𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮-𝙤𝙣𝙚 — 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧

( 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 & 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 )

☕

         IT FELT LIKE a dream, having Peter lay on his bed with his head in Brendon's lap. It felt like he was on cloud nine, blissfully living out his greatest desires in a wonderland that only comes true in his deep dreams when he fell asleep so happy that his face hurt from smiling so largely, succumbing to a heaven where Peter Parker was there and in love with only him.

The dreams where Peter would reach up and move his hair out of his face, looking at him with such wondrous and proclaim to him and only him (because the world he dreamt of only consisted of them; there forever and together) you're beautiful for eternity as he blushed and kissed the boy. And Peter reciprocated because they were both so in love that they could never fall out of, so enamored with each other that nothing else (if there was nothing else) mattered and it never would.

Silk smooth touches and hands holding his, gliding down his chest sending shivers down his spine. Water glistening in a waterfall beside them, the most luscious beauty surrounding, ethereal and heavenly – angels together, flying forever.

But this was not a dream; this was not the Garden of Eden he entered on the greatest days – this was truly reality. Here he had Peter Parker on his head, head on the dreaming boy's lap, and he was smiling up at him – so graceful and sweet; so enchanting. It was reality, the one where they existed together and were so in love, but not forever. Because eternity didn't exist in this world; everything faded eventually, but for now they had each other and they were happy. Maybe not in love, not yet, but they would be someday, and it would be wonderful.

For now, they had each other and they would stay that way, and Brendon would hold this angel on earth close to him for as long as he possibly could. Because he loved Peter – loved him and was on his way to fall in love with him – and he hoped that Peter returned that and would for a very long time. Not forever – he didn't need forever with Peter, he just needed enough.

But Brendon feared that there would never be enough; he would never have enough with Peter. Enough love, enough time, enough commitment. He feared that one day the spark would die and he would be clingy onto something that was already lost, hoping desperately for it to return because it wasn't enough. Maybe it would never be enough, maybe it would be so close to it and never reach that point, and he feared that. He feared that Peter would be gone and he would never have enough.

He didn't like to dwell on that fear, though. It trapped him in a nightmare whereas Peter gave him a daydream. Because he was a daydream; a wonderful presence in his life who shined so bright – the brightest star in the sky, the most colorful flower in the garden – and he wanted that warmth with him forever.

Brendon played with Peter's hair, moving his fingers gently through the softness as he gave an adoring smile. And maybe he stared so long or too intently because Peter looked at him and blushed before asking, "What?" and when he didn't respond, asked it again.

Then, Brendon bowed his head in a bit of embarrassment for caressing his boyfriend's head. "It's nothing," Brendon muttered out, "It's just – you're really pretty."

Peter's blush grew redder and he chuckled, "You're pretty, too."

Brendon smiled at that, reveling in the mutual feeling, reveling in how Peter thought he was beautiful and maybe an angel on earth as well. Maybe the daydreams he had were shared and returned; maybe they could have a forever.

"But really," Peter began, "I like it when you brush through my hair."

"Yeah?" Brendon asked and Peter nodded, "Okay. I bet you also like getting free coffee because of me – I know that's why Cindy keeps me as a best friend."

Peter rolled his eyes, "That is not why you're her best friend."

"I know, I know. I'm just joking. It is a perk, though," Brendon pointed out, "Helps when she's mad at me because then she doesn't get anymore free or discounted coffee."

"Oh yes, bribe your friends into stop being mad at you. Great plan," Peter sarcastically agreed.

Brendon shrugged, "It's worked every time so far, so why stop?"

"You're impossible sometimes," Peter told him but he just grinned widely.

"Oh yeah?"

Peter sat up to kiss him. As they broke away, he whispered, "Yeah."

"Then why did you kiss me?" Brendon asked him cheekily as Peter rolled his eyes and laid back down.

"Because you're cute – but not-so cute when you act like that," Peter said, giving him a pointed look.

Brendon groaned, "Ugh, you're sounding like Cindy. I think you're spending too much time with her because I know I do the same thing when she's the only person I talk to for a day – but you don't have any classes with her, do you?"

