chapter ten!
010. parker luck

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    NINA AND MJ had a system. 

    And in their experience, it was a perfect system that has yet to fail them. Neither of them had any superhero powers to use to their advantage▬no super strength, agility, or an enhanced metabolism. They had their wit, their courage, and more importantly, they had each other. And in the circumstances knowing Peter Parker had gotten them into, having each other was sometimes the very thing that would save their lives. They had each other's backs, and even though six months had passed, the system they set up was so rooted in them that when they needed it once more, it came naturally. 

    The system also worked very well when Mary Jane Watson needed to be somewhere she should not be, and so, she needed Nina's help to get her there. 

    Taking the initiative to report on the void left in New York by Wilson Fisk's arrest and the growing threat of the Demon Gang was becoming the forefront of MJ's focus. As soon as Nina asked for her help, Mary Jane had already started to pull together names and locations▬anything that might draw them onto possible leads to follow so they could find out more about the Demons, and also their connections to Fisk and OSCORP. And once she figured out how all these points connected, and who was at the top of the pyramid of deceit, MJ's article was sure to get her the promotion at the Bugle she has been hoping for ages. 

    The barricade near the crash outside the Three railway was at least a few metres out, and when they arrived, was already swarmed with reporters and onlookers. The night sky was now a swirling colour of red and blues, and the trailer stolen by the Demons was circled by first responder vehicles. Nina scanned the outside of the crowd, trying to search for an opening to sneak herself and MJ through. 

    She pursed her lips, glancing down at her phone to check her messages with MJ. Nina calmly stepped around the main crowd and slipped closer to the barricade, tapping her nails softly against the case of her phone. She chewed the inside of her cheek, easily forgotten in the chaos and nervous excitement over the Demon high-speed chase, Spider-Man's rescue of the tanker truck and the courage of Officer Jefferson Davis who, in the end, saved Spider-Man, the driver, and a deadly collision on the Three railway line all at once. 

    "We've now identified the officer as Jefferson Davis," she heard Breaking News▬the reporter standing nearby in the thick of the crowd. "We're being told he has minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery."

    A message lit up on Nina's phone and she glanced down. I've found a way in, was MJ's message. Need a distraction.

    Nina turned off her phone and switched her attitude immediately. Slipping back into the crowd towards the front, she stepped right up to the barricade. She glanced upwards and didn't stop until the officer in front stood up straight and blocked her from going any further.

     "Sorry, miss, no further," he said, holding out a hand towards her shoulder, but not touching her.

     Nina glanced over and her eyes widened as if she had only just noticed. "Oh▬" she gestured towards the collision, "▬but I just▬I just need to get to the other end. I won't be any trouble▬"

     "I'm afraid you'll have to take the pedestrian detour," said another officer, stepping forward and clutching his belt as he, too, stood in front of Nina. 

     Out of the corner of Nina's eye, she glimpsed Mary Jane Watson's red hair and yellow down jacket slip through a gap in the barricade and dart past to hide in the shadow of the firetruck before anyone would notice. 

    Nina focused her attention back on the two police officers. "I'm sure I can just slip through▬"

     "This scene has been blocked off for your safety," said the first officer. Neither of them moved an inch. "You can follow the pedestrian detour like everyone else, or we can have a difficult conversation, it's up to you."

    The brief notification on Nina's phone from MJ letting her know she was through made her plaster on an apologetic smile for the officers. "You're right," she chuckled, sheepish and stepped back. "Sorry. I'll take the detour. Thank you. Have a good night."

    She turned on her heel and both police officers shared incredulous glances at how easily her attitude changed. Nina glanced down at her phone, responding to MJ as she wandered to the outside of the crowd. She neared the alleyway, leaning against the wall and giving herself a good view of the ambulance MJ was slowly making her way towards. 

    "Excuse me, Miss, are you supposed to be here?"

     The voice made Nina gasp and jump out of her skin. She almost dropped her phone. Glancing up, her shoulders slumped with her exasperated sigh and she shook her head, rolling her eyes. An amused smile tugged at her lips when she saw Spider-Man crawl his way closer to her down the wall. 

