unruly › peter parker

twelve. a movie date

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UNEASY. THAT'S WHAT she was. Perhaps even apprehensive.

She could recall Peter's tender confession like it was yesterday. But in reality, 2 days had passed since then. Yet she only remembered the fateful Thursday when they both became a 'thing', as Eva called it in the group chat, where she somehow made up with her friends in those 2 days too. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't, for the life of her, ever recall sending a convincing, detailed lie disguised as an apology to her friends. Only the unruly was able to.

And that made Rhea question herself even more, whether she was a threat to the people she held dear to her.

But she didn't have time to think, because of a movie date with Peter she also couldn't remember accepting. Her first date with him as an official couple, and she might have to leave him sooner than she thought.

- 6 : 0 3 p m -

"Hey, Peter."

Peter excitedly turned to meet Rhea's doubtful and restless face. But she hid it well with a smile that almost reached her eyes, but not quite. She loves him, she truly does. And it shattered her at the thought of breaking his heart.

How could she ever break a heart like Peter's?

It's for his own good.

"You look really pretty," Peter smiled, his gaze fixed on his date like he's being wonderstruck by her for the very first time again. And he wondered how lucky could he possibly be to even know someone like Rhea in his life. Seeing her in front of him right now, and him being able to call her his, it was a whole new feeling. She gave him serenity, even if everything in life is transitory, he knew she was his everlast.

Rhea felt her heart flutter, while her mind reminded her what she had to do after this all ends. God, please don't make this anymore harder for me.

As they waited outside the cinema engaged in merry conversation, their cue to enter finally came. Peter knew what he wanted to do. He gingerly, but gently, held her hand that perfectly intertwined with his. Her eyes widened at their connected hands, only to look at Peter once again. And this time, her smile finally reached her eyes, no matter how much it hurt within. She wanted to cry. She didn't want to leave him, Ned and Eva. But she knew there should be no compromising.

So Rhea held onto his hand tightly. Even if this makes it harder to let go, at least she cherished their moment while it lasted.

- 8 : 3 4 p m -

The movie had ended 15 minutes ago, and they enjoyed every second of it. With her hand in his, she wanted to stall for more time by strolling in the park. She didn't want this to ever end, but she made the choice to protect them.

Sliding her hand out of his, a despondent sigh escaped her lips. "Peter," she began, crossing her arms, praying that it would all be over soon and that she would be the only one suffering after this day ends; after her world is gone, safekept at a place beyond her grasp. "I... I can't do this."

She couldn't look at him, Rhea knew if she ever had to look at him breaking because she caused it, she wouldn't be able to walk away.

"Rhea... What do you mean?" He was already wounded.

She would rather disappear painfully than speak words this cold. "We can't be together." Drawing in a sharp breath, she continued as the walls that made her strong start to collapse, brick by brick, "I'll only hurt you, Eva and Ned. I can't do this to any of you. I can't."

She felt his hands resting on her shoulders, but didn't dare meet his pained gaze. "What are you saying?"

Shaking her head, she pulled away from his grip, "I'm two different people. And she's been gaining more control of me... Eventually, she'll have the upper hand. And she will not hesitate to hurt anyone of you."

"No-"

"I'm a threat to all of you, Peter!" she affirmed harshly, "She's been imitating me. I wasn't the one who agreed to go on this date, she did, because she has a plan. And I'm not going to risk having her bloody plan involve laying a finger on the people I love most."

Peter stepped forward, delicately pulling Rhea towards him even if she protested with her hand splayed against his chest. "I'm not going to let you leave us and I don't care what she's going to do. You've accepted me as both Peter Parker and Spider-man, why don't you let me do the same for you and her?"

She clasped the sleeve of his shirt for support. As much as she tried to hold it in, raw tears dripped from her eyes until it was enough to drench the collar of her blouse. "I can't control her... I don't know what she wants," she murmured, before she found herself completely engulfed by his warmth that she loved all too much. In Peter's arms, she was safe and her pain dissipated like rain on summer earth. While he gave her the respect of an equal but cradled her like a fragile, cherished child.

"She's in my head and has you on her radar," she breathed, forcing the words out only to end up as a weak whisper, "You either leave and forget who I ever was, or live to kill me."

He rubbed his hand on her heaving back, wanting nothing more than to never let her go or else she would be gone in a snap of a finger, "Is there a third option that doesn't involve losing you?"

Muffled sobs wracked against her chest as she rested her head on his shoulder. And at that moment, all she wanted to do was stay. It was a compromise for her own selfish intentions.

"We can work things out, Rhea. I'm here for you, and always will be."

But maybe, just maybe, compromising would be what she's best at.

"I love you." Her voice was shaky, but it was enough. Enough for her, and enough for Peter.

His hand shifted to the back of her neck carefully, retreating temporarily from the embrace and instead, pulled her closer with a tinge of boldness. Inhaling nervously with his head angled to the side, their lips met. It was soft and brief as they hovered right there in the dim park, quite soundless for long, simply feeling each other's presence.

- - - - -

qotd !! ;
would you like to study at Midtown School of Science and Technology? Other than the fact that Peter Parker would be there, of course lmao