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“Peter, if you don’t stop fidgeting…”
Peter willed his legs to stop shaking up and down, pressed his palms firmly on his thighs. He sent a frantic glance to Michelle, her whole face lit up with a grin.
“Michelle, you don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly, Pete. You’re finally the one in the hot seat and now you can’t take the pressure.” She leaned in conspiratorially, Peter involuntarily leaning in.
“Come on Spider-Man, can’t handle a simple backyard lunch?” Michelle’s voice is low, but her tone is teasing, Peter feeling the skin on the back of his neck raise. He lets out a shaky laugh.
“Backyards? Fine. Lunch? Great. A backyard lunch with your entire family?” Peter’s face paled while Michelle laughed.
“You’re gonna be fine, Peter.” She slid her hand underneath his now clenched palm, the feel of her pulse calming him down.
“If I can handle the embarrassment of putting my foot in my mouth last month at the Compound, you can survive this.”
Peter can’t hide the smile on his face as he thinks of the memory, even as the warm tinge of embarrassment floods through him.
Bringing Michelle to the Compound to the team had seemed like a good idea in theory – he had only wanted them to meet the girl he was crazy about, the one he hadn’t shut up about to anyone who would listen.
He hadn’t expected Michelle to angrily rant about how much she hated the Avengers. Hadn’t planned on them actually overhearing her.
But as Peter gripped Michelle’s hand as the subway car rustled on, being mindful to not actually crush her hand, Peter thought of how that night ended.
A sky clear full of stars. A rooftop kiss.
As Michelle leaned on his shoulder, seemingly knowing without saying that her presence calmed him, Peter thought it was only fair that he shares some of the same nervousness that she did in meeting the other’s ‘family’.
While they’d known each other’s immediate families for years – a part of Peter wondered if Michelle’s parents had liked him longer than Michelle even had – Peter had been eager for Michelle to meet the people he worked with, the ones he risked his life with.
She couldn’t meet Tony, one of the many regrets of Peter’s life.
But Michelle had met everyone else. And now, it was Peter’s turn.
“Our stop is next, come on we need to switch trains.” Michelle brings him out of his daydream, lifting his hand up as she moves to the car’s entrance. Peter scrambles after her, Michelle already walking out the door, almost pulling him along.
He lets her, watches as she turns back to look at him – a smile on her face that warmed Peter inside and out. She tilted her head in the direction they were supposed to go, before turning her whole body in that direction.
Peter and Michelle had been dating for four months, but as he followed after her – his grip warm and firm in hers – he was already convinced that he’d spend the rest of life following Michelle.
He rethinks that declaration the minute he arrives.
Michelle had only said it was a ‘backyard lunch’, an informal get-together with some of her aunts, uncles and a few cousins.
What Peter hadn’t expected was the sheer opulence of the entire thing.
His mind had registered that they were going out of the city limits, he was sure Michelle had to have mentioned her uncle’s place having two pools.
But Peter – for whatever reason – hadn’t made the connection that what Michelle called a ‘backyard lunch’ would be an entirely different thing in the Hampton’s compared to Queens.
“Are you sure—are we in the right place?” Michelle made a face.
“I know you’re smart Peter, but you’re not seriously going to try and tell me I don’t know how to get to my uncle’s house?” She puts on her sunglasses as they walk outside the station, an air of confidence that Peter’s entirely unfamiliar with but wholly intrigued by.
“I’ve been coming out here my whole life, Peter. You’re not the only one who knows their way around New York alright? Come on, he’s probably outside waiting.”
Peter follows after her, eyes squinting as the sunlight beats down on him. He hadn’t thought to bring his sensory inhibiting sunglasses – specially made in one of Tony’s labs – because he thought it made him look ridiculous. Now, the sunlight bright and obnoxious, Peter was reconsidering it.
He reached for Michelle’s hand, her taking his without question before lifting her hand – a lightness in her that Peter was quickly realizing he hadn’t ever seen before.
“Uncle Pat!” Michelle runs in front of Peter, launching herself into the arms of a tall, muscular man, one who had previously been leaning against a sleek, white car.
Peter would’ve guessed it was expensive, the detailing of it surely impressing anyone else his age. Peter was too bewildered by the girlishness of Michelle’s tone.
“Meeshy girl, there you are!” The man’s voice is booming and loud, wrapping his arms around Michelle as he lifted her up. Peter can feel the shock settling in as Michelle… giggled?
“Uncle Pat, I thought we talked about this. Meeshy girl is fine with family, but in public? Come on, I’m sixteen. Aren’t I a little old for cheesy nicknames?”
The man laughed, a sound that reverberated in Peter’s ears. “Never baby doll. And don’t let me tell your dad you think you’re too grown for nicknames. He’ll start calling you sunflower again in front of all your little friends.”
Michelle groaned, turning away from him and motioning towards Peter. He takes a tentative step forward as the man – Uncle Pat, it seemed – sized him up.
