eat your heart out

Mary Jane Watson, aka Spinneret. Stark Industries/Actress. The fame and glamour don't last, but so what? I'm going enjoy the r i d e for as long as I can. This is everything I ever wanted. Isn't it? "Danger is my middle name. I have it monogrammed on all of my towels."

[thcjackpot]

quakesjohnscn:

Few of Daisy’s past relationships had ever been serious. Miles had mostly been a bed to sleep in when it was too cold to sleep in her van, Ward didn’t count as anything considering the way they’d ended up, and Lincoln was too painful to even consider now. Most everyone else she’d been with had been a fling or someone she found worked better as a friend than a lover. She wasn’t sure yet where MJ fit, but something about meeting her dog in the park like this made her feel like a little more than a hookup. (Maybe that wasn’t the only thing that made it feel like more than a hookup.)

“Not even a reaction? That was a pretty good line,” Daisy complained with a snort, though she looked fairly unconcerned about the whole thing. Most of her attention was still on Lucy, who really was a beautiful dog. Maybe there was something to that old saying about dogs taking after their owners. She snorted as MJ spoke again, wrinkling her nose playfully. “Totally stealing my thunder here, Watson,” she complained good naturedly. She laughed as Lucy seemed to debate between the two of them, glancing back to MJ as she spoke again. “What an ass! I’d be mad, too.” Dogs were a pretty important thing to mention! “Ugh, I have to share with him? At least that puts Wanda in the mix, I guess. I’m in.” She flashed a bright grin, obviously thrilled with her status as doggy godmother.

Relationships had never been stunningly successful in MJ’s past experiences, and honestly, she wasn’t sure she could realistically see herself ever wanting one again consciously. Harry had ended up becoming the Green Goblin, Amanda was nothing too remarkable, although she had been a friend, and Pietro joined the Brotherhood. If that wasn’t proof that she was cursed when it came to romance, MJ wasn’t sure what was. Seriously, it seemed like she had a type, and that was horrible people. (Pietro had warned her that he sucked, but Harry had not, although they were trying to be friends now.)

Daisy was definitely not a terrible person, and while MJ hadn’t expected that what they were doing to ever extend beyond the bedroom, introducing her to Lucy did seem like the right thing to do. They were friends, Daisy deserved to be respected! And maybe MJ was starting to like her more then she intended to, who could blame her? “It was a pretty good line,” MJ agreed with a fond smile. “Most lines you have are pretty good,” she added. Whenever Daisy was paying attention to her, MJ was happy, never hard to please. “I promise I’ll make it up to you later,” she said, winking. Lucy walked between the two of them, soaking up all of their affection, and MJ couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “He’s never treated me this poorly before,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “Yeah, you gotta share with him! Knew you’d agree,” she said, grinning at Daisy. “I’ll have to thank you… maybe I can do that tonight? I’ll buy you dinner,” MJ offered.

[thcjackpot]

quakesjohnscn:

For a while, after everything she’d been through, Daisy had been ready to swear off relationships. In her experience, they only ever ended in despair, and she was sort of sick of exploring all the different ways she could get her heart broken. Every time she thought the end result couldn’t be worse than the last, the universe proved her wrong. It was a vicious cycle, and she was sick of it. She’d changed her tune, of course – Laura helped her understand that things didn’t always end in tragedy – but it was still hard to start something new. She wasn’t sure if that was what she was doing with MJ or not, wasn’t sure if they were starting something new or just having a good time expanding on their friendship, but she was enjoying herself and MJ seemed to feel similarly and that was all anyone could really ask for, right? “Uh, it is possible and you didn’t invent that line!” Yeah, okay, not a shining moment in maturity on her part, but she just wanted to flirt a little! That wasn’t so much to ask, was it? It was impossible not to return MJ’s smile with one of her own, impossible not to feel happy at the mere sight of it. “I’ll make sure to say yes,” she replied easily. The idea of going to more events like this with MJ was too good to pass up.

Doom interrupting their moment wasn’t exactly surprising, and Daisy rolled her eyes as the man took stage. No doubt he was going to stir up drama. As he spoke, Daisy felt her eyes widen and the good mood leave her, and she cursed under her breath. “What is he thinking? God, I knew he was an idiot, but this is…” She trailed off as the crowd grew more restless around them, clenching her jaw tightly. “Screw morals, I’m off the clock. If you wanna split, let’s split.” Maybe it wasn’t the most ‘superhero’ thing to do, but Daisy wasn’t about to get trampled for some asshole’s mistake.

