Family Feasts and Awkward Introductions!

"What's going on? Why are people suddenly bombarding me with calls today?" Noah glanced at the unknown caller ID and reluctantly answered the phone.

"Noah, well, look who's made it big enough to be on TV!" An all-too-familiar voice echoed through the line. Noah's expression instantly soured.

"Uncle James… Can I help you with something?" he replied flatly.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," came the smooth, casual response, but the tone was far from friendly. "Just making sure you're doing well. After all, now that you're on TV, you don't want any... scandals, do you?"

Noah resisted the urge to roll his eyes, recognizing the veiled threat in his words. "So, what do you want?"

"I saw some interesting offers for you online—companies looking to back you, all that exposure." Uncle James chuckled darkly. "Seems like you've found a real gold mine. So, I'll make it simple. You give me $30 million—yes, US dollars—and I'll make sure your past stays nice and hidden."

Noah felt a wave of anger surge through him but stayed calm. "Thirty million dollars, seriously? Where would I even get that kind of cash?"

"Easy. Just take a few more of those endorsement deals. I'm sure you'll have the money in no time. You've got three days to think it over. If you'd rather not, well… the whole world might just find out who Noah really is."

The line went dead as Uncle James hung up, leaving Noah fuming. "Three days, huh?" he muttered to himself, looking up at the faintly glowing crescent moon. "Two days should be more than enough to deal with scum like him."

Without wasting any more time, Noah headed straight for Director George's house, letting his anger fuel his speed. Running swiftly, he barely paid attention to the sights around him, only stopping when he arrived at George's address.

The doorbell echoed as he pressed it, and shortly after, a familiar blonde opened the door.

"Hey, nice to see you again." Noah gave Gwen a polite nod, suppressing a grin at her wide-eyed surprise.

"Why… why are you here?" Gwen asked, a faint blush spreading on her cheeks as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, didn't your dad tell you? He invited me for dinner." Noah tried to play it cool, though he was already aware that her dad was Director George. This little surprise wasn't too hard to figure out if you had even a slight grasp on Marvel's backstory.

"Oh… I didn't realize." Gwen's eyes flickered with recognition, and she quickly added, "Hey, I saw the news earlier! You were amazing out there today—are you okay?"

Noah shook his head with a slight smile. "Nothing to worry about. But hey, do we have to keep chatting on the doorstep?"

Realizing she'd been so caught up in conversation that she forgot to let him in, Gwen flusteredly took Noah's arm and ushered him inside. Leaning in, she whispered, "Dad can be a bit intense. Maybe give him some slack?"

The warmth of her breath against his ear left Noah feeling a little awkward, like a boyfriend being introduced to his girlfriend's family for the first time. As that thought crossed his mind, he took a cautious step back, catching the faint sound of someone approaching.

Just then, a woman in her forties wearing a floral apron appeared from the kitchen. Her eyes lit up when she saw Noah, and she spoke warmly, "You must be Noah! Welcome! I'm Helen, George's wife. Make yourself at home; dinner's almost ready."

Helen paused as she took in the sight of her daughter standing close to Noah, Gwen's hands lingering on his arm with a shy look on her face. Helen blinked in surprise, processing the situation, but didn't say anything.

Before long, Director George entered with a serious look. Seeing his daughter holding onto Noah's arm left him momentarily speechless.

"Um, this is Noah—he went to Midtown High too," Gwen chimed in with a smile, still clinging to Noah's arm as if they were close friends. "Dad, didn't you mention inviting him over for dinner?"

George just nodded, trying to process the scene, and then muttered, "Let's… eat first."

Noah could only stare, bemused by how completely things had gone off-script. Was this really happening? The pieces seemed to click together in his mind. George probably invited him to dinner for work-related reasons, but was he subtly playing matchmaker for Gwen?

Realizing this, Noah's gaze toward George shifted, now tinged with a mix of confusion and amusement. The guy really was more open-minded than he'd thought!

With Gwen guiding him to the dinner table, Noah took a seat, finding himself across from several young children. They stared at him in awe, their eyes wide and sparkling.

"Are you my sister's boyfriend?" one of the kids asked, breaking the silence.

"No!" George quickly interjected, his voice sounding oddly defensive. "Noah's just a guest here, a friend of mine, alright?"

"Oh, okay…" the kids said, disappointed. They seemed to have been looking forward to a cool new 'Big Bro' they could hang out with.

As George settled in, he turned to find Gwen excitedly chatting with Noah, asking if he had any dietary restrictions. Her enthusiasm wasn't lost on anyone, least of all her parents.

George sat in his chair, feeling a mix of awkwardness and protectiveness. His daughter was acting more like a matchmaker than a host, practically leaning over Noah's shoulder as she introduced each dish.

Noah glanced at George, who was clearly struggling to keep his cool. It was a strange feeling, this warmth of being included and looked up to, but he was careful to keep things light, keeping a polite distance from Gwen without being rude. The last thing he wanted was to make things even more awkward.

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Depression is hitting me hard right now.

So, this is my first time doing this. I hope you guys can help me improve by providing your feedback, and some stones would be nice. (づ ◕‿◕ )づ