AN: You know, MJ has never been my favorite character in Raimi's movie nor was she impactful for me to love her as I did for Gwen in TASM. But then I watched Peter/MJ moments from Spider-Man PS4 and I thought their relationship was beautiful, especially the way Peter was so open for her. I got to say it was way better than how the movie portrayed their relationship and MJ was even more of a badass. This is why I wanted to depict their relationship in a way that's familial or platonic but still convey how much they would die for each other and would always have the other's back.


Chapter 2

Agent Natasha Romanoff always succeeds in her mission. Always.

She might go beyond what's needed for the mission parameter, solved it in an unorthodox way, or changed the mission's objective.

But overall, not once has she failed a mission since her integration to SHIELD, and she planned to keep it that way.

She arrived at the Triskelion, still in her disguise of a simple office lady. Her handler, Agent Coulson, greeted her with his usual bland smile and gentle demeanor in his office. Natasha had always admired him for making himself seamlessly harmless as any white-collared male despite being one of the deadliest men she knows.

He nodded in greeting, "Agent Romanoff."

"Agent Coulson."

"Good to have you back with us."

"I admit it wasn't easy. I had to leave before my cover was blown. Oscorp Industries security measures are tight, way too tight for them to be conducting normal research."

"Is that not common? Considering they have ties with the government. Security measurement should be tight."

"That's what I thought too. But if that was all, there was to it, and you'd never sent me down there. This smells like a deeper conspiracy."

Coulson nodded, not at all surprised to have his suspicion confirmed. "Multiple reports of deaths, disappearances, or just plain scandals had been linked to Oscorp. Each with a different background as high as a leading scientist to a lowly janitor or office woman. Perhaps not all of them have links to Oscorp, most of the deaths already have a culprit being locked away, and the evidence to them is circumstantial at best."

"But it's enough for SHIELD to keep an eye on them."

"Twice's a coincidence, thrice's a pattern, fourth...sixth...and fifteenth smells like crap that hasn't been flushed all the way from Denmark."

"What do you think it is that they're hiding?"

"Agent, you know I don't 'guess' on these things."

"I know, but nothing wrong in presuming the worst-case scenario."

"Not… exactly worst, but big enough to sow chaos in the country." Coulson's eyes locked at the platted vintage card of Captain America with the signed autograph by Peggy Carter.

Yes, that man has no shame in his fanboying.

Agent Romanoff waited, but seeing no answer from him anytime soon, she then relented, "I've got the specimen you asked for. While I never ask questions, this is certainly out of the left-field of SHIELD'S usual assignment. They usually stole weaponry or information, not… bugs."

"Arachnid, Natasha," he said amusingly, "I'm not surprised you feel that way, but Project OZ has been an interest of SHIELD ever since they had Dr. Curtis Connor leading it."

"He is the forefront expert of genealogy and neogenic, I don't see why he's not perfect for the job."

"But his familiarity has always been with the research of lizards and other reptiles with regenerative genes. Yet Oscorp kept insisting him in researching spiders, specifically the ones left by their late scientist who died from a plane crash nine years ago."

"And you come to the conclusion that the answer is highly likely in the spider? Well, I suppose I'll leave this out of my hand-" Natasha froze. The petri dish just an inch away from her handler's hand. Coulson looked up in concern, never had he seen his operative be rendered speechless.

"Agent Romanoff, is something wrong?"

She didn't answer, just kept her cool mask while her eyes bore to object at hand and Coulson followed her gaze… to the empty petri dish.

"Natasha, where's the spider?"

She didn't answer. While one unfamiliar with her might say that she doesn't feel anything, but Coulson knew enough that he was surprised, to say the least, to find Agent Romanoff looking so off-kilter.

Coulson's tone dropped a bit further as it dawned on him, "Natasha?"

For the first time in a very, very, very, very, veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long time, Agent Natasha Romanoff finally opened her mouth-

" Дерьмо́ ."

-and cursed.

. . .

"Natasha Romanoff failed her mission," said literally nobody. No one. Ever.

.

.

.

.

.

Until now, that is.

. . .

