Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry that you and your friends aren’t able to get into college, but there is nothing I can do for you, Peter.”

Peter sighed. He probably should have expected as much. Going to a wizard because you want to go to college was a pretty long shot, but those random Halloween decorations were pretty convincing. And he also should have been aware of the fact that the time stone was gone, and he couldn't have done anything either way, even if the sorcerer wasn’t already an ethical person.

“I know. Thank you anyway, Stephen.” Dr. Strange gave him that pinched look that said ‘still weird to hear’, but smiled sympathetically nonetheless.

Peter began to step away, maybe to go sulk on top of the school or see if there were any new Lego sets in his price range. Maybe when MJ gets off her shift they could go hide for the rest of the night. But then Strange called him back.

“Wait,” he paused, “let me take you out for coffee. The least I can do for you is treat you to a meal…” He leaned down to whisper, “And get out of this cold while Wong isn’t staring down my back.”

Peter could still feel the heavy weight of disappointment laying in his chest, but returned the smile and nodded back enthusiastically. If the wizard was going to treat him to some food, he wasn’t about to say no.

Spider-Man doesn’t tend to hang around Greenwich Village. Not to say it wasn’t a nice place, it was. Maybe a little too nice for Peter Parker to just end up in, but it was essentially just around the corner from his school, so he did recognize most of the places they passed. 

Strange seemed to know where he was going, strolling along the sidewalks pretty casually with a destination in mind.

He was also still wearing the cape despite having changed out of the heavy winter clothing that he was layered in inside the Sanctum. When prompted with the ever-important, “Why are you still wearing your cloak?” question, Strange just shrugged, insisting that, ‘it was New York’ and ‘would you give me a second glance if you saw me walking down the street?’ The answer, of course, was no, but he could have been more polite about it.

They ended up in a small place Peter didn’t recognize, a Jewish Deli stuffed precariously between a nail and hair studio, and under an apartment building. It was quaint and cozy, and the guy at the front seemed to recognize Strange, his face lighting up. 

“Mr. Strange!” the man exclaimed. Dr. Strange did not correct him, even though every other time Peter had been in contact with him, he was quick to remind you that “Mister” was not his title. He must have really enjoyed it here.

“Hello,” Strange greeted back at the man, “I’ve just come in to grab some lunch with a friend here-”

“Spider-Boy!” And there was the recognition he was used to. Though at least it was positive based on the enthusiastic smile on his face. A few of the other patrons looked up, an older couple and a business guy clearly on break, but none felt the need to share their opinion on Peter’s appearance… which was probably for the best.

Strange led him to a small booth in the corner and slid the menu over to him. “Pick whatever you want,” he was told.

“Can I have the Reuben sandwich?”

“Any sides?”

He paused, “Um… the potato Knishes?”

Strange nodded, quickly going up to the counter to place the order and returned passing him a glass bottle of root beer, which Peter was more than happy to take. 

“So…” It seemed that Dr. Strange wasn’t fully aware of how to comfort a super teen grieving his anonymity, but at least he was trying, Peter supposed. “How is school going for you? Despite all of the…” he broadly gestures to the world around them.

He took a second to put his thoughts together. “Pretty well I suppose, for what it is. Some of my teachers think I’m a murderer, some of them think I’m a hero, and my classmates are always filming me like I’m a zoo animal. High school is,” he paused, “tough.”

“I suppose it is.” Strange gave him a sympathetic look, but he couldn’t completely empathize with the situation based on his pursed lips. “I haven’t been in high school for almost two decades, but I do know I was never too close with any of the other kids my age, so I remember it wasn’t great. But, I wasn’t exactly an unmasked vigilante either, so there’s not much of a comparison there.”

Peter took another sip from his drink. He had no clue how to make this conversation less awkward. Nothing better than trying to have a conversation with an adult.

Strange spoke up again. “How about you tell me a bit about the application process. I know it’s not a can of worms you want to open right now- but maybe I can give some advice or work with you in some way. From primary to my Ph.D. program, I’ve been in school for almost thirty years, you know?” 

Peter did not know. 

But it wasn’t a big jump to make. He kind of assumed the Dr. Strange moniker was more for show than anything else, but having a doctorate and also having the last name Strange wasn’t the strangest thing that could happen. Especially right now.

