9/Bringing Home Stray Spiders

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Bringing Home Stray Spiders
Date of Scene: 17 February 2020
Location: Dick Grayson's Apartment
Synopsis: Dick brings Gwen to his place so she can get her feet under him. They flirt, share a meal and then hit the brakes.
Cast of Characters: Gwen Stacy, Dick Grayson




Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen accepts a shirt and heads off to wash regret from her soul in a hot shower. This is not at all a short process, but when she comes back out she looks a little more human. Aside from the shiner on her jaw and slightly puffy lip where she'll be needing some stitches, anyways.

That's just character building.

She pads along barefoot towards the apartment attachement to this little hovel and peeks in with damp hair slapping against the long shirt she's wearing. Costume all folded up like a teddy bear bundle clutched to her chest. "Do you have disney plus I could really use some good vibrations type atmospheric sound track sitch right about now..." She muses aloud, tucking wet hair behind her right ear.

Dick Grayson has posed:
After returning to Dick's apartment, the masculinity continues. Sorta. There's hardwood floors, a granite and marble kicthen with stainless steel appliance, leather furniture and a large entertainment center in the main area. It all scream bachelor pad, really. Instead of a dining room, there's a pool table and a couple of video game machines.

And of course, the dark colors in the bathroom and bedroom if she peeked.

While she was away, he had assembled an ice pack for her, and he gives her a swift smile when she comes back out. "Let me take care of that for you." he says and then pauses. "What's disney plus?" he asks her.

And he waits severeal seconds for her reaction before his smirk is full amusement, eyes shining with mirth, as he intones. "Alfred, play Disney Plus." And the TV turns on, and the menu comes up for Disney Plus.

He misses him, okay?

"Alright, let me take a look at this lip, then I'll get cleaned up and we can watch a movie or something together. I already ordered from this Indian place around the corner, I hope you like curry and butter chicken." He should have asked first, but he wasn't sure.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
The reaction:

Not just to the quip, that comes in a second, but to the pad is thus: Kind of amused. There's a lot she can tell about him by his decorative choices, but the general vibe of the place is welcoming, if not exactly her style.

THE REACTION:

Gwen stares dumbfounded at Dick, "Take me back to the rooftop where you found me, I can't associate with someone who doesn't watch Lion King." Hands up, costume dropped on the floor for the sake of comedic effect. She commits to her comedy okay?

Then she nods and kicks her clothes over towards the couch where she ultimately ends up sleeping. "Be gentle." Motioning to her lip, "I'm just kidding, you cant' hurt me." He probably could, but that's part of the game they're playing right?

A hand sweeps the long bangs out of her face and reveals the undershaved portion on the right side of her scalp. "It's like.. you've read my mind... only curry and butter chicken was tacos from Los Pollos.." Grinning all the while.

Dick Grayson has posed:
No, that game is later, maybe? Dick smirks as he laughs. "If you want me to hurt you, I'll play you in Monopoly." he says with a chuckle as he considers her words as the television comes on and the menu comes up. "Alfred, recognize new voice, Gwen Stacy."

Very Good Sir comes the reply.

"That could be our dinner out." It's a quick and it's gone suggestion. Perhaps to set her at ease. Perhaps he really just asked her out. It's a bold move, Cotton, we'll see how if it pays off. He checks over the lip and frowns.

"Well, the bad news is you won't be getting kisses for a while. You're going to need a couple of stitches. Let me get cleaned up and changed and then we'll tend to it." he offers to her congenially. "But if we're watching a movie together, you better wait until I'm back. Or you know, start without me. I've seen it before."

Then he pauses.

"Make or break question on our future though, Gwen Stacy." he looks to her, his expression severe.

"Animated or live action?"

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen doesn't realize the game is that far along!

She just stares blankly as thoughts circle back to her night, as it is, in replay, but the recognition of her voice by the AI does kind of give her a glee moment. "How self aware is he?" Asking Dick, but then figuring better of it. "Alfred, how self aware are you?" Because going straight to the source.

