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Peter didn’t realize how often he reached out to touch Miles in various ways until he noticed the kid… flinching? Yes, he was definitely flinching. Only for a second, but once Peter noticed it he couldn’t not notice it.
Returning to his own dimension was a confusing relief, but he couldn’t say he wasn’t glad that Gwen managed to figure out a way to travel between them safely. All of them had grown on him more than he’d realized, but especially Miles. Other than having been terrified the kid would die during their mission, Peter soon discovered the knot in his stomach had a lot to do with Miles suddenly being alone. Once he could go back to help him figure this all out he felt better.
“Couldn’t let you have all the fun by yourself,” he said when Miles flew toward him into his embrace, the two of them laughing. “I hope you’ve not gotten into too much trouble while we were away.”
“Well,” he mumbled into Peter’s chest.
“Really?” Peter pulled away. “Already?”
Miles was grinning. “It’s not Spidey related, don’t worry.”
“Spidey related.” Peter barked out a laugh. “I’m stealing that.”
“I’ve trademarked it.”
Peter ruffled his hair, not noticing then how Miles almost took a step away before contact was made.
He withdrew his hand quicker than he meant to this time, several weeks later. Having realized mid-action that maybe Miles didn’t really want him to touch him. Maybe he should ask before invading his space. Maybe he should pull his hand away more subtly so that Miles wouldn’t be looking at him like that.
“What?”
Peter shook his head. “What?”
“You-”
“Me?”
“Stop it.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re not letting me finish my question.”
“Oh, you have a question?”
“Peter.”
Peter shut his mouth, not sure why he was feeling so exposed.
Miles raised an eyebrow at him. “Uh, why did you- to be honest I have no idea what you did, but it looked weird.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t bullshit me.”
“Hey, hey, language.” Peter went to poke his chest, realized what he was doing, and flew back even less subtly than before.
Miles pointed at him. “That’s what I’m talking about! What was that?”
“Oh, that?”
“Yes.”
“It was nothing.”
“Peter.”
Peter deflated. “All right. That was me trying to touch you and realizing maybe you don’t want me to.”
Miles blinked. “Why wouldn’t I want you to?”
“Well, you keep, like, flinching or whatever when I do it, so I just figured- hey, why are you blushing?”
Miles had gone from confused to so visibly embarrassed that Peter couldn’t even think about teasing him about it. “Uuhh.”
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t do it because I don’t want you to touch me,” Miles said, so quickly Peter almost didn’t understand him.
“Then what-”
“It’s nothing.”
“Miles.”
“No, really. It’s nothing serious.”
Peter rubbed at his temple. “Okay. I think it’s unfair that you made me talk and then don’t follow through yourself, but okay. Whatever you say.”
The flinching continued, only this time around Peter knew that Miles knew that he knew. Or something. Point was, Miles always looked at him so timidly whenever he’d jerked away, and it didn’t help Peter’s curiosity. Like, at all.
“You know I’m not going to hit you, right?” Peter said one day, the two of them sitting on a rooftop watching the city do its thing beneath them.
Miles turned to him, eyebrows raised. “I’m not worried you’ll hit me. Jesus.”
Peter shrugged. “Just putting it out there. I find it weird you still flinch when I go to touch you even though you know I won’t do anything bad, s’all.”
Miles groaned. “You’re making me feel guilty for not telling you.”
“Good.”
“I told you. It’s nothing bad. Just a personal thing.”
“A personal thing.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not used to physical affection?”
“Of course I am. My mom’s Puerto Rican.”
“Then what?”
“Do we really have to talk about this now?”
“No time like the present.”
Miles shoved him lightly with his shoulder. “Dork.”
Peter gave his knee a squeeze. “Nerd.”
Miles jerked away, of course, only this time Peter reckoned he had a good reason to.
Wait.
“Are you ticklish?”
No matter how much the kid protested, Peter got his answer the moment he averted his gaze. “No.”
“You are.”
“I said no.”
“I don’t believe you. Wait. Is this why you keep flinching?”
“No.”
“Miles.”
“That’s me.”
