SKYFALL | PETER PARKER [ 1 ]

24: THE BATTLE

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LAUGHTER, AND THE FLAVOR of hot cocoa lingering in their mouths. Eleanor and her parents sat on the couch of their San Francisco home, their faces dimly lit by the television in front of them. They gazed at the screen while Doc talked to Marty McFly. It was the fifth movie of the day, celebrating that her father and mother had their day off. As her mother stood from her position to grab more snacks, her father laughed loudly at a joke. Eleanor, on the inside, wished this moment was infinite.

Rock music, the sound of metal being cut, sparks going off. This was the usual environment during Mr. Stark's internships. Eleanor was used to it by now, but she didn't mind. Fighting for the aux cable was fun, but it was way more fun learning how to build a small arc reactor. Eleanor admired how Tony had cut metal in such a perfect manner that it could fit inside the reactor. Tony clutched the thin circumference made out of copper and place it on top of the other metal structure, both with their safety goggles on. Eleanor admired Tony with every bit of her soul. She knew he didn't like sappy or cheesy things, but she wished she could just tell him how much he meant to her. As she watched him ensemble it, she wished this moment was infinite. 

Silence, the smell of popcorn, and an orchestra going off inside Eleanor's heart. She felt she could hear every violin, every flute, every guitar string, every piano key playing in perfect harmony as she felt Peter's hand getting closer and closer to hers.

Faint conversations, the touch of cold metal, and being surrounded by people. She wasn't going to lie, Eleanor loved going on the train with Peter. They'd laugh and talk about the strangest things, and it had become difficult to say goodbye to him when they had different classes. But she knew she'd see him later for patrol.

A cold breeze, her bedroom window open, and the sight of Peter holding out the takeout sushi he had bought for Eleanor: the first time she had felt a spark inside her cold heart. She felt as if the city lights lit his face perfectly, and she wished Peter didn't notice how long she'd be staring at him. Every moment with him, she wished it was infinite. 

"Hey kid, we're almost there," Steve commented, placing his hand on Eleanor's small shoulder. "We're about to land."

Disrupting her thoughts, Eleanor blinked twice after looking at her own reflection through the eyes of her mask for a while. She saw Peter's earrings shining on her ear, making her stomach turn. The girl then placed her mask beside her and pulled her hair into a ponytail. 

Convincing her mother to let her travel to Wakanda wasn't that easy. Especially when Eleanor was already boarding the jet when she decided it was a good time to let her mother know. Her mother was beyond pissed, but, she knew that her daughter could do the impossible, and at this time, she couldn't afford to be selfish: Her daughter was a hero, she needed to fight. And she knew Eleanor would get out of it. Her mother would be a lot more worried if she was there all by herself, but he knew Steve, Bruce, Nat, and Rhodey well, so it calmed her down a bit.