Chapter 9: Arc One. Chapter Nine. A Date To Remember

Of course, Peter was okay with Gwen's attempt at blackmail. He'd liked her since they started school together but he lacked the courage to say anything, plus her dad was kinda scary whenever he'd met him. Of course, as soon as they had stared awkwardly at each other for a moment, Peter's brain caught up with his mouth, "so uh if you're my girlfriend then," and without even asking he had moved over and lightly brushed his lips against hers.

Gwen was shocked that the quiet ‘is he ever going to admit he likes me’ Peter had just kissed her, not a forceful domineering kiss but gentle testing the waters kiss that she didn't mind. It was good that Peter wasn't a two-dimensional studying robot, he had secrets and flaws even under all that anxiety. Her mind froze as she glanced down, making sure Peter's hand stayed at an acceptable level, she noticed he had a massive erection, holy shit she thought to herself, Peter was packing but her cheeks began to turn red. She'd never dated, and got the "boys are scum" lecture from her dad. This was as new to her as it was to Peter, but even she had a limit.

Turning to hide her embarrassment, "yeah, that's, good, good Pete, good," she stammered, crying internally. She didn't want to put him off, but damn boy, get some self-control, it's been less than a minute since we started. "Uh, Pete, clean, you kinda smell a bit." Peter sniffed himself and noticed that his clothes were covered in dust and grime, and that he did smell a bit.

Peter scurried over a barrel of cold but clean water, get a grip Parker he thought to himself. His heart had been hammering in his chest, and as he lent in for the kiss, the sweet scent of Gwen and her perfume shot right into his brain and down into his pants. He doused himself in the cold water, thankful for the small trickles, as they cooled not just his body but his lust. The barrel was all he had, while there was plumbing, most of the facilities were trashed and it had been on his to-do list.

Gwen stared, there was no doubt she was blushing but she just watched him as he ran the cloth over his chest and then towelled himself off. Pulling a clean T-shirt from a pile and spraying himself with the most inoffensive deodorant he could find, he smiled over as he realised she was watching him.

Peter being Peter, though, was oblivious to what was wrong and started going on about his plans for the apartments, like an excitable puppy. Once he got going all his social anxiety disappeared, and Gwen admitted to herself that it was adorable.

Blueprints, wiring diagrams, and decorating samples all came flying in a barrage of nonstop timetables and plans. Gwen was starting to feel a little overwhelmed with just how much planning Peter had done, her only plan was to graduate with honours. Sadly thanks to Flash's interference, she was taking Peter's place as Valedictorian, and then spending the summer looking for a place to stay. 

With that solved all she needed to do now was tell her dad and MJ. Peter and MJ's relationship was weird, they grew up living next door to each other, lost contact when Peter and his Aunt moved and when they got back in touch, Flash warned him off. Flash and MJ hooked up last year of Junior High and had been dating ever since. She never liked him though, while MJ and she were best friends she could see the worry etched on her face and she knew while her home life was bad, that Flash didn’t make things any easier for her. She’d tried to get MJ to open up, even inviting her out with her and Felicia, but she either never came or sullenly watched the pair having fun.

Her dad was a different story. Once upon a time he had no opinion of Peter, he was just another smart kid but as Gwen aged, his opinion changed. Even though Peter was quiet and respectful when they met he always looked at him with suspicion, as if Gwen would suddenly announce she was pregnant one day and Peter would be at fault. It was the typical overprotective father bit Gwen had read about in so many novels but it was tiring to live with. Even now, as news Peter had been suspended reached his ears she had been lectured about proper behaviour and how if he wasn't careful Peter would end up a delinquent and drag Gwen down with him.

"Gwen? Hey uh Gwen, if this is boring, we could," Peter checked his pockets pulling out a few fives and ones, "I dunno, get a burger or, or yeah, a burger," seeing he had maybe about 20 bucks on him.

Gwen smiled, "yeah but uh clean clothes first yeah? " She said, copying the way he always seemed to pause when he spoke. "That deodorant isn’t a washing machine." His pants were still covered in grime, the bottom edges splattered with the whitewash he'd used on the floor. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh My God Pete. No, nope. Not a chance, you're bad," shaking her head she knew exactly what thought popped into Peter's head at that moment.

It was strange, one moment he was the stupidly awkward cute but nerdy guy she'd crushed on for years and now, once his walls came down he turned into this hungry wolf-like man, stealing kisses and having dirty thoughts. 

Holy shit, she thought to herself, So much for the quiet, I'm wearing the pants in this relationship I was expecting. He's bad, so goddamn hot, but so bad.

