Reborn From The Void

Chapter 24 - First Steps

(Your POV):
The Avengers took turns spending time with me throughout the rest of the day. I think they realized that it was overwhelming when I had too many people in the room at once since I couldn't really see who they were. I could identify most people by their voices if I tried hard enough, but at the same time not being able to see them was incredibly disorienting. But, as the doctor had promised, my vision soon started to become restored and I could make out more than just blurry shapes.

I had gained enough control over my limbs to at least feed myself by the time I had my dinner delivered to me and I could make out the food on the plate, the same was not true for lunch when one of the nurses had to feed me so that I didn't stab myself with the fork. Still, a nurse sat by me while I ate, just in case I ended up needing help and I honestly didn't mind the company. Everyone else had been fussing over me, making sure that I had everything that I needed. It was nice, but it grew annoying after the first few people.

The door to my room opened and Peter walked inside hesitantly, pausing when he saw the nurse, "oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was anyone else in here. I'll just come back later."

"Wait, Peter," I called out, my heart fluttering at the sight of him. He had acted so differently earlier and I needed to know why. "It's ok, you can come in."

The nurse stood from her seat, sensing that we wanted to be alone and informed Peter, "I will be outside if she needs anything."

He gave her a nod, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere. My heart began to race and I cursed the damn machine next to me that was monitoring it. I only prayed that Peter wasn't watching it as it skyrocketed. My eyes washed over his face, trying to take in every last detail, afraid that my eyesight would leave me again and I wouldn't be able to remember how his brown eyes shone in the glaring hospital-like light. How his chestnut curls lay in a mess atop his head, somehow making him more attractive no matter how disorderly they were. How his face was dotted with a few small brown freckles going unnoticed at first glance, but sat there waiting for someone to discover them.

How many times had I stared into those eyes, traced that jawline with my finger, found ecstasy in those lips? It seemed like ages ago when we were happy together, our only worries being the AP exams looming before us. Well, I supposed that was the only spoken worry that we shared. But even as I feared what would become of us, his presence had almost always soothed me into living in the moment, taking the time to enjoy what we had in the present.

"So, um, are you feeling any better since this morning?" He asked uncertainly as he tried to maneuver his way through the thick tension that had befallen us.

From anyone else, this question would have annoyed me, but with him, it meant that he cared. Not because he was asking about my wellbeing, but because he had come in here, despite everything we had gone through, without even knowing what to say to me.

"Yeah, I can see again, so that's a relief. Still a bit cold though, but I guess that's what happens when you're in ice for an extended period of time," I replied, trying to keep my voice bright and positive as my mind begged for Peter to quit the small talk.

He glanced down at his feet as he shuffled uncomfortably, "that's good. I mean not that you're cold, but that you're recovering quickly."

Silence fell upon us, thick and uncomfortable. My mind screamed at me to keep him talking so I inquired, "Tony told me that you helped develop the cure?"

He nodded, "yeah, it was Dr. Banner, Tony, myself, and a bunch of other scientists that he hired."

"Well, thank you." I cursed myself as I let that avenue of conversation die out.