Spiderson Oneshots

Meteor Shower--MJ and Peter

Warnings: Mentions of abuse, achohol, and fire. Slightly suicidal characters.

Pairings: MJ x Peter (if you really want it to be)

In the original Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, MJ is depicted with an alcoholic and abusive father. I've transferred this trait over to Michelle.

Peter's P.O.V.
Have you ever felt like a meteor shower? Pieces falling apart and having it viewed as something beautiful? Have you ever had tears so heavy they tug at your eyes, finally falling and leaving behind a trail from your chin to your eyes?

Have you ever stopped to wonder what makes the sky cry? What is it that makes the stars want to die? What have worlds to fear when swaddled in their velvety blanket of night?

What is going wrong for the canyons to form on your cheeks? What is going wrong for you to not be able to describe anything anymore? What is going wrong for every step to feel as it is your last?

They say 'why questions' are the hardest to answer, and all others can be solved easily. So answer me this, what went wrong with me? What went so wrong that I lost my real words to metaphorical poems? What happened?

In my transformation, I've found out some things. In this world around me, I see so much better. It's like my entire life, I was looking through a blurry lens or a small hole in a mask covering my eyes. Since I've let the demons in, I've seen such beauty.

I see the flowers clearly. I see the strength of going through winter and coming back thriving again. I see beautiful colors and shapes. I see dew on the petals and have watched them open in the mornings.

I see sunsets and sunrises. I see the colors vary from second to second as the sun takes its path. I see the reflection on the water. I see the light in the raindrops and the rainbow it casts. I see plants turned to silhouettes as the sun takes center stage.

I see waves rising and falling on lakes and oceans. I see the color variants and the crests. I see the sky carefully molding them.

I see stars dancing on their velvety stage. I see the moon leading them in song and mentoring them in their choreography. I see shapes crafted from said stars--lions, and hunters, and dragons at war for the place. I see stars falling, cracking under the stress and letting go.

I see light dancing on reflections. I see the light in peoples' eyes. I see the universes they hold captive and the worlds they cultivate.

I see beauty in everything but me. That is the price for the power, and I'm happier than I can be. What a miracle to be something this ugly in a world this beautiful.

There's beauty in what I do. To save people is a noble act. It would be beautiful if I weren't the one doing it. But I know I have to give something. What choice do I have to pay for this miracle of life here?

A lot of days, it doesn't feel like a miracle. A miracle is a surprising and welcome event. My life is surprising, yes, but I don't welcome it. The world would have a lot more beauty in it if I weren't taking up space with what I am. I'm just another face to pass, another invisible person to run into. Nothing but a passing image that will fade as everything will.

What lesson am I to learn here? What must I learn to go on? The angels who once protected me are gone, and the demons are all that are left. What is there to learn but that of the balance I shall never have?

My heart skips a beat when I see some words. The things linked with that random mix of letters and sounds bring memories and images. At names of those I always will remember and words I associate with them. There are beautiful words for beautiful things. I know that the name Peter will never make my heart skip. There is nothing beautiful about the person I am or once was. As for beautiful things, there are ugly words for ugly things. Peter is just one.

---~---~---

"Peter," Karen says as I swing my legs back and forth while sitting on a railing.

"Yeah?"

"There's a fire on Sixth and Main." I'm already swinging through the air as she says it.

"Tell me more," I mutter as I sling another web, feeling the rush of air through my suit.

"It's an apartment building, and the fire started on the first floor by an oven left on. Firefighters are on the scene, but the floors collapsing have prevented a full escape. I have hacked into the radio waves, and most everyone is out. On the top floor, there is an officer trapped under a beam with a dog and a toddler. My estimate is two minutes before the fire reaches them."

By the time Karen finishes, I'm across the street from it. Smoke billows from the place in sheets that obscure the late-night sun. The blaze is hot from here, and I want to rip off the mask. Instead, I attach another web to the building beside the fire and swing in.

I land in a roll and stand up quickly, coughing as I breathe in smoke. I hear the sound of wood breaking and jump out of the way just as the ceiling comes down. Shooting a web, I yank myself up to the top floor.

I hear cries of help and coughing as I blink to try and see clearer. The urge to take off the mask is even worse, but it's my only air filter. I stumble through an empty apartment across the hall to where a door is broken open. The floor creaks under me, and I try to move faster.

The coughing grows louder as I finally reach them. Flames are licking at the walls as I make my way over. A chunk of the fallen ceiling has fallen on a firefighter who holds a toddler that looks barely two. A golden retriever is struggling to help them.

The officer is straining to protect the kid. I race forward, taking a gulp of air and pulling off my mask. I pull it over the kid's head, hoping that the small air filtration might help. The man looks at me as I go over and strain to lift the wood.

