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Their bed still smelled like the familiar combination of wildfire and web-fluid when Peter woke up. Although, he did notice the lack of warmth right away. Even on days when Johnny had gotten up long before him, his heat would still linger. A comforting reminder that he was loved. The strangest part of the chill was that, when Peter rolled over, Johnny was still in bed.
“Johnny?” Peter murmured sleepily. His eyes were still closed as he ran his hand up and down the blond’s bare arm.
He received a sound like a confused puppy in response.
“You’re room temp, hun. Are you feelin’ okay?” Peter opened his eyes slowly and adjusted to the light.
The sight before him made him scream and jump back.
“YOU ARE NOT JOHNNY!” Peter yelled, scrambling off the bed.
The man in Johnny’s place, now fully awake and also screaming, scooted back against the headboard in one movement. He was bigger than Johnny, but had a similar golden hue to his skin. He sported short, dirty-blond curls and had a pink mark above his left eye.
In a panic, Peter grabbed a stray web-shooter off his nightstand and trapped the interloper against the headboard.
“I’M SORRY!!” He yelled, making Peter tilt his head in confusion. “I DIDN’T MEAN TO—“ The man continued, but abruptly took in the details of his capture. “Are these spider webs?”
“No.” Peter responded immediately (and very convincingly, in his opinion.)
The intruder looked down at Peter’s wrist and the gauntlet, still attached.
“Woah! Did you make some kind of Spider-Man thing? That is so cool!”
Peter’s mouth opened and he furrowed his brow.
“What’s your name?” He asked in his best balance of Peter Parker, and the more intimidating Spider-Man.
“Buck! Well, it’s Evan, but everyone calls me Buck.” He smiled lopsided. “Sorry, I didn’t get your name either?”
“Peter.” He replied warily.
“Nice to meet you, Peter.” Buck said with a boyish smile. “Or I guess, nice to see you. Sorry I don’t remember a lot from last night, I don’t usually do this anymore.” He shifted his hips down further under the duvet, with what limited range of motion he had.
“Do what exactly?” Peter asked. Break into people’s homes and steal their boyfriends?
“One night stands.” What? “Did we— is that not what happened here?”
Peter took a deep breath and tried to go over the facts he knew.
- Last night he and Johnny had a date (new photography exhibit at The Met that had Peter gushing as Johnny teased, but admired his enthusiasm) followed up by joint patrol and a spontaneous make-out session on top of The Statue of Liberty. They raced home, had sex (that Johnny, were he still here, would surely be feeling right now), then fell asleep entangled.
- When Peter woke up, Johnny was gone, and clearly had been for some time.
- In Johnny’s place was Buck.
- Buck didn’t seem to know where he was.
- Buck thought that he had hooked up with Peter.
“That is not what happened here. Trust me.” The thought of cheating on Johnny made Peter sick.
“Oh.” Buck responded dumbly. “Why am I in your bed then?”
“You tell me!” Peter shouted in frustration.
“I don’t know!” Buck responded with equal vigor. “Last thing I remember, I was sleeping in my own bed.”
“Last thing I remember, my boyfriend was sleeping where you’re sitting!” Peter was starting to seriously worry about Johnny’s whereabouts.
Buck’s mouth dropped open.
“I am so sorry. I don’t– I don’t even know where I am. Are we even in LA?” He asked, glancing out the window.
Okay so something was seriously wrong with this guy.
“Why would we be in Los Angeles?!” Peter asked incredulously.
“Because I went to sleep in Los Angeles!” Buck shouted back.
Jesus Christ. Peter swore in his head.
“Let me– just– hold on.” He got up and grabbed his phone. The date was what it should have been, if he was remembering correctly, and he had two notifications. One was a reminder to visit Aunt May (and to grab the old suit-tech stashed away in his childhood bedroom), and the other was an Instagram message letting him know Miles had sent a reel at 3am.
Nothing from Johnny.
Peter dialled his number as he pulled on a pair of jeans he found on the floor, and a clean undershirt from his dresser drawer. Johnny’s phone started ringing from where it rested, untouched, on his nightstand.
Fuck.
“So you really don’t know who I am?” Peter asked Buck, who was surprisingly calm for someone essentially being held captive.
It wasn’t that Peter Parker was a big name exactly, just in association with his boyfriend or recognized by the odd Spidey super-fan. But, if someone was willing to break in and potentially kidnap Johnny, they’d probably know who Peter was too. Right?
“Nope. Should I?”
“You’re in my apartment.”
“Right. Sorry… Sorry I don’t know where your boyfriend is either.” He, at the very least, seemed genuine. And Peter’s spidey sense hadn’t gone off at any point.
Peter sighed and pulled the webbing off of Buck’s torso.
And…
Listen, just because Peter was in a serious relationship did not mean he could not see when an objectively attractive man was in his midst.
Buck looked strong, and he was covered in tattoos. He was no Johnny Storm, but he was hot. And he was in Peter’s bed without a shirt on, so yeah, the situation was causing a bit of a blush to show on his cheeks. Peter was a red-blooded bisexual man, sue him.
“Your blush is cute.” Buck blurted out. “My friend Eddie blushes whenever he laughs, it’s adorable. His son is the same way.”
Peter just looked up at him with an eyebrow raised.
“Sorry. I, uh, I get told I talk about Eddie too much.”
“You apologize a lot.”
“Sor– What is this stuff anyway?” Buck asked, gesturing to the webbing that Peter was balling up. “It seems like legit Spider-Man webs.” Buck, subconsciously Peter figured, started making thwip noises under his breath.
“I, uh, design some of his technology.” Peter said, technically true.
Buck just laughed a little.
“Do you like– work on the movies?” He asked when it became clear Peter was serious.
“What movies?”
“The Spider-Man movies…” Buck responded, like that was supposed to be obvious.
“There are no Spider-Man movies as far as I’m aware.” Peter said, with the silent acknowledgment that there were some very unofficial videos on the internet that could disprove that sentiment.
“What?!” Buck laughed. “You’re joking right?”
Peter gave a look that showed he was, once again, not joking.
“Do you live under a rock?! There’s like nine Spider-Man movies! They’re working on a new Tom Holland one right now.”
“Tom who?”
“Dude. You’re just as bad as Eddie.” Buck shook his head, a fond smile on his face.
“Okay.” Peter didn’t know what to do with that information. “I feel like I should do a concussion check, right? What year is it?”
