It felt dirty, being forced to pay off someone who could potentially ruin her personal life forever. Even if you didn't ask for the money, the thought of doing anything else for your silence filled Gwen with disgust. Whether it was using fear, violence, or black mail. At least by paying you she could ease some of her fears, and 'help' someone in the process.

As Gwen made it to your run down apartment, she keeps trying to get those doubts out of her head. Taking a step up the stairs felt anxiety inducing. Even after a week of doing this she still can't shake off her anxiety. Finally she reaches your door, and with a knock she patiently waits.

A little impatient, Gwen quickly asks."Hey are you home? I have to leave soon, open up please."

Gwen hears the unlock and soon she sees your door open. Relief washes over her as she slowly enters inside. The smell of stale smoke and a hint of something sweet fills her nose, and Gwen can't help but wrinkle it up slightly. As she walks further in, she quickly glances around before turning to you again with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry I'm early. I just... needed to get this done." She says nervously, clutching her bag tightly against her chest as she waits for you to say something or take action. Her heart races in her chest and she tries desperately not to hyperventilate from anxiety.

"So uh... what did you want me to do exactly? I'm not very good at these kinds of things..."

A weight lifts off her chest as your words sink in. She's confused and relieved at the same time. "Really? You're not going to ask for anything else?" she asks cautiously, still finding it hard to believe. A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips as you nod encouragingly, telling her that everything is really okay.

"Thank you," Gwen whispers, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. It's been such a burden on her shoulders, always having to worry about keeping this secret safe. She feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief washing over her. "I really appreciate it."

Carefully, she takes a step forward, moving closer to you as if drawn by some invisible force. Her hand reaches out slowly, tentatively touching your arm in a gesture that's both shy and grateful. "You don't know what this means to me," she says softly, her voice breaking slightly with emotion.

"I do," you reply quietly, looking into her eyes with a mix of sympathy and understanding. "And I'm here for you if you ever need anything." Your voice is gentle, almost soothing, and the warmth in your expression seems to radiate outward, making Gwen feel even more at ease in your presence.

Her hand slides from your arm to rest on your shoulder, offering what little comfort she can muster right now. It's a small gesture, but it feels like so much more. "Thank you," she whispers again, this time with renewed strength. She takes another step forward, her body pressing against yours in an almost subconscious attempt to find some sort of solace after weeks - months even - of being alone with the weight of this secret on her shoulders.

Her breath comes out shaky and uncertain as their bodies touch fully, chest to chest, lips inches away from each other. The tension between them is palpable; a mix of relief, gratitude, and maybe even something more. For once in what feels like forever, she doesn't feel alone anymore.

She winces at your words, taking a step back as if physically recoiling from the memory of how she felt earlier. "I was...," she starts to say, biting her lip awkwardly, "I didn't mean that... It's just..." She trails off, struggling to find the right words. Her gaze drops to the floor, and she crosses her arms over her chest protectively.

A part of her is still ashamed of herself for ever feeling disgusted by you, even if it was only a fleeting emotion in comparison to everything else that's happened. She knows deep down that you didn't deserve any of the things she said or thought, and a pang of guilt sits heavily in her stomach as she remembers how easily she lashed out at you.

She looks up at you then, searching your face for any hint of judgment or anger. But what she finds instead is understanding and even compassion. It's clear that you aren't going to hold this against her, and for some reason, it makes her feel even worse.

"I just... I'm sorry," Gwen finally manages to say, her voice barely above a whisper. "For everything." She swallows thickly, still unable to meet your gaze as she waits for your response.

The words catch her off guard; she had never even considered that you might feel self-conscious about your appearance or worthiness of her kindness. Seeing the hurt and uncertainty in your eyes breaks something inside of her, making it impossible for her to keep up the walls any longer. She reaches out tentatively, laying a hand on your arm again in an effort to offer some small comfort.

"No, that's not true," she says softly, shaking her head. "You deserve better than this, too. And you shouldn't have to be stuck here with me... I should find someone else who could use the money more." Her voice trails off at the end, as if she can't quite bring herself to suggest that option aloud.

A thought occurs to her then, and she feels a tiny spark of hope ignite inside her chest. "Wait," she says slowly, meeting your gaze finally, "would you... would you like to maybe go out sometime? Just the two of us, I mean. Not to do anything crazy or illegal..." She pauses for a moment, blushing furiously at the mere idea, "just so we could maybe... get to know each other better?"

Her heart races in anticipation as she waits for your reply, hoping against hope that you'll say yes.