Honestly, if MJ thought too deeply about what she and Daisy had established between the two of them, she was worried that she would curse it. Naturally, it was a terrifying thought. MJ wasn’t looking for anything serious in a relationship, she still had plenty to recover from, but she found herself enjoying every moment she spent with Daisy. Whether they were dating casually or strictly friends with benefits, MJ wasn’t sure, but the more time she spent with  Daisy, the more she realized that not every venture into a relationship had to be terrible. It was a feeling she really liked, putting to much pressure on it would surely ruin it — it was fragile! “I’ve trademarked every line, Daisy,” MJ said seriously. She couldn’t help but smile at her after a moment, amused by the defensiveness in her words. She liked being flirted with, and really, Daisy should take it seriously! “But you can borrow all the lines you want if you’re using them on me,” she added, squeezing her hand. “You should definitely say yes, I have it on good authority we’ll have fun.” Daisy deserved the best dates in the world and MJ had every intention of making them happen. Really, it was the least that she could do.

It was obvious that Daisy did not agree with what Doom had done and obviously, MJ didn’t either. Exposing a whole group of people was not okay, it violated every ounce of their trust, but there wasn’t anything she or Daisy could do to change it. Honestly, she doubted they could even alter the fallout. “I vote we split,” she admitted hesitantly. “I don’t know how to control a crowd and I don’t have my suit, not a whole lot I can do. Are you sure you want to though?” Daisy had a lot more on the line in leaving than MJ did. “I don’t mind sticking around to help you in my civvie clothes,” she promised.

[thcjackpot]

spidcrgwens:

The list leaking wasn’t exactly great. Following her discussion with MJ, Gwen had been considering listing Spider-Woman’s abilities with everyone else’s when the list suddenly became public domain, and she’d pretty much ditched the party as fast as she could. She knew what would happen next, of course. It would be the same thing that happened in her own universe. Spider-Woman would become a pariah, people would demand responsibility she wasn’t sure how to give them, and even if she did list her powers, it would  be viewed as an attempt to escape public scrutiny. It was a lot to grapple with, and a year ago, Gwen would have been panicking. Today, though, after everything she’d been through in the last year, she was able to shrug it off pretty easily and solve her problems with a snack.

Glancing up as the door opened, she flashed MJ a smile. “Hey,” she replied easily. “It was a very New York party. I guess we should pretty much just expect that kind of stuff now, huh?” She returned the hug easily, taking comfort in her friend’s affection. “I love you, too,” she replied. “I’m thinking about it. I’m not sure it’ll do much, listing now.” The damage was done, and anything she did to combat it at this point was just a feeble attempt to control the fallout. “It wouldn’t be a new thing for me, if I were,” she admitted. She didn’t talk much about the trials she’d faced in her home dimension, but MJ knew more than most. “Ice cream is probably the best solution.” She took the spoon gratefully, making her  way over to the couch to sit and patting the cushion next to her. “We can talk it out,” she offered. “Go over the craziness of that party.”

In a lot of ways, MJ was relieved that she had listed and registered when she did. If not for that, there was no denying that the public would be hounding her the same way it was Gwen. People expected to feel safe, they expected their heroes to rally around the causes that comforted them. It wasn’t a fair expectation, the heroes were people as well, deserving of freedom, but unfortunately, the message wasn’t being spread that way. Maybe it was selfish that MJ was glad she wasn’t being forced to deal with any of the associated drama, she got to enjoy the perks of being a hero without the disappointment and public rage due to her discussion with Tony, but she had worked hard to gain public favour. Losing it now would be difficult.

“You think that was a New York party?” MJ asked, laughing quietly. “I haven’t been to many that are that dramatic, maybe I need to go out more.” She paused before adding, “No, that big ones always end that way.” New Years Eve had definitely been the worst of them. “I think it would do a lot,” she disagreed. “The people want to feel comforted by their favourite heroes. If you list, it has the same affect. If anything, it shows that you’re willing to work with the public.” If New Yorkers waned heroes at all, they needed to be willing to forgive them for their mistakes. “Just because it wouldn’t be new doesn’t mean you should have to deal with it,” MJ pointed out. “Ice cream is always the bets solution.” She followed Gwen over to the couch and took a spoonful of ice cream before passing the carton over. “Okay,” she agreed with a nod. “What was Doom thinking? What does any of this get him?” Motivation was always a good place to start.

[thcjackpot]

cftorch:

At first, Johnny had been adamantly against the idea of registering. He loved his freedom, refused to do anything to jeopardize it even for a moment. It changed, of course, when the Panel stopped being a bunch of bureaucrats and instead became a group of heroes who were just trying to do right by people like them. Suddenly, Johnny didn’t mind registering, and he didn’t mind encouraging his friends to do the same. Maybe part of that was a little selfish, driven by his desire to see the people he loved more often, but part of it was because he believed in the Panel now, thought it was the right thing to do. MJ seemed to agree, and Johnny was thrilled for it. Working alongside her was pretty much his ideal situation and, more than anything, made what they did more fun and less stressful.

