Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Drip, drip, drip..
Drip after drip the water drops to the cold concrete ground with a soft sounds that make his ears itch, it felt light at first but then everything starting to hurt.

He pushed himself off wherever he was before falling on the ground with a hiss of pain in his chest and arm, cough after cough he tried to catch his breath without scratching pain in his lungs.

He opened his eyes blinding light hit the second he opened his eyes before he shut his eyes again and opening them again to adjust his eyes to the light. He was in a alley, a dumpster right next to him with a awful smell assaulting his nose sharply

He wasn't in a alley before though? He clearly remembers sleeping in his stained bed warm from an exhausting day that he went through and a familiar lonely apartment he earned from hard work.

But now he was in a alley, his arm still bruised from the past battle before everything got solved and went home. He finally catched his breath slowly standing up grateful that he didn't his legs before.

The alley looked like your advantage dumpster alley, he must fell from the dumpster because he remembers falling shortly, the alley reeked of vomit and trash and maybe chemical? It was unfamiliar the sky looked gray but he clearly remembers in the forecast that it was supposed to sunny out.

The ground was wet like it had rained before though he knows it didn't rain yesterday or in the morning. The whole placed screamed unfamiliar

poor fella... He looks lost.

He screamed at the noise that suddenly came out of nowhere looking around for the noise

"Who's there?!"

His voice hurted his throat for a moment while tried to locate the sound but he was all alone in the alley except for a pile of trash next to him

did he speak? To me? Hi!

He jumped at the sound again, okay seriously he's kinda freaking out because he can hear it yet there is nothing around him. Nothing at all.

"...hi?" God he feels like his losing his mind right now
Unfortunately and fortunately for him the sound didn't speak again as he shook his head

Okay he either turned schizophrenic or he's losing it.

Because he has no clue where he was, or how he got here, how the place felt so weird and unfamiliar. İt all felt wrong.

He patted his pockets to search for his thing because good thing he finally notice he woke up in his civillain clothes he was wearing before passing out on his bed without even bothering to change or do anything than sleep.

He found his wallet (with 300 bucks inside that was supposed to be his rant money including his ID, driving license (thank God he got them before everything) and some candy trash he doesn't remember eating it.) and found his phone.

He sighs in relief tho it didn't last long when he remembers he doesn't know where he is.

After what felt forever he left the alley to the streets and the first thing he noticed was the people, they looked wary, intimidating and angry. He could smell the gunpowder on same people and notice the civilians were armed to teeth. No one meet the others eye or even lift their head from the ground. The place looked dark. The building, stores looked dark like it been centuries since they last upgraded it

He tried to be as quiet as possible, trying to mimic the people passing looking down shoulder up tense. He didn't wanna looked like a sore thumb in this place he didn't recognize and it clearly wasn't friendly. Only God knows what would happen if he catch someone's eye while he was injured and this state.

He walked for a while before seeing a newsstand with papers Almost peeling, walking over he picked up a newspaper before getting stopped by the guy who obviously run the newsstand

"Y'know you're supposed to pay for that." The guys voice was rough and inpatient as he extended his hand from the open window waiting for cash.

"Ah.. right sorry." He tried to be polite and also on guard in case he looked outsider. Though his whole aura screamed outsiders to the locals. He pulled out one dollar handing it to the guy who grumbled about 'young people' and sitting back on his chair.

He looked back at the newspaper reading the first big letters on the front page

JOKER BEHİND BARS! BATMAN SAVES GOTHAM ONCE AGAİN.

what? Who's batman?? He continues to read trying to understand. Apparently joker was a mad clown (ha) who tried to bomb multiple hospitals but got stopped by the bat's and defused the bombs saving thousand and arresting joker to Arkham asylum.

There is a lot to unpack Right now. First after reading multiple pages he figured out he wasn't in new York anymore, which excepted. And the bats, some night stalking, crime fighting vigilantes he never heard of. He never even heard of Gotham, or joker which he would know someone like him after reading a while he find out that guy is nuts job. His whole life is just making problem it seems.

