Spider-Man Imagines I

Just Close Enough (Part Four) | Peter Parker [TH]

"Peter Parker."

He went frigid, the black and white eyes of his mask shifting, his hands opening and closing. It was silent for one single, too long moment and then-

"W-What? Who's... who's Peter? I-I don't know a Peter, personally, and quite frankly I don't know why you would just assume I do-"

"Peter," you said, sighing.

"What?" Then, he stopped and coughed. "Wait, no! My name is way different from Peter. It's totally different-"

"I know it's your real name because I looked in your backpack," you explained. "I was trying to find out who you were so I could bring it to you- and I saw your name written on your homework and stuff. Also, you had detention a few days ago for skipping. Guess that explains everything-"

Your attempt to lighten the mood failed as he turned around, hands going to the back of his neck. He shifted nervously, bouncing on the balls of his feet, stretching up onto his toes and then hopping backwards.

"Okay, okay, okay... okay, Mr. Stark might just kill me..."

You bit your lip. "I don't-"

"You can't tell a soul, okay? I mean it," he said, his voice high and weird. "I-I just... my aunt would kill me if she knew I did stuff like offer to take a bullet for a girl."

"I won't say anything," you promised.

He sighed, stress clear in his actions. "I-I just-"

"I know," you said, stopping him. "I'm sorry I found out, but I won't tell. You can trust me." You smiled sadly. "I doubt we'll even see each other again, honestly."

You couldn't believe yourself. You were pouting over not seeing a boy that didn't know you at all, like you had some weird obsession with him or something.

You knew this would happen.

If you gave him back his backpack (which was the right thing to do), the whole thing would be over. No more Spider-Man, no more suspense, no more random meetings and no more Peter Parker - the cute boy that saved people for no reason and also skipped detention a lot.

And that sort of sucked. You weren't finished with the boy- You stopped and corrected yourself- the backpack.

"Oh. You don't... you don't think we'll see one another again?" he asked.

"I mean," you began.

At the same time, he continued. "I just thought-"

"Well-"

"If we-"

"You go," you both said, and then he held out his hands, gesturing to you.

"Go on," you encouraged.

"I-I was just thinking that after all that's happened, maybe we're supposed to see each other again," he said. "Maybe it's just me wanting to see you."

Your cheeks heated up and you stared with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what he was saying to you. He wanted to see you again. He wanted to see you - he being Spider-Man, you being the girl that stole his backpack.

"Was that weird?" he asked. "I feel like that creeped you out." He paused. "Oh, you don't even know what I look like-" He stopped.

"No," you said quickly. "I actually don't think it was creepy at all. And... I do know what you look like, for the most part. I saw you take the suit off in the alley."

"Oh." He crossed his arms. "That's just... great," he said sarcastically. He pulled his arms away and held them out. "Well-" He grabbed the top of his mask and peeled it off his head. "Guess this isn't too much of a reveal."

You tried not to stare too much at him when he was standing in front of you as Peter. You couldn't focus on much of anything but the tiny brown freckles that dotted his lips and lined his cheeks and nose. His hair also made your eyes linger; the tufts of damp, messy curls that were stacked around and framing his face made your heart skip a beat.

It was as if your heart murmured to you, you like him you like him you like him so so so so very much-

"I actually have something of yours," he said.

"Um." You blinked, trying to break yourself of the spell his curly hair had you under. "You have something of mine?"

"Yeah," he said, scratching the side of his head. "But I don't have it right now."

"What... did you steal my backpack?" you joked.

He laughed, blushing a little bit as he looked from your eyes to his feet. He put his hands on his hips and looked back at you, puffing out his chest like he was gathering a bit of courage. Then, before he could do anything, he went rigid.

You cocked your head to the side and he was quickly climbing down the fire escape, the sound of car horns somewhere in the distance.

An emergency, you guessed.

"Dang," he muttered, "the one time I might not mind a slow day-" He stopped and looked up at you. He continued all in one breath. "So my name is Peter Parker and I go to Midtown and I really like you but the city needs me and so I gotta go but I'll hopefully see you again, ___ ____- bye! Use the ladder carefully and get home safe - see you later maybe!"

"Wha-"

You watched him jump off the side and fall towards the ground. He landed on his feet, left hand dipping down to balance himself on the pavement.

You ran over to the end of it and leaned over, hair getting caught in the wind and whipping across your face.

"Wait!" you called out.

He stopped and looked up, mask in hand.

"I want to see you again," you explained, and oh gosh, the look on his face melted your heart. You thought you might turn into a puddle right then and there. "I really do."

"Come find me then," he said, beaming brighter than you had ever seen on a boy.

And he was off, leaving you alone on a fire escape with your heart thundering wildly in the base of your throat.

How did he know your name?