Chapter 4: The Offer

Peter ran up the stairs of his apartment building two at a time. He was hoping to avoid Mr. Ditkovich, as it was the beginning of the month. The door to his landlord's apartment started to open. Oh, crap, caught again...

But instead of Mr. Ditkovich, it was his daughter, Ursula. She looked toward him at the sound of his footsteps and gave him a small smile. "Hey, Peter," she said in a small voice.

"Hi, Ursula," he returned, and continued up the stairs. Best not to linger, her father might be in there.

"Peter, I have..." Ursula started to say, but he was in too much of a hurry.

He reached his door, quickly unlocked the deadbolt and slipped inside. Shutting the door, he listened carefully for any signs of another person in the stairwell. Whew! My luck is holding today.

He put down his backpack, and started toward the bed to sit. Suddenly his spider-sense tingled, and he abruptly spun around.

"Oh!" Mary Jane clutched her hand to her chest. "Wow, you scared me! I was just trying to surprise you...no chance in that, I suppose."

He smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I can't help it." He looked concerned for a moment. "Did anyone hear you come in?"

She shrugged, "I don't think so. I got here maybe 15 minutes ago. No one was in the stairwell or the hallway." She reached out her arms to give him a hug. "But I really couldn't wait to find out - how did it go?"

Peter returned the hug and spoke into her hair. "Better than I expected." He pulled back. "J.J. didn't know about us until I got there and saw John and I acting uncomfortable around each other. I think I really shocked him, and that's hard to do." He grinned.

"No lecture, no chewing out?" she asked, amused. "I didn't even get off that well when John and I were dating."

He shook his head. "But I am definitely out of a job. Robbie offered to help me find something else." He led her to sit on the bed with him. "You know what? I feel so free! It was hard to put up with the constant Spider-Man bashing. Hopefully I can find a more balanced paper." He looked around the apartment. "It will have to be soon. I don't have this month's rent, and I don't know how long Mr. Ditkovich will let me stay here."

MJ gave him a side-long glance, and murmured, "You know, I've been thinking about that..." She kissed him lightly on the temple. "We spend so much time together now, I mean, when you're not out, that there's no reason to have two apartments, anyway." She cocked her head to the side to see his reaction.

He grimaced a little. "I don't want you to have to support me, MJ. I can't contribute to the rent, yet. And moving in together? We've only been a couple for about a week. Isn't it a little soon?"

"Soon is relative. We've known each other for years, Peter. It's not like we're strangers getting to know each other first." She ran her hand along his cheek, trailing it down his shirt. His eyes fluttered closed, and he let out a little moan. "And you'll get that job soon enough. Rent is easier to pay on two incomes."

"You are difficult to resist," his hands started to reciprocate with light caresses. "It does make sense..."

"Doesn't it?" She began to kiss his earlobe, traveling across his jaw. Their lips met passionately, and he pushed her gently back onto the pillow. Soon his hand was moving slowly up her leg, making a path beneath her skirt, toward her thighs.

"Oh, Tiger," she almost growled. He had been learning just how to touch her for maximum effect. "We can't even finish a conversation these days..."

Ursula had been standing in her doorway, full of indecision. It had taken her several long minutes to finally decide. Yes, she would give the eviction notice to Peter in person, rather than cowardly tacking it to his door.

Nevertheless, she climbed the stairs slowly. Peter has always been so friendly. It will be sad to see him go. She twisted her lips wryly. Face it, Ursula, you wish he had been more than a friend.

As she reached the door, she thought she heard murmurs. No, it was pretty quiet in there. He's probably studying and talking to himself about it. Her hand settled on the doorknob, and after a moment, she turned it.

The door opened wide, and she stopped, astonished and embarrassed.

Peter was looking at the doorway, wide-eyed. He and a girl were laying on the bed, quite disheveled. The girl's shirt was unbuttoned, her skirt nearly up to her waist. Peter's shirt was nearly off, with his dark undershirt showing.

The girl turned her face and body away. Peter straightened up quickly, and looked mortified.

"Oh! Sorry!" She set the notice on the floor, immediately shut the door and started down the steps. I told him I was going to start knocking! How embarrassing! She couldn't get back to her door quickly enough.

"Ursula, wait..." she heard behind her, but she darted inside her apartment. Her hands clenched for a moment, then relaxed as she slumped against her front door. "'Bye, Peter," she said to herself softly.

Peter closed his door and then looked down. Picking up the paper on the floor, he took a few steps toward the bed, then stopped and twisted the deadbolt. MJ couldn't suppress a tiny giggle. "Another good reason for moving out. More privacy."

He sat back down, scanning the paper quickly. He handed it to Mary Jane, saying, "It looks like I will have to move out. I've been behind on my rent here for a couple months. Mr. Ditkovich must have gotten tired of it."

"Does she always just come in without knocking?" Mary Jane had a worried look on her face. "She could easily have caught you in costume!"

"It has only been a few times - I usually have my door locked. Don't worry, she has always been nice to me. The only bright spot in this dismal building."

"You're not the only one who gets to worry," she poked him in the arm. She suddenly came to a realization. "So, are you saying you're agreeing to my offer?"

"I guess I am." He started to kiss her again. Between kisses he murmured, "Where... were... we?"