chapter twenty-two:
❛ kisses on a roof of the hotel ❜

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Gwen Stacy sat in front of her bathroom mirror, her reflection showing the exhaustion of her long night. She had just finished her fifth shower, trying desperately to get the nauseating stench of the sewers off her. It was a reminder of how things didn't always go according to plan when you were Spider-Woman. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been in such a mess. The sludge, the smell, the constant risk-it was all part of the job, but it never made it easier. The fact that she had been trapped in that sewer for hours before she managed to escape was something she could laugh about later, but right now, she just felt frustrated and tired.

Her curly hair was still damp, a bit too wild for her liking, but she didn't have the energy to deal with it. She worked the towel through her hair, trying to get rid of the last traces of water. The pungent smell that lingered after getting stuck down there had taken far more than five showers to remove, and even then, it wasn't completely gone. But it was better than it had been.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, frowning at the dullness in her eyes. She hadn't gotten enough sleep in days, and she hadn't had a good meal either. The constant battle of balancing her life as Gwen Stacy and Spider-Woman was beginning to wear on her.

With a deep sigh, she got dressed, her clothes feeling too tight in some places, too loose in others. She didn't care. She just wanted to get out of the hotel room, away from the staleness of her thoughts, away from the clutter of her emotions.

The hotel hallways were quiet, but her mind was far from it. She had a meeting with Peter, but as she approached his room, she passed MJ's door, and the familiar prickling of being watched hit her. She didn't need to look to know that MJ was staring at her.

"Can you stop staring at me?" Gwen snapped, her tone sharper than she meant. She wasn't in the mood for MJ's usual inquisitive looks today.

MJ, ever unbothered, raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into an almost-smile. "You have a secret, Gwen," she said in that signature, nonchalant tone. "And I'm gonna find out if it's why we stopped being friends."

Gwen's eyes narrowed, but MJ was already slipping back into her room, leaving Gwen to shake her head and walk away. As much as MJ liked to pretend she wasn't bothered, Gwen knew that behind her cool façade, there were layers of curiosity and a need to uncover the truth, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. It was one of the reasons their friendship had faltered-MJ was too perceptive, and Gwen had too many secrets.

She reached Peter's door and knocked, hoping for a distraction. Ned opened it, looking surprised to see her.

"Looking for Peter?" Ned asked, his usual playful demeanor apparent.

"Yeah," Gwen said, giving him a quick nod. "He around?"

"Yeah, he's on the roof," Ned said, pointing upwards. "You know how he is when he's brooding."

Gwen let out a short laugh. "Thanks." She gave Ned a quick smile, then turned toward the stairwell.

It didn't take long to find her way to the roof. The door was already ajar when she arrived, and as she stepped out into the night air, she saw him. Peter was sitting on the edge of the roof, upside down as usual, his legs dangling freely. It was one of those things that felt almost normal for them-two spider-powered people having a conversation while defying gravity. She shot a web toward the ceiling, using it to swing herself up to sit beside him in a mirrored position.

"What's up?" Gwen asked, her voice casual, though she could see the weight behind Peter's posture.

Peter sighed, his eyes distant as they scanned the skyline. The city's lights blurred beneath them, giving everything a soft, almost dreamy glow. But for Peter, there was no peace in this view, not right now.

"I miss Tony," Peter said, his voice quiet, almost fragile as he let the words fall between them like a confession.

Gwen's heart twisted at the mention of Tony Stark. She had known Peter long enough to recognize the raw grief that still clung to him, even after everything had passed. Tony had been more than a mentor. He had been a father figure, a hero, and his absence was a gaping wound in Peter's life.

"I know, Peter," Gwen replied, her voice soft but firm, her words steeped in understanding. "He saved the world. He saved you. He saved me. If it weren't for him... none of us would've come back. None of us would've been here."

Peter's eyes flicked over to her, his gaze haunted. "I know. But... it wasn't just that. It was terrifying, Gwen. You don't understand. Being up in space... when I started disappearing into dust... it felt like I was being ripped apart. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to go." His voice cracked on the last word, and Gwen felt her chest tighten at the vulnerability he was showing her.

Gwen looked at him, her heart aching for him. She had seen him struggle, seen him try to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders for so long. They both had their scars, and some of those scars went far deeper than the physical ones. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder gently.

"I know, Peter," she whispered, her voice steady with the truth they both carried. "I know. It was terrifying for all of us. We didn't know if we'd come back, or if anyone would."

Peter let out a breath, his body deflating just a little, the tension easing ever so slightly. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting more than just pain-there was gratitude too, for the fact that they could talk about these things.

Gwen shifted, feeling the weight of her own emotions coming to the surface. "When I came back... my mom has a new boyfriend. He has a daughter, Melina. Then there's Max... He's 13. And I-God, I didn't even realize how much time had passed until I saw him. He's so grown up. I missed out on so much of his life. It feels like I'm a stranger in my own family. And, technically, we should be 22 now... but we're still 17. It's like everything else moved on without us."

Peter nodded slowly, his eyes softening with understanding. "Yeah... it's like that for me, too. Everything changed, but... it hasn't changed, you know? It's like time moved without us, and now we're just... stuck, in a way."

Gwen nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had never realized how much she needed someone to understand until now. Peter did, in a way that no one else could.

And then, as if the floodgates had opened, Gwen continued. "And my dad... he worked with the Vulture. He's in prison now. I've visited him a couple of times. I think he's trying to work on himself. When I died, when the blip happened, and he found out that I was one of the people who disappeared, it broke him. He spiraled, Peter. He felt like he failed as a father. Now, he's trying to take a goodness class in prison. I don't know... it's hard. But... I think he's trying."

