Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man
Michelle isn’t easily lied to. Being an observant person means she knows things that you aren’t aware of. it’s been a week since she had dinner with May and Peter. Since then she’s been waiting for them to invite her over again. That day felt like a vivid dream. There was no worry in her head, it was just her and two people she holds dearly close to her heart.
It’s the second week of fall, Peter had finally invited her over for dinner again. She was excited, looking forward to it all day. Around 7, she started to make her way to Peter’s apartment complex. Instead of going straight to their apartment, she went to the rooftop.
She wasn’t lying when she said this place was calming. It was a great place to draw too. In every spot you look at there's something new to draw. And with the sun setting, it looked like something out of a movie. It doesn’t help that she saw Spider-man here once and would like to again too.
When Spider-man did show up at the rooftop, she wasn’t surprised. Saying an oddly cheery hello.
“You seem happy today,” The spider observed.
“I’m in a good mood,” Not necessarily happy.
“Waiting for your friend again?”
“Yeah, he’s always a bit late to everything.”
“Hmm, maybe you’re just early.” She was.
“How would you know that Spider-boy?”
“A hunch.”
Spider-man had sat at the edge of the roof again, MJ standing next to him. Over the rooftop view, you could see a sight of the city, street lights turning on and cars passing by. The leaves have started to turn orange and fall off, the sun started to set earlier in the day. It got colder too, wind gushing gently at the two.
They didn’t talk, MJ had been sketching again and Peter was in his head. Enjoying the moment and sitting in the comfortable silence of the two. Sometimes he wishes MJ knew about him being Spider-man, he felt bad about lying to her whenever he was away.
“Does it get uncomfortable in the suit? It looks like spandex pajamas,” She says, breaking the silence.
“It’s not a spandex.”
“Sure it’s not,” She laughs lightly.
God her laugh, Peter was a sucker for her laugh.
“It does get uncomfortable.”
“You think working for a billionaire he would make your suit comfortable at least.”
“Trust me, I tried to get him to. Mr. Stark’s a bit hardheaded. I’m not saying I’m afraid of him but he is very much intimidating.”
“You call Tony Stark, Mr. Stark?”
“Yeah?”
“Peter calls him that too, odd.”
‘Shit,’ Peter gulps, “Odd?”
“Yeah, why so polite? You’ve known him for a while now haven't you?”
“That’s true, I don’t know… Calling him Tony seems too personal. But habits die hard.”
“Heh, that’s what Peter told me too. You and him are somehow so much alike.”
‘Because I am Peter,’ He yelled in his head, “How so?”
“You both have that god awful laugh, sounds like you’re faking it. You sound like him too, just more muffled. Same height. Same way you get nervous talking to a girl.”
“I am not nervous.”
“Yeah because your body language gives me that idea,” She says sarcastically, “If I hadn’t known better, I would think that you are Peter.”
“I’m not Peter.”
“That’s what Peter would say.”
“I- uh…”
“I’m just messing with you, Peter would never be as jacked.”
‘Jacked you say?’ Peter thought to himself smirking.
“I know you have an awful smirk too, don’t get any ideas Spider-boy,” MJ said to him, looking down at her sketchbook.
“I’m not I’m not!”
———
“So you’re telling me, you’ve never met Thor?”
A few days have passed now, MJ was over for dinner again. On the rooftop with no other than Spider-man waiting for Peter to get back.
“Yup never, I fought with him but he’s a busy person. Never got to introduce myself,” Spider-man replied to her.
“Who have you met then?”
“Bucky, Sam, Captain America, Bruce Banner, Vision, Wanda, Nat, Tony of course, Rhodey, Clint, Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel, Mr. Lang, Tchalla, and Shuri.”
“So everyone besides the Guardians and Thor.”
“Technically Thor is a guardian now.”
“Hm... Thor’s the strongest avenger. Well after Wanda and Captain Marvel.”
“Debatable but okay.”
“Debatable?!”
———
“Tell me about yourself Spider-boy.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Well I’ve seen you 3 times and every time I imagine you’re an old man under that suit. Very uncomfortable.”
“I’m not an old man.”
“So how old are you?”
“Young.”
“Thats vague.”
“You might figure out who I am.”
“So I would be able to?”
“Possibly.”
“You go to high school?”
“I have to legally.”
“I see I see, midtown high?”
“Can't say.”
“So yes?”
“Never said that.”
“Sports?”
“None.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Any clubs?”
‘I have to be careful,’ Peter sighed lightly, “N-none.”
“Why do I feel like you’re lying?”
“I’m not.”
“Academic Decathlon?”
“D-dunno what that is.”
“Robotics club?”
“Nope.”
“Band?”
“Yeah no.”
“So what? No clubs for college?”
“Who says I’m going to college.”
“Typical, Spider-man doesn’t need college.”
“Yeah, I kind of have a job all my life already. How about you?”
“Haven’t planned that far.”
“What?”
“You don’t know if you would be alive by then, what’s the point of planning when life is uncertain.”
