Gone // Spider-Man: Far From Home [Book 4]

four {Third Person POV}

"Welcome, everyone," May Parker said to the crowd that was gathered in front of the stage she was on. "When I blipped back in my own apartment, the family that was living there was very confused. The wife thought I was a mistress, the grandma thought I was a ghost. It was- It was really a mess." The crowd chuckled.

In the back, a figure snuck inside. It was Arya, cloaked in a blue bomber jacket, a black baseball cap, and Tony's glasses. "FRIDAY, turn on 'disguise mode'," she whispered to her A.I. 

"Of course," FRIDAY answered and the glasses turned black, making it impossible for anyone else to see through them and thus helping Arya hide her identity. She stood next to a man who was more intrigued by what was happening on the stage than who was standing beside him. 

On the stage, May was talking into the microphone and next to her stood Spider-Man in his Iron Spider suit that Tony had made all those years ago. "Thank you all for coming out tonight to support those who were displaced by the Blip and of course to our very own Spider-Man!" she announced and Peter stepped forward, waving at the crowd. 

He leaned closer to the microphone. "Thank you, Ms Parker, for having me," he spoke, his voice higher-pitched and shaky. "And thank you, you guys, for having me." He stepped back again. 

"Alright, thank you, Spider-Man. He'll be right back out to take photos and videos. Thank you!" May then said. The two went through the curtains to the backstage area and Arya was quick to weave her way through the mass to sneak backstage as well. 

As she pushed open the door, she found May and Peter there talking. Peter had his mask down and his identity was well-revealed. "You should know better than to walk around without a mask in such a crowded place." She grinned as Peter's mask immediately popped up. Upon seeing it was her, it fell right back down. 

"You came!" Peter smiled brightly, greeting his girlfriend with a kiss. 

"Of course I did." She said, taking off the cap and switching off the 'disguise mode' of her glasses and placing them in her hair. "Hi, May," she greeted the woman who had been there for her ever since the whole Thanos thing went down. 

"Hi, honey." May smiled kindly, giving her arm a squeeze. "So, do you two have everything for the trip?" 

"Yep," both Arya and Peter said in unison. 

"Passport? Mini-toothpaste?"

"Yeah, we got everything. Just need to put it all in a suitcase," Peter said. 

The loud sound of a door opening behind them made them turn around and this time, Peter's mask was quick to pop up.

Happy Hogan came through the doorway, holding a large cheque. "Happy!" Arya said excitedly. 

"Happy, hey!" Peter's mask disappeared again, but Happy only had eyes for May Parker. 

"Hey, you look lovely," he told her. 

"Oh, thank you. You too," May said. 

"Thank you," Happy said. "New dress?" 

"Yes, it is." She moved her hand to her chin. "That's a new beard." 

"It's my Blip-beard," Happy clarified. "'Cause I grew it in the Blip." 

Arya sent her boyfriend a weird glance, seeing he was thinking the exact same thing. This strange chemistry between Happy and May had not been there before. Happy turned to Peter. "Blip-beard," he repeated. 

"I see." May laughed softly. 

Happy's eyes went down to the massive cheque in his hands. "Anyway, so the reason I'm late is 'cause this was misplaced at the office. Can you believe that? Because it's enormous. Not the amount- the size. The amount is nice too-" he rambled without ever pausing to breathe.