Not Always The Hero // (Percy Jackson x Peter Parker)

Salem Fields Cemetery

    It's okay to be saved once in a while too.

Percy and Peter had gone to Salem Fields Cemetery. Percy knew that Peter's uncle was buried there, but he didn't know much else about the situation. Only Peter's uncle had raised him and had only passed when Peter was just becoming Spider-Man. He knew Pete blamed himself for his uncle's death, but he wasn't sure why.

That question would soon be answered. Salem Fields Cemetery was mostly empty that day. Or at least, Percy and Peter didn't run into anyone. It wasn't too creepy either; going to a cemetery with your boyfriend. Or at least it didn't seem that way. Jason's death just cemented Percy's gut feeling of being closer to those who you love, and also paying respect to the dead. While Percy had been waiting to head home at a reasonable time so he could time picking up Peter perfectly he had spent the morning going through the attic and old records of Camp. He looked at old pictures and mostly just tried to remember. Reading the backs of the photos also proved to help because it was written in ancient greek. He faltered when he came across a picture of him and Annabeth together. He wanted to fix things with her. In a way that kept Peter as his boyfriend.

Peter bought two bouquets and Percy didn't say a thing. They walked quietly, hand in hand. Peter pointed out different things, mumbling a few words here and there. They slowed to a halt, finally reaching their destination, or at least that's what Percy assumed.

"Here lies Benjamin Parker

Loving Husband and Amazing Uncle"

Percy felt sombered, he was finally meeting Peter's legendary uncle. He had the saddest smile on his face when Peter knelt down and introduced them, then laid one bouquet on the grave.

Percy knelt down too. He introduced himself. It felt right. Peter smiled at him, he had tears in his eyes. "Ben raised me, him and May." He paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes before continuing. Percy pretended he didn't see the tears that splashed onto Peter's hands, folded with the second bouquet. "When I first got my powers, after I was bit, I was angry and I didn't want to be a hero. I was gonna use my powers for my own personal gain." Another pause, a shakier breath, "There was a thief. I let him go because he had never wronged me. People were yelling at me to stop him but I was angry at the world and let him go because I didn't see the harm.

Uncle Ben was walking down the street. It was night time. The thief I let go ran into him. Ben was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The guy, he shot him because he was in the way. He bled out in the middle of the street because I was being a little shit!" He paused to catch his breath. He had nearly shouted that last part.

"'With great power comes great responsibility," That's what he always said to me. That's why I became Spider-man. Gotta defend the neighborhood, stick up for the little guy."

Peter ended his speech with a few gulps of air. Tears splattered his hands and the flowers. Percy stared at him for a few moments. Peter was looking at his hands, he didn't want to face Percy. Face his harsh judgement for how awful Peter had been.

"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood." Percy had the tiniest smirk on his face from his word choice, "Your uncle sounded like a pretty smart man. He's right. Great power, great responsibility. And Pete, you were 15, it wasn't your fault. And I know you aren't gonna listen, because I'm the same way." He paused, collecting his thoughts, "But he wouldn't want you to blame yourself. It's perfectly okay, you don't always have to be the hero, you're not always the hero. And I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean-" Percy stopped talking. He took a deep breath and stood up, only to move beside his boyfriend and crouch next to him.

He wrapped his arms around Peter, who still had tears and snot dripping his face. "I-I know," His voice broke and a few tears trailed from his sea-greens.

Percy couldn't find the words to make Peter understand that Percy understood, so instead he just hoped their contact would say what he couldn't.

***

They, puffy eyes and red nosed, held hands, walking deeper into the cemetery. Peter loosely held the second bouquet, which Percy was still confused about. Percy swung their arms like they were kids though. Back and forth violently and ridiculously enough to make Peter laugh.

They walked and they took a turn and they ended up at a lonesome grave beneath what Percy guessed was an oak tree. It cast a shadow over the grave enough so that, mixed with Percy's dyslexia, he could not read the tombstone.

Peter smiled, but it looked slightly forced. He also looked nervous.

"Here lies Agent Evangeline Sansa Value

June 16th, 2001 - September 7th, 2017

The Heroes' Hero"

Percy couldn't make out the words, but his blood ran cold when Peter said, "Percy, meet Evangeline."

Suddenly he understood.