Welcome Home Peter

Months passed by me like a painful blur as I buried myself further and further into my work and excessive amounts of booze, Harry’s words repeating in my head like a terrible echo. Bernard watched over me, trying his damndest to pry me from my desk, to contact Harry. But I refused. Harry hated me and he had every right to, hell I wouldn’t be surprised if he was getting closer and closer to turning me into the police for what I’d done. But he didn’t, I’m not sure why, but he just didn’t. Perhaps out of pity? Or was it possibly sympathy..? I wouldn’t know for a while as I kept my distance from him, letting him live his life and process his own feelings and thoughts.

“Maybe I should just.. Leave for good..” I mumbled to myself, my words slurring from the copious amounts of whiskey I had drank in the past hour, the bottle having only a sliver of the golden liquid pooling at the bottom. I was tempted to drink it but my arms felt like jelly, my head swimming as I stared absentmindedly at the portrait of my son, hanging pristinely on a far wall. “Y-You’d want that.. Wouldn’t you..?” I asked the painting, my voice cracking as a well of sadness began to bubble up in my throat, nearly choking me. “God this is depressing, even for me.” That sickening voice hissed in my mind making me let out an exasperated sigh. He had grown more chatty during this terrible time, which made it worse if I'm being honest. “Shut up! I wouldn’t be like this if you had kept y-your mouth shut!” I barked out as I tore my eyes from the portrait, needing to look away before I ended up curling up into myself for the third time this week. God I was pathetic. “Oh no no! You can’t blame me for this! I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t nearly killed yourself taking the serum! Plus, I’m not the one who told Harry our little secret~” he hissed out once more, and as much as I wanted to argue he had a point. Yes, if I hadn’t done the experiment he wouldn’t be here and Harry.. No. Harry still would hate me, fear me. He’d still see me as a cold heartless monster, and he would have eventually told me like he had done. “He’s right.. I am a monster, the serum didn’t make me one.” Tears fell on my cheeks as I fell into the couch, curling into the soft fabric and staining it a little more with my tears. I was exhausted, my body heavy as I laid down, my limbs and mind growing more and more numb as I laid there silently crying into the cushions. Goblin sighed low, a relinquent growl to his voice, “Must I do everything for you.. Dammit.” He growled out as I felt my mind quickly grow fuzzy and then nothing. It wasn’t exactly like I was asleep, it was as though I was.. Nowhere. Just floating in a dark abyss, lifeless, painless, peaceful. But just as quickly as that darkness had gently wrapped itself around me I was suddenly laying in my bed dressed in some old pajamas. “But, I wasn’t? I was..?” I thought as I scanned the bedroom, sunrise peeking its way through the blinds. My head was still swimming, but now with a hangover instead of the numbness of alcohol. I groaned as I felt my headache grow with each passing second, so I sat myself up and made my way to the bathroom to get some DHM Detox, my movement sluggish as aches and pains settled themselves in my bones, god I’m getting old. I was expecting to see the pathetic image of a man at the bottom of his wits, but instead I saw my old self, well sort of. The dark circles under my eyes gave away the exhaustion and consistent crying that I had been doing these few weeks. But I was freshly shaven, and had clearly taken a shower at some point the night before. But I didn’t? “I think a ‘thank you’ is in order hmm?” Goblin rang out, twisting my reflection once more, startling me a little as he stared at me with an annoyed glare, hands on his hip. My mind finally caught up with his words, clicking on its conclusion. “What? Y-you did this!?” I felt my stomach sink as realization set in. Goblin had taken control of me, of my body, giving him full reign to whatever he pleases. I turned quickly on my heels, aiming for the bedroom door but I barely made it out of the bathroom before Goblin’s voice rang loudly, "Calm down Norman! There's no need to panic, I haven't done anything sinister! Couldn't have anyway in the state you had put our body in." Goblin hissed out annoyed, honestly surprisingly clear in his voice. Had he really done nothing dark? But..? I turned back to the mirror, my movements cautious, as though preparing for him to magically pounce at me through it. "Alright, then why did you do.. this?" I gestured over myself, my voice giving away to my suspicions. Goblin just rolled his eyes before crossing his arms and answering, “Because you weren’t going to dumbass! I also called up a few Doctors to get you checked out because you need help Osborn!” He practically yelled at me, disappointment and worry plain in his voice, almost like a parent. Was he.? Worried about me? I scoffed, disbelief clear in my tone. “Really?” “Yes!” He exclaimed loudly. “Why? Wait let me guess, you’re doing this to put me in some sort of false sense of security, to get me to blindly trust you so that when I’m practically eating out the palm of your hand you’ll strike and take over for good! Burying me away forever!” I yelled at Goblin with venom in my voice, but the volume sent a sharp pain through my head, damn hangover. Goblin looked horrified as he yelled back at me defensively, “What!? No! I’m doing what I was made to do!” I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the twisted reflection. “Which is what? To destroy and mangle everything and everyone in your path? Yeah I-” Goblin quickly cut me off, practically screaming out, “TO PROTECT YOU ASSHOLE!!” I was shocked, my voice running dry as we both stood there in silence. He wasn’t even looking at me anymore, his head hung low as his fists clenched, shoulders shaking as he breathed hard. It was a moment or two before he looked up, his eyes red from holding back.. Tears? I’ve never been sure. But he took a deep breath before speaking in a low voice,

