interns | video ][ tlv ]

Entry tags:

video ][ tlv ]

[ Gwen starts her awkward video with an awkward wave. hellooo~ no, she's not completely comfortable sending out a public video message to a group of strangers, but she knows it's necessary. if she's going to be an effective warden, she needs to get to know the other people here, even if there are a lot of them. ..not that she gets shy around large groups of people! no, she's gotten over that, sort of, since she started her internship at Oscorp. but it's still a little intimidating, isn't it? this isn't a group of high school kids, it's a group of- well, anyone. so there's some awkwardness here. definitely. ]

Hi, hello. My name is Gwen Stacy - [ head intern here at Oscorp Industries no wait, don't go on autopilot, this isn't work ] - and I'm new here. On the ship. Newish. [ there were two days of quiet oh god this is real panicking in her room before this moment ] I haven't been paired up with anyone just yet, but I will be a warden. That said, I do have a few questions about the kinds of things that go on here, semi-regularly, at least.

Back home, I was just a few weeks away from my high school graduation ceremony. Which, yes, means I'm technically done with classes, but it feels kind of wrong not to at least try and keep up on studying while I'm here? I might not know when I'll be going back, but I'd rather not be completely rusty when I'm about to head off to college, you know? So.

So I guess what I'm trying to ask - [ yes geeze stop rambling ] - is if there are any classes that go on regularly here? I know we have classrooms, but I haven't come across any kind of class ..schedule yet. I was wondering if there is anything like that here, or if anyone would be interested in maybe starting some kind of study group? [ she's prepared for all that "what a dork" reactions, she is. but. there's that. this is what she cares about, yep ] One with no specific subjects in mind, but just- something to keep us sharp. I'm more of a science and math focused student, but I would be up for just about anything, at this point. I was a tutor, back home, so I would also be up for running any sessions, if nobody else was up for it. At least until I'm assigned an inmate, then I'll have to see if I have time for it, and-

[ hup. no. stopping herself there. she nods, huffs, grins. ]

Right. Let me know?

-- And thank you for your time.

[ eta ooc: OH YEAH so her 4th wall is free to be shattered in whatever way, but please nothing about her comicbooky fate. just cause. reasons. it's on her permissions post, but I figured a note on her intro was a good idea too ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ if it went on for two seconds longer she would have poked at his back and requested he loosen the grip a bit so she could, uh, breathe, but for how long it lasted, it was perfect. she needed it. having him here makes her feel less insane, less like she's completely lost it and might never find her footing in any kind of reality again. which seems dramatic, but, seriously? some guy shows up saying he can fix something about your world in exchange for helping someone find redemption? it didn't seem possible.

but anyway, here she is.

and here Peter is.

and it makes sense, but it doesn't make sense. and it takes her a long time before she's pulling back.

and even then, it's just a tiny bit. she kisses his cheek because she can, taking a few steps back until they're actually in her room ( because yes, her arms are still around him, and no, she's not letting go just because they have to move out of the hallway ), so she can use her foot to nudge the door shut. her head tilts to rest on his shoulder again for a little bit, but even once she picks her head up again she's trying to keep hugging him, her hand smoothing up and down his back, while also looking at him. it's a little weird, but she's trying it. ]

I should have known he would ask you to come here, too. It makes sense. But I guess I've just been so - I mean, this is crazy. It's so crazy.

[Well, weird as it may be, Peter clearly isn't going anywhere and awkwardly shuffles into the room while still hanging onto her. He laughs, takes in the familiar setting with some bafflement, because this totally feels like some weird dream. Like he'll blink, and she'll be gone and he'll still be here, like he has been for what feels like forever, now.]

It's so crazy, you have no idea, [He's laughing it off, but he's also totally serious. They should talk about it. Like, really, all of it. Floods, ports, the weird stuff about people knowing about him from comic books and whatever, what living here is actually like, since the Admiral kind of sucks at all that, but. They've got time. Hopefully.

And because she's here and because he can, he leans in to kiss her. It's sweet, and he lingers for a moment instead of totally pulling away, gently resting his forehead against hers.]

I missed you. Which I know probably sounds crazy, but. [And they need to talk about that, too, but right now, he doesn't want to tell her that her dad had died trying to help him, that he'd come here to try and fix it and he had, but only after he'd been through all sorts of other crazy stuff he totally doesn't want her to have to relive.]

