( 𝖺𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝖿𝖺𝗋 )

IT WAS THE MORNING of the Oscorp tour and Athena couldn't care less, honestly. She didn't want to apply to Oscorp for their intern program, she didn't even want to pursue a career in STEM. But, what Athena did know was that her mother, Grace, would have been happy if Athena applied and she did.

Sure enough, Gwen also applied and they both got accepted. Her and Gwen being the smart girls they were, climb their way to the top. Both being half of the head interns at Oscorp working for Dr. Connors.

Athen never saw science as something she wanted to do, so why even try so hard? Why even try to be head intern at Oscorp? Well, the easy answer could just be that she was bored and didn't care if she was right or wrong, good or bad, all she knew was that she didn't care and that if given the opportunity, she'd take it.

But it's slightly more complicated than that. Yes, Athena is bored, she's bored with science and doesn't find fun in it, but she wouldn't take the opportunity if she didn't work hard for it. In reality, Athena struggled academically. She wasn't naturally smart like her cousin Gwen. Athena had to study more, put in more effort, put in more work, just to get an ounce of what she worked for.

Being one of the head interns didn't come so easily, she worked hard and yes she was smart, but it wasn't a natural talent she had.

Being bored and working hard kept Athena who she was. She was bored? She could always get bit ahead in her classes. She was falling behind? She'll work harder and soon sunrise became the next sunrise. Athena cared more about her academic validation than others. If she didn't get any, she wasn't worth anything. She cared about being great and if she wasn't great she'd rather be nothing.

Athena's talents weren't talents at all, just a product of hard work. If she was called gifted, she knew deep down that it wasn't true, but her ego took it to heart, so to prove them even more she worked even harder.

She hated science. But oh boy, did she love and crave the academic validation it came with it.

It's why she was here. Athena Santos was rushing through the doors of Oscorp in nice clothing, her Mary Jane's clanking on the cold tile floor as people were walking and going up and down the escalators while she was running up them.

Her hair was swaying and flying everywhere as she mumbled excuse me's and sorry's. Athena managed to make it to her break room in time as she quickly put things in her locker which was next to Gwen who was watching her cousin rush around.

"I told you to put an alarm at least an hour and a half before you had to wake up" Gwen told her as she drank her coffee.

Athena couldn't say anything as she had her hair tie in her mouth as her hands were busy with putting her hair up in a pony tail. Athena got the hair tie out of her mouth as she finally spoke to Gwen.

"I was up all night doing homework, forgot to set an alarm" Athena breathed out as she tried ti catch her breath after running from her cab outside to the break room. "And then traffic was insane, New York is overpopulated"

Gwen groaned. "Tell me about it" Gwen mumbled out as she got up from her seat and handed Athena a styrofoam cup of hot but tasteless coffee.

Athena scrunched her nose in slight disgust, but took the cup. Coffee was coffee, even if it tasted more like water than coffee beans. Athena mumbled a thanks as the two cousins went to sit down at the table in the room.

"So, who has the first tour group?" Athena asked as she leaned back in the stiff white chair, crossing her legs.

Gwen took a sip of her coffee before responding. "You do, and then it's me, Greg and then Ellis" Gwen recited off the top of her head.

It was hard for Athena to not sometimes feel inferior to Gwen. She had an amazing memory, was naturally smart, in a million clubs, and was pretty. Athena could only hope for a fraction of a second a day that she was just like Gwen.

There was never jealousy or envy. Athena didn't feel it, she just wished that sometimes, she was as smart or as pretty as her. Only for a fraction of a second, and it would hurt, but then it would go away. Athena knew they were both smart and both good at things, different things at that. They both had things they were good at. Science happened to be for Gwen and writing was for Athena.

Athena nodded at Gwen's words and then paused as she looked at the clock above Gwen's head. "When does the first tour start?" Athena asked in a weary voice.

"Eight-thirty, why?" Gwen asked as she turned around it look at what Athena was looking at. "Oh dear" Gwen mumbled out as she turned back ti look at Athena, but she was gone.

Athena was running, once again, out of the break room and ti where her group would be. As she saw them in her eyesight, she stoped running and began waking, trying to catch her breath with each step.

"Breath, Thena, breathe" Athena mumbled to herself as she put a smile on her face as she stood in front of her group. Her white lab coat catching the eyes of a few in the Oscorp hopeful's in the group.

"Welcome to Oscorp" Athena's voice rang as the group looked at her with attention. "My names Athena Santos, but everyone calls me Thena, I'm a senior at Midtown Science, and I'm also one of the head interns to Dr. Connors" Athena introduced herself with a pleasant smile.

However, a certain boy was trying to hide himself amongst the crowd as he heard her voice. Peter was now, even more nervous to get caught than he was fourth five seconds ago when he spoke to the receptionist.

"So, I'll be with you for the duration of your visit. Where I go, you go" Athena told the crowd. "That's the basic rule, if you remember that, all will be well and if you forget that—" Athena was interrupted by the screaming of some man, saying he was Rodrigo Guevara.

