Stars and Constellations || Peter Parker

s i x t y - n i n e

It was an unusually warm night. The moon was high up in the sky and the sky was cloudless. The city gleamed in brilliant colors.

Nova and Peter sat side by side, watching the world go by, noticing it all, but it didn't notice them.

"I told you I knew a spot." Peter said softly as Nova turned to look at him. He could see a soft smile on her lips.

He'd taken her from her window and he'd zipped them both to this rooftop effortlessly. Now they were high up and unbothered. Just as he'd meant them to be.

"I never doubted you, Spidey-Boii." she said, the smile evident in her voice.

"I always used to come here whenever I wanted to be alone. Now I don't want to be here alone. I wanted to be here, but with you. So, welcome to my special place."

She smiled at that. His special place. It was so innocent and it was so Peter. He had tried so hard. And it was all so perfect.

They both descended into silence for a few moments. Nova pulled the blanket Peter had brought closer to her. He'd planned for the works, really. A picnic basket, a blanket to sit on, ones to put over themselves to keep them warm, and wine he'd managed to swipe from his aunt's liquor cabinet. The works, really.

Nova poured herself a glass and as Peter reached for it too, she swatted his hand away. "Don't drink and swing."

"But-"

"You are responsible for my life too, you know, and I'd really like to, you know, not die. Definitely not on our first date too."

First date. The words tasted sweet in her mouth. She couldn't believe it. She was actually on a date with Peter Parker. She'd been thinking about this for so long and now she was finally here.

So, why did she feel like she couldn't breathe?

She spilled a little bit of the wine, because her hands were shaking and she really hoped Peter wouldn't notice.

"You okay there?"

Crap.

"Um, yeah, yeah."

Neither of them said anything else and she took a sip of her glass to calm her nerves. The red liquid brought a warming feeling along with it as she swallowed.

"It's just-" they both started.

"You go." they both said.

And then they laughed. Suddenly, the atmosphere got lighter. It was more familiar somehow.

"Are you ever going to take the mask off?" she asked softly.

He nodded and tentatively took it off. His cheeks were red. From the cold? she wondered.

He had barely noticed he'd had it on. He felt more confident with it somehow. As Spider-Man, he'd always been able to do anything. And now, naked without his mask, he was... just Peter. He really hoped that would be enough.

"It's lame, isn't it?" he suddenly said. "This whole picnic idea. It's so overdone! I should have tried something more unique. I knew-"

"Peter."

Her hand was touching his now and all that he could feel was electricity. Fizzing warming electricity. It made him want to giggle like a little kid.

"It's perfect." she said softly. And looking into her soft blue eyes, he suddenly forgot everything he wanted to say, everything he'd ever wanted to say, and everything he had ever said in his whole life all at once. She was perfect.

Nova sat up a bit more upright and cleared her throat. "I know how you feel." she said. "It's the pressure of this moment."

Peter looked at her quizzically, but didn't interrupt.