I Can’t Risk Another Goodbye Part 1
“Peter I am literally calling you. You know how much you have to worry a billionaire for him to personally call you? Pick up the damn phone.”
Peter deleted the voicemail and his music began to play again. The noise from outside still filtered past the convenient store earbuds, but Peter didn’t mind. Only Mr.Stark’s headphones could truly block out everything, specially made for him. For him.
Peter pushed past the crowd of people onto the crowded subway. He needed to get home. His teachers had assigned a mountain of homework and May gave him a curfew. Didn’t leave much time for patrolling but he had to. People counted on him. He needed to save them.
Peter tried to focus on the music, ignoring the terrible smells surrounding him. Despite all the cons, Peter did love public transport. It was gross, but they couldn’t afford a car and there was no point in it anyway. This was the only time Peter got to see the people he saved without doing the saving. He could see each person living their life. He hoped he wouldn’t have a reason to save them but he also knew the world wasn’t perfect. He heard the different phone conversations, the announcements of coming home or the yelling of a boss. Everyone somehow living in harmony and not even speaking.
He smiled and looked at the station they had stopped at, looking to see if it was his. The familiar landmarks jumped out at him and he joined the throng of people exiting the car. It was easy to swept up but Peter didn’t mind. He knew he could stand his ground if he had too but all he needed now was off.
When he arrived at his apartment door, the teen stood and listened for May. She didn’t know if she would have to work late tonight or not and he needed to know if he needed to hide the large bruise forming on his arm. With his healing, all minor injuries, like bruises, were gone quickly. Because of this, May would know that the bruise wasn’t from patrol. He didn’t want to explain Flash to her right now. Or ever.
The humming emitting from the apartment told Peter enough. He grabbed his jacket from his backpack, it being too hot to wear normally. Once the mark was hidden from view, he opened the door to the apartment. Peter smiled as May danced around the kitchen, cooking what would inevitably be burnt soon and thrown in the trash. No matter how hard she tried, May couldn’t cook to save her life. Luckily, they had both comes to term with it and had order out on speed dial.
As he dropped his lanyard on the counter, May laughed, “I still can’t believe you bought that. I mean, really, buying your own merch?”
“Hey just because it’s Spider-Man doesn’t make it my merch. I’m not the one selling it. Besides Delamar was selling it. How could I not?”
May wrapped her arms around him and kissed his head, “anyway, how was school?”
Peter tried not to grimace as she squeezed the bruise. He had a high pain tolerance, but bruises were sensitive. “It was fine. Nothing new happened. Ned was sick though but he should be back soon.”
May let go and stepped back, clasping her hands. She turned to the kitchen before looking back, “why do you have a sweatshirt on? It’s 70 degrees outside.”
“I’m just cold I guess. Is that smoke?”
May turned quickly and shouted at Peter to grab a towel. She pulled the once-lasagna out of the oven and Peter dropped the towel on top, trying to stop the smoke. They both stood at the counter, looking at the sad pile before them.
She sighed, before pulling out her phone and ordering their usual pizza order.
“Why do you assume I burnt dinner? I did but it hurts that you assume that.”
She hung up and rubbed her forehead. As if suddenly reminded of their previous conversation, she turned to Peter again, “maybe it’s the insect bite.”
He turned towards his room, calling over his shoulder, “it’s an arachnid, not an insect.”
“How would I know that? I’m not spider-boy.”
He laughed to himself, dropping his bag off in his room. He closed the door and collapsed in his chair, pulling out his computer to start his work.
30 minutes later, as promised, May called out that pizza had arrived. Peter pushed his chair back and headed to the living room where two pillows were on either side of the coffee table. May walked in, holding the the pizza and two sodas from the fridge, “What do you feel like watching tonight? It’s your turn to pick?”
Peter sat down, adjusting to the height difference, “I don’t know. Something short? After we finish dinner I gotta finish homework so I’d like to get a good bit through it. Bambi maybe?”
May rolled her eyes and grabbed the dvd where it sat, right next to the tv where it was moved and watched once a week, “you always come up with a new excuse to watch this movie.”
He shrugged and added, “well I watched this movie with Mom and Dad. It’s a good memory.”
May smiled softly, “I know.”
“Anyway I’ve seen it so many times it background noise by now.”
The pair settled, focusing on their food and the animation in-front of them. Peter stopped occasionally to quote his favorite lines in time with the movie.
May took bite of her pepperoni pizza, observing her teen. After a minute she spoke, “hey Peter.”
Peter turned, “Yeah May?”
“I got an interesting call today.”
He tensed ever so slightly. Who would call her about him? Was it the school? Did he do something wrong? Did they see Flash?
“It was from Tony.”
Mr.Stark? Why would he call May? Peter didn’t say anything, waiting for her to respond.
“He said you haven’t been responding to him or Happy. Wanted to make sure you were okay.” May stared at him, prompting him to say something. She was met with silence so she continued.
“I told him you were fine and that you could spend the weekend together. You could go to the compound.”
Peter didn’t look up from his lap. In a quiet voice, trying to sound convincing he replied,”I just got busy I guess. Forgot to respond.”
May squinted are him, trying to find the truth. Giving up, she returned to eating her pizza,”okay well make sure you call him at some point.”
“Of course May.” Peter sat down his dinner, having lost his appetite. He couldn’t spend the weekend with Tony. It would only make things worse. It would only hurt more when Peter got left behind. When he got forgotten.