Chapter 209: Family Road Trip (1)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"So, what else can that thing do?" Peter asked, his eyes glimmering with curiosity as he glanced at Harry. The high-tech glider hummed softly below Harry. 

Harry's face broke into a confident grin, and he puffed out his chest with pride. "I'm glad you asked," he said, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. "Well, apart from the standard features like invisibility, flying, hovering—basically the usual tech—it boasts a grappling and tethering system." He paused for dramatic effect, letting Peter's interest pique further. "It's equipped with high-tension grappling hooks that can be fired out to attach to structures or even ensnare enemies. The tethers can also be used for rescue operations or quick mid-flight redirections."

To demonstrate, Harry pressed a button on his wrist console. A compartment on the front of the glider slid open with a mechanical whir, launching a sleek grappling hook that latched onto a nearby metal beam. In a split second, Harry was whisked forward, the glider responding fluidly as it spun him around and brought him back to his starting point with ease.

"Interesting," Peter muttered, eyebrows raised as he took in the glider's seamless maneuvering.

"Oh, that's just the beginning," Harry continued, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. "It also has miniature railguns." At his command, two side compartments of the glider unfolded, revealing the small but powerful weapons. In a blink, they emitted quick bursts of red, laser-like concussive rounds that dissipated into the air. "These are non-lethal, of course, designed to incapacitate targets without causing permanent harm. And before you ask, they're synced with my mask for targeting—pinpoint accuracy with minimal effort."

Peter nodded, watching in fascination as Harry's hands moved expertly over the glider's control panel. The next feature was showcased with a flick of Harry's fingers. "Holographic display projectors," Harry said. A thin beam of light shot out, conjuring a 3D image of a city map. "Great for tricking enemies or sharing information with allies on the fly," he added with a sly grin. The projection flickered out of existence as quickly as it had appeared.

"Not to mention the gyroscopic stabilizers," Harry continued, "which keep me steady during sudden shifts in direction or momentum." 

He jumped off the glider and retrieved his phone from his utility belt, holding it horizontally. With a few taps, the Night-Wing soared into the air, twisting and spinning with acrobatic precision. "Remote command mode," Harry announced, a note of reverence in his voice. "I think I'm falling in love with this thing," he sighed, a wistful smile crossing his face.

"Careful, Lizzy might get jealous," Peter teased, smirking. His expression grew more serious as he posed his next question. "Why use remote control instead of a neural link?"

"Range limitations," Harry explained, tilting the phone to direct the glider back. "The neural link works well for close-range commands when I'm in the suit, but with this remote, I can control it and see exactly what it sees, even from a large distance." He lifted the phone a fraction, causing the glider to hover just above the ground.

"Oh, and there's one more thing," Harry said, his smile broadening. He pressed another button, and the glider shifted with a series of smooth clicks and mechanical folds until it compacted into a sleek, futuristic skateboard. "Ta-da!" He spread his arms like a showman. "Collapsible form—cool, right?"

Peter chuckled, an amused lilt in his voice. "I'm... happy for you?" He said, his tone more questioning than congratulatory.

"What's that? Jealous?" Harry teased, placing a hand over his chest in mock humility. "Don't worry, I'll let you help design a few for the rest of the team. It won't be a Night-Wing exclusive."

Peter rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I'm more worried about how obsessed you sound with this thing. Just keep it as a Night-Wing special, like you don't use the spider legs."

"Your call," Harry said with a playful shrug, scratching his cheek thoughtfully. "Actually, I was thinking of taking it out for a test run. You cool with that?"

"Hold on," Bruce's deep voice interrupted as his eyes scanned the glider's systems. "Let's do one last systems check before you take it out."

Minutes later, after a thorough inspection, Bruce gave a nod of approval. "Everything checks out. You're good to go."

Harry's eyes gleamed as he jumped, and the glider swooped beneath him, catching him smoothly. With a quick tap on his watch, his civilian clothes morphed into the sleek black and green of Nightwing's suit. He glanced over at Peter, giving him a two-finger salute. "See you tomorrow."

Before he could ascend, Peter's shot forth a web, adhering to the glider's tail and causing it to dip. Night-Wing turned back, one eyebrow raised. "Dude?"

"Need I remind you that our doppelgängers are still out there? How do you think it'll look if they see two identical Nightwings in different places?" Peter quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Harry's face fell in realization. "Ah, good point." He lifted his watch to his mouth. "Aria, call me. We need to coordinate a role swap."

…

As Harry zoomed away, Peter turned to Bruce, who was already tinkering with another project. "How's that thing coming along?" Peter asked, voice tinged with anticipation.

