"Peter, how did you manage to book a table here? This place is amazing!" MJ said, shocked.
"Actually, it wasn't that hard. Very few people know about this place. Well, many know, but only a few actually come," I replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
"It's all about scale. It's New York; everyone wants glamour and prestige. Many consider quiet, nice places like this beneath their status. I decided to share a piece of something real with you."
"I'm touched, Tiger."
"I'm very glad. Now, let's order something—I'm starving."
One very pleasant summer dinner later, Mary and I left the restaurant, incredibly cheerful. And no, we didn't drink. We just enjoyed the warm atmosphere.
"To be honest, Peter, I needed this," Mary began softly. "When I moved here, I thought it would be so hard to start over in a new place, especially New York. And then you showed up," the redhead said, turning to me.I looked at her and asked, "Did I say I wasn't entirely honest?"
"What do you mean?"
"When Aunt Anna decided to take me in, she needed me to come see the house."
"So, you were in the city before moving?"
"Exactly."
"Then why say you weren't entirely honest? I don't see anything wrong with that."
"That day, I saw you coming home from school."
"Really?"
"Yeah, no offense, Tiger, but you looked like a real bookworm: heavy brown trousers, shirt and vest, tie, thick-rimmed glasses. But do you know what my first thought was?"
"What?"
"That you still have that same immense fortitude."
We stopped by the stone bridge. Mary took my hand. "And also the light you're willing to share with others. Maybe that's why I fell in love with you."
I didn't have time to respond because MJ took my face in her hands and kissed me. Without a second thought, I returned the kiss, pouring all my passion into it. We broke apart only when we were gasping for air.
"If we're being honest, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. Maybe even earlier, in childhood," I confessed.
Mary just smiled and kissed me again. We got home two hours later. Before that, we talked about the past, present, and future—two young people sharing experiences, hopes, and promises.
A long walk under the moonlight completed the evening.
"That was a wonderful evening, Peter," MJ said as we held hands.
"I completely agree. Mary, I don't want to rush things, but I have to ask—"She looked at me expectantly."Well… are we… like, together now?"
"Ask me properly, Mr. Parker," the redhead teased with a chuckle.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Of course I will, Tiger," Mary Jane replied, throwing her arms around my neck.
I pulled her close and kissed her.
_____________
"WOOHOOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I swung over the rooftops of New York at night. My soul felt light—I felt incredible! The girl of my dreams HERSELF told me she loved me, and now we're officially together! I know it sounds like teenage drama, but I couldn't help myself.
"I'M HAPPY!"
"SHUT UP!"
"Right back at you, good citizen!" I laughed, landing on the wall of a high-rise building. Okay, one more swing and—Spider-sense.
I immediately scanned my surroundings. The tingling was intense—a clear sign of serious danger. I quickly checked my equipment but was interrupted by a distant roar.
A helicopter blade?A large military aircraft appeared on the horizon. The moment it started firing at me, I wasn't surprised. I jumped off the roof, dodging bullets, and began gliding over the city. I needed to divert it away from the streets to protect bystanders.
I maneuvered between the skyscrapers, memories flashing at the back of my mind. How many times have I faced helicopters in the media? The scene felt painfully familiar.
That's it. Running along the side of a high-rise, with .45-caliber bullets whizzing past my feet—romantic. I fired two webs and launched myself like a slingshot, spinning through the air and covering the helicopter's blade with webbing.
The machine began to slow; a few more webs, and it would crash. Okay, I hadn't thought this through fully. I quickly fired more webs and tried to hook the helicopter to the walls of the building. I couldn't prevent the crash entirely. The aircraft grazed the wall with a shallow groove before swooping down onto a nearby roof.
Now, let's see who's so smart. Instinctively, I somersaulted, dodging debris flying toward me.
"Long time no see, insect," said a familiar voice in a business suit. Two very familiar criminal faces appeared at the other end of the building.
"Well, well, Bull and Fancy Dan. Long time, no see. Haven't missed you," I said.
"Where's your criminal leader? There's a lack of that old Western spirit in your group." I glanced back at the broken helicopter. "Don't tell me he was piloting that bird? Did he get off easier than any of you will this time? History has a way of repeating itself, huh?"
"If I recall, we almost sent you to your grave last time," Bull growled.
"Today, we're closing that 'almost,'" Dan added.
Bull hurled a piece of debris at me. I dodged effortlessly. Dan attacked from the other side; I barely managed to slip under his blow.
