[Third Person's PoV]
Peter let out a deep sigh as he pushed himself off the bed, his fingers absently ruffling Aria's hair as he passed by. "Just keep doing what you do best—keep an eye on him. I've got somewhere to be."
Aria gave a quick nod, her expression thoughtful before she tilted her head and asked, "Before you leave, can I ask you something?"
Peter paused at the door, glancing back with a raised brow. "Sure, what's up?"
"When will I be able to go on missions and finally reveal myself to the world?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching his face for a hint of encouragement. "It's been nearly a month, Daddy. I've been patient."
Peter sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. "No one told you to take the body of a toddler," he said, offering her a sheepish smile. "It's... hard to think of you as anything but a child when you look like that. It makes it difficult for me to justify putting you in the line of danger."
Aria pouted and looked down at her small hands. "I wanted you to see me as your daughter," she murmured. "That's why I designed my body this way. I thought... maybe if I appeared this way, we'd form a stronger bond with together."
Peter crouched down and gently lifted her into his arms, holding her the way one would cradle a young child. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, her legs curling slightly as she instinctively looked away.
He chuckled softly and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "I know it must be frustrating. You're powerful, more than capable in some ways. But I also see someone I care about deeply, and the thought of sending you into danger just... it doesn't sit well with me."
She stayed quiet for a moment, her eyes flickering with a mixture of emotion. "I could create an illusion," she said in a small voice. "One that makes everyone believe I'm older. That I'm not a kid. I just want to go out there with you and help stop the bad guys with the others."
Peter looked at her, really looked, and saw the determination buried beneath the bashfulness. Then, after a moment's hesitation, his expression softened with a hint of resolve.
"Alright," he said finally. "I'll allow it—but only under one condition."
Aria perked up instantly, her eyes widening with hope.
"You'll need to explore and understand every capability you have while using the Mind Stone," he continued. "Not just raw power—I want you to gain control, efficiency, and awareness. When you think you're ready—truly ready—I'll personally test you. And if you pass, you can start going on missions with us."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement before she caught herself and looked away bashfully. "Promise?" she whispered.
Peter held out his pinky. "I pinky promise."
Aria smiled brightly, her small pinky hooking around his. "I read online that you're supposed to seal it with a kiss," she said, pressing her thumb to his.
Peter laughed, kissing the top of her head. "There. Sealed."
Aria shyly kissed his cheek. "Seal from my end too."
Peter watched with amusement as her own gesture caught up to her, and her cheeks turned scarlet. With a groan that sounded as if she were in physical pain, she phased through his arms and disappeared into the ground. "Don't forget the promise—but also, please forget that ever happened!"
He chuckled to himself and shook his head fondly, pulling out his phone. A quick sweep through his custom network hack tapped into several major news feeds, bypassing their firewalls with ease. He found what he was looking for buried under vague headlines: Stark Industries had just issued a priority-level press conference alert, scheduled to begin in thirty minutes.
"She should be ready by now," Peter muttered, putting away his phone. He left his room, giving a casual wave of farewell to everyone, and walked across the street.
As if sensing him, MJ stepped out of the building, already dressed and glowing with excitement. Her confidence and energy radiated as she adjusted the strap of her camera and greeted him with a bright smile.
"To think I'd be part of a real press conference," she said, beaming. She wore a sleek pencil skirt paired with a red button-down blouse neatly tucked in, a professional bag slung over one shoulder. Sunglasses rested atop her head, and her camera hung from a strap across her chest.
Peter let out a low whistle, a playful glint in his eye. "Is it weird that I fall in love with you all over again every time I see you?"
MJ's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, it's not weird at all," she replied with a mix of bashfulness and pride. "Now you know how I feel."
Peter grinned, leaned in briefly kissing her, arms around her waist, and then gestured toward the motorbike parked by the garage in the distance. "Shall we?"
She nodded, and they both climbed onto the bike. Peter secured his helmet, hiding his face, while MJ sat sideways behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist as the engine roared to life.
As they weaved through the streets, Peter called back, "By the way, why are you so excited about a press conference? I don't want to sound rude but we've been through much more interesting things together,"
MJ laughed, her hair streaming in the wind. "For the same reason we're taking your motorcycle instead of just simply teleporting there. Although our lives are crazy and filled with adventures, it's always nice to enjoy the little things in life. Being part of a press conference is not something I would have thought I would be a part of being only 15 when I was much younger and wanted to be a reporter."
Peter smiled beneath his helmet. "You've got a good point. I can't argue with that."
The two of them sped off toward Stark Industries, the city blurring around them
…
It had taken a while, but they arrived just in time as other reporters began entering the massive building with the bold, overbearing letters that spelled out: Stark Industries.
MJ hopped off the bike, heels clicking lightly against the pavement as she turned to face Peter. "Is my makeup smudged? Be honest—most importantly, how's my hair?"
Peter chuckled softly, still wearing his helmet to avoid drawing attention. The streets around them buzzed with murmurs and camera clicks, so anonymity was preferable.