The rest of the story isn't my proudest moment. I may like to blabber a lot but I hope you guys don't mind if I kept the gritty details short. And it's one of those overuse origin stories you must already be used to reading all the time, so if you want to skip this part, now's the time to abandon ship.

Still with me?

Good.

So, once I was bitten by the spider, it wasn't long 'till I was a wreck by the time I got home. One look at me and my aunt and uncle had practically shoved me to bed. There was a thing where I was bedridden for three days without waking up, and everyone practically panicked while I was figuratively in hell. Not a good day for any of us.

Though I admit waking up to long hugs and hard-pressed kisses made me feel all warm and fuzzy, but don't tell anyone else that.

But the day proved to be the beginning of a much weirder life in store. The first sign had been the good feeling I had like you wake up feeling bright, refresh, and really productive like you can jog around the neighborhood, doing squats, push-ups, and actually mean it? Yeah, I hadn't had those in years, so the first thing I asked myself was: "Am I high?"

I brushed it off as the after-effect of sleeping too long. But later on after getting a shower and got changed… only to find myself having abs. Maybe not those model abs (which I'm sure are photoshopped because they are way too chiseled and perfect to be real), but no doubt I have a six-pack that I was positive I hadn't had before. I couldn't chuck that off as an after-effect because I'm pretty sure sleeping doesn't give you abs. Otherwise, everybody will happily do it.

That wasn't the last of it, the doorknob of my bathroom door was ripped off and my alarm clock was a pile of scrap.

And if that wasn't weird enough, my glasses turned useless all of a sudden.

Or my eyesight got fixed.

Either way, the point still made.

I began to panic because I have no idea what to do. I had half a mind to chug everything away in a box labeled as 'Puberty' and get on with life. But I am, at heart, a scientist, and I know for a fact that none of what's happening is normal. My thoughts kept running without me. I should run some tests, or maybe a hospital would be better? I'm pretty sure symptoms that involve growing abs and fixing my blind-as-a-bat eyes. Though would they take me seriously? I know if some kid tells me that, I would think they were joking. Maybe I should run the test myself after all, but I don't have the tools. And…

I was stuck in the cycle of my own thoughts for the last eight minutes and was in the middle of considering breaking into school labs when my window was dragged open, and I screamed a manly scream and hide behind my shirt.

"What the hell, MJ? I'm changing!"

But the girl surprised me as she stared wide-eyed before she rushed forward and hugged me uncomfortably tight. "Oh God, you scream like a girl." Mary-Jane tried laughing, but it failed to hide the wet tears on my skin.

All my worries were thrown out at the sight of my distressed childhood friend in my arms. An unusual sight considering how MJ hates looking vulnerable. It's a whole thing with her tied with her family issue; alcoholic dad, a mother who stays with the dad, and an estranged sister. So I'm walking on uncharted territory here.

Before I could say anything to console her, she took a step back from her hug and then punched me in the arm. It barely stung, unlike if it'd been from Before, but I flinched and cried "Ow" out of habit. It's honestly ironic how she wanted to be an actress yet seemed allergic to her own emotions.

"For goodness sake, Peter, you scared the shit out of me. I should be the one asking what the hell? First, you went AWOL on me after the field trip, then I found out you were bedridden for so long with a hell of a fever that I thought you were dying— Holy smoke, you have abs!"

Well, that's a quick change of subject. "Yeah, thanks for noticing."

"Uhm…" she looked uncertainly between me and my abs, "Congrats on puberty?"

I couldn't hold back the frustrated groan that came out and had half a mind to tell her what puberty does and doesn't do to a healthy hormonal male teenager but was thankfully saved by Aunt May's call for breakfast.

"Thanks for stopping by, MJ. But I'm fine, healthy as a horse even. So you should go before you get into trouble or… more trouble, at least."

She nodded, "Okay, okay, just… take care of yourself, Peter. Gosh, I don't know what I'll do with my life without you keeping me sane."

"Pretty sure you'd still kick ass and take names."

"Damn straight, and don't you forget it, Tiger." MJ gave me one last (relief) smile and a cheeky wink before crawling back out from my window, crossing one roof to another, and back to her room.

