#Flash thompson fanfic

[thefriendlyferretwriter]

A new side of you: Waltz of emotions

Pairing: Eugene 'Flash' Thompson x reader

Summary: Surprised, again and again.

Warning: 13k words, Tension, tension, tension, angst, a bit of fluff, OCs, don't know what else to warn you about.

A/N: I feel like this is standard by now but sorry again for being such a slow writer, I hope the fic is enough to be forgiven for my usual tardiness. Might have edited but I'm not a native speaker so get ready for plenty of mistakes, enjoy!

Tags: (Don't hesitate to tell me if you want to be added or removed, and thank you again for your feebacks ❤️) @loxerclu8 @wheelerzluv @ray-of-sunrise @m00nkn1ghts

People's view of the costume is accurate. The fabric is thin and flexible but unfortunately, it is quite a cold way to fight crimes during the chilly nights of New York.

"That was awesome! I wonder if it'll end up on the internet?"

"I doubt it. If it does end up there it'll be out of frame and shaky. The police were quite insistent when they were shoving people to safety," I say feeling the breeze as I swing around at full speed.

Landing with a huff I realize I'm out of breath, "Ned." I pant, "Remind me to get a custom binder, this one is killing me."

"I told you! You can't just buy any binder from the internet. It's like corsets, of course they are uncomfortable if they are not tailored for you!"

Your vendetta against Hollywood has reached another level," I say taking another deep breath.

With a leap I swing from the American Museum of Natural History and land on a school's rooftop.

A buzz makes me pause and crouch to check my phone and see a second call coming in from May.

"I got to go May is on the other line."

"Okay, 'night."

"'Night."

Swiping on my phone I wait for the inevitable.

"Where are you?!"

I try to defuse the damage as I look around, "I am at the park close to the flat," I draw out slowly.

"…Which park?"

…

"Do not tell me you're close to Central Park which is on the other side of the city."

"Okay, I won't say it."

"Damnit! you know I don't want you farther than Long Island at night!"

"I know, I know!" I whine, "But there was this guy with a huge Scorpion armor and he was doing mass destruction! The police couldn't do it alone they needed help!" I protest.

"Before being Spiderman you're my niece and my niece will obey the very few rules I put in place for her safety."

"Don't you think the fact that I can knock out people 3 times my size should allow me a bit of indulgence on those rules?"

"No young lady I read a ton of books on this and I know how this ends."

"How?" I ask curiously.

"Mostly teen pregnancy."

"Wow! Okay let's not be dramatic now, shall we?"

"And juvie," May continues her list.

"May I fight crimes, I don't commit it."

"Listen we have a system and it works, I don't get sarcastic with my boss and you don't go farther than Long Island past 11 PM."

"In retrospect, I think we should've thought harder on those rules."

"Too late, the system works and it's flawless. Now swing your ass back home before Spiderman gets grounded."

"Yes ma'am."

"Love you," she says smugly.

The line dies and I breathe out the annoyance I feel to then breathe in the fresh evening air.

Tearing off my mask I try to crack my neck and let it hang down to massage and release the night's tension when my eyes catch a familiar sigh.

Flash?

He sits on a bench with his phone in hand looking perplexed.

It's been a week since we last saw each other, or even talked. I didn't want to bother him and I have the feeling it's the same for him.

I look down at my wrist and fumble with the different settings before I find and activate the voice modificator.

Swinging down, I drop on the cemented ground and accidentally startle him as he jumps and stumbles to the floor.

"Oh shit, sorry I didn't mean to scare you," I say genuinely with my voice coming out deeper thanks to the device.

Stumbling around to step back up, Flash looks at Spiderman with wide eyes and his jaw on the floor.

A torrent of curses comes out of his mouth along with an excited laugh of disbelief.

"I can't believe it, it's you!" he says and motions to me up and down.

"Oh yeah, it's me!" I say rethinking my decision to offer guidance disguised as Spiderman in front of Flash Thompson.

"Oh my god I was having such a bad night and now I'm talking to Spiderman!"

"Yeah, that's awesome! Listen, I saw you from up there and you looked troubled and honestly a bit underdressed," I point to his light shirt.

"Oh yeah," he says more calmly looking down at his outfit, "I just needed to take a walk to think about-"

He hesitates.

"No that's not important."

"No way, tell me, that's why I came down here," I say sitting on the bench inviting him to join me.

It's not the first time that Spiderman has a sit-down with someone in distress; words being as useful as a handful of punches.

He sighs and sits down, "There's this um-Charity thing and my mom told me I had to bring a date and I told her I would but let's say it's easier said than done."

"Why's that? Having trouble finding a date?" I tease.

"No," he chuckles, "No actually I already know who I want to invite, but I don't know if she would say yes, and even then I don't really know where we stand. Inviting her could compromise everything," he says sliding his hands down his face with a pained sigh.

Is it me?

Who am I kidding? It's not because we kissed once that I'm his only date choice.

"Alright, so you have an idea. Why not ask her?"

"Because she could say no and I really do not want to have the conversation that would follow after that."

"What conversation?"

"You know the conversation!" he shouts full of frustration as he stands up from the bench, "The one a girl gives you when she's not interested in you. The one that goes 'It's not you, it's me' or the 'We're just friends' except in this case I'm not even sure we're friends to begin with!" he finishes his rant pacing left and right.

"That seems complicated," is the only thing I can say after a few moments of tense silence.

"Yeah and also what kind of date would be a charity event?"

"A date?" I choke out.

"I just-I've always been good at reading people, I know whether they hate me or they tolerate me. But recently it's been hard to read her."

I listen silently nodding my head from time to time.

"Before, she just rolled her eyes or would just snap back at me but now she listens to me and she worries about me and I just-I like being around her. I just worry it is all just a front and she's simply gonna drop me or tell me we're not actually friends and she just had pity on me and took me for some sort of charity case."

He finishes sitting back down his head in his hands.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have kissed her." he groans.

I'm thankful for the mask covering my flushed face.

So it is about me.

It couldn't be anyone else. Flash Thompson is a lot of things. Sometimes an idiot, an asshole, even a jerk at times but what everyone always seems to agree on is that Flash Thompson is no player.

"You could always invite her as a friend," I loudly blur out after an awkward pause.

Flash frowns.

"You ask her to be your date and you precise it's as friends," I precise my thought.

"I guess I could try but what if she says no?"

"Well, best case scenario she says yes and you do have a friend. Or worst case scenario, she does pity you and says yes allowing you to hang out with her and convince her to see you as more than that."

He stays silent staring out into the void before snatching his phone out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling her right now before I chicken out."

Oh shit!

"Wow! Hey there how about we think about it before we make any rash decision," I say standing up from the bench in a hurry.

"What do you mean? you just told me to ask her."

"Listen," I panic and rack my brain for any last-second plan, "Here's what I propose. You walk back home and think about what you're gonna say to her on the way there, and then you call her once you get there."

He pauses, "Yeah okay, that makes sense."

A buzz startles me and reminds me of my curfew.

Trying to stay calm I hurriedly try to bid my goodbyes.

"O-Okay well, I got to go. Hope it works out for you!" I say carefully stepping backward, "As for me I'm expected somewhere so I'm gonna head there!"

"Oh yeah for sure. That's crazy man, I've always wanted to meet you, and now that it's the case you've just helped me!"

He looks back down at his phone's contact and slowly takes a few steps back nodding to me as a goodbye.

"You know what they say. I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, emotionally and physically!" I shout jogging back.

When I'm sure he's far enough, I leap into the air and swing away.

"Wait! Can we take a picture-?!" his demand fades as I shoot my next web.

Answering the phone I reassure May I'm on my way and get a few more calls from Flash that I cannot answer.

The last swing sends me to my bedroom window with a thud as I slide the glass panel up and throw my phone in first before climbing inside in a hurry as my cell buzzes again.

"Is that you?!"

"Yeah, I'm home!" I say sliding my mask off before trying to unzip my suit as I stomp around attempting to slip out of the gear.

Jumping on one foot I try to snatch the blue and red material off my feet and trip falling on the cool wooded floor.

"What was that?"

May's panicked tone and the incessant buzz coming from my phone is overwhelming.

Out of breath and my head still on the floor, I raise my hand and blindly pat around my covers before they brush against the device.

I sit myself up with a grunt and bring the phone to my ear.

"Hi!" I say enthusiast and breathless.

"Hi," he answers back abruptly.

"Everything okay?" I ask dipping my elbow amongst my blanket and burying my hand in my hair to ground it.

"Yeah!" he says back quickly with a lighter tone, "Sorry I just thought I would end up leaving a voicemail and now I just don't remember what it is that I wanted to say," he awkwardly confesses.

"Oh yeah sorry about that I was taking a shower," I skillfully lie.

"You often run out of breath after a shower?"

"No! it's just, I left my phone in my room and I heard it in the shower and started panicking the third time it rang I thought something horrible happened," I spew out.

I'm getting really good at this.

"Oh crap, my bad I didn't think it would-" he sighs, "Of course you would think that, I shouldn't have called at this hour I'm sorry I didn't think."

"No! Really it's nothing. What did you call about?"

Silence on the other line. I let it run until I start thinking he must've hung up and asks if he's still there.

"Yeah um, okay so here I go. There's this charity event that happens like every year and it's kind of badly seen to go alone."

My heart speeds up and hammers against my ribcage. It feels like my blood skyrockets through my body leaving an ice-cold feeling behind that gives me chills. This feeling gets stuck in my throat making me believe I'm struggling to breathe.

"And you'd like me to be your plus one?" I attempt to finish the sentence for him.

"Not like a date or anything like that! More like as…friends?" he ends his sentence with hesitation.

Leave the blood impression right now it feels like I was punched in the guts as the air escapes my lungs in a swift.

"Friends?" I repeat meekly to make sure he is comfortable with the term.

"Yeah if you're up to it?" he asks anxiously in return.

I feel frozen for a moment before my eyes are drawn to my wardrobe.

"Yeah of course. I'd love to go with you," I say putting my phone on speaker before laying it down on my bed.

Standing up with a grunt and newfound confidence, I skip to my closet and push stuff back and forth.

"So what type of event is it exactly?"

"Well, it's a charity but it's a charity on the Upper East Side so…there's going to be a lot of snobby people," he says with an awkward chuckle, avoiding talking about our apparent new friendship.

"So," I draw out, "Dressed up."

"Yup," he confirms.

I sigh pushing a few hangers back, "Well I don't think they'd be much impressed with me," I chuckle embarrassed, "When is the event exactly? Maybe I could go grab something that won't cause a public humiliation," I chuckle throwing yet another hanger back with a huge cling.

"That's where you hate me," he says with a pained voice.

Frowning I look at my phone still lying on my bed.

"The event is tomorrow."

My eyes bulge. I don't feel angry, I'm more surprised than anything else.

"Oh, so that really was a last-minute decision to invite me," I try to say light-heartedly.

'Actually, I already know who I want to invite.'

"It wasn't," he replies softly.

I'm getting better at making him open up. A fact that makes me smile, but I realize that I can't push my luck at the risk of going too far and having him close back up in a blink.

Trying to brush off his confession I decide to joke.

"You know Flash, when people invite you to events they tell you days beforehand," I laugh, "Now I don't even have anything worth wearing to your fancy charity!"

"I'm sorry."

"No I'm not mad it's just-I don't want to walk in with a summer dress on," I chuckle trying to reassure him, "And it takes more than a few hours of shopping to find a dress that looks expensive but is not."

"You don't own a black dress?" he asks confused.

"No."

"Not to generalize but I'm ready to bet every girl owns at least one plain black dress."

"I mean I do but it doesn't fit me anymore," I say putting the black dress at least three times too small against my much-grown self.

After a few moments of silence, I start thinking the invitation is gonna be retracted.

"I might have a solution."

"What is it?"

"Can't tell you."

"And why is that?" I frown trying to conceal my offense with a teasing tone.

"Can't tell you either."

"I'm not liking this."

The other line stays silent for a moment.

"Does that mean you don't want to come anymore?"

"No, that's not what I said," I clear up.

"Good, I'll take care of it, and thank you again. Would you like me to pick you up? Tomorrow I mean."

"Oh no, thank you but I'm sure I can find my way around."

"Okay," I wouldn't bet on it but I think I hear the hint of a smile in his words.

"Hum, when does it start? When do I have to arrive exactly?"

"Oh well you know, there is no designated time but people generally arrive later and leave earlier so no pressure."

"Okay so let's say around 9 PM? How does that sound?"

"Awesome."

"Cool," I smile.

I look around my room sheepishly waiting for a goodbye or any other signs he would like to continue the conversation.

Walking to my bed I spin around and let my ankle bump into my bed's rail letting myself fall back on my covers.

"Cool," he repeats.

"Cool," I reiterate chuckling.

"Thanks again, really."

"It's no big deal I'm sure I'm gonna have fun anyways," I say with a smile.

"Well you know it's a charity event so people are gonna do a LOT of talking."

"Why are you making it sound bad," I chuckle.

"I wouldn't say bad, I'd say boring," he says nonchalantly.

"I think I can handle boring for a night."

"I'll take you on that one," he says almost as a challenge.

My door creaks open and May's frown makes my smile drop.

"Hum I'm sorry but I have to go, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

"Bye."

When the line goes silent I awkwardly sit up waiting for a scolding or a rant or anything else.

"So?" she asks with her brows raised.

I know she's waiting for an explanation but the news is too important, "I might've been invited to an event tomorrow."

The warmth is too much and in the heat, I throw my cover to the side with the help of my feet to turn around and try to go back to sleep in my haze.

Having opened my blinds and window during the heated night to let in the fresh breeze, the sunlight shines through and highlights my cluttered mess of a bedroom.

The usual New York rumble is accompanied by a merry voice.

"Wakey wakey night owl!"

"May," I whine sleepily, "It's the last days of summer, can't you let me oversleep?"

"Nope because you have a package and I've been trying to guess what's in it for about twenty minutes now."

"Huh?" I say with a hoarse voice.

"Come on, stand up!"

"I don't remember buying anything," I try to reason.

"And I don't remember buying anything either so come on up, up!" she says jumping up and down.

Sliding off my bed a box is thrown onto it. A huge white rectangular box closed and flattered by a black bow wrapped around it like a Christmas present.

I groan.

"I know what it is."

"What?"

"I have nothing to wear for the charity and Flash proposed to help but I thought it would just be a quick drop off not…that," I say with a gesture to the box.

"How nice."

"I guess but I'm uncomfortable getting a dress from him. If it wasn't so last minute I would've bought one for myself but-"

"Didn't you say it was a fancy event?"

"Yeah?" I answer not getting her point.

"Rich people smell a fraud it's better if he's the one dressing you up for tonight."

"Dressing me," I bark a laugh, "Flash would not dress me, maybe his mom helped or-"

I'm cut off by the phone going off in the other room.

As May walks out to reach it I admire the simplicity yet classiness of the box. I smile as I fidget with the bow before tugging on it and letting it loose.

Half-listening to May's phone call I push off the ribbon and lift the lid.

"Holy fuck!"

I throw the lid back on top of the box the corner not fitting back properly and let it slide aside.

"I'll call you right back-what?! What happened?!" May says in a hurry with the phone still glued to her ear.

I face her with my back turned away from my bed where the dress is sitting, "I can't wear that."

"Can't wear what?" she asks walking to my bed and opening the box back.

"Oh wow."

"I know."

"This is gorgeous."

"I know, I can't wear that."

"Wait-why not?"

“It’s too much. It’s the kind of dress you wear to attract attention, not just to walk around at a charity event,” I spit out at full speed as May puts the phone back to her ear and asks the person who is on the other line and who has not bothered to hang up to come forward and open the front door which is not locked.

"I think you're overreacting a little bit. It's just a pretty dress."

Listening to her I gather up the courage to turn back around and have another look at the black glittery dress.

"It's too much! He told me it's an event full of snobby rich people and you know what's gonna happen if I wear this around snobby rich people?"

May straightens up and takes a posh accent, "What a promiscuous little lady you are," she scolds before laughing.

"I'm serious!" I whine taking the dress out of the box.

The dress's length reaches the ground and the long sleeves hang loose. As the front of the dress faces Aunt May, the back view horrifies me.

I choke on my gasp and swiftly turn the dress around.

At the view of the open back of the dress May's eyes match mine as they widen like sausages.

"Oh wow now that's promiscuous," she says with no accent or tease this time.

"What was he thinking?!"

"Nothing. I doubt Flash handpicked this dress himself," she speculates feeling the fabric of the dress.

Her observation is followed by the front door shutting and a voice calling out to May.

"We're in here Happy!"

With a frown, I watch as Happy Hogan appears at the threshold of my bedroom.

"What is he doing here?" I question as I point to him with the dress still in my hands.

"Your aunt said you're going out tonight and she didn't want to stay alone so I proposed to stay with her," he says all the while analyzing the dress up and down before pointing to it, "Where did you get that?"

"It's a gift," May explains.

"No! No no no no no, it's temporary, a temporary borrowed and very expensive looking dress."

"Not just looking," Happy informs me.

My body proves that it is in fact possible to get even more tense.

"What do you mean by that exactly?" I ask with a meek voice.

Seeing my distressed face Happy makes eye contact with May, gauging the situation.

"Well I mean," he draws out walking up to me and grabbing the dress raising it to examine the fabric, "It looks like the kind of dress Tony makes me pick up for Pepper so I figured-"

"Oh my god!" I shout throwing the dress back on my bed.

I walk to my nightstand and reach for my phone.

"What are you doing?" May ask.

"I'm canceling," I say hurriedly.

"What? No!" she protests.

Flash's number is already dialed and the phone is placed at my ear as I shoo both of them out of my room.

Hurrying May out I close the door as the fourth dial rings in my ear.

Somehow the sound of his voice allows me to breathe out.

"Hey, what is it?"

"What the fuck Flash!"

The warmth leaves his voice and worry takes its place, "What is it?"

"The dress!"

"What? what's wrong with it, you don't like it?"

"It's too much!" I exclaim.

"Oh crap, I'm sorry."

"What were you thinking?" I said feeling a little guilty knowing he couldn't have guessed that I wouldn't like the dress.

"Hey in my defense I didn't choose the dress."

"Then who did?!"

"Well I wasn't sure so I kinda asked Lea to choose," he hesitates to say.

My brain freezes and a headache is right around the corner, "Wait, isn't she supposed to be on her honeymoon?" I ask pinching my nose and scrunching my eyes closed.

"She was but she's a big part of the charity so she is flying back for tonight and is gonna finish her honeymoon here in New York."

"Oh and so you let her choose a dress for me not thinking that our way of dressing up might be way different?" I ask incredulously.

"You make it sound bad."

"It is Flash!" I shout hyperventilating, "She's a model and this type of dress is made for the runway, not charity, and not on me."

"Wait so the problem is that it doesn't fit?"

"No!" I groan falling back on my bed beside the same dress that is making me break down.

"I'm sorry but I'm having a hard time understanding the problem right now, do you hate the dress is that what it is?"

"No, I don't hate the dress," I say.

