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Peter Parker was a photographer, and a good one. Spider-Man was a guy that swung around the city of New York.
Realistically, you'd expect they'd have no connection. Maybe Spider-Man stops some weird creature from ruining Peter's day, but that's it.
Unfortunately for Peter, nothing in his life is realistic, and he needs money. He has a couple skills, photography being one. And what better way to make money, then sell pictures of himself to The Daily Bugle? A place that infamously is known for hating the menace, Spider-Man.
Well, I'm sure there's plenty of better ways, however Peter's not very reliable. He got fired from his pizza delivery job for missing work. The Daily Bugle doesn't need consistency like that, he can come and go whenever, and just say he was taking photos of Spider-Man.
Obviously people believe him, because he always comes back with said photos.
However, due to his luck, some people are starting to suspect things. Now, he's not sure if it's the right things, but he can't risk them finding out.
Working for The Daily Bugle, a place known for hating Spider-Man, he came up with the genius idea to say he hated Spider-Man. Smart, right?
Except it's been months - maybe years? - since he started that, and to make it worse, Spider-Man now hates Peter Parker.
Although he doesn't have a reason to why Spider-Man's still letting him take his photo, no one thinks, or is even close to thinking he's Spider-Man.
First time he told someone that, was at The Bugle. He was handing Jameson a photo he took, when he over heard someone asking another person why Peter was so close with Spider-Man. In which Peter said,
"We're not close. I hate that guy. You know, the other day, he broke my camera."
Which was completely untrue. Peters camera wasn't broken, hadn't been for months.
And maybe it would have been fine if he left it at that. But he didn't.
He told someone else he saw Spider-Man let a guy get robbed. Also a lie.
Apparently that person would run into Spider-Man, and ask him, or rather, tell him off.
"Hey! Peter Parker said you let someone get robbed! Why'd you do that?!"
"Peter Parker? The stupid photo guy?"
"Yeah! He said he saw it happen."
"Oh my god. I can't believe he's telling people that! That did not happen. Listen, you cannot trust a thing Parker says, all he does is lie."
I mean, what did you want him to do? Let history of being 'Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man' sound unfriendly?
And maybe, just maybe if he stopped there, it would have been fine. Obviously he didn't.
Peter made it known he hated Spider-Man with his whole heart.
Spider-Man made it known he hated Peter Parker with his whole heart.
Peter had made that into a 'bit'. With his friends, they knew he hated the arachnid. His Aunt even knew it.
Apparently, he cannot remember who knows and who doesn't know, because next thing he knew, he was accidentally saying he hated Spider-Man in front of MJ, or Johnny. Anyone who knew he was Spider-Man, also knew Peter Parker hated Spider-Man.
Peter and Johnny were in Peter's apartment, and Johnny showed him an article about Spider-Man. 'SPIDER-MAN STOPS LIZARD FROM TAKING OVER NEW YORK'
And before Peter even had time to think, he replied:
"Oh my god. I hate that guy. He probably caused it."
Johnny knows Peter is Spider-Man. Peter knows that Johnny knows.
That was the first time Peter said that in front of someone who knew, so Johnny was surprised. "..what? You- Pete, you're Spider-Man. You do know that, right?"
"Right- my bad. I forgot you knew."
"What do you mean- have you been telling people you hate him?" Apparently Johnny was the only one out of the loop.
"Well, yeah. Whole secret identity thing going on here, remember?"
"You're telling me, there was no better way to hide your secret identity, than to tell everyone you hate Spider-Man.?"
"There was. Except people at work started getting suspicious, you know?"
Johnny looked at Peter like he was an idiot. To be fair, sometimes he was, he did just tell Johnny he hated Spider-Man.
To make matters worse, it wasn't just Johnny he was saying this to. MJ, who definitely knew Peter was Spider-Man, was told multiple times that he hated the other. Sometimes as Peter, sometimes as Spider-Man.
But hey, at least he didn't have to worry about people figuring out he was Spider-Man.