Chapter 153: The Beginning of the Era of Cohabitation

"Elopement?!"

Peter was taken aback and silent for a moment.

It seemed like the events of the night had deeply shaken Gwen.

"Where do you want to go, Gwen?" he asked cautiously.

"I don't know... maybe Germany? My German has been improving lately. Or maybe we can escape to another parallel world?" Gwen crossed her arms over her chest, staring down at the sand beneath her feet.

"If only I had a ticket to the multiverse."

Peter considered Gwen's words. The idea of a time machine Reed Richards was working on flashed in his mind. If they had access to that, perhaps they could actually escape.

"So, you really want to leave everything behind, Gwen?" Peter asked gently.

"Yeah," Gwen replied, her voice heavy. "It's just that... it's all too much now."

She glanced at the lighthouse in the distance, continuing, "I've been carrying this weight for so long, and it feels even heavier now."

"My father wanted me to go back to a past I'm not sure I can recreate. He wasn't happy with the future I want."

Gwen shivered slightly as raindrops drizzled over her. "This means I can't change anything in the present. I'll just keep disappointing the people who care about me, and that feels terrible."

Peter nodded in understanding. "So, you think running away to another world would let you escape your troubles and leave your worries behind?"

"Yes, exactly," Gwen said, the idea now taking root in her mind. "We could run away together—like that couple from the news recently. The 18-year-old guy and his 13-year-old girlfriend who ran off to Florida for two weeks."

Peter looked at Gwen quizzically as she explained.

"They weren't exactly the most exciting runaways—they committed crimes along the way," Gwen continued, "stealing cars, using checks that didn't belong to them, and even causing property damage to avoid getting caught by the police."

She paused, a bit embarrassed. "I guess that's a bad example. But we wouldn't do that. I have savings, so we can live off that."

Peter considered her words for a moment. While the idea was intriguing, it wasn't something they could do right away.

He pointed at the lighthouse in the distance and suggested, "It's a great idea, but how about we take a walk up to the lighthouse and see the ocean? It might help you feel better."

"Lighthouse?" Gwen asked, surprised. "I thought it was under repair."

But when she looked up, she saw that the lighthouse was lit.

Gwen's eyes widened, and she nodded. "Of course."

She glanced down at her bare feet, then noticed Peter was holding her shoes in his hands.

Gwen smiled inwardly. It was comforting to know that someone who loved her would always be there for her.

The next morning, Gwen woke up with a gasp. She had another nightmare—one where she was trapped in seaweed and couldn't escape. The feeling of being suffocated, unable to break free, reminded her of the helplessness she felt after the fight with the Rhino monster.

As she slowly woke up, the memories of the previous night flooded her mind. She had spent a peaceful and beautiful night with Peter at the lighthouse, watching luminous sea creatures gather on the shore.

"You had a nightmare, Gwen?" Peter asked, noticing her troubled expression.

Gwen nodded, feeling embarrassed. "It wasn't that bad, but it felt like I couldn't breathe."

Peter's expression softened, and he said gently, "Last night, I used my thought watch to project glowing sea creatures to calm you down. I thought it might help, but it looks like the nightmare still bothered you."

Gwen noticed that Peter was sitting at the edge of her bed, and she realized something. "Where did you sleep last night?" she asked.

Peter smiled. "I slept downstairs on the couch. Since the parasitic embryo inside me has been acting up, it doesn't really affect me if I don't sleep for a while."

Gwen looked down at herself, noticing her clothes were still intact. "Did I... act dishonestly last night?" she asked, unsure.

Peter laughed softly. "No, not at all."

"Then... did we do anything last night?" Gwen asked, feeling a bit unsure.

Peter hesitated before answering, "Probably not."

Gwen looked at her clothes and felt a strange mix of disappointment and relief. "I'm sorry, Peter."

"Sorry? For what?" Peter asked, confused.

"I was being impulsive. I kind of forced my way into your house, and last night, we even had to climb in through the window," she admitted, feeling guilty.

Peter looked at her and shrugged. "It's not really your fault."

Gwen rubbed her forehead, worried. "Aunt May and Uncle Ben will definitely be upset if they find out."

Before Peter could respond, Aunt May's voice called from downstairs.

Gwen froze, panic rising in her chest. "No, I have to leave!" she said, thinking about using her Spider-Woman abilities to escape through the window.

But Peter stopped her gently. "Don't you want to stay? Live here with me?"

Gwen hesitated. "I do, but... I just don't think it's right."

Peter smiled and took her hand, leading her downstairs.

As they reached the living room, Uncle Ben was holding a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label whiskey.

"What's this, Ben?" Aunt May asked, curious.

Uncle Ben smiled sheepishly. "A friend of mine gave it to me. I helped him out, and as a thank-you, he gave me this bottle of fine whiskey."

Aunt May raised an eyebrow. "There's no need for that, Ben."

Uncle Ben nodded. "Well, he started a magazine called Youth Resistance Base about adolescent issues. It's got over a hundred readers now and will soon be going online."

"Really? What kind of issues does it cover?" Aunt May asked, intrigued.

Uncle Ben looked at Peter and Gwen, who were coming down the stairs, and suddenly stopped, his eyes wide with surprise.

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