Identity

chapter one

Hey y'all! Just want to clarify one more time: this is a prequel! You can read this first or Permanent first. It doesn't really matter which you read first, but if you care, I published Permanent first, so go check it out!

Also, if you didn't read the first info chapter, just so you know Peter isn't Spider-Man yet (doesn't have his powers). He won't have powers for a large portion of this story but will get them eventually and become Spider-Man.

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The walk home was shorter than he remembered. Maybe it was because he was too lost in his head to see it go by, but before he knew it, he was unlocking the front door of his apartment.

The apartment was empty and dark; May must've still been at work. His backpack hit the floor with a thud and he pulled off his shoes. He thought about making a snack but figured May would probably make dinner once she got home. Well, try to make dinner at least.

For a few hours, Peter put his earbuds in and watched a couple of movies on his computer, temporarily forgetting all his troubles. It was nice; he didn't have to think about the fact that she wanted to leave Michigan and move somewhere else, or that Ben's death anniversary was tomorrow, or even that he forgot to do multiple homework assignments.

He didn't understand why May would want to leave Michigan. It had been their home all their lives, and there was no reason to leave. But alas, she did. She wanted to move somewhere farther north. She talked about New York a lot.

After his second movie, he pulled his earbuds out and checked the time. May should be home by now.

So when he walked into the kitchen to see May frantically trying to prevent a pizza from lighting on fire, it was no surprise. Quiet music was playing–a stark contrast to her grabbing at the pan in the oven with an oven mitt and fanning the smoke out the window.

"Hey, Aunt May. How was work?" Peter greeted her while sitting at the table. Despite the fire just waiting to happen only ten feet away, he wasn't fazed; with May cooking, this happened more often than not.

"Oh, hey, Peter. It was long, " she answered, not really paying attention. For only a second, she turned and smiled at him before focusing back on the pizza. There was a lingering hint of sadness in her eyes that she could never seem to hide.

She always said how he reminded her of Ben. It couldn't have been easy with his death anniversary coming up.

May quickly grabbed the pan, dumped a now black pizza in the trash, and threw the pan in the sink. "How does ordering in sound?" she asked, grabbing her phone to call before Peter replied.

"Sound's good." He smiled a little, knowing they were going to end up ordering food at some point. He loved May, but her cooking skills could use some work. Not that he was much better though.

"Alright," she said, holding the phone up to her ear before smiling at him. She ordered a large cheese pizza and a couple of sodas from an Italian place nearby.

Once she hung up, she focused her attention on Peter again. "So how was school? Anything interesting?"

"Nothing new. My classes are pretty easy so it was kinda boring. Spencer wasn't there so I hung out with Adam mostly."

Spencer and Adam were some of his few friends at school. He knew he was somewhat of a nerd–at least to others' standards–but he didn't really care. It didn't exactly help him make friends though; he was already naturally shy and awkward enough. But he was fine with his two friends.

"You know, I'd bet you're smarter than that whole school. You got that from your parents. They always were the smartest people in the room no matter where they went, " May sighed. There was a pang in his chest thinking about his parents, but it was never too bad; he didn't remember them much anyway.