Chapter Text
Johnny was fifteen when Sue left. She had met some guy named Reed Richards while in college and ‘didn’t want Johnny to be in the spotlight’ like the older sibling was about to be. She dropped him off at their Aunt Marygay’s and left. He had felt hurt, abandoned. Why would she leave him behind? Why would Sue not want Johnny by her side? Didn’t she always promise that they were going to be a package deal? At least until Johnny was eighteen.
His aunt was amazing, at least.
She gave him space the first couple of days, then dragged him out to meet the neighbors. It helped to get out of the house and meet people. It was also how he ended up meeting Joe “Benson” Mueller, who owned the local mechanic shop. He was an aging man, around Johnny's aunt’s age, and gave Johnny a job after one look at Johnny.
“Just keep up your grades, so your aunt doesn’t worry,” Benson had told him. “And you can work here. I’d appreciate the extra help anyway. You can also keep personal projects in the back, the other two do, but only work on them off the clock ya here?”
“Yessir,” Johnny said, smiling. “Thank you so much.” Benson waved him off and smiled.
“There are just two others and me here; it’s no trouble.”
During the next few months, Johnny really started to love living with his aunt and felt more and more at home in the shop. He had even done amazing in his classes, far exceeding his classmates. Johnny had even started tutoring some of the seniors at his school.
During all of this, Johnny had tried multiple times to contact Sue.
The blond teen missed his sister, missed how close they used to be, missed just seeing her. Johnny, despite his friends and his aunt, felt alone without her. A small part of Johnny just wanted Sue to be proud of him and talk to him.
Then the spider bite happened, and Johnny realized his life just got a whole ton more complicated. He told his aunt right away. How couldn't he? This was new and strange, and he didn’t know what to do.
“Oh Johnny,” Marygay murmured. “I know all of this is scary. However, no matter what you do with them, these powers are yours now. You have to choose, look into yourself, and figure out what you want to do with them.”
“I wish I could ask Sue,” Johnny mumbled. “I wish she could tell me what to do.”
“I know,” Marygay soothed. “I know, but even if you could, this is a decision you have to make for yourself.” Johnny nodded in understanding and smiled.
Spider-Man was born that day.
It was nearly a year later when Johnny tried to contact Sue for the last time. At sixteen, he was graduating high school and had an apprenticeship at Benson’s shop lined up for him.
Johnny just wanted Sue to be there to congratulate him and say she knew Johnny could do it. Just even be physically present in his life again. However, when he looked into the crowd as he gave his valedictorian speech, the blond realized almost bitterly that his sister wasn’t there.
“Congrats, son, I knew you could do it; didn’t I always say he was wicked smart?” Benson laughed and hugged Johnny after the ceremony.
“That you did,” Marygay mused. “And I never doubted your words either, Joe.” To this day, Marygay was the only one to call Benson Joe.
“Thanks, you two,” Johnny said as he hugged Marygay. “Thanks for coming.”
“Why wouldn't-oh, right,” Marygay sighed. “Let’s not focus on that! We’re going to have a nice dinner with all the people who really matter.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Johnny smiled. “Let’s get out of here and have a nice meal.”
“Then you can go out on the town,” Benson winked. Johnny laughed and nodded. Everyone at the shop, Benson, Maya, Greg, and his aunt, all knew Johnny was Spider-Man. He may hide it from his enemies, but Johnny figured he shouldn't have to hide from the people he cared about.
“Oh yeah,” Johnny mused. “It’ll be great. Let’s go.”
Johnny deleted his sister’s contact the next day.
-
A week later, Sue, Ben, Reed, and some kid named Peter went up in a rocket Johnny had made. Okay, technically ‘Spider-Man’ had made the plans for, but still.
Sue never contacted him, not even to say goodbye, not even to tell him she and the others got superpowers, not even to just check up on her baby brother. Johnny tried not to let it hurt.
It was then and there that Johnny decided he hated the Fantastic Four.
“The media’s darlings,” Marygay snorted. “Making their identities public foolish, in my opinion. You’re a better hero, even if it took people a while to see you as such." Johnny laughed and nodded.
