The Unassigned Mission

Realization

The days leading up to the burial passed by quicker than the wait for the trial. Sophia refused to pay for a proper funeral so the state cremated Maxwell's body and sent it to Sophia's old apartment.
Peter went there with her and scoped out the house as she opened up the box his ashes came in.
There were burns in the couches, electrical wires poking out of outlets in his bedroom and holes in the wall. Peter sighed to himself and turned back to Sophia who was staring at what remained of her father.

"Funny, he spent my lifetime burning me and he has become nothing but burned ashes."

"I mean he had an electrical charge not flames but I see what you're trying to get at."

Sophia gave Peter a look and carried the bag to her room. Opening up a window and unzipping the bag, "burn in hell."

Peter grabbed her wrist to stop her,
"Hey. Hold on, is this what you want to do with them?"

"He means nothing to me, Peter. I'm properly disposing of them."

"Yeah but didn't you want to give him that big speech?"

"He doesn't need to hear it. He knows how much I've suffered, he has thrived off of it for years."

"Sophia, it just-.."

"Let go!"

Sophia yelled and then immediately dropped the bag onto the carpet below them. She clasped and unclasped her hands, looking intently at them.

"Well, that just seems like an unfortunate mess I have to clean up."

"Peter, I'm blue."

"I think the term is that you're seeing red because you're mad."

Sophia groaned and turned her arm so Peter could see her veins; bright, neon blue they're radiating through her skin.

"Holy shit."

"I'm my father."

Peter grasped her arm again and rubbed the skin; flinching slightly at the electric shock.

"You were angry, you shocked yourself."

Sophia looked at Peter with fear in her eyes, "I can't be like him. I can't have his powers it's not possible."

"I think people stopped questioning what's actually realistic when I got bit by a spider and could suddenly climb walls," Peter whispered playfully to her.

"I don't know what to do, I could've hurt you. I-.."

"Sophia, I know some people who can help you manage this."
______________________________

Peter sat in Central Park with Ned; Sophia spending the morning with Aunt May. He hasn't put on his uniform in days now and he's starting to miss the cling of the fabric to his body.

"I haven't heard from you in a while and I checked Youtube. No one has uploaded Spider-Man videos recently," Ned stated.

"I know, I'm taking a break."

Ned sat up straight, "a break?! From being Spider-Man? Dude, that's like Iron Man saying he's quitting the Avengers! Or God saying he's just taking a couple vacation days! The world needs you, you can't just hide away."

Peter laughed lightly, "it's not that serious, Ned. I don't think my ranking even ranges that high."

"They're both reasonable examples," Ned mumbled.

"I haven't really been the same since last Thursday. When I got in a fight with Electro, erm Maxwell...Sophia's dad."

"You only told me about some of the fight and I didn't see anything on the news."

"I killed her father that night," Peter said solemnly as he passed his iced coffee between his hands.

"It wasn't on the news...?"

"Tony paid the cops to not say anything just that Maxwell died while escaped."

They stayed quiet for a moment, Ned itching his neck and Peter rubbing at his eyes.

Ned looked at Peter and shook his head, "I mean we've watched enough superhero movies to know it was possible, bro."

"Yeah, I just hoped it wouldn't be me to make that drastic of a move. It's a lot to comprehend."

"How's Sophia?"

"She's great," Peter said with a soft smile while he looked at his coffee.

"I mean how is she since the accident?"

"She's great," Peter repeated "She's fine, honestly. I think she is thankful he's dead."

Ned furrowed his eyebrows and stared off at the passing people. It was a calm spring afternoon, Peter wanted to get out of Queens for the day so Ned agreed on this little trip to Manhattan.

"Do you like her?"

"Of course."

"No, like in a girlfriend material way."

Peter looked at Ned and laughed, "Ned. Yes, I don't know if it's right because my aunt is basically treating her like her own child but yeah."

"You should tell her."

"I want to, it's just that things are getting more complicated now that she discovered her powers."

"Powers, Are you kidding me? Why does everyone get cool powers and I'm just the guy in the chair?"

"Because you're the best guy in the chair."

Ned nudged Peter and smiled, "you should honestly tell her next time you see her."

"I don't even know if she likes me back, Ned!"

"Oh she so does, you're Spider-Man! She'll be like 'oh Peter! I love you. Now tangled me in your web and take-..." Ned imitated a girly voice as a more realistic one interrupted them.

"Hey guys!"

Peter jumped and focused on the approaching figure, he nearly choked, "Sophia."

"Hi, how'd you find us?" Ned asked.

"Find my friends," she held up her phone "May and I finished early. Um, Peter I have something to ask you."

Ned opened his mouth shocked and shoved Peter. He stood up and walked towards her slightly,

"I have something I should've said a while ago. Should we just say it on three?"

"That never works out," Ned stated.

Peter waved him off as Sophia nodded,
"Okay, one, two, three..."

"How would you feel if Aunt May adopted me?"

"I like you."

They both stared at each other in shock and Ned giggled to himself,
"Told you!"

"What," they asked each other in unison.