MAGIC TRICKS [PETER PARKER]

NINETEEN

FACING PETER WAS SOMETHING I KNEW I WASN'T READY FOR.

I had been over the situation in my head several times, and every scenario, no matter what I did or said, ended with tears and slamming doors. I was terrified that he wouldn't want to be friends anymore, that maybe I'd gone too far and he realized what a terrible person I was. Thinking this, I had forgotten the fact that Peter Parker had an amazing heart.

I holed myself up in my apartment, stress-eating on junk food and leftover Taco Bell that apparently Ned had forgotten, ignoring the responsibilities itching at the back of my brain. Around nine o'clock, there was a persistent knocking at the door and I jumped to my feet. Standing on my tiptoes, I peeked through the little hole in the door, spotting a concerned looking Peter Parker biting his lip.

Hesitantly, I opened the door abruptly. Peter's first hung frozen in the air, eyes widened, shocked. "Nadia." He blinked slowly, then launched into a fit of questions.

"Nadia, where have you been? You haven't been—"

"Peter." I wanted him to realize it for himself.

"Ned told me if I texted you that you wouldn't answer and that you weren't at school yesterday and I—"

"Peter!"

He stopped short. "What?" he asked, eyes focused on my face. I was silent, eyebrows raised expectantly. Slowly, his gaze travelled down my body to my legs, to my feet on the floor. Standing. He gaped, eyes wide. "You... you're— Nadia, how—?" His head tilted to the side automatically, eyebrows cocked into a confused expression.

"It's a long story," I admitted bashfully, scratching the back of my neck. "But first, Pete... I'm sorry. For the other day." Peter's gaze softened slightly and I saw the twinkle in his eyes. "I had no right to yell at you like I did, and I'm so so sorry— I know you're probably mad, so if you want some space—"

Peter gripped my forearms with gentle fingers. "I could never be mad at you." We met in the middle in a tight embrace and I smiled into his shoulder. Quickly, he pulled away and squeezed my hands, surveying my body. "Okay, okay— how? Did you go to Mr. Stark o-or—"

"It's a long story, Pete," I offered up, using my foot to close the door behind him. We moved over to the couch, where I tucked my foot underneath my body, and held tightly onto hands. I didn't want to let go, afraid that I'd lose him again.

Before I could say anything else, Peter shot a white web at the door knob, trapping us inside. He and I both knew that the sticky substance he used for his web fluid would not disintegrate for two hours. I blinked slowly.

"We've got time."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★ ｡･:*:･ﾟ

"I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THE SMARTEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD MADE YOU A VIBRANIUM SUIT."