He beckoned her closer and gently began fixing her hair, brushing a few stray strands behind her ear with practiced fingers. He straightened her sunglasses and then, without a word, reached into her bag, pulling out a familiar lipstick. With a tender hand, he tilted her chin up. MJ obeyed silently, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth as he touched up her lips—remnants of their earlier kiss still faintly visible.
"Mary Jane?"
They both turned at the voice.
Standing just a few feet away was a tall, broad-shouldered blonde guy, eyes narrowed as he took in the intimate moment with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. He started walking toward them, his frown deepening with each step.
"Who's he?" the boy asked curtly.
"Oh, hey Eddie. Just a second," MJ replied casually, clearly unconcerned. Then, turning back to Peter, she asked, "Is it done?"
'So this is Eddie Brock…' Peter mused to himself, a faint smile hidden beneath his helmet. But he didn't miss the flash of hurt that crossed Eddie's face at MJ's swift dismissal—like a knife twisted without warning. The poor guy had barely been acknowledged.
Peter leaned in again, his thumb brushing the corner of MJ's lips with a soft, familiar precision. Eddie's hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.
"Do the lip thing," Peter murmured.
MJ obliged, pressing her lips together and smoothing the color in that practiced way.
"There. You're perfect," Peter said, placing the lipstick back into her bag. Then he smirked. "Always have been."
MJ chuckled, delight evident in her eyes. The laugh only seemed to make Eddie's mood darker, his jaw flexing as he bit the inside of his cheek. It didn't take a genius to guess the nature of their relationship. But what made it worse was the fact that MJ clearly didn't even notice how left out he felt.
Eddie cleared his throat loudly.
"Huh?" MJ blinked, as if suddenly remembering he was there. "Oh right, you're here."
Peter had to stifle a snort.
"Tiger, this is my co-worker, Eddie. Eddie, this is my boyfriend," MJ said with an innocent smile. She deliberately didn't say Peter's name, knowing full well he wanted to stay anonymous. He was here just to support her, nothing more.
Peter offered a polite nod. Eddie ignored it entirely.
"A… boyfriend?" Eddie repeated in disbelief, the word weighing heavier than any punch. "You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend…"
"Why would I have told you?" MJ asked, genuinely puzzled, head tilted.
Eddie opened his mouth, but then shut it again. He had no good answer. "Fair enough," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Trying to recover, he added, "Did Jameson also drag you out of bed this morning for photos? He told me I was the closest, so I figured I was the only one."
"Nope," MJ replied brightly. "Tiger here landed me the opportunity."
She turned to Peter, her eyes softening with affection. The contrast in her tone toward Peter versus Eddie was like night and day.
"I see…" Eddie said tightly. His forced smile was strained, and the veins on his forehead looked ready to pop. His fists curled again, now visibly trembling.
'Wow…' Peter thought, barely holding in a laugh. 'Poor guy's down bad.'
"I have to head out," Peter said, stepping back. "But have fun, alright?"
MJ nodded with a bright smile, but Peter raised a finger, adopting a mock-serious tone. "But not too much fun."
"I'll try not to," MJ replied with a playful eye-roll. "Come on, we're going to miss it. Thanks for the ride, love."
She began walking toward the building, glancing back to blow him a kiss. Peter mimed catching it, then dramatically slapped it to his chest. MJ giggled, disappearing through the glass doors.
Eddie remained rooted in place, opening his mouth to speak—but the sudden roar of Peter's motorbike made him jolt in surprise.
Peter leaned over and whispered as he passed, his voice low and dangerous. "Kill that crush before it kills you instead."
Eddie stiffened. "Was that a threat?" he growled.
"Yeah," Peter said without hesitation, revving the engine. "It was."
Then he peeled away down the road without another word.
Eddie stood frozen for a moment, seething. Slowly, he lifted his camera and zoomed in on the motorcycle. Just before Peter turned the corner, he suddenly hit the brakes, leaned back, and covered his license plate with one hand while striking an exaggerated, almost seductive pose. He lifted his helmet just enough to reveal a cocky grin.
Through the lens, Eddie clearly saw him mouth: "Did you get my good side?"
"Son of a bitch," Eddie muttered under his breath.
Before he could process further, MJ's head popped back out the door. "Well, are you coming or not? I can take the picture myself, y'know."
Eddie sighed sharply. "Yeah… I'm coming."
…
S.H.I.E.L.D. – Helicarrier
Nick Fury stood stoically at the center of the Helicarrier's command room, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes locked onto a massive screen displaying the front steps of Stark Industries. The atmosphere was tense yet focused, every agent at their post, awaiting the beginning of a highly anticipated press conference.
Suddenly, in the middle of the room, an orange, swirling portal tore open with a low hum. Out strolled Spider-Man, as casual as ever.
"Fury! My love! I came to visit—Woah," Peter said mid-stride, throwing his hands up in surrender as he noticed dozens of weapons instantly trained on him from every direction. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, armed and alert, surrounded him. Even Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff had their weapons raised and ready.
