The sun hung low over the New York skyline. It was just past nine in the morning. Still plenty early enough that commuters could pretend they could convince themselves that they didn't have to come to work today. Though for one local superhero, this argument had a bit more weight to it. As if in sync, he feels a slight stomach pang.

Spider-Man tries to ignore it. He was lied down atop a high-rise, a burner phone by his side. He had been waiting there for a while now, having just woken up but still with time to spare. All he could do was stare at the clouds, waiting for his appointment to show up. It wasn't so much they were late, more like Spider-Man had been there for hours. He was dangerously low on web-fluid and had to ask someone he knew for some equipment he needed. But that didn't make the waiting any more bearable. Each minute dragged on, the possibility increasing of something happening just a few blocks away, and here he was unable to help.

The anxiety poked and prodded him, but there was nothing for it but to think and speculate, but in that respect, Peter Parker may as well be the Hulk for all the good thinking has gotten him.

So to save himself from having to beat himself up for a moment, he just sat back and stared at the sky, trying to figure out if he was looking at a small Lockjaw or a giant Rocket Raccoon shaped cloud.

This legendary question would have to wait, however. As a fireball came piercing through the poor cloud. Yes, scorching through the bright, blue sky, there he was— Spider-Man's old friend, the Human Torch.

"Heya, Web-Head!" Johnny circles around and touches down on the roof.

"Um, excuse me, but where have you been?" Peter kips up. Standing, he crosses his arms and taps his foot. "Am I going to have to ask for the manager? My package was supposed to arrive yesterday."

"Oh, like you could afford 1-hour shipping."

Johnny lets his flames die out, unveiling his new blue outfit. It was a duller shade than he was known for and was all dolled up in various straps and pouches, made up of unstable molecules, of course, so to not catch fire. Although Spider-Man couldn't help but notice those molecules must have cost Nick Fury a hundred, maybe even a thousand times more than the equipment itself.

'Gotta burn some money to not burn other money, I suppose.' Peter mused.

"*Wolf-whistle* Man Johnny, I had second guesses about the outfit, but that'll show me to doubt Shaft and Badrock. You pull off those pouches like a dream."

"I'm going to go ahead and pretend I know what nerd thing that is and take the compliment."

Johnny crouches down and lays the briefcase down. He cracks it open, causing the case to leak out gas. A necessary precaution for extra security during movement? Or did Johnny just not know how to turn the gas preservation off? A question almost as formidable as the cloud one moments ago.

'Yeah, definitely the second one.'

Spider-Man tries to wave the smoke from his face, trust S.H.I.E.L.D. to make something that could irritate his eyes even through his goggle lenses. When his vision clears, he sees Johnny standing back up, presenting him with… a paper supermarket bag?

Peter quirks an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, see, the eggheads back home didn't really approve of the whole 'giving S.H.I.E.L.D. resources to untested, unlicensed unproven heroes' thing."

Johnny may have had one arm occupied with the bag, but that didn't stop him from being annoying. Using his free arm, he made small flame slashes in the air in place of air quotes.

"You seriously couldn't just give me the heatproof case?"

"Hey, this is sensitive top of the line equipment! I got to return it."

"And the equipment I asked for isn't?"

"Listen, you should be grateful I was so nice to think about getting you a bag."

Johnny points a finger at Pete and clicks his tongue twice.

Peter rolls his eyes and grabs the bag. He knew it was just a joke, but he had trouble laughing right now. However, he already hated having to pull a favor like this, so he figured the least he could do was humor Johnny and banter a bit.

In the bag was the steel case that no doubt housed the beakers, chemicals, etc., he needed for his web fluid. Peter takes out the case when he notices something else in the bag.

"Really? Another bag? And… Burger Kingpin? Seriously?"

Johnny leans over and reaches in, snatching his burger. He walks away and takes a seat over on the high-rise's roof edge, taking in the scenery.

"Eh, considering all those front businesses we've taken down, the way I figure it, I could buy a thousand burgers, and he'd still be in the red." Johnny shrugs. "It evens out. Hey, I grabbed you one too!"

Peter rummages around the bag. His burger had unfortunately rolled out of the Kingpin bag and into the paper one. It had even unfurled a bit and gotten some ketchup on the case. He sits down and opens up the case, taking stock and making sure Johnny hadn't forgotten anything. With his other hand, he rolls the bottom brim of his mask up and starts eating. He couldn't afford to be picky right now, but the greasy meat did little to whet his appetite.

He hadn't gone to Burger Kingpin in years, not since he's gotten his powers. Visiting any of Wilson Fisk's businesses after he had met the man had made it lose any appeal it might have had. Peter had to muffle the laughter at the thought. He was keenly aware of the costs of super-heroing, and here he was, whining over being unable to enjoy cheap fast food. Eager to get it over with, he chows down, finishing it.

"Keep checking the bag. I got you a napkin too." Johnny shakes his head. "Slob." He says through a mouthful of burger.

"Wow, Johnny. You trying to take Mary Poppins out of business?"

Peter pushes aside a receipt and ketchup packets to check and see, but the only paper Johnny could be referring to were some wrinkled and singed issues of the Daily Bugle. Confused, he goes to take it out when he stops. Peter knew what issue this was. The title of that week's paper was still legible, but he couldn't dare to look at it. Besides, Johnny didn't come to yell at him over that; he knew these things happened. Peter pushes the top one aside to see the issue underneath, to what Johnny was referring to.

Peter's face in the obituaries.

"So you heard, huh."

Johnny crushes the wrapping in his hand.

"I know I can be flaky at times, but I'd like to think even I wouldn't miss out on something as big as one of my best friends dying." Any hint of his jovial tone was gone. "You mind telling me what the hell this is all about?"

"You wouldn't get it."

