Peter's POV

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the park, where the air was filled with the earthy scent of fallen leaves. I strolled along the winding path, my footsteps crunching softly against the carpet of crisp leaves that had collected on the ground. The vibrant colours of autumn—rich oranges, deep reds, and sunny yellows—fluttered in the gentle breeze, creating a picturesque scene that should have filled me with joy. But instead, my mind was consumed with thoughts of my crush on Wade.

Ever since the moment I realised my feelings for him, everything had changed. I found myself pulling away, avoiding him whenever possible, and the few times he did manage to find me felt like a minefield of awkwardness. Conversations that once flowed effortlessly were now laced with tension, and the silence that followed felt unbearable. I could see the confusion in his eyes, and it only deepened my desire to hide away, fearing that my true feelings would be laid bare in the light of day.

I hadn’t wanted to avoid him; that wasn’t my intention at all. But every time we were together, I felt a swirling cocktail of emotions threatening to spill over. The last thing I wanted was to act on impulse and say or do something that I might later regret. My heart raced at the thought of what could happen if I let my guard down. The uncertainty of whether he felt the same way weighed heavily on my mind, creating a knot in my stomach that wouldn’t go away.

The idea of simply taking a chance and expressing my feelings seemed utterly daunting. What if I found out that Wade didn’t reciprocate my feelings? That thought loomed over me like a dark cloud, making it almost impossible to breathe. The embarrassment of being turned down felt like a fate worse than death, and I could already envision the awkwardness that would follow. I feared that if I made a move and it didn’t go well, it could ruin everything between us. Our friendship, which had meant so much to me, could never return to its previous state. The prospect of losing him entirely was terrifying, and so I chose silence over the risk of heartbreak.

I had been dreading patrol all day. Wade had mentioned earlier that he wanted to "talk about something," and the way he'd said it made my stomach twist. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew—knew about my crush, about the way I couldn’t meet his eyes without my face burning up. My thoughts were swirling as I paced through the park, the cool autumn air doing little to calm my nerves.

What could he possibly want to talk about? My mind raced. Was it about us? About… me? Does he know? The possibility gnawed at me, and I felt my pulse quicken at the idea. No, there was no way. I had done everything in my power to act normal, to keep my feelings buried so deep that even I barely acknowledged them sometimes. I was good at hiding things—too good.

But as I wandered deeper into the park, something strange happened. A sharp, piercing pain suddenly shot through my head. I winced, grabbing my temple as I staggered slightly. It wasn’t just pain though—there was something else. It was as if a dark presence had swept over me, and then, out of nowhere, I heard it.

A low, sinister chuckle echoed in my mind, sending an icy shiver down my spine. My breath caught, and I spun around, scanning the empty park for the source. But there was no one. The laughter continued, cold and mocking, as if it was amused by my confusion. What the hell is going on? I thought, my heart pounding. I felt trapped, as if the shadows themselves were closing in on me.

Then, just as quickly as it had started, the laughter faded, replaced by a faint, disembodied whisper. “He’s an idiot. Just a couple more months, and it will be complete. I’m not sure about the other one, though.”

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. What? I stood there, straining to make sense of the cryptic words, but the voice was gone. Nothing but the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees. What was that supposed to mean? I rubbed my temples, trying to shake the eerie feeling creeping over me. It was as if the universe was playing some twisted game, dropping pieces of a puzzle I wasn’t sure I wanted to solve.

I shook my head, trying to brush off the weirdness, but it clung to me, making my skin crawl. Whatever that had been, I had more immediate things to worry about. Wade, for starters. That conversation was looming over me, and I couldn’t afford distractions—especially not cryptic whispers from nowhere.

After wandering through the park a while longer, trying to clear my head, I finally headed home. As I trudged through my front door, I fished out my phone, only to realise it had been on Do Not Disturb the whole time. My stomach sank when I saw the missed calls from Troy—five of them. I quickly dialled him back, nervous about what I might have missed.

He picked up after just a couple of rings. “Where the hell have you been?” Troy's voice came through, loud and sharp, cutting through the silence. He sounded more urgent than usual, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

“I—uh—sorry,” I stammered, cringing at the tone he used. “I was out, and my phone was on silent. Is everything alright?”

“‘Alright’? Are you serious? Havoc’s still running loose, and he just took out three more buildings. I thought you had a handle on him?” His words were sharp, frustration dripping through the receiver.

I winced, feeling the weight of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. “I know, I know. I swear I’m doing everything I can. He’s slippery, but we’re close. We’re going to stop him, I promise.”

There was a pause. “We? Who’s this ‘we’ you keep talking about?”

Crap. My heart skipped a beat, and I cursed under my breath. I’d let it slip again. “Oh, uh…” I scrambled for an explanation. “I just mean, y’know, me and the suit—Peter and Arachnite. Like, we’re a team, right?”

There was a silence on the other end, the kind that stretched just a little too long for comfort. “Right…” Troy said slowly. I could hear the doubt in his voice. “Okay, well… as long as you’ve got it under control.”

“Absolutely. Under control,” I repeated, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Say hi to the team for me?”

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“Yeah. Sure,” Troy replied, though he didn’t sound convinced. “Just… don’t screw this up, alright? We can’t afford more damage.”

“I won’t. Talk to you soon.”

“Alright. Later, kid.”

I grimaced again at the word “kid.” I wasn’t a kid anymore, but to Troy, I guessed I always would be. “Bye,” I said quickly, ending the call before I could slip up again.

