HOPELESS ☾Peter Parker - 1

THIRTY SIX

Aspen Blue woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. She had one of the best sleeps of her life despite all of the stress about the trip, and she honestly had Peter Parker to thank for that.

Once they got back to the tower after their night together, they both retreated to their respective rooms with small smiles on their faces. No words were spoken between the two when Aspen soon crawled into the boy's bed, for Peter simply pulled her closer and drifted into a deep sleep. 

That morning was a silent one. The air was thick with tension that even Tony Stark didn't want to break with his usual witty words and commentary. They all knew that the mission they were about to embark on was a dangerous one, and there was a chance that one of them could get seriously hurt. 

The trio boarded the Quinjet in silence. Tony went to the front in order to set the jet on its course, and Peter and Aspen sat down in the back. 

Aspen's knee was bouncing up and down nervously, and Peter noticed that she had a far away look in her eyes. 

He also noticed that instead of her fingers twisting her usual necklace, they were running over the small leaf charm on the bracelet he had given her. 

That made him smile. 

"The flight will be about three hours, so make yourselves comfortable." Tony Stark called from the front area. 

Aspen snapped out of the daze she was in and nodded silently, even though Tony couldn't see her. 

'You good?" Peter softly asked the girl, placing a hand over hers.

She took in a shaky breath and gave her best smile. "Yeah. Just nervous obviously." 

"You don't need to be nervous, flower. I'll be right by your side the whole time."

Aspen's smile became a tiny bit more sincere at the nickname and she let out a breathy laugh and rolled her eyes. 

She then thought about the second part of his reassurance and furrowed her eyebrows. "That's what I'm worried about." She whispered.

Peter didn't understand what she meant, so he remained silent, watching her eyes as she spoke. 

"I don't want you to get hurt Peter. A while ago you promised me that you would protect yourself first, and I haven't forgotten that. I hope that you haven't either." 

Peter's expression went blank at her words. He remembered her begging him to save himself if there was any danger, and he remembered promising that he would do just that. 

He also remembered promising himself that he wouldn't let anything happen to Aspen. 

So, he just nodded and gripped her hand tighter. 

A thousand thoughts were running through Aspen's head in that moment. She had no idea what was going to happen when they arrived at the Prison, but she hoped that it would go their way. 

She hoped her mother would be there; she hoped her father was alright; she hoped that Tony and Peter would be safe; she hoped and she hoped and she hoped. 

Hope was something that she needed to hold on to in these moments where everything seemed hopeless. 

"Aspen," she heard the voice of Iron Man call to her, "Come hither." 

She rolled her eyes lightly and stood up, squeezing Peter's hand tightly before letting go and walking to the front of the Quinjet. 

She walked in front of the seated man and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms across her chest and raising an eyebrow in question.