The moment the piece of cake slid from Peter Parker's numb fingers and met the floor with a soft, squishy splat, his world tilted.
It wasn't just the sight of the impromptu, passionate kiss between Mary Jane Watson and Su Yi that shattered him; it was the entire context. He hadn't been late for the party; he had arrived precisely at the climax of his own romantic tragedy.
Peter retreated further into the shadow of the corner, the hot steam from the coffee cup in his hand doing nothing to warm the sudden chill in his heart. He hadn't seen the fall, only the intimate, athletic rescue and the subsequent, electrifying reward.
How? Peter's mind screamed, grasping for logic. It's barely been two days since Su Yi arrived. I've known MJ for years. We're neighbors. I… I was going to ask her today!
The coffee, once a simple beverage, was now a cold, chemical disappointment. It tasted not of Arabica, but of bitter regret. He stared at Su Yi, who was now settling back down, radiating an aura of confident, effortless victory. Su Yi was tall, strong, witty, and now, he was kissing Mary Jane. Peter felt small, clumsy, and utterly invisible.
This is what happens when you hesitate, Peter. The internal accusation was harsher than anything Flash Thompson had ever hurled. He had waited, he had planned, and in the space of a single afternoon, another man—a superior man—had walked in and effortlessly claimed the prize.
Su Yi, meanwhile, registered Peter's presence almost instantly, thanks to his enhanced senses. He noted the defeated slump of the shoulders and the heartbreak in Peter's eyes.
[System Note: Conflict and Despair detected in Peter Parker. Minor Fate Divergence in progress.]
[No immediate Fate Points awarded: The relationship between Su Yi and Mary Jane is currently a staged 'guardrail' to prevent Flash Thompson's interference, not a true romantic bond. Full point reward pending genuine pursuit or relationship establishment.]
Interesting, Su Yi mused internally, sipping his juice. The System won't reward an outright, cold-blooded emotional interception unless the relationship is real. I must be careful not to crush the little spider entirely—he still needs to be around for the big fight.
He deliberately kept his back to Peter, maintaining the illusion of intimate conversation with the three women, but his enhanced hearing tracked every ragged breath Peter took in the corner.
The conversation eventually wound down. Betty, ever practical, checked her watch and declared, "I'm sorry, my curfew is fast approaching. I need to head home."
"A wise call," Su Yi agreed, rising with natural grace. "It's been a wonderful afternoon. Thank you for making my first New York coffee experience so memorable."
Mary Jane, now fully embodying her role as the victor's girlfriend, smiled radiantly. "Don't forget, Su. You have a reason to be even happier now."
With a confident ease that made the gesture seem entirely natural, Su Yi slid his arm around Mary Jane's waist. The two walked out of the coffee shop, their body language broadcasting undeniable intimacy.
Peter, still hunched in the corner, felt his last vestiges of hope crumble as he watched them go. He saw Betty wave goodbye and peel off down a side street. He saw Gwen and Su Yi exchange a few words before Gwen, too, headed in her direction, leaving only Su Yi and Mary Jane.
The couple paused at the intersection.
"See you tomorrow, my boyfriend," Mary Jane said, her voice laced with affection—and perhaps a hint of theatrical gratitude for his excellent acting and protection.
"See you tomorrow," Su Yi replied.
Then came the final, devastating blow. Mary Jane rose slightly on her toes and kissed him again, a lingering, undeniable farewell kiss that confirmed the new, brutal reality for Peter. With a final graceful wave, Mary Jane turned and walked away, disappearing into the early evening shadows.
Su Yi took a moment, letting the dramatic pause settle, before finally turning to leave. That was the exact moment he noticed Peter Parker, who had finally crept out of the café, frozen on the sidewalk like a deer caught in headlights. Peter had witnessed everything.
Su Yi decided to use this opportunity to establish a formal relationship—the calculated kind.
"Peter Parker, right?" Su Yi asked, his voice friendly, almost annoyingly casual. "We sit in class next to each other. I'm Su Yi, but everyone just calls me Su. Good to finally introduce ourselves formally."
Peter, caught in the headlights of his emotional wreck, was visibly shaking. "H-hello. Peter. Yes. Nice to meet you, Su."
"See you tomorrow, Peter." Su Yi nodded, then turned to walk toward his own apartment block, leaving Peter shattered on the pavement.
