Monday / April - 13 - 2015
6:00 AM
*RING - RING*
*Ugh* Peter groaned with annoyance as he looked over to his nightstand to see his clock already announcing the morning - without knowing that its owner spent the whole night awake with thousands of less-than-pleasant thoughts running around his head.
Just like he spent his nights before donning the mask again.
Yesterday he went to the graveyard - where the Connors' family was buried - to speak some final words to the family that had forever changed his life since the incident. And he did so to perhaps see if he could muster the courage to pretend that everything is 'back to normal'… at least on the outside.
A selfish notion? Well… Peter is a selfish man in his own twisted way.
So that day was supposed to be a bounce back to what his life was. Instead, Peter got hit with an ice-cold bucket of water that is called 'the crazy truth'. Where he was told by a mystical woman that he HAD a fate and due to that very same fate, he no longer has one because he is free from it.
It was a lot for Peter. It still is.
Things like the multiverse or the butterfly effect… Peter loves those things as a theoretical concept much like any scientific head would. But to be directly involved with them after finding out they are as real as he is? It's really… It's many things. Many heart wrenching and nauseating things.
Stressful is one of them.
And his stress only increases whenever he thinks of how much he actually likes the idea of having real choices. He doesn't 'love' anything of what he learned! He just… between being told that he has no choice whatsoever in everything that has happened in his life, to being told that he is the one that has made all of his choices and will continue to do so… he much rather have the latter as his reality.
It ties very much with everything that has happened to him, what he's done and what he lives with - simply because he doesn't want an easy way out of his grief or an excuse to his decisions.
If everyone else has to live with their consequences, the uncertainty of the future and the weight of the ones they have lost along the way; without knowing what 'fate' has for them, why should Peter be any different?
That's not fair to him or to anyone else.
Like May… Peter has now found that his uncle's passing was 'meant to be'… he doesn't want to know that. It's something so messed up that kept him up at night with the denial in his heart while consciously knowing he can't really deny it because of his bond with Madame Web.
But why should May suffer because of it while Peter knows that it was fated? Knowing that still makes the boy suffer about his uncle's end, but in a totally different way.
Now… he could also tell the truth of what he has learned; tell Aunt May that Ben's passing was fated and what not…
Why the hell would he do that?
Peter found all that wrong and simply disgusting when he listened to it. Why would he say anything related to that to his aunt? And he doesn't have powers like Madame Web, so how is he supposed to convince her that he is not crazy and that it's all in fact the truth?
For that, Peter would have to reveal everything about himself, who he is and all that he's done. Something that he simply won't do.
Because he is free to make that choice.
And so, he - once again - will keep everything he learned closed off to himself. And he will act as though nothing happened that Sunday morning. He won't need to deal with it until his birthday anyway, so he'll just act as he usually does.
And it might be hard… but honestly, what is one more secret to him?
*Sigh* So with that thought on his head, Peter stood up from his bed and headed over to his bathroom to take his morning shower. Once enough time passes for the cold water to turn hot enough, he steps in and immediately groans out loud in comfort.
The warm water hitting against his colder-than regular human body always brings him a sense of comfort he can't really describe, causing him to always groan out loud without really having control over it.
It feels as though he is being gently hugged by someone. The warmth it brings to his unusually cold body is just so… comfortingly nice to him; reminding him of a time where his body wasn't what it is now - a time where he had all he needed and didn't even know it.
Now he has changed, and he has learned to love that change… but it's always so complicated. He loves his powers, he loves being Spider-Man as much as he loves being Peter, but it comes with too much baggage behind it.
Cosmic revelations, guilt over his actions, responsibilities and burdens, the shameful feeling of enjoying a fight…
In the warmth of the water running down his body, Peter can forget all about that and just be in the moment. Though Peter has to admit… it felt even better when he was wrapped around Emma's body while she was warped along his.
The shower is nice and all, but it has no comparison to the heat provided by another body.
… a warm, soft, perfectly scented and built body belonging to someone so beautiful that he just can't resist…
'… what the hell am I thinking?' Peter scolds himself as his thoughts start deviating to his girlfriend, almost feeling as if she had truly cast a spell over him. Thing he knows she didn't do given how much he trusts her, and now the fact that even Madam Web assured him that no one has tampered with his mind.
It's just simply amazing to Peter how she has him wrapped around her finger.
Once he finished his relatively long and quiet bath, he wore his boxers and went to his room to change into his clothes. But something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, so he stopped whatever he was going to grab out of his closet and turned to his full-length mirror to see himself.
Walking over to it to stand closer, Peter stood tall in front of the mirror and looked at himself very carefully and meticulously.
More specifically, he looked at all the purple-ish scars painting his body. From his feet, to his legs, stomach, chest, arms, shoulders, back, sides and hands; Peter is full of scars all over his body - except for his neck and face.
And they are all without any type of texture - and they are all invisible to everyone but to himself.
It was something curious he noticed after he got his first nasty wound from a cop's bullet he barely managed to dodge, causing it to grace his forearm, just around his two month mark. The wound was probably the worst he had ever suffered so far, but it had healed quickly enough during the weekend.
There was however a purple-ish scar left.
And he was sure that his friends, mainly MJ and Gwen, would freak out once they saw it. But they didn't. They had always freaked out or at least questioned him whenever they spotted a bruise or saw him limp slightly, but they said nothing at the scar.
Taking a picture of it after getting home, Peter noticed that the scar was not visible to the human eye or cameras for that matter. His regenerative factor made it so the new skin matched his skin tone almost to a tee, just with the slightest hint of purple to give them away - a shade darker than his somewhat pale skin.
And apparently, only he could see it with his superior eyesight.
He has tested it various times over this past year in front of many people. From walking shirtless in front of May from his room to the laundry room, to wear sleeveless shirts occasionally in class. And most recently, his night with Emma.
If she was able to see the scars, she would've surely made a comment about them. At least the teeth marks on his forearm, the slash on his belly or the stabbing wound on his shoulder after fighting The Vulture for the first time.
But she saw none of that. This seems to be a secret Peter does not have the need to actively make an effort to keep under wraps.
Just another secret that forever ties him to Spider-Man.
Freedom and choice… he was presented this by Madame Web yesterday, and that made him think all night long that he was indeed meant to be Spider-Man, however, he was also in his 'right' to quit agter what happened.
But he also had the power to choose to wear the mask again. And that is the choice he solidified in his very soul just moments before his talk with Madame Web. A choice that he won't change for Connors' or Madame Web or anyone.
And these scars… each one of them is a life Peter saved, a fight he won, a story of a boy that became something more than what he was born as - becoming what he was fated to be and still chose to continue being so after he was free from his 'fated path'.
These purple looking scars are not 'Peter's' or 'Spider-Man's' - they are simply 'his'.
And he appreciates them immensely as something deeply precious to him - because he has earned them all with literal tears, sweat and blood. Which is why he traces many of them slowly, gently and carefully with the hem of the fingers in his right hand as he recalls how he got each one of them.
Fires, bullets, lighting, bites, stabs - Peter remembers each and every one of them, and he knows that he will accumulate many more as his years go by.
Because that's his fate. Because that's his choice.
And with that thought, Peter stops looking and treading his various scars to raise his gaze from his body and he focuses on his eyes instead. First the right one, then the left one; he studied them as he steps forward, just a few mere inches from the mirror.
Brown.
