steepwithdead | Folkmore

I live right next to Rue, actually. Behind the cottage is another house with a tower. Look for the tree, you'll see it.

[Literally a 60-foot oak growing out of the tower roof, you can't miss it.]

I'm free most days. You can come today if you like.

[Oh this is sure happening today! Oh boy.]

I always kind of wondered about the tree, but thought it'd be rude to ask about it.

Today works for me. See you in an hour? If that works anyway.

[He needs the time to travel and talk himself into this.]

[Gotta grab him before he chickens out.]

Not rude at all. I'll show you when you get here.

See you soon.

[As promised, Peter does show up within the appointed time. It feels odd walking past Rue's cottage, but, this is fine.

He comes to a stop near Cad's home.]

Hello-? Sorry if I'm late or anything!

[He is not even slightly late. He's just like this for some reason.]

[Not even close to being late, but after a moment Caduceus pokes his head over the side of the tower's roof.]

Hey. Come on up- there's stairs at the base of the tower.

[At the top of the tower, Peter will find a somewhat wild and plentiful garden of flowers, vines, and various mushrooms scattering across the roof in a wild, untamed pattern. Caduceus is sitting at the base of the tree, with a table carrying a teapot, all the fixings, and some biscuits. Built against the tree's roots is a small stone shrine, though for now it's empty save for a small pressed flower. The whole area smells amazing.]

Oh, okay, I'm- coming up! [Peter calls back out at Caduceus before he moves towards the tower itself. It isn't a surprise he's curious about it. Trying to take in the natural beauty seemingly growing from the tower itself.

He finds the stairs easily enough and makes its way up. He eases a little at the smells and sights. Whilst he isn't someone well versed in plants, he can admire them at least.

He does manage a slightly less anxious smile as he approaches Caduceus.]

This place is really beautiful.

Thank you! I'm just glad everything seems to be growing well. You never know, in a new place. But the flowers seem to like it here.

[What's most important to him is that the plants are happy. That's a gardener's dream.]

This place is peaceful enough I think anything can grow given the chance. My boyfriend and I are managing to grow some plants in our apartment, even if we're both new at it. [He approaches the table. The urge to take a biscuit is there, but he resists. Manners overriding the teenager urge to pick at food.]

[Caduceus smiles warmly at that.]

That sounds just wonderful. If you ever run into trouble with them, don't hesitate to ask for help. Would you like to sit and have some tea?

[He gestures. No manner restrictions here- help yourself to a biscuit, buddy.]

I'll keep that in mind, since, I'm kind of guessing sometimes.

Oh- thank you. [He moves to sit down, and then takes a biscuit. Manners hold out at least a little. He uses the biscuit as a brief stall. Just nibbling on the edges a little nervously.]

I have no idea where to start? Um. I only really talked to someone when I was like thirteen, and never again. [American healthcare system be wack.]

[Caduceus pours out two cups, offering one to Peter and taking the other for himself.]

Was there a particular reason you didn't go back?

[He gingerly takes the cup, holding onto it gently.]

We couldn't afford therapy and a funeral at the same time. [He blows on the tea gently, biding his time again.] The school counselor also just... wasn't very nice, so I didn't want to talk to her.

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.

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-- > action time

rude i didnt get this notif

DW is conspiring against us...

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speed run spider-man origin story time

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