chapter forty-three
backlogged secrets

     NINA WAS SUSPICIOUS. She had been confused when she saw Max one day at work and he was gone the next━no one knew who he was or even cared who he was. He had disappeared into thin air and perhaps Nina had been the only one who even took a moment to wonder where. And then he showed up in Times Square, electrified and with severe insecurities that had turned into severe anger issues that he could now express with yellow lightning strikes and destruction. Now, she was wasn't confused or concerned, she was very suspicious. 

     It was Gwen that made her take a step towards OSCORP for the reason. As she sat on her bed last night, trying to distract herself from her thoughts by performing a questionnaire to help Gwen study for her upcoming scholarship test for Oxford ... instead of answering one of her questions, Gwen Stacy stopped pacing in the middle of her room and let out with a hitched breath, "Max was an electrician ... he worked on the renewable OSCORP electricity scheme, I swear..."

    And just like that, Gwen yet again became the smartest person Nina knew. Her words struck an anxious chord with her and the next day, she didn't even stop to think as she missed her tutorial━it would help her very much in her upcoming assessment and lab work, of course, but Nina would have to face the consequences━and head straight towards OSCORP. 

    She was sure she'd be able to sneak in without her supervisor knowing. In such a big corporation, it was easy to get lost and be forgettable. When people weren't going out of their way to look for her; when it was a day she had off, Nina found it remarkably simple to get where she wanted to be. 

     Swiping her card against the security panel, Nina stepped inside the chemistry department. Without meeting anyone's gazes, she fixed her jumper and marched towards the computers, finding her desk and quickly sliding into her seat. She caught herself by her legs at the table before her chair rolled too far past her keyboard and shuffled closer, getting straight to work. 

     Nina fiddled with her hair momentarily, taking a quick glance over her shoulder to check whether anyone was close by or watching. She shuffled even closer to make her back hide her monitor from anyone's passing view. She knew she wouldn't have much time now that she was in, and logging onto her computer before someone in the department would question it. But she had to be sure━she had to test this variable.

     So with the start of a racing heart, Nina logged into the system. She immediately brought up the search directory━something she'd usually use if she was looking for someone in another department to work alongside for a project, but now, she searched for the name of the man she remembered from the elevator: Dillon, Max.

     The side tab of the screen lit up in a rapid search of identification photos━Nina narrowed her eyes, scanning them all as it did. Multiple rows showed, multiple departments━photos and photos and photos; flicking through ... hundreds of faces, and nothing seemed to be coming up. She frowned, leaning forward to see whether she could somehow narrow down the search━

      Suddenly, the photos dropped out. And Nina's concern turned into troubled dread to see: Name Not Found. 

     "What?" she whispered. 

     Nina knew that couldn't be right. She saw him in that elevator. He kept it open for her, with Max Dillon on his pass hanging from his loosely fitted shirt. He was real, she didn't just imagine him━and now he has shown up as a dangerous, potential villain and now he won't show up on his work's database? 

      She tried again. She spelled out a full name this time: Dillon, Maxwell━

     Nina jumped when the computer spiked a short stop alarm. Big bold, red letters spread across her tab: SEARCH BLOCKED. 

    "What?" she let out again, trying to activate her search again. The same warning showed once more. Slowly, Nina felt her stomach start to drop and her chest tighten. Gwen's words repeated in her mind, and she scoffed to herself, starting to shake her head as the variable became more heavy. 

     He worked here━she knew it. He worked in electrical, and the day after she saw him, he disappeared. He then emerged in Times Square with dangerous powers and was suddenly wiped off the system as if he never existed ... Nina knew something wasn't right. And it wasn't just some coincidental comment her best friend made, it was becoming something far from it: something possibly linked and very serious.

    Nina tried to find an alternate way to get in. Perhaps open up the old program they worked off, or even physically search employee photo PDFs on file. She refused to think that there was nothing but her own memory linking Max to OSCORP. Even if she had to sneak off to the electrical department and ask them questions herself. 

     She went to grab her bag and do exactly that when some whispers beside her made her stiffen. Two interns were chatting by the water station, their eyes fixed on something behind Nina. They frowned to each other, muttering:

     "Hey, what's security doing over here?"

     "That's so weird...?"

     Nina's breath got stuck in the back of her throat. She glanced over her shoulder, and her blood ran cold. They tried to be inconspicuous, but she could feel their gazes on her━the subtle points that landed right on where she was sitting. She set her jaw and rushed to log out. 

