#ailani tolar

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Alfred Molina Masterlist

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'tis the damn season

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IN PROGRESS

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'tis the damn season Masterlist

Otto Octavius x Ailani Toral

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Fic on AO3

Summary: Ailani Toral was a student of Dr. Otto Octavius, she harbored a crush for him for a while but she had to move back to her home town for personal reasons. What happens when-- five years later--she comes back to New York, as a new person?

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‘tis the damn season

Chapter Four: invisible string

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: Age-gap 

Masterlist

Summary: Peter and Ailani travel around campus. Peter is excited to show her his favorite professor who just so happened to be Ailani’s favorite too.

Song: invisible string by Taylor Swift

While at the Moondance diner, Ailani is reading a Daily Bugle newspaper. Specifically one about Spider-Man. “Didn’t peg Jonah to hate a hero.” She laughed a little, taking a sip of her coffee before she looked at Peter from the edge of the paper. “But at least it’s giving you a job.” Ailani teased.

Ailani was a bit surprised that there was already a hero in New York, especially one named ‘Spider-Man.’ Not the best name in her opinion but it was definitely very literal. A man who had the powers of a spider, couldn’t get a better name than that. 

Peter rolled his eyes and took a sip of his own coffee. “C’mon, let’s go to the campus before it closes for the holidays.” He said, pulling the woman up from her seat.

“Hey! I need my coffee, Parker!” 

Ailani and Peter’s arms were interlocked as they walked around campus, talking and laughing a little at stories they told about certain parts of the campus. Ailani didn’t realize just how many good memories she had at the college and how a lot of them were somehow tied to Otto. 

It made her feel…. Nostalgic and she even felt a tinge of longing. For something. Maybe it was Otto, maybe it was something else. That feeling when she was around him. 

Like she was floating on air.

“I need to introduce you to my favorite professor.” Peter said excitedly, pulling Ailani into the science building. “He’s practically my idol now and he’s in the middle of doing a project that could change mankind for the better.” He was so giddy about this so how could Ailani ever say no?

Her friend opened the door to an empty classroom with only one man at a desk there. He was hunched over the desk, scribbling something down. Peter led Ailani over to the desk, the woman letting out a small gasp as she caught a glimpse at the face of the man.

It was Otto.

“Hello, Dr. Octavius.” The younger boy greeted his teacher, a gentle smile on his face.

“Parker, I’m sorry but I am in the middle of something-” Otto finally looked up and squinted a little at Ailani. That couldn’t be her…. She had brown hair and….. Two green eyes. But Otto could never forget what Ailani looked like, her green eyes haunted his consciousness for years. His breath was caught in his lungs as Ailani smiled at him.

The girl had a soft expression on her face as emotions from years ago started to flood her heart. “Hello, Doc.” She whispered softly, her eyes glazed over with something unrecognizable but if she told you what it was you may not have believed her.

Otto hasn’t changed much in five years. He still has a beard and nicely trimmed hair, in fact, he dressed almost the exact same. The only one change Ailani noticed was Otto’s grey hairs, he had more in his beard and at his temples. It made him look impossibly more attractive.

“Ailani….” Otto let out a breath before a smile finally reached his lips. “Y-You look different. How have you been, dear?” He blinked as he got up from his desk, immediately going to hug her. Peter walked off to the side to let them hug. 

Maybe this was a part of his plan for the day, only he would know.

Ailani laughed a little and hugged Otto back, molding into his body with a smile. She felt so comforted in that moment. “Five years and a container of acid can do that to a girl. I’m good though, Otto.” She said softly once they pulled away, “Though, I see you haven’t changed much.” She winked.

The older man blinked at Ailani’s newfound confidence. The Ailani he remembers was shy and quiet but now she was so much more straightforward. Not that Otto minded, it made him proud. Hell, she was a woman now. A grown one. And he couldn’t help but stare at her. Ailani was absolutely beautiful.

“There’s not much I can say.” Otto blushed a little, shaking his head at Ailani. “But you…. There must be so much that happened, I want to know about it.” He said softly, his eyes holding Ailani with such reverence.

Peter decided to but in this time, wrapping an arm around Ailani’s shoulder. “I was wondering if you could show Ailani your project?” He smiled softly, glancing back at her. Otto’s eyes fixated on Peter’s hand that was Ailani’s shoulder. Of course, Ailani wanted to be with someone more her age. 

“Sure! I can’t have my favorite student being left out.” Otto hummed as he gathered up his things and put them in his bag. “My team should be still working on it right now, if not, we’ll have the lab all to ourselves.” He explained, his eyes lingering on Ailani for a moment. 

“I thought I was your favorite student?” Peter frowned playfully.

“That was before Ailani came back.”

Ailani doesn’t remember the last time she was squished between two men on an elevator. Granted, one of them was her best friend while the other was a man she had a crush on for almost ten years. Thankfully, the ride to Otto’s lab wasn’t that long. If it was any longer, she might have gone insane in there.

When the elevator door opened, Ailani’s jaw dropped open. It was like a scientist's dream. She stepped into the lab, her eyes running over every single piece of equipment and things getting made. She blinked for a moment as she caught sight of something in particular. Ailani remembered the blueprints Otto had all those years ago.

Otto watched Ailani look around, a gentle smile on his face. He missed her face, no matter how much she changed. “This is my fusion reactor.” He nodded at the woman who seemed to recognize it. “Peter’s friend, Harry Osborn, helped to fund my project to make it real.”

“That is…. Wonderful, Doc.” Ailani let out a breath of bewilderment. “Pete, can this Harry Osborn give me some money?” She asked teasingly, but she was happy Otto’s dream was finally coming true.

Peter shrugged and laughed quietly at Ailani, “Unless you have a million dollar idea like Dr. Octavius, I don’t think so.” He winked and nudged at her.

“Oh, I have many of those, just not sure they’re all for scientific advancement.” Ailani teased back at Peter, chuckling a little as she turned back to look at the lab. Otto cocked an eyebrow at the statement, a small laugh coming from between his lips. Ailani’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at some metal contraption at the side of the lab. “What are those for?”

Otto followed her line of sight and smiled a little. Always an observant girl. “They will help me create the most perfect fusion. I can’t use my own hands for it, they would burn quite easily so they are made out of a very heat resistant metal. Not to mention, I would be controlling them with my own mind.” He explained, standing next to Ailani.

“Hm…. I would hope they don’t corrupt you but I already know you’ve made the necessary precautions for that.” Ailani smiled, turning her head to look at Otto. She always trusted him. Every school experiment they did had their dangers but Otto always knew what to do to stop it if it ever came to that. And sometimes it did.

They stared at each other for a little while, Peter not quite knowing what to do but at the same time he was happy they were together again. When Ailani first left, she would talk to Peter for hours about how much she missed Otto. Eventually, calls about Otto stopped but Peter could tell it was buried deep somewhere.

Now, it was wide open. Ready for the Doctor to see.

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100 FOLLOWERS YES :)

THANKS YALL

as always, inbox is always open for requests and asks!!

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‘tis the damn season

Chapter Twelve: the 1

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: None.

Summary: It’s Christmas in New York.

Song: the 1 by Taylor Swift

The reactor slowly died in the water of the river, though you could still see the yellow light peaking through the water. Along with the body of Otto Octavius floating down, blocking some of that light. It was a beautiful and tragic ending.

If that was truly the ending.

A body dove into the water, white suit surrounding their body as they swam down to Otto. They wrapped their arms around Otto’s shoulders, their eyes determined as they swam up to the surface. It was difficult considering Otto wasn’t a twig and the fact that he had pounds of metal attached to him. 

As soon as they reached the surface of the water and were able to breath, they made sure to keep Otto’s face above water before they were able to reach the docks. They laid Otto out on the wooden docks and cupped his face.

He was alright. That’s all that mattered.

Ailani let out a breath of relief when she realized the man was still alive and breathing. She looked up at the sky, hearing some helicopters coming their way. She looked down at Otto before she teleported the two of them back to her apartment.

Ailani quickly set Otto on her bed, going to her desk to finish up the inhibitor chip. She knew he would be out for a while but that didn’t stop her hands from working frantically and even burning herself a few times with the tools she was using. By the time Ailani was done with the chip, her hair was still wet and soaking the floor but she didn’t care. She was finished with the thing that would fix Otto….

The woman let out a deep breath as she gently picked up the chip and went over to Otto, heart beating out of her chest. She wanted this to work so badly. 

Ailani, as carefully as possible, moved Otto onto his side so she could access his neck. She set the chip in its place, the thing attaching itself to the rest of the spine of the actuators. She licked her lips nervously, the chip was on but she wouldn’t know if it worked until Otto woke up.

