The Morning After the Date with Natasha...
After receiving a kiss from Natasha, William stood frozen under the dim glow of the streetlamp, his mind replaying the moment over and over again.
"She… kissed me?" he murmured to himself, lifting a finger to touch his lips. "Natasha… Black Widow… kissed me?"
His heart pounded wildly, not just because of the kiss, but because of the chaos swirling in his head. MJ, Gwen, and now Natasha. Three incredible women, each with their own charm and the lingering feelings between them and himself. But William knew he couldn't let himself be swept away by emotions right now, because...
Tomorrow was his promised date with Gwen.
The Next Morning
Ding dong!
The doorbell startled William out of bed. His hair was a mess, and he was still half-asleep. He glanced at the clock.
"Seven in the morning? Who the heck comes this early?"
Groggily, he opened the door while yawning... and immediately froze.
Standing in front of him was Gwen Stacy, wearing a casual pastel-blue dress. Her hair was neatly down, with a touch of makeup that gave her face a natural glow. Her cheeks were pink, and she avoided William's gaze shyly.
"I… I'm ready for our date today," Gwen said softly, her voice quiet but sincere.
William stared at her for a few seconds before rubbing his face and replying in a groggy voice: "Gwen… it's way too early… I haven't even showered yet."
Gwen gave an awkward smile and replied: "Hehe… sorry. I got too excited… I forgot it's still too early."
William let out a short laugh. "Come on in, I'll get ready. But don't fall asleep on the couch, it's a trap."
"Hurry up, okay? I'll wait. But don't take too long."
Gwen entered and sat down, hugging her bag tightly.
After William Got Ready…
William finally stepped out of the bathroom wearing a clean casual outfit, light cologne, and simply styled hair. He looked at Gwen, who was standing and fidgeting with her fingers.
"Okay, princess. I'm ready."
Gwen smiled, and the two of them headed out.
On the Way…
While in the car, William glanced over and asked, "But seriously, why'd you show up that early at my place?"
Gwen squinted at him and replied with a flat tone, "So you wouldn't be late like you were at dinner."
But in her mind, Gwen whispered to herself: 'I just got too excited… and I wanted to be the first thing you saw today.'
They visited the Museum of History & Technology. Gwen explained old scientific tools, energy experiments, and the digital revolution. William watched her with admiration, sometimes nodding, sometimes asking questions.
"You really know a lot," said William.
"You must come to places like this a lot."
"I love learning," Gwen replied. "But it's more fun with you."
After that, they had lunch at a classic-modern restaurant, with soft jazz music playing in the background. The seafood menu made William excited, and Gwen laughed at his enthusiasm.
While they ate, they shared stories about their pasts, about family, school days, and the loneliness that sometimes crept in even when surrounded by people.
"Thank you, Will…" Gwen said gently, looking at him.
"You've always been there for me. You're like… an anchor in the middle of a storm."
William looked into Gwen's eyes and said, "And you're… the place where I feel calm. This world is so loud. But when I'm with you, it's quiet."
The music shifted to something softer, more romantic. As if the moment had been planned. Gwen looked away, her cheeks glowing pink.
But then her phone buzzed. A call from Captain Stacy—her father.
Gwen sighed, then said softly: "I have to be home before nine."
The mood shifted instantly. But William didn't show disappointment. "It's okay. I learned a lot about you today. And I had an amazing time."
Gwen bit her lower lip, bashfully.
When Dropping Gwen Off…
They walked slowly down the sidewalk as the streetlights began to light up one by one. When they reached Gwen's house, she turned to William.
"Will… thank you…"
Before William could respond, Gwen quickly kissed his cheek and then ran up to her front door, hiding her flushed face.
"See you tomorrow!!" Gwen called out, waving before closing the door.
William stood there in front of her house, touching the cheek she kissed, then smiled.
"See you tomorrow, Gwen…"
After receiving intel about illegal experiments involving children, William and Natasha were dispatched by SHIELD to put a stop to it. They infiltrated a hidden facility on the outskirts of the city—disguised as an old factory from the outside, but inside was a high-tech lab filled with biotechnological equipment.
