the strongest avenger

nineteen

"PETER?"

Talia clenches her fists at her side. She can't believe him. He kept this from her...and once again she finds that someone's been lying to her.

Talia takes a step back, her eyes wide, dried blood crusted under her nose from when she fell. Peter looks at her with a pained expression.

"Fucking unbelievable." She says as she turns around and shakes her head.

She starts to walk, but winces on the first step. She puts a hand against her side.

"Tallie..."

She whips around and glares at him. Not noticing the flames that trickle along her shoulders.

"Don't Tallie me Peter Parker."

"Just—let me carry you. You're hurt, and you can't walk."

"No."

She turns back around and takes another step, still wincing. She whirls towards Peter as he reaches out a hand and grasps her arm.

"Don't touch me!" She jerks back from him and feels a pang in her heart at the hurt expression on his face.

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not being difficult—I'm...I'm pissed off okay?" She stops and runs a hand over her hair, grimacing as it comes back red. "Did I hit my head?" Just as she says it, Talia notices the pulsing pain that she had overlooked earlier.

"I mean you did fall from the sky. I don't know how you're still alive and not broken."

"I'm an alien Parker. That's why." She spits out.

His forehead creases as he looks at her. "You don't look like an alien."

"Good observation."

"Why are you so mad Tal?" He asks gesturing wildly with his hands.

"Why am I mad?" Peter takes a step back as the flames flare higher, and at how her eyes start glowing a pale blue. "I am mad, because every single person around me has been lying to me! Every. Single. Person. I thought you would be the exception. AND you made me look like an idiot every time Spidey and I talked."

"What do you m—"

"I don't want to talk about it. Especially not now, not with you." Peter bites his lip, holding back whatever he was going to say.

Talia turns back around and musters the rest of her strength and puts it into walking. Each step sends spiking pain up her right side. She has to stop multiple times to just catch her breath.

The two of them have barely made any distance, having to get to the front of the airport.

Once again, Tal stops, holding her right side. She looks down as she pulls her hand away, and sees that it's caked in dried and fresh blood.

She bites her lip as she looks over at her friend, who has his eyebrows raised, standing with his arms crossed.

Talia scowls. "Fine. Carry me. But if you drop me, I'll electrocute you."

Peter comes over to her and carefully picks her up. She hisses as he lifts her, but sags against his body at the relief of no longer walking.

She must have dozed off, because the next time Talia opens her eyes they're in a car. She sits up and realizes that she was sleeping across Peter's lap.

Tal blushes at the thought, and looks over at Peter. He leans against the window, elbow resting on the elbow rest.

She looks at the front and notices them driving into the parking lot of a large hotel.