At 6:55pm Peter knocked on Gwen's door; a small boutique of white lilies in hand. After a shower, shave and decent clothes he actually didn't look like shit for once. Gwen opened the door quickly greeting him with an excited smile.
She looked stunning in knee high brown boots with a cream colored dress and a brown leather jacket that fell just above her waist. Her makeup was simple and her hair was long, falling in soft curls around her face.
"Hey, Ace. You clean up nice."
Peter grinned, handing her the flowers quickly as she ushered him inside. "Thank you," She assured as he followed her into the kitchen where she put the flowers in a vase of water and turned to him. He stood awkwardly in the threshold of the kitchen door - glancing at everything but the beautiful girl in front of him.
"So, dinner? What do spider men eat?"
They laughed at her earlier words.
"Pizza. Burgers. Junk mostly. I really need to get on a stricter diet."
Gwen rolled her eyes, grabbing her clutch from a nearby table. "You forget I've seen you without a shirt on, Ace." She said with a wink, brushing past him - leaving the hero speechless in the kitchen.
X
"My parents have been trying to get a reservation here for a month! How...?"
Gwen looked up at Peter as they exited the cab; surprised he was looking at her and not the impressive building before them. He didn't want to tell her he'd gotten lucky and scored a reservation on a whim last week; silently praying she'd say yes when he asked her to dinner.
"I have connections." He lied, immediately regretting the fib. Gwen grinned, catching his bluff quickly. "No, I don't. I happened to be swinging by and heard someone canceling their reservation."
Gwen laughed, linking her arm in his as they made their way to the restaurant. Once inside they were seated quickly in a secluded corner booth, the area illuminated by tiny tea-light candles and soft violin music.
"This place is amazing. Thank you for bringing me here."
Peter smiled from across the table; taking her in. The elegant surroundings did her no justice - she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
"How have you been?" She asked once their appetizer was in front of them. The waiter had taken their orders and assured in a heavy French accent he would be back momentarily with complimentary wine. "Better. I'm not getting my ass kicked as much this week. There's still a lot of prisoners to round up after the prison break. Yuri's been keeping me busy."
"Yuri Watanabe?"
Peter nodded.
"My dad's successor. He retired from the force several years ago."
"Your dad's George Stacy?" A respectable former police captain. He helped aid Spider-Man several times before his retirement. "The one and only. He's a big fan of yours - said the only reason he would agree to let me get my own place in the city was because you were watching the streets."
Peter laughed at the thought. "Well he wasn't wrong."
Gwen smiled - searching Peter's handsome face. "What you do truly is amazing." She assured, thinking back on all the heroic times he'd saved the city. The waiter returned with the wine and salads causing Gwen to sit back in her seat. She had to remember that not everyone knew Peter was Spider-Man. "I'm just a guy in spandex who got bit by a spider. You, helping all those people at F.E.A.S.T and Miles? You're the real hero's of the city."
It sounded cheesy but Gwen smiled anyway, taking a bite of food.
X
"I've got to find a real job. May didn't have much left after uncle Ben died and I can't bring myself to go through their stuff yet." Peter muttered, looking down into his cup of ice cream as he and Gwen strolled through Central Park. She placed her spoon in her mouth carefully and frowned; nodding. "I'll help you, you know, when you're ready."
They slowed as Peter turned to her; she never ceased to amaze him even in the short time they'd known each other. "Thank you." He assured quietly, lost in her as they found themselves standing in front of a man with a Polaroid camera taking pictures for five dollars. Gwen asked for two pictures and gave him a ten, pulling Peter into her side. With the first snap Peter stood tall; smiling directly into the camera as Gwen looked up at him in awe. The second picture he looked down at her with a grin as she made a funny face; sticking her tongue out and shooting a peace sign to the camera-man.
Once they were done she handed him the second picture with a grin. "To remembering this night forever." She assured, lifting a spoonful of mint chocolate chip in the air. Peter followed suit and they touched spoons before placing them in their mouths.
X
Weeks later...
Gwen stood on the busy streets of Manhattan trying to hail a cab as people wizzed by her in a rush to get from A to B. She had class at 9am and it was halfway across the city.
With a swoosh Spider-Man swung low to the street, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and hoisting her up into the air with him. He held her tight against his side as she gasped, clinging to him.
"Jesus, Peter. You're going to give me a heart attack!" She squealed, holding him tighter as they rose into the air with each fling of his wrist. "I've got you." He assured in her ear, swinging them even higher above the busy streets. A few moments later he landed them gently on the top of NYU's basic science building with ten minutes to spare. He pulled off his mask quickly and grinned at her wind blown hair; "It's the only way to travel." Assuring as she smoothed her hair and stepped into his embrace. He kissed her gently; placing a hand on her neck as she deepened the kiss - clutching the fabric on his chest.
"Do you have to go to class?" He groaned once she pulled away from him. "Yeah, unfortunately." Gwen whispered, touching her lips once his left hers. Would he always leave her wanting more? "This is finals week. Graduation is next Friday. You'll come right?"
"I wouldn't miss it."
"My parents are having a thing afterwards. If you wanted to come."
Peter grinned, holding her around the waist as she looked up at him. The sky reflecting in those blue orbs made her eyes dance like sapphires. "If you want me there, I'm there." He assured, leaning down to kiss her again. This time she didn't pull away - the hell with school; with everything. They kissed until their lungs burned with needed air and then they stopped just long enough to kiss again.
"You're late." He whispered against her mouth as her fingers twisted into his hair; pulling him closer. "Don't care," she mumbled; pressing her body against his. His heart was beating heavy in his chest; her smell, her taste - consumed him. "Gwen," He groaned against her mouth as police sirens wailed suddenly in the background.
She finally put some space between them; breathing hard. "I gotta go." He whispered, glancing over his shoulder as squad cars rounded the corner below them. "Ok, Ace. Go get 'em."
"You need a lift down?"
"Nah, I'll take the stairs. I'm already late."
Peter smiled before replacing his mask. "Alright, beautiful. Until next time." Gwen winked as he backed off the ledge of the building and swung down to assist the police officers on the street.
X
