Am I (Not) a Hero?

[3rd POV]

In Cindy Moon's House

She entered the empty house and closed the door behind her. As usual, her parents were still at work.

"Corporate slavery spares no one." 

She mentally scoffed, taking off her shoes and longing to get into the shower to wash off today's "exercises."

As she recalled everything that had happened today and since that seemingly cursed trip to Oscorp, she came to the most obvious conclusion.

"This is madness…"

She splashed cold water on her face, but it didn't wake her from this strange dream. She sat on the edge of the tub, completely forgetting why she had come in here in the first place.

With an empty gaze and no expression, she stared into the wall while fragments of thoughts buzzed in her head, not knowing where to start her reflection.

The first thing... is that she became a mutant because of the bite from some strange, modified spider. 

The plot was, of course, quite original. She hadn't read anything like that in the comics before.

She let out a small amount of the strange substance and instinctively wove something from it while staring at the tips of her fingers with the web emerging.

This time, it was a braid. 

A braid made of webbing, what could be more pointless?

They, too, had become mutants like her. That was the second thing...

The madness was getting worse.

Thirdly... due to the nature of their mutations and some strange chemical reactions happening in her body... 

She couldn't hold back and slept with that very classmate… Peter Parker.

"This isn't just madness anymore... it's a complete mess." 

Cindy thought, hiding her face in her hands.

She didn't know what to do now that she had stopped pretending to be confident.

She didn't mean to do it so quickly in the hospital, but she did it anyway and followed her instincts like an animal in some pervert's manga. 

A plot involving an arousing scent... the only thing worse was those stories with hypnotizing phone apps. 

It was just wrong, and her face was burning from the rush of blood. 

What had she ever done? 

The moment she swallowed it… it was like something straight out of porn. 

She didn't know what to do and wanted to try. She covered her face with her hands. 

That was the most embarrassing moment of her life. 

She should just wrap herself in a blanket and not show her face to anyone for the next thousand years.

"What shame!" 

Cindy hid her blushing face in her hands.

On the other hand, it was damn pleasurable... and she wanted more. She wasn't even sure if the chemistry was still affecting her brain. 

It was new, and the sensations were unlike anything she had experienced on her own.

Cindy Moon never expected to do it for the first time at the age of sixteen. A nerd with almost no chest, a freak with narrow eyes, and a freak with a perfect memory.

The last accusation was simply ridiculous, and she did not choose to be born like this. 

What else did she forget from the best sayings of Liz's pack of bitches and Flash's friends? 

She had heard this since the fifth grade, and her mother forced her to leave the sports team because of her falling grades. 

She resisted as best she could, but this piece of life remained lost for her forever. 

That's when she was finally written off as a nerd and a geek. To be honest, she thought that she would die a virgin.

As it turned out, no, and if she wanted, she could have sex every day, but with one specific person. Well... however, Peter is not the worst option she could have done this with... 

"But he's right that we now have more in common than just casual sex. These abilities..."

She tried to release the sting from her hand as he did before... but the attempts were futile.

Cindy was a little happy about this. She had nothing against mutants but never wanted to become... something so changed. 

The webs from her fingers, crawling on the walls, and the strength to lift the refrigerator with one hand were enough for her. 

Additionally, this damn anxiety comes from literally everything, and she is constantly sick from endless jumps in reaction because of this. 

This anxiety felt like someone was constantly pulling silk threads with bells tied to them, stretched to the limit. 

An incredibly annoying thing!

However, Peter had also mentioned something about electricity. 

That idea was genuinely exciting. 

She had to try it, but not right now because there was still one more problem. 

Jessica Campbell. 

To be honest, Cindy didn't have much romantic interest in Peter, except as a funny and very smart friend. 

She definitely didn't want to upset the jealous goth girl who glared angrily whenever she interrupted her conversations with Peter. 

However, the lonely and big-breasted classmate instantly welcomed her into their small circle as soon as they started talking. 

The idea was simple.

She should keep her connection with Peter a secret. Moreover, he wasn't at all opposed to repeating things judging by his hungry looks.

And she wasn't either—Cindy couldn't lie to herself, no matter how much she wanted to.

She sighed sadly again and looked at her fingers. She could make a suit out of the web, but it probably wouldn't look normal. 

There was no guarantee that she would succeed, but she was interested in what Peter might suggest.

"Superpowers, sex in the infirmary, and secret meetings of superhumans. It's like an anime, not real life..."

However, she had to think of something to counter that smell or at least put on a mask.

She didn't like the idea of getting wet from just a smell and fantasizing about some muscular brunette pinning her down on a desk in the middle of a lesson. 

Even though something similar had already happened with Peter, she still didn't want to give in to the same urge with Gwen. 

She could sense her scent, but there was no similar reaction. After all, she is straight regardless of what she has read or watched.

