.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

[ WORD COUNT: 2090! ]

'Don't waste your precious time over boys with pretty eyes'
— Aviva, Princesses Dont Cry

Peter had helped you back onto your feet shortly after his attention was averted back over the river to where you presumed Tony must be scoping out.

"I-I gotta go help" Peter gestured over a skip in his step as he reached the edge of the water again.

"Peter wait-" you called after him, wobbling on your unsteady legs, chasing after him. He came to a halt at the water's edge, turning back to face you. His eyes were wide, looking at you for an immediate answer as his time was shortly running out. You instantly pulled him close to you, mushing your wet bodies together and resting your head on his chest. Peter smiled, closing his eyes as he rocked you gently.

"Be careful" you whispered, moving your head to look up at him. He nodded, "I will" before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.

"Go get em' tiger" you smirked, letting his hand go reluctantly as the mask retracted back over his face. He winked, before looking over the water and leaping off the edge, shooting a web to a nearby building and swinging off into the distance. You watched him swing for a while at the edge of the water, the chill beginning to sink into your bones through your wet clothing. Despite the fact that after everything; after Kyle, Harry, Tony, Ned... It all had come back to Peter. He'd saved your life even in metaphorical moments. He was truly... Something else.

You heard the gathering of ushered voices crowding behind you followed by camera clicks and flashes. You turned hesitantly, shielding your eyes with your arm as you saw the cameras flashing at you, reporters coming closer to the safety barrier that surrounded the water's edge.

"Miss, are you alright?"

"What happened up there?"

"Who is behind the green mask?"

"What is your relation to Spider-Man?"

"Are you dating Spider-Man?"

"What's your name?"

It was all a little too much for you to handle at that moment, the crowds becoming bigger like a growing wave of bodies. A screech of tires caught you off guard, head snapping to the side as you watched a black vehicle come to a startling halt, the blacked-out windows rolling down to reveal a familiar face.

"Kid jump in!" Happy yelled from the driver's seat, gesturing you over quickly. You took one last look at the reporters before breaking into a steady jog, pulling up the hood of your jacket and slamming the car door shut as you settled yourself down in the leather seats.

"You alright?"

"You're... You're Happy Hogan"

"That I am" he smiled rather devilishly.

"You work for Spider-Man"

"I work with Spider-Man, not for Spider-Man" his smile quickly faded, "now buckle up, this isn't gonna be pretty"

On that command, you turned to your right, pulling the belt over your torso and clicking it into place, looking out the secured window to watch the reporters passing by. You couldn't help but twist in your spot to look back over the river. You just hoped and prayed that Peter would be alright. He didn't need you right now, because there wasn't anything you could possibly do to help out in this situation, but you felt that by leaving you were taking some hope away with you.

"So, what happened?" Happy's voice filled the silent gap in the car, drawing your attention to the front. You weren't sure where you were going, but you were heading right out of the city.

"Uh, It's complicated" you sighed, rubbing your eyes harshly with your cold knuckles. You knew exactly what happened, but refraining it was a little too much for your brain to handle right now. You'd died and come back, all thanks to Peter. That was enough for one night.

"You're Y/N, right?"

"Yeah, that's me" you gave a weak smile, tucking your hands into your jacket pockets and resting your head against the back of the car. "Is Peter gonna be okay?"

"He's with Tony, they should be perfectly fine" Happy confirmed, re-adjusting his hands on the wheel to turn up the heater. You nodded, silently telling yourself that in truth you had nothing to worry about. Peter had his mentor by his side and he was going to be perfectly fine. Everything was going to be okay. But you couldn't stop yourself from worrying, even if you kept it to yourself, it was still going to be a flaw about you. Until you knew that Peter was by your side, living and breathing, you were going to continue to panic about him.

"Hey Happy, where are we going?" you mumbled, feeling the sleep-deprived karma coming back to bite you in the ass as a wave of comfort and relaxation flooded your body, the heaters waves of hot air hitting your cold skin beginning to dry the wet clothes keeping your temperate from rising.

"I'm taking you back to the compound, Tony said he'd meet us back there when he could" Happy looked up at you through wind mirror, but you were already half asleep' every sealed shut and breathing peacefully. A smile fell to Happy's lips as he sighed sweetly. He found some comfort in aiding those who needed it, especially the kids who had fallen victim to the crazy world of superheroes.

It hadn't taken Peter long before he was back with Tony again, setting himself down on the crumbled rooftop where he had first left off. There wasn't much to see, accept a police helicopter attending to who Peter presumed was the villain in this situation, while Tony was speaking with one of the officers. Peter kept his mask intact, opting not to reveal his identity just at this moment as he wandered over to his mentor.

