A Spider's Web

The characters in this story are property of Marvel comics. I have used them in honor of the comic series and admiration for the characters. This story is original and is in no way tied to any of the canons of the Marvel Universe (to save myself the grief of working with time lines). This story contains adult material of a sexual nature. If it is illegal for you to view such material, turn back now. This work is copyrighted to the author. Do not post this on any other site or use it for personal gain. It is for entertainment purposes only. Thank you.

Note: This particular chapter isn't very sexual and to those waiting to read some hot romps between our heroes will be disappointed, to which I apologize. However, this particular chapter is an important one for the set up of the relationship Spider-Man must choose and to those who have enjoyed the story and/or the sex within the story should hopefully enjoy this chapter just as much. That aside, the next chapter will make up for it. I promise. ;)

*

He had faced super powered foes the likes of which no mere man could possibly topple. He had encountered dangers that defined what it truly means to be a hero. He had done the impossible and more and yet still, Spider-Man never thought he would be facing this kind of challenge: being torn between two beautiful women. By all definitions of the word Peter Parker was a nerd. A dork, a spazz, you name it, he fit it. Of course the bite of the radioactive spider all those some odd years ago helped his physical stature and grew a bit more confidence in him, enabling him to win the heart of Mary Jane, the first woman in his tug of war of love and lust, and his adventures resulting there from ran him into the Black Cat, the second woman in his plaguing dilemma. So how, of all people, did this nerd/hero manage to find himself in a predicament most men would give their left arm for?

Spider-Man tossed this situation in his mind constantly since that night with Black Cat as he swung through the New York streets. He had become so common that many residents hardly peered up twice at the red and blue hero as he made like Tarzan through the jungle of concrete and metal, and he had become so used to the act that he could set his mind elsewhere while he navigated safely. What troubled Spidey the most was not the decision he would have to make, but that he hadn't made it. He naturally assumed that Mary Jane was the girl for him. His one and only, he true love. That any other woman before and after her would never compare and would never stand between them. Yet now here he was, sailing over a sea of traffic, unable to choose between the woman after his heart and the woman after this, well, his Lil' Petey.

So deep in thought that the busy sounds of the city were muted in his ears, turned down so low that he bypassed all the siren wails, the gun fire cracks, the piercing screams for help. Don't worry, these matters of criminal behavior were all tended to by the police, and as our hero swung by, the police were both surprised and pleased that for once the costumed "menace" had passed up intervening for once and letting the boys in blue earn their pay. However he couldn't turn down the volume on the unique sounds emanating from the trouble down town, the kind of sound that only comes from a super powered villain. Snapping back to his duties, Spider-Man swung with more ferocity and purpose. He needed a break from his crisis but he knew it wouldn't be for long.

Clang! Crash! Clang! Boom! The mix of metal and explosions seared the street as the infamous Doc Ock laughed with horrid amusement. Clutched under his human arms were two high tech devices he would undoubtedly use for his own evil ends. Most villains and even small time crooks stole such things to sell on the black market and use the money for weapons far too powerful for their own good, but a brilliant mind, though wrought with insanity, like Dr. Octavius' would simply improve on it, for the worse of mankind of course. So amused with his destruction, arrogantly slow and methodical, he didn't notice the costumed hero swinging in towards him, legs parallel to another and feet flat and aimed at the doctor's chest, before it was too late. The incredible impact sent the doc off balance, his arms loosening to drop the devices, only to have them quickly webbed and swung out of reach on a roof top, laid safely to be returned later.

Landing on a lamp post behind Doc Ock, Spider-Man leered over him mockingly.

"Now now, Doc, if you wanted to play with other scientists toys you need to ask politely. I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you in time out. I think...20 to 40 years 'ought of set you right," Spider-Man mocked. His head soon craned upward as the villain pushed himself higher from the ground, his four mechanical arms extending to give him the high ground.

"Ignorant insect! Those are rightfully my inventions! Those

hacks

at the institute claimed them as their own after my glorious transformation. I am merely taking back my work to be completed. Only a mind of my magnitude could truly appreciate the workings of a transmuting quantomnomatic flux-" Doc Ock arrogantly replied, only to be cut off by the mocking hero.

"Compacitator hyper ray. Yeah, I know what it is. Any physics student with half a semester's worth of knowledge could have recognized such shotty workmanship," Spidey mockingly put, scoffing at the scientist turned villain.

"Gah! How dare you insult my work you meddling menace!" Doc exclaimed before launching a tentacle at the hero. The mechanical limb hit concrete and took down the post as the spider man leaped out of the way. Another limb was sent his way to try and catch him mid air, only to have the claw of it secured into another heft of concrete.

