“Peter, if you set something on fire, I will kill you.”
“Unless the fire kills me first.”
Peter glanced at Y/N, who was radiating a familiar blend of exasperation and world-weariness. She had perfected the look, and he knew it meant she was running on fumes.
“It’s just s’mores, Y/N. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“The s’mores could burn, and we’d go hungry because I want s’mores.”
They were conducting a purely recreational lab experiment—toasting s’mores in a metal tin under the afternoon sun. The unexpected benefit wasn't the novelty of solar-powered confectionery, but the free food.
“It’s fine, Y/N. We’ll get our snacks.” Peter grinned at her. She offered a small smile in return.
Since yesterday, his thoughts had been a chaotic jumble. Teenage minds were perpetually scrambled, but his felt particularly fractured. The encounter with the Anima individual had occupied his every waking moment. A shapeshifter? The idea was both captivating and unsettling. As a student, he found it improbable. As Spider-Man, he was simply amazed. He’d need to ask Anima about the limits of her abilities—what animals she could become, whether she could alter her features beyond simply shifting form.
When he looked back at Y/N, she was smiling, a small, private amusement playing on her lips. He was about to ask what she found so funny when she plucked a s’more from the tin and took a generous bite.
Right. Food.
He leaned forward and retrieved his own s’more. A glance at Y/N confirmed his suspicion: she was preparing to snatch it if he hesitated. Oh well.
“Sucks to be you.” He waved the s’more provocatively.
“Actually, no. I’m quite content being me, thank you very much.” She retorted, swatting playfully at his hand. She took another bite, finishing the s’more with a satisfied sigh. “So, if you’re not going to eat that, I will. I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry.”
Y/N shrugged casually and leaned back against the lab bench. For a fleeting moment, he considered confiding in her about his secret identity. But the idea felt reckless, and he quickly dismissed it. He didn't want to burden her with the weight of his double life.
“Hurry up, Peter. There’s a worksheet to do.” She snapped her fingers in his face.
He sighed dramatically, finished his snack, and leaned forward to tackle the assignment, pushing thoughts of Anima to the periphery.