I Can't Make You Love Me || Peter Parker x OC

Chapter 22: Family Doesn't Have To Be Related

⚠️Content Warning⚠️

Realistic descriptions of panic attacks and mildly graphic scenes. Self-deprecation and talk of medicated treatment for mental issues.

And fluffy Spider-son/Iron-dad feels.

Peter's perspective

I was finally free at last. My mental state felt like it was rotting into mush, what with having to deal with the stress of being around her. I don't regret any of the things I've done in the past 3 days--or rather I don't regret most of the things-- but her energy just seems really off to me, and I can't put a finger on it. But for all the questionable or weird things she's done, her good acts have vastly overpowered any negatives that she may have.

But getting your bar to neutral doesn't erase everything though, it just makes them a little less obvious. Because for as much as I would like to accept her coffee, and gratefully take everything that she's given me, I can't forget that she intentionally destroyed my phone. I was in denial at first, but keeping up that act is just plain foolish, and is only going to cause both of us more damage down the line. Lies aren't good, plain and simple.

Coffee was a plus though, I just couldn't refuse it.

So that's how I found myself walking past the football field of my school, smelling like a girl, without any way of communicating with my family. The whole world felt like it was just...off. Visibly, there was no indicator that something bad was going to happen; no spaceships in the sky, no tears in the space time continuum, no killer robots sent from other dimensions. Even the clouds in the sky looked relatively calm, even for the middle of winter. It wasn't actively snowing, and the wind wasn't blowing, everything seemed at ease.

Obviously that wasn't enough to soothe my head. All of my senses, heightened or otherwise, were screaming at me that nothing was fine. But the track that sat beneath my train of thought was apparently set to whatever mode put it in a dizzying, never ending loop.

With virtually no warning, every hair on my body shot off like a stalk of bamboo, the follicles fully erect and rubbing almost painfully against the plush fleece lining of my sweatshirt. Jolts of electricity shot up and down my back like...well, electricity, when two hands clasped sharply on my back, mentally pulling me out of my thoughts, and physically pulling me off of my feet.

"Where the heck have you been, Peter?! I thought you dipped on me like Lando did with Han. Not cool. Where were you?"

It was...

"Jesus Christ, Ned! Give me a heart attack why don't you?" I stumbled on my next few steps, trying to regain control of both my feet and my heart, both of which were flailing around out of order. I was still clutching my chest, though somewhat dramatically, until I deemed myself fit enough to answer his question. "I was on a mission. I left this morning to get here on time, and I have to meet with Mr. Stark after school. I can get you some more details later, but for now, I don't know what I am and am not allowed to tell you."

"Ah, that makes more sense. All the teachers said you were sick, and that was the largest heap of bull crap I've ever heard from them."

An actual laugh left me at his claim as we ascended up the few shallow steps that lead to the front entrance of the school. Since our lockers were relatively close to each other, and the hallways were buzzing with life, we continued on with our conversation with no fear of being overheard.

"Yeah, I knew that I was going to be there for a few days, so I had Mr. Stark and May call in and say that I had the flu or something. Never got the details, but obviously it worked."