"Listen, Dan, maybe I should call you Ricochet. No matter how I move, you attack from the opposite direction," I taunted.
Dan didn't react, and Bull moved toward the helicopter. I fired a web at Dan and restrained him while hooking a large piece of debris with another web and tossed it at Bull.
"Not so fast, Jimbo!" The concrete chunk slammed into Bull's back, sending his nose smashing into the roof.
"Are you crazy?! That helicopter could catch fire at any moment. Let me get Montana out!" Bull shouted.
"Thanks, henchman, but I've got this," I said.I jumped to the pilot's door and ripped it open.Two electric whips struck me, sending me flying onto an air conditioning unit.
"That's your greatest weakness, Spider-Man," snarled the cowboy. "We've been watching you the whole time, of course. Your mask hid your life well, but we bought one important thing. After the warehouse fight, you lost ground. Are you just swinging around, helping old ladies across the street? Seriously?!"
"Back then, I thought we were hired to take out a serious threat. You were just like that. God, you maimed thirty guys! Broke my arm! Even killed one of ours."
"I didn't kill anyone," I gasped.
"Oh, come on! You may have shielded yourself or fired the shot, but it doesn't change anything. Now, you're hiding behind a mask of kindness? Won't work. Stop being a coward and fight like a real man. Let your instincts run wild before you die."
They wanted seriousness? They'd get it.
I grabbed the air conditioner and hurled it at the Thugs. I approached Dan, who was separated from the others."You want serious? Then we're going to fight serious!"I grabbed Dan by the throat and slammed his face into the roof repeatedly.
"So much for 'fancy,' huh?"I didn't let him go, pounding his face until he stopped moving. The fight with Dan was interrupted by a furious Bull, who charged at me roaring.
I needed a new tactic for the tough guy. I dodged Bull's hammering blows smoothly and patiently, waiting for him to tire.
When he slowed, I jumped and pushed off his shoulders to get behind him. At that moment, Montana's electric whips jolted Bull.
"Damn!" Bull growled.
"That's what I learned from that meeting, Montana," I said. "With you Brutes, you never watch your backs. I'm learning from my mistakes, while your guys are already down. Why did your Big Boss send only three of you? No budget for backup?"
"Big Boss thought additional men would be wasting resources. and I agree with that." Montana said, activating his whips and charging at me.
Okay, another round. I grabbed Montana's whips, ripped them away, and broke them.
"Oh, old-fashioned way, then," the cowboy said, drawing revolvers. I dodged the shots with a pirouette and pulled Dan's unconscious body close yelling, "You say I killed that mercenary? Then shoot me! You can blame me for your partner's death too! Don't be a coward, shoot!" I taunted.
He fired.
I barely threw Dan aside and dodged.I covered the gun with a blast of webbing. "Did you really plan to shoot your friend?"
"In our business, friendship is a luxury. Work always comes first. We work hard to build reputations, only to watch a bug test our morals. Unprofessional."
Silently, I tied up Bull and Dan and approached Montana.
"Well, I got one more trick," he said, pulling a penknife."Come on, insect!"
I dodged calmly, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it until the knife fell.I threw Montana aside.
"Everything is cyclical, right, idiot?"
"Okay, I give up. Come on, like you did with the little guys or Trapper and Bonecrusher. Arrest us." I grabbed Montana by the lapels and lifted him off the ground.
"Do I look like an ambulance?" I punched his solar plexus. "Your big Boss, where is he?"
"Fuck you!" I twisted his arm again."What do you think will break first? Your stubborn silence or every bone in your body? You miss the cast? Tell me."
"Okay, okay, wait. He's a serious man. I'll give him away. I'm dead."
"Old tale," I murmured as I moved toward the edge of the roof.
"Listen! They'll kill me!"
"You didn't complete the task. You're practically dead," I said, pulling Montana over the edge.
"Wait! You're not going to—" The boot fell off the bandit's foot and into the abyss. I froze. I wouldn't do it.
[Flashback of School]
"Uncle Ben!"
"What happened, Peter?"
"He's bullying me, making fun of me. I… I…"
"What, Peter? What did you feel?"
"I was angry. Very angry. I wanted to hit him, even kill him."
"But you didn't. Could you really kill him?"
"No… I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"Because murder is wrong."
"That's right, Peter. Things are tough, but you're a good person. You're doing the right thing."
The memory faded like smoke. I was still on the roof, holding Montana. I threw the bandit sharply toward his partners and bound him with webbing.
I jumped off the roof and swung away.
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