A flaming piece of burger wrapping comes whizzing past Peter's head.

"Try me."

Peter stares at the floor. "I'm not trying to make fun of you, Johnny. You really wouldn't."

Johnny shakes his head. "I know I told you that a secret identity was more trouble than it was worth, but that didn't mean you had to go and kill it off!"

"No, Johnny. That's not it."

"Then talk! What was it?"

"… You already know the beginning, so I'll spare you those details. After I had left the scene, I started feeling all woozy. I'm guessing Goblin managed to poison me during the fight. I conked out on some building, barely managing to wrap myself in webbing to break my fall. My spider-blood managed to fight it off and save me, but when I woke up, a whole day had passed."

Peter stops himself for a moment. When he starts again, his voice starts to crack.

"I was at the front door when I heard it. I-I heard Aunt May crying. I heard MJ crying. What was I supposed to do? Walk in? Get their hopes up? I could have just as easily died tomorrow. I almost died yesterday, for god's sake! …So I just stood there. And then I thought, why not? Why not just get it over with now? Not just May and MJ, but everyone. Give them a chance to move past me and go on with their lives. They didn't need a disappointment like me."

Peter palms and rubs his face, hoping Johnny wouldn't notice just how much his palms seemed to linger and rubs around his eyes.

Johnny turns away, unable to look at Peter. "There's always another way, isn't there? What if you quit being Spider-Man?"

"You know I can't do that."

Peter pulls materials out of the case, preparing to make his web fluid as if to end the conversation there.

Johnny didn't know what to say. He knew where Peter was coming from. After all, there was a reason Johnny's uniform carried a S.H.I.E.L.D. logo instead of a 4.

But Johnny wasn't willing to let up without a fight. There had to be something he could do.

"I can pull some strings. I know they turned you away before, but I know Nick. We could use someone as talented as you."

"No, Johnny. Fury was right. I'm just not ready. You stopped Annihilus. You guys stopped Galactus!" Peter gestures over his costume, all covered in odd nicks and tears that he poorly repaired. "I have trouble stopping Electro."

Johnny starts pulling his hair. "So what's your plan, Pete? How are you gonna eat? Have you thought about that?! Where are you gonna sleep?!"

"You have any idea how much perfectly good food grocery stores and restaurants throw out? Trust me. I'm not about to want for anything. And for a bed? Don't knock one of my patent-pending web-hammocks it til you try it."

Peter's lackadaisical answer infuriated Johnny more and more.

"So that's it, huh? You're gonna keep doing this until-until what?! Until you just bite it? They're gonna see your face then! What happens then?!"

"…Personally? I was hoping to die in a way to be unrecognizable. Like maybe Rhino really will squash me like the bug I am. Maybe I'll get e-eaten by the Lizard, or maybe Sandman will crush me to dust and make me a part of him. Maybe I'll just scar myself. Chicks dig scars, don't they?"

His voice starts to gain a sickening light tone.

"By the by, you got Thor's number, right? You wanted me to contact Fury, but I think he'd be better. Figure I can try and network myself a seat over in Valhalla when I do die."

Johnny grabs and lifts Peter by the collar, barely able to restrain the flames coming from his body. But he couldn't keep the burning anger from his glare.

"That's not funny."

Peter knew that was too far. He didn't want to have to hurt Johnny like that. Peter knew death was a sore topic for him, but Peter hoped digging into that wound would enrage Johnny and have him storm off, hopefully writing him off.

Much like everyone else should have by now.

Johnny was his friend and had his own problems to deal with. He didn't have time to get dragged down with his.

Johnny lets go. The two stood there for a while, neither able to look at each other or say anything. Peter hoped now would be when S.H.I.E.L.D. would call Johnny back, but he knew better than to count on the ol' parker luck for something like that.

Johnny reaches into his left chest pouch and pulls out a cell phone.

"Just try not to blow through my plan, would ya."

He pushes it into Peter's hands and dashes off before Peter could say otherwise. Johnny dives off the roof's edge out of Peter's vision and streaks off. Off to do some good with the gift he was given.

Peter would like to do the same, but that would have to wait. Instead, he plopped down and went to work making more web fluid. Hoping the work would keep his mind occupied but to no avail.

———

Daily Bugle 20XX February 27th

15 DEAD IN GREEN GOBLIN ATTACK

During a gala displaying rare jewels, supervillain Green Goblin swooped in and crashed the event. Spider-Man arrived on the scene and fought Goblin; no doubt angered at getting his quarry stolen first. In the ensuing skirmish, Goblin unleashed a stock of 'Pumpkin Bombs,' toppling the structure down. Due to some speck of humanity in the masked menace, Spider-Man had deigned to assist in the rescue. Local authorities were able to pull some people out of the wreckage, many of which are in critical condition. Sadly not all were able to escape with their lives. Several of the deceased were even left in a state to unrecognizable, forcing authorities to resort to IDs and fingerprints. Currently, there are still four left to be identified.

———

Daily Bugle 20XX March 6th- Obituaries

Of those confirmed to be on the scene from last month's earlier Goblin attack, one remained with a body neither living nor dead to correspond with. Authorities had not released said information, feeling it necessary to only disclose to those within law enforcement and the victim's family. After an in-depth campaign, they have called off the hunt, officially deeming the person as vaporized in the initial explosion. Law enforcement had privately divulged the details to the family, who had felt it prudent to disclose to your trusted newspaper of choice. We are grateful for this as the deceased in question was someone very personal to us: our very own photographer, Peter Benjamin Parker. An outstanding individual with a lot of promise, he was an exceptional young man cut too soon into his prime. Our heart goes out to his family and friends at this horrible time— From the desk of John Jonah Jameson and all of us here at the Daily Bugle,

We will miss you.