Naomi reentered her house, hearing a chatter coming from the kitchen. When she entered the kitchen she was greeted by the sight of her older brother (the second youngest in the family) and his friends.
"Hey Naomi," Isaac (aforementioned brother) greeted, the other boys shutting up and looking at Naomi (their looks varied from nervousness to overt desire) "Where've you been all day?"
"I was 'with my study group'." Isaac chuckled.
"What do ya know; so was I!" The others snickering appreciatively. Naomi rolled her eyes, but her smile never dropping as she reached for an apple off the counter.
"I was telling Clark here that you could set him up Maggie Peterson," Isaac said, looking at Naomi hopefully. She simply rolled her eyes.
"Sorry, Clark, but I don't hate Maggie that much." The boys tittered at the insult, Clark moving so he was leaning on the counter facing Naomi.
"That's okay. But if you want to make up for it, you could always set me up with you." The smile slipped off Isaac's face as Naomi raised an eyebrow.
"Dude, that's my sister," Isaac said, hauling him away from Naomi.
"It was just a joke, man," Clark replied.
It usually annoyed Naomi when one of her brother's friends would flirt with her (a few times even making lewd comments) and she would usually let Isaac start a fight with them. But today she was in a good mood
"Isaac, let him be," Naomi said as she made her way to the door.
"What's got you in such a forgiving mood?" Isaac asked, wondering if his little sister had gotten a crush on his dumb friend. Naomi spun back around and smiled widely as she continued walking backwards.
"I had a really great day."
She swung back around and made her way to her room.
"Um, was she just...?" Clark started, trailing off and looking at the other boys for confirmation.
"Singing? Yeah," Isaac said, sounding just as confused as Clark
"Time in a Bottle if you want to get specific."
.
Across town, Peter ran into his house and was greeted by his mother looking displeased.
"I take it this has something to do with you?" She gestured to the T.V. which was currently on a news broadcast about how a fugitive broke out of the Pentagon.
"Do you really think I'd do something that stupid?" Peter asked, his lie being ruined by the fact he was smiling widely.
"Yes."
"Ouch, mom," Peter grinned as his younger sister, Lorna, came running into the room.
"Pietro! Did they lock you up?" She asked, Peter not even getting annoyed at the use of his proper name.
"Nope, just wanted my help," Peter replied, letting Lorna climb into his arms
"With what?" Lorna asked, Magda sent him a look as she went to continue making dinner.
"They needed me to fight a dragon." Peter replied, Lorna giggling.
"To save a Princess?" Lorna asked.
"Of course!" Peter replied.
"Was that pretty girl the Princess?" Lorna asked, Magda's eyebrow raising as she noticed her son's cheeks coloring.
"Nope, she was a beautiful Knight who helped me slay the dragon." Magda's eyebrows were through the roof at this point.
Lorna began to wiggle out of Peter's arms and went to grab her favorite book for him to read as Peter sighed and plopped down on the couch, waiting for her to come back. Magda smiled to herself; her son had agreed to read Lorna a book, had called that girl beautiful, and… Magda's smile grew, and now he'd started singing to himself.
Oh, Peter had it bad.
.
The next day, after dinner, Naomi leaned against the couch between her father's and Isaac's legs, wondering how a half hour bible show could feel like a year, when the phone rang obnoxiously. Naomi's brother and sister both launched out of the room to race for the phone; both hoping it would be their beau. Naomi heard Anna perkily say "Parker Household, Anna speaking." Then nothing. It was quiet for a moment and Naomi caught her siblings mutter something to each other. They both came back into the living room, both sporting a look of confusion.
"It's for Naomi."
"What's for Naomi?" Mrs. Parker asked distractedly.
"The phone," Joseph said, the four still sitting looked at him in shock.
"Really? Who is it?" Naomi asked, just as surprised as the others.
"Some guy named Peter." Naomi's face morphed into realization and she stood up and walked off to the phone.
"This is Naomi."
"Your sister is weird," Peter said over the line, laughing slightly.
"Yeah, sorry about that; my brother and sister usually fight over who gets to talk on the phone to they're beaus, so to speak, and I never get calls," Naomi explained.
"Is that what I am? Your beau?" Peter teased.
"If you want to be," Naomi teased back.
"I prefer boyfriend."
"Take me out on a date first, Sweetheart."
