Peter approached George, encouraged by Gwen's reassuring glance. "It's nice to meet you, sir," he said, extending a hand somewhat cautiously.
"Good to meet you too," George replied, taking the opportunity to study the young man before him. Peter seemed a bit thin, but his attire and demeanor were neat, and his clear eyes suggested honesty and integrity.
As a policeman, George didn't find anything to dislike about Peter at first glance.
"Dinner's ready. I hope you like lemon bass," George said.
"Who wouldn't?" Peter replied with a smile.
Gwen noticed Barry watching the interaction from the doorway. She gave him a look, indicating he should let them have their moment, to avoid startling Peter.
"A panda?" Peter asked, feigning surprise as he noticed Barry for the first time.
"Yes, that's the panda from the Smithsonian Zoo, staying with us for some complicated reasons," George explained, stepping aside to reveal Barry fully.
"Don't worry, he's harmless," George added.
"That's amazing. You get to see a panda up close every day. But I heard they need a lot of bamboo. How do you manage that?" Peter inquired, curious about Barry's living situation with the Stacy family.
"The mayor arranged for a chef to take care of its diet, so we don't have to worry about that," George said as they exited the bedroom. He turned to Gwen, "Let's head to dinner. Your mother must be waiting."
"And you too," he added to Barry as he walked by.
---
At the dining table, Mrs. Stacy had set up a delicious meal featuring lemon bass and cutlery.
In contrast, Barry had a bowl of noodles, four baskets of buns, and bright red sesame pepper dips with chopsticks in front of him.
Peter sat between Barry and Little John, awkwardly poking at the lemon bass with his knife and fork, unsure of where to start. He couldn't help but feel envious as Barry deftly used chopsticks to dip his food into the vibrant sauces.
"You're holding it wrong. The fish head should face away," Mrs. Stacy pointed out, breaking the awkward silence.
"Thanks!" Peter said, attempting to adjust his utensils. Despite his efforts, he was still flustered.
"John, help Gwen's friend with the fish," Mrs. Stacy instructed Little John.
"Oh... I'm not very good at it," Peter admitted, setting down his utensils and glancing at Gwen with a sheepish smile.
"First time, huh?" Little John teased, stepping up to assist Peter with the fish.
Mrs. Stacy noticed Peter's discomfort and decided to change the topic. "George, how was your day?"
Before George could answer, Little John eagerly asked, "Dad, did you catch that Spider-Man group?"
"No, not yet," George replied, taking a bite of fish. "But we will. They're just a nuisance, attacking citizens at night."
"They're clumsy and leave clues, but they're dangerous all the same," George added.
Peter felt a twinge of irritation. "Did they attack civilians? I don't think so," he replied, then quickly softened his tone. "I mean, I saw a video online."
"...About them and the car thieves last night. Most people think they were doing a public service," Peter continued, choosing his words carefully.
"Most people are wrong," George retorted, fixing Peter with a serious look. "If I wanted that car thief gone, he wouldn't be on that street."
"Then why is he still there?" Peter asked without thinking, only to feel a sharp kick under the table.
"Ah!" he yelped, turning in confusion to see Barry quietly eating his noodles.
"Are you alright?" Mrs. Stacy asked with concern.
"I'm fine," Peter replied, though Barry was inwardly cringing. Starting a debate with his potential father-in-law on day one was bold.
Gwen smiled awkwardly, feeling the tension rise.
George raised an eyebrow, setting his utensils down. "Let me be clear. That car thief was a lead to the group behind the scenes. We've been on his trail for almost six months."
"It's strategy. I'm sure you've heard of that term in school?" George continued, his tone growing firmer.
"Yes," Peter mumbled, avoiding eye contact.
"Good," George said, picking up his utensils with a sense of closure, believing he had settled the matter.
Unexpectedly, Peter spoke again. "They clearly didn't know about your plan."
Barry couldn't bear to watch. He finished his noodle soup and retreated to the bedroom.
As the argument escalated, Gwen finally intervened, pulling Peter aside to talk.
The tension in the living room eased as they stepped away.
But soon after, sirens wailed outside the apartment. Police cars with flashing lights parked at the entrance, and George, who intended to have a word with his daughter, quickly left to respond to the call.
Meanwhile, on the Williamsburg Bridge in Queens, an abandoned taxi sat on the bridge, and a monstrous lizard-like figure moved through the traffic, seemingly searching for something.
Ahead of the massive humanoid lizard, a crowd of terrified people screamed on the bridge.
EXTRA CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE IN PATREON
patreon.com/Gho_
patreon.com/Gho_