Peter listened quietly, his expression sympathetic. "It's tough. I know it is. But at least he's trying. That counts for something."

Gwen gave him a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah... yeah, it does."

They both sat in silence for a while, the only sound between them the rustling of the wind. Gwen's mind wandered to the people they had lost, to the things that had been broken and never fully healed. But as she sat beside Peter, she realized that maybe things didn't have to be perfect to be okay. Maybe, just maybe, they could find some kind of peace in each other's company. They didn't need to have everything figured out. They just needed to be there for each other.

And for now, that was enough.

Peter and Gwen sat in the silence of the rooftop for a few moments, the weight of their shared experiences still heavy in the air between them. Gwen absentmindedly swung her legs, still upside down, as she tried to process everything they'd talked about.

It was Peter who broke the silence, his voice tinged with a sort of guilt. "You know, I gave the glasses to Mysterio."

Gwen's brows furrowed, her expression shifting to one of mild shock. "Wait, what? You gave him the glasses?"

Peter nodded, the weight of the decision still on him. "Yeah. I thought... I thought maybe he could be another father figure, like Tony was. I mean, he seemed like he knew what he was doing, right? He was part of the whole 'Spider-Man's mentor' thing, and I thought maybe he could fill the void Tony left behind."

Gwen's eyes widened as she processed his words. She hadn't realized Peter had been that desperate to find another mentor, someone to fill the space Tony Stark had left when he died. But even as she understood, she felt a pit of discomfort at the thought of Mysterio being in that position. "Peter... Mysterio?" she repeated, her voice incredulous. "You really trusted him that much?"

Peter shifted, his hands rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I thought... I thought he could help. I guess I was wrong. I was so messed up about losing Tony that I didn't want to think that maybe the next guy who came along wasn't trustworthy."

Gwen nodded slowly, her lips pressed into a tight line. "I get it. But, you know... Mysterio gives me the creeps."

Peter let out a laugh, a small chuckle escaping his lips, which helped lighten the mood between them. "Yeah, me too, now. But back then, I was just... trying to fill that gap. I don't know. Sometimes, it feels like everything I do is just one big mistake after another."

Gwen reached over, placing a reassuring hand on his. "It's not your fault, Pete. You're only human." Her words were soft, comforting, as she met his gaze. There was an unspoken understanding between them-two people who had both lost too much, and who both needed each other in this moment of weakness.

Without another word, Peter leaned in, and Gwen followed, their lips meeting in a kiss that felt like it had been a long time coming. It was slow at first, tentative, as if they were both gauging how far they could go. But soon, the kiss deepened, becoming more passionate, more urgent.

Gwen's heart raced as she felt the electric connection between them. She had always admired Peter, respected him for his strength, his perseverance. But in this moment, there was something more, something raw that neither of them could deny. Their shared history, the chaos, the battles, and the personal struggles-they had experienced it all, and this was the culmination of everything they had been through.

But just as things were starting to escalate, a distant noise cut through the moment. Peter and Gwen froze, pulling apart quickly, their heads snapping toward the edge of the roof. They remained still, hoping they hadn't been heard.

"Did you hear that?" Gwen whispered, her eyes scanning the darkness. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

Peter nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing as he tilted his head to peek over the edge of the roof. "Shit. The drones are back."

Gwen's stomach dropped at the sight of the small flying drones circling below. Her mind raced as she processed the situation. "What are they doing here?" she muttered under her breath.

Peter's eyes followed the drones as they hovered, scanning the area. "Apparently, Mysterio has been sending them out for surveillance. Keeping tabs on... everything, I guess."

Gwen scoffed, her voice thick with disbelief. "You really believe him, Peter? After everything that's happened?"

Peter hesitated, his gaze flickering as he watched the drones fly around. "I don't know. It's... hard to ignore the evidence. But maybe he's not working alone anymore."

Gwen didn't respond at first, her eyes still trained on the drones. They were all too familiar now. The chaos they brought, the fear they instilled in her, the constant reminder of Mysterio's manipulations. She hated them.

"Come on," Peter said, taking her hand and pulling her back onto the roof. "Let's get out of here. We can deal with Mysterio later."

Gwen sighed, looking over at Peter with a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. "Peter... those drones... they made me think my brother was dead. I was trapped in those damn sewers for like hours, and all I could think about was him, that he was gone. And you... you don't know how much it messes with my head, knowing he's still out there, still in danger."

Peter brushed it off, his expression softening. "I get it, Gwen. But we've gotta stay focused right now. We can't let him-or those drones-distract us."

She looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah, I know. But I'm still so damn tired."

Peter glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I hear you. Let's head back to the hotel. We'll figure it out tomorrow."

With a final glance toward the drones, which were now flying off into the distance, Gwen nodded. She was done with the rooftop for tonight. All she wanted was to lie down, escape the weight of the world for a few hours, and find some peace-if only for a little while.

Together, they made their way back to the hotel, the weight of the night still lingering, but a small sense of relief settling between them. Maybe tomorrow they could tackle whatever Mysterio had planned. But for now, they were just two kids trying to survive in a world that constantly pulled them in different directions.

ASH SPEAKS!

NEXT CHAPTER MJ FINDS OUT!!! EEK

gwen and peter kissed AGAIN! and didnt say anything about it... two nervous teens if i say so

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)