Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"This is the last one," Peter said with a sigh as he set the heavy box down on the floor. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and closed the door. Peter looked around the hallway, cluttered with boxes, and shook his head. Aunt May smiled at him. Dust floated in the air, and Peter couldn't help but sneeze.

"All that's left is to unpack all this," Aunt May said with a smirk. She was trying her best to smile in front of her nephew, but Peter could see how hard it was for her. Dark circles were visible under May's eyes. Her right eye twitched from time to time, betraying the stress she had endured and the sleepless nights they had spent moving. "Did you text Dick to let him know everything's okay?" May asked, pulling Peter from his thoughts.

"Yeah, I did," Peter nodded. "But he hasn't read my message yet."

"Dick must still be sleeping," May said, nodding to herself. "Yeah, it's still really early. Well, he'll reply when he wakes up. And we’ll have time to tidy up a bit here." May babbled to herself, mentally calculating how long it would take to unpack all the boxes. Carefully stepping over the boxes, May squeezed through to one of the doors. When she opened it, she frowned slightly. The small bathroom had dirt in the corners. "We need to buy some floor cleaner at the store. I'd like to clean everything here, including the tub and toilet, preferably with bleach," Peter was too tired to argue and just nodded.

After checking the bathroom, Aunt May closed the door and moved to the second door. Behind it was the bedroom. Peter saw May's lips quiver when she noticed the torn wallpaper. He was sure she was adding that to her list of necessary expenses for the coming month, even though their budget was already stretched thin.

The room had a double bed, a wardrobe, a nightstand, and a little desk by the window. After assessing the space, Aunt May nodded again and went into the last room—the kitchen. The last one. Peter's heart skipped a beat. He thought he saw another door out of the corner of his eye, but it was just a cupboard.

Tears glistened in May's eyes as she looked at the small fold-out sofa next to the desk. She quickly wiped them away with her sweater sleeve.

"I'm sorry, Peter," she whispered, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm herself. There was no time for sorrow right now. Too much still needed to be done. Before Peter could say a word, May spoke again. "You'll sleep in the bedroom. I'll sleep here."

"But..."

"No 'buts,' my dear. You're a teenager, and you need your own room more than I do. I'll be spending a lot of time at work anyway, so I can sleep here just fine." 

Peter hesitated. He didn't want this. He didn't want his aunt to have to sleep on the kitchen sofa because there were no other options. He didn't want May to take on two shifts at the hospital just to make ends meet. He didn't want to move out of the apartment where he and Ben had lived for five years. He didn't want to move to Gotham from the city where he had grown up. He just wanted to see Aunt May happy. And Uncle Ben beside her.

"Oh, Peter," Aunt May pulled him close and hugged him tightly, then kissed him on the forehead. "We'll get through this," she said firmly, and Peter honestly didn't know who she was trying to reassure more: herself or him.

"When do you start work?" Peter asked, yawning.

"Tomorrow, sweetie."

"Already tomorrow?" Peter's eyes widened in surprise. "Why so soon? You need at least a little bit of rest!"

"We need money, and they need a nurse. That's all there is to it," May said with a gentle smile.

"Maybe I should try to find a job," Peter tried once again to bring up the subject, but May was resolute.

"Peter Benjamin Parker," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You got into Gotham Academy on a full scholarship because of your good grades and high test scores. If your grades slip, we'll have to pay for your tuition. Do you think your part-time job will be worth that expense?"

"No," Peter replied quietly, realizing she was right.

"Sweetie, you just turned fourteen; enjoy this time. You'll have plenty of time to work later. I'll manage; just trust me," May looked him in the eyes. "Have I ever let you down?" she asked, and Peter shook his head firmly. "I knew having a child would be a big responsibility when I adopted you. We're family. Even when things get tough, nobody gets left behind. Parents and aunts," May smiled, "always take care of their beloved kids. My job is to work and raise you. Your job is to study hard and listen to me. Got it?"

"Yeah," Peter replied, shyly smiling.

"Are you hungry?" May asked, and Peter nodded. "I thought so. I saw a diner downstairs; we can go eat now and then start unpacking."

"Okay."

"Sweetie, I can see you're really tired. I totally get it. But I want there to be not a single box left by evening. After work, I won't want to unpack anything, so please, let's get it done today. If we can, we should also clean at least the bathroom. If we run out of time, we can finish the rest of the rooms tomorrow evening. The apartment, as you can see, isn't big; we can manage quickly together. Tomorrow morning, you can sleep in as much as you want; I won't wake you up before work."

"Yeah, sure," Peter said with complete confidence. He didn't want to make Aunt May even more anxious about the mess in the apartment, so he was ready to help with the cleaning.

***

Since May was adamant about having breakfast before the big cleanup, Peter had no choice but to agree with her. So now they were sitting in a diner right by their new home, and May was quietly chuckling at Peter. The diner was called "Batburger," which, of course, she didn’t mention to her nephew.

Being a huge Batman fan, Peter couldn’t resist ordering the burger named after him. He also chose the chicken nuggets that came with three sauces in honor of Robin’s costume colors. 

May snapped a picture while Peter wasn’t looking, then smiled to herself. She would never admit to her nephew that there was another diner nearby, but she chose this one because of his favorite superhero. May smirked as she remembered how much bubble wrap Peter had used to protect the frame with Batman's autograph during transport.

Peter was, to put it mildly, thrilled with the place. He wasn’t too excited about the move, but knowing that Gotham was Batman’s city lifted his spirits just a bit. However, the real joy for Peter was Dick, his best friend. For the first time in four years, Peter found himself in the city where his friend lived. Usually, Dick and Bruce would come to New York since the Parkers couldn’t afford to travel around the country.

“May, is Dick asking if we’re coming for dinner tonight like we promised?” Peter was glued to his phone, one hand texting his newly awake friend while the other was munching on nuggets.

“Yes, of course,” May felt a warmth in her chest at the thought of finally seeing Bruce and having a heart-to-heart like they used to. How long had it been? Six months? The last time Bruce had come to New York was for Ben’s funeral. After that, May hadn’t really been up for chatting, so they rarely called each other. “At six, right?”

