Peter Parker X Reader || One-Shots

43. Second Choice

I've got another chapter up, just for you lovely people. I'm going to try and use a second person p.o.v for this one! Let me know how you feel about it! Enjoy! :)

— — —

You took your seat at the back of the classroom, watching as Peter and Michelle laugh at yet another inside joke. They've had many of those for the last couple months. If you hear the phrase, "You just had to be there," again.. Well, let's say things might get a little chaotic.

The amount of time that Peter and Michelle had been spending with one another was ridiculous at this point. Ever since they got back from the trip in Europe, you couldn't help but notice their sudden closeness. Ned swears that nothing happened on that trip, but you were struggling to believe that.

It has been at least three months since you've last had a night out alone with Peter. It seems that he's always busy with Michelle or Ned. How are you supposed to believe that this is all perfectly normal behavior for a couple?

The two of them just seem to work so well together, in and out of school. They bounce off each other's humor so easily now. It left you wondering just how long you had been blind to their friendship. It must have been going on before they'd even left for the trip.

— — —

The bell rang and you stood up quickly, hoping to catch Peter before he left without you. It's become a common occurrence- one that he denies and swears is just purely accidental. It's definitely not because he's too busy walking with Michelle, his girl friend.

"Peter! Hey- wait up!" You fell into an awkward step beside him, out of sync with their footsteps.

"Oh, sorry, (Y/n)." He grinned and bumped your shoulder. It felt depressingly platonic. "I got side-tracked talking with MJ."

Michelle just looked at you with a blank face, not a single spark of emotion anywhere. It was clear she was completely indifferent to you, which was worse than her disliking you. She must think you didn't pose a threat to her thing with Peter.

Well, she was wrong.

"That's perfectly okay! I totally understand!"

You tried to sound as upbeat and energetic as possible. The more happiness you have, the more happiness Peter has. And, if you're both happy, that means Michelle has no way of coming in and wrecking things for the two of you.

"So, I was wondering, Peter." He looked at you as you picked a stray hair from off your shirt. "Are you busy tonight? We haven't gone on a proper date in a while, and I was hoping we could. You know, since it's-"

"Oh, I can't tonight. I'm so sorry, (Y/n)." He had a look of pity on his face as if you were some random person asking their crush out. "I made plans with MJ already and it has to be today. Can we do it another day, maybe?"

Another day. Sure. You could always wait another three months for an opening in his oh-so-busy schedule.

"Another day? Peter, can't you guys just hang out some other time instead?"

"No, we can't. Like I said, it has to be tonight. I'm sorry, (Y/n). We can do whatever it is you're wanting to do tomorrow, okay?"

"You know, I think I'm good. Never mind."

You stormed off and left the two of them behind, ignoring the looks that they were surely giving each other. Enough was enough, you thought. If Peter was going to continue choosing another girl over you, then he could just have her without the choice.

   — — —

It was well past midnight when a knock came from outside of your window. Peter was in his suit, but his mask was off and in his hand. Of course. You somehow knew that you would be pushed to the back of his to-do for the day, sitting behind Michelle and patrol and what ever else he decided to do before seeing you.

"(Y/n), please open the window." His voice was muffled from behind the glass, but the exasperation was still clear. "Can we just talk, please?"

You turned further away from the window and raised the volume on your music, hoping to drown out the sound of him. He couldn't risk getting louder or he'd be caught.

"(Y/n)."

You whipped around quickly to find your window open and Peter standing in front of it, visibly annoyed.

   "Did you- The window-"

   It was at that very moment, seeing Peter so annoyed at you as if you were in the wrong, that you realized just how angry you actually were.

   "Who do you think you are coming in through my window at twelve in the morning? What is wrong with you?"

   Peter took a step back, suddenly looking unsure of everything. "You wouldn't talk to me. What was I supposed to do? Earlier at school, you just stomped off and left."

   "Because I was upset with you. We literally haven't gone on a date in months, much less hang out alone as a couple. Then I ask, and you choose to hang out with someone else!"

   You were hoping in the back of your mind that Peter would take the bait and bring up Michelle for you. If you said her name, he would just play the jealousy card and forget about everything else.

   "Well, I'm sorry about that. I have a lot of things on my plate and I've said that you need to give me more notice when you want to hang out!"

   He didn't take it, of course. It's like he knows just as much as you do that it's an issue.

   "I give you plenty of notice," you say, moving past the unspoken issue. "And, even then, you'll leave early or just not show up at all!"

   Peter let out a scoff as he rolled his eyes. "You're really bringing that up? I said I was sorry, (Y/n)."

   "It was my birthday party! My parents were excited to meet you!"

   "I already said that I was sorry for that. I don't get why you're still trying to bring that up."

   A frustrated cry forced its way out of you and your hands flew to your face, covering your eyes. This was all just becoming too overwhelming and stressful, and you could feel the exhaustion setting in. You were just bringing up anything you could, but he will always have something to say back.

   "I can't do this." You let your hands fall a little so you could blink, but they stayed up as they caught your tears. "I can't do this relationship anymore."

   "What? You're- No, don't do that." You couldn't see him, but you knew his face was no longer painted with annoyance. "(Y/n), don't say that. This is just a fight. If you'll talk to me, we can work this out!"

   You shook your head as more tears fell and ran down your arms. "I don't want this anymore. Please just leave, Peter."

   "(Y/n), no. We can- we can make this work." His voice rose a little in desperation and the sound of holding back tears began to grow. "Please, don't."

   You wiped your face with your sleeves and tried to look him in the eyes. "I asked you to leave, Peter."

   "You're breaking up with me like that? In the middle of a fight?"

   You knew it wasn't the smartest choice, but everything had blown up and escalated so quickly. What else were you supposed to do?

   "Fine. If you want me to leave, I'll leave." He turned and slipped through the window without a sound. "I guess if you want to actually work this out, just let me know."

   Peter left quickly after that, pulling his mask off and swinging off the fire escape. You immediately broke down and fell onto your bed. Peter and you were no longer together. You weren't sure what that meant for everything, but at least you wouldn't be the second choice anymore.