The chemist let her head and shoulders fall, finally letting that weight fall from her shoulders. She didn’t want it anymore. But it was the weight she put on herself, no one else did it to her. In fact, many people thought she would fail at…. Well, anything. She was supposed to be a dumb polynesian woman from Hawai’i and only know how to hula dance right? 

Wrong.

Ailani was so much greater than just that. Though, the way she hulaed was amazing too. She was smart and had so much to contribute to the scientific world. Hell, she just built an inhibitor chip by memory, something she saw only once or twice! Otto knew she was special. An attribute that helped to nurture his crush on her.

A sudden breath startled Ailani, immediately on alert as Otto woke up. He breathed heavily, looking around the room frantically before he caught sight of the girl. He calmed after seeing her.

“It’s…. Quiet. Those voices–they’re gone.” Otto looked relieved, his eyes softer with a tinge of remorse in them. He must’ve been apologetic for all the things he’s done. “How did you-” It dawned on him, a hand running up the back of his neck to the chip. He was astounded. Otto didn’t even know Ailani could make an inhibitor chip, not to mention, replicating his design as well.

Ailani’s eyes started to fill with tears as she hugged Otto tightly, cradling his face with such care it almost made him cry too. “I needed to save you…. I couldn’t let you leave like that.” She said with a deep breath.

Otto’s eyes glimmered with love as Ailani held him close, a light blush on his cheeks. She truly was something else…. He knew it years ago. She was so caring and kind, it was one of the things that drew him to her. And now with her modified looks and more confident personality, she shined like the sun. Otto leaned into Ailani’s arms happily, burying his face in her shoulder. She was also really comfortable, her muscles adding some extra padding.

“I’m proud of you.” Otto whispered softly, kissing Ailani’s cheek with pride dripping from his eyes. His heart was so full of love, cupping the woman’s face. “I would have been even if you didn’t save me.”

Ailani leaned into Otto’s warm hand and sighed happily. This might have been the happiest she’s felt in a while.

And it only went up from there….

Christmas Eve, about 7 pm.

Ailani was walking down a New York street, eyes twinkling in the Christmas light around the city with her breath making a little steam in front of her. She had a nice navy winter coat on with jeans, some white boots and a black beanie on. Otto had invited her to dinner at his new penthouse. Thankfully, he was able to find a job at a new robotics lab after everything that happened and they paid handsomely. Though they had been together for a few weeks at that point, Ailani was still a bit nervous to consider dates as ‘dates.’

The chemist let out a breath on the ride up to his penthouse, unzipping her coat to reveal an off the shoulder long-sleeved sweater. She also decided to take off her beanie as well. She suddenly felt very hot in the elevator by herself.

When the elevator door opened, it was like Ailani was stepping into a palace. It was so upper class, she was surprised this was where Otto lived by himself. But maybe it was also because he needed the extra room to accommodate his actuators. Or perhaps for other reasons he didn’t want to admit to….

The place was decorated with colorful lights, tinsel, and a christmas tree in the middle of the living room. Ailani was sure the actuators helped with putting decorations up because there were some places she knew even Otto couldn’t reach. But the most surprising thing was that there were a few presents underneath the tree.

Ailani looked around the penthouse, her eyes wide with awe as she saw Otto come down the stairs. He was wearing his signature turtleneck, in black this time. The actuators trailed behind him like they seemed to be excited about something. It made the girl laugh.

“Someone looks nice.” She said softly, a happy smile on her face. “And so does their house.” Ailani teased a little before she pecked Otto’s cheek gently, caressing his salt and pepper beard. 

Otto blushed and looked away bashfully. Ailani certainly didn’t hold back the fact that she loved his facial hair, telling him and showing him any time she got the chance to. “Well, I have a date today.” He whispered softly, pecking her lips before he moved past her to get to the kitchen. 

Dinner with Otto was filled with nice, light conversation. He talked about the dinner he was hosting the next day with Peter, Aunt May, Ailani, and her mother. Otto, especially, thought it was the perfect time to get to know Ailani’s mother, from what he’s heard, she’s actually really nice. But he was concerned that she wouldn’t like him because of their age gap.

Once they finished their dinner, Otto took Ailani’s hands and led her over to the christmas tree. “I wanted to exchange some of my presents with you now. It’s selfish of me but I wanted your reaction to be isolated.” He said shyly, a bashful smile on his face as he looked at Ailani.

“I don’t think it’s selfish at all, Otto.” She smiled, giving him a peck on the lips. “Though, I do feel bad. I didn’t bring your present with me.” Ailani pursed her lips regretfully. 

She should have known Otto wanted to exchange presents today, he loved seeing her reaction to things. Whether those things were tangible objects, actions, etc. It was like she was his experiment and he was testing all the ways to go about things…. In the best way possible. Otto loved testing different ways of affection with Ailani, different places to kiss, touch, or squeeze.

Otto shook his head, brushing away a strand of Ailani’s hair from her face. “Don’t worry about me, my dear sun.” He hummed, though he was curious as to what she got for him. To be honest, he thought he was the hardest to shop for but maybe she had a secret weapon he didn’t know about.

Ailani sat down on the couch with Otto as his actuators grabbed the two presents for her. They both were packaged the same way, with dark green wrapping paper that had a tree pattern on it with white bows on top. One was in the shape of a tiny box while the other was a longer, slim box.

“I’d like you to open this one first.” Otto said, handing Ailani the small box with a small smile on his face. He felt it was more important than the other, for good reason too.

She nodded at him, licking her lips as she took the box. Her nerves started to get the best of her. Was this a wedding ring? It kept pounding in her head. If so, they were moving way too fast…. Ailani started to open it, her heart stopping as it revealed a blue velvet box. She looked up at Otto before she opened that box revealing a silver ring with a round green emerald in the center.

“It’s a promise ring.” Otto smiled, sensing that she was nervous. “It just means that I promise myself to you. My heart is yours.” He said softly. Ailani let out a breath and smiled back at him, letting the doctor slip the ring on her finger. 

Ailani wrapped her arms around Otto’s neck and brought him down for a kiss, smiling into his lips. She was glad he didn’t want this to end anytime soon. It was like…. He wanted her. It finally hit her. Otto Octavius was actually in love with her. She didn’t need him to say it. She knew it now.

“The next one is much more fun.” Otto winked as Ailani took it from him.

She wondered what it was. It couldn’t be another piece of jewelry. Otto knew she didn’t care for necklaces much, it bothered her skin there. Ailani opened up the box, this one came off from the top. She gasped, her eyes wide with surprise.

In the box lay the most beautiful pair of knives, hawaiian symbols and patterns carved into the metal. Ailani took one in her hand to feel the weight of them, they looked like they were throwing knives.

“I wanted to get you something you would use. Especially to help you save the world.” Otto smiled, surprised when Ailani hugged him tightly. He laughed quietly before he leaned into her hug and kissed the top of her head. “I love you.”

Ailani smiled up at Otto, cupping his chin with her thumb on his chin. “I love you too, Doctor.” She teased before she was forced into a deep kiss.

They were both so happy being together that night and every night after that. It especially got better later that night when Otto showed Ailani what he could do with the actuators but this isn’t that kind of story. 

The love of Otto and Ailani took years to actualize, even if they both had crushes on each other for years before that. Love always takes time. It’s not something that just happens, it needs to be nurtured in the right conditions. That’s what all those late nights at the lab were for. 

Ailani needed to get to know the man she fell in love with. Otto needed to see the kind of woman Ailani grew into.

They were soulmates, even if it took some time for the both of them to realize that.

[pickledpascal]

tis the damn season finale tomorrow ‼️

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter One: Back to Where We Began

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: Age-gap

Masterlist

Summary: Ailani Toral is a student of Otto Octavius, she wants his help with some other subjects. 

Five years ago.

Ailani Toral was a shy person, her only friend was a boy that lived next door to her parents. It was a bit weird because they had a seven year difference but they still had so much in common. The girl was in her senior year of college while the boy was still in high school. Ailani was originally from Hawaii and had a polynesian background. Her family moved to New York to start anew. She had tan skin, dark hair and green eyes. That eye color was rare for someone with her ethnicity, not to mention, rare in general. She usually liked long clothes, there was something comfortable about long sleeves and sweaters for her.

During this time, it was the middle of the first semester of Ailani’s last year in college for her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. She wanted to get her Master’s as soon as she graduated. Throughout the semester so far, Ailani had noticed her lingering stares at one of her professors, Doctor Otto Octavius.

He was a tall man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a nice beard that had some greys littered in it. Also, Otto had this sort of warmness about him. Maybe it was his voice or his very inviting body type. See, the Doctor was tall and a little menacing but it balanced out because he had a belly that just screamed to be touched whenever Ailani looked over at him.

One day, when class ended Ailani went up to Dr. Octavius and coughed a little to get his attention from his desk. “Ah, yes, Ms. Toral? Is there anything I can help you with?” He asked kindly, looking up at her with a warm smile from under his glasses.

