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#gwen stacy imagine
primaviva · 8 months
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WASTED SUMMERS
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PAIRINGS: gwen stacy x fem!reader, gwen stacy x miles morales (platonic)
SYNOPSIS: one minute you were fighting the vulture, the next you were caring for gwen stacy. she hated you at first and thought you were just another person taking pity on her. as the two of you became closer, gwen realized she needed you. maybe as a friend or maybe as something more. but that all changed once miles came back. two months later, you were dropped. just like that. was everything between you two just all in your head? she said it herself, you were just a waste of time.
WARNINGS: heavy angst, mentions of blood / injury, misunderstandings trope, gwen bein in her own world as always, jealousy and big arguments, as well as super long and not proof read ?? that’s all
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as the sun stretched its golden rays across the landscape, a gentle warmth enveloped the city, signaling the arrival of summer.
being a normal kid was never in the cards for you. after all, you possessed incredible spider powers that set you apart from the rest. you longed for someone who could relate to the exhilaration, the struggles, and the responsibility that came with being spiderwoman. while others could confide in friends or family about their daily lives, you carried the weight of your powers silently, unable to share the truth with anyone.
but then, everything changed when the events of kingpin's collider unfolded. in that moment, you crossed paths with numerous individuals who were just like you spider people from their own dimensions. finally, you found people who shared your struggles, faced similar challenges, and could truly empathize with what you were going through.
however, you didn't spend much time with them. being new to the mantle, you were still coming out of your shell a little. you still made bonds back then, don’t get yourself wrong. those relationships just weren’t as deep as others like miles and peter or miles and… her.
but things were different now. since then, you've undergone such a transformation.
seeing all of them made you feel normal, not just that you found people who understood you completely. it brought you back to the feeling of when you were a regular teen girl with friends to always hang out with and little crushes. there was a sense of normalcy.
you thought you’d never see them again, until you did.
some time ago, a spider-man named miguel o'hara from a different dimension came forward, boldly claiming his identity as a fellow spider-powered hero. he had taken it upon himself to establish a spider society and extended an invitation for you to join. according to him, he sought someone level-headed like you, someone who could contribute in a meaningful way to the group. at first, it was strange how miguel seemed to possess an uncanny knowledge of your existence. he was well-versed in the details of your encounters, from the kingpin's collider incident to significant moments in your reality that held personal significance for you. he skillfully employed this knowledge to persuade you to make a decision.
despite your initial skepticism, you ultimately said yes, and that marked the beginning of a profound journey. it was through this experience that you delved into the enigmatic concept of the “arachno-humanoid-polymultiverse.” the intricate web of realities, the existence of canon events, and the watches that held the power of multiversal travel. it was akin to schrödinger's cat, where the multiverse and quantum mechanics transformed into theories or knowledge.
but miguel had this factual certainty in his beliefs, and his conviction remained steadfast. you couldn't shake the feeling that there were inherent flaws in his belief system. despite your reservations though, you decided to join. after all, there was no harm in aiding these "anomalies" in finding their way back to their rightful dimensions, was there?
and so, within this newfound spider society, you found yourself reunited with familiar faces like peter, peni, and even new people like hobie, london's very own spider-man.
you thought it was over and your life would continue as normal until miguel called you in.
“(y/n)? get to hq right now, i need you to prepare for another anomaly to be sent back!” he yelled through your watch suddenly.
he sounded out of breath, almost like he was mid running while calling you.
“señor o’hara? the hell, what work are you putting in right now? it sounds like you’re screaming at me from underwater,” you teased as you began to open a portal back to the society.
“now’s not the time for your jokes,” he groaned and you could visibly imagine the look of annoyance on his face. “jessica and i are on our way back with the vulture.”
before you could respond, he abruptly ended the call, leaving you hanging. a few minutes passed as you readied a secure enclosure using the advanced technology provided by the spider society. the vulture, regardless of the variant, always had a penchant for escape, making it crucial to have proper containment measures in place.
lost in your thoughts, you were startled when an imposing figure, resembling an ancient bird, materialized before you, bound in handcuffs. miguel, handling the vulture, swiftly placed him in the designated "jail" alongside the other detained anomalies
"thanks," he whispered, acknowledging your assistance.
you hummed in response as you leaned against the wall. “where’s jessica?” you asked.
miguel muttered under his breath, "with the new recruit," prompting you to raise an eyebrow.
"a new recruit? funny how you conveniently forgot to mention that while you were harassing me over a watch," you remarked playfully.
"i didn't want to," miguel retorted, turning to face you. "but jessica convinced me."
nodding, you stepped closer to him, ready to delve deeper into the matter. however, before you could continue, heavy footsteps approached, and your eyes widened in disbelief.
it was gwen.
"gwen?" you uttered, your voice barely above a whisper, your shock evident.
her eyes widened, but she remained silent and looked down at her feet.
jessica shot you a meaningful look, silently conveying that gwen had been through something difficult and needed space. respecting her unspoken request, you held your questions, allowing gwen the time she needed to process whatever she had experienced.
that was the most that could be said about your initial encounter. you didn't blame her at first for preferring to be alone herself. jessica gave you a brief summary of what happened when her father learned of her identity. she shared no specifics, but all she said was that it went horribly wrong and that she would be staying with the spider society for the time being. it was up till miguel gave her a watch and assigned you the job of assisting her in settling in to make it official.
with gentle care, you grasped gwen's wrist, making sure the watch fit properly on her arm.
“i know miguel probably told you a bunch of word vomit about the watch already,” you began, releasing your grip on the timepiece and gesturing to the buttons. “but just so you don’t get confused, here is the button that activates the watch, while the one below deactivates it. and the actual purpose of the watch, these dials, they're for inputting the assigned dimension number when you're traveling."
gwen responded with a soft hum, her gaze avoiding yours as you looked up. it was evident that she still struggled to find her place, feeling like an outsider. gwen noticed you staring up at her and redirected her focus to you, raising an eyebrow in response.
“are you okay?” you asked her.
she almost rolled her eyes a little. she didn’t want you to take pity on her, nor did she want the attention.
“do i look okay?” she snapped back.
gwen just wanted to be alone, wishing she could retreat into a sanctuary where she could escape the guilt and betrayal that weighed heavily on her heart.
you exhaled a sigh, understanding her irritation and how she desired to keep to herself for now.
“sorry for wanting to know if you were doing better,” you replied with a bit of an attitude. “i know this can be a lot, and i heard about what happened with your dad… just know it’s not your fault. we can talk whenever, if you want to. but i get it, right now you just want space.”
with those words, you turned to walk away, intending to respect gwen's wishes. but before you could step away completely, gwen reached out, gripping your shoulder and gently turning you around. in an unexpected moment, she embraced you tightly.
as you felt a slight dampness on your neck, you realized that gwen's tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“thanks,” her voice came out muffled against your suit. “i’m sorry for acting like a jerk. it really is nice to see you, (y/n). i just have so much going on in my head right now. it’s nice to know that someone understands.”
“you don’t have to thank me for this,” you assured her in a gentle whisper as you rubbed circles into her back.
reluctantly, gwen pulled away, swiftly wiping beneath her eyes and revealing a toothy grin, her endearing gap peeking through.
you swear you felt your heart skip a beat.
it was a little rocky at first. gwen struggled to fully accept your unwavering support, leading to occasional conflicts and disagreements. however, as time passed, she gradually eased into the dynamic between you, recognizing that you genuinely cared for her. with each passing day, gwen's guard began to lower, and she started sharing what happened with her dad, details about her life like how she played with her band, the mary janes, and more.
gradually, gwen found herself seeking refuge at your place more often, drawn to the comfort and solace it provided. drawn to you, even. it’s to the point where she doesn’t even crash at hobie’s anymore. the space you two shared became a sanctuary for gwen, where she could truly be herself, unburdened by the weight of her past.
you two had become close friends, best friends even, but there was something that unsettled your mind about it. whenever she was around, a mixture of nervousness and excitement coursed through your veins as the blood in your body rushed to your cheeks. her presence had a way of making you feel giddy, and you found a joy you weren’t used to in her company.
however, everything began to change when miles returned.
the incident involving the spot was an utter mess. to make a stupid story short, what miguel had defined as an anomaly turned out to be untrue. the canon events were not set in stone but rather common traits among the spider people from different dimensions. the notion of a dimension being "destroyed" was debunked, as dimensions lost in the spiderverse would reset and begin anew beyond the confines of the connected spider universes.
at first, her visit to his universe surprised you. instead of tracking down the spot, she chose to spend time with him, even meeting his parents. you knew they had a deep connection from the first time they met, but witnessing their reunion made it apparent just how close they had become. the way she became so engrossed in him made you feel a pang of jealousy, seeing how effortlessly he captured her attention.
you realized that you hadn't spent much time with her lately, which only heightened your anticipation for the day you had planned to hang out.
again, it was summer. this was the time to hang out with friends, be out late, just do things just for the memories.
as you swung home on your webs you smiled as you took in the world around you.
the sunset blanketed the streets as skyscrapers stood tall, casting long shadows that provided a respite from the heat. bodies of water nearby offered a refreshing breeze to those caught outside in their sweat. the city's iconic landmarks, from the statue of liberty to the empire state building, glisten in the sunlight, their grandeur amplified by the orange and purple skies above. the aroma of street vendors' delicacies fills the air as you jump from building to building, enticing passersby with the sizzle of hot dogs, the tangy zest of pretzels, and the sweet smell of snow cones being sold around the corner. the laughter of children on playgrounds, the strumming of guitars by buskers, and the rhythmic beat of joggers' footsteps became music to your ears.
a broad smile illuminated your face as your eyes fell upon your beloved apartment. with a nimble grace, you hopped onto the fire escape, effortlessly maneuvering your way through the open window. there, on your bed, was gwen, nestled comfortably amidst the pillows. she had been staying at your place for the week, adding an extra touch of warmth to the familiar surroundings.
"whatchu doing, hobo?" you playfully quipped, unable to contain your amusement as you made your presence known.
gwen responded with a good-natured smirk, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "well, hello to you too," she replied, the faintest resistance to rolling her eyes evident in her tone.
stepping further into the room, you shrugged off your bag and placed it gently on your desk, allowing the weight of the day to slip away. the room seemed to exhale, embracing you in its familiar embrace.
curiosity sparked in your eyes as you observed gwen's relaxed state. "so, what did you do today?" you inquired, a genuine interest in her activities evident in your voice.
gwen shifted, propping herself up against the pillows, a contented smile gracing her lips. "well, miguel called me in a few times, but eventually i wasn't needed anymore, so i decided to spend the rest of the day here," she explained. "and you? how about you, my friendly neighborhood web-slinger? did you have any exciting adventures?"
the playful smile that adorned gwen's face mirrored your own, both of you relishing in the simplicity of these moments where you could just be two friends engaged in casual conversation.
"yeah, i did some stuff, but it seems villains nowadays want to take summer vacations," you joked, playfully stepping away from your desk and making your way toward her. "and now i have to change my clothes, so uh, leave," you said, adopting a faux-stern tone while placing your hands on your hips.
despite the fact that there was a perfectly fine extra room available, gwen had a penchant for invading your space, making your room her own. it had reached a point where it was hard to find your own belongings amidst her things, but you didn't mind. you cherished her company, understanding that she was still adjusting to living with her dad again, even after he had discovered her secret and grown to accept her.
"no thanks, i'm too comfortable now," gwen declared, shaking her head with a determined expression, refusing to budge.
you arched an eyebrow, your brow furrowing slightly as you licked your teeth. "fine."
turning away from gwen, you began to remove your shoes, followed by your gloves, setting them aside as you prepared to change.
as gwen noticed your actions, confusion flickered across her features, causing her to tilt her head slightly. "wait a minute, what are you doing?" she asked, raising her eyebrows curiously.
"well, i did say i was gonna change, but since you're too lazy to leave my bed," you replied, extending your arm behind you, "this is me, changing."
with a firm grip on the zipper, you slowly pulled it downward, revealing your bare back as you opened the closet door and stepped behind it, concealing your figure from gwen's gaze.
gwen scoffed at your teasing remark, her cheeks flushing with a hint of embarrassment. "hey, just because i enjoy some relaxation time doesn't mean i'm lazy," she protested, attempting to maintain her composure but failing in the face of your playful banter.
"better not peek or i'li put you out on the street," you warned.
"oh, please i’d like to see you try," gwen jested. she knew you were teasing, and she couldn't help but play along with you. "you wouldn't be able to, i'm too charming."
as you disappeared behind the closed closet doors, gwen's curiosity got the better of her, though she tried her best not to reveal her intrigue. unbeknownst to you, she leaned to the side, attempting to catch a glimpse of your face through the crack in the doors.
"gwen," you called out, your tone stern.
her reverie shattered, gwen snapped back to reality, quickly retreating to her corner.
"ehmm, i'm not peeking," she mumbled, her face flushing a deeper shade of red. her gaze remained fixed on the small opening between the closet doors, but she did her best to prevent you from noticing.
"it's my superhero instinct to be super observant and all that," gwen explained, trying to justify her actions. "nothing sketchy going on here.”
with a piercing glare, you continued to observe her.
"o-okay, fine, i'm sorry," she conceded, her voice softening as she averted her gaze.
meanwhile, you proceeded to slide your spider suit down to your feet, kicking it off onto the floor before selecting a fresh set of clothes to wear. closing the closet doors, you turned to face gwen.
"i hate you," you retorted, referencing her playful intrusion during your changing process.
gwen rolled her eyes, her mischievous nature still present as she couldn't resist a bit of teasing.
"i love you too," she responded, offering a sly wink and a smirk. "don't worry, i didn't see anything. just your face. it was still a nice view."
her comment caught you off guard, widening your eyes and leaving your mouth slightly agape.
"a nice view?" you repeated, more as a question, deciding to switch the topic. "you're not even the superhero of this earth, but yeah, i'm totally your damsel in distress. definitely not like i have powers of my own or anything," you replied sarcastically.
gwen's mischievous expression persisted as she focused her gaze on you, her eyes trailing over your body.
"yeah, well, i'm always spider-woman, fulfilling my duties as a superhero, which includes making sure to keep everyone safe, including a really pretty damsel like yourself," gwen responded with a playful tone.
you felt a warmth spread across your cheeks at her compliment, quickly turning away to hide your reaction. "so, gonna get ready now or what?" you asked, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
gwen raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion in her expression. "ready for... what?" she asked.
"you literally don't remember us saying we were gonna go bowling?" you replied, slightly exasperated.
"what are you talking about? and doesn't that place open at 6?" gwen questioned, feeling she had missed a chapter on what was going on.
"gwen, it's 6:15," you informed her, hoping it would jog her memory.
her eyes widened in realization, and she quickly sprang into action, putting on her shoes and searching for her jacket.
"shit, shit, shit. i made plans with miles, i'm gonna be late. he's probably mad right now that i haven't shown up yet!" gwen spoke frantically, her mind racing and forgetting about your prior arrangement.
you furrowed your brow in annoyance and a tinge of anger. "gwen, what do you mean you made plans with miles when you said we'd do something today?" you blurted out, feeling a sense of disappointment.
gwen looked at you with a blank expression, scratching her head as she tried to recall what you were talking about. suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized her mistake.
"bowling? oh god, i completely forgot," gwen exclaimed, still searching for her jacket and watch. "my time management is so bad."
you crossed your arms as you felt your lips pout, feeling a mix of frustration and hurt. "gwen, you always do this. you cancel plans on me, and we don't even hang out anymore besides when you're using my bed to sleep. it's always miles this and miles that. it's getting tiring," you expressed with a bitter tone.
gwen's expression shifted to one of hurt, and she fell silent for a moment, taking in your words.
"hey, i'm sorry... i know it might seem like i don't care when i cancel on you, but that's not true," she said, her voice softening. "i just get caught up in all my superhero stuff... miles and i are really close, you know? like a team."
"yeah, a team," you repeated, pressing your tongue against your cheek as you handed gwen her jacket. "then don't keep him waiting because of me," you said, walking towards the bedroom door.
"hey, hey, hey, take a chill pill," gwen retorted, her voice reflecting her own irritation. "i didn't cancel our plans on purpose. yes, it's true that i do spend more time with miles than you. but he's the reason why i'm able to be the hero that i am today! you should be grateful for that."
gwen turned around, facing you directly, her expression firm and strict. "and by the way, you're the one who always volunteers to let me stay at your place. don't act like a victim now."
you looked at her, a mix of shock and anger coursing through you. "gwen, i am not the one," you declared, pointing a finger up at her. "so trust me when i say you don't want to start with me."
gwen's anger flared, but she made an effort to regain her composure, even though it was clear she was on the verge of losing it.
"hey, don't point your finger at me like that!" she snapped back.
you could see how agitated she is. her lips were slightly curled and her chin jutted out as she narrowed her eyes.
"really? is this how this conversation is going to go?" gwen asked in a hushed tone, her expression shifting to a more saddened one. "you know what? fine. i'll go."
"yeah, i think you should," you agreed, watching her dial the numbers 1610 to miles' dimension.
gwen looked at you as if she wanted to argue further but realized it wasn't worth it. she swiftly opened the portal, ready to leave.
she gave you a sharp nod. "okay then, if that's how you want it," gwen stated, keeping her tone as neutral as possible, although it was evident you had affected her.
after a few seconds of tense silence, she stepped through the portal, disappearing from the room. maybe spending some time in a different dimension with miles would help clear her mind.
hours had passed since your fight with gwen, and the tension still lingered in the air. restlessness had settled deep within you, making it impossible to find solace in sleep. as the late hour ticked away, hunger gnawed at your stomach, prompting you to abandon the confines of your covers. retrieving your phone to check the time, you couldn't help but be shocked by the display.
"ay, is it really only 12?" you asked yourself, shocked as it felt like you have been losing the wrestling match of sleep for hours.
making your way to the kitchen, you sought refuge in the act of preparing a mug brownie, a familiar and comforting midnight snack. the process was quick, taking only a couple of minutes and requiring simple ingredients like brown sugar and the usual components of a microwaveable treat.
a sigh escaped your lips as you reached for the brown sugar from the cabinet, your mind drifting into introspection. the summer had been a tumultuous mix of highs and lows, with moments where tears seemed to dominate your days. juggling the responsibilities of the spider society and your personal commitments has left little time for the company of friends, leaving you longing for more meaningful connections. and when you did manage to spend time with friends, it often revolved around the spider society, missions, and the likes of hobie, margo, and gwen.
"gwen," you murmured aloud, her name rolling off your tongue as thoughts of her flooded your mind.
she had an undeniable hold on you, like a game of cat and mouse that seemed to stretch throughout the entire summer. she consumed your time, yet offered so little in return. it felt as if she knew you better than anyone, even yourself, effortlessly providing comfort and care. however, those moments of intimacy were fleeting, slipping through your fingers before you could fully grasp them.
the idyllic picture of the perfect summer played out in your mind—a montage of beach days, rooftop nights, and the presence of everyone you longed to be with. while you did experience some of those moments, basking in the warmth of the sun with friends, engaging in sleepovers filled with hobie's terrifying tales borrowed from reddit, and swinging across rooftops while gazing at the stars, something essential felt missing. and even now, that void remains unfilled.
that something is gwen, you now realize.
despite her being so close, she always seemed just out of reach. whether it was strolling along the shoreline with miles at the beach, sharing secretive giggles under the covers while the rest of the group debated movie choices during sleepovers, or simply being in the same space, gwen was always by miles' side.
you had tried to stand by her, to be there for her and enjoy her presence, but it seemed as though you could never make it stick.
the sudden eruption of vibrant colors and a jarring electric sound snapped you out of your reverie. your heart skipped a beat as you recognized it for what it was—a portal. and you knew exactly who had just arrived.
preparing yourself mentally, you squeezed your eyes shut, stirring the mixture with a spoon before hastily popping it into the microwave.
when gwen appeared in the kitchen, she looked a bit tired and drained, even though a little excitement was still radiating from her body. she had her hands in her pockets as she walked into the kitchen, her usual confident and cheeky attitude nowhere to be seen. gwen was a bit nervous, not knowing what to expect. as soon as her eyes caught a glimpse of you, she froze in her tracks, her eyes getting wide as they darted all over you, looking for any sign that you were mad at her. it took a while for her to summon the courage to break the silence.
"i um- i'm sorry," gwen finally began, her voice soft, her gaze lowered. even in the dim light, you could discern the sincerity in her eyes. "what i said earlier and how i treated you… i shouldn't have."
rather than responding verbally, you nodded, acknowledging her apology while allowing a moment of silence to pass. the sound of her footsteps growing louder indicated her gradual approach.
"what are you doing up so late?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow. "it's almost midnight. shouldn't you be getting some rest?"
a sigh escaped your lips, her presence a stark reminder of the reason behind your sleeplessness.
"couldn't sleep, so i'm having a snack," you replied in a monotone voice.
gwen tilted her head to the side. "okay, i'ii take that at face value for now," she replied, a small smirk appearing on her face before quickly fading as she walked closer to you.
after a long pause, she finally spoke up. "look. i know that we had a bit of an argument earlier," she stated, voice barley above a whisper. "i just want you to know that i didn't mean anything i said,'' gwen added.
"didn't mean it, or didn't mean to say it?" you questioned, finally turning around to face her directly, allowing her to see your expression instead of just your back.
"both," gwen muttered, feeling like she was digging herself a deeper hole with each word.
you remained silent, giving her the space to continue.
"look, i'm sorry, okay?" she implored, raising her eyebrows. her tone sounded desperate, as if she was really hoping that you would just forgive her. but she knew that you weren't the type to just forget what had happened.
"but i... i'm still your friend. whether you like it or not," she added with a faint chuckle.
arching an eyebrow at her hesitant delivery, you maintained your silence, allowing her to take the lead in the conversation.
"it's not like i was on a date with him or anything like that. i just forgot about our plans. i didn't mean to prioritize him over you. it's just- i owe him a lot. he's special to me, you know," gwen explained, her voice tinged with a touch of regret as you turned away again, biting your lip.
jealousy churned within you as her words filled the air, the mention of miles leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. it felt as though your heart twisted with each passing moment.
"i'm really, really sorry. i promise it won't happen again, okay?" gwen pleaded, her voice dripping with sincerity, even as you maintained your facade of indifference.
"i know how you see miles, you don't have to explain your feelings to me. even if it was a date, why would i care? hope you two had fun," you assured her, disregarding her promise not to bail on you again.
gwen looked genuinely upset when you turned your back to her and shrugged her words away. she didn't want you to feel like you'd been put on the shelf in favor of miles.
"i had fun, yeah," she eventually replied, not sure if you were genuinely interested in hearing about her time with miles.
gwen really did want to make up with you, but to her, it seemed like you were still angry.
you emitted a small hum in response, and the microwave dinged, indicating that the mug brownie was ready.
she took another step closer and placed her hands on your shoulders, trying to catch your attention. her expression was filled with concern.
"hey, is something wrong?" gwen asked you, her eyebrows moving up together to form a small frown.
for at least a few minutes, there was no sound; the only thing breaking the silence was the occasional gust of wind coming from the open window and the sound of you opening the utensil draw for a spoon and eating away at your dessert.
“nothing, i feel fine,” you replied dryly.
the silence and your straight face didn't exactly give gwen anything to work with. it was obvious that something was wrong, but you refused to admit it. you were a very stubborn person, after all.
