Orphic | Spider-Man

TWENTY-TWO

SO, I JUST talk?" Octavia asked Peter. 
      She had showed up faster than lightning after their phone call nearly thirty minutes ago. Now, she and Peter sat across from each other on the fire escape outside of his bedroom window. It was perfect, they couldn't be seen by May or anyone walking by the apartment building. Between the two of them sat a small rectangular black voice recorder. Peter hadn't turned it on yet. 
      "Well, Vee, it's not called a voice recorder for nothing." he smirked. 
      Octavia playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh Peter Parker, how I've missed your sarcastic remarks." 
      Peter shrugged with a smile. "Well, you know me--" he sat up straight, eyes narrowed behind his glasses, lips pursed tightly, his hand slowly rising into a salute, "--I will protect the future of Oscorp, and the good name of Octavius shall live on for future generations of Oscorp's CEO's. It will be my undying duty to protect Octavia Ophelia Octavius--" 
      "Oh my God!" Octavia laughed so hard that her stomach began to hurt, as did her cheeks from smiling so hard. "Remember the night of the banquet before I left, I told my dad to watch out for you saying that and then when he looked at you, you told him you didn't know what I was talking about!" 
      "Still don't." Peter shrugged. 
      Octavia swatted at his arm, to which Joe saw this, and did the same. 
      "Ow!" Peter hissed. 
      "Joe! No!" Octavia pulled his metal body back towards her. "Not so hard!" 
      "Joe's strong as hell," Peter laughed. He picked up the recorder. "Let's start. What should we talk about?" 
      Octavia hummed in thought. "Something that Dad can hear through the door and immediately walk away." She widened her eyes. "Let's talk about periods! That makes every man uncomfortable." 
      Peter chuckled and tilted his head at her. "I think after raising one daughter, Otto doesn't get grossed out hearing about women's bodies. Also, he was married to a woman." 

      "Damn, you're right." Octavia muttered. "How about we both talk about something we like? I like how you get excited about science and Star Wars, it's always so fun to see you light up like that." 
      Peter tried not to blush. "R-Really? I always felt like I was mansplaining things to you." 
      Octavia scoffed, "Peter, I know not a damn thing about science. If anything, I feel like I talk to you too much about the books I had read. You've listened to me talk for hours about fictional characters." 
      Peter smiled and nodded. "Okay, let's do that, you want to go first?" 
      Octavia shook her head and smiled. "No, I want to hear you talk." 
      Peter tried not to smile so wide. "Okay." 
      He pressed record. 

- - - 

"That was not my fault!" Octavia cackled, holding a finger out to Peter. 
      "Oh, yes it was!" Peter nodded, laughing. "You blamed it all on me!" 
      "Because you're tall and clumsy! The man totally would've guessed it was you! Your long swingy arms would totally knock those boxes off! And you lean into me when you walk!" 
      "If anything, you're going to swat me all the way to Timbuktu with all four of your tentacles!" 
      Their laughter together was a symphony. Peter missed this. Octavia missed this. 
      The recorder had been going for an hour. Neither one noticed until then, when Peter saw the time and spoke with his eyes, motioning with them to Octavia. 
      She didn't seem to understand until Peter said, "Well, I've got to get going on homework, I'll call you later, Vee. Hope all is well." 
      Octavia smiled. "Thanks Peter Parker, and hey, call me if you need help with English. I know your brain is only reserved for nerd stuff and Star Wars, so call me when you get another assignment. Bye." 
      Peter stopped recording. Then he raised an eyebrow at Octavia. "'Nerd stuff?'" 
      "'Hope all is well?'" she cackled. "That's exactly what Otto Octavius would say!" 

      They both laughed, and Peter picked up the recorder, handing it to Octavia. 
      "I uh, I think May should be getting back soon." he said softly. 
      "Then I should pick up those Little Debbie cakes fast." Octavia said. 
      Peter shook his head and chuckled, "Don't, Vee. You're fine. This is my battle. Go back to wherever you're staying. Otto has to be watching you like a hawk. I'm actually amazed he hasn't called or texted." Peter caught sight of her phone, which held no notification from Otto. No call or text. 
      "We're mad at each other again." Octavia muttered. "I really don't see it getting any better." 
      "Not when you're doing this," Peter said. "And I know why you are, but Vee, your dad has you and only you. You know how he lost your mom--" 
      "I don't know all of it." Octavia chimed in quickly. "I don't want to know how, I just know that it was during a presentation of a project. I don't know which project, and I don't want to know. If I ever know what that project was, I'll never get it out of my head. It had to be something absolutely vile." 
      Peter nodded. "Definitely something quite. . .contemptible." 
      Octavia froze, looked at Peter and tilted her head. 
      Peter's face went white. "Maybe I shouldn't try showing off learning new words when talking about something personal." 

