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For a rare change of pace, MJ was hanging out with Peter at his house. They were technically studying for their biology test (that was his excuse anyway) and since MJ bragged about acing her last three exams, Peter had asked her to tutor him and put her money where her mouth was, so to speak. But MJ had a feeling that Peter had an alternative motive, which was wanting to spend time with her.
Since the trip to Europe, Peter and MJ had been hanging out mostly at school, holding hands and kissing in the hallway. Aside from that, the two hardly spent any time together. MJ was so busy with college applications, homework, and the academic decathlon, she didn’t have spare time to hang out. And Peter, well, Peter didn’t have any time to hang out between school and Spider-Man, that boy was one sleepless night away from passing out cold.
As MJ walked down the street towards Peter’s apartment, she smiled at a man who was raking his leaves.
It occurred to her that Autumn arrived this year, with cool weather, changing leaves, and cloudy skies that made it perfect for snuggling indoors. She tugged her jacket tightly to her skin, and raced up the steps to Peter’s apartment building. When she reached his floor, he was already waiting for her outside his room.
“MJ!” He exclaimed, stepping forward and pulling her into a big hug. She loved how every time he saw her, his eyes would get all big and excited, as if he was surprised to see her.
“Hey dork.” MJ squeezed him tightly around the waist.
“You’re cold,” Peter commented, pulling away from the hug to look at her face. “I’m sorry, I should have offered to drive you... but I don’t have my license yet.”
“Yeah I know,” she laughed. “I saw you nearly hit Mr. Tanner the other day when you and May were out practicing.“
Peter winced at the memory, “May was not impressed... speaking of which, she’s uh here - I mean - she’s in there, you know. She’s home and stuff.”
“Okay. That’s fine. What? Did you think I wanted to be alone with you in your apartment.”
“No, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t expecting us to be alone that’s all.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Good.”
She raised an amused eyebrow at her nervous lip-biting-dork of a friend.
“Why is it good?” She asked, taking slight joy in making him flush red.
“Because - um - well -“
“You don’t want to be alone with me?”
“No I do, I think, I mean, not too alone, but alone is good sometimes, we can still be alone with May inside cause she won’t bother us -“
“Relax, I’m messing with you. Geez, take a breath.” She said. Then, to reassure him, MJ slung her arm around his shoulders.
Peter rolled his eyes as he fumbled with the keys to his door. Eventually he got it, and held it open for MJ to enter first. What manners. She thought of teasing him, but she actually appreciated the gesture and didn’t want to prevent him from doing it in the future.
After stepping inside, MJ felt like she entered a fall-wonderland. The entire apartment was decorated for the season, and MJ knew instantly that Aunt May was the culprit behind it.
No offense to Peter, he probably had great taste as well, but his cozy decorated apartment was definitely more the work of an organized person like May. There was an Autumn Palette going, with pillows and blankets in shades of rustic orange, buttercup, vanilla and chestnut. Seasonal throw blankets made from hand-knit polyester were laying over the couch and chairs, adding to the autumn style. May had really gone all out. MJ smiled as she smelled the familiar scent of sweet cinnamon wafting from two glowing candles that were on display.
There’s nothing like spending a cool November day inside a warm candle-lit apartment.
She watched as Peter tossed his backpack on the burgundy couch and kicked his shoes off on the rug.
“May, we’re home!”
“Okay, I’m in the kitchen.”
Peter’s face screwed into a disgruntled frown. “Don’t burn anything, please.”
MJ had to clamp down on her lip to keep from laughing.
“I’m making you a treat, so you better watch it.”
“Love you, May.” He said in an attempt to redeem himself. She didn’t respond further, but Peter didn’t seem to mind as he yanked two of the hand-knit blankets off the couch.
“What are you doing?”
He stalked off into the dining room area and retrieved two chairs.
“Building us a fort so we can hide out in it.”
