"Peter? Peter! Wake up!" Peter woke up as May gently shook him awake. Her face flashed with mixed emotions as Peter rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Wake up Pete. Captain Stacy is here. The killer was caught!"
"What time is it?" Peter groaned out in a low voice. Pulling out of his phone, he cursed as it was 6:45 AM. He went to sleep around 4:30 so he barely had any sleep. "It's too early for this."
"Good to see you too Peter." George greeted from the door, a bit amused. With him were Officer Harvey, the douchebag and a female junior officer whose name he didn't get yet. They sat down on the couch in front of him as May went into the kitchen to bring them some snacks. "Did you sleep well?"
"Hardly." Peter groaned his hand on his face. "Do you guys even sleep?"
"Haha. We do. I love my sleep very much." George chuckled. "Sorry to disturb you so early, but it was urgent. Thought that you would want to know it as soon as possible."
"The killer?" Peter narrowed his eyes. "You caught him?"
"We didn't, but someone did. His name is Dennis Carradine." George put a file in front of Peter. "He is. a small-time thug. Mostly dabbles in drugs and small-time thefts. But he has his reach into... let's just say, criminal activities grander than the norm."
"I see." Peter said as he read the file. His eyes narrowed further as he came across a name that stood out from the rest of the list of the big names he was working for. "Wilson Fisk..."
"I'll take that back now." George hurriedly took the file back with a strained smile. "The killer has confessed to his crimes. We are already done with the formalities and now all we have to do is wait for the date of hearing."
"I see." Peter said again without a hint of emotion causing the three officers to look at each other. "What? Something else?"
"No, it's just that I kind of expected more of a reaction." The female officer said carefully choosing her words.
"Haha. What did you expect me to do? Scream bloody murder? Call for his head to be offed?" Peter said sarcastically which made the lady smile sheepishly. 'Seriously? What do you think I am? Ten?'
"That would be the normal reaction, yes." Harvey interjected quickly.
"Like that is going to change anything. Whoever caught him, did his job and brought him to you. Now you have to make sure that Justice is served." Peter said narrowing his eyes at the then.
"I... I understand." George nodded. "I promise you. Justice will be served."
"I believe you." Peter said.
"You do?"
"Yeah. Justice is blind, but not an idiot."
Peter said getting up as May gestured for him to come and help her. Peter's words brought a small smile to George's face.
"Who caught him anyway?" Peter asked nonchalantly but he was trying his best not to grin. 'Lol. As if I don't know.'
"We don't know. We just received an anonymous tip to investigate the Cartel House. We did and found... some fascinating and some horrifying things." George said. "A man name Cletus Cortland Kasady had murdered Dennis' men and was torturing Dennis when this anonymous person subdued Kasady and Dennis."
"I think that's the 'horrifying' part." Peter said as he set some snacks on the table before them.
"Oh, you didn't have to do all of this, Ma'am." Harvey said with a 'charming' smile as he grabbed two donuts and stuffed them in.
'Really?' Peter just deadpanned at the subtle attempt of flirting and crossed his arms.
"Well, *Ahem* Yes. That was the horrifying part." George said as he elbowed Harvey in the gut. " The fascinating, this Spider-Man had used webs to tie Kasady and even used that to secure Dennis' wound. It was fascinating. I had never seen such thick webs in my life. It was impossible to loosen then with barehand and we had to use a wire cutter to cut those webs. But before we could analyse just what it was made of the web dissolved into nothingness after a few hours."
"Fascinating indeed but... Spider-Man?" Peter asked confused.
"That's the name I came up with! It's super cool, isn't it?! That guy must have been so cool. Sweeping in to beat up and subdued Kasady. He is just like those Ronin my grandpa used to tell me about!" The excitement of the female officer was... something, to say the least. Looking close she was a woman of mixed ethnicity. American-Asian with fair skin, beautiful face and shoulder-length silky raven hair.
"We call it a vigilante here Yuri. That hoodlum isn't any better than those thugs. Breaking the law-"
"How dare you call him a hoodlum?!"
"Cause that was he is!"
"You are just salty he did your job before and better than you! Hmph, loser."
"I'm sorry for this..." George smiled awkwardly.
"No... I feel sorry for you." Peter shook his head in mock sadness. "How do you babysit these kids?"
""Hey!""
"Enough you two." George said sternly shutting them up. "Please forgive them. Ms Watanabe is quite enthusiastic about her believes and has her ideal of justice which is quite... questionable legally, if you ask me and Harvey... well. He's just Harvey."
"Translation. An idiot." Yuri translated.
"Hey!"
Peter just nodded as his mind was trying to wrap his head around the fact that, Yuri Watanabe was already involved. She was one of the solid characters, who from a civil servant would later turn into a vigilante under the name of Wraith.
"That brings us to the next question. Where were you from 12:40 PM after I dropped you, to 3:20 AM when the police retrieved Kasady and Dennis." George asked.
"What kind of question is this officer?!" May was shocked.
"It's just formalities, Ma'am." Yuri said quickly trying to diffuse the situation.
"Are you implying that Peter-"
"I was home. After you dropped me off, I came in. Sat with May and we kind of broke down together." Peter said but the last part was a lie.
"I'm sorry."
"Then I cooked some food for May cause... She hadn't ate anything and was refusing to eat. After dinner May slept while I did the dishes. Locked the doors and windows and went to my room... for some alone time." Peter said the last part in a low voice. "I... That's it. After an hour, I took a shower, took ibuprofen cause I had a headache from all the crying, came down and slept only to be woken now when you guys arrived. That's all."
"That's convincing... Very convincing in fact." Harvey narrowed his eyes. "Did you go out to throw out the garbage bags? Perhaps, with something not so slightly in it?"
