I made the same mistake again...
I'm truly speechless.
The plot I just finished conceiving.
Saving it and then immediately deleting it and emptying the recycle bin... it's ridiculous.
Thankfully, I had automatic cloud backup enabled this time, so I didn't lose everything.
The night sky over Prague Square was now completely dyed crimson by the firelight.
A scorching wind whipped up waves of hot air that swept across the area. The ground was softened by the intense heat, and residual heat from the flames continued to seep from the cracks in the stone slabs.
The Fire Elemental stood in the center of the plaza, their massive lava bodies menacing and violent. With each breath, the energy surged and distorted the surrounding air.
Peter, his entire body taut, hovered in mid-air, his red and blue suit covered with fine, high-temperature burn marks.
His physical strength was already exhausted, and his arm muscles were aching and weak.
The Silk had just missed him several times made him feel strange. His attacks, which were clearly locked on and had perfect trajectories, always got stuck in mid-air. It was as if there was something unseen in the night sky, interfering with him.
Under the cover of night, the green energy smoke surrounding Quentin completely subsided and compressed, no longer the continuous restraining bombardment as before, with all the energy converging in front of him.
" Peter, step back."
Quentin's voice was hoarse and dry, weary, yet unusually firm.
Peter's heart tightened. Without hesitation, he immediately leaped backward, escaping the center of the battlefield. At the same time, he raised his hand and shot out several Silk to firmly fix the loose metal debris around him, preventing the aftershocks of the battle from affecting the people who had just been evacuated.
The remaining tourists in the square had already fled to the outer safe zone, gazing at the towering, fiery monster in the center. Terrified whispers and gasps filled the air as everyone anxiously awaited their fate.
The next second, Quentin suddenly moved.
His figure transformed into an extremely condensed green light, rushing straight up into the raging flames!
The extreme energies collided violently, causing the air throughout the entire plaza to tremble violently.
The massive lava bodies of the Fire Elemental were instantly and completely pierced by the green energy.
The raging flames suddenly froze, and the rolling sea of fire around them dimmed and extinguished at a visible speed.
Its massive body began to disintegrate; the solidified lava, losing its energy support, shattered and fell to the ground, where it quickly cooled and extinguished.
The terrifying heat, enough to engulf the entire city of Prague, was rapidly dissipating.
In just a few seconds, the earth-shattering sea of fire completely subsided.
The last Elementals was instantly annihilated.
The evening breeze swept across the square once more, dispersing the lingering mist and heat, and bringing back the coolness of the night.
Peter hung in mid-air, his nerves, which had been tense all night, suddenly relaxed, and all the strength in his body seemed to be drained away in an instant.
Earth Elemental, wind element, Water Elemental, Fire Elemental.
The four Elementals that had been wreaking havoc on Earth were completely dissipated, and the crisis was eradicated.
He no longer had to be on edge all the time, ready to rush to the battlefield, no longer had to be caught up in endless battles, and no longer had to watch helplessly as his ordinary life was shattered time and time again.
Peter landed slowly, his feet touching the cool stone pavement. He exhaled a long breath, his eyes revealing exhaustion, yet also an unprecedented sense of ease.
Not far away, Quentin slowly withdrew his power, the green light around him completely faded, his armor was covered with dense burn marks and cracks, and he staggered slightly. Clearly, this ultimate burst had almost drained all of his physical strength and energy.
The two looked at each other across the empty square.
Peter walked slowly forward, looking at the slightly weak Quentin. "How are you? Are you alright?"
Quentin shook his head slightly, raised his hand to remove his helmet, his forehead damp with sweat, his face pale from exhaustion, and said softly, "It's nothing, just did what I could. Fortunately, it's all over."
Peter looked at the now calm square and said softly, "Get some rest. We'll keep in touch."
"Good."
After a brief handover, the two parted ways without further ado.
Quentin turned and headed towards a deserted area on the outskirts of the city.
Peter's thoughts, however, had already drifted completely to the other side.
MJ, Ned, and Betty were still on the edge of the square. Having just survived Extremis, the three must have been filled with panic and anxiety.
Peter didn't linger; he turned and hurried quickly toward where the three had been.
The crowd outside the square was still in shock, whispering about the devastating monster attack and the sudden appearance of Spider-Man and the mysterious hero who saved the city. Amidst the noise and scattered lights, only the three who had survived the Extremis high in the sky still wore expressions of lingering fear.