"you're so full of crap, you know that, right?" gwen replied, turning you around so that you had to look at her.
she wasn't mad at you. well, she certainly was a couple of hours ago, but right at this moment, she was mostly worried about you. you seemed so distant, almost as if you wanted her to leave.
she tightened her grip on your shoulders, not trying to hurt you, but to make it clear that she meant what she was saying. even though your face remained expressionless, gwen could read you like a book. she didn't let go of your shoulders and just kept looking at you, the concern on her face growing.
you gasped, taken aback by how she turned you around
"gwen, literally what do you want me to say to you?" you asked, annoyance seeping into your voice.
"you can say the truth, for starters," she stated.
"well to start, for you to say i'm the one full of crap is hilarious. i said i feel fine, now let go of me," you added, attempting but failing to escape her firm grasp.
gwen felt her expression changing as she heard your words, the look of worry slowly turning into one of annoyance. a part of her wanted to snap back at you, but she remained silent once again.
"no," gwen replied, "no, you're not fine, and you know it."
she took a deep breath and looked straight into your eyes, trying to make you listen to her.
"miles means a lot to me— i'd even say he's one of the most important people in my life. but that doesn't mean that he comes before my other friends, and you're definitely one of my friends. i shouldn't have canceled our plans, but..."
gwen looked at you to study your face for any signs that you were hearing her out, but all she was left with was this grim and dark look in your eye as your lips faintly quivered.
she shook her head. "you know what? just forget it. i don't want to keep talking about it. i'ii leave you alone now."
"gwen, i'm not doing this with you right now. goodnight," you declared, placing the cup aside and attempting to walk past her.
gwen was stunned for a few moments as she looked at you, visibly disappointed. for a moment, she was about to protest, but then changed her mind.
she wanted to say something, but she realized that you didn't want to hear it anyway. her grip slowly tightened as her eyes narrowed, but then a deep breath escaped her and she let go.
gwen watched as you left the room, her face filled with confusion and slight frustration. but after everything that had happened tonight, she decided that it was best to leave you alone instead of forcing a conversation you clearly didn't want to have right now.
you woke up feeling a bit hazy after the events of the previous night. as the sun peeked through your curtains, momentarily blinding you, you blinked your eyes a few times to adjust. the silence in the house felt unsettling as you sat up, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
making your way through the hallway, you treaded lightly, not wanting to disturb anyone in the house. you headed towards the guest bedroom, hoping to find gwen there. opening the door, you called out her name, but the room was empty. not only was she not in bed, but her belongings were also gone.
a sense of disappointment washed over you as you closed the door, realizing that gwen had left. uncertain of the reason behind her sudden departure, you let out a deep breath and decided to focus on your responsibilities as a hero. it was time to suit up and check on the city before heading to headquarters for the day.
that's exactly what you did. you patrolled the streets of new york, swinging through the familiar cityscape, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble. along the way, you checked in with miguel to see if he needed any assistance. however, he seemed preoccupied with his own tasks, so you respectfully left him to his work.
feeling the need for some solitude, you made your way to the top of the spider society structure—a tall, unique building that provided a secluded spot away from prying eyes. as you stood at the pinnacle, overlooking the sprawling city, a sense of calm washed over you. the blue skies and gentle breeze offered a momentary respite from the chaos of your thoughts.
using your web-slingers, you effortlessly stuck to the side of the building, skillfully weaving a silk hammock for yourself. nestling into the cozy cocoon, you took a deep breath, savoring the natural scents that filled the air. the peacefulness of the moment enveloped you as you gazed at the breathtaking landscape before you, allowing yourself to unwind and find solace in the stillness.
“(y/n), yer out here?” you heard a voice call out for you.
you let out an audible groan. of course, hobie of all people would come looking for you.
“imma take that as a yes,” he yelled out, swinging down and landing on the hammock next to me with ease.
"oh, hey hobie, what's good?" you asked him, your voice weak and strained from everything going on.
there was so much on your mind it made your brain feel like mush and you didn't know what to do. you just wanted to bury myself in your bed back home and rot away until the day reset. but you knew that wasn’t the healthy thing to do.
hobie’s brow raised at your sad expression, his smirk disappearing. "i dunno if anything is good. you don't look too hot," he commented. his voice was surprisingly calm and caring, contrasting the punk rocker persona. "are ya alright, bruv?"
you looked at him, leaning your head on your palm as you gave him a soft smile.
“it’s… really nothing,” you whispered.
it's clear you're not being entirely honest with him. in fact, you can see his eyes narrow and his forehead crease, as if he can read right through your response like a book.
“i don’t buy it,” hobie sighs as he puts his hands in his pocket and leans back to make himself comfortable. “there's nobody around us, you can talk to me."
you contemplate confiding in him, but ultimately his infectious energy wins you over.
“well, if you really care to listen. i got into a fight with gwen and when i woke up she was gone," you explained. "but now, when i check her location she's always at miles universe or her own...i think she's crashing with him now too. and that's what she used to do with me. the thing is, i don't even hate miles but just when she mentions her name i get this feeling i cabt explain,” you confess.
"oof." hobie frowns. he hates hearing that people aren't doing too great, and it seems to bother him how you don't even know how you feel.
he could do with some insight on these subjects as well. "that's rough, mate. y'do know she's not doing that to avoid ya, right?"
you couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
“i honestly don’t know, and i don’t even think it matters anymore,” you admitted. “but it’s like when i’m near her, i get this warm feeling? i don’t know how to describe it. we’re best friends, well, were at this point. every time i got near her tho, she made me feel all giddy and nervous. maybe i was excited to have someone like her in my life or something.”
he looks at you with a knowing look, like he seems to have the answer.
"y're in love with her? because that kinda sounds like it to me," hobie states.
he's straight forward. no sense dancing about these things type of attitude.
"what?" you yelled out of nowhere, almost choking on your own saliva. that was the last thing you expected him to say.
“hobie, you move a lil’ too fast. love is a real strong word,” you mumble, covering your face with your hands from embarrassment.
he laughs, and nudges your shoulder a bit. "i can see it on your face, (y/n). ain't got a lotta experience myself, but you're crushing on her real hard."
you hesitantly move your hands from your face and meet his gaze.
'hey, you don't gotta deny it,” he teased, enjoying how flushed your face looked. "you like her, don'tcha?"
"i do, but we haven't talked in weeks and i'm starting to think that she likes miles," you admit. "she just sees me as a best friend that helped her through a bad time. but miles and her are the same. they have a special connection, she even said so herself to me." you sigh in defeat.
hobie can tell that you're hurting, and he doesn't want to see you so down over her. there's a moment of silence, before the guy nudges you again.
"aye, but that's all the more reason to tell her how you feel,” hobie gives his advice matter-of-factually. "tell her how you feel. if she says she likes miles, it'll be a bit awkward. but you'll be glad you got it off your chest. and if she feels the same as you, what have you got to lose?"
"okay. you're right. i don't know when tho, since we haven't talked since our fight. but if we aren't even on speaking terms… might as well say how i feel," you state, moved my his advice.
"atta girl. i believe in ya,” hobie hypes you up. "now, let's get you home cus those bags under yer eyes makin you look like a racoon. you've already had a hard week. you need a break."
you smile, about to respond until you see miles coming up from the distance as hobie gives him an inviting wave.
"hey guys! uh, miguel sent me to get you two since g- never mind actually, it’s not important. he said something about a mandatory meeting," he stated.
"mandatory? the hell's that supposed to mean?" hobie questioned, the spider-punk's tone skeptical as always.
you really wanted to go home for once and not deal with bullshit, but you might not have a choice.
“ight so i guess this is happening now,” you sulk. it isn't much of a surprise. you weren't expecting miles to be the one to walk up to you both, though, especially since miguel of all people sent him. “whatever, let’s get this over with.”
you, hobie, and miles entered the headquarters, exchanging greetings with your fellow spider people as you made your way towards the boardroom. there was a mix of anticipation and apprehension in the air as you stepped into the room, scanning the space until your gaze landed on gwen. your eyes widened involuntarily, a rush of emotions flooding over you at the sight of her. the tension between you had created a tangled web of nervousness and anxiety, leaving you unsure of how to navigate the encounter. however, before you could dwell on these feelings, miguel wasted no time and commenced the meeting, diverting your attention.
gwen, positioned in a quiet corner of the room, watched you as you entered. the moment you spotted her, she looked away, avoiding your gaze.
gwen sat across the large conference table from you. she couldn't help but notice the look on your face when you spotted her. was that relief or anxiety? sadnesses, even. perhaps it was a little bit of everything. as your eyes locked with hers, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, you were feeling the same as she was. she hoped she wasn't projecting her own feelings onto you, but seeing you after not talking for so long brought up some complicated emotions in her heart.
as the meeting began, her expression remained neutral, but her mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts. she was wondering what could happen after this meeting with you.
while miguel led the discussion, you tried to focus on him, but a nagging sensation tugged at the corner of your vision. your face instinctively turned towards the source, and there, you met with a familiar watercolor blue.
gwen felt a chill run down her spine as her body tensed up, realizing that you caught her staring at you. as she turned her head towards miguel, her thoughts kept wandering back to you. it was also obvious that something was bothering her, as she constantly shifted in her seat.
she was still trying to think about how to approach you after so long. the situation was incredibly awkward and tense, but all she wanted was to make things right between you both again.
however, even as her attention seemed to shift elsewhere, you couldn't resist staring back at gwen. your gaze lingered on her, studying the intricate details that made up her unique appearance—from her eyebrow piercing to her dyed pink tips and her tousled blonde hair. unafraid to acknowledge her presence, you made sure she noticed your unwavering gaze.
embarrassment flooded gwen's face as she felt your eyes locked on her from across the room. despite her attempts to steal glimpses of you, she couldn't help but feel a knot of nervousness twisting in her stomach. her cheeks flushed with warmth, and her hands anxiously fiddled with the hem of her jacket.
the magnetic pull between you both was undeniable, and gwen couldn't resist the urge to turn her head in your direction. it felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving her breathless. her body seemed to melt, her heart threatening to burst with the weight of emotions she struggled to comprehend. doubts crept into her mind, questioning whether her feelings were simply illusions, born out of a desperate desire for connection.
she tried to ignore you. tried to make herself remember all the negative things about you, and all the reasons why you two shouldn't be friends again, but it was so hard. she felt like she was back to square one, right at the start when you talked for the first time.
the constant glances and stares made gwen feel all kinds of things she couldn't quite describe. it felt as though you were engaged in a silent battle, yet at the same time, a bond between you through the unspoken language of your eyes.
as gwen's mouth grew dry, she experienced a sensation she hadn't felt in quite some time. it was a mix of nerves and excitement that made her feel like a typical teenager, caught up in the throes of uncertainty and anticipation.
she felt as if you were the only person in this room right now.
despite her attempts to ignore you and focus on miguel's words, gwen found it increasingly challenging to follow the meeting. and then, once again, she felt the weight of your gaze on her. turning her head, she realized that you had shifted your attention away from miguel, fully directing it towards her.
"(y/n), can you share with the others the observation you made the other day?" miguel's voice pierced through the air, jolting you back to the reality of the meeting. the sound of his words broke the spell, prompting you to refocus your attention on the task at hand.
gwen breathed a sigh of relief as miguel called for you to speak up, but she still couldn't take her eyes off you for even a second. she tried to listen to your speech, but it was pretty hard to focus on anything other than you.
she felt you turn your gaze away from her, but she couldn't stop herself from sneaking her eyes back towards you a moment later. your face looked so serious and professional, but at the same time, there was a spark in your eyes that she couldn't miss.
she watched as you addressed miguel with confidence and conviction, all the while feeling her heart beat faster and faster.
finally, after what felt like an eternity, the meeting came to a close, drawing collective sighs of relief from the attendees. miguel couldn't resist making a snarky comment about the length of the meeting, eliciting a tired chuckle from the group. the weight of the intense atmosphere lifted, if only momentarily, allowing for a brief respite from the emotional tension that had filled the room.
gwen waited for everyone to leave, and then approached you as you were already halfway out of the room.
'hey," she called out to you quietly, almost as if she didn't want to disturb the silence. "can i talk to you for a sec?"
you turned back from facing hobie as he gave you a knowing look. slowly, you shifted back to gwen.
“yeah, sure,” you replied dryly.
hobie let out a deep hum. “see ya both,” he told the two of you as he dropped his shoulders and strutted away.
gwen watched as hobie walked away, waiting until he was out of sight before looking back at you, her expression serious. taking a small breath, she attempted to collect her thoughts, knowing that she had so much to say but fearing the possibility of stumbling over her words once again.
"i know we haven't talked in a while which is my fault," she began, "but i want to apologize for... well, everything."
her eyes locked with yours, searching for any sign of your reaction. but before delving further, she felt the need to make one thing abundantly clear.
"i still consider you to be one of my closest friends," she uttered softly, hoping her words would reach you.
in response, you offered gwen a comforting smile, even if it didn't entirely reflect your true emotions.
"gwen, it's alright. you've already apologized, and i don't need to hear it again," you reassured her.
her smile widened at your response, yet she couldn't help but detect a subtle nuance in your tone.
"i know you don't need to hear it again," gwen replied awkwardly, unable to fully hide the excitement that was starting to creep into her voice. "but i need to say it myself. i do care about you. a lot."
"thanks," you replied, your arms welcoming her as you opened them wide. "it's alright, okay? friends?" you asked, your aura radiating a warmth to it.
yeah, you weren't completely happy about the fight or how it seemed to have no real resolution. but seeing gwen so torn up about it made you want to just reconcile as you kept hobie’s advice echoed in the back of your head. she seemed genuine in not making the same mistakes again, so what’s the harm in second chances?
a small smile graced gwen's face as she stepped forward, her arms encircling your waist as she finally felt the embrace she had long yearned for. the sensation of your skin on her fingertips and the familiar scent that enveloped her brought a sense of comfort she had sorely missed. she buried her face in your shoulder, an electric tingle coursing through her body. for some reason, this hug was different from all the ones that she shared with you in the past. maybe it was because she was aware of how she felt right now. or maybe it was because of this overwhelming feeling of just wanting to be close to you again.
"friends," she said, nodding vigorously, "friends."
a flush of warmth spread across your face as gwen's hands made contact with you—a sensation you hadn't experienced in quite some time. slowly, you pulled back from the embrace, gazing up at her with a renewed sense of excitement.
"wanna swing around?" you suggested, eager to make up for lost time and create new memories together.
gwen's response was immediate, her enthusiasm palpable. "yes, please!" she exclaimed, her eagerness shining through. the destination didn't matter as long as it was just the two of you.
a smile never left gwen's face as she replied, "yes!" her voice exuded genuine joy. "i mean, yeah, i'd love to. it's been so long!"
caught off guard by her unabashed enthusiasm, you met her gaze with a teasing look.
"did i make my answer too obvious?" she asked, her expression tinged with a hint of embarrassment.
you couldn't help but let out a loud cackle, a sound that had been absent during your time apart. god, you had missed her.
"nah, not at all. i didn't even think you wanted to come with me," you teased, a playful sparkle in your eyes.
gwen's promises had proven to be short-lived, falling far short of expectations. as the summer neared its end and the seasons began to shift, you couldn't help but notice a change in gwen's behavior. what once were hangouts with others gradually transformed into solitary encounters, until eventually, the two of you stopped hanging out altogether, once again.
sitting atop the brooklyn bridge during lunchtime, you glanced at your watch, a gift from hobie. the vendor had generously given you a hot dog on the house, but your mind wandered, and curiosity got the better of you. you decided to check gwen's location on the watch, only to discover she was on earth 1610.
"i can't catch a break at this point," you muttered to yourself, realizing she seemed to be with mikes again.
feeling a sense of boredom, you decided to check hobie's location on the watch as well. however, your brows furrowed in confusion as you noticed he, too, was on earth 1610.
sitting up abruptly, your attention was caught off guard when you saw margo and pavitr's locations aligning with earth 1610 as well. it was an unexpected revelation. before you could process it fully, a call came in from miguel.
"(y/n), report to earth 1610. an anomaly from earth 65 has materialized," he urgently explained before abruptly hanging up, leaving no time for further explanations.
without hesitation, you dialed earth 1610 and activated the portal. as you jumped through, you were instantly transported to earth 1610, only to be greeted by a scene of utter chaos. your eyes widened in shock at the sight of a massive floating head terrorizing brooklyn.
swiftly swinging through the chaos, your gaze scanned the area until you spotted miles, gwen, and margo. pavitr and hobie were engaged in assisting with citizen control.
"what the hell is going on here?" you exclaimed, addressing the bewildered trio. before they could respond, the colossal floating head turned to face the three of you. a realization hit you like a ton of bricks.
"is that... is that fucking donald trump?" you blurted out, incredulous at the sight before you.
suddenly, everything fell into place. donald trump, ironically enough, appeared to be the m.o.d.o.k. variant in gwen's universe, and somehow, he had glitched into miles' reality.
"does anyone have a plan?" you urgently asked, realizing the gravity of the situation and the need for immediate action.
you were completely right: it was, indeed, donald trump. but he looked nothing like the president from your timeline. he looked... deformed.
“i think i know a way to stop him!" gwen shouted, immediately swinging over to miles.
you couldn't help but feel baffled and frustrated by gwen's apparent disregard for your presence. as she went off searching for miles, you swung after her, annoyed by her dismissive attitude.
"hey, don't you want to stick with the rest of us?" you asked, irritation lacing your words. you had lost sight of miles and margo while evading m.o.d.o.k.'s attacks, and it was crucial to regroup.
"oh, sorry!" gwen quickly replied, finally noticing that you had followed her. her focus had been solely on finding miles and stopping the giant-headed donald trump monstrosity.
after locating miles and catching his attention, gwen wasted no time in sharing her plan, hoping it would be enough to neutralize the colossal floating threat.
"we need to find the panel at the back of his armor and shut it down," she explained, her voice resolute.
you walked over to join them, your annoyance evident as you stomped over. "gwen, you can't be serious with that plan," you told her, hands on your hips. "it's way too risky, even for you. look at what's happening around here!"
gwen looked at you, defending her plan while meeting your gaze. "what else do we have?" she retorted. "the longer we take, the more damage trump might do to this universe! we have to act fast, and we can't afford to waste time searching for alternatives!"
though confusion flickered across miles' face, gwen had faith that he would support her plan.
"we have to do this," she asserted, her voice firm.
"gwen, listen. if you're feeling guilty about trump being here, now is not the time," you yelled in frustration. "i understand you want to help miles, but respectfully, this is the dumbest plan i've ever heard from you! it's close combat, which poses a significant risk. he's too massive and unpredictable. just look at the path of destruction he's leaving behind with his flailing legs. jumping on him could endanger innocent bystanders, including yourself!"
however, judging by the expression on gwen's face, it was clear she wasn't buying your reasoning.
"what do you expect us to do otherwise?” gwen snapped, her frustration now boiling over. "if we don't tackle this head-on, this donald trump will bring complete destruction to this earth! can't you see what's happening here?"
she gestured to the chaos surrounding them, emphasizing the dire situation.
"you have a better plan?" gwen challenged. "please, enlighten us! come up with something new, because time is running out."
before you could offer an alternative, gwen grabbed miles' arm and swung off with him. you let out an aggravated yell, following closely behind, but by the time you caught up with them, they had already set their plan in motion.
gwen quickly assessed her surroundings, searching for anything that could aid them in the battle against m.o.d.a.a.k. her gaze landed on a nearby construction crane, and she swung next to it, her mind working swiftly.
turning to miles, she spoke calmly, "can you throw me up as high as possible? with enough speed, i might be able to knock him off balance."
the sight was disheartening. miles and gwen struggled in their attempts to combat the floating head, who grew more frustrated by their relentless presence. suddenly, he started spinning frantically after miles accidentally touched a component apart from his tech suit. it sparked an idea in your mind on how to neutralize him.
however, your attention shifted as you noticed pavitr in harm's way, with the airborne m.o.d.a.a.k. hurtling towards him.
gwen swiftly recognized the imminent danger and reacted in a split second. she shot a web at m.o.d.a.a.k., specifically targeting an area of his body that wasn't shielded by his armor. the web hit its mark, sending him flying backward, crashing into a nearby building.
the building happened to be under construction, which meant there were no people inside, providing a sense of relief. yet, your eyes widened as you realized the structure couldn't withstand the weight of the massive m.o.d.a.a.k. the building crumbled and collapsed into the water.
everyone swung over to the site, landing on the debris of the fallen building.
"pavitr, you alright?" you asked, giving him a friendly shoulder nudge.
"you know it," he replied with his usual cheery demeanor.
suddenly, all eyes turned to the water as it began bubbling before abruptly stopping.
"electronics don't do too well in water, so... we should be good, right?" miles nervously asked, his voice laced with uncertainty. you turned your head to face him, giving him a blank look. "yeah, i didn't think so either," he admitted weakly.
bravely, you approached the edge where the water met the debris, peering down cautiously.
"be careful!" margo called out from behind you.
you gazed into the seemingly empty depths.
"soooo, is the big guy down or what?" hobie asked, breaking the silence as you remained silent, observing the sea.
before you could respond, an enraged m.o.d.a.a.k. emerged from the water, more aggressive and determined than ever. the battle was far from over.
"ummm... guys?" she asked, turning back to look at you, miles, hobie, margo, and pavitr. "i think we might have a problem..."
suddenly, the m.o.d.a.a.k. unleashed a violent wave of water towards the group, knocking them all down. gwen felt herself being pulled away by the force of the water, but managed to reach for one of her spider-webs and quickly shoot it towards the trump variant.
you swiftly shot out a web and grabbed onto a rusted pole nearby, pulling yourself up to a vantage point where you could assess the area.
"i've had enough of this," you muttered to yourself as you dialed margo's number on your watch.
"margo, are you hurt?" you asked, concern evident in your voice.
she chuckled dryly in response. "you think i'm gonna be taken down by an orange big baby bigot? you've got another thing coming."
you laughed, appreciating margo's indomitable spirit. "listen, i need you to see if you can compromise his software. try to hack into it and disrupt his flight control," you instructed.
"you got it," margo replied sharply, her determination palpable. you ended the call and proceeded to contact the rest of the team.
"listen up, new plan," you announced, ensuring everyone was on the line. "margo is going to hack into the software m.o.d.a. a. k. is using to control his flight. meanwhile, the rest of us will lead him to a more remote area, away from the general public. once margo can disable his flight, we'll surround him and weave a web cocoon to immobilize him. understood?"
you received agreements from everyone except gwen, who seemed lost in her thoughts. miles tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.
"gwen, you good?" he asked, concern in his voice. "you haven't said anything this whole time."
"oh, right!" gwen replied, sounding distracted. "yeah, i'm in."
with the plan set, everyone sprang into action.
margo skillfully hacked into his software without detection. "get ready," she warned, as she began manipulating his flight controls.
m.o.d.a. a.k. started moving erratically, flying upward, downward, and in multiple directions, resembling a sickening spectacle. then suddenly, he went limp and began descending toward the ground.
"now!" you yelled, signaling the team to surround him. together, you spun thick webs that enveloped his body, forming a sturdy silk cocoon.
after securing m.o.d.a. a. k. in place, you all worked together to create a stable landing spot made entirely of spider-webs, ensuring the safety of both m.o.d.a.k. and the surrounding area.
as citizens gathered around, witnessing the strange sight, they began applauding. you and your team exchanged small waves, acknowledging their appreciation.
