Peter walked hopelessly among the many aisles of the flower shop near his house. He cocked his head to the side, appraising the many bouquets, trying to figure out exactly how women liked stuff like this. Oh well, this was Mary Jane Watson. The woman he's loved since before he even liked girls. And she was going to go out with him.
It was pretty mind numbing.
There was a comforting hand on his shoulder. He spun around and saw a kindly older lady smiling at him.
"Excuse me for saying this, but you look a bit lost, would you like some help?"
Peter blushed.
"Am I that transparent?" He laughed a little bit. "Yes please, can you tell me what you would recommend bringing on a first date?"
"Hmm... you're bringing her flowers on a first date? That's very sweet of you young man. She must be very special."
Peter blushed a little bit and shyly nodded.
"Alright then, if she's that special we need to get her something beautiful. How much money can you spend?"
Peter blushed again.
"I...I don't have very much..." He pulled out a crumpled 10 dollar bill.
"Hmm..." She puttered around the shop, leaving a bewildered Peter. The lady grabbed bunches of small purple flowers he vaguely knew as lilacs and then artistically intermingled a few tiny white flowers between them.
She thrust the finish product in his startled face with a flourish.
"There! What do you think?"
"That's... that's great." He smiled. 'Thanks so much. Is it ten even?"
The older woman gave him a kind smile. "Nah, originally it would be 15, but I can tell your heart is in the right place. I'll give it to you for 5."
The grin that light up the young man's face in front of her was enough to make Carrie Rolands, the owner of the flower shop, not regret a bit the bit of money she lost on the deal. It was rare that someone so eager would show up in her shop. She lived in New York so of course she was wary of people and knew some people could cunningly fool her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this young boy was genuinely excited and in love. And if young love entered her shop, who was she to stop it?
"Thank you ma'am!"
Peter paid her the right amount and then watched, still beaming, as Mrs. Rolands wrapped up the flowers. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 4 PM. He should probably get home to get dressed.
As he walked out of the florist shop, he couldn't help the broad smile across his face. And why not? He was the happiest he'd been in as long as he could remember...
Mary Jane had finished getting dressed. Peter had told her it wasn't a formal place, and that she looked great in what she had on but she could feel that tonight would be... special... different somehow. After trying on outfit after outfit some ranging from grungy to prom wear, she finally laughed at herself and put on a pair of jeans and a new shirt.
Come on MJ, cool it a little. It's just Peter.
Yeah well, just Peter, had taken on a little more meaning in her life lately.
Mary Jane sighed at the fact that she was talking to herself and took a final check in the mirror before a knock stopped her.
She pulled open the door and saw Peter standing there, one hand behind his back, smiling shyly.
"Well, I figured things might be a bit weird if I went outside to ring the doorbell," He shot her a lopsided grin. "So I figured I'd just start here."
MJ laughed and Peter held out the flowers to her.
"These are for you." Though MJ hated to admit she had such a weakness, flowers made her melt.
Her face erupted into a smile and she looked at the bouquet of lilacs excitedly.
"Oh Pete these are beautiful, thank you!"
"No problem." He cleared his throat nervously.
"Ready to go MJ?"
MJ nodded and they headed towards Uncle Ben's beat up car.
Peter opened the door for her and then ran around to the driver's seat. He slid into the car and then with a glance at MJ, turned on the engine.
"So Pete, where are we going tonight?"
"Well I was thinking dinner at... well wherever you want. You can pick that, but I have an idea for what we can do after dinner." He smiled at her. "That ok?"
"Sure. Well... want to go get some Chinese food or something?"
"That sounds great."
They drove to the restaurant and then the hostess sat them at a small table in the back. There was a small candle in the middle of theirs and the surrounding tables, providing a dim, romantic light.
MJ saw Peter glance around the surroundings and gulp a little bit. She could almost feel the nervousness radiate from him and she had to smile. He was being so wonderful. He had bought her beautiful flowers and still had a surprise yet to come. Again her heart ached for how much embarrassment he went through at school.
She reached out and gently held his hand.
"Hey, Tiger, don't look so scared."
Peter blushed a little bit and then looked down at her hand on top of his. With what seemed to be a move taking all of his nerve he lowered his other hand on top of hers.
"Sorry MJ, guess I am a little tense. Just a bit nervous I guess. I hope you like where we're going later..." He trailed off uncertainly.
"Pete, listen everything is wonderful so far and I'm sure where you pick will be great." She playfully pushed his shoulder. "And even if it isn't than how fun it's been so far will make up for it."
That made Peter grin and he relaxed his tense shoulders.
The walked out of the restaurant 45 minutes later laughing and both completely relaxed. Dinner had been good, the service was fast and they both were having a really good time.
MJ looked over Peter who was in the middle of telling her a joke and she watched his animated features. He was really funny and charming when he finally cut loose and relaxed. She laughed at the punch line. She was beginning to fall pretty hard for Peter Parker.
They got into the car again and MJ shivered a little bit in the cold as the old heater started up.
"Are you cold MJ?" Peter looked at her, concerned. "Here take this." He shrugged out of his navy windbreaker and handed it to her.
"Oh no Pete, it's ok the heat'll kick in soon enough and anyways I can't have you freezing! I'd have to ditch your body on the side of the road or something." She gave him a grin and then against her will shivered again.
