Gwen's P.O.V.-
The movie had just finished. Everyone piled out of the theatre after the post-credit scene played. It wasn't an overly crowded screening but there were still enough people that we worried we might get separated while exiting. Maxwell Jordan, hereby known as MJ, held my hand until we were out in the lobby. Then he smiled at me and released my hand, though I didn't detect the hint of reluctance. I grinned merrily back at him.
"I love Sonic the Hedgehog so much," my lips announced. "You would, seeing as he's another superhero…. Well, sorta," MJ smirked playfully. "That's not it! I've always loved Sonic ever since I played the Sega game. That was long before I was bitten by the spider. And besides, you know I'm not a…" MJ nodded as my voice trailed off, not finishing my sentence. "I know, I know; you haven't fought crime in ten years. You're still the only Spider Woman there is, even if you don't use your powers anymore," he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "I don't have too! I don't know which dimension all the supervillains went to, but the city doesn't need me to be a superhero anymore. Oh well! At least I can live a normal life now." That's when MJ's hand gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Thank god for that," I think he said more to himself than me, but I heard it nonetheless.
As per usual whenever we went out after dark together, MJ was walking me back to my college dorm; I lived in downtown Edinburgh with a bunch of other grad students. MJ also lived in student accommodation, though his building was further away from campus than mine. About a fifteen-minute walk from my home; plus his place was an all-boys college. The streets weren't busy tonight and I never felt unsafe walking alone anyway- this wasn't New York, after all. But MJ still insisted on escorting me home. Fine by me, all the more time to spend together. Speaking of time!
"Did you like the movie?" I asked MJ. He gave me a look. "It was alright, but would it kill you to see a movie which isn't made for kids?" "What did you have in mind?" He shrugged. "I don't know? How about an action fic?" "Well, ok. You can choose the next movie we see." "That's not what I meant. I want it to be a movie with both like." "In that case there's a new Pixar movie coming out next month." "No!" And I burst out laughing. How we became best friends with such different distinct tastes is a mystery to me.
It didn't take us long to reach the front gate of my college; the main movie theatre in Edinburgh wasn't far from there. I opened the gate with my key fob and we both we in down the way to my particular building. The lobby was quiet which wasn't a surprise; we gave the porter a wave as we headed to the staircase. My room was on the first floor- thank god. None of the buildings in this city went above eight stories but when the kitchen's on the ground level, it really makes a difference having your room one floor up. My room was tiny but what did you expect from a university dorm?
MJ came inside with me. I took off my backpack and threw it onto my single bed- covered in pink pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals of course. I used to be a lot less girly but kind of embraced my cute, "good girl" side after I stopped being a superhero. I didn't even have the suit here in Europe with me; it was back in New York with Daddy. Now everything I owed was pink and sweet and fun. The college staff called my room "the cute room". MJ didn't seem to mind the culture-shift whenever he entered my domain; not surprising considering his room is a pigsty.
MJ helped me take off my raincoat and hung it up on the door for me. Then he spun around to flash me another brilliant grin. "You sure you're going to be ok here on your own for the next two weeks?" "What do you mean? I'm a grown-woman, MJ; I can take care of myself." "I know you can; of course you can. I'm just…. being weird," his fingers ran through his slick brown hair. My expression softened as I came over to him. "Don't worry about me, man. Just have fun in Bath. It's supposed to be a vacation! You're going to see your family and hey! You won't have to do any work." "I know…" He still seemed hesitant for some reason. Wanting to help settle his nerves, I reached out my hand to touch his arm. He visibly reacted to this but I merely smiled before continuing.
"Have a good time, MJ. You're not missing anything here. I'm just gonna hunker down and finish my second PhD chapter. Maybe I'll visit the museum- who knows?" After watching me for a moment, MJ chuckled and gave his head a little shake. "I know; you're going to be just fine. Just fine….." My eyes widened at the sudden sensation of MJ taking hold of my hand again, lifting it up this time. While my face expressed one of confusion, his was sincere and deliberate. He continued holding my hand, caressing the back of it with his thumb.
