DISC: I do not own Spider-Man or Marvel. Warning for minor swearing and LOTS of fluff.
Suggested Listening: Simply The Best - Noah Reid
...
Chapter Nineteen
Autumn arrives in Queens on a cold breeze. Mo takes delight in watching as the single tree on her street fades from a bright green to a mottled yellow, moulting fiery leaves onto the cracked pavement.
A wintry chill has started to wind its way through the city by the time the date arrives, and Mo is thrumming with excitement at the thought of the coming winter; dark nights, sugary coffee, ice skating and Christmas. She's not sure if Pete feels the same excitement for the holiday season as she does, but that hasn't stopped the little thrill that shoots through at the thought of spending her favourite holiday with her favourite human.
But not even the thought of her favourite season is enough to stop the butterflies tumbling around in the pit of her stomach. Mo settles on the end of her bed, tugging on the stray strands of hair. It's not because she thinks the date will go badly, it's just that things are going so well - she's worried that there's a shoe looming over them, waiting to drop.
She lo-likes Pete. A lot. All of the bits of him, Spider-Man, geeky Lego nerd, the chemist who almost blew up the high school labs last week. But her mum liked her dad a lot and it hadn't been enough to keep them together, not in the end.
Her heart squeezes painfully at the thought.
"If you chew any harder on your lip, you'll bite right through it."
Mo jumps and spins to see Pete grinning at her from her fire escape window. She surges forward, throwing herself into his arms. He grips her tightly as she buries her head in his neck and inhales, breathing in his warm scent until her worries pale in comparison to happy flip flopping of her stomach.
"Hello to you too," he laughs, giving her a tight squeeze. "Everything ok?"
"Just got in my own head a bit," she looks up at him with a smile. "What are you doing here anyway, I thought I was meeting you at the subway station?"
"About that…"
He pulls back, to reveal he's donning his Spider suit, in its full Uncle Tony technological glory. Her brows pull together and she opens her mouth to question him-
"I'm not bailing!" He burst out quickly,"I just thought you might enjoy a faster way of getting there."
"You mean…swing there?"
"If you're up for it?" He grins widely, holding out a hand.
Mo searches his face, absorbing his excitement, and thinks back to the night he took her swinging out across the city, the feeling of the wind through her hair, the weightlessness.
She approaches him slowly, pacing her hand gently in his, "Ok."
"It'll be fun!" Pete squeezes her hand. He quickly tugs on his mask before turning and bending his knees so he's closer to her height, "Hop on."
She tries to hide the trembling of her hands as she jumps up onto his back, keeping her eyes glued to the back of his mask. He hops up onto the railing, and her stomach drops as her gaze falls to the sheer drop under them-
-she is falling, falling, falling, his empty hand stretched out towards her-
"Pete, I'm not sure about-"
With a whoop, he flips off the railing and out into the open air. She screams as they plummet towards the ground, squeezing her eyes shut. There's a thwip! and a jolt and then the feeling of weightlessness as Pete swings them across the city.
"You ok back there, Mo?"
"Yeah," she replies shakily, tightening her hold on him.
"Hey," his voice is soft, "I promised I wouldn't let you fall and I'm not going to."
"I know," she says through gritted teeth. "Still not great with heights."
"Just focus on me," he squeezes her leg, "I got you."
She exhales through her nose, presses herself more tightly to his back. He feels different in this suit, less soft, but his grip on her leg is the same, gentle but firm. He smells the same, all cinnamon and apple pies, warm leaves in the Autumn. She remembers the thrill she got earlier at the thought of spending her favourite season with him, the warmth that flooded through her.
She peels open one eye and then another. The city rushes past beneath them, a blur of shiny windows and cold metal; a few pedestrians tread the pavements, some cheering Spider-Man when they see him pass. In the distance, the cold sun reflects off some of the taller buildings, the clear sky streaking the sides of them with shades of blue.
The buildings start to thin around them, as they push away from the bustling city centre. There are more trees here, small slim creatures that are dotted along the pavements. A cold wind nips at her face, and under her tight grasp, she can feel the push and pull of Pete's muscles, the lines of his body moving as he works to swing forward. Her face flushes at the thought.
"Better?"
She buries closer, her head against his shoulder, so close she can hear his breath stutter at her movement, "Better."
