ok i swear there's some fluff here u just gotta hang on and read past the 1600 words of angst first ok ily

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Peter stayed in his hotel room the rest of the night, not seeing any reason to make a reappearance.

He turned off the TV at some point before Ned came in, but the time seemed hazy. He plugged his phone in an outlet next to the bed, and once the lights had been turned off, just stared at the ceiling. It was pitch black except for the dim lights that shone through the curtains, a testament to his misery.

He rolled over on his side, and after what felt like hours, finally fell asleep. 

~

Pedro...

New York filled Peter's dreams, as beautiful as always. The breeze that blew through his curls was gentle. He was on a boat, in some lake or river, the waves lapping at the ship's edge lightly. It was dark.

The breeze picked up, rocking the boat pleasantly. It continued to speed up, and Peter held on to the rails of the boat for dear life as the rocking became more violent, tossing his damp hair around like a mop.

It was all in vain, though, for he was pitched into the murky water that was overboard.

The first thing that he noticed was that it was cold. Very cold. It soaked through his clothes and seemed to seep through his skin, making him shiver as he plummeted down into the ominous depths of the water. 

This vision, or dream, rather, was similar to the one he'd had at the pool in that he was terrified, and everything seemed real. 

He couldn't wake up.

Pedro, I'm coming for you.

Peter thrashed around, legs kicking and arms flailing. He tried to reach the surface, but he kept sinking. He couldn't hold on any more, and let out his breath. He waited until the last second, but his chest began hurting and his eyes began to burn.

Finally, Peter opened his mouth and the water poured in-

You can't escape me, Spider-Man. I'll come for everyone you love.

He closed his eyes, coughing and still trying to swim upwards. He didn't want to die, didn't want it to end like this, being tormented by his demons, but it was beginning to look like he didn't have a choice.

Peter?

His chest relaxed, and the last of the bubbles left his mouth in a flurry towards the surface. Lazily, his eyelids opened, seeing the last of the sunlight disappear.

Peter!

It was almost a relief, if he was being honest. He'd done his best, tried to stay alive, but if fate was saying otherwise, he guessed that he wasn't that mad. Peter supposed that if this was the end, he was happy with what he'd done.

He was ready.

Peter, wake up!

His eyes widened, and he gasped as he was thrown and-

He was in bed?

Peter was sitting up in bed, crying. The bed's sheets were all over the place, and his head hurt, like it had been hit against the headboard. His breathing was heavy, and adrenaline still pumped through his body.

Ned was there, standing next to his bed. He stayed quiet for a minute after Peter had awoken, but spoke up not long after.

"Peter?"

Peter didn't answer, trying to hold in his tears. He'd spent enough already, but-

"Are you okay?"

Dammit.

The tears flowed again, and Peter hated himself for being so weak. He began to hiccup, and lowered his head into his hands.

The bed dipped next to Peter, but Ned didn't do anything. He just sat there, but that's what Peter needed. He didn't want to be touched.

There was a knock on the door and Peter fell out of the bed trying to get away from it in his panic.

"You alright in there? I heard some screaming." Mr. Harrington asked hesitantly from the hallway.

Ned glanced at Peter, wrapped in a blanket and cowering between the two beds. "Yeah, we're alright." He said cheerily. "We were just swapping ghost stories and I jump scared Peter."

"Okay," Said Harrington dubiously. "If you boys need anything, you know my room number."

"Yup!" Ned replied, still checking on Peter.

They heard the footsteps depart, and then Ned helped Peter back into his bed. 

"Wanna talk about it?" Ned asked, and Peter shook his head.

As he turned to face the wall, Peter said, "No. Night, Ned."

"Night."

Peter didn't fall back asleep. 

It was a relaxing day for the Decathlon team, they mainly just hung out in various rooms of the hotel, playing card games and such.

Towards the afternoon, Peter was reading alone in his and Ned's room, when there was another knock on the door. 

"Yeah?" He asked, putting his book down and getting up.

"It's MJ."

"Oh." He opened the door nervously. "Hi."

"Hi." She said back. "Most of us are going to the pool. Wanna join?"

Peter hesitated, but he couldn't say no, not when she was smiling so much. He didn't want to say no. "Sure. Give me a few minutes?"

"No problem. See you down there!" She said, flashing him one of her rare smiles.

Petey boi melted, but found his way back into the room to put on his swim trunks.

~

His feet hit the cold tiles, and he scrunched up his nose at the noise. 

Ned was chatting with Betty in the lobby, so Peter took his spot on the edge of the pool, more wary than the previous night. The shirt he was wearing clung uncomfortably to his skin, still slightly damp from when he had fallen in.

He shivered at the memory.

"Peter!"

He looked up and saw MJ wading over.

"You made it!" There she went with that smile again.

"Yeah, wouldn't miss it." He said, giving her the first genuine smile that he'd been able to make in weeks, ever since the nightmares started.

"Want to come in?" She asked, splashing Peter's legs with some water. 

He couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. He dragged a hand through his hair, "I don't know, I forgot to shower last night and my hair's already screaming at me."

Flash came over. "Just like you were screaming last night? Jesus Christ, we share a wall, or did you forget?"