“So is this the infamous Peter Parker?” Peter swallowed, chiding himself for feeling intimidated. He was Spider-Man, fought against petty criminals, aliens, and destruction on a weekly basis.
Yet standing in front of Michelle’s uncle, seeing as he seemed to look at him up and down, made Peter feel smaller than he’s felt in years.
“Yes sir.” Peter swallowed once again, willing himself to sound braver than he felt as he put out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Pat took his hand, Peter feeling the roughness of his hands. He’s not sure what he had expected from a handshake from Michelle’s clearly wealthy uncle but a grip that reminded him of Ben’s, hands that reminded him of his own – Peter hadn’t expected that.
“Strong grip. I like that in a man.” Pat laughed, winked at Michelle. “Seemed like you picked a good one, Meeshy girl.”
“Yeah, I like to think so too.” Michelle smiled, Peter taking a breath as he felt himself relax.
“Well, the party’s already going. You know your aunt never likes to keep a guest waiting.” Pat opened the door behind the driver’s side, beckoning Michelle and Peter in.
Michelle slid in with Peter following after her, closing the door behind him as Pat opened his own.
“You know normally, I’d say this is a little too much like a Driving Miss Daisy scenario.” Pat’s darken for a minute, Peter stilling as he catches his eye in the mirror.
Shit. Shit. What was I thinking? I should’ve went to the front. What was I thinking?
Peter panicked in the two seconds that followed, wracking his brain for what to do.
He knew he and Michelle were lucky to live in a time where their relationship raised little eyebrows, living in a diverse city of millions.
But they still lived in the real world, still encountered subtle instances and reminders that – even now – people didn’t care to see the two of them together.
Peter wasn’t ignorant of the societal pressures that mixed women like Michelle faced, the implications and privilege he himself had. Michelle had educated him from her own perspective in the years he’d known her but even before then – growing up in Queens – Peter hadn’t ever considered himself unaware.
But now – staring into her uncle’s face as he slid into the backseat with his girlfriend – Peter wondered if he’d made the wrong move. If he’d been too arrogant or sure of himself or insensitive.
Michelle is silent next to him, causing Peter to worry even more before something shifts in Pat’s eyes – his booming laughter filling the car.
“I’m kidding! Shit, Meeshy girl, you gonna tell me you haven’t told Peter about our family’s sense of humor yet?” Michelle’s laughing too, Peter turning to her with a look that has a hint of betrayal.
“He should be used to it now. I tell him he’s a dumbass pretty much 24/7 so you’d think, he’d know when someone’s joking with him.” Michelle nudges him, Peter nodding his head as he feels himself calm down once again.
“Yeah, uh yeah. Totally. Sorry, I—”
“Don’t apologize, Peter.” Pat’s eyes are warm now as turns the car on and begins to pull out of the parking lot.
“Just messing with you alright? Don’t worry about it.” Pat smiles as they turn towards the main road, Peter feeling himself smile back.
As he leans back in the seat, Michelle still smiling, Peter thinks that the day could only get better from here.
Peter was right.
He’d arrived to Pat’s place in one piece, though he was hesitant to call it a place and more like a mansion.
Peter was used to the life of the rich and famous – you couldn’t rightfully call yourself the former protégé of Tony Stark and not be at least slightly accustomed to how the rich socialized and partied – but what surprised Peter the most wasn’t the luxury of the event, but rather that Michelle seemed completely at home here.
It baffled Peter, as he watched her mingle – as she introduced him to various cousins who all either went to some prestigious Ivy League or discussed some ostentatious business trip they’d taken.
Peter knew Michelle had high aspirations for her life, knew she was intending on going to some of the same Ivy Leagues her cousins all seemed to attend.
But the Michelle he knew at school – used to know, at least – would’ve hated the lavishness of the backyard event, the wealth her family members seemed just to imply was a given.
No one had been rude to Peter – if anything, they’d been overly welcome as soon as they realized that he was the boyfriend Michelle had always talked about.
But it all reeked of privilege, of affluence – something Peter had always thought Michelle hated.
He finally felt brave enough to ask her about it as the night started to wind down, music playing while members of her family started to dance.
“MJ, can I ask you something?”
“Hmm?” Michelle glanced at him, taking a sip of her water. They were on the sidelines of the dance floor, the tea lights that were strung along above them making her eyes look as if they were sparkling too.
Peter blinked a couple of times and tried to focus, willing himself not to get distracted by how good Michelle looked in this light.
“You know, I’m just curious. I don’t want you to think I’m judging you or anything, but I’m… I’m a little confused? And I know there’s probably some great explanation for it, but I can’t seem to think what it could be and—”
Michelle sighed, setting her drink down on one of the white tables besides them before folding her arms.
“Spit it out, Parker.” He sets his own drink down, turning towards her.
“You know your family’s rich right?” Michelle snorts, a confused look on her face.
“Uh, yeah Peter? They’re my family. I told you, I’ve been coming out here for years.”