"Maybe a web mask could filter the scent? It wouldn't hurt to try."

...
[Peter Parker's POV]

When I got home, I decided to finish the mask. 

It was still the same balaclava without a mouth, but now with white transparent lenses.

I critically examined it from the side and had to admit—it wasn't that ugly.

Unfortunately, I wasn't going to make anything better than this. 

Peter's sewing skills were pretty mediocre, and I didn't exactly train to be a seamstress myself.

Opening the closet, I pulled out the future Spider-Man suit. 

A black turtleneck, black compression pants, mask, fingerless gloves, sneakers, and a blue hoodie with a spider logo on both sides were given to Peter a long time ago when he was still growing. 

In fact, it was long ago that I had to remove the dust out of it. It wouldn't hurt to iron it either, but I wasn't that much of a perfectionist.

I almost looked like the Scarlet Spider, except I wasn't wearing red. 

I'm just not a fan of colorful suits, and changing my look because of the symbiote situation would seem too abrupt.

'By the way, how did it first appear in the comics? It couldn't have just appeared out of nowhere like in the movie.'

I thought distractedly.

Where did I try all this on? 

Of course, in front of the mirror in the bathroom. 

The look was quite villainous, but any suit could have looked like it belonged to a villain without the U.S. flag colors.

While I was messing around with all this, it was already time to head out. 
I checked the location of the five-thousand-dollar competition online. 

The rules were simple: get in the ring with the famous wrestler Crusher Hogan, and anyone over 21 could enter. If I lasted 5 minutes, I'd win the half; if I beat him, I'd get the other half.

I took off the hoodie and mask, folding them into a sports bag and a spare pair of shoes—I didn't want to get caught over a small detail like that. 

It was getting a bit stuffy so I needed to get outside before I started sweating.

"Peter, Mary Jane said you're going to a party with her. I'm so glad that you're finally going out with someone." 

Aunt May hugged me with tears in her eyes.

"You talk as if I'm completely loner, Aunt May." 

I hugged her back.

"Of course not, sweetheart." 

She stroked my head. 

"Just a very dedicated young man, passionate about science. The kind of young man who forgets to sleep and eat once he steps into the lab." 

She rolled her eyes.

"Science is above basic needs." 

I replied as I stepped out of the house. 

"Uncle Ben, no need to pick me up later, I'll come back on my own."

"Are you sure, Peter?" 

Uncle Ben asked.

"Absolutely. I'm not a kid anymore, and I'm not planning to stay out all night." 

I said firmly and confidently. 

The fewer opportunities Ben had to run into an armed criminal, the better.

'Fewer risks, fewer headaches. I'm not so helpless that I can't handle a situation I know like the back of my hand. But fate... fate's a tricky one. Fate loves to throw surprises, and her surprises are the type that feels like anthrax in an envelope.'

"Alright, I trust you." 

Ben nodded seriously. 

"Just try to be back by midnight or call if you're going to be late... and have fun, son." 

He smiled.

"I promise to have fun, Uncle. Responsibility is everything—we live by it. I'll be back on time." 

I nodded just as seriously.

I walked a long way from the house before putting on the mask because it was getting dark outside. 

While I sighed in relief and mentally prepared myself, my heart was racing like a scared hedgehog's as I used the web to climb up a tall building.

'Wow, this is definitely not like climbing onto a warehouse roof. It's terrifying to climb these tall buildings!'

The cold prickling in my hands stopped, and my heart started to beat more normally.

Glancing around, I quickly changed into my Spider-Man outfit and stood at the edge of the roof.

I had to gather my courage and jump. It's not suicide—I'd just catch myself with my web and continue moving. 

Suddenly, my heart started beating faster after slowing down for a while.

I clenched my fists so hard they cracked, and my teeth ground together painfully. 

This was my choice—to gain power and take on the role of Spider-Man. 

I could've run away, ignored everything happening in New York and the world, and used Peter's genius to live comfortably and roll in money. 

I still planned to do that, but running away wasn't part of the plan.

I wasn't here for no reason, right? 

In this world, in this body, in this city. Not everyone can just end up in some fictional universe after death and live happily again. 

That's nonsense.

I traded my life for Peter's. 

I'm not obligated to shoulder the responsibility for every misfortune in this city, not at all. 

However, in Marvel, someone had to protect the ordinary residents of New York from all those techno-freaks and mutants, and that someone was Peter Parker.

It's easier to take responsibility for my actions than to blame myself for not acting.

'It's like a game, and I'm the main character. This whole storyline is just for me, and I'm going to complete it. Playing is the only thing I've ever been good at.'

I concluded dramatically and firmly made my decision.

"This is… the last time I'm afraid of anything." 

I took a deep breath and dove off the building like a fish.

"This power is now mine! And I will gain even greater strength!" 

My true self flickered behind all the pretty words.

...

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