“MJ, I’m sure you’ll be alive by then.”
“Life is crazy, you never know what can happen.”
———
Another week, another meeting between MJ and Spider-man. Today Peter had the courage to see what she was drawing, he hasn’t once asked knowing that MJ won’t show it unless she wants to. She had a focused look on her face, moving her pencil from side to side.
“What are you drawing?”
“Someone.”
“Can I see?”
“No. It’s not done yet.”
“Can you show me a different one then? Don’t think I haven’t noticed you drawing every time you’re up here.”
“It’s too beautiful up here not to draw anything. I’ve only recently got to drawing again and well, this makes me never wanna stop,” She tells him, flipping through her sketchbook pages.
Peter can see a small glimpse of every drawing she flips through. Already in awe despite not seeing the full thing.
“This one I drew last day of academic decathlon practice last year,” She says to him, lifting the book.
It’s Ned, Flash, Cindy, and Peter sitting around the library desk. Peter was on his phone, Ned and Flash seem to be bickering and Cindy was posing for the drawing. Every detail was there, different shades of pencil making things look sharp. It looked as if she took a photograph and editing a filter over it.
“Wow. That’swow. Who are those people?” Peters says amazed.
“Cindy, one of my best friends, Ned, also one of my best friends, Flash, complete jerk, and Peter my bestfriend.”
“Peter’s your bestfriend?”
“Of course.”
———
“It’s 3 PM on a weekend, what are you doing on the roof?” Spider-man asked swinging down.
“I went to give back Peter’s calculator, he wasn’t home. Dropped it off and now I’m here.”
He nodded, sitting at his normal spot. This time MJ joined him, her sketchbook laying next to her. Peter got nervous for a moment, they were sitting on the edge. What if she falls?
“I wonder what Peter does at his internship. He’s there almost all the time.”
“I’m sure he’s doing something important with Mr. Stark. How are you feeling today?”
“Spider-man asking me how I am? That's something that doesn't happen every day. I’m doing fine, kinda hoped to see Peter today. Can I tell you something Spidey?”
He took a breath, “What's up?”
“I got lucky being friends with Peter. I hope he knows how much I appreciate him. I know he thinks I’m not doing well,” She says looking at Spider-man’s eyes, “And hes right, I am struggling a bit. But he has helped so much, more than he could know,” She says looking down at her fingers.
“Have you told him that?”
“No, I should tho.”
“You know, I think Peter’s lucky to have you.”
“Yeah right, the dork can’t hold a conversation without getting nervous at some point.”
“That doesn’t mean anything, honestly it shows how much he cares about you.”
“Because being nervous means he cares?”
“Yeah! He cares so much that he’s afraid he’ll say something wrong... I guess Peter just doesn’t wanna lose you.”
“It’s mutual then, I don’t ever wanna lose him.”
“...Hey MJ?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell him how you feel. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
“It’s not his problem.”
“When a friend he cares about is struggling, and he’s already noticed. But keeps inviting you to dinner, or asking you how you are every day. I’m sure he would rather have you open up to him, so he’s there for emotional support. I- er Peter, he just wants you to be happy again. And I dunno, but to me, if a friend trusted me with that, I’m sure it’ll be beneficial for both of you.”
“Spider-man’s a therapist too?”
“Side hustle,” He chuckles.
They were silent for a moment, Peter practically forgetting he was spider-man at the moment. MJ had opened up to him slightly, thinking he wasn’t Peter but a friendly neighborhood superhero.
“Peter...”
“Yeah MJ?”
Shit.
“I mean, w-what about Peter,” He stutters trying to avoid eye contact.
MJ laughs, smiling at him, “Take off the mask.”
“I’m not Peter.”
“It’s too late for that.”
Peter mentally slaps himself, standing up and moving away from the edge. MJ watches as he moves back, going to grab the end of his mask pulling it off. Beads of sweat dried on his forehead. His hair was messy, curls going in different directions.
“How’d you know?”
“Washington, sophomore year.”
“And you kept it in for that long?”
“Well, I had to be sure, meeting spider-man on Peter’s apartment complex. Him not home when I arrived at dinner and only got back after Spider-man left. It’s quite obvious.”
“You said all of that knowing it was me?”
“You think I would say all of that knowing it wasn’t you? I’m not one to talk to strangers, even if they’re a superhero.”
“Well since now you know, I don’t work for Mr. Stark, I work with him. And I’m not that short! Nor do I have no lips.”
“We had an emotional moment just a bit ago and that’s the first things you say to me?”
“Right sorry! I-“
“You’re so easy to mess with, it’s not even fun anymore,” She laughs again, “come back over here.”
“Someone might see me, how about we go to my room?”
“Take me out on a date first, buy me a drink. My goodness Peter.”
“MJ! Not like that.”
“I know I know, I’m just kidding! Yeah, let’s go to your room. But don’t expect me to cry my heart out ok?”
“Okay,” Peter replied, putting his mask back on and opening the rooftop door for her before swinging down to his bedroom window, still stunned in the moment...