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Mike Wheeler wakes up to the sound of cars honking and sirens blaring down the streets of New York. The sun shines in through the blinds in thin stripes, lighting up the room. He feels a familiar weight on his chest and a soft tickle against his neck. Looking down, he finds Will snuggled on top of him, his head tucked into Mike’s neck and an arm wrapped around his torso.
Slowly, careful not to disturb the sleeping boy, Mike brings a hand to Will’s hair, gently scratching his scalp.
He isn’t sure how long they stay like that, but he doesn’t care. He could spend all day tucked away with Will and be happy. Ever since they got together almost a year ago, he’s loved moments like these– soaking in the calm of the morning while they wake up together.
Will stirs when Mike leans down to press a soft kiss to his temple. Smiling at him sleepily, he lifts his head to meet his gaze. He still seems disoriented from his sleep as he speaks.
“Mornin” Will mumbles, pressing a quick kiss to Mike's lips. His voice is low and gravely, the way it always is just after he wakes up.
“Morning, baby,” Mike whispers, pulling him back in for a longer, deeper kiss.
He pulls away after what never feels like long enough, already missing the warmth of Will's lips against his.
Lazy mornings like this are Mike's favorite. The quiet domesticity of their apartment, just existing together as normal people, as a couple.
It’s a kind of peace that’s hard to come by given their complicated lives. More often than not, Will is patrolling the streets of New York, fighting crime and keeping the city safe.
And listen, Will being Spiderman is really cool. Dating Spiderman is really cool. Having both be true at once? It’s a dream come true, really.
But it also means that he spends his evenings worried, waiting for Will to come home. It means rushing for the first aid kit whenever Will returns with another nasty injury. It means cherishing every second he gets with Will– as Will, not as his superhero alter ego.
Such as now, in their bed on a beautiful Saturday morning.
As much as Mike wants to stay exactly as they are, his stomach begins to cramp with hunger. If the soft rumble coming from the boy lying on top of him is any indicator, Will is hungry too.
“We should probably get up” Mike says
“Probably,” Will replies. “I need a cup of coffee and a shower.”
“I’ll start on breakfast. Go shower– you stink.” Mike pokes at his side as Will rolls off him.
Will gasps in fake offence. “Rude,” he huffs.
Will gets out of the shower about fifteen minutes later. In the meantime, Mike has made coffee– with an extra splash of milk in Will’s, just the way he likes it. He’s finishing the pancakes when Will walks into the kitchen, topping them with a whipped cream smile and blueberries eyes.
“It smells amazing,” Will says, eagerly digging into his plate.
“Only the best for you, Sorcerer,” Mike replies, taking the seat beside him at their island table.
Will giggles at the nickname, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. They eat together in comfortable silence, enjoying both the meal and each other's company.
“So,” Will begins between bites, “I was thinking I'd go on patrol a little bit earlier today. That way we can actually have the night together for once.”
Mike nods. If it were up to him, Will would stay home all day, cuddled up on the couch while they watched movies and bickered over snacks. They’d make out a bit– maybe more, if Mike got lucky. But Will has responsibilities, and Mike can’t really argue with that.
“Okay,” He says instead, “Anything in particular you wanna do when you get back?”
“I guess you’ll have to wait and find out.” Will shoots him a wink before he picks up his empty plate to set it in the dishwasher. As he passes, he presses a quick kiss to Mike’s cheek. Mike sits there afterward, blush lingering on his face from the implications behind Will’s words.
Not too much later, Will emerges from their room fully dressed in his suit, mask in hand. Mike has moved over to the couch by then, absentmindedly flipping through channels for sake of background noise. He looks up to see Will. Mike never gets tired of seeing him like this– all powerful and sexy and strong, and, okay, well, you get the point.
Mike gets up from the couch to meet Will in the middle of the room. He rests his hands on Will’s hips, looking him over briefly before moving one hand up to Will’s chin and pulling him in for a kiss. It lingers for a second before Will pulls away.
