Erin gazed at her reflection in the mirror and smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her dress. It was a far cry from her normal band t-shirt and ripped jeans, and if she were being honest, she felt slightly uncomfortable. But jeez, was it a pretty dress.
Pepper had helped her pick it out last week. When she had tried it on in the dressing room she had been in a state of despair. Nothing fit correctly. All the dresses had been too revealing, or she didn't fill them out, or they made her look deathly pale. And with each dress she tried, her self esteem took a hit, until she'd been red in the face and angry and on the verge of tears. And then Pepper's hand had snaked past the curtain holding a soft pink gauzy thing.
Right away Erin scoffed. Snatching the offending garment from Pepper, Erin was ready to scold her. What made her think this dress would work? It was the complete opposite of Erin's normal style, too light and girly. Just as she was ready to let loose some teenage angst in Pepper's direction, her hand brushed up against the material.
The dress was unbelievably light and soft, as if air itself had taken solid form. Erin inspected it closer. The color was so pale it was nearly white, with a sweetheart neckline and tiny cap sleeves. It was long; it looked like it reached mid-calf. With a resigned sigh, Erin had told Pepper, "This is the last one I'm trying on, Pep."
She had expected to be disappointed, as with the other dresses. But when she turned to the mirror, she let out a small gasp. The dress fit her perfectly. The small cap sleeves rested delicately on her shoulders and the neckline accentuated her neck and collarbone. It cinched in at her waist and then skirted out to brush against her calves. Her bare feet with the toenails painted black wiggled up at her. She thought perhaps the color would wash her out, already so pale as she was, but it had the opposite effect of turning her skin to alabaster. And her red hair shone as brightly as a beacon.
Shyly, she peaked her head beyond the curtain. When she showed Pepper, the older woman smiled brightly and clasped her hands together. "Oh Erin, you look gorgeous!" Erin had turned as red as a tomato but was secretly pleased. Because maybe a tiny miniscule part of her agreed. Maybe Erin did look kind of pretty. And maybe a certain someone else would think so as well.
So, for a week Erin had laid in bed every night thinking about the dress that hung in her closet. She fantasized about slipping the soft material over her body and transforming into a girl who knew how to wear a dress like that. Now that she was wearing it though, with her makeup done and long red hair pulled to one side with a clip, her stomach fluttered with nerves. She didn't think she could ever be that girl.
Erin noticed movement behind her and caught Tony's eye in the mirror's reflection.
"Wow!" He gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "You clean up pretty nice. For a little hell-demon, that is." He smirked at her, probably thinking he was the funniest man to ever live. Erin rolled her eyes and turned to him.
"The best way for a hell-demon to trap her prey is to act like an innocent little girl."
It was Tony's turn to snort in derision. "You have never for a moment been an innocent little girl, even when you were an innocent little girl." He took a sip from his crystal champagne flute and sauntered further into her room, slinging an arm over her shoulders. They faced the mirror together again. Erin in her whole get-up, a full head shorter than Tony, and Tony in an expensive suit, tie undone - looking cooler than she could ever hope to be. "But all jokes aside, you really do look very nice, kid." He met her eyes in the mirror. "Very grown up. What happened to that little girl, anyways?"
"Just how much champagne have you had so far?"
Tony snorted again. "I plead the fifth." He held his finger to his lips. "Don't tell Pep."
Erin rolled her eyes again. "What, you don't think she'll be able to tell with that tie?" She reached for it and started the complicated knot that he liked best. She was aware of his eyes on her but she remained fixated on her work. They were silent for a beat before Tony started in again.
"So," he began. "Plan on trapping any spiders in your web tonight?"
"Tony!" She tugged roughly on the tie, her face turning red against her own volition. The act only caused Tony's smirk to widen. "What? You were the one talking about trapping prey!"
Erin sighed and finished with the tie, clipping it to his shirt. Finally she looked up at him. "Spiders don't get stuck in webs, you idiot." And then she flicked his nose.
"Rude!" He rubbed his nose and then finished his champagne in one swig. Erin moved to put on her simple black pumps. "You're written out of the will, young lady."
