Can You See Me?
Peter wanted attention. He wanted attention. Not Spiderman. (Or 5 times Peter wanted attention, and the 1 time he got it.)
Timeline: Around a month after Homecoming
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
Chapter 1: Sleep
Peter wanted attention.
He wanted attention.
Not Spiderman.
He wasn't a greedy person at heart, but what he was; was a child at heart. And children need attention don't they. And Peter's not asking for anything complicated. A hello, or a text to see if he's okay was just fine.
In a way, it started after Homecoming. Honestly, what was he supposed to tell his Aunt. 'Oh yeah, I was just...cosplaying...? You know...practice?'
Peter felt himself physically gag at his attempt of a lie. And this was what he thought of saying after a moment's thought. If he had decided to lie, what stupid thing would he have said off the top of his head?
Peter closed his eyes and breathed out. With these thoughts running through his head, he couldn't sleep. He had a chemistry test tomorrow, but that didn't worry him. He knew that he would ace that in flying colors. But, he did know that there was a high possibility of failing if he couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a minute.
Peter breathed out, and pulled his pillow over his head.
He was so tired. A few moments before this, he was swinging off of buildings and stopping a bank robbery. The adrenaline had prevented him from feeling the pulsing ache in his muscles. Luckily, the same adrenaline that forced him to work so hard made the pain, in a way, numbing.
He eventually fell asleep.
Peter woke up, coughing.
He felt the smoke and dry paint choking him. Peter didn't want to wake May, so he covered his mouth. Doing this however, made him panic more and he ended up gaging. After the fit had subsided, Peter felt himself go lightheaded. He braced himself on his headboard, and after a few seconds of deep breathing, he opened his eyes.
'I didn't even know I closed my eyes.'
Peter leaned over and grabbed his phone. He flinched when the light raided his eyes, but he was soon able to read the time. 4:14.
'Great.' Peter looked over at his book bag and desk. 'If I'm gonna be awake, might as well be useful.'
This was how Peter found himself finishing the assigned book for his literature class, two weeks ahead of what the teacher's goal was, and had partially started on his Human Geography essay.
He stopped his typing when his phone buzzed his daily 6:30 alarm. He stood up and stretched.
And then he promptly fell back in his chair. His vision had shifted violently, but Peter brushed it off as he was sitting down for too long, even though he knew that he had sat still for a much longer period of time than that.
Peter silently picked out clothes and made his way across the hall to the bathroom. He hadn't noticed the rings of gray under his eyes, until he had decided to run a comb through whatever the thing on his head was.
He sighed, and smiled weakly as his reflection.
"It's go time for Peter Parker."
The thoughts from last night's self loathing were brought up almost immediately when he met Ned near their lockers.
Ned.
Peter Parker's best friend
Spiderman's guy in the chair.
"Dude that was amazing! I woke up this morning, and I looked at my phone. The news was all over you stopping the bank robbery."
"Thanks dude," Peter mumbled.
Peter was lucky that a door to his locker separated their faces, because Peter didn't have the heart to start faking happiness so early in the morning. And he didn't want Ned to see the bags under his eyes. 'I mean I did cover them up with May's foundation.' Peter closed the door to his locker, holding his needed textbooks. He turned and stepped back quickly, "Dude what are doing?!", because Ned had been leaning in on his face. It was bad enough that Peter was outcasted, but he didn't rumors to start. Not that they bothered him. He just had to much going on right now to keep his attitude in check. Honestly he hadn't even seen Flash this morning, yet the name brought up feelings of Peter wanting to punch him in the nose.
Sleep deprivation.
Every teenager's rite of passage.
In contrast to his fast reaction, Peter felt himself blink so owlishly slowly that he thought he'd collapse there and then.
Ned, on his part, was squinting at Peter; and Peter felt himself shuffle under his gaze. Eventually Ned stepped back and worriedly asked him, "Dude, your not looking okay. Have you been sleeping?"
Peter oddly felt some happiness that someone had noticed, until the smile fell away with Ned's continued dialogue.
"Because you can't be Spiderman if you don't sleep. Rest is key to fighting super villains. I mean it would be totally bad if Spiderman fell asleep while swinging."
Peter felt himself go a little numb.
Peter didn't even get a moment to explain his actions before the 1st period bell rang. Immediately Ned grabbed his book bag, which he had set down by Peter's feet. "Okay see you 3rd period!" Ned was down the hall, merged with other numerous classmates, and Peter hadn't even replied.
'It's alright Ned. I'll make sure to get some sleep. For Spiderman's sake.'
Peter sighed and grabbed his own materials before turning and going down the hall in the opposite direction.
'But what about Peter Parker?'
I have no idea, but I'm obsessed with 5 Times_and The 1 Time_ kind of stories.
I really hope you guys like this, and I'm always open to suggestions. I love critical reviews. It's great to find out how I can make my work better, so you guys can enjoy it!
-OnlyEscape