Okay now he has his theorys after closing the last page folding the newspaper tucking it in before walking away when he felt the newsstand man looking at him

1)maybe this was all a lie and he just dreaming
2)he got teleported somewhere he never knew
3) he's in other world.
4) or maybe it's nothing above and he's in another fucking universe because he knew fighting a evil wizard meant the evil wizard gonna come back for seconds.

So spells. He's in the other universe. Because if he's dreaming he shouldn't feel pain, if he's teleported somewhere else he would know somewhere called Gotham which is in new Jersey! Ew. And if he's in another world he would know because nothing felt alien. Everyone looked human.

So in the end of discussion don't fight a petty wizard who will come for your ass the second time because he a pain in the butt.

Peter groaned in frustration as he continued to walk to nowhere in particular trying to figure out what will he do now, because he's now homeless, 299 dollars in pocket. And has no clue what is going on.

He has to know, and for that now he need to find a place where it can help him know everything he need. Where you ask ?

Library obviously. Peter almost facepalm himself of why he didn't think of that sooner and spent 1$ on a newspaper. Shame finger pointing at past Peter.

After walking a few blocks trying to find the library without asking any questions to the strangers who looked at him for a split second in a glare before walking past him. Turns out the one dollar wasn't a waste when he finds a small map of the city on the back page.

Walking and walking he felt exhausted and nearly cheered out loud when he find the bigg library with big sign outside written 'gotham library'
He gets the Gotham name now after walking around, the whole city looked Gothic people's dream. Dark, grumpy, sad and old. Almost all the building have gargoyles

He walks up the stairs opening the door the big tall door like it build for Giants stepping inside felt like another world. Warm and totally empty with only few heartbeats around the building which he guessed were the librarian and some students.

He walked to the counter ring the small bell on top of it to grab the attention of the red haired women who didn't even notice his Entrance to the building.

She looked up from the computer she was writing furiously flashing him the best costumer service smile he ever seen

"Hi! How can I help you..?" She said though her tone got slight quiet when she finally looked at him properly. Not wanting more attention than this he spoke

"Hello, i was wondering if I could use the library computers without library cards?" He said fingers quietly drummed against the hardwood desk

"Oh.. yeah of course! But you can only use guest log without library cards and have time limit to 4 hours. The computers are in second floor on right side." Barbara said now that he saw the name tag before nodding along the words

"İt's more then enough. Thank you miss Barbara." He didn't catch what she was saying to him before walking away fastly to upstairs to the computers sitting on the corner away from the camera. The computer come to life shining brightly

He got fast on his search and after a half an hour later he found out few things.

His theory about another universe was right, avengers didn't exist here, neither the fantastic four, or any other he knew about.

There is justice league which is avengers 0.2 with more strong man who's an alien???? And there is Gotham vigilantes, God this city reeked of vigilantism. Every corner had a vigilante some from the bats and some other. The important figures was batman, Robin, red Robin(man he got hungry now), spoiler, signal, red hood, night wing (who was in and out between the two cities called buldhaven and obviously Gotham) black bat and God know who else.

There is so many heros, villains, vigilantes that he never heard of and apparently he's a meta????.

And he didn't exist. He was never a living being here. A long tired sigh escape his lips holding his hand between his hand.

He didn't know what to do. How to get back. And where to start.

What is he supposed to do now...

Chapter Text

Peter took a deep breath just to catch a little of himself back, he already spend an hour searching things that didn't exist and thing that did in this universe. Trying to understand where he was and what he should do.

This city rained sorrow and cried grief. Every corner had a darker world inside like it was the hell itself, crime everywhere and people losing hope because it doesn't get any better no matter how many vigilantes are in this city

Gotham was a nightmare. At least compare to the last few years the crime rate decreased because of the 'bats' trying to clean the filthy streets from the crime and murder. But it still there. Gotham was still the highest crime rated city in America.

