come to your senses

by moovelfan_moo

Summary:

Wade told him that everything would be fine and that he had a place to stay here. That he would stay, for some time at least, too. But even though he had a lot in common with the people here, he just wasn’t one of them.

But Wade told him everything would be fine. And he trusts Wade.

Wade who just stayed himself and never once looked at him with pity or anything other than love for his friend.

or
Wade convinces Peter to join Xavier's school for gifted youngsters after his Aunt kicks him out.

Notes:

This plays after Spider-Man Homecoming. In this Peter never met Tony Stark but still stopped his plane from being stolen. Most things still happen, like Washington, the ferry and the warehouse but without Tony. He knew Ned and Michelle but wasn't good friends with them.

Peter can shoot natural webs but developed mechanical webshooters at some point as back-up and out of scientific interest.

English isn't my first language and this is my first Fanfiction. I hope you like it. Please leave comments to help me further develope my writing and language skills.

Just take the things as they come.
I hope you have fun reading. Thank you!

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

He wasn’t nervous. No. 

Why should he really?

Maybe, because he is in a building with a lot of people who are in some sense like him and the next conversation will determine his future. Maybe, because already three people groaned as soon as they spotted Wade which is super rude by the way. But he also knows Wade so maybe it’s fair. 

Wade told him that everything would be fine and that he had a place to stay here. That he would stay, for some time at least, too. But even though he had a lot in common with the people here, he just wasn’t one of them. 

He wasn’t a mutant. Peter was bit by a radioactive spider which gave him superhuman abilities he is barely able to control on a good day. That makes him enhanced? He isn’t even a mutate as he doesn’t have the x-gen.

But Wade told him everything would be fine. And he trusts Wade.

Walking through the mansion with all these nice things everywhere he is suddenly very aware of his dirty old clothes. The backpack on his back was in a similar torn and disgusting condition. 

Wade must have noticed his thoughts shift as he threw an arm over Peter’s shoulder and said a cheary “No worries. Professor baldhead is gonna love you little cutie-pie. You’ll get all the clothes and showers you need as soon as we talk to him. I think his office is somewhere around he- Ah! There it is! Come on Petey, let’s get this over with and get something to eat. I’m starving!”

The door they were walking to was dark wooden at the end of the hallway. It looked as nice as everything else. As they closed the distance he became more aware of the sounds coming from the room. Before he only noticed the noises of children and teens all around as well as lectures being given in a few rooms. The wind was rustling the autumn coloured leaves outside and there was a child crying after falling on his knees somewhere. Two men were chatting with each other in the office about dinner plans. 

In Peter’s neck his hairs stood a little and he wasn’t sure if it was because of his nerves or because of some sort of danger.

Wade, rude like he is with other people, was about to open the door without knocking but Peter was able to catch his wrist before he did. 

“Wade,” he exclaims in a high squeaky noise. Peter clears his throat and tries not to notice the grin the other teen was definitely sporting. “You can’t just barge in. The people inside are talking. I think we should come back later when we aren’t interrupting.”

“Oh, are you nervous?” Wade squishes Peter’s face between his palms before they are swatted away with an offended noise. “Don’t be. I told you, they will love you little bug. Trust me. They lo-ove me here. You have no idea.”

“Wade.”

“Anyway-” Before Peter is able to stop him, Wade turns and walks right through the door with a loud “Ya’ miss me?”

Peter stood frozen at the door only able to watch in horror as Wade sat down on top of the table Professor Xavier and the Magneto were playing chess on. 

“Wade,” both say in the most exhausted tone he has ever heard.

The Professor drives behind his work desk where he takes out an expensive looking bottle and two glasses out of one of the drawers.

“Oh, I didn’t know it was happy hour. I would have totally-”

“Wade,” Erik Lensherr cuts him off while accepting one of the now filled glasses from the professor. “What are you doing here?” As he leans against the desk and the doorway Peter was still standing in comes into his view he follows with “And who are you?”

Wade rushed to him and pulled him in by the arm until he was standing just feet away from the two older men. “This is my best friend Petey. He needs a room.”

“Peter,” he blurts out. Because God forbid he’ll let ‘Petey’ just stand like that. Not in front of these two world known people. “Peter Parker. That’s eh- my name. It’s really nice to meet you two and I kinda- Wade told me you are a school who takes people in. People with abilities. Not that you’re like obligated to anything-”

“Peter,” Professor Xavier interrupts him with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Why don’t you take a seat.”

So he did that. Peter also pulled Wade away from some display cabinet he was sticking his hand out to and pulled him down into the chair beside his.

Both Professor Xavier and Mr. Lensherr looked amused by that but didn’t comment. Instead the former asked, “You aren’t a mutant, are you?”

Peter nervously looked between the two and Wade who gave him encouraging and not at all helpful thumbs up. “Well- no technically not. I mean practically also no, but I have this well- Ok, first of all please don’t read my mind if you can help it. I sometimes lose control over my powers so I understand if it happens, but I’m not that comfortable with someone being able to look into my mind. That kinda scares me, so.”

“The Prof won’t do that. No worries Pete,” Wade says with a pat on his shoulder.

The man in question adds, “I won’t go into your mind without permission, Peter. Please continue. I would like to know why Wade brought you here.”

Here goes nothing. Peter thought to himself and braced himself with a deep breath. “Ok so, I was on this field trip with my school to Oscorp and I got lost at one point and ended up in this room with spiders. They were experimented on with radiation, I think? Anyway, one of them bit me and after a week of being sick I got these abilities. Then my uncle got shot and I decided to fight crime. That’s where I met Wade. And then after some months I fought this big villian guy who turned out to be my homecoming date’s dad and I won but I got really hurt in the process. That’s how my aunt found out that I’m Spider-Man and she totally freaked out which ended in her kicking me out. I kinda understand it because we weren’t blood related and it’s a lot to take in and it’s not like she thought she would have to raise me after my parents dropped me off before dying in that plane crash. Still, she was my last living relative so that really hurt. Anyway, I’ve been living on the streets for a few weeks until Wade found out and brought me here. Not like there is anyone who’d miss me in New York.” He laughed humorlessly before rambling on, “I know I’m not a mutant per se, but I have powers, too, so I thought maybe I could go to your school? It’s totally cool if not. I’ll figure something out. Oh- and please don’t tell anyone I’m Spider-Man.”

Wade nodded animatedly and Peter could practically see the smile under his mask. The two men seemed kind of shocked on the other hand. Yes, maybe he could have gone about that better. He can admit that to himself.

“You are Spider-Man? How old are you,” Magneto asked him, a little stressed.

“Oh wow, you heard of me? How cool,” he says under his breath before adding more clearly, “I’m fifteen, sir.”

“‘Course they heard of you. There are so many cool videos of you online and you made big news after Stark’s plane and the Vulture guy.” Wade exclaims beside him like it’s the most natural and self explanatory thing on the planet. To him it probably is. But who is Peter to judge. He is as obsessed with his best friend as he is with him.

The Professor cleared his throat effectively getting both Wade’s and Peter’s attention again. “That was quite a lot of information and we should go over some of that at a later point but first of all, I can assure you, you have a place to stay here and we won’t share your secret.”

“Really? Oh wow, thank you Professor, sir. You really don’t have to. I have nothing to my name so I can’t pay you or anything.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Why don’t you tell us what your ‘powers’ are if you aren’t a mutant,” Magneto suggests, which sounds more of a demand and greatly unconvinced in his so-called powers, too, judging the way he vocalized the word.

Which - rude, but he’ll ignore that for now. Peter is definitely closer to being one of his precious mutants than humans.

“Yes, of course.” He cleared his throat before starting, “I have super strength though I don’t know how much I can lift. Before I stopped the Vulture from stealing the plane he dropped a building on me and I was able to lift the stuff on top of me off me so that was probably a few tons. Though it was really hard and I almost couldn’t make it.”

Magneto gave Xavier an exhausted, stressed expression. “A building dropped on him.”

Xavier’s voice was calming but a little tight as well, “That is quite a lot. So that is your power, strength?”

“Yes, as well as enhanced flexibility and durability. I’m faster than normal humans and also very lightweight. And that’s not because I didn’t have any access to food. I mean, probably that, too, but my bones are different from normal human bones and I’m lighter because of it. How can I explain it best? Like, bendy? Does that make sense?”

“Bendy. Right.”

