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Gulping as he stares wide-eyed between the two founding members of the X-Men in the living room, Peter sees Uncle Ben returning to the room with a tray of water glasses. Seeing the man smile as he places the glasses down, passing them around as Jean steadily rises back to her feet, he questions what caused Jean to collapse to the floor to begin with.
“Thank you, Mr. Parker,” Professor Xavier says, raising the glass to his lips as he takes a sip of the drink, “Now, Peter, would you be kind enough to sit down for me?”
“Uh, sure?”
Sitting down on the sofa, Peter feels his leg start to bounce uncontrollably. Placing a hand on his leg, he tries to stop the bouncing, his eyes darting around the room as he tries to determine what’s happening. The only thing that would make sense is if he’s… but how would that work?
“Peter, would it be possible for you to lower your mental shield for me?” the man in the wheelchair asks, smiling as the crows feet at the corners of his eyes scrunch up.
“Mental shield?”
“You’re not actively enforcing a mental shield?”
“I… look, if this is about me being a mutant, I don’t think that I-”
“We managed to detect you and another new mutant with New York after my X-Men finished their latest mission. You may not like it, but you are a mutant. I imagine you have gained some unexplained abilities recently?”
“I…” Peter says, pausing as he looks at the expectant faces of May and Ben. It hurts that he’s going to have to explain this to them now, but… “They’re… not really unexpected,” he continues, looking at the raised eyebrows and shocked expressions on the faces of the adults in the room, “I was bitten. By a spider, a little over a week ago, and I started developing spider powers.”
“I see. Well, it’s actually rather common for mutants' abilities to awaken when they’ve been placed into a stressful situation. Would you be able to explain your abilities?”
“Uh… I guess the easiest way to explain it is spider-human physiology? I have these organic webs coated in neurotoxin like orb weaver spiders. I can see ultraviolet light, which is kind of trippy and why I have these coloured lenses. Oh, and I seem to have some kind of parallel processing capability.”
“Ah, so a treasure trove of abilities, so to speak,” the wheelchair bound man says, “Is it safe for me to assume you also are the new ‘Arachkid’ spoken of in the news?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Good. Jean, I believe the reason for the pain when trying to read this young man’s mind likely stems from the parallel processing. Our minds aren’t able to keep up with the constant information stream.”
“So, the kid has a natural telepath resistance? That’s…”
Nodding at Jean, stopping her from finishing her sentence, Professor Xavier turns back to May and Ben. Dangerous. That’s what Jean was trying to say. It makes sense, some of the strongest telepaths have used their abilities to soothe and settle issues, having someone that they can’t touch the mind of with physical abilities like Spider-Man?
“As you can see, your nephew has developed his mutant powers and is already starting to put them to use for the betterment of society. I believe that at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Peter can truly flourish.”
“Wait, wait, wait! But what about New York?! What about Spider-Man?! I can’t just-” Peter begins saying before Jean’s hand rests on his shoulder. A soft, knowing smile on her face calms the teen as he bites his tongue.
“It’s okay, we can inform Spider-Man about the new arrangement. Besides, I’m sure the Professor will let you come back on the weekends to help out if you’re Aunt and Uncle agree.”
Following the gaze of the woman towards his guardians, Peter feels his chest tighten, his throat constricting as he sees the pair. The tension in their bodies. Their tears are swelling in the corners of their eyes. They’re feeling guilty.
“Peter… why didn’t you tell us?” Ben asks, carefully rubbing May’s back as she looks away from him.
“I… I didn’t want to worry you. I knew it would be expensive and I didn’t think I was a mutant so-”
“But you could have told us about becoming a hero. I know we haven’t been the biggest fans of Spider-Man, heck, I think most New Yorkers love and hate the man, but if something had happened to you…”
“I… I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. We can get you the right support now, right, Professor Xavier?” May asks, sniffling into her handkerchief.
“That is correct, Mrs. Parker. If you two would permit it, we would like to bring him to our school to join our body of students.”
“And how much does your school cost?”
“Oh, it doesn’t cost a thing. I take on all of my students regardless of the cost to me. After all, it also shows the world that you’re nephew is a mutant.”
“Is there no way for his identity to be secured?”
“I suppose it’s possible… We’ll have to explore options if that is your wish.”
“What do you think, Peter?” Ben asks, turning to look at him, the eyes in the room shifting to the boy as he stays glued to his seat.
