I'm working on Marvel's Spider-Man in American comics.

Chapter 203 Gwen's Melancholy

"I just asked you out like this... Will Cindy be angry?"

When Peter handed the coffee he bought to Gwen, Gwen asked a question that Peter had never thought of before. Peter gave her a "what nonsense are you talking about?" look, which made Gwen raise an eyebrow as she held the coffee.

"I was just thinking, you two have the same spider abilities, and you've been on missions together four or five times already. She's also very smart and in the same class as you, and she likes to sit next to you... I thought you two were already a couple."

“No…” Peter said as he sat down next to Gwen. The two sat on a bench in Central Park. People occasionally passed by, but no one stopped to listen to their conversation.

Gwen seemed to have suddenly grasped something important.

"Wait, are you so obsessed with being Spider-Man because being a superhero allows you to escape the girls who like you?"

Peter took a deep breath. He wouldn't say it was true, but perhaps it was a little.

"So... what do you want to talk about, or is there anything I can help you with?"

“No, I don’t need any help.” Gwen just held her coffee without taking a sip. “You… don’t you think you’re getting a little too obsessed with being Spider-Man? How long has it been since you helped Aunt May at the charity dinner? How long has it been since you helped Uncle Ben fix his car? You’ve even stopped having dinner with them so often, haven’t you? I’m usually the one who eats with those two.”

Peter fell silent. It was true; with each new supervillain and enemy that came his way, Spider-Man had to defeat, leaving him with less and less time to spend with his family. Moreover, both Uncle Ben and Gwen knew what he was doing, and to avoid worrying Aunt May, they hadn't told her, so they often had to cover for Peter.

"I'm sorry, but perhaps I really don't have the time."

"Does this city really need Spider-Man that much? You could spend some time doing other things, couldn't you? There's no need to work so hard! New York won't go crazy without you for a few hours."

Peter suddenly realized something, silently sipping his coffee while staring intently at Gwen. Gwen, feeling uneasy under his gaze, asked with displeasure, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

“No, you’ve said a lot, but it just doesn’t sound like something Gwen Stacy would say.” Peter put his coffee cup aside, smiled, and tilted his head. “We’ve known each other for a long time, Gwen. We even knew each other before I was adopted by Uncle Ben, when I came to visit him.”

"Then……"

"You know I like Sherlock Holmes, and you also know that I know you."

When Peter first discovered that Stacy's and Parker's families were neighbors in this world, he suspected it was Earth-65, the world of Gwen Stacy, since only in that universe were Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy childhood friends. However, many plot points from the MCU movies occurred, leaving him confused about which universe this was.

So when Peter attended the science fair, he initially thought the spider would bite Gwen and was even considering whether he should get bitten himself. However, Cal King simply placed the spider on his neck, ending the problem.

Gwen looked at Peter with dissatisfaction: "So what?"

“From childhood to adulthood, you’ve always helped me. You helped me deal with those school bullies, and when I overestimated myself and tried to stop the bullying, you would stand up for me.” Peter said helplessly, “You introduced me to friends, hoping that I wouldn’t be isolated at school. You’ve really helped me a lot.”

"You're welcome."

"And now, I don't need your help anymore."

Gwen's expression froze instantly, then she took a small sip of her coffee.

“I’m not saying you’re trying to get validation from me. What I mean is, you’re in a similar situation to me; you also want to help others, especially those around you. But now you realize that there’s nothing you can do to help me with the things I’m facing.”

Gwen put down her coffee cup and looked at Peter.

"I can help you! It's just that you never tell me what you need help with!"

"I didn't tell you because it's too dangerous. Even if I don't face supervillains, I still have to deal with all sorts of dangerous enemies every day." "But I don't have to fight them!"

"What if they find out you're helping Spider-Man?!"

"Then why are Harry and Amadeus able to help?!"

“Because…” Peter was about to explain when his spider-sense went off, and his phone rang at the same time. He picked up the phone, saw the caller ID, and sighed helplessly.

“Gwen… I really don’t know how to talk to you about this. But never say that this city will be fine without Spider-Man.”

Peter shook his head helplessly as he answered the phone: "Coulson? It's me, what's up?"

"Something's happened, Spider-Man." Coulson was panting heavily on the other end of the phone, clearly in a terrible situation, as if he had been caught off guard and something was wrong on his end. What Coulson said next shocked Peter even more.

"The riots had been possessing Ward all along. He launched a raid just before the Aegis carrier was about to arrive in New York, stealing three more symbiotes, which then possessed Fitz and Simmons respectively."

Needless to say, the fourth riot will definitely be used as well. He possessed Ward to gather all his kind together. And Ward, a Hydra agent who had been manipulated, was far easier to control than he had imagined by stirring up his dark side.

In other words, Peter will be facing four symbiotes.

"How long until the Aegis carriers arrive?"

“Three hours. The director said there’s something wrong with Glendale, and no one can support you.” Coulson got to the heart of the matter: “It’s all up to you, Spider-Man.”

Gwen, who had overheard the communication, was speechless. She had just said that New York would be fine even without Spider-Man, but now, New York was in trouble again, and only Spider-Man could solve it.

“It’s dangerous, isn’t it?” Gwen watched Peter stand up, her face serious. “I guess you wouldn’t ask me for help.”

“This is more dangerous than ever, Gwen.” Peter’s expression was more serious than ever before. He wasn’t unfamiliar with fighting enemies far stronger than himself, like Anansi, but back then, he had Thor’s hammer. Now, he and Venom had to face four symbiotes. And their attack signified Grendel’s imminent awakening.

"Then I'll be going now, so you won't worry too much."

"Gwen."

Peter called out to Gwen, who looked at Peter holding the phone and waited for him to speak.

"...Do not return to Manhattan until you are safe to do so."

Gwen remained silent as Peter left, but an untimely voice appeared behind her: "I guess you were thinking he should say that you are different from them."

Startled, Gwen jumped to her feet and looked at Felicia Hardy standing behind the bench. After calming herself down for a while, she asked, "You...when did you get here?"

"As someone who has been sitting on the bench in a daze for three minutes, your question is a bit redundant."

As Felicia spoke, she handed something to Gwen. Gwen didn't take it, but instead asked, "What's this?"

"I don't care whether the evidence of Wilson Fisk's crimes is given to your father or that kid, but the point is, if Spider-Man says Manhattan is going to be unsafe, then...maybe it is."

　I'll post a chapter at noon to maintain the update momentum.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)