Chapter Seven
Peter was flying in the air, using his webslingers to sling from building to building. Even though he had been Spiderman for more than a year he still enjoyed overlooking New York. He would never get tired of looking at the people and the tiny cars zipping by.
Especially after the whole Thanos mess, it just made him feel more alive. Everything seemed to finally return back to normal. No more deaths. No more pain. No more disasters. It seemed that they were finally starting over and Peter couldn't be gladder.
"Peter," Karen's voice chirped in it's usual maternal, kind way. "I wanted to congratulate you because you have saved your 100,000th person from either a robbery or injury during your shifts. Not including the people that you saved when fighthing Thanos. I have sent a report to the boss as well. Congratulations, Peter. I am very proud of you."
A grin appeared on Peter's face. His 100,000th person? That was good. It wasn't Iron Man good, but it was still very good. He felt his heart jumping inside his chest, 100, 000th people were better off because of him. God, that felt good. It was just the little pick me up that Peter needed.
He decided to cut his parole short today, he wanted to take May out for ice cream to celebrate. Maybe they could go to their favorite place by that Italian place. He wanted to get Rocky Road ice cream or maybe Chocolate Chip ice cream. Whatever flavor he got, he just wanted to celebrate with May.
Peter practically burst into his apartment, his cheeks were flushed bright pink with excitement. "May, May guess what-" Peter stopped short when he saw May and Scott in the living room. Scott was standing besides May and May was sitting on the couch looking slightly embarrassed and with a cast from the top of her right shoulder to her wrist.
Peter gaped as he raced towards her. "Oh my god, May what happened? Are you ok? Why didn't you call me, I would have skipped decathlon practice-"
"Don't get hysterical," Scott replied, an edge to his voice. "We just arrived from the ER. We didn't have time to call you."
"Pete, sweetheart it's ok. Just breath." May said as she kissed him on the cheek. "Your dear aunt tried to act like a teenager again when Scott took me to the indoor skating rink in Brooklyn. I slipped all of a sudden and broke my right shoulder and arm. Poor Scott had to take me to the hospital, we had to be there for hours."
"But you're ok, right?" Peter's beating heart seemed to relax and all thoughts of ice cream were erased from his mind. "How long are you going to have the cast? Can you still work in the hospital?"
May ruffled his hair with her left hand, Peter had always been a little worrywart like Mary. "I'm fine, sweetheart and yes, I am still going to be able to go to work. I already spoke to the hospital and I'm afraid that I will be stuck doing paperwork for a while, but I will survive. I should have the cast for 2 to 3 months. Let's pray for two. Now erase that worry look from your face, you'll get wrinkles."
"I'm just glad that you're ok, May." Peter hugged his aunt. "And don't worry, I will help you with whatever you need. You don't even need to ask-"
"That's nice of you, Peter." Scott said as he wrapped in his arms around May's shoulder. "But I don't want you to worry, you already have so much going on with your after school job and school. Besides May is going to need someone to help her with the shower and grocery shopping and that's where I come in."
Peter froze. No, he wasn't saying, he couldn't possibly-
May gave Peter a small, apologetic smile. "Peter, darling Scott and I talked about it and I am going to need some extra help. You already have so much going on, I don't want to ruin that for you." May said quickly. "It's only going to be until the cast is off and you get to keep your own room, Peter. Scott will share with me."
Peter felt his heart sink, all the happiness that he had felt just minutes before seemed to evaporate. He couldn't even fathom the idea of him and Scott living in the same tiny apartment for at least two months. Especially since he was 98 percent sure that Scott heavily disliked him. Maybe he could avoid him for two months. But avoid him, how?
"Wow, that's just wow." Peter said slowly. He didn't know what else to say.
May looked at him. "Peter, honey was there something you wanted to tell me? You seemed excited when you got here"
"No, it's nothing." He said weakly. "Will you excuse me? I have a lot of homework that I have to get done."
Apparently, the hospital had given May some pretty strong drugs to deal with the pain in her arm because as soon as dinner was over she was heavily passed out in her bed and Peter had draped a blanket over her.
Peter exited the room and tried his best not to feel awkward even though he wasn't used to having guests over. He saw that Scott was carefully studying the row of family pictures. "Who are they, Peter?" he was pointing to the picture of Mary and Richard Parker.
"They are-were my parents," Peter said slowly. "They died when I was a child. After they died I came to live with Ben and May."
"Hmm," he said slowly. "Why didn't Ben and May have children of their own?"
"I don't know." He never really asked Ben, Ben and May always said that Peter was enough for both of them, even though Peter had often felt lonely as a child.
"Maybe they weren't planning on having children until you came along," Scott said cruelly. "It's rare that a couple only has their adopted nephew and no biological children don't you think?"
Peter shrugged. Ben and May had never made Peter feel unwelcomed, but now Peter wondered if Scott was right and if May and Ben had never planned on having children until Peter came along and ruined things. He remembered that May and Ben were always talking about traveling to Paris, but there never seemed to be any money there was always school clothes that needed to be bought and grocery items that never seemed to last in a house with a growing child.
"Peter, you might as well know that there are going to be some ground rules while I'm staying here," Scott said as he sat down in one of the chairs of the dining room table. "I know your aunt thinks you're this reliable, responsible person, but the fact is that you're still a teenager and I know how teenagers can be." Scott raised an eyebrow, "So while I'm staying here there will be no more sneaking in or out, homework needs to be completed before you go to sleep and before any entertainment, and you are only allowed to see your friends or that Tony Stark person on the weekends and you better have your own ride. Is that understood?"
Peter flushed pink in annoyance. Scott was treating him like some naughty three-year-old. He had no idea what Peter had gone through or what he was capable of.
Scott stood up and stood very close to Peter, he was only a few inches taller, but he made Peter feel very small. "I said is that clear?"
"Yes." He finally found his voice.
-End of Chapter Seven-
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