The Many Loves of Spider-Man

Behind the Mask (Giulietta Nefaria, aka Madame Masque)

"I may be getting soft in my age, girl" Giuletta Nefaria, also known as Madame Masque, words were cold as ice. A freezing glare transmitted through her eyes as she looked down on Janice Lincoln. She had a job to do, a matter to resolve, before she could actually seek out the one who had stolen her heart. "But not that soft"

She clenched and unclenched her fists, anger within her as she just looked in disgust at the newer female villain. She was a failure in her eyes, another woman who just wanted to escape someone's shadow and try to be someone new. Janice didn't have a purpose, and it was that that made Madame Masque angry.

She glanced to the side, her eyes looking at her henchmen in disgust. She could only stand two males in her life, every other could die for all she cared. One of them was dead, her dearest father whom she loved with her entire being. Killed by Iron Man who decided to not help her in her moment of need.. And then there was the person who stumbled upon her in her need, trying to help her with her father the best he could.

"All right then" She sighed as she heard the gruff voice of the lead henchmen. Her little group was organized, if it meant to end one of their operations. But she really couldn't stand any of them, she would shoot a bullet through their head if she really wanted to do so. Her mind and heart completely set on trying to find him now that she was in New York. "Let's get these two-"

"Randy?" Her head snapped to the door, her eyes glaring at it as she fully recognized the voice that just spoke. He was yet another target, a failure who now is trying to make his worth as a hero with the life he had. It made her sick knowing that he would want to change, though she would only understand it if he had someone waiting for him. But for someone like Frederick to have someone, was saying that she would be already married to her loved one. "You decent?" She took out her gun, her eyes locked over the moving doorknob as she prepared to shoot Boomerang straight through her skull. "Man, have we got... A story to tell..."

She didn't respond, her eyes widening in shock as she felt her gun slip through her grip. Her heart beated strongly against her chest, a sudden heat against her mask as she stared directly at the man behind Boomerang. It was him, the handsome man who tried to save her father. The man who had stolen her heart under the dire circumstances she had been in those awful times. He was-

"P-Peter!" She stuttered, her gun finally falling to the wooden floor as her henchmen awaited orders from her. She would be damned if any of them shot even a single bullet. If one even grazed Peter, she would kill them. "W-What are you doing here?!"

"Giulietta?!" Her blush increased, her heart throbbing against her chest hard enough to know that she still had one. She knew that he was the only one who would make her feel this way, a heat that she never wanted to part ways with. "Why are you in Randy's room?"

"I-"

"Dude! You know her?!" Her eyebrow gave a slight twitch as she heard Frederick's words. Her hand twitched slightly, anger at the blonde haired man in front of her as he dared interrupt her time with her beloved Peter. "You do know that she is-"

"I know Fred. Just how I know who you once were" Peter sighed, trying to calm Fred down as he stared back at Giulietta. Her eyes were as beautiful as he remembered, a tad less red to them but beautiful all the same. He was just confused as to why she still wears her mask, something she had promised not to do around him. "Giulietta... Why are you still trying to hide your face?"

"You know why..." She whispered, a bit happy that he had forgotten about being in the room of Janice's apparent boyfriend, Randy if she recalled Boomerang's words correctly. She looked away, her eyes seemingly trying to ignore him.

In all of the commotion happening, neither Peter or Giulietta's little group noticed that the two tied teens were awake and looking at the scene in bewilderment.

"Come..." Peter said, his hand against her cheek as he grasped her mask. He immediately felt his Spider-Sense activate, looking at the three henchmen that had their guns pointed at him. He even gave out a slight gulp, trying to ignore his senses just to not divulge that he was Spider-Man to the small group around them.

"Stand down" Her voice ran cold and true, her leadership being questioned when her group decided to point their guns at him. It was a death sentence, her eyes burned with a fury that wanted to be unleashed.

"But boss-"

"I said stand down!" Her shout resounded through the room as the roar of an angry lioness. Her eyes gave more than enough threats to her men if they acted without her consent. She could see just how they lowered their guns, making her slightly relieved that he would be in no danger. "I'm... sorry for their behavior"

"No reason to apologize..." Peter said, his eyes glancing back at Fred, who looked at him. His eyes moved, a sign that he could just go and help Randall out of his bind. Peter, after making the signal for Fred, looked back at Giulietta. His hand grasping her mask yet again. He slowly lifted it out of her face, the slightly marred face of the beautiful woman in front of him didn't dissuade him in the slightest. "You look as beautiful as that day, Giulietta"

"R-Really?!" She stuttered, something she had never done in her life. Not even Stark had made her feel that way. But with Peter, everything is way different. It made her feel beautiful again, that even with her scarred face she was still beautiful to the one that mattered the most. "I'm not ugly? This scar-"

"It's just a part of who you are..." Peter kissed her scar, a bright blush adorning her now revealed cheeks as she tried to come up with a response. Her eyes looked down, trying to avoid everyone's gaze. She hated when someone would see her scar, making her feel weak. "You don't have to hide, Giulietta"

She didn't say anything, just embracing the man who had stolen her heart yet again. It was a moment of love, though it had started with anger. She never expected her day to be turned upside down, but she appreciated the change. She was able to see him again because of it.

"Come, I'll take you out for a bit" Peter said as he pulled her with him. Her hand clenched slightly against his, her heart soaring through unimaginable heights as she followed him. She really didn't care where they would go, all she cared about was spending time with the one who really cared for her.