Behind a Smile

C14 - A new normal

Uhh.... yeah. Oops.

TW: Food deficiency, Stab wound

Peter didn't want to wake up. Waking up meant facing the world and he wasn't ready for that. Was anyone ever? But he especially wasn't ready for it right now. He knew the longer he would stay in bed, the more consequences there would be. Maybe not obvious consequences but those small ones like there not being enough food left or missing the early train and thus having to have extreme sensory overload because in the later train you must stand because it is so crowded.

But the longer he lay in bed... he realized he didn't care about those consequences unless they were affecting them right that moment. Because as long as he was laying here, with the blankets over his head in his warm cocoon he could, just for a second, forget where he was. A moment of bliss not thinking about his next steps, just trying to rest.

However, he realized that this internal fight between pretending the world doesn't exist and interacting with it to get it over with didn't provide him with any rest that he wanted to get by staying in bed. So, he tried to gather the energy to get up. He couldn't of course, because depression doesn't care whether you have decided that what you are, or rather are not, doing is useless.

Pitter patter pitter patter pitter patter.

The soft sound of small feet approaching the room filled his ears. Ayush peeked his head into the room with the help from Abu opening the door for him.

"PE'EY!" The pitter pattering footsteps that he had heard now became a sprint.

"Hey hey, my little dinosaur. What are you doing here?"

"Mama go' a place! Mis'er Abu sai' I coul' 'ell you!" Ayush said, going over to him for a hug. The reason for his lack of t sounds became obvious when he flashed his big grin.

"That's amazing! And I see that isn't the only big news, because last time I checked you still had both your front teeth and now they are gone!" Peter replied, hoisting the kid up onto the bed. The toddler was like a little heated blanket which was everything Peter needed right now.

"Yeah! Las' nigh'. Bo'h of 'em."

"Wow, lucky fella. Now can you help me... I seem to have lost my.... TICKLE ATTACK" He said with his fingers creeping up Ayush' back and start tickling him.

The loud giggling from the kid did wonders for his mood. He suspected that was also the reason Mister Abu allowed Ayush in. He stopped his tickling and took a deep breath.

"Alright little one, it is time for me to get ready for the rest of the day. I will come see you and your mom before I leave, okay?" Peter said, putting Ayush down.

The boy looked up at him in confusion. "Why are you leaving?"

"Because I normally don't sleep here, remember. This was just for the night. Besides, you are leaving too to your new place." Peter replied and Ayush nodded before hugging him tight and running out the door, leaving Peter with a soft smile on his face.

Mister Abu peeked his head in the door. "Take your time. Come help with breakfast when you are dressed and when that is done, we will look at finding one of the Pepper Potts Foundation shelters that fits you best."

Peter nodded and Mister Abu softly closed the door. Peter quickly got dressed and went outside to help with breakfast. The distraction was nice, and he enjoyed spending time with these people, he really did. They also enjoyed his presence, which was noticeable with the grins and happy chatter that occurred as soon as people noticed him. People didn't care that it wasn't his normal working hours, and they knew better than to mention it. Instead, they told him jokes and victories and other ways to cheer him up.