It All Started In A McDonald's...

cute little filler chapter with minimal trauma uncovered

I pursed my lip. "Well, I trust him. Isn't it better to go anyway, with the plan, and not need it, than not go prepared?"

"Well, yeah, for sure, but I really don't think we're gonna need it," Peter shrugged. "That's all. I just don't wanna spend the whole time as Spider-Man on the lookout while you two actually get to go to the party."

"Oh, trust me, if I could swap places with you and be on outside patrol instead, I totally would," I said, seriously. "Unfortunately, I'm actually old enough to go as myself, unlike a certain child I know."

"For god's sake, I'm literally sixteen in, like, a couple weeks," he sighed. "I'm not a child."

"That's what a child would say," I smirked. "Imagine having a birth year that starts with a two anyway."

"Yeah, imagine," Ned said, pointing at him. He hesitated. "Hang on. My birth year starts with a two."

"Don't worry, Ned, we'll get our own back when we're adults and we get to call her old because her birth year starts with a nineteen," Peter reassured him. I rolled my eyes because as if.

"Yeah," Ned said, pointing at me. I couldn't believe I was getting ganged up on by children. Unbelievable.

"Whatever, children," I said, sighing. I knew I was older, and therefore so much wiser. And I can beat Spider-Man in combat – I know, because I've done so, many a time. Imagine being Spider-Man and getting beaten by an old lady with no superpowers anyway. "Well anyway, I'm going to prepare my outfit for the party, since it's tonight and all. It'll take me all of five minutes to get ready, after all."

"Woah, steady on there, Little Miss Feminine," Peter said, and I gave him the death glare.

"No need to dig at my lack of stereotypical femininity," I said, badassly, because I'm a badass. "Now, farewell peasants, and allow me to badassly leave the room." And that is exactly what I did.

*

"Peter thinks you're insane by the way," I said later, because I'm a snitch, while Loki and I sat outside the Compound as the sun started setting. I was so glad that blasted star was disappearing for the next eight hours, because that bitch left me sweating all day. I don't know how Loki's wearing long sleeves still.

"A lot of people think I'm insane, so I'm not surprised," he shrugged. I could tell he was actually incredibly excited for this. I'd only been with him five minutes, and I could tell that much. We still had another hour before the party starts.

"Yeah, but in a bad sort of way," I said, fanning myself with my hand the best I could. A big brain might use their jacket, but I just had mine slung over the picnic bench we were sat at. Both of us sat on the table part because we're just like that. Me, sit in normal places? Don't be stupid. "He thinks you've made everything up. Or you're driving yourself crazy over nothing. Mostly the latter. Apparently Barnes said you're not acting like usual."

He didn't answer immediately, and I looked to see him staring at the sunset like he was totally lost in his thoughts. "Dude, you're gonna burn your eyes out."

He blinked and looked back towards me. Bro apparently forgot how to speak for a second. "Hm? Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Then he stared at the ground instead. He wasn't fidgeting or anything, but I could tell he was restless. And he hadn't listened to a word I'd said.

"You need to calm the fuck down," I said, matter-of-factly. He looked toward me at that point. "Seriously. You're making me anxious."

"Sorry," he said, attempting to sit casually. "I should activate small talk mode, shouldn't I?"

"I can do small talk," I said, and I proceeded to point out his all-black suit. "How the fuck are you not melting?"

"Oh, I have a spell for that," he said, casually. That made a lot of sense, actually. "I feel like I'm burning alive, but the spell to stop me feeling hot conflicts with the one I have to use to stop me melting. There's no point of feeling cool when I'm a literal puddle of water on the floor."