"Thermal scans show over ten children inside," Natasha said seriously, staring at the tablet in her hand. William clenched his fists.
"Using kids for experiments... disgusting," William muttered, eyes burning with anger.
With their teamwork perfectly in sync, they sneaked in. Natasha moved swiftly, silently taking down two guards. William used shadows to disable surveillance cameras and cast a veil of darkness over their path.
But when they reached the heart of the facility, they were confronted by the mastermind behind the experiments—a mad scientist who had modified his own body with experimental tech and serums. His body was massive, half-metallic, with cables dangling like tangled roots.
"Anyone who dares to disrupt this progress... will be eradicated!" he roared, then charged at them.
William and Natasha engaged him without hesitation. William summoned shadow clones to distract the enemy while Natasha attacked from the flank with her electric batons. The scientist was powerful—his punches could shatter walls—but William shielded himself with shadow armor to withstand the blows.
Natasha leapt onto his back, smashing into the cables with precision. The enemy staggered. Seeing the opening, William conjured a shadow spear and drove it into the scientist's leg to immobilize him.
With a perfectly timed joint assault, they finally brought the madman down. The children were freed, and SHIELD teams arrived to secure the location.
After the Mission…
The sky was turning red with the evening glow as they exited the building. William looked up at the darkening sky and said quietly, "Mind if I take a walk? I'm not ready to go home just yet after all that."
Natasha nodded. "I could use some fresh air too."
They walked together through the quiet city streets, far from SHIELD's sterile corridors. Under the soft streetlights, Natasha finally spoke about her past—about the Black Widow program that had turned her into what she was.
As they strolled through the quiet streets, the rhythm of their footsteps blending with the soft hum of the city, Natasha finally broke the silence. Her voice was low, almost lost in the wind.
"You know," she said, eyes focused ahead, "I used to think I didn't deserve a real life. The things I've done… the missions I took… SHIELD was my chance to balance the scales. Maybe even find something close to redemption."
William glanced at her, his expression calm but full of sincerity. "You don't have to justify your past to me, Natasha. You survived. You made hard choices… choices no one else had the courage to make. That doesn't make you a monster. It makes you strong."
She gave a faint smile, but her eyes remained distant. "Strong, maybe. But sometimes… strength feels like loneliness."
William stopped walking and faced her. "That's why I respect you—not just because you're strong or skilled. But because you stand by your principles, even when they cost you everything. You're independent, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to have someone by your side."
Natasha looked at him, her mask slipping just a little. For a brief moment, there was raw vulnerability in her expression. "You saying that you want to be that someone?"
William's voice was steady. "I'm saying I want to walk this road with you—for however long it takes. Until you've forgiven yourself. Until the weight doesn't feel so heavy."
She was quiet for a moment, caught off guard. Her lips parted slightly, as if unsure whether to speak or stay silent. "I'm not the type to fall easily," she said softly. "Trained not to feel. Not to trust. But maybe… maybe I was wrong."
Her gaze held his. "So what does that mean, William? Is this your way of saying you're volunteering for a lifetime mission? One we don't retire from?"
William chuckled lightly. "If that's what it takes, then yes. I'll be with you, until the day you have no regrets left to carry."
Natasha's lips curved into a genuine smile, small but unmistakably real. "Then I guess you're stuck with me… until we die, huh?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping just above a whisper. "You just made a confession to a Black Widow. That's dangerous, you know."
William smirked. "I like living dangerously."
William gave a faint smile. "And I'm still confused. There's Gwen, there's MJ… and then there's you."
Natasha gave a short laugh, though her voice held a bittersweet edge. "Honestly? I prefer you saying that rather than faking some cheesy romantic line."
Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed William, fierce and raw. It caught him off guard, but he didn't resist.
After the unexpected kiss, they stared at each other in silence. It wasn't awkward, it was the kind of silence packed with unspoken thoughts and truths too heavy for words.
Natasha sighed and looked ahead. "You think too much, William. Sometimes… you just need to live in the moment."
She took his hand. "Come on. The night's still young."