It doesn't take them long to swing across the city, even with her added extra weight on Pete's back. He swings around a few buildings, before settling them down in a deserted side street. They come to a slow stop, and she stumbles into him as her feet touch solid ground. He presses one arm against her back, and she looks up at him.
His face is inches from hers, and she can feel the flush rising up her cheeks.
The lenses on his mask narrow at her, "Everything ok?"
She reaches up with gentle hands, and peels back his mask until the bottom half of his face is revealed, the same way it was all those months ago when they first met. She traces his jaw with soft fingers, and then she tips his chin down so he's closer until she can feel his breath on her lips.
There's a clatter behind them and Mo startles, jumping away. She spins, just in time to see a cat scuttle out from behind a dumpster. She turns back to Pete with wide eyes, but his mouth is stretched into an amused grin.
"I guess this isn't the most romantic place-"
His lips capture hers, cutting off her words, and her heart stutters at the contact. His mouth is soft and warm, and he tastes like peanut butter, and his fingers flex where they grip her hips. She grins into the kiss, feeling a rush of warmth sweep over her from head to toe.
Her hands come up to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck. He groans and she jumps at the sudden sound, pulling away.
They stare at each other, chests heaving, her hands in his hair. A grin pulls at Mo's lips, until she's laughing, the deep sounds of it filling the narrow street.
"What?" Pete grins down at her. "What's so funny?"
"I'm kissing Spider-Man in an alley," she gasps between laughter.
His grin widens, "What's funny about that?"
"I don't know," she shakes her head. "You just make me happy."
He pulls her close, until his forehead is resting against hers, "You make me happy too."
Mo's stomach growls, cutting through the moment, and she laughs.
"Sorry," she grins. "We should probably head out on that picnic soon."
"Yeah," Pete kisses her cheek before withdrawing, thrusting a thumb over his shoulder. "I just gotta..."
She nods and turns to face the end of the street, trying not to linger on the sound of a zip and the rustling of fabric behind her. Would Pete put clothes on over the suit or is he changing outfit completely? Is he naked?
Heat creeps up her neck, as the image of Pete's arms in his gym top flashes unbidden in her head. Get your head out of the gutter, Mo! She thinks desperately to herself.
A hand comes down on her shoulder, and she looks up to see a sheepish Pete smiling down at her. He's switched the suit for a t-shirt over some faded jeans and a loose jacket. There's a beanie with a lopsided knit in one of his hands, and she squirrels away her smile at the thought of his Aunt May forcing the knitted mess onto his head on his way out the door.
"You ok?"
She clasps her hand in his, "Perfect."
He leads her out onto the main street. Bright sunlight beats down on them, and Mo can feel the faint heat on her face despite the cold breeze tugging at their clothing. Pete tugs her to the left, down the street.
The city bustles around them, taxis racing past as a few wisps of cloud caress the buildings. Pete squeezes her hand as he escorts her across the road.
"Milady," a goofy grin splits his face.
She curtsies back, "Good sir, thank you for your kind escort this fine afternoon."
"The pleasure is all mine, my fair lady," he tucks her hand into the crook of his arm. He straightens his back, tipping his nose up with an air of grace. Mo stifles a chuckle before attempting to mimic his behaviour. They walk down the street, ignoring the baffled glances from passers by, grinning madly at each other.
"Would the kind sir mind mayhaps sharing our destination with his fair lady?"
"Why heavens, of course he shall," he draws them to a slow stop in front of a corner shop with a brand new sign.
She grins up at him, "Best sandwiches in Queens?"
"Wouldn't be a date without them," he grins as he moves to open the door to Delmar's. The inside is pristine, all decked out with new shiny countertops and bright leather chairs; there's no sign of the fire that had consumed the shop just a few short months ago.
"Wow," Mo says, drinking in the new interior.
"Peter!" Mr Delmar crows, appearing from behind the counter. He slows as he notices Mo, and raises an eyebrow at Pete. "Peter and friend?"
Pete slings an arm around her shoulder with a proud smile, "Girlfriend."
Mr Delmar's face lights up as he glances between Mo, who shrinks under the friendly scrutiny, her face flushing.
"Oh ho, and how long has this been going on for, kid?"