Bruce didn't glance up. "Which thing? Weaponizing my girlfriend or the satellite?"

Peter winced. "Still mad about that, huh? And I meant the satellite."

Bruce sighed, putting down his tools for a moment. "I'm not mad, exactly. I'm not about to Hulk out or anything. Just... a bit bitter. She and I talked, came to an agreement, but it does mean more time apart while she's on a dangerous mission."

"Look, I'm really sorry," Peter said earnestly, rubbing the back of his neck. "But she's the only one who can do it. Sometimes tech isn't enough. Besides, you could use that holo-pen to disguise yourself and be there with her to make it seem like she had really moved on from Bruce Banner."

Bruce's expression softened slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. As for the satellite, it's ready. We can launch it tomorrow. Oh, and I managed to make those CCTVs you asked for."

Peter's eyes lit up. "Bruce, I could hug you right now."

Bruce narrowed his eyes playfully. "Please don't."

"Too late~ My arms are already opening~"

"You're a weird kid," Bruce said, a smile finally breaking through. "You know that, right?"

Peter grinned. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

…

The next day: 

Peter and Gwen had been wrapped in peaceful slumber, the early morning light just beginning to filter through the window. Gwen's head was nestled comfortably against Peter's chest, and his chin rested gently atop her hair, both enjoying the warmth they shared. It was the perfect, serene start to what promised to be a busy day.

But that peace shattered in an instant. Both their eyes snapped open simultaneously, and a deep sigh of shared exasperation passed between them.

"Peter…" Gwen muttered, her frown deepening as she buried her face further into his chest.

"Yeah?" Peter responded with a look that matched her frustration.

"I'm really starting to hate my spidey-senses," she grumbled, right as their alarm blared to life, piercing the quiet.

Peter groaned but reached out a hand, shooting a thin strand of web at his phone and silencing the noise. "I know what you mean, but we have a big day ahead of us," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, his tone softening.

Gwen let out a low moan of protest, the weight of sleep tugging her eyelids back down. "It's Sunday. I should be waking up when I please," she complained, her voice tinged with a small, reluctant pout.

Peter laughed, the sound vibrating in his chest. "I wish. But come on, we've got work to do."

With shared reluctance, they got up, moving in a synchronized dance around the room as they prepared for the day. The house was filled with the warm aroma of breakfast as they made their way downstairs to join Aunt May and Uncle Ben. The morning sun shone through the kitchen window, casting a golden glow over the table where their family sat.

Uncle Ben leaned back in his chair, a warm smile on his face as he watched them take their seats. "So, any big plans today, or is it just the usual Spider-business?" he asked with a raised brow.

Peter swallowed a spoonful of cereal before answering, "Actually, today's a bit different. We're launching a satellite we built into space."

Aunt May's eyes widened, her fork pausing mid-air. "A satellite? Are you serious?" she asked, a mix of surprise and disbelief coloring her tone.

Gwen nodded, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Yeah, Peter actually managed to build one, and Bruce made a few final adjustments. We're sending it up today."

Uncle Ben's brows shot up in surprise, but then an expression of genuine curiosity settled on his face. "Can we come along? You know, we've never even seen your hideout."

Both Peter and Gwen exchanged glances, their surprise mirroring one another.

"Wait, you guys haven't been to our hideout?" Peter asked, blinking.

"Seriously, you'd want to watch?" Gwen added, her eyebrows arching.

"Of course!" Uncle Ben scoffed. "You're launching something into space, Peter. That's not exactly an everyday event."

Peter paused for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. "I guess you really haven't, or I haven't really invited you guys for Aunt May's sake for the whole, the less she knows the more at ease she would be..."

"Sweetheart," Aunt May said with a small, knowing smile, "there's no such thing as 'More at ease' when it comes to you, you fight crime for a living"

Peter looked at her sheepishly. "Fair enough."

Gwen's smile grew as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Should I invite my dad, too? I think he'd be interested."

Peter grinned and shrugged. "Why not? The more, the merrier."

Gwen nodded, "He'll be excited," she said, her smile widening at the thought.

Peter's eyes lit up suddenly, and he began drumming at the table playfully. "You guys know what this means, right?" His eyes darted between their faces, waiting for their response.

All three exchanged puzzled looks.

"Family road trip!" Peter exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air triumphantly.

Aunt May's smile softened, and she laughed, the sound warming the room. "That actually sounds nice."

Peter bounced to his feet, his energy contagious as he headed toward the stairs. "I'll go and get ready!"

Gwen looked after him, shaking her head as she took out her phone, "I guess I'll go and call my dad" 

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