PTR Arachnid 24601

Ch 30 - New kid in town

3rd POV

The news of Peter and Gwen kissing eventually died down, but not after getting all the embarrassing and juicy details. Mr. Stark seemed very impressed, clapping him on the back and grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Natasha smiled too, but it was more of a motherly 'you're growing up' smile. Steve, in all his old fashion, told Spider to treat her well.

But Bucky... Well, Peter felt Bucky tense for a moment, then relax again. He was confused, but since Soldier looked just as happy as the rest (in his own way) he wasn't too concerned. Maybe Soldier was surprised? Or needed to shift his position? Who knows.

To Peter's dismay, there was quite the uproar when they found out Gwen knew about his alter-ego. He vowed to be extra careful now that two friends––no, one friend and a girlfriend––knew about this.

Since the situation earlier that night was dire, Peter was, thankfully, not disallowed to be Spider-Man for an added period of time. His little rescue on the bridge was technically against his 'no suit' rule, but Mr. Stark let it slide. If it weren't for him, cars would've been dropped into the river and a child's life would've been lost. He did, however, have lab privileges revoked for the remainder of that night and the next day.

"Are you okay with me getting a girlfriend?"

Bucky's eyes narrowed and he frowned. "What?"

Peter sighed as they danced around the kitchen. Gentle music hummed, but everything else was dead silent. It was far past the time people are normally awake.

"You seemed a little tense earlier. A–and I want you to be okay with this. You're my friend and I– I value your opinion, Soldier."

"You don't need my opinion to have a d– a girlfriend." Barnes shook his head. His heart clenched again in that same funny way it did when he initially heard the news. Ignore it, he told himself, pushing the troublesome possibilities from his mind.

They stopped dancing suddenly.

Peter's frowned mirrored Bucky's previous one. "Is that a no?"

"It's not a no. I'm glad–" he emphasized the word, as if Spider wasn't the only person he was trying to convince, "–you have a girlfriend. This is big, Spider. I don't think I have 'ta tell you to treat her with respect, right?"

Parker huffed a relieved laughed. "No, no. Steve already did that. Thanks."

Soldier grinned.

They danced until the man was too tired to notice his tightening chest.

The following day wasn't too eventful, aside from his training with Natasha that morning. Peter lounged around on his bed, enjoying the purring Tanya on his lap and the pale rays of the mid-November sun illuminating him. The Godfather was playing on the TV, but he was only half invested. The other half of his attention was on his phone.

Gwen was talking to him about his alter ego. It wasn't anything too deep or philosophical, as Peter thought it would be. Seemed like she wasn't getting into the heavy stuff. At least not yet. She did ask how he got his powers, so Spider had to half-lie like with Ned.

[Peter]

I was bitten by a radioactive spider.

I know it sounds dumb.

Shhhhhhhh.