Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

MJ stood outside the address Gwen had given her, scowling at the faded red walls of what she knew was an old meth lab.

It was one of those things that until you were there, just didn't register. Like everyone else, she had seen it on the news but never paid attention to where it actually was. Until she was standing in front of it.

She inwardly cursed, hoping the wasn't some cruel joke by Gwen. Her way of getting back at Flash for all the problems he had been causing Peter.

No, she thought, shaking her head, Gwen's not that spiteful.

Now she had a chance to get a good look at it, it was defiantly not some smoked-out crack den.

The outside had been power washed. It was so much cleaner compared to the other buildings. The sidewalk was weeded and new concrete had been added to fill in the gaps. The gate and fence were all shining with fresh paint. Peter had been around and done an amazing job.

It wasn't just here though. She had walked around the neighbourhood. Not just wanting to see the apartment Gwen had talked about but the area as well. A great apartment in Hell's Kitchen was still a bad idea and as she had walked around, it was noisy, busy, but fairly clean.

Her instinct to run wasn't sounding too loudly though. There was little to no rubbish on the street. No signs of cardboard beds and temporary shelters. It looked like an ordinary suburban warehouse area.

Even the coffee she had bought from a nearby convenience store wasn't bad. She didn't bring enough money to get some breakfast from the food trucks. There was plenty of variety though, and the queues seemed to indicate they were popular, if not good.

Steeling herself for the inevitable disappointment, MJ walked up the path. If Gwen hadn't lied about the rent it was here or with Flash. She really didn't want to live with Flash.

At a thousand a month plus utilities MJ couldn't be picky. It was this or the creepy comb-over landlord. She had caught him staring at her ass and was definitely thinking of how MJ could ‘cover the rent’ if she was short.

She knew it wouldn't be easy for her. She was Mary Jane "MJ" Watson. An average student with a well-above-average appearance. Daughter to an absentee mother and an alcoholic father. Not the best start in life but she did as well as she could.

It had been a hard life. He drank and took out his crappy life on her.

She was quiet and withdrawn. Tired of dealing with him and the abuse he threw at her. About her mom leaving. About her looks, her grades, and how she should pay more rent as she was leaving school.

Any excuse to drink and yell.

Even when Flash came into the picture he never changed. Sure, he would smarten up when he was around, but for her. It was always about how she screwed his life up.

Her budget was small. Her grades meant all she could get was a waitress job, but her looks meant she also got a lot of tips. She just had to ignore the comments, the phone numbers, and the assholes. It would tide her over till the modelling contract or acting job she longed for became a reality. Even then she got shit for that too.

Women are supposed to empower themselves but she got tired of hearing that. So what if she was attractive? So what if she liked the idea of being a model? or a spokeswoman? Nope, today if you're too smart or too attractive, you gotta be dumber or uglier. Can't have anyone feeling inadequate.

Of course, her father made sure she knew it. How to make your flesh and blood feel like crap for being attractive one-oh-one seemed to be his favourite lecture. Quit being a fucking whore as he liked to call it.

Scrunching the paper cup in her hand.

Stop it MJ she mentally chastised herself.

Time to grab destiny by the danglies and swing like a goddamn princess.

Taking a deep breath she pushed the buzzer on the main door, and an excited Gwen answered,

"One second" came through all crackly but the door lock turned and Gwen hugged MJ and pulled her inside.

"Holy Shit," MJ exclaimed. The outside was bland and boring but inside, she was stunned.

Gwen hadn't lied. Along three walls were double offices. Painted a deep blue colour. She'd seen the build your own home videos on viewtube but seeing them in person was unreal.

The concrete flooring was spotless. A brick effect had been etched into it, making paths and a division between each area of the warehouse. In front of each home was a patch of carpet. All neat and tidy. Not what she was expecting at all.

"Earth to MJ," Gwen giggled. 

MJ blinked a few times. "Oh, Hey. Uh, it's not quite what I thought," she admitted.

Gwen laughed, "Yeah Pete's been busy. Pick one, and the rent is a thousand. Pete’s over there, finishing off the last two. “Gwen waved a hand at the homes on the other side of the warehouse. “He's got a proper lease, Nothing skeezy I promise," Gwen did a mock salute

"Skeezy?" MJ queried her friend but Gwen just nudged her.

"It's a word," she complained.

"Which one is yours?" she asked and Gwen pointed to the one across the warehouse on the west side.

"Nothing inside yet, but plenty of space.”

Inside the home was even better and MJ was stunned. This was bigger than her room at home and much nicer.

For a thousand MJ realised she could even relax on the job hunt. She wouldn't be scraping by every month and could save, shop, and eat properly.

It also meant she could avoid the seedier side of the industry. Modelling yes, pornography, even tasteful nudes, was a no.

She wasn't going to be that kind of model, not until she had established herself. She had heard too many horror stories. She had been handed too many business cards offering 'artistic' photoshoots.

Sexism was real and thriving in the industry, and MJ refused to be bullied into low-budget soft porn or worse.

Having scouted out the three rooms in the box home MJ was more and more confident about moving here. It was roomier than she thought plus it had the urban kitsch going for it.

