Chapter Text
It’s so… quiet.
You sat with your feet hanging off of the roof of your new favorite patrol building. The Daily Planet was conveniently in the center of town, allowing you to overlook the city of Metropolis, which seemed to be nowhere near as noisy at night as New York or Gotham. Granted you had only been to the latter a few times for business, it still left a sense of familiarity with you for how alive it felt and quick things moved. Left you vigilant of assessing gazes and sticky fingers the same way New York did. You loved your home city, but knew how easy things could turn for the worse if one was caught off guard. Especially when there’s always a villain lurking, a prisoner escaping, some alien symbiote invading and almost taking over the world-
Which is why you have to tamper down your guilt for being here, a place that truly seemed to be a utopia of a city, with civilian crimes minimal day-to-day. People seem happier here, more taken care of. Less civilian on civilian crimes, basically no mad scientists that I know of, but they do have a lot more alien activity here. Plus the Justice Gang… I’m not really needed here... Yet you patrol anyway, knowing that if you saved a life by being there, it was worth it. If you were going to live in a city with a lower crime rate, it only felt right to be an active part in maintaining it.
Even though you moved here so you would do less hero work, but you digress. It’s only your second month here, once you make more of a social life (however one does that) you’ll patrol a little less. Maybe.
As if the universe heard your musings, there was a quick tingle down your spine akin to a spider skittering down their web. Seconds later, an explosion sounded downtown, followed immediately by a shrill ringing of a bank alarm.
Ah, now there’s some action!!
You stood on the edge of the Daily Planet, did a few calf stretches for a warm up, got into crouching position to jump off-
Right as the stairwell door to the roof slammed open, someone frantically stumbling out onto the shared space with the grace of a newborn foal, their satchel tossed to the side as if it was strangling them.
Time seemed to freeze for you. It was almost familiar, with your abilities you were able to move faster, process your thoughts quicker, foes slowed around you in times of extreme focus which allowed you the ability to move quickly to take down your targets in the nick of time. Usually people slowed down around you as well, but this man was unknowingly walking towards you like he was gliding down a catwalk, your attention glued to the image before you that left the skin beneath your mask just a little warmer.
The beefiest man you have ever seen in your life got closer, with his hands -oh lord his hands- looking like they were going a mile a minute over his body. One worked his tie loose as the other started to run through that wildly curly hair. You stand there, unable to move, watching as his dark curls seem to smooth back with the man’s hand, save for one that sprung back down and curled perfectly over his forehead in a way that had you wondering if it would bounce back if you teased it around your finger.
The hand in the man’s hair moved down to join the other to start working his dress shirt, only getting as far as the top button in his shirt for you to unintentionally announce your presence with a sharp inhale that didn’t sound thirsty at all, thank you very much.
He froze and his eyes snapped up to meet yours, and suddenly life catches up to you as you stare into eyes the color of the summer sky on a sunny beach day. He looked good enough to eat, like he just walked off of a magazine cover without even trying. Though despite how handsome he was, behind the thick black framed glasses that were now on the tip of his nose, you could see that he was alert, no- panicked? Perhaps a late night at work and he needed some air?
Either way, it was clear neither one of you were expecting to see the other, evident by the way he was still staring at you like he had escaped to the roof to have a panic attack but stopped at the sight of another person. You suddenly felt like you were spending too much time here, overstepping in the public space as the alarm still sounded in the distance.
You recover first, so quickly the man startles when you stand up straight.
“Hey…” Smooth. “I uh, was just leaving. Be careful up here, and don’t try this at home!” You do a playful salute and fell backwards off the building, the man finally moving again with a gasp when he processed what you were doing. You could see him attempt to run over to catch you as you fell back, his image disappearing behind the stone of the building as you descended. When his head poked over the edge, his eyes were locked onto your form with horror evident, blue eyes a storm of emotions that almost looked like he was contemplating jumping after you.
You winked at him, in the moment forgetting he wouldn't see it behind your mask, and used your saluting hand to activate your web, sticking to a nearby building and flinging yourself towards the active robbery in place. Chancing a look back at him as you flip midair, you see that he’s still on the roof of the Daily Planet, mouth open in shock and eyes locked on your form as you unknowingly go and cover the emergency he was running out to address. You were satisfied with the knowledge that he confirmed you were alright, and he didn’t think he just witnessed someone trying to jump to the first page of Daily Planet in the most morbid way imaginable. That would really suck to witness during an anxiety attack.
