Spider-Man: Duty and Loss Chapter 15: Slight Concern

"Urgh." Peter let out a small groan as he held his side and walked back to his bench. Last night he had to spend a lot of time talking to Laura. Well maybe it was a bit of a stretch to say that they talked, more like Peter tried to talk to her.

Unlike most talks though, Laura had a small smile on her face as they faced each other. It gave Peter the small knowledge that he was getting through to her. After the incident last night Peter wasn't sure what to talk to her about, but he got by. He mainly wanted to question her about her mutation and her past, but knew that would be stepping over her boundaries.

Even though he only saw them for a little while Peter knew enough about mutations and science to figure out that the blades that came out of her hands and feet weren't natural. Maybe a bone could grow from a mutation and then pop out, but they shouldn't be metal.

*Sigh* Peter let out a small sigh as he made it closer and closer to his bench. After leaving her last night he had gone out on patrol later than usual, about 10pm. With thoughts of Laura on his mind and some slight distractions he had accidentally been hit by a bullet while fighting a group of thugs.

Of course it wasn't life threatening as it pierced clean through. His healing factor would take care of it pretty fast, but the pain was very annoying for him. Even now a few hours after the shot it still tingled in dull pain inside.

Getting to the bench in his civilian clothes he sat for a short few minutes and looked around to see if Nat would show up. She was on contract and he had no clue when she would get back. Sometimes her deals would take days, other times they would take weeks.

She had left a few days ago so he wasn't sure if she would be back yet. Giving her 20 minutes and not seeing hide or hair of her, he finally settled himself down and slowly fell to sleep.

*Puff* *Puff* Spraying a small amount of perfume on and giving herself a once over in the mirror Natasha got ready to leave. She had just returned from a secret mission in Russia. Her target was an arms dealer selling some stolen stark tech and she was sent to get information on where he got it. It took her longer than expected to break him, but in the end he spilled. She always got the job done.

Now back at avengers' tower freshening up, she looked at the time and decided it was time to go. Opening her door and going down to the living room to grab some spare food. Just as she opened the door to the fridge her ear twitched.

Not moving as if she heard anything, she narrowed her eyes before a few seconds latter rounding on the person that was behind her. "Whoa!" Slapping the persons arm away and then jumping swerving around the body and forcing him to the ground, she got them into a head lock and looked at the them

"I give I give!" In a playful voice Tony Stark, better known as Iron man, tapped Natasha's thigh in surrender. Giving the man a scowl she kept her position for another few seconds until his face went a bit blue. Once that happened she let him go and go up again.

Quickly grabbing some spare food from the fridge she closed it as Tony coughed and gasped for air. "That was a bit mean." Still gasping for air he somehow still managed to sound playful in the way he spoke. "How many times do I have to tell you Stark?" Tony just grinned at her remark. "One day I'll properly sneak up on you." Natasha snorted at the thought before her eyes flickered slightly, a small smile almost coming to her lips.

"You just want to cop a feel." Tony looked shocked at her words and in his surprise looked down at the woman's behind. Staring at it for a few seconds he unconsciously nodded in agreement. *Grip* "Tony." *Gulp* Tony gave one last bitter look at Natasha, who was having trouble not smiling, before he turned slowly to Pepper Potts who was standing behind him. "Hey Pep, I…" He didn't get to finish his sentence, and all Natasha heard on the way out was Tony's mournful screams of despair. She started laughing lightly in the elevator ride down.

Finally making it to the park with her food, she saw that Peter was asleep. 'Well' she chided herself; 'it was already 7:30'. Walking over and staring at his resting face for a while, she lamented how gaunt it was starting to look. It was only recently when he started to get skinnier and skinner. She wasn't sure what caused it, and every time she even slightly mentioned the fact he would divert the topic.

Even with all the food she had been bringing, it wasn't changing; she was, even though she wouldn't admit it, worried about him. Looking over his tattered clothes she noted the extra rips in the material and how it was starting to look bigger on him.

But as she was feeling pity towards him, her gaze stopped on one specific spot. On the underside of the coat, where it was barely visible was a splotch of blood. She had seen him before and that had never been there!

Chapter end