the coming wave

New York City was always a resilient place filled with an unflappably strong and capable people. They continued on almost unchanged as worm holes opened and aliens reigned free. They got their coffees, walked their commutes, and kept on pushing. It was a beautiful thing to witness, especially in the perspective of the hero who fought to keep terror off the streets. Each uninterested face, focused on their own lives felt like a pat on the back for a job well done. Another person whose life wasn't ruined.

There was, however, something incredibly nostalgic about watching the people now. They looked and acted the exact same, their schedules and commutes keeping them busy as they moved around the streets like they owned them. But somehow, it was different.

There never were any alien gods crushing buildings. There were never any super-powered heroes flying around and saving the day while looking like run-way models. It felt like the calm before the storm. At least it did to Peter, who actually knew what was coming. 

Peter walked down the streets of Queens, his mind conjuring the images of what it looked like on that fateful day in 2012. Chaos and mayhem and crying and screaming. 

And then the next week; People stepping around rubble, children ooh-ing and aww-ing at the Breaking News flashed on every accessible screen, showing tableau's of heroes reaching fantastic heights.

He could almost imagine Adrian Toomes walking through grumbling and sneaking about, completely unnoticed by the rest of the busy New-Yorkers. 

Peter looked upwards and saw the first building he’d ever climbed, wistfully imagining the feeling of the breeze and the sound of the whooshing in his ears. He couldn’t stop the smile from stretching onto his face as he stood and watched. And then he deflated like a balloon when he remembered his current predicament—he was seven years old, barely allowed to even take the subway alone. No jumping off buildings for the foreseeable future.

He turned the corner, approaching a very familiar block. He could practically smell Delmars from down the street making him begin skipping forward. As he turned the corner, the familiar wave of warmth hit him. This was his neighbourhood, that he was fortunate enough to experience for a second time over. 

Peter turned his head. That was the corner where Uncle Ben taught be how to adjust my camera settings and take a decent picture. He smiled, and turned towards the lamppost. The subject of his first foray into photography. Turning his head further, he saw the convenience store at the centre of the block. His good mood dimmed. Well, they weren’t all good memories.

Peter shook his head to clear his melancholy and trudged forward. Sandwich first, then he could sit with his thoughts. 

10 minutes and a number 5—extra pickles, smushed down like a panini—later, Peter was sat on a familiar rooftop. He was licking crumbs off his fingers as he watched the people below him when his thoughts quickly turned melancholy again. He yearned to stretch himself and to just feel free, physically or mentally. 

He knew he couldn’t jump off the building soar through the sky. He wasn’t allowed to swing. He wasn’t allowed to web anyone up.

He knew he couldn’t apply for MIT, like he was planning to. He wasn’t even allowed to skip elementary school.

Peter felt so stuck in his life right now. And while this time was a blessing, but it was also a curse. May and Ben didn’t understand him anymore. When he was actually 8, they were trying their best to keep up, but now? It felt like there was worlds between them. It was the same with Ned, even if he had told him the truth. Ned was still eight, and Peter was sixteen. 

And even worse was that he couldn’t really access the people who could relate. He couldn’t help them. Thanos was coming! And Peter was eight!

He could feel the strength in his grip as he squeezed the ledge in anger. He sighed as he watched the powdered cement float through the air. His powers were back and better than ever, and yet. It meant nothing.

Peter sighed, swinging his feet, before standing and walking to the back of the building. He began scaling down the back, avoiding windows. 

His head snapped to the side, his ears picking up a scream. 

He jumped down, the rest of the way, and landing silently on the ground. He immediately took off running towards the sound, keeping his eyes peeled for anything else suspicious. 

As he approached the alley, he almost scoffed at how cliché it was. One woman vs. 3 bumbling goons with ski masks. 

“Hey! Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”

His voice echoed through the alley, causing all four to whip their heads towards him. He tried not to cringe at the shrill in it, it was distinctly not menacing. 

He heard snickering. “Is that supposed to be you, pipsqueak?”

“Kid, get out of here and get some help, please!” The girl called to him, looking concerned and trying to get the mens attention back on her. Which was sweet, of course, but it made Peter wanted to punch even harder.

