An-Peter is immortal, but it comes with a price

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Peter watched the team with a soft sad smile, his book open on his lap. He'd be leaving again soon, he didn't want to get attached, or anyone to get attached to this Peter Parker. He hoped that no one would ever forget these ones. They were kind, and caring, brave, smart, heroes. But all things come to an end. He looked up at the elevator when the doors opened slowly, revealing the one man he had spent a lifetime running from.

Peter smiled knowingly, closing his book with a soft slam, standing up from his seat, his expression full of bliss. He walked a few steps to the man, holding out his wrists for him.

"I'm done running. I have spent a lifetime running from you, and I don't want to spend another running from someone else. I'm done." Peter said softly. The man, Fury, rose an eyebrow and nodded. He pushed Peter's wrists back down, his eyes flickering to the very confused team around Peter and Fury.

"I came alone this time, like we said last time. Sit, it's time to explain." Fury said. Peter nodded slowly, walking the path back to his seat and falling into the seat, pushing the book onto the coffee table, Fury sat next to him naturally. Peter's eyes were glassy and misty, one leg crossed over the other, hands clasped together in his lap.

"Peter, if that is his real name, is immortal. SHIELD noticed an anomaly, a man with the same description disappearing and reappearing every thirty years in different countries and continents. Simple jobs, lives, motives. Until Peter Parker, it was almost like he wanted to be found, to be stopped." Fury said, glancing at Peter, who had tears slowly rolling down his cheeks.

"SHIELD tracked him down to a small apartment in Queens, he was surrounded but came out of the building unharmed. And he said to me, next time, if you come alone, I will come with you, and I will explain everything. And I waited until the whole team was here, including Loki, Thor and Stephen, because this man has seen it all." Fury said in explanation. Everyone turned to Peter, clearly dumbfounded. Before Tony could speak Peter held up his hand, closing his eyes, letting out a harsh breath of air.

"Nick isn't lying," Peter said softly, Loki nodded in confirmation.

"Indeed he is not, although your body has not aged, it is ancient and old." Loki said softly, Peter nodded slowly.

"When? Why? How?" Tony blurted out, hurt clear in his tone. Peter's finger twitched at his tone, he'd heard it in many lifetimes. He looked up at the ceiling, he'd replayed that moment hundreds upon thousands of times over and over in his head.

"I can't remember the day, but, it was ancient Egypt. We were experimenting with magic, like Loki's, except it was different. It was dark and sinister and not as easily controlled. We were using it to heal, and find a way to extend a life, but it, it lost control and lashed out, at me. I was as I look now, fifteen." Peter paused, scrubbing his hands over his face, wetting them with his tears. He let out a soft sigh, looking back at the team.

"For a while it was amazing, being able to do things without consequence, fear of injury or death, being able to spend all the time learning the secrets of the universe, until it wasn't," Peter said softly.

"But why wouldn't you tell anyone? So they could use it?" Steve asked, Peter looked up at Steve and narrowed his eyes.

"You're a man out of time too. You know what it's like, to be in a time that isn't your own, to have to come to terms with that fact that you will never ever see anyone you love ever again. You got lucky with Bucky, he came back." Peter said quietly, Steve nodded.

"But it can't be all bad," Natasha said. Peter let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"I have seen great, powerful, unforgettable people be forgotten. I have had to watch as history repeated itself, as countries, people and the world destroyed themselves. I have had to watch as the world changed, and I changed with it. And yes, maybe knowing over three thousand languages, both dead and alive, being able to understand every known fact of the universe, being able to get hurt and heal momentarily is nice," Peter paused, looking down at his hands, tears pooling in his palms.

"I have lost everyone and everything again, and again, and again, and again. I have lived hundreds and thousands of lives that never come to an end. I have loved, and loved, and loved, and loved, and loved, and loved, but never died." Peter said softly, looking up at the team, his eyes flickering around the room.

"And if I could I would end it in a heartbeat, because I don't want to love and lose again. I want to grow old, start a family, to love without guilt. I want it to end, some way or another. I want to live with what I have, not with what I could have." Peter said. The room was silent for many moments.

"But why?" Tony asked, Peter sighed softly.

"Because my dear Tony," Peter paused, leaning back into the couch, "Immortality is not living forever, it is everyone else dying," Peter said quietly. Many times had he cared for people as much as he did in this room.

"You love us then?" Natasha asked, Peter nodded slowly.

"Yes, more then I have ever loved anyone. Ever."

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"You're sure you want this?" Stephen asked, Peter nodded slowly in response. He was on his knees in the middle of a circle of runes. Thor, Loki and Stephen surrounded him with his hands raised.

"Yes. I want to be free." Peter said firmly. The three nodded. Light of all different colours flickered around the room, bursting out of Peter's skin and ricocheting around the room. Piercing deafening noise, and Peter hadn't even broken a sweat. Hands clenched, knees spread far apart, head thrown back, muscles taught, teeth bared and gritted. After many moments the three dropped their hands, Peter dropping onto his side.

He was breathing heavily as he slowly sat up on shaky legs, looking down at his hands and turning them over so he was staring at his palms. There were small cuts on his hands from where his nails had pressed into his skin, but they weren't scabbing and healing over. Peter burst into tears, holding his palms up to his eyes.

"Did it work?" Stephen asked frantically, rushing forward. Peter pulled his hands away, raising them into the air, blood dripping slowly down them.

"Yes. Yes. It worked. It worked. It's blood. Stephen it's blood." Peter cried. Stephen dropped to his knees and took Peter's hands in his own. Peter was crying freely, a blissed-out smile on his face.

"Thank you. Thank you."