Peter had to eat a lot of food to keep up with his metabolism. Sometimes he forgot that. After everything that had happened with Josie, Peter’s eating habits had gotten even worse and on top of that, everyone had been on his ass more than usual. It was frankly starting to piss him off. A lot.
Peter had finished getting ready for school and walked towards the kitchen to have his usual breakfast with Tony and Harley. Steve had made pancakes earlier, which were heaven on earth. Peter sat at the table across from Harley, already feeling the impending doom of breakfast. Tony set a massive stack iof pancakes in front of Peter and a smaller one in front of Harley.
“Eat up, kiddos.”
Peter stared nervously at the huge plate in front of him. He wasn’t even hungry. He looked over to Harley, who was digging in at his plate. Harley glanced up and smiled at Peter. Peter frowned and looked pleadingly at the older boy. Harley’s face changed as he understood Peter’s dilemma.
“At least 3. Okay, Peanut?” Harley compromised. Peter visibly deflated and nodded grimly. He cut a piece from the pancake on top of the stack and took a bite. Tasted good. Peter happily took another bite and another until he had demolished the first pancake. Even after the first one, he was full. The thought of eating another one made him want to throw up.
“I’m done!” Peter announced as he stood from the table. Tony glanced over and frowned.
“Peter, you’ve barely eaten anything,” Tony said as he reached for Peter’s shoulders. Peter shrugged.
“Harley and I are gonna be late,” He argued. Tony sighed.
“Fine, but you’re taking 2 to go. Harley, make sure he eats them before school.”
Harley looked up at the mention of his name and nodded. He stood from the table and grabbed a baggy for the pancakes as well as his backpack.
“Let’s go, Peanut! Bye, Tony!” Harley called as he and Peter walked towards the elevator.
They stepped out of the tower and started walking to school. Tony always insisted on driving them (or Happy driving them), but the boys liked walking sometimes. Harley took one of the pancakes and handed it to Peter. Peter grimaced and stared at it for a moment. He was still full and frankly didn’t want to eat it.
“Not hungry,” Peter said as he handed it back to Harley.
“Peanut, you’ve gotta eat. Come on, please?” Harley said as he pushed the pancake up to Pete’s mouth. Peter groaned yet took a bit, making Harley grin. Peter chewed it and resisted the urge to spit it out.
“Harley, I’m done. Seriously. I can’t eat anymore.”
“... Fine. Let’s hurry. We’re gonna be late.”
************
It was lunchtime at school. Peter walked over to the cafeteria and saw MJ, Ned, and Harley already sitting at their table. Peter grinned and waved. Ned enthusiastically waved back and MJ nodded slightly in his direction as acknowledgment. Peter set his plate down and sat. The conversation flowed as usual: Ned, Harley, and Peter chatted excitedly and MJ added comments here or there.
“Hey, Peter, you should eat. You haven’t even taken a bite of your food,” Ned said suddenly. The conversation stopped, goddammit not again. He was so close to getting away with it too! Peter sighed and let off a weak smile, “I’m not really hungry, thanks for the concern though, Ned.”
Ned nodded unsurely, but MJ only narrowed her eyes. Peter cleared his throat uneasily and picked up the conversation with Ned and Harley.
“I’ll be right back guys, quick bathroom break,” Ned said as he got up. The second Ned left, MJ’s cool stare went back to Peter.
“Okay, Peter, spill. What’s up?” She said seriously. He rubbed the side of his head, god his head was killing him.
“Nothing, MJ,” Peter mumbled tiredly.
“Then take a bit of your food,” She challenged him. They stared each other down for a moment before Peter dropped his head.
“Leave me alone, please,” he whispered. She grabbed his hand, but he pulled it away sharply. She examined him curiously like she was trying to find out everything about him and reveal all his secrets.
“What did you eat this morning?”
“... a pancake and a half.”
MJ shifted her glare to Harley and slapped his shoulder.
“Harley! You were supposed to make sure he ate,” she hissed. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
“Yea, I know, but he didn’t want to... “
“You and I will be having a conversation,” she said as a lingering threat. He nodded and shot Peter an empathetic look. MJ turned her attention back to Peter. She placed a banana in front of him.
"Eat."
"No."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really?"
Peter blushed slightly and shrugged, suddenly losing all the confidence he had a moment ago. She again gestured to the banana. He picked it up and ever so slowly unpeeled it. Eating it would make him nauseous. He shook his head slightly and handed it back to her.
“Fine don’t eat now, but you are eating when we get back to the tower,” she said sharply. He nodded his head vigorously, a little more time to stall, he could work with that. MJ looked extremely upset with the predicament, but let it go for the moment, which Peter was grateful for. Ned returned soon after that and Peter put on a fake smile as they talked about the newest Star Wars movie coming out.
