[Okay, that's way too perceptive. Ridiculously perceptive. Probably even more perceptive than when Peter was that age, starting out as a superhero full of naive optimism tempered by tragic loss and wild flailing.]
[...No, it's definitely more perceptive. Peter knows his younger self was kind of an idiot sometimes, and definitely a ridiculous human being at all times. This kid sounds sensible.]
[He stops working, tilts his head, looks at Percy sidelong, lips pursed together.]
You're definitely not new at this.
[This isn't some kid with no experience that had jumped at the call.]
[Teenagers being some kind of hero or another dealing with some kind of bullshit is not a new concept to him. He was one. But in his universe, he was basically the only one. It's only recently, upon meeting people from other universes, that he's been exposed to other teen heroes.]
[And it's strange. He feels like a unicorn that's only just now met other, younger unicorns, after spending centuries alone in the wilds thinking he was the only one of his kind. How many glittery rainbow tears had he shed through the years trying to struggle through it all, thinking he was alone in carrying those kinds of burdens?]
[How young they all seem also niggles at him a little bit. A part of him wants to say, "there's nothing strange here because there was nothing strange when you did it." Another part of him wants to wrap them all in cotton and make sure they don't even so much as stub a toe. The only way to reconcile the second feeling is admitting the first one is wrong - admitting that he was too young, too innocent, when he started out.]
[Or maybe the only way to reconcile it is admitting he was too young and deciding to mine from the hardships of figuring it all out the hard way. Helping them have backup and helping them avoid the same mistakes, same rough spots, same hurts.]
[He's already mapped out that minefield, left pockmarked earth in his wake. What if that means he can help kids like Miles and Gwen find a safe path?]
no subject
[...No, it's definitely more perceptive. Peter knows his younger self was kind of an idiot sometimes, and definitely a ridiculous human being at all times. This kid sounds sensible.]
[He stops working, tilts his head, looks at Percy sidelong, lips pursed together.]
You're definitely not new at this.
[This isn't some kid with no experience that had jumped at the call.]
[Teenagers being some kind of hero or another dealing with some kind of bullshit is not a new concept to him. He was one. But in his universe, he was basically the only one. It's only recently, upon meeting people from other universes, that he's been exposed to other teen heroes.]
[And it's strange. He feels like a unicorn that's only just now met other, younger unicorns, after spending centuries alone in the wilds thinking he was the only one of his kind. How many glittery rainbow tears had he shed through the years trying to struggle through it all, thinking he was alone in carrying those kinds of burdens?]
[How young they all seem also niggles at him a little bit. A part of him wants to say, "there's nothing strange here because there was nothing strange when you did it." Another part of him wants to wrap them all in cotton and make sure they don't even so much as stub a toe. The only way to reconcile the second feeling is admitting the first one is wrong - admitting that he was too young, too innocent, when he started out.]
[Or maybe the only way to reconcile it is admitting he was too young and deciding to mine from the hardships of figuring it all out the hard way. Helping them have backup and helping them avoid the same mistakes, same rough spots, same hurts.]
[He's already mapped out that minefield, left pockmarked earth in his wake. What if that means he can help kids like Miles and Gwen find a safe path?]