"If I don't remember, promise you'll make me fall in love with you again.”
Four years later and Peter Parker had yet to keep his promise. Not for lack of trying, but Spider-Man had a habit of taking over his life at the worst times. But he was destined to redeem himself, to be a man of his word. To be the man that didn’t give up on love.
It was that intention that fuelled Peter’s courage as he stepped over the threshold of the apartment and narrowly avoided being the victim of a beer spill as someone sidestepped into his path. Peter twisted around them on instinct, saving both himself and the bouquet of orange roses clenched in his hand.
He had wanted to go for yellow carnations, like old times, but he was trying to avoid the stalker approach. Besides, orange was supposedly the bridge between friendship and passion.
Loud music made the walls thud in sync with the tempo to some ABBA, the cacophony of conversation drowning out the lyrics so he couldn’t quite pick out which one it was. For a moment, he considered turning back. Romantic heroes didn’t crash housewarmings.
“Here man.” A red solo cup suddenly appeared under Peter's nose. He followed the hand gripping it up to the face of Marcus, and he could almost sob with relief. Either because he'd genuinely missed the guy, or because not too far from Marcus was usually-
Her smile contained the power of the sun, warming whoever it shone upon. And she was so beautiful. Her hair swept back in an updo that he couldn't see from this angle, but curly wisps framed her rounded cheeks. She wore a pastel blue cardigan over a white cropped top and denim skirt. While everyone was red-cheeked from alcohol and slightly sweaty, she positively glowed. And her eyes sparkled, like she was about to tell him he was an idiot with all the affection of a girl in love. His Juliette.
Her head tilted, but the smile remained. “You used to drop by the donut shop for our shitty coffee, like, all the time. Easiest drink order ever, by the way.”
And, like most love stories, that spark of hope was crushed beneath reality.
There had been a tiny part of Peter, delusional and desperate, that had thought maybe the spell wouldn't work on Juliette. That their love was so strong that not even the most powerful spell could make her forget him. Forget them. It wasn't her fault, of course. Peter had never doubted her love for him. Still didn't, not after the takeout cup. But while Juliette didn't remember him, it meant she didn't need him. And Peter's life had been going to hell without her.
“Oh. Yeah, that's me.” Peter chuckled breathlessly. “Whatever it was made of was enough to get me through my GED and into ESU.”
“Honestly I'm glad to see you're still kicking, because that stuff was not made with love.” Her nose wrinkled, just how he remembered. “Maybe it was radioactive. Felt any weird side effects lately?”
Peter choked on the punch Marcus had given him, almost sending spray over the woman he loved as she gazed at him oh so innocently.
“Uhm, nope! Not unless you count insomnia. Pretty sure that's just the crippling debt and city traffic, though.”
Juliette giggled at that, a sound he wasn't sure he'd ever heard from her. It was like daylight.
Peter's instinct was to say ‘I know’, but he didn't want to sound like one of those guys. The kind that only saw Cadet America, the hero, the legacy. Because he never had. He had always seen and known Juliette. The brightest part of all his days.
Before he had the chance to interrupt, Marcus nodded at the flowers. “You got a date?”
Heat climbed Peter’s neck as he shook his head. “These are for the host, actually. You know, they represent-”
“-I told you we'd need more ice.” Ned lamented, coming up to Juliette's shoulder with Charlie and MJ on his heels. MJ was toying with a camera, the strap of which was still slung across Charlie's neck.
“Who’s this?” Charlie asked, her eyes scanning Peter up and down in the way that always made him squirm, like she'd uncover his darkest secrets. Maybe because she already had before. Many, many times.
All his friends stood before him, still together despite the different paths their lives had taken. Despite the fact that they were all oblivious to the fact that they were a man down, and he would never be able to make up for what he’d had to do to save them. And in the midst of them all was Julie, surrounded by all these people who loved her. Who were able to be there when he couldn't. Peter had always tried to make himself the only person she needed, but no picture could be complete with only one puzzle piece.
“I'm just a neighbour from down the hall.”
“Friendly neighbour.” MJ pointed out, gesturing with the orange roses he'd brought which she must have snatched from Marcus at some point. He knew he should've gone for the cheap wine.
Peter’s eyes flitted over the faces suddenly focused on him, some suspicious, some amused. MJ and Charlie were definitely waiting for him to make a fool of himself. At least they didn't have to wait long.
“No way! Jules, Jules look, it’s the diner guy who has a crush on you!”
Peter was ready for the ground to swallow him up now, watching as Xavier approached, more like stumbled, throwing his arm over Marcus’ shoulder to keep himself on his feet.
He cast a horrified glance at Juliette, who was still grinning. But was that a tinge of redness to her cheeks? That hope flickered to life again from the ashes.
“Is that true?" Marcus straightened, towering over Peter just slightly. Had he been working out?
"I- uh…” Peter took a step back, unsure if honesty was the best policy yet.
"Bro’s down bad," Xavier was beaming like a puppy that had gotten to the dropped leftovers. "He came in almost every week. All moony eyed. And Julie even said he looked-”
"Xav." Juliette shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying to duck away from their friends.
"What? You still know his order."
"Everyone knows my order." Peter cut in, his own face red. Had he really been that obvious?
"You ordered the same thing every time." MJ pointed out, now finally relinquishing the roses to Juliette.
"Because it's a good order." He grumbled. Still, a part of him had missed this. Being teased. Especially when it made her laugh.
