Spider-Gwen || Caught in a Web

Change of Plans || Gwen Stacy

"Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world"

-Don't Stop Believin', Journey

The first five minutes of the car ride were dead silent-all three of the occupants in George Stacy's police cruiser could've heard a pin drop. Gwen shifted uncomfortably in the passenger's seat, taking a glance at the rearview mirror. Owen was in the middle of the backseat, offering his prom date a smile through the cage that separated him from the front seats. 

This felt so unnecessary... but then again, it did show just how badly Owen wanted to spend time with her. If he was just looking for a bump up the social ladder at school, he wouldn't subject himself to this much degradation. 

"So, Owen..." George Stacy's voice cut the silence like a hot knife through butter. "...What else do you like to do in your spare time? Besides talking to my daughter?"

"Dad-" Gwen chided, her eyes pleading with her father to cool it just a little bit. She understood that he was just trying to have a little fun, and so far Owen had taken it in stride. But she didn't know how much longer her date could continue to be a good sport about this.

A thoughtful sigh went up from the backseat, and Gwen checked the mirror again to see Owen tilting his head in thought. "Well... I... I don't know if playing baseball counts as 'spare time' since it's technically a school function-" 

"Baseball?" Gwen's father looked at the mirror, losing the tough guy expression and looking at Owen curiously. "Is that so?"

"Y-yeah." Owen stammered, caught off-guard by George's sudden shift in demeanor. "I've been playing since I was a kid." Gwen watched her father nod understandingly, hints of a smile beginning to creep onto his face. Of all the things in the world to get these two to bond... Gwen thought to herself. ...Should've figured, it's a sport. Boys will be boys.

"So, you play for Midtown?" George asked, and Owen nodded. "Yeah, I play shortstop-" 

"Whoa, really?!!" Gwen's father whistled, impressed as he made a right turn. "That's no joke, especially at the high school level." 

Was Gwen slightly interested in having an athlete as a boyfriend? Sure. Did that mean she really understood baseball? No, not one bit.

George cleared his throat, shifting in his chair. The way his posture changed, how his shoulders went back slightly-Gwen knew exactly where this was going. "Oh, no... please-" 

"You know, Owen..." Gwen's father trailed off, paying attention to the traffic-clogged streets of the city. "...I actually hold the record for most home runs in a single game at Midtown." 

"Really?" Owen said, enthusiasm prevalent in his voice as Gwen cringed at her father reliving his glory days. 

"Mm-hmm. Hit four in one game against North Jersey High in my senior year. They kept trotting out new pitchers that didn't know how to throw, and I took full advantage of them."

The way that George and Owen both laughed at the same time left Gwen dumbfounded. Eventually she was going to be glad that her father and Owen had found a way to connect, but she was never going to understand how all men seemed to think the exact same things about the sports they loved.

As they pulled up to a red light, George held his foot on the brake and turned to see Owen. "Do they have your stats posted on the school's webpage?" 

"Mm-hmm." Gwen's father eagerly pulled out his phone, typing away at it until he pulled up the school's athletics page. After a few seconds of scrolling, his jaw popped open.