A Kid From Queens

Chapter 12: Nightcap Protocol

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"F.R.I, activate Nightcap Protocol." I instructed the AI with my arms crossed as I made my way to the couch.

The windows glazed over, so no one could see in. Some privacy and security shields, if you will, to prevent the past from repeating itself. Like my true self, I was invisible to the outside world. Inside I didn't have to hide or pretend; I was safe.

"You need to ice those..." Peter spoke, breaking the silence.

"What?" I asked gently, scrunching my brows together.

"Your knuckles, you need to ice them. They're bleeding and they're going to swell if you don't ice them..." Peter navigates through the new kitchen, wrapping some ice in a cloth before approaching me. He gently lays the makeshift ice pack onto them.

I look up to him with guilty eyes when I realize he's still holding onto my hands.

"I don't know what to say Peter, I thought I'd figure it out on the walk from the balcony to here, but I still don't know what to say." I hung my head again, my voice faltering.

"You don't have to say anything." Peter reassured me, taking a seat next to me.

I didn't understand why he was being so kind to me, especially considering our last conversation with him. My head had pushed him away, but my heart was grasping for anything left to hold onto.

"You deserve an explanation." I admitted.

"I know why you did it, all of it. You don't have to put yourself through this for me." Peter tried to convince me, but I shook my head.

How could he be so understanding? How could I hurt him, and he still looks for a reason to redeem me? To excuse my actions? To find some greater meaning to all of it... the only conclusion I could think of was that he really didn't want to let you go.

"I do Peter! Because if you get hurt or your identity is compromised, that's on me!" I yelled, pushing the ice off my hands as I motioned between the two of us.

"Can't you see? I never had a normal childhood and I can't change that. But you still have that luxury. When you're not swinging around Queens in a multi-million dollar suit, you can be normal. You can go out with friends, you can see a movie. Whatever normal people do; you can do that. Just because I'll never get that chance doesn't mean I'm gonna sit by and watch while it's stolen from you." I tried to explain.

"What if I don't want to be normal?" Peter asked, but that wasn't exactly what he meant.

What he wanted to say was how he would never truly be normal again after me. I had accepted him into my crazy life, and ruined him for the 'normal world'. It was as if he'd experienced a touch of the heavens when he was with me, and he knew if he went back nothing could ever compare to the way I had made him feel.

"Trust me, you don't want this." I scoffed, motioning around me, implying the shit storm that has now become my life.

I was like a bad omen. Chaos followed behind me everywhere I went, and I was worried that I was going to be the reason someone got hurt. Seriously hurt.
And I was not going to let that person be Peter Benjamin Parker.

"Keep that ice on, Adelaide." Peter said calmly.

"Fuck my knuckles, Peter!" I shouted, standing up off the couch.

"No! Alright because you are so worried about everyone around you that you won't even take care of yourself!" Peter yelled back, standing to match me. His words shocked me, because deep down I knew he was right.