"Go change, you perv. I'll look at the samples you bought, I claim this one," she motioned to the one nearest to the main door, "oh and just a thought, if you got wood and used the steel to make supports, you could put a deck on top of the box, you're not planning on stacking more on top, are you? but even then, the plastic roof looks kinda crappy. Oh, I could ask Felicia as well, she’s kinda got her own place with her dad but I know he travels a lot, and you guys are okay right?"

Peter hadn't thought of it, he'd not even expected to get a tenant this early but it wouldn’t be that much extra to build a deck. It was just wood and nails, right? 

Felicia was another matter, sure she was civil enough during the math club but while she hung out with Gwen, they never really connected. However, a tenant was a tenant and if Gwen persuaded MJ and Felicia to live here, he would have three, and it was more than just a start, that was better than most entry-level jobs paid.

Peter disappeared into one of the end offices and came out looking a whole lot better. While the weather was chilly, it was warming up and he'd put on jeans and pulled a shirt over the T-shirt he had put on. He grabbed his backpack and after showing Gwen how to lock and unlock the security door, they headed out for food.

"Oh I know the best place for burgers, it's uh just a food truck but you'd be surprised how many things are here." Peter got stuck on explain mode again, pointing out where he had discovered a good food truck or more often than not, a bad one. 

Gwen was surprised about how well equipped the area was. Being a set block of warehouses, there was not only a variety of cheap but good food trucks and stalls, but a small convenience store, mainly for cigarettes and liquor but still with a good selection of snacks and small easy heat meals. It even had a small laundromat attached. Lots of truckers waiting to unload goods meant they could take breaks and it would get a lot of customers. Of course, Peter missed the obvious. Outside where the street lamps were there were piles of cigarette stubs and Gwen caught the occasional glance of heavy coat wearing women, walking in twos from place to place. The shiny coat hid its darker exterior but Peter too wrapped up in his own world never noticed, and Gwen secretly hoped he never would.

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The more Peter talked the more Gwen wanted a place here, the more they explored, the more she realised it was the perfect place for a meth den. It was remote but still had amenities, as long as they didn't make too much noise then no-one would suspect the slightly run-down but still well maintained industrial zone held a dirty secret. If only a bunch of kids hadn't thought the place was empty and wanted to hold an impromptu rave there.

They got burgers that were a bit greasy for Gwen's taste but the fries were amazing, washed down by no brand but acceptable sodas Gwen realised she was having fun. Even when school was raised Peter didn't seem too upset at it, as if his plans didn't revolve around his passing grades anymore.

"You know Pete, I know you got all this planned out but uh, make sure you still come back to school okay?" As they sat on a bench next to the burger truck Gwen's worry was showing. 

"Of course. All this is great but if you don't have the mandatory bit of paper no one takes you seriously," he explained. Even if it was a diploma or a degree most places would belittle anyone without a formal education so part of Peter's plan was still to attend college, maybe part-time as he could afford it.

"Nah, I'm good Gwen, these four weeks gave me time to clear my head, see what's important and well I guess, who's important. I got a lot of stuff figured out." He said, "I'm kinda jealous, though, I still would have loved to see the cybernetics lab at Hammer."

She nodded, "Pete, I think you'll be fine, I mean, you're 18 and got a place, a plan and well, some of us got nothing." She wasn't looking down on herself, she had experienced first-hand what women in the STEM field were going through, even on crutches Flash was talking to the ones in suits, the department managers, and carefully avoiding the scientists. She'd even heard his joke about ‘scientits’ while he snuck a glance at a bespectacled woman with mad brown frizzy hair, and a thin figure. While her team leader asked her to pass out glasses of champagne, she'd been ignored by most of the suit wearers and the white coats seemed to be there for show rather than tell. On a resume an internship at Oscorp was gold but like Peter she wanted to be a proper researcher. Working on proper biotech breakthroughs not a glorified secretary to some asshole who would take credit for her work.

"Hey, no, it's good Gwen, I mean, once Ptech is up, I might have some space for a bioengineer," he was trying to sound sincere but she couldn't help but laugh

"Peetech," she sounded back at him, "oh no, you're not calling your company PeeTech. Let me guess, even you thought PP Tech was too much?"

Peter's face scrunched in a frown and then it clicked, he wanted to name his company piss tech, even though he thought that the P was for his name it wasn't until someone else said it back that he realised.

"Hey, how about Parker Industries?" She said, making an arch with her hands. 

"Much better." He had to admit it was, but still she laughed,

"Oh god, PeeTech oh, Pete" each time she said it she laughed more and with the bright smile on her face so did Peter

With the first unofficially official date drawing to a close, Peter had to pay a visit to Aunt May and get ready for school again. They parted ways at her front door, the glare of George Stacy going unnoticed as Peter lent forwards and kissed Gwen on the cheek.

It had been a great day, and tonight was going to be even better. Tonight he would be Venom.

~

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