"Okay," Naomi could hear Peter's smirk "You wanna come over after school tomorrow?"
"It's less of a question of if I want to and more of how I'll give my siblings the slip."
"I could give you a lift," Peter offered far too innocently.
"What, like the lift in the Pentagon? I'll walk," Naomi replied deadpanned.
"But St. Mary's is over half an hour away," Peter complained, dangerously close to whining.
"So?"
"So, half an hour is like a year to me," This time Peter whined.
"Really, a year?" Naomi asked stonily.
"Okay, slight exaggeration," Peter allowed "But it's still a long time."
"Well, you'll just have to be patient."
"I'm not good at patience. I'm going to need some kind of compensation for not running and getting you," Peter teased.
"Compensation, huh, well, if you don't, I might just let you kiss me." And with that Naomi hung up, giggling as she imagined what Peter's face must look like at that moment. After a deep breath, she walked back into the living room and sat down again, feeling all of her family's eyes on her.
"So," Mrs. Parker started after the show had ended "Who was that?"
"A friend," Naomi replied calmly as she watched the ad on screen, Isaac raising an eyebrow.
"What did he want?" Anna asked.
"Just wanted to talk," Naomi replied.
"That's all?" Mr. Parker asked harshly.
"What is this, the Spanish Inquisition? Yes that's all, can I go now?" Naomi asked, when Mr. Parker nodded she quickly left the room.
.
Peter looked impatiently at the clock; 6:28, he sighed to himself and started running. He played ping pong against himself, played pong against himself, ate a box of Twinkies, ran to the store to get a box of Twinkies to replace the one he ate, braided his little sister's hair, slid some extra money into his mother's purse, played a game of solitaire, listened to the entirety of his (sped up) music collection, and he finally checked the clock again; 6:29. After a very long minute (even by Peter's standards) he ran upstairs, smiled at his mom who was making dinner, and called. After what seemed like the longest rings ever, someone picked up.
"Parker Household, Anna speaking." She said chirpily.
"Hi, can I speak to Naomi?" Peter asked politely (And slowly).
"I'm sorry?" She sounded confused.
"Naomi Parker, I have her number, right?" Peter asked, wondering if Naomi hadn't actually wanted to hang out with him or if he'd spoken quicker than he thought he had.
"Yes, um, who should I say is calling?" He sounded shocked.
"Peter."
"Right, one second." Peter could vaguely hear him talking to someone else. After what seemed like infinity, someone picked up the phone.
"This is Naomi."
"Your sister is weird," Peter laughed.
"Yeah, sorry about that; my brother and sister usually fight over who gets to talk on the phone to they're beaus, so to speak, and I never get calls." Peter wondered how Naomi wasn't constantly getting called by boys.
"Is that what I am? Your beau?" He teased, not letting the actual question shine through.
"If you want to be." Peter's heart skipped a beat (or a few, never can tell with his heart).
"I prefer boyfriend," He managed to choke out.
"Take me out on a date first, Sweetheart." Peter's face was roughly the color of a tomato now and he could swear his mother was laughing at him.
"Okay," Peter smirked "You wanna come over after school tomorrow?"
"It's less of a question of if I want to and more of how I'll give my siblings the slip."
"I could give you a lift," Peter offered, remembering how nice it had felt to run while holding her.
"What, like the lift in the Pentagon? I'll walk," Naomi said deadpanned.
"But St. Mary's is over half an hour away," Peter complained; he wanted to see her now.
"So?"
"So, half an hour is like a year to me," He got that he was whining, he just didn't care.
"Really, a year?" Peter could hear the look she was giving him right now.
"Okay, slight exaggeration, but it's still a long time." And I want to see you now.
"Well, you'll just have to be patient."
"I'm not good at patience. I'm going to need some kind of compensation for not running and getting you," Peter began teasing again as his face going down a few shades.
"Compensation, huh, well, if you don't, I might just let you kiss me." And Naomi hung up.
"Close your mouth, Hun, you'll catch flies," Peter's mother laughed at her completely red faced, frozen son, who's eyes could have passed for saucers.
"Mommy, is Pietro sick?" Lorna asked from her spot on the floor in front of the TV.
"I'm afraid so, dear, he's got the worst disease of them all;" Ms. Maximoff smiled slightly.
"Lovesickness."