"Jaime!" I shouted at the door, waiting for her to unlock it from the other side.
I heard scuffling before she swung it open, holding a used paintbrush in one hand. She had her wavy hair up in a bun, letting her curtain bangs fall loosely on her face. Splotches of white and orange paint were on her cheeks and forehead. I chuckled, picking off some dry paint from her nose.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I got caught up in my mural that I didn't even bother to ask if you needed a ride." She apologized, gesturing for me to come inside.
On the bare wall behind our couch, a large canvas stood in front of it. Towels and bowls were scattered on the wooden floors, some stains here and there. Jaime's client must be paying good money for this kind of effort.
"How much?" I asked, throwing my crutches down beside me as I rested my body on the kitchen island.
"What do you mean?" She cocked her head to the side, dipping her brush in a glass jar of water.
"Is this not for one of your art gigs?"
"What? No! This is for me." She defended with outstretched arms, nearly spilling paint everywhere.
I hopped on the counter, letting my legs swing off the edge. The weight of the bandage on my foot felt uncomfortable. I couldn't wait to take it off tomorrow.
For the next half hour, I just sat in the kitchen, watching Jaime paint away. It always fascinated me how she never sketched her plan out. When she freestyles, she does freestyle. I watched as her brush elegantly stroked the canvas that was too big for either one of us. The painting became more alive with every detail she added. Occasionally, Jaime would take a step back and admire her progress, slowly making a frustrated sound as she attempted to fix a 'mistake' she pointed out. Every few minutes she would look at me and ask:
"What's missing? Something's off."
And every time I respond with:
"Nothing's wrong. I think it's perfect just how it is right now."
Eventually, I got bored of sitting around and went off to my bedroom. A slight breeze escaped as I opened the door, seeing as I had left the window open this morning. I shut it, feeling the last gust of wind slip through.
My eyes lingered over my zipped-up backpack. I knew I had homework to do, but I just wasn't in the right mood to do it. I felt myself constantly tracing back to Dr. Connors. I know it isn't and shouldn't be my business, but isn't a large mutant lizard anyone's business?
Instead of picking up my backpack, I dropped down onto my computer chair, opening up my laptop. A large picture popped up right in the center of my screen, catching me off guard. It was of Peter in a decent-looking suit standing in front of a backdrop with his cousins. He sent me a folder of pictures to show me some photoshopping tips. I remember staying on this picture for longer than I should've after he left.
The way his shirt collar was lopsided and the two top buttons were unbuttoned made something spark inside me. He wore that stupid goofy grin of his as he wrapped his arms over his cousins' shoulders. How did I not realize how beautiful he was until now?
Instead of researching Dr. Connors' background, I found myself scrolling through photos of him, occasionally seeing some of Gwen or myself. There wasn't a single one where he looked half-bad.
After resting my cheek on the palm of my hand for a few minutes, my face became numb. I blinked a few times before exiting out of the tab, feeling embarrassed.
I shook my head and flipped my phone out. It would help if Peter were here since he's met Dr. Connors.
The phone rang a few times before he picked up. I raised it up to my ear, hearing his voice.
"H-hello?" He panted out.
"Hey- Peter, are you okay?" I held my phone close, standing up from my chair. I was able to hear strange groaning and other weird noises in the background. I assumed he was looking after his neighbor's weird dog again.
"Yeah! Of course," He screamed out, making me pull my hand away from my ear, "Um, Ro, I'm kind of busy- Woah! I'm kind of busy right now." Was he- running?
"Right, yeah. I was just wondering if you could help me with this whole lizard situation." I kept my voice calm, trying not to think of what could be happening on the other side of the call.
"Mmm!" He yelled out with his mouth closed, followed by a splashing noise. He was definitely busy doing something.
"I'll leave you alone. Call me back when you're- done...with whatever the hell you are doing..."
With that, he hung up, leaving me speechless in the middle of my room. I snapped out of it, concluding that he was just doing some hard chores or messing around. It's Peter, what could he possibly be doing?
I plopped back down on the computer chair, returning to my original plan
"Alright, Connors. Who are you?" I whispered to myself, typing his name in the search engine. Thousands of websites popped up instantly. I immediately clicked on the first one.
I skimmed through the many articles of information, not one mentioning a lizard or transformation of the sort. It was like there wasn't a connection.
That's because you and Peter are the only ones who believe in this theory.
I cursed to myself, realizing I wasn't going to find much. But, then my eyes caught a chunk of words talking about his study in cross-species genetics. I wasn't a big fan of science, but I've heard Peter talk about this stuff. The topic also came up at the internship tour.
"Dr. Curtis Connors is the first man to successfully fuse DNA to regrow an organism's leg.." I read out loud, keeping a quiet voice to avoid Jaime overhearing. I scrolled down a bit, knowing that that sentence wasn't entirely true. Peter saw what happened to that mouse, and it wasn't pretty.
"Side effects...where are the side effects, the warnings?" I mumbled, scrolling down to the next section of the website.
Connors didn't tell anyone what happened to the mouse...