It's actually been kind of a long time for me?

[ aaah, kisses. well, one kiss. but she's learn that there is something fundamentally different about Just One Kiss in general, and Just One Kiss from Peter Parker. ... not that she has much experience kissing anybody else, but the point! the point is that he kisses her and keeps his face close, and it takes every ounce of self-control to not chase down that One Kiss, turn it into another one, and another one. but no! nope. not the time. there's some part of her that's hardwired to crave this closeness, sharing her space with him, moving her face just to feel her nose nudge against his ( her heart, it's her heart, that's the part of her that craves this ), but she has to ignore it, for now. just for a little bit, at least. ]

Has it? [ she sounds a bit distracted, and that's because she totally is, but then she's pulling in a breath, her hand moving to his neck, pressed under his jaw so her thumb can brush over his cheek. real, real, real. but uh, right. focus, Stacy. ] Why- How is that possible? You were just- I was just on the phone with you, before I got here. It's only been a couple of days.

[And here it comes, the hard part, and it's totally his fault for saying something even though it's not like he was going to lie about it. It's not like he could lie about it even if he wanted to, and he doesn't think he ever wants to lie to Gwen.

He brushes her hair behind her ear, just a temporary distraction or delay of the inevitable.]

A couple of days since what?

[He asks the question even though he already knows the answer - thinks he does, anyway. If she's from a couple weeks before graduation, it can't have been forever since he's been home, but a lot can happen in a few days. They both know that, probably better than most people should.

Peter swallows, tries not to look too guilty or too sad.]

What's the last thing you remember, before, you know. The Admiral showed up. Or like- [It's a more specific question, but probably one that could be more difficult to answer.] Why are you here?

Since I got here. ..I might have hid in my room for a few days before I got up the nerve to actually introduce myself on the network.

[ which she sounds embarrassed about, but not overly so. not when she's also wondering why he's- he doesn't look upset, exactly, but it's a noticeable drop from the so happy to see you smiles he was sporting a second ago, so she takes a second to make sure she's as direct and accurate as possible with her answer ]

The last thing I remember is trying to convince my dad to let me find you, at Oscorp. I finished the serum, but he insisted I get out of Midtown like everyone else. [ her brow furrows a bit, and maybe it doesn't make sense to kiss him again right now when she's feeling her worry of that moment sort of bubble in her chest again, but she does, just a little thing ] I would have brought it there myself, you know I would. I wanted to. But he told me to get into a cop car so they could take me home, and I did, and that's where I spoke with the Admiral, in the car.

And I'm here so I can fix what happened with the serum. The Admiral is going to change the formula when Dr. Connors runs his tests. It'll still exist, I told him not to change your dad's research, but as far as Dr. Connors goes, it won't work. If he never creates the serum, he'll never change, and then everything will be okay again, right?

[... Okay, maybe he does want to lie a little bit.

He kisses her back first, though, and he doesn't want it to feel like an apology even though it kind of winds up that way anyway.] No, yeah, that's awesome, seriously. That'd be great, but-

[Lying here never actually lasts long. Even if you're just trying to avoid the truth, it has a way of coming out, and he knows that secrets have a cost. Not telling her now only to hear about it from someone else or from him during a flood would suck, and he doesn't want to do that to her.]

We should maybe sit down. [And then he quickly elaborates because shit, that sounded way more serious than he kind of wanted it to be, and thank god she's here now and not like, a year ago. Seriously.] It's not, like, super bad, I mean, I fixed it, everything's okay, but. I kind of need to tell you something.

[And she's definitely not going to like hearing it.]

[ we should maybe sit down. yeah. that is textbook "I have bad news for you" prep, and her eyes widen, even after he continues on. "not super bad" just leaves "bad", so. really. jeeze, Parker. ]

Okay. [ she kind of forgets herself for a second, where she is, and she looks away from him like she needs to inspect their space. they need to see, where can they sit? is there anywhere to sit? but yeah, duh. bed. she was just sitting on her bed before he got here. woof, Gwen. calm down. she takes his hand and moves to sit there, hardly waiting for him to get comfortable before- ] Okay. What? What is it?

[He sits down, and he's glad she's still holding his hand. He feels like she probably won't want to after hearing what he's about to say, because the guilt still weighs heavily on him sometimes, even all this time later.

