[Third Person POV]
"Hahaha!!" Peter cheered as the trio of him, Felicia, and Bruce stumbled out of the VR world clearly happy at the end of the long day. With one swift motion, they slapped each other's palms in a resounding three-way high five.
That was when Gwen's cold voice cut through the cheerful moment like a shard of ice. "Aren't you literally a billionaire, What you three just earned was basically a single drop in an ocean-sized lake." She crossed her arms, her tone bitter, her posture sharp, as though she were holding back more words than she let out.
Peter immediately latched onto the chance to be dramatic. He pressed a hand to his chest as though Gwen had just wounded him and leaned closer with a grin that screamed arrogance. "Oh, my dearest love… you don't get it. It's not about the money for me. It's about that I clearly won~!" He leaned back, eyes glittering with mischief. "And most importantly… you clearly did not~"
The air around Gwen shimmered as she crafted a sword of gleaming ice in her hand, the blade humming faintly with cold energy. With deliberate slowness, she raised it toward Peter's neck until the frosty edge hovered just shy of his adam's apple. Her voice was low and dangerous. "Let's see how much you're winning when I slice your throat open."
Peter, unfazed, smirked out of the corner of his mouth. "Somebody's being a sore loser~."
Gwen's eye twitched—her patience visibly thinning—but before she could decide whether or not to follow through with her threat, Felicia slid between them, her hands raised in mock surrender. "Easy, ice queen. No need to redecorate the place with his blood." Her sharp gaze turned toward Gwen with curiosity. "But seriously—why did you even predict it would be a tie? Surely you had to know Betty had the upper hand from the start."
Gwen exhaled harshly, her icy blade dissolving back into mist. She rubbed at her forehead in annoyance. "At the beginning, yes, Betty had the advantage. But the way things were going? Both of them were losing themselves to raw instinct. That kind of frenzy makes you forget technique. You stop thinking, and it becomes a mindless brawl. They were just hammering away blindly at each other. Which, by the way, they absolutely did." She let out another frustrated sigh. "The only thing I failed to account for was just how much damage Jennifer had already sustained before that point."
"Ughhh, don't remind me…" Jen groaned, dragging her feet as she approached, her hand ruffling through her messy hair. Her face was pale with exhaustion. "That sucked. I don't ever want to go through something like that again…"
Walking beside her, Betty remained in her towering Red She-Hulk form, her confident stride a sharp contrast to Jen's weary shuffle. Her crimson skin gleamed under the lab lights as she flexed her shoulders, radiating strength.
Bruce raised a brow at the sight. "Why do you still look like that?" he asked flatly. "You can change back, you know."
Betty smirked and planted a hand on her hip, flexing her bicep with the other. "I know. But I kinda like it like this. Makes me feel strong. Invincible, even. Not to mention…" She tilted her head playfully, "…I look good like this, don't you think?"
Bruce's face betrayed a flicker of fluster, though he fought hard to hide it. "…No comment."
Betty laughed, clearly amused at his reaction. "I wonder what the Hulk will think when he sees me like this," she mused aloud, her curiosity catching the group's attention.
MJ tapped her chin, thoughtful. "Actually… wait. How would that even work? Bruce and Hulk are basically two different people, but Betty is still one person. Does that mean you'd have to… share her?"
The entire room froze.
"…What?" Bruce asked coldly.
Before the tension could settle, Peter jumped in with his usual lack of tact. He practically skipped over to Betty, throwing his hands out as if to offer a bro handshake. "Ohhh, I see! So you're about to have a harem too! Welcome to the club!"
He didn't get far before Gwen yanked his hood backward like a leash, dragging him away with a sharp glare that promised death if he didn't shut up.
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly uncomfortable. "That… We haven't exactly thought about that part yet," he admitted quietly, the weight of the question clearly unsettling him.
Meanwhile, Jen leaned toward Harry, who stood closest to her, her curiosity piqued. "What did he mean when he said 'Welcome to the club'? Does Spider-Man actually have a harem?"
Harry sighed deeply, his hand dragging down his face. "Yeah… yup. Pe—SPIDER-MAN," he corrected himself mid-slip, his voice cracking as he almost exposed Peter's secret, "is dating three of them." He jabbed a finger toward Gwen, Felicia, and MJ.
The room fell into silence. Everyone stared at Harry for his outburst. Harry flushed red instantly, stumbling over his words. "A-Anyways! Don't call it a harem. They hate it when you say that."
Jen blinked, slightly weirded out but unable to mask her curiosity. "Seriously?" she asked. She quickly raised her hands. "Not that I'm judging. Just… wow. That's a little unusual." She gave a half-shrug, as though convincing herself it wasn't her business. "But hey, to each their own."
"Anyways," Jen said louder, stepping forward and cutting off the awkward air. Her tired eyes locked on Bruce. "Can I leave now? Please? I'm tired of these endless tests. I haven't slept in an actual bed for weeks."
Bruce opened his mouth, but Gwen beat him to it, her voice calm but firm. "Even though I'd like to run a few more tests, we can't exactly keep you here against your will."
Jen's shoulders sagged in relief, a genuine smile breaking through her fatigue. "Thank God. For a second, I thought you were going to tell me I had to stay indefinitely."
