PETER 🕷

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"PETER, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS!" [y/n] yelled, running down the hallway, "Tony Stark just funded my entire experiment!"

I wasn't sure what I was expecting to hear when I walked into school, but it surely wasn't this. Usually it was a snide comment from Flash, or a juicy story from Ned, but it wasn't in my day-to-day routine to see a pretty girl bolting at me with supersonic speed.

Not that it was a bad thing.

"Sorry, can you repeat that?" I stammered, swiftly dodging someone's swinging arm.

[y/n] came to a screeching stop in front of me. "Tony Stark."

"Tony Stark?"

"He's funding YANA, Peter, my entire project!"

That was a ringing in my ears, and I couldn't tell whether or not I was daydreaming or not. When Mr. Stark said he was going to fix this 'problem' of mine, I thought he was just going to give me emotional support. I didn't think he'd fund her entire science project. Which was great! I think.

"Oh," I said hesitantly, "did he now?"

"Yeah, it was really weird, actually," the girl rambled, beginning to walk with me down the hallway, "I was heading home after my experiment, and then I walked through my front door, and he's sitting on my couch talking to my mother."

There was something very familiar about this story.

"And then he said he heard about my project from his colleague," she continued, "and thought it was—and I quote—'the breakthrough of a generation', and wanted to fund the entire thing!"

"Mhmm," I nodded, "is that so?"

"So I signed this really weird but legit contract, and it said I could use Stark Laboratories as a place to complete my experiments."

"Okay..."

I was thoroughly confused. When Mr. Stark said he was going to help, I thought he was going to help me. Specifically to get the girl. I didn't mean for him to help her (which is great and all), but I'm not sure how this is going to help get her to fall in love with the real me.

"But here's the weird part," she said, coming to a stop in front of her locker, "he said I needed a chaperone."

I blinked. "A chaperone?"

"Yeah, and apparently they could be a friend," she said, "so I know this is a lot to ask, but I wanted to know if you could be that friend for me."

I blinked again. "Me?"

"Yeah, you."

"Why?"

"Because you like science too, and I thought it would be fun," she smiled, before cutting herself off, "if that's alright with you."

Oh, Mr. Stark, you brilliant mastermind.

I don't know why I doubted him for a second! Okay, maybe I was actually doubting myself, but still. Was this manipulation? No, no, of course it isn't. It's just a push in the right direction.

"Yeah, uh, cool," I nodded, "I'd love to."

Her arms were wrapped around me before I could finish my sentence, pulling me into the tightest hug I'd ever received in a long while. It was nice. I didn't realize this whole thing would make her so happy, but that was good, because that was the plan.

"You're the best," she said, ruffling her hand through my hair, "Delmar's after school?"

I grinned sheepishly. "Yeah."

"See you then, Mr. Chaperone!"

She ran off down the hallway with giggled laughter slipping through the crowd of teenagers off to their next class. Did that really just happen? I haven't even made it to homeroom, and yet I learned that Mr. Stark funded her project, invited her to Stark Tower, somehow convinced her into asking me to go with her, and gave me a very comforting hug.

Pull yourself together, Peter, you can do this.

I can do this.

I CAN'T DO THIS.

Asking her out on one date (which she doesn't think is a date, to be specific) was hard enough, and now I actually have to go on a million other dates (that aren't really dates) with her after. How am I supposed to survive? It's not her fault in the slightest, she's just really pretty, my soulmate, unbeknownst to the fact that I am her soulmate, and I'm going to be chaperoning her around Stark Tower!

She doesn't know I've been to Stark Tower, and everyone that did know thinks I lost the Stark Internship. Don't ask me how they found out. It was Flash, probably.

Why am I thinking so fast?

I'm literally thinking at the speed of light.

Okay, okay, okay Peter, just calm down. Don't screw it up. Just don't.

ıllıllııllıllı

I'M NOT SCREWING UP TOO BAD.

Okay, well that's a brief summary of events, but I swear the world isn't ending right now. I waited for her outside of the school gates, and when she came running up to me, I was trampled into another hug.

"Pete!" She said, arms wrapped around me, "hi!"

She looked surprised when I didn't topple over, but dismissed the thought out of her mind. Reminder to self: topple over when she hurls herself at you, because you're not supposed to be strong and beefy (heh, beefy, that's a funny word).

"Hey," I said, a laugh escaping my lips.

She grinned. "Can I call you Pete?"

"You just did."

"Yeah, but can I?" She asked, "I just want to make sure it's comfortable for you first."

I blinked, not sure how to approach this. Was this a test? No, you dumb idiot, why would it be a test? Just say you don't mind, for God's sake.

"I don't mind," I blurted out.

She smiled again. "Awesome, Pete."

She began to walk down the pathway and I briskly followed after her, my mind already racing. Was nicknaming a relationship step? Did it mean you were more than friends, or just good friends? How do you tell? What is a relationship.....help. I'll panic about that later.

On the way to Delmars, [y/n] explained that she'd usually stop by whenever she was on her way to a science extracurricular. She stopped attending once she focused on YANA, so she hadn't been in Queens for a while.

But Mr. Delmar recognized her immediately.

"Hey!" He exclaimed when she walked in, "my favourite scientist!"

I felt like I had been stabbed in the chest. Note to self: confront Mr. Delmar about that, because I thought I was his favourite scientist. I'm being replaced. R.I.P Peter, you used to be cool.

"What's up?" [y/n] grinned, sliding in front of the counter. She gestured at me, "sorry I haven't been in a while."

The man laughed. "No worries, what'll it be?"

"Number Seven, no pickles," she listed off briskly, "and please don't squish it down flat, I like my sandwiches—"

"—fat and fluffy," Mr. Delmar laughed, "I remember."

No one seemed to notice or remember my presence as they resumed a conversation about lost time, so I decided to awkwardly walk around the shop. I'd order a sandwich later, I just didn't want to interrupt their conversation.

But as I turned the corner to the candy aisle, something was said that made [y/n] laugh. I didn't hear the joke, but her laughter sounded so pretty I didn't notice I was still walking, and I whacked straight into something.

I went tumbling over a Hershey Chocolate bar stand, face-planting on the floor with a loud crash.

Ouch.

"Peter?" [y/n] exclaimed, rushing over towards me, "what happened?"

I decided to let myself die there. "Nothing."

"Are you hurt?"

"Emotionally, yes."

She chuckled, grabbing my hand and hoisting me back to my feet. I'd caused a terrible commotion, and now everyone in the shop was looking at me like I committed a crime. Embarrassing.

"I'll just wait outside," I mumbled, trudging to the door.

When she started to follow after me, I gave her a confused look, but she held up a plastic bag in her hand.

"I've already got my Sandwich," she grinned.

I nodded awkwardly, hurrying myself out of the shop before someone could notice me. I was still in shock that Mr. Delmar completely didn't realize I was there. Well, I'm sure he realized it when he saw me scampering away after completely wrecking my reputation. Stupid Hershey bars.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, pacing down the pavement, "that looked like a bad fall."

I grinned sheepishly. "I'm fine."

"Good, I can't have you dying on me, Pete," she laughed, "I need you with me to go to Stark Tower."

I really liked her laugh, I decided then and there. I guess it wasn't anything pertaining to the sound of it, but because it just belonged to her. Must be a soulmate thing, hm? You start to find everything about them perfect once you find them.

I wonder if she'd find me perfect.

No, that sounds egotistical.

But still, I have to get her to like me for me first. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it, but now that Mr. Stark has graced me with the opportunity to accompany her to the Tower, maybe I could swoon her at some point.

But that meant I had to pull some tricks up my sleeve.