"thank god..." miles exclaimed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "nice job, everyone."
you all let out tired huffs and puffs, drained from the rush of adrenaline and the physical exertion. however, the relief of the battle's conclusion was short-lived as miguel arrived in an aircraft from headquarters, seemingly to transport m.o.d.a. a. k. away. lab personnel from the spider society surrounded the scene, evacuating nearby civilians from the cocooned monstrosity in the middle of the street.
as everyone else dispersed, miles made his way to the chief of police to provide an explanation of what had transpired. meanwhile, you found yourself engaged in a conversation with miguel, providing him with a detailed report of the events. from a distance, you spotted gwen standing alone in front of the m.o.d.a.a.k. cocoon, piquing your curiosity.
after concluding your conversation with miguel, you approached gwen, calling out to get her attention. however, she didn't respond, deep in her own thoughts.
frustration welled up within you, and you couldn't hold it in any longer. "gwen, what the hell is your problem with me?" you pressed, your voice rising.
gwen was startled by your sudden outburst, turning to face you with a confused expression. "hm? what are you talking about?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she tried to comprehend your question. "why would i have a problem with you?"
just as the argument between you and gwen began to escalate, miles returned after speaking with the chief of police, sensing the tension in the air. he decided to intervene and find out what was happening.
"what's going on?" miles asked, his voice tinged with concern.
annoyance etched across your face, you directed your frustration towards miles. "nothing's wrong, except for the fact that you and gwen were acting like damn idiots out there!" you snapped, taking a step closer to him. "do you realize how many people could've gotten hurt? do you understand the damage you caused, the buildings that were destroyed?"
your anger was evident, fueled by gwen's apparent neglect of your friendship and her persistent focus on miles. it seemed they always wanted to take matters into their own hands, disregarding any collaborative efforts. their plan had been flawed.
miles took a step back, his expression a mix of surprise and defensiveness. "look, i understand that you're mad. but we had to do whatever we could to stop that freak," he replied calmly, trying to maintain composure. "we had to act quickly, you know that. and you can call me an idiot all you want, but in the end, didn't we succeed?"
"we? we didn't do much, you know," you mocked, pointing a finger towards the trapped m.o.d.a.a.k. cocoon and then back to your face. "modak is trapped because of me! while you two were off doing whatever the hell you pleased, i came up with the plan to capture him. you needed to listen to me, but no! you two lovebirds were lost in your own world," you spat out, frustration evident in your words.
gwen felt her heart sink as your anger turned towards her, accompanied by an intense glare. you accused miles and her of being irresponsible during the battle, highlighting the near catastrophe caused by miles' actions.
"hey, wait a minute," gwen replied, her irritation growing as you hurled insults at her and miles. "miles and i did our best, okay? we helped stop that m.o.d.a.a.k., remember?" she looked you in the eye, defending both herself and miles. "why can't you ever acknowledge our efforts?"
you scoffed at gwen's comment, unable to fathom her perspective. "have you ever thought of doing stand-up comedy, gwen? because you're a literal joke if you think you helped. does provoking him to the point where he nearly caused a mini tsunami in brooklyn not ring a bell? because that shit just happened! and how the hell do you expect me to acknowledge your efforts when you don't even acknowledge me?" you shouted, your frustration boiling over.
the argument had clearly escalated from a disagreement about the mission to a more personal confrontation. miles, feeling the tension, awkwardly decided to retreat from the conversation. "um... you two... i should... i'll just... go," he mumbled, attempting to diffuse the situation and give both of you some space.
you two turned your gaze back to each other, the weight of the argument hanging heavily in the air. the tension between you was palpable as you stood there, hurt and frustrated.
"okay, fine, maybe i don't acknowledge you enough," gwen replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of defensiveness and honesty. "but that doesn't change the fact that we're friends. we're on a team, dammit. i thought that we trusted each other."
you crossed your arms, your frustration still evident. "gwen, how can i trust you when you can't even follow through on simple promises?"
gwen looked at you, her brows furrowing in confusion as she crossed her arms in return. "what promises?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.
you let out a sigh, running your hands through your hair in frustration. "this whole summer, you've barely spent any time with me. and after our fight, you said you wouldn't bail on plans anymore, but you just did it again. it feels like you don't care to make an effort or you simply don't want to see me. do you even realize how much it hurts? all i've wanted is to be around you, but every time we do, it feels like you're running away, like you're scared. i just wanted to hold your hand, to feel close to you. but instead, i feel like i've been chasing after you tryna cling to you like a fucking leech, and it's exhausting. it makes me question if it was all a waste of time. so tell me, am i a waste of time to you?" you confessed, your voice filled with a mix of anger and vulnerability.
gwen's initial defensive stance softened as your words sank in. deep down, she was scared of commitment, afraid of the responsibilities and stress that come with close relationships. but now she realized the impact her actions were having on you.
a flicker of regret crossed gwen's face as she realized the pain she had caused. "yes, you are a waste of time," she had blurted out, but the moment the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back.
shock and hurt washed over you, your voice trembling as you struggled to process her response. "are you for real? after everything... just like that?" tears welled up in your eyes, your emotions overwhelming you.
you placed a hand over your chest, feeling your heartbeat pounding like an aggressive drum. the pain of gwen's words cut deep, and you couldn't bear it any longer. "you know what, gwen? fuck you," you said, the words laced with pain and anger, as tears streamed down your face.
gwen's stomach twisted with remorse, realizing the weight of her thoughtless words. she desperately wanted to take them back, to make things right, but she could see that you were too hurt to listen or care.
turning away, you withdrew from gwen's reach, not wanting to face her in that moment. overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, you massaged your temples, trying to calm the storm brewing inside you.
gwen understood that you needed space, but she couldn't bear the thought of leaving things unresolved. she had to fix this. "i'm so, so sorry! i didn't mean what i said, i really didn't," she pleaded, her voice frantic. "i was just mad, okay? i didn't think before i spoke. please, give me a chance to explain."
as gwen spoke, her voice started fading away, and you felt a tingling sensation intensify in your head. suddenly, you realized what it was—it was your spider sense.
turning towards the m.o.d.a.a.k. cocoon, time seemed to slow down as you saw him slice a slit in the silk, preparing to launch an attack. without hesitation, you pushed gwen to the floor, your instincts taking over to protect her.
chaos ensued as other spider people rushed to contain the situation. in the midst of the commotion, you felt a sharp, stabbing pain in your side. instinctively, you reached down to grip the source of the pain, only to have your hand come away wet with blood. you had taken the blow intended for gwen.
m.o.d.a.a.k. had shot you.
your vision grew hazy as the pain intensified, and you realized the gravity of the situation. in that moment, all the hurt and anger faded away, replaced by a deep concern for your own well-being. as everything faded to darkness, you couldn't help but wonder if gwen would realize the depth of her feelings before it was too late.
"(y/n), are you okay?" gwen yelled out, her instincts kicking in as she rushed to your side, her voice filled with urgency.
her eyes widened as she took in the sight of you, blood pouring from your wounds. a wave of worry washed over her, and her stomach twisted with fear. "hey, stay with me," she pleaded.
weakly, you managed to ask, "gwen, are you okay?"
her heart ached at the sound of your weakened voice. "stay with me, please," she repeated, her tone softer this time, her own fear causing her mouth to go dry.
desperately, gwen reached out to you, her hand trembling as she brushed against your arm, wanting to offer some form of comfort. but in the face of such a dire situation, she felt utterly helpless. the pool of blood around you was expanding rapidly, and the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her. doubts and fears raced through her mind, fearing that she might lose you.
"shhh, just relax. breathe," you whispered, your voice filled with a mixture of pain and reassurance. gwen listened attentively, doing as you instructed, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.
as you felt her tension ease, a faint smile tugged at the corners of your lips. despite your own condition, you wanted to provide her with some comfort.
gwen felt a glimmer of relief as she saw you momentarily relax. your bloody hand rested on her chest, seeking solace in her touch as she held you tightly in her arms.
but as time passed, your eyelids grew heavier, and your consciousness slipped in and out. the world around you faded into darkness as you succumbed to the overwhelming blood loss, and you passed out.
"no, no, no..." gwen whispered to herself, her voice filled with a mix of anguish and determination.
with tears welling up in her eyes, gwen carefully lifted your limp body, cradling you in her arms. she refused to let despair consume her. with every ounce of strength she could summon, she reassured you, whispering that everything would be alright.
in a display of unwavering resolve, gwen carried you, her steps steady but her heart heavy, as she made her way towards help. the weight of her emotions—fear, worry, concern, anxiety, and regret—pressed upon her, but she took a deep breath, determined to stay strong for your sake.
as she gently placed you onto a gurney, the tension in her body was evident.
a day had passed since the incident, and you had undergone surgery. surprisingly, you fared better than expected, and as you sat up, you realized you were in the emergency care department of the headquarters. clad in a hospital gown, you slowly lifted it, revealing the bandages wrapped around your wounds.
confusion clouded your mind until you noticed gwen entering the room, dressed in her normal attire. her eyes widened upon seeing you awake, a mix of relief and worry evident on her face.
"you're awake!" she exclaimed, a big smile forming on her face.
gwen approached you cautiously, her gaze fixed on the bandages and hospital gown that concealed your injuries.
"how do you feel?" she asked.
she stepped closer before taking a seat on your bedside, unable to contain her emotions, and quickly wrapped her arms around you in a strong embrace. your body tensed in pain from your abdomen as you let out a small gasp, but her presence provided a sense of comfort.
"what the hell happened?" you asked, sitting up, your bewilderment evident.
as you posed the question, gwen's face turned nervous, her voice slightly trembling. "that m.o.d.a.a.k. shot you," she replied, the words catching in her throat. "you took the bullet for me."
her gratitude spilled forth as her eyes studied your form. "thank you," she added, her voice filled with a mix of appreciation and remorse.
taken aback by her words, you felt a flood of memories rush back, the events of the fight and her hurtful remark resurfacing in your mind like a turbulent wave.
"yeah, i remember," you recalled, rubbing your head as a headache set in. "that happened after..."
the words caught in your throat as you couldn't bring yourself to say it, the memory of gwen calling you a waste of time after you had confessed your feelings still fresh in your mind.
sensing the tension in the air, gwen acknowledged the weight of the past events. "yeah... that fight," she replied softly, her voice tinged with regret.
the realization that you were now in a better state and on the path to recovery prompted gwen to address the lingering issue. determination flickered in her eyes as she mustered the courage to explain herself.
"yeah, um, i wanted to talk about that," gwen began. "what i said... i didn't mean any of it, okay? i was just angry."
as gwen placed her hands on your arm to stop you from rubbing your head, you pulled your arm away, a hint of skepticism in your voice. "you keep saying that, gwen," you commented. "really, don't force yourself to be around me. especially if you don't feel the way i do. just because i took a hit for you doesn't mean you owe me this," you explained, your words laced with a mix of resignation and self-preservation.
gwen frowned and looked away, a mixture of hurt and determination flickering in her eyes. "it's not about you taking a bullet for me," she replied, her voice soft but earnest. "it's about me hurting you with those comments i made. i didn't mean a single word of what i said. and i'm not forcing myself to do anything... i love being around you, (y/n)."
she spoke with sincerity, her words carrying the weight of remorse. "i said those things because i was an idiot, not because i think you're a waste of time. because you aren't."
you couldn't help but feel a surge of confusion as you searched her eyes for answers. "if it's not that, then what's your problem?" you asked, your tone a mix of frustration and curiosity.
gwen fell silent for a few moments, her gaze fixed on the floor as she grappled with her emotions. "fear," she finally answered, her voice barely above a whisper.
her confession hung in the air, and she continued, her voice gaining strength. "fear of getting too attached, fear of hurting you by accident, fear of falling in love..." her vulnerability was clear as she admitted her feelings openly. "i just don't want to mess things up, okay? it's been a struggle for me to feel comfortable with... commitment. it's complicated."
moved by her honesty, you reached out and gently took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "gwen, you can talk to me," you assured, your voice filled with empathy.
taking a deep breath, gwen met your gaze directly, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and nervousness. "you're right," she replied, her voice steadier now. "i've been avoiding you because i was scared. scared that..."
she paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "i have always liked you more than a friend," she stated, her words blunt and honest. "but i was worried that i might ruin our friendship if i admitted it to you. so i ended up pushing you away. i'm sorry."
the shock was evident on your face as you processed her words. "you like me back?" you asked, your voice filled with surprise. "so the whole time you were avoiding me... you were scared?"
gwen nodded quietly, a tinge of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "i- yeah," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "but i was nervous to spend time with just the two of us. it felt like something changed between us. and i guess i didn’t want my feelings to be confirmed, even tho being away from you did the exact opposite.”
she looked down, feeling a mix of nervousness and shame. "i can't believe i was acting like this toward someone i like. how stupid am i?" her voice trailed off, her self-criticism evident.
placing a hand on her cheek, you gently turned her face to meet your gaze. "hey, hey," you spoke softly, your thumb stroking her cheek. "that's all in the past now. i know it's hard to be vulnerable, but you can do it."
gwen's heart fluttered at your touch, a warmth filling her. your words resonated deeply within her, and she felt a newfound determination take hold. "you're right," she replied, her voice more confident. "i can do it. and that's what i want to do—to be vulnerable with you."
you grinned at her as the gentle touch of your thumb on her cheek stirred something within her. with a surge of courage, gwen leaned in, meeting your lips in a tender, heartfelt kiss.
gwen's lips met yours in a tender, passionate kiss, her weight pressing against you slightly as you instinctively put both hands up to cup her cheek. closing your eyes, you surrendered to the moment, savoring the feeling of her lips against yours.
the sensation of gwen's kiss was like a dream come true, an intoxicating blend of passion and love that left you breathless. she continued to kiss you, her lips moving with a fervent energy that sent tingles of excitement throughout your entire body. in that moment, all worries and nerves faded away, replaced by the sheer intensity of the connection between you.
as you pulled back slightly, your eyes locked with gwen's, a joyful giggle escaping your lips. a broad smile spread across your face, reflecting the happiness that filled your heart.
gwen's heart raced, her stomach aflutter as she met your gaze. it was a sensation she had never experienced before, but one she embraced fully. "you have no idea how long i've been wanting to do that," she confessed, her voice slightly breathless. "thank you for being so understanding," she added, her smile radiant.
taking a moment to readjust herself, gwen mirrored your earlier gesture, placing her hand gently on your cheek. the weight of her touch felt light, yet it conveyed a profound sense of happiness and contentment.
"of course, i'll always understand you," you reassured her, your voice filled with sincerity. you chuckled at her remark. "well, we don't have to wait around anymore, do we?" you playfully remarked, leaning in for another kiss. in that moment, it felt like everything was falling into place.
gwen wrapped her arms around your neck, drawing herself even closer to you, her body moving in sync with yours. the taste of your mouth was both sweet and comforting, fueling a strength within her.
she wished this moment could last forever, but she knew that reality would eventually intrude, bringing an end to this blissful interlude.
so, gwen allowed herself to fully immerse in the joy of the present, cherishing every second of this special kiss, knowing deep down that it would become one of the most cherished memories of this unforgettable summer.
© 2023 primaviva — likes, replies, and reblogs are appreciated!
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underhousearrestblog · 9 months
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headcanons: Spider-Man characters as your best friends
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(summary) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse characters as your best friends (headcanons)
(pairings) Miles Morales x reader, Gwen Stacy x reader, Hobie Brown x reader, Miguel O’Hara x reader, Peter B. Parker x reader, Jessica Drew x reader, Pavitr Prabhakar x reader, Earth-42!Miles Morales x reader
(genre) platonic friendship head canons
(also) this is all highly platonic as I am also including the kids and I don’t feel comfortable writing anything romantic for Gwen, Pav, Miles and Prowler!Miles
HAPPY READING!
Peter B. Parker
always taking his wife’s side even if she’s wrong just to piss him off
- But she told me that it doesn’t count as babysitting if I’m saving the city at the same time! – Peter was walking back and forth around your small apartment after a small spat with Mary.
- And she’s absolutely right, - you agreed while keeping an eye on Mayday who was hanging from your ceiling in one of her webs. – If the mask is on, babysitting duties are off...
getting blamed for teaching Mayday swear words, even though it was Hobie who taught her to say “fuck”
always being that friend that reminds him that his wife is way out of his league (even though you don’t actually think that and you do it just to tease him...)
constantly flirting with his wife just to annoy him
- I’m so sorry, babe, - Peter kissed Mary’s cheek. – I’ll make it for that date night. I promise.
- How about I take you out, Mary? I think you deserv-
- Y/N!! – you heard Peter yell from the other room. – STOP FLIRTING WITH MY WIFE!
You leaned closer to her and lowered your voice.
- I saw this cool new restaurant downtown-
Mary smiled at you, playfully shook her head and laughed.
- I’m married, - she flashed her ring.
You didn’t blink for a hot second before asking:
- Happily?
- Y/N!!! – you leaned back in your chair just in time to avoid a pillow that flew straight past your face.
regularly being woken up by Peter calling you up at night to pick him up from the other side of town because he didn’t feel like waking Mary up and had no problem ruining your sleep
his love language with you as his friend being quality time – after not spending a longer period of time with you because of his duties as Spider-Man or because he had only spent time with Mayday and his wife, he would randomly show up at your apartment and tag along while you were running errands (eating in your car with his feet on the dashboard, getting crumbs all over the seat while he’s telling you every little detail about the latest news in his life) – never ever forgetting that you’re his best friend
when Mayday’s old enough to go to school and she needs help with homework – both you and Peter constantly arguing about which answers are the correct ones and Mary ending up having to take Mayday to the other room because it devolves into an actual fight
Miguel O’Hara
him obviously having a soft spot for you that allowed you to get away with pretty much anything
- It was irresponsible, highly dangerous, reckless behavior that I cannot-
- It wasn’t us! – Gwen stepped in to defend her and Miles. – It was Y/N’s mission! We weren’t even there!
Miguel was silent for a second. Then he turned around to where you were sitting in his chair, calmly eating popcorn and enjoying the show. He brushed his palm over his face, as you watched in satisfaction him having an inner battle with himself.
- Anything to add? – you asked, smirking.
He shook his head in disappointment with one hand still on his hip as he pinched the bridge of his nose in between his fingers.
- Just... – he sighed, walked over and pushed your crossed ankles off his desk. – Just don’t do it again...
taking his clothes, especially because you know it annoys him
- So, I have this new hoodie-
- That’s MY hoodie.
- It WAS your hoodie. Any piece of clothing you haven’t worn for more than two months is officially up for grabs by your best friend. Best I can do now is name it “our” hoodie.
always using the best friend card in the workplace and getting away with essentially everything because you’re best friends with the boss
his love language being acts of service – mostly because he’s awkward with any words of affirmation so he would usually change a light bulb if he saw that one of yours was burnt out or change your tire when he saw that one was flat – and when you noticed it, he would just brush it off as if it was nothing, saying “that’s what friends are for”
you being kinda the only reason Miguel hasn’t died from overworking himself – you usually would force him to go home, take a shower and sleep at least eight hours – which he would object but then you would take his office key, lock him out and leave no room for arguments
having Lyla as your partner-in-crime – her giving you a lot of embarrassing material on Miguel and constantly snitching on where he is and what is he doing...
no man or woman that you’re dating is ever good enough for you – and ever if you end up in a serious relationship, Miguel’s loyalty always lies with you – his first priority is making sure that you’re safe and comfortable in any relationship
being drunk and calling Miguel up in the middle of the night (in one of the rare times he’s actually sleeping and not working himself into the ground)
- Hi? – he would sit up in his bed and stare at the phone where you were Face-timing him.
- Hi, - you said in all seriousness. – Ok. Bye.
Hobie Brown
accidentally developing a habit of not bringing your wallet with you when both of you went out to eat that resulted in him always paying for you
- I’ll get you next time, - you promised, still chewing on your burger.
- Uh-huh, - was all you heard before he pulled the check closer to his side of the table. – Just so you know – you’ll have to take out a loan to repay me for all this stuff, - he gestured towards the food with one of his fries.
- Well, who’s keeping count anyway-
- One thousand and fifteen dollars.
You had been friends for two years at that point so it wasn’t unbelievable or anything...
his love language being physical touch – Hobie wouldn’t be embarrassed or ashamed to hug you whenever you or him needed a hug...
making a habit of stealing his food which initially annoyed him but then he compromised by making his orders larger to accommodate you
having quite romantic nicknames for each other, even though you’re just friends (names like “love”, “darling” and “babe”) but also randomly calling each other “bro” and “dude”
Hobie’s an excellent long-distance friend if one of you is out of town – calling you every day to make sure you’re safe and sound
if you have a pet, Hobie would have the biggest annoyed-dad energy – meaning, he would constantly complain about how clingy your pet/ pets are to him but occasionally you would catch him snuggling with the animal as if it was his own pet
if you don’t like some of your own family members, he hates them too, and if you have great relationship with your family – he loves them, no questions asked
Miles Morales
constantly cock-blocking him with Gwen like the annoying sibling you were
You watched your best friend and his crush sit on the balcony of the apartment building. At that point, Gwen had lightly touched his shoulder and you could’ve sworn you saw Miles melt into a puddle.
- HI! – you leaned out of your window that was right next to your best friend’s balcony. – HAVE WE MET? YOU’RE GWEN, RIGHT?
You saw Miles shake his head at you to go back inside your apartment. That only gave you more courage.
- Oh my god! – you grinned and reached out your hand over the space between your window and Miles’ balcony for Gwen to shake. – I’m Miles’ friend, Y/N. It’s such an honor to finally put a face to a name so talked about!
Gwen reached over to shake your hand.
- Really? – she looked unconvinced. – You’re talking about me to your friends, Miles?
He needed some time to find words, so instead your smile widened and you faked surprise:
- Is she the same girl whose hair you ripped out?
Gwen threw annoyed look at Miles who looked just as guilty as when it first happened.
- I have to say though, you can’t even see any difference, - you said when it was very clear that you could definitely see the shaved side of her head.
his love language being words of affirmation – especially after you found out he was Spider-Man and supported him no questions asked, he always let you know how much he appreciated you as his friend
when you first found out he’s Spider-Man, you got him a Spider-Man Halloween costume for his birthday and gifted it to him in front of his parents with a note attached just for him (and watched with satisfaction as Miles read “in case you ever need a backup” written on the paper)
if you’re taller than him – constantly testing his patience by reminding him by how much exactly he’s shorter than you – even though he’s a superhero and all that...
getting a driver’s licence before Miles – him being a very nervous driver so you take it upon yourself to teach him (and his dad being impressed by how much better he seems to get every time he’s driving with his son)
at one point, Miles’ dad to would catch you after you had thrown up some graffiti of your own but since you refused to call your folks because you knew they would be very, very mad, he would just sigh in annoyance and let you go with a warning
- If I catch you bragging about this to Miles, you’ll be right back here!
you making and selling Spider-Man merch but putting the most embarrassing photos of Miles on it just to annoy him
- Is that... Is that a photo of me with two birds glued to my hands?
- I believe that real life situations create the most amazing art, dude!
Jessica Drew
being constantly worried for her safety when she’s both pregnant and saving the city every day
You had developed a habit of becoming her designated driver so she wouldn’t swing back home on her webs.
- Hey, - you called out to your friend as soon as she had given her statement about the robbery to the police. – Get in!
You opened the passenger side door of your car.
Jessica had to take a double look when she saw you just casually waiting to pick her up after a fight.
