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***
-Oh, I'm so good.
After flashing my white, clean teeth in front of the mirror, I rinse the rest of the toothpaste off the brush.
Perhaps many would say that a reborn person in the new world has much more important and cool things to do, but apparently these people have never cried over a dentist bill.
In my new life, I made it a rule to take care of the body I had been given. Even though from the outside I looked like a small, unattractive runt, but the pumped-up muscles, sparkling smile and clear skin made me much more attractive in the eyes of the opposite sex.
Yes, I had to work hard on myself. Often overpowering, throwing aside whining and arguments to get up at dawn for exercise again.
Thai boxing, working with weights and stretching in the morning ... The recipe for a future superhero is ready. At the beginning of my nascent career, I tried to repeat the famous feat of the bald assassin from another popular universe, but I didn't get anything super.
-Nothing, nothing," I patted my cheeks, rubbing my dad's stolen cologne on my cheeks, "I'll be a cool hero myself. No serums or mutant powers or anything like that. I'm gonna be the local Batman, bringing the gods down to earth.
-Sean, what are you doing? My dad'll be back from his shift soon!
The bathroom door shook with a woman's fists as outrage and promises of extraterrestrial retribution poured in from the other side.
-Wait a minute, darling... -What am I, darling?
-What darling am I to you? Open the door now, or I won't be held accountable at school!
-Yes, yes...
As soon as the latch was pulled aside, the naked fury flew in, her luscious size two breasts rippling as she ran. Her tangled hair swept over her shoulders, covering part of her neck and collarbone. Unnaturally white skin speckled with freckles glistened with fresh hickeys in many places.
Ignoring the angry face, I reflexively reached forward, wrapping my hand around one of the hills, savouring the softness and elasticity of it, which actually knocked the punishing nemesis out of her rut.-Ahem, ahem," she put one hand to her side, the other crunching her fingers, hinting at my imminent fate, "am I disturbing you?
-No. If it were up to me, I'd crush your tits every time I-
-Haven't you been punched in the face in a while? -Yeah. I told you to get out of here 20 minutes ago! What the fuck are you still doing here?
-I'm tidying up," my thumb slid to the side, resting on the top of a swollen nipple, "a real man should always look perfect.
-Um," Kristen moaned meekly, taking a timid step forward, wrapping her arms around my head and pulling me in for a kiss. Our deep kiss was accompanied by deep breathing for a few languid seconds before the girl pulled back, "Go home already.
-Nerd.
The games were over, I could see it in her eyes. And if I want to get my knickers off that pale arse one more time, it's worth getting the hell out of here.
-Okay, okay," I grabbed my coat from the back of the chair and threw it on my shoulder, walking down the stairs, not saying goodbye.
-Yeah, see you later.
The door slammed behind me with a loud bang, but it wasn't a big deal. Kristen's easygoing. She'll nag, she'll nag, and then she'll call me over when she's tired of playing with the TV remote.
Well, what do you expect? Times are hard these days, not everyone has enough money for good toys.
I put a couple of candies in my mouth, thus interrupting the feeling of hunger, I inhale the flavour of the city, feeling a lot of funny impurities in it.
The neighbourhood where Kristen lived was much more affluent and wealthy than the shanty towns where the Irish migrants or Uncle Ben's Jewish friends lived.
There were clean streets, white kerbs, and even clean, well-maintained lawns with small flowerbeds.
People in sportswear and with dogs on leashes ran past me. Mums with prams were walking, and children were quietly skateboarding and rollerblading, not afraid that someone would knock them down or steal them. Idyll in a word.
Coming here for the first time, I got a blue screen, not believing that such a place could even exist in the city. But look at this, people live here. And they're doing fine. Goddamn Brooklyn.
Greenpoint was part of Brooklyn, growing and rebuilding. It was home to peaceful and quiet Poles who preferred to live out their lives in peace, without causing a lot of shit. Money had long been poured into the area, creating a cosy retreat on the edge of the island. On three sides it was backed by the river, and from the south it went to Williamsburg - the abode of hipsters and similar guys with a lot of cafes, music halls and cosy alleys.
In short, the place is extremely convenient and cool. If I was reborn somewhere here, I would definitely not be able to do my heroics in the current volume.
I'm sure the Polish grannies wouldn't get on my dad's nerves and just call the cops, dooming the town to a loss of justice.
-Well, it's nice here after all," I looked back at Greenpoint one last time and took out a packet of cigarettes, lighting up and exhaling the smoke that hid the lamplight streets of the neighbourhood from me, "but home is better.
