Peter bit on his lip. "What kind of game?"

Before Michelle could answer a girl squealed. "Oh my gosh, it's Spider-Man!"

Peter froze. He physically couldn't move at that moment. He wasn't wearing his mask... this felt so weird. Someone recognized him. Everyone knows that Peter Parker is the Spider-Man. May was going to murder him tonight.

The girl ran up to them with her group of friends. "Wow, your costume is so realistic!" She gave him a grin. "Spider-Man is, like, my favorite superhero." Then, she did the unexpected. The girl dipped down and pressed her lips to his.

Peter had his first kiss when he was young with Betty Brant when they were in first grade. But he had never kissed anyone ever since it happened. So this... this was not what he wanted. The smell on the girl was repulsive. The stench of alcohol stung his nose and she tasted just like it too. Peter cringed and gripped her shoulders to push her off of him. The girl kept trying to lean into him but finally, Peter won the little wrestling match.

She giggled. "Did you see that, guys?" She glanced back at her friends, her feet taking her backward unsteadily. "I kissed the superhero Spider-" she never finished his name. The girl slipped and into the pool.

Peter jumped up, ready to help her out, but the girl had kicked up to the surface and screamed a cheer.

Michelle blinked hard, unsure of what she had just witnessed.

Peter turned to look at her, he too at a loss for words.

"Well," Michelle pursed her lips. "Okay, Spider-Man, do all of the ladies kiss you when you're saving New York?"

He nervously chuckled, lowering himself to his spot beside Michelle. Okay, so still no one really thought that Peter was the Spider-Man. It's allcostume. He had to play his part. "No, that was certainly a first for Spider-Man."

"So... back to our game." Michelle quickly changed the subject and Peter was relieved to get the thought of the girl's lips on his out of his head. "It's called two truths and a lie. So one person says three things about themselves and two of them is a truth and one of them is a lie. The other person has to guess the lie. You in?"

Peter eagerly nodded his head.

"I'll go first." Michelle hesitated to think of something to say. "One: I once appeared on television. Two: I left the country. Or Three: I want to be a makeup artist. Which one is the lie?"

It was only the first round and Peter was stumped. He didn't know a single personal thing about Michelle Jones. This game was going to be impossible for him to do. Peter rubbed his chin in concentration. "Um... two?"

"Wrong!" Michelle seemed pleased with Peter's attempted guess. "My parents made me do this dancing gig and I didn't know it was going to air on tv when I was six. I actually vacationed in Jamaica and it was amazing, but the third one is wrong. Doing makeup is okay and all, but I'm not sure of what I really want to do."

"But you're so good at it," protested Peter. "Like your art? Those drawings of people... in crisis are really detailed. And have you looked at yourself in the mirror tonight? The stitches..."

Michelle held up her hand to get him to stop talking. "Flattery won't win this game, Parker. Go."

"Okay," he smoothed down his hair. "One: I hate indie bands. Two: I love the Mets. Or Three: I'm scared of spiders."

The last one made Michelle laughed slightly. "Oh, scared of spiders and you dress up as Spider-Man? You're being ballsy again."

"So which one is it, MJ?"

Michelle hummed softly. "I think... it's gotta be three, man. I just don't believe that crap."

Peter grinned. "Wrong! My uncle was a huge Mets fan and it just grew on me when I was a kid. And spiders are a little scary. I don't like it when they bite me. But one is a lie. My favorite indie band is Alt-J. Have you heard of them?"

Michelle snickered. "Why didn't I see that coming?"

They played a few more rounds, each one getting harder than the last. Peter wasn't sure how long he played but he never thought he would learn so much about Michelle in this one night. What's her favorite food? Pancakes but without any syrup. When she was young, she peed her pants on a roller coaster.

The more he learned, the harder it was to imagine that this was the same girl that refused to speak to anyone. Right here, in this moment, however, Peter saw her. The pool lights glowed on the side of her face, making her eyes shine brighter. The strobe lights from inside illuminated her dress and skin. And the way she laughed...

She's beautiful.

"Okay, okay!" Michelle tried to keep a straight face. "You really had me there. For a second, I thought you really did go streaking."

"Did I?"

Michelle rolled her eyes. "So if I asked you to go streaking now, would you do it?"

Peter's face flushed, and suddenly he felt hot. He pulled at the collar of his Spider-Man suit in embarrassment. "N-No..." He denied. Then, he maintained direct eye contact with her and seriously said, "I would if you would."

