Into the Light | Peter Parker x OC

Chapter Eighty

A/N: hi! sorry for the late update.

i completely forget that it was wednesday like three days ago lol and this week has just been so long and hectic honestly. i've got three labs and so far i've only finished one :(

anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

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"She's just a kid, Adelaide.

Don't do this to her."
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Adelaide was in the FEAST kitchen again, stirring a pot of soup while listening to Bertha talk about how she made cheesecake perfectly every time. She was just barely paying attention, offering the occasional mhm or okay but the woman really didn't need much more than that. She was surprisingly self-sufficient in conversation.

May left the kitchen a few minutes ago, saying she'd be back soon but Adelaide was starting to wonder if she had just left to get a break from hearing Bertha talk. On second thought, probably not. May wasn't like that. Somehow, she always had the energy to listen even when it felt uninteresting. Adelaide couldn't muster up any more energy to make Bertha's cheesecake recipe interesting so she let her gaze wander, occasionally glancing at the door to see if May was back.

But when her eyes spotted the person standing at the door, Adelaide stopped breathing.

Bertha disappeared and the ladle stilled in her hands until all she could see was the pair of brown eyes that never failed to send her heart racing.

Peter was standing by the door, wearing a jean jacket over black sweatpants. He had grown out his hair and the curls were falling into his forehead. And his chocolate brown eyes were staring painfully straight at her. He looked the same and so completely different all at the same time.

For a moment, it was like nothing had happened in these past months. For a moment, it was five years ago and they were in high school, sixteen again and madly in love. For a moment, Peter was here to pick her up for their date where they would spend all evening together. Just for a moment, everything was okay once again and Adelaide felt herself getting lighter from the stress and guilt and grief leaving her shoulders.

Until reality hit her and it all weighed down on her tired shoulders once again.

His usual smile was missing. The one he seemed to reserve only for her. Something about him had changed. He looked colder, more unapproachable, and it nearly broke her heart into two to think that she was the reason that he was no longer happy and bright and bubbly like he used to be. She had drained the light from his eyes. She had killed his spirit.

Bertha must have seen her staring at the door and so the woman looked over her shoulder to see for herself.

"Peter!" Bertha waved him over. "It's been so long since I've seen you, dear!"

He was still staring at Adelaide, thinking hard about something. Adelaide wished she could tell what it was, but his face was blank.

"Good to see you too, Bertha," he replied distractedly, "Have you seen Aunt May?"

"No, I haven't seen her, sugar. But she said she'd be back soon. Why don't you sit here and tell me about what's going on with you while you wait?" Bertha smiled. Peter finally looked away from her and came over to sit beside Bertha. Adelaide looked down at the pot of soup in front of her, feeling her face heat up. And it wasn't from the heat of the stove. She didn't know if she wanted to stay here in the kitchen or run out as fast as she could.