Peter's hands gripped the soft curve of Gwen's waist, surprised at how tender it felt, like holding two warm loaves of bread. Her high-quality brown-gray thermal shirt only heightened the sensation, the fabric smooth beneath his fingers.
Startled, Gwen clutched Peter's arm and refused to let go, pressing herself firmly against his chest. His heart quivered, his breath coming faster.
She lifted her head, staring in disbelief at the webs wrapped around her body. Her beautiful eyes brimmed with shock and denial as she trembled and whispered,
"It's you…"
Her words dissolved into muffled whimpers.
Before she could finish, Peter silenced her with his lips, pressing against the hollow of her throat. He had already lost control. Gwen's pale arms slipped free from her sleeves, her face flushed, eyes closing slowly.
Her lips—soft, tender, and vividly red melted into his own. The two of them seemed fused together, inseparable. The faint taste of European sea bass from earlier quickly gave way to the sweetness of strawberry lip balm, and Gwen let out a faint, unconscious hum.
Peter's hands grew restless, sliding past her cheeks and shoulders. Gwen's body radiated heat, as if she were a thermometer pressed against someone burning with fever.
At last, their lips parted.
Gwen buried her head against his chest, listening to the pounding of his heart. Then she looked up at his lean, determined face. With slender fingers, she brushed his stubbled chin, felt the prickle of short hairs, and, panting softly, whispered,
"It's you… you're Spider-Man."
Unwilling to let her speak, Peter pressed his mouth to hers again.
"Don't talk."
Her words were swallowed once more, lost in his breath and his kiss.
Feeling her delicate body shift in his arms, Peter realized even through his own denseness that Gwen had feelings for him too. That knowledge softened him. The frantic urgency of moments earlier faded, replaced with a slower, savoring sweetness.
Neither of them was skilled at kissing. Gwen had once mentioned someone "biting" her before, but Peter knew it could only have been a handful of times, none lasting more than ten seconds. Otherwise, her technique wouldn't be so raw, so tentative.
As he held her, he felt her stiffness melt away. Her cheeks grew flushed, her breath quickened, and the soft hums from her throat only drew him in further. For the first time, Peter let down every guard, embracing the honesty of this intimate connection.
"Gwen? Gwen!"
Stacy's voice drifted closer. She had been sitting idly at the dinner table with her husband, restless. Concerned for her daughter's safety and wanting to apologize to the boy—she decided to check the balcony. What she found was two teenagers clinging tightly to one another, bodies pressed so close it looked as if they wanted to merge, lips crushed together until even Gwen's proud nose bridge seemed bent under the pressure.
Startled from their haze, Peter and Gwen pulled apart. Gwen's face blazed red as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
But Stacy, experienced and calm, neither screamed nor scolded. Instead, she said evenly,
"Your father wants to see you for a moment, alright?"
Gwen tightened her shirt around herself, too embarrassed to meet her mother's eyes.
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Peter wanted nothing more than to vanish. He turned his back, leaning against the balcony railing, shame crashing over him. How could he face Stacy after kissing her daughter like that? He was certain she wanted to strangle him.
"Gwen!"
Her mother called again. Gwen reluctantly stole a glance at Peter. She had just uncovered the truth about her boyfriend's identity, and countless questions swirled inside her journey as a superhero, his feelings for her. But instead of words, they had drowned themselves in kisses.
Now, her mother's voice left her no choice. Their eyes lingered, unwilling to part.
Suddenly, sirens wailed in the distance.
Peter's eyes widened as reality snapped him back. Gwen turned toward the sound, but before she could react, he had already flipped over the balcony and disappeared into the night.
Watching the space where he had vanished, Gwen whispered,
"Oh no… I'm in big trouble."
Inside, Stacy sat alone on the sofa, still in her fitted black dress and slippers, her pale feet bare against the warmth of the fire. Outside, the night froze, but inside, the blaze made the house feel like spring.
"Mom…"
Gwen walked in, still flushed with embarrassment, but noticed her father wasn't there.
Stacy beckoned her over.
"Your father just got a call from the precinct. There's been a major accident on the Brooks Bridge—heavy casualties. They needed extra help, so he left right away."
Gwen drifted closer and leaned against her mother. Stacy stroked her daughter's silky blonde hair, and Gwen, like a kitten, closed her eyes and nestled deeper into her mother's shoulder. Surrounded by her mother's soft fragrance, her restless heart began to calm.
"Do you like him?"
Stacy's voice was gentle.
At the mention of Peter, Gwen's sapphire eyes lit up instantly. But all she spoke of was his school life. The earth-shaking secret she had uncovered would remain untold hers alone to carry.
Even so, the thought tugged a smile from her lips. Stacy noticed and understood. Her daughter was already hopelessly trapped in the web of that ordinary boy. What she didn't realize was that this boy truly could weave a web.
Meanwhile, Nova sat in the car, her expression clouded. It wasn't just Peter on her mind, but also Aetheris's warning that one day, aliens would invade. If that were to come true, would everything she held now simply vanish into nothingness?
(End of Chapter)
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