    "Don't do that," she chuckled, her gaze following him as he crawled down to be level with her head. 

    "Sorry," his soft chuckle told her he wasn't at all apologetic, and it only made her smile brighten for a moment. Nina turned to face him, crossing her arms and giving him that glint of mischief in her eyes.

    "I thought you usually leave the scene when the sirens show?" she whispered, quirking a brow with an amused smirk. 

    "Usually," said Peter, matching the tone of her voice, "but my spider-sense told me a certain girl might show up where she shouldn't."

    Nina rolled her eyes once again, but her heart was light with a flutter she couldn't hold back even if she tried. "So," she took a deep breath and stood up straighter, slipping her hands into her jacket pockets. "Ian sent MJ a map of all the Fisk sites the Demons have been hitting tonight."

    Peter sighed behind his mask and shook his head. "Nina, I tried to tell him▬"

    "It's okay," she reassured him, sighing, too. "That's a conversation I'll have with him▬and lose. I wouldn't be able to keep him out of this▬the last time he managed to get himself a fake I.D. and snuck into a bar full of criminals."

    "You do not have to remind me," Spider-Man dropped down off the wall and landed beside her, standing properly. "Look, I'm just worried. It was okay when it was just me involved, I can handle guys in masks▬but the closer you all get to the Demons, the more you all become a target."

    Nina thought about Norman's threat. She pursed her lips and swallowed the want to tell Peter, knowing she had to keep it to herself. If she told him, all of this would be over. "The closer we get, the better chance we have to stop them," she reminded Peter, and at his silence that followed, she knew she had made her point▬at least for now. 

    She glanced back over at the ambulance where MJ had finally managed to get to Officer Jefferson Davis. "Officer Davis! Mary Jane Watson, Daily Bugle," she offered her best smile. From behind the barricade, the Breaking News reporter threw her hands up, annoyed at the sight. 

    Officer Davis shook his head, looking tired but otherwise okay. The medics were preparing to push him up into the back of the ambulance. "No comment."

    Both Nina and Peter watched their friend glance at the other reporters, pursed her lips, and stepped closer: "I don't blame you. But, these guys are going to tell their story with or without you. And they thrive on controversy."

    Officer Davis considered her and Nina bit back a proud smile. Mary Jane Watson wasn't one to let anything stop her from getting what she wanted. "So what's your angle?" he murmured as he was transferred into the back of the ambulance.

    MJ shrugged, smiling. "I don't have one," she told him. "I just listen."

    And like that, where every other reporter failed, Mary Jane Watson earned her way in. Officer Davis breathed a tired chuckle. He sighed and nodded for her to follow. "All right."

    MJ grinned and climbed up into the back of the ambulance. The doors closed, and they drove off. 

    Nina heard Peter chuckle in his disbelief beside her as they watched the vehicle leave. "She's good," he admitted.

    "She's Mary Jane Watson," added Nina, smiling.

    "True," chuckled Peter one more. He was silent for a moment. Then he glanced at Nina at his side, and even though he felt so exhausted he might drop, he found himself asking: "You wanna get out of here?"

    Nina tilted her head, surprised, but a warmth spread through her chest. A little smile tugged at the corner of her lips again. "And go where?"

    "A rooftop?" he offered and her heart fluttered, suddenly struck with so many memories. "Somewhere▬anywhere. Just sit and talk." Noticing the curious smile on her face, Peter started to backtrack and grow nervous. "O▬Or I could take you back to your place▬in a▬in a completely normal, non-romantic, casual way▬" Amusement slowly bubbled up Nina's chest. "Or you could catch a taxi, and I'll just..."

    "Chrysler Building?" Nina cut him off, her smile soft and gentle.

    It took a second for Peter to realise she agreed, and even though she couldn't see his face, she could imagine the way his eyes lit up in a soft delight. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do that." 