"Listen, Gwen. There's something I've wanted to…. Something I've been wanting to do for a long time now. I think it's time we take our relationship to the next level," his hand squeezed me tight, but in a way that didn't hurt. My eyes didn't stop being so large. "Oh, MJ..." I started but he gently cut me off. "It just seems the next natural step for us. We've been best friends ever since the start of masters; we've had so long to get to know each other and what the other likes…. And I like you." "MJ…" I tried again, my eyes finally lowering. "Nothing has to change, Gwen. I want you just the way you are. Just let me be the one- let me be your one and only." "M-MJ, let's be reasonable about this. We're both still in PhD and haven't even started looking for jobs yet and…." "If we have time to be best friends in PhD, we have time to be boyfriend and girlfriend," he chuckled gently. I bit my bottom lip a little in a reluctant fashion. He still hadn't let go of my hand.
"MJ, I…. I just… W-Why now? Why do you want to get in a relationship with me now?" I inquired honestly. His shoulder shrugged again. "Because you make me happy?" "Oh I make you happy?" My voice had a mocking condescension to it. He immediately realized his mistake. "And I want to make you happy too, of course. I know what I want only plays fifty percent of the role here. But Gwen…. You do make me so extremely happy, and I believe I make you happy too." I hesitated. "You do, but….." MJ interrupted me yet again by bringing his face forward so our foreheads were pressed together.
"Ok, here's what we're gonna do. When I get home from Bath, you and I are going to go on our very first official date. It doesn't have to be any different than what we'd normally do; it'll just be nice knowing…" MJ shut his eyes, breathing heavily. I didn't say anything, letting a pregnant pause fall over us. When he reopened his eyes, our vision locked, and he smiled. Oh, how he smiled. "Let's do it, Gweny. Let's become the real deal." MJ, my eyes softened onto his. He really wants this….. Is it right to just turn him down now? Do I want to turn him down? He is my best friend, after all. I hadn't had a best friend since Peter Parker, and we are getting older…. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to turn down his offer. At least I'll have two weeks to think about it. This realization made me smile. My free hand reached up to pat his cheek with affection. "I'll think about it, MJ," I said with sincerity. He seemed satisfied with this, pulling me in for a great big hug.
MJ left not too late after that. He still had to pack and his train left bright and early the next morning. It was around nine o'clock when I found myself alone in my dorm room. I ate a baked potato I cooked in the microwave, watched some YouTube, and just laid on my bed for a bit. A million thoughts were racing through my head. I'd never had a real boyfriend before, and the last boy I liked lives in another dimension. I hadn't thought of Miles in years, which is interesting since he did cause me to have that really weird hairdo that one time. My hair had grown out to about my waist now and was still blonde as ever. It's not that I actually remembered Miles in that minute; more so just thinking about all the past experiences I'd had with guys in general.
Growing impatient with myself, I sat up with a groan. "Nugh, why am I freaking out about this? You're twenty-six, Gwen; grow up!" I'd gotten into the habit of yelling at myself whenever I'm frustrated. Seeing at that was getting me nowhere, I grabbed my raincoat and key fob again and headed outside for a walk. Maybe the night air would clear my head.
I walked around aimlessly, as I usually did whenever I took myself out on walks alone. Unlike anywhere in North America, I had no reservations about walking after dark out here. Edinburgh was a tourist town which meant that people were always about at every time of day, save maybe the middle of the night- and I never went out then anyway. The streets were particularly busy but there were enough people so I was never alone on one road. Still, I always stuck to the city centre; partly because I loved the buildings downtown and also for that extra safety.
I had rounded the street running alongside the castle onto Princes Street. As per usual, this was the city's busiest road. But that just meant like one or two more people than other streets; nothing too outrageous. It was dark and quiet out; the perfect environment for thinking. I was stepping along, minding my own business and not really paying attention to whatever was going on around me. My hands were buried in my coat pockets. I was walking and that's when all hell broke loose.
I barely noticed it at first. But soon enough- and I do mean within the blink of an eye- something familiar and yet totally foreign happened to me. I found myself standing in front of this dark, multi-coloured portal. And well, you know the rest. Before I could escape, I was being sucked inside. Just like that, before my brain had time to comprehend what was going on, I was thrust into the multiverse, and when I reopened my winced eyes I was in another dimension. Laying on the pavement, there I was- in a completely different city in a universe which wasn't my own. I hadn't interacted with the multiverse in ten years; it had been ten years since I last travelled to another dimension. And I had no idea where I was or how I would get back.