“Oh my god,” he laughed, making no effort to prevent the sound from escaping. If the people below were stupid enough to take knives to a demon fight, they kind of deserved to get laughed at! “Nobody does that shit sober,” he agreed, crossing his arms over his chest and hovering in place thoughtfully. “I mean, I guess we should. I kinda wish I had my phone on me. Do you have your phone? Take a picture for Instagram. If we have to save them, fine, but they at least need to be publicly shamed. For, like, consequences!” His teammates were always all about consequences, usually for Johnny after he’d done something particularly stupid. If he had to deal with that kind of stuff, these dumb drunk guys should, too!

In the whole world, there were two people that MJ trusted most of all, and that was Tony and Johnny. There were no two people that she trusted more, and since they had registered and the Panel no longer entailed bureaucratic involvement, the idea didn’t seem so terrible. She wasn’t giving anything up in the long run, only gaining help and friendships through it. When Daisy joined as one of the Panel heads, it became even more tempting, and after Doom’s dramatic request that all heroes list, MJ could no longer ignore her instincts. Tony was, of course, the person who ultimately convinced her. She was sure that Johnny would have done the same thing, but her best friend occasionally took things personally where Tony didn’t. In the end, it’d been an easy choice, and moments like this made MJ relieved that she’d made it.

As Johnny bursted out laughing, MJ couldn’t help but join him. Honestly, the sight was hilarious and totally pathetic. There was no way that it could end well! “I hope no one would do that sober, but I also don’t know if I’d be surprised that they tried,” she admitted. New Yorkers were cutthroat and when faced with demons, had enough confidence to try to fight back. That being said, MJ really hoped that they were drunk. “I have my phone,” she replied with a grin. Pulling it from her suit, MJ flew down towards the men trying to pick a knife fight a demon and began snapping some excellent, humiliating shots. “I got lots,” she said to Johnny. “You wanna go save them now? It’s really hard to motivate myself,” she admitted.

[thcjackpot]

the-m3chanic:

“I absolutely want you to have words with an old lady,” Tony said seriously, though a small smirk was developing despite himself. Maybe he shouldn’t have been encouraging anything, but the party was quickly becoming like all of the other galas he had attended as a child. “This place is getting boring, anyway. But yeah, yeah I’m fine. Apparently I’m driving tonight.” Sad that he had to come up with an excuse to get people to leave him alone, but necessary. It was at that point that Doom made his way to the stage, and Tony leaned back against the bar to listen.

The party became, within a matter of moments, significantly more unique. “Does everything have to go to hell?” Tony asked as the crowd burst into chaos. Some were pushing through the crowd, desperate to confront Doom (as if that would happen, his security was insanely tight) and others were ducking out the doors. “Do you want to me to get your coat?” Panicking would get him nowhere, he reminded himself. Keep cool, calm, steady. Freak out when you were at home. “I think you were onto something with me being too old.” At least, he reminded himself, MJ had recently listed her abilities, so the crowd was not preoccupied with hunting down the Iron Spider. Her identity was still protected, so all things considered, it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been - but Doom had still blatantly betrayed people’s trust, their confidentiality, and dealing with the fallout would be great fun. “Can we do the right thing without it going wrong for once? That would be a nice change!”

“I will go have words with an old lady,” MJ said seriously. If the old woman had genuinely offended Tony in any way, especially wth needless cruelty, there wasn’t a question about whether MJ would have ‘words’ with her or not. She loved Tony and because of that, MJ would defend him against anyone and anything. Her loyalty had always been a defining trait, assuming the person in question was worthy of it. “Well, if you’re driving, you can give me a ride home. Weirdly, we live in the same place,” MJ said lightly, playing along with his unfortunate, forced charade. “You know, I’m really proud of you for driving, too. That can’t be easy,” MJ added, her tone turning serious as she spoke.

As the party turned way more chaotic, MJ genuinely wasn’t sure what to do. Her identity was a secret, she couldn’t help control the crowd without the suit — no one would listen to her — and she couldn’t get on the Iron Spider in a crowded place like this. Tony seemed more focused on leaving, and honestly, he had a point. They were pretty much useless in a situation like this, and judging by Doom’s disappearance, he knew what the fallout was going to be. “Coats don’t go with this outfit,” she scoffed, hoping to ease the tension in Tony’s shoulders. “You ready to go? I’m definitely ready to go,” she told him. Idly, MJ considered whether or not she should feel guilty about that, but hey, it wasn’t her responsibility to singlehandedly save the world. She did what she could! “Nah, you’re just old enough to get us out of this. Wisdom and all that,” MJ disagreed. Tony was experienced, he could handle the cleanup of all of this, if it was even possible to clean up. Honestly, she wasn’t sure. “I’m not sure that’s possible anymore,” MJ admitted, shrugging a shoulder. “Everyone is fucking crazy and we just have to deal with it, I think. You got any ideas of how to deal with this one?”

