Chapter Text
Adrenaline and pure, unadulterated excitement pulsed through her veins as she swung across the city.
While she usually took a generally utilitarian approach to web-swinging, -wherever she goes she goes with a purpose no bells and whistles, thank you very much- tonight she allowed herself to flip and whoop to her heart’s content, because today, today she’d had her first win.
She’d finally found a lead worth her time.
Flip.
If in the process she’d found herself fighting a dumb rhino man, well that just meant the lead was the real deal.
It had been a long, drawn out fight but she’d managed to trap the guy in a web of her own making. Metaphorically but also yes, literally.
Yes! Oh my god, that just happened. I’d like to see hawkeye do that !
Another flip and a swan dive.
Eat your your heart out arrow boy
She landed on all fours on the side of a nearby building.
The pleasant buzz of success was then drowned out when she took in her reflection on the shiny skyscraper window.
Riding the high of the win had made her forget that she had been, in fact, thrown around like a ragdoll before she’d gained the upper-hand halfway through the battle, the busted lip and what would undoubtedly soon become a Helen Frankenthaler of bruises under her suit more than proof of that.
Shit.
The night was young but not so young that she’d heal enough to look presentable before her already too generous curfew, even with her accelerated healing. She couldn’t go home, couldn’t let Gayle, or worse, Tommy, see her like this.
So she made the logical next step any teenager would’ve done: she lied to her legal guardian
“Hey, sorry I didn’t call.” she could hear clattering in the background
Oh. Speaker. Fun.
“Shelly! That’s ok, are you still at school?”
“Yeah, acadec practice ran long but some of the guys want to head over to Peter’s place to unwind with a couple movies,” she paused to pick out her next words, imbuing her usual amount nonchalance to hide the mild panic at the prospect of her sister saying no “figured we'd make it a full-on sleepover, since it’s friday.”
“Oh! Peter’s place, huh?” she could hear her raise her eyebrows
“Gayle.”
“Yeah, yeah. It's fine. Just get home early tomorrow, will you? I’ve got a morning shift and I really need you here with Tommy.”
Jackpot.
“Cool. See you.”
“I love you, bye.”
“Bye.”
She took one last look at the cracked lense on her goggles and her ripped hoodie.
Yikes.
As if gentle tapping was too subtle to get his attention, Peter Parker realized there was someone at his window when said someone let themselves in.
Startled and jumpy as ever, Peter nearly dropped what looked to be his latest dumpster diving project.
“AH! Wha- Wha- What are you doing here?” he leaned lamely on the back of his desk chair “Uh, welcome?”
Nice. Real smooth.
“I got my ass kicked, earlier,” she said with the tone one might use to explain they got held up at the bank “and I need a place to crash.”
“Oh.” he finally took in her injuries “ Oh. Michelle, you ok?”
He walked towards the windowsill she was still half-sitting on and very nearly reached to touch her face, stopping himself before he did.
Don’t be creepy.
“So, uh.” he paused “I figure you didn’t win?”
Don't embarrass her dumbass
She perked up a little at that, raising a cocky eyebrow.
“No, I don’t think I did.” she turned her face a little to throw her bangs off her face, a smirk gracing her features
God he’s going to remember that look forever .
Because she’s a superhero , which is cool , and this is a big moment any superhero fan would remember. Obviously. Duh .
“Tell you what, let’s trade. A good story for a night in your top bunk.”
“Deal.”