It's true I like the dress, it's a pretty dress.

"Have you tried it on?"

I pause and answer 'no' in a tone that says it should be obvious to him that I would never try on a brand-name dress.

"So what's the issue exactly? You don't dislike the dress and you haven't tried it on so you can't complain that it doesn't fit, so what's up?"

"It's not a normal dress," I explain as a matter of fact.

"A normal dress?" I can hear the tease in his tone.

"Yes, a normal dress." I reiterate.

"And what is a normal dress exactly?"

"A dress that doesn't look like it was made in a studio in a fancy part of Beverly Hills!"

"Okay, I understand, Lea has a particular style."

"And Lea knows how to walk around with people's eyes on her!" I shout convinced that he now understands my point of view, "I just-" I sigh, "I don't want to walk in there and have people looking at me and judging me, especially rich snobby people."

"Oh if that's what scares you I can reassure you right now and tell you that no one will pay you any attention."

"You haven't seen the dress," I say as a matter of fact.

"No, but I can tell you that standing beside me as my da-my plus one, everyone will obviously be too busy admiring me to be paying you any mind."

I snort and try to muffle the noise by cupping my mouth but the unflattering cackle reaches the other end of the phone.

I know he's reassured now that I laughed but it doesn't erase my worry.

I calm down and weigh my request before verbalizing it.

"Could you drive me to the event?" I decided to just come out with it hoping for the best.

"What happened to taking the bus?" He asks genuinely.

"Again, you haven't seen the dress and I'd rather not travel around Queens dressed to the nines. I just want to be safe, you know?"

I know that my safety isn't at risk but dressed like that, a judging stare would be as dreadful as a wandering hand.

I can't hear him but I'm certain he nods agreeing with me.

"Well, it would be an honor to be your knight in shining armor for the night knowing you're actually my savior," he jokes, "But sadly there isn't any carriage available so we will have to settle for my car, I hope that's alright."

"Oh what a shame, I expected nothing less than the fanciest vehicle," I chuckle.

"Sorry Cinderella but fairy godmother only managed to get the dress."

"And I still wonder how she managed to do that," I say turning on my side and feeling the fabric.

"That's a secret…Try the dress on and call me back to tell me how it fits. Or better yet text me, It's kind of crazy around here today."

It is only now that I realize there is noise around him, a lot of noise and that makes me gather that he must already be over there helping to set everything up and I'm here having a meltdown and calling him having a tantrum about a dress.

"I'm so sorry I didn't, I mean if I knew you were busy I would've-"

"No no, it's alright really-" He tries to chime in.

"No I mean you're probably busy, I can't believe I didn't think of that-" I ramble before he cuts me off.

"No really, you're a life-savor Parker. Those events are old-fashioned and you're like forced to have someone with you and I really didn't want to spend my entire night answering the same question over and over again-"

It's his turn to ramble and I find myself listening on liking the idea of him opening up to me.

It is not every day that I get to listen to Flash Thompson ramble, let alone to me.

"It's annoying when people crowd you and ask why you don't have a date with you and they end up dissecting what must be wrong with you to not have a girl on your arm."

"Sounds annoying."

"It is. Sometimes I manage to avoid that kind of event but for this one my family is in charge so," He finishes dragging his word.

"You are forced to participate."

He confirms and gets interrupted by another voice. I frown trying to listen and make up a bit of the conversation going on before he comes back to the line with a sigh.

"I'm sorry it's a bit crazy right now. My mom always goes nuts the day of these events," he says as I can hear Mme.Thompson shouting in the back.

"Okay, that's my cue. Try the dress on and text me okay?"

"Sure," I say with a smile.

"Bye," he says along with another sentence that I cannot decipher, presumably aimed at someone else before the line dies and I'm left lying on my bed retracing the conversation.

I look at the dress once more. The sparkles look more and more inviting instead of revolting and I stand back up fixing myself before I open the door to face both May and Happy.

Making awkward eye contact I see that they are half bent toward my door before they stand straight up and cough to ease the tension.

After a moment of silence where my gaze is enough judgment, I speak up and ask for help.

"Can you help me do my hair?"

Meddling with the final strand of my hair May stands back to admire her work as I add the final touch to my makeup applying the red lipstick with precision.

Closing the cap I stand up and have an overall look at myself as May squeals and hands me my jacket. She asks a few more questions when I head to the door and check if I have everything I need placed in the pouch she lent me for the night.

My brain barely has time to register the questions before I hum and give a half-assed answer as I put my jacket on and try to exit the apartment.

I turn around to hear her give me rule after rule for the night.

"Flash drives you to the event, you stay at this event," she points out referring to the birthday incident where the only reason I wasn't grounded was the fact that my exit saved me from a potential wound from the blowout of fireworks.

"You have your fun and you come home at 1 AM. Not 2, not 3, 1 AM, got it?"

I nod.

"And Flash drives you back, no one else, Flash."

"Yes," I say a bit exasperated.

"And you stay glued to him all night."

"Yes, Aunt May I promise! Can I go now he's waiting for me outside," I lie.

He's not waiting for me outside, as a matter of fact I haven't even sent him a message informing him I'm ready for him to pick me up.

"Okay be careful-And text me both when you arrive and when you're coming home."

I nod at her as I walk backward to the elevator and watch as she smiles before closing the apartment door. I huff loudly and turn around to look down to my phone texting Flash that I'm ready and will be waiting for him outside.

It's when I'm halfway down the elevator that my phone rings.

"Yes?"

"Hey, I just got your text and huh," he draws out.

I don't answer and just let him bask in the silence of the line.

"I'm sorry things were crazy. I'm just now getting ready."

"Wait you're getting ready?! Then when are you coming to pick me up?" I ask walking out of the elevator and pushing the door of the apartment building open letting the New York ambiance bask me in its hurriedness.

The breeze reaches me and I rub my arm getting used to the weather slipping up the back of my jacket and biting at my open back when I notice a…no way.

"Flash what did you do?"

"What-what do you mean what did I do?" he stutters.

"I mean why is there a guy looking at me waiting by a car that looks like it's worth more than the neighborhood," my question is more of a statement.

I hear him curse under his breath.

"I'm really sorry. She told me she would be subtle."

"Who?" I ask taking my eyes off the supposed driver.

"My mom. I told her I had to come to get you but she still needed me around so I insisted and even said I'd call you to push back our meeting but she said it would be disrespectful and that she would send someone."

I stay silent processing all of it.

"I'm sorry I wanted to call and tell you but I just got to my room."

I look back up to the driver and make eye contact before we exchange hasty smiles.

I sigh thinking of this all over walking down the stairs one by one slowly.

"Okay, I guess it wasn't really in your power. But you better be here when I arrive I will not show up and walk around alone." I say firmly.

"Of course," he says in all seriousness.

Telling him I'll see him soon, I hang up and focus my gaze on the driver as I approach him.

"Miss Parker?"

I nod before confirming my identity verbally.

He then motions to the car before opening the door and gesturing for me to step in.

When it clicks shut I am left with the silence of the empty vehicle.

As the buildings go by and I get closer to the venue my stress level rises and I start fidgeting and falling into a cycle of grabbing my phone, second-guessing texting Flash, and then abandoning the idea and letting my body fill up with more anxiety.

The arrival doesn't stop that nagging feeling that causes goosebumps to rush down my spine, that or the wind nipping at my back through my coat.

Walking up the stairs my nerves run wild through my body as my legs shake walking up the stairs.

Reaching the top, I make eye contact with a man standing in front of the doors. Approaching him carefully, I struggle to find my voice and I am cut off in my stutter as he guesses my last name.

Confused, I confirm his guess and my frown must ring a bell for him as he turns to the door, "I was informed that one of Mme.Thompson's guests would arrive alone and I'm guessing it's you," he says as he buzzes me in.

I nod to him as a thank you and continue to walk ahead this time on a soft and long red carpet instead of stone.

The voices, which were mere mumbles turn into booming voices coming from every corner of the room and my coat is starting to make me sweat reminding me that I'll have to discard it soon.

The thought makes me sweat even more.

Like fate, my eyes scan my surroundings and immediately fall on him standing in front of the counter right beside Lea.

He's fidgety and I see Lea receiving a glass of alcohol before making eye contact with me as she nods in my direction.

I feel hands on my shoulders and jolt stepping aside to see who touched me. I see a man who stumbles back apologizing and realize he is trying to gather my coat to let me join the crowd and a cold sweat replaces the regular sweat.

As the fabric leaves my shoulder my voice stays stuck in my throat and instead, a small squeak manages to slither out.

Still looking for my voice, I turn to him walking away with my coat.

I'm left standing there helpless.

When I see the man disappear I turn back to my previous position to look back at Flash when I see him getting hit behind the head and scolded by Lea. I also notice the glass now empty on the counter as I hear his voice more distinctly dismissing Lea with a 'Whatever' as he rushes to my side.

"He took my jacket," I husher panicked but still trying to be subtle.

"I'm sorry," he says sincerely taking off his jacket.

"I feel naked," I whisper.

"I'm so sorry," he reiters putting his jacket on my shoulders before ushering me to walk ahead leading us towards Lea at the bar.

His hand is placed on my back flaring shiver with the new sensation of his hand on my back, or maybe it is just the fresh jacket on me?

My brain focuses back and sets on Lea greeting me.

With her asking how I've been I let my hand play with the jacket and nod along with the conversation. Flash himself messes with the blazer by first securing it over my shoulder and then playing with the sleeves that hang loosely.

When my mind stops fixating on him, I blink in surprise when my ears register an apology coming from Lea about the dress. I try to protest and instead thank her for the last-minute save when Flash's mother appears to join and inform us that we need to scatter around.

I stand clueless for a moment before I feel his hand on my back gently pushing me to walk alongside him.

Led around once more I decide to stop being dragged around like a clueless puppet and tug the hand placed on my back to entertwine our arms and walk together instead of letting him direct me around.

I don't talk much. I mostly nod and answer small questions here and there.

The evening runs along pretty smoothly as each interaction the two of us have only lasts few minutes before Flash skillfully finds a way to bid our goodbyes and walk us to yet another couple beckoning us over.

"Oh no."

"What is it?" I ask him trying to glance in the direction he was looking at to see an older lady standing there motioning us to join her.

"That's Garret's grandmother."

"And she's a mean old lady," I deduct.

"No worse, she's a passive-aggressive bitch."

I'm taken aback by his name-calling and look back at the woman waiting impatiently for us.

"I think she's waiting for us," I suggest.

"Okay, don't talk and stay close to me," he instructs.

"You mean like I've been doing for the past hour and a half?"

My teasing provokes a smile to appear on his face for a moment but it quickly disappears when his head turns back to the lady as he walks us toward her.

I hug his arm getting closer to him as he uses his opposite hand and brings it to our linked arms as a sort of comfort I'm guessing.

"Eugene," she beckons us over with a honeyed voice.

Her mask falls for a moment and I can see a glimpse of irritation before, like any other influential figure, she morphs her face into a more pleased expression.

"Madam Pennington," Flash says with an edge.

I first think that his tone might've been hesitation, but that changes when the woman gets that sour look back on her face and I realize his tone is subtly bitter.

Without trying, my brain does the math in a matter of seconds and I realize that if Flash refers to her with another last name than Garret's it must mean she is divorced.

She makes eye contact with me as my face must've shown that I figured Flash's comment out and her burning stare drives me to get closer to him for protection.

He clears his throat driving her murderous stare back to him as I abandon the idea of nodding along to their conversation and instead subtly look around the room.

The buffet, the people, anything other than the two of them.

"My grandson seems to be upset. When I tried talking to him about it he refused to speak but I did overhear that you two fought over a girl," she ends her sentence looking at me up and down.

"And by overhear you mean that you snooped around against your grandson's wish," his argument is aimed not only at defending himself but McCoy's privacy as well which surprises me.

"Excuse you?"

Her voice getting louder I notice McCoy himself standing just a few feet away from us looking at his grandmother about to blow a fuse and I decide to diffuse the tension.

"I believe your grandson is looking for you," I say nodding toward him standing there frozen, "And Flash your mother is looking for us over there."

Pushing him into motion I look back to see Garret approaching his grandmother but decide to not dwell on the talk they're about to have.

"Are you okay?" I ask as we hurry away from them.

He doesn't answer and just nods with a hum. He does however ask where his mother is and that's when I frown.

"You know I made it up so we could flee the conflict, right?"

He stops in his tracks before turning to me and I can see the gears turning in his head.

"Oh, yeah."

We keep eye contact and it must take a toll on him because he then avoids my stare and decides to look forward, all stiff.

I'm guessing the only reason he doesn't flee is the fact that our arms are still tangled together but I don't want to let go.

Maybe it's selfish but since the last time we talked, or more precisely the last we talked and I was not in gear, he ran away and ghosted me.

I want an explanation.

"This place is beautiful," I say looking around at the structure trying to pry a conversation out of him.

"I have something to tell you."

His tone is particular and I can't make out if he's hopeful or desperate.

My own tone embarrasses me as I egg him on full of anticipation.

"There's this type of dance and-" he cuts himself off and stares behind us.

Turning around, I spot McCoy staring right back at him.

"Not again," I hear him say under his breath.

I want to ask him if he's gonna be okay or if he'd like me to stay with him to talk to Garret but he shakes my hands off his arm and grabs it before taking off in the direction of the stairs.

"Come on follow me."

I can only let out a small squeal of surprise before catching up with his footing as the previous noisy venu dies down when we reach the second floor.

Once up there he doesn't stop and continues to sprint down the hall before taking a turn and tugging me to a corner away from McCoy.

My back is placed against the wall and I rearrange the jacket on my shoulders as I see Flash look around the corner to see if Garret is following us.

I suppose he gave up the idea as Flash visibly relaxes and turns back to me.

The proximity reminds me of that night at the laser game and the sudden look on his face tells me he must reminisce as well.

He knows that I know what we're both thinking about because we avoid eye contact and I let my eyes bounce between the multiple decors as a decoy.

"This place is beautiful. I wonder what it would feel to go to sleep in a place like that," I try to deflect from the tension.

"It's like any other place, you go to bed and you fall asleep," he brushes off trying to avoid the tension as well.

The simple statement makes me turn back to him and make eye contact as the realization slowly sets in.

"No."

"No, what?" he frowns.

"You slept here before?" my question sounds more like a statement.

"Yeah."

"But you live like 20 minutes away."

"Oh so now you know where I live Parker?"

My eyes widen at his insinuation.

I'm not a stalker!

"Well after you pointed out that I didn't know where you lived I was curious. If anything you're the one who told me I should know where you lived."

"Yeah and by that I meant coming over not googling my address."

"I did not Google your address!" I lie, "You're making me look bad!"

My restlessness makes him laugh.

Still chuckling he points ahead silently asking me to follow him.

"It's more of a tradition. My mom wants us to stay and sleep here every year," he says walking peacefully beside me.

It's a change compared to his erratic running just a few minutes ago.

"So you also slept at the fairytale mansion?"

"Fairytale mansion?"

"Yeah, the one where Lea got married."

Confused, it takes him a few seconds before his frown disappears and his mouth opens with an 'Oh'.

"Yeah," he simply says opening a door as I stand here frozen.

I know he probably wants me to enter but I'm confused and look at him waiting for an explanation.

He doesn't answer and instead walks inside reaching the other side of the bed to retrieve something.

With hesitation, I take a cautious step in looking around as if the room is full of boobie traps when I hear a dull thump and look back to see him throwing a gym bag on the queen-sized bed.

It must be the glamour of the night inhibiting my ability to be logical at times because it takes me a few seconds before my confusion turns into curiosity.

"Is that your bag?"

"No, I just love going through other people's stuff."

I don't answer or laugh and just raise my brows.

"Yes Parker, It's my bag."

I relax and close the door behind me before walking toward the bed warily and sitting down softly as the mattress sinks under me.

"I thought if I have to run away from Garret, why not pause before going back out there?" he explains throwing a book on the bed covers.

He dives back into his bag as I grab the book.

"Hey, I know that book!" I note joyfully.

I see him stop scrambling through his bag and look back up at me.

"Really?" he hesitates.

"Yeah I talked about it with Susan on your birthday. Usually, she's not into these kind of books but she's been watching a show similar to it so I mentioned it to her."

When he doesn't answer and doesn't make a move to dive back into his bag, another question comes troubling me.

"By the way, how did you hear about this book?"

"Oh um, someone told me about it," he says fumbling with the clothes inside the bag.

"Really? Who?" I ask knowing this isn't his type of book.

He doesn't answer and I assume it must be Garret who told him about the book and he simply doesn't wanna talk about him.

"You know as much as I don't like Garret, he's been your friend for years," I tip-toe around the issue and remember that he must not know about the video I saw where he's going off on McCoy and his clique.

"And?"

"And. With such a great taste in books, how could you not forgive him?" I try to turn the tension into something lighter with a chuckle gesturing to the book.

His frown turns into surprise, "Oh yeah, yeah! It's Garret who told me about it a few weeks ago."

"I never thought Garret would be the kind of guy who reads outside of school," I try to say without sounding mean.

A flash of red in my peripheral vision attracts my attention to turn away from the papercover and fills me with excitement when I recognize the sight.

"You brought him!" I say gripping the plushy and letting the book fall back on the covers.

He seems satisfied with my reaction and tugs his bag to fall back down before he too takes a seat beside me.

I lean down with my feet dangling as my back makes contact with the lavish bedding.

I take a look over at the Spiderman plushy wondering if in the small period of time any harm came his way. My detective work comes out dry as the plush doesn't seem to have been put under any distress when I hear him lay down as well.

I turn my gaze to him ready to make another joke and congratulate him on the plush's wellbeing when I see him already looking back at me and lose my smile as the memories flash back.

The muffled music, the way his curls were laying on his bed. He's been growing them out.

I like his hair long.

I like his lips too.

The calmness I feel is cut short when the bedroom door swings open and the sound of heels thud on the carpeted ground.

I raise up in my seat in a rush and grip the plushy hard against my chest in a panic as if I had just been caught having sex.

"Jee! Ever heard of knocking?!" he shouts sitting up after me.

"Coming from you?" Lea says looking up and down at him with an incredulous expression.

He sighs. I don't know if it comes from annoyance or relief from the previous scene.

"I've been looking for you two, your mother sent me to get you, come on now it's about to start," she says turning back on her heels and pulling the door behind her to leave it half closed waiting for us to join her.

"What's about to start?" I wonder looking at him after admiring her walk away.

The face I find makes mine fall. The paleness and distress plastered on his face makes me feel like I'm about to be the butt of the joke.

His blank stare angers me and figuring out I won't get any explanation from him I jump on my feet straightening the jacket on my shoulder to run after her.

Any other day it would've been to get an autograph but right now my only hope is to get reassured that all of it is just a huge misunderstanding.

Surely 'It's about to start' cannot be that bad? Maybe just a toast, or a speech?

