Archive of Our Own ^beta

Johnny remembers every single detail of the day his life changed forever.

He was at a friend’s party, flirting with a boy—a cute one, brunette, brown bambi eyes, pretty shy, nice ass. Johnny wasn’t drunk yet, but he was damn near it and was hoping the cute brunette would accept an invitation to Johnny’s bed.

Johnny’s phone started ringing in one of his jeans’ pockets. He regrettably excused himself to the restroom so he was alone when he accepted Sue’s call.

“This better be good, sis, ‘cause I’m having fun and I don’t need party-pooper supreme to ruin it,” he said without even saying hello first.

There was a long silence before Sue’s answer came from the other side of the line.

“Brother, you need to come home right now,” she said. Her tone, the way she called him ‘brother’ like something bad happened, it was a code they used when something serious is going on. Johnny was frozen on the spot for a few seconds before Sue spoke again, “Johnny? Are you there?”

“I’m on my way,” Johnny replied before hanging up.

–

He was shocked.

He couldn’t stop watching the bundle of blankets inside the basket that was wrapped around a tiny sleeping body. Johnny couldn’t understand what was happening. He was on the brink of a panic attack.

“Someone left her at the door,” Sue explained, breaking the silence. Ben grumbled something against his hand, hugging Alicia more tightly, his other hand on her little four months bump. “The envelope has your name.”

Sue knew about Johnny, that he had always liked boys, so she’s just trying to understand how that was happening. Johnny wasn’t sure he could explain it to her, not with the result of that night right in front of him.

His daughter.

“Where’s the letter?” Johnny asked lowly, his tongue all tied up, his hands shaking. Franklin came up to him, offering a pink envelope that had Johnny written on it with an elegant flourish. Johnny gulped, taking it from his nephew’s little hands. “Thanks, buddy.”

He raised his head to find Sue, Ben and Alicia watching him expectantly. Reed wasn’t there—probably working on some project in his lab. Johnny cleared his throat.

“Would you give me a moment?” he asks them, raising the envelope.

“Sure, kid,” Ben said, standing up from the tall chair by the breakfast table. He took Alicia’s hand and they left the room in the direction of the elevator.

“Johnny,” Sue said, trying to make eye contact, but Johnny didn’t want her to see the tears forming in his eyes.

He just shook his head.

“Alright,” she said to Franklin, attached to her leg, “let’s go find daddy and Val and go to bed, sweetie.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Johnny,” Franklin said before he and Sue took the elevator to the lab floor.

After a few seconds, the elevator’s doors closed. Johnny was alone. He looked up at the baby, still asleep, the basket on top of the coffee table. Johnny took a deep breath and opened the envelope.

Dear Johnny,

I’m sure you’re asking yourself what’s going on right now or what went so wrong or why you’re going through this. First of all, I’m sorry, I never meant this to happen, I mean every word I said when I told you you could trust me. But things like this happen all the time, I know you didn’t plan this, I’m sure you didn’t want this—you didn’t even want me in the first place, so I get it if you hate me now, if you hated me after that night.

But this isn’t about me. This is about Lucy, our daughter—your daughter. She’s barely one year old, and I tried—I really tried, for her, especially for her, but it wasn’t enough. I’m sick, Johnny. I only have a few weeks left now. And I don’t want Lucy to be an orphan. She’s a good kid—she likes stuffed animals and hearing lullabies before going to sleep or taking a nap. You’re going to love her, she’s an angel, she won’t be a problem.

As for me, Johnny, please don’t try to find me. I went away to go through this alone, I don’t even know where I’m going if I have to be honest. I’m sorry I did this to you, but I don’t know a safer place for Lucy than your arms. You’re a good man, Johnny Storm. You deserve to be happy. And Lucy deserves to have the best father any child could ask for.

I trust you. I believe in you. Take care of Lucy.

—F.

P.S.: There’s a letter for Lucy at the bottom of her basket. Please give it to her on her 18th birthday. Love you both. Be safe.

By the time Johnny finished reading, there were tears running down his face, the night he met the girl still vivid, just like his worst nightmares.

The girl wasn’t even the problem, it was the fact that he tried to force himself to do something he never wanted to. It was his manager who told him, “You should try at least to be less gay.” And that if he wanted to be famous, having sex with girls would make everything better and easier for him.

He cried the whole time, the girl—Johnny can’t even remember her name—hugged him tightly and told him she was sorry. He cried because he thought he could be normal, like his friends, like the playboy the media made him to be. He was a soon to be known actor. Of course he couldn’t like men.

But he had hated every second of it. He hated the way she felt against him, the sounds she made, the heat around him, the taste of her kisses. She wasn’t like the men he slept with, all controlling and demanding, aggressive and strong. She was nice, she was soft at the touch, she knew he didn’t like her, and she understood him. She was the only one who was sincere and told him he shouldn’t be doing stuff he didn’t want to do in the first place.

The first baby sound he heard made him stop breathing. Johnny looked at the tiny head peeking out the blankets. She frowned for a few seconds and then started crying.

“Oh, no, oh, no,” Johnny cooed, getting up and forgetting the letter. Gently, he picked the baby up from the basket for the first time. She opened her big blue eyes when she found him in front of her, now looking at him with curiosity. Johnny smiled weakly. “Hi, Lucy. It’s daddy. Nice to meet you.”

And she smiled. Like the sun. Like pure and utter happiness. Lucy smiled at him and changed Johnny’s world for the better.

–

There are days when Johnny feels like he’s the worst father in the whole world. (Lucy promises he isn’t.) He feels he’s not good enough, that everything he does could have been done better.

He cried the day Lucy said her first word: ‘da-da’. Johnny had been feeding her mashed potatoes when Lucy had looked at him and sputtered the word. He cried and cried as she repeated it. He lifted her from her high chair as she touched his wet face. He hugged her tight.

He had cried again when Lucy started taking her first steps. She laughed, called him ‘da-da’ and clapped her tiny hands. Lucy kept trying, falling down, and then starting again. First from the couch to Johnny’s arms, then from Aunt Sue’s arms to Johnny’s lap.

A few months after Lucy came into Johnny’s life, Alicia gave birth to a pretty little boy, Daniel. He became Lucy’s best friend. Valeria and Franklin adored him as all big siblings do.

Reed invented new toys for Lucy and Daniel everyday. Sue made them clothes and taught them how to play hide and seek. Ben carried them both on his broad shoulders. Franklin and Valeria invented adventures for the both of them.

When Lucy turned three, Johnny had gotten his own apartment with the savings he earned from his short length acting career, with a little help from Sue and Reed. It was just a few blocks away from the Baxter Building, his old home.

He started looking for kindergartens a year after they moved in. Lucy figured out how to walk on her own, while also learning a few new words amongst all the kid’s sounds she made to make herself clear. Her hair is brown—just like her mother’s, but her eyes are just as blue as Johnny’s.

“Papa?” Lucy said from her place on her playing mat, surrounded by her toys. Johnny looked at her from the couch, where he was resting while keeping an eye on her. She raised her tiny arms in his direction. “Up.”

“So demanding,” Johnny mused, but he got up with a big smile and picked her up. She liked to hug him a lot, and Johnny was completely okay with it. He loved his baby girl. “You sleepy, princess?”

Her tiny head moved against his cheek; She was nodding.

“Love you, papa,” she said when he’s tucking her in her cradle. He smiled down at her.

“Papa loves you too,” Johnny answered, kissing her forehead.

–

Johnny is in the middle of reading and signing all the paperwork for Lucy’s new elementary school when his phone starts ringing with a new video call from Wyatt. He answers in an instant.

“Papa!” Lucy’s excited voice came from the other side of the line, the only image on his screen being her forehead and the start of her ponytail, “Papa, where are you? Uncle Wyatt said you were coming to the park with us!”

“Hi, Johnny,” Wyatt’s voice says, off screen.

“Hi, princess! Hi, Wyatt!” he says, waving his hand in front of the camera. Wyatt seems to take hold of the phone because now they’re both visible, Lucy seated on Wyatt’s big shoulder, with Ben and Alicia swinging Daniel together on the background. “Say hi to everyone for me! I’m a little bit busy with some paperwork stuff now, princess, but I’ll be there with all of you as soon as I’m done, okay?”

“Papa, I learnt a new word!” Lucy yells with her arms up.

“Oh, yeah? Well, do me the honors,” Johnny says.

“Okay, boomer,” Lucy says and then she starts laughing, covering her mouth like she just said a bad word.

“Oh, come on, Franklin!” Johnny whines. “What are you doing to my child?”

“She needs to be up to date with modern stuff, Uncle Johnny!” Franklin’s voice says, and then Wyatt turns the phone around and Johnny’s nephew is there, playing with one of the tablets Reed invented for him. Valeria is reading a book next to him, a little smile peeking at the corner of her lips.

“You’re a teenage menace,” Johnny says. “Hi, favorite niece!”

“Hi, boomer,” Valeria answers, and Johnny wants to end the internet.

“Really? You too? I trusted you, Val. Wyatt, please, don’t let them be around my daughter. She doesn’t need that kind of energy around her.”

“Okay, boomer,” Wyatt says.

“I hate you all.” He sighs.

They are laughing and making fun of him; that’s why Johnny doesn’t see it coming.

There’s the sound of a window glass breaking and then comes the explosion. Johnny lets go of his phone and throws himself to the floor by instinct. The fire alarm starts blaring. The next second, a red and blue body comes through another one of his windows, letting out a groan when it crashes against Johnny’s TV and falls to the floor.

“Spider-Man?” Johnny asks.

“Get down!” Spider-Man yells before another explosion comes, this time bigger and more intense. Spider-Man gets up with a groan. “The building is going to collapse anytime, you need to get out of here now!”

“Wait!” Johnny screams, but Spider-Man is out the window and attacking today’s lunatic, and Johnny peeks through the window to find the Green Goblin flying around the building. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Another series of explosions go out through the whole window. Spider-Man is doing his best, but he’s also alone. Johnny looks for his phone. The voice call was disconnected, but he quickly types a message to Wyatt telling him to call the firefighters.

The ceiling of his kitchen collapses to the floor and another explosion goes out, and now there’s fire everywhere.

“Everyone get out of the building!” he hears Spider-Man yell before he’s thrown against the pavement of the street. Johnny tries to run to his door, but the fire had already reached that part of his home. There’s smoke everywhere.