His eyes are a gentle, but still strong, reddish-brown color that lights up brightly with whatever light happens to meet them. A brown color that has been praised many times by his friends and family alike. Who, unlike him, all have different and bright colors in their eyes.
Brown is the most common eye color in the world, but amongst those closest to him, he is the only one that possesses them.
Peter's aunt and uncle, May and Ben, have and had blue eyes that Peter often related to the open sea. A strong and deep color that Peter would always notice when talking to them.
Similarly, Gwen and her family all have blue eyes, though a lighter shade than the Parker's. Their eyes however are not as light as Emma's, who has a strong pair of icy blue eyes that somehow manage to look intimidatingly cool.
A very big contrast with Chat's hazel eyes, who are green but with just enough brown on the inside to make her look as if she had a forest in her eyes.
But the green of her eyes is very dark when compared to the literal emeralds that Mary Jane has, which shine brightly and beautifully even with no lights on. Eyes that match her fiery red hair in an almost heavenly way.
A deep contrast with Harry's dark green eyes, who don't shine unless they are directly exposed to light, that match Harry's equally dark red hair. An exact copy of his father, Norman.
But not Peter. He is the only one among them that has his eyes be globally common, which in turn makes him uncommon amongst the rest of his closest circle.
Even Peter's dad's eyes were a bluish tone of green according to Ben. And according to everyone that has ever met Peter's dad, Richard, Peter is an exact copy of him.
His little clone... Peter, can remember some people calling him that jokingly before he moved into his uncle's and aunt's home. And it's something he himself can see from every picture and album Ben has of their shared childhood - even if Ben is considerably older than Richard.
Whenever Peter looks at those photos, he can easily see himself with different clothes, hairstyle and even a slightly changed smile. But his resemblance is almost uncanny in almost every aspect.
In all except for his eyes.
Those brown orbs that rest behind big, but still somewhat sharp, eyelids, with larger than usual lashes that curb up and down neatly are a gift from his mom. The only proof Peter has that he is indeed related to her.
He didn't inherit her hair, her cheekbones, her more slender figure, height, face structure or nothing. Just her beautiful eyes.
And because of it, this pair of brown orbs are his favorite part of himself.
Beyond the muscles, height, powers and other things that he gained with the spider bite; beyond his hair, his jaw, his nose and every trait that he got thanks to his dad, Peter Parker loves his eyes above everything else.
Because they are his mom's.
Peter touches his right cheekbone with the index finger of his left hand, just below his lower eyelid, and presses downwards to be able to see his eye more clearly.
"…Cognac" Peter murmurs to himself in a breathy whisper as he remembers all the times that out of everyone, Ben always mentioned how his eyes are the same color as the drink, which his brother Richard would always brag about Mary.
Peter's dad was said to love the cognac color of her eyes amongst many, many of her qualities.
His mom… Mary Fitzpatrick-Parker… would that woman be heartbroken to know that Peter's first thought when hearing the word 'mom' is forever going to be May? That Peter considers one of them more of a mother than the other? …would she be happy about it?
Peter wants to believe that last thing to be true, but he simply can't know. And he can't know because he doesn't remember her personality - what made her happy, sad, angry, or whatever. And of course he has plenty of stories from Ben and May, but Peter is fully aware that stories simply can't match the reality that he could have gotten as her child.
He knows her so little that he… he can't even remember her voice anymore.
He used to… he thinks…
He remembers what she looks like, it's not hard thanks to all the pictures he has of his two parents, together and alone, but there are not any videos of her actually speaking or any type of recording of her voice.
And he remembers things she told him, like how much she loved him, how she loved his little feet and chubby little cheeks, how she asked him to be good while she was away… during her final farewell.
He remembers her saying those things, but her actual voice? That's forever lost to him; possibly hidden somewhere deep in his memories never to return. And he would never ask Emma to dig inside his mind to try and find her.
Both because he doesn't want anyone digging around his mind, and because it simply feels wrong to have her do that. And as heartbreaking as it was for Peter to realize he doesn't remember her voice, he will always have her eyes looking over him.
And even though Peter thinks more of May as his mom, he still loves his biological mother so… and despite not doing so for a long while, Peter misses his parents very much.
His mom… his dad… what would they say if they could talk to him? If they are indeed looking over him and are seeing what he is becoming, what advice would they give him about everything he learned?
Would they tell him not to be sad that they passed away because that's how things were supposed to go according to 'fate'? Would they be proud of him because he still chose being Spider-Man so as to help prevent what happened to him happening to another kid?
To go out at night and prevent parents from not returning home? Even if it's meant to be? Like it happened with him twice… one of which was supposedly his fault, and now it turns out is not entirely true, but it still kinda is since he was 'free' since he was bitten?
Does that mean he could have saved Ben? Does that mean he has been feeling the right amount of pain and guilt all this time because it still happened due to him and his actions? Should he feel more guilt? Less?
It's all too stressful to think about…
*Heh…* Peter then tore his head away from his eyes while releasing his cheek and taking a step back to look at the clock once again, which caused him to huff with fake entertainment at the hour.
It's getting late for him to go on his yearly school field trip.
And Peter was able to get out of his mind and breathe heavily and deeply as his head turned upwards, physically feeling how he was brought to the 'real world'.
It's the mundane aspect of 'Peter Parker' that always manages to ground him like nothing else does. Whenever he starts thinking too hard about all the craziness of his life, he is reminded that he has school in a few minutes, that he still has to do the dishes, that he has to buy another pair of shoes because he forgot his on a rooftop who knows where.
That despite him being involved in so much and so heavy and serious matters, he is still just a fifteen year old with friends and family that see him as such.
And he still wants to be as such.
He chose to keep being 'Spider-Man', but that doesn't mean he will stop being 'Peter Parker'. And it's small burdens like these that he feels keep him being who he is.
Just a simple kid from Queens that is taking a bit too much time to go downstairs and have breakfast.
"All right, Pete" he says out loud for himself as he shakes his head to erase the seriousness of his face and replace it with a gentle, easy and very fake smile that no one can see through "let's get this day started".
And he does by putting on his suit first as he had already planned to before Sunday, to then hide it underneath a long sleeved dark-tanned shirt that goes underneath a black T-shirt and regular blue jeans that May had left for him for his field trip after she so graciously did the laundry on Friday night - even after Peter had offered himself to do it.
Turning on the radio he built out of scrap to intercept police comms, he simply sighs as he hears two officers discuss yet another robbery that ended with two fatalities.
'That… god damned group of robbers' Peter thinks with stress as he recalls every crime scene with this exact pattern. Technology and equipment inexplicably robbed with bodies left behind…
It adds to his stress, but he will eventually stop them - no point in dwelling to deeply into it right now because he'll just get stuck in his head. Right now he needs to get breakfast so he can leave for school.
Walking down the stairs with his backpack now on his back, Peter is met with the warm embrace of May's home made coffee and her melodious voice humming a tune he has heard plenty of times before coming from her.
He allows himself to falter just for a little bit in his smile as he braces himself to greet her. Today is no different than any other day, is it? It shouldn't be.
"Good morning" Peter says in a chipper voice as he walks into the kitchen, prompting May to turn around with a big knowing smile on her face.
"Good morning to you" May answers while turning around to the frying pan again with the cooking oil bottle in her hand "Someone seems excited for his field trip".
"Sure am!" Peter replies easily while reaching her to deliver a quick kiss on her cheek that she receives gratefully.
