Today was an absolutely beautiful day.
While the Caribbean summer could be a suffocating, unbearable blanket of humidity, Puerto Rico in the late fall was nothing short of paradise. The sun was warm, the ocean breeze was crisp, and the sky was a brilliant, sprawling blue.
It was the perfect setting for a date. It was also the most nerve-wracking day of Peter Parker's entire life.
"So, where should we go first?" Gwen asked, turning to look at Peter with a bright, expectant gleam in her eyes.
Peter opened his mouth, his brain frantically searching for the perfect, romantic itinerary. His mind instantly went blank. "Uh. You decide. I'm fine with literally anything."
Gwen let out a long, exaggerated sigh. She strongly suspected that Peter's current romantic predicament was largely due to his chronic "I'll do whatever you want" attitude. He was too accommodating for his own good.
"Fine," Gwen muttered, shrugging helplessly. "Follow me."
She led him toward the open-air commercial district. Truthfully, Gwen hadn't planned to buy anything; she just didn't really know where else to start besides the local shops. Maybe a movie? she thought. No, that's way too cliché for our first actual date.
Gwen walked a few paces ahead, looking around at the colorful storefronts. After a moment, she stopped abruptly to check a map on her phone.
Peter, who was trailing exactly two steps behind her like a highly trained bodyguard, immediately hit the brakes and stopped too.
Gwen intentionally hadn't used her newly awakened "Ghost" ability at all today. Peter had been genuinely terrified that the residual Cosmic Cube energy might glitch and permanently erase her from existence, so he had forbidden her from using it until Reed or the X-Men could run a full diagnostic. So, Gwen was just being normal, ordinary Gwen.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, looking bewildered by the sudden halt.
Gwen spun around, planting her hands on her hips. She glared up at him. "Are you just planning to passively follow me like a lost puppy this entire time?"
"What?" Peter blinked, his posture stiffening. "No! I mean, is that not okay? I'm sorry!"
"If you apologize one more time, Peter Parker, I swear I will drag you onto the highest drop-tower ride on this island, and I will turn completely invisible right before they pull the lever," Gwen threatened, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward. She reached out and firmly grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers. "So stop overthinking it and just walk with me, smart boy."
Peter let out a heavy breath, his tense shoulders finally dropping as he felt the warmth of her hand in his. Even though Gwen called him a genius, he felt like an absolute idiot when it came to dating.
San Juan was a city of beautiful contrasts. Just as Manhattan had the towering skyscrapers of Midtown and the historic brick of the Lower East Side, San Juan was divided into two distinct worlds: the modern, bustling new city, and the cobblestone charm of Old San Juan.
Gwen led Peter directly toward the historic district, situated on a small islet overlooking the harbor. The narrow streets were lined with pastel-colored colonial buildings, ancient churches, and massive stone fortresses left behind by centuries of history.
"Wait a second. Stand right there," Peter said suddenly, pulling his camera out of his backpack.
Gwen paused, leaning back against the weathered stone battlements of Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Behind her, the endless, sparkling blue expanse of the Caribbean Sea stretched out to the horizon. She was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and a navy blue knee-length skirt, with a light green trench coat draped over her shoulders to block the ocean breeze.
"Do you think I'd disappear from photographs if I activated my power right now?" Gwen asked curiously, posing for the lens.
"First of all, we are not testing your reality-warping abilities while standing on a cliff," Peter said, adjusting the focus ring. "Secondly, please don't. You're way too photogenic to be a ghost."
The weather was playing along perfectly. Thin, wispy clouds scattered across the sky like milk poured into clear water, softening the harsh sunlight.
Peter snapped the photo. Gwen immediately jogged over, leaning into his side to look at the digital preview screen.
"Oh, wow. You actually take really good pictures," Gwen smiled, bumping her shoulder against his. She snatched the camera from his hands. "Alright, my turn. Go stand over there."
Peter awkwardly shuffled over to the wall, giving a stiff, incredibly unnatural thumbs-up. Gwen fiddled with the settings for a second before pressing the shutter.
She looked at the screen and immediately cringed, sticking her tongue out. The lighting was entirely blown out, and Peter looked like he was being held hostage.
"Okay, never mind," Gwen laughed, handing the camera back. She simply wrapped her arm tightly around Peter's waist, pulled him close, and held up her smartphone. "This method works way better."
She snapped a quick selfie of them smiling together against the ocean backdrop.
