I’m not quiet, you’ve been quiet.

by Ditsiedaisie

Summary:

In which Aunt May is sick, Peter moves in with the Starks and Flash isn’t so bad after all.

We’ll see how this goes.

Chapter 1

Peter sat quietly in the waiting room of Queens Presbyterian Hospital, the air too cold and too quiet, like the building itself was holding its breath. The fluorescent lights hummed above him, keeping him awake while he so desperately wanted to close his eyes and pretend things were all okay.

He stared through the glass of room 206, and as always, Aunt May was smiling. She never stopped smiling, at least not when Peter was around, he guessed it was because she didn’t want him to worry. But he always worried about her nowadays. He knew she wasn’t doing well, he’d heard the doctors describe it. Stage three, aggressive, taking a toll on her body.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a chime from his phone. A message from Mr. Stark.

| Mr stark: Outside kid, it’s getting late. We need to get
Home.

He got up, packed up his stuff and waved at May through the glass. She blew him a kiss, still smiling while the nurse attached her IV. Peter wished he could touch her, hug her, sit next to her during all this. But it was too risky, the doctors wouldn’t let him. So for now, this would have to do.

Peter thanked the receptionist, the staff all knew him by now. He was the sweet kid who’d sit for hours at a time watching his Aunt, even though he couldn’t be next to her. He walked outside and jumped into the passenger seat of Tonys jeep.

“How’s May?” He asked thoughtfully, but he already knew the answer. “She’s okay… Well, as okay as she can be.” Peter whispered back “She’s still smiling, I don’t think that will ever change.”

The two exchanged thoughtful glances, then smiled, knowing smiling was the one thing that was getting them through all of this.

Notes:

Chapter two soon. Love ya x

Chapter 2

The house was quiet when they got back. Silence both comforted and scared Peter nowadays. It gave him room to think, to be alone with his feelings; but sadness and anxiety were usually the only things he felt. Following along with the theme of silence, Tony didn’t say much. Just gave Peter a light pat on the back and walked off down the hallway. Probably heading to the lab. He always stayed up late, said he worked better when the world was asleep.

Peter made his way to his room, dropped his backpack by the door and sat on the edge of the bed. The room was dim, only lit by the soft glow of the city lights seeping through the blinds. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped like he was waiting for something, perhaps even praying, begging. He wasn’t sure what for, Maybe peace. Maybe just sleep.

He could still see May’s face in his mind. That smile. The one she always wore, even when he knew she was tired, even when the pain showed up behind her eyes. She kept smiling. He didn’t know if it made him feel better or worse.

He glanced over at his desk. There was a photo propped up next to his lamp, a tiny faded Polaroid from two summers ago. May was wearing those big sunglasses she always said made her look like a movie star. She had cotton candy in one hand, the wind messing up her hair, and the biggest smile on her face. Peter was mid-laugh in the shot, mouth open, eyes squinted from the sun. He remembered that day so clearly it hurt. He missed her. He knew she wasn’t truly ’gone’, but the old version of her was. The one who was basically peters mother. Now all he had was the image of her through a glass door, defeated, in pain.

He laid back on the bed, shoes still on, and stared at the ceiling. The silence in the room felt too full. Like if he moved or breathed too loudly it would all come crashing down.

His phone buzzed.

He reached for it slowly.

| MJ: Thinking about you Parker. Let me know if you wanna talk.

Peter stared at the message for a long time before locking the screen and setting the phone down again. He didn’t know what to say. Not yet. As much as he was hurting, he didn’t want to feel like a burden.

He closed his eyes and tried to pretend the hospital lights weren’t still burned into the back of his mind.

Notes:

Chapter 2. I hope you liked. I know it’s slow but I promise things will get very interesting very quickly. Love ya x