Penthouse Terrace.
A noise came from the upstairs balcony. Vincent smiled and opened the glass doors.
Gwen hopped over the railing, separating their adjacent terraces.
"Vincent. Sorry I had to rush home earlier. It ruined our vacation," Gwen said, linking her arm through his.
Vincent stroked her soft blonde hair. Gwen leaned into him, her eyes full of affection.
"Your father's health is the most important thing," Vincent said gently. "I saw the news about the Lizard. It's a monster. I'm worried it might target George again."
Vincent's concern was genuine. In The Amazing Spider-Man, Captain Stacy died fighting the Lizard. Now that he was dating Gwen, he wasn't going to let his future father-in-law become collateral damage.
"I'll protect him," Gwen said firmly.
The Friendly Neighborhood Ghost Spider had already decided to hunt the Lizard down. Not to kill him—that wasn't her style—but to cage him.
"But isn't the police hunting Ghost Spider too?" Vincent teased. "I recall Commissioner Stacy giving a press conference about 'vigilante menaces'."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "He doesn't know it's me. If he knew, he'd support me."
She gave him a pleading look.
"So... how do you plan to protect him? Do you need my help?" Vincent asked, his expression turning serious as he cupped her face.
"No. I just want to keep him safe. I won't fight the Lizard unless I have to," Gwen lied.
Vincent knew she was lying. She was definitely going to fight the Lizard.
"Fine. But promise me one thing. If it gets too dangerous, run."
Run? Me? Gwen scoffed internally. But she nodded. "I promise."
Vincent kissed her deeply.
Gwen blushed, pulling away breathlessly.
"I have to go back. If Mom checks my room and I'm gone, I'm dead."
She hopped back over the railing to her own terrace.
Vincent watched her go, smiling.
Living next door has its perks. And its risks.
Just then, his phone rang again.
He walked into the bathroom for privacy. The walls here were thin, and he didn't want Gwen's enhanced hearing picking up this conversation.
This was why he needed more safe houses. Long Island was compromised. The Penthouse was too close to home.
The TVA (Time Variance Authority) and Kang the Conqueror were always a threat. As a transmigrator, he was a walking anomaly. If he disrupted the Sacred Timeline too much, he risked deletion. If he didn't disrupt it enough, Thanos would eventually snap him out of existence.
It was a delicate balance.
Vincent answered the phone.
"Hello, Natasha."
"I need your help," Black Widow's voice was low.
"You've thought it through? You want to use the 'Deal with the Devil' for a simple Lizard?" Vincent asked, amused.
"I just want to know the price," Natasha replied calmly.
In her eyes, Vincent was a dangerous variable. She needed to test him.
"With SHIELD's resources, you could contain the Lizard easily. Nick Fury is just using you to get close to me," Vincent said bluntly.
"Is your promise a lie, then? A devil's trick?" Natasha challenged.
"The deal is fair," Vincent countered. "But remember: The more you use me, the less interested I become. Once I lose interest... the deals stop."
Vincent knew men psychology. The chase was the fun part. If Natasha just gave in every time, she'd lose her value. He needed to maintain distance to keep the tension alive.
And he didn't want his relationship with Natasha to be purely transactional forever.
"I'm sure," Natasha said, crossing her legs in her safehouse. "If I don't test the deal, how do I know you're real?"
She smirked. She refused to believe a high schooler could outplay the Black Widow.
"Don't regret it," Vincent warned.
He was already thinking about creative uses for Hydro-Kinesis.
"When do we start? Do you need intel?" Natasha asked.
"I know who the Lizard is. Dr. Connors. But do you really want him dead?" Vincent asked smoothly. "His serum is flawed, but if perfected... limb regeneration. A cure for all physical disabilities. It's a gold mine. Are you sure SHIELD wants to destroy that?"
Natasha hesitated.
Suddenly, her other line beeped.
"Hold on."
She switched calls. It was Fury.
"Natasha, change of plans. We need Dr. Connors alive. The World Security Council wants the serum."
"Understood, sir."
She switched back to Vincent.
"I need the Lizard alive."
Vincent laughed.
"Alive? That's harder. The price just went up."
"What's the price?"
"Wash yourself clean and wait for me."
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