Athena's eyes went wide, not in shock, but in awkwardness as she didn't know how to move on from her first talking point to him screaming to now. Everyone looked at the man being dragged by security out of Oscorp. Athena looked away and back at her group as she blinked a few times.

"Well, I guess I don't need to tell you what happens if you forget that" Athena mumbled out to them. "So, with that, let's get this started, shall we?"

Athena turned around as her she began walking, the rest of the group following as Peter stayed in the back, a few steps behind the person in front of him.

Athena lead them through some halls and rights and lefts while they gawked at all the things that were in Oscorp. Athena eventually made it to the lab where would be their first stop of the day. The sliding doors opened as she heard a few gasps and oh my god's from the people behind her.

"Come around this way, please" Athena instructed as she pointed to where she needed them to be as she stood in front of them.

"Good morning, Thena" Dr. Connors said as he made his way to her and her group.

"Dr. Connors" Athena acknowledged as Dr. Connors took a look at all the people in the tour group.

"Welcome" He said. "My name is Dr. Curtis Connors. And yes, in case you're wondering, I'm a southpaw" He joked, which made a few people laugh. "I'm not a cripple, I'm a scientist, and I'm the worlds foremost authority on herpetology—that's reptiles, for those of you who don't know" Dr. Connors continued on. "But like the Parkinson's patient who watches on in horror as her body slowly betrays her, or as the man with macular degeneration who's eyes grow dimmer each day, I long to fix myself. I want to create a world without weakness." He finished off as he smiled at the group. "Anyone care to venture a guess just how?"

After the question was asked, a boy with glasses and a sweater vest rose his hand. Dr. Connors called on him as he answered. "Stem cells?" The boy said.

"Promising, but the solution I'm thinking of is more radical" Dr. Connors told him. The group then began wondering and even whispering to eachother for an answer. "No one?" Dr. Connors asked.

Expecting to hear no answer, a familiar voice rang out through the whispers. "Cross-species genetics" Everyone turned around and made a small view way to Peter Parker.

As soon as Athena caught full sight of him, she instantly looked at her clipboard filled with the names of the people in her group. Not once did she see Peter Parker.

"Person gets Parkinson's when the brain cells that produce dopamine start to disappear" Peter began explaining. "But, a Zebra Fish has the ability to regenerate cells in command. If you can somehow give this ability to the women you're talking about, that's that. She's—shes curing herself"

"Yeah, you just have to look past the gills on her neck" An intern joked as the group laughed, Dr. Connors shushing them as someone answered the question he asked. Correctly this time.

Dr. Connors chuckled as he looked at Peter. "A-and you are?" He asked.

Peter didn't answer as he didn't know if to use Rodrigo's name or his own. Thankfully, Athena spoke for him. "He's one of Midtown's Science's best and brightest"

Dr. Connors looked at Athena with curiosity. "Really?"

Athena hummed. "He's second in his class" She added on.

"Oh" Dr. Connors acknowledged as he looked back at Peter.

"Second?" Peter asked as Athena looked at him. Athen told him, yeah, with a nod of her head, but Peter wasn't going to take that answer. "You sure about that?" He teased.

Athena nodded again. "I'm pretty sure"

As she said her reply to Peter, Dr. Connors phone began ringing. He quickly turned it off and looked at the group. "I'm afraid duty calls, I'll leave you in the more-than-capable hands of Miss Santos" He said. "Nice meeting you all"

And with that he left. Athena quickly look at the hologram pop up and looked back at her group, her eyes glancing to Peter. "If you'd like to gather around" 

As the group gathered and the narrator began speaking, Athena kept a close eye on Peter, watching at how he walked around the hologram, walking past the group, but Athena wasn't going to let him go that easily.

Athena quickly turned around to follow him, only two steps she took before calling out. "Hi" She said.

Peter stoped in his tracks as he felt the nerves run through him, he was caught. Peter turned around as he was now going to have to face Athena. Peter cleared his throat as Athena began speaking.

"What are you doing, Rodrigo?" Athena asked as she read the name off of his name tag.

Peter chuckled as he still didn't say anything. His hand, bkdining reachung up to the name tag on his necked, looking down at it and remembering why Athena called him Rodrigo.

"Oh yeah" He mumbled out. The butterflies in his stomach going wild as his hands were beginning to sweat.

"What are you doing here?" Athena asked again through a small chuckle at his awkwardness.

"I work here" Peter answered as he tried to avoid her eye contact that made him weak in the knees. "I don't work here. I was gonna say that I work here, but it—it seems like you, in fact, do, so you know that I don't work here"

Peter's over explanation made Athena smile as she looked back at her group and then back at him. "Are you following me?" She asked.

Peter was quick to laugh awkwardly. "No, I'm not following you no. I'm not. I had no idea you worked here, figured you worked at a newspaper office"

"Then why would you be here?" Athena asked him with that soft smile that made Peter weak in the knees. 