"What's about to start?" I say trying to catch up to her but my question goes unanswered when we reach the top of the stairs and I see the Thompson matriarch taking the venue by storm as she speaks up in the middle of the stairs with her voice reasoning through the immense space.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

I hear her call out before my arm is engulfed and my gaze is redirected to him.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you really, but I kept being interrupted and then there was Garret and then we had a moment of calm and we started to talk and-"

"This evening has been fulfilling and I enjoy each and every one of your presence-"

My ears cannot keep up in between the two speeches. I'm even more overwhelmed when I realize that Lea has left us at the top of the split stairs, walked beside Aliyah, and joined her newlywed husband down the stairs.

"The time has come, and I know you enjoy it as much as I do," she says with a cheeky smile and a look of knowledge across the room sending the surroundings into a fit of chuckles.

"So now. I invite you to take your partner by the arm, and let's join each other in the other room so the waltz can take place."

The end of her speech sends a cold sweat down my back and I turn back to him unable to scream.

I'm speechless and incapable of voicing my anger and frustration.

The words want to come out but my brain is mushing together my two arguments, the one where I tear him a new one for not warning me or the one where I yell that I don't know how to dance.

Why didn't he think of inviting someone who knows how to dance?!

"A waltz?! I don't even know how to dance!" I say loudly enough to share my panic and frustration without attracting any looks.

His newest excuse gets cut off by his mother reaching us at the top of the stairs, " What are you two still doing here, come on chop chop," she finishes clapping her hands to drive us to hurry downstairs.

Another gasp fights its way into my lungs when I realize I'm about to disappoint her as well.

It's only logical for her son to dance in an event she organized.

I'm standing here looking like an idiot with my mouth wide open when my own voice surprises me, "I don't know how to dance!" I say point-blank.

"Of course you do! You went to the same elementary school and I distinctly remember your grade took ball lessons," she says proudly.

The new information confuses me and I doubt the woman's memory.

Maybe she's confusing me with another girl.

Not knowing how to question her or flatly deny her version of the event, I start to babble as I notice Lea walking back up the stairs with her arm under her husband's.

"No-I. I don't. I mean-I never," I ramble, any argument dying on my tongue leaving me a stuttering mess.

I don't know how to word my sentence when my eyes notice Flash's face getting sour the more his mother insists.

"Mom she said she doesn't want to," he says dryly.

I don't know if it's out of annoyance or out of shame but both possibilities are taking a toll on me and I feel the tears coming alongside the lack of oxygen.

"Well, what do you propose we do? Your father isn't here so I can't dance and one of us needs to!"

"We've been hosting this event every year for 5 years now I think we can sit this one out," he says somewhat confidently.

"I would've liked a bit of a heads up Eugene," Aliyah scolds him through her teeth.

Yeah, me too.

"They're waiting for us. Flash come on, come dance with me," Lea says extending her hand to him and taking a look at her proposal I see Mme.Thompson's bulb light up atop her head.

"You didn't even tell her there would be a dance?!" Her accusation seems rhetorical as the deep frown on her face doesn't seem ready to welcome any excuses.

He scrunches his eyes close and rubs them but doesn't answer and opens them back up to look at me.

I see regret and wonder if he regrets inviting me. A ball clogs my throat and I try to stay as stone-faced as possible instead of making a scene by dropping on the stairs and starting to ball like a baby.

He breathes in before following Lea's lead and I stop him. Placing my hand on his chest, I then shrug off the jacket he gave me and hand it back to him, my subconscious somehow realizing he would need it to look put together.

He walks down the stairs as his mother softly takes my arm under hers.

"I'm sorry, I would think my son would have the decency to tell you about this," she sighs as we walk down the stairs.

"But then again I should have known better with how different he's been acting lately."

I didn't intend to answer but that last bit of rant resonates with me and the wave of embarrassment and sadness I feel take a step back to leave place to my curiosity.

"Yeah I think Lea made a comment about it," I say looking at his back.

He suddenly turns his head around and looks at me following him before he turns back around and walks ahead taking his place with Lea in the middle of the room with the others.

Mme.Thompson stops us to stand around the crowd around the room and leave enough space for the others to dance in the middle of it.

Taking her attention away from me, she nods away seemingly to someone before music starts resounding in the area.

"I shouldn't burden you with that," she says with a warm smile while she rubs my arm in comfort.

"Oh no it doesn't burden me. I just hope he gets better."

My well wishes widen her smile.

"I'm glad he has you to hang out with," she says warmly.

"You're a good influence on him. and I can only hope you two stay close, it's not every day my son doesn't complain about this event."

"Yes, he told me about that. He was very thankful for saving him from those stares about him not having a date," I remember our conversation.

"Stares? Why would anyone stare at him fo not having a date?"

I frown, "You know. The rule about having a date for this charity in fear of being the talk of the night," I say trying to nudge her to remember.

"There was never such a rule. Who told you that? Eugene? Léa?"

I'm left speechless and with my mouth hanging open as the frown orning my face doesn't subside.

Her own frown is quickly replaced by a smile before she abruptly apologizes when a woman motions her over.

The loss of her arm is like a warm blanket has been ripped away making me notice the stares I was previously blind to.

A couple stares at me while another switches their stare back and forth between me and Flash, probably wondering why his date is not the one in his arms.

I look at him and see he's arguing with Léa while they waltz around and the sight would impress me if I wasn't confused as to why they look like they're ready to bite at each other's throat.

Another peep and I see that same man watching me with a nasty look before not-so-subtly whispering to his wife who makes eye contact with me before she answers him with a snarky smile.

I look around trying to convince myself I'm being tricked by my own paranoia when I start hearing my own intakes of breath and know it's a sign that it's all getting too much.

In my panic and without Ms.Thompson around to take my mind off things, I search for his face and find him already looking at me.

The panic sets in my chest and I know I need to step out for fresh air but I hesitate to do so in worry of the scene looking bad to the public.

Feeling the meltdown creeping up closer and closer, I look around and notice an arch under the stairs leading to a hallway and remember seeing multiple people passing through during the night and I conclude it must be the path towards a bathroom.

Sending a tense smile his way, I turn around to walk away.

Getting closer to my goal I step aside to let someone exit before walking in and locking the bathroom door behind me.

With the door shutting off most other noise from outside, I stand in front of the mirror and take a deep breath filling my lungs and trying to shake my head off those thoughts before hanging my head down and blowing out.

I raise my head and look at myself in the mirror to see the tears pricking my eyes and silently scold myself before reaching for a towel and trying my best to chase away the tears without messing up my mascara.

Another breath in and I take in my appearance one more time giving myself a pep talk before straightening my dress and deciding to go back out there before anyone starts to whisper about a possible date on the run.

I wouldn't want him to be surrounded.

Or maybe he'd like me to go.

I remember his face, the one he had on those damn stairs where I wondered why I accepted his invitation and why I let myself believe it could be that easy.

I violently shake my head off those thoughts and unlock the door ready to indulge the rest of this night before cutting all contact with Flash Thompson as I hear the distant music flooding back in my ears.

Lost in my thoughts I run straight into someone.

"I'm so sorry I-" My automatic response is cut short when I recognize him and the words get stuck in my throat.

"Hi," he blurs out.

I can only say hi back coldly as I believe any other response would send me back into the bathroom to place another tissue under my eyes.

"I swear I was gonna tell you."

His voice breaks the silence and when my ears register his words, I can't respond and instead walk around him to the other side of the hallway with my mind fixed on the idea that tonight was a mistake.

"No need to say sorry Flash-" I say nonchalantly, done with this poor decision of mine to accept his invitation.

"But I want to!"

I mess with a bust displayed on a table and let my finger slide on the statue trying to avoid his stare.

"Listen, it's completely my fault and I'm an idiot for not telling you. I was freaking out when I asked you to come here with me and I had my mind set so hard on you telling me you wouldn't come that when you said yes I was taken by surprise and the dance completely slipped off my mind."

I listen on with a frown. I stop messing with the bust and turn around leaning on the table as I look down avoiding his stare.

"My mom was the one who reminded me of it and then you called freaking out about the dress so I focused on that and I forgot again and then you walked in with your dress and then there was Garret's grandma and then Garrett and everything else followed so when there was just the two of us I just couldn't remember. And then Léa came in and you looked so sad and scared and angry I didn't know what to do."

I stand there listening to him spit out everything weighing on him before he suddenly breathes in for the first time and looks at me.

"I'm so sorry. I really am."

His gaze traps me and the remorse drowning his irises drains the anger out of me.

"You also lied about the date rule," I say, my voice barely able to convey any emotion.

I don't even find it in myself to yell at him, any scolding coming to mind being one he already gave himself.

"I'm an idiot and a coward and I completely get it if you never want to talk to me again."

At that I don't even know what to answer.

I did say I'd cut all contact with Flash Thompson after tonight but just a few weeks back I would've also said I'd never talk to him outside of schoolwork.

"Okay," I say after a while of silence trying to set us back in a way we can both be comfortable discussing with each other.

"If we're going on an apology spree I think I should be apologizing as well."

"What could you possibly have to apologize for? I'm the one who invited you last minute, so last minute that you didn't even have anything to wear."

I hear his step closing up on me before I put distance between us and walk back and forth down the hall.

"You invited me here to be your partner and I couldn't even participate in the important part of the night. Then there were the stairs and then people were talking and looking at you and Lea and then at me and it was all just so-"

My apology turns into a ramble and the simple retelling of the event produces that same panic inside of me.

Getting ready to excuse myself to go to the bathroom a second time, I turn around to see him standing right behind me. I can't look at him and instead focus my gaze on the floor trying to breathe properly when I feel his arms gently wrap around me and pull me in for a hug.

My finger messes with the fabric at the back of his jacket as my face is buried in the front of it trying to hide my face and not make eye contact.

I fool myself into thinking if I avoid eye contact with him we will stop talking in circles or better yet stop avoiding each other like the plague.

I also hope this way he won't see me on the verge of crying for the second time tonight.

"If anything," he says using my words as I feel his hand come up to stroke my hair, "I'm the one who should've thought better than to think you would still remember those dance classes," he says in a lighter tone.

I recognize his attempt to lighten up the situation and change the topic.

His comment makes me frown and against the warm feeling blossoming in my chest, I lift my face from the depth of his jacket to look at him.

"Yeah your mom talked about that but I don't think I ever took any dance classes, I think she mistook me for someone else."

His face, previously relaxed, falls and a sympathetic smile appears, "No you did," he says quietly, matching the hushed hallway.

My knitted brows are enough indication for him to continue his explanation.

He exhales through his nose and looks down messing with my hand to avoid making eye contact, "It was back when we were…around six? Seven?"

My confusion only deepens as I'm unable to rack my brain for a memory when I feel him tug on my hand gently drawing me closer to him and my frown turns into a muted gasp.

I don't have time to ask what he is doing when he laces our hands together and asks me in the quietest voice if he can.

It is then I realize he's asking to put his hand on my bare back to, I assume, teach me how to waltz.

I can't find my voice, the situation taking me aback so much so that instead of voicing my consent I decide to instead nod and place his hand myself to reassure him of my agreement.

I did not realize that my back was cold, most likely due to getting used to the lack of coverage but I feel it now as his hand feels hot against it.

My full attention is on him before my eyes are drawn down as I see him taking a step forward driving me to respond and step backward.

The motion has me uncontrollably giggling as my left foot follows his right to step to the side.

"Why exactly are we doing this right now?" I ask with another titter.

"Doing what?"

"Dancing Flash," I laugh, "Waltzing in the hallway."

"Dusting up memories. Proving to you that you do know how to dance or if you're right, to teach you how to waltz to apologize for not telling you there would be a dance."

My previous smile falls and I tilt my head back with a loud sigh.

"I apologized again," he awkwardly notices.

"Yes Flash, stop apologizing," I say looking at him straight in the eyes and raising my brows to emphasize my demand.

"I can't, I feel bad."

I reposition my hand on his shoulder with a light stroke as I squeeze our hands letting us continue swaying gently.

I find myself frustrated at his confession when my brain clears up and suddenly remember our last time together.

He feels bad about not telling me about the dance but he doesn't feel bad about running off the last time we saw each other?!

I remember waiting an entire week for a call or even a text. Jumping to my phone at every notification hoping it was him giving me an explanation for running off on me.

I force myself to brush it off when the feeling of his thumb stroking my back envelops me in a daze I want to hold onto until the night inevitably ends.

"Let's call it even then. You didn't tell me about the dance and I couldn't fulfill my side of the bargain."

"It wasn't a bargain, you just did me a favor."

I can't argue back and decide to look away.

"See, you're doing it."

I look back at him with panic thinking he's going to call me out on my avoidant stare and start a new argument when I see him smile before I notice that he's talking about us dancing and it is then that I look down and realize I'm naturally mirroring his movements.

I laugh impressed at myself before looking back at him as we acknowledge my accomplishment.

Our shared smile diminishes as he stops our dance.

"I didn't invite you because I was desperate," he confesses, "I just really wanted to hang out with you."

I stand there frozen before he gently nudges me sending us back into a soft waltz.

His honesty stuns me and I follow his lead again.

"I think it might be the first time you've been honest with me," It's my turn to confess.

"I don't always lie," he defends himself.

"No, but you never opened up like that before."

I see him trying to avoid eye contact and I silently scold myself as my words seem to drive him away once again.

"I like that," I quickly follow up.

That does it. his eyes raise back to meet mine.

"Why don't you do it more often?"

At that, he seems to hesitate as we gently sway side to side.

"You know friends share their feelings," I remind him of our conversation yesterday where he invited me to come here as a friend.

I can see that the memory rings a bell as he stops our movement once more.

I see his eyes desperate to say something but he's struggling with himself to find the right words as I witness his mouth open and close over and over again.

"See, like riding a bike. It comes back naturally," he manages to say stepping back trying to avoid the subject.

"You're doing it again," I say trying my best to not sound frustrated.

He huffs and slides his hand down his face.

He huff?!

How is he the one pissed off right now?!

I cross my hands taking a harsher stance.

"Okay, you said open so I'm gonna be open," he says fidgeting around.

"If you want us to be friends, you can't expect me to just tell you everything that goes through my head at every moment."

I sigh, "I guess it's fair."

My response appears to relax him.

"But," he interjects, "I guess I could make an effort."

I smile despite myself and look away to try and hide the fact that he turned the situation around once again.

My attempt fails when he looks for my face to catch me smile.

I turn away but he walks around me trying to catch me.

In a last attempt, I hid my face on the verge of laughter.

"Hey wait, you're cheating!" he protests with a chuckle.

I feel his hand on my wrists and yet he doesn't use force to uncover my face.

We stay like this for a moment before I muster the courage to slide my hands away from my eyes and meet his.

He smiles back and that feeling comes again, the one where I feel electricity run through my body.

Like the night he kissed me.

I feel frozen in space like I'm only able to breathe and blink.

He gets closer, so close that our forehead touches and I instinctively close my eyes waiting to feel his lips on mine like that night.

He's so close and yet doesn't make a move to close the distance between us. It makes me groan internally when I remember he's probably waiting for me to make a move.

He's literally two inches away from me and I'm still here what more does he need? for me to swing a flare in the air? Scream at him at the top of my lungs to kiss me?

The tension is suffocating and it's cut short when I feel a breeze of air where I should feel him.

"Thank you, I really wanted to dance with Lea. And don't be mad, I promise, you'll get a dance too," he says cheekily as I stand there completely confused.

He's quick to hold my shoulders and push us to the side. It's when I get my senses back and see a man walk past us to access the bathroom.

I get the answer I'm looking for when I look back at him and see him smile at me.

That's when I have to hold back my laugh with him as the bathroom door closes.

Placing my hand on my mouth, I snort before I see an arm presented to me and look up to see Flash waiting for me.

With the tension now gone I happily hold his arm as he directs us away from the lonely hallway to the booming evening when we cross paths with Mme.Thompson.

"There you are!" she says joyfully.

"I was talking to a few colleagues and they were adamant that I at least ask you to join us."

I open my mouth trying to find the words to politely decline when her son beats me to it.

"No Mom I think it's time for her to go home. Her aunt will kill me if I don't drive her back before 1."

Sharing her chagrin, Mme.Thompson bids me her goodbyes before she shares a look with Flash and tells him to come back as soon as possible telling him he'll be spending time with Garret.

The end of her sentence isn't met with agreement or joy but silence as I'm ushered outside with the cold temperature that doesn't get to reach me before I feel his jacket engulf my shoulders once again.

Another gesture he makes is to offer his hand to help me walk down the stairs of the building. I pause and look down at my heels and conclude like him that it's going to be harder to step down the stairs than it was to climb them.

The thought makes me laugh to myself before I accept his hand and carefully make my way down with another set of giggles.

"I'm never borrowing heels from May ever again," I manage to let out in between giggles.

"Miss Parker forgot to calculate the probability that those heels were gonna be a problem?"

The remark takes me by surprise and makes me stumble.

I crouch to make sure I don't end up face-first on the concrete and my position makes me snort as I hide my face behind my hands and kneel in the middle of the stairs to ground myself.

From any other perspective, I look drunk and I'm being chaperoned by Harrison Thompson's son.

My laugh turns into a fit and I'm left laughing out loud, gripping my aching stomach and praying the feeling doesn't kill me.

"Okay I think I got it, sit down," he says laughing about my situation.

Lost in my euphoria I barely manage to sit up on one of the stairs waiting to see his plan to help me down.

I try to calm myself down when he stands in front of the stairs and places my hands on his shoulders. I finally understand his idea when I'm lifted in the air by my hips and grip his shoulder in a reflex as I'm left gasping when I land on the ground.

I gaze at him and his previous smile falls a bit as he stands there with a blank expression.

I'm almost sure I see his eyes switch to my lips.

"Sorry," he apologizes for his sudden plan to get me down those stairs with a small smile trying his luck at diffusing the tension.

I reassure him before he gently directs me to his car.

The silence is calming and comfortable and I notice I had never been in his car before.

I bask in the comfort, all giddy as I look outside the window admiring the city I love to swing in so much.

He chimes in with small talks here and there and in my new feeling of serenity, I mindlessly make one-word answers.

After a while of admiring the scenery, I look back inside the car when I notice him fidgeting around looking tense.

"Is everything okay?"

"Are you mad?" he asks as his hand tightens up on the steering wheel.

"No, why do you ask?" I return the question fidgeting in my seat to get more comfortable.

"I don't know, you don't talk much. Usually I can't get you to stop talking," he says scratching his face before returning his focus to the road, his side eye gauging my reaction.

I guess the comfortable silence wasn't shared and so I rattle my brain to find a topic we could discuss to fill the apparent discomfort he feels.

Trying to take the attention away from the topic of 'us', I remember the look he and McCoy shared and decide to ask hastily.

"Are you gonna reconcile with Garret?"

"Is that what you're mad about?"

"No Flash, I'm not mad. I'm just trying to make conversation since you seem to think my silence means that I'm angry."

"So you're not mad," he affirms one more time.

"No, I'm not mad."

"Cool," he finishes before he falls himself into silence.

"So? Garret?" I ask after a few beats of silence.

"Let's not talk about Garret."

"Too late, now I'm curious," I say turning on my side to give him my full attention.