“Well, I- I didn’t write my essay on being Spiderman, because I submitted it early admission, and like, immediately after we returned from Europe, and it was before the whole reveal thing, so who knows what they actually thought of me before this, if they had gotten there yet. I have near-perfect SAT and ACT scores. Um, and I fall into the parameters of MIT’s most likely accepted student applicants, you know? High grades and a lot of extracurriculars. I even had some pretty good references too; my Stark internship wasn’t entirely fake.” Peter paused and frowned. “But I’m pretty sure they didn’t even look at anything past my name.” The weight in his chest returned tenfold as he recounted his failure to protect his friends from himself and all the trouble that follows.

Strange hummed understanding, “And your friends were the same? Outstanding in every factor except for knowing you?”

Probably a bit more blunt than he needed to put it, but Peter couldn’t say no .

“Midtown is a really good school. And my friends are just as smart as me. Even Flash Thomson was accepted to MIT.”

“I take it by your tone of voice that we don’t like Flash Thomson?” 

“He’s gotten better I guess, but he’s a bully. All he did for the entirety of school was make fun of me and push me in the halls, and now that Spider-Man is revealed he wants to pretend like we’re best friends.” 

It was like the floodgates opened. He knew better to complain about other kids in front of Aunt May, who despite supporting him and often agreeing more than anything, was always more inclined to sympathize with others and look deeper into their problems, and sometimes Peter just wanted to complain . 

“So MIT acceptance letters came out this morning, right? And so, me and my friends all meet up to open them together and of course, we didn’t get in, right? Every single one of the letters we got was like ‘concerning the current controversies and the fact that you are best friends with spiderman and we don’t want to consider the consequences of our actions on completely normal students blah blah blah we didn’t even consider your application’. So we’re all wallowing in disappointment and self-pity when Flash bursts into the cafe cheering about how we were all going to MIT and he had the nerve to look surprised that we didn’t get accepted and then still told us that he was going to leave and head to an MIT mixer where he’s hanging out right now . How annoying is that?! And MJ got all like ‘expect to be disappointed’ and I-”

“Wait, who’s MJ?”

“She’s my girlfriend.”

Strange gave him that knowing smirk that he wasn’t entirely used to, but Tony had given him the same look a few times when he had brought up MJ long before they got together. It was… nice he supposed; to be looked at like a kid for once.

“Is she nice?” He asked, clearly trying to push for some more information like a nosy relative.

“Well, she’s not mean .” Strange tilted his head and curled a brow at his vague statement so Peter continued. Talking about MJ was one of the few things he hasn’t messed up yet. “I guess you could say she’s a bit cynical if anything. She’s like crazy smart, she’s the captain of the academic decathlon team, and super talented. One of her favorite hobbies is to draw people in distress, which is kind of how we met.”

For all his seriousness, Dr. Strange seemed genuinely amused by the conversation, pinching his lips together like he was holding in laughter. “You two met because she likes to draw people in distress?”

“I’m a very distressed person,” he emphasized, “At the time I was dealing with the Vulture situation and getting ready for homecoming and dealing with Ned finding out I’m Spider-Man-”

“And Ned is?”

“My best friend. We’ve been together forever and he ended up being my ‘Guy in the Chair’ when I was directly going against Mr. Stark’s request to not do anything.”

Strange let out a short laugh. “I suppose Wong was my guy in the chair briefly before the blip.” Peter wondered if that meant that now Stephen was Wong’s ‘Guy in the Chair’ and he just didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Strange took a momentary pause to consider something. “So all three of you were trying to end up at MIT?”

Peter nodded. “We all applied to the same schools in the area so we’d be able to stay together, you know?” He paused, “We were all going to go to the same school, but after the whole reveal thing I was just hoping to get into any school.”

“So you only applied to schools in Boston?”

He tilted his head and shook his hand in a so-so manner. “Mostly near Boston, but there were a couple of smaller places in the northeast and one out in California as well.”

Dr. Strange seemed to contemplate something for a second before the man previously behind the counter came swinging up beside them with a tray of food that had a lot more than Peter had remembered ordering.

“I have a nice big order for Mr. Strange and the Spider-Man!” the man exclaimed, placing a large tray in front of them. “If you need anything else, you know where to find me.” A final big wink and he went to disappear behind the counter again.

