TASM Peter Parker Imagines

Hopeful

Peter Parker is staring. Again. He's been trying to stop doing this, but it just isn't working. How can he, after all, when the prettiest girl in the known universe is in his science class?

Peter thinks he's managed to keep his staring on the down low, but he's barely hazarded his third quick glance Y/N's way before being reprimanded with a sharp poke to his shoulder.

Rubbing his arm, Peter looks to his side so he can properly face his attacker. "What was that for?"

Gwen Stacy, his best friend and possibly the only person capable of saving him from engaging in egregious social faux pas such as the one he's likely doing now, merely widens her eyes at him.

"You're being creepy again. Just ask her out already, you weirdo."

Peter's heart slams to a stop in his chest, and he frantically looks around the room to make sure nobody overheard. "Go ahead and shout that as loud as you can, why don't you?"

Gwen rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on. It's not like anyone's paying attention anyways. They're all too busy trying not to fail or fall asleep."

This is true, he can admit that. Belatedly, he realizes that he failed to deny a crucial part of Gwen's earlier statement, and Peter hurries to correct himself now.

"Also, I don't like Y/N like that. I wouldn't ask her on a date because I don't feel the need to go on a date with her."

Gwen actually laughs. "Yeah, right. You're more interested in her than your base polymer notes, which is saying something."

Peter pokes her in the shoulder for revenge. "Rude. Maybe I'm just bored and looking around the room for some sort of entertainment."

"Or," Gwen offers unhelpfully, "you have a really, really big crush on Y/N L/N and you can't stop staring at her because you have the repressed emotions of a cloistered nun."

Peter narrows his eyes at her. "Aren't you supposed to be my friend? You know, supporting me instead of calling me a cloistered nun?"

Gwen shrugs. "I think I can do what I want. I would always support you, though, especially if you chose to do something about your crush instead of just peering at her from over your notes."

Peter starts to respond to that, but his science teacher finally wakes up enough to start passing out papers and announces that they'll be doing a partner lab. Peter turns to Gwen as per usual, expecting that they'll be doing this together because that's what they always do, but she just shakes her head. A vindictive light comes to life behind her eyes, which can only spell trouble for Peter.

"Tell you what," Gwen speculates, "I'm going to work with my friend Miles. You can work with Y/N if you need a partner, which I know you do."

Peter stares at her in abject horror, but his friend seems unwilling to change her mind and spare him from this torment, so Peter gathers his strength up about him like a shield and goes to talk to Y/N.

He starts off well, walking over confidently, but the second she turns to look at him expectantly Peter just shuts down. How did he think he could do this, anyway? This is Y/N, new British transfer student Y/N who came to Midtown just a couple of weeks ago and has managed to completely snatch his heart away in that time. She makes friends with an ease that astounds him, her science grades rival his own, she's practically everything Peter could ever ask for. And he's, what, supposed to ask her if they want to be partners? It sounds dorky even to him.

However, he's come too far to back down now. Peter clears his throat awkwardly. "Uh, I was wondering if you wanted to work together for the lab."

Solid. Not the worst he could have done, but also not the best. Y/N considers him for a moment, then breaks out into a dazzling smile.