"I'm glad to hear that! Though I was worried you might've still been asleep and you would miss breakfast. Again" May says as she gives Peter a side eye but with a little teasing smirk.
"Me? Late? You must have confused me with another Peter" Peter dismisses with a wave of his hand as he looks away in slight shame, causing May to giggle softly.
"Sure, sure. Now take a seat and wait for me to finish up" May commands gently as she turns the stove on while Peter does as instructed, only for her to turn around to look at him with an almost sheepish smile "… that speaking of, I haven't even started; what do you want?"
"Oh, it's no problem" Peter says as he looks around May to see that has indeed done nothing but coffee "I can just hold on until I come back and-".
"Peter, you have a field trip and you're going to be walking in that museum for who knows how long" May shoots down Peter's refusal with a raised eyebrow "you're eating breakfast".
"Yes ma'am" Peter quips, somewhat embarrassed but really grateful nonetheless. It's always a treat for him to have May preparing something for him even when she really doesn't need to.
"Good" May nods with a satisfied smile as she turns around to grab a chopping board for her own breakfast "so what'll it be? You don't have much time left, so I can make you some french toast, or you can have some cereal if you'd prefer".
"Hmm, I think that in that case I prefer… I… I prefer… I ch-choose…" Peter started saying casually as he looked at the top of the fridge to the cereal boxes, to then look at May's left, where the bread stands still.
Toast or cereal.
A choice.
The very first choice he will make since learning everything.
And of course Peter has been making small choices since he woke up - and even yesterday after leaving the cemetery; what to do first, shower or wash his teeth? Which sock to put in first? Which shoe? Even what feet he will move first as he walks and down the first step in the ladder.
But those were all unconscious choices that would have no impact whatsoever since he was always going to do that. He would always wash his teeth and have a shower, put on his socks and shoes and walk down the stairs.
But this is the real first time he is conscious about making a 'choice' out of his own free will; no fate or destiny involved.
What does that mean? What are the ramifications of his choice?
Would he create a perfect utopia for humanity if he chooses the cereal? Would the world end because he chose to eat toast? Is he going crazy?… That sounds like the most probable answer.
Madame Web had explicitly said that nothing would happen if he chooses one thing over the other during breakfast, and she suggested heavily that he should live his life as he has been doing so far.
But this is his first real choice.
And that's too much. His head throbs, his heart pounds heavily and he feels like he wants to go back in time to yesterday and ask as many questions as he wants about everything, but he has to wait until his birthday and he doesn't want to.
He tries - he is trying as hard as he can to just live his life as he usually does, but it's hard.
Is… is he going to screw up now? Is he gonna start with his 'left feet'? Is he genuinely going crazy over what to have for breakfast?
…is he not breathing right now?
"Peter?" May asks after Peter stumbled on his words, and looks back at him to find him squinting his eyes; looking critically at the box cereal, as well as shifting his eyes to the bread bag, while resting his left elbow on the desk with his hand covering both his chin and mouth.
May sees Peter thinking about this choice very thoroughly, which is somewhat weird since it is not that deep of a choice; unaware of course of Peter's little existential crisis.
"Peter, you have to choose one already" May says as she turns back to the frying pan to make her own breakfast by breaking two eggs "you're going to be late otherwise".
'I have to breathe…' Peter argues inside his head as he tries his hardest to breathe inside a little pocket he made between his hand and nose; feeling as he does the inhaling movement with his chest, throat and nose but no air comes in.
'I need to breathe. I need to breathe. I need to…' Peter repeats in his head again and again as his effort doubles, knowing that it won't be long before his eyes redden and his spasms become worse, which would alert May as to what is happening.
He managed to make it seem like he was simply considering his options, but he won't last very long like this. He can keep his breathing for more than ten minutes, but it would become obvious to May that something is really wrong.
And nothing is supposed to be wrong, he can't let himself show that. Not now, not in front of her.
Not ever.
He needs to make a simple choice. The first one.
'And I need to breathe! Come on, Peter, BREATHE. BREATHE. BREA-' Peter started shouting in his head as his heart pounded even more heavily and he could no longer focus properly on either food, which now looked like blurred formless objects in his eyes.
When he was again brought back from his thoughts thanks to May, which started turning to see and question him again. He needs to do something now! "Peter, darling, I'm serious. You need-".
"Why don't you choose for me?" Peter interrupted her this time, with an easy smile on his face and his cheek resting almost lazily on his fist from the hand he was hiding his face in. Acting perfectly as if he did not care about what to choose in the slightest - acting as though he was not just choking on nothing and those words were not the last breath he had.
"Me? How so?" May asks with an intriguing tone.
"I really can't make my mind" Peter explains calmly, only to add with a happy voice "plus, I know that whatever you choose will be better than whatever I would".
"Well, this is a first you ask of me" May says with a happy tone at the last little praise "you've always seemed so secure of what to have".
"Really? Huh, I've never noticed it" Peter hums with interest as he relaxes his back on the chair and looks up in contemplation, realizing how true of a statement that is.
Unless May makes something big for the family - like whenever she makes wheatcakes - Peter would answer with security what he wants without anyone's help or opinion.
Usually, if May is cooking, he will choose whatever is easiest for her with the ingredients he knows they have home. If they have takeout, Peter will always choose something cheap that he knows May loves as well. And in situations like these, he will choose either without much care since it's the same for him.
After all these years, Peter has never asked anyone else to choose anything for him unless he is with more people - like on a date with Emma or hanging out with his friends, where he will simply say 'whatever is fine my be' if asked only one time.
Perhaps because he likes being in control of himself? Likes being the master of his life? Could this stem from the fact that he had no choice but move in with Ben and May after his parents?
…no. No, no, no. He won't be thinking about his parents right now, he is having what is most likely a pleasant, small and casual conversation with May. He won't get stuck in his head again. He still has school where all his friends are after all, he needs to get his act together right now.
And as for his first choice… he chooses to leave it to May. A show of the eternal gratitude Peter feels for her in the form of a big present for her that came out of nowhere from him and she has no idea about.
It makes sense though, doesn't it? A mother often makes small decisions for their child after all.
"Well, if it's up to me… hmm…" May hums as she looks around, thinking of what would be best for Peter. Until her gaze fell into the frying pan just before her "Oh, I'm actually trying this old omelette recipe with mushroom and avocado! If my memory serves me well, it is good as it is healthy".
"Mushroom and avocado? Sounds fancy" Peter hums out loud with interest, giving how they are usually kinda expensive foods for them to have as breakfast giving their budgets.
"I know!" May replies excitedly "I have enough for another one, so do you want this one? I can also mix in some ham".
"You know what, May" Peter breathes out with satisfaction, no longer worried about the 'choice' or the ramifications that it may have. He trusts May above everyone and everything, and with that smile on her face? How could Peter be worried about her choice being 'the wrong one'? "that sounds amazing".
"Coming right up!" May exclaims excitedly as she begins throwing the ingredients into the pan, with a quiet Peter looking at her do something for him with such a radiant atmosphere around her.
Something so simple as her cooking for him speaks volumes of how much she loves him. And as it happens most times, Peter realized how much this amazing woman means to him.
And if she can go through her day without worrying about 'fate', then so can he.
Once again, May shows Peter what 'strength' is like, without her even realizing it.
….
