Monaco had descended into chaos after the sudden attack. The race would likely be postponed—but Peter didn't care.
He had never been interested in it to begin with.
So just a few hours later, he boarded a flight and arrived in another part of Europe—
England.
He hadn't come for business.
Only for her.
Gwen Stacy.
Unlike Peter, whose enhanced mind gave him overwhelming advantages, Gwen remained grounded in reality. Even as a top student in high school, she knew better than to underestimate a place like Oxford University, where geniuses from around the world gathered.
So she had arrived early.
Classes hadn't even begun yet, but she had already settled into a quiet routine—working part-time, spending her free hours in the library, immersing herself in books.
Her life was peaceful.
Comfortable.
Except for one thing.
She missed him.
"Open your window and look down."
Standing beneath her dormitory, a bouquet of vibrant roses in hand, Peter looked up with a faint smile. Felicia had stayed outside the campus—this moment belonged only to the two of them.
"Peter!"
The moment Gwen saw him, her eyes lit up.
She didn't even bother with anything else—throwing on her shoes in a hurry, she rushed downstairs, completely unaware of the silent heartbreak unfolding around her.
More than one boy had been watching.
And in that instant—
More than one young heart shattered.
Youth.
Bright.
Fragile.
And easily broken.
"Why are you here?"
Gwen threw herself into Peter's arms like a bird returning to its nest. She looked up at him—and before he could answer, she pulled him down into a kiss.
It had been too long.
Every day apart had made her miss him more.
And now that he was here—
That longing erupted all at once.
Their kiss lingered.
At first, it was Gwen who pressed forward, eager and unrestrained.
Then Peter responded—just as intensely.
What began as affection turned into something deeper, more consuming, until finally, it softened into quiet warmth.
When they finally pulled apart, Gwen leaned against him, her cheeks flushed, her body relaxed as if all her strength had melted away.
Peter looked down at her, a flicker of desire passing through his eyes.
For a moment—
He really considered not holding back.
But this wasn't the place.
Even if no one had gathered around to watch, they certainly hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Now tell me," Gwen said again, lacing her fingers with his as they walked along a shaded path within Oxford's campus, "why are you here?"
"You'll see it on the news soon enough," Peter replied lightly. "Let's just say… I accepted someone's invitation and got caught up in something along the way."
What had happened in Monaco would soon spread across the media.
His meeting with Tony Stark would not remain a secret.
But Peter didn't mind.
In fact—
He welcomed the attention.
Ever since Umbrella's regenerative serum had been proven real, he could feel it—
The steady flow of faith energy.
Threads of belief, of hope, gathering upon the altar.
Waiting.
Accumulating.
It wasn't enough yet.
Not nearly.
But once the serum entered mass production—
Once it reached the world—
That energy would surge.
A perfect cycle would be born.
Sacrifice faith → obtain technology → benefit humanity → gain more faith.
A perpetual engine.
Hearing that Peter had just come from Monaco, Gwen suddenly stopped walking.
She turned to look at him directly.
"So… visiting me was just a side trip?"
There it was.
The sudden shift.
…
Moments ago, she had been wrapped in warmth.
Now—
She was upset.
Love made no sense.
But Peter wasn't about to lose this battle.
With a grin, he reached into his coat.
"Hey… take a look at this."
He pulled out a vial of green serum.
The same one he had shown Tony.
Except—this wasn't the regenerative serum.
It was something else entirely.
"Umbrella's latest product," Peter said, placing it in Gwen's hand. "Remember when I told you I got bitten by a spider? These abilities—everything I have—it all comes from this."
He wasn't about to leave her unprotected.
Not in a world like this.
This was the Marvel Universe.
Danger could appear at any moment.
This serum—
Derived from Gwen's own genetic structure—
Would grant her enhanced abilities.
Strength. Agility. Reflexes.
A mirror of his own.
A Spider-Gwen.
"I made this using your DNA," Peter said softly. "It wasn't easy."
He looked at her, his voice steady.
"When I'm not with you… this will protect you."
Gwen stared at the vial in her hand, her emotions shifting.
Surprise, concern and something deeper.
Trust.
Peter gently guided her out of campus and into a nearby hotel, booking a room.
Not for anything improper—
But because transformation required privacy.
…
The serum entered her bloodstream.
And soon—
She fell asleep.
Peter stayed by her side the entire time.
Silent.
Watching.
Protecting.
Hours passed.
The sun dipped below the horizon.
And finally—
She stirred.
Gwen's eyes opened slowly.
…
In that moment—
Something invisible awakened between them.
A subtle connection.
A resonance.
Like two souls wandering through endless darkness—
Only to suddenly find each other's hand.
And hold on.
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T/N:
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