Chapter 5- One More

Arthur and Gwen continued to gaze at each other in silence amidst the crowd, aware that they were alike.

"So, I th-AH!" Before Arthur could break the ice, Gwen grabs his wrist and starts pulling him towards an isolated alley.

"Hey, Wanda, take it easy."

"My name is Gwen, stop calling me by that silly name," Gwen responds, embarrassed.

"W-Wait, you said your name is Gwen?" He's really not understanding anything now.

"I'll explain, let's go to a safe place first," said Gwen, looking around the alley to confirm they were alone. "Follow me," she said, starting to climb the wall.

"...Okay," Arthur replied, following her up, but more slowly and uncertainly.

Gwen looks down, wondering why he isn't by her side. Noticing his lack of skill, she confirms that he recently gained his powers. "How long have you had powers?"

"Two days," Arthur finally reaches her side.

"Two days?... So that's why you clung to my hair like that," Gwen said, slowing down. 'That's why he was so disturbed that day.'

"Yeah... by the way, I like the hair," Arthur comments, now climbing alongside her.

"Don't talk about my hair!" she responds irritably, and at the same time, liking... just a little bit of the compliment.

"...Sorry about that."

"Apologies accepted."

Reaching the top, they stand under a billboard. Gwen confirms once again that they are alone. Looking at him, she begins to tell her story.

"I'm from another dimension..."

***

Gwen and Arthur were sitting across from each other. After Gwen told her story, Arthur shared his.

"So the key is broken... things can never be simple," she said, examining the USB drive.

"Yeah, first the powers, then Spider's death, and now other dimensions. This is by far the simplest thing," Arthur responds, looking at the city lights. 'Things are getting more complicated.'

Gwen looks at him with sympathetic eyes. "This must be a lot to process... I had a tough time in the beginning too. My plan is to break into Alchemax, you don't nee-"

"I'm coming with you!" Arthur didn't let her finish. "This is my city now, I have to protect it. I promised that to Peter... and you could teach me a thing or two."

Seeing the determination in his face, Gwen knew it was impossible to change his mind. "That's the spirit! I'll teach you some tricks, but... if things get too rough, you have to run... promise me that, Arthur."

"I promise... only if I'm getting in your way." Arthur sees a hint of fear in her face. Knowing her story, he understands she must be afraid he'll die 'because of her'.

"...better than nothing." Gwen knows she's being selfish asking for this. After all, this isn't even her dimension. However, she can't let him die... especially after feeling that. "So, can you turn invisible?"

"Yeah... watch." Arthur makes his hand disappear after a few seconds of concentration.

"Man, that's cool."

"I know, right?" Arthur looks at the dark sky; they've been talking for quite some time. "How about we grab something to eat and then plan how to break into Alchemax?"

"Works for me." She's hungry too after all the conversation they had. It was good to talk about everything with someone. She could also sense relief in Arthur. 'I just can't let him get too close... after this is over, we'll never see each other again anyway.'

After descending from the building, the two continued talking about various things on the way to the diner.

"So, how have you been living here with nothing?"

"I... managed to get by."

"Gwen, have you been stealing?"

"W-What? Of course not, where did you get that idea, Arthur?" Gwen responds, blushing with embarrassment.

"You've been stealing!"

"OF COURSE NOT!"

"Hahaha."

"Stop laughing now!"

"But, seriously, Gwen, I didn't know that 'surviving' had a chapter titled 'The subtle art of urban borrowing'."

"Shut up."

***

"Arthur, this burger is delicious," Gwen said, already on her second one.

"Right? I knew you'd like it... I used to come here a lot with Gwen from this reality," Arthur comments, watching her eat. He had finished his own some time ago.

"So... are you two dating or something?" She doesn't even know why she asked that.

"It's complicated. She's really important to me. We met when she had just lost her mom. I was still dealing with the death of my dad. We connected through loss, trusted each other." Arthur felt like he could say anything to this Gwen, unlike his own. "We dated for a few years, but I betrayed her trust in me. I think now she just wants to be my half-sister."

"I understand. I'm sure you can fix your relationship with her."

"No, it's better not to. Soon, I'll be starting to fight powerful villains. It's best to keep her and my family away from it. You get it, right? These feelings."

"Yes, I understand perfectly. Truth be told, you're the first person I've shared my secret with. I mean, our spider-senses influenced that decision a lot... you catch my drift."

"Hehe! I get it, it's good to share that with someone," Arthur responds, wondering what this spider-sense was.

"Yes..."

'Our insecurities and doubts are similar.' They both think at the same time. Arthur continued looking at her, feeling a familiar emotion in his chest.

"Hey, Gwen."

"Hmm?"

"If you want to make friends again, you can count on me," Arthur said, smiling.

Gwen looks at him, shaken, '...that smile.' Feeling her heart racing, many feelings and thoughts pass through her mind. "Yes... you can count on it."