      Grabbing her bag, she stood away from her desk. Nina caught them starting to move with her and she took a sharp breath through her nose━she did not run. She forced herself to calmly walk out of the room. Even when she heard them call her name and hear the sound of their walks turning to the pounding thuds of running, she still kept on going. 

     Nina could feel her own heart pace━rushing up to her head. She started to quicken her steps as she turned into the next corridor, darting a look underneath her hair to see how far security was in following. The group of men were down the bottom of the hallway, gaining on her quick. 

      "Dammit," Nina cursed to herself. She shuffled across the tiles and pushed open the glass door into the next hallway, trying to make a bee-line for the elevators. She slipped into the ongoing traffic that marched back and forth, huffing out a long breath and fixing her loose bangs━she sent a small smile to the lab tech she passed. 

     She clenched and unclenched her hands. She was getting closer to the elevators━if she got inside one, she might slip away unnoticed. It would be faster and less suspicious than running down the stairs. Nina glanced back again, searching for the men. Her heart jolted when for a moment, she couldn't see them. Her eyes widened and she spun around, trying to see past shoulders and through the tall glass walls━

     A hand gasped her elbow from the side and tugged her to the right. Nina gasped and turned to hit whoever grabbed her until the figure just took her wrist to stop her with ease. Nina struggled, "Let me go━"

     Her words were cut off when she saw who it is. She froze, surprised━and all concern, all fear, all care about security that could be just right around the corner fell away and a smile tugged at her lips. A beam brightened on Nina Hart's face when she saw the furrow of Peter Parker's brows, gazing down at her with an incredulous glance. 

    Nina didn't know what words were for a moment as she noticed how flush he had tugged her towards him. In the end, she managed a soft, "Hi."

     Peter's brows knitted together even more. He chuckled, rather taken aback by her sudden change of demeanour. "Hey...?"

     She relaxed in the hold he had of her, just staring up at him as he gazed down at her with that look that often sent her into a flustered mess. She realised that the last time they saw each other like this, they had almost kissed under the leaves of that tree outside of Central Park, and Nina began to grow warm at the cheeks. She tried not to focus on it━she ignored the feeling of him so close and swallowed back her inability to talk. 

     "What are you doing here?" she asked him. 

     He just arched a brow, "Uh━what are you doing here?"

     And like that, Nina remembered all that happened. She peered over his shoulder in search of the security team and winced, suddenly sheepish under his bewildered frown. "Uh━oh━wait━" she glanced around them, anxious for a place to talk, and then she found it. Nina took Peter's hand, "━Here. In here━"

     She pulled him with her towards the maintenance closet just opposite. Peter shot a suspicious look behind them, wondering why Nina was so desperate to get out of here. She opened the door and the two of them slipped inside. Careful and quietly, Nina closed it and they were shadowed in darkness, huddled together in a room only just big enough for them to fit inside. 

     She leant against the door, peering through the slitted design. She felt Peter hover right beside her━so close his breath tickled her cheeks. Together, they watched the security team reach the hallway. They stopped right outside the maintenance closet door. Nina held her breath. 

     They searched up and down the corridor. 

     The man standing right out side rolled his eyes and shook his head, "She's not here," he called to his team. "Check another floor."

     Slowly, Peter turned to stare at her, surprised. Nina made a shy face, peering back amongst her hair as the security team left. She gave him her best innocent smile. 

     Spider-Man leant against the wall, his brows shooting up to stare with mocking disappointment. "You're in trouble." He whispered, pretending to be horrified.

     Nina fell for it every time. She shook her head, "I'm not in trouble━"

    "━Who's that guy, then━?"

    "━I didn't━I wasn't━"

    "━You're running away from security," he made a face, crossing his arms. "As Spider-Man, I should do something━"

     Realising what he was doing, she lightly smacked his arm and he grinned, happy with her reaction. But it fell when he noticed the grave look on her face. Peter Parker stopped his play and shuffled even closer, "What happened? What is it?"

     Nina pointed at him in the shadow of the overhanging shelves of cleaning products and brooms tucked up in the corner, "They're after me because I found something out."

     "Found what out?"

    "There was an accident," she told him in an even softer whisper━so low he had to bend down to hear her better. "I know there was an accident in the genomics lab, and they're covering it up." Peter's frowned deepened, listening. "It was all just rumours until Max━the guy at Times Square, yeah━" she added at the face he made, recognising the name, "━he worked here. I saw him. He worked as an electrical engineer in the building. And━and he loved Spider-Man, by the way. He was, like, a fanatic."

     Peter grew incredulous. He shook his head, scoffing a little, "Okay, well. I didn't get love vibes. I got more of a want to kill me with his electricity vibe."

