2 weeks later

The weeks that followed, Peter had become the talk of the Daily Bugle. Everyone wanted to know his secret on how he got such good photos of Spider-Man, and how none mimicked the other. They were all different in various ways.

From posing in the air to fighting a bad guy, Peter became the kid everyone in the Bugle wanted to be: liked by J. Jonah Jameson.

Most of the workers in the Daily Bugle weren't even remembered by Jonah. He couldn't name 6 off of the top of his head. All he knew now were Peter, Moriah, and Eddie. And this other girl, Melissa, but he sometimes mistook her for a Maggie.

Today was Peter's off day, and he decided to just spend it in his apartment. He usually wasn't in here as often as he thought he'd be, sometimes outside taking pictures for TDB, or swinging around as Spider-Man, helping wherever he could.

Today, however, was different. Different because he was getting a neighbor. And not a neighbor on his floor. A neighbor right across from him.

And how he discovered that, was because he slammed right into somebody carrying a box as he was going to leave his apartment... because he ran out of milk.

"Crap! Sorry—" Peter's eyes widened at the female voice, watching as a girl his age peeked around the box, her shining red hair flopping off of her shoulder. "I didn't hurt you, did I? That was a bit of an aggressive slam." She laughed awkwardly, and Peter shook his head slowly.

"No... no you didn't." He answered in a quiet voice, stepping out of the way. The girl went to grab her keys, which ended in the two boxes on top of the large one falling.

Peter grabbed both boxes, the girl sucking in a sharp breath. "I knew I should have stuck to one box at a time." She laughed again, Peter outstretching his hands.

"Here, I can help." He offered as she shook her head.

"No it's okay I got it." She said, though it ended with the box nearly slipping out from her fingers. She paused for a moment, turning to Peter and handing him the box. "Thanks.." she muttered awkwardly, Peter nodding as he stacked the boxes up, watching her unlock the apartment.

"I'm Peter, by the way." He continued and walked into her apartment, setting the boxes down on the islands counter.

"I'm Mary Jane. You can call me MJ, if you'd like." She smiled again, Peter's eyes locking with hers for a moment. Her eyes were beautiful, like a dark forest with the sunlight seeping through the leaves.

"Well. If you still need help I just live right across from you."

"Actually, that would be really nice. I don't have anyone else to help." She clasped her hands together. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No. Not at all." Don't do this. Peter shook away the quiet thought, walking with MJ to the elevator. "So.. uh— where are you from?"

"Oh I'm from Montoursville, Pennsylvania, been living in Queens most of my life. And you?" She turned to face Peter, brows raised in question.

"Oh, I'm from Queens, too. Moved out of my aunts a few weeks ago." MJ nodded, watching the numbers go down.

"Exciting, isn't it? Getting to live on your own for the first time." She smiled nervously, thumbs rubbing against one another as Peter nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. Little nerve-wracking, too."

𖣔

Mary Jane and Peter had finally finished moving everything into her apartment, Peter learning that MJ moved here to Pursue her career as a model and actress. He realized she tended to hum when their conversations fell silent, and spin the ring she had on her middle finger when waiting for the elevator.

She seemed to be a party person, giving that Peter had found a stash of alcohol when helping her get boxes from the large U-Haul.

"Shoot. You don't need to see that." She chuckled, closing the box she had forgotten to tape and carried it inside.

Peter opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by MJ's phone ringing. "Oh.. sorry that's probably my sister. I should take this but thank you so much for helping." She smiled as Peter did, making his way out of her apartment.

"Nice meeting you, MJ." Peter waved as MJ answered her phone, smiling and waving goodbye.

"See you around, Tiger." She winked, shutting the door behind him.

Peter stared at the closed door for what felt like an eternity before he spun around, walking into his own apartment.

In the hour that he spent getting to know the girl across from him, a flair of light felt like it had opened inside of his darkening heart. A feeling that he hadn't felt in months, yet it was stronger than before.

You can't do this, Peter. Not after Gwen. Keep MJ safe. He thought to himself as he collapsed onto his couch, staring at the ceiling.

Maybe there was a way to be friends with MJ and still keep her safe. But he felt it was unlikely. There was still that feeling something bad could happen to MJ by just seeing her face. It made her a target for any villains that could discover his secret identity.

Life had been u fair to Peter his whole life. Everyone be cared about was dead except for his aunt. The only person he needed to keep himself sane. And if she died too...

Peter feared worse things could happen if she left this world too soon.