"I reminded you how to dance cut me some slack," he whines.

"No," I laugh, "You taught me how to dance. I told you I didn't take dance courses."

His own laugh is short-lived, "Yes, you did."

"When?" I challenge him.

He pauses and takes a deep breath as we reach a red light, "It was during that time you moved to your Aunt May's."

The confession throws a cold in the vehicle.

"Oh," is all that manages to come out of my mouth.

"I remember," he says messing with his steering wheel waiting for the light to turn green, "You looked out of it during that time. It was what? 1st grade? 2nd grade?"

I wish he wouldn't pause in between bombs because the multiple aspects of the current situation make everything point to us being forced to look at each other.

I audibly exhale and wait for anything to come and fill the heavy silence of the car.

I even think about reaching over and turning on the radio.

"Why would we talk about my friendship with Garret?" he tries to distract from the conversation with a new topic.

"Oh, so there IS a friendship," I point out jumping on the occasion to step away from the previous topic, proud we have succeeded in shifting the subject.

In a streak of luck, the light turns green, and new chatter fills the car with a newfound lightness.

He sighs, "I don't know. Would that be a problem?"

"Why do you ask me? I don't manage your friendships."

"I don't know. I thought about just leaving that friendship behind but who knows," he says glancing at me with a teasing glint in his eyes, "If you root for him I could find it in myself to grace McCoy."

I chuckle as I change my position deciding to hug the headrest with my arm to rest my head on it.

"Sounds to me like you're afraid to choose for yourself."

He scoffs and laughs it off, "No, I'm just asking for someone else's opinion. Second opinions are important too."

It's silent as he shifts gears and I realize we're getting closer to my neighborhood.

"I thought about just ghosting him for a while. And with what happened last time, it feels like he's never gonna change," he confesses, "And maybe that's how it's supposed to end between us two."

"Ghosting?"

"Yeah, I don't think a discussion could get us anywhere useful. Garret is not the type of person to apologize anyways."

His demeanor is nonchalant but his expression shows a rare vulnerability.

"Some people just don't grow up," I barely manage to hear him mutter.

I hesitate but the observation kills me.

"That's very wise of you," I notice out loud.

He realizes I must've heard him and chuckles mostly at himself.

"I am wise," he proudly states as he turns the car again.

"That's just something Léa said," he adds.

He notices when I frown, "Believe it or not but my problems with Garret started before his attempt on your life," he jokes as he parks.

With the car now off I place my hand on his shoulder as a silent encouragement, squeezing and smiling at him before letting go of the headrest and looking out the window to see my apartment building.

I don't think much of it and open the car door to slip out of the vehicle.

"You know I'm supposed to be the one that opens the door for you, right?"

I turn my focus away from the building to see him getting out of his car, his head poking up from his car's roof.

He gets closer and stands right beside me at the bottom of the paved stairs.

He faces me and with newfound courage, I try my luck.

"Didn't you say we were going to this event as friends?"

"Opening a car door doesn't mean anything. It just says I have manners."

I hum impressed by his quick answer and see his hand already out for me to take.

Frowning, his smile turns my grimace into a bright smile when I recall the stairs incident.

I chuckle and grip his hand as he leads me up the stairs.

"See," he says as we reach the top of the stairs, "Just a gentleman."

My laugh dies down as we face each other with an awkward silence that I break when I slip his jacket off of my shoulder and hand it back to him.

He grasps it and looks down at it. He seems to hesitate before he looks back up at me clutching the fabric in his hands.

"School starts back tomorrow. See you there?" he asks.

"Yeah," I let out, my voice softer than it should be, "See you there."

I end the night with a kiss on his cheek, taking the risk of letting it last longer than it should.

The silence isn't tense or awkward and I know this time it goes for the both of us as we share a smile and I grip his shoulder squeezing it one last time.

"Good luck with McCoy."

His serene expression turns sour as he scrunchs his eyes shut and rolls his head back.

"You didn't have to bring up McCoy," he whines as I let a quick laugh escape me one last time tonight.

"Good night," I say with a smile, satisfied with how fulfilling this evening has been.

"Good night."

I let go of him and step back towards the door before I have to inevitably turn around and leave him there.

My last view of him is his figure standing right there looking back at me with a charming smile.

I'm not sure but I could swear he grazes his cheek where I kissed him goodbye in-between the smallest gap of the building's door as it shuts close.

#flash thompson imagine #flash thompson x reader #flash thompson x oc #flash thompson fanfic #flash thompson #spiderman homecoming #spiderman: no way home #spiderman far from home #spiderman: far from home #fanfic

[indyanapolis898]

Mastermind

Peter Parker x f!reader

Synopsis: Peter has a crush on you from afar. One day you ask him to tutor you and things go from there.

Note: This really doesn't follow any specific canon from the movies.

"You know staring at Y/N won't make her like you."

Peter's head shot up at the sound of a voice behind him, that of MJ's. 

"W-what are you talking about?" Peter chuckled awkwardly, doing a horrible job of lying. 

"Me and Ned notice how much you watch Y/N. You always bring up any interaction you two have- and so much more! You like her. Just admit it, nerd," MJ explained amid the noisy school cafeteria. 

"So what if I do?" Peter shrugged as MJ sat next to him. 

"You should make a move- oh wait- you're too scared," MJ said with a sly smirk, begging him to fight back, which he did. 

"Nervous? I'm an Avenger! I don't get nervous!" Peter hissed.

"Then go talk to her, Avenger" MJ shrugged like it was the only obvious option.

"Well- I- I just don't want her to think I'm weird."

"Well, then you're out of luck in that regard," she joked dryly. "You two used to be close. Why can't you spark up a conversation about, like, the past?" 

"'Cause it's random, and also, we were friends in middle school! That was a while ago, MJ!"

"OK, Parker, I give up. Enjoy your futile people-watching."

Peter watched as MJ walked away to the lunch line. She wasn't wrong. He was too scared to even consider being near Y/N. 

The boy sighed, going back to eating his lunch after you left the room. 

___

"Alrighty!" Mr. Harrington clapped his hands together. "We have a new member for this semester's Academic Decathlon!"

The club whispered among themselves in anticipation of who it could be. Peter glanced up from his book when, of course, you entered the classroom with a new copy of the textbook. 

"I'm sure you all know Y/N, so welcome her into the club and help her get acquainted with the material for today's practice."

You smiled shyly at the group, waving and going to take a seat in the open chair next to Flash.

Peter silently groaned, letting his head fall onto the desk. Of course, it was you, and of course, you had to sit next to Flash. Flash had an obvious crush on you as well. 

"Peter. Wanna start off today's practice?" Mr. Harrington asked, staring directly at Peter as he lifted his head off his desk. Everyone was looking at him.

Peter sighed, standing up with his textbook to go to the podium to call the questions. 

The first round went by fast. You answered three times, getting all answers right. Peter could feel himself smile every time you rang the bell. 

Peter tried his best to compliment you when you answered during the second round. 

At one point, Peter asked a question the Flash rang in for. Peter watched as the boy mouthed to you: watch this. 

Flash got the question wrong, making you slightly giggle. Peter chucked, as did the rest of the class, at Flash's misplaced confidence. However, Peter wasn't laughing at Flash this time- he was laughing because you laughed. Peter wanted to cling on to any bit of you he could. He was glad Flash's terrible attempt to show off failed. 

After a few more rounds, Peter traded off with another student. Peter didn't want to be like Flash and do a flashy show-off of his skills, but he did want to impress you. 

Peter heard the first question- ringing in as soon as he could. He wasn't confident with his odds but gave a shaky answer, which was revealed to be correct. 

Peter smiled slightly. When he glanced to the left, you were smiling at him, presumably because he aced the question. He smiled back at you, hoping this was some sort of connection. You were noticing him!

If that was what it took, he could do it. Peter answered every question he could, getting almost all right. He got a thumbs-up from you once after a question!

___

After practice ended, he was packing his bag to leave when you approached him. Peter felt his heart speeding up dramatically.

"Hey, Peter. Love the jacket," you started things off, making Peter smile and examine his jacket, vowing to wear it more often. 

"Thank you. I... like your shirt. Um- you did good on your first day," Peter gave a tightlipped smile, trying to act normal. 

"Thanks, but you were on fire! Like seriously, some of those questions were insane," you gushed, grinning the whole time.

"Oh, wow, uh, thank you!" Peter stuttered out, causing you to giggle. "You gave great answers, too!" He rushed to follow up.

"Yeah, about that... those were the bare minimum. I joined this club to help raise my grades. Clearly you know your stuff, so... I have the biggest favor to ask."

Peter raised his brows. "Uh, yeah, what's that?"

"So, it's OK if you say no because it's so random, but could you tutor me in some of the subjects covered here? I could really use the help, but again it's OK if y-"

"I'll do it," Peter agreed quickly, blushing at how eager he sounded. You grinned largely. 

"Seriously? 'Cause I could pay you if that's necessary." 

"Y/N, you don't have to pay anything. Honestly, I mean, it's the least I can do for the girl who defended me from Jose in 8th grade," Peter recalled a memory from their past, mentally punching himself for saying something that most likely meant nothing to her.

"You still remember that? Wow, I didn't know I could even make an impact like that," you said, surprised in a good way.

Peter decided to roll with it. "Uh, yeah, I mean, Jose was a jerk, so I was just glad someone stood up for me. So, uh, yeah," Peter awkwardly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

You shrugged nonchalantly. "Anytime. But yeah, thank you so much for agreeing. When are you free to go over the material?"

Peter supposed one evening without Spider-Man wouldn't hurt. "Tonight," he said right away. "Um, like five?"

"Can do. At the library?"

"Absolutely."

"See you then, Peter. Thanks again," you waved at him as you left the class to go to your next. 

___

"So, you're telling me that all you had to do was be nerdy, and she just came up to you?" MJ recounted Peter's story in a tone laced with disbelief.

"Yes! Seriously. If you didn't have to miss today's practice for your re-do test, you would've seen it! So, believe it or not, I've gotta get to the library soon and tutor Y/N," Peter said cockily, standing up from the barstool at the cafe MJ part-timed at. 

MJ just rolled her eyes but gave a genuine smile. "Good luck. Don't screw it up."

"Thanks? I'll try not to."

With that, Peter slung his bag onto his back and left the shop, library-bound. 

___

The library wasn't awfully busy that weekday, making it easy to find a table in a corner. Peter laid his books and notebooks out, realizing you wouldn't know where he was, nor did he have your number to text you. 

Everything worked out, however, when you wandered into the back section he was sitting, looking lost. Your eyes lit up at the sight of him, making Peter's stomach churn in a good way.

You walked with a purpose over to the table, sitting your stuff down. "I was looking all over for you," you grinned, not meaning it in a guilt-tripping way. 

Peter realized he actually had to reply instead of staying in a daydream. "Oh- yeah. I sat here and realized you might not be able to find me, but luckily you did."

"Yeah, it only took like, seven different aisles," you laughed before opening your notebook.

Peter couldn't tell if he was just nervous or if he just loved the sound of your laugh, but his heart raced. 

"So, I was thinking... we could piggyback off what we did in practice today?"

"Sounds good. I'm sure whatever I learn will be good when you're teaching it," you said, laying your chin on the palm of your hand. 

Peter could feel his face heat up. He ducked his head down to the textbook and chuckled. "Yeah... I- uh- just start in on page five right here."

For thirty minutes, Peter was able to impart some knowledge your way. After you two finished a chapter, you turned to Peter with a closed-mouth smile. "This has been really helpful, thank you."

Peter frowned. "You're done?"

You continued smiling. "Just for today, yeah. But I'm really hungry... do you wanna get something to eat?"

Peter perked up at the invitation to continue spending time together. "Yeah, I'd love to!" He said very excitedly, to which you just giggled. 

"OK, c'mon. I'll show you this really good Thai place I like down the block."

You and Peter collected your things, exiting the library together to walk down the sidewalk to the restaurant of choice.

"So, you had that Stark Internship, right?"

"Yeah- still do, actually. I'm still just the young guy, though."

"Hey, they'll realize what a dedicated worker you are, and when they do, they'll have to give you more opportunities."

"You think so?"

"You seem like you have a great work ethic, Peter, so yeah, I do think so."

Peter just grinned, looking down at the sidewalk. You were making him nervous.

___

The restaurant you two entered was moderately nice for a casual New York City restaurant. 

You both ordered at the counter and then sat at an empty table.

Peter wanted to try and flirt, but he knew he'd be super awkward and make things weird. Nevertheless, he still attempted to gain your favor.

"You caught on really fast with the Academic stuff. It was like you already knew it! So, I guess you're a natural."

You looked away and grinned. "Thank you. I- um- guess I just needed a few reminders, is all."

Peter cocked a brow, but their food was placed in front of them at that moment. The two ate, sharing conversation about middle school and how annoying some of their classes were now. 

Somehow, the topic got moved on to Flash. 

"You know Flash has a thing for you," Peter decided to throw bait into the water as the pair left the restaurant, being that they had finished their food.

You furrowed your brows. "Yeah, I know. We actually have two classes together- three counting Decathalon now. He hits on me every day. It gets tiring really fast."

"What?" Peter exclaimed in fake shock. "You don't appreciate all his futile attempts to be a womanizer?"

You laughed and shook your head. "Crazy, right? I might be the only one who doesn't. I just- I just already have my eyes on someone else."

"Oh," Peter mumbled aloud, regretting how disappointed he sounded. "Um... is it weird to ask-"

"Who it is?" you cut him off. "Yeah, I was hoping you would've guessed by now," you stopped walking, Peter doing the same, peering at you with confusion. 

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be invasive. I-"

"It's you, Peter. I've been trying to flirt with you and give you hints, hoping you'd make a move," you chuckled to fill the air.

"Oh... Oh!" Peter put a hand to his chest. "You," he pointed at you, then back at himself. "Like me?"

"Yes!" You desperately hoped he felt the same.

"I- woah. I really like you too, Y/N," Peter sputtered out.

"Really? Because I was starting to think my plan failed."

"Plan?"

"You said it yourself in the restaurant... I already knew that stuff we were learning. I don't need tutoring. I just decided to ask you so... I dunno," you looked away embarrassed. "So we could do something outside of school."

When you looked back up, Peter was grinning widely. "You made a plan just to be with me?" 

You nodded. 

"That's- wow. I was trying to drop hints all day too, but I suck at anything flirting-wise. I was just excited you kept asking to do stuff, but you planned this all along. You made the dominoes fall until we were here."

"I didn't know this would be how I confessed, but yeah. I don't need tutoring when I'm the mastermind," you joked and shrugged.

"Maybe it's my turn to do something..." Peter looked into your eyes, searching your face. "Can I kiss you?"

You leaned in, letting that be your answer. His lips met yours as you two kissed in the darkening evening. The cool Queens air hit the side of your face as you pulled away, catching your breath. 

"Was that good? Because I'm definitely not an expert."

You just giggled. "Yes, it was great, Peter."

"Can I walk you home?" Peter pursed his lips, waiting for an answer.

You nodded and thanked him graciously with another kiss. With that, you two set off toward your apartment as the street lights flickered on in the chilled air.

___

"...And then we kissed. Boom! In your face!"

MJ rolled her eyes and laughed while Ned clapped Peter on the back.

"Dude! You got a girlfriend!"

Peter chuckled at Ned's enthusiasm. Peter's phone dinged at that moment. It was a text from you. 

"Gotta go, guys. Peter has a second date today with Y/N."

"Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?" 

"Yep, deal with it!" Peter called, already out the door of the cafe. 

___

You were waiting at the subway station. Peter jogged down the stairs, joining you to enter the train and go ice skating. 

You reached your hand out, Peter taking it as you two entered the train. 

It was only the second date, but you knew Peter was going to make you happy. You simply looked up at Peter, smiling, which he returned with his signature grin.

The train's doors shut, and you two were carried away down the tracks, ready for what was to come. 

#mcu peter x reader #peter parker x female reader #peter parker x reader #mcu peter parker #tom holland peter parker #tom holland #tom holland x reader #fluff #first kiss #peter is oblivious #flash thompson #mj watson #ned leeds #fanfic #fanfiction #cross posted on ao3 #Spotify

[iridescentparkers]

vanilla palm trees → three - late night talking

vanilla palm trees → three - late night talking

summary ⇢ it’s been years, he should get over it, right? but, peter just can’t. he looks up, he sees her. he goes to bed, he dreams of her. he wakes up, he can smell her. he goes out one night and he sees…her. no, not gwen but his ticket to stop moping around on the anniversary of her death. what is meant to be one quick night of putting sadness on the back burner, is now a blossoming new love that feels all too perfect for peter. was this new woman in his life meant to be? or was this just another set of poorly dealt cards that would leave him walking away empty handed. all or nothing, right? ↝ college!au ↝ one night stand gone wrong trope | masterlist

parings ⇢ tasm!peter parker x female reader

warnings ⇢ alcohol use and sexual themes

a/n ⇢ THANKS FOR 500 AAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAH LFG! love y'all. answer my poll if you can, i wanna write something new. also this one is kinda short!

HE WATCHED as his windows clouded with condensation and fog, making his New York City apartment a bit dreary. Lighting the match on his old gas station matchbox, Peter saw Y/N’s tired reflection stare back at him in the window. 

“You look exhausted,” he remarked as he lit candles around the room. “You should get some sleep. Take my bed.  I’ll sleep out here.” 

“I’m fine,” she remarked, followed by a stifled yawn. “Don’t worry about me. I just hope nothing too bad happened to your circuit.” 

“It’s all good,” he assured. “My roommate texted and said the powers' out on the entire block.” 

 He saw her shiver under her blanket, rubbing her hands quickly back and forth, “If the hand warmers aren’t working, there is always a beer.” 

“I know we aren’t that far in age, but I cannot drink like I used to in college,” she informed, pulling her blanket close to her body. 

He laughed, grabbing a blanket nearby, moving to his couch, and opening one of the beers on the table, “We were both barely drunk.” 

“I was barely tipsy, but my tolerance is still not as good as it used to be. I went to USC. The parties here are tame compared to the LA lifestyle.” 

He lifted the bottle to his lips as she spoke, Y/N's eyes watching his hands. “I’ll take one.” 

“You sure, don’t feel pressured-

“I don’t, I promise." She began. "You already have me in three layers of your clothes. If this isn’t working, what else will.” She stated. 

“You miss it?”

“What? LA?” She asked, and he nodded. 

“Sometimes. I grew up here though. I left to get a drastic change of scenery.” She mentioned, watching him as he took a swig of his drink. 

“What part?”

“Manhattan. My parents owned a gallery for years, both art curators, and when they need me to, my brother and I plan to run the whole thing.” 

“Which one?”

“My Mom’s family gallery, we’ve had it for years.” 

"There is more than one?"

"A couple here and there. That's the biggest one." 

“What’s the name ?”

She hesitated, glancing around his apartment before meeting his eyes again, “The Trenton.” 

That was his favorite gallery, the curations changing every month with local artists that people come from all over the world to see. Peter spat out his beer, the words making him choke, “Holy shit-”

She pressed her lips firmly together, pushing her hair away from her face, “Sorry.”

