When the bell rang for lunch, Caden practically raced out of the door. He would've forgotten Reese was in his class if the boy hadn't called out his name. To say the least, he was more than excited to talk to Peter all about seeing Spider-Man and apparently Peter's secret Stark internship.
"Caden!" Reese shouted, causing the taller boy to come to a sudden stop near the classroom door. Reese rolled his eyes, joining his friend at the door. "I know you want to be all nerdy with your little boyfriend, but wait up for me, alright?"
"Sorry, Reese," Caden quickly apologized, walking down the hall at the same pace as Reese. "I'm just excited to tell Pete- uh, everyone," Reese raised his eyebrows at Caden, smiling to himself, "how Spider-Man saved Jackie. It was the best thing... if only you were awake, too. Jackie was spamming our group chat."
"Well, I wasn't, alright? Anyways, I think this entire situation could end up in one of two ways," Reese told Caden who looked down at him with a confused expression. "Either you and Peter will fight to the death over Spider-Man and his love, or you guys will just end up falling in love and all that junk."
Caden scoffed. "I am not in love with Peter Parker, Reese, I just like him."
"You didn't correct me when I said he was your boyfriend..." Reese countered, smirking at Caden. Finally, he decided to drop the subject no matter how funny it was to see Caden get flustered. "But I won't be a Jackie so whatever you say. Let's just get to lunch so I can eat. I'm fucking starving."
-
Caden and Reese, with their lunch trays in hand, approached Peter, Ned, and Michelle's usual table. They were surprised to see Jackie already sitting at the table, immersed in conversation with Michelle.
The two boys placed down their lunch trays, sitting across the table from Peter and Ned. Peter looked up, smiling at the sight of Caden. He was about to greet the two but was swiftly cut off by Reese.
"Before you start babbling about god knows what, let me put on my nerd cancelling headphones," Reese said, pulling his headphones over his ears. After he started his music, he gave them a thumbs up and told them to continue their conversation. "Headphone nickname credits go to Jackie Steele!" he added, not realizing how loud his voice would be with his music turned on.
Jackie smiled at the boy at the mention of her name. She turned to Peter and Ned. "Reese is against fun or something, and that fact hasn't really increased since we first became friends. Ignore him."
One of the many teachers who walked around the cafeteria to enforce the Rules of Lunchtime but were mainly to make sure students don't start smoking, spotted Reese using his headphones and mimicked taking them off before walking away. Reese rolled his eyes, sighing loudly before putting away the headphones.
"Bite me, teachers," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "Now the nerd talk will go to my brain. Great."
Caden gave him a sympathetic smile, turning back to Peter when Reese frowned at him. "So, you work for Tony Stark? The Tony Stark?" Caden asked, trying to act calm which quickly failed.
Peter smiled, laughing softly at Caden's excitement. "Yeah, I work with Tony. We do... all kinds of stuff," he looked around the table, furrowing his brows at MJ's blushing cheeks as she and Jackie talked separately from the group. "Obviously I can't disclose any information, but I've met the Avengers multiple times so..." He raised his hands, shrugging as if he said he rode his bike to school that morning.
Reese barley flinched as Caden widened his eyes and loudly gasped, smacking a hand over his mouth in shock. He slowly removed his hand from his mouth, clearly still in shock. "Have you met Spider-Man? Wait, duh, he's not even an Avenger-"
Peter was quick to cut in, defending his title. "Well, you know... he's not officially an Avenger, but he's getting there! Tony has him on a wait list. There's a wait list, by the way." Peter took a sip of his water to avoid answering any more questions and watched Caden nod understandingly.
"Jackie, we spoke with a future Avenger last night!" Caden exclaimed, repeatedly tapping the girl's arm like an excited child would do to their parent.
Jackie rolled her eyes, pushing him away from her into Reese's side. In the process, Reese almost fell off of the bench.
Ned stood up from the table, staring at his phone. "Oh, my mom's here. Got to go," he told the group and everyone lazily raised their hands to wave goodbye except for Caden and Peter.
Peter laughed nervously, glancing at Ned who was putting on his backpack. "Wait, where are you going? We have a chemistry lab today."
"I still haven't gotten my flu shot. My mom can't reschedule anymore especially since it's closer to flu season," Ned quickly explained, smirking slightly at the underlying worry of Peter's question. "You and Caden can just be lab partners, right?" Ned checked his watch, waving a goodbye to the group. "Okay, I seriously have to go. Bye, guys."
