Veins and Wires // Peter Parker

I Love You and We Need To Break Up

"Do I need a reason to visit my beautiful girlfriend?" Peter tried to smooth talk me to avoid the question and wrapped his arms around my waist. Bob cooed angrily from the railing and went back into my room to pout. Or poop on my bed, one of the two.

"College rejection letters getting you down?" I assumed with a raised eyebrow and a sympathetic, sad smile and he immediately deflated.

"Yes," he groaned, leaning his forehead on my shoulder defeatedly. I tensed slightly but quickly hid it. Calm down, freak. Calm down.

"You know, some colleges reject kids who are overqualified for their schools because they know they're too good for them," I comforted him with a hesitant smile and rubbed his back with my hand.

"Do you really think that's why they rejected us?"

"No but I thought that lying would make you feel better," I admitted bluntly causing him to groan louder.

"Hey, have you gotten that green paint out of your suit yet?" Peter asked referring to the paint that was thrown at us while patrolling by some Mysterio fanboys.

"No. You?" I returned the question with a little hope that he figured something out but he sighed defeatedly.

"No," he grumbled back bitterly and I took a deep breath in frustration.

"Well, we'll figure something out. Come on, let's sit on the couch," I decided, lightly pushing him to the white sofa and we sat down next to each other. "Pepper got a good lawyer, I met her and I think she's in good hands," I informed with good news for once.

"You're still angry you couldn't represent Pepper?"

"Yes," I answered with rage dripping from my voice as I remembered Pep telling me I couldn't be her lawyer because I'm not "legally" a lawyer even though I know every law in the entire world but no, hire a bloodsucking expensive little-

"Hailey?" Peter called out for me, waving a hand on my face as I got absorbed in my thoughts. I shook my head and looked back at him, startled.

"Let me bitterly rant in my head," I complained, only half-joking making him chuckle at me. I returned his smile and we looked at each other for a moment before leaning in. Freak, freak, freak, freak, freak, freak, freak, freak, freak.

I hesitated, drawing back making Peters smile immediately fall and be replaced with a look of concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked with care and I wavered, a million loud voices screaming in my head all at once.

"You think we should break up?" I asked delicately but still making his head shoot up from its resting place in the back of the couch, obviously taken back.

"What?" Peter questioned with furrowed eyebrows as he stared at me, not knowing if I was joking or not. "Are you...are you being serious?"

"I...maybe," I breathed out, a little shocked at myself that I actually said it. Peter stared at me intently with a questioning look but I looked away. His eyes widened when he realized why I was acting like this and moved his head to force me to look at him. "Look, us being together is just going to be harder on the both of us, right? I mean, come on, everybody knows I'm not human anymore which makes you look even creepier! Wouldn't it be better if we took a... pronged break until this blows over a little?"

"Hailey, I've said this a hundred times and I will say it a thousand more, I don't care w-"

"What if I care?" I interrupted him loudly, standing up and paced the floor while he followed. "What if I care, Peter?"

"Wha- wait. Is this why you hesitated on the first day of school?" He asked with pain evident on his face but I didn't hesitate on continuing.

"Obviously!" I exclaimed with a nervous laugh with saline solution pricking my eyes. "I can't... I can't do this. I can't keep pretending that I'm normal, that any of this is normal and I... can't keep doing this to you," I stammered, feeling water trickle down my face.

"Hailey, you're not-" Peter started, stepping forward but I returned his step backward and he stared at me, hurt. "Hailey, please, just take a deep breath," he begged desperately but I ignored him, all of my thoughts running smile a minute as I broke down.

"Everybody knows, Peter," I emphasized and gestured to the TV helplessly. "Everybody knows my real identity now. Everybody knows I have no heart, I have no blood, I have no veins, I have no brain. I can't legally get married, I can't even adopt kids, I can't own property, hell I can't even legally have a salary. Oh yeah, and my breathing is just simulated intakes of air to look more natural to humans and my hair is just synthetic fibers snitched onto my scalp like a doll. I have a body like a ken doll, have hair like a Barbie doll, and, oh yeah, I have no organs and brain like a doll! What a coincidence! I'm just some freak who thinks it's worth something and you're a freak by association and you'll have to deal with that for as long you're with m-" I rushed out with tears streaming from my eyes but was interrupted when Peter took three long strides to me and kissed me causing me to freeze.

I calmed down, the kiss bringing me out of my thoughts and back from insanity before hesitantly kissing back. When we separated I took a deep breath and Peter leaned his forehead against mine.

"I love you, Hailey Alice Stark. Now, will you get it through your thick metal skull?" Peter declared confidently, cupping my face in his hands and keeping his eyes on mine.

"But-" I started but he quickly interrupted me, not wanting to hear it.

"No buts. Who cares what tabloids say? You know who you are, I know who you are and you're not just some dumb computer-"

"That's kind of contradictory-" I sniffed but he stopped me right back.

"I'm trying to comfort you here, Hails," he pointed out.

"Right, right, continue," I laughed weakly, awkwardly rubbing away the salt that stained my cheeks.

"You're you. A cynical, sarcastic, intelligent, amazing, beautiful, smug, synthezoid," Peter listed making my face heat up.

"Shut up," I muttered with embarrassment and he smiled proudly at me. "I'm not human, Peter. That's not going to change," I argued quietly, wiping away the rest of the salt staining my cheeks.

"I don't want you to," he whispered in defense and I smiled faintly at him.

"I know." But I want to. But I didn't say that. I would rather die for a second time than admit that. I just accepted his hug and we stood there silently for a long moment because that was the only thing we could do. Well, except for...

"We haven't done this in a while," I noted with a small smile as we both laid on my bed snuggled up next to each other to watch The Matrix in my room. "I missed it."

"Me too," Peter smiled and kissed the top of my head.

"Though I didn't miss the terrible movies," I jabbed at him with a smirk making him slowly look down at me.

"Do you hate fun?" He whispered theatrically and I looked back at him with a smile playing at my lips.

"You make me hate it," I answered while mocking his dramatic whispering causing him to shake his head at my tastes. I rested my head on his chest peacefully, watching the mediocre movie as I listened to his heartbeat.

"I love you," Peter swore softly as I felt his head rest against my head.

"I love you too, squishy human," I murmured back with a small, tranquil smile.

I actually had to google if kissing someone during a panic attack is good and it apparently calms people down. Who knew? 🤷‍♀️