Chapter 103: Can You Scrub My Back?

After a particularly eventful day, Peter, Gwen, and May finally returned home, their arms loaded with several bags and their bodies still feeling the effects of exhaustion and heat. Their clothes were slightly damp with sweat, and each of them seemed eager to finally get some rest. May, in particular, appeared completely exhausted by all the activities she had organized.

The bags they were carrying contained all kinds of purchases made throughout the day: food, a few clothes, and various personal items that each of them had wanted to bring home.

As soon as she stepped through the front door, May headed straight for the couch and collapsed onto it, dropping her bags onto the floor. A few moments later, she had already closed her eyes and fallen into a deep sleep, without even bothering to make herself more comfortable.

Peter and Gwen stood there for a moment, stunned by the sight. Then, realizing just how much May must have pushed herself to enjoy the day until the very end, they exchanged amused glances and let out a small laugh.

They decided not to disturb her and to take care of putting everything away themselves. They started by picking up the groceries abandoned near the entrance and the couch, then carried the food into the kitchen. Anything that needed to be kept cold was placed in the refrigerator, while the other purchases were temporarily set aside.

As they continued putting everything away, Peter turned toward Gwen and asked her a question.

— "Hey… are you planning to take a shower?"

Gwen immediately stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. Surprised by the unexpected question, she regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and slight embarrassment.

— "Yeah, why do you ask? Am I sweating too much…?"

The innocence of her response made Peter chuckle, and he quickly cleared up the misunderstanding.

— "No… I just wanted to know if you wanted to go first or if I should go before you."

— "Oh…"

Gwen remained silent for a moment, finally understanding what he meant. Her gaze briefly wandered around the room as a slight hesitation appeared on her face, as though she were searching for a way to phrase her request without sounding too demanding.

— "…Would you mind if…?"

Peter understood before she could even finish her sentence. An amused smile spread across his lips, and he replied with almost chivalrous courtesy.

— "Ladies first, I suppose?"

Her cheeks slightly pink, Gwen gave him a grateful smile. They then resumed putting everything away in comfortable silence, without feeling the need to continue the conversation.

Once all the groceries had been put away, Gwen went upstairs to take her shower. Peter, meanwhile, picked up the bags containing the clothes and various personal items purchased throughout the day, then began delivering them to their owners' bedrooms.

He started with May's room, continued with Gwen's, and finished with his own. Once everything was finally in its place, he went back downstairs to the living room, where his aunt was still sleeping soundly on the couch.

Peter gently approached her, then carefully lifted her into his arms so as not to wake her. He carried her upstairs, entered her bedroom, and gently laid her on her bed, making sure she was comfortable.

— "Sweet dreams, Aunt May. Thank you for today."

He remained there for a few moments, gazing at her with a tender smile. Despite the exhaustion still visible on her sleeping face, May looked peaceful, and that simple sight was enough to warm his heart. Peter then gently leaned toward her and placed a tender kiss on her forehead before leaving the room, carefully closing the door behind him.

He then went back downstairs to the living room and settled onto the couch, letting out a long sigh of exhaustion. Memories of the day almost immediately came flooding back: their picnic in Central Park, the walks, the laughter, and all those little moments they had shared that had done him so much good. Another smile naturally appeared on his face as he thought back on everything.

However, that feeling of tranquility didn't last forever. Little by little, his thoughts drifted toward the recent conversation he had had with Gwen and the revelations she had shared with him.

Her bite. Her secret attempt to get her hands on his equipment. And above all, the decision she had made to follow in his footsteps, as well as her father's.

As those memories resurfaced, Peter's smile slowly faded and his eyebrows furrowed. He was only beginning to grasp all the consequences of what Gwen had just told him.

— "Ever since I became Spider-Man, I never considered the possibility that someone else could have powers like mine. I'd imagined that I'd be the spider facing a bunch of lunatics who would show up from time to time. But now… things are different. I'm going to have to train… I'm going to have to teach someone what I've learned so they can become capable of handling what I deal with every day. But… that person is Gwen."

Peter remained silent for a few moments, staring blankly ahead. Until now, he had always had to learn on his own how to control his abilities, understand their limits, and shoulder the responsibilities that came with them. From now on, he would have to pass on what he knew to someone else, help them improve, and teach them how to face the dangers he knew so well.

And that person wasn't just anyone. It was Gwen, the girl he loved.

That thought made the responsibility feel even greater in his eyes. His expression tightened slightly as new doubts began to weigh on his mind.

— "Will I be able to teach her everything properly when I'm still learning myself? Will I… be strong enough to protect her if necessary…?"

These questions brought back numerous memories. Peter thought about the situations in which he had been forced to protect innocent people rather than simply fight his opponents, all those moments when other people's lives had depended on his decisions and his ability to act.

Inevitably, the memory of George Stacy's death came rushing back with particular force. That loss remained deeply rooted within him, painfully reminding him that he couldn't always save everyone, no matter how hard he tried.