Strange took everything in stride, sliding a brisket burger over to himself and then shoving the rest of the food, enough to feed a family of four towards Peter.

“I- I think we got the wrong order…” he said, hesitating to reach for the very nice-looking food in front of him.

Strange, already moving to eat, looked at him curiously, before pointing at the first sandwich and a side “No. You ordered a Rueben and some potato knishes, right? Everything is here.”

Peter was confused. “And the rest of the stuff?”

Strange rolled his eyes as if Peter were the one who sounded dumb. “You don’t need a doctorate to notice how high your metabolism must be. I’m treating you, so I’m going to treat you to enough food to get through the day. The amount of weight you carry regularly should not result in you still being twig-shaped. No offense.”

Offense very much taken.

“So eat up. I got you a little bit of everything, all of it good, I promise. And all of it good for you, after all, I am a-”

“-Doctor. Yeah, I get it.” While Peter would normally be inclined to reject the offer, not wanting to impose on the man, the move was too reminiscent of something Mr. Stark would do. Flaunting his money in a way that looks like he’s just being pretentious for the sake of being pretentious, but in reality, he genuinely cared for the health and well-being of others. Peter was still a little hurt at the jab at his body weight (which, yeah . Maybe he needed to eat a little more) but was more than touched that Strange went out of his way to make sure he was alright.

He began to dig through the food put in front of him after a quick thanks in appreciation, starting the conversation up again. “What kind of doctor are you anyway?” For a man always touting his credentials, he certainly never elaborates on them.

Strange still had that contemplative look from before and didn’t seem inclined to answer his question any time soon. “Peter, did you apply to any schools in New York?”

He just kind of blinked in confusion, “I applied to Cornell, upstate. Why?”

“Since the application period isn’t over, do you or your friends have any intention of applying to a few places in the city?”

Peter still had no clue where this was going. “Sir, we were rejected this morning. Like, I came here directly from the cafe we were wallowing in. We haven't really had time to think about it.”

“I’m pretty close with some of the higher-ups at Columbia. I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll try to get you three an interview there.”

What .

“I know it’s no MIT when it comes to engineering, but it’s still a highly ranked and prestigious Ivy League school. Plus it’ll keep you in the city where I can keep a close eye on you.”

“Sir-”

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been asked to write a recommendation letter for someone, though I have only ever agreed to it once for a… coworker’s niece, so be aware I don’t hand these out randomly.”

“But sir-”

“Send me a copy of your friends’ transcripts and applications. And if they permit you, their contact information as well.”

“Wait, Stephen, how exactly are you planning on doing all of this?”

Asking for help to get into college from a wizard was supposed to mean that magic would be involved. Or at least that’s what he assumed. He did not take into consideration that Dr. Strange was going to attempt to help him get into school through normal person means.

Dr. Strange smiled again, this time with a smug pride that Peter was very used to coming from people like him. “I was one of the highest-ranked neurosurgeons in the world- if you didn’t consider my personality. I was wealthy, and mean, and I had connections. Now I’m wealthy, a little less mean, and saved the world, so I’m going to assume that some of those connections are still there.” His eyes softened just enough to show sincerity, “I’m good at what I do, Peter. Whether that be trapping a demon in the Dark Dimension, manipulating time, or being a stuffy rich asshole. Let me help you.”

Peter tried to comprehend what was happening. On one hand, he was still very much devastated from the rejection of MIT and trying to fit two roles into one life without hurting his best friends. On the other hand…

“...Sure, Stephen. I’d- I think we’d really appreciate it.”

He smiled and returned to his sandwich.

Chapter Text

“So let me get this straight. A wizard is writing us recommendation letters for Columbia University?”

Peter tried to wave off her concern, “A wizard that also happens to be one of the world's leading neurosurgeons and is well respected in the higher education community.”

MJ didn’t seem particularly impressed. “And so what? You want us to give our number and information to a wizard we never met so we might get a chance to even have our applications read?”

“...Yes?”

“Well, I’m in!” Ned exclaimed. MJ didn’t look particularly surprised that Ned was on board. He was usually on board with Peter’s insane schemes. But in his defense, he didn’t think this one up. He just agreed with someone else's insane scheme.

