Spider-Man of Earth 65

Felix Faeth was a man currently on a timer. He had so many choices and so many avenues to explore. A month to complete his little mission for Emma Frost. A month till the Spider-Slayers.

A week had already passed since then. He trained, he went to work, he hung out with Rio and Miles—Felix lived his life. 

He had fun. Not as Spider-Man but as Felix. 

Sunlight streamed through the half-closed blinds, casting warm strips across the rumpled bed sheets. Felix stirred, his eyes fluttering open as consciousness slowly returned. The first thing he noticed was a mess of dark hair splayed across his chest, rising and falling with each breath.

Jessica Jones.

Felix couldn't help but smile as memories of the previous night flooded back. Railing her senseless, getting her lips to scream his name until they were dry. He and Jessica were friends with benefits and staying overnight at his place was normal.

Right? Right.

Yeah, he had never done this before so it was all very new to him. 

"Morning," Felix murmured, his voice still husky with sleep.

Jessica groaned, burying her face deeper into his chest. "Five more minutes," she mumbled.

Felix chuckled, the movement causing Jessica to finally look up at him, her eyes narrowed in mock annoyance.

"Some of us worked the night shift, you know," Jessica grumbled, but there was a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Ah yes, the exhausting and exciting life of an Oscorp security guard," Felix teased, earning him a light punch on the arm.

"Hey, someone's got to keep you eggheads safe," Jessica retorted, propping herself up on one elbow. Her eyes roamed over Felix's face, lingering on his hair. "You know, I still can't get over those brown streaks. It's a good look on you, Dr. Faeth."

Felix ran a hand through his hair self-consciously, remembering the true cause of the change. "Yeah, well, you know what they say about stress and grey hair. Guess I'm just special."

Jessica snorted. "Please, you're what? Twenty-five?”

“Right on the dot.”

“See? Young as hell. I’ve already hit thirty-one.”

“How mature.”

“Hey, mature is the new sexy." Her finger traced a lazy pattern on his chest.

"Oh?" Felix raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Is that why you keep coming back? The mature lady hooked on the young post-college man?”

"Don't flatter yourself," Jessica smirked. "Maybe I just like your apartment."

“That would work if I didn’t live in Harlem of all places.”

“True, true. Queens is way better."

They both laughed, the sound filling the cozy bedroom. As the laughter died down, a comfortable silence settled between them.

Felix found himself studying Jessica's face, noting the small, nearly invisible scar on her eyebrow and the flecks of gold in her brown eyes. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to tell someone about everything — about Spider-Man, about the dangers he faced. But it was a light thought. A thought that lasted no longer than a nanosecond.

Felix Faeth would never tell someone his secret identity. Never, ever. Knowing what happened with Gwen Stacy and her father, there was just no way.

"Earth to Felix," Jessica's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Where'd you go just now?"

"Nowhere," Felix said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about how lucky I am."

Jessica rolled her eyes, but he could see the faint blush on her cheeks. "Alright, Casanova. Save the sweet talk for after coffee."

Jessica untangled herself from the sheets and padded towards the kitchen while Felix allowed himself a moment of contentment. Complicated as his life was, moments like these - normal, human moments - were precious. And not just because of the sex. At some point, shit was going to hit the fan again. Taking this in, breathing it, it steadied his heart in ways being alone couldn't.

"You coming?" Jessica called from the other room. "I’m already ordering!”

"Be right there!" Felix called back, pushing aside thoughts of Spider-Slayers and genetic mutations. For now, at least, he could just be Felix Faeth, sharing a morning with a beautiful woman.

‘Or something. Somehow, I’m still not used to this.’ 

Five minutes later, after a shower and changing into grey sweatpants and a black shirt, Felix sat waiting in the living room. The news was currently flooded with last week’s reporting on the NYPD’s declaration.

Jessica was sitting on his lap, her legs dangling off the couch. Felix played with her hair as the anchor on screen screamed at them.

“I swear to god and I swear to the American people! Spider-Man WILL be caught! Mark my words, he will be caught!” J. Jonah Jameson yelled. “That, my friends, is the most vital thing to note for this morning! Walk your streets with confidence! With pride! With the fear of Spider-Man but with the knowledge of his immediate capture!”

“Sheesh, this guy sure likes to hear himself talk,” Jessica muttered. 