Peter's eyes went wide with alarm before he stuttered, "Uh, no. We, um, no we don't have any classes together but we hang out sometimes cause, you know, we went to high school together and everything."

Brendon raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that Peter was lying (he was terrible at it and he didn't know why the boy even tried when it was just so painstakingly obvious) but he didn't push it any further because it was also clear that Peter didn't want to tell him the truth. And it hurt, knowing that Peter was lying to him, but he had to have his own secrets and Brendon wouldn't force them out when he wasn't ready.

He wanted to ask, to keep badgering him because they were in a relationship now and he wanted to know everything about Peter, but that wasn't his place. He didn't get to choose what Peter did and didn't tell him and he didn't want to force that to become their situation. It wasn't right.

But maybe he could ask Cindy. She would tell him the truth, right? Well, maybe not. They told each other basically everything but not everything. Sometimes there were secrets and they didn't pry and maybe this was just another secret he couldn't know about yet. But that was fine; he could live with this.

So he just nodded. "Alright," he said, "Cindy just doesn't talk about you very much."

"Well, we only really started hanging out recently – not during high school," Peter lied again.

He hummed, "Cool. It's nice that my best friend and boyfriend are close – it would so suck if you guys hated each other. I don't know what I'd do with myself if that were the case."

Peter laughed, though it was more forced than anything else, but that was okay. They were moving onto a different topic and hopefully that would make everything alright between them. Maybe he would loosen up again and it would be fine and maybe he could forget about the secret and just be happy with Peter.

The boy relaxed more, glad that they were away from whatever he was trying (and failing) to hide from Brendon, and that made him happier. He didn't want Peter to feel tense with him, but he also didn't want his boyfriend to keep a secret. Prying would drive something between their very new and fragile relationship so it was better just to let him keep the secret for now. Peter would tell him later, when he was more comfortable...right?

"Right," Peter said, "I heard about what happened with Betty's internship."

"Oh, right. It's terrible, isn't it?" Brendon asked, "She loved working there and doing that and now she's scared that she won't get another chance anywhere. And it's harder now that Cindy is starting her Stark Internship and we're all talking about it and hyping her up...I just feel really bad."

Peter nodded, "I remember when she got it. She squealed so loudly that everyone stopped talking in the lunchroom and just stared at her. It was so weird to hear her like that because Betty has never squealed before or looked remotely as happy as that."

"Betty is a very scary person," Brendon nodded in agreement, "Like, I can't even picture her ever doing something like that. Then again, Cindy made me jump around in a circle with her when she was accepted."

Peter raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yep," Brendon grinned, "And I am forever going to hold that over her. She hates it, but oh well."

"Wow – really?" Peter asked, peering up at him suspiciously.

Brendon rolled his eyes, "Yes. I would never lie about that – she would kill me. And you can't tell her that I told you, she'd also kill me if she ever knew I told you about this and I'm too young to die."

Peter laughed at him causing him to pout. "Peter, don't laugh at me!" he whined.

This only caused his laughter to get louder and prolong more. "Sorry, sorry," Peter apologized once he was finished laughing, though they both knew it was very fake, "It's just – really? Are you also gonna tell me that you're too beautiful to die?"

"Well, I like to think so," Brendon said, "So, yes. I am too young and beautiful to die."

Peter giggled at him and he would adore how beautiful the sound was if they weren't in their current situation and Peter wasn't laughing at him. "Shut up, stop laughing," Brendon told him, hitting him lightly in the chest, "It isn't funny."

"Sure, sure," Peter mockingly agreed, huge grin on his face, "Not funny at all, no."

Brendon pouted, "I don't why I put up with all this abuse you give me."

"I'm sure I can remind you," is the only warning he got before Peter reached up and brought him into another soft kiss. It didn't last long but it did manage to make Brendon want to smile, though he fought it because he was still mad at Peter for laughing at him. "Better?"

"No," Brendon huffed but Peter raised an eyebrow and he crumbled, "Okay, maybe a little better but not much – stop smiling."

His attempt at commanding the boy to stop didn't work, it only managed to make Peter's smile even bigger. But as Peter's happiness made him felt – as it always eventually did – he didn't find himself too mad about the matter, and the secret keeping from before didn't seem so big anymore.