"Finn, don't say such things." Dr. Bruce Banner also frowned deeply; he was, of course, well aware of the danger hidden beneath such tranquility.
Kid, that's not right." Iron Man's previously casual expression immediately tightened, his gaze fixed intently on Finn. A young man with a severe history of mental illness and a record of self-harm suddenly saying he [hoped time would stop at this very moment] was, of course, a dangerous signal that was enough to make every battle-hardened hero present feel a tightening in their hearts. "Time will never stop, but we have plenty of next moments.
As soon as the words were spoken, Captain America's steady voice rang out, his gentle gaze falling upon Finn: "Finn, time is never meant for staying still; it is humanity's most precious treasure. Every passing minute and second paves the way for new possibilities for us. You know as well as I do, I slept in the ice for many years, the stagnation of time was nothing more than a pause. It was only after I awoke again, in the flow of time, that I saw a brand new peace and future."
Then, Tony Stark looked toward the dazed Peter Parker, who was still sitting on the sofa in a drunken state, appearing as if he hadn't noticed anything unusual at all.
Iron Man couldn't help but curse inwardly—
What a lightweight!
His own little boyfriend was about to have an episode, he still had no sense of how serious this was!
System PP was also frustrated by his incompetence. After getting the hang of it through practice, this was his third attempt at exerting strength, urgently sending a barrage of brainwaves to the chaotic little Spider-Man.
Before Noah could rush forward and grab him, a strand of web shot out first, wrapping directly around Finn's waist.
Pulling him straight back, he sat firmly on Peter Parker's lap.
A powerful, familiar embrace wrapped tightly around Finn's waist, pulling him forcefully and securely into his arms.
It was as if he wanted to pull Finn back into this real world.
Peter's voice came from behind the fallen Finn, carrying a slightly drunken rasp, yet it was exceptionally firm:
Finn, time doesn't need to stop.
In stopped time, no new people will walk into your life, no surprises of fate will suddenly arrive, no results of hard work will bloom amidst your passionate expectations.. Keep moving forward, Finn, the future will be better.
“I will always be with you.”
The drunken Peter seemed to be clinging to Finn, relying entirely on his instincts.
The faint scent of alcohol in his breath mixed with the young man's clean scent, warmly enveloping Finn.
It felt as if Finn's empty, fluttering heart had finally found a place to rest.
Humans need oxygen, they need sunlight, they need the endless, fervent summer.
Peter continued—
I need Finn Osborn.
Finn leaned in Peter's arms like that. The young man's originally unfocused gaze rippled slowly like the surface of a lake covered in a thin mist, as his confusion and detachment faded bit by bit. He turned his head, meeting Peter's eyes, which seemed eternally sincere and passionate.
Of course I know," Finn said with a smile, his lips curling upward. "I think I can finally tell the difference between liking and loving now.
There was still a hint of confusion and bewilderment in Peter Parker's eyes.
“I like Spider-Man,” Finn whispered, kissing the corner of Peter's lips with a kiss that was both sincere and bold, “but I love Peter Parker.”
This sudden little interlude startled everyone, the party could only end like this.
It's over? Just like that?" Thor was still confused. "Hasn't it only just begun?
Your brother's brain isn't normal either." Iron Man glanced at the dim-witted Thor. "If he has an illness, go get him treated. Loki's plan to seize power was being thrown right in your face, only now do you realize? You also need to reflect on how much responsibility you bear for your brother's anti-social, mentally ill behavior all these years.
Peter naturally followed Finn home. Previously, the Bro-Sorrow Alliance couldn't stand the idea of the Little Spider-Man staying overnight, but today, both Noah and Harry were acting out of character; neither was at ease regarding Finn's mental state and insisted that Peter keep a close eye on Finn in the room.
Even if Finn needed to use the bathroom at night, he had to be watched every step of the way.
Although Peter nodded repeatedly, Harry was still worried, as Peter looked quite heavily intoxicated.
"Do you think it's okay for him to stare like that?" Harry was worried about Peter's condition, fearing he might make a mistake.
