Just Kids | Peter Parker

29 | Tricked

PETER

_

"Okay, we're going to play a game," I said, walking into the glass box for the third time this week.

After her little sentence slip yesterday, I was rolling over in my bed. I couldn't sleep. I needed to know if she remembered me. I HAD TO KNOW!

"I don't like games," she grunted, "so no."

She was laying on her back, tossing a tiny cube up and down. She looked bored, which made no sense, because I just offered to play a game with her.

Was she trying to play hard-to-get? Or did she just not like games? Jeeeeeeeeez, I really need a book titled: HOW TO UNDERSTAND A GIRL UNDER MIND CONTROL.

Wait, that was stupid thng to say, I take that back.

"Oh, come on!" I pleaded, plopping down a few feet away from her, "it will be fun!"

"You say it's fun," she frowned, "I say it's pointless."

"You don't even know what the game is!"

"Peter, games are for people living under the mindset that you need to come up with social or material constructs just to entertain yourself," she groaned, setting the cube down, "I don't take part in that."

Woah. She sounded really smart, and that was.....really cool.

STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!

In my excitement to get her to play the game, I must have mixed my feelings for her up into my brain, and now all I can think about is how pretty her hair looks right now, and how perfectly her metal arm reflects the sunlight outside.

"Oh--well, um," I stammered, "why not give my game a try?"

"No."

"Just this once?"

"No."

"For me?" I pleaded, sticking out my bottom lip.

She blinked, not saying a word. I watched her gaze flicked up and down, come to a steady level with mine, and then soften. Letting out a puff of air, she sat herself upright and turned to face me.

"Fine," she sighed, "how do you play?"

Hehehehe.

Yesterday night, I came up with the hypothesis that she still remembered some things. They were just lying in her subconscious. So, I created a game that might potentially trick her into bringing those memories out!

I'm a genius, I know.

"So I'll say a word," I explained, "and you have to say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"Sounds boring."

"You already agreed!"

"Yeah, whatever, just start the game."

Sliding a note card out of my pocket, I gazed down the list of words I had carefully selected the night before. Gosh, I really hope this works.

"Tony," I said.

She answered quickly, barely even batting an eyelash, "Stark."

"New?"

"York."

"Snow?"

"Flake."

With every word I listed off, she began to answer them faster and faster. This was becoming a competition for her, and that was good. As I neared the end of the note card, I matched her pace and went for it.

"Winter?" I said briskly.

"Soldier."

"[y/n]?"

"[l/n]."

"Peter?"

"Parker."

And there it was.

There it WAS!

I was right all along, and I couldn't believe my ears. I literally couldn't. Tony, Steve, and Bucky didn't believe in me, but I knew I'd be able to help her remember. I knew she couldn't forget everything.

"You remember," I smiled, "don't you?"

Once those words left my mouth, I sensed a wave of panic rush over her. Her eyes darted away, and the tip of her nose turned red.

"I don't know what you mean," she coughed out.

"You remember me."

"No, I don't."

"Then explain this," I stated, waving my hand between us, "I never told you my last name, and yet you happened to know it."

She still wouldn't look at me, "I'm sure you must have told me."

"I didn't."

"Yes, you must have."

"F.R.I.D.A.Y?" I called out, turning my head up towards the ceiling, "in the three days since [y/n] came back, did I, or anyone else, tell her my last name?"

The familiar voice of Tony's A.I echoed out through the space, sending a jolt through her body, "There is no data involving the word 'Parker' since the return of Miss [l/n]."

Boom.

I just tricked her, like Loki.

No, no, I was better than Loki. Call me Peter, the god of tricking her into admitting she really remembered.

"Why did you try to hide it?" I said, "I could have gotten you out of this cage a while ago!"

"That's not the point, Peter."

"How long have you remembered for?"

"I don't know, I just-"

"I'm going to tell Mr. Stark to get you out of here," I beamed, scrambling onto my feet, "I'll be right back.

"Peter!"

I didn't respond to her calling my name, because I was so excited to tell everyone I was right. To be able to set her free. To know that she remembered me.

That was all I could think about when I raced up to the office, spilling the entire story out to the three men in front of me. It was all I could think about when Tony told me he'd get her out in the morning.

It was all I could think about, when I fell asleep.

Tomorrow, she'd finally be safe with me.