Starlight › Marvel [1] ✓

020. who to ask

› CHAPTER TWENTY ‹

While Peter Parker was getting his life back in order after having his suit ripped from him, Raleigh Ridley was struggling to find a way to fit back into his old routine with the new revelation of who his biological—and not so biological—family is. Of course, after letting the entire Odin—Loki, thing settle for another day, he was back to his normal self and even took a strange liking to the man that banished him from his birthplace.

Odin helped Raleigh perfect his use of the daggers, something he was excited about since Trystan was only able to show him what he could. Of all weapons, Raleigh was only ever willing to learn knife throwing, something he had a natural talent for. He never used them and they were more for a hobby instead of his hero work—but Trystan claimed as a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, it was safe knowing how to wield some sort of weapon.

Unfortunately, when Raleigh asked Odin about his powers, the elder claimed that Raleigh, himself, would be the only one to unlock the possibilities with it. He didn't know what that meant, or why the Allfather couldn't help him, but he just assumed the man just wanted him to grow with them and learn on his own time. In the end, Raleigh didn't really care, because while he would love to do more with his powers, he knew what he could and couldn't do right now and to him, that was all that matter.

To Raleigh's surprise, Trystan had also taken a liking to Odin. After another day of Odin being in the same filthy clothes, Trystan had taken the man out while Raleigh was in school and helped freshen the man up some. He had bought him new clothes since he couldn't fit in Trystan's old ones and while most of the clothing was simple and comfortable for the elder, a few were more elegant with a suit jacket and dress pants. He had also bought the man a new eyepatch and took him to the barbers shop for a haircut.

On that same day, Trystan had bought new clothing objects and constructed a new suit for Raleigh, which looked almost identical to the one that had been destroyed in Germany. The main difference being the cheap plastic facemask in place of the turtleneck that used to cover his mouth and nose. Despite Raleigh explaining he wasn't ready to get back out there, Trystan made him promise to keep it on him in case of emergencies, so Raleigh had shoved it inside his locker behind his textbooks. He didn't plan, nor want, to be needing it anytime soon.

Due to all the new number of distractions on Raleigh's life, he had completely forgotten that homecoming was in a few days. Despite the dance being advertised everywhere in the school, he hadn't given it much consideration. Had it been last week, then Raleigh probably would have decided to stay home, but since he had dropped two of his activities he didn't have any excuse for not going. 

He was fine with just going with his friends, but he hadn't talked to Peter since the whole thing with Tony happened, so he felt it would be awkward asking him or Ned to come with him so he wouldn't be alone for the night. The longer he reflected on it, the more he realized he still had one person he could ask, but the thought of asking her made his stomach roll with nerves. He wasn't really sure if Michelle Jones would want to go to the dance with him. They weren't exactly friends, but they also weren't strangers.