Peter froze up as MJ looked in his direction, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Ned and I were... sharing ghost stories." He said slowly. "He jump scared me."

"More like he jumped you," Flash snickered. "Didn't know you were into guys, Parker."

Peter shrank into himself. There was no good reason for the noise last night. "Leave me alone, we weren't doing anything."

MJ nodded. "Yeah, Eugene. This is time for fun and companionship, leave Peter alone."

Flash hesitated, before his eyes took on a meaner gleam. "Alright. Why don't you come join us, Peter?"

"I am." He said, confused.

"No, like in the water."

Stiffly, Peter shook his head. "Nah, not right now."

"Why not?" Flash pressed. "Can't you swim?"

"Leave him alone, Eugene! I won't say it again." MJ demanded.

"No, he's got a point." Abraham said. "He didn't go in yesterday, either. What's up with it?"

MJ went to defend Peter again, but her ringtone sounded from in the drawstring bag she'd brought. "I'll be right back," She said, getting out of the water. "Leave Peter alone, okay?"

It was silent until MJ left, then the noise level rose.

Peter just shook his head. "I don't want to go in."

"Why? Too wimp?" Flash mocked.

"No, I just-"

"Can you swim?" One of the girls asked gently.

"Yeah, but-"

Flash laughed, "Then what's the problem? Scared of a little water?"

"No!-"

"Come join us, Peter!" Flash taunted, and Peter could do nothing but shake his head and take his legs out of the water as Flash went to drag Peter in.

"Leave me alone!"

"Wimp!" Flash jeered. "I'm gonna throw you in."

"No!" Peter scrambled away from the edge, slipping, on the verge of tears. "Don't make me go in,"

"Flash, stop." Some of the members spoke up and one went to get MJ, but Flash didn't listen, and he got out of the pool as well. He towered over Peter as the smaller boy trembled in one of the corners of the room.

"Are you crying?" Flash began to laugh, but was interrupted by the door slamming open.

MJ's eyes were furious, and she stomped over to the pair of boys. "Everyone, out!" She yelled, and they were quick to obey.

She tossed her phone back in her bag before lowering herself and crawling over to Peter. "Peter?" She asked, softly.

He lifted his head a little, hiccuping slightly, tears tracking down his face.

"Oh, Peter." MJ put her hands on his cheeks and frowned. "What's wrong? What did they do to you?"

He shook his head and said quietly, in a breaking voice, "It wasn't- It wasn't them."

"Peter, I'm not stupid. Flash was standing right over you. What did he do?"

"I just don't like water," Peter pleaded, and MJ moved so that she could hug him.

"I know." She whispered, then gasped softly, brain putting together the pieces of an already half-done puzzle. "Peter, does it have to do with your extracurricular activities?"

Peter pulled away from the hug that he had been melting into, eyes widened. "I don't know what you mean."

"You do."

Sighing, Peter, put his head in his hands. "Why'd it have to be me?"

MJ stayed silent, letting Peter continue.

"Why does it have to be me, all the time? Dead parents, dead uncle, nightmares, fear of water because being dumped in a lake from above all of the buildings in New York isn't fun. And yet," Peter felt the hot tears start again, or maybe they'd never stopped, "And yet, they still expect me to save the day, all the time. And, I can't! I can't even get in a stupid pool without crying, and I have to say that I'm fine when I'm not, and I have to keep it together when I can't, and-"

MJ put her arms around Peter again, and he rested his head on her shoulder. "I don't."

"What?" Peter asked.

MJ sighed. "I don't expect you to be perfect. We all say we're fine, but really, none of us are. It's hard to admit, but sometimes we just have to be honest and let the truth be told. We can depend on people sometimes, and I think you've got more than enough qualifications for help. We're all broken, but sometimes it's better to be broken together."

It was quiet for a moment before she continued. "You've got people who love you, Peter, you just have to reach out."

"To who? May's busy with jobs and I don't want to worry her, and Ned thinks being a sidekick is so much fun and I don't want to ruin it."

"What about me?" MJ asked.

Peter opened his mouth but didn't say anything. 

"You're gonna catch flies."

Peter found his voice, but it was small and timid, almost as if he didn't want to believe it was true. "You love me?"

"Yeah, Loser."

"I-- umm, I-- yeah, as well, me too. Love. you." Peter stammered, and MJ pulled away as she laughed. 

"When we get back home, you're gonna take me on a date, and we'll get all sappy and open with each other, talk about our issues, yeah?" 

Peter nodded. "Okay." 

"But til then, no bad vibes."

They sat there for a moment longer.

"You a little better now?" MJ asked softly, and Peter wiped his face off with a towel. 

"Yeah. We should probably head out."

So, they stood up, and after MJ reached up to fix Peter's messy hair (which did not make him blush, okay?), they walked out of the pool room.

"Text if you need me, okay Pete?" She asked as she put her hand on the knob of her room. 

Peter nodded, and went to go to his and Ned's room.

On the ride home the next day, Peter didn't have any nightmares when he took a nap, but that's probably because MJ was holding his hand and let him put his head on her shoulder. Not that he minded, because it was probably the best sleep he'd had in months.

Maybe life wasn't so bad after all, huh?

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