"Oh no, no kissing?" She looks totally flumoxed! "I just got to this universe and I can't start macking day one?!" Her hands come up and slap the cushions to either side of her thighs, "I am undone by this treachery! Curse you anatomy!" Grinning, which actually kind of hurts now that adrenoline is wearing off, and leads to an ow face and two fingers touching her lips.

"Yeah, go get cleaned.. I'll make sure the food gets put out and start the culturally appropriate, less white washed, live action Lion King." That's right, she's standing her ground behind a wave of racism. Smug expression because she feels the check mate is played and the game is won.

Dick Grayson has posed:
I can't help you with that, but here's some results on self-awareness. Alfred dutifully responds.

Dick smirks as he rises from the couch as she throws a fit. "I know it would look amazing in a Tinder profile. Travelled across dimensions for a kiss." Then again... this scenario has been played before. Not that he gets much time to consider that when she makes her claim.

"I'm so wounded. Devasated, I tell you." he intones at Gwen as she makes her claim to the live action Lion King as he retreats to go clean up.

In the meantime, dinner arrives at the door, and Dick has time to send a message to Barbara to start gathering information.

A long shower later, and Dick comes out in a pair of pajama pants and a muscle shirt that gives a little more definition to his frame. And the scars that it carries as he moves carries a kit in his hands. "Alright, lets take a look at that injury." he responds as he moves to join her on the couch.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
This gives her entirely too much alone time with Alfred, "No, what I'm asking is, without a physical manifestation of her your psyche, how do you calculate for your existance? Considering that the definitive example of reality is based solely in physical form, anyways... which I don't really hold to. I mean, you can't grab love but it exists right?" This is what happens when you put a scientist in the room with an AI.

The food is retrieved while Dick is in the shower and she's set everything out on the coffee table since she's a heathen and there's not a kitchen table anyways. She half considered using the pool table, but that seemed like a stretch of hospitality rules to their breaking point.

When Dick returns in a muscle shirt, showing off them abs, she blinks a few times.

Then a few more.

"Uh.. yeah, absolutely let's look at this superficial manifestation of my ultimate failure." Twisting her lip outward to show the depth of the cut. She's teasing, but when she puts it like that, it really does put into perspective the fact that whoever this Lizard character was, he beat her ass like she owed him money.

Then again, he's dead, so you should see the other guy definitely applies.

Stop thinking those dark humor thoughts, Gwen.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Chuckling as Dick settles down on the other side of the couch, so as not to invade personal space, he takes out the first aid kit. "It could be worse, it could be that you travelled across dimensions and all you got is this lousy t-shirt." he points out to her as he starts to check the wound, and his brows rise. "Alright, so unless you meant that you've never been kissed... well, this is almost healed. If I put in stitches, I think I'd be doing more harm than good." he points out and gives her a gentle nudge against her side. "You and your healing factor."

Moving to put away the first aid kit, he draws in a breath as he starts to make a plate. "So, I have a couple of things to suggest once you've had some rest and time to catch up." he offers to her.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Oh, did I not mention that?" Gwen says completely jokingly about her healing, "Totally slipped my mind.." It didn't, she just likes seeing reactions to things that otherwise seem common place to her after four years. Once the kit is away and Dick is nudged against her, she offers up a little grin. A wry little grin. A very knowing grin.

"Nah, I've been kissed." She confirms with a shrug, waiting her turn to dish out a plate of her own, healthy portions for a growing girl with the matabolism of a freaking bigfoot. Setting it down in her lap to dig in, she's got manners... but not very many.

"Oh yeah?" Like how she talks with her mouth full.

"I could use the distraction. What kind of suggestions? Unless it's a new costume... mine tested well in the control groups."

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Not that. There's a group I work with. I used to be part of, but I'm more of an advisor these days." It gives Damian room to grow with Dick taking a sideline role in it all. "Heroes in their teenage and college years that work together. Called the Titans. They might give you a place to do things and stay while we sort this all out."

