Greatest Marvel Hero - Chapter 25 Dinner With The Stacys

Varen followed George into the living room with Gwen following close behind.

Varen was soon able to see the rest of Gwen’s family sitting at the table. Mrs. Stacy was putting the fresh Branzino on the table when she looked up and saw her husband walking over with her daughter and a handsome boy.

Mrs. Stacy: “You must be Varen! Gwen has told me a lot about you!”

George: “She has?”

Gwen: “Mom!”

Mrs. Stacy: “Oh yes she has! She goes on and on all day how there is a really handsome boy at her school. You dont know how happy she was that you were coming over today.”

Gwen: “Mom!!”

Gwen screamed at her mother and tried to hide her face from embarrassment. Her 3 brothers at the table snickered at her embarrassing situation while George grumbled and glared at Varen.

Varen: “Well I’m very flattered Mrs. Stacy. I could see where Gwen gets her beauty from.”

Mrs. Stacy: “Oh Varen you charmer!”

Mrs. Stacy looked happy to be complimented. She then saw the flowers that were in Gwen’s hands.

Mrs. Stacy: “What beautiful flowers!”

Varen: “I actually brought them for you Mrs. Stacy for allowing me to have dinner with your family tonight.”

Mrs. Stacy: “Thank you very much Varen. Here Gwen let me put these in water. Why dont you take Varens coat for him?”

Varen: “Oh there is no need, can you point me to your coat hanger?”

Gwen: “Its over there.”

Gwen pointed toward the door where there was a wooded shelf with hangers. Varen walked to it and hung his coat with the other ones present.

Mrs. Stacy returned from putting the flowers in water and sat at the end of the table. George sat across from his wife while Varen sat on the left side of George. Gwen sat across from Varen and one of her brothers sat beside her. Her other two brothers sat next to Varen.

Varen looked down at his Branzino and was confused on how to eat it. It was a whole fish so Varen did not know where to cut first, he just poked at it with the tip of his knife and fork.

Mrs.Stacy noticed this and looked to her youngest son that was sitting next to Varen.

Mrs. Stacy: “Your having trouble there aren’t you, the head goes on the other side- Simon, help Varen with his fish.”

Gwen’s youngest brother Simon stood up and walked toward Varen showing him how to cut the fish.

Varen: “Haha, I’m sorry I dont know how-”

Simon smiled and continued cutting the fish for him.

Simon: “First time?”

Varen: “Haha, it would seem so.”

Gwen on the other side of the table was holding in a giggle and tried her hardest to stop smiling.

Gwen: “Branzino.”

Gwen whispered to Varen who just smiled at her teasing.

Mrs. Stacy: “George why dont you tell us about your day?”

Gwen’s second oldest brother who was sitting next to his mother perked up his ears.

Howard: “Oh yeah dad, did you catch Nightwing yet? What about that Spider Guy?”

George: “No not yet, but they are both amateurs who think that putting on a mask makes them heroes. It’s easy to put on a mask and not have to pay for breaking the law.”

Varen seemed a little irritated at this remark.

Varen: “Breaking the law?”

Everyone at the table looked toward Varen a little surprised that he started up the conversation. Gwen in particular looked a little nervous.

George: “Yes breaking the law. Spider man goes around assaulting innocent civilians, and dont get me started on Nightwing. He goes around speeding through the streets like he owns them, thats on top of attacking civilians.”

Varen: “I dont think that they go around attacking INNOCENT civilians, Im pretty sure that they are muggers. Also, I’m sure if Nightwing speeds through the streets then he is sure that he would not hit anyone. I’m pretty sure that most people would say that…he was providing a public service.”

George: “Well most people would be wrong. Nightwing having powers may answer why he is able to drive so well, but it does not excuse his actions. You cant just go around attacking people in the dead of night. And If I wanted the muggers and thief’s off the street they would be.”

Varen: “Why weren’t they then?”

The whole table seemed to quiet down. Gwen looked a lot more nervous, even giving out a nervous laugh.

George seem to put on a face more stern than he usually has on.

George: “Let me illuminate you, see. The thief’s were leading us to the people who run the entire operation, it’s been a six month long Stanger. This is called strategy, I’m sure your aware of the term strategy. You probably heard about that in school?”

Varen got a little upset that he was talking to him like he was a child.

Varen: “Yes strategy. A plan of action designed to achieve an overall aim.”

Gwen looked toward her mother with an annoyed tone that was pleading for help. A nod and a smile is all that she got in return.

Varen: “Maybe they thought that it would be safer for the people of New York without people like them walking in the streets.”

George seemed to also be getting a little angry since he started to talk faster and with a higher tone.

George: “You seem to know an awful lot about this case, you know something that we don’t know? I mean who’s side are you on here?”