Ned walked out of the cafeteria, disappearing from Caden and Peter's sight. Reese and the girls looked at Peter acting uncomfortable, this being the only thing to grab Reese's attention.
Caden shrugged, lazily smiling at Peter from across the table. He tried to ignore his heart pounding in his chest as he spoke. "You're definitely not the worst person to be partnered up with," he told Peter, his smile widening when Peter blushed.
"You guys are so obvious," MJ commented, rolling her eyes at the two boys.
Peter's blush faded into a deep red shade, his eyes widening at Michelle's words. MJ smiled at Peter's expression, knowing she had for sure gotten to him.
"Not as obvious as you two," Reese countered, gesturing to the two girls sitting only inches apart. "What are you giggling and talking about anyways, huh?" He raised his eyebrows, smirking at Jackie and Michelle.
MJ glared at Reese, her cheeks turning the slightest shade of red. Jackie smiled nervously, wrapping her arms around Caden. "Sorry, giant, no one wanted to embarrass you guys on your chemistry date." She laughed as Caden pushed her away.
Jackie got up from the table, her tray piled with Caden and Reese's trash as they hurriedly threw it onto transportation to the garbage. "You guys are the laziest people I've ever met. Peter, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into with that kid." She nodded to Caden with her head, and he turned around to pout at her. "I have to get to class early, physics is kicking my ass. I'll see you guys later, and hopefully I'll see you too, MJ."
Jackie attempted to wave to the group as she walked away but almost dropped the entire tray of garbage. Instead she gave them a smile, threw away the boys' garbage, and walked to class quickly.
Peter smirked at MJ, laughing at her red cheeks. "Hopefully you guys'll see each other later, Michelle," he mimicked Jackie's voice with a smile. "Don't worry, MJ. I approve of Jackie."
"I don't," Reese mumbled. "She's already annoying going on and on about you and Caden, and you know what'll happen if she gets a girlfriend? She'll go insane."
MJ smiled at the thought but quickly hid it with her usual smirk. "Not sure if you losers would understand, but I wouldn't mind her going a bit insane. I think it'd be kinda cute." She quickly turned to Peter with a glare, pointing at him. "If this gets back to Jackie or even Ned, I swear I'll-"
The bell interrupted her threat which Peter just assumed was horrible. He mimicked zipping his lips, assuring her that he wouldn't let out her secret. Besides, Peter of all people knew how dangerous it would be to reveal a secret.
-
Peter and Caden walked into chemistry together after a silent walk from the cafeteria. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was a comfortable one. The two boys were comfortable being in each other's presence, and the hallways were too loud for a conversation anyway.
Sitting at the table where he and Ned usually sat at, the two got themselves situated. Peter looked up from his books to see Flash ready to pounce on them in their unaware state. Peter glared at him, but to say the least, Peter Parker wasn't as intimidating as Spider-Man.
"So, you're hanging out with Parker now? Oh, my bad, I meant Penis Parker. Sorry, dude." Flash looked at Peter with a faux apologetic smile while Peter looked down at his books again in embarrassment.
Caden's chair screeched across the floor as he pushed it back to stand in front of Flash. Caden was a half foot taller than Flash so he was pretty much towering over the boy with his arms crossed over his cotton Spider-Man shirt. "What the hell did you just say?" he asked softly, making it sound more like a threat than a question.
Peter looked up, along with the students who had gotten to class before the bell had rung, his eyes wide at Caden's sudden defensive attitude. It wasn't anything he was expecting at all, and his heart swelled with affection as he watched the scene play out with a faint smile.
Flash backed up into the lab table in front of Peter's, his own eyes wide in fear. "S-Sorry," he stammered out, turning to Peter to avoid Caden's glare. "Sorry, Parker, it slipped out." He shrugged at the boy despite the much taller one still a few feet away from him.
"It shouldn't ever slip out," Caden retorted, stepping closer to Flash with a steady gaze before backing away to his seat next to Peter.
Flash smirked, thinking he had won even though everyone else knew better. "Whatever, Caden. I shouldn't have even bothered coming over here. Who even talks to spider obsessed freaks anyways?" he scoffed, gesturing to Caden's shirt. "Are you in love with Spider-Man or something?"
Peter looked to Caden, wondering what his next course of action would be. Some nearby students kept watching, but others turned away from the situation when Caden returned to his seat.
