MJ woke up after sleeping almost all day, which was normal considering the stress she had for so many years that prevented her from having a good night's sleep.
She woke up with a yawn and looked beside her. For a moment, the crimson-haired girl was scared, thinking it might all have been a dream. But on closer inspection, she realized it was Allen's room. That room where she had the best night of her life.
Mary Jane breathed a sigh of relief and looked out the window, only to see the sunset.
"I slept all day..." murmured the beautiful girl with a smile. "How many years has it been since I slept with such tranquility and security... it's all thanks to him..."
MJ got up, the white sheets slipping off her body, revealing her figure clad only in underwear.
Mary Jane looked out from the apartment on the fifth floor with newfound hope and expectation and went to take a bath.
...
As water droplets trickled down her skin, she felt relaxed. MJ finished her shower and looked in the mirror a couple of times to reassure herself that she wasn't dreaming.
"Where's Allen?" Jane felt the need to search for Allen, without any reason; she just wanted to see him.
Jane smiled tenderly seeing her towel in the bathroom; she also noticed her toothbrush and other personal care products arranged alongside Allen's belongings.
There was no doubt that he had decided to live with her. Technically, she was renting a room, but everyone could easily see it was just an excuse so that MJ wouldn't feel like a nuisance. She couldn't help but shed tears, but they were tears of happiness. She even thought she didn't deserve such a good man in her life.
Jane left the bathroom and walked down the hallway in casual clothing, a small pink blouse, and shorts that exposed her fair legs. For a moment, she thought it was a bit too daring to wear, but remembering her first night with Allen, she didn't care if he "attacked" her in the kitchen.
"Hehehe~" Mary Jane blushed at such a bold thought and shook her head. "There's something wrong with me..."
These were all symptoms of a girl deeply in love.
...
From the kitchen came the delicious aroma of something freshly baked. When Mary Jane peeped, she saw Allen in an apron and oven mitts taking something out of the oven.
She watched her boyfriend for a moment. She hadn't said it before, but she always liked that serious look he had when he was concentrating. He used it while cooking or editing, and she had seen it more than once.
Above all, she could get lost staring at his face and light gray eyes all day long.
"MJ?" Allen's serious expression softened into a smile when he saw Mary Jane. A faint blush appeared on the young woman's face.
"Even his smile is so enchanting; who am I kidding? I love everything about him," Mary Jane admitted in her mind.
MJ tried to stop being so shy around Allen. After all, their relationship was already too deep for her to keep acting like a shy girl.
With that thought in mind, she gathered her courage, approached, and hugged him from behind, pressing her ample bosom against Allen's back.
"Hey, it's dangerous," Allen was taken by surprise by his girlfriend's actions and almost dropped the tray.
"Sorry~," said MJ, letting him go and then winking flirtatiously.
She seemed to want to provoke Allen and leaned against the other side of the counter, using her hands to support herself, a seemingly innocent move that exposed her cleavage to Allen.
After feeling the softness on his back and being provoked, Allen felt like he was being underestimated by the girl.
"Are you ready for the consequences?" Allen left the tray on the marble counter and scooped up Jane in his arms.
"Kyah! W-wait, Allen, what about the bread?" the girl let out a cute scream.
"Who cares?" Allen replied with a smile that sent shivers down Mary Jane's spine as he carried her to their bedroom.
MJ regretted provoking the dragon; her moans were heard throughout the afternoon and part of the night.
...
Allen woke up the next morning and realized he was running late for school. This is the year when he must think about his future and more. But he never thought he'd be involved in so many crazy things.
Beside him, the red-haired beauty made a small whimper when Allen removed his arms. MJ had several kiss marks on her skin, and Allen had scratches on his back.
"Wake up, it's time to go to school..." Allen kissed his girl.
She responded tenderly. "If you're going to wake me up like this every day, I feel like I'll become addicted..."
"It doesn't matter; I just have to do it for the rest of my life..." Allen stroked her red hair.
MJ's face turned as red as a tomato; she realized that Allen is usually reserved with women in general, but when the line is blurred between them, he doesn't feel the slightest embarrassment in saying things like that.