He weaves their fingers together and squeezes gently, tries not to think too hard about the promise he'd made her dying father about staying away from her.]

So, um, I was up on the roof trying to stop Dr. Connors? I seriously thought I was screwed, like actually going to die screwed? And then your dad showed up with a shotgun like a total badass, saved my life and got me the antidote.

[Which he had totally not been expecting, not just because up until maybe ten minutes earlier, he'd pretty sure he was her dad's least favorite person on the planet, and definitely not because he hadn't thought Captain Stacy was brave, or a good man, or incapable or incompetent, but because who was crazy enough to run towards something like that when they didn't have superpowers or a mask or whatever else to back them up?

Apparently it runs in the family.]

He tried to stop him from getting at me before I could switch them out, but he, um, [He drops his gaze to his lap and swallows thickly, squeezes her hand a little tighter.] I didn't see it happen, but Dr. Connors hurt him pretty bad. I didn't realize- it all happened so fast, I didn't know how bad it was until after. He- [His grip on her hand slackens for a moment, like he's almost going to pull away, but then he stops himself.] He died. And I thought- I couldn't-

[Peter can almost feel the scream he'd let out then rising in his chest again now. He'd saved the city, but it had still felt like he'd failed where it should have been most important. He knows it's stupid to think like this, but he hopes he never has to be in that spot again.

He shakes his head, like he's trying to clear away the memory.]

The Admiral found me and said I could help him if I came and worked with him. My inmate graduated a long time ago, so he's safe. It'll be like he never got hurt when we go home.

[It's only when he says that that he finally looks back at her, and there's a lot of muddled emotion in his expression - guilt and regret and bone deep sadness that hasn't really gone away, along with maybe some hope in there, too.]

I just- I thought you should know, in case anyone mentioned it. Thought it might be better, coming from me.

[ there's a quiet, tiny "what?" that sneaks in before he finished, right after he said those words, that her dad died, and that's- it does, it hits her like a ton of bricks. more than that. her chest feels tight and then everything kind of t i p s, like she's either about to pass out or stumble. only she's sitting down and she's holding onto Peter's hand with the same tight grip he's holding onto her, and she keeps listening because there has to be a silver lining, a reason why he told her it's "not super bad".

her eyes well up with tears but she doesn't let herself cry, not outright, and that's entirely because she trusts Peter so much. ]

That was the deal you made? To save my father?

[ oh, emotions. they were so- fickle and strange and her heart is still twisted up tight but there is relief there, if not just because for whatever reason, right now she does trust what the Admiral told her. about being able to change things, being able to fix something about their world that went wrong. ]

Oh my God, Peter. Oh my God. I mean. Yeah, I- I'm glad you told me, I am. I just-

[ because for a second her mind goes to Uncle Ben, and she feels this punch of guilt she wasn't expecting. guilt and gratitude and sadness and fear all rolled up into one big ball of "what the hell am I feeling right now?" ]

The last thing I told my father was to make sure you were okay. I never thought- [ she exhales, finally drops her gaze from his face because it's all too much at once, that's all. she has to cry because it's either that or some kind of panic attack, and she doesn't want that. ] Thank you. Peter, thank you. [ she's holding onto his hand with both of hers now, just so she can move his hand until she can kiss at his knuckles, sort of hide behind his fingers and nudge at his hand with her nose, all just in an attempt to not- freak out too much. ] Thank you for saving him. And I'm really glad he saved you. God. [ the idea of losing either of them, or both of them, is too much to wrap her head around. so she'll stop, and instead just focus on having Peter with her here right now. ]

[He doesn't really know what to do with her thanks. He can't just brush it off with a joke, act like it's not a big deal, because it was, but he still just feels... guilty, so guilty even if it's fixed, because there's no way this is going to be the first time something like this happens to someone who's trying to help him. Captain Stacy had been right: he's going to make enemies, and sometimes, he's not going to be enough to keep the people he loves safe.

It always makes him think about James, and how his solution was just to cut himself off, keep himself as safe as possible from making those sort of connections in the first place. Peter doesn't know if he can do that, and he's seen the kind of damage that life does to you, anyway. If only there was an easier way to balance it all.]

