Mayra's POV.

"Holy shit!" Mayra muttered as the realization struck her.

As the subway drove under the grounds of the bustling city today morning, the babbling filling her ears, cold musty smell roaming around the train, the puzzle pieces had itched at the back of her head. They had now laid out in front of her eyes, juggling themselves and fitting into each crest and trough with a perfect click.

"Holy shit! You're not my girlfriend."

Spider-Man had broken into her room thinking he was at his girlfriend's. The only reason he'd swing into someone's room very casually would be when they'd always keep their windows open, anticipating Spider-Man's arrival. And the night when Mayra stepped out to check, the only apartment window opened was 22B.

MJ and Riley lived in 22B. MJ was Peter Parker's girlfriend. Peter was an 'associate' of Spider-Man, he was there when she was having her windows fixed. The only reason why she felt Peter sounded familiar was that's because Spider-Man sounded exactly like Peter. However today, his voice was deeper, and Mayra was sure she wasn't hallucinating during the day her window broke. Spider-Man would only change his voice if he'd want to keep his identity a secret from someone he knew personally. Meaning, Spider-Man knew Mayra personally. And that meant, Spider-Man was Peter Parker.

"Oh fuck," Mayra muttered, sorting her speculations as imaginary polaroids of memories danced in front of her eyes.

But, Spider-Man could be Riley's boyfriend, and that fact would throw a hammer to her nicely built but weak wall. That would also explain Peter's friendship with him. Unless they were both Spider-Men, exchanging their jobs until one got too tired for the day.

Mayra's head was running crazy with theories, so she decided to put them aside. Finally, not concluding since she had no evident proof. She had greater mysteries to solve currently, and Spider-Man's mystery could be solved any other day. Mayra had a feeling she'd see a lot more from him.

She took a shower, the thoughts from the Buzzfeed security room living in her brain without rent, chewing her from the inside. Mayra then rummaged through the pantry, looking for something to munch on as she prepared files of the evidence she'd gathered today.

"Didn't see you come in," Julia said, bouncing from one TV channel to another, her eyes fixated on the screen as she drank her tea.

Breaking News: Oscorp shuts down after allegations and proofs of illegal experiments on animals and highly radioactive material that has the potential to destroy New York City.

She flipped through another channel, the same news about Harry Osborn going bankrupt played on the TV.

Eddie and Mayra and anonymously released the pictures online. The same pictures which they'd gathered before the explosion. They had sent them to their respective emails if they ever lost it and Mayra was glad they did that because their phones were reduced to ashes. The pictures spread through the internet like wildfire, gaining widespread criticism and the attention of the government. And now Harry Osborn had gone bankrupt, his company closed down with him magically disappearing.

"Oh, I um, I came in, through the t-the front door, surprised you didn't notice," Mayra stammered. There was no way her mom would approve of her association with Spider-Man. She'd kill him if she found out that Spider-Man basically launched her daughter into the air without a warning.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," she finally looked away from the TV, her fierce gaze boring into her. Mayra grabbed a box of cookies, gave a timid smile to her mom, and rushed back to her room. All while her mom's suspicious eyes traced her every movement.

"I hope you realize that your detective habits rub off on me too," she called out as Mayra shut the door behind her. Yeah, she was fucked.

Peter's POV.

Peter arrived at May's apartment, sliding up the window of his old room and bathing in its homely feeling. He always stopped by May's to bid her goodnight before heading back to his dorm, ensuring that she slept safely and soundly. Today, she'd scheduled dinner but Peter was two hours late. He let out a disappointed groan as he changed into the spare clothes that resided in his old wardrobe.

Aunt May was asleep on the couch, a debilitating look shadowing her face, her hands tucked under her body which visibly shuddered from the cold. Peter grabbed a blanket, draping it over her, he situated a soft pillow beneath her head and switched off the TV that played The Notebook. A small gentle kiss was planted over May's forehead as Peter murmured a goodnight.

Just as he was about to walk out, he heard May shuffle beneath the fur of the blanket, "You should go to sleep, Peter."

"You look tired, May," Peter turned back, his lips curving into a half-smile as he examined the exhausted look on her face.

"Oh, I am fine, had the best Thai food," May mumbled as she got up from the sofa.

"Sorry for today," Peter said in a small voice, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's alright, Happy was there to keep company, besides I understand that you have the whole city saving thing to do."

A pang of guilt bounced in his heart, his expression contorting into shame as he watched her walk into her room.

"You can stay here for the night, it's pretty late, and the weather doesn't look that good either," May called out from her room.

Peter flopped down on the carpet near the sofa, puffing out a drained sigh from his lips. He shot Ned a text, brought out his homework, and scattered it across the coffee table.

After solving one hour's worth of questions about the radius of an atom, energy released during the bombardment of Uranium 232 with a neutron, a message from MJ lit up his screen.

MJ

we need to talk.

Peter

of course we do.

