Space Girl [P.Parker]

chapter 40

Peter brought Luna back to his apartment. The moment she entered, he cowardly retreated to his desk, refusing to acknowledge the immense clutter and terrible living conditions.

They sat pensively at the desk in front of his monitors displaying X-ray-like images that Luna couldn't quite decipher, so she was more focused on his condition with concern. Peter stared down at his legs, stressfully squeezing a ball in his right hand while Luna was having a difficult time processing her company and the environment that surrounded them. 

"Like reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods..."His screen displayed a video about spiders. His pain and anxiety seemed to increase the longer he waited. His legs bounced up and down.

"...spiders shed skin at key points in their life cycles."

Peter's special machine was working on yet another inhibitor prototype as it buzzed in the corner. Luna could see every single moment he grew more impatient. She stared at Peter like he was crazy, though she didn't have any words to calm him down. 

She didn't seem to have any words at all upon perceiving his condition. This felt odd to her, since she was never the type to know how to comfort anyone, but she felt like there was something she was missing now.

"...the process is known as moulting."

Peter's head sank deeper as his hands migrated to the back of his head. 

"Fourth inhibitor prototype complete." The machine beside him announced. He quickly raised his head and reached for the device. "Okay, come on. Come on." He muttered to himself.

"Upload inhibitor beta build seven." He told the computer as he plugged in the inhibitor. He watched as a simulated version of his body and DNA appeared on the screen. Luna leaned in attentively and hopefully. 

"Uploaded. Would you like to run a test?" The computer voice inquired. 

Peter squinted his right eye in pain. "Yeah, run it."

"Spiders have three stages in their life cycle." The video on the other screen continued. Peter turned his head to watch. "Each day is characterized by physical changes, with the largest occurring during the beautiful transition to adulthood."

Luna continued to stare at him worriedly. She couldn't believe that the once overly confident superhero she knew only as a fighter could be so vulnerable beneath it all. She kept having to convince herself it was really him, and when she remembered, she'd feel for him strangely. She couldn't decipher the feeling or what it meant. 

All it was was something in the way he treated her, the way he looked at her. If it weren't for that, she believed she'd be feeling much differently. It bothered her that he felt so comfortable in her presence. He felt far too okay with being this vulnerable. It was unnatural to her, and she hated that it didn't seem unnatural to him.

"For those who make it through..." The video continued as Peter watched with slight disgust. "Moulting amounts to a kind of rebirth."

"Can you turn that spider stuff off?" Peter requested. Luna snapped out of her staring trance and turned to the side. "Oh--y-yeah, of course." She exited the video.

"Inhibitor active." The computer announced as Peter extracted the chip.

"Okay..." Peter sighed and looked at Luna for the first time since they sat down. "Here we go. Come on, come on." He inhaled deeply and reached for the back of his neck. "Keep an eye on my vitals." He requested.

Luna stared intently at the computer as Peter clipped the device to his neck. He groaned in discomfort for a moment.

"Inhibitor engaged." The computer confirmed.