Ever since Peter Parker decided to embrace the role of Spider-Man, his life had become increasingly complicated.
It all started when Peter began losing valuable hours of sleep and frequently disappearing whenever he was supposed to help his Uncle Ben, Aunt May, or spend time with his friends. With each disappearance, he could sense the growing annoyance and frustration of those around him, upset that he was abandoning them without a valid reason.
The worst incident occurred today when Peter had to leave Eddie, Gwen, and Dr. Martha Connors to assist in creating a gene cleanser to cure Curtis Connors, who had transformed into the Lizard. This was necessary to prevent him from causing any further harm as Spider-Man.
He knew he had made the right choice; his actions as Spider-Man had saved several innocent people from being hurt by the Lizard.
Even knowing that, Peter couldn't help but feel guilty for abandoning Gwen. He doubted he would ever forget the betrayed expression she had as he turned away.
"Gah… my hand. If it weren't for the carbon fiber reinforcement in my suit, I'd probably be nursing a sprained wrist right now," Spider-Man grumbled under his breath as he deftly crawled over the textured walls of the World of Reptiles exhibit at the Bronx Zoo.
The dim light inside the exhibit flickered, casting shadows that danced across the glass enclosures of lurking reptiles. "I can't believe Gwen reached out to Wyatt for help in developing the gene cleanser. But then again, I can't blame her... I did bolt when she needed me most. Now he's racing over here, and if anything happens to him, I'll have to carry that weight on my shoulders."
Spider-Man glanced around the dimly lit exhibit, his eyes scanning the writhing snakes coiled ominously in their glass enclosures. The scent of damp earth mingled with the musk of the reptiles, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Jagged claw marks marred the lower wooden walls.
Following a trail of scattered debris, the red and blue hero made his way toward a large, steamy swamp that awaited him. The thick, humid air clung to his skin, and he groaned as sweat began to bead beneath his suit, making every movement feel weighed down in this oppressive heat.
"Huh. Phew! Like a sauna in here. And me without my Spidey trunks." Spider-Man said as he watched a large crocodile head appear from under the swamp water. Believing it was Curtis Connors's, Spider-Man leaped into the water and landed on his back. "Gotcha!"
I have to keep Doctor Connors from getting away until Wyatt gets here. Damn it, I should have asked Eddie when he would get here! Spider-Man thought as he realized he had jumped onto a regular crocodile's back and not the lizardified Curtis.
"Perfect! The in-laws!" Spider-Man said as he held onto the crocodile's back as the animal freaked out. He held on tightly as the animal jumped and spun in the water, causing his costume to get wet and making it hard for him to breathe. "Okay, time to get off you before PETA decides to cancel me."
As Spider-Man prepared to launch himself off the creature, a sudden jolt from behind stunned him momentarily.
The Lizard erupted from the murky depths, its powerful form breaking the surface with ferocious speed. Before Spider-Man could react, the Lizard's sinewy arms coiled around his torso, the pressure tightening like a vice. A muffled grunt escaped Spider-Man's lips as he struggled for breath, his lungs screaming for air. With a primal display of strength, the Lizard constricted his grip, squeezing the very life out of him.
To make matters worse, the Lizard propelled them both underwater, plunging into the dark, swampy abyss. Panic shot through Spider-Man as his eyes widened with terror, the slimy water enveloping him, dragging him deeper into its depths.
Drowning quickly claimed him, and consciousness slipped away as the murky water closed in around him.
Above, the Lizard wore a triumphant grin, ready to deliver a fatal bite to his prey. But suddenly, a massive crocodile surged into view, its immense jaws snapping wide open as it barreled toward the Lizard.
Reacining quickly, the Lizard relinquished his hold on Spider-Man, casting him aside as he turned to face this new threat. The primal instinct to dominate kicked in, and the Lizard engaged in fierce combat with the crocodile, their battle creating ripples in the dark swamp waters.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man's unconscious form sank further into the abyss, the weight of the water pressing down upon him. But just as hope seemed lost, a shadowy figure burst through the surface, slicing through the water with swift perseverance. Without hesitation, the figure clasped Spider-Man's limp body and began to swim back toward the light, fighting against the depths that threatened to claim them both.
"Over here!" Wyatt said as he swam over to the water's shore with Spider-Man in tow, where Eddie Brock quickly ran over to help.
The two young men helped drag Spider-Man to the shore. Not seeing him breathe, Wyatt immediately lifted the hero's mask halfway and began compressions. After the fifth compression, Spider-Man jerked awake and coughed out the water from his lungs.
"Wyatt?" Spider-Man murmured blearily as he noticed Wyatt and Eddie standing over him. "I mean… You look like a Wyatt."
Wyatt smiled at his friend's weak attempt to cover his mistake but quickly moved on. "You guessed right. I brought you something," he said, turning to Eddie, who was holding the gene suppressant.
