With Peter's arm around my waist for support, we make our way down town in Queens. We pass by a bank, then across the street is the newly repaired Delmar's.
"Hey! Mr. Parker!" The man behind the counter calls, "Who's your lady friend?"
Peter goes red, and I try to take a step forward to introduce myself. "Hi, my name is (Y/n)." I stumble.
(Google Translate recommended \/)
Mr. Delmar laughs, "Me gusta tu novia, Peter, parece muy dulce. Sin embargo, ¿está bien?"
Peter turns red even more, "Ella no es mi novia y tiene resaca".
"Tengo resaca, no soy estúpido, puedo hablar por mí mismo". I interrupt.
The both stood speechless, clearly surprised at my fluent Spanish. Lots of people are surprised at that fact, but I've been home schooled by the smartest people in the world, and most of my dad's nannies from when he was a kid spoke Spanish. He picked it up and so did I.
"¡Muy bien! ¡Estoy muy impresionado! ¿De dónde aprendiste a hablar tan bien el español?" Mr. Delmar asks me.
"He sido educado en mi casa toda mi vida, así que tiendo a aprender mucho más, además, mi papá ya hablaba un español fluido que aprendió de sus niñeras, y lo aprendí de él, también sé un poco de ruso de mi ...tía." I answer.
Peter takes a moment to register what I said, but Mr. Delmar keeps talking. "¡Eso es genial! Siempre es bueno saber más de un idioma. Así que dime honestamente, ¿Peter es tu novio? ¿Te ha estado tratando bien?"
I laugh as Peter blushes, "¡Señor Delmar! ¡Alto! ¡Somos solo amigos!"
"Está bien. Peter no es mi novio, pero él es mi mejor amigo y ha sido muy amable conmigo. Es increíble tener como amigo". I answer.
Right...friend.
We're just friends.
Peter clears his throat, "can we order now please?" He asks Mr. Delmar, still blushing.
"Of course. Your usual? Number 5 with pickles, smushed down?"
"Yes please."
"Great. What are you having dear?" Mr. Delmar asks.
"I-I'll have the same please...but you don't have to smush it..."
"Coming right up!"
..............................................................................
Peter and I walk out of Delmar's, holding our sandwiches. Peter had paid, despite my protests. We begin walking back to 'my' apartment.
Of course no peace lasts forever.
Just across the street screams break out as two men with guns take a little girl as a hostage.
The little girl can't be more than six, judging by her size and cute little butterfly skirt. Her red curly hair starts to come loose from her pigtails as the men drag her away. Her electric blue eyes are red and sobbing.
"Oh my god." I start to move towards it.
"(Y/n) stay back." Peter commands.
"She needs help!"
"What can you do in this situation (Y/n)? You'll be killed!"
"I have to help her."
The cries of the little girl's mother, with matching hair and eyes, become louder and more desperate as the men drag the little girl away.
I start to run towards it, but Peter stops me again.
"(Y/n), listen to me--"
"No! You listen to me, Peter Parker! No little girl should be separated from her mother!"
Peter drags me away from the scene back into Mr. Delmar's shop.
"What's going on?" Mr. Delmar asks.
"Call the police," Peter orders, "tell them there's an armed kidnapping happening on 21st street. Keep (Y/n) here."
"Peter!"
"(y/n), I need you to stay safe," he says softly as he backs away.
"Where are you going?"
"I gotta go."
"Go where?!"
"Stay here (Y/n)!" He runs out of the store, leaving me with Mr. Delmar, who is talking with the police on the phone.
No way in hell.
I run after him.
I burst out of the shop to find that the screaming still hasn't stopped. Desperately, I look around for Peter.
"Peter?! Peter?!" I call his name, but no response.
The little girl and the men with guns were now halfway down the street and I run over to console the sobbing mother. "It's okay, it's okay. I'll get her back. I promise."
Taking one last look around for Peter, I charge after the men.
"Hey!" I yell, catching up with them, "let her go!"
The men regard me closely, and one of them spits at me, "not gonna happen. Go away, little girl, before you get hurt." He raises his gun.
