Chapter 3: Decisions in Love
Spider-man landed softly on her balcony. They were both soaked, and the storm showed no signs of stopping. She let go of him with a small sigh, and opened her bedroom doors. The scent of Peach tickled his nose.
"I should be on my way," he said. "And MJ, try and stay out of dark alleys, okay?"
"Wait," she said, grabbing his hands. "Please don't leave yet."
He allowed her to lead him over to her bed. She sat down and patted the portion of it next to her. He sat down. Bad move, he kept thinking. You should have definitely kept standing.
"This mask," she whispered, gently lifting it up to reveal his mouth. And she was kissing him, kissing Peter, and everything felt like it was right in the world. That her horrible ordeal a half an hour ago never happened, that they weren't soaking wet from the storm, that they were the only two people on the planet. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered. "Peter, make love to me."
Peter. She had said Peter, not even bothering with using Spider-man. His eyes bugged out. She was that sure it was him? "Mary Jane," he took her small hands in his own and looked her square in the eye. "I'm… I'm not…"
"You're not what?"
Well, quit now! He yelled at himself. She knows, so there's no use fighting it. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked instead.
She nodded. "I want you. I want all of you, Peter." She gently reached up and removed his mask. He avoided her eyes. "Look at me," she whispered.
He slowly looked at her.
"I know why you wouldn't tell me, but I knew… I always knew. I don't love you because you're Spider-man," she said, running her fingers through his hair. "I love YOU, Peter Parker. And I know that you love me,"
"I do love you, Mary Jane." He said, slowly cupping her face. "I always have. And now that you know… things are going to be different… they'll have to be."
"I've known," she said, sighing.
"The only thing I cared about was keeping you safe, I didn't stop to think about your feelings… I was an idiot."
"The only thing that matters is that we're together now." She rested her head against his forehead.
He twined his fingers in hers and kissed her.
Peter woke up to the sound of a bird chirping. He opened his eyes and gazed around Mary Jane's room. Sunlight was pouring in from every angle, and she was still asleep next to him, her head on his chest, and her right arm across his stomach. This was what he dreamed of all of his high school years. Waking up next to Mary Jane. But, she knew… God, she knew his secret. And even though he knew it would put her in more danger, he felt capable of handling it. He was afterall Spider-man. He stared at his red and blue costume thrown carelessly to the floor. His mask was around some place. He looked down at his angel, and felt nothing but overwhelming love. He loved her so much, and now that he had finally let her in, finally was able to love her, he felt free.
She moaned next to him, and opened her eyes. She smiled and kissed his chest. "Good morning,"
"And what a morning it is," he said.
She giggled. "This is some way to start off a relationship."
He laughed.
"Of course," she continued. "My only regret is not realizing you were the one for me sooner."
He pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry for pushing you away."
"I know," she trailed a finger down his chest. She rolled over and squinted at her alarm clock. "I should get up."
"So soon?" he whined.
She giggled. "I have to be on the set in an hour."
"That's a whole sixty minutes of passion you'd be missing out on,"
She kissed his fingertips. "It's tempting, very tempting. But I can't be late,"
He groaned. "Oh, alright. I gotta get to the Bugle anyway."
She kissed him and reluctantly got up out of bed, pulling on her terry cloth bath robe. He got up, and pulled on his costume.
"Question," she said, watching him. "Why Spandex?"
He opened his mouth in mock seriousness. "You don't think I can take out the idiots in jeans and a t-shirt?"
She laughed, and then walked to him, putting a hand on his arm. "How… how did it happen?"
The question. THAT question. He was waiting for her to ask, and finally felt good he had someone to tell.
"Well," he started. "Do you remember the Field Trip we had in senior year? The place with the spiders?"
Her mouth flopped open. "Yeah!"
"Well, a genetically-altered one or one from that center bit me, and… viola,"
Her face got a look of concern on it. "Did it hurt?"
"When I got home, I passed out and awoke the next morning like this."
She looked at him with quiet awe, and then wrapped her arms around his neck. "That must have been awful… with no one to tell."
He nodded. "It was."
"But, you're still Peter. MY Peter," she added and gave him a quick kiss.
"I like the sound of that," he said, moving his hands down to her hips.
"Hey hey hey," she said, backing away. "I have to get a shower and go to work," she said with a wink.
"Want me to join you?"
She giggled.
"I'm going to head out as well," he said, kissing her. "I'll see you later."
"Bye,"
He walked onto her balcony, and she followed. He pulled on his mask, shot out some webbing, and went swinging away into the early morning hours, the happiest morning of his life.