“I also stick to things. I can stay upside down without blood rushing to my brain. I have heightened senses and a sixth sense which warns me from dangers and stuff. I think that’s all. Is that all?” Peter turned to Wade after listing everything he could think of.

The older teen added, “You also shoot webs and have a healing factor.”

“Yes, you're right. That, too.” Peter nodded to himself. Sometimes he stupidly forgets some of his long list of powers. He turned to the two men again. “I have a high metabolism so some of the stuff isn’t working up to its full potential right now, like my healing factor. My healing isn’t as good as Wade’s. I can definitely die. But we compared, his bullet wounds heal in seconds or minutes, mine take a few hours and another day or two until the scar is gone.”

“Compared bullet wounds. I can’t believe it.” Mr. Lensherr exclaimed, exhausted, shaking his head and taking a big gulp from his glass of bourbon. (Peter figured from the smell) 

“That’s an impressive list of powers, Peter. I’m sure you’ll fit right in with us.”

“All that you got from a spider bite,” Magneto asked a bit wary. Which is fair. Peter would be, too, if a random teenager came by and just told him about all different kinds of enhancements after announcing to be a famous vigilante without even being a mutant. It is unbelievable and the man is known to be guarded around unknown people because of his past. But the Professor was there so he could definitely back Peter up.

“I think it altered my DNA to be more like a spider’s, but I don’t have a lab to prove my theory,” he told them. But thinking about the statement, Peter could see how he made himself even more unconvincing.

“Oh, Charlie, you will love Petey. He is suuuuper smart. A+ student and all.” 

Wade’s voice was full of excitement which was great because that is just him. It was calming constant beside him. Wade was Wade through everything these last months since he first met him on patrol. When he revealed himself and in turn got to know DP as Wade as well, becoming his best friend. After he found him sleeping on a roof and the tearful confession from Peter. The few nights where he stayed on Wade's couch before Peter took up his offer to drive up to the mansion and join the school. Wade who just stayed himself and never once looked at him with pity or anything other than love for his friend.

“Maybe you can learn something from him then,” Mr. Lensherr suggested cheekily to which Wade just flipped him the bird. 

Peter swatted the offending hand away and hissed at him, “Be nice.”

To the older two men’s surprise Wade actually stayed quiet beside Peter with only slightly annoyed mumbles under his breath.

“How about we get you settled in and talk some more later,” the Professor suggested, coming around the table and going up to the door.

“Petey and I can share a room.” Wade, too, got up and followed him out the door.

Peter hastily got up and walked out with Magneto. He fumbled a little with his jacket. His nerves still on a high.  To be honest, Peter didn’t think this would be as easy as it was. After all he isn’t a mutant and this was a mutant school. He wouldn’t even be mad if they changed their minds later on again.

His thoughts were interrupted when the Professor turned to Wade, took a long look at him and said, “So you want to stay, too?” Which is something Peter decidedly did not expect.

“Well, I can’t just go back to New York on my own.”

“You did last time as well as all the other times.”

“But now I have Pete. I can’t just leave. New York would be way too boring without him there anyway.”

“If you want to stay you need to follow the rules and attend classes, Wade. Are you absolutely sure you are up to that?”

Wade groaned loudly and as he didn’t answer for a tad too long where he tried to level the Professor with a stare, which the man held very successfully Peter noted dully, he piped up himself, “Wade will be good. I promise. Right, Wade?”

“No, I can’t just do that Petey,” the older teen pouted.

He tucked slightly at his jacket sleeve and said quietly, “Please, Wade.”

Another groan and an “Ok- fine, ” later they continued their way through the house.

“I think it would be best for you to dorm with someone other than Wade and he can take his usual room.”

Mr. Lensherr spoke right over Wade’s comically hysterical No! , “You can put him with my Peter.”

“That is an excellent idea.” Xavier smiled at the man who offered a small smile in return. 

 

In the elevator Prof. Xavier spoke up again, “May I ask how you two met?”

“Oh, I’m glad you ask my soft headed friend. I was out and about, you know doing my thing, when I heard this scream from down the alley and as your good friendly neighborhood mercenary I looked if anyone might need my help. And I must say what I saw was a sight to behold. Spider-Man in all his 5ft4 glory beating up some old fuck. To be honest I fell a little in love right then and there.” Wade drew him into a side hug, rubbing the top of his head into the crock of Peter’s neck like an oversized cat. He had to suppress a smile and shoved his friend off himself half-heartedly.

“We don’t condone violence at this school,” the Professor stated firmly, looking at the two of them, but fixing Wade with another intensity in his gaze.

“Of course. I would never start a fight with anyone, really. But in my defense, I don't kill and that guy was about to sexually assault a girl, so like, I think he kinda deserved it,” Peter rushed out. His voice got quieter in the end.

“You’re right.”

Peter had to hold back a snicker at the look the Professor sent Mr. Lensherr and the way the man shrugged unapologetically.

On the walk through the mansion Wade babbled about some people and all the ‘fun’ stuff they could do here. Following that was him announcing that all those things were just ‘jokes’ and that the two men can just forget about it, that they’ll be the nicest, most disciplined students that they ever had. Following that was Wade winking at Peter, bumping him into his side with his elbow.

He even went so far and told him about certain teachers and who to avoid with pranks or who to target specifically as the reactions would always be top tier comedy. “The blue fur ball is definitely the most funny one reaction wise. But I guess we’ll have to be nicer ‘cause of your science stuff. Urgh- but I so wanna see your face when you first met him. You won’t be able to handle it.” Even Magneto smirked at that.

“Wade, I was born and raised in New York.”

“Fair.”

At some point they came to a stop in front of a room and the little walk felt honestly way too long to just be walking around in one house. How big could one building be? This was kind of hilariously abnormal.

“My son, his name is also Peter, lives in this room. I think you will get along great.”

“I told him to meet us here,” Xavier added.

Suddenly, without a warning a voice piped up from directly behind him. “Why are we standing in front of my room?”

And Peter startled hard enough to leap to the ceiling with an undignified yelp, clinging to it. As he looks down at the others the boy really comes into his view. He must be around Peter’s age, had silver hair and a walkman is hanging around his neck. Peter knew right then and there, he would never be as cool as that guy.

“Wow! Dude, ‘you ok?”

It was weird thinking about how all these people are special in a sense that he is. Sure, in New York you meet all kinds of special people but the smallest number have extraordinary abilities like them and those you just don’t meet on the street. The brunt mount of mutants are guarded about themselves around the general public and don’t display their powers. Wade was actually the first mutant Peter got to know. Well, the first he knew of. Now he was in a building full of people who weren’t afraid to openly act with their abilities. 

Panic seized through him before he realized that they weren’t looking at him with disgust or alarm at his display of powers but rather amusement, because he was in fact still sticking to the ceiling looking wide eyed at them. 

Peter quickly let himself drop and spin to fall into his usual crouch, red faced and embarrassed.

Where the fuck did that guy come from anyway? 

“Are you a teleporter or fast? Either way, it’s super fuc- freacking cool.” He blurts out without a thought to it.

“Fast. Kurt ’s a teleporter. You’ll meet him later. I’m Peter by the way.”

“My name’s Peter, too,” he says, bumping the outstretched fist.

“Oh really,” he groans. 

Charles pipes up from behind them, “Peter will be your new roommate.”

Another groan. “For real? First you take away my great single room and then put me with another Peter? That’s not gonna get confusing at all . No offense, you seem cool.”

“Peter, be nice,” Erik Lensherr, who is apparently his father, scolds him. 

“ Fine. ” The guy fixes him with a look he can’t place and which turns out is supposed to be threatening as the next thing he says is, “But if you touch my mixtapes, I’m gonna move you out like that.” He snaps his fingers. It took some time but Peter eventually learned, with a lot of teasing and tips from Wade, to be intimidating if he wanted and needed to, so he knows that this Peter is absolute shit at it. He doesn’t get the chance to tell him though as he already rushes on, “And will that thing with the ceiling happen a lot? ‘Cause I kinda run everywhere.”

“Petey will jump at everything. One time he jumped to the ceiling and sniper-shot a fly because it startled him. One other time there was this rat-” 

Peter threw his hands to cover Wade’s mouth before he could tell anything else. This was embarrassing enough as it is. While Wade tried to continue his story even though it was muffled by his hands he heard a quiet “Oh, I’m so gonna get that story,” from behind him. And no, he will not. Peter will make sure of that.