Peter run his hand over his face while sighing closing the computer after now three hours of research throughout the city and the universe, walking down the library stairs was quiet, quieter than before with less heartbeats throughout the library floor because now it was late and the sun already set.

Peter didn't say anything other than a goodbye to the librarian who looked at him trying to say what she was trying say before he walked upstairs to the computer. He knew it was rude but at this rate he really couldn't mind it.

When he walked out through the door the cold air hit him almost immediately. He didn't like the cold, never did. Much to his disappointment he couldn't just magically change the weather while walking through the cold trying not to shiver.

Peter walked and walked but stopped every minute or so because something itched the back of his neck, he was hearing whispers, so soft, rough, grumpy, happy, mad and sad. Every whisper was different from the other every other corner was different from the other.

İt icked him so bad, he was really losing his mind. He heard crying, begging, laughter. But didn't know where it was coming every time he turned his head to the voice and whispers he saw nothing but a dirty alleys and streets.

He let out a shaky breath trying to not look like he was losing his mind in the middle of the street in the night where everyone was nowhere to be seen except some goons and he assumed criminals on some corners smoking and laughing at whatever.

He pushed his feet against his will trying to get away from everything before without even notice he entered a old running 24/7 store.

The cashier was young adult who give him a dirty look before returning to his phone scrolling through it. Now he looked closely the tech here was so outdated. Old. He cursed under his breath for not looking at the date before exciting the library.

"Hey, can I use the restroom?" He asked the cashier who finally looked up from his phone just to point at his Left to some door with a big WC sign.

"...right " God he felt stupid, without saying another thing to the cashier which looked like he couldn't give a shit about what he was gonna say anyway he walked to the restroom and closed the door behind.

Finally catching his reflection he almost let out a scream. Ugh he looked roughed up. No wonder the librarian looked at him like he just crawled out of some cave..

His lips was split but now healing and no longer bleeding, and had a huge bruise on his right cheek if he remembers the wizard threw a street sign at his face.(He really wishes to curse out the wizard while blood line.) And his hair was longer somehow, it reached down to his eyes now. (In short term he looked homeless. (Which for now he was))

He groaned in frustration at his reflection running his hand through his hair, he turned the water on to wash his face and hands

'he looks rough don't you think?' a deep toned voice said
'yeah... Poor thing.' a little bit lighter toned voice said

He let out a yelp at the voices flinching so hard the water flashed everywhere on the sink including his shirt and hair to.

"Who's there?!" He whisper yells because he really doesn't want the cashier to knock on the door and look like a crazy person who just yelled at nothing

'did he just talk to us?' the deep voice said sounding surprised
'he did!' the lighter sound a little relieved

"İ-... Who's there..' he tried to low his tone while looking around the restrooms for the people who the voice belong to but he was all alone in the two restrooms

'he really did!' said the lighter voice
'hey little man Don't be scared, oh my god it been years since I talked to someone other than this idiot.' the deep tone talked again
'hey!' peter had a feeling that the lighter tone was flipping the bird to the deeper voice

"Wha- huh? Where are you..? Wait no who are you!" He said voice a little just a tiniest higher while still turning around to locate anything.

'opp- no to your left- no now right! Just a little up! Yep yep. Hi little man.'

He turned and and looked up to hug left and saw nothing. But he felt cold. Colder than before, like something was freezing up in front of him..
"Who.. who are you guys."

'well I'm Gary and this idiot is john, my brother.' the deeper voice said now he had a name, Gary said.
'hey!' John yelled.
'its the first time I talked to someone other than him.. are you dead too?' gary said

Peter eyeballs almost flew out of it place at the words as he hold back his groan... Great now he can heard dead people? How.. just how? So he wasn't a schizophrenic and wasn't losing his mind(except he was so close to losing it all right now.).

"Eh.. I'm not dead. No I'm not-"
'what!!'
'huh!'
He got cut off by the ghosts yell of surprise as he closed his ears at the loud tones.

