For Peter

[miniclaws]

Laura never forgets a face, at any point she can pull fifty facts on a person. However, she does not often go and seek a person out after the first meeting. Peter is ....different, Laura cannot explain why but she looks for him, watches him, studies him.

She realises she wishes to talk to him again but she is not known for her conversation starters. It is hard. Eventually, she stands outside his room in the evening and waits for him to emerge. She is silent until the door opens so Peter should have no idea she is there.

When the door creaks open she catches his scent and puts her hand in the door. She peers around.

"You owe me a joke."

Comments

[spideys]

"Yeah?"

Peter's smile as he tilts his head towards her is a little crooked, but true.

"Man, I'd love to see them." Jokingly: "Even if they lack the stalking advantage."

It's still a little strange that Laura has the kind of ability to smell things beyond what normal people can pick up. But then, most would say all of his spider abilities are strange too. Freakish, even.

[miniclaws]

Laura tilts her head up. "Would you like to see them now?" She does not want her time with him to end soon. A smile tugs at her lips.

"You can show me any spots you know of."

[spideys]

"Yeah, sure. Why not? It's not like I've got a busy schedule or anything," he says, laughing a little.

Because sad but true, he feels like he's been doing a lot of sitting around, reading up on things, exploring for the ship simply for the sake of exploring it, but ... nothing's felt ... productive.

This, at least, might be an adventure.

And for someone who's used to doing things alone, company doesn't seem so bad.

"There might be a spot here and there, probably - uh. Nothing as cool as yours though."

[miniclaws]

"One of my spots is warm," Laura said, " It is near one of heating vents." She is deliberately turning his words into something else. She unfolds her legs and springs catlike from the chair to land on her feet. "I have not covered all of the ship, there is a high chance you will have found somewhere different."

She glances up at him. "Do you have a problem with heights?"

[spideys]

"That's -"

Totally not what he meant, but he's not even going to bother with it this time around, choosing to laugh amusedly instead.

He gets to his feet too, though not with as much cat-like grace as Laura demonstrates, opting instead for a more natural, teenage-boy slouch-and-rise motion. He grabs his jacket from where he'd flung it, and puts it on.

"Heights?" It takes Peter a fraction of a second longer to answer because his instinct is to answer, 'What, seriously?'

If heights were an issue for him, he'd have a hell of a lot of problems being Spider-Man.

"Uh - no, no I guess I'm okay with them."

[miniclaws]

"I know teenage boys with powers who shake if they stand on anything higher than a table." Laura is not hinting that she suspects Peter is not completely human, it is not any of business - she simply spent the most time with mutants.

"I do not have time for people who have unfounded fears." She has the corridors memorised and leads the way, winding down different corridors in a zig zag pattern away from the bedrooms.

[spideys]

Unfounded ... fears? Peter almost laughs at that. She sounds so serious, and yeah, she is probably dead serious about it too, on account of the whole ... not joking thing.

But still.

It's kind of hilarious that someone could be so ... blase about stuff like that.

Nevertheless, it's easy enough to keep up with her. He's got long legs and the proportional strength and agility of a spider. He can move quickly when he has to, and while he tries to pretend he's perfectly normal and 100% not special, it's hard not to want to keep up with someone like an X-Man.

"So uh - what do you do when you go to these spots?"

[miniclaws]

Laura pauses by a door that leads into the maintenance area to answer his question. "I watch," she says simply. "People act differently when they think people are watching them." All her life, she's been taught to be constantly vigilant, to assess, to prepare.

"What would you do, in hidey-hole?"

[spideys]

"I dunno. Think about stuff, maybe. Think about ... how I want to go home, wonder what my aunt is up to." What Gwen is up to ... "Maybe read a book or something, if I had one."

He shrugs a shoulder.

"Mostly the thinking, though, I've - uh, I've done a lot of that since I got here. I've been ... wondering what I'd do if I ever met Q. Or if I could talk to the captain."

[miniclaws]

Laura nods, noises and people are a distraction to thoughts. When she wants to think, she makes sure no one can find her. She does not like people asking questions and interpreting her thoughts for her.

"What would you do if you met Q? I would not waste words on him."

