la la land (machine)

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Felicia was about to pull out her card as she heard the voice say it was on her. Felicia stopped as she looked at the other. “Do I look broke to you?” She asked bluntly, though she did let the other woman pay for it. After all, Felicia did love spending the money of other people. “Do I know you or something? No offense but your a little square to be my type.” She said casually, not recognising the other.

“Not at all.” Was MJ’s instant response, seeing the insult the other girl took at the comment. “I just like to treat people.” She liked taking care of other people, even if it was for someone as small as a drink. “Plus you’re a friend of Peter’s, right?” She didn’t particularly like being called square but MJ was too invested to walk away now. She wanted to meet the girl properly. 

Yelena blinked at the other young woman, more than a little startled by the kindness. One thing her life certainly hadn’t been rich with in the past was generosity, even on a relatively small scale like this offer. “Oh, that?” she shrugged. “That was nothing. I could have taken care of them in my sleep. Most men, they are like those…” She snapped her fingers, seeking the word. “Whack-a-mole games, you know? Except instead of whacking them in the head, you just go for the crotch.” She shrugged. “But if you want to buy me dinner, that is fine. I’m hungry.”

MJ was used to be in danger. She was from New York after all, and not even all her tussles led with Spiderman being her savior. So it was normalized for her to face danger, less normal for someone not to instantly retreat and swing away afterward. Maybe this was why she bought Peter McDonalds so much (without his permission, obviously) but she would like to thank the person who saved her life. Was that so weird? “I’m a big fan of whack a mole personally,” MJ grinned at the blonde. “There’s actually an arcade around here somewhere if you wanna play.” She chuckled at the exchange of where to hit. “I’ll remember that.” She was a high profile actress, it was necessary to remember. “Sounds good. What are you in the mood for?” 

Jean had still been a few feet away when the car had almost hit the girl, but it didn’t take much of an effort for her to yank her back even from that far. She ran up to her in the moments after, hoping she hadn’t noticed that Jean hadn’t actually been by her side at the time. Sometimes it was just easier that way. “Are you okay?” she said, glancing after the car. It was still close enough that she could make the driver stop. “It’s fine. What the hell was that about?”

“I’m good.” MJ assured quickly, she didn’t want the girl to worry too much. “Just a scratch I think.” Actually her knee looked pretty scraped but it was no big deal, the same as a scratch really. MJ had dealt with far worse in her time and she refused to let herself fret over something so small. “Probably some asshole who didn’t like me in a movie or something. Usually a guy.” The hate mail that reached her were usually from passionate men who were passionate in their hate or other things. Lots of trouble for someone they didn’t even know, it was tiring. 

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       Peter paused, trying to think of somewhere they could go that MJ wouldn’t have to hide. It would defeat the purpose of her coming. She wanted to get away, not get noticed by a bunch of bright-eyed fans. Watching as she stood, he laughed. “I’ve got aviators. Will those work?” It took a second before it registered that his costume was in his closet. “No!” Jumping up, he got in front of her, blocking her from walking any further. “I mean…no, you won’t need them. We can stay in. I can order pizza. Maybe Harry can hang out with us.” It wasn’t smooth, but hopefully throwing MJ onto Harry’s scent would stop her from asking questions about his reaction to the closet.

“Those will work.” Aviators weren’t her typical taste but that was probably a good thing in this situation, no one was used to her wearing them so they wouldn’t suspect it as being her. That ‘no’ was aggressive, and if MJ hadn’t known better she would have insisted on seeing his closet from that reaction. However it made her guess he was holding a Spidey secret in it. Peter was speedy when he wanted to be, thought he was good at hiding it. “Ah I see it now,,” She winked at him. “You know I won’t judge you for your porn Peter but if you insist.” She took a seat down so he would be well aware she wouldn’t chase the notion to his closet. Of course it wasn’t porn, but it was a good acceptable cover and maybe his face would go red to from the suggestion. Working in his favor of course, and for her amusement. An all around win win. “Pizza is acceptable.” She declared. Pizza was always the winner in food contests. “And Harry, two very good ideas. You’re on a role today Pete.”

