The Amazing Spider-Pidge (Plance)

4 - You Must Be Level Five to Unlock My Tragic Backstory

Thank God for the weekend. Pidge lay in bed for a full two days letting her injuries heal. Her shoulder wound was almost completely healed save the small scar it left, her limp had all but disappeared and her bullet wound hurt significantly less than before. It wasn't difficult to keep her mom out of the know, Pidge usually spent the weekends sat in bed staring at her laptop anyway. By Monday she felt ready to go out as Spider-Man again.

Lance kept sneaking glances at her at school. Her hair was disheveled and there were dark bags under her eyes. But compared to the past week, she's never been better.

Really, she understood why he was so worried. But she was okay. He didn't need to worry about her.

Everything would turn out fine, just like always.

+++

"Katie, are you sure you're alright?"

Pidge gave a smile of reassurance to her mother. "Yeah, I'm great."

"You've been so secretive lately, it worries me. I know you're a teenager, but..." she trailed off as her forehead creased. Pidge gripped onto her hand across the mahogany dining table. Colleen took it graciously.

Pidge's mind went to Matt and Sam. Ever since them she's been sneaking out, staying away from the house longer, locking herself in her room. Of course her mom noticed, how couldn't she?

Colleen's eyes glistened. "I'm so sorry, honey."

"No, don't be, it's okay."

"I wish I could be better for you."

Pidge stood and pulled her mother into a tight hug. Her fingers dug into Colleen's back. "It's okay, really, I'm fine." she whispered.

"I saw your leg."

She froze. Shit. "Uh- I don't-"

"You have to tell me what's going on. I can't lose you, not you."

She didn't know what to say.

"Mom... I'm so sorry. I can't-"

"Cut the bullshit, Katie, please."

Pidge stammered. She was backed into a corner, and she felt pathetic.

Why did she have to be bit by a radioactive spider? Why did she have to be Spider-Man? Why did she have to lie to her mom every night? Why did her life have to be so fucking weird all the time? Why did she have to lose Matt and Sam?

Why did Matt and Sam have to die?

Tears she'd tried pushing back flowed down her face. "I-I... I just- everything is so much all the time and I'm always stressed and I just wish they were here so bad-" she cried, and Colleen didn't have to ask who 'they' were. She enveloped her daughter in her arms and rubbed her back soothingly as she cried.

"It's okay, baby, I know."

Pidge just sobbed and tried to form any type of coherency in her words. "I'm- I'm sorry. It was a s-stupid thing, I didn't mean to get burned-"

She cut herself off with a sniffle and clutched onto her mother harder.

"It's okay. Just tell me when you're hurt. I won't be mad."

Not even if it's a bullet wound in the stomach?

"Thanks Mom. I-I love you."

"I love you too. But I worry. I need you to tell me these things."

"I will."

Pidge hated lying, but really, what other choice did she have?

+++

Lance couldn't stop thinking about Pidge. The way she would wince whenever she moved the wrong way, her unnaturally pale skin and her exhausted eyes. It scared him.

Every time he tried to bring it up, she would just shoot it down or full on ignore it, which didn't exactly ease his fears. She was hiding something from him. She already told him about Spider-Man, what other secrets are there to keep?

Whatever it was, he wasn't as hurt as he was worried. He just wanted Pidge to be okay. He knew as a little kid she'd tell her parents whenever she got a paper cut or scraped her knees, but now she was going against crime bosses and maniacs and not telling anyone shit.

He became lost in his thoughts walking down the sidewalk to his apartment. It was dark and the city lit up with yellow windows and white lights, almost nobody on the street. He'd spent his birthday at Hunk's playing D&D along with Allura and Keith, a little dejected when he realized Pidge wasn't coming. But it had gotten late to the point none of them could keep their eyes open, and Lance just decided to call it a night and walk home. Sure, it was less safe than calling a taxi, but he didn't have money, and his family was already asleep.

"Lance!" someone above him whisper-shouted. Lance spun around and spotted a red and blue suit hanging upside down off a web. He huffed a breath of relief and shuffled closer to her.

"Pidge," he said after making sure no one else was close to them, "what are you doing?"

"What, you think I'd just forget about my boy on his birthday? You and I are going on a date."

"You don't have to-"

"Ah ah ah! I hope you're not afraid of heights, Watson!" she held her hand out excitedly. For once, he didn't jump to grab it.

"Why weren't you at Hunk's today? You said you were coming." Lance couldn't help the twinge of disappointment laced in his voice.

Her face fell. "I'm sorry. There was a bit of an Avengers emergency."

"There always is."

"If it's any consolation, the mission really sucked. It wasn't even fun, I was thinking about you the whole time. Like when you watch a bad movie but it's not so bad that it's funny and you're just stuck wishing you watched another movie."

He chuckled at her rambling. "Am I a movie that's so bad it's funny?"

"Dude, you're like the Star Wars OT of movies. I'd pick you over anyone else, any day."

Lance huffed out a laugh as his face became flushed.

"I'm really sorry. I should've been there. But I wanna make it better, and I think I know how." she held out her hand one more time.

Damnit, Katie Parker.

Grasping onto her hand, he let his worry wash away for a moment. She lifted her mask above her mouth and gave a lopsided smile to her boyfriend. He couldn't help blushing at that smile.

She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. He returned the action, and the rest of the world fell away for a minute, as if they were the only people in New York.