- Y/N? – she looked around surprised. – What are you doing here?
- Apparently, I’m giving a ride home to a reckless pregnant lady, - you yawned and pointed to the passenger seat. – In.
She walked around and got in – really no point in refusing a free ride home when you’re already here.
- Are you in your pajamas? – she looked you over when you started the car.
- It’s one in the morning, - you pulled out of the parking lot. – Of course, I’m wearing pajamas.
- How did you even know where I was?
- I have a Spidey-sense of my own that’s called “my best friend is back on some bullshit that police could’ve sorted out themselves”, - you yawned again and then pointed towards her. – I have tracker in your boot’s heel.
Jessica’s love language being acts of service – which was matching to yours; essentially both of you doing little things for one another (you always dropping her off and picking her back up for any and all pregnancy-related appointments, her making more food so it’s enough for you too, her texting you where there’s less traffic while going about her day as Spider-Woman so you can get to work easier, you later on becoming a godmother/ godfather for her baby and spoiling that child to no end)
saying goodbye to each other like a married couple
- Drive safe, honey! Text me when you’re home!
- I will, darling! Love ya!
Earth-42!Miles Morales
becoming friends after you accidentally caught him in one of your security system traps that you had been developing
- Oh so it works, - you muttered under your breath, as Miles watched you press some buttons on your tablet. – This prototype alone, if sold, could get me a nice apart-
- Hey! – you turned towards where the intruder was trapped in your artificial web trap. – I really don’t have time for this bullshi-
You knew the Prowler. Or, more specifically, you had heard of him. At that point, you had never actually seen him in person. And you weren’t actually seeing him now – he was still in his suit.
- You broke into my lab, - you clarified. – Do you think I have time for your bullshit?
Instead of panicking, calling the security or the police, you simply put down the tablet, kicked your feet up on the table in front of you and opened a juice box.
For a small moment, the intruder stopped struggling, as if too bewildered by your reaction.
You raised your eyebrows, awaiting some sort of a threat or question...
- How are you even here? – a low voice – no doubt changed by a voice modulator – asked. – It’s a national holiday. No one was supposed to be here!
- Oh yeah, - you threw your empty juice box over the lab, straight into trash. – My boss made me stay overnight. Apparently, the security system prototype was supposed to be ready yesterday but I had taken a sick day so...
- What an asshole, - your captive murmured under his breath.
- Ain’t that the truth, - you agreed. – So, what are you after, - you looked into your tablet one more time before adding, - Miles Morales.
He was definitely surprised. After the initial shock, he took off his mask.
- How did you know who I am?
- I didn’t, - you turned your tablet towards him. – Well, not until my webs touched you and pulled any and all DNA data they could from you. Then, the program ran diagnostics through all collected DNA data from all over the world and – boom – a genetics match found identical to Miles Morales!
getting along very well with his uncle – something that Miles says annoys him but secretly he enjoys having more people that resemble a family to him, especially since his dad is gone
his love language being gift giving – Earth-42!Miles getting you a particular part for your tech that you’ve been looking for all over the city but instead of saying something – anything – he would just awkwardly thrust it into your hands, murmur something along the lines of “I got this for you” and immediately leave
if you’re single on Valentine’s day, you would order a pizza and hang around with Miles – he would say it’s sad that you have to hang out with your best friend but would actually appreciate the company
Gwen Stacy
taking dozens of photos of Gwen’s hair after the-Miles-incident where she had some of her hair ripped out
- No, stop! – Gwen tried to slap your phone out of your hand. – This is humiliating enough without lasting evidence!
- This is gonna be my Christmas card this year!
to outsiders it looks like you don’t like each other at all – both of you constantly bickering like siblings and yelling like a married couple; and both of you being surprised and taken aback when somebody genuinely points out that you should be nicer to one another (and immediately laughing when anyone assumes you hate each other...)
·       you always rely on Gwen to tell you the truth – no matter how harsh it is
- I think it went over well, - you said, as soon as your crush had left your lunch table.
When she hadn’t said anything, you turned to see her watching you with a blank look on her face.
- Your kidding, right? – she raised an eyebrow. – It was so awkward to watch I would’ve chosen to watch paint dry! That guy’s a dick! How can you even like that moron?
essentially having lots of your stuff over at her place and lots of her things at yours – and it’s gotten to a point where both of you have freed some space up in your desks, closets and dressers for your friend to comfortably leave their things in
constantly staying over at the other’s place – both your and her parents no longer surprised when one of you emerge to eat breakfast with everybody else there
Gwen’s love language being physical touch – especially if she’s nervous or anxious, she would wrap her pinky finger around yours just to know that you’re there
Pavitr Prabhakar
forever and always saying “Chai tea” just to piss him off
- Let’s get some Chai tea!
- Say it right and we might.
- I got you some Chai tea!
- I’m not drinking it if you keep saying it wrong!
- You know what I’m craving? Ch-
- I swear to god-
one of you constantly finding and perfecting some sort of a “talent” or “skill” – like juggling or doing a headstand – and the other one always trying to ruin the performance by knocking out one of the balls while juggling or making the other fall while doing a headstand
Pav’s love language being giving gifts – especially food; with him being Spider-Man, you would often text him while he was running errands and keeping peace all over the city to ask him to get you a particular snack (at some point, he had memorized your favorite places and would just get you something even before you asked – especially if he needed a favour from you and wanted to butter you up before asking...)
fighting for the sake of fighting
- YOU’RE SO WRONG! HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE HOW WRONG YOU ARE!?
- ACTUALLY, I REALIZED I WAS WRONG, LIKE, TEN MINUTES AGO! BUT THEN YOU SAID SOME DUMB SHIT AND I DECIDED THAT I COULDN’T LET YOU WIN!
him accidentally pushing you out of the first story window when his crush unexpectedly came over and you were asleep on his couch (insert: Cameron Diaz’s character in The Other Woman being pushed out of the window) and you bringing it up any time you need a favor from him
- I can’t just do that! That’s borderline a crime!
- So is throwing your friend out of a window, Pav!
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i-cant-write-pls-help · 10 months
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NSFW IDEA FOR WRITERS
I want a Reader x special spider-person where the reader gets hit with an aphrodisiac gas or is injected into them when their on a mission. When they get back (whether they failed or not, up to the writer), they lock themselves in a room under Lyla‘s protection. Which Lyla tries to help out by giving them toys to help out, but the reader starts whining about wanting their special spider but also not out of embarrassment.
Only Lyla knows that the reader has a crush on that special spider-person due to their heart rate increasing, which is detected through the gizmo (watch), but she also knows that the special person likes the reader back as their heart rate also increases. So to help out the reader, she sends the special spider to help them out.
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unluckiestmember · 10 months
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Hey, could you write spider-Gwen x fem reader jealous headcanons?
Coming right up!
Gwen Stacy X Jealous Fem! Reader
Characters: Gwen Stacy, Miles Morales and Hobie Brown
Tags: Established Relationship, jealous!Gwen Stacy, reassurance, fluff, oblivious nature and self esteem issues.
Warning: Mild Cussing, but SFW.
A/N: Gwen is a beautiful woman, does she know that? Like damn!
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So Gwen isn’t the heavy jealous type.
Would she be upset if someone’s flirting with you knowing you’re dating her? Absolutely.
But is she going to kick someone’s ass for doing it? No.
If there’s touching involved? Maybe.
But all in all, she was a chill girlfriend.
But you? Hooo boy!
You are aware Gwen is kind of a bombshell.
If the way Miles drools over her and the way Hobie talks to her didn’t make you realize that, someone else would.
At first you were okay with it, thinking they were only like this because she was beautiful.
But more men and women started to hit on her. And the more she got compliments, the more it fuelled your jealousy.
Gwen didn’t think much of it though, always brushing off the flirting as mindless compliments.
It wasn’t until your unspoken frustration started translating in your body language did she get a clue into your jealousy.
It had gotten to the point where she sat the both of you down to talk about it.
She didn’t understand initially though.
She thought it was an issue of trust and that hurt her. But the real reason hurt more;
Your esteem was starting to get low and grew lower to where you felt you weren’t good enough for her.
You felt like she deserves someone better. More attractive, more social, more perfect.
But Gwen would say otherwise.
And she did.
“Y/N. I love you. No one could ever compare to you because you are everything I could ever ask for. You’re perfect and I could only love you. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”
Ever since, she makes sure to tell you everyday how much she loves you.
If someone tries to flirt with her, it’ll go in one ear and out the other.
She’ll even go as far as telling that person that she’s taken or to cease their advances.
There’s only one person who can flirt with her. And that's you.
Spider-Verse Requests are open!
Likes and retweets are always appreciated! I love you all, stay hydrated and have a good day! <3
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oinkoink321 · 10 months
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Miles, Gwen, Hobie, Pav, and  Miguel with a cheerleader!Reader. 
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Guys, I cannot stress enough how amazing cheerleading is. Like say what you want whether it’s a sport or not but have you seen those routines?!?!? Literally inhumane!!!! And as a cheerleader I want (need) to see more fics about this 😭
This is an “x reader” Reader is a Flyer/top girl (the person that gets thrown/put up in the air in stunts). Reader will  not be a spider person in this fic (sorry guys). Reader is implied to be on the quieter side or not “look” like a cheerleader(on Hobie’s part). Anyways, if there’s anything I can improve or change please let me know! enjoy! 
Warnings: none but the characters might be ooc
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Miles Morales 
He literally sits through your routine in shock. He’s so caught off guard. Cheerleaders do things like this?!?!
Idk if he had cheerleaders in his school or not but idk if he would really pay attention to them at all. However, when he found out  you’re a cheerleader, he’s like “oh ok”.
Then one day you invite him to watch you perform, he gladly goes to support you but he’s not really sure what to expect. Then when he sees you doing all that tumbling or having enough courage to be tossed in the air like that, he’s in awe. 
He could barely even jump off a small building with spider powers and yet here you are, staying tight and sharp enough to hit all your motions and yell loud. 
He’s just so…..mind blown. His eyes are all on you, his mouth open at all the tumbling and shining you do. Gosh, he’s so taken aback. 
After the routine he’s walking up to you, a bit shy. He’s like “You did amazing! I can’t believe cheerleaders actually do all that! You were awesome flying in the air like that and blah blah blah”. He’d definitely be drawing you in your cheer uniform and doing your skills. He’s the sweetest <333
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Gwen Stacy 
Since she used to do ballet, I think she might know a bit about cheer. Anyways, when she’s watching you perform, she’s in a daze. 
Since you’re not a spider person, she’s quite impressed with all the skills you can pull off. Especially the tumbling, you need incredible strength in order to tumble as fluidly as you do 
Her eyes are literally sparkling watching you. Her eyes are glued to you, your teammates and your performance. She has a soft smile on her face the entire time. She enjoys watching you so much! 
I bet she silently prays that you don’t fall or injure yourself when you’re flying or when you tumble. She knows how dangerous those can be so she can’t help but feel a bit nervous everytime she sees you do those skills 
Nevertheless, she loves watching them either way! She lets out a little sigh of relief when you’re done doing the performance and you’re completely fine.
She walks up to you and gives you a big hug. She whispers in your ear “You did so good”. She’s sooo proud of you after the performance. Also, I think she would stretch with you or work out with you when you exercise for cheer. Anyways I love her so much<3333 
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Hobie Brown 
I feel like he’s pretty chill about you being a cheerleader, but he is a bit surprised. You? A cheerleader? The thought would never cross his mind. 
But when he sees you doing flips and being tossed? He’s on the edge of his seat. Then, he hears you yell out the words of your cheer. Your voice is powerful and your team hypes up the audience. 
He feels proud of you, who’s usually shy and quiet, being confident and getting a crowd to yell your school colors and name. 
He’s mesmerized by your boldness on the mat. If you’re speaking quietly he’d probably tell you to “use your cheer voice.” 
Anyways, he also looovvvesss seeing your dance and thinks you’re incredible. You’re so swift and sharp with your movements. He likes how each motion hits on the exact beat. 
After the performance, he wraps his arm around your shoulder, complimenting you. He’d be cool and level-headed around people but when you guys are alone, he’s all over you. He’d say how cute you look on your cheer uniform and say how amazing you were 
Also, he’s like your biggest supporter. You need help for fundraisers? He’s going to raves selling the items to people. You need help with skills for stunts? He’s willing to learn how to base so he can one-man you. Anyways he’s the best and I love him as well. (Let’s be fr I’m in love with all of them lol) 
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Pavitr Prabhakar
OMGGG WHAT A CUTIE HE IS!!!! He’s going to every single game and performance he can just to watch you! He’s cheer you on and hyping you up! 
He’s so sweet and would yell the words with you and your team. He definitely know all the words and I can imagine him learning the dance with you. He’d also get you to teach him the cheers so he can fully support you <3 
He’s also so entranced when you’re going up in the air being thrown, or just being up there in general. He loved watching you fly, it’s like you’re floating. AND when you’re tumbling he’s literally screaming your name. 
In cheer routines, when they do their jumps, people/the team would scream “hit! Hit!” every single jump. You know for sure he’ll be yelling at you to hit you jumps on beat. 
When you guys have your “ending picture” he’s basically out of his seat. He’s pointing you out to everyone, going “Look! Look at them! I’m their boyfriend!” 
After the performance, he hugs you and spins you around, telling you how proud he is. He’s such a sweet heart and he rambles to you about all the awesome skills you did and begs you to teach them to him. Truth be told, he’s YOUR cheerleader. 
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Miguel O’Hara 
Honestly…..he probably doesn’t care at first. I mean he does, he just kinda looks over it (in the beginning). But when you invite him to a performance, he’s like “okay, I have nothing better to do anyway” 
But when he sees you on that mat, yelling your team name, spelling it out, doing flips and being thrown, his eyes literally light up. He’s fascinated. He feels a bit guilty that he brushed it off to you at first. 
After that, he wants to go to more of your games and performances. He tells you he can record performances for you. He watches them over and over. He always pays attention to you in the video. 
He’d try to help you “point out” your mistakes, of course he doesn’t know much about cheer but he’s willing to learn. He’ll  watch videos about it and send you stretches to do if you were telling him about needing help with a skill. 
Going off of that, if you ever get injured he’ll help with treatment. Of course, you actually should go to a doctor but he will buy athletic tape and ice packs for you. He’d reluctantly massage your sore muscles lol (he loves doing that tho) 
Anyways, after competitions or performances, he’ll treat you to a restaurant or fast food. Or if you’re coming home late from practice he’ll make/order your favorite food. He’s always making sure you’re okay and not overworking yourself (same goes to everyone else) 
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fandomnerd9602 · 11 months
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Gwen and Y/N finish beating up a bad guy…
Their daughter giggles in delight…
Gwen hands her phone to the bad guy…
Gwen: can you take a photo? this is her first crime patrol!
Y/N: we’re so proud!
The three pose for a photo as the beaten bad guy takes the picture…
Goon: (strained) such a beautiful family
Gwen: thank you!!
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yourmumsweirdshit · 11 months
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An Idea - Part 1
Gwen Stacy x Reader
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Masterlist
“I can’t believe her!” Captain Stacy yells in frustration as he slams the front door behind him. “Who?” You ask peeping your head out Gwen’s room. “Spider-Woman, who else gets my dad like this?” Gwen snickers as she walks past you and into the kitchen as her dad glares at her. “That’s not funny, she’s a vigilante, and she leaves a huge mess wherever she goes.” He sighs as he takes a seat at the table. “I’m sure you’ll catch her sir.” You respond in attempts to cheer him up. However, Gwen, enjoying her fathers suffering, keeps the conversation going. “I don’t know why you’re so mad about this Dad, she’s literally doing what you’re doing; helping people and then leaving. Practically doing your job for you.” She sighs as she opens the cupboard looking for snacks.
“She wears a mask, I don’t because I have nothing to hide, she does, and if she doesn’t, why wear a mask?” He asks as I agree with him nodding my head to which Gwen raises her eyebrows at me. “You’re not seriously agreeing with him on this, are you?” She says, scoffing as she pulls a box out and shutting the cupboard. “I do understand what he’s saying.” I say before a cheer comes from George. “Yes! Thank you! See, someone around here sees things clearly.” Gwen rolls her eyes as she goes to fill up a glass of water. “To some degree.” I say, slowly finishing off my sentence.
“Noo, why would you say that Y/N, I thought maybe someone round here would have a chance to go to college.” He says making my eyes widen. “Woww.” I respond dragging out the word as he laughs, Gwen almost spitting out her drink at her Dads response. “That was good, I’ll give you that.” She says walking up to her dad and passing him a cup of coffee. “Low blow to me but I’ll take it.” She says patting his shoulder as he chuckles. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week.” He responds making Gwen roll her eyes once more. “Come on Y/N.” She says as she grabs the box of snacks and walking past me, pulling me into her room with her and shutting the door behind her.
“Here, catch.” She says as she throws a pack of chocolate to me before opening a large pack of chips and dumping it into a bowl. “Thanks.” I say as I take a piece off the block and throwing it back to her. “So, you never did say where you stand.” Gwen says as she takes a seat on her bed, bowl in hand as she puts a chip in her mouth. “What do you mean?” I ask as I take a seat beside her, also grabbing a chip from the bowl. “About Spider-woman. What are your thoughts on her?” She asks making me laugh.
“So you can tell your dad I’m on your side?” I ask as a large smile takes over her face. “So you are on my side!” She says loud enough for her dad to hear. “Shhh.” I whisper putting my finger to her mouth and looking back at the door to have any indication that he heard Gwen’s words. “Are you trying to have me kicked out and never welcome here again?” I say to which Gwen laughs at my words. “Sorry, sorry. She hates Spider-Woman Dad.” She responds making me shake my head. “You’re a loser.” I say as I get up and move to her desk, grabbing the chocolate bar as I take a seat on the spinning chair.
“So continue, what are your thoughts?” She continues, ignoring my words. “Why? You wanna know if I’m in love with her or something? Or maybe you are; wanting to keep her as the topic for so long.” I tease to which she raises her eyebrows unamused. “Yes, I’m in love, you caught me.” She says sarcastically as she dramatically falls back onto her bed. “Come on, what do you think of her.” She asks as lays back on her elbows.
“What do you mean, like her age and theories and stuff?” I ask leaning forward to grab the bowl from beside her. “Yeah why not.” She says as she sits up, her back against the wall. “Well I think she’s young.” I say to which Gwen cuts me off. “Our age?” She asks straightening her back. “No, maybe someone a bit older, finished high school at the minimum.” I say to which she raises an eyebrow at. “Why do you say that?” She asks as she grabs a pillow and places it in her lap.
“I’d put her in my prayers if she goes to high school or college because I’m already drowning in enough school work, and this girl’s doing that and saving people on the side, as a hobby? I’d honestly feel so bad, I’d do her homework for her.” She laughs at my words. “Do my homework then.” A smile on her lips as she glances at the pile of papers on her desk. “You are hilarious.” I say with a dry laugh to which her smile widens.
“If I was Spider-Woman would you do it?” She asks making me look at her homework once more. “This is how I know you can’t be Spider-Woman, because if you can do all this, hang out with me and Peter, be part of the band and be top of the class, while also being a hero on the side then you’d be psycho.” I say as I roll around her room in the chair. “Well she is a superhero.” She responds, putting emphasis on super. “And on top of that she does have powers”
“But like, how do we even know she has powers though, she could be like Bruce-Wayne, rich and smart. So smart that she’s created a technology to stick to walls or create synthetic webbing, it’s like her own grappler.” I say referring to the uprising trend of creating superhero comics based off animals. “What if her webbing was organic, and she could actually just stick to walls?” She responds making me continue on. “Then she’d have holes in her wrist and I’m sure someone would know then.” I say glancing at Gwen’s wrist. “But then that means she’d have no friends, so I guess that means that you could be Spider-Woman.” I smile as she scoffs. “Rude.” She says crossing her arms. “Guess someone’s not getting answers for their homework tonight.” She smirks as my eyes widen.
“Wait, no, Gwen. I’m sorry.” I say as I stop moving in the chair. “Gwen please, I’m so sorry, you’re friends with everyone, you have so many friends.” I say as I slowly try to scoot the chair closer to the bed. “You could totally be Spider-Woman. You’re as amazing as she her, as wonderful as her, as super as her.” I say as I drop on to floor, as I hold her leg, begging her as she now sits at the edge of the bed. “You’re 100% as beautiful as her.” I say looking up as she raises an eyebrow, trying to contain the smile tugging at her lips as she pushes me off her. “Hell, I know you’re even prettier than her.” I say as I take my seat back in the chair. “Piss off.” She says as she looks away, trying to hide the faint tint of pink in her cheeks. “Love you!” I say adding to the fire, smiling as she groans and pushes her face into pillow.
“I’m sure Spider-woman, wouldn’t even let you do her homework, you can’t even do your own. You’d probably just come and steal them off me.” Her words slightly muffled through her pillow as I laugh. “Well that’s a good thing right? She’s now guaranteed the best results.” I say as she puts her pillow down and I smile wider at her faux smile. “And if I was Spider-Woman, what would you do next?” She asks as she grabs the bowl of chips off the table. “Then you wouldn’t need my help, because you’re so perfect already.” I tease as she rolls her eyes.
“And you forgot that she has super-strength, so her powers are real.” She mentions as I spin around in the chair. “Ah, true, I can’t believe I forgot about that one.” I say as she nods. “So if I was Spider-Woman, first thing I’m doing is throwing you out of this apartment.” She responds making my jaw drop. “You wouldn’t, you love me too much.” I say to which she raises her eyebrows. “And you’re sure about that?” She asks making me place a hand on my heart and lean back in the chair. “That hurt more than a bullet wound.” I say, clenching my fist around my shirt.
“You’ve never even been shot.” She says as I spin around in the chair. “Nothing can hurt more than you breaking my heart Gwen, my love is only for you.” I say as I stop the chair to make a heart with my hands. Her response to that is throwing the unopened pack of Oreos at my head. “Rude.��� I say barely dodging the throw. “Sorry, not sorry.” She shrugs as she acts unbothered, the smile on her face saying otherwise.
“What would be something you’d have to do if you were spider-woman?” She looks up from her lap, awaiting my response. “The upside down kiss.” Unable to hide the smile on my face she raises an eyebrow? “The upside down kiss?” She repeats. “Yeah, it’s gotta be done.” I respond before saying something else. “You reckon spider-woman’s done it?” I ask to which she lets out a laugh. “Yeah, maybe. If I ever meet her, I’ll tell her to find you.”
A knock on the door pulls both your attention to the door. “Can I come in?” Her dad asks before Gwen gets up and opens the door for him. “Hey, I’m just letting you girls know I’ve got work in the morning so you might not see me when you wake up. But here’s some cash for dinner, or breakfast.” He says as he looks at the pile of snacks in the room. “Thanks Dad.” Gwen says laughing as she looks back at food. “Thank you.” I reply before Gwen shuts the door. “You hungry?” She asks with a smile on her face as she waves the cash in the air. “Always.” She laughs as she takes a seat on the bed. “Great, come here and let’s see what we can get.” She says patting a place on the bed beside her.