The first thing Johnny thinks about is Lucy’s mother’s letter. He first takes the paperwork he was working on and runs to his room, looking for the safe box where he keeps all the important stuff for Lucy in case something happens to him. Another window shatters to pieces in his living room. He waits for another explosion, but he only hears a groan.

“Why are you still here?!” Spider-Man asks him when he sees him standing at the door of his bedroom. “What part of ‘the building is fucking collapsing’ didn’t you get, man?!”

“I—” He stops himself when he hears a crack coming from the ceiling above him. In a matter of seconds, it collapses, and he’s on the floor, Spider-Man above him holding an entire apartment from crushing him.

“Woah,” Spider-Man says, out of breath, “you’re extremely beautiful.”

Johnny opens his mouth to say something, but he blushes like he’s being complimented for the first time in his life. He cradles the safe box against his chest.

“Thank you,” Johnny says, still blushing.

“This thing is kind of heavy, you know?” Spider-Man continues. “Can you move? It would be a little anticlimactic if I fell down on you with a whole ceiling and everything, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna—yeah,” Johnny says dumbly, and drags himself out of the way, back on his bedroom. He hears Spider-Man groan as he allows the ceiling to crash onto the floor. He’s panting, on his knees, trying to catch his breath while everything is on fire around them. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think so, maybe,” Spider-Man says, too quick. He walks to the only window, opens it and looks down at the street. “Okay, man. Are you scared of heights? I mean, it doesn’t really matter if you are because this is the only way I can get you safely out of here.”

“Okay,” Johnny says.

“Good, pretty boy, come here,” the hero says. “Wait, give me that first.”

He is talking about the safe box. Johnny offers it and the papers to him, while he makes a web-bag and throws it out the window, making it hang from a lamppost. In the apartment, the fire reaches Johnny’s bedroom.

“Do you trust me, pretty boy?” Spider-Man asks him while he climbs the window ledge. Johnny nods and he takes the gloved hand when the man offers it to him, palm up. Their fingers fit perfectly, and Johnny feels sure and safe. There’s another explosion, with Goblin’s laughter growing closer.

Johnny gasps when he feels Spider-Man’s arm snake around his waist, pressing his body tightly to him. Johnny quickly wraps his legs and arms around his waist and neck. And then Spider-Man is in the air, and Johnny is probably screaming, but there’s a thwip and they’re floating, breaking through the air. And soon they stop.

“You’re safe now,” Spider-Man announces. Johnny opens his eyes and finally lets go of him, his feet safely on the ground.

“Thank you,” Johnny says. Spider-Man is a little bit taller than him, just a bit, maybe an inch, or half an inch. He clears his throat when he realizes he’s staring.

“You’re welcome, pretty boy,” Spider-Man says. “The webbing dissolves in about an hour, so stick around if you still want to get the box that almost ended your life.” There’s another explosion on the building and the hero tenses up. “Excuse me but I gotta kick this goblin’s ass. See you around.”

He makes an awkward salute, shoots a webline and then he’s out of there, in pursuit of the Green Goblin. While Johnny looks at him go, two paramedics run to him and start asking questions. The street is full of people who were in the building before everything went to shit. Johnny lets the medics tend to him.

–

An hour later, the fire is completely gone and it’s already dark. Johnny is still sitting next to an ambulance, an emergency blanket thrown around his shoulders and an oxygen mask pressed to his face. That’s when he sees the first thread of web starting to ease from Spider-Man’s made-up bag.

He lets go of the oxygen mask and the blanket and starts walking to the lamppost where his safe box is still hanging. He stops when another line of web catches it and takes it away through a dark alley. Johnny smiles and follows the webs.

“Hey,” he says when he finds Spider-Man in the dark, cleaning the safe box from any remaining webs.

“Told you it would take an hour or so to dissolve, pretty boy,” Spider-Man says, walking up to him, extending the safe box and the paperwork.

“Thank you, again, for this and for saving my life, too,” Johnny says, coming closer. He lets the safe box on the floor. “Let me thank you properly.”

“You don’t need to do that,” the hero says, taking a step back.

“But I want to,” Johnny answers.

Johnny hears the man’s breath hitch when he touches his face with his fingers. Johnny searches for the seam of the mask, and finds it at the base of his neck. Time seems to stop or slow down while Johnny rolls up the mask until the pad of his thumbs touches the tip of a nose. Rose lips open up a bit when they’re free of the prison of the fabric, and Johnny touches them with a thumb, first the bottom, then the top. They’re chapped, but Johnny never had a problem with that.

So he goes for it.

He kisses Spider-Man, shyly at first, but when he’s sure he isn’t going to be pushed away, he kisses him better, sucking on his bottom lip, and the man responds with a shudder and a soft moan, his gloved hand pushing through Johnny’s hair. And then there’s nothing innocent about it.

Johnny’s back hits the wall of the alley, and a strong body is pushing up against his own, and Johnny is moaning and his mouth is full of Spider-Man’s tongue. He’s never been kissed like this, like there’s fire and passion running through his veins, like he was born only for this crucial moment of his life to happen.

Spider-Man lets him go after taking all of his breath away with just one kiss.

“I’m sorry, I got carried away,” he says, breathless and hoarsely.

Johnny doesn’t know what to say, so he simply catches the man by the front of his suit and drags him back to another kiss.

“Pretty boy,” Spider-Man breathes, and Johnny feels like he’s drunk, his mouth numb from the kissing. The man slides their lips together, just a caress, and Johnny wants to kiss that mouth for the rest of his life. “That was a hell of a ‘thank you’ kiss, but I should go.”

“Okay,” Johnny says, nodding. But the hero kisses him again, and Johnny wants more. Their noses touch, and Johnny opens his mouth for another kiss.

“Take care of yourself, pretty boy,” Spider-Man says, rolling down his mask and shooting a webline to swing away.

Seconds after he’s gone, Sue appears at the entrance of the alley. Johnny doesn’t know if she actually saw anything, but he doesn’t have time to ask before his sister is hugging him.

“Oh, my God, are you okay?” Sue asks, hysterical, touching her brother’s face. His cheeks are probably warm for all the kissing, but his sister doesn’t stop at the details. “God, I saw the news and then Wyatt called me. We tried to come here as soon as we could, but the streets weren't safe for us. How did you get out?”

“Spider-Man saved my life,” Johnny answers, and the memory of his lips is vivid and makes him feel giddy. “The only thing I could save from the fire was the safe box and the paperwork I was working on, and only thanks to him.”

“But the Bugle says he’s a menace,” Sue mutters.

“Well, they’re wrong,” Johnny says. He moves to collect the safe box from the floor. “He could have left me in there to go fight that monster, but he made sure I was safe first—that everyone was safe first.”

“Okay, I believe you, but what were you doing in here anyway?” Sue asks, crossing her arms before her chest.

“I was—uh—” Johnny tries to find the words, but luckily for him, his daughter comes running to him the second he’s out of the alley. “Princess!”

“Daddy!” Lucy yells, hugging him tight when Johnny picks her up.

She’s not a baby anymore and she’s taller than she should be, but Johnny presses his face against her shoulder and breaths his daughter in. She is his home.

“I was so scared, daddy. Please, don’t leave me.”

“I would never leave you, princess,” Johnny promises.

“Our home is gone,” Lucy says when they stop in front of the burnt building.

“Don’t worry, little lady. We’re going to find a new one.”

–

Peter wakes up with a start when he hears a noise coming from the building’s hallway. He’s on his couch, still wearing half of his suit after last night’s fight with the Scorpion and five full hours of trying to finish grading his student’s exams. He had failed, of course.

He walks to the window and finds a moving truck, quickly remembering that the old lady next door told him they were going to have a new neighbor. Peter doesn’t really care about the stuff that goes around the building, so he goes to take a shower and start another day.

Five cups of coffee later, he leaves his apartment. The hallway is full of boxes and a big man is carrying three more of those on one of his shoulders. He tries to make a quick salute and be done, but the new neighbor appears at the door and Peter almost faints.

It’s the pretty blond he saved from the Green Goblin’s attack a few months ago. Yeah, the same one he kissed after the whole mess. Well, it was more of a DNA exchange than anything else, but whatever. A good kiss, if someone asks Peter, which no one would ever do.

And he's wearing pretty tight pants that fit him oh so well, and Peter’s mind is going places it isn’t meant to. He’s so beautiful Peter could cry, and the fact that he got to kiss him was like the highlight of his life, after being bitten by a radioactive spider.

He doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he’s right at the door of his new neighbor, almost free of this whole situation without being caught and made a fool of himself, when the pretty blond turns around and finds him right there.

“Hello,” he says with a radiant smile, like he needs to be adorable at all with a face like his. He offers Peter a hand. “I’m Johnny Storm. New tenant.”

“Hi,” Peter says, accepting the offered hand, the same hand that touched him in that alley that night. Peter wants to punch himself on the nose. “I’m Peter. Parker. Peter Parker, I mean. I live at the end of the hallway. Nice to meet you.”

“Me too,” Johnny answers, letting go of his hand. He squints at him and Peter starts to panic. “I feel like I know you from somewhere. Have we met before?”

“Spider-Man,” Peter says, too loud, too quick. Johnny seems surprised. Peter clears his throat. “I mean, I’m his photographer. I work for the Daily Bugle.”

“Oh, there-” Johnny muses, “-where everyone calls him a menace and a bad guy.” Peter opens his mouth, but Johnny quickly adds, “It’s okay, you don’t need to explain yourself. It’s your job, you don’t have anything to do with it. But like—are you friends with him?”

“Yeah, kind of, you could say that,” Peter says, wincing on the inside. It was easier when I was being kissed by him, he thinks.

“Oh, that’s good. You’re lucky.” Johnny smiles shyly.

“I guess. He’s kind of an interesting dude, I get questioned about him a lot.” Peter clears his throat again. “Well, Johnny Storm, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Welcome to the neighborhood.”

“Thank you,” Johnny says with a kind smile. “Same goes for you, Peter Parker.”

Johnny is still smiling even after Peter is long gone, so when Ben comes back from the truck with another set of boxes, he lets out a suffering groan.

“My neighbor is cute,” Johnny says, shaking Ben’s free arm. “And he’s Spider-Man’s photographer. It’s like living here is my destiny.”

“You said exactly the same thing about yer old apartment, and the thing is burnt to ashes now,” Ben says, the killjoy. He sets the boxes onto the floor. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s finish settin’ this up, I have a wife and a son waitin’ for me at home.”

“You’re so corny, man,” Johnny answers, but they work together to finish moving all of his stuff to the new apartment.