“Look I know it might not seem like it, but my sole purpose, my promise I made the day I awoke in your mind was to protect you no matter what. That’s why I killed Stromm, the General and the Board! Because they posed as threats to you and your safety! Of course now looking back I will admit my reaction was a bit.. Rash to say the least. But I wasn’t exactly all there. And, ever since you got cured and I was buried away in your mind, and with what Harry said well, it stuck with me too. I’ve had a lot of time to think, to reminisce, to reflect..” “On what?” I asked softly, wanting to hear more, to see where he was going with all this. He sighed deeply, “Mainly what Otto and that Sand-man said in the dungeon. How Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, was killed by his own glider while fighting Spider-Man.. It well, It completely goes against what I promised, but it was the truth.. I was going to get you killed because I was too blind to see what damage I was causing to you and your life, what danger I was putting you in!” Goblin pushed out, shoulders shaking worse than before. 

“Maybe it’s because of the cure but I want to be better, to actually protect you. And although I've done a pretty shit job so far, I can’t stand to see you destroy yourself like this Norman! I can’t watch you drink your sorrow away anymore! Harry might be right, but that just means that you need to better yourself instead of wallowing in your own self-pity. I’m stuck with you.. And you’re stuck with me, so let's just try to learn to live with each other alright?” He looked back up to me, uncertainty in his eyes. “He really does care, doesn't he.. Huh.” I smiled, giving him a solid nod. “Alright. Thank you, Goblin.” He seemed to beam up at those words, but he quickly pushed down his excited expression and passed it with a chuckle and a sassy smile. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get mushy on me Osborn. Now go eat something idiot.” He demanded with no venom in his voice and soon my reflection was once again my own, and I did just as he said. I grabbed a couple of pills and made my way downstairs to eat breakfast with Bernard who seemed glad to see me out of bed this early in the morning. Things were changing, just not in the way I would think.

I'm not sure how much time had passed, I was so busy with changing Oscorp.'s investments and goals for the future, as well as going to intense psychotherapy that I lost track quite frankly. My best guess is that maybe it was a month or two but that isn't very important.

My life was going well as business was booming. My employees felt comfortable enough to talk to me without needing to be a suck up or fear of being reprimanded. My Doctor was helping me and Goblin learn to live with each other relatively peacefully. Which meant I had to let him out more often which was jarring for Bernard to say the least, but he got used to it as time passed. Especially after I and Goblin designated clothes for him to wear when he came out, as I didn't really want to deal with any tears or stains he might end up leaving on my suits.

Things were going well! That was until one night.

The night air was bitter cold, high winds and heavy rain slamming on the windows of the Manor. Luckily there wasn't any thunder otherwise it would've been a far more miserable night. Clear signs that Fall was crawling ever closer day by day.

I was wrapped up in one of my favorite robes, warm coffee in my hand as I read a book by T.S Elliot. Rosie had given it to me a while ago as a birthday present, a life line really. A way to keep in touch that I never picked up. For so long it sat and collected dust, becoming more of a decoration than anything. That night was one of the last few times I really got to see her smile at me, laugh with me and reminisce on our old college days. Warm nostalgia washed over me just as I had spotted it on the shelf, lovely memories of her, Otto and I passing by in my mind. I could remember the hours I spent with them in Otto and I’s shared dorm, talking and almost arguing over Elliot’s stories for hours, mostly with Otto since he was always confused by them and thus found them pointless much to Rosie’s dismay. Sometimes Emily would join us or would steal Rosie away to have a "girls night" with her, leaving Otto and I to argue over science theories and bad movies for hours on end. God, those were the days. Of course as memories flooded by bitterness came with them as I remembered how everything had ended on a terrible and bitter note. Otto and I have established Oscorp. together as partners and the best of friends despite our.. history. And for many years everything went well! But eventually my greed and arrogance got the hold of me, I became reckless and Otto, my dear friend Otto, tried to warn me. He tried to pull me out of the clutches of the Military's hands. But it was too late, I was in too deep, and I made one last decision that ended up breaking our friendship. Despite everything, I went behind his back and tried to sell some of his ideas and designs for the highest bidder. Otto of course caught me red handed and was rightfully pissed, from there it became a blurry cacophony of angry yelling, accusations, and sharp insults that we didn't really mean deep down. Well, at least I didn’t really mean. But, the damage had been done. Otto left my office in a huff and when he returned he handed in his resignation and had cleaned out his desk of everything, leaving me with nothing but that bare desk to remind me of him. And I.. I got bitter. Saying it was all his fault and he was being ridiculous. But he had had enough and told me to never speak to him again and well.. I never did.