He scoffed at the men, looking away from the woman for a second. “Why don’t you come find out, loser,” he called out, dropping into a defensive stance. 

The men started laughing, one off the goons looking to the other two, “Stu, why don’t you go shut that kid up.”

Peter smirked, “Yeah why don’t you Stu? Looks like he’s too scared to.”

The first man scoffed, puffing his chest up. He seemed to be the leader here, from the way Stu and the other guy seemed to defer to him. 

Peter slowly approached, “Alright, you guys are taking too long.”

He sped up his approach and ignored the protests of the woman who was trying to shield him. Peter grabbed the closest goon by the fist, which he’d swung towards Peter’s face. He smirked his face as he began to squeeze. 

The man began to splutter, but before he could form a sentence, Peter threw him against the nearby brick wall. 

“Who’s next?”

Stu began advancing immediately, only to be tripped, and then kicked towards the same wall. Peter didn’t have his webs on him so he kept his ears open for if they got back up. 

Finally, Peter was faced with the head goon. He looked him up and down, “Hey buddy, did ya miss me?”

Before the goon could even respond, Peter punched him the stomach and grabbed him by the collar. Once their faces were level, Peter leaned in a little closer and heard the man whimper, “What the hell, kid.” 

The man threshes arms up to swipe at Peter again, who dropped him immediately, grunting at the impact to his temple. He swiftly kicked the guy in the stomach, watching him roll to the side and groan.

“Oh my God! Are you okay! How’d you do that! I called 911, are you okay!”

Peter snapped his gaze away from the man groaning in pain, and turned to look at the woman behind her. 

“Just keeping my neighbourhood safe,” Peter ground out before walking away.

Peter walked in to his apartment feeling satiated. He'd gotten his fill of the city, finally, and he felt like he was floating in that happiness. And in the strained feeling of his muscles. 

“Hey May, Ben! I had an awesome day!” he called out as he removed his earphones and turned to look towards the couch, where they usually watched the news in the evening. 

Peter immediately felt a strong sense of deja-vu because he was greeted with the sight of Mr. Stark sitting on his couch, holding a slice of walnut-date loaf, and smirking at him.

“Ahh, Mr. Parker,” Tony called out. “How was your day?” he asked, teasingly.

“Um . . .” Peter shoved his earphones into his pocket, “What—what are you doing . . .? Hey!”

Peter tilted his head and added hesitantly, “Um. I’m Peter, nice to meet you?”

Tony snorted at that, “Tony. It’s about time we met, right?”

Peter was a little confused, but not more so than May and Ben who were just watching for Peter’s reaction. He forgot that he was 8 and it made no actual sense for them to know each other, so they looked about ready to mace Tony.

Peter tried to play along as best he could, but he couldn’t figure out Tony’s angle.  

May smirked, “You didn’t tell me you were so well renowned in the scientific community, sweetie?” She sounded like she was teasing, but Peter felt a jolt of panic.

“What are.. What’re you— What do you mean?” He squeaked out.

“Dr. Benjamin Richards, eh?” Ben teased while leaning back in his chair, looking amused at his spluttering. 

Tony pulled out his phone, tapping a few times allowing a holographic screen to pop up. The screen showed a bunch of overlay papers with red corrections written on top.

Peter had taken to reviewing papers for several different scientific journals, under a pseudonym of course because most scientists wouldn’t take well to being criticized by a fourth grader. It wasn’t the notoriety he wanted anyway, he just wanted to feel mentally stimulated and have conversations that were actually at his level.

“Quick question, of the rhetorical variety,” the holo-screen began scrolling, showing a written up comments. “That’s you, right?”

“You didn't tell me anything. What's up with that? You keeping secrets from me now?”
May groused, looking amused still, but also a little hurt. 

Peter started spluttering again, “No, uh. What? sorry, what?”

All three adults snorted.

“I’m eight, I don’t even know anything about biochemistry!”

“You know,” Ben started. “No one even mentioned biochemistry, buddy.”

“Quite the blog you got there, sweetie,” May started, starting looking a little concerned. Which makes sense, considering Peter’s face was becoming exceedingly red.  

Tony scrolled through the holo screen, humming, before looking back up to Peter, “You’re making quite a few splashes in the scientific community, kid.”

