C521 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
Peter, having recently reunited with his family and explained the crazy events of the past two months, was finally home with his loved ones. He sat on the couch, taking a moment to savor the feeling of normalcy and peace, as MJ nestled close to him.
Their daughter, Lily, and America Chavez, their prospective adoptive daughter, were huddled together on the opposite couch, engrossed in their smart phones. Only May, Grace, and the Ancient One were missing since they were still at work, and wouldn’t be home for a few more hours.
As the house finally turned quiet, thanks to the to the parents who picked up Lily’s school friends, Peter leaned closer to MJ and spoke in hushed tones. "Have you talked to America about… you know, what we decided before I left?"
MJ's eyes met Peter's, and she nodded slightly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I wanted to wait for you to be here when we told her," she replied softly. "I think it's the right time now."
With a nod of agreement, Peter nudged MJ gently, prompting her to call America over. “America.” The young girl looked up from her phone curiously as MJ beckoned her to sit across from them on the edge of the coffee table.
America settled in front of Peter and MJ, still uncertain about the situation. She had been living at the Parker residence for the past two months, and really started to love having a home for the first time in a long time. Instantly, her imagination ran wild with worry, believing they might ask her to leave, fearing that she might have overstayed her welcome.
MJ began, her voice gentle and reassuring, "America, you've been living with us for a while now. You've become part of our family, and we've grown to care about you very much."
However, before she could continue, America interrupted, her eyes filling with tears. "I knew it. You want me to leave, don't you? I was waiting for this to happen..."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she hastily wiped them away, preparing herself for the difficult moment when she'd have to pack her bags and say goodbye to the only family she had ever known since she lost her first one.
Peter couldn't help but chuckle softly, seeing America's misunderstanding. "America, you've got it all wrong," he said with a warm smile. "We're not asking you to leave. We want to ask you something else."
MJ leaned forward and gently pulled America in her embrace. "Peter and I have been thinking about this for a while now. We're wondering if you would like to be part of our family officially. We want to adopt you, America."
America was struck by this sudden revelation, her emotions running high. She had always been afraid that growing close to them would mean losing them someday. Now, the fear of being left behind began to melt away, but new doubts arose. Would getting adopted mean betraying her real parents, who might still be out there, lost in the multiverse?
MJ recognized the turmoil in America's eyes and gave her a comforting squeeze, "America, we don't want to take away your right to find your real parents. If you ever discover where they are or want to reunite with them, we'll support you all the way. But for now, we want to be here for you, like any family should. You're just a child, and you deserve a stable home."
Lily, unable to contain her excitement, chimed in, "I'd love to have a sister!" She hopped up out of the couch, vibrating either excitement. “Say yes, America!”
“O-Okay…” America muttered lowly, accepting their offer.
Tears glistened in America's eyes once again, but this time, they were tears of happiness and relief. She was overcome with emotion, unable to put her gratitude into words. Peter reached out and placed an arm around MJ’s shoulder, sandwiching America between them. Lily, thrilled to have a new sister, leaped onto Peter's lap, adding to the joyous family embrace.
…
As the Parker family enjoyed a loving moment on the couch, the front door of their home swung open abruptly, revealing a surprising trio. Walking through the entrance was none other than Ned, clad in his makeshift Superman costume, and Batman and Superman, now dressed in normal clothes. Their superhero suits were neatly packed in backpacks, which they wore on their backs.
Ned's eyes widened as he stepped inside, his homemade cape flapping dramatically. "Peter, you're back!" he exclaimed with pure excitement. His eyes darted around the room and took in the heartwarming scene. He soon realized he might have walked in on a family moment and hesitated. "Oh, uh, did I interrupt something?"
Peter chuckled and waved it off, recognizing the longing in his best friend's eyes. "It's okay, Ned. We were just having a moment. Come here."
He got up from the couch and approached Ned, giving his friend a warm hug. "I've missed you, buddy. How have you been?"
Ned reciprocated the hug with enthusiasm, patting Peter on the back. "I've been fine, but I've got a lot to tell you." He finally noticed the presence of two unfamiliar individuals in the room. "Oh, right! This is Clark and Bruce. They said that they might know you, so I brought them along."
Clark and Bruce exchanged nods of greeting. Clark offered a polite smile while Bruce, ever the stoic one, kept a neutral expression. They weren't sure how much they could reveal about their true identities, not to mention Peter’s. All they knew was that Ned was unaware of the complexity of the situation.
"I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you two so soon," Peter was certainly surprised. “How did you guys meet Ned?"
Clark cleared his throat, considering his words carefully. "We actually met at Comic-Con," he explained, eliciting a smirk from Peter, who realized that they must have found out about their fictional counterparts. "Ned's been a great friend."
Ned, always curious, turned to Peter, his eyes filled with questions. "Peter, how do you know Clark and Bruce?"
Peter smirked mischievously. “Who doesn’t know Batman and Superman?”
“?” Ned just looks at Peter oddly, clearly confused.
MJ rose from the couch, followed by Lily and America, who was no longer crying but had rather a curious look in her eyes. They stared at the two newcomers, shocked to see Batman and Superman standing before them in the flesh.