[spideys]

"I dunno, I think I might try to talk to him, you know, before doing anything rash," Peter says. "Give him a chance to set things right." There's the briefest pause, before he adds (with a shrug), "Although I guess ... I guess the outcome of that is pretty much predictable."

Given how much he seems not to care whether he's doing the right or wrong thing, kidnapping people from any point in time and location in the universe.

"After that, well."

[miniclaws]

"You are a better person that I am," Laura says quietly. She does not give second chances and it has happened that she has been wrong about her decision before. It makes her uneasy with herself.

"If you do get a chance to talk to him, someone should be there to protect you. Good people should not get hurt unnecessarily."

[spideys]

Peter tilts his head towards her, smile grateful and a little wry, despite his best intentions to ... you know, keep his abilities under wraps.

If only Laura knew ...

"Nah, he can't hurt me," he says. "I mean, it'd be stupid of him to try, right? It's - playing tricks on people's one thing, but harming them outright ..."

Unless he pulled the first punch, maybe.

"Anyway, yeah. Yeah when or if I do talk to him, you should be there. We'll - uh. We'll take care of it together."

Which is something he really has never considered before. Doing something as a team from the get-go.

(Gwen coming in and pushing herself into his plans doesn't count, as she literally bossed him into helping ... even if he totally needed it.)

[miniclaws]

Perhaps, Laura has worked out a little more about Peter than she is letting on because she does not tell him he would be a hinderance. "I would like that." She pulls open a side door and leads him into her first hideyhole. There is a enough room for the two of them to stand. In the dim light she adds, "I will bring you with me, if I find him before you."

[spideys]

Peter steps into the space head first, peering up and then to the sides with curious interest, almost like he's doing a thorough inspection of the place and expects to be writing a report at the end of it.

He turns to look over his shoulder at her.

"Sounds like a deal," he says, smiling.

And then he steps into the space.

"I like it."

[miniclaws]

Laura reaches around behind him and hits the button to shut the door behind them. "Good," she says. She smiles. "It is quiet in here." Which to her is a good thing, she does not have to listen to people clomping up and down the hallway.

[spideys]

"Yeah. It's a good place to sit and think and ... you know, get away from it all when you need to."

And with all the craziness they've been dealing with ever since they dropped onto this ship, that ... can be a good thing.

"It's kinda warm too. And - and no one comes here, really?"

[miniclaws]

"No one," Laura says and leans back against the wall. "I do not think people are looking for places to hide." There are many social people on board the ship. "You may come and tell me I am wrong if some one tries to disturb you. I am confident they won't."

[spideys]

"Yeah, definitely."

Peter smiles, rubbing the back of his neck, his elbow hitting the wall behind him.

It's a small, cozy little hiding spot, that's for sure.

"I'm sure it's fine. I guess I was just thinking ... I dunno, someone from the - the maintenance crew or something would occasionally wanna ... check things out. Something. It'll be a surprise to them to find someone in here."

Or maybe not, who knows.

[miniclaws]

"You will hear anyone approaching," Laura says with complete confidence. She glances at Peter and back at the door. "I will show you the next place another day. I want a reason to come to your room again."

[spideys]

The statement sounds so strange, but ... well, this is Laura. This is what she's like, and he's okay with that.

He does feel his face heat a little but at least he can get words out, which is a lot more than he'd usually accomplish if a similar situation were presented to him back home with another girl.

"You don't really need a reason," Peter says kindly. "You're welcome any time. Seriously, just - just come over when you feel like it."

He's sure his roommate won't mind.

[miniclaws]

"Anytime," Laura raises an eyebrow. "Does that include 3am?" She is half serious, when she cannot sleep, she wanders through the ship and uses the holodecks.

"I will keep the other place back in case you change your mind."

[spideys]

Peter laughs.

"Uh - well, maybe not when I'm sleeping at 3 AM. That - uh. Don't you usually sleep when it's 3 AM?"

[miniclaws]

"Not often. I sleep better in the garden on board." Laura shrugs, it is not a big deal to her. "I will not approach your door while I can hear you are asleep."

[spideys]

Okay, he's gonna have to take what he can get, he guesses.

"That - thank you, that sounds good."