Girl Erased

Homecoming 16

Peter and I stand, glaring at each other from opposite corners of his bedroom. My hands are balled into fists at my sides as I look at him from across the room with anger and hurt written all over my face.

"No. Get out." He says after I read his mind.

"Are you serious right now, Peter?" I ask him, raising my voice with each sentence. "Are you dead serious right now? You know I'm not a fucking Avenger, right?"

Peter huffs, rolling his eyes, and throwing his hands up in the air. "So what? Tony just treats you like that because he can?" He gestures to his side, raising his voice.

"He doesn't treat me any different than he treats you, Pete." I scoff.

At the words that just came out of my mouth, Peter laughs out loud. It wasn't the contagious laugh I was used to, but one that just screamed that he could not believe what I had just said.

"Are you kidding?" He shouts. "Tony acts like you're the favorite child. It's like he thinks you being two months older makes you more responsible or more mature."

Peter mentioning my age just made me fume and he could see that. He's only ever mentioned our age difference once before, as a joke, and now he's trying to use it as his argument?

I put my hands to my temples, beginning to pace across the room. "Oh! This again!" I shout at him. "I thought when you joked about it, you knew that it wasn't a real double standard."

"I only made the joke because I was insecure about it." He shouts back, tugging on his hair in frustration. "I knew I couldn't bring it up for real because you'd try to deny it."

At his words, I stop pacing and stand right where I am. "You're right, I will try to deny it because it's not real!" I shout.

Peter takes a deep breath, looking everywhere, except my face. "I'm not doing this." He says finally, shoving past me to reach the door. I slam the door with my mind just as he reaches for the doorknob.

"Hey!" I yell.

"I'm not talking to you like this!" He yells back, his back still facing me. "When you calm down and admit that you're wrong-"

He knows what he's doing and that it's pissing me off to the point where I have to convince myself not to throw something at him. I use my powers to turn him so he's facing me and he can't back out of this argument. He looks at me and we just stare at each other as we try to regain our composure to finish this fight.

"Did you just use your powers on me?"

"You were acting childish. We need to finish this."

"Are we using powers now? Because I'd love to shut you up so you'll listen to me."

"What?" I yell when he quickly shoots some webs at me, hitting my closed mouth. I cross my arms over my lap and plaster on a very annoyed look as he starts to explain his side.

"Since you came into the group, I've been pushed to the background and disregarded." He argues, "Everyone is always more worried about you and your mission. If you were the one dealing with the Vulture guy, everyone would be fighting at your side. You always get more respect and more opportunities than I did even before you were an Avenger."

When he says that last part, I reach to my mouth and start to peel off the webs. I stand up and walk right in front of Peter.

"Maybe some of that is true but it's not because I'm two months older than you, or because I'm the 'favorite'"

"Then what is it, because I'm so tired of being babied and told my problems aren't big enough."

"It's pity, Peter, Tony pities me."

"How do you know?" He asks, not believing me

"You all do. You're all so incredibly transparent" He backs off and tries to think of something else to say, but he's speechless.

"Ruby I-"

"No, I get it. I've lived a tough life but I can't help how Tony treats me because of it."

"I didn't mean t-" He starts to say

"No! Peter. It's my turn to talk." I say, tears of frustration welling up in my eyes.

"I wish. I wish more than anything that Tony, Steve, Bruce, Clint, every single one of you would stop treating me like I need to be held up to a different standard because I have scars. Because I'm an orphan. Because I'm young. And don't even get me started on the fact that because I'm a girl I'm more fragile. Because I cry more, I need to be protected. Peter, listen to me, I am not an Avenger. I've never been an Avenger, I'm just pitied."

"Ruby, I had no idea it was that bad."

"But you see it. Hell, you're even part of it."

"I know, I guess I just didn't realize how much it affected you. Most of the time I didn't even notice when I was doing it."

"I know Peter, I'm sorry. I don't mean to take all of this out on you, I just need you to know that there is no double standard between us. I'm just fucked up and I guess it's starting to affect you guys now." A tear finally slides down my cheek and Peter immediately wraps me in a hug. He holds me there and I start to let out more of my tears.

"I'm so sorry, Peter."

"Me too, Rubes."