The upheaval at Oscorp was big enough to make the news, but this world still ran on money. With enough cash thrown around, the whole thing was quickly smoothed over.
The only real headache left was the damage to the building and the compensation that would have to be paid afterward.
But none of that had anything to do with Peter. That could be this world's Norman's problem.
Gwen's apartment.
Gwen and Peter sat on the couch without speaking, both lost in thought, though their thoughts were entirely different.
I have to get back to my own universe.
That was what Peter was thinking.
This universe really was a good one, maybe even a great one, but it still was not his. And the Spider-Man of this world was already dead, so what would it even mean for him to stay here?
Anyway, this world already had the second Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales, ready to take over. Worrying about all of that was pointless. Rather than wasting time worrying about this universe, he should be thinking about how he was going to explain being missing for so many days once he got back.
After all, Uncle Ben and Aunt May definitely were not going to believe he had just been out fooling around and not coming home for days.
Best to use Harry as a shield when the time comes. Sorry, buddy, but your moment has arrived.
As for Gwen, sitting there with her thoughts drifting, she looked down at the blue serum in her hand while the only thing flashing through her mind was the image of Peter diving off the building without hesitation to catch her.
That feeling, being held tightly by someone in the space between life and death, was undeniably moving. Gwen even felt that if she had died like that, maybe that would not have been so bad.
What a twisted thought.
She had never felt anything like it before. It was strange. Unique. Special.
She knew nothing was ever going to happen between her and this teenage Peter. If not for the quantum black hole created by Kingpin's collider, their lives probably would never have crossed at all.
Universes were like two parallel lines. Unless someone forcibly broke the rules, they would never intersect.
"You'll remember me after you go back, right?"
Gwen raised her head and looked at Peter. Peter, who had been looking at her too, met her gaze as she murmured the question.
"How could I forget?"
"Are you going to move now?"
"Yeah. There's a strange force guiding me, and it keeps getting stronger. Spider-People are always drawn to each other. I should probably go back and see what's happening. Are you coming?"
Peter lit a cigarette and spoke quietly.
"No. I wouldn't be able to help anyway. And if you suddenly disappear, I don't want you seeing me looking pathetic."
Gwen said it stubbornly, but the tears glimmering in her eyes gave her away completely.
Did every Gwen in every world fall for Spider-Man?
What a ridiculous, cursed question that was.
They had only known each other for two days. Whether this was fate manipulating them or something else, neither of them knew.
But Peter knew there were things he should do and things he should not.
The Gwen in his own universe was still waiting for him. As much as part of him wanted to be a scumbag, he could not bring himself to be that heartless. It was better to say things clearly than leave them hanging.
"I'm sorry, Gwen. It's just that I'm not…"
Before Peter could finish, his eyes widened. A girl's scent rushed at him, and suddenly he was being held. Warm, wet lips crashed hard against his, biting him once before a tongue pushed in with startling force.
"This is what I want. If I didn't do this, I'd regret it. I'll regret it even after doing it, but at least I know it was the right thing."
Gwen stepped out of his arms, wiped the blood from her lips, her face blazing red, and still forced herself to sound firm.
"And you don't owe me an apology for anything. If anything, I should be thanking you."
"Peter, if… if you can ever come back to this universe, come see me, alright? I know you'll be able to come back. You're different."
Under those bright, watery eyes, Peter nodded and gently wiped away her tears.
"I will, Gwen. I promise."
"If you don't come, that's fine too. You've got another Gwen in your world, don't you?"
"It's not the same."
Peter looked at her steadily.
"Gwen, do you think the Gwen in that parallel universe is you?"
Gwen froze, then shook her head.
"No. Of course not. Why are you asking?"
"Then you have nothing to do with that Gwen. The two of you are separate people. Even if you count as the same person in some way, she's still her, and you're still you. Just like I'm still me, and Peter Parker is still Peter Parker."
"Gwen, tell me. Who do you like? Peter Parker, or me?"
"I already told that idiot once. He's the one asking me now, but I'm not telling him a second time."
Wearing a white shirt that only barely hid the beautiful figure beneath it, Gwen spoke with practiced stubbornness.
"I'll come back."
Peter pulled Gwen into his arms and held her close for a moment, then turned and walked out the door.
"I'll wait for you. Even if you never come, I'll still wait."
After the door closed, Gwen opened a drawer, took out a syringe, drew the blue serum into it, and injected it into her forearm. Her cells tore apart, her bones cracked, and her body cycled through destruction and repair again and again. Gwen never made a sound. She was not really a strong person, but there were some things she had to endure on her own, because someone needed her to wait for him, and she wanted to wait in the best state she could.
…
"I knew you'd come back, buddy. We're the same person, aren't we?"
At Aunt May's house, Spider-Noir took one look at Peter in his suit and immediately pulled him into a hug.
Unfortunately, Peter's injuries had not fully healed, so when Spider-Noir hugged him, it felt like the wounds had split open all over again.
"Easy. I picked up a few injuries… and whatever you do, don't let Aunt May know."
Noticing something was wrong, Spider-Noir quickly apologized. Then the whole group gathered around the table for dinner.
To be honest, Peter was starving by now. He had spent the whole day burning through energy. At that point, he could have eaten several of Aunt May's bacon rolls without complaint.
Being Spider-Man really did burn through a ridiculous amount of stamina.
Still, Aunt May had not made bacon rolls today. Maybe because of Peter Porker, tonight's meal was pineapple pie and beef lasagna.
Peter was surprised. In his universe, Aunt May never made anything like that. It was always bacon rolls, Italian meatballs, or salad. The same three meals, over and over, for more than ten years.
They had barely started eating when the doorbell rang, and everyone at the table felt their Spider-Sense go off at the same time. Peter could already guess who it probably was. Middle-aged Peter and Miles.
When he opened the door, sure enough, there they were. A Black kid in a cheap Spider-Man costume, a bearded, slightly overweight man wearing long underwear, and a girl in a white, pink, and black Spider suit.
"Gwen?!"
Peter froze for a second, because he could tell immediately that the Gwen standing there was the one from his own universe.
He knew her too well to mistake her for anyone else.
He had thought he was the only one from his universe here.
Clearly, he was not.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]