Spider Man: Duty And Loss - Chapter 120

(2 Weeks later)

Peter felt his lips slipping down once more as he thought back to Jean’s story. The sorrow was palpable in her voice as she talked about that day, the fact that she wasn’t too sure what had come over her was what really concerned him, she was his long-time friend even if they hadn’t see each other in years and there was a small nagging feeling in the back of his mind that Professor Charles Xavier knew something about what was happening.

And then there was Felicia…. Peter felt a sigh coming just at the thought, while Natasha had sort of come around to Jean over the last 2 weeks he had been staying here, as she had been coming to visits frequently, hell most of the avengers had come around to her, Felecia hadn’t.

Though Peter couldn’t blame her…but they were both some of the only people he had left, was it weird for him to want them to get along? “Peter, concentrate!” The words snapped Peter from his daze as he watched the slender fist incoming. A right hook, he noted.

With his enhanced reflexes and senses he could easily dodge such a blow, the only reason he wasn’t broken from his thoughts by his spider sense was because of who was throwing it, Laura. Well that and this was only a spar, or more like training, he just didn’t consider her a threat, and knew she wouldn’t harm him.

Well maybe hurt him a little, but nothing major.

Peter watched as the hook got closer and closer, making sure he flinched from the incoming blow, trying to raise his hands at an appropriate pace, of course he was too slow to do any real good, or that’s what everyone would see. He had to keep appearances, though he did lean back a bit, if he didn’t he would have a nasty bruise.

Why were Peter and Laura sparring? Well during the first week of his stay at Avenger Tower, Peter made the mistake of playing a few video games with Felicia, which ultimately lead to her trying to take his shirt off at some point…he should have known better… what he hadn’t expected was for Clint and Natasha to walk in on them.

Though Clint had an amused look in his eyes, Natasha had a look in her eyes Peter still couldn’t quite place. But those looks both changed when they got a clear look at the scar on his back. Not being able to tell them how he really got it, somehow Peter’s quick thinking mind had eloquently blamed it on, “A Bad night on my bench”, his foot was clearly stuck in his mouth after he said that.

Had Felicia not know he was lying when he said it, Peter was sure she would have beaten him up. This then lead to where he was now, since that incident Clint, Tony, Steve and especially Natasha had been on his back to start a defensive training course.

Who better to teach him that the world mightiest heroes, or that’s what Tony said. Peter wouldn’t have minded too much, if he wasn’t board out of his mind half the time. He had already gone through all of the defensive technique they were teaching him, he needed this knowledge when he created his own martial art, ‘The way of the Spider’.

Though beggars couldn’t be choosers and he knew that first hand these days. And along with his training came the same thing over and over, his mind just couldn’t help but wander while they were sparing. He was used to the thrill of fighting a super villain at full throttle; in comparison sparring was like watching paint dry.

Peter could admit, one of the worst things ever was watching paint dry! Especially when he had done it before!!! Metaphorically speaking of course. Over the last week he had to fight all the avengers at some point, though Peter was a little bit happy that Tony was on the ‘same level’ skill wise at the minute.

Well it was between him and Bruce banner, the only Avenger Peter still had yet to meet. But no one wanted to take the risk of actually sucker punching him in a spar…yeap no one. Today’s opponent was Laura, the second best fighter after Natasha. Surprisingly they both outshone Captain America in the amount of styles they knew, though the Cap could hold his own when he needed to.

The voice that spoke from the side was Natasha, she and Clint had taken a personal interest in his development, and one of them would always be present in a spar, helping him refine his stances. Taking the glancing blow, that was obviously slowed down, the padded fists knocked off his forearm forcing him back.

Focusing back on his opponent, Peter pulled his right foot back as Laura went for a low kick, gaining his footing again he went in for a regular jab, as her guard dropped for a second. Of course it was a trap, Peter obviously knew that, like Laura would drop her guard so blatantly.

But they had been sparring for the last 30 minutes and Peter thought it was about time it came to an end. Though he did quite enjoy their little spars, Laura looked like she was having fun in his opinion and she would always have a huge smile on her face after they finished.

The straight jab utterly missed its target as she stepped in close to Peter. Taking his outstretched arm, it didn’t take much effort for her to flip him onto his back. The wind was knocked out of Peter’s body as Laura straddled him, arms pulled prepared to hit his face or neck should he struggle, signifying the end of the bout.

Laura couldn’t help but smile as she starred down at Peter trapped below her, her heart hammered in her chest as she leaned in pinning him. She hadn’t had this much fun…well Laura couldn’t remember when she had this much fun before.

Her body didn’t want to move off him as they continued to stare at each, a small voice in the back of her head making her lower her head ever so slowly. Her face was slowly moving down, her face heating up each second, before a cough from the side snapped her out. Looking up at Clint who had a small mischievous smile she at least looked embarrassed as she pulled herself away from Peter and went to drink the water bottle off to the side.

While she was doing that Natasha moved up into the ring to talk to Peter. “You were distracted again.” Peter could only give a sheepish look as he replied. “Sorry Nat, mind just wanders all the time, should of seen what I was like at school.”

Though she didn’t approve of him slacking in training, a small smile tugged on her lips as she talked to him. They continued to talk for a short while as she detailed the whole spar and where he went wrong, before helping him fix a few of his postures before they finally broke up.

Laura looked a little disappointed that they wouldn’t be continuing, but said nothing as they both caught the elevator up to the common room, Clint and Natasha staying behind to do their own training. A light sheen of sweat was on both of them as they talked about the small excursion they had in the afternoon.

As a part of letting Laura stay at Avengers tower, the x-men wanted Laura to visit their school, so that they could keep in contact with her. Though the person herself didn’t like the arrangement too much, especially the words, ‘letting her stay’, she begrudgingly wanted to get to know the person who she was cloned from a bit better.

Though she wouldn’t admit it, she did enjoy that she had one other person that was related by blood that wasn’t dead, but there would always be a divide between them, or that’s what Laura believed. Of course their form of bonding was going into the danger room, a room that Peter couldn’t help but find ironic seeing as it was under school grounds, and push themselves to the limit.

It would be the first time Peter himself would be going, something that Felicia didn’t like at all. They had a little argument about it the night before, but Peter didn’t want to think about that. But the universe like always wasn’t on his side.

Stepping into the common room, Felicia stuck her head out from behind the fridge to see who it was as she slowly pulled out a sandwich. A small grimace appeared on her features for a second as she looked at Peter, and neither said anything as they walked past each other. They weren’t talking to each other for a few hours Peter would say.

*Sigh* Peter couldn’t help but let out the long sigh that had been building over the past week, as he relaxed his sore body into the comfy cushions of the couch. Laura took a spot beside him and also stretched her body out, feeling it pop in all the right places.

Unlike Felicia, Peter thought, who sprawled like a cat over the couch, Laura had her own type of sprawling. Peter might have likened it to a dog, with the way her toes and body curled up, but he could still see the stiffness in her body as she lied down.

It was only when she slowly rested her head on his lap that a bit of the tension left her body. She had only started doing that 3 days ago, but Peter was already used to it. Nuzzling her head into his thigh a little bit more, her body continued to unwind as Peter let out a gentle smile as he looked down at her.

Starring at her relaxing figure for a few more seconds Peter’s own body started to relax as he picked up the remote and flicked on the TV. They both had some down time and would have to each have showers before they got going in the afternoon.