Chapter 192: Well Fuck Me...
[Third Person's PoV]
"The Who?" Nightwing asked, tilting his head in confusion. His eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
The Ancient One glanced around the room before gracefully summoning a glowing portal to her meditative chamber, where she had previously treated Spider-Kat. She gestured silently for the group to follow her.
Spider-Man and the others hesitated for a moment, taking the time to gather their thoughts.
'This is diving straight into comic-book territory, and I barely know anything about that,' Spider-Man inwardly grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet and followed the others through the portal.
The Ancient One settled on a floor pillow in her chamber, the faint scent of incense lingering in the air, and looked directly at the group of spider-powered heroes. Her expression was calm, yet serious. "What you encountered was the physical embodiment of your spider abilities. It is a cosmic entity known as the Great Weaver, the guardian of the Web of Life and Destiny that spans the multiverse."
"The what now?" Lizzy, still disoriented by the bizarre explanations, asked, her confusion clear in her voice. None of this was making any sense to her.
The Ancient One raised her hand, summoning a golden Tao mandala. As it formed in her palm, it quickly transformed into a radiant golden web, shimmering with ethereal energy. With a graceful motion, she threw it into the air, where it expanded and grew, stretching across the ceiling like a celestial tapestry. "The Web of Life connects all realities," she explained. "Each node on this web represents an alternate dimension, and in every one, there exists a Spider-Totem—a protector. Each totem is tied to the others through this cosmic web, and together they guard the multiverse."
Spider-Man, already knowing that the Ancient One knew his identity, tapped the side of his mask, causing it to retract. His face, weary and strained, came into view. Peter ran both hands through his hair in frustration, gripping the ends tightly as his gaze focused on the web that shimmered above them. His annoyance grew, his mind racing with the weight of the revelations.
"What's wrong?" Nightwing asked, his voice soft with concern as he watched Peter's growing agitation.
For the first time since his arrival, Peter spoke, his voice edged with frustration. "The Cosmic Spider mentioned a war. And if a cosmic entity is talking about war, it's probably multiversal." He paused, the tension in his shoulders visible. "Because that's exactly what I needed right now— A damn multiversal war." He spat the words out bitterly before standing abruptly and storming away from the group.
"Where are you going?" MJ asked, her voice laced with concern as she watched Peter, sensing the anger rolling off him in waves.
Peter's mask slid back into place, his face once again hidden. "For a walk. Need to clear my head," he muttered, stepping through a sliding wooden door into the temple's courtyard.
The group exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to handle Peter's outburst.
"I'll talk to him," Scarlet-Spider sighed, preparing to follow.
But Spider-Kat stepped forward, smirking with confidence. "Nah, let Mama handle this one," she said with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Are you sure?" Ghost-Spider asked, raising a brow skeptically.
Spider-Kat winked. "Positive. I have a pretty good idea what this is about." She spun on her heel, making her way to the door.
"I'll join you," Felix said, straightening from where he'd been leaning against the wall.
Without even glancing at him, Spider-Kat pointed a finger in his direction. "Nope. You stay right where you are." She said before disappearing through the door.
Felix sighed dramatically, watching the door close. "And here I thought this was a family matter…" he muttered under his breath, earning him strange glances from the others.
---
Outside, Spider-Kat closed the door softly behind her, releasing a small sigh of her own. She allowed her spider-senses to spread out, searching for Peter's presence amidst the sprawling temple. It didn't take long; she sensed him on the rooftop overlooking the training grounds, where the temple's disciples practiced Eldritch Magic below.
With a nimble leap, Spider-Kat vaulted onto the rooftop, landing soundlessly and gracefully "Like a cat~" she thought, smiling to herself. She began walking across the rooftop tiles without making a single noise, approaching Peter, who sat invisible at the edge without his mask on, one leg bent with the other dangling over the side. He was too lost in his own thoughts to notice her approaching.
Sliding behind him with a fluid motion, she leaned forward, draping her arms over his shoulders and bringing her face close to his. "What's on your mind?" she asked, her voice soft but teasing.
Peter didn't flinch. "That you're awfully close," he replied, his tone dry, though there was no real malice in it.
Spider-Kat pouted slightly, resting her chin on Peter's shoulder. "Oh, c'mon, I thought you'd like the company," she teased, her voice soft and playful, hoping to lighten his mood.