I wonder what he was doing out there. He looked panicked about something. Ugh, damn he was a cutie. You couldn’t help but gush with a quiet hum as you landed on a light pole nearest to the bank, yoinking up a goon before he could choke out a warning of your presence.
You managed to get two more stealth attacks before you’re noticed, and you launch yourself at the alerting man just as the rest of the members turn their attention to you, caught off guard as they toss around protests of the foolproof plan they assume they had. That’s the thing about a foolproof plan for thugs like these, it’s my job to to be the fool that they can't predict.
You let yourself fall into the simplicity of defeating a basic group of bank robbers. You made sure to keep vigilant for, knock on a robber’s head to keep from jinxing yourself, some sort of meta-powers or upgraded weapons. But it was your standard after hours bank robbery, hardly a chance to stretch you webs so to speak.
You hated to think it as it would mean people getting hurt, but your body ached for a challenge after being inactive for a few months. It wasn’t you, it was the part of your psyche that bordered just on the edge of beastly, your inner spider’s pincers snapping and hissing in anticipation for whatever new challenge should appear on the horizon. One glaringly obvious drawback of your life constantly being chaos, is that you grow to expect chaos even in times of peace. And peace brings uneasiness, because peace never lasts.
It’s why you still tried to patrol Metropolis a few times a week after work, despite how rare the opportunity for you to do something arose in the two months that you’ve called the city your home. You hadn’t expected such long stretches of peace when you came here, used to stopping multiple crimes a night back in New York. Here you could help with a few crimes a week, if that. It may be because Metropolis is a great city, could be because there was a base for an organization of up and coming heroes, but you knew there was one big blue explanation for that peace that had most people in Metropolis looking to the sky in times of worry.
Superman.
You wrapped up the last of the goons and gathered them in a neat circle with your webs, those not in the circle were hanging from the lampposts, or webbed to the wall.
Once finished you jumped up to the closest building rooftop, watching over the scene until the cops arrived just minutes later. Even the response time for the cops feels slower than New York, like they know that Supe’ will handle the scene and just provide them with paperwork to do and arrest numbers to cushion.
Satisfied that the officers had things handled, you were about to get ready to leave to resume patrol. Maybe I could go check the top of The Planet again, see if blue eyes is still there. A dangerous thought, but definitely an intriguing way to end the night. Maybe he-
Unlike the sharp seize of adrenaline to your whole body signaling an incoming attack, the feeling of being watched ranged based on intent.
A curious stare felt like the tickle of a spider’s legs around your neck, while you felt sharp pincers closing in on the back of your neck if someone was particularly menacing. You first felt that in high school, when you had unintentionally reminded the teacher of an assignment due soon and half the class fixed you with glares that rivaled Superman’s laser vision.
When you tried to explain the feeling to your grandmother later that day, she tried to label it as anxiety. You knew it was different, but let it go as you assumed she would not fully understand just how different your hormonal and emotional state had differed from a normal teen girl’s.
Presently your senses tingled in the way that meant someone was behind you, but they weren’t necessarily a threat. You took a second to think about how to approach the newcomer, the fact that they hadn’t already attacked a good sign at least.
Direct would be simplest, so you went with that. “So, just gonna keep staring or gonna say something?” You stood and turned to the newcomer with a smirk under your mask, one that quickly fell from your lips as you realized who had been behind you.
Hovering above the rooftop in all his glory was none other than the Guardian of Metropolis, the blue menace to villains and friend to all others. Staring down at you with a look that was surprisingly hard for you to decipher. Like he was trying to figure you out and what part you played in the nightlife of Metropolis.
Superman.
“I apologize, I was on the way here when I saw the situation had already been handled. You did good work.” He spoke, voice deeper than you remember hearing on tv, the baritone bringing more heat to your cheeks that you are so, so thankful to be wearing a mask because your reaction to another hero on the field should not be so shameful…
But also, what are they putting in the water here?
You clear your suddenly dry throat and smile despite the other not being able to see it. “Thanks! Not a problem, I’m uh, new around here. Obviously. I’m Golpider. Pleasure to meet you, Superman.” You tease out, knowing there wasn’t a resident of Metropolis that didn’t know the man.
To his credit though, it seemed that his facade broke a second and a small smile was coming to his lips.
“The pleasure is mine, Golpider. You reacted rather quick, and efficiently. Are you a part of the Justice Gang now?” He asked with a tilt of the head, his eyes never leaving your form. To test this you started pacing slowly around the rooftop, watching from the corner of your eyes as the hovering man turns to follow your movements. You felt like this was equal parts an introduction and a first impression, one that would let Superman know where you fell on the list of allies and enemies.
