Summary:Â Back home in Boston after your final year at Columbia University, you expect an easygoing and relaxed summer. But those plans go right out the window when your childhood crush, Chris, comes back home after filming a big movie, you see it as a chance to maybe have the summer fling youâd always hoped for. But the fact that heâs your older brotherâs best friend may complicate that just a bit.
Warnings:Â swearing, drinking, fluff!!!, & some angst bc im feeling angsty
...
You tap your index finger against the steering wheel to the beat of the song playing off your phone. You canât help but feel a sense of contentment as you drive down the street you grew up on. Your music cuts out just before the chorus and your ringer goes off over your carâs speakers. You jump at the sound, letting out a soft gasp before you move to turn down the obnoxiously loud ringtone. You glance over at the screen for a moment. âDannyâ. You tap the âAnswerâ button and rest your hands back on the steering wheel.
âWhatâs up?â
âHey, Y/N. You almost here?â your brother calls from his end.
âJust pulling up. Why?â you ask as you turn into your parentsâ driveway. There are a suspicious number of cars parked on the road in front of your parentsâ house.
âOh, thank God. Mom's been bugginâ me about whether you were close or not. Dinnerâs soon,â Danny says. You can hear your motherâs annoyed gasp from the other line.
âLove you, mom,â he calls, hushing his voice to a whisper. âSheâs gonna kill me.â
âYouâre damn right she is.â You slow to a halt right behind... Mr. Evansâ car. What the fuck?
âYou guys havinâ a party or something? A lot of, uh, cars on the street, Danny,â you ask, somewhat annoyed. You really just wanted to bring your bags in, say hi to everyone, eat dinner, and go the fuck to sleep immediately. You groan, shutting your car off and pulling your keys out of the ignition. You unplug and cradle your phone between your ear and your shoulder as you pack your things into your purse. Youâll get your other bags later.
âFuuuuuuck, the cars,â he groans. His voice hushes down into a whisper as he continues, âYes. It was supposed to be a surprise.â You can hear him smack a hand over his forehead.
You can hear the sounds of laughter and chit-chat, as well as music from the backyard as you climb out of the car. You shut the door with a sharp snap and as if on cue, the voices and music die down almost immediately.
âIâll do my best to act surprised, donât worry,â you snicker, not bothering to wait for a response before you hang up and make your way up to the front door. Of course, only the outer glass door is shut. The red front door is wide open, so you let yourself right in. You play the role of the unknowing surprise party victim and call out to your family members.
âMom? Dad? Danny? Red?â You even throw your dogâs name into the mix for maximum effect.
âY/N?â a voice that, though familiar, you know definitely doesnât belong to any of your family members calls. You tilt your head to the left slightly, dropping your purse on the table in the front hall, and make your way towards the source. You head right through the doorway leading into the kitchen and see none other than Chris standing there, a beer in his hand. You can feel your heart rate increase almost immediately.
That flimsy red shirtâs doing its absolute best to hold itself together under the strain of his muscles. The collar is frayed slightly, probably from being washed over and over. The little nicks in the fabric allow the thin chain round his neck to show. Did he somehow get even more ripped since the last time youâd seen him? He has the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. He gives you an excited smile when he has visual confirmation that it is, in fact, you.
âOh my God, Y/N! Hey!â he exclaims, setting his drink down and moving around the island counter to give you a hug. You take a few steps forward as well, wrapping your arms around his neck as his slide around your waist.
âItâs been too long,â you hum, beginning to pull away from the hug. Chris lets his hands linger on your hips for a few seconds before he takes a step back to grab his beer.
âI know, I havenât seen you since, what, two Christmases ago? How have you been, miss college graduate?â he asks, beaming with pride.
âReally great. Iâm glad to be home for a bit,â you reply.
Chris nods along.
âIt is nice being home,â he agrees thoughtfully, taking a sip of his beer. âSo whatâs the plan after your time off? You gonna be producing my next big movie?â He smirks at you, a brow cocked.
âWeâll see,â you sigh. âI actually scored an internship at some obscure film company in the city.â
âAre you serious? Thatâs awesome,â he comments excitedly.
âItâs alright, nothing too amazing yet but weâll get there,â you sigh.
Chris shrugs, taking another swig of his beer. âWe all start somewhere. Who knows? Soon, maybe youâll be head of Columbia Pictures or something.â
âYou flatter me, Christopher,â you say, letting out a soft laugh as you make your way past Chris and over to the fridge for your own ice-cold beer. You crack it open with the bottle opener on the counter. âBut I think you think too much of me.â Chris is already turned to face you, his elbow propped against the marble countertop.
âItâs not flattery, itâs the truth,â he replies sweetly. âYou were always writing those insanely good scripts for your school plays... Writing scenes just for Scott and me to perform, for no reason other than so you could feel for the fluidity of the story. Youâre talented, Y/N, whether you think so or not.â
You raise your brows at Chris, a delicate smile crossing your lips.
âThank you,â you say softly. He only nods.
âDonât thank me, Iâm just giving you a reality check, Y/N,â he teases. You roll your eyes, but before you can open your mouth to speak, the sound of the sliding door being thrown open distracts you.
You glance over as your brother storms right in, without closing the door behind him, and he stops dead in his tracks, turning his head to glare directly at you.
âY/N, serious question for you: do you know how old half of the people here are? Because theyâve been crouched real low behind the bushes for, like, quite a bit, just waitinâ to surprise you!â Danny exclaims, glaring down at you. He turns to fire at Chris, who canât help but let out a short snort at your brotherâs over-the-top attitude. âAnd you! Youâre nothing but a little enabler! Get your ass outside!â Danny hikes his thumb towards the back door and Chris, a massively goofy grin plastered on his face, suppresses a laugh as he waves you off and heads towards the door.
âSorry...â You canât help the lingering grin on your face, though you truly are a tad sorry.
âDonât say sorry to me, say sorry to our arthritic grandfather,â he bites back, squinting at you as he ushers you around the island and out through the sliding door right after Chris. He keeps walking through the crowd of people and back over by where Dodger had chosen to lounge, in the shade under the oak tree with the swing tied to it.
A mess of family members, family friends, and your own hometown friends all leap out from behind the bushes, trees, and fence and scream collectively,
âSURPRISE!â with a few stray âWELCOME HOMEââs. You donât even have to feign your look of surprise; youâre honestly shocked this many people missed you enough to come to your homecoming party. You let out a scream, laughing into your hands as you recover from your glee.
