Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Multiverse

To be fair, the meat pie tasted pretty good.

It retained some traditional Chinese elements while incorporating adjustments to suit the palate of English locals.

Its popularity was well-deserved.

However, calling it a culinary masterpiece would be an overstatement.

For Peter, it was simply "delicious"—nothing more, nothing less.

He couldn't figure out why Gwen-Spider seemed so moved.

What Peter didn't realize was that Gwen-Spider wasn't moved by the taste of the pie itself but rather by the meaning it represented.

The pie wasn't very large, about the size of a palm.

Half of it was gone in no time.

After crumpling up the wrapper, Gwen-Spider appeared to come to a decision.

"Want to hear my story?" she asked.

Peter was taken aback for a moment, then felt a hint of joy. He had been waiting for this moment for quite a while.

"Go ahead. I'm all ears."

And so, Gwen-Spider began to share her story.

In her world, becoming Spider-Woman wasn't a pleasant experience.

Even before she gained her powers, her life wasn't particularly happy.

Her father was the police commissioner of New York City—an important and influential figure—but he had little time for her.

So, she fell in love with music, forming a band with her friends and becoming its drummer.

Her academic performance was abysmal, and her social relationships were equally bleak.

After gaining her powers, things didn't improve much.

In fact, they got worse.

She used her abilities to help others, but people saw her as just another "masked vigilante" and didn't appreciate her efforts.

Sometimes, during her fights with villains, she caused collateral damage. Instead of understanding, people blamed her for the destruction, labeling her a menace.

Gradually, "Spider-Woman" became an unwelcomed figure in her world.

But things truly fell apart later.

Her childhood friend, Peter Parker, had suffered years of bullying and developed a vengeful mindset. In his desperation, he created a mutated lizard serum and injected himself, turning into the Lizard.

To stop him from harming others, Gwen-Spider fought him and ultimately discovered his true identity.

Peter Parker, after the serum's effects wore off, succumbed to severe bodily trauma and died in her arms.

This heartbreaking scene was witnessed by her father.

Her father, jumping to conclusions, believed that "Spider-Woman" had killed Peter Parker and issued a warrant for her arrest.

From that moment on, Spider-Woman became a figure despised by all.

A suspect in a murder case!

No one believed in her anymore!

No one understood her!

No one liked her!

Even she began to think of herself as a bringer of misfortune.

But she didn't give up.

From Peter's death, she came to understand the lesson, "With great power comes great responsibility," and convinced herself to live as a nocturnal vigilante leading a double life.

She sacrificed so much for this choice.

Her fight against crime often made her late for band practice.

This strained her relationship with her bandmates, eventually leading her to leave the band.

At that point, it felt as though the entire world had abandoned her.

She became the loneliest person, nursing her wounds in the shadows, with no one to share her pain.

Her double life gradually turned into a single one. Neither as Gwen Stacy nor as "Spider-Woman" did she feel seen or valued.

Loneliness wrapped around her like an enormous hand, gripping her so tightly she could barely breathe.

Until she accidentally arrived in this world.

Here, she met a group of "kindred spirits," people who shared her abilities.

For the first time in a long while, she felt what it meant to have companions again.

But the shadow of her past lingered, making her afraid of this feeling.

She feared that her "misfortune" would bring disaster to the companions she had finally found.

So she kept her distance from Peter and the others.

She would watch them laugh, joining in silently from afar.

She would see them play, feeling envious but too scared to step forward and join them.

Peter suddenly understood.

No wonder Gwen-Spider had been acting so strangely!

He could empathize with her.

Not from personal experience, but because he remembered watching the 1994 Spider-Man animated series, where the Spider-Man in that show faced similar situations.

The 1994 Spider-Man often became a scapegoat for events beyond his control.

For example, Morbius stole Spider-Man's blood sample for his experiments, which turned him into a vampire. Yet, Spider-Man was falsely accused of kidnapping Morbius and even became a target of the Punisher's pursuit.

Just thinking about it made Peter feel the weight of those struggles and the emotional torment that came with them.

At least the 1994 Spider-Man was an adult with significant life experience. He also had support from people like Aunt May, Mary Jane, Dr. Connors, and Dr. Mariah Crawford.

But Gwen-Spider? She had no one.

And she was only 17 years old.

Realizing this, Peter felt a wave of sympathy for her.

He turned to look at Gwen-Spider's profile.

At that moment, Gwen-Spider also turned to look at him.

Their eyes met, like a calm pond rippled gently by a breeze.

Gwen-Spider leaned slightly closer to Peter. "Can I borrow your shoulder?"

Peter hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Of course."

A faint, pleasant scent lingered in the air, but Peter's heart remained clear and focused.

"Gwen."

"Hmm?"

"From now on, I'll be your friend."

"Okay."

"Your very first friend from now on!"

"Why the first?"

"Because I'll show you more of the world, more beautiful sights, and help you make more friends!"

Gwen-Spider's cheeks turned slightly pink, and a smile blossomed on her face. "I'm looking forward to it!"

Seeing her shy yet radiant expression, Peter's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, this is the feeling of falling for someone!

As if noticing Peter's reaction, Gwen-Spider's face grew visibly redder.

At that moment, a thought popped into Peter's mind unbidden: In this world, true words are rare, and a woman's blush speaks louder than any long speech.

The two of them remained silent, simply gazing at each other for what felt like a long time.

Eventually, Peter felt he couldn't endure the tension any longer.

If they stayed like this, he might end up doing something truly inappropriate!

"Ahem, uh, have you rested enough? Maybe I should head back to patrolling?" Peter withdrew his hand, breaking the silence with an awkward tone.

"Mm, go ahead. I'll always be here, watching over you," Gwen said. Her cheeks were still flushed, but she appeared much calmer and more composed now.

This composure was partly her personality and partly a result of her experiences.

However, the fleeting moment of heart-pounding connection stirred something new in Peter's heart toward Gwen-Spider.

And he could sense she felt the same way.

(End of Chapter)

Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon

https://patreon.com/Glimmer09