Even though his soulmate said he can contact them, it still makes him way more nervous than it should.

The next day that Peter is at school, he spends half of his first hour trying to think of what to say and the other half convincing himself not to say anything at all. Second hour he chooses to try to drown out the thoughts by watching YouTube videos of the more absurd Spider-Man theories, including one that it is an "unnamed" employee of Tony Stark, who Peter recognizes as Happy. Peter texts the link to that particular link to Happy, to which the older man responds with a middle finger emoji. Peter is impressed; he didn't think that Happy knew what an emoji was.

He is also bored, coincidentally.

Finally, in his fifth hour class, Peter can't stand it any longer. He pulls out his pen and begins to write under the desk.

So how old are you?

Peter caps the pen and tries to focus on the lecture, but that really isn't working for him, so he is grateful when his arm begins to tingle in reply.

I'm sixteen. What about you?

Peter grins down at his arm, writing smugly now.

I'm seventeen. I'm older than you.

It only takes a moment now for their reply to come.

I bet it's not that much.

September 4, 2001.

Shit. I'm March 17, 2002.

So not only am I older than you, but I'm older than you by a lot.

It's less than a year, get over yourself.

Peter smirks down at the writing on his arm. Well, he's found something out at least. His soulmate is roughly the same age as he is.

Is there anything you want to know about me?

He hesitates, shifting as he looks down at the ink. If there's one thing that he's figured out about his soulmate, it's that they're not big on going back on their word. This is going to be a hard question for them to answer because it'll make them admit that they're at least a little bit interested.

Why do you care so much about having a soulmate?

The words that appear on his arm cause Peter to take in a sharp breath. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but it was not this... This question that he isn't sure how to answer. Peter hesitates, and finally, he begins to move the pen.

Doesn't everyone care?

The writing after comes immediately, too quickly for Peter to blink more than a few times.

You can't answer a question with another question, dumbass. It doesn't really matter to me why they care. Only why you do.

Peter turns over the pen in his hands, chewing his lip. His soulmate is right, of course... It isn't important what other people think, only what he does. But what does he think?

Peter has so much in his mind that he's not sure a whole body could contain every word.

Peter has seen a beautiful union of soulmates twice in his life, and both times it has been cut off before it can reach its full potential. But while it was growing, flourishing, it was strong... Not perfect, exactly. But healing. The power of contentment, security in the relationship made his parents and Aunt May and Uncle Ben powerful, because they understood what it was to love in a way that no one else could understand.

And Peter wants that.

The pen is moving before he can even think about it.

There are people in my life who have been soulmates like we are. And when they found each other it was right in a way that a lot of other things aren't.

He hesitates, and then Peter realizes he has more to say.

I've seen people lose that, and way too early. I don't want to lose my chance before I am able to cherish it.

There is a pause, and Peter turns up front. He is certain that by now he has scared his soulmate away with all of this talk when he knows that they're not interested in having the thing that he's described. But to his surprise, his arm starts tingling over a few minutes later.

You sound like a Hallmark movie.

Peter almost snorts in amusement, glancing up at the front. However, everyone is so spaced out trying to pay attention to the lecture that he's safe. Before he can write anything else, his arm is tingling again.

I've never seen it work. From what I've seen, all it brings is complications and a lot of pain.

Peter frowns. They're divulging far more than he expected... Maybe that's why they don't want a soulmate. Peter knows that sometimes, even if people are 'meant to be,' they can enter relationships uninformed or with a power imbalance. In his mind, it's the same risk that anyone runs entering a relationship. But he's not a fool, he knows that commenting on it and actually living it are two very, very different things.

I'm not saying every time it's perfect. But if both parties are willing to work, then I think it can make it.

I think that maybe this isn't exactly the kind of conversation we want to have in ballpoint pen.

Point made. Peter spins the pen between his fingers as he thinks about what to say.

That's fair. So is there anything else you'd like to know about me?

It's a risk, Peter knows that. If there's one thing that he has learned so far about his soulmate, it's that they don't like going back on their word. Even if he wouldn't mock them for it, it seems to be a matter of pride more than anything else. This question is basically asking them to go back on that for him. Peter isn't surprised when an answer doesn't come, and he moves to make an attempt to listen to the lecture. He is failing miserably at it when he is surprised by the warmth on his arm again, and Peter glances down.

Well, I guess I'd like to know roughly where you are. Not anything drastic. But I'm in the USA on the East Coast. What about you?

He raises an eyebrow at that. Peter's interest is piqued because this means that there's a potential that they've met before, even if it was brief. There are lots of stories of soulmates who see one another every day without talking, such as someone finding out that their favorite barista is their soulmate. Of course, he could be thinking of nothing, reaching for things that are going to turn up to be empty air. Because Peter knows that his soulmate doesn't want to know him, and he knows that he is going to have to respect that no matter what. If they want to be with him, he wants it to be willingly, or not at all.

I live on the East Coast, too. New York.

There is a pause, and then a warmth on his arm. By now, almost all of his left arm is covered in writing, and Peter doesn't know where he will write once he is out of room. The new words form in a smaller script than the others, and clearly, his soulmate is encountering the same problem.

That is vaguely alarming.

He grins down at the writing and picks up his pen again.

Why, because you don't think you'll be able to stop falling in love with me if you find me?

You wish.

He did, but that was beside the point.

Then why?

For a moment, nothing appears. Then, his arm is warming up, and the script appears on his other wrist. It is just as neat as it was on the other arm, and Peter is impressed. He is going to have a hard time keeping things neat.

Because you could be stalking me or something.

I'm not, Scout's honor.

Yeah, whatever. I have to go.

Peter glances up at the clock on the wall. The hour is going to end soon, and he is going to have to go wash the ink from his arms. Peter doesn't want Ned to think that he doesn't trust him. Peter would trust Ned with almost anything, just not this... Not yet. This is fragile, and it feels like something that is only meant to be touched by him and by his soulmate. It's delicate, and Peter doesn't want to break it before it even has a chance to bloom.

Me too. I'll see you later.

As the bell rings, Peter feels the tingling again. Looking down at his arm, he watches the words blossom.

I'll be counting the minutes... Just kidding, I have shit to do. I'll write if I have the time.