“Come on MJ,” he tried to push, “What’s the worst that can happen? You’re always telling us to be prepared for disappointment, right? So why not let Dr. Strange do all the work, and worst comes to worst, we mass apply to all the SUNY schools at the last minute?” Not that he expected either the higher-end or lower-end state schools to accept them, but it was at least the safest financial bet.

“Tch. Fine,” she caved, “But I need to meet him before you go giving him my personal information, alright?”

“Yes! Of course! When are you free?” This was one of the reasons he got so attached to MJ. Even the smallest sparkle in her eyes showed that she had some hope, even if it was infinitesimally small. And he knew there was no one else more qualified and deserving of this chance than her. And he was sure that something positive would come out of it. Even if that something was giving Ned the chance to meet an Avenger.

Peter might have been getting his hopes up a little too much. But he was also a witness to Dr. Strange helping save the universe . He floated down the stairs for fun or at least to try and look cool, something he totally succeeded in. And it didn’t take more than five seconds of googling his name to find out that he really was a famous doctor and did some cool things for the Columbia School of Medicine. So maybe they would be rejected on sight, but with Stephen backing them with money and magic, he was so sure they had to at least look at their applications, right?

“I don’t have work tomorrow after school.” She shrugged as if it was just a suggestion and not a demand for him to set up a meeting with them all. “If you two bozos are available, I’m sure I can fit a trip to the wizard’s tower into my schedule.”

Ned grew excited, “We’re going to meet Dr. Strange!” At this point, his best friend was practically shaking with energy. “We’re going to meet Dr. Strange and he’s going to get us into Columbia University!”

“Well-”

MJ interrupted, “He’s going to write a few recommendation letters and that’s it. Don’t get too excited. Peter has letters from his Stark Internship, the CEO Pepper Potts herself, and still didn't get considered.”

Even her relatively dour mood didn't seem to get Ned to settle. “But we’re still going to meet Dr. Strange! A real-life wizard! Did you guys know that my family has a little magic in our blood? It’s true- according to my-”

“Ned!” He stopped his friend mid-sentence, a little guilty, but he was sure they could finish the magic conversation later or when he was meeting Dr. Strange . “Stephen is a cool dude-”

MJ mouthed Stephen? to Ned like Peter couldn’t see her right in front of him.

“-and he’s going to love you guys, I just know it.” He gave Ned a reassuring smile and then moved to hold MJ’s hand in his own. “And I know it’s only been like- a day since we got rejected from the dream school, but maybe that’s just a sign.”

He tried to tug MJ just a little closer so she would meet his eyes. She was still clearly skeptical, but there was no harm done by taking this chance. Worst comes to worst, she’ll get a bunch more drawings of him and Ned in distress. Maybe even a sad Avenger. And she loves drawing distressed people!

“Plus, if you only ever expect disappointment, then you’re bound to manifest it, so we gotta think positive! C’mon MJ, let the wizard help us!”

“Yeah, MJ!” Ned chimed in, “Let the wizard help us!”

She huffed. “FIne. I’ll let the wizard help us.”

This time, with a winter coat properly shoved into his school bag, Peter raised his hand to knock on the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum with his two best friends behind him. 

Just like last time, it opened before his hand could hit the wood.

Most of the snow on the ground seemed to have been shoveled up for the most part; the only major spots left were a few dustings of white in the hard-to-reach places like the bookshelves and the large chandelier hanging from the foyer ceiling, but it was still as cold as ever.

Even without the shimmering snow to add to the ambiance of the room, Stephen floating down the staircase, his cloak floating behind him, was just as cool as it was the first time.

“Hello, Peter. And you two must be MJ and Ned, correct?”

“Michelle,” MJ told him, “Only my friends call me MJ.”

They were off to a great start.

Instead of being offended, however, Stephen seemed to be mildly impressed with her audacity. Something Peter could relate to because he was always impressed with her whenever she did anything. 

“Of course,” he agreed, reaching out to shake her hand, “thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Michelle. Ned.” When he moved to shake Ned’s hand as well, he was faced with the in awe expression on his friend's face, something that he should have been a little more prepared for in Peter’s opinion. 

“We are in the Sanctum Sanctorum,” Ned breathed out in awe.

