ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ (peter parker x oc) (g x g)

twenty-three

Maze POV:

"I wanna hear three words before you go," Steve said, crossing his arms.

Unbelievable. I was nearly 18, had already moved out but here I was, facing half a dozen stern Avengers, asking for permission to go grocery shopping.

"I.. love you?" I guessed.

"Try again."

I sighed. "I'll be careful."

"Good. Could you pick up a couple things for me, too?" Steve asked, handing me a list of items. "Here-" He pressed a dime into my palm. "Keep the change."

Tabia and I exchanged looks. "...Thanks, Steve."

I took Tabia's wrist and began dragging her out of the room before anyone could put force field suits around us. (Steve and Thor tried it when I developed a habit of scrolling on my phone while I was walking around the place, consequently banging my head on walls. All it did was burn holes through plaster.)

"Don't crash into the stack of tomato soup!"

"Watch out for the creepy guy on register three! I don't want another call saying you gave him a black eye!"

"Don't bring the entire candy section home with you!"

The string of commands followed us as the elevate doors closed. "All things I've done before," I grimaced, seeing Tabia's mouth open to ask a question.

The doors opened on the garage and Tabia and I climbed into my Tesla. "So.." She rolled her window down as I reversed the car out the driveway. "Grocery shopping, huh?"

"That.. is what we're going to do," I glanced at her, confused.

"Uh huh. And what do you need, exactly?"

"Cheese.. snacks.. maybe some celery," I listed. "Steve's things, obviously."

"And the enormous tower stocked with basically every kind of robot there is couldn't have done this for you?"

I grinned. "You got me. I love grocery shopping," I whispered the last sentence dramatically.

Tabia tilted her head to look at me. "Aha! I knew it! Your secret is exposed, good sir."

We shared a smile, the wind from her open window pulling a strand of her wavy hair over her cheeks until she tucked it behind her ear, looking away. My stomach gave a small, involuntary flutter.

"So when did you decide to become a house wife?"

"Oh, shut up," I grunted playfully. "You're a princess. Don't you ever want to do normal things?"

"..I guess so."

"I think grocery shopping was the one thing that made me feel like a kid. Even if Natasha used her batons to knock off cereal on the highest shelf or Bruce nearly hulked out over increasing prices."

"Sounds great. This is.. actually my first time."

"What?" I came to a rather aggressive stop to a red light and we both lurched forward. Tabia caught herself swiftly by gripping the seat's arm rest and dragging her body back. I wasn't so fortunate. My head slammed against the steering wheel with a solid thud.

I leaned back slowly, trying to think up a way to salvage my dignity. Tabia was pursing her lips but a small snicker escaped them which she poorly disguised as a cough.

"Yup. First time grocery shopping," She continued.

"Well then, welcome to Walmart," I said, pulling into the enormous carpark.

*

"So you just take these things?" Tabia asked, staring at the shelves in awe.

"Well, you pay for them at the counter, honey," I said, passing her Steve's list.

I was seated in a large trolley as Tabia pushed it from behind, plucking random items from the shelf and placing them around me.

"Cream of oats.. baked apples.. cottage cheese?" She read aloud from the piece of paper. "Sometimes I forget that man's like a hundred."

"Does he want Rum Raisin and Pistachio ice cream as well?" I asked.

"Mhm.."

I shook my head, smiling. "Classic."

Tabia and I spent about half an hour just rolling around the store, grabbing random food we thought looked eatable and piling them on top of me. Soon, only my head and calves could be seen from the mountain of groceries.

"..and then she came to school with hickies all along her neck, and still swore her and her mystery boyfriend hadn't even gotten to first base!" I babbled, pulling some cake mix off the shelf and balancing it on the vege stock.

"No way," Tabia gasped. "I mean, she could have just drawn them if you think about it. You said she's the kind of girl to want attention.."

"But her bruises looked so real, dude," I said. We had been gossiping about Miranda Mingo for the last fifteen minutes, right after I told Tabia all about how one of the teachers had gotten pregnant via another teacher even though they were both already married to different people.

"Just like yours," She replied, and her hand brushed my jaw from behind.

I jerked my head away, blushing furiously and pushing my neck into my body awkwardly so that it wouldn't show. "I.. it's a mosquito bite!" I snapped.

"I don't Peter would appreciate being called a mosquito," Tabia said, and I could hear the laughter in her voice.

I twisted sharply in the trolley, dozens of items falling crashing down to my sides. "How did you know?"

"Oh, please," She rolled her eyes. "The way he practically drools over you.."

"Don't be ridiculous," I huffed, turning back around.

"So that sweatshirt your wearing doesn't belong to the Spider?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What's with all the questions?" I said slowly, shifting the situation. "You jealous?"

"You wish, Stark."

"Maybe I do."

"What?"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Do you wish that I wish you did?"

"Do you wish that I wish that you wish that I do?"

"..This is officially too confusing. Let's check out these items and get home."

The ride back to the tower was quieter. Only the sound of the groceries we had literally had to stuff into the trunk rattling could be heard. And, like always, my mind began to betray me, wandering to topics I would rather suppress for the rest of my life.

Just a day ago, I thought I'd liked Tabia. Goodness knows I still found her attractive. But nothing was bringing me more guilt than the fact that my stomach not once fluttered around Peter like it did when Tabia just smiled at me.

"Maze! Red light!" Tabia cried suddenly. I slammed on the brakes, bracing myself to fly forward again, but a hand gripped the back of my sweatshirt, pulling me back.

"Thanks," I grunted.
"No problem. You sure you passed your learners?"

"No. Self-taught, actually."

"What are you s-" Tabia turned to me, but at the sight of my grin, rolled her eyes and pinched my shoulder.

"I hate you," She muttered.

And we shared another smile just as the light turned green.