Inside Marvel X DC World

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A winter morning.

Snowflakes as large as goose feathers fell from the sky, blanketing every corner of the metropolis. It was still early dawn, but Washington, as a world-class city, was already stirring with life. Streams of students and office workers bustled through the freshly cleared streets.

Beep!

A local police car rolled to a stop at the curb in the neighborhood. The door opened, and a cute blonde girl hopped out of the back seat with a schoolbag in hand.

"Gwen, slow down, don't forget your water bottle."

Officer George, seated in the driver's seat and dressed in his formal police uniform, opened his door and hurried after her, holding a thermos cup. Despite his tough demeanor, his tone softened with affection as he called out to his beloved daughter.

"Are you sure you don't need me to take you to school? The roads are slippery with the snow."

Gwen took the water cup, slipped it into her schoolbag, and replied cheerfully, "No, I've got my rain gear and non-slip boots."

"But—"

Officer George wanted to say something else. But at that moment, Gwen's eyes suddenly lit up, her cheeks flushed with joy and excitement as she jumped up and down like a rabbit, waving her arms eagerly, "Mike, here! Over here!"

"I knew it." Officer George sighed inwardly, turning around to see a familiar young man appear at the corner of the street.

When Mike heard Gwen calling him, he looked up, spotted the two of them, and immediately smiled, nodding in greeting.

"Gwen, Uncle George, good morning! What a coincidence to see you again!"

Mike was very familiar with them.

Gwen, full name: "Gwen Stacy," was a girl his age from a nearby community. They'd gone to the same preschool, elementary, junior high, and now high school together. Childhood friends with a deep bond. Her father, George Stacy, was a local police officer with some fame and power, responsible for their urban area's security.

"Yeah, what a coincidence." Gwen's eyes were bright, and she couldn't stop smiling.

The snow around them was white and crystal clear, but Officer George's face looked a little dark.

A coincidence? No way!

It was obvious Gwen had timed this to "coincidentally" meet this kid here.

But Officer George, as always, was too busy safeguarding his daughter's little schemes to expose her. Besides, he'd checked out Mike's family background years ago and knew he was a decent, kind-hearted young man.

"Ah! Mike, why aren't you wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella?" Gwen said in surprise and quickly moved closer to him. Before he could reply, she was already brushing the frost and snow off his hair and eyebrows with her hands.

"I was in a hurry and forgot." Mike smiled indifferently, momentarily setting aside his puzzled thoughts.

"Then make sure to keep warm! What if you catch a cold?" Gwen puffed up her cheeks in mock anger, looking even more adorable.

Without hesitation, she took off her furry hat and placed it on Mike's head, then blew warm air onto her hands before cupping them against his cold face. This was an intimate gesture, but to them, it felt natural—something they'd done many times growing up together.

"It's cold outside. I'll drive you to school." Officer George said, unable to hold back.

Gwen didn't respond but looked up at Mike.

"The school isn't far, so I thought—" Mike started, but after seeing Officer George's sharp look, he nodded, "Thanks, Uncle George."

Gwen beamed, "Thanks, Dad!"

Officer George held his head high, ready to become a "chauffeur" for his beloved daughter.

Soon, the police car started onto the main road, heading toward the high school.

Inside the car, with the heater on, Gwen and Mike sat together in the backseat. Mike looked out the window at the winter street scenes passing by, occasionally appearing deep in thought.

Suddenly, a soft, gentle hand held his. Mike turned to see Gwen's concerned face.

"Mike, are you okay today? You seem worried." Gwen asked.

"I—" Mike hesitated, unsure of where to begin.

What had been on his mind since he left home was, of course, the strange photo that had appeared there. Although he'd checked, the mysterious person who'd left it had long vanished, leaving behind a host of questions.

Was that photo really from World War I? Who was the woman in the picture, the one who looked exactly like his aunt, dressed in armor?

Was it his aunt's mother? No, World War I was almost a century ago. If anything, it could have been his grandmother's mother, at best.

Maybe if he asked Gwen's father for help, he could find out more about the person who had left the photo.

Mike hesitated, then said, "I'm fine, just felt a little cold."

"Then you're warm now." Gwen wrapped her arms around Mike's left arm, bringing them close enough to feel each other's body heat.

Officer George, driving, glanced into the rearview mirror, nearly losing his temper.

Watching his precious daughter cling to this kid, even if the kid was raised under his watch, was something no father could easily tolerate!

Then again, George noticed something else. Even though anyone could see his daughter's affection, the boy didn't seem to reciprocate. As a father, he found this both a relief and frustrating.