âOh my God!â you cry out. You glance back at your brother, who has an eyebrow cocked at you. You throw your arms around him happily, turning to wave to everyone as they shout helloâs and âwe missed youâs. Your parents enter your line of vision with arms open for a hug and, of course, you hug them back. You snuggle between your mother and father in a sea of âI missed youâs and âIâm so glad youâre homeâs. You finally pull away from them and, a soft grin on your face, begin to speak.
âGod, okay, I will talk to you guys later. I gotta talk to some of the guests,â you say softly. âThank you... for doing this. Itâs nice.â
âOf course, of course. Go be a good host,â your mother teases pushing you out towards the party. Everyone had already gone back to their own personal conversations. Well, all except your childhood best friend, Talia. Sheâs standing there, audibly squealing and therefore effectively alerting you of her presence mere moments before her arms shoot around your shoulders. Sheâs got you trapped in one of her world-famous hugs.
âY/N!â she exclaims happily. You giggle, returning the gesture.
âI missed you so much, Talia,â you exclaim. âI have a lot of juicy college-grade party shit to talk to you about.â
âShit, I... Shit... Canât wait to....â she trails off. You cock an eyebrow at her, obviously perplexed by her out-of-character behavior.
Talia has her eyes darting past you, though. She canât stop glancing over your shoulder.
âDid... did something happen with you and Chris recently?â she asks suspiciously. You eye your best friend with an equal amount of skepticism.
âUh, nothing Iâm not aware of. Why?â
âOn your six... But donât look too quickly. Make it look nonchalant!â she orders, rather loudly. You roll your eyes, peeking over your shoulder to see Chris eyeing you. His eyes are fixated on you in a way youâd never seen from him before- especially not directed at you. He gives you a soft, flirtatious smirk and, like the cherry on fucking top, winks. You give him a small smile before whirling your head back around to glare at Talia, brows furrowed.
âWhat about him?â you ask. Talia slaps a hand over her forehead.
âHeâs been watching you this whole time, Danny had to come in to collect you because you were so enthralled in whatever conversation you two were having, he more-than-triple-checked the time of this party just to be sure heâd be here when you got here. He just fucking winked at you, Y/N, and he--â Sheâs counting each reason on her fingers as she goes. You hold a hand up, cutting her off before she can continue.
âTalia, I know Chris more than anyone. Heâs one of my best friends and I promise that heâs just a big flirt. He likes to flirt.â
âIâm just saying, you two have always had such amazing chemistry that Iâd be surprised if I didnât get a Save the Date for your wedding in the next two years,â she snickers, taking a sip of whatever concoction sheâd stirred up in her solo cup. âI still have that sketchbook where we drew up our own personal wedding plans. I could dust it off and hand it to Chris; heâd get the hint.â
You open your mouth to speak, but immediately bite your tongue as your brotherâs arm slings around your shoulder. He leans against you, forcing you to lean a bit more to the right to keep straight.
âWe gossipinâ?â he teases. Your roll your eyes, pushing his arm off of you.
âMind your business, Daniel,â Talia interjects. Danny feigns a look of pain, a hand to his chest.Â
âBut Iâm sooo nosey... Please share?â You give Talia a pleading look and she takes the reigns, understanding fully.
âSheâs just pissed that her parents invited the Robinsons,â she snickers. You have to hand it to her, itâs believable.
Back in elementary school, you unashamedly beat up the eldest Robinson boy when he wouldnât stop teasing you about your braces (yes, you had braces).
He deserved it, yes, but you had broken the poor guyâs nose.
You nod along with Taliaâs story, eyes darting over towards Chris once again. Danny eyes you suspiciously, fully aware of where your eyes are, but doesnât comment on it.
âOkaaaaaay,â he murmurs. âWell, Iâm sure Eli Robinson isnât planning on bullying you anymore, so buck up and talk to the rest of our guests!â
âYou never know. He might notice some teensy, tiny flaw, somehow, and start throwing hands,â Talia snickers. Danny rolls his eyes. He lets his arm drop from around your shoulders and calls Chris over. You glance over your shoulder as he gets up from the blue lawn chair slowly and starts heading over. Dodger pads up behind his master as he nears you. You whip your head back around to give Talia a pleading look, but sheâs got her expectant eyes on Chris as he nears.
âYes! Yes! Yes!â she squeals. âWe havenât gotten a chance to catch up with him yet!â
No. No. No. No. No.
âYeah?â Chrisâs soft voice asks as he plants himself on your left. Your so-called best friend grins up at him like a fool as Danny, turning to Chris, begins to speak.
âCan you babysit? Y/Nâs afraid sheâll fistfight Eli if not properly supervised.â
âUh,â the blond glances down at you, a brow cocked as he takes a swig of his beer. âYeah, I mean, any excuse to hang out with Y/N.â You shudder.
Danny cocks an eyebrow. âThis was supposed to be a punishment. Iâm supposed to be killing two birds with one stone.â
âWhat did I do?â Chris demands, raising his voice with a laugh. Talia still has that idiotic grin plastered on her face. It tells you that she remembers Chris and Dannyâs banter just as vividly as you.
âYouâre sittinâ over there, obviously hung up on some mystery chick, and you wonât even tell me anything about her. Youâve been dropping vague comments about her for the past week and itâs getting annoying! Even Dodgeâs pissed! Right?â You feel your heart drop as Danny glances down at Dodger and receives a sharp bark in response.
âHe said no,â Chris replies, obviously tense.Â
âWell, Dodger is a compulsive liar. I donât know why I looked to him in the first place,â Danny retorts. Chris rolls his eyes, easing back into a comfortable posture as your brother continues on. âIf youâre not gonna tell me anything about the girl, drop any hints about Age of Ultron, or do sports with me, whatâs the point of being broâs with a famous guy?â he sneers teasingly, his voice dropping into his frat boy impression when he says âbroâ.
They joked like this all the time, especially since Chris got launched into stardom. Really, they loved each other. They were best friends. Danny was one of the many people outside of his family that Chris felt kept him grounded. And, well, Danny joked that Chris was just another guy to slowly schmooze into buying him a car, âlike those YouTuber kids doâ.