“Um, yes, Dr. Octavius.” Ailani said nervously, fiddling with a strap on her backpack. She didn’t really like talking to new people, although this was her professor. “One day…. You said that you would be able to help any students who need help understanding what we got wrong on our homework and, well, I-I need some help with that.” She stammered, only a little, and she was proud of herself for that.

The Doctor nodded at his student and gave her another small smile, “Of course, Ailani. But I do have a class after this, would you mind waiting until after three pm?” He asked softly.

Ailani nodded at Otto, not trusting her own words. She was sure she already looked like a tomato to her professor. So she nodded again and left without another word, biting her lip all the way to her next class.

His voice taunted her mind throughout the rest of the day until they met in the library. Ailani was even more nervous, she’s never been alone with the man. And by alone, she didn’t mean the librarian that was there.

“Can you show me the homework?” Dr. Octavius asked Ailani, fixing the glasses that sat on his face as he grabbed a pencil from his bag.

The girl quickly nodded and took out her homework, her eyes wide with nerves. She slid over the piece of paper she was having trouble with figuring out where she went wrong. Ailani didn’t fail the assignment but she wanted to understand.

Otto nodded as Ailani gave him the paper, letting out a small hum. “Ah… A lot of students have trouble with this. I’m surprised you even got most of this correct.” He then started to scribble some notes on how to fix her mistake. Though Ailani was a bit taken aback. That was a compliment. A kind of backhanded one, but still a compliment.

Ailani smiled shyly and shrugged, “I really want to be an actual chemist so…. I-I have to do good in that class.” She stammered softly, fiddling with her thumbs.

“Hm, you could be a great one if you keep this up.” Otto had a proud smile on his face as he slid the paper back to Ailani. “Check my notes and see if you can fix it.” He instructed as he grabbed some papers from his bag. It was a little project he had in his mind for a while.

Ailani nodded and immediately went to fix what she had wrong with the help of Dr. Octavius’ notes, scratching her head for a moment at a certain part. She scoured her brain for the answer before it eventually came to her, excitedly writing down the answer.

It was endearing to see the process of how Ailani’s brain worked for Doctor Octavius. She was a young mind yet she knew so much. Intelligence truly was a gift. And so was she. Truth was that Otto had a special affection for Ailani.

Ailani was always quiet during lectures, paid attention, did her homework on time and did it well, and she was…. Beautiful. Her features always shined no matter how much she may have tried to cover them up. Otto’s favorite thing about her was her eyes. They may have been dark green but they always seemed to glow whenever she did something she was passionate about. 

Or like just then, when she found the answer to something that was lingering in her head.

Ailani gave her paper back to Dr. Octavius to check it. “I just want to make sure I’m right.” She said quietly, biting her lip as she looked up at her professor.

“Mhm.” He hummed, “If not, we may be here for a while.” The professor teased a little, checking over her work. To be honest, Ailani may not mind that. Though, she was burning up at the idea so not the best idea. Otto gave the paper back to Ailani and smiled, “You got everything correct.”

The student let out a small sigh of relief, shoving the paper back in her bag. “Thank the gods.” Ailani hummed softly, getting up from her seat before she turned back at Otto. “Um…. If I need anymore help for any other homework-”

“I’ll be here at three everyday, Ms. Toral.” He smiled back at Ailani. She nodded and turned away again, taking a deep breath. “Goodbye.” Otto hummed as she left.

That’s how their little study sessions together became a thing. Almost everyday at three, Ailani would come to the library to have her homework corrected by Doctor Octavius. It was a bit therapeutic for her, getting used to his presence. But it came with it’s own challenges, like being incredibly close to him so he could see her work. 

Though, Ailani could consider them more like friends instead of just teacher and student. Which she was satisfied with.

For the moment.

[pickledpascal]

i have so many ocs maybe i should start reusing some for different fics instead 😭

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Eleven: Always Remember Us This Way

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: Minor Violence, emotional breakdown

Summary: The final showdown with the White Nova and Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock happens in an unlikely place. And has an unlikely ending.

Song: Always Remember Us This Way by Lady Gaga

It was late when Ailani got a call from Peter, telling her they needed to go to Otto’s hiding place. It seemed he got the last piece to form his nuclear fusion reactor and he also kidnapped Peter’s crush, Mary Jane. Ailani let out a groan of frustration, she was working on the inhibitor chip but she was nowhere near done with it. So, she quickly got dressed in her suit and escaped to the docks from her window. 

Ailani watched as Peter crawled around inside the water lab, trying his best to stealthily get Mary Jane out of the place. Which failed pretty miserably, Otto caught him almost right away. Ailani shook her head as she watched before she literally kicked the front door across the room, one of Otto’s actuators caught the door because it was coming straight for him. 

“Hello again, Otto! I think it’s my turn to break into your house don’t you think?” Ailani asked with a sarcastic smile. She decided not to put her mask on, MJ didn’t know who she was anyways. “Maybe you’ll understand how I feel.” She winked as she walked over to the man.

Peter was currently being strangled by Otto’s extra arms, but quite frankly, all of the Doctor’s attention was on the woman coming towards him. Ailani acted like she was untouchable, but he knew she had weaknesses. In fact, Otto basically defeated her once–through dirty tactics but still. 

Otto cocked his head at Ailani as a challenge. “What are you here to do? Seduce me into the good side?” He said with a sarcastic and mocking tone, the arm that held Peter pushed him against one of the metal pillars and held him there. It didn’t want to hurt him badly just yet. 

“You tried that with me.” Ailani growled a little before she looked at Peter for a moment. “But the only way this is gonna end is with you getting hurt.” She was determined to have her Otto back, so if he had to get hurt in order to fulfill that, she didn’t mind. 

Otto cocked his eyebrow at Ailani before Peter somehow escaped from his claws and swung over to MJ to try and help her out of there. The doctor’s claws were busy getting the reactor online and capturing Ailani as well. “Too late, hm?” He asked with a smirk. “No one can stop it once it starts.”

The woman closed her eyes for a moment, making Peter think she was about to pass out again with how tight those things were holding her. But when Ailani opened her eyes again, they were glowing a firecesom deep red as she pushed open the claws of the tentacle that held her. Otto’s head went blank as he watched, not even hearing the voices of the AI. 

He was mesmerized by Ailani’s show of strength. 

Ailani’s powers were very much tied to her emotions. Each time her eyes glowed, it was like she was plastering her emotions on a billboard. But this time she didn’t care if anyone knew she was mad. Hell, she was furious. Both at herself and the evil that captured Otto’s mind. She could’ve stopped this so much earlier if only she was there the night the first reactor started up. 

The girl blasted Otto away from her and into the water, not caring that there was metal flying past her and feeding into the perpetual sun just a few feet away from her. Otto groaned from the pain, his glasses were knocked off his face and water was all over his face and in his hair. Flashes of memories played behind his eyes, like he was trying to remember what it was like without the AI in control.

Peter jumped in front of the Doctor, looking at Ailani for a moment before he took off his mask. “Doc, you gotta help us destroy this thing.” He pleaded softly, his eyes filled with sympathy.

“I won’t.” Otto growled, his actuator trying to get close to Peter before he caught sight of Ailani next to him and stopped. “I-It’s my dream, my life’s work.” He ground his teeth together, his eyes glazing over with sadness. Otto worked on even just the blueprints for the reactor for half of his life, he couldn’t take the fact that what he was doing was wrong.

“Sometimes you have to give up your dream.” Peter whispered sadly, glancing over at Ailani before he swallowed thickly.

Ailani shook her head gently and let out a small chuckle. “Or maybe you need to find a new one.” She said softly, holding out a hand for Otto to take.

The man narrowed his eyes at Ailani’s hand, his heart heavy with emotions. A new dream. Maybe that new dream is you. Otto gently set his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. There were so many things going through his head at one time but the main thread that tied everything together was Ailani. 

“How do we stop it?” Peter asked again, his voice more hurried. The reactor was quickly gaining more steam and was absorbing every piece of metal there was, that was starting to include the whole building.

“We can’t-”

“Think, Otto!” Ailani grunted, “There has to be something.” She looked over at the reactor, her eyes trailing to the city that layed almost a mile away with water separating them. 

Suddenly, it clicked. For both Ailani and Otto. “The river! We can drown it.” They said at the same time, immediately looking at each other once they heard each other's voices. Peter rolled his eyes at the two of them, they were disgustingly cute together.

Otto stood up from the little pool he was standing in. “I’ll do it. I made this mess, I should fix it.” He said regretfully, shaking his head at himself. Even then, the voices of the actuators were hissing at him but he was resisting. 

“Otto…..” Ailani sighed, shaking her head as the man gave her a gentle and shy smile. “I’m supposed to be saving you.” She knew what Otto was doing. His arms were way too heavy for him to be in deep water….

