[for Mary Jane and Jessica] A New Fantastic Point of View

[daretodo]

It's strange to think that Mary Jane's never really known my life as Spider-Man. Oh, I've told her stories, and she has some sense of what it's like, with Norman last year -- and even, to some extent, with the Spider-Man from her universe -- but I'd be doing myself a disfavor by saying life here and now resembles anything from my life there and

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[getemtiger]

When Peter had told her that he wanted to take her to space, Mary Jane had believed him, of course, given that he had spent most of the evening on the station Tony had found, but there remained something surreal about the prospect all the same. Probably it was just because it wasn't something she would ever have even imagined herself doing, especially not here, but whatever the reason, there was a thrill she couldn't shake as she walked, eyes closed, in the direction Peter led her. The fact that it was space meant that she was pretty sure she had a good idea of what to expect, but that didn't make a difference. It was space, and more importantly, he had been the one to bring her up here.

Hands resting over his arms at her waist, she had her eyes shut tight, the corners of her mouth already, pulled up in a smile, fueled mostly by anticipation when he began counting. Three, he said, and she looked. More accurately, she stared, eyes immediately going wide, a breath catching in her throat. Space was space, but this, being a part of it,

[daretodo]

Her reaction's just about everything I could've hoped for, and her enthusiasm only feeds my own, a sense of giddiness bubbling up from my chest until, yes, the only suitable response I can think of is bursting out into an old Disney song.

"I can show you the world," I sing, both loudly and a little off-key, completely shameless as I stretch out one arm to wave it in a sweeping motion in front of us both, dislodging her hand in the process. It's great, being able to share something like this -- it's just not the same, telling her after the fact. Biting back a laugh, I press a quick kiss to her cheek. "Admit it. My life? Occasionally awesome."

[getemtiger]

"Very awesome," Mary Jane agreed, still grinning, and unable to fully turn away from the window in front of them, nothing short of awestruck. Somewhere, deep down, there was a part of her that wished it didn't take the discovery of a space station to make him this happy, but in the moment, that was more than easily ignored, the benefits of being up here outweighing everything else. A moment passed, and her nose wrinkled, as she asked with a short laugh, "Did you just sing Aladdin at me?"

[daretodo]

"Tell me, Princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" I sing in reply, which is an answer in and of itself, though I nod, anyway.

"It seemed appropriate," I add, normally. "I am, in fact, showing you a whole new world. Not to mention the part where I bear a striking number of similarities to a certain street rat, if you really stop to think about it."

It's a thought that only occurs to me in the moment, a babbling tangent at best, but I'm excited, and in the absence of being able to do a bunch of back flips -- I try to keep my showing off to situations where someone won't see me -- I'll settle for talking a mile minute.

"Maybe I should get a monkey, whaddaya think?"

[getemtiger]

"It's not like there's any shortage of them," Mary Jane laughed, an agreement that was actually meant to say no, absolutely not, not in a million years. There was no harm in playing along, though, and if she stopped to think about it, he kind of did have a point, if she remembered the movie correctly. (It had been years, after all, since she'd last seen it.) Pulling a face, she added, "Just as long as you don't start wearing one of those silly hats."

[daretodo]

"What's wrong with fezzes?" I ask, stepping out from behind her, finally, so I can get a better read of her expression. "Fezzes are cool."

[getemtiger]

"Fezzes are ridiculous," Mary Jane corrected with a shake of her head, letting her gaze settle on him fully, expression somewhere between skeptical and amused. "Seriously, if you wore a fez, I wouldn't be seen with you in public."

[daretodo]

In a voice loud enough only for her to hear me, I reply, "Whereas me walking around in head-to-toe spandex is perfectly acceptable.

"You, Mrs. Parker," I add, leaning forward with my hands clasped behind my back, the distance between us now so minimal that it would be nothing to catch her mouth in a kiss, "are a strange one."

[getemtiger]

"That's different and you know it," Mary Jane replied, one corner of her mouth hitching up a little higher, arms draping around his neck. It wasn't really the point, anyway. Shaking her head, she leaned in close, lips brushing against his. "Thank you for this."

[daretodo]

"What, taking you to space? Ah, it's no big deal," I say wryly, the words half lost against her mouth. In reality, of course, it's the opposite -- it is a big deal, and most of the reason I'm so excited to see a view I've already seen is because she's here up here with me -- but belaboring the point doesn't seem all that necessary when I trust that she already knows as much. Hands settling at her waist, I kiss her more fully, even as I'm very conscious to keep everything PG. God only knows what sort of stuff stays on record in this place, though I wouldn't hesitate to say there're probably cameras filming us as we speak -- or not speak, as the case may be.

