maskormenace | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ So here's a new kid on the network tonight. Trying to find an angle that lets him hide at least some of his nervousness. Or at least lets him use it to channel his best impression of a Definitely Normal Team, No Superheroics Here Honest. He mostly just looks awkward and nerdy, which is … accurate anyway, so let’s go with that. ]

Hey - um, so I’m Peter. Peter Parker. And I just got here, and -

[ He’s read through what’s left of his files, he’s read through the last couple weeks of posts just to get a feel for things. After that, he has one incredibly important question: ]

Did I seriously just barely miss out on a Death Star being here? For real? That’s not fair. Please tell me it’s coming back at some point.

[ That’s probably an objectively incorrect thing to want, but. Look. That would have made his entire life. He could die happy. For the second time. Well, the second time dying, first time dying happy. Anyway, he turns reluctantly to the list of actual serious questions he made. Not enough time to ask them all (unless he just takes in a breath and rapid fire asks all of them in thirty seconds) so he’ll just pick one for now. ]

So, school. How is that working out for people who still hafta go? And can you like … argue with it at all? Because I’m all for finishing high school, but this is my third time going into sophomore year and I’m starting to feel like that movie with the Ghostbuster being depressed in Pennsylvania.

(( OOC: Spoilers for Far From Home are likely, but I can avoid them if necessary! ))

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[ Yyyyeah he’s kind of getting that from David’s tone. ]

... What happened?

Things... got hard for mutants. Which isn’t really a new thing. I... a lot of people died. And he wasn’t there to keep other people in check. If he had just been better. If he’d just...

[It isn’t fair to say it and he knows it. He chose to follow Scott. He did this.]

[ Peter hesitates. Then he reaches out for David’s shoulder, making sure not to make direct skin contact. ]

I’m sorry.

[Peter wouldn’t know the half of it. The horrors. In a way, David would have preferred to be dusted.]

It’s fine. [Such a lie.]

No, it’s not. You don’t walk away from something like that unscathed.

[Oh Peter isn’t wrong about that.]

Not unscathed. But is it worth it to share that pain?

[ He just shrugs helplessly. ]

I don’t know. But you’ve listened to mine so far.

[He... isn’t wrong.]

Racists hated and feared us. When a good portion of mutants were depowered, to protect the now human kids, Scott sent them home. On buses. There was a racist group. With rocket launchers.

[ Oh. Oh god. Peter pales instantly, all too capable of visualizing it. ]

No ...

I still have nightmares.

[David is almost shaking to think about it.]

I lost a lot of friends.

Edited 2019-08-11 20:19 (UTC)

I - yeah. Nightmares at minimum.

[ He sounds faint. Feels faint. He’s picturing kids his own age, or younger, and killed by humans. At least Thanos had been an otherworldly threat. Getting murdered by racists hits too fucking close to reality. ]

Please tell me you got to make them pay.

[If only. And that doesn’t go into the rest of the dark stuff that happened.]

A lot of things happened. There aren’t a lot of mutants left. Especially young ones.

No way to undo it? No Infinity Stones to fix everything?

[David doesn’t laugh. Doesn’t let himself. So many adult heroes came back. But mutants? No one cares.]

No. And if it did, people would be terrified.

[ Peter just bows his head. ]

I’m sorry. That’s - it’s - what the hell was alternate me even doing during all of that?

[And now Peter will have to hear something no one wants to hear about themselves.]

Humans don’t care about mutant issues. The Avengers have never given a damn about us. Except for those that join the Avengers.

[ He can’t really argue with that, can he? He can’t make his alternate self act any differently, or claim that any version of himself would have done better. Clearly he hadn’t. Clearly he’s just as prone to the same prejudices as anyone else.

He balls his hands into fists, just taking in a deep breath. This is not about him. He isn’t the one hurting right now. ]

I believe you. If - if anything like that ever even thinks about happening here, I’ll do everything I can to help you.

You’re a good guy, Parker. Perhaps too good. People could use that against you. For all you know, I’m telling you a sob story or earn loyalty later.

[ He just shrugs a little. ]

I've already had it used against me. Might as well take a chance with someone who seems like they're not an asshole.

Well, i’ll do my best to take care of being worthy of that trust.

And if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I can even help with school subjects that may be harder.

... I really appreciate that. A lot.

If nothing else, I know I'm a good teacher.

[There are few things in life David is certain of. But teaching, training, and guiding are some of what he knows he can do.]

After I buy gloves of course. I suppose I'll have to figure out where to do that. I don't feel like I shouldn't invade thoughts too much.

[ Huh. That might be a problem he can help with. ]

Do you need any kind of specific material or will anything work?

Well, I honestly don't know. Skin to skin is what it requires. When I was rubbing your back it didn't trigger. So your shirt is enough to keep me safe.

[And that's a good thing, right?]

[ That is a good thing. Better to have control over this kind of power. ]

Then I guess regular gloves oughta do it. But if you need some nicer ones, I could probably do that, eventually. My suit's mostly made out of carbon fiber.