4 | ALL THAT ASS

Peter and Ned were talking quietly amongst themselves in class. It was the last day of school, only a few days remained until the science trip, and Val was anxious to get over with the year. She spotted the two whispering to one another and walked over to them. "Whatcha talking about?" Val asked the two and plopped herself right next to Peter. The two instantly went silent.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Val snickered. Her eyes diverted down to Peter's desk and saw a little paper written out with steps, numbered off in a proper order. "What is that?" Val reached for the paper but Peter snatched it up before she could grab it.

"N-Nothing, nothing!" Peter nervously laughed as he pocketed the piece of paper.

Val found it strange but she didn't really pay much attention to it. "Okay, weirdos, I'll leave then if I'm impeding on your bro time. See you later, Parker?" Val narrowed her eyes, suspiciously, at the two.

"Yeah, at the charity event. New York's going to flip when they see Inferno and Spider-Man together again." Peter whispered to Val so that their other classmates couldn't hear them.

"You know, I really hate that name. It makes me feel like a killer." Val sighed.

"You're not." Peter's words shot out of his mouth so quickly and sharply that he didn't even have time to think about it. Val let out a half smile, the corner of her lips twisting upward, then left the boys alone to return to their secretive chatting.

* * *

"Thank you all for coming out to support those who have been displaced by the blip, and, of course, thanks to our very own heroes: Spider-Man and Inferno!" May spoke into the microphone on the stage at the charity event. Peter stood, his hands on his hips, before the ground on the stage with his face covered with his mask. Valdís look much more intimidating. It wasn't because she wanted to, it was because her outfit was simply made to be intimidating. Her suit wasn't made to be standing in front of crowds at charity events. It was made to scare off and capture thieves. It was certainly a close resemblance to her mother's old super suit, but when her mother wore it, she never had to hide her face. The bandana that wrapped around her lower face seemed to be enough to hide her identity. The world knew Inferno to be Captain America and Captain Chronos' child, but, the world didn't know who Inferno really was inside. Val, just a regular girl that went to high school. And she wanted to keep it that way.

Valdís' bright blue eyes scanned the room, the audience unable to decipher her emotions as most of her face was covered. May stepped away from the microphone to allow Peter to speak into it, "ahem... Thank you Ms. Parker for having me, and thank you you guys for having me." Peter's voice was flat and awkward. He seemed stiff and uncomfortable up on stage. It didn't help the awkwardness when Peter threw up two thumbs up.

May pushed him out of the way to stop the pain she felt from watching him stand there. "Thank you Spider-Man! And these two will be right back out to take photos and videos! Thank you!" May shouted into the mic then led the two backstage.

"That was amazing!" Peter exclaimed, then gave his aunt a high five.

"That was great!" She replied in a sing-songy voice.

"Ah that was so cool, I was so nervous!"
"I'm sorry if I was a little stiff."
"No, you did great!"

May took a deep breath, then allowed herself to spill out her honest thoughts. "Yeah... well, I actually did think you were a little stiff."

Peter's confidence shrunk down. "Uh- yeah, I... felt that, too. I felt that, too." Peter coughed up his words, feeling embarrassed that he didn't perform so well on stage.

"It's fine. It's fine. It's fine." May waved him off then walked off to go take care of other business, leaving Peter and Val to talk.

"That was nerve wracking." Val pulled her bandana off of her face.

"I know! The lights were right on us so that all those people could see us so clearly." Peter ran a hand through his hair, now that his mask was off.

Val's eyes traced Peter's new suit. It was the one Tony gave him when they went to space together. "It looks really good. I've seen it before but not this up close. Turn around." Val ordered him by creating a spinning motion with her finger.

"Uh, thanks! I really like—" Peter began but was interrupted by Val beginning to hoot and holler.

"Daaammmnnnn, Peter. I didn't know you were that thick. Look at all that ass!" Val joked around, laughing hysterically.

Peter turned beet red, clenching his jaw. He turned around and tried to playfully slap her arm, but, being the superhero she was, she anticipated it and dodged it. "Would you not!" Peter whisper-yelled at her, looking around to make sure no one else heard her.

"Come on, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't make fun of you?" Val opened up her arms to offer him an apologetic hug. Peter shook his head at her and tried to hold back his wide smile. She made him really happy. Peter accepted the hug and squeezed her tightly.

* * *

The next day, the day of the trip had come. Everyone from their class was boarding and Valdís was to be seated next to Ned and Peter. She was trying to put her bag in the overhead bin when Brad, a classmate of their, rushed over to help Val. "I've got it for you." Brad smiled kindly at Val.

Valdís gladly accepted the help and allowed him to place her bag up in the bin for her. She smiled sweetly back at him. She couldn't deny that he wasn't hot. He was one of the hottest guys at their school. Plus, he was super smart. She obviously wasn't interested, she was infatuated with Peter, but a girl can look, can't she?

Val then took her seat next to Peter, her eyes lingering on Brad as he walked to his seat in the back of the plane. She tore her eyes away and turned to look at Peter who was eyeing her suspiciously. "So you like Brad now?" Peter pressed his lips into a thin, disappointed line.

"No," Val groaned in annoyance, "I'm literally with you. I love you." Val assured him.

"You two looked really comfortable with each other." Peter cocked his head at her.

Val rolled her eyes. "He flirts with everyone. Even MJ." She shrugged him off.

"Hmph." Peter turned to look out the window of the airplane.

"Oh my gosh, Parker. You are such a brat. You really think I'd do something like that to you?" Val used her fingers to turn his head to face her again. She sweetly placed her hands on his cheeks and led his face up to hers so that she could place a loving kiss on his lips. Peter melted under her touch and kiss, and he completely forgot about the whole Brad situation.