Re: pete's house: gwen & peter
Dying messes everyone up, Gwen Stacy. Losing someone you care about is never easy. It's hard. That doesn't mean I'm scarred for life or anything. [Peter didn't talk a whole lot about what it'd been like after she died the first time, those months when time stood still and how long it took to get back on his feet. But he had, and he was, now, he was a lot better. He was tired of looking back and dwelling on the past, he wanted to look forward.] You think it's just grief, and not real feelings. [Yeah, frustrating. That was a good word for it. But her fingers were on his wrist, and she was close, and he let her tug his hand down without resistance. A softening of his resolve, even if he didn't realize it.]
Yeah, but it's not your fault. [Quiet, and he managed to return her smile.] You don't need to be selfless. Not for me, and I can make my own choices. [Still, though, he got it. He didn't like it, but he got it. His smile warmed when she nudged his hip, and he lifted his hands to cup her face, fingers sliding along her cheeks. He didn't say anything, no agreement; he just kissed her instead, open-mouthed and a rekindling of heat they'd had on the floor.]