"Alright, hurry up," Gwen beamed, tugging his arm. "We still have a lot of places to see."
Peter felt a subtle wave of confusion wash over him. In his memory, ancient historical sites and dusty museums weren't exactly Gwen's preferred hangout spots. She was a science geek. She liked bio-labs and tech expos.
"Is this really the kind of place you like?" Peter asked carefully as they walked toward the fortress entrance.
"No, I definitely prefer high-tech laboratories and stuff like that," Gwen admitted cheerfully. "But there aren't exactly any secret underground bio-labs open for public tours here. So, ancient castles are a solid second choice."
Peter let out a quiet, somewhat melancholy sigh, though a small smile tugged at his lips. He let her lead him directly into the Puerto Rican History Museum housed within the white walls of El Morro.
"So," Gwen said, looking up at a massive display of 16th-century naval artillery. She squeezed his hand. "Care to give me the VIP tour guide experience? What's the story behind all this?"
"I, uh... I actually don't know much about colonial Caribbean history," Peter admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But... I'll try my best."
[YOU COULD LITERALLY MAKE UP ANYTHING YOU WANT, PETER,] Venom's deep voice rumbled inside Peter's skull. [SHE CLEARLY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE ARTIFACTS. SHE IS MERELY ENJOYING YOUR VOICE.]
How do you even know so much about human dating dynamics? Peter thought, slightly exasperated.
[I WATCH SOAP OPERA WHILE YOU ARE ASLEEP,] the symbiote replied smugly. [TRUST ME. I AM AN EXPERT IN THE DRAMATIC ARTS.]
Peter let out an awkward chuckle, shaking his head. He gave up trying to be an expert and just started reading the information plaques out loud, adding his own nerdy, slightly sarcastic commentary to the historical events.
Surprisingly, it worked perfectly. As they wandered through the museum, the tension slowly drained out of Peter's spine. He finally relaxed. They spent the next two hours just walking hand-in-hand through the cool stone corridors, laughing at terrible historical haircuts and enjoying the quiet intimacy.
Technically, they were supposed to have the entire day for their date, but reality was a bit more compressed. While Major Carol Danvers was still recovering from her literal death-and-resurrection experience, the Midtown High school faculty was insisting on continuing the afternoon portion of the college tour. Their "full day" was essentially just the morning.
Seeing the time on his watch, Peter guided Gwen out of the castle and back toward the newer part of the city to find a place for lunch.
As they walked across a pedestrian bridge overlooking the sparkling water, Gwen leaned over the railing and sighed happily. "Man, what a pity it's November. If it was summer, I definitely would have packed a swimsuit."
Peter smirked, leaning against the railing next to her. "Doesn't Uncle George strictly enforce a 'one-piece only' rule? I'm pretty sure your dad would arrest anyone who sold you a bikini."
Gwen laughed, a bright, genuine sound. She turned her head, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Peter. Her expression slowly turned thoughtful.
"What do you think my dad's reaction would be if... I mean, hypothetically... if we actually started dating?"
Peter gulped, suddenly feeling very put on the spot. "I'm... a little hesitant to guess. Cops with guns make me nervous."
Gwen just smiled and tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Peter was completely oblivious to his own reputation. Sure, half the NYPD thought Spider-Man was a menace, but to Captain George Stacy, Peter Parker was the gold standard of a "good kid." If George found out Peter was dating his daughter, the strict police captain would probably throw a parade.
Gwen stepped away from the railing, turning to face him fully.
"Okay, Pete. There is one last thing we need to do on this date," Gwen said, her voice dropping a fraction of an octave. "And it's not about getting lunch."
"What is—?"
Before Peter could finish the sentence, Gwen stepped smoothly into his personal space. She reached up, wrapping both of her arms securely around his neck, and pulled him down.
She pressed her lips firmly against his.
Peter's eyes went wide, his heart hammering violently against his ribs. His hands hovered awkwardly in the air for a second before he finally, tentatively, rested them on her waist. It was warm, sudden, and completely electrifying.
A few seconds later, Gwen pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, but her gaze was intensely focused. She asked the single question she had been dying to know since Cindy Moon had made her move.
"Did that make you feel disgusted?" Gwen whispered.
Peter stared at her, completely breathless. "No. Not even a little bit."
Gwen's smile was absolutely radiant.
"Okay," she whispered, pulling him back in. "Shall we do it again?"