He cupped her cheeks and caressed them softly. “I have to do this, my little sun.” Otto whispered softly, “Think of me before this ever happened, please.” He pleaded before he pulled his hands away from Ailani’s face.

Ailani bit her lip then pulled Otto’s face towards her own, kissing him passionately. Fireworks went off in her head, but they came crashing down, setting everything aflame. This would be the first and last time she would be kissing Otto…. It scared her. Far worse than any physical trauma she’s been through in her life. 

Otto let out a noise of surprise when Ailani kissed him, the actuators calming as his brain cleared yet again. All because of her. He wrapped his human arms around Ailani’s waist and deepened the kiss with a soft smile, just enjoying the last moment that they had with each other. But Otto pulled away, an almost proud smile on his face. “You’re gonna do great things, my little sun.” He whispered softly, walking to the reactor.

Ailani and Peter watched, though one of them felt more helpless than the other. Otto waved at them before he started to push the reactor down into the river, the pulling of metal actually even helped Otto since it tore open the building out to the river.

“C’mon, Ai…. We have to go.” Peter said, looking at his friend. He already swung MJ to safety but now he needed to make sure his friend was safe as well. 

Ailani shook her head and gave her friend a weak smile, “It’s okay. You go to MJ.” She said softly, nudging Peter away. 

She didn’t like feeling weak anymore. And, more importantly, she didn’t like when someone knew she felt weak. The weight Ailani put on herself was too much and even she knew that but she would find a way to feel okay again. 

Peter sighed a little, giving Ailani a tight hug. “I love you, sis. I wanna see you tomorrow….” He whispered softly before he swung away to make sure MJ was alright.

Ailani practically broke down once Otto left, a power surge erupting from her body as she cried. Power waves of deep blue rocked the building and the surrounding water. Her eyes glowed a bright and strong blue as tears flowed down her cheeks and added to the river below her.

The love of her life was truly gone and there was nothing she could do about it….

[pickledpascal]

'tis the damn season

Chapter Ten: 1 step forward, 3 steps back

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: Minor swearing

Summary: Peter and Ailani have a nice day out for the holidays and Ailani has a surprise visit.

Song: 1 step forward, 3 steps back by Olivia Rodrigo

Since the bank robbery, it’s been almost a week and it’s been quiet. No sightings of the Doctor on Ailani’s side and, as far as she could tell, none on Peter’s side either. Though, she hasn’t really heard much of Spider-Man around fighting crime. As far as the Daily Bugle is concerned, the boy quit. Hell, they even found his suit in the trash, which worried Ailani. Something bad happened, she could sense it in her bones. Not to mention, Peter has been avoiding her like the plague when they usually got together a lot during the holiday season when she lived there last. 

So the woman decided she would go to Peter's apartment, unannounced. Ailani realized they both needed to have a little fun this holiday season. Honestly, it was getting sad--just how little she left her apartment. She knocked at Peter's door, looking around the complex for a moment before she looked back at the door.

It was definitely less nice than Ailani's apartment complex, paint peeling off the walls with wood stinking of sewer water. But she knew Peter was on a quite small budget where her and her mother were not.

"Oh, uh, Ailani! Why are you here?" Peter asked, adjusting the glasses on his face as he looked at Ailani.

She responded with a small chuckle, "We're gonna go out, Pete. Neither of us have in a little while so it's the perfect time! Y'know Christmas is in a few weeks and while I really don't celebrate it, I love doing stuff with you." Ailani winked playfully.

"That's nice, Ai, but-"

"No buts! We're going! We're gonna have food, shop, and have fun, Peter." Ailani pulled Peter from the door. Thankfully, the man had some shoes on so she didn't need to wait for him to get some on. "I'll pay for everything, you don't need to spend a cent."

Peter shook his head, "Ai, I couldn't…."

"I'm the one offering here, c'mon." Ailani smiled softly as she pulled Peter down the stairs and out of the building. "When was the last time you enjoyed the cold, winter air, hm?" She asked teasingly.

Peter shrugged, a ghost of a smile on his face like he didn't want Ailani to know that he was feeling happier. 

Though New York smelled horrible year round, it was more bearable in the winter because your nose starts to get numb in the cold after a while. And the way NY was decorated during the holidays was completely unreal. Lights and other decorations were on every building. Especially the Rockefeller Center with the huge tree and the ice rink, Ailani wanted to skate with Peter. He was always a bit of a clutz when they skated when they were younger, she knows that hasn't really changed much.

The day was mostly spent walking around the city, Ailani didn't want to use cabs because it was beautiful outside to her. It was also nice having Peter point out certain streets and buildings he liked. Ailani missed this with him, just walking together and hanging out. It was nice.

It was dark outside when they finally got to the Rockefeller Center. Ailani immediately paid for skates and tickets for the both of them, handing Pete his skates. They both quickly put them on, shoving their shoes in a secret spot that seemed like no one else knew about but them. 

Both of them were flooded with nostalgia once they entered the rink. Memories of coming there as children and how Ailani tried to help little Peter skate, holding his hands. Their hearts were full as they skated around the rink, Peter still had to lean a little against Ailani to balance better.

When Peter tried to skate by himself, he fell on his face. Though, the both of them laughed it off. "The childlike clumsiness didn't go away huh?"

"Even when I got my powers, it never did." Peter laughed as Ailani helped him up on his two skates. "I think I should just keep holding onto you." He said sheepishly.

Ailani cocked her eyebrow sarcastically, "Ya think?" She chuckled, wrapping her arm around his as they skated. Well…. She skated, Peter just sort of floated with her.

After a little while, the both of them got off the rink and put their shoes back on. It was getting kind of late, almost midnight by the time they finished.

Peter rubbed at his red nose before it was silent for a moment. "What do you think Otto is doing?" He asked softly, squeezing Ailani's hand. He was sure part of the reason she did this was to get him off her mind. 

Peter knew Ailani was crazy about Doctor Octavius since the beginning of her college years. She would always come over to Aunt May's house and rave about this brilliant and attractive teacher. Hell, Uncle Ben was saying she should go for it when Ailani uttered her first words about him.

"Don't know." Her eyes immediately glazed over, her emotions hard to read. "I hope he's okay but he's building something that could blow New York off the map." Ailani explained softly as they walked back to their apartment buildings. "I just wish Otto would let me help him, but those…. Actuators, they're tainting his mind."

Peter nodded as he listened to Ailani, a frown on his face. "I understand how you feel. It's like those things completely changed Otto for the worst." He watched his breath in the cold air, eyes running over the swirls of warm air.

"I wouldn't say completely." Ailani joked a little, nudging Peter. "Imagine what he could do with those." She said playfully. She did use humor to cope but she did imagine what Otto could do on a few lonely nights. Even before he got the actuators.

Peter immediately shoved her at the implication of anything sexual. "Ew! You're like my older sister! I don't wanna know about those thoughts!" He gagged, shaking his head.

"Quiet, you have worse in your head because you've been crushing on MJ since you were like four." Ailani rolled her eyes as he followed Peter up the stairs to his apartment. The call-out made his face heat up with embarrassment.

Peter opened his door and swallowed a little. "I enjoyed today." He smiled back at Ailani, "And I would invite you in but I don't have much furniture." He sighed.

"No worries, Pete. Today was enough for me, I'm tired." Ailani smiled back softly, giving him a hug. "I'll see ya tomorrow sometime." She winked before she left, Peter waving at her.

As Ailani entered her apartment she smiled a little at the warm dinner that awaited her. Her mom always left her something if she didn't come home in time for dinner, it was kind of cute in her opinion. She put the dinner in her fridge since she and Peter went out, going to have a drink of whiskey. This particular one was a gift from Otto.

"Y'know, it's not nice to not eat food someone just made for you." A low voice said from the shadow, metal gears sounding as the man moved. Ailani gasped and threw a glass, a tentacle catching it easily and surprisingly not crushing it. "It's also not nice to throw away a gift." Otto said as he came out from the shadows. The sunglasses he previously wore were off, finally, showing his dark eyes.

Ailani's eyes turned to slits as he stared at Otto. "Here for another visit, Doc? Y'know, I really love when you break into my house." She said deadpan, grabbing another glass to drink.

"Hm, well, it seemed you missed me earlier. Maybe I would have knocked on the front door." Otto hummed, using his actuator to drink from the glass. He swallowed the whiskey harshly, feeling the burn of the alcohol. "But you were too busy with…. Peter." The doctor snarled softly.

Ailani laughed as she took a sip of her own drink, not feeling a thing. "You jealous?" She asked jokingly.

It irritated Otto that he was jealous. "Yes." He growled, "You are supposed to be mine." His little sun was in the hands of someone else.

"Otto, I thought I already told you Peter and I are not together. We're fucking childhood friends." Ailani shook her head, choosing not to dwel too much on Otto saying he was jealous of Peter.