Peter had apologized. Y/N waved a gentle hand, “You’re not the first.” 

“That’s my favorite gallery,” he lit up, drinking more of his beer. 

She smiled, her leg drawing closer to his. “I should take you some time.”

“I’d love that.”  

Y/N shrugged her shoulders as she sipped her beer, leaning back further on the couch. Peter mirrored the position, placing his body even closer to Y/N, “What do your parents do?”

“My Aunt and Uncle raised me,” he informed. “My Aunt May runs a non-profit and my uncle passed years ago, a mechanic.” 

“Peter, I’m so sorry,” she stated, placing a gentle hand on his thigh, rubbing her thumb along his kneecap. 

“It was all a while ago. I’ve been healing for years.”  He smiled, Y/N removing her hand from his leg. The ghosts of her gentle hand lingered and he slowly looked down and back up at Y/N as she took another sip of her drink. Peter watched as Y/N moved her lips to the bottle, swiping her thumb along her bottom lip. He looked back up at her eyes, watching as they quickly jolted back and forth. She leaned into him, kissing him hard. After placing her beer aside, him doing the same, she crawled into his lap. She grinded onto him, Peter grabbing her ass as she wrapped her arms around him. She pulled from him, narrowing her eyes at Peter.

“It’s almost 3, and I’m feeling warm,” she whispered, getting out of his lap. “I’m going to get some sleep.”

“Yeah, go ahead. Take my bed.”

She quickly ran to Peter’s room, letting the door crack behind her. Peter followed her down the hallway, slowly peering inside of his room. He watched as she pulled back his neatly made sheets, folding them forward as she got under the covers. He stepped closer inside, veering towards the edge of her bed. 

“If you need anything Y/N, let me know.”

She shifted to sit on her knees, eyeing Peter in his stance. Ending the space between them, she crawled closer, grabbing his hand as he stood before her. “Stay with me.”

She was glowing, the same way as she did in the bar, even like this. There was something so angelic about her touch, hell her entire being. He wanted nothing more than to fall into her and see all of her, but he couldn’t. 

“Please.” She asked, placing a warm hand under his shirt, and moving her fingers along his abdomen. 

“Please.”

She put her other hand along his cheek, her face almost touching his. “Okay.”

He nodded, looking down at her lips. She pressed her lips on his gently, slowly pushing herself further into him. Peter broke the kiss stating, “We shouldn’t, I’m not that intoxicated.”

“I’m not either, I swear.” She assured, kissing along his neck. 

“Still, just to be safe.”

He grabbed her hand, holding it to his chest before moving her to one side of his bed. Lying down, he moved her hand around his torso, allowing her to tuck her head into his neck. 

“Peter?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you blow out all of those candles?”

In the morning, Peter awoke before Y/N, his body now to her backside. The apartment was still chilly but it felt amazing. The warmness between them was so natural and comforting that it left Peter not wanting to let go. 

“Good morning.” 

With her eyes closed, Y/N greeted Peter, her words still mumbled with sleep. 

“Morning,” he greeted back, kissing the back of her neck. “How are you feeling?”

“Warm,” she smiled, running her hand along Peter’s arm. She turned over, her face about an inch from Peter’s to place a lazy kiss on his lips. She drew her hands up and down his back as he gripped the side of her face. Her tongue moved lazily in his mouth, and his response muffled in moans of pleasure. 

“Woah there bossman!” A voice yelled,  “You’re breaking roommate rules It's 10 AM.”

The two broke apart and Peter jolted from his lying position, “Shit.”

“Who’s that?” Y/N asked, sitting up.

“My roommate.”

“Alcohol, candles, blankets, pillows,” Harry noted, his voice growing closer to Peter’s door. “Parker! I’m so proud of you!”

“Parker? Who’s Parker?”

“It’s my last name,” He hurried, getting out of bed. “Listen I-”

With his hand over his eyeballs, he walked up to Peter’s door, “Now I’m not coming in, but I would just like to say, this is a monumental event that will go down in Osborne and Parker history.”

“After years, Parker’s got his groove back!"

“Harry!”

#peter parker fluff #peter parker fic #peter parker fanfiction #peter parker x reader #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #peter parker #spiderman x you #peter parker smut #peter parker fandom #tasm!peter parker #spidersona #peter parker fanfic #peter parker imagine #peter parker spiderman #spiderman homecoming #may parker #no way home #spider man #flash thompson #peter parker au #tasm #tasm peter parker #tasm!peter x reader #tasm 2 #tasm!peter x you #the amazing spiderman #spider man no way home #the amazing spiderman 2 #the amazing spider

[m57528]

#flash thompson #eugene thompson #agent venom #flash tompson #venom #eugene flash thompson #venom fanart #venom comics #symbionte #symflash #fan art #fanfic

[gracieparkerr]

in honour of my elusive fic update today, here are some tags from my fic that I find personally hilarious

#ao3 tags #funny ao3 tags #peter parker #flash thompson #spideyflash #marvel #mcu fic #my fic #ao3 fanfic #fic writing #ao3fic #spider man fic

[starkravinghazelnoots]

please hold me ('cause i can't keep holding on)

Rated T | Oneshot | 3.3k | MJ Watson-Centric

With Spider-Man’s eyes on her, MJ takes one of Flash’s hands in her own, giving it a brief—gentle—squeeze before she lets go. Letting go. Feels like she’s been doing a lot of that these past few months. She just doesn’t remember what—who—she was ever hanging on for.

Read on AO3

#michelle jones watson #flash thompson #peter parker #spider-man #marvel cinematic universe #mcu fanfic #mj watson supremacy!! #spider-man: no way home #consequences of the memory spell... #mcu #my writing #id in alt text

[remarcely]

How To Cover For Your Vigilante Classmate- Remarcely AO3 [MCU Spider-Man Fanfic]

“Your shoe’s untied.”

“Hm?” Peter jerked around at a tap on his shoulder. Michelle was stood behind him, pointing down at the floor, and he followed it down to find that his left shoe was in fact untied “Oh, thanks.”

“Figured you’d want a heads up before you trip and smash something.” She shrugged and wandered off, staying far from the rest of the groups of their classmates. It wasn’t hard to duck out of sight, the museum was littered in glass cases and exhibits, and it was mere seconds before MJ had disappeared from sight all together.

He crouched down and began to retie his laces, leaning his shoulder slightly against the wall to keep his balance. As he was tying it off, pulling the double knot nice and tight, a familiar buzz began and hovered in the back of his mind. Peter stayed crouched on the floor but moved closer to the window, following the buzz, in a weird crawl.

Outside, down the street, there was a totally inconspicuous black van parked up on the curb, right outside the bank. Anyone else, like the pedestrians walking past the van without a second glass, might have brushed it off and paid the car little thought. Not Peter. If the little buzz was to be trusted- and after all the dodged knives and bullets it was only fair to put his faith in it- it was trouble. He stared at the van- no logos or dents, and the license plate was blocked by another car.

“Uh, Peter?”

He jumped and landed butt-first on the floor, looking up to see a confused Ned standing above him.

“Ned!” He whisper-shouted and beckoned for him to crouch down too “Someone’s about to rob the bank across the street! You’ve got to cover for me, man.”

“What?” Ned whispered back and lightly whacked Peter in the shoulder “Are you kidding me? The last time for you I got detention for like a week!”

“No one told you to tell the librarian you were watching porn, my guy, that was all you.” Peter glanced back to the window. A guy, dressed in casual clothes, sunglasses and baseball cap pulled down to cover his face in shadow, was leaned up against the van. His hands were in his pockets and he glanced up at the bank ever few seconds, eyeing the security inside “I’ve got to go, man, I’ll be like ten- maybe fifteen minutes max.”

“What are we whispering about?” MJ jumped up close behind, her sneakers stomping on the ground, and smirked when the boys flinched and Ned joined Peter on the floor.

“Peter needs us to cover for him because someone’s trying to rob a bank.”

“Say no more.” She grinned and walked away; no further explanation needed.

-

One minute, a quick costume change, and a bank alarm later, Ned was visibly sweating as he tried his best to look as normal as possible. He walked about for a short while and stopped by an interactive exhibit, dragging his finger across a table-screen to fast forward and rewind the timeline on the animation. However, he paid it no attention, and instead stared at the clock hung up on the wall, each tick passing agonisingly slow.

When Betty approached him, Ned gulped and sent her a shaky smile.

“Ned, are you feeling alright?” She frowned sympathetically and reached out to place a hand on his forehead “Wow, you’re really sweating. Do you need some water?”

“I-uh, no I’m fine, it’s just, I um… have IBS?” He stammered and mentally slapped himself in the face for the answer.

“Oh!” She took a small step back and wiped her hand on her skirt, talking slowly “Do you… need to go, or something?”

“No, I’m just constipated?” Ned wanted to curl up in the corner and just die.

“Ah, alright.” Betty nodded and awkwardly tried to change the subject, looking around the hall “Hey, where’s Peter? You guys are joined at the hip half the time.”

“H-He also has IBS.” He shook his head and shut his eyes. Goddamn it “He said he felt sick, he’ll be back soon.”

“Alright, I’m gonna… leave now. Hold in there, buddy.” She patted his shoulder; she was standing so physically far away from him at that point she had to slightly lean to even reach him.

-

In a place where every nook and cranny held some sort of artifact or sign, it was surprising MJ had found a space to tuck herself into. Her legs were squished into the spot with just enough space to rest her sketchbook on them, open to a half blank page with the beginnings of the tour guides strained-customer-service-smile as she answered questions for her classmates.

Mr Harrington found her there, his eyes a bit wild and hand permanently plastered across his face in worry “Ah, Michelle. Good to see you’re still here- where’s Mr Parker? I’m doing a headcount and I can’t seem to find him.”

“Who?” She didn’t stop drawing, working on the shadows around the eyes.

“Y’know, Peter? Your friend?”

“I know a Paula, is that who you mean?”

“No, I mean Peter. Come on, I need to make sure we haven’t lost anyone.”

“I don’t know a Peter, sir, do you need to sit down for a bit?”

-

After a few minutes of being thoroughly confused by MJ, Mr Harrington went in search of Ned instead and found his student in the gift shop, turning the rack of postcards. He clapped his hands and walked towards him, hoping for an answer that actually made sense.

“Ned, you wouldn’t happen to know where Peter has run off to, would you?”

The boy froze and quickly plucked a postcard from the mix, turning his head away from his teacher to look intently at the art “Oh, he um, his tooth fell out.”

“What, really?” Mr Harrington took a step forward as his voice rose slightly in panic “How? Did he hit his face on something? Is it bloody? Do I need to call an ambulance?” He lowered his voice for the last question, getting closer to Neds face .

“No, it was a uh-” Ned narrowed his eyes, deep in thought on how to climb out of the hole he’d just dug “-a baby tooth.”

Mr Harrington paused “Peter is sixteen, Ned.”

“He’s a late bloomer?”

-

MJ had moved onto her next drawing- an old man squinting at an exhibit as he tried to read the label- when Flash strolled her and hit her knee to grab her attention. Pencil freezing on the page, she slowly looked up to glare at him and felt a hint of satisfaction when he took a cautionary step back.

“What do you want Eugene.” She muttered lowly, turning back to her book.

“Where’s Peter?”

She sighed and shook her head “Eugene, I don’t know anyone called Peter.”

“W-What?” He stammered and looked around, as if searching for a hidden camera “Yeah you do, where is he?”

“This is a weird joke to make, skip to the punchline.”

“What punchline?” Flash stared at her in disbelief “You literally have a picture of him, it’s your background!”

“That’s a stock image, Eugene.” She shook her head again and sent him a withering glance, as if it were obvious.

“You’re being so fucking weird.”

“I agree, it is strange I have a random stock image as my background.” She moved on from the old mans sketch, finding the face Flash was pulling at her far more interesting.

-

Having watched the man jog around the museum while counting his students, Betty waved over Mr Harrington.

“Ah, Betty, have you seen Peter?”

“He’s probably by the toilets, sir.”

He thanked her and jogged off to follow the signs in the direction of the restrooms.

-

As promised, not twelve minutes later an out-of-breath Peter rounded the corner, back in his civilian garb with the Spider-Man suit tucked safely at the bottom of his backpack. The only thing off was a small bruise starting to form on his cheekbone, barely noticeable unless you were up close, and the thing would likely be healed before they even got on the bus home. Thankfully, the fight had been easy as pie and a bank employee had already called the cops, leaving Peter to simply web the guys up and check on the hostages.

As he crossed the hall, he bumped into a sweat-drenched Ned, who grabbed him by the shoulders on sight, shaking him slightly.

“You have IBS and a missing tooth.” Ned looked him dead in the eyes with a face unnaturally serious for the utter nonsense he’d just uttered.

“No? I don’t?”

“Listen man, I panicked and now Mr Harrison thinks you knocked a baby tooth out and Betty thinks we have irritable bowel syndrome.”

“I’m sixteen, Ned, why the hell would I still have baby teeth?” Peter shut his eyes in despair, just to open them a beat later “Why do we both have IBS?”

“I panicked!”

They were interrupted by Flash, still stood next to MJ who he’d been arguing the entire time and all but shouted while pointing madly pointing at Peter “See! He’s real!”

“Eugene, most people stop seeing their imaginary friends by the time they hit high school.”

#peter parker field trip #peter parker #fanfiction writer #archive of our own #fanfiction #fanfic #petermj #michelle jones #ned leeds #spiderman #mcu fanfic rec #mcu fanfiction #mcu #marvel fanfiction #marvel #flash thompson #betty brant #crack fic #kind of

[ddringo]

Peter on Ice!

The world comes to a halting stop when Peter exits his jump, half a rotation short, angle wrong, and crashes to the cold, freezing ice. He’s shaking, but not because it’s cold. The frigid temperatures are biting his nose and piercing through his bones. He doesn’t feel it, though. Doesn’t feel anything. No sharp pain down his knee or ankle. No sound of snapping bones or popped ligaments. He’s numb. “I’m sorry… Ben. I’m sorry.” I didn’t want to worry you, May had told him over the phone, It happened so fast. There was nothing we could do. He’s gone. Gone. Ben Parker, Peter’s uncle, and only living blood relative was gone. Or... After the death of Ben Parker, Peter gives up on his dream of being a competitive figure skater. That is, until Harry Osborn, his long time idol shows up at his front door to coach him. (Inspired by Yuri on Ice).

#peter parker #harry osborn #flash thompson #mcu #marvel #figure skating #ice skating #peter parker/harry osborn #love #michelle jones #ned leeds #read on ao3 #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #spiderman #ao3 writer #ao3 author #depression #character death #angst #angst with a happy ending

[lexezombie]

I made a Spiderman: Black Metal playlist <3 (ignore the picture lmao it's all I got)

50 songs - 5 per character (some characters haven't popped up in the fic yet sorry!)

in order of who's songs are who's, it goes: - Peter - Harry - Gwen - MJ - Conrad (oc) - Johnny (oc) - Terry (oc) - Sandra (oc) - Flash - Norman

Y'all I'm so sorry that Pete is first w/ his dad-playlist vibes

Harry's music taste is basically just giving his phone to his friends and they add a song to his playlist

#Spiderman: Black Metal #Earth-41801 #Gwen Stacy #Harry Osborn #Norman Osborn #Flash Thompson #OCs #Spiderman OCs #Spiderman AU #playlist #lex rambles #Peter Parker #mary jane watson #MJ #Spotify #fanfic #fic related

[grahambaham]

PJO & SPIDER-MAN FIC REC

Cracticus tibicen by AlzazelSustrai

Summary:

Flash Thompson hates water polo days. He's definitely not a simp, as the internet lingo calls the, not for the handsome stranger who walks in looking for Peter Parker one day. Absolutely not. No way. He could never. Be a simp, that is. Obviously.

A funny one-short of Percy from Flash's point of view.

#fanfic recommendation #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #ao3 #fanfic rec #spider-man #peter parker #marv #marvel #pj #pjo #percy jackson #flash t #flash thompson #percy jackson a #percy jackson and the olympians

[thefriendlyferretwriter]

A new side of you: summer evening

Pairing: Eugene 'Flash' Thompson x Reader

Summary: Getting closer traveling around the evening city of New York.

Warning: 12k words!, fluff, tension, awkward, Ned third wheeling, non-canon stuff (Rhino has enhanced sense of smell when he doesn't in the comics)

A/N: Sorry again for taking a long time in-between chapters but hopefully you'll like it, enjoy!

Tags: @wheelerzluv @loxerclu8 @ray-of-sunrise @m00nkn1ghts

"It's actually not that cold."

We are distancing ourselves from the yacht the lights brightening our path toward the evening streets.

The music is getting distant and my ears are focusing on the sound of our feet padding on the ports' wooden planks and the water rippling through the wood poles.

Passing a certain area, Flash stops dead in his spot.

"Wait, where are we going?" he asks feet firmly planted on the ground, standing awkwardly.

"The bus stop is right there, why?" I answer with a frown, not knowing exactly what we are apparently doing wrong.

"But my car is right there," he notifies us to his car parked in front of the stone wall beside the staircase leading to the street.

"Yeah but you don't know where we're going," I argue.

"You could always tell me the way."

"Well, we only know the way through the bus, you know a particular stop and a distinct building, I can't really tell like that by street names."

He stays silent, probably judging.

"Anyways, better not bring your car around there at this hour, you never know how quickly you can lose your tires until it happens during a 2-minute errant," I say getting closer to him and sliding my arm around his, linking our arms and tugging him towards the stone stairs instead of his car.

I feel him tense up, standing straighter and looking ahead at the bus stop like it's a target.

We don't have to wait long as the bus can be seen approaching our stop from afar. When the doors open, Ned zooms in front of us and swipes his card sitting himself ahead of us.

"A ticket please," I say as I swipe my metro card and take a few coins out of my wallet.

The driver looks at me and my small puddle of change before sending a look in Flash's direction. Exchanging my money for a card.

"You don't have to pay I can just use my money," he interrupts as I hand him his card.

"You have change in your wallet?"

"I have my credit card."

"Pocket change goes faster to get yourself a ticket. Plus, you're the birthday boy you don't have to pay," I say with a smile and a cheeky wink.

Sitting down, I take in the sight of the boat's light under the darkness of the outside. Flash really went out there this year with the spotlight.

It aggressively contrasts with the dead of night, barely lighted up by the few street lamps. I feel the seat beside mine shift and turning my gaze from the window I see him shifting around and sending me a quick awkward smile before looking elsewhere.

The bus's engine rumble as the bus starts back up. I look at the port sliding out of my vision.

we reach a corner before turning into a street and a question pops up in my mind making me turn my head around toward him.

"Have you ever taken the bus before?" I ask a bit agitated.

We make eye contact before he frowns, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just. I always saw you getting to school in cars, either yours or someone else's."

A strange look passes his eyes, "Oh! um yeah Once. I was like what, thirteen? And I wanted to go to a convention but my dad wouldn't let me to go."

he messes with his jacket's pockets, "I failed some grades and I was grounded so when he sent me to my room I stole some cash from my mom's purse and left through my window."

