Work Text:
Peter’s bedroom glowed soft and golden, thanks to his molecule night light, casting just enough warmth to make the room feel like a nerd-shaped hug. It smelled faintly of microwave popcorn and dryer sheets (he wasn’t about to let Wade sleep in dirty sheets, thank you very much!). Peter’s apartment wasn’t spacious, more like a cozy shoebox, but it radiated comfort, the kind that wrapped around you like a hoodie three sizes too big.
Or, y’know. One of Wade’s hoodies.
Peter’s heart fluttered just thinking about it.
Wade had left one behind once, and Peter hadn’t meant to keep it for a week. It just… happened.
But this?
Inviting Wade to spend the night at his apartment: this was planned.
Wade had come over hours ago — with cookies, two new plushies (one spider-shaped, one shaped like a chimichanga but was totally a burrito), and a plan to do “absolutely nothing, except adore and cuddle Peter Parker in his apartment because OMG Petey invited me over to spend the night, eep!”
So, one pizza order and two rom-coms later, they were curled together in Peter’s bed, limbs tangled under the fluffiest blanket he owned. It wasn’t fancy, just a clearance find from Wayfair, but cuddling Wade under it? Worth every cent. Wade was the little spoon tonight, and every so often, he let out a quiet, contented sigh like he was a little Wade-pot letting off last lingering bits of steam.
“Hey.” Peter nudged Wade gently. “You comfy?”
“I’m literally at maximum Wade right now, baby boy. Blanket burrito. Emotional support plushies. Your heartbeat in my ear. This is peak living.”
“Mm, good.” Peter sighed dreamily against Wade’s neck.
Wade hummed back, all melty and safe. Outside, the city sparkled and buzzed. But in here? Everything was still. Super still. Super still and chill. Everything was fine. Wade and Peter were totally falling asleep.
Except Peter’s brain hadn’t gotten the memo.
It had been buzzing all day. Not about the blanket. Not about the cookies. Not even about whether Wade would like his night light.
It was this… other thing on Peter’s mind.
Peter could have just let it go. Wade might fall asleep, and who knows, maybe he would fall asleep too. They could cuddle and forget it.
But he didn’t want to forget it.
Peter swallowed and whispered, “Wade?”
“Mm?”
“I… I wanted to tell you something.” His voice was low, a little shaky. “Before anything… happens. Or doesn’t happen.”
Wade rolled a little in Peter’s arms, just enough to glance over his shoulder. “What’s up, baby boy? Did we leave an extra cookie out there?”
“No, it’s not that, it's just –”
…Oboy… Peter’s words caught in his throat. Why did he decide to do this again? Because in this soft little glow of a night, he finally felt safe enough to try.
“-- I’m ace,” Peter said quietly. “Asexual. I’m not… I don’t know, I’m like, at least ace-spec. Y'know, I've done that before, but things changed somewhere. I haven’t, like, fully figured out why things changed, but they have. And maybe I would want it again one day, or maybe not. It would have to be like, super right. But yeah, I think for me, being close in other ways with someone matters more.”
Silence, just for a breath.
“And I’ve been freaking out all day,” Peter added in a rush. “Because I like you so much, and I want to do this right, and I know you’re... well, you’re you, and if that’s something you need, like need-need, I just thought you should know before I keep stealing all your cuddles and eating your cookies and—”
“Hey,” Wade said softly. "Wanna know what I need-need?"
Peter shut his mouth. Oh no. He sucked in a deep breath, and nodded.
Wade swiveled all the way around in his arms and gently kissed Peter’s nose. “You. I want to hold you and feel your breath on my neck and listen to you ramble like a beautiful panicked chipmunk.”
Peter blinked. "Y-you... do?"
Wade leaned in and nuzzled foreheads. “I want to be close to you in whatever way you want to be close, if that’s kisses, great. If that’s cuddles, hell yeah. If that’s building IKEA furniture together and yelling at instruction manuals, sign me up.”
Peter let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “You’re… you mean… really?”
“Really, really,” Wade said. “I want you, not just a physical checklist. I’m not here for the DLC content. I’m here for the full emotional narrative, baby. You’re enough. More than enough. Like, please stop being so wonderful, my merc heart can’t handle it enough.”
Peter sniffled back a little tear. “Why are you so good at saying the perfect thing?”
Wade kissed his forehead slowly, thoughtfully, sincerely. “Because I mean it.”
Peter tucked in closer, his head rising and falling with the slow rhythm of Wade’s breathing. For the first time all day (maybe ever), it felt like everything was right in the world. To hear himself say the words out loud and have the person he cares for most accept him so easily made Peter feel safe, loved, seen, supported, validated, and closer to his authentic self (and Wade) more than ever.
Wade’s fingers threaded gently through Peter’s, slow and steady, and they didn’t need anything more than this — warm arms, quiet breaths, and the softest kind of love.
Just them. Together. As themselves.