"So, how was it?" May asks as Peter stands up with his plate clean while she remains seated with her own untouched one. Peter wanted to wait for her to eat together, but due to the hour, May urged Peter to hurry up.
"Delicious as always!" Peter said as he quickly washed his plate with a beaming smile "you really work magic with your hands, Aunt May! And I'm sure there's plenty of people out there that would pay to have a breakfast like this".
"Oh, you flatterer" May dismissed with a small fond roll of eyes that matches the entertained expression of her face - this not being the first time Peter praises her cooking and recipes.
"It's not flattery if it's real~" Peter says with a singly voice while grabbing his backpack and nearing the door.
"Oh, Peter, before you go, remember that I will stay until late today at the new FEAST center that just opened up near Times Square" May says while staying seated, but looking at Peter instead of her plate.
"That place sure is big, huh" Peter hummed as he recalled visiting the place when it had its grand opening ceremony with his aunt, who was personally thanked by the owner of FEAST.
"It is, which is why I'm staying until late" May repeated with a small apologetic smile "I won't have the chance to make dinner or-".
"Bah, don't worry about it!" Peter dismissed with a wave of his hand in a very theatrical manner "I'll just grab food from Delmar's or something. I still have money on me, so don't worry about that either".
"…are you sure you'll be okay?" May asks with some hesitation.
"Of course!" Peter reassures her with a confident smile "you know I can handle myself swimmingly until you come back! I finished all the chores the other day too", so don't worry about anything!"
May smiled with gratitude and pride at Peter at how seemingly unbothered he is to be without her tending to his needs. Although that smile is not free of the tiniest hint of sadness that Peter is unable to perceive.
Because what kind of fifteen year old can so easily accept coming back home to no one? Expecting no one to do anything for him? How can her fifteen year old boy feel so independent from her?
Does that mean that he doesn't need her?
May is completely sure that Peter would know what to do if she would ever miss, and the thought makes her feel extremely proud of him… but then again, it only makes her feel somewhat inadequate as a mother yet again.
Did she truly raise him to be so independent?
The thought is both positive and negative, which makes her feel even more the urge to leave for work, where she can feel helpful.
As helpful as she wishes she could be for Peter - someone who always seems devoid of any need of it.
"What did I do to have such an attentive nephew?" May swallows the doubts that darken her heart to show a 'strong' smile for Peter to know how much she loves him.
"Hmm, I think…" Peter ponders as he rubs his chin in a theatrical and funny manner while closing his eyes, making May giggle slightly. Not a second went by for Peter to open his eyes and study the scene before him.
May wearing a dark yellow longed-sleeve blouse with green work-like pants. Her kind and loving smile that is forever present in her face while she looks softly and happy at him; her wrinkles and snow white hair - which she acquired in the last 6 years - only make her look more endearing.
The way the early sun shines through their small window on top of the sink, making the whole place glow in a bright, comfortable and colorful yellow light that accentuates how perfectly 'lived in' her kitchen is, paired with the warmth of the day and the lingering smell of fresh coffee and the breakfast she so happily made for both of them.
And the way she sits properly with one hand resting easily on the table while the other is leaving her mouth after she giggled softly into it - still with her wedding ring placed firmly on her fourth finger - sitting at a table with three chairs, one of which has remained untouched for a year now… it gives Peter the answer for his little quip quite easily.
"…everything" Peter finishes his quip while letting his hand fall to his side; his voice now sincere and soft in a way that conveys how truthful he is about that.
And as he studies the scene before him, he is reminded that, yes, he really does adore this mundane and 'boring' side of his life like he loves little things in his messy life.
And he will fight to have something similar every day. And eventually, he will fight so that this remains as a reality for him in his very own future.
He will fight.
And he will win.
…he must.
"Oh, you…" May says as she gets just a bit embarrassed by his words, causing her smile to widen ever so slightly while her cheeks paint themselves with a lovely rosy tone. But instead of looking at Peter, she looks shyly at her left hand - more specifically, her ring - after she dropped it from her mouth to grab her cup of coffee.
"Well, pretty lady" Peter says with an entertained tone and a satisfied smile on his face, now almost completely devoid of any thoughts that kept him awake at night "I hate to eat and run, but I'll be late otherwise".
"And we don't want that to happen" May nods with a similar smile and tone to Peter's while looking at him once more "…again".
"R-right…" Peter replies sheepishly with his hand on his neck. But soon takes it off as he allows himself to breathe in the kitchen a lungful once more "well, see you later, Aunt May! Love ya'!"
And so, Peter exits his hole with a renewed attitude. May really has an effect off him that grounds him to the real world. What happened yesterday… it won't matter until his birthday, and right now, he has other responsibilities.
Why worry about stuff like that when everyone lives their lives without caring about their 'fates'? Madame Web also told him not to, so he simply won't.
May already made the first choice for him and the world is still standing. After that, it's just a normal day for him.
"Love you too sweetie!" May says as Peter bolts out of the kitchen, leaving her alone in her kitchen. Alone with her thoughts and nothing else to do but wait until she can be at FEAST.
"… see you later" May mumbled as she kept looking at the place where Peter had been standing previously with that same smile that he has been wearing since he was a little six year old.
"I really… need to get going" May figures once she looks down on her plate, seeing once again, two empty seats on that house of hers.
————
With Peter's Class
"Why are we in a museum again?" Sally Avrill questioned for the nth time that morning, with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face for having to be on her school year's yearly field trip. Backpack and all - like every student - which is really annoying to carry around after a while.
"Come on, Sally, we should all be excited for this!" Roger Harrington said with clear fake enthusiasm. Not because he doesn't want to be in the MET, but because he is worried that something will go wrong while they are there.
"You don't seem too excited" counters Julius Dell with his arms crossed and a raised eyebrow, making some of the students snicker.
"That's because I have a bad feeling about this!" Roger replied as he let go of his fake smile for the sake of a worried expression "you know how every field trip has its fair share of problems".
"I already told you that nothing happened last year, and nothing will happen this year!" Julius threw his hands up in desperation, tired of hearing of this again.
*Sigh* "I guess…" Roger conceded, knowing that to be true. To then turn to the students once again "well, as I was saying, Sally, we should count ourselves fortunate to be here after the recent Nordic exposition opened up! It's a privilege to be able to-".
*RING-RING* As Mr. Harrington was explaining this to the bored Sally and her clique, Peter - who is on the back of the group with his friends - got a phone call; which was supposed to be silent at this time of the trip, but with the only people who would call to his personal phone outside of the ones in school being May or either of his jobs, Peter couldn't risk losing an important call.
"S-sorry, sorry" still, he does look embarrassed to all of his friends that are currently surrounding and watching him in mild amusement as he fishes his cellphone out of his pocket. Their curiosity spikes up when Peter's eyes widen and he says "O-Oh, it's Dr. Octavius!"
"Are you going to answer?" Gwen questions with intrigue, knowing - as do all of his friends - that his internship is pending on a thin string and that has Peter very anxious.
"I-I - yes, yes I need to" Peter trips on his words as he takes a step back to answer, giving his friends a nervous smile before turning around to answer.
With his current position, he is unable to see the way all his friends shoot him varying degrees of pity in their looks.
"Peter" the doctor says the moment his intern picks up without any form of greeting. His voice is even and cold, almost reminding Peter of the times when he is angry, nervous or upset but does not wish to let it show "…I'm going to be incredibly busy until Wednesday, when I need you to come to the lab. I need to tell you some… news about how things will… change".