This is a bit of a thing with me and MJ. She's been my neighbor ever since I moved with Aunt May, but it took three years before finally meeting her, and that was only because I was set up by her and my aunt to a playdate. We get along just fine for two kids with wildly different interests. The thing was, a year later when I heard a concerning yell from the next-door neighbor. Aunt May and Uncle Ben had been out that night, but maybe that's why the occupant didn't need to lower their voices this time. I watched Mary-Jane bursting out of the door, crying, with no one following her out.

That day, I invited her in for hot chocolate with those little marshmallows on top. She sniffled and nodded. And that was that. I didn't ask what was wrong or what happened. I'd sound more considerate and perceptive person if I knew she didn't want to talk about it, but honestly? I was just too awkward to ask back then.

However, that day did become the start of a sort of routine for us. Whenever MJ felt she needs to get away, my door is always open for her. At some point, we talk whenever about whatever. We knew each other's favorite books, dreams, past crushes, shared our favorite movies while tolerating each other's taste, and… well… parents. MJ became more than just my dearest friend, she was like a family to me. Though, I do still have more common decency than to burst into someone's room through a window.

That girl is going to be the death of me someday.

So, MJ's appearance calmed me down and decided to wait for further development of my newest… condition. I suppose the effect isn't entirely an adverse one for now, so no use whining about it.

May wanted me to stay a bit longer, but I reassured her that I was okay and have a lot of energy to spare after being stuck in bed for too long. She was still skeptical, but Uncle Ben reassured her that I know my own body and wouldn't push myself too hard as long as it doesn't involve 'science.'

I regretted brushing her worries off the moment I stepped outside as I became hyper-aware of everything. It's... it's hard to describe but do you know that feel in the air as it shifted when there's an incoming ball coming right to your face? Knowing your surroundings when your eyes were latched on a good book as you effortlessly walk past people? Or being mindful of something just at the corner of your eyes without really looking?

Take all of that and amp it up by a hundred, then you get my point.

I could've just gone back and followed Aunt May's advice. I don't know what part of me thought going forward was a good idea, but I did. Dissecting everything I was experiencing with this new… sense I had. It's a bit like having six eyes, I guess. I walked with my eyes looking straight forward with the constant awareness of the fly buzzing annoyingly by my side, the 14 bubbles blown by the kids across the streets, and the car running at 20 mph from behind before passing me by.

I later learned this sense of mine isn't any different from my other senses, and when I really focused on one thing, then the rest kind of eased up a bit. Like a selective awareness, I suppose.

Other than that particular annoyance, school was the same old, same old. I kept getting distracted that even Harry asked how I was doing, but I waved his worry off since I'm not worse for wear. I had half a mind to tell my best friend what happened, but I thought it was no good to have two people freaking out over something we both don't understand.

"Hey, are you okay?" Gwen Stacy surprised me when she caught me in the hall that I didn't realize I made a hand-shaped indent on my locker.

"What?"

"You missed school for three days since the field trip, I thought you might have caught something."

"Oh, no, no, no. I'm fine. Just running a fever, all better now."

She nodded, "Good, good, it'd be a shame if the field trip was the only time we really talk."

The world became just a bit brighter them, and no, I don't think that's my extra-sense talking. The bell rang (annoyingly so), and she sent me one last smile before she went off for first period, and I thought the day was going to be as normal as they can be despite all the extraness.

But the day barely started, and of course, I was proven wrong. Gwen was walking up the stairs to her class when I discovered another particular… quirk of mine.

Number one, I felt goosebumps all over and a not-so-uncomfortable tingle, like an alarm, at the back of my head. Right before, Gwen slipped and could have hit her head had I not caught her.

Number two, I caught and stack all the books with one hand like they were falling in slow motion.

"Wow, I didn't know you have great reflex."

And I didn't know you use rose-vanilla scented shampoo. Uh-ho, that sounded creepy. Cancel thought. Cancel thought.

I broke out of my stupor and handed her her books while I mentally filed those two abilities. "Yeah, well, there's a lot of things you still don't know about me."

