OC Trash Posting

This Isn't So Bad

She sat in a fetal position on the edge of one of New York's tallest buildings looking out over the city, watching the lights sparkle underneath the midnight moon. Rain came crashing down all around her, soaking her to the core. Her long brown hair that was usually swept back in a high ponytail was sticking to the fabric of her suit and the skin of her neck. The white fabric of her suit became slightly see through from the excessive amount of rain falling on her figure.

Footsteps echoed behind her, but she didn't even bother to look, she found it better to just stay in her own world, watching the streets of New York with a curiosity she could never quite understand. The footsteps stopped just behind her, a shadow looming over her shoulder.

"Rachael? What are you doing out here? You're soaking wet..." A familiar voice spoke from behind her. When she didn't respond they took that as a sign to move closer to her, shivering from the intensity of the chilling rain and from the cool atmosphere that seemed to follow her everywhere. "How long have you been out here?"

"I don't know..." She mumbles, her lips moving for the first time in hours, the raindrops running down her face and into her mouth as she did so, not that she seemed to mind.

"You're gonna freeze out here- Or well not freeze I guess... but you will get sick in this condition." He says softly.

"I don't care. Leave me..." Rachael responds in a soft whisper.

The figure moved to sit at her side, dangling his legs off the side of the building, before removing his mask, letting the rain dampen his hair. "How did you get out here?"

She didn't answer, so he took the moment to observe her small stature, noticing how her wet bangs were clinging to the curves of her mask, that sat perfectly against the pale skin of her face. He watched as water welled in her eyes before sliding down the front of her mask, it took him a moment before he realized it wasn't the rain at all. Tears streamed down her mask glowing softly as they reflected the endless light of the city.

"Can I ask why you're out here?" Peter asks, watching her expression carefully.

"I'm on lockdown..." Rachael speaks, her gaze not moving from the flickering neon light across the street, casting the entire area in its warm glow, twinkling against the rainfall. "This is the only way I'm allowed out now..."

"Again? What did your dad bust you for this time?" He asks, concerned, wanting to reach out for one of her hands, but stopping himself.

"I-I don't know... he didn't really seem to have a reason. Though he rarely does... I-..." She sniffled, her cold, wet body shaking against the rain. "He-he just thinks I can't handle myself... That I'm made of... of glass..."

Peter slid closer to her a bit, in an attempt to be more comforting. "Hasn't he always thought that?"

"I-I guess so, but it just as bad as it used to be before I moved here..." Rachael sighs, resting her head on Peter's shoulder gently. "It's the aftermath of everything that happened in Berlin all those months ago. Now I'm constantly being grounded for no reason other than to 'protect' me and it's not fair..."

"He does have to let go of your leash at some point..." Peter sighs, leaning his head against hers. "I guess that means you don't want to go home then?"

"Why do you think I'm out here?" She mumbles, watching the rain smack rhythmically against one of the neighboring buildings.

"We should get out of this rain though..." Peter says, softly. "Mind if I take you somewhere dry?"

"What are you suggesting?" Rachael asks picking her head up to look at him.

"Come with me and you'll find out..." Peter says, flashing her a lopsided smile as he stood up, reaching his hand out for her to take.