Who: Eric Prince and Peter Parker What: A Random Meeting When: Backdated: Friday, March 14th. Afternoon Where: Starbucks Rating: Family Friendly Status: Complete
Eric had a few more days before filming actually got underway on the second season of the show, which meant he’d be moving back into the house in a few days and pretty much giving up his privacy for a few months. Honestly, he didn’t really mind; he’d known what he was getting into when he’d sent in his audition tape for the show, but sometimes he wished he hadn’t. Then again, if he hadn’t then people wouldn’t know who he was and he’d still be back home in Ohio instead of in California. Of course he didn’t plan on doing the reality show forever; in fact, he was planning on trying to branch out once this season of filming was over, because he was only contracted for two seasons as of the present. He just had to get through the next couple of months.
Of course, preparing to move back into the house for Eric meant spending the afternoon at Starbucks while he thought of something else to do.
Sleep? What’s that. Between work, his dreams, and some of his side projects Peter had absolutely zero free time. As it was he was low on caffiene, so he trudged into Starbucks.
Only he’d forgotten he was wearing his Spider-man getup. “Uh, Shit. Okay. I’d like a caramel macchiatto, lite.” Might as well go with it, this probably isn’t the weirdest thing these people have ever seen.
Eric had seen a lot of strange things when he’d visited LA, but this was new for Orange County. As the man, he assumed it was a man, in costume, walked into the Starbucks, Eric’s eyes widened slightly and he watched him as he walked up to the counter. Unable to resist, Eric spoke from his table close to the counter, “And how’re you gonna drink it with that mask?”
Peter looked at Eric and grinned behind his mask. He lifted the bottom up as he took his drip and sucked on the straw. “Like this.”
Eric quirked a brow as he watched the costumed man and he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, “I guess that could work, but it must get really annoying to hold it up like that.” He was extremely curious about the getup, “Why are you dressed like that anyway?”
“Con,” Peter answered automatically. He rolled the mask a bit so it stayed up just on his nose, and he could drink normally after that. “On my way to it, really.”
“A Con, huh?” Eric wasn’t exactly familiar with the various conventions that took place in the area, but he was pretty sure that if there was one going on then he would have seen other people dressed in costumes and this guy was the first he’d seen that day, “Which one?”
“It’s a small one, just started up. Only about a hundred or so people.” Peter said the lie smoothly, trying to memorize it in case he had to say it later. “It was pretty fun but also kind of awkward.”
Suddenly, Eric sat up straight as the man continued talking, “Wait a minute! You just said that it was fun, but before you said you were going there now.” Both of his brows rose as he watched the other man. Because the man’s face was covered, Eric couldn’t see his expression to be certain that he had just caught him in a lie, but he was pretty sure he had.
Peter rolled his eyes backwards and groaned. “I just didn’t want to say I’m a weirdo that likes walking around in a costume. Okay?”
Eric couldn’t help but smile, having caught the guy in a lie, “And why’s that? Do you have some kind of superhero fetish?” He was extremely intrigued now. It wasn’t everyday that a guy wandered around the streets of Orange County in a superhero costume, so he was curious.
“Yes,” Peter said, deadpanned. “I like to choke myself at night too.”
“Well now that’s just weird.” As if having a superhero fetish wasn’t weird at all, “So, what superhero are you supposed to be?” Eric didn’t really pay too much attention to superhero stuff, so he wouldn’t have recognized Spider-Man like other guys and even some girls, his age.
“Really? Really? You’re going to take the word of a man in a red and blue spandex costume at face value?” Peter shook his head and flailed a hand. “People are gullible.”
“Did I say that I believed you?” Eric asked, sitting back in his seat as he watched the guy. This was actually a time when he wished he was being followed around by a camera crew, because this would have been extremely interesting to get on video, “I just didn’t dispute what you said.”
Peter waved a hand dismissively. He’d just wanted a coffee, not to get twenty questions with Chinny Mcchin. “You never know.”
Eric laughed and glanced at his watch; as much as he wanted to just hang out in Starbucks all day, he really did have errands he needed to do before moving back into the house. “Well, this was fun, but I’ve gotta get going.” He stood up, picking up his half empty cup, “Seriously though, that costume is pretty bad ass.”
“Thanks. It’s almost like I’m actually a hero.” Peter pulled his masked down, grinning behind it as he headed outside himself. With a thwip, he fired a line of webbing and he was suddenly gone.
Eric stared at the spot where the guy had been after exiting Starbucks then glanced up in the direction he’d gone, squinting into the sunlight. Had he really just seen what he thought he’d seen? Surely he couldn’t have, but how else did he explain what he’d just seen?