MJ left Peter on read, which he expected. He also saw the 'talk' coming from miles away, so to say he wasn't surprised would be an understatement. He went back to solving more questions from his assignment, sleep taking over him with every passing minute. The tingle of his notification woke him up, another text from MJ displaying on his screen.

MJ

go to sleep or I'll sell all your web-shooters.

A small smile danced on his lips, his heart lightening at the interaction. Peter loved his web-shooters, so he went to bed, dreading tomorrow's conversation with MJ. But also at the same time, hopeful about tomorrow for some odd reason.

***

"MJ taking the sub today?" May asked as she chowed on her cereal. Peter shot her a confused look as he struggled to slip his feet into his socks.

"Uh no, she got her car back, that was just for yesterday," Peter said, finally managing to wear his socks.

May let out a small, "Oh." A look of surprise setting on her features as she flicked away the grey strands of her auburn hair from her face.

"Why'd you ask?" Peter wondered.

"You never get to the sub this early," she said, taking a bite from her cereals. "I just assumed that it was because of MJ."

"Well, MJ and I are at a...um, I don't know how to put it," Peter sighed, the topic about his relationship irked him. He adjusted the black jacket over his shoulders, owing to the breeze settling over New York City.

"Complicated position?" May proposed, pulling her hair back into a bun. Peter nodded, taking a seat beside her.

"Oh sweetie, I hope things work out for the two of you," May gave him an apologetic look. Peter bit his cheek, trying to sort his thoughts, he knew it was coming. He'd always known it was about to happen. And a part of him was thankful, and he despised that part of him.

Peter gave May a weak smile, pressing a light kiss on her forehead, and took off to the subway station.

The dense grey clouds swam across the tar-black sky, the chilly winds playing with the orange autumn leaves. Crowds of people walked with him to the subway, colorful umbrellas tucked under their arms or purses as their shoes collided with the priorly wet street. Cars drove past the puddles of muddy water, spraying them onto the cat that sauntered lazily on the sidewalk. The clouds were sad today, bottling up all their negative emotions until they could no more, releasing their sentiments over the tall buildings and the busy roads of the city.

The moist warm air irritated Peter after he walked into the subway station, his eyes darting around for company. But he found none. Standing there among the bustling crowd of people, he unconsciously tried to spot Mayra's face, hoping she'd join him. He debated whether he should check up on her, even though he had gotten her home safely last night. Besides he didn't want to be a creep and a desperate bitch so he pushed that idea back into the depths of his mind.

The subway whizzed past Peter, one of the gates coming to a halt in front of him, people flooded out of the gates, chattering filling in contrast to the rather empty tube he stepped in. Peter unknowingly hoped that Mayra would barge into the almost moving train, her dark messy curls, cascading down her shoulders with untied laces of her black sneakers.

Stepping out of the quiet subway into the thronging streets of Manhattan, Peter's head was occupied with questions.

Where was Mayra? MJ didn't even tell me where to meet her up? Should I just swing to the campus? It's New York, no one's noticing, are they? That fish looks like Bucky, should I get him one?

Peter's questions came to an abrupt stop as he heard someone call out his name. Running through the green lawns of the campus, her black curls were pulled into a tight bun, her skin peppered with light stickers, hands holding some sort of a heavy prop, dragging it behind her legs. The pink skirt made it so much difficult for her to walk, with her wedges trawling against the water puddles in the lawn. 

Peter frowned, a look of confusion masking his face as he saw the unknown girl asking him to wait right there.

"Where's Mayra?" She asked, huffing violently.

"Uh, I don't know," Peter said, a strong wind blowing through his warm brown curls.

"She didn't come with you?" The girl asked, clipping her curly strands. The long feather earring dangling from her ear blew into her face with the wind.

"No, uh she wasn't with me in the sub," Peter said. "Who are you?"

"Crystal, Mayra's friend," Crystal said, extending her arm forward. A look of worry masked her face.

"Oh, I'm Peter Parker," he said, shaking her hand, giving her a shy smile.

"Yeah, we know."

"Oh, um ok," he said, taken aback. He studied Crystal who's earth brown eyes frantically darted in all directions. He sensed something was wrong.

"Is everything alright?"

"She hasn't answered our texts since yesterday, and now she ain't here, that bitch loves giving heart attacks," Crystal said, evident annoyance in her voice. A bubble of worry climbed up Peter's chest, doubting if he'd even dropped her home safely. He did watch her get inside her room. He did, didn't he?

"I'm s-sure she has probably overslept, y'know still recovering from the Oscorp explosion and all?" Peter tried reassuring himself and also Crystal who stood in front of him, playing with the colorful rings on her fingers.

"Yeah," she breathed, giving Peter a small smile, "Thanks, you should come to hang out with us," Crystal winked as she dragged the prop behind her, making her way to the guy who had a worried frown marked on his face. It was the same guy who was with Mayra in the explosion, he uttered something in distress, running his hands through his hair in frustration. Then, the two figures walked into their departments, busy trying to call their friend who must've overslept.

a/n: imma try doing double updates today, wish me luck! love you alls.