Becoming an X-Man? Well, maybe not straight away, but… the only negative is being a known mutant, but Peter had already been using that as an excuse. This would just confirm it. But what happens after that? Is it just another school? What does he tell his friends? Will he have to move?
“Peter?”
Jolting back to his senses, he looks around the room, seeing the concerned faces of Ben and May. Clearing his throat as he sits up straighter, Peter throws a stray glance to Jean, before facing his guardians.
“I… I think it's an opportunity I shouldn’t pass on, provided I can still work with Spider-Man… My… mutation means that he’s probably the best teacher for me.”
Humming, the Professor responds, “I agree that there are some things that Spider-Man can teach you, I think you’ll find that we also have a wide variety of students and teachers who can help you develop further. Although if you truly wish to still learn from him, I will contact him and work with him to get a schedule arranged.”
“I…”
“Peter,” Jean says, smiling as she leans over his shoulder to look at him, “How about you come and check out the school before you make any decisions?”
“That would be great.”
Nodding to the boy, the pair of telepaths begin talking with May and Ben, Peter zoning out as he thinks about the situation. He’s a mutant. He’s a mutant . Why does that feel like it changes everything? About his understanding of who his parents were.
Or does it? Does it actually change anything? He’s still Peter Parker. That hasn’t changed; the difference is that now he’s… well, more. It’s a little disappointing. He thought the spider that bit him was radioactive, like the comics about Miles being bitten, but to find out it just activated his latent mutant abilities? Maybe it influenced them. That would make more sense.
But what should he do? Joining the X-Men is the right decision for Arachkid, but for Peter… No. It might still be possible, he just has to see what a day at the school is like. If he doesn’t like it, then he’s still got the option to turn it down. Yeah, that’s the best plan of action.
“-and so, we would like for Peter to spend the night at our school so that he will be able to attend the full day of classes without potential delays.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Benjamin, would you help Peter pack his bag for the night?”
“Wait, what’s going on?”
“Do you zone out like this all the time?” Jean asks, teasing the boy as she gently ruffles his hair.
“No!... Actually, I’ve been doing that more since I was bitten…”
“Oh, nice. So, there is a side effect. Some kind of ADHD or decision paralysis. Maybe both.”
Tilting his head, Peter tries to question what she’s saying as he’s pulled to his feet. Not looking at Uncle Ben as he starts pulling Peter out of the living room. Hearing the professor chuckle, his eyes flick to the man before he’s removed from the room.
“They were saying that you might have two mutations. The spider-human physiology, and some type of telepathic or mental mutation that resulted in your parallel processing.”
“So… the whole precognition and parallel processing is a separate mutation from the spider one?”
“Sounds like it might be. They said they’d do some tests on you if you feel up to it.”
“...I have some medical questions myself that I want answered… Speaking of, Uncle Ben, I need to tell you something, and don’t freak out.”
“You can tell me anything, Peter, and I’m sorry if we ever made you feel like you couldn’t.”
Biting on his tongue, the boy nods before responding, “When I was sick on the Oscorp trip, I… I might have thrown up a lot of blood.”
“What?!”
“I said, don’t freak out!”
“Right, right. Sorry… do you know why?” the man asks, running his hand through his grey hair as he waits for Peter’s response.
“Uh, kinda. Spider-Man had a friend run some tests on me, and we thought that part of the spider bite's effects was that my blood was changing, but if it was a mutation…”
“Then it would be because the mutation was changing your body… So… do you not have blood anymore?”
“Not traditional blood. I have spider blood, haemolymph and maybe regular blood.”
“Let me guess, the thing you’re most worried about is blood transfusions?”
“...Yeah. Especially with the whole… You know,” Peter mentions off-handedly, indicating to himself.
“Well, I think you can worry about that after you’ve decided if you’re going to start going to Xavier's School.”
“Are you okay with this?”
“Well… your Aunt May and I just want what’s best for you, Pete. If that happens to be moving school, to a school where you don’t have to hide your powers, then we will support you.”
Helping to pack the last couple of clothes and notebooks into his bag, Peter gulps back the lump in his throat, smiling as his vision blurs slightly behind the green lenses of his glasses. Reaching over and hugging the man, he sniffles against his shirt before pulling back.
“Thanks, Uncle Ben.”
“No worries, Pete. And hey, for what it’s worth, I think you’ll love the school.”
“...So do I. I just… I don’t know what to tell everyone.”