“2025, and I’m fine, I don’t have a concussion. I think. I might be in a coma again, I guess?” Buck glanced around the room critically.
“Again?” Peter whispered to himself. “You said you were in Los Angeles last you remember, right?”
“Yep!” Buck replied, popping the P. “And now I’m…?”
“In Queens. New York.” Peter supplied, causing a glimpse of panic to strike through Buck’s eyes.
“Right…” Buck went quiet for a moment then chuckled a little to himself.
“What’s so funny?”
“Well it’s just– you must be a big Spider-Man fan huh?”
“What makes you say that?” Peter asked back cautiously.
“Seriously?” Buck raised one eyebrow. “You’ve got working webshooters, your name is Peter, and you live in New York! What’s more Spider-Man than that?”
“Why is my name important?” Peter asked, trying to conceal his worry.
“Uhh… Peter Parker? You know? Spider-Man’s secret identity?” Buck said casually.
Peter leaped across the bed and firmly held Buck down.
“Where did you get that information!?” He prodded with malice in his voice.
“What do you mean?”
“WHERE!?”
“Okay! Okay! I don’t know, it’s just general information? The movies? Cartoons? Comic books???”
“What are you talking about?” Peter spat at him.
“Spider-Man!” Buck shouted back, near breathless. “Like, the most famous superhero with the most famous backstory!”
Peter sat back and dragged his hands down his face in realization.
“You’re not from this Earth.” He mumbled with exhaustion.
“What?!”
“Multiverse is real. You’re from a parallel Earth where I’m a fictional character.” Peter grumbled as he started picking up the bedroom. –
“Woah…” Buck was taking this surprisingly normal. “Chris is gonna lose his mind. I can’t wait to tell him when I get back.”
He paused for a moment as realization sunk in. His face fell, sullen and dark.
“You do know how to get me back home, right?”
Peter looked into Buck’s pleading blue eyes and thought of Johnny.
Johnny, who was probably out there in Buck’s place on some other Earth.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to help you, Buck.” Peter said seriously. And he meant it.
Buck smiled in awe.
“And with great power… comes great responsibility.”
It was going to be a long day.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Buck should have been freaking out, logically speaking. He was in uncharted territory, even by 118 standards. But he was just fascinated with everything. Like– he got transported into Spider-Man’s bed, it was like half of his early-twenties fantasies were coming true.
Except for the fact that Spider-Man already had a boyfriend. And he didn’t look exactly like Andrew Garfield. And he was a little bit of a dick–which Buck could understand, considering the circumstances.
Peter reminded Buck of Eddie in a strange way.
Buck thanked whatever multiverse overlords sent him here that he was still wearing his own pants, but they still needed to go out in the world, so Peter handed him one of Johnny’s hoodies. It was a tighter fit, but he made it work.
Johnny, as it turned out, was The Human Torch. Buck had watched the old Fantastic Four movie with his Diaz boys recently, as luck would have it. Afterward, he had confided in Eddie that Chris Evans as The Human Torch was probably one of his first bisexual awakenings. Eddie had gone quiet a bit but hummed in acknowledgement.
The real Johnny (although Buck was still trying to figure out what “real” meant) had longer hair and brighter eyes. Buck would admit the guy looked pretty dreamy, but he was no Eddie Diaz.
“I’ve never actually been to New York.” Buck commented as he and Peter boarded the subway to Manhattan. They were headed to The Baxter Building, recruiting Johnny’s family for help. Apparently, Mr. Fantastic had more information that could be useful in getting Buck home.
Peter didn’t say anything in response so Buck figured he should carry the conversation.
“I grew up in Pennsylvania but we didn’t really do ‘family trips’ and I wasn’t in any of those clubs that did school trips. By the time I left my parents’ house, I was trying to get as far away as possible. I just traveled around doing whatever really, but it wasn’t until I got to LA that I found my home. But it was because of the people, yaknow?”
“Yeah, I get that, I guess.” Peter responded softly.
Buck didn’t blame him for being reserved, short. He probably would be too, if Eddie was missing.
Only, Eddie wasn’t his boyfriend.
Despite the adventure of it all, Buck glanced out the window and found himself longing for palm trees instead of unfamiliar skyscrapers.
Suddenly, a spindly figure danced across the backdrop, causing Buck to gasp. Peter looked up at him in alarm.
“There are other Spider-Mans? Spider-Men? Spider-People?” Buck asked in bewilderment.
“Oh. Yeah,” Peter said with a small smile on his face. “There’s quite a few of us nowadays.”
“Nice!” Buck was in such awe of this strange new world.
Soon enough, Peter got them into The Baxter Building and up to the top levels with a fancy all-access key card.
“Boyfriend privileges?” Buck joked in the elevator.
“Actually had this before J and I even got together.” Peter replied. “I mean–the Four have been my family since I was practically a teenager.”
A pang of jealousy hit Buck as he silently felt remorse for his teenage-self.
Shaking himself back to the present, Buck tried to take everything in. The architecture was stunning, he made a mental note to look into the history of retro-futurism when he got home. If he got home.
He followed Peter out of the elevator into a large living area. There were windows covering most of the walls, a big sectional and several chairs sat facing a tv that was probably ten times the size of the one in the loft.
As Buck was admiring the kitchen (and yearning to cook in it), a blonde woman walked in from one of the connecting hallways. She was carrying a little girl with similarly yellow hair, sleepy face tucked into her shoulder. Buck was immediately reminded of Maddie and Jee-Yun. He felt his heartstrings pull.
“Hello, Peter.” The woman said warmly, pulling him into a hug with her free arm. “HERBIE told me you were here… And that you have a guest?” She added on the last bit quietly, glancing over at him. Buck met her cautious eyes and smiled.
“Yeah, this is Buck.”
“Hi, Buck. I’m Susan Storm Richards.” She introduced herself professionally.
“Hi.” He waved.
She turned her back to Buck, and he could barely hear her whispering to Peter.
“Who is this? Where’s Johnny?”
“That’s the thing…” Peter started, speaking at a normal volume.
“Peter, where is my brother?” She questioned with a stern voice.
Suddenly another child–Buck guessed he was probably 7– came running in and immediately attached himself to Peter’s leg.
“Uncle Peter!” He shouted, earning a reprimand of “Franklin, inside voice.” from his mother.
“Franklin!” Peter exclaimed with a hollow excitement only the adults in the room caught onto. He lifted the kid up so he was eye level. “I’ve got some super important stuff to talk about with your mom and dad, but we’ll hang out later this week, okay?”