     "Well, that is sort of what it is like to love you."

     At her quip, Peter's dubious stare became flat. Nina cared little and went on with her tale:

    "And then he just disappeared. And now he just shows up as a crazy Electro guy? After the accident? And now I can't find him on the system? OSCORP is covering it up━they did this━"

    "━My God━" grumbled Peter under his breath.

    "━They've just completely erased him."

    "That's OSCORP," he said, watching through the slots to continue checking outside in case the security team had returned. 

     Nina nodded. She sighed out all the breath she had been holding in her short adventure. Brushing her hair off her face she quirked a brow up at Peter. A realisation struck her mind. "Hey━you didn't answer my question, Pete. What about you? Why are you here?"

     He met her gaze. There was something pained there within the shadows around them. "Harry," he muttered, voice weighed with a guilty conscience. 

     She recognised the name. "Osborn?" He nodded. "What about him?"

    "He's dying."

    Nina's brows lifted. She watched Peter for a moment, not sure what to say. After a short while, she breathed, "Pete━"

    "He's dying," went on Peter. "And he thinks the only thing that's gonna save his life is my blood━is Spider-Man's blood. A━And as far as I know, if I give it to him, it could kill him."

    "Yeah," she agreed softly, "or something worse."

    He sighed, hanging is head. "I know."

    Nina pursed her lips. Peter was torn━she could see that. Harry was once his friend as a kid, and to know that he was dying, and that he was the one that could help, and yet potentially make him worse was destroying him. She reached out a hand to rest on his arm. Without saying anything, she just squeezed it, but Peter's soft smile told her he appreciated it. He hesitated for a moment, then covered her hand with his own. He squeezed it, too. He did not let go. 

    She eyed it carefully, watching the way he brushed his thumb across her knuckles and wondered how she could ever stay away from him. He was like oxygen, and she was clinging onto it━desperate to breathe him in in order to survive. And no matter how hard she tried to leave him, to save herself from getting hurt again, to put space between them and put an end to the past they had, Nina was still very much in love with Peter Parker. She could not change that, no matter what. And it hurt her so much. 

    "Check the elevators again."

    Nina's gaze broke away. Wide-eyed, she stared back through the slotted window of the closet door and followed the securities movements like a cornered hawk. 

    Despite everything with Harry, there was amusement lifting up the weight in Peter Parker's chest at the situation Nina had gotten herself into. It made his heart flutter, realising where they were, what she had done, and the way she was looking out, visibly holding her breath like she was some horrible actress in a movie━

     And he couldn't stop the crooked grin on his face. "Hey, Nina." She hummed. "You ... you do realise this is the maintenance closet?" Her brows furrowed and she turned to face him, confused. Peter bit back the want to laugh. "This ... this is the most cliched hiding place you could've chosen." 

    She started to gap at him, slightly offended. "Oh, my God━"

    "━This is the stupidest hiding place━"

   "━Oh, I'm sorry," she leant towards him, overly sarcastic and wanting to smack the smirk off his face, "I'm not some bug-boy who can hide up in skyscrapers━"

    "━Bug-boy? Seriously? You're still using that one━?"

    "━Yes, I am still using that one━I am a normal human being, I go to hide in something that is on the same floor as I am━" 

    "━Okay, okay━just━just listen━just━" 

    "━No, no, I will win this one━"

    Peter nodded. There was an infuriating smile upon his face, "All right━" he couldn't hold himself back any longer and before Nina could stop him (or stop herself to wonder whether she even would have) he tugged her forward and muffled her sarcastic arguments into a kiss. 

     Nina stiffened in surprise. At first, she tried to fight him. Her arguments continued, muffled and stubborn━but soon she just melted, having missed the feeling of his lips against hers, the way he cradled her head, the way he always drew her closer━and his kiss, god did she miss the way he just kissed her. And Nina fell back into his web all over again, letting herself be lost in the moment, kissing Peter Parker inside the OSCORP maintenance closet hiding away from security.

     It was their normal, and she missed it, and now she felt as if she could finally breathe well again. 

     "Peter━" she breathed against his lips, knowing that this would do neither of them any good. Knowing they'd end up in the same spot as always. They were constantly on a spinning carousel, going around and around and around━thrown off and then thrown back on again. 

     "Shut up," he muttered into his next kiss and her chest lit up with burning butterflies and so she just gripped his jacket to pull him even closer, knowing that if they were to fall apart again, she wanted this moment to last for as long as she could make it. 

