Behind That Mask: Peter Parker x Reader

Confusion

"Peter." Aunt May said in the most serious voice in the world. 

"Yeah?" Peter looked up from what he was doing- contemplating on texting Y/N or Ned- and gazed at his aunt.

"Tell me..." She began, and his heart thumped wildly in his chest, "what is between you and lovely little Y/N." 

Peter nearly spat out his drink. Of course Aunt May would say something like that. But Aunt May was gazing steadily at him expectantly.

"I... T-there isn't anything b-between u-us, you know... W-w-why are you asking?" Peter stuttered, his face heating up. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Oh, please, Peter." May chuckled. "You two were always close, you've been since you're friends. Why else would you give her a dance lesson?" 

"Because she didn't know how to dance and I did." Peter replied indignantly. "Come ON, Aunt May. She's just a friend."

"AHA! That's what they all say." Aunt May teased. "It's puppy love. It's adorable. It's so cute." 

"Are you done yet?"

"I won't ever be done when it comes to talking about girls and you, Peter." Aunt May waved a spoon at him. "It's too difficult to stop, my dear." 

Peter blushed and was glad that the study session he'd had with Y/N wasn't today. It was mortifying. 

Peter went back and thought about his moments with Y/N. S'mores. Hanging out with Michelle, Ned, and her. The study session. Working at school together. Sitting at lunch together. Now that he thought about it, he spent almost every available slot of time at school with Y/N if not with Y/N and the others. 

He highly considered telling her about being Spiderman, to be honest. But should he? He wouldn't want to worry her if he went on a mission for Mr. Stark. 

He was so confused.

---

"You okay?" Anima asked Peter-as-Spiderman as they traversed the city. He'd been distracted for a bit. 

"Yeah, why?" Peter said, shooting a web out and swinging from it to a rooftop.

"You nearly hit a street lamp back there." Anima stared at him. "Let's take a break, then."

The two of them perched on an edge. 

"What's bothering you?" Anima asked quietly. "I want to know. Besides, you don't know who I am, so you can say something."

"..." Peter fidgeted. Mr. Stark said something once about not revealing anything to your enemy or something like that if you were in disguise. But Anima wasn't an enemy. He trusted her. She didn't seem like she'd betray him.

"There's a girl-"

"Of course it's a girl-"

"-that I guess I like. She's nice and she's pretty and she's smart..." Peter inhaled and exhaled. "I spend a lot of time with her, especially a few days ago. She's great and cute, but I don't know if I like her for sure. My friends think so." 

Anima was quiet. Finally, she spoke. 

"If you want to tell her how you feel, go ahead. But since you're not sure yet, I wouldn't. Just try to figure it out, let it play out, because what if she likes you too and you're not sure about yourself?" She said slowly, touching the edge of her mask. All of a sudden, Peter wanted to rip off that mask. 

"I guess. Thanks, Anima." He smirked internally. "Why aren't you a psychologist?"

---

"Hi, Y/N, Michelle." Peter lifted a hand in greeting. The two looked up and waved back. "Michelle, can I talk to you?"

Michelle nodded and let Peter lead her away. 

"So, uh, Ned already knows, but I may or may not like Y/N." Peter spoke quickly, cutting off Michelle before she could say something. "But I'm not sure if I completely do... How should I go about this? What if I like her or what if I don't?" 

Michelle thought carefully. She was watching Y/N and Ned chat from a distance. 

"Just be honest." Michelle suggested, being sincere for once. "I don't know if she likes you. If she did, I wouldn't tell you. Just saying." 

"I know that." Peter said, exasperated. "The only way I know is if I pretended to date someone else, and then see how I really feel about it. After all, it's life. We're bound to experiment at some point."

Peter and Michelle met each other's gaze. "Can I... Try it out with you, Michelle?" He said quietly. 

Michelle stared at him unblinkingly. "If you hurt Y/N in any way, shape, or form, I will make sure to murder you. But I am willing to help you. If it helps Y/N with whatever is between you two, I will do it."

So Peter and Michelle went over to Y/N and Ned. 

"Guys! We're together now!" Michelle announced. But Peter could see the amount of worry and anxiety in her eyes for a second.

The look on Y/N's face was quickly masked with a smile and a quick "Congratulations. Hope you have fun." But Peter had seen the look on her face before it disappeared. 

It had been confusion and shock.