“How about you help him settle in? Please, show Peter where the bathrooms are as well as the classrooms. Grab some fresh sheets while you at it. Oh and get something to eat as well. You are excused from your classes today to help Peter find his way around,” the Professor told the silver haired Peter.

“Please meet me in my study sometime this afternoon to talk some more,” he added after facing the other Peter, him.

“Yes, thank you, again. You totally don’t have to do that. And if you want to rethink your deci-”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re all very thankful Chuck for letting us stay in your humble abode.” The fast Peter is funny. And he knows how to deal with the little respect for your elders and or authorities-type.

“You stayin’, too, bean-face?”

“Sure am, knock off Flash.” 

“Cool.” Wade and Peter fistbumped each other. 

The next thing he notices is him being dragged away from the group by the arm in direction of the other hall. “Come on, I’ll show you the dining hall and kitchen. The most important places here.” Before he was pulled around the corner he heard a shout “I’ll find you later, Petey. Leave some food for me.”

---

Coming back has always been a double-edged experience. Sure the Professor was welcoming and patient with him or whatever but everyone else? Children were fucking cruel and not even most teachers tried to be friendly or stop them anymore. 

Sure, Wade could go about things the normal old boring way and be a reliable, hard-working or at least reasonable student. But as said, that’s fucking boring.

And he had to counteract his ugly mug fucking somehow and a dashing personality always does the job. Or doing a job , does the job. No one will talk shit about your looks with Bea up their ass. 

And even though Wade dreaded going to classes again or having to deal with the shit-students, he’ll do it. For Pete's sake. And oh man, wouldn’t he go through hell to give him the life he deserves. 

Meeting Peter was undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to him in his shitty life. After the cancer, the experimentation, all the killing (which to be honest he has less of a problem with) Peter brought a new light into his life he never could have imagined being blessed with. 

Especially seeing under that suit. Man is shredded .

That his little bean had ended up homeless broke his heart. Turns out Life wanted to fuck them both over good in the little time they had been walking on the big blue planet.

The second he found his best friend on that roof and he heard his tearful confession about what had gone down between him and his aunt, he knew that the Prof’s school was the only real option. No way, he’ll try and convince Pete into the system or worse to do the shit he had done to survive. Plus, his moral code would prevent him from that anyway. Which is great, don’t get him wrong.

Sure, Wade would have loved to just let Peter live with himself and buy him all the Mexican food they could possibly find, take care of him and beat people up while growing old together. But that’s not what Peter wants and needs. He is more independent than others his age due to the circumstances but not to Wade's degree and not wanting that either. Not yet. School, education, a stable environment, that’s what he seeks now more than ever. 

Xavier’s school will give that to him and Wade will be by his side as long as he can and wants. 

And yes, maybe he fears that if Peter gets to know other cool people with abilities who are way less screwed up than him that he won’t want him around anymore. 

But you know what? Good for him. Not like he would be the first to walk out on Wade.

 

He turned to Charles and Erik, grin audible in his voice as he said, “Let’s talk some more my lovely old enemies-to-lovers-slow-burn-fanfic-inspiration-since-2000.”

Something in his voice must have given him away as neither (Not even Mr. Metal, like wtf?) commented or protested him and just followed him where he skipped off in direction of his old room. 

It isn’t on one of the children's floors and instead near the adults' rooms. When he first got brought here by the russian metal ass and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (-still, the shit-coolest name ever-) he just had killed a bunch of Francis’ guys so they didn’t want him anyway near the little shits. Since then he had come and gone a couple of times, always with a few months in between each visit. His room and all his shit stayed his throughout all this time.

Opening the dump of a room, with a shit ton of clothes, weapons and just general junk lying all around, covered in a layer of dust he almost felt nostalgic. It had been longer since he last stayed because (what a surprise) he had met Spider-Man/Peter, therefore never felt the need to come back.

Wade threw himself bodily into the bean back in one corner as the two older men trickled in after him, closing the door after themselves. 

“What is it you wanted to talk about Wade?” Charles asks him, patient as ever.

“Look, I know you will make sure Pete is fine here. You even let me back in here after all the shit I’ve done.”

“Wade, we talked about this. We-”

He doesn’t want to hear it and just cuts the Prof off. “Yes, yes. I know the spiel. That’s not the point. The point is that Peter comes with a whole shitload of trauma which he needs help with. I can only do so much as his bestie and I’ll do my part, but I need you to do yours. Many people here still have parents to their name or some sort of role model. Peter has lost every single person he has somehow seen as a parental figure throughout his life. That last shit with his aunt has just been the tip of the iceberg and he is like, still in denial about it. He doesn’t think his aunt did anything wrong, at all. He is super fucking smart, a great fighter and just begs to cling to the next adult who gives him some sort of comfort or shows him love. And he is- We’re still just kids-”

“So if you exploit him for either your shitty boy bands, X-Men or Brotherhood or whatever, just because you see his combat skills, his use - I will make sure to hunt you down and make you suffer like you can’t imagine. I will make you beg for death, to release you from the torture I will put you through. Do you understand?”

The silence almost suffocated him. His throat was dry and they must have heard the emotion seep through even though he tried to stay cold, threatening. If something happened to Peter- if anyone hurt his friend? They will suffer.

Magneto almost looked…proud? Wade didn’t know how he was supposed to interpret that look directed at him but the small, sharp nod he got was enough of a confirmation he needed from him. His view turned to the Professor looking at him with a kind of softness he hadn’t seen since he allowed the man to look into his mind. 

“You have my word,” he answered. 

Wade nodded shortly in acceptance before jumping up from his seat to push them both outside his room. Enough with the mushy stuff. “Now go- I need to get myself settled in or whatever you say.”

---

 

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Summary:

Peter's first day at Xavier's school continues.

Notes:

I’m very excited about posting this and getting all those kudos in the first two days! Thank you!
I gladly receive comments with suggestions or writing tips if you notice anything I could improve.
I hope you have a good time reading!

The other Peter or Pietro Maximoff, his actual name, had an even faster metabolism than him. Which is frankly incredible. It had something to do with his mutation. He was so nice to explain some of his powers over the frosted flakes they found to eat. 

He was a cool guy, like Peter expected. Not only did he have an immense knowledge of music but also was a pantomath, a person who knew a lot of fun facts which unironically was his first one. Most things he rushed out in a big jumble of thoughts, a stream of consciousness if you will. Peter didn’t have a problem with that at all as most conversations are too slow for him anyway. The thoughts were mostly racing in his head and he had problems articulating them in a structured manner most times. And this Peter was on a whole other level of ADHD-riddled brain functions than him.

They would get along great. Peter thought to himself. Ever the optimist.

After their snack, this was not lunch, Peter M. had stressed that, he ushered him into the bathroom with a fresh towel and some of his clothes saying almost bored “You fucking stink dude. No offense. You said you lived on the streets. But I won’t let you in our room if you smell like that. Yuck. Now go- hush- I’m supposed to show you around and I’m not in the mood for Dad to scold me today. I’ll get the perfect soundtrack. We need the right music for the feeling, you know? You know. Ok, see ya’.” And then he was gone with a blast of air.

In the shower he laid eyes on his body. It wasn’t as bad as a few days ago but still, the cornflakes almost made another appearance. Sure he was always thin, lean, but now? Even before May knew he wasn’t always able to eat enough, as money wasn’t easy. Now his stomach was sunken in enough for his ribs to stick out. The blue and green state they were still in did nothing for his comfort.

Peter pushed through the shower, enjoying the hot water only shortly as he never wanted to wear clothes faster than now, to just not have to see his body anymore. He used shampoo and wash gel he found in the bathroom. There was different stuff laying around, all different types and smells. Lavender had always been one of his favorites along with the flowery ones as they weren’t as aggressive on the nose as the fruit or sport kinds, so he used those.

The clothes looked ridiculous on him. The torn black jeans and ill fitting band shirt made him look like an anxious emo teen. After eying the holes in both shoes, in the sole and the one on the top of the right shoe, making his big toe stick out, he decided to just go in socks. Not like it didn’t feel natural like that anyway.

With a bundle of stuff he made his way through the halls again. 

Teenagers were talking all around. Some in rooms, persumily theirs, some in the classrooms and others walking down the halls like he did. There were noises he wasn’t used to from New York and he couldn’t relate to anything he’s ever seen or heard. Flapping? Or scratching? And somewhere under the house were a lot of electrical systems running together. And that is definitely nothing normal judging the age of the house. 

Whatever, Peter should just look into it later with an open mind. Not like Wade would bring him here if they weren’t somewhat safe with these people. 

