steepwithdead | Folkmore

I see... I'm sorry for your loss, and that you had to endure it without the help you needed. Grief is difficult enough on its own.

[He's starting to see why his help was recommended.]

Since we've only just met, it might make things easier if we got to know each other a little better. Can you tell me about yourself? What is your life like?

Right, uh, good idea.

[Dunking biscuit in cookie, once again trying to buy himself time to think. Peter is not subtle about his stalling tactics in the least. The boy is embarrassingly unable to hide his feelings on his face.]

Okay, uh, since this is like private and I don't think you'll tell anyone. When I was thirteen, almost fourteen, I was bitten by like a radioactive spider. Which, is like, bad. I mutated. I started putting on a costume and protecting my local neighborhood. Mostly stopping petty crime, muggings, robberies, stabbings, that kind of thing. [He's at least aware not everyone has the same experience with things like this.] Back in my version of New York, I would just kind of protect my neighborhood, occasionally help other superheroes if there was a bigger problem.

[Caduceus listens, quiet and polite, taking all of that in with a calm expression and the occasional lifted brows. Things like "radioactive" or "superheroes" don't really mean anything to him - classic fantasy world in comparison, doesn't have much of anything like that - but the rest does sound like a lot of stress on a young person. Thirteen or fourteen for any race is baely approaching adulthood.

Hmm.]

And this is around when you experienced that loss. That's a lot to go through all at once.

Yeah, it... was, I guess. [He is sipping at the tea awkwardly. Not sure what to say. He presses on, nervously just talking without really thinking about it.] I mean, I handled it okay.

After my uncle died, I focused on superhero stuff a lot more. My aunt May was busy, with work, volunteering, and... grieving. I didn't want to bother her with this too.

I stopped doing extra activities after school, since I didn't really have the time anymore.

Can I ask why you felt compelled to deal with crime? Does your town not have local guards of some sort?

There are, guards, police, but... New York is such a huge city, stuff slips through the cracks. There are almost 8 million people, its... a lot. I stay in one big neighborhood, and even then, there are a lot of people there too.

[He fidgets with his tea.] To be honest, I kind of started out because superheroes are cool and I idolized them. I wanted to be that cool, but, it changed after I realized how serious it was. I felt responsible to help.

[That is an unreasonable amount of people in one place, good grief. No wonder they have such problems.]

You were a child, though. It isn't a child's responsibility to right the wrongs of the world.

[American cities are exceptionally crowded.

Peter has heard similar sentiments from Rue, but hearing it again just makes him wrinkle his nose a little. He can't help but be a little defensive.]

If you have power, you should use it. I couldn't just... watch bad things happen. [His thoughts stray to the last conversation he had with May.

His expression sours briefly. Resignation. His gaze drops down to the tea. A bone deep weary kind of exhaustion settles over him.] With great power comes great responsibility.

[Well there's a quote if he's ever heard one. There's things he could say to the rest, but he'll start with that.]

Who told you that?

My aunt said it to me last I saw her. My uncle used to say it occasionally. [He's trying to just eat a biscuit to pretend this conversation isn't weird for him.]

[Quietly judging these lovely people in the background.]

Were they aware of the power you have?

My uncle died before I could tell him. [He manages to not talk with his mouth full, thanks, manners.] May knew. She- wanted me to protect people, do the right thing. Only after we talked about boundaries and stuff, since I tried hiding it from her originally.

[Quietly judges them A LITTLE HARDER.]

I see... [He takes a ponderous sip of his tea.] ...I am sorry for your loss, Peter. And I'm sorry that you weren't protected as you should have been, at such a young age.

[Peter definitely makes a face at that, conflicted on what to even feel or say for a second.]

I- I was protected. I chose to do this. It was my idea. May wanted me to stop, but knew I wouldn't. So we had like a deal about not doing it too much.

Peter, do you know what the responsibility is for a guardian with a child with powers?

[He's sipping tea, his expression uncomfortable. He takes a guess at an answer.] Take care of them?

Mm. What do you believe "take care of them" entails?

Feed, clothe, care, love and protect...? [He says hesitantly back.] May and Ben did all of them.

All very worthy and good traits in a parent. However, for a child with special abilities, there are important ones missing from that list: guide, and teach. And the manner of protection changes a lot, too.

No one else in my world had powers exactly like mine, so, they... didn't really have a guide book or anything to that. May and Ben taught me a lot though.

[Hmm. Caduceus lowers his mug.]

Guiding someone toward understanding their power doesn't require they have the same ability. It comes down to effort, experimentation, support. What's important is that the child doesn't experience it alone.

[He clears his throat.] And... that the child is not putting themselves in danger with said power, until they are grown and in control.

[Peter knows he's being a little defensive, but, it's hard not to be. May and Ben were the only people he had.]

It's not like I really told May about it. She found out when I was like... sixteen, and we had to figure that out together. I didn't want to make her worry about me anymore than she already did.

[A curious look.]

Why did you not tell her? For the same reason, so she wouldn't worry?

Yeah, I thought... if she didn't know, it would be fine. [He's fidgeting with the tea cup absently.] It was actually not fine.

No, I imagine not.

[He folds his hands in his lap.]

I think maybe there's a fundamental misunderstanding for what is normal, so let me ask... is it unusual to have powers of any kind in your world?

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speed run spider-man origin story time

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