     When he pulled away, slow and painful━knowing exactly what she'd do━she followed his lips, dazed and desperate to kiss him again, and again and again and again. She loved the carousel as much as she bitterly hated it, purely because she knew she threw herself onto it no matter how many times she gets thrown off. Peter Parker was consuming. Spider-Man was exciting. Both of them were thrilling, they were addictive━he was her drug and she loved everything about it; she followed it and she clung onto it, because she felt alone whenever she was away from it. Just like he felt himself drawn to her, she had always been drawn to him. 

     It took her a moment to pull herself back to reality, gazing up at Peter underneath hooded lashes; breathless and flushed. He still cradled her head, large hands cupping her cheeks and brushing back her hair. 

    When Nina could find her voice, she said: "You just kissed me?"

    He tucked her hair behind her ears and held them there, sighing and shaking his head━Nina watched him, wondering whether she could lean in and kiss him again. "I know. I know," he said, voice husk in the back of his throat and Nina wanted to melt all over again. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. How'd you like it?"

    "Um..." she took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet his gaze and not watch his lips. "I ... uh ... I━I liked it very much. It ..." she cleared her throat softly. "It was a little bit rushed, though..."

     "I know. I know," he started to smile at her and she breathed a chuckle, rosy-red at the cheeks. "Keep your window open tonight, I'll give you a better one."

     Nina's smile grew━she became giddy, realising what he meant. She shifted her weight on her foot. They were back on the ride, and she didn't know how long it will be this time until they fall off, but if past experiences have taught her anything, the ride itself with Peter Parker was very much worth the pain and she'd never miss the chance to get back on it for the world. She raised a brow, "You know where I live?"

     Peter made a face, "Is that even a question?"

     She hit him, "You're a stalker━you have been following me."

     He slowly wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her to his chest, "It is Spider-Man's job to protect the community. And his girlfriend."

      Nina's heart fluttered at the word. She missed it. She bounced her brows and nodded at him, "You're full of big moves today aren't ya, Tiger?"

     The name made him grin. It slipped right off her tongue with ease, always meant just for him. "Yeah, but only for my girl," he shot right back at her and she bit her bottom lip, doing her very best to keep her composure and win this round━but the glint in his gaze told her he very much knew he won, as usual.       

     She scoffed and smacked him lightly on the chest again, "Stop playing with me."

     "I will," he grew cheeky. "For now."

     Before she could come up with some comeback for that one, he nodded to the hallway outside━and just like that, Nina realised she forgot what predicament she had placed herself in and jolted back to the present. "All right. This is the plan. You get to the elevator. I'm gonna distract him, okay?"

     She nodded, forcing herself back into the mindset for this. "Okay."

     He hovered his hand on the door handle. "Okay━"

     As soon as it was ajar, she slipped out. Keeping her head down, Nina surged forwards towards the elevators. She rushed a little to the doors, quickly pressing the down button. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Peter slowly hide himself against the wall and when no one else was looking, flung out his wrist. In the blink of an eye, his webs attached themselves to a mug on the passing coffee cart and sprung it back into his fingers without slipping a single drop. 

      He quickly bounced his brows at her, smug before turning to lean against the stone pillar that wrapped around the corner. There, he waited until the security guard stepped into view. When he did, Peter Parker stepped out right into his road━

     They barged right into each other and the coffee splattered all over the guard's jacket. Peter gaped, acting perfectly innocent. "Oh, my God!" he let out, holding his hands up in surrender as the guard's back hit the wall, cursing as he rushed to check his blazer. Peter cupped his hand over his mouth, horrified. "Oh━I am so sorry━" 

     Nina had a bright smile on her face, guffawing a short scoff of laughter as he crouched down to check his clothes━only to spill more coffee all the way down his pants! "I just split a hot latte all over your━" without a glance he put his leg out━the security guard behind him tripped right over. Peter sprung back up, "Oh! I didn't mean to do that━" he flung the cup backwards; the rest splashed in the final guard's face and he stumbled back, "━Oh, no! And you, too?!" The security guards had no time to react. Peter spun the first around, taking off his jacket. "I am so sorry!"

     The elevator door opened and even if they saw her, they could not move. Nina rushed inside and giggled to herself, hearing their distressed and frenzied cries for someone to follow━

     It was chaos. Peter flung one guard around into the other that struggled to get back up━they stumbled over the coffee cart, "Oh no! Sorry━sir, sir━" the first managed to escape him only to trip over his shoes (that had somehow been tied together?) and Peter Parker threw his hands to his head, utterly gobsmacked at his clumsiness. "Oh, my god, I am sorry━I'm all thumbs today━!"

