Peter Parker & Tom Holland Imagines

armor heart pt. 5

It all feels so strange. Days pass by full of laughter, training, and tender moments with Tom as I learn how to be someone worth loving again. Before I even realize it, we've spent three weeks here at the monastery, which marks a little over two months of my time with Tom done, and I don't know what to feel about it except nervous and scared.

I push those thoughts to the side as I go back to what I was doing—study the would-be assassin's knife and the symbols etched into the blade and handle. Something about them is familiar in a way I can't quite place.

The fire crackles in front of me as I turn the dagger over and over again as if that will remind me where I first saw it. It also helps distract me from dwelling on what's going to happen when Tom and I finally make it back to the capitol.

"You alright, love?" I jump at the voice, but quickly relax when I realize it's Tom. A blush rises on my cheeks at the nickname, and it only increases as he presses a kiss to my cheek. "I thought you'd be asleep by now Especially since we have a long day of traveling ahead of us.

At least, I assume we do, but it doesn't explain why you're still awake and staring at that." He says as he gives me that look he gets whenever I try to bring up that night or anything to do with returning. Not that I can blame him. I don't want to think about how in less than two days we'll be back to the cold confines of the capital.

"Don't give me that look, please. I know you don't want to talk or even think about it, but just because we're here or you're about to take your seat, it doesn't mean we're safe. All it means is they haven't found us yet, but that's all going to change when we leave." Tom sighs and flexes his jaw as he looks away. I take a deep breath and put my hand on his cheek to turn him back towards me. "I know you don't wanna talk about it, but we have to at some point. We can't just pretend we're going to stay here forever."

He presses a gently kiss to my palm and chuckles bitterly. "Can't we pretend for a little while longer?"

"I wish we could, but we don't have much longer." The words make tears build in my eyes at the thought of what could happen we go back. "I don't wanna lose you."

"Hey, hey," Tom whispers as he pulls me into his lap and rubs calming shapes in my back, "you're not gonna lose me if I can help it. I know we're fairly early in this relationship, but I'm gonna say it. I love you, Y/N, have for a while now, and if you'll have me, I want to be in your life for good."

"It's not that easy though, especially when you take your seat on the council." I whisper back to him and look up into the brown eyes I fell in love with. "I love you too, but it doesn't change the laws against me. Legally I'm not allowed anything, no marriage, no property, nothing."

"Then I'll change the laws." He replies with all serious and sincerity. "Please, don't give up on us now. I promise, I'll protect you. Not to mention, my best friend will be a council member too, which means we'll have an ally."

"We'll still be gravely outnumbered by our enemies." I sigh and look back at the knife. "Some of which I fear are already working against us."

"What do you mean?" He asks as he lets me up.

"I mean, after I told you everything, it started bringing it all back. I began to remember things I didn't even realize. One of them was the symbol on that blade." I pick up the dagger and spin it in my hand. "That's why I've been in here. I wanted to see if there was any clue as to what it was or where I could have seen it."

"And?" Tom asks brows pulled together in concern as I pass him a page I copied from one of the monetary's books. "Is this—?"

"The symbol of the Melenti, who are supposed to be nothing but myth? Yes. It took a lot of research to dig up that, but I found another document in the archives about their beliefs. They" I twist the fabric of my blouse in my fingers as the words get caught in my throat. "They used to kill children who didn't show promises of strong magic. These people were monsters who believed in powerful magic, bloodlines, and the eradication of anything that didn't align with the two."