Chapter Text
Sunday, February 1st
"So it's really happening, then?" Ned asks. His eyes are wide with awe, like this is the best news he could have ever received, and he bounces in his seat with excitement. It's almost like he's the one who's about to become famous.
Peter rubs a hand over his face, and he takes a sip of his coffee to hide his embarrassment. He, Ned, and MJ are currently sitting in one of their local coffee shops as Peter breaks the news to them about his last conversation with Tony.
"It's happening," Peter confirms. "It'll be a little while before anything actually goes through, though. Mr. Stark needs to talk to legal and make sure they can't, I dunno, be sued or something. There will be a lot of behind-the-scenes paperwork to protect the company. And then he's going to put me through some PR training, which I'm pretty sure will just be him telling me not to do or say anything stupid."
"Woah," Ned says breathlessly. "I wish I had your life."
MJ, however, looks unimpressed. "I don't. Have fun being a nepo baby while kids across the world are forced to work in the mines."
Peter blinks. Ned's mouth sits agape.
"Oh-kay," Peter says, perturbed.
MJ takes a bite of her croissant and raises an eyebrow as if daring them to tell her she's wrong. Peter would never do such a thing—winning a debate against MJ concerning social justice seems just as impossible as breathing in space—so he simply lifts his hands in surrender and takes another stab at his coffee.
Ned shakes himself off as well. "I wonder what Flash will think," he muses. "I wish I could see the look on his face when he finds out."
"Knowing Flash, this whole thing will just fuel him more. He already gets pissed when I upstage him. He'll never be the most popular person in school ever again thanks to me." Peter pauses, thinking deeply about what he just said. "Hey, at least if you find me drowned in one of the school's toilets, you'll know what happened to me."
"Well, Flash is just as much of a coward as he is a bully," MJ contemplates. "I think the threat of having Iron Man show up at his front door might sway him away from murdering you."
"Might?" Peter asks.
"Or he'll decide he has nothing else to lose and do it anyway."
Peter scratches at his head. "Gee, thanks, MJ. I feel so comforted."
MJ shrugs and continues to eat her croissant.
"Do you think I'll be famous, too?" Ned questions excitedly. "I mean, I'm your guy in the chair, you know? Like—that has to mean something."
"Sure, I don't see why not," Peter says.
Ned looks like he might faint. "Oh my God."
"Sounds cool until you get kidnapped for ransom," MJ chimes in.
"That still sounds cool," Ned refutes. He turns to face MJ fully. "Anyway, do you have anything positive to say about this whole situation? Or do you just enjoy raining on my parade?"
"I enjoy raining on everybody's parades. Don't take it personally."
"Yeah? Well, I dare you to say one positive thing about Peter's upcoming fame." He whips out a ten-dollar bill. "There's even money in it for you."
MJ eyes the cash. She's quiet for a solid minute, thinking long and hard, and Peter watches on, intrigued and barely stifling a laugh.
"I won't have to listen to you two losers talk about this shit anymore," she says finally. Then, before Ned can react, she snatches the ten-dollar bill out of his fingers, stands up, gives them both a smug smile, and turns around and heads for the door.
Ned's hand is frozen in time, as if still holding onto the money. "I think I just got robbed," he moans.
"Eh, you kind of asked for that," Peter informs him regretfully. His eyes linger on MJ's departing figure, though, and he's overcome with a sudden urge to catch up with her.
Ned doesn't miss this. "Dude," he says.
Peter snaps out of it. Looks at his friend and says innocently, "What?"
Shaking his head, Ned simply says again, with no further context aside from his incredulous stare, "…Dude."