"How about we sleep together?" Noah frowned deeply; he was naturally worried as well.
Finn's act of self-harm on the second day after his birthday had undoubtedly left Noah with a very severe psychological shadow, at this moment, Finn's state was extremely similar to that day.
Forgotten Goff Elias: ".." You four are sleeping together? What about me?
Harry had already asked the Wilsons to reorganize Finn's room, putting away all the items that could potentially harm him. Even the medicine in the drawers was carefully kept safe, to prevent Finn from taking an overdose on his own.
Sleep together? I don't want to," Finn refused the suggestion to sleep together. "This bed is only two meters long in total.
Is two meters not enough for four people to sleep?" Noah asked back, while coaxing Finn, "Didn't you say you were very happy today? If you're not sleepy, we'll stay and play with you for a while longer.
".. I have Peter, that's enough." Finn looked at Noah and Harry hesitantly.
Although the two brothers couldn't hear Finn's inner thoughts, they could clearly see the subtext in the young man's green eyes at this moment—
[Who wants to play with the two of you?]
She really has a boyfriend now; she's even willing to give up both of her brothers.
Finn's attitude was very firm, so Noah and Harry could only give up, reminding Peter repeatedly to keep an eye on Finn.
“You still need to take care of me?” After Harry and Noah left the room, Finn looked at the still-dazed little Peter with confusion. Finn thought he had sobered up, but his cheeks still felt very hot. On the contrary, Peter, who hadn't drunk much before and had been forced to drink heavily by Noah this time, looked completely dazed; not only were his cheeks, but even the tips of his ears were bright red. "No matter how I look at it, you're much more drunk than I am."
Finn didn't know what Noah and Harry were thinking, he reached out to touch Peter's ear with an amused expression.
"We.. haven't done 'every night, every night' in a long time." Sitting on the edge of the bed, Peter reached out and wrapped his arms around Finn's waist once again.
Ever since Finn had to practice choreography with the dance troupe for his concert performance, their intimate "every night, every night" sessions had been forced into a hiatus. After all, Finn only had so much energy and physical strength each day, Peter couldn't make the busy Finn run himself ragged because of his own needs. It was just that Peter also experienced a sense of hardship; just as his youthful vigor and addiction were peaking, the forced withdrawal began. To say he didn't want it would be absolutely impossible.
Sure," Finn said with a smile, reaching down to lift the hem of his shirt. "Look, I think I even have obliques now.
Peter's gaze fell directly upon that slender, fair waistline, his already hazy and heated mind instantly lost another connection.
System PP: [..] Stop flirting, I'm begging you.
Even System PP felt that the eighteen-year-old Peter's burning gaze was no different from staring at prey that had delivered itself right into his net.
Then how about we try it for the whole night, all night long?" Peter said, looking up at Finn, "Haven't you always wanted to try it?
Finn was silent: "??"
"PP, did I ever tell Peter.. that I want to do things like that all night long?" Finn couldn't remember ever telling Peter that he wanted to do such things all night long; he had only secretly thought about it in his head at the very beginning.
System PP also fell silent for two seconds before saying rigorously: 【Host, there are no records regarding this topic in PP's system. However, it is not impossible that the Host had such a conversation with Peter while blocking me.】
Finn was also somewhat unsure whether he had actually said it or not, but "all night long".. given his endurance, that was a bit of an exaggeration.
"Try going all the way in, okay?" Peter continued to tilt his head up.
The drunken Spider-Man showed no sign of stopping; instead, he pushed his luck by making an even more advanced request.
Finn: ".."
System PP: 【..】I heard something I shouldn't have heard.
Regardless, System PP still spoke up: 【Please, Host, refuse Peter Parker seriously; he is currently in an intoxicated and incoherent state.】
He's so cute!" Finn looked down at Peter, but he suddenly had the feeling that this superhero, who was technically two years younger than him by this world's age, was actually clinging to him and acting spoiled. He felt a sense of wonder and surprise. "Peter doesn't usually say things like this; to think he'd actually be holding my waist and making such a request of me now.
