The Princess and the Spider-Man

Chapter 14

"Alright, so tell me why your everyday life is not-so-happy." Peter said, wiping his hands on his napkin.

"It all started back when I was a child. When my mom died." Mera said. Peter noticed that her voice broke a little when she mentioned her mother. This must still be a hard topic for her to talk about. "My father, king Nereus, was......well let's just say he's had better years than the last 15 years." she continued.

"Better years." Peter repeated, trying to get what she was talking about. "Are you saying that he's got a problem of some sort?" he asked.

Mera opened her mouth, and then closed it again for a moment. "Well....do you consider being paranoid a problem?" she asked after a minute of thinking.

"Does a zebra have stripes?" Peter asked with a grin. But is slowly slipped away when Mera tilted her head to the side and put on a confused face.

"Zebra? What's a zebra?" she asked.

"Um....you know what, forget about the zebra. What I'm trying to say is, yes I do see that as a bit of a problem." Peter said. He speaks from personal experience, for he has been paranoid about a bunch of things in the past, especially since he began his role as a hero. Mera shrugged off the confusion and cleared her throat.

"Well so do I." she said. "Ever since then, he's been paranoid about my safety and my responsibility to the kingdom. Always watching my every move, making sure I am doing something educational, and restricting me from venturing out of the kingdom." Mera shook her head in remembrance of all of those instances that she just told Peter.

"So he's over-protective." Peter concluded. Mere nodded her head yes.

"He used to be a lot more entertaining and laid back. Always would look to play games with me when he had the opportunity." Mera continued. "I used to get on his back and he would ride all throughout the kingdom as my own seahorse." Mera grinned at the memory, before the smile disappeared. "But now he's changed so much into this strict, over-protective person. And because of that, and all the restrictions he put on me, I could almost never go out to have fun growing up. I grew up too fast, and looking back, I wished that I had the guts to rebel like I have done recently."

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that Mera." Peter said. He got the sudden urge to grab her hand. But two things were standing in his way. One: he didn't want to rush things with Mera, especially since they are just now on their first date, and two: her hands were under the table on her lap and she was sitting across from him.

Okay, so maybe option two is the most likely reason why he's not grabbing her hand.

"It's fine Peter. I really haven't let it affect me often." Mera said. "But that's been my life. So strict, full of responsibility over the same things, and always having someone watching my every move. It almost feels as if I'm........trapped." Mera broke off a little to gaze at him with a small smile. "But this all changed the second that I met you."

"Who? Little old me?" Peter asked, suppressing a smirk.

"Yes you." Mera said chuckling. "Ever since we've met, it's been an amazing experience. There is just so much freedom between us, and we're able to just mess around or joke about things. Being around you reminds me of the happier times in my life. Peter, you make me feel like a kid again........which is a good thing." she assured.

The last statement actually did make Peter's smirk emerge. Just knowing now that he's the reason that she's happier brings warm feelings to his heart. "Well, that's great to know Mera. I'm glad that I can make you happy. For you do the same exact thing to me too." Peter said.

"I make you feel like a kid again?" Mera asked, quirking a brow. Her smirk was still in place.

Peter released a chuckle and said, "Well that's not exactly my point. I meant that every time I hang with you, I just forget all other struggles going on and just revel in the moment. Whatever the reasons were for you to come to New York Mera, I am grateful for them."