Before the doctor could end up using the next two tentacles, Spider-Man secured those to the street as well with globs of webbing. He piled on some concrete and secured it with more webbing as he didn't want the doctor going anywhere. Struggle as he might the octopus man could not budge.

"Good, you've settled down. While I have you here I need someone to talk to and I think you're the only one of my foes with enough IQ points to keep up with me," Spider-Man reasoned. So desperate for a second opinion, he had decided to unload his problems onto the unwilling ear.

An hour of so passed, Spider-Man's case explained and his emotions loaded on for filling The doctor hung from his mechanical limbs limp, jaw ajar as he contemplated suicide to escape hearing another word from the mouth of his foe. "So what do you think, doc? What should I do?"

Blinking slowly the doctor breathed heavily as he stared at the hero. "Firstly, you are a monster. I've done some awful things in my time but tie up my foe and force them to listen to my problems? I have to commend you on your knack of evil. Secondly, you sicken me. I cannot perceive of a woman who could stand to be in a room with you for two minutes before turning to a life of crime just to spite you, let alone two. Not only two, but two gorgeous women, or so you claim. Lastly, although I may be a villain, as you have so kindly branded me, I am a gentleman and a man of honor and would never turn my back on a commitment to my lover. The fact that you are considering to do so speaks volumes of you, now doesn't it?" he finally finished, going back to hanging limp and rolling his head. "Now can I please go to jail now?"

Although most of his advice was merely malicious, Spider-Man figured he did have a point. What kind of husband was he if he was even considering continuing things with Black Cat? Although it took the ravings of a lunatic to set him straight, Spidey knew he had to do the right thing. "Sure thing, Doc. If I ever need an ear I'll come find ya!" yelled Spider-Man as he swung off to return home, after returning the stolen devices of course, and leaving Doc Ock in the capable hands of special task force of the police department to handle the doctor.

With a new outlook on his situation, Spider-Man swung more happily through the streets, wasting no time to get home. Only time spent outside his travel was to pick up some roses for his sweet Mary Jane. At the height of a swing he was pounced upon by a black and white blur, taking him down to the roof top shortly below. After a quick roll on the concrete he found himself pinned by his dirty pleasure Black Cat, smiling wickedly down at him, leaning forward to bare generous cleavage. Since his spider sense didn't go off when he was tackled he knew she meant no harm, thus no danger, and decided that this was as good a time as ever to explain to her how they couldn't see each other.

"Now where have you been, Mr. Spider-Man? I haven't seen you in a week since our last encounter," purred the Black Cat, putting a seductive tone to the word 'encounter'. Leaning close she nibbled on his neck through his suit, grazing her breasts against his chest as her hips gyrated.

Damn this is gonna be hard to do

..., Spider-Man thought. Not only was she beautiful, sexy, and an amazing lay, but she was all over. Not even Mary Jane showed him that kind of wonton sexual desire. Fighting against his male urges he gently pushed away her advances.

Frowning, Cat sat up, arms hugged under her breasts shyly as she wondered what she did wrong. "Too fast? Enjoyed the little tease last time, huh?" She reasoned, perking up as she deduced that had to be the reason for his rejection. "No problem!" She happily bounced after she got off his lap, playfully swaying her hips as she innocently pouted his way. "Oh Spider-Man, I've been an awfully naughty cat burgler tonight. You're gonna have to punish me." She put on with a teasing tone. Not the most original line ever spoken, but she was too anxious for another romp with her love to think too cleverly. A first for the sexy minx.

Spidey sighed as he sat up, flowers, which were a little tattered from the pounce and roll, in hand and plucked a few stray petals from his uniform. "Cat, look, we need to talk. That night last week was...amazing, I mean...wow, really amazing, but the thing is --" He was cut off mid revelation though by the joyous squeal of a girl possessed.

"Are those flowers for me?! Aw, Spidey!" She bounced on back over and took the flowers easily from him, he too embarrassed for her to fight her. She dove her face into the petals, breathing in deep to catch the scent at its freshest. "They're so lovely, and I went and messed them up too," she finally admitted to with a giggle, finding them pretty still anyway. "And here I thought you were just gonna treat this as a sexual relationship, but here you are bringing me flowers. You ol' softy," she cheerfully said before giving him a very innocent peck on the cheek.

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, Cat. This 'relationship' can't really be anymore than a friendship," Spider-Man bluntly put. Black Cat was a big girl, he figured, he wasn't going to treat her like a child.

From the look on her face, half masked by, well, a mask, it would appear as if someone had just ripped out her heart and tossed it away carelessly. She had to fight for this though. She had guessed he may be resistant but she was so convinced that he was the one for her that she wouldn't let him say no. "But...but...," she stammered, but the words didn't come like she hoped for.

