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

twenty-seven {Arya's POV}

Peter and I reached the hotel room and I helped Peter inside because he was still very much limping. I shut the door as soon as I had dropped him on the bed where he wiggled around to free himself from his suit. "You can go clean up first. I'm gonna struggle with my suit for a bit," he told me. 

"You sure you don't need my help?" I asked with a slight hint of amusement. He rolled his eyes at me but smiled nonetheless. "Okay, good luck, Spider-Man," I chimed before getting into the bathroom. I pressed the lightning bolt on my chest and the suit fell to the floor, leaving me in my sports bra and shorts. I hissed as I saw the large patch of blood that stained my skin around the stab wound. I gently took off the bandages around my stomach and saw the bleeding had stopped. A few stitches had ripped but I didn't see anything that required my immediate attention. 

I looked in the mirror and saw my reflection for the first time in days. I was covered in bruises, cuts, and injuries, but I was alive. My skin was bruised, smeared in dirt and grease and I reeked of sweat and blood, but I was alive and that was all that mattered at that moment. 

After turning on the shower and waiting for it to heat up, I took off my underwear and stepped under the water, sighing contently as the hot water relaxed my knotted muscles. I washed off the blood and dirt and cleaned off the injuries on my body. 

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I hadn't heard the bathroom door open. I didn't hear Peter stepping out of his underwear and pushing aside the shower curtain. I jumped when I felt his hands on my shoulders but instantly calmed down when I turned around, smiling up at my boyfriend. 

"How is this our life?" I asked softly. 

"I don't know," he muttered, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close. "I'm just glad I have you to share it with." He pressed his lips to my wet hair and left a lingering kiss. 

"Me too," I hummed and leaned into his chest. His fingers traced the dark lines on my back and goosebumps covered my body but under the pad of his finger, my skin ignited.

I looked up and put my hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer so I could kiss his lips. He gently pushed me against the wall of the shower and I squealed at the cold against my back. 

I pulled back and turned off the water, reaching for the large, fluffy towel from the rack outside the shower. I wrapped it around myself and shot Peter a teasing look as I exited the shower. He just laughed and took a towel himself that he wrapped around his waist, chasing after me and taking my wrist. 

He pulled me to the double bed in the middle of the hotel room and I giggled as I dropped myself on the bed, pulling Peter with me. I could hear my blood rushing in my ears and my heart pounding in my throat. His legs were on either side of my body as he captured my lips with his own. 

***

"Mr Harrington!" I called as I spotted our class in the entrance hall of the London Airport. I tightly held onto Peter's hand. Somehow, we had convinced Mr Harrington to let us fly back with them. He hadn't asked questions, which I was more than relieved about.

Mr Harrington looked up from the papers in his hands. "Arya! Peter! Nice to see you again. How was your family?" he asked. 

"Yeah, they were great," Peter said, smiling lovingly at me. 

"We should get going. The flight's boarding in fifteen minutes," Mr Dell said, coming up to us and patting us on our shoulders. I chuckled, shaking my head before following the others. Skye came up to me and gave me a fist bump. 

"I knew you guys would pull it off," she beamed. "You okay, though?" 

"We're fine. Thank you." I smiled. "Let's just not do this again, okay? Ever." 

She giggled, wrapping an arm around me. "Deal," she and Peter said in unison. 

We followed Mr Dell and Mr Harrington into the plane and this time, I got to sit next to Peter. I instantly snuggled into his side and yawned. 

As soon as the plane took off, both of us passed out. Peter's head was in the crook of my neck as my head rested on his. His curls felt soft against my skin and for the first time in years, I felt truly safe.

It was the sudden jolt of the plane hitting the ground of the airport in New York that woke us up again. I sat up, blinking against the light. How on earth had I slept through the night? Peter woke up too, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and smiling at me.

We got off the plane and I held onto Peter's hand as we walked toward the arrivals lobby with our class. A group of people stood behind a line, waving and shouting, but of course, my baby sister completely ignored that line and sprinted toward me when she saw me. "Arya!" she shouted and I smiled broadly, kneeling down to wrap her in a tight hug.

"Hey, Squirt," I whispered, feeling my eyes water. I quickly blinked away the tears and smiled, pulling back and holding Morgan at arm's length. "You got so big! How long was I gone?" I joked and she laughed before looking up at Peter. 

"Peter!" she exclaimed, reaching up at him. He lifted her from the ground and hugged her tightly as I waved at Pepper, who was waiting for us with the rest of the parents. 

"It's so good to see you two again," she said, and I saw tears in her eyes before she locked me in a tight hug. "I'm so happy you're okay," she whispered quietly. She pulled back, shortly cupping my face in her hands before she hugged Peter with Morgan still attached to his neck. 

"Where's May?" I asked him, standing on my toes to look for my boyfriend's aunt. 

Peter frowned. "I don't know," he muttered. Morgan wiggled free from his arms and he put her on the ground. She ran off and I saw her playing with Skye and Luke a few moments later. Peter fished out his phone and sent his aunt a text. A few seconds later, his phone dinged. "She's outside," he said. 

"Pep, I'll meet you at the car, okay?" I said and she nodded, smiling. 

Peter and I travelled outside, never letting go of each other's hands. Seconds later, we found his aunt near their car, talking to the security guy. "May!" Peter called and she looked up, excusing herself to the man in front of her. 

I heard her say something along the lines of, "They're here. Don't give me a ticket!"

She jogged over, a bright smile curling her lips and she locked us both in a bone-crushingly tight hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!" she said, squeezing us even tighter.

"We're good," Peter said, pulling back. He pulled me against him. "We're actually really fine." 

"I'm happy to hear that. Let's get going before they give me a ticket," she said. I walked with them to the car and May gave Peter a bag of bagels. He handed one to me and I contently inhaled its scent. 

"Thank you, May," I chimed. 

May opened the car door and Peter asked, "Uhm... Weird question." He put on his glasses. "What do you think?" 

His aunt frowned for a moment. "I think... a little obvious," she decided. 

I smiled, putting on my own and standing next to Peter. "They were Tony's," I said. 

"Oh!" May said. A smile appeared. "You're gonna grow into them." 

Peter smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Thank you." He turned to me. 

"Okay, so you'll pick me up at five?" I asked him.

"Definitely." He grinned. He pulled me close and kissed me. "See you later. Love you." 

"Love you too. Don't be late," I said. They got in the car and I waved until they were out of sight. I exhaled deeply and couldn't help but smile. 

A car honking brought me back to reality and I found one of Tony's old Audis standing behind me. Happy stepped out and smiled. 

"Hey, Hap," I said, stepping up to him to greet him with a hug. "Thank you." 

"Yeah, you too, kid," he said, ruffling my hair. I giggled and pushed his hand off before I joined Morgan in the backseat.

On our way home, I made up a bunch of stories to tell Morgan, like how Peter and I saw a magician that could turn water into a really tall person. And about how that magician could fly on a green cloud. She laughed hardest when I told her that the magician wore a fishbowl over his head.