𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 | peter parker

xxii. children of tragedy

After my brief conversation with Pete and Mj, the girl successfully suggested an idea, where I, Irene Stacy, visit the Aunt May, for some feminine advice.

Back then, when Natasha was still here and for as long as I remember, I used to seek help from her, and only her.

Things really do change.

I am now at the F.E.A.S.T. community center, a charity group that was initially led by Martin Li.

Li, however, was secretly the crime lord master, Mister Negative, an enemy of Spiderman.

Everything became on good terms again, after Aunt May restarted the organization, following the exposure of Li's identity.

"Do you think I'd have to fight the minions of Martin Li again?" I query, as I help out Aunt May separate the canned food.

"And expose Mister Negative's identity, again?"

I catch Aunt May smirking from the corner of my eye. "Well, my dear, if you have to, you're gonna have a sidekick lover with you this time, unlike the good old days"

I feel my cheeks heat up, as I find it hard to contain my words. It's like they got stuck in the middle of my throat.

Aunt May nudges my arm, causing me to catch the can that surprisingly flew from my hand.

"Spider got your tongue?" the lady teases, sending a wink in my direction.

I decide to say no more, and I look down at the table, shaking my head.

"Tell me about him"

"I don't know who you're talking about, Auntie" I huff, hiding an innocent smile.

Aunt May ignores my comment and laughs it off, repeating her question. "What's he like, huh?"

I groan in frustration, closing my eyes shut for a moment. "You won't give up, will you?"

"Never in a million years, my dear" Aunt May mocks. "I was assigned a job, and I shall fulfill it correctly"

I roll my head backwards, a giggle escaping my lips. "Fuck you, Mj"

"Well, he's manipulative, controlling, and extremely arrogant" I then say after a moment of silence.

"Sounds like you like him"

"Nope, he's too self obsessed for that"

"Riiiight"

"Mhm, destroying everything seems like the best option Auntie, trust me"

"You're weird"

"Sorry"

"That was a compliment" Aunt May snorts, before stopping fiercely in her tracks, which I noticed.

"You still apologize too much" I hear her mumble uncertainly, leaving the cans away.

"Because I feel it" I shrug my shoulders, my grip around the can getting harder. "I really don't know why I'm still hoping, Auntie"

I hear Aunt May breathe out slowly, as she takes a step backward. "You know what I see in you, Irene?"

She pauses for a moment, before continuing her words. "You are gonna forever say 'I got this' , even with tears in your eyes, even when nobody is coming to save you"

"You were once a child with innocent eyes"

I scoff in disbelief, my eyes focusing at the can stuck between my hands.

"Some children are born with tragedy in their own blood" I go on, my voice now hoarse. "A little loss of innocence, that's what you would call it"

I see Aunt May stroking her chin next to me, leaning back.

"Don't let your eyes go cold, little one, it's okay to cry" she whispers to me desperately.

"I wanted to be loved Aunt May, that's all I ever asked for. Because you know? If I were to send a letter to my birthgivers, I would write, 'dear mom and dad, I made it without you' and I would've wrote it proudly, and with zero regrets" I growl, in a way I've never heard myself do before.

"All I ever wanted was a mother to hold me and tell me that I'm her princess, that I was enough and unbreakable, that she would never dare and leave me"

I lean my hands on the counter for support, heavy breaths escaping my tired lips. "But guess what? I never had a mother in the first place, and thinking about it everyday, breaks me"

"It's so easy for you to say I'll be alright" I mumble, dipping my head down, before I feel Aunt May's arms wrap around me.

Aunt May's hand was now gently stroking my hair. "Too much pain for someone too young" she whispers into my ear, leaning her head to my level.

"You're still a kid my dear, you're not supposed to be the hero"

I slowly pull away from the hug, after we remain in that position for a few moments, only to feel Aunt May cupping my cheeks, forcing me to look down at her.

"I'm proud of your littlest effort, and I shall always be next to you to remind you of that"

I was now staring at the lady in front of me, with no emotions displayed on my face.

I try to think of an appropriate response for my situation, but I fail again.

"We could stay like this for as long as you wish, because, sometimes" Aunt May starts over, pulling herself into the crook of my shoulder, again.

"Sometimes silence is the best response"

I then feel myself hugging Aunt May back, now wanting to let anything go.

It felt like home was finally finding it's lost way back to me. Maybe something has finally began to feel like home.

Aunt May's grip tightens around me one last time, before she takes a slight step backwards, and smiles at my face.

"Careful" she warns.

"Of what?"

"You're falling in love" she smiles, a warm expression spread over her face. "You're thinking too loud, that your words can't simply deny it"

Aunt May holds my hand, and pats it over and over, before turning to look up at me, surprising me with her choice of words.

"Go where you feel the most alive"

𓍊𓋼𓍊𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𓋼

author's note::

hi! please consider aunt may's words in this chapter for yourself too. take the word from a person you can trust ; sometimes, no matter how complicated things get, there's always still this small light in the corner. find it, search for it, and hold on to it. this may be a horrible period in your life, but I promise that it'll get so much better in the future, because no matter how much you're struggling, promise me, never to give up on hope<3