Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

18 - Summer Days

***

With iced drinks, blaring warm sunlight and the sand under my feet my thoughts were blissful. Gwen was seated in the shade behind us, laughing away at something her boyfriend had muttered in her ear. Harry was sulking a few feet away, quite upset Mary Jane couldn't be here with us. Peter was by my side, sunscreen smudged down his nose and his hair turning quite curly from the ocean. I was sipping on my drink, letting the sun warm my skin. "Did you hear Spider-Man saved a whole bus load of people the other day. That guy is so awesome." Flash Thompson called out randomly.

"Awesome indeed." I noted quietly while watching Peter glance down at his hands, avoiding the topic of conversation completely. All summer long, Spider-Man had been busy keeping the city safe and considering school was out, he had more time on his hands after all.

Harry rolled his eyes, "He's all you guys ever talk about. You do realise there are more heroes in the city than just him, right?" he was saying loudly, making Gwen frown. Spider-Man was clearly her favourite. "There's a guy in Harlem with unbreakable skin. There's a woman with incredible strength. There's Danny Rand who mysteriously appears back from the dead and fights like some ninja now. Plus, Daredevil's always hanging around Hell's Kitchen. There are tons of heroes, let's not forget them."

"Don't forget the Avengers," Flash pointed out. 

Gwen sat forward in her foldout lounge chair, a floppy hat set upon her head. "Wait, Daredevil's been off the radar for months now. He's retired, we can't count him anymore." Her words were indeed correct since nobody had seen or heard from the Devil in Hell's Kitchen for months now, he had fallen off the face of the planet and gone back to the shadows. Many were saying he had given up his vigilante ways. 

"I don't think he's gone for good," I mumbled out while sipping at my drink causally. "He'll be back when the city really needs him. All heroes come back to save the day. That's why they're heroes." 

My mind drifted back to that article, something swelling in my chest. Peter was watching me with curious eyes but the conversation was moving along, the thoughts about heroes and villains fading away with the warm sun and the promise of a happy weekend.

***

It was well past midnight and the beach house was quiet, even a little eerie. I was curled up on a porch swing on the second balcony, a lightweight blanket thrown around my shoulders. Gwen was just inside the sliding doors, fast asleep despite the thunder storm brewing over the ocean. Wind whipped at my hair, my skin breaking out in goosebumps but I was enjoying watching the night sky light up with white flashes of brilliant lightning, followed by the low rumble of thunder. Weirdly enough, it always calmed my soul watching a storm and sitting right on the beach front without skyscrapers blocking my view, I was truly contempt. 

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be asleep." A soft voice filled the night air, my head tilting up to spy Peter Parker standing in the doorway, his hair ruffled from sleep and his eyes a little tired. I knew he wasn't very keen on the idea of leaving the city for a few days, claiming he needed to be around just in case Tony Stark needed him, or something happened within the city and Spider-Man needed to suit up, but I was glad he had joined us. 

With a tiny smile, I moved my feet while making room for him to sit down next to me. He held out a cup of tea for me, a slice of lemon floating in the beverage. "You didn't have to make me tea." I whispered out, sipping at the warmth. "But thank you."

Peter nodded, his gaze on the dark sky. "I never can sleep with a storm coming."

It seemed we had that in common. Strangely, my bones never settled when there was a storm rolling in from the sea. I would toss and turn, wondering why my body wouldn't calm down, then I would hear the low rumble from thunder and know why. When I was a little kid, I would find myself waking up Colton and he would stay up with me until the storm passed. "Me either." I admitted quietly, a flash of light blinking in the sky. "I always feel really tiny watching storms. It reminds me the world is more than just school, homework and--"