âGod, where would you be if IÂ hadnât made it big?â
âPlaying Captain America, probably,â
âThat right?â Chris quips. You sigh.
âYeah. And probably gettinâ the girl, unlike you.â
Chris shakes his head. âNo, trust me, you wouldnât want her.â
Danny narrows his eyes at Chris, an uncomfortable silence hovering over the four of you. Dodger whines impatiently before he nuzzles up to your leg. You reach down to pat him gently before he prances off, probably to attend a more... jovial conversation.
âD-Dannyâs just being an asshole, Chris,â you stammer, trying to smooth over how uncomfortable this encounter had become. Talia sees this and speaks up,
â... And this asshole is gonna drive me to get more alcohol since Iâm sorta drunk and he is not.â Before Danny can come up with any defense, Talia grabs him by the forearm and yanks him towards the side gate. You glance up at Chris.
âSorry,â you say softly.
âYouâre his baby sister. I get it. Remember how much I used to mess with Scotty back in the day?â He shrugs. You let out a soft laugh.
âI donât remember anything as vividly as I remember when you convinced him to pee his pants on the front lawn,â you tease. Chris groans audibly.
âIt was so mean,â he says, trying to remain serious despite his laughter.
He points down to your half-empty beer.
âWant another?â he asks. You chug down the remainder of your drink and reply with a short, soft-spoken âyesâ. He grins. âAttagirl.â
You follow him through the crowd, weaving between conversation circles, and up onto the patio, both of you dropping your empty bottles into the recycling bin as you make your way over to the oversized cooler. Chris kneels down and peels it open. You follow suit and the two of you gaze into the âAdults-Onlyâ red cooler expectantly.
âPick your poison,â he says softly, reaching for another beer. You shake your head.
âNothingâs jumping out at me,â you sigh, shaking your head. Chris lets the cooler close with a soft thud.
âWell, now we have some thinkinâ to do. What would you want to drink for your last meal?â
You lean back slightly, taken aback by how quickly heâd turned the conversation into a hypothetical in which you were on death row.
âUhm,â you ponder this for a moment before responding. âSomethinâ much stronger than a measly 8% beer.â You run your fingertips along the circular curvature of the bottom of his beer bottle. You donât mean for the gesture to be so... obscene, somehow, but it is. Chrisâs cheeks flush red. He stumbles over his words for a moment.
âWh-W-Wh... What do you have in mind?â he asks, swallowing hard. You cock an eyebrow. The man who canât be moved is running full-speed into whatever he thinks you have planned.
âWhiskey,â you reply, taking a step back. You make your way past him, shoulders brushing as you head through the sliding door and into the kitchen. Chris follows, like a lost puppy.
You sashay around the island counter and find yourself a glass.
âWant some?â you ask, glancing over at Chris as he closes the sliding door behind him. He nods, setting his beer down on the counter absentmindedly. You reach up for a second identical glass and make your way over to the small alcohol tray and peruse for the exact whiskey you're looking for. You pour Chrisâs first and hand it to him before pouring your own.
âThank you,â he says softly, holding his glass up. You give him a lopsided smile as you clink your glass with his and you both down your drinks. You pour another for each of you. The combination of your first beer and a glass of whiskey sends a familiar warmth through your veins. You let out a shaky breath.
âCan I ask you something without it coming off strange?â he asks softly. You gaze up at him as you lean forward on your elbows over the island counter. He stands still on the opposite side, between two of the barstools.
âMaybe. Ask away.â
âDo you have a boyfriend down in New York?â he asks. You feel your body tense up, but you donât let your being caught off-guard show through.
âNo, I donât,â you purr, doing your best to keep a poker face. âIs this... mystery gal anything serious?â Chris watches you for a long time, throwing back his second drink.
âShe could be,â he replies, swallowing rather hard. You shake your head.
âCrying shame,â you reply, straightening out and finishing off your drink. You can hear the soft sounds of the Teskey Brothers playing even from inside the house.
âWhyâs that?â
You ignore his question, moving right ahead with yours. âDo I know her?â
âWho?â
âThe girl,â you reply suspiciously. Chris shakes his head.
âIf I wonât tell Danny, what makes you think that Iâd tell you?â
âBecause I love my bother, but heâs an idiot and you know it.â Chris lets out a hearty laugh.
âYeah, I guess youâre right. Yeah, you know her,â he says softly. You shake your head, smiling despite your heart aching.
âOh my God, just tell me already,â you practically beg. Chris sighs, setting down his glass with resignation.
âShe... I donât think I should...â he says softly. âI donât know if Iâm ready for everyone to know about it yet. Iâm not sure itâll happen.â
You gaze up at Chris with resignation. You know youâre not gonna get an answer out of him, so you yield.
âI bet. Well, Iâm gonna head back out, okay? I really donât want a babysitter all day,â you reply sharply, not really listening when Chris retorts with some silly comment.
...
The homecoming party goes on for a few more hours before people start saying their goodbyes. You try not to make it obvious, but you are overjoyed that you get to sleep in your old bed again. You see Talia chatting with Danny in the hallway by the bathroom and you, without another word, shut the door behind Mrs. Robinson and make your way upstairs.
You drag your feet somewhat as you make your way down the familiar hallway and finally stop in front of your old bedroom door. Itâs cracked open slightly and your bedside lamp is on, to your surprise, so you push the door open a little further to see Chris gazing down into one of your photo albums.
âYou lost?â you singsong. Chris jumps about ten feet into the air, spinning around to face you.
âS-Sorry, Y/N, I just... I remembered you had these. I shouldâve asked, I know, but--â You hold a hand up to cut him off as you move to sit on your bed.
âYouâre acting so jumpy, Chris...â you comment. He sighs, shutting the dark blue photo album and pushing it back into its spot on the shelf.
âI guess I am,â he agrees, sitting on the bed beside you. Heâs silent for some time after that, gazing at his shoes as though they were the most interesting things in the world. You nudge his shoulder with yours to get his attention. He glances up at you and gives you a soft smile.
âWhatâs up? Câmon, talk to me,â you say.
âWhat do you mean?â
âDonât play stupid. Iâve known you my whole life.â
He nods. âYeah...â
âSo tell me whatâs been on your mind,â you say, laying a head on his shoulder. âIâm a really good listener, I promise.â
Chris gives you a look, his breath hitching in his throat for a moment.