Franklin frowned and nodded like he was used to this– all the adults in his life having emergencies that took priority. It was impossible for Buck to not think of Chris.
“Okay.” Franklin responded strongly.
“Good kid.” Peter kissed the side of his head with a loud mwah! Which made Buck want to crumple up even harder. Franklin was set down and hurried back down the hallway. Peter ran a hand through his dark hair.
“Is Val out?” He quietly asked Sue, pointing to the small girl she was holding.
“Yeah, she was up with a stomach ache, poor thing. Finally got her to go back to sleep.” Sue looked down at her daughter and gently stroked her hair. “I imagine we’ll need to take this conversation to the lab?”
Peter nodded and Sue looked back over at Buck, who had been trying his best to make himself invisible.
“Let’s go then.”
Sue tucked Val back into her bed on the way. Buck looked in to see a darling bedroom, scientifically-accurate galactic posters adorned the walls and there was a stack of what appeared to be college textbooks next to the bed.
“Your kids seem really sweet.” Buck commented as they continued to walk down the seemingly endless, pristine hallways.
“Thank you.” Was all Sue replied with.
“I love kids.” He continued. “My best friend has a fourteen year old son and he’s my favorite person ever. Even though he’s been pretty angsty lately, but, hey, that’s teenagers for you.” Buck laughed a little bit. No one else did.
The group eventually walked through a secure set of doors into an immense laboratory. Buck gaped at all the technology lining the room. It looked right out of science fiction. He supposed it was.
“Reed, darling, can you pause what you’re doing?” Sue asked, her voice laced with worry.
Reed didn’t look up, his head still stuck in some kind of elaborate machine. Buck had been mentally preparing himself for the possibility of seeing it, but that still didn’t make him any less nauseous when he noticed the arm snaking out around the contraption– far longer than should be possible.
Peter must have noticed his discomfort because he leaned over and whispered “It can be a little freaky at first. You’ll get used to it.”
“Just a minute!” Reed’s voice echoed. “I need to set the thermal monitors but there’s not quite enough room next to the camshaft… and I’ll need to account for a possible high-impedance air gap.” He squished back out through the opening, hair poking every which way and soot covering his face. It was a display reminiscent of Chimney after a fire.
“Who’s this?” Reed asked as he eyed Buck up and down.
Sue started wiping at Reed’s face with a damp cloth like it was second nature.
“I’m still waiting for Peter to explain that.” She said with a bit of contempt.
“Alright so,” Peter leaned back against one of the counters and chewed on his bottom lip. “Instead of Johnny next to me in bed this morning, there was Buck. He says he has no memory of how he got here, and that he was previously in Los Angeles. Johnny’s phone was left behind, I didn’t notice anything missing besides him. I think we’re dealing with some kind of multiversal swap.”
“What makes you say that?” Reed asked, reaching all the way across the room to grab his glasses.
“Last I checked, people can’t do that.” Buck interjected.
“Fascinating…” Reed approached Buck and started observing him like he was some kind of alien.
“Apparently wherever he’s from, we don’t exist. Or rather, we do but we’re just some kind of movie characters.” Peter bit out.
“Well it was comic books first.” Buck supplied. “But, the movies are probably the most popular current form of superhero media. The Fantastic Four just got a new movie. I haven’t seen it but Chris saw it with his friends and said it was good.”
Peter huffed and Reed continued to examine Buck.
“Do you mind if I run some tests?”
“I– I guess not.” Buck had been through a lot of medical tests in his life. A lot he didn’t remember. He wasn’t scared, but it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience either. And who knew what kind of weird tests they had on this Earth!
Reed led him over to a medical cot that seemed familiar enough. It was a pretty standard check up- ABCs, BP, heart rate, reflexes.
As they were waiting for the vile of blood to go through a small contraption, Sue approached Buck.
“How are you coping?” She asked gently.
“Weirdly fine?” He looked up and noticed she had the same smile as Maddie. Or maybe he was just imagining it. “I miss my family, of course, but I don’t know. Weirder things have happened.”
Sue laughed a little in surprise.
“Weirder than getting launched into a different universe?”
Buck shrugged with a lopsided smile.
“I died for 3 minutes a couple years ago. Came back though. Obviously.”
“Sounds like you’re more similar to Johnny than we thought.” She commented.
“I’m really sorry about all this.” Buck apologized quietly. “I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here to help, and I live alone, there might not be anyone there for him.”
“Believe it or not, he’s gotten through worse before, too.” Sue shook her head. “My brother is strong. And he’s smart. He’ll figure something out on his end too.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
It wasn’t the first time Johnny had woken up in an unfamiliar bed by himself. Although it had been several years since that last happened. He blinked his eyes open to find the sun had already risen. He sat up and rubbed at his face, taking in his location before he realized something was wrong.
First, he had never seen this room before. Second, he very much remembered going to sleep in his own bed with Peter last night. He had the physical reminder of that too.
Johnny got up and dropped his hands as he looked around the floor for any indication of his clothes. Nothing. He walked over to what he assumed to be the closet and fist pumped when he was correct. The clothes were bigger than he usually wore but he supposed he could deal with not having his muscles on display for some time.
He pulled on a t-shirt with the LAFD logo on it and didn’t think anything of it until he walked past the window and noticed very different scenery than he was used to.
Johnny scrambled for his phone only to discover the one on the nightstand was not his, nor was his anywhere to be found. He picked up the mystery phone and glanced at the lockscreen- a photo of a man with dark hair and a kid, probably middle school aged, with glasses and curly hair; the two of them both had bright smiles on their faces. In the midst of his trepidation, Johnny was able to still appreciate the cute photo. He opened the emergency call feature without needing a passcode and typed in the one number he’s had memorized since childhood.
The call didn’t even go through. It played a message saying the number did not exist or was no longer in service. So, fuck.
Johnny started mentally kicking himself for being a bad boyfriend and not having Peter’s number memorized but– who memorized numbers anymore?
He sat down on the bed, head in his hands, when there was a knock at the front door. Obviously, he thought, he should just ignore it. He didn’t know whose apartment this was, he was not in New York, and likely wasn’t even on his own Earth. So whoever it was would just need to wait.
But the knocks were incessant.
“Buck!” A voice called out. “C’mon, man! If you don’t open up, I’m gonna assume you’re in trouble and use my key!”
