ourpowers | text | public

[nerdylilspidey]

Display Name: Pete2011
Profile Photo: here


Here's a question that's probably going to sound completely bazonkers, but I think I need to get it out there.

Has anyone met people here who know A Version of You from their corner of the multiverse?
Alternately, have you met Another Version of You since showing up here during a confluence?

Okay turns out I lied It's multiple questions now, but they're related.

I'm just trying to gauge how crazy things can get around here and how confused/freaked out any of us should be.

Thanks

Comments

[nepotis]

I asked, didn't I?

where are you? are you staying in the hotel?

[nerdylilspidey]

I like to double check.

Yeah, those Guild people put me up. Which was super nice of them, actually.

[nepotis]

yeah they're nice enough for the first couple months, until they kick you out.

meet me in the lobby? I'm wearing blue today.

[ Because he knows that alternate versions of people don't always look the same. He'll be lounging in an armchair in the lobby, dressed as described in a blue shirt with skinny jeans and the ever present black leather jacket. ]

[nerdylilspidey]

Oh. Well, I guess that figures.

[All good things, right? With Peter's luck, that just tracks.]

On my way down. I have a nerdy shirt on, if that helps.

[He heads down to the lobby shortly, dressed in typical Peter Parker wear: a T-shirt with a really terrible science pun on it, an open button down shirt over it, and jeans. He certainly looks different from the one this Harry knows, and he carries himself like he's constantly trying to look even smaller than he already is. But he's at least able to spot Harry easily enough, though he seems pretty shy (or just awkward) when he approaches.]

Uh- Hi, Harry.

[At least he's smiling?]

[nepotis]

[ Nerdy shirt? Yeah, that tracks. Peter Parker is one of the biggest nerds Harry knows.

He looks up from his phone when Peter says his name, looking at him with a certain kind of shock.

He isn't sure what he wasn't expecting, but it sure wasn't someone this young. ]

Holy shit, you're an infant.

[ But he laughs, standing from his chair. ]

Hi, Peter.

[nerdylilspidey]

[He makes a face at that, which honestly probably just makes him look even younger. And the petulant protest he makes does not help his case.]

Hey, I'm sixteen.

[Because, you know. Sixteen-year-olds are totally adults.

But at least the jab makes his shoulders untense a bit, even as he self-consciously runs a hand over his head a few times with a smile. His Harry was always a little older, so at least any age gap that exists here isn't new to him. It's the general different appearance that's new.]

Yeah, we're... You definitely look different to me, too.

[nepotis]

Which makes you five years younger than me.

[ But he seems more amused by it than anything. Somehow, a Peter he doesn't know who's half a decade younger than him is easier to deal with than a Peter he does know who's a full decade older than him. ]

Anyway, do you. Uh. Want to get coffee or something?

[nerdylilspidey]

[He would curse at that - Five years!! - except his aunt raised him to be a nice boy with a clean mouth. Clean-ish. More or less. So instead he just says--] Dude.

Coffee? Will I get carded for that? Because I'm apparently an infant. Someone might frown on me drinking coffee.

[nepotis]

Should've shown up last month, it would've been four.

[ Which means, ]

You missed my birthday. I'll let you pay for the cofees to make up for it.

[ And with that, he turns to head outside, waving for Peter to follow. ]

[nerdylilspidey]

Oh, my God.

[He's actually left standing there for a few seconds before his brain kicks him back into gear, jogging to catch up so he can fall in step beside him.]

Oh my God, Harry, happy birthday! I'm sorry I missed it. [Peter it literally isn't your fault you weren't here for his birthday, why are you apologizing-] But I apparently have this- this magic credit card, so- so if coffee's not good enough...

[nepotis]

[ Harry pulls his sunglasses on as they step outside, tightening the scarf he's wearing despite the warmth, trying to make sure the deformed patches of skin on his neck aren't visible. ]

It's fine, Peter. I know if I ask you to buy me anything more expensive than a latte you'll have an aneurysm or something.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Wow, Harry. JUST BECAUSE IT'S TRUE...]

But- But-- [He just keeps gesturing wildly at everything with his hands.] But they gave me a magic credit card?

[nepotis]

[ Really, Peter? You want to put this to the test? ]

Okay, then buy me a Rolex.

[nerdylilspidey]

[OH, MY GOD. DON'T TEST HIM!!]

Okay! Fine! Cool, I can- I can do that!

[He looks around them as they walk, a determined but terribly anxious look on his face.]

...Where-- Where would one find a Rolex for sale. Just out of curiosity.

[nepotis]

[ Harry's eyebrows raise. Are they actually doing this? I'm the one hand, Peter is fucking hilarious when he gets all flustered like this. But on the other, he's not cruel enough to want to torture his best friend, even one who's still mostly a stranger to him. ]

I know a pawn shop where we could probably get a used one.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Oh, a pawn shop! That makes sense. And it would be much more reasonably priced, because Rolexes are stupid expensive which is just so dumb. So that works ou--

WAIT.]

N-No! No, the point of the magic credit card is to buy, you know, expensive things! You know, without worrying about the price tag. Obviously.

[But wow, Peter sure does look quite frazzled by the idea, no matter how hard he tries to let it not bother him.]

[nepotis]

[ Harry stops walking, and turns to put a hand on Peter's shoulder.

—No, wait, shit, that's the hand with the tremor. Better shove it in his pocket instead. ]

Peter. I don't need a new watch. Just a coffee.

[nerdylilspidey]

[That gets Peter to stop, too, turning to just... blink at Harry awkwardly.]

..Are you sure? I mean, as crazy uncomfortable as it makes me to have this weird unlimited spending limit, I do also feel like I should make the most of it while I can.

[nepotis]

I'm sure! Why would I need a watch when I can just use my phone?

[ The age old millennial excuse. Even if Harry does like wearing a fancy watch. ]

Besides, I'm pretty sure if my Peter found out that I was extorting a sixteen year old alternate-him, he wouldn't talk to me for a month.

[ He already hasn't talked to Harry for a month, but that's. That's fine. ]

[nerdylilspidey]

It- It's not extortion. I volunteered.

[That makes it different! ...Right?]

[But Peter nods anyway, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. It's still strange to hear about these "Older Peters," but he's also still wildly curious about them.]

Sooo... Coffee place?

[nepotis]

It's right up here.

[ He keeps walking, turning right at the corner. Their destination cones into view, a small hipster-y cafe with a striped awning and some outdoor patio seating. ]

If you really insist on splurging, you can buy me a bagel, too. But fair warning, they're not as good as New York bagels.

[nerdylilspidey]

Oooh. A non-New York bagel might break the bank.

[He's kidding of course, clearly slipping into a slightly more comfortable state of being. Getting a snack with an old friend. Easy enough! Even if it's actually a variant of that old friend, there are enough similarities in personality that he's getting less nervous and awkward all the time.]

So you've been here for a little while already, huh?

[nepotis]

About a month... or so...? [ He shrugs. ] It's complicated. There's time travel involved. I fell out of the sky— twice.

[nerdylilspidey]

Twice?? How does that happen?

[nepotis]

Beats me. One minute, I'm crash landing in Bumfuck Nowhere, Kansas, wind up flying evasive maneuvers with a sentient alien helicopter while a giant dragon chases us... Next thing I know, I'm crash landing again in some city in Washington state. Both times, pulling myself out of a crater; both times, not a scratch on me.

[ He shrugs and shakes his head with a chuckle. ]

Nothing here makes any fucking sense. You kind of just have to roll with it.