Well until I was pulled into that other universe, and at first he glared at me with murderous hatred, much like the last time I had seen him and I felt horribly guilty. But, once I was able to help fix his chip, to bring back the real Otto, his eyes went.. soft. Yes, soft and kind and loving. Just how I had wished for Otto to look at me again, to care for me and treat me as a friend despite our differences. And he did. He was kind and humble, just as I had remembered him. But now, he's gone, somewhere in the multiverse. Was he my Otto? Or would the one from my world never turn that way? Would I never be able to see those kind eyes again..?

A tear was now staining the page, catching me off guard to realize I had started to cry. Did I really miss him that much? I suppose I did. Otto was one of the few people in my life that believed I could be good, that I could do great things. But like everyone else, I drove him away.

"Call him." Goblin mumbled out, his voice tired. "What?" I asked as I wiped away tears quickly, more out of habit than anything. "I said, ‘Call him.’ It's not too late to patch things up. It's been a long time since that day Osborn. Just.. give it a chance." Goblin replied pointedly. I thought over his words for a little bit, glancing over to the house phone as my thoughts wandered. I suppose he wasn't wrong, I mean the worst he could say is no, right? I took a deep breath, put down my coffee and book, and made my way to the phone. I hadn’t even noticed how nervous I was until I was holding the phone in one hand while the other fumbled with the keyboard, searching for their house number. I kept pressing the button over and over until I happened upon OCTAVIUS HOUSE, my fingers stilling as I stared at the green screen and bold letters. My finger now hovered over the call button, hesitating to push it. “Fuck it” I huffed out before quickly pressing the button before I could talk myself out of it.

The phone rang and rang and rang, the dull tone playing over and over as I waited with the phone pressed to my ear, hoping, praying that someone would pick up. That I would be greeted by Otto’s warm rumbly voice asking who would be calling at such a late hour. But it was not his voice that rang so happily into my ears after a long beep. “Hello!~ This is Rosie and Otto Octavius! Sorry we couldn’t come to the phone, we’re probably very busy or out right now, so if you could leave a message after the beep that would be lovely! I promise we’ll get back to you as soon as possible! Alright, Goodbye!~” I couldn't help but chuckle lightly. Rosie must have set that up despite Otto insisting he do it himself, but knowing him, he had forgotten and she just did it herself. And no doubt that they were either out on the town together or were asleep. BEEEEP. The sound of the machine took me out of the thoughts, bringing me quickly back to the present. “Ah yes! I should leave a message.” “Ah, Hello Rosie it’s uhh. It’s Norman. I know it’s uhh, it’s been a while since I last called but, umm well.. I know that things didn’t end well between Otto and I but I’ve had a lot to reflect on since and I want to apologize, properly, maybe even catch up since it’s been so long. So I was wondering if Otto’s alright with it, perhaps we could get some coffee somewhere, and talk for a little bit? If not I understand I just um, want to patch up old bridges I guess. Well, I should end this now so I hope you’re doing well and if you could get back with me that would be lovely! So.. Goodbye!”

The phone clicked, finalizing my choices. “Guess all I can do now is wait..” I sighed and made my way back to the couch, glancing over the grandfather clock. 11:45. “God it’s late. I should head to bed.” I gathered the book and chugged the last of my coffee before leaving it in the kitchen for the morning. I made my way up the stairs slowly, contemplating my schedule for the next day and how long I would be spending in the office talking about legal bullshit and having to act friendly to buyers. God it was going to be a long day.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Hmm?” I perked up, turning back to face the front doors. I swear I had heard knocking but it would have been the wind or the rain?- KNOCK!! KNOCK!! KNOCK!!

My thoughts were interrupted as those three heavy insistent knocks pounded on the heavy wood doors, echoing into the foyer. But who the hell would be at my door at this hour? Bernard was out for the night, and it had been only a few minutes since I called Otto. Harry perhaps? No. He wanted nothing to do with me so there was no reason for him to be at my door at this dreadful hour. Maybe someone’s car had broken down? Possible, and if that was the case then they probably wanted some help. KNOCK!! KNOCK!! KNOCK!! The banging repeated as I began my way back down and to the doors.

