[He's never felt this anxious about something before, almost feeling himself vibrating out of his skin while he waits in the shadows. But as soon as he hears the other guy, his breath catches and that's exactly the sort of voice he pictured, even if Leo doesn't know how that's how he guessed it.]
[Why did everything stop? His thoughts, his heart, his breathing, all of it come to a complete standstill as he stares at this guy. One hand reaches to clutch to the pendant of that necklace he's been wearing since he found it.]
Hhhi. [Said out like an exhale of breath.] I'm not uh. Used to people noticing me.
I mean, you're... you're hard not to notice. You're... [He's definitely falling in love all over again. He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. He's being so stupid.
But the sight of the necklace just makes his heart race a little.] kind of perfect.
[Now he has different alarm bells going off. Last time anyone called them perfect or beautiful was Draxum and they all saw how that went. He clutches the pendant a little tighter in his palm.]
[The reaction tells Peter he's a little too lost in his reaction. He turns redder, absolutely embarrassed and wincing at himself. He's still in love, while Leo doesn't even know him. He's being stupid. So, so, so stupid.]
Sorry, that's- a lot, like way too much. Its- [His grip tightens on his bag, as he backs off.]
It was nice seeing you again. [And he turns to take off, absolutely feeling stupid for a variety of reasons.]
[He got caught up in the confusion of someone he barely has an inkling of feeling for calling him 'perfect' before he notices Peter getting ready to leave.
But once he does, he reaches for him, trying to catch his arm.]
he pulls his hand away once it's clear Peter isn't leaving, but now what.]
I-
Okay, I know this is going to sound insane. But... I feel like. I'm supposed to know you. I've - [He rubs his forehead, gesturing with his other hand as he talks.] I've been feeling this tug in my chest, and it's only gotten stronger when I saw you. It's like. Stupidly strong right now standing next to you like this. I've been trying to track it down for a year now, and- I think I'm supposed to know you.
[He looks at Peter with a mix of hope and heartbreak. He somehow didn't expect a confirmation of what he was feeling. That's the last thing he really expected here, but hearing it makes that feeling he's been grappling with feel more real.]
I'm Peter, Peter Parker. [He says his name quietly, still used to having to introduce himself to everyone. He didn't even really exist anymore.] I... there was a wizard, and a spell he was casting seemed like the only way to make sure the universe didn't end, if I was forgotten. Because I made things start falling apart by being stupid.
[A wizard removed this guy's entire existence from Leo's memory to save the universe.
How fucking arrogant of this guy.
But it feels right. This whole thing feels right, he can just barely grasp the idea of him shouting Peter's name frantic, panicking to not do something... What was it.]
And. And I don't remember who you are because of that? But I can still feel you?
Okay, I'm just explaining this so badly, it's- I'm Spider-Man. [Someone who patrolled with Leo's family for years as far as they remembered, even if he dropped off from that due to his GED.] And someone outed me on live TV, it was- a thing. A bad thing for everyone. Enough so I stupidly tried to do a spell with a wizard, and then had to do a counterspell to make things less bad.
[Peter feels like he's tanking this, absolutely ruining this. He crosses his arms over his chest. If Leo hates him, it's easier isn't it? A cleaner break.] I was a part of your family's ninpo, for a long time. I- I don't think that went away?
[He listens, just kind of feeling his thoughts around this. It's... a lot. It's a lot to hear someone you were close to suddenly erased his entire existence from your memory. Would Leo have asked for that? Would he have wanted it?
For a lot things. Even if it doesn't fix it. [Peter is genuine about that, well aware Leo is within his rights to just... leave. He couldn't blame him.]
[He doesn't hesitate for a second, letting go of his pendant and moving to wrap Peter up in a desperate hug. He feels that ninpo even stronger now, want and hope and ...a loss. On both their parts. It only takes a second of having Peter in his arms to know it's right, this feels right, it's supposed to be this.]
[An old muscle, but a familiar one as Leo keeps holding him. Electric blue flying across the threads of Peter's ninpo like they belong there, always have.
It's overwhelming how right it feels, like it shouldn't have been taken away from him to start with. The feelings of that ninpo almost brings tears to his eyes as he buries his face into Peter's shoulder. He takes a shuddering breath, smelling him, feeling him.
What does he say? What does he say to any of this, this feeling of right, of finding that piece that had been a missing gaping hole in his heart all this time?
Best not to think about it. Just go with the first thing he thinks, that's usually right.]
[Peter runs a hand gently against Leo's shell, just trying to take in this feeling. He's missed this, desperately. The threads grow taut, rippling under the feeling of Leo's electricity.
The question startles Peter. He turns red, but the answer comes immediately. He draws back to just look at Leo, reaching out to hold the turtle's face in his palms.]
