Hours passed.
The bright golden light slowly faded from the three teenagers' chests.
They opened their eyes.
They had not officially stepped onto the first stage of cultivation yet, but their bodies had definitely changed.
They felt lighter, stronger, and their minds were completely clear.
Peter looked out the large window.
His eyes widened. It was completely dark outside.
"Oh no!"
Peter gasped.
He quickly dug into his backpack and pulled out his phone.
"Fifteen missed calls! Aunt May is going to kill me!"
MJ and Ned quickly checked their phones, too.
They also had missed calls. The panic in the room started to rise.
"Relax, Peter,"
Sam said calmly, standing up from the mat.
"Take a deep breath. You are not in trouble."
"But I didn't tell her where I was!"
Peter panicked, pacing back and forth.
"She worries so much!"
"I already handled it,"
Sam smiled, walking over to them.
"While you three were meditating, I made a few phone calls. I spoke to your Aunt May, and to MJ and Ned's parents. I told them you three got a highly exclusive, part-time job working for my private company. I said you were doing great, but you lost track of time on your very first day."
Peter stopped pacing. He blinked, letting out a massive sigh of relief.
"You did? Wow. Thank you, Sam,"
Peter breathed out.
Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of cash.
He handed two hundred dollars to Peter, two hundred to MJ, and two hundred to Ned.
"Whoa, we can't take this,"
Ned said quickly, trying to hand the money back. MJ nodded, agreeing with Ned.
"You have to take it,"
Sam insisted gently, pushing their hands back.
"What happens when you go home and your parents ask for proof that you were actually working? You need to show them your pay. If you go home with empty pockets, they will know you are lying."
Peter looked at the money, realizing Sam was making total sense.
"But this is a lot of money,"
MJ pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
"I have plenty of money, MJ,"
Sam chuckled softly.
"Two hundred dollars is nothing. Consider it your starting bonus. Now, put it in your pockets."
The three of them looked at the cash and finally smiled.
They accepted the money, feeling a deep sense of gratitude.
"Come on,"
Sam said, gesturing toward the door.
"It is late. I will drive you home."
Sam drove a sleek, black luxury car. The ride was smooth and quiet.
He dropped Ned and MJ off at their houses first.
They both thanked him and waved goodbye.
Finally, Sam drove into Queens and pulled up to Peter's apartment building.
As they parked near the curb, a beautiful woman with wavy brown hair was pacing on the front steps.
She looked worried, checking her phone.
Sam looked through the windshield.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Peter,"
Sam asked quietly, keeping his voice very casual.
"Is your aunt single?"
Peter was too busy unbuckling his seatbelt and grabbing his heavy backpack to think about why Sam was asking.
"Yeah, she's single,"
Peter answered simply, opening his door.
A charming, smooth smile appeared on Sam's handsome face.
He turned off the engine.
"Let me walk you to the door,"
Sam said.
Sam stepped out of the luxury car.
He smoothed his jacket and walked over to the front steps with perfect, confident posture.
"Aunt May!"
Peter called out, running up the steps.
"I'm sorry I'm late!"
"Oh, Peter! It's okay, I was just worried,"
May sighed, giving him a tight hug.
Then, she looked up and saw the tall, incredibly handsome man walking up the steps right behind her nephew.
"Hello,"
Sam said smoothly, offering her a very warm, polite smile. He held out his hand.
"You must be May. I am Sam. I am the one who kept your nephew late at work today. I wanted to come make sure he got home safe, and to apologize to you in person."
May looked into Sam's deep, peaceful eyes.
Her breath caught in her throat for a second, and her cheeks instantly turned a little pink.
She reached out and shook his hand.
"Oh,"
May smiled, suddenly feeling very flustered by his incredible charm.
"There is no need to apologize. It is very nice to meet you, Sam."
May let go of Sam's hand slowly.
She tucked a piece of wavy brown hair behind her ear.
"Have you eaten dinner yet, Sam?"
May asked, her voice a little shy.
"I made a big pot of baked ziti. There is plenty of extra food. Please, come inside and eat with us. It is the least I can do to thank you for driving Peter home."
Sam smiled warmly. He didn't refuse her at all.
"I would love to, May,"
Sam said smoothly.
"Thank you."
They walked into the small, cozy apartment.
Peter closed the door behind them and dropped his heavy backpack on the floor.
Peter stood in the hallway and watched them.
Sam helped May carry plates to the table.
They were already talking and laughing together.