"Few months," Mo replies quietly.
"For shame Peter," Mr Delmar scowls playfully, "Waiting this long to buy your lady the best sandwiches in Queens."
"You know me, Mr Delmar," Pete grins, "I don't like to share."
Mo's face flushes even brighter and Mr Delmar laughs loudly.
"A wise decision, Mr Parker," Mr Delmar replies. "Now I know your usual, but what will the beautiful young woman be having?"
Mo turns wide eyes to the sandwich board above Mr Delmar's head.
"I'd recommend the number five, with pickles, smooshed right down," Pete says into her hair.
"I'd like the number four, please," she asks quietly. "But not smooshed down."
Pete shoots her a betrayed look as Mr Delmar starts to prepare their order with a hooting laugh.
"She's a keeper, kid."
"I know," he grins, placing a couple of cans and a large bag of crisps onto the counter. He tucks Mo back into his side. Mr Delmar slides two paper bags across the counter just a moment later, swapping them for a few notes from Pete.
"Keep the change, Mr Delmar!"
"Have fun kids!" He calls after them as Pete drags her from the store and back out onto the street.
"You ok?" He asks, squeezing her hand.
"Hm," she nods. "Just…people."
He glances over at her, his eyes molten. She melts under the weight of his gaze, feeling her sharp shy edges soften, the tense pulse in her chest slowing.
"People?"
She sighs, "I'm just not good with talking sometimes."
"I don't know, I think MJ might fight you on that."
"According to you, MJ would fight me on a lot of things."
He shrugs, "She's very protective of you."
She eyes him, "Is that so?"
His face flushes, his ears ducking up to his ears. Her heart warms at the sight, it is getting harder and harder to fluster him the more comfortable they get.
"She may have threatened me with bodily harm if I hurt you."
Mo blinks, "She didn't."
"She did," Pete grins down at her. "Like I said, protective."
He leads her around another corner and towards a cluster of trees. A black iron fence stands on either side, the only indication of the barriers of the park. Pete ushers her across the road, his hand on her lower back.
"How are you feeling about the Decathlon meet next week then?"
She blinks at him, "The meet?"
"Yeah, the practice against St Paul's and Frederick."
"Oh, the friendly!" She cries, "I'm feeling ok about it. MJ's been doing most of the leading, so I've only had to weigh in a few times."
"Don't hate me for saying this," he says as she gently swings their entwined hands between them, "But you actually looked like you enjoyed practice the other day."
She screws up her face in response, "I didn't look that bad before, did I?"
"N-no! Of course not!" He replies quickly, "You just looked like you were having a lot of fun."
"Kind of hard not to when MJ's winding up Eugene so much," Mo snickers, "Ned was in awe."
"She is kind of badass." Pete reaches out to tuck some hair behind her ear, "But not as badass as you."
"I think that's debatable. If I manage to answer one question at the meet next week, I will consider that a win."
Pete kisses the top of her head, "I bet you'll be able to answer at least three."
"I'll take that bet," she grins up at him. "My lunch brownies for a week?"
"Brownies, nah Mo, I want chicken nuggets."
"But those take more time!"
"Shouldn't have fed me them." He holds out a hand, "Do we have an accord?"
She hesitates, before reaching out to shake his hand firmly.
"Fine, but I'm going to win, just you wait," she says. "Now, where are we going? I'm starving."
"This way," he pulls her down one tree-lined path. They wander down the path, passing the occasional cyclist and one determined dad pushing a pram up a particularly steep bit of path. Pete runs to his aid, and he thanks them profusely once they've crested the hill before turning to go the opposite way.
Mo clutches Pete's hand tightly when she can, savouring the feeling of his coarse palm in hers. She only draws her gaze away from him to drink in the view; autumnal trees are spread out before them like an endless red sea, drowning out the cityscape lingering on the horizon. Several peeling benches overlook a small pond, which is nestled at the bottom of the hill. A few birds muddle about in the shallow end of the water, crying out at the small brave children who draw too close.
"Wow."
"I know right?" Pete smiles, "I found it on patrol the other day. Thought you might like it."
"It…" she trails off, "It looks like home."
The leaves, streaked in sunset colours, paint the view with warmth and for a moment, she almost wants to cry. Instead, she turns to Pete with a wide grin.
