MJ and Meeting Another New Person

"And who are these cute little gentlemen?" Madeline said as she kneeled to the side of us, looking at me and Peter before turning to May, "Your sons?" she asked which caused me to scoff internally.

In what way do me and Peter look alike? Even brother's who don't look like each other still share similarities. Me and Peter share none.

May stopped for a second before laughing and shaking her head, "No, no, the one with the glasses is my nephew, Peter. The one sitting next to him is his friend from school, Leo," she said politely to Madeline who just gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Oh? Well, excuse the mistake," she said with a slightly embarrassed look before she stood up and moved Mary from behind her and looked back to us, "Now, I know boys usually only want to play with other boys but do you think you can keep my daughter company while I have a coffee with May? I'm sure she'd really like to because we've just moved here and she doesn't have many friends just yet," she gave a gentle smile while holding the shoulders of the nervous little redhead.

Despite how you'd think she'd be, Mary Jane Watson looks to be surprisingly shy as a kid. And a lot like a tomboy.

I got up off the sofa, gaining a look from Peter who was wondering what I was doing but when he heard what I said next, he got off the sofa as well, "Yeah, Peter and I were just about to go and go to his room, so she can come along if she wants," I said with a smile, acting the part of an intelligent yet nice kid.

Madeline's smile widened and she gave a gentle push to Mary who stumbled toward us. I just walked passed her with Peter, toward his room. It wasn't the first time I'd been over here, so I knew my way around.

When I felt that she wasn't following us, I turned around and looked at her. She looked...troubled, for some reason. Nervous. Maybe even a little fearful. I just smiled at her and motioned for her to come with us, "Come on, we won't bite, you know?" I joked and got a laugh from Madeline and May who was but a few feet away from us.

Mary went red before she looked struck by indecision. In the end, she just nodded and hurried up to us.

...I wonder why she's so nervous? I've met shy kids before. They're never shown fear at the thought of playing with kids their own age.

Odd.

. . .

"D-do you have anything else w-we could do?" Mary spoke up as Peter and I got to the half-way mark for the Death Star. She'd just been sitting there and any time I asked if she wanted to join in, she just shook her head, rejecting my offer.

After the first half a dozen times, I just gave up and focused on building.

If she doesn't wanna join in, I'm not gonna force her.

Looking toward her, I answered her, "Well, what do you want to do?" I asked and she looked stumped for a second.

"What I want to do...?" she seemed to be talking to herself but I nodded anyway. Her green eyes looked to me with confusion in them but I just met her with nonchalance. I wasn't tricking her or anything. I just wanted to know what she'd rather do. In the end, she got something out, "S-sports!" she stuttered and I actually had to do a double take at her.

"Sports?" I asked before chuckling to myself - looks like I'm re-evaluating my personal biases, huh?

Peter looked oddly at my chuckling but he soon got over it as he groaned at the mention of sports. Mary didn't understand why he was groaning, so she tilted her head at him, "What's wrong with sports?" she asked before turning to me as well, misunderstanding my chuckling.

Getting up, I put down the Lego I was holding and looked to her, "Nothing. Peter just isn't too gifted athletically. All his energy goes to that big brain of his," I laughed, much to the annoyance of Peter who made his annoyance clear as he grumbled.

"Shut up, Leo..." he said more to himself but from how I laughed at what he said and Mary giggled, it was safe to say he wasn't being as quiet as he thought he was being.

Looking around, I found a rare sight - a baseball. Well, a rare sight in Peter's room, at least. The kid seriously hated Sports of any kind. Not even because he's bad at them. He just doesn't like them. In his own words, 'Why would I like kicking or throwing a ball around?'. I mean, when he puts it like that, I can see where he's coming from.

Nevertheless, I like sports. I'm not a goody-two-shoes either, so I'm not against using my inherently superior physique to my advantage.

Walking over to the ball, I went back to my original spot before looking to Mary, "We can't really play any sports indoors, nor do we have the stuff to play anything like Soccer or Football...but we can play a sporty game with this ball if you want, MJ," I said, testing the water on whether she has that nickname or not yet.

The little MJ went beet red at the term of endearment, and looked to me with wide green eyes and a mouth that kept opening and closing like a fish's mouth.

"M-MJ? What's that mean?" she asked, despite probably having figured it out herself.

