Spider-Man Imagines I

And Also, I Like You | Ned Leeds

Ned couldn't help but stare at you from across the room in detention. He couldn't help but admire the way you looked, even though you were bored and pouty. How he had managed to get such a pretty girl to be his best friend, he wasn't sure.

Your eyes shifted from the TV screen where Captain America was lecturing them to Ned, who didn't have time to be embarrassed by how he got caught staring. You stuck your tongue out at him, making him grin.

He looked at the clock. Ten more minutes of this.

It was his fault you got detention, too. It was supposed to be a friendly prank on Peter, just the stuffing of twenty or more sandwich wrappers in his locker, since he never cleaned up after himself and you and Ned had collected many of them off your bedroom floors, your parents' cars, and on your coffee tables.

The kid ate way too many sandwiches from Delmar's, and since he never cleaned up his mess, it was time to get him back.

Ned agreed that, if you did all of the work, he would he a lookout. Of course, he screwed up, getting distracted by your face that was twisted up all in concentration as you broke into Peter's locker, the hall quiet because everyone was in class. He looked away for three seconds and the principal was behind them, scolding them for breaking into another student's locker, ignoring their tries at explanations.

But you weren't really mad at him. He was your best friend, and this was another memory you'd cherish in the long run. For now, you could stick with being a little annoyed that you weren't stuffing your face with a pizza sub and watching Wonder Woman with Ned and Peter as originally planned.

Finally, after ten long minutes, you and Ned were free to go. He came up to you as you gathered your stuff silently.

"Dude, I'm sorry," he said.

"Are you?" you asked playfully.

"Yes! Please don't try and get me back. I don't think I can handle another hour in this room with Captain America spewing nonsense at us."

You giggled, shifting your books in your arms. "Well, Ned," you said, "who said anything about me getting you back by sending me to detention?"

He groaned, shoulders slumping. "___," he whined.

You shrugged. "Sorry, Ned, but I'll be getting you back. You made me miss Wonder Woman, which you know is punishable by, like, death."

He couldn't help but laugh. "How about I buy you a milkshake instead?"

"Okay," you agree. "But I need you to take me to see the lights at the park, too."

"What?"

"The lights at the park," you repeated. "C'mon, no one will take me and I really want to see them."

His mind was screaming yes. His brain was thinking of how the seeing the lights was a typical first date, of how it had a romantic atmosphere, of how it would be the perfect opportunity to tell you how he felt.

"Okay," he said quickly.

You raised your eyebrows. "Okay?"

"I'll take you," he said.

"Just that easy, huh?" you asked.

He shrugged. "I-I don't know, the lights seem cool."

"Okay, good," you said. "So you promised me a milkshake?"

"I did." He nodded towards the door. "C'mon, we'll get some dinner, too."

Of course Ned wanted this to be a date. Of course he wanted to say it causally in the midst of your conversation, over the baskets of steakburgers and fries and glasses of chocolate milkshakes, but he was scared, because in that old, cliche way, he didn't want to lose a friend. And life would be seriously awkward if you didn't feel the same. You would have to have joint custody of Peter, and Peter would probably have a mental breakdown at that kind of stress.

So he stuck with conversations of the new Star Wars movie, how Justice League coukd have done better (but really couldn't because what could ever beat Wonder Woman), and school. He laughed when you poked fun at Flash and you laughed when he picked up a ketchup bottle and pretended to shoot you with it, quoting the famous, Han shot first.

And then it was late and he walked you out, silently turning into the direction of the park, where the lights could already be seen.

You looked so excited, walking with your hands balled up at your sides, your snow colored mittens matching the flurries falling around you. You grinned at Ned as he placed a couple of dollar bills in the donation spot. Then he walked beside you, his arm brushing yours, his beanie hat pulled all the way down to his ears.

"Oh, look the snowflake lights in the trees!" you cried, pointing your mitten in the direction of the large bare trees. Each was wrapped in strands of shimmering purple lights, large lit up snowflakes on giant branches. "That's such a cute idea."

"Yeah," he said, but mostly to agree with you. He pointed to the light up Santa that waved. "That's cool."

"Santa is overrated," you declared.

He fake scoffed. "Wow, someone is so gonna be on the naughty list this year."

You laughed, head tilted back. He grinned at you, watched the snow melt against your skin and stick in your hair, like powdered sugar or flour.

His heart was in his throat.

"Hey, ___? I need to tell you something," he said.

"What is it?"

"You have snow in your hair and it's pretty," he blurted.

You snickered. "O-kay? Thank you - Ned, are you okay?"

"Fine! Fine," he said. "Except... no. And also, I like you. I like you a lot, okay, and I want to be your boyfriend but I'm afraid that if I ask, you'll say no and we'll have to share custody of Peter and that would suck because if I can't see The Last Jedi with you, I don't want to see it with anybody-"

"Wait, wait, wait," you said, putting a hand to his lips. "Share custody of Peter? Ned, you do realize Peter is May's, not ours, right? And also, I could never stop liking you. What's not to like? You're cute and funny and you bought me a milkshake, plus you're the best person to talk Star Wars with." You dropped your hand and shoved it in your pocket. "Ned Leeds, ask me to be your girlfriend. Do it."

"Okay," he said slowly, "___, I really like you. Can you please be my girlfriend?"

You shrugged. "Eh."

His heart sank before he saw the teasing grin on your face. "Hey!"

"That's for getting me in trouble, Ned!" you said. "But yes, I'll be your girlfriend." You stepped closer to him and looked your arm with his. "We can be like Han and Leia and Padme and Anakin all combined - it'll be great."

He smiled. "I promise I won't turn to the Dark side and kill you."

"And I promise I won't have a son that will kill you," you laughed.

"Then I think we'll be perfect," he said.

You nodded, leaning in to plant a soft kiss against his full lips. "Absolutely perfect," you agreed.