Eventually, I can lift it, and the man wiggles out. I take the kid in my arms, and the man takes the dog. It whines but settles.

My nose burns, and I can't breathe. I take a small gulp of air and let it out, coughing. I can hear the floor breaking beneath me, and I struggle to go faster. I can see the window fast approaching, and I look at the firefighter. I pass him the kid and put an arm around his waist as we jump out the window.

I shoot a web, and my arm is jerked with the weight of so many people. My hand slides, but I manage to maneuver myself to swing across the street to land on a shorter building. We're sent sprawling as my grip slips.

The man and I are coughing, and the dog is laying down, panting. I crawl over to the man, taking the toddler in my arms again. I pull off the mask and see that their eyes are closed. I look up at the man. "Go," he says. I nod, sliding on the mask.

I make it down as quick as I can, putting the boy in the arms of a paramedic. "Thank you, Spider-Man," she says, and I nod, going to get the rest.

It isn't long before I'm swinging away. The man has promised to not give away my identity.

---~---~---

I'm out for a long time. First with the fire, then a robbery, then a mugging, and so on. But when I hear the sounds of sirens, I don't back down.

The clock in my mask says it's almost one. I have school tomorrow, but I can't let something happen on my watch. I can't have Mister Stark take my suit. So I extend my arm and shoot a web.

As I'm swinging, I catch sight of movement in an alley nearby. Upon swinging closer, I see that it's a mugging. In a split second, I'm down there. The person is actually putting on a good fight.

I throw a few punches, and the guys are webbed to the wall. "Are you okay, miss?" I ask. I hand her her stuff, and I catch sight of her face. "MJ?"

She's stuffing things back in her purse, and she looks up. "Yeah, loser?"

"Why are you out so late?" I say, an accusatory tone in my voice.

"Why does it matter to you, Parker?" Apparently, she can detect the glare I'm sending at her, and she sighs. "I was going to watch the meteor shower, but you can't see anything in this city."

"All right. Come on." I gesture with my hand, and she stares at me. "I'm walking you." She doesn't object but takes the hand I've offered.

When I reach my arm up, she pulls it back down. "Please. Just walking." I hear something in her voice, but when I look, she's glaring forward.

We walk for a while in silence. It's surprising to me that she hasn't let go of my hand. It's unfathomable to me that MJ might be scared.

I stop as a thought occurs to me. "There isn't a meteor shower tonight," I say almost accusingly. "That was last week." She doesn't reply, tugging me forward again at a faster pace. It isn't long before we reach a bridge that leads to a park. MJ pulls me across, not stopping before we're far off the path under a tree. She drops my hand like she can't bear the contact any longer.

"I was wondering when you'd notice," she said, sitting down and leaning back. She closes her eyes and massages her forearms. She's wrapped herself tightly in a Midtown hoodie that looks a bit worse for wear.

I sit next to her, stretching because I've gone so long without a break. "Then why are we out here?" I ask. She refuses to answer, turning her head away. I pull off the mask after making sure no one's around. "MJ, what's going on?" I ask gently, putting a hand on her arm. I feel her tense under my touch, and my concern grows.

I move closer, careful not to touch her and removing my hand. "Are you all right?"

"No, Peter, I'm not," she snaps, her voice raspy as if she were trying to hold back tears.

"Can you tell me about it?" I ask gently.

She shakes her head. Instead, she pulls off her hoodie to reveal a tank top underneath and now undisguised mural of bruises. I suck in a breath, and she hugs the hoodie to her chest. She leans back against the tree again.

"Who did this to you?"

I can see that she doesn't want to answer, but she forces the answer out anyway. "My dad doesn't like me very much," she says quietly as if trying to hide how her voice shakes.

"MJ, I'm so, so sorry. I had no idea."

She lets out a tiny snort that sounds more like a cough. "No one does, and I'd like to keep it that way," she says sharply.

"But--"

She finally looks at me, and I see that her eyes are wet. It hurts to see someone so strong to be so vulnerable. It feels wrong. "Peter, please. He's the only family I have left. I know you understand." And I do, even though our situations aren't the same in the slightest. I know what it's like to lose everyone, and if I were her, I don't think I'd want anything to happen to them either.

"Okay," I breathe. She gives me the barest hint of a smile. "But what can I do to help?"

"Just...be there, I guess. I can handle it most days, but today was just overwhelming."

"So, just be my amazing heroic self?" She barks a harsh laugh. "But seriously, Spider-Man protects people, and you are no exception. Everyone has bad days." I take her hand and squeeze it. "And I'm always going to be there."

"God," she says with an exaggerated eye-roll. "You are so cheesy, Parker. But...thanks."

"Of course." Because I know what it's like to be a meteor shower. To fall apart and be nothing but a spectacle. And if I could spare one person from that, then that's one less piece to lose.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a wonderful day!