Peter took off his mask and stuffed it in his backpack, pulling on a pair of blue jeans and a gray long sleeved shirt over the familiar red and blue outfit. He had decided that the thugs and muggers of the Big Apple were taking a break and eagerly donned his Peter Parker persona. Maybe he could catch MJ at home, he hadn't seen her lately…
He started walking, lost in his thoughts.
Mary Jane… I wish I could just tell her why I can't be with her, tell her that I do love her… so much. I wish she could know why I do this, why it's my responsibility…
He was still a good half mile from Mary Jane's when a low buzzing started rattling around in the base of his skull.
Damn. Can't catch a break can I?
He looked around for any signs of trouble and paused in mid unbuttoning of his shirt. The streets were as quiet as they ever would be and nobody seemed to be in distress. He took a hesitant few steps forward and the buzzing increased.
He had gotten pretty skilled in determining where and what kind of situation his spider sense was telling him and from the buzz as opposed to a sort of throbbing or humming, he deduced rapidly that it was a mugging. He ran forward again, hoping to catch any sounds of a struggle or any new help from his spider sense. The sense usually only picked up on things happening in the near vicinity and he was almost positive that there was nothing happening in the nearby streets.
Mary Jane trudged back home from yet another audition. Yet again she would have to pull a double shift at Moondance's to make up for the failed audition. It had been drizzling all day and now the skies seemed to finally let loose. She was soaking and chilled as she turned onto her street.
My life sucks.
A scuffling behind her stopped her dead in her tracks and she went rigid.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing out all alone?"
Crap.
A barely imperceptible scream reached Peter's ears.
He knew that voice, could recognize that scream.
Mary Jane.
Without any thought to people thinking it might be odd to see a normally dressed young man suddenly start sprinting faster than they've seen anybody ever run before, Peter took off, using his only his spider sense to guide him as things became a blur around him.
He was running faster than he'd ever run before, blocks rushing by every second. People would stop and stare at the blur that had just dashed by them but all they could determine was a vague flash of gray.
Finally he skidded to a stop on MJ's street, his jeans and scuffed tennis shoes soaked from stepping in puddles. At the sight of four guys advancing on Mary Jane, adrenaline and anger filled him and he rushed at the men, reaching out and knocking one unconscious.
Two rounded on him and he was busy trying to contain his punches when he heard MJ's muffled gasp and sob. He whirled around, his blue eyes alert, then turning icy cold. One of the men had roughly grabbed MJ and kissed her, yanking on her thin shirt. The material ripped and the man gave Mary Jane a lustful grin before trying to make another move. Having thrown the other two a good twenty feet when he saw what was happening, Peter grabbed the mugger's hand in midair and yanked it backward, flinching only slightly as he heard the crack of bones breaking. He stopped and spun the mugger around, glaring at him.
"If I ever see you again I swear it'll make this look like fun." He said through gritted teeth, despising the man more than ever.
The man looked at him fearfully and nodded, then ran, limping and clutching his broken arm.
Peter's hard stare suddenly softened and he looked away from MJ, who was trying to cover herself with her torn shirt. Without thinking Peter reached up over his head and pulled off his own shirt, giving it to MJ to put on. She slid the shirt over her head and gratefully turned to thank Peter when she stared at the spider emblazoned on his chest and the familiar red and blue suit.
Well. Half of the familiar red and blue suit. The other half was covered by a pair of jeans.
Peter realized his mistake a moment later and the color drained out of his face as MJ grabbed his arm and pulled him inside her apartment.
As soon as the door was shut he started babbling incoherently.
MJ, despite his distress had to smile. Her suspicions, though were confirmed when he came rushing to her rescue, punching men two feet taller than him senseless, were most definitely sealed now.
"Tiger…" She started, trying to stop his stream of words. "Don't tell me you're going to deny it when you're sitting her in his costume Peter."
His shoulders sagged and he looked at her, her hair stringy and still wet and her small frame in his shirt.
"Is this why… you… said you can't be with me?... Because of him?" She spoke like Spider-Man was another person entirely.
"Well… yeah."
"Why?"
"Because people could hurt you Mary Jane! They could hurt you and I'd die a thousand deaths before I let that happen."
"But you're always here to save me Pete, like you were tonight."
"But what if one day I'm not?"
"Peter?"
"Yeah?" His voice was husky.
"Kiss me."
"Kiss you?"
"Yes."
MJ leaned in, and gently put her hand on the back of a hesitant Peter's neck. She brought his face close to hers and their lips met for a few seconds before Peter pulled away, flushed and flustered.
For a second they hung there, their mouths inches apart before he suddenly pushed his lips back on hers, in a sudden heat of passion.
They ended up pushed against the wall, before Peter grabbed a hold of himself and embarrassedly pulled away.
"Peter, now it's final. You can't leave me now, knowing… knowing that, and knowing how that felt, how perfect everything was. Don't you know that would hurt me more than anything?"
"I don't think I could leave if I tried Mary Jane." He finally smiled. "Do you know how much I love you?"
She pushed him back against the wall.
"No, how much?" She kissed him again between breaths.
"A lot." He said raggedly.
"That's good."
Mary Jane smiled. "I'm kinda cold… I think I need a hot shower."
Bewildered, Peter sat up, but immediately switched gears.
"Of course, you must be freezing!"
He started out towards the door.
"Can I seeyou tomorrow?"
MJ shook her head at his naivety.
"Aren't you cold too?"
Peter's eyes flickered for a second with a question.
"Umm.... sorta, but you know, I'll be ok."
"D'ya wanna stay here with me?"
Peter flushed abrick red and MJ bit the inside of her cheek to stop from smiling.
She grabbed his hand and lightly pulled him to the bathroom.
"You justhit the jackpot, Tiger."
Boy have I ever.
Peter smiled his first real smile in weeks. Was this how normal people felt all the time? This wonderful feeling of love and contentment? It was almost too perfect to have a name. Whatever the feeling was, he knew he wouldn't be the same again.
Lol, man… can you say corny ending? And I'm sorry if this was a bit… uh… skankier than my other stuff, I got in a RANDOM mood and BURST OUT OF THE CHILLED CONFINES OF WRITERS BLOCK!
Plus I used the oh so famous MJ line from the comics. hehe. Even though it always kinda bugged me... drifts off
ahem
Excuse me.
Lol, but yeah, please review… and I hope you guys liked it... it's 1 in the morning, what can I say?
-Lordlanceahlot