September 23th - 2020
"Careful now," Gwen warned her husband. She found herself sitting in a chair that Peter had dragged from the living room and beside the door of Elizabeth's bedroom.
She guided Peter as he painted the walls with a chocolate sundae style of color. The ceiling was finally done, filled with the honey hut theme made of a very light pink color.
He had been painting the room for the past few days and there was only one wall left.
They had never actually used the room for anything since they arrived from England. It was more of a storage room, but now it would be their baby girl's bedroom.
"I'm being careful," Peter argued back, moving the painting roller down against the wall, missing the window by a few inches.
"Don't paint the window." She continued, moving her eyes back and forth between the book she was holding with her hands and her husband.
"I know..." He carefully moved the instrument down against the wall, sweating due to the heat in the room. The summer was out and the air conditioner wasn't yet installed in the room.
"No... no, you're doing it wrong," Gwen stated. "Slower…"
"What?" Peter turned on his back, raising an eyebrow and catching Gwen trying to hide a smile from him. "You're messing with me, right?"
"I'm quite serious." She affirmed and nodded.
"Hum..." He turned back to the wall.
"Right a bit… to the right, right. Keep going right… stop!" Peter immediately pulled the roller from the wall and waited for another command from her. "Aww, that's not okay, Peter."
He groaned. "What now...?"
"A small puddle got on the floor," She pointed to the area which indeed had a tiny puddle found there.
Peter sighed. "Honey… that can easily be taken off later."
"Just get on with it, Peter." Gwen placed the book down on the table next to her, picking up her glass of iced tea and taking a sip. "I'll tell you when to stop."
"That's what you said last time," He rolled his eyes at her before wiping the sweat from his brow with one hand.
It was ridiculously hot. He glanced down at his drenched old T-shirt, decided it wasn't fulfilling much of a purpose, and removed it, receiving a wolf whistle from Gwen.
He grinned at her pouting and turned back to the wall. "Well then, let's do this."
"You know, you could be shirtless more often." Gwen flirted, admiring his toned back while resting her hands over her covered stomach. "I wouldn't mind it. You look even hotter like this, I like it."
"I'll give it a thought." He chuckled and proceeded to finally finish his task.
"I think Liz just woke up." She smiled as Peter turned in her direction.
"She's kicking?" He asked, dropping the roller over a piece of old newspaper on the floor as he approached his wife.
"Yes." Gwen smiled. He kneeled beside the chair she was sitting on. "Just two months I guess."
He gently caressed her stomach by drawing soft circles with his thumb, before slowly kissing the delicate skin. "We are waiting for you." He whispered as his wife caressed the soft hair in his head.
Even if the pregnancy was somehow hard for Gwen and to her body, it was worth it. The love they had for each other would come in the form of a baby, and nothing else could get her more excited than that.
Gwen spoke, "I ordered that vanilla cot that we were looking for." She continued, "I think we should place it in our bedroom, at least for the first months, you know?"
"Of course." He agreed, standing up before leaning in to kiss his wife on the lips and gently pinch her tiny nose with his finger.
Gwen smiled at the gesture. "Do you want to buy some little clothes for our daughter? With me and MJ?"
"You can count me in, babe."
Spider-Man wasn't coming out that often anymore since he wanted to dedicate more of his time to Gwen by helping and taking care of her.
He wanted her to have a calm and safe pregnancy. Not that he wasn't suiting up anymore, whenever a big emergency called, he would deal with it as fast as he could to get back to her.
Once the painting was done, Peter walked to the only window inside the room and opened it. The fresh air greeted them as it brushed against his bare chest.
He had something to talk to Gwen about, something important, her opinion about the topic could very well shape his decision.
He eyed the city. "I have this on my mind for days now and I wanted to talk to you about it."
"What's it?" She softly asked.
"Well… I'm Spider-Man, that's obvious to you. I'm the one who swings around the city day and night." He started. "You know it, my Aunt knows it and now Elizabeth will know it because there's no way to hide that from her when she deserves to know, she's my daughter and she will have to keep this stuff secret at such a young age... and because of that, there will be some pressure on her shoulders… she would have to hide my identity from your family, her grandma, and uncles."
"Do you want..."
He leaned his back against the drywall and closed his arms. "Yeah, I think it's time for them to know that. I trust them and at the same time it would take the pressure off our daughter, she wouldn't have to fear to accidentally slip that her father is Spider-Man, she wouldn't need to hide that from her own family."
Gwen calmly rose from her chair and approached her conflicted husband, placing both hands over his shoulders. "You have to do what you think it's right for you..." She held his left hand and placed it over her belly. "... and what's right for her, it's as simple as that, honey."
Peter watched her belly, caressing the smooth skin. "You… you are right, it's something they deserve to know." He gave her a tiny peck on the lips. "Before or after she's born…?"
"I think you should do it before, it would be one less thing to worry about," Gwen replied, glad that her lover trusted her family to keep his secret hidden. "... and thank you for believing in them."