Johnny just silently panicked and tried to figure out his best way out of the building without being caught, flaming on was out of the question with regular clothes.
“I’m coming in, Buck!” Shit shit shit shit.
Johnny was at the bottom of the stairs when the door swung open revealing the man and the kid from the phone lockscreen. “Called you like 50 times—“
“Uhh… hi.” Johnny tried to charm, his default in stressful social situations.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize Buck had anyone over.” The man said awkwardly.
“That’s not exactly what’s happening.” Johnny admitted, and the man instinctively moved to stand in front of his kid. Johnny had thought the two were boyfriends, based on his limited context but then why would this guy not be yelling at some random guy in his boyfriend’s apartment? Maybe they were open?
“Where’s Buck?” He asked serious, and almost threateningly.
“I don’t know.” Johnny put his hands in front of himself in defense.
“How did you get in here?” The man continued to approach, and, hell. He was tall and strong and Johnny was in no position to fully flame on in here.
“I don’t know.”
“Is that all you can say?! ‘I don’t know’?!” He growled out and grabbed the front of Johnny’s shirt.
“Dad–” The kid protested.
“Listen-- I don’t know where your boyfriend is.” A flicker of something crossed the man’s face at Johnny’s words. “But, I think I can explain if we all just sit down and put our fists away.”
The man seemed to just-then realize his stance. He let Johnny go and went to sit at the dining table.
“Chris, you can go watch tv or play your games in the living room. We’ve got adult stuff to talk about.” He directed at his son.
“No!” Johnny was taken back a bit at the kid’s outburst. The man gave him a warning look.
“Sorry.” He grumbled. “But if something’s wrong with Buck, I want to know.”
The man sighed and put his hand on the kid’s shoulder.
“Are you sure? This might be a kind of…” He glanced over at Johnny. “Intense.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay. I guess you can hear what needs to be said.” He shot Johnny a look that said ‘Keep it PG’. Johnny nodded and sat down across from them.
“All right, my name is Johnny Storm.” The kid’s head shot up in recognition.
“Eddie Diaz.”
“I’m Chris.” The teen supplied, to his father’s dismay.
“I don’t know how I got here. Last night I went to sleep in New York, and then I woke up here-- alone. I don’t have my phone and I tried to call my sister but her number doesn’t exist here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think this isn’t my home earth.” Johnny tried to say.
Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“So you’re saying you’re– what? Some kind of alien?”
Chris laughed quietly behind his hand.
“No– I’m– I’m from Earth. I’m human. Somewhat.” Johnny stuttered out. Eddie raised an eyebrow.
“I’m just not from this Earth. At least that’s my theory on what’s happening.” He thought briefly that he’d spent too much time ogling Peter while he was working with Reed, if he was using phrases like “that’s my theory.”
“Right…” Eddie rubbed at his forehead. “So you haven’t seen Buck?”
“No. Sorry. I don’t know who that is.”
“Fuck.” Eddie whispered under his breath and chewed on his bottom lip. A nervous habit Peter also had. He then turned to Chris. “I’m gonna call Aunt Maddie, see if she’s heard anything.”
Chris nodded and Eddie walked a few feet away, leaving him alone at the table across from Johnny.
“So… Johnny Storm?”
“Yup.” He wasn’t sure how much he should reveal yet. Reed had probably warned him of multiversal rifts or whatever at some point.
“Like The Human Torch?” Ah, so maybe there was a variant of himself here.
“Ha, yeah, that’s me.” He shot a little flame out of his pointer finger.
Chris practically jumped out of his chair.
“Holy shit!”
“Chris! Language!” Eddie shouted from the other side of the room before going back to his phone, although facing towards the table now, eagle eyes set on Johnny.
“I’m really hoping you were reacting like that just ‘cause you haven’t seen super powers in person before.”
Chris sat there with his mouth hanging open and shook his head.
“No one has seen super powers in person before.”
Johnny hung his head. He had no fucking clue how he was going to get home.
When he looked back up, Christopher was showing him a google search result page with cartoon versions of The Human Torch. Only cartoon versions of The Human Torch. And one photo of Chris Evans in some kind of knock-off Fantastic Four suit, surrounded in flames. The little summary on the bottom of the page read “The Human Torch is a fictional superhero from Marvel Comics, most famously known as Johnny Storm, a founding member of the Fantastic Four.”
“So I’m…” Johnny paused to take in the information. “I’m just a comic book character?”
“On this Earth I guess.” Chris laughed lowly and looked like he was texting someone.
“What about Spider-Man?” He asked, voice shaking.
“What about him?” Chris asked back, in true teenager fashion.
“Is he fictional too?”
“Yeah.” The kid just looked at him like he was dumb. “He’s like the superhero.”
Well now Johnny was a little offended.
“Even over The Fantastic Four?”
“Totally.”
“Damn… My boyfriend’s more famous than me here.” He sighed, mostly to himself.
“You’re dating Spider-Man!?” Chris exclaimed.
“Yeah?” Johnny just supposed, at this point, that he would be with Peter in every universe. “Are fictional-us not together?”
“Fictional you isn’t even gay.”
Johnny laughed out loud at that.
“Well, I’m bi, but man, that’s… wow.”
“I wonder if you and Buck traded places from some kind of bisexual fire-man bond.”
“Everything fine over here?” Eddie asked as he took his place again.
“Yeah, dad. Watch this.” Chris pointed to Johnny.
“Oh uh, it’s not really a party trick, kid.” He tried to concede but Chris just looked back with an unimpressed expression. If he was this kid’s parent he’d never be able to say no. “All right.”
Johnny lit up his hand, holding a small ball of flames that he played with for a couple seconds before extinguishing.
Eddie jumped up and back at the sight, knocking a chair to the ground in the process.
“You– How– What was that?” He sputtered out.
“He’s actually Johnny Storm, Dad.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“We watched Fantastic Four with Buck like three weeks ago!”
“I probably fell asleep!”
“Ugh.” Christopher rolled his eyes.
“Okay just—“ Eddie sat back down and put his head in his hands. “Has this, er, happened to you before?”
“Yeah like once or twice.” Johnny shrugged. He’d never experienced swapping places with someone random, or being somewhere without a Reed but it wasn't his first jaunt to a different universe.
Eddie looked understandably skeptical and frazzled.
“So what do you usually do to get back to your…”
“Home earth?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I’d go find my brother-in-law– they’ve got a whole, like, club of all the variants of himself– but Reed isn’t real here, and we’re in Los Angeles as far as I can tell so… do you happen to know any billionaire geniuses?”