"It looks like Doctor Connors, Gwen, and Wyatt here didn't have enough time to complete a full gene cleanser. But this serum should turn the Doc back to normal long enough for us to work on one," Eddie said as he held out the serum to Spider-Man, who pulled his mask down. "Think you can shove this down his throat?"
"Yeah. But we need a new strategy. Lizzie's not in a medicine-taking mood. Not when he's so enjoying his play date in the heated pool," Spider-Man said as he stood up, the small beaker now in his hand.
"Then let's move him to an ice bath," Wyatt said. "On my way here, I saw a polar bear exhibit. Those waters are easily near freezing. I don't think I have to tell you two what happens when you place a cold-blooded reptile in those temperatures. It should slow down Doctor Connors long enough for you to pour the serum down his throat."
"Yes, that'll work," Eddie nodded, and the three began to head toward the polar bear exhibit. Once they arrived, they looked down to see a large shallow pool of freezing water.
"It looks like we have a plan," Spider-Man said as he turned back to the World of Lizards exhibit. "Now we just have to lure him over here."
"I think I know just how. Lizard bait!" Eddie said and began running towards the lizard exhibit.
"Don't even think about-" Spider-Man tried to stop Eddie, but he ignored the young hero and continued running.
"My choice! Try to stop me!" Eddie called out, already around the corner.
"He's a brave one, I'll give him that," Wyatt said and walked over to the polar bear exhibit. Spider-Man nodded, and the two looked around the area. "While he's doing that, I suggest we prepare the battlefield. Do you have a plan in mind?"
Spider-Man nodded and began to block all the entrances of the exhibit with thick webs to prevent any of the polar bears from getting caught in the crossfire. From there, he told Wyatt to hide while he moved to a high vantage point in order to land a sneak attack on the Lizard to force him into the freezing waters below.
"Hey… thanks for bringing the cleanser. That took guts," Spider-Man said as he turned to Wyatt. Eddie's far-off screams could now be heard in the distance.
"Don't mention it… It's what we do, right?" Wyatt said with a smile and immediately ran off.
Spider-Man arched an eyebrow at what Wyatt said, but before he could think about it too deeply, Eddie's screams became much louder. With the gene suppressant in hand, he jumped off toward the large spherical Lizard enclosure and waited.
••o••o••o••
Wyatt sighed as he watched his friend Peter, or should he say Spider-Man, be smacked down as his phone's ringtone gave away his position during his sneak attack.
"That must be the famous Parker luck," Wyatt muttered. He focused, summoning his powers to create robust steel arm braces that encased his forearms, cleverly concealed beneath the dark fabric of his black and red hoodie.
Dashing out of his hiding spot, Wyatt rushed over to the Lizard as he smacked Spider-Man into the railing for the polar bear exhibit with his powerful tail. Spider-Man groaned and slid down, the small beaker safely kept in his grasp. In a terrifying display of strength, the Lizard seized Spider-Man's head, lifting him high into the air as if he were little more than a toy.
"Dad, stop! You don't have to be a lizard! You're still my dad!" Billy Connors yelled as he ran toward his father, a skateboard in his hand.
The Lizard tossed Spider-Man aside and growled at Billy, but before he could grab the young boy with his tail, Wyatt leaped into the air and wrapped his arms around the Lizard's neck.
"Get back, kid! He's not your dad right now!" Wyatt said as he jerked the lizard's neck, causing the out-of-control beast to growl and try to pry Wyatt off. Acting quickly, Wyatt transformed one of his forearm braces into a hidden blade.
However, unlike an assassin's sharp, deadly blade, Wyatt created his blade to be a thick needle made of Adamantium. Fully capable of stabbing through the Lizard's thick hide. Shoving the needle into the Lizard's neck, Wyatt injected the creature with a powerful sedative. The Lizard roared as he felt the sharp pain in his neck and looked back at Wyatt with his slitted eyes.
Seeing the lizard's claws rush up to his head in slow motion, Wyatt released his hold on his neck and landed in a crouch. Pulling his leg back, Wyatt kicked the Lizard's leg out, causing the beast to fall to a knee.
"I got this from here!" Spider-Man yelled and swung across the air. With his legs in front of him, he kicked the Lizard down into the freezing waters below the polar bear exhibit. The lizard roared as he plunged into the chilling waters, his body instantly beginning to slow and lock.
Rushing to the railing, Eddie, Billy, and Wyatt watched as Spider-Man fought the Lizard within the chilling waters. With each punch, kick, and tail swipe, Spider-Man attempted to make the Lizard drink the serum. Only to fail each time as the Lizard refused to stand down. However, as the fight continued, the Lizard began to grow slower and sluggish.