Finn naturally knew all along that Peter was deliberately holding back, making it hard for him not to feel a bit guilty, and
—Who could refuse a diamond high school boy at eighteen?
——Even the Young Master Osborn can't.
If my dear Host can do it, there's no reason I can't, especially since I have attribute buffs." Under Peter's intense gaze, the previously hesitant Finn suddenly felt capable again. "As a human, if one isn't brave enough to challenge one's own limits, how can one know where those limits lie?
System PP didn't even have time to stop Finn from his reckless overconfidence again before he heard his host's crisp, decisive response:
Alright then.
In the next second, Peter flipped over and covered him, System PP was once again locked inside the familiar Little White Room.
System PP: [Ah, no way??] My pure mental-strength Host is going to face the BOSS barehanded all night long??
By the time Peter fully woke up the next day, his mind was filled with only one thought—【I'm finished】.
When he saw Finn without even his pajamas on, Peter felt his scalp tingle at the sight of those light and dark marks. Instead of fading, the memories of the intoxication were exceptionally clear. Peter couldn't stop cursing himself in his heart for being so shameless; he had clearly taken advantage of Finn's easygoing and accommodating personality, coaxing and deceiving him until Finn's eyes were red with emotion, accepting everything time and time again.
In the end, it seemed as if he had even forced the overwhelmed Finn to curl up within his wings..
Just like a pearl hidden inside an oyster shell.
The exceptionally stubborn Peter insisted on prying this pearl out and holding it close to his chest before he would be satisfied.
"I am guilty." Recalling everything from last night, the little Spider-Man repeatedly scolded himself in his heart, filled with an indescribable sense of regret.
Only then did Peter carefully carry him into the bathroom.
".. Peter, I'm really going to die." Feeling the movement, Finn frowned and slowly woke up, his voice sounding weak.
I'm sorry." Peter kissed the young man's hair, filled with guilt, "A shower will make you feel better, then you can go back to sleep in bed in a bit.
Okay." Finn nodded, his eyes slightly swollen and heavy with exhaustion. He tried to recall whether he had actually achieved the new feat of staying up "all night," but he felt as though he had lost consciousness afterward. "Was it because I drank too much last night? I feel like I have some gaps in my memory.
Guilty and not daring to speak, Peter: ".." Was that.. because he drank too much? Wasn't it because of something else?
With a repentant heart, Peter carefully placed the drowsy Finn onto the bed, as if he were an exquisite little doll.
By the time he went downstairs, the familiar scene of judgment from his memories played out once again—
Noah and Harry sat in the living room with grim expressions, clearly having waited for a long time.
"Did you sleep well last night?" Noah asked again with a fake smile, the question being exactly the same as before.
Peter Parker, stepping precisely into a minefield, didn't dare to answer at all.
"How is Finn?" In comparison, Harry looked relatively calm.
"He fell asleep again," Peter replied in a low voice.
"I'll go take a look." Noah never had any sense of boundaries when it came to things involving Finn; as soon as he finished speaking, he headed straight upstairs.
Not long after, Noah stood in the second-floor corridor, staring at Peter with a pair of sharp eyes filled with suppressed fury.
Peter Parker, get up here right now.
Spider-Man: ".." Trembling, he headed upstairs.
I didn't say anything when you were bickering with Finn before, since you two are young anyway. But you have to consider Finn, don't you?" Noah could tell exactly what was going on at a glance, scolded him in a lowered voice, "Even if he has a pair of wings, he's still just an ordinary person. You're Spider-Man, so of course your physical fitness is superior, but you can't just disregard him, can you?
"I was drunk last night." Peter didn't expect the alcohol to be so strong; he had been very careful before.
But then again—just say, did I watch him every single step of the way or not..
“Drunk? So what?” Noah said, exasperated. “You eat low-fat meals every day, but now that you're drunk, you're serving me a cheat meal?”
Peter felt speechless, but at the same time, he felt.. the metaphor of a [cheat meal] was truly apt.
Finn didn't get out of bed for the entire day.
Peter became the "culprit" in everyone's eyes, in the Osborn family, he received a cold glare from everyone he met.