stupidbutgood | (no subject)

It's not like he's some kind of battering ram, or purposefully plowing down the center of the sidewalk. He's just a big guy, and kind of exuberant, and people tend to get out of range out of self-preservation. He doesn't even realize he's doing it.

"Uh, the basics. Linearity, nonlinear theories. Schrödinger, obviously, you brought that up earlier. Complex numbers, photons, superposition. Just whatever I could get to load as we were coming back Stateside. I think it was an MIT lecture series. I just read the transcripts."

You know, like it's no big deal that he spent his return journey in the belly of a transport plane reading Quantum Physics lectures on his phone after six weeks in the jungle. Everybody does that, right?

"I tried explaining it to Cougar as I was reading but he tuned me out pretty quick."

"Yeah, that's what usually happens when you try to explain this stuff to people." Peter's very familiar. Aunt May always asks what he's studying and while she tries to seem interested when he talks about it, she just isn't.

But damn. Damn. Jensen went deep. Peter listens to physics lectures for fun when he's working on gadgets. He also listens to Ted Talks so maybe he's not the best person to compare Jensen's actions to but still... it's a lot of effort and a lot to understand.

He studies Jensen for a moment. "Do you need me to clarify anything?"

Honestly, he's expecting the answer to be no. And he's kind of impressed. Like... really impressed.

Honestly, it's kind of refreshing having someone ask him if he needs clarification. He's used to spending time with the Losers who have all grown to sort of assume that once Jensen's read something he understands it in and out. Which isn't entirely inaccurate, but it's not really accurate, either. He's smart, genius-level smart probably, but he's not actually a computer. He needs time to digest information just like anyone else.

The coffee shop is pretty easy to spot as they approach it, and he automatically reaches out to grab the door and hold it both for the kids exiting the cafe but also to usher Peter inside.

"I mean, it probably wouldn't hurt to go over superposition again. I know I'm going to be way behind wherever you guys are in class by now but it's been interesting regardless. I'd like to try to keep up."

Peter also reached for the door but Jensen beat him to it. Okay, they both have very good manners. This will be fun.

"Are we talking the general superposition principle? Or quantum superposition?" He ducks past Jensen and makes his way to the short line of students waiting to order.

The menu is extremely simple but they do have the amusing drink size of "studying for finals" which is the largest size offered. It's a very popular size during finals hence the name.

"Because yeah, they're related, but they're also two different ideas." He shrugs. Peter's been reading and studying this stuff since he was in high school. This is his special interest. He loves this stuff.

It's really nice to have someone who wants to talk about it that's not a classmate trying to one up him or prove how smart they are. Or just... doesn't know how to have a conversation like a human being.

Jensen's absolutely going to get studying for finals even though he's not studying for anything but fun. It only takes him a second of studying the board to decide what he's getting.

"Explain the difference to me." He's got a vague idea, but as much as Jensen loves to monologue about his interests, he also genuinely enjoys listening to other people talk about theirs, so Peter's welcome to natter on about his special interests and Jensen will listen encouragingly the whole time. He'll only call him a nerd about it a little, but Peter should be used to that by now.

Everyone calls him a nerd.

"Well, the simplest explanation is that quantum superposition relates specifically to the Schrödinger equation and has to do with the linear combinations of solutions for that," he rattles off, trying to keep it simple but also take into account that Jensen's studied some of this.

How deep his background knowledge is Peter doesn't know for sure but it's definitely not zero.

"But the superposition principle is for all linear systems. So like, a really broad thing compared to the quantum which is more focused on a specific thing." He glances at Jensen out of the corner of his eye. "Does that make sense? Because in general when you get into quantum stuff it's really, really specific."

It's said with love and the full understanding that he, too, is a nerd.

Listening to Peter talk has a small smile twitching his lips, but Jensen doesn't interrupt until it's clear he's finished. "Right. So the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, that's for general superposition, then?"

He's opening his mouth to continue asking a question when the student in front of them finishes paying and it's their turn and he immediately changes tracks to order.

"Hi, hello. Can I get a studying for finals, iced, with the largest number of extra shots you can legally give me, please. And, like, ten pumps of vanilla." He gives the barista a wink as he says it, and, wonder of wonders, she titters a little laugh as she punches away at her tablet. It seems people are more affected by his charming personality when he's distracted. Either that, or she's laughing at the state of his arteries, which is valid, actually.

He elbows Peter in the side. "Pete, whaddya want? My treat."

Once again Peter is surprised and spends a full five seconds staring at Jensen. Not like he's weird or anything but surprised. It's going to take him a few hours of this before he stops being surprised.

"We'll get back to that." Peter holds up a finger because it's time to order. He doesn't expect Jensen to treat him. He was getting out his student card to pay for his own stuff.

"Uh, just a medium black coffee," he says which will cost a whole whopping five bucks. Last of the big spenders is Peter Parker.

And even though his fingers twitch to interrupt Jensen paying he holds himself back and doesn't. He doesn't try to pay but he's already calculating how to pay for lunch if they hang out that long today. It's only fair.

