secrets - peter parker

t w e n t y t w o

I heard a a noise from the corner of the gym, but it was too dark to see if anything was there or not.

Then I saw a pair of feet and immediately out of instinct I shot a blast in the general direction of the darkness.

A huge groan of pain echoed in the room as the figure fell to the floor, except he was wearing a skin tight red and blue suit.

A breathed a sigh of relief, glad to know it wasn't some dangerous intruder, but I wasn't exactly over the moon to see him either.

"What the hell, Vi?" He clutched his stomach as he lay on the ground.

"Oh c'mon, I barely put anything into that one." I rolled my eyes as he slowly began to stand up.

"Did you follow me?" I folded my arms, eyebrows furrowed together.

He sighed, "I was out on patrol and I saw you leave the apartment."

"Oh I'm sorry, did I need your permission to leave?" My tone dripped with sarcasm.

"I just wanted to see if you were safe."

"Well I am." I softened my voice, thinking that maybe I was being a little hard on him; after all, he was just looking out for me. "I'm just training."

He looked around the gym, the eyes on his mask zooming in and out as if he was analysing the place, then they landed back on me.

"Well let's see what you got." He held his arms out as an invitation. "See if all this training's paid off."

"I don't think s-" Before I could finish, he moved close to me, sweeping his leg under mine. I lost all control and fell back, but he quickly held me as I was inches from the ground.

"Looks like you've still got some work to do." His masked face held close to mine as I gripped onto his arms for stability.

"I wasn't ready." I pulled myself up, lifted his arm over his head and pinned him to the ground.

"You've gotten strong." His eyes widened.

"I know." I smirked standing up. He mirrored my movements and stood in front of me.

He reached his hand above his head and pulled his mask off. "So what's all this for anyway?" The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk, "You hate me so much you're preparing to kick my ass or something?"

"Although it's tempting, no." I couldn't help but give the slightest half smile. "I've had orders from the mansion. I have to keep my powers in use."

It was odd talking like this, even talking at all. I'd missed our small conversations whether he was in or out of the suit.

"And I don't hate you." Heck, I could never hate Peter.

"Then why have we been acting like we don't know each other." He stepped closer, tightening the gap between us. "I miss you." He said in an almost whisper.

"Don't do that." I closed my eyes before meeting his brown ones again.

"Do what?"

"Look at me with your puppy dog eyes and say you miss me." Suddenly, all the thoughts came rushing back to me. How he lied, how I told him everything and he told me nothing. "I don't hate you. But I also don't want to get close to you, because that's when I get hurt."

He looked pained, like I'd just stabbed him in the gut. "What can I do to make it up to you?" He desperately spoke.

"It's not your fault, Peter. It's us. We don't go well together." I was finally saying all the things that had been itching at my brain for the past few weeks.
"We both have secrets bigger than ourselves. But I guess they revealed more about each other than they concealed."

Something in his eyes told me that he knew I was right, but nevertheless seemed determined to make this work.

"It's driving me crazy...being apart from you." He said, his face inching towards mine.

He was so close to me that I could inhale his familiar scent. It took a lot for me not to close my eyes then and there and let him kiss me.

So I did. I let my eyes flutter close, feeing his soft breath on mouth. Then his lips ever so slightly touched against my top lip, but before it became anything more than that, it ended.

Sirens sounded from outside, the passing blue and red lights streaming across the gym.

I stepped away from him, starting to feel my blood boil once again as he too heard it.

"Go ahead." I stated. "Your city needs you." I felt so pathetic at the fact that I was about to kiss him. How stupid was I to think that would magically solve everything.

"I need you more." He said.

"It's too late for that."

Peter bit his bottom lip, like he was refraining from saying anything else. But he seemed to understand that maybe this was it for us. He slipped on his mask and swung out of the open window, leaving me with my rage to take out on the punch bag.

Let's just say it was another night of tears and sleeplessness.