Rigel: The Secret Soldier [MARVEL] Peter Parker

seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ETHAN THE SNAKE

[ SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING ]

Peter was too preoccupied with worrying over Rigel and what had happened for him to even feel the vibrations of his phone ringing in his front pocket while Ned was aimlessly rambling on about all the possibilities of Peter stuffing up this mission he had planned for himself.

"Hey, everything all good man?" Ethan asked Rigel as he moved across his seat and sat before the two foster siblings, worried for his friend. Ethan knew what had happened, or at least he thought he knew what had happened.

"I'm fine, just tiered." Rigel answeres, suppressing the thought that tried to push its way to the surface. The nagging fear that he wasn't safe, that he shouldn't have come knawed away at him and he was so close to calling Tony to come pick him up. This field trip was a mistake, but he was just starting to get used to being a normal boy without superpowers.

"Well, don't push yourself. If you need, maybe get Kenndal to come pick you up on the way home. That way you know you're safe." He tried.

"Yeah?" Reneá asked, patranizing her friend before her. She felt bad, it wasn't Ethan's fault that he didn't know the full truth, and she knew her next words were true to their lie, and that it was the complete opposite of the truth and how Rigel was feeling but she still spoke up, "He was in safe hands when the accident happened too, Ethan. He's fine."

"I'm sorry, I was only trying to help." Ethan sighed, slinking away back to his seat, but not before Rigel grabbed his wrist and gave it a reassuring squeeze and smile, showing the boy that he wasn't hurt by his words.

It wasn't long after that when the bus pulled up at the hotel where all decathalong students across the United States were staying. After they checked in and were each given a room which contained two beds each, Mr Harrington approached Rigel and Ethan whom were sitting in their respective beds and spoke to the boy, asking him if he was okay, saying he was sorry to bring him on the trip despite his 'condition'. It proceeded with a phone call to Kenndal whom in turn spoke privately to Rigel before the problem was resolved and everyone was left to their own devices.

Having a spare 4 hours before dinner, Mr Harrington allowed the students to wonder the city in groups of no less than fours to give them all a chance to relax before studying the rest of the night before their nationals tournament the next day.

Rigel took this time to enjoy a little bit of 'alone time' -with Ethan being his pair- as he walked the streets with Ned and Peter by their side. Reneá had partnered with liz, Flash and Bettey while Tiana and MJ has somehow gotten to sneak off on their own to check out the embassy.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking... of course you don't have to answer though -Uh- what happened back there on the bus?" Peter's voice filled Rigel's ears whom had been looking around the busy streets not really paying attention. His mind snapped back into focus as he realised Ethan and Ned entering a chocolate store across the street, having snuck of without his knowledge, while Peter and him were left  alone on the sidewalk.

"It isn't really important." He mumbled out, glaring daggers through the chocolate shop window, watching as Ethan sent the boy a smirk, laughing at something Ned had told him before looking away from Rigel's direction. Rigel's heart constricted as he remembered the memory again, the flashes of blood, the sounds of his sobs mixed with Antares' screams. The way the HYDRA soldiers shocked them until they remained still on the transport van.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Peter's voice was low and sympathetic, it made Rigel's blood boil. Peter shouldn't have to feel sorry for him! He was a hero and yet, here he was, feeling helplessly like a child all over again when he was -in fact- more powerful and mature than spider-man was.

"It's fine, just don't worry about it." Rigel snapped before stalking across her street and into the chocolate store that Ethan and Ned had dissapeared into. A nagging feeling in the back of his head told him that Peter had done nothing wrong and didn't deserve the anger Rigel held onto and dispersed to anyone around him.

"Hey, did you want some hazelnut chocolate?" The boy asked, taking a pice off of the tasting platter before handing it towards Rigel whom's eyes still stared daggers into Ethan's very soul. The smile on the giddy boys face never wavered as Rigel finnaly took the piece of chocolate and ate the sweet chocolaty goodness. The two forgetting the conversation about Rigel'a panic attack as they carried on adventuring the city.

That night Rigel heard a knock on his hotel door before Ethan entered, using the key to unlock the handle. He quickly grabbed his bathers before entering the bathroom and exited only wearing his blue swimmer trunks with a towel wrapped around his shoulders.

"We're going swimming, care to join us?" He asked Rigel who rolled his eyes but agreed anyway. He too got dressed but wore a white rash guard with black swimming trunks, grabbing his towel from the chair in the left hand corner of the room. "Why do you always wear that?" Ethan laughed, pulling at the fabric of the thick rash guard, "It's not like you have anything to hide, you're probably ripped under that shirt."

You have no idea, Rigel though before he laughed and threw his towel towards the boy as they exited the room, watching as the others also snuck passed, obviously Mr Harrington had no idea of the swim date his students had planned. "I'll wear what I like thanks." He answered to Ethan as the boy snuck from their room and ran ahead of Rigel.

As they were running down the hallway, Rigel stopped in front of Peter whom stood in the middle of the hallway, watching everyone run passed him. He had a hoodie over his head and backpack hanging off his shoulder, not looking pool ready.

"Hey, Rige..." his voice was quiet but he seemed in shock that the boy was standing before him in swim attire. The white rash guard hugged his body, showing off the slight curve to his muscles.

"Oh, Peter!" He smiled, pretending as if he hadn't been giving Peter the cold shoulder most of the day. "Perfect timing. We were all just heading down to the pool." He Spoke watching Ethan give him the thumbs up and a small smirk behind Peter.

"I was gonna go study... in the business Center." Peter awkwardly stared as he looked the dark skinned boy before him up and down.

"Peter, comon man! You don't need to study, you've been flat out all year! You're so smart that you don't need to study. Join us." He respected his point, mainly because whatever Peter was going to get himself stuck into, he didn't want to happen. Another part of him, however whatevs the boy to join them in the pool. He felt sorry for snapping at him earlier, but he just didn't want to lie the his fellow hero like he had to his friends all those years back about his parents being in a car crash and that's why he was an orphan.

"I-I-I'll think about it." He smiled towards his crush, though Peter knew that he was unable to join Rigel.

"Common, Rigel!" Ethan called to boy and he left following the bleach blond boy towards the elevator and joined everyone down at the pool.

A.N: hi, as I right this chapter, I am highly tipsy rn, but I wish you all a very happy New Years, and I hope you have enjoyed your year. Wishing you all happiness and love in 2020!