Chapter 81: CHAPTER 80: Lesson
Arthur jumped out of the car with Jean in his arms. Her body was limp, unconscious.
Even though the Phoenix Force no longer consumed her like before, using her powers had taken a heavy toll. She had pushed her limits—again.
On top of that, she had been the one to contain that strange gas that threatened everyone around—compressing the substance into a sphere before anyone could be contaminated. Fortunately, Petshop had shown up just in time, freezing the gas with a thick layer of ice.
To Arthur, that had already been an impressive performance. Jean deserved some rest.
After gently placing her on the bed, he adjusted the blanket over her. His gaze lingered on her serene face for a moment, and he took a deep breath.
He could easily fix everything right now. A single Senzu Bean would be enough to fully restore Jean.
But he didn't. The first reason was that Jean would be completely fine by morning. The second reason...
Gwen needed to understand the gravity of what had happened. She had to learn that, in certain situations, blind compassion could be just as dangerous as cruelty.
Peter, in that state, had lost everything that made him human. Gwen, by holding back during the fight, had nearly caused a catastrophe.
It's not wrong to be kind… But you can't be kind to just anyone.
Arthur sighed and mentally activated the command:
"System, log in for today."
[Login successful.]
[Daily reward: Random Character Card.]
[Note: The character received will be influenced by the environment at the time of acquisition. Environments with high magical energy increase the chance of magical characters. Near rivers, oceans, or aquatic areas, water-affinity characters are more common.]
Arthur narrowed his eyes at the notification.
"A character card... again?" he muttered, crossing his arms.
This wasn't the first time he'd received that kind of reward. His previous card had granted him some absurd abilities.
Even so, the randomness still bothered him. He watched the card floating in front of him, a faint aura flickering with the energy of the environment.
"If I use this out here, in the middle of nowhere, what am I going to get?"
Arthur sighed and closed his hand, absorbing the card into the system's inventory with a brief gesture.
"Better to save it. If this thing really depends on the location, it's worth waiting to be somewhere decent."
A sudden noise from the balcony caught his attention. Gwen came running in, her face lit up with a smile.
"Arthur! It worked, we won, Peter was contained and—" She stopped abruptly when she saw Jean lying on the bed.
"What happened to her?"
Arthur explained everything calmly, without sugarcoating the facts. Gwen listened in silence and, by the end, lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears.
"It was my fault... I hesitated."
Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder and said, firmly but gently:
"Learning hurts, Gwen. But you'll come out of this stronger."
He left the room, letting Gwen stay by Jean's side. As he stepped out, he murmured to himself with a sigh:
"Another night sleeping alone…"
"Ahh~ It's fine. Maybe it's for the best…"
That was when Ruby appeared, projecting herself beside him in her classic holographic form, her digital eyes glowing with curiosity.
[Master,] she said, with a slightly confused tone.
[Is sleeping together… comfortable?]
Despite her vast database, Ruby still had limitations. Feelings… real experiences… couldn't be translated through text, photos, or videos.
Arthur paused in the hallway, unsure how to respond immediately. That was a… complicated question.
"Ruby…" he finally replied.
"That's not something you can explain. Only feel. And… don't think too hard about it."
[Understood, Master. I will continue monitoring Jean's vital signs.]
"Good. Keep constant watch. An uncontrolled outburst is not an option."
[Confirmed.]
But as he walked away, Ruby kept her eyes fixed on the empty hallway, with an expression almost… human. Confusion. Curiosity. A kind of thirst for understanding that even she couldn't fully comprehend.
The next morning…
Jean woke up slowly. The room was quiet, bathed in the soft morning light. She felt surprisingly well—refreshed, even.
But something was pressing against her arm.
She turned her head. Gwen was there, asleep beside the bed, still in her Spider-Woman suit. Her puffy eyes betrayed that she'd been crying.
Jean smiled, gently brushing Gwen's hair. But as she tried to move, Gwen woke with a jolt. Seeing Jean awake, she immediately threw herself into her arms.
"Jean! Thank God… I'm so sorry, I... I should've been firmer…"
Jean returned the hug, squeezing Gwen tightly.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm fine. I just overdid it a bit."
"You should be happy—you managed to save your friend…"
Downstairs, Arthur was making breakfast. The muffled sound of Gwen's crying reached him, but he didn't mind. He simply smiled slightly.
She needed to go through this. To learn from her mistake.
A soft heart can be a virtue… or a curse.
He thought of a certain universe where Peter, after facing cosmic horrors, destroyed everything simply because he couldn't stop believing in the wrong people.
Kindness is a powerful weapon. But it must be used wisely.
"Alright, Pearl Jam, let's make something amazing for the two of them." He picked up his knife with a grin, summoning his Stand.
Half an hour later…
Jean came down the stairs accompanied by Gwen, who still wore her suit and had red-rimmed eyes. The atmosphere between them was lighter, though the silence said a lot—they seemed much closer now.
Gwen approached Arthur without saying a word. She simply hugged him tightly, as if seeking refuge in his presence.
Jean, standing at the kitchen entrance, crossed her arms and watched the scene with a faint smile on her lips… and a hint of jealousy in her eyes.
Arthur smiled and gently stroked Gwen's hair.
"Hungry?"
"Mmh!" she nodded with a cheerful sound, as if her stomach answered for her.
"Then go get changed. Afterwards, give your suit to Ruby. We're going to make a few upgrades based on the data from your battle last night."
