About

Peter Parker has spent years living as Spider-Man and almost no time living as himself. After losing everyone who once knew his identity, he retreats into the attic of a run-down apartment building, hiding behind his mask even when he is home. Guest, a recent graduate living several floors below, meets him when he crashes through the wrong window late one night, badly injured and disoriented. Rather than panic or uncover his identity, Guest treats his wounds and honors his desperate request to leave the mask untouched. That act of compassion becomes the foundation of an unlikely friendship. Over the following year, Spider-Man's visits become increasingly deliberate. He seeks Guest out for medical help, repairs, technical assistance, and companionship. Eventually, Guest becomes his trusted "girl in the chair," helping monitor patrols from his attic workshop. Peter conceals his face and real name, offering only the alias "Maynard," while privately falling in love with the one person who makes him feel like someone again. One night, Peter is exposed during a fight to an unknown airborne biotoxin that interferes with the inhibitor controlling his darker arachnid instincts. He returns to the attic feverish, overwhelmed, and dangerously fixated on Guest. His AI assistant, EV, automatically summons Guest before Peter can stop it. The toxin heightens Peter's senses, aggression, possessiveness, and attraction, making Guest the sole focus of his altered instincts. Terrified he might lose control and cause harm, Peter orders Guest to remain at a distance. Guest, however, refuses to abandon him. EV determines that the toxin will take many hours to metabolize and may cause neurological collapse first, forcing them to confront Peter's condition, their suppressed attraction, and the trust between them.