two sided | peter parker

XLVI | devotion

『de·vo·tion | noun | love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause』

HIS ARM WRAPPED AROUND HER SHOULDERS, the TV switched from scene to scene of the classic movie. It didn't dare to lag or buffer like Peter's computer or TV would back at home, his attention averting from the comparison to the girl at his side. Her hand was slowly making its way to the popcorn bucket, picking a piece.

Tossing it into her mouth, she caught Peter's eyes on her. Y/n looked up curiously, blinking as she chewed the food carefully. "The screens are up there, y'know? The movie isn't in my eyes, Peter." The girl giggled softly, raising her eyebrows and having an expression of light amusement. Peter stammered shortly. "I-I didn't mean to seem s-so locked onto y-you."

He let out a breath on the last word, still feeling his breath being taken away at the sight of her simple beauty. Even with a messy bun on her head, fuzzy flannel pants, and a shirt that referenced to Spongebob Squarepants, she was a marvelous sight in his eyes. Y/n shook her head, the side of her head brushing against his shoulder.

"It's fine, Spidey." His breath hitched at the nickname, knowing full well that he hadn't heard that in a little over a year. He held her hand, squeezing it lightly and only making her look up with concern etched all over her face. She stared at him, studying his expression and trying to understand something from it.

Now on her knees on the couch's space, her hand ghosted over his cheek. "What?" Y/n questioned, her eyebrows scrunching together as her eyes stayed locked onto his figure. Letting out another light sigh and a little giggle of his own, he averted his gaze to the floor with his legs still kicked up on the table.

He raked his hair back with his hand smoothly, the brown curls swishing back before some stray ones came around at the front again. "It's just been a while since you called me that," Peter mumbled, his thumb rubbing tiny circles over her hand in a comforting and sensitive manner. Her gaze faltered before it was replaced with acknowledgement.

"Yeah, I guess it has. Either way, it's okay, Peter. We're okay and we're all good; there's nothing for you to worry about." She eased his worries with the list of a few simple statements, the superhero beaming shortly and turning back to the movie with the girl he loved so much watching it alongside him.

Their moment was cut short, however, with Tony's entrance. His hands were set on his hips, eyebrows pressed together as he looked down at Y/n. "Y/n, we need to release all of you." The sentence didn't make any sense without any context, Peter and her both turning around to look at the male who stood defiantly behind the couch.

She scrunched her nose at that, tapping her fingers on the back of the couch. "What?" Tony shook his head with a sigh, tapping his foot to think of a way to reiterate his previous statements. Biting his lip for a second, he seemed to open his mouth and close it repeatedly, similar to a gaping fish out of water.

"I mean, we need to publicize all of you. Not you, kid, don't worry about your identity. Media already caught pictures of you, and some of Faye, Viva, and Wren leaving the tower. Apparently, Ebony isn't much of a concern since I can just say she's on a scholarship. However, they got a picture of Viva swinging around at night. Faye and Wren are probably next."

"What about me?"

"They already have evidence about you. You really think nobody was taking pictures or videos back at the battle?" He questioned, the girl falling silent before he continued. "I've tried to clear up as much as I can, but I don't think they'll take an answer unless it's brought out by the people they want to question so badly, y'know?"

Maybe it was the worst time to call, but Annaliese didn't know any better. Phone vibrating, she cocked a brow at Tony to seemingly and silently ask if her phone call had anything to do with the blow up of the media. He shook his head with a small shrug, walking away and back to the kitchen to get some snacks.

Peter carefully watched his girlfriend, sharing a look with her. Taking out her phone from her pocket, she checked it. On the phone, the contact 'Anna  ✨💛' read on the device. Pressing the green icon, Y/n responded. "Hello?" Annaliese swallowed her saliva, a choked cry prepared to leave her lips otherwise. "H-Hi, Y/n. I know we haven't talked in a while."

Y/n already knew where this dreaded conversation was headed. Due to Eden not having any family other than Faye, the funeral didn't have a set date, but the funding was fully coming from Tony out of his own love and care for the boy while he was still breathing. Charlie, on the other hand, had Anna and his parents.

How would she not be shocked? The names of the people that were involved weren't exactly 'out' yet, but there was no doubt that Anna would find out somehow. Y/n paused, letting the silence ring on Anna's end for a brief moment as she pondered over how she could possibly figure out. Ah. . . her parents, of course.

"I know what you're going to ask, Anna," Y/n's throat closed up and Peter sensed it, the boy pulling her close and letting her lean onto him for support. It was like a pillar is to a building, they're strong and reliable, but can crack when they're too weak. Closing her eyes, Y/n let out a broken whisper. "I'm sorry."

The phone call ended there and Y/n could only imagine what happened. Whatever happened, she must've let out a pained scream of some sort, as people do or she would've fallen silent. Either way, her husband was always by her side, along with the accompaniment of her two kids. It didn't make her response any easier, but it didn't make it any harder.

"They'll never leave, will they?" She broke down in tears, Tony lingering by the fridge as his head hung in both guilt and grief. Peter pulled her closer, into his arms and into a soft, warm, and comforting hug of his own. "Who's they?" She was practically sitting on his lap at this point, dried tears on her cheeks as new ones formed.

"The nightmares."