"That's okay, I think I'd make a great bag lady." Finally she was ready and she shoved Tony towards the door.
"For what it's worth, I don't think Peter will know what hit him." Tony sounded earnest, which was sweet she supposed, but she'd rather not have this conversation with him.
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. How did everyone seem to know about her little crush? Was she that transparent? Or were people around here just incredibly observant? Well, Nat was a superspy and an expert at reading people - so that answered that question. "Go find Pepper." She pushed him down the hallway and she ran off in the opposite direction before he could tease her anymore.
Erin made her way to the party, wobbling slightly in her heels. Honestly, she could beat the shit out of a grown man, leap from tall buildings, run a mile in a minute and a half, but put her in these death traps and she was useless. How did Nat do it?
She turned the corner, the music from inside the next room thumping in a steady beat. She stopped in her tracks. There was Peter, standing in front of the door with his back to her. She almost thought of ducking around the corner again, but then decided that was stupid.
Taking a deep breath and hoping her voice didn't wobble, she called out, "Hey."
Peter jumped and spun around, wide eyes landing on her. His stare trailed a path from her face, down over her body, along her legs, and then back up again, mouth opening and closing in some weird pantomime imitation.
Finally, he cleared his throat and waved at her. "H-hey!" He squeaked out. "You look, I mean," he motioned up and down at her. "Like a girl." His eyes got wider if possible. "NO! What I mean is, you look nice. I m-mean, you always look like a girl, because you are a girl, of course. A-and you always look nice." Peter's face turned red and he looked as though he was contemplating running away. He took a deep breath and said, "You just look really beautiful, Erin." He shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders.
Erin giggled. It was nice to know she wasn't the only nervous one. "Thanks, Pete. You look really nice, too." She clasped her hands together nervously and took a few steps forward. Peter raised his eyes to stare directly at her and smiled gently. He was a little taller than her and she had to peer at him through her eyelashes. His eyes were like magnets; warm and kind and hypnotizing. Was it her imagination, or did Peter lean a little closer to her?
Just then, a bright flash ignited behind them and they both jumped apart.
"Tony!" Pepper chastised. Erin whipped around to see Tony and Pepper linked at the arm. Tony had his phone in the other hand, pointed at them.
"Got it!" He proclaimed loudly.
"Tony," Erin hissed. The older pair drifted past them. Tony stopped in front of Peter, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Listen here, Parker. I like you. But you touch my little sister and I'm gunna have to pull all eight of your legs off." Peter's eyes bulged and he began to sputter.
"Tony!" Erin hissed at the same time Pepper spoke.
"For the love of God-" Pepper intoned.
"You are literally the worst." Erin fumed.
Tony giggled like a schoolgirl as Pepper dragged him into the party. "You should see your faces!" He called from the threshold.
The two teenagers were left alone in the hallway. "Sorry," Erin muttered. "He's annoying."
"Oh that-that's okay," Peter laughed nervously. "I know Mr. Stark was kidding. I think." They stood awkwardly together for a beat before Erin suggested they go into the party.
Erin had to hand it to Tony, he could really throw down. The room was decorated as a winter wonderland. White tinsel and elaborate snowflakes hung from the ceiling and throughout them a galaxy of twinking golden lights. White christmas trees lined the room and at the center was a giant ice sculpture of a castle. Had Tony gotten that idea from Frozen?
As Erin and Peter made their way into the room they were approached by a waiter with a tray laden with champagne flutes. Erin grabbed two and handed one to Peter. "Oh, I'm not old enough."
Erin rolled her eyes and laughed. "Come on, Parker. It's a party."
He sighed but took the offered glass. They clinked them together in cheers and both took a sip. Erin liked the feel of the bubbles on her tongue, but not so much the taste. Peter's face screwed up in disgust. "Wow, that's gross," Peter laughed.
"Yeah it is," she agreed. They stood watching the party for a little while, holding their glasses but not drinking from them. They joked back and forth about the different highrollers trying to get and kept Tony's attention.