     The elevator doors closed. Nina slumped with her relief, chuckling softly to herself as she placed her head in her hands, unable to believe half of the things she got caught up in. She couldn't wait to tell Gwen all about this one. 

     "Nina Hart."

     She jumped so high, Nina thought for a moment she had gone through the ceiling. She staggered back, spinning around to see who had said her name only to find a young man chuckling at her in the corner of the elevator. He was oddly familiar━standing in a sleek black cloak and dark grey scarf. Gelled hair hung over his eyes; a gaze grey and intense that was filled with a mirthful mischief that made her a little uneasy as she tried to figure out who it was. Who would know her name, look familiar, and yet she's never seen before in her life? His features━they reminded her of an owls, sharp and yet round; quizzical and analytical.

    She chuckled nervously, frowning at him as he held a hand out, smiling out a gentle, "Sorry. Sorry."

     "No, no, it's okay," quickly rushed out Nina, eyeing him curiously. 

     He gestured to her, as if to shake her hand but then thought better of it, "Uh, I'm━I'm Harry."

     And like that, she realised. Nina eyes widened with recognition, and everything in her conversation with Peter came flooding back. This was Harry━she knew it was Harry; that was why he was so familiar. Harry Osborn. Peter's friend. Her boss━a man who was dying and yet while he was pale, did not look like anything except a healthy young man. 

    "Harry," she repeated, understanding. "Yes..."

    "I'm an old friend of Peter's━"

    "Yeah," she nodded, still catching her breath. "Yes, I know who you are. Sorry━Sorry. I'm just," she chuckled again, "I was a little bit rushed for a moment there..."

     "No," Harry shook his head, standing taller up against the corner he had fixed himself in. He sent her the same charming smile he had in every magazine photo, "No, I'm sorry he never introduced us. I thought you two had broken up?"

     Nina stared at him. Despite his kind words and that smile he was giving her, she still felt on edge. Perhaps it was what Peter told her, or perhaps it was something else━either way, she could not shake it. It felt strange━the air between them. They've never met before until now━Harry has been away for years, having barely kept in touch with Peter (not that the other was any better) and now he was back and he suddenly knew so much. Maybe it just startled her more than anything. She wasn't expecting him to suddenly be so ... well, she wasn't so sure ... 

     She frowned. She's never met Harry Osborn, and yet ... for some strange and insane reason, Nina felt as if she had. And it made a first encounter suddenly very awkward. "O━oh..." she let out, unsure on what else to say. 

     Harry slipped his hands into his coat pocket, "So, Peter told me you work here?"

     Nina nodded, "Um ... yeah. Yeah, I do. In the chem labs━I mean, casual ... I ... I'm currently studying biochem at college, so ... I had an internship through high school."

    Harry Osborn tilted his head at her, "Doctor Connor's internship, I guess?"

    "Uh ... yeah."

    "So, you're pretty into all that cross-genetics scientific explorations? To join an internship with Doctor Connors," he said the name of her old mentor with a bounce of his brows, no doubt regarding his explosive transformation not long ago that nearly had turned half of Manhattan into violent human-lizards. 

      Nina didn't like the way he was watching her. She shuffled on her feet, rather tense. "Uh ... I just want to use science to make the world a better place."

      Harry smiled. It was handsome, and yet, it was also cold in a way she could not describe. "Don't we wish all scientists had the same genuine motivation?"

     "Yeah, I guess..."

      He continued to smile at her for a moment before adding, "Well, I suppose I'm lucky to have you in my company."

      She nodded, "Thank you."

     "And Peter must be lucky to have you around," Harry Osborn scoffed a slight chuckle, shaking his head. "I mean, it's Peter. Everything's complicated with Peter━but you're there with the level head on your shoulders. You must help make his choices clear for him."

      It was supposed to be genuine, and she could tell most of it was━his words. And yet, as Nina listened to them, she couldn't help but have the feeling that Harry Osborn wanted something off her━wanted her to to twist Peter's choice into doing as he wished, knowing full well he'll tell her. And she wasn't sure how to feel about it. 

      She was glad when the elevator stopped, reaching the ground floor. The doors opened and Nina shuffled forward, eager to get out. She glanced back at him before she left, still wary of his gaze. "Um━well, it was nice to meet you, Harry."

     He nodded. "Uh, yeah," he slipped his hands out of his pockets, standing tall to wish her goodbye. "Yeah, it's such a pleasure, Nina."

     She left the elevator and rushed out of OSCORP, the uneasy feeling not leaving her for the rest of the day.   

