The Queen's streets are dim as your backpack clings to you on your way home from the library. A big test was scheduled for the following day and you spent your entire afternoon at the library studying, not that that was out of the norm for you to do, test or not. You had made this walk a thousand times. Same streets, sidewalks, alley. It's all the same. The walk could be done in your sleep at this point.The streets might not be the safest but they weren't horrendous as long as you minded your own business and weren't in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, you weren't exactly the luckiest person and seemed to be at the wrong at the wrong time regularly.

Someone whistled behind you, but you knew better than to pay them any attention. You kept walking, only barely increasing your pace, still three blocks away from your apartment. If you could keep your pace steady, slowly moving faster, you hoped that the guy would simply think you had your headphones in. The guys on the streets of Queens can smell fear and weakness and you were not about to feed into that. But to your dismay, footsteps trailed behind you, catching up as you took your usual turn down an alley for a shorter walk.

"Hey! I'm just trying to talk to you." A male's voice echoes down the alley but you keep walking, picking up pace a little more with his footsteps closing in on you. "Are you deaf?" He comes up from behind you and shoves you against a wall. "Now, what's your name?" He flashes a creepy smile at you and you can't help but wince at his breath that smells of cigars and scotch.

"I'm just trying to get home." Your voice falters with fear as your heart starts pounding in your ears.

"That's not what I asked."

"Just, let me get home." You push against him but he holds you to the wall.

"I don't think so. Maybe you need to learn a little lesson about ignoring people when they're just trying to be nice."

"Let me go!" You yell struggling beneath his grasp.

His fist comes down and collides with your face. You let out a scream in pain as tears burn the back of your eyes. "See what happens when you start screaming?"

"Just let me go." You whine, this time much quieter as tears trickle down your cheeks.

"That's not gonna happen, pretty lady."

"Hey! Shithead!" A voice comes from above you and your attacker. The man looks up to the fire escape with confusion in the wrinkles near his eyes. "She said to let her go."

It's Spider-Man. You had never seen him in the flesh before, just pictures and videos. For only a second, you forget about your attacker to look at the fun-sized superhero in awe. It was so strange to have to be rescued at all but especially by someone like Spider-Man. He's a superhero.

He comes down from the fire escape and shoots his web at the attacker, making him move away from you. "Maybe I should teach you a lesson on how to be a good citizen because you clearly need one." Spider-Man continues and shoots another web, this time, dragging the attacker and slamming him against a wall. You watch in amazement and slight amusement as he finishes attaching the man to one of the walls with a giant web. "And you should just be quiet if you can't say anything nice." With one last movement, a web shoots out and covers the man's mouth so he can't speak.

"A-are you okay?" Spider-Man approaches you and you nod, furrowing your brows at him. "Uh, how about I walk you home?"

"Thanks." You smile and tug at the straps of your bag.

"Oh here," He starts pulling your bag from your shoulders and slides it onto his back. "I'll carry it for you."

"Thanks...again." You giggle and mentally hit yourself for it as your cheeks shoot red.

"You're welcome." He looks to you and then to the ground. "Ya know, it's not safe be walking alone at night."

"So, I've been told." You shake your head, remembering all the times your best friend had told you the same thing.

"You're not gonna listen, are you?"

"Might have to now. My mom's gonna flip when my eye starts bruising." You keep your head forward as you point to your throbbing eye.

"He hit you pretty good. Do you need to get ice? We can stop and get ice." He says quickly.

"I have ice at my house." You lightly chuckles and start realizing how familiar he sounds and walks. His gestures look familiar, he sounds familiar. Maybe it was you getting punched, but you could swear you knew the guy under the mask.

"Oh, right right." He says, nodding once.

"You know, you had oddly good timing." You turn your attention to him with a quirked brow.

He shrugs, kicking a rock as you start to get closer to your apartment. "Yeah, good thing." You look over and watch him, the corner of your mouth tugged up. "What?" He looks over, noticing you staring instead of watching where you were going.

"Interesting, that's all."

"It's kind of my job to have good timing, ya know?" He says smoothly.

"Ah, yes. Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Right place, right time." Your words fall sarcastically.

