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“I’m in love with you, Ned. No, no, let try this again with less desperation, Peter. Okay?”
He clears his throat, “I’m in love with you, Ned.” He makes a face at himself through the mirror.
“I can’t believe you have resorted to practicing in the mirror,” he jabs at his reflection, “In your head is one thing, but now talking to yourself? What are you doing?”
He buries his head in his hands and lets out a muted scream in frustration.
“Peter, hon, you okay?” May yells from the living room. “Bathroom treating you alright?”
“Yeah, Aunt May, I’m just fine!” He yells back; he was not fine. “I’m going to school now!” He bursts out of the bathroom. “See you later, May,” He says while passing her on the way out.
Tony gets a call at 7 o’clock in the morning.
________
“May! Nice of you to invite me over.” Tony says in lieu of a greeting when May’s face pops out her door. Before he can do anything else, she drags him by the shoulders into her apartment and quickly shuts the door behind them.
“Alright, shush shush,” she enunciates when Tony tries to interrupt. “You might think I’m crazy but I think Peter has a serious, huge, massive crush on his best friend.” Her eyes have a bit of a crazed look in them.
“What.“
“I mean, I’m not even sure if they’re already together and just afraid to tell me. But I’m pretty sure he’s still pining and I want you to help me get them together.”
His ass is met by the couch.
“Well, what are we gonna do then, huh?” He spits out the first idea that comes to his mind. “Push them into a closet and not let them out until they kiss or something?” He says.
“That...is a terrible idea. Why would we do that?”
“It gets results. How do you think some of the Avengers got together?”
“They confessed to each other like normal people?”
“Well we aren’t normal people.” he says normal with air quotes.
“Yeah, yeah I can see that.”
________
“Mr. Parker, late again I see.” The teacher said when he walked through the door and giving him a stern look. “Sit down.”
He quickly retreats to his seat, tripping on a backpack, before getting to Ned. After settling in he whispers to him, “Hey, what I’d miss?”
“No talking!” The teacher scolds.
Ned looks at him, shrugs, and points to his binder. Take notes, he mouths slowly.
So he takes out his pen and opens up his binder only to have the teacher erase the notes and tell them they’re watching a video. He puts up his binder and pen.
The bell rings.
________
The school’s hallway was empty and silent except for his echoing steps. He rushed down the hall to get to his teacher’s classroom to make up for the work he missed for every time he ditched them due to his spidey senses. He had to make it if he wanted to pass that class.
He turned down a corner, then suddenly, something collided with his torso pushing him through the open door of a janitor’s closet. The ground greeted him and some mops had decided to fall down on him to. He got up quickly and tried turning the handle. No luck.
“Hey! Let me out!” He yelled at the closed door while banging at it.
“Peter?” A voice came from behind him. He knew that voice.
“Ned? What are you doing here?”
Ned was sat in the corner of the closet with his hands on his knees.
“Uh, I kind of just woke up here.” He explains. “I think my bag is just outside. I heard my phone ring a few times.”
Peter recalls seeing a familiar lonesome backpack lying on the floor. He settles down next to him.
“So, we’re stuck in here.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
________
“You know, I think I’ve read some books with this kinda situation before.” Ned said after a comfortable silence had fallen over them.
“Oh yeah? Is getting locked in a closet that common?” Peter said sarcastically.
“In fiction, probably. They were mostly in there because their friends locked them in.”
“Why would they lock them in?”
“Well, they kinda just wanted them to kiss, to admit their love for each other.”
“They did?” Peter asked.
“I guess they just got tired of them pining and wanted to get the plot moving, you know?”
“Do you think Michelle locked us in here?”
“I mean, she would probably have to drug me since I woke up here,” He cocks an eyebrow, “and is she stronger than Spiderman? There’s possibly no way she did it.”
It goes quiet again.
Come on, come on, Peter. You can do this, just say the words. Just ask him.
Peter glanced up from his shoes, “Do you love me?”
“Yeah.”
“Like as not friends?” There was a hitch in his voice.
“Yeah, I guess so.” They don’t meet each other’s eyes and the stretch of silence seems to go on for too long.
“I guess I love you too, as-as not friends.” He adds quickly.
“Really?” Ned perks up.
“Yeah.” Peter answers.
“So, is this the part where we kiss?”
“Uhm, can I? Can I kiss you?”
“Yes.” Ned says. It’s a breathless whisper.
He moves in close to the side of Ned’s face. His cheek is warm against his lips and the hands he’s holding are shaking a little. He can tell that there is some disappointment showing on the other’s face.
“Hey.”
Peter lets go of his hands to cup his neck. His shirt wrinkles as Ned draws his fist tight in them. His eyes close and his mouth parts. They inch closer together until their lips meet. He didn’t expect it to be so warm and feel so right.
It’s just two bros sitting in a janitor’s closet, kissing softly because they got locked in it.
When they part, Peter can’t see Ned’s flamed face but he can tell by the way he looks down and shuffles his feet. They have to take a few breaths before Ned speaks.
“So, are we like together together now? What’s our ship name gonna be? Like Neter? Peeds?”
He coughs to clear his throat and tries not to sound too rough.
“Ned, it’s obviously Spider Chair.” Peter says endearingly. It’s like he’s already put some thought into it.
They both jump when they hear the door unlock.