Hopeless || A P. Parker destruction story ✨Irondad✨

Five

Peter closed the door softy behind him, a bright smile still present on his face though it wavered when he spotted McCarey waiting in the hallway for him.

He glanced at the clock that hung above the shoe rack. 3:25 pm.

He was on time, five minutes early technically, so McCarey shouldn't have a problem, but he couldn't help but feel as if she was waiting for him, hoping he'd be late.

McCarey smiled, at first it was off-putting and slightly forced but then it settled into something that felt vaguely honest.

"Just on time" said McCarey, her voice sweet.

Peter smiled timidly, fiddling with the straps if his bag as he took his shoes off. He could never predict what McCarey would do next, she was like a lose canon, completely unpredictable and undeniably a danger.

But he pushed that aside, his day was going great! Amazing even. It was the best day he'd had since May's passing. And he was going to appreciate it.

"I got into the Stark internship so I'm going to need a later curfew" stated Peter, ripping the bandaid off quickly, his voice was quiet but sure.

There was a pause.

"What?"

Peter had never heard McCarey sound so caught off guard.

"I'm going to need a later curfew?"

McCarey said nothing for a long moment and a silence fell upon the hallway.
Then she smiled, though it held an air of a predatory snarl.

"And why would I let you do that?"

Peter took in a quiet breath, calmed the nervousness that blossomed in his chest and stated, "Well, the Internship is a great opportunity for my future, it has the potential to set me up for-"

Peter watched McCarey roll her eyes, clearly losing intest in what he was saying, so he began thinking quicky. Thinking about whatever he could say to persuade McCarey on to his side.

It was a near impossible task. Curfew was practically the law in the house, yet here he was. The longer he rambled and stood in the hallway the more he could feel the window of opportunity closing.

He wouldn't let that happen.

Peter hadn't even gone to the internship yet, and already he was so afraid to lose it. Everything had been... murky, till around an hour ago where it had sharpened drastically - Like in the Wizard of Oz, where it goes to technicolor. Obviously a far more depressing version of the Wizard of Oz, but the connection still stood.

The internship was Peter's technicolor. His magical way out of the pit in his head and hole in his heart.

He knew it wouldn't solve everything, not really. But he hoped it would help.

Peter knew he'd probably end up getting coffee for some random low level employee who hates him, but he didn't care. This was the first thing that made him feel something positive. The first thing that made him think about a future since May's passing.

So in a last ditch attempt to get McCarey to agree Peter mentioned it was paid.
"I'll give you may wages if you let me go".

Now this caught McCarey's undivided attention.

Peter kept going, "I'll make $90 dollars a week, $10 an hour and I work three shifts, three hours each. I'll give it all to you if you let me go".

The hallway became silent as McCarey squinted her eyes and thought on the matter. Peter could feel his heart thumping in his chest, he could feel small beads of sweat dripping down the back of his neck and somewhere upstairs he could hear the clack of computer keys. It all complied into a symphony that underscored the panic that was creeping up his throat.