Hey friends, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, but now here's a new chapter for you. I hope you'll like it. Let's see how Peter's doing!
Thanks again for the favorites, follows and reviews, I love you guys!
Disclaimer: no, I don't own Marvel. I wish.
Back in Mr. Stark's guest room Peter changes back into his suit and neatly folds the borrowed clothes, placing them on the bed. Oh, that bed! He gives it a longing look. He wishes he could take it with him. Last night he slept like a baby. He hasn't slept that well for a very long time. Probably since May died. But why was last night different? Probably because he was so exhausted.
Anyway, it's time to get back to his real life now. The sooner the better. He just needs to thank Mr. Stark once again. It's been very kind of him to let Peter crash here for the night. And then the nice breakfast… So thanking Mr. Stark and then back to Queens. The man was right, he can't go to school today, but his shift at the store is waiting for him. It'll be a nice distraction after the events of the last few hours.
He examines the injuries on his hands. The cuts have faded into barely visible scars, just a few more hours and they'll be gone for good. The last reminders of last night's events. Mr. Stark said Hal Wentworth had given himself up, which is good. Spiderman has served justice once again. Problem is Peter's pain is here to stay. He hopes with time it'll also fade just like his physical scars. It won't disappear entirely, no but it might get easier. Hopefully, memories of May – and Ben, oh, Uncle Ben – won't bring tears into his eyes every single time. He just needs to be patient and he'll get there one day.
He walks to the door and before opening it, he turns around to take one last look at the room. It's been so nice to let someone take care of him for once. And it would be even better to extend his stay for a few more days like Mr. Stark offered. But what good would that do? Would it be easier to leave in a few days than now?
It would so great though, if… no, he can't go there. Mr. Stark said only a few days and that's it. And Peter absolutely understands the man. Mr. Stark's busy. He's a successful businessman, inventor and Avenger. Peter once read in a magazine that Mr. Stark hardly ever sleeps. Probably because he has so much to do that he just doesn't have time to sleep. How could Peter expect him to have time for a kid?
Like really? For a kid? Peter doesn't know Mr. Stark that much but he can't imagine him being a family person, someone who would appreciate a kid running around at the Tower even for a few days.
Last night was an extraordinary situation and – to Peter's embarrassment – Mr. Stark witnessed his emotional breakdown so he must have taken pity on him and that's the reason why the man brought him here to the Tower and offered him to stay a bit. Mr. Stark is really nice and helpful, but Peter can't take advantage of a simple, polite gesture. He would be only an inconvenience in the man's life and he really doesn't want that. Mr. Stark doesn't deserve that after helping him so much.
And again: it won't be any easier to leave a bit later than now. Damn, it's so not easy to leave! He shouldn't have accepted the offer and should have gone back to Queens right away last night. He wouldn't miss this comfy bed then and wouldn't have any memory of someone making him breakfast. Something that May did before.
Peter swallows back some tears. He forces himself to leave the room. It's not his home. And superheroes don't cry. At least, not at Mr. Stark's Tower. Maybe back in their shitty warehouse but definitely not here.
Once again, Mr. Stark walks with him up to the rooftop, so that Peter can swing back into his own reality. Mr. Stark asks a few times if he has changed his mind about staying, but Peter manages to remain strong and doesn't give in. Not even when the man says they could order pizza and work together on Peter's suit. That stuns him for a moment. When Mr. Stark proposed staying, Peter thought the man would mind his own business and wouldn't spend much time with him. But here he is now, suggesting working together and pizza.
Which sounds awesome. Peter suddenly remembers his old dream: working with Mr. Stark. This dream could actually come true!
But a voice in the back of his mind immediately reminds him: only for a few days. Why would it be a good idea to collect some more fond memories before having to leave anyway?
So Peter sticks to his position and after promising Mr. Stark again to drop in if he needs help or there's some kind of problem with the suit, he leaves. He can see a sad smile on Mr. Stark's face before he leaps off the ledge and he guesses the man also knows he won't return. But it's better this way for Mr. Stark, too. It would be really awkward for him if Peter stayed. When the few days are up and he needs to send back Peter to Queens… that would be a very uncomfortable conversation.
Yeah, it's better this way for both of them.
The next morning Peter goes to school and tries to convince himself his life is back to normal. Sleeping on his old mattress and eating expired food for breakfast have been normal to him for months. This is his life, not spending the night in a real bed and eating freshly made waffles. That was a one-time experience while the warehouse and crappy granola bars are his reality. He should be really used to it by now. Missing something that he can never have is weakness.
He drags himself to his locker when someone pats him on the shoulder. He turns around to see Ned grinning at him and they greet each other with their signature handshake.
"Hey man, good to see you. So Maya feels better?" Ned asks.
"Well, she's still sick. But Aunt Julia could stay home with her today."
Peter mentally pats himself on the shoulder for giving the right answer this time. Truth is he was practicing it all along his walk to school. He didn't want to make a mistake again regarding his cover story. And this time the cover story is that Julia's daughter, Maya had the flu and Julia couldn't stay home with her because of work. So she asked Peter to stay with her and that's the reason why he missed school yesterday.
"It's crazy that one of you guys always has the flu, dude. I mean first Maya, then you and then her again," Ned complains.