With the home being sat in a warehouse she thought running water might be a deal-breaker. Not only was the home carpeted, with a small kitchen, but the bathroom was fully fitted. In fact, the whole place was better than where she currently lived.

She decided to take the leap. Flash and dad could be dealt with later.

"Gwen, get Peter, I'll sign today"

Gwen squealed with joy and hugged her friend, staying with Peter and MJ was going to be so much fun. She knew MJ's life wasn't great, and this was a start. She just wished Felicia hadn't been so difficult.

Gwen was about to shout over to the home Peter was working in, but he came out. He had a roll of waterproof felt and was laying it out to cut.

Gwen grinned and nudged MJ, who turned confused.

MJ caught her breath,

Damn, thought MJ as she saw him without his top on, Peter is ripped.

Even Flash on training schedule wasn't as lean and cut as Peter was.

Her gaze lingered on him and as he turned he grinned and flexed for them. MJ blushed and turned, realising that she'd been staring.

"Still haven't told him huh?" Gwen asked her.

MJ shook her head. She and Peter had grown up together but the mugging that took Ben from him also ended his childhood. He wasn't the same afterwards and once they moved to a smaller place they lost contact.

At Midtown High he was excited to see her, then came Flash.

They had acted like time hadn't made a difference. Then after Flash asked her out, and she had been so stunned, she said yes. Not realising the trouble she was getting into.

It was fine when they first started dating. She couldn't even remember the argument Peter and Flash had gotten into. One innocent answer later and Peter became the object of Flash's ire.

It then got worse as Flash became more and more possessive. She didn't know that by telling him she missed hanging out with Peter she was upsetting him.

In less than a week, Flash went from nice guy to bully. She tried to stand up for her friend but the one time she said something he gave her a look she recognised. Her father gave her it often enough.

Whatever macho bullshit existed in Flash's mind saw Peter as the enemy. He was the childhood friend destined to take MJ from him and so he suffered.

After that, there was no argument. She was put in her place, not by Flash though. The other girls made sure to let her know Flash was to be kept happy or there would be consequences. She was now another trophy for the high school hero. Nobody cared as long as he never hit her. Nobody cared that the marks he left were on the inside, just like the ones her father gave her.

Her only light in all of it was Gwen. Flash didn't care how many girlfriends MJ had, it was only the boys he warned off. Gwen told her about Peter. Gwen let her experience a little happiness. Even if she found herself wishing it was more, that she could escape from the rest.

"I. I can't." MJ said, even if her eyes never strayed from Peter. "But, aren't you dating now? Why would you?"

Gwen grinned and winked, "my secret. so you would?"

"I'm dating Flash, well. maybe." MJ said, and she sighed, "I don't know."

"Flash?" Gwen asked as they watched Pete stretch and cut the felt. It might have been her imagination, but he seemed to be taking a bit longer, and bending over a lot more than normal.

"Yeah," MJ sighed. "He wants me to move in with him, and so does my dad. But I can't. I."

Gwen noticed the sudden shift in her behaviour. Her usual defensive self when it came to talking shit about the asshole she was dating.

"I don't want to talk about it," MJ admitted and crossed her arms.

Gwen nodded, and patted her arm, "it'll be okay." Gwen gave her a small nudge and she looked up.

Peter had appeared, lifted a roll of felt and was picking up the sealant for waterproofing it.

Gwen just yelled across the warehouse floor, "Hey Pete, MJ wants to sign today."

He set down the tub of sealant and gave her a thumbs up. He mimed washing and headed into his home.

He came out a few moments later wearing a t-shirt and rubbing his hands on a towel.

"Right," and he motioned them over, pulling a small pile of paper from a drawer. "Lease, utilities, and uh all the other paperwork you need to sign," he said as he slid them over to MJ and added a pen to the pile.

MJ read through it all. It was standard, she guessed having never read a lease but it was there in black and white. A thousand a month plus one-third of the utilities.

It took her two read-throughs, and she signed it handing it back, and Peter smiled as he did the same.

"First month is due when you both move in, which is uh, next week," he said. He tapped the papers on the table, slid them into a folder and labelled it MJ.

"We still going for a night out? I mean, we don't have exams and prom is cancelled," Gwen asked and Peter looked at MJ.

"I uh." and she made her choice. Screw Flash, and screw her dad. "Yes. I uh, yeah, I'd like that."

Gwen looked between the pair. "Yeah, just don't tell shithead."

"I won't." MJ nodded but couldn't look Peter in the eye. She knew they would still have to talk about it, even if she wanted to just forget.

Pete sighed, "But uh, Give me a heads up if Flash will come round. I won't interfere and I'm not gonna say he can't but I don't want to see him," Peter warned her.

MJ shook her head, "I, I don't know if he'll want to be here, ever. Peter, I don't even know if I want him here. I mean, this, this is too much for me, shit." MJ took a breath, "when the hell did this all happen, I mean," She motioned around her, "this is amazing."

With Gwen’s sudden bombshell and with the state of the warehouse, she saw it, the light. The first real chance she had to actually be free, from not just her father but from Flash as well.