"Arthur."

"Yes?"

"Do you have money with you?"

"...yes."

"Well, that's good news. Mine's gone." Gwen finishes with a smile.

"Hahaha! I'll handle it."

***

"Where have you been sleeping?" Arthur asks after they leave the diner.

"I don't have a specific place."

"Gwen... have you been breaking into houses?"

"Of course not."

"You've been breaking into houses!"

"Hahaha."

"Hahaha."

***

They walk through the streets of New York, heading towards Arthur's family warehouse. "Let me get this straight, the spider-sense detects any threat and danger nearby?"

"That's right, it just doesn't work on people we trust... sort of recognizes they're not a threat."

"That's pretty cool."

"For sure."

!!!

!

When they enter an alley to take a shortcut, their spider-senses activate. Gwen turns around first, followed by Arthur. 'This must be due to my inexperience or my powers are not fully under control yet,' Arthur reflects, noticing that his spider-sense is slower than Gwen's.

Arthur and Gwen observe a suspicious-looking man approaching them. "Is it just... a beggar?" Gwen asks, seeing the man in an old coat and dirty sweatpants, his face still shadowed.

"Maybe he wants to rob us," Arthur responds, shrugging.

"You two... I'm really hungry... can you lend me some money?" the man says, approaching. What no one expected was for the spider-senses of all three to activate.

!!!

!!!

!

.....

"Is there a homeless Spider-Man?" Gwen asks.

"I guess so," Arthur replies.

"I'm not homeless, you brats," the man says, emerging from the shadows. "My name is Peter B. Parker, I've been the Spider-Man of my world for 22 years."

Arthur and Gwen scrutinize him from head to toe, then look at each other before returning their gazes to Peter.

"Are you sure?" they ask simultaneously.

"Yes..." He responds tiredly. 'This is why I never had kids.' "What are your names? Are you from another reality? I've been judged by people who don't know about courtesy."

"Gwen Stacy, from another reality, and Spider-Woman for 2 years."

"Arthur Maxwell, from this world, and I've had powers for... an incredible 2 days."

"Wait! You just got your powers?" Peter B. asks Arthur.

"Yes, Gwen has already started teaching me some things, and with you here, I can have two spiders guiding me."

"First, do you know where the collider is?"

"Brooklyn, basement of the Fisk Tower."

"Second, I'm out of this Spider-Man coach thing; there's a lot going on in my dimension," Peter B said, turning to walk away. "Want advice? Go back to being a regular kid."

"Go back to being normal? I don't have that choice; the city depends on me now," Arthur responds, frustrated with his indifference.

Gwen fixes her eyes on Peter B.'s back. 'He's lost the will to be Spider-Man.' She thinks, analyzing this version of Peter Parker.

"Trust me, it'll be the best for you," Peter B. said, distancing himself. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to ask for money from less problematic people and then get the collider running."

Zap!

Before he could move further, he felt a hand gripping his shoulder tightly. "How did you get here so fast, kid?"

"If you activate the collider, everyone will die. I can't let you do that," Arthur said firmly.

'Did he just shoot beams from his hand?' Gwen wonders in admiration. 'Arthur didn't even notice what he did.'

"Everyone's gonna die, that's what they always say, but there's always a little time before everybody dies, and that's when I shine. Now, can you let me go?"

"If I don't shut down the collider after you leave, millions of people will die," Arthur responds, putting more force into his grip, locking eyes with Peter. "I can't allow that, there's a-"

"First lesson, kid, don't watch the eyes, watch the hands." Peter B. interrupts, swiftly turning and delivering a punch with his other hand.

Arthur manages to dodge by throwing himself backward and falling to the ground. Using his hands, he propels himself upward, aiming both feet at the overweight Spider-Man's chest.

Peter B. puts both arms forward, defending and being pushed backward.

"You know how to fight a bit, kid," Peter B. comments, staring at Arthur, swinging his arms to ease the soreness.

"Are you sure you're still Spider-Man? With great power comes grea-"

"Don't even finish that sentence, kid, okay? I can't take it anymore!"

They both continue staring at each other, ready to fight for their causes, one wanting to go home, the other to protect the city. Just as it seemed they were about to come into conflict again, Gwen jumps in between them.

"Done with the show? Found it amusing at first, a solid 3," she said sarcastically, looking at the two. "Firstly, there's a way for us to go back home while keeping the city safe," Gwen continued, showing the system key to Peter B.

"Oh! You've got the goober, hand it over," Peter B. tries to grab it from Gwen's hand, but she quickly dodges.

"It's broken."

 "UGH!"

"So that's why we have to break into Alchemax and in the middle of that teach a few things to Arthur," Gwen concludes, her tone leaving no room for a refusal.

"...haa... okay, okay, we'll do it your way," Peter finally responds. He had already started to like the kid anyway. "We don't have time to waste; let's get this over with... but first, I need to eat."

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fictional.