“Yeah,” Peter nodded. “Dick says he and Alfred will pick us up.”

“Tell them not to bother,” May frowned slightly, “we’ll just order a cab.”

“Alfred is insistent,” Peter said, and May sighed, accepting defeat.

“Then we need to clean up before five so they don’t have to wait for us,” May glanced at her wrist but quickly realized she forgot to wear her watch. Peter noticed her gesture and quickly offered the time.

“It’s eight now, so we have about seven or eight hours to clean.”

“Then finish up, and let’s head home. We’ll get there and dive right into unpacking,” May said as she continued eating her burger. Well, it wasn’t bad at all. At least something was enjoyable.

***

“Don’t fidget, Master Dick,” Alfred said, casting another glance at his charge, who couldn’t sit still from excitement. Dick had been on edge all morning. The night patrol hadn’t stopped him from waking up quite early due to his friend’s move.

“Alfie, I haven’t seen Peter in six months. I’ve missed him so much. Do you think he’s gotten taller than me in that time?” Dick’s expression turned genuinely worried at the thought. “God, I hope not. Otherwise, I won’t be able to tease him.”

“Teasing others is quite improper, Master Dick,” Alfred replied, unable to hide his smile. Dick grinned back.

“You can tease your friends,” he said, smirking.

“I doubt that.”

“It’s so cool that we’re going to the same school now!” Dick fell back into his thoughts. “I wonder if Mrs. Parker will let us go to the manor after school and play video games? It would be awesome to have a sleepover. Too bad Bruce is so strict. I’d love to show Peter the cave! I’m sure he’d be thrilled with the Batcomputer.”

“I don’t think Mrs. Parker would mind your visits,” Alfred said, and Dick nodded in agreement. “In fact, quite the opposite.”

“Well? How much longer?” Dick asked impatiently, glancing at his chat with Peter every now and then. No new messages. Peter must be getting ready.

“Patience, young man. We have about five more minutes to go.”

After seven torturous minutes, Dick managed to change positions about ten times, draw a heart on the foggy window, drink a bottle of water, take a deep breath several times, and of course, spout a bunch of nonsense that Alfred listened to while occasionally chiming in with comments.

Dick barely held back a squeal when they pulled up to the house. For a moment, he was worried that Peter would be living too close to Crime Alley, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside and jumped out of the car. Fortunately for Dick, even though Peter had grown, he was still shorter than him.

“Peter!” Dick beamed and hugged his friend tightly. A thought flashed through his mind about how he had held his friend just as tightly during his uncle’s funeral. He shivered at the thought of potentially losing Bruce as well and becoming an orphan again. For a whole week after the funeral, he couldn’t stop worrying about Batman, which made him extremely distracted and put him in danger. Bruce had noticed this, talked to Dick, and assured him that he wasn’t planning on dying anytime soon, so he could relax. “Hello, Mrs. Parker!” Dick said, pulling away from Peter. “That dress looks great on you.”

“Thank you, sweetie,” she replied, ruffling Dick’s hair.

Alfred stepped out of the car and opened the door, inviting May and Peter to get in. Without waiting for Alfred, Dick opened the door himself and hopped into the car. The butler let out a quiet huff, already used to his ward’s antics and complete lack of patience.

Peter yawned from exhaustion. He and May had unpacked all the boxes and cleaned the entire apartment. His aunt had been so insistent on getting everything done before Alfred and Dick arrived. Because of that, Peter was incredibly sleepy now, but he couldn’t miss seeing Dick just because he was tired.

When the car pulled up to Wayne Manor, Peter couldn’t contain his surprise, which made Dick laugh.

“You live here?!” Peter exclaimed, horrified as he looked around at the massive house. The thought of cleaning such a big place overwhelmed him. He and his aunt had spent hours tidying up their apartment, and at Mr. Wayne’s estate, Peter figured they’d be scrubbing floors until they were old.

“Yep,” Grayson replied with a shrug as they got out of the car. “In the first few months, I kept getting lost. One time, I was so desperate to find my room that I fell asleep in some closet, and Bruce and Alfred found me a few hours later, scared out of their minds. Luckily, I know my way around the manor pretty well now. I can’t wait to show you everything.”

“After dinner, Dick,” Bruce Wayne said, waiting for them at the door. “Let’s eat first. I’m sure Alfred’s cooking is just as amazing as always.” Bruce paused and turned to the Parkers. “Hey, May,” he said, hugging the woman who approached him, and she hugged him back. He pursed his lips when he noticed the dark circles under her eyes but said nothing out of politeness.

“It’s great to see you, Bruce,” May smiled warmly at him, and Peter’s heart ached painfully. Lately, May rarely smiled at anyone but him. He was just glad she was starting to feel a little better after Uncle Ben’s death.

Peter was incredibly hungry after all the cleaning, so he was thrilled when Alfred led them into a large dining room. He swallowed hard at the sight of all the delicious food laid out before them, and he and Dick sat down next to each other.

“How’s Talia?” May asked as she sliced into her salmon. She was sure Bruce had told his butler how much she loved that fish. “I haven’t heard from her in a while. Such a lovely woman. I’d love to have dinner with her again sometime.”

“We recently broke up,” Bruce said with a hint of regret in his voice.

“She dumped him,” Dick chimed in simultaneously with Bruce, snorting.

May choked and coughed.

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Parker?" Alfred asked, handing her a glass of water.

"Yes," May nodded, regaining her composure a bit. "It was just, let's say, unexpected. Are you okay, Bruce?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Bruce replied, nodding. "We can talk about it after dinner, when Dick and Peter leave," he added quietly so only May could hear.

"The break will be over in a week. Are you boys ready for school?" May delicately decided to change the subject.

"No," Dick sighed. "I loved sleeping in until noon all summer and not thinking about anything. I think I forgot how to write while we were on break."

Bruce huffed, having heard this tirade more than once before.

"And you, Peter, are you ready?"

"Probably," Peter shrugged. "I didn't want to switch schools, but I'm afraid commuting to New York from Gotham every day is going to be a bit tricky," he said, and Dick laughed.

