Sliding Doors ⧨ Peter Parker

16 | Missing Him

Y/N

_

I stared at my blank walls, trying to process everything.

I was sitting in my room, unable to sleep, a million thoughts spinning through my head. Today was the most stressed I have ever been in my life. As soon as I was shoved through those doors, I wanted to make a run for it.

_

"Ms. Potts, what is Tony Stark going to do?"

"Are the Avengers done?"

"Who's responsible for catching Steve Rogers?"

I had never been so clueless. So many reporters were screaming questions, and I knew the answers to none of them. I stared at Pepper for reassurance, but she was too busy trying to filter the crowd to notice my panicked face.

"Why is there a teenager working for Tony Stark?"

"Who are you?"

"Are you his relative?"

I squinted, the bright lights of the cameras going off in my face. I had never done a press conference before, and I already knew I never wanted to do another one again.

"I-I'm y/n," I stammered, "I'm Mr. Stark's assistant."

Come on, remember what Tony said. Control the crowd, and be confident. You are only what you believe you are.

But I was too scared to believe anything.

_

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on my door. My mother peeked her head through the crack, a sympathetic look on her face.

"You okay?" she asked.

I nodded my head, staring at the ground, "I can't sleep."

"I'll make you some tea, it'll help."

She disappeared into the kitchen, so I rolled out of bed and followed her there. It was late at night, and I was wondering why she was even awake. I suppose insomnia runs in the family, then. She picked the kettle off of the stove, and started to fill it up with tap water from the sink.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, shutting off the spout.

"I'm not sure," I said, "there's just a lot to think about."

"Tell me one thing out of that lot. Get it off your chest."

My finger tapped against the marble counter, a rhythm echoing off into the kitchen. I wanted to tell her about the panic attack I had at the tower, but I knew she'd try to pull me out of the job. She didn't like that I was spending the whole day there to begin with.

"Do you miss Dad?" I said abruptly.

The question was so out of context, I even surprised myself. It was a thought that had been living in the back of my head for so long, and it sort of just slipped out. It was too late to take it back now. My mom hesitated, setting the kettle back on the stove and crossing her arms.

"I always do," she sighed, walking over and running her hand through my hair, "you look just like him."

"I do?"

"Almost exact."

I had never seen my father, not even a picture. My mother says he died a few days after I was born, and that she hadn't had any mementoes of him before that. I doubted it, but I knew better than to push it. She knew him better than I did.

"Would he be proud of me?" I questioned, "doing this Stark job, and all?"

"He'd be very proud. He was a smart man, and it passed on to you."

"I wish I could have seen him," I said, leaning against the counter, "just for a split second, at least."

"I wish you could have too."

The sound of the pot whistling erupted from behind her, and she hurried to turn off the flames. Taking out a mug, she filled it up with water and pushed it in front of me.

"I don't like that Tony Stark," she said, handing me a tea bag, "he keeps you at work too long."

"I like it," I added, "and it's not like I'm alone. I have Peter."

"Who's Peter?"

"A boy I met. He has a Stark internship."

"Is he cute?"

I laughed, twirling the tea leaves around the cup, and watching a spiral form down the center.

"Yeah," I admitted, "he's cute."

"I'd be careful though," she said, clearing her throat, "you never know what those boys are like."

"Peter's not like that. He's different."

He was definitely different from any other boy I knew. Besides the fact that he was bitten by a radioactive spider, he was sweet. He liked Star Wars, he went to Delmar's, and he was growing closer to me each day.

He also saved my life, and I would never forget that.

"You should ask him out," she teased, "if he's so different, snatch the boy up!"

"Mom!"

"Your dad asked me out the day after I met him, I don't see how that's any different."

"I'm not Dad, and Peter's not you. Besides, Daisy kind of likes him."

"Screw Daisy."

"Excuse me?"

"Not in that way," she laughed, "but why should you care about what she thinks? Hasn't she been ditching you for Liz?"

"Yeah...but still, girl code."

"Talk to her then, I'm sure she'd understand."

I shook my head, staring at my tea. I wasn't completely sure about how I felt towards Peter, and it would take awhile for me to understand. Liking guys was never a priority for me, and this is the first time I had met someone so similar to who I was.

Peter Parker.

I like that name.