the lover boy had to say about it. He wouldn't take her from him again. He should have stayed away.

But that dance...the way they had looked at each other. Harry couldn't risk losing MJ now that they were so close.

Snapping out of it, he ushered Katarina over to her, his annoying yet necessary partner, always so desperate to please him. He hated still having to entertain her. She was nothing compared to MJ. She always came too easily, and too willingly.