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    AT NIGHT, the Chrysler Building lit up like a beacon▬a lighthouse in the centre of New York made out of pointed candles wrapping around the sides until it stretched to a single point. It was a famous representation of Art Deco architecture, and it stood out in the sea of blinking reds and harsh yellows as a soft, gentle and beautiful glow; the city's night light that protected them from the monsters lurking in the streets. The view from the base of its point was different than standing at the very tip of the Empire State Building (which Nina has done as well). It was something almost comforting▬to gaze out and see beauty amongst the harsh realities of the world and find the ability to almost imagine that they lived in a world where goodness existed above all else, surrounded by magic and glowing stars. It almost made her forget all of her problems. 

    "So, what was all that about?" Nina crossed her legs as she sat on a ledge, and leaned back against the steel frame, shuffling close into a corner to block out the wind. She glanced over at Peter beside her. His mask was off and he leaned back, too, looking like he was ready to fall asleep then and there.  

    "Hmm?" he let out, his eyes closed. 

    "The Demons tonight."

    "Pretty much what it looks like," Peter sighed, peeking an eye open to look at the curious tilt of her head. "Demons have been hitting Fisk's properties all night. It's most likely a brewing gang war▬they're grabbing weapons. Even Shocker's a part of it. He got roped into running a job for the Demons."

    She frowned at those words. "So ... they're trying to replace Fisk? Is that it?"

    "That would be bad enough," muttered Peter. He looked drained. Concern tugged at Nina's chest. "I just hope it's not something worse."

    Nina pursed her lips. "What about OSCORP?" she murmured.

    He shrugged, closing his eyes again and resting his head on the steel, decorative curve. "Nothing important since the estate sale. I'm starting to think it's just a coincidence."

    She gave him a disapproving look he missed with his eyes closed. "When is it ever just a coincidence, Pete?"

    "I don't know, Nina," there was a slight tension in his tone and it made her hesitate, "maybe I just want something disastrous to not become even more disastrous."

    She chewed the inside of her cheek and glanced back out at the view. Even just the slightest urge to tell Peter about Norman's threat crawled inside her to hide all over again. She wanted to tell him about what Vinnie said▬about everything, but she realised she had forgotten how complicated it always is when it came to telling Spider-Man about her fears and feeling like he was listening. 

    So, she changed the subject. "I love this view."

    Peter peeked open an eye once again. He grunted slightly, masking pain to his side from tonight and sitting up straighter to gaze at the cityscape, too. "Yeah?" he murmured. 

    Nina nodded, humming softly. Her hair drifted ever-so-slightly in the wind and she brushed it out of her eyes. "It's just ... special. I can't really explain it. It just makes me feel at ease. Like I'm a bird who can fly away from all that's bothering me, and for it never to catch up."

     She didn't see Peter's gaze soften when it settled upon her▬a breath of understanding that made him unable to look away from her. Not that he wanted to. Nina didn't know how the lights of the Chrysler Building and New York City around them complimented her in a brilliant haze▬like she was an angel being bathed in a pure, white light. 

    A little smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah," he agreed, not tearing his gaze away from her. "I love the view, too." Peter took a deep breath and had to force himself to focus on the city around them, his heart skipping a beat. Only Nina Hart could make it seem like nothing happened those past six months▬could make him feel and act like she had never left. He didn't know whether that realisation hurt or made him grow warm. "I come up here when I need to clear my head. Which is ... a lot."

    Nina's gaze returned to him. She hesitated. "Peter, you can't seriously be blaming yourself for all of this? You had no idea about these Demon guys and Fisk▬"

    "I know," he sighed, shaking his head. "I know." Peter fiddled with his webshooters. "I just..." he sighed again and leaned forward, resting his forehead in one of his hands. Nina watched him, feeling a familiar ache in her heart. "I guess after I stopped Fisk, and saw him go jail, I just ... I thought that maybe I'd get a break, for once. Go on vacation, or something. But I can't▬" Peter chuckled bitterly. "I can't run away off Europe for six months like Harry, or..."

    At the way his voice broke off, Nina understood what he meant. Her gaze fell and she swallowed a lump of shame down her throat. The view suddenly didn't make her feel so at ease anymore. 

    Peter realised and regretted it immediately. "I didn't ... I didn't mean it like that▬"

    "I know▬" said Nina quickly.