He didn't-
"Knock knock!" Jaime cheered behind my door. I shut my laptop and spun in my chair as she entered the room.
"Hi." I rested my chin on my hand, trying to hide my laptop, even though I had no reason to if it was already closed.
"I'm making burgers. Want one?" She played with the mini-stapler on my dresser.
"Honestly, I don't think I'm really hungry, it's almost going to be eleven-"
"I'm making tots too-"
"Yeah, I'll have a burger." I perked my head up, feeling my eyes light up at the mention of tater tots. She chuckled, shutting the door behind her.
I grabbed my laptop and carried it over to my bed. It was more comfortable for me to lay on my stomach, so I did just that.
---
My head became light as the bright screen burned my eyes. Every single one of these websites was a waste of time. I felt like I could've used up my evening doing something more productive. Like study for my test...
I swung my legs around and sat up. My back had a hard time readjusting to this new position after laying down for such a long time.
I placed my laptop back on my desk to charge and left my dirty dish on my nightstand. Hamburgers and tater tots will always win my heart.
I sat down on the carpeted floor, staring at the phone in front of me. Did Peter forget to call or was he avoiding me? That wouldn't make sense, though. It's not too late and Peter was definitely not busy.
I tapped my lap as I fiddled with the buttons on my phone. Calling him again would make me look desperate, wouldn't it? Maybe I should-
Tap. Tap.
I jolted up at the sound, turning my head to see a figure at my window. I gasped once I made out the red and blue material on his body. There were tears and holes in his suit and mask, along with streaks of blood and dirt. The way his chest rose and fell quickly showed he wasn't in the best condition.
I collected my crutches and didn't hesitate to open my window, poking my head out.
"Spider-Man?" I whispered in his face. He repositioned himself to sit up against the brick wall outside the window. It felt weird being so up close and personal with him, yet it didn't feel new.
I curiously watched as he gripped the top of his mask, slowly slipping it off his head. But, before it could reveal the bridge of his nose, I placed my hand over his, stopping him.
"What are you doing? You can't show your identity." I shout in a hushed tone, already imagining the major consequences if someone else spotted him up here without his mask on.
"I don't care" He breathed out, pulling his mask off.
I felt my whole body send a shiver up to my face as Peter's eyes met mine. I didn't know what to do. Do I smile or frown? All I could do was let my jaw hang loosely open and allow my hand to cup his bloody cheek.
His brown hair stuck to his forehead in sweat. There were dirt and bloodstains all over his face. When I reached closer to check his face, he hissed, sucking his stomach in.
"Peter- are you hurt?" I gasped out, still staring at him like I didn't know who he was.
"Don't look at me like that." His face fell as he watched my expressions closely. How was I supposed to look at him?
He covered his chest with his arm, letting out grunts of pain. Carefully, I dragged him into my bedroom, laying him on the edge of my bed. He had to pull himself together for a few seconds since I couldn't do much.
He laid his head back, gritting his teeth. I frantically moved my hand around, unsure of what to do.
I dipped a used rag into my glass of water, watching my hands tremble.
"Holy shit.." He stuttered out, arching his back as he traced three long gashes on his chest with his fingers. I held his hand away to stop him from causing himself any more pain.
"Peter," I held the rag close to his chest, "This is going to sting, but you cannot make a sound."
I felt sorry watching him bite into the blanket with tears threatening to fall.
Before I touched him, my eyes hovered over the spider emblem on his suit. This isn't real, right? My best friend is not Spider-Man. My best friend did not climb up ten stories. My best friend's life is not at risk.
Peter Parker is Spider-Man...
"I don't have all night." He struggled to say through gritted teeth.
With one brave movement, I pressed the rag against his exposed flesh, cleaning off any old blood. Peter cried in pain, but only muffles were heard. I stroked his hair comfortingly as I cleaned the last gash. I couldn't feel my other hand as he squeezed it so hard.
"You're doing great." I soothed him, reaching under my bed for my first-aid kit. It wouldn't do much, but I wrapped a large bandage around his torso. I was afraid it would cause some kind of infection, but it was all we had. It was thick enough to prevent any blood from seeping through.
After using the last of it, I looked up at him, "Is it too tight?"
"No.." He huffed out, still holding onto my hand.
I moved him over to an old sofa bed I never used, forcing him to sit up a little.
The more I stared at the gashes, the easier it was to put the pieces together. On the bridge, the cars all had three long scratches stretching out along their side. The lizard is at fault here, but so is Peter for being stupid enough to face him alone.
All I could muster out was an unsteady smile as I fixed up his face. I gently put pressure on a cut on his eyebrow, hearing him let out a pathetic whimper.
"Sorry." I look down, dipping the rag in water. He lifted my chin with his cold hands so I was facing him. For a moment, he just left his hand resting under my chin until I moved away first, cleaning up the last bit of blood on his cheek.
"You don't have anything to tell me?" He asked, placing his hand on my lap.
I peered down at it before getting up to throw the rag in a bucket.
"I should be asking you that," I whispered, sitting down next to him to where his legs were resting on my lap.