[thcjackpot]

@spidcrgwens​

Weirdly, MJ was insanely relieved that she had listed now that Doom had leaked their secrets. He had no information about who was behind the masks, MJ wasn’t remotely connected to Iron Spider, but she didn’t have to deal with the demands of the public. It seemed incredibly stressful to her, and immediately, she started worry about Gwen. The second she and Daisy left the party, most of the crowd calmed and sent home, she had rushed to their floor of Stark Towers and had burst through the door, short of period, only to find Gwen rifling through the fridge. Honestly, MJ expected to find her friend seriously upset, but Gwen was resilient, one of the toughest women she had ever met. MJ should have known better.

“Hey,” she greeted, offering her a half smile. “So… that was some party,” MJ said awkwardly. As she spoke, she wrapped an arm around Gwen in a half hug and leaned her head against her friends’ shoulder. “You may want to list now, y’know? Save from all of this drama, I don’t want you to be treated badly, Gwen. I love you, you know?” MJ’s explanation was nowhere near coherent, but she hoped that Gwen would understand her concern and thought process. “I really, really don’t want you to be publicly persecuted,” she finished, pulling away from their embrace. “But what I do want is ice-cream,” as she added that, MJ reached into the freezer and pulled out a tub of Ben & Jerry’s. After retrieving two spoons, she wordlessly handed one to Gwen.

[thcjackpot]

dcvilkid:

[ ✉ → hollywood boulevard] it’s obvious, don’t know why i didn’t see it before [ ✉ → hollywood boulevard] i mean, except for the fact that i show up in mirrors [ ✉ → hollywood boulevard] that’s true. you should have your own tv show. like dr phil only not creepy.

[ ✉ → cool as the devil] it is obvious. you’re a smart guy, you should have known, eddie. well, i don’t either. i just thought that was normal, obviously. [ ✉ → cool as the devil] you think we could really pull that off? dr mj in the house! you can be my dj like on ellen

[thcjackpot]

cftorch:

When Johnny had registered, it had been alongside his sister. Peter, too, had already signed the Accords by that point, ensuring that Johnny was never alone in his decision. Still, having MJ alongside him as he walked the halls of the Panel HQ felt good. Things were always a lot more fun with your best friend at your side, there was no denying that. They weren’t officially on a team together – the Panel didn’t have any ‘official’ teams at the moment, and Johnny was a ‘Fantastic Four or bust’ kinda guy anyways – but unofficially, everyone had quickly learned that the Human Torch and Iron Spider tended to work together pretty much exclusively. They made a hell of a team, too, though that wasn’t really a surprise. They’d been teaming up pretty much since MJ started the superhero business, and they knew each others moves intimately. 

There was something undeniably freeing about flying through the air with MJ at his side, whooping and grinning all the way. Glancing over as she spoke, Johnny’s brows shot up. “Seriously? No way!” He scanned the ground below them, eyes pausing as they landed on a crowd of people waving knives that gleamed in the streetlights in the general direction of a group of demons. “Holy shit,” he laughed, pointing to the sight so that MJ wouldn’t miss it. “Do you think they’re drunk? This seems like a drunk person kinda thing.”

Honestly, singing with the Panel was always something that MJ imagined herself regretting. It had been built up in her head as something dangerous, a threat to the safety of her privacy, but in reality, it had just helped organize Iron Spider further. Honestly, MJ was incredibly relieved by that. She had been a street hero in the beginning, hoping to stumble upon the next person she saved, and while MJ had perfected that chance encounter, having specific missions was a relief. Working alongside Johnny was a dream, too, and she genuinely did want to support Tony. With the two of them having signed the Accords and Daisy helping to run the Panel, it was essentially a dream come true. Being afraid of it had been useless, a total waste of time. Johnny was still a member of the Fantastic Four, MJ was still a member of the Young Avengers, but together, they kicked ass. (They normally worked together, too, thank god.)

“I’m being serious,” she said, trying to stifle her laughter. They were superheroes, meant to be saving people, not laughing at their stupidity. To be fair, when people threatened literal demons with knives, it was humiliating. “They have to be drunk,” MJ agreed. “It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen, Johnny. Should we save them? We probably should, but oh my god. I don’t know if I wanna deal with that, Johnny!”

[thcjackpot]

quakesjohnscn:

Every relationship had rules, whether people admitted them out loud or not. If you didn’t know the rules, things could get stressful fast but with MJ, somehow that wasn’t the case. Daisy had no idea what they were doing, no clue what the rules were and when she was in danger of breaking them, but she wasn’t terrified of it. Instead, she kind of found it fun, kind of enjoyed the mystery of it all. She was pretty sure MJ wasn’t going to cut her off entirely unless she did something majorly wrong, and that confidence allowed her to go to the surprise in the park with no fears. It was a fun, freeing feeling.