âThis girl, Iâve known her forever. Hell, Iâve liked her like this for a few years now. Iâm just afraid itâll--â
âRuin it if she doesnât feel the same,â you sigh. Chris nods as his fingers lace in yours. It surprises you, but you donât comment on it. You donât want to spoil the moment.
âExactly...â he breathes. You watch his chest rise and fall rhythmically. Your heart rate rises steadily.
âShe probably does,â you say simply. Chris glances down at you.
âWhat do you mean?â
âThereâs no reason she wouldnât like you, Chris. Youâre a sweet, funny, talented mamaâs boy who believes in equality. Also, youâve got a great ass and you play Captain America. If Tumblr loves you, then chances are she will, too,â you say thoughtfully, doing your best not to stumble over your words. Chris doesnât say anything for a long time. He turns to face you a little more, one leg folded on the bed and the other over the edge of the bed.
âY/N,â he says softly. You mirror his position, your knee pressed against his.
âYes?â
âCan I do something stupid right now?â he asks. Heâs nervous. Youâd never seen him this way before.
âMaybe,â you reply, a sly grin on your face. Chris leans forward, eyes fluttering shut. You close yours as well, leaning in for a moment youâd only admitted to Talia about dreaming of.
Your lips inches from one anotherâs, he pauses.
âYouâre okay with this?â he asks. You nod. âIâm gonna need you to use your words, little lady.â
âYes,â you reply firmly. Chrisâs hand is on your cheek in an instant, steadying himself as he presses a kiss to your lips. Your arms shoot around his neck, his scruff scaping gently at your soft skin as you kiss him back, your entire body heating up. You feel Chrisâs heart pounding against his skin as you press your chest flush against his. Just when his hands slide down to your waist, you begin to feel his innate dominance take over. He pushes you down onto your back, onto the bed. His hands slowly make their way up from your hips to your hair, which he tugs rather aggressively.
But youâre no sooner pried apart by the sound of Dannyâs voice echoing down the hall, Taliaâs giggling along. Chris sits up straight, hands folded on his lap. You reel back into reality and leap forward for the photo album. You flip it open to a random page as you sit back down beside Chris, feigning a laugh. Chris understands and relaxes, pointing to a picture and asking some dumb question. Talia and Danny make their way over to your bedroom and stand in the doorway like proud parents.
âWouldja look at âem?â she hums.
âSeems like just yesterday he was spraying her with a hose while she was wearing a white t-shirt.â
âThat was her to him, Daniel,â Talia snickers.
âGod, youâre the worst,â you glower, narrowing your eyes at Dennis the Menace as an all-powerful duo.
âWe can hear you,â Chris comments.
âNo dip, doofus,â Talia giggles.
âGet out of my room, Danny!â you exclaim, getting to your feet.
âIâm not in your room, Y/N!â Danny shouts back in a mocking tone, pointing down at the floor around your doorframe. âThis is your room.â
âMooooom!â you roar, stomping your foot.
âDaniel!â your mother calls from somewhere in the house.
âIâm not in her room!?â
âDanny, listen to your mother!â Mr. (Y/L/N) shouts from his bedroom, just down the hall.
âAlright! Alright! I yield!â Danny cries, taking another step back. âTalia and I were just wondering if you guys wanted to go out back and start a bonfire. There are a lot of people from high school who couldnât make it to dinner that wanted to see you today.â
You glance over at Chris and he shrugs.
âYou gonna stay?â
âYeah, sure. Iâll get Scott and Carly to come back,â he says, pulling his phone from his back pocket. You glance up at your brother, slamming the photo album shut.
âSure,â you reply. Danny nods and heads out down the hall, already sending out a mass text. But Talia doesnât move.
âHoly fucking shit,â she says softly. You cock an eyebrow at her before following her line of sight to Chrisâs... ahem... prominent erection. Chris glances up, confused at first, but soon a realization washes over him. He yanks the photo album from you and presses it over his crotch sheepishly.
âPlease donât tell Danny,â he begs.
a/n:Â sorry this is so short, im trash. as a fellow leo i feel i nailed this completely ok ur welcome everyone
â no one even remembers when you two started dating
â seriously, itâs a mystery to everyone. it came out of nowhere & it honestly just feels like you two have just always been together
â youâre such a huge marvel fan and it cracks him up every time you geek out
â youâll rep the merch, see the movies multiple times in theaters, and even grill him on his tenacity with not spilling any tea about upcoming movies.
     â thatâs one thing he doesnât ever really budge on, the spoilers
        â you think itâs because he likes to see you struggle
        â but really itâs bc he loves to see how happy u get in the theater
â you are literally the most chaotic celebrity couple ever
     â meaning yâall constantly fuck with paparazzi
        â obscene gestures, insane facial expressions, swiping their gear
     â and the pda is, admittedly, a little excessive
        â sebastian is the handsy type
        â calling you âprincessâ or âdollâ in front of anyone & everyone
        â seb comments âwow mineâ and âfuck this is perfectâ on all of ur                  posts
     â meme wars & instagram stories
        â videos of you two just yelling vine references back & forth
        â posting funny pictures of each other
     â commenting inside jokes on each otherâs posts
â sebastian is kind of the softest human being ever when ur sick
     â he literally knows everything about any type of cold, cough, flu, etc
        â he blames his knowledge on his mom
     â seb invests in organic medicines, like from whole foods n shit
        â one day that youâre sick, you see sebastian heading out to whole foods in joggers, sandals, a t-shirt, cardigan, and his gone-too-soon man-bun
        â you tease him for literally hours about his suburban mom getup
â he tries to teach you romanian (since he wants to take you there one day)
     â but letâs be honest, itâs kind of a shitshow. he refuses to teach you anything but swears.
        â  âhereâs an easy one... say âtaci dracului din gurÄ...ââ
        â you smack him on the arm when you finally figure out what that one means
â you know everything about each other, be it a weakness or a virtue
     â you know when sebastian is about to have an anxiety attack
        â if youâre right next to him, youâll hold his hand to keep him grounded. it draws the least amount of attention to him and he appreciates that more than he could ever tell you
     â and he does the same for you: creating a safe environment when you have your own setbacks. he knows what helps you, personally, and acts accordingly.