Otto moved closer to Ailani, the girl slightly entranced by the closeness. His actuator put down his glass and took the glass from her hand, setting that down too. "So you're saying I'm the only one occupying your mind in a romantic sense." He whispered huskily, holding a gloved hand up to Ailani's cheek.

Yes, Ailani's mind was reeling with possibilities but she also knew Otto was being influenced by the actuator AI. So she certainly tried her best to suppress her feelings.

"I would say so, yes." She mumbled softly, her heart betraying her and leaning into Otto's hand gently. Ailani could tell that even without the gloves, his hand was warm. For about ten years, it's been only you.

Otto chuckled softly at Ailani's frugal attempts at hiding her feelings. "I'll see you again soon, little sun." He whispered before he kissed her cheek gently.

As Otto left through the window yet again, Ailani let out a breath of relief. She was almost finished with the inhibitor chip, she hoped he didn't find out about that or she'd have to start over again.

Ailani immediately ran upstairs and checked on the chip, another sigh of relief leaving her lips as she set it back in her desk.

Soon enough, Otto would be saved and be hers.

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Eight: exile

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: Minor violence, threats of violence, minor insanity

Summary: Unfortunately, Ailani is not able to make it to the demonstration of Otto's fusion reactor but either way, his plan does not go as expected.

Song: exile by Taylor Swift

It was late at night when Ailani walked back to her apartment, knowing that her mother was asleep and hoping that everything went alright with Otto’s reactor. She had to go to work that day and because of that, she wasn’t sure how the showing of it went. It was a bit scary though, Ailani hasn’t heard any news from anyone. Especially Peter. He was there, Ailani knew he was because he told her she would be.

Ailani huffed as she entered her apartment, locking the door behind her. It was a quiet night, almost too quiet for her. That made her nervous. She looked up the stairway to the bedrooms and hummed, her mother was home thankfully so she didn’t have to worry about that but something was itching at her mind.

Something must have gone wrong with the reactor because neither Otto nor Peter texted her about it’s success. It was strange. But it was also strange that she hadn’t heard about the failure yet or what may have happened. Though, when Ailani was at work, the only thing she focused on was her work.

The woman took off her jacket and shoes at the door, looking out the windows of her apartment before she turned on the news. Immediately, she saw stories of the reactor failing and how Doctor Octcavius had turned into a monster with those four new metal appendages attached to his spine.

But that couldn’t be right…. The inhibitor chip was meant to stop the actuators from gaining any sentience which would be the only reason Otto did the things he did. Ailani’s jaw tightened as she listened to the news, a sad shine in her eyes before she turned it off. She took a breath and looked down at her hands, she had to do something about this. Otto was alive and going insane–most likely–but she didn’t know where. 

If the inhibitor chip wasn’t working, Ailani would simply make another.

She remembered seeing blueprints for it in the lab and even when she was younger. And not only was she a brilliant chemist, but she was also amazing at robotics and working with computers. Ailani also thought Peter would help since he was great with technology too. All she needed to do was ask, especially since he idolizes Otto. Hell, he may have a bigger crush on him than she does. 

Ailani walked up the stairs to her room, flicking on the light before she sat at her desk. She hummed for a moment, putting on some magnifying glasses that had lights at the side as she pressed a button on the side of her desk. The back of the desk elevated to show some small weapons attached to it and some hidden drawers opened, showing some unfinished projects and parts. 

There were many things no one knew about Ailani. Most of those things started from the accident. 

The woman grabbed some tools and parts, trying her best to go off her memory from the blueprints. From what Ailani could tell, Otto’s lab was completely ruined so she wasn’t sure if she could even find the tangible blueprints of anything. She started to carefully sotter things together, focusing on what was at hand.

Ignoring sounds around her apartment, brushing it off as appliance sounds.

But then Ailani heard something fall. Taking off her glasses and immediately hiding what she was working on, Ailani started to creep downstairs with her hands glowing, charging, in case anyone was there. She wasn’t afraid to fry an intruder.

The woman scanned the area, humming for a moment before she spotted what fell. It was a picture of her when she was younger, back to her freshman year of college. Ailani picked it up and set it back in its place, her lips pursed before she let her eyes glow. She scanned the area again, her eyes catching onto a…. Different form than usual.

“Otto?” Ailani asked, a frown on her face as she flicked the light on. Not to mention, she could see the actuators attached to the man starting to hiss at her like she was the devil.

The man nodded, his eyes soft compared to the offputting nature of his metal tentacles. “I-It’s me, Dear…. I can also see you have a few of your own upgrades.” He tried to joke but Ailani could tell he was struggling. He was wearing tattered clothes and his hair was not put together like it usually was.

The glow to Ailani’s eyes and hands immediately died at the mention of her ‘upgrades’. “You did break into my house.” She narrowed her eyes at him. Though Ailani knew Otto would never hurt a fly, she was worried about those metal death traps that were definitely influencing him. Not to mention, they had just murdered a room full of doctors.

“Hah…. It seems I did.” Otto chuckled softly, his eyes darkening for a moment as the tentacles hissed at him like they were talking. Ailani watched Otto carefully, not wanting to aggravate him in any way. She was sure that it would be easy to make him mad like this. “I-I want you to help me, Ailani. Help me rebuild the reactor.” He pleaded softly, his top two tentacles raising to make him seem more menacing.

Ailani shifted her head in a questioning way. She didn’t know the first thing about how to build the reactor, nor did she care to be Otto’s ‘Queen of Crime.’ “Otto, I can’t do that.” She said, her eyes on the actuators behind him that seemed to become infuriated at the rejection.

“That wasn’t a question.” The Doctor growled, the tentacles going to try and grab Ailani.

The woman’s eyes and hands erupted with light, blocking the tentacle and had it bouncing off her hand. “Neither was mine.” Ailani smirked back at him before she took a breath, “Otto, I can help you take control of them back…. Let me.” She tried, her tone light and soft.

“No. If you will not help us then you will get out of our way.” Otto growled, his tentacles helping him to crawl out the window and down the building.

Ailani let the man leave, knowing they would meet another time even if neither of them wanted to. She let out a small sigh, falling onto the floor as she tried to regain her breath. She wasn’t usually like this, only when the person she has been harboring a crush with decided to turn into a supervillain. 

Eventually, Ailani picked herself up and went back up the stairs to her room. She took a deep breath and sat on her bed and crossed her legs, closing her eyes. Starting from the root of Ailani’s spine, her tattoos started to glow a bright blue color. She stayed like that for a little while, just breathing and soaking in calmness.

“I’ll help you, Otto.” Ailani whispered to herself, “Show me where you are….” She murmured before she opened her eyes.

The woman caught a glimpse of an old building down by the docks. It was old and worn, half of it was underwater. The building seemed to be for some sort of underwater study. Perfect for trying to hide something away from the city.

Slowly, the glow of Ailani’s tattoos died down. “I gotta get to work on that chip.” She mumbled to herself, grabbing it back out to continue it. But she also knew she had to put it on Otto at the perfect time. 

Who knows? The tentacles might know to protect that area. Not just in case the inhibitor chip is fixed but also because that area of the spine is one of the most tender places on the human body.

Ailani needed to be smart. And careful.

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Seven: Delicate

Word Count: 1.3k

Masterlist

Warnings: minor talks of women as objects

Summary: Harry hosts a party in Otto’s name in honor of his project soon coming to a close.

Song: Delicate by Taylor Swift

The party was boring.

Men dressed in regular black and white suits with women wearing generic cocktail dresses from expensive places that claimed to be different but weren’t. The people all seemed to blend together as the night went on for Otto. And the amount of basic pleasantries that he exchanged with them started to give him a headache. The music too…. It was not the best. Otto didn’t mind classical music, in fact he liked it, but it made the party all the more boring. He just hoped Ailani would be there soon or he’d go insane.

Thankfully, she did arrive just after Otto made small talk with some rich friend of Harry’s. As Otto looked over at Ailani, the world stopped. And so did everyone else, eyes wide at the woman as she entered the room. Ailani wore a floor length navy dress that looked like the night sky, a deep v down her chest with her arms and back exposed, showing her tribal tattoos. She made her way over to Otto, humming a little before she plucked a champagne glass from one of the waiters and began to sip at it.

“Hello, Otto.” Ailani smirked cheekily, both her eyes sparkling in the light. Hell, she was the light in the room. 

The man coughed a little, trying to will his blush away but he failed terribly so he looked up at Ailani with an enamoured look on his face. “Hello, Ailani….. You look….” His heart skipped a beat as he looked her up and down, “Like a goddess.” He whispered, his eyes running over her now exposed tattoos. 

