Cool Kids [p. parker] || SLOW UPDATES

TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
( WINS AND WOUNDS )

DR. CONNORS – WHO WAS, in fact, the Lizard terrorizing the city – was stopped just in time. With the help of Captain Stacy and Ryan Berry – Spider-Man somehow got through the Gwen's dad, but neither knew how since Nick's uncle quickly made them get out of the car after they explained the situation – New York's spider vigilante was able to stop the Lizard and to keep everyone human. Ryan gave a short explanation to Nick about how he had gone into Oscorp to get the cure for the serum, and both he and Captain Stacy went up to the roof of the building to help. Spider-Man switched out the serum for the cure in some machine that was supposed to diffuse it into the air.

No one died, thankfully. George Stacy was close to it because Dr. Connors, as the Lizard, had stabbed him in the chest. Ryan Berry also got acquired a gash on his leg from the lizard, but thankfully paramedics were able to get to them both in time. Spider-Man, himself, had gotten some more bruises and cuts and scrapes, and had more holes in his suit to patch up along with blood to clean out. Once the fight was over, and once Dr. Connors was in custody, Peter went home and didn't go to school again the next day.

Nick didn't, either. Same with Gwen and everyone else at Midtown High. No one was allowed to go back until things were cleaned up and fixed at the school, which would actually be a while. Two weeks, maybe. Gwen stayed at the hospital with her dad and the rest of her family, meanwhile Nick went over to the Parker residence as soon as he could before either Marty or Anita, or even Olivia, asked him to hang out for the day. Nick rubbed his nose. It was bruised from running into that door yesterday, a bit swollen purple on the sides, but not as swollen as it had been. When he got home, he put an ice pack on it for some amount of time – he doesn't remember, it was a wild night of worrying over Peter, Ryan, Captain Stacy and the fate of the New York City citizens because he wasn't allowed to go near Oscorp – and Sharon got him to play piano with her again.

Sighing, Nick made a mental note to not run into any more doors – or trip, even, since he's already done that twice while walking to Peter's apartment – and to later check up on Gwen. He did neither of those things, and soon enough Nick was outside of the apartment door, and knocking a seconds later.

"Someone get the door, I'm making meatloaf!"

"Oh, no, not the meatloaf."

"I'll get it!"

"Wait, it might be-!"

The door swung open. Shawn Parker stood there in a black sweater that looked a size too big, boxer shorts and socks; his curls were a complete mess and he looked like he just rolled out of bed. Meanwhile Peter was right behind his brother, looking like he had been moving to stop Shawn from answering the door. He was slightly more put together with a t-shirt and gym shorts, but his hair was just as untamed as Shawn's and the bruises plans cuts on his face didn't help. Nick stared wide eyed at them both; this was the first time he was seeing them standing by each other, and boy was it weird.