THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR NO WAY HOME. I told myself I'd stop writing fix-its but then I accidentally rewatched nwh and then this self-indulgent fic happened. Enjoy!
Peter was messing around with a piece of technology. It was what he'd been doing in his spare time in between studying, sleeping, and the five jobs required to pay the rent, ever since the Incident. Having nobody remember you sure freed up a lot of time.
Peter tightened a screw and checked the code sequencing. His logic was mostly guesswork and most of the tech he was working with was out of a dumpster, but if this was going to work it would be now. He was trying to make a device that would let him travel between dimensions, so he could visit Peter 2 and 3 at will. He hoped it would be good for all of them (not just a way of alleviating his own loneliness).
The device looked a lot like a clunky watch, and the only part of its inner workings Peter had full confidence in was the failsafe, which would pull him back to this location in this universe in ten minutes time, regardless of where he ended up.
"Here goes nothing," Peter said, and turned on his creation. The world blurred around him, and when it came back into focus, he was stood in a very familiar room.
He turned a full circle, taking in the posters, the Iron Spider suit in the corner, the mostly-packed suitcase, the smell of burnt toast on the air. It was his old bedroom, back at the apartment he'd had with May. And there in the bed... Another Peter pushed back the covers and sat up quickly. "Who are you?"
It took Peter another second to process everything - the suitcase and passport laid out where he'd left them the day before the Europe trip, the sound of Aunt May humming in the kitchen and the faint scent of her perfume. The Peter in the bed didn't just look similar to him, like Peter 2 and 3 had, he was almost identical. Peter hadn't travelled the multiverse - he'd travelled through time.
In the time it took for Peter to realise this, Younger Peter concluded that he was a threat and launched a web at him. Luckily, Peter had experience with other versions of himself, and intercepted the web with one of his own. Younger Peter stared at him, wide-eyed. "What?"
"I'm you. From the future," Peter said before the younger version of himself could attack again.
Younger Peter blinked. "Nope. No way. I'm on vacation, try again in two weeks. You're a time traveller, it shouldn't make much of a difference. I'm not saving the universe today." Peter wanted to cry. Younger Peter had no idea just how much difference two weeks could make. Yet.
Despite the morbid thought, Peter had to crack a smile at his past self's complete denial. "Don't worry, I'm not here to recruit you. In fact, I didn't even mean to end up here. But it's good to see you."
"Okay," Younger Peter relaxed a little. "So, how are things in the future? I don't think they can get much worse that they are now, with Mr Stark gone, the Avengers in shambles and the world still in a mess because of the blip. I can't even ask out a girl properly. Do I...? wait, no, don't answer that. Any wise words of advice? How far in the future are you from anyway?"
Peter chose to ignore most of that and pushed down a bitter pang of jealousy - oh, he thought he had it bad, did he? he had no idea just how bad it could get - reminding himself that this had been him, and he had felt awful and like it couldn't get any worse too at the time. Perspective was everything. Peter had hindsight, and he maybe he could gift that to his younger self.
"I'm from a year's time, give or take a few months."
"Really? No offence, but you look... older."
That's because I had to grow up very quickly. "It's been a rough year." Understatement of the century.
Younger Peter's face fell. "Is everyone okay? Ned? MJ? Happy? The Avengers? Did someone else find out?"
So quick to think of others. Do I worry so little about myself? "Ned, MJ and Happy are fine. Pretty sure the Avengers are okay too." I really took Aunt May for granted, huh? Guess that's part of what made it hurt so much.
"Oh, good. So, where were you trying to time travel to?" His eyes widened further. "Are you going to save Mr Stark?"
"I...no, sorry. This wan't even meant to be a time machine."
Younger Peter tilted his head. "What were you trying to do with it?"
"I built it for dimension-hopping. So I could travel the multiverse."
"There's a multiverse?"
"Yeah, you should probably forget I told you that. But, Peter... I need you to promise me something."
"Okay?"
"These next few weeks. Treasure every moment, okay? Even if it doesn't go exactly to plan, enjoy every second with your friends. Make happy memories that you can cherish forever. Understand?" Peter figured he could say this much without compromising any time travel rules.
"Does this mean the plan with MJ isn't going to work?" He was so naive. Innocent. Peter wished he could go back, do it all over.
"I can't answer that. Please, promise me you'll make the most of it. For me."
"Okay," Younger Peter said slowly, seeming to realise that maybe his future self was Not Fine. "Are you, um..."
Peter's device gave three beeps, letting him know he had ten seconds before the failsafe took him back to his apartment. Maybe he couldn't do it over, but... It took Peter half a second to decide the time travel rules were stupid.
"One last thing, mini-me. No matter what happens, don't give EDITH away. To anybody. Got it?"
"Wait, who's Edith? Why are-"
The world blurred for a moment, and Younger Peter was left staring at an empty room and a second chance.