–

“How was school?” Johnny asks while he’s washing the dishes. Lucy is drying them as he hands them to her.

“Good,” Lucy answers. “The teacher asked us about our parents and I told her and my classmates that Spider-Man saved your life once.”

“Really? I’m sure that was embarrassing,” Johnny observes.

“No, Dad, the kids were freaking out and my teacher was surprised,” Lucy explains. “The kids love Spider-Man. I love him, too. He saved you. He’s my favorite superhero.”

“Yeah? Not Captain America or Iron Man or Thor?”

“No. Spider-Man. None of them saved you when you needed them.”

“Okay, that’s valid. Tell you what, little lady? Spider-Man is my favorite superhero too.”

“Taste,” Lucy says with a wink.

“Stop letting your cousin fill your head with that stuff, it is going to be empty in a couple of years, Lucy Storm. And please, don’t say—”

“Okay, boomer.” Lucy laughs when his father splashes her with water from the sink. They start a war and they end up wet and smelling like detergent.

When Lucy is out of the bathroom and wearing pajamas, Johnny knocks on her door. Lucy smiles and signals for her hair comb at the top of her desk. Johnny takes it and walks up to her bed, sitting down behind her. Lucy’s TV is on, a Tom & Jerry’s night time marathon currently playing. Johnny towels her long auburn hair and then starts to comb it. It’s a ritual for both of them before going to bed.

“Do you like it here?” Johnny asks.

“Yeah, it’s quiet and nice. And I have my own bedroom now. That’s cool. Thanks, Dad.”

“You’re a big girl now, you need your space. You’re about to turn seven. You grow up so fast, Lu. I remember when you were just a tiny fat face crying at me.”

“I love you, Dad,” Lucy says. Johnny kisses the top of her head.

“I love you too, princess,” Johnny answers.

“Do you think, if anything bad happens, Spider-Man will come save us?” she asks while Johnny tucks her in.

“Yes, I’m sure he will,” Johnny says. “Did you know he can stop a ceiling from crushing you with just his body? He’s very strong.”

“Franklin says he’s awesome and he will give me his Spidey clothes that doesn’t fit him anymore, because I'm his number one fan now,” Lucy says, sounding really proud.

“You are, princess, and he would be glad to know that.” Johnny bends over to kiss her forehead. “Goodnight, Lucy. Sleep well.”

“Goodnight, Dad.”

–

He has been living in the new apartment for a few weeks now. So when Johnny makes sure Lucy is fast asleep, he gets out of bed, starts the coffee maker and leaves his apartment with two mugs of hot coffee. He knocks on the door at the end of the hallway.

“Oh, bless you,” Peter says the moment he opens the door. He ushers Johnny inside, taking one of the mugs in the process, and he lets out a moan when he takes a drink from it. “You’re my favorite neighbor.”

“Really? None of them brings you coffee at midnight?” Johnny asks, knowing pretty well that doesn’t happen. He takes a seat on Peter’s couch and his smile is bigger when he hears Peter is still moaning over a mug of coffee. “What have you been up to, Mr. Parker?”

“Sorry about the mess, I took a surprise exam today,” Peter explains, sitting down next to Johnny, extending his arm in the direction of the mess of papers all over his coffee table. “Kids hate science, you know? That’s so fucked up and all kinds of wrong. Does your girl need help with science?”

“She’s six, leave her alone,” Johnny says. Peter snorts. “But she loves math. My brother-in-law and niece help her with it. I’m surrounded by a bunch of nerds.”

“How has Lucy been, though? I know—I saw the accident on the news when it happened,” Peter says, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue.

“Lucy is good, she—uh, she understands. It was hard at first because we lived a couple of blocks away from the Baxter Building, and she had friends there and loved the neighborhood, but she likes it here. She adapts quickly and easily, to be honest.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Peter says, offering his mug. Johnny giggles and clinks his mug against Peter’s.

For the next couple of weeks, Johnny finds a friend in Peter Parker. Since the day they met, they hang out and drink coffee together when they can’t sleep. Peter talks about his students and sometimes Spider-Man stuff, and Johnny really loves that part. Peter knows the basics of Johnny’s family, how they are always there for each other, and how they support him every day to be a better person for Lucy—a better father.

They spend their days like this, when they are both at home and not working, which is mostly at midnight. Sometimes they continue their routine in the morning, when Johnny takes Lucy to school and invites Peter for coffee before they both part ways to their jobs. Johnny is working as a chef on an Italian restaurant while Peter is still at the school by morning and the Bugle after six p.m..

Johnny considers Peter a friend. Apart from Wyatt, his best friend from his freshman year at college, Johnny doesn’t have the time to meet new people while balancing his life between being a father and working.

Despite this, Lucy isn’t an inconvenience. She’s a good kid and he doesn’t want to make her feel like she asks for too much just because he’s alone. His family helps him, but both Sue and Ben have their own family to take care of, and Johnny knows he can do this on his own.

“How is it, to be a father?” Peter asks one day out of the blue on a night they can’t sleep. They are both on the floor at Peter’s apartment after drinking six cans of beer all on their own. Johnny hadn’t drank that much alcohol since the night he had found out he had a kid.

“Mmm, it ain’t easy at all,” he answers, thinking about those first weeks he spent trying to understand how babies work, even though he was good when Franklin and Valeria were only babies. “I worked hard, though. Had to leave college. I was an aspiring actor, or tried to be, whatever. Had to give up getting laid. Kind of. Hard times.”

“I imagine women can’t resist a baby daddy,” Peter says, like the idiot he is. Johnny laughs, hard.

“I don’t care about what women think of me,” Johnny muses. He rolls his head to the side to look at Peter’s profile, and the brunette makes the mistake of doing the same.

Johnny’s eyes are very blue and he’s oh so beautiful, Peter just wants.

“I made out with Spider-Man once. In case you were wondering. He’s fucking hot,” Johnny adds.

And that’s it. Peter wants to end it all.

“I know,” he says. Stupid, stupid, stupid. “He told me he kissed a pretty guy when he fought the Green Goblin that night. So...it’s you, huh? You’re his pretty boy.”

“He called me that?” Johnny asks, biting his bottom lip, like he’s daydreaming of kissing him again. You could, Peter thinks. I’m right here, pretty boy.

“Yeah,” Peter nods. “And he’s right. And lucky. You know. For kissing you. Shit, I’m drunk, aren’t I? I’m shutting my goddamn mouth right now.”

Johnny looks at him, amused.

“You’re cute,” Johnny says. “You should kiss me too. For science, I mean. Always for the sake of dear science.”

“That’s how you flirt when you’re drunk? I’m not surprised you didn’t get any, Storm, it’s not your daughter’s fault.”

“Just kiss me already, you moron.”

And Peter does. Because since their first kiss—it’s not his, it’s Spider-Man’s—he’s been dreaming of tasting that delicious mouth again, those beautiful and soft plump lips. Peter goes all the way, blaming it on the alcohol, which has left his body a long time ago, but this is everything he wants. MJ would be proud of him after crying like a child about how pretty Johnny Storm is and how out of reach he was.

Johnny kisses him like he kissed Spider-Man, hot and needy and open-mouthed, a little bit sloppy because of the alcohol, but he’s there, opening his legs for Peter to slot himself in between them, up against his body, and he’s so damn beautiful. They’re kissing each other like horny teenagers, on the floor, drunk and messy. And Johnny knows he hasn’t gotten laid since the end of times, so he’s frustrated and just wants to be touched, please.

“Are you sure?” Peter asks against Johnny’s neck when the blond’s fingers start working on his belt and his fly at the same time. “You’re drunk, Johnny. I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I’m horny,” Johnny counters, and he’s licking his palm and when his hand makes his way further down Peter’s briefs, he can’t help buck into it. “And I’m not that drunk, dumbass. I want this.”

It’s heavenly and messy. Peter takes both of them in his hand and he’s gone. Johnny is so beautiful when he’s horny, when his arousal is pouring out of every inch of his skin, when he makes those faces and that’s sexy and oh fuck, Peter wants to ruin him. When they’re done, Johnny’s chest and stomach is painted with the result of their actions.

“Don’t make it weird,” Johnny asks him when Peter kisses him and cleans him up.

“You haven’t fucked in that long, huh?” Peter provokes him.

“I imagine women throw themselves at you.”

“No, but pretty blondes kinda do.”

“You started this!”

“You told me I was cute and that I should kiss you for science!”

“You were flirting with me, you idiot!”

“I was being a nice guy!”

“You’re so fucking annoying! Come here.”

And Peter is kissing him again. And then his hand is down Johnny’s pants. Johnny bucks into it, asks him to make it quick, kisses him hard, moans into his mouth.

“I swear to God if you make it weird,” Johnny starts when they are done, pushing his index finger against Peter’s chest, but he laughs and pushes him away, presses him up the wall next to his door, and shuts him up with a deep kiss. Johnny never wanted to be manhandled so bad like he does now.

“I won’t,” Peter promises.

When Johnny returns to his apartment, he takes the coldest shower ever. He can’t stop thinking about Peter—his mouth, his hands, his dick, his face when he comes. He feels like a desperate and horny teenager, but shit, it’s been too long, he just wants to get laid.

He’s brushing his teeth when he screams not so manly at finding his daughter’s round and sleepy face next to his on the mirror.

“Jesus Christ, princess! You just come out of a horror movie or what?” Johnny says, hysterical and spitting toothpaste everywhere.

“Why are you still up? I just wanted to use the bathroom, Dad,” Lucy explains. Her hair is poking at every direction and Johnny thinks she looks funny but in a cute way. “You went to Peter’s?”

“Huh.”

“I know you go to him when you can't sleep. It’s kind of cute. He takes pictures of Spider-Man, maybe he could make me meet him.” Lucy yawns.

“I could—I could talk to him about it, yeah.”

“Cool,” Lucy says, smiling sleepily. “Are you done, daddy? I need to pee.”

“Yeah, princess, in a sec.”

Johnny is about to turn off his bedside lamp before Lucy knocks on his door. Johnny gives her a yes and only her face peeks between the door and the doorframe.

“Daddy?”

“Yea, princess?”

“Are you dating Peter?” she asks shyly.

“No, Lucy. Why?”

“Because you look happy when you talk about him. And when you see him you smile so big I’m scared your face is going to break. And he’s cute, and a teacher, and he’s close to Spider-Man. I like him.”

