His Protective Dad (Starker FF)

Rumours and Realisations

Two months had passed since that cozy morning with Steve, MJ, and Tony, filled with laughter and stories. Life felt lighter; Peter and MJ had settled into a comfortable routine, balancing school, their friendships, and their shared secret lives. But this particular day brought an odd sense of tention as soon as they walked into the school. The moment they stepped through the front doors, they noticed the glances, the whispers, and the furtive looks that seemed to follow down the hall.

"Are... Are they all staring at us?" Peter asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

MJ nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Definitely. Soomething is up."

They moved towards their lockers, pretending not to notice, but the strange atmosphere grew impossible to ignore. Finally, one of MJ's friends approach, a hesitant look on her face.

"MJ... Is it true? Are you and Peter married?"

Peter's face turned pale. "What?? No!! Where did you heard that?"

The girl shrugged, looking almost apologetic. "I don't know, it's everywhere. Someone must have heard overhead something, and.... well you know, how fast rumours spread."

MJ managed to keep her composure, but Peter's heartbeat began to quicken. His breathing grew shallower as the whispers seemed to get louder, amplifying his unease.

MJ, sensing his tention, placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Hey, it's just a rumour. We'll clear it up. Don't worry."

But as they continued through the hallway, the stares and murmurs persisted, feeling like a spotlight on them. Peter's anxiety began to bubble up, a mix of frustration and panic that only worsened with each passing second.

And then, flash Thompson appeared, wearing a smug grin that made Peter's heart race even faster.

"Well, well," Flash sneered, "Stark is it true? Do you really go and get married? What are you? Some kind of cheapster? Faggot."

The insult struck Peter like a blow. His breaths came faster, the sound of the hallways growing louder, the fluorescent lights too bright. It was too much, crashing down on him in a spiral of noise and light.

"Peter," MJ's voice broke through the haze, her tone gentle yet steady as she cupped his face, trying to ground him. "Just look at me, okay? Focus on my voice."

Peter tried, his vision blurring as he looks at her. The whispers still lingered, but MJ's calming presence began to pull him back from the edge.

She took slow, deep breath and guided him to match her breathing, one breath at a time. Gradually, the world came back into focus, and Peter's heartbeat slowed.

Behind them, a teacher approached, but MJ shook her head, subtly waving her off, never breaking her gaze from Peter's.

"MJ," he whispered as his senses settled, guilty and embarrassment written on his face. "I'm... I'm sorry."

MJ gave him a soft smile, "Hey, you have nothing to apologise for. You're safe now, okay? Flash and these rumours doesn't matter. We're in this together."

Peter nodded, taking her words. Flash's words stung, but with MJ by his side, he knew he could face it. No matter what rumours spread, or what words were thrown at him, they would face it all together.

Peter took a steadying breath, trying to shake off the remnants of Flash’s words. He managed a small smile at MJ, grateful for her calming presence.

“Thanks,” he murmured, his voice still a little shaky. “You always know how to help.”

MJ squeezed his hand reassuringly, keeping her voice gentle. “We’ve got this. Besides, I’d take on a hundred Flashes if it meant helping you.”

Just as she said this, Ned came rushing down the hall, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. “Hey! What’s going on? People keep saying you guys got married over the summer? I thought that was just a prank or something!”

Peter’s cheeks turned a faint shade of red, but MJ cut in with a reassuring smile. “Just a dumb rumor, Ned. Nothing to worry about.”

Ned nodded, looking relieved. “Good. I was about to freak out! But… uh, why is everyone staring, then?”

MJ sighed, a trace of frustration flickering in her eyes. “People love drama. As soon as we clear things up, it’ll blow over.”

Peter forced a laugh. “Yeah, nothing to see here, folks. Just… you know, the usual gossip.”

As the day went on, MJ and Peter stuck together, managing to ignore most of the whispers and pointed looks. They shared classes, lunch, and even a few quick jokes with Ned and the others, pushing the rumors aside. But despite their efforts, Peter could feel the lingering tension beneath the surface.

Finally, as the day wound down and they headed to their last class, Peter turned to MJ, his expression a little more serious. “Thanks for… everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

MJ smiled, giving his hand one last squeeze. “You’ll never have to find out, Parker. We’re in this together, no matter what anyone says.”

And as they walked into their last class, Peter felt the weight lift just a little. Whatever came next, he knew he had MJ—and that made everything just a bit more bearable.

As they took their seats in the last class of the day, Peter noticed the relentless stares from a few classmates, whispers trailing behind them like a shadow. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling the prickling sense of anxiety creeping back.

MJ noticed immediately and nudged him gently. “Ignore them, Peter. They’ll find someone else to talk about soon enough.”

He nodded, but his focus was elsewhere, his senses on high alert. Just then, Flash stepped into the room with his usual swagger, a smirk plastered across his face as he zeroed in on Peter.

“Hey, Parker!” Flash called out, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Heard you tied the knot! Was it a ‘Spidey Sense’ that told you to rush into marriage?”

A few kids chuckled, but Peter just stared down at his notebook, gripping his pen tightly. MJ shot Flash a warning glare, leaning slightly closer to Peter as if to shield him from the unwanted attention.

“Back off, Flash,” MJ said calmly, her voice carrying a weight that made him pause for a second. But Flash quickly shook it off, the smirk returning.

“Relax, I’m just trying to figure out how our local science nerd got hitched before any of us. Must be desperate, huh, MJ?”

Peter’s heart started to race, his vision narrowing. His breathing turned shallow as his surroundings blurred, Flash’s words echoing in his mind. MJ felt him tense beside her and immediately took his hand, grounding him with a gentle squeeze.

“Peter, look at me,” she whispered, her voice steady and calm. He turned to her, her eyes clear and reassuring. “You’re safe. Just focus on my voice.”

With her hand in his and her calm gaze anchoring him, Peter managed to slow his breathing, letting the harsh words fade into the background.

Flash noticed the tension between them, raising an eyebrow as if confused. But before he could say anything else, their teacher entered the room, forcing him to drop his teasing for the moment.

After class ended, MJ quickly gathered their things, keeping a protective hold on Peter’s arm as they navigated through the crowd. She led him out of the building and into a quiet spot under a large tree near the school courtyard, far away from the lingering students.

Peter leaned against the tree, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. “Thanks, MJ,” he said softly, his voice steadier. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you there.”

MJ gave him a soft smile. “You don’t have to go through this alone, Peter. We’ll figure it out together, okay?”

He nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him. They stood there in comfortable silence, finding solace in each other’s presence as the chaos of the school day finally faded into the background.