Sunlight splashes across my face like warm honey, pulling me from the depths of sleep. I blink against the brightness, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar angle of morning light streaming through my dorm window. Then I register the weight of Ellie's arms around me, her body curved protectively against my back like a living shield.
I shift carefully in her embrace, turning to face her without breaking contact. To my surprise, she's already awake, those piercing blue eyes studying me with an intensity that makes my heart skip.
"Good morning," I say softly, half expecting her usual defensive posture, the familiar scowl that follows any moment of vulnerability between us.
Instead, her lips curve into a genuine smile, warm and unguarded in a way I've never seen before. "Good morning," she replies, her voice a gentle rumble that vibrates through her chest against mine.
She leans forward, pressing her lips to mine in a kiss that's surprisingly tender, nothing like the possessive claiming of last night. The symbiote pulses between us, creating electric points of contact where our skin meets. I feel heat rising to my cheeks as she deepens the kiss, her hand sliding up to cup my face.
When we finally break apart, she's looking at me with an amused expression. "What?" she asks, thumb stroking my flushed cheek.
"No, it's just..." I can't help the giddy smile spreading across my face. "You're finally acting like you want to be with me."
A brief shadow crosses her features, there and gone so quickly I almost miss it. Then her smile returns, softer now, almost vulnerable.
"I've always wanted to be with you," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was just scared of what might happen if I let myself have you."
The symbiote shifts across her skin, forming intricate patterns that seem to reflect her emotions. I reach out, tracing one dark tendril with my fingertip, watching as it curls around my touch like it's greeting an old friend.
"And now?" I ask, my heart hammering against my ribs.
Ellie's blue eyes hold mine, unflinching and certain. "Now I'm more scared of losing you to someone else than I am of anything this symbiote might do."
The confession hangs between us, raw and honest in the golden morning light. I lean forward, pressing my forehead against hers, our breath mingling in the small space between us.
"I'm not going anywhere," I whisper against her lips. "I'm exactly where I want to be."
She pulls back slightly, her eyes searching mine. "You had quite the nightmare last night," she says, her fingers tracing lazy patterns across my shoulder.
"Yeah," I reply, fragments of the dream resurfacing in my memory. "The only thing I really remember is seeing a female Jason Todd in her read hood outfit taken over by Carnage."
Ellie's brow furrows in confusion. "Who's Jason Todd?"
"The second Robin who got killed by the Joker."
"Huh?"
"A Batman character," I explain, trying to simplify.
Her expression clears slightly. "Oh, Batwoman? The comic thing?"
I can't help but smile at her response. "Oh, so you know about Batwoman?"
"Yeah, I saw the Christina Bale movies," she says with a casual shrug, like it's no big deal.
I nod slowly, processing once again how fundamentally different this world is, with its gender-flipped icons and history.
Ellie wraps her arms around me tightly, pulling me against her chest.
"I have to go to class soon," she murmurs into my hair, sounding genuinely regretful.
"Yeah, I need to get to class too," I sigh, reluctantly disentangling myself from her warmth.
She stands up in one fluid motion, and I find myself momentarily speechless. The symbiote shifts across her skin like liquid shadow, transforming into a fitted black t-shirt and jeans that highlight every perfect curve of her athletic form. The sight of her is breathtaking, powerful and elegant all at once.
I glance down at my shredded clothes scattered across the floor and can't help but laugh. "Damn it, Ellie. I think we need to have a serious talk about my wardrobe budget. You can't just keep destroying my clothes every time we hook up."
She smirks, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not my fault they're so fragile."
"Says the woman with the alien super-strength," I counter, shaking my head as I pick up the tattered remains of what was once my favorite shirt. "Seriously though, at this rate I'll be naked by the end of the month."
Ellie laughs, the sound surprisingly light and genuine. "Would that be so terrible?"
"For my bank account? Yes." I grin at her, feeling a warmth in my chest that has nothing to do with physical attraction. This playful, unguarded side of her is something I've only caught glimpses of before.
A sudden knock at the door interrupts our moment. My eyebrow shoots up in surprise, I'm not expecting anyone this early.
I grab a pair of sweatpants from my dresser and pull them on, then head toward the door without thinking. Before I can reach it, Ellie's hand clamps around my wrist like a vise. When I turn to look at her, her expression has shifted from playful to genuinely angry.
"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" she demands, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Huh?" I look at her in confusion. "Answering the door?"
"You're indecent!" she hisses, gesturing at my bare chest with her free hand.
I glance down at myself, momentarily baffled. "My chest? What's wrong with…"
"Men don't just walk around topless," she cuts me off, looking genuinely scandalized. "Have some self-respect."
I blink, processing her words. This makes sense in hindsight.
"Oh, right. Sorry," I mutter, pretending to be embarrassed by my social faux pas rather than confused by the rules of a reality I wasn't born into. I quickly grab a t-shirt from my drawer and pull it over my head.
Once I'm properly clothed, Ellie nods with approval and strides to the door. She opens it with a confident swing, revealing Piper standing in the hallway. Piper's face is bright with a wide smile that instantly falters when she sees Ellie.