"The Stacys are a big part of my life." Peter smiled, "... especially this beautiful one." He leaned in just to brush his warm lips against hers.
"Watch out for the flattery." She sensually whispered close to his ear.
"You like being adored." He whispered back, slowly kissing the smooth skin of her neck while making her spine shiver a bit.
"I'm hungry." She announced, breaking the tender gesture.
Peter groaned in discontentment before looking up to her green eyes. "Way to kill the moment..."
"Sorry," Gwen giggled. "But I'm really hungry, though."
"What do you want to eat?"
"Pizza!" She replied, excited.
"Do we even have pizza here?"
She let out a smile. "I don't think so, but I think you could get us some."
Her food cravings were getting more intense and Peter was the one taking care of those urgent needs.
She continued, "There's a restaurant a few blocks from here."
"The things I do for you..." He teased before planting a kiss on her forehead.
"Remember, you can always be rewarded later."
"I'll hold you on that." He unwrapped his arms around her and walked towards the wardrobe to pick a very tight and colorful suit.
She sassed, "You know what's even better? My Pizza-Man will deliver it!"
Later in the day...
Spider-Man found himself on the edge of the building while holding a straight webline in his right hand, the line was stuck against the criminal's foot who struggled in the air.
Minutes earlier, Peter had been with Gwen inside the baby store, but the news was reporting a gang war taking place on the other side of the city. He left his wife with MJ, against his desire.
He needed to help the police with the particular occurrence. Many could get injured.
Now, he held who seemed to be the leader of one of the involved gangs.
Spider-Man began, "Here's the thing… you're trapped in my web, I'm very annoyed at you, and there's a long distance between you and the ground." He demanded, "So, you're going to tell your boss-"
"I won't say anything to you!" He protested.
"Oh? Okay… but what if I accidentally release this web that is preventing you from being one with the asphalt?" Spider-Man threatened.
"You wouldn't dare-" The criminal got interrupted as the hero let the web slip a few inches, dropping him further into the air.
"You shouldn't test me!" Spider-Man threatened again through a harsher tone. "Give me names!"
"Okay! F-Flint Marko!" He shouted. " What do you want me to tell him?"
"It's very simple, either he stops selling drugs in my city since that's what is causing these wars, or else I'm coming for him!"
"I will! Can you now please let me go?" He begged.
Spider-Man tilted his head to the side. "I'm afraid not… you're going to be hanging here a little while." He crouched and placed the beginning of the web he was holding against the rooftop. "You can call him from prison."
"You're just going to leave me here?!"
"Correct." He rose again and checked on his web-shooters. "Oh, the web will last for about an hour, so you better start praying for the police to arrive quickly."
"What?! Take me with you then!"
"Farewell, fella!" Spider-Man jumped towards the sky with both his arms open as the rooftop's entrance was open with two cops storming towards the trapped criminal.
Spider-Man finally fired a web-line to the nearest building, holding his weight against the gravity as he ascended back to the highest heights while keeping the web-line until the very last possible seconds with both legs up and against each other.
Those were peaceful times, no super-villains or conspiracies that he needed to uncover.
Well, there was a guy who hated him and that guy was called Jonah Jameson. Sometimes he wondered if Jameson would ever feel the love when it came to Spider-man.
Eh, and I might become an Avenger when that day comes.
Not that he wanted to accomplish both of these tasks, but it wouldn't be that bad to be recognized as someone who protects the city by Jameson. And it had been five years, if the superhero group hadn't called him, they wouldn't now.
He landed against a wall and unzipped the pocket close to his waist-line to pick up his cellphone. It took about five seconds before Gwen finally answered the call.
"Hey, beautiful."
"Hey, are you coming back?"
"About to." He answered, glancing at the traffic down in the streets.
"What do you think? A pink tiny sock or a light yellow one?" Gwen asked from the other end of the line, checking two pairs of socks for Elizabeth.
Peter smiled. "I'm... why not both?"
"This teddy bear is just so cute!"
He chuckled. "Be careful to not bankrupt us, though."
"Aww… but I loved it! What did you get there, MJ?"
"What is it now?"
"It's a teddy bear,"
Gwen replied. "She will have a collection of teddy bears."
"Ren will be jealous."
"Nah, Elizabeth will love him too."
"She should, I'm getting back then."
"Okay. I love you."
"Love you too."
Once the call ended, Spider-Man had just fired a web-line to the opposite building when his special sense triggered in his head. He turned his head to his left as if something was calling for him. His mind told him to approach the alley beside the building he was currently crawling on.
Spider-Man slowly crawled towards the source, moving against some windows before entering the alley and seeing two guys standing in front of a homeless man who was resting in the ground and next to a green trash can.
"So you don't have anything for us?" The tallest man asked. "We need money, and you need to give us some."
"You should hear him." His partner ordered.
"I don't have anything..." The homeless replied. His voice was fragile. He wore old dirty clothes along with a hood.
"Too bad, we are not leaving here with empty hands." He pulled his sleeves up while not noticing someone hanging upside down by a web-line from behind them.