"Well, that's it, Pete, now you'll have to put up with my face every day. Hope you're excited," Dick smiled and then leaned back in his chair, showing that he was done eating.

"What about the broccoli, Master Dick?" Alfred raised an eyebrow at the untouched vegetables on his plate.

"Maybe another time," Grayson beamed, flashing his bright white teeth. Alfred shook his head.

"I'm afraid you'll have to eat the chocolate cake another time too," Alfred said, and this time it was Peter's turn to stifle a laugh.

"Alright, alright," Dick mumbled, picking up his fork and skewering the unfortunate broccoli.

"Take a page from Peter's book, Dick," Bruce pointed at Parker's plate, "he ate everything down to the last crumb."

Peter's face instantly turned red.

"I was just really hungry," Peter said quietly. "May and I were doing a deep clean and unpacking boxes. I thought packing things was bad. Well, I was wrong. Unpacking them was a hundred times worse," he grimaced. "I hope we won't be moving again anytime soon," Peter told himself.

"Mrs. Parker, can we help you with anything?" Alfred asked, and May shook her head.

"No, thank you," she said with the polite smile she always used when declining, "Peter and I are almost done. I'm going back to work tomorrow, so I tried to get everything done today."

"If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask me," Alfred said, and May nodded. Peter knew his aunt wouldn't even think about taking him up on that offer. Alfred glanced at the disgruntled Dick, who had set his fork down on his empty plate. "That's better, young man. Now I can bring out the cake. Everyone will have tea, right?" With no objections, Alfred headed to the kitchen. Dick licked his lips at the sight of the chocolate cake, and he and Peter quickly started digging in.

"Where are you two rushing off to?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow. He and May hadn't even finished their main course, while the teenagers were already on dessert.

"I have to show Peter my room and my Lego collection," Grayson said, and Parker's eyes lit up at the mention of Lego. He hadn't bought any new sets in a long time because they had been struggling financially since his uncle's death. In Peter's opinion, it was better to have a roof over his head and a warm dinner than a new Star Wars ship.

"Well, then go ahead, we won't keep you," Bruce nodded understandingly, and the boys quickly dashed out of the dining room, racing to Dick's room.

"What happened with Talia?" May finally asked after waiting for the right moment. "You said you wanted to propose to her..."

Bruce shook his head, thinking of all the pictures of rings that he had sent her shortly before Ben's death.

"I really did want to, but..." Bruce hesitated. "Talia was pregnant," May's eyes widened in surprise, as this was the first she had heard of it, "but she lost the baby. I tried to be there for her, but after a while, she suggested we take a break and went back home to her father. I haven't heard from Talia in months. And for some reason, I feel like I won't again."

May walked over to Bruce and sympathetically placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Bruce. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"Don't worry about it, May, I was going to tell you anyway. It’s just that the boys were around. I haven’t told Dick. And honestly, I don’t plan to. He thinks we just broke up. What's more, he’s convinced that I bored Talia, which is why she left me," Bruce scoffed at the absurdity of that statement.

"I can't imagine what I would do if I lost both Ben and Peter at the same time," May said, visibly deflating. She returned to her seat. Bruce noticed her hand trembling, so he gently covered it with his own.

"Even after the darkest night, dawn still comes," he said softly. "The pain won't go away; I learned that lesson after my parents died. But over time, you just learn to live with that pain, and it dulls. It will definitely get better. Don’t doubt that."

***

Peter and Dick were playing Mario Kart when there was a knock at the door. May peeked inside. The boys turned their heads toward the door and noticed Bruce standing next to May, his hand resting on her shoulder. 

“Peter, it’s time to go, it’s getting pretty late,” May said, and the boys immediately sighed. Peter wanted to ask if they could stay a little longer, but quickly bit his tongue, remembering that Aunt May needed to get up early for work tomorrow. Plus, he had promised to clean the sinks, so he planned to wake up before noon. 

“I’ll give you a ride home,” Bruce said, and May nodded. “Dick, you can come with us if you want,” he added, seeing the boy’s desire to spend a bit more time with his friend.

“The break lasts another week, so you’ll have plenty of time to hang out, don’t worry,” May said as she and Bruce headed toward the stairs. Without him, she would probably get lost in this house. Dick and Peter quietly whispered as they followed them.

“I’m so glad you’re living in Gotham now. I’m sure we’ll do a lot of cool stuff while you’re here,” Dick said, grinning at his best friend, with whom he had spent years communicating long-distance and only occasionally seeing in person.

“Yeah, I hope so,” Peter replied, shyly smiling.

Chapter Text

May Parker took her last sip of coffee and glanced at the clock, frowning. After standing up and placing her cup in the sink, she headed to her nephew's room. May knocked on the door a couple of times before stepping inside.

“Peter?” she called out to her nephew, but there was no response, as Peter was sound asleep in his bed, tangled up in his blanket. May approached him and shook him by the shoulder. “Peter, get up faster, you’re going to be late for school.”

“Just five more minutes,” Peter mumbled, squinting against the light that his aunt had turned on.

“Peter, you’ve overslept, no five minutes. Your bus will be at the stop in just fifteen minutes!” May said, shaking him by the shoulder again. This time, Peter opened his eyes and, realizing what his aunt had said, quickly jumped out of bed.

“Fifteen minutes?!” Peter exclaimed in horror, looking around for the clock.

“Alright, dear, I’m off to work,” May said as she walked over to him and quickly kissed him on the forehead. “Text me when you get to school.”

After a quick goodbye to his aunt, Peter dashed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He grabbed the toothpaste tube but squeezed it too hard, causing toothpaste to splatter on the mirror. 

“Damn,” Peter muttered, trying to wipe the mirror clean with his towel. It didn’t help; the paste just smeared even more, so Peter shrugged it off, promising to clean the mirror after school.

