the siren |peter parker x siren!oc|

Serenity: Part 12

You don't have to pretend to be anything.

Lena took a bath every other day. The concept of the shower seemed convenient for one who was able to stand upright, but it was not practical for her condition. Her standing capabilities were limited to a few seconds to a few minutes, and the contact of water on her skin would transform her legs into a tail, anyhow. It was easier for her to clean herself by sitting down.

She rolled out of the tub, using as much upper body strength as she had to make the impact of the ground gentle. There was no other way to get out without the assistance of someone else, and she wanted to start doing things on her own. She laid flat for a moment before making use of the towel she had set for herself, drying off her tail first to get access to her legs back. Standing, using the tub to keep herself stable, she tied a white, plush robe around her tiny body and lurched towards her crutches, catching herself just in time.

Peter was waiting for her when she got back to her room, twiddling his thumbs on the small square device Lena had come to know as 'cell phone.' Without thinking twice about it, she undid the robe to change into the shin length t-shirt that she usually slept in.

"Oh - shit - maybe tell me next time - ah," Peter was shuffling behind her, and when she turned around she saw that his hands were covering his eyes.

Humans and their modesty rules.

"I know you aren't used to them, but I am, and you don't have to like them, but you have to follow them."

She pulled her tangled, wet hair out from underneath the shirt and pulled it over her shoulder. It was in its usual, tangled mess. It was not thick and curly like the hair of Dr. Loud, but it took her a solid hour to get through every knot that formed. She grabbed a brush from the drawer in her desk and sat down on the bed, letting a large exhale out before starting with the ends.

"Do you want me to do it?"

She looked over at Peter who was holding out his hand.

"Sit on the floor, I'll do it."

Placing the brush in his hand, she slid to Peter's feet, sitting in between his knees. He pulled her hair so that it was sitting above her. He was purposefully delicate with the entanglement of blonde hair, and he treated it almost as if he had done this before.

They spoke quietly to each other as he made his way from the bottom towards the top. It was simple conversation, sometimes she would ask questions about him, and sometimes it was the other way around. Whatever she was unable to say she finished inside his head, and she appreciated his patience when she struggled through a word.

She liked the feeling of someone else brushing through her hair. For a moment she shut her eyes, letting the tug of her scalp sooth her into slight exhaustion. She did not tire easily and found the concept of sleep boring, so she took every opportunity to be lulled. While she had been in the shower, Peter has assembled an air mattress for himself to sleep on towards the back of the room by the window. It would be nice to have someone sleeping in the same room as her. There were times where spending time at the compound felt isolating.

At 10 PM he finished, helping her up and into her bed. She shut her eyes, feeling much more relaxed than she was used to. Maybe she could stay asleep for four hours rather than two.

"Goodnight, Lena."

"Goodnight, Peter."

The deepest of sleeps come with the most vivid dreams.

Or nightmares.

She was swimming in the open water, tail bound as it once was. As she swam she circled many of the fish that had come to love her. The gentle fish swam around her tail in circles, nipping the ends lovingly. She treated the underwater creatures with kindness, unlike her sisters. Her sisters looked upon themselves as superior, and dismissed any other presence.

She swam deeper, not seeing any of her sisters. It was rare for her to swim this far down. She suffered enough from the endless voices inside her head, reminding her of the plague her existence brought to their species. Every second of every day without rest.

You are worthless.

You mean nothing.

You are the offspring of betrayal.

She had not heard these voices since Mr. Stark plucked her from the ocean.

A tug, from nowhere yanked her left arm down, and shortly after her right. She struggled, but the forces were too strong. The evil faces of her sisters immediately followed, their incisors bearing, threatening to tear out her neck.

You have betrayed us as your mother once did. You have fulfilled your destiny as a traitor. You and your peirasmós will be executed for your insolence.

Her hair was ripped backward, exposing her neck, and when she looked up she saw the vague form of Peter, struggling against the arms of her sisters pulling him closer and closer. His lungs do not have the capacity to-

She felt a ripping pain in her chest, and-

Awoke screaming.

Gut-wrenching screams that felt as if her vocal cords were being shredded. Everything had felt so vivid, so tangible, that while she was suspended in her own noise, she was unsure of what was real and what she had seen in her sleep.

Arms wrapped around her, tightly, as they had done before, this time from behind. She knew it was him, as the tears cleared her vision, as she touched base with her actual location. Beneath her was her bed, and around her was Peter, her peirasmós, and she was not actually dying. She gasped for air, bringing her hands to Peter's forearm, letting the back of her head fall against his chest.

"You're here with me, Lena, you never have to see your sisters again. I won't let them touch you."

"Peter..." she stifled a sob. There had been enough crying that evening, she was through with it, They were going to kill us. If they find us they will kill us.

"I'm not going to let that happen," he kissed the back of her head, "PET, can you project the highest viewed videos of Spider-Man for me?"

Of course.

On the window, an image appeared, Peter in his red clothing swung from building to building, stopping cars from colliding, shoving people out of the way, fighting men that were dressed in all black masks. A smile came to her face, and she sniffed back the congestion in her nose. Watching him fight a set of enemies, and succeed, suddenly made her feel even more safe with Peter than she already had.

Partner.

Maybe eventually, she could fight by his side.