~Love, Voices & Chocolate~

What Did I Do?

The moment Liz woke up, she instantly craved some coffee so she rushed down the stairs, forgetting she was in a loose button-up t-shirt and her underwear. She hummed a little and began to brew herself a cup, jumping when she saw MJ seated on the couch while lazily gazing across the well-furnished interior. She recognised the girl by her curls, recoiling when MJ glanced back at her, looked down at her legs for a second and turned away again, returning to whatever she was doing as if seeing someone traipsing around half-naked was the most normal sight at half-past six in the morning.

Liz ignored the elongated 'damn' that nearly left her throat when MJ looked her over that single time and drifted closer, stopping just behind Peter's ex. She held her mug to her lips but before taking a sip, she tiredly mumbled, "Hey, Michelle?"

"Yeah, Allen?" Came the lacklustre reply, as MJ was swallowed up in the book series she had been reading since the night before until morning. Thus, she lacked the energy to care about the current conversation or sleep until she was finished.

"Do you think Peter and I are dating or something?" MJ shook her head slowly, not looking back but her hesitation only intrigued Liz to pry further. "It's okay to be jealous, I understand why you would be but trust me, we-"

"No. I don't trust you. I can't have faith in someone who would go out with someone else while that person is taken."

"Wh... wha... wait a second. You think- you think Peter cheated on you with me?" MJ didn't reply, irked when Liz let out a flittering little chuckle that made her stomach churn. Where was a stabbing knife when you needed one? "I'm sorry, I didnt mean to offend you but that has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! I expected more from you, honestly. We never spoke but I always thought you were so cool in school with your aloofness and zero fucks given attitude. Peter would never."

"Really? I thought so, too. That is until I found out that when he told me he was going on his missions - I mean like buying groceries and other chores he likes to pretend are missions, yeah - he was going to see you. I put two and two together. I never followed to see because I've always wanted to keep hold of the hope that it wasn't that but seeing you two together now, well... I just have to get over him, that's all. Maybe now, you can understand my discomfort, more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm feeling uncomfortable again and it's not just because I want to change my pad."

MJ walked away, glad she had let it out but also incredibly ashamed. She was proud of herself for saying all she wanted but also considered that Liz could tell Peter and they would likely pity her gullible ass. What's worse, Peter had heard her tell him she loved him twice so he would only feel more guilt for cheating on her with the girl he preferred. She just wanted a drama-free vacation but at six days to go, stuck on an island in the middle of the ocean, there was no way to avoid her troubles.

Even then, she wasn't going to back out of watching the sunset with Peter that day. She made a promise and she was going to uphold that promise. Once safely seated on the floor in her restroom, tears came and she happily let them flow.

Peter was surprised to see Liz down so early, especially since she was casually sipping something and staring at the view outside while he just wanted to go back to bed for a few more hours. He dragged himself over to her and muttered a soft "hey", guessing something was wrong when she didn't respond and stared at him intently instead. "What did I do?"

"Did I say you did anything?" After another long sip, she grumbled, "I asked MJ what her problem with me was."

"What?! Please don't tell me you asked that way. She isn't feeling so hot right now. You didn't add any attitude, did you?"

"Am I the kind of girl to do such a thing?"

"Well, I would have said no if I hadn't helped you get used to New York again. I know you well enough to tell that..." Peter glanced at her just as Liz frowned, cocking his head to the side when she clicked her tongue. "...well?"