Chapter Text
Peter doesn’t know what to do.
He’s been in absolute agony since coming back from the field trip and May’s taken a week off to look after him. They can afford it - barely.
But Peter isn’t sure what to tell his aunt. How do you explain that you snuck in somewhere you shouldn’t have gone, got bitten by an interesting looking spider and now feel very ill? Of course to make matters worse, the bite is pretty much gone, already faded. She wouldn't believe him, even if he told her.
Would she?
It would be better to stay silent, he concludes so even as he tosses and turns he doesn't let anything out. May hears his restlessness, though, because she quickly comes in to check on him, bringing a warm cup of water with her.
Peter's not a huge fan of hot water on its own but he doesn't hate it - it just tastes plain - and he chokes cold water out so he accepts the cup, groaning as he sits up. After that, he vaguely remembers putting it down and then the duvet's on him again and he drifts off...
When he gets up, the sun is beaming brightly through the little cracks of the curtain and May has left the room. He can't quite recall what time it is but it ends up not really mattering because he's hit by a particularly strong wave of pain again.
He's practically delirious when he hears his aunt enter. She gently reaches over to squeeze his hand. Peter has already weakly protested - it was a radioactive spider and he's pretty sure it means that it's contagious but May refuses to leave and he doesn't have enough energy to fight her about it.
And then the truth comes spilling out.
His aunt's eyes darken and he sees her eyes drift towards the sheet of metal he was able to recover a little while ago. Desperately, he clings on to her hand. He doesn't want her to get into trouble for his sake. Aunt May relaxes a bit but her gaze stays fixed.
May looks at that piece of metal more and more often in the following days when Peter manages to get his hand stuck on things and suddenly begins to break things because his strength has totally changed. He usually manages to divert her... but sometimes...
Peter futilely attempts not to gulp.