Then Dick pauses. "Not that the company is minded." he points out, just in case.

"Otherwise, I have a couple of people I can contact about helping you with what happened. Not going to promise that we're going to get you a DeLorean and 1.21 jiggawats, but we'll see what I can make happen. In the meantime. You're welcome to crash here. There's plenty of room. I don't mind the company, and I can handle the food and such until you get settled."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
A team.

"Back on.." Gwen starts, furrowing her brow unsure of even what to call it, "Back in my place.. there weren't a lot of super heroes. Some, I guess.. not enough for any teams, though." The whole idea that there's /teams/ of heroes.. that's another mind boggling revelation.

She's not disagreeable though.

"I.. yeah, maybe that's a good idea. I don't really know where my life goes from here, to be honest. Like, how does a dead person from another universe settle into being alive suddenly? That's trippy for everyone involved, but.. I.." She hides behind eating a few more bites. Sorting it out.

"Sure, yeah." To the team, to the crash pad, to letting him feed her until she's got her feet beneath her. "Unless you're working on a bartering system, I don't have a lot to offer.. but I /guess/ I'll clean your place up and beat your ASS at Mortal Kombat."

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Phst. I'll whip your ass with Sub-Zero anytime." Hey at least it's not Scorpion and a 'GET OVER HERE' line.

That might have been cool though. Now that food is sorted, Dick settles in to start to eat. "It's a pretty unique situation. But not an impossible one. You'll just be ... a ghost for a while." She brought that pun upon herself.

"We'll see what we can make happen. Until then, I'll get you a couple of cards so you can do some shopping without feeling like it's a date or anything..." he shrugs his shoulders. "And cleaning's fine. I have a service that comes once a week. Otherwise..."

"...like I said. Don't mind the company."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"A couple cards, like it's nothing... here, have a platnum visa.." Gwen spied the pad, this isn't the kind of place someone can afford on a cops salary. Her dad's a cop, a Captain even, and they lived in a two bedroom brownstone. She knows there's money coming from somewhere!

Detective time!

She grins all the same and nods, "I'm sure you /think/ you will beat me with Sub-Zero, but you are wrong.. I will Sonya Blade that ass like vice grips." Tossing her plate up a little with a jerk of her wrist and swinging around quickly with her foot passing beneath it and a hand on the back of the couch. Her body twists, turns, and settles back down on the cushion in enough time to catch the plate without even losing a drip of sauce.

"Like that, only animated."

Because show off.

Also blushing.

She's starting to get the feeling there's more than friendly banter going on here.

"So you've said.." Glancing down at the plate, then up at Dick. "You're not bad for a guy driving a macho muscle car." Tapping his leg with her toes.

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Trust fund." Dick offers up in explanation. "My adopted father has me set up, but I like earning my way. So really, it's spending his money."

Which means he may get a visit from Bruce soon. He'll deal with that when it happens, however.

Then she has to go showing off and he laughs. "Yeah, but how much of you is powers, and how much is you?" he asks playfully.

As she looks around the apartment, she'll notice some things. One of the main ones is a framed poster featuring 'The Flying Graysons' of Haly's Circus. And between the smiling man and woman is a child, no more than six -- Dick? Possibly. The hair and eye color is right.

And he's unsure if their banter is friendly, or... something. He's going with the flow and then deciding where it takes them as he takes a bite of his chicken. "You're not bad for an interdimensional spider girl jumper." Though his blush causes her to glance down at his plate to pick at his own food.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Ahh a trust fund kid... that /figures/." Gwen ribs at Dick with a smirk, forking more chicken in her open mouth. She chews with her mouth closed at least? It's a start. Work in progress. Please see the instruction manual.

She does glance around though and does spy the poster. Double taking to Dick and back again, "Oh I get it.. you were an acrobat with no powers now you're gene shaming me because I have them?!" All in good fun, all with grins in place. "I don't know how much of me is me and how much of powers is me... but I guess the two things aren't mutually exclusive are they? I have powers.. but they're me.. so all of it?" It's complicated.