Dr. Strange took it in stride, puffing out in pride at the enthusiasm. “Yes, you are. I do apologize if there is any chill remaining from the other day. We had a bit of a mishap with one of the doors and let the snow in from Siberia.”

The more in awe Ned got, the more smug Strange looked, and the more annoyed MJ got. It was a vicious, yet unsurprising cycle.

He decided to speak up. “Thanks again, Stephen. For helping us. You really don’t need to.”

“And like I told you yesterday, you’re a good kid and we saved the world together. Calling in a few favors is the least I could do.”

Strange led them to a corner a few rooms over, a soft-looking set of couches surrounding a glass mosaic table that looks like a grandmother bought it at a thrift store. It shouldn’t look like it fits in the room, it probably wouldn't fit anywhere, but the eerie and mystical vibe of the sanctum made the random assortment of colors and shapes not clash with the rest of the near ridiculous decorations. Peter felt a little nervous in a room he had never been in, even though this was not his house, and he had asked for this meeting. There was a Legend of Zelda poster placed beside an old portrait of some king Peter didn’t recognize. And the replica knight statue in the corner of the room was being used as a coat rack and had a particularly tasteful party hat sat on its little, metal head.

MJ immediately caught onto the curiosities of the room. “Nice decorating,” she told Strange. Peter could not tell if she was sarcastic or not, but Strange took it with pride and gestured for them to sit.

“Thank you. I’ve always been a fan of a more modern touch, but I appreciate the antiques. And Wong says that I’m a slave to capitalism and should stop buying everything I see, because I, and I quote, ‘Have the design capabilities of a seventy-year-old, sentimental woman with attachment issues’.” He waved his hand nonchalantly, “He wasn't complaining about my use of spending allowance when I paid for our trip to Disney and got him those limited edition Mickey ears.”

That was a roller coaster, yet MJ’s expression didn’t move the entire time. That means she either loved the sense of creative freedom and understanding of personal privilege, or she absolutely hated the man and was only here to let Ned get his autograph then leave.

Strange sat across from the three kids and paused to study them. “Thank you three, for joining me here on a school day. I understand that you may still be disappointed. It has only been a couple of days since your rejection from your dream school-” no need to rub it in, Stephen “-But if you would be open to the idea, I have scheduled a few interviews for you this Thursday and Friday afternoon.”

“What!?” the three exclaimed.

MJ immediately turned to him with accusing eyes, clearly feeling some sort of betrayal at the fact that she didn’t get to say yes to wizard assistance before Strange did whatever he did. He tried to wave his hands in a surrendering way, “I didn’t do anything!”

“I'm sorry to have dropped this on you out of nowhere, Miss Jones,” Strange reassured, “I promise no private information has been shared outside of your circle. I was messaging one of my old professors, who, for some reason, has decided to remain solely loyal to Columbia academia, and I shared the briefest summary of your situation. Turns out, not only is she a fan, but her wife is a philosophy professor at NYU and has written a riveting assessment of the dangers of public shaming.” He paused. “Now, in exchange for an interview with her wife on the topic of minors as public figures, Professor Campbell will act as a neutral party in the admissions system to guarantee that you will be considered.”

Peter thought he could hear a ringing in his head despite the silence that permeated the room. MJ looked conflicted, like she couldn't figure out if she was supposed to be angry or not. And Ned went from holding his jaw open in awe to in shock.

Strange pushed through the silence. “I reiterate that considered does not mean accepted, but all other involved parties have agreed. Peter has already provided me with an application that I provided to the Professor who in turn provided it to Columbia admissions. If you agree, you will have an interview at Columbia this Thursday. I am more than happy to help provide transportation if needed, but I'd figured you would just…” he made the vague gesture of swinging. “We could figure out the philosophy interview after everything goes through if that's alright?”

Strange didn’t give him time to respond, turning to his friends, “And if you two agree, I have reserved a few open spots with the same admissions officer this Friday, and I can also reschedule if those times do not work for you.” He gestured towards MJ, “I’ve been told you are a very busy woman.”

“That’s amazing!” Ned exclaimed, “You really are a wizard!”

The need to correct Ned was visible from the pursed lips on Strange’s face, but he seemed to hold it back and just took the compliment.