“Okay, princess. I’m glad you like Peter, but we aren’t dating. We’re just friends. Good friends.”

“Alright. Goodnight, daddy. You didn’t reach a mark in your neck when you took a shower.”

“Goodnight, Lucy.”

The moment she closes the door, Johnny stands up and runs to his mirror and looks at his neck. And yes, there’s a hickey right there.

“Fucking Peter Parker,” he mutters.

–

The night Johnny sees Spider-Man again, he wishes it would have gone better.

His night shift is done. Johnny is working double the time he usually works because Lucy's seventh birthday is coming up in a month and he wants to throw a party for her and her friends. So it’s almost two a.m. when he closes the place and says goodbye to his coworkers.

It’s a quiet night, so he decides he could walk home. And that’s the first mistake he makes. Lucy is staying at Sue and Reed’s tonight, because he knew he wouldn’t make it in time.

“Hey, blondie. You look like fun.”

Johnny stops in his tracks when he hears the voice and then sees where it comes from. There’s a man standing against a wall next to the entrance of an alley. Johnny’s eyes look down and find he’s carrying a pocket knife.

“Leave me alone,” Johnny says, turning around to change the path to go home. He collides against a taller and bigger man, who pushes him back in the direction of the other man. Johnny slaps his hands away. “Hey! Don’t fucking touch me.”

“This one will make it hard, huh?” says the one behind Johnny. He tries to cross the street, but he stops in his tracks when he finds two men waiting for him next to an abandoned store. “I swear, rich boy. Relax and it will be over in a second.”

“Fuck you, get the fuck away from me! Take the money, my phone, whatever you want, but leave me alone. Please. No, stay back!” he warns them when the first two men walk up to him. Johnny is crying before he realizes he can’t get away from this one.

“You, take the bag. You two, grab him. Let’s make it quick.”

“No! Help! Please, someone help me!”

They take him to the alley in a fit of kicks and punches. Johnny’s thrown against a dumpster, which hits him in the back of the head and leaves him dizzy for a few seconds. While three of them are rummaging through his bag, the other one is taking him by the hair and making him stand.

“Let’s see what we have here, rich boy,” the man hisses in his face. He pushes him against a wall, the pocketknife near Johnny’s neck, sliding it down his body until he reaches his belt. “Designer clothes, huh? You like to look good for your men, baby?”

“Screw you, asshole,” Johnny says and spits on the man’s face, pushing him away and throwing a punch and a kick, just like Ben taught him when boys used to bully him in school. The first lands on the chest, the second on the balls. The man groans in response, but he recovers pretty quickly.

That’s his second mistake, by the way.

“You little shit! I’m going to end you!”

The man shoves him hard against the wall, knocking the air out of Johnny’s lungs. He knows he isn’t supposed to fight back or defend himself, but he wanted to think that he tried, at least. So he prepares himself for punching and maybe stabbing. He closes his eyes and thinks about Lucy and his family.

But nothing happens. He hears groaning and something clinking against the floor. Johnny slowly opens his eyes and finds Spider-Man fighting the four men. He’s flawless when he punches them and makes their bones crack. Johnny doesn’t dare move nor blink in fear of losing sight of the hero.

His attackers are soon knocked out and webbed together. Spider-Man steps away from them to collect Johnny’s bag and scattered stuff from the floor. The vigilante walks up to him and extends to him his belongings.

“You okay, pretty boy?” he asks.

Johnny doesn’t answer, not with words at least. He lets out a loud sob and latches onto Spider-Man’s body, his arms going around his neck, his wet face pressed on his shoulder. Spider-Man holds him tight, breathing him in, pushing his gloved fingers through Johnny’s hair.

“You’re okay. I’m here. I’ve got you,” Spider-Man says. Johnny cries non-stop. He clings to the man like he’s his lifeline. Johnny feels safe in the vigilante’s arms.

“Take me home,” Johnny whispers after long minutes of just hugging.

“Of course.” One of Spider-Man’s arms goes around Johnny’s waist. “Hold tight, pretty boy. And guide me.”

Johnny looks at the city while he hears the thwips from Spider-Man’s web-shooters. The night is beautiful, New York decorated with lights and noises. He noses the hero’s neck, his fingers clinging to the muscles of his shoulders. The wind ruffles his hair and makes his eyes water.

“Stay,” Johnny says when they stop by the window of his apartment.

“I shouldn’t—”

“Just five minutes, please. I don’t feel like bothering our mutual friend right now,” Johnny explains. “Don’t feel like explaining what happened to him either.”

“Okay. But just for a bit, pretty boy. I’m supposed to be out patrolling. That’s how I help people. That’s why I could help you tonight.”

“I know you’re a good man, a superhero, but I want you to myself tonight, at least for five minutes. Please?”

“You know I can’t resist you, pretty boy. Don’t do this to me.”

“Then don’t.”

“Fine,” Spider-Man accepts.

Johnny finally climbs up his window, with the help of Spider-Man. He waits for the man to do the same and then he’s reaching out for the seam of the mask. The hero doesn’t stop him, and that’s a good sign, so Johnny rolls up the mask and drags him down to a kiss. It’s sloppy and not sexy at all, but Johnny needs him.

Spider-Man wraps his hands around Johnny’s wrists and says, “Johnny.” And Johnny stops. He breaks the kiss and takes a step back to look at him.

“How do you know my name?” Johnny frowns.

“Parker talks about you,” he answers.

“He does?” Johnny is surprised. Peter doesn’t sound so excited about living off this man through the pictures he takes of him. But he talks about Johnny. With Spider-Man. That’s—that’s new and Johnny isn’t sure how he feels about it.

“Yeah,” Spider-Man nods. “He never shuts up about you. He’s kind of annoying. Told me about your little girl, too.”

“Is that a turn off? Me being a single father?” Johnny asks.

“No, pretty boy. The only problem here is that I’m not supposed to do this and that you’re not safe with me. And you just went through a traumatic experience. I—I don’t think this is any good for you, Johnny.”

“I’m not asking you to marry me, man, I just—” Johnny stops. He sighs. “This is so wrong. I thought—Never mind. My head is all over the place. I feel so alone I don’t even know what to do. You kissed me after saving my life that day. It meant something to me. You’re—special. I thought we could—I’m so delusional. And you’re you. Perfect and strong and a superhero.”

“You’re not delusional, Johnny. And I’m just an ordinary man,” Spider-Man says. “I mean, apart from having the proportional strength and the abilities of a spider, I’m pretty normal.”

“I’m glad to know that,” Johnny says. “My daughter loves you, you know? She’s pretty much your number one fan.”

“Yeah? Tell her I’m honored. And that maybe I could meet her someday.”

“God, it would be so easy to fall for you.” Johnny bites his bottom lip. “Maybe I already did.”

“Pretty boy, I know you could do so much better. Or maybe not, but you do deserve the world. An entire galaxy.”

Johnny blushes and Spider-Man softly caresses his warm cheek. He kisses his forehead and Johnny wants to hold down onto him forever.

“You’re going to find the right person one day. And you’ll forget about me, about your best two kisses being from Spider-Man.”

Johnny smiles. Spider-Man rolls down his mask, turning around to start climbing through the window. He’s about to leave, but Johnny runs up to him, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Before you go, what does Peter say about me?”

“He very much likes you, pretty boy,” Spider-Man answers, his blank eyes staring up at him. “He thinks the world of you. He says your ass looks good in those tight pants you always wear. And that you’re smoking hot. See you around!”

Johnny watches him go with his mouth hanging open. He feels like he has let go one of his most precious emotional possessions. Spider-Man isn’t gone, but his chapter on Johnny’s life has come to an end.

–

“Ice cream! Ice cream!” Lucy and Daniel chant while they both drag Johnny down the street and through the whole park just to get to the ice cream truck.

It’s Picnic Saturday and the whole Storm-Richards-Grimm clan is having their special day at the park.

Johnny is waiting in line behind a bunch of kids when he sees him, walking down the street with a frown and a killing semblance. He says to Lucy and Daniel to wait right there before running up to Peter, who practically collides against him when Johnny gets in the way.

“What the flying f—” Peter starts saying but he abruptly stops when he finds Johnny in front of him. He blushes. “Hi.”

Johnny counts in his head and realizes it’s been five months since they fooled around and Peter hasn’t acted weird at all. They don’t exactly talk about it, but they still hang out and spend time together like that occasion was just another one of their usual nights. Johnny considers that a win and smiles at Peter.

“Hi,” Johnny says back. “Want to join us? We’re having a picnic and you look like you could have a good time.”

“Huh,” Peter says, and Johnny is sure he’s about to say no.

“Hi, Peter!” Lucy yells from her position in the ice cream truck’s line, excitedly waving a hand in their direction. Daniel quickly does the same. Johnny looks at Peter with a raised brow.

“She caught you, man,” Johnny says, faking a sigh. “Now you’re obliged to come with us. And you will be helpful to carry the ice cream.”

“Am I your boy toy now?” Peter asks, but he relents the moment Johnny takes his hand and drags him to where Daniel and Lucy are waiting.

“Weren’t you already?” Johnny counters. Peter glares.

“I hate you.” They stop in front of Lucy and Daniel. “Hey, guys!” Peter says.

Peter clicks with every single member of Johnny’s family in a matter of seconds. The kids love him. He bonds with Reed the moment Lucy mentions that he’s a science teacher. The two start speaking what Johnny thinks is another language. Peter talks about sports with Ben. Alicia touches his face and says he would be a good model for one of her sculptures. Val, Franklin, and Sue look knowingly at Johnny.

“He’s good with kids,” Sue says when Johnny can’t stop looking at Peter, who was playing with both Lucy and Daniel a few feet away from them. Reed and Franklin are laughing near them, keeping an eye on the scene in case it becomes too much for Peter and taking pictures.

“Did you bang him already?” Ben asks, like the menace he is.

“Shut up, don’t be rude,” Johnny says. Ben raises a brow and Johnny grimaces.

“He totally did! You owe me ten bucks, Suzie,” Ben cheers, extending one of his hands in Sue’s direction. She lets out a sigh, looking at her brother with a ‘why couldn’t you keep it in your pants’ face.

“You had a bet on it? You’re ugly people.” Johnny shakes his head and hugs his knees against his chest, still watching Peter play with the kids.

“A bet is a bet,” Sue says while she takes a ten dollars bill from her wallet. Ben puts it safely inside Alicia’s handbag and then high fives her. Sue turns to Johnny. “So, what? You plan on doing something? Don’t mention any details, Jonathan, that’s my little girl right there.”

