The Note || Peter Parker One Shot

The Note

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Perching on the edge of the roof, he rustled around his pockets for it. In a breath of relief- he found it. It felt silly, keeping it for so long but he could never bring himself to throw it away. The aching would bubble up inside of him, he could feel the weight on his chest still.

He crouched down further and sat on the edge of the roof, feet dangling. He pulled off his mask, still holding the note in his other hand. Unfolding the note, he read it for the millionth time.

Come home safe, I'll leave a light on. ♡

MJ left these notes often, he kicked himself for not keeping more of them. He had always gotten home late. She would always leave the living room lamp on for him. It was an antique lamp that she had needed from the flea market. It had a floral stained-glass shade, and it was unbelievably heavy. It lit their tiny apartment in a warm yellow glow. Every night as he swung home, he could see the soft yellow glow in the window. When they got their cat, she too joined the lamp in the window. He would like to think the cat was waiting up for him, but it was a good view.

The winter wind whipped across his bare cheeks. How long had it been? He counted the months in his head— almost a year. The thought of her ached, he missed her terribly. There were several times where he thought about reaching out. But he never wanted to push. The first few weeks after the breakup he would hang around the neighborhood they had lived in. Maybe Spider-Man's presence would keep the crime down. Keep her safe. He also couldn't help himself and would find himself swinging by. Sure enough, he'd always see the yellow glow with the cat's silhouette in the window. He knew MJ probably kept it on more out of habit than for him. There was always that itching in the back of his head that hoped it was for him.

He thought back to their first date, he had been so unbelievably nervous to ask her. But she said yes. They met for coffee went for a walk in the park. They talked and talked for hours. He remembers synchronistic click of the streetlights signaling how long they had been there. Walking her home after and the kiss she gave him on the cheek. He about melted into the sidewalk.

He remembers the 2nd date. He told himself he'd kiss her on the second. She kissed him first. She did it suddenly, crashing her lips in to his. She backed up and apologized.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." He had replied.

He leaned in and kissed her. The kiss made him fluttery; he could taste the wine on her lips from dinner. She later told him she nearly passed out before she had kissed him. He laughed, she lightly shoved him and reminded him that it had taken him almost a year to ask her out initially.

He remembers the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th dates. He finally asked her if he could call her his girlfriend.

"Well, my friends already think you're my boyfriend. So, I think that'd be alright." She said laughing and blushing madly.

He remembers the first time he took her to his roof. Not the roof of his shitty apartment, the roof of a local pizza place. (The best pizza in New York.) MJ had laughed at him jokingly.

"You just like this roof because there's good pizza close by." She had put air quotes on the words 'good pizza'. He cocked his eyebrow at this.

"Well, technically yes," he quietly started mumbling, "and it's easy to sneak on to." He sucked a breath and his tone returned to normal. "But most importantly, look at this view, MJ."

He had reached out and gently tilted her head up. He relished in the look of surprise on her face. The sun had started to set, and she looked oh so beautiful. The pizza shop was on a corner, and just high enough to make the skyline broad and wide. The water in the distance sparkled. They could see faint stars appearing in the distance.