A Horrific Game Of Hide And Seek

Ready Or Not

"That Flash—Happy says the other teens name in distaste, dark eyes becoming hard as he thinks of his nephew's tormenter. "—kid still giving you any trouble Pete?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"What does that mean? Peter?"

The young Stark, pulling his phone out of his pocket when it buzzes, smiles at the response he sees. Biting his lip, the teenager shrugs, not meeting his Uncle's gaze when he looks back.

Dad: Sure kiddie, just make sure you stay out of the labs. I should be home by 5:30 and we can get pizza for dinner.

Texting back a quick "okay thank you!" with a smiley face, Peter shoves his phone away, startling slightly when he looks back up. Happy is still staring at him, jaw clenched and gaze concerned.

"Peter?" Making a 'go on' motion with one hand, the man begins to ask Peter a second question, but his voice is drowned out by a spike in the teens Spidey Senses.

Letting out a hiss as his ears ring, Peter looks quickly out the window, blinking against the glare of the setting sun through the surrounding buildings. Shivering as the sensation gets stronger, the teen clenches his fists in his lap, feeling his heart hammering in his chest and confusion filling his brain.

What the hell?

Shaking his head, Peter catches one woman's eyes outside as Happy turns out of the school. Her pale blue gaze, face obscured by a light green scarf strangely out of place for the hot May weather, follows the car as they zoom farther away, her almost white-blonde hair fluttering in the breeze. She holds her hand out as they pass, almost as though she wanted to reach in and grab Peter, almost as though she could see him there.

Then they turn past a building and she is ripped from sight.

All sound comes back in a split second and Peter feels dizzy from the force. Rubbing one now shaking hand down the side of his face, the spiderling tries to focus on getting his heavy breathing under control as his Godfather looks back worriedly.

"You doing okay back there kiddo?" The Driver asks, pressing down the accelerator and causing them to settle back into the leather seats.

"Y-yeah." Peter says, hating how his voice hitches. "Just t-tired Uncle Happy."

Pressing his suddenly aching head against the cool window, the young Stark closes his eyes and tries to block out the fear and confusion he can feel creeping into his bones.

Just tired, that's all.

________

"I'm afraid I can't be friends with you anymore, Stark."

Peter's head snaps up to look at MJ, his doe eyes wide with shock, letting out a muffled sound of confusion and outrage. Ned just gasps at both of them, hands coming up and grabbing his red stained napkin from the table.

"B-but MJ, just listen—" The larger boy finally chokes out, rubbing the grease from his fingers almost angrily.

Peter just continues to stare with a hurt expression that is an uncanny resemblance to a kicked puppy. Putting down his pizza slice, the young Stark watches as MJ smirks, picking up his slice and studying the fruit and ham decorating the surface with a green complexion.

"How the hell can you even eat this?" She asks, flicking the pizza down and splattering the wood with drops of sauce. "It's—it's—I can't even come up with a word that sums up the grossness that is this monstrosity."