liar liar ⦚ spider-man

ACT II, SCENE II * The Middle

CALL ACCEPTED

"Karter?" Peter asked hesitantly, his voice filled with hope. There was silence on the other line, before a soft laugh came through.

"Peter." Karter said, his voice slightly hostile. Peter let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Didn't think you'd call me back."

"I'm so sorry!" Peter said, regret sweeping over him. "I was on patrol, then I got back and-"

"It's fine, you were busy. I get it." Karter said, but neither of them believed him. The air between them was awkward. Karter didn't know about Peter's 'betrayal', and Peter didn't know about Karter's reveal, but the conversation was still tense.

"I shouldn't have been busy." Peter said, shaking his head. "I should've made time for you. God, I'm so so so sorry." A soft sniff came from Karter's end of the call, and Peter grew slightly worried when he didn't reply. "Karter? are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Karter said, his voice cracking slightly. Peter could hear Karter's voice shaking  in the reply, and he suddenly felt horrible.

"Oh, God. you're crying." Peter said, panicking slightly. "Was it something i did?" And then he remembered about Elizabeth's job. She was in Vienna.
"Shit, is Elizabeth okay?"

"No." Karter confesses, the tears he was holding back beginning to fall. "She's in some hospital. I don't think I can bear to see her if she's- if she's- God, how did we get into this mess?" He laughed slightly, but it was a sad laugh, with layers of grief, regret, and repressed anxiety audible in it.

"Karter." Peter said softly, knowing what the boy on the other side was implying. He'd use the conversation later to get Ned to shut up about Karter being a fuckboy. "Don't blame yourself." He spoke from experience, remembering his uncles death. Karter acknowledged the wording and let out a sharp breath.

"But what if she dies?" Karter asked, and his tone and vulnerability made Peter's heart shatter. "What if I don't say goodbye?"

"Elizabeth" is a strong woman,
she'll be fine." Peter said, and they both knew it was true. She had overused her powers to keep the entirety of Manhattan happy for an hour after the attack. "But serious, karter,
don't blame yourself. There's nothing
you could have done."

"But I could have-"  Karter started, and Peter sighed, slumping on his sofa with his phone in his hand. He shook his head, even though Karter couldn't see it.

"Karter." Peter said, in an almost warning voice. It was silent for a moment, before Karter's rely was heard through the phone.

"Yes?" Karter has obviously regained his composure, as his words weren't accompanied by shaky breaths and a sniff.

"She wouldn't want you to do this to yourself, you know that, right?" Peter said, guilt building up in his chest. "She'd want you to go out and relax. She wouldn't want you to worry."

"I know, but-" Karter started, but Peter cut him off before he could even get out what he wanted to say.

"No "buts", Karter." Peter said, and closed his eyes. There was no reply from either of them as they sat in their respective apartments for a moment in silence, before the quiet was broken.

"Spidey?"  Karter eventually said, and a smile  formed on Peter's face. He laughed to himself quietly, before responding.

"Yes, mon chéri?" Peter replied innocently, and a laughed came through the phone. Peter's smile widened, and he felt the guilt and regret dissipate.

"You butchered that pronunciation."  Karter said, still laughing slightly. Peter nodded, even though the other boy couldn't see him.

"I figured." Peter said. Karter had tried to teach him French countless times, but to no avail. "You were about
to say something?"

"Can you come over?" Karter asked, and Peter froze. Peter could go over, yes, but would he? Would he be able to face the boy he'd loved and betrayed Was he over reacting?  Peter stood up and moved to the kitchen, forgetting to respond. "I shouldn't have asked, never mind." Karter continued.

"No, no." Peter said quickly, grabbing his bag and turning to turn the TV off. "I was just grabbing my keys. I'll be over soon." He smiled again, and took a deep breath.

"Okay."

"Okay." Peter responded, and Karter said nothing, but Peter knew what he was thinking. "I swear if you say 'maybe okay will be our always', I'll throw you off the Empire State Building." Karter laughed, and Peter rolled his eyes.

"I missed you." Karter said, and Peter froze again. Of course he missed him, why shouldn't he? But Peter had done something terrible. He didn't know it but Karter had done something terrible too, but if he knew he'd perhaps had felt less guilty.

"I-I missed you too." Peter stuttered in a panic. He grabbed the keys he had dropped and headed towards the door ready to leave that instant. "See you in a minute."

"Hmm." Karter hummed, before continuing. "Bring your blue blanket." He said, relaxed, acting like nothing had happened. Peter stopped walking, grabbing the blanket from the sofa and shoving it in his bag. Karter always played this game, and Peter was quickly learning how to outmatch him.

"What's in it for me?" Peter asked, quietly shutting the front door. Karter didn't reply, thinking. Peter thought as well, before smiling. "You got those weird cakes?"

"Madeleines?" Karter said amused as Peter jogged down the stairs. The elevator was broken. "Of course. Deal?"

"Deal." Peter shot back, almost at the bottom of the stairs. He was smiling, trying to mask his own anxiety. "I'll be there in five minutes."

"See you then." Karter replied. Peter took a deep breath as he stepped out of the door.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"I'm hanging up now, nerd." Peter said, using the joke they'd shared often to relax himself. Karter laughed slightly, but responded quickly.

"What ever, bruiser." Karter shot back, and Peter his a smirk. The two were very different when they spoke to each other: Peter was more dominant, and Karter was  more emotional.

"We both leave our fair share of bruises." Peter said, raising an eyebrow at Karter's choice of wording. Karter must've been drinking something, as he audible choked and started coughing.

"God, you're so inappropriate." Karter said with a laugh. "I love you." He eventually said. Peter's step would have faltered a month ago if he heard those words, but he kept walking.

"I love you too." He responded, turning a corner and pulling his webslingers from his bag. He balanced his phone on his shoulder quickly, and then slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Now I'm hanging up." Karter said, and Peter was met with a dial tone. Peter scoffed slightly, amused. He flicked his wrists and was pulled off of the ground. Both boys felt horribly guilty, but false face must hide what false heart doth know.