𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤

Don't Let Me Lose You Too

Parings → Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings → Grief, Angst, Protective Peter, Emotional Breakdown, Crying, Post-May Death, Hurt/Comfort.

Summary → After May's death, Peter breaks down in the lab, fearing he'll lose Reader next-and clings to her for comfort.

Peter 1 - Tom Holland

Peter 2 - Tobey Maguire

Peter 3 - Andrew Garfield

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The Midtown High science lab smelled like burnt wires and stress.

Peter 1 was hunched over a cluttered desk with trembling hands, hastily mixing chemicals while the other two Spider-Men moved in sync like they'd done this their whole lives. Peter 2 handled the Osborne's antidote while Peter 3 handled Max's antidote. MJ and Ned were nearby, triple-checking the plans.

You stood close, watching your Peter with a tight chest. His jaw was clenched, movements stiff and sharp like he was made of broken glass. He hadn't said much since the rooftop. Just nodded. Just worked. Just... existed. But you saw it-he was barely holding on.

He dropped a vial with a sharp clang, and everyone flinched. His hands were shaking now.

"Peter," you said gently.

He didn't answer. Just blinked a few times too fast and whispered, "Sorry. I'm fine."

You weren't buying it.

You stepped beside him and placed your hand on his arm. "Pete..."

His eyes met yours for a second. Then he looked around, saw the others have gone back to deep in their tasks, and without a word, he grabbed your hand and tugged you toward the corner of the room. Past the broken Bunsen burners and dust-covered lab skeleton, behind a tall storage shelf. Out of sight.

"What's wrong?" You asked, voice low, already knowing the answer.

He didn't speak.

He just wrapped his arms around you and buried his face in your shoulder.

You froze-just for a second-then held him tighter, anchoring him to you. That was when you felt it: the uneven breathing. The silent tremble in his body.

"I'm so scared," he finally whispered, his voice so cracked it barely counted as sound.

Your fingers slid up into his hair, grounding him. "Peter..."

"I-" He tried again. Swallowed. "I couldn't save her. I tried. I swear I tried. And now... now the Goblin's still out there and-what if he comes after you next?"

You leaned back slightly, cupping his jaw to make him look at you. His eyes were red, glossy, haunted.

"I can't lose you too," he said. "You're all I have left."

Your breath caught.

"I know Ned and MJ are still here, and the other Peters are helping but... you. You're different. You're mine. And I don't think I can do this if something happens to you."

You didn't speak at first. Just leaned forward and pressed your forehead to his. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't know that," he croaked. "You don't know what he'll do. He killed May like it was nothing. What if I'm not fast enough next time? What if I mess up again? What if I lose you and I have to keep living with that too?"

You cupped his face with both hands, thumbs brushing away tears as they fell. "Then don't do it alone. Let me help. Let me be here-for all of it."

"But what if I can't protect you?"

"You don't have to protect me from everything, Peter. Just let me stay with you. Let me love you, even if it's messy and terrifying and dangerous."

He gave a broken laugh that sounded more like a sob. "How are you always so calm?"

"I'm not," you said softly. "I'm scared too. But I'd rather be scared with you than safe without you."

He stared at you like you'd just handed him the last piece of his soul.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I should be helping with the cures, I should be-"

"No," you interrupted. "You should be letting yourself feel this. You're human, Peter. Even if the world keeps asking you to be a hero, you're still allowed to hurt."

He finally let his head rest against your shoulder again, holding you tighter this time. "Don't let go."

"Never," you promised, sealing it with a kiss to the top of his curls.

Somewhere behind the shelves, a beaker clinked and Andrew cursed softly about mislabeling vials. Life was still moving on, even if your world had paused in this corner of the lab.

You and Peter just stayed there a while longer, wrapped up in grief and fear and love. Because in that moment, with the multiverse cracking apart and villains plotting chaos, all Peter Parker wanted was to hold on to the one person who reminded him he still had something worth fighting for.

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