Wilted (Peter Parker x Reader)

54

Narrator

The beaming sun wasn't helping your lack of sleep; The rays were so bright you couldn't keep your eyes open more than a squint. The metal roof was hot against your back but that was the least of your concerns. With not a cloud in sight, the afternoon sun was slowly cooking you alive.

At some point in the early morning, only an hour or two after Bruce escorted you to the hallway and you ran away to the roof, you had finally stopped crying. Your throat burned with dehydration as you had been sobbing so hard, it felt like your esophagus tore. Every time you thought you couldn't feel worse, something else happened.

But of course, this was all your fault.

A large bird cawed from high up in the air and you imagined what it would feel like to be roadkill. No war between what you do and do not know. No having to choose between following your gut or your heart. Nothing. Sweet nothing.

You chewed the inside of your cheek as you stared into the open blue sky, mind racing but nearly in slow motion. It wouldn't stop but you were far too exhausted for quick thinking. Another day without sleep, other than the twelve hours when they sedated you. You wondered how long it would be until you saw another hallucination.

"Hey," a sudden voice startled you to a sitting position as you turned to the only ladder that led to the roof. Your eyes locked onto Peter's as he granted you a small and unsure smile, one hand cradling his obviously throbbing head and the other hung loosely at his side. He was wearing a similar outfit of sweatshirt and sweatpants, obviously trying to find comfort through his hangover.

You stared at him and immediately felt frozen in place just like last night. As he began walking forwards, your breath jumped in your throat. Were you seeing him in your head or was he really here? You furrowed your eyebrows and stiffened as he sat right beside you calmly. You sat as still as possible, eyeing him and waiting for his cruelty to resume.

"Can we talk about last night?" He asked and faced you. You watched him closely, saddening at his lack of remorse.

"What about it?" You barely squeaked out. His face frowned deeper as he heard your weak tone.

"I'm sorry we had to sedate you." He looked down in shame. "I'm unbelievably sorry. I know that's really triggering for you and I wish there was another way. I would never do anything to hurt you intentionally, I hope you know that." Your face twisted into despair as you realized he had no idea what happened.

"Is that all you remember?" Your voice wasn't getting any stronger.

"It's all kind of foggy." He rubbed his head again. "I let my emotions get the best of me and broke into Stark's liquor cabinet. He's so mad he hasn't said a word to me." The playful smirk on his face confirmed it all; Nobody told him. He looked at you again as you didn't respond and his grin dropped quickly. He studied your face and appearance before paying closer attention to the situation; You weren't cheering up.

"Y/n?" He asked gently. "Are you okay?" You stared at him, bewildered that he didn't remember a single thing about what happened. Should you tell him, letting him sit with guilt and remorse, or do you learn from his cruel words and move on?

Peter hit a breaking point last night. Everything he said, as much as it hurt, were things he needed to get off his chest. You were selfish, even if it wasn't on purpose. You already knew he spent every waking second making sure you were okay but it was more than that now. He was hurting just as much as you were but you were too preoccupied with yourself to do anything about it.

Even you couldn't hide from the feelings anymore, and last night just proved it to you. Letting him stay clueless to his cruelty and making the changes he so desperately needed, you would begin to bury everything you've done to hurt him. Despite the aching in your heart, and the inability to forget what he said and did, you decided he didn't need to know about the rude awakening.