Now he just had to find the room again. Where did they walk again? It must have slipped his mind, talking while walking or later in Peter M.’s case being dragged around the house.

And he for sure wasn’t in the right spot anymore as there were way too many heartbeats (some very interesting heartbeats, too) in this hall. Classes. This is where they must be. Not that that information is helping him right about now as he is still shuffling around in his socks with a handful of stuff.

And now there was a blue woman standing in front of him. Is she naked? She’s not wearing clothes so it does count as naked right? God- Is he staring? Hopefully she doesn’t perceive it that way.

Where did she come from anywhere? Like what the fuck, do people just appear around here?

“Hi.” Wow, Peter. Good job. Really impressive voice crack right there.

Now that the initial shock of blueness is gone he recognizes her as Mystique. She is famous, too, and in close relationship to both the Professor and Magneto, though Peter doesn’t know how exactly.

“Who are you,” she asks, not too friendly.

“My- my name is Peter Parker. I’m eh- new here?” 

“Is that a question?” 

“No.” What? “No, it isn’t. I’m new here. I talked with the Professor just this morning. It is very nice to meet you Mrs. Mystique.” He sticks his hand out or tries to but half his stuff is falling down without the support. Peter scrambled to pick it up again and just stuck some of it to his skin, to be able to attempt another handshake. 

She had an amused look when he made eye-contact again. And man, that felt uncomfortable. As if the yellow eyes pierce right through him, seeing every dark corner of him. He really hoped that wasn’t one of her powers. Wow, he felt naked and he was the one wearing clothes.

After some excruciating moments where they both didn’t bulge, Peter wasn’t gonna just buckle in front of her, her gaze softened a little and she met the handshake with a firm grip.

Her voice was kinder than before. “Welcome. Are you lost? Do you need help?”

“Ehm- I just took a shower and am not sure anymore how to get to my room,” he said a little sheepishly. It sounds dumb, forgetting were your own room is.

“Who are you dorming with? I can help you.”

“Peter.” As he realizes that this might not be enough information, because Peter is a pretty common name and he just introduced himself as Peter, he adds hastingly, “Oh, I mean the other Peter. Or Pietro- Maximoff. Mr. Magneto’s son.”

She huffed a laugh before turning and walking down the hall. “This way.” So Peter quickly jogged after her.

 

They didn’t talk until they were at the room, which was great because Peter was way too nervous and would have probably just embarrassed himself further.

She just walked into the room and he really hoped that she was the exception here. That’s no common decency May and Ben had taught him. The other Peter didn’t seem to mind much but he probably realized someone was walking in fast like no one else did. 

“Why are you not in class?”

Peter was laying on his bed, head hanging over the edge at the foot end, playing with a Nintendo. “Am excused for showing the new Peter around.”

“So why did I find him walking around the house. Lost and alone.” Ok, Peter wouldn’t word that way but yeah- sure.

“He showered. Was I supposed to babysit there? No thank you. And look-” He gestured to him still standing in the doorway. “-he found his way back.” 

“With help,” Mystique deadpanned.

He shrugged, like Eh- He did it .

She left as fast as she appeared saying a quick, “You two, meet me outside in two hours.” 

Peter hovered in the door. He never had to share his bedroom with someone, being an only child and all that jazz. And the room was lived in, which wasn’t really helping him at all feel at ease. 

“I got you sheets and stuff,” Peter M. said nonchalantly, gesturing to the freshly made bed on the other side of the room. “You can get another set of towels later and clean your clothes in the washroom. If you need new stuff, just ask one of the teachers and they’ll take you on a trip to the nearest mall with the other guys who need stuff. Or if you don’t want to go they’ll just buy stuff in your size. Don’t ask Beast though. He’s an absolute overkill and you’ll look like straight from a kids Target mannequin. We also have this closet on the second floor, end of hall with a whole lot of stuff if you need things right now. You can just take them. It’s for everyone who needs new clothes immediately.”

That was cool, because he didn’t really have anything other than the few torn clothes in his backpack. Peter thanked him which he just shrugged off. 

He settled on his own bed, taking the few other things out of his backpack to put away. It was really nothing much. Ben’s old camera which he carefully placed on his bedside table along with the picture of Ben, May and him at the zoo some years ago. And some other clothes and Spider-Man things.

Peter M. sat beside his bed on the floor criss-cross applesauce a second later, face inches away from the photo. “Who is that?”

“That’s my uncle Ben,” He was wearing glasses, a checked shirt and shorts in the picture. Like a Dad. “and this is my aunt May.” She wore a really nice summer dress that day. In a soft yellow tone with small flowers on it. Later that day it was ruined by a camel she stood too close to who thought it was edible. They had laughed and she joked that holes in clothes are IN anyway. That she just was going with the trends.

“They send you here?”

The smile he had faded. “Oh, eh- no. My uncle died a few months ago and my aunt- she said she needed time when she found out. Yeah. I haven’t seen her for a few weeks now.”

He looked sorry for asking and said apologetically, “Shit sucks.”

Peter laughed self-deprecatingly, “Big time.”

“So, Wade?” 

And Peter really didn’t know if that was a question even though it sounded like one. His face must have given him away as the older teen followed up with, “Are you, you know? Smoochin’ buddies?”

“What?” If he had been eating something he would have definitely choked.

“Oh you know. The big gay. It’s cool. I just wanna know, ya’ know? If you make out please do it in his room though. No use in me barging in when he has a perfectly good single dorm.”

Peter regained his composure and replied a bit flustered, “No, Wade and I aren’t eh- ‘smoochin’ buddies’. He is my best friend. We met some months ago. He helped me a lot these last few days and said that he would stay with me here for a while which is great because I’m not all that good at making friends. He kind of just picked me as his friend and stuck around.”

Speaking of the maniac the door opens with a kick and Wade stands there in all his costumed glory. “I demand we eat lunch. Now! Oh man I just noticed that we all have these stupid high metabolisms. We could eat this place into its ruins. We need a name! Like ‘black hole gang’, you know, ‘cause we are the black holes.”

Peter M., now standing beside his wardrobe in a new shirt and jacket, his old clothes laying beside him the ground in a heap, pipes up, “Or ‘All-you-can-eat’s nightmare’.”

“‘All day, everyday mukbangers’,” he joined in, too.

This continued until they found their way to the eating hall where a lot of other teenagers were already eating lunch. Looking at the variety of people, some with non visible mutations, some with full body changes Peter could finally figure out some of the sound which confused him earlier. 

“That makes sense.” He said out loud without noticing, looking at the kid who had scales all over his arms, neck and face. They made a slight scraping sound where they overlapped. Nothing audible without heightened hearing like his. 

“What does?” 

Before he could answer Wade he was interrupted by a boy who stood up from a table close by exclaiming loudly “Wade, what are you doing here again? I thought it was already clear last time that we don’t want you here.” The room quieted after the incredible disrespectful declaration of that dick. Peter’s blood boiled hot the second the words left his mouth. No one is allowed to speak to his friend like this.

“What did you just say?” Peter stepped forward, closer to the guy and with Wade now protected behind him.

That guy closed in on him, as well, now only standing an arm length away from Peter. “I said that he isn’t welcome here. Who are you to care, anyway?” The teen huffed before him as if he just made the greatest joke.

Peter squared his shoulder and fixed his gaze on him but before he could answer his roomie popped up beside them saying an uninterested “Scott Summer, Peter Parker. Peter Parker, Scott Summer. Scott, don’t be a dick. Pete, I’m fucking hungry, so lets zoom.”

And with that, he stood in front of the buffet, head spinning and stomach doing somersaults. 

Wade jogged over just a moment's notice later. “Oh Petey, that was really cute and all, but you can just ignore Scott. You don’t need to defend me.”

“Yeah, he thinks he needs to be the cool guy. As if we need to impress someone here, ” Peter M. adds though Peter doesn’t exactly know what he means with that.

Their lunch after is surprisingly uneventful. He had really expected Scott to act up on some of the shit he grumbled to his friends. They seemed relatively cool though as they convinced him to chill out and try to take it easy with Wade and stay open minded about Peter.

The room cleared more and more as people trickled out to presumably go to their next classes. To be honest Peter could have continued eating for another hour but looking at the clock on the wall he noticed that they were supposed to meet up with Mystique somewhere. 