"We'll give you one last quick checkup before sending you on your way," Gwen said, a note of professionalism slipping back into her voice.
At that, Peter reached into his utility belt with a flourish and pulled out a sleek business card, twirling it between his fingers. Embossed across the top in bold letters were the words:
Spider-Man Family.
He handed it toward Jen with a wink.
"Here, from now on you're an honorary member of the Spider-Family!" Peter declared proudly, puffing out his chest as though he were knighting a champion. "You're one of us now. If you ever run into problems, or need backup, don't hesitate to reach out."
Jen blinked at the card, her fingers hesitating before finally taking it. She studied the little rectangle, her eyes trailing over the series of tiny hero logos embossed along the border—each one representing someone from the team. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but after a moment, she muttered, "…Thanks."
Before she could dwell on it, Gwen slid in beside her, placing a gentle but firm hand at the small of Jen's back. "Come on," she said with a small smile, guiding her toward the exit. "Let's get you prepped so you can finally head back into the real world."
Peter spun theatrically, cape-like hoodie flaring as he turned toward Betty. He presented another card with the same flourish. "And you! From this moment on, you too are an honorary member of the Spider-Family!" His tone and cadence were identical, as if he were repeating a sacred oath. "Same deal—if you're in trouble, or need help, you call us. No hesitation."
Betty arched a brow as she took the card. "I thought I was already one of you."
Peter froze, eyes darting, suddenly looking like he'd stepped onto a landmine. "Well, yeah… technically you were," he said carefully, his hands raised in a pacifying gesture. "But it was more like… an intern role? You know, a trial period before full-time? And now…" He cleared his throat, his grin returning shakily. "Now we would like to officially welcome you into the team!" He immediately started clapping. "Round of applause, everyone!"
He clapped alone. The silence was deafening. Every pair of eyes just stared at him blankly.
Peter coughed into his fist, cheeks faintly red. "…Welcome aboard."
"Jeez. Thanks, I'm so honored," Betty deadpanned, her sarcasm dripping as her massive form shrank down. The red glow faded from her skin until she was back to her normal self, brushing her hair off her shoulders.
Bruce seized the chance to redirect the moment. "Anyways," he said in his no-nonsense tone, "I'd like to run a couple more tests with your blood, if you don't mind."
"Sure, why not. Lead the way," Betty said, motioning him forward. The two disappeared down the hall, their footsteps echoing away.
"And then there were four…" Peter muttered under his breath.
"Three, actually," Harry corrected, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "I wanted to visit Lizzy. Her parents are basically locking her down since she's been coming home late almost every day and is barely around." He started walking backward toward the exit, snapping his fingers at them in a cheesy farewell. "I'll be seeing you guys latorrr~"
Peter raised a brow. "And then there were three…"
Felicia turned toward him, her tone curious. "Don't you have things planned as well?"
Peter smirked knowingly. "Oh, I've got plenty planned. Tomorrow is Aria's official initiation—"
"BOOYAH!" Aria's voice rang out from somewhere overhead.
Peter ignored her and carried on. "—then F.E.A.S.T. finally opens… Finally… God, it's about time. After that, we hand Stern and Ross over to Nick, and once all that's wrapped up…" He cast a glance at Felicia, "…we've got the Beach Day episode you planned."
Felicia's eyes lit up. She clapped her hands together with a sharp smack. "That's right! We've got to go shopping for swimsuits and bikinis."
Peter tilted his head, genuinely confused. "We could literally make clothes. Anything you want, down to the last detail. Why waste time shopping?"
"Because that's no fun," Felicia shot back immediately. "And besides, where else am I supposed to spend the money I just won in our little bet?"
"Of course you call it little," MJ grumbled, arms crossed. "You only bet your allowance. I wagered my whole salary…"
Felicia purred, brushing past her like a cat on the prowl. "Sounds like a you problem, honey."
MJ narrowed her eyes at her, pouting, but when she glanced back toward Peter, she noticed a familiar sleek black card between his fingers. A grin tugged at her lips. She snatched it with her own two fingers, mouthed a silent 'thank you~', and gave him a quick peck on the lips before bolting after Felicia. "You bitch, wait for me! Mama just got herself some funding! Let's invite Gwen when she's done"
Peter chuckled, watching them vanish around the corner. Their laughter and bickering carried down the hall. He shook his head softly. "And then there was one…"
"Two actually! Don't forget about me!!" Aria's voice sang out as she phased straight through the ceiling and dropped toward him.
"Catch me!"
Peter reached out instinctively and caught her with ease. Aria giggled, her arms wrapping around his neck in a hug. "Since everyone's busy, let's have a daddy-daughter date. Just the two of us!"
Peter chuckled, his hand rubbing her back as he asked, "Sure. What do you want to do?"
Aria pressed her head against his shoulder, eyes bright with excitement. "Hmm… How about a movie? I haven't really watched one before"
Peter nodded, opening a shimmering portal with a casual flick of his wrist. "A movie it is," he said softly, stepping through as the edges of the portal began to fold inward.
"…Now, about you grounding me until college…" Aria mumbled quickly, trying to sneak it in.
"Still in effect."
"Darn…"
Her groan was the last sound heard before the portal sealed shut. The room fell quiet, empty, as though no one had ever been there at all.
And then, truly, there were zero.
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