Oscorp — Norman Osborn's Office — Day
Seated behind his desk, Norman Osborn was working on several files.
Silence filled the room.
Only the steady sound of his fingers on the keyboard disturbed the office's quiet atmosphere.
Then his phone rang.
Norman looked up.
And answered.
— Norman?
He immediately recognized Tombstone's voice.
— Hello, Lincoln. How are you? Have you managed to get rid of that... Spider-Man?
— No... not yet.
Norman slightly frowned.
— Not yet? And what are you waiting for? Didn't you say he was compromising our projects and our business?
Tombstone's answer came quickly.
— Yes, that's exactly the case. Unfortunately, your Scorpion and my Shocker weren't enough to take him down.
Norman leaned back in his chair.
— So you need a new super-soldier, if I understand correctly?
— Not one. Two.
— Two? Interesting...
A slight smile appeared on Norman's face.
— And I assume you already have these two test subjects?
— Yes. Two failures who mess up every mission, with or without Spider-Man. I was thinking about getting rid of them... but in the end, they'll serve as your test subjects and my super-soldiers. For once in their lives, they'll be useful.
— Very well. When will they arrive?
— They're already on their way with Hammerhead. They'll be with you soon. And Norman... I'm counting on you to turn these two idiots into real weapons of war.
Norman's smile widened slightly.
— Don't worry. You won't be disappointed.
The call ended.
Norman slowly placed his phone back on his desk.
Silence immediately returned.
For a few seconds, he remained motionless.
Lost in thought.
Then a cold and unsettling smile gradually appeared on his face.
New York — The Corner Café — Afternoon
The sun gently bathed the streets of Manhattan.
On the terrace of The Corner Café, a few customers chatted quietly over a cup of coffee.
The atmosphere was calm.
Peaceful.
Gwen Stacy, however, was waiting.
Sitting at a table, she checked her phone once again.
2:10 PM.
She looked up.
Scanned her surroundings.
Then the street.
But there was still no sign of Peter.
A small sigh escaped her.
He was already ten minutes late.
A hint of disappointment crossed her face.
— I was hoping he'd be on time... but I guess not.
She continued watching the street anyway.
Hoping to see him appear around the corner.
Then suddenly:
— Hi!
— PETER?!
Gwen jumped violently.
Peter had just appeared behind her.
A few seconds earlier, he had discreetly left the wall of a nearby alleyway, taking advantage of the absence of pedestrians to land unnoticed.
— No, it's Harry. Of course it's me!
Gwen placed a hand over her heart.
Still startled.
— But... how did you get there? I didn't even see you coming!
Peter innocently shrugged.
— Oh, you know... I'm a very discreet guy.
A laugh escaped Gwen.
— I can see that! I didn't even notice you arriving!
Peter rubbed the back of his head.
Slightly embarrassed.
— And sorry for being late. That's really not my strong suit, apparently.
Gwen gave him an amused look.
— It's okay, you're only ten minutes late. We can say you're improving.
Peter let out a small laugh.
— Yeah, and believe me... it's far from easy.
Their eyes met.
Then a comfortable silence settled between them.
Neither of them seemed embarrassed.
On the contrary.
Peter eventually smiled.
Clearly eager to start the day.
— So, shall we?
Gwen's smile immediately widened.
— Yes, let's go!
New York — Movie Theater — Outside — A Few Streets Away
They began walking side by side.
At first, neither of them seemed to know what to say.
A subtle but very real awkwardness gradually settled between them.
— Alright... we're here, that's nice, but... I didn't even think about what we were going to do. Great, Peter... now what?
Peter cleared his throat slightly.
— Uh... Gwen?
Gwen responded almost immediately.
As if she too was looking for a way to break the silence.
— How about a movie?
Peter answered so quickly that he surprised even himself.
— Oh, yeah! Great idea! It's been a long time since I've been to one!
So they changed direction.
And headed toward the movie theater.
Yet despite the conversation starting up again, the awkwardness remained.
Their hands occasionally brushed against each other as they walked.
Each time, they immediately pulled away.
A little too quickly.
A little too awkwardly.
As if the slightest contact burned them.
The silence always returned.
And neither of them truly dared to break it.
— Now that I'm alone with Peter...
— I realize that with Harry in our lives...
Then, at the exact same moment:
— ...We haven't gone anywhere with just the two of us in forever!
Gwen slightly looked away.
— Back then, it was pure friendship. We were kids... but now...
And once again, their thoughts seemed to align.
— It's clearly not the same anymore!
So absorbed in her thoughts, Gwen didn't even notice they had already arrived at the movie theater.
Peter noticed at the last moment.
By reflex, he gently grabbed her hand to stop her.
Time seemed to stop.
They both froze.
Their eyes met.
Then their cheeks instantly turned red.
Peter pulled his hand away as if he had touched a burning hot plate.
— O-Oh, uh, sorry!
Gwen let out a small nervous laugh.
— I-It's okay! Really!
New York — Movie Theater — Main Lobby — Afternoon
They entered the theater lobby.
Then headed toward the movie posters.
A few seconds later, they discovered the day's schedule.