“Mm nope, I’m solo. Just looking to make sure the quiet city stays safe and quiet. Though, I’ll admit you and the gang do have that on lockdown. This is the first crime this week I’ve been able to get to the scene to help with, someone always keeps getting there first and saving the day with his super speed.” You joke with a playful cross of the arms.
He looks like he wants to object to what you said, but you quickly add to placate. “Of course I’m not upset about it, it’s really nice to live in a city that’s so peaceful. It’s a big change.” His eyes widen in recognition now, his straight face now breaking into one of astonishment as he recalls.
“Oh, so it really is you! The Spider-Woman from New York! I recognize you from the papers!” It’s said so boyishly and almost excited that it catches you by surprise, a sheepish little laugh escaping you at the thought of Superman getting excited at meeting you.
“Yeah, that’s why they call me. I uh, relocated here. They don’t exactly give you a manual for intros and territories when a hero moves into a new city with other heroes. I just figured I’d… slowly integrate myself here. Whenever I can help.” You shrug, playing with your hands as you watch the man nod along with what you were saying. It wasn’t like you could take an ad out in the paper announcing that Spider-Woman was leaving one city and going to another.
And frankly, sometimes you needed your business to be your business only.
The resulting smile he gives you has your heart skipping a beat, and you watch with slightly widening eyes as lowers himself to stand on the roof instead of hovering. Even with both of you standing in front of each other, he still towers over you with almost a full foot of height, his frame easily twice your size as well. Gods he’s so big in person. Has he always looked so big on tv?
“Well then!” The large hand he holds out to take yours in a shake leaves you surprised at how friendly this man was. And that was coming from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman. You smile and take his hand in yours, but the touch has your brain short circuiting once you feel the heat of his palm against the material of your suit. His large fingers easily wrap around your hand as he brings the hands to a shake, the difference in size leaving your mouth drier than before.
I really need to let this extra energy out somehow. I’m starting to act like a hormonal teen. You weren’t usually this… jumpy, and you had to assume this was a result of the beast inside that had been growing restless. Maybe you just needed some external stimuli in general. Living an extremely active crime fighting life since your early teens and then suddenly going part time will do that to you.
“It is great to meet the great Golpider in person. I look forward to seeing you in action around Metropolis. I’ll try not to hog all the day saving.” The teasing words coming from such a symbol of hope and justice pulled another genuine laugh from you, one that fades into a comfortable silence that makes way for your hands to break apart. His warmth lingered in your palm.
“Likewise big guy. Nice to meet you. And I’ll hold you to that. I still need action to keep me in fighting shape.” You joke with a thumb tossed over your shoulder to the aftermath of the robbery down below. You start to back away to the ledge and take a stop onto it. “I’ll see you around sometime!” You assured quickly, shooting a web and jumping out into the city to begin swinging away. You weren't sure if the hero’s eyes would follow you as you swung, so you disappeared around another tall building as you made your leave. A quick pass by The Daily Planet showed the roof was now abandoned, no sign of the man who you nearly gave a heart attack. Hope the cutie is okay.
Swinging along the city streets, you hum as it seems that all is quiet on the western front. It’s still so quiet, despite the robbery that just happened. In New York, other criminals would use the bank robbery as a distraction to carry out their own schemes. You sighed, passing a large billboard that held the time in bright green neon. 2:36am… I guess it’s just another slow night. I’ll give it till 3 and if nothing, I’ll turn in and keep my window and ears open.
It may have been overkill, may not have been. But you had a duty to help people wherever you could, whenever you could. Your body was accustomed to a solid 3 hours of sleep a night unless more was needed for healing, so even when there was a wave of silence and peace over metropolis, you remained awake and vigilant to make sure the sleeping hours stayed for sleeping.
You can take the hero out of the city that never sleeps, but you won’t take the insomnia out of the hero. You muse with a forlorn sigh.
After a bit more swinging around, you stopped on a roof a few blocks away from your apartment. You close your eyes and feel around the area, making sure you can’t sense anyone’s presence before letting yourself become overcome by a blanket of stealth.
Your body became invisible to your surroundings, a skill that you made great use of in order to maintain your secret identity. You dread to think about how many situations may have gone wrong if you hadn’t implemented a ‘go invisible before going home’ rule. Wherever you stayed, you would always go invisible at least 5 minutes from home, making sure there were no prying eyes that were looking to find out your home base, or even your known circle.
