Broken
“MJ I don’t wanna hurt you! You need to leave and forget you ever knew me!” Peter ran his hands through his hair as he faced the wall. This couldn’t be happening.
There was a long pause before MJ spoke in a soft, quiet voice,” Peter, ya know the quote ‘don’t fall in love because everything that falls breaks’?” There was no reply but she proceeded none the less,” I did fall in love with you Peter. But I was already broken. I was alone and awkward until this nerd came to my school and talked to me and was dorky and adorable and smart and funny and-“ MJ stopped to wipe a tear off her cheek. “I never believed in being happy. It was something in stories where people get all their homework done with cute ass highlighters and scented candles while FaceTiming thier boyfriend and texting thier friends. Those people were happy. They got the happily ever afters. They weren’t broken. But then I met you and this sounds so cheesy and I hate myself for saying it but I hate for not saying it sooner. Peter you make me happy. I’ll never be a scented candles kinda girl but I don’t need that. I didn’t only fall in love with you but I fell in love with myself because of you. I could look at the person in my reflection and not only see beauty but see intelligence and potential. I realized that broken glass cuts but sand is soft and I don’t know what that means or where I’m going but I don’t feel broken anymore. And peter that’s because of you.”
Peter turned around to reveal tears running down his cheeks, his eyes red and puffy. “But you didn’t know who I was. You didn’t know that I was Spider-Man or a superhero or anything more than stupid Peter Parker.”
MJ stood, looking Peter in the eye with the heat of a thousand suns, “Peter Benjamin Parker do you think I’m stupid? I knew you were Spider-Man before Ned did! I loved you and I noticed you. The sore shoulders, the the limping, the suit you literally hid in the school! I don’t date you despite you being Spider-Man and I don’t date you because you’re Spider-Man. I date you because peter Parker is the best damn person I’ve ever known and the world is terrible to you and I would fight to the end of the world for you. I know it’s dangerous that your identity got out and if god knows what happens but I. Don’t. Care. Do you hear me?” She held Peter’s face in her hands and searched in his eyes for a hint that he understood. Tears filled both brown eyes.
“MJ I love you too. I’m just scared. You matter more to me than I could ever describe. I’m tired of losing people I care about. They’ve all died, Michelle.” Peter stepped away from her as a familiar look covered his face. It flashed every time someone talked about Mysterio or Iron man. “I lost my parents before I even knew them. Ben died in my hands as his blood stained my clothes. I lost five years of my life after dying in my father figures arms. Then I come back and get one hug. One hug! Before he goes and dies because Tony is the one to sacrifice himself. Everyone I’ve trusted either gets hurt or dies because I’m Spider-Man. I couldn’t live if something happened to you. I’m barely holding on now and you may and Ned are that thread but one piece breaks and I just don’t know MJ.” Peter collapsed onto the couch of the apartment. His knees were shaking, but no more than the rest of him as sobs rattled his teeth.
MJ closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Peter was broken too. He needed her to be put back together. She knelt down and put a hand on his knee,” Peter? This sucks. I don’t know what it’s like to have lived your life but I want to know how to help. I said I’m broken and you are too. That’s okay, peter. I wanna help put you back together. We can find the broken pieces of your beautiful soul and try. I’ll put each crystal together and they won’t all fit but that’s ok too. We aren’t shattered to go back to who we were. We aren’t supposed to be a reflection of our past. We’re shattered to come out with new scars and wisdom that someone who truly loves you will appreciate and hold you together when a piece falls out. Peter let me be that person. Super villains don’t scare me. Losing you does.”
MJ finished and looked at Peter. His gaze was fixed on the ground and she couldn’t see his face. Had she gone too far? Did he not see her that way? What had she done? What-
Before another acid thought could increase the doubt building in her, MJ was enveloped in a hug. Peter was still crying and she could feel the tears falling in her shoulder. She squeezed him tight and never wanted to let go. She didn’t have to. Not yet. They may be broken, but their shattered pieces fit perfect together.