"Oh… I-I understand, doctor" Peter said with a dejected tone and a slump of his shoulders to which his friends cringed at "is there anything I can do until then? Something to help with?"
" 'Help… with' " Otto repeats in a breathy but almost entertained way " No, no. There is nothing you can help with ".
"I uh, I understand" Peter swallows a groan at that, already picturing how things went wrong with the grant's committee, which will result in him getting fired - which just adds to the stress he feels "I'll uh… I'll see you then".
" Thank you, Peter " Otto said with the same tone as before, but then his voice allowed itself to show a bit more emotion; some type of gentle but sad and guilty sounding " … I'm sorry ".
Apology.
Just what Peter needed to sour his mood even further than what the implication of the 'news' was going to be. To his further dissatisfaction, Otto hung up the phone before Peter had the chance to reply anything else.
Peter closed his eyes tightly to calm himself and not show the stress he was feeling about everything to his friends. In his mind, Peter counted to ten seconds where he tensed his body and controlled his breathing.
Putting on a mask for his friends and classmates.
"Welp, that was disappointing" popping the 'P' in the first word, Peter said with an easy tone but with a sad look in his eyes and smile when he turned back to face his friends; who were waiting patiently for him to turn around.
"You got fired?" Harry asked bluntly with an even voice, which got his arm to be lightly slapped by Chat, who - together with Gwen and MJ, shot him an incredulous look that he just shrugged at.
No point in beating around the bush.
"Not yet… *Sigh* but I'm guessing I will most definitely be on Thursday" Peter admitted with a tired sigh, allowing his smile to fade from his face as he spoke.
But seeing the looks of pity in everyone's faces and knowing that they are most definitely going to say some meaningless apologies, he smiled brightly again and talked before anyone else "but it's fine! I already scored more work at The Bugle and I'm still a freshman in high school! I won't let something like this put me down!"
Peter's claim made all the girls around him smile proudly and sweetly at him with soft looks in their eyes. They know Peter is sad about this, but he is not one to be thwarted off by something like this - not when there is a good side going on in his life.
And by the way he is smiling at them, they are simply glad to know that they are part of why he is able to smile as he is doing now.
Harry also smiled at Peter, but it was a little bit… strained. Forced. Because he knows that if something like that would happen to him, he wouldn't be acting with such an upbeat attitude. Still… he really is both happy and sorry for his friend.
They all are.
But they are not about to put the effort he puts in looking at the good side by going back and talking about what's been lost. It is better to focus on the positives.
"That's very admirable, Tiger" MJ says with a soft smile and a gentle tone while placing her hand on his shoulder and squeezing it for comfort "and it is awesome that you already have more work at The Bugle".
"Yeah, I think that's great!" Gwen added as she stepped forward to him as well with real excitement in her eyes "I haven't managed to find another job while you had one ready even before this!"
"Oh well, you guys are very busy with your band, right?" Peter asked as he tried to make Gwen feel better, but it only made MJ and Gwen look slightly uncomfortable.
The band has been having trouble due to all the girls scheduling problems, but they have kept it close to themselves. No point in bringing someone from the oustide to their problems, even if it's Gwen's and MJ's best friend.
"R-right" Gwen mumbled as her face turned back to a relived one "well, Im just happy that you can work at The Bugle with things beyond Spider-Man. Much safer for you".
"I guess…" Peter answered a little unsure of himself, which made Chat perk up since she knows his secret. Which prompted her to ask something of Peter that took all of his friend's attention.
"Hey, Peter, wasn't last year's field trip when you got, like, really sick?" Her question came from Mr. Dell's comment about nothing happening last year. But, based on what Emma has confided to her, she knows that this was the event that led Peter to have his powers - and since Gwen mentioned Spider-Man, what better chance to ask this?
*Ugh* "Don't remind me" Peter groaned as he shuddered at the reminder, thinking of everything that Madame Web had revealed to him just yesterday which he had successfully thrown to the back of his head with the help of his aunt.
*Giggle* "Peter has always had a bad time on field trips" Gwen giggled, remembering all the years she's been by his side, having a front row seat to his every funny disgrace.
"It's not that bad…" Peter pouted, looking away from everyone with his arms crossed. Successfully making MJ, Gwen, Harry and Chat laugh quietly.
"Dude, you got bit by a dolphin once!" Harry said with the loudest laugh of them all, remembering that particular incident a couple of years back. The way Peter had freaked out himself and the teachers they had back then was hilarious "how do you even get that to happen!?"
"Did that really happen?" Peter tried and failed playing stupid, now gaining a slight blush in his face.
"Oh yeah, and it was amazing" MJ also teased with a bright smile "and if you don't remember that, then at least have to remember when that goat bit you when you tried to feed it".
"That goat had something against me!" Peter claimed, now looking back at his friends with an offended expression. Also recalling how his fingers were victims of a nice looking goat with a not so nice attitude.
"Oh come on, you are still hung up with that?" MJ questioned with a funny smirk, knowing the reason behind Peter's claim.
"Of course I am!" Peter childishly replied "you fed it first, then Gwen, and even Harry did it with no problem! Why would it bite me of all people!?"
"Maybe you did something to anger him? Goats aren't evil or anything like that" Chat wondered, recalling how every interaction she's had with the farm animals has been pleasant. Even if their conversation only revolved around food - like with any animal.
"Just admit that you taste bad, Pete. It's nothing to be ashamed of" Harry snickered, but was shot a dumb look from Gwen.
"If so many animals bite him, then that means he tastes good" Gwen replied matter of factly, making Harry simply shrug while rolling his eyes at the correction.
"Are you tasty, Tiger?" MJ teased with a predatory and playful smile, getting giddy on the inside by how Peter is now looking all adorably embarrassed "perhaps I can give you a little bite to test that~".
"Oh? Would you do that before or after I rip your hair off?" A voice called directly from behind MJ, causing her to cringe slightly while Peter got even more embarrassed.
"Calm down, Frost. We're just playing around" MJ said with a casual tone, an easy smile and a roll of her eyes as she turned to look at the approaching blonde; trying to hide the fact that she actually felt a little embarrassed and nervous as well.
She knows that what she said could be 'misinterpreted', since what she said is a little too 'adultish'. But she only did so to tease Peter, and not to suggest anything beyond.
Luckily for her, the mind reader was able to tell as much due to the lack of malicious intent in her thoughts, so she simply sighed incredibly annoyed, but not willing to do much against that at the moment.
Instead of focusing on her bubbling and almost raging jealousy and indignation for what she heard, she felt all the annoyance quickly blow away when Peter stepped forward with that smile that she is now somewhat dependent on.
He too, is extremely happy to see her after all, and has been anxious to do so since yesterday.
"Hey, princess!" Peter greeted beamingly, happy and excited to see her even after spending much time with her on Saturday for one of their dates. Despite being a bit embarrassed by the thought of her hearing all of his incidents in the field trips, he still greeted her like he should "we missed you on the way here!".
Peter was expecting something else from Emma, maybe a smile and a retort on how she wouldn't be caught dead on a dirty bus like the school's own. Instead, Peter was able to see the way her lip quivered and her eyes shined with vulnerability for a quick second, which sent alarms to his head.
But before he could question what happened, she speeded her pace just enough to reach him with a tight hug. One that made everyone around her slightly curious.
