#petemai

“Pete, you really don't have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. Just humor me a bit...”

It was a sunny day in Harlem; a stark contrast to the place Peter Parker and Mila Morales were currently at: Manhattan’s local cemetery.

The brunet could feel a familiar unease in the pit of his stomach that spread to his arms and fingertips, making him begin to shake from nerves as he stood in front of a slab of stone that was so important, not just to himself, but mostly to the woman standing beside him.

‘Jefferson Davis’—it read in bold letters. ‘A hero, a father, a husband.’

Peter never got the privilege of meeting the man outside the suit. He would only hear stories from Mila and her mother, saying how brave and kind and loving he was. Still, with how much his girlfriend talked about him, it almost felt like he knew him well enough at this point.

“She's your fiancée now, Parker…” Peter had to mentally correct himself as he turned to look at his companion.

Mila Morales stood in all her glory—short curly hair held in place by bobby pins, a red hoodie Peter bought her when they'd gone shopping after patrol one day, denim shorts and black leggings with red matching Jordans.

But most importantly of all, a simple silver band with a small diamond resting on her ring finger.

It belonged to Aunt May. She'd given it to him back when he and MJ were still dating, a sign of her blessing and also a gift that saved his wallet from having to buy one himself. If she knew who the ring's new owner was though, she'd still be proud.

“Peter?” Mila's soft voice broke the brunet from his trance, snapping his attention back from her hand to her face, scrunched in concern. “You okay? You're shaking.”

Peter couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his face. She was so good to him. He'd never get over that fact. While trying to steady his hands, he reached for Mila's and intertwined their fingers with a firm squeeze. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Guess this is harder than I thought, haha…”

If anyone had told him a year ago that he'd be standing here today, he wouldn't have believed them.

After everything that happened with MJ, Peter learned that balancing the life of a superhero while trying to maintain a healthy relationship was near impossible. The two of them had come to that conclusion together after years of trying to make it work, and despite walking away with no hard feelings, the brunet couldn't help the feeling of hopelessness that was left in his chest.

The harsh reality that he'd never be able to have a romantic relationship was just another burden he had to add to the pile. Things he had to give up with the responsibility of the Spider-Man title.

That was until Mila Morales showed up and turned his world upside down.

After getting over the initial shock of having another spider person who could relate to stuff he couldn't share with his friends, Peter was more than happy to have the young girl under his wing—it wasn't until months passed that he started to notice some… odd behavior on his part when it came to Mila.

Peter could be having the worst day ever—job searching failures, villains escaping, Jonah not knowing when to shut his trap unless Peter glued it shut with his webs—no matter what had him fuming, Mila was always able to get him to smile.

It could be something as simple as her and Ganke programing a new gadget for him to try, her finally getting an A+ in Spanish because if not ‘mi mamá me va a matar esta vez, ¡te lo aseguro!’, or just a dumb joke that didn't make any sense but still had Peter holding his sides and wiping tears in the middle of their patrol.

He'd just be in an overall better mood when around her.

He'd also talk about her without even realizing it. A lot.

“Pete, I get it. You're proud of your girlfriend's progress! But I don't need a day by day update, kay?” Harry had said once when they were chilling at his apartment and Peter was talking about the Holo-Training he'd prepped for Mila.

“Peter, you're just a phone call away. With everything you tell me, Mila can handle a week on her own.” MJ said when Peter voiced his concerns about leaving the girl to look after the city.

And so, the comments started evolving from simple pointers to straight out teasing within a matter of weeks. Harry and MJ wouldn't give him a break whenever it came to Mila, and it was starting to get on his nerves.

But it also got him thinking about her.

About how brave, selfless, caring, and funny she was.

He'd compliment her more often, making sure that she knew just how amazing she was. There was nothing wrong with friends telling each other how smart they were. How creative. Heck, so what if he said she looked beautiful one day after taking off her mask on the rooftop to call it a night—with the moonlight framing her in a way that could only be described as ethereal?

Friends could acknowledge if the other was attractive! Right?

It didn't take long for Peter to analyze the facts and come to the conclusion he was dreading.

He was developing feelings for Mila Morales.

And the thought of that terrified him.

Setting aside the age gap between them (that was a whole separate can of worms he was not prepared to deal with), there were his previous romantic experiences which left him in a bad place. One where he didn't think he was worthy of love and that he only caused suffering to those he cared about.

Friendships were the only thing he allowed himself to hold onto, and even those were always at arm's length. He couldn't bear the idea of losing Mila as a friend, let alone hurting her in any way.

So, he kept everything bottled up in hopes that it was just a silly little crush that would go away on its own.

Only for Spider-Woman to beat him to the punch.

While fighting when possessed by the Venom entity, Mila said and did everything she could to get Peter to snap out of it and fight back. Including revealing her true feelings for him.

Despite wanting to brush it off as a spur of the moment deal, she told him again a week after the incident, clearing the air of any doubt that she hadn't meant it.

