Slightly Better Than Twinkies - Peter Maximoff

14. Pawn to F4

Word Count: 6166

Warnings: swearing, angst, sadness, a lot of tears, a lot of floof, and Tony Stark

A/N: Hey guys! Just wanted to remind you guys that magicalmenagerie also has a Peter Parker story where you can follow Kara and Parker along the same timeline as this one, so please go check her stories out and give her some love too! (Also, there may or may not be - definitely may be - a few bonus scenes with Y/N and Maxie in her story that didn't make the cut in this one (; )

The next few weeks were definitely... interesting.

The first was true to the saying: the complete worst. You barely slept, you barely ate, and you couldn't stop crying in the middle of your last few classes, let alone pay attention to them.

You had called Kara the next day after your 'assignment' and held your hand over your mouth to keep from making any noises in the middle of your crying as she ranted to you for an hour and a half about Harry Potter. Luckily, she didn't suspect anything, but you were extremely happy she was still the same old Kara.

You had called Tony as well. Usually, when Tony wouldn't stop talking, you'd interrupt what you assumed was only halfway through his whole spiel, but this time, you didn't dare speak over him. You listened to him go on and on about Vision and the new suit he was trying to build with something called Nanotech, a new technology that was way harder to work with than he had originally anticipated.

You hadn't strayed farther than a couple of feet from Peter in fear that something was going to happen to him if you didn't look, and you were way jumpier than you had ever been before.

Hank had apologized for the malfunction in the simulation, the obvious guilt weighing him down. You tried to tell him it was okay, that you were going to be okay... but he wasn't too convinced.

Not when you attacked anyone other than Peter that put a hand on your shoulder, or ran over to him and practically barreled into his arms so you could put a shield around yourselves whenever you heard a loud noise that startled you.

The Professor had pulled you aside and apologized as well, stating that he should've known it wasn't a good idea in the first place. He claimed he could try getting rid of that memory for you if you didn't want to live with it, but you had shaken your head.

"If anything it'll... motivate me to do more." You smiled, but the Professor frowned.

"I really don't think you need motivation, Y/N, you're already willing to die for your family as it is-"

"I just...."

You wanted to unsee it. You really did. It was and probably will forever be the worst thing you had ever gone through. But you knew that it was a part of you that would never go away; it was your deepest fear, after all. It would find its way to present itself one way or another, so it was better you got it out of the way.

"I just want to keep everyone safe."

The next week was better. You didn't cry yourself to sleep, you ate all three meals and your jokes were slowly starting to come back into conversation.

Jean had given you a long hug when she said it looked like you needed one. Lily had given you a purple orchid when she saw you in the hallway, and you couldn't resist running your finger along her cheek and giving her a large hug too.

By the time the third week rolled around, you were feeling much better. You tried to think positively; everyone was okay, everyone was alive, and you were about to graduate.