Web of Fate

Peter and Jessica sprinted through the city's labyrinth of streets, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the looming chaos. Thanks to Peter's quick thinking, they managed to flee before the battle engulfed the area.

Finally, when they were certain they'd escaped the danger, they stopped in a quiet, dimly lit park. Despite the miles they'd covered, neither showed signs of fatigue—another benefit of their superhuman physiology.

"Jessica, we should head back home," Peter said, letting go of her hand.

Jessica gave a quick nod. "Agreed."

Peter hesitated, glancing at her before sighing. "I'm sorry, by the way."

Jessica frowned. "What are you sorry for? This isn't your fault."

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, his guilt evident. "It kind of is. If I hadn't brought you here, none of this would've happened."

Jessica's eyes narrowed. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

"What? I'm right! I led you straight into danger," Peter argued.

Jessica grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him close until their faces were inches apart. Her voice was sharp but steady. "Don't act like you're the only one responsible here. If you want to play the blame game, then I'm at fault too, Peter!"

Peter stared at her, his guilt giving way to a begrudging smile. "Yeah, you're right. But I still feel guilty," he admitted.

His thoughts darkened expecting trouble to find him again in the future. He sighed bitterly. 'Its like the universe is forcing me to become a hero'

"Why are you like this, Peter?" Jessica asked, releasing her grip on his shirt and stepping back. 

Peter sighed, his voice soft but earnest. "I'm worried… because of me, you might get hurt." 

Jessica crossed her arms, as she said. "No, I won't. I'm strong." She flexed her bicep with a confident smirk. 

Peter couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "You know," he said with a grin, "it'd be nice if you were my girlfriend." 

Jessica froze, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "W-What?" she stammered, completely caught off guard.

"Why are you acting like you like me?" Peter teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He already knew she had a crush on him but couldn't resist poking a little fun. 

Jessica's face turned crimson, and after a moment's hesitation, she mumbled, "…I do like you." 

Peter's smile softened at her shy confession. "Then how about this—would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asked. The thought crossed his mind: why waste time waiting for someone else when the most loyal, amazing girl he could ever hope for was standing right in front of him? 

"Yes," Jessica said, her voice trembling with excitement. She could hardly believe it—her dream had just come true. 

'This is really the best day of my life,' she thought, her heart soaring. 

Peter opened his arms for her, and without hesitation, Jessica leaped into them, wrapping him in a tight embrace. For a few precious seconds, they stayed like that, savoring the warmth and comfort of each other. 

Peter broke the silence in a gentle whisper. "We should head home. Our family's probably worried about us." 

"Right," Jessica said, looking at his face with a radiant smile.

"We could have a date tomorrow, if you're up for it?" Peter asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes. 

Jessica's face lit up instantly. "I'd love to," she said, her excitement barely contained. 

"I'll let you know the time later," Peter added with a small smile, already planning in his head. 

"Okay, Peter," Jessica replied softly, her heart fluttering at the thought.

Afterward, the two of them called their families to come pick them up. While waiting, Peter and Jessica sat side by side on a bench, their heads gently resting against each other. 

"I know little about dating," Peter admitted, his voice quiet. "So… don't get mad at me if I mess something up." 

In his past life, he rarely went outside, let alone talked to women. But now, he carried a quiet confidence, knowing full well Jessica had already had a crush on him. 

'I'm not letting her go,' Peter thought to himself, relief settling in his chest. 'I'm not exactly great at flirting, but she's my best—and only—shot at having a girlfriend.'

Jessica turned to him, her gaze warm and reassuring. "I won't be mad," she said with a soft smile. "Let's figure it out together." 

Their fingers intertwined naturally, a quiet promise shared between them as they sat there, hand in hand.

After a few minutes of waiting, Jessica's phone buzzed with a call. She answered, and her adoptive father's voice came through, letting her know he had arrived.