***************
When they got to the tower, MJ immediately dragged Peter up to the Avengers’ kitchen and sat him down in a chair. He sat there impatiently for a moment before a plate of food appeared before him.
Peter gulped slightly. It was 3 pieces of toast. MJ sat in the chair across from him casually. He looked up at her with pleading eyes. She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the plate. He looked at it in fear.
“MJ… I can’t,” he muttered as tears threatened to fall down his cheeks. God his head was killing him. She bent forward and tucked a piece of hair behind his ear.
“I would really appreciate it if you at least tried to eat one piece,” She encouraged him. “And I know that the headache you probably have right now is caused by skipping meals.”
He nodded in confirmation. She leaned back and he took a deep breath. He grabbed one of the pieces and glared at it for a moment before tentatively shoving it in his mouth. It tasted like cardboard but he forced himself to swallow.
Over a 10 minute period, he managed to finish a piece before shoving the plate away.
“I can’t do anymore, I’m sorry,” he said. God, he was so full.
“Peter I'm not playing this game with you today. I know you can eat more. If you don’t push yourself just a little then your never gonna get your eating habits back on track. Now, we will sit here until you finish all the toast. Those 3 pieces equate to 1 piece for your metabolism. You can do it, Parker.”
His face crumpled and he shook his head. “No, MJ, I’m not--”
“You are,” she countered and leaned her elbows on the table in a challenging way. Ugh, why did she think she knew what was best? What made her the boss of him? His nostrils flared as he settled his best glare on her. She didn't understand how hard it was for him. She didn't know how hard he has been trying.
He stood from the table and stormed angrily away.
“Hey!” She yelled angrily and grabbed his wrist. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Away from here,” He responded curtly and pulled his arm out of her grasp.
“Oh, so that’s what we’re doing now? We’re running away from our problems?” She said as she crossed her arms.
“Oh, and the silent treatment?” MJ said furiously.
“What do you want me to say, MJ?” He burst out, throwing his hands in the air and turning back around to face her.
“I don’t know, maybe not give up?” She snapped.
He punched the wall angrily, leaving a dent and making her flinch.
"You think I'm not trying? You think I want to be like this?" He fumed.
"Peter, I didn't say that," She said carefully, trying to defuse the quickly escalating situation.
"It was strongly implied," he shot back.
"Hey," She said as she went to grab him again. He, however, beat her to it. One minute she was standing in front of him, the next, she was being swung around and a sharp pain exploded on her back. She gaped. He had just shoved her into the wall, harshly she might add. She stared into his wide eyes in fear. He didn't see it through the mist of his anger though. He slammed a hand next to her head, another dent, and her breath hitched.
"Peter," she said timidly as she barely forced the breath out of her throat. "You're scaring me."
She winced and looked up at his face, his terrified, angry, face. What he just did caught up with him in seconds. He froze. She waited for him to say something, but he never did. He collapsed to the floor in front of her and sobbed into his hands. She hesitantly knelt down as well and caressed his face. He choked and muttered apologies over and over.
"Hey, it's okay. You didn't hurt me. It was an accident. I pushed you too far. I should have known better," She said as she sat criss-cross with her back against the wall.
"No," he said to her desperately. "Never apologize for my actions. What I just did... that was not your fault in any way. I shouldn't have lashed out at you. That wasn't right."
Silence filled the air for a moment.
“I just want you to get better,” She said quietly.
“I know,” he answered. He stood and helped her up. He then reached for her waist and pulled her to him. She easily fell into his chest and wrapped him tightly in her arms. They stood there for a minute before MJ grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards the table. She pushed his shoulders down and he sat unhappily.
“Please, my love,” She begged as she kissed the side of his head. "I'm not going to push you this time... but please. For me."
He took a shaky breath and nodded. Slowly, he lifted the piece again and took a bite. He kept taking bites until he finished both pieces. MJ smiled widely and pressed a long kiss to his forehead.
“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Peter muttered as he breathed heavily through his nose.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re just getting used to actually eating again. You’re doing so well, babe,” she said seriously. He nodded and grabbed her hand for support.
“Let’s go to your room.”
She helped him up, and they headed to his room. MJ laid down on the bed and opened her arms for Peter. Peter crawled in with her and settled in her arms.
"I'm sorry, again," he murmured after a few moments.
"Me too."
His face scrunched up in pain for a moment and he pressed his face harshly into her collarbone.
“The pain never stops with you, huh? My poor baby,” SHe said sympathetically. He moaned uncomfortably again and shifted. MJ moved her hand down to his stomach and rubbed it slowly to ease his pain.
“Feel a little better?” She asked. He hummed in acknowledgment, making her snort out a laugh.
“Okay, Mr., talk a nap. I’ll wake you up for dinner,” she whispered. He didn’t respond, already fast asleep.