As a female in general you were thankfully taught at a young age to be more vigilant, especially when in the city and definitely when alone. Those life lessons greatly helped you in maintaining your secret identity and kept the ones closest to you safe, allowing you to graduate high school with friends unthreatened and you were able move out to a place that allowed you to become a hero without any direct threat on your grandmother’s life.
She was heartbroken that you left Queens and decided to move out to Brooklyn, but she understood. She thought it was to spread your wings, and she wasn’t wrong per se. Just not in the way she thought. It was her passing that led you to reevaluate your life, and when you realized for the first time how alone you truly were.
You reached your apartment window and opened it, slipping in and making sure to scan the room for anything out of place. Sensing nothing, you locked the window and closed the curtains before allowing your invisibility to drop.
“Honey, I’m home.” You coo into the apartment, your mask disappearing in pixels down your suit and allowing your skin to breathe the fresh air around you. There were plants littered all about the space, on tables, shelves, and some hanging from the ceiling so their vines could cross over the ceiling of your living room. The beast in you loved having many plants around, the lush greenery akin to making your own little forest paradise in your apartment.
“Pfrpt.” Came a responding chirp as you watched your creamsicle tabby get up from his tree, giving a big stretch out of his croissant state as you neared him, hand outstretched for a sniff and bump.
Almost immediately came a stream of steady purrs from Honey the cat, steadily vibrating like a lawnmower as he was given a good minute of scritches and kisses to the top of his head.
“I missed you too sweet boy. Good job protecting our home.” You coo again, earning you a squinty eyed cat purring up at you in a way that made everything worth it at the end of the day.
Once you gave him enough loving up (which is never enough of course) you head to your room to gather things for a shower, needing one after a long day at work and then the patrol that was more lounging than action.
You stopped and stared at yourself in the mirror, your suit still formed to your body and awaiting command. The base color of the suit itself was a soft eggshell white, while the webbing designs and the frames around your eye covers were a gold colored plating.
You designed it after the spider that bit you, still remembering how pretty you thought it was as it scurried down your arm.
You hadn’t always been the most observant person. And how were you supposed to know that the spider crawling on you during your field trip to Oscorp would lead to the most insane change of your life? You were no stranger to spiders, and this one didn’t look venomous, so you hadn’t seen the issue when the green and gold spider came to say hello. You just assumed you walked through a web and looked around for the nearest plant to put it on.
It was a moot point though, as just when you went to pick it up to redirect it, you watched as it tensed up at a perceived threat, reared its pincers, and dug into the fleshy part of your right thumb.
Moments passed as both you and the spider seemed to share a long look. “Ow..?” You eyes watched as the spider drained of its green color before it finally untensed, its grip releasing as it fell back into the very hand that it bit. it was now a shell white save for the gold hairs and markings along its body. The green was now shockingly absent, drained out of the spider before your eyes, and in the back of your mind you knew you should be worried about what that would mean for you.
You didn’t feel any different, no burning sensation from the bitten area. Even as the spider’s carcass curled up in your palm, life leaving its body after it had completed its one final slight to the world around it by biting a human.
And then you had a spider in your pocket for the rest of the field trip, not knowing what to do with it, but thinking maybe you should keep it to show to a doctor just in case the bite became infected. You cleaned the wound when you got home of course, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
You had been both safe and sorry when you woke up the next morning, head pounding and body disoriented by the additional senses you had gained. When you went to turn off your alarm clock, you were surprised that it started ringing the second after you hit snooze, though you swear you heard the ringing wake you.
“Weird, stupid thing.” You went to slap it again, but instead it flew across the fucking room as if you had threw it 90mph, crashing against the wall and smashing to bits.
“What the fuck?”
You recall the memory fondly, that day so many years go leading you on a road in which you gained so much knowledge, but lost so much more. And now here you were, a spider floating on your thread just trying to find your place in this world. Unattached.
The move to Metropolis was… selfish. You admit it. You were going to try and have a normal life and experiences in a place that didn’t completely depend on you being under a mask all day and night. It was something you always secretly wanted, but never felt you could achieve.
The move was truly the first selfish decision you had made in your life since becoming Golpider, a decision you didn’t think you’d be able to go through with. But your grandmother was the final advocate you needed to see new horizons, especially after the last conversation you had with her.
“Dear.” Your grandmother began, her voice soft yet heavy with implications of grief to come.
