ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀʏ
!spoilers for no way home!
pairing: peter parker x fem!reader
summary: after strange's spell, everybody forgot. peter could walk down the street without having cameras shoved into his face, but he could no longer go into that coffeehouse and talk to his friends like he used to. everybody forgot who peter parker was. everybody except for one.
genre: angst, friends to lovers
warnings: spoilers (obviously), angst, sad peter hours, little bit of canon level violence
The paper in his hand was crumpled, the words on his tongue slurred as his hands sweated from his anxious nerves. His heartbeat thumped erratically in his chest and walking through that open door that greeted his senses to the strong smell of coffee and sweets just about sent him into a spiral.
The girl behind the counter gave him a small, costmary smile, only growing naturally when she saw the person behind Peter and gave them a bigger wave.
Looking over his shoulder he watched as Ned shoved past him, instantly making conversation with MJ as if he wasn't there.
"Hey Ned," She gave Peter another small smile as she mouthed in a second, and grabbed Ned's usual order of the glazed donut, pouring him some coffee she had already made beforehand as they chatted about MIT and other things Peter had missed in the time they, along with the rest of this universe, had forgotten him.
He had to get used to that, Peter reminded himself, he technically no longer existed.
"Hello," She greeted as she finished talking to Ned, not noticing how Peter's eyes brimmed with tears, "What can I get you?"
Peter stuttered, just as he always seemed to do around MJ, and looked down at the papers for help, nodding to himself as he muttered encouraging words for himself under his breath.
"I-I'm Peter Parker," He said slowly, for the first time since that spell was cast and everybody forgot who he was, the words he had practiced a million times before sounding small and insolent.
He wasn't anybody under that mask. Once he put it on, everybody knew Spiderman. It seemed as though his life was turning backward as even the girl he loved could recognize the masked hero better than him.
But to his shock and surprise, he watched as her eyes widened a bit, the smile dropping as Ned looked up from his seat, his eyes squinting as he tried to get a better look at his face.
Time stopped as MJ instantly whipped her phone out, typing something quickly as she made a quick call, whispering out a quick apology as the person behind the other line refused to pick up.
"D-do you know me? I-it's me, Peter," He moved forward, shuffling as hope ignited in his chest, warmth blossoming to the tips of his fingers as he looked from MJ and then to Ned, his lips turning upward into the biggest smile he had ever given somebody, "Peter Parker?" His lungs seemed to stop working as air lodged up in his throat, waiting for her to just say something.
"U-uh no, sorry," MJ cursed to herself as the line beeped again, the automated voice answering box mocking her as she pocketed the phone, "Sorry about that. What," She pushed her hair back behind her ears, trying to look as professional as she could as Ned gapped behind her, "What can I get you?"
And just like that, his smile fell, hands to his sides as the paper jeered at him for his stupidity and innocence.
"Oh, um," His voice fell an octave, hushed as he almost let out a pained sound, "That's," He took in a deep breath, trying to sturdy himself back into his factious reality, "That's o-okay. Can I get a coffee to go, p-please?"
The door behind him swung open, and he once again watched as MJ gave the person behind him one of her real smiles, not the ones she was forced to put on because of her job, but that wasn't what stopped Peter in his tracks.
He heard a small gasp from behind him, a sound of objects clattering to the floor as he whipped his head around, eyes widening when he saw you.
It had been weeks since you two last talked, since you laughed at his stupid science puns, and it had been an agonizingly long amount of time since he watched carelessly as you ate those stale donuts while MJ and Ned decided different things to write for their college admissions letter.
There were dark eye bags under your eyes, your face no longer the bright and happy one he was so used to seeing, this one much grimmer and saddened as the two of you stared at one another, the silence becoming heavy as you didn't say anything.
Your mouth opened, fingers touching your hair as you tried to ground yourself, gapping as you took a slow step forward, not caring about your laptop that could have possibly been broken from the fall it took or the way you already chipped phone could have received more damage.