Xara's Guide To Befriending Superheroes (Not Clickbait):-
Rule 1: Call him a serial killer.
Rule 2: Blackmail him.
Rule 3: Be in love with his alter ego.
MCU!Peter Parker story.
Book [1] of the Paracosm series (but can also be read as a stand-alone).
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⋆ three ⋆
I didn't exactly lie. I stay in my room, getting some work done while I can, and before long there's Ky's yell of 'night' and Dad's yell back before the two go to bed, before long leaving me the only one awake in the apartment. My room is one of the front rooms, but at least I have my balcony.
I'm already dressed, pulling my robe off to reveal my jeans and jacket, arming myself with some pepper spray in my pocket and my camera around my neck before checking the clock. I don't have long before Spider-Man swings by here on his patrol, so I need to get down quickly.
This is where having that truck would be useful right now, but Ky keeps claiming it's 'not ready' yet. I don't know where we'd keep it, anyway.
I make sure to leave the window open just slightly for my return before starting to head down the ladder from the balcony, making my way quickly down all seven floors before reaching the street, unchaining my bike from the pole at the bottom.
Immediately I'm wary of my surroundings. I'm not stupid – I know the streets at night are dangerous. Passing the Community Bank and Delmar's place, I can't help but remember what happened almost a year ago, with the robbers and Spider-Man and this whole place exploding into flames. I did a report on it, and I got there pretty quick, considering I live just down the road.
This is where Spider-Man passes at this time every night before doing his rounds of the city. With it being summer and all it's still not pitch black, but it does still keep me on my toes. After all, my bike was stolen in broad daylight near the beginning of the academic year. It's a wonder I even got it back at all, because I wouldn't have been able to pay for a new one. We're not exactly rich.
That's when I see something swinging in the air, and I jump onto my bike before following, recognising the swing easily. I mean, no sane person would swing over streets, let alone be able to. The science behind those webs and how Spider-Man came to be must be awesome, too. If I could get an interview, that would be awesome.
Breathe, Xara. Stop saying 'awesome'. You're not a parrot.
I'm not sure how long I follow him for, waiting for some sort of action. There aren't many cars about, if any, the occasional train blaring by. That's when it comes to mind: what if I do this every day in the summer, but nothing ends up happening? What if I just tire my legs out and they one day fall off and I'm hospitalised, and literally nothing will come out of it even then?
With a jolt I stop the bike, realising I've lost track of where the web-slinging superhero is.
Great. I can't be lost, can I?
Tentatively, I step off my bike before leaning it against the wall, looking around with hesitation. Something doesn't feel right about this to me. Was I just not paying attention, or did he get taken, or is something else going on? I should probably look for him, but where am I supposed to start?