Peter's face immediately turns red. Ned is right. Flu has been his excuse way too often. First, he told about the made-up girl's flu to Ned and his mom. Then Mr. Stark came up with the same story to explain Peter's absence from school when he was shot. And now they have picked flu again to reason his no show yesterday. Peter is in serious need of new cover stories.
"What can I say?" he laughs nervously. "We have weak immune system."
Lame, oh, it's so lame! Plus, Peter's immune system has been exactly the opposite of weak since the bite. Not that Ned would know about that.
His friend just shrugs and starts talking about a new Star Wars Lego that he has just received from his grandmother as some kind of very late Christmas gift and he suggests that they should work on it together after school. Peter doesn't have a shift at the store today and he gladly accepts the invitation. It'll be a nice distraction, some quality time with his best friend. He just needs to be extra careful not to let anything slip about his fake family, Spiderman or Mr. Stark. Gosh, he might have a little too many secrets to keep!
At Chemistry, Peter is busy with making as much web fluid as possible. At any other time he might feel sad that he's almost invisible to the other kids – except for Ned and MJ, of course – but right now this gives him a perfect opportunity to work in peace. Over his shoulder, he sometimes glances back at Flash Thompson, who is always ready to tease Peter practically about anything but fortunately Flash isn't paying him any attention now. He's just absentmindedly scrolling on his phone instead of focusing on the experiment in front of him on the desk.
When Peter discreetly places the newly produced web fluid into his backpack, his spider sense suddenly goes wild and he turns back to Flash on instinct. The boy jumps and nearly drops his phone, staring at the device in his hands with wide eyes. "What the f-?"
"Mr. Thompson, do I really need to remind you not to use your phone during class?" the teacher sighs uninterested.
"But… there's a huge… what is this… a monster… like a gorilla… a beast… running loose and destroying everything in its way… and it's right here!" Flash yells, unable to look away from his phone. "It's all over the Internet! We're so gonna die!"
The teacher tries to respond, but his voice gets lost in the chaos that suddenly erupts in the classroom. Every kid pulls out their phone and eagerly checks the news and social media. Terrified voices fill the air.
"What the hell is this?"
"It threw a car into a house!"
"This freak is going to kill us!"
"It's bigger than the Hulk! And stronger!"
"Look, it smashed that truck!"
"Did is escape from some kind of crazy zoo?"
"Why is it so angry?"
"It's coming this way!"
"Why aren't the Avengers coming?"
"Calm down, kids, everything's alright, no need to panic!" the teacher tries to talk over the scared voices.
In that very moment, there's a loud crash outside the building. As they all turn to the windows, they can see the monster picking up and throwing away cars in the parking lot like a child playing with pebbles on the beach. Like a furious, roaring child.
The kids start screaming in fear.
"Under the desks! Now!" the teacher orders and the kids obey terrified.
"What is this?" Peter asks, curiously peeking out from under a desk where he is hiding with Ned.
His friend grabs his hoodie and pulls him back scared. "Peter, don't! We have to stay here."
Peter weighs his options. He should sneak out of the classroom and confront this giant as Spiderman. Probably asking the teacher to let him out to the bathroom is not a good idea now. While he's impatiently thinking about believable excuses to leave the room in this crazy situation, he glances over at Ned who is anxiously checking the news on his phone.
"It really looks like a gorilla but it's bigger," Ned explains, noticing his friend's eyes on him. "They suspect it might a lab experiment from Oscorp going rogue. It showed up on the streets only a few minutes ago but has already smashed tons of buildings and vehicles. They tried to put him down, but no gun or tranquilizer has been effective so far. Like it's bulletproof or something."
"So we have a really angry and strong King Kong out there."
"Yeah. I hope the Avengers arrive soon. Before, you know, it breaks into the school," Ned mutters horrified.
Peter stares at the door. It's so close, but he doubts he could get out unnoticed, even though everyone's eyes are glued to the windows. They can still hear loud bangs and crashes from the lot. Suddenly, there's a school bus in the air and the kids scream in shock.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Peter whispers to Ned.
His friend's eyes go even wider than before. "What?!"
"Yeah, I need to go to the bathroom. Like now," Peter explains.
"I don't think it's safe, dude," Ned protests.
"I know but I have to," Peter claims and puts a hand over his mouth for more effect.
Ned doesn't say anything; he's just staring at Peter in fear while he's slowly crawling toward the door. When he reaches it, he looks back. There's only Ned watching him, obviously still in shock. Everyone else is looking at the windows. Peter sneaks out unnoticed.
The whole building is unusually quiet. Probably every classroom looks the same as the one that he has just left: frightened kids trembling under the desks, helplessly waiting for someone to save them.
Well, Peter's ready to turn into Spiderman. He just needs his suit and his freshly made web fluid. Yeah, this gorilla-like monster might be strong and tough and slightly bigger than the average muggers and bank robbers he usually fights, but he can't wait for the Avengers to come to their rescue. He can't sit still and wait for them with the other kids. He just can't.
Please let me know what you think, your feedback is very important to me. I have a very clear idea of the next few chapters, but please feel free to share your theories. And let me know if you want me to confirm or deny them :)
Thank you for reading!