That's Just The Way The World Works

Late Season

Call me surprised as The Dailey Bougal plays on the TV in the shelter, and of course the topic is about Spider-Man. Seems like his viewers just want to hate on him. I pass out some waters and then go back to the kitchen. As I set up another tray of water, I hear a warm voice:

"Michelllllleee!" Sings Olivia in festive winter clothes; she wore a purple and blue plaid scarf with a gray sweater that had snowflakes all over. She had a lighter purple beanie that looked good with her pastel blonde hair. Her pants matched her light purple beanie and she wore white doc martens, it was a bit scattered but worked for Olivia. She spreads her arms out and gives me a huge hug, that's when I realized she was the best person at hugs... Maybe it's because she's short.

"Merry Christmas, Olivia-"

"It's not Christmas yet! Just a week in a half though. Are you excited??!!? It's Dani and I's first Christmas."

I laugh lightly, "Believe it or not, Peter and I still haven't put the tree up."

"Oh, I believe it. Your boy always seems to be somewhere else."

I look behind Olivia and see a person walk in who had bruises and scrapes, I see them hurriedly get taken care of but I started to worry... What was happening outside? "Hey... Liv, could you pass out these." I say, handing her the tray.

"Sure."

I leave and go to where the person was seated, getting bandages wrapped around their recently wounded arm. I asked them questions to figure out what was happening but they couldn't remember many details, only saying that out of nowhere the truck they were driving got turned over on its side by another truck. They didn't remember much else but they had gotten wounded by the crash, Spider-Man had gotten him out of the jammed door and directed him to get care from the shelter until he could get to the hospital.

"Who was the truck for?"

"Oscorp."

Interesting... Must be Hammerhead's gang... I should get more information from Peter later... I thank them and make my way back to Olivia.

"It's just not safe here anymore..."

"Was it ever safe?" I ask with a sigh, "This has been so normalized, I mean we practiced drills in school in case a super villain attacked us."

Olivia nods, "I guess technology will be the death of us."

I laugh, "right."

After an hour or so, Olivia and I leave to go eat lunch. Eating inside as it was way too cold outside. We sit in a booth in the back of a cozy cafe, Olivia speaking on how although she loves Christmas, she misses the summer. I explain that I prefer the fall and winter. We speak about other things before I walk Olivia home, we exchange our goodbyes and give each other a tight hug. I watch her go into her building and then start walking my own way home. Before doing so, I thought it'd be nice to walk through Central Park. The cold air started to get to me as I got half way through the park. I wrapped my scarf up to cover the bottom half of my face walking under a small bridge.

"A bit cold for a Central Park stroll."

I smile and turn around seeing Peter hanging upside down from the bridge, in his suit.

"Spying on me?" I ask, squinting my eyes with a smirk.

He comes down from the bridge, landing on his feet effortlessly, "Just patrolling." Although he had his mask, I could tell he was starring. He closes some distance between us, "Have we met before?" He asks, tilting his head.

I pretend to think, "Huh, I believe it was Coney Island."

"Ah, of course, I'm in that area a lot." He said, boasting himself. I couldn't help the laugh escaping my lips.

"You know, Spidey, I'm trying to get a present for my boyfriend, what should I get for him? I feel like you'd know."

"Mmmmm, probably some of my merch."

"Oh really? Created yourself?"

"Nah, I give that to my marketing team."

"Right."

We only look at each other when sirens start ringing in the distance. We stand there a bit longer, wanting nothing more than to stay in this moment. "You should... get that." I say softly, my breath showing in the cold air.

"yeah... I should."

"... I'll see you around Spidey."

I feel him smile before he gives me a two fingered salute for a goodbye. He then zips away, leaving me under the bridge with the cold breeze.

I make it back home and as I close the door behind me I lean my back against it, kicking off my shoes with a groan. I glance over at the corner of our living area where a tree should be. Shrugging off my jacket I set it on the couch before collapsing onto it. It was already getting dark... I lay there for a moment before turning on a light and grabbing the book I was reading, it was about true crimes in Chicago. I read for about an hour before I felt a little restless. I sigh and drop my book onto my chest, sitting up and looking over at Peter's door. Still wasn't home. Fine, whatever. I'll do it myself. I get up and go to the boxes of Christmas decorations, before opening the bottom of the Christmas tree box. Yes, I would rather get a real tree but a small apartment in New York wasn't ideal to lug a tree up those stairs.

I started setting up the tree, starting from the bottom and working my way up, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. I was nearly half way done when a pair of hands came around my waist, I looked over my shoulder and Peter smiled at me.

"I thought you'd be gone all night... Also how'd you come? I didn't hear you at all."

"I have my ways. What do you expect? I have to sneak up on bad guys all the time." He leans in for a kiss but I pull away teasingly.

"I hope you're as good at that as putting up a tree, because we're late."

He laughs lightly and let's go of my waist, and bends down to the box at my side, taking out the next pieces of the tree. We start putting it together before then wrapping the colorful lights around it. We turned the TV onto a music channel that was playing old Christmas music, and although this was a touch sappy, it brought a warm feeling into the apartment. "It's nice to have a Christmas of my own... I guess I've just always had it with my dad. Even then it was never this." I say, gesturing to the tree.

"We'll have to make it your best then." Peter says, looking into the tree as he weaved the lights through. I look over at him and gaze for a moment.

We finished the lights and then started to bring out the ornaments, most of them being different sizes of the classic gold ornaments. I place one on the side and only see Peter's face and one shoulder of his as he placed one on the other side.

"Hammerhead and his gang haven't lightened up... Jamenson blames Spider-Man for ruining the holiday season." Peter laughs a little, I couldn't tell why... For some reason, even though Peter said he didn't care what The Daily Bougal said, I think a part of him did.

"It's always like this in New York, he won't be able to blame you forever." I say, Peter doesn't respond. I look over at him again, on the other side. "I don't believe I've ever asked, but what's the Web-Head's story?"

Peter makes eye contact with me over the tree, "What?"

"You know, how'd Peter Parker become Spider-Man."

He laughs lightly, "I didn't mean to change the subject to me."

I pick up an ornament and hold it over to him, "No, I asked."