Ned looked at Lily and America, then at Batman and Superman, and started grinning. "Guys… what’s going on? Why does it feel like I’m missing something here?"
Lily and America, fully aware that they were in the presence of the actual Batman and Superman, couldn't contain their excitement. Their faces lit up as they practically bounced on their feet.
"Wow, you're really Batman and Superman!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with wonder. "Have you seen your movies yet?"
America added, "How many bad guys have you caught? Did you meet the Joker? He’s so cool. Is the Batcave as cool as it looks in the comics?"
Batman and Superman were unsure how to handle this, and wanted to answer their questions, but they froze upon hearing America call the Joker cool. “Listen here, the Joker is not ‘cool.’ He’s a murderous psychopath…” They immediately started lecturing the girls.
Ned watched in confusion, unsure if the conclusion that he was coming to was the correct one. ‘They can’t be the real Batman and Superman, can they?’
Then, turning to Peter, Ned couldn't help but ask. "Peter, what's the hell’s going on?"
Peter smirked, knowing Ned is going to freak out. "They're real, Ned. I had some business in another universe, so I had to use that multiverse-traveling ship I was telling you about. As you can see, somehow, I ended up in the DC universe, and brought back a couple tagalongs for a field trip."
Ned's eyes widened, his confusion morphed into excitement, which then turned into shock as he fainted, collapsing onto the floor, his mind unable to process the incredible revelation.
Everyone looked down at the unconscious Ned, feeling sorry for him since they knew Peter could have broke it to him more gently. Peter, on the other hand, couldn’t contain his laughter as he fell back into the couch, holding his stomach. “Hahaha!”
“Is he going to be alright?” Superman asked worriedly, pointing down at Ned.
MJ shook her head. “He’ll be fine. He’s actually an Avenger, like us. His body is enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum. He’s far more durable than you realize.”
Superman raised a brow. “Super Soldier Serum?”
“Like us?” Batman asked curiously.
“I’ll explain in a moment.” She says as she turns to Peter. “This is your fault, so either wake him up or go put him in one of the guest rooms.”
“Sure…” Peter nodded as he stood up, controlling his laughter as he grew Ned over his shoulder. “Be right back.”
As he leaves, MJ changes her clothes with a thought, switching straight to her Silk suit. “I’m Silk and this-”
Lily happily follows her mothers lead and switches to her own suit. “And I’m Spider-Girl!”
America watches them change, a jealous look on her face. “Hey… Can I get a cool hero costume too?”
Superman stared at the Spider themed family, shocked that even the child was a superhero. Meanwhile, Batman wasn’t so shocked. After all, he’s had some fairly young sidekicks over the years.
————
Back at the tower, Tony Stark finally returned home to his waiting girlfriend, Pepper Potts. Entering the spacious, luxurious penthouse they shared, he was immediately slapped in the face by an angry woman.
Pepper looked up, worry and frustration written all over her face. "Do you know how long you’ve been gone?"
Tony pulled Pepper into a hug, surprising the angry woman. “Sorry, we kind of got stranded after the ship malfunctioned. I missed you though...”
Tony's demeanor seemed a bit different, carrying a hint of something more profound, which threw her for a loop. He pulled away and took her hand, his eyes searching hers.
"Pepper, there's something I want to talk to you about," he began, and Pepper sensed an unusual tension in his voice. "It might come as a shock, but hear me out."
Pepper nodded, her concern growing. "Of course, Tony. You can talk to me about anything. What's on your mind?"
Tony took a deep breath and locked eyes with Pepper, his face earnest. "I've been thinking about… having a child."
Pepper's eyes widened in disbelief. She knew Tony had been against the idea of having children for a long time. It was a decision they had discussed many times, and Tony had always seemed firm in his stance.
"I know, I know," Tony continued, sensing Pepper's shock. "But hear me out. I... I visited another universe recently, one where we had a daughter named Morgan. And it didn't look so bad. In fact, it was kind of... nice."
Pepper's mind was spinning as she tried to process this revelation, her earlier anger was completely forgotten. "Y-You want to have a baby… now?"
Tony nodded, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "It made me realize that I don't want to be outdone or left behind. Even Spider-Man’s got a kid and he’s like half my age. Maybe we should have one too. I don't want to miss out on something amazing because of my past reservations."
Pepper took a moment to collect her thoughts, knowing how significant this change of heart was for Tony. "Tony, this is a huge decision... I-I don’t know what to say."
Tony's gaze was unwavering as he spoke with sincerity. "I know it's a lot to take in. But I've thought about this, Pepper… I want you to have my baby~" He suddenly pulls her back into his arms, his hands roaming her body.
With a soft smile, Pepper spoke lowly into Tony’s chest. "I wouldn’t mind..." Her voice trailed off towards the end.
Tony smirked. “I’m sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you…”
Pepper sighed as she looked up into Tony’s eyes. “I said… I wouldn’t mind having your baby…” As she spoke, her whole face turned a bright red.
Tony laughed as Pepper buried her head into his chest once again, happy to have shared his innermost thoughts with her. But most of all, he was relieved that his plan to redirect his girlfriends anger actually worked. After all, who can be mad when talking about starting a family together?
A/N: 2092 words :)