𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 — "𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨"

☕

THANKSGIVING WAS COMING up soon, really like in a week, and they had gotten a break for the holiday. Which was great for all his friends since they were New York natives. Cindy spewed about her family's traditions and how every Christmas night they go looking for a Christmas tree excitedly and Harry informed them all that he was probably going to France or something because of course he was.

          (His dad and him didn't celebrate together, so he was probably fucking off somewhere with a new view and good food. Brendon envied it but whatever.)

          Bren looked excited at the prospect of seeing his family because even though he lived in New York, as did his parents, he didn't go to see them a lot. Really, if Brendon could remember correctly, he had only gone on the weekend to see them twice and it was November now, so...

          Betty didn't seem as ecstatic as the others were for the break. "All it means is going in to the Bugle on Thanksgiving to fill in for those who have the day off," she told them as if it were obvious, "It's not like my family does anything."

          And then there was Peter. Peter was going to spend time with his Aunt May, who sounded like a lovely woman even though Peter admitted that she couldn't cook to save her life, and some of his other friends who were coming back from college.

          That left Brendon, who was doing nothing for Thanksgiving. He was going to stay on campus, one of the only people to do so, and probably splurge and go to McDonald's or something and drown his sorrow in a big mac.

          Everyone had gotten sad when he had said that. They had been sharing their holiday plans with each other during their last lunch together before the break. And it was fine, he knew it was a little sad, but he could cry about it later.

          "You aren't going back to Georgia?" Bren asked him, the first to say something about he dropped the bomb on his plans.

          He shook his head, "Nah. Don't have the money for a plan ticket back and forth. Really, it was either Christmas or Thanksgiving with my family and I'd rather miss this one than Christmas. So I'm just gonna stay here."

          Cindy frowned, "You never mentioned that. If you had, I would've invited you to spend it with my Thanksgiving but now it's too late. My dad would absolutely freak if I brought a boy over without any explanation, especially cause we won't have a chair for you."

          "It's fine, Cindy," he smiled, "I wouldn't want to obtrude anyway. I mean, I'll be fine here."

          She didn't look as if she believed him, but she changed the topic, which he was grateful for. He didn't really want to dwell on the fact that he was going to spending the holiday alone. Or that he was missing time with his family.

          Because they would always go to Savannah to see his cousins on his mom's side. They'd spend a night or two there and go see a movie and his tía always had great stories to share with them. He always had a great time and now he was missing out, all because he wanted to go to college in New York.

          Cold New York that was fucking terrible. No, New York wasn't terrible; it was just the weather. And the fact that it was making him miss Thanksgiving with his family. But he'd get over it, probably only after the holiday, and he could spend the whole day just crying and watching Netflix. That would make him feel better. Maybe. Hopefully.

          He could dream, anyway.

＆

          And then the fateful day arrived. Thursday came and so did the holiday. He was completely alone in his dorm, Cindy had been gone since Monday, spending the weekend with him because she felt really guilty for leaving him alone (and he appreciated the company but also hated the sympathetic looks she kept giving him), so it was just him.

          He occasionally talked to himself, trying to reenact his conversations with Cindy because he was terribly lonely, but that just made him crazy and he didn't feel like going insane just yet. He was too young for that; only eighteen. He couldn't be losing his mind at this age. He had to wait until at least twenty for that, when he wasn't a teenager anymore.

          There was no point in getting dressed, he had food in his dorm and that's where he was planning to spend his entire day until dinner when he went out to treat himself to a Thanksgiving dinner, so he was still in his pajamas as he laid in his bed with his laptop on top of him, Netflix planning.

          More specifically, Legally Blonde was playing because that movie was fantastic and although Warren was a complete dick he was also really hot. What? Matthew Davis was still insane attractive in The Vampire Diaries too. Never let it be said that Brendon didn't have taste because he really did and anyone who disagrees with him is wrong and he will fight them on that.

          He scrolled through Instagram as he watched the movie, flipping his attention between the two screens, as he relaxed. He was sure once he put on a sad movie the waterworks would be there and he could drown himself. That sounded great, what a wonderful end to his pity party.