They shuffle off to the side to wait for the order. "The Mach-Zehnder interferometer can study a lot of things in quantum mechanics. It's multi functional as a tool. So yeah, it'll help you study general superposition no problem. Way better than the Michelson inerferometer but that one's easier to build."

Ask him how he knows that, Jensen. Go ahead.

Jensen's interests are wide-reaching and incredibly varied. It's entirely possible he'll go on a deep research spiral about this that will last him a few days, maybe even a week, and then he'll get distracted and never touch it again. It's one of the many reasons he's so resistant to the idea of getting a degree; the commitment sounds terrifying. What if he changes his mind?

It's good that Peter doesn't fight him on paying; he'd just point out that he earns a halfway decent salary (now), doesn't have any housing costs (of his own), and is here as Peter's guest.

He falls for Peter's bait easily. "How do you know that? Did you build one? How long did it take you?"

"I did build one." Peter nods. "For a science fair when I was a kid. A Michelson interferometer is so simple to make. It's three mirrors, a light source, and a detector. Ta-da!"

Yes, he has science fair trophies. His Aunt is very proud of him. Peter would feel better if they were in the basement but that's not going to happen any time soon. He just has to live with that.

"It might still be in my Aunt's basement. Luckily, I get to work with better equipment now." Peter looks really happy about that. Because he's also a gadget nerd. He loves tinkering.

Jensen's smile goes a little indulgent as Peter explains, clearly envisioning Beth in Peter's shoes. She's not a very science-minded kid, hasn't really settled into one specific subject the way he uncle did at her age, but she's still as smart as a whip and he can absolutely see her winning a science fair prize.

"I'm pretty sure there's no might about that," he points out, even though he's never met Peter's aunt. He also didn't know that New York apartments came with basements. Does she even live in the city? She has to, Peter's said he'd never left New York before.

"What's the coolest machine you get to work with now?"

For Peter it's always been science and photography, his two great hyperfixations. There's rarely been other things in his life that have been more important. Crime fighting has taken the lead but that's a recent development.

"Okay, no judgement because it's not the latest and greatest in physics equipment but I really like electron microscopes." They're almost old school these days even though the technology keeps getting better and better like all technology.

Although, his true favorite are his web shooters, but shhhs.

Peter is saved from launching into the wonders and beauties of the electron microscope by their order getting called. He grabs his coffee and can absolutely smell the sugar in Jensen's. He's pretty sure there's no way Jensen's making it through class with that much sugar.

"You know, it'd probably be cheaper if you bought black coffee and just dropped a candy bar into it," he points out.

"I wasn't going to judge you no matter what you said," he protests, but is likewise happy to get distracted by their coffees being ready.

Immediately popping the lid off his, he takes a long draught of the very sweet concoction to make room for the milk he then turns to add to the top. He'll happily drink black coffee with no sugar at all if it's all that's available — burnt sludge is a pretty apt descriptor for most of the coffee he gets while overseas and he's learned to be grateful for it no matter how bad it tastes — but if given his druthers, he prefers too-sweet abominations that would send lesser men into a diabetic coma instantly.

"The candy bar is for later." He winks at Peter as he finishes adding enough milk to bring the coffee back to the rim, and then snaps his lid down. "I haven't slept in like—" a brief moment while he does some mental calculations, "—thirty-nine hours? I need the boost to get through class. Hah! That's so fun to say. I feel like I'm cosplaying a college student, this is great."

"Dude." Peter's pretty sure he just witnessed a crime against coffee. "We could have rescheduled so you could get some sleep."

Peter's sleep schedule is a disaster zone but even he has rarely pulled such long stints without sleep. It's not a never done it, but it's not often. He feels immediately guilty too. Of course he should've thought about time zones and travel and let Jensen get some sleep.

"Don't force yourself to stay up just for me." Peter is definitely not worth that. "Come on, I can walk you back to the subway and we'll meet up later."

"Nope, I'm awake. The coffee is just so I don't turn into a crazy person running on fumes alone. I'm good."

Jensen's insomnia is a well-known handicap among the team, and more than once Cougar has had to physically drag him away from his computers and sit on him until he succumbed to the need to sleep. That usually was only necessary after two full days awake, though, so they've got another nine hours until they reach the danger zone.

He doesn't point out that he's had to run missions like this before. He has a feeling that Peter, self-proclaimed gun-avoider and apparent pacifist, wouldn't appreciate knowing that Uncle Sam has thrown him sleep-deprived into a situation where the threat of losing an arm or a leg is a real possibility.

"C'mon, it'll be fun! I've never been to college before, I want to go."

For such a large man, he has incredibly effective puppy eyes when he tries. It probably helps that his glasses make the blues bluer and his lashes look longer.

"Right, don't turn into a crazy person." One corner of Peter's mouth tips up in amusement.

Jensen is kinda crazy but the sort of crazy that appealed to Peter. He was funny and smart and ridiculous. Maybe a little insane but not in a way that was bad. He certainly didn't feel threatened even knowing Jensen was probably the most dangerous person in this cafe.

"I guess it's my own fault," he says after a minute of Jensen's ridiculous pout and puppy eyes. "I keep telling you that you can go to college."

