[Third Person Pov]

"I’ve said this before, but I really hate using you like a therapist. I don’t want our relationship to just be me dumping all my problems onto you like that..." Peter grumbled in dissatisfaction as he snuggled closer against her, his voice quieter than usual.

"Peter, babe, my love. For someone that’s so smart, you can be really dumb sometimes," MJ said gently, running her fingers through his hair in a slow, comforting motion.

Peter lifted his head slightly and looked over at her, confusion clear on his face, which only made her chuckle softly. "Pete, what do you think relationships are supposed to be exactly?" she asked, raising a brow.

"Definitely not something where you take advantage of the other person..." Peter replied, his lips pursed in a small frown that MJ couldn’t help but find endearing.

She rolled her eyes fondly before leaning in to give him a quick kiss. "If you can’t come to me, or Gwen, or Felicia, then who exactly are you supposed to turn to when something’s weighing on you? That’s kind of the whole point, you know. A relationship is about supporting each other, being there when things get heavy, and not having to carry everything on your own. I love it when you come to me, whether it’s for advice or just to get something off your chest."

MJ pressed a soft kiss to his forehead and lingered there for a second before whispering, "You can count on me, just like I know I can count on you..."

Peter relaxed into her a bit more, closing his eyes as he let out a quiet breath. "Have I told you how lucky I am to have you?" he murmured.

MJ giggled under her breath. "Yes, you have. But I don’t mind hearing it more often," she teased lightly before tilting her head to look at him again. "So, are you finally going to tell me what’s been bothering you?"

Peter hesitated for a moment, his body tensing slightly before he let out a long sigh. "It’s... kind of a big moral dilemma," he admitted. "I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about letting others do the killing for me. I mean, I know—they’re terrorists. I shouldn’t be feeling guilty about it. But I don’t want to take a life. Part of me understands that they’ve done terrible things and that they deserve to face consequences, maybe even death... but I just can’t bring myself to be the one who does it."

He paused, his voice dropping a little as he continued. "At the same time, if I’m standing there and letting someone else do it, or not stopping it when I could, then what’s the difference? It feels like I’m still responsible either way."

Peter shifted closer, burying his face against MJ’s chest as his words came out more quietly. "And I know it probably sounds stupid to be worried about something like this. But it’s just... who I am. I can’t help it. I don’t want to become someone who finds it easy to end a life. But I also don’t want to be the reason innocent people get hurt or killed just because I couldn’t bring myself to stop a threat permanently."

MJ didn’t respond right away. She stayed quiet, continuing to run her hand through his hair in a steady, soothing rhythm, letting his words settle without rushing to fill the silence.

After a moment, Peter shifted slightly, guilt creeping into his expression. "I’m sorry. I know this is a lot—"

MJ cut him off quickly, her tone firm but gentle. "No, don’t apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for," she said, shaking her head. "I was just thinking about what you said."

She adjusted slightly so she could look at him better, her expression soft but thoughtful. "And you’re right, it is a moral dilemma.

There’s no clean or easy answer to something like that." She paused briefly before letting out a small sigh. "But honestly? A big part of your problem comes down to one thing..."

She tapped his forehead lightly with her finger. "You overthink everything way too much."

"I’m not saying that’s a bad thing per se, but in this case it might be," MJ continued, her tone gentle but firm as her fingers kept idly playing with his hair. "You think there should be something wrong with letting others handle the killing for you, but there really isn’t. It’s okay to leave it to someone else if you can’t bring yourself to do it. That doesn’t make you a bad person, Peter."

She shifted slightly so she could look down at him more clearly. "I think what you’re really worried about is becoming some kind of cold, deranged killer. Tiger, I believe you’re one of the smartest people on this planet... and more importantly, you’re sensible. You’re more than capable of knowing when you’re crossing a line and when you’re not. You understand boundaries. You understand consequences. Only an idiot pushes too far without realizing it, or doesn’t care that they have."

Her expression softened even more. "You have one of the strongest moral compasses I’ve ever seen. You already know what’s right and what’s wrong. The problem is that you start second-guessing yourself, and that’s where everything gets tangled up."

MJ leaned down, pressing a series of quick, affectionate kisses across his face, making him scrunch up slightly in response. "Get out of that big head of yours," she murmured between kisses. "The fact that you feel pity and guilt already says everything it needs to. And you know the saying, ’those who kill should be prepared to be killed.’ Those terrorists knew exactly what they were getting into. They’ve already terrorized enough innocent people. Don’t let them start terrorizing you too by letting them live rent-free in your thoughts."

Peter didn’t respond right away. He just looked up at her quietly, his gaze soft as he rested his head against her chest again, taking in her words.

MJ let out a small giggle, tilting her head. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Mary Jane Watson... I love you. I really do," Peter said softly, a warm, affectionate smile spreading across his face that made MJ feel her cheeks heat up.

She laughed again, this time a little more shyly. "Oh really...?"

Peter simply hummed in confirmation before leaning up and kissing her. She melted into it almost immediately, her hands coming up to cup his face as she gently caressed his cheek, their lips moving together in a slow, unhurried rhythm. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads stayed pressed together, and MJ let out a quiet breath. "I don’t think I even need to say it... you already know, tiger," she whispered, her fingers tracing along his jaw. "I love you too... more than anything."

They shared another soft kiss before parting again, lingering close.

"Thank you..." Peter murmured, his voice full of quiet affection. "And hey... if something ever starts weighing on you, don’t hesitate to come to me too. Like you said, this goes both ways."

MJ hesitated for a brief second, her expression shifting just slightly. "Well... there is one thing," she admitted slowly.

Peter’s brows knit together with concern. "What is it?"

She shook her head lightly. "It’s nothing serious, I promise. Just something about my mom and my sister."

Then, just as quickly, a playful glint returned to her eyes. With a smooth movement, she shifted their positions so Peter was sitting upright on the couch while she settled herself comfortably across his lap, one hand resting against his chest.

"But first," she said with a mischievous smile, "don’t you think I deserve a little reward?"

"Seriously?" Peter asked, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone.

MJ raised a brow at him. "Are you saying no?"

"Am I crazy? The day I say no is the day I’ve been replaced by some kind of imposter," Peter shot back with a scoff.

That was all it took for both of them to break into laughter, the tension from earlier completely gone as they leaned into each other again, sharing a few more light, affectionate kisses.

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