"Nah MJ, I don't get cold much, please take this."
Mary Jane reluctantly took it and put it on. "Alright but you BETTER tell me if you get cold Peter Parker! I will personally check you hands by the time when we get... wherever we are going and if they are even a TINY bit cold, you're in trouble. Understand?"
Peter started laughing. "Ok, ok. I understand."
"Ok, Pete, now where are we going, you've kept this secret way to long."
Peter looked at her sideways and then looked back on the road.
"You'll see. I remember you told me you used to love them... we even went a couple of times when we were kids. And anyways my professor gave our class passes to get in free whenever so we can study. And they cleared it with the administration and we should be able to stay even after it's closed, until the guards leave anyways."
MJ considered these words, trying to decipher the hints in it. What classes was Peter taking that would give them passes to anywhere... fun?
Advanced Physics... advanced calculus... She laughed to herself. A lot of his courses she probably even couldn't pronounce.
She didn't have much time to think before they pulled into a parking lot and suddenly she understood.
Peter was taking marine biology as an elective and she HAD told him she loved this place. Her puzzled look melted into a smile as she took in the New York Aquarium.
She could see Peter out of the corner of her eye, his face studying hers with great intensity. He looked incredibly worried that she wouldn't like it and the fact he cared so much just made Mary Jane love him more.
"Peter this is awesome! I haven't been here in so long! I LOVE this place. Remember when we were like six and we would get so excited about petting the sea turtles? We thought that was the coolest thing ever."
Peter laughed his soft laugh.
"Hey who says I don't think petting the sea turtles isn't the coolest thing ever still?"
MJ smiled at him and then they as she started getting out of the car Peter jerked to life and jumped out the side of his car and then raced around to open the door for her.
"Peter!" Mary Jane was laughing a lot now. "You don't have to keep opening the door for me... especially when you almost run into the front of your own car getting to it!"
Peter blushed but grinned. "Sorry, just don't want you to lift a finger tonight."
MJ looked at him in delighted surprise. "That's really nice of you Pete." She reached up and without warning hugged him for a second. For the split second hug she could feel Peter stiffen, then relax and then when the pulled back Peter's blue eyes were a mix of surprise and excitement.
"So ready to go in?" His voice cracked a little and he coughed, embarrassed.
"Ready as ever Tiger."
They walked in the almost deserted aquarium. The tunnels they went through had glass on the ceiling and the sides, making it seem like you really were underwater.
They went through almost all the displays and went to go pet Sparky the old sea turtle they had both loved as kids for old time's sake. Then, they came to a shadow filled tunnel that Mary Jane had always refused to go in.
Remembering that, Peter was about to bypass the shark hall when MJ stopped him with her hand on his arm.
"Nah Pete, lets go in."
"Are you sure MJ? I remember you were terrified of this before, you even made me walk on the side closest to the entrance because if a shark magically came out of the glass you wanted it to eat me first!"
Mary Jane laughed. "It's ok Pete, I think I'll finally try and face my fears." She paused. "But if a shark DOES magically come out of the glass it's eating you first."
Peter smiled and agreed. "Alright, I promise I'll be eaten first."
Peter pushed open the door and entered the tunnel. He could already see three dark forms of mammoth sharks ahead.
"You sure Mary Jane?" He looked at her concerned.
"I'm sure." She took a deep breath and stepped in.
"There that wasn't bad." She said laughing. She opened one eye and then jumped as she saw a distant form of a shark.
"Come on MJ, you can do this." Without thinking Peter grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Mary Jane looked at him. It was the first time he had started any kind of physical contact. She smiled at him and then kept her hand in his.
They walked through the hallway, and gradually Mary Jane's sudden jumping at every shark began to lessen each time until she actually hesitantly moved closer to read a display information card about the shark she had just seen.
"Hey Tiger, it's a tiger shark." She smiled at him.
Peter laughed and then stepped closer to read the card. With their hands still connected they both finished reading at the same time and turned, suddenly stopping as they both faced each other inches apart.
Mary Jane suddenly became aware of how alone they were and their breathing seemed to become louder in the stillness. She saw Peter gulp a second and she wanted to kiss him. Badly.
She could tell Peter was battling with the same things and then slowly and hesitantly they shifted even closer together and he lowered his mouth to hers until finally their lips met in a kiss.
Peter's eyes were shut and he seemed to be in shock that Mary Jane, Mary Jane Watson, was kissing him. It was everything he had ever dreamed of and a crazy lot more. He was reluctant to open his eyes in case it was all a dream but he finally did, just as the kiss was ending and they're lips were about a centimeter apart. He stared cross-eyed down at her and she had never looked more beautiful, right at that moment to him.
Mary Jane smiled lopsidedly, still in as much shock as he was.
She vaguely noticed the biggest shark she had seen yet and would have only minutes ago scare her to death pass by behind Peter's shoulder, but right now she didn't even flinch.
She would never be scared of a shark again.
Wow, longest chapter yet! I saw Spider-Man 2 this morning. It's brilliant. Wonderful. Amazing. Incredible. Oh man it's awesome! Guess it inspired me to write a little more today! Hope you enjoyed and go see Spider-Man!
-LLL