And a problem immediately appeared.
There was only one movie.
A romantic movie.
— Seriously? That's the ONLY movie?! Since when is that even possible?!
Gwen tried to maintain a relaxed expression.
— So... do you want to see it, or should we do something else?
Peter turned toward her.
— Uh... depends. Do you want to?
Gwen innocently shrugged.
— I don't know... whatever you want.
— No, come on, "I don't know" isn't an answer! Do you want to or not?!
And at that exact moment, a memory suddenly resurfaced in Peter's mind.
The scenery changed.
The colors seemed softer.
Older.
Peter found himself several years in the past.
Inside the Parker family kitchen.
Aunt May and Uncle Ben were sitting around the table.
While a younger Peter watched them skeptically.
— Peter, you'll see... when a girl says "I don't know," it often means "I'd like to, but I want you to be the one who suggests it."
Peter immediately frowned.
— But... why doesn't she just say it clearly then?
— Because she wants you to figure it out on your own!
— But WHY? That doesn't make any sense!
— Don't try to understand it. That's just how it is.
Peter crossed his arms.
Still completely confused.
— I really don't get it...
Ben then placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Peter... listen to the advice of an old man: if your Aunt May says it, it's because it's true. Never forget: women are always right!
May's smile instantly widened.
— See, Peter? Your Uncle Ben really knows how to talk to women... oh, you're so charming, sweetheart!
She stood up.
Then began showering Ben with affection.
Peter immediately looked away.
Horrified.
— Ugh... seriously? I'm going upstairs to my room!
As he was already leaving the kitchen, May's voice echoed behind him.
— And remember this too, Peter: girls love it when a boy takes the initiative!
Then Ben added with a laugh:
— Your aunt is right, son. Keep that in mind!
The memory slowly faded.
And Peter returned to the present.
— Honestly... I don't even remember how we ended up talking about that with Aunt May. But it looks like her advice is going to help me today.
Peter discreetly took a breath.
Then made his decision.
— Alright... let's go watch this movie.
Before he could even change his mind, he gently took Gwen's hand and led her toward the ticket counter.
A few minutes later, they came back out with two tickets and a huge bucket of popcorn meant to be shared.
They then headed into the screening room.
Peter chose seats in the center.
The best ones.
Around them, a few couples were already seated in the darkness, along with several people who had come alone.
The lights went out.
Then the movie began.
The story followed the complicated relationship between two people who were deeply attracted to one another, yet constantly separated by the mysterious and secret life of one of them.
As if he were living a double life.
As if he were incapable of revealing the truth to the person he loved.
— A guy with a double life who wants to date a girl... seriously? Is the universe messing with me or what?
A few minutes later, Peter absentmindedly reached into the popcorn bucket.
At the exact same moment, Gwen did the same.
Their fingers touched.
A light contact.
Accidental.
But enough to trigger an immediate reaction.
— A-AHH! Sorry!
Blushing, Gwen abruptly jumped out of her seat.
Peter blinked.
— Oh, uh, don't worry. It's nothing, but-
An annoyed voice rang out from behind them.
— Hey! Can you stop screaming like a lunatic? My girlfriend can't see anything with your giant head in the way!
Gwen immediately turned around.
— Oh! Sorry...!
She sat back down at once.
Mortified.
The man, clearly pleased with himself, flashed a satisfied smile at his girlfriend.
Peter, meanwhile, immediately felt his mood change.
He hadn't liked that tone.
Not at all.
— Peter? But where are you going...?
Without answering, he stood up.
Then calmly approached the couple.
— Hey.
— Yeah? What?
— Don't tell me he's going to...?
Peter remained perfectly calm.
— My friend apologized. There's no need to talk to her like that.
The man frowned.
— What...?!
His girlfriend rolled her eyes.
— Oh, honey... look, the kid wants to play hero.
The man sat up straighter in his seat.
— Do you even know who I am?!
Peter slightly shrugged.
— No, and I don't want to know. I'm just asking you to be respectful.
Then he turned around.
And returned to his seat.
But behind him, the couple clearly had no intention of letting it go.
— You're really going to let him get away with that? Want me to tell everyone you got put in your place by a kid?!
His ego wounded, the man jumped out of his seat.
And charged toward Peter.
— Peter! Watch out!
Peter instinctively stepped aside.
The man rushed past him without touching him.
The entire theater reacted immediately.
— Did he seriously dodge you or am I dreaming?!
— What? N-No, not at all! I just... I just missed! That's normal, I can't see anything in here!
Several moviegoers were starting to get irritated.
— Hey! If you want to fight, take it outside!
— Yeah, I didn't pay for this!
The man abruptly turned around.
— Shut all your mouths if you don't want me to beat you up one by one!
Silence instantly fell.
Then he pointed at Peter.
— You and me. Outside. You've got two minutes, or I'll come back and trash this place.
He grabbed his girlfriend by the arm.
Then left the theater.
Peter rubbed the back of his neck.
— Uh... sorry, everyone. I didn't want it to come to this.
— Seriously... how am I this unlucky?
He sat back down beside Gwen.
