DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and no one from Spiderman. I am just a poor student who also happens to be a Spiderman fan. I make NO money from this. Please don't sue.

Chapter 5: The Gift

Aleksei leaned back against the wall, silently watching as the teen slept quietly on his back on the bed, his face relaxed, looking so young and innocent in his peaceful slumber. The man had to admit it was nice to see the boy actually get a restful sleep for once.

Quiet sounds of cooking floated into the bedroom from the kitchen as Felicia whipped something up, but Rhino just stayed there, leaning back against the wall, watching and waiting and trying to figure out what the hell he was going to do next. The boy couldn't stay here forever, but was he ready to go out into the world again yet? The Russian and Felicia had discussed it and had agreed there wasn't much more they could do for the kid in this little motel room, but still…

Rhino sighed to himself, rubbing his tried eyes. The only good thing to come out of this whole mess was the fact that Aleksei knew practically for certain the other criminals had not recognized the boy. He would have heard rumor of it by now. No they had been too fixated on his… other parts. Aleksei doubted the other criminals could even vaguely remember what the boy's face actually looked like. Really the brunet should thank his lucky stars that none of the others had been smart enough to take a picture. Even Ock had not done that, thinking he would be having many more long nights to play with the kid. Aleksei shivered at that thought. No one should be forced to be with that asshole. No one. Rhino wouldn't wish that on even his worse enemy. Hell a mercy killing would be better than that.

The brunet in the bed suddenly took a deep breath, shifting in his sleep to throw an arm haphazardly over his head with a content sigh. The blanket slid down the boy's body at the motion, baring fine, naked skin. Rhino shuddered mentally, trying to reign in impure thoughts. Even though the teen looked like a little kid in his sleep all you had to do was look at his lean, muscular body to know he was not.

The boy sighed softly again in his sleep, rubbing his cheek against the warmth of the pillows before quieting again.

Rhino stared; mesmerized by the way the brunet's chest slowly rose and fell in the dim light, the shadows dancing across his naked skin. The Russian just couldn't get over how beautiful the boy was. Such a tight, sensual body-

No. Aleksei shook his head, angry with himself. You are not allowed to think that way anymore. Not after what the boy's been through.

After a few more angry thoughts to himself, Rhino let his eyes drift back to the bed just in time to see the teen's body give a little shiver. Oh all that hot skin bared to the cold. If only he could warm the boy with a touch- No don't go there man!

Aleksei frowned, annoyed with himself and moved to twitch the blankets back over the boy's chest, tucking the kid back under the soft covers. The Russian leaned a hand against the bed, absentmindedly brushing a lock of the kid's brown hair off his forehead, caught up in the moment. The man didn't even notice it when Peter opened his eyes.

"Aleksei?"

Rhino started at the boy's voice, thinking the teen had still been asleep and glanced down only to be caught in the boy's gaze. That was the first time Aleksei had gotten a good look at the kid's eyes. Every time the man had been that close to the kid before it seemed those eyes had been simply brown and cloudy and swimming with tears but now… They were beautiful. Yes, they were brown, but they were every color of brown. Dark and light and… warm. Fleck of deep green and dark amber sprang up from within those mahogany depths as the man stared longer, but if he leaned in just a little closer and looked, actually looked, something far more glorious jumped out at him. Beautiful streaks of gold, pure brilliant gold, ran throughout the kid's brown eyes like a delicate spider webs of shining, spun honey. Before this Aleksei had never understood what people meant when they said they could drown in another's eyes. Now he did. Those impossibly beautiful eyes… How could they be real? They were simply mesmerizing. So beautiful… If eyes were really windows to the soul-

The boy blinked and suddenly the spell was broken. Rhino jerked back to find the kid looking up at him with a questioning eyebrow arched.

"Hey are you okay?"

"Uh yah," the Russian shook his head and rubbed his eyes as if he were trying to wake up from a dream. "Yah." Aleksei glanced down at the boy then blushed and quickly looked away again when he realized the boy was watching him closely with his brow furrowed in consideration.

The kid was silent for a few moments more then he sighed and looked down at the blankets. "You can still see me naked, can't you?" the boy said quietly, the question somehow made into a statement by his tone.

Aleksei winced at the brunet's words and looked back to the boy, his eyes filled with remorseful. "Malchik I-"

"I can see it in your eyes." Peter shivered, folding his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his chin on his knees, his eyes looking off into the distance. "Now I know how women feel when they say you are undressing them with your eyes."

Rhino sighed and sat by the boy on the bed making Peter glance up as he felt the weight of the Russian shift the mattress, but the teen quickly looked away again, avoiding eye contact.

Rhino sighed again. "Listen to me Malchik. I vill not lie. You have a beautiful body and you vere a really, really good lay, but," Rhino gently stroked a finger down the kid's cheek making the boy finally look up into his eyes. "I vill never touch you like zhat again Malchik. I promise. You don't have to vorry about me coming after you for zhat. I am sorry I vasn't able to resist you. Somehow, even zhough I know it is vrong, I still zhink I vas lucky to get zhe chance to know your heat and skin, but I give you my solemn vord now, I vill never force zhat upon you again. And I never kissed zhese lips," he said running a thumb over Peter's bottom lip as the boy just stared at him, listening to his every word. "So you vill still have your first."

Having said his bit Aleksei drew his hand back. His words were true. He was satisfied with the memories and did not want to hurt the teenager any more. He indulged himself one last time and bent down to kiss the kid's forehead. "Good luck Malchik," he said softly then he simply got up and left without another word, shutting the door behind him.