It sounds like a touchy subject.

"How was it?" I try to switch his attention.

"How was what?"

"The convention."

His eyes lose the fog but still manage to be elsewhere a happier place.

"Oh that was cool," he says with a smile, "saw a lot of people, discovered a lot of games that were to come and I even met a group of guys, they were cosplaying the Avengers and they were missing one of their buddies so I got to cosplay Hawkeye."

"How cool," I say remembering that the Avengers were the number one cosplay the year they assembled for the first time to save New York.

"Sounds cool, did the costume fit you?"

At that, he chuckles awkwardly but still reaches out to his phone and turns it on. Scrolling through it, he turns it towards me and I get to see the picture of five guys posing as what people call today the OG six.

"Like a glove. It's a shame, I'm not a fan of Hawkeye."

I gasp, "Hawkeye is such a cool guy!"

Analyzing the picture's small details I notice he is silent and turns my head to him to catch him looking back at me in silence.

"What?" I ask losing my smile in fear of having messed up.

"Nothing, just, I always forget that you mingle with the Avengers that's all."

I don't know what to say, should I be offended? He always made a mockery out of my 'internship' that would only be fair to let my sarcasm take over. But again, it feels like we are moving on to a clean slate since we interacted back at the wedding; my sarcasm could potentially put us back on hostile ground.

I decide to stay silent. Nowadays I don't know if his words are compliments or jabs anymore so with the fact that I am trying to spend a nice evening in his company I'd rather believe it is a compliment.

With the bus' incessant shake I take the initiative and catch his wrist in my hand stabilizing his arm and taking a closer look at the picture.

His hand grips his phone harder probably securing the device in his hand to make sure it does not fall.

"They are missing a black widow," I say smiling.

He hesitates, "Yeah? well, next time I'll keep you in mind if they're missing someone."

"It'll be an honor."

Taking my focus away from him I sense him smiling to himself and making eye contact with a laughing Ned who turns his phone to me showing me a video.

That's how the bus ride continues, in a comfortable silence rocked by the bus and chatting from time to time.

A nudge on my knee takes my attention away from the window and brings me to look at Ned who then stands up letting me figure out we are getting to our stop.

"Come on," I say catching Flash's arm in my hand and dragging him out of the bus.

The wind attacks us as we jump out of the vehicle, the summer evening getting a bit chilly.

"Okay, so where are we going now?" He asks watching Ned walking ahead of us.

"It's just up that corner."

"What is it exactly?"

"Delmar's is …well it's Delmar's," I chuckle, "But it's just our first stop of the evening, to get a bit of food."

"We could've eaten back on the boat before leaving," he inform.

"Yeah but then you would have never tasted the Queen's best sandwiches."

"Sandwiches, huh? You're spoiling me, Parker," he says with a smirk.

I burst out laughing finding it impossible to keep it to myself.

"Okay, be smug but check it out first and then you'll see, you'll thank me," I say confidently.

Turning the corner I almost walk into the door that closes up right in front of me. I open it and see the culprit running to the back of the shop where the shelves create a small maze of different delicacies.

"Little Miss Parker! What are you doing here at this hour?! The streets are dangerous around this time," he says full of delight even at this late hour, "And who is this? You're bringing me new customers now? You're too good to me," he shouts hands on his heart.

"Hello Mr.Delmar," I shout laughing, "No we are just stopping by to get some food, where's Dominic?"

"At home, he has a daughter you know? Can't spend all his time in here."

"Oh so you're the one behind both counters tonight?"

"Yes, and I see you need some quality food so what can I get you ladies and gentlemen?"

Turning back to him I see that he is scrutinizing the menu above Mr.Delmar.

"Huh, I'll take a number five," I jump in leaving a bit more time for Flash to decide.

"And Leed will take a number three with tomatoes and pickles?" He asks with a smile already knowing our command by heart.

I smile and nod back without needing a response.

"Would your friend like some recommendations?" He asks Flash directly.

He looks back at Mr.Delmar before realizing the man is waiting for his order to start preparing.

He lets out an 'oh' and some humming looking at the menu and feeling bad for his hesitation. I walk to him and intertwine our arms bringing him closer to the counter and pointing out the best options.

"Number five is a safe option but you can still ask to have in a few things you want, pro tip? ask to get your bread to be grilled a little bit so it's warm and crusty," I say trying to appease him in his uneasiness.

He hums again and looks down at Mr.Delmar, " You know what? tonight I'm gonna let you choose for me. Surely you're the expert."

"Oh, you want to be adventurous tonight? Alright then give me a few minutes and your orders will be ready." he beams.

"Great! Thank you Mr.Delmar!" I say dragging him along with me by our arms.

Walking us to the back of the store I see Ned appearing and disappearing in between the shelves.

"Is that a toy stand?"

"Yeah," I draw out, "It used to be just sandwiches and a few snacks but then Mr.Delmar noticed people would come in expecting to find last-minute formulas, diapers, or even pre-made cakes!" I say pointing at a plastic container containing the cake with a happy birthday message.

I start my usual walk, like clockwork, and unconsciously detangle my arm from his walking ahead.

Chips, chocolate, candy, walking I don't notice that I've lost and left Flash behind to do his own shopping. My eyes travel from top to bottom before they freeze on an item that isn't supposed to be there.

In between the mochis and Reese's bars lying there all alone and out of place is a digital Spiderman watch probably meant for the toy stand.

It lies there, an intruder around all the treats.

I look left and right and pick up the item. It is wrapped in plastic and decorated cardboard. The two dollars and twenty-five cents are scratched and a bit sticky but it doesn't happen to have been opened.

"Hi there."

I jump, not expecting anyone to approach me let alone a stranger.

"Oh, hi."

"What do you have there?"

I don't know him, I've never seen him around and he isn't much older than me but the way his gaze keeps running up and down my figure is making my skin crawl and side-eye him.

"Um, snacks, lots and lots of snacks," I chuckle trying the calm tactic.

"Yeah, looks delicious," he laughs to himself.

He walks closer to me, too close for my comfort and reaches out for a bag of candy purposely brushing his arm on my shoulder.

I rush back and he starts smiling, "No need to be scared I'm not gonna attack you."

"I know I just prefer my personal space," I say a bit on edge, the urge to punch him in the face apparent on mine.

"My bad, 'was just trying to be friendly."

I don't answer and leave him to the awkward silence by himself as I turn back to the shelf ignoring him.

"So you come here often?"

I stay silent.

Getting my watch I get ready to turn the other way when I feel pressure on my arm.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Away from here," I say firmly as a warning, snatching my arm off his grasp.

"No need to be a bitch I'm just being friendly," he says his tone switching from nice to sinister.

He's offended?! He's the one harassing me!

His eyes travel from me to behind me as his scowl softens down to a frown.

I turn around, preparing myself to see Mr.Delmar ready to dismiss the confrontation. Instead, I see Flash approaching with a blank face.

"Can we help you?" he asks drily standing beside me as I subtly hide the watch from his view.

I feel his arm sneaking around mine, linking them together.

"My bad dude didn't know she had a boyfriend," he says putting his hands up in defense.

"Oh, so it was okay to harass her as long as you thought she didn't have a boyfriend?"

"I wasn't harassing her, was just talking,"

"How about you go talk to someone else, oh I know! How about the cops parked across the street," he says with a broad smile nudging his head towards the store windows.

Looking in the direction he glanced at I see two cops ordering from a food truck right across the street.

"Damn, whatever she's not even cute," the scum spits out before spinning around and vanishing from our aisle.

"You got everything?"

I look at him to see his gaze still fixated on the end of the aisle before looking back at me.

I quickly look back at the shelf and snatch a pack of candy, "Yeah."

He looks back at me and gently walks me back the other way.

Turning the corner Ned is walking towards us with confusion.

"You okay?"

We make eye contact and I faintly nod my head.

"Yeah, let's just pay up and leave," I say dragging Flash along and tossing my pack of sweets in the small basket before taking Ned's arm as well.

Passing the aisles and walking toward the counter I see the scum paying up for his thing when his eyes catch the three of us. Sending a dirty look, he shakes his head and scoffs before beading his goodbyes to Mr.Delmar.

When he is out of the way and the place is cleared out the last of our sandwiches is slapped down on the counter.

"A number five, three, and a mystery sandwich for the adventurous little man!"

I take the basket from Ned and put it down to be scanned up.

I take my wallet out as the steady beep of the item emits from the register.

"I got it," Flash says reaching for his back pocket.

"Oh, would you look at that a bunch of cash that is way quicker to pay with than a card," I smile handing the small stack of dollars before he can slip his card out.

He looks at me frozen and with his mouth ajar as I hand him his sandwich. He stands there a few more seconds before Ned nudges him into motion and they start walking towards the door.

I watch them pass the door and turn back around to grab my own meal. I throw a 5-dollar bill beside the rest of my cash and receive a frown from Mr.Delmar.

Turning around making sure nobody is looking back toward me, I swipe out the watch and show it to him, turning it around to show the price tag.

He smiles and winks at me in understanding, packing the last of our purchase in a bag and handing it to me he slides the money to himself.

"Good evening, Miss.Parker."

"Good evening Mr.Delmar!" I shout passing the door with my bag.

Walking to the bus stop I see Ned and Flash looking at the food truck more precisely the officers waiting around for their food to get ready.

"What are you two looking at?"

Before I can have an answer Ned stands up from his seat on the bus bench and crosses the street towards the officers.

"What?"

"We can hear the police station in their car and Leeds is curious."

Looking back at Ned, I watch him tap one of the officer's shoulder.

I shrug and tug at his wrist as he frowns at me. With his arm in the air I rip open the watch's packaging and throw it in the bin on the side.

Enveloping his wrist with the digital watch I see his frown deepen before he registers what it is. He's silent as I fasten it on and stares at it when I drop my hands to my side.

His wrist stays in the air and he pulls it closer to his eyes examining the gift.

"I liked it and it was cheap so I thought, why not?" I chuckle.

He doesn't answer and instead gazes up at me.

He doesn't get to answer me before Ned jogs back to us.

"So, what do you got?" I ask him with a smile.

"Huh, no nothing they just basically said I need to get a life."

"What happened?" I ask.

He pauses looking at both of us, "Well we were waiting for you and I was looking at the food truck. Then I saw the officers looking stressed and their car's radio started blasting off with a code telling every officer in the area to stay on their foot."

"How d'you know that?"

"Flash told me," at that, I turn my gaze to him. He looks taken aback and goes back and forth looking between Ned and me before understanding the silent question I'm asking and straightening himself up if it's possible.

"I learned the NYPD's code on the internet."

Both of us stand, mouth agape and still in our place.

"What, it's not complicated, it's interesting and you can keep up with the police."

"Why would you want to keep up with the police?" Ned beat me to the question.

"We're in New York. It's better to know what's happening in the street," he says after a second of silence.

His eyes shifting between the two of us reassures me to know that Ned doesn't believe this explanation just like me.

Seems like he does not want to answer and sits on the bus bench waiting.

I sit by his side and meet eyes with Ned who too thinks his refusal to answer is strange. Focusing on something else I decide to rummage through the plastic bag and hand him a bag of candy.

He grasps it with a smile leaving the previous awkwardness to rest and tear through the bag presenting it to me so I can serve myself but I don't get to as the bus approach and instead decide to steal the bag from him to stuff it back inside the plastic bag.

I move us along to the open doors, following behind and swiping our card I see Ned already seated on the side of the bus where three seats are lined up, and where he is already seated in the front seat.

Passing him with a pat on the shoulder, I sit behind him and spot Flash sitting behind me as I watch the outside scenery of New York City's evening.

I feel a tug at the back of my head. Turning around I look behind me thinking I'd see the strand stuck in the bus seat but instead, I'm met with Flash's gaze meeting mine as I see him sitting back in his seat a bit slouched.

"A bit of your hair was sticking out," he says running his hands up and down his jeans.

"So you tugged on it?" I ask with a smile finding his thought process funny.

"No, I just wanted to-never mind," his eyes hold a secret that I can't get access to.

A tap on my shoulder brings my attention to Ned who is sitting sideways on his chair and switching his gaze from me to flash and back to me cautiously.

At the edge of my seat, far away from Flash's earshot, Ned starts talking close to my ear, "The cops are on the lookout for an inmate who they think broke out of jail."

The news shocks me and sends me sitting straighter before composing myself and bending back again listening closely to Ned's re-telling of the event.

"You remember that guy you threw into the armored van?"

The memory brings out a cackle from me, "Yeah, that was funny in my head. The money thief being arrested because he's stuck in a van full of money that he tried stea-" my explanation is cut when Ned's face doesn't morph into the amused face I expected.

Instead, I'm faced with a blank stare waiting for the end of my story and I decide to leave the explanation for a later time, "Yeah, that guy. I think his name was like Rhino or something?"

"Yeah, well apparently he wasn't found during the morning roll call. They're still searching but if he's out there I'm ready to bet that he's trying to find y-"

"How do you know all that?"

"They told me to scram but they never said I couldn't eavesdrop."

"Everything's okay?"

I snap my head around to stare at Flash who's inclined in his seat, supporting his body by leaning his forearm on my seat waiting for an explanation or a heads up.

"…Yeah!" I say with confidence sitting up, "We're just talking about," I look at Ned with distress, the color draining from my face when I realize I don't find an excuse worthy enough.

"Spiderman," Ned says without any hesitation.

A cold sweat travels my body, slithers up my spine, and stops at my brain as my head whips back toward Ned with panic.

"I was talking about the fact that since superheroes started spouting out of nowhere it would be logical that if a guy broke out of jail they would go after the one who put them there, like Spiderman or Iron Man," he says nodding back and forth between us both and emphasizing the Spiderman while looking at me.

Nodding I look back at Flash hoping he buys the story made on the spot.

With a frown, he nods and I can see that he's confused but decides to go with the flow, "Sure that makes sense."

Subtly breathing out a sigh of relief I sit back fully on my seat slouching a little bit so he doesn't see me out of breath.

My brain is on overdrive, the possibility that Rhino is out there looking to find Spiderman and causing havoc in his pathway makes me break another sweat.

"You sure you're okay?"

The question makes me raise my head, his body hunched over my seat and his face close to mine.

"huh," my eyes keep scanning his face, "sure, I'm good," I say my voice low and anxious to speak any louder in fear of attracting any attention around.

He's very close and I see a smile gracing his face. My eyes keep watching him and with each swing from eye to eye I figure he's also analyzing mine.

It is only when I feel a tug at my hand that I leave his face and look down to see that he has reached toward the plastic bag to grab a bag of treats.

Looking back up at him, his smile reaches his eyes before he leaves my line of sight and sits back in his chair tearing the packaging up he grabs a mochi full of iced sugar.

I jolt from my seat and rush in front of him, "No wait!" I say in a hushed but agitated voice.

"What?" he says concerned, looking around as if he had just broken a law.

"It's full of iced sugar you're gonna put it everywhere!" I hiss as I kneel, putting my hand under his chin to prevent any mess.

"That bad, huh?" he says cockily.

I raise my eyebrows, a silent scolding to just eat the damn treat.

He looks down at my hand grazing his chin and gazes back at me causing me to doubt my gesture, instead, I bring up the plastic bag on his lap and open it gesturing to go ahead.

With a doubtful smile, he brings the snack up and takes a bite half of the icing falling onto the bag.

He hums and chuckles with his mouth full realizing my scolding wasn't in vain.

A tap on my shoulder makes me turn around and look up at Ned who notifies me that the next stop will be our exit cue.

"So, is one of you gonna be a gentleman and tell me where you are taking me?" he says griping the bus pole to stand up beside me as we approach the bus doors.

"You'll see, from what I heard it's quite noticeable in view," I answer balancing myself without the help of a pole to not fall over.

"From what you heard? you're taking me to a place you've never been before?" he says gripping my arm as we come to a full stop.

"Well," I try to find a decent explanation for my thought process, "Well you know I heard about it a few weeks ago but I never had the time to visit the place so when you said you wanted to have fun I remembered it," I say as we step out.

"Bold, a surprise sandwich, and now a surprise location you don't know about."

I feel the air behind me where the bus drives off.

"Hey I also read the reviews, it's a good place," I say, "Plus, you love your special sandwich, don't you?" I genuinely ask.

"Touché," he says taking a bite before choking on it looking up at our destination.

The reviews weren't lying, the laser game is flashy, and just the entrance would make one believe a carnival is located inside.

"That is flashy," he wipes the corner of his mouth after coughing out the piece lodged in his throat.

"Flashy for Flash," Ned chuckles to himself.

Walking up my shoes go from a hard cement floor to a berber flooring as blue as the night sky depicting an endless pattern of space.

Hearing a loud bang I swiftly turn around back to the street and see a man dressed up in a suit standing back up. The steel shutter being the cause of the disturbance I notice that the arcade is placed right across a bank.

"Bit late to work, right?" Ned wonders aloud.

"No, depends on the day. Some banks stay open late at least once a week," Flash says as if it was a common fact.

"Okay how do you know so much?" Ned asks with frustration or is it genuine confusion by his sudden knowledge.

"My dad works in business, he deals with banks a lot," he shrugs, clearly not enjoying the subject of his father or his father's business.

A tug at my hand makes me turn back around. Looking down I pause at the realization that it is Flash's hand tugging at me and making me move from the entrance to the front counter where a guy barely older than me; maybe even my age with a summer job like me.

"Leeds, follow."

I sneak a peek at Ned who is still standing at the door ignoring us or simply not focused enough to be able to hear him.

"Hum here, take this we'll join you in a second," I say handing him a few bills and squeezing his shoulder before walking up to Ned.

When I take place beside him he senses my presence and speaks up, "Look at the logo isn't that the bank that Rihno guy tried to rob?"

Squinting, I do recognize the logo and chuckle, "Yeah," I say linking my arm in his, "But don't worry bad guys like Rhino are not smart enough to escape from jail AND follow up with a plan that failed once."

I drag him alongside me toward Flash who is standing beside the register counter close to the laser game entrance with his arms crossed.

"Done daydreaming Leeds?"

I squint my eyes and Ned completely ignores him walking ahead.

Passing him, I flick his ear.

"Ouch! What? I was just joking."

Walking ahead I roll my eyes but slow down as he calls out to me and catches up.

He takes my hand and drops something in it. Looking down I recognize the dollars I gave him prior.

"Wait, how did you pay-"

I cut myself off in realization. I don't know whether to be angry or disappointed.

"I told you, you don't have to pay that's why I gave you that!" I say frustrated.

"Wasn't enough!" he says defending himself, " Plus if you continue paying you'll end up broke."

"I'm not broke!"

"Well you're gonna be," he mumbles as I huff and walk ahead of him.

Ned keeps the door ahead open and walking through it we meet a group of people of various ages all scattered around the room.

we husher up and stand against the wall close to each other.

"I can't believe I couldn't even keep at least one bag," Flash says defeated plopping the last candy he managed to sneak in into his mouth.

"Wait they threw our stuff?!" I ask panicked.

