Chapter 1
Being forgotten was one of the worst things Peter had experienced. Watching as people he once knew gloss over him as if he was just another passing face sent a pang of pain into the deepest parts of his heart. It was the reason he had yet to and search out Mj or Ned. He couldn’t handle that pain right now.
Instead he swung from rooftop to rooftop with kids happily cheering him on. He webbed up bad guys, and helped a new mother take her groceries up to her apartment. He caught dogs that escaped their owners and cats that had wondered too high for anyone’s comfort.
But it’s been two weeks and he knew the third week would blur by so he took off the suit and wander down to the shop that MJ worked at. He was buying himself time by taking the long route and stopping and starring at the ads plastered on the windows. He cooed at a baby in a stroller who was presenting a colorful rattle. The small conversation with the mom gave him comfort.
Yet, here he was. Standing outside the shop he watched a lady herd her child out of the shop. The kid had a donut held tightly in both of his hands and a smile plastered on his face. He grabbed the door quickly before it shut. Strolling in, he saw Ned sitting on the counter by the back of the shop. He had a laptop open and a half eaten donut by his side. He was chatting with MJ about the MIT mascot.
When MJ noticed him standing at the front she made her way to the register. “Hey, what can I get you?”
“A small coffee,” Peter stuttered out starring at the bandage on her temple.
He was the reason that was there. He was the reason that MJ got hurt. They ran into danger because of him. They risked their safety because of him.
What if they died?
“And a name for that order?” She asked with a marker in hand.
“I’m Peter. Peter Parker,” he stated recalling the introduction that he had written down on a note card and repeated time and time again until the words didn’t need to be thought. They just tumbled of his tongue. He was able to stop himself from reciting the entire passage though.
Did he want to put his friends in anymore danger?
MJ paused and squinted her eyes. It looked as if she was trying to remember something. It was the same expression his Uncle Ben got when he tried to recall a memory that was just out of reach. Aunt May would laugh at him and tell him that the Brownies had snuck out the walls to steal his keys along with his memories.
There was a pang of pain at recalling May.
“Any cream or sugar?” She asked with an uncertain tone.
“Yeah, three creams and five sugars.”
MJ turned around to start his order. He turned to look at Ned only to find he was already starring at him. A confused expression was painted upon his face. His mouth was opened slightly as he narrowed his eyes together. It was as if he was trying to recall an answer to a difficult question.
“Peter Parker?” MJ called. After saying his name her movements slowed. She seemed to be struggling internally.
He should leave. He should walk out the shop and down the street to never to see them again. He imagined grabbing the coffee and rushing out the door and across the street. If he left then now, they would no longer be in danger. It would be lonely for sure, but he couldn’t cope with watching another love one die because of a choice he made.
“Thanks,” he smiled at her and grabbed the coffee. Before he could pick it up though, MJ’s long thin fingers wrapped around his wrists stopping him. He froze. Looking up at her, MJ was was starring at him. She looked to be in pain as she rubbed her temple with her other hand.
“Peter,” she mumbled out. The soft way she said his name made his heart flutter. It was tender and fragile.
“Peter,” she repeated even soft this time. Then suddenly he was pulled into her. Her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. She was crying into his shoulder and repeatedly whispering his name.
He was also crying. His hands wrapping around her body and his nose buried into her hair. He was remembered. She remembered him. He knew that was going to put her in danger in the future but he wanted to be selfish right now. He wanted curl up on his crappy mattress and hold her. He wanted his name to be forever repeated because now having someone remember reminded him of how utterly alone he has been feeling.
“I knew I was missing someone!” She hiccuped, “My dad called me crazy but I knew it, I knew!”
There was a part of Peter that felt guilty for leaving her to deal with all of that for two weeks. The constant state of forgetting must have been driving her mad. The bigger part of Peter was too focused on taking in the subtle scent of coconut and whispering “I missed you.”
Suddenly he was being hugged from behind and Ned’s questions of ‘where have you been?’ And ‘what took so long?’ Mixed in with MJs whispers to create a symphony of heartbreak for Peter.
It’s going to be okay, he thought. If I have them, it’ll be okay.