Spider-Man Imagines I

Tightrope (Part One) | Peter Parker [TH]

"Ned Leeds, if you really think that The Last Jedi didn't royally screw up the way the sequel trilogy will end, you're insane!"

Peter laughed, head tilted up towards you as you sat with one knee on the seat and leaned over the back. Ned sat behind you, a Star Wars book in his hands. He snapped it shut and sighed.

"Okay, I'm not saying it didn't," he said, "I'm just saying it didn't screw it up that much."

"It totally did," you said.

"It... took a different path," he argued.

"It killed Luke Skywalker," you replied coldly.

"Yeah," Ned said, nodding. "Yeah. That sucked."

"Peter, tell him that he's crazy," you said, elbowing him.

He held up his hands. "No offense, ___, but I don't want to get involved in this."

You groaned. "Of course you don't. But I'm right!"

Peter laughed again.

He loved days like this. Days where it was just him and his two best friends on a bus, heading to some competition. He liked sitting with you, his long time best friend (and the girl he was slowly falling for) and talking with you the entire way.

He liked hearing your debates with Ned about sci-fi movies, because you were such a giant nerd, but it was cute, because you were so passionate over silly things-

But he could never enjoy simple, normal things for long.

As you were just beginning to launch into the rant of how Captain Phasma deserved better, the hair on Peter's arms stood up and his skin was prickled by invisible needles. He stiffened and went cold, then turned to look out the window.

A ring was floating in midair. He raised in his seat, furrowing his eyebrows, unable to shake the buzzing in his head. Then, with a shout from Flash Thompson in the back, everyone else noticed, stood up, and watched.

And then the bus lurched to a sudden stop and skidded across the highway. Everything moved in slow motion, and Peter was aware of every movement around him. Flash's face hitting the window. Michelle grabbing Ned. The bus driver busting his lip on the steering wheel. Everyone screamed and slipped out of their seats. The bus tipped on two wheels, Peter sliding towards the end.

He saw you slipping right off and falling towards the windows and grabbed your hand tight. He hooked five fingers on the seat in front of him and pulled you forward, wrapping one arm around you as the bus leaned back harshly. Windows shattered on impact and glass rained down on everyone.

As everyone fought to catch their breaths, Peter looked out the now cracked window. He could see people spilling out of buildings and cars and into the streets. The bus was parked diagonally across two lanes on the highway; part of a pile up twenty feet away.

"W-What is it?" you asked, voice muffled by his t-shirt. "What's happening out there?"

He looked down at you and suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to keep you safe. He clutched you tighter for a moment, unable to shake the feeling of danger. Something bad was happening. He let you go and stood up, sliding his way out of the seat, his hands on your shoulders.

"Stay here, okay?" he gasped. "Stay right here." He held a hand up before racing down the aisle, carefully stepping over shards of glass and backpacks that had fallen between the seats.

"Peter, where are you going?" you shouted, standing up. "Pete, don't-!"

He knew that you knew he was Spider-Man - he knew that you knew he needed to keep people safe. He also knew that you disagreed with it and worried about him, more than Ned did. You didn't think it was cool. You thought it was dangerous.

He thought it was dangerous for you. He worried for you because of your involvement with him (more than he worried about Ned).

He pushed the bus doors open and staggered down the steps, missing the middle steps, tripping as his foot hit the pavement. He landed on his hands and pushed himself up, ignoring the scrapes on his palms that would heal in a matter of minutes.

The sky was in chaos, and the streets were covered with panicked citizens. He wondered if Happy or Mr. Stark were trying to get a hold of him.

"Peter!" he heard, and he turned his head at the same time two hands landed on his bicep.

"I told you to stay on the bus," he half shouted, but he wasn't angry. He was scared.

You were crying, hand on your mouth, other hand on his arm. "What's happening?" you asked.

He shook his head.

Ned walked off the bus, too, phone in hand. "I can't get a hold of my mom," he said, voice strained.

"What is it?" you asked.

He shook his head again.

"Pete - you have to go." Ned gulped.

You turned your head and gaped. "No!"

"I know," he said. "I know." He looked down at you now, heart squeezing at the sight of your red, watery eyes. "I have to, ___."

"Peter," you whispered.

He turned to you and placed his hands on your upper arms. He squeezed you, forcing a small smile for one brief moment, and then shook his head. "___, I know this is scary. I know. But I have to do this, because I'm one of the only ones that can help these people."

"No," you breathed. "I can't... I can't."

"You can," he assured you. "You are so brave, ___. If anyone can handle this, it's you. And you and Ned are going to go home with your families and get somewhere safe, and everything is going to be okay."

"What about you?"

He gave you a short, serious nod. "I'll be okay."

"You have to promise me, Pete," you said. "You have to promise you'll be okay and you'll come back to me." You were sobbing now, and he had never seen you like this. "You mean so much to me, okay? You have to promise me-"

"I promise," he blurted, nodding. He glanced back up at the sky, then back down, and looked at Ned. "I have to go. Make sure she gets home."

"Pete-" you began, but he was already pulling away and running off. "Pete!"

"Keep Aunt May safe, and tell her I love her," he shouted.

"Peter Parker, don't!"

He kept going, not having time to wonder what you were going to say.