Aunt May's POV
May Parker sat by Peter's bedside, her hand gently brushing against his bruised knuckles. The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beep of the heart monitor. He went through a lot, but was now safe and alive. That was all that mattered.
Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of the call. The sheer terror of hearing that Peter had been caught in the chaos at Midtown. That a monster had been loose in the Oscorp Charity Ball. That her nephew had nearly died. She had almost lost him, just like she lost Ben.
Peter had risked his life to save his friends. Just like Ben would have. Sacrifice, kindness, responsibility... everything Ben believed in, Peter had lived by today. But at what cost? How many more times would she have to sit here, watching over him, praying that he wouldn't be taken from her too soon?
Her fingers trembled as she wiped a tear away.
And Spider-Man… The masked vigilante had saved Peter. Had killed the Lizard.
She was grateful, truly. If not for him, she might have been mourning Peter today. But killing… no matter the reason, no matter the justification… was wrong. She couldn't shake the thought. How far would this Spider-Man go? What if one day, it was an innocent person who suffered?
She sighed, gripping Peter's hand tighter.
For now, she had her boy. But the world was changing, and she wasn't sure if she could protect him from it anymore.
********
Felicia Hardy's POV
Felicia Hardy learned early that life wasn't fair.
Her father, Walter Hardy, had been a cat burglar, one of the best. But he was no murderer. The police framed him for a crime he didn't commit, and soon after, he mysteriously died in prison. Her mother, broken and bitter, struggled to provide and soon the grief swallowed her whole. When Felicia was ten, she lost her too.
The foster system was no home. She ran away, stole to survive, learned to fight, and never trusted anyone fully. The world took everything from her, so she decided to take what she wanted in return.
Then, she met 'him'.
Peter Parker was different. A confident, nerdy guy who spoke with a quiet authority, looking like he knew something the rest of the world didn't. She had dated plenty of guys... rich, reckless, dangerous... but none intrigued her like Peter. He wasn't easily flustered. He challenged her, amused her, made her want more.
And then there was the 'Spider-Man'.
She hated how easily he got under her skin. That cocky, self-righteous attitude, that smug charm. He was infuriating. Strong, unpredictable, interesting and impossible to ignore. When they fought, it was like a dance... one she enjoyed more than she should have.
But Peter… Peter was different.
The way he looked at her, the way he spoke, the way he held himself... it was like he wore a mask without ever putting one on. He was more than what he appeared. A mystery she wanted to unravel.
Still, she wasn't stupid. She had secrets too. What would he think of Black Cat? Would he accept her, or would she become just another thief in his eyes?
She pushed the thought aside. It could wait.
Tomorrow, she had a date to prepare for.
********
Harry Osborne's POV
The room was quiet. Too quiet.
Harry sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, his hands clasped together. His father's absence should have been a relief, but it wasn't. It felt… hollow. Norman Osborn had never been much of a father. He had been a ruler, a critic, a sculptor trying to chisel Harry into something he wasn't.
No matter what Harry did, it was never enough.
But Peter? Peter had always been there enough.
He remembered the way his father looked at Peter... genuine approval, admiration even. Peter was the dream son. The one Norman actually respected. And Harry? He was just… a disappointment.
He had hated Peter for that. Hated him for the rare smiles Norman gave him. The way he praised Peter's mind, his potential. Harry had felt like a shadow standing next to Peter's brilliance.
But then Peter had saved him. Not... from some petty street fight. No, Peter had thrown himself in front of danger, sacrificing himself for him without hesitation.
That was when Harry realized what a fool he had been.
He leaned forward, opening his nightstand drawer. Inside was a small, neatly wrapped box... a gift. A watch. Something simple, but meaningful. He had planned to give it to Peter after graduation. To say thanks. To start over.
His fingers traced the edges of the wrapping.
Harry sighed, standing up. His gaze drifted to his closet. Inside, a small vial lay on a shelf. The label read: Goblin Regenerix.
His father's last project. The one thing Norman had left behind for him. Something... to escape from the family legacy...
For a moment, Harry hesitated. Then, with a quiet exhale, he took the vial and placed it inside a secure locker in his apartment.
Not yet.
He wasn't his father.
But he wasn't sure who he was either.
********
The Kid's POV
We were just having dinner. A nice, peaceful family dinner... Well, as peaceful as it could get with Pa grumbling about the government and Ma trying to keep us kids from throwing mashed potatoes at each other. Then...
BAAM!
The freaking Lizard Man crashed through our dining table.
I swear, it was straight out of a horror movie. He was HUGE. Scales, claws, teeth the size of a freaking foot. Bro screamed. Ma screamed. I screamed. And Pa? Pa pissed his pants. No joke.
And just when I thought we were goners, Spider-Man burst in right after him. THE Spider-Man! The YouTube celebrity, the guy who actually does all that insane, real-life cool stuff. Dude was in our house, flipping around like some superhero ninja, dodging claws and tail whips like it was nothing.
I was losing my mind, but Pa? Oh, suddenly, he grew a spine. Started yelling at Spider-Man. I mean, what was he thinking? Like, what was Spidey supposed to do? Politely ask the Lizard to leave?
Pretty sure he only had the guts to talk back because he knew Spider-Man doesn't hurt civilians. Either that or he was just mad that Ma was staring at Spidey's ripped bod like she was hypnotized. Seriously, she didn't blink. Not even once.
Anyway, after Spidey body-slammed the Lizard into our kitchen, he told us we'd be compensated. Pa, still acting all tough, actually had the nerve to question him. After Spider-Man left, Pa just stood there with his hands on his hips, muttering:
"…Really? By who?"
LMAO.
Like, bro, even if Spidey had an answer, it's not like he was gonna stop mid-fight to explain government compensation policies.
But forget all that... I got pics.
When I showed my friends, they didn't believe me until I shoved the photos in their faces. Instant clout. Best night of my life.
And guess what? Today a huge amount got transferred into pa's account. Pa told Ma, it's enough to buy a house in NY. I may not know how much it was, but I know it's a lot...
What did I say before? That's right! BEST. NIGHT. OF. MY LIFE!
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It's not just a filler... It's character development... Depth building... And a much needed break, for me... Regular chapters from tomorrow...
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