Chapter - 10

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Chapter - 10: Baxter Building

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I hurried through the Baxter Building, filled with employees focused on their tasks, making my way toward the elevator. The sound of my footsteps echoed in the corridors. Once inside, I pressed the button for the upper floor and heard the faint hiss of the doors closing.

As the elevator began to move, I felt the symbiote shift along my body, transforming my clothes into a lab coat that made me look like a real scientist.

I couldn't help but love this little trick that the symbiote allowed, changing my appearance in seconds. When the doors opened, I was ready, with my lab coat perfectly adjusted and my intern badge clearly visible.

As soon as I stepped out, the familiar voice of the artificial intelligence greeted me. "Welcome to the Baxter Building," said Roberta through the corridor speakers, making me stop.

"Good afternoon, Peter. How are you feeling today?" Roberta, the building's AI, asked.

"I'm doing well, thanks, Roberta," I replied with a smile as I headed toward a specific area of the lab. "I hope everything is going smoothly?"

"Yes, everything is normal," the voice responded as I continued on my way.

As I approached the team's break area, my thoughts focused on how much this internship truly meant to me. Peter had accepted the opportunity to work alongside his "idol," Reed Richards, an opportunity that would give him a significant boost for his future scientific career.

However, from the memories and experience I had accumulated, I knew there was much more behind this choice. In reality, Peter had planned to leverage this internship to gain access to the vast database of the Fantastic Four.

It would be useful in his fight against crime as Spider-Man, providing him with advanced resources and information to tackle dangerous and complex threats that he couldn't defeat with just his bare fists.

But, upon reflection, I realized that maybe he was aiming too low. With the technology available at the Baxter Building, I could easily build my own artificial intelligence or other support tools without too much effort.

While I pondered these possibilities, a rough voice interrupted my thoughts. "Hey, kid!" I immediately recognized the tone and heavy footsteps behind me. A smile spread across my face.

I turned around, and just as I imagined, Ben Grimm approached with his usual friendly demeanor, his imposing figure filling the corridor.

"Ben!" I exclaimed, turning to look at the massive figure of Ben Grimm, who was impossible to mistake. "You seem particularly cheerful today."

"You can bet on it!" Ben laughed, his deep, gravelly laughter echoing in the corridor. "Reed is... well, you know how he is, always busy on some important project that, from what he says, could help me with my condition." He paused, almost as if he was talking about something he had learned to live with, even if he wasn't entirely resigned.

I sighed, knowing how difficult it was for Ben to accept his situation. Maybe, when things settled down for me, I could do something to truly help him.

But for now, I just hoped that Reed's latest experiment didn't involve the Negative Zone or any other dangerous dimension in the universe that I would have gladly done without...

Ben shook his head in amusement and then added, "Ah, right, I almost forgot! Susan is waiting for you upstairs. You better move before she blows everything up."

I laughed too. Susan could be really impatient when she wanted to be, especially when she needed something. "Thanks, Ben. I don't want to keep her waiting."

After giving him a friendly pat on his rocky chest, I headed toward Susan's office. I knew that floor like the back of my hand, with its bright corridors and the futuristic atmosphere that characterized the entire building.

When I arrived at her door, I knocked lightly before entering. "Sorry I'm late, Miss Storm!" I said in a slightly joking tone, aware that she didn't like it.

"Didn't I tell you to start calling me Sue?" Susan said with feigned exasperation, accompanied by an amused smile. She was wearing her iconic Fantastic Four suit, and the form-fitting costume perfectly highlighted her curves.

She looked radiant in that outfit, with her golden hair falling softly over her shoulders, while her blue eyes, bright and full of power, sparkled with an intensity that didn't go unnoticed.

"Right, sorry Sue," I corrected myself, trying to make it sound natural, old Peter's habits were die hard. "Anyway, I hope I got here in time."

"Actually, unlike other times, you're perfectly on time, and without even making up some silly excuse," Sue replied with a mischievous smile. "If you keep this up, I might really be impressed."

I wasn't surprised at all. Peter Parker, with his double life, was so used to being late that excuses automatically slipped out of his mouth every time he had to hide the fact that he was Spider-Man.

"Eh, I'm trying to improve some of my bad habits," I admitted honestly. After all, this was a place where I would spend a lot of my time, and changing their opinions of me was very important.

Sue raised an eyebrow, curious. "A very mature choice on your part. But what made you change your mind?"

"Nothing special, just that now I see the world with different eyes," I replied, trying not to delve too deep into details. It was, in a sense, the truth, but I certainly didn't want to reveal everything.

Sue nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, you managed to come on time, so keep it up, and I might think about rewarding you... in some way," she said, looking me straight in the eyes.

"You're just making me work harder," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm sure a young guy like you has enough energy to keep up with me," she commented, with a tone that was half playful and half challenging.

"A young guy like me would also appreciate a reward for his hard work," I replied, unable to help but smile.

