Queens at night feels like a different city altogether. The streetlights cast long shadows across the cracked pavement as we approach the abandoned warehouse, its windows like empty eye sockets staring down at us.
"So," Scarlet quips, her voice cutting through the silence as we stand before the rusted entrance, "should we just go in? Or maybe knock politely and ask if the psychotic doctor with mechanical arms would kindly return her hostage?"
Venom shifts beside me. "Shouldn't we just go in?" she growls, those blank white eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "We should be able to flatten Olivia if she tries anything."
I nod, the golden energy inside me stirring in response to the imminent danger. "Yeah, might as well, right?"
The words sound casual enough, but my heart hammers against my ribs as we gear up for action.
"Wait," I say, a thought suddenly hitting me. "Do we know if Spider-Woman is already here?"
Scarlet's head tilts toward me, those white lenses of her mask somehow conveying frustration. "I can't get a hold of her. I've tried her comms multiple times, so I assume she's already inside."
I nod, processing this information as we approach the warehouse entrance. Something doesn't feel right, but I can't put my finger on it.
We start making our way to the main entrance when a rusty door on the side of the building suddenly creaks open. The sound cuts through the night air like a gunshot. We all freeze, instinctively dropping into defensive stances.
Mario Jane steps out first, his red hair unmistakable even in the dim light. He's followed immediately by Spider-Woman, her familiar red and blue suit catching what little moonlight filters through the clouds.
Relief floods through me for exactly one second before my brain processes what I'm seeing. Something's wrong with how Spider-Woman moves, there's a level of confidence there. A stiffness in her shoulders that doesn't match Piper's usual fluid grace. The way she holds her head higher.
My blood runs cold as the pieces click into place.
"Holy shit," I whisper, the realization hitting me like a freight train.
Mario grins, running a hand through his red hair. "Wow, the whole crew came just to save me, huh? I'm flattered."
I stare at Spider-Woman, my mind racing. That's not Piper. That's Doc Ock inside Piper's body. The consciousness transfer must have worked. My comic knowledge is screaming at me, but I can't say anything, not with her standing right there. One wrong word and who knows what she might do.
"You're too late," Spider-Woman announces, Piper's voice but with subtle differences in inflection. "I've already stopped that dolt Doctor Octopus. Tragically, though, she passed away during our battle."
My heart pounds in my chest. Part of me is terrified for Piper… But another part, the shameful comic book nerd in me, can't help but think how fucking hype this is. Superior Spider-Woman, right here in front of me, just like the comics. It's horrifying and amazing all at once.
"Well, thank god you saved Mario," I manage to say, trying to keep the sarcasm from my tone.
Mario steps forward, extending his hand to me. "I don't think we've been acquainted yet."
"I'm Skip Step," I reply, shaking his hand. His grip is firm, his smile genuine.
"Piper mentioned a while ago she met a new male hero," he says, looking me up and down with curious eyes. "Funny... haven't heard much from him since."
Before I can respond, Venom steps closer, her massive form looming protectively behind me. One clawed hand settles possessively on my shoulder.
"He's a bit busy dating me," she growls, pulling me close against her. The symbiote ripples where it touches my back, a comforting sensation despite the tension crackling through the air.
Mario's eyes flick between Venom and me, his perfect eyebrows arching with amusement. "Congratulations."
I can't help but sigh, the weight of reality settling on my shoulders. Part of me wants to scream the truth, but what's the point? If my memory serves right, Peter Parker eventually regained control of his body without outside intervention.
"You know what? This isn't my problem tonight," I mutter, mostly to myself.
"What was that?" Doc Ock in Spider-Woman's body asks, tilting her head in that slightly mechanical way that should be setting off alarm bells for everyone else.
"Nothing," I reply, waving my hand dismissively. "Just thinking out loud."
My brain fumbles through foggy memories of how this storyline resolved in the comics. Peter eventually came back somehow… It'll be fine.
"Well," Spider-Woman says, turning to Mario with an artificial casualness, "You and I aren't dating, correct?" Her tone is like she's confused and testing the waters.
Mario's face falls, genuine hurt flashing in his eyes. "Are you serious right now? You won't even return my texts. I've been trying to reach you for weeks."
"Curious," Spider-Woman says, her voice unnaturally analytical. She turns toward me, studying me.
After what feels like an eternity, she straightens up. "Well, trouble calls. Duty waits for no one!" With a flick of her wrist, she fires a web at a nearby building. "The city needs its superior protector!"
"She said the thing…" I whisper to myself nearly throwing up out of sheer autistic bliss.