A/N: Also shoutout to the person filling my inbox with kind messages, appreciate it ❤️
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spider-stark · 8 months
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A DARK AGE pt.2
previous part -
series summary - it's been nine months since you watched your best friend, Gwen Stacy, plummet to her death; an event that ultimately caused new york's hero to abandon the city entirely. now that he's finally returned you find yourself being forced to confront the ugly truth you've been running from.
chapter summary - desperate to get Harry Osborn out of your head, you find yourself following a lead that sends you straight to Peter Parker.
series warnings - 18+, minors DNI, series will contain depictions of violence, sexual content, dark themes, and more. please read at your own risk.
word count - 12.8k
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// a dark tasm!fan fiction // masterlist // send me your thoughts // newspaper headline //
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YOU HAD been worried that the ice-cold stare of Harry Osborn would remain stuck in your brain for the entire cab ride back to New York City.  
Fortunately, by the time you’d made it to Yonkers, about thirty minutes out from Ravencroft’s facility, the distressing imagery in your head faded as your ears were suddenly blasted with a series of rushed ding-s from your cell phone.  
You welcomed the noisy distraction, even if it only further agitated the throbbing headache you felt coming on.  
All the messages were from Betty Brant and likely could’ve been summed up in one long message rather than a dozen short ones. And, for the most part, all the texts did were confirm your fears: her search for Peter’s whereabouts had been a fruitless effort.  
Well, almost fruitless.   
You couldn’t quite give Brant credit for the one lead she’d received given the fact that it had essentially just fallen in her lap, but you still typed back a simple—good job, nonetheless.  
While you were off pointlessly torturing yourself behind Ravencroft’s iron gates, a woman had called the Bugle and had the misfortune of being answered by Jameson himself.  
According to Brant, the lady asked for you by name, and when Jameson told her you were busy and she’d need to call back later, she turned frantic. He said she sounded as if she were on the verge of tears, begging him to get a message to you ASAP.  
Please tell her to stop by my house! Tomorrow afternoon! She knows the address already, I promise! Tell her it’s May Parker, okay? M-A-Y P-A-R-K-E-R!  
Of course Jameson knew who the crackpot (his words) was once she said her last name, having spoken to her once or twice during Peter’s limited time at the Bugle.  
What he hadn’t told Brant was that it took everything in him to bite his tongue, to not tell the woman every horrible opinion he held in regard to her nephew. Jameson knew that it would do no good. He also knew that it wasn’t her fault that Peter hadn’t shown up to the hospital that night.   
Still, he couldn’t help but find himself seething with rage, speaking through gritted teeth until he could finally hang up the phone. He had absolutely no interest in finding Peter Parker, even if he was the only one to ever get a clear shot of Spider-Man.  
Good riddance had become his motto when it came to both Peter and Harry. You were one of the few things in this world that mattered more to Jameson than a good lead, which was exactly the reason why he had no interest in Peter’s whereabouts when he first went awol and left the Bugle without notice—he didn’t care. Even if Peter had come back to work, he would’ve just been fired anyway. Jameson had no interest in keeping him around, regardless of the quality of his work. 
But despite his hatred for the boy, he knew you were looking for him. While Jameson was unaware of Peter’s secret identity, he knew for certain that Peter had connections to Spider-Man, given that it was the whole reason he had employed him in the first place. You figured there was likely no one in this world that Jameson wanted to keep you from more than Spider-Man. But in what was surely not an easy choice to make, he begrudgingly passed the message from May along to Brant, messily scrawled onto a Doughnuttery napkin that had been stained with chocolate frosting.   
He refused to withhold a lead from you.  
Of course, when first deciding to track Peter down, you had considered going to his aunt, but she was always meant to be a last-ditch choice. After all, rumor had it that Peter had abandoned her too, moving out shortly after Gwen’s death. You didn’t see a need to add to her grief unless it felt necessary, yet it seemed she wanted you to.  
A part of you hoped that the mystery surrounding why May was so adamant about speaking to you would serve as a distraction for the night. You didn’t want to think any more about Ravencroft, and certainly not about the boy they kept locked behind those iron gates.  
Deep down, though, you knew that wasn’t possible. Try as you might, there was nothing in this world capable of distracting you from the thoughts of Harry Osborn.  
He was a plague, one that you had been fighting off ever since that night; and seeing him in person seemed to have only granted him the opportunity to further sink his claws into you.  
You often found yourself reliving the moment you first saw him—the Green Goblin. A monster composed of distended veins and spindly bones, appearing so completely and utterly inhuman—so unlike the boy you knew that you didn’t even recognize him at first. At first, there had just been fear, a sense of pure unbridled terror.  
But then, once he spoke, you knew. You knew what he had done, recognized him in spite of the monster the serum had transformed him into. Bile instantly stung at your throat, threatening to spill past your lips and onto the asphalt beneath your feet. You couldn’t stop thinking of how much it had burned, swallowing it down over and over again, as many times as it took before your body finally stopped trying.  
You fought so hard against that visceral reaction, the sensible part of you that had seen this new form he’d taken on and screamed at you to run. You wouldn’t let yourself do that. You couldn’t bear the thought of turning your back on your friend, even after seeing what he’d turned himself into.  
But then he grabbed Gwen and once she was in his arms you realized that he wasn’t the same anymore. Then once he’d finally let her go, once you’d watched her take her very last breath, you swore you’d always hate him. Harry Osborn was not your friend; it was a simple fact that you still stood behind.  
But trauma was a peculiar thing.  
Usually when Harry haunted your thoughts, the Green Goblin was always the focal point. Flashes of Gwen’s lifeless body dangling from Spider-Man's web, the sounds of squelching flesh and cracking bones. You would remember the metallic taste that filled your mouth as you looked over at him that last time, just before everything went black.  
Tonight, though, you’d found yourself thinking not of the Goblin, but of your friend. The friend that had once been good as dead to you. Memories that had once been shoved aside in favor of sinking into the tragedy you’d experienced, only to be brought back to light after seeing his face today.  
You tossed and turned in your bed, your head pounding as thoughts of posh charity events, late-night talks, and inside jokes fought to keep you awake. It wasn’t until the next day when you’d finally arrived at Aunt May’s house that you received a much-needed break from him. 
The thick plastic covering on the couch crinkled loudly beneath your weight as you sat down. You used every ounce of effort in your body to try and appear calm as she moved past the coffee table, sitting across from you in a sage green armchair.  
It was new.  
“I’m so glad you came, y/n.” May offered you her sweetest smile, the gesture accentuating the thin lines around her eyes. She looked older somehow, even though it hadn’t even been a year since you last saw her. “I was worried that bitter man at the newspaper wouldn’t tell you I called.”  
You barely stifled your laughter, then immediately wondered if she could tell that even that sliver of emotion was fake. It was second nature to put on an act, especially when it came to work matters. To appear excessively friendly, using it as a tool to quickly build some sort of rapport with someone, hoping it would get them to spill whatever information they might have.  
It didn't seem necessary to put up an act around May, but you found it difficult to turn it off.  
“Jameson can be a little… testy, at times.”  
She immediately snorted at your words, believing them to be a drastic understatement.  
“But I’ve gotta say,” you continued, trying to steer the conversation, “I was a bit surprised when he said you called.”  
Guilt settled over her soft features, dusty pink lips settling into a thin line as she stared down at her lap, watching the steam rise from her cup. “I know. I meant to call sooner, more often, but I just...” she sucked in a breath, lifting the cup to the edge of her lips, “I didn’t want to make a big fuss of things.”  
She was drinking chamomile tea. You knew this because you were offered some as soon as she opened the front door, cheerfully telling you that she’d just boiled a fresh pot of water. While you didn’t consider yourself an expert on May Parker, you couldn’t help but make note of the fact that you’d never seen her enjoy herbal drinks before.  
You leaned forward a touch, your elbows resting just above your knees as you did so. “What would you make a fuss over?”  
This meeting was different than Ravencroft.  
At Ravencroft you were a sheep grazing among lions. Showing weakness would gain you nothing, save for failure and potential death. But in a place like Aunt May’s home, the roles immediately reversed.  
Here, you were the lion. And, to gain the trust of sheep, you needed to come off as if you were entirely transparent. Wear your heart on your sleeve, bare every emotion you had, and express as much concern as possible, fooling them into believing that you were truly on their side.  
But this time was different, you tried to remind yourself, working diligently to ensure your emotions didn’t come off as fake or exaggerated. You could be genuine. You really were on her side, right?  
“Peter’s been...” She hesitated as her wedding ring clinked against the porcelain cup in her hands as she nervously tapped her fingers. She never took it off, even after Ben died. “different.”  
Your chest tightened, elbows digging further into your thighs. “What do you mean?”  
“He changed after what happened to Gwendolyne.” she began to explain, though she remained hesitant. “It started off small. Quitting the newspaper, refusing to finish his college applications. And maybe that’s when I should’ve stepped in, tried to snap him out of it or something. But after what he’d gone through... what he had lost...”  
There was a knowing look in her eyes, a sense of understanding. It was then that it fully clicked for you, realizing that May had been through something similar to what Peter went through. She knew what it was like to have your entire world change in the blink of an eye. “I just hoped that with time it would pass.”  
“And it didn’t, did it?” You guessed, painfully aware of the answer.  
If it had changed, if he had gotten better, then you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.  
May shook her head. “No.” She uttered, her hooded gaze still avoiding yours, remaining fixed on her cup. “It got worse.”  
There was something in the way she spoke, the solemn tone you’d never heard her take before, that sent chills running down your spine.  
“How so?”  
"Little ways, at first.” Her voice broke, clearing her throat before taking another sip of tea. “He started acting out. Getting mean. Rageful.”  
Your heart ached for the woman, fighting the urge to reach out and hug her as you watched her hazel eyes turn glossy.  
“He was almost never home anymore, and then one day he just... didn’t come back.”  
She wiped away the unshed tears, lightly shaking her head and muttering an apology.  
“Where is he?” You asked her, instinctively looking towards the old staircase that led to his bedroom.  
Years had been wasted in there, sitting cross-legged on his worn-out rug and exchanging complaints about Flash Thompson or Miss. Ritter. On good days, the two of you would build Lego sets and eat your fill of junk food. On bad days you’d both tuck yourselves away in his bed, hidden underneath a stack of blankets as old movies played from his laptop.  
It had been a while since you’d let yourself think of those memories, and you hadn’t quite expected it to hurt as much as it did to acknowledge that those days were gone. 
“Columbia.” She spoke.  
Your eyes widened as your head cocked to the side. “University?”  
Warmth spread across your cheeks as embarrassment settled in, feeling a bit silly for speaking the thought aloud. Of course she had meant Columbia University. Still, it shocked you a little when she nodded, confirming your thoughts. Given the way she spoke of Peter’s decline, you hadn’t expected him to be attending college.  
“So, you still talk to him?” You quickly followed up with another question, this one less painstakingly dumb than the last.  
May scoffed, the loose hair framing her face swaying about as she shook her head. “I don’t know if I’d call it talking. But he checks in on occasion, just often enough to keep me from having a heart attack.”  
You glanced down at her cup of tea, willing to reason that maybe Peter had been the reason for her sudden interest in herbal drinks. After all, they were known to reduce stress, and Peter seemed to be causing a great deal of it.  
There was another sound of disapproval, a click of her tongue as her voice went low again. “You raise a boy for over ten years,” she started, the smallest spark of anger burning within her, “only to end up getting a postcard in the mail every month.”  
“A postcard?” You wondered aloud, likely looking as puzzled as you felt. “You don’t have his phone number?”  
She snorted. “I don’t know if he even has a phone anymore.”  
For a moment neither of you spoke, and you found yourself studying her features, looking for any sign that she might be lying. You knew that there was no point in it, that May had no reason to lie to you. There would be nothing for her to gain, plus she had reached out to you for help. Still, it was second nature for you to remain apprehensive.  
It was hard to believe that Peter had all but completely cut ties with his aunt. May had raised him, practically given her entire life just to ensure that he had everything he could ever need, only to up and abandon her out of the blue—just as he had done to you.  
Nothing about it made any sense to you, and the thought alone was enough to fill you with not only rage, but also fear. Was Peter that far gone?  
You didn’t want to think about that right now, instead focusing on the sharp pain sneaking up your left side from sitting hunched over for so long. Forcibly relaxing your muscles, you leaned back against the couch cushions, listening to the way the plastic squelched as you shifted.  
“Is that why you called?” You finally asked, pressing a hand to your ribs and rubbing over the sore area. “To see if I could help Peter?”  
May took another long and thoughtful sip of her tea. Then, once she was finished, she leaned forwards and placed it on the coffee table that stood between you both. “No.” She stated firmly, only for her eyes to narrow and then go back on the declaration, “Not entirely, at least.” 
You frowned at her, confused.  
“I wanted to call because I realized that you needed someone, too.” You froze instantly, suddenly feeling as if the air had been knocked from your lungs. “I’ve been so caught up with Peter and trying to find a way to help him that I nearly forgot he wasn’t the only one who lost someone.”  
May glanced up for perhaps the first time in this whole conversation. You couldn’t help but feel as if the roles had changed, sinking further into the cushion behind you. She took note of everything, your stiff posture, the subtle bouncing of your leg, the timid look in your eye. You had become the sheep, being carefully discerned by the lion.  
“I never got a chance to tell you how sorry I was—still am, for your loss, y/n. You didn’t just lose Gwen that night, you lost all three of them.”  
Her heedful words landed the final blow, feeling like a piercing knife against your throat.  
Suck it up, you kept repeating to yourself, change the subject.  
Scrambling to compose yourself, nearly choking on your own tongue, you tried to ignore the look of concern she gave you. You didn’t need sympathy. “I’m managing.” You told her roughly, only able to conjure a barely believable smile. “It could be worse.”  
“Sure,” May tentatively agreed, “but it could also be better.”  
You decided it was best to not acknowledge her words.  
“You said not entirely.” You reminded her, working hard to ensure that your voice didn’t shake. You weren’t sure why it was shaking in the first place, torn between naming anxiety or anger as the culprit. “When I asked if you wanted me to help Peter, that’s what you said. What makes you think I can help him?” 
May’s face screwed up, staring at you as if it were obvious. “Because no one else can. The three of you—you, Harry, and Gwen—were the only ones that could ever get through to him.” She paused, considering her next words. “And you’re the only one left.”  
There was a weight that settled on your shoulders, shoving you further into the couch. You didn’t like the way that it sounded, for more reasons than one. There was too much responsibility that came with it.   
“Columbia’s campus is big.” You told her, void of any emotion. “Do you know where he’s staying? Anything that might help me find him?”  
This time it was May’s turn to sink back into her seat, shoulders slouching forward as she turned apologetic. “I know he’s living on campus, but I don’t know which building. Whenever he writes he always keeps the details to a minimum.”  
As much as you appreciated any information she offered, it wouldn’t help you much. You had been right in your earlier statement; Columbia was a big school with at least two dozen residence halls. Finding Peter amongst those students was comparable to finding a needle in a haystack.  
You knew that you could enlist Betty Brant’s help, but even then, it could take days before one of you happened to find him.  
Finally, a bit exasperated, you dared to ask. “Anything else?”  
May smiled, weary and filled with regret. “Just be careful, y/n. I’m not sure what Peter had gotten himself into, but I’ve seen the news.” Her hands trembled as she spoke. “I know what they think he did. What Spider-Man might have done.”  
She spoke the vigilante’s name like a forbidden word, as if it were one she had sworn she’d never speak aloud, and your eyes grew wide as you just barely breathed out, “You know?”  
May’s smile remained despite the somber gleam in her eyes as she told you simply, “No one washes the flag.”  
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You found the students at Columbia University nauseating.  
Most of them were pretentious assholes that stunk of cigarette smoke, not because they actually smoked them, but instead because letting them lazily hang from their fingers matched their desired aesthetic.  
They were all desperate to give off the same vibe as a fifteen-year-olds dark academia Pinterest board, leaning against a wall with a copy of Allan Ginsberg’s Howl tucked beneath their arm. You wondered if any of them had ever read it, snorting to yourself when you thought of how they’d likely dogeared a few pages to make the book look worn.  
“This place is huge.” Betty Brant marveled from beside you, spinning in a circle as she took in its vastness. When she was done making herself dizzy, she looked at you. “This is gonna be impossible.”  
You smiled at her inept observation, challenging her. “Why?”  
Her brows snapped together, a single hand incredulously waving around the two of you. “Have you looked around?” She quipped. “There are literally thousands of people here! If we find him today, then it’ll just be dumb luck.”  
You didn’t judge her for her innate pessimism. After all, you felt just as overwhelmed as Betty Brant did currently when sitting on Aunt May’s couch, listening as she told you that she had essentially nothing to offer in terms of helping to find Peter. It was easy to assume the worst in a field where you’re so often dealt the shittiest of hands—but Jameson and the other seasoned reporters at the Bugle had taught you well. There was always a way to turn things around.  
“Know your target, Brant.” You lightly chastised, a teasing smile that Brant felt looked out of place on you. While she still didn’t know you well, she’d seen you around the office a lot, and she struggled to remember a time when you didn’t have a permanent grimace etched on your face.  
Your fingers delved into your bag and reached for a few papers that you’d printed off at the Bugle, just moments before you’d snagged Brant up by her arm without warning and forced her to come with you to Columbia University. You held one of the papers out to her, which she swiftly took and began reading.  
"There are only two programs offered at Columbia that Peter would care about: photography or biochemistry.” You explained to her. “I went on their website and got an idea of a mock schedule for both and copied down the names of the buildings they’re in. It’s still not a sure shot-”  
“But it gives us somewhere to start.” Brant finished your sentence, her big eyes flickering back up to yours as she lowered the page you’d given her.  
You grinned. “Exactly.”  
“So, we’re splitting up?”  
She was nervous about that idea, clear by the way she started to tug at the edge of her royal blue cardigan. If it were someone other than Brant you might be concerned, but Brant always came off a little antsy, making it easy to brush it off; although it did leave you wondering why the girl stayed so high strung. One day you’d ask her about it, you thought, but not right now.  
"It’s better that way. We'll cover more ground.” You told her, your pitiless statement doing little to quell her nerves as she gave another sharp tug to her garment, anxiously looking around at the swarm of students passing around you both.  
You did your best to look sympathetic, “Just call me if you need me, alright?” Brant stared back at you, resembling a small child whose mother was dropping them off on their first day of school. It was pitiful, and you nearly groaned as you forced yourself to say, “If you call, I’ll answer. Promise.”  
Brant hesitated for a second before nodding, still uneasy but far more willing now to leave your side. As you turned away from her you reminded yourself to never have children, desperately hoping and praying to any God who might listen that Brant would not call you.  
As you started to meld into the crowd, falling into step with a group of girls around your age, the thoughts of Brant and her child-like anxiety were replaced with something far more juvenile. You had just barely glanced at the girls walking next to you, at first only giving them a quick glance. Soon, though, as you continued towards your destination, you found yourself fixating on them.  
They smelled like cloves and bergamot, probably the scent of some over-priced perfume you’d never even dream of taking off the shelf and their clothes were nicer than anything hanging up in your closet. One had a Tiffany’s necklace dangling around her throat like a collar and another had pin straight platinum hair. In short, they looked expensive. But, at the same time, they looked incredibly beautiful.  
It made you hyper aware of yourself, of how different you looked in comparison. You weren’t wearing any nice jewelry, and your hair was messily tied back, making you feel as if you were the opposite of both the girls that had caught your attention. Realizing this, you looked around at the other girls surrounding you, noticing that all of them looked that way. Posh, put-together, and completely and utterly gorgeous.  
A strange feeling crept up your spine, one you hadn’t felt since you were in high school. Self-loathing.    
There was a time when you prioritized your appearance, or at least more than you do now. You could still remember what it was like to stroll into an Oscorp charity event, dozens of eyes glued to you. Men would watch with bated breath as you passed them, silently dreaming of a day where you’d actually notice them.  
That would never happen, of course.  
You always went to those events with either Harry or Peter, and they often left you with little reason to acknowledge anyone else in attendance. Even so, you remembered the power you held. Remembered what it was like to feel desired by someone, even if it wasn’t by who you wanted.  
After the accident, though, you’d stopped caring about how you looked. It felt so trivial to put any more effort than necessary into your looks, often throwing on the same outfit several days in a row to save time in the mornings. But in this moment, you found yourself feeling differently, insecurity slipping into your mind. Had you let yourself go? Surely not...  
It didn’t matter! You suddenly shouted at yourself, fists balling up at your sides as you tried to silence the thoughts that were fueled by foolish insecurity. Despite believing every word of the statement, it didn’t help to make you feel any less self-conscious.  
Passing by the mirrored windows of the mess hall, you found yourself slowing down, falling behind the group of girls as you hesitantly turned to catch a glimpse of yourself. You cursed yourself for looking, hating that you even cared about this sort of thing right now. But once you looked into the reflection you froze, realizing that it wasn’t yourself that you saw in the reflection. It was Gwen.  
“It’s not that bad!” She would lie to you, her voice jumping several octaves as she did. A hand would reach out, sage green fingernails combing through the frizzy mess that framed your face, trying to flatten it. “It just needs a little...” her head cocked to the side, teeth exposed as she sucked in a breath, “work.”  
Gwen was always a terrible liar. She wasn’t like you; she never had been. She was completely incapable of hiding her hand, always living with her cards exposed for the world to see—for them to take advantage of. It was what you’d always admired most about her, her willingness to trust in everyone, to see the good in anyone. It was also what you despised the most about her, and you tried not to dwell on the complexity of that.  
“You know what? It doesn’t even matter!” Gwen’s shoulders lifted exponentially, a mess of blonde curls violently swaying as she shook her head about. “You still look hotter than half the girls here, alright?” She grinned at you, the same sweet smile that you missed more than anything. “I promise!”  
And she meant it every word of it, but rather than offering you any comfort, the words just filled you with envy. You envied Gwen far more than you liked to admit. You wanted to be like her, even now, to be able to see the good in every situation, to be even half as lovely as she was.  
You tried to swallow your guilt, though it only made your stomach hurt. You had promised yourself that you were done envying Gwen.  
But you weren’t done missing her.  
Still entranced by her doe eyed stare, you felt your phone begin to buzz in your pocket, distracting you enough that you turned your gaze to your bag, instinctively going to dig for the device. By the time you thought to look back up, the vision of her was gone and you were looking at only a reflection of yourself.  
You wasted no time in looking away.  
When you sobered up enough to read the caller ID, you groaned loud enough to turn a few heads of students passing by. Now, in an interesting turn of events, you wished that Brant was the one calling you, staring down at Director Samson’s name flashing across the screen. You silenced it.  
Not today. You started walking again, effectively trading your thoughts of Gwen for ones of Ravencroft and Harry Osborn. Or ever again.  
Dodge Hall was the first stop on your list.  
You were willing to bet that of the two programs you listed to Brant that Peter likely picked photography, which was precisely why you had delegated the biochemistry labs to Brant.  
There was a chance that you were wrong and that he’d decided to major in biochemistry, maybe in some desperate attempt to be like the father he swore he hated, but you held out hope anyway. You wanted to believe that even in whatever odd stage of life Peter was in he was working to forge his own path, rather than following the one he’d once considered his birthright.  
Stopping in front of the building that housed most of the University’s photography classes, you grimaced. It significantly lacked character, offering nothing more than a bunch of lifeless bricks with boring cement pillars on either side. You had yet to see anything about this school that made it seem worth the astronomical tuition students paid to attend.  
“I know that look-” a high-pitched voice filled the air, the grating sound intensifying your already sour expression, “Dodge might not have the most intricate architecture on campus, but for what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in its rich and extraordinary history!” 
You didn't want to turn around, fully recognizing the chirpy she-devil by diction alone. Still, you forced yourself to do it anyway, realizing that there was no possible escape route. “Mary Jane!” The vile taste of her name in your mouth left you feeling queasy, “what’re you doing here?”  