They were classic Hawaiian tribal tattoos with swirling dark lines and triangular patterns that ran down her forearms and even down her back, accentuating the lines of her body. Though Otto was also surprised at how strong Ailani looked, her biceps were a bit large and he even noticed her shoulders looked more broad. He couldn’t believe all this was hiding under coats and sweaters, he wished he could’ve seen them much sooner.

Ailani gave Otto a bashful smile, shrugging a little. “I try.” She chuckled softly as he looked the man up and down. “You look quite dashing too, Otto.” She winked, humming.

He was wearing a nice classic black suit with a green bowtie. Otto looked down at himself, not really seeing anything special but the comment made him blush brighter. “Thank you, dear.” He said softly, his heart filling with that familiar warm feeling.

Peter came out of nowhere, camera around his neck as he met with Otto and Ailani. “I didn’t know you would be here, Ailani.” He chuckled a little, relieved that his other friend was with him as well. Jameson made him go to the party to take pictures for a society piece.

Ailani turned to Peter, her eyes brightening in a different way than when she looked at Otto. “I didn’t know you would either!” She said excitedly, immediately going to hug the boy. 

He hugged back, sighing, “Unfortunately it’s for work so I can’t enjoy it too much.” Peter shrugged, his lips forming into a thin line. He wished he was invited and could go for himself but that’s not how the cards fell. “Can I get a picture of the two of you?” He asked, picking up his camera from around his neck as he motioned to Ailani and Otto.

“Sure.” Otto agreed, looking at Ailani with a look. 

She nodded and moved next to him so he could put his arm around her waist, leaning a little into Otto’s body with a smile. Peter clicked at his camera, a few flashes coming from it before he set it back down.

He smiled, giving them a thumbs up. “I got ya.” Peter hummed before he slapped on the shoulder by a familiar face.

Harry Osborn.

“Of course you all are over here.” He teased, nudging Peter’s arm. “Y’know Otto has already called dibs on the girl.” Harry winked at the photographer before he looked over at the other too. Otto was disgusted by the prospect of ever ‘owning’ anyone. And also was disgusted by Harry’s antics, in general, so he couldn’t help the groan that escaped his lips.

Peter sighed and shook his head, “Ailani is like a sister to me, I would never date her.” He said plainly. Because it was true, they practically grew up together. Ailani was his big sister who always helped wherever she could.

Otto’s stance heightened a little. So the two were not dating, they were just really good friends. Thankfully. If not, the flirting and teasing might have been wrong of him to do. Though, he wouldn’t have felt bad anyways.

“Thanks, Pete. Real nice.” Ailani laughed, shaking her head at Peter. 

Harry himself looked pretty offended, “You don’t say that to a girl.” He rolled his eyes, shamelessly looking at Ailani in all the…. Wrong places. “How about I show you a good time, Ms. Toral?” Harry asked cockily, holding out his hand for her. Otto glared at the other man, fuming inside his head. Though his emotions were clearly shown on his face.

“Hmmm.” Ailani hummed, pursing her lips as her eyes fixated on Harry’s hand. “Actually, I think Doctor Octavius was going to dance with me. Maybe some other time.” She smiled sweetly though her eyes were filled with venom. 

Harry growled a little to himself, his eyes narrowing at Otto. Maybe it was slightly becoming a competition for him but Ailani was pretty set on Otto, not him and it was clear that Harry couldn’t see that. “I’ll see you soon, Ailani.” He whispered before he left, probably to go rebound with some other girl.

Otto looked at Ailani, a gentle smile on his face. “I know you just said that to get him away so you don’t-”

“I want to.” Ailani said quickly, her eyes panning over to Otto with a smile. “Unless you don't, which is completely fine.” She prefaced. Something was so inviting about her though. Maybe it was the strong arms that Otto was sure would make him feel safe. Or her face, which was so warm and sincere that he couldn’t stop ideas coming to his mind.

Otto nodded, “I want to dance. Though, I haven’t danced in a while so I apologize if I step on your toes.” He teased softly, chuckling a bit.

Ailani rolled her eyes and grabbed one of Otto’s hands, her other arm going around his neck while his other hand went around her waist again, holding her back with such reverence. Their height difference wasn’t the worst, Ailani was actually very tall and could probably spin Otto around. Besides hugging, this is the closest they’ve ever been around each other and it felt like a bubble to the both of them.

Otto didn’t notice until now just how tall Ailani was, especially in her heels. They were almost the same height. He was a bit taken aback. He didn’t think he had a thing for taller women, most of his past lovers were around the 5’5 area while Ailani seemed to be almost 6 foot tall with her heels. Perhaps this was an exception for Otto.\

“You’re…. Tall.” He mumbled softly as they moved, his eyes trained on Ailani.

The girl chuckled softly, “Just noticing now?” She asked, cocking her head playfully. Her height didn’t change. Maybe it’s just one of those things you don’t notice until the person is standing right next to you.

“Well, yes.” Otto laughed softly.

Ailani hummed, “Not too observant for a scientist.” She teased, winking at him.

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Six: jealousy, jealousy

Word Count: 1.4k

Masterlist

Warnings: Playboy actions

Summary: A late night at the lab has Otto and Ailani ordering some takeout to get through the night. But Harry Osborn decides to show up.

Song: jealousy, jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo

It was another late night at the lab with Ailani and Otto, the two enjoying each other’s company. Hell, Otto was barely working on his reactor that night, just sipping at his coffee as he and Ailani sat at one of the metal tables around the lab.

“Hmmm, do you think we should get some chinese food?” Ailani asked suddenly, sipping on her own drink which was a nice hot chocolate. In fact, she bought hers and Otto’s drink from a nearby Starbucks. She always loved the look in Otto’s eyes when he was surprised, which happened often when Ailani got him anything.

The scientist shrugged a little, a soft smile on his face–it seemed that was his resting face whenever he was near Ailani. “I wouldn’t mind.” Late nights with her were what he looked forward to everyday. “It gives us an excuse to stay longer.” Otto teased softly.

“I know.” Ailani winked at Otto, a warm–almost childlike–feeling erupted in his chest. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and called a place, asking Otto for his order and storing the information for later. “Alright, they should be here pretty soon.” She hummed, looking around the lab. 

It always amazed Ailani every time she entered the lab, especially the amount of progress being made. They may finish it before Christmas. Probably the best Christmas present Otto has ever gotten.

Otto’s gaze slowly panned over to Ailani, his eyes running down her form as she seemed to be distracted by certain trinkets in the lab. It still shocked him just how different she looked and acted, those five years gave her so much confidence–and trauma. “What happened after…. The accident?” He asked cautiously.

“I don’t….” Ailani snapped her head back at Otto, her eyes showing sadness. “It was hard. I could barely use my hands, my legs shook every time I tried to stand, I was fully blind for a few weeks.” She mumbled, consciously wiping under her blue eye. “My mom was scared to death. I think that was the hardest to see, worse than anything that could have ever happened to my body.” She sighed sadly, a certain depth behind her eyes that made Otto want to know more. But he knew she wasn’t going to tell him because it was too hard to think about. Which he respected.

Otto wrapped his arms around Ailani in a warm hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. He didn’t notice until now but the girl even smelled good, like a fragrant sweet flower. “I’m glad you’re here.” He whispered softly as she leaned into his arms.

She was glad she was here too.

Ailani melted into Otto’s arms, he was so cozy. Like a goddamned blanket. She didn’t want to wait to feel his arms around her everyday but she knew she had to. Love takes time. Even if you think it’s love at first sight, you’ll grow to love someone more when you know them more.

And at the moment, it felt like Ailani didn’t know anything about Otto.

“What was-”

“Otto!” A man came up on the elevator, holding their takeout. It was obvious that he wasn’t the delivery man, he was wearing an expensive looking suit and his hair was neatly slicked back. Ailani and Otto pulled away once he entered the room. “I don’t pay you to be sitting around eating Chinese food.” He said as he set the bag down on the table. “But now I see why.” He winked at the older man.

Ailani cocked her head at the man before she looked up at Otto for an explanation. “Right….” He said, understanding her look. “This is Harry Osborne, the one who is funding this project.” Otto explained with a strained smile on his face. To be quite frank, he didn’t like Harry but he was funding his dream so he couldn’t complain much.

Harry went up to Ailani and took her hand, giving the back of it a kiss. “It’s very nice to meet you. Especially a beautiful girl like you.” He whispered, giving her a wink.

Otto’s eyebrow twitched as he watched the action. Oh yes, he would be even more annoyed if every time Harry and Ailani were together he had to watch him flirt with her. Maybe this was hell….

“How old are you again?” Ailani asked, cocking her eyebrow as she took her hand away from Harry. Not that she didn’t mind dating someone younger but this man had the maturity level of a first grader. 

Harry shrugged a little, “Twenty-three. How old are you?” He asked, a sly smile on his face. He was a bit of a player so he didn’t mind dating a girl at any age.

