With a bouquet of black tulips in one hand and a box of dark chocolates in the other, Peter Parker strode up the steps to the apartment with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. After pressing the doorbell, he stood back and waited anxiously for the door to open. But with each second that passed, he found himself growing more and more restless. He had to keep reminding himself to stop glancing around and tapping his foot, having caught himself doing it several times.

"Peter?" The door swung open so suddenly it startled the poor boy. "What are you doing here?"

"MJ," he said breathlessly. "I wasn't sure you would answer... Oh, I brought you these!" Peter reached his arms out and handed her the gifts, which she reluctantly took.

"Tulips." MJ examined the flowers, pinching the petal with her thumb and forefinger. "One of my favorite flowers because–"

"Of their nickname, 'Queen of the Night,'" he finished with a smile. "I would've gotten some black dahlias, but they're surprisingly hard to come by in New York."

The suspicious frown on her face slowly lifted into a grin as she gave a low chuckle. Holding up the box of chocolates, MJ looked at the label closely. "Are these–"

"Dark chocolate? It's the only chocolate you eat–"

"Because it lowers the risk of heart disease and improves brain function," they said in unison.

"You remembered." MJ's eyes softened before she quickly blinked the tenderness away. "Well, don't think you can just show up with these gifts and expect me to come running into your arms."

"I know." Peter nodded. "What I said was really messed up."

"Yeah, no shit."

Peter gave a deep sigh. "I was a huge jerk. And I'm sorry for everything I said. The truth is, I haven't really been acting like your boyfriend either. And it wasn't fair to you that I only blamed you for that, which I guess also makes me a hypocrite. But I want to change that, starting now. I want to be there for you. I want to spend time with you and hang out like we did in high school. I get college has changed some things– well, a lot of things–but it hasn't changed how I feel about you, MJ."

MJ crossed her arms over her chest, averting her gaze to the side. "Yeah, well, these past two days I've been doing some soul-searching, and I realized you were right. As much as I hate to admit it." Her upright shoulders fell as she sighed. "I haven't been acting like your girlfriend. I've just been so busy with class and finding a job and all this homework, and it's just been so stressful. In high school, it was never this way. High school was easy. But now." She kept her gaze lowered. "I'm struggling. And I hate it."

Before Peter's brain could process what he was doing, his body had lurched forward and enveloped MJ in a hug. "I know exactly how you feel. College has been hell!"

MJ nodded into the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around him. "It doesn't help that I haven't made any friends either. It feels like I'm back to being the loner I was in high school."

"Hey." Peter touched her chin and tilted her head back to look at him. "You're not a loner. You have me. And if I'm not enough for you," he laughed. "I was thinking we should join some clubs."

MJ's eyes narrowed with skepticism. "Like which ones?"

"Hmm, maybe the Comic Book League?" He grinned. "With your art skills, I bet you could create something totally amazing!"

"That's something more for a nerd like you." MJ backed away with a smile. "I was thinking something more like The Plague."

He blinked, having to make sure he heard her correctly. "The Plague?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, it's a comedy slash satirical magazine."

"Okay then." Peter decided not to question it any further. "Oh, I almost forgot! It turns out the Black Cat was my TA, so I guess that's another thing you were right about." He pulled his collar down, revealing the faintest trace of what had been a scratch.

"It's almost like it was never there." MJ glanced back up at Peter. "Of course, I was right about that. It was too obvious."

"Looking back, yeah," he admitted with a sigh. "But the important thing is that she is no longer into Spider-Man."

MJ quirked her eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yup, once she realized he was Peter Parker. Don't worry, she won't tell," Peter assured when he saw her mouth open to say something. "She knows I'll reveal her identity too if she tries anything. Plus, I think she's more concerned I didn't turn out to be the Steve Rodgers type she imagined than she is about seeking revenge."

"So we don't have to worry about her anymore?" She folded her arms again.

Peter shook his head. "You don't have to worry, but I still do. My Spidey-sense is telling me she might strike tonight."

"Spidey-sense?"

"I got tired of calling it the 'Peter tingle.'" He shrugged. "Figured Spidey-sense sounded a lot cooler, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it does." MJ nodded before giving him a peck on the cheek. "Well, go show that cat what happens when you get tangled up in a spider's web."

Peter's mouth slowly upturned into a bright grin before he rushed out the door, already pulling out his mask from his coat pocket.

**

Slinking around the rows of art displays, Felicia stopped to study one picture hanging on the wall beside her.

"This would look great above my bed." Her eyes raked over the sensual woman coated in red and black paint. Snatching the frame off the wall, she had just started to creep over towards the skylight when a figure appeared in front of her, blocking her path.

"I doubt your cellmate will approve of that ostentatious piece.'" Peter stepped underneath the skylight, his red and black suit gleaming in the pale moonlight that shone from above.

Felicia's face twitched into a deep scowl. "I don't have time for you right now, Spider."

"Aw, you used to." He started to approach her with swift, confident steps. "But that's okay, I have plenty of time for you."

Without taking her eyes off him, Felicia leaned the painting against a nearby display case and raised her claws in the air, ready to attack. "Don't think I won't curse you again."

Peter's mouth tugged up into a smirk. "Good luck." Leaping into the air over her, he grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled it behind the small of her back.

"I think I heard a bone pop," he said as he dodged her wild, desperate swipes. "Should that be happening at your age?"

"Screw you!" She growled, taking another swipe at him. Her nails had missed Peter's face by an inch and if he hadn't ducked, she would have cut his cheek.

"Whoa!" He caught ahold of her other arm and gripped them together tightly. "I thought you weren't into that sort of thing anymore."

She grunted as Peter pressed her against the wall roughly. "After a long night of thinking–and drinking–I decided that in a few years I could give you another shot." Felicia strained her neck to the side, catching a glimpse of him with her peripheral vision. "I'm sure by then you'll fill out nicely."

"What? When you're like seventy?" He backed away from her. "But hey, maybe by the time you get out of prison, I'll be old enough for you. You know, like in twenty-five years."

"What?" Felicia narrowed her eyes, about to turn around when she was suddenly held back in place. "What the– What did you to me?!" She glanced up at her hands, seeing a thick coat of webbing holding them against the wall.

Watching as she continued to struggle against the web wrapped around her hands and wrists, Peter inched his way to the fire alarm on the wall.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Black Cat." Her green eyes grew wide as he repeated her words. "But it's time for me to go," he said before punching the alarm.

Not bothering to stick around, Peter swung away into the night, listening to the blaring cries of sirens coming from below. With every leap and flip he did in the air, his amused grin only grew wider as he recalled Felicia's gaping stare. The look on her face once she realized she had been outsmarted was priceless, and he only wished he could've seen when she was placed into handcuffs.

Call it pure chance or maybe even beginner's luck, but tonight, Peter Parker couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man alive.