Peter swiped a hand over his face roughly, “No one can know that that’s me! I was just bored at school, it’s no big deal,” he groaned as he approached the couch and collapsed tiredly.

Tony raised an eyebrow as he observed Peter, grimacing commiseratingly at his forlorn mentee, “I can’t blame ya, champ.”

Tony punched Peter’s shoulder lightly before straightening in his seat, “Not skipping any grades?” 

Peter groaned even deeper, flopping his head onto May’s shoulder, throwing his forearm over his eyes. His voice came out muffled as he complained. 

May sighed, reaching forward to rest her hand in Peter’s hair, “We didn’t want him to be socially isolated from his classmates.”

Tony hummed, “Unfortunate, sure, but I totally agree. College at 15 was a horrible experience.”

Peter whipped his head to glare at Tony, looking remarkably betrayed, before dropping his head back onto May’s shoulder.

May and Ben watched the interaction curiously. Peter realized he might’ve been acting entirely too blasé about meeting his number 1 idol of all time, scientist and super-hero. 

Peter lifted his arm and peaked over to smile lightly. He adjusted the way he was sitting to be ramrod straight. He was expected to have a little reverence in his eyes, but honestly the hero-worship was lost when he had to stop Mr. Stark from taking a bite from a soldering iron instead of the sandwich in front of him because he was reading something. 

He tried, nonetheless.

“I would love to help him out, give him the resources and guidance he needs to develop his craft,” Tony added, turning back to look at Ben and May. “To supplement his existed education with some stuff that’s more on his level,” Tony hummed, “Actually I’ve got Dr. Banner on speed-dial, he’s much more adept to the squishy sciences.”

Peter brightened considerably, “Dr. Banner, seriously?” Peter hadn’t had the chance to actually meet him because he was apparently in space. 

“Wow okay. There was once a time that being in Tony Stark’s lab meant something, but Bruce is cool too, I guess,” he groused leaning back in the chair and staring at the ceiling dramatically.

“Well Mr. Stark, it’s a really generous offer, but what do you really have to gain here?” Ben asked, looking hesitant, but determined.

“Well.. There aren’t a lot of people who can actually correct my papers with legitimate criticisms. He helped me improve the efficiency of the Arc reactor by at least 12%”

Ben seemed impressed at that, turning to look at Peter, who was becoming red all over again. He had actually collaborated with Tony on that, back when he was 16, so he wasn’t sure if he could really claim credit there. Although, it did make Mr. Stark’s argument stronger. 

May frowned, “Really?” She sat up straight, looking over to Ben. “Are we… holding him back?”

Peter jerked in surprise at the sadness in her tone, ready to respond immediately. 

“Mrs. Parker, I didn’t mean to imply that at all,” Tony placated immediately, waving his arms.

“Aunt May, not at all!” Peter exclaimed simultaneously, looking alarmed.

Peter grabbed May’s hand and squeezed reassuringly while Tony continued.

“You’re doing what’s best for your kid, that’s never a bad thing. This particular kid, however, is a genius so he just needs extra help, it’s not a reflection of your skills.” 

“Appreciate that, Mr. Stark,” Ben grumbled, making Tony to turn his head and smile back. 

“So.. I’ll give you guys time to discuss, Pepper’s going to send over a package with more info and contracts, et cetera et cetera!” Tony sprung up from his spot, clapping his hands with finality. 

“I’m gonna head out,” Tony said hooking his thumb over his shoulder awkwardly. “Kid?” he asked as he swiftly turned around. Peter hopped up from his spot before his Aunt or Uncle could say anything, “Let me show you out, Mr. Stark!”

“How’d I do, kid?” Tony muttered under his breath as they walked the 5 steps towards the door. “Think they trust me as a totally respectable mentor?”

Peter grimaced before whispering back, “Not a chance. They probably want to come with me to make sure you don’t murder me or something.” Peter opened the door, watching a Mr. Stark swiftly walked through, paused, and turned around. 

“Aren’t I a superhero?” Tony complained, frowning exaggeratedly at Peter, “This is the thanks I get?”

