Bug boy || Peter Parker

Forty four

"Great", Peter grinned at Tate. Then his face fell into nervousness. "Now what do I do?" His arms wavered as he tried to remain still on the board. Tate was smiling, standing about a foot away on the concrete. Around them, the skate park was busy with teens and kids. Children learning with helmets and dozens of safety pads tied to their limbs. Anxious parents watching them. Teens with floppy hair and oversized graphic t-shirts, ("Hey Tate. You fit right in!" Peter had exclaimed when they arrived. Tate had poked him until the boy giggled), rolled around. Some doing tricks and others in groups. 

"Now try kicking off but keep all your weight on your front foot", Tate instructed. He held out his arms in case Peter needed something to grab on too. The light breeze was pulling his hair around his face and it tugged on Peter's shorter waves. 

Peter gave him a hesitant look and looked down on the ground. That was when his balance wavered and his arms went pinwheeling. He let out a yelp and Tate reached for him as he fell. Hands caught his arms and they both toppled. Peter landing heavily on the concrete, Tate hitting his chest as the weight pulled him down too. The two of them landing in a pile of limbs. Peter's feet still stuck to the skateboard. The little wheels rolling in the air. 

Tate put his hands on Peter's shoulders and pushed himself up so that he was leaning over him. Dark hair falling over his face as he began laughing. "Oh no", he tried to sound worried but a smirk was tugging on his lips. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" 

Peter groaned but his lips twitched. "Oof ouch. That hurt". He frowned then began laughing. 

"Are you okay?" Tate asked again, trying valiantly to keep the laughter from his voice. He sat up, legs on the concrete and hefted Peter up after him. Peter let himself be tugged up, a grin filling his face as Tate ran his hands over his head. Fingers through the curls. 

"You have killed me", Peter intoned dramatically. "Mortally wounded". He rolled over and flopped dramatically over Tate's lap. One hand over his forehead like a swooning damsel and the other over his heart. Tate rolled his eyes and leaned back on one arm. 

"Wow. The great Spiderman outdone by a few bruises", He giggled. "How will the city cope?" He began poking at Peter between the ribs until the boy squirmed and began laughing. 

"Stop! That tickles!"

"The skateboard is still attached to your feet", Tate pointed out. Peter sat up and looked at it with a frown. Then the board fell off and clattered on the concrete. Tate snorted and ran a hand through his hair. "Using your powers is cheating". 

"Oops", Peter grinned sheepishly. Tate smirked at him and pushed him off. Peter starfished on the concrete as he got up. "Gonna give me a hand?" 

"Who's the one with super strength?" Tate remarked as he held out a hand anyway. He pulled Peter to his feet. "So that was the third fall so far. Make it up to twenty and you'll beat Jason's record. I don't know how many times it took for him to learn a kick flip though". Peter laughed and dusted himself down as Tate flicked the board up with his foot. He stepped onto it and kicked off so that he rolled slowly away. 

Peter watched him go. A short distance away was the round slope down to the lower level of the skatepark. Due to the steepness of the slope, only the teens and experienced skaters were hanging around there. Peter began walking after him as Tate's momentum slowly took him closer to the edge of the bowl. The dark haired boy wasn't looking where he was going, face turned back towards Peter. "Tate", Peter called. "You're getting close to the edge there". 

Tate grinned and shrugged as Peter began walking after him. "What edge?" he called back teasingly. 

Peter's smile had fallen into a slightly amused but worried look and his pace sped up. "Tate". The name was a slight huff.