Flowers in the Window || W2S

10

"What do you want to talk about?"

He shifted himself, turning onto his side so he was facing you. "You knew I was Spider-Man?"

You nodded and managed to flip your body to face him, albeit with some amount of pain. "I haven't known for long. I was going to tell you I figured it out at the charity night, but..well, we both know how that went." You paused, words running through your head but never reaching your lips, until you said, "You could have told me, you know. I get why you didn't, but I wouldn't have said anything."

"I know," he whispered. "You aren't like that. I guess..I was just trying to protect you, in a weird way. It's a big secret, and knowing how I felt about you..I didn't want you to get involved for no reason. Probably should've guessed that you'd be smart enough to work it all out."

You took a deep breath and focused on the intense feeling in your heart rather than the discomfort in your side. "I think that's the other thing we need to talk about. How do you feel about me, Harry?"

He had been staring at your bedroom ceiling, looking lost in thought. But when those words left your mouth, he twisted his head back to train those blue eyes you'd come to adore on your face. He then shuffled towards you and raised his hand, lightly brushing his fingers against your cheek.

"I told you on the steps outside the shelter," he breathed. "I told you outside that mansion. And I will tell you again, until you get the message and see it yourself. I think you're beautiful."

Your heart grew wings and fluttered as he continued. "You've been so kind to me since we started this. And I thought it was because I was popular, or because I was just this poor kid who needed help with his classes. But then I heard you around other people, heard your friends talk about you, and I realised that's just how you are. You're so sweet to everyone. And you're so brave. And intelligent. And I have felt this way about you for such a long time, but when you got shot, and you were dying, it well and truly hit me-how strong these feelings really are. I never even dreamed that feelings like this were real-never mind that they would happen to me of all peoples. And the idea of you dying fucking terrified me. You were this beautiful, wonderful thing that just walked into my life, and I almost lost you. I nearly didn't want to come here because I couldn't save you, and I thought you'd hate me. But then I thought about it again, and I convinced myself that you wouldn't hate me-you're too lovely to hold a grudge like that one."

Tears had welled up in both of your eyes. He was inhaling and exhaling loudly, short of breath after his lengthy confession.

You stifled a sob long enough to reach your hand out and set it on top of his. "The reason I figured out that you were Spider-Man is because of how good you are. How kind, how brave, how strong. It takes so much strength to be a hero like that-a real hero, the people's hero, not just some guy with powers in a flashy costume. And it just made so much sense for it to be you, because you're just like that. I think that's why I fell for you too."

That last part was admitted quietly, but he still whipped his head back around and began searching your face wildly. "Do you mean..really?"

Unexpectedly, you laughed. "How could I not?"

He stared at you for a few seconds, and you stared back, happy to be free of the weight that little secret held. And then, without any warning, he shuffled himself right up next to you and pressed his lips against yours.

Kisses like his came along very rarely. You'd only been kissed by a couple of people before, and they hadn't really made you see the appeal. But here, now, with your lips melted into Harry's, your hand on his neck to keep him with you, his hand gently settling on your waist to pull you closer, you finally understood why everyone raved about moments like these all the time. Why the romance books always had moments like this. It was perfect.