Caden laughed loudly, causing Flash to glare at him in impatience. When he finished with his lengthy laugh, he looked at Flash. "Hell yeah I am! I mean, who isn't in love with Spider-Man?" He glanced at the clock and at that moment the bell rang. "Next time, I think you should make fun of someone at your own intelligence level," he said to Flash as the boy walked to the table behind Peter and Caden's, a grimace of anger on his face.
-
Not wanting to face Flash and his group on the bus, Peter decided to walk home. Caden insisted he walk home with the boy even though his house was in the opposite direction.
"Caden, it's okay," Peter assured him for the millionth time. "You don't have to walk me home. It's really not that far away."
Caden smiled down at him. "Yeah... no. I have to make sure the cutest human alive isn't attacked on the way home from school. I can protect you."
Peter blushed at the compliment, smiling to himself. At that moment Caden realized what he said and laughed nervously. "How about we maybe forget about that?"
"Forget about what?" Peter asked jokingly, causing Caden to laugh softly. "Um, thanks for everything you did in chem. That was really nice, I appreciate it," Peter spoke quietly.
They walked in silence for a few moments before Caden responded. "It's no problem, Peter. I hate that people are such assholes to you." He shook his head in anger, staring straight ahead as he continued to walk.
"You kinda reminded me of Spider-Man, acting so tough and protecting the little guy. Literally." Peter laughed at his own joke but stopped when he noticed Caden's huge smile on his face.
"Really?" he asked in disbelief, still smiling widely. When Peter nodded seriously Caden let out a breathy laugh. "Wow... that's the best thing I've heard all week. Seriously, thanks."
"You really like Spider-Man, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Caden answered automatically. "He's doing everything right by just... helping people. And I'm not sure who he is, but it doesn't seem like he wants fame or anything in return, he's just doing it to be a good person. I think you and him have a lot in common, Peter."
"Oh, if only you knew..." Peter trailed off quietly, shaking his head at the irony of it all.
Peter was one of the last people to be picked up on his bus ride in the morning, meaning he was the closest to the school so he and Caden arrived at his apartment sooner than Caden expected.
"I told you it wasn't a long walk," Peter told him after stopping in front of his apartment building. "Well, uh... thanks for walking me home."
"Oh, I'm not done yet," Caden said with a grin. "I didn't come all this way for you to become locked outside of your apartment, easy prey for an attacker. I have to finish the job."
Peter laughed, shaking his head as he walked into his building. He knew Caden wouldn't take no for an answer so they went up to Peter's apartment together in silence.
Digging into his pocket, Peter pulled out his keys and unlocked his apartment door. He opened it a crack then looked up at Caden. "Mission accomplished. I'm home s-"
"Peter?" May shouted through the apartment. Peter widened his eyes at the sound of her voice, hearing her footsteps padding towards the door. "I got home early and... oh, who's this?"
May's eyes landed on Caden's tall stature leaning against the door frame. Peter winced, looking up at May with red cheeks. Caden flashed her a charming smile despite also blushing vibrantly.
"I'm Caden Young," the tall boy introduced himself while May smirked at Peter who shuffled uncomfortably in the doorway.
She looked up at Caden, smiling brightly. "Would you like to come in for a minute? Do you guys want some snacks or something?"
Peter practically shoved Caden out of the door. "No!" he exclaimed loudly, his voice cracking. "No snacks. He's fine," Peter assured her, forcing a smile.
May, on the other hand, continued smirking at Peter, unfazed at his outburst. "Whatever you say, Peter," she said gently, resisting the urge to smile at her nephew. "Bye, Caden. Maybe next time you'll stick around."
"Maybe. Bye, Peter." He waved at the two with a small grin, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Once Caden was out of his eyesight Peter closed the door loudly, avoiding May's smiling face. He knew what she thought. She would gush all day and the rest of the month about his crush.
He raised his eyes to meet her sparkling ones once before blushing. He went to his room, closing the door behind him. His phone chimed, and he pulled it out of his back pocket. To his surprise, it was a text from Caden that made him instantly smile.
"What a nerd," he whispered, rolling his eyes at the message:
I wanted a snack...
-
A/N: hey everyone long time, no see honestly blame my APUSH class and school in general bc I was only able to write this chapter bc of my long weekend bc GUESS WHAT weekends are full of homework too and then I also have to be the leader of costume crew for the plays which is just another stress for Grace™
so I'm not sure when the next update will be but I hope you don't like stop reading bc of that detail and shameless self promo I also have a bazillion other fics to keep you busy