          What he was not expecting in the slightest was a knock on his door. He paused the door and stared at the door for a second in suspicion, squinting his eyes and everything. There was a moment before he started getting up from his bed, going to the door and unlocking it before swinging it open.

          "Peter?" he choked out in surprise, the Parker boy being the last person Brendon would imagine to be standing on the other side of the door.

          He could imagine it being one of the others that were left behind there, telling him to join them for lunch or some activities (though that was still highly unlikely because he didn't know anyone that was staying), or Cindy saying that they had an extra seat for him at her table, maybe even Betty because her only plans were going to the Bugle and picking up the slack, as she always did.

          But not Peter, never Peter. He could never imagine Peter caring enough about him to be standing on the other side of the door, at his college campus when he was supposed to be with his aunt celebrating the holiday by stuffing his face with turkey or whatever he ate.

          "Hey, Brendon," Peter smiled, shuffling awkwardly as Brendon continued to gawk at him in surprise.

          Which, in his defense, was totally justifiable because Peter wasn't wearing his usual sweater but just a t-shirt that was showing off his delicious arms. Like, God, it made it really hard not to just kiss him right there. But that wasn't right, he couldn't do that, Peter would reject him so hard and then all of this would be especially awkward.

          "Uh, um, what are you doing here?" Brendon managed to get out after a moment, gaining back his composure, "Shouldn't you be with your aunt?"

          "I am. Or, I will be," Peter said before taking a sigh and looking Brendon in the eyes, "I just, I feel bad about leaving you here when you can spend Thanksgiving with me and my aunt. We'd love to have you."

          Oh, so this was a pity invite. Peter just felt bad and that was why he was inviting him to Thanksgiving and why he was here. Not because he wanted Brendon to spend time with him, but because he felt bad. He stiffened unintentionally.

          "I appreciate the invite," he partially lied because even though he did appreciate it at first, he didn't like the pity that was the motivation behind it, "But I'm okay here. I wouldn't want to intrude."

          "You wouldn't," Peter quickly assured him, "I mean, really, come on. My Aunt May bought some pre-made ham that she just has to put in the oven for a minute and some sides. I promise she won't poison you."

          Brendon's upper lip twitched up, threatening to become a smile. God, Peter was just too cute, so was his aunt apparently. And, well, Peter did look genuine, even if it was a pity invite.

          It made him believe for a moment that Peter wanted him there because Peter liked him – in a way that wasn't just friends. He could fool himself for a minute to believe that Peter wanted something more with him and wanted to spend time with him and this was his excuse. It wasn't just out of pity; it was because Peter liked him and wanted him there.

          That, for a moment, his feelings were returned and he wanted Brendon to meet his aunt so that she could confirm that Brendon was good for him.

          Plus, it was better than wallowing his self-pity and drowning himself in his tears as he watched Netflix. So what the hell? "Sure," Brendon told him, "Just let me get dressed."

          Peter nodded and stepped out of the room as Brendon closed the door. He went for a more casual look, not like he had the time to do anything fancier, and brushed up his hair until it looked presentably messy. Then, he got his phone and wallet before opening the door to see Peter again.

          The boy smiled at him and the two left the campus to get onto the subway. "It won't take long, we're not far from Queens," Peter told him, and it was true; only about forty-five minutes later they were in Queens, ten minutes more and they were at Peter's house.

          He unlocked the door and they went inside. Brendon looked around at the place, seeing different pictures. Some with Peter and who he guessed to be his Aunt May with someone else, some with Aunt May and the other man, and so forth.

          "Aunt May, I'm back!" Peter called, leading them into the kitchen space where she was standing.

          "Oh, Peter," the woman said when she turned around to see him before looking behind him, "And, um..."

          "This is Brendon," Peter answered for him, "He's from Georgia and he couldn't go home for Thanksgiving, so I brought him here."

          May nodded at the information before giving him a warm smile, "It's nice to meet you, Brendon. Peter's actually told me about you."

          "Aunt May," Peter whined, silently pleading for her to be quiet, to which she and Brendon laughed at.