“Not personally.” Eddie grumbled.
“They’re all evil here anyway.” Christopher added.
“Cool.” Johnny slouched back in his chair, head to the ceiling, and sighed. He’d just have to wait until his Reed figured it out.
“We do have someone who might know something…” Chris stage-whispered to his dad.
“Who..?” Realization dawned on his face. “No. Chris, we’re not gonna bug her today. Hen’s on shift, and she’s got a day off with the kids—“
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
30 minutes later the odd trio found themselves standing on the Wilson’s front porch as Karen appraised Johnny.
“Come in.” She said with a scowl towards Eddie that he tried to meet with an apologetic smile.
When Eddie’s stomach twisted as he glanced at the giant “BUCKLEY” on the back of Johnny’s t-shirt. He had to keep reminding himself he was doing this for Buck. Even though everything pointed towards Johnny being a crazy person, Eddie told Maddie he’d keep an eye on him and “try to help.” She hadn’t heard from Buck either, nor had Bobby and Athena, who were appalled when Eddie called them from the car saying he was taking the universe-usurper to a secondary location.
Denny came running into the front room, sliding on his socks.
“Is this him?” He asked Chris excitedly while pointing at Johnny.
“Uh huhhh.” Chris replied with a smug little smile. Which he definitely got from Buck. He was having way too much fun with this whole situation.
At least Johnny looked reluctant to use his ‘powers’. He sighed and made a little flame bow and arrow that smoked out as the arrow shot off. The kids lost their minds, Karen was tight-lipped and looked like her eyes were going to bug out of her skull.
“Kids, do you wanna go play video games or something?” Karen tried.
“Why does everyone keep asking that? I want to help.” Chris said back.
“Yeah me too.” Denny added on. “Mara’s playing animal crossing on the Switch anyway.”
Eddie and Karen sighed in a twin manner. When Eddie looked over at her, she just shrugged in defeat.
“You can stay, just stop fanboying.”
“I was not—“ Chris started. He shut up when Eddie raised an eyebrow at him.
Once they were all situated, Eddie and Johnny both retold their sides of the story for Karen and Denny. Eddie was just wishing he was at the art museum with Buck and Chris right now like they’d initially planned.
“So what do you need me for?” Karen asked when they were finished.
“Well you’re… you’re a rocket scientist, Karen! I don’t know, I thought you could help get him back to his universe somehow!” He was grasping at straws. He’d just needed to bring the situation to someone smarter than him. Someone more calm in a crisis involving Buck.
“Yeah, Eddie, I’m a rocket scientist– I don’t know anything about interdimensional travel! Multiverse theory is a theory.”
“I could figure it out, I just need a little help.” Johnny said quietly.
“You could?” Karen asked incredulously.
“Well I helped Reed build the last few dimensional transporters. He did most of the calculations, but I know how to build it, I think.”
“Where would you even build it? What kind of materials would you need? There’s a lot of questions still out in the open here.” Karen shot back.
“Back at your friend’s apartment would probably work best, since that’s where I woke up. It’s just these wrist cuff things not a whole like—“ Johnny gestured wildly with his arms. “Machine. I think we used adamantium last time? An adamantium-steel alloy would also work but nothing weaker than that. Vibranium would also work, but that can be tricky to get if you’re not on good terms with the Wakandan government obviously.”
Eddie had no fucking clue what this guy was talking about.
“Uhm–” Denny interrupted. “I have some bad news.”
Everyone turned to look at him where he sat next to Chris, who had an equally worried expression on his face.
“Adamantium and Vibranium aren’t real.”
Johnny’s face dropped immediately.
“You’re joking– He’s joking right?”
Eddie could sense the beginnings of a panic attack in Johnny’s face and body.
“Chris, Denny, out.” He said quickly and seriously, pointing down the hall to Denny’s room.
“But–”
“Now.” Karen demanded.
“I’m never going home. I’m stuck here. I’ll never gonna see my niece and nephew again, I’ll never kiss my boyfriend again– I–” Johnny sank in on himself in his chair and began to cry, his breathing was shallow.
Karen gave Eddie a worried look and cautiously put her hand on Johnny’s arm. Eddie moved to sit in front of him, crouched on the end of the coffee table.
“Hey, Johnny.” He didn’t know where he was going with this as the words left his mouth. “We’re gonna do everything we can to help you, alright? We’re trying to get our friend back too.” Eddie looked over at Karen as if to ask ‘Any updates on that front?’
“I need you to breathe for me. Can you name three things you can see?” Eddie knew how to help people calm down, he was a medical professional. But, he couldn’t help but think of Buck helping him in moments of panic.
“Uh,” Johnny was still gazing at the floor. “The rug, your shoes, the legs of the coffee table.”
“Good, you’re doing great, Johnny. What about three things you can hear?”
He closed his eyes and took a breath as he focused.
“The fridge, I think, uh I can kinda hear the kids talking, and there’s a bird outside.”
“That’s great, now I need you to wiggle your fingers… now roll your wrists… and put your arms over your head and back down.”
By the time he was done, Johnny’s breathing was back to normal and his head was raised. His watery eyes met Eddie’s and for a moment Eddie thought they’re the wrong shade of blue.
“Why don’t you tell us about them– your family?” Karen offered, continuing to ground Johnny.
“Uhm, yeah sure.” Johnny sniffed. “There’s my sister, Sue, she practically raised me after our parents… And, well, she’s just the best, at everything really. She’s so smart, she’s got a doctorate in archaeology, I don’t even know how she found the time to do that between working all the time and reigning me in. Oh, and she’s like the best mom.”
Eddie smiled to himself, it was really similar how Buck talked about Maddie, and made him miss his own sisters.
“My nephew is your typical 8 year old, except he can also like– create universes. So, maybe he can figure out this whole situation, huh? It’s been awesome watching him grow up– like I swear he was just a baby the other day and now he’s a whole person with skills, and opinions, ya know?”
Eddie nodded, he did know. He was still struggling to comprehend how Chris was somehow already a teenager.
“He’s been really into video games lately– taught me and my boyfriend how to play Roblox. Do you guys have that here?”
“Yes.” Karen and Eddie responded simultaneously in the same Parents-of-Gen-Z tone of voice.
Johnny laughed. It was a nice sound but Eddie couldn’t help but wish it was Buck’s he was hearing instead.
