The final bell rang, and soon Ethan found himself standing in front of the science lab after being physically dragged there by a much too enthusiastic Gwen Stacy, she had no business being so lively after so much time at the mercy of the school system.
"I'm not having you bail on me because your social battery ran out," She said when asked why she was holding him by the sleeve of his shirt.
Hand Holding would be more practical, but imposing such lewdness upon her after a single day was too much even for him.
"Well, I'm not complaining," He said with a smile, there were worse fates than being 'forced' to hang out with a cute girl.
"Good boy," She playfully swatted him on the back.
He'd take it this time, but soon enough she would be working hard to be his good girl.
When did he decide on this? He had no clue.
Why? He could make a list.
How? Just watch him.
He could already hear Peter's voice from the hallway, rambling on about Pym's work on electromagnetism or something equally technical and overkill for the occasion.
For a moment, he considered bailing, and only the sight of Gwen's glorious arse as she leaned to open the door stopped him from doing something foolish.
He stepped inside, following the booty like any self-respecting man would.
The lab was filled with students, most of them gathered around a table covered in equipment. Peter was in the thick of it, gesturing animatedly at something on the whiteboard while the seniors suffered silently, their moment of glory stolen by a wee firstie with big glasses and a bigger brain than all of them combined.
Ethan's eyes immediately went to Gwen, arms crossed and watching the scene with amused interest.
"Ethan! You made it!" Peter called out, his voice way too loud for the enclosed space.
The poor boy likely thought he came for him.
He watched as his eyes caught sight of a blonde and pretty girl standing right beside him, and Peter Parker.exe stopped working for an awkward moment.
'Oh, you're so paying for whatever sick fantasy you've got brewing inside your head Pete.' He thought, ignoring his sick fantasies and how he wasn't in that sort of relationship with the lass.
Well, not yet.
Ethan just smirked, leaning against the nearest counter as Peter began setting up the equipment. The rest of the group seemed content to watch, a few whispering among themselves, while Peter's focus remained completely on the task at hand.
The seniors and second years weren't all too happy to let him take control, but he did anyway, flying around the lab as if he spent his whole life in the place.
For once having some confidence and calm in a social setting, so much that the rest of the firsties didn't bother questioning the arrangement save for those who've been around him during middle school.
It was almost impressive.
As Peter started fiddling with the wires, Gwen leaned in closer to Ethan. "So, you're really into physics, huh? I remember you said something about reading up on it over the summer."
"Yeah," Ethan said, keeping his voice low as he watched Peter work. "It's useful for... other stuff."
"Like what?"
Ethan paused. He didn't want to come off too cryptic, but it wasn't like he could explain his powers to Gwen in the middle of a high school science club.
Or in any other setting to be honest.
'but she has the right to Know' Would moan some soy-blooded, catgirl loving, loli-chasing waste of space who very much did not deserve whatever overpowered system and glorious world he was thrust into.
To them, Ethan extended a polite invitation to fuck themselves thoroughly, as it's the only action they deserved to get.
It was stupid in so many ways just thinking about it could damage his brain cells and make him slightly more similar to Scott Summers.
And that's fate he wouldn't wish upon his worst enemies.
"Just personal projects," he finally said, shrugging, "Programming has always been more practical anyway."
"Fine, keep your mysteries," She rolled her eyes good naturedly.
"I will, " Ethan replied, giving her a half-smile, suddenly remembering a convenient way to change the subject, "What were you going to ask before Mr. Warren interrupted you, by the way?"
Before Gwen could answer or press further, Peter interrupted with a loud clap. "Alright, it's ready! Let's see what happens!"
The group gathered around the setup, watching as Peter flicked a switch and sexually harassed some wires.
Gwen leaned in closer to Ethan again, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Ten bucks says he knocks something over before the experiment's done."
"Twenty that he does it in ten seconds, " Ethan countered, smirking.
"You're on." She fist bumped him to seal the deal.
And sure enough, as Peter reached to adjust one of the wires, his elbow caught a beaker, sending it crashing to the floor.
"Dammit!" Peter yelped, jumping back as the glass shattered.
