Not Obsessed, Observant

(takes place after homecoming, before Infinity War)

Michelle wasn't obsessed with Peter, no no. She only knew basically everything about him because she was observant. She watched him have his ups and downs, receive detentions for tardies, and struggle through his daily clashes with Flash.

"Heyyyyy Penis Parker!" was a usual greeting that was most commonly ignored by the boy. Michelle never understood why Peter put up with it. He could easily report it to the principal or staff, but they probably wouldn't take action until something drastic happened anyway. So, all Michelle could do was watch.

She could also only watch him run into homeroom with frazzled hair and dark bags under his eyes, only to be sent back to the office for a tardy slip. The teachers never asked if he was okay, even that one time he came in with a nasty gash across his cheek that he didn't even realize was there until he was just dismissed to the nurse.

She never interfered with his problems. She noticed that he never ranted or complained about anything to Ned. She knew he was struggling, like that one time she caught him having a panic attack in a janitor's closet. Don't ask why she went into the closet, (ok fine she thought she saw Peter rush in there and wanted to know why) but all she knew was that the look on his face when he looked up at her broke her heart. Tears streaming down his cheeks while he hugged his knees to his chest.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked quietly, a different tone then she normally used around him. Surprisingly, he shook his head no. She knelt down next to him and awkwardly patted his shoulder. She was even more surprised when he pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her neck. She instinctively wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair. Once he stopped shaking, she had to pull away.

"Umm, thanks MJ," He said, nervously rubbing his neck.

"No problem," She paused for dramatic effect before saying, "are you gonna tell me why you were having a panic attack in the janitors closet?" The look she received was all the answer she needed. "Well lunch is almost over, maybe go blow your nose before heading back to class." With that said, she got up and left, feeling a pang of regret for the insensitive comment. One of these days she would solve Peter Parker, just not today.

Peter knew something was up with Michelle. The way he would catch her eyes on him, or how he noticed she always sketched him out of a room full of people in detention, when she didn't even have detention. He knew she knew something was up with him, especially when she caught him mid-panic attack in that janitor's closet. He hugged her because it calmed that feeling of being trapped and alone. He couldn't burden her with his problems, he couldn't do that to anyone. So that why when he talks to Ned about Spiderman stuff, he only tells him the action packed version, not getting trapped beneath a crumbled warehouse. That's why he only tells May about helping old ladies cross streets and simple muggings, never about almost getting stuck in a burning building trying to save some twins. And that's why he couldn't tell MJ what caused his panic attack, but give her a distressed look that told her he wasn't ready to talk. She respected that, and was gone before he could say goodbye.

Michelle was a strong, independent woman, everyone knew that. But how was she, a teenage highschool student, supposed to fight off three grown, armed men in a society where the people walking around her won't stop to help. The only thing she could think to do was fall into a dead sprint, but they followed just as fast. That was only the first time Spiderman saved her. She watched, even though she will never admit it, in awe as he webbed their guns and sent them flying into the nearest wall. Michelle contacted the police, and let them know the criminals were caught by Spiderman and waiting for them at the location.

"Are you okay miss?" he asked, walking over to her. He was a lot shorter in person.

"Um, yeah. Just a little out of breath."

Being the gentlemen that he was, he walked with her for a few blocks, until she was close enough to her home that she insisted she would be okay from here. He waved goodbye and swung with amazing grace out of sight.

The second time he saved her, was when she was sitting in a restaurant sipping her soda while doing her homework. Apparently, a fire started in the kitchen and quite soon it was swallowing the little cafe. With the sprinkler systems failing, people crowded around the doors, blocking the only exit. The smoke made it hard to breath and the ceiling was starting to crumble when he appeared through a window and filed people out, leaving Michelle and another man left. Spiderman walked carefully through the rubble to Michelle, seeing at the man had already sprinted through the now clear exit. She fell to her knees, coughing on the smoke. She thought it was over for her, when something was thrown rapidly over her face. His mask, she thought. It filtered the air for her.

"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" He shouted. She looked over at him and the face she saw made her blink. Peter?! His face was now covered in dust and ash. She was so awe stricken that he had to pick her up and carry her out. When a support beam fell from the ceiling, he curled over her and took the hit with a grunt. Hers eyes were closed, yet she felt safe in his arms. He was able to drop her off outside and put his mask back on with record timing before anyone else could sneak a peek at his face.

Later that night, there was a knock on her window. She knew who it was right away and opened it for him to come in. They stood before each other as Spiderman took off his mask to reveal the boy she had been (unknowingly) crushing on for the past few months, Peter Parker. There were only a few words about being surprised and then some begging to keep his secret before she smashed her lips into his. At first he was frozen solid, so she pulled away muttering a quick sorry, but she didn't get to finish because his hands were on her waist pulling her into a second kiss, one she returned right away. Sparks flew through her as he held her to him with one hand and cupped her jaw with the other. She twisted her head, getting a better angle to nibble his lower lip and melted into him, earning her a small hum from the back of his throat. He opened his mouth to her, and allowed her to lead the kiss. She leaned in closer to him, and traced her hands delicately over his suit, up his arms, across his broad shoulders, and locked them loosely around his neck. Meanwhile his hands held her waist and upper back, playing with her curly locks. She never wanted this moment to end, him so close to her, perfect peace and quiet filled only with gasps for air and content hums. But it sadly came to a stop when she heard the front door open and a "Michelle I'm home!" from her mother. Peter pulled away, a shine in his eyes she hadn't seen in forever. He leaned in, pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and whispered,

"See you at school tomorrow".

Michelle was left a smiling, flustered mess.