Shy Girl | Peter Parker x Reader
3.4 k words. One shot. I definitely could see me writing more lol.
The final bell of school was about to roll on Monday. This wasn’t your average monday. It was the day a big news story was going to break and the nerves inside Peter Parker were building up.
“Alright everybody it’s the last week of school so listen up.” Mr. Harrington said in his usual anxious drol. “We have a lot to get through as you’re going to be seniors next year. That means more training, more studying, and more mental dexterity.”
No one was listening. A quiet roar of excited young minds sharing their summer plans drowned out the nearly useless info he was producing.
“Excuse me,” he said a little louder to possibly break through the chatter. “Don’t you guys care about my plans to hold up your brain prowess over the summer?”
“If I’m being honest, no.” Flash Thompson, the alternate for the team who rarely ever came to meetings spoke up. Everyone listened. Everyone except for Peter who was enthralled in a diagram he was making to keep his thoughts in order. There was too much he needed to do by the end of the week to make sure everything was covered for a full summer of crime saving. “We’re all busy worrying about what we actually give a shit about.”
“And what would that be Mr. Thompson?” The teacher asked, though plainly uninterested.
“The massive summer kickoff pool party I’m throwing this Saturday at my mansion!” He said to many cheers and applause of favor. Flash crossed his arms and nodded his head, a smug look of accomplishment across his face.
“Now that’s fine and all but we really need to be focusing on how you guys are going to-“ Mr. Harrington started to rebuff but a knock on the open door stopped him mid sentence.
“Um, Mr. Harrington?” A woman’s voice called from the doorway.
“Yes?” He responded as all the kids turned their heads toward the door.
“I know this is incredibly last minute but we have a new student at Midtown and even though the decathlon season is over, we’d like her to join now so she can feel nice and welcome come next semester.” The administrator spoke.
“Yes, that's fine.” Mr. Harrington said, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
The female administrator closed the door, leaving the students to their chatter.
“Now- Flash don’t you think there are more important things to worry about than some party you won’t remember in 20 years?” Mr. Harrington posed to his most ruthless student.
“It’s okay Mr. Harrington, you don’t have to be sad that you were never invited to parties when you were in high school.” Flash responded to a gasp and a chuckle from the crowd.
Peter couldn’t have been more uninterested. Mind wrapped up in a web of tangled thoughts and nerves and worry. 17 years old and on top of the world. He died and was brought back after half of the planet disappeared. He made a hundred powerful friends and made the news a million times. Well, not him necessarily but he was still doing really well for himself. High grades, and life was pretty easy when Happy was in charge of him considering the man was so busy running Tony Stark's estate. A deep sadness hung over Peter though. Not only had so many great things happened, many terrible and heart wrenching things had as well. He felt a sharp heat start to prick the back of his neck.
“Im gonna go to the bathroom.” He said curtly as he stood quickly from the table to walk out of the room. He stopped just a little down the hallway, not even 20 feet from the classroom he was just in.
His breathing started to quicken. Sweat beads popped up on his forehead. His fists clenched at his sides. Maybe it was too much. He wasn’t even a legal adult and yet it was like the whole world was in his shoulders. And there didn’t seem to be single person who could possibly help lift it for him.
Peter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Two. His shoulders relaxed. Three breaths and his fists unfurled. Four and the color returned to his face.
When he turned on his heel to head back to the room, he opened his eyes and saw a girl standing across the hall. He felt a shiver down his spine and his eyes went wide. The red returned to his face, but the color of embarrassment.
She met his gaze with wide eyes of her own. A hard pink blush bloomed over her cheeks for being caught. She had watched him leave the room and calm down. She looked down quickly.
“Been there long-?” He asked her. She nodded. “That’s embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed-“ she said quickly, still gazing at the floor. “I was doing the same thing.”
“What?” He asked, confused. “You were out here taking deep breaths so you didn’t freak out in front of everyone you know?”
“Not exactly.” She moved her foot to twiddle with a spare pencil on the ground. “I was taking deep breaths though.”
“Why?” Genuinely, Peter wanted to know.