May was blushing brightly, acting like a teenager.
Suddenly, it hit Peter like a ton of bricks.
He remembered what Sam had just asked in the car:
'Is your aunt single?'
He remembered what Sam had told him back at the training ground:
'I live in the main house with my wives.'
Peter's jaw dropped. His eyes widened in pure, complete shock.
"Oh my god,"
Peter screamed inside his own head.
"Sam is making a move on Aunt May! The leader of the Avengers... the super-powerful guy with multiple wives... he might actually become my uncle!"
Peter stood perfectly still. He did not know what to think about it.
His brain was spinning in circles. It was too weird, too crazy, and way too fast.
But then, Peter stopped and looked closely at his aunt.
May was laughing loudly at a joke Sam had just made.
Her eyes were bright, light, and completely happy. Peter felt a sudden tug in his chest.
He realized something very important.
He had not seen Aunt May look this happy and glowing in a very long time.
She worked so hard to pay the bills, and she worried about him every single day.
She deserved to smile like that.
Peter let out a long, quiet sigh. He completely relaxed his shoulders.
"If she is happy, then I am happy too,"
Peter decided in his heart.
He decided to just throw all of his crazy, panicked thoughts right out of the window.
He wasn't going to ruin this for her.
He walked over to the dinner table, pulled out his chair, and sat down quietly.
"So, Sam,"
May smiled, passing a warm bowl of pasta across the table.
"I know Peter just started working for you today. What exactly does your private company do?"
Sam caught Peter's eye.
He gave the young boy a tiny, secret wink, knowing Peter was completely freaking out inside.
"We help people find their true potential,"
Sam answered smoothly, turning his deep, charming eyes back to May.
"We teach them how to be strong and how to protect the things they love. And honestly, May, I have a feeling Peter is going to be my absolute best student."
May smiled proudly, reaching over to pat Peter's hand.
"He is a very good boy,"
May said softly.
"I am glad he found a good mentor."
"I am glad, too,"
Sam smiled, taking a bite of his dinner.
"And this pasta is absolutely delicious, May. You will have to let me cook for you sometime to return the favor."
May's cheeks turned pink again.
Peter just ate his food, smiling quietly to himself.
His life was definitely about to change forever.
Dinner finished quickly. Peter wiped his mouth and stood up from the table.
"Thank you for the food, Aunt May,"
Peter said, grabbing his empty plate.
"And thank you again for the ride, Sam. I have homework to finish, so I am going to head to my room."
"Goodnight, Peter,"
Sam smiled.
Peter quickly walked down the hall and closed his bedroom door.
Now, it was just Sam and May alone in the quiet kitchen.
May started to gather the dirty dishes, but her shoulders were very stiff.
Sam watched her closely.
With his powerful cultivation, he could feel the heavy, tight energy radiating from her.
"May,"
Sam said softly, making her stop.
"You are incredibly tense. What is wrong?"
May tried to force a bright smile, but it looked very tired.
"Oh, it is nothing,"
She lied gently.
"Just a long day at work. It is always busy."
"You cannot lie to me, May,"
Sam said, his voice deep and comforting.
"I can feel the heavy weight on your shoulders. You are carrying a very big burden. Tell me."
May looked into his honest, peaceful eyes.
She let out a long, shaky breath and sat back down at the table.
"It is the bills,"
May whispered, looking down at her hands.
"Since my husband passed away, it has been very hard. I have a lot of debt, Sam. I work double shifts, but it is never enough."
She looked toward Peter's closed door, her eyes full of protective love.
"I haven't told Peter. I do not want him to worry,"
May explained sadly.
"He is just a kid. He should focus on school, not my financial problems."
Sam felt a deep ache in his heart for her.
She was a wonderful, selfless woman doing everything she could for her nephew.
Sam stood up and walked around the table.
He stood close behind her chair. He gently placed his warm hands on her tired shoulders.
"Close your eyes, May,"
Sam whispered.
May closed her eyes.
Sam carefully sent a tiny stream of his warm, pink Qi directly into her body.
The ancient magic flowed into her muscles. It instantly washed away all of her deep exhaustion and stress.
May gasped softly.
Her eyes flew open. She felt incredibly light, strong, and completely awake.
"Oh my,"
May breathed out, touching her own arms in pure shock.
"What did you just do to me? I feel... perfect. I feel like I just slept for a whole week."
"That is my energy,"
Sam explained smoothly, taking his hands away.
"I am a Cultivator. I use the natural energy of the universe to heal and to fight."
