𝐝𝐞𝐣𝐚 𝐯𝐮, peter parker

xxii. homecoming

chapter twenty-two
homecoming

    NINA'S LIFE had never been super interesting until the past year. She went through each day feeling like some background character in a lost comic in the very back-bottom corner of the store. Recently, she's felt like she was living in someone else's origin story. Things were happening around her so fast that it was hard to keep up, and she was being dragged into them all. OSCORP Unity Day, those idiots in the alleyway, her breakup with Harry━and now, more flooded onto them all: right onto the front page news of the Daily Bugle. 'The Green Goblin Strikes Again'. Just three days after Thanksgiving, the green monster decided to attack Aunt May in her own home out of some random estranged act, leaving her in hospital after a critical explosion while she sat in her kitchen, completely innocent.

    It struck Nina as odd underneath all of her crazed worries. Aunt May has never done any wrong in her life━she was lovely, sweet, caring and the most innocent of the innocent, and yet had been attacked by something she'd never even get herself caught up in. The papers said it had been a random act, but Nina wasn't stupid, something wasn't right. Green Goblin had sought out Aunt May, just like he had sought out those OSCORP board members, just like he had chosen to terrorise her the same day.

    Not that it was Nina's place to accuse anything, but her suspicion rose high. She wasn't an idiot, she knew Green Goblin had an agenda against Spider-Man, she just wondered what that had to do with Peter's aunt.

    As soon as she could, Nina came to visit Aunt May in Queens General Hospital, leaving her College lecture as soon as she could to grab some flowers, a get-well card and a small pile of treats in a jar she tied up with some left over Christmas string. Peter was there to lead her into the hospital room, looking as though he hadn't slept a wink recently.

    "How is she?" asked Nina, seeing Peter's aunt asleep in her bed. She looked better than she had when MJ had come to see her; her cuts starting to heal and her bruises fading. She didn't seem as crazed and horrified as she had been, finally able to sleep peacefully. "Will she be okay?"

    Nina pursed her lips and gently set the flowers and jar of treats she brought onto the side table. She placed the card against it, feeling Peter walk up behind her, sighing sadly down at his aunt. "She'll be fine, she's been sleeping all day," he said. He reached out and turned the jar so he could see what Nina had brought━he smiled a little. "You didn't have to."

    "Chocolate is the best medicine," stated Nina matter-of-factly. Peter chuckled and she gave him a brief glance as she reached out to fix the blanket over Aunt May's arm, her heart deciding to flutter ever-so-slightly at his reaction. "Especially hot chocolate."

    "I'll take your word for it," grinned Peter and she turned back to him, brushing past him to squeeze his shoulder as a friendly, it's all going to be okay. He watched her go and added, "Hey, look, thanks for coming."

    "Of course," said Nina. She decided to sit down in one of the chairs, and Peter followed, taking the one opposite her. They sat in pleasant silence, just gently watching Aunt May's chest rise up and down in her sleep.

    "How are you?" then asked Peter out of nowhere. Nina blinked, glancing back over to him, a little taken aback by the question. At her confusion, he added, "I mean ... are you okay━from the other night?"

    Nina's brows knitted together, surprised, but appreciating his concern. It made her tilt her head and nod, "Yeah, I'm all right," she said, and she meant it. After breaking up with Harry, there was some lift to her shoulders━as if this weight she had been carrying the entire time they were together had just disappeared. "I just feel bad storming out like that ... especially after Aunt May made all of that."