"I just snuck in because I—" Peter trialed off as Athena eyed him for answer. He could feel her curious eyes on him and he tried to avoid it, but he could lent help it. Her eyes were like a magnetic pull on him. "I love science"

Athena raised a brow at him. "You love science?" She asked and Peter nodded.

"I'm passionate about it" He replied to her.

"So you snuck in?" Athena asked as she heard the hologram turn off, looking back at her group over her shoulder and then back at Peter. Athena sighed as she gave him a serious look. "I have to lead this tour group"

"I know" Peter whispered.

"So, I'm gonna ask you more about this loving science stuff later" She told him. Do not get me in trouble, stay with the group" Athena ordered as she walked back to the group group. She put on her smile once again and began speaking. "Okay, guys, I'm gonna take you to the bio reactor room now"

Peter, however, did not stay with the group as asked. Athena, being distracted with leading the tour group, she didn't realize Peter was gone until she tried to look for him in the crow as they looked around the bioreactor room.

Athena groaned to her self as she shouldn't have taken her eye off of Peter. As more time went on and they were back where the first started, the group was watching yet another hologram talk about Oscorp, Athena saw soemthing in the corner of her eye.

Her head turned to see Peter Parker waking down the hall, coming back inside the room. Athena looked at her group before she made her way to the entrance Peter was walking through.

As soon as Peter saw him walking up to her, Peter knew he was in trouble with her. Peter cracked an awkward, nervous smile as Athena shook her head at him. "All right, give me the badge" She said to him as she extended her arm out for him to put it in her hand.

Peter whined to himself as he went to take it off. "Give it to me" Athena told him as he finally took it off and handed it to her. He gave her a small apology and Athena began walking away.

As Peter watched her walk away, he felt a sting in the back of his neck. He yelped out in pain, causing Athena to turn back to him, rolling her eyes at Peter as he tried to play it cool. Athena sighed to herself as she continued on with her day at Oscorp.

Athena and Gwen were walking to the break room where they were putting away their stuff. "It was weird, him showing up" Athena told Gwen as she finally let her hair out of her pony tail.

"So, he snuck in for his love of science?" Gwen asked Athena and she nodded.

"That's what he told me" Athena said with a shrug of her shoulders, closing her locker shut. Gwen furrowed her brows at her and Athena looked at her with a question look. "What?" She asked as she leaned against her locker.

"I just find it weird that, he suck un for his 'love' for science" Gwen said as she put air quotes over Love.

Athena narrowed her eyes with question. "Why do that?" She asked. "Why did you put air quotes over Love?"

Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just saying, maybe it wasn't the science he loves" Gwen pointed out and Athena was even more confused, staying silent and Gwen groaned at her. "He was so here for you"

"Me?" Athena asked as she pointed to herself. "Peter Parker was here for me?" She asked again and Gwen nodded. Athena shook her head and scoffed. "No way"

"Yes, way" Gwen said as she closed her locker. "He totally has a crush on you, trust me" Gwen said with a smile as she knew Athena would end up having a crush on him.

"Peter Parker does not have a crush on me" Athena dismissed the idea again.

Gwen rolled her eyes, playfully at her. "He totally does, I see how he steals glances at you, admiring you from afar" Gwen teased and Athena shook her head again.

But wasn't totally opposed by the idea that Peter Parker had a crush on her.

"I don't believe it" Athena said with a soft smile as she thought about Peter.

"So" Gwen asked.

Athena looked up from her shoes to Gwen. "So what?" She asked.

"Do you like him?" Gwen asked with a teasing smile as she giggled.

"Gwen!" Athena exclaimed as Gwen kept giggling.

"Well, do you?" She asked again.

Athena began to think about it. Sure, her and Peter would speak every now and then. Only a few words over the course of four years. But it was Peter. Peter was quiet and shy, wicked smart, but it was Peter. Athena wasn't close with Peter. And again, it was Peter.

"It's Peter" Athena told Gwen, softly. And that's when Gwen knew that Athena had small, microscopic feelings for Peter. Even if she didn't know it yet. Gwen did.

"I don't hear a no" Gwen teased her again.

"I—" Athena paused as she shook her head with a goofy smile. "It's Peter, we've been in so many classes over the years, and, we've never spoken till now and, I don't know, it's—it's weird"

"So you do like him?"

Did she like him? Sure, when they spoke recently she cousins get him off her mind. Sure when they spoke today, she couldn't really be mad at him for sneaking in, after all she was smiling and laughing with him. Sure when he smiled and giggled she found it cute and even found him cute. But that didn't mean she liked him. Right?

All they did was speak twice, two full on conversations. That was it. She didn't even know much about him that all the surface stuff. Athena didn't know she deep stuff, the secrets Peter held, the things no one knew about Peter. She didn't know him. So who is she to have feelings for him, even if they were small.

Athena shook her head. "I don't know him enough to like him"

"Well are you attracted to him?"

Athena straightened her posture and Gwen gave her a smirk. "He's alright"

"Alright?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, he's alright" Athena agreed.

Gwen snickered. "You're so gonna fall for him"

"I'm so not"