“The truth. Or at least parts of it. All you have to say is you're a mutant and got offered to switch to a boarding school.”
“Right…” Peter responds, feeling the backpack being pushed onto his back as he looks at the floor.
Ambling down the stairs in silence, following the broad man as he stomps down to meet with the other adults. Alright, Peter. Message your friends on the journey to the new school. Let them know about what's happening and if… If he does decide to go there, then tell them.
“Are you ready, my boy?” the professor asks, his wheelchair moving over to wheel alongside him. Nodding, the professor and Jean smile at him, moving towards the front door as May and Ben walk behind the trio slowly. Turning as he gets to the door, Peter looks at the faces of his family, standing in the doorway to his childhood home.
Running over and hugging the pair, he squeezes them. For now, it’s just one day. For now, he’ll see them again. For now, he gets to see them smile at him in this home. Giving them one more squeeze before pulling back, Peter stands tall, taking a deep breath in as he walks down the wooden steps, trying to ignore the sad expressions on their face.
“You’ll be back on the weekend, regardless, Peter. It is only a temporary farewell.”
“Yeah. You’re right. I just need to focus on what I can do.” And remain confident, he mentally says to himself. Giving one final glance to the guardians who raised him for the last decade.
“We’re parked just around the corner,” Jean mentions as the trio continues their journey in near silence. Stopping as they arrive at a slick, black SUV, Jean opens the back door and slides a ramp down for the professor. Rolling up the ramp and buckling himself in using telekinesis, the casual usage of which surprises Peter, Charles Xavier nods to Jean as she pushes up the ramp and closes the door. Blinking as he realises they’re waiting for him to get into the vehicle, Peter clicks open the front door and buckles in before pulling the door closed behind him. Pulling out his phone, Peter’s fingers hover over the keypad as he looks at the group chat.
KISS. Keep it Simple Silly. Sighing as he punches in a quick message about being offered a place at a boarding school and that he’s going to check it out, Peter places the phone on silent. Not ready for the bombardment of messages that he knows will inevitably follow the message.
“I like your shirt,” Jean says, slipping into the driver's seat as she slowly begins driving the car out of Forest Hills.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. ‘The Mary Janes.’ They’re… well, most of them are my friends.”
“Really? Jubilee and Sunspot will love that. They went to one of their concerts and got hooked on the music, much to the annoyance of some of the… quieter residents.”
“...I’ll see if I can talk to MJ and the girls to see if they can get me any merch for them.”
“See, you’re going to fit in just fine!”
“That’s what I’m worried about…”
Silence. The woman and the man in the car with Peter are trying to process what he means. Of course, it must be difficult for people who can normally read minds to figure out what he means. After all, who needs to read body language or between the lines when you can hear what they’re saying in their mind? The car rattles through the suburbs of New York, gradually pushing through the Bronx along the I-678 northbound.
The silence is broken, the professor speaking from behind Peter, “What is it that you’re worried about losing?”
“...My friends. My house. The city itself. New York is the city that never sleeps, and I’m worried that by moving away, I’ll lose something . Maybe everything.”
“You shouldn’t worry about that,” Jean says, eyes glancing at the boy. Empathy laced across her face, Peter sighs in response.
“Why? Because I’m a child? I have the power to help. To be responsible and accountable.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because… It’s the right thing to do. No one should have to lose anything because of someone else's mistakes or power.”
“But if you sacrifice yourself, aren’t you losing?”
“No. Because I’m using my power to help others.”
“That’s… a hero complex, alright… You and Scott are going to be… well, not my problem.”
“Yes. I believe the similarities between the two are… startling, although Scott should be able to steer Peter here in a better direction than the path’s he’s gone down.”
“Um, I was hoping that I could become more like Spider-Man…” Peter mentions, hearing both of the adults groan in response to the statement, “Is there something wrong with that?”
“Well, it’s not wrong…”
“Spider-Man can just be a little problematic with how he acts… Some of us find how he acts in serious situations to be disrespectful.”
“But he does that to try and relax people…”
“Whilst it may help to relax the civilians, for those of us who have fought alongside him, it often makes it seem that he’s not trying. There are more ways to lead, relax and inspire than just making jokes, and if that is the path you are destined for, then I hope that my school will help you learn and embrace this role.”
Looking out the window, Peter hums, thinking about the idea. It’s not a bad idea. If he wants to be exceptional, maybe he should consider learning from more people. It’s not a bad thing to have options.