MJ stood under the streetlight, his fingers slightly clenched, his gaze still fixed on the center of the square where the fire had just raged, his eyes filled with lingering fear. Ned and Betty stood side by side, whispering about their harrowing experience, their hearts still pounding.
Peter strode quickly to the three of them, deliberately slowing his pace and suppressing all the anger from the battle, leaving only the gentleness and worry that a young man should have.
Are you alright? Are you hurt?
The three turned around at the sound and saw Peter suddenly appear, their tense nerves finally relaxing slightly.
"We're okay, that was terrifying..." Betty patted her chest, her voice still trembling with fear. "We really thought we were going to be stuck high in the air."
Ned nodded repeatedly, then looked at Peter with a puzzled expression. " Peter, where did you go? We couldn't find you anywhere."
Peter paused slightly, instinctively avoiding the crucial question, and gently concealed the truth. "I was wandering around nearby alone and got lost. I heard a commotion and rushed over immediately. I'm glad to see you all safe and sound."
He couldn't reveal his identity, so he could only use the simplest excuse to get away with it. Fortunately, the three of them had just experienced a terrifying moment and were still unsettled, so they didn't investigate his whereabouts too much.
MJ quietly looked at Peter in front of him, a subtle emotion hidden in his eyes—a mixture of lingering fear, relief, and a barely perceptible concern—but he never asked any questions.
"It's getting late, and it's not safe outside. Let's go back to the hotel," Peter suggested softly.
The three had no objections, and the four of them walked side by side along the night streets toward their hotel.
Prague shed its earlier heat and hustle and bustle at night. The evening breeze was gentle and cool, the streetlights lit up one by one, and the empty streets and alleys were quiet and soothing, as if everything that had just happened was just a dream.
The four of them returned safely to the hotel where the study tour group was staying without saying a word.
After seeing Ned and Betty off, Peter each returned to their rooms. Peter went back to his own room alone, closed the door behind him, and completely shut out the noise from the outside world.
He walked to the window, gazing at the tranquil Prague night view outside, feeling completely relaxed.
What excited him even more was that there was only one day left in his study abroad trip.
This is his last chance.
He raised his hand and gently touched his inner pocket, where the black dahlia pendant lay quietly.
His thoughts, which had been repeatedly interrupted over the past few days, finally took over his entire mind again.
He didn't want to wait any longer; he wanted to say what he had kept hidden in his heart for so long in this gentle foreign evening breeze.
Peter a deep breath, suppressing his nervousness and unease, straightened his clothes, and pushed open the door to leave the room.
MJ's room was not far from the hallway.
Standing in front of the door, the seventeen-year-old boy couldn't help but feel nervous.
He lowered his head slightly, facing the empty corridor, and quietly practiced his invitation, his tone hesitant and clumsy.
"MJ, are you asleep? If you're free... would you like to go for a walk together?"
"It's the last night, I want to see the Prague night view with you."
There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time...
He muttered to himself repeatedly, adjusting his tone as he tried to ease the tension in his heart. His anxious yet earnest demeanor made him completely unaware that the doorknob in front of him had already been gently turned.
Click.
The door opened with a click.
MJ stood quietly inside the door, a faint smile in his eyes, his gaze fixed on the slightly embarrassed and clumsy boy in front of him as he practiced his lines repeatedly.
Peter froze on the spot, all words falling to the floor. A warm blush instantly spread across his cheeks, and he was completely at a loss, too nervous to know how to react.
Seeing Peter's flustered yet sincere appearance, MJ's smile deepened, and he spoke softly, breaking the subtle awkwardness and silence.
"I was just thinking of going out for a walk too, want to come along?"
With a simple and gentle sentence, he eased his embarrassment.
Peter looked up abruptly, his eyes lighting up with joy and excitement. He nodded emphatically, "Okay! Let's do it together!"
The streets were deserted late at night, and a gentle breeze carried the unique tenderness of this foreign city. The warm yellow streetlights lengthened the shadows of the two people walking side by side. The scattered European-style buildings stood quietly, and the scattered streetlights and shop window lights reflected each other, creating a romantic and tranquil atmosphere.
