MJ
The blaring of an alarm clock and a pounding headache woke MJ up from a restless sleep. Some weird dream involving marshmallows, tea and a spatula. She slapped a hand on the ‘off’ button and curled deeper into her blankets. But her blankets were too hot; in fact, her entire body seemed too hot. Was she getting sick? She tried clearing her throat but stopped when she realised how dry it was. Yep, she was definitely down with the cold. But the cold had never stopped Michelle Jones from getting to school before, and today wouldn’t be the first. Sliding her blanket off and gingerly placing her feet on the floor, MJ stood up and promptly collapsed.
Okay, maybe today would be the first day after all. No biggie, everyone had sick days. In fact, Peter had sick days where he wasn’t even sick, probably out webbing the world together.
She slid back into bed, making sure to text her Mum that she was calling in sick today, before slipping into much welcomed sleep. Yet it felt like she’d only gotten a second of sleep before she woke up to a thump. Slowly rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she forced a peak over the edge of the bed to find her phone on the floor. Vibrating. Picking it up, she gritted her teeth. Peter Parker. 23 Missed Calls. 317 Text Messages. Had her phone vibrated so much that it fell off her night stand? She was going to throttle the little twerp. Or punch him. In the mouth. With her mouth. Softly.
What time was it even? Looking at the clock, she grit her teeth in frustration. 2 in the afternoon. How did so much sleep feel like so little?
‘MJ where are you?’
‘MJ are you coming to school’
‘MJ it’s second period.’
‘MJ answer me I’m panicking.’
She sighed fondly at her phone, and had just enough energy to type ‘I’m alright, Loser, just sick’ before slipping back into slumber.
‘Who the fuck,’ she thought with a grumble as she wrapped the blankets around her shoulders and begrudgingly trudged to the door, from which a relentless pounding was emanating. ‘I swear if it’s anyone other than Peter freaking Parker, I’m going to commit homicide. And if it is him-’
“Um…hey, it’s Peter Parker.” A hesitant voice called out from behind her front door.
‘-I’m gonna commit suicide.’ Mustering her most annoyed face, she opened a crack in the door and peaked out.
“How’d you know where I live?” She glared.
It seemed to work, as his frame visibly shrank.
“Um…I’m Spider-man?”
She narrowed her eyes further. This was too easy and too much fun.
“And you use your genetically enhanced abilities and multi-million-dollar suit to stalk me?”
“What?? No!” Liar.
“Geez relax, I was kidding,” she sniffed, pulling back and opening the door for him to enter. His eyes immediately started to shine like stars and she had to hold her smile back. “What’d you come here for anyways?”
“I got some tea for you,” he gulped, reaching into his backpack for a package of tea leaves that he’d probably swung an hour south for. “After I heard you were sick I-”
“You mean after I texted you,” she interrupted, staring at him straight in the eyes.
“Ok, yeah after you texted m-”
“After you bombed my phone with 23 calls and 317 texts.” Her gaze was unwavering. This was definitely too easy.
“I was worried!” He argued. “I’ve never seen you miss school and-”
“While I was asleep.” She could see his cheeks flush as his eyes darted around, looking at anything but her face. Why do you have to be so delightfully adorable when you’re nervous, Peter Parker?
She watched the clogs in his brain work furiously to find an exit from this predicament while she inwardly chuckled. Finally, he gingerly offered the bag of tea to her, smiling shyly. “I got you a book too,” he tried.
She counted to 15, and savoured the look of his conviction slowly diminishing before she rolled her eyes, sighed and let him in.
“What book is it?” She asked, bolting the door and shuffling to the couch – dear God her head was still hurting – and snatched the tea from his outstretched hand.
“Oh it was this tea book that the lady at the store recommended,” he fumbled and pulled it out. “It was on sale and it’s where I knew what tea to buy for a cold. Also the authors name is Mary Jane, but that’s also MJ, so I-” oh dear Peter Parker you wonderful idiot.
“That’s my book.”
“Um, I know,” Peter replied, raising an eyebrow questioningly. “I’m giving it to you.”
“No,” you idiot. She took a breath. “I wrote that book.” At his bewildered silence, she rolled her eyes. “I’m Mary Jane, okay? I couldn’t very put Michelle Jones as the author of a tea book, or everyone’s gonna think it’s a detective novel.”
Silence. It was deafening, and Michelle struggled not to break it. Now her cover was definitely ruined. He was definitely going to laugh and her reputation as the resident hard-ass and–
“You wrote a tea book??” Peter finally squeaked.
“Wow, that’s your takeaway from this?” She rolled her eyes.
“And it’s a bestseller!”
“I’m well aware, thank you very much.”
“Can I have an autograph?”
MJ froze. “Excuse me?” Her hope that he was joking turned to ash when she turned and saw his bright eyes sparkling again. Even glaring at him didn’t work – possibly because of her state of health.
“I mean,” oh Peter. “I’m sure if you’ve written one bestseller you’re gonna write many more in the future,” you magnificent loser. “And since you wrote the book I’m not gonna give it to you, and if I had an autograph I could brag that I was the first to get it.” No human being has the right to be that cute. Go reflect on your actions, Spider-man.
Count to ten, she counselled herself. Fill the kettle. Put it on the stove and turn it on. Grab a sharpie. Count to ten again before you say something you regret.
“You’re lucky I love you,” she muttered. Well fuck you too, brain.
“Wha-what?” He seemed to choke on the frog in his mouth. Ah fuck he heard me.
“I said, ‘you’re lucky I love the tea.’ Now gimme the book.” She replied without missing a beat. As impulsive as her brain had been recently, it had not slowed down any. It might have been increasingly active, if anything. She’d have to mentally prepare herself for these sort of situations when he’d left. But how was one supposed to be prepared for Peter Blessed Parker?
“Ri-right,” he handed her the book, but his mind seemed a million miles away. This was bad. Did she break him?
“You’re such a Loser,” She signed hastily.
“Here you go, Loser,” she grumbled.
“Thanks,” he smiled, returning to Earth. Was that fondness in his smile? He stared at it for a minute before blinking. “Oh yeah I’ve got some homework for you from Chem and some class notes from History today.” He pulled the respective worksheets from his bag as he stuffed the tea book back in. “Ned says hi, but he couldn’t come cuz he has to help his mum cook.”
“Hmm,” She hummed. She took the stuff from him before plopping on the couch and studying them intently. Or she tried. Even as she glared at the words on her paper, the only space left in her brain from her headache were occupied by the adorable Spiderling sitting across from her.
“Anyways I’d love to stay and try the tea but I really gotta go,” Peter spoke up, getting up. “Cuz I gotta get some web hours in before dinner tonight.”
“Oh um, ok,” MJ looked up, trying her hardest not to seem disappointed, before something struck her as unacceptable. “Hold up, did you really just say ‘web hours’?”
“Yep see you get well soon bye!!” He chirped and closed the front door behind him, leaving a stunned MJ with a stack of papers in her left hand and a cup of tea in her right. She couldn’t go back to sleep.