Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Peter opened his eyes drowsily. There was a ringing, a nagging on his brain. Rummaging around in the darkness yelled his phone. The time was two thirty five in the morning and Peter was tired. He had gotten home from Dc, being lectured the whole way back by a frantic May, and had promptly collapsed on to his bed, the stress of the day taking it's toll.
The ringing sounded again and Peter clumsily presses the answer button. Holding the device up to his ear, Peter almost jumped when a voice spoke on the other end.
"Peter?"
"Shit, Emil", Peter pulled himself up a bit in surprise, feeling suddenly more awake. "Why are you calling me at two something in the morning?"
"Sorry. It's just that I needed someone to talk to and you were the first one that came to mind". Emil's voice sounded stuffy and a little bit horse.
"Wait, have you been crying?"
"No". It was a lie. They both knew it.
Peter wasn't sure what to do. This was his crush, crying over the phone to him. How was Peter supposed to deal with this? If he was Spider-Man right now then he would say something probably attempting to be heroic and inspirational, but he was just Peter. Normally, Peter would give someone a hug and pat them on the back. It was what he had done with Boo. But this was over the phone.
"So, why did you call?" Peter asked lamely, unable to think of something different.
"I got into a argument with my uncle".
"The guy who picked you up?"
"No, my other uncle. I have a few. But he was ranting on about how I could have died and I just got really angry. I know that he was just worried about me but he was talking about making me leave and I don't want to leave. Why hasn't he been here anyway? I wish I was born normally, with a normal life. I wish my mum loved me and did not die. I wish my dad was here". There was a broken sob and some snuffled sniffles.
Peter listened to Emil cry, his heart weighing heavily in his chest. He wanted to hold the other boy and tell him that everything was alright.
"What's your address?" Peter asked, already getting out of bed.
"But it's two in the morning and it's dangerous out at night", Emil protested.
"I'll be okay. Now what is your address?" Peter reassured him as he pulled on a hoodie over his pjs.
Emil protested a bit more but eventually coughed out his address. By that point, Peter had already stuffed some spare clothes in a backpack and had left a note for aunt May on his bedroom door. Wasting no time, Peter silently crept out of his bedroom window.
"Don't go to sleep Emil. I'll be about fifteen minutes", he reassured before hanging up.
Emil's apartment block was only a few streets away from Peter's. It was a plain but nice building, a bit nicer than Peter's own. He had heard about this building. Apparently a unknown rich person had brought the whole building, renovated it and rented out the apartments to struggling families at cheep rates. But they were very selective and would not permit drugs or violence within the property. It had a very secure security system which allowed the families to feel safer.
It turns out that Emil lived on the top floor, in what appeared to be a renovated attic space. The security guard took one look at Peter and buzzed him in, much to Peter's relief. After climbing up about twelve flights of stairs, Peter found himself standing outside apartment 89.
Emil was still in the same clothes he had been wearing all day. His grey t-shirt was rumpled and his jeans had dirt on them. His unnatural blue eyes were red and glassy and his black hair was a mess.
"Um come in," Emil gestured inside. The lights were off so all that Peter could see was dim colours cast by what he supposed were fairy lights.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Emil was in his arms.
"It's okay", Peter soothed, rubbing circles into Emil's waist. "Let's Get you to bed and you can tell me everything in the morning". This was a tactic Aunt May had often used on him when he was upset. It was not to ask questions, just calm the person into falling asleep so that they will be in a better state of mind when they woke up.
With Peter's help, Emil changed into a pair of comfortable pyjamas (although Peter had to turn around whilst Emil actually changed), and had brushed his teeth. Peter had been quite surprised to find that Emil's bed was just a mattress on the floor covered in pillows, blankets and duvets. But had found that it was actually rather comfortable.
Guiding a now very sleepy Emil, the physical and mental exhaustion had finally caught up on him, to his bed in the still dimly lit room, Peter laid him down and covered him in a duvet. Emil blinked up at him with half heavy lidded eyes.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" He mumbled sleepily. "No one has ever tucked me into bed before. They would usually throw me into my room if I fell asleep or passed out", he slurred, already half asleep.
Peter's heart gave another pang and more unanswered questions about who Emil actually was filled his mind. Instead he just snuggled in next to the boy, wrapping his arms around him comfortingly. Emil hugged back reflexively as his breaths evened out.
Gazing at the face of his crush for a few more seconds, Peter closed his eyes and whispered "goodnight Emil".
