We need to talk - Peter

[st_hotflashes]

Liz walked up to Peter's door with a bag filled with food for lunch including sandwiches, chips, some fruit, and brownies for dessert. They had planned this before, but now she had another reason to sit down with Peter and talk.

She took a breath and knocked. She was a little early, so she hoped she wasn't interrupting anything

Comments

[st_arkintern]

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't mean it like that." Peter can feel his face flush red with heat as he scrambles to explain. "If we put the sock, we'd know he wouldn't interrupt us."

[st_hotflashes]

Somehow his embarrassment amplified hers and for a moment she felt like her face was on fire before she began to laugh at how silly they both were.

"It's okay. I think Alec would try to avoid us anyways." She leaned over to kiss Peter on the cheek, though, because despite being embarrassed herself, he was still really cute when he got flustered.

[st_arkintern]

Peter just grins goofily. "So, lunch, then what afterwards? Did we wanna watch a movie?" A movie tended to be Peter's go-to when there wasn't an Other World to go to. For one, he loves movies; for two, he likes it when Liz leans against him or lies on his arm curled up to him when they're watching them.

[st_hotflashes]

Liz didn't mind movies one bit. She enjoyed cuddling and when they watched one Peter knew all the words too, it was endearing to listen to him try and change voices to the various quotes floating around his brain. However, she knew if she delayed talking, she might not mention it at all today.

"But first, um. Well, let's eat, okay?" She handed him a sandwich and then unwrapped hers. She took a small bite, mulling over the words and how to begin.

"I met AI Mr. Stark. He's...well I know what you mean now where he's the same, but different too."

[st_arkintern]

Peter chews away on his sandwich. "Yeah?" he asks between bites. "What did you think?"

[st_hotflashes]

"It took some getting used to.. I kept sort of feeling like I was hiding something from the real Mr. Stark? Because I was talking to one of them, but the other was missing out, if that makes sense?" She looked down at her sandwich, picking at a small piece of cheese. "Especially because I went there to talk to Mr. Stark originally. I didn't even know I was talking to a computer until the armour retracted."

[st_arkintern]

"Yeah," Peter says, nodding. "I get it." He really does. But more importantly... "Why were you looking for him?"

[st_hotflashes]

Right.

"Well, um. You know how I've started being able to do... more things? Well... I took a sample of my blood and I was hoping Mr. Stark could analyze it." She paused, looking at her sandwich. "And he did. Well, the AI Mr. Stark did."

[st_arkintern]

Peter takes another bite of his sandwich, listening attentively as Liz explains. "What'd you find out?" If anyone could find out something, it'd be Tony.

[st_hotflashes]

She picked at a piece of bread, still looking down at it. How did she say it? Liz felt a lot of apprehension about the information.

"My DNA is changing..."

[st_arkintern]

"Changing?" Peter frowns. "Changing how?"

[st_hotflashes]

She pressed her lips together and pushed the words out, though she had to close her eyes while she said it, tense. "I have Max's DNA inside of me."

[st_arkintern]

"What?" Peter blurts.

[st_hotflashes]

Her sandwich was left in her lap as she frowned and brought her hands to her face. She groaned. "No matter how I phrase it, it just sounds so wrong."

[st_arkintern]

Peter leans over the table to place a hand on Liz's shoulder. "Hey," he says. "It's okay."

[st_hotflashes]

"No, it's not." She shook her head. "It makes me feel... I don't know. Bad."

She sighed. "Mr. Stark thinks it happened when Max healed me."

[st_arkintern]

Peter sits back down in his chair. "Why do you feel bad about it?"

[st_hotflashes]

"I don't know..." She leaned on the table, thinking. "I don't think it's the actual alien DNA. I think... I think it's the fact it's Max."

[st_arkintern]

"Yeah..." Peter could imagine it'd be weird having some part of someone else inside of you. Especially when it was someone like Max.

"I know you might not agree, but if it meant saving your life... I'd rather you have Max's DNA than not."

[st_hotflashes]

She glanced up looking rather sheepish. "You're not like.. mad or something?" She knew it was an irrational thought, but Liz couldn't help but feeling like she'd betrayed him somehow.

[st_arkintern]

"No," Peter says, perplexed. "Why would you think I'd be mad?"

[st_hotflashes]

"I don't know... I mean." She gestured vaguely in front of her because she really quite wasn't sure how to put her feelings into words. "I guess, maybe, I feel like somehow it's... unfair to you or, something. Even though it's not like I chose this and stuff. It feels... well, not like cheating but something like that?"

She peered at him with an expression that seemed to say 'I don't really know what I'm talking about.'

[st_arkintern]

Peter shakes his head. "I don't think of it like that at all. If it's me you're worried about, you don't have to be."

Peter reaches for her hand and gives it a squeeze.

[st_hotflashes]

She smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Maybe I'm a little worried about that." And the other part was just this strange feeling that her whole being was changing and she didn't really get a say in it.

"I'm lucky to have you, you know."

[st_arkintern]

"You're not lucky," Peter admits, feeling embarrassed. Even though it's awkward to do so, he keeps his hand rested over hers as he takes another bite of sandwich.

"Have you told Maria yet?"