Stiles (hyperactivespaz) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-10-10 15:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, gwen stacy (ghost spider), stiles stilinski |
Who: Stiles Stilinski and Gwen Stacy
What: Last Day
When: Wednesday, October 1st, lunchtime
Where: Stark Tower
Rating: G for Gen
Status: Complete
It was surreal. Twelve weeks ago, Stiles’ had started here, bright-eyed and awed and so incredibly grateful to have any kind of employment, and now he had to go back to his life as a college student. He was feeling nostalgic today, for some reason. Incredibly grateful for Tony, and for Pepper, whom he’d never expected to meet, much less get to know as well as he had.
And then there was Gwen. Beautiful, genius Gwen who Stiles had fallen hard for, although it hadn’t taken long after discovering that she was basically engaged for him to completely embarrass himself, and realize that her friendliness had been just that--being friendly.
He’d been hurt, and humiliated, but after her boyfriend had talked to him, and things with Derek had started to take a physical turn, it’d been easier to work through it and get them back to the easy friendship they’d had at first. Oh, he was still in awe of Gwen, and probably always would be, but his admiration was pretty much purely platonic now.
Pretty much.
Although he was checking over his reflection in the mirror in the restroom before he joined her for lunch.
Even though it was technically October, it was still far too warm in Southern California to wear scarves, or turtlenecks, or hide the two giant red marks on either side of his neck. On one side, the red tendrils of the lichtenberg figure were still visible, although they had faded considerably. On the other, Derek had a habit of leaving his mark, and there was definitely a visible bruise just above his t-shirt collar.
He sighed and futzed with his hair before giving up, and heading back to the office. The delivery guy was waiting, and Stiles smiled as he accepted the food, which he’d charged to Tony’s expense account. What.
Drink holder with two sodas--one diet for Gwen, one regular for himself--in one hand, he made his way to Gwen’s office, carrying the aluminum pans in the white plastic bag, with the brown paper bag on top. He knocked on her door and then poked his head in.
“Lunch is here. You busy?”
Gwen had been entering some data into one of the computers at her desk. She was deep into the trenches of it, pencil behind her ear, tongue pressed tightly between her lips, staring intently at the screen. A notebook was open in front of her, too, next to the screen, and her hands were flying furiously across the keys, giving loud clicks and taps.
When Stiles stuck his head into the room, Gwen lifted her eyes from the screen, and the clacking of the keys stopped. A little smile broke out across her features. As much as she shouldn't be, Gwen was fond of Stiles. In another world, in another time, maybe, that fondness might have blossomed into something more. But in the here and now, Gwen considered herself lucky to have him as a friend. Even if that meant a little awkwardness on her part.
"Hey." The grin was unavoidable at the sight of him. "Never too busy for lunch with my favorite Stiles."
“I’m your only Stiles,” he replied returning the grin with a wink as he entered, then set the food on her desk. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m the only Stiles, unless we’re counting otherworldly counterparts,” he added, while he unpacked their lunch--Italian, because Tony was buying.
"You're the best Stiles ever." Gwen said, grinning. She locked her screen and stood from her desk. It was nice of him to bring food, but she wanted to get out of her office. It felt stuffy in there. "Wanna go eat on the roof?"
Stiles’s eyebrows went up behind his glasses, and he paused, halfway through unpacking the bags. “Uh...sure?” He flashed her a smile and started repacking. “I didn’t know that was a thing.”
"How long have you been working here? And you didn't know the roof was a thing?" Gwen asked, reaching forward for one of the drinks. "There's potted plants and benches and stuff. It's really nice."
“...I’m putting this on you,” Stiles accused. “You neglected to inform me this was a thing,” he teased, and picked up the other soda along with his bag. “So. Lead the way, genius.”
Gwen chuckled softly. “Maybe I was waiting for the perfect moment for the reveal?” She led the way out of her office and toward the elevator that would take them to the roof. It was the same one that moved up to Tony’s office, to Pepper’s, to the labs, but skipped the twentywhatever floors between their floor and the ground floor. The elevator that you had to have a key card and a code and possibly a thumbprint or retinal scan to use. That one.
Anyway, Gwen called the elevator and they climbed inside. “You’re really leaving me, then, are you?”
“College makes it difficult to hold down a full time job,” Stiles replied, and smiled. “But Tony and Pepper are being so incredibly awesome about letting me stay on, and make my own hours. So....I’ll be here in the afternoons after my classes are done, sometimes, or the weekends. If you’re still keeping your insane hours, we’ll definitely see each other.”
“I don’t think my insane hours are going to change anytime soon.” Gwen said, lifting the soda to take a sip. “Ah, I think I got yours,” she added, holding it out to him.
Stiles awkwardly switched sodas with her and then the elevator came to a stop, the doors opening onto the roof.
“Holy crap. How did I not know about this?”