"Oh man, get a load of this one," Erin pointed to the man gesticulating wildly at Tony and Rhodey. From his hand movements he was either talking about space rockets, or ostrich farming, Erin couldn't tell which. Tony seemed vaguely alarmed. The two teens laughed at his expense.
It was then Erin noticed at some point that people had taken to the dance floor. Couples swayed in time with the music and Erin got a crazy stupid idea. "Hey, would you maybe wanna, like, dance? Or something?" She chanced a glance at Peter. He had gone wide-eyed again but was nodding his head vigorously.
"Yeah, definitely." He raised his glass to his lips and swallowed half of his drink in one gulp. Erin grabbed it from him, setting both glasses on a nearby table.
"Come on." She threaded her fingers through his and led him into the crowd.
Once on the dance floor she turned to face him. Neither of them seemed to know what to do. The music was fast paced and she didn't know how to dance to it without looking like an idiot. Just when she had decided that it had been a bad idea, the music slowed and couples around them got closer, wrapping arms around each other.
Erin and Peter looked at each other before simultaneously stepping closer. Erin wrapped her arms around Peter's neck and she was sure he could feel her heartbeat through her chest. Peter tentatively placed his hands low on her waist and just like that they swayed to the music.
They didn't say anything for awhile. Erin was embarrassed that she liked the feeling of Peter's shoulders under her hands. They were firm and she could feel the strong muscles under the layers of his suit. She knew he was stronger than he appeared. Peter shifted slightly and his hands dropped a fraction lower on her waist (she liked the feel of that too). Erin looked up from her feet to see Peter watching her. She smiled bashfully. "I don't really dance," she shrugged. "Am I doing okay."
"I don't really dance, either," he said. "But I think you're doing great." And again, his eyes drew her in.
They gazed at each other until the end of the song, a new beat taking its' place. Emboldened by Peter's look, or maybe the champagne, Erin suggested they leave. "This party is kinda lame without all the others here," she scrunched her nose. "It's just a bunch of people trying to get Tony's money."
"Yeah, sure. You wanna knick some of the food?"
"Definitely! I'm starving. Meet at the front door in five?" She and Peter went to separate tables. Erin grabbed what she could (mostly sweets). She saw a table of champagne bottles lined up by the bar and grabbed one. She doubted they'd even open it, but the rebel in her demanded it be taken.
She met Peter at the door. He had somehow been able to procure a whole serving tray of finger sandwiches. "Let's get out of here before someone notices this," he said with a crazed look.
They half walked, half ran down the hallway. Erin cackled at the image. In her haste to get away with their prizes she had led Peter to her room. It was only when they burst through the door that she stopped to consider what this might look like. In a desperate attempt to seem cool she kicked off her heels. "Thank God, those things were killing me."
Peter laughed, setting the tray down on her bed. "Tell me about it," and he blushed. Did he just admit her legs in heels were killing him? "I mean, dress clothes are the worst." He loosened his tie as if to make a point.
"Yeah," she agreed, fidgeting with her skirt.
"Although," he continued. "Seeing you in that dress is something else." He was blushing, but he didn't look away from her. Erin tried not to smile too widely.
"Music or movie?" she asked.
"Music."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y. play my mix, please."
"You got it, Miss. Erin," F.R.I.D.A.Y. said, and music drifted softly into the space. Peter took that moment to gaze around her room. He had never been in here, and Erin was acutely aware of the clothes thrown about her room, the dumb stuffed bear resting on her bed, and the spread of girl things like makeup and pictures and knicknacks that littered all her surfaces. Peter drifted towards the pictures that lined her walled mirror, the same one she'd been standing in front of with Tony earlier.
He took his time looking at each photograph. There were a lot of her and Tony together, and Pepper too. There was one of her and Rhodey on a camping trip. A selfie of her and Natasha laying together on some exercise mats, heads together, smiling widely up at the camera. Even one of her and Steve eating hamburgers at a barbecue (Happy in the background with the grill).
Peter pointed to one in the top right corner. Erin was around eight years old in the photo, hugging a pretty, tall, blonde woman around the waist. They both smiled widely in the photo. They were on a beach. "Who's that?" He asked.
