Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

5. Saved

Peter only does late night patrols on Wednesdays during the week. He usually reports back to Mr. Stark at around one in the morning and gets a little bit of sleep before school. He spent some time with Ned earlier, trying to figure out the base of the Lego Star Destroyer, but he still wanted to get in a few hours on the streets. It was rather quiet today, which means Peter is bored out of his mind. It's not that he wants people to do bad things, but it sure would keep him occupied on nights like this.

Tomorrow after school he once again has ballet class. He didn't plan to have classes twice a week until Madame Touha arranged that Daphne would teach him. Thursday is the only day of the week next to Sunday that there is no one else in the school. Daphne apparently already has a key of the building. Madame Touha must like her a lot to let her train after hours like that. After explaining the situation, Daphne seemed pretty eager to teach. Peter is worried about her, though. He doesn't want her to lose her scholarship based on the fact that there's an asshole out there, bothering her.

Peter realizes she didn't tell Madame Touha about David because Peter was also in the room and Madame Touha didn't know that he already knew. Daphne had thanked him for not saying anything about her stalker and all Peter could do was nod. David. He feels a strange fire in his stomach whenever he thinks his name.
"Peter, it is one AM."
"Send a report to Mr. Stark, please."
"Report sent."
"Thanks, Karen."
"Anytime, Peter."

Peter's about to swing home when he spots Daphne, walking by herself. What is she doing out so late? She's wearing a school uniform and clutching her bag to her chest. Luckily this is New York, the city that never sleeps. There are still quite a few people out and about, but it still makes Peter uncomfortable knowing she's all alone. Her pace is rather quick and Peter notices she tries not to look back.

That's when he spots him. The guy in the black hoodie, following her at about ten steps distance. The fire in his stomach is back and he squints as he drops himself from the tall building. He swings towards Daphne and lands right next to her, scaring her.
"Woah!" She stops walking and stares at Spider-Man. The actual, real, Spider-Man. In front of her. Looking at her. Right here. Her heart is beating loudly in her chest and her mouth goes dry.
"Evening, miss!" Peter salutes her and then wishes he didn't. I'm an idiot. "Let's keep walking, shall we?" Wearing the Spider suit makes him rather jumpy, but he tries to lower his voice a little to sound more mature.

"Uh-alright?" She continues her quick pace but Spider-Man keeps up easily. He doesn't say anything. "What are you doing here, Spider-Man? With me?"
"Oh, y'know. Just being friendly. It's in the title." Daphne raises an eyebrow at him. His eye lenses close a little bit and then go all the way open. "Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?" He pairs his remark with jazz hands and Daphne smiles nervously.
"Gotcha." She looks at her feet as she walks, still holding on to her bag with tense arms.
"I may have also noticed some creepy dude following you, so I wanted to ask if you're okay with me swinging you elsewhere?"
"Wha-"
"You don't have to say yes if you don't want to!" Spider-Man puts his hands up in defense. "But, eh..." He glances back shortly. "Even though I'm here, he's still right behind us." Daphne hides the bottom half of her face in her bag.

"Where would we go?"
"Anywhere you want." He sounds sincere. "Within swinging distance, obviously." It's Daphne's turn to glance back and David is still there, right behind them, but far enough not to have heard Spidey's proposal. They make eye contact. It was only two seconds, but the look on his face was so intense. So dark. She feels a panic rising in her stomach and she turns back around, facing forward and walking even faster.
"Please," she stutters. Peter gives her a worried look, which she can't see because of the mask. She's scared. He can hear her heartbeat thrum in his head and her breathing is erratic. His senses go into overdrive and his chest feels tight. Her anxiety is driving him insane. "Please, just get me out of here." She suddenly feels an arm around her waist.
"Hold on to me," Spider-Man whispers determined. He then says something that sounds oddly familiar to her. "I got you."