“Be safe, I love you.” Mike tells him, rubbing his hands down Will’s arms.
“I will, I promise.” Will says, reaching up to pull the mask over his head. He walks over to the window and pulls it open, turning back just before he swings away.
“I love you, too.”
And with that, he shoots himself off the ledge, disappearing into the skyline. Mike watches out the window for a few seconds before shutting it and returning to the couch to wait for Will to come home.
He gets about thirty minutes into whatever show the TV has flipped to when a loud knock rattles the apartment door. As Mike walks over to answer it, the knocking only grows more aggressive.
“I’m coming! Jesus,” Mike yells.
He opens the door to reveal a very pissed-off looking Max. Behind her, Jane and Lucas are standing with unreadable expressions on their faces. Needless to say, Mike is confused. Had there been plans he had forgotten about?
“What-“ Mikes starts, hoping for an explanation as to why his friends are on his doorstep at ten in the morning, looking like they want to chop off his head.
“Where is Will?” Max cuts him off, stepping into the apartment and looking around.
“What? Why do you need will?” Mike asks, only growing more confused.
“Sit down. We need to talk.”
“What the hell is going on? What are you guys doing here?”
“Just sit down, man.” Lucas says, tone unusually harsh. He guides Mike the few feet over to the couch.
Jane follows them in, the group crowding around Mike as he sits. Max’s gaze is so sharp it could cut him in half. It almost feels like it will if somebody doesn’t explain what's going on soon.
She thrusts something into his hands. He hadn’t even realized she was holding something.
Confused and frustrated, Mike looks down at it. It’s this morning's newspaper.
“Explain.” Max spits.
“Explain what? Will one of you please tell me what's going on?” Mike asks, throwing his arms out in exasperation.
“Flip the paper over.”
“How could you do this to Will, man.? With Spiderman no less.” Lucas says, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mike looks down to the paper in his hands. His eyes widen in horror as he takes in the headline written across the page.
Does Spiderman Have a Secret Lover?
Beneath the headline is a giant photo that takes up nearly the entire page. It’s unmistakably him, wrapped tightly in Spider-Man’s arms, their lips pressed together in an undeniably passionate kiss.
Shit.
Mike gapes at the page. He remembers the moment clearly. Just yesterday, Will had taken him to the rooftop of a nearby apartment building to share a pizza between patrols. It had been reckless, meeting like that while Will was in his suit. It wasn’t something they did often, only on days like yesterday, where the only chance they had to see each other was hidden away in some rooftop or some alley. And that’s exactly what it was meant to be, hidden. It’s evident now that they weren’t as careful as they thought.
The worst part is that Will hasn’t told anyone else that he’s Spider-Man. Even then, Mike only really knows out of necessity. There was no way to hide it from the person you love. Will definitely wasn’t planning on revealing his identity to anyone else anytime soon.
How the hell was Mike supposed to explain this? How was he supposed to tell Will that someone caught them kissing and now the whole party knows his identity.
“Anything to say for yourself?” Lucas says, interrupting Mike’s internal panic.
Mike stays silent, racking his brain for any explanation that won’t immediately throw Will under the bus. He’s halfway to forming words when he stops.
Wait.
He thinks back to what Lucas said. How could you do this to Will. With Spiderman no less.
Slowly, if even possible, his eyes widen even further.
As he sits there, center of attention as three pairs of eyes stare into him, he comes to the horrific realization that they don’t think Will is Spiderman.
They think Mike is cheating on Will with Spiderman.
“I can explain this, really.” Mike starts.
“Better get to talking then, Wheeler.” Max shoots back at him.
He’s backed into a corner, he promised Will that he wouldn’t tell anyone his secret, and he doesn’t intend to break that promise. He opens his mouth to speak but, mortifyingly, all that comes out is a pathetic squeak.