Both got up and showered together, making no effort to skip another day.
They walked together to school, and Allen met his friend, Mr. Jackson.
"Hahaha," Mr. Jackson laughed with joy at seeing Allen with a beautiful girl.
"Good morning, Mr. Jackson, it's nice to see you as cheerful as usual," Allen greeted politely.
"I'm Mary Jane Watson; it's a pleasure," Mary Jane immediately greeted courteously upon learning that Mr. Jackson was an acquaintance of Allen's.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Watson, I'm Robert Jackson, the guy who makes coffee for young Walker," Robert paused before continuing, "So, you finally chose a redhead."
Allen felt uncomfortable because he knew why Robert said that. Allen had decided to live alone after certain uncomfortable incidents with his Aunt Natasha, and he told this man at some point, but all he got in response was a huge laugh.
"Hahaha, whatever you say, Allen, although I was hoping you'd stick with the lovely blonde... you looked so good together..."
MJ felt uneasy hearing about Gwen and even wanted to leave, but Allen held her hand, stopping her from going.
"Don't worry, Robert; I'll make Gwen and Mary Jane happy."
The man was surprised to hear Allen's declaration; he showed no doubt in his words as he held MJ's hand.
Robert smiled weakly. "You know, kid, you do amazing things sometimes. Well, good luck with that... at least seeing the red-faced look of your redhead girlfriend tells me you have no intention of hiding your relationship."
"Haha, that's right. It seems I chose the difficult path."
"Take care, Allen," the man gave a serious look to Mary Jane, "and Miss Jane."
"Hm?" MJ tensed when she heard her name.
"I entrust that good-hearted womanizer to you..." the man smiled kindly.
"Yes" MJ nodded confidently.
"Hey, who are you calling a womanizer?... Oh, right," Allen couldn't retort.
Jackson watched the couple leave hand in hand. "I'm getting old..."
Allen arrived at school, and MJ insisted he let go of her hand until they resolved things with Gwen. They wouldn't show affection in public to maintain respect for her.
Everyone looked at Allen when he arrived at school; it was as if he were a ghost. His confrontation with Flash had made a deep impression on everyone, and the incident's virality had only added to the attention.
Allen knew that it would be a long day, so he mentally prepared himself.
===
Meanwhile, a woman arrived at the airport, her gaze fixated on New York with tenderness.
"I want to see you soon... Allen."
*Natasha's POV*
I've lived too long surrounded by enemies and lies. Somewhere, I knew I was nothing more than broken pieces of a woman.
After a long career witnessing the worst of the world, I entered SHIELD. Honestly, I thought it would be my last organization, not because I would retire, but because I would die at some point working for them. Infiltration, espionage, assassination, the usual, but there was also an unimaginable factor, the world's secrets that no one knows.
I don't like to say it, but at least I can be proud of being very good at my job, but even the best make mistakes, and I did, paying the price.
Many years ago, I found myself crawling in a London alley with a hole in my stomach. My blood stained the ground red, and I was about to lose consciousness.
I can excuse myself for never expecting to encounter a mutant on a mission. I was prepared to face a dozen armed men, but against an unknown power, I couldn't defend myself in time.
At that moment, I was only hoping for my death, and in a way, it was relaxing. While I have a pending revenge, it's not enough to stop me from dying at that moment.
I thought that since I had killed so many people, it must be some form of karma, but fate didn't want it that way. A young couple found me.
The woman was a beautiful girl with snow-white hair; she was a doctor and gave me first aid. By the time I woke up, I was in a hospital.
I was close to death, the woman was by my side, smiling, and we talked for a while. I couldn't help but notice that she was pregnant.
She looked at me with her silver eyes and said I could touch her belly. I didn't want to, but I felt bad refusing my savior's request.
The moment I touched her, the baby inside her kicked. It was truly a strange sensation, and it reminded me that I could never have children.
Due to the experiments performed on me, I lost the ability to have children. For many years, I didn't care, but as the decades passed, this thought occasionally appeared in my mind.
I must say that I never expected that this small encounter would change my life years later.
Five years later, for some reason, I was at a cemetery bidding farewell to my friend, with a child by my side. It was raining, and it was cold, but I stayed there with her son.