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement," Sue replied, giving me a suggestive look that left little to the imagination.

"Oh, I'm sure of it," I said, keeping my smile as her intriguing gaze heightened the anticipation in the air. The tension between us felt palpable, and her way of teasing me made the situation even more interesting.

Before things between us could heat up further, she decided it was time to say, "Well, come on, it's time to get to work." Susan motioned for me to follow her as she left her office, and I trailed behind shortly after.

"So, what are we doing today?" I asked as I walked alongside Sue, curious about what experiments we had planned.

"Today we'll be working on some experiments we discussed last week," she replied with a confident smile. "We'll study the interaction between force fields and subatomic particles, which could help us create more flexible and dynamic force fields capable of reducing the size of objects. This technology could potentially revolutionize both defense and transportation."

She gave me a quick glance as she continued explaining, "Take notes, highlight anything that's unclear, and don't hesitate to ask questions. It will be an interactive session; I want you to understand every detail." I knew that when Sue spoke like this, there was always something important behind it.

"So, just like last week," I said with a light smile, trying to keep the mood relaxed.

Sue replied with an amused grin, "Yes, exactly like last week."

Then, curious, I asked her: 'Is your brother here today?'. Johnny Storm, Sue's younger brother, was an important friend of Peter's and I was curious if we would have anything to do with him as he was an important part of my plans.

Sue sighed, her forced response betraying her exasperation. "I certainly hope not."

I couldn't help but smile. "Come on, he's not that bad."

She raised an eyebrow, responding in an ironic tone. "You don't live with him twenty-four seven. I assure you, he can get annoying very quickly."

I chuckled softly, raising a hand in surrender. "You know I can't argue with you on that."

"I heard it!"

We turned towards the source of the sound, and there was Johnny, blonde with bright blue eyes, striding confidently toward us. Unlike us, he wasn't wearing a lab coat but a simple orange shirt and black jeans.

"Seriously, sis? Talking behind my back?" Johnny groaned, pretending to be offended. Sue, however, rolled her eyes, clearly amused by his reaction.

"Am I wrong?" she asked with a smirk.

Johnny hesitated for a moment but then shamelessly admitted, "No."

"Hey, Johnny," I greeted him casually, maintaining a neutral expression. I couldn't afford to let anything slip. Johnny was one of the few friends Peter had in this world, and the last thing I wanted was for him to realize something in me had changed.

Fortunately, it didn't seem too hard. As long as I kept acting like the usual nerdy teenager, everything would go smoothly. Plus, Johnny was much easier to deal with than his sister.

Johnny was almost done with college, but Sue always complained about how irresponsible he still was, saying he acted like a teenager, and I couldn't deny there was often some truth to her words.

"Pete! My man! I missed you," Johnny said with a broad smile as he threw an arm around my shoulders. "The last few days without you have been a real drag."

I smiled, aware of his exaggerated tone. Johnny was always exuberant, an energy that never slowed down. "Really? And here I thought it wouldn't be so bad leaving you to your own devices for a few days."

Sue approached with curiosity written all over her face. "I can't understand how you two get along so well, considering how different you are," she said, looking at us with some perplexity.

Johnny answered for both of us with his usual cocky grin. "Well, Pete's my best friend who really knows how to keep me in check. We have a vibe, you know?"

"Got it," I replied with a nod, in a playful tone; he was indeed a fun guy to be around, and I didn't mind—especially since he was a good ally to have at my side.

Sue shook her head with an amused smile and turned to head toward the lab. "Alright, let's move. We have work to do."

Johnny shot me an ironic smile as we followed Sue. "You've been here a few months, and she's already so worried about you," he said, almost incredulously.

"I mean, having a beautiful woman concerned about me doesn't sound too bad," I joked, trying to keep the tone light.

Johnny laughed, shaking his head. "Hey, you've gotten better with words. Maybe I should take you with me on one of my outings... But remember, you're still talking about my sister. The 'bro code' exists for a reason." His tone was playful, but there was a slight undertone of warning.

"Yeah, yeah. The code is safe. Right now, I'm pretty busy with a pretty blonde... named Sue Storm," I said with a smirk, heading toward the lab, leaving Johnny behind.

I could feel his gaze on my back. "I don't know whether to be offended by that comment or proud of you," I heard him mutter in a playful tone as I walked away. His remark made me smile.

[Interlude]

Sue Storm POV

"Alright, Peter, that's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow," I said, checking the time. It was later than I thought, but the work we'd done had been incredibly productive. We'd made great strides, and most of the credit went to him.

I watched Peter, focused as he typed away on the computer. He didn't even realize how brilliant he was. The last few months spent together had made me appreciate his genius and determination.

"Okay, I'll stay a bit longer to check for errors in the data we collected," he said with his usual modesty.

"You have school tomorrow," I replied, trying to be firm. Despite the dedication he put into his work, he was still a teenager with a life to balance. "I wouldn't want you to get too used to spending time here. One Reed Richards is already enough for this world."