His glance didn’t go unnoticed as Peter M. realized the time, too, so soon after Peter found himself sitting outside in the grass with Wade on one side and the other Peter laying a few paces over. He was listening to music and threw a ball up to catch it again. It was nice weather for the fall. They needed a jacket against the wind but the sun warmed their faces non the less.

This time he didn’t get startled as Mystique, or Raven, Peter M. told him, walked over from behind them as he heard her coming without any distractions this time around. Just before she was a few feet away, Peter stood and turned to greet her. She shortly looked surprised but scolded her expression soon after. Leading up from the other path, the Professor and Mr. Lensherr made their way over to them, too. Wade ignored all that and just continued at his chosen task of tugging out grass and soil to leave the outline of a penis in the ground. 

“Hello Peter. I hope you settled in without any problems. I’m sure Peter already told you, but just to be sure, ask any of us if you are in need of anything. You can join the group on Saturday to the mall if you're interested,” Xavier said. He had a nice smile and seemed very friendly which relaxed Peter a little in his nerves.

Wade beat him to an answer, “Sure or we can just go. I’ll drive you Petey. Just say the magical word.”

“Wade,” he hissed slightly at him, face turning red. Because no way he is gonna say Wade’s magical word in front of these people. He turned to the Professor and said thankfully, “I would like that. Thank you.”

“Raven suggested we see some of your powers which I think is a wonderful idea. Beside the ‘sticking’ we would love a visible presentation as it would help us immensely to understand your powers some more and to figure out how we can help you control them in further training. If you’re comfortable with that, that is.”

Peter M. perched up from his spot on the ground, too. They haven’t talked about his powers besides the sticking he had already involuntarily presented in the hallway, so of course he would be interested. 

He wasn’t really sure how or were to start and stood sort of stage fried before them. “Sure,” he pressed through the dryness in his throat.

“You should do that thing with your back. That’s freaky,” Wade suggested like the great friend he is.

“No.” He shut that down.

Not successful as Mystique pipes up intrigued, “What back-thing?”

He hesitated for just a second but answered before Wade could for him, which would definitely be worse. “I’m just flexible. It’s nothing special.”

“Show us anyway.” 

He shuffled for a second, realizing that he is still just wearing socks but ignores it for now to not bring it to their attention. Peter slowly leaned over backwards, head in his neck to still be able to see until his head was sticking through his spreaded legs. As quick as he did it, he undid it. That was probably not his maximum but he would rather show off other less weird looking stuff.

“Gross,” Peter M. said with admiration.

“Uhh- now lift something heavy or break something!” Wade shouted from the side with all the excitement only he could bring to the table. As if he was seeing all this for the first time.

He looked around, left and right, unsure what he could use when Peter ran away only to after a short moment stand by his side with a thick metal rod. Peter doesn’t question where he got it from. 

Is this really a display of powers? Logically, he thinks, they wouldn’t know if that thing is stable in any way. So he stands there with this rod in his hand again looking unsure at the three adults.

“Should I just-” the question is open as he doesn’t know what he is asking.

Mystique takes it from him and she tries to bend it for a second. Unsuccessful. She hands it back only for Peter to repeat the motion. The metal bends with ease. It’s nothing special or extremely strength intensive for him and he says so, too. They assured him to find something to test his strength more reliable with, as scale of some sort.

Next are his webs and stickiness he decides, as he eyes the big tree behind them. “I’ll just-” he cuts himself off again and just shows it. Arm shooting out he aims at one of the branches and is internally relieved that he struck it like he wanted and didn’t embarrass himself. He uses the web to swing himself up the tree and sticks upside down to one of the bigger branches. Like in the movies, Wade told him one time, he slowly lowers himself by one strand of web until he is on eyeheight of the others again. “I can also jump really high. That height I could have probably done without the web,” he says nervously while letting go off the strand to stand normally again. “I can also swing around or trap people because other people than me stick to it.” He demonstrates by webbing Wade’s hands together.

The teen tugged a few times on it to show before Peter hastingly ripped it off him. 

“That stuff comes out of you?” Peter M. sounded equally disgusted and amazed at this.

“Yeah, it does. But I also developed a chemical replica and web shooters because sometimes when I’m stressed I get blockage and can’t use them,” he exclaimed.

The professor perked up, “You replicated it?” 

“Yes, in my school's chemistry lab.”

“That’s very impressive Peter.” He ducked his head at the Professor's praise.

Magneto’s and Mystique’s expressions were unreadable for him but Xavier looked elated. Same as Wade, but he doesn’t count. 

“I can’t really show you the durability and healing factor right now. Sometimes I forget or can’t control my strength all that well so I’m sorry if I break anything. The webs dissolve after a few hours naturally. Both, eh- both types of webs. I also really like to sit high up if that’s no problem. I won’t leave footprints everywhere, I promise. It’s just that I like it to have the whole room in my view and it feels safer, if that makes sense.” Peter took a deep breath, scrunching his hands together, nervously. He perked up and remembered his heightened senses as he heard a glass shatter in the kitchen of the building. “I totally forgot about my senses. We can test those if you want.”

“You said they were enhanced. Do you have an idea to which extent,” the Prof Xavier asks him.

For a moment he thought about it, realizing that he couldn’t really remember the time before the spider-bite and how much normal people could hear. There was only one thing he knew for sure. “I can hear your heartbeats and like, changes in your body for example the bruise on Mrs. Mystique’s ribs. I can hear the muscle and feel the heat it’s radiating. Your skin makes very interesting sounds by the way. As well as Peter.” He turned to the other boy. “Your body makes a humming sound. I can smell the tea you drank around an hour ago,” he says with his focus back on the Professor. “Or I could tell you that in one classroom, someone is gossiping with someone about-” he cut himself off as he listened in on the conversation. His face heated up. No, that’s nothing to share. “-Something I’d rather not tell you,” he finished clumsily. “I can also hear the electrical wires and circuits throughout the building and that there is a big system which requires a lot of energy under the school. And I have this danger-sense, which I also can’t really show off right now. It warns me from immediate danger or if a person is a potential threat. The best way to describe it is a buzz in my neck.”

That was a lot. He wasn't sure if he had ever talked this much about his senses before. Sure, he had told Wade to some extent. There were evenings when they had been sitting together on a roof, overlooking the city and Peter had rambled about the stuff he heard. The city’s darkest secrets or greatest news. Life's ups and downs or painful plains. 

Wade knew little of it, but he had never shared how much he notices all day long. The small details that his brain just sucks up and he has to tune out all the time. 

“I try to not listen in. Or don’t share the information when I subconsciously notice,” Peter clarified as he realized how it may be perceived as intrusive. The Professor will probably understand, Peter figured by the nature of his powers and how he himself had asked the man to respect his boundaries. 

And he was right as the Professor said in a warm tone, “We can work on headphones or glasses, to help you tune everything out. I believe it can be very exhausting, trying to block it out on your own.”

“Yes, absolutely. Sometimes, everything gets so loud, it feels like my head is splitting open. I get nauseous from certain smells and other stuff that bothers me, too. I read something about sensory overload. I think I get that, when it’s bad,” Peter admitted, hand scratching his neck.

The Professor again with the warm smile, said in a calming tone, “We’ll figure something out to help you with that.”

“Thank you.”

Peter M. who had just stood by and watched until now piped up from beside him, “How come you have so many mutations? And are you that Spider-Man guy, ‘cause you kind move exactly like he did in the videos as well as those web-things?”

Ok, so he was that obvious. Great. Well, not like there is any reason to deny it now. 

Trying to answer he stuttered a little and cleared his throat to try again. “I- Yes, I’m Spider-Man. If you could maybe tell no one? It’s kind of a- a secret identity thing. Or it’s supposed to be-” He trailed off in the end.

“Sure.” 

“And I was bit by an experimental spider. I don’t have the x-gen.” Peter followed up before turning to Xavier again. “But maybe, if that’s ok with you, I would like to test my blood in the lab. I have my theories about changes in my DNA and well, I would love to prove them.”

“Let’s talk with Hank, our top scientist here and we can definitely arrange something.”

Mr. Lehnsherr didn’t look all that happy about it but it was the Professor's decision so Peter ignored that for now.

Before Peter could let any feelings of unease rise again in a moment of quiet Xavier turned with his chair in the direction of the house and left with “Peter, Wade, please follow me, to discuss your school schedules.”

Wade groaned beside him but let himself pull with Peter as he followed the man to the building. He said quick goodbyes to the rest of the group who stayed behind and walked in the opposite direction, starting to talk about something he didn’t pay attention to.