“Hm, almost ten years older than you.” Ailani said simply, narrowing her eyes before Harry was shocked from putting his hand on the table. “Oh that just happens sometimes.” She said quickly, laughing in her mind.

Otto cocked his head at Ailani. He realized those shocks of electricity really only happen when Ailani is there. But there had to be a logical solution for it…. Though they had now two superheroes in New York so maybe logic had to be thrown out the window.

The scientist coughed to get Harry’s attention, “I appreciate you checking in but we were about to enjoy some food together,” Otto blushed suddenly. This would be the first meal him and Ailani would have together. And he was blushing like it was his first date. It was adorable. “So could you please leave?”

“Of course, Otto.” Harry laughed a little, “If you wanted her all for yourself, all you had to do was ask.” He whispered in his ear but Ailani could heat Harry as plain as day. She wanted him to get shocked again….

Otto shook his head once Harry left, almost shivering at the way he felt when the other man was around. “He is….”

“An asshole.” Ailani finished, grabbing the food out of the bag. It was getting a bit cold since Harry brought it in. Otto laughed and agreed with her. “Though I understand why you need his help financially, he seems like a rich brat so it’s perfect.” She hummed, taking a bite from her food.

Otto smiled, sitting next to the girl. “Hopefully, he’ll be distracted enough at the party and not bother you so much.” He said softly, starting to eat as well.

Ailani chuckled softly, “I can handle it, Otto. Don’t worry about me.” Oh, but he would. He would always worry about her, even if he knew she could handle it. A quality she grew to love about him.

“I’ll try not to….” Otto murmured, a gentle, loving look gleaming in his eyes. “Are you excited for the party though, Ailani?” He asked with a hopeful tone. He wanted Ailani to enjoy herself. Though anytime she was around Otto, she did.

“Of course I am. The man of the hour is you.” Ailani expressed sincerely as she took a sip of her drink. Otto blushed, looking down at the table out of nervousness. It was like the two of them switched spots in the last five years. Now Otto was the blushing mess, not Ailani.

The woman rolled up her sleeves up to her forearms before she continued to eat. Otto’s eyes attached to the ends of dark ink lines on Ailani’s tanned skin, his face getting even more red at the implication that she had tattoos. Somehow, it never crossed his mind that Ailani could have gotten tattoos to cover her scars or just generally.

“C-Can you show me your tattoos?” Otto asked, looking back up at her face. Now he was intrigued. How many did she have? Were they big? Were they small? Why did she always wear long sleeves? To hide them? Oh…. maybe it’s because it’s cold outside.

Ailani cocked her eyebrow as she looked back at Otto, chuckling as she realized the man caught a glimpse at one. “You’ll see them during the party.” She teased.

Otto could’ve died right there and he would have been happy.

[pickledpascal]

'tis the damn season

Chapter Three: Girl Next Door

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: Blood, gore, violence, swearing

Masterlist

Summary: Ailani and her mother move back to New York with the help of an old friend.

Notes: If you haven't checked the AO3 version of this fic, each chapter from now on will have song titles as the chapter titles.

Song: Girl Next Door by Trixie Mattel

October 11th, three years ago.

Her skin burned, cuts fizzing open from the acid on her skin. It was eating her alive, like a fire consuming dry paper or a snake catching its prey. And her screams. She couldn’t stop screaming for hours, the pain was too much to bear for someone with a fragile frame like hers. And even when she did stop screaming, there was a ringing in her head that didn’t go away for weeks. Hell, maybe she could still hear it if she stayed quiet for long enough. 

November 1st, Present Day.

Ailani flinched awake as her plane came to a halt at the gate. The girl took a deep breath and ran a hand through her snow white hair, one of the many effects of getting acid all over her body. Another would be the pale blue eye on her left side, thankfully, she could still see out of it. She was comforted by her mother, a gentle smile forming on her face.

Ailani knew it would be a cold day in New York so she wore a long black coat, a white turtleneck with brown pants and matching brown boots. If this was five years ago, she would just be wearing a really nice hoodie. Though Ailani never really regretted past fashion choices, she knew she had definitely gotten better over the years.

She may have been at her original home for five years, but New York always had a special place in her heart. Otto was only one of the countless reasons why. The crush Ailani had on him dwindled like a candle over time, but something would ignite it all over again soon.

When they exited the airport, they found their tour guide for the next week or so. Peter Parker himself. He was driving the same car he was five years ago and Ailani had to laugh at it.

“What? Something funny or you just miss me that much?” Peter asked with a smile, going to hug Ailani tightly. It’s been forever since they’ve seen each other in person. Though, part of the reason Peter wasn’t taken aback by Ailani’s new appearance was pictures and social media. Their numbers never changed so it was easy to stay in contact.

Ailani shook her head and ruffled Peter’s hair, “The same smartass I knew.” She rolled his eyes.

Mrs. Toral shook her head, “Peter has been very helpful in our return to New York, don’t make him regret it.” She teased a little, a bright smile on her face.

Peter grabbed their bags and smiled at Ailani, sticking out his tongue at her. He was still a child, but so was Ailani. Even if she was thirty now, playing around with Peter was always fun.

“You two are going to be living in the apartment complex right across from mine! It’s a lot nicer than mine but at least you won’t have to walk too far if you ever need any help.” Peter explained happily, looking at the two women with a smile. Besides May, Mrs. Toral was like a mother to him and Ailani, a sister. 

The women nodded, the younger one smiling back at Peter. “Y’know we used to live here, right, Pete?” She chuckled, “But it’s cute that you wanna help so much.” She hummed, patting his back as she got in the car.

As Peter drove around the city, Ailani looked outside the car window. One thing she didn’t miss about New York was the cold but at the same time, she always missed the snow. In Hawai’i it never snowed, just rain and sunny weather all year round. She also really loved just how much effort New York put into Christmas. They always went all out.

Peter led the women up the building, into their apartment as he held most of their luggage. Ailani cocked her head a little at Peter, he definitely had improved strength. “So, I tried decorating as much as I could but…. It’s still pretty bare. Please let me know if you need anything.” Peter said, setting down their luggage in the middle of the living room.

It was a nice open space with floor to ceiling windows, the kitchen over to one side while the living room was at the other. There was a bathroom to the left of the kitchen and an upstairs with three rooms, two for Ailani and her mother. 

In a few words, it was perfect for them. 

“Oh thank you, Peter! You’re amazing.” Mrs. Tolar said happily, hugging Peter tightly. “We’re forever grateful to you, anything you need. Come around as often as you need.” She smiled.

Ailani laughed a little at her mother and shook her head. “Not too often.” She said once her mother grabbed her things and walked up the stairs to claim a room. “You may be like my younger brother but I don’t need you to be my younger brother.” She joked, Peter laughing a little.

“Don’t worry, I’ll only come around every day.” Peter winked, making Ailani gag at the mention of that.

Once they settled down a little more, Ailani hummed softly as she looked out the window at the falling snow. “Anywhere you wanna show me? I don’t have a job yet so the next few days I have absolutely nothing else to do.” She offered softly, her eyes following a few snowflakes on their way down to the ground.

Peter shoved his hands in his pocket as he looked at Ailani, pursing his lips for a moment. “It depends on my job.” He teased a little. That was something Ailani used to say a lot when they would call every so often.

“Hm, right. You work for the Daily Bugle as a photographer, right?” Ailani asked Peter, turning back to him with a smile. She thought for a moment, shrugging, “They should write a piece about me. ‘Girl drowned in acid, somehow survives’ I can see it now.” She joked, putting her hand in the air.

Peter rolled his eyes at Ailani. She always joked about that but he figured it was just a way for her to cope with the trauma. “We can walk around Central Park or something tomorrow, maybe get a cup of coffee. I mean, the Moondance diner is still open. Maybe we could visit the college I go to.” He shrugged.

“You mean the place you currently go to and the place I used to go to.” Ailani chuckled a little, her mind completely slipping past the fact Dr. Octavius still may work there. “Sure, a cup of coffee and a walk around campus sounds like a swell idea.” She smirked, adding a wink.

Peter rolled his eyes, a gentle but loving smile on his face. He went up to Ailani to hug her again, squeezing her tightly in his arms as if she was going to be crushed. “I really did miss you, Ailani.” He mumbled, burying his head in her shoulder. “You were my only friend and you left and…. You got hurt.”

The woman’s eyes softened, running a hand through Peter’s hair. “It’s alright, Pete. I’m okay and so are you. Please don’t worry about me.” Ailani frowned, trying her best to comfort her friend. “You mean a lot to me, Peter, I couldn’t just leave you alone now could I?” She teased softly, shaking her head.

“I guess not.” Peter chuckled a little when he pulled away. “I love you.” He said softly, squeezing Ailani’s hand with a smile.

“I love you too, Pete. Now, get to your own damn apartment or I’m kicking you out.”