The two walked slowly and silently, without the slightest awkwardness; the air was filled with a tender, youthful ambiguity.
After walking for a while, MJ suddenly stopped, raised his hand, and took out a small, oddly shaped mechanical fragment from his pocket.
The fragment is entirely silver-gray, with a precise texture and a surface covered with fine lines and unknown circuits. It doesn't seem to belong to any conventional electronic product; its workmanship is exquisite, yet it exudes a sense of eeriness.
Peter, look at this.
MJ handed the mechanical fragment to him and explained softly, "I picked this up by chance when the square was in chaos and that monster appeared. I don't know what it is; it doesn't look like an ordinary part. But you've always been interested in studying mechanics and electronic devices, so I thought you could understand it and wanted to ask you to take a look."
Peter looked down at the mechanical fragment in her palm, a slight glint in his eyes.
He was completely immersed in the sweet anticipation and excitement of his impending confession, his heart and eyes filled with the girl beside him, all his attention focused on the gentle atmosphere before him, and he had no time to delve into the origin and strangeness of the fragment.
He assumed it was just ordinary equipment debris dropped during the battle and casually replied, "Okay, I'll take a good look when I get back. Thank you, MJ."
He carefully took the fragment, put it close to his body, then took a deep breath, stopped, and turned to look seriously at the girl beside him.
The gentle light of the streetlamp fell on MJ's profile, outlining his soft features. His eyes were clear and clean, quiet and gentle.
The night is perfect, the breeze is perfect, my mood is perfect, and the people around me are perfect too.
There was no more fighting to disturb us, no more responsibilities to bind us, and no more endless unexpected interruptions.
Peter slowly raised his hand and took out the black dahlia pendant he had treasured all the way from his inner pocket.
The matte, aged black plating and delicate, exquisite petal patterns create a serene yet eerie aesthetic, perfectly matching MJ's unique taste for mystery and suspense.
Peter held the pendant in his palm, his eyes serious and devout, all traces of youthful impetuosity gone, his voice gentle yet firm.
"MJ, I've been preparing for this for a long time."
"I know you like things that are mysterious, suspenseful, and tragically beautiful, so I bought it in Venice and have been looking for an opportunity to give it to you."
A gentle evening breeze blew by, ruffling the boy's hair and stirring up the feelings he had kept hidden for so long.
"My biggest expectation for this study tour in Europe was never the scenery, nor the travel itself."
"The thing I've wanted to do most all this time is to have a proper conversation with you."
"MJ, I like you."
A straightforward and sincere confession, without fancy words or deliberate build-up, only the purest and most open feelings of a seventeen-year-old boy.
As soon as he finished speaking, Peter's heart pounded wildly, a hint of nervous anticipation in his eyes. He quietly looked at the girl before him, waiting for his answer.
Under the streetlights, MJ looked at the pendant in his palm, then looked up at the earnest and sincere boy in front of him, a gentle smile spreading across his eyes, his clear eyes filled with tiny starlight.
She gently curved the corners of her mouth into a smile, responding frankly and tenderly, " Peter, actually, I like you too."
"I just saw that you were always busy, always had all sorts of things to do, and it seemed like you never had a free moment. I thought you didn't have time to think about these things."
A simple sentence completely shattered all my anxiety and unease.
A surge of immense joy welled up in Peter's heart.
The fatigue, confusion, and pressure that had accumulated over the past few days vanished completely at this moment.
It turned out that it wasn't just his wishful thinking; this cautious affection had always been a two-way street.
The evening breeze was gentle, the night was quiet, and the only sound on the otherwise still street was the clear beating of their hearts.
Peter could no longer contain the excitement in his heart. He stepped forward and gently reached out to embrace the girl in front of him.
A gentle and reassuring embrace is what he most wanted to protect during countless times of danger and trouble.
He lowered his head slightly and gently kissed the girl's lips.
A night breeze blew from across the river, carrying a faint smell of smoke.
He held MJ's hand, his fingertips slowly tightening.
The girl didn't pull away. She simply rested her head gently on his shoulder.
The night grew quieter, and the number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased, making the whole city seem unusually gentle.
The two walked slowly and aimlessly, without saying a word, yet feeling exceptionally at peace.
Peter occasionally glanced at the girl beside him; the evening breeze ruffled her hair. This moment was a simple night that belonged only to the two of them.