There wasn’t enough time for breakfast, so Peter decided to make himself some cocoa to distract himself from his hunger. While the water was heating up in the kettle, he went back to his room to change into his school uniform. Peter grimaced at his reflection in the mirror. His previous school didn’t require uniforms, but at Gotham Academy, everything was different. He had been attending for a whole week now, and he was starting to like it less and less. With a sigh, he adjusted his tie and then turned his head toward the desk. Spotting his inhaler on the table, Peter turned around intending to put it in his backpack but accidentally stubbed his pinky toe on the bed, miscalculating his movement. He yelped in pain but didn’t have time to check his finger, so he quickly grabbed the inhaler, picked up his backpack, and rushed to the kitchen.

By that time, the water had already boiled, causing the kettle to shut off. Peter took his favorite mug, poured in some milk, added a bit of sugar and cocoa powder, then poured in hot water from the kettle and stirred it all together.

The bus was due to arrive at the stop in just four minutes, so Peter quickly brought the mug to his lips. Pouring too much cocoa into his mouth, he accidentally burned his tongue. He frowned but bravely finished the drink, slowly losing feeling in his tongue. Peter placed the empty mug in the sink, grabbed his backpack, threw on his jacket, put on his shoes, and then dashed out to the bus stop.

“No!” Peter exclaimed, breathing heavily from running as he saw the bus pass by the empty stop he had almost reached.

Peter stared at the bus disappearing into the distance for about ten seconds, trying to figure out what to do next. He could wait for another bus. But Peter had only been living in Gotham for two weeks, so he wasn’t familiar with the public transport schedule yet. Plus, in that short time, he had already realized that things didn’t work the same way in Gotham as they did in New York, so he wouldn’t have been surprised if the bus he needed didn’t show up until tomorrow. There was also the option of walking to school, but that would probably make him even later.

Fortunately for Peter, another bus arrived in fifteen minutes instead of the next day. However, it was packed with people, so he had to squeeze in by the door. Apparently, there were a lot of potholes on the road because the bus was shaking violently. Because of that, Peter almost fell several times. He held onto the handrail tightly all the way to school, hoping to arrive in one piece. When the bus finally stopped at the closest stop to the school, Peter let out a sigh of relief.

He ran into the school while checking the time on his phone. He grimaced as he realized he was late for his first class. However, Peter couldn’t understand why he hadn’t heard his alarm. That usually didn’t happen to him. Maybe he forgot to set it. Unfortunately, there was no way to find out the reason now. All he could do was face the consequences of being late.

As Peter rushed into the school, he was met with a disapproving look from a middle-aged woman.

“Reason for being late?” she asked, adjusting her glasses.

“I missed the bus,” Peter replied, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. The woman scrutinized him from head to toe, and it dawned on Peter why she was reacting that way. At Gotham Academy, most of the students came from wealthy and influential families who didn’t use public transportation at all. There were very few kids like Peter who managed to get in on a scholarship for free tuition.

The woman sighed, clearly showing that she wasn’t paid enough for this job, and then started typing something on her computer.

“Give me your full name,” she said, continuing to type.

“Peter Parker, ma’am.”

“Show me your ID, Parker,” the woman said tiredly, and Peter froze for a second because he realized he didn’t have his ID in his backpack.

“Sorry, I forgot it at home,” Peter replied, continuing to rummage through his bag without success.

“Do you think you’re the first one to come up with that excuse?”  

“I really forgot my ID at home, ma’am!” Peter bit his lip.

“I’ll remember you, Parker,” the woman said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll take your word for it this time—first and last time. If you’re late again without your ID, I’ll have to take you to the principal.”

“Thank you! I won’t be late again, I promise,” Peter said, genuinely hoping that was true.

“Come on, Parker, get to class. Stop standing around.”

Peter nodded and headed toward the classroom where he remembered they were supposed to have their first lesson today. In the past few days, Dick had given him a tour of the whole school, but Peter still hadn’t memorized the layout of all the classrooms completely, so he was just hoping for the best.

Peter Parker was convinced that the universe didn’t like him. This morning was proof of that. It was hard to believe anyone had as much bad luck as he did.

***

When the first lesson ended, Peter quickly gathered his things from the desk and hurried to his locker. He and Dick had agreed to meet there to go to the next class together. The first break was short, so they needed to hurry.

Peter remembered that he forgot to text May, so he got distracted by his phone and accidentally bumped into someone.

“Sorry,” Peter quickly said, adjusting his backpack that almost slipped off his shoulder.

“Watch where you’re going, loser,” a familiar voice sneered, and Peter mentally groaned. Of all the people in the school, he had to run into this guy!

David Simmons, accompanied by a few other guys from the basketball team, was looking at the flustered Peter.

Even though Peter had only been at this school for a week, David had already developed a dislike for him. Unfortunately for Peter, they shared many classes, so they crossed paths quite often.

Simmons’s group was made up of rich kids just like him. And they really didn’t like that kids like Peter were attending their prestigious school.

Having experienced bullying at his previous school, Parker was more annoyed by this than upset. The day was already going badly, and he didn’t want to deal with Simmons’s crap.

“I already said I’m sorry, now let me pass,” Peter said through gritted teeth, trying to get around the other teens. However, some blonde kid whose name he didn’t know shoved him. Peter rolled his eyes. Noticing this, Simmons snatched the backpack from Peter’s hands. “Hey! Give me my backpack back!”

“Well, well, let’s see what poor kids like you bring to school,” David said with a smirk, casually unzipping the backpack and starting to dump its contents out. A few notebooks and textbooks fell to the floor along with a pencil and pen. Then, from the bottom of the backpack, a glasses case and an inhaler tumbled out. Peter winced.

The blonde stepped on the inhaler, and Peter felt his heart skip a beat. May always took care of her nephew's well-being, so they kept several spare inhalers at home. But if Peter had an asthma attack outside today, it would be a disaster because he was now left with the only inhaler he had grabbed in a hurry.

Peter was about to protest when he heard an angry shout from someone pushing through the crowd of onlookers. He quietly exhaled, holding back a smile.

“You brainless idiots think you can assert yourselves by flexing your muscles? Well, that’s a fail,” Dick said angrily as he quickly reached Peter's side. “Give Peter his stuff back,” Grayson approached Simmons and snatched the backpack from his hands. Meanwhile, Peter began hastily picking up his school supplies from the floor. Luckily, the glasses inside the case were intact, so he and May wouldn’t have to spend even more money.