“Well, I’m a new student during the last week of school and I’ve had an awkward day of being introduced to people who are already fully over the school year so they haven’t really cared about being super friendly.” She said glancing up at him.
“I care-“ Peter blurted out. She let out a soft burst of a laugh. “I mean. I care that you’re having a hard time. I’ve lived here my whole life so I don’t really have that problem, but I definitely know how you feel.”
“You do?” She asked, fully meeting his gaze.
“Yeah,” he smiled at her.
For a moment it was just the two of them standing in the hallway, looking into each others eyes. A silent understanding of emotion holding all of the space between them.
“Do you need help finding your class or something?” He offered.
“Ummm… not really. I was supposed to go into the room you came out of for another introduction but I couldn’t do it.” She looked away, at some student made poster celebrating the end of the school year. Peter looked over her with a soft gaze. She could feel his eyes tracing over her. “It was making me a little anxious.”
“Right-“ he stopped his eyes from wandering and placed a hand on the back of his neck. “Oh! You’re the new student!”
“Yeah.” She chuckled nervously. “That’s me.”
“I’m Peter.” He said offering the hand on the back of his neck to her.
She crossed the hallway and met his gaze. Peter’s eyes fluttered as her perfume filled his senses. Her skin looked soft and her hair was fluffed. Eyes a little red. Possibly from crying, he thought. When she took his hand he felt another shiver up his spine.
“I’m (y/n).” She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” They dropped hands and immediately his hand felt cold again.
“We should probably head in.” She said ducking her head toward the classroom. Peter didn’t move his eyes from her. Something was different about her. Something gentle and soft. She reminded him of a doe. Delicate and stuck in the middle of the street. His weakness. “Peter?”
“Oh, yeah. We should.” He didn’t make a move to the room though. He couldn’t. This was the first time in months that he felt his mind quiet down.
For a silent beat they locked eyes once more. There was a tenderness to it. Sharing a moment of vulnerability with a complete stranger wasn’t common for most people, but Peter had had his fair share. This was different though, because she couldn’t see Spider-Man. She couldn’t see any of it. She only saw Peter. Midtown student and anxious student.
The bell rang, unleashing them from their gaze and the students from their rooms. As the doors flew open, endless conversations erupted into the hall, filling their warm silence.
Mr. Harrington and Flash hadn’t finished their debate about partying as they headed Peters way down the hall.
“Oh! Mr. Parker!” Mr. Harrington smiled. “You must’ve found our new student!”
“Come on now Porker, you didn’t think you could call dibs before anyone even saw her, did you?”
Flash said as he pulled Peter into a tight Noogie.
Peter shoved him with a little extra strength, making Flash clash just enough with Mr. Harrington to knock his glasses off his face. Students walking by trampled right over them. The poor broke teacher bent down and picked them up.
“It’s going to be a fun summer.” Mr. Harrington said, putting the shattered glasses back on. “See you guys Wednesday.”
“Whatever Porker.” Flash said, hurrying down the hall.
This left Peter and (y/n) alone once more. Even though it wasn’t even close to silent, when he looked at her he could only hear his own heartbeat in his ears.
“I guess that means the day’s over…” she said sheepishly.
“Y-yeah… right. Okay. Well I’ll see you Wednesday?” He asked. She nodded and started as though she would walk away. He gently pinched her elbow to stop her, which sent a shockwave from her skin to his fingertips as he did it. “Hey-“
“Y-yes?” She asked stopping close to him. So close he could feel the faintest sip of her breath on his face. She didn’t look at his eyes though. Her face was very red and he could almost hear how fast her heart was beating.
“If you need anything this week I’m here for you.” He said in earnest. When she looked into his eyes again he almost wanted to say forever, but forever was never a possibility for him.
“Th-thanks, Peter.” She said with the cutest stutter, her eyes drifting to his hand. He started to blush when he realized he was still holding her elbow. He dropped his hand and looked away. “See you around.”
“Yeah. See ya.” He said, and with that she was off.
“Dude you missed Flash’s party announcement.” Peter said as he spun another web to swing on his way home from school. Ned Leeds, his best and most trusted friend, was on a video call in Peter’s mask.