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"Nah," You shake your head and purse your lips. "It's not." You shrug and send him a genuine smile."Well, here's my building."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Ya know, just stay safe and be careful walking alone." His voice grows a little nervous, only making you laugh lightly, finding it all too adorable.

"I'll see you around," You walk up the first few steps and turn around. "Spider-Man."

You head up the stairs and to your apartment door. You unlock the door, only to be greeted by your mom. "What on earth happened to your face?" She rushes over and grips your chin with her thumb and index finger.

"It's fine, Mom." You jerk your head away and go to take your backpack off only to realize you didn't get back. You weren't the forgetful type and with how seemingly familiar Spider-Man seemed, you were now sure you had a concussion.

"Who did it? Who was it? Tell me right now."

"Some guy, I don't know." You shrug and walk past her to the kitchen.

"Y/f/n y/m/n." Your mother's stern voice follows you as you open the freezer and pull out an ice pack.

"Mom," You groan, wincing at the freezing pack as you place it against the throbbing eye. "Spider-Man took care of it. Really, it's fine."

"Spider-Man, huh?" Your mother's voice calms at the name of the Queens's superhero.

"Uh-huh." You swing open the fridge door and grab a waterbottle before lightly kicking it shut.

"What'd he do? Did he walk you home?"

"He, I don't know, used his web to like, tie the guy to a wall and yes. He walked me home. Can I just go in my room? I'm tired."

"Fine. But I'll be checking on you to make sure you don't have a concussion and to make sure your eye isn't too bad."

"Yes, nurse Mom." You take your water and go back to your room.

Your mom worked as a nurse at the emergency so any scrape or bruise, had to be examined by her and she always had to make sure you didn't have a concussion. She tried her best and you didn't fault her for it but, sometimes having a little space would be nice.

When you walk into your room, you shut the door and fall back on your bed, your body falling comfortably into the mattress as if you hadn't been there in ages. But, an annoying tapping on the glass of your window makes you get up and go to your window. The only person who ever used your fire escape was Peter which is the only reason you got up on the first place. But, when you open your curtain, it was Spider-man.

"Uh, hi?" You quirk a brow as you opened the window, abandoning the ice pack to the floor.

"Forgot to give you your backpack back." He hands you your backpack through the window.

"Thanks." You give him a cornered smile as your face turns a little red.

"Okay so, yeah, goodnight." He nods with a rushed voice.

"Goodnight?" You say as he rushes off, using a web to swing between buildings. Before you could close your window, your mom comes in without even knocking.

"What was that?"

"Mom." You close the window and face her, sitting on the floor. "Forgot my bag." You lift it up to show her. "Spider-Man dropped it off. Please, can you calm down." You pick the ice pack up and put it back on your eye.

"I'm hovering again, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry." She says walking into your room. "It's just, you've been at the library every day for weeks and I barely see you." She takes a seat in front of you. "When I do, you're rushing to bed or you have your head buried in a book. I don't remember the last time I saw Peter over here."

You look to the ground and pull your knees to your chest. "Peter's just been busy." You sigh, your heart saddened realizing you really only saw Peter at school lately. "He has that Stark Internship so he's really busy."

You mother gives you an understanding smile. "High school."

"Yeah." You bite your lip.

"What's he gonna do when he sees that eye of yours tomorrow?" She pulls your hand away to reveal a purple bruise worsening and your eye partially shut from the swelling.

"Stutter and talk really fast about who did it, probably. And being the nerd he is, probably freak out when I tell him who came to the rescue."

"Sounds like Peter." Your mom chuckles.

"Yep, and Ned will stare in amazement and he'll start asking a bunch of questions before Peter can and we'll all probably end up in detention because neither of them will shut up."

"Well, if you're in detention, you won't be walking home late at night from the library, so remind me to thank Ned and Peter later." She smirks as she stands up, kissing the top of your head before doing so.

"Will do." You toss her a thumbs up and she exits the room, shutting the door behind her.

The next morning rolls around and you trudge through your apartment to get ready; your mom already gone to the hospital for her day shift. Before leaving for school, you'd slid on a bigger hoodie with with dark blue skinny jeans, wanting to be comfortable today. But, that wasn't before you got a good look at your eye. You thought your vision was a little off and when you saw your eye partially swollen, you understood why. It had turned from purple to touches of dark blue, almost black and red on the outskirt, no sign of any yellow meaning there was no healing taking any place. You barely tried covering the bruise with foundation, knowing that there was nothing you could do to completely hide it and it hurt too much to go full out. So, you left it and headed to school.