The dog wasn’t what she’d been expecting, but she was delighted at the sight all the same. She’d always loved animals, though her lifestyle had never allowed  her to have one. You couldn’t have pets when you were living in an orphanage or surviving out of your van, and as a SHIELD agent, she’d never known when she might have to leave town for an extended amount of time. “I think I know one girl prettier than her, but that’s all,” Daisy replied, looking back up to MJ with a wicked grin. “She seems easy to love.” Straightening so she could talk to MJ on her level rather than the dog’s, she laughed. “Storm didn’t tell you about Spock? What an ass!” Her tone was entirely playful, of course; as annoying as he might be, Johnny Storm was Wanda’s boyfriend and MJ’s best friend, and that meant Daisy pretty much had to like him. “I would love to be her godmother! Do you mean that?”

In theory, introducing Daisy to her dog seemed like a big step, but MJ wasn’t overly concerned about that. If she lingered on what was a step in their relationship, she would probably run away screaming, although it wasn’t a remotely logical action. Feelings were insanely confusing, but MJ was trying to manage hers. Daisy deserved so much better than blind panic solely because someone she dated in the past was horrific, and while MJ fought against some of her unreasonable instincts, it didn’t have to happen often. Daisy was someone she trusted.

“You definitely don’t know one girl prettier than her,” MJ scoffed, snorting. It was a smooth line, but Lucy was way more beautiful! There was really no competition, although honestly, she had no desire to be compared to a dog. With a grin, she added, “But if we’re talking about prettiest women alive that are not canines…” she trailed off and tilted her head to the side, examining Daisy. “I think I’m looking at her right now.” MJ was seriously proud of that line! As Daisy stood up straight, Lucy looked between the two of them, obviously conflicted about who to beg for attention. “She’s very easy to love,” MJ agreed. “No, Storm never mentioned Spock to me. I’m honestly so mad at him,” she said with a sigh. “I totally mean it! I’m making Johnny the godfather, but only because he would kill me if he didn’t.”

[thcjackpot]

quakesjohnscn:

For most of her life, Daisy hadn’t exactly had a plethora of people who cared who she was dating. As a kid she’d had Matt, who typically disapproved (for good reason!), and after joining SHIELD she had her team, but for the most part, no one batted an eyelid when she started something up with someone new. Things were a little different now. She had a lot more friends than she once had, all with her best interests in mind. She had coworkers who actually looked up to her at the Panel, people who cared about her opinion and wanted to share theirs as well. It was a new feeling and, in a lot of ways, kind of unwelcome. Daisy loved her freedom, loved being able to do what she wanted with who she wanted, and she was worried her new position might jeopardize it. When it came to asking MJ to Doom’s party, she’d sort of hesitated.  She hadn’t known if they were there yet in their relationship, hadn’t known if they were at a place where they could hold hands in public in front of everyone they knew, but MJ answered the question for her in inviting her here. Grinning as MJ spoke, Daisy raised a brow. “That might be kinda hard,” she mused. “I’m pretty sure I’m the one with the hottest date here.” Lame flirting technique? Maybe! But Daisy liked being lame from time to time!

Right now, whatever the thing they had was felt like a game of chicken. Daisy was waiting for MJ to set the rules, but she often felt as though MJ might be waiting for her, too. It certainly made for an odd dynamic, but not a bad one. Whatever they had, it was enjoyable, and some days that was all you could ask for. “Hey, I wouldn’t have missed it. I’m just glad you asked me to come out with you. Doom’s a snake, but this party is kind of awesome.” 

It would be a complete lie if MJ claimed that she hadn’t dated around throughout her years. When she had moved around as a child, she had learned how to charm people, get close to close and make them feel important without revealing anything honest about herself. It was a strategy she continued implementing during high school and when she first began university (only to drop out for acting jobs and Stark’s assistant job). She had few genuine, loving relationships, and the ones MJ had the misfortune of experiencing always ended in tragedy. Harry had become the Green Goblin, Pietro a terrorist, and it really seemed like she had a type until Daisy came along. She genuinely thought their friendship could become something more and while that terrified her, Daisy had never applied any pressure. If anything, she seemed as hesitant as MJ was. “Nope, that sounds impossible. Plus, you’re trying to steal my line,” MJ replied, snickering. Daisy’s reply had been lame, but she found it endearing nonetheless. MJ was going to be whipped by the end of their weird fling and strangely, she felt good about that! As Daisy spoke, mentioning that she was glad MJ had asked her, she couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll make sure to ask you to more cool events,” she promised, winking at Daisy.

Before MJ could continue flirting with Daisy, Doom took the stage and her eyebrows rose. He rarely made public appearances, but hey, it was his party! Unfortunately, he began speaking, and quickly, the mood changed in the crowd. MJ’s arm wrapped around Daisy as people began murmuring, and she took a step closer when Doom exited, leaving the list on the projector, and everyone began freaking out. “Um, so I wanna suggest getting out of here, but I don’t know if it’s morally acceptable,” MJ informed Daisy, speaking into her ear. As someone roughly bumped into her, MJ sighed. “Yeah, I really would rather have an awesome date without the drama, honestly!”