*ೃ༄

   THEY REACHED PRAGUE by that night. Nina felt herself slowly wake back up as the bus started to slow down; stop and wait, turn and merge into lanes that sent them into different streets. She had fallen asleep halfway into the late afternoon, quite exhausted when she stopped and took a moment to think about everything. She thought that she would be leaving everything that happened in Venice once they reached Paris: the Elementals, Black Cat, Nick Fury and this Mysterio dude━but now, by heading to Prague, she knew they had stepped right into the heat of the fire without a choice. 

     It made her not look forward to it; it made her uneasy. And while she slept, it had been restless. And she wasn't too upset from her sleep when Peter gently woke her up from it. At the whisper of her name and the slight nudge, she opened her eyes and lifted her head up from his shoulder. He nodded and pointed to the window and so she glanced out. 

     Even at night, Prague was lit up as if it were still daylight. The old cobblestone pathways and stonework bridges were a specular of bright lanterns and costume. The side of the streets were filled to the brim with market stalls, overhead was glowing brilliant blue and pink fairy lights━they passed under a bridge that was loud with chatter and laughter from tourists waving their festival lanterns down towards the crowd they drove through and past. 

     Nina peered out and saw buildings that made her feel as if she had stepped back thousands of years in time. Churches and buildings that rose up in medieval turrets like castles spread out across the town square. They called Prague the City of a Hundred Spires━and she may have not counted exactly that, but she definitely believed it. They drove through streets of gothic culture and Peter pointed out to her the Astronomical Clock━a medieval clock tower built in the fifteenth century that showed the procession of the Twelve Apostles each hour during the day to eleven o'clock at night. He told her all of this, and Nina wondered how he managed to learn so much about Prague in such a short time. If she had asked him these questions yesterday, he would have looked at her and sheepishly shrugged, saying: "Uh ... maybe?"

     He was a scientific genius, but a historical genius regarding Prague? No. 

     But it was amusing, and Nina managed a slight smile, not sure whether to be impressed or laugh. She watched him more than she looked out at the city, and she think he noticed━for when he glanced at her and she quickly fixed her attention outside, she thought she caught him smile to himself. 

     Feeling a little courageous, Nina said quietly, "How do you know this? Did you learn it to impress me or something?"

    Peter met her gaze. He was caught out for a moment. He stammered, but then stopped himself. He pursed his lips and then decided to reply with: "Maybe I am. Are you impressed?"

     Nina bit back the want to grin. She turned back to the window, her heart fluttering at the way he bounced back. Growing red at the cheeks, Nina muttered, "Maybe."

     And just like clockwork, she received a message from MJ on Tiktok. Confused, she opened it up and stared at the video that was sent to her. Immediately, Nina glanced up, unamused when it was someone's joke about third-wheeling. MJ met her gaze across the bus and gestured to her phone angrily, growing frustrated by this point. She quickly typed: just DO something it is getting embarrassing and old. 

    Nina threw her hands up, exasperated with her friend before sitting back in her seat. She made it sound easy, but it wasn't that easy. She was playing a hesitant game, almost━testing the waters before jumping back into it again. Peter hurt her, and she understood why he did it, but it still hurt her. And she knew him well enough that there was a chance that if he felt as if he was forced to come to it, he would make the same decision to push her away again, thinking he was doing the right thing. They've come a long way since they were Freshmen, but there were also so many more variables right now. So much she had to consider and be sure about. She really liked Peter Parker, but he was also Spider-Man━they were two in one. And it was what pushed them apart the first time. 

    She hated how Black Cat was still in the back of her mind, reminding her of her words on that rooftop in Venice. And what Nina hated most about it was that she was right. Superheroes were dangerous because they were so admirable. You looked at them and wanted to prove yourself, wanted them to like you, wanted to show to them that you can be just as great and just as good. Nina had already followed Peter Parker into the depths of danger to help him; had fallen into the thrill of working alongside Ned and discovering the schemes of supervillains and mobsters within the neighbourhood. It was a comic book turning into something real━and the danger was almost non-existent when met with such excitement. 

     Nina trusted Peter. She trusted him with her life. That wasn't her being naive━that wasn't naivety. That was unconditional faith. For after everything they've been through, all of these years, he was always there for her. She just assumed and trusted he'll be there for her again each time she needed it. 

     Her smile started to fall as she gazed out of the window and thought back on every nightmare she had. Maybe they were the truth trying to breach outwards━the fear she held despite every ounce of trust she had. That one day, Peter won't be there to catch her. 

     Maybe it was a warning, even. And that terrified her more. 

