my guardian angel | peter parker x gn!reader

s i x t e e n

honor the lost

Damn, I look good.

The mirror in the corner of the room smiled back at you as you continued helping Pepper with preparations. She was throwing a party - which she only referred to as a small get-together - to honor those you lost for five years and those you lost forever, and you felt it obligatory to help.

You were currently trying to reach a certain part of the wall to hang up a piece of bunting but found yourself failing miserably. "Here, let me try." You lowered your arms as you turned to Rhodey, who had shown up around twenty minutes ago, moments before Bruce had joined him.

You passed him the string and stepped back with a small sigh, somewhat shameful of your failed attempts. "Aw, can squirt not reach?" Sam was rummaging through a box of party decorations, having turned up just under five minutes ago. He had a round face, dark skin, and knew just the right ways to piss you off (which resulted in a lot of friendly banter amongst your conversations). You were surprised he'd even offered to help, let alone turn up early just to do so.

"It's taller than you'd think," Rhodey strained, having to jump slightly to get even close to high enough.

"Give it here. This is embarrassing." Sam stood up and began to move toward the pair of you before you outstretched your palm to stop him.

"No, you do your job, we'll do ours. We've only got ten minutes until people start showing up. And I can just grab a chair or something."

"Aye aye, captain. I just don't see how surfing through a box full of deflated balloons and birthday banners will do us much good."

You dragged the armchair from the side of the room nearest the mirror, the harsh screech making you flinch slightly. "Did Pepper not tell you what to look for?"

"Nah, she seemed pretty preoccupied with making the snacks. It probably slipped her mind." He returned to the box, pouring the contents out onto the coffee table to make his search easier.

"She's stressed out. And for obvious reasons," Rhodey said as he continued moving pieces of furniture around the room, somehow staying almost silent. "Almost the entire group is gonna be here to honor the billions of people we lost. This is pretty important."

"Oh, come on. All she's gotta do is serve alcohol. Drunk people do not care about presentation."

"Well, it's not just important to the guests, it's important to her." You stepped down from the chair after putting the bunting in place and allowed Rhodey to push it back to the side of the room. "And if she wants it done right, then that's how we have to do it."

"Personally, I think it's gonna be great," Bruce, who had been slouched over a laptop for the past fifteen minutes, spoke up, placing the laptop to the side as he began to fiddle with the microphone stand.

"And you, what's your job?" Sam turned away from the contents strewn across the coffee table, finally giving up on his task.

"I'm sorting out music and speakers." He tapped on the mic, disappointed when no sound returned to his ears. "And apparently this mic is gonna have some sorta use, too."

The microphone stand stood on an elevated platform, beneath two large - and expensive - speakers and a projector screen. It looked like the perfect place to give a presentation, or a speech, or even some sort of award ceremony.

Pepper burst out of the kitchen door next to the stage with two plates of various snacks in hand and a coral dress flowing against her legs. "Are you guys finished yet? We have ten minutes. C'mon! Hurry up!" The speed her legs moved toward the coffee table made it seem like she was late for something as important as meeting the Queen of England. "And get this shit off my coffee table!" With a sigh, Sam obliged, messily sliding the items back into the box before pushing it to the side. Once the plates were on the table, Pepper spun around and brushed down her dress, immediately re-entering the kitchen.