"I can see that."

I was about to let go of her when I found my hand feeling stuck. I pulled, but then Gwen cried in pain. I tried again, but Gwen yelled, "Ow, Peter, what are you doing?" My eyes were blown wide as it quickly dawned on me how.

Number three, sticky fingers. Of all the weird powers I had, I've got sticky fingers sticking out on my crush's hair.

This just got a whole lot better.

We ended up in a kind of merry-go-round as we circled each other, round and round, round and round. Gwen pleading me to let go, and me not knowing how.

At some point, my hand loosened its hold, but the momentum threw me back that I dropped straight into the janitor's mop bucket, and I became the laughing stock of my school. Urgh, the photos are going viral before school ends. I can just feel it.

Well, the day just turned from my weirdest point to my lowest.

But I couldn't stay any longer and ran out of the scene like a bat out of hell before embarrassing myself further. Things are getting way too freaky for me. The bathroom was the first safe place I could think of, it was there when I first noticed a dead spider in my bag. My hand then reaching out for the bite on my neck as everything dawned on me. The bite from a spider. But what caught my eyes the most was the tiny white mark '42' on its back.

Forty-two… Spider 42… the super spider from Doctor Connor's research lab! I just got bitten by a probably millions-dollar worth experiment.

And I killed it!

Oh my God, I'm so screweeeeeeed.

I felt my soul left for a bit at the thought of a lawsuit Oscorp will make if they ever found out. I swore to myself then to keep that secret to my grave. Quickly, I put the spider corpse into the unused bottle pill I forgot to throw out. Logically, I should toss the evidence away and be done with it. But not only could my heart cannot willingly throw away a scientific marvel like some common thrash, I needed it if I had the chance to find out the precise changes happening within me and how.

Having done my due freak out, I continued the rest of the day like nothing happened. Which was hard when I couldn't stop fidgeting through classes. I spent most of chemistry period trying to get my pen off my hand as I had another sticky situation. But as long as I lay low for most of the day and avoid trouble, the sooner I can get out and actually learn how to keep these... powers of mine under control so I could live the rest of my life without being an even more of a freak.

That wishful thinking went straight out the proverbial window the moment I saw Flash is in one of his bullying antics. Trying to lock a freshman in the janitor's closet for their personal amusement. While I can keep to myself when he starts messing with me, I don't turn a blind eye when he messes other kids, especially when we're technically childhood friends. I have this unusual sense of responsibility in keeping an eye out for him.

I know, I don't know why either.

"C'mon, leave him alone."

"He snorted even as he kept shoving the kid, "And why should I listen to you, Parker?"

"Leave him be, Eugene."

Calling him out as Eugene always riles him up, I was prepared to get another beating before the school ends. I tried to keep a brave front as Flash turned his livid eyes on me, his grin bearing at me like a predator ready to pounce.

But the strangest thing happened as Flash took a hold of my front shirt and threw a punch so... so... laughably slow. The knuckles I dreaded in my dreams came with enough time for me to marvel the phenomenon before simply cocking my head to the side. Just int time to see Flash hitting the locker hard enough for him to hiss. I backed away but the crowd of kids had cut off my exit and Flash wasn't done with me yet.

"You sonnova- you're gonna pay for that, Parker!"

"I don't want to fight you, Flash."

"Good, because I don't want to fight me either."

He came at me with a surprising speed. He punched left. Punched right. Sometimes a straight punch and sometimes to the side. He even put in some uppercut. And I dodged every single one of them with surprising ease just from relying on my reflex. A smile threatened to break as my school bully became so helpless for every strike he missed, finally getting a taste of his own medicine as he became the laughing stock in front of all these crowds.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Parker!" Oops, guess I didn't hide it very well. Flash had given up punching and was about to simply ram down at me so my brain thought it would be a good idea to sommer sault over him. Only realizing what I did after hearing the awed gasp from the crowd.

Flash and I both turned, then I took the first punch this time yet did not expect for him to be bodily thrown all the way halfway across the hall.

Hey, I swear, it was all reflex, I wasn't thinking! High IQ and intelligence don't mean shit when you don't use them.