As I set the phone down, I exhaled a long breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. The weight on my chest eased slightly, but the unease from earlier still lingered. The strange laughter, that cryptic voice—it all clung to me like a shadow, just out of reach. I tried to shake it off, but it gnawed at the back of my mind.

What if it hadn’t been over? What if whoever—or whatever—was behind that voice had plans far beyond just me? The thought crept through my mind, sending another shiver down my spine. I stared out into the night, the vast darkness stretching beyond the window like an endless void. The city buzzed below, unaware of the storm that brewed inside me. I had to act. I couldn’t wait any longer. Without hesitating, I slipped on my suit, feeling the familiar rush of power and fear mingling in my chest. I stepped onto the ledge of the window, took a deep breath, and leapt into the night.

I made my way across the rooftops, my mind focused only on one destination—the Empire State Building, our spot. The wind whipped past me as I raced through the city, and as I neared the towering structure, one thought echoed in my mind: ‘Thank God Wade isn’t here.’ I needed this time to steel myself for what I was about to do. It wasn’t easy, the battle waged in my head about whether to tell him or to keep it buried, but I had already made my decision. Tonight, I was going to tell Wade how I felt.

The thought of him rejecting me gnawed at the back of my mind, a sharp, painful sting. I had never felt this kind of affection for anyone before. Wade made me happy—genuinely happy. It wasn’t just about the thrill of being together or the crazy things we did. It was deeper than that. He was the only one who saw me for who I was—behind the mask, behind the quips—and accepted it. I wanted to make him happy too. When he felt insecure about his face, when that doubt crept into his voice, I just wanted to kiss every scar and show him that, to me, he was perfect. I would always love him.

‘Wait… love?’ The thought hit me like a punch. I froze for a second, my heart racing. Then, slowly, a smile spread across my face. ‘Of course I love him. I’ve loved him from the start, it just took me this long to realise it.’

The Empire State Building loomed ahead, and I landed on the rooftop, my heart pounding as much from nerves as from the run. Wade was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I wasn’t about to let my fear of rejection ruin that. I took a deep breath and turned around to gather my thoughts. I had to be ready for whatever came next.

“Hey!” Wade’s voice broke the stillness, catching me off guard.

I whipped around to see him standing there, grinning at me like he always did, his posture relaxed, but his eyes held something more—curiosity, maybe? Or was it nervousness? I couldn’t tell.

“Hey, Wade,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. It wasn’t easy. Every word felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

For a moment, we stood in an awkward silence, the city below us buzzing, unaware of the gravity of this moment. Wade scratched the back of his neck, and I bit my lip, unsure of how to start.

Finally, I broke the silence. “So… what did you want to tell me?”

He glanced at the ground before meeting my eyes. “Uh… can we sit first?”

I nodded, feeling my heart leap into my throat. We sat down on the edge of the rooftop, our legs dangling over the side. The lights of the city stretched out beneath us, but I barely noticed. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

“So?” I asked, my voice quiet but pressing. I needed to hear what he had to say.

Wade took a deep breath, clearly working up the courage. “I was just thinking… I mean, I’ve shown you my face, right? Scars and all. Maybe it’s time you show me yours. But, no pressure or anything. Only if you’re ready.”

My breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t expected this. The idea of showing Wade my face had always terrified me. Not because of the physical scars, but the vulnerability of it. But as I sat there, looking into his eyes, I knew I could trust him. I knew he would understand.

“Yeah, okay,” I said, my voice shaky. “But… I’m kind of ugly, so…”

Before I could second-guess myself, I placed my hands on my mask and pulled it off in one swift motion. The cool air hit my face, and suddenly, I felt exposed, raw. I stared at Wade, waiting for his reaction.

He was silent for a long moment, his eyes wide, his mouth slightly open. He wasn’t saying anything, but I could see his mind racing, processing. Finally, he breathed out, “God, you’re… you’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

My face flushed, and I tried to laugh it off. “Thanks, but just Peter works. I’m not God.”

Wade chuckled, and the sound of his laughter sent a wave of warmth through me, easing the tension. “This is why I like you, man. You’re always keeping me on my toes.”

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. This was it. This was my moment. “Wade, I… I need to tell you something.”

Before I could get the words out, Wade leaned in and kissed me. His lips were soft and hesitant at first, as if he was waiting for me to pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Instead, I kissed him back, opening my mouth to let him deepen the kiss. His hands found their way to my waist, pulling me closer, and my arms wrapped around his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless, Wade scanned my face, searching for something. Doubt? Fear? I didn’t know, but whatever it was, it wasn’t there.

“You like me too?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled, my heart soaring. “More than anything.”

We kissed again, this time more passionate, more certain. His mouth tasted like mint, and I couldn’t get enough. I traced my tongue along his lips, savouring every second, every moment. When we finally broke apart again, we were both breathing hard, but I didn’t care. I had never felt happier in my life.

“I think this is the best day of my life,” Wade said, his voice filled with wonder.

I rested my head on his shoulder, humming in agreement as he pressed a soft kiss to my hair.

“So, what do we do now?” I asked, my voice quiet but content.

“I don’t know,” Wade admitted with a grin, “but we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

And he was right. We would figure it out, but that was for later. Right now, all that mattered was this moment. I had won over the boy of my dreams, and nothing else mattered.

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Author's Note!

Hey, my Luvs! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had so much fun writing it. Finally Wade and Peter are together, it only took like 5 chapters but still a lot of work for me.