---

The house was quiet like New York could never be. Most people were asleep. Even heartbeats, deep breaths and rusting sheets eloped the quiet. In the City it was never this still. People were awake and active all hours of the day. Some worked, some pursued more illegal activities and others just didn’t sleep during the night for whatever reason there was. Out here in the country, the building surrounded by wide grounds and nature, Peter didn’t know what to do with himself and the lack of sounds.

Peter M. fell asleep half an hour ago and snored lightly in his bed. To have another heartbeat on the other side of the room while sleeping was another first for Peter and he wasn’t sure yet how to feel about it. The rhythm in his chest was faster than the usual heartbeat even in his sleep. His own had a unique pace, but his was on another level. It made Peter restless in his bed, tossing and turning. An itch under his skin he didn’t know how to deal with. 

He stood without a thought to it. This room became more and more unbearable with every second passing. Too new, too foreign and unnerving. He needed to move.

Standing in the hallway he felt even more out of place. The house was big and unsettlingly empty without the people filling it with noises.

As if on autopilot he walked through the halls until he stood in front of one room and just then did he notice that he followed the one sound that felt familiar. The one heartbeat he got to know like the back of his hands these last few months. 

Quietly, or as quietly as one could open a squeaky old door he entered the room, whisper-shouting “Wade? Wade, are you awake?”

He knew that he wasn’t but it was more for his own comfort than anything else. Closing the door behind him, he tiptoed over to the bed where his friend was sleeping away. 

Peter shuffled only a second, undecided from one foot to the other, until he nudged the teen a little and pushed his way beside him into bed. Wade shot up, alarmed but relaxed instantly as Peter said a quiet, “It’s me, Peter.”

“What are you doing here?” His voice was rough from sleep and sounded already half into dreamland again. His blanket got lazily opened, so Peter could shuffle under and closer to him.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

He heard a quiet humming sound in acknowledgment and an arm opened for Peter to lean into. He did so without hesitation, cushioning his head on Wade’s shoulder. In a whisper he continued, “I’m scared,” and realized by saying it out loud what has been bothering him.

“Of how this all will work out,” Wade asked him just as quietly.

Peter nodded into his shoulder and Wade’s other arm wrapped around him in a hug. “Whatever happens, if you don’t feel comfortable here or can’t stay for whatever reason, I’ll be there, ok? You can always stay with me in New York. You’ll get your education somehow and we fight crime together at night. We can figure it out.”

His throat closed around the emotions blossoming in his chest. But he bit them down to ask, his voice rough trying to push his vocal cords to work, “And if I like it here, if I want to stay? What will you do?”

Wade hugged him closer. “If you want me to, I’ll stay here, right by your side.”

“Ok.” I don’t deserve him, he thought to himself. He thought about all the other times Wade had helped him and never asked for anything in return. How he left the city without a thought because he believed this place to be good for Peter, even though he had to go to school and follow rules which he obviously didn’t like. Thinking about all this, Peter wasn’t able to say anything other than, “Thank you Wade.” The only thing he knew for sure, that he is grateful to have Wade here by his side.

“Try to sleep, Petey,” Wade breathed out before his evened out and Peter knew he was asleep again. He nuzzled his head a little closer and tightened his own arms around the body by his side. Listening to the familiar heartbeat in Wade’s chest, suddenly sleep didn’t feel all that hard anymore.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Notes:

*Trigger Warning*
body dysphoria, blood

Hello, Hello,
here is a new chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Kind of out of my writing flow right now, because my ADHD-brain and hyper-focus shifted again. But I hate unfinished fanfic so it may take some time from now on for me to post, but I will continue to post.

I drank 6 or 7 cups of coffee in the last 4 hours. I barely feel as anxious as now (It’s on a fucking high, let me tell you that. Healthy pace of heartbeat? We don’t know her.) so please be nice :D Or don’t, I can handle it.

As always, please leave anything (tips, advice, nice words, whatever) in the comments if you feel like it.
Lots of love. Have fun reading!

 

{Yellow}
[White]

The first thing Wade noticed waking up was heat. It was so damn hot under his blanket and- is that a body?

Right, he remembers, Peter decided to join him last night. Hmm- maybe the temperature isn’t that bad after all. 

Wade peels his eyes open with great effort only to be blinded by the sun shining through the window. After a big yawn and another attempt at opening his eyes he sees him, Peter pressed to his side. 

And no wonder it’s so hot the way the younger teen is radiating heat while making contact with him literally everywhere. 

Oh? Wade tries to sit up a bit and - yes, Peter is sticking to him. Great. 

Well, seems he has no other choice than to stay in bed. 

He sighed content and laid back into bed again. Opening the blanket to let some of the heat out and tightening his arms around the small body he couldn’t help but smile to himself. 

The little gnome slept so content by his side. When was the last time someone touched him willingly let alone slept in the same bed as him, especially as he isn’t wearing his suit right now? Wade couldn’t remember and didn’t try either.

Instead he watched him sleep. (Not in a creepy way though. In a totally straight, watching your best friend in his sleep while smiling to yourself, way. That type exists, right?)

{no, it doesn’t}

[you are a total creep]

{he will totally regret sleeping here when he wakes up and sees your ugly mug}

No he won’t. He came to me and snuggled up to me on his own. 

[in his sleep. that doesn’t count]

{no way he would do that awake. barf}

[did you just say ‘barf’]

{what if I did? you stupid-}

Peter groaned beside him. “Shut up,” he mumbles into his shoulder. “I mean the boxes,” he adds as an afterthought, sounding as drowsy as before.

[Rude.]

{No, I think he is right. You should shut up.}

[If anything Wade-]

“Shh-” he interrupts them quiet but fiercely.

His hand finds its way into the mob of curly hair tickling his neck. As he brushes through them Peter makes a content noise and God, didn't that stir something up in his chest.

The sun in his face doesn’t seem to bother him much as his eyes stay closed. They fluttered only slightly when he asked, voice deeper than usual, the normal morning roughness, “Do we need to get up soon?”

Wade has no idea what time it is nor does he care, honestly. The soft hair between his fingers holds all his attention. If it’s up to him they wouldn’t get up for a few more hours. After they’d treat themselves to a nice extended breakfast followed by-

“Actually,” They both jump up at the sudden voice from the doorway. “-you’re already late.” 

Peter had fallen out of bed in his shock and sat beside it on the floor, red faced and definitely awake now.

If he weren’t so super powerful and could probably deflect any of Wade’s attacks he would have wiped the amusement clear of Erik’s face. The smirk and arched eyebrow made Peter shoot up from the floor. The teen seemed to just notice that he was only wearing boxer shorts and clearly one of Wade’s shirts, as he not only drowned in it but had a little machine gun pattern on it. And that in front of the older man. 

The red shade of his face deepened another tone and he shuffled in his spot. 

Wade decided to put him out of his misery and said around a big yawn, “I didn’t remember knocking not to be a thing around here. What’s with the wake up service?” 

He grabbed sweatpants and a hoodie, threw them at Peter who quickly put them on, clearly relieved.

“Peter told me at breakfast that he woke up without his roommate there. Since you both didn’t show for either breakfast or your first class I figured to wake you. Maybe you’ll grace your following period with your presence.”

Wade could see the exact moment panic seized through Peter, as his eyes widened comically and his mouth gaped apart. His eyes frantically looked at his wrist only to be met with nothing but his skin. Next were the walls where, who would have thought, no clock was to be found either. Back to look at Magneto.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry, sir. I couldn’t sleep, that’s why I came here. I totally forgot to set some sort of alarm. It won’t happen again, I promise. I’ll quickly go to my room to get my stuff and then go straight to the class. Again, I’m so sorry,” he rushed out in one breath and made a mad dash for the hall, pressing himself through the door, trying not to touch the man in the process who looked as entertained as Wade felt.

He couldn’t help but snort at the scene and sat down into his beanback. Erik didn’t leave directly, instead leaned into the doorway and fixed him with a glare. 

After a beat of silence and the little staring contest (Wade was winning), Erik said nonchalantly “Do I need to arrange a health class?”

“Ha-” He barks a laugh. “Oh please do, I fully support you! Actually I think it’s kind of irresponsible if you don’t have health classes considering a bunch of hormonal teenagers are living under one roof. Oh wow! Yes! This will be hilarious . Do it soon so Peter knows it’s because he slept here and what you're implying, though nothing happened. I just clarify this for Pete's dignity by the way. Uhh! I'm excited. He’ll be so embarrassed.” Laughter continued to bubble out of him.