“Go away, little Wayne,” David scowled, and the blonde next to him nodded. “What do you gain from helping this loser?” he asked, and another basketball player laughed.

“If you ever call my friend that again, I’ll hit you, Simmons,” Dick said calmly, but Peter could see his fists clenching.

“I thought I imagined it when I saw you two hanging out. So, Grayson, just like your dad, you decided to get into charity work and garbage collection?” David smiled, showing off his white teeth. Peter didn’t have time to react when he saw Dick lunge forward and punch Simmons.

***

Peter Parker was sure that the universe didn’t just dislike him; it downright hated him. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why he and Dick were sitting outside the principal’s office, waiting for Bruce Wayne to come out and talk to them. Across from them sat Simmons, pressing an ice pack to his swollen cheek and shooting them a furious glare with his brown eyes. His dad was too busy to come to the school, but Bruce dropped everything as soon as he got the call.

Dick could see that Peter was nervous, so he encouragingly put a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, Peter, you okay?” Grayson asked, looking over his friend for any injuries that Simmons’s gang might have inflicted before he arrived.

“Aunt May is gonna kill me,” Peter sighed. Dick immediately became serious and jumped to his feet.

“It’s not your fault!” he said heatedly, casting a venomous glance at David. “You didn’t hit him; I did. If I need to, I’ll explain everything to May myself. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Peter, trust me.”

“It’s not about that,” Peter waved him off. “It’s about the inhaler.”

“What does the inhaler have to do with anything?” Dick asked, confused, then a thought struck him that made him shoot another angry look at Simmons, who was eavesdropping without a care in the world. David rolled his eyes. “Peter, I’ll tell Bruce, and we’ll go get you a new inhaler right now. May won’t even find out anything happened to the old one. You don’t have to worry about the money…”

Peter snorted, and Dick stopped rambling.

“Dick, I’m not worried about the money,” Peter rolled his eyes. “May wants me to always carry two inhalers just in case. I forgot to grab the second one this morning. I don’t think I’ll have an asthma attack today, but imagine the kind of trouble I could get into. May would kill me purely for my forgetfulness and carelessness, not because of the money. The inhaler doesn’t cost that much, so there’s no need to go anywhere. Don’t even bother Bruce about it,” Peter said, staring at Dick until he nodded in defeat.

“Fine, we won’t go buy you a new inhaler,” Dick said, sitting back down next to Peter. “But I’m telling Bruce you’re coming over for lunch today.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Dick shook his head. “After lunch, we can play my new video game!”

“Alright,” Peter finally relented. “But I can only stay for an hour max. I promised May I’d clean up the apartment before she gets home.”

At that moment, the door opened, and Bruce Wayne stepped out of the principal’s office. He said goodbye to the principal and then looked over both Peter and Dick with a careful gaze.

“Are you boys alright?” Bruce asked, and Peter nodded.

“We’re fine, B,” Dick replied with a slightly tense smile. “Sorry you had to leave work.”

Bruce grunted.

"That meeting was ridiculously boring, so I’m actually glad I could leave it."  

David tried not to stare at Bruce Wayne. He felt a twinge of resentment that even the orphan Grayson had a guardian show up, while his own father had brushed him off with work.  

“Peter’s coming over today,” Dick said, and Bruce nodded in agreement.  

“Good call,” Wayne replied, lost in thought for a moment. “Boys, I want to have a word with your principal, so you can head to the car,” Bruce tossed the keys to Dick, who caught them deftly.  

“Sure thing, B,” Dick saluted. “But hurry up! Alfred promised to make apple pie, and I don’t want it to cool off before I get there.”  

Bruce didn’t respond, just smirked. Dick knew very well that by the time they arrived, the food would still be hot; Alfred made sure of that.  

“What are you doing this weekend?” Dick asked as he and Peter got into the car. Parker shrugged.  

“I want to find a job,” Peter said, and Dick looked at him in surprise.  

“But you said May was against that.”  

“Yeah,” Parker replied nonchalantly. “But I can’t just sit at home knowing she’s working her butt off at the hospital. I want to help her out somehow. The problem is, I don’t really know the city well or where I could get a job. May sometimes stops by the Batburger near our place, so she might see me there. I went into some café near Crime Alley yesterday. They offered me a job, but I turned it down.”  

“Why?” Grayson asked, surprised.  

“I just got this feeling that place is run by the mob, and I’d get dragged into some shady stuff like drug dealing. May would definitely kill me if I got mixed up in anything like that,” Peter chuckled. He said it jokingly, but Dick tensed up. “I’ve never seen a fourteen-year-old get so persistently called to work in a completely empty café.”  

“What was it called?” Dick asked, deep in thought.  

“I don’t remember exactly. Something like ‘Sunset.’”  

“Hmm,” Dick hummed, “got it.”  

“Anyway, when I get home, I’m going to sit down at my computer and try to find some job listings online. Maybe I’ll get lucky.”

"Why don't you apply to Wayne Industries? Sometimes they take on interns in the lab. You like chemistry, right? I can ask Bruce if they have any openings for you. Plus, the pay is pretty good there."  

Peter paled at the thought of working for Bruce Wayne.  

"Aunt May doesn't want Bruce helping us out financially, even indirectly," Peter added. "She doesn't even know that my tuition is covered by the Martha Wayne Foundation. If Aunt May found out, she'd definitely enroll me in the nearest school in Crime Alley. Gotham Academy is the only school in the city that offers advanced classes in chemistry, physics, and biology."  

"Well," Dick nodded understandingly, "then we can cross that option off the list. There are plenty of companies in Gotham that hire teenagers. You just have to look around, no matter how cliché that sounds."  

"Yeah," Peter said. "But why were you asking about the weekend?"  

"Bruce is planning to go to Metropolis for two days for work and wants to take me with him. I think Metropolis is so boring. Everything's so bright and noisy," Dick shuddered. "It kind of reminds me of New York, but ten times worse!"  

Peter laughed.  

