𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐨

fortyone.

With a stack of cardboard boxes in my arms and multiple paper bags looped up my arms, I walked from the delivery truck to the kitchen with ease. That was, until Aunt May commented on how much I was carrying and I had to pretend like it was tremendously heavy and that I had overestimated myself.

"Yeah I really didn't think they'd be as heavy as they were so I kinda just pushed through it," I said to her, chuckling and placing everything down on the large metal tables, rubbing my arms as if they were sore.

"Just take it easy okay? I don't want you over exerting yourself," May said pouting and pushing her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose.

Aunt May works at FEAST here in Chinatown, a non for profit homeless shelter for those in need. There's another branch in Harlem too but I've only been a handful of time. She's worked here as long as I can remember, stepping in to run the shelter with her friend Martin.

I've spent a lot of time volunteering at this place, especially during my youth. When I was a little girl, I used to help May hand out pieces of fruit in the mornings to the homeless people and make friends with them. It was only when I got older that I realised many homeless people go unnoticed in New York and without places like FEAST, many pass away. The downside to this is that FEAST can't afford to house every single homeless person in the city.

And it breaks my heart.

So I always make sure that I check in on homeless people whenever I do a Spider-Woman patrol. Sometimes just greeting a visit from their friendly neighbourhood spider is enough to put a smile on their face for that week, and it makes me happy to see that.

As my phone buzzed in my pocket, I was quick to open the notification. I couldn't help but smile to myself when I saw Harry's name pop up, and it was even harder when he was sending me photos of a puppy in his office.

HARRY
This lil guy makes work just
the tiniest bit better

Y/N
Aww.. Is he yours???

HARRY
I wish :(

HARRY
My Dad's head scientist got
him as a new family pet

Y/N
Well he's a cutie

HARRY
Hmm I could say the same
about you

"Who are you always texting? You know Ben and I miss having quality time with our niece. When you're not at the Stark internship, you're with MJ, and then if you're actually home, you're constantly texting," May pouted.

"Oh! Sorry, it's just a new friend," I said putting my phone in my jacket pocket again.

"I know better than to believe it's 'just a friend' when you're smiling at the screen like that... Is it Peter?" She smirked.

"Uh no, he's been hanging out with his ex girlfriend lately and it's made me a bit distant. I'm uh, I'm actually texting a new boy," I admitted shyly.

May was good to talk to about guys; she didn't pry like Uncle Ben did. She firstly told me that she always had a strange feeling about Peter, that he was a player and she was worried I'd fall for him. Then she said she was relieved to hear I had found a different boy to 'obsess over' which I objected.

"His name is Harry... I met him at the arcade. He works for his Dad's start up so he's smart, and he's really nice and really tall and he's pretty cute too," I blushed.

"Aw well he sounds great Y/N. What type of work does his Dad do?" She asked intriguingly.

"I think it's pharmaceuticals... It's pretty new so it's not like a well known company or anything. He said they work on cures for diseases and stuff," I smiled.

"I can't say I don't respect a boy who spends his days helping other people in need. That's exactly what we're doing here," May smiled, passing me a box cutter to start unpacking the food deliveries.

I feel guilty for not spending more time with Aunt May and Uncle Ben at home. But they finish work and come home at night. And night is when most of the city's crime occurs. Maybe I just have to start taking nights off... But if something bad happens then it's my fault. No, there are other New York based heroes, they can tend to it right?

Plus, half these crimes are set up by Wilson fucking Fisk and his corrupt police force, so they're not even real crimes. Except they endanger real people and that means the fake crime is committing real crime. Fuck, why can't this be easier? I just want to relax at home and eat Uncle Ben's special meatballs and not constantly worry if someone's out there dying.

"Are you going to meet up with Harry properly?" May asked, not being able to help herself but pry into my love life even more.

"I mean, I would probably consider it... I'm just busy a lot you know? I don't know if I have time for a boyfriend," I shrugged.

That wasn't technically a lie. I mean, I do have time for a boyfriend but not when I have a second life he doesn't know about and that I always get whisked away without reasons. It's hard enough lying to my family, let alone someone you're dating.

"You're young Y/N, you don't need a boyfriend now anyways. Sometimes it's nice to go on a date or two, have a bit of a kiss and a cuddle and then call it a night. Enjoy just dating casually," she chuckled, stacking meal boxes up in the fridge.

"Yeah... I dunno, a part of me still likes hanging out with Peter though... I just can't figure him out," I admitted.

"If I'm honest with you, he seems like he needs to grow up a bit more and experience the real world. I know that having Tony Stark as a father figure would have given him a sense of privilege and power, and perhaps a lack of awareness from being sheltered but he's just a bit... I don't know, he just doesn't seem like your type is all," she said shaking her head.

As much as I was angry with Peter, I was also intrigued by May's thoughts on him. After all, she knew I was crushing on him for the past few months. I also guessed that she would only know Peter the same way everyone else would; from tabloids and media. They didn't know about his sensitive side or his nerdy side or the fact he hated when ice cubes touched his teeth.

Maybe I'm the one who doesn't know Peter as well as I thought I did. Maybe the pretentious playboy side to him is very much still alive...