Love Song | p. parker

7 | Love at the Worst

"Peter?" Momentarily lost in the absurd idea that Peter was wearing his Spider-Man pajamas to sneak out of the hotel, you misjudged the distance between you and the vending machine. You fell forward as your hand passed through empty air instead of resting on the glass of the glowing machine.

Peter was frozen in the corner with something in his hands.

"Peter- is that a hood-" Your voice caught in your throat as you realized what he was holding, and what he was wearing. "Pete-" This time you did catch the vending machine with your hand and you stood up gazing in horror at Peter dressed in a superhero suit. "What're you..." You trailed off.

Peter half turned towards the wall and brought his fist up hard against the plaster unnecessarily hard. He swore under his breath.

You were stuck in a state of memories racing past your eyes as you recalled every time Peter had made the excuse of having the Stark Internship for when he was out late or the story where he had lost his balance for the fourth time on the apartment stairs and bruised his eyes and arms.

"How?" You whispered.

Peter ran a hand through his hair distractedly. He anxiously walked up to the dark window in the door and shut off the light.

"Um, Pet-"

"Shh," He was staring out the window, his eyes more alert than you had ever seen them in class.

Peter evidently decided any potential danger in the hallway was nonexistent because he turned back around and glowered at you. "You were not supposed to find out. Ned was supposed to keep you in the room."

"I left before he could realize." You folded your arms, hurt. "And I didn't know you didn't trust me." You looked away as you said this because the blazing look in Peter's eyes was slightly alarming to you.

"I don't- ___, that's not-"

"No, it's okay." You interrupted him. "I get it." Tears were threatening to leak out onto your cheeks but you blinked them away. "I can tell when someone doesn't care enough."

Peter didn't move. For a second you thought he had seen something in the window but then you saw that he was staring at you in shock.

"Not care about you?" He said in an almost whisper. He took a small step nearer to you. "Not care about you?" He said again, his voice breaking. "Do you have any idea why I haven't told you my biggest secret?"

You pursed your lips, ready for the cliche phrase.

"I did it to protect-"

"Protect me, sure." You grumbled. "Peter I could help you. I could be your home contact. Someone to call if you're in trouble. You should have someone who you can trust to tell so they can help you if you need it."

Peter took a deep breath to steady himself. "Ned knows."

Your eyes must have betrayed the flash of hurt that coursed through your body.

"It was an accident." Peter rushed on. "He- I was late for a hangout and he was there and I didn't realize and it was kind of a disaster."

"Like this?" You raised an eyebrow and Peter glanced back at you.

"This is different."

"No it isn't." You unfolded your arms. "I'm your friend who accidentally found out you fight crime every night. This isn't-"

"This is very different." Peter turned away distressed and pulled at his hair with his gloved hands.

"How." You asked, fed up with Peter's attitude. "How is this any dif-"