***
To my own surprise, my interactions with Peter had had an extremely positive effect on my attitude towards my studies. Now Parker had no idea that he was going to live the homeless life of the honest-to-goodness super, so he was absorbing knowledge with the grip of a Rottweiler.
He enjoyed learning and teaching me, cramming me with knowledge far beyond my current level. Not that I'd ever been an idiot for whom the school curriculum was the limit of dreams, but good old Pete was enthusiastically pounding into me a university course in chemistry, physics and maths, telling me that if I couldn't get a job, I could at least brew meth to support his research.
Yeah, I'm a bad influence on Spider-Man.
So when Pete asked me to go to the science fair, I took it easy, knowing what it was about and realising that I might even get something out of it.
-Morning. Saturday. Parkland and sunshine. Perfect time for a date. Yes, Pete?
-Let go of my hand and look straight ahead,-" Parker pulled his palm out of my grasp to my gleeful laughter and smiled, "I'm sorry,Shawn. But you're not going anywhere, MJ's too tightly lodged in my heart.
-Why am I here and not your redheaded friend?
-Well, she couldn't-
-You didn't call her.
-Yes...
-Then there's no excuse. Maybe a couple of gay jokes would help your confidence.
-Eh.
Yeah, Pete was still having problems with little MJ. Even with the advantages of being in the neighbourhood, the brave Jewish boy couldn't work up the courage to ask his sweetheart out. It's a sad story that will probably only be resolved when Parker puts on his colourful trousers.
As we chatted about nothing, we were among the first to reach the entrance to the outdoor exhibition. It was a beautiful day, so there was no fear of wind or sudden rain. The clever scientists must have done something to make it rain four days before their event.
-I'll go straight to Dr Connors, he's supposed to be here as the guest of honour. -I'll go straight to Dr Connors.
-I can't understand anything he writes in his papers anyway," I look around, resigned to the fact that I'll be wandering around alone for most of the exhibition, and randomly pick one of the topics I've seen in the promotional booklet. The laboratory of applied physics should be interesting, as they say, "The carpentry workshop of the Universe".
But on the way to my goal I quite by accident came across someone whom I certainly did not expect to see at an event of this level. To make you understand, an open-air exhibition is more like a village fair. Here they show not especially important projects and more theoretical calculations, trying to attract future students. No expensive equipment is brought here and it's all sponsored by charitable organisations trying to avoid taxes.
But, thanks to all of the above, it's possible to get here even for such a barefoot like Peter and me. And most importantly, there's a chance to meet some normal scientist who'll give in to the urge and visit the event.
And that's the chance I got.
A little away from the stands, having set up his own small tent, hiding from the sun and casual glances, an extremely interesting scientist was sitting at the table.
A middle-aged man, with a small belly and a bald spot. He wore a shabby lab coat, under which an old green jumper peeked out.
The man worked quietly in a corner, fiddling with his project, occasionally adjusting his glasses that were slipping down his nose and cursing in a low voice.
There was an aura of disinterest around him that repelled the few curious onlookers, but I wouldn't say that the doctor was against this outcome.
As soon as I got within arm's length of his desk, the man slowly tore his gaze away from his desk. Sighing heavily, thus conveying all the pain over the arrival of yet another dumb teenager, Dr Otto Octavius put the screwdriver aside, folding his fingers into a lock and piercing me with a serious look.
-Doctor.
-The young man.
-What are you doing? Doesn't look like an exhibition project, sir.
I could hardly contain my excitement, but something must have slipped into my gaze that made Otto lean back in his chair with a surprised snort and spread his arms out to the sides.
-What does it look like, my young friend?
-More like a school project," I grabbed a small manipulator claw from the table, barely fitting in the palm of my hand, "a robot hand. A lonely teenager's dream.
-Mine Goth.
-I'm sorry, when I'm nervous I make awkward jokes," I scratched my head and put my work back in place, under Otto's scrutinising, sad gaze. "So, what are you doing, doc?
-Eh, -apparently realising that silence and ironic glances would not get rid of me, the good doctor leaned closer to the table, explaining himself in simple enough terms that even a child could understand, -a tool for safe work with dangerous things at a distance.
-This is the prototype for the larger version? Or will you be working with tiny substances?
-Some of both.
-I see," I squatted down so that the table was at eye level, I scrutinised the manipulator closely, "it's kind of.... I don't know. It's kind of wooden.
-What do you mean, wooden?
Apparently, my last comment had hurt Octavius a lot, because he finally stopped speaking in a tired half-whisper.
-I mean it's jerky. It moves jerkily," I twirled a small manipulator and pressed a couple of buttons that were connected to the project by wires, "it looks like a horrible mixture of a child's toy and that grabber from the amusement park's lottery machines.... Sir.
-Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh. Please, young man, keep your lewd comparisons to yourself.
-I'm sorry, -the manipulator under my control began to twist round its axis, squeaking and straining the joints, -oh, how hard it is for him. It would be cool if it moved like a tentacle. You know, like a tentacle, like a tentacle, like a tentacle, like a tentacle, like a tentacle.
-Ya, that would be great," Otto made a couple of notes in his notebook, pressing his lips together and caressing the little construct, "but with our current capabilities, it's not realistic. It's too complicated, too labour-intensive and, most importantly, it would be extremely expensive. I doubt you'd be a secret millionaire and sponsor the creation of such a thing.
-Oh, I'd like to be a secret millionaire, Dr Octavius," I ignored his raised eyebrows and picked up a couple of parts lying in disarray on the table, "do you mind, sir?" he said.
Tracing my every movement, Otto shook his head smoothly as he continued to watch the parts, which in my hands took on the appearance of a segmented scolopendra tail. Picking up identical plates with holes in them, I simply threaded ordinary wire through them, creating a kind of limb.
-Here we go. To begin with.-Hmm, allow me, young man," Otto held out his hand demandingly, and without waiting for my response, he pulled out the piece he had assembled on his knee, immersing himself in his thoughts. While one hand was twirling the sample of the manipulator made according to the orcish scheme, the free palm grasped the pens, starting to frantically scribble down the scientist's thoughts in a notebook, - an extremely interesting idea. Painstaking, but much easier and, most importantly, cheaper. Who knew that a trip here would pay off a little bit?
-By the way, what are you doing here, sir?
-М?
-Well, the tent's not ready, no assistants, and it's more of a project to kill the boredom for myself.
-Ah, that's-- It's just that the lights in the lab went out and the backup generator is only on file.
-Yeah, nothing changes from one world to the next. -Yeah.
Whispering to myself under my breath, I retreat completely into the shade of the tent, escaping the burning sun. The weather, unusual for this time of year, was scorching. I wish there was a breeze.
-Yes, it will definitely work....
Meanwhile, the doctor was already lost to the world, completely immersed in his work, disassembling the manipulator and reassembling it from small pieces.
-Operative... Well, I'll be off then.
-Yeah, yeah, I won't keep you, young man, and thank you for your help. -Yeah.
-Yeah. -Goodbye, sir.
Bowing awkwardly to one of Marvel's future most colourful villains, I quickly turned on my heels, intent on finding something else to distract me and think about my actions. The encounter with Dr Octopus had thrown me off balance and I thought of nothing better than to show off to the future supervillain.
"Dickhead, you're going to get tentacles and-"
-Mine enshuldigung, young man," the doctor's voice sounded behind me, and he even got up from the table and caught up with me, holding out his palm, "I mean, I wanted to say my apologies. I never got your name.
"Pussy."
-Am, Sean," my first impulse to say the name of any other acquaintance I didn't feel sorry for was instantly quelled by my conscience, "Sean Sullivan, sir.
-Dr Otto Octavius," Otto proudly pronounced the first word, and then clapped me on the shoulder, "I'll remember your name. If science is not an empty sound to you, then come to me after graduation. I think I could use a fresh perspective on some things.
-Wow. -I mean, yeah. Sure, thank you, sir.
***
-And then Dr Connors asked me to come and study at his university," Pete said, waving his arms happily and repeating the story for the third time in the last two hours. First it was me, then it was his carers, then it was my dad, who came to Uncle Ben's for a beer, and he said I had real talent! And if I kept at it, I'd be a genetic success.
-That's wonderful, darling.
Aunt May was always on her wavelength, delighting in every little thing. This kind, homely woman did not leave the younger Parker, constantly rubbing the guy, stroking his shoulders and shagging his hair.
-Well, did you pick up any scientist?
My dad turned to me. The heads of their families were currently sitting on the couch, sipping on some pretty crappy American beer.
-Simon!
Aunt May's righteous indignation was met with a friendly male roar, driving Peter into a blush.
-Really...
I laughed out loud and told the story of my acquaintance with Dr Octavius. It didn't take long to recount, and if the Parker trio and my father had stopped joking, I would have made it in a couple of sentences.
A warm, atmospheric evening at the Parkers' house was one of many. My acquaintance with Peter had brought our families together in a big way, causing us to hang around one of the houses a lot.
For a long time Uncle Ben and Daddy had been going out to bars or football, with the occasional female companion. Peaceful and quiet days. Despite all my longing to be a superhero, sometimes I wondered how nice it would be if such moments never ended.
***
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