"Emma?" Chat questioned, with her smile turning into a little worried frown.
«I need to let you know» Emma started talking telepathically with Chat - without looking at her due to her face being on Peter's neck - which surprised the animal talker just enough to not let it show to the others «there's a group of five or six men in here with some heavy anti-mutant propaganda shirts».
«Oh…» Chat's face fell slightly as she received a mental image from Emma, where she was able to see who Emma was 'talking' about.
Five or six men, all huddle together in a group while talking amongst themselves in a very sketchy manner. All of them look around 30-35 years old, they are well built with neatly cut hair and the same black shirt with different hate messages each.
If they had dark green shirts instead, Chat would've easily thought they were soldiers or something. But each of their shirts said something related to how mutants are minions of the devil, how disgusting mutants are or even how their existence is an insult to God's work and they should be eradicated as soon as possible.
Men that want to see both of them death.
…What a way to ruin both mutant girls' moods.
They have been excited about the field trip for the whole week, if not for learning, then just for a chance for them to be together out of school - enjoying as much of the city as possible - before Chat has to move away.
And it's always disheartening to see people hating their race so blatantly in broad daylight, in a public place that they are supposed to enjoy without worrying about things like this.
But, well… Emma should have been prepared for it, she guesses. It's not like she doesn't know about the deep hatred for mutants, and she has even read that museums are places that are used as symbols of humanity's achievements, proof that they have no use for the 'mutant filth' that is plaguing the world.
Emma knows she really should have been prepared; expecting something like this actually. She should always expect to see something like this, always ready to hear something from afar or even read someone's mind just because she is bored and ending up finding something unsavory.
But she just didn't have the mind for that today. She was simply excited to be on the first field trip ever with people she can call friends. In her previous school, she had many trips - to even better places than a simple museum of the city she lives in - but she never enjoyed any of them.
How could she? She was always alone in them, isolated away from everyone else and their little friend groups where she never belonged. Always walking behind everyone, talking to no one as she could hear the mean whispers and ill intended giggles directed her way.
If possible, she would walk right beside whatever teacher she had to escape her bullies, but that always seemed to backfire because of her reputation as a 'teacher's pet'.
She hated going on those trips.
But now everything has changed! She was in another school where she was about the prettiest girl there, with a carefully crafted personality that was perfect to be left alone by the people who don't interest her, while her best friend attended there and where she has the boy she loves by her side! Boy that loves her back with the same intensity!
Of course she was excited to have her first field trip together with her boyfriend and best friend by her sides!
And sure, she mentally 'convinced' her teachers that she didn't need to ride the bus with them because…well, she wanted to be as comfortable as possible given it's 'that time of the month' for her. That didn't mean that she was not really looking forward to this day though.
So she, as always, picked her clothes very carefully - both to feel as comfortable and good for herself, as well as to be complimented by Peter, which included a deep V longed sleeved crop top white shirt, some dark wide leg work pants and the comfiest pair of shoes that she felt matched her outfit with a very thin white jacket wrapped around her waist - she did her makeup carefully, and she left her house just in time to meet her school year already inside the MET.
And after commnading her mind controlled chauffeur to wait for her somewhere nearby, she walked up the steps to the grand entrance while looking through her backpack and purse to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Only to then look up to be met with the sight of those men proudly wearing their bigotry for everyone to see.
And no one told them anything.
No one even batted a disgusted, angry or even slightly annoyed look towards them. Because this is accepted. Hating her race, her friend, hating her as a being is socially correct.
And her heart squeezed, her breath hitched slightly and her stomach dropped - all for just one second. One second where she felt the rose color world she had woken up to shatter under the weight of the reality she lives in.
And so she ignored those men, wishing there was something she could do against them right then and there instead of just walking away; knowing that they would be rendered helpless by her if she so willed it.
And she definitely wanted to! To do something against them! Punish them for their behavior against her - against her race! Because it's most likely that no mutant has ever done anything against them! So why do they hate them so!?
It's wrong! It's disgusting! It's…! It's unfair!
But… she can't act on her emotions. Not because she physically can't, but because it's simply not something smart to do. These people… it is very likely that they are with some radical group that baits mutants and pro-mutant people to mark them as targets.
And she can't use her powers so freely because it is also probable that they have some sort of way of identifying mutants that try to use their powers against them. How does she know that? Because they all but brag about it on the internet.
It's really not hard to find one of those videos of people humiliating, beating, torturing and even killing some poor mutant soul that was 'brave' and foolish enough to stand up to these people, only to end up being captured, tortured and even executed for daring to do so.
All in disgustingly cruel ways.
Emma has seen them; she can't help herself sometimes but search how her people are treated by these kinds of people, and it's always a horrific blood show with deranged maniacs and poor desperate souls crying for a mercy that won't be granted.
And she has seen some really messed up things.
Teens throwing crying little kids from the back of moving pick trucks and the pictures of how they were left afterwards; bloody and scraped all over with fear and hurt in their eyes - to grown men beating teenagers senseless with their bare fists and a baseball bat, breaking as many bones as they could find ugly themselves with, to even seeing the way some lunatic slashes open the throat of a poor woman tied to a chair.
That monster of a man smiled for the camera while showing off the knife with the woman crying pleas of mercy in a foreign language Emma can't understand while her crying reddened eyes showed nothing but fear and horror before her throat was slit open.
The way the woman cried in blood curling screaming as the man positioned behind him to get into position, silencing her deafening screams with a single act; the way her crimson red blood quickly flooded out of her throat and mouth with the help of the pumps of her own heart, staining her already dirty clothes with the vivid red color as her face got even paler, and the light in her terrified eyes started to dim as her body finally stopped struggling against the pain to relax one last time…
Emma fears that her fate is to one day end up like that poor woman at the hands of a man hating her just because she was born a mutant.
And on these many, many videos, those people sometimes brag about how they have anti-mutant advantages, whatever that means. So, are they able to see mutants who have no physical characteristics? Or do they have some sort of 'mutant-gene defense system' type gadget?
Emma doesn't know, and she doesn't wish to test her luck when so many have clearly failed. And even if she did act against these guys right now, it's not like anything would change - on the contrary in fact, people would only have another reason to fear mutants if she fights back, thus sparking even more violence against her race.
She doesn't know how those videos are so easily accessible to anyone when they are so terrible, and why aren't the authorities doing something to help those poor people? Some of which are kids!
The answer is that perhaps it's the authorities themselves the ones acting against mutants, allowing these types of situations to happen as propaganda against them.
And it's all so… tragically sad to Emma.
It's heartbreaking to see how humans hate her so badly, how accepted the bigotry is, how the authorities allow them to do what they want against her people, how powerless she is to do anything against it.
And it makes her doubt herself. Because these types of situations always ignite that little spark inside her heart that tells her that she shouldn't be allowed to feel proud of what she is. That she should be ashamed of her 'disgusting' nature, that she is doing the right thing in hiding her powers so as to not scare regular and 'good' people.
That she should go back to being the crying and fearful little girl that wanted nothing to do with her scary powers and the truth behind them. It makes her doubt herself because, thanks to people like these, Emma still feels alienated from humans; lesser than them, someone who is not worthy of living a dignified life like them.
And she knows in her brilliant mind that this is not the case, that these people are the ones in the wrong and that she has every right and reason to live her life as greatly as she knows it will be thanks to her efforts and ability to make it so!
She knows this in her head and soul!