And despite wanting to deny her and claim that he didn't feel the same, Mila knew better. She noticed something was off and pressed the issue, stating that she didn't mind being let down, but only if it was genuine and not for ‘her sake’ somehow.

That was more than enough for the dam to break inside him.

Peter explained his concerns, his fears, his insecurities—he opened himself up and laid bare for the other to see. And all she did was listen and comfort him the best she could.

No judgment.

“I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you!” The brunet was holding back tears while Mila placed a hand on his cheek in a soft and comforting manner.

After swallowing a lump in her throat, the teen looked him in the eye and allowed the tiniest of smiles to grace her lips. “Don't you think that's for me to decide?”

And so that night, they shared their first kiss on top of the Empire State Building, with unspoken promises being exchanged between their lips.

Once they started officially dating, Peter was determined to set ground rules.

First, he needed to get Rio's blessing.

An awkward conversation was had at the Morales household in which Peter kept saying essentially the same things over and over, fumbling like an idiot, only for Rio to stop him and say that she already considered him part of the family anyways. He was let go with a hug and threat of keeping her daughter safe.

Second, no intimacy until Mila turned eighteen.

There would be the occasional kiss on the cheek, hand holding and cuddling while watching movies, but anything more heated than that was a strict no-no in Peter's book. Despite how many times his girlfriend did her best to seduce him, causing Spider-Man to have to flee his own apartment on more than one occasion.

And the third one was a secret kept to himself until recently—ask for Jefferson Davis’ blessing as soon as he proposed.

It was entirely unnecessary, and at this point, rather irrelevant to be asking that question, but Peter couldn't help it if he was old fashioned that way.

Staring at the gravestone that marked the resting place of his future father-in-law, he took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth. Mila squeezed his hand too, showing her support in the only way she could.

“Good evening, Mr. Davis…” Peter managed the sentence without stuttering, which was a win on his book. “I'm sorry to be bothering you today, but there's something important I need to tell you. It's… about your daughter.”

He turned to look at Mila, and she smiled in return, as if to say he was doing a good job. Peter nodded and gulped as he kept going. “A-As I've told you before, Mila and I have been dating for a few months now. She brings me happiness like no one else, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration when I say she's been my lifeline on more than one occasion.”

Bringing their joined hands forward, the brunet extended the young woman's in a way that showed off her ring. It gleamed under the rays of sunlight peeking through the trees and that caused Peter to let out a breathy chuckle. It was real. “Which is why I've asked her to marry me.”

“I'm engaged, daddy…” Mila spoke to her father for the first time since they got there. Her dimples showed clearly with the way she was grinning from ear to ear. “Guess you and mama can't stop betting on Ganke and I, haha…”

Peter laughed along with her, and the unease began to dissipate. Still, his gaze remained on the stone in front of him, keeping him grounded and reminding him of why he was here in the first place. “I… I really wish I could've asked for your blessing in person, sir. Mila and her mother speak the world of you, and with good reason! I also wish… I could apologize properly.”

The image of the bombing caused by the Inner Demons flashed in Peter's mind. The day Jefferson Davis lost his life while trying to protect the people Spider-Man was responsible for—the day he met Mila under the worst circumstances; by not saving her father.

And even though his lover had forgiven him for that ages ago, Peter would carry it with him along with the tragedies that befell anyone who was involved with Spidey.

Regaining his composure, Peter cleared his throat and let himself continue with his speech. “I know I couldn't save you that day… but I swear to you, on my life, that I will make your daughter happy and always keep her safe. Not like she needs it, I'm sure you know how stubborn she can be.”

Spider-Woman lightly shoved him with a roll of her eyes, bringing a smirk to Peter's lips.

At that moment, a light breeze swept by the duo, rustling the leaves of the late autumn season. The brunet stared wide eyed as a leaf placed itself on top of Mr. Davis’ grave, almost perfectly in front of them both.

Mila must have thought the same thing as he did because she leaned upwards to place a kiss on her fiancé's cheek. “Looks like you got your blessing.”

“You think?” Peter mumbled, not wanting to break the quiet stillness around them.

“I know.” A gentle smile then replaced either a mischievous grin. “Even if he might be a bit upset I ended up with a basic white guy.”

Peter allowed himself to chuckle at that, pulling the girl next to him close in a hug. The warmth that radiated from her body was nothing short of calming, and it reminded him of home. In a strange way, she was his new home. “You think if he knew I was Spider-Man I'd score some coolness points?”

“Maybe. Though that would entail he didn't know I was Spider-Woman. Which to be honest makes me like, ten times cooler.”

As the duo left the cemetery hand-in-hand, Peter knew that the future he was heading into was filled with uncertainty. But with his partner in crime standing by his side through it all, he knew it would make it a little bit easier.

After all, who was Spider-Man without Spider-Woman?