SpideyTorch Oneshot Collection

Perfections, Imitations

Summary: "Would you kiss me?" Spider-Man asks.
Word Count: 1605
by @Mizzy on archive of our own

Johnny doesn't have to turn around to know Spider-Man has crawled through the window to sit in his usual spot.

It's a routine by now, despite the irregularity of it. Johnny works on his cars every night that the F4 aren't needed, and sometimes Spider-Man crawls through his window and they talk into the small hours, and sometimes Spider-Man just sits there for a while, licking his wounds (metaphorically) before skulking back out to finish his patrol. Sometimes he'll see him every night for a week. Other times, he won't see him for months.

It's the flash of red and blue in the reflection of the Murcielago that alerts him, but Johnny doesn't turn around or say hello. He waits for Spider-Man to decide what kind of day it is. There have been an awful lot of the quiet sessions recently. Spider-Man's been down for a while. Johnny hates it, but he's glad Spider-Man feels safe around him. Sometimes it's hard to find anywhere in the noise and chaos of New York to find sanctuary, however brief.

Johnny's pretty sure it's going to be another silent night, until Spider-Man says something weird.

"Would you kiss me?" Spider-Man asks.

Johnny nearly drops the damp sponge he's using to clean brake dust off the wheels. "Uh," Johnny says, "I think I just misheard you?"

"You didn't," Spider-Man says, rising to his feet in one graceful motion that Johnny's jealous of, and starting to move in a semi-circle, like he's orbiting Johnny. "You heard what you think you heard. It's okay if you don't want to."

"I didn't say that," Johnny says, startling them both if Spider-Man's sudden pause in movement is to go by. Spider-Man resumes walking. "Just-- what the hell's brought that on?"

Spider-Man makes a strangled noise. "Maybe I just think you're pretty?"

Johnny quirks an eyebrow at him. "No one would blame you."

"Mm, your modesty, that's what I like about you."

"That and my face, obviously."

"Obviously," Spider-Man says, in the same sort of indulgent tone that Sue and Ben like to use on him. "So. Would you?"

"Yes. Of course," Johnny says, straightening and putting the sponge down on the car roof. "Now?"

"Uh," Spider-Man says, and comes to a stop, twisting his hands together. "Really?"

"You're not the first person to want to get their mouth on my mouth," Johnny says, shrugging. "You might be the first I'd let do it without buying me a drink first."

"That would be difficult, I'm kind of broke," Spider-Man says.

"What's new?" Johnny faces Spider-Man straight on and makes a beckoning motion. "Come on, let's get this smooch on the road."

"I didn't think--" Spider-Man says. "What if I roll my mask up and I'm hideous and it repulses you forever?"

"I'm used to being the most attractive person in the room," Johnny says. "I'll close my eyes if it'll help you feel better."

"Uh, sure," Spider-Man says. "That might help, actually."

The evening's turning surreal, then, Johnny thinks, or maybe he's dreaming, or maybe Spider-Man's lost his mind, but the only thing Johnny knows for sure is he'd probably say yes to anything Spider-Man asked. He wonders how long it will take his superhero friend to realize that. Johnny shrugs and makes a song and dance of closing his eyes.