Chapter 10
Thankfully for Peter, lunch was a quiet affair. Most of the Tower’s residents dropped by to pick up a sandwich from the plate Cap had left out on the kitchen bench. Peter and Harley grabbed their share before sitting on the couch to watch whatever midday TV had to offer. Tony had stomped off to the shower with the lounge rooms cleaning bot following him, trying in vain to hoover up a trail of glitter.
After a fairly lack lustre episode of Cup Cake Wars, Harley and Peter dropped their dishes in the sink and headed towards the elevator.
“You know that we don’t actually have to go meet up with your class Pete?”
Peter really did love this boy, “I know, I know. To be honest I don’t really want to tag along on their tour, but I do want to talk to MJ. The sooner I get it over with the better.”
“Do you want back up?”
Peter just laughed at that, MJ was hardly villain of the week, “No, it’s fine. Although I do want to talk to her away from the others, think you could distract them for a sec?”
“Consider it done,” Harley said, wrapping an arm around Peter’s shoulders as they stepped into the elevator.
Thankfully FRIDAY already knew where they needed to be and the elevator sped off without a word. The A.I. was truly a blessing.
After a minute the doors opened onto one of the lower lab levels, mostly filled with tired looking scientists and engineers sequestered behind computer arrays. Most of the tables visible were covered in paperwork rather than experiments and takeaway coffee cups that had yet to be thrown away. Towards the back of the room, stood Peter’s class watching a little drone scuttling across a clear bench. Sarah, who was facing their direction gave a little wave but didn’t disturb the employee giving the drone demonstration.
Walking across the room, Harley unwrapped his arm and gave Peter a pat on the back and an encouraging smile. He then joined Sarah in watching the demo.
Swallowing a little bit of anxiety, Peter tapped MJ on the shoulder. When she turned, mouth open and ready to speak he gave her a small shake of the head and pointed to one of the closer hallways. MJ nodded and quietly followed Peter to the hallway he indicated.
The two of them stood there for a second in silence, both seemingly unwilling to start the conversation. What Peter found strange was that MJ seemed unwilling to look him in the eyes.
“I’m so, so sorry.”
Peter would have barely heard it without his super senses.
The louder, “I’m so sorry Peter.”
“I know MJ, it doesn’t mean it’s alright though.”
“I know I-“, Peter held up a hand stopping her mid-sentence.
“It wasn’t your secret to reveal and it hurts that you did anyway. I mean, you know how I feel about it and you know I told you in confidence. It’s not just something that I like to just show around, and I trusted you, I trusted you not to go around telling people.”
Peter could feel tears, pricking in the corners of his eyes. It really had trusted MJ. They’d been friends for years now.
It took a minute before MJ replied, “I now Peter and it was shit of me but-“
“But WHAT MJ?”, Peter said, in a tone that was probably more harsh than warranted.
She looked up, finally making eye contact, “ I want them to know how good you are Peter. You’ve saved their lives on more than one occasion and they don’t even know it’s you. You’re so kind and selfless and none of them recognise it!”
Peter softened, “It still doesn’t make it right MJ.”
“I know. I know I shouldn’t have but I did. I just hope that you can forgive me .”
They now both had tears slipping down their cheeks. As much as MJ’s betrayal had hurt, she did care about him. He really did want to forgive her but he needed to make sure she understood what it meant to him.
“MJ. I can tell that you’re sorry but it can’t happen again. Just. Don’t tell anyone else. It’s my secret and honestly I don’t care what they think of me. They’re just my classmates, not my friends or my family and you know recognition is not why I became Spider-Man.”
MJ nodded in agreement wiping tears from her eyes.
Peter opened his arms and pulled his friend into a hug. It took MJ a second to respond but eventually she returned the hug. The two of them stood there, tears rolling from their eyes and hugging.
Unfortunately the hallway they had chosen was also home to the restrooms. One of the scientists turned into the hallway, giving the teens a strange look as he walked past and into the restrooms. MJ let out a watery laugh.
“Maybe we should head back to the tour?” Peter suggested. She nodded and they returned to where the other teens were now taking turns piloting the drone.
Surprisingly after that, Peter enjoyed the tour. It took him to places that he hadn’t even considered visiting before. Without Flash there, the teens were all so much more relaxed as well. Ned was still pestering Peter about being a Stark, the other boy was super keen to stay over at the Tower much to Peter’s amusement. The day ended with him and Harley waving goodbye to the class from the foyer and a promise to Sarah to drop in on her tours more in the future.
-------- Approximately a month later, the day after Peter’s Birthday ---------
Flash plopped down onto the couch, munching on a bag of chips. His parents were out for the weekend. Again. Which was both great and shit at the same time. Great because he could get away without studying but shit because this was the third weekend in a row that he had been alone. He had a marathon of TV planned to distract him from the fact of his missing parents.
Switching on the TV, he had left it on the news. And there, on the TV, was Peter Parker. Flash sneered and went to change the channel. But before he could, in big bold writing the news announced ‘Secret Child: Peter Parker Stark’. Which in turn left Flash choking on the chips he had previously been enjoying.