Smiling, I answered, "MJ. Mary Jane. It's the first two initials of your full name. What? Don't you like it?" I asked with a slight smirk.

Hearing me doubt her or maybe even misunderstand her, MJ stood up off of Peter's bed and started rapidly shaking her head, "N-no! I was just confused is all..." she muttered before her face went a little more embarrassed-looking, "But I like it...Call me MJ from now on, Leo!" he embarrassment seemed to evaporate and she gave me a happy smile and started giggling.

"Right, will do," I agreed before underarm throwing the baseball to her. She fumbled and caught it, glaring at me for suddenly throwing it to her. But I ignored it and explained what we'd be doing, "Right, this is a little game I've just came up with. If you don't understand the rules, just tell me and I'll explain them better, okay?" she gave a determined nod, for whatever reason, so I continued, "The aim of the game is to keep that ball in your possession. You can hold it away from me but you can't hide it, and every 5 seconds, the ball needs to leave your hands. Whether you throw it up in the air, to your other hand or just simply drop it - it's up to you. When it's in your hands, I can't take it. I can only take it when it's mid-air. Do you get what I'm saying?" I asked and MJ gave a resolute nod.

It's only a game, you don't have to look like we're about to fight to the death...

"Well, let's begin then~" I said with a smirk, walking closer to her. Once she'd counted 5 seconds, she tried to pass the baseball to her other hand as quickly as she could. But it never made it to it's destination, "Too slow~" I teased as I wiggled the baseball in front of her face.

And thus began a brutal beatdown of skill, wit and physical prowess.

Translation - I just kept the ball above her head and out of reach, throwing up a little into the air every 5 seconds.

Like I said, I've got no problem playing dirty or unfairly.

. . .

"...I'll beat you next time, you big meanie!" MJ stuck her tongue out at me, her mother looking appalled at MJ's lack of manners.

But before she could tell her daughter off, I just smiled and pat MJ's head, "You're free to try, MJ. Just don't be surprised when the outcome is the same next time as well," I gave her a smirk before ruffling her hair up.

...Revenge for all the times I've had my own hair ruffled. Well, not revenge. More like spreading the displeasure.

Yet it didn't even do that as MJ's 'glare' and annoyance at losing cleared up awfully quickly under the head pat/ruffling and she began giggling, and she nodded with a determined or rather purpose-filled hum, saying that she would try. Shame it'll always turn out the same way. I don't see myself getting beat by a kid after all.

Maybe let her win a few times to keep her hopes high then crush her the next time we play a game? Seems quite brutal...but I'll probably end up doing it.

"Mhm! I'll see you at school next week, Leo!" she said and I just replied with a nod before walking away with my mom who'd come to pick me up. MJ, as you might expect, was going to be going to the same Elementary School as Peter and I. It was the closest one to where she lives, after all.

As we walked away, mom took my hand and gave a squeeze, and began to talk as I rolled my eyes - I knew what was coming. It's as inevitable as Thanos.

"MJ, huh? Giving such a little cutie a nickname like that must mean you like her, right? Does my little Leo have a small crush?" she asked and I restrained a sigh. How would I even possibly develop feelings, mom? I'm six, for god's sake! I think that's practically impossible, isn't it?! I mean, I feel like it is because I haven't experienced it in any of my reincarnations.

Fondness for someone, sure. But nothing romantic or the like. I'm not a pedo, for one.

But deciding to turn the tables on her, I just let out a sigh, "Yep, you might as well start planning the wedding for me, mom. And the dowry. I want this to be legitimate, after all," I let out another sigh and mom just stopped before picking me up.

"Ha-ha mister," she let out a sarcastic laugh before letting out a huff of triumph shortly after, "But I'm not letting anyone steal my little baby away until he's 18!" she said and I looked down at my relatively small form and dangling legs...

...I really hate being a kid. No physical training AND people can easily pick me up. It's hell.

I just ignored most of what my mother said. I'm already well used to this sort of attached and clingy behavior. It should ween off when I hit my teenage years. Rather than it 'should', it's more of a 'I hope it does'.

"Oh," mom said, still carrying me, "I know you might be a bit tired after playing at Peter's but I was invited for dinner at my boss' house. They just moved into our apartment from somewhere else in Queens, so we're going over to theirs to eat tonight. Okay?" she asked and I just gave a nod, resigned to my fate of being carried like some sort of doll.

...I will have my revenge one day, mom. Just you wait!