    Nina glanced down at her phone. She went to her photos and started to swipe through old pictures of herself and Felicia. She hovered on the last one they took two months after her father's funeral. Felicia didn't smile, she looked extremely tired and almost sick, but she managed to lean her head against Nina's shoulder and hold up a paper that said: Time of my life with the wife. Something she wrote instead of the actual notes they were supposed to take for the project they were doing. 

     She couldn't believe that technically, that picture was taken five years ago. 

      Nina pursed her lips and turned off her phone. She held it close to her chest, slumping down in her seat. Peter frowned at her, but he said nothing━as if he knew exactly what had dampened her mood. 

    They passed the festivities and took a turn to the outskirts from the town square. The bus stopped in front of a luxurious motel that was made of the same old, gothic stone brick as the rest of the buildings around it. All sorts of rich cars were being transferred from driver to valet; people walked out in suits and expensive designer clothes, and here Nina was in a Target love-heart jumper she's had since she was eleven, jeans and scuffed sneakers she constantly doodled on, hugging her Spider-Man Plush like a lost child looking for her mother. (And gawking up at the ledges and window sills full of intricate designs). 

     The group of them shuffled their way inside━sharing awkward glances with all those staying at the hotel that passed them (most likely wondering how a bunch of high schoolers from Queens were able to afford such a place like this). 

     Ned gaped at the entrance━an elaborate carpet opening as if they were stepping forth towards the OSCARS. "Dude," he let out, "I bet that door costs more than my Lola's entire apartment!"

     "I bet that door costs more than my entire life," added Peter.

     "I bet that door costs more than this Spider Plush."

     MJ made a face at her comment, "No shit, Nina. That thing cost you five dollars!" 

     "The shirt cost me six!"

     Ned was also quite incredulous, "Your Dad is like a doctor, you have way more money than most of us."

     Nina went to say something in her defence until Flash shouldered his way past them and somehow found the must to but into the conversation, "But not as much as me!" before surging forward up the stone stairs. 

     Peter held a hand towards him, not even able to find the energy to ask why he thought that was necessary. 

     MJ rolled her eyes and started up the steps, leading their small group after the rest of their classmates. "I hope I can shove a lantern up his ass at this festival."

     "I━" Nina was concerned. "I━that's ... that's not nice, MJ ... I'm actually━I'm actually pretty sure that'll put you in jail."

     MJ looked ready to say something else. But then they stepped inside the motel and lost the ability to speak. All of the students (and the teachers) shared the same gaping look at the pristine white walls and floors. Like vines wrapping up to the roof, golden trimmings decorated ledges and the ceiling in beautiful old designs. The tiles underneath their feet were a constant square of what Nina was pretty sure was marble in colours of white, gold and silver. The chairs, the tables, the statues even the plant pots were rich in colour. There were golden decorations in the trees and glimmering lights set up across the walls to celebrate the festival in the square. The ceilings themselves stretched to more than eleven feet━Nina has never seen something so beautiful and so expensive! (There was even somebody playing the grand piano━the grand piano!).

     "Whoa ..." breathed Jason, "freaking beautiful━look━are those chocolates in gold wrappings?"

     "Uh ..." Zoha arched a brow, "... I think that's just normal chocolate wrapping."

     "But still, it's rich chocolate━and I can just eat it!"

    "This is amazing," chuckled Nina, enamoured. 

    "I know," said Betty, taking Ned's hand and tugging him forward with excitement. Peter sighed, shaking his head and waving goodbye after his best friend. "Look, babe━this place is so classy..."

     "Yeah," snorted Tyler, "so why are we here?"

    Flash scoffed, immediately opening up his phone to live stream. He held it up to capture the designs on the walls and plaster columns. "Speak for yourself," he spoke loudly to them all. He chuckled, holding out his arm wide to the lobby, "I'm home!"

     Mr. Harrington and Mr. Dell were the last to enter, side-by-side. The physics teacher nudged his biology co-worker, "What can I say? The squeaky wheel gets the upgrade grease. Uh━everyone get settled in," he said as they all came to a hover in the lobby. Nina was still gawking up at the ceiling, "rest up because tonight, big surprise, is Prague's annual━" he gestured awkwardly to the sign beside him, "━Carnival of Lights!"

      Nina's attention drifted as she watched Peter take a phone call, stepping away from the group. She briefly met Ned's gaze and the two them shared a understanding of, Spider-Man business. 

     So, as soon as they could, they shuffled off after Peter who's phone call finished very quickly. He glanced at them as they made their way over, only barely noticing the frown MJ was sending them. 

     Nina went to ask what it was about but Ned cut her off, immediately stating: "Hey, man━Look, I am so sorry if I seem like I'm preoccupied with my relationship. You know, I'm still your guy in the chair."