[thcjackpot]

osborngcblin:

@thcjackpot

He thinks he might be lying if he said he expected his friends to give him a second chance, after everything. Every Osborn is raised to cope with the potential that everyone you know and love will eventually leave you at some point, because they want something from you or because they can’t keep up with the life, because you have to kill your darlings first and foremost. He had fully expected to exit the rehabilitation clinic to find himself standing alone in the ashes of the Green Goblin, but that hadn’t been the case. He had found Peter, as steadfast and forgiving as he always had been, his very own second chance Gwen eager to be a part of his life, and MJ–the first person that had ever really known him, had ever really known the things that lurked just below the polished veneer. Oh the thousands of things that were wrapped up in her and her every gaze that got directed his way. 

He’s been watching her all night, not in any kind of possessive way but just to see how she’s faring–she looks genuinely happy, at least, happier than she has been in a long time. He hadn’t really been around for her last boyfriend, but from what he’s heard from their friends it blew up in spectacular and carnage inducing fashion, so more than interested to see just exactly who is making her smile like that, makes a mental note to ask Cassie if she could place the face of the other girl, what she might know that he doesn’t. He waits until the other girl gestures towards the area with the bar and the food, makes his way over with a warm smile on his face and an eyebrow raised. “You look like you’re having fun,” He laughs. “It isn’t nice to keep secrets from your friends you know, especially with the stories I could tell–do you think she’d like to hear about throwing up on my Versace shoes at prom first, or the time you hadn’t slept in two days and tried to break into the Bronx Zoo?” 

It wasn’t a surprise that people were interested to know what MJ was doing with one of the heads of the Panel. Daisy was a little bit famous, and MJ through her affiliation with Tony and acting career, was also decently well known around New York. All in all, it made sense that people had questions, and answering them was kind of hilarious. Unfortunately, she had no idea exactly how to describe their relationship. They weren’t together, far from it, but they were hanging out a lot! It was awesome, MJ was thoroughly enjoying herself. It didn’t alleviate any of the intense trust issues Pietro had left her with — god, she had truly terrible taste in exes… they all lost their fucking minds — but it was something new to focus on. MJ was starting a new chapter of her life with her friends, her duties as Iron Spider, and with the Young Avengers. There was no time to feel crappy because someone else had betrayed her!

After Daisy left, MJ was unsurprised to find another person approaching her. She knew a grand majority of the attendees through her own connections and her position as Tony’s assistant. When she saw that it was Harry, a hesitant smile crossed her face. She no longer despised him, she understood that the Goblin had deeply affected his mind, but MJ was understandably worried about Harry constantly. She cared about him, he had been her first love, and MJ never wanted to witness Harry degrade once more. “I am having fun,” she replied lightly. “Oh, I’m sure she’d love to hear about all of those. She’s heard about plenty of my embarrassing moments already, but I’ll give you details if you restrain yourself.” She replied, wrinkling her nose at him. “Daisy Johnson, aka Quake, we’re fucking but it’s nothing more. How about you, seeing anyone?”

[thcjackpot]

the-m3chanic:

@thcjackpot

Parties used to be the mainstay of Tony’s existence. They were not something delegated entirely to the weekend, they were a daily occurrence at the best of times, and perhaps several times daily at the worst. The Stark name was synonymous with having a good time and making a lot of mistakes simultaneously, but in recent years that had changed to something far more favourable. That meant that parties were a distant thing of the past, and those that did come up were far more of an excuse to socialise with others in the heroic community than they were to get pissed. Still, the grand majority of the population didn’t share that view, and right now, drinks were being poured, people were laughing, dancing and having a good time.

Tony had been sober for nearly a year, but that didn’t mean the smell of alcohol being poured didn’t take him right back to the very first week. Surrounding himself by friends was necessary, and MJ was one of the closest people in the world to him. “Can you believe I had to argue with an elderly lady to get these mocktails?” Tony asked, passing one of them to MJ, ensuring that the umbrella was placed at a sufficiently jaunty angle. She deserved the best! “I was convinced she was going to shank me, MJ. It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced, and I flew through a wormhole. Are all parties so dangerous these days, or am I just getting old?”

Obviously MJ was concerned about Tony in a party setting, surrounded by alcohol. She trusted him to control himself and resist the urge to drink, MJ truly thought the world of Tony Stark, but she had every intention of supporting him. That meant slipping away from her date briefly, but if Daisy didn’t understand that MJ cared deeply about Tony and wanted to spend time with him at such an exciting gathering, they definitely wouldn’t work for more than a couple more lays. Really, it was that simple to MJ! Tony had supported her for months — he literally gave her a home — and he was like the father figure that she had never been privileged enough to have.

As Tony handed her a mocktail, MJ immediately grinned. Tony had never asked MJ why she refused to drink, but given their vague conversations, she assumed that he had managed to figure it out. After all, she had her own strong suspicions about his history. “Do you want me to have some words with an elderly lady? If she fights one of my best friends, I’m not above it,” she told Tony seriously. They knew each other well enough to know that there were no genuinely hurt feelings involved, but if Tony said the word, MJ would still oblige! “I think you’re probably just getting old,” MJ replied, shrugging a shoulder. She took a sip of her drink before grinning at him. “How’s everything going, you okay?”