'How dare this kid ignore my little girl's affection!'

---

The police car pulled up outside the high school. As Gwen and Mike got out, they quickly drew the attention of many students.

It was then that Mike took extra notice.

Today, Gwen wore a new beige down jacket, a fitted handmade sweater underneath, slender legs in white jeans, and black boots that made her look taller. The sixteen-year-old exuded youthful charm, with bright, cropped golden hair and a delicate face. She was simply breathtaking.

Mike, however, had become used to Gwen's presence over the years.

Seeing the envious looks of other students, he realized just how popular Gwen was at school.

"Gwen, let go of my hand." Mike said.

"No, it's warmer this way." Gwen hummed, hugging his arm tighter.

The students nearby, red-eyed with envy, screamed internally, "Let go! Why him?!"

"If you don't let go, I'm going to die under their glares." Mike joked, smiling bitterly. If looks could kill, he would've been gone a hundred times over.

Gwen laughed, finally releasing his arm. Then she realized the situation, her face turning pink.

"Stop bringing up embarrassing memories." Mike said, scratching his nose. He remembered his younger days, when he once tried to "save" the day after visiting the Captain America Memorial. He'd thought he had superhero potential.

Back then, if the police hadn't shown up, he might have ended up reincarnated for a third time.

After sixteen years of ordinary life, he'd let go of such fantasies.

Sure, there were a few superheroes like Captain America and Iron Man, but they were rare exceptions.

"It's not that I'm afraid of trouble."

Mike ignored the frustrated students, walked into the warmer corridor of the building, and looked at Gwen, "I'm just thinking it's not great for you. Aren't you pretty popular around here? I heard you're practically the star of the school."

"Where'd you hear that?!" Gwen spluttered.

At that moment, she realized that being childhood friends sometimes made it hard to transition the relationship in subtle ways.

As Mike and Gwen walked through the school hallway, a girl in a tenth-grade classroom glanced out the window, her gaze subtly following Mike as he moved outside.

"Kara, what are you looking at?" A classmate asked curiously.

"Nothing." Kara quickly looked away.

"Really?" The girl looked skeptically in the direction Kara had been watching, but she only saw a wall with graffiti.

---

Mike couldn't focus during class all day. As soon as school ended, he rushed home.

But when he reached the front door, he paused.

Could a simple photograph really change his life after so many ordinary years?

He stood there for a moment, staring at the silent, closed door.

After about ten seconds, the cold winter air seeping through the stairwell made his palms sweat as he clutched the key. Just as he decided to open the door, it clicked open from the inside.

A woman, flawless by any standard, stood in the doorway.

She appeared to be in her late twenties, with her dark hair styled neatly, looking both intellectual and refined. Her face was delicate and lightly made-up, her eyes reflecting a calm blue sky, and her brows carried a hint of strength.

The woman wore a loose, fashionable white blouse and trousers, which complimented her tall, graceful figure. She had an air of nobility yet seemed casual at the same time, blending the two qualities perfectly.

Mike instinctively greeted her, "Aunt."

"Come in."

Diana Prince didn't question why he was standing outside. Instead, she squatted slightly, gracefully taking out a pair of slippers from the shoe rack and placing them on the carpet in front of him.

"Aunt, I..."

Mike opened his mouth, feeling that he should tell her everything. This openness between them had lasted sixteen years, but he was still uncertain about where to begin.

"Let's have dinner first." Diana seemed to notice something, cutting him off, and then walked into the living room.

Mike felt unexpectedly relieved. He hung his schoolbag by the door, changed into the slippers, and followed her in.

The living room was warmly lit.

Two plates of pasta sat on the table, steaming with aroma, accompanied by beef sauce, chili oil, and warm water. Diana and Mike sat down, silently sharing their meal.

"Pasta again." Mike muttered softly, the familiarity of the meal easing the previous tension.

Unexpectedly, Diana looked at him coolly, "It's food, isn't it? Be grateful."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mike pulled a face but quickly dug in, finishing his plate of colorful pasta.

Although his aunt was perfect in almost every way, cooking wasn't her strong suit, and her meals were predictably bland. Still, it reminded him of his childhood.

"Ahem."

Mike ate too quickly and started to choke. Diana, who had been watching him, immediately stood up, came over, and patted his back gently, saying, "Eat slower." And handed him her water glass.

Taking a deep gulp, Mike's chest finally felt better.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "Aunt, someone left a photo at our door this morning."

As he spoke, Mike…