Ethan leaned closer to Gwen, his voice barely above a whisper. "Pay up."
Gwen laughed, shaking her head. "Fine, you win."
Ethan couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. The science club was more fun than he'd anticipated, and having Gwen beside him made it... easier. More comfortable.
Even when she wasn't talking, her presence made him slightly happier, the knowledge that he could look to his right and see a hundred different things that would make his weasely black heart melt…that, or make his equally fool mind conjure a thousand different things that would make a sailor blush.
It was…nice, for a lack of better words.
The twenty bucks helped too, now he could pretend that he did something productive.
A victory on all fronts.
As Peter scrambled to clean up the mess, Gwen turned to Ethan, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Glad you came?"
He met her gaze, and for the first time in a while, he didn't need to repress a snarky response.
"Yeah," he said quietly, his expression softening. "I'm glad I did."
After the chaos of Peter's mishap, the science club slowly began to wrap up. Most of the students had dispersed, and Peter, ever the perfectionist, was still tinkering with the equipment despite the fact that the experiment was already a success—aside from the shattered beaker, of course.
Ethan grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder as Gwen stretched beside him.
"That was... surprisingly entertaining," Gwen said, her tone light.
"You mean watching Peter fumble with wires?" Ethan smirked.
She chuckled, adjusting the strap of her own bag. "That's part of it. But, I don't know, I like this stuff. The possibilities of what we can do with science—it's exciting, don't you think?"
Ethan nodded, though his mind wandered to the ways he had been using his own knowledge. Telekinesis, physics, computer science—it was all connected. He'd spent so much time studying how the world worked so he could manipulate it with his powers. It wasn't just about lifting things with his mind, but understanding how forces interacted.
'I guess that's what keeps me interested too.'
But he didn't say that out loud. Instead, he glanced at Gwen, her expression thoughtful as they walked toward the exit.
"You know, you could've been running this whole thing," he said, gesturing to the lab behind them.
"What, the science club?" Gwen raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. You've got more brains than half the people in that room, including Peter," He said but only got silence and a raised brow.
"Well, maybe not Peter, but you're certainly much prettier." He argued, and got a pleasant blush in response.
"Tease," She swatted in the arm, and he did not miss her taking advantage of the moment to feel his muscles, that little minx wasn't nearly half as subtle as she thought, "I'm not trying to outshine him anyway, let him have his thing, engineering is where it's at as far as I'm concerned."
Sheldon Cooper would take exception, but fuck him.
"That's generous of you," Ethan teased. Gwen wasn't like most people. She didn't need to dominate a room to prove how smart she was. She just... was. That quiet confidence made her stand out even more.
In simpler words, it was hot.
As they stepped out into the late afternoon sun, Gwen tilted her head toward him. "You heading home?"
"Yeah, probably," Ethan said, though his mind was already working through tonight's plans. He'd do his usual patrol. The streets had been more active lately, and he was itching for more real-world practice.
That, and his wallet could do with some fattening.
Gwen glanced down the street, the wind catching her hair as she stood there, seemingly weighing her words. "We could grab a coffee or something if you're not in a rush?"
With the way she said it, he almost expected her to add 'or whatever it is you youngsters do these days,' that utter lack of experience was rather endearing, it made every little thing special.
Even this simple request.
Ethan blinked, slightly surprised. Gwen wasn't asking in the casual, offhanded way most people did. There was an openness to the question, a sincerity that made him pause.
'Coffee? With Gwen?'
He almost said yes, but then the thought of how much time he had already spent at school today clicked into place. He couldn't let his routine slip.
The weiner was all in for the coffee, pizza or whatever the hell she asked, but this time the upper brain was calling the shots and that meant following the way of the grind.
"Rain check?" he said, keeping his tone light. "Got some stuff to do tonight."
Gwen didn't seem fazed. "Sure. Another time, then."
There was no disappointment in her voice, just that calm acceptance he was starting to associate with her. Still, as they parted ways, he couldn't shake the small tug of curiosity. What would it be like, just hanging out with Gwen outside of school? No science clubs, no schoolwork, just... normal.
He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. There were other things that needed his attention.
Still, it would've been nice.
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.