"Aaaaand we are done here…" Spider-Man landed on the floor and quickly grabbed the tallest one by the collar and pushed him against the wall behind them just to web him against it.
His partner retrieved a knife from his jacket and tried to stab Spider-Man on the chest if the vigilante hadn't evaded the attack by quickly punching the arm.
He grabbed him by the shirt's collar and placed him inside the trash can, webbing the whole compartment as the man begged to be allowed to come out.
Spider-Man approached the man on the ground and offered his hand. "They aren't going to bother you, anymore, sir."
"It doesn't matter," The man spoke. " There's nothing left for me." He looked up to Spider-Man
"You..." The person right in front of Spider-Man was the one who had killed his Uncle Ben. The killer now wore a much older and lifeless expression. "You killed my..."
"I… I've killed, I killed a person and there isn't a day where that doesn't haunt me. I live that night every single day. It wasn't my intention." He paused. "The boy… must still be after me, with due reason.
Spider-Man grabbed the man by his shirt's collar and violently pressed him against the wall. "You're going to pay for what you did...!"
He raised his hand, preparing the blow that contained the anger he held back for many years and now flourished back once again.
"Do what you must, I'm already dead."
Spider-Man breathed heavily as loads of emotions ventured within his mind. He punched the wall behind his Uncle's killer, smashing his hand against the concrete."I… I'll just call the cops." He released him.
The killer slowly sat back on the floor and against the wall.
Spider-Man took one more last glance around the alley before jumping and swinging away from the location.
He needed to calm his conflicted mind, and there wasn't a better place than to be with his wife and daughter. He had done enough for the day. He had the closure he sought during seven years.
Gwen was sitting in front of her husband in their bed. She stood between his legs and had her back against his toned chest. She inspected the many purchases she had done earlier like Elizabeth's clothes and her baby toys.
Peter leaned his chin over her shoulder, both his hands rested over her belly. He could feel his daughter's kicks. He kissed her cheek before glancing at the beautiful and meaningful set of clothes for his unborn daughter. "These are perfect."
"I can't wait to dress Elizabeth for the first time." Gwen put out a wide smile. "Hear her first crying, sleep with her between us."
She slowly brushed her cheek against his, closing her eyes due to the soft and intimate touch. She moved one hand over him as they intertwined fingers.
Peter spoke softly, "I want you forever at my side, you're the best thing that ever happened to me... and now, Elizabeth. I love you, always will."
"Hey..." Gwen looked up and touched his forehead against hers. "You mean the world to me, you gave me a daughter, you're my husband." She leaned closer, cupping his right cheek.
Gwen captured his lower lip as they engaged in a passionate kiss. She felt something was wrong with him though, as true his words were, he spoke in a rather desperate way, as if he wanted to forget something.
She broke the kiss and met his eyes. "Is everything alright? "
There wasn't a way to hide something from Gwen, even if he wanted to, that's for sure.
"I… I've found him, the man who killed Uncle Ben."
"Oh…" Gwen knew how much from his time Peter had dedicated to finding such an individual for many years, and he eventually moved on. "What happened?"
"He was... being assaulted, I stopped them and when he looked up… there wasn't any life left in him. He regrets what he did, and he didn't even try to put up any resistance when I threatened to beat him. I left him there, there wasn't anything to do." Peter sighed. "I could have told him to go to FEAST, but how could I? May would be near the man that killed her husband… I didn't feel like arresting him either, he looked bad enough."
Gwen caressed his cheek. "You made the right decision, he's now paying for his actions." She rested her head over his right shoulder and planted a kiss on his neck.
"I feel... free, I think." He affirmed.
"You never cease to amaze me," Gwen said, proudly. "The things you do, men like you are rare these days." She slowly turned towards him, and with her hand, she pressed Peter's chest down.
They lay down on the bed and next to each other, being careful to not rest over Elizabeth's clothes.
Peter smiled, feeling lighter. "It's in the past now."
He kissed the top of her hand, before lazily moving his arm to the stand beside his part of the bed, searching for his camera.
He continued, "We didn't make any albums again. I need to update my gallery, you know? He suggested, holding the camera in his free hand.
"That ought to be fun." Gwen smiled. He had thousands of photos of her alone in their bedroom doing the most random stuff one could think of.
Peter began, "It's your turn to do the dorky faces, though."
"Me…?"
Yeah, you always look adorable." Peter replied, turning the camera on as she brought him closer to kiss his cheek.
"We need to make another one with Elizabeth."
"And we will." He turned back to Gwen and gave her a tiny peck on the lips. "We can place our bug-girl between us, and fill her with kisses!"
Gwen giggled. "I adore you."
A/N: I always thought that Uncle Ben's killer plot point should have been finished in the sequel. I understand why Peter stopped going after him because he had more important things to handle than his vendetta. So this particular arc is finally completed. I'm finishing any subplots that weren't finished before moving to the new story arc which will take some time, they are already planned though.
17/03/22: Quality of life improvements.