Reticent Monsters (Ultimate Spider-Man - Cartoon)

Chapter 19: Folded Arms and Empty Armor

Hey-o! So, here's another update from this! WHOO HOO! My thoughts for this story have been growing lately and I might change up the plot a little bit.

Also, I've kind of been neglecting my "Animal Instincts: At War with Monsters" book, and I feel kind of bad, but I don't think I can concentrate on it until THIS book is done, or at least near completion. So, I think I'm gonna break myself from my other books to give this one some love and attention and REALLY spur it on. Much thoughts in my head, much thoughts.

Anyway, enough talk! Onward with reading!!

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Norman Osborn (POV)

It was a relief to finally get out of that retched sewer.

There were many things Norman Osborn was willing to do to help those who've helped him, from offering money, funding a project, or giving to charity; but spending hours and hours in disgusting, stinky tunnels surrounded by waste, rats, and slime was really pushing it. He felt nothing but relief when he, Harry, and the two S.H.I.E.L.D agents escorting them made it out past the sewer and into the subway tunnels above as they made their way to the surface of the city. As it turned out,  manholes were too small to fit industrious, powerful armor through. So, he and Harry were forced to take a long detour down the subway tunnels to make it to one of Dr. Octavius's recently discovered labs. Of course, it probably would've been easier to simply leave the suits back at Oscorp, but Norman would admit that he's grown fond of the security and protection his armor brought him, and the mere thought of being caught unprepared left him feeling anxious and paranoid - which is a feeling he rather tried to avoid. 

He's been caught unprepared a startling number of times in the last few years: once, years ago, down in Otto's Oscorp lab where he was first turned into the Goblin, again when he was turned into the Goblin a second time in front of the New York prison, and a third time when Otto attempted to turn him Goblin in Oscorp - if not for Spider-Man's interference, then his own son, Harry, would've been the new Goblin. Hell, Norman was even caught unprepared when Harry became Anti-Venom and was stuck in a coma for weeks on end. But Norman has learned from his mistakes and there was no way he was going to allow himself to be caught unprepared again. Not him, and not definitely not Harry.

His small group walked a few more leagues before the S.H.I.E.L.D agents declared their orders of heading back to the lab. Norman voiced his thanks in return and assured them he and Harry would be fine making it back up top on their own. The agents were quick to leave and soon enough it was just him and Harry. They would be fine in the subway tunnels anyway. Thanks to a bit of S.H.I.E.L.D authorization, all the subway tunnels leading near Otto's lab were shut down and not in use, which meant there was no need to worry about oncoming trains or stepping on the third rail and risking electrocution. The only threat they were at risk of was being bombarded by rats or attacked by a homeless bum in the tunnels. Nothing they couldn't handle if the situation ever came up.

But, upon glancing over at his son, it wasn't homeless people or rats Norman was concerned about. His concern centered more around Harry, who was walking quietly next to him. His son had been oddly silent since they left the lab, his arms were folded tightly across his chest which meant he was probably irritated, but his expression was a mystery thanks to the visor over his face. Norman looked away from him, focusing on the railings in front of him so he didn't get his foot stuck between the tracks again.

Ever since returning from being Goblin the second time around, he's been working on spending more time with Harry and learning more about his son in both behavior and actions. And, if Norman's noticed anything, it was that Harry either folded his arms or put his hands in his pockets when he was agitated. And if body language was nothing to go by, Norman had seen Harry's irritation back when he had been talking to Mary Jane. Before they left, Norman had noticed how concerned, irritated, and even angry Harry looked. Not that Norman blamed him. It was the kind of reaction he'd expect when one's best friend was taken