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Peter and MJ are walking through New York City hand in hand, going around different places and enjoying one of their last weeks alone together before their babies due date.
MJ sighs and rubs at her lower back, starting to feel the stress of walking around 35 pounds heavier.
"I want food."
Peter looks over at her and arches his brow, "Really? We just ate?"
MJ scoffs, "Well excuse me mister, I'm only the one going around carrying our twins. Sue me for eating for 3 now" She bites her lip, finally letting the truth come out. "Ok I guess I am kind of full, but I really need an excuse to sit down."
Peter looks around a little bit before finding something that catches his eye.
He brings his other hand up and begins tapping MJ's arm repeatedly, "Em, Em, Em."
MJ breathes through her teeth and turns around to find what Peter is looking at.
She immediately looks back at him, a stern look in her eyes. "No."
"But Em."
"No."
"We can just-"
She finally forms a smile, wanting to laugh at her husbands persistence. "Peter, no!"
Peter rubs her arm back and forth, "We'd just be looking. Heck, I'll just look! The place even has a couch for you to sit down on, it's a win win!" He protests.
She rolls her eyes, "I know how you are Peter. You're weak and you'll cave at the first puppy you see. We can't adopt a dog right now. We have enough on our plate right now don't you think?" She asks, motioning her pointer finger in circles around her pregnant belly.
Peter lifts his right hand up as if he's making a court oath, "I promise I won't cave."
MJ gives him a glare, knowing fully well he can't keep that promise.
Peter nervously bites his lip, "I mean I'll try my best." Peter brings his hand up to her hair and brushes some of it back, a smile forming on his lips. "And if I can't keep that promise I guess you'll have to be strong enough for the both of us, won't ya?" He teases, before MJ finally shakes her head and lets out a small laugh.
She looks back at the pet shelter and squints her eyes to see the couch in there does indeed look very comfortable. Fluffy pillows and everything.
She looks back at Peter, "Alright. You had me at a place for me to sit down at. But Peter I mean it, we aren't bringing a dog home."
Peter gets giddy and gives her a quick kiss, "Let's go!"
He runs ahead of her and she just rolls her eyes before allowing her small smile to form into an uncontrollable grin.
*****
MJ leans back into the couch cushions in the pet shelter as she sees her husband from across the place scanning over different breeds of dogs.
Dread begins to form in the pit of her stomach .... well, she's sure it's dread. But she also knows she's confident she just felt both of her babies kick simultaneously at the same time; making her heart full. She can't wait to finally get to hold them.
It'll be any week now.
38 weeks have gone by so fast, it feels just like yesterday when she witnessed those two lines coming clear in all three of the pregnancy tests she bought.
Life is crazy when her husband is Spider-man, but she wouldn't trade it for anything.
Even if that same husband is across the store currently trying to call her over to see a puppy he just came across.
"Great...." She mutters to herself. She should've known 'we aren't bringing a dog home' would be her famous last words.
She groans as she pushes herself up from the couch and wobbles over to where Peter is.
Peter puts his hand on her back, "Look at that little guy in there....." He coos, staring at a black and white shih tzu inside a crate.
"Peter-"
"He's a she." They hear a voice from behind them, and find a woman who works at the shelter looking back at them with a smile on her face.
"Want me to bring her out for you?" The lady asks, whose name they learn is Emily.
"Yes!"
"N-no. We're just looking." MJ slowly looks over at Peter, "Riiiight?" She drags out.
Peter gets a nervous look in his eyes. "I-I mean yes, but like-" Peter shakes his head and looks over at MJ, "We can hold her, right?"
MJ looks at him quizzically for a moment, before looking back at Emily. "We can hold her." She repeats, earning a smile from Emily as she goes to retrieve the dog.
*****
"So how old is she?" Peter asks, looking up at Emily as he sits cross legged on the floor with the dog in his arms as MJ is leaning back on the bench rubbing her pregnant belly in circles.
"She's 2 in August. We just got her in here this week."
"Aww she's still a baby." Peter coos, "Aren't ya Molly?"
"Hold up. What'd you just say?" MJ asks, leaning forward and giving Peter her signature death glare.
"Uh.....she's a baby?" Peter questions, growing confused.
"No, no." MJ insists through gritted teeth.
"Uh.....how old is she?"
MJ wants to facepalm. How is her husband so smart yet so dumb?
"You called her Molly."
"O-oh." Peter replies, realization dawning on his face.
"God, Peter." MJ throws her hands up in the air, "You can't name her---"
"I- I know."
"You know why, right?"
"I do know why." Peter replies, getting distracted as he puts the dog down and rings his hand around playfully in front of her, watching the puppy get excited and roll around on the floor.
MJ sighs, knowing Peter isn't fully comprehending what she's saying. "Her name isn't Molly, because her being named Molly would mean you named her meaning that she's ours."
"But Em-"
"I'm doing my job, I'm being strong for the both of us." She reaffirms, crossing her arms.
"I'm allergic to dogs; is Molly hyopallergenic?" Peter asks Emily.
"Peter!" MJ goes wide eyed.
"I'm sorry!"
Both of them can hear Emily giggling.
"You definitely have less of a chance of being allergic to her, yes she is hypoallergenic."
A big grin grows across Peter's face, "Hear that, Em?"
Emily notices another couple waving her over.
"I'll be right back, seems you two have to discuss this anyways." Emily walks away to attend to the customers.
Peter looks back over at MJ, who is looking back at him with narrowed eyes as she shakes her head back and forth. "You're a weak, weak man."
Peter has a look of shame on his face, but his smile is still present. "I mean, what says a new family like a dog. Our apartment allows dogs-"
"Peter-"
"I wouldn't be allergic to her."
"Peter-"
"Shih tzus are a smaller breed-"
"Peter-"
"She'd keep you company when I'm off spider-maning and would keep me company when you're at work-"
"We have twins coming, Peter! Twins!" She emphasizes this by holding two fingers up.
"I know!" Peter pouts, "And I was just getting to them, they would grow up with man's best friend and we'd have three babies. Two of which will be our own babies, and one furry baby!"
MJ laughs unenthusiastically, "Less is more, Pete."
Peter picks the shih tzu up and sits up with the dog next to MJ on the bench.
"Just look at her wittle face." Peter coos, bringing the puppy up to MJ's own face.
"This won't work Peter." MJ forces out, although she'd be lying if she said she wasn't slowly falling in love with the energetic ball of fur.
The dog begins to lick MJ's face, finally forcing a small coo out of her lips.
MJ squints her eyes shut as the dogs keeps licking her face, "How dare you use my pregnancy hormones against me."
"Oh, come on." Peter laughs. "You'd love her pregnant or not and you know it." Peter replies, a proud smirk on his face.
MJ internally slaps herself and stands up, "No, Peter. She's cute, I won't lie. But no."
"But MJ, just-"
"Nope. You told me to be the strong one, I'm sticking by that."
"We can just talk this out, I'm sure Molly would be a great addition to our-"
MJ grows impatient and says with finality, "We aren't adopting her, and we aren't naming her Molly. End of discussion."
*****
They adopted Molly.