Re: osborn estate: gwen & pete
I could help you with your list. [His grin went from cheeky to dripping with faux innocence.] I think I could be particularly helpful with the cons of making your little line permanent. [Humour was his fallback. Pete figured somebody had to keep everyone afloat, and okay, he had his moments too, but usually when he was alone. He didn't like bringing down other people. But he'd gotten better at the whole one-sided thing, realizing that he couldn't expect people to pour out their sorrows to him while he pushed them away and claimed he was "fine" when they tried to return the favor.
Harry was way defensive, there was no arguing with that. He thought his upbringing had a lot to do with it, never feeling like he was good enough, having such a powerful, distant father. But Pete thought that to an extent Harry was responsible for his own choices, too.] I know how Harry can get, even without the serum. But, and I'm totally going to keep saying it, that's not your fault. And just because he sees it as a betrayal doesn't mean he's right.
[He liked to think that Gwen could tell him anything. Whatever happened now, if she was with that Jason guy, if they were just friends, Peter wanted to be there for her. He sucked at distance. But when she said all that stuff about the other Peter, he thought it was her way of saying no. Which, okay, he could respect, even if it bummed him out. Except it wasn't a no, because she kept talking, and Pete vowed to keep his lips zipped up until she finished. He took the paper towel ice bag from her fingers and pressed it against the side of her neck, gentle, as he listened.
Staying quiet lasted for, like, two seconds.] I broke up with you? [He sounded incredulous, but he couldn't help it. Yeah, okay, so he'd broken up with her for a while back home too, but not because he'd wanted to. It was all mixed up with the promise he'd made her dad and, besides, Pete hadn't been able to stay away in the end. But he looked apologetic for interrupting, and mimed zipping his lips before going quiet. Again.
He tried to wrap his head around MJ giving Gwen advice. He tried to wrap his head around the love triangle-square-whatever that had gone on, and Pete was grateful his high school experience hadn't been complicated in that sense. Give him a giant lizard any day. Especially with all the lying going on-- not cool. He let his hand drop when she moved away, and he set the ice down on the counter. So far, Pete thought he'd done a pretty good job of listening. High five, self. But then she said that she was pregnant, after this weird drug thing, and his eyes widened. He couldn't help it. Gwen? Having a baby? Harry's baby? And it made him wonder, then, a web of curiosity, about Emily, because he'd never understood why Norman Osborn would adopt a child. Surely there were other ways to make himself look good...
But he didn't ask. He didn't interrupt. He just kept listening, until the end, working it out in his head. And yeah, maybe this MJ had been more different than he'd thought, in comparison to the one he'd known. Or maybe Pete was just a little blind when it came to Mary Jane Watson. Who knew. But then, if he was a little blind when it came to MJ, he was a lot blind when it came to Gwen.]
Okay, first off, I don't hate you. [He smiled, reassuringly, like that might help.] Secondly, your big secret is the baby, right? It sounds like you tried to tell Harry, but he didn't want to listen. If giving it up was the right choice for you, then... [Pete gestured absently.] That's your choice to make, Gwen. As long as it's what you wanted. [And then he paused. He didn't like talking trash about anyone, least of all MJ, but he trusted Gwen implicitly. He didn't think she was making this stuff up to cast MJ as the bad guy and herself as the victim.] MJ shouldn't've lied to you. Harry shouldn't've lied to you, either. If you... had feelings for Harry, and they both knew it... they should've been honest with you. [He shrugged.] I know I wasn't around, and I probably don't get it, but... that's just how I see it.