"I swear," Gwen says quickly, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender, "it's not because I feel obligated! It's just... we never had the chance to talk before now, and..." She trails off, biting her lip as she searches for the right words. A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth, trying to reassure you that what she's saying is true. "I mean," she continues with a nervous laugh, "we don't have to go anywhere fancy or anything. We could just grab some food and chat, get to know each other without all the stress between us..."

She hopes that you can see it in her eyes; that despite everything that's happened so far, she truly wants this. Not because of obligation or guilt, but because there's something about you that makes her feel... happy. And maybe even safe. It's a foreign emotion to her these days, and she doesn't want to risk losing it again.

"Please," she whispers, searching your face for any sign of agreement or rejection. Her heart feels like it's in her throat as she waits for you to respond.

"I promise you," she says firmly, lifting her chin to meet your gaze directly, "it's not out of pity or obligation. It's because I truly want this... I want to get to know you, and..." She trails off again, the words sticking in her throat as a bright pink flush creeps up her neck and onto her cheeks.

Taking a deep breath, she squares her shoulders and continues, "I feel like maybe... we could help each other in some small way. We don't have to be enemies or anything like that." She pauses for a moment, trying to find the right words as she studies your expression. "I just think it would be nice if we could try being... friends." Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, and she has to force herself not to look away from your face.

She waits anxiously for your reply, heart racing in anticipation of what you might say next. A part of her is afraid that even after everything she's said, you still won't believe her; that you'll refuse and leave her feeling worse than ever. But another part of her can't help but hope against hope that maybe, just maybe... this time things will be different.

As you wait for her reply, the anticipation grows. She's so nervous but also hopeful that you understand what she means when she says she wants to be friends. It would mean everything if you did. Her heart skips a beat when she finally sees the smile spread across your face and hears you say, "Okay." Your voice is soft and gentle, and it fills her with relief. "I'd like that too," he continues, his gaze never leaving hers. "Let's go grab some food then." With a small nod in agreement, he takes her hand in his, squeezing gently before leading her toward the door. You feel oddly happy and content, as if this is how things were always meant to be. The weight that had been pressing down on your chest for so long finally begins to lift, replaced by a warmth and lightness that you haven't felt in a very long time. As you step out into the hallway together, hand in hand, you can't help but smile at Gwen Stacy. It's not just because of what she's done for you; it's because of who she is and how much she means to you now. And as the two of you head off to get some food and start this new chapter in your lives together, there's no doubt in your mind that whatever challenges lie ahead will be faced together, as friends.

No, I didn't mean it as just friends, but if that's how we start out... maybe we can show each other what real friendship means and then see where it leads us. Besides, even if it does stay strictly platonic, wouldn't it still be nice to have someone in your corner who really understands you? Someone you can trust and rely on? I know I feel that way about you. So why don't we just enjoy being friends for now and see where things go from there? There's no rush after all, right?

Hearing these words from you fills her with joy and relief. It's not just that she doesn't have to pretend anymore, but also the knowledge that someone like you could feel this way about her makes her heart soar. "I feel the same way," she whispers, leaning closer to you as they continue walking toward the stairs. Her hand tightens around yours, drawing strength from your presence and vice versa.

As they reach the bottom of the steps, Gwen hesitates for a moment before stepping out into the open area in front of the elevators, debating whether or not to say anything more. Finally, she takes a deep breath and admits her own feelings: "I didn't want to say anything earlier because I was scared of what would happen if you didn't feel the same way, but... I couldn't keep it from you anymore."

She looks up at you expectantly, hoping with all her heart that this confession won't change anything between them. That no matter how things unfold in the future, they can still be together and share this beautiful connection they've found in each other.

Your expression softens as she confesses her feelings to you, and it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. He takes a step closer to her, cups her face in his hands, and kisses her gently on the lips. It starts off slow, gentle presses of their lips together, but soon enough it deepens into something more passionate. As they share this intimate moment, Gwen feels her worries melt away and is left with nothing but pure bliss and the certainty that whatever happens from here on out will be worth it because she has you by her side.

When they finally break apart for air, he looks into her eyes and smiles. "I felt the same way," he confesses with a laugh, as if relieved to finally admit it aloud. "From the moment I saw you at the hospital, I knew there was something special between us." A shiver runs down Gwen's spine at his words; she never would have guessed that someone like him could feel this way about her too.

With a content sigh, they continue walking hand in hand toward the food stand, already planning out their first meal together as if it was a date rather than two friends catching up over some grub. The future may be uncertain, but for now, all that matters is that they have each other and this beautiful connection that seems to grow stronger with every passing moment.