The child was silent, I didn't see him cry at the funeral. Besides his parents, he had no one else... he'd probably end up in an orphanage.
She saved my life, and I couldn't protect hers, so at least I could protect the hope she left behind.
I kneeled, and the child looked at me with the same eyes as his mother.
"I am... your Aunt Natasha... your mother asked me to take care of you." I couldn't help but lie to him to gain the boy's trust.
It's unpleasant, but given that my life was a lie, I did it unconsciously.
"Aunt?"
"Yes... What's your name, little one?"
"You're my aunt but don't know my name?"
"Ugh."
Being caught, I thought of apologizing, but the child smiled.
"I was just kidding. I'm Allen... Allen Walker, nice to meet you, Aunt Natasha." The young Allen replied with a smile, but then I saw it. His face held a beautiful smile, appropriate for a young boy, perhaps another person would have been fooled, but not someone like me; his silver eyes held a melancholic gleam.
He tried to hide all his pain behind a mask. I didn't know the reason, but I didn't care. I hugged young Allen and decided to take care of him.
...
It wasn't easy, but I managed to meet the requirements to have a partial retirement and take care of Allen.
It was the most uncomfortable and difficult task of my life.
"Aunt Natt, the clothes fell..."
"I know."
"Aunt Natt, the pot fell."
"Allen, step away, it's hot. I'll clean it up now."
"Aunt Natt, the bathtub is overflowing."
"What?!"
"Aunt Natt, there are people at the door."
"Agent Romanoff, we have a mission."
"I'm busy!"
"Aunt Natt... Is it okay to close the door in their face?"
"It doesn't matter, I'll help you with your homework now, Allen."
"But Aunt, the last time I had two wrong answers."
"Ugh..."
I never got so tired, never made so many mistakes, never suffered so much, never worried so much, never had so much fun, never felt so happy and comfortable in a place.
My life with my Allen was the best experience of my long life. But all good things must end someday.
After immersing myself so much in the dirt and darkness of the world, Natasha Romanoff couldn't have a normal life.
One day, my past caught up with Allen, and I put his life in danger... I'll never forgive myself for that. That harsh blow made me understand that it was risky to be with him.
Seeing that Allen started to have an interest in being self-sufficient, I decided to let him live alone at fifteen.
I never cried as much as the day I had to let him go. I never felt as alone as the day Allen wasn't at home anymore. I never felt such a strong desire to beg to be with someone.
Fortunately, the suffering didn't last long. A week later, Allen called me and said he felt uncomfortable, asking me to let him come back to live together.
I never laughed so much as on that day... I realized that the love I had for him was not one-sided. I never felt so glad to be alive... that night, I slipped into his bed and hugged him all night.
Although I think Allen felt uncomfortable and didn't sleep all night, hahaha, I suppose he's at that age.
I decided to steal a room in the apartment he bought with half of his inheritance. Allen was a bit naive and didn't know the value of such a large apartment in New York. I negotiated under the table and with SHIELD's help to ascertain the apartment's real price. Allen thought it was a steal that it was sold to him so cheaply.
By that time, Allen was fifteen, and I decided to give him space to take care of everything. I was surprised by how quickly he learned to cook, wash, clean, manage payments, and maintain a self-sufficient life on his own.
He made it seem easy when it took me years to learn to be his mother's substitute. Unintentionally, our roles reversed, and he started taking care of me.
I went back to work for SHIELD, but I left the dangerous jobs aside and took on more of an administrative position. I couldn't bear to make Allen sad with my death.
...
I got out of the taxi and looked at the building where the love of my life lived, hahaha, in a family sense. I am not a woman crazy enough to put my hands on him, he is my beloved family.
I stood nervously in front of Allen's door; it had been two weeks since I came and I felt like a girl about to see the boy she likes.
Then I heard a female voice from inside the apartment and my Allen laughing.
I froze... I don't know why, but I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out my weapon. It's strange, I couldn't control my movements.
I didn't know the reason, but I wanted to shoot someone... preferably a woman...
An unpleasant feeling arose in my chest, feeling that I wouldn't be the woman in his future.