Spider-Man Imagines I

There's Just One Thing I Need (Part Four) | Peter Parker [TH]

Just like always, you soared to the roof.

Just like always, there was a blanket laid out.

Just like always, you couldn't see his face.

"Surprise!" he exclaimed, "I made it all romantic and stuff."

He did. There were fairy lights hanging from the ugly pipes and grates, a basket of food on the blanket, and Christmas music playing. It was beautiful.

"Wow, Spidey," you said. "This is... awesome."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," you said, turning your head to smile up at him.

And his face was expressionless.

He guided you to the blanket, sat you down, and as you shivered in place, he took food out of the basket. A thermos full of hot cocoa, two paper coffee cups, and a plate of different fruit.

He poured the cocoa and you nibbled on a strawberry, content with the sound of White Christmas in the background. He handed you a cup and you hummed a thank you. He rolled up his mask. You stared at his mouth while he sipped his cocoa.

He had freckles dotted around his pale, thin, pink lips. His teeth were straight and his jawline was sharp. You had every part of the bottom half of his face memorized, but you had no idea what he looked like beyond that.

You didn't even know his name.

As he chewed an apple slice, he wiped the juice off his red fingers and then turned away from you, grabbing something else out of the basket. He came back with a single wrapped gift.

"For you, Snowflake," he said.

You glanced from the red and green package to him. "It's not Christmas yet."

"I know, but it's just something small," he said. "And I plan on getting you a gift for every date we go on after this one." He sounded so happy.

You looked down at the gift, feeling a little sick to your stomach.

"You can open it now," he said. He out his hands up. "Or later. I don't care. I mean - I do care, but whatever works for you."

Your fingers felt clammy and sticky against the wrapping paper. You took a deep breath, seeing the puff of air leave your lips. You didn't glance up as you spoke softly -

"I don't even know your name."

"Huh?"

You looked up at him. "I don't even know your name."

"I-I - you... you don't-"

Your breath was shaky. "You know everything about me. You know my favorite color. You know how I take my coffee, what my favorite Christmas song is. But I don't know anything about you."

"W-Well-" he stammered.

"Tell me your name," you said faintly. He said nothing. "Spidey. Tell me your name."

"I-I... no," he whispered.

"No?"

"No," he repeated, still soft.

You snapped your mouth shut and felt tears brim. You sniffed and looked away, putting the unopened gift down.

"Okay," you breathed, and you started to get up.

"___! No, c'mon, stay," he pleaded, reaching out for you.

"No," you snapped. "I tell you everything, and you can't even tell me your name. All I know is you're sixteen and have an aunt, and yet you know the school I go to, what size boots I wear - this is ridiculous!"

"___, please! It's complicated," he said, standing up. "But this is real. My feelings for you, they're real. So don't leave, okay? Trust me. I care about you so much, ___." He held out his hand again.

"Thing is, Spidey," you sighed, "if you cared about me, you'd do anything to keep me here. But you won't tell me what your name is. Can't you see that's screwed up?"

"Snowflake," he whimpered, making you almost go back.

But you didn't.

"Goodbye, Spider-Man," you said, keeping all emotions out of your voice as you neared the fire escape.

"C'mon, Snowflake, don't-" He ran to the ledge and watched you shakily try to move down the ladder, towards the stairs. "You'll hurt yourself, stop."

"You'll catch me if I fall," you said. "At least there's one thing I know about you." You tried to shoot him a dirty look, but it was mostly broken and ruined by the tears pooling in your eyes.

He watched you go, forever emotionless beneath the mask.