a second chance | gwen stacy x fem! reader

26: The Key

"Harry!" Octavius turns around, her hands behind her back as she lifts up her goggles. Her face turns confused as she spots Harry and.. Spiderwoman? She glances towards me. "Hey.. how the hell did you get in here? Where's Abigail? That useless girl.." Octavius grumbles to herself as she clasps her hands together, her tentacles clinking on the ground. "Stay back!" Gwen's body tenses when recognizing Doctor Octavius, lifting Harry up as she glances towards him. "You've been the one behind all of this, haven't you?"

Gwen points towards Octavius as Harry keeps his eyes focused on me. I stutter with my words, unable to say anything as Harry pushes back Gwen. Surprising her, Harry stands on his own, seeming disoriented slightly. She steps back, looking at me with her chest rising in and out. "Oh please.. me?" Octavius snortles, waving her hand. "I wish I could take all the credit.. but that wouldn't be fair, would it Harry?" Octavius smiles a little, glancing down at Harry as he still seems furious. Gwen seems shocked, her shoulders relaxing as she looks between the two of them.

"Gwen, you can't take them both by yourself! They're gonna-" A tentacle flies towards my body, holding me tight as I gasp in pain. "NO!" Gwen does a double take, reaching out her wrist to shoot another web towards the tentacle holding me. Her eyes widen in a panic as Octavius interrupts her. "Ah ah ah.." She clicks her tongue. "No shooting your filthy webs in my office."

"Gah.." My face tenses as I open my eyes slowly, meeting Gwen's terrified gaze. She stares at me for a few seconds, then reluctantly lowers her wrist, seeing Octavius tighten the tentacles on me. Octavius shakes her head as Harry snaps his head towards her. "Octavius! What is the meaning of this?!" He scowls, gesturing towards me.

Octavius lets out a scoff, shrugging her shoulders. "What? You told me to get the information from her. And I did." Octavius says with a enthusiastically defensive tone, putting her hands up. "Besides.. I'm glad to say that we  found out answer.." Octavius holds up a key, holding the USB drive containing the virus they needed to fit into the puzzle. Harry's eyes sparkle at the small object she's holding. Gwen lets out frustrated grunts, watching me as I struggle in pain. She's stuck. Frozen in fear.

Harry abruptly shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "No! No, you were just supposed to go into her house and check it out! That's all we agreed on! That's why I blew up that apartment!" Harry points his finger to the ground, his head tilted up to face Octavius. "Do you know how bad this is for us?!" He's not sure who he should be angry at anymore. "Harry.. who cares?! We have this.. we have our answer!" She pushes the key into his hand as he takes it, opening his fingers to hold it in front of him with a conflicted and bruised face.

My eyes widen as I listen to him, letting out sharp breathes. "You?... you're the one that.." My voice trails off as I lock eyes with Harry. His furious face turns into a guilty one as he presses his lips together.  "I... No, you don't understand-" He tilts his head down, biting his lip in regret. I furrow my eyebrows slightly, my teeth grinding together. "You told her?" My voice breaks slightly as I'm held in my position. Octavius rolls her eyes, chuckling softly. "Of course he did! Who else would you expect?" She turns around facing me as I breathe through my gaped open mouth, panting slightly in anger.

"I.. I had no choice.." Harry mutters under his breathe as Gwen shakes her head. "You always have a choice! And right now, you still have the choice to.. walk away." Gwen replies in a cautious tone, her heart racing in her chest. "Just.. let.. let her go. She doesn't need to be involved in this anymore." Gwen motions towards me, seeing Harry breaking slightly. Harry then glances towards me, noticing how my expression seems to soften while staring back at Gwen. She seems concerned for my safety as she slowly approaches Harry, attempting to appeal to him. Any wrong choice or movement she made could harm me. His guilty expression turns into a frown and scowl. He glances between both of us.