She snorted, "Well that's not going to happen, Parker. Nice try. Anyways, it's your turn. Lie to me."

"If you insist." Peter took a deep breath, trying to think of what he should say. He started running out of interesting facts about himself in the fifth round. He looked up at her again she waited for him patiently.

Peter realized something. He was at a party. It was a fun party. He was having a good time with someone he didn't expect to. In fact, whether either of them liked to admit it or not, they were dates. Together. This was it.

He made up his mind. "Okay. One: I never had a dance with a girl." Peter's heart pulsed. Time seemed to slow. "Two: I have... trouble talking to girls." He saw Michelle's eyes widening. "Or three: I kissed someone I really care about."

Michelle sat rigid in front of him, processing his words. She lowered her eyes from him, unable to focus on him. Peter began to wonder if what he said was really a good move. He had no idea what forced him to say such a thing! This was horrible. Just when he was starting to really understand Michelle and like her, he went ahead and ruined it.

"I..." Michelle began.

"Everyone let's give a warm welcome to DNCE!" Flash yelled in his microphone, his voice echoing outside even. A crowd of teenagers cheered like mad men inside the house. The people outside all scampered out to run to see the band.

"We should, um," Michelle pointed behind her at the house with her thumb.

Peter nodded, ducking his head and avoided eye contact with Michelle with his cheeks burning red. "Yeah, let's go."

That was a bad move. Seriously bad move. What were you thinking, Peter?! And since when did you ever want to... with Michelle... of all people?

He cringed at his earlier attempt... at what? Peter didn't exactly know. He didn't plan this far ahead into his actions.

He hung back from Michelle as they entered Flash's house once more. They were drawn to the front of the house at the foyer where the crowd was the thickest. Everyone looked up, so Peter and Michelle did the same to see that the band DNCE were upstairs with their equipment.

The band began to play and people danced. Peter and Michelle had been swooped away with the crowd and ended up in a corner in the living room.

The music roared. Peter couldn't help but tap his foot along with the beat. He remembered Michelle's rules. The very first rule she told him was no dancing. How could she not dance at a party? Michelle backed up into the corner of the living room. She held onto her wrist and pressed her head against the crack where the walls met.

Conversation. Peter can do this. Don't be weird. Again.

"You know, uh," Peter began, "I didn't think you would... wear that costume."

Michelle rolled her eyes. "You thought I was going to dress up as one of those sexist playboy bunnies to contribute to the objectification of women to men's disgusting sexual desires?" She groaned at him and folded her arms across her chest defensively. "That's disgusting, Peter, how dare you ever put that thought in your head."

That was not what he meant at all. Dammit, Peter, you said one thing and it was already weird again! Peter quickly rushed out, "What?! No! I didn't think that at all! In fact, I thought you were going to wear nothing!"

Her jaw dropped with her eyes narrowed at him. Michelle's lips drew into a fine line as she flicked her curly hair away from her face. "It's amazing how you don't realize what comes out of your mouth until after you say it. I applaud you for your blissful ignorance." To mock him, she elegantly, yet sarcastically clapped. Her entire performance made her look very much like the dead queen she dressed up to be.

Peter exasperated, "That's not what I meant and you know it, Michelle!"

He took a moment and shut his eyes. Start over. "I mean- I thought you wouldn't really be into party themes since you don't like parties that much, right? Too many people doing stupid things, the music sucks, you wish you could be anywhere else with a friend to hang out with, but you're stuck at a party for who knows how long and everywhere you look, there are couples making out. And the way people dance?" He thought of Michelle doing what the girls out there were doing against boys. "No way would you be caught doing something as... well, objectifying as that. So, like, yeah, I just thought to contribute to the costume theme wasn't your thing. I thought you would show up as Michelle Jones, the only normal person here."

Her gaze on him was haunting. He never felt so small until that moment. The effect this girl had on him was astounding. Not even Liz could render him this powerless.

Michelle finally admitted, "That...might be the most intelligent thing you have said, even if you are on decathlon." She stepped away from the corner she was in and wrapped her fingers around a lamp. Michelle maintained eye contact with Peter the entire time she spoke. "Usually yes, I would agree, but Halloween is awesome. The costumes are awesome because you wouldn't know it was me if I were to, say, trash your house." She smirked as she pushed the lamp from its table. The lamp shattered on the floor.

So rule number 3, huh? Sabotage. Peter normally wouldn't condone this behavior but the smirk she gave him was contagious. He laughed, "I wonder who did that."