“Oh and my niece? She is so smart it’s scary. But, she’s still a little kid in ways that matter. Like– she loves stuffed animals, and whenever we have movie nights she’ll just curl up in one of our laps. Even on Ben’s big rocky legs.” Johnny smiled and shook his head fondly.
“And as much as I rag on Ben all the time, he’s my brother. I’d do anything for him.”
Eddie immediately thought of his relationship with Buck.
“I guess Reed is my actual brother, at least in-law, but he’s– and don’t tell him this– but he’s really more like a father figure to me. More than my actual dad was, anyway.”
Johnny often spoke animatedly– hands constantly waving, expressing with his entire face (I miss Buck, Eddie thought every time he took notice) but when he started speaking of his father, he shut down.
“He… Well, Sue gives him more credit. Benefit of the doubt, whatever you wanna call it. But, the truth is that he didn’t care enough to keep trying for his kids, at least… not for me. But Reed? He always cares. He doesn’t show it in typical ways, not with words. But that man is all heart.” Johnny’s voice shook with a certain strength.
“Then, there’s Peter.” A smile and a faint blush crossed his face. “He is… the love of my life, I swear. There’s never been anyone who makes me feel the way he does. And, he’s just so good.
“Peter is always looking out for people, except for himself, but that’s why he’s got me, isn’t it?” Oh. “He’s my best friend, my partner.” Oh.
Eddie needed to get some air.
“I feel the same way about my wife.” Karen said and placed her hand gently on top of Johnny’s. Eddie needed them both to stop talking.
“I promise you, if I get back to him the first thing I’m doing is proposing.” Johnny grinned.
Eddie lost track of where their conversation seemed to go from there, his mind spiraled.
Best friend, partner, love of my life.
It all sounded so easy coming out of Johnny’s mouth. Easy, but it held the weight of someone who had been through so much with that person. It sounded like near-death, actual death, and coming out on the other side still having each other’s backs. It sounded like love.
Eddie had to get his thoughts under control. Just because Johnny felt that way about someone he wanted to marry, didn’t mean that Eddie wanted to marry Buck just because he felt that way about him. But he didn’t feel that way about Buck.
Did he?
He always knew that he loved Buck. Ever since he’d introduced Carla into Eddie and Chris’ lives. But now, he was suddenly being hit with the frigid ice bucket of a realization that he may just be in love with Buck.
He desperately needed Buck to come back to him, and soon.
Eddie was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock at the front door.
“Oh good!” Karen got up and ran to the door, opening it to reveal Maddie.
She looked tired, like she’d been crying but had tried to conceal it before coming inside. Karen and Maddie hugged quickly and returned to the scene– the flaming elephant in the room.
While he was still sitting down, Maddie pulled Eddie into a hug, tucking his head against her shoulder like Buck often would.
“How are you holding up?” She whispered into his hair.
“‘Feel like I should be asking you that.”
Maddie nodded solemnly and pulled back.
“I’m doing as well as I can right now. And, I may be his sister, but… you’re his Eddie.”
While he was left to ponder (and silently panic about) whatever that meant, Maddie introduced herself to Johnny.
“I’m so sorry about your brother.” Johnny’s voice broke as he spoke. “I’m sure if he is there, in my universe, Reed is going to do everything he can to get him back home.”
Maddie nodded, her lips tight.
“Can I hug you?”
Johnny looked like he was about to cry and nodded in the affirmative.
Eddie thought he heard Johnny apologize again, muffled by Maddie’s cardigan.
“It’s not your fault.” She replied.
“You don’t know that.” Johnny was fully attempting to speak through sobs.
“Maybe not, but my gut is telling me to trust you.”
“She’s usually right.” Eddie added. Meanwhile Karen silently excused herself to take a phone call.
Johnny sniffled and nodded, kissing his teeth. He then attempted to wipe his tears.
“God, sorry I’m such a mess.”
“Anyone would be if they were in your position.” Maddie said comfortingly.
“You’re a lot like my sister.” Johnny said with a faint smile. “It’s like you always know what to say.”
Maddie smiled and pointed to the dispatch logo on her shirt.
“That’s kind of my job.”
Karen came streaming back into the front room.
“You should all get to the firehouse. Now.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
“Alright Mr. Buckley,” Reed started as Peter decoded the information on his monitor. “We’ve confirmed you are, in fact, from a different Earth. Peter is pulling up the information on your universe now and we’ll be able to get you home in no time.”
“That easy?” Buck asked warily.
“That easy.” Peter echoed, turning around in his swivel chair. “Earth-118.”
“No shit.” Buck cursed suddenly, causing Reed’s eyebrows to raise. “Sorry, it’s just– that’s the number of my firehouse.”
“What’re the odds?” Sue commented.
“Well there are approximately 27,000 firehouses in the United States, but an infinite number of realities so, theoretically, the odds are zero, but–”
“Reed,” Peter interrupted. “Rhetorical question.”
“Oh! My apologies.”
“No need to be sorry, dear.” Sue said with a kiss to Reed’s cheek as she passed over to the computer.
“Buck, you don’t happen to know the coordinates of your apartment do you?” She asked with a turn of her head.
“Uh no… is that necessary?”
“Not totally,” Peter replied. “It would be helpful to put you back where you last were… And where Johnny is.” He added with a mumble, still facing the computer.
“And there’s a possibility your earth is different, geographically, than ours but we don’t have a complete map so we can’t find the best location ourselves, without it being an estimate.”
Peter turned around and watched Buck rub at his stubble in thought.
“Would the coordinates of my firehouse work?”
Reed, Sue, and Peter made silent intermittent eye contact. It would take longer to find Johnny that way. More risky. They all knew it. But, right now, it was the best option they had.
“Sure.” Peter decided, moving aside so Buck could type them into the system.
Reed had gathered the materials to prepare Buck for transportation and paused when Peter started reaching for them too.
“Peter…” He warned. Peter’s ire for him started to simmer.
“I’m going, Reed.”
“We don’t know enough—“
“We don’t know what Johnny is going through!” He bit back. “He’s there without any family, no one who’s experienced in dimensional travel. I’m going there and bringing him back.”
Reed’s face softened as he conceded.
“All right. Be careful. The both of you.”
“Pete?” Sue said quietly behind him. He turned and she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Bring my brother back.”
Peter held her icy gaze with all the seriousness he could muster.