"Oh, uhh... hey, Ellie," Piper says, her voice catching slightly.
"Parker," Ellie responds coldly.
I walk up behind Ellie, my stomach suddenly feeling like it's full of lead. "Hey, Piper," I manage, trying to sound casual while my heart threatens to hammer straight out of my chest. The memory of last night on that rooftop flashes vividly in my mind, her body against mine, the way she moved, the sounds she made, making this moment exponentially more awkward.
Piper's eyes dart between us, confusion evident on her face. She looks completely thrown off, like she's walked into a situation she wasn't remotely prepared for. I notice her gaze lingering on Ellie's possessive stance in my doorway.
"You two are hanging out so early..." Piper says, her statement trailing off into an obvious question.
"I slept here last night," Ellie states bluntly, her tone dripping with territorial satisfaction.
Piper's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. Her mouth opens slightly, then closes, and I can practically see her rebooting her brain in real time. The expression only lasts a second before she composes herself, her features settling into something deliberately casual.
"Oh, uhhhh," she manages, adjusting her glasses in that nervous way she does. "You two are dating?"
"It just happened last night," I say, feeling weirdly caught between embarrassment and pride. My hand finds Ellie's, our fingers intertwining with natural ease that surprises even me.
Ellie's muscles tense slightly under my touch, but she doesn't pull away. Instead, the black substance on her skin shifts subtly, flowing across our connected hands like an affirmation.
"Congratulations," Piper says, her voice impressively steady. "That's... that's great."
Piper stands there looking at us for an awkward moment, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "Uhh, I just realized I forgot something, so I should probably get going," she mumbles, already backing away from the door. "I'll catch you later, Shane."
Before I can respond, she's hurrying down the hallway, her shoulders slightly hunched like she's trying to make herself smaller.
As soon as the door closes, Ellie bursts into laughter, the sound rich with satisfaction. "Did you see how heartbroken she looked?" she asks, turning to me with a victorious gleam in her eyes.
"Be nice," I say, feeling a twinge of guilt. The rooftop encounter flashes through my mind again, making my stomach twist with shame.
Ellie's smile fades slightly as she studies my face. "So there's something you should know about Parker," she says, her tone shifting to something more serious.
"I already know," I interrupt, meeting her gaze steadily.
Her eyebrows shoot up. "What?"
"And I know you know," I continue, "because the suit told you."
Ellie's expression transforms from confusion to shock in an instant. The symbiote across her skin shifts in agitated patterns, responding to her emotional state. "What the fuck?" she whispers, her voice barely audible. "You know she's Spider-Woman?"
"Yes."
Her blue eyes narrow suspiciously. "Does she know you know?"
"No," I say, shaking my head. "She has no idea."
"How did you know?" she demands.
I shrug, trying to appear casual while my brain scrambles for a believable explanation. "Come on, Ellie. Piper Parker takes photos of Spider-Woman for the Daily Bugle. They have the exact same voice. It wasn't exactly rocket science to figure out."
The black substance on her skin shifts agitatedly as she processes this information. Her eyes narrow, searching my face for any hint of deception.
"That's... actually a good point," she admits reluctantly.
I nod, relief washing over me. The lie isn't perfect, but it's better than explaining I'm from an alternate reality where all of this is fictional.
"So what now?" I ask, changing the subject. "Are you going to keep trying to kill her?"
Ellie's face darkens, her jaw clenching visibly. The symbiote coils around her arms in agitated patterns, responding to the spike in her emotions.
"I made you a promise," she says finally, the words sounding like they're being dragged out against her will. "I won't kill Spider-Woman." She pauses, a dangerous glint appearing in her eyes. "But if she ever touches you again, all bets are off."
I see something shift in Ellie's expression. Her confident demeanor suddenly falters, a shadow crossing her face as her eyes dart away from mine.
"Shane, I, umm..." she starts, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "I do have one thing I need to get off my chest about last night."
My stomach drops. "What is it?"
She takes a deep breath, the black substance on her skin swirling anxiously. "After I saw you and Piper together, I might have... killed Hammer Head."
I shake my head, not sure I heard her correctly. "Like, killed killed?"
"Yeah." Her blue eyes meet mine, defiant yet searching for my reaction.
I consider this for a moment, processing what she's just told me. The villain who was causing chaos at Fisk Tower.
"Uhh, that's fine," I say finally.
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Huh?"
"Hammer Head is a villain," I explain with a shrug. "I think it's fine."
"Aren't you a hero?" she asks, genuine confusion in her voice.
"I'm not an idiot," I counter, meeting her gaze steadily. "And it's not like she hasn't killed plenty before."
Ellie studies my face carefully, like she's waiting for the punchline. "So you're not mad?"
"God no," I say truthfully.
A slow smile spreads across her face, transforming her expression completely. She pulls me into a tight hug, her strong arms wrapping around me like she's afraid I might disappear. When she kisses me, there's something different in it, relief, gratitude, maybe even hope.
"Well then," she murmurs against my lips, "maybe it won't be so hard working together after all."