“It’s not my fault my aunts came to town for the spring parade. We’re doing all the touristy stuff. I can’t tell you all the stuff I learned about the Chrysler Building today. I felt like I was in school anyway-“ Ned said making Peter grin. “Wait, since when do you care about Flash’s dumb parties? Especially after the one sophomore year?”
Peter’s eyes widened in surprised thought. Ned was right. Why did he care about the party?
“I don’t know. Other than that it was a normal day.” Peter said shaking it off
“Nah, I can tell something’s up with you. Is it about the news announcement today?” Ned asked. Peter had almost forgotten about that considering his mind was wrapped around (y/n) all day.
Peter smiled. He was glad to find out he wasn’t worrying about his usual problems. Something much more exciting had entered his life.
“Well there’s a new girl and she-“
“Dude no!” Ned said. “Leave it to you to meet someone the last week of school. I’ve been single since Betty and I broke up. Wait until college, dude. That’s where the babes will be.”
Peter laughed and shook his head as he dropped in the alley by his apartment for one. 17 and living alone. He could handle it but he had never been lonelier in his life.
“You wanna come over and play COD?” He asked as he threw his backpack in his apartment window.
“Nah, I can’t. My aunties want to go to that cafe where people scream Broadway music at you while you eat.” Ned said smacking his tongue on the top of his mouth.
“Don’t have too much fun.” Peter said jokingly.
“Oh I won’t.” Ned said making Peter chuckle to himself. “I’ll be at school tomorrow morning but I’m leaving at lunch to go see a matinee of Bye Bye Birdie.”
“On a Tuesday?” Peter asked.
“It’s a seniors only showing.” Ned responded. “With the alternate cast.”
“Good luck with that.” Peter said.
“Thanks. Honestly I think I need it more than you right now.”
“Catch ya later.” Peter said. Ned threw up a peace sign and the call was over.
Peter was about to climb inside when his spider senses started going off. Something was wrong.
He closed his window and took off out of the alley. He followed the hairs on his arms toward the feeling. He started to hear the commotion as he moved to the end of the street.
Two men were cornering a young woman by some bodega dumpsters.
“I don’t have anything-“ she said with a teary, terrified voice. “Please, just go!”
“Not gonna happen little lady.” One of the thugs said, rolling up his sleeve.
“Yeah, I see that gold watch you’re wearing. And it ain’t a fake.” The second moron said as they both moved closer to her. Her back was flush against the dumpster and Peter didn’t really have a good view of the situation. No time to waste.
He shot a web at the second thug and threw him hard against the wall of the electronics sales shop next door. (Y/n) screamed in shock.
The second thug turned and started barreling toward Peter, but Peter was faster. He threw one web at his feet, encasing them together. The thug fell flat on his face, but reached quickly into his pocket for a knife.
Peter dodged it, and as it flew by his face he shot a web and the thugs back and whipped him up and into the dumpster, hard.
At this point a small crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. The local, and world, hero had saved another citizen of New York.
He took a step toward the girl and stopped. He recognized her. (Y/n). She was crying. Shaking. Eyes wide in fear. When he stepped toward her again she tensed up and stepped even more flush against the dumpster.
“Don’t be scared.” He said reaching a hand out. She eyed him. “I’m Spider-Man.”
She didn’t speak. Didn’t move. Fear locked her up. The doe in headlights. He wanted to rip his mask off and laugh and say “haha me again!” But he wouldn’t risk that secrets weight atop her head.
“You don’t have to be afraid.” He said softly, his hand still out-stretched. She looked at his hand and relaxed her shoulders. “You can trust me.”
“You just knocked two guys out cold in like a minute. I don’t know what you could do to me.” She said with a choked voice.
“I just saved you-“ he said surprised.
“Thank you for that, I’m just taken back. You… you really hurt them.” She looked at the man still unconscious on the ground by her feet. “He’s bleeding.”
“Yeah! I’m bleeding too!” The thug in the dumpster chimed in. Peter shook head head.
This wasn’t right. He just saved her. He just took two criminals off the map. She didn’t owe him anything, of course, but this was new.
