Requested by: McNoodleDoodle

Prompt: #30

Soulmate AU- First words on the arm

Warnings: None

Extra: None

~*~

Moving to New York was my family's mistake. They had to know that it was always New York in trouble. No world threatening event started in Miami or San Francisco. It was always New York. (Not including what happened to Sokovia, no one could have predicted that)

However, I let fate guide me. Going to New York brought me a step closer to my soulmate. It had to, otherwise it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

80% of the population was born with their soulmates first words to them on their arm. The other 20% were left to their own devices. Even the fortunate majority could struggle if the words were a common greeting, leading to many people finding the wrong soulmate and going through life trying to fix their mistake.

I was lucky enough to have something a bit more unique on my arm.

I'm glad you like music but this is cliche.

It'd be a dead ringer for my soulmate, and I couldn't wait for the day.

The city wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Having come from a much smaller town, I'd never understood the excitement around large cities- especially New York. It was crowded, dangerous, and the only city villains ever enjoyed attacking.

But after settling down and living there for two weeks, I understood. It was full of its own energy, thriving in a way that no inanimate city should be able to do. And I was thriving along with it.

The day had started out ordinary. It was what occurred after school that was the real issue.

On the walk home, I put in my earbuds and turned them up so the world around me disappeared. Just because I thrived with New York didn't mean I had to deal with the people in it all the time.

After getting off the subway, I bounded up the stairs to the streets. Still lost in my music, I was only brought back to reality when I was picked up off the ground. Ripping my headphones out, I stared up at the mask of Spider-Man.

"I'm glad you like music but this is cliche," he told me.

"I don't want to listen to random people when I have headphones for a reason."

We landed on the nearest rooftop. Spider-Man's hand went to his forearm. That's when it finally clicked-

"Oh my god!"

"I have to go catch those bank robbers. Stay here," Spider-Man swung off after an SUV speeding through traffic.

Where I was previously walking was the remains of a bank front. An explosion blew the front wall right off. Police were already on the scene, and they had evacuated civilians from the area. Looking down at my headphones I wondered, "How loud was my music?"

Loud enough to block out an explosion and lead me into the heroic arms of my soulmate at least.

Sitting down, I waited patiently for my soulmate to return. He landed in front of me less than ten minutes later.

"How did it go?" I asked, having watching the criminals be returned to the police and shoved into the back of their cars.

"Well, they had good explosions, but that was the best part of their plan. The rest was poor planning. Easy to catch."

"Yeah, well, thank you for saving me," I held back the urge to say something outright about being soulmates. Instead, I held out my hand for him to shake, "I'm (Y/n) (L/n)."

"Uhh, Spider-Man?" He shook my hand.

"Don't tell me that's your real name," I teased with a carefree smile.

"No- no it's not. It's just- you may be my soulmate, but even most of my family doesn't know who I am. It's for their safety," Spider-Man sat down next to me, swinging his legs off the ledge like a child, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I get the whole 'wanting to keep them safe from kidnappers' thing... kind of unfortunate I couldn't have met you in your civilian form, though. It'll be tough to figure this out when I don't even know how old you are."

"Sixteen."

"Oh, good. You sounded like a teenager, but I couldn't be sure... what do we do now?"

Spider-Man thought for a few seconds before perking up, "Why don't I take you for a swing around the city? You've never seen New York until you've swung around it hundreds of feet in the air."

Chuckling, I checked the time. I had two hours until my parents would be home from work, expecting to find me on the couch doing my homework. Two hours with my soulmate until we parted ways.

"I'll have to see about that."

Wrapping an arm around my waist, Spider-Man shot off a web and leaped off. Screaming in shock, I tightened my hold around his neck until I was sure I was choking him. When I managed to open my eyes, I gasped.

He was right. Seeing the city from above - the tips of skyscrapers, people as ants, and the chill that came with flying just under the clouds - was an experience like no other. Being so close to the soulmate I'd been waiting for my whole life added another layer to it. Even though he was wearing a suit that covered his entire body, touching him sent electricity through my veins, settling into a thrum of comfort and security.

I wasn't sure how long we'd swung around New York, but I knew we were getting awfully close to the two hour mark. Tapping Spider-Man's shoulder, I pointed at the rooftop below us. He took the hint and quickly landed, gently setting me down.

"I have to get home," I definitely pointed in the wrong direction.

"Do you need me to take you there?"

"No, I can do it. It's just a right and two lefts from... from my school." New York was still bigger than any other place I had lived, and I had no idea where I was going.

Chuckling, Spider-Man wrapped his arm around my waist again, "What street is it on? I can take you there."

Giving him the street, he nodded once and took off. The swing to my street was much faster, and when I pointed out my building, Spider-Man landed on it. Gripping my backpack straps tightly, I nervously shifted on my feet, not sure of what to say- or what I shouldn't say.

"Will I see you again?" I finally grit out.

"Yeah, soon."

My mood brightened after that reply. Looking to the fire escape, I sighed, "I should-"

"Peter Parker."

"Huh?" When I looked to Spider-Man, his mask was off and god he was gorgeous.

"If you're my soulmate, then you'd have to be heartless to go to the press. I haven't told my the people closest to me because I've been scared of putting them in danger, but you're the one person that I can literally never lose," he held up his arm to accentuate his point, "So you should know... are you good?"

My jaw had fallen while he was talking, and I was still stuck on how handsome he was and how much trust he had for me and the bond we shared. It was an honor, and I didn't know how to respond.

"Y-yeah, I get it. Um, wow. I'll see you soon, Peter."

"Bye (Y/n)."

Stepping onto the fire escape, I focused all my energy into not slipping and making a fool of myself right after we had a moment together. After successfully making it down the stairs, I slipped in through my room window and locked it after I got inside. Just in the nick of time, too.

"(Y/n)?"

"In my room!" I called back, frantically running a brush through my hair and pulling random things out of my bag to make it look like I was doing homework.

"Oh, I didn't hear you," my mom stepped inside my room, "Your dad is going to be home late so he said we could just order something to eat- oh my god, your arm!"

Looking down at my arm, I let out a small, "Huh."

The originally stark-black writing on it had turned into a pale gold, showing that I met my soulmate and created a preliminary bond with them that would lead to a good relationship. My parents had the same gold on their arms.

"Who are they?" My mom practically leaped onto my bed to get information, "How did you meet? What are they like?"

"He's Spi- ah, Peter Parker," I sighed in relief after catching my slip, "I uh, was distracted listening to my music on the street and ran into him. Hence the whole 'cliche' thing on my arm. He's nice, we spent a few hours together."

"How sweet! When can we meet him?"

Laughing, I relaxed into my bed. She bought the story, good, "After we go on a few dates. I don't want you to scare him away."

"Oh please, your arm is already gold. It took your father and I months to get to that point."

Looking at my arm again, I smiled when the lettering caught the light. I wouldn't have the easiest life, considering my soulmate was a superhero, but I wouldn't have it any other way.