#userkitkath

Peter’s heart was racing so fast that it rang in his ears. Or maybe that was the heartbeats of the hundreds of people that were all looking at him. His picture still large on the screen. His name on a loop in his brain. He reaffirmed his grip on the streetlight he was perched on before swinging away as quickly as he could. He knew where he was going, where he needed to go.

Your mind was invested in the pages of your book occasionally peering down at your phone just to check for a text or phone call. Peter had texted you as soon as he’d landed back in New York and he said he’d be around to see you soon and tell you about his trip. You looked to your window but soon shook your head and peered down at the your book. And of course Venice would appear as soon as your eyes landed on the page. The place that Peter had texted you in wishing you were there with him.

You went to a different school to Peter so you hadn’t gone on the school trip with him, but he’d text you about it and you’d gotten updates not only from him but from the news as well speaking of the ‘Night-monkey’. You laughed at that and had teased him for days. But you’d avoided the world today, waiting only for Peter and his warm embrace again with excitement. You were just thinking about how much you missed him when there was a loud knock on your window.

You jumped up and ran over, pulling it open as soon as you saw the unmistakable red of his new suit. “Peter!” He entered, pulling off his mask and throwing it the floor because what even was the point anymore? You quickly pulled him into a hug, kissing his cheek. He would have smiled if thoughts of that broadcast weren’t still fogging his brain and sending sparks of panic throughout his whole body because the bad guys were probably already knocking on his door. You were just talking about how much you’d missed him when he shook his head and you heard a sniffle. Your smile fell in an instant. “What’s wrong?” You pulled back and saw how much he was shaking. His words were jumbling together, and you could tell he was panicking. “Pete?” Your hands held his face firmly, urging him to look at you. You started to notice the cuts, bruises and starts of scars that lined his face.

“Shit- everything’s - it’s.” Peter broke from your embrace and started to pace your bedroom. His hand running down his face. “They know!”

“Who knows what?!” You asked calmly, taking a seat at the edge of your bed and encouraging Peter to sit with you but he shook his head, still pacing.

“Everyone! they know it’s me, they know I’m Spider-man Y/n!” Peter gestured towards the window, his eyes wild and panic-stricken. You returned the expression but tried to remain calm at the same time. Peter nodded his head even as you didn’t say anything, the way your heartbeat sped up spoke a thousand words.

“Okay tell me everything.” You took a deep breath.

“I haven’t got time, I’ve got to fix this!” Peter’s voice was an octave higher as he yelled. You were taken aback. This is bad. The thought you knew already only proved further by the next word that left Peter’s lips. “Fuck.”

You hid your surprise and instead bit your lip, trying hard to think of ways to calm him down. “Pete.” You tried the calm approach again, only watching as the panic surfaced more and more, his breathing becoming unsteady. “Peter!” The loudness of your voice made him stop and turn to you. “Will you just sit down please?” Peter’s wide brown eyes met your pleading ones and he nodded, sinking down onto the bed. You put hands on his arms and tried to get his breathing to slow until it matched your own. You wiped some tears that had fallen from his cheeks, careful to avoid the injuries that made your heart threaten to fall from its confines.

“Okay well first of all, Nick Fury shows up at my hotel room and shots Ned with a tranquilizer…”

Peter went through the story of his vacation, some things you knew from his texts and calls and others you didn’t.

“YOU GOT HIT BY A FUCKING TRAIN?!”

“Yeah, yeah that’s not the point.” Peter shook his head, ignoring the way your eyes bore into him, wide and full of shock. That definitely seemed like something he should have mentioned before but then again how would he have said that without you booking the next flight to where he was.

“Peter! A TRAIN. HIT. YOU.” You tried not to yell, you really did but the thoughts of your boyfriend being hit by a train was not an image you could rid of easily. Peter saw your look and reached for your hand as a reminder that he was okay.

“Yes it hurt, and I passed out and woke up in the Netherlands.” Peter explained as if it wasn’t a big deal and you fought back a scoff. “Did you know they’re so nice over there?” You blinked at his simplicity of the situation before shaking your head in answer to his question.

Peter sensed your worry even though he had been trying to change the subject. He tightened his grip on your hand and was just about to remind you that he was okay and here with you when he heard the tv from the next room increase in volume and J. Jonah Jameson’s voice booming into Peter’s ears once again.

“Pete? It’s okay.” However despite your words you could feel yourself panicking with him as you heard his name being called from the tv followed by a gasp from your parents.

“No y/n. No it’s not. How is this okay?!” Peter’s voice was still yelling but he’d lowered himself to a whisper because your parents would be alert now that your boyfriend was Spider-man and according to the tv had called a strike on London.

“I don’t know.” You shook your head hopelessly before meeting Peter’s eyes and exchanging a look of worry. Peter’s eyes drooped with sadness.

“I wish Tony was here.” His words were breathless, and it wasn’t words you hadn’t heard before but this time it wasn’t just because Peter missed him. Neither of you knew what to do.

Peter knew he should be trying to fix this mess, he should be doing something but ten more minutes in your arms seemed like a nice option. He was reminded of how you would tell him “Anger clouding your mind isn’t going to help anything.” He thought about what Tony would do and that’s when it occurred to him.

“That’s it!”

You watched in confusion as Peter jumped up and reached for his phone. He loaded something on the screen and sat by you. It was a video, the video of Tony’s press conference from 2008. You remembered watching it when you were younger on the news, your eyes lighting up at the thought that superheroes were real and not just stories. Peter remembered a similar memory of his own.

“So what? You’re just going to tell the world you’re Spiderman?”

“No not exactly.”

You looked at Peter curiously as he tried to give you a hopeful smile.

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“There’s been a lot of rumours about who I am and what I did in London. I’m not here to make up a story or excuses but I can tell you that the man who released that video cannot be trusted. And if you still have faith in me then thank you. I promise to get you the truth.” Peter felt panic rise in his chest as he finished the last word. The reporters in front of him burst into questions but thankfully, Happy was already rushing him off stage with a “No comment.”

“Okay. Now what?” You asked as soon as you spotted Peter coming out from the room. He hugged you tightly and took a moment to listen to your heartbeat to calm his own down. “We could go back to London and find the footage?” You said hopefully.

“No it’s all destroyed.” Peter shook his head with a frown, biting his lip.

“There is another option.” You pursed your lips and bit the inside of your cheek, Peter’s worried glance switching to confused. “We get help.”