Spider-Man Homecoming (Fanfiction) ~

3: Nurse Peter Parker to the Rescue

We got home that afternoon and I was already flabbergasted. "Liz, how could you do this to me? Putting me on the spot like that?" I asked, placing my backpack down at the floor of the stairs. We headed towards the kitchen and we noticed our parents were gone. Mom left the note on the countertop and mentioned she was going grocery shopping and that dad would be out late because of his side job.

"I'm sorry," she apologized after listening to me rant. "I figured it was the best position to put you in because I knew Flash was going to be cocky about it and take charge. Honestly, I'd rather have Peter, but he's got that Stark Internship going on." Liz sounded disappointed.

I agreed, and I just was so nervous, I felt my heart about to explode. I didn't think after all this time that I'd finally get close to him. I just never have been too close with anyone before. "I guess..." I said, finally giving in. "Wait a second, you sound like you didn't have any other plan before this." 

"Well, the first option was kind of lame." She smiled, "It was either this, or we have family dinner and I know you'd say no right away." 

My eyes widened. "You know how mom and dad would be if Peter were here!" I said. "You would think dad would be okay with this idea, but we all know he's going to sit down at the dinner table and interrogate him! We don't want Peter to feel imprisoned."

"We don't want who to feel imprisoned here?" Mom walked in through the kitchen with bags of grocery in her arms. Liz and I walked over to help her with them. I grabbed a couple and Liz grabbed the other from her arm. "Thanks, sweethearts. Ooh boy, my arms are killing me. There's been traffic on the way home from the store so I had to find some way to detour. What were you two talking about anyway?" 

I started stuttering. "Uh- uh..." I said. "We were just talking about me joining Liz's Decathlon team."

Mom's eyes started sparkling. She was worried before I wouldn't ever join an extra curricular during the school year. I didn't want to join any clubs or anything this year because I felt like it was just too much for me since I had too many other classes to think about. I mean, she tried to convince me, but she wanted me more to be happy. I was happy that she didn't try to force me or anything to join any curriculars or clubs or music classes. 

"Oh?" She said. We started helping her put away the frozen foods, sodas, and other various foods for dinner nights. "So you decided to join after all, sweetie?"

"Yeah, Liz needed one more member on her team so she had me come by after school to see what it's like." I said.

Her and Liz exchanged looks. Liz didn't say much of anything since this was my personal business, and she knew better than to bring our parents into my love life. I wasn't lying to mom though, however. It was either me or Flash to take Peter's place in the Academic Decathlon. I know for a fact that Liz may have gotten along with everyone among the student body, but if she were to be stuck in a room with Flash, she'd have to have a lot of patience. And I mean, a lot.

"Well, I'm glad you decided on that, Y/N!" she said, coming over to give me a big hug. "We should celebrate. How about we all make some tacos for dinner? With a nacho table on the side?" 

Mmm. Mexican food. I thought. I shook my head from being distracted on the cover up. 

"Sure, mom, that sounds great!" Liz said. "Want me to help out with the cooking?"

"That's alright," mom said. "Oh, and by the way, I'm sure you already know, your dad is coming home late tonight. He's called earlier and said he had some more business to take care of with a shipment that's supposed to come in. We're lucky enough to have him still having a job after having that fiasco in Manhattan with Tony Stark and the federal government stepping in..."

We silently agreed. I shouldn't be mad, but if it weren't for my dad and his Bestman Salvage crew, we wouldn't be here. He was the founder of the crew, and he loved picking up contracts after any incident that happened in New York City. If they did a well earned job, they earned a well deserve pay. 

The federal government stepped in under Tony's contract when my dad was cleaning up the Battle of New York, and it caused my dad and his other employees to be unemployed and stepped down. It was Mr. Stark's fault. 

Dad mentioned that he wouldn't give up on us after that. That he would do whatever it takes to keep our family together and he would be able to make money for me and Liz to go to college, and help his wife out. 

"Anyways, but that was it. Come on, let's prepare for dinner, you both have school again tomorrow." She smiled, trying to change the mood. 

~~~ 

The following day after lunch, I tried to keep a low profile as the day went by smoothly. I didn't want to keep my hopes up after what happened at the Decathlon meeting. Peter probably didn't want to talk, and I'm totally okay dealing with the pain. 

But of course, the universe decided otherwise.

"Uhm, h-hi, Y/N!" Peter exclaimed in a high pitched voice after English class ended, and I bumped into him headfirst. I dropped my books in surprise. My nose got somehow smashed against him and it felt kind of bruised afterwards. I grabbed my nose and held it for a moment as it started swelling, and a few kids were laughing at us by the lockers. "I-I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I kneeled down to pick up my notebooks and a textbook. "I'm fine," I grumbled. "Just bruised, but fine." 

"Here, let me help you." Peter said, and kneeled down across from me. He picked up the rest of the stuff I dropped and handed it over. 

"You didn't have to do that, you know, I can do it myself." I said.

"I know you can," he defended. "I just thought you could use some help after being all clumsy."

"You got in my way, I wasn't clumsy at all!" I said shocked. 

He teased a smile at me, and we stood back up again. The rest of the people who stared at us reverted back to what they were doing, and I sighed. "So, u-uhm...thanks for filling in for my spot in the Decathlon team. I know you can do it." 

And my nightmare begins...I checked my invisible watch mentally. Now. 

"Yeah, of course." I said, finally letting go of my nose. 

"Your nose is bleeding." Peter noticed, his eyebrows scrunched together, the way he would do when something caught his eyes. "Here. Come with me."

I looked at my left fingers and noticed that it caught the blood. "Oh, crap." I cursed. 

He walked with me to the bathroom, and I was about to follow him until I realized it was the men's restroom and he told me to stay outside. I blushed with embarrassment. Peter came back with some tissues and handed them to me to stop the bleeding. 

"Thank you," I said, after it stopped bleeding for a while. "We should probably get to class before the bell rings again, we don't want to be late."