[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

Comments

[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 making the quick exit, it's Jessica. Who's taking bets on which one of us it'll be this time?

"Is it still the ol' Parker luck when you're technically a Drew?"

[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.

I don't even know if that's real jealousy, or just an echo. If I'm actually jealous, or if part of me just thinks I should be and is working up the emotion. Do emotions even work like that? I don't know.

One thing I do know, though, is that there's no place for me here.

"Right back at you, pop quiz," I say, to either of them. "What are Peter Parker's two favorite words?"

I'm already backing out the door and turning to go; if they care to actually answer, they can do it to my back. Maybe it's rude, but it's probably less rude than sticking around.

[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."

[getemtiger]

"Alright, if you say so," Mary Jane replied, easily appeased on the matter. Peter was the one with far more of an idea how to handle this than she was, after all, and it wasn't like they had been doing anything more than kissing. Glancing once, briefly, towards the door, she stepped in close again, nose wrinkling as she leaned her forehead against his. "Sounds like you guys have the same taste in Disney movies."

[daretodo]

"Or, conversely, there are only so many songs appropriate to sing under these circumstances," I reply, feeling the need to distance myself from Jessica rather than admit to any similarities to a teenage girl when I'm trying to regain lost ground in kissing my straight and of-legal-age wife.

"Now. Where were we? I mean, other than marveling at the beauty of space."

[getemtiger]

"Mm, I think we were somewhere around here," Mary Jane said, unable to help grinning before she'd even finished the sentence. Not waiting for any more of a response, she kissed him again, just a bit more focused than the one preceding it, fingers sliding up into his hair from where her hands had rested at the back of his neck. Jessica's finding them had only proven how very much in public they were, but somehow, it made her that much more inclined to ignore that fact, eyes slipping half-shut as she leaned in.

[notawastedlife]

"You in here, Pete? GLaDOS seemed to imply you were, but she can be a little vague, can't seem to store certain facts to memory-" Tony said, walking in, eyes on the laptop he was carrying in one hand, realizing he was interrupting only when he was well into the room.

"-it'll wait, carry on," he said, turning right back around. "He stole this from me, though, you should demand a more original date," he added, over his shoulder.

[daretodo]

And speaking of the ol' Parker luck. At the sound of Tony's voice, I tense, but unlike before, I'm careful to keep Mary Jane close, not wanting to acknowledge another interruption. Then again, I suppose this part of my life is equally worth sharing, in a way, considering how big a part it played back home -- the series of unfortunate events, the almost laughable string of bad luck that followed me around. As awful as parts of the last year have been for us -- and they have been awful, don't get me wrong -- this aspect of my life has been almost conspicuously absent. Not that there hasn't been the odd incident, but in terms of sheer mortification, I've gotten off pretty easy. Now, though, with Jessica on the Island, and Tony being more a pal than a pain in my butt, I can't help but wonder if my personal life won't be taking a turn for the embarrassing from here on out.

One hand lifting to cup Mary Jane's cheek as I pointedly deepen the kiss, I wave off Tony with my other, even if it sounds like he's already on his way out. I don't open my eyes to check. Maybe I did kind of steal his date idea, but unexpected company aside, there's no doubting that my version's going a lot better. Which is saying something, if you stop to think about it.

Let's just hope those aren't famous last words.