#she is really big into constellations and stars and astrology and loves spiders.

[jatparker]

Stars

Word count: 1.9K

Summary: Best friends Peter and Y/N loved to watch the stars together. They’d climb onto the roof every Friday night and stay there until the sun comes up. One day Peter finally plucks up the courage to ask her out on a date

Climbing onto the roof of her apartment shouldn’t have been such a big deal. She’d done it so many times before, but she’d always had Spider-Man, fucking Spider-Man!, by her side. It didn’t help that she had to sneak her way up with a backpack full of picnic food, but having Peter there made it less daunting.

Of course, this had to be the one time Peter was actually interning under Tony Stark. He wasn’t swinging around the city; he was making coffees and organising paperwork. Sucks to be him, she thought with a smile. But he promised he would be there and Y/N knew he would.

Since they were fourteen, Y/N and Peter made their way onto the roof of their apartment complex to watch the stars. They were kind of hard to see, blocked out by the light pollution. So, when Y/N was fifteen, she bought him a telescope. She’d saved up for weeks and done countless shifts at the little pizza place where she worked. But it was all worth it, just for the smile that came with it.

They’d both agreed, once they’d got their licences, that the two of them would take a trip out of Queens. Leave everything behind, their worries and responsibilities, and go stargazing in the middle of butt fuck nowhere. They’d bring a telescope, a few blankets and a change of clothes. All they needed was each other and the stars.

Y/N was setting up the blankets and setting out the food when the red figure swung into view. The expensive telescope was precariously under his arm (it was a wonder he hadn’t broken it yet). “You need to be careful with that thing,” Y/N warned in way of greeting. “I’m not buying you another one if you break it.”

Rolling his eyes, Peter pulled off the mask. But he grinned once he saw their usual set up. Cushions, blankets and a bowl of crisps, he didn’t know how Y/N managed to carry it all up here. “You ready to gaze at some stars?”

And so, Peter set about setting up the telescope as Y/N began eating the food. She already had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and the temperature outside had yet to drop. Or maybe Peter's superhuman body just ran a little hotter than everybody else’s. He was content to stay in the spider suit while she hogged the blankets.

And so, they watched the stars, taking turns with the telescope. Peter had actually taken the time out of his studies and the internship to research constellations and became quite the astrology nerd. He searched for the constellations in the telescope and then pointed them out to Y/N.

The two sat on the roof for hours, talking, looking at the stars, bitching about Y/N’s least favourite teacher and so on. They stayed until the sun rose and the sky was painted orange.

Peter stood and began to stretch. “I better go before May starts to panic,” he said and gathered up the telescope.

“Hold your horses, Pete.” Y/N still had a blanket around her shoulders and had a cushion tucked under her arm. She was in the process of gathering up everything, but things kept falling out of her arms. “You’re not going to leave me here with all of this, are you?”

He only smiled, pulled the mask back over his face and leapt off the side of the building. That fucker, she thought and continued gathering up her stuff.

***

Y/N couldn’t quite understand it when Peter had called an emergency stargaze on a Monday. Ste had a tonne of homework as well as a lack of sleep to make up for.

She trudged up the fire escape, rather unenthusiastically, only for Peter to not be there. Instead, blankets were spread out in their usual spot and pillows surrounded them. But the telescope wasn’t there. Instead there was a note taped to one of the cushions.

Please don’t leave! I’ll be back soon, I promise. The answers the the algebra and biology homework are on the back - Pete

It wasn’t like Peter to just give out answers. He was always pushing Y/N to do her best, to try and work out the answers on her own before he swooped in and saved her ass from detention. Y/N wasn’t going to pass up this rare opportunity.

She watched the sunset alone, snapping a quick picture when the sky turned pink. Her homework took hours, even when she was copying Peters (slightly confusing) answers. By the time she was done she was using her phone as a torch and her hand was cramping.

A sudden woosh! filled the air and someone landed on the roof beside her. The person stumbled ever so slightly, but quickly regained his balance, somehow keeping hold of the boxes in his hands. “Did somebody order pizza?”

“Peter Parker you’re a lifesaver!” Y/N called as he sat beside her and opened the first box. She stole a slice and quickly ate it. “And thanks for the answers. God knows I wouldn’t be graduating without you.”

