I just really wanted to do a soul mate AU for these two dorks. I used my own soul mate AU, one where it's not the first words inked on your skin, but the words your soul mate will say when both people "ready" for each other. Basically, you could know a person for a few weeks or a few years. I wrote a Solangelo based on this too, if you want to check it out.
The trip back to the tricarrier was tense and silent. Peter sat in the captains chair, mask pulled off, pissed; Sam knew that, and so did the rest of the team.
He hadn't said a word, angrily fumbling with his web shooters, avoiding any interaction with the rest of them. Ava ignored him, as she tended to do, but Danny and Luke kept sending worried glances to the Web Head, and occasionally sending one to Sam.
They were halfway back to New York when Sam couldn't take it anymore.
"You can stop pouting, Parker," he sighed. "Just start yelling so we can get this over with."
The air tensed, and Peter's back went ram rod straight. Luke shrunk in on himself, which was an odd sight to see for a teenager his size, and even Ava looked uncomfortable. Danny simply sighed, as if knowing Sam would open his big mouth - really, everyone should have expected it, Sam thought bitterly.
"Perhaps this should wait until we are in safe territory," Danny suggested.
"Agreed," Peter nodded, not looking away from his wrist, still messing with those damn web shooters, still avoiding Sam.
"No," Sam spat. "Let's do this now. Let's talk about how I saved all your asses-"
"With complete disregard of your own," Peter hissed.
"-and how this mission would have been a complete failure if I hadn't of done what I did."
Finally, Peter snapped his eyes to Sam. "You nearly got blown up, moron," he stated. We were working on an escape plan, we had it covered. Your mission was retrieve the flash drive, and if we needed back up, we would have called you." His voice was calm, monotonous, and Sam gritted his teeth.
"You weren't at the checkpoint, what the hell was I supposed to do?" he asked, standing up and marching in front of Peters chair.
"You were supposed to wait for orders, Bucket Head," the brunet growled, standing up to Sam's unspoken challenge. "I'm the leader, I say-"
"Enough about this leader shit, Parker, I completed the mission-!"
"I don't care about the fucking mission!"
Sam froze. Peter had never cursed before, not like that, not towards him, or anyone else on the team for that matter. It was silent around them, and no one moved a muscle. Peter used a few of those tense seconds to breathe, to collect himself.
"Sam, you can't- the mission-" Peter took a shaky breath, and gave an attempt at a smile. "The mission doesn't matter if I- we lose you."
His wrist flared. Sam saw red. Before he could stop himself, he pulled his fist back, and let go with as much force as the Nova Force would allow.
"Sam!" Luke shouted, lunging forward, and yanking him away.
"What the heck, Sam?" Peter whined, clutching his nose.
The swear words were gone; at least Peter wasn't angry anymore, Sam thought.
"What the hell did you say to me?" he asked, fighting against Luke's hold, despite knowing it was useless. "How fucking dare you, Parker. Who the hell have you the right?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked. "Is it so bad for me to care what happens to the team? Is it really so bad that maybe I care enough about what happens to you?"
Sam slumped against Luke's hold, but the bullet proof teen made no move to let him go.
"Which is it, Parker?" he finally asked. "Me or the team?"
Peter flexed his hand, and the small movement caught Sam's attention like a cat and a laser. Was that it, then? Were those the words that would decide his fate?
Before Peter could respond, Ava cleared her throat. "ETA is four minutes."
Sam swallowed. She must have really kicked on the turbo jets in order to make it home in such record time.
"Peter," he tried, "did-?"
"We'll talk about it later," the leader decided. "We need to get the flash drive to Fury."
Sam didn't move, and slowly, Luke let him go.
Peter stayed standing, avoiding eye contact. His hand was still clenched in a fist, and Sam would swear his shoulders were shaking.
"Promise?"
His voice shocked even himself, and Sam waited with baited breath as Peter stared. The team blanched, but they didn't understand, couldn't understand what had really just happened between the two of them.
"Do you promise we'll talk about it?" he asked again, because Peter still hadn't moved, hadn't spoken.
"Yes," he finally sighed. "Yes, I promise we'll talk about... it."
"I didn't mean-"
"I know, Bucket Head." Peter smiled, almost shyly, and Sam nodded, letting his own smile slowly filter through.
The jet began its descent, and Sam scurried to his seat to strap in. Ava sent him a raised eyebrow as he passed, but he ignored it.
It wasn't her business, anyway.
After the teams debriefing, they parted ways, Ava to work on homework, Danny to meditate, and Luke to the training rooms. Peter stopped Sam before he could even stand from his chair.
On some kind of wordless agreement, the two found themselves on top of a skyscraper, awkwardly standing two feet away from each other, and rubbing their wrists.
Finally, Peter said, "We have to tell the team. And Fury. And, god, Sam, you have to be careful. You can't just-"
"Can you lay off the lectures, for once, Web Head?" Sam asked, glaring. "For once, can we talk without bringing up work, or you bossing me around?"
"I'm worried, Sam," Peter insisted, furrowing his brow. "I mean, I was worried before, and now... Where do we stand?"
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
They were soul mates. Things were supposed to fall into place, like the stories, like all the situations he had dreamed of as a kid.
"Sam, all we do is fight," Peter pointed out. "I thought you hated me until a month ago. I- I just came to terms with the fact that I'm into guys not too long ago. There so much going on with us, and I didn't know where we stood this morning, let alone now."
Of course Sam understood. He had been confused by their kind-of-not-friendship since the day they met.
"Okay," he said, stepping forward, but making no other move. "Okay. So, we take it slow. Stop trying to bite each others heads of everyday. We can see how the friend thing works, and... and if it works out, we'll burn the bridge when we come to it."
"I'm pretty sure the saying goes 'we'll cross that bridge,' not burn it," Peter chuckled.
"Dude, have you seen us?" Sam smirked. "We'll definitely burn it. Probably leave nothing but ashes behind, if even that."
Peter shrugged. "I guess. But we still have to tell the team, you know. We're liabilities now."
Sam snorted. "That's a positive look on things."
"It's true. You know it is." Peter tilted his head, and looked Sam up and down. "We're really going to do this? Try not to kill each other, attempt a... relationship?"
"If you want," Sam nodded. "And... I'll try not to put myself at risk again like I did today. I'll stick to the plan."
Peter rolled his eyes. "That's a lie. Just make sure that when you change the plan, give a warning or at least try to be careful."
"Deal," Sam agreed. "So... wanna order a pizza and play some video games?"
Peter blushed, and Sam tried to ignore the slight stuttering of his heart.
"Sounds good," Peter said, and if he didn't know any better, Sam would think he sounded a little winded.
They shifted, and the air was tense. Suddenly, Peter smirked.
"Last one to my place has to pay." And then he jumped off the roof, slinging a web and adding a fancy flip for effect.
Sam could only blink before he shot off the roof as well, chasing after the web slinger.
His soul mate.