𝐖𝐞𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬

32 | Interlocked

It took weeks for Damage Control to restore New York City to its former state; repairing smashed buildings, healing injured civilians and ridding the city of any alien or mutant material. They always dealt with these issues well, their solutions fast and efficient as if the damage had never happened.

Peter had struggled to get a proper deep sleep after the events with Harry Osborn, often having nightmares in the middle of the night of Osborns sinister laugh with his mouth covered in blood before his death. That was the more common of the nightmares. Sometimes it was imagining getting electrocuted by Y/N, sometimes it was watching his fellow Avengers die. Sometimes it was himself dying a gruesome death and sometimes it was a complete repeat of the last conversation he had with Harry. He couldn't help it but it was terrifying to him. It felt so real.

Peter had asked to stay at Stark Tower with Y/N a few days after the battle, not being able to sleep properly. He didn't want to worry Aunt May about what had happened. She always tried to be sympathetic for him and she was well aware of the fights he got into, but he didn't ever give so much detail that she would be overly worried. As any woman would be if her nephew was risking his life everyday, he tried to keep her panic to a minimum.

He thought that being with Y/N at night would help him subconsciously calm down. For the most part, it did. He knew that falling asleep would result in yet another horrific nightmare and he'd rather stay exhausted than go through any of those vivid illusions.

Y/N rolled over in bed to put her arm around Peter, her hand falling to the bed rather than a body. She opened her eyes to see the other half of the bed empty and asked FRIDAY for the time, still half asleep and her voice croaky. It was a little past four and the wind from outside blew through her balcony curtains softly.

She sat up, wrapping the blankets around her like a cocoon and waddled outside in the cold, seeing Peter in his pajamas leaning over the balcony and staring blankly out to the city skyline.

"Peter, what are you doing out here? It's past four," She asked softly, extending her arms out and hugging him from behind, wrapping the blankets around him too. His skin was cold to touch, who knew how long he was out here alone. He crossed his arms over hers, rubbing his thumb over her skin and smiling gently to himself.

"It's late Y/N, I'm fine I just needed a breather. Go back inside," he assured, feeling Y/N rest her head on his back and listening to his heartbeat. He wasn't all that much taller than her, but she always felt so small to him. He liked that part of her.

"Another nightmare?" She asked, Peter nodding and turning to face her as she adjusted the bed covers around both of them. He pulled them over both of their shoulders, smiling at her and pulling her closer. The wind had now slowed but the cold air still made the hairs on the back of their necks stand.

"What was it this time?" She asked again, pulling him as she shuffled backwards towards her room again, him leading her carefully so she wouldn't hit any walls or trip over. He slid the balcony door closed behind them, flicking the blankets back onto the bed and sliding in underneath them. The bed was a relief from the crisp temperature outside, the sheets still slightly warm from when Y/N was in them.

Y/N curled into his side as he put his arm around her, running his fingers along her arm and drawing swirling patterns subconsciously.

"It- He- Harry killed you.. And I wasn't there in time and I saw it happen in front of me. And he just looked at me, right into my fucking soul. It just felt so real," Peter sighed softly, staring at the dark ceiling. The gap in the curtains provided just the smallest amount of light from the city that they could see each other, but barely.

"You know I'm here though, I'm fine now and I'm safe with you," she reassured, putting her arm across his waist.

"I know, I just can't imagine what I'd do with myself if something ever happened to you and I wasn't there to stop it," he said, the tone of his voice shakier and more anxious.

She didn't know what to say, she couldn't tell him that everything was going to be okay or that he would be there to save her if she ever got in trouble. This was the harsh reality of being a superhero - your relationships had higher stakes.

Tony and Pepper had struggled at the beginning of their relationship, never knowing if the other person would come through the doors that night for dinner, or having to watch them die in front of your eyes. They had adjusted eventually, knowing that in this line of work that these things were possible.

She laid her hand on top of his own, rising and falling with every frantic breath he took. His heart rate and breathing was faster than usual, still worked up from the nightmare he had experienced and the topic of conversation they were now having.

"My hand fits in yours so perfectly, like they were meant for each other," she whispered, trying to slowly calm him down and take his mind elsewhere. He turned his head to look, wiggling his fingers up to interlock with hers. Peter kissed the top of her head, a bit of her hair getting caught in the corner of his mouth and causing him to chuckle.

"Thank you Y/N," Peter said softly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as he calmed down further.

"For what?" She responded, not knowing how his question was relevant to their hands or the fact her hair had gotten into his mouth.

"For believing in me," Peter said slowly, starting to drift closer to sleep; a sleep in which he was desperately needing.