17 Frozen Warmth

A/N: Read while listening to Lost Souls by Baby Keem.

~

The sun's rays beamed through the windows of Peter's apartment, illuminating the space with a touch of New York's brilliance.

The room was filled with a warm and inviting glow, creating a cozy atmosphere amidst the bustling city outside.

Gwen let out a small whimper, her eyes fluttering open as she felt the warm sunlight on her face, disturbing her peaceful slumber. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she sat up, only to realize the position she was in.

Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed that she had been hugging the sleeping Peter all along. At that moment, she saw Peter who was now starting open his eyes, half droopy.

"Oh, uh... morning, Peter," she stammered, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "I... didn't mean to... um, cuddle you."

Peter stirred awake, a drowsy smile forming on his face as he realized Gwen was awake. To her surprise, he pulled her closer to his chest, embracing her in a gentle hug, before closing his eyes again and drifting back to sleep.

Gwen's heart skipped a beat as she felt the warmth of his embrace. She could hear his steady breathing, and feel the rise and fall of his chest against her own. It was an unexpectedly intimate moment, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of confusion and comfort.

"Peter?" she whispered softly, her voice barely audible in the peaceful stillness of the room. But there was no response from him, as he remained peacefully asleep, holding her in his arms.

A cascade of emotions washed over Gwen as she contemplated the meaning behind this unexpected act. Was it just a sleepy gesture, a simple comfort in the early hours of the morning? Or did it hold a deeper significance, something she had never considered before?

As she lay there, feeling the rhythm of Peter's breathing and the warmth of his embrace, Gwen found herself torn between wanting to stay in that moment forever and needing to untangle the questions swirling in her mind.

For now, she decided to savor the tranquility, letting the sun's gentle rays envelop them in a tender embrace, and allowing herself to simply be present in the comfort of Peter's arms.

The gentle rise and fall of Peter's chest against her own became a soothing lullaby, lulling her back into the realm of dreams.

....

"Your Highness?

...

"Wakie wakie princess."

..

"Bitch wake up!"

Gwen rubbed her eyes, her sleep disrupted by a series of persistent and rather unconventional wake-up calls. She blinked several times, adjusting to the reality of being awake, and turned her attention to the source of the disturbance.

"Peter? What in the world...?" she groaned, a mix of confusion and annoyance evident in her voice.

Peter raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "So calling you a dog wakes you but not a princess. Good discovery."

She leaned against the couch, cracking her neck as she quipped, her tone filled with light-hearted sarcasm.

"Oh please, as if I would respond to being called a dog. But hey, if you're looking for a new nickname for me, 'Sleeping Beauty' isn't too bad,"

Peter shook his head amused, he turned around and spoke in an easygoing tone but with a sly smile.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your impromptu cuddle session. It's all part of the service here at Hotel Peter's Snuggling but we gotta freshen up now."

Gwen visibly blushed at his comment, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her heating ear as she spoke in a low voice.

"You forcibly hugged me."

Peter's mischievous smile faded.

"I'm really sorry, Gwen. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Uh... I did it subconsciously."

Gwen nodded, she had no idea what to feel. She would not lie, she felt comfortable and warm in his arms, so much that she even fell asleep. At the moment, she was heavily confused... by everything. Maybe it was because she was a teenager and her hormones that were acting up.

Gwen muttered to herself, shaking her head with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Why do things have to be so complicated?"

She glanced at Peter who was cooking a sunrise omelette and putting butter on pieces of bread. She leaned back, to be very honest, she was probably the first one to hug him when they fell asleep while watching the zombie movies.

The small gestures, like making breakfast, reminded her of the strong bond they had formed over the years.

Lost in her thoughts, Gwen found herself contemplating the possibility of something more between them.

She wondered if there was a chance for their friendship to evolve into something deeper, something romantic. The idea both excited and terrified her. She did not even know if she actually felt attracted.

Everything was a mess!

They had built a solid foundation of trust and support, and she didn't want to risk losing that. Gwen pursed her lips as she continued to stare at Peter's back.

'He didn't need to apologize... I feel guilty.'

As she stared at Peter, she felt that compared to yesterday, his height had grown... this was something she was only able to notice due to her enhanced senses.

'A centimeter? Puberty?'

That reminded her, Peter was a teenager as well. Curling up on the couch pillow, Gwen sighed as she wondered what Peter thinks of her and their friendship.

'Maybe... he is attracted to me? No no no way, I am probably overthinking.'

Releasing a sigh, she walked over to the washroom and began to brush her teeth. It was not the first time that she had slept over and they had been neighbors since childhood so naturally, she had one in Peter's bathroom.

Peter as if setting up the breakfast on the table walked over to the bathroom and took his brush and applied paste over it.

Winking at Gwen as if there was no awkwardness and everything was casual, both of them brushed their teeth, each with their own thoughts.

She leaned against the sink, her gaze meeting his.

"Hey, Peter," she began, her tone filled with a mix of confusion. "We are friends, right? Best friends?"

Peter rinsed his mouth, contemplating what to answer. He knew he needed to take this slow but fast at that moment, the progress until now had been perfect.

He was sure that his name was all she could think about. He made sure of that.

'The friend zone is a sinkhole of torture and to escape it, one needs to be equally cruel.'

If possible he wanted to avoid this question all together, it was too straightforward and a lot depended on the answer.

Right at that moment, the bell rang loudly. Startled by the sudden sound of the doorbell, Gwen and Peter exchanged surprised glances. They wondered who could be at the door at this early hour.

Gwen's eyes widened in surprise as she saw two police officers standing at the door, their somber expressions contrasting with the morning sunlight. She quickly spit out the toothpaste and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, feeling a sudden unease in the pit of her stomach.

'Why is Dad not with them?'

"Jack? Amy?"

Gwen looked at the police officers, confusion and concern etched on her face. Seeing that they did not reply, she felt horrible in her stomach.

The silence that followed only intensified her growing sense of unease. The lump in her throat seemed to tighten, making it difficult for her to find her voice

"Hey, what's going on? Is everything alright?"

Officer Jack sighed heavily and exchanged a glance with Officer Amy before answering.

"I wish we had better news, Gwen, but there's been an accident. It's about your father...

~

As promised the second chapter. The next bonus at 5k stones.