st_igmatized: (Blaxploitation)
st_igmatized ([personal profile] st_igmatized) wrote in [community profile] strangetrip2018-05-15 12:18 am

[GP/EP] Check-in Day

It was a musical day at the Madonna Inn, both inside and out. Curnen had taken her usual place up on the roof and was singing charms to the sky to keep any wanderers from getting lost (though that part of it was not immediately obvious). Unrelated to that, Sunny was on the dance floor in the bar, summoning songs of her own with her knife to keep her moving before she went to do her shift at the library later. It was one of those days where if she thought about it too hard she’d start thinking about that empty bed in her shitty room and the person she most wanted to be there.

This of course eventually seeped into her magic. She knew better. Maybe she’d even wanted that to happen.

Because just once, between different pop hits and dance beats came a rather unexpected French love song. She sighed and rolled her eyes, but the exasperation didn’t last. Before the lyrics started up she was waltzing. By herself and not caring how it might have looked. And for those three and a half minutes, she dared let herself hope for the slimmest chance that Orlu might come through that door.

She didn’t let herself hope too hard, though. There was admitting to feeling things and there was setting yourself up for certain disappointment. She’d lived too long with disappointment to do that to herself.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah," Peter says, wrapping his arms around her. "I know. Seriously, Liz, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Peter knows that he has no idea what he's doing, but it seems like the right thing to say.
st_hotflashes: (worried)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't think I can stop worrying. I love you way too much." Her arms around Peter tighten. She knew it was selfish of her, but at that very moment, Liz Parker never wanted Peter to go back home again. She never wanted him to need to be Spider-Man ever again.

And a part of her hated herself for such a thought.

"... I'm sorry I saw that." A much smaller, softer voice against his chest.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 03:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"There's no need to apologize," Peter says, running a hand over the back of Liz's head. "You can't help it. I'm not angry, so it's fine."

He's not. But he wishes that Liz could stop worrying. He might not know what he's doing, but he was good at thinking on his feet -- and that's saved him so many times already.
st_hotflashes: (look down)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
She still spoke against his chest since it was easier to admit things that way without looking into his eyes.

"Sometimes I worry you'll stop kissing me or -" Well, maybe sometimes she worried he'd distance himself completely.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"You've already seen so much of my life," Peter says. "I don't know why you think that's going to suddenly change."
st_hotflashes: (look over)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
She wasn't sure what the answer to that was, but she did know she felt like there was something that might change. Like the possibility was there, even if she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Liz shifted a little, looking up, and then leaned in to kiss him. She wanted the comfort, but perhaps it was a bit of a test too.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter gets the feeling that Liz is feeling insecure and he doesn't want her to be. So when she looks up and leans in to kiss her, there's no hesitation from him.

In fact, his kiss lasts a little longer than it usually does.
st_hotflashes: (pic#12262628)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
There was, perhaps, a moment that Peter could feel where Liz went from a rigid ball of nerves to something more relaxed. Her muscles suddenly un-tensed and her body almost melded to his, pour against him like he had the key to life.

And it was at that very moment Liz realized that the insecurities she had been holding onto were from Max and from back home. Peter was different. He didn't lie, he didn't mean one thing and say another, and he'd always be there for her. Peter was the real deal.

Even if there might be others back home, they would always be second best to Peter. Always.

Her eyes met his as they pulled back from the kiss.

"I love you, Peter Parker."

Liz would trust Peter implicitly from now on.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"I love you too, Liz."

Peter smiles, then takes Liz's hand and leads her back to the bed. He takes a breath and then asks:

"How much of it did you see?"
st_hotflashes: (listening to lecture)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
She sat down, thinking about it.

"You were on the side of a big airplane. You, um, you talked about your... Girlfriend's dad and how you had to fight him. And-" she pressed her lips together -" and you weren't in your suit."

Liz couldn't really decide what was scarier really.

"and you fought. You almost ended up in those turbine jet things." As she spoke it was clear Peter being in danger worried her to her core. Despite managing to keep her tone as normal as possible, her eyes held this terrifying notion she'd lose him someday to death. "The plane crashed... The fire was so hard and it was hard to breathe..."
st_arkintern: (This is uncomfortable.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh," Peter says to that, because what else can he say to that? He really wishes that she hadn't seen that. It was probably worse in some ways than that time he was trapped under all that rubble.

"I didn't tell you. The Vulture was Liz's dad. Other-Liz."
st_hotflashes: (Listening over shoulder)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"I thought-" Liz stopped herself since it didn't matter. She had been confused since she thought Other-Liz and he weren't technically dating, but that was in the past anyways. "I'm sorry... That must have been awkward."

Liz brought her hand up to a part of her body she remembered hurting more than the rest, "I didn't know you could survive something like that..."

Sure, a building on top of you was hard, but somehow a gigantic plane crash felt different.
st_arkintern: (Smile.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I found out when I showed up to her place for Homecoming."

Peter had tried to cover for himself, but it hadn't worked; Eddie had figured it out easily, and laid down the law. The law which Peter promptly ignored and ended with him trapped under a building and on the outside of a plane.

"Yeah, I'm pretty durable," Peter says, patting his chest. "That's why I'm serious when I tell you that you shouldn't worry."
st_hotflashes: (Peter)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-17 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
She reached out and pressed her palm against his chest where he had just patted it. Liz didn't think there'd be a time where she wasn't worried a little - if she didn't worry, then did she even care? But she nodded. "I'll try harder not to." Her hand still lingered.
st_arkintern: (Smile.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-17 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter's smile is brief. Eager to change the topic he says:

"I should probably go grab our stuff. You think you'll be okay?"

A lot has happened today. Between her almost fainting and then her seeing that memory... Peter wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to be alone.
st_hotflashes: (Smile)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-18 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
Liz nodded. She was still a little embarrassed, truth be told.

"If you want to come back later... we can watch Blade Runner again and you can teach me how to say the monologue. I'll try to live up to your skills." She smiled to him.
st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-18 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah," Peter says. "I'll bring back your book, too. Just --"

Now it's Peter's turn to look worried (again).

"-- try and get some rest, okay?"
st_hotflashes: (Default)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_hotflashes 2018-05-18 01:20 am (UTC)(link)

Liz's smile warmed and she nodded. "I will, I swear." She was already feeling better, she thought.

st_arkintern: (Looking down.)

Re: OTA

[personal profile] st_arkintern 2018-05-18 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay," Peter says.

He gives her a quick kiss to the forehead, shoots her one last final smile, then heads for the door.

For all the lecturing he does about not worrying about him, he can't help but feel worried about her. Maybe Kitty was right and he needed to understand that Liz could take care of herself.

But Peter didn't want her to take care of herself without him. Not because he wanted her to be dependent on him, but because he didn't want her to have to handle anything by herself. They were partners.

Peter shuts the door behind him and heads towards the lobby.