… But her heart… her heart always crumbles a little bit when she sees something like this. And it's bad for Emma since she used to have no one by her side.
She couldn't count on her family, she didn't had any friends to talk to, and she can't reveal anything to a professional - who is an effective stranger - due to the risk that telling her secrets could cause for her. Not even her teachers.
And did this have to happen exactly at a time where her biological clock works against her? Making her emotionally vulnerable? Something she hates being because it shows an undesirable weakness she can't allow herself to show?
Luckily for Emma though, she's no longer the little lonely crying child she used to be. She has an amazing friend she shares her nature with, and adding to that, she has her boyfriend whom she can freely be vulnerable with, without fearing anything bad from him and knowing she can expect unconditional support and affection.
And knowing this, she hurries her step to her class; guiding herself inside the building thanks to her classmates' mental signatures.
And she spots them, Peter and Chat - laughing at something the other three that always seem to surround Peter are saying - and Emma feels her defensive walls crumbling down.
But that's something she can't allow herself to do in such a public place, so the only thing she indulges herself in, is burying herself in Peter's strong frame after making Watson stop talking about her boyfriend's taste, which also irks her to no end.
"Emma? Are you okay?" Peter's voice became serious after returning Emma's hug, noticing how she stayed there even after their greeting would've naturally ended by now, making him even more worried for her.
Emma is someone touchy. That's another of the many things that Peter loves about her.
She's always fishing for his hand, hooking their arms as they walk around wherever, touching his hair - she even requested him to buy a conditioner some weeks ago so it felt better for her! - and being as close to him as physically possible.
But whenever she is disturbed, upset, distressed or something similar, she becomes clingy. More needier on her usual demand for attention and affection from him, almost to the point where he feels like a personal teddy bear of hers.
And it's not something Peter finds un-cute or unwelcome, quite the opposite! But it always means that something is gnawing at her. Something that affects her personally in a very serious matter.
And the fact that she is doing so in such a public place only makes him more worried.
At his question, Peter is able to feel Emma tremble slightly while letting out a shaky breath, as if preparing herself to leave the comfort of his arms. Which she quickly does.
"Of course I'm okay!" Emma replies in a very clear - at least to Peter and Chat - fake happy manner, with a smile that doesn't quite match the look on her eyes that rolled fondly at his question "I just missed you too!"
"… seems exaggerated" Harry muttered with barely contained jealousy, wishing himself and Liz to be acting the same. But Emma and everyone else ignores him easily.
"Mr, Harrington!" Emma called out loud, making the teacher look away from the atill sulking jocks to look at the recently announced student "I'm here!"
"Oh, Emma, it's nice to see you made it!" Roger waved with a smile, to then get out a little notebook and scribble something in it - most likely attendance "all right, now that we're all here, we-".
"Wait, why was Emma not with us in the bus?" Liz questioned with genuine curiosity.
"Her parents sent a… really strong worded letter that clowned the school's bus" Mr. Dell grumbled, remembering the letter that even threatened to sue the school if Emma's clothes got as much as a stain.
Not really knowing that it was just a blank paper with a mental projection coming from a smug looking Emma, showing said 'letter' to both chaperone teachers and the principal.
"THAT seems exaggerated" Gwen muttered to Harry, who said the same thing previously, making her MJ, Harry and whoever else of her class was listening to snicker lightly.
But neither Chat, Emma or Peter laughed at that. Instead, Peter noticed how Chat looked downcast while Emma clinged to his arm more roughly than usual, which again, sent alarms to his head.
But well, his spider-sense is not warning him of anything immediate, and if Emma has not told him the reason to her attitude yet, then that simply meant he needs to wait until she is comfortable to do it.
She is silently asking him to just be a pillar of comfort for her, and he, as a loving boyfriend, how could he deny it when he so easily and willingly can be so for her?
*Clap*
"Now, now. We don't make fun of someone's family off their customs. That's not nice" Mr. Harrington scolded with raised eyebrows, looking unimpressed at his students "Alright, let's give our attention to our guide for the day".
Stepping forward from behind him, taking Mr. Harrington's right side, stepped a pretty mocha skin lady with a formal suit on and a nervous smile on her face.
"Uhm, hi everyone! M-my name is Bailey and I will be your tour guide for the day" the tour guide waved shyly to the group of unimpressed teenagers staring at her and swallowed hard "it's my first tour, so uhm, please bear with me".
"Don't worry, these kids don't bite" Julius dismissed her worry with a shrug, prompting the lady to nod and begin her tour, still keeping that nervous demeanor about herself.
As the students began moving, Peter purposefully slowed down his walk in hopes to keep the still disturbed - at least to his trained eye - Emma from the larger crowd. This however prompted all of his friends to naturally lag behind with him, as well as the jocks which usually take the last place for themselves.
….
"Hmm" Emma muttered after the group walked in somewhat of an awkward silence forty minutes into the tour, where they all listened with a different degrees of care to what Ms. Bailey was saying.
The mood was awkward in the back due to the jocks still being in a weird mood after Peter's sudden shouting at them a month ago and the unwillingness of anyone in Peter's group to even acknowledge it - each for their respective reasons.
Flash had attempted to make peace his way, which is to act as though nothing had happened; pretending like Peter hadn't shouted at him and his friends, and that he hadn't mentioned old man Ben's death the way he did.
It obviously didn't work all that well. More so because for three weeks, Peter had been so… happy. So much so that it honestly unnerved him a bit. And beyond that feeling of creepiness, he felt slightly hurt because Osborn is absolutely right.
So many years of knowing Parker, even having been best friends almost a lifetime ago, and now he doesn't understand the first thing about Parker. How he thinks, why he acts the way he does, how he will react to certain things, it's just all so… mysterious to Flash. And to everyone else really.
And it's because Peter is just so uninteresting, he and his friends simply can't help but not want to dig into his life. Why would they? He's just another boring nerd in the corner of the room.
But… he has been someone in Flash's entire life, and now he is so far away from him that he doesn't even know how to be a bully to him, let alone approach him amicably.
And because Flash doesn't really know how to approach Peter he simply doesn't. And with his friends not doing so if he doesn't either, it was now plain awkward for all of them to be walking so closely together with the nerd herd.
Which is when Emma Frost, who is clinging to Peter more closely and harder than usual, hummed out loud, making both friend groups instinctively look at her in curiosity.
And they were all met with the sight of Emma looking critically at Peter, only to near her face to Peter's while poking her tongue out, giving him a large lick all over his cheek - one that started from his jawline, passed over to the corner of his mouth and kept going a bit further in a quick motion.
And everyone widened their eyes at that. But no one more than Peter, who was not expecting that quick action from her. So, obviously, he got extremely red and flustered.
"E-Emma!?" Peter questioned with his face brightly lit, controlling himself with all his willpower to not jump away from her in surprise.
"W-what the hell are you guys doing!?" Sally questions with almost the same flustered face as Peter while standing next to Liz, who was looking about the same. Something Gwen and MJ also wanted to ask but didn't have the opportunity to voice due to their shock.
The rest of the boys looked away almost immediately after seeing that, all varying on their levels of awkwardness at the bold move that came out of seemingly nowhere.
"I'm tasting Peter again" Emma shrugged with a victorious and smug smile "I heard these guys talking about it, and then all of a sudden I couldn't remember how his body tasted. Glad to see he is still as yummy as he was when I tasted him last time~".