“Alright alright! Don’t get your panties in a twi-” I opened the door, rain heavy and nearly drowning out my words before they were quickly shut as my eyes laid onto the stranger. Peter Parker. Well, my Peter Parker.

He was soaked, clothes completely drenched through, his hair pressed depressingly to his forehead and cheeks. Bright blue eyes staring at me painfully, he looked.. Distressed. I instantly reached for him, urging him to come in. “Peter my boy, what are you doing out here! You’re soaked, come on let’s-” I was only able to lay my hands on his shoulder for a second before he shoved it off just as fast, his expression deepening as he looked at him, scanning me for something. I was speechless, unsure on how to react. “Peter.. What’s wrong?” I asked slowly, keeping my eyes locked with his as he licked his lips, gathering his words.

“Are you the Green Goblin?” He asked, voice weak with uncertainty and hurt. My heart sank, a heaviness draping itself over me as those words sank in. I couldn’t keep eye contact as I moved aside and gestured to the foyer. “Let’s talk inside, you’ll catch a cold..” My voice was shallow as my mind raced a hundred miles an hour. And Goblin wasn’t helping. “How does he know!” “I don’t know! But now he does!” “Are you sure? He did ask you! We could deny it!!” “No!! Peter is a smart boy, he wouldn’t ask unless he had heard it from someone or had his suspicions.” “Then, should we be honest? What if he tells the police!?!” “Then we’ll face the consequences. What goes up must come down..”

Peter walked in quietly, the sound of his wet shoes squeaking on the floor being the only thing breaking the uncomfortable silence. He walked to the fireplace, the coals dying out but still giving off heat. I followed behind, standing behind my arm chair, hand grazing over the spot where the helmet had been sat as I gave further into Goblin’s old harmful nature. We still said nothing, not sure how to break the silence. “So..” Peter mumbled out, “Are you?” He asked, pain leaking through his voice. I sighed, casting my eyes to the floor. “Here we go” Snapping my eyes up I gave my answer in a clear and controlled voice, “Yes, I was. And since you’re so bold to say it out loud I might as well let you know that I know you’re Spider-Man.” Peter turned to me, water flicking every which way as he looked at me with shock, mouth agape as he tried to find his words. “..B-But how did..?” He pushed out, confusion clearly taking priority in his brain. “Thanksgiving dinner, I noticed the cut on your arm which was in the exact same spot that I had cut Spider-Man only a few minutes prior. I tried to pass it off but I could tell the cut was fresh and well, everything else fell into place.” I took a seat in my chair, looking up to Peter who was still staring at me with bewilderment. I smiled, letting out a small chuckle. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, your secret’s safe with me.” His mouth closed, nodding softly to me as his eyes shifted to the floor, uncertainty clear on his face. “But I am curious Peter, how did you find out? Were you spying on me? Perhaps you spotted me without my helmet flying over here on my glider or..?” I pried, curious as to how he came to know the truth.

He sighed with a shaky breath, looking away from me, now looking back to the dying embers as he spoke in a shaky soft voice, “H-Harry he told me.. I- I came home late and I found him on the couch he - He'd been drinking and was crying so I checked on him, asked him what was wrong and he.. He told me everything..” “Everything?” I asked, earning a quiet nod. “Including I got cured?” He nodded again. “Yeah, and that the Goblin is in your head or something?” He looked at me as he spoke, a bit confused by his own question. “Ah, yes. I know it sounds a bit odd but the Goblin is indeed still in my head, he always was, it’s just that before he had more power over me. More control over my actions, over the people we hurt..” I said solemnly. "Like Aunt May.." He said in a hushed tone, eyes cold as he waited for my reaction.

Aunt May.. oh my. Flashes of that night, of her home being blown to pieces as he hovered over her, crouched down in prayer, screaming, demanding she finish the prayer in mockery. She screamed and cried, begging for mercy and help and..

I shook my head, shame filling my stomach uncomfortably. "..Yes, even Aunt May. Which I am terribly sorry about I- I would never want to hurt her but he-! He wanted to hurt you by going after someone you love." Peter's eyes darkened, anger ignited inside his soul, I wasn’t surprised, not one bit. “You nearly killed her Norman, her and MJ and..” He stopped, hesitating as his anger burned brighter, “ Fuck you nearly got Harry killed! Your own son!! Why!?” He demanded, desperately looking for a good answer. I sighed, not even bothering to look at him as he stared holes into my damned soul. “For money, power.. Control. That's all I’ve ever wanted, and it drove me to take risks, risks that used people, hurt them.. Betray them.” I glanced at the phone, guilt building in my stomach. “I'm not proud of myself Peter, and I don’t have any real good excuse as to why I took the enhancer other than my simple selfish and greedy desires.” I answered truthfully, unsure if it was me speaking or Goblin, maybe it was a bit of both.