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Harry had kept so much bottled up since his father’s death, Gwen’s affair with his father while dating Peter, not to mention that fact his fucking father was the Green Goblin the one with Spiderman who caused Gwen’s death. Seeing any version of her was too much to bear, he was always born to be the fuck up in their group and no amount of time or money could ever change that.  Seeing and hearing MJ beg him through him back into another memory one that had him laying in a hospital bed slowly being nursed back to health after Peter had stopped him from killing himself.  “MJ….Please I’m fine just having a little drink really” he tried to blow her off then too only it wasn’t just a drink even now he could feel the drugs in his system trying to keep him buzzed enough not to care. At the mention of Peter, it was like a bucket of cold water dumped on him and he say the disappointment and hurt in his friend’s eyes, that never failed to break him out of his own mind. “no …No Please don’t” He let out barely a whisper but he knew she heard him as he shook his head to try and stop the tears from falling but it was too late the buzz he had worked up was crashed and all the remind was the pain and overwhelming pressure that sat heavily on his shoulder. “I’ll come just please don’t tell Peter….Please MJ…” He all but begged her.

Her head shook, vision turning blurry at his denial. “There’s no such thing as a little drink for you Harry...” She wanted to believe otherwise but the past had proven her wrong time and time again. She and Peter were all Harry had to keep him on the wagon, to keep him moving forward and not throwing his life away. It was a heavy responsivity but MJ wouldn’t trade it for the world, she loved Harry far too much. Then he was whispering, begging, pleading, becoming a bigger mess then he had been mere moments ago. Her eyes were glassy seeing his disarray, his panic and fear. She never wanted to cause it, and even knowing logically she was doing the right thing didn’t stop her heart from breaking at the sight of it. Of him. He was crying, shaking, and MJ so desperately wanted to wipe it all away. She wanted to party with him, have fun, like in the old days before his father and Gwen died. Before they were suddenly grown ups and there was no going back to how it used to be. A sob of pure relief left her lips at Harry’s agreement to leave the club. Thank God. “I’m gonna call a car to get us, okay?” She reached forward, wiping a tear from Harry’s cheek and wishing she had the power to make them all disperse. “We’ll go to my place, get you cleaned up, and we’ll figure it out from there.” She promised, taking hold of his hand tightly within her own. “It’s gonna be okay Harry, I promise.”

“Hey.” MJ’s voice was soft. Tender, even. Being around her, talking to Gwen, it came both as a hardship and a pleasure in the same breath. She missed her own Gwen but at the same time she was so very grateful to have this Gwen in her life as well. “... how you doing?” It was a bit awkward. She was. But she was happy to be with all the same, and MJ wouldn’t let anytime she had left with Gwen go to waste. 

Miles groaned regretting ever telling MJ the comment Harry made about his clothes. Now here they were going on hour four in the mall. “alright alright FINE but then that’s it. We’re done after this. I mean it.” he said looking at the bags in his hands and put them down. He’d definitely be returning all this later but there was no saying no to Mary-Jane Watson once she got an idea in her head. “repeat after me. LAST THING.”

Listen if Harry wanted to give them something to talk about then MJ would really make him eat his words. Even if it meant buying Miles a whole new wardrobe (especially if it meant that, she loved treating her friends). “Fine fine...” She pouted a bit though she was fairly satisfied with all they had found even if this was the end. Then again he would look good in that top over there- “Okay okay! One last thing, want me to pinky promise?” She offered her pinkie. “Though I also promise you’re gonna look like a snack in this.” 

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       He agreed, Pillow Parker did sound right. There were very few things that he wouldn’t be for her. “Most people aren’t friends with you.” Peter replied with a smile. MJ was special. She was the kind of person that you put life on hold for so that you could make sure she was okay. Spider-Man couldn’t put his life on hold for anyone though, no matter how badly Peter wanted to. He had a responsibility to upkeep, a duty to the city and the people that resided within it. He had to sacrifice the things that he wanted for the things that he needed to do. It wasn’t fair but neither was life. This wasn’t a life he had chosen for himself but it wasn’t one he wanted to stop living. Peter loved being Spider-Man. “I don’t know…” his voice trailed off with the realization that he hadn’t thought of something to do before suggesting that they leave. “We could get food. Hungry?” 

“That’s their loss.” MJ responded casually snuggling up onto his arm in a way she always had, before they were dating and how she’d continue afterward. She remembered the old days when she used to snuggle onto the shoulder of Gwen, Peter or Harry- whoever was closest. Unlucky for whoever was next to them with her legs in their lap. She missed those old days. A three person couch with her on all their laps. The good ole days. There would never be a time MJ didn’t miss them. Never again would things be like they used to with the four of them, and she longed for those simpler times. It just meant she wouldn’t take for granted any time she had now. “Always.” She responded instantly, cheerfully. “If we go anywhere busy though I will need a disguise.” She told him, pointing her pointer finger right in Peter’s way. She jumped to her feet. “In other words I will be looking through your closet Peter.” She giggled, not asking permission before she made her way forward. “I don’t suppose you have any of those big black blocky sunglasses?” she was almost sure he did. MJ could recall Peter using them once or twice in the past to conceal bruises that must have been from being Spiderman. 

