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Michelle Jones got her soul-mark when she was 8. She was the first of all her siblings to get it. It was shaped like a spider. She found it when she was about to take a bath, right on her upper arm.
“AHH, SPIDER!” Michelle had yelled. Her mom, Lola had come running. She pointed to it, still screaming. After close inspection, Lola had sat her down and had the “you have a soulmate now” talk.
“Lydie, Licie, I have a soulmate!” Michelle proudly told her older sisters.
Michelle never bragged about her soul mark, and for the most part, it was always hidden under the sleeves of her t-shirt.
Most people only had one soulmate connection so when Michelle was 10 and got the ability to communicate with her soulmate on her arm she had no idea what to do.
She told her sisters Lydie and Alicia. “They’re writing on me. I don’t like it.” She’d complained.
“Tell them then.” Lydie told her.
Hi. I’m your soulmate. I don’t know about you, but I’m only ten, and I’m not ready for all of this yet. So can we maybe not do the whole writing thing until I’m a little bit older?
Ok.
Michelle didn’t wonder much about her soulmate. At twelve, she definitely thought it was cool, the whole universe picking things out for you kind of thing, but it just wasn’t something she was passionate about. She was more passionate about art.
At fourteen, the writing appeared on her arm again.
Hey can we talk? I need someone to talk to right now.
Of course, what’s up?
I lost someone close to me, and it’s all my fault.
I’m sure that’s not true. I’m sorry for your loss.
If you had the power to do great things, would you do it?
What do you mean?
I just mean that like….great power comes with great responsibility, y’know? It’d be a lot of pressure right? But would you still do it anyways, if you were making a difference?
That’s a really good question. I don’t know, honestly.
They didn’t talk frequently. Her soulmate seemed to be in a vulnerable place and Michelle wasn’t one to deny someone a person to talk to.
When Michelle joined the Decathlon team at Midtown Tech, she met Peter and Ned.
Peter had tripped and fallen, bracing himself on her arm.
“Get off me loser.” She’d snapped.
It was only later that she realized he’d touched her upper arm, right near where the little spider was.
The night of the homecoming dance, her soulmate messaged her a lot.
I messed up.
I’m an awful person.
Don’t say that.
But I did. I’m not a good person.
Yes you are. I guarantee you wouldn’t be my soulmate if you weren’t a good person.
Can I tell you something?
Go for it.
I’m Spider-Man.
The spider makes so much sense now.
Wait, so do you live in Queens?
Yeah.
I met you once. When you were in D.C.
Oh.
Is Spider-Man why you think you’re a bad person?
Yes. I don’t know what I’m doing.
You’ve saved hundreds of people. Queens trusts you. Don’t doubt yourself.
Michelle ran to Lydie and Alicia’s room.
“My soulmate lives in Queens.” She announced.
“He probably goes to your school.” Alicia said.
“Shit, you’re right.” MJ replied.
That’s when it all clicked.
She had her assumptions that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.
If Peter Parker was Spider-Man, then Peter Parker was her soulmate.
She ignored all of this, all these feelings.
Until it’s summer, she’s 16, they’re in Europe.
Peter admitted he was Spider-Man.
It wasn’t the time to tell Peter they were soulmates, so she didn’t.
She kind of sort of loved Peter Parker.
“I’m in love with Peter Parker.” Michelle confessed to Alicia the day before she graduated.
“Then go get him!” Alicia encouraged.
I know who you are.
Really?
The one and only Peter Benjamin Parker, am I wrong?
Nope, you’re correct. How long have you known?
Couple years.
Years? Who are YOU?
MJ.
He began to scribble words all over their arms. He texted her, called her, knocked on her window .
She didn’t talk to him.
They graduated, and Peter kissed her in front of everyone.
They went their separate ways for college, meeting up every once in a while.
Michelle’s first time having sex with Peter is something different. They decided to wait, until they were adults, and ready for the world, similar to the way they’d waited when they were 10.
Peter was obsessed with the spider etched onto Michelle’s upper arm. Michelle was equally as obsessed with the pencil on the palm of his hand.
When Michelle was 24, Peter proposed.
At 25 they got married.
At 26 they welcomed Dahlia May Jones-Parker to the world.
At 28 they welcomed Benjamin Tony Jones-Parker to the world.
Michelle wore tank tops, making sure that her spider was on full display.
When Peter was away, they still wrote on their arms, rather than text.
I miss you.
I miss you.