"No, really, it isn't."
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Kaine stood at the edge of the courtyard, his gaze fixed on Harold Theopolis Osborn — Harry, as everyone called him. The boy sat in what was clearly the upper echelon's territory, a lunch table framed by laughter and effortless confidence. Sunlight struck the silver crest embroidered on his jacket, catching Kaine's attention for only a moment before his mind drifted elsewhere.
He didn't know how to approach Harry. Not properly, anyway. Every scenario he ran through in his head ended in the same ways: suspicion, rejection, or unwanted attention. And what he needed — an unmonitored lab, complete privacy, and extended time for a full-body genetic scan — wasn't something you could simply ask for over lunch.
Fortunately, the universe spared him the decision.
"Kaine!" Harry's voice cut across the din of the cafeteria before Kaine could turn away. The next thing he knew, Harry was waving him over, motioning with that wide, confident grin that seemed to draw people in whether they wanted it or not. Kaine hesitated, but Harry was already halfway toward him, grabbing his sleeve and tugging him along like a friend who'd known him for years.
Kaine let him. Resistance, after all, would only cause a scene.
It wasn't hard to see why Harry drew attention — even in motion, he seemed to radiate the kind of charm that came with wealth, familiarity, and the luxury of not worrying about consequences. What was hard to ignore, though, were the eyes. Kaine knew his own were unnatural — red, sharp, unsettling. No matter how calmly he explained it as a "rare condition," people stared. They always stared. But at least it kept them at a distance.
Not Harry, though.
"I knew you couldn't stay locked in the lab all day! Come on, I want you to meet my friends," Harry said, his grip firm but friendly as he steered Kaine through the crowd.
The table came into view — five faces turned toward him, mid-conversation. Familiar faces. Not from life, but from data. Files, social media, online reports. Kaine had memorized each one long before meeting them in person.
"Kaine, meet my friends," Harry began, gesturing with casual enthusiasm. "Left to right — that's Mary Jane, Gwen, Ned Leeds, and Eugene, but we all just call him Flash."
Each name clicked neatly into place in Kaine's mind.Mary Jane Watson: journalism major, photography elective, volunteer record clean.Gwen Stacy: top of her class in biochemistry, emotionally stable, family intact.Ned Leeds: computer sciences, harmless.Eugene Thompson: known as "Flash," short temper, moderate athletic performance, poor impulse control.
He said nothing.
The silence stretched. Then Flash leaned toward Harry and muttered, not quietly enough, "He doesn't seem very… mentally here, Osborn."
Harry sighed, half amused, half exasperated, and nudged Kaine's arm. The contact snapped him back into awareness, like a machine returning to function.
"Umm… hello," Kaine said softly, the word hanging awkwardly between them.
It wasn't quite the right tone — too measured, too precise — but it was enough. People often forgave discomfort when it came packaged as shyness.
"Oh, he's just shy," Ned offered quickly, smiling in a way that felt too genuine to be strategic. "Not everyone's as loud as Harry."
"Yeah, exactly," Gwen added, shooting Harry a teasing glare that made him lift his hands in mock surrender.
"Hey, not my fault I'm trying to get him out of his shell!" Harry said, feigning innocence.
"Sure thing, Osborn," Flash muttered, elbowing him with a grin. Harry retaliated with a playful swat, and the two descended into harmless bickering, drawing a few laughs.
The tension dissolved just enough for Mary Jane to step forward, her presence commanding without being overbearing. "Don't mind those two," she said, extending her hand with a friendly smile. "Mary Jane Watson — but friends call me MJ. Nice to meet you."
Kaine looked at her hand, then carefully took it, regulating his strength so as not to crush the bones beneath his grip. Her skin was warm, steady. He released quickly.
"Thank you," he said.
MJ blinked, caught off guard. "You were supposed to introduce yourself," she teased, then softened her voice. "It's fine. So, you like ESU so far? Harry said you basically made him stop hating calculus."
Kaine studied her expression, searching for sarcasm. There was none. People here smiled too easily. It was… unsettling. Still, he knew the rules of human engagement well enough to keep the illusion intact.
"Yes," he replied quietly. "It's… efficient."
MJ chuckled, glancing at Gwen. "Efficient? Now that's a first."
Harry laughed too, already moving the conversation toward something else, something lighter. And for the first time, Kaine found himself standing among them — a perfect imitation of a normal student, surrounded by laughter and sunlight and meaningless chatter.
The scene shifted as Kaine's heart skipped a bit, physical reactions and memories of pain overwhelming him. Annoying, have I still not eliminated the memory of that place?
Kaine bit down on his index finger to snap the mental pain. It was a primitive fix, but it'd do. Looking up, he made eye contact with Ned Leeds, who stared with open eyes at the sight.
Kaine blinked slowly, trying to emulate a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Step one: social integration, partially successful.Step two: secure access to the Oscorp lab.
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[Auther: If this doesn't come out tomorrow, I guess I'll stop setting up auto update.]