Kiss me in sweet slow motion || Peter Parker ||
A/n: Peter deserves to be happy
The shoot had run far later than anyone intended.
Outside the towering studio windows, Manhattan had transformed into a sea of glittering lights reflected against dark clouds, the city humming with its usual restless energy as the rumbling started to roll in. Inside, however, the controlled chaos had finally begun to settle. Assistants packed away lighting equipment, garment bags disappeared onto rolling racks, and someone in the break room triumphantly announced they had found the missing lens cap that had delayed everyone for nearly twenty minutes.
Your manager glanced toward the windows and frowned. “It’s getting late.”
“I noticed,” you replied with a tired smile, slipping your phone into your bag.
Marcus, your body guard, the man that treated you like a little sister was already shrugging on his jacket, spoke up before anyone else could. "We’ll drive you home."
You shook your head immediately. “No.”
Every head turned, everyone let out a collective sigh.
“You’re not walking home by yourself,” your manager said firmly.
“It’s only a few blocks.”
“I’ve walked it a hundred times.” You waved your manger off.
Marcus folded his arms, looking every bit the intimidating former Marine he was. “Humor me.”
You smiled apologetically. “I can’t keep making you all stay late because my schedule runs over. You have families to get home to.”
“So do you,” one of the makeup artists pointed out as they dropped a brush in their bag.
You laughed softly. “My apartment has a ficus plant. I think it’ll survive another hour.”
Marcus, however, remained unconvinced. “You sure?”
After a long moment, he sighed. “I don’t like it.”
He hesitated before finally nodding. “You’d better.”
You hugged him before heading toward the elevators, waving over your shoulder as the studio doors closed behind you.
The city greeted you with cool evening air as you took in a few deep breaths as you started to walk and for a moment, a few peaceful minutes, the walk was almost relaxing....almost.
Traffic rolled past in ribbons of white and red light. A saxophone echoed faintly from somewhere underground, blending with the distant rumble of the subway as dogs barked in the distances. Storefront windows reflected the skyline as you tucked your hands into your coat pockets and made your way toward home.
Then the first raindrop landed on your cheek.
Within moments, the sky opened.
Rain poured down in shimmering sheets, soaking the sidewalks almost instantly.
You laughed despite yourself.
“So much for checking the weather.”
You quickened your pace, ducking beneath the awning of a closed bookstore for a moment before deciding there was little point. You were already drenched.
The street had grown quieter.
Your smile slowly faded as you rolled your shoulders, your head peaking out.
You finally glanced over your shoulder.
Three men had appeared farther down the sidewalk, their attention fixed squarely on you.
Another stepped out from the mouth of an alley.
It wasn’t a friendly smile, your heart dropped into your stomach as another licked his lips.
“You headed somewhere...pretty bird?” he asked.
Your instincts screamed, you took a step backward,your heels clicked. “I don’t want any trouble.”
Another voice came from behind.
Your heart hammered against your ribs.You turned, searching for a way around them.
Slipping off your heels you hurled it at the one mans face, the one man that was standing by himself. One heel hitting him in the eye as the other scrapped his neck. You didn't think, you didn't wait, you took off running.
The rain seemed louder now.
The city somehow farther away.
One of the men reached toward you, a scream escaped your lips as you clawed at the face while you were dragged towards the ally, then everything happened at once.
A sharp thwip sliced through the night.
The man’s wrist jerked violently upward as thick white webbing glued his hand to a nearby streetlamp.
Another web shot across the alley.
Someone yelped before crashing headfirst into a stack of garbage bags.
A shadow dropped from above.
Landing between you and the others with effortless grace.
White eyes narrowing beneath a familiar mask.
He straightened slowly, rain streaming from every inch of his suit.
“You know,” he said conversationally, “I leave this neighborhood alone for one evening because I think maybe it’ll behave itself…”
“…Clearly that was optimistic.”
Spider-Man stepped aside so casually the punch sailed through empty air before gently helping the man continue forward into a brick wall.
A web cocooned him before he even reached the first step.
The third managed exactly one swing before finding himself hanging upside down from a fire escape.
The entire fight lasted less than twenty seconds.
Silence settled over the alley once more, broken only by rainfall and groans from the unconsious webbed-up criminals.
Spider-Man looked around. “…Everybody done?”
Even beneath the mask, you could somehow tell he was checking to make sure you weren’t hurt.
You nodded, still catching your breath. “I…I think so.”
“Good.” His shoulders visibly relaxed. “I’d hate to explain this paperwork.”
"...P..paper work..?" Despite everything, a laugh escaped you. “You joke after…that?”
“I joke after most things.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “It’s either that or cry.”
Something about the honesty of the remark lingered.
Rain dripped steadily from his mask.
You found yourself studying him, your eyes narrowed as if something ran across your mind, a thought? A familiar voice.
You couldn't help but feel like you knew him, the quiet kindness hidden beneath the jokes.
The way he stood just close enough to shield you without crowding you.
“You live nearby?” he asked.
You nodded. “A couple blocks.”
“I know.” His head tilted slightly. “I’m going to anyway.” His arms gently wrapped around your waist. The swing felt strangely peaceful.Rain soaked both of you completely.
He kept the conversation light.
Pointing out a pigeon somehow sleeping through the storm.
Commenting on how New York somehow smelled better after rain.
Pretending not to notice you stealing curious glances toward him.
By the time your apartment building came into view, the tension had melted away entirely as he then slowly lowered you to the ground, in the ally next to the entrance.
Neither of you moved.Rain continued cascading from the rooftops, turning the city into a blur of silver and gold.
Finally, he stepped backward. “Well…I should probably…” He gestured vaguely upward. “…Spider.”
You laughed. “I suppose you should.”
He rose effortlessly, stopping halfway up the narrow alley beside your building.
Suspended upside down beneath the webline, he looked back at you.There was something unexpectedly vulnerable about him.
Not the city’s fearless hero.
Just…a young man saying goodnight.
You took a few slow steps toward him.
“I’m just happy you’re alright.”
Your heart was still racing.
Not from fear anymore.From something else entirely.
Without really thinking about it, you reached up.
Your fingers found the damp edge of his mask.
“I’m not trying to see who you are.” Your voice was barely above the rain. “I promise.”
Carefully, almost reverently, you rolled the mask upward just enough to uncover the lower half of his face.
His nose remained hidden.His eyes stayed concealed.
Only his lips were revealed.
For a heartbeat, neither of you moved.
Rainwater cooled your skin while his lips met yours with almost disbelieving tenderness, as though he couldn’t quite convince himself this was real.
His gloved hand hesitated only a moment before coming to rest lightly against your cheek.
There was only the sound of falling rain and the warmth of a kiss.When you finally drew back, you rested your forehead lightly against his for the briefest instant.
“Thank you,” you whispered.
His voice, when it came, was almost breathless as his lips twitched. “…Anytime.”
You smiled one last time before carefully pulling the mask back into place. “Goodnight, Spider-Man.”
Spider-Man tipped his head as he shot through the air, a laugh escaping your lips as you ran out of the ally to watch him swing away.
Smiling, you can one last look to the sky before you slipped inside your building greeting the door man.
Landing on a roof top, Peter watched you disappear through the apartment doors and vanish in the elevator.
Peter Parker touched his lips beneath the mask.
His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might break straight through his chest.
The woman he’d quietly loved since high school had just kissed Spider-Man…
Never realizing she’d kissed Peter Parker.