But man, did that feel good. All the kids practically cheered on me, and for once in my life, I wasn't the invisible Puny Parker, Nerdy Parker, or Penis Parker. They looked at me and saw Peter Parker. A cooler and better version of him. I have powers now that can help take control of my life, and not let anyone push me around. It felt awesome.

Until they called my uncle in for getting into a fight. In which case that felt not so great.

He was not happy about that.

"What were you thinking, Peter?!"

Not happy at all.

"Uncle Ben, I know I messed up. I'll make sure to find a way to pay back the damage, and I just hope Flash's dad wasn't serious in suing us-"

"I don't care about the payment, Peter. I care from the fact they said you've gone out of your way to humiliate and hurt that boy."

"But, but he was bullying Hobbie. I couldn't just stand there and let him get away with him. In fact, he deserves it."

"Is that what this is about, getting even?" Uncle Ben had lost the rising tone of his voice and was much calmer, but that didn't diminish the anger that still lingered. "Then you must feel better about yourself right now, am I right or wrong?"

I huffed frustratingly, looking down at my feet, not answering him. I didn't think I was to blame, nor did I feel it was fair for Flash to get away with worse stuff while I had to be lectured. Uncle Ben wouldn't understand having being belittled over and over again just for being who I am or doing the right thing and got nothing to show for it other than a weekly beating.

Ben's form seemed to sagged as he sighed, alongside his anger. Instead, he looked at me with those wide disappointing eyes of his. It was worse than being confronted with his anger because it made it harder for me not to feel being in the wrong. He punctuated further by telling me of his change shift, so I had to pick up Aunt May from the hospital that night.

Then I noticed his eyes shifted to something or someone behind me. I followed his gaze and spotted Gwen, "Oh, Gwen, hey. Are you alright? You know, with the…" I gestured at the side of her hair that got tangled from our last debacle.

"Oh yeah, it's fine." She played it off as nothing.

"Gosh, I'm sooooo so sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Good thing you didn't pull it harder with whatever superglue you had on hand, or I'd have a pretty bad haircut."

"I, I think you'd look amazing with, with any haircut. I mean, you look… moldable…" Gwen looked confused, and I had to keep from slapping myself because, really, Peter? Moldable? That's your best compliment? "I mean, what I said is that I'm sure you still look pretty whatever hair you'll have."

"Hey, isn't she the girl from your computer?" Uncle Ben voiced out without even lowering his volume.

No.

Oh no.

"He's got you on your computer!" Oh God, Uncle Ben why?! "I'm his probation officer."

Just when you think I couldn't dig myself deeper, my Uncle came helping to bury me in shame. I had to bite my lip so I wouldn't shout in frustration in that second. Instead, I forced out a laugh once he left and tried to salvage as much dignity as I could if there was any.

"He's my guardian. My uncle, actually. He's a pathological liar, so it's better you don't listen to him."

She grinned like a cat who got her canary, "Oh man, so you don't have me on your computer?"

"Well, I took a photo of the decathlon team and since you're part of the team… he must have seen me touching up stuff."

"So you were… touching up… stuff?" She teased with a salacious smirk, and we laughed.

"That's a trick question. I'm not going to answer that."

"You didn't get expelled, did you?"

"Fortunately, no. Just community service. Though Flash's dad got a lot to say on me. Almost tried to sue actually, which was scary as hell…" I trailed off with nothing to say.

The two of us standing, smiling awkwardly, but neither were we willing to be the first one to take a step back from the other. The way she lingered as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear, and smiled up at me with those bright sapphire eyes of hers gave the little bit of hope I need. "So, err, do you, umm, do you want to…"

"What?"

"Just err...I don't know, we can, I don't know, we can go… do something together?"

"Like what?" she asked softly like she was nudging me to say plainly.

I bit my lip, trying hard not to gapped like a fish as I was lost for words. Pulling the back of my hair to keep myself together, "You know what, never mind, you probably wouldn't want…"

"Wouldn't want what?"

"You know… hang out… together… just us two… if you want."

