Gwen was completely floored by the sheer scale of Peter's vision.
As he spoke, she could feel the gap between them widening—not in a way that pushed her away, but in a way that filled her with awe. His perspective, his strategic mind, and his capabilities were far beyond her own.
What touched her most, however, was that despite his grand ambitions, Peter wasn't cold-blooded. She had assumed "The Arbiter" had been "disappearing" villains like Shocker and Green Goblin into some shallow grave.
But now she saw the truth: Peter was saving the parts of them that could be saved.
As for Electro... while Gwen generally abhorred taking a life, she found herself supporting Peter's decision with every fiber of her being.
Looking at the man before her—strong, kind, and brilliant—her affection deepened into something bordering on worship.
She couldn't help but want to lighten his burden. "Actually, speaking of the Fist of Shadow, I think I know a perfect candidate."
"Oh?" Peter feigned curiosity, though he already had a hunch. "Who?"
"The Prowler," Gwen said earnestly. "I've traded blows with him a few times. I even took a page out of your book—I dragged him to a secluded spot for a long talk.
He's technically a criminal, but his heart isn't rotten. The money he steals? He distributes it to the orphans and the elderly in his neighborhood. If you're building the Fist of Shadow, he'd be a great fit."
It really is him, Peter thought. Outwardly, he maintained a pensive expression. "He sounds promising. I'll have William keep an eye on him for a few days. If his heart is as gold as you say, we'll bring him into the fold."
Of course, Peter's true internal check was to see if this "Prowler" had a nephew named Miles. If he did, and if that nephew was anywhere near Gwen's age, the Prowler would never set foot in Parker Tech.
Peter was confident he could outshine any "farm tool," but he had zero intention of letting a certain Spider get anywhere near his Gwen.
Having settled the Prowler inquiry, Peter's expression shifted, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. "Actually, beyond building organizations, I think there's one more critical thing we need to do."
"What's that?" Gwen asked.
Peter leaned in, his voice a low, teasing vibration against her ear. "We need to come clean to my dear Father-in-Law... you don't want him chasing us across the rooftops every time we go out to save the city, do you?"
"Ah~!"
Gwen's sensitive ears took another hit from his breath. Between the physical sensation and the "Father-in-law" comment, she was so flustered that she tried to shove her hand over his mouth.
"Who are you calling Father-in-law?! Don't talk nonsense!"
"What?" Peter looked wounded, giving her the look one might give a heartbreaker. "Gwen... were you just playing with my feelings? And here I thought we were serious..."
Simple-hearted Gwen panicked at his sudden change in demeanor. "Peter, no! That's not what I meant! I'm absolutely serious about us, I just thought we were... too..."
"I'm not listening! I'm not listening!" Peter played the "dramatic girlfriend" role better than any girl could. "My heart is shattered. It'll take at least a hundred kisses to mend it."
Gwen: "..."
Muah~
Even knowing he was teasing, Gwen's face turned bright red as she gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "The... the rest are on an installment plan! Don't be greedy!"
She paused, then added shyly, "And... try to behave a bit more when you're around my dad. He hates people who act flippant or lighthearted."
"Aha~" Peter let out a long, triumphant note. "Already coaching me on how to win over the Father-in-law? And you said you didn't mean it that way?"
Gwen: "..."
After their playful banter died down, Gwen leaned back against his shoulder, a trace of worry returning to her voice. "If we tell him now, will he just ban me from being Ghost-Spider altogether?"
"If it were just you, he probably would." Peter validated her fear, but as she started to look distressed, he took her hand in his. He toyed with her slender, delicate fingers as his voice turned serious and grounded.
"But with me there, it's different. Captain Stacy is only worried that you'll get hurt fighting criminals. I'm going to prove to him that his worries are unnecessary.
No matter what happens, my first priority will always be protecting my little Spider."
Oh my god! Gwen instinctively clutched her chest. She felt like she was losing her grip on her self-control.
Hasn't Peter never been in a relationship before? We're each other's first loves... so why is he so good at this?!
After several deep breaths to stabilize herself, she made her decision. "Fine! We'll do it your way! Let's... how about this weekend? I'll invite you over for dinner, and we'll lay all our cards on the table together!"
With the "Stacy Showdown" scheduled for the weekend, the clock hit 11:00 PM. Peter decided it was time to get Gwen home.
This time, he didn't let her swing. Instead, he pulled her onto the Glider, carrying her in a princess-style hold as they soared through the New York skyline.
Gwen found herself getting addicted to the feeling. Her webs were fun, but they were exhausting and limited by the height of the buildings. Riding a glider was pure luxury.
Noticing her envious expression, Peter whispered, "Don't worry. I'll have a gift for you soon that's even more convenient than this glider."
"Really?" Gwen's eyes sparkled. No woman could resist a gift—especially one from a genius.
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Peter wasn't kidding. He estimated that with Tony's current research speed, the Mark II and Mark III wouldn't be far off.
When the time came, he'd just ask Tony to custom-build suits for him and Gwen. And maybe Felicia, too—her powers were water-dependent, so a suit with a built-in high-pressure hydration system would make her a force of nature.
They arrived at the Stacy residence shortly after. After a few more lingering moments of "goodbye," Peter watched Gwen slip through her bedroom window before turning the Glider toward Parker Tech.
He wasn't going home to sleep. He had Electro's genetic samples to preserve and study. He wanted to see if he could use Cellular Consumption to instantly grant himself the ability to generate and manipulate electricity...
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