I don't see Peter again until school, I'm at my locker sorting through what I need for the day when I see him walking towards his own locker, the one across from mine. Everyone is staring at him as he walks so I turn away until I see flash approaching.
"Hey Parker." He calls out as he approaches, "not today flash." Peter mumbles as he keeps his head in his locker. "Hey come on I just want to talk." He says putting his hand on peters shoulder. We all basically jump when Peter suddenly grabs flash and pushes him up against the locker.
"It feels better, right?" Flash asks making my brows furrow. "Look, your uncle died. I'm sorry. I get it. I'm sorry. Okay?" Peter slowly lets him down before he grabs his bag and walks away. I almost go after him until I see him with Gwen.
Instead I turn to flash, "you ok?" I ask closing my locker and walking up to him. He nods but is still watching after Peter, it's odd to see that he was worried about him.
"Wanna walk me to class?"
***
I knew aunt Anna would probably have may over because she'd been doing her best to comfort the woman after the loss of her husband and so flash and I are going back to my apartment. "Oh mj thank god, can you watch Tommy for a bit, I won't be long I just need to run out and get something, don't worry about mom she's sleeping so she'll be knocked out for hours." Gayle doesn't even leave me anytime to answer as she dumps her son in my hands and is already out of the door.
"Uh I'm sorry about that, this is why I try not to being you back here, it gets a bit chaotic at times." I say to flash who simply shakes his head with a smile. "Uh ok, you can go ahead to my room and I'll be there in a second." I tell him as I glance at the baby in my arms, Gayle had never really left me alone with him before.
Flash and I work fine for the majority of our time as Tommy is no trouble and falls asleep. It's only once he wakes up, we have problems as he begins wailing at an ear splitting volume. "I'm sorry flash, we can just end early, you did great work today." I say to flash after nothing will calm the baby. I tried changing his diaper, feeding him and bouncing him but that was all I knew to do.
"Are you gonna be fine if I leave you with him?" He asks hesitantly, "uh yeah I'll be fine." I shrug unsure myself. "Alright here let me try." He says holding his hands out for me to pass Tommy over. "How are you doing that?" I ask in disbelief once he makes him calm down, "I don't know." He shrugs smiling over at me making me shake my head with my own relieved smile. "Thank god for you Flash Thompson." I was so extremely glad the wailing had stopped, I didn't know how much longer I could've put up with it.
We put Tommy in his baby carrier once Flash somehow lulls him to sleep, "hey do you wanna stay for a while and hangout?" I think we were both surprised by my offer but flash doesn't waste anytime in accepting.
Flash and I were watching a movie, one that I wasn't really paying attention to, I spared him a glance to see he was fully immersed in the movie. I don't know what had possessed me to ask him to stay or why I still didn't want him to leave. My mind goes to this morning and I can't hold my tongue as I turn to face the boy beside me.
"This morning... you said to Peter, it feels better right, after he pinned you up, you meant it's better to hurt than be hurt right? The bullying, it's a coping mechanism?" He bites on his lip for a second before turning to me. "Yeah." He sighs out quietly. I hesitate a moment not sure what I should say, "if you're struggling with something... just know that... I'm here for you as a friend and that I can help you find a better coping mechanism, one that may actually help you." He doesn't speak, instead he looks down at my hand that I'd places on his.
He takes a breath in like he may say something and I'm on the edge of my seat in anticipation but the silence remains, instead he takes my hand in his and squeezes it. That was a good enough answer for me, I wouldn't pressure him into saying anything he didn't want to, I would simply keep my word and be there for him.