“She’s smarter than all of us combined, sis,” Johnny observes. He sees Val nodding her head while she turns a page on her book at the corner of his eye. “We’re friends for now. I mean, he’s cute and Lucy likes him, but I don’t know if I’m ready to go back to the dating field. I’m a little...you know.”

“Rusty?” Ben snorts. Alicia covers her face with her hands, totally embarrassed by the whole situation.

“Don't make fun of him, we’re supposed to be helping,” his sister reprimands their friend. Ben rolls his eyes. “I mean that, if you like him, you should give it a try. For you, baby brother. You’ve done everything you had to do for Lucy, now it’s time to do something for yourself.”

“You should see the way you look at him, man,” Ben says. “It’s all over yer face.”

“Daddy!” Lucy screams. Peter is carrying her on one shoulder, faking he’s taking her away, while Daniel tries to stop him hugging his legs. “Come save me, daddy! He’s taking me away!”

Johnny runs up to them, and he takes Lucy from Peter, and then they’re both rolling on the grass faking they’re fighting each other. Johnny has never met a guy who could make him have so much fun without getting into his bed first.

And the day goes on like that, having fun, playing any kind of game, playing with other kids who join them in the quest of not letting the monster (Peter) kidnap nor eat any of the kids and Johnny being the one who fights him and saves them. By the time it gets dark, they are all exhausted, Lucy is passed out on Peter’s chest while he makes himself comfortable against Johnny’s chest. Daniel is sleeping on Ben’s big shoulder, and the rest of them are simply chatting up before parting ways.

“She had so much fun with you,” Johnny says to Peter’s ear. Peter looks up at him from his place and smiles, and he wants to kiss him. “I’m starting to get jealous.”

“You don't need to, I only have eyes for you, baby,” Peter jokes and Johnny slaps him on the head, very softly. “Your family is awesome, by the way. It was a pretty shitty day for me until you found me. I’m glad you did. The most fun I’d had in years.”

“Good, I could invite you to all of our picnics then,” Johnny replies, because he wants Peter to be there. He wants Peter.

“I would be really flattered to be there, thank you,” Peter says. There’s a click and a quick light goes on in a flash. Johnny and Peter look in the same direction to find what was that.

“You two look cute,” Val says, lowering the camera she just used to take a picture of them. “Congratulations, you just made it to our memories album. None of Johnny’s boyfriends got to that stage of the relationship.”

They don’t even bother to correct her. Val shakes the Polaroid for a few seconds and then offers it to them. Johnny and Peter look at it together, and Johnny feels something funny on his stomach. They look like two people who are in love, like they only have eyes for each other, plus Lucy drooling all over Peter’s chest.

“What if I want to keep this?” Peter asks Valeria.

“I would just take another one for the album,” she says, shrugging.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Peter says.

This time they look at the camera. Peter puts the first photograph inside his wallet, face up. Johnny wants him even more.

–

Reed stops the minivan in front of Johnny and Peter’s building. They say goodbye to everyone and they watch them leave together. Peter is still carrying Lucy.

“She sleeps like a baby,” Peter says when they reach Johnny’s apartment. Johnny opens the door and ushers him inside.

“Her room is the one on the right,” Johnny says. He drops the bag with all the stuff he took to the picnic and walks up to Lucy’s bedroom. “She’s not usually so spent that she can't take a bath before going to bed. You drained her for real.”

“Well, what can I say? I have hidden talents,” Peter jokes while he tucks Lucy in. She moves only to cuddle her Spider-Man plushie against her chest. He kisses her forehead and leaves the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“What do you say if you show me some other talents, huh?” Johnny asks, taking him by the hand and dragging him in the direction of the bathroom.

“Why are you so horny all the time? Not that I’m complaining but—”

“Peter, shut up,” Johnny says, covering his mouth with his hand. “I’m horny because you’re a guy who knows how to treat my daughter and be nice to her, and you also get on my nerves and get me all worked up in a matter of seconds and that turns me on. And I need you so much, Pete. If you don’t do something about it soon, I’m going to fucking explode.”

“Noted,” Peter says, nodding his head. He clears his throat. “Shall we?”

Peter locks the door while Johnny starts the shower and fetches the bottle of lube from the cabinet. They undress themselves between kisses and some groping, desperate for more skin on skin contact. When they get under the shower spray, Peter is on his knees and Johnny has to bite his own fist when his hot mouth takes him, and takes him and doesn’t stop taking him until the very limit. Peter works Johnny up until he’s a moaning mess.

Johnny sees stars when he’s manhandled around the shower until his face is pressed against the tiles, his back in an arch, his ass up and his legs spread for Peter. There’s water and lube and fingers and Johnny is losing his mind waiting for it, and when Peter finally pushes into him, he’s gone forever.

Peter knows where to touch him, when to push into him to make him moan louder, how to do it the right way to make Johnny want more, more, more. Johnny looks up at the ceiling when the back of his head touches Peter’s shoulder, and Peter is mouthing at his jaw, his neck, never stopping the pistoning of his hips.

“You’re so good, you’re so fucking good,” Johnny chants. Peter’s fingers are under his jaw, his other hand sneaking down his body until he takes hold of him. “You’re so good for me, Peter Parker.”

“And you’re the highlight of my life, Johnny Storm,” Peter says into his skin, like he could burn the words there forever.

Peter hugs him tight and Johnny clings to the tiled wall when they’re done. He takes a step back and Johnny shudders when he feels him get out of his body.

“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Peter asks concerned when Johnny turns around to face him. He shakes his head and ushers him to come closer. Peter does, and he touches his face, near the scar on his eyebrow from when he fell asleep on the bathroom after a long night of trying to make Lucy sleep. Peter kisses him, touches his bottom lip with his thumb. “Pretty. You’re so fucking pretty. I can’t believe I’m here with you.”

“Well, start believing it, Parker, because I’m not letting you go.”

When they are done with the shower, they go to Johnny’s bedroom. Peter lets himself be pushed down onto the bed and Johnny climbs over his body. Peter arches his back when he finds his way into the blond’s body once again, this time being Johnny the one in control. He loves every second of it. He chokes on his own moans and covers Johnny’s mouth with his whole hand when the noises are too loud.

Johnny rides him until he feels like he’s no more. He doesn’t stop, not even for one second. He goes at it like it’s the first time they’re even doing it that night. And Peter watches Johnny unravel like he’s feeding on it, like he needs it to keep on breathing.

Johnny chants a string of Peter, Peter, Peter and then he lets go, arching his back, beautiful and radiant and Peter wants to stay right there for the rest of his life, watching Johnny come undone just like this, all over him, because of him.

“All my problems...are solved...bless your soul, Peter Parker,” Johnny lets out before collapsing next to Peter on the bed. They stay in silence for a moment, getting their breath back, falling down from the high. “God, you should have fucked me the first day I went to your apartment with friendly coffee and homemade cookies.”

“Yeah, maybe. In my defense, I wanted to jump you the second I saw you moving in,” Peter confesses. “It should be illegal to look that good with a simple button down and those tight pants, God. I could have been arrested for public indecency.” Peter snorts. “The day I found out you were a father and I saw the big and tall guy coming here with Lucy, I thought ‘shit, he’s taken’, but then you started flirting with me and making me coffee and taken people aren’t supposed to do that.”

“God, you’re ridiculous.” Johnny laughs.

“Don’t blame me! You’re flaming hot and a single dad and you have the ass of an angel, what else could I do?” Peter says.

“So it turned you on when you knew I was a dad?” Johnny asks, looking at him with brilliant eyes and waggling eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Peter answers slowly. Johnny bites his bottom lip. He stammers when Johnny’s hand lands on his chest. “I—I mean, the whole single father vibe suits you, and you’re young and hot and sexy and— Johnny.”

“You’re hard again,” Johnny says, licking his lips. Peter can’t help but buck into his hand. “I guess I should do something about it.”

Peter follows every movement with his attentive eyes. First the blankets being pushed away, then Johnny sliding his body between Peter’s open legs, then the kisses from his neck down to his stomach, then his hands pushing his knees up, and then his mouth closing around him, enveloping him in one go, making Peter’s brain short circuit.

Peter is sure there’s nothing Johnny is bad at. He’s perfect, from head to toe. Peter has officially won the lottery when he met this cute blond boy, as Spider-Man the day they first kissed, and as Peter when they crossed paths again, like it was destiny, like they were meant to find each other again and again.

Johnny smiles shyly at him and Peter would laugh if he had any energy left. They make out for what feels like an eternity before Johnny takes a look at the clock on his nightstand and unlatches his mouth from Peter’s, making him let out a disappointed sound.

“Fuck, it’s so late,” Johnny says.

“It’s Sunday,” Peter counters, trying to drag Johnny back down. The blond laughs and makes his escape, getting out of bed and looking for a pair of clean boxers. “No, please. Come back here.”

“Sunday is for helping Lucy with her homework, that’s a rule, Mr. Parker, and you don’t want to get on her bad side,” Johnny provokes him. He’s probably making a daring face, but Peter isn’t exactly looking at that part of his body. He throws another pair of boxers at him, hitting him straight on his face. “My face is up here, man.”

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Peter lets out in a breath.

“Don’t try to bribe me with compliments, come on, get up and brush your teeth or I’ll kick you out,” Johnny orders before disappearing from the room. Peter quickly kicks the blankets away from him and stands up, almost falling on his face when the garment gets in between his legs while he’s trying to slide the boxers up his thighs.

“Wait, hold on,” he says, reaching the bathroom, finding Johnny already brushing his teeth. “Are you—? Wait, are you implying I can stay here and spend the night with you? On the same bed and all that stuff?”

“You wanna take the couch? Be my guest,” Johnny says. “Just brush your teeth and be done with it.”

“No, no, I—I want to take the bed, if that’s okay,” Peter mutters. Johnny looks at him with his toothbrush hanging from one corner of his mouth. Peter winces. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No, you idiot, I don’t want you to leave,” Johnny answers, spitting toothpaste on the sink. “What can I do for you to understand I want you in my life after inviting you into my family and practically begging you to fuck me, huh? Do you think I do that to all the guys I meet? Do you really think I would do that?”

“I get it, I’m sorry, okay? I just wanted to be sure we want the same thing and not just—Johnny, you really need to understand you’re the best thing that’s happening in my life right now, and I’m used to fucking things up just by being—me and I really, really want to do this right, okay? You’re not a trophy I’m trying to win or a random fuck I talk to my friends about. I want you. The whole you.”