“Don’t let Charles catch you two.” The scolding tone did nothing with the grin still tugging at his lips but he continued anyway, “And hurry up or you’ll be late for your physics class. Wouldn’t want to disappoint Hank on your first day back.” 

He left with a wink, amusement still radiating from him as Wade threw his back with a groan. 

This is gonna be total shit, especially because he didn’t even have Pete to keep him company or to annoy there. Being as smart as he is, he gets special advanced classes to challenge him and his educational goals, they said. 

It’s to torture him. Wade is sure of that. 

Fuck. He really has to go to school doesn’t he? 

Fuck.

Sitting there in his beanbag he tried to think of the last time he had sat in a classroom with the purpose of being an actual student there and not just to disrupt any of the x-kids classes. And look at that, Wade can’t remember. What a surprise.

But he is doing this so he can stay. For Petey. (Sadly,) he had promised, so no chickening out now. 

With another groan he lifted himself off the bag. One thing after another. First clothes, then suffering. 

But standing in front of his drawers he found himself in his next dilemma. 

Suit or no suit? 

Most people here have seen him without it already and the others will just have to deal with it. No suit it is.

Wade wouldn’t admit it but it’s always the hardest to take it off after a long period of time that he had worn nothing else but the red leather. Especially when the people who will see him undoubtedly talk about him and his skin.

It’s gross and ugly and he knows it. He also can’t change it, so they’ll just have to get used to the sight like he had.

There are only a few people who don’t seem to care at all. Conveniently they are all in the same house as him. 

And even more convenient is that one of them is in his physics class.

The second they meet eyes, his sparkling in barely contained excitement, hers rolling, she lets out a deep sigh.

“What’s up Negasonic Teenage Warhead,” he greets her chippy, sitting down at the desk next to her. “Oh this class just became so much better! I need a paper and pen by the way as I just came yesterday and sadly don’t have any school supplies. I also have no idea about anything physics related so I’m just gonna ask you about any and all things I don’t get and you can explain them to me. Deal? Great! You’re like my sensai. Sensai Negasonic Teen-”

“Just kill me now.”

“Well that is no way to start the day.”

“It's almost lunch,” she deadpans. 

“Like I said-” Before he could finish, the door opened and in walks his favorite blue fur ball.

The class quiets down on its own as Hank sets out his supplies and writes the words ‘Non-conservative forces’ on the blackboard in the front. Wade has absolutely no idea what it's supposed to mean but guesses it’ll be today's topic.

Hank turned and as soon as Wade crossed his line of vision he does a double take. His class room is quiet so not only he but everyone else heard the mutter, “Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”

And then the man was gone again, to presumably 'have a word' with dear old Mr. Clean. Hands clenched into fists and door flying on his way out. 

“That means we can go right?” 

Negasonic Teenage Warhead sits back in her seat and says in her usual bored tone, “It doesn’t dipshit.”

He hums and begins to draw a penis, with shades and all, on the paper he had gotten from her.

“What are you doing back here anyway,” she asks though it barely sounds like a question.

“My friend’s aunt kicked him out because he is special .” He breathes the last word out, with fondness in his tone and fingers wiggling as a sparkling motion. “Obviously, I brought him here instead of the big bad government people. I trust no US-anything. Uhh, you’ll love him! His name is Petey and he has bug powers. His favorite colors are a red and blue, horrible combo if you ask me but we don’t tell ihm that. His feelings are very fragile. He is probably smarter than Dr. Sully and wow, I don’t even know where to begin, there are so many great things I could tell you about him!”

“You gushing about your boyfriend doesn’t answer why you’re sitting in my class right now.”

Wade’s head whipped around to the other teen, “Why would you think Pete is my boyfriend?”

{maybe because you have literal heart eyes while talking about him}

[he is just so cute]

{and his ass…}

[ his ass !!]

{we love his ass}

Meanwhile, Negasonic Teenage Warhead looked at him like he was the stupidest person to ever exist. Not like he wasn’t accustomed to it, especially by her.

But she also didn’t treat anyone else much differently except maybe cute, wonderful Yukio. She, as well as her beautiful girlfriend, Mr. Terrorist, his son and Mystique never treated him any differently than anyone else. They didn’t seem to care that he killed a lot of people and still does on a regular basis or that he looked like a rotten raisin. Never once have they said something about his look or if they did, it was always a good hearted joke which they knew wouldn’t hurt him on a personal level.

He had a slight feeling, a suspicion if you will, that Negasonic Teenage Warhead wasn’t as fond of him as he was of her, but whatever. She was his friend and will have to handle that. Her own fault for treating him like a human.

 

The door swung back open. “If you don’t do the work, I’ll kick you out myself. I don’t care what the Professor says,” the doctor exclaims as he reentered the room. 

The wicked grin appeared all by itself on his face.

---

This school is freaking amazing! 

After his debacle of a morning he got another tour but this time of the labs and lower levels of the building. A literal nerd's dream and Peter now with access to it. Supervised, but still!

Since he kind of skipt breakfast he had an extra large lunch. Wade pretty much flipped when he heard that he had forgone the meal which led to a ten minute lecture about his already malnutritioned state and need of a regular eating-schedule. 

Peter knew that. He knows what his body looks like right now and how it could look in comparison.

He really does know and wants to eat more but these last weeks, as he had barely scraped the amount of calories he is supposed to consume on a daily basis, he can’t just jump into full meals like he did yesterday. His stomach won’t be able to handle it and he’ll have to build his intake. 

That answer didn’t satisfy Wade, at all, but he let it drop thankfully. 

Over lunch he got introduced to Yukio and a grumpy friend of Wade’s with a too long name, he has already forgotten again. She never smiled unironically and was borderline mean. And super cool.

After lunch they had classes again. He had English with the Professor and Wade was- somewhere. Maybe in class, maybe not. 

All the new impressions, meeting these new people overwhelmed Peter slightly. He had never not been socially anxious. He is aware of that. People at his last school liked to remind him oh so often of the fact that he is a nerd, a loser, a teacher's pet, pathetic, small and ‘a sad attention seeking orphan’. The list could probably go on for a while with all the shit he heard about himself which he was either told directly or after the spider-bite, picked up without even being in the same room. 

To join a new school, midway through and sickly looking, will probably fuel the inevitable. 

Mutant or not, teenagers still stay the same.

 

In the afternoon he met Peter M. and Wade outside for some kind of P.E. and or training. Peter wasn’t exactly sure. The friend group around that Scott guy stood closeby, talking among themselves.

“How was your sleepover,” the other Peter greeted him with a grin. “Heard Dad say something about Health Classes and if it’s your fault I have to sit through Beast’s bees and flowers talk again I will do something. I don’t know what yet, but I know you’ll have to suffer.”

He felt his face heat up and tried to stammer an explanation over the laughter of Wade who fell to the ground, rolling and gasping for air.

“I don’t- We didn’t- I just couldn’t sleep and- Did it really look like we- Oh my God.” Peter groaned into his hands and wanted to disappear into the ground. 

But sadly he was interrupted by Mrs. Raven who clapped loudly into her hands one time to gain the class's attention. 

“For everybody who hasn’t been introduced yet, we have a new student. Peter, please raise your hand for everybody to see.” He did so and got a cute little wave from a curly haired girl close by. “Wade also rejoined us. Great, now that that’s out of the way, start with five laps around the basketball court.”

They all did their laps except Peter M. who just stayed by their teacher's side. Well not like it made a difference for him to run five laps or not.

After she announced that they would do some target practice followed by simple sparring. 

Peter wasn’t exactly sure what kind of school does that kind of P.E. but hey, they were all superpowered in some sense. And he couldn’t embarrass himself in disciplines that he used every day. Another big plus.

Wade was as ecstatic, jumping by his side and Peter could barely hold his friend back from rushing to his room to get his guns. They would practice with either their mutations or knives. Not guns. Like, for real, Wade? This is a school.

Technically he knew he could shoot his webs, but as he stood before the class watching him as it was his turn, he suddenly felt an overwhelming panic strike right through him. He couldn’t just show all these other people he barely knew his webs. They would know and too many people knew already. 

No. No way. He is gonna use the knives.

Not like he is gonna humiliate himself. Wade showed him months ago how to throw them. 

It must have been his nerves, him still being too strung up and the feeling of being watched. He accidentally launched the knife with so much strength at the bast mark that it lodged right through the middle and stuck into the tree a few feet behind. 