They made light work of the pizza, sitting silently as they ate. Y/N had had head on Peter's shoulder as she stuffed her face. A little bit of cheese had stuck to her face, but neither of them had noticed it yet.

“So,” Y/N started after wiping the sauce (and cheese) away from her face. “Why did you call me up here? What’s going on?”

Peter suddenly panicked. He had been going over this in his head since he first picked up the pizza. And ate the first two boxes because of nerves alone. It was why he had left her up here for so long. Being in love with your best friend was never easy.

“I just…” He struggled to find the words, wringing his hands together to try and somewhat calm his nerves. “Today was tough and I thought we could use it,” he said quietly, looking at his feet. He blew it. He totally blew it.

“You’re the best, Parker!” She grinned and leaned her entire body against him. Without the blanket around her shoulders she was shivering in the cold night. Peter wrapped his arms around her and looked out across Queens.

***

There was a lot Peter wanted to say to Y/N, he just didn’t know how to do it. Every time he tried his words would get jumbled or he’d chicken out.

“What do you actually like about her?” MJ asked as they waited for Y/N and Ned in the cafeteria.

Peter considered her words. He’d never really thought about it that far, he knew he liked Y/N (knew he liked her a lot) but he’d never tried to put those feelings into words. “She’s my best friend, right?” He started, still trying to find the words. “She knows everything about me, everything I like and don’t like, and for some reason she still chooses to be around me. I don’t have to hide any part of myself around her! She makes me feel comfortable to be me where I’ve always been made to feel like I have to be more than I am. When I’m with her I don’t want to swing off and disappear until she leaves. And she’s just incredible.”

Peter fell silent as Ned and Y/N approached the table. They slid themselves into their seats and instantly dominated the conversation. They spoke about Star Wars or the Hobbit or whatever they were into that week.

A note was suddenly placed in front of Peter. Tell her everything you just told me. He snatched it up before anyone could see and hit it in his pocket, his cheeks pinks. “You feeling alright, Parker?”

“Yep,” he choked out and cleared his throat. “Everything’s fine.”

But Y/N wasn’t convinced. “As long as you’re sure,” she mumbled and eyed him suspiciously. Ned quickly pulled her back into the conversation and Peter silently thanked him.

***

It was their usual Friday when Y/N took a trip up to the roof. He had been quiet and distant all week; she wasn’t sure if he was going to show or not.

When she got there, with a blanket stuffed into her bag and a pillow under her arm, she gasped.

There was Peter Parker, looking dapper in a tattered suit. His arms were braced against the railing that went around the roof and looked down at the bustling street below. He knew she was there, but chose to let her come to him.

Y/N set down her bag and her pillow and slowly approached him. “What’s going on, Parker?” Her voice was quiet as she reached for the railing and stood beside him. Last time this had happened, he’d just come from his Uncle Ben's funeral. The two had spent that night crying and reminiscing.

He turned to her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. You took Liz Allen to homecoming and her dad was one of the bad guys, you can do this. He was still nervous, but he had to do this. It was now or never.

“I’ve loved you since we were kids.”

“I love you too, Pete. What’s going on?” She urged.

So, Peter tried again. “Y/N.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “You’re someone who makes me feel comfortable being myself. You know every part of me and there’s nothing I have to hide from you. When I’m with you, I don’t have to be anymore than I am and-” the paper slipped from between his fingers, pulled away by the wind. “Shit,” he mumbled, trying to reach for it. It tumbled through the air, out of his grasp.

Y/N was silent. Peter had half a mind to get on his knees and beg for her to say something, anything.

“I think I get what you’re trying to say,” she said at last and stepped closer. Peter sucked in a breath, his chest tight. “Can we start this night over? This time, I’ll do the talking.” Peter rapidly nodded his head and Y/N took his hand.

They pulled the blanket from Y/N’s bag and sat on it. She took a minute to gather her words before finally speaking. “Hey Peter, I’m in love with you and I have been for the last year. I think we should go on a date,” she said, words filled with confidence. “This Friday, before we come up here for stargazing.” Y/N was looking at him, eyes filled with hope.

“I’ll pick you up at six.” Peter grinned and leaned back, opening his arms for her.

“You better bring flowers for my mum. It’s not a real date without them.”

“What do you take me for? Cheap?”

[rosenfey]

what are we thinking--