[notaparker]

The blank slate policy comes in handy, sometimes. There's no way for anyone to check references, so listing myself as a scientist formerly in the Baxter Building's gifted program -- the same line I fed Roxxon -- was pretty easy, and it's not like I don't have any know-how to back it up, even if I'm mostly here to sight-see.

There are a lot of sights to see. I checked out the observation room first, then had a run-through of all the labs -- fun with portals, check, fun with teleporting boxes, check, unsettled stare at the creepy dinoborgs, check -- and now it's about time to head back. I sort of skipped out on the afternoon classes, but I have astrophysics with original flavor Lt. Uhura, and while skipping astrophysics to be in space makes a certain degree of sense, it seems like a good discussion topic for class.

But first, I have to give that Optical Reinforcement Venue another look-see, detouring through corridors, humming louder and louder as I go, until I reach the door and twirl inside, letting loose with a full volume, "A

[getemtiger]

Mary Jane had just been leaning into the kiss, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smile against his, when, seemingly out of nowhere, some very loud singing alerted her to the fact that they were no longer alone. Ordinarily, it wasn't something she would have been especially bothered by, but between the choice of song, a vaguely familiar voice, and the way said voice cut off mid-word, she figured that the kissing should probably stop. Gently pulling back from Peter, she turned to look in its direction, then let out a faint, almost nervous-sounding laugh.

For the most part, she thought, she had done okay with the teenage girl clone from an alternate universe thing. It was weird, but it wasn't as if there were anything they could do about it. Now, though, it meant she had even less of an idea how to react, if she should be amused or nonchalant or taken aback or what. She settled for just blinking a few times. "Um, Jessica, uh, hi."

[daretodo]

Letting out a loud snort, I apply my palm to my forehead, a disbelieving smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I shake my head. Here we were, having a nice, romantic moment only to be interrupted by Mini Me. Talk about embarrassing.

Admittedly, I'm still not quite sure what to make of the newest clone to add to my apparently on-going saga. Not helping matters is that she isn't even technically my clone -- just some other Peter Parker's, and God only knows what he's like. Then again, given the fact that Jessica's a student in an almost all of my courses -- and boy, wasn't that a surprise bright and early on Monday morning to see her sitting in my Biology class -- I think it's fairly safe to assume that we hold a few common interests.

A part of me can't help but wonder if one of those interests is Mary Jane, honestly, but that's not a topic I've gotten close to in the least, for obvious reasons. Besides, other than the hours we have to spend together in class, we haven't made a point of talking all that much. If I'm not the one

[notaparker]

"Trying to avoid making it the Drew luck," I grumble, looking just about everywhere but at the two of them, "but it seems like it's hardcoded in."

It's an odd feeling, looking at the two of them, which is why I'm not doing it. No, that's not accurate. Not feeling, feelings, a tangled mess, a few of them twisting around each other. Like a double helix, say. There's simple awkward, the fact I interrupted a private moment. There's the strangeness of seeing someone who's two degrees away from being me in a romantic clinch, and a little bitterness that I'm degrees away from everyone. Which is almost jealousy, actually, or maybe it's just envy, that's a hard call to make, especially since it's MJ in the clinch. I remember dating Mary Jane Watson, and even though that wasn't me and this isn't her -- that old refrain -- something still twists in my stomach at the sight

[getemtiger]

Mary Jane winced. She couldn't help it, not really. Entitled as she knew she was to be kissing her husband, even on a space station, there was no denying how awkward this had quickly become, and it was hard not to feel a little bad for it. All the reasons why it was awkward, she hadn't even really considered, but the fact remained that Jessica was leaving now, and that was more important than the whys. It felt wrong, somehow, to have put her in a position to feel like she had to; she wasn't family, per se, but she seemed to Mary Jane like something close to it, and the last thing she wanted was to inadvertently make Jessica uncomfortable.

"Sorry," she called in lieu of an answer, meaning it genuinely, until she realized that it really was just as accurate as the two words Jessica was obviously referring to. Turning back to Pete, she frowned a little. "Should we feel bad?"

[daretodo]

"No," I say, with a firm shake of my head. I'm not about to feel bad about making time with my wife no matter who stumbles across us, let alone where. "Absolutely not."

Despite having every intention on sticking with this belief, though, it's hard not to remember the look on Jessica's face, let alone push down the niggling voice at the back of my head that's wondering how I would feel if I saw someone else with Mary Jane. That I can call up memories from another time, another life doesn't help matters, even if I try to extinguish the flare up of guilt. I have nothing to be ashamed about, and it's not like Jessica didn't already know I'm married. It's awkward, undoubtedly, but there shouldn't be any hard feelings, right?

"Okay, maybe a little," I add after a beat, hands seeking out Mary Jane's waist once more, "but mostly no."