Silence sat heavily over us, his stare barely softened as he processed the truth. His hands kept clenching and unclenching, nerves practically on fire before he made his choice and turned around, punching the fireplace, cracking and leaving a fist shaped dent easily into the hard stone as though it were butter. I knew he could more, I saw how he tensed up, holding back his full strength, amazing. He wiped his fist off, asking in a harsh low tone. “If you did it all for that then what made you change your mind? What made you decided that murdering innocent lives wasn’t on the table anymore?!” He was pissed, pessimism leaking clear through his teeth. “Simple. I got scared.”

“Every time he took over and killed someone, terrorized innocents with sick glee, I could feel a part of me losing my control over my own mind, losing the strength to fight him off. At first it was just Dr.Stromm, and then it was the Board and then you, Spider-Man came around and offered yourself as a challenge, a threat to my safety and all the things I desired. He didn’t like that, his anger and obsession on killing you, destroying you grew out of my control and I.. I got scared.”

“I didn’t want to kill you Peter, never. I’ve always considered you as a son! But he didn’t. He just saw an easy target to take out so I gathered as much strength as I could and got in contact with an old friend to help me, to cure me! I was worried it wouldn’t work in time and it nearly didn’t.” I sighed as I bared my heart to Peter, telling as much of the truth as I could without making myself sound nuts. Peter just scoffed, turning to me with those cold eyes and without any warning stepped right up to me and clocked me right in the jaw. I cried out, sharp pain knocking me out of my self pity, looking back to Peter with fear as I held my jaw, unsure if he’d cracked it. “I hate you, and not just for your greedy selfish nature or for your shitty motivations, hell not even for how you’ve treated Harry all his life. No. I hate you because despite all that, despite all of the horrible things you did I always believed in you, I was inspired by you! I trusted you! You built your company from the ground up, you made a name for yourself! And after Uncle Ben died you.. You were the closest thing I had to a Father, which is pathetic considering how you treat your actual son.. I hate you because despite being given all that strength and power, you used it to fulfill your sick desires instead of using it responsibly! You could’ve been great! You could’ve helped people! But you didn’t.. Great power comes with great responsibility..”

He turned away heading back out to the rain, calling back to me, “If you really want me to believe you’ve changed, that you’re ‘better’.” He stopped to look back at me one last time. “Then actually make a change.” He turned back, slamming the door behind him, leaving me alone with a lot to think on.

“Well.. that could've gone worse I suppose.”

 A month had passed since that night and I hadn’t heard a word from anyone other than Oscorp. investors and employees demanding my attention. Not Harry, not Peter, not Otto, not even Rosie.. What was I expecting? For everything to just go back to normal? Yeah as if. So I busied myself with projects and budgets. And well, I know I should have dropped the project because of all the damage it had done but I couldn’t help but see the potential it possessed. Yes, I restarted the enhancers project, but not for making Super Soldiers! No, for the public. While I was on it, I had never been healthier in my entire life, so well I wanted others to feel that way too, without going insane of course. So now I was revitalizing it to cure rare genetic diseases as well as strengthen those who have had their bodies and immune systems wrecked by deadly illnesses and diseases. It had a long way to go, but I wasn’t going to give up, not if it meant doing the greater good.

The Winter air bit at my skin as Goblin wandered through the city streets, enjoying the chatter of the people and the scents and sounds of the evening air. He had us wearing a pair of simple slacks, a moss green turtleneck and an orange coat. And of course a beanie and sunglasses so people wouldn’t recognize my face in public. The last time someone had done that, they got in our face about his opinions of me and my company with a slew of colorful words, and well, it took a lot of energy and convincing to keep Goblin from losing his shit on the guy. Goblin's anger was a constant issue we were fighting with, trying to find methods to help calm him down when he was out. It saddened him when he did lose his shit, throwing a temper tantrum and making a mess of everything around him, leaving rooms looking as though a tornado had come through. He hated it, he felt it made him weak, that it showed that he’d never change or get better. That he was stuck being the "Monster". It was strange to console him but soon it became second nature. In a way, it made me think of when my own Mother would comfort me when I was little, trying her best to keep me from becoming my Father.. It didn’t work, at least not all the way. I’m so sorry Mom.