You meet up with Ned and Peter by 21st Street. The both of them looking far more rested than you. "'Sup, nerds." You greet them with an awkward smile as they turn to face you.

Ned's jaw drops as Peter's eyes meet yours with devastation. "Dude, what happened?" Ned asks.

"Punched in the face by some creep last night walking home." You shrug, gripping the strap of your backpack.

"Well, how'd you get out of that?" Ned continues, Peter not saying a word which comes as a surprise to you. Peter talks a lot as it is, but when it comes to you or Ned getting injured, either by tripping over a rock or getting a dodge ball to the face, Peter always asks a thousand questions. And yet, he's completely silent.

"Spider-Man." You remark, walking between the two boys.

"Woah, Spider-Man saved you?" Ned questions, looking past you and to Peter.

"Yep." You nod, lightly smiling.

"Well, what happened?" Ned pushes for more detail.

"He used his web to stick the guy to the wall and then walked me home. Then, he knew which floor I lived on? And my window? So he brought my backpack to me since he offered to carry it and I forgot it."

"Hear that, Peter?" Ned looks past you again and to Peter. "Spider-Man knows where she lives."

"Yeah, Ned. I can hear." Peter shakes his head. "What'd, ya know, you think of him?" Peter asks.

"He's nice?" You furrow her brows at the question. "Ya know, saving lives."

"Ju-just nice?"

"Yes...?" You side eye him. "Should I have another opinion?"

"It's just, ya know, he saved you." He shrugs.

"Yeah, it was nice. I don't know. He had a cute voice so he's probably cute but that whole mask thing kind of doesn't tell me much." With your words, Peter's cheeks flush a vibrant red.

"So, do you, do you have like a crush on him now?" Peter hesitates to ask and Ned lets out a loud laugh, both you and Peter turning to stare at him with narrowed eyes.

"I'm sorry, it was funny. Go on." Ned says, gesturing to the two of you.

"No," You start snickering with Ned. "He's some guy in a suit." You nudge Peter as he tugs at the strap of his bag.

"Right," Peter nods, keeping his head forward. "How's your eye? Does hurt or anything?"

"It's fine." You shrug. "Only hurts if I touch it." Your head hangs, just slightly before deciding to change the subject. "Hey, Peter, you have the Stark Internship tonight, right?"

"Oh, uh, the, yeah. Why?"

"Just curious. Ned, you've got a family thing, right?" You turn your attention to the other side of you and Ned nods in response.

"Yeah, I've got a family dinner. Apparently, my cousins are in town and want some bounding time or something. Why? Did you want to come and save me?" Ned jokes.

"Actually, I was just wondering if I was heading to library after school or if I was going with one of two."

"So you don't want to save me?"

"Sorry, Ned." You giggle and pat his back. "Your family kind of scares me and I don't think showing up at a dinner with a black eye is appropriate."

"Yeah, guess you have a point." Ned shrugs and the three of you make your way to school with soft conversations about whatever had happened in the short time you'd been away from each other. Which, actually, was just Ned speaking since Peter never told either of you much about his internship and the only thing worth telling from you was already told. It was a good thing Ned could talk anyone's ears off.

By the time school ended, Peter was nowhere to be found. That wasn't too abnormal by now but you did wish he'd at least walk you to get a sandwich like he used to. Maybe it was your attack from the night prior or you simply missing your best friend. You were, of course, happy for him having the Stark Internship but you wished he'd take ten minutes to breathe. With that though, you did have Ned and Ned was just as much your best friend as Peter.

"Aren't you and Peter supposed to finish your death star?" You quirks a brow as you're handed a sandwich from your usual sandwich vendor.

"Yeah, we're working on it...slowly." Ned says before ordering his food. You open the wrapping around your sandwich as you wait for Ned and he looks back to you with a raised brow and quizzical eyes. "Why?"

"Well, I mean," You take a bite of your sandwich. "Don't you, like, miss hanging out with him all the time? And he's all weird lately?" Ned's brows raise as he listens to you. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy he has the internship and it's super important but, ya know, I miss Peter."