Instead of spending his life getting chewed up by the military industrial complex that Peter is really starting to hate for some unknown reason.

"Come on, man, the building is this way." Peter jerks his head towards the exit and they walk out of the cafe together. "We'll sit in the back of the room so the professor doesn't notice he's got an extra student."

Jensen is kind of crazy. He can't help it. He's been shot and and blown up and other unsavory stuff a little too many times to ever be normal again, but at least he's self-aware about it and it manifests in normal ways. Mostly normal ways. As normal as he can get, considering the circumstances.

"Yes. This is your fault." He bumps his shoulder into Peter's as they exit the shop, seemingly perfectly happy now that he's got caffeine and a promise to be allowed to sit in on a lecture.

"Is that something they'd protest? I'd have thought that the more students the merrier, right?"

Peter sways a little with the bump but he never loses step. "You didn't pay for the privilege of higher education. God forbid anyone get a free education around here."

He has some strong views about the educational system. Kind of like he has strong views about the military. He might have strong views in general about a lot of things.

"I picked this class because the professor knows his stuff but he doesn't know his students. We should be able to get away with this." Peter likes the guy a lot more during office hours when he's talking one on one.

His lectures are a little hit or miss.

"Mm. What are we, some kind of socialist hellscape like Canada?"

Jensen has really very little qualms when it comes to lying or stealing from people or institutions who absolutely can eat the loss. Maybe he should, maybe he should care about shit like that, but he doesn't, and he's done so much worse that it seems stupid to get hung up on something as small as getting value out of something he didn't pay for.

"It's fine, though. If we do get caught, I already forged the proof that I'm auditing, they're not gonna get you in trouble." Because clearly that was the reason Peter is concerned, of course.

That's like the fourth surprising thing Jensen has said since hello. Peter feels like his head is spinning. How many surprises can one guy have?

"You forged proof?" He repeats to fully wrap his head around the idea. "Man, I was just going to take the bump to my grade or whatever slap on the wrist they'd do."

Did he look into what would happen if he got caught sneaking a non-student into a class? No, not at all. He just accepted there may be consequences and rolled with it.

He seems just as surprised as Peter is, although for different reasons. Why wouldn't he forge proof? Half the fun of doing undercover-adjacent things is the prep, getting the costumes and paperwork and ID badges and stuff prepared. If this was going to be a longer term thing he'd have made himself a student ID and probably forged transfer papers and everything.

"Well, yeah, I mean it seemed easier than coming up with a convincing lie..."

He shakes his head, tutting a little. "C'mon, Peter, don't be ridiculous. Always be prepared, that's the Boy Scouts motto! Or something. I was never in scouts, obviously."

Maybe he should have expected a plan. Jensen is special forces. It just... didn't seem important enough in Peter's head. He can't imagine being important enough for someone to stay up reading physics papers and faking audit papers just to sit it on a class. Apparently, it's important enough to Jensen.

"Okay, well, I'm buying lunch." Peter's tone says he's not going to listen to any arguments. "I'm going to take you to the best pizza place in town. This is a closely guarded secret, by the way."

It is the best pizza in town, hands down. Peter protects this secret because he doesn't want his favorite spot becoming Instagram famous.

He jogs a few steps ahead and opens the door to the physics building for Jensen. Got him!

"You're going to regret that when you find out how much I can eat," Jensen warns, but he's half-laughing as he says it, so it's unclear if he's being serious. (He is.) "As long as it's proper New York style I'm not going to complain."

Pooch is from Detroit, so when he's in charge of cooking, he has to pretend to like square pizza, but Pooch isn't here, so Jensen can be honest.

He's busy talking a sip of his coffee-sugar sludge when Peter suddenly darts ahead to grab the door, and he finds himself chuckling a little at the smug expression on his face. Alright. So that's how it's gonna be. That's fine. Peter's probably faster than he is, but Jensen's pretty sure he's got a longer reach. He'll beat him to the next door for sure.

Peter gives him a look and gestures with his hands. "Of course it's New York style, what else would I feed you?"

There are places to get other styles of pizza in New York City but Peter is a local boy. He gets New York style and everything else is second best. There's no way they're getting anything else.

The classroom is on the second floor of the building. Peter takes the stairs. Normally he goes two at a time but he holds back since he has company with him. "If you really want to look like you'd auditing, I can give you a notebook."

Normally Jensen would also take the stairs two at a time, but since Peter doesn't, he doesn't either. Later, he'll laugh at them looking out for each other all careful-like.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Man, I haven't taken paper notes in years, this is going to be fun."

Perhaps not surprisingly, Jensen works almost exclusively on a computer nowadays, but if he's going to be taking notes on something he doesn't understand, he should maybe remove the temptation to get sucked into something else while he's in class. It would be just like him to start accidentally doing something else halfway through and then not hearing a single word out of the instructors mouth.

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the research i do for this hobby i swear

every day i'm grateful i work in science education when playing this nerd

smart, i've never been in the army and i know jack about computers so i really biffed this lol

thank god no one's fact checking us

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