"Oh, but don't get it twisted! The NYPD is on strict watch too! I've been hearing rumours of some new drone protocol and I'm sure everyone knows how I feel about drones! It's the same as Spider-Man! Flying around and watching us and judging us at all times! If these drones are happening, they better be focused on Spider-Man and then immediately dismantled. Above all else, American integrity and freedom cannot be compromised! Spider-Man, the NYPD, neither are above the law! Neither can claim themselves to be the law! Only we the people can claim as much!"

'Huh.' Felix blinked. Obviously, J. Jonah Jameson was against Spider-Man but for him to say remarks against the NYPD was interesting.

A knock suddenly came. Felix tapped Jessica and she grumbled and shuffled off. Felix rolled his shoulders as he got up.

‘Well, little does J. Jonah Jameson know that Spider-Man is very much chilling.”

Felix padded towards the door of his apartment, his bare feet silent on the cool hardwood floor. He was expecting the usual delivery person with his breakfast order, maybe exchange a few pleasantries before diving into a stack of pancakes. What he wasn't expecting was the imposing figure that filled his doorway when he swung the door open.

Luke Cage stood there, all six feet and six inches of him, his broad shoulders nearly touching both sides of the door frame. At 425 pounds of solid muscle and wearing the bulky NYPD uniform, Luke made Felix feel like a child in comparison. The police officer's presence seemed to make the air in the hallway thicker, more oppressive.

Felix's mind raced. Luke Cage — Jessica's ex-husband and a respected member of the NYPD. Should Felix know? Or not? He forced his face into a mask of polite confusion.

"Can I help you?" Felix asked.

Luke's dark eyes traveled up and down Felix's frame, taking in every detail. Felix was acutely aware of how he must look - bedhead, wrinkled black t-shirt, and grey sweatpants. Not exactly the picture of intimidation. 

"Felix Faeth?" Luke's deep voice rumbled, more a statement than a question.

 "That's me. Is there something I can do for you, officer?" He gestured to the badge visible on Luke's belt.

Luke's expression remained unreadable, his jaw set in a firm line. "We need to talk. Not here. Step outside for a moment?"

It wasn't really a request. Felix glanced back into his apartment, thinking of Jessica still in the living room, likely wondering about the delay in her promised pancakes. He stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

The hallway seemed to shrink with Luke's presence. Felix had faced down supervillains as Spider-Man, but something about this situation - facing Luke as just Felix Faeth - made him acutely aware of his vulnerability. Beating up an officer wasn’t a choice, assuming it came down to that. Felix would have to run, there was no other choice.

So he waited.

Strangely, Luke appeared equally as awkward. 

Luke cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the narrow space. "You're probably wondering how I got your address." Luke paused, studying Felix's face. "You know Maria Hill?"

‘Shit, don’t tell me…?’ 

She told him. Fucking hell…

"Uhh..." Felix started, buying time as he tried to formulate a response that wouldn't give anything away.

Luke didn't wait for him to finish. "She's a private detective. Scarily good at her job. You probably don’t know her.”

‘Phew. Crisis averted.’

“I asked her who my ex-wife's new boyfriend was and she told me without missing a beat." Luke let out a heavy sigh, his massive shoulders rising and falling. "I was told not to give her name out but whatever. I'm an officer, you're a normal dude, I don't want you feeling intimidated. I'm not here to threaten you or anything."

Felix's eyebrows shot up. New boyfriend? He opened his mouth to deny it, but Luke pressed on.

"Look, I just want to know how Jessica is doing. Is she... is she happy?"

The question hung in the air between them. Felix found himself at a crossroads, caught between the truth of his casual relationship with Jessica and the feeling of the young man in front of him. 

Felix studied Luke's face, noting the worry lines around his eyes, the tension in his jaw. Despite his intimidating size, there was vulnerability in Luke's expression. 

"Officer Cage," Felix began, reading out his ID badge, "I think there might be a misunderstanding here. Jessica and I... we're friends. That's all."

Luke's eyebrows furrowed, skepticism clear on his face. "Friends. Right. And friends usually spend the night at each other's apartments? Friends spend hotel nights together? One friend is in the background of a photo not wearing pants?”

Felix blanked. “What…?”

“I saw your big ass white dick in a photo,” Luke told Felix bluntly. “I know you’re her new boyfriend.”

