I'm Always A Text Away -- Peter Parker Texting Story

prologue

#triggers: mentions of suicide, depression 

 please be safe! if you ever need help or someone to talk to, my PMs are always open :) 

THREE MONTHS AGO, everyone knew my name. 

They knew who I was. They knew my entire life story. They knew who I lived with, where I lived, where I went to school...basically everything I didn't want the public to know. 

But the world is a pretty annoying place to be, and with my luck, the world is always against me. 

There's a great chance that you knew my name, too. I'm sure you spent hours in front of the TV, eager to know what my life was like and to finally find out who was under Spider-Man's mask. 

Three months ago, Mysterio, who I thought was my friend but he really wasn't, told the world my real identity. Spider-Man was really a sixteen year old orphan named Peter Parker. 

That's who I am. I'm Peter Parker, but no one knows that. No one remembers me.  

I live alone in an apartment not that far from my old one, where Aunt May, Ben, and I lived. Ben died years ago, a couple days before I became Spider-Man. Aunt May died recently, and it still hurt whenever I thought about her. 

Deep within me, a selfish part of me, is glad that Aunt May is dead. Because I don't think I would still be sane if May was alive and she forgot me. May was like my mom; she had always been there for me, ever since I was five years old. When Ben died, she was still there, and even when she found out I was Spider-Man, she didn't send me away. She still cared. She always cared. 

I stare out the window, Spider-Man suit behind me on my bed. But my mask was clenched tightly in my hands and within it, Karen was silent. 

She still remembers me. Karen, I mean. Whenever I get too lonely, she listens. Listens as I remember my girlfriend MJ, Ned, and Mr. Stark. Whenever I talk about Mr. Stark, she offers to talk to Friday, Mr. Stark's own personal AI, but I stop her. Because Mr. Stark doesn't remember me either.

That also hurts, too. Because Mr. Stark and I had become pretty close these couple years, only for it to vanish because I was too stubborn not to get his help when MIT turned my friends and I away. Mr. Stark always told me that he could pull in some strings, and honestly, I should have taken his offer. 

Why didn't I? 

I don't know. 

I really, really don't know. 

And it makes me guilty because if I had taken his offer, everyone would've still remembered me. But not only that, but May...May would still be alive. 

But May was dead. 

I walk to my fridge, stomach rumbling in hunger, only to find nothing in there. I shut my eyes as I found my wallet, having only a couple spare bills. I work a lot at Delmar's, but even that wasn't enough to pay for food when I have electrical and water bills to pay. 

I try not to cry, but I'm so tired. I can't get a really good job because I don't exist in any records. I don't have a birth certificate. I don't have passports or IDs, and it would take a while for me to get my hands on one. 

I sank to the floor, pulling my knees up to my chest. I drag my mask over my head and let it settle on my face. 

"Hello, Peter," Karen says warmly as I try to stifle a sob. "How are you today?" 

"Karen," I whimper. "What am I supposed to do?" 

She's silent, like she's trying to form a response. But I know she doesn't have one. 

"I'm tired," I whisper. "I really...I really can't do this anymore." 

"You have to keep trying, Peter," Karen responds kindly. "You're smart. You can find a solution. I'm always here to help, too." 

"I know." I tug at the mask, pulling it over my head, knowing Karen wouldn't help me. I get up again, throwing my mask to the side and open the window, letting the cold air rush in. 

Tears sting my eyes as I climb out, scaling the side of the wall until I got to the roof, where I sat at the very edge, staring down. 

If I die...no one would know. No one would care. 

No one would ever know who Peter Parker even was. 

MJ would never know that her boyfriend was gone. 

Ned would never know that his best friend was gone. 

And Tony Stark would never know that his son—

I stifle a cry, placing a hand over my mouth. Tears fall fast and hard against my cheeks as I stare down at the huge drop, my heart heavy. 

No one would ever know. 

What's the point in living if no one remembers me? What's the point in living if I'm spending my days struggling to find money? 

Really, I'm being serious. What's the point?

And that brings me to the next question: why haven't I already done it yet? It's been three, long and lonely months, almost four. 

I guess it's because I don't really want to forgotten. I don't want to just be...gone from the world. I want at least some sort of mark so that people know that I existed and that I lived. 

I pull out my phone from my pocket, closing my eyes as I pull out my contacts. My heart breaks as I look at the empty list before I decide to punch in a random number. 

Thinking back, I'm not sure why I did it. 

I stare at the phone number displayed on my cracked screen and typed out a message before placing my phone beside me, staring down at the ground that was so far away. If I simply jump, I'd die, easy as that. 

But I suddenly remember MJ's face, her hands on my shoulders as she made me promise to tell her who I really was. A promise...I did not keep. 

"I can't," I whisper, letting my hands engulf my face. My shoulders trembled as I sat there quietly, not knowing that in a certain tower close by, a billionaire that went by the name of Tony Stark picked up his phone, reading a message sent by yours truly. 

Words: 1052

Hi! I know, I just started a new fanfiction, but like...

This is a pretty easy thing to write since it consists of texts and I had this idea so like, why not?? 

I also don't think this is a very popular idea either (I mean like, Tony being alive and the texting story taking place after NWH) soo, yeah. 

How was it so far? 

Can't wait to hear your thoughts! 

Haidlyn <3