"Oh please.. I'm not bad for an interdimensional spider /anything/ jumper... gender be damned." To hide her slight embarassment from compliments. The plate is dusted off and set down on the coffee table between take away boxes.

"So.. you get along with this adoptive father?" She kind of gets the impression that he does not. The way he says spending his money.

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Oh sure, money-shame me, will you?" Dick says teasingly as he works on the butter chicken himself as he polishes off his plate and sets it down to lean back in thought.

The smiles are shared. There's no real heat offered there as he considers her question. "We get along decently. He wants me to follow in the family business, I opted to obe a cop. It's all great." Except when it's not. "I needed some time away. It's all good, though."

His gaze move to the poster and he smiles, bitter-sweetly. "They died, pretty soon after that poster was published. I didn't have many pictures of them." he admits, his attention turning back to her and he reaaches up to brush some hair away from her eye. "Does everything on you heal this fast?" he asks curiously. "Not that I'm going to test it." His hand lingers on her cheek for a moment before pulling back.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen inclines her head and raises a brow at the explanation of relative relations with adoptive father, the reason for which is made clear when the status of family is elaborated on. "I wasn't going to ask." Some subjects need to be broached organically, if not at all. She's hardly going to pry into a missing family.

Expression getting a little shadowed, "I'm sorry." Even if that were fifteen or more years ago, that still has to sting. Especially with no photos of them save a poster. She looks back at it once more and turns to Dick just as he reaches out to brush hair behind her ear.

The question.

"Yes." She says with tick to the side of her mouth, "Not that you'd /get/ to test it out.." When his hand is on her cheek. She isn't pulling away. Blue eyes dancing over his face. "I mean.. you can try I guess.. but you're a puny man." Adopting an Arnie voice ala SNL Dana Carvey. Which is a clever way to hide her shit eating grin.

Dick Grayson has posed:
"I know you weren't. Same reason you took off your mask without prompting." Dick responds as his own blue eyes meet hers and he brushes his thumb across her cheek.

It's all about the trust.

Lowering his hand finally, he sets it in his lap before he gives a smirk at her puny man comment. "Wow. Now you're just flat out shaming me. I'm pretty sure you're one of those take charge types." he says in a teasing lit, before he looks thoughtful.

But whatever it was he was thinking isn't pushed on yet.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"I figured that, worst case scenario, I was a wanted criminal on this rock and I'd have to fight my way out of a labrynthian escape room... which I've already done once tonight.." Gwen says of taking off her mask, eyes roving a little, but snapping back up to Dick's when his thumb runs along her jaw. "Either way, it's not like I was going to pop up with any APBs... You know.. cus I'm dead." That still stings. She jokes because it hurts.

Also, kind of a check mate on who has the shittier life too.

It's all about the trust.. and the quips.

"Kind of." She says with a nod, agreeing that she might well be the take charge type. "I'm also gay ae eff.." Quirking her mouth slightly. Eyes wide. "Not the happy elf type either.. So this.." motioning back and forth between them, "Sort of new and strange frontier..."

"Since I technically have a girlfriend."

"On another universe... so.." SHRUGS, big shrug. SUPER big shrug. "I don't even know what the hell is going on right now."

Dick Grayson has posed:
"I saw the file." Dick points out, and he shrugs. "I mean, here, you're dead. So what would be the point of an APB anyway? Maybe if a Lantern or something were involved." Long story, that. He's not going to push any further, and then she's pointing out that she's lesbian and that she has a girlfriend, somewhere, and his brow rises.

Very high. And then he leans back and //laughs//. "Oh goodness, Gwen!" he manages. "I just met you." Shaking his head, he looks utterly amused at the idea. "I did not realize that I was giving off that vibe!" His cheeks tinge and he glances at his hands in his lap. "Between this, my real life, and everything else? Dating's not exactly been in the cards. Teasing? Always on the table."