"This wasn't how I wanted you to find out. I was going to surprise you on our date with the suit, but...well, you know." I tried to fight back a grin, biting on my lower lip. It is almost impossible to stay mad at him.
"Why would you go after him by yourself?" I confronted, dropping my smile.
"Who was I supposed to wait for? The police weren't making any progress." His answer made something inside me boil. Why can't he just understand that being in danger isn't a fun game?
"You aren't either!" I shouted in a hushed voice, "Peter, you could've gotten killed."
As much as I didn't want it to happen, my eyes suddenly began to water. He must've noticed since he sat up to reach his arm out.
"Hey, hey. I know this is a lot," He placed a hand on my forearm, "But, I'm still here. Look, I'm right here." Peter reassured me in a comforting tone.
I took one of his hands in mine, making sure I wasn't dreaming.
He waited until I calmed down to change the subject, "You've been worrying about me a little too much lately." I watched him bend his head back with a smirk.
"You're always getting yourself into trouble, can you blame me?" I blushed, turning my body to face him directly.
"I'm not blaming you. I just think it's cute." He answered honestly, resting his hands behind his head.
"Stop that," I warned as I inched closer to check a cut on his chin.
"How's it looking, doctor?" He teased, closing his eyes as I ran my thumb along the cut on his eyebrow.
"The small ones will heal quickly," I commented moving my uninjured leg in between his, letting the other one dangle off the side of the sofa.
The way his grin wouldn't wash off his face made my cheeks burn up. All I want is for him to show me how he feels about me the way I feel about him.
"You know," He snaked his arm around my waist, "I personally thought doctors were hot."
My body froze at his delicate touch. And his comment. I forced myself to make a move as well, running a hand through his hair. He didn't know, but I heard him suck in his breath in anticipation.
"Girls have a thing for guys in suits." I stood up so I was now hunching over him, my face only inches away from his.
He got ahold of the bottom of my shirt, pulling me closer. I let my lips graze his teasingly and cupped his face with my hand, the other resting on his shoulder.
"Do you know why I chose these colors for my suit?" He whispered, quiet enough that even I was struggling to hear him. I felt his warm breath escape his lips, making me smile.
"Tell me."
"Red and blue," He paused, moving his face away so he could see me better, "For me and you."
"That is the most adorable thing ever. It's also pretty cheesy." I laughed at him quietly.
"Yeah, I know. I just thought it would make you want to kiss me more than you already do. Because I'm just a nice guy." He was smart for that. Because that was my cue.
I bravely tugged the collar of his suit, yanking him closer to me. The moment our lips touched, all the stress and worry I felt disappeared. My body relaxed under his touch. We tilted our heads in different ways, experimenting with this unfamiliar feeling. He ducked his hand under my shirt, running it up my lower back.
Before I could pull away, he moved his lips down to my neck, pecking my skin. I lifted my chin up to let him do what he wished. Our chests never touched, since he was still injured. But just the feeling of his lips on my skin made up for it. When he gently bit down on my jawline, I accidentally let out a small groan, but the sound of a knock on the door covered it up.
I threw myself off of him, falling on the floor. I quickly wiped my lips and grabbed my crutches. Peter threw a blanket over himself as I swung the door open to reveal an exhausted-looking Jaime.
"Jaime!" I blurted out in shock.
"What the hell are you doing? I can hear shuffling from across the hallway." She complained, leaning against my door. Jaime didn't seem to catch on to my flustered expression.
"Sorry, I'll be quiet."
"No, you'll go to bed once I leave." She ordered. Her look changed when her eyes lowered down to my neck, "What's that?"
"Hm?" I subtly pulled a piece of my hair over my shoulders to hide whatever she pointed at.
"I thought I saw something on your neck-"
"Oh! That, um. I thought I saw a raccoon at my window and accidentally hurt myself opening it." I lied, pushing her out of my room. She nodded, walking down the hall. I shut the door behind me, resting my head back in relief.
Peter poked his head out from under the blanket, carrying a big smile, "A raccoon?"
I rolled my eyes playfully, walking up to him. He attempted to stand up but nearly fell forward. I dropped my crutches at my successful attempt to catch him.
"Where are you running off to?" I asked, watching him limp over to my window, which was still wide open.
"Home. I can't stay here all night. Aunt May's an early riser. Plus, I don't think I'm in the mood to get yelled at by your cousin. She's scary." He said, now sitting on the ledge.
I walked up to him, placing a hand on either side of the windowsill, "You can't just stay for a few more minutes?"
"You are crushing hard, aren't you?" He gave me a lopsided smile, resting his hand on my cheek.
"I'd say the same for you, seeing as you're still here talking to me."
"See what I mean, Ro? You're a tease and always will be."
He gave me one last kiss before swinging out the window, yelling out in happiness as he hopped over cars. I leaned over the window, watching him fly through the sky like he didn't just show up at my window half-alive a little while ago.
"Oh, those cuts are going to hurt like hell tomorrow." I shook my head as he did some flips in the air to show off.