"Upgrades?" Her eyes lit up, already more excited.
"I'm sure you'll like the result. Now go on… and come eat."
Girls have a curious talent: they cry with the same intensity they laugh—and change moods as fast as they swing between rooftops.
As soon as she sat down and took the first bite of breakfast, Gwen's sadness melted away like snow in the sun. Within minutes, she was smiling, laughing alongside Jean.
Arthur, sitting across from them, was completely ignored. No questions. No glances. Just the soundtrack of their laughter and the clinking of cutlery.
He simply watched with a gentle smile. Their happiness was enough.
When the meal ended, he cleared the table and took the dishes to the kitchen, then went upstairs. Sitting in front of his computer, he opened his manuscript and picked up where he had left off.
A few minutes passed before Jean showed up.
She didn't say anything at first. She just entered the room quietly, holding a cup of warm milk. She gently leaned against Arthur's back, resting her chin on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his waist.
Arthur felt the warmth of her touch… and something more. Softness, perfume, presence.
"You're going to distract me like this…" he said, trying to keep his eyes on the screen.
Jean chuckled softly and handed him the cup.
"I thought writers lived for this kind of thing—Inspiration."
"Only if it's to write R-rated scenes."
She rolled her eyes but didn't pull away.
"So, Arthur…" she said in a light tone.
"Have you ever thought about turning these books into movies?"
He paused for a moment. He had honestly forgotten about that since the incident with Kingpin.
"I have plans. But I haven't found the right partner yet. Know anyone reliable, Jean?"
She shook her head.
"Just curious. So… what are you writing now? Don't tell me it's A Song of Ice and Fire."
"I'm finishing the last book of the saga. After that, I plan to take a break. Spend more time with you… and with Gwen."
Jean smiled, but raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well… and who said I want you around, huh, you bastard?"
"There's this certain redhead who keeps asking me to slow down. But when I do, she tells me to speed up." he said with a mischievous smile.
Jean turned red as a ripe cherry. But she didn't back off. On the contrary.
"You wanna know something?" she asked, running her hands shamelessly over Arthur's body.
"Gwen told me about your little adventure in that other universe," Jean continued.
"What exactly did she say?" Arthur asked.
"A lot. About how there are many Spider-Men and Spider-Women across the Multiverse. About her alternate versions you met in that world… About us being married and living in England in that world… About your daughter from the future…"
"She told you pretty much everything." He laughed as he spoke.
"I also found out that a certain someone is destined to be a scoundrel."
Arthur laughed at her comment but tilted his head, slightly curious.
"You sound a little bothered by that…" he teased, raising an eyebrow.
Jean narrowed her eyes, leaning closer as if about to say something serious—or pull something.
"Bothered? That you're a transdimensional scoundrel?" She shrugged. "Not at all. Actually, I think it's kind of… inevitable."
"Well now…" Arthur said, turning to her with an amused smile. "Is that your twisted way of giving me a hall pass?"
"Don't get cocky, Multiverse Casanova." Jean placed a finger on his chest and pushed him gently. "If you want to mess around with other women, crazy versions of anything… go ahead."
Arthur widened his eyes slightly, surprised.
"Seriously?"
She smiled sweetly—deceptively so.
"Sure. As long as you never, under any circumstances, not even in a dream, not even in a universe where cows talk and Gwen is an anteater, forget about me and Gwen."
Arthur fell silent for a second, processing.
"Fair enough. I think I can live with that clause."
"Great," Jean replied, still smiling. "Because if I ever feel like you've left us behind…"
She gave him two soft taps on the face—almost affectionate—then leaned in and whispered sweetly like poison:
"…I'll cut your dick off myself. And throw it into space."
Arthur's eyes widened, then he burst into laughter.
"You say that with such a sweet smile, but I know you mean it."
Jean stepped back with an innocent look.
"Me? Never…"
"But sleep with one eye open, okay?"
She smiled slyly, a mischievous glint in her eyes… and pulled Arthur by the shirt, kissing him deeply before sliding down under the desk.
"Jean…?" he blinked, surprised.
"Shh…"
"Ohh…" he murmured, completely stunned as she pulled his dick out.
(...Where did she learn that...?)
(...Didn't you just threaten him?)
Empire State University — Late Morning
The campus buzzed with students, debates about exams, and side conversations about recent events in the city. Gwen walked with determined steps.
But she had barely reached the courtyard when a familiar voice called out to her.
"Gwen! Wait!" someone shouted from behind.
She turned and saw Harry Osborn hurrying toward her, his face tense and worried.
"Harry…" she said with a tired smile.
"You already heard?"
He nodded, eyes downcast.
"I know. I know everything. About Peter. About what happened to him…"
He took a deep breath, shoulders tense.
"I tried to stop it. I asked my father not to cut Peter's lab funding… But you know him."
"Cold and calculating," Gwen finished, not angry—just stating a fact.
Harry looked at the ground.
"The only time I had a chance to really talk to him was at that Oscorp expo… and even then, it felt like he was just promoting the company, not really caring about the students."
Gwen gently touched his shoulder.
"Harry, none of this was your fault. Peter made his choices. And… he'll deal with the consequences."
He looked into her eyes, grateful.
"Are you going to see him today?"
"Yes." She hesitated for a moment.
"Wanna come with me?"
Harry thought for a few seconds. Then he nodded.
"Sure. I want to be there."
(End of world)
Give me some power stones there you go~😉