Peter looked up, surprised by my tone. "You're right," he admitted with a half-smile. "But, honestly, who needs more than one Reed Richards to run the lab? I'm sure one genius is more than enough."

"You're conceited," I said, laughing. "I was worried that spending so much time with us would compromise your social skills with others your age, but it seems I was wrong."

"Well, not that I have that many friends," he replied, with a smile that, strangely unlike the others, I couldn't quite figure out what he was really thinking.

"Honestly, I didn't have any social skills that would have been very useful in high school either," I sighed, trying to relate to him.

Peter looked at me curiously. "Did you have trouble in high school?"

"Being smarter than most of your peers doesn't make you popular, trust me," I muttered, recalling the days when my intelligence seemed more like a hindrance than an advantage. It wasn't easy being the smart girl when others couldn't keep up.

Peter nodded, with an understanding look. "Yeah, I can imagine."

And he was sincere. I knew he'd experienced something similar too. His abilities, his knowledge… were extraordinary, but in our world, being different didn't always mean being accepted.

"For us, it's always been a matter of balance," I continued, reflecting aloud, "trying to be brilliant without making others feel inferior, maintaining social relationships while carrying the weight of our responsibilities."

"Responsibilities..." he muttered with a cynical tone, a nuance that surprised me, quite different from his usual demeanor. "Honestly, I don't want to think about anything like that, at least for now. I just want to enjoy what I have while it lasts." He walked slowly and relaxedly past me, sitting down beside me as if it were the most natural thing for him to do.

But then, I felt his gaze: intense, direct, and certainly not discreet. His eyes lingered on my butt, a sensation that felt almost physical, palpable. He didn't even bother to hide it, as if he were completely at ease letting me know where his eyes were.

"My eyes are up here," I teased lightly, trying to shift his attention elsewhere, but I knew full well that his gaze hadn't moved, which made it all the more amusing.

'I know, nice ass,' he commented with such ease that it made me raise an eyebrow.

"Pervert," I retorted without too much drama, shrugging my shoulders and trying to hide the embarrassment that was starting to build. "I preferred the Peter Parker from a few months ago; the shy one about these things was much more fun to tease this way."

"Maybe... but you're the one who kept talking about how you would reward me somehow, not me," he replied with that familiar cheekiness that, despite everything, brought a hidden smile to my face.

Without thinking twice, I moved silently, using my ability to become invisible. This time, I didn't just observe from afar. I crept up softly until I was right behind him, leaving him looking around bewildered, clearly confused.

A smile escaped me as I lightly brushed my fingers against the back of his neck, making him jump. I shifted to the side, crouching down next to his chair, standing just inches from his face, still invisible.

"Wow... And now you've given me a good reason to stick around," he said with a mischievous smile, sending shivers down my spine from the way he said it.

"Shhh... I'm just playing around," I whispered, my voice a breath against his ear. He shivered slightly as I leaned into him, brushing my cheek with a light kiss.

Then, in a more sincere tone, I continued, "You know, Peter, I have to tell you something. You've been a great help since you've been here. It's not just your company, although it has made my days much less lonely. You've assisted me with my research, and that's something I appreciate more than you can imagine."

"No need to thank me," he replied, smiling. "It's always a pleasure to help out such a brilliant and fascinating scientist... even with my limited knowledge." I noticed his body react to the contact, and for a moment, my heart started to race.

"Flattery will get you far, Mr. Richard Parker," I joked, giving him a light tap on the head as I became visible again and settled back into my chair. I felt warmth rise to my cheeks, but I quickly regained my composure, trying to maintain my poise.

"Oh, I know that well, and that's why I never stop with you," he replied playfully, a mischievous smile that left no doubt. He stood up without the slightest concern for hiding his obvious excitement; it didn't seem to be a problem for him.

"Anyway, it's time for me to go," he said with his usual nonchalance, as if it were just a normal goodbye.

"Have a good evening... and say hi to your aunt for me," I replied with a nod, trying to stay calm as I watched him leave the room. He gave me a small wave before disappearing beyond the door.

As soon as I was alone, I let out a deep sigh, biting my lip slightly. "Wow... I didn't realize he really hides so much under those baggy clothes," I muttered to myself, as the thought of him continued to haunt me, despite my attempts to ignore it.

Flirting with Peter gave me an adrenaline rush, a mix of excitement and risk, but I knew very well that it wouldn't go any further. It was fun to walk on the edge, but there were limits I had no intention of crossing.

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Marvel: I'm Spider-Man in this Damn Reincarnation: 3 advanced chapters

Osmosian Sorcerer?: 3 advanced chapters

Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters

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Chapter - 11: Night Walk - Chapter - 12: New Mask - Chapter - 13: A Dragon Rises

 Chapter - 16: Demon Sorcerers - Chapter - 17: Onmyoji - Chapter - 18: The Power of Bao 

 Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown

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