Hush

FIVE

Peter and Ruby walked all afternoon, simply calming down after the excitement of the morning.

There was no doubt that the school had contacted Mrs Radcliffe over the incident which prevented the girl from going home early. Instead, she and Peter bought milkshakes from the first cafe they found that did take away and settled under a tree in the nearby park. It was quiet for a tuesday afternoon, especially since the summer had only just ended.

"I want to know what it was that did this," she motions to her ear, "to me." It was silent while Peter drank and she suddenly felt the need to cut in, "if that's okay."

"It's a long story," he said, before stretching out his legs and lifting his head back to watch a squirrel run across the branch above them. "So, you know Liz, right? Toomes. She was in your year..." Ruby nods. "So, basically, her dad ran this underground group that made weapons with the alien tech leftover from New York. He had these wings and everything! It would have been so cool if, y'know, he didn't drop a car park on me and try to rob Mr Stark..." His eyes unfocused as if remembering something he wished he could forget.

"But Mr Toomes was arrested, Betty said Liz left early when the trial started." Peter nodded.

"He was. And Mr Stark confiscated most of the weapons... but not all of them. Those men weren't supposed to have that tech and I came across them during a sale and had to stop them." He rubs his hands down his shins and back up to his knees. "Although, I've been thinking since then that I should've just tagged them and let Mr Stark deal with it like he keeps telling me. If I did then none of this would've happened to you and your boyfriend would still be alive." He looked distraught and wouldn't meet Ruby's eyes.

"Peter..." she couldn't bear seeing this boy, and yes, he was a boy. Not even sixteen and he was weighing up his guilt. She could hardly comprehend how taxing it must be to live not only a double life but a double life as a superhero. "He's not my boyfriend." She mentally facepalmed at her weak statement. Peter smiled slightly, amusement in his eyes as he looked at her hesitantly.

"I tell you there are men creating weapons from alien tech and you want to reassure me of your relationship status?" She shrugged.

"He was a selfish person but that doesn't mean he deserved to die." She gulped, feeling her vision lose focus. For a moment her thoughts strayed to Reginald and then to Claire, who she had not seen yet; but she wouldn't let her own guilt take over if she wouldn't let Peter do the same thing. Shaking her head, she focused back on Peter. "We are all selfless in death, and that's what helps me make peace with what happened to him. Now, this?" She points to her hearing aid. "I struggle to make peace with this knowing that the people that caused it are out there potentially hurting others."

It was silent for a moment, both teenagers picking at the grass beneath them and draining their milkshakes. The sun had moved around to shine down on Ruby's back and the sudden heat made her roll her shoulders. The tree creaked in the wind when Peter sat up and crossed his legs.

"Why don't you help me?"

"What?"

"I mean, you're basically a superhero now-"

"No."

"Come on! I saw SHIELD save you, I bet they helped you control your powers. We could be a team-"

"Peter," she warned, stifling a laugh, "you can't be serious."

"Deadly." He was staring at her deadpan now, sat on his heels and a light in his eyes. If there was one thing she could read in Peter now it was desperation. His need to share this experience with someone who could understand what he was going through and Ruby was the perfect person for that.