“Peter,” Johnny says, walking up to him. “You’ve had me for a long time. My life has revolved around my daughter for the most part and I forgot I was supposed to take care of myself sometimes. I’m doing it now, dummy. And you’re the best thing that’s happened in my life since I found out I had a daughter.”

“Shit, my legs are shaking and I need a moment,” Peter whispers. Johnny quickly helps him sit down on the closed lid of the toilet. Peter lets out a sigh and sneaks his arms around the blond’s waist, pressing his face into his stomach. “You have me whipped, Johnny Storm. You really do.”

“It’s mutual, Parker,” Johnny says.

Johnny waits for him while he recovers. He smiles at him while he brushes his teeth and guides him back to the bedroom. He turns the lights off and Peter waits for Johnny to arrange their sleeping ways.

“I hope you’re not a bad bed partner,” Johnny says while he slides next to Peter’s body, their legs tangling themselves under the sheets, his arm going around Johnny’s shoulders.

“Never had any complaints,” Peter says, shrugging. Johnny mutters a curious sound against his neck.

“Good, because I’m an amazing bed partner,” Johnny says.

And Peter comes to realize that that’s probably true and he’s going to find out for himself.

–

Peter wakes up to the sound of voices and the smell of coffee. He opens only one eye to check the clock: nine a.m. He remembers he and Johnny are not alone, so he should probably leave the place before Lucy wakes up and finds him there.

He stands up and runs to the bathroom in the search for his clothes to only stop in his tracks.

“Brush, brush, brush! Brush, brush, brush!” Johnny and Lucy are singing together while she brushes her teeth and Johnny combs her hair. Lucy turns to look at him, smiles a full of toothpaste smile and says, “Good morning, Peter!”

“Good morning, huh—hi,” he answers awkwardly. He quickly hugs himself when he realizes he’s wearing boxers and nothing else.

“I prepared coffee,” Johnny says, leaving the hair comb on the countertop. Lucy rinses her mouth and washes her face before stepping down the stool she was standing on to reach the mirror. Peter steps to the side to let her go through the door. “I washed your clothes, by the way. And don’t be scared of Lucy, she’s just a kid.”

“I’m practically naked! In your apartment!” Peter half whispers, half screams. Johnny laughs. “Why are you laughing? I’m freaking out, Storm!”

“And why are you? Do you regret what happened last night? Is that it?” Johnny asks, walking up to him.

“You know damn well that’s not it, Johnny,” Peter says.

“Then why are you like this? Do you think Lucy is going to hate you for being here?”

“When you say it like that it sounds like a pretty silly thing to happen, but you know what I mean,” Peter says. “How do you explain to her what’s going on?”

“I don’t need to, she figures it all out on her own,” Johnny explains. “She gets dating. She gets his father likes men. She’s met some of my boyfriends and dates before. She knows.”

“So, huh, we can act—you know, normal?”

“Normal?”

“Normal as in can I kiss you? Can I be affectionate with you in front of her? Can I be really dense and make her wish her father never met me?”

“She won’t, but yes, you can,” Johnny nods, biting his bottom lip.

“Okay. May I use the bathroom now?”

“Of course. Your clothes are right there. Make yourself at home,” Johnny says.

When Peter finishes with his morning rituals, he leaves the bathroom fresh and clothed. Lucy is eating from a bowl of milk and cereal, a little pile of books waiting for her to start doing homework in a corner of the table, and Johnny is in the kitchen, making what smells like pancakes.

He goes directly to him, snaking an arm around his waist, kissing that beautiful pale, long neck he loves to sink his teeth into. Johnny melts in his embrace, going pliant in front of him, his eyes never leaving the pan where he’s cooking the most delicious and good-looking pancakes.

“Morning, gorgeous,” Peter mutters against the shell of his ear. He kisses the skin right below there and Johnny shudders in his arms.

“I can see you, Mr. Parker! Hands off while he’s in front of the stove! That’s dangerous,” Lucy calls him out from her place.

“Oh, the boss has spoken, and she’s right, Mr. Parker,” Johnny says, flipping the pancake he’s currently cooking and turning around. “Forgot to mention she’s the one who sets the rules here.”

“Okay, but first,” Peter says, pressing his lips to Johnny’s ear once again, “you’re paying for that one, Storm.”

“Can’t wait,” Johnny whispers with a wink.

They have breakfast together while they watch Lucy’s favorite cartoon. Johnny plays with Peter’s feet under the table, like the fucking teenager he sometimes seems to be. Peter washes the dishes when they’re done and Lucy changes the TV to the news, finally busying herself with homework. Peter helps her when she asks. Eventually, Johnny leaves them alone to go shopping for lunch.

“So, you are okay with me dating your dad?” Peter asks after he helps her solve a math problem she was stuck on.

“Yeah,” Lucy answers without stopping scribbling with her pencil. “He’s happy when he’s with you. And you’re funny and cute. Please, don’t break his heart. Other boys just left when they knew I was part of daddy’s life. I don’t want him to be alone because of me.”

“Oh, Lucy, it’s not your fault,” Peter soothes her. Her big blue eyes look at him, and she seems sad all of a sudden. “You’re not a burden, little lady. It doesn’t matter how many men your father meets, you will always be his first and only priority. That’s why they left, because they’re dumb and cowards and didn’t love your daddy enough to stay.”

“And you do?” Lucy asks lowly. “You love him enough?”

And Peter doesn’t think his answers, he says, “Yeah, kiddo. I do.”

“Cool,” Lucy says. “I don’t want him to be sad again. You won’t let him be sad, will you?”

“I won’t, I promise,” Peter answers.

“Okay, help me with this, please.”

Peter finds out, thanks to Lucy, he’s not that bad when it comes to kids. He loves to play with her and help her with her homework and take her to school when Johnny can’t. Lucy slots into his life like a piece it was missing all this time, like he has always need it to be filled with her and only her. Peter loves that little girl like she’s his own.

His relationship with Johnny goes well, really well. In a matter of weeks of dating, he takes him and Lucy to meet his family: Aunt May, Mary Jane and Harry. May is brilliant with kids, so she hits it off with Lucy in a few seconds. MJ finds a partner to talk about fashion in Johnny and Peter thinks he’s going to regret this. There’s not a lot in common between Johnny and Harry, but they are civil and talk numbers, mostly from the scientific side that comes with Johnny’s family.

“He’s a keeper,” Aunt May says to Peter one day when Johnny, Lucy, and MJ disappear into the kitchen.

“Yeah, uh—he’s really, really good to me,” Peter replies. Harry makes a weird face at him and he waves him away with one of his hands.

“You want and old lady’s advice, honey?” Aunt May asks. Peter looks expectantly at her. “If he’s good, you should put a ring on it.”

That same night, when Johnny is curled up next to him, sleeping peacefully, Lucy safe in her room, Peter thinks Aunt May’s advice is not that bad.

–

Peter knew his life would come crashing down the moment his civilian world and his superhero world find their way to each other.

It was a dinner date. Peter has been planning for five months to take Johnny to an elegant place to have dinner, has spent five months working his ass off at the Bugle, selling his best photographs of Spider-Man to J. Jonah Jameson to go on a date with his boyfriend. Absolutely nuts.

It’s going perfect, like everything else that’s currently going when it comes to them.

That is, until some psychopaths with guns come to ruin all of his expectations of having a good and peaceful night.

There’s shooting and Peter throws himself at Johnny the moment everything goes to shit. He takes him to a safe part of the restaurant and is about to go, when Johnny’s hand on his arm stops him.

“Where are you going?” Johnny asks.

“I have to help those people,” Peter answers.

“They have guns! How do you plan to do that?”

“Johnny,” Peter says. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes, Peter, but what’s going on?”

“You’ll see, pretty boy. Stay here.”

Johnny opens his eyes and lets him go, and Peter knows that he knows. He kisses Johnny before leaving him there, maybe for the last time, and at least he doesn’t push him away. But Johnny doesn’t look happy either.

“Be careful,” he says before Peter goes to take care of the situation.

The police were at the scene when Peter made his entrance as Spider-Man. He webs the guns to the ceiling, kicks some ass, shows off for the people of New York, and ends things well. The officers look at him with unfriendly eyes, because of course he’s a menace and a vigilante, not an Avenger, but he goes away before they have time to treat him like he’s the real criminal.

Johnny’s outside the restaurant after the people were safely evacuated. The moment he sees Spider-Man’s silhouette by the side of a building, he goes to him.

“Pretty boy?” Johnny asks him.

“I can explain,” Peter says.

“Please do!”

“Not here, Johnny.”

The moment they’re safe on a building’s rooftop and Peter takes off his mask, Johnny slaps him. Peter knows this wasn’t supposed to go well for him but that was kind of unexpected.

“Ouch. I deserved that,” he mutters.

“Yes, you did!” Johnny shouts. “Was it fun playing this stupid game with me? Because I’m done, Peter. I’m fucking done.”

“I wasn’t playing with you! I’m sorry, I was trying to protect you!”

“Protect me? While lying to my fucking face?”

“People I love die because of me, Johnny,” Peter says. “I’ve lost people before, and I don’t want to lose you, too. Not if I can do something to prevent it. I’m sorry, I know you deserved to know but I—I love you and if I lose you, Johnny, I will never forgive myself.”

“I can’t believe I’ve been flirting with the same guy since the first time I kissed you,” Johnny whispers.

“I’m sorry, Johnny,” Peter says.

“And you said you love me,” Johnny continues.

“It’s okay if you don’t say it back or if you’re not ready, I will totally unders—mmph!”

Johnny kisses him. Hard and bruising and perfect like all of his kisses are. Peter responds, because he loves him and he would do everything for this man.

“I love you too, dumbass,” Johnny says into his mouth. “I love Spider-Man. I love Peter. I love the stupid, oblivious and cute neighbor that lives at the end of the hallway. I love the Bugle photographer. I love the teacher that gives surprise exams, which sucks by the way, don’t do that to those poor kids.”

“God, you’re the most beautiful, kind, and loving person ever, Johnny Storm,” Peter mutters between kisses. “You're perfect. Too perfect to be real. You’re amazing and caring and a wonderful father and you deserve nothing but to be loved and cherished and—are you crying?”

“Shut up,” Johnny says against his shoulder.

“Okay, okay, I’m not judging you,” Peter says, cradling Johnny’s head in his hand. “You are the highlight of my life, pretty boy.”