Wow. Do just anything normal for once, would ya’ Pete.

Peter M. rushed to get the knife back and as he stood beside Mystique he breathed amazed, “Dude, you crushed it.” Literally. The handle had crushed under his grib.

“Oh- I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again. It’s just, everyone was watching and I- I am like not that good with, well, people watching and sometimes when I’m nervous I forget how much strength I need for things. I can try to form it back? Really, I’m so sorry,” Peter stuttered out, looking a little shocked at the handle himself. 

“It was a good throw. We can work on your strength-control on another day,” Mrs. Mystique said kindly. 

“Yes, of course. I’d really like that. You have no idea how many doorknobs I have already destroyed.” 

He laughed self deprecatingly to himself before freezing and rushing out, “Like in general. Not here. I didn’t destroy anything besides the knife and the target. It probably will happen, but not yet. That’s what I meant. Oh and maybe when we sparr I should go against Wade? I don’t want to accidentally hurt somebody.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Scott scoffed from the side. “We all have a lot of training, you know.”

Peter stood there, in between his class and teacher and all the words left him at once. He didn’t know how to explain that he indeed has fighting experience as well as the muscle behind it, even though he still wasn’t up to health or looked like a bamboo stick. The possibility of accidentally hurting any of them felt a little too real. 

Mrs. Mystique knew though and easily suggested, “Why don’t we let Peter and Wade give us a little presentation, so we can all assess on what level Peter is.”

Wade hopped up from his spot on the ground in excitement. Every now and then they fought. Friendly fighting which was more of a game Wade started, trying to find a weak point in Peter’s danger senses and escalated into a wrestling match on some dirty rooftop. 

(Little does he know that Wade never once had caused the buzz in his neck to spike.)

“I don’t think-”

Peter began weakly but was cut right off by Wade who dragged him over to an open patch of grass. “We are so going to do that. Show that asshole what you’re made of.”

Hey, he heard Scott shout from the side but thankfully the teen had joined the others on the ground, watching them both with interest in their eyes.

“No holding back, Petey.”

“Wade, you can’t be serious-” he quietly tried to reason, but he could see it in his eyes. They will genuinely try to bash each other's heads in. Great .

“Until someone taps out. Ready?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Go.”

Peter tried to argue one last time with Wade, “Please, let’s just take it-”

“Oh, no way Petey. Ms. Blue Bird told us this is a presentation. How would the others know what level you are when we go easy? Ha- no, I won’t tap out until you break at least one bone.”

He let his hands drop from the fighting position to his side and looked at Wade, mouth apart and very exasperated. 

He can’t be serious, right?

Not even a second later Wade lunged forward, right fist going straight at Peter’s face. It could easily be dodged, ducked under it for Wade to stand with his back slightly turned to him. His partner anticipated the move though and sent his elbow right back in Peter's side before he could attempt anything else. 

Peter barely groaned before he reacted. With Wade fully into the fight, he couldn’t waste any time on possible pain. He ducked down and with a sweep of his leg pulled Wade’s form under him. 

As he tried to send another kick Wade rolled away from the spot he had fallen into. 

They circled each other for a second, studying each other and their moves. A sneeze from the group behind them startled Peter slightly which Wade used to attack again. Sending fast punches at him which Peter blocked and reciprocated. 

Like a boxing match they exchanged blows and the occasional kick before Wade ducked under one of Peter’s arms, kicked him in the shin which made him stumble forward. He sidestepped around Peter, grabbed one of the oversized sleeves of his jackets in the process and janked it back over his hand. Peter twisted to throw back his elbow like Wade did before, but his other sleeve was grabbed in a similar manner and swiftly twined with the other to make his hands useless. 

Hands twisted behind his back and Wade trying to push him forward and down, Peter struggled against the hold for a second. 

It’s a smart move Wade had never used before.

Peter stomped his foot down back on Wade’s and as he slightly faltered in his step Peter jumped up and over his hands, kicked his legs out back, straight at Wade’s face. The other teen loses his grip and falls back at the strike. Peter rolled off over his shoulder and pulled the jacket off over his head, threw it to the side before it could be used against him again. 

Wade had regained his composure and charged at him with a bloody nose. 

Broken bone, check.

He jumped up to use brunt force and his weight against Peter, but he saw it coming and just grabbed him out of the air, ducked his thumb into the pressure point between thigh and hip and hurled him into the ground in front of him with enough strength to send any normal human into the hospital.

Peter flipped Wade onto his stomach and sat on top of him. Legs, constricting his thighs and his forearm pressed into the back of Wade’s neck, the same hand pushing his face into the ground. The other arm held his arm down beside him. 

For a moment the older teen struggled in his hold, clawing with his free hand at the arm in his neck but soon enough he tapped out, admitting defeat.

Finally.

He let go and held his hand out to pull Wade off the ground. They both were covered in dirt and grass marks top to bottom. Wade’s face and shirt was smeared with blood and some droplets even managed to find a way onto Peter’s yellow T-Shirt. 

Many droplets. 

Are they getting more?

Yeah, shit, he busted his side. That was a growing bloodstain. 

“Huh,” was all he could come up with looking at his side. He pressed his hand over it, successfully staining it red, too. 

“Ah shit, sorry,” Wade exclaims, fuzzing by his side even though he looked worse for wear. Not only the dirt and bloodstains but also the side of his head now blue and purple as well as this horribly crooked, broken nose. 

Peter couldn’t look at it. It would heal like that if he didn’t fix it immediately and he won’t let Wade walk around like this. 

Without a thought to it, Peter grabbed forward and with a crack he set the nose right. 

“Ahh! Really?! Mother. Fucker. Wow, argh- you are openly bleeding and the first thing you do is set my nose? God, Petey, we need to have a talk about setting priorities,” half shouts at him.

Mystique stood beside them a moment later crouching down to be more at the height of the wound. “Lift your shirt,” she ordered.

“It-it isn’t too bad, I think,” Peter stammered out, trying to cover the growing blood stain with his other hand as well. “I know how to deal with injuries or- or Wade could look at it.” No way he is gonna let anyone see his body right now. It was horrible enough that he had to let Wade help and see the state he was in. 

“Sit down and let me see it,” she repeated the order, more fiercely this time. 

Sitting sounded actually great right now as the dizziness of blood loss began to set in. Peter staggered back instead. 

He looks disgusting. And if he knows that, if he doesn’t want to see his body, if it makes himself sick, then others would feel the same.

People will know how weak he is, seeing his stomach, the bones sticking out of his body. Standing there in just his shirt, showing off his sticky arms is bad enough as it is. They’ll ask questions. Questions he isn’t comfortable answering at all. 

No. No, he won’t lift his shirt.

“Pete, please let us look at it. That’s a lot of blood,” Wade calmly tried to reason with him. Which, man, he must seem really spooked if Wade reacts with that much compassion. Or his injury is worse than his adrenaline high lets him believe it to be.

For a moment they all just stood there, looking at each other, waiting for Peter to react. He hoped that his face conveyed his desperation to Wade, for him to deal with it and to get away from the others. 

Before any of them could act in any way, Scott appeared by his side, saying impatient and annoyedly, “What is your problem? Just show your side,” and wrenched his shirt up. 

Wade hauled the teen back immediately but it was too late, the shirt stayed up long enough. They had seen his sunken stomach, the old yellow bruises as well as the fresh blue and purple ones. Gasps sound out from the group watching the scene unfold. People staggered back away from him at the sight.

The cut in his side seemed less important all of a sudden. 

“Let’s get you to Hank,” Mystique said shortly. Normal hearing wouldn’t pick it up but he heard the pressure in her vocal cords, the spike in heartbeat. 

As he looks into the faces of his classmates, for the first time since the fight had started, he only sees shocked faces, wide eyes and covered mouths. 

One of them even turned a little green around the edges. 

As he predicted.

He takes a step back and another one. Everything blurred as the tears began to spring into his eyes. 

Peter turns and is ready to take off, when Wade’s arm slings around his shoulder in a firm grip, pulling him in the direction of the house as if he knew exactly what Peter was thinking. 

“Let’s get that cleaned up,” he says warmly. 

He is vaguely aware of Mrs. Mystique following them closely behind but all he notices, all he directs his attention to is the hand rubbing his arm soothingly up and down. Wade quietly talked to him from the side, sweet nothings’ while his mind blanked. 

How is he ever going to explain this?