“I will.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Buck would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little excited at this point. Scared? Sure. But also— he was traveling through dimensions. And it seemed pretty safe, all things considered.
He was also excited to get back home. Under different circumstances, maybe he would have stayed a while. If Eddie and Chris were there. Maybe he’d save up for them to all travel to their New York next Christmas.
Buck stood next to Peter (who he kept remembering was actually Spider-Man and getting a little jolt of excitement about) in an empty, taped off, space in the lab. There was machinery strapped around his wrists, with the types of machinery he’d never even seen before.
“Feeling ready, Mr. Buckley?” Dr. Richards asked him.
“Never better.” He said with a tight smile and two thumbs up.
Peter and the Doctors spouted confirmations and commands out until suddenly there was a countdown and Buck blinked.
And then he was in the firehouse.
He let out a sigh of relief as he looked up at the loft and saw part of his crew milling around.
Ravi came down the stairs casually then paused in shock when he saw Buck and Peter.
“Buck?”
“Uhh yeah? Don’t tell me it’s been like 10 years.”
“Hen! Cap! Everyone get down here!”
“Rav, what’s happening?” Buck walked forward and was tackled in hugs as everyone made their way downstairs.
“I’ve gotta call Karen!” Hen exclaimed with a start.
“Who’s this?” Bobby asked, moving to shake Peter’s hand.
“Oh, this is Peter!” Buck bounded back over. “He helped me get back.”
“From where?” Chimney asked. “And who’s the guy Eddie found in your apartment?”
“Johnny.” Peter answered, voice suddenly filled with anticipation. “Is he still there? Do we know if he’s okay?”
“He’s with Eddie now.” Bobby said, his calming Captain voice in effect. “They’re at the Wilson’s.”
“On their way!” Hen added, waving her phone in the air as she walked back. “Good to know you’re okay, Buckaroo.” She pulled him into another hug.
Buck noticed that Peter was still standing back, away from the group.
“There’s nowhere better he could be than with Eddie.” Buck assured him quietly. Peter nodded, a worried grimace still marking his expression. “C’mon, I want you to meet everyone!”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Johnny couldn’t stop himself from flicking his fingers in Eddie’s truck. Eddie seemed too preoccupied in his own focus to say anything about it.
“Are we close?” Johnny asked just to fill the tense silence.
“Sort of.”
Okay so he obviously didn’t want to talk.
“She didn’t say if anyone else was with Buck, did she?”
“You heard as much information as I did.” Eddie responded with a frustrated grunt.
“I was just making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. I don’t know… He should still have the transporters right? So I... I could still get back home.”
After what felt like hours, they pulled into the parking lot at the fire station. Johnny tried not to be too impatient, he stayed by the truck as Eddie and Chris dismounted, then walked at a normal pace with them.
And then he saw Peter.
Realistically, it had been 12 hours at most since he last saw him. But, it was possible Peter was even more beautiful than Johnny had remembered.
“Buck!” Chris shouted from behind Johnny, causing Peter and the firefighters to turn towards them.
There was a blur of motion around them but Johnny kept his eyes on only Peter.
After a breath, they met each other in what felt like slow motion.
Johnny’s hands found their place on Peter’s waist, Peter’s around his neck.
Peter’s lips tasted like home.
They pulled apart; eyes still closed, foreheads touching, breaths mingling.
“That really you, Torch?”
Johnny chuckled.
“What? Couldn’t recognize my lips? The faint smell of ozone?”
Peter rolled his eyes.
“Just making sure I’m not dreaming, flamebrain.”
Johnny pulled him into another kiss, pouring all his longing and fears from the last several hours out into it.
“Hey, Pete?”
“Yeah?”
“Marry me?”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
“Buck!” Oh how he’d missed that voice.
“Christopher!” Buck ran over and pulled him into a crushing hug. “I’m sorry I made us miss our museum reservations.”
“Are you kidding me?” Chris said like Buck was being ridiculous. Buck pulled back and tilted his head in confusion. “I got to meet a superhero, Buck.”
Buck smiled and exhaled, still holding onto Chris to make sure he was real.
“And I’m glad you’re okay.” Chris said quietly, just so Buck could hear.
Buck kissed Chris’ head, much to his teenage-chagrin, when Eddie spoke.
“Hey, stranger.”
“Eddie… I am so sorry. I don’t know what happened and I couldn’t get a hold of you—“
“Buck, hey, hey.” Eddie put a soothing hand to the side of Buck’s face, causing it to heat up. “Why are you apologizing?”
“We had plans… I wasn’t here. I probably freaked you out.” Buck confessed.
Eddie’s other hand came up, framing Buck’s face.
“But you’re here now. And you’re okay.” Eddie’s thumbs traced over Buck’s cheeks. “Can I…?” He moved closer, their noses brushed.
“Yes. Anything, Eds, yes.”
And then Eddie’s lips were on his.
It was sweet, and desperate, and warm, and everything Buck had hoped kissing Eddie would feel like.
“I was so scared.” Eddie whispered when they parted. “I couldn’t let you go again without doing that.”
“I love you, Eddie.” Buck blurted out. Something he didn’t think he’d ever get the chance to say in this context.
Eddie looked up at him with his round, gorgeous eyes and smiled.
“I love you too.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
“What?!” Peter laughed and his eyebrows pulled together. “You’re not serious.”
Johnny slipped from Peter’s embrace and got down on one knee.
“Oh my god you’re serious.”
“Peter… I thought I wasn’t ever going to see you again.”
“Johnny–” Peter interrupted.
“No. Let me, please. I know we’re always in danger, this is an average Tuesday for us. But, I didn’t want to get trapped somewhere without you again, without being your husband.”
Peter could feel his heart beating against his ribs.
“And I know this isn’t the greatest environment; I don’t have a ring, I’m wearing another man’s clothes, but I couldn’t wait a second longer. I love you, Peter Benjamin Parker. Will you marry me?”
And how could Peter say no to that?
“Yes. Fuck, God, yes.” Peter swore, and fell down to meet Johnny’s level. They collapsed into a mess of limbs, not knowing where one or the other started and ended. “Yes I will marry you, Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm.”
Their teeth clashed in a messy kiss of smiles.
“Both middle names memorized, you must really love me.” Johnny joked.
“I do. I love you so much, Johnny.” Peter said with full sincerity, and then he remembered something.
“Wait! You might not have a ring,” He pulled the chain out from under his t-shirt and unhooked Uncle Ben’s ring from it. “But I do.”
