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“It's so unfair,” Johnny grumbled as he watched Peter.
He had just stepped out of the shower, damp curls sticking to his face and a towel hung loosely around his hips. Muscles glistened with droplets of water, flexing as he moved.
His body was covered in an array of scars. Two twin scars cut just below his pecs, thin and precise. There were various knife, bullet wounds and burns littered all up his chest arms and legs. But most concerning was his back and wrist. Large scars marred the skin, almost like Peter had been grabbed by massive claws (which was actually possible). And his wrist… it looked like Peter's skin had rotted there, mottled and textured. The spider bite.
“My eyes are up here, Storm.”
Johnny snapped his head up to find Peter’s smirking face only millimeters away from his own. He felt heat rush to his cheeks.
“So what's so unfair then?” He asked innocently. Scheming bastard! He knew exactly what he was doing.
Johnny gulped as his eyes drifted down. He furrowed his eyebrows. When had Peter put clothes on? He wore dark grey baggy jeans and a navy blue t-shirt with a white underlayer. Johnny snorted.
“What?” Peter questioned looking down at his clothes.
“You can't seriously be wearing that.” He gestured to Peter's shirt.
The shirt in question had the stupidest science pun had ever seen. It had the symbols for Iodine, Chromium and Yttrium, and underneath it said periodically.
“You cry periodically?”
“What? It's a nice shirt!” He exclaimed, pulling away from Johnny with a mock hurt expression.
“Only you Parker, only you,” Johnny sighed. He had to admit though, Peter did kind of pull it off. Which was weird.
“So what's so unfair?”
“You and your stupid spider-healing!” Johnny groaned.
“My spider-healing?” Peter raised a brow. “Why’s that unfair?”
“Look at me!” He gestured towards the hickeys and teeth marks covering his neck, collarbone and jaw.
“I'm sorry,” Peter rolled his eyes. “You could always give me some more if you want…”
As enticing of an offer that was, “Don't you have work or something?”
“Oh Thor, you're right!”
Peter scrambled away, pulling on mismatched socks and a pair of red converse (which had definitely seen better days). “We're still on for later, right?”
“Later?” He paused. “Oh shit. Right, yeah. I'll pick you up at 4?”
“See you later then.” Peter kissed his cheek. “And make sure to lock the door when you leave.”
And just like that, he was gone.
Johnny sat on the edge of Peter's bed in stunned silence. His hand hovered by his cheek.
It was weird. Johnny wasn't used to this. He never stayed. Normally, he was gone before the other person woke up. Or he was out the door (window) the nearest chance he got.
But with Peter? It was different. Almost… domestic.
He was hit with a striking realisation that this was what he wanted. He wanted to spend his life with Peter. You may think Johnny was being too rash, but he had never felt like this about anyone before. He wanted to be with Peter through it all. The highs and the lows. In sickness and in health. And all the other stuff people say in vows or whatever.
But he could worry about that later.
He had a date to plan.
“SUE!” Johnny shouted as he barged into the Baxter Building's living room. “I need your help!”
“Johnny?” Sue frowned, looking up from her book and setting it down. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“Basically, I have, like, 2 hours to plan the best date ever! Because I promised Peter and I can't disappoint him, because if he's disappointed I don't know what I'll do. I think I might be in love with him, Sue, and I don't know what to do. I don't think I've ever actually loved someone before. Sure I've been attracted to people, but I've never really been in love. Y'know what I mean? And I just really need your help Sue ‘cause I don't wanna screw this up.”
Johnny took in a deep breath, awaiting Sue's reaction. But Sue's eyes were staring at his neck. His neck. Shit.
“O-oh, uh, that,” he stuttered. “Just ignore it?”
“Okay…” Sue's eyes met his. “You really like this Peter, don't you.”
“Of course I do!” Johnny exclaimed. “Didn't you hear me talking about how much I loved him, like, five seconds ago?”
“Right, right. So what do you have in mind?”
“I don't know,” Johnny sighed, flopping down on the sofa beside Sue.
“Hmm, what are his interests?” she asked.
“He likes science and photography,” he shrugged. “And he either hates space, or thinks it's the best thing ever. It's hard to tell sometimes.”
“Well, we do have the planetarium,” Sue suggested.
“OH MY GOD! Sue you're a GENIUS!” Johnny scrambled to his feet, giving his sister a quick hug before darting away.
He had roughly an hour and a half to create the best date in the world. Technically an hour if you counted the fact he actually had to go and get Peter.
What did he need?
Crap. Johnny had never actually planned a date before. He'd been on, like, a few. But he'd never cared about them before.
Everything with Peter was so new for Johnny. It was nice, he just wished he was more prepared.
He rushed back into the living room.
“SUE!” Johnny called.
“What is it this time,” she sighed, putting her book back away and raising an eyebrow at Johnny.
“I don't actually know how to plan a date,” he admitted. “Like, do I need snacks? Or a romantic meal? Or fancy stuff? Crap, do I need candles?”
“First of all, I guess I'll help you.” Sue stood up, rolling her shoulders as she did so. “Secondly, why are you panicking about candles? You basically are one.”
“Oh my god, thank you! You are a life saver Sue!”
Forget-me-nots. Symbolised true love, everlasting affection, fidelity, and remembrance. Often given to partners or friends to ensure they are not forgotten. They also represent loyalty and connections that transcend distance or death.
It was not even a year ago that Spidey had told him he loved forget-me-nots. Johnny had always been a curious person and even if he had accepted the fact that Spider-Man might not ever reveal his identity, he still wanted to know as much about the man as possible.
His favourite colour (blue), his favourite food (hotdogs), his interests (saving cats from trees and getting beaten up every other day). He hoped that the last one was a joke.
But now he knew Spider-Man. Now he knew Peter. So why did he feel so nervous?
He clutched the forget-me-nots in his hand like a lifeline. The door stood before him, taunting and ominous. Suddenly, the forget-me-nots felt stupid. Maybe he should just-
The door swung open, revealing Peter, smiling awkwardly.
Johnny quickly hid the flowers behind his back. The shorter man stared at him oddly as he did so.
“Uh, hi.” Johnny's voice squeaked ever so slightly. His cheeks flushed. God, that was so embarrassing.
“Hey,” Peter grinned. “Are those for me?” He gestured towards the flowers Johnny hid behind his back.
“Oh uh, yeah.” He moved them into Peter's view. “It's silly, I know, but I just thought- I don't know.”
“Forget-me-nots.” Peter's voice was barely above a whisper as he stared at the tiny blue flowers.
His hazel eyes glistened with unshed tears as they met Johnny's. Oh crap. Did he mess up or something?
But then Peter's arms wrapped around him tightly, like he was scared Johnny would disappear if he let go. “Thank you,” he breathed into Johnny's shoulder.
“You're welcome?” He was so lost. Was there something he didn't know?
Peter pulled back. “Sorry,” he winced. “Just- thank you. You don't know how much this means to me.”
“It's okay,” Johnny smiled. Everything was alright. It was just Peter. “Do you want to go now?”
“Oh, uh, right. Just gimme one second.” Peter requested before disappearing back into his apartment with the flowers.
He reappeared a minute later without the forget-me-nots. Presumably, he put them in a vase or something similar.
“Alright, let's go!”
Peter's fingers laced with Johnny's as they walked side by side.
“So what do you have planned?” Peter asked curiously.
“It's a surprise.” He winked.