— Sorry, Gwen. I didn't think it would turn out like this.
Gwen gently shook her head.
— No, Peter... don't apologize. You stood up for me. And even though I would've preferred to avoid all this... it means a lot to me.
Peter gave her a small smile.
— Don't thank me. It's normal.
Gwen hesitated for a moment.
Then continued:
— And about that guy... just forget it. Don't go fight over something like this.
— I'd like to, but if he comes back, he'll ruin the movie for all these people. So I'm just going to... try to calm things down and then I'll come back.
Gwen looked at him for a few seconds.
Touched despite herself.
— That's just like him. Even in a situation like this, he thinks about others before himself...
A smile appeared on her face.
— In that case, I'm coming with you! I'm not leaving you alone.
New York — Movie Theater — Outside (Sidewalk) — Afternoon
They left the theater.
Walked down the steps.
Then found the couple waiting for them on the sidewalk.
The woman crossed her arms.
A mocking smile on her lips.
— So he actually came... I can't decide whether I find him brave or just very stupid.
Her boyfriend chuckled.
— I hope you're ready to get humiliated, kid.
— I could knock him out in two seconds... But what would be the point? With great power comes great restraint, after all...
Peter calmly raised his hands.
— Listen... I don't want to fight, so—
— Couldn't we just let it go?
Gwen had just interrupted him.
She stepped forward slightly.
— Miss, couldn't you calm down your boyfriend? My friend didn't mean to upset him.
The woman let out a small amused laugh.
— Oh no, sweetie... I'm here for the show. If he wants to fight, he'll fight.
— Just hearing her talk makes me want to rip her eyes out.
The man took a step forward.
Then looked at Gwen.
— Your friend doesn't want to fight? Then maybe if I hit his girlfriend, that'll make him react.
He suddenly raised his fist.
Straight toward Gwen.
But before he could even complete the movement, Peter stepped between them.
His hand closed around the man's wrist.
And stopped it instantly.
— If you want to hit me, go ahead. But her... you don't touch her.
Gwen froze.
— H-He stopped his punch... with one hand?!
— What are you waiting for?! Do it!
Yet the man didn't move.
He looked at Gwen.
Then at Peter.
Then back at Gwen.
And something in his expression changed.
— ...W-We're leaving.
— What?! But—
— I said we're leaving!
Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed his girlfriend by the arm.
Then walked away.
Leaving behind a seriously bruised ego.
— Of course... They think they're tough until they run into someone tougher. It drives me crazy.
Peter immediately turned toward Gwen.
— Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?
— Yes... thank you, Peter.
She paused.
Still a little shaken.
— You... you were really impressive...
Peter slightly looked away.
Embarrassed.
— Oh... uh, thanks. Should we forget about the movie? How about getting something to drink instead?
Gwen's smile immediately returned.
— Yes! Of course. Sounds good to me. Let's go!
They resumed walking.
Side by side.
But while Peter looked straight ahead, Gwen seemed increasingly distracted.
Lost in thought.
— Now that I think about it... Peter has changed over the last few months. Deep down, he's always been brave and willing to help others, but... he wasn't this strong before. First of all, he and Spider-Man talk the same way.
Their voices sound alike. They have the same injuries. And he always seems busy. Even when he's with me, Harry, or anyone else, he mysteriously disappears. He never says where he's going or what he's doing. I know it sounds crazy, and even I have trouble believing it... but could Peter be Spider-Man?
The rumors about Spider-Man started a few months ago... exactly when Peter started changing. Should I ask him? But even if it were true, would he tell me? And besides... how could that even be possible?! Aaaah, I'm so confused!
New York — The Corner Café — Terrace — Later
Some time later, they finally arrived at the café.
Each of them ordered a drink.
Then they sat down at a table slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the street.
Peter quickly noticed that Gwen seemed distracted.
Even more than before.
— Gwen? Everything okay? You seem a little... somewhere else.
— To be honest... there's something that's been bothering me...
She took a sip of her drink.
Then gave him a quick glance.
Slightly skeptical.
— Want to talk about it? Maybe I can help.
— Actually... I think you're the only one who can help me clear up this doubt.
Peter blinked.
— Huh...? What do you mean?
Gwen took a slow breath.
Then set her glass down.
— Peter... we've known each other for a really long time, and we practically grew up together. We've always been close... so I want you to answer me honestly.
— Why is she looking so serious...? Is she about to say what I think she's going to say...?
— I'm saying all this because it's really something I can't stop thinking about...
Peter let out a small nervous laugh.
— And... what's the question...? Because you're making me a little nervous here.
— I know this might sound weird, but...
The longer she took.
The more Peter felt his stress rising.
His heart was pounding.
— My heart... I... I feel like it's going to explode!
— Peter, are you...
— Am I...? Am I what?! Come on!
Gwen finally gathered her courage.
Then asked the question.
— Are you Spider-Man...?
The world seemed to stop.
The noise of the street vanished.
The conversations around them faded away.
Peter remained perfectly still.
His heart skipped a beat.
And every expression slowly disappeared from his face.
— ...Huh...? Wait... what?
TO BE CONTINUED.