𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐊

40. 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲

PETER FOUND HIMSELF LIMPING THROUGH A FIELD OF COLORFUL TULIPS IN SEARCH OF HIS FRIEND. The previous event had taken a turn, and Peter wounded up in a completely different location--one he surely has no way of pronouncing. Alone and panicking, Peter felt like his world was crashing down like dominoes, and he was freaking out because while Beck is searching for his friends, Eszter was God knows where, and Peter can't help but think he'll never be able to find her. Everything happened so quickly. There was no time to adapt to the situation because Peter was too busy focusing on one thing than worrying about another. But here the couple was, separate from one another as they were torn to the very bone of their body, discarded to two different locations, both unaware of each other's situations.

Memories of Eszter's terrifying possession had imprinted itself in Peter's mind, and as hard as he tried to deny it, Peter felt differently toward the enhanced. Eszter had snapped so quickly. She barely blinked an eye before inflicting some pain onto Peter and Michelle; the enhanced had bottled up so much, it all came barreling out together, making it difficult for Eszter to cope with the emotions that she had tried so desperately to numb. However, Peter couldn't exactly forget that moment because he remembered the nasty insults practically spitting past his lips; Peter would never say anything that horrible, especially not to Eszter, but the anger and grief he felt were no match against the sadness and grief he felt for Tony's passing. This was different. It was like a strong wave of emotion clouded his judgment, and instead of feeling his own way, Peter felt a forceful shove of another's stacked over his aggressively.

Although Peter tried to come up with any excuse that could make up for Eszter's mishap, there was no denying the fact that she had completely violated him; with the overstepping boundaries that were laid out on the table, Eszter had used her powers against Peter, and unwillingly. It wasn't going to be easy to forgive the enhanced and her actions, but it wasn't indefinitely; surely, over time, Peter can find it in himself to forgive Eszter.

But now, Peter wasn't sure how he was going to inform Happy about Eszter.

A roaring sound captured Peter's attention as it pulls him from his deep thoughts, glancing over his shoulder almost achingly as his eyes locked onto the Quinjet soaring above him. With a heavy limp, Peter faced forward and continued to trudge through the beautiful field of tulips as they danced against the powerful wind of the Quinjet's thrusters. Swooping around, the jet lands in front of Peter as he staggers with each step; the jet's door opens and revealed Happy speeding the small set of stairs.

Happy peered over to see Peter's frail figure struggling to stand, striking the man to be fully concerned for the teen's well-being. He's seen Peter hurt before, but something about this was far more concerning, and it troubles him to see the distraught boy on the verge of tears. Happy didn't comment on it so soon, but it baffled him how easily Peter hid his feelings for so long.

"Peter? Are you okay?" Happy nears the bottom of the stairs as he calls out to the boy. His eyes squinting against the harsh glare from the sun, but they swish from side-to-side as if he were searching for something--or someone. "Where's Eszter?"

However, Peter completely dismisses them.

"Happy, is that you?" Peter questions, trudging forward again.

Making his way to Peter, Happy furrows his brows weirdly. "Is it me? Yeah, of course, it's me."

But Peter grew hesitant as he halts from his desperate stride to safety. "Stop!" He orders weakly. Peter held his arm out as he motions for Happy to stop, to which the man obliges as he continued to look on in concern. "Tell me something only you would know!"

"Only I would know," he took a second to think. "Uh. You--I--uh, remember when we went to Germany? You pay-per-viewed a video in your room? They didn't list the titles, but I could tell by the price it was an adult film at the front desk. And you didn't know how I knew--"