Peter Reid

Chapter 15 ~ It's Not Okay

Peter's POV

Peter stood by Happy's car listening to Spencer before blocking him out. Happy unlocked the doors so he slid into the car. "How is he?" Happy asked startling Peter, normally it was Peter who had to start the conversation.

He worried his lip, "he's..." He starts, going to lie and say the same thing he's been telling everyone. However, as he looks at Happy's face through the mirror, he remembers how the face used to be so closed off. It's now open and worrying and it cracks him.  "He thinks that because he didn't die everything's fine! That taking a bullet for someone is okay and that if he died for a good cause, it would be okay!" Peter blurted letting out the anger that flared up after hearing Spencer talking with JJ and Will.

Happy looked at him, turning his body instead of looking through the mirror. "When you work in this line of work, you're alright with dying for someone. Peter, understand that I would die for Tony, for any of you because that's my job. Spencer's job is a lot like mine in that way. Just because we have come to terms with that thought doesn't mean we'll seek it out."

"That shouldn't be okay!" Peter spat sinking into the car.

However, as the door opened, and Spencer slid into the seat next to him he tried to let the anger go. They hadn't fought, not since they moved in with each other. Peter didn't feel like being the reason they broke that streak. However, Spencer is Spencer, so he noticed Peter's body language. "Are you alright?" He asked, voice kind and calm. Normally Peter liked that tone of voice, but it didn't feel right at the moment.

He saw Happy's wince as they pulled away from JJ's home. "Am I alright?!" He fumed and glared at his dad. "No dad I'm not alright! But I mean at least you're not dead, right?" He remarked, turning away from him.

He could hear Happy rolling up the window making the back soundproof, letting them have privacy. "I was doing my job."

Peter tried not to get angrier, but it was getting harder and harder. "I was under the assumption that I was your job."

Spencer reached out and turned Peter's head towards him. "Peter, you're not my job. You're my son, and you are more important than the job, any job. I wasn't trying to leave you behind or hurt you. Peter, I was just trying to stop my family from getting hurt." His dad assured him.

It was hard not to tear up, "but when you're hurt, it hurts us." He tried to explain the words sounding forced and not quite right. "I don't like it," he whimpered, sounding more pathetic than he wanted to.

However, he was being pulled to lean against Spencer, and that was worth it. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I never meant to hurt you. You are my main priority, please remember that. I love you so much, Peter."

April 2014

Peter snuck in through his window, careful to avoid attention. However, his Spider-Sense flares and he jumps into the window. Where his sense goes louder, tensing he looks around and spots Spencer standing at his open door. "Hey, Dad... nice weather we're having, right?"

Spencer nods, "yes. However, nice weather does not mean you skip dinner, ignore my texts and calls, and then enter the apartment through your window." His voice is calm but Peter winces.

He pulls off his mask, "sorry. I got sidetracked, I didn't realize the time." He promises and Spencer sighs.

His dad walks out of his room and Peter follows loosely. "There are leftovers in the microwave, 2 minutes should be plenty of time to warm them up." He gestures and Peter bounds over pushing the buttons.

"How did decathlon practice go?" He asks carefully sitting down and rubbing his healing neck.

Peter smiled and tapped the spider on his suit, making it fall to the ground. He grabbed a pair of sweats laying on the floor outside his bedroom door. "It was good, I beat Flash in a quick session."

Spencer watched him grab his food, "where you get one question and whoever runs out of answers loses, right?" He questions and Peter pauses. Spencer never asks questions he knows the answer to.

Still, Peter gave him a nod before taking a bite. They stayed like that until Peter sat down at the table. "What's up?" His dad shifted and gave a one-shoulder shrug. Peter rolled his eyes, "come on. Out with it."

The constant tap of Spencer's fingers made him anxious, but he waited for Spencer to talk first. "Two men were found r- murdered a few blocks from here. Both your age... They had been there for three months." He admitted and Peter felt sick. "They both looked like you," Spencer continued. "I know you can take care of yourself, but I just need to know where you are."

For a moment he's glad Spencer waited until he finished eating to tell him. "My team is heading up," Spencer says. "I'm going to help them on this so I need you to be safe and answer my texts."

Peter nodded and stood up, "I'll answer if you keep me updated. I don't want to get a call- I hate hospitals." He murmured and washed his dish out.

Spencer gave him a nod and head towards his room, "don't think that because I'm going to be busy means you can be out later. Hero or not, you have school in the morning." His dad glares and steps into his room. Peter heads into his own collapsing into his bed and letting himself drift off into a dreamless sleep.

By the time Peter had realized Spencer wasn't home, he was running late. Grabbing his phone out, he saw the text from Spencer telling him a smoothie was in the fridge for him. He grabbed it and rushed out the door, his powers helping him get to the school just in time.

Peter: Are you working?

Delivered 8:21 am

Spencer: The team got in at 4:23 this morning.

Delivered 8:28 am

Peter: Stay safe!!!!!!!!!!!!

Delivered 8:30 am

"Phones away," Mr. Harris told the class and Peter refocused on the world around him, drinking his smoothie.

The day went slowly, Peter suddenly noticed the weight of the case on his peers. He stood at his locker at the end of the day, watching kids pair up to get home. For a moment he wondered if it was something they were going out of their way to do or doing it on reflex. "Do you guys want to study together?" Ned asked and MJ slid her messenger bag on her shoulder.

"I have no plans," she shrugged.

Peter nodded, "we can head to mine if you want? It's closest," he shrugged, and the others agreed.

It was a quiet walk and for a moment Peter's spider-sense flared up. He glanced around but nothing stood out, so he let it go when his senses relaxed. MJ held his hand as they walked, and Peter was so relieved to have this back to normal.

HEYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! I'm getting there! We are getting closer to the end, however... I keep adding more and more to the story so maybe not done just yet. Hope you all enjoyed it. Oooo and I found a nice love interest for our resident doctor! Sadly not a man, but he's bisexual for a reason

Love y'all <3