Having two jobs. A sign of status among working-class Americans and the current root of Peter Parker's suffering.

Spider-Man, in itself, had become a full-time job for Peter well before he'd graduated high school, but with the added responsibility of footing all of the bills his guardian once managed, he was barely staying afloat.

Crime didn't stop simply because Peter Parker's life had.

Spider-man still had a job to do.

Even if Peter wanted to take a pause from his neighborhood patrols, the mere thought of putting the suit down squeezed the air out of his lungs and grappling for purchase. He couldn't leave people helpless. What kind of hero would he be by abandoning them?

And so at night, he did his routine patrols and at first light, he headed to Rojas' Deli.

Rojas' was your standard family-run bodega located relatively close to Peter's apartment. Despite being called Rojas' Deli, it was mainly a convenience store with a section in the back dedicated to hot sandwiches and a small selection of meats and cheeses for the locals. The atmosphere tended to be laid back with music playing as a soft backdrop to the exchanges between the owner and his patrons. Music was more of an afterthought when there was always a conversation to be had whether with customers or between the owner and his family.

Peter found that he didn't mind it.

At times, it could be nice?

"Hey Pete, you made it," The entry bell had just barely rung when Peter heard the greeting. "and on time too!" Peter stepped through the threshold and smiled impishly at the curly hair and grinning face leaning over the counter.

"Hey, Sam. I'm surprised you came in at all."

If possible, Sam's grin got bigger deepening his laugh lines and showing off his bunny teeth. Peter found himself grinning back despite himself.  The day hadn't truly started if the two weren't taking jabs at each other at 7 in the morning.

Sam had shifted to sitting on the counter at some point to give space for Peter to shove his backpack behind the counter. He hopped back down once Peter had moved to the front of the counter, knocking his hands against the glass. "Ah, yeah me too. But my dad's threatening to fire me if I don't start coming in more often... And I'm not trying to risk it. I've got a concert this weekend."

Peter didn't doubt that; Mr. Rojas threatened to fire Sam at least once a week. Usually for not showing up. But if it wasn't attendance, it was tardiness. And if it wasn't tardiness, it was leaving early. And if he didn't leave early, he was "failing to complete duties" - or blasting TOP 10 Pop Hits when Mrs. Linden came in until she stormed out in a huff. Once his name showed up on the schedule, Sam made it his mission 9 times out of 10 to be a menace to his father. And 8 times out of 10 Mr. Rojas would let it go because he knows Sam didn't choose to work in the family business; he was obligated.

Still, the selfish part of Peter felt glad to have someone like Sam around.

The two shuffled around a bit, grabbing their aprons from the back and straightening up the shelves in easy silence. Around the time to open, Mr. Rojas ambled into the store from the back with his younger brother in tow, a near duplicate of himself but with more facial hair to show for.

"Ah, Peter! It's good to see you back, mijo. Hasn't been the same without you."

The hug that followed eased into the crevices of Peter's heart like a warm glue, holding the broken pieces together in the way only the hug of a parent can.

"And on time, did the world end again while you were gone or is this truly a miracle."

"Tío."

The younger of the Rojas brothers puffed up, turning to his nephew with a confused look, missing the way Peter's demeanor soured. "What? What's that tone for? It's a joke!"

"Miguel, you know Peter lost his family during the blip," Mr. Rojas tsk'ed, rubbing Peter's shoulder in a consoling manner. "too soon."

"Ah Pete, I didn't mean anything by it. You're basically family, I was just being silly."

Peter brushed away his feelings with a flippant wave, "It's alright Miguel, I know you didn't mean anything by it. I'm fine."

A cover story. That's all it was. A way to justify his seemingly independence and sadness without being expected to go into too much detail; a robbery gone wrong amidst a world in chaos. Not hard to believe. Still a year "fresh."

It was better than whatever alibi Peter could hope to muster from the truth. And if the mention of lost family stung a little bit too much for a cover story, that just meant it'd be more believable.

With the weird shift in mood, the two older men divulged. Mr. Rojas went to work unlocking the front door and instructing his son on what needing restocking while his brother counted the change drawer and asked Peter to restock the fridge displays for the deli.

They finished just a little after opening time and Peter took his place back behind the check-out counter, Sam having retreated to the deli section before him.

"Well Pete," Mr. Rojas smiled. "Make today a good one, yeah?"

He smiles back.

"Yeah, I'll try."

Once the Rojas brothers leave, it's business as usual for Pete and Sam.  The usuals come for breakfast, the twins Ella and Jake try to get free candy out of Peter before their bus comes —they don't even have to try, Mrs. Linden makes a B-Line for the Deli section and makes Sam miserable for 10 minutes straight, it's the easy part.

Once Pete's at his job, it's a breeze.

Until 12pm.

It's just Pete right now. The deli closes from 11-12 so that Peter and Sam can take their individual lunch breaks. Pete at 11 and Sam at 11:30. They were a bit late taking their lunch breaks so Sam had a few more minutes before he'd be back.

In the least subtle fashion, Peter had taken to making Spider-Man doodles on a voided receipt. Where the tiny Spider-Man wrestled a cartoony octopus.

The front bell jingles, but when he looks up, he doesn't see anyone.