Eastside | PeterMJ

five: fresh starts

I hope everyone had a great holiday, and have a happy new year :) enjoy the chap!

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Peter doesn't say anything, he just wraps one arm around MJ's shoulders in a protective fashion. She doesn't seem to mind this time.

"I asked you a question, boy. Who are you, and how did you get in here?"

"You might not know who I am, but I know who you are." Peter's voice is shaky as he lets go of MJ and approaches this horrible man. But he stands his ground, getting right in his face. Glancing down at the man's feet, he crosses his arms, knowing exactly what to say to make him angry. "You're a nobody. People only like you for your money, and no one will remember your name." A wide smirk spreads across his face, as MJ's stepdad's eyes widen in surprise, his face warping into an evil frown.

"P-please, if you're a friend of Michelle's... Please, just leave." MJ's mother finally speaks, towards Peter, obviously afraid. Of who, Peter didn't know.

"You seriously expect me to leave after seeing what I just saw? I wouldn't be much of a friend."

"You have no business being here. This is my house, this is my family, and you're just a stranger." The stepdad says aggressively, putting a hand in his pocket.

"He's not a stranger." MJ speaks up from behind Peter, causing him to turn around. "He's so much more than a stranger." His eyes meet hers, and she seems to be calm. "He's caring, compassionate, kind, friendly, and he's brave. Those are things that you're never going to be."

Peter doesn't say anything. He gives her a thankful half-smile, before he senses the small pocket knife lunging his way from the stepdad's direction. Peter whips around and disarms him using only one arm, before using his other arm to deliver a punch to his chest, knocking him out cold on the living room floor. The knife clatters down, leaving a dent where it landed.

It's silent now, besides the heavy breathing from Peter and MJ's mother. MJ turns to her.

"I'm not coming back," She states, looking at Peter out of the corner of her eye. He nods at her.

"Michelle—"

"—It's MJ, Mom. It's always been MJ."

With that, she grabs Peter's hand, and drags him upstairs. Neither of them say anything as she packs a backpack full of the things she didn't want to leave behind. Clothes and other necessities, mostly. She didn't seem to have any keepsakes that meant anything to her. When MJ was finished packing her bag, there was still empty space. She looks at something small in the corner of the room, and hesitates, but she doesn't get it.

Peter sees the thing she was eyeing, and grabs it. MJ doesn't notice.

He follows her to what appears to be her parents room, where she opens a safe and grabs all of the cash inside, including a few shiny credit cards. Peter assumes her stepdad won't even notice they're gone.

They begin to walk out, passing MJ's room and the bathroom, when MJ randomly stops just before she gets to the stairs.

"Are you okay?" Peter asks her in a soft voice.

MJ's eyes had already filled with tears. She then threw her arms around Peter's neck, sobbing into his shoulder. It took him by surprise, but he quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her back.

It took almost everything Peter had in him to not cry along with her. What she had just gone through— No one should have to go through it at all, much less go through it alone. Peter knew MJ was glad he was there, but he was more concerned with the fact that he hadn't been there until now. Noting how calm MJ looked when her own stepfather pulled a knife on him, he doubts that this is the first time he's physically tried to hurt her.