    "▬I'm just▬I haven't slept▬"

    "I know," she said again, a little more firm this time. Peter pursed his lips. 

     A heavy silence weighed between them. Nina clenched her eyes shut briefly and shook her head. This wasn't how she wanted this conversation to go. But she was silly to think they could avoid her absence forever whenever they saw each other▬that it would just be left behind and forgotten about; like she could pretend it never happened, and continue to act like the reasons why she left didn't come back to clench at her heart every time she turned on the television or glanced at the news on her phone. 

    If Officer Davis hadn't been there in time, Peter would have died just tonight. And yet, here they were, sitting at the top of the Chrysler Building and not even talking about it. It was always like that. Again, and again, and again. 

    But instead of mentioning it, Peter reached for something inside a small compartment in his suit. Nina glanced over and her frown softened when he held out his hand to her, and in his palm were two thumbdrives. She knew where they were from immediately. 

    "You went to the stations," she murmured, gingerly reaching out and taking the sticks with her fingers. She met his gaze and offered Peter a little smile. "Thanks."

    "Hey," the return of the gentle tone to his voice made Nina's smile brighten slightly, reassured. "I told you I'd help out."

    "Still," she clasped the drives in her palm, holding onto them tightly as warmth returned to her chest. "I know how busy you are."

     Peter gave her a smile, as well. Even though he was probably exhausted, the smile still reached his eyes, and it brightened his entire face▬a beacon in the dark that kept her safe. When she realised she had looked for too long, she hitched her breath and snapped her gaze down to her hands. She frowned, her heart racing. She knew this would be dangerous, with her feelings. She knew, even after six months. "It's▬uh▬it's getting late and ... and I got work in the morning..."

    "Right," said Peter quickly, jolting from the moment as if he had stood up too quickly, and now his entire world was spinning. "Right. Uh▬let me▬I can swing you back▬"

    "No," Nina winced when she sounded too abrupt. "I mean, I'll just... I can take a cab, it's okay. You've had a long few days, you should go home and rest."

    "O▬Okay," he tried not to sound disappointed. He couldn't help but feel like Nina was pushing him away again. "I'll ... I'll drop you off on the sidewalk, I guess and ... I'll see you around?"

    Nina nodded. She smiled again to try and break the sudden tension between them. "I'll keep my window open."

     That offered Peter some relief and reassurance. "Yeah," he nodded, too, managing a final, tired smile. "Sounds good."

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    WATCHING NINA getting into the backseat of the taxi from the rooftops, making sure she made it inside safely, Peter Parker hung his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath to keep himself awake. He had to go back to his apartment. Another fight and he was sure to drop from exhaustion. After Fisk, the Shocker (twice), these Demons and suddenly having Nina thrown back into his life, Peter wanted nothing more than to just drop down face first onto his pillow and sleep. 

    He rubbed his eyes and pulled his mask down over his head and face. Peter was exhausted▬way too exhausted to even take a moment to dwell on what Nina said and how she reacted. He supposed it was very easy with everything going on in such a short time to think that nothing had changed between them, but the truth was that Peter and Nina sat down at Mick's just two days ago. Three days ago, Peter had stared at their messages on his phone and the date on the last message sent from her six months ago. 

    Peter sighed and shook his head, deciding to focus on something else. He pulled out his phone to check if he had missed anything during his fight with the Demons. He frowned to see a missed call from Dr. Octavius. 

    It connected to his suit the moment he pressed play, and admittedly, there was a hitch to Peter's breath as he prepared himself for what his mentor and boss would have to say.

    "Peter," Dr. Octavius sounded tired, and it told Peter he probably was having another sleepless night filled with caffeine (but at least it was good coffee, the money spent on that new coffee machine in the lab was so worth it. It had been a lifesaver many times, for both Peter Parker and Spider-Man). "I might have been ... a bit too hasty advising you to find another job."

    Peter stopped at the very edge of the building, frozen with surprise. Maybe he had passed out from exhaustion, because when did he ever actually have genuine good luck like this?

    "I have a plan," Otto Octavius continued, and even though he was tired, there was a fresh determination that made Peter smile. "Just give me a bit of time, we may yet live to invent another day!"