"Sure," Gwen said quickly as if she had been waiting for me to ask her out. She looked just as awed as me that I manage to say it to her face. "Totally. I'd be up for it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"Great. That's great! Obviously. I can't right now."

"Yeah, me too. I'm so busy right now."

"So busy," I blow out my cheeks in agreement. "Then.. is it okay... if I get your number?"

"Oh, definitely." She sounded so eager to give it, I couldn't tamp down the hope already blooming inside me.

Once we exchanged numbers, I started backing away, needing to leave but not wanting to take my eyes off her, just in case I wasn't hallucinating. "So we'll talk later, once we have plans."

She nodded with a bright grin, "I'm game whenever you are, but not right now since well… we're both busy, so..." She started leaving as well, moving in the opposite direction, one step at a time but would look back from time to time.

There was a buzz from my phone and there was Gwen's first message to me; [Can't wait to meet up, later ;)] even as she was still a bit distant away for me to make up her silly smile. It was such a dorky move even for me that I think I fell in love with her a bit more.

It was only when she was out of sight did I turn and began humming while skipping my way out of school to its beat. Not at all care who might see me as the day ended as my best day ever.

. . .

Later on, that day. It was finally time to get a grasp and understanding on my newfound spidey powers, as I like to call it. I came to rest in a bare alleyway, keeping myself from panicking. Who knew the smell of sewage and rat piss can calm you down in an uncomfortable way, but it did the trick. I closed my eyes and tried to recap all the unusual quirks I had.

"Okay, so I've got mad reflex skill, higher senses, and some sort of perception skill. What else…?" I rubbed my hands in thought before I felt the different texture in my hand. I closely examined the ridges in my fingers, and thanks to my superior sight did I notice… something growing out of it. A sort of horrified awe made me gaped. It's one thing to feel and experience the power, it's another to actually witness something so… visibly inhuman happening to my body.

Following my hunch, I looked between the walls and my fingers, and another feeling surged within me. Excitement. For the unknown, learning and discovering all that entails. It was what pushed me in making the first step on putting my hand on the wall and realizing how I manage to pull myself up and crawled up the building.

The rest of the events was a blur all happened as the rush of adrenaline filled my day. But it involves a lot of wall-crawling, parkouring spider-styler, jumping one building from another with an easy leap, and standing at the tip of my finger without the fear of losing balance. The power I had came with me in ease as my limbs once I stopped fearing about it. I learned quickly enough that I don't have all the spider powers at my disposal.

Coincidentally, I spotted a spider in the middle of creating its cobweb beneath the water tank. I glanced down at my hand and thought maybe… just maybe…

"Go web!" I had my hand outstretched in hopes for… something.

But nothing happened.

"Fly!" Zippo.

"Up, up, and away web!" Nada .

"Shazam!" Oops, wrong comic book.

A minute spent trying to call out webs from my hands with… questionable gestures, but whatever spider power I have, webs isn't one of them.

Unless…

Thirty minutes later in a potty hole, I'm delighted to say no web is coming out in any hole from me.

Still, as excited as I was, there was a bit of fear of becoming a sort-of-mutant. It's not exactly a public thing, but you've heard of them enough that they don't exactly have the best reputation. Though why the public opinion split between man-made mutant and naturally born one is beyond me.

Putting racial issues aside, while having powers is turning out great, I need to learn to control it quickly. You'll never know the kind of trigger I might have that might accidentally have me using them in front of others when I'm not ready to out myself yet. My newest Olympic-grade jump help in finding an abandoned warehouse where I can test my skills to my heart's content. So much so that before I realized it, it was already past curfew.

When I got to the porch of my house and found Uncle Ben waiting with a grim look on his face. I knew I had fuck up because he didn't look angry, he looked pissed. Cold dread started to ooze out in my chest. "Where have you been?"

"I, err, I was just, err…" My phone rang. Aknowledging the tension in the air, I immediately shut it off.

"Oh, so you're phone is on. Good." His voice didn't sound 'good' though. "You owe your aunt an apology. Big time!"