A tantalizing smell floated in the air, catching my attention, well, our attention. Goblin turned toward the heavenly scent after handing a ten to the hotdog vendor, taking a big bite as he searched for the source of the delectable smell. “Aha!” He exclaimed making his way to a cozy bistro called Intelligentsia. The place was packed with customers trying to get coffee to battle off the cold, the scent of rich coffee, hot coco, and apple cider looming heavy in the air. Oh what heaven. It didn’t take long for Goblin to make his way up to the counter ordering a Honduras Caballero Espresso, “Name?” The cashier asked and Goblin hesitated, unsure on how to answer without raising suspicion. “Uuum, Gerard. It’s Gerard.” I snickered at the fake name. The girl nodded and handed his receipt, letting him know it would be out in a few minutes. He sat down, grumbling as he finished off his hot dog. “Really?” “What?” “Gerard? That's what you decided on?” He growled low as he continued to stuff his face. “Oh shut up. I panicked okay! Not like I could tell her my real name.” “Well I don’t know, it is New York, she’s probably heard weirder.” “Hmm, maybe.” We sat there waiting for the young barista to call out the name, the crowd barely thinning out as others gathered their coffee. Goblin was getting bored, slowly getting more comfy as we waited on the small wooden stool. Soon the sunglasses were off, goblin fiddling with the hem of the beanie as he stared off into space, he was getting tired, his energy running low as he sat in the loud space. He sighed and tucked our head into our arms on the table, hiding our face but most importantly our eyes from the buzzing lights. “Osborn, you good with taking over for the rest of the day?” “I mean yeah, you feeling alright?” “Just losing a lot of energy, I need to recharge.” “Alright.” Goblin faded from the front, his presence losing strength as I felt myself almost waking up back in the driver's seat. Immediately the bustle of the shop was almost unbearable, the smells, sounds, and lights were just too much. I hated transitioning in places like this. I reached for the sunglasses once more, protecting my eyes just a little bit from the lights. It wasn’t long before I heard the name Gerard called out and picked up the drink, taking a careful sip, savoring the rich flavor of fruit, citrus, and cocoa dancing on my tongue. “Well, at least I can handle this.” I mumbled out and turned to make my way out, but I accidentally bumped hard into someone, both of us grunting and my coffee splashing onto their sweater. “Oh shit!” I exclaimed as I gathered myself, flicking off coffee off my fingers. “Aghh, I am so sorry about that I-” My voice cut short as I looked up to the tall stranger wiping at his sweater, short dark wavy hair bouncing ever so slightly, dark glasses hiding away his eyes but I didn’t need to see them, I knew that hid behind those dark lenses were a pair of the softest chocolate brown eyes I’d ever seen. My voice almost faltered as I stared at the man standing awkwardly before me.

“Otto?” my voice trembled out, hesitation to ask such a question. Could it be him or could I be mistaking someone else for my old friend. But it was him! Otto looked up from staring at the dark spot on his sweater and now to me, confusion and surprise sweeping through his face in a matter of seconds as he recognized me. His voice soft, hesitant as he asked “Osborn?” right back at me. I couldn’t help but smile wide, laughing awkwardly at the situation we found ourselves in. “Y-yes, um I-” I noticed the dark spot on his sweater once more and I could feel my ears burning with embarrassment. “Oh yeah..” I turned over to the counter and grabbed a bundle of napkins before handing them to Otto. He hesitated before he grabbed them from me, our fingers grazing just for a moment. I smiled up at him as I stumbled over my words, guiding him over to a more comfy space away from the crowd. “I uh, I didn’t expect to see you here but I-I’m so sorry for bumping into you like that I-” “It’s alright Osborn, I wasn’t paying much attention so it’s my fault.” He said humbly with an awkward smile. “Oh no I was in such a hurry I didn’t look so it’s really on me.” “Osborn I promise you it’s alright, you know how absent minded I can be.” I chuckled lightly and shook my head, goodness he can be stubborn, even in being the one to apologize. “Otto please you don’t need to apologize, I do. What's so wrong with me admitting I screwed up?” I asked lightheartedly, poking a little bit of fun at him. He chuckled back, that soft dorky smile shaping his face as he averted his eyes from me and down to his hands fumbling around with the napkins. “Aha, nothing I guess it’s just umm, something I’m not used to hearing from you.” He said low, a hint of sadness in his voice. I felt it in my heart, oh.. Yeah. I felt doubt crawling its way up my neck as those memories played in my mind, reminding me how bad this had gone down, how he nor Rosie had called me back in over a month, about how he told me he never wanted to hear from me again. Nothing had changed. “Yeah that’s.. Fair.” I forced on another awkward smile. “Well, I should um, make my way back home. It was lovely seeing you again.”

