Saving Grace || Peter Parker

Part 16

When the two got home, the air was tense. She could feel the strain of the mission in her bones, rubbing together like sandpaper. She was stuck in her own head whilst on their way home, running over every word and action, feeling it through her fingers.

Peter was stressed, she could practically feel it. The way his muscles constricted whilst she was in his hold. She felt sick, scared she had done something wrong.

She didn't know if she'd be able to handle Peter being mad at her, being disappointed in her. As pathetic as it sounded. But, even so, he was the only person on this whole planet that truly knew her. He may not of known everything, but he knew her past and he was her present. And she had come to a certain peace to know he was now her future too.

"Peter, are you okay?" She asked him tentatively, stepping forward towards him, to place a hand on his shoulder. However, she froze when he looked at her, eyes red as though he had stopped himself from crying, her hand dropped.

"Did you mean it? What you said back there?" He asked, octave just higher than a whisper.

"Say what?" She replied.

"Did you mean it, when you said we should kill that... that thing?" he exclaimed, head shaking as he spoke.

"This is what that's about? Really?" She breathed, confused why he was acting so off. Killing something so inhuman didn't sound bad to her. Maybe that was the red room talking, or maybe she was being rational. She thought he was overreacting, but she didn't have a place to stand to know if what she said was really that bad.

"Yes, Nadia. This is what that's about, because I can't have you going around and killing people!" He whisper shouted, walking over to the sink to try and cool himself down.

She laughed in surprise, but no humour was stitched into her cords "я не могу поверить в это. First of all, you said it yourself. That is a thing. It isn't human. Secondly, the fact you think I'd go around killing people is really fucking offensive" (I can't believe this)

He chuckled darkly, looking down to the floor before his eyes averted to hers "I really wouldn't put it past you"

His anger radiated of himself, pulsing into Nadia. Before she could think, she was holding her dagger to Peter's neck, cornering him between a wall and herself.

"You don't know a thing about me" she whispered, biting her tongue to stop her tears, trying her hardest to prevent her hurt from presenting itself.

"Really? Because I think you're just proving my point" he shrugged "even if it isn't human, we have no clue what it is. It could be anything"

Nadia had to focus on the city. On the mission. And most definitely, not on Peter as he spoke what felt like poison to her.

"Exactly! It could be anything, which is exactly why it needs to be dead. In this life, it's kill or be killed, Parker. Don't make that mistake"she whispered, practically begging him. With what? Nadia wasn't sure.

"You aren't a spy anymore, Nadia. You aren't this-this invincible and fearful fucking assassin. You are a semi-normal human being and you're here to help save the city, not kill its civilians. That mentality, kill or be killed will destroy you."

Nadia scoffed, releasing Peter from the hold she had him in. "If you think that's all I'm here for, Parker, then you haven't been paying attention"

Peter slid down the wall that was behind him, holding his head in his hands. "We had it. We-we had it right there and it-it's just gone... again. All because of-"

"Me?" Nadia asked, voice timid as she looked down on him. He looked up, slowly shaking his head as if he just realised what he had been saying to her. His eyes widened. Those eyes that Nadia had slowly been memorising, that had slowly started to feel homely to her, widened. Ever so slightly, but she caught sight of the movement.

"no... no Nadia listen to me-" he whispered, preparing to stand up. However, the blonde stopped him. She nodded her head slowly, as if she was accepting what he was saying to her.

"I think I've heard enough" she admitted, trying to keep her mask on, but her emotions were slowly seeping through and it was starting to become harder to keep the facade on.

And as Nadia slowly walked up the stairs, and away from Peter, it started to dawn on her that her heart beated differently for him- when she realised, no matter the awful venom that spewed from his innocent lips, she'd do anything to keep him safe.

She had made a promise. Not just to herself. Not just to the city, this reality or the next. Not to just to Aunt May, whatever variation of her she met. She would keep Peter Parker safe.