Nor does it sound like he's disappointed. Or worse, going to throw her out.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Oh, so you're telling me we weren't totally vibing?" Gwen smirks, head cant up and to the side, all kind of smug mouthing at him. Side eyeing him so hard, SO HARD, digging right into the soul levels of his being. "Who you tryin'uh play sir?" Nudging at his thigh with her toes. But there's tension melting out of her by the bucket load.

Flirting and joking is one thing.

The thing could have gone a very different direction.

So that's a positive.

"Thanks.. for.. uh.. ya know.. not freaking or whatever. Sorry if I jumped the shark, but I was giving off the same vibes, I think... which was more..." Rubbing the back of her neck, "It's... you know a complicated night.."

Dick Grayson has posed:
"We were vibing, but I'm a harder out than that, Gwen Stacy." Dick responds, hand to his chest. "And never on a first date. What type of guy do you take me for?" he asks in playful amusement as he gives her foot a light swat.

"Nothing to thank me for. Nothing to freak out about." He points out to her. "And I'm not saying you haven't had a complicated night. But you've had a complicated night." His shoulders rise and fall in a shrug and he gives her a friendly smile. "I'll put the food up in the fridge, and let you get some rest, or watch TV and all. There's new channels if you want to get caught up." Rising to his feet, he works on gathering the containers to put them away.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen rolls backwards over the cushions, springing up onto her feet, "I'll help put the food away, least I can do..." Still blushing a little as she walks around to collect up takeaway containers, "You're opening your heart and your home to me, what kind of guest just lays around in their hosts t-shirt watching cartoons while they clean up the meal they bought?"

There's a part of her that knows, deep down, she was being obtuse with her flirting... but she wasn't not being serious. It's complicated. The out was strategic, half reminding herself, maybe? Who even knows. She's dealing with a lot of emotions right now. Raw, visceral, damaged emotions. "How about sports package? Do you have a sports package, Dick Grayson?" Since we're saying full names and all!

"Whoa... it's still Basketball season, right? You're not about to tell me something crazy like Football season starts in March and Baseball isn't until August, right? Don't do that to me."

Dick Grayson has posed:
He was flirting back. But she put on the brakes, and he respected it. That's all there is to it, in his opinion. "What can I say, I have a weakness for dimensional hoppers that are cute." he points out to her before chuckling. "I don't mind the help, though."

And then she's asking about sports and basketball and he chuckles. "I DVR'd the All-Star game, so if you decide to watch it, don't spoil it for me!" he points out. "I have tomorrow off for the holiday, so we can get you some clothes. Otherwise." he pauses and adds. "There's the XFL, as well."

Just to mess with her a little.

"I should get some rest. If you need anything, just bang on the door." He gives her a smile after he washes his hands and starts to move to his bedroom. "Rest well, Gwen." he knows she won't. But he wants her to at least feel safe.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
To say she's actively trying not to be alone is an understatement, but Gwen was the one to push the brakes, so she too respects the nature of things. Nodding to Dick when he says he's going to get some rest, she goes about washing plates that don't really need to be, and doing... just about anything with her hands that keeps her busy rather than thinking about the situation she's found herself in.

It's unlikely she'll sleep.

She's exhausted, but..

With a sigh, after washing the same glass three times, Gwen settles back on the couch in the dark except for the glow of the television. Staring at the pictures playing on the screen, but not putting together the order that makes them a movie.. Her hands resting her lap, legs folded up beneath her, slowly slumps over on her side with her knees pulled up to her chest.

Peter was gone.

Her father is gone.

Everything is gone.

Dick Grayson has posed:
After closing the door, Dick leans against it. He looks at his phone, he sees no response and he lets out a breath.

Would helping her get back home to a place where she's a criminal help?

Would keeping her here help?

What's the right answer?

He doesn't know, and dropping onto his bed in the darkness, he stares up at the cieling to ponder it all.

She will not be the only one denied sleep tonight as his arms fold behind his head in thought.