I was a few feet from the coffee shop, drinking my remaining coffee and attempting to flag down a taxi because Goblin didn’t drive himself here. “I should take a nap when I get home, I’m feeling beat.” I took another sip, and went to wave at another taxi when I felt a hand suddenly clasp my shoulder, causing me to jump and turn around to the perpetrator. It was Otto and just as quickly he had put his hand on me he pulled it back, taken back by my jumpiness. “Oh sorry I didn’t mean to scare you I just uh..” He swallowed hard, fingers fiddling with each other. “Why wasn’t he wearing gloves? It’s pretty cold out here.” I absentmindedly thought as I waited for him to continue his sentence. “I got your message and I've been meaning to call you back but I got swamped with work and kept forgetting, but Rosie has been insisting I just do it and I uh well..” I could practically feel his nervousness, his worries frying his brain. “Yes?” I asked gently, easing him. He breathed in sharp, looking me dead in the eyes with that determination that I always envied. “You wanna get something to eat?” He asked plainly, but I knew that he was racked with nerves and I, well I felt like I was on top of the world! I felt my heart leap in my chest with joy. Goodness was I that lonely? “Y-Yes! I uh, know a place if you're okay with burgers?” I stammered out, my heart beating so damn fast. Otto smiled, nodding lightly as he flagged down a taxi.

It took us only a few minutes to reach the restaurant, the drive almost painfully quiet as we sat together. I took a few glances during the drive, admiring how well Otto has aged. He looked calmer and much more relaxed than the Otto I met in the other universe, even with the same sunglasses that he was holding between his index and thumb. Hair frazzled but clean and he looked as though he had freshly shaven. I pulled my eyes away soon enough as not to creep him out while we traveled through the busy New York streets. Once we arrived we hurried through the crowded sidewalk and into the restaurant and were practically pushed to our table once the waiter heard me say my name aloud. I was used to this kind of reaction but Otto. Not so much. His eyes were wide with surprise as we were sat down and shoved a couple of menus. He smiled as he tried to thank the waiter who rushed through his speech, speeding back to the restaurant.

"Well, that was.. something." Otto commented softly as he straightened himself out, shuffling off his coat. "Oh yeah, I should've warned you, I just blanked it hehe." I chuckled lightly as I began to skim the menu, mind not really processing the words as Otto's words repeated over and over.  "So about your voicemail." Otto paused.  "Yes?" I asked, a bit hesitant about what he was about to say to me. "Well I'll admit I was a bit surprised to hear you after all these years, let alone to sound so, well, concerned I guess." "Ah." I replied. "I also won't lie to you that a part of me was a bit angry that you decided to call now after so long but I should know no better about you by now." I cringed a bit at his bitter words, nodding my head mindlessly, understanding the sentiment. "That's fair enough Otto I don't blame you for feeling upset, especially with how things ended last time we talked.."

"Yes, which is why I have to ask why now? Why did you call me now after so long? I know you Osborn, you don't apologize to anyone! Let alone someone you screwed over." He said with a cold, bitter tone. I sighed, "I just wanted to change I guess. mainly for my son Harry. We had a really hard talk and he told me his honest opinion of me, that I was a monster and a terrible person and well.. I guess from there things just clicked." "I hurt your Otto, I know that and I just want to start over and-" "And what!? Just pretend that nothing happened!" He exclaimed, slamming his fists on the countertop, silverware clanging from the sudden burst of anger, but then he just clenched his fists, head shaking with a disappointed and pained expression. "You're right, you did hurt me Norman, you hurt me in more ways than I can count because despite everything I let go, that I ignored from before time and time again, I gave you my full confidence! I tried so hard to see the good in you, even as I saw it get more and more consumed by your incessant need for money and power! You had hurt me many times, so I gave you one last chance, one chance Osborn. And you threw it away!!" He ranted at me, shame swallowing me up as every word flung out. He was right, I took my chances and threw out what little of friendship we had just for money..

"And then you.. you call me up in the middle of the night, voice cracking like it did back in college, full of uncertainty and, and.. genuine care as you apologize?! I just.." He paused. "I can't forgive you Norman, not for that, not ever." My heart sunk in my chest, I was ready to bolt out of the restaurant with my head hanging low, never to see Otto again and accept that some things just can't be fixed. "But, I can give you one last chance." He pushed out, a bit uncertain with himself. "Really!? B-but you-" "I know Osborn. I meant what I said. I'm not going to forgive you for what happened, but I am willing to give you a final chance to, well, patch whatever this is we have at this point. To prove to me that you are indeed capable of change. But if you ever pull a stunt like that again then we are done. Understand Osborn?" He said sternly, eyes piercing my soul. I swallowed hard, my heart speeding up from the roller-coaster of emotions I was being tossed through. "I understand Otto, I promise." He snickered at that, irony thick in those two words, "I promise." "Alright then, we should decide what we're eating."

And with that the evening rolled out as we ate and chatted away, catching on the past decade, our nerves easing as we talked more and more, feeling comfortable with each other just like before.