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Two: Here, Then Gone Again

Word Count: ~750 

Warnings: Self-Deprication

Notes: Sorry this chapter is short but I really wanted to get to “present day” Ailani

Masterlist

Summary: While Ailani and Otto have another study session, she seems a lot more quiet than usual. Otto knows something is wrong but it may be too late to help.

It’s December when Ailani and Dr. Octavius have their last study session, only one of them knows it is at the time. 

Ailani is quiet and Otto is a bit concerned because it’s more quiet than usual. Not that he really minded in the moment, perhaps she was just having an off day. Ailani had a lot of those when he knew her and it didn’t bother him. In fact, it made Otto like her more. She was human, of course she couldn’t be the way she wanted to all the time.

When Ailani finished fixing her paper, she just let out a sigh and looked over at the Doctor. She wanted to etch his image into her brain as if she would forget what he looked like in a matter of moments. Her eyes were filled with sadness, hell, almost on the brink of tears. Ailani wanted to say so many things. Wanted to thank Otto for everything he’s done for her. The man practically held her hand through final exams.

But she couldn’t. Something stopped her. Maybe it was the look in Dr. Octavius’ eyes that held such pride. Pride directed at her. Ailani felt like she didn’t deserve a thing that he did for her, but she wanted to make it worth it. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Doc.” Ailani let out a forced smile, nodding at him when she got up from her seat.

“Bye, Ms. Toral.” Otto smiled back at Ailani.

Ailani didn’t leave the campus just yet though, she made her way to Otto’s office and left a postcard on his desk. She didn’t want to leave without leaving something for Otto to remind him of her. Maybe they couldn’t be together in the foreseeable future but she wanted Otto to remember.

Remember that they were friends. Good friends too.

The next day started like any other for Otto Octavius. He arrived on campus about an hour before his first class started, leaving a big chunk of room for him to work on his project. Otto always believed it would be a big step in the right direction for mankind. It would be used for good.

The professor walked through the halls of the office building before he entered his, opening the shades of the one window in the room. When the sun flooded the room, Otto finally noticed the postcard on his desk. It was a stereotypical postcard with big letters and a picture of the place. Hawai’i. 

Otto carefully picked up the card, inspecting it for a moment before he turned it over to see who it was from.

Hello, Otto. This is Ailani Toral.

The man let out a small gasp, biting his lip. Ailani never called him by his first name even when he said that she could. It was always Doctor Octavius or ‘Doc.’ The card also had a piece of paper attached to it. Otto grabbed it and started to read.

I won’t be coming to class today, or for the rest of the year for that matter. I’m moving back home to Hawai’i. I just wanted you to know that I really appreciated your help getting through this semester. I must’ve been the only person you met with on an almost daily basis, I’m sorry if I was a bother to you.

But, you were the only teacher that cared about me. Or, it felt like that to me. You wanted me to do well, you helped me as much as you could, even if you may not have known the subject as well as some others. You made me pass. I know you may think that it was me who made me pass but I can’t take full responsibility for that. Hell, you even corrected my study guides, yours too. You have no idea how grateful I am to you and I feel that I will for the rest of my life.

You’re not just my teacher anymore, Otto. You’re my friend. A great friend too. Even if I wished you were more to me.

Sincerely,

Ailani Toral

Otto didn’t even realize that a few tears managed to escape his eyes. He hadn’t even realized how much more he had grown to like Ailani in the time they spent together. It was strange and different, in a good way. But he felt so…. Ashamed too. Why did he like someone who was half his age?

The answer to that question would come much later than he wanted it to.

[pickledpascal]

‘tis the damn season

Chapter Nine: no body, no crime

Word Count: 1k

Warnings: Minor violence, minor swearing

Summary: Spider-Man and the White Nova confront Doc Ock as he robs a bank.

Song: no body, no crime by Taylor Swift

The day started off as a nice winter’s day, a light snow falling from the sky as the sun shined down on the New York skyline. Peter had told Ailani that he was going to the bank with his Aunt May for the day so he couldn’t do anything with her. Though, that didn’t bother Ailani at all. She needed to continue to program and build the inhibitor chip. 

But as the day continued, Ailani got a text from May. It said she was in trouble and it seemed Peter left her. That was weird… The woman quickly changed into her suit, putting the half-mask on her face before she jumped out her window to make her way towards the bank. Yet another bank robbery at the same bank. You would think they would get better security for the place.

When the White Nova arrived at the scene, she spotted Otto throwing bags of coins at Spider-Man. She narrowed her eyes at Otto, grabbing one of her swords from its sheath as he started to strangle the spider hero. Civilians started to run behind her to the entrance, the villain getting a clear view of her as he finally looked at her.

“Oh, Hello, dear….” Otto smirked, throwing Spider-Man out the window, shattering it into pieces. “I didn’t expect you to be here.” He said sarcastically, the tentacles helping him  maneuver around the bank to where Ailani was.

Ailani narrowed her eyes on Otto. Those actuators were definitely in control, the fun-loving and soft Otto was gone. Though, she didn’t mind how cocky he was being if she was being honest. “Oh, well you should have. I wasn’t gonna let you have all this fun without me trying to ruin it.” She sassed back.

Immediately, two metal tentacles went hurdling her way before Ailani blocked them easily with her sword. If she really wanted to, she could easily slice the actuators in half. But that wouldn’t change how Otto was acting unless Ailani fixed his contraption.

Ailani’s sword was quickly knocked out of her hand and before she could pull out another one, the actuator hands were wrapped around her body. It was certainly uncomfortable and tight on purpose. Not that anyone imagined they would feel soft and cuddly. Ailani struggled inside the tentacles, her eyes starting to glow as she stared down Otto but the tightness of those tentacles made it hard to breathe. Black spots started to fill her vision before she fully passed out. Otto had a small smirk on his face as he cupped Ailani’s cheek gently, murmuring something to her.

As Otto was about to leave with Ailani, Spider-Man webbed at his feet, making Otto drop the girl with a heavy thud. “Can't have you taking innocent girls, Doc.” He quipped, kicking the man in the torso to have him drop to the ground. “Get outta here.” Spider-Man growled, picked up Ailani in his arms as the Doctor quickly escaped.

Spider-Man let out a small grunt, swinging up on top of a building with Ailani in his arms. He gently set her down, looking at her curiously and cautiously. He wasn’t exactly sure how much damage she could deal if she was given the chance but she was going up against the Doctor so he could assume she was good. Spider-Man looked around for a moment before he took a hold of the mask on Ailani’s face and took it off.

He gasped in surprise, taking off his own mask. Peter couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Ailani. His Ailani. Though, it was funny. Almost like powers ran in the family since they were practically siblings.

Slowly, Peter could tell she was waking up. Ailani’s breathing was sudden though, she started to cough on air before actually starting to breathe properly. And seeing Peter in the Spider-Man suit definitely took more of her breath away. In a better way.

“Holy…..” Cough. “Shit, Pete.” Ailani finished, looking Peter up and down with his suit on. “Were you really this ripped under all your clothes?” She asked teasingly, a small smile on her face. The teasing never stopped for them, even if she were to find out something worse. 

Peter rolled his eyes and nodded at Ailani, “Yes, I have.” He chuckled softly before his gaze turned softer. “I think we need to get you home, you’ve been out for a little while and I’m sure your mom is worried for you.” He said softly, helping Ailani up from the floor.

“You’re worried about me and my mom, you should worry about May. She’s probably wondering where the fuck you went.” Ailani coughed, holding onto her ribs as she looked back at Peter as she held onto him. He had a worried look on his face as he held onto her. “Don’t worry about me, Pete.”

Peter sighed softly and held onto Ailani tightly before he started to swing around the city to Ailani’s apartment. “You have to be careful, Ai.” He murmured as the woman crawled into her room through her window.

“Pete, I’ve been doing this for years. Otto is just…..”

“Different.” Peter finished, a gentle look in his eyes before he hugged Ailani tightly. He didn’t want the only sibling he had getting killed because he couldn’t protect her. “I understand, Ai. But if your crush of his gets in the way of bringing him down, then I’m leaving you behind on this.”

Ailani patted Peter’s back and kissed his cheek softly. “I understand. And it won’t. I have a plan.” She said softly. “Now go, Spidey-Boy, before my mom wonders who I’m talking to.” She joked a little, shooing Peter out of her room.

Once Peter did leave, Ailani took a deep breath as she started to take off her suit. Thankfully, her ribs already seemed to be healing nicely. She glanced back over at her work station and put everything away for the night.

Maybe she was trying to juggle a little too much at once.

A job, fighting the love of her life, not trying to die doing so, making a cure for him, fighting crime in the city. It was a lot…. But Ailani also knew she was strong enough to handle it all, this was only a pebble in a smooth road.

She knew.

Well, she hoped.