Expect Disappointment, But Hold Onto Hope

Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, Webheads! Okay, so originally, this was Spidey Bros Oneshots, then it was Peter and MJ fluff, then it was Peter and MJ angst, and now it's post-No Way Home drabble. So...that was a rollercoaster (hehe, Far From Home reference). 😂 I know a lot of my friends were saying that the No Way Home mania was over, but others were saying that they couldn't find a good No Way Home fic in February. So, yeah, I hope you enjoy! I expect this to be about 4-6 chapters long, but we'll see what happens. 😉 Thank you so much for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the movie or anything really. 😅

Warnings: I WILL SAY THIS ONCE AGAIN - NO WAY HOME SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!

Peter was tired. Not like "stayed up all night to study" tired, like "spent all day stressing over MJ and Ned while fighting crime non-stop and stayed up all night to study" tired. This was the first time in the past week when he could actually sit down -- sure it was on his inflatable mattress on the floor to take care of a gunshot wound, but still.

He clumsily grabbed the first aid kit that he had lazily placed on the desk near May's old sewing machine.

Peter imagined MJ sitting with her legs crossed on the dirty rug in front of him. He would stop by her house where she would take care of all his injuries and rid him of all worries. But MJ wasn't here.

So, all alone, Peter began to tend to the wound, wincing slightly every few minutes.

After he'd finally finished bandaging it, he practically threw himself backwards on his bed. Before he knew it, he was back with the other Peters; back with MJ in a happier memory.

...

That night had come and gone. Peter woke up lethargic, just kinda done with trying. What was the purpose of trying anyway?

There was no light at the end of the tunnel. There was no reward for everything he had done and would do. It was just...pointless.

But, despite all of his thoughts, he got up. He didn't want to admit it, but he was still holding onto hope. Peter wasn't entirely sure how or why, but he was.

He went to the Bugle's large headquarters, stopping off at Betty's desk -- Betty who he had to pretend he'd never met before -- to greet her. Then he began the dredded walk into Jameson's office.

It actually went surprisingly well. There were only seven "this is crap"s (yes, he counted), so Peter considered that a major win.

Instead of heading back home since he had nothing else to do on a Saturday in a world who didn't know who he was, he decided to go get a coffee. At The Coffee Bean? No.

MJ only worked until 10am on weekends, and it was nearly 9 right now, so it now or never.

Peter walked there, got to the door, almost touched the knob, and went back home.

At his apartment (man, it still felt weird to call it "his"), he, once again, almost touched the knob, but went back to the café.

Once he got there...again...he peeked through the window, and there she was.

He felt like a coward. The love of his life was right there in front of him, and he couldn't even work up the courage to talk to her. He promised he'd tell her, but she just looked so happy. God, MJ would be so mad at him -- that is, if she knew who he was.

Ned was sitting at his usual spot, mindlessly shoving donuts in his mouth while completely engrossed in whatever was on the screen of his phone.

MJ was taking a (particularly snotty) customer's order, scowling at him the entire time. Peter couldn't help but smile. The entire scene was very MJ. She was fiddling with something. A necklace? It seemed to be a flower; a glass flower.

She was still wearing it. She probably had no idea why, but she still was. It made his heart flutter, but it also stung.

After she'd given the weirdo his coffee and bagel, Peter snapped back to reality as she made eye contact with him.

Well, now he couldn't not go in.

Opening the door with a shy smile, he gave her an awkward wave. Her gaze never left him, and her puzzled expression made him uneasy. Even Ned seemed to feel the tension and he was sitting in the corner of the café!

"Hey," Peter mumbled.

MJ, just nodded in response, glancing at Ned before turning back to Peter.

"What can I get you?" she asked rather politely. No sense of recognition in her eyes. To her, he was just another guy in New York.

"I'll have a, uh, coffee," he replied.

"Okay, Peter Parker."

Oh. She still remembered that.

In a few seconds, she came back with a cup full of a hot liquid. She wrote something on it and then handed it to him.

He passed her the $3 and took the cup. He could feel the tears welling up as soon as he read it.

Meet me tonight?

"I can't," he blurted.

And with that, he was gone.