It didn't take long before Otto was info-bombing me with his plans for his latest project for using fusion to create infinite clean energy for the world. Of course I had to pry it out of him, but once he opened up there was no stopping. It was fascinating! In theory his machine would work, but one question stood out to me. "But what about the fuel? To produce the power you’re aiming for you would need some high grade stuff." I commented as I took a sip of my coffee, scrunching my nose a bit at the bitter taste. It wasn’t the best coffee, it had definitely been burnt and no amount of cream and sugar could bury that lingering taste. Otto just smiled, a shy smile as I poked at the very clear hole in his theory. He never much liked it when I did that, but I think he also didn’t mind it too much, as it allowed him to explain further, letting others understand the depth of his mind. To let them be amazed and stroke his ego a bit, something that I knew of far too well but Otto tried his damndest to play off or stoke down. In the end he and I were far more alike than he’d like to admit. “Aha, well that’s a good question. I was looking around at my options and I’ve concluded that my best bet would be Tritium, but-” “It’s extremely rare?” I interrupted coyly, earning a light smile and chuckle from my old friend. “Yes. Yes it is, and since it is so rare, most of the investors I’ve presented to have happily declined..” He said softly, eyes drifting away from me, he was trying not to show how much that frustrated him, made him feel small. But I knew Otto, his habits, his quirks, and the things that got under his skin. He had been working on this for years, it was his life's work! So to be denied time and time again must have been exhausting, debilitating. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is that why you were in the coffee shop?” I asked, wincing with another sip of the coffee. “God I should just put it down.” Otto looked back to me, almost as though surprised by the question. “Oh, yes. I was feeling exhausted and well, I thought some nice coffee would cheer me up.” He gave me another smile, a real smile that cut his cheeks sharp. He always had a lovely smile. “Well did it?”

He raises his eyebrows at my question, but relaxes them back to a calm and placant expression, happy exhaustion clear on his face. “Well considering it allowed us to finally talk again.. I would say yes. It did.” He smiled at me, warm and kind. It was almost like the first time we met, the first time we lost count of the time as we rambled about Star Wars and complex equations, the first time we shared a deep secret with each other, a secret that no one else knew and will never know. I couldn’t help but feel my face warm up with that smile, averting my eyes down to the bitter drink as I stammered, “A-ah well, that’s t-true I guess, hehe.” I looked over to his bag, my mind replaying the last hour or two of our conversation and an idea popped in my mind, an idea that could either go well or terribly bad. “Otto, what if I backed your project?” Otto’s eyes popped open, nearly spitting out his water that he had apparently just decided to take a drink out of. Oops.

“What!?” He exclaimed, coughing roughly from sucking water into his lungs. I cringed a bit but went forward, “Well, Oscorp. has a lot of resources and contracts with suppliers, so we do have a small stash of Tritium in our vaults. And since I’m trying to send Oscorp. in a much better direction that actually helps people, I think this would be a good start for both of us! Now, of course I will give you all the credit as you deserve it!” Otto is stunned as I go on, his face frozen in place. I worry for a moment that he’s gone paralyzed but he blinks rapidly soon enough, confusion still clear in his mind. “B-But what will you ge-” I stop him there, grabbing ahold of his hand into my own. The leather is cold, but I can feel his warmth seeping through. I don’t let go, not yet. “Otto. This is your life's work! Your dream! You deserve to let it finally become a reality!!” I say earnestly, more earnestly than I could ever think I was capable of. He looks down at our hands, staring at them a moment before shaking his head, a smile clear on his face with disbelief before he squeezes my hand back, warmth enveloping my hand. He lets go soon, that wonderful warmth leaving me wanting, I’m tempted to pull back his hand, to hold it just a little longer. But I don’t. I won’t. “Alrighty then, but. You cannot make any drastic changes to my machines or my calculations without my say so okay?” I nod, agreeing full heartedly. “Of course, as long as you allow me to review your calculations and designs, and if I notice anything that could cause massive amounts of damage or danger then I have the right to pull the funding, alright?” I begin in a light tone shifting to a more dark and serious one. The Otto from the other universe is still fresh in my mind. I don’t want that to happen to my Otto in any way, so if I can make sure he’s safe then I’m taking the necessary precautions. Otto shakes his head, letting out a long sigh. “Ahhh, you always run a hard bargain, Osborn.” He says plainly. “But. You also run a tight ship, so I think those are reasonable demands.” I smile, reaching out my hand to him. “So, deal?” I ask confidently. He smiles, a huff of a laugh coming out of him before he slaps his hands softly into mine, giving it a solid shake. “Deal.” The deal was made, and the future was now ours for the taking.