Peter runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before he continues.
“Yeah, you mentioned that and I just… I’m just a little confused?”
“About what?”
“Uhh.. well.” He considers his next statement before continuing on.
“Like, okay, earlier today with your uncle? Meeshy girl? I mean, I’ve never—”
“Repeat that nickname to anyone at school and you’ll have more than a masked freak to deal with, Parker.” Michelle’s tone is steely even if her eyes betray a glint of humor.
“That! That’s what I’m talking about!” Peter shakes his head, throwing his hands up in bewilderment.
“You’re such… such a badass at school. Outside of school. At home?” He puts his hand through his hair again.
“I don’t know. It’s like the minute we stepped off that train, it’s like you became a different… person?”
Peter notices a shift in her expression, causing him to barrel forward.
“It’s not a bad thing! It’s not! I kind of… like it? I don’t know. I mean, I like who you are all the time. Even now, I just—”
“I get it, Parker.” She puts a hand up, Peter stopping. Michelle looks out to the dance floor, smiling as she watches some of her cousin’s dance to some Top 40 beat.
“I don’t know. Something about being out here, with the rest of my family… reminds me of simpler times you know? Back before I knew the world was bullshit.” She laughs, Peter smiling.
“That’s another thing.” Michelle turns back to Peter.
“Like, I know we don’t always have to dwell on like capitalism and social class warfare cause it’s real and important but… don’t you think it’s a little… hypocritical for you to be so intense about everything when your family is…” Peter trails off, waving his hand in the general direction of the dance floor.
Michelle sighs, tilting her head.
“You know, Peter. It’s something I ask myself a lot too.” She thinks for a moment before continuing.
“I guess it’s easy for me to say shit like ‘eat the rich’ when I dissociate them from my family because, well yeah they’re my family, but like, they’re different you know?” Michelle into his eyes, almost pleading with him to understand.
“They’re not like typical rich people who throw around their wealth. Like my uncle set up a charity that my Aunt Cathy runs, and my cousin Julie spends her summers abroad doing volunteer work and…” She sighs once again.
“God, I sound like a privileged rich girl trying to justify myself.” Peter’s inside twist, seeing the guilt pass over her face.
“That’s not what I’m trying to say, Michelle.”
“But it’s what you meant.”
Peter bites his lip, not wanting to offend Michelle any further.
He hadn’t meant it quite like she represented, not really. But now – hearing Michelle speak it back to him – he understood how judgmental his question had been in the first place.
“MJ, I’m—”
“I thought we covered this, Parker. You keep apologizing to me for shit that’s not your fault, then I’m gonna have to revoke our custody agreement over Ned.”
A sharp laugh comes out of Peter’s mouth, shaking his head at the memory of that night on the Compound’s balcony.
“I don’t know, Peter. I don’t like to think of how much family’s wealth is just as much part of the problem as everyone else’s. Maybe I’m too blind or too biased or too whatever, I don’t know.” She shrugs, Peter noticing how much the action was forced.
He reaches out a hand, Michelle glancing down and taking it.
“You don’t have to figure it all out tonight, MJ. I didn’t mean to stir up anything… I was just curious.”
“You know what they say about curiosity, Peter.”
“It leads to bigger and better things? Like say, my girlfriend dancing with me?” Michelle has a look on her face, eyebrows raising.
“I thought you hated dancing.”
It was Peter’s turn to shrug, face broken out in a smile.
“Maybe you’re not the only one who feels differently outside the city.” Michelle makes a face, but Peter is already dragging her out into the dance floor.
Her cousins yell out, inviting them into their little circle. Peter smiles as Michelle shakes off her trepidation, losing herself to the beat and to the closeness of her family, of Peter.
Peter still doesn’t have rhythm, barely knows the words to the song, but he doesn’t care.
As he watches as Michelle’s eyes sparkle under the lights, sees as her face lights up as she moves alongside the family she clearly adores, Peter thinks he’s never seen anyone look more at ease.
Peter would never be the one to judge Michelle for her complexity, for the things about her that he still doesn’t quite understand.
Peter thinks he’s the last person in the world to question the duality of people, considering his side job.
All he knows – as the music plays, the cheers around him grow louder, and as Michelle moves closer to him – that he wouldn’t trade where he was for anything.
Michelle – grinning from ear to ear, eyes closing as she leans in, Peter wraps his arms around her. As her cousins’ whoop and holler, Peter thinks that this night – meeting her family – couldn’t have gone any better.
As their lips meet, the cheers of Michelle’s cousins’ making Peter feel as light as what Michelle had seemed the minute she arrived, Peter’s sure that he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.
Peter and Michelle had only been dating four months.
But there, on a warm night made warmer from the heat of their kiss on a dance floor, filled with people who loved Michelle almost as much as Peter did, made Peter feel that no matter what happened – he’d go anywhere for her.
That no matter where life took them, no matter what happened next…
Peter knew he would never find another girl like Michelle.