Chapter Text
Your mind wanders, remembering important moments in your life.
The time your mother insisted to your father to take you to a human school, so you wouldn't live isolated from society. Your father insisted it was a difficult decision and that he didn't want you to suffer discrimination.
The first day of school, first grade at a school in Queens. One of the children was alone and seemed to be struggling to socialize. You approached, introducing yourself. A little six-year-old Peter Parker shook your hand, and the two of you went to have lunch.
At ten years old, when Magneto attacked the X-Mansion, you had to decide between fleeing or staying under the rubble of the disaster. That day, the desperation was so great that your mutation activated, giving you the power to control the force of darkness at will, you created portals so your parents could escape with the other children and the X-Men.
Years later, you were sixteen when a couple of idiots wrote "MUTIE" all over your locker. It took two weeks to get the paint off, and Parker couldn't stop muttering insults every time he recalled the situation.
A cherry orchard, the breeze blows through your hair, and your skin feels cold despite it being almost spring. You walk through the tall grass and close your eyes.
"Void!" a familiar voice comes from the distance. You try to focus on the scenery, but it distracts you. "Void, react!"
"Ugh, not again."
Back in reality, Spider-Man's web holds the villain of the week's large stinger, inches from your face.
"You need to stop freezing like that."
You raise your hand. A wave of darkness lifts the scorpion and throws it against a wall. A couple of stones from the wall fall to the ground.
"I think I saw my life flash before my eyes. Again."
"Void, this is the fifth time this month. You're starting to worry me." Spidey throws a couple more webs at the scorpion, swinging towards you and resting on a web.
"I won't always be here to take care of you."
"Pfft," you laugh with a soft sigh. "You underestimate me so much, Spidey." You pat him on the cheek. Spidey falls to the floor and jumps up. "Let's get some pizza, I have some money left in my pocket from yesterday."
About half an hour later, at your apartment.
Spidey takes off his suit, stripping down to his boxers, and puts on a T-shirt you give him and some Hello Kitty pajama pants.
"Sometimes I wonder how you always have clothes that fit me."
You tie your hair up and leave the room, dressed in an oversized T-shirt and short pajama pants. You smile at Peter's comment and take a slice of pizza from the box.
"It must be because whenever you come over to watch movies, you leave half your closet lying around in my room. You should bring a backpack to carry your clothes. You almost always end up leaving in those ugly ass spider pants."
"Hey!" Parker clutches his chest, making an offended expression as he sits next to you and takes a slice of pizza. "That offends me a lot. You should respect my outfit; at least it's more colorful than yours."
"Sure." With a lopsided smile, you take a bite of pizza. "What's up with May? Are you moving out or something?"
Peter looks at you, confused, and looks away, glancing toward the living room window.
"I already told you I don't have any money, Void. It's hard to get an apartment if Jameson gives me two cents a picture."
"Ugh, he's an idiot," you say, still with some food in your mouth. "I told you I can buy you one, Parker. I don't think girls would notice a guy who still lives with his aunt, would they? Although maybe boys would." You pat him on the shoulder and get up to get a bottle of soda. You'd put it in the fridge, hoping that after defeating the villain you saw on TV, it would be cold enough to be enjoyable.
"I don't want your money, Void. I don't want to take advantage of you like this. Besides, we're still young, right? I have plenty of time to get another job. And I wouldn't want to leave May alone."
You pour Pepsi into two plastic cups; you bought a set of six children's cups after a crazed symbiote broke into your apartment and smashed your set of glass cups your Uncle Logan gave you. You walk over to Peter and give him one of the cups, clinking them with a simple "Cheers" and drinking them as if they were alcohol.
Peter turns on the television expecting to see the scorpion being arrested, but instead the news focuses on an alien spacecraft parked next to an ice cream shop a couple of blocks outside the city. They both look at each other, and you smile.
"I was just getting comfortable."
You both get up, putting on the suits you took off a few minutes ago. You open the window that overlooks the balcony and gesture with your hand to the floor.
"Whoever gets there first wins."
"Come on, it's not fair, you have portals!"
You laugh, bracing your feet on the edge of the balcony and throwing yourself down, falling through a portal while sticking your tongue out at Parker, who quickly swings to the location on the TV. Passing through the portal, you find yourself a few feet from the ship, which appears to have parked a couple of minutes ago. You approach carefully, keeping the civilians at bay with the help of the police. Just as Peter, now Spider-Man, arrives on the scene, the door to the ship opens. A man in his thirties gets out of the ship, carrying a backpack full of 80s patches. He walks calmly down the street, ignoring the civilians. Spidey shoots a couple of webs at him, trapping him, and approaches.
"Oh, it's you."
"Hey, you're Spider-Kid, we met on Titan a couple of years ago, right? Look, I need you to let me go. I'm just here to get a couple of things for my ship."
You approach, overhearing the conversation. Spidey gestures with his hand for you to come closer.
"Void, this is the guy I told you about that time. You know, the guy who worships Footloose."
You look carefully, examining the man, his golden hair, his clothes, his muscles in his dad bod body. You brush Peter's webs off him.
"Star-Prince, right? Nice to meet you." You extend a hand to the blond, and he takes it with a carefree smile. "I have some advice for you: try not to draw too much attention to yourself with your ship. People here aren't used to seeing this kind of spectacle. The last time they saw a ship like this, let's just say... it wasn't a good time."
"It's... StarLord, but you can call me Peter Quill. And I appreciate the advice, honey. Rocket insisted on parking here, and he's a total jerk when he's angry." "Without letting go of your hand and his eyes fixed on you, StarLord falls silent. Spidey narrows his eyes, observing the situation. Your calm expression now reveals a bit of discomfort at the sudden silence.
"Maybe I can help you find parts for your ship. I know a place that might have something useful," you say, your voice shaking a little with nerves but still maintaining your confident demeanor.
"Oh, no. I just came for a couple of vinyl records. There's a store on that corner, right?" Quill points to the corner behind you and tries to walk over.
"Dude, that store closed over fifteen years ago." Spidey stands next to you and crosses his arms. You look at him with a smirk, and he shakes his head at you. "No."
"Just for the sake of fun." You give him a small kiss on the cheek and walk over to Quill, trying to get used to his pace. "Look, Quill, there's a vinyl and music store a few blocks from my apartment. If you want, I can show you around. Judging by what you just saw, you haven't been on Earth in a while."
Quill slows his pace and smiles at you.
"Sure, show me the way, Miss...?"
"Void. Void Summers."