Chapter 318: TOAA (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"I'm not controlling though... Am I?" Peter asked, his voice tinged with hesitation and a flicker of self-doubt. His eyes, usually filled with confidence and certainty, momentarily faltered as they drifted down to the ground. There was a vulnerability there, subtle but genuine, bleeding into the edges of his tone.

"Shall I give you an example?" TOAA responded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. There was almost an amused lilt in his voice, not mocking, but gently nudging—like a teacher guiding a particularly promising student.

Peter gave a slow nod, his gaze still fixed ahead, brows furrowing as he listened carefully. Though his eyes narrowed in thought, his ears remained open, catching every syllable.

"Let's take what happened with this universe's Stark, for instance," TOAA began, leaning back against the old wooden bench. "You took control of his shares. He's practically unable to make any significant decisions without your express approval."

Peter's head snapped toward TOAA, his expression defensive. "Now hold on a second, that's not fair. Of course it sounds bad when you phrase it like that! Anything could sound bad if you just twist the wording around!"

TOAA raised an eyebrow, calm and collected. "Was I wrong in what I said?"

Peter hesitated, his mouth opening and closing momentarily. "...I gave him leeway," he muttered, his tone stiff. "It's not like I wanted to micromanage his life. I just—look, I did it for a good reason. I was trying to prevent Ultron. You of all people know what that would mean if he came into existence in this world. The chaos. The destruction. The lives lost. I couldn't risk letting that happen. I had to make sure this world never saw that horror."

"So the ends justify the means?" TOAA asked, that subtle smile never leaving his face.

Peter groaned, dragging a hand across his face. "I knew you were going to say that as soon as I opened my mouth... But seriously, how do you expect me to just sit back and let terrible things happen when I know I can stop them? I have knowledge most people could never dream of, and I can use it to help!"

TOAA nodded slowly, folding his hands in his lap. "Peter… Do you know what I love most about humanity?"

Peter tilted his head, trying to guess. "The indomitable human spirit?"

TOAA chuckled softly. "Yes, that too. But what truly fascinates me—what I treasure most—is their capacity to learn from their mistakes. Their ability to grow. It's such a simple, yet profound part of what it means to be human. Mistakes are not just missteps; they're lessons. Opportunities for reflection and change. But if someone is always there to catch them before they fall… how will they ever learn to get back up?"

Peter's jaw clenched. He understood what TOAA was trying to say. It didn't mean he liked it. "So what? I'm supposed to just sit on my hands while Tony or someone else makes a mistake that could cost hundreds, maybe even thousands of lives? I'm sorry if this seems rude, but I'm not some distant, omnipotent being who can ignore even a single life in the name of some greater good or cosmic lesson."

"I'm not asking you to," TOAA replied, his voice gentle now. There was no rebuke in his tone, only quiet understanding. "What I'm offering is merely a suggestion—a perspective. Just the musings of an old man who's seen too much. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Either choice is valid. But I want you to consider the difference between guiding someone and controlling them. There's a line between the two, and I believe you're having difficulty seeing where that line is."

Peter exhaled heavily, his shoulders sinking as he leaned back against the bench. He closed his eyes, tilting his head upward to the sky as if hoping the wind would blow away the burden pressing down on him. He didn't need TOAA to say it—he already knew it deep down.

He had been controlling.

Not out of malice or arrogance, but out of fear. Fear of what he knew was out there. Fear of what could happen if he let things unfold without his influence. His metaknowledge—it was a gift, yes, but also a curse. A double-edged sword he wielded with the best intentions… but intentions didn't always make the cut clean.

The Fantastic Four incident came to mind. He had tampered with the conditions of their transformation so that not only they, but even his own friends, gained powers. It was effective. Efficient. But had he ever stopped to ask how it might affect Ben? What it might cost him?

He hadn't. Not really.

And now, sitting beside the very embodiment of creation, Peter realized the gravity of his influence. If the One Above All was offering this kind of advice, it wasn't something to take lightly. TOAA didn't interfere often—so when he did, it meant something.

TOAA reached over and gently patted Peter on the shoulder, the gesture simple yet strangely comforting. "You have to remember, Peter... you're only human. No matter how much power, knowledge, or foresight you possess, there's a limit to what one person can carry. It's wiser to focus on what matters most to you—those things and people closest to your heart—instead of trying to bear the weight of everything all at once. When people get too caught up in the big picture, they often miss the small, precious details right in front of them."

Peter blinked, his brows furrowing slightly. There was something in TOAA's tone—calm, but laced with something unspoken. His Spidey-Sense wasn't screaming, but it prickled faintly at the back of his mind, like the soft hum of danger approaching. His instincts, more refined than any other sense he had, whispered that these weren't just casual words. This was more than advice.

He glanced sideways at TOAA, eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you... trying to warn me about something?" he asked. He didn't know why the question came so naturally, but it felt necessary. He trusted his gut—and right now, it was telling him something was off. Not in a threatening way, but like a storm on the horizon.

TOAA only smiled in that mysterious, omniscient way of his. A smile that held centuries of wisdom and infinite riddles. "Who knows?" he said cryptically, "I've said what I needed to say. What you do with that information... well, that's entirely up to you."

Peter nodded slowly. "Thanks... I mean it. I appreciate the talk, even if it made my head hurt a little."

Peter turned to glance away for just a moment, but when he looked back—TOAA was gone.

The bench was empty.

In his place sat a lone pigeon, cooing softly as it tilted its head at Peter, completely unfazed by its new role as a placeholder for the most powerful entity in existence.

Peter blinked. Then blinked again.

He hesitantly reached over and tapped the pigeon with two fingers. "Mr. God?"

The air shifted.

A low chuckle echoed around him—not from a direction, but from everywhere at once. It surrounded him like a warm breeze.

"You're a good kid, Peter Parker," TOAA's voice said, gentle and fond. "A bit perverted… but your heart's in the right place."

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed in mock offense, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Come on, I'm not that bad."

The voice chuckled again, full of amusement and warmth. "I'll be keeping an eye on you. I have high expectations for the hero you're becoming… and the man you'll one day be."

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, flustered but touched. "Geez, Mr. God, if I knew you were such a big fan, I'd have given you an autograph."

A faint scoff echoed across the sky, followed by silence.

Peter felt it—the sudden shift in atmosphere. His instincts calmed, the lingering pressure lifted from his shoulders. He exhaled deeply, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The conversation had been heavy, introspective…

And then his eyes snapped open, Spidey-Sense flaring again—only this time, with absolute clarity.

His head turned sharply toward the nearby pond. A small splash. A cry for help.

A child had fallen in—no older than six—and was flailing wildly, clearly unable to swim. His tiny arms splashed at the surface, mouth gasping just above the waterline.

Peter didn't hesitate.

In one fluid motion, he bolted toward the water and dove headfirst into the pond, the coldness biting through his clothes instantly. His arms cut through the water like blades as he surged forward, grabbing the child and pulling him up to safety. The kid coughed and sputtered in his arms, but he was alive. Safe.

Soaked and panting, Peter sat back on the grass, holding the trembling child close until his parents came running.

Above them, the clouds parted.

High in the sky, for the briefest of moments, the face of the One Above All shimmered through the heavens—vast, celestial, almost painted in starlight. His lips curled into a quiet, knowing smile as he watched from afar, the image flickering like a dream before fading back into the endless blue sky.

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