Adrian groaned as the morning sun stabbed through the blinds like a nosy neighbor with a flashlight. He shuffled through his apartment in a half-sleep daze, brushing his teeth with one hand while checking his phone with the other. It was supposed to be a normal day. Until—
"Oh Shit. Oh Shit. Oh Shit!" he shouted, staring into his mailbox like it had punched him in the face.
Cut to: Adrian sitting stiffly inside the team's base—a hollowed-out, half-renovated building they'd claimed as their own. His head hung low as Peter, Bobby, and Cassie all stared at him with growing concern.
"You okay, man?" Bobby asked, leaning forward. "You look like you saw a ghost. Or ate gas station sushi."
"Yeah," Peter added. "Usually you're bouncing around like a caffeinated kangaroo."
Cassie nodded. "If something's wrong, we can help. Right?"
Adrian looked up, face serious. "This is... really bad. My livelihood is on the line."
The trio leaned in.
"What's the problem?" they all asked in unison.
Adrian sighed dramatically. "My rent is due."
"...Huh?" the three chorused, blinking.
"I have to pay rent! I had it covered for three months thanks to a 'generous donation' from a guy named Frank. Let's just say he was... persuasive."
"You've gotta be kidding," Bobby said, deadpan.
Cassie groaned. "Dude. I thought it was a real problem. Like ninjas. Or an alien invasion."
But Peter looked more panicked than Adrian. "This is serious. If you get kicked out, where will you live? That could mess with our operations and your hero work."
Cassie raised a brow. "Can't you just pay it?"
"I don't have a job," Adrian replied. "I've just been doing hero work. Like a broke anime protagonist. I've been mooching off Peter's house like it's an all-you-can-eat buffet."
"Can't you just wait to be evicted And you lived here?" Bobby offered.
"I'd rather not! I need money—fast."
"Okay," Peter said, grabbing a whiteboard. "Let's brainstorm jobs."
"Bartender?" Bobby offered.
"I'm underage."
"Street performer?"
"I'm not tap dancing in spandex."
"News reporter
The only good one is the daily bugle and I'm not working with J Jonah Jameson
"Okay then... construction?" Cassie said. "You're strong. That'd be good for training too."
"Finally. Something that won't fry my dignity."
"We'll help too," Bobby said. "My family runs a mechanic shop—I know tech stuff. I can pick up work as a technician."
"I'm fast," Cassie added. "Maybe a courier or delivery gig."
"I can—" Peter started.
"NO," the other three said instantly.
"Why not?"
"You're in high school," Adrian said. "Focus on your studies."
"I can multitask!"
"Peter. No."
He crossed his arms, pouting. "Fine. I won't."
Montage Time
Cue a high-energy montage of:
Adrian hauling steel beams with casual ease, other workers staring in awe.
Bobby fixing a busted generator while talking on the phone with a client.
Cassie zipping through traffic with a backpack full of deliveries, dodging cars like a video game.
All three collapsing on a couch after a long day.
Adrian even juggled work and hero duties—rescuing a kitten from a roof during lunch, stopping a mugger on his way home.
Two Weeks Later
"We finally have enough for at least 2 months rent," Adrian said, flopping onto a couch in the base.
"And maybe food that isn't ramen," Cassie added.
Peter entered the room carrying a cooler. "You guys earned it. I brought pizza!"
"I knew I liked you for a reason," Bobby said, grabbing a slice.
They dug in, greasy boxes spread out like a feast. Laughter and banter filled the air.
"Got a story for worst part of the job?" Adrian asked.
"An old guy asked me to fix his VCR. He meant microwave. I nearly electrocuted myself," Bobby said.
"I got chased by a raccoon," Cassie added. "Twice. I think it wants revenge."
"I stepped in wet cement and got stuck for an hour," Adrian muttered.
"You didn't phase out of it?"
"I panicked!"
They burst into laughter.
Peter finished a slice and said, "Oh, yeah! In three days I get to go on a field trip to a lab!"
"Of course you'd be excited about that," Bobby teased. "What's it about, microscopes?"
"Robots. Gene splicing. Cool stuff."
Adrian sipped his cola. "Well, that sounds pretty—wait. What's the name of the lab?"
Peter grinned. "Oscorp."
Adrian spat out his drink.
"DUDE!" everyone yelled.
Adrian's brain short-circuited. Oscorp... that's where it all starts...
When Peter becomes Spider-Man