Varen: “Im on the side of the people, the people of New York who I see walking every day on the side walk. If Nightwing is able to keep them safe, doing something that maybe the police can’t-”

At this point Gwen was already resting her chin on her arms. She was feeling how tense the air was getting.

George: “Something the police cant?? What do you think we do all day? Sitting around eating donuts with our thumbs planted firmly up our ass down there?!”

Gwen: “Dady!”

Mrs. Stacy: “George!”

Howard: “Up your what dad?”

Mrs. Stacy: “Howard.”

The entire table seemed to be affected by the tense atmosphere.

Varen: “I think he stands for the same thing you do sir, protecting those that are not able to protect themselves.”

George: “I stand for law and order son, that’s what I stand for okay? I wear a badge, this guy wears a mask like some sort of outlaw.”

Gwen: “Let’s get some air Varen.”

Gwen stood up and walked toward her mothers side of the table which was pointing toward the door.

Varen looked at his half finished food then back at George.

Varen: “I apologize if I have insulted you sir, it was honestly not my intention.”

Varen stood up and looked toward Mrs. Stacy.

Varen: “Thank you for the dinner Mrs. Stacy, it was very delicious. Again, I am sorry if I have ruined your dinner.”

Mrs. Stacy: “It was a pleasure dear, and please stop apologizing since you did not ruin anything.”

Varen followed Gwen out the apartment after grabbing his coat, and as soon as the door closed Varen could hear Mrs. Stacy yelling at her husband.

They went up to the roof of her apartment and looked at the city lights. Its was a little cold tonight so you could kind of see their breath in the air.

Varen let go of the breath that he was subconciously holding.

Gwen: “Well that was something.”

Varen: “*sigh* I’m sorry. You know I though he was going to arrest me at one point.”

Gwen: “Naw…I wouldn’t let him arrest you.”

Varen leaned his head over the railing and sighed again.

Varen thought about his conversation with Peter, and the words that he told him. ‘It does not matter if you tell the people you are close with your secret.’ Varen has been debating on the car ride here weather or not he should tell Gwen about his secret. He really liked her, he always seemed to feel happy when he talks to her so he wants to tell her. But at the same time, what right does he have to bring her into his world.

Varen thought back to how Gwen died in ‘The Amazing Spider Man 2’ and shudders at the thought of losing her. But at the end, Varen decided to tell her. He will only have to be a lot more powerful in order to protect her, he can also ask her if she wants the spider bite later making her into Spider Gwen.

Varen looked up to her and thought about what to say.

Varen: “…I’ve been bitten.”

Gwen looked at Varen for a moment and smiled.

Gwen: “So have I.”

Gwen got a little closer making their faces only a few inches apart from each other.

Varen took a deep breath and resolved himself. He did not know why it was so hard to tell her when it was easy with Felicia, maybe because she found out before he said anything?

Varen: “Okay…Okay. Okay, Okay, Okay. I have to tell you something, and its about the vigilante and the muggers.”

Gwen seemed really disappointed and backed away.

Gwen: “Oh.”

Varen: “What. No, no, no. Forget that, Its about me.”

Varen said as he pulled her back to where she was before.

Gwen: “What about you?”

Varen: “Its…I wish I could just, shout it out you know? It’s a lot harder to say than I thought.”

Gwen: “Just say it.”

Varen took a deep breath and let it out while leaning his arms on the rail.

Gwen: “Why? What is it?”

Varen stared at her as he blurt it out.

Varen: “I’m Nightwing.”

Gwen stared at him for a second then sighed and turned around.

Gwen: “You know what, forget it. If you dont want to tell me then-”

Before she could get further Varen used a Web WingDing to web her back and spinned her toward him. Gwen looked up at him from his arms and had her eyes wide in shock.

Gwen: “You-”

Before she could finish what she was going to say Varen kissed her. They kissed as the lights of the city shone in the back, you can hear the honks of a few cars in the background as well. But to Varen and Gwen, they did not notice any of this. The only thing that they could think about at the moment was how good this kiss was.

After a moment Gwen separated and was going to say something but was cut off again by another kiss. They started to get in the rythem but were cut short by Mrs. Stacy who walked in through the entrance of the roof.

Mrs. Stacy: “Gwen your father wants you inside- Oh.”

She saw the two of them kissing but separated at the sound of her voice.

Gwen: “I-I’ll be right down!”

Gwen turned back to Varen and wanted to continue talking about their conversation but was interrupted by her mom again.

Mrs. Stacy: “Gwen, now.”

Gwen turned toward her mother with irritation.

Gwen: “I’m coming!”

Mrs. Stacy closed the door as she saw Gwen walking toward her.

As Gwen was at the door she turned around one last time only to see Varen jumping off the roof and headed to the sirens of the police.

Gwen stared at the place where he jumped off from and sighed.

Gwen: “Oh, I’m in trouble.”