The Spider and The Flame (Peter Parker)

Part 15- Outside

"Okay, I'm done," I stand up from my chair in front of the computer. I move the cursor to "save" and export my new file onto the USB inserted in the computer. I click "eject" and safely remove the USB from the slot. "Only Pete gets to see this, okay? Promise me..." I plea, holding the USB in hand and extending it outward.

"I promise." Natasha smiles, taking the USB from my hand.

My hands find their way to my eyes, wiping away the tears that have been pouring from them. This was one of the hardest things I've had to experience.

I know that this is the only way that Pete will let me go. This is the only way I can let him go...

Two solid knocks emit from the locked door of the computer room.

"Nat? Ash?" Pete asks, "are you guys in there?"

Natasha places a finger over her mouth and shushes me. I keep quiet in the corner of the room. She strides over to the locked door and turns the lock.

"Hey, Peetie. Nope, just me. I sent her to go find you after our training. Did she get lost somehow? That's strange. Maybe check the TV room?" Nat suggests.

"Oh, okay. Sure. Thanks." Pete mumbles. His footsteps fade down the hallway.

"Go to your room, now," Nat instructs. Immediately I leap to my feet and run off towards my room, careful not to run into Pete. I successfully make it and sit on my bed, trying to look as if I'm just hanging out by myself.

As quickly as I arrive, Pete does the same. He peers around the door and spots me on my bed. His eyes widen and he blinks in confusion.

"How did you? I checked here already!" He exclaims, walking towards me. "Guess I missed you"

"Guess so," I smile, moving over in my bed to make space for Pete. He sits down next to me, placing his hand over mine. "I was looking for you, couldn't find you so I figured you'd come here eventually" I lie.

"You're smarter than you look," he smirks, swiping his lip across his bottom lip, "you're way too hot to be smart"

"I'm just going to pretend that what you just said wasn't totally offensive and sexist" I laugh and knit my eyebrows together.

Pete bursts into laughter, "sorry."

I lean across my bed, in towards Pete.

"I accept the compliment, though," I bite my lip, "you're not so bad yourself, spiderling"

"Nope, that's it." Pete exclaims, pushing my back onto my bed and climbing on top of me. One of his legs rests between mine while the other is placed just outside my hip. He rests his weight on his arms that prop themselves up on either side of my head.

He leans his head down and closes the space between us, satisfying my daily need for a Spider-Man kiss.

And yes, Peter gets very addicting after a while.

I smile into the kiss and place my right hand on his face. My thumb traces small circles over his cheek. Although the gloves of my suit prohibit me from feeling his skin against my hand, I still feel electricity rush through me when I touch him.

"Peter?" I hear a voice near the door. Immediately we both sit up and find Vision floating just to the right of the slightly open door.

"Vision, use the door, man" Pete whines, rubbing a hand over his face in distress.

"The door was open so I figured that-" Vision tries to speak, then ultimately finishes with, "my apologies."

"What is it?" I ask, trying to move ahead in whatever is going on here. Arguing about using the door vs not using the door is just pointless now.

"Target practice. Mr. Stark would like me to accompany both of you outside for some extra training."

"Outside?" My eyes widen.

"Yes, that is what I said. Did I not speak clearly?" Vision knits his eyebrows together and clears his throat.

"You're fine. Let's just go, yeah?" Pete exclaims, standing from my bed and extending an arm out for me to take. I wrap my hand in his and we make our way towards the door. I notice a concerned look on Vision's face as I take Pete's hand, as if he knows somethings up. And honestly, he can probably tell that something is.

-

Until now, I've never had the opportunity to spend any time outside the building. Stark keeps the lawn well fed, and I'm sure he re-stocks the target dummies once every few days. They're not as fallen-apart as I remember from when I arrived.

I watch as Pete lines up in front of a dummy. He breaks into a run and flips into the air, shooting a web at his target and hitting it perfectly. He wraps the dummy up like a spider would, then proceeds to punch it like a boxer. He hits with his left, then his right, uppercut, hook. In a final attack he lands an enormous punch right in the midline of his target, sending it flying back a good ten feet.

These tackle dummies are at least two hundred pounds. That is very impressive.

"Woah!" I exclaim, "Pete that was crazy"

"What?" He asks, panting from his work. A line of sweat covers his forehead.

"I guess spiders are stronger than I thought. You can still crush them under your boot, though." I tease.

"Well go on then, show me the boot" He smiles, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

I line up with my target, roughly twenty feet in front of me. I break into a run forward, then leap into the air. I flip over to the back of the target in an aerial flip, landing sturdily. I bring the target into a headlock and make eye contact with Pete. He raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to do something extravagant.

"So? Wheres the boot?" He yells.

I smirk at his question, then proceed to breathe in deeply. Once my lungs are full, I exhale with a great amount of force, my breath bursting into flames. The target lights up in flames and chars quickly. Within a minute, the target falls to ash in front of me, leaving me standing with no burns or enemies left to defeat.

"Holy shit," Pete's mouth drops open and he smiles. "That was awesome"

I run towards Pete, repeating my earlier leap and aerial flip. I land directly behind him, holding him in a headlock.

"You're the spider, I'm the boot" I tease, then plant a kiss on his cheek.

While Vision and Pete laugh, I notice something in the distance. In the trees, hiding in the overgrowth, I see a very familiar shield. I see Cap's shield.

It's time for me to go.