-

A light smile touched his lips as the young woman spoke, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess,” he said. “I’m still not totally used to the positive press. There used to be a running count on Twitter covering how many times I’d shown up naked in public that week.” He couldn’t help but grin again as MJ corrected herself. “You can call me Tony, you know. Peter is usually the only one who calls me Mr. Stark. Which makes me feel absolutely decrepit but I know better than to ask him to stop.” He snorted and shrugged. “Yeah, well, people tell me the same thing, and I personally, sincerely do not give a damn when they do.”

She snorted. “There’s also a running count on Twitter covering the best angles on Nightwing’s ass, Twitter running counts aren’t so special.” She assured him with a noticeable positivity. “Don’t look too deeply into what some whackjobs are saying just cause they can say it.” Her grin only widened at his positive affirmation she could address him by his given name. “Awesome, love that for me- Peter always goes calling you Mr. Stark and I didn’t know if it was a you thing or a Peter thing cause it could honestly be either.” MJ chuckled. “Yeah yeah Peter’s too respectful to call anyone older then him by at least a decade anything other then Mr.” She listened to his words finding wisdom in them that MJ hadn’t expected to find. “I like that.” She really did. “Like that view a lot Tony.”

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Harry knew he shouldn’t have done this but he couldn’t deal with anything after seeing Gwen again even if it wasn’t their version it still dredged up all the past to the point he just didn’t want to think anymore. He was flooded with thoughts of the sordid affair as well the cackling Goblin that somehow ended up being his father’s alter ego. But most of all he was reminded of his intense hatred of Spiderman, something he had tried to bury when Peter had saved him from killing himself so long ago. He’d took one look at the  hurt, fear and disappointment etched on his friends faces and knew he’d fucked up and that memory alone had stopped him from falling back into this bad habit until the night she appeared. “Very funny MJ, last I checked you were my friend not my Mommy” He mused, choosing to ignore her in favor of another shot, feeling it burn his throat as it went down.  He was planning on continuing to ignore her after all he was hardly done parting as he reach over to lean on the bar “Another, Want something Mommy dearest?” he let out a chuckle not willing to give up his drunken state just yet. 

MJ didn’t know what could have happened to trigger Harry to this point. He had made such tremendous progress and now all of it was out the window and he was back to  negative one day sober. There was a deep morose sorrow in her chest for everything her friend had lost in a single day with a single drink and everything that came after it. Her vision blurred obscured by the wetness in her dark hues. “Please Harry, I hate seeing you like this and I love you. So please. Come home with me, do it for me. If you can’t do it for you then do it for me. Please.” She begged, her heat in her voice. “Don’t make me call Peter.” It broke MJ’s very heart to see Harry this way and she was confident Peter would feel the very same. They were all Harry had, they loved him. How couldn’t he see how much seeing him like this broke their hearts? She tugged on his arm gently, a small tremor in her hands. “I am begging you Harry. I really really am. Please.” She didn’t want to call Peter and she didn’t want to drag him out but MJ would do whatever it took. 

Okay so that was pretty flipping awesome. Literally. MJ watched her take on the attempted muggers so easily, flipping them into submission without so much as working a sweat. It was incredibly badass. As she knocked out the final one of the three guys MJ couldn’t help but giggle in the sheer amazingness. “Let me buy you dinner.” She begged of her. “You just saved my ass and you did it so cool.”

“Nice,” MJ congratulated as Kate nailed the target once again. It wasn’t a shock but it was cool all the same. “One of these days you so have to teach me how to do that.”

“This ones on me.” Why not? MJ had the money to spare and she didn’t mind spending it on her friends or even strangers. She liked making other people’s day happier, and she knows how nice it would have been for her back when she’d been far less wealthy then she was now. ​

That was a close one! Holy crap, that car had been inches from hitting her. They had seen her too, it had been hella intentional. Shit. That was too close for comfort. She was glad Spiderman hadn’t been the one to save her, she didn’t need Peter being more concerned then his usual level of anxiety but she didn’t know who to thank. MJ had felt something almost magnetic push her away but instead found a redhead. It had felt so strong, not like the girl before her. Well, regardless if it felt weird or not she still owed gratitude to her. “Thanks.” MJ said. “I owe you like, three.”

MJ frowned, not content with those words. “Not a fan.” She declared. “That’s so negative, not everyone is ashamed. People could be proud and mean it. It’s not a bad thing to not be ashamed of yourself. Actually its kinda awesome.”