[thcjackpot]

pctriot:

His whole life feels like it’s been working towards the goal of having the name of Patriot mentioned in the same breath as Captain America, as Bucky Barnes or Sam Wilson, so he can’t help but feel a swell of affection for MJ when she so easily calls him the better Captain America, and a consecutive swell of pride that his hard work seems to be adding up to something–even though he’s had the serum running through his veins for less time than he’s been wilding the shield. He may not really know how to relate to her in any concrete way, but he’s glad in that moment that Kate had the foresight to put her in his path, and he’s more determined to find out what’s causing the chink in her armor. “You have to do what you have to do when you’re alone in your apartment.” He laughs and rolls his eyes fondly at her dramatics. “You wouldn’t understand of course, I heard through the grapevine you’ve been having fun.” He smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Anything serious?” 

His eyes fall to the object in question, tucked securely away behind his TV with only a starred corner visible. “I think the best practice is actually being out on the streets using it.” He shrugs and takes a bite of pizza. “I can’t throw it like Steve does because of the shape–all three of them have been trying to get me to upgrade since I met them, Steve will practically have an aneurism if you mention I’m still out there using his oldest model.” It had been basically an artifact when Kate stole it for him, so it wasn’t an unfounded worry, but Eli wouldn’t give it up for all of the vibranium in the world–it’s become his symbol, different from Steve’s, it signifies him as Patriot. “How ‘bout that suit of yours? You gonna keep upgrading until you can fly it from your couch?” 

“I used to think I’d be Patriot all the time if I could, but now that I have my own place I love being Eli way more.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “Mostly I think I love my mattress, even if it is sitting on the floor without a frame. You’d be better of giving me tips about not dying inside of an Ikea.” 

It was obvious that the compliment meant a lot to Eli and honestly, MJ had meant it. Steve was a good guy from what she had heard, but Eli was Captain America for the right modern day reasons. There was no longer a world war, no longer a need to be rallying the troops so to speak, he just cared about the world. Eli Bradley wanted to protect people and he went to some serious lengths in order to do it. Naturally, MJ adored him for it despite their many differences. Honestly, she never minded people that thought differently than her. Without it, the Young Avengers wouldn’t be nearly as strong (although she’d love to kick Tommy off the team.) “Are you sure you want to know what I do alone in my apartment?” MJ asked lightly, offering him a smile. “Spoiler: it involves way too much pizza.” When he mentioned MJ’s fun, her smile faded and she remembered Johnny’s very valid lecture. MJ’s fun hadn’t exactly been in her own best interest, but Daisy was different. “I’m trying to have a little less fun lately,” she admitted, shrugging a shoulder. “Um, probably not, but I do like this one girl… maybe? I honestly don’t understand my own feelings.”

When Eli spoke about his shield, MJ listened carefully. She’d never considered him upgrading it, the uniqueness of Eli’s shield had always marked him as an individual, and it was nice to hear that he wanted to keep it that way. “So we go out and practice more,” she replied as though it were obvious. “Hey, if you love your shield and you’ve learned how to kick ass with it, I think you should keep it just the way it is.” MJ couldn’t imagine giving up her gear even for the improved stuff. The superhero garb you collected was deeply personal, a marking of the hero you wanted to be. “Tony built it for me,” she said. Realizing that wasn’t clear, MJ added, “He personalized it in a lot of ways, made it perfect for me and I don’t think I’ll ever need an upgrade.”

As Eli spoke, MJ grinned. “The only place I’ve had that was completely my own was my apartment with my ex,” she cringed at the name, obvious dislike there. “But this place is mine, too, I just don’t pay rent. I will personally make sure you don’t die in Ikea, promise, but I have no tips. It’s really overwhelming!”

[thcjackpot]

@flyboylantern​

Obviously MJ was attending Doom’s party, that went without saying, and with Daisy as her date, she was honestly pretty excited to be there. Sure, their president was sketchy and the entire premises of the party was questionable, but she intended to have a good time! So far she had done that through dancing and eating a lot of good food — she was steadfast in sobriety, had been since she was a teenager — but MJ learned to have fun without a crutch. Naturally, that lead her towards Doom’s photo booth. It was a fun addition, an easy way to keep memories of the night, and when she spotted Hal as she walked towards it, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “I have the best proposition for you that you’re gonna get all night,” she informed him seriously. “Me, you, and the photo booth,” she said with a grin.

There was no realistic way that Hal could never say no to taking amazing photos with MJ. They weren’t currently dressed in their superhero garb, they couldn’t show off excessively, but hey, MJ was a great time nonetheless! Daisy seemed to think so, and so had the complete strangers that chatted her up earlier. “I’ll hang them all up on your wall,” she added, winking dramatically.