Before anyone else can respond, she launches herself skyward, swinging away with more mechanical precision than Piper's usual fluid grace.
"Spidey, wait up!" Scarlet calls, already firing her own web line to follow.
And just like that, they're gone, leaving the three of us standing awkwardly in front of an abandoned warehouse in the middle of Queens.
I turn to Venom, gesturing wildly at the empty space where our supposed allies just vanished. "Did we just get fucking left to escort Mario home?"
Venom's eyes widen. "Yeah, what the fuck?"
Mario's face goes slack with genuine shock. "That's... weird. Spider-Woman has never once left me behind before. Not once."
"I imagine not," I reply, the realization that Doc Ock definitely doesn't share Piper's feelings for Mario.
He glances down at his phone, shoulders slumping slightly. "I guess I can call an Uber," he says, his voice carrying an edge of hurt that makes me feel genuinely bad for him.
For a brief moment, I consider asking Venom to web him home. It would be faster and definitely safer than waiting for some random driver in this sketchy part of Queens. But then I look at Mario again, the way the streetlight catches his jawline, how his eyes seem to sparkle even in the dim light, the perfect symmetry of his face. He's honestly stunning.
Yeah, fuck no to that idea.
"We'll wait with you," I say instead, trying to sound casual. "Make sure you don't get like, mugged or trafficked or something."
"Thanks," Mario replies with a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
An awkward silence settles over us as Mario taps at his phone, presumably ordering his ride. Venom shifts restlessly beside me.
"So," I venture, desperate to fill the silence, "how long have you and Spidey been... whatever you are?"
Mario looks up from his phone, surprise flickering across his face. "We've known each other since high school," he says after a moment. "But it's always been complicated. Senior year we finally turned into an on-again, off-again thing."
"That sounds rough," I offer, genuinely sympathetic.
"Yeah, well," Mario shrugs, trying for nonchalance but not quite pulling it off. "Dating a superhero isn't exactly what the movies make it out to be."
Venom makes a low sound in her throat, something between a growl and a laugh. "Tell me about it," she rumbles, her dual-layered voice unexpectedly gentle. "This one only ever wants to fuck or drag me into a fight that he's not ready to win."
"Hey!" I protest, straightening up indignantly. "That's not fair at all. Since I unlocked my Super Saiyan 1 form, I'm actually strong as fuck. Even yesterday I sent Doc Ock flying!"
Venom's eyes corner me. "Stop calling horns ripping through your skull 'Super Saiyan.' It's not the same thing."
"No way," I counter, crossing my arms stubbornly. "We both know there are more transformations left over. This is just the beginning."
A low, rumbling chuckle escapes Venom, the sound vibrating through the night air. Mario watches our exchange with a strange expression, something between amusement and longing.
"You two are lucky," he says quietly, running a hand through his perfect red hair. "Maybe it could have worked out between me and Spider-Woman if I had powers too."
Venom shifts beside me, her massive form straightening as she regards Mario with those unreadable alien eyes. "We're not lucky," she says, her dual-layered voice surprisingly gentle. "We're just in love."
"But you don't get how hard…" Mario begins, frustration edging into his voice.
"Skip and I work," Venom interrupts firmly, "because every day we wake up and choose one another. That's the secret."
The simple truth of her words hits me like a punch to the chest. I reach for her clawed hand, threading my fingers between hers. The symbiote flows slightly over my skin at the contact, warm and familiar.
Mario sighs, looking between us with a complicated expression. "Damn, you two really do have something special. Most couples I know are just trying to survive each other."
I feel a rush of pride mixed with an inappropriate surge of desire. The way Venom stands there, powerful and protective yet surprisingly vulnerable in her declaration of love, makes heat pool in my stomach.
"Yeah, we're pretty amazing," I say, my voice dropping an octave as I stare up at her. "Actually, I've been thinking about how badly I want to…"
"Don't," Venom interrupts sharply. Her hand tightens around mine in warning.
The words die in my throat, but my brain immediately pivots to something even more inappropriate. I open my mouth again, ready to share exactly what I'd like her symbiote to do to me when we get home.
"Skip," Venom growls, her voice dropping. "Just stop."
Mario shifts uncomfortably, suddenly very interested in checking his phone. "Looks like my Uber's two minutes away," he announces to no one in particular.
I look up at Venom, meeting those alien eyes that somehow see right through me. The symbiote undulating across her form, responding to emotions I can only guess at.
"I get it," she says softly, her dual-layered voice gentling. "You love me."
"Yeah."