"Y-you tasted what!?" Liz choked out with the same intensity Gwen and MJ would've done if they were able to talk.
"His body" Emma clarified easily, with just a hint of a sultry tone while ignoring Peter, who was shaking his head just a little bit to try and stop Emma from talking. Which didn't work at all "It was just the other day in my room. When we had our little private party on the night of my birthday~".
Peter was stoned after that. He was shocked and… and honestly a little offended that Emma would say anything about what they did on her birthday as casually as that.
It was an important moment in their relationship; something Peter considered very private and intimate to just them. So why say it like that? It… did not make sense.
And it is that senselessness that left Peter shocked so, with his eyes almost as wide as his mouth at her words and almost paralyzed and unwilling to acknowledge the faces of his friends and classmates, which he is most certainly not going to like.
And true enough, Harry is looking at him with a look that wants to convey both jealousy and pride in a weird funny unbelieving agape smirk and furrowed brows.
Flash wants to look disgusted at what he heard, not wanting to have that image in his head at all, but he still feels some sort of pride for his long-time acquaintance that makes his lips quirk upwards to form another weird little smile complimenting his reddened face.
Chat hid her mouth with her hand as she looked away, trying her hardest to not smile wildly and unbelieving at that, given that it's most definitely going to create some sort of drama. Her thoughts of the anti-mutant men were immediately wiped as she remembered hearing something similar from Emma already on another day.
Of course she had, she's her best and closest friend! And she obviously doesn't have all the details, she only knows that Peter and Emma… deepened their relationship that night.
… and she did ask for details, since… c'mon. But Emma just wouldn't say anything beyond that, all while sporting a smug and loving smile on her face each time the topic was brought up.
Liz, Sally, MJ, and Gwen are all incredibly flustered, with the first two not knowing what to do other than look almost offended and embarrassed for hearing something so private to a couple.
While the other two felt their hearts squeeze painfully at the reveal of their best friend's intimacy with that mean spirited girl. Each of them felt their chests breaking as though their hearts were made of glass and Emma's words like a stone cold hammer.
And it didn't make any sense.
Why would MJ's knees weaken the way they did? Why did Gwen feel a sudden lump forming in her throat? Why would both girls - already knowing and having accepted that Peter, their best friend of many years now, is in a relationship - be surprised at the mention of him being intimate with his girlfriend?
I mean… they suppose it is surprising since Peter is not someone who screams 'I've already done it' with the way he carries himself and the age he has. The majority of them are still fifteen!
Yeah… that must be it. MJ and Gwen are just… upset to hear that their responsible and innocent friend has done something like that - while he should obviously wait, if not until marriage, then at least until he is a bit older and more mature.
Until he finds the right person to do so with. The one meant to be his true first time.
So learning this makes a complicated process for both girls, since they are both relieved that Peter doesn't tell them about what he does with Emma behind closed doors, but at the same time it hurts that he kept something so important from them.
But well, it's not like they want to know everything, EVERYTHING about his private life… or do they? No, no, it's crazy to think that! It's just…! The news came so out of nowhere that neither Gwen nor MJ know how to handle this properly or what to do next!
Yes… that must be why their hearts hurt like that…
Randy meanwhile shot up his eyebrows and did nothing else, remaining as composed and cool as ever.
And Kenny… he took a little longer than anyone else to understand why the mood suddenly tensed around everyone. He was too busy eating a protein bar he snuck, but the moment he understood, he almost spitted the contents of his mouth out.
"PARKER, YOU…!" Kenny yelled out of nowhere, causing everyone's eyes in the back to snap to him. Seeing the incredibly red and nervous face of Peter was enough confirmation, which caused him to guffaw in laughter "HAHA, NO FREAKIN' WAY! YOU ACTUALLY-!"
"Not the place, dude" Randy interrupted Kenny as he pulled him by the shoulder to keep walking, making the big guy turn and look at Flash, who was also saying no with his head.
Kenny shrugged, and still with his smile wide in his face, he started walking behind both his teammates "Oh, come on! It is crazy! Just wait until Glory hears this!"
"Emma…!" Peter worriedly looked at his girlfriend again, who had an easy and more relaxed smile on her face. As if she was not troubled about what she said or the fact that it was now going to spread all over their school year like wildfire at all.
"Excuse me, love, but I'm going to the ladies room real quick" Emma said as she unhooked her arm from Peter's, actually acting as if she didn't just imply having sex with him for all his friends - and bullies - to hear "Chat, you coming?"
"DUH!" Chat answered incredulously, wanting nothing more than a chance to ask her why the hell would she say that just the and there.
And before Peter could say anything, both girls started walking away. Not notifying the teacher or anything like that.
"Uhm, y-yeah. Sorry guys, we're going too!" Gwen muttered in a fast pace, avoiding looking at Peter in the face while her own was still incredibly red. Again, before Peter could say something, Gwen grabbed MJ by the wrist and started dragging her away from Peter.
The redhead's hair matched the color on her face, with a look on her face that Peter had never seen before. Her whole expression screamed shock, but her eyes looked… betrayed or something like that. And if Peter didn't know any better, he would have thought that it wouldn't be long until she cried.
Which made no sense at all, but then again, nothing was making sense to him right now.
So he stood still for a few seconds, still trying to think of just what the hell was going on with Emma today and what the consequences of this little thing would be for him.
At least until Harry placed a hand on his shoulder, making them both meet the other's eyes. Both teens remained silent for several seconds, not really knowing what to say or caring about their class that was getting away from them.
Until Harry, very eloquently and even gracefully, said with a dumb look on his face; getting his hand off Peter's shoulder to place it in his own nape "Dude, did she just implied that you fucked her on her birthday?"
Peter's whole body tensed at the bluntness of Harry's words, making him unable to formulate his own for a few seconds where he resembled a fish out of the water. Harry was staring intently at him and Peter just wanted the earth to swallow him whole.
"Harry you… F-first of all, don't say it so crassly" Peter said seriously with a small offended frown overpowering every other emotion, not appreciating his best friend say something about his girlfriend quite like that, but then he started faltering with his words and frown "and second of all… I… we… w-we didn't get that far…".
Harry saw the way Peter's nerves got the better of him at the end when he sighed in defeat and looked away almost dejectedly. There was nothing else he could have done either way, Harry guesses.
Not like he could deny Emma's words or play dumb after his painfully revealing reaction. And honestly? It was funny. Damn was it really funny for Harry to hear that and see Peter all embarrassed like that.
He also felt a sting of jealousy as any boy his age would, but he had prime material for teasing him. So why wait?
"Dude…" Harry said as seriously as he placed his hand back on Peter's shoulder, causing this one to look back at his friend "…its natural to feel this way. You see, when a boy starts growing up and he finds a pretty girl, he-".
"You are not having 'the talk' with me right now" Peter snapped his head with wide incredulous eyes to see Harry's own, who was fighting a losing battle to not laugh "I just know you're not".
"Fine, fine" Harry shut his hands upwards in mock surrender, conceding with Peter. A small silence formed between them, with Harry glancing every once in a while to Peter, and once they were just out of earshot from their class, Harry muttered again "just remember to wear protection".
"DUDE!" Peter slapped - very gently - Harry's arm in protest, making the Oscorp heir unable to hold his laughter any longer, causing some of their classmates to look at them weirdly.
Peter could only offer a sheepish and forcedly tense smile as Harry kept on laughing.