the beaded bag
a couple of weeks had passed and peter was at his best : due to the streets of NY being relatively quiet with not a lot of crime going on he'd had a lot of time to sleep and work on rebuilding his social life, as well as pouring effort into his job for more tips.
peter was slowly building up more and more strength too! paprika had allowed him to take home takeaway leftover food from the kitchens that was going spare, and peter relished at the chance to eat delicious, professionally cooked food for free.
just last night him and 'willow' had sat together outside the restaurant at the end of their shift, scarfing down plump pieces of lightly seasoned salmon as they religiously watched vine compilations.
the strength that peter rediscovered only boosted his confidence, and made him cheerier than ever. he marveled at how easy it was for him to flip several times whilst swinging, how easy it was to accomplish crazy jackie chan shit without exerting himself.
currently the curly - haired teenager was nodding his head to some music MJ was blasting from her speakers in his warehouse (not so loud that it hurt his ears tho) as he scooped up bits of rubbish and cleared up the corner of the room.
MJ and ned had offered to help him clean the place up a bit, he'd been a slob for far too long.
"why do you even have this?" ned asked curiously, and peter glanced round to see him holding a plastic bag filled with bottle caps.
peter shrugged nonchalantly. "I like things" he said simply, resuming in his shovelling cans into his bin bag.
MJ snorted. "at least you're not one of those like obsessive hoarders, yknow?"
"what's wrong with them??" peter protested, sitting back on his heels to pout at the girl.
"oh come on! it's wierd, and i heard once that this guy got crushed under all of his stuff in his house. I mean, it was piled like THIS high..." MJ stretched out her arm fervently.
"it's not wierd, it's just a hobby" ned murmered as he picked his way through the random boxes of scavenged bits.
peter grinned at him, and yelled over the music. "what's this song called?"
"I'm not a vampire" MJ replied, dipping her sponge in the bucket of soapy water.
"sounds pleasant" ned deadpanned, grimacing at the sudden vomiting noise issuing from the speakers. he caught peter's gaze and snickered. falling in reverse was certainly a different band to the ones peter usually listened to
"can we have that chill one? like it was a bit dark but it was nice and laid back" peter asked thoughtfully as he scrambled to his feet and jogged over to the table, snatching up a slice of greasy pizza supplied by michelle.
"the deathbed one?" MJ asked, but ned got there first, peter's mouth crammed full of pizza.
"nah, he means that bodybag one... wierd lyric one"
peter snapped his fingers and nodded, and MJ thought for a second.
"ohhhh! waynewood! yeah, I get you" she exclaimed, before turning to the monitor.
"can you play bodybags by waynewood, please janet?"
"of course" janet replied, and the song's melancholy beats started playing through michelle's speakers.
"what's this, pete?" ned asked, holding up a faded, scruffy-looking bunny rabbit toy, an opened little leather box beside him
peter opened his mouth and closed it, not really sure what to say.
"it's... that's kinda... it was.." he stammered.
at his reluctance to answer, MJ ceased in her scrubbing to look at him quizzically and worriedly.
"it was may's. she made it a while ago for me to... comfort me when my parents... you know. ive kept it as safe as I could" he got out, his voice suddenly thick with emotion.
ned immediately cradled it with more care, a look of pained sympathy on his face as he approached peter.
"she'd be so glad of how you've turned out, pete. you're fucking awesome! you help so many people and you've impacted so many lives" ned said sincerely, carefully handing the rabbit to peter, who took it slowly.
"what he said." MJ said dryly, her face concerned and emotional though. "we're here for you"
"i also second that" janet piped up, having paused the music.
peter smiled wetly, wiping his face with his hoodie sleeve, giggling slightly when he noticed the mess of biscuit crumbs on ned's shirt. "you got a little something...."
ned glanced down and chuckled, swiping the crumbs away.
"thank you guys so much" peter mumbled, and set may's toy down carefully on the table before ned barrelled into him, wrapping the teen in his arms tightly.
"MJ! GET IN HERE" ned's muffled voice issued from where his face was buried in peter's more muscly- than- bony shoulder.
"i... ugh. fine." MJ sighed, slouching forward and allowing herself to be tugged into the cuddle.