He's staring at Peter, a vague blurry image in his mind of always being this close to him, always being in his space like this. Of being intimate, of feeling Peter holding his face like this.
He tugs tighter at Peter's ninpo like a lifeline, saving him from drowning in his own thoughts as it catches up.
He is seventeen and he just asked a guy he just met to marry him except they knew each other before and it's all messed up.
His breath comes back to him in a wave and Leo wraps arms around Peter to lift him up and spin him happily.]
no subject
Um. Hi. I-
Sorry, I just. I needed to talk to you.
no subject
Hi. [Smooth. Very smooth. He's starting to go a little pink all over again. He missed Leo, he missed Leo so badly.]
no subject
Hhhi. [Said out like an exhale of breath.] I'm not uh. Used to people noticing me.
no subject
But the sight of the necklace just makes his heart race a little.] kind of perfect.
no subject
What.
[Now he has different alarm bells going off. Last time anyone called them perfect or beautiful was Draxum and they all saw how that went. He clutches the pendant a little tighter in his palm.]
no subject
Sorry, that's- a lot, like way too much. Its- [His grip tightens on his bag, as he backs off.]
It was nice seeing you again. [And he turns to take off, absolutely feeling stupid for a variety of reasons.]
no subject
But once he does, he reaches for him, trying to catch his arm.]
Wait- I needed to talk to you.
no subject
...Sure, I- we, can talk.
no subject
he pulls his hand away once it's clear Peter isn't leaving, but now what.]
I-
Okay, I know this is going to sound insane. But... I feel like. I'm supposed to know you. I've - [He rubs his forehead, gesturing with his other hand as he talks.] I've been feeling this tug in my chest, and it's only gotten stronger when I saw you. It's like. Stupidly strong right now standing next to you like this. I've been trying to track it down for a year now, and- I think I'm supposed to know you.
no subject
He shouldn't even be here with Leo. He should still be giving them space. He just keeps making their lives more complicated.
But...
He's still in love with Leo. His fumbling reactions, his heart rate going crazy and how badly he wants to be close is enough to show him that.]
You are supposed to know me. [He confirms quietly back. Unable to stop himself from saying that much.] It was just... taken away.
no subject
[He looks at Peter with a mix of hope and heartbreak. He somehow didn't expect a confirmation of what he was feeling. That's the last thing he really expected here, but hearing it makes that feeling he's been grappling with feel more real.]
Who are you?
no subject
no subject
How fucking arrogant of this guy.
But it feels right. This whole thing feels right, he can just barely grasp the idea of him shouting Peter's name frantic, panicking to not do something... What was it.]
And. And I don't remember who you are because of that? But I can still feel you?
no subject
[Peter feels like he's tanking this, absolutely ruining this. He crosses his arms over his chest. If Leo hates him, it's easier isn't it? A cleaner break.] I was a part of your family's ninpo, for a long time. I- I don't think that went away?
no subject
He thinks probably not.]
No. It didn't. I could feel it, this whole time.
no subject
For a lot things. Even if it doesn't fix it. [Peter is genuine about that, well aware Leo is within his rights to just... leave. He couldn't blame him.]
no subject
But he doesn't... want to. He still has his hand reaching out to Peter.]
...Can I... This is gonna sound weird, but can I hug you?
no subject
I... yes, yes you can.
no subject
no subject
It's an old muscle he hasn't flexed in a year, but his connection to Leo's ninpo is alive, light with magic as it reaches out.]
no subject
It's overwhelming how right it feels, like it shouldn't have been taken away from him to start with. The feelings of that ninpo almost brings tears to his eyes as he buries his face into Peter's shoulder. He takes a shuddering breath, smelling him, feeling him.
What does he say? What does he say to any of this, this feeling of right, of finding that piece that had been a missing gaping hole in his heart all this time?
Best not to think about it. Just go with the first thing he thinks, that's usually right.]
Will you marry me?
no subject
The question startles Peter. He turns red, but the answer comes immediately. He draws back to just look at Leo, reaching out to hold the turtle's face in his palms.]
Yes.
1/2
no subject
He's staring at Peter, a vague blurry image in his mind of always being this close to him, always being in his space like this. Of being intimate, of feeling Peter holding his face like this.
He tugs tighter at Peter's ninpo like a lifeline, saving him from drowning in his own thoughts as it catches up.
He is seventeen and he just asked a guy he just met to marry him except they knew each other before and it's all messed up.
His breath comes back to him in a wave and Leo wraps arms around Peter to lift him up and spin him happily.]
no subject
He's relaxed in Leo's hold, happy. The connection of their shared ninpo is flooded with affection, love, safety.]
I love you, I love you- [He starts tearing up a little, but it is happy tears.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)