ILLUSIONS ― p. parker

three

You chatted with MJ and Betty as your group made way to the hotel. And when you got there, can you just say, you weren't impressed. At all.

"This place is sinking." Flash said as everyone carefully stepped into the hotel.

"Charming, I think you mean." Mr. Harrington corrected then instructed the group to put away their things and head to the Da Vinci Museum.

Space was limited, so three in a room. You, Betty, and MJ gladly agreed to bunk together. But when Peter caught up to you, he was less than happy.

"We have to bunk with Brad." Peter huffed, rolling his eyes.

You frowned. "You could get worse." You nodded to Flash, streaming to his Flash Mob.

Peter didn't respond. Following his gaze, he was staring down Brad and MJ, laughing and talking.

You rolled your eyes and continued to walk. With Betty spending all her time with Ned, MJ focused on Brad, and Peter focused on them, you were on your own. When you got to the museum, you read the note on the door. 

"Really? Closed?" You whispered to yourself, deciding to clear your head by getting a boat ride. Mr. Harrington paid for it, because he 'wanted to cater for the first leg of the trip'. You were glad. You only had a credit card with about $150 on it. Europe is very expensive.

"Just a ride around the canals?" the guide asked. You smiled and nodded, relaxing in the seat and listening to the flow of water.

Soon, the water started to get more intense and rocky, jerking you here and there. You sat up abruptly.

"I'm so sorry, but we're going to have to cut this ride short," the guide said sheepishly.

"Of course, no worries." You replied, feeling more and more skittish about the giant waves in the water.

The guide pulled up to the dock and exited, reaching out to help you. Just as you were going to put your hand into his... You were blasted 30 feet in the air by a geyser. 

You screamed uncontrollably, clawing at nothing. When you were about to execute a painful belly flop onto the canals, you were snatched from your doom. By who, you ask?

By a giant, towering water elemental.

You stared at it in horror, confused as to how it had you so tight in it's grasp.

"Y/n! Uh-- hold on!" Mr. Harrington and the rest of your group followed the elemental with you in tow along the canal. You scanned their faces-- they were scared. 

You shut your eyes. So much for a relaxing European vacation.

As the elemental trudged through the canals, you caught a couple of webs flying through the air. You held them in your hand and studied them. You'd seen them around home before. They were Spiderman's... but how in the world did he get to Venice?

Your eyes widened as your train of thought led you to a revelation.

Peter was Spiderman.

It all made sense-- The Stark internship, the bruises, ditching classes when a local robbery was going on... Your heart beat fast-- and it wasn't because you were being held hostage by an elemental.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!" Your head jerked up at the voice. It was a man, flying around with a helmet full of mist. You nodded, still stunned.

As the mystery man continued to beat up the elemental, webs were being slung from nowhere-- you zeroed in on a figure behind the bell tower. A familiar backpack, jeans, shirt. He had a ridiculous mask on, but tufts of chestnut brown hair surfaced. That was your Peter alright.

Recovering from the shock, reality sunk back in and fear creeped into your chest. You resumed your screaming.

"HELP!!" you shouted and the elemental dropped you all of a sudden. You screamed your lungs out but the mystery man caught you.

"Don't worry, I got you." He held you in his arms.

You exhaled, glancing back at the raging water. "Thank you."

"No worries." He said, setting you down by the bell tower.

You breathed for the first time in forever, it seemed. You shut your eyes, relieved beyond belief. After you sat back up and wrung out your hair, you glanced at the other figure on the tower, slinging webs like crazy.

"Uh, hello ma'am. You are safe now." he said in an unnatural low voice.

You narrowed your eyes at him and watched him fight. "Thank you, Spiderman."

He whipped around in surprise to see your suspicious face. You left him up there, not wanting to experience that elemental thing again. You ran across the courtyard to meet up with your group that was huddled under a bridge.

"Y/n! You're okay!" Mr. Harrington pulled you into the swamp of kids. "Stay low."

MJ crawled up next to you. "Dude, you good?"

You sighed, eyes still fixed on the figure on the bell tower. "Other than being soaked and cold and scarred for life? Yeah, I'm fine."

You were in no way fine. Especially since you now knew that your best friend was putting his life on the line everyday.