“I know that Columbia was not your first choice. Nor do I suspect that it was your second, third or fourth. But I truly do want to assist you. It has been too long since I’ve done any non-magic, world-saving-related work, and I certainly can’t go back to brain surgery at the moment.”

MJ still gave a suspicious glare. “What do you need from us?”

“All I would ask for is your application that you would send to admissions and a yes or no to the interview. I can write out a recommendation for you on my own time.”

“I don’t just give that information to anyone. You don’t know me and I don’t know you.”

Stephen smirked. “Then let’s change that. Hello, my name is Dr. Stephen Strange. I was previously the Sorcerer Supreme and protector of the Eye of Agamotto. And I met Peter after he snuck onto a spaceship during the battle with Thanos. And you?”

Meeting with Columbia admissions had been nerve-racking. He had spent his Wednesday in class studying every aspect of Columbia’s different programs that he could, practiced with Aunt May his interviewing skills, and even sent a few texts to Dr. Strange (that's right, he had Dr. Strange’s phone number ) to make sure he was not missing anything.

But it turned out to be surprisingly chill. They had somehow found the closest thing to impartial judges that they could in New York. One of his interviewers even mentioned knowing and trusting his lawyer, Mr. Murdock, who had apparently also gone to Columbia around the same time as Dr. Strange.

He had mentioned this to Stephen later that day, only to get the ominous response, “Oh, yes. Matthew Murdock. We are more than aware of him.”

Alright then.

Ned and MJ had met with the same admissions officers the next day, even if MJ made a bit of a show to Strange about not enjoying the fact that he’s clobbered onto their problems before even meeting them. She would never admit it, but Peter knew she did appreciate it. The expectation of failure was lifted off her shoulders gently by Strange, who continuously emphasized to her that any issues that may occur would be his fault in the end.

Professor Campbell, both of them, ended up being super nice to them as well. All six of them ended up meeting at the Professors’ apartment for tea. It was the first time that Peter had seen Strange without the cape on (maybe he did know how ridiculous it looked most of the time?).

Professor Amy (the philosophy one) and MJ hit it off immediately. It seemed that both of them enjoyed studying people in distress, though he suspected that MJ didn’t add the fact that she would follow sad people around with a sketchbook.

And Professor Michelle was particularly excited to talk to him. He was nervous, knowing that “fans” could get a little overwhelming and that he could be a little underwhelming in return. But it turned out that she had read through all of his science fair essays, and outside of asking for an autograph and some pictures, Peter, her, and Ned just had fun fangirling about chemistry and theorizing about his new chemical makeup. She even offered to let him shadow some of her classes even if he was not accepted and mentioned that there would always be a spot open on her research team for him. Peter was insanely touched.

Five weeks later and they had returned to where it had all fallen apart.

Right after shouting to May, Peter called Strange who grumbled about him interrupting his meditation, though Peter didn’t need super senses to hear the background music of Survivor playing on the other side of the phone.

His next move was to text Ned and swing over to the cafe, where Stange met up with him and bought the group a dozen donuts (“You can either celebrate with sweets or drown out your sorrows with carbs. It’s a win-win.”).

MJ was leaning over the counter with them, all three of them holding a letter tightly. Peter suspected that he was holding it a little tighter than even the MIT letter. Maybe it was due to the limited time left to apply to college. Or maybe it was because he let himself get his hopes up, putting immense trust into one of the few adults who knew both sides of him without bias. Strange even joined them here, in a dingy little cafe, standing behind them, a relative distance from his place just to support a few kids who he barely knew and had met only a few weeks ago.

“Are you guys ready?” Peter asked.

Ned had a nervous shake to him but grinned as he nodded. MJ looked at him and rolled back her shoulders in preparation, her eyes held the look of someone who was prepared for disappointment, but that little spark had not disappeared. That little spark of hope that had been following her around ever since he brought up Dr. Strange’s offer had only grown as the past few weeks settled down.

He gripped the envelope, met their eyes, and tore the paper open, signaling the other two to do the same. 

Columbia University

In the City of New York 

Columbia College

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Dear Mr. Parker,

Thank you for applying to Columbia University. We have looked over your application and taken into consideration the current controversy surrounding your name. With this in mind we, the Committee of Admissions, wish to say-

“...Congratulations…”

He blinked.

Ned spoke up “... You have been selected for admission into Columbia College .”