    After the last few days Peter has had, hearing those made him slump with a relief that almost made him cry. Rewards weren't something Spider-Man ever received, but this sure felt like one. Working alongside Dr. Octavius was a different sort of rewarding feeling than Peter felt wearing this mask. In some strange way, it felt more genuine, because it wasn't the work of super strength or spider senses, it was real work▬with Peter's hands and his mind. It was hard, and it was frustrating, and it led to more losses than there were wins, but under Dr. Octavius's mentorship and guidance, Peter felt like he was finally having the chance to make a difference to the world that truly mattered as no one else but himself. For once, the work of Peter Parker felt just as important as Spider-Man. 

     To think he was going to lose that, Peter felt like he was losing a sense of purpose about him as well. 

     He took a deep breath and stared out at the city, feeling like some of the bricks of tension he had been carrying around on his shoulders was finally lifting. With it, though, Peter started to truly feel how exhausted he was. 

    Spider-Man rubbed at his forehead and stretched his arms, fighting back a yawn. He needed to sleep, otherwise he might just crash into a Daily Bugle billboard again. 

    Thinking that voicemail was a good way to end the night, Spider-Man took off down the street in the direction of home. 

    His apartment wasn't much. It was a dreadful, one-room shoebox with creaking floors, a rusty kitchenette that always had a strange smell to it, and a door that Peter always had to shove to open. The lights were dim and the ceiling fan wheezed every time it moved, and there was barely any room for a small couch and television (which was squeezed onto his messy desk overflowing with empty noodle boxes from the Chinese takeaway downstairs, gadgets, empty money-saving jars and a laptop that was close to falling apart), let alone Peter's king single bed pushed up against the wall. But the truth was, Peter barely spent any time at his apartment anyway. It didn't need to be great, it just needed to be a place where he could sleep and lick his wounds when he needed.

    Even then, Peter had always found himself at Nina's window whenever he needed help after being knocked down. It had been strangely comforting to feel like he could go to someone for help, instead of having to help himself▬and it made him realise how lonely he truly was without it. 

     Finally out of his suit, Peter massaged his bad shoulder and dragged his feet down the hallway. He yawned, wincing a little as the old ache came back to him from an injury a few years ago▬he was still trying to pay back the hospital bill. 

    He slowed down as he got to his door, yawning once again as he fished for his keys in the back pocket of his jeans. Rubbing at his eyes, he fumbled for the lock with his key without even looking. It slipped inside and Peter tried to turn it▬he frowned when it didn't budge. Facing the door, he tried again▬jiggling it this time, but nothing happened. Only then did he notice the bright yellow slip pinned to the peeling paint. Peter's stomach dropped at the bold lettering staring right back at him: EVICTION NOTICE.

    (He spoke too soon on the good luck). 

    Peter glanced around. Sure that there was no one else in the hallway, he gripped the handle and shoved his shoulder against the door▬it snapped askew off its hinges easily. He rushed inside his room and felt his throat close up. 

    His desk, his bed, his television▬even that damned second-hand couch▬was all gone. Peter's mouth felt dry as he wandered further into his room, his feet pushing past garbage bags full of his things until he stood in the centre. 

    He clenched his eyes shut and fought the urge to punch a wall. 

    Peter Parker never got rewards, and even when he thought he did, the laws of this Universe had to humble him to pieces all over again. 

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    a/n: this is a short chapter and i do apologise, especially since i haven't updated in a while. uni is crazy, it's exam season so most of my time is spent doing that, seeing my friends, my boyfriend, and also trying to keep up with an editing account as well. but i wanted to post something, and while i thought i was gonna do the garbage truck mission, that ones rly hard to scribe from the game onto paper in book format, so we're kinda skipping it. 

    peter parker never gets a break. ever. and it's so sad. 

    (ps: my boyfriend has such peter parker vibes about him and i don't actually know how to explain it or what that says about me but i- he's the biggest star wars fan, loves wargaming, goes to the gym everyday and can literally pick me up like i weigh nothing ffs and has such a peter parker haircut WHAT HAVE I DONE-?)