[WORD COUNT: 1447!]

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

'have less
do more'
— balanced

"Pizza's here" Peter called from the bottom of the stairs. You threw back a simple 'mkay' before climbing back through the window and shutting it behind you. Your stomach growled tightly as your feet landed on the carpet, indicating you were ready for something to eat. Leaving the bedroom, the smell of cheese and dough continued to grow stronger, until finally the source met your eye at you joined Peter in the living room.

Garfield was playing on the screen as the lighting dimmed, sitting yourself down on the couch and propping your feet on the coffee table. Peter opened to box callously, pushing back the lid to reveal the steaming hot slices of pizza underneath. You pulled out a slice, your fingers burning from the food being fresh, and sat yourself back against the couch, Peter doing the same. All was quit for a while as you continued to eat, focusing your attention on the orange, food orientated cat bouncing around the screen. Despite being in college, nothing could beat a good old episode of Garfield, despite the film being so much better.

"So I was thinking," Peter began, finishing his first slice and sitting forward for another. You turned your attention away from the screen, "about?"

"Well, I know your not exactly a closed book but why are you so confident when it comes to guys?" he asked, seeming a little on edge. You understood Peter's question, as yes he was right, you were surprisingly confident with the opposite sex. But behind every story there is a reason, and you were surprised you hand't already babbled it out to Peter in the past.

"Let's just say I've had my fair share of experiences, and I guess you just get used to it" you shrugged, sitting forward and grabbing the bottle of water you had prepped earlier, slowly collecting condensation in the palm of your hand turning your skin stone cold. Peter simply nodded, but his face still looked puzzled, "What's up?"

"Just thinking..."

"You look confused, what you thinking about?" you asked, grabbing another slice of pizza. Peter thought for a moment, deep in his mind to even correlate your question. You smiled to yourself after looking at him for a while. Peter fascinated you at times, how he had so much responsibility, he was the city's hero and yet here, on the inside, he was just another teenage boy dealing with your everyday teenage problems. "Hello? Earth to Peter?" you chortled, waving your hand in front of his face.

"Hm? Sorry, got caught up" he brushed it off with a nervous smile, grasping another slice and sitting back to watch the screen.

"Hey, what about this morning?"

"What about this morning?"

"You said you missed the bus? But, you never catch the bus. Some last minute spidey crime solving?"

Peter's gaze lowered to his lap, taking a deep breath. Something was wrong, but you couldn't put your finger on what. You and Peter weren't exactly alike, but he wasn't someone who kept a secret when there was an issue. Unless it was-

"Is it your uncle again?" you lowered your voice, fearing that if you spoke too loud you would scare him off. He scratched his brow neurotically, nodding. You sighed, placing down the last part of your slice back in the box and moving over to him. Ever since the death of his Uncle thing's haven't exactly been easy for either Peter or May. There was never a time Peter wouldn't show for school, but after his Uncle was shot Peter didn't show for weeks. He pushed everyone away, and although he seemed like the one kid without a care in the world, on the inside he was hiding some dark secrets. Despite Peter doing everything he could to save his last standing father figure, there was nothing he could have done that night to change anything. A lot of the blame he put on himself because of that.

"Y'know you can talk to me, right?" you reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He nodded, wiping away a fallen tear. "You may be Spider - Man, but it's not wrong to feel hurt"

There was a lot about Peter that people didn't know, and you were one of them.

"I-I just feel like I'm running around in circled, ya know? Aunt may, she... She get's upset sometimes and when she does I don't know what to do because she'll start crying and then i'll start crying and then we're both a mess but even after all of it I feel like I can't talk to her and it hurts because I need someone to-"

"Peter," You slowed him down, bringing him to face you. His cheek was soft against your hand, rubbing your thumb gently under his eyes that, even in the darkness, you could see were slightly fading away from their bright colours. "No matter what happens, you've got me and Ned, okay? Michelle, too" you dimmed a smile, reassuring him with all of you that it was going to be okay. No one, especially Peter, deserved to feel the way he did.

"Thank you" he whispered, leaning in and embracing you in a tight hug. There were certain things you loved about the relationship you had with Peter, but his hugs were one of your favourites. The way he tucked his nose into the crook of your neck, and his hands would slide themselves around your waist for extra comfort. Nothing could beat it.

A flicker of channels brought you away from the hug, both your heads shooting towards the TV screen as an urgent new's report was being broadcast. You and Peter looked at each other, Peter taking a deep breath. You knew.

"Go get em'" you smiled, placing a kiss on his cheek. Peter smiled, cheeks forming small dimples before he leaped from the couch and up to his room to change. You flicked the channel back to Garfield, where the titles were just rolling in, and the channel notifying that another film which you hadn't heard of would be on shortly. You moved from the couch, wondering up the stairs to catch Peter before he left.

He was standing at the window cill, mask in hand as you arrived.

"Peter?"

"Yeah?" He turned to face you, eyes beaming.

"Stay safe" you smiled, shoving your hands into your pockets. He nodded with confidence, shooting you a smile before pulling the mask over his eyes and swinging off through the city. You caught the last glimce of him as you ran towards the window, watching him swing off and dispersal behind a building. You sighed when a gentle smile came to your cheeks, callously moving away and shutting the window behind you.

After cleaning up the left over food and leaving a note for May, you left Peter's and headed back to your own apartment on campus. The amount of times you had tried to convince Peter to moved out had all failed miserably, but now you were beginning to understand why. Both Peter and May were lost and they needed each other, just like you needed Ned when your mother passed away. You wanted him to understand that you were there for him, because you cared about him more than some say you should.

Upon arriving home you came to the address of what exactly had happened that night. You had agreed to something you were now misconstruing. You had kissed your best friend, your brothers best friend, and yet there was an all knowing feeling that he was in this for someone else. You felt like the one who was running in circles. You couldn't help the stinging feeling of jealousy in your stomach, which you quickly subsided after locking the door behind you and grabbing some tequila out the fridge. You weren't exactly allowed alcohol, but that didn't mean you didn't own any. You were good friends with your dorm neighbour, Dom, who had turned twenty two just last week, and had been buying you alcohol since you moved in. It distracted you, despite being addictive. It calmed your every nerve and distracted you from the harsh world and people that lived among it. The only problem was you would often crash on the couch.

Yes, you were a straight A student. Yes, you loved education. But a girl needs a break every now and again. Drunken thoughts and hazy eyes couldn't push away the feelings this time. You had a sympathetic spot for Peter.

And you hated it.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Sorry for such a short chapter!! I'll try and update sooner next time 😋😘