Her eyes are wide but sure, the hazel tinged green against the backdrop of lush green and amber trees, and they're so deep, Pete is sure he could fall into them endlessly; it feels like a freefall, that one moment after he propels himself into the air and before he reaches for another web, a comforting sort of weightlessness. He reaches out to gently smooth back some of the more stubborn curls escaping from her tight ponytail.
Her smile widens and she leans into his touch.
"Last one to the bottom of the hill is a rotten egg!"
And she's off, tearing her way down the hill without warning. Pete blinks at the empty space where she had been standing just seconds ago, before he judders into action.
"Hey! Wait up!"
She laughs as he chases after her, "Na na na na naaaa! I'm faster than you!"
Pete speeds up, pushing his legs to move faster until he's just inches away from him. She dodges his outstretched hand, dipping and diving out of reach with loud laughter. They dash past a few pedestrians, startling them with their antics, but Pete pays them no heed.
He pushes himself a little more, and - he catches her, lifting her into the air easily.
"Pete!" She squeals like a baby pig, short sharp shrieks punctuated with little snorts, and he laughs. Mo is adorable. He hauls her up, pressing his fingers into her ticklish sides until she's gasping with laughter and her legs kick at thin air.
"Put…me down!"
"Do you surrender?" He laughs as she stares up at him pleadingly. "Do you admit you're a rotten egg?"
"Y-yes!" She giggles.
He hesitantly releases her, lowering her until her feet are back on solid ground. She smiles widely up at him, her face flushed from exertion.
"You're adorable," he says before he can stop the words from tumbling out. He flushes, hunching into his shoulders.
Mo laughs, wiping a few strands of hair away from her face, "I probably look like a tomato, but thank you. You're adorable too."
She reaches out to grasp his arm, "Come on, you promised me food."
Pete leads her to the closest bench, and divides up the sandwiches, before tearing open the crisps to sit open between them. They spend a few hours chatting about school, watching as the sun lowers lazily in the sky. When the wind turns sharp, Pete pulls a jumper out of his bag and passes it to Mo. She pulls it over her head before glancing down.
"Is this Tony's MIT jumper?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, he leant it to me when I was at the Compound the other weekend."
"How's that going?" She asks, nestling into Pete's side. His arm rests over her shoulders, drawing lazy circles on her arm.
"I still can't believe he actually wants me to be his real intern."
"I think you're possibly the smartest person he's ever worked with," Mo replies.
"I don't know about that," Pete says. "But I think he's enjoying it. He didn't really seem to want to have much to do with me before."
Mo sighs, "Uncle Tony's a bit like that sometimes. Been burned a few times by people he trusted."
"I wouldn't betray him!"
"He knows, Pete," she says. "He just doesn't like to get attached. Or he didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard from Uncle Tony about the same amount of times I've seen my dad in real life," Mo says. "And ever since he's started mentoring you, he's been non-stop texting me. Last week he asked me if my mum would get annoyed at a super powered whisk."
"What did you say?"
"Yes," Mo says. "But then I told him he could send her some of Mama Stark's recipes instead and he seemed to like that idea."
"I don't know what that's got to do with me," Pete mumbles.
"You remind him that there are other people out there," Mo says. "My dad always says that sometimes people just forget that they need a friend sometimes."
"I like being Mr Stark's friend," Pete says simply.
"You're a good friend, Peter Parker. Been a while since my dad's seen him smile so much."
They watch as the sun begins to set over the pond. The horizon bleeds into the warm colours of the trees, until it seems like they're on fire. Mo snuggles closer to Pete, and inhales the crisp Autumn air, allowing a contented smile to slip over her face.
"Thanks for a nice day, Pete."
"Thanks for coming on a nice day with me, Mo."
…
A Brief Interlude
"Tony just texted me a GIF of watching eyes, did you tell him we were going out today?"
"Uhm, well, it might have…it might have come up."
"Oh Pete, you don't know the torment you've dropped yourself into."
...
A/N: WELL, that's Homecoming officially done. We're on the road to Infinity War, Endgame, Far From Home and we're officially off-book, AU, going down a split path. Things will be changing from here on in.
With that mind - who do you think's gonna get snapped? 0_0