Spider-Man/Peter Parker One-Shots

(HC) The Price of Heroics

No Way Home spoilers ahead!

MJ was talking to her best friend Ned while you swept behind the counter. The kid had come in several times, and every time you saw him, MJ was sure to be nearby talking about college. Occasionally you contributed to the conversation, but mostly let them talk to each other. You were planning on taking a gap year to save up money before spending it all on college, plus it gave you time to figure out what you wanted to do. You were only deciding the course of the rest of your life after all.

"Who do you think your roommate will be? I hope mine is cool," Ned was saying. MJ shrugged.

"As long as they stay out of my business, I won't mind who it is." You nodded along to that. As much as you wanted a dorm all to yourself, you didn't want to fork out the extra cash to have one.

The door chimed as you looked up. You set the broom aside as MJ kept up their conversation and you attended to the customer. He was looking starstruck at your co-worker so it took a couple tries to get his attention. "What can I get for you?"

"Oh, um..." He looked at the board behind you for a few seconds, his gaze occasionally bouncing over to MJ.

"Do you want a recommendation?" you asked, amusement turning up the corners of your lips.

"What? Oh, yeah, sure." An awkward smile lit up his face for a second as he crossed his arms, forcing himself to stare at the floor instead. You looked over your shoulder at MJ, who was watching the boy with confusion.

"I like a vanilla latte with 2 pumps of caramel, otherwise MJ's favorite is a black soulless coffee." She rolled her eyes at your joke. "Who goes to a coffee shop for boring bland black coffee?"

"Yeah, ha ha, who would do that?" Something in the boy's tone made you think he'd done that but you chose not to press. "I'll have the vanilla one, with the caramel please."

"Good choice." you grinned. As you had your back turned making it for him, you heard your boss step outside of his office for the first time today to bother his employees.

"Michelle, this isn't social hour. Make yourself busy." His snippy tone was met with irritation by MJ, but she grabbed the broom and swept the floor. She stared down the boss until he went back into his office.

"What a prick," you and MJ said at the same time.

"Is he usually that rude?" the boy asked.

"On the days that end in Y," you grumbled.

"I only have to deal with it until college starts," MJ said, a hint of longing in her voice.

"We're going to MIT together!" Ned piped up excitedly.

"Oh that's awesome, good for you guys," the boy said, genuinely proud.

"Here you are, sir." You handed the latte to him. "Try not to freeze out there." The wind was whipping outside, carrying with it a blanket of snow. You were just happy to be warm inside.

"I'll do my best, thanks." He took it carefully from you and cupped it in both hands, which you noticed were red from the cold. He handed over some money and you threw it in the cash register. You cleaned up the small mess you made while you listened to MJ and Ned's conversation.

After you were done and trying to seem busy, you noticed the boy still hadn't left. He seemed to be in a trance as he stared at the two friends talking. You waltzed over to him, shaking your head. "You know you can go talk to them right?"

"Hm? Oh, right." He looked down at his drink. "I shouldn't."

"It's less creepy than staring." He flushed and struggled to make sound come out as his mouth gaped. You smiled. This boy was rather amusing.