Wyatt gripped the railing tightly, his teeth clenched as he fought the urge to jump down and help his friend. He believed Peter could handle the situation on his own, but if things became too dangerous, Wyatt was prepared to intervene without hesitation, even if that meant revealing his identity to those present.
Below, Spider-Man used his webbing to grab a large boulder from the exhibit and swung it toward the Lizard. The creature was too slow to react, and the boulder slammed into his side, sending him crashing back. Dashing forward, Spider-Man pressed the Lizard down to the ground.
The Lizard hissed and attempted to fight back, but Spider-Man pushed the Lizard's neck against the cold water using his forearm. Turning to Billy, he shot a web to the young boy's skateboard and yanked it into his hand. He placed the skateboard on his forearm as a shield and shoved the board into the Lizard's mouth, propping it open.
In a flash, Spider-Man uncapped the small beaker in his hand. "Brought you a present, Lizzie. Gene suppressant! Guaranteed to remove even your toughest stains. Grease, mustard, even lizard DNA!" He said as he poured the formula down the Lizard's mouth.
Once the beaker was empty, Spider-Man jumped back and watched as the Lizard began to roar loudly. His guttural, beast-like roars slowly became more human-like as his lizard physiology slowly morphed away to reveal Curtis Connors.
Once he was back to normal, Curtis fell forward to the ground, only to be caught by Spider-Man.
"It's over… I got you, Dr. C," Spider-Man whispered as he held the unconscious man.
Standing to his feet, Spider-Man lifted Curtis over his shoulder and web-zipped over to the railing. Moving quickly, Wyatt and Eddie grabbed Curtis and gently placed the man on the ground.
"You alright?" Wyatt asked Spider-Man as the hero leaned on the railing while clutching his side.
"Yeah… I'll be okay," Spider-Man nodded and looked over to where Martha and Gwen could be seen being led through the Zoo by Billy. "I have to go now... I'll leave the doctor in your hands."
Wyatt nodded and watched as Spider-Man leaped into the air and swung away. Walking over to the group, Wyatt watched as Martha and Billy hugged Curtis with relieved smiles.
"We didn't have the chance before, but I'm Eddie. Eddie Brock. Thanks for helping out." Eddie said as he held out a hand. Wyatt smiled and shook Eddie's hand.
"Wyatt Wilkins. And don't mention it. I'm happy to help."
Gwen jogged over to the two and inspected both of their forms for any injuries. Seeing none, she sighed in relief and hugged both of the young men. "I'm so glad you two are okay." She said.
"Yeah, I'm just relieved we managed to change Doctor Connors back to his human self," Wyatt said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
"Without the threat of a giant lizard tearing through the city, we can finally breathe easy and focus on developing a permanent cure," Gwen responded with a bright smile.
However, the atmosphere shifted when Eddie scanned the area, his expression curious. "Hey, Gwen? Where's Pete?" he inquired, his voice laced with concern.
Gwen's smile faded like a candle snuffed out in the wind, and she seemed to shrink inward, a shadow passing over her features. "He... he said he had to go home," she replied softly, her words barely above a whisper.
"What?! What do you mean? Are you telling me he just... left?" Eddie's voice rose, veining with anger and disbelief. "No, no way. Not my Bro," he insisted firmly, frustration bubbling up within him as he turned on his heel, determined to reach out to Peter.
Wyatt frowned at the turn of events; he felt the weight of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders. He wanted to correct the misunderstandings swirling around them, but doing so would mean exposing Peter's secret life as Spider-Man. With a heavy sigh, he moved closer to Gwen and gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Everything worked out in the end," he reassured her, trying to instill some optimism. "We don't know what Peter is going through right now, so maybe we should cut him some slack?" His tone was calm, but he felt the underlying tension.
Gwen's brows furrowed as she leaned into Wyatt's supportive touch, comforted yet conflicted. "I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "This isn't the first time Pete has left Harry or me behind when we needed him. I don't understand why he does it. Whenever I ask, he brushes it off with some excuse." Frustration mingled with hurt in her eyes, and Wyatt could feel her turmoil.
Unsure of how to respond, Wyatt opted for silence, allowing the weight of their unspoken worries to hang in the air.
Suddenly, a groggy voice broke through their conversation. "W-what happened?" Curtis mumbled as he stirred, blinking as he looked around the area. "Why am I at the Zoo?"
••o••o••o••
An hour after the chaotic events at the Zoo, Spider-Man let out a weary sigh, the sound mingling with the distant hum of the city below. He leaned back against the cool, gritty wall of the rooftop. Perched atop a sprawling building that smelled faintly of oil and rubber from the car repairs conducted below, he took a moment to gather his thoughts. With the weight of his camera resting in his hands, he began to scroll through the images it had automatically captured during his intense confrontation with the Lizard.
"This one looks like a winner," Spider-Man said as he stared at a picture of himself holding back the Lizard.