'what do you mean you're not dead?! How can you talk to us then?' Gary said
'do you see us? Or just hear us?'

Questions were rushed but he catched a few ones peter can answer
"Uh.. no seriously I'm not dead, i have no idea how I can hear you guys, and I can only hear you. İ can't see you.. sorry."

'don't be sorry 'bout it little man, if anything I'm just glad to talk to someone other then him and I.' Gary said
'you must be a meta aren't you?' John said

He knew few things about metas after reading about it in the library, metas are mutants in this universe except they get powers from birth, the metas power came from birth but his didn't. So technically he wasn't a meta right? Peter got his powers at 15 so he wasn't a meta. Right...?

"Uhm.. i think so? No?"

'You're not sure? Little man your weird.' Gary said
'eh whatever he can hear us And that's what important.'

"Uhm... Well I'm gonna leave now.." Peter said turning around while running his hand through his hair trying to shake off the water drops.

'wait!' John said
'hold on a minute.' Gary said his voice sounding closer to his ear

his face felt colder when he was pushed back a little bit like something flew throughout him. And God it felt so fucking weird, he felt like drowning for a second.

"Wha- what was that!" He whisper yells looking in front of him at nothing but the cold feeling in front him made it easy to tell that someone was in front of him.. or a ghost.

'we-.. we haven't talked to anyone other than you in ages.. and your the first living person to hear us..' Gary said somehow sounding sadder

'we can't leave this place because we died here.. five years ago in Robbery, a man shot both of us in our store.' John said voice closer to his left ear.

'we just wanna tell you that... İf you can hear us, it means you can hear the others too, the dead. Some of us lucky enough to have ability to travel.. but some are not.' Gary explained

'i-.. we just want a small request since you can hear us.' John said
Great now peter felt like an asshole for trying to leave... Those guys were stuck in this store for five years and obviously lonely without each other.. maybe he can help them.. just a small help because he can.

"What.. is it" Peter said after a sigh
'you will do it?' Gary sounded a little surprised like he wasn't expecting him to agree

'Great! Thank you! İ- there is a man outside, his name is Ryan. He's.. my son. He was fifteen when I got shot with Gary..' John said
'He's my nephew..' said Gary
'and I just want you to deliver a message to him because he needs to hear it...' John said while Peter didn't dare to cut his word off and listening closed to every word..

He walked out of the restroom while the young man, ryan.. gave him a side glance before looking back at his phone.. Peter exhaled and walked between think allies picking what he needed.

A bottle of water, cheap protein bars and few canned food and when he finished he walked to the cashier setting all the things down while ryan sighed and got up to scan the stuff.

"Can I get a bag too?" Peter asked.
Ryan simply nodded before pulling out a bag putting his stuff in the bag before handing it to him.
"That'd be a 11$, cash or card?" Ryan said with a small nod.

"Cash." Peter pulled out his wallet and have him the cost before looking at him trying to urge himself to say it.. he can hear the light whispers from afar.. he has to say it.

"Uhm.. i don't wanna be weird or anything but I just wanna say... Your dad said that he is proud of you, you took care of this store better than he did and he always... Be by your side.. with your uncle.. they sorry for leaving and it's not your fault." Peter tried to said as normal as possible..

Ryan finally looked at him in the eye, his eyes started to water like he couldn't believe it, well technically maybe he didn't believe it. But something in his eyes told him that he's so relieved to heard that.. like he was waiting for years to hear it.

"How-"
"I'm sorry... Have a good night.." Peter said hurriedly before taking the bag and turning around to walk out... He really didn't wanna talk to a stranger about how he can now hear ghosts without sounding insane and outing he's a (maybe?) meta.

He walked out the store to the streets that smelled danger and it was a miracle that he didn't get mugged before going to store..

He continues to walk and walk between street to find a safe place to rest without alarming his spider sense like crazy..