No, seriously, what the fuck was she doing here?  
A perfectly manicured hand flew to her overly plump lips, packed full of filler and overlined with a red lip pencil. An exaggerated gasp somehow managed to slip past them. “Oh my gosh!” The copper-haired beauty squealed, sounding as if she had inhaled at least a few liters of helium. You forgot how much you hated her voice. “y/n! I didn’t even recognize you!”  
“Yeah, it’s been a while.” You droned, likely appearing just as displeased as you sounded. It was difficult for you to sound pleasant around Mary Jane.  
Mary Jane had always been a thorn in your side. For the most part she was entirely harmless, but her ever-so-perky attitude always left a bad taste in both your mouth and Gwen’s. On top of that, she lacked morals, made clear by the last time you’d seen her.  
It was immediately after Gwen’s funeral, and you’d just happened to find Mary Jane and a few other reporters from the Daily Globe swarming the Stacy family, pining for an interview. It was disgusting, and if you’d been in better shape, you swore that you would’ve knocked her square in the face that day.  
Mary Jane reached out and touched your forearm, giving it a firm squeeze. “You look so good!”  
You didn’t even bother thanking her, instead deciding to brace yourself for what might be coming next. You had known her long enough to know that all her compliments were a double-edged sword, an insult waiting just around the corner.  
“After Genna’s funeral you looked so thin and sickly,” her button nose scrunched up as she looked you up and down, “it’s so nice to see you look far more...” a slight tilt of her head, accompanied by a sickeningly sweet smile as she squeezed your arm again, “plump!”  
The smile you gave in return was far less pleasurable than hers, bearing a closer resemblance to a snarl. “Gwen.” You pointedly corrected, choosing to ignore her weak attempt at insulting you. “Her name is Gwen.”  
She only waved her hand, dismissing your correction. The simple act made your blood boil, teeth grinding together as you fought to stay silent. You didn’t have time to start a fight with her.  
“Ugh, silly me! I’m so bad with names!” She pretended to laugh it off, playing it as an innocent slip of the tongue. You could see the malice behind it, though, her emerald eyes glistening with spite. Mary Jane was a journalist, which meant that remembering facts was quite literally her job. Pretending to forget Gwen’s name was just another idle attempt at getting under your skin.  
It worked.  
“Did you check out the Globe yesterday?” She started right back up, trapping you in another conversation and preventing you from finding an excuse to slip into Dodge Hall and start your search for Peter. “Who am I kidding! Of course you did!” Mary Jane twirled a strand of red hair around her finger, her egotism on full display as she beamed. “Dozens of newsstands sold out within the hour! Amazing, right? To sell out physical copies in this digital age!”  
You only hummed in response, aware that she only wanted to hear herself talk. But God, you hated the way she spoke. Her constant need to enunciate every other word, her squeaky voice filled with false sincerity, always searching for validation in every conversation.  
”Bushkin agreed that we only sold out because of my story on the front page! He said my talent for writing could be enough to revive print entirely!” Her chest swelled with pride; hands clasped over her heart as nonsense continued to spew from her.  
Barney Bushkin was the publisher for the Globe, which made him Mary Jane’s boss. He also had a reputation for being a sick old pervert with an affinity for girls that were far too young for him. His opinion meant nothing to you since you knew that he would say absolutely anything if he thought it would increase his odds of getting a quick look up one of Mary Jane’s too-short skirts.  
”I’m not surprised you sold so many copies,” you egged her on, taking immense pleasure in the way her smug smile grew at what she mistook for praise, “fear mongering has always been a useful tactic for sales.”  
For a moment you could’ve sworn you saw her eyes turn as red as her hair, fiery rage coursing through her veins at your comment. But it was gone nearly as soon as it had appeared.  
”Well,” she cleared her throat, smoothing the wrinkles out of her white blouse, “I’d hardly call my article fear mongering. I just presented the facts.”  
You couldn’t deny that Mary Jane was a pro at composing herself, remaining collected even when you knew she wanted to explode. Image was important to her, meaning she couldn’t ever afford to let her nice girl act falter.  
”You called Spider-Man a murderer.”  
You didn’t always share her skillset, willing to let yourself come off as brash and plain-spoken.  
”And last I checked there’s an active warrant for his arrest.” Mary Jane retorted sharply, the only sign she was willing to give that you were annoying her. “So, like I said, I presented the facts.”  
You sucked in a breath, holding back your argument. You wanted to tell her that her facts were skewed, that she was reporting with only one source and effectively trying to demonize a man who had saved the city countless times. But you didn’t. Fighting with her would be a waste of time, and you had better things to do.  
"Yeah, well, I should really get going.” You gave a curt smile, nodding in the direction of Dodge Hall. “Always good to see you, MJ.” You took care to place extra emphasis on the nickname, fully aware of just how much she hated it.  
Still, she barely let it get to her, hiding her own scowl as you started to edge towards the building. You noticed the way her left eye twitched, though, showing that she was nearing a breaking point. If you had more time, you’d likely try and push her over the edge.  
“Why are you here?” Mary Jane suddenly mimicked the question you had first asked her, the one she had never actually gave an answer to.  
You paused, only having made it less than a few feet away from her. “Visiting a friend.”  
If all went to plan, that wouldn’t technically be a lie.  
“Peter?” She blurted his name out in a way that left you feeling strange. There was a hesitant look on her face, almost as if she were afraid that you’d say yes. You didn’t like it.  
“Yeah, actually.” You frowned, watching her face drop at the confirmation. “Why?”  
She refused to meet your stare, staring past your shoulder at the entrance of the Hall. “He’s not in there.”  
In all the years you’d known Mary Jane, you’d never heard her sound so uncharacteristically dispirited. Her perky persona seemed to vanish in thin air, leaving behind someone that was entirely unfamiliar to you.  
It was incredibly uncomfortable.  
“Wait, do you know where he is?” You asked.  
“Of course I do.” She quickly answered, cutting her eyes at you. “But if you’re the one meeting him then shouldn’t you know where he is?”  
Jealousy settled in. Why did she know where Peter was? Mary Jane and Peter had never been particularly close, likely due to the lifelong rivalry that you and Gwen had held with her. The idea of him even interacting with Mary Jane left you feeling unsettled.  
“Well, we were supposed to meet here.” You lied, turning a tad defensive as you shrugged a shoulder in the direction of the building. “But it’s been a busy morning. He might’ve forgot.”  
You paused, debating whether you wanted to continue. There was a good chance that you didn’t want to hear the answer to the question resting on the tip of your tongue, and yet you made yourself ask it anyway. “Were you just with him?”  
Please say no-  
“Yes.” Her answer came quickly. “We had plans to get dinner but-um,” she suddenly became extremely focused on her own feet, awkwardly kicking at the sidewalk, “he had to... cancel. Said he was gonna be too busy developing photos all night.”  
Her too-perfect face screwed up in an unsightly sort of way. You almost thought that you should feel guilty for accidentally making it seem as if Peter had ditched her for you. But you didn’t. Instead, you felt sickly satisfied, taking pleasure in her sorrow. You reveled in it, finding it easier to focus on that than the idea of why she and Peter were going to get dinner together in the first place.  
”Mm, that sucks.” You let out a disinterested hum, taking a page from her book as you continued without waiting for a reply, “Is that what he’s doing now? Developing photos?”  
Mary Jane gave a stiff nod.  
”Great.”  
Despite how painful it had been to sit through what felt like a never-ending conversation with her, Mary Jane had ended up being of vital importance. If Peter was developing images today, then that meant he had to be in the darkrooms. And, thanks to your Google research, you knew exactly where they were—Watson Hall, just a brief walk from where you were now.  
You wasted no time with stepping around Mary Jane, having no intention of even wasting a goodbye on her as you started towards your destination. But, as you moved around her body, she reached for you, her thin fingers once again wrapping around your forearm. She squeezed harder than last time, your head snapping in her direction, eyes narrowing in a threatening stare as she held you there.  
Surprisingly, she gave you a threatening look of her own.  
“Before you go,” you found it eerie the way her voice remained syrupy sweet, a sharp contrast to the menacing expression she wore, “I just wanted to tell you how much I adored that little sympathy piece you wrote for your friend in the looney bin.” 
You pulled your arm from her grip, your body going tense at the mention of the article you’d written to try and sway the public during Harry’s trial. Jameson hadn’t allowed it to go to print, reminding you that your judgment was still clouded by grief. He didn’t understand why you were so desperate to keep Harry out of Ryker’s Island, but he had hoped that by letting you at least post the article on the Bugle’s website that it would offer you some sort of closure.  
It hadn’t. It was shortly after publishing the piece that you had went straight to Harry’s lawyers, giving them all the information they would need to plead insanity.  
Mary Jane stepped closer, ignoring your effort to create distance from her. She was close enough that you could nearly feel the heat radiating off her body. You didn’t like it, but you refused to let yourself back away from her.  
“I can’t say that Peter agreed.” Her lips curled into a cynical smirk. “I mean, honestly, after the reaction he had to it I’m shocked that he can even stand to be in the same room as you!” The sound of her laughter infuriated you. “I suppose it’s true what they say about time, yeah? That it heals all wounds—even a knife in the back.”  
You couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink, couldn’t think.  
All you could do was stare at the devilish woman in front of you, seething with a type of hatred that you were certain could eat you alive. Your nails sunk into the heel of your palm, an effort to refrain yourself from using them to claw that nasty complacent look right off her face.  
Mary Jane noticed this and decided to take your silence as a sign of her victory.  
“It really was great seeing you, y/n.” She gushed, the false tender statement only fueling your anger. As she turned to walk away, she glanced over her shoulder, winking at you. “Don’t be a stranger.”  
One day, you swore to yourself with a particularly loud huff, spinning on your heel and stomping in the direction of the darkrooms, you would kick Mary Jane’s ass.  
When you posted the article—the one you hoped would sway the public’s opinion of Harry—you knew Peter would see it. More than that, you knew that he would be adamantly against it. 
Unlike you, Harry hadn’t given Peter a reason to care whether he lived or died.  
If anything, he had done nothing but give Peter motive to kill Harry himself. You hated that thought. While you didn’t believe that Peter had murdered Sytsevich, you worried that if given the chance he would have killed Harry that night. You wanted to believe that he wouldn’t have been capable of following through with it, though. Just as you weren’t capable of sitting idly by as Harry was sentenced to Ryker’s Island, knowing that he would be as good as dead in there.  
Maybe you’d been stupid not to consider that the article was one of the reasons why Peter had never bothered to reach out to you, even once things had settled down. Maybe it was your own fault that he’d abandoned you, that the article had been the final nail in the coffin of your friendship.  
Your stomach ached, your mind still reeling as you shoved open the large doors of Watson Hall. A rush of frigid air washed over you, goosebumps erupting against your skin.  
Was it possible that Peter hated you as much as he hated Harry?  
No. It couldn’t be. What Harry had done was beyond abominable, something that could never be forgiven. You hadn’t done anything nearly as bad as him.  
Yet, on the other hand… is the one who comes to a monster's defense just as bad as the monster? You weren’t sure of the answer to that question, though you started to rationalize it to yourself anyway—you weren’t defending him, you just didn’t want to watch him die if there was something you could do to stop it! 
But why not? Gwen wasn’t a monster, yet you still watched her die, standing on the sidelines and doing nothing to try and stop it.  
There was nothing I could’ve done! Your mind screamed in defense of itself as you approached the staircase leading to the second floor, roughly gripping the rail as you started climbing up.  
Why had Peter talked to Mary Jane about the article in the first place? That question was easier to think about than the others, infuriating but still less emotionally taxing, so you let yourself fixate on it. As far as you knew, Peter hadn’t liked Mary Jane any more than you and Gwen did, always keeping his distance from the she-devil.  
When did that change?  
At the top of the stairs, nestled in a corner of the left, there was a single door with a large black sign hanging off of it. The words DARKROOM IN USE were written in bold letters. You stared at it for a moment, your mind finally going blank as you did.  
Peter was behind that door—your best friend, Peter.  
Your palms started to sweat as memories started flooding back. Instantly, you bit your cheek, trying to ignore them. Now wasn’t the time for a trip down memory lane, especially not when you could still recall the bloody way that road ends.  
A knock echoed through the somewhat barren Hall as your first collided with the door, your nerves growing with every passing millisecond. All you could do was focus on the different feelings fighting to consume you, the thudding of your heart, the slickness of your hands, the churning of your stomach.  
“Peter?”  
Saying his name felt wrong, but you said it anyway as you knocked again, a bit harder this time. “It’s y/n,” you told him, as if it were even possible for him to forget the sound of your voice, “can I come in?”  
Once again you were met with silence.  
You considered turning around. Maybe Jameson had been right in thinking that you shouldn’t chase this story. After all, it wasn’t your job to prove Spider-Man's innocence, and if Peter wanted your help, then he knew how to find you. You could call Brant right now and tell her that today was a bust, or even lie and say that Peter didn’t want to help with the story. You could walk away.  
But you didn’t let yourself do that, once again feeling that weight of responsibility that May had unintentionally placed on your shoulders. There was no one left in Peter’s corner, no one that would be willing to dig him out of whatever dark hole he’d landed himself in.  
You had fought to save Harry’s life, and so it only felt right that you tried to do the same for Peter.  
Without bothering to knock again, you reached for the knob and twisted, hastily slipping inside the room, trying to limit the amount of light the leaked in behind you. You didn’t know a lot about developing photos, but you’d never forgotten the way Peter would groan whenever you’d come in unannounced, accidentally letting the light ruin his work.  
The door clicked shut behind you as you looked around. It wasn’t a big room, just large enough for two or three people to comfortably fit inside. Any more than that, though, and they’d likely be bumping elbows the entire time. There was a table in the center of it, lined with tubs holding various chemicals that you’d never learned the names of. A clothesline hung around the perimeter of the room, a few newly developed photos lazily dangling from it. On the far wall there were two desks, various images and tools scattered across them.  
Everything in the room looked sinister, courtesy of the red tinted light that hung overhead.  
”Fucking creepy.” You muttered to yourself, crossing your arms over your chest as a chill inched down your back. This room felt significantly colder than the rest of Watson Hall, only adding to its unsettling vibe.  
The darkroom was empty, despite the sign on the door saying it was in use. The realization nearly made you breathe a sigh of relief, a part of you finding comfort in the thought that you wouldn’t actually have to confront Peter right now. But as you stepped further into the room and towards the twin desks, all your newfound relief dissipated.  
Resting against the leg of the desk was a fluorescent yellow bookbag, decorated with a variety of cheap pins ranging from local bands to images of outdated memes. You remembered the first time you ever saw that bag, lying on the floor of Peter’s bedroom just a week or so before the start of Junior year. He threw a fit when Aunt May had come in, tossing the ugly bag on his bed and raving about how she had gotten it on sale just in time for back-to-school.  
You made fun of him for months, always making note of the way its vibrancy clashed with his darker style. Secretly you had loved that bag, silently appreciative for how easy it made it to find Peter in the crowded halls of Midtown High. He would always beg Aunt May to get a different bag, but she refused, saying that they shouldn’t buy another until he had worn the yellow one out.  
Looking at it now, it seemed that he had finally achieved that goal. The yellow fabric was a touch duller now, though not by much, and there was a noticeable tear in the seam of the front pocket. Kneeling beside it, you traced your finger over a trail of blue thread, having been carefully used to stitch the fabric back together.  
You wondered why he had decided to fix it instead of just replacing it like he had always wanted.  
Straightening back up, you scanned over the rest of the desk. There was a black reusable water bottle perched on the edge, a set of keys attached to a Deftones lanyard lying beside it. A bit of sweat trickled down the edge of the bottle, collecting on the surface of the desk. You reached for it, shifting it just enough to hear ice knocking against the metal walls. It had barely melted, meaning that it hadn’t been long since Peter had gotten here. Still, you had no clue where he was now.  
Closer to the center of the desk was a neat stack of already developed photos. A girl graced the top of the stack—pale skin with bleach blonde hair, neatly pushed back by a black headband. You reached for it without hesitation, a single digit tracing along her grinning face.  
Peter took pictures of a lot of people, you included, but it was undeniable that Gwen had always been his favorite subject. Looking at this photo, you couldn’t help but understand why. She was effortlessly beautiful, capable of taking your breath away without even trying.  
You could never blame Peter for always trying to capture that beauty, fully aware that if you were him, she would’ve been your favorite too.  
Without much thought you decided to slip the image into your bag. Peter had dozens of pictures of Gwen, while you only had a measly few. He could spare one.  
The other images were far more recent than the first, with only one or two others featuring Gwen. There were snapshots of random Columbia students, a few cityscapes, and even one of the devil herself—Mary Jane, posed in front of the same mess hall that had ensnared you earlier. In the reflection you could see Peter, smiling from behind his camera.  
You gritted your teeth and rolled your eyes at the image. Were they really friends? The picture seemed to serve as enough of an answer, but you still couldn’t help but hope that you were wrong. Had Peter truly traded you in for Mary-fucking-Jane?  
You roughly shoved that photo to the back of the stack, doing your best not to think about it as you continued to snoop through the rest of them. None were particularly interesting, save for the last two. Their dark composition offered a stark difference from the rest, while simultaneously making it difficult to tell what Peter was even photographing.  
Taking one in each hand, your eyes darted back and forth between them, squinting as you tried to make out the subject, a task that was made all the more difficult by the rooms dim red lighting. You brought one closer to your face, making out a few trivial details. At the far edge, there seemed to be a street sign's corner, and in the middle a few streaks of dim light reflecting off a rain puddle.  
Moving it away from yourself, you shifted your focus to the other one, thinking it appeared to be just a close-up of the first image. Then, slowly, you realized your mistake. It hadn’t been just a zoomed-in shot, as the reflection in the puddle made it something else entirely—a self-portrait.  
But it wasn’t the warmth of Peter’s familiar brown eyes being reflected in the hazy liquid. Rather there was an outline of the two lifeless white lenses that belonged to his other self, the version of him you sometimes wished to forget.  
The sight made you feel sick, sweat starting to form along your neck as you hastily flipped the photo over, desperate to avoid his sickening stare. However, what you saw on the back of the image was almost as bad as being forced to stare at Spider-Man's reflection. Scrawled in Peter’s barely legible handwriting was the date APRIL 2ND.  
A new panic quickly trickled into your veins, fully replacing the one that had been born from the lifeless gaze of his mask. You read yesterday’s date over and over again, as if it would suddenly change. It never did, and a sizable knot formed in your throat as you slowly began to look up, shifting your focus to the forgotten photos pinned to the clothesline.  
Your jaw fell slack, the photos in your hands following suit and landing on the desk below them. When you first entered the darkroom, you hadn’t paid much mind to the photographs hanging up, assuming they weren’t of much importance. Now, though, you recognized them for what they truly were—the sister images of the ones you’d been holding. Flashes of 102nd Avenue, Aleksei Sytsevich lying lifeless on the ground, milky white shards of bone peeking through his flesh. And there were photos of his mask, and those goddamn white lenses, spattered with Aleksei’s blood.  
Peter hadn’t just been at the crime scene; he had documented it.  
Your palm pressed roughly to your mouth, fingers digging into your cheek as you made yourself swallow the vomit fighting its way up your throat. Your own trauma fought desperately to rear its head as you analyzed the gory images, but you refused to let it take hold, scrambling to keep control as you forced yourself to snap into action.  
After grabbing your phone, you wasted no time snapping pictures of the photographs hanging from the line, of the ones sprawled on the desk, of everything you could find. You didn’t know yet what you would do with them, but you refused to leave this room without collecting every bit of evidence you could find.  
Once you were certain you had gotten it all, you worked to straighten the stack of pictures you’d gone through, adjusting them so they appeared as if they’d never been touched in the first place. Then, with your heart hammering inside your chest, you darted for the door without a second thought, paying absolutely no mind to the strange looks given to you by passing students as you rushed for the stairs.  
You couldn’t stop moving, only slowing your frantic pace once you’d nearly made it to the exit doors. You rounded the corner as you tried to pull up Brant’s contact with shaky hands, wanting nothing more than to call her and get the fuck away from this campus. But, as soon as you went to press her name, your phone went flying from your hand and slid across the linoleum, your body pressing smack against another.  
Sugary notes of vanilla flooded your senses, making your thoughts turn hazy. Your palms were flush against the soft cotton of someone’s shirt, and you could feel their fingers wrapping firmly around your shoulders, trying to steady you enough that you wouldn’t stumble back from the impact.  
”Oh-shit!, sorry! I didn’t even see you-”  
Their voice wasn’t the first thing you recognized, instead you found yourself caught up in the material beneath your hands. They were wearing a black Ramones t-shirt, a barely noticeable tear on the edge of the collar. But you noticed the tear instantly because you were the one who had bought the shirt. You got it at the record store on 6th Avenue—Rough Trade, was the name of it—and the man behind the counter gave it to you for half off all because of that tear.  
You only ever got to wear it once before Peter nabbed it off your bedroom floor, never to return it. 
”y/n?”  
Your body betrayed you, immediately melting as the familiar sound of your name falling from his lips rang through your ears. Your heart had still been pounding in your chest this entire time, yet as your eyes met his for the first time in months, it fell still.  
Peter didn’t fully share in your reaction. Instead of appearing as if he were lost in the same nostalgic haze you were caught in, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. His skin blanched, eyes growing unnaturally wide. For a moment you thought he was going to say something else, his lips parting, yet nothing came out.  
In your lifetime, you had only known of a few things that could render Peter Parker speechless. You had now become one of them.  
”Hi.” You squeaked out, a single hand lifting from his chest and offering an awkward wave that filled you with humility.  
This wasn’t easy.  
You weren’t sure how to act around him, how to behave. For nine months you had envisioned this moment, conjuring up countless things to say to him, all the insults you wanted to hurl his way. But now that it was happening, you found yourself torn between wanting to hug and choke him.  
It seemed best to do neither.  
”Um, hi?” Peter’s grip on your shoulders tightened, just for a second, as if he were trying to prove to himself that you were really standing in front of him. Once he seemed satisfied with your physicality, he stepped back and released his grip on you entirely, subsequently making your other hand fall from his chest.  
”You’re not-I mean-you don’t go here.” He rasped, laughing awkwardly as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to ground himself.  
”You’re right, I don’t go here!” You pointlessly confirmed, voice raising several octaves as anxiety took over. “Very observant.”  
You cringed at the statement. Very observant?-you thought to yourself, biting down on the edge of your tongue as you watched Peter’s brows knit together-could've said anything, and that’s what you picked?  
He didn’t even acknowledge the useless comment, only letting it hang in the air between you as he continued to wait for a true answer.  
“I came to see you.” You choked out an honest answer, starting to shrink beneath his heavy gaze. You tried to step back, instinctively wanting to create distance between the two of you, but all you achieved was pressing yourself against the wall.  
There was no escaping him.  
He was quick to respond, making it clear just how high-strung he was. ”How did you find me?”  
”I’m a reporter.” You reminded him, offering it up as a vague answer to his question. He’d likely expected the response, given the way his eyes narrowed in frustration. “Finding people is part of my job description.”  
Peter always said that getting an answer out of you was like playing a game of charades, one that others very rarely won. You were a pro at dancing around the facts, only ever revealing them when they served to benefit you.
It was one of the many reasons you were so good at your job. 
