Not So Friendly Anymore

(Hey guys sorry, if this chapter is a little shorter than normal. But I bought Space Marine 2 that'll be taking up my time for a little while. Don't worry I'll still update at least once a week, but that will be taking up most of my free time)

The hum of the comms device lingered in the air as Peter collapsed into a chair at his desk, each breath labored as the pain coursed through him. His fingers trembled over the communicator, but the familiar voice of Silver Sable grounded him, pulling him back from the dark precipice of his thoughts.

"Peter?" Her voice, sharp and filled with concern, cut through the haze. "What happened?"

He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the night pressing down on him. Images of Osborn's cruel grin, the taunting words, and the memories of Gwen and Mayday flashed through his mind. He could still hear the Goblin's mocking laughter echoing in his ears.

"It's Osborn," Peter finally managed, his voice hoarse. "He's... he's still out there. He won, Sable. And... and I don't know if I can stop him."

There was a pause on the other end, the silence heavy with understanding. Sable had seen Peter at his lowest before, but this felt different, more personal, more broken. When she spoke again, her voice was firm, resolute. "You're not alone in this, Parker. I'm coming."

Peter let out a sigh of relief, but it did little to ease the tightness in his chest. His body felt like it had been torn apart, and his mind was no better off. Osborn had always been a master at getting under his skin, but tonight, he had cut deeper than ever before. The wounds he had opened weren't just physical; they were emotional, gnawing at Peter's very core.

Minutes later, the whirr of a jet overhead signaled Sable's arrival. She didn't waste any time. As the aircraft hovered above his building, a silver rope descended, and she rappelled down with her usual grace, landing silently on the rooftop. Even in the dim light, her white hair and silver bodysuit gleamed, a stark contrast to Peter's battered, torn figure slumped against the desk.

She approached him without a word, her eyes scanning his injuries. "You're a mess."

Peter chuckled dryly, though it was more of a cough. "Yeah, well, Osborn doesn't exactly fight fair."

Sable knelt beside him, her expression softening for just a moment before she turned back to business. "Tell me what happened."

Peter inhaled sharply, trying to piece together his thoughts. "He got inside my head. Again. He... brought up Gwen. Mayday. Everything I've lost because of him. I could have stopped him, but..." His voice trailed off, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "I couldn't. Not this time."

Sable placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch surprisingly gentle. "Osborn has always used your guilt against you. But you need to stop blaming yourself for things that weren't your fault."

Peter's jaw tightened, his mind flashing back to the endless stream of failures Osborn had drilled into him. "It's not that simple. Every time I think I'm getting ahead, he pulls me back. And tonight... I nearly lost control, Sable. I can't let that happen again."

She nodded, her gaze unwavering. "We're going to kill him, Peter. Once and for all. But first, you need to focus."

Silver Sable's eyes locked with Peter's, her expression hardening. "You can't afford to let him do this to you again," she said firmly. "Osborn thrives on manipulation, on breaking you down, using your past to cripple you. That's his game. And if you let him win in here,"—she tapped a finger to Peter's temple—"he'll always stay one step ahead."

Peter clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his failures press down on him. The memories of Gwen's fall and Mayday's laughter cut short swirled like a storm in his mind. "I know that, but it's like every time I get close to him, it all comes flooding back. I can't shake it, Sable. I can't stop seeing their faces."

Sable knelt down in front of him, gripping his shoulders tightly. "Listen to me, Parker. You are more than your past. You've changed, you're stronger, more focused than ever before. But Osborn knows how to exploit your emotions. You need to stop letting him use your pain as a weapon."

Peter looked away, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't know how to let it go."

"You don't need to let it go," Sable said, her voice soft but commanding. "You need to turn it into something else. Something that drives you forward, not backward. Use it to push yourself beyond his reach."

Peter sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Easier said than done."

"I've watched you come back from worse, Parker." She stood, pacing to the window, her silver hair catching the glow of the city lights. "The way you've handled things, taking out the threats, cleaning up the city, it's ruthless, but necessary. You're not who you used to be, and that's exactly why you can end this. You know what needs to be done."

He winced, his hand instinctively clutching his side where one of Osborn's attacks had landed earlier. "And what if I go too far? What if I become something worse?"

"You won't," Sable said firmly. "Because you're Peter Parker. You can kill, yes, but it doesn't change who you are at your core. You're doing what needs to be done, and I'm here to make sure you don't lose yourself in it."

Peter slowly nodded, absorbing her words. As much as he had lost his sense of himself in recent months, Sable's confidence in him, her belief that he could walk this razor's edge without falling, sparked something in him. "We have to do it right this time," he said, his voice more steady now. "No more mistakes. Osborn goes down, permanently."

Sable's lips curved into a determined smile. "Agreed. We plan this down to the smallest detail. And when we strike, we make sure there's no way he walks away."

Peter's mind began to clear, focusing not on the pain or the memories but on the mission ahead. "He's holed up tight, surrounded by his loyalists. But I have intel on some of his lieutenants, people we can target to weaken him."

"Good," Sable replied. "We take them out systematically, cut off his resources, his support. Isolate him. Once he's alone, he's vulnerable."

Peter looked up at her, a glint of determination in his eyes. "And then, we finish it."

Sable nodded, her silver eyes reflecting his resolve. "No turning back this time."

Peter stood, wincing slightly as his wounds protested the movement, but he brushed it off. "Let's get to work, then."

The rest of the chapter could focus on Peter and Sable strategizing, laying out their plan to weaken Osborn's network.

Thanks for reading everyone

Follow me on X/Twitter @KaulusNoctis

Follow me on Tik Tok @thecrookedcannibal Subscribe to my YouTube Channel @KingCannibal2004

Please feel free to support me on Patreon.com/KingCannibal