Flower Child (Peter Parker, MCU)

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) - Elton John

"Peter, I just don't think-"

"Lila, come on, it's the Nixon presidency. What could I possibly miss?" Peter was met with a pointed glare and he nodded. "Yeah, okay, a fair bit. But doesn't one of your podcasts cover Watergate?" He tugged her hand and pulled her into the familiar alley.

Lila turned back to the mouth of the alley and looked around. She waved at Peter, signaling it was okay for him to change into his Spider-Man outfit. He hastily shrugged out of his clothes as Lila kept watch. He was grateful that summer was so close, it wasn't as cold to change into his suit. He did shelter himself a little behind a dumpster on the off chance that Lila turned around so she wouldn't see him half-naked.

"Slow Burn, it's pretty d-detailed," Lila mentioned over her shoulder. "Are you s-sure you don't want to just - just come over and go over the study guide?"

"Nah," Peter said, fitting his arms through the sleeves. "I haven't been swinging around Queens in a while. I've been so busy trying to find where Macendale might be. Besides, Karen can just play the podcast while I'm out. It's like studying on-the-go. You can look now," He touched the spider emblem on his chest, tightening the suit around him and slipping his mask on. Tapping his web-shooters, the familiar voice of Karen sounded in his ear. He looked up at Lila, who was facing him and not looking convinced. "I promise we'll go over it, I just can't tonight."

"F-Fine. You're still coming tomorrow, right?"

"Yep, five o'clock."

"Are you bringing the suit?" Lila gnawed on her lip, nerves surrounding tomorrow's dinner still bothering her.

Peter's stomach twisted, and for reasons he couldn't pinpoint, Peter was anxious to make her feel better. "It fits really well under a jacket. It's going to be okay."

She smiled half-heartedly. "Is this what it's like? F-Feeling the danger before it - it even happens?"

"Lila, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure everyone's safe, I swear."

Her eyes searched his expressionless mask, relying on believing his words instead. She nodded and gave a timid, but much more genuine smile. "Swing safe, Peter. S-See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Lila." Peter watched her re-enter the street before leaping upwards and taking to the rooftops. He figured he'd swing by May's work and do some publicity like she'd been asking him to do ("Support the Blipped! Help give them the homes they deserve!"). With a route laid out, Peter said, "Hey, Karen, how's it going?"

"Hello, Peter. How was your Friday?"

"Eh, it was alright. My history teacher sprung a test on us for next week. By the way, can you play podcasts?"

"Sure. Want me to connect your Spotify?"

"Yeah, Lila said the podcast is called Slow Burn." Peter rounded a corner, smiling slightly thinking about how Lila had mentioned the podcast in passing before it ever became relevant to his history grade.

"Is Lila the girl you have feelings for?"

Peter nearly slammed into a wall. Coming to a stop on a secluded fire escape, Peter tried to calm his now racing heart. "What - Karen - why - why would you think that?"

"Previous records match your heartbeat patterns to what it was when talking about Liz."

"You keep records of my heartbeat?" Peter asked. "No that's not even - no. No, it's not like that with Lila."