“Right,” Jane says into the painful silence, “Where is Will?”
Will. He needs Will right now. Except Will is out saving the city, and Mike can only pray he decides to come home early and save him too.
“He’s not here right now,” Mike says weakly. “He should be home soon.”
The group exchanges glances, silently communicating something that Mike neither understands nor does he particularly care about. His breathing quickens. His palms are sweaty. Wow, he is really freaking out right now. Abruptly, he stands up from the couch and crosses the room to the window. He shoves it open and climbs out onto the fire escape, desperate for some fresh air in his lungs.
“Running away from this won’t save you, Mike,” Max calls after him. “Will is gonna find out eventually.”
He tries to ignore her as he rests his head on the wall behind him and squeezes his eyes shut. Logically, he knows Max’s words shouldn’t bother him. Will is Spiderman. Spiderman is Will. They are literally the same person and therefore there was absolutely no cheating whatsoever. Still, it stings knowing his friends think he betrayed the person he loves more than anything. It’s even worse that he can’t defend himself without exposing Will.
So instead, he sits there on the fire escape, staring out over the city while he waits for Will to return home.
Time passes in a blur. Mike’s not sure how long he’s been sitting there, but the group doesn’t bother him again. He can hear their faint voices coming from inside the apartment. Mike assumes they’re figuring out what kind of funeral speech they’ll give Will when he gets home.
Eventually, the soft murmur of voices from inside shifts. The voices become louder, and Mike hears footsteps approach the window. Before Mike can process what’s going on, the window is slammed open and Max grabs his shirt, yanking him back inside.
“Hey– !” He starts, and stops all at once as he sees Will standing there, looking just as confused as Mike had earlier.
“Will! I’m so glad you’re home I-” He begins.
“Oh, cut the bullshit, Mike. Tell him.” Max interrupts.
Mike stares at her, open-mouthed. He’s speechless. How the hell is he supposed to look Will in the eyes and explain that he “cheated” on him… with himself? Mike could laugh at the abusrdity of it all.
He looks back to Will, and any humor he might have found in the situation is lost. Will is watching him with a kind of fear in his eyes that Mike hasn’t seen in a long time– not since he first admitted his feelings.
Will fidgets with the cuff of his sleeve, clearly thrown off. “What’s going on?” he asks cautiously.
It’s then that Mike remembers that Will has no idea what this is about. He hasn’t seen the paper. For all he knows, Mike did cheat on him. The thought makes Mike sick to his stomach. He collects himself, desperate to calm his boyfriend's nerves.
As he begins to speak, he does his best to keep his voice steady. “Will… um. There’s something you should know”.
Will’s face only grows more worried, so Mike rushes on.
“I kissed Spiderman,” he blurts out. “And there’s a photo of it in the newspaper. I’m sorry.”
His eyes drop to his feet as the words leave his mouth, his voice trailing off at the end. The room is silent. When Mike finally looks back up, Will is wearing a funny expression on his face. He looks somewhere between disbelief and amusement, like he’s trying not to react too much.
“You kissed… Spiderman.” Will repeats quietly.
Mike nods once.
“I’m so sorry Will,” Jane says quickly, turning towards him, “We found out this morning. We wanted you to hear it from him.”
It’s silent for another long moment and then, Will lets out an incredulous laugh. The sound makes the tension in Mike’s shoulders that he didn’t even know he was holding, drop.
Before he can stop himself, he’s laughing too. And then they're both laughing together, building into something uncontrollable.
“You’re cheating on me, with Spiderman!” Will manages through laughs.
“Yeah, I guess I am.” Mike says, laughing alongside Will.
Their friends watch them, stunned at the unusual response.
“You’re both insane,” Max snaps. “Will, he cheated on you.”
“With Spiderman,” Lucas adds, as if that wasn’t already obvious.
