highlander_ii

"Peter, come on. We're supposed to meet up with the gang at seven," Ned called through the bathroom door.

"Yeah. Go ahead. I'll catch up," Peter called back as the hot spray rained down on him.

He needed a few more minutes before he could face people. Even classmates. Because they didn't get it. They never would. Tony was gone and he wasn't coming back.

Hot tears mixed with the water from the shower as he leaned against the wall. It was the first time he'd really let himself feel about this. He'd been keeping up a brave face, not letting anyone see. It collapsed tonight when he'd heard something on the TV. It wasn't even anything specific. Not even actually about Tony. Just one of his projects. And Peter had had to leave the room under the ruse of getting in the shower.

He wiped his face and turned off the shower. Towelling off his hair, he closed his eyes to stave off a new wave of emotion and avoided looking in the mirror. Fortunately, it was fogged over from the shower steam, making it easier to avoid.

He wrapped a towel around his hips and went back to his room to put on his clothes. Ned was waiting in the desk chair. "Hey - I - I thought - I thought you'd already left." He sifted around on his bed for the clothes he wanted to put on.

"Not yet," Ned said. "Wanted to see if you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Peter replied a little too quickly.

Ned wasn't buying it. "Look, I know you've been having a hard time since the big showdown. It's okay, you know. You're allowed to be sad or angry or whatever."

Peter sat on the bed. "I know that," he said with a sigh. "I just want it all to stop sucker punching me."

"Ouch. Yeah." Ned swiveled the chair back and forth. "Wanna skip bowling and sit around here playing video games instead?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I kinda do."

"Cool. I'll go get set up." Ned left the room and closed the door behind him.

Best friend ever, Peter thought to himself and stuffed himself into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt rather than the jeans and sweater he'd planned for going out. He left his room and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Come on, I'm gonna kick your ass at Mario Kart," Ned threatened with a grin.

"No way!" Peter countered. This was gonna be okay.