"I don't know, the lighting is a little off."
Spider-Man's eyes grew wide and he leaped to his feet, ready to fight whoever had snuck up on him. Only to pause as he saw Wyatt, of all people, standing on the rooftop exit with his hands in his pockets.
"Wyatt-I mean, it's you. What are you doing here? How did you follow me?" Spider-Man asked, confused and wary of the situation.
"I flew," Wyatt stated.
"You... flew?"
Wyatt nodded and hopped off the rooftop exit. Landing in a crouch, he stood up straight and looked down at the camera Spider-Man had dropped.
"You know, Spidey," Wyatt began, his voice steady despite the swirl of thoughts in his mind, "I've been wrestling with whether telling you the truth was the right call. I kept wondering if it would be wiser to keep our lives separate and maintain the relationship we've upheld all this time. But after today, I realized that sharing the truth could be our greatest asset. We can help each other more effectively without having to tiptoe around each other's secrets."
"What are you—" Spider-Man began, but his words vanished into the air as a brilliant flash of crimson erupted around Wyatt. For a brief moment, the world around them seemed to pause, engulfed in the vibrant glow.
As the light faded, it revealed Wyatt standing tall and confident, now fully clad in his striking red and white Atomic suit. The fabric shimmered slightly under the moonlight, accentuating his costume's sleek lines and intricate designs. The suit hugged his form, radiating an aura of power and readiness. Spider-Man's eyes widened as he took in the transformation, realizing the gravity of the moment.
"Atomic... Wyatt, you've been Atomic this entire time?" Spider-Man whispered, a rush of realization flooding his mind.
As the pieces began to fall into place, Spider-Man felt a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling within him. All the times Wyatt had been unreachable, and that moment during their first meeting when Wyatt's voice struck a chord of familiarity—despite them having never crossed paths before—now made perfect sense.
Wyatt, a good friend who had always been there for him, as well as for Gwen and Harry, was the same hero who had inspired him to take up the mantle of Spider-Man.
As Spider-Man realized this, he understood that Wyatt had been quietly living a double life, just like him. This revelation filled him with a mix of admiration and disbelief; the person he had come to know was not just a friend but also his inspiration, embodying the true essence of what it means to be a hero.
Slowly, Spider-Man reached up to his mask and slipped it off.
"Did you always know?" Peter asked.
"Yeah... My powers make it easy for me to tell everyone apart, no matter if they have a disguise or not," Atomic said as he removed his helmet in a flash of red. "Your biological makeup is very unique. So after we met that night, it wasn't hard for me to notice that the friend Gwen wanted me to meet was Spider-Man."
"I see... You know, I always thought Atomic was older," Peter remarked, his gaze fixed on Wyatt as he gracefully levitated his camera over to him. As the camera floated into his hands, he chuckled, examining a snapshot of himself mid-battle with the Lizard. A small, tired smile crossed his face as he recalled the chaos. "You know, you could have done more to help back there."
Wyatt waved his hand dismissively, a hint of embarrassment in his tone. "I helped a little, but I didn't want to steal your thunder." With a subtle gesture, Peter felt his suit's cold dampness evaporate instantly, as if it had just been pulled from a warm dryer, leaving him revitalized and comfortable.
"Ah... that's nice," Peter replied, feeling the warmth envelop him.
"I added a thermal layer to the suit," Wyatt explained, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "This way, you'll stay warmer through the winter." There was an earnestness in his voice, a quiet hope that Peter appreciated the gesture. "Sorry if it felt like I pressured you into revealing your secret identity. I just thought it'd be better if we had each other's backs some more."
"No, no, it's fine," Peter said, his eyes drifting toward the dark skyline bathed in the amber hues of the city lights. "Honestly, I'm a little relieved." A sense of ease settled in his heart, knowing that someone else understood his burdens as Spider-Man. "It's kinda nice to know someone knows what I go through."
Wyatt nodded slowly, stepping closer to Peter as they gazed over the city. "It's a hard job."
"It is..." Peter agreed, the weight of their responsibilities hanging in the air.
The two stood in companionable silence, savoring the moment. Despite the circumstances that had led them here, there was a shared sense of peace in knowing each other's secrets; it felt like a bond forged in fire.
"You know... Gwen's pretty pissed at you for leaving," Wyatt finally broke the silence, his eyes landing on Peter's camera. "I've seen some of the pictures you've taken of Spider-Man on the paper, and if you're thinking about selling the pictures from tonight to the Daily Bugle, that might end with her and everyone else at the lab resenting you."
"No, but I.... Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right," Peter admitted with a sigh. With a few taps of his fingers, all the pictures that he took of his fight with the Lizardfied Curtis Connors were promptly deleted. "There goes that paycheck," he whispered.
"...Wanna grab some tacos?" Wyatt asked after a moment of silence.
"...sure."