They stepped out onto the roof. It was pretty fantastic. There were solar panels everywhere, but a lot of them were on stilts providing shade. What space wasn’t covered with panels had fountains or potted plants, or comfortable benches or swings. It was really quite lovely. A bamboo wind chime was hanging from a nearby set of solar panels on stilts, and Gwen moved in that direction. A picnic table sat underneath in the shade.
The view was absolutely amazing. They could see the city covered in all the smog, and all the way out to the ocean.
“You should have asked.” Gwen said, giving him a little smirk.
“Probably best I didn’t, or I would’ve spent all my time up here,” Stiles retorted, following Gwen to the table. Food needed to be consumed. Now. He quickly unpacked the bags and sat down. “Bet it’s gorgeous up here after a rainstorm, when all the smog is gone.”
“I come up here sometimes. When I’m working. It’s nice to bring a tablet or a laptop or whatever. Tony’s even got the wifi going.” She pointed over her shoulder to a wireless router thingy attached to the side of the building. Along with a camera. There were cameras everywhere at Stark Tower.
“I’ll have to try it. We haven’t had many rainstorms lately.” Gwen said, and dug into her lunch, too. Delish.
“Yeah. This drought is killer,” Stiles said, around a mouthful of fettuccine. “But...thanks, Gwen. I know we didn’t exactly get off to the best start, and it’s been kind of...awkward...the past couple weeks, but I really do respect you, and if you ever need anything--and I mean anything, you just let me know. Okay?”
Gwen turned to look at him at those words, a little surprised. She raised an eyebrow then swallowed and nodded. “Of course, Stiles. I know.” She said. “And… the same thing goes for you, yeah? That’s what friends are for.”
Stiles smiled. “Good. I’m glad I didn’t totally fuck up. After the whole...crush thing, and the Elena thing….” He swallowed and looked down at his bowl. “You don’t….you don’t blame me for that, do you?”
Gwen set down her fork and gave Stiles her full attention. “Well, I think you were a bit of a jerk to her, and she didn’t really deserve it.” Gwen said. “But I understand why you acted the way you did. I know that Tony’s not very clear sometimes when he talks about things.”
“Yeah, no I felt bad about that, after,” Stiles said. “When I found out that Tony didn’t mean she was gonna take over. I meant the...other part. The part where...she doesn’t work here any more.”
Gwen frowned. “Well, I figured she just didn’t work out. She wasn’t exactly qualified for the job, as you pointed out.” Did Stiles have something to do with Elena’s employment being terminated? This was news to Gwen. “...what don’t I know?”
Stiles stared at his food and then lifted his head to meet her eyes. “It’s uh...well, it’s sort of my fault,” he admitted. “Elena crashed a Valar post of mine and then her husband joined in and kind of...threatened to hurt me. When I told Pepper she and Tony had a...talk, I guess, and….” he trailed off and shrugged. “I was paranoid for like, two weeks that her husband was going to show up and kick my ass.”
Gwen’s brow furrowed as she stared at her friend. “What?” She asked, shocked and confused. “...Oh my God. Are you okay? I mean… he didn’t do anything, did he?” She was debating putting on her big girl pants and going to find this ass hole herself.
“Nothing happened,” Stiles said, quickly. “I mean...I haven’t seen him, or Elena, and neither of them have tried to contact me on the Net or any other way. So, I’m assuming whatever Tony and Pepper said got through.”
“Wow.” Gwen said. She was still frowning, her eyes on Stiles’ face. “...shit, man. I had no idea. It hasn’t leaked. I mean, I don’t think anyone knows. I hear all sorts of gossip at the company, and no one’s talking about it.” She leaned back a little, forgetting that the picnic bench didn’t have a back, and had to grab onto the table to keep from falling backward.
“Oh my god!” Stiles flailed a little, dropped his fork and pasta to reach out to steady her, and then smiled. “Heh. Usually I’m the clumsy one. You okay?”
Gwen started to laugh at herself. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said, going very pink in her face. “Sorry.” She’d nearly knocked things off the table in her falter. “...I guess I was just shocked.”
Stiles smiled again, a little crooked. “Yeah. I’m uh...sorry about that. I didn’t...I hope you don’t think I told you to get back at Elena, or something.”
“No.” Gwen said, shaking her head. “I”m really glad you told me. That’s… that’s like, psycho stuff there. I can’t believe it. Who does that sort of thing?” Gwen likely looked as disgusted as she felt at that idea.
It was gratifying to see Gwen reaffirm that Tony and Pepper had done the right thing. He laughed, twirling pasta around his fork, and shrugged a shoulder. “Yeah. Well. You’re pretty much stuck with me now, I think. Even if only part time.”
“Good.” Gwen said nodding once. “I really wouldn’t have it any other way.” She added, giving him a small smile. She picked up her own fork and speared some of her own pasta with it, triumphantly.