Peter finally managed to move, but his legs felt heavy, as if made of lead. He barely noticed the retreating figure of Su Yi. The only thing echoing in his mind was Mary Jane's voice and the sight of her lips pressed against another man.
She started dating him in one day. One day! All those weeks I wanted to talk to her, all those times I planned to ask her out, and all it took was one confident guy with Kung Fu to steal her.
The pain was suffocating, compounded by his own crippling timidity.
He looked down the street and saw the tail lights of the bus he always took home pulling away from the curb.
"Wait! Hey! Wait for me!" Peter cried out, snapping back to reality. He started running, desperate to catch it, pushing his legs as hard as he could—but his ordinary, unenhanced legs were no match for the bus's speed. He watched it disappear, a second, smaller tragedy capping off the major one.
He stopped, gasping for breath, slumped against a lamppost. The missed bus was a perfect metaphor for his life: always a step too slow, always reacting too late, always watching the opportunity disappear into the distance.
With a heavy heart and the taste of bitter coffee and bitter failure still coating his mouth, Peter began the long, solitary walk home. The sky darkened, and the air grew colder, perfectly matching the void in his chest.
It was nearly an hour past his usual time when Peter finally arrived at the familiar, cozy porch of his home. He turned the key quietly, hoping to slip in, but the light was on.
Aunt May was waiting. She stood in the doorway, her expression a mix of worry and faint annoyance. Despite the hardships, Aunt May retained a gentle, comforting beauty, her concern for Peter always overriding her frustration.
"Peter Benjamin Parker," she said, her voice firm but soft. "You are an hour late. I called your phone four times. You didn't answer."
Peter flinched. "I'm so sorry, Aunt May. I… I didn't even hear it ring."
May took one look at his face—the tear tracks, the haggard expression, the utter devastation in his eyes—and her demeanor instantly softened. The lecture dissolved into pure, maternal concern. She had seen this look before, the look of first love ending before it even began.
"Oh, sweetie. Come in, come in. Never mind the phone. Tell me what happened. You look like you just fought a losing battle with the whole world." She led him gently into the kitchen.
Peter hesitated, wanting to keep the humiliation private, but he couldn't hold it in. "It's about… Mary Jane."
May poured him a glass of milk and sat him down. "Anna's niece? That sweet girl with the bright red hair? Did you finally ask her out, and she said no?"
Peter shook his head miserably. "Worse. I didn't ask her. I was going to. But… she already started dating someone. A new kid at school. They met yesterday, and now they're a couple."
"Oh, Peter," May said softly, taking his hand. "My poor boy. That's a rough day."
"I was too slow," Peter whispered, the deepest wound exposed. "I saw him, Su Yi. He's amazing. He's everything I'm not. Brave, strong, confident. It's normal that she fell for him in a day. I just keep wishing I had been faster, been braver, had just said something sooner."
Aunt May squeezed his hand firmly. "Peter, listen to me. Feelings aren't built on a stopwatch. They happen when they happen. But you're missing the important lesson here."
She paused, looking deep into his eyes. "I fell in love with your Uncle Ben the very first time I saw him. We both knew, instantly. But what I want you to remember is this: There is no going back in life. You can't change what you didn't do. But you can change what you will do."
"You are intelligent and kind, Peter. You are an excellent person. But excellent people have to be brave, too. You have to take the initiative. You have to be proactive. You can't stand on the sidelines and watch the bus drive away. If you see someone who needs help, or if you see an opportunity for good, you have to step up."
She patted his head again. "Your kindness is your greatest strength, but courage is the muscle that moves it. The next time you see a choice, big or small, don't hide. Don't wait for someone else. Show your true self, Peter."
Her words, intended to soothe a teenager's heartbreak, resonated with a deeper, prophetic weight. Peter listened, the bitterness receding, replaced by a seed of resolve.
"You're right, Aunt May. Thank you. I… I think I just needed to hear that."
"Now, let's eat dinner," she smiled, rising to check on the stove. "You can conquer the world tomorrow, but tonight, you conquer this meatloaf."
Peter managed a small smile. The pain hadn't vanished, but the guidance of his Aunt May, combined with the humiliation of watching his dream claimed by another, had ignited a fierce desire to be proactive. His personal defeat was now forging his heroic resolve. The path of the little spider was about to begin.