He's a good guy, [He finally says, once his throat's able to unstick.] And I mean, Dr. Connors was a good guy, too, before, you know. Stuff happened.

It was really messed up. And I couldn't just let that happen, you know? He didn't deserve that.

[That feels easier to say than you're welcome, because he still really doesn't think he deserves to be thanked. If it hadn't been for him, Captain Stacy never would have needed to be there in the first place, and Connors wouldn't have gone crazy. All because he'd found that stupid algorithm.

A heavy sigh escapes him, and suddenly he feels kind of old and tired, because all of that feels like a really long time ago now, but at the same time, it doesn't. Like he's never going to really be able to fully forgive himself for what happened. But he tries to make himself smile, kisses her hand, too.]

I really missed you.

[ she just nodnodnods at first, because yeah, maybe she's still trying to wrap her head around the idea that her mentor really did, uh, intend to turn the whole city into giant, mutant lizards. that's a lot to accept about someone you knew to be so- level. passionate, sure, but levelheaded and realistic more often than not. but sometimes opportunity pushes at people, they see the golden ticket and they sprint for it, no matter the cost. her father- it was his job to put himself in those situations, in a way. nothing as extreme as what was going on with Dr. Connors and the serum, but she did know he would put himself in harm's way if it meant protecting the city. that didn't shock her. the idea of him being gone just-

but he's not. Peter said he isn't, and he wasn't when she left, so she just has to focus on that. her voice is quiet when she speaks up again, but the worry's gone, at least. for the most part. while she lets their hands rest on her lap again, the other comes up to hold his face, brush her thumb over his cheek. and it's so, so cheesy to think that the idea of them being apart for any length of time seems.. kind of impossible? but that's what she's thinking about, and the urge to just stop talking altogether and hug him and hold onto him for the next for- decades seems like a nice idea. it's a good thought. but instead- ]

How long have you been here?

Um, [He has to think. The months kind of blur together after a while, and between that and the fact that he can remember like, seven other lives he didn't technically live, it's kind of hard to get a good read on that kind of thing.] About a year and a half? Maybe a little less.

[Peter leans into her touch, lifting his free hand to brush her hair back again. It's an excuse to touch her, like he's trying to make up for lost time.]

I'm okay. [It seems worth saying, after... everything else that's been said over the last ten minutes or so.] There are a lot of really good people here.

[He's got friends, people he can count on to have his back. That helps make this whole her being here thing easier, to know they'll have hers, too. The Barge isn't safe, not by a long shot, but maybe she'll be okay. Maybe they both will be, even if whatever this is that's coming turns out to be as bad as everyone thinks it's going to be.]

Well. Then... I'm just sorry it took me so long to get here.

[ she sounds a tiny bit amused, but it's forced at first, like she's just trying to ignore how much that freaks her out. a year and a half. meanwhile, he's from, what, an hour ahead of her, in their timeline? which is a whole different can of worms. or- can of wormholes, possibly, if this all comes down to time travel and alternate universes. it's too much, so. yeah. she'll think about it later. for now she'll focus on what he went on to say, that he's okay. which is the important part.

he doesn't look like he's about to fall over, too, which is honestly a step up from how he was looking the last time she saw him at home. all bruised and battered. ( still.. really cute, but shh. ) no, he does look better here. he looks okay, that's believable. that's enough to make her smile. ]

Have you been making lots of friends, Peter?

[ half genuinely interested, half teasing him, since that's what she does ]

Actually, yeah, [Peter laughs, playing along with the joking at his expense thing. He knows he's a lonely nerd back home - it's part of why having so many people who seem to actually like spending time with him is so weird - and it's still kind of difficult not to think of himself that way, even after all this time.]

They're probably going to be really embarrassing when they finally get to talk to you. [He's maybe talked about you a lot. Like, a lot, and actually he's kind of bummed Snow isn't around to meet you. And Tim, and Ollie, even if he feels like maybe it's a good thing Ollie isn't around to tell her she could do better, since... that's what he'd done during that flood.

But anyway.]

But they're cool. Seriously, you'll like them. One of them's a werewolf.

That's alright. I mean, me personally, I love embarrassing. Embarrassing is great.