“I can’t believe I’m dating Spider-Man,” Johnny says. “How cool is that? I’m dating a superhero. My boyfriend is a superhero.”

“Not that cool if you ask me,” Peter mutters. Johnny steps away to look at him. Peter looks at the mask, still in his hand. “I meant it when I said I lose people for being who I am, Johnny. I didn’t want you to know because if people see—if bad people find out about you, they’re going to use my love for you against me. And I can’t let them.”

“I get it,” Johnny says. “I’m not going to make you choose or whatever you think I could do. It will be our secret. You don’t have to protect your loved ones all alone. I can help you with that. I know I don’t have powers but I—I don’t want you to think you’re alone. I’m here, dumbass. And I’m not going anywhere.”

“God, I don’t deserve you,” Peter whispers. Johnny shushes him.

“But you do,” Johnny says. He kisses him again, this time softly, like he’s afraid of losing him, afraid of Peter leaving him.

“I can’t even properly take you out on a date,” Peter whines.

“I don’t care about things like that, Peter. I care about being with you. You don’t need to woo me or spoil me or whatever you think I need. Just—just stay. Be with me. Love me through all my flaws, my downs, my moods and the whole—well, me.”

“I will stay fucking forever if it’s up to me,” Peter says. “And I already love you.”

“Stop making me cry, dumbass,” Johnny says, slapping him softly on his arm. “And stop making me call you dumbass, dumbass.”

“Okay, okay, sorry,” Peter laughs. “You hungry? I know a place.”

That’s how they end up eating hot-dogs and drinking cheap soda at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Peter swings through the city until he spots the cart in Central park. He buys the biggest hot-dogs for the both of them. Johnny smiles at him.

“What?” Peter asks.

“This is better than any fancy dinner you had planned,” Johnny answers. Once they are finished with the hot dogs, Johnny says, “So, now that we are clear with the whole dating Spider-Man thing, tell me. How hot can sex be?”

“You tell me.” Peter snorts. “We’ve been going at it for the past months.”

“Yeah, I know, but we’ve only been going at it like normal people,” Johnny smirks. “What about spicing things up a bit?”

“How?” Peter asks.

“Like webbing me up,” Johnny whispers. Peter almost faints thinking about it. “Maybe fucking me up against a wall? Or—or holding me down and—wait. Did you just pop a boner or am I crazy?”

“Both,” Peter answers. Johnny bites his bottom lip and tries to reach Peter’s bulge with his hand, but the brunette stops him wrapping a hand around his wrist. “No, nuh-uh, we’re not doing that here. I don’t want to be arrested for public indecency. No, sir.”

“Hey,” Johnny says, leaning down to whisper in Peter’s ear, “I want you to fuck me with your suit on.”

“Johnny,” Peter warns.

“Please? I’ll be good. I’ll be so good.”

Peter is not easy. He’s not. He’s just human. And Johnny knows exactly which buttons he needs to push to make him unravel.

That’s why they end up in a dirty, dark and empty alley, behind a dumpster, Johnny’s back against the wall, his legs around Peter’s hips, his pants and boxers hanging down one of his ankles, with Peter thrusting into him still wearing his costume, his mask rolled up to his nose, his mouth swallowing all the sounds Johnny’s making. Johnny came prepared, he’s all lubed up when he touched him there with his fingers.

“Harder,” Johnny moans. Peter groans and pushes into him hard and fast, taking Johnny’s wrists and pinning them to the wall. He tries to move, but he moans and arches his back when he finds out he can’t. “Oh, my—”

Johnny comes, and Peter stops for a moment to watch him: his pupils blown, almost entirely black, his cheeks flushed, his lips sporting an angry shade of red. And now his dress shirt is covered in his own come.

“I can’t believe you’re fucking real,” Peter whispers.

“Let me,” Johnny says, softly slapping him on the shoulder.

And then Peter is cradling his head with both of his hands, pushing himself into Johnny’s mouth after he discarded the condom. It’s hot and wet and Johnny is messy and he loves him and he’s gone after a few minutes of just sucking, licking circles with his tongue around the tip and deepthroating him like the blessing he is.

“We just fucked in an alley,” Peter says when he lets himself fall against the wall and Johnny gets up and starts adjusting his pants and underwear around his hips. He does the same with the bottom of his suit.

“Yeah,” Johnny says. “But you know something? I’ve never had this much fun with anyone ever. I was—I was pretty young when Lucy came into my life so I didn’t do half the things I should have been doing when I was twenty. This isn’t about the semi-public sex thing though, it’s about finally making things work with a guy and feeling like I’m young again and do things like this. Like I didn’t waste my time. Like—you’re the one.”

“Jeez, you’re twenty-six, not eighty, Johnny,” Peter says.

“I know, I’m—” He sighs. “I’m trying to tell you you make it feel right, okay? I have denied myself so many things to protect my daughter I almost forgot I had a life too. And it’s not on her, it’s on me. Because I was afraid of fucking everything up and being a bad father. I wanted to be good for her. I wanted to be the best to her eyes. I cried myself to sleep so many nights just thinking that I—that I was failing her. That she was going to be disappointed and mad at me. I thought—Peter, I thought someone could take her away from me if I made just one simple, stupid mistake like falling asleep on the bathroom floor after hours of trying to make her sleep and stop crying.”

“Johnny,” Peter calls him. Johnny sniffles and looks at him, his blue eyes brilliant and wet. “Lucy just wants you to be happy. She doesn’t want you sad or heartbroken. And I promise you, gorgeous, you’re the best father any kid could ask for. You need to start giving yourself some credit. Lucy is the perfect example of the kind of father you are for her. She admires you, Johnny. She loves you and wants to protect you, just like me.”

“I love you so much, Peter Parker,” Johnny whispers, pressing his face to Peter’s naked neck.

“I love you too, pretty boy,” Peter answers.

They go home and cuddle on the couch, watching a silly movie, Johnny’s leg thrown over Peter’s lap and his face pressed to his neck, clearly not giving a damn about the movie.

“Peter,” he says, lowly. Peter responds with a simple mmph sound. Johnny moves, pushing his nose against his cheek. Peter turns his head and their noises touch. Johnny looks up at him. “Pay attention to me.”

“You suggested we watch a movie,” Peter says. Johnny rearranges himself, innocently plopping himself down on Peter’s lap. Peter lets out a sigh mixed with a laugh. “Johnny.”

“Pay. Attention. To me,” Johnny says again, hugging his neck, kissing the crown of his head. He just stays there, and Peter hugs him tightly, his face on Johnny’s clavicle, his lips kissing him there.

“You’re so demanding,” Peter mutters into his skin.

“But you love it,” Johnny whispers. Peter nods his head, and moves his hands softly across the expanse of his boyfriend’s back. Johnny sighs. “What do you like most about me?”

“Your horniness,” Peter jokes. Johnny groans and lets himself fall down on the other side of the couch. Peter stops him before he rolls down the floor.

“Come on, be serious,” Johnny says, kneeling next to him, his arm on the headrest of the couch. He plays with the hem of Peter’s shirt. “Tell me. I want to know.”

“Where do I start?” Peter asks, looking at him. He pretends to think, and Johnny seems to be uneasy, so he smiles. “First of all, you’re beautiful. You’re kind and loving and nice and protective of your loved ones. You wear your heart on your sleeve and you’re brave and you make it so easy to fall in love with you.”

“Yeah? You think so?” Johnny asks, like he needs to be reassured all the time, like he still thinks he’s not good enough to deserve this, to be loved, to have a healthy family.

“Johnny, you know I love you, right? And you deserve the best,” Peter says. He takes Johnny’s hand and kisses his knuckles very softly. “Stop torturing yourself thinking you’re not good enough. You’re perfect the way you are. Don’t let yourself give up who you are for anyone—promise me, Johnny, that you will never do that.”

“I promise,” Johnny whispers. Peter cradles his face in one hand and kisses his lips. Johnny shudders and sighs into it.

“Now, let’s keep watching the movie and cuddling, okay?”

Johnny finds his way into Peter’s chest. Peter wraps his arms around him and kisses his forehead. Johnny falls asleep like that, safe in Peter’s arms.

–

“We should wake him up slowly,” Johnny hears someone say while he tries to keep sleeping.

“Yeah, he’s always so peaceful when it’s my birthday,” a little voice agrees. Johnny feels a finger poking him on his back. “Daddy?”

“Huh?” Johnny says, raising his head from his pillow, turning around.

“Happy birthday!” Peter and Lucy cheer when he finally opens his eyes. Peter is carrying a tray full of food, which he places on the bed when Johnny sits up.

“Woah, thank you,” he says, threading a hand through his bed hair, yawning and looking around the tray. “What do we have here?”

“We made cookies! And there’s toast and your favorite flavor of jam and coffee and also orange juice,” Lucy says while she signals everything on the tray. “And we got gifts!”

Lucy jumps out of bed and runs out of the room. Johnny extends his arms at Peter and he smiles, stopping next to the bed. He bends down to kiss his forehead.

“You’re so old now,” he jokes. Johnny groans and pushes him away gently. He tries one of the cookies while resisting Peter’s attempts to sit down next to him. “Oh no! I already see white hairs and wrinkles. I’m dating an old man!”

“You’re the worst person ever,” Johnny mutters after sipping his coffee.

“You’re hot and sexy and so beautiful, don’t believe the lies random guys tell you,” Peter says, finally sitting down next to him, kissing his shoulder, his cheek, his jaw. “I love you so much, pretty boy.”

“Gifts!” Lucy says when she comes back, carrying a bag and a piece of paper. “Here, daddy. Happy birthday! I love you.”

“Oh, let’s see what you two got for me,” he says with a smile.

Lucy rounds the bed and takes a seat on Johnny’s other side. He picks Lucy’s drawing first, which Peter has helped her finish when they were making cookies. He doesn’t know shit about art, but the symbolism is so cute he let her get away with it. Also, he’s decent at coloring stuff.

The drawing consists of the three of them, plus Wyatt and Johnny’s family. Spider-Man is in a corner of the paper, and Johnny smiles when he spots him. But he stops when his fingers touch the blond head of a little boy next to Lucy’s drawing of herself.

“Who is this, princess?” Johnny asks her.

“Oh, that’s my future little brother!” Lucy answers, excited and flushed. Peter almost falls down the bed, because he didn’t see that coming. “I drew him with your hair and Peter’s eyes. You like it, daddy?”

“I—I love it, princess,” Johnny says, pressing the drawing to his chest.