Peter only responded with a hum, a low sound that spoke of his distant thoughts. Felicia sighed, sensing his tension even though he tried to mask it. She pressed her face against his, closing her eyes for a moment of quiet closeness. "This is about what happened earlier, isn't it?"
Peter stayed silent, still swinging his leg over the edge of the rooftop, but Felicia felt his muscles tense ever so slightly beneath her touch. That subtle reaction confirmed her suspicion.
She chuckled lightly, "Honestly, I'm a bit flattered more than anything."
Peter gave her a side-eye, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Felicia's cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled, still chuckling softly. "You see, one of the reasons you're such a great hero is because of your 'no killing' rule. But when I was injured earlier, I could feel how enraged you were. You were ready to break that code—ready to kill that wizard—just because I was hurt. That… that means a lot. So, thank you."
Peter's expression darkened, his eyes hard as he turned to face her more fully. "What are you thanking me for? You were going to die, and I wouldn't have been able to save you."
Felicia's smile faded into a soft, sympathetic one as she shook her head. "And that's what's bothering you, isn't it?"
Peter clenched his jaw, the frustration evident in his posture. "What do you think?" His voice was low, almost bitter.
"I think you're being way too hard on yourself," Felicia said gently. "Even if I had died, it wouldn't have been your fault."
Peter's hands balled into fists as he shook his head. "No, that's where you're wrong. It would've been my fault. I'm the one who convinced you to be a hero in the first place! Any harm that comes to you, that's on me. You almost died because of me. I would've been powerless to stop it if it weren't for the Ancient One."
Felicia's heart ached seeing how deeply Peter blamed himself, yet she couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth, knowing just how much he cared for her. She tightened her arms around his neck, leaning her head closer to his. "You're giving yourself way too much credit and not giving me enough. Sure, you convinced me to be a hero, but it was still my choice. I knew the risks, and I took them. If something happens to me, that's on me."
Peter let out a heavy sigh, his gaze distant as he stared into the sprawling magical grounds below. "You just don't get it. I'm responsible for you—"
"I'm a big girl, Peter. I can take care of myself," Felicia interrupted, scoffing but keeping her arms wrapped around him.
"I never said you couldn't," Peter countered, rolling his eyes. "But you're still my responsibility because you're part of this team. I failed when I almost let you die. If I can't protect you against one villain, how am I supposed to protect everyone else in this war? What if this war is when I finally lose one of you? I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Felicia's heart softened as she heard the weight in his words. She hugged him a little tighter, resting her head against his again. "You seriously underestimate us, you know? It's not all on you to protect everyone. We protect each other. You're not the only one who can handle the tough stuff. It's not fair for you to carry all that alone."
Peter blinked, caught off-guard by her words. "Wha—"
Felicia cut him off with a gentle laugh. "You always talk about you needing to protect everyone, but we're a team, Peter. We've got each other's backs. You're taking on this burden because you don't trust us to be as good as you, and that's kind of arrogant, you know?"
Peter frowned, shaking his head. "I didn't mean it like that—"
"I know," Felicia said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. "You care about us. That's why you feel this way. But we're strong too. That cosmic spider thing told us about the war so we could prepare—so we could get stronger. It didn't give us a specific time frame. For all we know, it could be in ten years."
"Or tomorrow morning," Peter muttered, still pessimistic.
Felicia chuckled, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "There's no need to be so grim. I mean, the Ancient One brought us here to learn magic, right? To grow stronger so that when the war does come, we'll be ready."
Peter was quiet for a moment, the tension in his body slowly easing as Felicia's words sunk in. "Since when did you get so good at pep talks?"
She grinned, her laugh light and carefree. "I learned from the best."
Feeling Peter relax under her embrace, Felicia smiled proudly to herself. She turned to look at him, realizing he was still invisible. With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she thought, 'Oh, whatever! There's no denying it!'
Without hesitation, she grabbed the sides of his invisible face and planted a loud kiss on his cheek. "Mwah!" she exclaimed before resting her face against his again.
Peter blinked, startled. "What the hell was that for?"
"For caring so much about me," Felicia replied softly.
She let out a quiet sigh as her thoughts swirled. 'Well Fuck Me… I'm totally in love with him, aren't I? I don't think I can deny it much longer. The things you do to me Mr. Parker'
************************************************
+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3