â heâs a sucker for the beatles
     â he doesnât really like to sing in front of people, but if the beatles come on heâll go wild in front of anyone
     â he also claims that bucky barnes most definitely likes the beatles, too
        â  âi play the character so if i say itâs true, itâs trueâ
â you never doubted that he loves you
     â he doesnât even say it all that often; thereâs no need. heâs always doing things to show it
        â getting down to tie your shoe for you
         â playing your favorite song in the car when youâre not having a
            great day
         â asking you to call or text whenever you arrive somewhere else so
            he knows youâre safe
         â always rooting for you to do the best you can
         â talking about a definite foreseeable future with you
Oh my gods wOw Honest is really amazing like I know you only posted the beginning of this whole story but I'm freaking out! It's great I can't wait to read more!!! Thanks for writing it. Really x
awww this is so sweet đđâ¤ď¸ thank you so much! iâve been really busy for the holidays and i definitely plan on posting more as soon as iâm back in my work and school flow! thank you again xo much love!
Summary:Â Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, had nerves of steel behind the mask. He was able to defeat horrible villains, swing from impossible heights, and do the impossible. But without the suit, without the mask, he canât even tell his best friend that heâs in love with her. Maybe itâs her beauty, her confidence, or the possibility of losing her altogether if he admits his feelings, but he just canât bring himself to do it. His hesitation also most definitely has something to do with the fact that sheâs Flashâs little sister.
Characters:Â Peter Parker, Y/N Thompson, Ned Leeds, Flash Thompson, Molly Owen (OC), Liz Toomes, May Parker,Â
A/N:Â there is a little reference to one of Robert Downey Jr.âs old roles in here ;)
You had always been close with Peter Parker and Ned Leeds. You remembered Peter being there when you broke your arm after Flash had pushed you off of your bike. May had Peter deliver a batch of your favorite cookies to your home the day after, even though they had nothing to do with the incident. You remembered Ned fending off the playground bullies for you in third grade when your brother wouldnât. When you discovered that your two closest friends were also best friends (small world, am I right?), you three became inseparable.
As the years went on and the three of you started high school, the friendship only strengthened as an idea of watching movies together had turned into a weekly tradition. At first, the two boys would make their way to your house, but once Mrs. Thompson got a new job that kept her busy during the weekends, her brother had made it a point to bully the three of you incessantly; so much so that the weekly movie marathon was moved to Nedâs.
In school, you had achieved the status of, âMiss Popularityâ; a moniker that Ned teased you about to the point of claiming you had become too cool to hang out with the likes of their âleague of nerdsâ, but you paid no mind, usually retaliating with some pop culture reference, which Peter tended to fall to his knees for. As stated before, you three were inseparable.
But lately, Peter had been acting... strange. You couldnât really place a finger on it, but heâd been spending a lot less time ogling Liz... and heâd skipped the past month of Saturday night movie marathons. Whenever Saturday rolled around, and you were on your way to the Leedsâ house, you would receive a text from Peter letting you know that he would be unable to Youâd questioned Ned about it on more than one occasion, but every time he just laughed it off.
âPigeons learn faster than you,â heâd said once. You hit him over the head with a rolled-up magazine for that one.
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Sitting on the bleachers with your headphones tucked in your ears and a bag of carrots resting on your knees, you reached into your backpack for your copy of The Motion of Life in Water. Youâd told your usual group of lunch buddies that you had to study, which was a lie, but you didnât feel too guilty for it. You munched in silence, reading with soft music playing. You bobbed your head from side to side slightly, completely closed off from the outside world. But as the songâs tempo increased, the feeling of your right earbud being yanked out startled you. Turning your head quickly to shout at whoever dared disrupt you, your eyebrows rose up in surprise as the sight of Peter Parker greeted you. His boyish face had been on your mind a lot as his absence was a noticeable one.
In a moment of unfiltered frustration, you smacked him across the thigh with the paperback book.
âPeter, what the hell!?â you shouted. He sat on your left, grinning from ear to ear.
âJeez, Y/N, sorry! I just wanted to know what youâre listening to,â he said, listening in on your music. âAh, not a bad choice.â He smiled, inserting the earbud fully.
âYouâre just saying that âcause you showed it to me, Petey,â you said. âSo where have you been lately?â
âWh-What do you mean?â he asked nervously, cocking an eyebrow as he offered you a strawberry. You offered him a carrot in return.
âYou skipped all of our John Hughes movie nights! Itâs so unlike you, Pete, to skip Weird Science?â
âI donât even like Weird Science, Y/N. Ian reminds me a little too much of--â
âMr. Stark, I know. I get it. Youâre basically an Avenger now,â you rolled your eyes. âI bet you havenât even met any of them, other than Iron Man.â
One of the few topics of discussion that always seemed to come up was Peterâs internship with Stark Industries. Ever since the Stark Convention in 2010, Peter had become enamored with the Iron Man. It was only fitting that the man that saved Peteâs life would end up choosing him as an intern.
âY-Yeah...â Peter said softly, smiling down at his feet for some reason.
âBut hey,â you began. He looked at you, his brown eyes searching your face. You didnât catch on, but he looked at you with longing.
âDo you think you could get Spider-Man to sign something for me?â you asked giddily. âNot to totally take advantage of your situation, but heâs awesome.â Peterâs cheeks flushed bright pink.
âWh-Wh-What m-makes you say that?â he asked, brows furrowed. You gave him a strange look, smiling.
âI dunno, heâs probably the only Avenger who hasnât left anyone dead on the streets. Heâs all for the little guy,â you explained.
âBut what if heâs, like, super ugly under the mask? Like, horrifically burned or something?â a detached voice asked. You and Peter glanced over to see Molly, one of your friends, nearing with Liz and your brother not far behind. Flash smirked at her comment.
âI bet heâs definitely got some horrible skin deformity,â
âWhat, like Deadpool?â you asked as they stopped short in front of you and Peter on the bleachers.
âYeah! God, what if heâs some geek with pimples and shit?â Flash agreed.
âOkay, well first off, Flash, who invited you into this conversation?â you asked, grinning slyly. He glared at you.
âY/N, donât be so anal, alright? Youâre having a public conversation with Penis Parker. Are you seriously gonna get mad at me for wanting to be involved?â Flash retorted. Youâd already had your fill of his attitude for the day, so you pulled out your left earbud and folded your arms over your chest. Peter, Liz, and Molly collectively held their breath.