“Is that why you’re here?” His question carried a sharp edge, his irritation growing stronger now as his jaw tightened. “For the Bugle?”  
Your body became tense, your shoulders squaring off as anxiety once again tried to shove to the surface. As you thought of the images you’d seen, the ones that were hanging just upstairs, your blood ran cold. You did your best not to let it show, instead trying to hide your fear behind a look of confusion. “Why would I be here for the Bugle?”  
At first, he only stared at you, his brows raising in an incredulous manner. You forced yourself to stare back despite the discomfort it brought you. Then, finally, he answered. “You wanna talk about Spider-Man, right?”  
Your heart sank into your stomach, lips turning dry as they parted. There was nothing good about the way the vigilante’s name rolled off his tongue, and you didn’t like it one bit. The semi-hushed tone he’d spoken in, laced with an essence of bitterness that one wouldn’t expect from the person that donned the mask.  
Hesitantly running your tongue along your now chapped lips, you responded in a shaky voice. “Why would I wanna talk about Spider-Man?”  
Harry’s advice rang through your mind—the same advice that had been mirrored by Aunt May, to remain wary of Peter—and you suddenly felt lightheaded. There was no way he could know that you found out about his identity that night, right?  
No, of course not. It was impossible. 
Peter appeared far more relaxed than you, his shoulders lazily lifting into a shrug. He didn’t seem to notice the sweat forming along your brow, making you think that you were doing an alright job at hiding your emotions. “Jameson wants new pictures of him, doesn’t he?” He threw out a guess.  
Your shoulders instantly sagged with relief, your lungs aching as you lightly blew out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. Given what you’d seen upstairs, you decided it would be best to stick to Harry and May’s advice. Peter didn’t need to know that you were aware of who wore Spider-Man's mask. Not right now, at least.  
“I'm right, aren’t I?” Peter insisted impatiently, interrupting your racing thoughts and snapping you back into reality.  
“Do you have new pictures of him?” You hastily snapped back.  
“No. I don’t.” He lied straight through his teeth, once again running a hand through his already messy hair as he squeezed his eyes shut. It was obvious that he wasn’t planning to share any details of Spidey’s newly developed photoshoot hanging in the darkroom, and it would be against your best interest to press further, so you stayed quiet. When he opened his eyes again, he stared directly into yours. “And I don’t plan on taking any, so if that’s why you’re here then you’re wasting your time.”  
You couldn’t recall ever hearing Peter sound so exhausted before. His recent lack of sleep was made painfully evident by the varying shades of purple painting the skin around his eyes. How long had he looked this way? Has it been since Gwen? In some sick way you hoped that you were right, knowing that grief being the cause was better than the alternative—the idea that his lack of sleep related to his involvement with Aleksei.  
A part of you still refused to consider the images you’d seen as damning evidence that Peter had been the one to kill Aleksei Sytsevich. You couldn’t let yourself think that, refusing to believe that Peter Parker was anything even close to a murderer. It wasn’t possible.  
But, as much as you hated to admit it, they proved that he was in some way involved. An accessory, at least. For some reason, hopefully a good one, he hadn’t stopped Aleksei’s murder from happening.  
That came with its own dangerous implications.  
You clicked your tongue against the roof of your mouth, trying to decide what direction you wanted to steer the conversation in, which angle would serve you best. With a deep breath, you made your choice. “Well, it’s good that that’s not why I’m here then.”  
He looked surprised. “Wait,” he laughed awkwardly, “you’re not writing a piece on him?”  
There was a thin line creasing the space between his brows, a strange expression on his face. His reaction wasn’t entirely unexpected, especially because you were known for your articles on Spider-Man. But this wasn’t a look that showed he was shocked to hear you were passing up on a story, it was a look of pure offense.  
You fought the urge to ask him why he cared so much, curious to find out if he had been expecting you to rush to Spider-Man's defense in the media. The only reason you held yourself back was the fear that maybe you were wrong, that maybe he hadn’t wanted you to defend him at all; perhaps he just wanted more press for his potential crimes.  
”Seems like the Globe has it covered.” You told him, trying to sound disinterested. You hoped that he would buy your act. “No need to waste anymore ink on a story that’s already been told, right?”  
Peter knew you well enough to know that there was more to it than that. Fortunately, he was willing to reason that your potential avoidance of Spider-Man related to that night, the last night all of you were together, and the events that neither of you wanted to talk about. Besides, even if he did want to mention it, he couldn’t do so without exposing his identity to you, an identity he wasn’t aware you already knew about.  
So, as much as he didn’t want to let it go, he had no other choice.  
”O-kay.” He stretched the word out, shaking his head lightly as he worked to regain his bearings in the conversation. As he did so, a few strands of hair fell against his forehead. He was quick to push them back. “Well, if that’s not it, then why are you here?”  
There was only a second of hesitation, air hissing between your teeth as you sucked in a breath, crossing your fingers behind your back. You hoped Gwen would forgive you for the lie you were about to tell.  
”Helen Stacy.”  
The first emotion to wash over Peter was pain. It was obvious, showing in the way his shoulders slumped forwards and his bottom lip trembled, wincing as the surname of his dead lover echoed through his ears. It was the second emotion that was harder to detect, having been more cleverly concealed than the first. Anger.  
You could see it in his eyes, his pupils dilating as he started to see red. Your own gaze flickered to his sides, stopping on his clenched fists, knuckles turning a pale shade of white. It made you feel uncomfortable, especially since you were the one on the receiving end of that look. You nervously cleared your throat, starting to fiddle with the strap of your bag.  
“She called the other day and asked about running a memorial piece for Gwen’s anniversary. Obviously, she thought it would be best if Gwen’s friends put it together—you know, do it how we used to for the school paper. I’ll do the writing; you take care of the pictures.”  
It was hard to sound confident as you elaborated upon the fabricated situation, too busy trying to focus on anything other than his heavy gaze. You focused on the floor, mostly, staring over at where your phone still laid on the ground. Still, even without looking at him, you could feel the weight of his attention. The air around you began to grow thin, every breath turning into a battle. You felt like you were being slowly suffocated by his fury, your lungs burning within your chest.  
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea-”  
“You can’t say no, Pete.” You cut him off, forcibly lowering the walls surrounding your own trauma, using it to manipulate him. You didn’t feel bad about it, either. “We both lost our best friend that night, and that sucked. But Helen lost her kid. This is the least we can do for her.”  
As the last word fell from your mouth, you forcefully pried your gaze off the ground and begrudgingly met his once again. Terror slid into your veins as you did, your body already preparing itself for that seething look of his—but it vanished. There was no trace of anger on his face. All that remained was the slightest glimmer of remorse.  
His fists unclenched, mindlessly cracking his knuckles. Then he sighed, followed by a reluctant nod. “You’re right. She’s been through a lot, and if this will help bring her some sort of... I don’t know-” he waved his hands slightly, looking troubled by his own choice of words, “closure, then I’ll do what I can to help.”  
Your mouth curved into a smile.  
It seemed like a good sign, you figured, that he was willing to help. It reignited whatever hope you had left that despite whatever mess he had gotten into as Spider-Man, that he was still the same selfless Peter Parker you’d always known. He could still be saved. And, fortunately, you had now crafted the excuse you needed to get closer to him and figure out how to save him.  
”Great!” You spoke a little too loud, your excitement coming off a touch too strong. You tried to lessen it, though the uncharacteristic reaction certainly hadn’t gone unnoticed by Peter. “Meet me at Sylvia’s tomorrow at six, okay? We can start going over everything and make a rough outline for the memorial!”  
Peter immediately went still when he heard the name of the restaurant the four of you used to frequent. He hadn’t set foot in Sylvia’s since Gwen’s death, too afraid to face the memories hiding within its walls. He tried to speak, tried to tell you no, but he didn’t have the chance as you interrupted him again.  
“Here,” You pulled a business card from your bag, thrusting it towards him with a pointed look, “in case you forgot my number.”  
You didn’t hide the animosity behind the statement, using it as another tool to play on whatever guilt he might harbor for what he’d done to you. It seemed to work, given the fact that he promptly shut his mouth and chose not to argue. Instead, he cautiously reached out, plucking the cards from your fingers.  
“Try not to ghost me for another nine months.” You playfully added on, the words joined by a smile that resembled something of a threat as you reminded him, “After all, I know where to find you now.”  
Peter just returned the smile, tight lipped and far less ferocious than the one you’d given him. He knew that eventually you’d want an answer as to why he’d been avoiding you, but not right now. Now wasn’t the time for it.  
So, he stuffed the card in his pocket as you skillfully skirted around him, going to grab your phone off the floor. Once you had it in your hand, you started towards the exit, already starting to dial Brant’s number. “I’ll see you tomorrow, y/n.” Peter called after you, watching as you pushed the door open and stepped over the threshold.  
There was an eerie sense of familiarity accompanying his goodbye, one that left your heart swelling as the words sought to soothe any of the still-bleeding wounds that remained from that night. The comforting feeling was almost enough to make you forget about the images you’d seen in the darkroom, the ones that now also lived within the camera roll on your phone.  
Almost—but not quite.  
Brant answered on the first ring, seemingly overjoyed as another lie easily fell from your lips, confirming with her that Peter agreed to help take photos of Spider-Man so you could try and plead his case to the public—the reason she thought the two of you were searching for Peter. She was just as eager as you were to leave Columbia’s posh campus, swiftly agreeing when you asked her to meet you outside of the mess hall so the two of you could head back to the Bugle.  
Now, waiting alone in front of the mirrored windows, you stared silently at the reflection in front of you. A girl with platinum hair, neatly tucked back by a black headband, stared back at you with her familiar bright green eyes. They were filled with enough dismay to make your chest ache, ridding you of any comfort that Peter’s familiarity had given you.  
”You’re gonna have to see him again.” The somber tone she used was unbefitting of someone that you could only think to describe as sunshine personified; everything you ever wished you could be. “You’ll need his help.” Gwen told you. “You know that don’t you?”  
You knew she wasn’t talking about Peter.  
When you didn’t reply, she decided she needed to convince you further, tailoring her approach so it had the best chance of swaying you. She reached a handout, and you knew that if you had closed your eyes, you would be able to feel her fingertips brush against your palm as she squeezed your hand.  
God, you missed that feeling. You missed her.  
And it was because you missed her that you refused to close your eyes. Refused to let your brain mimic something that was no longer real.  
Gwen’s doe eyes turned glossy, her rosy lips puckering into a pout that could make even the most unyielding man fold. ”He’s gonna need your help, too, y/n.” 
You bit your cheek, thinking of the bottle of pills laying in the bottom of your bag, the ones you hadn’t had to take in so long now. You were getting better.  
"You can’t save one without saving the other.” Gwen tried to tell you, although it only served to make you angry at her, unable to figure out why she would feel that way. She shouldn’t want you to save Harry, not when he was the reason she wasn’t here right now!  
If she were here, really here, then maybe you would tell her that. Remind her of how well her altruistic lifestyle had ended.  
But she wasn’t. So, you didn’t.  
Instead, you turned on your heel, forcing yourself to turn away from the reflection. You immediately saw a flash of royal blue in the sea of students as Brant forced her way through the crowd. Fine—you thought to yourself, offering Gwen a silent answer as you started to make your way towards Brant.  
”This place is a goddamn maze!” You heard Brant huff noisily once you were in earshot of each other, her bobbed hair swaying manically. She clearly hadn’t had a good time, but you weren’t really interested in hearing about it, either. Instead, you found yourself distracted by her appearance. Her neatly styled hairstyle, sharp winged liner, and stylish outfit. It made you think of the girls from earlier, the ones who had made you so self-conscious, and it gave you an idea.  
If you were going to do this—follow Gwen’s advice and save both of your boys—then you needed to try and save yourself, too. And, luckily, you and Brant seemed to be about the same size.  
“Do you wanna go shopping?” You asked bluntly, watching as Brant doubled-back, clearly not expecting your question.  
She blinked, thinking it over before hesitantly replying, “Um, sure?”  
Ravencroft could wait until tomorrow morning. 
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tag list - @pompeygirl89 @pockyandme
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a/n - hi anyone who's bothering to read this! i'm super excited about this chapter for a variety of reasons and i hope that you enjoyed it! feel free to leave any comments or tips, i always appreciate them and can't wait to write more harry & dark!peter content in the next part <3
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spiderfunkz · 8 months
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𖦹 ˖ ࣪ aquarium date headcanons
— characters : earth 1610!miles morales, gwen stacy, pavitr prabhakar, hobie brown.
— a/n : more atsv characters headcanons bc i love them, go request some prompts for them my requests are open!!! not proofread btw i'm lazy.
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✶ miles morales :
brings his sketchbook with him and draws all of your favorite sea animals, he probably, accidentally, dropped a pencil into one of the shorter tanks. he loves listening to your rambles about the different sea animals there. he reads the descriptions of each sea creature so he can talk about them with you.
holds your hand as you look at the different fishes swimming around, but gets distracted and just admires you instead. he will buy you matching things from the gift shop like matching bracelets or pins & surprises you after when you two go home with matching shark onesies and lots of cuddles.
✶ gwen stacy :
she'll bring her camera with her so she can take candid photos of your beautiful smile as you look at the different sea creatures. she loves the dark blue lighting and the quiet atmosphere of aquariums, she loves holding your hand in comfortable silence as you two watch the different sea creatures swim around.
you two will sit down for hours, pointing at the different fishies & saying "that ones us!" or "that one is literally you".
she 100% had a sea animal phase, specifically a shark phase. once you accidentally let go of her hand for a second and completely lost her for a good 20 minutes, only to find her in the shark exihibit. at the end of the day she'll buy you matching shark hats!!
✶ pavitr prabhakar :
wears a "i love sea animals" shirt and fish pj pants to the aquarium. same like gwen, he deifintely had a sea animal phase at some point in his life, more specifically a stingray phase. you two will ramble about your favorite sea animals while eating the fish shaped pizza in the food court. he brings his digicam to the aquarium so he can take videos of the turtles and fishes swimming, and you of course! he loves catching your natural laugh or smile on camera.
loves the touch pool, almost pushed a kid because they were in his way. loves telling you random facts about his favorite sea animals, he'll say things like "did you know stringrays are born fully developed?" with a :D face — "that's really cool, pav." you smile.
✶ hobie brown :
probably banned from most aquariums because he tried swimming in most of them.. but after a few tries you finally found one where he isn't banned! yet.
he loves marine life as much as you do, but he mostly does the listening as you ramble on different topics, besides he loves listening to your voice. he'll follow you around the aquarium, his hand holding your waist. as you watch the jellyfishes swim around, he's watching you, he's admiring how the blue light captures your beauty so perfectly, he's admiring how perfect your hair and self is.
"do you see that one?" you point, eyes focused on the jellyfishes. "yeah, i see it darling." he replies, his heart eyes still looking at you.
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primaviva · 7 months
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PERSONAL HEATER
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PAIRING: gwen stacy x fem!reader
SYNOPSIS: it’s getting a little cold in queens, and gwen doesn’t mind being your personal heater. even tho her methods are… unique.
WARNINGS: soft makeout, rambling about gwens hands part ??? pretty much just fluff so enjoy.
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the weather was transitioning into fall, bringing a noticeable chill to the air. you and gwen found yourselves perched atop a building, observing the sky as it transformed from a warm orange hue to a deep indigo during the sunset. the past week had been marked by relentless rain, causing flash floods and heavy downpours throughout the city. everyone was equipped with boots and oversized umbrellas, their clothes drenched from the constant showers.
don’t get it twisted, you love this type of weather. watching the rain out the window, getting comfy and cozy under a blanket watching a fall movie, and so on. but it did have its cons.
like for one, how cold it is.
but that didn’t stop you from enjoying the weather, and gwen knew that. and so, she sent you a text, telling you to be ready and that she was coming over. what you didn’t expect was for ghost-spider to be outside your window with a hand out for you.
and that’s how you ended up where you are now. gwen had taken you to one of her favorite high places in queens— a place she also knew you enjoyed which is why she loved to take you so many times. especially, during times like this where the weather was breathtaking in its own beautiful way.
as a gentle breeze sent shivers down your spine, goosebumps formed on your arms, causing your skin to grow cold. you instinctively rubbed your arms in an attempt to generate some warmth, catching gwen's attention.
"feeling cold?" gwen asked sweetly, noticing your discomfort. she gracefully slid her toned arm around your waist, pulling you closer to her. her hands began to rub your arms in a comforting motion, enveloping you in her soothing warmth. "you're freezing," she whispered against your skin, planting a tender kiss on your cheek. the touch of her lips sent a delightful tingling sensation through your body, contrasting with the chill in the air. "you shouldn't have dressed up in just a skirt and that sad excuse of a sweater."
your eyebrows furrowed, annoyance flickering in your gaze as you shot her a playful glare in response to her comment about your outfit.
"hey!" you quipped, turning your head to face her, ready to offer a witty retort. however, the raised eyebrow she flashed at you caused your irritation to melt away, replacing it with a giggle. "i wore this skirt for you, so i’m not tryna hear it," you playfully declared, turning your gaze forward and playfully tugging at your skirt. "but now, i'm starting to regret it. my legs feel like those icicles hanging from car mirrors."
as you leaned against gwen, you could feel the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against your back, her body pressed intimately against yours. the breeze outside was chilly but gwen's body was anything but.
a mischievous glint danced in gwen's eyes as she pulled you even closer, burying her face in your shoulder. "for me?" she asked, her voice laced with playfulness. "why would you even regret wearing that skirt? you look so pretty in it."
blushing, you instinctively covered your cheeks in an attempt to hide your flustered state.
"i know," you replied, a hint of newfound confidence in your voice, though your veins pulsed with nervous energy at her compliment. "but it doesn't make my legs any less cold."
gwen smiled to herself without offering a direct response. instead, she reached for the end of her white gloves, seamlessly blending with her spider suit, and pulled them down to the edge of her fingertips. you watched in awe as her hands, slightly larger than yours, were unveiled. you couldn't deny that her hands were a mesmerizing sight. the contrast in size between your hands due to your height difference fascinated you. you also found yourself captivated by the delicate web of visible veins and the gentle calluses on her fingers, which added a touch of personality and undeniable attractiveness. especially considering you were the girlfriend of a drummer.
"maybe i should warm them up," gwen winked, her gaze filled with a playful suggestion. she placed her hands on your legs, and your eyes widened as you felt the warmth of her palms against your skin. you were beginning to feel like a melting popsicle.
gwen's hands glided up and down your legs, generating heat through the gentle friction of her touch. each slow and tender stroke sent shivers down your spine, making it difficult to focus on anything other than the sensation of her calloused fingertips and the delightful stirrings they made you feel.
"that's... that's actually working," you mumbled, your gaze fixated on her hands as they caressed your thighs, leaving a trail of penetrating warmth with each stroke. "feels nice."
"it does?" gwen asked, genuine surprise evident in her voice. she made no effort to conceal her pleased demeanor as she continued to stroke your thighs. each movement was deliberate and firm, her fingers teasing the sensitive flesh of your skin with every caress. unable to resist, you tilted your head to the side, leaning against her to draw closer.
you lifted your head, meeting gwen's gaze in surprise. her eyes locked onto yours as she continued lazily rubbing your thighs, taking in your beauty with an appreciative gaze. her hair cascaded in a messy yet enchanting manner, the short strands framing her face and making her watercolor eyes glow as they delved into your soul. a smile graced your lips, followed by an exhale that formed a white mist in the freezing weather.
gwen's gaze intensified, her eyes fixed on your full lips, captivated by your bottom lip gently pushed out. slowly, she leaned in, her warm hands gradually shifting away from your cold thighs as your bodies drew closer together.
with only centimeters between your lips, gwen's breath danced teasingly against yours, contrasting with the cold air that brushed against your exposed arms. as her attention shifted from your thighs to your lips, you held your breath, anticipation coursing through your veins, eager to discover her next move.
her hair cascaded over her shoulders as she smiled warmly, a mischievous smirk stretching across her face.
"don't worry," gwen assured you, her voice filled with confidence. "i've got an idea."
with boldness, she leaned forward, placing a hand behind your head, drawing your faces closer together. closing the remaining short distance, her lips gently met yours, initiating a tender yet passionate kiss.
gwen skillfully parted your lips with her tongue, delicately exploring your cold mouth, savoring the sweet yet familiar taste of your lips. her grip on the nape of your neck tightened, pulling you closer as she sensually sucked on your lower lip, causing a surge of warmth and desire to rush through your veins. her breath, warm against the chilled sensation inside your mouth, created an intoxicating contrast, yet you still instinctively rocked your body against hers.
the moment felt surreal, almost dream-like, as gwen's warmth enveloped you, sending waves of relief coursing through every fiber of your being. your heart raced within your chest, your breath quickened with each passing second, as you savored every exquisite second of gwen's soft lips against yours. your hands tenderly ran through her hair, taking in her beauty.
she continued to kiss you, pulling you even closer, melding you two together. the heat emanating from her body warmed you from head to toe, your heart pounding in your chest, and your breath quickening with each passing moment.
gwen released a satisfied sigh against your lips, causing the goosebumps on your legs to dissolve into a thrilling warmth. it felt as though you were melting under her touch. from your ankles to your thighs, and all the way up to your chest, a surge of heat and fire coursed through your wintry skin, extinguishing the chill.
reluctantly, gwen pulled away, leaving a faint imprint of her lips on yours. "better?" she asked you, her voice barely above a whisper.
"sooo much better," you managed to utter, your hands instinctively holding the sides of her face. your own face blazed with heat, contrasting with the cold breeze that brushed against your skin.
gwen tilted her head, her gaze fixed on your flushed cheeks, a slight blush gracing her own face. she felt a sense of pride for her bold actions, knowing the courage it took to lean in and initiate the whole thing.
"glad to be of service," she sighed, her eyes sparkling with joy. moving closer, she pressed your head against her chest, her fingers running through your hair.
there was something primal about her touch, something that made you feel safe and secure as she enveloped you. her warm skin pressed against your cold frame, leaving a trail of sultriness wherever her hands roamed. your lips curled into a smile as you looked up at her, appreciative of how observant and gentle she is with you.
"maybe we should head inside now?" gwen suggested, rubbing her hands together.
you scoffed, noticing that she, too, was affected by the cold. "yeah, it's getting late, and i'm not tryna die of hypothermia," you muttered.
gwen giggled before wrapping her arms around you, rubbing them against your body to generate as much heat as possible.
she then pulled back, slipping her white gloves back on. your eyes followed her movements as she adjusted her web slinger on her wrist, her long and slender fingers working meticulously. the blonde shot you a look, raising an eyebrow and tilting her mouth to the side, giving you the feeling she was about to do something you wouldn’t like too much.
"what?" you mouthed, a small laugh escaping your lips as you observed her mischievous expression.
however, gwen remained silent, her actions speaking louder than words. she scooped you up in her arms, holding you in a bridal embrace, and you gasped in surprise. pausing to gaze down at your face, a blush tinted her cheeks as she admired your beauty.
"i can't let my beautiful girlfriend freeze to death," she whispered in response, jokingly.
"i can't stand you," you mumbled playfully, hiding your face behind your hands.
"oh, really?" she teased, a playful glimmer in her eyes.
with a sly smirk, she wiggled her eyebrows and leaned down, her lips hovering near your ear.
