The Park, Sunday afternoon

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

Peter carried a basket to a nice, grassy area far from the duck pond. Once they agreed on where to set up ("Over there" was the winner), Zero laid out a black blanket with a huge anarchy symbol on it. Peter smiled as sat down on the blanket. "Happy anniversary."

[OOC: Here for swerval_zero, obviously, who was modded with permission. Thread locked to them, please, but otherwise open for all of your park and/or anniversary needs.]

Comments

[swerval_zero]

Zero sat down next to him, smoothed out her skirt, and smiled back. "Happy anniversary. Six months already."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Time flies," Peter said. "So, you're not sick of me and my neuroses yet? I take that as a personal victory."

[swerval_zero]

Zero rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'm not sick of you. If I were sick of you, I wouldn't've made you chocolate chip cookies."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"That's how all anniversaries should start. With declarations of love or continued non-annoyance. And cookies," Peter said, smiling.

[swerval_zero]

"There should always be cookies," Zero said. She tried to be serious, but mostly she just looked goofy.

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"You're adorable," Peter said, laughing at the look. He took a couple cookies out of the basket and handed one to Zero. "Six months and we've only had the one traumatic experience early on. I think that means we're doing pretty good so far."

[swerval_zero]

Zero took the cookie and told Peter, "You do realize now you've jinxed it."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Well, yeah, but we can survive any trauma, I think," Peter said. Some squirrels ran past, looking intrigued by the cookies. "We've both got experience with that."

[swerval_zero]

"This is true," Zero said. "If anybody kidnaps you, I know what to do." She glanced at the squirrels. "That's funny, I thought the news-squirrels wore little hats."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Wait, the radio actually does use squirrels?" Peter asked. "I don't know why, but I always thought that was just a cover story."

A squirrel approached, still looking at the cookie.

[swerval_zero]

"I dunno. I could be wrong," Zero said with a shrug. Then she told the squirrel, "I'm sorry, but I don't think chocolate is good for squirrels."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

The squirrel pulled a switchblade out from its hiding place within its bushy tail and waved it threateningly while pointing its head towards the cookie.

"I love this place," Peter said. "Do you want to take care of the knife, or should I?"

[swerval_zero]

"That's so cute," Zero cooed at the squirrel. "Wookit hims widdle knife...ahem. You're the superhero here."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

Peter kneeled in front of the squirrel and - being careful thanks to his spider-sense - grabbed the knife away and patted the squirrel on the head in two quick motions.

"Sorry, little guy, but you chose the wrong people to try to assault for cookies," Peter said, putting the knife in his pocket to dispose of later on.

[swerval_zero]

Now the squirrel seemed cranky. "You could have had something without chocolate if you'd asked nicely," Zero told it. "I made a very nice potato salad."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

The squirrel didn't appreciate this lecture, so he ran off. After running five yards, he turned around and shook a tiny squirrel fist before running off again.

"See? We survived being mugged by a squirrel. That's how strong we are."

[swerval_zero]

"If we can handle a squirrel mugger, we can handle anything," Zero agreed. "Would you like some potato salad?"

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Please," Peter said. "Did your father teach you how to cook, or is it just a natural talent?"

[swerval_zero]

Zero took out a Chinese takeaway box full of potato salad and a pair of plastic forks. "Da taught me. Sorta. Mostly I was just in the kitchen a lot. Arsenal doesn't like to cook and everything Twitch touches burns, so I had to be the kitchen helper."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"You learned well," Peter said. "I'm very good at making cereal, personally. That and sandwiches, I'm great at. Also, I can reheat leftovers like nobody's business."

[swerval_zero]

"Between cereal, sandwiches, and leftovers, you can just about survive," Zero told him. "Believe me, it's way more than my brother can do. Besides, I thought no one cooked in New York."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"With the superpowers came an increased metabolism. When I'm really active I eat like crazy so I need to prepare food somehow," Peter said. "My aunt was getting really curious about how anyone could eat that much Cap'n Crunch."

[swerval_zero]

Zero waved that off. "You're a teenaged boy, you're supposed to eat everything in sight. Good job on the sandwiches, by the way. They're very sandwichy."

((And I'm sure Peter would have remembered the ranch!))

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Good point and thank you," Peter said. Then a slight frown crossed his face. "You know, in not too much more than six months, you graduate."

[He totally would have! He has the proportionate ranch remembering of a spider!]

[swerval_zero]

"Shh," Zero told him. "I'm tryin' not to think about that. Until, say, April. At the earliest."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Consider it not mentioned until April at the earliest," Peter said, still marking it in his mind. "And before then, I might even let you play with my hair some more."

[swerval_zero]

"Tease."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"You know you like it," Peter smirked.

[swerval_zero]

"I do," Zero agreed with a fond little grin.

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

That grin was too much for Peter. He leaned over to kiss it.

[swerval_zero]

Mmm, kissing. Kissing was good. Kissing was not talking about leaving.

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

Finally pulling back, Peter said, "You know, this has been my longest relationship without an extended break. I couldn't be happier about that. Thank you for making the last six months in this crazy place so very worth it."

[swerval_zero]

"Thank you," Zero told him. "I swear you make this place better."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"I add atmosphere. Without me, who's going to stick to ceilings, or give Charlie Kawalsky someone to focus on pranking, or indulge John and Greg, or make the ninja want to hurt people?" Peter asked. "And who would kiss you the way I do?"

Peter was well aware how cheesy he sounded. He still meant it.

[swerval_zero]

"Mmm, about the last item on that list..." Zero leaned in to kiss Peter again.

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

When he came up for breath, Peter whispered. "Happy anniversary, Zero."

[swerval_zero]

"Happy anniversary, Peter." Several moments later, she said, "Mmkay, we should probably take this somewhere a little more private. I think the ducks are staring at us."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Good call," Peter said. "Back to your room?"

Peter also made a note to himself to drop the squirrel's switchblade into a trash can or something on the way back.

[swerval_zero]

"I'll bring the blanket," Zero told him. And then they packed up and left to...associate freely.

((Peter modded with permission.))