Juliette's smile widened, the flowers held beneath her nose. “I'm going to go find a vase- or tall glass. Make yourself comfortable. I promise there are drinks that won't taste like battery acid.”
She disappeared through the hall and the others dispersed, though not before Xavier had called out a challenge of beer pong. Peter lasted all of thirty seconds before he decided getting ‘lost’ trying to find the bathroom so that he could have Juliette to himself was an excellent idea. He stepped out into the hall to follow her, only to stop short when he saw it.
They clearly weren't trying to hide anything. The pinboard was at the end of the hallway, lit by a single lamp.
It was good. Articles featuring the Berlin incident, spidey sightings through the years, blurred photos even Peter had never seen, and a grainier photo of Spider-Man and Cadet America in battle together.
He didn't remember the exact day, but he imagined them laughing over comms. Juliette would tell him not to show off, he would tell her to save some bad guys for him. And then afterward they'd end up at his apartment. She'd patch him up, because she somehow rarely left the field with more than a scratch.
Maybe if he'd had more time, the last battle would be the same. They'd have sent the other Peter’s and villains home. Dr Strange would have found some other spell. Then he'd take Juliette home so they could mourn May together and build the rest of their life. Like they always do. And maybe-
“Oof.” Peter turned at breakneck speed. Juliette had crept up on him, his Spidey senses dormant for the first time in months
“You found my obsession.”
Juliette gestured to the board, inviting him to study it closer. “Spider-Man. Well, more precisely the guy beneath the mask.”
He couldn't look at those photos anymore. Not without the suffocating guilt. “I thought you knew him pretty well.”
Juliette chewed on her lower lip and Peter’s fingers twotched, wishing to place his thumb there and draw it out from her teeth before she could hurt herself.
“I’m not sure I know him at all.”
The words shouldn't have hurt. But he'd have taken any other smack down over this. The irony was almost laughable. She knew Spider-Man. She didn't know Peter Parker. And Peter knew Juliette.
Peter's eyes stung. He ached to reach out and brush one of those wispy strands out of her face and caress her rosy cheek. How could she stand to be this close to him and not want to do the same?
He cleared his throat. “So you're NBU?”
Peter nodded past her at the opposite wall, where the college banner was displayed with a few Polaroids of Julie and their friends.
“New Brooklyn University?”
Juliette followed Peter's gaze and brightened again. “Yeah! I'm actually headed to DC soon for a work placement. My uncle Sam’s letting me crash with him for a bit.”
“That’s cool. I didn’t know they did art placements.”
“It’s for political sciences, actually. Because what sane person wouldn’t try to juggle being an Avenger and a double major, right?”
Peter knew everything about Julie, from her favourite Star Wars movies in order, to the way she could only eat grapes that were firm and not squishy. Now it was as though he hardly knew her at all.
“Whoa.” He breathed, looking at her in awe. He always knew she was clever, but the woman she had become was as fascinating as ever.
“No, not at all! I knew you were smart.”
Juliette’s lips quirked upward as she leaned her hip against the side table. “You knew?”
“I mean- you seem smart.”
“You know what? I’m gonna stop talking.”
“But you seem so cute when you do.”
Peter let loose a laugh of surprise. She was flirting with him. And it was nice. They’d been so young and awkward before, there had been no suave maneuvers to get closer or cheesy pickup lines.
So," Juliette said, "what about you?"
"I haven't seen you since the diner, and now you happen to be at my housewarming? So clearly you're local. You know where the good vibes are. You apparently have a crush on me."
Peter nearly choked. "I do not—"
"You do." Juliette shrugged her shoulders. There was a newfound confidence to her, like she was so sure of herself.
"I don't." Peter tried to argue, but he was a terrible liar.
"Oh yeah? Ouch, I was starting to hope the rumours were true."
Peter narrowed his eyes, to which Juliette only grinned in response.
“Can I get you a drink?” He blurted.
"You always serve me at the diner." Peter nodded toward the kitchen. "Let me return the favour."
Her smile softened, and he knew he had won. Her mannerisms hadn't changed at least. "Okay."
"Okay." She handed him her empty cup and their fingers brushed.
Peter smiled. "I'll be right back.” He promised, reluctantly pulling his hand back with the cup. “Try not to forget me while I'm gone?”
“Now how could I do that?”
The kitchen was thankfully empty.
Peter exhaled, the red cup still clutched in his hand. Right now, it was a lifeline.
He was making Juliette a drink. He could do that. Her tastes couldn't have changed that much in four years.
Marcus’ special punch was obviously off the table, not that it would have much effect on her anyway. But something sweet. Peter reached into the cupboard, fumbling around while Juliette’s smile still shone in his head.
A bottle slipped from the shelf.
His hand shot out and a thin strand of webbing snapped from his wrist- which he tried not to grimace over.
“Hey, I realised I didn't tell you what i-”
Slowly, Peter turned his head.
Juliette stood in the doorway, brown eyes were fixed on the bottle dangling from an intricate web. Then him. Then back at the web.
Peter's stomach dropped. For four years, he'd been alone with this secret. Keeping his distance from his loved ones so he'd never risk them getting hurt again, observing from a distance until the grief had been too much to bear and he'd resorted to isolation instead.
Peter slowly reeled the bottle into his hand but it was too late. Juliette's gaze remained fixed on his wrist, her lips parted.
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