"and just in case you get cold again," she murmured, her warm breath sending shivers down your spine, "i don't mind being your personal heater."
god, she was going to be the death of you.
with effortless strength, she held you with one hand while the other pulled down her mask. shooting a web towards the nearest building, she initiated the familiar routine. you clung to her tightly, burying your head in the crook of her neck, holding on for dear life.
if gwen hadn't already melted your heart with her soft touch and her warm smile, then she definitely had now.
DO NOT STEAL, COPY, OR TRANSLATE MY WORK. ALL WRITING IS @PRIMAVIVA.
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zapreportsblog · 9 months
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A Sweet Homecoming
➥ summary: gwen comes home to her girlfriend
➥ a/n: this is pure fluff
➥ one shot
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Gwen Stacy walked into her apartment after a long and tiring adventure through the Spider-Verse. The weight of her responsibilities and the challenges she had faced weighed heavily on her, and all she wanted was to unwind and find solace in the comfort of her home.
As she stepped into the living room, she noticed her girlfriend, (Y/n), sitting in the dark with a pint of ice cream in her hand, engrossed in cartoons playing on the television. The sight made Gwen's heart swell with warmth and affection.
Instead of judging or questioning (Y/n), Gwen decided to join her. She set her bag down and settled on the floor beside her, a smile playing on her lips. She reached for a nearby pillow, hugging it against her chest, and then turned her attention to (Y/n).
(Y/n) looked up, surprise and delight lighting up her eyes as she saw Gwen joining her. "Hey, you're back," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and excitement.
Gwen nodded, her smile widening. "Yeah, I am. And it looks like I came home to the best scene ever," she replied, her voice filled with affection.
(Y/n) chuckled, scooting over to make more room for Gwen. "Ice cream and cartoons are the perfect way to unwind after a long day," she remarked, her voice filled with contentment.
Gwen grabbed a nearby blanket and draped it over both of them, creating a cozy cocoon as they sat on the floor. She reached for the remote and adjusted the volume of the cartoons, finding a comfortable level. The room filled with the familiar sounds of laughter and animated characters.
As the episodes played, Gwen and (Y/n) indulged in their ice cream, occasionally sharing bites and laughter. The room was enveloped in a sense of comfort and tranquility as they embraced the simplicity of the moment.
Gwen stole a glance at (Y/n), her heart swelling with love and appreciation. She marveled at the way (Y/n) had created a sanctuary of solace and acceptance, even in the simplest of moments. It was a testament to the depth of their connection and the unwavering support they provided for each other.
As the cartoons played on, Gwen's worries and anxieties began to melt away. She found solace in the warmth of (Y/n)'s presence, knowing that she didn't need to explain or justify her need for relaxation and comfort.
(Y/n) leaned her head against Gwen's shoulder, their connection palpable. "I missed you," she murmured, her voice filled with affection and longing.
Gwen turned her head, pressing a gentle kiss to (Y/n)'s forehead. "I missed you too, love. Being back here with you feels like coming home," she confessed, her voice filled with sincerity.
They sat together, basking in the soothing glow of the cartoons and the simple joy of each other's company. In that moment, they found solace and renewal, knowing that they had created a haven where they could be themselves, free from judgment or expectations.
As the night wore on, Gwen and (Y/n) eventually drifted off to sleep, their bodies intertwined, still surrounded by the comfort of cartoons and half-eaten containers of ice cream. The gentle lull of the television provided a soothing soundtrack to their dreams.
In that serene embrace, Gwen and (Y/n) found peace and solace. They had discovered the beauty of cherishing the simplest moments and embracing the love and understanding they shared. Together, they were unstoppable.
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i-cant-write-pls-help · 11 months
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Idea for writers
I’m thinking Deadpool and Spider-Man have a kid and it’s the reader, so they’re like a mix in between them. Super funny, yet super serious when need be, but they have more DP in their blood so they can heal like him.
Their suit is Spider-Man themed but also incorporating the DP mercenary look with combat boots, utility belt, and dual swords.
Anyway, one day they gets angry or something happens and punches a wall and their entire hand shatters. They doesn’t scream, cry, nothing. They only sigh as their hand slowly heals over, and when they turn around their Special Spider stands behind them worried and scared.
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unluckiestmember · 10 months
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Hiii, could u make headcanons for fem reader who always takes gwens clothes? Like those cardigans she wears in the movie or her shoes, stuff like that:))
Coming right up!
Gwen Stacy X "Thief" Fem! Reader
Characters: Gwen Stacy and Hobie Brown.
Tags: Established Relationship, fluff, stealing clothes, compliments, Gwen being Gwen, proud girlfriend and forgetful girlfriend.
Warning: None. SFW.
A/N: I would give all my clothes to Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy.
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Gwen has a reputation for leaving her things in places they shouldn’t be.
So that and the fact that you always somehow wear her clothes makes her wardrobe awfully small.
Whenever she leaves something unintentionally at your place, it will just so happen to be on your body the next time you two hang out.
And she has every right to be annoyed by it, but how can she when you look so cute in her clothes?!
You definitely have all her cardigans from times she slept over and forgot them.
It doesn’t help that you two are the same shoe size either so her chucks will be stolen.
But hey! It’s not your fault when duty calls Gwen just takes off her clothes effortlessly and tosses them into your room!
Outside of losing clothes, she finds you wearing her stuff to be a plus.
Not only does she get a cute sight of you in her clothes but it also makes it easier for everyone to know you’re hers.
Walking around in a red jacket with a broken zipper with the faintest scent of lavender? "Oh, you must be Gwen’s."
An old faded band shirt with a different choker every day? Either you stole from Gwen or you two were dating.
She actually felt proud every time you walked around in her clothes as your girlfriend.
And don’t even get her started on when you wear her skirts and dresses! This girl will not let up with compliments!
Has she ended up with little to no clothes in her closet because of you? Yeah.
Is it worth it? Yes.
Besides, it’s not like she doesn’t go into your wardrobe and steals your stuff too, especially shirts.
Wearing each other’s stuff has become your love language to one another.
Just make sure that love language is kept between you two though because Hobie is getting tired of having his shoes taken-
Spider-Verse Requests are open!
Likes and retweets are always appreciated! I love you all, stay hydrated and have a good day! <3
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insertyourselfhere · 10 months
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Body Swap
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A/N: Hello! I'm back with another story idea. I got the idea of course from Your Name. I needed something else to write it was hard enough that I didn't post anything yesterday. SO let me know if you guys like this idea :)
Character Pairing: Gwen Stacy (Ghost Spider) x Reader
MINOR Spoilers for ATSV, like super minor if you squint.
Description: You were hanging out in your room finishing off a book you needed to do an assignment on for school. You got bored halfway and lay the book flat on your face as you let out the biggest sigh. As you did a portal opened above your bed and you were mysteriously sucked into it. You went through this portal yelling as you did. You saw a white light at the end of the hexagon shaped tunnel and were thrown into another bed. You got up looking around noticing you weren’t in your bed anymore, you let out another yell only to not hear your voice but the voice of someone else. As soon as you stopped yelling you looked down at your hands and noticed they weren’t the same as yours, a big man with a bat came sprinting into your room who you didn’t recognise. You yelled once again and passed out from the shock.
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“Gw..” You heard a voice calling out a name, you didn’t want to wake up cause you were having the best sleep of your life so you pushed them away. They came back shaking you gently but you pushed them away again, one final time you felt a light push.
“Gwen wake up” You woke up at the name Gwen, you sat up in your bed and looked at the man leaning over you. You let out a yell at the stranger in your room.
“Woah hey it’s just me, its Dad” You curled up at the end of the bed and looked at this gentle soul who had blonde hair. He was not your dad, your dad was super dead and you definitely saw pictures of him not having blonde hair.
“What’s going on Gwen you look like you’ve seen a ghost” Who the heck was Gwen? Why did he keep calling you Gwen. You held your finger up to him and promptly got out of bed running over to the closest mirror. You walked up to it and almost yelled again but thought against it. There was your consciousness currently looking at an unfamiliar body you had never seen before. You ran your hand through your hair and realised it was cut short, you checked out the body properly and saw the half shaved head.
“Gwen are you okay?” You completely forgot about the random man in your room, well not your room but in your presence. You stood up straight and turned around.
“Uh yes…Dad I am ay-okay! Why wouldn’t you think that?” You stood there, stiff as a board, the fakest smile you had ever mustered and he just looked at you.
“You know you can tell me anything right?” He said in a typical parent fashion, you smiled and nodded your head, he sighed and got up leaving you alone in the room. As soon as he closed the door you dropped the smile and ran around finding anything you could, opening any drawers, doors, closets, cupboards. Anything you could find to figure out where you were and who you were, you felt a bit bad trying not to go through anything private but also this was an unusual situation to be in and you believed the person would understand. You came up to a drum kit and out of your eye you saw one of the screws were slightly loose. You walked over too it and loosened it a bit more, you were shocked to see a uniform and a picture of this Gwen person and someone else. You put the photo back but looked at the costume next to it.
“All unit, requesting all units we have a break in down town.” You heard a radio going off and then heard Gwen’s dad yelling from the lounge room.
“Sorry honey gotta pop out for you know, ill be back later tonight okay! Just in case there’s $20 on the counter for dinner” Her rushed out of the room and closed the front door behind him, you poked your head around the corner and saw the $20 sitting there. You went back into your room and heard the same radio going off.
“All unit’s there are 5 armed robbers, confirmed 5 armed robbers proceed with caution” You knew that Gwen’s dad took his radio so you knew that Gwen must have had one stashed in her room, sure enough it was placed in a soft toy sitting on her shelf. You grabbed the costume you saw in the drum kit and saw the Spider Mask.
“I had a feeling this Gwen was a spider too” Just to triple check you jumped high with your fingers pointed upwards and your eyes slightly closed you waited for the ground to hit your feet but it never came. You opened your eyes and sure enough you were suspended in the air with your finger tips sticking to the roof.
“Cool! Okay it might be a little different from you back home but they will have roughly all the same abilities right? Like I should be able to do this” You put on Gwen’s suit (Respectfully) and placed the mask over your face.
You awkwardly made your way out of the apartment and went to shoot webs from your wrists when you realised nothing came out and you started plummeting to the ground. You let out a loud yell and managed to catch one of the fire escapes on your way down.
“Okay so she can’t swing? I find that hard to believe let me head back up” You walked back up the apartment sticking just fine no issues, when you climbed in you say the makeshift web shooters and grabbed them.
“Bro this would suck to worry about, like what if you run out of web” You put them on and they fit perfectly, you tried again first by shooting a web and it came out successfully. You hit the button a couple more times to see that it unhooked.
“Okay cool once to shoot twice to cut it, alright I got this” 2nd Attempt was much more successful however as you were flying through the air you weren’t use to this body, yours was a bit bulkier so you had more mass to move around with where as Gwen was not small just not as heavy as you so when you threw your legs to swing you over estimated the momentum and threw yourself a bit further than you were used to.
“That’s okay we’re learning! We got this, we need to go save those people” You headed towards the scene of the crime, you spotted the cars moving around and landed on the building next to them but on the roof so you couldn’t see them. You could see Gwen’s dad was barking orders organising everyone.
“Of course he’s the captain, wouldn’t be a Spider story without some sort of twist” You dropped down near them and walked right up to the officers.
“It’s alright guys I got it from here” You tried to walk pass with no issues however the entire police force turned around and raised their guns at you.
“Don’t move Spider-Woman” You held your hands up confused, but then remembered this isn’t your world this is another world where it sems that the cops did not like you co-operating. “Sorry Gwen” You said quietly to yourself and then leapt into the air swinging away from them and towards the bank robbers.
“Sorry Officers, didn’t mean to tease, ill be right back after I’ve done your job and saved everyone” Okay so they hate you and Gwen’s father clearly has no idea who she is so we have to keep it like that. Even if this is a dream you never know, it might not be.
You made your way into the bank crawling on the ceiling, you took in your surroundings and found the 5 bank robbers, you could see that they had taken some hostages too, women and children. As cliché as it is it seems like an elementary school decided to pick today to go on a field trip to the bank. You rolled your eyes at the irony but began crawling around a bit to see if you could get a better angle.
“Alright pack those bags and move them over here, the cops are going to escort us out of here and we’ll be home free” As you surveyed the area you tried to slowly pick off each of the guys that were below one by one, you would follow them, web them and knock them out before they could alert anyone else.
As you kept doing that you managed to get 4 out of 5 of them, the last one being the boss who was barking orders and standing right next to the hostages. “I know you’re there Spider-Woman” He said holding his gun up towards the ceiling, even though you had a BRIGHT WHITE costume on you still managed to use your stealth technique and hide well in the shadows. He couldn’t see you, you scurried closer to him know you had to do this quickly so no one would get hurt.
You shot a web onto his chest and pulled him towards ou, the shock of you being so bold threw him off and he dropped his gun, you knocked him out with your fist and then stuck him to the ceiling where all his other buddies were. You dropped down towards the hostages and ran over untying them.
“Thank you Spider-Woman” They all said as they were all untie and let go out of the building, you follow them out not so far behind and then began thwipping away towards Gwen’s apartment. You smiled from ear to ear on a successful mission and absolutely loved the feeling of being a Spider no matter what dimension it was in.
You landed in Gwen’s room quickly taking off her costume, putting it away and hiding all her spider related stuff. You laid back down on her bed, you let out a small sigh and held your hands in front of your face.
“Well Gwen whoever you are we smashed it today so yay! I wonder if theres anyone I need to tell or talk to about it?” You checked her phone and saw that she had a couple of photos of that same person that you saw in the drumkit but also a couple of photos of another boy who had glasses. You went through the contacts lists and her messages to see if there was anyone you spoke too regularly. The last message you saw was from a Peter Parker dated 1.5 years ago saying “I can’t wait to see you at prom” and then nothing else, there were calls from her dad and texts from her dad but apart from that nothing else for awhile.
“Gwen, don’t tell me” And sure enough you did the one thing you shouldn’t do and that’s look up your name on spoogle (Google in this dimension), you looked up Spider-Woman, you looked up Peter Parker and were met with a horrible event.
“Spider-Woman killed Peter Parker” You shook your head refusing to believe that knowing that the media had decided to pin the blame on that boys death on someone. Apart from Peter’s death there was lots of articles, rumours, typical Spider-Woman stuff on there. You turn off the phone and placed it back down on the bedside table.
“Gwen, I am so sorry” You laid in bed for a bit longer, your breathing started to get even and your eyes started to droop. You felt your body disappear and so did all your surroundings. Soon enough you felt yourself starting to grown conscious again, opening your eyes you got up looking around frantically.
“I’m back in my room” You said out loud looking at the colours, the posters you had laying around and your clothes thrown exactly how you liked them around your room.
“Oh so it was a dream” You got up ready to start your day in your body and you were slightly happy that it was over, you were a bit disappointed though in finding out it was all a dream, you wanted to see if you could help out that imaginary person you made up. You walked into your bathroom and got a proper look at your face. You yelled as loud as you could, looking over your face all you saw were bruises, scrapes, scratches and cuts.
“No what, last thing I remember was falling asleep in bed reading that stupid book” You frantically ran around your house looking for signs, you stopped and jumped on google looking up your Spider name only to see embarrassing videos of you failing completely to apprehend your Doc Ock.
“Could this day get any worse” You sighed holding your hands in your head, as you hid away from the world your Aunt entered the room folding her hands across her chest.
“Do you want to tell me whats going on” Your body shivered at the sound of your Aunt coming into the room, you looked towards her and could see she was mad at you.
“Ah it depends can you tell me what I did yesterday” Her anger dissipated as quickly as it came and she ran over to you.
“Who’s Gwen?” She asked crouching next to you, you held your head once again not knowing how to tell your Aunt this but you swallowed your fear and looked at her.
"I'm not too sure myself A/N all I know is that shes lonely and she needs help" You said looking at your Aunt again
“Look Y/N, I don’t know whats going on, but if this is real and she comes back what are we going to do” You shrugged your shoulders not wanting to think about this problem anymore. A small part of you was hoping you were right, hoping that you got to be her again because in your heart it was like you could hear hers calling out to you. That she needed help.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do but all I know is that we need to be prepared and plan for when it happens, but I am going to need your help” She nodded and hurried back to making you breakfast, you got up looking at your face once again wincing.
“Gwen, wherever you are, I hope your okay”
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fandomnerd9602 · 11 months
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Gwen swings to Y/N's apartment...
Gwen: hey baby I missed you
Y/N: hey Gwen! I got some new gadgets for-
Gwen pulls Y/N into a kiss...
Gwen: you're all I need. You made me a parachute?
Y/N: mmm hmm
Gwen: that deserves a cuddle session
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infernalodie · 10 months
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𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 (𝐏𝐭.𝟏) || 𝐆𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐲
“𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘮, 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘎𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯“
Inspo: Sleep Token - Ascensionism
Pairing: Gwen Stacy x Black!Fem!reader
Summary: They would understand soon enough and when they did they would wish to have followed you...
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Warnings: Angst
Part Two
Words: 1461
A canon event.
It’s something Miguel had lectured to you about a year ago. The inevitability of having to lose someone that makes you and every Spider-person them. It defined you as a hero and a human being and made you realize that the positives of this job came with their negatives. Dire and unchanging ones. And sometimes you thought that you would be prepared for that day. But it was a simple lie you continued to tell yourself in the hope that it would numb the pain.
But who was Miguel to tell you how your story was supposed to go?
He worked off a theory. Off the numbers and data that an A.I. gave him. He was a man of science. Not belief. So, there has been no in-person count of what it led to if a Spider-Person stopped their canon event. Saving their loved ones and themselves from the pain that could come from it if they didn’t do what their instincts told them.
And you had planned to be the first. Wishing to prove the man wrong in every statement he’d made to your first meeting.
The plans had been set, promises were made for people to be there when that day came. You did everything you could to be prepared. You trained harder. You fought harder. All of it with the goal to protect those you could.
But you weren’t enough. Your efforts were fucking meaningless.
Looking down on New York, your swollen eyes watched the fires burn brightly. Rain soaking your braids with loose strands sticking to your forehead and cheeks. And your suit was charred and torn in multiple placements. Mask balled up in your tight fists. A wound spanning across your stomach bled continuously despite your attempt of webbing it shut for the time being.
All you wanted was for it to all stop.
You could hear it. A rapturing through reality with its natural orange glow reflecting off the puddles surrounding your spot on the edge of the clock tower. Two shadows cast on either side of your quivering figure, relaying the arrival of two people you’d trusted.
Arriving too late for it to matter.
“Y/n?” Gwen muttered, peeling her mask off and approaching your stiff figure. “Are you okay?”
You sat there for a few moments, sifting through the many emotions flowing through you at once. Pondering how to answer such a question from someone you thought to care.
“I never got to see the sunset, Gwen,” you said, words measured. “I hoped that I could feel its warmth again. But it’s been blocked out.”
A lingering absence, in reality, was the best way to describe how you spoke. And the way your eyes watched out on the city with a bittersweet smile. Something was poetic about this outcome. How after one event, everything else seemed to dissolve into chaos.
Beside her, Hobie pursed his lips at the sight of the city on fire. “That ain’t good,” he commented, staring at the chaos ensuing in your universe.
Riots, killings, and theft. All being committed under your watch. If someone asked you if you’d let it get this bad, you would say no. But whatever was left in your heart from the day before was gone. A thick, black void leaked from the wound. Its presence is only left to show you its place once held love.
Looking over your shoulder, your gaze connected to Gwen’s. It was full of anxiety and pain. “Where were you?” Tears clouded your vision. In a way, Gwen couldn’t help but find you beautiful at this moment. Rain pelting down around the two of you. Water droplets disguising the tears that slipped down your cheeks fearlessly.
But she could also see the pain in them. “You told me you would be here when I needed you! But you were elsewhere. Running around with him!” You waved your hand dismissively toward Hobie, who was confused about how he was brought into the argument. “I trusted you and you lied to me!”
“I had no way of knowing, Y/n. I wasn’t able to come here,” Gwen tried to reason, taking cautious steps toward you. “You have to understand I have no control over this. Miguel-“
A laugh erupted through your chest. It was eerie. Full of anger and frustration. And Gwen felt tiny underneath your hollowed gaze. With each provoking step, you grew larger in threat and intimidation. “Really? You’re going to blame this on Miguel?” You questioned, finally reaching her and grabbing her by the throat.
The action caused Hobie to step in. “Y/n, stop!” As Hobie reached to grab you, your claws drew. Nails swiftly carved themselves into his flesh, paralyzing him–his body becoming numb and crashing to the ground. A grunt fell from his lips as his eyes watched fearfully of your intentions.
Turning your gaze to Gwen, you tightened your grip around her thin throat. Feeling her hands slap at your arm, fingers squeezing around the limb in hopes she could break free. Yet, the struggle only enabled you to lift her off the ground. A blood-boiling rage mounting levels that combatted any level of understanding you held for the girl.
This wasn’t about you losing your sister. This wasn’t related to Miguel or any of the other Spider-People. This was about Gwen. Her promise. Her reassurance that everything would be fine–and you fucking believed it.
She twisted your expectations. Betting on a piece of fiction that was riddled with lies of its consistency to your story. Her words, her whispered lies of misconstrued success–They were all hopeless conceptions to place in your mind. A methodical game of chess that she’s been winning from the first move.
But even with this outlook on her, you couldn’t understand why. Why would she do this? Why would she leave you on your own? Why wouldn’t she just say she couldn’t be there? Why, why, why? Too many questions for a simple answer to justify. And it posed the final question rattling in your head; do you even want to know why?
“If you cared about me, you would’ve been here to help me. If Miles were trusted, he would’ve been here. He would’ve tried to save my sister. He would’ve followed through on a promise.” Clenching your jaw, you squeezed a little tighter, teeth clamping together. The faint wobbling of your lips was evident as your nose twitched in frustration. “What does that say about you?”
Gwen bit her lip, hoping the pain would suppress the stinging behind her eyes. Managing to find leverage with her feet pressing on your chest, pushing away just enough to let out a choked, “I’m sorry.”
Two words. An apology that was not only long overdue but meaningless. Not when you had buried Amelie yourself. When you had to listen to her whimpers, hands holding onto your arms demanding you reveal yourself to her.
Gwen should’ve been here.
“If you’d asked me to be there for you, I would’ve been there in an instant. The same goes for Miles,” you confessed shamelessly. The idea of restrictions on emotions is unveiled by the brutal and honest truth of your pain. Displaying the bitter ink that seeped through your eyes, masking themselves in tears. “And that’s because I love you two too much to see you both be in pain. I would do anything to take that pain and place it on my shoulders. But you lied!”
Through the open skylight of the clock tower, the clouds shifted from obscuring the large rock floating in space. And the moonlight spilled through the glass and revealed Gwen’s tear-stained cheeks. There was a second of hesitance. A flicker of question in yourself. But you pushed it aside, clenching your jaw. “And I won’t let you or any more of us do that.” Grabbing her wrist, you peeled the interdimensional travel watch from her wrist and tossed her aside.
Gwen hit the ground with a thud, rolling across the wet rooftop until she was laid beside Hobie. But when she found you, the portal using the watch was activated. The destination was unknown to her.
“Y/n, stop, please!” The blonde cried. “You don’t have to do this. We can talk about this!”
But you kept your back to her, hoping the ink leaking from your eyes wouldn’t be noticed. “I continued because I wanted to be ready for the day you came when I needed you,” you muttered. “You made me this way, Gwen.”
Gwen leaned Hobie against a wall, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder as he closed his eyes. She fell to his side, placing her hands over her face. The sunrise. The start of something new.
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