Peter glanced down at his dark suit, then back up. "Is it the hood? Or because I'm covered in black? What, I look like a threat now?"
One by one, the agents began to lower their weapons, sighing in relief. Realizing who it was, Clint chuckled and reholstered his bow. Natasha relaxed her stance.
Peter dropped his hands and smirked. "Jeez, remind me to call ahead next time. Though for the record—none of that would've scratched me," he added with cocky confidence.
Fury grunted, visibly annoyed, and tucked his sidearm away. "Why are you here?"
Peter raised a finger at him, telling him to hold, he looked and offered a nod to Natasha. "Widow."
"Spider-Man," she greeted him with a small, amused smile.
"You were missed yesterday," Peter said, hopping onto a railing nearby and sitting with casual grace.
"You know how missions get," she replied.
"That I do, my friend. That I do."
Peter then turned back toward Fury, clearly amused and answered his earlier question. "What? A spider can't just drop by 'cause he misses his work-wife?"
Fury didn't even blink. "Why. Are. You. Here."
Peter made a show of ignoring the question, leaning back on the railing and motioning toward the screen. "Same reason you are—to watch the conference. Now shhh, it's about to begin. Look, Stark just showed up…"
Fury's expression hardened. "Did he just shush me on my own Helicarrier—?"
Before he could finish, the room's attention shifted. On-screen, a sleek black car had pulled up. Happy Hogan stepped out and opened the door. Out came Tony Stark, looking noticeably worn and tired, but appeared elegantly dressed, yet still holding a trademark paper bag from Burger King.
Pepper Potts followed closely behind, visibly concerned as she kept a hand on his arm, but Tony seemed unfazed. He strolled through the reporters, munching on a cheeseburger as cameras flashed and questions flew like bullets.
Crunch. Crunch.
Everyone inside the Helicarrier turned simultaneously.
Peter sat contentedly on the railing, a large bucket of popcorn balanced on his lap, mask rolled halfway up his face. He swung his legs like a kid on a swing.
"What?" he said innocently, mouth half full. He extended the bucket toward the others. "Want some?"
Clint blinked. "Where… did you get that?"
"I teleported it from my base, obviously," Peter replied. "It's fresh. And buttery."
After exchanging a glance, Clint and Natasha shrugged and each took a handful.
Fury's eye twitched. He exhaled sharply through his nose and turned back to the screen, trying to ignore them.
Tony, rather than approaching the podium, casually sat on the steps in front of it.
"I've stood up for a long while, I have taken a new appreciation for sitting down" he said, voice carrying through the mic. "My legs are tired. Come on, sit down. Join me."
The reporters exchanged confused glances but complied, many lowering themselves to sit cross-legged or kneeling on the floor.
Tony held up a hand, pausing the inevitable onslaught of questions. "Look, sorry not sorry that I'm eating right now. I've been craving this burger since last night. But I took a fantastic shower, laid down, and passed out till this morning. No regrets."
He took another bite, savoring it. Then, raising a hand for silence again, he continued, this time his tone shifting:
"But before anyone asks questions… let me speak. I've seen good men—great men—die. And not in some random accident or natural disaster. No, they died because of weapons—my weapons. Weapons created by my company, by my own hands. And I can't help but feel that their deaths are on me"
He paused, the weight of his words heavy in the silence.
"So, as of right now… I'm shutting down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division. Effective immediately."
Gasps echoed across the screen. Reporters scrambled to shout questions, flashes of cameras blinding the feed—but Tony just returned to his burger, calm and resolute.
Back in the Helicarrier, Peter reached slowly toward Fury, his hand hovering expectantly in front of him. Without a word, Fury grumbled and pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket.
Peter took it triumphantly, lifted it to the light to inspect it, then brought it dramatically close to his face and let out a deep, shivering but satisfying sigh.
"Like I said, easy money~" Peter grinned.
He had won their bet.
[End of Volume 5]
***
A/N: YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!!
IT'S TIME FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE MOMENTS OF THE VOLUME!!
"WOOAHH!!" "YEAAAAH!" "SPECTACULAR"
*Applause from crowd*
This Volume was a fantastic one to make ("Say that again?"),
This Volume was the one with the Omake now that I'm looking back and realizing wow. Now then, my favorite moment of this entire Volume was Peter's talk with Dr. Conner, I think I nailed their talk and really captured the essence of Spider-Man.
Now drop your favorite moment below *Aims Gun to head*
Ps. We made it to 300 chapters!! Yay! (That's fucking insane), and I'm not anywhere near finished with this, quite literally it's only just beginning...
I wouldn't have made it this far without any of your support and I mean that seriously, I was ready to drop this fic around the 50-100+ chapters, but as you can all clearly see that didn't happen and that's all because I saw that you guys were enjoying it and then I started to enjoy it as well and it's now (In my opinion) my most popular fic. So thanks for all the support 🙏
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+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3