"No no, they just put it aside until we're done."

I sigh in relief, closing my eyes and leaning back against the wall.

"But you're not broke, huh?" I hear a whisper and look to see Flash leaning down to my ear.

He is close once again and the lack of distance gives me flashbacks to our kiss. My eyes keep switching back and forth from his eyes to his lips and seconds feel like minutes.

I turn away clearing my throat and look around inspecting the room.

A bright red sign above the door tells us a session is still going on. As for the rest of the space, it is quite sober, a few benches placed around to wait for the current session to end. The walls are covered in thick wire mesh with hangers that are there probably here to hold the laser game equipment.

A group of kids are here scattered around and probably here for a birthday with one of the kid's mother tagging along to supervise, I can see a group of three girls and a couple on a date, maybe a first date even.

"Hey, I know you!" Flash says loudly bringing all the eyes in the room onto him.

His eyes are throwing daggers at one of the kids and if a look could kill…

"Oh shit," the kids seem to recognize Flash as well as the mother berates the kid for his language. Flash points an accusing finger at the smaller kid.

"Yeah, I recognize that voice! You're the guy who keeps trolling people on the D&D server!" he calls out confidently.

The kid looks appalled and most of his 'friends' look in between one another in confusion.

"Once we're in, you're next buddy!"

At that the kid slides behind the mother who sends a nasty look at Flash along with an offended scoff. I nudge his shoulder and place myself in front of him.

"Sorry! he's been a bit stressed lately. He doesn't really know how to handle it," I make up an excuse looking back at him with large eyes.

"Hey it's not my fault he started it!" he shouts motioning to the kid.

At that, I sent him a death stare of my own as the red sign atop the door starts to flash letting us know the previous session is now over.

I move him backward as a staff member enters the room.

I get a bit of a cold sweat before realizing that he entered the room to help the people undress from their laser game attires and not to throw Flash out for threatening a child.

It gets a bit crowded with people all around trying to slide in and out, and more complicated when elbows start to swing as the previous players try to undress from their equipment for the new players.

I get handed a vest from a player who hands it with a smile. Taking it with hesitation I analyze the device with a frown, "Shouldn't those be disinfected in between sessions?"

Flash turns around with his vest already on and approaches me sliding through the few players left trying to squeeze out of the room.

"Here let me help you," he said, taking the vest from me and passing it over my head. The tissue feels heavy on me and I don't get to wonder before he starts circling me with his eyes and bending to secure the many clips to keep the equipment on.

"You've done laser game before?"

"A few," he answers mindlessly securing yet another clip.

I feel his hands on my neck and freeze before I understand his intention to free my hair from under the vest. I believe he would back up but he stays firmly in front of me and I can't help but make eye contact. His eyes however end up drifting from mine to focus on my forehead.

I frown wondering what has his attention when his hand moves to the base of my hair and I remember the bandaid on top of my earlier injury.

"I did a bad job, shouldn't have placed it so high up," he says putting pressure on the side of the bandaid smoothing it once again against my forehead, "It's crazy it looks almost healed."

"Yeah, I guess-" I get cut off as the employer stands beside us asking if Flash could help a few of the customers as the poor guy is struggling to get the cluster of kids to behave long enough to get them geared up.

Getting separated I'm joined by Ned as we examine each other's gear and check if we're secure before another employee enters the room. He takes place in front of us and waits to attract the room's attention his colleague walking up beside him.

I look around and gradually see the rest of the room starting to pay attention to him. As the volume goes down it takes a few beats of silence before the man speaks up enouncing the rules and the normal flow of a laser game match.

My attention gets taken away by my curiosity as I look around.

The group of girls is barely keeping it together, tip-tapping their feets almost unable to keep their excitement in. Only one of the two people that makes up the couple is paying attention, the girl taking mental note as her supposed date seems entranced by her, devouring her with his gaze.

My eyes reach Flash who isn't paying attention either. His eyes are focused on the man but I recognize that empty glint in his eyes, the same one I see once in a while during class when I look around telling me he is lost in his head.

His stare is redirected toward me as we lock eyes and the glint in his eyes switches up as he flashes me a grin.

My ears start to register the game's instruction but my eyes stay glued on him, those eyes that usually irk me are now void of all mischief they used to hold and it's a feeling that fills me with satisfaction.

The man's booming voice brings me out of my daze and a cry of approval from the room makes me focus back on my surroundings.

A crowd mobilizes around the door to the laser game room as the sign lights up to indicate a new session when I get shoved ahead by Ned who too cannot keep his composure hopping to the door. A hand lands on my arm and I look back to see Flash back on my side.

"You okay there? You seemed out of it."

"Yeah I'm fine, what about you? it looks like you weren't listening," I answer as we are squeezed through the door to the darkness of the neon-drenched place.

"Of course I wasn't listening, I've done laser games before I know the rules but it's different for you, why weren't you listening?"

"What? I was!" I say standing still in front of the door as the rest scattered around.

"Oh yeah? What team are we on?"

At that, I stay silent.

"Blue," I say proudly pointing to the luminescent lights on my vest.

"And who else is on the team?"

…Damnit!

"Ned, the group of girls, and the two lovebirds," he says pointing and nudging the middle of my forehead as a sort of gentle scolding.

"So we're against the birthday group."

"A few of them were put in our team to balance things out," he says dragging me away from the door.

I get to learn about the rules for a second time as he walks me through them. Skipping wall to wall, aiming at adversaries and targets.

It's fun and exciting, skipping and running around, hiding and attacking. We were hit a couple of times but all in all, I'm content and having a good time with Eugene Thompson out of all people. I also get to be the witness of his vendetta against the other birthday boy a bullet landing right in the middle of his vest and a grimace adorning his face as slurs fly out of his mouth.

Before I can ask where a toddler like him learned such language I get dragged away by my hand by Flash to turn a corner as backup shows up for the opposing team.

It's hard to believe. A few months ago the perspective of spending time with Flash Thompson would have given me a migraine and I would have had to have a pep talk to have both of us in the same room.

turning around I look back and forth trying to keep my laugh at a low tone to not attract any unwanted attention from the opposite team before I bump into his back. Turning around he catches my shoulder and maneuvers me aside hiding us from the rest.

I put my hand in front of my mouth to muffle another laugh leaning against the wall as he bend sideways to check if we were followed.

"Did they follow us," I say close to another fit of giggles.

He shakes his head, his beaming smile so strong it forces his eyes to squint.

After a moment where we manage to calm down the laughing fit comes right back as we hear amidst all the voices a specific one holler in a very high-pitched tone how a certain Tyler can eat shit.

The laughter is so hard that we find ourselves leaning on one another for support.

My guts hurt and I try to talk through my laughter, telling Flash we should stay in movement.

"Oh my-" I say breathlessly laying my head on his shoulder, "I feel like I'm dying."

No response from him outside of an agitated gasp to catch his breath.

My head still planted on his shoulder I feel us lean aside so he can check again if our exit was trailed.

He smells nice. I never noticed, even back in the yacht' bedroom my mind didn't get to focus on his perfume as I was too distracted by his lips.

It's soft but I can tell that at first the scent was strong when it was applied. It's calming and unnerving even as I accidentally snuggle a bit longer than I should.

I notice that we both calmed down and I don't feel either of us shaking with laughter.

Raising my head, our eyes meet in silence.

We are close, forehead to forehead as a voice booms in the place scolding a participant who is apparently violating the rules. It does not take my attention from him and from the way he gets closer brushing his nose against mine I can tell that he is not bothered by the screaming either.

His lips brush against mine and that same feeling of electricity comes back traveling inside my body sending the butterflies in my stomach in a storm.

The feeling is so intense that I need to hold on tighter to his arms to convince myself that I'm not hallucinating.

His lips stay here atop mine just brushing and I understand that he's asking me to do it, he's silently asking me to kiss him first this time.

The first time was rushed almost like instinct an impulsive idea he couldn't help but act on but this time he's waiting almost out of breath making sure he has my consent first, like a confirmation I feel the same.

The feeling of him fades as my body feels like it's falling into the abyss. That feeling I have when I'm in costume, the one I feel when something bad is about to happen.

I back away and look around to hear my surroundings. Nothing but the usual cheering, screaming, and the pitter-patter of feet yet this feeling doesn't go away.

Creating distance drives Flash to back up as well as if I burned him. I can see him fidgeting and trying to say something but he doesn't get to as we both jolt, startled and holding on to each other with a scream.

The shadow gets clearer and I recognize Ned and exhale with a relieved cry.

"Damnit Ned, what's wrong with you?!" I shout exasperated.

"One of those kids is a damn sniper I swear I'm ready to bet he's part of the FBI!" he says frantically looking behind him over and over again.

"Damn Leeds. It's a laser game," Flash says with a concerned face.

"He's crazy!" he repeats with just as much power.

The building shakes and forces us to find our balance and I catch myself holding on to Flash's wrist and grasping Ned's shoulder to not fall.

A huge buzz resonates through the place, one that isn't the final buzz to declare the end of the game.

"Customers and staff are asked to evacuate the area calmly using the emergency exit located at each end of the building."

"What's going on," my question echoes through the many hallways of the maze as others probably ask themselves the same question. I already see people regroup, finding allies and opponents to scurry out as another hit sends the building shaking.

"Okay that's so not an earthquake," Ned says with urgency.

"Let's get out of here," Flash says slipping his wrist out of my grip and joining our hands.

We don't get to take a step before we are sent to the ground with violence, the wall comes crumbling down in pieces as a towering figure appears covered in darkness.

The brutality of the fall thankfully sent us into a corner where the figure can't see us.

Sitting up with a headache for the second time today I look down to see Ned shaking his head to clear it and putting pressure on the side of it as I feel the side of my head being cradled.

"You okay?" I make eye contact with Flash who whispers scanning my face for any injury.

I nod urgently before standing up and running toward the nearest wall that would allow me to sneak on the faceless figure. Leaning over, I recognize the shadow to be Rhino who must have found a way to escape the authorities and get his hands back on his suit.

Feeling a tug on my arm I turn around to see Flash trying to hurry me in the opposite direction.

A scream erupts and the idiot rushes headfirst into another wall creating more chaos.

"Come on we got to get out of here," he says tugging me urgently.

A cry for help resonates and I spin around trying to locate where the scream came from.

Too many questions in my head. I don't have my suit, how do I do without my suit? I can't just go help with my face uncovered, how do I do this?

Another high-pitched cry lets me know that the person who needs help is a girl and is balling her eyes out crying out about being stuck.

I turn back to Flash and address the both of them, "You two get outside and wait for the cops, once they get there you tell them where we were I'll go get the girl and I'll bring her back right here, okay?" I say sternly making sure the two of them understand.

"No no! We get out of here and when the help gets here we'll tell them we heard someone needed help."

"She's stuck, I'm not leaving her alone here with this lunatic!" I say firmly.

He pauses, his eyes switching back and forth between me and the hole created by the metal-suited criminal, his brows scrunched up and worry swimming in his eyes.

"No, it's too dangerous. Damage's been done to the building and their alarm has gone off, firemen, ambulance and probably cops are toe to toe to get here, they're way more trained for that type of thing the only way we can help is to get out of here and be out there when they arrive to tell them about her."

"She's stuck, meaning she can't get out she might be hurt or debris might be crushing her," I say angrily trying to keep my tone down to not give out our location.

"Yeah well guess what? you might get crushed too because if that guy's big enough to crush you to begin with imagine the impact with a massive armored suit!" he says frantically looking back at the destroyed debris left behind by Rhino.

"I'm not going to fight him I'm going to get the girl and get out of here, you two go!" I say walking ahead through the debris.

I turn around to walk away when I feel his hand grabbing my wrist and turning me back around to him.

It must be the look in my eyes because the second we make eye contact he seems to be unable to protest.

I turn and start walking again as I feel his fingers holding onto me till the end as my wrist slides out of his grasp.

I hear him protest behind me telling me to come back here before he gets cut off by Ne. I don't get to know what he says to him before the voices fade and I'm left focusing ahead of myself to not come face to face with Rhino.

Stepping over a pile of broken scraps of wall I focus on my hearing to try and figure out where the girl is all while smoothly moving from hiding place to hiding place.

I come across a few items including a backpack where a piece of cloth hangs out from the opened zipper.

Grabbing it I recognize the pattern of a scarf and mentally fist-bump myself for finding a cloth to stop any potential bleeding wound.

Shoving the fabric into my back pocket, the tail of the scarf drags along the ground as I move along crouch walking.

I see a thick sweater protrude from another piece of debris. Snatching it I come to an abrupt stop when I hear another rageful howl before a flash of tarnished silver makes me fall on my ass a huge rumble forcing yet another wall to come crumbling down.

"Where is he?!" I hear Rhino's words echoing along the remaining walls he hasn't yet destroyed.

Who is he talking about? Spiderman? He can't possibly know I'm here…did he figure it out?! How did he find me?!

Clutching my fists I decide to raise myself and leave the crouch walking behind determined to find the girl as soon as possible.

With how silent the place has become I'm convinced she's around the area Rhino just left and hushed when the criminal showed up, baited by her scream of distress.

"Where are you," I ask in the void of the room that I just entered through the punctured wall.

That's when I hear it, the audible intake of breath and a panicked question.

"Is he gone?" comes the frail voice buried in a mountain of broken wall scraps.

"How did you end up down there?"

"I was playing and then I heard a huge crash and before I knew it I was under all of this."

"Are you hurt?"

"No but I'm trapped and I can't lift those," she says with a frustrated grunt trying once again to lift one of the wall remains.

Looking at the structure burying the girl I observe that her current situation is nothing short of a miracle as all the wall pieces are piled up in a way that each piece balances each other out.

"Okay, alright so what we're gonna do is you're going to stand as close as possible to me and then I'm gonna lift this one and you'll see, the rest of them will slide off."

"It's too heavy you can't lift it."

That's a great point. My frame doesn't allow me to go around displaying my real strength.

"Never underestimate the power of adrenaline," is the excuse I manage to find on the spot as I try to balance myself grabbing a strategic piece of the wall amongst them all.

Putting pressure on it the piece is lifting as plaster dust falls down the pile. As the pieces slide off I can throw mine back in a swing.

In a coughing fit, the girl grabs my hand as I extract her from the pile.

Hidden by her forearm to cough and rub her eyes I grab it to get a clearer view of her face.

"Are you okay?"

She doesn't answer but nods, coughing.

"Okay, what we're gonna do now is get out of here," I say holding her shoulders so she pays attention to me rather than the chaos around us.

"He's coming this way so you're going to go to where I was, there is a direct exit."

"Wait what about you? what are you gonna go?"

"I'm just gonna check if everybody is out, don't worry I'll be right behind you," I say as I push her back to the exit.

She walks ahead carefully and when she turns the corner of a wall that hasn't yet been destroyed I snatch the sweater previously tied up around my waist and throw it on hiding any evidence of my chest.

Another crash and I look back making sure I get the time to swap up the scarf and cover my face and hair rolling the fabric all around and tucking it safely behind my head safely hiding my identity.

A dry thug and loud stomps lead me to turn around and face a wall that I know will come crumbling down in a matter of seconds.

Before the walls' crumbles can harm me my arm protects me from the cement dust as the wind is knocked out of me and my body is sent backward smashing against another wall that hasn't yet been torn down by the brute.

"I knew I recognized that smell."

Standing back up with a grunt the prospect of Rhino locating me by sniffing around town forces bile to pile up my throat.

"Ew, that's gross," I say deepening my voice to not give myself out.

Rhino is just a criminal but even a criminal can convince and reveal to enough people that Spiderman is not actually a man.

My voice is also strained from the hit I received when I was smashed against the wall leaving me to be unrecognizable.

I lean against a pole that probably keeps this roof in place as another pained moan escapes me.

"I was gonna finish what I had started before being arrested," I silently cheer as It seems I have accidentally sent the idiot into a villainous monologue.

"Since the bank across the street is the one that was supposed to and did receive the money I thought why not finish what I started."

Breathing in and out with difficulty I can already feel my cracked rib healing with another huff.

"And then I smelled it, that obnoxious smell I remember picking up on when you threw me in that truck."

"Yeah, that was hilarious because see you wanted to steal from the truck but you ended up inside the truck and-" my chuckle is cut short with a pained grunt as my rib is still mending itself.

"We'll see who's laughing when you're six feet under!" he hollers running at me.

Jumping up I propel myself in the opposite direction through Rhino's back landing clumsily still clutching my side.

"I think you're giving yourself too much credit man. I don't think you can punch me hard enough to send me through the ground," I say avoiding jabs after jabs.

I hear sirens and realize I need to take care of Rhino before they can enter the building and see someone else other than the blue&red vigilante going toe to toe with the armored Rhino.

Blocking another hit the force of it sends me to my knees pushing against his weight of him.

Trying to focus on not getting plummeted to the ground my ear buzzes continuously drawing my attention behind me to the electric panel placed behind the counter which is still standing after all the damage caused to the place.

The perfect placement.

When I feel the smallest shift in strength from Rhino I push back with all my force sending him stumbling backward and tripping on a pile from his destructive strike.

Putting distance between us I walk back to the counter climb on it and stand face to face with him.

"See?" I say motioning to my unscathed self, "Untouchable. Of course, that's not a surprise an idiot like you who can't even stand still could not possibly get rid of me."

His only response is a cry and an angry balled fist connecting to the ground, shaking it up.

"Look at you, a little baby having a big tantrum because he's clumsy," I seal the deal with a smirk.

And I get the exact reaction I expected as the brute hurls running like a savage toward me.

When I can feel the breeze of his enraged speed caressing me I bolt up and stick myself to the ceiling leaving the brainless idiot to go headfirst into the panel.

The sound is enough but my curiosity drives me to look upside down to see the Rhino passed out and fuming.

"Dude, you're toast," knowing he can't hear I can't help but make myself chuckle.

My laughter is cut off short when I hear in the distance the sound of the entrance's metal door banging open and a choir of yells invading the place.

Instead of letting go and falling to the ground to get away with the risk of my poor disguise being questioned by the authorities I instead decide to crawl away to a quieter place before falling back down on the ground and letting go of the secondhand vigilante costume.

Fleeing the scene I come out of the alleyway where I throw my 'gear' into the dumpster and walk out to an ocean of red and blue lights. A group of firemen enters the building following the hoard of cops and a booming voice attracts my attention.

"Where were you?!"

My head whips around before my shoulders are grasped firmly and I am turned to a frantic Flash Thompson.

Speechless I'm only able to look at him with a dumbfounded look like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Huh?! Where were you?!" he says shaking me, "You said and I quote 'I get the girl and we'll join you outside', she got out and you weren't with her so where were you?!"

"Rhino was coming so I told her to run and I lured him away before hiding so he couldn't find me," I explain lying as best as I can grabbing his upper arms to steady both of us.

"Oh, and that's supposed to make it better?!"

Out of explanations, I can only shrug my shoulder with an awkward smile.

He scoffs exasperated and let go of me to pace back and forth at a loss for words too.

Not knowing how to make it better for myself I decide to stay silent and just let him pace around trying to calm down.

