the trial of the spider || peter parker

chapter twenty: healing together

-3rd POV-

Tony was just about to doze off when a soft, shaky, and broken sounding voice kept him from succumbing to sleep.

"Mr. Stark...?" Peter's eyes were watery and tired. They looked heavy and drowsy. But the poor boy had a confused expression on his face. "Am... am I okay?"

"You're okay, Pete," Tony sat up in the chair and closed his laptop. "You probably really don't need to be talking. And awake."

"Athena..." He muttered, eyes closing as sleep had just begun to overtake him yet again. "Sh- she okay?"

"She's okay too. Sleeping, like you should be."

"She knows?" His voice was a barely audible whisper now. Tony almost assumed he was sleep talking at this point.

"She knows. And she's okay. Knows you're okay and healing. May's got her. She's keeping your bed warm for you. Go to sleep, Peter. You need it."

"G'night, Mr. Stark..." Peter yawned.

"Goodnight, kid."

—
-Athena's POV-

Strawberry pancakes. I woke up to the smell of strawberry pancakes and it encouraged me to sit up.

I ended up needing to put on one of Peter's hoodies. It's chilly. I looked outside the balcony door and saw a white, cloudy sky.

One of fall's trademarks. Alongside trees that have already turned yellow and orange. Autumn is definitely upon us.

But, taking off Peter's tee shirt meant I got to take a look at my incision for the first time. It looked almost like a cesarean section scar.

The skin around it was pink and slightly raised. The stitches looked like they were about ready to come out.

I reached for Peter's hoodie on the bed next to me and pulled it on over my head. The smell of the pancakes in the kitchen was now paired with the unmistakable scent of bacon.

I grabbed the nightstand and used it to help me stand up. I rose to my feet and everything below my hips tingled. I haven't been upright in at least a week and a half let alone walking.

I took my first step and winced a little. It seems my body wants me to move, I just need to take it easy. Slow and steady.

With a deep breath I approached the bedroom door. It wasn't until I'd partially opened it that I heard a few voices. There was a Christmas movie playing in the background, I heard the music from it. And the smell of breakfast and coffee hanging in the air.

I'd be lying if I didn't feel a comfortable warmth wrap around me.

"Well, look at you!" Natasha smiled as she exited the bathroom down the hall. "You're up on your feet and moving! How're you feeling?"

"Better," I nodded. "Is... everyone here?"

"Bruce, Happy, Thor, Steve, May, obviously me-"

"Tony?"

She frowned a bit. "No. He's with Peter at the hospital. According to him, he woke up a couple times last night and wanted to make sure he had someone with him when he woke up. He's the only one of us allowed in there, so."

"Yeah," I frowned too. "I miss him already."

"We all do," Nat gave me an encouraging side hug. "But he'll heal up soon. He usually does. Now. Let's go get food before Thor eats it all."

We headed into the kitchen together, just catching Thor managing to slip out with a plate of four pancakes and five slices of bacon. And a literal mug of orange juice.