Erin joined him by the mirror. "That's my mom."
Peter looked at her with a squint of confusion. The woman was clearly in her late thirties. "But Tony's your brother."
Erin laughed. "Technically, Tony is my guardian. We're not related." Peter still looked confused so she clarified. "Tony and my mom were friends, they knew each other for years. But my dad wasn't in the picture and my mom didn't have any family, so when she died she trusted me to Tony." Erin shrugged as if to say, what was she thinking?
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I just assumed -."
"Yeah, we tell everyone that I'm Tony's sister because it's easier that way. And I practically am, anyways."
Peter nodded and then looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry about your mom."
Erin smiled ruefully. "It's okay. It was a long time ago. Cancer." She paused for a beat. "And anyways, Tony's not that bad."
Peter laughed lightly and then fell silent. They stood there staring at the photos for a little longer. Then he said, "My parents are dead, too. That's why I live with my Aunt May." Erin nodded, she remembered his sweet aunt from the first time she met Peter.
"I'm sorry, Peter."
"Thanks," he smiled and then scoffed. "Wow, we are so much fun."
Erin giggled and motioned for him to join her on the floor by her bed. They used her mattress as a makeshift table and ate the finger sandwiches and other appetizers they had been able to pilfer. "Here," she said, handing the bottle of champagne to him. "You open it, I'm afraid the cork will hit me in the eye."
He snickered at her but unrolled the foil. There was a sudden pop and fizz spewed from the bottleneck. Erin shreaked in surprise and giggled at Peter's look of surprise. She clapped her hands in delight, grabbing the bottle back and taking a swig. She handed it back to Peter and he did the same. They continued in that manner for a while, sipping champagne from the shared bottle and eating tiny sandwiches.
"You know," Peter drawled. "This stuff isn't as bad as I first thought." He took another deep pull.
Erin giggled. "I think that's because it's doing its job."
He smiled at her. "This is fun. Doing normal teen stuff. Drinking liquor we stole from parental figures and just sitting in someone's bedroom. I never get to do this stuff."
Erin rolled her eyes. "That's because you're too busy being amazing," she said. "Seriously, that was the caption on the New York Times this morning 'The Amazing Spider-Man'." She spread her arms wide as if the title lay sprawled above Peter's head.
"Oh, okay. Miss. 'Most Successful Twenty Under Twenty'." He teased her.
"Whatever," she groaned at him and took another sip of champagne. He just laughed at her. "It is nice though, hanging out."
"Definitely," he said.
They sat in silence for a while. Peter began to fidget. He looked like he was having an internal conversation. Suddenly he produced a small package wrapped in bright red wrapping paper. "I wanted to give this to you now. I won't be around for Christmas. We're going to Florida that week."
Erin's heart rate increased and she stared wide eyed at the gift. Peter handed it over to her. "Peter," she protested. "I don't have a gift for you!"
"Don't worry about it," Peter said. "Just open it."
Erin smiled and ripped the paper to reveal a small velvet box. It was clearly a jewelry box and Erin's heart thumped even harder; she was sure Peter could hear it. She carefully opened the little black box to reveal a small silver snowflake pendant on a delicate chain.
"Oh, Peter," she breathed. "It's beautiful." She looked up at him and he smiled widely, clearly pleased that she liked his gift. "Will you help me put it on?" He nodded and took the box from her.
Erin scooted closer to him and turned her back to him, brushing her long hair away from her neck. She waited a beat and felt the cool metal of the pendant against her collar and Peter's hands close to her skin as he worked the clasp. Once he was finished he laid the chain delicately against the back of her neck. He ghosted his fingertips across the ridge of her spine and in the space where her shoulders met her neck.
Erin gasped and turned to face him. "Merry Christmas, Erin." He stared into her eyes for a moment longer and then leaned in close, planting a chase kiss on her cheek. The air in her lungs stalled. It was so innocent and perfect and so entirely Peter. He didn't pull away immediately, just kept his lips so close to Erin that she could feel the ghost of them for what felt like an eternity.