"What do you have against New York?" he raised an eyebrow in surprise. "New York is a great city to live in. The only downside is that it's super expensive. That's the only reason we moved here."  

"I can't imagine living in such a loud and flashy city. It's all skyscrapers and no culture!"  

"The gargoyles on the buildings give me chills. I've been here for two weeks, and there hasn't been a single sunny day. Everything's so gray and gloomy. Gotham is really bringing me down," Peter complained, which earned him a thoughtful look from Dick.  

"Oh no, you're definitely going to love Metropolis, and then you'll leave me behind!" Dick said dramatically, and Peter poked him in the side.  

"Stop being ridiculous," Peter said with a smile. "Even if I like Metropolis, I still couldn't just up and leave there on my own. I'm fourteen, not forty, Dick."  

"Kids grow up so fast," Grayson wiped away an imaginary tear from his face.  

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed. "I'm only six months younger than you!"  

"So, what do you think about going with me and Bruce?"  

"I'd love to go," Peter replied, excited at the thought of seeing a new city since he had only been to New York and Gotham. "I'll ask Aunt May, but I think she'll say yes."  

"That would be awesome!" Dick said enthusiastically. "We could check out Lex Luthor's tacky skyscrapers," Grayson smirked. "A couple of years ago, he built a hideous skyscraper in Gotham too. Guess where."  

"I have no idea," Peter admitted honestly.  

"Right across from the Wayne Industries building!" Dick chuckled. "Bruce is convinced Lex has run out of ideas, so he decided to spy on Wayne Industries," Dick smirked again, but Peter started thinking seriously about it. A few minutes later, Bruce came to join them, and then they headed to Wayne Manor.

***

When Peter got home, he immediately started tidying up the apartment. He had stayed at Dick's for way too long, so there wasn't much time left before May got back. Peter grimaced when he saw the mess he had left behind in the morning. He had to scrub the mirror several times to make it shine and to keep May happy.

With about fifteen minutes to go before May arrived, Peter finished cleaning up and rushed to his computer. He started searching for Lex Luthor's company. If he couldn't get a job with one billionaire because of his aunt, maybe he could try his luck with another. It was unlikely that anything terrible would happen if he got hired there, so he quickly put together a resume and sent it to the company's email, hoping for a prompt response and an invitation for an interview.

Chapter Text

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" Dick asked once again. Peter shook his head. Students rushing home passed by them, so they stepped aside a bit to avoid getting knocked over.

"I want to get some fresh air before the interview. Don't worry about me," Parker said with a gentle smile.

"Fresh air," Dick scoffed, "in Gotham. Well, suit yourself. Anyway, good luck, Pete," Grayson clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Thanks."

"We'll pick you up at eight-thirty in the evening. Be ready."

"I've been ready since last night. May was worried I might be late for the airport, so she made me pack my bag early," Peter chuckled. "I can't wait to see Metropolis."

"I'm sure you'll love it there. And in the end, you'll decide to stay and leave me high and dry," Dick said dramatically, making Peter laugh. He had heard that one before. "Or not," a spark lit up in Dick's eyes, "there's another scenario. You'll come back with us the day after tomorrow to Gotham, and after graduation, you'll enroll there at the university!"

"Don't think too far ahead, Dick. You never know what tomorrow holds. Let alone such a distant future," Peter said and then paused, realizing what he had said. "Alright, I gotta go; we can chat here until evening."

"Good luck!" Dick gave Peter a tight hug. "I hope you get in. Wherever you're applying for a job," he said thoughtfully. Peter didn't want to tell Dick that he had been invited for an interview at Lex Luthor's company for several reasons. First, Lex Luthor was at odds with Bruce's company. Second, Peter didn't want anyone to know about his potential failure at such a big place. There's a time for everything.

After saying goodbye to his friend, Peter hurried to the bus stop. To be honest, getting to Lex's tower was quite a trek. Peter wouldn't have minded a ride, but he didn't want to bother Alfred over something trivial again. Plus, Dick was right: the air in Gotham was really polluted. New York had its issues too, but it wasn't nearly as bad as here. After almost three weeks of living in Gotham, Peter understood why the rent was so cheap. Any sensible person would leave the city if they had the chance.

The trip to Lex's tower took about half an hour. Peter was still surprised he even got called for an interview since he was only fourteen. Yes, he could legally work now, but big companies rarely hired such young employees. Still, Peter wasn't going to pass up this opportunity.

Peter got off the bus at the right stop and headed toward the looming LexCorp Tower in the distance. He paused for a moment to check if he had brought a printed copy of his interview invitation. Peter was worried that they might not take his word for it because of his young appearance, so he had printed out the email he received at the library ahead of time.

As he approached the entrance, Peter took a deep breath, adjusted his tie, and then stepped inside the building. Guards with metal detectors were stationed at the entrance, checking everyone for weapons. Peter complied with the security check and was allowed through. He looked around in awe; there had to be laboratories in this building! Peter was incredibly eager to get into one of them. If he got hired, there was a chance he could work in them occasionally. It all depended on which department he ended up in.

Wanting to make a good impression, Peter attached all of his academic and scientific achievements to his application. His teachers at his previous school often encouraged him to participate in various science projects and clubs, so he had built up quite a portfolio.

According to the instructions sent to him via email, he needed to go to the HR department located on the fifteenth floor. Peter scanned the area for the elevator. A small group of employees chatting among themselves was heading toward the elevator, so Parker joined them and walked behind. One of the girls was holding a container of food and a paper cup of coffee. It seemed like they were going out for lunch. Peter entered the elevator with them, but they didn’t pay him any attention and continued their conversation.

“If Mr. Green doesn’t let us out on time for lunch tomorrow, I’m definitely quitting,” said a red-haired girl, confirming Peter’s suspicion.

“And where would you go?” asked a young guy. “To Bruce Wayne?”

“Beats me,” sighed the girl, taking a sip of her coffee.

“That’s one of the best student jobs out there, Florence. It’s tough to get into the Drakes if you haven’t graduated yet,” said another girl with black hair tied back in a ponytail. She smelled pleasantly of floral perfume.