“You’re not pregnant, right?” Peter asks. Johnny rolls his eyes and Lucy snickers and hides her face in her father’s arm.

“Can you get pregnant, daddy?” Lucy asks him.

“No, Peter is just being silly,” Johnny says, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He takes Peter’s gift next. “It’s your time to shine, Mr. Parker.”

Johnny opens the wrapper with delicate fingers and finds a framed photograph. He gasps when he remembers the day it was taken. The lightning was improved, and Johnny can’t believe they looked at each other like that even before they started dating. It was from the picnic day, when his family met Peter and they started their relationship.

“Peter,” Johnny says in a whisper, turning to look at him. Peter is blushing.

“I know it’s not much, but I wanted you to have it too,” Peter explains. “That was the day I realized I wanted to be with you for real, in every way.”

“Not much? This is everything, dummy,” Johnny says. “Come here. Give me a kiss.”

“Grown-ups,” Lucy muses. “They’re crazy.”

“Oh, I just remembered,” Peter says. “There’s a friend who wants to drop by to wish you a happy birthday and give you his gift.”

“Yeah? Who?” Johnny asks, smiling.

“It’s a surprise,” Peter answers. “Be ready in an hour. I have to run to the Bugle, but he will be here.”

An hour later, when Lucy and Johnny are planning the rest of the day, there’s a knock on the living room’s window. Lucy frowns but walks up to it to open it.

“Spider-Man?” Lucy asks. “Daddy! Look! It’s Spider-Man!”

“Hey, pretty boy,” Spider-Man greets him. Johnny smiles. “Happy birthday!”

“Thank you for dropping by, Spidey,” he says, “Peter said you got a gift for me?”

“Oh, yeah,” he nods, “I want to take you swinging through New York. And this little lady is invited too.”

“Did you hear that, daddy? Spider-Man wants to take us swinging through New York!” Lucy screeches.

“A quick one, Spidey, I’m supposed to be on time for the party my family prepared for me.”

“Of course, pretty boy,” Spider-Man says, “I wouldn’t dare be an inconvenience for you.”

“Ladies first,” Johnny says. He helps Lucy climb up the window and she latches herself to Spider-Man like a koala. “Hold tight, princess.”

Johnny takes Spider-Man’s—Peter's—hand and sits down on the window ledge. He copies Lucy’s position, and he trusts Peter, so he wraps himself firmly around his body.

“Ready?” Spider-Man asks.

“Ready,” Lucy and Johnny answer in unison.

And then Spider-Man lets go of the wall, and the wind is hitting his face, and Lucy is yelling excitedly. Johnny watches New York pass in front of him, beautiful and busy as always, and Spider-Man gets to see this every single time.

“I wish Peter was here with us!” Lucy yells through the wind.

“Me too, princess,” Johnny says. She hugs Peter tightly. “Me too.”

That same night, Lucy tells the family Spider-Man took them swinging through the city while Peter and Johnny wash and dry the dishes. Peter smiles confidentially at him.

“So, huh,” Peter starts when they are on the rooftop of the Baxter Building, alone, watching the stars. “I—I have another gift for you.”

“Peter, you didn’t have to,” Johnny says. He stops when he sees what Peter has in one of his hands. He looks up at him. “Peter.”

“I don’t want you to feel rushed and say yes just because that’s the ideal scenario, but I—Aunt May told me that if a person makes you happy and is really good for you, you should put a ring on it. And it’s—it’s not just that, but a whole bunch of stuff and feelings and I’m so in love with you I can’t even speak with words or make sense I just—will you be my forever, Johnny Storm?”

“Holy shit, yes, yes!” Johnny yells and cries, throwing himself at Peter.

“It’s not a—a wedding ring, in case you aren’t ready, so I just—I just want a symbol that puts together what you mean for me,” Peter explains. “Maybe a wedding ring is too rushed for us, but I’m sure about this. We can wait all you want, but this is good for me right now. I’m—I’m happy. And I love you.”

“I love you too,” Johnny says against his lips. And they share the sweetest kiss. Johnny raises his left hand and presents it before Peter’s face. “What are you waiting for? Put it on, Parker.”

Peter bites his bottom lip and takes Johnny’s wrist kindly with his left hand, slowly sliding the silver band down his finger. He then takes that hand to his lips and kisses his fingers.

“Forever,” Peter says.

“Yes, forever,” Johnny nods.

–

Peter moves in with Johnny and Lucy after Johnny tells him he is practically already living there. At first, Peter feels like a stranger, like he’s invading them and their space, like he doesn’t belong. Soon, the three of them go to the park together on weekends. They have dinner at Sue’s with Johnny’s whole family, the kids call him ‘uncle Peter’, and when he’s in the middle of a panic attack for feeling like shit, Johnny is there to reassure him.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, sitting down next to Peter, who is resting his back against the side of the bathtub.

“I feel like I rushed into things too quickly,” Peter says with his head in his hands. He feels Johnny’s fingers rest on one of his knees. “I thought I could do this without being overwhelmed by it but—do I really belong here? With you?”

“You want me to answer that for you? Because you know I can’t, Peter,” Johnny says. He sighs. “Lucy and I love you, we’re delighted to have you here, you’re—you’re part of this family, Peter. And you know more than anyone what it means when someone takes you in like you’re theirs. You’re not some random guy. I love you, Peter. Lucy sees you as my partner, as her—” He stops, afraid of Peter not wanting to hear it.

“As her what?” Peter asks, looking at him.

“Do you really not get it, Peter? After all this time, after knowing none of the men I dated wanted to meet her or get close to her?” Johnny asks, and then groans, loudly, frustrated. He covers his face with his hands. “Peter. She asked me if she could consider you her dad.”

“Holy shit,” Peter mutters. Johnny seems hurt, like he’s thinking that he shouldn’t have said that at all.

“Maybe—Maybe we did rush into things too quick for—” Johnny starts, but Peter doesn’t let him finish. He takes his face in his hands and kisses him, and it’s wet and salty because of his tears.

“Johnny,” Peter gasps. “Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. Oh, Johnny. I love you so much.”

“You’re okay with that?” Johnny asks in a whisper, too close to Peter’s mouth, their foreheads touching, his hand over Peter’s pounding heart. “You want that? You want us?”

“Yes, baby,” Peter nods, face full of tears, “I have never wanted anything as much as this. You—you two are my everything, Johnny. You’re my family. My—my forever.”

“Oh, my God, I love you so much,” Johnny says, throwing his arms around Peter’s neck and hugging him tightly.

Lucy is shy at first when Johnny explains to her that Peter is fine if she calls her any other way than just Peter. She moved quickly from ‘Mr. Parker’ once their relationship started, therefore she’s fine with trying out other nicknames.

When she calls Peter ‘Papa’ by accident, he hugs her tight and cries like a baby, because he’s like that. From that moment on, Johnny thinks his daughter found a new partner in crime.

They play pranks on Johnny all the time, like making him shave with edible cream or wash his hair with detergent, the little shits. They take Lucy’s homework very seriously and spend hours nerding about math and science. They fall asleep every working night on the couch, waiting for Johnny to come home late from work, both cuddled up with a movie playing on the TV. Lucy always presses her face against Peter’s chest and he hugs her tight.

“Cuties,” Johnny says while he snaps a photo with his phone. It becomes his new phone wallpaper in a matter of seconds and a few taps on the screen.

Their first Christmas together is a blast. They both wake up at three am to stuff Lucy’s stocking and put their gifts under the tree while they giggle like kids. Peter holds a mistletoe over their heads and Johnny kisses him. Lucy wakes them up by jumping on their bed to open the gifts and yells happily when she finds out Santa got her her first science kit.

Peter balances his three jobs—yeah, that includes being Spider-Man—and helps Johnny with the savings for Lucy’s college. Lucy grows up with loving parents who also love each other, and loving and supporting families.

They make a life for themselves. They’re happy.

This is their forever.

–

“Pops! Dad! Where are my keys?” Lucy asks going around every single corner of the living room.

“Here,” Johnny says, throwing her the keys of the car. He stops the little hurricane with legs running around the house. “Hey, champ. Did you finish your cereal? Your sister is about to leave without you.”

“No, Papa, I’m ready,” the little boy says. He turns around to look at his sister. “Don’t leave without me, Lulu.”

“I’m not leaving without you or Pops, Flint.” She walks up to the bottom of the stairs, where Webs, their big and orange cat, is lazing around. “Pops!”

“Coming!” Peter answers. “Dropped my coffee and ruined my shirt, so I had to change it. Please, don’t look at me like that.” Seemingly, for good measure, he tacks on, “Baby.”

“I didn’t,” Johnny says, rolling his eyes. Flint comes rushing from the kitchen with his Spider-Man’s backpack opened.

“You’re going to drop everything, squirt,” Lucy says, helping his brother with the backpack.

“Will you call me when you get there?” Johnny asks Lucy. Big and tall Lucy, now about to leave for college.

“Yes, daddy, I will,” she answers, hugging him tightly. She kisses his cheek. “Let’s go, gentlemen. We don’t want to be late, do we?”

“No!” Flint yells. Johnny squats down to fix his wild brown hair and kiss his cheek, noisily and embarrassingly. He blushes when Johnny blows a raspberry in between kisses. “Papa, lemme go, Lucy is going to be mad at me.”

“See you later, champ,” Johnny says before Lucy takes his brother to the car. Peter comes up to him, and he fixes his hair too, wild and the same shade of brown as Flint’s. “They’re so big now. Time flies, baby.”

“It feels like yesterday when you kissed Spider-Man for the first time,” Peter mutters against his cheek. Johnny smiles, and if he closes his eyes, he can still see them both there, starting their life together since that moment. “I love you so much. My forever.”

“I love you too,” Johnny answers dreamily. Peter kisses him and it tastes like heaven, like a welcome.

“Pops, come on! We’re going to be late!” Lucy’s voice says from the adjacent garage of the house.

“She got your impatience,” Peter observes.

“And Flint got your clumsiness,” Johnny counters. “He’s a hundred percent a Parker.”

“Leave the boy alone, he’s okay, I was worse at his age,” Peter says, making a flourish with his hand. He kisses Johnny one more time. “Goodbye, honey. See you later. I’ll pick up Flint from school before coming home, so don’t worry about that. I love you.”

Johnny watches them go. Flint waves his tiny hand at him from the backseat of the car. Lucy sounds the horn twice and then they’re off.

“My forever,” Johnny whispers with a smile.