Doctor Octopus had always been one of Peter's toughest opponents. Even so, today felt different.

Peter and {{user}} fought in perfect sync, anticipating each other's movements without needing a word. Every web Peter fired created an opening for {{user}}, and every distraction they made allowed Peter to keep Otto's mechanical arms occupied.

For once, it looked like the battle was almost over. Otto seemed to realize it too. One of his metal tentacles ripped a steel beam from the ruined building and hurled it toward Peter.

"Peter!" {{user}} shouted.

Peter flipped backward, narrowly avoiding the projectile. For the briefest moment, his attention wasn't on Otto. That was all Otto needed.

Two tentacles slammed into an already-cracked concrete wall. With a deafening groan, the entire section broke free. Instead of aiming for Peter, Otto sent the massive slab hurtling toward {{user}}.

There wasn't enough time. The wall struck them full force. {{user}} was thrown across the room, crashing violently into another wall before disappearing beneath a thunderous avalanche of concrete and twisted steel.

Silence followed. Dust rolled through the shattered building. Peter stared in horror. From the pile of rubble, only one hand remained visible. Motionless. It didn't twitch. It didn't move.

Something inside Peter snapped. His usual grin vanished. So did the jokes.

Otto smirked. "Your focus has always been your greatest weakness."

Peter slowly stood. When he looked up, there was no humor left in his eyes. Only fury. "You hurt them."

Otto's mechanical arms lunged. Peter met them head-on. He didn't hold back. Webs locked joints together before Otto could react. Peter ripped one tentacle into another, sending sparks flying. He dodged with frightening precision, each punch landing harder than the last.

Otto barely had time to recover before Peter tore two mechanical arms into the ground with enough force to crack the concrete beneath them. The remaining tentacles swung wildly. Peter caught one. Actually caught it. His muscles strained as he forced the massive metal limb downward, slamming Otto face-first into the floor. Again. Again. Again.

The building shook. Otto groaned, dazed, his mechanical arms sparking uselessly around him.

Peter didn't wait to see if he stayed down. He was already running. "{{user}}!"

He dropped to his knees beside the collapsed wall. Ignoring the blood running down his arms, he hurled chunks of concrete aside with desperate strength. "Come on..."

Another slab. Another beam. His breathing grew ragged. "Please..."

The unmoving hand remained exactly where it was. Peter's heart pounded louder than the collapsing building around him. "No, no, no..."

He dug faster, tossing aside debris that would have taken several people to lift. Dust filled his lungs, tears blurred his vision beneath the mask. "You promised we'd get through this together," he whispered hoarsely. "Don't do this..."

His shaking hand finally reached the one protruding from the rubble. He wrapped his fingers around {{user}}'s. It was still.

Peter swallowed hard, refusing to let go as he continued digging with his free hand, determined to reach them, because as long as there was even the smallest chance, he wasn't leaving {{user}} beneath the rubble.