An officer walks up to us, "Were you inside this building?"

I nod with a frown looking at Flash and Ned for reassurance.

"We're gonna need you to come with us with your friends to the station we're gonna need your statements."

At that Flash tenses up even more walking up to the officer and pleading.

"No wait! Can't we like give a statement later? We like really need to go."

Agreeing with him it's Ned who walks up to the officer and manages to make us look less suspicious.

"We just went through a lot of stress and we're expected somewhere so we'd appreciate it if we could give our statement later on, maybe stop by your station tomorrow or something?"

"I'm gonna ask my superior, please stay here I'll be right back," she says walking back as I halt her with a request.

"Wait, in case you're allowed to let us go could you please drive us there?" I question.

Flash looks at me with an incredulous expression sliding his hands down his face probably in an attempt to wake up from what seems to be his worst nightmare.

"We would feel safer escorted by the police."

"I'll see what I can do," she says with a warm but swift smile before walking away.

With the sound of her footstep fading in the chaos-packed background, Flash approaches me with his hands out.

"Why would you do that?!"

"Because it's better this way. We get back to your party and we get escorted by the police. When you're in this kind of situation cooperating is the best option."

Before he can answer another officer walks up to us to confirm our request of being escorted back as well as asking us to give out our numbers.

"We'll contact you and settle a date and time to pass by the station, have you been examined?"

"Oh um, no there's no need I'm alright."

"No, he's right let's get you checked out," Flash says tugging me towards one of the many firetrucks.

"No no, I really don't need to get checked out. I didn't get hurt I swear I'm fine, no bruises, nothing."

"It would be safer miss."

"I swear I'm not injured, I did not fight Rhino I just hid in the toilets."

"Yeah no shit we can guess you didn't go toe to toe with the guy, would still be smart to get you checked out."

"No, I swear I'm fine no need. It'll only waste time."

"It would only take a few minutes," the officer tries to resonate.

A shrill sound attracts our attention and the sigh of Rhino passed out on a stretcher makes me noticeably tense up.

I'm not used to this I usually don't stay so close after a save. I'm used to watching from afar as the bad guy gets taken away and I'm also in costume but right now the lack of Spiderman attire is making me feel exposed as if anyone could just turn around and point at me saying I was the one who knocked him out.

"Hey, it's okay."

My eyes are drawn back to Flash who is gripping me back tightly like a reassurance probably thinking it's the sigh of Rhino that scared me.

"Let's get you checked out and then we can-"

"I am fine!" I affirm.

My outburst throws a pause and I'm frozen on the spot feeling a bit guilty.

His expression is unreadable, I don't know whether he's angry, scared, or disappointed. How am I surprised that I can't read him? I shouldn't even be able to read him.

"Okay, okay I get it, no check-up," he says his eyes softening as well as his tone.

Letting go of my arms I catch myself missing the feeling but it is not gone for long as he places his hand on my back to guide me to the police car.

"You're alive!"

My breath escapes me as I'm attacked with a violent but warm embrace.

Looking down I recognize the hair of the girl I rescued earlier.

"It's her! the girl who saved me!" she says turning around to a woman who jogs up to us.

"Are you quite sure?"

I frown wondering exactly why this reaction. The woman must notice my expression bringing the girl back to her by the hand.

"Sorry it's just," she hesitates," With the story she told I imagined you to be…bigger."

Bigger?

"My apologies I did not mean to sound rude but," she hesitates again, "Nevermind I should've known. You know how kids are, full of imagination I mean."

"No, I did not lie! She saved me! I was stuck under a pile and she lifted that one HUGE block and got me out!"

Fortunately, my face cannot get any whiter but it doesn't stop my face from falling.

"You must have the wrong person," I turn around to see Ned taking a step forward, putting his hand on my shoulder, "She's not strong, can barely lift chairs at school so I can't even imagine a piece of broken wall," he chuckles turning to Flash for validation.

"Yeah," Flash says with a frown, "Parker is not the type to lift a tone I think you might have embellished things."

He looks from the girl to the woman, "Adrenaline does that a lot."

"I'm not lying!" the girl screams as the woman holds her back asking her to calm down.

"I'm not saying you're lying. She saved you but she did not lift that HUGE block or most likely it wasn't as heavy as you think it was."

"Excuse me," we are interrupted by the police officer, "the car is over there, we'll be driving you back."

"I'm not lying," the little girl whines sadly as I am hurried away by Flash.

I feel bad not being able to back her up but the circumstances are perfect to keep my identity hidden.

I bend down to enter the car and sit comfortably in the middle of the back seat right in between Flash and Ned.

"Are you sure the address you gave me is the right one?"

Looking through the wired wall the officer messes around with their console as the last door of the vehicle is closed and we are finally surrounded by a comfortable silence.

The car moves and my eyes are drawn to the unconscious body of the Rhino.

"I didn't learn police codes to keep up with them," Flash says softly beside me.

This statement wakes me, "What?" I answer with just as much discretion so the conversation can stay private in the gorged car.

"You were weirded out earlier when I said I learned the NYPD's codes by heart and I'm not an idiot I saw that you didn't believe me."

I look down uncomfortable.

"I found-well I heard about a website," he says trying to maintain eye contact, "And at first it was cool, it was all about fans of Spiderman."

He must notice my frown because he hurries his explanation as if he was his own lawyer.

"But then there was that one guy who added me to another group chat except this time it wasn't the same, those guys weren't fans they were like stalkers. They were asking weird questions and one said he was actively trying to find him using the police radio."

My eyes double in size and a chill rushes through my body rising my blood temperature.

"It's not like I learned the codes, I just read through the messages and it was so disturbing that I think the codes just ended up stuck in my head I guess," he finishes avoiding any eye contact, fumbling with his hands.

"I told them it was weird, that they shouldn't do that because they could end up stalking and walk up on him during a mission and end up hurt or dead, not just them but also him."

I stay silent letting him finish up his story his eyes clouded up like earlier in the evening during our first bus trip.

"We argued through text and most of the people in the chat ganged up on me and I just left. Well after I reported their accounts but I don't think anything was done about that though."

I don't know what to do, how can I tell him he didn't do anything wrong when I don't even know what he possibly could've done wrong in this situation.

"You seemed ashamed of it, why?"

Raising his head he doesn't seem to know how to answer me.

"You saw someone doing something wrong that could put not only put themselves but others in danger and you tried to put an end to it," I try to reassure him as best I can.

He maintains eye contact without a word before he slowly nods and I believe I spot the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

The soft noise of the car's movement mixes in perfectly with the chatter which lulls me to sleep.

"I was told by one of my colleagues that you were in there, you were very lucky," I hear the officer ask from the front seat.

I tiredly nod the simple motion making me drowsy as I lean my back my head with a sigh.

The conversation is unintelligible as I feel myself falling in and out of consciousness.

I jolt awake when a hand lands on my neck and moves my head from the headrest to a shoulder. Groggy, I try to protest wondering why the sudden change of position when I am cut off.

"You'll hurt your neck go back to sleep now."

My argument dies on my tongue as the haze of sleep crashes back on me. I fall into the kind of sleep where you don't really snooze and can still hear everything going around you but can't get rid of the veil of slumber.

And so that is how I spend the rest of the travel in and out of consciousness, half listening here and there to the discussions going on around getting more and more comfortable on his shoulder.

As the speech gets louder I frown and grunt sleepily, my hazy brain still trying to grasp the reality around me.

"What's going on?" I barely manage to get out in my half-asleep state.

"The call on my radio sounded close to the address you gave me but I wouldn't have guessed it was the exact same location."

Looking out I see the familiar sight of the sea and the port as well as the brightly light yacht surrounded by multiple police cars.

"Uh oh."

"What is going on?" Ned chimes in.

The guests are divided into small groups like herds of sheep looking around. Some are confused, some are annoyed, or simply bored, officers are scattered trying to question or count the heads all looking frustrated and exhausted.

"My parents are gonna kill me," he says looking through the window overstepping in front of Ned sending him to sit far back into his own seat.

The pang I feel in my heart is painful and the realization that I'm at fault makes me scooch back into my seat. The shame being too much to handle I yank the car door open needing a breeze of fresh air.

The outside cold bites at my cheek as I breathe in deeply.

"Flash! Where were you?!"

I turn around noticing one of our classmates looking frantic.

"I stepped out for a little while what the hell happened here?!"

"I swear it wasn't me! some guys from another school sneaked and used the fireworks."

"What fireworks? there weren't any fireworks."

He hesitates looking at the birthday boy with squinted eyes full of worry "It was McCoy," his question almost sounds like a question.

Flash looks up and like me breathes in deep, "Damn McCoy stresses me out even when I throw him out."

The classmate walks away escorted by one of the many officers around as our personal chauffeur of the night approaches us and singles out Ned telling us they'll come back once Ned gives his point of view of the night.

"I'm so sorry," I say my voice quivering without my consent.

Turning back to me, he frowns and looks at me up and down.

"If I hadn't offered to go out this wouldn't have happened."

He approaches me as I fidget with my hands, "And If we didn't go to the laser game we wouldn't have almost been killed by Rhino," I say wiping my nose who's beginning to tingle.

His frown somehow deepens, "What are you talking about?" he says firmly.

It's my turn to frown, "Well your night is ruined now and it's my fault."

His frown softens to leave place for an eye roll.

"Parker," he says annoyed.

"It's true if I hadn't proposed you'd have still been here and could have stopped those guys from-"

"It was my decision to stay or go but I wanted to go. I could've just said no but I didn't."

It might be the first time I've ever seen Flash Thompson take the blame for anything.

"But it's your birthday I shouldn't have taken you away from your party-"

"Oh my god!" he says irritated taking me by the shoulders and hurrying me aside to a corner where fewer people can eavesdrop.

"Listen Parker none of what happened tonight was your fault okay? I decided to follow you because I wanted to and we both know for a fact that this psycho who started crashing the building didn't just appear out of nowhere just because of because of you."

I internally cringe. Oh if only you knew.

"And it's fine. Okay, it's still sucks, but I had fun and if I stayed I would've been bored out of my mind anyways so I guess you could say you came and saved me from the most boring party ever."

His hands move from my shoulder to my face as he finishes his speech.

Speechless, I'm unable to answer as the warmth of his hands is comforting against the harshness of the outside cold.

The honesty of his speech and the tenderness that shows in his eyes throws me off balance.

When my eyes make the quickest contact with his lips I quickly switch my gaze to anywhere else.

"You're parents are gonna kill-Oh no!"

My yelling directs both of our attention toward the target of my panic.

"Is that your Aunt May?!"

I spin around to somehow hide from her and try to find an out.

"Forget about your parents I'm gonna die before you!"

"She's pointing very angrily behind me which means she's pointing at you," he informs me, "Hi Miss Parker!" he says with fake enthusiasm and a high-pitched cracked voice.

My whole body tenses up and I take all my time turning back around not daring to make eye contact.

Flash is still standing between the two of us feet planted in the ground.

"Flash get out of my way."

"For sure," he says hurriedly stepping aside.

"So get this. I get a call, right? And I hear that not only was there an incident at this party but I also hear that you weren't at the said party which right then reassured me since I believed you weren't in danger," she shouts all over the place with frantic movement as if she was telling a scary story around a campfire.

"But then my logic sense came back and I told myself 'Wait if she's not at that party, where could she possibly be?'"

The lump in my throat is starting to hurt and I go back to avoiding eye contact.

She's now silent and it's clear her question is not a rhetorical one.

"It was my fault."

I turn to him with confusion that quickly turns into irritation.

"Not it wasn't," I say firmly.

"An accident happened and she was hit," he says pointing at my forehead that I try to hide with panic written on my face.

Why is he aggravating the situation?!

As expected Aunt May panics walking to me and analyzes me up and down focusing on my forehead where the bandage has managed to stay attached through my baby hairs, the second hand suit, and the attack.

Startled by the sigh she trots up to me inspecting the area closer.

"It was an accident but the person who did that refused to apologize and would not leave the party so I thought the best would be to step out so there wouldn't be any more tension and then Leeds proposed to go take a look around the city," he lies skillfully through his teeth.

"But then we were at this place and that guy Rhino showed up-" May starts to panic again but is cut off for the rest of his speech, " BUT we're okay we got out before any of us could be harmed and we were escorted back here with the police to make sure we're safe," he finishes his rant with what I could only describe as a marketing grin motioning to our surrounding as if all of this isn't as bad as it looks.

A sigh escapes May as she closes her eyes and tries to let go of the tension inside her.

I am smothered by a hug from her letting me in turn lose all the tension in my own body.

Embracing her back I breathe out not once noticing how I've been stiff since my run-in with Rhino. The tension leaving my body I close my eyes and let myself fall deeper into her arms hugging her back.

Opening my eyes my gaze traces back to Flash standing there looking at us with sympathy.

I mouth him a 'thank you'. I don't really know what the thank you is for but it feels right to say it.

A cop approaches him and I let go of the hug to investigate hoping he won't get in trouble.

"He didn't do anything," I intervene, "Actually, he wasn't even there!" I protest.

Met with blank stares from both of them I have second thoughts.

"Alright I'll make sure to write that down on my report but I will first ask Mr.Thompson what happened from his point of view," the officer says with a pointed look as if asking me to stop talking to avoid damaging his case even more.

The previous anxiety on my face falls to an awkward open-mouthed, "Oh."

"Yeah," Flash says.

"Now how about we go home and leave the nice officer to do his job?" May says loudly holding my shoulders and silently telling me to mindlessly agree to what she says.

With a similar fake smile Flash gave earlier, I giggle and nod like a puppet to get myself out while making sure he doesn't get in more trouble for my indiscretion.

"Let's go get Ned."

"Um I'll be right with you," I call after her my hand in hers.

She seems confused but nods regardless.

When I'm sure she's far away I trot back around.

"Hey, Flash!"

I catch his attention as he walks back to me reassuring the officer he'll be back in a moment.

"What is it?" he ask curiously and a bit in a hurry.

…

I don't know what to say.

"I. I-just."

I'm fully out. What should I say? I'm sorry? Thank you?

I'm still looking for my words when his finger begins mingling with my bandaid once again.

"I really did a shitty job with that," he chuckles eyes focusing back on mine.

I feel that peace again, that comfort I never thought possible around the obnoxious Flash Thompson.

"I should probably go, Officer Davis isn't gonna wait around for me forever."

"Oh yeah of course!" I agree.

I see that Aunt May is looking around for me by her car with Ned beside her looking around as I still try to find the right words.

Looking back at him I find myself analysing his face and figure out I don't need words.

"You okay?" he asks.

Taking a few steps I am standing just a few inches away. Before he can question my motive I lay a kiss on his cheek, right below his eye.

I step back, a feeling of Euphoria invading my body, "Happy birthday."

He does not answer frozen in place and rigid like a pole.

Oh no, did I mess up?

"Are you okay? Aren't you gonna go with officer Davis?" I ask worried.

"Mister Thompson?" talking of the devil.

"Yeah! Let's go!" he shouts turning around and hurrying into the car.

The euphoria dissipates and the regret sets in. What a way to end such a nice night in a fiasco.

I really messed up.

A new side of you: Waltz of emotions

#flash thompson x reader #flash thompson imagine #flash thompson fanfic #spiderman homecoming #spiderman: no way home #flash thompson #spiderman far from home

[peterbenjaminparkour]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Peter Parker & Flash Thompson Characters: Peter Parker, Flash Thompson Additional Tags: Kissing, Neck Kissing, First Kiss, Manipulation, Making Out, Kissing Lessons Summary:

When the school finds out about Peter and MJ's break up, rumors start circling, one in particular bothering Peter more than the others. Peter wonders if the rumor about him being a bad kisser may have come from MJ. Flash sees this and takes advantage of Peter's low self esteem and broken heart by offering to 'help him'.

#flash thompson #peter parker #peterflash #flash Thompson x Peter Parker #Peter Parker X Flash Thompson #fanfic #Revolori promptorium

[ravagedarkness]

The Secret Santa Dilemma

When the AcaDeca Team plays Secret Santa, Peter ends up pulling Flash's name, much to his chagrin.

Read Here:

#spideychelle #michelle mj jones #peter parker #petermj #carmilla black #original male character #kitty pryde #betty brant #ned leeds #scott summers #joanna cargill #aunt may #flash thompson #fanfic #ao3feed #ao3 fanfic #christmas #fluff #ao3

[randomwritingguy]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Spider-Verse (Sony Animated Movies), Spider-Man (Comicverse), Spider-Gwen (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Peter Parker & Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Uncle Ben Parker & Peter Parker, Aunt May Parker & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Flash Thompson Characters: Peter Parker, Peter Parker (Earth-65), Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Flash Thompson, Uncle Ben Parker (Marvel), Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Mary Jane Watson, George Stacy Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Peter Parker isn't Spider-Man, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Hurt Peter Parker, Protective Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Soft Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Good Friend Gwen Stacy | Spider-Gwen, Peter Parker is a Mess, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, High School, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Cute, Bullying, Flash Thompson Being A Jerk, Flash Thompson Bullies Peter Parker, Bully Flash Thompson, Secret Identity, Photography, Photographs, First Kiss, Childhood Sweethearts, Dorks in Love, Humor, Attempt at Humor, I'm Bad At Titles, I'm Bad At Summaries, Uncle Ben Parker Lives (Marvel), Aunt May Parker Lives (Marvel), Uncle Ben Parker is a Good Uncle (Marvel), Aunt May Parker is a Good Aunt (Marvel) Summary:

Peter Parker isn't anything special, though he secretly wants to be. Everyone except his uncle, aunt, and his best friend treat him like an outcast.

But after a chance encounter with the one and only Spider-Woman, he ends up becoming her official unofficial photographer.

Shenanigans ensue.

#peter parker #gwen stacy #spider gwen #earth 65 #alternate universe #petergwen #marvel #childhood friends #best friends #friends to lovers #love confessions #hurt/comfort #fluff #humor #ghost spider #fanfic #flash thompson #bullying #cute #angst #spider-verse #dorks in love #love #romance #marvel comics #marvel films #spider-man into the spider-verse #spider-man across the spider-verse

[dwoality2123]

Having trouble deciding whether to make MCU post-NWH Flash Thompson pursue Allied Health or Nursing or Allied Health Management...but maybe I'll make him pursue Nursing bc of comics Flash

#flash thompson #writing #marvel #fanfic #fanfiction

[starkravinghazelnoots]

Flash sighed, burying his face in his hands. “So now what?” he mumbled into his palms. “What do I have to do to get rid of you?”

Why would you want to do that? I am delightful company.

“Why? How about because I have a life! A girlfriend! I’m graduating in less than two months! This is the worst possible time shit could happen to me!”

(An MJ/Flash romcom meets a Venom!Flash dramedy. Attraction, antics, and attempted murder abound.)

Read this thing of darkness (i acknowledge mine) on AO3, part 1 of a symbiote by any other name.

#flash thompson #venom #michelle jones watson #michelle jones #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #ned leeds #betty brant #spider-man #peter parker #mcu fanfic #mjflash #my writing #id in alt text