19. Runaway Boy

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          
— • —

                          
      Her lips tilted up into a grin as Peter turned the corner, a smile spreading across his lips when his eyes landed on her. Her feet began leading her towards him, the boy advancing towards her as well. She just about crashed into him, arms wounding around his neck to hug him tightly. 
                          
      "I'm so glad you're okay," she breathed out.
                          
      "Am I, though?" 
                          
      Luna's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she lifted her head, immediately removing herself from his embrace when she caught sight of his face. His lip was bloody, cuts were strewn across his face, complimenting his black eye. She took a step back as he stepped towards her, eyes no longer resembling the doe eyes she'd grown familiar with.
                          
      There was a darkness swimming in them as his lips fell into a pout. "Why'd you let me go, Luna?" She was at a loss for words, throat closing as he stepped towards her again. "You're my girlfriend, aren't you supposed to make sure I'm okay?" She opened her mouth to respond, but he let out a dark chuckle. "You can't even take care of yourself, let alone somebody else."
                          
      She couldn't lie, that one stung, her eyes beginning to burn as she fought tears. "Why are you saying this?" She choked out, taking another step back when his lip quirked up into a smile.
                          
      "I'm not," he said nonchalantly. "But you're scared I will."
                          
      "W-what?"
                          
      "Wake up, Luna." He stepped forward again. "Wake up, Luna." She backed up into a wall, lip beginning to quiver when he got close. "Wake up!"
                          
      Her eyes snapped open, a rush of dizziness hitting her as she shot up from bed, startling the two girls standing over her. Her heart was beating out of her chest, hands clammy as they gripped onto the sheets. She looked to Liz and Mia with wide eyes, both girls watching in concern. "What happened?" She breathed, looking around the room in confusion.
                          
      Liz and Mia looked to one another, a silent debate happening between them. Eventually, Mia sighed, sitting down beside the still shaken up Luna. "Peter," Luna's heart dropped, "he went out last night and hasn't come back. Ned can't get ahold of him."
                          
      "H-He didn't?" She let out a shaky sigh, shaking her head. "He... he told me it was nothing major."
                          
      Liz's eyebrows furrowed. "You knew he was going out?" Luna nodded. "And you let him?"
                          
      Mia shot her a narrowed look, "Liz."
                          
       Luna shook her head. "I couldn't. Peter doesn't listen to me, not when he's set on something. I couldn't stop him and now he's god knows where and doing god knows what." 
                          
      Ignoring the look Mia was sending her, Liz sat on the other side of Luna, her hand resting on top of Luna's. "Luna, did he tell you where he was going? Or for what? Maybe that'll help."
                          
      "He didn't tell me anything," she breathed out, fingers curling around her sheets again. "Have you tried calling him? Has everyone tried?"
                          
      "Everyone except you," Mia sighed.
                          
       Luna scrambled to grab her phone, Mia and Liz watching with concern as she held the phone in her shaky hands, struggling to correctly type in her passcode. Luna was quick to shush the girls when she opened it, despite the room being completely silent. 
                          
      Her heart stopped as she was immediately greeted by his voicemail, the phone dropping to her lap before he robotic voice even finished. Her eyes were beginning to well with tears now, and she quickly tilted her head back, urging the tears to not spill over. "He's okay," she whispered in an effort to convince herself, though it didn't help in the slightest. In fact, her hands began to shake more, and a choked sob escaped before she could help it.
                          
      "Liz, she's having a panic attack," Mia rushed out, gesturing for the girl to move. "Get her water, now."
                          
      Her eyes squeezed shut as tears streamed down her cheeks, heart beating rapidly in her chest. All she could think of was the version of Peter that had appeared in her dream, and wonder if that was his state at the exact moment. Her body shook with another sob as arms wrapped around her, her shaking body curling into the arms of Mia. 
                          
      Mia stroked her hair as Luna cried, taking in sharp intakes of breathe between each cry. Mia looked to Liz with a deep frown, the two girls' heart reaching out for their best friend. Liz let out a heavy breathe when a soft knocked sounded at their door, Mia motioning for her to get it with a nod of her head.
                          
      She tugged open the door to reveal an unnerved Ned Leeds, the rest of the team behind him. He visibly paled as the sound of cries reached his ears, Liz taking a step back to open the door more, revealing Luna still being held by Mia. Mia shook her head slightly at the group, a silent way of informing them that Luna was just as in the dark as they were.
                          
      "We're heading down to the Decathlon now," Ned told Liz quietly, eyes still trained on Luna.
                          
      Luna lifted her head at this moment, small breathes leaving her parted lips as her heart began to slow down. She quickly wiped at her tears after seeing so many eyes trained on her. "We'll be down in five," she mumbled, shifting so she was out of Mia's hold.
                          
      Liz Allan quickly moved to the front of the group, her look of sympathy making Luna want to burst into tears all over again. "No, Luna, it's okay. You don't have to come."
                          
      "I came to DC for this," she retorted, swallowing harshly, "I'm not missing this, so don't try to convince me otherwise." Mumbles of understanding came from the group, everyone seeming unsure of how to speak to the girl with her current state. She joined Liz by the door, managing a small smile for the group. "I'll.. see you there."
                          
      As the team began to leave, Luna grabbed onto Ned, the boy's attention quickly snapping to her. She glanced back at Liz and Mia before stepping out of the hotel room, taking Ned a few feet away before speaking. "Did he tell you what he was doing?"
                          
      Ned hesitated, before sighing. "We took the tracker off his suit last night, because he didn't want Mr.Stark or anybody knowing what he was doing." Luna let out a shaky breathe, nodding in understanding. "We were tracking the guys with the weapons back home, and they went to Maryland, he said it's probably where their evil lair is, that's why he came." Luna paled. "I told him to tell you!" Ned rushed out, making her bite the inside of her cheek. "All I know is he said he was going after them. He said he'd be back by morning, but obviously not."
                          
      She let out a sigh, nodding in response. Running a hand through her knotted hair, only one thought occupied her mind now, I hope he's okay. 
                          
— • —
                          
Imagine you wake up from a dream about your s.o. being hurt then wake up to hear they're fucking missing, I'D LOSE MY MARBLES. Sigh, if only Luna knew Peter was lying in a web hammock while talking to Karen.
                          
I was rereading comments and I want to make it clear that Danielle is strictly Luna's antagonist. Yes, she somewhat threatened Peter, but only in an effort to hurt Luna. Peter is dealing w Vulture, and Luna needs to deal with someone on her own level, meaning no superpowers or anything, just a bitchy girl.