“Look at me.”
It seemed so excruciatingly painful for Miles to do so that Peter almost dropped the subject right there.
But.
Well, a blushing teenager was way too much fun to give mercy to.
“It’s okay.”
“I know, I just-” Miles cut himself off with a laugh, shaking his head. “This is-”
“Embarrassing?”
“Something like that. And you looking at me like that doesn’t help.”
Peter tried to straighten out his features. “Better?”
“No.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“What I wanna know is what’s given you the impression that I will tickle you of all things whenever I try to touch you.”
“Old habit from when I was little.”
“Oh?”
“I always think people are planning on tickling me when they move toward me.” His grin was timid.
“Cute.”
Miles knocked his shoulder into him. “Stop.”
“I haven’t even tickled you yet.”
“I’m surprised.”
“Frankly, I’d prefer it if we were on solid ground.”
“I’ll run.”
“I don’t doubt that, but can I tell you a secret?” He leaned closer to him. “I’ll catch you.”
And thus started a new game. Peter had to admit it was a lot more fun than the whole figuring out why Miles kept flinching thing had been. Because now? Now Peter thrived whenever Miles held up his hands to protect himself.
If Miles’ shy smile was anything to go by, he was enjoying it a bit too.
“No.”
“What?”
“Not here.”
“What are you-”
“I saw the way you smirked just now. Not here, okay?”
Peter hadn’t realized he was smirking, but maybe he didn’t have as much control of his features as he’d thought. “Yeah, yeah, I promise.”
Miles narrowed his eyes at him before returning to his conversation with the other Spideys, grinning when Gwen laughed at something Peni had said.
Interesting.
Peter leaned closer, their shoulders touching. “I have so much control of you right now,” he mumbled, and Miles almost knocked him off the bed with his shove.
“You’re awful, you know that?” Miles said an hour later when the others had left.
“Can’t help it that you’re paranoid.”
“Dude, I was paranoid before you even knew what you were doing. Now? Now I’m always on edge.”
“Dude. Relax. It’s fine. I wouldn’t embarrass you like that.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“To be fair I only have to look at you for you to push me away. It makes me wonder just how ticklish you are.”
Miles spluttered. “I’m not that bad.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Peter grabbed his wrist, smirking. “Prove it.”
Miles didn’t make it easy. Peter hadn’t ever expected him to just sit there willingly while he explored his ticklish spots, but he really hadn’t expected him to practically kick Peter off the bed either. By the time Peter managed to realize what was happening, Miles was on the top bunk, peeking down at him.
“That’s not proving you’re not bad, Miles.”
“It’s my bodily reaction. Can’t help it.”
“Were you tickle tortured as a child or something?”
“I was a cute child.”
“Doesn’t really answer the question.”
“It does when you think about it. Even Uncle Aaron used to pin me.”
“Geez. Don’t blame you for hating it.”
“I don’t hate it.” Peter could tell the words had slipped out without Miles’ consent. “I mean-”
“Go on.”
“It’s such a normal thing for us.”
“Does it make you feel safe?”
“Kind of?”
“And fleeing the first attempts has always been part of it?”
“I guess.”
“So once I actually get you, you won’t hate me for it?”
“No. Not really.”
“Good enough.”
Miles had probably forgotten Peter could do more than sit on his ass, for his yelp when Peter leaped onto the top bunk was louder than it should’ve been.
“Got you.”
Miles started giggling before Peter had even launched his attack, but it was nothing compared to the belly laughter bubbling up his throat when Peter went for his ribs. “Nononono!”
“No? I thought we were family here.”
It was funny watching someone who seemed to enjoy the tickling to a certain extent properly react to it. Miles was struggling to get away, his hands a constant blur in order to grab Peter’s, but something about his behavior - something about the smile beneath the laughter - made Peter feel as if he didn’t fully mind it. As if he’d just been waiting for this moment to finally play out.
Maybe it was their Spidey senses. Maybe Peter just knew.
Still, he backed off to let the kid breathe. Let him protest if he wanted to.
Miles didn’t want to.
Their lives became much gigglier after that.