The Burlesque Lounge (MCU AU)

Chapter 1

Peter

I look around the run down diner. My aunt sits next to me, our boss in the bathroom. We split our tips.

"Sixteen fifty, sixteen fifty." I say, sliding hers to her.

"Are you all ready to go?" I nod.

"As soon as I get my check." I've been packed for months. May thinks I'm crazy but I've gotta go. "Beck, I need my check." I tell him as he exits the bathrooms.

"Pay is at the end of the month." He reminds me, patting my head.

"You haven't paid us in two!"

"You'll get your check at the end of the month."

"Beck, I'm serious, I'm quitting."

"I'll be back before dinner." He walks out. I shake my head as May sighs.

"Yea? Well I won't." I go over to the register.

"Peter?"

"I'm taking what I'm owed. Nothing more." I count the bills out to $1110.

"He'll come after you."

"He'll have to find me first." I look at her. "I'll be home after I close up, then I'm gone."

"You have everything?"

"That's a question for later." I kiss her on the head. "Hey, once I'm big and famous, I'll send a private jet over to get you. I'll call you every day."

"You better."

"And you better come visit me."

"I will."

"It's only a bus ride away."

"I know, Peter."

"Only an hour's drive."

"Why does it feel like I'm leaving you?" She jokes. "I larb you, Peter."

"I larb you too, May." I give her a hug. "Go, you have to be at Whole Foods in twenty, I'll finish up here. I won't go until the morning." She smiles at me, her only blood.

"You're too good to me."

"Nonsense."

"Alright. I'll see you when I get home."

"Bye, May." She walks out the door.

I pocket my money and flip the sign from Open to Closed. I finish wiping down tables while singing along to the jukebox.

I wait by the bus stop after I lock up, leaving my keys hanging on the door.

Once I get into town, I head to the bank.

"Hello, Peter Parker here to make a withdrawal."

"Account number?"

"6 1 3 6 2 9 7 4 0 2 1" I say.

"Alright and how much do you want to withdraw?"

"How much do I have?"

"$1,782.69" I sigh.

"All of it."

"All of it?" She repeats. I nod. "Okay." She hands me the cash and I leave, making mental note of all my cash.

1110+16.50+1782.69... That's about 2910. Then I've got all of my coin rolls which I need to cash but I can do that when I get into the city. I don't even know how much I have in coins so... Almost 3000. Great place to start. That should at least get me a hotel room, an apartment if I'm lucky.

Arriving at the house I go to my room to begin wrapping the rest of my change. I have three giant pickle jars full of change, and a couple old milk jugs. I should be able to get at least halfway through some of it by eight as it's two now, and then I should start dinner. I dump the change out on my bed and start sorting.

See, May did this thing for me. As soon as her and Uncle Ben got custody of me, everytime they'd buy something, they'd save the change. Got me in on it too. We'd roll it as a family, and put it in our china cabinet. They did it for me, but most of it was spent on his funeral. Me and May kept it up, though. So our china cabinet is full of change. We'll have to make trips when she gets back, to different banks, then I'll take whatever's left and sort through it in the city.

~~~

~~~

After sorting through about all of my giant jars and two of the milk jugs, I've got roughly $500, mostly from quarters and even a few dollar coins and the odd bills. It's almost eight, so I begin dinner. Chicken strips and fries.

Once I get that in the oven, I open my old laptop and start apartment hunting. And by that I mean I make sure the one I've had my eye on is still there. I'm elated when I see that it is. It's only $1,600 a month, it's partially furnished, and it's in the middle of the city. I call the number.

"Hello?" A woman's voice answers on the other end.

"Hello, I'm Peter. Parker, calling on account of the one bedroom one bath apartment in Unit 2A?"

"Ah yes. If you would like to see it I can set you up an appointment?"

"That would be great, how's tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is lovely. Uhh, how about ten in the morning?" I wince.

"Got anything earlier?"

"Seven thirty? That's the earliest I can go." I sigh.

"Alright, seven thirty works. Uh, if I do happen to like the place and there's nothing wrong with it, how soon could I move in?"

"You could move in right then and there if you wanted to, hun. Oh, I'm Hope Van Dyne with Van Dyne Realtors. I'll be the one you are meeting with, if that's okay?"

"Perfect, thank you Ms. Van Dyne." I hang up. I smile. Heck yea! Awesome. I go back to my room and recheck that I've got everything packed, including the air mattress just in case. May is going with me in the morning, since it's her day off, and she's already agreed to help me scope the place.

~~~

~~~

Altogether I have $3,628.75. I'm not letting May give me the china cabinet change. She'll need it for rent. She's helping me move in, as the apartment was completely fine. Ms. Hope is going to be my landlord, so that's nice.

"I'll be down every day off I can." I smile at her and kiss her head.

"And I'll be up for the holidays, if possible."

"You don't sell yourself short, okay? You are talented. You can do anything."

"I know, May."

"And you're so smart. I wish you'd stayed in school."

"I had to help, besides, I take classes online."

"You could've gotten into MIT."

"I know. Hey, I've gotta get job hunting."

"Alright. I larb you."

"I larb you too."