"i would participate in the group hug, guys, but I really don't think embracing a computer screen would be particularly beneficial to your saturday" janet spoke, and peter snickered.
"you're here in spirit, janet" peter comforted, shooting finger guns at the monitor.
when janet played real gun sound effects suddenly, ned was startled yet again as he toppled backwards into a shelf, tipping a load of science textbooks they'd just spent an hour organising on to the freshly scrubbed floor.
peter and MJ burst out laughing as they helped a cursing ned up.
"she's enthusiastic, isn't she" ned muttered, and MJ threw the computer a fond glance. "that she is"
peter rolled his eyes, and picked up the empty pizza box.
"we seem to be out of fuel" peter commented sadly, but MJ shook her head and grabbed her rucksack, violently shaking it upside down. peter and ned exchanged amused glances as her battered possessions spilled out , but whistled in appreciation as two other pizza boxes clattered onto the table.
"how the potato chicken fuck did you fit them in there?" peter asked at the same time as ned yelled "IT'S THE BEADED BAG!"
"the what now?" peter asked confusedly, mouth already full with food again, munching avidly.
"the beaded bag! hermione's bag!!.... harry potter!" ned gasped, offended.
".... oh yeah" peter mumbled, and MJ eyed the food spraying everywhere with distaste.
"you gotta keep your energy up, parker" she said, nudging his shoulder. "lots of superheroing to do"
"there's not a lot right now, actually" peter said after swallowing. "there's been a few muggings but other than that the streets have been relatively quiet."
"huh" MJ stated, rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"oh yeah, sorry. you guys should get some sleep, you probably have stuff to do" peter apologised.
"nah, im just not used to getting up so early" ned grumbled, tugging on his jacket as MJ started shoving her stuff back in her poor, poor backpack.
"give that poor thing a rest, michi" janet sang, and MJ glared at the monitor. only janet was allowed to call her michi, a nickname the AI had spent a surprising amount of time choosing. she had wanted it to be 'perfect'.
bless janet.
"it can take it" she insisted, as she violently zipped up the bag, pausing momentarily to struggle as it caught on a little hole on the material.
"mm hmm" janet replied, and peter and ned grinned.
"anyway, il see you guys tommorow at 7?" peter confirmed, and the others nodded.
"see ya, parker"
"toodleoo, petey!"
peter returned ned's enthusiastic thumbs up.
an hour later, peter had finished rearranging his boxes and cleaning the floor, and he sat back, mentally exhausted. his mind wasn't very good at focusing on one thing for too long, unless it was science. science was amazing.
"hey boss, the microwave pinged two minutes ago" janet reminded him, and he grinned and leapt to his feet, careful not to knock over any of the carefully balanced boxes.
"thanks, j" he said, as he grabbed the popcorn out of the little box eagerly. an odd choice for breakfast, but he could do what he wanted.
"how long has my suit been drying now?" he asked, nodding to where his damp suit was spread out
"6 hours and 17 minutes" janet answered, and he hummed in thought.
"do you reckon it'll be dry by tonight?" he asked, thinkin about the patrol later.
another couple of hours later and peter had returned from his patrol, which had only been stopping a couple of masked criminals and saving a middle-aged woman from being run over. it was nice having so much energy.
peter sighed tiredly, more than ready for bed. he stretched his arms, feeling the joints pop, and flopped onto his mattress.
he'd only been laying there for a minute or two until janet reluctantly interrupted his peace
"sorry to bother you pete, but it's getting a bit messy outside"
peter groaned and dragged himself off the mattress. a month ago he was this tired constantly, but now he wasn't used to it and he wanted to nAP.
" s no trouble, babe" he mumbled as he pulled his trainers and sweats on, along with an oversized t shirt that had a periodic table with the words : "I wear this shirt periodically, but only when I'm in my element"
he had taste like that.
peter popped his head out of the little hatch in the ceiling, cocking his ear and concentrating on making out the faint words that were lost in the windy evening.