The first right thing Peter said all night. It made her nod, content with his answer. "Me too, Peter, me too. How awfully rude of them to ruin the host's house since they were so graciously invited to a rich kid's party." She made her way to a vase with a plant inside. She knocked it over and the soil spread across the floor. "But not to worry!" She yelled, "He can afford it of course!"

"It's only logical to expect some collateral damage from such an occasion as this," he played along eagerly. "All of these people, masked, in disguise, doing whatever the hell they want because they won't be recognized..." Peter searched the room for something to destroy. His eyes locked on an elegant porcelain fish decoration next to the tv. He forcibly knocked it over, slightly wincing at the crash but he could barely hear it over the music. "It's human nature!" He gave her a toothy grin.

"Human nature demands me to do this!" Michelle shoved a tall speaker with both hands. A girl jumped out of the way before it hit her and fell to the ground.

Peter flipped the table. People watched as he gripped the sides of the mahogany wood furniture and began to lift it up. They chanted, "Go! Go! Go!" at the small boy as he heaved and knocked it over to the side. Peter had to put on a good show, but he could have thrown the table with one finger if possible.

Michelle screamed, "Yeah, Peter!" She shot her first in the air for victory, making Peter laugh. She leaned onto the wall again, a sly smile on her lips. "Now what does human nature demand you do now, Spider-Man?"

Peter didn't realize how close he had gotten to her. He stood directly in front of Michelle with his arm supporting his weight by touching the space on the wall beside her. He casually stood on one foot while the other balanced on his toes. He felt so free, so liberated without even realizing it, thanks to Michelle.

The smug look she gave him only meant that she knew how free he felt at that moment. Peter was open. The best version of himself. He couldn't help but think of what Tony had said to him the night before: "Be exciting. Think big."

His eyes wandered to her lips. He felt gravity pull him into her.

"It demands me to..."

No, he thought, I'm not going to ruin this night for the second time.

"...to dance! Come on!" He swiped her hand and dragged Michelle away from the wall.

She fumbled after him, her eyes incredulous. She gasped, "What? We already talked about dancing as one of my rules! You're breaking my rules!" She tugged back, forcing Peter to a stop.

"I think we've broken lots of things tonight, MJ." Lighten the mood, Parker! "How about we bust some moves?"

"Oh my god, who do you think you are, Young MC?" Michelle closed herself off again by turning away from him, sticking her head up high.

"I'll be if you want me to be!" he pleased. Peter gestured around them in the abandoned family room that they had migrated to. A few lost teens were in the room, minding their own business and tending to themselves. "No one is watching! Just dance with me like you actually give a damn, please? I don't want to look stupid all by myself."

"You already look stupid. But that would be even funnier."

"MJ!"

Michelle's nose twitched. She let her arms flop to her sides in defeat. "Fine! Only this once, and if you record me, I will end you." She jabbed her finger at his chest threateningly.

The corner of Peter's mouth pulled up to a half-smile. "I know you will."

Peter began to move, not quite sure of what he was doing at the moment. May had only shown him how to slow dance and "Cake By The Ocean" was no slow dance. He let his hips move every time there was a sharp change in the beat. Peter stared down at his own feet to make sure he wasn't going to trip over himself. He soon got his entire body into the motion and he excitedly glanced up at Michelle, who only stared back, trying not to laugh at his face. Peter added in a few hip thrusts that went along with the beat and incorporated a hideous dab. He shouted, "MJ, don't make me look stupid alone!"

"This is awful..." But she bobbed her head and tapped her foot.

Peter lifted his arm to do the wave and he was delighted to see that Michelle mimicked him (although hers was a hell of a lot more artistic than his). They kept moving with no clear purpose, adding in old dance moves like the sprinkler and the robot where they seemed to fit until the chorus came.

Peter screamed the lyrics as loud as he could as he danced. Michelle released the laugh she had been holding in the entire time, but she kept moving. "Ah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! I-" Peter pretended to slam drums with each word.

Together they yelled with everyone in the entire house, "-keep on hoping we'll eat cake by the ocean, huh!" Michelle and Peter bumped their hips together hard, sending each other sliding a few feet away.

The song continued until the band ended with a thank you. The crowd cheered excitedly until DNCE announced their next song.

"Who the hell flipped my fucking table?!" yelled Flash from the living room.

Peter and Michelle looked at each other, eyes wide but their smiles wider. "Run?" asked Peter.

"Run!" Michelle turned and made a bee line for the front door with Peter hot on her heels.