"Thanks." Ned says to the vendor as he takes his sandwich. "Why don't you just tell Peter you like him?" Ned questions as the two of you start off in the direction of the library.

"What?" You nearly yell as your head shoots to look at him. "I don't like Peter!"

Ned tosses his head back with laughter as he opens his sandwich. "Yeah, you do. You stare at him all the time and you turn red as that fire truck every time he says anything." Ned points to a passing fire truck with his words.

"I do not!" You try and defend before taking another bite of your food.

"Sure, okay." Ned says sarcastically.

"Liking Peter, psh." You mumble under your breath, granting you a soft snicker from Ned before the two of you fall silent, but only for a few minutes. "I can't believe you think I like Peter. He's so, and, Peter. Parker. He's so, you know!"

"No, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" Ned smirks as he finishes off his sandwich.

"Okay, fine. I like him but you can't tell him." You toss your hands up, as if Ned had been pestering you about it.

"Seriously, you should just tell him." Ned eyes you once you get to the corner where you were supposed to go your separate ways.

"Ned." You whine.

"I won't tell him." He rolls his eyes. "But, Peter is pretty oblivious so you should tell him. He'll probably think you're messing with him anyway."

"Good luck with your family." You ignore his response and wave him goodbye.

You make your way to the library and sits at your usual spot, being greeted by the librarian before doing so. Your day ticks by and before you know it, the librarian is pulling you from your book and is telling you it was time to leave since she was closing down.

The streets were dimmed just as the were the night before and you got chills thinking of the night before, despite knowing it probably wouldn't happen again, not two nights in a row. It was just simply unnerving and part of you regretted your decision to stay out so late but the other part knew it was right if your plan was right.

And it was. As you reached the same alley from the night before, a familiar blue and red suited boy came down from above the taller New York buildings.

"I thought you weren't gonna walk alone anymore." Spider-Man questions as he stands in front of you.

"Yeah," You bite your lip, trying to figure out how to respond.

"Well, guess I better walk you home again." His voice is cheery and despite not being able to see his mouth, you know he's smiling.

"Don't you have, like, real problems to take care off?" You let out a soft laugh as the two of you make your way to your apartment.

"But, if I don't walk you home, then something could happen and then it would be a problem."

Your face contorts with the strange response, partially from familiarity and partially from the sheer oddness of the response. "I guess that's a fair point." His walk slightly changes as if to hold more confidence and you could feel your cheeks glow red. "Why were you here again?"

"What?"

"Well, you were here last night. Why were you here again? I've walked this route a thousand times and have encountered some creeps but you only ever showed last night and now tonight, despite me walking alone."

"Oh, uh, yeah, well. I kind of had a feeling you might be around and I just wanted to make sure that guy didn't want some revenge or any of his friends."

"Ah, so now you gotta watch over me?" You smirk up to him and the eyes on his mask squint. "That's really cool."

"What's really cool? Me looking out for you?"

"I mean, yeah that's cool, too. But, I mean your eyes on your mask narrow, like there's actual facial expression. It's just cool."

"Right? That's what I said when I first got the suit! And there's so many other awesome features that I don't even know how to work yet. There's just," He stops mid-sentence as you beam up to him, completely amused by him geeking out over his own suit. "Right, it's a cool suit." He calms down and nods. You continue to laugh as he stares down at you. "What?"

"You're funny." You shake your head

"You think I'm funny?" His voice picks up with shock.

"Yes." You continue to smile as your apartment comes into view. "This might be weird, but can I have a hug?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." He says slowly once you reach the steps of your apartment.

His arms wrap softly around your body, his warmth radiating onto you. "Okay, bye Peter." You smirk, pulling away and walking inside your apartment before he could say another word.

You'd recognize his voice anywhere. You have listened to him talk everyday almost nonstop for years. The night prior you were pretty sure it was him but after getting punched in the face, you couldn't be so sure but tonight, you were. That was definitely Peter's voice and he definitely smelled like Peter's deodorant.

You skipped up the stairs and right to your apartment. You come in so fast, your mom meets you in the living room with wide eyes and furrowed brows.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm gonna be in my room."