[ hey, she's teasing him, but there's still this weird mixed up sense of pride and curiosity and gratefulness with the news. she's not exactly Miss Popular back at Midtown either, it's no secret. not at Oscorp, either, not with the kids their age. it's never particularly bothered her, but the idea of them being put in this different environment where their stupid high school norms don't matter? that's kind of awesome.

and then he says werewolf and her brow just... furrows up. ]

Sorry, a whatwolf? [ but she knows what a werewolf is, duh, so ] Really? Like, turns into a wolf every full moon?

Well, there's not really a moon here, but yeah, he does.

[And that's somehow not the weirdest thing that's ever happened in his time here.

Somehow.]

There are a lot of weird things like that: vampires, mutants, aliens... Mr. Spock is here? [HE IS TEACHING HIM HOW TO PLAY 3D CHESS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH PETER GEEKS OUT ABOUT THIS IN PRIVATE. Also jeez, he is probably going to have to prep you on the whole people know about me from comic books and might know you too thing, and what crazy stuff that's led to and just. Well.] And I'm kind of not the only superhero? Which is pretty awesome.

[ at first she's just watching him even after he says that Mr. Spock is here, like she's sure he's about to laugh, is just trying to test how far she's willing to believe, against her better judgment. but that laugh never comes, and the corners of her mouth pull down in a sort of "well! alrighty then" expression. and then he moves onto superheroes. ]

Oh, yeah I was going to ask you about that - people know here? Like, they know know. And it's just common knowledge, and totally fine with everybody. Nobody got... freaked out or anything? [ he was bitten by a spider okay she could see how it could be a little much. hell, her own father's reaction to what Spider-Man could do was proof enough that she had reason to worry, even if half of Captain Stacy's response was from a police point of view, but. still. ] I'm glad to hear it, I am. I just- How did-

[ oh wait ]

Oh!

You were shot at? Alex told me you arrived here with a gunshot wound.

[ like.. over a year ago.. but she's acting like he's hiding it from her right now, yes. all KINDS of worried! ]

[He's glad she's glad, really, because this isn't really something he can just. Force people to forget about or whatever, and he doesn't want to fight with her about it or anything, because man, he seriously knows how this is like. A ridiculous security risk back home, and definitely not something he'd ever consider doing or anything back there.

But things had just... kind of fallen apart for him on the Barge, so here he is.]

Well, James said he was going to shoot me if I told him I was Spider-Man when he first found out, but I mean, he's James Bond, so it's really not like he- [And then she says the thing about the gunshot wound, and his face twists into an apologetic/guilty smile that's hopefully marginally reassuring.

I guess Peter will be having a serious talk with Alex when this is over!!]

Yeah, uh, it was kind of an accident, no big deal, and I heal pretty quickly? I'm totally fine, there's barely even a scar. And I mean, if I was a cop, I'd probably have been shooting at me too? Or, I mean, probably not, but-

[And then he realizes that probably sounds really bad, and he quickly tries to fix that potential can of worms before it spills any more open.]

Don't worry, it wasn't like- It wasn't your dad, seriously. He was actually telling people not to shoot me, so that was pretty cool, since, you know. Wanting to arrest me and stuff.

But yeah, people know. [A nervous laugh bubbles out without warning, but it's a genuinely happy one, so there's that, at least.] I guess I'm kind of famous where some of them are from?

[ maybe she was a little worried that her dad had been the one to pull the trigger, but she believes him when he says he wasn't, still giving him a Peter, pls look, but it's not too severe. and she kind of maybe looked at whatever skin was showing on him, like from his face to his arms and hands, whatever, like she had to just check real quick, make sure he was really okay. maybe see if she could spot the scar. but no, nothing. which is actually for the best, since she would just end up worrying over it if she could see it.

aaaand then she's laughing, half in reaction to his laugh, and half in reaction to what he said- ]

Um, yeah. I noticed that. Chris told me I'm basically dating a celebrity. [ and here's a goofy expression to show how she feels about that ] He said I was like Princess Diana.

[Chris, that's a really unfortunate comparison to make, considering what happened to Princess Di. ~~Appropriate, but still.~~

Peter just laughs, managing his own goofy expression that somehow conveys genuine amusement and irritation. Which is pretty much how most of his interactions involving Chris go on a normal day anyway, so.

Spoilers, he might be one of the weirder of the friends he was talking about.]

Aw, man, does that make me Charles? I don't want to be Charles, he's so weird looking.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video ][ tlv ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject