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The sun was just disappearing behind the skyline and after more than a few hours swinging around Queens, Peter was about ready to take a break and finally get something to eat.
His stomach had been growling for a couple of hours now, but he‘d just been caught up in one thing after another, always finding someone else who needed help.
But now, it seemed things were finally calming down a bit in the burough, enough that Peter might be able to—
“Spider-Man!“
Peter did not sigh behind his mask, because he would always come when someone called for him, and he‘d do it gladly. But he did spare a moment to silently apologise to his stomach, which was protesting loudly.
At least it was a friendly, excited call from a child‘s voice rather than someone terrified and screaming for help.
Flipping back around at the apex of his swing and heading right back in the direction he‘d come from, he followed the voice to a street corner, landing lightly in front of a little girl.
She looked to be about elementary school age and was looking up at him with a wide grin, dark curls bouncing around her round face. Her shirt was bright red and there was a wobbly spider emblem drawn on it with what looked to be sharpie.
“Spider-Man! You came!“
“Of course!“, Peter said, stepping a little closer with a grin that he knew showed even through his mask. “Wouldn‘t do to stand you up here now, would it? What can I do for you?“
The girl shifted her weight a little nervously, looking back over her shoulder at a woman who was standing a few feet away leaning against the wall—likely her mother, judging by those same dark curls. She gave the girl an encouraging smile and a nod and so the girl, resolve strengthened, turned back to him.
“I just wanted to give you this.“
With that she was lifting her hands holding—a plastic box containing nine cupcakes.
And not just any cupcakes—they were perfectly frosted with a smattering of multi-coloured sprinkles and on top of each sat a Spider-Man emblem of red and blue chocolate.
Four with the Spidey mask and five with the spider symbol on his chest.
For a moment Peter could only blink, stunned by the fact that such a thing even existed.
“Wow, those are awesome!“, he finally exclaimed, crouching down before the girl to get a closer look and be more on eye level with her. “They‘ve got my face on them and everything! That is so cool!“
The girl giggled, clearly happy about his reaction, still holding out the box towards him.
“Why did you get these for me, though?“, Peter asked, tilting his head in emphasis. “You didn‘t have to.“
“I wanted to wish you a happy birthday!“, the girl said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Peter‘s eyes widened in surprise, the lenses of his mask following suit.
“Happy birthday?“, he asked, “But it‘s not—“
He broke off, confused. It wasn‘t anywhere near August, far away from his birthday, but then of course this girl wouldn‘t know Peter Parker‘s birthday anyway.
But she did, apparently, know Spider-Man‘s.
“How‘d you figure out it was my birthday?“, he asked, grin audible in his voice.
“Ma and I looked it up together“, the girl replied, chest puffing out with pride at her achievement. “Spider-Man was seen in Queens for the first time on this day, three years ago. Well, eight years ago with the Blip. So that means it‘s your birthday, right?“
Peter had to take a moment to swallow past the lump in his throat.
“Got me there“, he said, voice a little choked.
He couldn‘t believe someone had actually gone to all the trouble to not just figure out when exactly Spider-Man had first appeared but to then also make or track down Spidey-themed cupcakes and stand outside on a street corner waiting and hoping for him to swing by.
Just to wish him a happy birthday.
“Thank you so much“, he said, finally taking the box the girl was still holding out to him. “That‘s the best gift ever, you know that? Ever.“
The girl beamed, once more looking over her shoulder at her mother, this time in triumph, getting a wide smile in return.
Peter looked up at her too, making eye contact as well as he could with the mask. “Thank you, too.“
“No problem, Spidey“, the woman said with a nod. “You deserve a treat too. Happy birthday.“
Peter huffed a little laugh.
“These do look amazing. I bet they taste fantastic, too. But hey, that‘s way too many cupcakes for one person, don‘t you think?“, he said, turning his gaze back to the girl. “How about we share them?“
“But they‘re yours!“, the girl said, frowning just a little.
“That‘s right“, Peter said, “and that means I want to share them with one very thoughtful little girl and her mom. If that‘s alright?“ He looked up briefly at the woman again for her approval, relieved when she gave it easily.
“Here“, Peter said, pulling open the lid of the box. “Which one do you want?“
The girl wavered for a moment before finally pulling out a cupcake with a Spidey mask from the container. Peter then held the box out to the woman who hesitated, seemingly unsure about being included in this moment, but at Peter‘s encouraging nod she also picked out a cupcake, one with the spider emblem.
“I‘d better take one of these, too“, Peter said, doing the same, “It would be a little weird for me to be eating my own face, don‘t you think?“
The girl, who had already devoured her chocolate Spidey mask without a second thought, looked up at him. “I guess“, she said, “But doesn‘t that mean that you‘re eating a spider instead?“ She scrunched up her nose, startling a laugh out of Peter.
“I suppose you‘re right“, he said, “Guess I can‘t win.“
Carefully he rolled up his mask over his mouth and took a generous bite from the cupcake, trying his best not to smear frosting all over his mask.
It was sweet and fluffy and perfect, a hint of vanilla in the sponge and the buttercream frosting perfectly smooth.
Peter couldn‘t help but let out a groan as he polished off the rest of the cupcake in two quick bites, his stomach delighting in finally getting something to eat.
“Oh my God, these are so good. You know what, I take it back, they are definitely not too many for one person, I could eat like a dozen more of these.“
The girl grinned, clearly thrilled at his approval.
“Hey—what‘s your name?“, Peter asked, rolling his mask back down over his chin.
“Sofia.“
“Well, thank you, Sofia. I‘m very happy that you thought of me today. This is the best birthday ever.“
“Really?“, Sofia asked eagerly, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet.
“Sure is“, Peter said with a grin. “I won‘t forget it. Thank you“, he said again, a little more seriously this time, with another nod towards Sofia‘s mother too.
“Any time, Spidey“, she said.
“Well then“, Peter said, springing back up on his feet. “I gotta get on my way, but—I‘ll take these to share with my friends, yeah?“ He held up the box with the remaining cupcakes.
Sofia grinned. “I thought you were going to eat them all by yourself?“
Peter laughed, carefully closing the box again so he wouldn‘t jostle the cupcakes too much while swinging. “Nothing gets past you, huh? Well, it is very tempting, but I suppose I‘m feeling in a generous mood.“
Sofia raised her arm in a wave. “Bye, Spidey! Happy birthday!“
Peter gave her a quick two-fingered salute before shooting out a web.
“Sofia“, he said, “Ma‘am. I‘ll see you around!“
And with that he was on his way.