He pulled back to look her in the eye again and what Erin saw sent a shockwave down her spin. Peter's pupils were completely blown out. His eyes looked almost black in the soft light of her bedroom and there was something in them that was decidedly less innocent than a kiss on the cheek.
Spurred by his actions, Erin reached up and grabbed him by the lapels of his suit and pulled him down to her. Matching her lips with his, Erin kissed him. The only thing she could hear was the rush of blood in her ears. Dizziness flooded her from the wondrous new experience. She pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against his. She chanced a glance at him. His eyes were closed, but there was an adorable dopey look to him. His eyes fluttered open to look at her and Erin released a puff of breath and smiled.
Peter's arms snaked around her to turn her completely in his direction. Pulling her impossibly close, he captured her lips again. Shyly, Erin swept her tongue across his bottom lip and Peter gasped. Feeling braver, she gently sucked on his bottom lip before letting it go to place tiny wet kisses along his mouth.
Peter squeezed her tightly; she was practically sitting on his lap now. He bent his head to trail kisses along her jaw and down her neck - down to her pulse point where her heart rate thrummed wildly. He tongued that spot lazily and Erin whimpered. Peter squeezed her waist reflexively. "Peter," she whispered breathlessly. He moved to capture her lips again. Erin carded her fingers through his soft hair and smiled when she felt him shiver at her actions.
So this is what she'd been waiting for. After dissecting every little encounter they had shared, every conversation, every accidental brush of the hand. Since they had first met, Erin knew they had been heading for something she couldn't quite name. Now that they had arrived, it was better than she could have imagined.
Every part of her body was on fire; electricity danced along her skin wherever he touched, sending a signal directly to a deep part of her. She straddled his lap, and she should have been embarrassed at her forward actions, but she wasn't. It felt too good to be embarrassing.
With a shock that delighted and scared her, she realized there was little separating them. Her dress had pooled around her knees and the only things that stood between them were Peter's slacks and her underwear. And she felt something down there; something firm that pressed against the inside of her thigh. Erin shivered at the realization that she had done that to Peter, that she had that kind of power.
They broke away, both panting heavily. "Erin…" Peter began, a tortured look on his face.
Before he could finish his thought, a sound came from the hallway. Footsteps. Multiple people and moving fast. Erin knew immediately what was about to happen.
"Come on!" She whispered harshly. Jumping up she grabbed Peter's hand and dragged him to the other side of the room. They ducked into her closet and she closed the door as quietly as she could. At that moment her bedroom door burst open and she could hear Tony and Rhodey on the other side of her closet door.
"I swear to God, I catch that kid -" Tony slurred. "Look, look! Champagne! Underaged drinking! Oh yeah, he's dead." Erin could feel Peter tense next to her.
"Come on, Tony. You know damn well the booze was Erin's idea." Rhodey laughed.
"Yeah, well," Tony grumbled. "That's besides the point." There was the sound of shuffling. "Where do you think they went?"
Silence for a beat and then Rhodey asked, "Okay, you're a couple of hormonally charged drunk teenagers. Where would you go?" And then, "Pool!" They both shouted at the same time. Erin held her breath as they moved out of the room and down the hall. She could hear Tony tell Rhodey they needed to stop at the lab to get his Mark-LVI glove.
"No," Rhodey said firmly.
And then they were gone and the two teenagers let out a collective breath. Erin laughed, willing her heart to slow down.
"Mr. Stark is going to kill me." Peter said in the dark.
"No he won't," Erin assured him.
"No, really. When he finds out I've been kissing his sister, he'll kill me. Especially when he finds out I don't plan on stopping any time soon."
Erin felt her cheeks heat pleasantly at his words and pulled him close. "Don't worry, Peter Parker," she whispered against his lips. "I'll protect you." She pecked his lips before moving to open the closet door. The light flooded in and she looked back at him. His eyes were glazed over, his chestnut hair a mess, and his clothes rumpled. He had that dopey look on his face again.
"Merry Christmas, Peter." She whispered.