âNo, you canât. See, you wouldnât know this, pretty boy, but you wouldnât have to rely so heavily on your physical appearance if you were actually a nice guy. But no, you wake up three hours before school to style your fucking hair because thereâs nothinâ. Going. On. Upstairs,â you said, tapping your temple to express just how much you meant what you said. He looked somewhat embarrassed because of Peterâs laughter. Liz groaned at the conflict in general. You pursed your lips to keep from laughing along, high fiving Peter. Flash huffed, crossing his arms and storming off.
âNice, Y/N. Couldnât have said it better myself,â Molly snickered, she and Liz taking the seats below you and Peter.
âY/N, Flash does kinda have a point, though. Youâve gotta shut up about this Spider-person! What if he is actually a she? What if youâre obsessing over some totally hot crime-fighting vigilante chick?â Molly proposed.
âSpider-Man.... is a man... Because he calls himself Spider-Man,â Peter commented defensively.
âI love him,â you joked, earning laughter from Liz.
âWell, if what Ned said in gym class the other day was true, then Peter does know Spider-Man,â she said, motioning toward Peter. âWhy donât you hook them up?â Molly nodded vigorously.
âI... I barely know the guy,â Peter said bleakly, swallowing hard. You poked his arm softly, making him jolt slightly.
âI... know... when... youâre... lying, Petey,â you teased. âBut donât worry. I wonât ask you to introduce me to your new web-slinging buddy,â You laid your head on his shoulder. âItâd be too awkward, anyway.â You closed your eyes, putting your earbud back in. If you hadnât closed your eyes, you wouldâve seen the way Peterâs face turned beet red. You wouldâve seen how Liz raised an eyebrow at his reaction to your affection, and you wouldâve seen the shit-eating grin on Mollyâs face.
It seemed that everyone knew but you.
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You whistled along to the radio as you danced around your room, reading from your textbook after school that Friday. No clubs or plans, so the rest of your day was open. You were home alone that evening; Flash had a date (so he most likely wouldnât be back until the next morning) and your parents both worked, so the music was rather loud.
The sun had begun to set and when you looked out the window, you saw the beautiful city skyline and the outline of Stark Tower in front of the orange-colored sky. It felt peaceful and safe being close enough to see the building, but far enough away that if the sky were to open up again, youâd be safe from harm for a little longer. You tossed your textbook onto your bed, climbing in after it. You propped your feet up against the wall your twin bed touched, your mind wandering from seeing the Chitauri attack on the news to Peterâs internship. What exactly did it entail anyway? Why did he disappear so often as of late? Why did he act so secretive about the internship, especially towards you? Youâd never told anyone any of his secrets, so why was this one that he wanted to keep from you? All questions with no answer.
Being home alone could only be fun for so long, so you decided to text your group chat with Peter and Ned to see what they were up to.
 Y/N: Guys, Iâm dying of boredom over here. Whatâre you up to?
Nedward đ¤ : Hanging out at home. Was just about to text u.
Y/N:Â Petey
Y/N: Peter Benjamin Parker, wya sis?
Y/N:Â Where is he tho
Nedward đ¤ : I dunno should we be worried? Usually the second your name pops up on his phone hes jumping for it like itâs a life raft and hes in the middle of the ocean
Y/N:Â Donât exaggerate. We should totally surprise him at home. Heâs probably asleep. Or doing homework
Nedward đ¤ : What kind of loser does homework on a Friday? I have to help mom with dinner. Iâll see if I can come later on though?
Y/N:Â Peter. Peter does homework on a Friday. And me. I do homework on Fridays. Donât judge. Iâm gonna text May and head over
Nedward đ¤ : Ok let me know if heâs dead
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You knocked softly on the door to Mayâs apartment.
âOne second!â her sweet voice called. You heard hurried footsteps make their way over and she pulled the door open. She saw your face and hers lit up like a kidâs on Christmas.
âY/N! I was worried something happened. What took you so long to get here?â she asked, sounding a lot like your mother. You grinned sheepishly, holding up a bag from Delmarâs deli.
âI got you guys sandwiches,â
âOh, youâre such a sweetheart!â she took the bag from you, giving you a tight hug and pulling you inside.
âDelmar asked about you again,â you teased. May rolled her eyes, handing you the sandwich marked #5 and the two bags of sour gummy worms.
âOh, shush. You sound just like Peter. Heâs in his room,â May said, heading back over to her desk. You made your way across the living room, knocking on Peterâs bedroom door. No answer. You opened the door slowly, peeking in to see him fast asleep on top of the covers on his bed. Shirtless. Funny. You grinned, letting yourself in and shutting the door behind you.
âWake up, sleepyhead. I got you dinner,â you said, setting his food down on the nightstand. You sat beside his sleeping body but immediately gasped at the sight. His upper torso was marred with cuts and bruises of all shapes and sizes; your heart sinking as a particularly angry looking bruise drew your attention. You didnât recall Peter having so many cuts and bruises on his body. It looked as though heâd been through a war. You reached out to brush your fingers through his unkempt locks with concern. He had a small cut on his forehead as well. Your fingers on his skin woke him in an instant. He sat up with a start, grabbing your wrist in panic. He let out a loud sigh of relief.
âOh, Y/N, itâs just you. How long--â he yawned, letting go of your arm--Â âhow long have you been here?â He pulled one of those science pun shirts on over his injuries, groaning slightly. You didnât comment on it.
âI just got here...â you said, taking a look around. His room was a mess. It had taken you being there to realize just how long it had been since youâd actually been in his room. Sure, you spent your weekends out in the living room during your sleepovers with Ned and occasionally Molly or even May, but you hadnât been in his room in months. You stood, making your way over to his desk.
âWhatâs all this?â you asked, gesturing to the odd-looking tech blueprints. They looked familiar somehow.
âJ-Just stuff for Mr. Stark. And a little bit of schoolwork mixed in,â Peter leaped off the bed, joining you in looking at the blueprints for a second before he hurriedly smashed all of the papers into one of the drawers. You spun around, leaning against the desk looking at his room from a new angle.
âI havenât been in here in a while,â you commented. Peter had his hand on the desk, his thumb brushing against your left pinky.
âYeah, it has been a while hasnât it?â he agreed. You gestured towards his dinner.