      Octavia busted out laughing. Peter sighed in relief and nervously chuckled. 
      "You've been learning new words?" Octavia asked. "I'm impressed." 
      Peter rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, since you use big words, I thought I'd try it. I'm sorry, that was terrible timing." 
      Octavia shook her shoulders. "My mom studied English, she would've loved that." 
      "You think so?" Peter asked. 
      Octavia shrugged. "I've been told many stories of her, so yeah, I think I know what she was like. Me and her actually like and hate a lot of the same things. . .but that's what Dad told me." 
      "You think she'd like me?" Peter asked. 
      Octavia smiled. She could bet, that without a doubt, her mother would totally try to push Octavia to date Peter. Maybe if her mother was still alive and present, it'd be easier for Octavia to spill how she felt to Peter. 
      "She'd adore you." 
      Peter smiled as Octavia stood up from the fire escape. "Maybe we can record another fake conversation some other time. This weekend good for you?" 
      Octavia nodded. "Perfect." The actuators were already pulling her over the railing of the fire escape, but they held her suspended in the air as Peter stood up and leaned against the railing. 

      They were inches away from each other. Peter could smell the lavender soap on Octavia's skin, and the hair products she used. Octavia could smell the body spray on Peter, light and sweet, and not musky as every other fifteen-year-old's cologne. She could see every color that made up Peter's hazel eyes, and Peter could see every shade of green within Octavia's summer green grass irises. 
      Just as Octavia was preparing to tell him goodbye and goodnight, the actuators had an idea of their own. They jerked forward, sending Octavia's chest forward. For a moment, she and Peter thought that she was falling, and instantly, Peter threw his arms around her. His hands gripped at the back of her black crewneck, and Octavia's gripped his hoodie at Peter's shoulders. 
      "Woah," Octavia whispered, her breathing slightly picked up. "Sorry, I'm not sure why they did that." 
      Peter chuckled. "It's okay." 
      They still held onto each other, looking the other in the eyes. 
      Octavia didn't say a word, and neither did Peter. The soft wind was the only sound between the two, and the faint sound of traffic. She swallowed hard. He curled his lips. 
      "Peter," Octavia finally said, nearly a whisper. "I. . ." 
      Peter waited, holding his breath. He had thought about the day he'd kiss her. To have her in his arms, holding her close just like he was now. It was perfect. It was just like how he wanted it to happen. He'd call her beautiful--no, something better, a word that could describe her smile, her eyes, her personality.  
      But Peter Parker needed to find that word first. 
      "I have to go." Octavia smiled small with pursed lips. 

      Peter nodded. "Yeah, yeah." They both let go of each other. "Text me when you get home." 
      Octavia nodded, and as Peter was about to crawl into his window, she stopped him. 
      "Peter," she said it with urgency, and she wasn't sure why. Peter stopped and looked back at her. "I'm sorry that the internship didn't work out." 
      Peter shrugged. "It's fine, Vee. I'll do it next spring." 
      "It's not fine, Peter." she said. "It was because of me. I disappeared from you, May, my friends in Manhattan, the world--I. . ." she swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Peter. I realize that I didn't just ruin things for myself. I ruined a lot of things for other people." 
      "Vee, you're doing it again." Peter said, standing back up on the fire escape. "You're not validating your own feelings. You had reason to disappear. What happened to you, that was traumatic, and I can't imagine how it felt waking up with four extra robotic limbs, but if I was you, I'd be pissed too. But you know what? I say use them to your advantage. Go save the city and redeem that part of you that's been lost for all these months. Just promise me one thing," 
      With her eyes welling up, Octavia nodded. "Of course, a-anything." 
      Peter gave her a small reassuring smile. "Don't turn into a villain trying to save that missing part of you." 
      Octavia laughed, wiping her eyes. "I promise I won't go robbing banks or fighting Spider-Man on trains." 
      Peter laughed. "Great. Goodnight, Vee." 
      "Goodnight, Peter Parker." 

      And just like that, the actuators lowered her from the fire escape, and swung her onto the roof of the apartment buildings, bouncing in the night.