[thcjackpot]

@cftorch​

Being a registered superhero wasn’t nearly as exciting as MJ imagined. She always envisioned it as being something dramatic, a drastic change from being unregistered, but in reality, it was largely the same. Daisy and Natasha offered more help, always found missions whenever you asked which was incredible and a total relief, but it was nothing that MJ hadn’t already grown accustomed to through Tony’s support and the Young Avengers. All that aside, her favourite part of being registered (aside from the occasion stolen moment with Daisy) was that MJ got to spend more time with Johnny and that they were inadvertently teammates. How couldn’t she excited about that? Johnny was her best friend, the person she trusted most in the world and now they officially got to work together whenever they chose.

Currently, they were soaring through New York City in a race that Johnny had enthusiastically suggested. Considering that her suit was mechanically powered, MJ had no doubt that she could beat him — it was Stark tech! — but she was careful not to wound Johnny’s pride. He would never admit that she had kicked his ass and honestly, she did not want to hear the whining. As they flew, her AI, the British Candice alerted MJ to commotion down below. “Candy claims that there’s a literal knife fight down below,” MJ said, wrinkling her nose. “Some civilians are trying to knife the demons. Oh, my god, why are people so stupid, Johnny?”

[thcjackpot]

@quakesjohnscn​

Technically speaking, MJ and Daisy had been on a lot of dates. They went out together all the time, and now that they’d both agreed that PDA was totally fine, MJ never bothered to hide the fact that there was something undefined between the two of them. That being said, their relationship hadn’t stood the test of being around nearly everyone they knew. Their dates were private, away from the prying eyes of civilians and the fellow superhero community. MJ’s identity wasn’t public, but after signing, many more people knew who Iron Spider was. All that aside, she was proud to be attending Doom’s party with Daisy at her side, and she didn’t bother hiding it. Her arm was lazily wrapped around Daisy’s waist as she lead her towards the dance floor. “I have one goal tonight,” MJ informed Daisy seriously. “It’s to make sure that every single person knows that I have the hottest date here!” MJ was proud of the fact that her lines seemed to get better by the moment.

Eventually, she knew that she and Daisy would have to discuss what was happening between them, if anything serious at all. The fact that it hadn’t come up yet proved that Daisy most likely hadn’t had an easy history with relationships either, and weirdly, it made whatever MJ had with Daisy feel much safer. She never worried about suddenly being blindsided with questions, she trusted that Daisy would respect her boundaries, and that was one of the many reasons why MJ was excited for people to really notice that they were spending time together. “By the way, I’m really glad you came out with me.”

[thcjackpot]

prinxe-xavin:

It wasn’t really much of a surprise when what MJ asked about was where they had come from. “It’s okay,” Xavin assured her. “I don’t mind.” They sort of had to be okay with it, since that was always what people wanted to know first. They were from somewhere very different, the curiosity was only to be expected. “There are a lot of Skrull planets, but the one I’m from was called Tarnax Seven.” As they spoke, they looked around carefully, just to be certain that no humans were coming close enough to hear what they were saying. They were fairly confident that anyone who recognized the name of their home planet wouldn’t be a danger, but they couldn’t be completely sure. “We were a military training hub, so the entire planet was…regimented?” They supposed that was the right word.

“You can miss what you thought they were, or could have been,” they pointed out softly, and they weren’t entirely sure whether they were speaking more about MJ’s ex or about their own people. They had learned that lesson, that it was okay to have those regrets. It was, perhaps, a little ironic that MJ had been partly responsible for that education. “Thank you,” they said softly, knowing that they had no intention of taking up that offer. They had made peace with what had happened to them, and to their home. To continue to dig up those memories seemed counterproductive.

Space travel had never been something MJ considered at length. She’d never been interested in visiting the moon or volunteering to live on Mars for the rest of her life, but she knew countless people who were very interested in traversing the galaxy. Luckily, she could satiate her limited curiosity by talking to people like Xavin, who MJ trusted to be honest and candid about their background. She was lucky they’d built such an amazing friendship. “Thanks for being so open,” she said, genuinely appreciative. “Tarnax Seven,” she repeated quietly. “Were you part of the military there? I don’t know what the age laws are there — I don’t even think I know how old you are,” she admitted. Xavin was a good fighter, MJ had witnessed that during the Skrull Invasion, but she did not know whether Xavin had built their skills up through training.

“Yeah,” MJ agreed, “You can definitely miss that.” Pietro didn’t deserve her sorrow or her nostalgia. Through her difficult upbringing, MJ had learned to easily remove herself from her feelings, and with this instance, she was doing precisely that. There was no point grieving someone that would never admit that they had done anything remotely wrong. “You’re welcome,” she replied, offering Xavin a small smile. “You’re a good friend, you know? I really appreciate all of this,” MJ said before taking a sip of her smoothie.