          "Alright, alright," she conceded, "Come, make yourself at home. Peter, help me warm up all the sides."

          Brendon smiled, taking a seat at their table as he watched Peter go help his aunt. They bantered together and sometimes included him, which was nice, and a warm, fuzzy feeling made its way inside his heart. He decided that he liked it, and he definitely liked Peter, especially when the boy shots him different smiles periodically.

          Damn. He was falling for Peter way too much and it was sad that the boy would never reciprocate. Oh well. Wasn't like he could stop now.

＆

          Hours later, Brendon headed back to the campus when it was way past dark. Peter asked him if he knew his way back and he nodded, further comforting him that if he got lost, he had Google Maps on his side. He left after saying goodbye to the Parkers, leaving them in their apartment as he went back to his dorm.

          Peter closed the door after watching him walk away for a moment, sighing as he clicked shut. May, noticing this, snickered at the boy as she washed the dishes. He frowned, going to the kitchen to help her, "What?"

          "So, you and Brendon," May ventured, placing another plate into the dish washer.

          "What? Oh no, we're not together or anything," Peter said, "He's just a friend."

          "A friend, sure," May snorted, "Like anyone who sees you two together would believe that."

          Peter frowned, "It's true. He's just a really good friend of mine. Well, maybe not really good, we're not really that close and I'd like to get to know him better but I'm just too busy with everything else."

          May hummed in response, alluding to something more that had Peter pausing and staring at her. "What is it now?"

          "You so like him," she smiled teasingly at him.

          His eyes widened. "I do not!" Peter protested, his voice going higher, which led his aunt to cackle at him as his face grew red, "Aunt May!"

          "What? It's true," May defended herself, "Why else would you invite him to Thanksgiving here."

          "Maybe because I'm a nice person and I don't like the idea of one of my friends spending the holiday in their dorm room alone," Peter suggested.

          "Sure, sure, but no. Peter, it's fine. He's cute, I totally understand," Peter's blush grew darker at her words so she continued, "And he's nice and by the way he looked at you, he likes you too."

          That led him to become quiet for a moment and she didn't do anything to push it. Then, "Cindy said that he liked me too."

          "Who?"

          "Cindy, his best friend. Well, she's my friend, too," Peter clarified, "A couple weeks ago she said that he liked me too, but I don't really believe it."

          "Well believe it, because it's true," May told him.

          Peter sighed at that, "I just – it's more complicated than that. I'm Spider-Man and I have so many responsibilities, I don't have time for a relationship even if I do like him."

          "So you are in love with him, I knew it," May grinned, reveling in the blush that coated Peter's cheeks again.

          "I never said that...but yeah," Peter admitted, "I do kinda like him, but nothing's gonna happen. I can't – I can't endanger him like that. If someone finds out that he's dating me, dating Spider-Man, something could happen and I can't, that can't happen."

          "Oh, Peter," May sighed sympathetically, "You worry too much. Yes, maybe a villain could do something if they know your identity and know that you're dating him, but is it really better to deny yourself happiness just because that could happen? You're not only hurting yourself, but you're hurting him too."

          "Brendon can find someone ten times better than me, Aunt May, it's not a big deal," Peter wrote it off. He couldn't be the cause of Brendon's death, not like Uncle Ben's...

          She softened again took his face into her hands, forcing him to stare into her eyes, "Listen to me, you are so wonderful and yeah, maybe Brendon can find someone else, but they won't be better than you, you hear me? So stop doubting that he could like you or that there could be a relationship and just go for it. Be happy for once. I mean, Tony finally let himself get with Strange."

          "Yeah, but Doctor Strange is a wizard, he can protect himself," Peter protested.

          May rolled her eyes, "And I'm sure that Brendon will be able to defend himself if the need comes. And if not, you or someone else will be there to save you. I believe in you."

          Peter didn't move or say anything for a minute, just stayed in her hands before removing himself. "I'll think about it," he finally told her.

          Knowing that this was the best she was going to get out him, May nodded, "Alright, you do that."