209. Unannounced, Not Unwelcome. (Patreon)

Peter POV:

Their visit was unexpected but unexpected didn’t mean unwelcome. At least, when they weren’t dragging a multiversal fire behind them for me to put out.

I walked ahead and they followed me through the grand lobby of Parker Tower. Polished marble floors, living flower walls blooming in winter colors, soft instrumental carols drifting through hidden speakers. Snow fell beyond the glass façade like a calm screensaver for the city.

Even the most talkative among them quieted a little.

The private elevator capsule opened with a soft chime. Custom-built and rated for fifty people. Parker Tower had two hundred floors and brushed just shy of a kilometer in height. Taller than the Burj Khalifa. Definitely taller than anything New York used to brag about.

They stepped in, heads tilting back as the glass walls revealed the skyline.

New York looked like a painting.

Flower vines draped over skyscrapers. Soft golden lights threaded between branches. Snow settling like powdered sugar over a city that finally learned how to breathe.

“Was Mumbattan a hot hell?” Gayatri asked.

Pavitr clutched his chest. “Betrayal. Cultural betrayal.”

Aunt Maya laughed warmly. She clearly adored Gayatri. Inspector Singh pretended to be stern but the corner of his mouth twitched.

MJ from 616-B, Peter B.'s wife looked at me. “So you’re the shaper of worlds now. That’s… nice.”

“The internet coined ‘Ascendent Architect.’ Sounds cool instead of worse which is an amazing achievement for the internet.”

Lieutenant Stacy studied me. “Those shotgun shells. What were they loaded with?”

“0.005 micrograms of antimatter per hardlight buckshot pellet,” I replied casually. “Great for clearing terrorist cells. Very efficient.”

The elevator went dead silent.

Margo stared. “You were planning to kill us.”

“No,” I said calmly. “If I wanted you dead, I’d bring Mysterium weapons.”

Peter B. snapped his head toward me. “WAIT. You have access to Mysterium?!”

His shock reminded me how close his world mirrored Prime 616.

Miles frowned. “What’s Mysterium?”

Scarred Peter looked like a teacher about to quit his job when he heard Mile's question. “Why do I even remind you idiots to read the materials section?!”

Miles waved him off. “Bro chill.”

Suddenly a silver rod cracked against Miles’s shin.

Miles yelped. “WHAT THE...”

“Surprised?” Scarred Peter asked with a wicked grin. “Mysterium bypasses Spider-Sense. The only meta-material that does and the sample Peter just gave me?” He pointed at me. “More refined than anything we’ve seen.”

The elevator chimed as we reached the penthouse. The doors opened and a blonde blur slammed into me causing me to hit the floor with a grunt.

Gwen buried her face in my chest like she belonged there. “I missed you, Pete.”

I kissed her hair. “I missed you too.”

Pavitr started, “But it’s only been...”

Gayatri elbowed him so hard he wheezed.

Across the room, Aunt May of 1610-B shuffled toward Uncle Ben, who was sipping coffee and enjoying madeleine cookies. Regen serum did wonders; neither Uncle Ben nor Aunt May looked their age anymore. George had taken it too.

“Hello there handsome,” Aunt May said softly. “You don’t look a day over seventy.”

Uncle Ben smiled kindly. “You don’t look too bad yourself, Mrs. Parker.”

Just two souls recognizing familiar shapes in different universes.

Then Peter B. and Miles hugged her from behind causing her to break down in tears and I felt that guilt again.

I should’ve saved my 1610-B counterpart. Instead I prioritized retrieving the Earth-42 radioactive spider's corpse.

The system had been random but my choices weren’t.

"I’ll fix it. No matter what." I promised myself.

The doorbell rang again. Clanker’s voice echoed: visitors. Em Jay, Betty, Glory and Betty’s cat—Murderface.

“Guess I’ll postpone tinkering with the UNSC Infinity.” I muttered.

Gwen heard me and kissed my cheek.

"You'll survive without tinkering with your super toys." Says Gwen while snuggling on my chest.

Mary Jane Watson POV (Earth-65M):

Parker Tower.

God, even thinking the name still feels surreal.

Owned by Peter Parker.

Once the nerdy kid now a trillionaire and a walking disruption to the global economy.

His name now synonymous with power, control and political reach.

I still remember Visions Academy.

Back when I was… uglier on the inside.

There wasn’t a day I didn’t try to wedge myself between Peter and Gwen. I told myself he wasn’t good enough for her. That she deserved someone with status.

Truth?

I hated how close they were. Hated how easily they laughed together and hated that she looked at him like he mattered.

And maybe, God help me I hated that I wanted Gwen’s attention myself in a way I didn’t understand.

A few days before prom, Gwen was out running an errand for a teacher. I cornered Peter in the cafeteria right after Ned Leeds smashed his face into lunch.

I remember my words as clear as day. “Look at you, clinging to Gwen like a fucking parasite. Don’t you get it Parker? You’re dragging down her popularity.”

He looked like I’d slapped him. Then he laughed.

Not a broken laugh but a tired one.

“You think I don’t know that?” he said. “You think I haven’t tried to break off our friendship?”

He stood up. “Do you know what she told me?”

I didn’t answer but he continued anyway.

“She said: Em Jay might write the lyrics of our band but she doesn’t write the script of my life.”

Each word hit like a brick.

“She said that it was me who sat with her when her mom died. Me who cooks her mac and cheese at 2 AM with no questions asked. My Aunt May is the one who helps her when she needs it during her... girl time of the month. Not Betty or Glory and definitely not motherfucking Mary Jane Watson.”

God. I wanted the floor to swallow me.

“She said she’s not with me out of pity. She’s with me because she wants to be.” Then he looked me dead in the eye. “So tell Em Jay to fuck off and she can kiss her drummer goodbye.”

He walked away while wiping his face and I burned with rage. When he was crippled later, I actually felt joy.

Actual unadulterated Joy.

Thinking Gwen would leave him but life has a sense of humor. They fell in love harder and fueled by that love Peter rose higher. Higher than any of us. Wealth, power, genius, influence were like piles of Lego bricks sprawled on the floor.

He didn’t just recover, he ascended.

And here I am now, walking into the building he owns, invited into the life I once tried to sabotage.

“God,” I whisper under my breath as the gates slide open. “I was shameless.”

Maybe today… I finally admit it.