When Trauma Comes Knocking

Once a Menace, Always a Menace

HAPPY UPDATE DAY! I hope everyone's doing good with school back under way for a lot of you, I know it's tough but you're all doing great :) You got this!! Today's chapter is a bit more on the fun side, with another visit to everyone's favorite character JJ, time with Ned, and Tony being done with everything as always. Enjoy!

No TW!!

Have fun and stay safe🖤🤎❤️️🧡💛💚💙💜

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May patiently rubs lotion on Peter's sunburnt shoulders, hoping that his spider abilities prevent his skin from peeling. According to what Tony told her, it's already looking much better than that morning.

"It stings," Peter halfheartedly whines. His aunt had offered to moisturize the most burned areas, mostly because he groaned every time he tried to reach his arms up.

"Maybe if you had put on more sunscreen like I told you, then it wouldn't sting," May points out, sounding more like a mom than an aunt. Of course she's right, but Peter is as stubborn as ever.

"But the smell makes my senses go nuts," he counters with partial truth. Yes, the amount of chemicals from the sunscreen drives his sense of smell crazy, but that's about it. It's nothing compared to peppermint.

"Mhm," May acknowledges, but doesn't buy it. Then again, Peter didn't really expect her to. "There you go, good as new." She smiles brightly and places her hands on her hips. Meanwhile, Peter looks in the mirror in front of them and glances over his chest.

"I'm still pink," he pouts, sticking out his bottom lip slightly.

"That's right. My pink baby boy." May simply stands with a feeling of accomplishment as Peter tilts his head back in exasperation.

"Please don't call me that," he pleads. His self esteem is already low enough without being called both "pink" and "baby" in the same sentence. This is May's form of payback for him being MIA and he's painfully aware of it. She gingerly pats his shoulder with what's probably meant to be encouragement, but it feels more like an "I told you so."

"Come on, dinner's ready." With that, she exits the bathroom and leaves behind a mildly confused Peter.

"Isn't it pizza night? I thought we were going to Rosa's?" They have a system; every Wednesday is pizza night. It is Wednesday, isn't it? He loses track of the days when he isn't in school. Usually MJ reminds him.

"It is, but I thought we'd do something a little different," May calls back to him from the kitchen. When Peter doesn't get a further explanation, he pulls on his t-shirt and walks out to join her. Instead of sitting on the counter, like he used to do, he casually jumps to the ceiling and sits upside down. When May turns around and sees him, she sighs and tries to maintain her patience.

"Peter, what did I say about shoes on my ceiling?" she inquires calmly. As always, she has the patience of a saint. Peter smiles apologetically and uses one hand to stick to the ceiling while he takes his shoes off with the other. When he's finished, he tosses his shoes to the door. "If there's any footprints up there, you're cleaning them up, young man," May pushes her point firmly. She sets a brown paper bag on the dining room tables and pulls out their meal.

"Woah! No way!" Peter exclaims. He immediately leaps down, his sock-covered feet landing silently, and excitedly sits. "I haven't had one of Mr. Delmar's sandwiches in weeks! Thanks, May! Did he-"

"Smoosh it down flat? Yes. He knows your order by heart," May finishes for him, shooting him an amused glance before pulling out her own sandwich.

"You're the best," Peter says honestly and doesn't waste another second. Nothing beats Mr. Delmar's sandwiches and nothing will ever change that. He needs to visit the man more often. It's hard not to miss someone who was part of your daily routine, plus he's a nice guy.