𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤

Valentines Day Nerves

Parings → Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings → High school AU, teenage crush, mutual pining, nervous confession, social anxiety, soft romance, fluff, Valentine’s Day theme, awkward humor.

Summary → Peter finally gathers courage to ask his longtime crush to be his Valentine.

          ｡･:*:･ﾟ★｡･:*:･ﾟ☆  ｡･:*:･ﾟ★

The hallway looks like it threw up pink and red.

Heart-shaped balloons are taped to lockers. Someone stuck glittery “LOVE IS IN THE AIR” posters everywhere. There’s a table near the entrance selling roses for five dollars and half the boys look like they’re about to pass out from social anxiety.

And then there’s Peter Parker.

Peter, who has been standing at his locker for a full seven minutes pretending to rearrange books he definitely arranged two minutes ago.

You’re at your own locker two doors down, talking to Liz about the history quiz, when you feel someone staring.

You glance sideways.

Peter’s staring at you.

The second your eyes meet, he snaps his head down so fast you’d think you shot him.

God.

You bite back a smile.

You’ve known he likes you since, what, last October? Maybe earlier. Ned practically combusted trying to keep it a secret. MJ flat-out told you, “He looks at you like you hung the moon. It’s gross.”

You like him too.

You’re just waiting for him to grow a spine.

Today might be the day... hopefully.

You shut your locker gently and pretend to scroll through your phone.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see him inhale.

Then exhale.

Then inhale again like he’s preparing to dive underwater.

He steps toward you.

Stops.

Steps back.

Mutters, “Okay. Okay. Just words. Humans use words.”

You look up. “Hey, Peter.”

He physically jumps.

“H-hi. Hey. Y/n. Hi.”

Smooth. So smooth.

You tilt your head. “You okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah. I mean. No. I mean yes. I’m alive. So that’s good. Usually.”

You press your lips together to stop yourself from laughing.

He’s wearing a red sweater today. Hair slightly messy like he kept running his hands through it. There’s a faint crease between his brows.

He’s nervous.

Because of you.

That alone makes your chest warm.

“Did you need something?” You ask softly.

He swallows. His fingers twitch against the strap of his backpack.

“So. Um. Today is— I mean, you know what today is. Obviously. Everyone knows what today is. It’s very aggressive today.”

You glance at the heart shaped balloon that just popped behind him. “Valentine’s Day?”