The good news was that Mj wasn’t dead.
The bad news was that he was currently nursing a bruised arm and boasting more than a few cuts and bruises along with it.
Mj thought to himself about the situation, The night was going just as normal as ever. Except now he learned not to use a back way home anymore.
He attempted to pull himself up before realizing the hits were still causing the ground to spin.
Realizing he wasn't going to get very far walking, Mj gingerly pulled his phone out of his pocket with his good hand, and called the first person he thought of, Peter Parker.
In his townhome, Peter was enjoying his day off from patrol watching some stupid show gwen and Mj had insited he watch; when the phone rang. He picked it up, eyes still glued to the screen.
“Peter here,” He answered. His cheery demeanor dropped like his eyes from the screen when he heard the clearly hurt voice of Mj, “Hey Pete, I hope this won’t bother you but I need some help. I uh- got hurt,”
Peter was already halfway done putting his suit on at the word ‘hurt’. “Yeah where are you I’ll swing by” he couldn’t help cracking the stupid joke, it always made Mj smile. Which given the circumstances he felt like it was sorely needed. He heard a breathy laugh on the other end
“Really Pete, swing?” He smiled,
“I know I just can’t help the dumb puns sometimes,” Mj laughed again “Yeah yeah just get over here Webhead,” Peter smiled wider “I’m on my way strawberry shortcake,”
Mj snorted a bit at the name, Peter was always annoyingly cute with them.
Wincing a bit after he'd managed to stand, he worried a bit at how Peter would react. Would he be angry at Mj for taking a different route? Scared about what happened?
Mj didn't have to take long to think because not long after he’d hung up Spiderman swung down next to him.
Peter immediately brought his hands up, cradling Mj's face. Causing him to suppress a blush.
"Jesus Mj what happened!” Peter was clearly panicked, gently moving Mj’s head examining all the minor injuries. Mj looked down
“I…" Mj knew he shouldn't lie. But something; possibly embarrassment, made Mj come up with a hollow false truth.
"I fell Pete don’t worry,” He knew Peter wouldn’t buy it. But some part hoped he would.
“Mason Jones Watson, tell me what happened,” Peter gave Mj the most serious and concerned look Mj thinks he'd ever seen on Peter. At the use of his full name Mj shuddered a bit, Peter was fuming and he wasn’t in a mood to joke, that enough was more terrifying than the attack.
“I got mugged, they took my wallet” Mj was expecting some sort of gasp or surprised reaction, more for the muggers sake then his.
“I’m taking you home Mj, hold on,” there was no room for questioning, Peter's voice was monotone, and Mj swore he was shaking.
Peter gestured to his back and Mj wrapped his arms around Peter's shoulders before Peter swung them both back to Mj’s place. The whole way there Peter was unnaturally quiet. Mj was quiet too, knowing that when Peter was angry you let him quietly blow off the steam.
But even like this Mj thought fondly of how protective Peter was, even now he was gripping onto Mj with his free hand tighter than normal. A silent show of just how much he worried.
When they finally got back to Mj's apartment Peter set Mj down gently. He gave Mj a quick hug before quickly heading to the bathroom. reemerging with Mj's first aid kit.
He spent a few minutes cleaning the cuts and bruises, taking his time to make sure every single one was thoroughly looked at.
"There, that should be the last." Mj nodded in agreement. Peter stayed sitting there for a moment, again with that silence so foreign to him before uttering a quick “I’ll be right back," and swung out of the window back into the New York night.
Mj sighed a bit at his persistence. Mj traced one of the bandages Peter had placed on a cut down his cheek. He’d do anything for his friends but this, this felt like more. The intimacy of the way he'd cleaned every cut, moving to a different one every time he'd so much as flinch a bit. But, as with every thought of this nature, Mj hid it away. He knew Peter had little time for dating. He was Spiderman after all.
It was almost one in the morning before Peter reappeared, knocking on Mj’s window. Mj smiled before opening the window allowing a very exhausted Peter to practically fall into the room.
He held out his hand to reveal a slightly tattered wallet,
Mj’s wallet.
Again Mj felt that pesky heat in his cheeks appear. Peter took his mask off and gave a weak smile
“Surprise,” he said, the fond sarcasm un-hidden. Mj laughed a bit before realizing how beat up Peter looked. His lip split and a clear smattering of similar bruises and cuts everywhere that Mj could see.
helping him sit on the bed Mj mimicked Peter's earlier examination of all the cuts and bruises he now had littered across his face. Moving his head around to gently examine each one.
“Jesus Pete you look like a train hit you,” Mj uttered in a concerned voice.
Peter smiled again, “It was a very annoying and muscly guy actually," Mj smiled before hugging Peter, making sure to avoid the sensitive spots from bruises.
“Thanks Pete, I really appreciate it,” Peter giggled a bit “Well you’d better appreciate it! I got beat to shit for you,"
Mj laughed before lightly punching his shoulder making Peter wince to which Mj uttered a panicked 'sorry' while Peter laughed at his panic.
“How about this, let me patch you up. Sound good?”
Peter smiled almost lovingly, to which mj subconsciously reminded himself that almost was in there. “Mj Watson that just might be the best idea you’ve ever had,” Mj scoffed playfully and grabbed the first aid kit and again mimicked Peter earlier; dabbing a wet cloth on his split lip.
The moment again seemed so intimate, There was no talking. Just the gentle sigh of Peter enjoying the slight relief of the cool cloth and Mj breathing.
Peter's eyes had been closed for a while, just enjoying the comfortable silence. Until that silence was broken by a quiet sentence, one that Mj was almost sure he hallucinated until he saw Peter nervously looking away.
Mj could only say a slightly confused "you- love me?" Peter then started fidgeting, biting his nails and avoiding Mjs gaze. Which Mj knew was a nervous habit of his.
He immediately knew there was doubt in his demeanor, He thought he'd crossed a line. But Mj knew he hadn't. Looking back on those blushes, Unshared thoughts and looks and the way Peter almost always appeared on Mjs window hoping to just relax before heading home, Mj couldn’t let him doubt anymore.
Especially not with those sad doe eyes Peter always had when he got nervous.
“Pete, look at me," slowly Peter moved his gaze to meet Mj’s. And Mj finally did what he’d wanted to do since their freshman year. He gently cupped Peter’s face, making sure to avoid the nasty bruise on his chin and hesitantly pressed their lips together.
The nervousness Peter felt immediately dissipated at the action. The tensed shoulders he had dissolved as he wrapped his arms around the back of Mjs neck to deepen the kiss. After a few glorious seconds, they broke apart panting.
Even though Mj had never kissed anyone, Peter’s small half-smile and the way he brought his hand to trace his lips said that it wasn’t too bad. "I...I'm gonna assume you feel the same then?" Peter giggled out the last word and Mj snorted at the smugness. Peter leaned his forehead on Mj's and they both just sat there. again in comfortable silence. Peter smiled his crooked, still a bit bloody smile and they sat there; Comfortable and bruised.