“So, if I wanted to try and… be different, what-”
“You’ll learn in due time, but first, you need to experience the problems the habits of Spider-Man have caused.”
Frowning, Peter tilts his head, looking at the professor in the back of the vehicle. The man simply smiles, the boy's eyes narrowing in response to the gesture.
“I think that what Professor Xavier is trying to say is that you should see how others react to the current you. Although from the newspaper articles written about you, I’d say you’re already setting a better example.”
“Right…”
Looking back out of the window, Peter hears the click of the indicator as Jean turns onto NY-116 E, spinning around towards a quiet road. The forest surrounding the vehicle looms over the road like skeletal fingers as they keep following the road. He shivers, a faint sense of eerie beauty present in the journey, moonlight glimmering off the surface of the reservoir to his right.
The car continues to rattle down the road, only slowing when they notice a small, gravelled driveway present itself on the left of the road. Pausing as they let a red Volkswagen and a purple Honda roll past the driveway before they roll up the drive. The dull thrum of the wheels rolling over the gravel with a distinct clicking pop of the rocks fills the air.
“There it is. Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.”
Looking at the imposing building, Peter baulks slightly. The stonework of the castle-like mansion is framed in the glow of moonlight. Warm glowing lights through metal-laced windows shine like eyes, and Peter swears something is watching him. His Spider-Sense wouldn’t be tingling like this if something wasn’t watching him. Or trying to hurt him.
Rolling up towards the building, Peter almost jumps out of his seat as the ground in front of them opens up. Slowly descending into the garage, the boy turns, looking out the window as he watches the trapdoor slowly closing behind them. Spinning as Jean slowly parks the car, the boy grabs his bag, unbuckling from his seat as the car makes a gentle screech as it comes to a full stop.
He steps out of the car, the professor being telekinetically lifted out of it this time, as Peter waits, following Jean and the man in the wheelchair. Seeing a brunette man standing by the door they’re walking towards, seemingly telling off a pair of young girls who can’t be much older or younger than Peter, he sees the man stop, his sunglasses lens covered eyes meeting Jean’s as he stands up straight. Clearly telling the girls to go inside, neither girl listens, instead turning to look at the group. Watching as the brunette of the pair turns to her friend, covering her mouth as she whispers something. The two girls seemingly run off through the door, but not before Peter catches a glimpse of the pair giving him another look over before it clicks shut behind them.
“Welcome back, Professor, Jean. Is he one of the new kids you mentioned finding with the Cerebro?”
“Yes, Scott. This is Peter. Peter, Scott, although you may know him better as Cyclops,” the professor explains, sliding between the two. Looking at the man as he extends a hand, Peter looks into the ruby red lenses of the man's glasses, extending his own as he shakes hands with the firm palm of the man.
“Nice glasses. I like the green.”
“Thanks, I kinda like the red of yours better, but these are prescription.”
“Ah, mutant side effect as well, huh? Nice to have someone else who has a similar drawback, not that it’s a good thing. What about the other one?”
Clearing her throat as she shakes her head in response to the question, Jean steps over, placing a kiss on the man's cheek as she pats his shoulder, “Well, Peter here has a very similar personality to you. Especially young you.”
“Please don’t say it like that, Jean. You’re making me feel old.”
“We are getting there, dear.”
Listening to the man groan, Peter looks at the Professor as he slowly wheels his chair towards the door. Following the man as he watches Scott and Jean continue their conversation, he silently contemplates what Jean meant.
“I wouldn’t think about what Jean was talking about, Peter, after all, that is… a thorny path that you may have to walk. Especially with some of the younger members of our team.”
“How did you-”
“I must admit, it took me a while to perfect it, but I have managed to shut out the external processes that your brain is running,” the man says, slipping into an elevator, “In fact, I found it quite an amusing challenge. To have to shield my own mind whilst probing yours was truly an enlightening experience. Of course, I will refrain from looking into your mind as I do with all my students, nor will I enlighten others on this… unique possibility.”
“Okay. That’s kind of terrifying and cool at the same time,” Peter admits, blinking rapidly as he gets over his initial shock.
“That is nothing, my dear boy. One day, I believe you will have even greater abilities. Something about you makes me feel like you’ll be leading us once all is said and done.”
Watching the man wheel out of the elevator, Peter stays frozen, processing what the man just told him before leaping out of the closing doors.
“Now, come along. Let’s get you into a room.”