It dawned on me then what I did wrong. I forgot to pick up Aunt May from her workplace. I got inside, intend to do exactly that. Explain to them that I got distracted that I didn't mean to forget about her.

But Uncle Ben was having none of my excuses. He made it a point to remind me how May had to walk 12 blocks alone at night. How both of them couldn't get a reach for me for the rest of the day and had been worried as hell. He made it a point that my carelessness and neglect today could have consequences. I thought he was exaggerating. So I messed up, yes. I admit that. But it was only one night, and I had a life-changing experience. Surely I could be excused? I thought it was unfair, but then again, it's not like I could tell him I got distracted by basically becoming a mutant. But I avoided looking at him anyway, I couldn't bear seeing the disappointment on Uncle Ben's face.

"Your father had a philosophy," he began with a softer tone and this time I can't help but meet his eyes, "He held onto it pretty strongly, and it's one that served him ultimately well. He believed if there were things in the world you had to offer, things that you did well better than anyone, it's no longer a choice to do good for people, but also as his moral obligation. Great things are gonna happen to you in life, Peter, and with that will come great responsibility."

And that….

That was the final straw.

I bit my lip, but not even the stinging pain could hold back the clawing feel in my chest like my heart was going to be ripped out. "That's great, that's wonderful, but where is he? Where's my dad? " I choked out.

"Peter..." Aunt May started, but I couldn't stop. It's too late to calm me down.

"Why can't he be here and tell me himself?"

"Ah, come on, how dare you–"

"How dare I? How dare you? You're not my dad, so stop pretending to be ."

Silence. We both said what we said. And I stomped out of the house. I didn't know where I was going and mostly remembered the anger, the shame, the tears, and how I just wanted to get away from it all. At some point, I reached the city and was near one of the public libraries I often visit. My legs must have dragged through muscle memory, the place I felt safe.

While walking down the street, I saw a poster for an underground wrestling match. A prize money amounting $3000 for any lucky mature who wants to join and thought; why the hell not?

I bought a red ski mask since it was the only bright color mask they had (Dark color just came off way too burglary for my taste) and sign up for the match. The people in the venue weren't quite welcoming of me, and I can't blame them, considering the jeans, red hoodie, and red ski mask as my overall. I looked like a kid who knows nothing what he's getting into.

Confession; I have no idea what I'm getting into.

The first hurdle was convincing them to join the match. I never imagined my skinny constitution that deterred them from me.

Still, after registering my name and signing some contract, I got to be on the match and was confident I could not only survive for 3 minutes but win the round. I was feeling pissed enough as it is, so the prize money gave me further reason than just blowing off some steam.

But then I found out the Champion Wrestler Bonesaw was the biggest, meanest person I've ever seen, with a set of dense muscle that complements him, and a face that looked like he ate bone for breakfast and a whole bear for dinner in a cage match.

The contract did not say anything about a cage!

Still, I won with two minutes to spare (I may have thought I was going to die once or twice). The crowds that had been booing me were now cheering, and I thought this is the kind of life that I want. Adoring fans. Fame. Money. Everything I never had, everything I've ever dream of having, all within my grasp.

Maybe I'd be even cool enough to be with Gwen Stacy.

The high I had plummeted way down as the guy from registry gave me a measly 300 dollar. I asked him why since the contract obviously said 3000, and gave a flimsy reason that the deal was to stay in the cage for 3 minutes while I barely managed in one. Which, excuse you. If you're going to cheat my money, at least do some basic math! My one minute totally deserves at least a 1000 bucks.

"Not my problem," he only said.

While I could just force him to give him the money, there's the fact it's ethically wrong, and I didn't need the money anyway. It still pisses me off that the guy was an ass, so the only thing I could do was storm off.

It wasn't even 5 minutes later while waiting for the elevator did the same guy started screaming, "Stop him. Stop him!"

A tattooed guy was running with the bag of cash he had stolen. As the elevator door opened, I pulled my hands up in surrender and let him make his getaway.

"Great, he escaped. Fat a lot of good you did."