"There's dinner in the kitchen!" She screams after you making you stop in your tracks and walk backwards to your mom.

"Can I eat in my room?"

"Sure?" Your mom cocks a brow and lets you get your plate of food. "You seem awfully chipper?"

"I didn't get attacked on the way home."

"That's not funny."

"Sorry." You give her a wide, sorry smile. "Okay, thanks for the food. I'll be in my room." You run off to your room, shutting the door behind you.

Once in your room, you set your backpack down and move to your window. You rest your plate on the floor as you move your curtains. A blue and red dressed boy is sitting on your fire escape. You smile proudly as you open the window, grabbing your food, and sitting beside him.

"How the hell did you know?" Peter asks, his hair a complete mess from wearing his mask.

"I know you." You laugh and offer him a chicken strip.

"So? What was it?" He takes the food from you and takes a bite. "You have to tell me so no one else figures it out."

"Your voice." You giggle lightly.

"Bullshit." He remarks. "If it was my voice, you would have said something last night."

"I got punched in the face." You point to your eye. "I thought I had a concussion. But then I intentionally mentioned walking home again today in front of you to see if you would show up. And you did. And you talked and then I hugged you. The hug was the same and your deodorant kind of gave you away." You stick your fork into your mashed potatoes and take a bite. "And you're a geek who was nerding about your suit. If that's not the most Peter Parker thing ever."

"Oh." He hangs his head as he finishes his food. "Well, you can't tell anyone!" He picks his head back up and sneaks another chicken strip from your plate.

"What about Ned?"

"Oh, yeah, he knows." Peter shrugs, taking a bite of his food.

"What? Why didn't I know?" You question as you take another bite of your mashed potatoes.

"Well, I didn't really tell him." Peter explains, nonchalant. "I kind of walked on my ceiling and didn't know he was in the room."

You burst out in a fit of laughter, nearly dropping your food to the ground. "At least you tried." Peter's face turns a little red as he reaches for more food. "Do you want me to get you food?"

"No, I'll just keep eating yours." He smirks, taking a bite of his third chicken strip.

"Jerk." You shoulder shove him as you continue to eat your food. "So, Ned knows, why didn't you just tell me instead of always bailing and being all M.I.A?"

"I'm not really supposed to tell anyone."

"But I'm not gonna tell anyone. And you bailed a lot. And if I knew you were out being all heroic, I wouldn't have been mad."

"You were mad?"

"I mean," Your face flushes red as you start stumbling for words. "I missed you."

"You missed me?" Peter stares at you, dumbfounded.

"Uh, yes? You're, ya know, my best friend." You shrug and look away.

"Ned said you like me." Peter blurts out and you nearly chokes on your potatoes and start coughing. "Shit, shit, shit. Are you okay?" Peter asks, panicked as you calm down.

"When did he tell you that?" You ask with a weak voice.

"When he found out I was Spider-Man."

"Why did he tell you that?" Your eyes are nearly bulging out of their sockets, confused why Ned would open his mouth, especially considering you hadn't said anything until this afternoon. Either you have been way more obvious than she ever imagined, or Ned just pays way too much attention.

"Uhhhh," Peter looks away. "Well, he said, that ya know, maybe if I-I told you that maybe you-you'd like me?" Peter pauses as you watch him become more and more flustered. "And, ya know, I asked why he thought that and he said th-that you already did but it would make you like me more."

"What's it matter if I like you though?" You quirk a brow, hoping he picks up on what you're really asking without actually having to ask in fear of making it even more awkward.

"Well, uh, I-I might kind of like you, a lot." Peter starts off slow but then starts rambling so fast you can barely understand him. "And I thought that if you knew I was Spider-Man, you'd like me just because I was Spider-Man instead of me and I get it if you don't like me but since you asked and we're sitting here and you're hurt and I don't want you to get hurt again, I might as well just tell you. And Ned would probably just tell you tomorrow anyway if we started acting weird and yeah, I get, maybe I should stop talking. Yeah, I'm gonna-"

You set her plate beside you and grab Peter's face. "Shhhh." You hush him before placing your lips onto his. His eyes shoot wide open before fluttering closed as he relaxes under your touch. "Yes, I like you." You giggle as you pull away.