“Peter…” Johnny’s eyes began to fill with tears. “Are you sure?”
“I am one hundred percent about you, firefly.” He slid the ring onto Johnny’s fourth finger. “He’d want you to have it, too.”
Johnny pulled him into a bruising kiss.
“Hey lovebirds!” Someone called out. Peter and Johnny pulled apart, only to find that the call was not directed towards them, but instead Buck and (who Peter assumed was) Eddie.
The other couple pulled apart, blushes dusting both their cheeks, as Peter and Johnny both rose from the floor.
“Hey,” Peter started as he walked up to them. “Eddie?”
“That’s me.” Eddie held out a hand for Peter to shake.
“Thanks for keeping this one safe.” Peter said, placing his free hand, the one not around Johnny’s waist, on his chest.
“Thanks for bringing mine back to me.” Eddie directed a smile up to Buck.
“Speaking of…” Johnny looked at Buck and pointed at his own wrists.
“Oh yeah!” Buck removed the gauntlets and passed them over.
“Not that I haven’t enjoyed my time here–getting accused of a variety of crimes, and then having a mental breakdown–but, I would very much like to get back home now.”
“No, yeah, for sure.” Buck laughed. “ You have superhero stuff to get back to I’m sure.”
Johnny leaned in, conspiratorily.
“To be honest, I just want to get back to bed with my boyfriend.” He whispered.
“Fiancé.” Peter corrected.
“Fiancé!!!” Johnny gasped back in excitement.
“Yeah I get that.” Buck smiled and Eddie’s cheeks turned a deeper red.
“And congratulations?” Eddie offered.
Peter nodded in thanks, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.
“Wait!” The kid that had entered with Eddie and Johnny hurried back over, lungs heaving in excitement.
“Aye, pace yourself, mijo.” Eddie said in a calming voice.
“Spider-Man.” The kid breathed out, a smile covering his face.
“Yeah.” Peter laughed and kneeled down to the kid’s height. “What’s your name?”
“Christopher.” He replied.
“He’s a real good guy, very helpful.” Johnny supplied, making Chris smile harder.
“I didn’t plan anything to say, I just wanted to meet you.” He admitted.
“Eh, I’m not as cool without the suit anyway.” Peter tried to joke but Chris looked offended on his behalf.
“You’re like three different types of scientist! And you do photography! And you’re apparently dating another superhero! All that is cool!”
Peter smiled and shook his head.
“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Christopher. Thanks for taking care of Johnny for me.”
Chris nodded back at him.
“You know, he used to put Spider-Man stickers all over his crutches.” Eddie added, making Chris’ smile disappear.
“Dad!” He whisper-shouted, embarrassed.
“Ah it’s all good. Johnny has a Spider-Man stuffed animal he thinks I don’t know about.”
“What!?”
Christopher giggled.
“Don’t trust Ben, babe.” Peter stood and placed a chaste kiss on Johnny's cheek.
“I told him to delete those pictures!”
“We really should get going.” Peter addressed the whole group. “It was lovely to meet you all. Wish it was under better circumstances, but hopefully your lives get back to a less-cosmic normal.”
“Eh, Buck being in peril is pretty standard-issue around here for us.” The man who had been introduced to Peter as Chimney, said.
“Well then, better than normal.” Peter amended.
He went to shake Buck’s hand, but was pulled into a hug instead. Peter had to admit, it was one of the better hugs he had experienced in his life.
“‘No, Peter, Eddie definitely isn’t my boyfriend.’” Peter teased, echoing Buck’s earlier words back to him.
“He wasn’t earlier!” Buck defended. “Congratulations on your engagement, by the way.”
“Gee, thanks, it’s… I’m gonna go home and try to process it all now.” Peter smiled. “We’ll see you around? Well– actually probably not, but, take care of yourself, Buck.”
“You too, Peter.”
With more scattered words of farewells, Peter and Johnny synced their transporters and were welcomed back to the Baxter Building.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
“Are you freaking out?” Buck asked Eddie, as they laid in bed together.
“I might later.” He admitted, but tightened Buck’s arm around him. “Right now I’m just overwhelmed with how much I love you that I don’t have room to think about anything else.”
Buck was silent, then pulled Eddie’s chin up, from where it had been resting on his chest.
“That is the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“I plan to make you say that every day.” Eddie murmured as he leaned in to capture Buck’s lips for the hundredth time that hour.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Johnny was lounging in the living room, waiting for Peter to come back from patrol, when Reed walked in.
“Johnny, could I speak with you for a moment?”
“Sure, whatsup?” He sat up and muted the tv.
“I wanted to give you my congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thanks Reed, that means a lot.”
“I also, er, wanted you to have this. If you want to give it to Peter.” He handed Johnny a small silver ring. “It should fit him unless his ring size has changed since we made the Future Foundation suits.”
Johnny turned the ring over and saw that engraved on the inside was a full moon with a crescent intersecting it.
“What’s this?”
“The moon phases on both of your birth dates. They match perfectly.”
Johnny’s heart was so full of love he could hardly stand it
“Reed… Thank you, he’s going to love it. I love it. Thank you.” He pulled Reed into a hug which was reciprocated warmly after a moment's surprise.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Six months later, Peter Parker and Johnny Storm were married. Thanks to Sue’s incredible planning, the ceremony took place in a private vineyard decorated to the nines. Lights and flowers lined the aisle and the adjacent clubhouse where the reception would take place was gorgeous.
But none of that mattered when Johnny couldn’t help the tears streaming down his cheeks as he smiled at Peter being led down the aisle by his aunt. He’d always dreamed of a wedding like this. Surrounded by his family, and with the person he loved more than anything.
Val made the cutest flower girl, a small smile appearing on her face, contrasting her usual grimace. Likewise, Franklin looked so grown up in his little suit when he brought their rings down.
Next to Johnny at the altar stood Wyatt and Jen, while Peter had MJ and Harry at his side. Between them was Ben, who had actually shed a tear when they asked if he would officiate.
Johnny did not, however, wait for Ben to finish the phrase before he was already pulling Peter into the best kiss of their lives.
“I love you, husband.” Peter whispered between their smiles when they finally broke apart.
“I love you, husband.” Johnny parroted, equally giddy.
The reception was booming. They’d initially discussed having more intimate nuptials, just direct family, but ended up inviting half the superhero community. As well as a certain firehouse family from a different dimension. Two of whom were wearing shiny engagement bands of their own.