The morning sun filtered through the massive, high-arched windows of the Sanctum dining hall. Ethan was busy demolishing a plate of high-end eggs benedict he'd summoned from a local deli, while Gwen sat opposite him, looking much more human in the morning light.
"So, about my identity," Gwen started, poking at her bagel. "Am I just going to be 'Jane Doe' forever?"
"Relax, Spider-Girl," Ethan said, wiping his mouth. "I'm taking you to see the one man in this city who can rewrite reality faster than I can—though he uses silicon instead of sparks. We'll handle your identity today. But first..."
He looked her up and down. She was still wearing his oversized navy t-shirt, which hung off one shoulder, revealing a smooth, pale collarbone and just enough of her toned thigh to make Ethan's morning coffee feel a little unnecessary.
"First, we're going shopping. You're getting way too comfortable in my wardrobe, and while I enjoy the view, you need your own gear."
*****
They hit SoHo an hour later. Ethan didn't hold back with the cash. He watched as Gwen transformed from a disoriented multiversal traveler into a woman who realized exactly how much power she held over a room.
The first shop was a high-end boutique with lighting that cost more than a mid-sized sedan. Ethan sat in a low leather chair by the fitting rooms, waiting.
The curtain pulled back, and Gwen stepped out. She was wearing a skin-tight, charcoal-grey bodycon dress that left nothing to the imagination. The fabric was thin, almost like a second skin, tracing the hard, lean lines of her athletic frame. Her shoulders were broad and defined, her waist tapering sharply into hips that were far more dangerous than he'd realized the night before.
She turned, checking herself in the three-way mirror. The dress was backless, dipping low enough to show the defined muscles of her lower back, shifting with every move she made.
"A bit much?" she asked, catching his eye in the reflection. She knew she looked good. There was a smirk playing on her lips, a stark contrast to the brooding girl from the roof.
"It works," Ethan said, his voice a bit lower. He watched the way the silk-blend fabric pulled across her chest as she adjusted her hair, the blonde bob framing a face that was becoming increasingly difficult to look away from.
She disappeared back behind the curtain and came out minutes later in a pair of dark, spray-on leather leggings and a sheer white silk blouse that was dangerously translucent under the boutique's spotlights. She hadn't bothered with a bra—the "Spider" constitution clearly didn't require much support—and the silhouette of her nipples was visible through the thin fabric.
Ethan felt a surge of heat that had nothing to do with magic. He watched the fluid, predator-like way she moved, her long legs pacing the small carpeted area. She looked lethal and incredibly desirable all at once.
"I'll take everything," Ethan told the clerk, not even looking at the price tags.
****
By noon, Ethan was carrying a dozen bags, and Gwen was actually smiling.
"Alright, playtime's over," Ethan said, checking his watch. "Time to go see the billionaire."
He didn't care about being discreet anymore. In the middle of a quiet alleyway, he spun his fingers. A golden portal tore open, revealing a high-tech lounge on the other side.
Inside Stark Tower, the vibe was a chaotic mess.
Pepper Potts was frantically applying makeup to Tony's face, trying to hide the bruises and cuts from the roof battle. Phil Coulson stood to the side, holding a stack of cue cards, while Colonel Rhodes looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.
"You were on a yacht," Coulson was saying. "In the Mediterranean. There were witnesses. We just need you to read the—"
Vwoom!
The golden sparks erupted in the center of the room. Pepper gasped, dropping her powder brush. Coulson instinctively reached for his sidearm, and Rhodes jumped nearly a foot in the air.
Ethan and Gwen stepped through, looking like they'd just come back from a casual Sunday brunch.
"Is there a party? Or did I just walk into the world's most boring rehearsal?" Ethan asked, looking around.
Coulson stood frozen, the script falling from his hand. Rhodes' jaw hit the floor. "What the...!"
Tony, who was the only one not panicking because he'd already been dropped through a floor portal by Ethan before, just sighed. He looked at Ethan, then at Gwen, who was standing there in her sheer blouse and leather pants looking like a high-fashion assassin.
"You really have a flair for the dramatic, don't you?" Tony asked, leaning back so Pepper could continue with the concealer. "What brings you here? I'm about to go lie to a room full of people."
"I'm here to collect on that favor, Tony," Ethan said, ignoring the two government agents staring daggers at him. "But it seems it's too crowded now. Why don't you finish up what you're doing and then we will talk."
"Sounds good."
Pepper stepped forward, finally regaining her composure. She looked at Ethan with genuine warmth. "You must be Mr. Williams. Tony told me about you. Thank you for saving him in Afghanistan."
Tony snarked from the chair, "Hey, I could have saved myself either way."
Pepper didn't give him any attention, her eyes fixed on Ethan. "And thank you for last night too. I don't know what would have happened if you were not there."
"Ah... you must be Miss Potts," Ethan said. He reached out and picked up a stray pen from the table. With a quick, fluid motion of his hand, the plastic transformed into a lush, fragrant bouquet of lilies.
Tony's eyes narrowed as he watched the exchange. "Hey, keep your parlor tricks away from my assistant. She's not for poaching, and I'm pretty sure that pen was a limited edition."
Just then, Coulson came back to his senses. He stepped into Ethan's personal space, his face a mask of professional curiosity. "Wait a minute. Who exactly are you? What was that... phenomenon?"
Ethan looked at the future 'good man' of the Avengers and sighed. He reached out, patting Coulson's shoulder with a grin. "Why don't we leave the Q&A for later, Mr. Coulson? You have a press conference to manage, and I have a teenager who needs a legal existence."
Seeing he couldn't get any answers now, Coulson backed off, but he didn't stop watching. He moved to a corner, whispering frantically into a comms device. Ethan didn't need a telepathic spell to know he was reporting to Nick Fury about the man who could tear holes in the air inside a secure skyscraper.
****
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