Five Ways to Travel New York in Style.
by kali
Rating: R, for language.
Summary: Set between the movies. There are a lot of ways to get around in New York.
Spoilers: Spider-Man 1 for sure, and probably just the trailer for Spider-Man 2.
Pairing: If any, Peter/MJ.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or intend profit other than the rich rewards of feedback.
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1. Web-slinging.
"Woo Hoo!" He screams it at the crowds below him. But he's at least fifteen stories above and the wind will whip any sound away before someone ever has a chance to hear him. There is nothing better in the world than web-slinging. It gives him all the time he needs to think. He reaches his arm nearly straight up and, using his momentum, swings to the rooftop garden near the Rockefeller Center. He lands next to the fountain and looks around. In the winter, usually no one is out, and he can sit down on the ledge to think. He took MJ here the first time he saved her from the Green Goblin. Even now, bare and empty in February, the garden glows for him.
2. In the Backseat of a Rolls Royce.
Peter glances around the back of the Rolls Royce and shifts in his seat. He's always a little nervous around Harry now; nothing like having a best friend who wants to kill your alter ego - and can't stop talking about it - to put you a little on edge. He starts at the sound of Harry's voice.
"Pete, have you seen MJ lately?"
"No, not really. I've been, ah, preoccupied."
Harry laughs a little, "you always are. I'm practically running my Father's company and I still think you manage to be busier than me."
"Well, you know, college and a freelance job can be a little rough."
"Right, making a living off of a murderer." Peter holds his breath hoping Harry won't continue that discussion again. A dark look crosses his face, but he goes on with his other train of thought, "So, no word from MJ then?"
"Nope, although she's not working at the Moondance anymore."
"Stopped by to check?"
"I, uh, well, I..." He starts to blush.
"Don't worry Pete, your secret's safe with me."
3. On the Subway.
Entering the platform from the turnstile, Peter remembers why he hates the smell of the subway. It's a noxious, humid mix of diesel, hydraulic fluid and body oder. But it is a way to get around that doesn't require the use of a costume and there are no super-duties down in the subway.
"My purse! That fucker took my purse!"
Or, to put it another way, no place to change into his Spider-Man costume without half of New York seeing. He looks around trying to figure out what to do when he notices that everyone is parting out of way of the purse snatcher; the New Yorkers' ambivalence makes it easier for him to deal with the man. Peter waits until the thief is just about on top of him and moves as if he were trying to back up. Hoping that he just looks like a klutz, he fakes tripping over his own feet and falls towards the thief as the man's running by. Peter's arms flail, he spins around and his backpack lands with a hollow whump on the thief's face. The force of it knocks the guy to the ground.
"Excuse me." Peter reaches down to help the guy to his feet while the woman runs up behind the man and hits him again on the backside of his head, knocking him to the ground again. For just a second Peter really feels sorry for him.
"You little cocksucker! I can't believe you stole my purse." She picks up her bag and turns to Peter. "And you, thank God you're such a klutz."
"Thanks. I try." He figures that's as close to a "thank you" as he's ever going to get as Peter or as Spider-Man. Only one person ever bothered to thank him, but he doesn't want to think of her right now. As the thief is standing up a large security guard runs up to the scene and immediately the woman starts yelling at him what happened.
"And then this guy," she points at Peter, "just trips, and bang," she slaps her hands together, "right into the guy. Hey, I can press charges, right?"
"Against him?" The security guard says, pointing to Peter.
"No, against this guy." She pushes the purse thief into the guard.
"Oh, yeah. Come this way." Taking his handcuffs out, he grabs the thief's arms and pulls them together at the wrists, placing the cuffs on them. Dragging the thief while the woman follows, the trio walk out of sight and the crowd merges in front of them.
With that over Peter starts thinking about his surroundings again and hears the roar of a train. He realizes that it's probably his, because that's his kind of luck. Running down the escalator to his platform, he lunges at the doors and manages to make it onto his train. Sitting down he looks up into Mary Jane's face. It takes him a few moments to realize that it's just a new add.
4. On a Scooter.
Peter stares at his bills, laid out in front of him on his bed. There are more here than he can pay; he'll have to let the phone bill go again. If he hadn't bought the scooter than he would be able to pay his phone bill this month, but not his rent next month. He just needs some spare time to really fix it up. Once it's running he can get that pizza delivery job. He has to get the job if he doesn't want to move in with Aunt May again. The scooter's falling apart; he's found some fix-it websites on campus and a used book and he hopes that will be enough.
He hears a siren in the distance and turns to look at his window. How can he have time to have a job if he can't have time to fix a simple scooter or even pay the bills? He leaps off his bed and peels off his shirt and jeans, grabbing his costume from the closet. Everything has to wait, again, because of Spider-Man.
5. In a Taxi.
"Come on, Peter." Mary Jane is already jumping in the cab while he runs towards it. "Jeez, I never get to see you." She says as he gets in.
"Well, I'm busy a lot." Being Spider-Man, he thinks. "Uh, o-chem lab is eating up my time."
She rolls her eyes. "You always were so smart. I bet you feel right at home in college. A bunch of smart people like you, all studying together."
"I don't get to hang out with people much."
"Too busy studying to make friends?"
"Studying, working, you know stuff. I'm just really busy." He's flustered, sick of making up excuses. They all sound the same to him: lame. He can't talk about the majority of what's going on in his life, outside of school and work. Desperate, he switches to a safer topic. "So how's acting coming?"
"I dunno. Good I guess. The modeling is paying the bills, but now I guess people don't take me as seriously as an actress." Mary Jane sighs, "I'm just another model who thinks she can act."
He hates to think of anyone missing how wonderful Mary Jane really is. "When they see your talent, you'll be an overnight success," he says. Unthinking, Peter places his hand on her knee and she looks up at him. "You're that good. I've loved everything you've ever done. How could they not want you." He takes a deep breath. "How could anyone not want you."
"Thanks, Tiger." She smiles and leans a little closer. Peter can smell her perfume and see the gloss on her lips in the dim light of the cab. His hand tightens on her leg, but as the soft silk of her skirt crumples under his hand he realizes that he's touching her. He jerks his hand away from her knee and jumps back in the seat away from her. For a few moments she blinks. Frowning she says, "Peter, I swear, if you tell me some lame excu...."
"Oh, boy," Peter says, reaching his hand to his mouth to cover a yawn. "I'm really tired. Still, can't wait to get to Harry's. It's been so long since I've had a chance to see my two closest friends." Mary Jane scoots away from him and turns toward the window. They spend the rest of the ride in silence.