You rushed to her side, helping her to sit up as she needed an adjustment to back support. “What do you need, Gran?’ You fuss, helping to smooth the older woman’s hair back into place.
“None of that dear. I just want to talk to you.” She smiled and took both of your hands in hers, the cold stiffness of her fingers making your stomach turn with worry and nerves. But you don’t want her to feel like she can't express herself when she only has so much time left, so you fix a smile on your face and nod slowly for her to continue.
“Have I ever told you how much you remind me of your mother?” She started, the squeeze of her hand on yours felt feather light. Those hands once held you during storms, and they felt like the most impenetrable fortress at the time.
You chuckle, but it feels empty. “A few times. Not too much.” You joke lightly. You knew how much she missed your mother, how much she could see the daughter she raised as she watched you grow up the same way.
There is no laughter on your grandmother’s face, eyes fixing you with an intensity that was laced with resolve, like when you asked about Santa at 12 and she sighed and sat you down to explain. Like she knew something you didn’t know, and she was deciding if she would present reality for what it was or indulge in a child’s imagination a little longer.
“You don’t just look like her, you know. You have her heart too.” You wait for her to continue, your heart starting to pick up as she seemed to be piecing her words together.
“All your mother ever did was make others happy, sacrificed her wants and needs for the sake of others. I see that in you too. You, spend so much of yourself giving to others-“
“Gran-“ You cut her off with a pained smile. “I’m just trying to help people. I’m volunteering in the community! I still work and have a life, I just… want to make a difference.” It was the best and least descriptive way you could explain what you did in a way that wouldn’t give too much away. But you should’ve known better, given your grandmother more credit.
“Swinging from building to building and punching around men dressed as animals is not a personal life young lady.” She scolded, looking much like the woman who raised you at the moment, which made your eyes go wide and mouth go dry.
She raised an eyebrow at you, waiting for a denial before sighing and continuing with a softer look on her features. “I needed you to know that I know. My sweet girl, I’m so proud of you. And all you’ve done to protect this city.”
You couldn’t believe it. She knew?
“How long? Have you known I mean-“
“I figured it out your senior year of high school.” You gaped like a fish at her. That was almost nine years ago now. You’ve been Golpider since freshman year.
Her eyes twinkled in amusement as she watched your expression. “I may be old but I’m still sharp as ever. Don’t you forget it!” Her secretive smile reminded you of late Saturday nights, eating chocolate chip cookies and ice cream while watching a comedy that may have been a little too mature for you, but was a classic that she and your mother watched together when your mother was a child as well.
You couldn’t explain the relief you felt as the weight on your shoulders fell away. “I never thought I’d be able to talk to you about it. I didn’t want to risk anyone hurting you to get to me.” You explained quietly, immediately going to apologize for hiding something so big from the only family you had left.
“You did so good dear, don’t you worry about me.” A smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Anyway, I wanted to ask you a favor. Just one. And this is one you can only do as yourself, not just Golpider.” Hearing her say your hero name now made your heart ache, as it held a new weight neither of you wanted to acknowledge out loud.
You were somehow more worried now than before as you found yourself unable to respond, waiting for her request. You nodded your head, waiting for her to continue.
“I want you to leave New York. I want you to go out and do something for your life, and live for yourself. You don’t have to hang up the mask but… live. Make friends. Find love. Go someplace that you aren’t the one everyone needs, and find someone who will be what you need. That’s what I need of you, my sweet girl.”
Never let it be said that you were always quick on the draw, because this time you were sat, silent and unable to find words to respond. You just let her words soak into your skin and feel the reality your grandmother was trying to present you.
“I don’t want you to lose yourself in the mask, and forget that there is a woman underneath that deserves to live and love just as much as anyone else.”
It didn’t really sink in until she was gone the next night, that she just didn’t want you to be left alone.
That was how, six months later, you found yourself here, in your Metropolis apartment that felt like a good spot for a new beginning. You weren’t the main hero enforcer, you were going steady in your first month at your new job, and you had a nice view of the city with a huge window nook that Honey loved to curl up in when the sun was in the perfect spot.
As you settled into bed, freshly showered and your suit now safely tucked away in the nanowatch you designed during your sophomore year at MIT. It was time for a little bit of rest. You had a long day at work tomorrow and something in the wind felt like you would need a full three, maybe even four hours of sleep. A tired hum sounded from you as a stray thought crossed your mind, one that you were too tired to dissect otherwise.
I wonder if that guy on the roof got home alright.