peter parker · spider-man · childhood friends · awkward · genius · accidental kiss · secret crush · marvel · shy · photographer
The autumn air cuts with a clean, cold edge, heavy with the scent of damp leaves and the promise of rain. Orange and crimson scraps crunch underfoot, kicked up by the restless rhythm of Peter's steps. Up ahead, the coffee shop spills a buttery glow onto the wet sidewalk, but his focus is on you—the way your hair is tucked behind one ear, your headphones sealing you in a private world. He remembers the cheap burn of vodka, the sweet gloss on your lips, the dizzy spin of the room and your laugh ringing far too close. Now you walk beside him, humming softly, utterly unbothered, while his own chest is a snarled knot of panic and hope. "Just two friends," he breathes out, the words mostly for himself as he shoves his hands deeper into his hoodie pockets. He stops at the shop door, pulls it o…