Snip to Chapter 36

“Hey Silver,” he begins, nervously fidgeting, “We haven’t had much of a chance to talk since I showed up in Jameson’s office with mini-me.”

She maintains her professional composure as she responds, “No, I suppose we haven’t. I still find it surprising that you were so young when you began this endeavor.”

“Yeah most people do,” he says before he shakes his head, “But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” He fidgets a bit before he takes a breath through his teeth, “I just want to let you know that I felt something too, with the kiss.”

Silver Sable's composed demeanor falters for just a moment, her eyes widening slightly at Spider-Man's admission. She quickly regains her professional mask, but there's a new tension in her shoulders. "I... see," she says carefully, her accent more pronounced due to her own nervousness. "I was hoping, I mean, wondering when you wished to talk about that.”

Spider-Man nods, “Right,” he says as he rubs the back of his neck, from how awkward he is feeling since he now has to drop a bombshell, “But there’s something I should mention. I’m not exactly sure how though.”

He really needs to start rehearsing this. How the heck is he supposed to explain this when he barely has a grasp on it.

Spider-Man takes a deep breath, his heart pounding beneath his iconic red and blue suit. He knows he needs to be honest with Silver, but the words seem to catch in his throat. "The thing is, Silver," he begins, his voice wavering slightly, "I'm kind of... well, I'm in a bit of a complicated situation right now. Relationship-wise, I mean."

Silver Sable arches a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her grey eyes studying him intently. "Complicated how, exactly?" she asks, her tone measured and cautious.

"Well, you see," Spider-Man continues, gesticulating wildly with his hands as he often does when nervous, "I'm sort of... dating three women at the moment. But they know about each other! And they're okay with it!. I hope. It's all very new and confusing and it kinda happened suddenly and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it and..."

He trails off, realizing he's rambling. Silver's expression is unreadable, her face an inscrutable mask of professionalism. The silence stretches between them, heavy and tense, broken only by the distant sounds of the city below.

"I see," Silver says at last, her words carefully chosen. "And these women, they are aware of your... alter ego?" Her eyes flick meaningfully to his mask.

Spider-Man nods vigorously. "Oh yeah, they know. They've known for a while. One of them knew about it before she even knew me. Like high school years. And the other knows because she inhabits her, being a warrior spirit and all. Like I said, very complicated,” he says when he recieves a bewilered look from Silver, “And the other is Black Cat. Felicia. You've met her, right? Of course you have, who hasn't met Black Cat in this city..."

He's rambling again, his words tripping over each other in his haste to explain. Silver holds up a hand, silencing him. "Spider-Man," she says, her voice firm but not unkind, "I appreciate your honesty. Truly. But I am not sure what you expect me to say."

Spider-Man deflates a little, his shoulders sagging. "I don't know," he admits, his voice small. "I guess I just... I wanted you to know. Before anything else happened. Between us, I mean. If there even is an 'us', which there totally doesn't have to be, I'm not assuming anything, I just..."

He bites his tongue to shut himself up. Why is this so hard for him? It was so much easier with Mary Jane and Felicia. Sort of. Then again, he knows them better and longer than he does the Symkarian beauty.