[Why didn't you change your clothes? That's how they do it in the movies.]
Looking at Peter, who had only taken off his suit (which was actually Venom), Venom sounded confused. According to the movies, it would be normal for Peter Parker to get himself cleaned up, put on some nice clothes, and even spray on some cologne. Peter's only reaction to this was exasperation.
"I'm just going for a meal, not a date."
[Two humans of different genders eating together? Your statement is illogical.]
"Just keep it down. We still need to go check out what Kraven is up to tonight."
Ignoring Venom's gossip, Peter just fixed his hair and opened the restaurant door. To his surprise, just like their last time at a café, Mary Jane hadn't chosen an expensive Italian restaurant. This time, it was a pizza place.
"Pizza time," Peter muttered, quoting a famous Spider-Man line that probably no one would understand. He pulled open the door, and Mary Jane was sitting at a window seat, waiting for him and looking at the menu. Peter, surprised, sat down and greeted her.
"Hey, sorry I'm late." Peter pulled out a chair and sat down. "You haven't ordered yet?"
"I actually just got here." Mary Jane smiled and pushed the menu toward Peter. "And I wasn't sure if you had any dietary restrictions."
"Other than eggplant and durian, I pretty much eat everything. Thank goodness no one in America puts those two things on pizza." Peter said this while looking at the menu. Although American pizza was much more varied than Italian pizza, it was still a bit simple compared to some of the creative versions in Asia. He just ordered a standard Hawaiian pizza, then handed the menu back to Mary Jane, sat back, and took a deep breath.
[You're nervous.]
"You seem a little tense." Mary Jane, after ordering, looked at Peter, who was staring out the window. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just a little worried. The last time we had a meal, Rhino showed up, rampaged down a whole street, and a car got thrown right at us. Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this now."
This was exactly what Peter was worried about. This was the Marvel universe, and he was a superhero—and even if he wasn't, who knew when some random lunatic would show up and ruin everything? Although his Spider-Sense hadn't reacted at all yet, Peter was still on high alert.
In fact, he was even more alert than usual.
His fight with Anansi in the Wasteland World had made Peter unable to trust his Spider-Sense completely. Anansi had simply shut his Spider-Sense off, so he couldn't sense if he was about to be attacked.
So he had to use all five of his senses to be aware of his surroundings.
"You're a bit too sensitive. I'll admit, ever since these... superheroes appeared, our lives have changed." As Mary Jane said this, she seemed to remember something and suddenly changed the subject. "Do you know Phil Sheldon? The best photographer for the Daily Bugle?"
Peter vaguely remembered hearing that name somewhere but couldn't place it. Was he some obscure Marvel hero or villain?
"He started photographing these super-powered people after the Fantastic Four defeated the Mole Man. He's taken photos of the X-Men, the Punisher, and the Avengers. After the Avengers showed up, he said he was going to write a book for these super-powered people, a biography-like book for these 'marvels.'"
Peter remembered. This person was the protagonist of the seminal Marvel work Marvels. However, he wasn't a super-powered person, just an ordinary human photographer.
"I remember now. I often see his name in the corner of photos in the Daily Bugle. So, did he say something?"
"We live in this era, this world. Some people hate the marvels, thinking they've changed our world. Some people choose to deny that they even exist, believing the Battle of New York was a conspiracy. Of course, a lot of people are excited, and more than one person loves to wait in the coffee shop in front of Grand Central Station to see the Avengers deployed from the Avengers Tower."
After a short speech, Mary Jane finally said what she wanted to tell Peter: "But no matter what, we live in this world, and the marvels are part of our world."
"That... seems different from what I'm worried about."
"It's different, but acknowledging and adapting to this new world and learning how to safely survive in it, instead of complaining about the inconvenience they bring to your life, is a much more important mindset."
Peter looked at Mary Jane's smile and nodded subconsciously. Mary Jane then changed the subject. "So, let's talk about something more lighthearted. How are you and Gwen doing?"
"?"
"How... are we doing?"
"You're... not a couple?"
Peter was silent for a moment, looking at Mary Jane's question as if it were a matter of fact. He then asked, "Wait, is that what you think, or is that what everyone thinks?"
"I don't know what other people think, but you two seem to have a good relationship."
"Yeah, we were classmates in middle school and neighbors for three years, but we're not a couple. At least not right now."
Mary Jane nodded after hearing that and didn't say anything more. After chatting for a while longer, they finished dinner. Peter paid for the meal and called a taxi for Mary Jane. Before she got in, she asked Peter one last question.
"If I need you to help me take pictures again, will you agree?"
"No problem, as long as I have time."
Mary Jane smiled sweetly. "If your pictures are good enough, I'll treat you to another meal."
After watching Mary Jane leave, Peter let out a sigh of relief. He had already told Uncle Ben and Aunt May that he would be home late, so he might as well use this opportunity to investigate the Kravinoff Manor and clear the way in advance.
Venom, of course, had to start chatting again.
[Nothing happened today.]
"Yeah, nothing happened at all. That's a good thing. What about it?"
Peter asked this while finding an empty alley and starting to climb a wall. Venom answered.
[I think that was a date.]
"...Whatever you say, buddy."