"Hey, it's not my problem," I shot back before deciding to take the stairs. I didn't feel an ounce of guilt. The guy deserved it anyway for being a jerk, and besides, what was I supposed to do? For all I know, the guy had a gun or something. Just because I had powers doesn't make me a hero.

No. I learned that either you choose to be a hero for having a heart of gold…

...or having a dark tragedy that pushed you to be one.

The moment I walked into the usually quiet neighborhood, there was a gunshot sound that turned my blood ice cold. Panic and fear suddenly seized me as I began running back home, hoping and praying they were safe. Ignoring the waken neighbors as they got out either out of fear or curiosity.

But when I did, it was chaos. The car was gone, the door was broken open, and when I rushed inside, my uncle was dying in Aunt May's arm. The world at that moment felt it was breaking apart under my feet. I reached out for him, I didn't know what I was saying other than a variation of "Stay with me", "I'm sorry", or "Please don't go!"

He didn't say anything, just holding on to us as long as he could as if trying to burn the last image he'll see with his wrinkled, teary eyes.

By the time the medics and police arrived, Benjamin Parker had left the world. With my name as the last word he said.

The officer's words washed over me like the tides. I barely listened, but I must have, otherwise, how would I have answered his questions. But then I heard from his radio that the suspect was in pursued and needed backup to corner him. I was immediately on alert, and my vision turned red at the nerve of this burglar who came into my house, killed one of the two only family members I have for a car and money, and thinks he can get away with it.

Not on my watch.

I slammed the door to my room, wore my red ski mask, and jumped out of my bedroom window. It wasn't smooth sailing when trailing after the copper's car through the rooftop and running sideways on buildings, but I more or less manage.

I snuck into the warehouse where the burglar locked himself in. I crawled my way to him silent before getting the jump on him. He aimed his gun at me, but I grabbed his hand tight enough to break it and have him dropped the weapon. The weapon that killed my uncle. I punched and kicked relentlessly without checking my strength. His screams of agony went deaf to my ears for every satisfying crack, and blood splattered. I didn't care about anything else but wanting to make him pay.

But then I pulled off his mask and… and… you know how it ends.

Afterward, I went back home like nothing happened. Physically and emotionally exhausted that all I wanted to do was cry myself to sleep. But then I heard Aunt May crying as well, and guilt overwhelmed me like a tidal wave. How my temper made me leave her on her own when she must have needed me most, how my careless inaction led one of the most caring, kind people I know to mourn her beloved. And the loss of a great father.

I crept beside Aunt May, and we held one another as we grieved together all the way in our sleep.

Most people would say it was after this moment that I decided to be a hero.

Not… exactly.

I learn from the incident not to take my power lightly, not when it made me turn to be a careless person, and not when choice could impact more than me. Of never turning away from help. So while I decided to not use it irresponsibly, I didn't know what responsibility I have for having a freaky spider power. What my role in society could be. How exactly I could help people with them.

While Uncle Ben inspires me to do the right thing, what inspired me to be a superhero was when during a typical Saturday morning, I watched a certain gold-titanium-alloy-armor hero's press conference of his plan in reopening Stark Expo.

And so I began to plan.


AN: One thing I can never forgive MCU for: HOW DARE THEY CUT OFF UNCLE BEN. He's the true father figure of Peter Parker for him not to get a single mention in the movie is the worst insult I could ever think of. Oh, and if you biatches think something along the lines of but we've already known his backstory and the ' great responsibility' line so there's no need to bring him out since we have Tony, who is just as awesome as a father figure.

NEWS FLASH: Spiderverse managed to do just that in less than 30 seconds. It's one thing if the character isn't important to his backstory or the overall plotline, but Uncle Ben is supposed to be as indispensable as Aunt May! That man raises Peter Parker. He didn't just make him be responsible but also to be the compassionate, righteous man we know now. So I'm freaking disappointed there isn't a single acknowledgment for him. IronDad is adorable and I never said otherwise. In fact, it's one of my goals in the fic. But Peter can still look up to anyone without the expense of Benjamin Parker, one of the greatest fictional dads to be made because of LAZY WRITING!

I have feels for him, okay?! They have Aunt May in the movie, the least they could do is mention his freaking name!