"My father's here," Jessica said, turning to Peter with a warm smile. "See you tomorrow." Before he could respond, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, leaving him as she hurried off to the car.

Peter watched her figure fade into the distance, a small smile playing on his lips. Sitting back on the bench, he muttered to himself, "Girlfriend? Check. Now I just need a stable income, a house, and a car, and I'm set for life."

He leaned back, soaking in the peaceful sky and the quiet scenery around him. A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was Uncle Ben.

"I'm here," Ben said.

Peter got up and made his way to the car. Sliding into the passenger seat and fastening his seatbelt, Ben's concerned tone greeted him. "You okay? I saw on the news that the Fantastic Four were fighting a giant sand creature near this area."

"I'm fine," Peter replied, as the car pulled away.

"But how was your hangout?" Uncle Ben asked as they drove. Peter rarely mentioned friends, let alone someone he spent time with. Whoever this person was, Ben figured they must be important for Peter to open up about them.

"Pretty great," Peter replied simply, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Uncle Ben nodded, satisfied with the answer, and the rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence. After about 30 minutes, they pulled into the driveway. As they stepped inside, Aunt May greeted them both with a warm hug.

"Why is there sand on your clothes?" Aunt May asked, her sharp eyes catching the grains stuck to Peter's sleeves.

Peter glanced down, brushing the sand off. "When did that get there?" he replied, feigning confusion, though he knew exactly where it came from.

"I should get in the shower," he said quickly, eager to avoid further questions.

"Go clean up," Aunt May said with a soft chuckle. "Dinner will be ready when you're done."

Peter headed straight to his room, dropped his bag onto the floor, grabbed a towel, and made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water helped him relax and washing away the sand. 

Once he was done, he got dressed and made his way downstairs to join Aunt May and Uncle Ben at the dinner table. The smell of freshly baked chicken pot pie greeted him, and his stomach growled in response. 

"How was your day, Peter?" Aunt May asked, setting the steaming dish in the center of the table. 

"Pretty nice, not gonna lie," Peter replied with a small grin as he reached for a serving. 

Uncle Ben raised an eyebrow, a bit amused and confused by Peter's sudden use of slang. "Not gonna lie? Since when do you talk like that? Have you been hanging out with black people?" 

"Whoa, that's pretty racist, Uncle Ben," Peter said with a teasing grin, leaning back in his chair.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Uncle Ben retorted, flustered.

"Nah, totally racist," Peter replied, trying to keep a straight face but failing.

Aunt May walked over, setting a salad bowl on the table as a side dish. "Peter, stop teasing your uncle," she said sternly, though the hint of a smile appears on her face.

"Okay, okay," Peter said, holding up his hands, surrendering. Then he added with a playful shrug, "To answer your question, Uncle Ben—yeah, I did."

Of course, that wasn't true in this world yet, but Peter figured a little joke wouldn't hurt. Uncle Ben just shook his head, muttering something about teenagers as they all settled into their meal.

"Since when did my Peter get so cheeky these days?" Aunt May asked, her tone teasing as she handed him the salad bowl. 

"Since I got a girlfriend," Peter said casually, a mischievous glint in his eye. 

"Huh?" Uncle Ben froze mid-bite. 

"What?" Aunt May exclaimed, her eyes wide. "When did this happen?" 

"Just today," Peter replied, grinning as he took a sip of water. 

"So, the friend you were hanging out with… that was her?" Uncle Ben asked, putting the pieces together. 

"Yeah," Peter said with a nod. "She's the best girl I could've asked for." 

Uncle Ben raised an eyebrow at that, a slight frown crossing his face. In his mind, it was a bit of a red flag for Peter to think that way so soon, but he let it slide for now. 

"We'll talk about relationships later, Peter," Uncle Ben said with a hint of seriousness. "For now, let's just eat." 

The three of them settled down, the conversation giving way to the sound of clinking cutlery and the warmth of a shared meal.