Will presses his lips together, trying and failing not to smile again. It’s clear he finds this funny, but as Will looks at Mike again, the humor fades into something softer. Mike catches the way his expression shifts, he sees the emotion in Will’s eyes, the gratitude. He understands now, what Mike chose to do, and why.
I love you so much, Will's expression says.
I love you too, Mike thinks, hoping it shows.
He sees Will’s smile widen slightly. Mike smiles back.
“Guys,” Will says carefully, “Mike didn’t cheat on me.”
“Will, I know you’re probably in denial or something, but the picture is right there.” Max insists, gesturing to the newspaper resting on the table.
Will sighs, shoulders dropping.
“No…,” He tries again, “Mike didn’t– I mean, Mike kissed me.”
There’s an uncomfortable pause as they take in Will's words. They clearly think Will has lost his mind.
“And he also kissed Spiderman,” Jane adds gently, as if correcting him, “I’m so sorry Will.”
“Again,” Wills says, rubbing a hand over his face, “it’s me that he kissed. That is me in the photo.”
“So, what, you just dressed up like Spiderman for fun?” Lucas cut in, “Is this some weird roleplay thing you two do?” Mike can see the way Will cringes at that.
Mike has been standing watching as this all unfolds, a smug grin on his face as his friends realize that he did not, in fact, cheat on Will. Honestly, he’s surprised they haven’t figured it out by now to be honest, but he supposes Will is the last person you’d expect out on the streets fighting villains, so he can’t really blame them.
“Oh my God– no!” Will cries. “I am Spiderman!”
Stunned silence swallows the room.
Even Will looks sort of shocked by his own outburst, but it’s clear that he’s relieved that it’s out there. No more confusion.
“What?!” Max breaks the silence, voice laced with disbelief.
“You’re Spiderman?” Lucas repeats “No fuckin’ way. What’s really going on, because there is no way.”
With an exasperated sigh, Will flicks out his wrist. In a sudden snap, the newspaper that was once on the table, is now in his hand, yanked up by a strand of webbing.
“Mike is Spiderman's secret lover.” Will says, gesturing with the paper. “And I am Spiderman. Clear?”
He looks between the shocked faces of his friends, and then back at Mike.
“Mike would never cheat on me.” He says with a finality that leaves no room for his friends to keep arguing. Not that any of them would say anything anyway, their jaws too busy on the floor to form any coherent sentence.
It takes a while for the group to go back to normal. Their friends don’t take the new information about Will being Spiderman lightly. He’s quickly bombarded with a horde of questions. How do the webs work and You’re telling you are the one who fought that Vecna villain?
Eventually, though, the questions die down. Brief apologies are sent Mike’s way, which he dismisses easily– because really, if he had cheated on Will, he would’ve hoped they reacted the same way, if not worse.
Once their friends leave and the apartment is quiet again, Mike and Will find their way back to the couch. They lie together, fingers intertwined, talking about the day they just had. They’re laughing about the absurdity of it all when Will's face turns serious.
“Baby, What’s wrong?” Mike asks him, giving his hand a squeeze.
“I really love you,” Will says, “I know I'm the one with powers, but you’re my true superhero– my paladin.”
Mike smiles, heart fluttering at the quiet confession. It’s incredible how Will can go out and fight the nastiest monsters all day, and still come home to Mike and say things like that.
“I’ll always protect you, my sorcerer.” He says, leaning forward to peck Will on the lips. “And I love you too. Always.”
Will looks at him for a moment before leaning back in to reconnect their lips. Mike melts into the touch, his hand sliding to Will’s waist. He tilts his head to deepen the kiss, and Will’s hands come up to hold his jaw. The kiss is deep and passionate, yet slow and soft all at once.
Eventually, Will pulls away just enough to speak. He caresses Mike’s cheek, lowering his voice.
“I still think we should be more careful about kissing in public, though.”
Mike smiles and rolls his eyes at him, saying nothing as he pulls him in for another kiss.
That’s a problem they can address later.