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eight

Xara falls on top of him without meaning to, a surprised puff of air slipping past her lips at the sudden contact, but her eyes stay on Peter's.

A second. Two.

Peter's eyes glance down at her lips, his hand reaching for her jaw, then pulling her close. Their lips brush together, shyly at first, before Xara seems to get bold and pulls a hand up to tangle in Peter's hair. Their bodies press even closer, Peter perching himself up on his elbow, thumb gently running along her cheekbone.

Since all this Spider-Man stuff started happening, they've barely had any time to themselves. It's either been rushing around or college applications or all the other numerous things they've had to deal with.

But right now it's tingles and soft brushes against skin and finally feeling the dating part of dating rather than having to be constantly strong for the other.

Except Xara's eyes widen when she hears the front door close.

Immediately she pulls away from Peter, hearing the knock on her door just as she shoves Peter off the side of the bed, him falling in the gap between the wall and the bed frame.

The sound just makes Tanner Connolly open the door faster, seeming alarmed. "What was that sound?"

Xara glances up from her phone, almost surprised (or pretending to be, at least), before glancing around and realising, "Oh, my backpack fell. I haven't taken all the textbooks out yet from the last day of school. My bad. Everything okay? You're home early. Like, really early."

That's when the smile slowly spreads on Tanner's face. "Get changed. Out of your pyjamas. And..." He hesitates for a brief moment. "Call Peter, too."

"Huh? Why?"

"You'll probably find out in a minute."

With that he closes the door. It's only when the teenagers hear his room door shut that Peter finally pokes his head over shyly - and in confusion. Xara just raises an eyebrow at him. "No Peter tingle?"

"My bad."

He pulls himself back onto the bed as Xara gets up, heading over to her wardrobe and pulling out a pair of jeans and a sweater suitable for the October weather. "Why is your dad calling us though?" he muses quietly, a little intimidated by the man. "I mean, he doesn't like me anymore. Or, I'm still not totally in his good books. Why would he want me?"

Xara's phone begins to ring. She gestures, Peter answering it on speaker as she changes hurriedly. "Hey, Ky. It's Peter. Xar's here on speaker."

"Peter! Perfect. I was going to call you right after."

"Suspicious, but okay," Xara comments warily, heading over a moment later. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

They hear the uncontrollable smile in their older brother's voice. "Do you want to meet your niece?"

Xara gasps.

It's only a few minutes later that Xara is rushing out of the apartment to Betty, calling over her shoulder to her dad, "Come on, come on, come on, come on!"

Out of nowhere, Peter swings in, hair a little messy. At the sight of Xara's dad he wipes his slightly sweaty hand on his jeans, offering it to Tanner for the first time since they got into that huge argument. "Hi, Mr Connolly."

"It's nice to see you again, backpack," Tanner says simply.

Immediately Xara freezes, Peter's eyes widening in surprise, and the two exchange horrified looks before the boy climbs into the back seat, terrified for his fate.