Lacuna (Spiderman X reader)

Chapter 33

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The next few weeks were consumed with work and the holiday season coming up. Even if you weren't much of a celebrator of anything, you still had to deal with the whole rest of the city falling into a strange frenzy over gifts and carols and decorations. You had almost no time to yourself, but even so, you were floating on cloud nine. You were in love with Peter, you had started a new job at Stark Industries working directly under Tony Stark himself, and you hadn't needed to do any work as Black Light since the whole exploding cargo boat incident.

And then it was two days before Christmas. Stacy was out of town, Peter was staying at your place, and he wanted you to meet his Aunt May. Apparently Christmas was a big deal in Peter's family, and Peter didn't want his Aunt May spending it alone, so you agreed to participate and go meet her, even though you'd never really celebrated the holiday growing up.

"I swear, Y/n, she's gonna love you," he called from his spot in the living room while you put the finishing touches on your appearance in the bathroom mirror. The cut from your alley-way run-in had faded into a thin, small paler-than-you line that shone when light hit it at just the right angle. Another month and it would be nearly invisible to anyone not looking for it.

"So you've said, Peter, but what if-"

"Stop stressing! She'll just be glad I'm finally bringing someone by that isn't Harry."

"Gah, fine, you're probably right." You exited the bathroom. "Ready to go?"

Peter sat up from his spot lounging on the couch, where he had just been throwing something into the air and then catching it. His hair stuck up in the back, and he grinned. "Yup."

You shrugged on your coat and watched as he did the same. "C'mere, you've got a little bit sticking up in the back-"

"Hm?" He reached back absentmindedly, a vague deer-in-headlights expression on his face.

"Wrong spot, just let me do it," you laughed, smoothing his ruffled hair down. He kissed your cheek in thanks and grabbed the paper bag of presents off the dining table, following you out the door and waiting while you locked it behind you. "And Harry said he was lending us a car?"

"Yup. He knows how expensive rates get around the holidays, so he wanted to do me a favor."

"That's pretty nice of him. Driver and all?"

Peter pulled his hand out of his pocket, beaming, and revealed a set of keys.

"I didn't know you had a license!"

"Had to get one a while back because Harry decided to do this whole thing with race cars—I'll tell you all about it on the drive." Peter pocketed the keys and took your hand, pulling you into the elevator.

Peter was a surprisingly good driver for a kid who grew up in the city. Not a single detail escaped him, he broke absolutely zero rules, and never went too fast of too slow. And he talked and teased and joked with you the whole way to his Aunt's house all the way across the city.

Aunt May still lived in Peter's childhood home, you learned on the way over. And you were surprised to see that it was an actual suburban-esque two-story house. The house was simple, the small yard and rooftop covered in snow. The front windows were lined with string lights, with paper snowflakes taped to the glass.

"I like your Aunt's decorations," you said, closing the car door behind you and adjusting the bag of presents in your arms.

"Good, because I helped put them up," Peter smiled at you over the top of the car, closing his own door. "Ready?"

"I'm ready." And you followed Peter up to the front door.

He rapped his knuckles on the door, smiling at you, and then the door swung open moments later to reveal a thin older woman, much shorter than Peter, with gray hair and wearing a white knit sweater decorated with two large wooden buttons by the neck.