“Yep!” Peter chirped, popping his lips with the ‘P’ with a coy smile. Tony huffed a laugh, reaching forward and ruffling Peter’s hair before turning and walking away.

“See ya!” he threw over his shoulder as he trudged down the stairs. 

Although the lab wasn’t the one Peter remembered, it still had a similar atmosphere. Science, discovery, the pushing of boundaries, and comfort over all of that.

Despite the fact that Peter had been working in both Mr. Stark’s Malibu and Avenger’s mansion labs for the last year, being there now felt different. Maybe it was the fact that it was no longer under the guise of being tutored by a bald woman name Ms. Yao and he hadn’t been portalled directly in.

Or maybe it was Aunt May hovering in the corner. As Peter had predicted, his Aunt and Uncle were not nearly as trusting of the altruistic billionaire as they’d been of Ms. Yao. 

When Ms. Yao had approached, it’d been through the school, and each tutoring session had been held after-school. Presumably, they were at the school itself, but Peter had never confirmed nor denied that. Peter supposed that the lack of notoriety and public spectacles really helped her credibility. 

Mr. Stark did not have that sort of luck on his side, and Peter was 50% sure that they’d been additionally set off by the ease Peter had displayed having been in his idol’s presence for what was supposedly the first time. 

Which is how they’d ended up here, much to Peter’s eternal embarrassment. May was sitting beside him at his designated lab bench, across from Tony’s main desk. And she was watching as Tony treated him with kid gloves on, which Peter tried his best not to frown about. Because this was Peter’s first time in any lab and he should be ecstatic with whatever he got, right? No, not really.

Mr. Stark was giving Peter an aptitude test by throwing out concepts and seeing what Peter knew about. It was entirely for May’s benefit, but Peter knew that the more he knew, the more justified this mentorship would be in his Aunt’s eyes. So, he was show-boating a little, and it seemed to be amusing Mr. Stark just as much as it was baffling May. 

Peter had given up all pretence once he and Mr. Stark began discussing the most recent paper Peter’d read about genomic mutations, and he’d very quickly even forgotten that May was even there.

By the end of their allotted mentorship time May had to snap her fingers in front of Peter’s face and drag him away from the lab.

Peter was walking. again.

Although distinctly unsafe for an eight year old, it became Peter’s only reprieve nowadays.

As he swiftly crossed through the intersection in front of him, he heard a cry. He immediately swivelled on his feet and speed-walked towards the ruckus.

The noises began getting louder to Peter as he upped his pace, just in time to see three men in back get tossed around by a man dressed in black with a blindfold on. 

Peter grinned to himself as he watched Daredevil kick ass. He’d only encountered him once before, back when he was 16 and had swung a little too far out of his regular reach. 

The man had been brusque, unfriendly, and made Peter laugh deeply. He never got the chance to see him again, what with him turning to dust and all, but he still remembered him fondly. 

The previously shrieking woman began to look even more scared and promptly ran away from the brawling men. 

Once the goons were taken care of, Daredevil looked up and around, beginning to look confused before his gaze landed on Peter.

Peter couldn’t help but smile, “You might think of rebranding because you’re scaring the people you’re saving, buddy!”

Daredevil tilted his head in assessment, “You’re not like other people, are you kid?”

Peter’s smile dropped instantly, taking a single step back. He’d forgotten about the freaky senses, which he unfortunately he didn’t have the patent on. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Daredevil chuckled, “You’re not fooling anyone, kid.” The man approached slowly, his hands up to seem less threatening.

Peter held back a snort at that, knowing that he was significantly stronger than the man, “Well, you know. Had a bad run in with some scientists and bugs, you know how it goes.”

Daredevil paused then, seemingly thrown off guard by his honesty. He probably didn’t expect it, but he also didn’t know that Peter already sort of trusted him. 

Then, surprisingly, he reached up and pulled his mask off exposing his face, “Listen kid, do you need some help?”

Peter smiled, “I know this is supposed to be a big moment and all, but I do not know who you are, man.”

Daredevil laughed heartily, “It’s Mathew.. Murdock. Come find me if you need me, but right now you better get home before dark.”

Mathew then turned around, reaffixing his mask and running away, leaving Peter smiling a private excited smile.