“ We are fully confident that the gifts you bring to the campus will be unique and valuable and that your abilities will be challenged and developed here ,” MJ finished.

“Who wants donuts?” Stephen asked, his head peeking his head over his shoulder and briefly ruffling Peter’s hair.

Peter remained silent, his eyes holding MJ’s as they were both left at a standstill. “It’s not MIT…” he reminded her, praying that she wouldn't be disappointed.

“But it’ll be with you.” 

MJ grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward, his stomach uncomfortably smashing into the diner counter, but he couldn't find himself caring. They were stuck laughing in joy through their kiss, stupidly happy for something that wasn’t technically their dream. Ned simply ‘ Whoop ed’ from beside them and Peter could hear Strange chucking under his breath behind them.

When they pulled back, Stange laid the tray of donuts on the counter before setting a second letter in front of him.

“What is this?” Peter asked, too happy to be nervous.

“A letter from admissions. Given to Professor Campbell, who gave it to me, to give to you.”

He sucked in a breath. “Did you know? The results I mean?”

Strange shook his head, “No I did not. I got this a few days ago when they sent out the letters. I haven’t opened it and don't know any of the content.”

“Read it,” MJ commanded, “it won't be anything bad, trust me.”

“You’re not expecting disappointment?”

“No one could be disappointed with you.”

He loved her.

He opened the envelope slowly, pulling a donut towards him to alleviate some tension. He cleared his throat. “Dear Mr. Parker. Thank you for applying to Columbia. We know the circumstances surrounding this situation have been tenuous, and we feel empathetic to your struggle. We wanted to tell you that this was not an easy decision to make. There is no doubt that your acceptance will be controversial and we ask that if you choose to accept your invitation, we request you meet with several of Columbia’s public relations members to provide a proper public announcement in preparation.

Outside of that, however, some of us wish to share our absolute glee to have you join our student body.”

Peter could feel his heart speed up, the heat of a blush burning his face. 

“- My name is Elizebeth and just before the Blip, you saved my daughter’s life. She was just a toddler and we had been in a store when a mugging had occurred. When she shouted, the attacker had turned the gun towards the noise, but you swung in not a second later and protected her. Thank you.”

“ - My name is Steven, and last April, I had gotten into a vehicle collision that should have taken my life. You were able to rip the door off the hinges before the engine exploded and pulled me out. Thank you.”

“ - Hi, my name is Charlotte. While I have never directly interacted with you. I love seeing you on Twitter. Short videos of you helping an older woman cross the street, getting a cat out of a tree, or just doing a flip for your adoring fans. You once held the door open for my mother when her hands were full of groceries. Thank you.”

“While other schools are understandably nervous to associate with a controversial figure; all of us on the committee have been living in New York for at least seven years, some for our whole lives and we could not comprehend a proper New York City lifestyle without a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man there along the way. Your academics are outstanding and you fit all of our criteria for the presidential scholarship. We will be sending a follow-up email with information about that later.

From the bottom of our hearts, we cannot wait to see you in the fall. Go Lions!” 

He sniffed, his lips pressing together as he felt his eyes begin to water. He felt a larger hand press onto his back and gave him a small comforting pat. 

“Congratulations,” Strange whispered. There was a silence that permeated the empty diner. The only other sound was old Christmas music from the ratty radio in the corner. Ned’s face was scrunched up with a smile and MJ reached over to hold his hand, a proud smirk on her face bordering on a genuine grin.

MJ was the next to break the silence. “Okay, so we won’t be Engineers at MIT, but let’s look at the upside-” Peter was pleasantly shocked about the fact that MJ was looking at the positives, “-No more going to class with Flash.”

Oh yeah, that was definitely a positive.

“I’m going to let you three celebrate, but when you’re done, feel free to drop by my place afterward, Pete. I have something for you.”

With a flourish of his large red cape, the not-Sorcerer Supreme opened a large portal to the Sanctum that was only a few blocks away and disappeared.

“So cool,” whispered Ned.

Walking the path to the Sanctum Sanctorum had become a pretty regular activity for Peter. He’d brought Aunt May over a couple of times. She was insistent that she get to know the man who was trying to get her kid into college. Unlike the last super-adult she met who was involved with his life, Strange luckily did not make a habit of calling her joking nicknames in conversation. They had gotten along better than he expected. Strange respected her work and made that point clear multiple times throughout their first meeting and she proceeded to return to the Sanctum on her own time with trays of muffins that she did not bake (thank god).

