Chapter 457: Chapter 457: MJ’s Family Dinner

[Third Person Pov]

MJ was slouched on Aunt May’s couch so deeply that she was nearly sliding onto the floor entirely, her head tipped back dramatically while she stared up at the ceiling like life itself had personally wronged her. Beside her, Aria sat comfortably with her legs tucked underneath herself and a sandwich in her hands. She took another bite before glancing over at MJ with clear amusement dancing in her eyes.

"That bad huh?" she asked through full cheeks, sounding like a chipmunk while chewing.

"I would rather get a seizure..." MJ admitted truthfully with a miserable groan. She leaned sideways and wrapped both arms around Aria, burying her face against her shoulder like she was seeking emotional support before execution.

Aria patted her hand gently in comfort while still holding her sandwich in the other. "As Daddy would say, ’May the Force be with you.’"

MJ let out a suffering noise into her shoulder.

A moment later, Peter came walking down the stairs already dressed and ready. He wore a red and black open plaid shirt over a fitted white t-shirt, his dark hair slicked back neatly while a silver chain rested against his chest. A watch sat around his wrist and square framed glasses completed the look.

The second MJ looked up and saw him, she immediately slid fully off the couch onto the floor.

"I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna," she repeated while thrashing her head side to side dramatically.

MJ herself was dressed nicely too despite her protests. She wore a light red wool turtleneck with exposed shoulders alongside black shorts, her loose wavy red hair framing her freckled face while dark makeup highlighted her features beautifully.

Peter walked over without hesitation, bent down, and effortlessly threw MJ over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"No! Release me! Release me I say! You can’t make me!!" MJ whined loudly, fake tears practically in her voice as she kicked her feet and squirmed around. Peter simply held onto the back of her knees securely to stop her from sliding off.

"We don’t know when we’ll be back, so enjoy your free time, Aria," Peter said casually, completely ignoring MJ’s tantrum.

"Have fun you two," Aria replied while turning her attention back toward the TV and happily continuing to eat her sandwich.

"Aria save me!!" MJ cried dramatically, stretching one hand out toward her like she was being kidnapped against her will.

Aria ignored her entirely as if she hadn’t heard a single word.

Peter carried MJ toward the front door while she continued wriggling around until she suddenly grabbed onto the doorframe with both hands for dear life.

"You’re going to break your nail," Peter said casually, his voice filled with affectionate amusement.

"Good point," MJ replied immediately, letting go without hesitation.

Peter snorted softly. "Can you close the door please?"

"Yeah sure, no problem."

Still hanging over his shoulder, MJ casually reached back and pulled the door shut behind them before clearing her throat. "Now where was I... oh right."

She instantly resumed thrashing around dramatically again while Peter laughed under his breath. MJ dissolved into giggles shortly after, unable to keep the act going seriously any longer as Peter carried her the rest of the way to her front door.

"Special delivery," Peter announced as he walked inside without knocking.

Sitting at the front of the living room on the couch was Madeline with two other guests waiting there with her.

"Sorry for intruding, I know this was supposed to be a family dinner and all," Peter said apologetically as he stepped further inside.

Madeline immediately waved the concern away with warmth.

"What are you talking about? With how close you and MJ are, you’re already part of the family," she assured him kindly. "Not to mention MJ already told us in advance you would be joining us."

MJ patted Peter on the back twice and he adjusted his hold before spinning her around so she was finally facing the room properly while still hanging over his shoulder.

"Sup," she greeted plainly, raising one hand lazily.

Madeline pinched the bridge of her nose with immediate exhaustion. "MJ, we have guests."

"It’s my sister and brother-in-law, I wouldn’t exactly consider that guests," MJ replied while rolling her eyes before finally hopping down from Peter’s shoulder.

Sitting across from her mother was her older sister Gayle alongside her husband. The moment Gayle looked over at MJ there was already a frown on her face, though her attention quickly shifted toward Peter instead. The hostility in her eyes was immediate and obvious, making the atmosphere noticeably colder.

Beside her, her husband wore the awkward expression of a man who clearly had no idea what kind of battlefield he had walked into.

"Hello, I’m Peter. I live just across the street," Peter introduced himself politely as he approached and offered a handshake.

The man accepted it after a second. "Timothy Byrnes... Gayle’s husband."

"Yeah, you live across the street, so what exactly are you doing here Peter?" Gayle scoffed from the couch. "Being nosey again?"

Peter gave an amicable nod like he’d heard far worse from her before. "Gayle. Pleasant as always."

"Clearly because I invited him," MJ cut in with another eye roll as she walked over and dropped onto the couch beside her mother.

"Right, because you can’t go two seconds without breathing the same air as him," Gayle sneered while leaning back and crossing her legs. "Nice to see your obsession is still as present as ever."

A flash of irritation crossed MJ’s face instantly. She slowly turned her head toward Timothy instead of Gayle.

"Please learn to control your woman," MJ said flatly, "or one day she’s going to get punched in the mouth for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person."

Timothy visibly froze.

"You two please, I beg of you, stop," Madeline pleaded tiredly, clearly pained seeing her daughters speak to each other with so much bitterness.

Peter moved over and sat on the armrest beside Madeline, quietly placing a comforting hand against her back.

"Tell her to stop, she’s the one that started it," MJ replied while leaning back against the couch cushions with her arms crossed tightly.

"You, aren’t you going to say something?" Gayle asked sharply, turning toward her husband.

"What? What do you want me to say?" Timothy asked while glancing around in genuine confusion and panic.

Peter looked away for a second and snickered under his breath before quickly covering his mouth with his hand.

Gayle shot him an annoyed glare. "Ugh, forget it," she grumbled while leaning heavily against the armrest beside her, clearly dissatisfied.

An awkward silence settled over the room for a brief moment before Peter casually broke it like the argument had never happened at all. "So... what do you do, man?"

"Huh?" Timothy blinked before quickly recovering. "Oh, I’m currently in college studying law."

"Oh? That’s cool. So you’re studying to become a lawyer then?" Peter asked smoothly, keeping the conversation relaxed on purpose.

"That’s the goal," Timothy answered with a small nod. "It’s all I ever wanted to be."

Madeline honestly looked like she could’ve hugged Peter right then and there, seeing him navigate the situation so naturally and steer the conversation away from another argument.

Meanwhile, across the room, Gayle and MJ were still glaring daggers at each other in complete silence.

Clearly neither of them had anything nice to say.

************************************************

+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3