~Love, Voices & Chocolate~

Stay.

MJ woke up to a figure standing at the doorway. She narrowed her eyes, indeed by rays of gold streaming through the window. "Peter?" She asked while stretching.

Once her eyes cleared enough, she could see Aunt May was the person that stood there and more importantly, she could see the scowl on her face. She walked away, yelling to Peter that his 'pal' was awake seconds later and all MJ could do was stare at the door.She hadn't seen or spoken to May since before she fainted so what had she done to receive such a dirty look?

She slid out of her ex's bed, her head buzzing for a moment as memories of the previous night came up in her mind. Peter walked in with a cup of chocolate-y goodness that made MJ forget she needed to have coffee these days to rejuvenate her. Its gentle sweet taste and aroma had the opposite effect of coffee's sharp swing, somehow making her already exhausted heavy heart crave a rest that would surely force her to sleep.

She stopped drinking and placed the cup on his bedside table, shaking her head. Peter glanced at her while she kept her eyes forward, thinking of the best escape route. "Sorry, I'm more into coffee these days, to be honest. I always have been, really but you're the one that got me into hot chocolate. Anyway... do you guys have any- ya know what? I have an espresso machine at my place. Catch you later, bud-"

"M, hold on..." she kept her eyes facing away from him, darting her gaze to the window so she could quicken her speed. "Michelle. Last night was... what I mean to say is, are we... cool?"

She had confessed her love for him. She had stayed right by her ex and told him she was deeply in love over and over, only to get utterly rejected like the fool she was. That might not have effected Peter but as for her? How could they possibly be 'cool'? How could he expect her to do anything other than avoid him all over again after she had made a fool out of herself repeatedly before him?

"Peter, I-"

"I know it's going to be a bit awkward, alright? I get that but please... please don't run out of my life, again. I need you, M. More than you'll ever know." He gripped her hand, letting go when she looked up at him with deadened eyes. He was putting them both through a lot of pain, he could feel it in his constricted throat, his throbbing heartbeat but it was all he could say to stop himself from succumbing to insanity and screaming out loud that he loved her right back. He wanted to know she would always be safe, even if she hated his guts for the rest of their lives.

"I have to go. I'm having a meeting with my estranged pops... I definitely don't want to go but who else is going to tell him Mike was his son? The news will probably figure that out soon, too but I'd prefer if he hears it from an acquaintance, first."

"Mike? He was your..." she nodded slowly and he swallowed. "Wow. I'm sorry, I really am. Just know that- if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or a hug, I'm here."

"My God, Pedro, that's not how exes work! You refuted the privileges of seeing me ugly cry when we ended things, okay? What you need right now is to get used to this-"

"I can't, MJ. Hate me if you want but I just... can't." She stared at him incredulously, feeling herself tear up once again. She wasn't going to let him see that and she took him hanging his head as her chance to flee from the scene of the ghastly crime where her heart was shattered. "Like I said... I need you. I don't know how I could function if you... if you... and off she goes again," he finished in a glum tone, gazing about his empty bedroom helplessly.

MJ and Venom made their way towards Tony's lab, pausing for a moment when it dawned on MJ that she hadn't actually read Mike's letter, yet. She didn't want to read it with Tony, it was addressed to her alone, after all and she definitely wasn't going to read it in front of hin in case it made her cry, a very likely scenario.