“Do you like working here?” Peter suddenly asked, and the group looked at him in surprise. He hesitated for a second but then composed himself. “I… I came here for an interview, so I’d like to know a bit about this place from those who already work here.”

“What position are you applying for?” asked the girl who seemed to be named Florence.

“Lab assistant,” Peter replied.

“How old are you?” asked the young man, narrowing his eyes.

“Fourteen, sir,” said Peter, and Florence chuckled as she watched her colleague's face scrunch up in disbelief.

“Please, don’t call me that; I’m only twenty,” the guy replied. It was only then that Peter noticed a name tag attached to his jacket. That’s how he found out the guy’s name was Mark.

"Do you need to stop by HR?" asked the dark-haired girl, Lina, as the elevator came to a halt.

"Yeah," Peter nodded.

"Then you missed your floor," she said, and Peter realized he had forgotten to press the button in the elevator.

"How much time do you have left before your interview?" Mark asked.

"Half an hour."

"Why did you even come so early?" Mark raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I didn't want to be late," Peter shrugged. The elevator doors opened, and Mark gestured for Peter to follow them.

"We were planning to grab lunch in the cafeteria now, so you can come with us if you want," Florence said, taking another sip of her coffee. "We have a bit of time, so we can answer a couple of questions."

"Why did you buy food if you're going to the cafeteria?" Peter asked, puzzled.

"Fuck, the food in the cafeteria is ridiculously expensive, and there's a little cafe in the next building with reasonable prices," Mark said, and Lina shook her head.

"Don't curse in front of the kid."

"I'm not a kid," Peter rolled his eyes.

Parker was successfully ignored as they continued toward the cafeteria. "You asked if we like working here," Florence spoke up again, drawing Peter's attention. "Well, it's not bad, though it could be better. It's far from the worst place to work in Gotham," she smirked bitterly. "Sometimes we have to work overtime, and it's not paid."

"Mr. Green never wants to let us take lunch breaks, but that's actually illegal," Mark said, rolling his eyes.

"Everyone knows Wayne Enterprises has the best jobs in Gotham, but the competition is fierce; it's really hard to get in there," Lina said as she sat down at a table for four. The others took a seat next to her. "They even hire high schoolers here if they've got at least a little bit of brains. Luthor doesn't care how old his employees are as long as they do their jobs and don't complain. So you've got a chance to get in here, kiddo," Lina pondered. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Peter."

"You’re not from around here, are you?" Mark asked, pulling a burger out of his backpack.

"I'm from New York. Is it that obvious?"

Mark whistled. "Man, you really got dropped in it, huh? Good luck in this hole. I’m hoping to bail out of here after I graduate college."

"He’s hoping to get promoted and transferred to Metropolis," Florence said with a sigh, placing her empty coffee cup on the table. "Working for Bruce Wayne is cool and all, but they’re not likely to transfer you to another city. So we’re all just 'hanging out' here, settling for a low paycheck."

"Lex Luthor is quite the jerk," Mark smirked. "But if you need a job, you’ve come to the right place."

"I really hope I get accepted," Peter said, nervously fiddling with the strap of his backpack. "I need this job badly."

"What department would you like to work in?" Florence asked.

"Honestly, I don’t really care," Peter shrugged. "Where do you guys work?"

"These two work in neurobiology, and I’m in genetic engineering," Florence said. "I love my job; doing research is incredibly interesting," her eyes lit up. "In college, we do practical assignments, but it’s on a much smaller scale."

"In short," Mark said with a smile, "it’s a decent job; you won’t regret it. Better to work for Lex Luthor than to be dealing drugs somewhere at night."

"Damn," Florence muttered as she saw a message on her phone. "Neil forgot his keys again, so he can’t lock up the lab. I gotta run, guys," she said, addressing her colleagues and friends. "Hey, Peter, I can walk you to HR, but I need to stop somewhere on the way."

"Sure, thank you so much!" Parker said sincerely as he got up from the table behind Florence. "Thanks for taking the time to talk to me."

"You're welcome, kid," Mark said, and Peter furrowed his brows at the term of endearment. "I hope you get the job."

"Good luck!" Lina said.

"Thanks," Peter replied once more, before hurrying after Florence, who was walking toward the elevator.

"My colleague keeps forgetting the keys to the lab. Although I’m sure he lost them and just doesn’t want to admit it," the girl sighed. "If Mr. Green finds out, he will definitely give him a fine."

Peter listened obediently as Florence scolded her unfortunate colleague while they exited the elevator and headed toward one of the labs. With his heart racing, Peter looked around, trying to hide his excitement. He desperately wanted to work here!

"This is the last time I’m helping you, idiot," Florence said, entering the lab with a disgruntled expression. The main lights were off, and only a few fluorescent lamps cast a blue hue. In just a couple of seconds, Peter managed to glimpse several terrariums and cages, but he couldn’t identify their inhabitants due to the darkness. Next to one of the tables stood someone who was probably named Neil. He was writing something on his tablet. Peter shuffled at the entrance, afraid to go further. It was unlikely he was allowed to do so.

"Thanks, dolly. I owe you one," Neil blew a kiss to Florence before taking the keys from her.

"In your debt forever," Florence smirked, turning her head away. She immediately frowned. "Please, don’t forget to close the terrariums. Green will feed us all to the street dogs if one of the specimens escapes."

"Hey, hey, cool it, dolly. I didn’t work with that specimen today. The terrarium was open before I got here."

"Well, that doesn’t concern me anyway," Florence rubbed her nose. She turned and walked towards Peter, smiling tiredly at him. "One day that fool will do something truly terrible," she said quietly. "There are just a couple of minutes left before your interview," she glanced at her watch, "so let’s hurry."

Peter nodded but flinched a moment later. Florence was already ignoring him, striding quickly toward the elevator. Parker scratched his neck in confusion, attributing the sharp pain to stress. May sometimes had neck pain after a long workday, so it was probably normal.

In just a second, Peter forgot about it, mentally rehearsing what he planned to say to the interviewer.

