A mind beyond Marvel

[Gray POV]

[Christmas Eve]

The city shimmered under the glow of Christmas lights, a soft layer of snow blanketing the streets. Midtown was buzzing with holiday cheer—carollers on street corners, couples walking hand-in-hand, and the scent of roasted chestnuts lingering in the air. But none of it compared to the sight in front of me—Gwen Stacy, wrapped in a thick beige coat, a red scarf around her neck, and her blonde hair peeking out from under a woollen beanie. She stood by the ice rink, balancing on her crutches with a small, determined smile.

"You really wanna do this?" I asked, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I stepped closer.

"It's Christmas Eve, Gray. If I say I want to go ice skating, then I'm going ice skating." She smirked, adjusting her grip on the crutches. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius? I'm sure you'll figure out how to keep me from falling."

I chuckled. "I can think of a few ways."

The guy at the rental booth gave us a weird look when we asked for a pair of skates and a small sled. But, after some convincing (and a generous tip), I managed to strap the sled onto Gwen's feet while she sat on the edge of the rink.

"This is either the smartest or dumbest idea you've ever had," Gwen said, gripping the sides as I pulled her onto the ice.

"Smartest, obviously. Hold on."

I glided backward, pulling her gently along, her laughter echoing through the rink. She leaned back, letting the crisp winter air rush past her face as we weaved through other skaters. For a moment, it felt like the world had narrowed down to just the two of us, the holiday crowd fading into the background.

"I am Speed", I mumbled, I have no idea whether 'Cars' exist here or not.

"Alright, speed demon," Gwen said between giggles, "Let's not give me another injury."

"I make no promises," I said with a grin, slowing down as I skated beside her. "But I think we've officially broken the record for most creative ice skating date."

"I'll give you that." She nudged me with her crutch. "But next time, I wanna do it on my own two feet."

I hesitated, my eyes flickering to her knee. It had been weeks since the accident, and even though she put on a brave face, I knew how much it frustrated her. How much it hurt her to rely on others when she was used to standing on her own.

"You will," I said quietly, pushing us toward the edge of the rink.

"Hey, Gray", she said nervously. "I want to tell you a… secret"

"I am all ears", I replied, no idea where this is going

"I thought I was having hallucinations about my eye colour changing and it felt like my skin was absorbing something. I took a picture when my eyes turned white. I was not having hallucinations… it's real", she went on for a few minutes. "I…I think I am a…mutant."

She looked at me.

I sighed, I had no Idea what to do. Should I console her, or tell her the homo superior stuff.

"That's cool, I mean who cares if you are a mutant or not, yesterday I saw a girl with split tongue she looked like an alien too.", I continued hoping this would make her happy. "I mean Mark Zuckerberg is a mutant for all we know or maybe an alien, Heck, … what even is a mutant in this economy."

I heard muffling voices beside me. I looked at her, and she released a full blown laughter. I joined in and we continued walking.

We spent the rest of the night walking through the city—well, I walked, and Gwen mostly leaned on me as she hobbled along on her crutches. We grabbed hot chocolate from a small café, watched kids build snowmen in the park, and just… talked. About school, about Peter and Ned's ridiculous holiday sweaters, about how her dad still gave me that 'I'll kill you if you break her heart' look every time I visited.

And then, as we reached the bridge overlooking the frozen lake, I knew it was time. She had trusted me with a big secret and I should at least tell her some part of it.

"Gwen," I started, my breath visible in the cold air. "There's something I need to tell you."

She turned to me, her expression shifting. "That sounds serious."

"It is." I exhaled, gathering my thoughts. "You ever wonder why I always seem to know things before they happen?, or how I figured out that you shot Killgrave?"

Her brow furrowed. "Gray, what are you… Killgrave ?"

I stepped back, just far enough so she could see clearly as I pulled down my scarf. Then, without a word, I reached out toward the metal railing. A small burst of heat pulsed from my fingers, melting a line of frost instantly.

Gwen's eyes widened.

"You're…" She covered her mouth, her breath hitching. "You're a vigilante? Like… like Spider-Man? You're a mutant?"

"Not exactly," I admitted wondering why she didn't say Noctis. "But yeah. I've been doing this for a while. And I need you to know because… because I trust you. And because I can help you. And I don't have an X-gene so that technically doesn't –" I explained her about the difference between a normal mutation vs an X-gene mutation.

She shook her head slightly, still processing. "Help me how?", I noticed her pupils turning white for a second and getting back to blue the next. It's her X-gene, I hoped it was neither omega level nor useless.

I reached out, gently placing a hand over her injured thigh. "I have a few things, Gwen. And one of them might be able to fix this. To heal you."

She looked down at my hand, then back at me, her blue eyes searching mine. "Gray, you… you can really do that?"

"I wouldn't be telling you this if I couldn't."

Silence hung between us, the distant sound of Christmas music drifting through the air. Then, slowly, Gwen let out a breath, her fingers tightening around mine.

"Then do it."

And just like that, everything changed.

"Alright, tomorrow night we will go to my lab"

"Where is it?", she asked excitedly

"Who knows", Even if I told her she wouldn't be able to get there without phasing powers.

[Gwen POV]

[Christmas Eve – Walking Home]

The night air was crisp, the kind that nipped at my cheeks but felt refreshing rather than unbearable. Snowflakes drifted lazily under the glow of streetlights, the whole city wrapped in a soft, festive hush. Gray walked beside me, his hands stuffed in his coat pockets, matching my pace as I leaned on my crutches.

"I still think you should just tell me where it is," I said, glancing at him. "You know, in case you chicken out tomorrow and change your mind."

He smirked. "Nice try, but no. You'll see it when I take you there."

I pouted. "What, is it some underground villain lair? Do you have a volcano base I should know about?"

"Even better," he said cryptically, eyes glinting with amusement. "But you'll just have to wait."

We reached my apartment, and he lingered on the doorstep as I shifted my weight on my crutches. The silence between us was comfortable, the city humming quietly around us.

"Tomorrow, then?" I asked.

He nodded. "Tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Gray."

"Goodnight, Gwen."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the snowy night.

[Gwen POV – Later That Night]

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing far too fast for sleep to claim me. Tomorrow. I was going to see Gray's secret lab. He trusted me enough to show me something no one else knew about. He has some heat related mutation.

What was it? Some high-tech underground hideout? A lab filled with crazy experiments? Maybe something even wilder? The possibilities ran through my head like a movie montage, each more ridiculous than the last.

But more than the excitement, there was something else. A warmth in my chest. The kind that came from knowing someone trusted you. That they wanted to share a piece of their world with you.

I turned onto my side, gripping the blanket tighter.

Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

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I hope you guys like this chapter.