“You’re sorry for the thugs?” He asked, dropping his hand to his side.
“Well, no…” she said, looking away. “Actually yes? Kind of? They’re still people, Spider-Man.”
“Yeah, bad people.” He said plainly.
The crowd watching were chatting amongst themselves and Peter knew he had to head out soon before the police came to investigate. And before the news bulletin came out.
“IN TODAYS NEWS!” A voice bellowed from one of the television at the electronic store. He felt every hair on his body stand straight.
“We need to go.” He said to her urging her gently with his hand stretched out to her once again. She shook her head.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She said matter of factly.
“SPIDER-MAN IS ANNOUNCED AS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE AVENGERS!” The voice bellowed. The crowd standing nearby started cheering. Clapping. And closing in on Peter and (Y/n).
“You’re an avenger?” She asked, marbled eyes looking into the animated eyes of his mask. He nodded.
“Yes, now let’s go.” He said stepping toward her. The crowd moved closer to them both.
“I said im not going with y-“ she didn’t have time to finish her sentence before he webbed her hip and pulled her into his side.
Up up and away to the heights of the skyscrapers and away from the investigative crowd of adoring fans.
“What the hell!” She exclaimed as her leftover tears flew from her face as they swung through town. “PUT ME DOOOOOWN!!”
She screamed into his ear, making his grip on a web falter just a little. She gripped him tighter and as he felt her body press against his, he felt an odd mix of emotions. Annoyance for the fact that she wasn’t very happy to be near him, but solace in the fact that she didn’t know it was Peter.
But if she did? If she could know he’d just saved her life would she still have those tender eyes for him in the hallway? Would she even look at him again?
“I’ve got you.” He said in a tone so soft she felt her breath relax in her chest. “Relax.”
“How!?! I’m like 100 feet high!” She asked.
“More like 500.” He said, which made her hold him tighter. He could definitely feel her racing heart against him. “I won’t drop you.”
“You can’t tell me that!” Her eyes were closed. Closed since she lifted off of the ground.
“Feel the wind, (y/n).” She opened her eyes to stare at the masked crusader. “Enjoy the moment.”
She then felt her entire body take a deep breath. She could feel the wind on her face. The push and pull of his swinging motions. The leap of gravity as they played between the earth and the sky. She started to look around and she started to laugh.
Peter had never heard a more gleeful sound in his entire life.
“Woohoo!!” She yelled as they swung through the burough. “This is awesome!”
Peter watched where he was going most of all, but when he knew the next placement of his web, he watched her. Watched the fear fly away with the wind in her hair. He grinned at every yelp she made, every cheer. Her eyes were shining and sparkling in the light of the evening sun.
When they reached their destination, which was just around the corner from the high school, he set her down. Her legs were like jelly as she took a step. He caught her softly in his arms before she stumbled forward. This time she wasn’t afraid of his touch. She leaned into him. He could tell she could feel his warmth. His body. She wrapped her arms around him and held him. He didn’t know what to do for a second but when he wrapped his arms around her, it was like a glow covered them in their embrace.
Peter couldn’t tell if it had been a minute or ten that she held him. And she was really holding him.
“Thank you for saving me.” (Y/n) said as she pulled out of the hug. She put a large step between them. Brushed a piece of hair behind her head, and looked at the ground by his feet. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah…” Peter said dreamily. Until he realized who he was at the moment. He straightened up and started to chuckle with a hand on the back of his neck. “Well citizen, I’ll leave you to your day.”
“Right…” she started as though to walk away but turned quickly back to him. He tensed before she stopped right in front of him and kissed him on his clothed cheek. “Thanks again, Spider-Man.”
“Oh yeah. Yeah. Don’t mention it. Haha…” he had never been more thankful for his mask in his life as he knew he had probably never had his face this red before. “Bye.”
“Bye.” She said, pulling out her phone to make a call. Probably to her parents. Or a taxi. Or the cops.
All Peter knew were the butterflies in his stomach and how he couldn’t wait until Wednesday to see (y/n) again. He was going to ask if she wanted to go to Flash’s party with her. And he hoped more than anything that she would say yes.
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