Like Two Drops of Water - Spideychelle

Chapter 3: Walking Her Home

I was sitting on the uncomfortable tiles of Liz's rooftop, still in the Spidey-suit, still contemplating if I should head home or not, when I heard someone slide the front door open. I waited for them to come forward from under the edge of the rooftop thinking that it was a drunken and upset teen who was coming out here to get away from some extraneous drama. But when they crossed the border, I could see clearly that it was Michelle. Her head was leaned down, looking at her phone. To my surprise, she didn't stop walking when she got past the property line. Instead she turned and headed down the street.

She's leaving? Already? All by herself?

So many questions ran through my mind that I decided, despite my better judgment, to try and get them answered. I stood up and ran along the tiles, hoping no one would hear me from the inside and forgetting that there was in fact loud music playing. I jumped into a tree beside the house before M.J. would fade too far from my sight.

I had never interacted with M.J. as Spider-Man besides earlier tonight, and I felt kind of nervous about it. I was a curious person by nature however, and I needed to get my questions answered. I needed to know if she had been upset by the trouble with Flash, or if she was leaving early because something else was bothering her.

If there was one thing that was different when I was Spider-Man compared to Peter Parker (besides the high tech gadgets and general confidence that came with the suit) it was how people found it easier to confide in the mask rather than the face. I don't know if it was inherently easier to talk to a concealed man with no personal identity of his own, or if it was just my face that was the problem. Either way, I can't tell you how many people had shared more than I had initially wanted to know in the aftermath of a returned bicycle or a near death. Come to think of it, perhaps trust between strangers was a direct result of a favor done in altruism.

But like I said, curious person by nature, friend walking alone in the dark — what was I supposed to do?

I wondered if she would like Spidey. I wondered things that I didn't normally find myself wondering about. Like: would she be impressed by my abilities? The little men on the inside of my stomach began to jump at that. I was entering unexplored territory, territory which I had debated the entrance of in the past. Michelle had never been part of Spider-Man. Ned had on occasions, but never M.J.

Not thinking, I jumped down onto the ground and ran the last bit toward her. When I had almost reached her I took a shot of my web at the lamppost above her and swung around it to land in front of her.

"Hey." I said confidently with a wave.

Surprisingly –although not all that surprising if you consider whom I was talking about– she seemed unfazed. Gloomy even. She took a last look at her phone before sliding it into her pocket and giving me her full attention.

"What are you up to?" She asked in a way that implied it wasn't one of those, 'I am interested in how you're doing.' and more, 'Why are you lurking around a dimly lit street in the middle of the night?'

I needed to ease the mood. Remind her of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man she had no-doubt seen on TV, saving kitties from trees.

"To tell you the truth, I am here for one reason only, and that is finding out what you are up to." I declared in my most whimsical voice.

She looked at me, only barely amused. "I am on my way home." She said, and set her walking in motion. She went past me, showing no indication of expecting me to follow along. But I did, out of seeing no other option in the comforts of my deluded mind.

"Hey! Hey! Wait for me—" I paused to think of what was acceptable for me to call her in this universe where I supposedly didn't know her name, "...Girl." I settled on.