MJ grinned from ear-to-ear because it was freaking cute. Dorky, but cute.
“Let’s do this,” MJ said, standing up and grabbing a blanket of her own. She tossed it over the chair while Peter ran off to his bedroom to grab his soft comforter to put on the floor.
Once it was set-up, she and Peter crawled under the blanket fort and cuddled against one another. They stayed there for a while, talking about everything under the moon, but Peter especially babbled about this new gadget device that he and Ned were playing with last night.
While he spoke, he moved his hands in soft gestures to explain his story. MJ wasn’t listening, she was too enwrapped in observing his gentle smile.
He looked so causal and comfy, wearing a simple grey hoodie with long strings laying uneven on his chest. Peter was known for wearing jeans, in fact, MJ doesn’t think she can recall a time when he wasn’t wearing jeans to school. So naturally his blue jeans were on, and rolled up at the ankles. To add to the cozy warm attire, Peter was wearing fuzzy threaded grey socks. For a second, MJ rubbed her socks against his, smiling as he stumbled on his words, suddenly distracted from telling his story.
May was in the kitchen making some hot apple cider for the two of them to enjoy. MJ could smell it cooking.
Her parents weren’t home. They hardly ever were. So MJ got lonely most days. When she and Peter were discussing where to hang out, she was glad he suggested his place, even if his aunt was there.
Secretly, MJ liked having May around anyways. It was nice to have the presence of an adult when she was on her own most of the time.
“MJ?”
She turned, eyes softening with tenderness. Blah, she hated what Peter did to her, but at the same time, she didn’t mind too much.
“Yeah?”
“You make me feel like I matter.”
Where did that come from, she wondered as her hand rested on the back of his neck, playing with the ends of his chestnut hair.
“Of course you matter, Peter. You always have, even when I wasn’t around.”
“But you make me feel special.”
She pulled him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.
“You make me feel safe,” she admitted quietly.
Slowly, Peter tilted MJ’s head to the side and brushed his lips against hers. MJ never knew a kiss so innocent could be so intimate and electrifying. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. Peter’s hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled.
They pulled apart slowly, and Peter was sporting his sheepish grin. He looked down at his lap and pinched his face.
“Aww,” he whined. “I guess we should start studying for real.”
MJ silently cursed at herself for forgetting about the stupid biology test. “Yeah, okay. Prepare to lose your bet, dork.”
“Oh, I’m not going to lose because between going out on patrols and staying up all night to complete my other assignments, I’m not going to get an A on any test.”
“Yeah you will, just follow my superior studying skills and you’ll ace it for sure.”
“If you say so.”
In ten minutes, May brought out two mugs of Apple cider. One was cold and one was hot.
Peter took the cold mug and thanked his aunt, but MJ couldn’t stop her judgmental stare.
“I know,” May said, when she caught sight of MJ’s face, “He claims it’s better cold.”
“It is better cold.” Peter declared.
“I think somethings wrong with you.” MJ said, in her classic monotone voice.
“Nuh-uh. I’m normal. You’re the weird one. Who likes hot apple cider.”
“Pretty much everyone.”
Shrugging her off, Peter handed her his biology text-book and MJ opened it to the correct chapter.
“Ready?”
Peter lasted all of five minutes before passing out. He fell asleep on her lap, unintentionally, she thinks, though she can’t be sure. But what she was sure of was that he was peacefully asleep, brown eyes hidden under his eyelids, rimmed with long dark lashes. His chest slowly rose and fell rhythmically with his breathing.
Poor dork needed sleep. And so okay, maybe he wasn’t going to Ace his test, and yeah, maybe he would owe MJ ten dollars, but if he needed sleep then who was MJ to stop him? She ever-so gently moved his head off of her lap and onto the soft blanket before grabbing a wool blanket and laid down next to him.
And that’s how May found them when she entered the living room: fast asleep on the floor, tangled in a heap of wool blankets, sleeping soundly.