"-MINE, BACK THE FUCK OFF-"
"calm the fuck down-"
"-not even YOUR PAINT-"
oh jeez. the arty homeless kids tended to be the most emotional and the quickest to rile up.
peter used the advantage of the darkness to quickly leap down from the warehouse, landing on the curb and jogging down the road, the chilly night breeze tousling his hair.
he rounded the corner and grimaced at the sight of a gang of teenagers, all yelling furiously at each other.
peter recognised a few of the local vandalists (some a lot nicer than others) with their paint stained clothes and some others he didn't know.
as he neared, some of the few who'd obviously recognised peter as the big bad neighbourhood superfreak visibly tensed and backed away.
the kids that actually knew him for who he was looked relieved though, and ian, a laidback teen with dreadlocks jogged over to meet him.
"-fighting over spray paint again, it was stupid of jack to even start the whole territory thing, but the issue is this dick kylon-" he yelled over the wind and the screaming, and peter sighed in understanding.
the young mutant marched forward, and soon his presence had made most of the fighting die down - some even smiled at him.
" what's the problem here, chaps? "he asked brightly, shoving his hands in his pockets to warm them.
"what's the problem?" a big burly teenager with clenched fists and a leather jacket repeated, outraged at the interruption. you got the problem, bruh"
peter raised his eyebrows. "don't think I do" he said matter-of-factly, and the teenager towering over him snorted.
"you better fucking leave, freak. we're a bit busy, see" he snarled, obviously squaring up.
"I'd rather not. such a lovely evening. good weather for a stroll in the park, wouldn't you think?" peter said airily, still grinning brightly.
"i dont think you heard me, man. SCRAM!" the taller boy spat, clearly pissed that he wasn't having an effect on peter.
peter snickered, casting a 'really?' look at the girl beside him, who was a familiar face. what was her name? holly? oh yeah, hannah. she'd helped him stop brawls a number of times.
hannah grinned back, but nudged him so he looked back at the thug, who was now shrugging off his jacket and showing off his muscles.
"hey, man. why you so mad anyway?" peter asked sincerely, still stood there. he could easily take him in a fight if he needed to.
ian stepped forward bravely, and muttered over the whistling wind "cmon kylon, it was just some cans of paint. there's more to life-"
"shut the fuck up, you fucking-"
"fan of the f words, aren't you?" peter interrupted, smirking infuriatingly. "my favourite word begins with f actually, guess what it is!"
kylon growled and began to start forwards, ignoring the other protesting teenagers, some warning him, others probably just tired of his antics.
"is it..... faggot?" kylon sneered, his face close to peter's.
peter's smile faltered, his cheeriness soured by this brute's attitude. of course this twat had to act up on such a tiring day.
"surprisingly, its not. its actually fabergé. and please don't use that word, nylon" he said calmly, still not backing down as kylon leered.
peter heard some of the friendlier teenagers from the rough area sniggering at his cool response, and kylon had had enough.
the air moved as he lunged, shrieking in a comical way as he threw himself forward. peter rolled his eyes at hannah and ian and easily sidestepped. this continued for a few minutes, peter attempting to reason with this jerk while said jerk threw punch after punch.
kylon had obviously started to tire, his already exaggerated movements getting sloppy, and he panted as he finally drew back. his mates seized the opportunity to grab his beefy arms and steer him away to where some of them had gotten out cans of drink.
"better not see your face around here, freak!" kylon persisted, yelling back at him. peter chuckled. "see, that might be difficult. would you like me to wear a motorbike helmet so you won't have to swoon at my handsome features?"
ian grinned at the receding figures, then turned to thank him, but hannah got there first.
"thanks man" she said, fist-bumping him with her fingerless glove. "not sure my approach would have been so... placating"
"s good" peter said, keen to get back to his warm bed. "see you around, guys"
"wait, you don't wanna stay? you could have some stuff with us, yknow" ian pleaded, and peter was pleasantly surprised they wanted to talk to him.
"i dont touch that stuff, but thanks. another time we could hang out maybe" peter said awkwardly, and they smiled and nodded.
"see ya, freak" hannah said, smirking, and ian waved as peter shot them finger guns and retreated down the alley.
god, he was tired. his vocal chords were holding up surprisingly well these couple of months with the sudden uplift in talking, but right now his throat hurt and he wanted to sleep.
peter mumbled a hello to janet before stripping out of his clothes and jumping onto his mattress, sighing deeply into the material. he was fast asleep in seconds.