He and Ned would sometimes swing by after school to sneak around and touch different magical artifacts that they were distinctly told “Do Not Touch”, but Stephen kept letting them return so he just assumed all the real spooky stuff had been moved to where they couldn't find it. 

Even better, MJ found herself swinging by as well on occasion, content to watch her friends obsess about magic while she studied in the library of one of the most mysterious places on Earth. Sometimes when Wong would stop by to complain about Strange and stress eat, she would take a break to draw and mutually complain about superheroes and their dumbassery. 

But now he was here alone. MJ still had a couple of hours left on her shift and Ned had rushed home to give his letter to his family, who would probably frame it. 

He didn’t even raise his fist, far too used to the door just opening when he walked up. Bag slung over his shoulder and letter tightly held in his hand he called out into the foyer, “Stephen! I’m here!”

No one else was in the immediate vicinity. Not even those magic interns that always seemed to pop up when Wong decided he didn’t want to do the remedial work. At one point, Wong had asked if Ned wanted to take the job as well and it took far too much effort to get Ned to say no.

“Be right there!”

Just as cool as the first seventeen times he’d seen it, Strange floated down the stairs, the Cloak of Levitation waving in the false wind behind him.

“So, um…” Peter fidgeted, unsure about what he was called here for. “What do you need me for? I think May is going to take me out for dinner to celebrate.”

“As I said earlier, I have a little gift for you.” From behind his back, seemingly out of nowhere, Strange pulled out an old-looking and admittedly unimpressive box.

He passed the ratty and dusty shoebox over to Peter. “These were mine but they don't fit anymore, so I figured you may enjoy them.”

“I know I’m poor, but I can afford shoes, Stephen.”

“No, no-. They’re- they’re not shoes. Kid, just- open it.” Strange was shaking his head, a few low chuckles escaping him.

Peter grinned and flipped the lid up on the box. Instead of shoes, there were several lumps of fabric balled up on the inside. He pulled the first lump out, a thick, dark blue sweatshirt. On the front of it read Columbia University. 

“I thought you said you didn’t know?” He asked, touched.

Strange gave him a smug grin. “I didn’t, but I pulled these out when I heard that letters were getting sent out. You’re a smart kid and a school would have to be stupid to not accept you. And Columbia produced me. The greatest doctor and sorcerer in this reality, so they can’t be stupid.”

“I thought Wong was Sorcerer Supreme?”

“On a technicality .”

Peter felt the wide grin grace his face, nearly hurting at holding such a big smile, but he couldn't stop. He pulled out the other shirts, another sweatshirt, a long sleeve shirt, and a t-shirt that was cut at the waist to look like a crop top (he was so going to ask about that later).

“Stephen…” It still felt so weird to call him that. Even Tony had never managed to get him to call him by his first name to his face. “Thank you.”

“It’s just some old clothing-”

“No- thank you for all of this. I literally came to ask you to reverse time so I could go to college . And instead, you got my friends and I into an Ivy League university and didn’t mess up reality.”

Strange huffed, his smugness making way for a more calm sympathy. “Like I said. None of it was me. I pulled one string. But you are what got you into the rest. You were smart enough, you were charismatic enough, and you were brave enough to come looking for assistance. You are an amazing kid, Peter. You should give yourself more credit.”

Peter dropped the box and threw his arms around Strange. The man jumped for a second but did return the embrace eventually. Even the Cloak of Levitation joined in, its fabric encasing them both in a big, magical, burrito hug.

“-ank ‘ou,” he mumbled into Strange’s chest. He didn’t know how to get the point across. He saved the world, but this felt so much bigger. Maybe because in a world where Peter and Spider-Man were the same person, this was something that Peter Parker, a down on his luck kid from Queens, was able to do himself.

No magic, no Tony Stark standing behind him, no Spider-Man. Just Peter. And of course, Dr. Stephen Strange, who decided that this kid he met once on a planet far far away, should be able to go to school like a normal kid.

Strange finally relented, his chin pressing into the top of Peter's head. “You’re welcome, kid.”