"What are you trying to say, Sir?" Peter asked narrowing his eyes.
"He means, did you go out for the house for any time after I dropped you off?" George was quick. He stomped on Harvey's foot beneath the table and effectively shut him up.
"May needed me. I couldn't leave her." Peter said. "And so I did not. That's the answer to your question. I did not hunt Dennis or Kasady or whoever the guy is, cause if I had done so. I wouldn't have brought them to you, at least not alive."
"And would the difference be between you and them?" George looked into Peter's eyes.
"I wouldn't feel regret. I won't regret saving my loved ones and keeping them safe." Peter replied without hesitation. He stood up and walked towards the door. "The Spider-Man should have apprehended Kasady after he was done with Dennis."
"Peter?!" May called out in shock but Peter had already stormed out and slammed the door behind him. "I am so sorry officer! Peter is a good boy! He is never like this-"
"It's alright Ms Parker. I do understand where is coming from, I, very much do." George nodded. "We'll take out leave as well. Sorry for bothering you. Once again I'm sorry for your loss. Your husband was a very good person. Take care."
"My condolences as well." Yuri bowed like a traditional woman and walked out after George. "Bye."
Harvey just nodded before following them.
"Bye." May saw them off from the front door while Peter was on the roof.
"Bye.* He muttered to himself as he watched the car drive away. "All that innocent act was my exhausting. It's 7 in the morning and I already feel spent. But whatever, at least now they won't suspect me."
As soon as he said that Yuri who was sitting in the back of the car suddenly looked in his direction through the back window and winked playfully with a smirk.
Peter was surprised but he shook it off quickly and gave a mock salute in return.
"Things are never boring for Peter, huh?" Peter asked to no one in particular cryptically. "It doesn't matter if he is or he isn't the Spider-Man."
He knew there wasn't going to be an answer. He jumped off the roof and landed in front of the door before heading inside.
"Well, more joy for me I guess."
------
'Fuck, this is gloom.'
Peter stood beside a crying May as Ben was buried in the Cemetary. Peter was dressed in a sharp tuxedo. He had gotten a haircut and looked more handsome than ever in that fitting clothes.
He was holding an umbrella to shield both him and May from the heavy rain.
"...to Benjamin Franklin Parker. Rest in peace." The priest said and the dam broke loose. May turned to him and hugged him tightly. Peter tried to hold the umbrella but it was of no use. Discarding the umbrella be hugged May back.
"You have done a lot for me and May. Please rest now and let me take care of the rest." Peter said as he laid the flower on the grave.
"Peter? Let's go home."
------
"Peter? Are you going back to Highschool?"
"Yeah. From tomorrow. It's the last year and I have already missed enough classes." Peter said as he finished up the assignments. "I have to Ace them so that I can get an internship at the Baxters Building."
"I know you'll do great Pete, I believe in you."
"Thanks, May. I needed that." Peter smiled as he began typing in his laptop."
"Um... Did you try to talk to Mary Jane again?" May asked nervously. Peter sighed and closed the laptop.
"Nope. I'm not going to either. She thinks I'm boring." Peter smiled softly. "She's better of without me."
"She said she's sorry, right?"
"Nope, she didn't."
"But you know how she really feels right?"
"I don't have a single clue."
"You know she cares, right?"
"Didn't see her at the funeral."
"She must be feeling awkward!"
"Not awkward enough to not post pictures on her socials."
"She's beautiful."
"So are you."
"What?!"
"*Ahem* Beauty is a physical trait and while important it shouldn't be the driving force behind a relationship and if it's only her beauty that makes her unique then there are a lot of beautiful girls out there." Peter shrugged. "Attraction is subjective and a woman with just beauty doesn't give me butterflies or make me weak in the knees."
"But you two have known each other since you were a toddler!"
"And yet she chose to join the group of 'popular kids' putting her childhood sweetheart aside."
"You should still give her a second chance."
"If she wants one, she'll ask for it." Peter shrugged. "And even if she does it doesn't mean that I might just give her another chance just like that. I should know her conviction, then I'll give her that. I won't give her another chance just because she thinks she's entitled to get one."
"...You have changed, Peter."
"I would be a fool if I had stayed the same, May." Peter smiled softly. He went and patted her head like she was a naivé child. "World doesn't work on optimism of good vibes. But sure, it would have been great if it did. If it did then like for us would probably suck less."
May didn't know what to say. Peter had matured a lot in a couple of days. It was like he was a completely different person.
"Forget about it May. If I'm not worried about Mary-Jane Watson then you shouldn't either." Peter grinned. "I'll continue now then."
May sighed before shrugging and going back to doing chores.
Peter looked back up from his laptop and sighed as he leaned back. He grabbed his phone as a notification popped up.
Reading the text he smiled to himself.
------
Gwendolyn Stacy
Gwen: Hi! I'm Gwen ( ꈍᴗꈍ). Did my dad give you the notes?
Me: Yep. Got it this morning. Thanks for this. :D
Gwen: No problemo. Just call me if you need anything. (◕ᴗ◕✿)
Me: I'll remember to do so. :))
Gwen: So... You'll be coming tomorrow??????? :V
Me: Yep. I've missed enough classes as it is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Gwen: So... Wanna hang out tomorrow then? (ꏿ﹏ꏿ;)
Peter: Sure.
Gwen: Oh okay. Okay cool. Let's meet tomorrow morning at 9 AM at the gates. (◍•ᴗ•◍)
Peter: You got it. :D
Gwen: It's a date then!
------
"Yep, it's a date." Peter chuckled to himself as he put the phone down.
"I'm kind of looking forward to it actually."
------
Edited on 25-03-22