What the….? Peter stared after the man, his brow furrowed. What just happen? The boy was confused. And more to the point could he really trust the man?

"Don't worry Peter."

The brunet jumped at the voice and glanced over to find Felicia smiling at him from where she stood leaning against the kitchen doorway. "When Aleksei swears like that he keeps his word," the woman explained, gesturing vaguely with one hand. "He's kinda an old-school criminal like that."

Peter looked down at his hand in his lap, thinking. He absentmindedly fiddled with the blankets as he tried to sort out his thoughts. "Damn," he finally whispered.

"What?" Felicia asked, walking out of the kitchen with a tray of food.

"I think…" Peter looked up at her, his gaze clouded with confusion. "I think I almost like the guy… not that way Felicia!" he added when the woman grinned, mischievously.

She laughed, passing the tray with a steaming chicken pot pie and a couple fresh cinnamon rolls on it to him. "Here you must be hungry."

"I need to do something first," the boy said setting the tray on the bedside table and, throwing the blankets off, he scrambled out of the bed and to the door. He sensed somehow that Aleksei wasn't coming back and he couldn't just let the man go. Not like this.

"Aleksei wait!"

Rhino turned in the parking lot to see Peter wearing only sweatpants effortlessly vault over the railing of the motel's second floor and hop gracefully down to the ground. The elegance in the boy's every move was nearly breathtaking. Rhino shook his head clear as the memories of sweat and hot skin threatened to cloud his mind.

"Vhat are you doing Malchik?"

"This." Peter walked up and, throwing his arms around the man's neck, pulled him into a deep kiss.

Aleksei tensed, startled, then melted against those soft lips gently holding the boy to him. Finally Peter had to break for air and the man let him step away.

"Malchik vhat-?" Rhino panted, his face flushed with arousal.

Peter looked down, blushing and shifting from foot to foot nervously. "I wanted to thank you and that was all I had give right now."

"Zhat…" Aleksei swallowed hard, still trying to get his breath back from the passionate kiss. "Zhat vas definitely not your first."

Peter's face spit into a smile and he laughed, making the Russian blush even deeper at the boy's glorious expression. "No you silly big man," the brunet chuckled, his eyes shining with mirth, completely oblivious to his effect on the man. "I gave my first away years ago." Peter clasped the man's shoulders, smiling up at him. "Aleksei I needed to thank you. I won't forget how you saved me. Take care. I hope our paths do not have to cross again while we are 'working.'"

Aleksei nodded dumbly and watched as the boy walked back up to the room where Felicia was waiting and disappear from sight before sagging against a car. Wow. Wow the boy was indescribably. He knew the kid wasn't gay and there was no was the boy liked him like that but wow. Something about the shy, innocent teen was 100 time hotter than the sexy, slut boy of his dreams. How in the world did a kid get like that? And it wasn't just the kiss, but the way he laughed and… and the way he had built himself back up after being torn to pieces. It just wasn't natural, but damn it was hot. Oh god, Aleksei realized. I think I've fallen for him. Heavens above I've fallen for him. The man rubbed his eyes with a sigh. This couldn't be. It was wrong. So wrong it just couldn't. Lord what a mess.

/\/\/\/\/\

Peter shut the door of the motel room behind him and leaned back with a sigh only to find Felicia sitting on the bed, smiling like that cat that had gotten the canary. "Well aren't you a tease?"

Peter blushed and looked at the floor, embarrassed. "Oh shut up," he said, but without any heat.

"Do I get a kiss too?" the woman teased, smiling playfully and rubbing her lips with a finger.

"You're just a brat you know that?" Peter snapped, but he was smiling as his cheeks reddened a little further as he looked shyly up at the beautiful woman through his eyelashes.

She chuckled then hopped off the bed. "Eat Peter. I know you must be hungry after sleeping so long." she said, motioning to the food beside the bed before wondering back into the kitchen.

Peter shook his head with a small smile as he watched her walk away. His gaze drifted down to her butt for a second before he realized what he was doing and he stiffened and turned sharply away, his cheeks heating with embarrassment again. Stupid hormones, he grumbled, sitting on the bed again and pulling the tray of food roughly into his lap. It was her own damn fault for teasing me.

Felicia waited until Peter had eaten and she was cleaning up the dishes before she brought up the main topic that had been on her mind for awhile now. "Hey honey," she said drying her hands off with a dish towel as she leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, looking at him. At her words the boy glanced up from where he lay in bed, reading a book. "I think it may be time we get you home."

"Oh uh… " Peter blinked surprised. He had gotten used to just being around Rhino and Black Cat. He hadn't thought about what would have to happen next. "But I…" he glanced up at her, the look in his eyes so lost. "I don't know if I can. How can I face others knowing I... I..." he broke off, shaking his head, unable to say any more.

"Peter you can't hide from the world forever," Felicia said, sliding in to sit next to the teen, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulder and resting her cheek against his soft brown hair. "It'll be okay, you know?"

"Yah…" Peter nodded after a moment. "Yah your right." He took a deep breath, settling his nerves then looked up at the woman. "Okay let's do this... and hurry before I change my mind."

TBC…

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up everyone. I started another fic and it has been going so well (and getting so many wonderful reviews) that I have kinda been focusing on it a little more then this one. But I'm not quitting on this one either. I know this is kinda a short chapter, but I hope you like. Please I would love some reviews.

A special thank you to CallmeBaby'08, SmileyDJingles for the reviews. I loved hearing from you both!