    "No, no, no," said Peter quickly, shaking his head, "it's all good. Don't worry about it."

     Ned let out a long, relieved sigh, "Okay," he nodded, grinning. "Great, great."

     "Honestly," Peter shrugged, "it's fine."

    "Right," butted in Nina, stepping forward, "so━the Elementals, what's happening? Where is it happening?"

     Peter stared at them for a moment. Then, he winced. "Uh ... here ... in the city."

     There was a short shocked silence. Peter winced again, sheepish as he awaited their reactions. Then, Ned whispered an explosive, "Peter!" he waved his hands at him and Peter dodged, leaning back, "We're here!"

     "I know, I know, I know," he tried to calm them down. Nina shook her head, starting to grow anxious━she knew this wasn't going to be good. She knew something was going to happen here; for why else would Nick Fury set up a base of operations here in Prague? And it seemed the last thing he cared about were the bunch of school children that would come with Peter in order to make sure he was here for the action. "It's not good. It's━I'm figuring it out."

     Ned pressed his hands together and gestured them at him, "You have to do something, Peter, please. We're all counting on you."

     Peter seemed to grow pale at those words. Nina resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. 

     It didn't take long for Betty to realise her boyfriend was gone. She frowned over to where the three of them stood, shaking her head and calling out, "Ned."

     He spun to her, startled. She nodded for him to hurry back over. "Oh━uh━yeah. Yeah, babe." And then he left without another word.

     Nina sighed. Meeting Peter's gaze, she quickly offered something far more reassuring, "I trust you, okay?" she told him, stepping up closer. "You always make sure we're safe."

      Peter sighed and ran a hand down along his face before propping his hands on his hips. "This isn't some burglar or Human Fly, Nina━this is something crazy real and crazy dangerous. You━you should have heard what Fury said. These Elementals destroyed Mysterio's earth. If this goes wrong then they could destroy our earth━and it'll be my fault."

      "That won't happen," she told him.

     He frowned at her, taken aback, "How are you so sure?"

     Nina sighed, too. She shrugged shyly and managed a slight smile, "Because ..." all of the sudden, she had grown very awkward. "You know, you're Spider-Man. You never give up."

      Still, he shook his head, "Nina━"

    "I trust you," she cut him off, stepping even closer. Her voice was softer than a whisper. "I trust you more than Fury, more than this Mysterio guy, okay? Nothing bad is gonna happen, and I'm more sure of that than anything."

     At first, Peter just stared at her━like he just couldn't tear his gaze away. Surprised, taken-aback, not sure what to say ... Nina couldn't tell what the expression on his face meant. She fiddled with the Spider Plush still in her hands, not sure what any of this meant, but then he just breathed a tiny, tender smile ... and Nina felt her heart swell. 

     For he has never looked at her like that before. And even if she didn't know what it meant, she knew it was something far more beautiful than anything else in this room.      

*ೃ༄

    a/n: aka the moment peter literally fell in love with nina ^^^

    also btw tom looks so happy in that brother's trust post like the king took a break for his mental health and literally knows he's better off for it. 

    also all of this stuff about a spider-man four movie and I'm like ... do y'all know how movies work ... nothing is confirmed there hasn't been a green light, tom hasn't signed anything he's taken a break from acting ... (at least, last I heard I could be wrong).

     I dunno, I just like where spider-man has gone. he's now separate from the mcu - he's become his own thing in my mind and that's how spider-man is. like he teams up with the avengers in the comics multiple times, but he's his own thing. he's the friendly neighbourhood spider-man, not an avenger. 

     if he comes back, I want them to then introduce miles. I mean I would honestly like a college trilogy, and then an adult trilogy, but an actor being in the same role for over ten years ... you don't want that as an actor, because then you get type casted and getting other roles is nearly impossible. acting is a career of ambition, you wanna keep moving with a career like that - you want to keep improving and expanding yourself. 

    I mean, either way, I have a sequel in mind for this series after nwh. and a whole spider-verse thing which you'll get a snippet off in the 'end credits' of this book (lol cos its a marvel fic, get it?). 

     but I just like the fact that spider-man is off doing his own stuff (being the best superhero of them all) as a friendly neighbourhood superhero and not as someone else some billionaire or ex-shield agent expects him to be. 

     I'm a huge spider-man fan, can you tell? and like I've lost so much interest in the mcu I'm just here for spider-man now (and sam wilson, yelena, bucky and kate - probs kamala too, once I finally finish ms. marvel). 

     but like I've always been spider-man >>>> everyone else in the mcu.