“Yeah, no kidding, I mean really. Don’t they realize making their identities public is kind of a bad idea?”
It wasn't until two weeks later that the Fantastic Four met Spider-Man. Johnny had a feeling they thought it went significantly better than he did.
“Hey! Human Torch, you probably already knew that,” Peter said and landed next to Johnny, who glared, not that Peter could see through his mask.
“What do you want?” Johnny sneered. “I'm kind of in the middle of something here.”
“Oh, tracking a villain?” Peter asked, not even reacting to the obvious angry tone. Johnny sighed tiredly, tensing when his Spider-Sense went off. He quickly dodged out of the way when the Goblin tried to blast him.
“There you are!” Johnny exclaimed, shooting webs and chasing after him. He hissed when a forcefield happened, snapping the webs from where he was attached to the Goblin's Goblin-board or mobile or whatever he called it. He quickly recovered and webbed himself to a nearby building.
“Need some help?” Sue asked from where she suddenly appeared on a nearby rooftop. Johnny couldn't believe he actually forgot what his sister sounded like.
Actually, that was a lie.
“No, actually. You almost got me killed,” Johnny said and got up to the rooftop of the building he was on. “That’s half of you. Where are the other two? Please tell me they’re not trying to get involved too? Actually, don’t answer that. They probably are. Okay, amateurs, let him go. I'm going to show you how a real hero works.” Sue looked hesitant but let the Goblin go. Johnny got on his hoverboard again and smirked, and Goblin led him right to the giant web he set up and got off, letting him crash into the web.
“Spider-Man!” Goblin hissed as he struggled. Johnny smirked, not that anyone could see it.
“Well, look what this arachnid has caught in his web! Don’t worry, Gobby; the police will be here shortly. Back to the asylum for you.”
“That was so cool!” Peter exclaimed. Johnny turned and hummed.
“Experience. Don’t worry, and the webbing dissolves in about an hour. The police will take him back to the asylum. No harm, no foul.” Johnny was glad the police liked him now. It took months for them to trust him enough and not try and arrest him.
“Do you produce that from your body?” Reed asked curiously as he and Ben joined them.
“No, gross. Like, super ultra gross.” Johnny shuddered at the thought, glad that particular ability never manifested. “Anyway, I gotta go, bad guys to stop and all that.”
Johnny couldn't get away from them fast enough. They nearly killed him, revealed his location, and ruined the whole plan! What was wrong with them? He shook his head and swung a few blocks from home, and changed quickly before walking into his house.
“How was patrol?” Marygay asked. “I made lasagna for dinner.”
“Got the Goblin, despite the Fantastic Four’s ‘help’,” Johnny sighed in irritation. “I think they thought they were impressing me or something, and what they did was almost get me killed.”
“I’m sorry, dear,” Marygay sighed. “Come, eat, alright?”
Johnny nodded and sat down with a sigh. He was just exhausted, but at least Norman was once again back in the asylum. Harry owed him so much for this bullshit. Maybe lab time to make better web-shooters?
Johnny and Harry actually met a couple of months after Johnny moved in with his aunt. Apparently, the spider that bit Johnny was a genetics experiment from Oscorp. Harry had been tasked by his father to track it down, and the two had bonded nearly instantly.
-
The next week, he once again ran into Peter, this time on a normal patrol. Johnny suppressed a sigh of irritation.
“So, you’re like a veteran hero, right?” Peter asked.
“Been doing this for a couple of years now,” Johnny said carefully. “Why?”
“Why do you hide your face? I mean, most of New York loves you, right?” Johnny gave a tired sigh at the question. Peter wasn’t the first and probably wouldn’t be the last to ask that question.
“Because, unlike you, I actually have people I care about who can’t defend themselves,” Johnny said, “They know who I am, but that doesn't mean my enemies should know. What if they attacked my friends or family? They’d be defenseless, especially against the likes of the Vulture or Sandman.” Peter grew quiet and contemplative to Johnny's surprise at the spider-themed hero's words. “Other heroes can afford to have their identity known. I’m not one of them. See ya around.” Johnny swung off after that, not wanting to be around Peter at that moment.
Little did he know how much this was about to change his life.