But other images gradually began to mingle with that memory. He recalled the many people he had managed to rescue since becoming Spider-Man: men, women, teenagers, children, sometimes a handful of people trapped in a street, sometimes an entire city threatened by a far greater danger.

He had made mistakes and experienced failures, but he had also accomplished an incredible amount. Despite his imperfections, he had saved numerous lives and proven on several occasions that he was capable of facing situations that had seemed utterly hopeless.

This reflection gradually calmed him. Peter knew he was strong and possessed the abilities necessary to protect those he held dear. And when it came to Gwen, he was willing to do anything to keep her safe.

His hands slowly clenched into fists as his expression changed. The doubts and anxiety that had occupied his mind just moments earlier gradually gave way to a sincere, almost unshakable determination.

— "Everything's going to be okay. I'll protect her."

After remaining on the couch for a little while longer, Peter suddenly felt the need to use the bathroom. He got up, went back upstairs, and headed to the toilet to relieve himself.

Once he was finished, he carefully washed his hands before raising his eyes toward the mirror. He examined himself for several long seconds, studying his reflection with an increasingly disheartened expression. His hair was a mess, his face still showed signs of exhaustion, and his overall appearance clearly reflected the exhausting day he had just been through.

He eventually sighed at the unflattering sight.

— "I wonder how I can look this terrible when all I've done today is walk around and go shopping. Go figure…"

He left the toilet and casually headed toward the bathroom, where Gwen still was. When he reached the door, he opened it slightly and called out to her.

— "Gwen?"

Surprised to hear his voice, Gwen temporarily turned off the shower water before answering him.

— "Y-Yes?"

— "Are you almost done? I just saw my face in the mirror, and frankly, only a shower can fix the state I'm in," he said, joking slightly.

— "Uh… I-I'm almost done."

As she answered him, Gwen reached toward the back-scrubbing brush hanging near the showerhead. However, just as she tried to grab it, the object suddenly slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor, where it broke, narrowly missing her feet.

Gwen jumped in surprise, while the sound of the breaking object immediately alerted Peter on the other side of the door.

— "Gwen? Is everything okay? What was that noise?"

Embarrassed by her clumsiness, Gwen let out a small whimper of frustration and shame before explaining what had just happened.

— "…I dropped the back-scrubbing brush…"

— "Did it break?"

— "Yeah… and I didn't even get to scrub my back…"

Hearing his girlfriend complain with almost childlike frustration, Peter couldn't help smiling. He sighed softly, more amused than annoyed by the situation, before offering to help her.

— "Do you want me to scrub your back?"

Silence immediately settled on both sides of the door. It wasn't truly an awkward silence, but rather the silence of two people slightly surprised by the simplicity of an offer that nevertheless involved a certain degree of intimacy.

Gwen, in particular, felt her cheeks grow warm. She remained silent for a few moments, visibly caught off guard, before finally finding the courage to speak.

— "…You wouldn't mind?"

— "You know I wouldn't," he replied tenderly.

Reassured by his answer, Gwen raised no further objections. Peter therefore entered the bathroom and gently closed the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Gwen hurried to sit down at the back of the shower, in a slightly curled-up position, making sure to keep her back turned toward her boyfriend. Her movements were somewhat clumsy, betraying the embarrassment she felt despite the trust she placed in him.

— "Are you ready? Can I come over?"

— "Y-Yes!"

Peter then approached the shower and gently opened the glass door separating them. He found Gwen sitting on the floor, naked, her back slightly curved forward. Her blonde hair, still damp, fell softly around her, retaining its characteristic silky appearance.

The sight made Peter blush slightly, but he remained calm, determined not to make the situation any more awkward than it already was. He simply crouched behind her, keeping enough distance to help her without making her uncomfortable.

— "Can you hand me your washcloth, please?"

Without saying a word, Gwen removed the soapy washcloth she was wearing on her right hand and slowly held it out behind her. Peter carefully took it, paying attention to his movements to avoid any accidental contact that might embarrass his girlfriend even further.

Silence naturally returned between them. Peter slipped the washcloth onto his right hand, slightly adjusted his position to maintain his balance on the bathroom floor, then gently began scrubbing her back.

He made steady movements, starting with her upper back before gradually moving down toward the middle, then along the sides. He also made sure to clean her shoulders, continuing down toward her lower back and hips until he approached the upper edge of her buttocks.

Gwen, who was already doing her best to contain her embarrassment and the nervous laughter threatening to escape her, felt her heart beat slightly faster when Peter's hand moved that low. She felt a small internal jolt but remained perfectly still, aware that he was simply helping her and had no inappropriate intentions.

Yet, strange as it might seem, this attention didn't give her quite the satisfaction she might have expected. Despite Peter's gentleness and the care he put into his movements, something about the situation left her with a feeling she couldn't quite define.

After what felt like a long minute, Peter finally finished scrubbing her back.

TO BE CONTINUED.