Huh? What? What?

Luke looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Grumbling, he shoved a hand in his pocket and Felix almost thought he was about to whip out hand cuffs. Instead, he brought out his phone. He took a couple seconds to unlock it and go on the messaging app.

Luke tapped it a couple times and turned his phone over. Felix paled. Above were a string of drunk messages that were clearly supposed to be for Felix, not Luke, and topping it all off was a selfie. A damning selfie, and somehow, the caption was even worse.

Remember this LOL? Time flies when you're having fun. Got railed so hard that I had to skip work. Didn't plan to spend the whole day in bed (;

His stomach had never dropped so hard.

Jessica was lying on her stomach, the camera angled to one half of her face. Her left ass cheek was in view as was the lavish hotel. This…this was during the threesome with Maria and Jessica. The star of the picture, Felix Faeth, was to her left, pulling up his pants. Halfway up, his dick was languidly hanging out. 

“You think a lotta guys have dicks that big, man?” Luke asked. “With that same body type, that same hair, and the same face? And that hotel too, that shit looks expensive. Way above my paygrade. But you’re an Oscorp scientist or whatever, right? So tell me, could that be anyone but you?”

“Probably…not.”

“Yeah. Probably not.”

An awkward silence fell between them. Felix shifted his weight from one foot to the other, acutely aware of the cold floor beneath his bare feet. He could hear the muffled sounds of the city waking up outside - car horns, distant sirens, the rumble of the subway.

"Look," Luke finally said, his voice softer now, "I'm not here to judge or interfere. Jess and I... we've been over for a while. But I still care about her. I just want to make sure she's okay."

Felix nodded slowly. "She's doing well, Officer Cage—”

“Call me Luke.”

“Luke,” Felix corrected. He drew in a breath and began to tell him, “Her job at Oscorp keeps her busy, but she's content. I got her the job and made sure to give her high pay too. Insurance, pension, all that. She has a team with her so she's not alone either."

"So she has friends?"

"She's not the social type and this isn't a social type of job. But I think yes, she's making friends."

Luke's shoulders relaxed slightly at Felix's words. "Good. That's... that's good to hear." A weight really seemed to lift from his shoulders. "I appreciate you talking to me," Luke said finally. "And I'm sorry for showing up like this. It's just... Jess doesn't exactly keep in touch, you know?"

Felix nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, she's not big on communication. Unless she’s drunk."

That drew a genuine laugh from Luke, the sound echoing in the hallway. "That's Jess alright." As the laughter faded, Luke's expression grew serious again. "Take care of her, alright? And if she ever needs anything..."

He slipped him a piece of paper. It was Luke's number.

"I'll let her know," Felix assured him.

"She's the prideful type," Luke said. "So call me when she won't."

Felix nodded. Luke was satisfied with that he turned to leave, his large frame filling the hallway one last time. But before he reached the stairs, he paused and looked back at Felix. Deep emotions were welling up in his eyes. He wanted to tell something to her, not him. Felix was…just a messenger. 

‘No, an excuse,’ Felix thought. 

“Look, I…” Luke struggled to talk. “I’m going on a mission and I…might not make it,” he admitted. “If I don’t come back, let her know that, married or not, she was my best friend.”

‘A mission? What…?’ 

“Actually…” Luke inhaled deeply. “I’ve started dating too. She’s a nurse, Claire. I met her on duty a month ago. So…I’m doing pretty well for myself too. Relay that to her, if you can.”

“I will,” Felix replied. “And for what it’s worth, I hope you don’t die.”

Luke forced a chuckle. “Me neither.” 

Then he was gone. 

‘A life or death mission for an NYPD officer…what the hell are they thinking? This can’t just be about Spider-Man, could it?’ 

As he closed the door behind him, Felix heard Jessica's voice from the kitchen. "Who was that? And where are my pancakes? Also, drinks? Don’t you keep any around?"

Felix let out a long breath. ‘Whatever the hell is happening with Luke, I should investigate.’ 

Divorce wasn’t the end of the world. Sometimes, shit happens. People fall out of love. Couples grow distant. As much as humans wished they could, more often than not, they couldn’t keep their vows. 

And yet, even in love that was broken, there was a small spark.

Suddenly, Felix felt like talking to his own parents.