May stared at him, completely amazed.
"The world is changing very fast,"
Sam told her, his voice turning serious.
"There are gods, aliens, and magic out there now. It is becoming a very dangerous place for normal people."
Sam thought about Peter jumping off buildings in his Spider-Man suit. But he kept his mouth completely shut.
It was Peter's secret to tell, not his.
"I want to help you, May,"
Sam said firmly.
"I live in a massive mansion. It is too big for us to keep clean all by ourselves. I want to offer you a job."
May blinked, completely surprised.
"A job?"
May asked.
"Yes,"
Sam nodded.
"I want to hire you. The pay is excellent. It will easily wipe out all of your debt in just a few short months. And my home is the absolute safest place on the planet."
May looked at the tall, handsome man standing in her kitchen.
He had just healed her tired body with magic, and now he was offering to fix her entire life.
The pay would save her from losing the apartment.
But more importantly, she looked at his charming smile.
Working at his mansion meant she would get to see him every single day.
She could get to know him much better.
A bright, beautiful smile grew on May's face.
"I would love that, Sam,"
May answered, her heart beating a little faster.
"I accept your offer."
The next morning, after Peter left for school, May took a deep breath and walked up the long driveway of Sam's massive mansion.
She rang the doorbell, feeling a little nervous about her first day.
The heavy front door opened.
Standing there was a stunning woman with bright red hair.
"Good morning,"
The woman smiled warmly.
"You must be May. Come on in. Sam told me to expect you."
"Thank you,"
May said politely, stepping inside.
She looked at the beautiful woman, and a small, quiet wave of disappointment hit her chest.
She really should have expected it, she told herself.
Sam was incredibly handsome, rich, and deeply kind. There was absolutely no way a man like him would still be single.
"I am Natasha,"
The woman said, holding out her hand.
"I am Sam's wife."
May shook her hand, forcing a polite, friendly smile.
"It is very nice to meet you, Natasha."
Just then, another woman walked into the bright hallway.
She was tall, with jet-black hair and striking, powerful eyes.
"Is this our new helper?"
The tall woman asked, looking at May with a curious but welcoming expression.
"May, this is Hela,"
Natasha introduced them.
"She is also Sam's wife."
May completely froze. Her hand stopped moving.
She looked back and forth between the two gorgeous women.
"Wait,"
May said, her voice full of pure confusion.
"Did you say... *also* his wife?"
Natasha chuckled softly and gently guided May into the large living room.
"I know it sounds very strange to a normal person,"
Natasha explained calmly, motioning for May to sit down on the soft couch.
"Sam does not just have secret lovers. He has wives. We are a family."
"How does that even work?"
May asked, still trying to wrap her head around it.
"Doesn't it get complicated or... jealous?"
"Not at all,"
Hela smiled, sitting across from her.
"Sam treats every single one of us completely equal. There is no jealousy in this house. Only respect."
"He also has a very specific physical condition,"
Natasha added, her voice turning a little more serious.
"His internal energy is too massive. He actually needs a lot of strong women to help him balance it out. I won't overwhelm you with the magical details today, but just know that he takes perfect care of us, and we take perfect care of him."
May nodded slowly. It was a totally different world, but looking at how genuinely happy and relaxed Natasha and Hela were, May couldn't judge them at all.
Later that morning, May officially began her first day of work.
She had expected to scrub heavy floors and carry massive laundry baskets all day, but the job was actually incredibly easy.
The mansion was equipped with two advanced, floating helpers.
Sam called them Little D and Little H.
They zoomed around the hallways, effortlessly picking up dust and carrying heavy items for her.
They beeped happily and did little spins in the air whenever May thanked them.
They were super adorable, and May instantly loved having them around.
But the absolute best part of the day wasn't the easy work or the cute robots.
It was the company.
Natasha and Hela didn't lock themselves away in their expensive rooms.
They stayed out in the kitchen and the living room with May.
They helped her fold clothes. They drank hot coffee together. They told funny stories about the world.
They didn't treat May like a hired servant at all.
They treated her like a sister.
While they were washing the dishes together, May found herself laughing out loud until her sides hurt.
She stopped for a second, feeling a sudden warmth in her chest.
For years, since her husband died, May had to be the "strong one." She carried all the worry, all the bills, and all the fear for Peter by herself.
Having someone to talk with, someone to lean on, and having pure fun while working wasn't bad at all.
It was exactly what her tired soul really needed.
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