The Spider:AHero’s Awakening.

The city felt different tonight.

As I swung through the skyline, every shadow seemed darker, every whisper of the wind carried the weight of something sinister lurking beneath the surface. I knew why. The symbiote wasn't done with me.

And worse? I wasn't sure I was done with it.

I landed on a rooftop in Queens, taking a moment to clear my head. The battle at Pier 39 was still fresh—Rhino, Venom, the voices, everything.

"We are waiting…"

I shook my head violently, trying to drown it out.

"Deep breaths, Parker," I muttered. "You're not losing it. You're fine."

Except I wasn't.

Back at the apartment…

I slipped in through my bedroom window and collapsed onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. I could hear Aunt May humming downstairs, the smell of her tea drifting up. Normalcy.

I needed more of that.

I rolled over and checked my phone—MJ had texted earlier.

MJ: "Peter, I'm worried about you. Call me?"

I sighed, hovering my fingers over the screen. She deserved the truth, but could I really put her in danger by telling her everything?

I typed a reply.

Me: "I'm okay, MJ. Just busy. Let's talk tomorrow?"

A few seconds later, a new message popped up.

MJ: "Promise?"

I exhaled. Me: "Promise."

Another lie.

The next morning, Stark Tower.

Tony paced in front of the holo-screen, images of Oscorp labs flickering beside him. He didn't look happy.

"Let me get this straight," he said, pointing at me. "You let Venom escape? Again?"

I groaned. "Hey, in my defense, I was a little busy not dying."

Daredevil, leaning against the wall, added, "We retrieved critical data. We know Osborn's moving the symbiotes to another lab uptown."

Tony sighed, rubbing his temples. "And how long before Osborn decides to cut the middleman and unleash these things across the city?"

I clenched my fists. "Then we stop him before that happens."

Tony glanced at me, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, see, that's the problem, kid. You're slipping."

I froze. "What?"

"Your head's not in the game," Tony continued. "You're getting reckless, distracted."

I swallowed. "I'm fine."

"No," Daredevil cut in. "You're not."

Tony folded his arms. "Whatever's happening with you and that symbiote… it's messing with you, Parker. And we can't afford that."

I sighed. "I know. I just… I need time."

Tony looked at me, softer this time. "Time's the one thing we don't have."

Oscorp Biogenetics Division – Midnight.

Daredevil and I crouched outside the lab, the building bathed in eerie green lights. I could feel it before I even stepped inside—the symbiote. It was here.

"Focus, Parker," Daredevil whispered. "In and out. No mistakes."

I nodded, swallowing down the unease crawling up my spine.

We slipped inside, sticking to the shadows. The lab was massive—filled with stasis tubes containing fragments of the symbiote, each pulsing with unnatural life.

I muttered, "This is giving me serious sci-fi horror vibes."

Daredevil ignored me, pressing ahead. He found a terminal and began downloading data.

That's when my spider-sense screamed.

I spun around just as Dr. Otto Octavius stepped into the room, his metal tentacles slithering across the floor.

"Hello again, Spider-Man," he said with a sinister grin. "Still meddling where you don't belong?"

I groaned. "Seriously? Do you guys have tracking devices on me or something?"

Ock smirked. "Osborn anticipated your interference. He's prepared for you."

Before I could move, the lab doors slammed shut, and from the shadows stepped Electro and Vulture.

I sighed. "Okay, this is bad."

Daredevil whispered, "We need an exit."

I shot a web at the ceiling and swung up, dodging a blast from Electro. "Working on it!"

The fight was chaotic. Vulture swooped down at Daredevil, his wings slicing through the air, while Octavius' tentacles lashed out at me with terrifying precision.

"Hold still, Parker!" Electro snarled, sending bolts of electricity that shattered consoles around me.

I flipped, dodging, but my body felt heavier. Slower.

The symbiote's voice was getting louder.

"Let us help… we can end this…"

"No," I whispered, dodging another strike. "Not today."

But I was losing ground.

Daredevil shouted, "Focus!"

I clenched my fists, my vision blurring. I felt the pull of the symbiote inside me, screaming for control.

Then, the fire alarm blared.

Tony's voice crackled in my earpiece. "Heads up, kids! I'm crashing the party!"

An explosion rocked the building, and the skylight shattered as Iron Man blasted in, repulsors firing.

"Time to go!" Tony called out, covering our escape.

Daredevil pulled me toward an open vent, and I swung through just as Octavius' tentacles nearly grabbed my ankle.

We made it out—barely.

Back at Stark Tower…

Tony patched me up in silence, his face unreadable.

Finally, he spoke. "That was way too close."

I exhaled. "Yeah… I know."

He looked me in the eye. "Look, kid, I get it. You're dealing with a lot. But if you don't get a grip, Osborn's gonna take you apart."

I nodded slowly. "I'll handle it."

Daredevil stepped forward. "You don't have to do it alone, Parker. Let people in."

I thought about MJ, Aunt May, and everyone else counting on me.

"I will," I promised.

Tony smirked. "Good. Now get some rest before I have to ground you."

That night…

I sat on my rooftop, staring out over the city, the voices quieter now but still there, waiting.

I pulled out my phone and dialed MJ. She picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, Peter," she said softly. "You okay?"

I smiled, just a little. "Yeah. I think I will be."

Meanwhile, at Oscorp…

Norman Osborn watched the footage of our escape, his expression dark and calculating.

Dr. Octavius stood beside him, his mechanical arms twitching impatiently. "The boy is struggling, Norman. He won't last much longer."

Osborn's lips curled into a twisted smile. "No… he won't."

He turned to the containment unit where the symbiote pulsed hungrily.

"When Spider-Man breaks… we'll be there to pick up the pieces."

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