"You're awesome Cat, you really are, but I can't be with you how you want me to be. There's...another woman. I love her, Cat. With all my heart I love her. I'm sorry."

Now the words were coming, she was recovering from the train that had hit her now. "You can't be serious! How can there be anyone who understands you like I do? Correct me if I'm wrong but I think I'm the only costumed chick swinging around and leaping buildings like you, Spidey. I'm one of the few that really gets the chase you and I share. You can't deny that there's something special between us," she said, hoping to sway him to her. She caressed the spider emblem on his chest as she looked at him past half closed eye lids. "Come on, let me convince you that I'm the only girl for you."

Spider-Man was more decisive now, pushing her away again and backing himself up. "I'm sorry, Cat. I can't deny that there is something between us, which is what makes this so incredibly hard, but I don't think we can see each other again, even as friends. I fear I may fall for the temptation you bring. My heart belongs to another and the mere fact that I couldn't see that truth so clearly then as I do now troubles me." Spider-Man, hating himself for having to do this to Cat, never figuring she would be so devastated, started to turn from her. He didn't fathom that she would be so crushed. He had known her as a playful thing, so carefree and seductive that he only figured she wanted him as a sexual thrill. As arrogant as a thought it may be, he imaged that a lot of women would love to sleep with him just to say they had. Black Cat seemed to harbor more feelings beyond that for him and that's what was tearing him up inside. He felt like such a prick but he knew he would feel worse if he didn't stay true to Mary Jane.

"But I love you, Spider-Man!" she yelled to him, nearly breaking down into tears as the man of her dreams was walking from her.

He stopped and sighed. "That's just it though, Cat, you love Spider-Man. There is a man under this mask, and both his and Spider-Man's heart belongs to another. You only want the costume, the hero. That night one week ago I offered to take my mask off for you, to show you the man underneath, but you denied me that. You don't love me, you love Spider-Man, and that's only half of me," he explained. He hadn't considered that himself until the words were spoken, each syllable coming out as if it had been on his lips waiting this whole time.

She was speechless, unable to move, to grab out at his arm to try and stop him from swinging away but there he went. Away into the night. Every sound around her became muffled and dulled as she leaned back against a wall. Her plump lips parted in confused breaths, unsure of what to do with herself. She had given herself to him, she had bared her heart and soul to this man and he rejected her. Not since her days in college, since her last boyfriend, a man she'd love to forget, had she even let another man touch her like she had let him. What was she to do?

Although he felt horrible for Black Cat, Spider-Man felt clearer than ever before. He knew where his heart belonged now and nothing would cause him to doubt that again. As he climbed into his bedroom window he found MJ asleep, nestled under a plump comforter. No nighty and naughty undies on her tonight, not like last week (which is not to say their sex life is a once a year affair). He peeled his costume off and climbed into bed with her, kissing the nape of her neck and dozing off peacefully for the first time in a week. Still saddened by the state he left Black Cat in, he knew her, he knew she would bounce back and find another hero to lead on chases that showed off her every muscle and curve. Another man to giggle at and tease, to lead on only to let fall. Another hero to convince to let her go another night a free woman. The fact that he couldn't get her off his mind will not capture his attention for some time.

Elsewhere Black Cat sat on a building ledge, the building where she gave herself to him. That bastard she trusted and then let stomp on her heart. Each petal from the flowers she had taken from him fell with the words "he loves me not" muttered in her head. No silly game from childhood could undo the facts of what was now her gross reality. She grimaced as each red petal drifted slowly to the ground, to be ignored and trampled on by pedestrians.

Peasants

. She thought.

Mortals, even. I bet this other woman is one of them. A simple girl with no uniqueness like myself. She doesn't deserve him, and he doesn't deserve me!

Her emotions were rampant through the spectrum available. Jealousy, anger, loneliness, depression, and still even love lingered. Sitting on an emotional landmark for her, with such screaming feelings pumping through her, it was no wonder it found her. She might as well have been screaming at it to come, begging it to her. That empathetic ooze, that leeching oil that had been searching for a partner since it had lost two hosts and escaped that overly sterile Richards lab. Crawling day after day, night after night, dripping and gripping along the cracks of society, slithering through the underbelly to find someone who was in need enough of it, who could produce the thrill it needed. It made the process so much easier.

It whispered to her, a faint tickle in the back of her mind that she willingly accepted as her own voice, as the sympathetic reassurance that she needed now more than ever. It was only too late before it had snared her, wrapped around her and oozed over her ever curve and contour. Though they always start scared and confused, they eventually accept it, accept the Symbiote as a part of their person, their new person. It would give her the power to get what she wanted, to be with who she wanted, and to remove any competition that stood in her way...