***

"Have a great weekend, sweetie," May said, giving her nephew a tight hug while Alfred was putting Peter's backpack in the trunk. Dick and Bruce were already sitting in the car.

"Thanks, May," Peter smiled, trying hard to ignore his headache. He would need to ask Alfred if he had any painkillers with him.

"Make sure to take lots of pictures so I can see you and Metropolis."

"Okay, okay," Peter laughed. Dick had already endured May's lecture about how important it was to take photos so that the good moments could last forever, not just in memory.

"I love you, dear," May kissed her nephew on the forehead and then nudged him toward the car.

"Have a good evening, Mrs. Parker," Alfred said with a gentle smile as he closed the trunk.

"See you the day after tomorrow!" May said, and Peter nodded as he got into the back seat of the car. Dick was already sitting there, making faces at Bruce, who couldn't see him because he was sitting in front. Alfred opened the door and took his place as the driver, and then the car headed toward the airport.

"How long is the flight to Metropolis?" Peter asked. He had never flown on a plane before today.

"Just half an hour," Bruce replied. "The cities are really close to each other, so it's quick."

"We're flying business class," Dick said with a smug grin, and Peter's eyes widened in surprise.

"Why fly business class if the flight is only half an hour?" Peter asked, confused.

"Billionaire quirks, don't worry about it, Peter," Dick waved him off.

"Said the guy who lives in that billionaire's family," Peter rolled his eyes. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"We could grab breakfast somewhere together, but I doubt you guys will want to get up early after a night flight," Bruce smiled, turning his head toward the boys.

"B will be in meetings all day, so we can hang out without him," Dick said happily.

"I don’t know when I'll be free, but we can go out for dinner in the evening," Bruce thought for a moment, and his expression turned serious. "If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call me."

"Everything will be fine, don’t worry, B. It's Metropolis after all."

"And Superman lives there," Peter added. "We can always call him for help."

"After living in Gotham, it's hard not to worry about anything," Bruce sighed. "And May will tear my head off if anything happens to Peter," he said, and Dick burst out laughing.

"Yeah, May Parker is the most dangerous person in Gotham. Even Batman would have a hard time taking her down," Dick glanced at Bruce. Then an idea struck him. "What if May is Batman!"

"Uh-huh, sure," Peter snorted. "And Bruce is Green Arrow then."

"If May is Batman, then Peter is Robin," Bruce said playfully, watching Dick's face grow more shocked.

"We've been friends for four years and you never told me this!" Dick dramatically pressed his hand to his heart and giggled.

"Some things have to be kept secret," Peter winked at Dick.

***

It was ten in the morning when Dick woke up and noticed that Peter was still asleep in the neighboring bed. Smirking, Grayson jumped onto his friend's bed and started shaking him. Peter grimaced at the sudden awakening but didn't open his eyes, wrapping himself up in the blanket even tighter.

"We're in Metropolis, Peter! It's not time to sleep," Dick said, swiftly yanking the blanket off his friend. Peter groaned, pulling his knees to his chest. He managed to crack one eye open, giving Dick an annoyed look. "What's wrong with you, huh? Get up faster. I'm about to die of hunger."

At that, Peter opened his eyes and sighed heavily. Dick clapped his hands.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes to get up and get ready," Dick said, heading to one of the two bathrooms. 

Peter sat up on the bed. His head was pounding mercilessly. He reached for his glasses on the nightstand to put them on. He stood up, but the room started spinning, and everything blurred in front of his eyes. Losing his balance, Peter collapsed back onto the bed. His eyes hurt from the discomfort, so he took off his glasses.

"What the hell is wrong with me..." Peter mumbled, shaking his head. He scratched his neck and frowned, feeling a small bump but not thinking much of it. Gathering himself together, Peter tried once more to get out of bed and make it to the bathroom.

Shutting the door, Peter slapped his cheeks, trying to wake himself up. The hotel room was warm, but for some reason, he felt incredibly cold. He walked over to the sink and turned on the water, putting his cool hands under it in an attempt to warm up a bit. After splashing his face, Peter started brushing his teeth. He looked at himself in the mirror. The dark circles under his eyes seemed even darker.

Peter frowned at his appearance. For some reason, he looked incredibly tired. A thought crossed his mind that maybe the first flight had affected him that much. However, that idea seemed pretty doubtful.

Peter scratched his neck again. Noticing that it was quite red, he moved closer to the mirror to get a better look at the itchy spot. 

He ran his finger over the bump. His heart began to race as he saw something sticking out of his neck. Carefully, Parker tugged at the white material that resembled the white threads Aunt May kept in a jar in the kitchen. His skin prickled with goosebumps. Pulling out the long white thing was unpleasant both visually and physically. When it stopped coming out, Peter yanked on it sharply.

A scream erupted a moment later.

Peter stared in horror at the dead spider with an unusual red and blue coloring in his hand. It wasn't a thread. It was damn webbing! 

"What the fuck..." Peter muttered.

"Peter!" Dick called out with concern in his voice, knocking on the door. "Are you okay in there? Can you open the door for me? Please, Peter, open the door," Grayson tugged at the doorknob again.

Peter confusedly shifted his gaze from the spider in his hand to the door. Suppressing the urge to throw the spider into a trash can or toilet, Parker stuffed it into the pocket of his shorts. He shuddered at the thought that this thing had been inside his neck.

Dick was a moment away from breaking down the door when Peter finally opened it himself. Dick's eyes were filled with genuine horror. He hugged Peter tightly before stepping back and starting to check him for injuries.

"Peter, why were you screaming?" Grayson frowned, watching Peter scratch at his inflamed neck.

"I... fell," Parker said the first thing that came to mind. "Don't worry, Dick, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Dick asked skeptically.

"Give me a few more minutes and I'll be ready," Peter cut off his friend before he could finish, slamming the door shut in front of him and locking it again. Dick muttered something under his breath but left, giving Peter some peace.

Parker stared at himself in the mirror again, examining the bump on his neck. He began to connect the dots. Chills, a hot forehead suggesting a fever, a headache, dizziness, inflammation on his neck: all of this led Peter to only one conclusion. 

He had been bitten by a spider.