"Wait!" I yell again, "...take me away instead. Please..." I swallow back a sob, "don't take that little girl away from her mother. I have money. I have plenty of money. Just let her go. I'll do anything." I plead.
The men stop to consider, but they don't have much time, as they are kicked in the face by the web-slinging hero I could not be more glad to see.
"Hey fellas, no offense, but neither of you really look like her father. I don't think you have the right to be taking her away from her mom." He taunts, as he webs them up against the wall.
In all the fighting, the little girl runs over to me and I hug her tight.
"It's okay," I whisper as she cries into my chest. "it's going to be okay. Spider-Man's gonna get those bad guys, and I'll get you back to your mommy. I promise." I pick her up gently, and run to hide behind one of the parked cars.
She buries her face into me and squeezes her eyes shut. I hold her close and stroke her hair as I hear the painful grunts coming from Spider-Man and the men as they fight.
I wish I could do more.
I wish I could help fight.
Finally, the grunting comes to a stop. I slowly peak around the side of the car to see the two men webbed to the wall.
Where's Spider-Boy?
I turn the other direction and come face to face with the boy in spandex himself.
"Oh my g--"
"Are you okay?" He asks, genuinely concerned.
I let out a relieved sigh, "I'm fine. You're late, Spider-Boy."
"You shouldn't have done that. You shouldn't have tried to take on those men yourself. That's the second stupid, reckless, life threatening thing I've seen you do. That's two times too many." He scolds.
"It bought you time didn't it?" I sass back. I sigh, then force a smile, "I just can't seem to run away from a fight. It's in my nature."
"Well--"
"Hey sweetie," I turn my attention to the little girl, "it's all over now. You can open your eyes." Slowly, the little girl lifts her head and opens her teary, scared eyes. She looks at me as if I'm an angel.
"You should thank Spider-Man for saving you." I tell her.
"Thank you, Spider-Man," she says to Spider-Boy.
"Any time kid." He says. He turns back to me.
He looks at me for a long time. "What?" I ask.
"You're really good with kids." He says, then his mask-eyes widen, "and you called me Spider-Man!"
I roll my eyes but smile, "don't get used to it."
He chuckles, "I'll take her back to her mom."
"No, I got it," I tell him. "I promise them both I would."
"It'll be a lot faster if I do--"
"I'm sure you need to get back to your girlfriend or whatever. She's probably waiting for you."
He coughs, "I don't have a girlfriend."
I stand up, still holding the little girl in my arms. "You should get one then. Us girls are a lot of fun." I start to walk away, before turning back to him and smiling, "see ya around, Spider-Boy."
I continue walking, carrying the little girl, ignoring the fact that I know he's still looking at me.
The little girl looks back at Spider-Boy, then at me. "Are you going to marry Spider-Man?" She asks.
I give a small chuckle, "doubtful. I don't even know him. I'm not gonna marry him."
"I think he loves you," she continues.
I look down at her, "what's your name?"
"Melissa."
"It's nice to meet you, Melissa. My name is (Y/n)." I introduce myself. "Why do you think Spider-Man loves me?"
She shrugs, "I don't know, I can just tell." Her eyes sparkle, "you're gonna marry him one day. I just know it."
I laugh, "once again, doubtful."
I spot Melissa's mother in the crowd and run over to her. Her sobs become tears of joy as she sees her daughter. She rushes over and engulfs her daughter in a tight hug.
"Thank you!" She exclaims between sobs, "thank you so much!"
"Anytime." I say. I turn to walk away but am stopped by at least 5 reporters.
"Excuse me! Miss! Over here!"
"What's your name, Miss?"
"M-My name is (Y/n)." I answer hesitantly as I'm blinded by flashing lights from the cameras.
"(Y/n)! Are you responsible for single handedly saving that poor little girl?" They hold a microphone up to my face.
"N-No. Spider-Man defeated the men. I-I just got the little girl away--"
"So Spider-Man caught the crooks while you saved the girl?"
"W-Well he technically saved both of us. I just got her away from the men and hid--"
"Can you elaborate on that please?"
Oh boy.
What have I gotten myself into?