𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗽𝘀𝗲, peter parker ( tasm )

14. SURPRISE VISITORS

But Margot was very much unaware of these plans, and the fact that should her boyfriend be successful, he would return to her and inform her that her boss had begun to terrorise the citizens of the city was just as much of a secret, and because of this, her evening would be frightfully... normal.

For once in her life, MJ didn't have to go to her exclusive, rarely-occurring assistant job at Oscorp, she wasn't in danger of hanging upside down off of the Williamsburg Bridge, and she didn't have to worry about school or her boyfriend being a superhero and her best friend's father wanting him imprisoned. She could just go home, perhaps read or do some homework, make herself something to eat and watch a movie. Maybe she could treat herself to a bath and light some candles, using some of those products that far-off relatives she never spoke to sent for her birthday and Christmas (really, buying bath and body stuff were the safest bet for a relative you didn't know) yet despite having no attachment to the gifts MJ found herself saving them for a rainy day.

And now, after what was perhaps the most traumatic event to take place in her life, Margot deemed it a rainy day. She made her way through the well-wishes of her health and the hushed checkups from teachers as she walked out of lessons with the thought of a relaxing evening sitting in the very forefront of her mind, enjoying the break that the news of her being in such an attack was giving her.

She would relish in that - it would only really last a day or two before it would return to the competitive environment and teachers would call on her as though it were their only chance at a happy life. That and the lack of focus on her for once, and she didn't mean to sound self-centred and horrible narcissistic regarding her intelligence but she knew it was higher than most and it put her to the forefront of the teacher's attention, it meant that she could easily blur out the murmurs of Spiderman and his wrongdoings, misgivings and focus on - as it were more widely thought - his incredible successes in helping others.

Peter had kept his promise, as well. He was popping up whenever she felt a little too overwhelmed by questions, came to join her in the library for a spot of recluse during the busy lunch hour, and managed to ward off anyone bothering her with ease. They spoke of Spiderman then, and Peter promised to retrieve the small bottle in which the spider that bit him was kept as well as try to answer any questions she had with as much accuracy - not that he knew much about it himself, but he had experimented the best he could and would try and explain as much.

And so he walked half the way to her house until she ushered him away with a kiss on the cheek and the admittance that they spent way too much time together and had far too much to do to become that dependent on each other - something with Peter could hardly fault yet could also see how it could pose a problem to them.

Which left MJ making the leisurely way home herself, walking slower than usual and making a couple stops here and there - a bookstore just down the road, a grocery store to pick up a few things so she could make her dinner, as well as treating herself to one of the more fancier coffees that would drain her savings should she order more than one every couple months.

She had just turned the corner that allowed her to see the entrance to her apartment block when she heard her phone ring, slung at the bottom of her bag. MJ reached for it and successful retrieved it amongst the crumbs and other collective items that had gathered there over the years and had been forgotten.

"Hello?" She replied without even looking at the caller ID.  It was a name though, instead of a number, and she knew anyone in her phone actually calling her usually had a pretty good reason.

"MJ, how was school?" The voice was is instantly recognisable despite being overlayed by the noise of the inner city; her dad was calling her. "Nevermind - stupid question, right? It's always good or fine."