Chapter Text
EARTH-14512
NEW YORK
Screws clanged and banged against the floor as they fell one by one waiting to be replaced. A blowtorch in one hand and a screwdriver in the other, Peni Parker certainly had her work set out for her. Her robot had been damaged fighting a particularly powerful villain, this one villain had some robotic limbs -which in itself wasn't uncommon- and the ability to release a hypnotic gas that had found it's way into her robot's inner workings. Poor thing ended up almost destroying itself before Peni regained control and beat the villain back. One of its arms were completely torn off with the other barely hanging by a thread, it's legs had been smashed to pieces and at any moment could've fallen apart, the head might've been the only thing that was doing semi-alright. Peni leaned back and took her welding helmet off, she sighed and wiped the soot off her forehead using her forearm. This wasn't too rare of an occurrence as her robot often found itself in harm's way and partially destroyed. She pulled her helmet down and was about to get back to work when she heard a pixelated sound from behind her. Pulling her helmet back up she turned around to see one Gwen Stacy exit the portal.
"Hey Peni, can we talk?"
It wasn't rare for the two to meet with each other every now and then, both prior to and after the spot incident.
"Sure, what's going on?"
Sitting down next to her Gwen let out a sigh
"I... I think I like someone..."
Peni's response was swift
"It's Miles right?"
One second composed, the next, a total mess.
"W-Wha?! N-no! Me and him we're...just...friends"
She may have only muttered that last part but it was clear and audible to Peni.
"But you do like him, right?"
"I- maybe... I don't know..."
Peni mentally groaned wondering how someone could be so impressive in some ways and completely inept in others, even she knew when she liked someone earlier than Gwen.
"Look, Gwen, when you're with Miles, what do you feel?"
She looked towards Gwen as she blushed and played with her fingers nervously, she seriously cannot be this dense to her own feelings Peni thought.
"I feel-well uh, good?"
"Mhm, describe 'good' "
"Like...my chest gets all tight when he's around, I can't breath normally if that makes sense? I feel lighter but everything is heavier... I don't even think what I'm saying makes sense..."
'are you serious right now?' Peni thought, maybe Gwen needed to take love classes or something. There wasn't any other feasible way for someone to be so thick headed when it come to such a widely know topic.
"Gwen let me ask you something"
Peni looked at Gwen before asking
"How did you feel when you saw him with Margo?"
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The incident referenced took place about a month prior to Gwen approaching Peni. It was after the spot incident and Gwen was desperately trying to repair her friendship with Miles, anything, anything, she would do anything to get back what they had and potentially more, she didn't want to be selfish but hey, a girl can dream. Unfortunately those dreams were falling apart when she saw Margo and Miles together in the cafeteria of the main Spider HQ (idk what to call it). 'When did this happen? How close are they?' She thought to herself. She knew she had been a horrible person and an even worse friend to Miles during those times and even with that knowledge it still hurt to see the smile he used to give her be given to another girl. Gwen tried to reason with herself, rationalizing that they were probably just friends and he was thanking her for helping him out. Yeah, yeah that makes sense. When Gwen looked back up however she saw a blush adorn Margo's face and her heart immediately sank, she threw her tray of food onto a nearby table and swung away someplace else. Three pairs of eyes were watching and commented on the situation.
"She's got it bad"
"Yup"
"I feel bad but... She's gotta figure this out for herself"
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"H-how do you know about that?!"
"Because I saw it"
Gwen looked down nervously and embarrassed
"I... I don't know how to explain it, I just-I just hated it. The fact someone could other than me could get so close to him, I thought that it was always gonna be us y'know?"
"Well then there's your answer Gwen"
"Yeah...thanks"
Gwen stood up and entered coordinates to her dimension. Before she left Peni called on her.
"Gwen! You got this!"
"Thank you Peni"
Gwen smiled softly before entering the portal. The sound of a blowtorch re-entered the room moments later as Peni got back to work.
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"Maybe going to you first wasn't too bad of an idea"
Jess looked down to her stomach and rubbed it gently while Peni looked at him sympathetically.
"You did good by her Peni, thank you"
"It's nothing"
Peni giggled and shrugged it off, she then scanned the surrounding table for another hand before seeing a black and white hand make itself clear.
"Guess I can go next"
"So he went to a pig AND a guy from the 40's before me, ok..."
Peter could not believe it
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