âYou gonna eat?â Peter moved away from you in an instant, going for the gummy worms.
âThanks a ton, Y/N. I can pay you back,â he offered, sitting back on his bed. He tossed you the second bag of gummy worms. For a moment, things felt normal. Peter had that glow in his eyes back, but the strange cuts and bruises on his body worried you endlessly. You didnât want to address it, for fear that he would just close back up again.
You sat at his desk, spinning in his rolling chair. You wheeled over to him and put your feet up on the bed.
âDonât worry about it, Petey.â You smiled at him and he gave you a sweet look. You watched him for a long time, still debating on whether or not youâd bother to ask what was up.
But you did anyway.
âAre you okay lately?â you asked. Peter looked at you nervously.
âWhat do you mean?â
âIÂ mean, youâve been acting super... distant lately. Even when youâre around, itâs like your mind is somewhere else. Iâm just sorta worried, is all. Is it the internship or... Liz?â you asked, feeling a strange jealousy in your gut when you brought up his ever-present (so it seemed) crush.
âEverythingâs fine!â Peter said a little too quickly and he knew it. âItâs got nothing to do with Liz.â
âSo itâs the internship?â
âI... I guess. Partially?â Peter said, recoiling. You rolled your eyes, feet hitting the floor as you stood.
âPeter, you canât lie to me anymore. Youâre covered in all these bruises and cuts, itâs terrifying me. I canât be in the dark just because youâre afraid of what Iâll think! Iâm so worried for you,â you admitted, still holding the open bag of gummy worms in your hand. Peter set his bag down, sighing.
âOkay, okay... I... I was keeping it a secret because I donât want you to ever risk you getting hurt because of me,â he began. You listened expectantly.
âIâm--â
He paused.
The faint sound of his watch beeping frantically sent Peter into a frenzy. He brushed past you, tearing his shirt and pants off in a hurry.
âWh-What are you doing--...â You trailed off when Peter pulled the familiar suit up his legs. He slapped his chest, the suit suctioning to his body.
âIâm so sorry, Y/N,â he said through the mask. The Spider-Man. You were too stunned to respond. âMr. Stark needs me... I... Iâm sorry.â
Your brows furrowed, trying to absorb the situation as he threw his window open and disappeared into the city streets. You could hear the sounds of gunfire from his bedroom as you ran to the window, leaning out to watch him swing around the corner. Hell.
You did the only thing you could think of and called Ned.
âHey, Y/N, whatâs up? Is Pete ok?â
âHeâs fucking Spider-Man!â you whisper-yelled, climbing out onto the fire escape outside Peterâs window.
â...I know.â Ned answered. You slammed the window shut and climbed down the ladder, cradling your phone between your ear and your shoulder.
âExcuse me, WHAT? You knew and didnât tell me!?â
âHe didnât want anyone to know.â
âWhy? Why do you know then?â you demanded.
âHe came crawling into his room in the suit when I went over a while ago,â Ned replied sheepishly. You let go of the ladder when you got to the bottom, landing on the street below. âDid you just climb out the fire escape?â
âI canât face Mayâs questioning! Does she know!?â
âNo, she doesnât know!â Ned exclaimed. You rolled your eyes at his dramatic response. You groaned. âHowâd you find out?â
âHis stupid beeper thing went off. Iâm guessing itâs connected to Mr. Starkâs Life Alert necklace or something, you said, rounding the corner in the direction you saw Peter go.
âY/N, where are you going?â
âJust waiting outside for the little fucker to come back and explain himself,â you lied.
âY/N,â Ned warned. âStay put. Heâll be devastated if you get hurt.â
Ned had a point. You leaned against the brick walls of Peterâs apartment building.
âFine...â you said softly. âIâll talk to you later.â
âBe safe,â Ned answered before hanging up. You groaned, running your fingers through your hair. You had no idea how long youâd have to wait.
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âY/N... youâre still here,â Peterâs detached voice said softly. You looked up from your shoes to see him standing there, still in the suit and all. He took a few steps closer to you and under the harsh streetlights, you saw his suit was torn, he had fresh wounds and a slight limp. He reached out a hand to help you stand regardless of the pain he was definitely in.
âYeah, well, Iâm persistent,â you joked as you got to your feet. Peter didnât say anything, only watched you shiver against the cold.
âY/N, whyâd you wait out here?â
âI panicked... and the fire escape ladderâs too high up for me to reach...â
âWanna... wanna come back inside?â
âPete, why didnât you tell me? Why werenât you just honest with me?â you demanded, ignoring his question. Peter shrugged his shoulders, speaking through the mask.
âWow, this feels surprisingly easier when you canât see my face--â
âPeter.â
âOkay, okay... I didnât want to risk you ever, ever getting involved in something I canât get you out of. I want you to live a normal life, even if that means I disappear from it,â he reasoned. Your heart sank, but you crossed your arms.
âWhy? Why does it matter so much? Ned knows.â
âBecause... youâre not Ned. Not like heâs more replaceable or anything, but youâre my favorite girl. I want to be the one that makes your day, Y/N. Iâm pretty sure that youâre Spideyâs number-one fan and Iâm yours,â Peter paused.
You felt a smile creep up on your face as he continued. âIâve seen you date guys that, yeah, theyâve made your heart melt and theyâve made you happy, but I donât think that theyâre right for you. Itâs selfish, but I think you were made for me. Youâre the most beautiful girl in the entire world. It bothers me a lot that I havenât been the kind of guy you want, the kind that breaks your heart and makes you cry.â You raised your eyebrows but didnât say anything for a moment. You slung his arm over your shoulder and walked him down the empty street, toward the fire escape. You finally spoke.
âYou donât think I was crying out here, worried that youâd get hurt? You donât think I wanted to cry every time you talked about Liz? God, take this damn thing off,â you groaned, grabbing the mask and pulling it up off of his head. His tousled locks draped over his forehead and you saw a bruise forming over his right eye. You gasped, holding the mask over your lips.
âPeter...â
He shrugged.
âGotta protect the city, right?â
âGod, from what?â Your eyes widened.
âSome guy in a green goblin suit, I guess. The cityâs full of crazies,â Peter answered. He grinned slyly. âHey, wanna do something awesome? Itâll make me feel so cool, and I know youâve dreamed of a moment like this.â
âSure, Spidey,â you said. Peter took back the mask, pulling it over his head âjust in case May had gone to investigate the silenceâ. He put an arm around your waist and shot a web up toward his windowsill. The two of you were practically catapulted up onto the fire escape.
âHoly hell, that was amazing!â you exclaimed, grinning. Peterâs eyes glinted at your reaction.
âMaybe sometime I can take you around the city.â
Peter climbed into his room, you following slowly. He changed out of the suit as you sat on his bed. He pointed to the nightstand.
âCan you get the first aid kit out of that top drawer?â he asked, pulling on sweatpants and carrying a t-shirt over to sit beside you. You did as you were asked and opened it.
âYou donât have to--â
âYeah, I do. You wonât be able to reach some of these anyhow,â you interjected, pressing a few gauze pads to a laceration on his arm.
âHave you done this before?â
âMomâs a registered nurse, remember?â
âRight, my bad,â Peter smiled. You cleaned his smaller wounds with care; it didnât take long for your Spider-Man to be all patched up. You pressed a gentle kiss on his shoulder.
âYou know something?â he began, looking at you affectionately.
âI know some things, yes, but you can educate me if you want.â
âI know itâs really cliche, but I think Iâm better when Iâm with you. I, like, worry when youâre not around,â Peter admitted.
âI like it when you say things like that,â you replied, leaning close to his face. He rested a hand carefully on your cheek, pressing your foreheads together.
âYouâre not afraid to be in my life, knowing what you do now?â
âI never was.â
Then Peter kissed your parted lips feverishly, passionately, with his fingers in your hair. He wasnât wrong, it was cliche but it was happiness. And it was real.
Summary:Â Tony Stark, in addition to Peter Parker, found a second young superhuman to add to the Avengers team: Y/N. Peter and Y/N grew very close rather quickly, eventually falling for each other. She was his first love, and he was hers. When Ebony Maw and the other Children of Thanos arrive in New York, he demands Peter stay behind. While he hesitantly agrees to stay behind, Y/N sneaks aboard to help out the closest thing sheâd ever had to a father.
Warnings:Â sad peter & tony, mentions of death, post-iw themes
Inspired by THIS beautiful edit by @greymalachai on Instagram, give them a follow âĽ
>> Song found HEREÂ <<
Peter watched in horror as the news did its best to explain the reason behind nearly half of New York Cityâs civilians turning to dust before their very eyes. And all of this within hours of that strange alien ship descending onto the streets of the City. The anchor had said, with sadness in her voice, that Tony Stark had gone missing as the donut-shaped craft had disappeared into space. Peter felt the anxiety bubble in his stomach with the realization that wherever Mr. Stark was, his girlfriend, Y/N, was probably not far behind. After all, sheâd been the one to follow Tony onto the ship.
A soft rapping on his empty apartment door drew him away from the TV. He leaped up from the couch, praying for the best.
Wishful thinking. That was Peterâs first mistake.
Peter opened the door, praying it would be Y/N, smiling like an idiot at him, that heâd get to get on her case for making him worry so much. He prayed that heâd be able to invite her back home, hold her tightly, and beg her to, at least, stay on Earth with him while they saved the world.
But Peterâs heart dropped into his stomach when Tony Stark himself stood in the doorway, looking a little more than worse for wear. Peterâs brows knit upward with worry, watching as Tony heaved a deep breath. Some small part of the Spider-Man knew what was happening. He knew what Mr. Stark was about to say. Peter suddenly began to feel delirious, as though he may faint. He left the door ajar, heading straight over to your couch to sit. Tony followed, closing the door silently behind him.
âPete...â he began. But Peter didnât respond right away, he only pointed at the TV, which was still switched to the news channel.
âWhere is she?â Peter demanded, springing to his feet much quicker than he felt he shouldâve. He wanted to continue to be angry; he wanted to scream and fight and yell at the top of his lungs.
But then Tony let out a faint sob as he began to speak.
âKid, Iâm so sorry.â
âFor what?â Peter demanded, raising his voice. When Tony didnât answer immediately, reality began to set.
Peter sat back on the couch, elbows propped up on his knees and his chin resting on your hands.
âFor what?â he repeated, trying to keep his voice steady. He refused to cry. Not until Tony said those words. Not until he was alone.
âY/Nâs gone, kid,â Tony sounded absolutely heartbroken. He took the spot beside you. âShe... she didnât make it.â
Trusting Tony Stark to protect her. That was Peterâs second mistake.
Peter stood abruptly, heading toward the front door. He yanked it open with ferocity and motioned for Tony to leave.
âGet the fuck out of my apartment,â he said steadily, tears brimming in his eyes regardless of his attempts to keep from breaking down right then and there.
âParker, just listen...â
âNo, you need to go!â Peter shouted. âYou were supposed to keep her safe. Y/N trusted you, Mr. Stark! Both of us did! She loved you like a father and you let her die!â Tony stood, fists clenched, and held his ground. He began to shout back,
âI didnâtâ --his voice softened-- âI didnât know she was going to die, Pete. I warned her, I warned her that it was a one-way ticket... and she told me she was fine with dying if it meant... if it meant that there was any chance the world would be safe.â Peter slammed the door shut angrily, storming back over to Tony.
âNone of this wouldâve happened if youâd just listened to me! If you let me go instead, she could still be here,â Peter bellowed, squaring off in front of Mr. Stark. Tony reached out to rest a hand on the young Avengerâs shoulder, only for it to be swatted away.
âMr. Stark, I used to want to be just like you.â
âAnd I told you that I wanted you to be better,â Tony replied softly. He moved past Peter, slowly opening the front door. âI meant it when I said I was sorry, Pete. I... I really fucked this one up. We lost a lot out there. I was just trying to keep you safe; I promised May that much.â He paused for a thoughtful moment, âWhen youâre ready to talk, you know where to find me, kid...â He headed out the open door and Peter shut it behind him, turning and leaning against it.
He ran his fingers through his hair, beginning to slide downward. He sat with his knees to his chest against the door, finally allowing himself to cry.
Peter sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming from his brown eyes. He wanted to stop his crying, he wanted to pick himself up off the floor and at least appear to be alright without Y/N, but what was the use?
They shared this apartment; there were reminders of her everywhere. Half of the furniture in his home just served as a reminder that it shouldâve been him. But it wasnât, and he hated himself for it.