"Hold on a minute!" A voice - the voice - called out from somewhere upstairs as Peter knocked on the door.
He'd been standing there for a while, conjuring up the courage to knocked on Mary Jane's apartment door. Still twice he had turned around and walked away but only the fact that he did NOT have anywhere to go had kept him here.
He stopped fidgeting and looked up as he heard the front door opened.
And there she was, standing there, her watery eyes twinkling at him, her hair smoothly flowing in the air ("Ok so maybe that's a bit over-the-top, but still!"). Just being here, looking at her was enough to satisfy him.
"Peter!" she sounded surprised, "I thought you've forgotten about me already!"
"Sorry about last night M.J! I was really busy and all and somehow..." Peter knew what she was angry about so he start reading his mental alibi, until she surprised him!
"Forget it! I know where you were last night!" she said as she opened the door to let him in, "Well are you gonna stand there all day or what?"
As he walked into the apartment, Peter noticed how comfy it looked. Despite the rather small size, it felt...like home. Everything seemed to fit together, unlike his own, which looked like 12 people were living together. Peter chuckled at his next thought when Mary Jane pointed him to the sofa and sat down on it herself.
"So," she looked right into his eyes and asked him, "aren't you gonna ask me how I knew where you were last night?"
Before he could start, she continued, "Did you hurt yourself last night?"
"No! I'm too good for..." that was when it hit him, ("right in the face") he was Spider-man last night, and the night before that and probably all the nights before too. So how could she have known...unless..."Has she known from the incident on the bridge? Or was it...the kiss...That's impossible!"
"I mean, I was at home all night working on my paper! How could I have hurt myself?" He chuckled nervously and looked at her.
Again, she surprised him by saying nothing. Her eyes were saying nothing and everything. It was like she was staring into him, to the deepest place of his soul. And a few months ago, Peter would have died to let her do that. But now, he was something else. Peter shifted uneasily on the sofa.
"Do you have something to tell me Peter?" she asked him gently and waited for an answer.
"Uh..no, what makes you think I do?" again, Peter struggled within himself, between his feelings and common sense. Telling the truth would certainly prove how much he loved her and why he could never accept her love, publicly that is. But it'd also lead to a lot of questions that he wouldn't want to answer. Yet, maybe she'd still love him no matter who he was, what he did. Perhaps...
"NO! I cannot do this to her. I cannot put the ones I most treasure in situations like that...not again. NEVER!" How he had wanted to kiss her, and brush her hair with his hands, and tell her how much he loved her. But if there were anything more painful than losing her love, it would be to lose her forever.
"Actually I do have something to tell her," Peter suddenly remembered the reason he came here in the first place. He noticed how her eyes brightened up when he had said that. But it probably wasn't what she had expected. ("Well, here it goes!")
"Well, you see, Harry's moving out and I have no place to stay," Peter fiddled his toes, an old habit, cleared his throat and mumbled out the rest, "So I..um...I was wondering whether I could stay here..."
"Just for a while!" he quickly added, "until I find a place to move into!"
If Mary Jane hadn't been surprised, now she really was, "Peter, I..."
Looking at the startled and somewhat confused expression on her face, Peter wondered whether this was a good idea or not. ("It was worth a try!" he thought.)
"Well, uh, you are the only one I really know here so it was just a thought. But it's ok if you're uncomfortable with the whole thing. I guess I should..."
"Peter..." Mary Jane interrupted him with one of her flashy smile, "you're welcome to stay anytime."
"If you don't mind living in a dump that is," she added with a laugh.
"That went well, thanks Mom and Dad for being here with me all along," Peter sent out a thought, "Now if you don't mind!"
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MJ looked at the closing door as Peter walked out. More than once she had been surprised today, but something was still bothering her.
"Why Peter? Why didn't you tell me? Did you think that I'd do something stupid?" She paused thoughtfully.
"Well, if you don't tell me, I'll make you reveal it!
"For I cannot live without your love. You're the only one who can make me feel more than I'm ever gonna be. The only times when I was truly happy, was the times spent with you Peter. I know how gentle and loving you are, you will not break my heart unless it was for a very special reason.
"And now I know why. I love you so much Peter Parker!"
Mary Jane suddenly realized what had been troubling her. And it hurt so much. She tried but couldn't stop the tears from dwelling up. She wept until she was too weak to cry anymore. Then she dozed off.
