Eastside | PeterMJ

one: beginnings

hi everyone! welcome to eastside, my new peter and mj fanfic. if you haven't already, check out my other stories, it would mean a ton! in the meantime, i hope you enjoy chapter one!

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"Where are you going, Peter?"

MJ had called out after him, as Peter had seemingly jumped out of his seat and towards the door in the middle of their academic decathlon team meeting. There was a slight tone of suspicion in her voice, but nonetheless Peter doesn't see her as a threat. He only turns to glance back at her before following through with his initial plan of leaving. MJ hid her disappointment well, only taking a breath to continue discussing the details of yet another meeting Peter skipped out on.

Meanwhile, Peter was already halfway to the city, doing everything that a friendly neighborhood Spiderman does when he needs to find an escape from his actual life— Stopping a few muggings and helping an old lady find her way home. It had only been a few days since The ferry incident, The Washington Monument incident, then The Vulture incident, and with all of the detentions and extra work Peter found himself stuck in, he's been too exhausted to do almost anything. Landing on a particularly high rooftop, he answers his ringing phone.

"Hello?"

"Pete, it's Ned. What's going on? Do you need your..." Ned starts to whisper, "guy in the chair?"

"No, Ned, I need a break."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Ned chuckles, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. "I'm just kidding. You're okay though, right?"

"I'm fine. Everything is just... It's all a lot."

"Sure, I get it. And I'm totally fine with you taking a couple breathers from the team now and then, to be honest, but... Well, MJ's pissed. She says if you miss one more meeting you're off the team."

"What? She can't do that!"

"She couldn't before, but she can now. She's president, remember?"

"God—!" Peter throws his hands over his face. He doesn't know why he's so angry all of the sudden, he knows he has been slacking and deserves to be kicked off the team if he doesn't put in any effort. Still, it doesn't make it any less aggravating.

"Dude, chill. You'll be fine— you're the smartest guy on the team. Just come to the meetings, please! I can't buzz in on my own!"

"I'll try my best. Talk to you later."

"Wait—! Pete, just... Be careful out there tonight, okay? Maybe you should take the night off." Ned's voice sounded a lot more serious than it did the first time he spoke, and Peter knew Ned was just trying to look out for him in a way that no one had ever done before. Fearful, yet in a caring way.

Peter wasn't wrong. Ned was definitely afraid of what could happen to Peter out there when he's fighting bad guys, but he had never mentioned it because he figured Peter could always handle it. Now, Peter realized, Ned was actively reminding him to be safe, and something had changed. And he knew that thing was him.

Letting out a sigh, Peter decided it was best to listen to Ned, go home, and actually get some rest. The city was quiet tonight, anyways. It had been for quite some time, after The Vulture was apprehended. Everyone is too afraid of Spiderman coming after them to commit any serious crimes.

Web-slinging through the city on a quiet night is Peter's favorite thing to do. All of the lights, all of the people, they just make life all so much more worth living. To see and experience everything from above is what Peter considers to be his greatest power of all. Sometimes, he just hangs there, staring up at the sky, wondering how close to the stars he can actually get. Of course, Peter already knows that answer, but it doesn't stop him from questioning it. He is a science geek, after all. But there isn't any time for that tonight, so Peter webs his way home.