"Mr Stark" Peter announced quietly, slowly stalking into the conversation to try and catch Tony's attention. The older male turned to Peter with a broken smile, placing a hand on his shoulder for reassurance while he finished the short-lived conversation with the officer.

"Peter, everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah uh, everything's great. What's going on?" Peter looked over Tony's shoulder to watch the commotion happening behind him before he was turned on his feet. Tony didn't want Peter to see who was hiding behind the green goblin mask. Although he had briefly explained what had happened with the Osborn situation, Peter wasn't ready to be told that one of his close friends from high school had tried to kill the girl he desired to be with. At least not while they were standing on top of an abandoned building, information scattered along with their exhausted mindset.

"Well I guess you could say we did our job, we caught the bad guy and now us meddling kids can go home" he smiled, adjusting his arm so it hung over Peter's shoulder, walking over to the edge of the building. Peter nodded slowly, desperately wanting to know more and question Tony until dawn, but decided that right now maybe wasn't the best time. "Now if I'm correct Happy should have picked up your girl and they should almost be at the compound by now" Tony mumbled, stretching onto his tip-toes to see over the water's edge.

"Tony" Peter muttered, fiddling with his fingers at his waist.

"Peter"

"I... I wanted to apologise for bailing on you before. I just thought, with everything that had happened Y/N wouldn't want anything to do with me"

"So, what changed your mind?" Tony quizzed, taking a seat on the edge of the building. Peter remained standing as he thought. He'd given it a lot of thought.

"Well, I thought about you and Pepper, funnily enough. I know I haven't known you all that long and our relationship is strictly professional, but... You and Pepper are like soul mates and I know that you'd do anything for each other. I realised that what I had done to Y/N, the way I hurt her, was because I was protecting her. And if she loves me, she'll understand that"

The words that Peter had spoken hit Tony harder than the man had expected. What Peter was experiencing was, of course, a large dosage of young love, but for him to realise that the two of them were meant to be together really brought him home. Peter was a strong kid and he'd never seen him in an aspect other than being the intern he recruited when there was no one else he could turn to. But now, seeing him in this new light, made his heart flutter. There was so much more to Peter than he had first bargained for. Peter was in love, he had feelings and emotions just like everyone else and, of course, Tony realised that before but now. Now it was hitting him on a whole new level.

"Sit with me for a second" Tony titled his chin upright, gesturing for Peter to sit down. He was hesitant, but he slowly took a seat at the edge of the building alongside his mentor, folding his hands in his lap while his eyes were locked on Tony's face.

"I'm going to be honest with you, kid. I've... I've made a lot of mistakes in my life but choosing Pepper certainly wasn't one of them. Sure, at times I think it was," he gave a light-hearted chuckle, "but after everything, she's still here and it drives me crazy sometimes. Because I constantly ask myself why. She could have... Anyone in the world and she chose me" Tony turned over to Peter, a serious but warm glaze in his eye, "there is always going to be a connection between you and this girl, no matter what happens. Whether your forgotten tomorrow she'll always be the one that remembers you. She could scream in your face and shoot you in the gut, but she'd still love you. She'll tell you things you don't wanna hear, but if you can guarantee that you'll be there for her no matter what" Tony paused, taking a deep breath, "then there is nothing that can come between you"

Silence filled the air as Peter allowed the words to sink in, drinking in every last syllable that fell from Tony's lips. To hear it from someone else Peter would have taken it to heart, but to hear it from the man that wasn't exactly an open book, to hear it from someone who meant the world to him, Peter took it as a life lesson.

"C' mon, we should get you back. I'm sure she's worried about you" Tony smiled, moving back so he could stand back on his feet. Peter followed, still a little stunned and unsure how to top off the conversation.

"Thank you, Mr Stark" Peter gave a flat smile, the pressed lipped smile that he always shone when he was appreciative.

"No problem, Pete"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

So, mmmmm, boy, this chapter is way too short for my liking but that's because it's more of a filler chapter, which means no a lot happens but it's still important.

I'm sad to announce that this book is almost finished and will soon be coming to a close! 😔

For quite some time I had the idea of making a sequel, but I just dont think it would be right for this book? I wouldn't really know where to go, well I would I just don't think you guys would enjoy where I would take it?

I also wanted to say I am so so sorry for the lack of updates. I had to take some time to myself as my health has been all over the fucking place ahaaaaaa I wish that was funny. But non the less I am absolutely fine now, and wish I could write more but expect a longer chapter coming up very soon!

Anyways, thank you so much for reading! This book has absolutely suprassed all of my expectations and I am so so greatful and thankful of everything that you guys have given me! Words alone will never ever be able to express the love that I have for each and every one of you and at the very end of the book I will be doing a shoutout to those who have supported and appeciated me in so many ways! Thank you! 💞💞💞