Network - Text

[heyunderoos]

Who: Peter Parker
Username: Parkour
Warnings: Pizza opinions

How many pizza places are there actually around here?

My friend and I are looking for you know, good pizza.

So far we've found okay pizza.

I'd ask about people's preferences, but, I feel like even here that's kinda divisive? Cause everyone likes super different things on pizza, and I'm kinda willing to try most things. Depends sometimes.


Thanks for any suggestions!

Comments

[punched_hitler]

You try your best to make sure it is, yeah.

[Sure, uh-huh.]

You know, it is when I'm this tall, yeah. Maybe if I was shorter, it wouldn't feel so weird.

I wasn't strong for most of my life, but I guess it was kind of easy to get used to.

[heyunderoos]

I mean, being tall seems pretty cool. I'm hopeful I'll get taller, so I can reach more things.

Yeah, it feels like... you'd probably end up overcompensating for not being as strong when you're used to holding back so much?

[Not a lived experience he's having, nooooo sir. Peter is trying to keep it phrased like a question to not make it obvious.]

[punched_hitler]

Admittedly, I think it's a little easier to handle when you get there an inch at a time.

[So smooth, Peter.]

Sometimes, yeah. Your body can do an awful lot on autopilot - until it gets tripped up.

I... also didn't know how to actually work out at a gym.

[heyunderoos]

Right, you kind of just burst into being tall with the whole super soldier thingy. At least according to what they tell us at school.

Then its kinda hard to get back on autopilot and everything sucks.

Yeah, that's way over my head. Unless its like P.E. Then that's mostly kind of half doing stuff with minimal directions.

[punched_hitler]

Yeah, that part of it was actually right. I hit my head on a lot of things for a while.

Winter's been helping me out at the gym, at least, so I definitely don't have minimal instruction. Have you met him? He's very thorough.

[heyunderoos]

Oof. That probably was the worst until you got used to it.

Yeah, I met him. He's cool! He showed me how to break someones hold on me when I asked him about it. Still way over my head, but I have that at least.

[punched_hitler]

Fortunately my head is very hard.

Hey, that's a good thing to know. He's a good teacher. I'm sure he'd help you out more if you ask, or point you to someone who can if he can't. Doesn't hurt to know your limits, or how to push them.

[heyunderoos]

That would definitely help.

I think I will ask him again, I just don't wanna overwhelm him or anything. I'm sure he's already really busy. I was going to ask my friend Leo or his brother Donnie for points too, since they know how to fight.

[punched_hitler]

It does in certain situations, at least. Others, not so much.

I think he wouldn't mind - but there's nothing wrong with learning more than one style, either. Maybe we should have some kind of class or club or something.

But not a Fight Club, that's different.

[heyunderoos]

I'll see about asking him. Hopefully when things are calmer in general. It feels like you can't really predict what is going to happen next here.

The less said about fight club the better. I remember people in my middle school being so weird about that movie.

[punched_hitler]

It is a weird movie, but it's got some okay parts.

But yeah. No one ever knows what's going to happen next, so I figure we should just keep ourselves in as good a fighting form as we can, and be ready for anything - especially the stuff we can't even predict.

Sounds like an oxymoron, I know.

[heyunderoos]

I saw it once. It was pretty okay. I just remember other guys insisting they were just like the main character.

No, it makes sense. Being prepared isn't a bad thing. Just as long as you can let yourself relax sometimes too.

[punched_hitler]

Yeah, that's probably not something to be proud of.

That's a pretty good way to think about things, yeah. You can't be on high alert all the time - at least, not forever. But I don't think any of us should fully let down our guard around here, either.

[heyunderoos]

I think most of them grew out of it. Middle school was not great for anyone.

It's like... a balance you need to figure out. Caution verses like... hypervigilance or whatever you call it.

I'm kinda still figuring that out. Before I got here my biggest worry was like figuring out what to pack for a summer trip. Now all this stuff is happening.

[punched_hitler]

I know none of this has been easy on you. I'm sorry you have to deal with it, but I also know you're up to the challenge. We don't get to choose the circumstances of our lives, we just choose how we react to them, you know?

[Okay, minor Captain America Speech over. Ish.]

I think the best thing we can do is support each other. If we take it in turns and keep an eye out for when someone is overwhelmed or burning out, we'll all be better for it.

[heyunderoos]

[Peter flip flops on how he feels about the whole speech thing.

He understands why Steve is saying this but... it doesn't make him feel completely better. Maybe two years ago assurance from Captain America of all people would have Peter be over the moon.

Now? Well. He just is reminded its better if he's Spider-Man instead of Peter. Any time he tries to just be Peter it backfires.]

Thanks.

Yeah, that's about the best way to look at it I think. We have to make the best of the situation, and help where we can.

Even if we don't all get along, all we really have is each other. So we need to help each other.

[punched_hitler]

[It's a tough line to walk, honestly - trying to be two different people. Steve understands it, even if he doesn't understand, just at this moment, that that's what Peter is struggling with. Maybe if he ever figures it out, it's something they can talk about, but for now:]

Exactly.

I'd like to think that's one major advantage we'll always have over an enemy who doesn't care about people the way we do.

[heyunderoos]

We will always all have each other, even when things are bleak, we can help each other.

It makes a lot of this less daunting sometimes.

[punched_hitler]

Exactly. It's a lot easier to do something together than it is to do it alone. I don't think I can ever stop believing that.