a million times over again

ch.4

I wake up to my cellphone alarm blaring in my ears. I turn off the alarm and chose a random song from my Spotify search history, this time I pick teenage suicide by cottonwood firing squad (a/n this is a good song go listen to it). I check the time on my phone, 3:15, I guess I slept through a few snoozes. school should already be out by now. 

I roll out of bed and change back into the jeans I was wearing earlier.  I grab my web shooters and tuck them under the sleeves of my sweater. I throw on my converse before I leave my room.  

"Hey kiddo, you still taking the subway, I can drive you if you want." Mr.stark says. "no thanks, I'm good, I appreciate the offer." I respond. 

"where are you going, if I may ask?" thor asks as he walks into the room. "just to a friend's house, tell them what happened." I say. "and you're going alone? will you be safe?" he asks. "uh, yeah, why?" I must not have sounded too confident because next, he says "perhaps I should  go with you, just to make sure you are safe." 

"no, you don't have to," I say. ned has admitted to being terrified of thor. "well, it may not be the safest thing for you to be alone, even if just to travel. I know what grief can do to a man" thor says. does he not trust me or something? 

"brother, maybe you underestimate peters willpower, I'm sure he's more than able to travel on his own." Loki says as he walks into the room. "yeah, see? I'll be fine!" I say as confidently as I can. 

"brother you remember what it was like after-" thor begins. "yes I remember. but you and I are much different from peter." Loki cuts him off. "if your so worried about it maybe Loki could come with me, I mean he's closer to my age, right?" I say. he is basically a teenager, right?

"I suppose that could also work." thor says. "are you sure your friends would be okay with me tagging along?" Loki asks. "yeah, I don't see why not." I say. "I don't have the best track record with the public of this city," he says. 

"it'll be fine, I promise," I respond. I double-check that I have my key card, my phone, and my wallet with me before Loki and I get in the elevator. 

as we make our way out of the building to the subway he says "I've never actually been on the subway before, I tend to walk everywhere." "I'll pass you in on my subway card, it's not as bad as you'd think it is," I say. 

when we get to ned's house I knock on the door and MJ answers. "you're late, nerd." she says nonchalantly as Loki and I walk in. "I slept through my alarm," I say. "oh Peter, there you are! I haven't seen you in so long!" neds mom comes over and hugs me so tightly I feel like my lungs will pop. 

"Good to see you, Ms.Leeds, I'm glad I could come over, I hope it's okay that I brought someone with me." I say. "yes, of course. I should've introduced myself! I'm ned's mother, it's nice to meet you Mr..." she goes to shake Loki's hand and pauses for him to tell her his name. "Loki odinson, pleasure to meet you," Loki says before kissing her hand. 

"me and ned are upstairs, c'mon," MJ says. both Loki and I follow her upstairs to ned's bedroom. I walk into the room first. "hey peter!" ned says. there's a bowl of popcorn in front of him on the floor and StarWars is paused on the tv. 

"Woah, you're that one guy who --" ned says excitedly as Loki enters the room. he's cut off by MJ putting a hand over his mouth. "I can assure you I was not a willing participant in that venture," Loki says.

I sit down on the bed. "so, why are staying with your boss? did your aunt kick you out again? you could've come to my place, it's not far." MJ says. "actually, my aunt passed away yesterday. while I was at school she got in a car wreck and I -- I didn't even get to say goodbye ?"

I start to choke on my words, it's hard to say what happened because then I have to accept that this is real. she's really gone, I'm really an orphan living in my boss's spare room, I'm really on my own now.

MJ and ned just look at each other, seeming unable to find what to say. loki sits on the bed next to me and hesitates a moment before wrapping his arms around me in a hug. I try my best not to cry, a few tears escape but I manage to hold myself together. 

"I'm sorry for your loss." MJ says. "you can always stay here, whenever you want man." ned says. "my place too, you're always welcome." MJ chimes in. "thank you. I just, want to try to keep things normal, y'know?" I say. 

"of course, whatever you want." ned says. "maybe just a normal movie night to help get my mind off of everything, like we always do," I say. ned nods and passes the popcorn bowl up to me. I pass it off to Loki. "revenge of the sith?" ned asks. "sounds good to me" I respond. ned hits play and all 4 of us sit and watch the movie.

a/n sorry for the shorter chapter!  hopefully, I'll get to update this story more often, my goal is at least once a month.