[Third Person Pov]
George and Gwen soon arrived at the Parker's home in a normal civilian fashion, a clear contrast to Peter, who had already portaled his way back earlier so he could get ready in time.
Immediately upon entering, Gwen was bombarded with birthday wishes from Aunt May, Uncle Ben, and Aria, each greeting her with genuine excitement. Aunt May was the first to reach her, pulling her into a warm, lingering hug before stepping back to look at her properly.
"Wow, look at you, you look amazing. I love what you did with your hair," Aunt May complimented her, her expression soft and approving as she took in the details.
"Thank you, but you can thank Peter for it, he's actually the one that did this," Gwen said, a small but proud smile forming as she lifted a hand slightly to gesture toward her hair.
"He did?" Aunt May asked, clearly caught off guard for a second before she let out a light laugh, shaking her head. "That boy, he sure knows how to be thoughtful when he needs to be."
Gwen chuckled along with her and gave a small nod, silently agreeing with the sentiment. It didn't surprise her, not really. Peter had his moments, and when he put in the effort, it showed.
They started settling in, George exchanging greetings with Ben while Gwen drifted further into the room. Not long after, Peter came down the stairs to join them, dressed in something that managed to be both casual and stylish without looking like he had tried too hard. His eyes landed on Gwen briefly, and there was a quiet satisfaction there, like he was glad the effort he put in earlier paid off.
Before much more could be said, the front door opened again and both MJ and Felicia stepped in together, their timing almost perfectly synchronized.
"Gwendolyn!" the two girls exclaimed at the same time as they immediately made their way over.
They didn't hesitate for even a second, surrounding her and pulling her into a tight embrace from both sides.
"Ughh, you two are squishing me, are you guys seriously using your super strength to strangle me," Gwen groaned, her voice strained as neither of them made any move to let go.
"Shhhh… Just enjoy the moment, bday girl," MJ said, her tone affectionate as she pressed her cheek against Gwen's.
"Yeah, what she said. Feel our love flowing through you," Felicia added, clearly amused as she leaned in just as much.
Despite herself, Gwen smiled through the discomfort. They were lucky she was durable enough to handle it, and if she was being honest, she didn't mind the affection nearly as much as she pretended not to.
Eventually, they loosened their hold, and everyone began to move toward the table where a hearty meal was already set out, courtesy of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. The spread was generous, the kind of breakfast that made it clear this morning was meant to be a celebration.
They all took their seats, the atmosphere settling into something comfortable and familiar. Peter leaned back slightly in his chair, glancing around before speaking up.
"Harry and Lizzy won't be able to make it," he said, breaking the news to everyone.
"Does the trouble in paradise still continue?" Gwen asked with a quiet snort, glancing up from her seat.
"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure they made up last night," Peter replied, a faint snicker slipping through. "From the looks of things, breakfast is pretty much the only time Harry and Norman get to spend together, so he isn't able to skip it. Same probably goes for Lizzy and her family."
Gwen nodded in understanding, accepting the explanation without much issue. It made sense, even if it was a little disappointing. Peter then flipped his phone around toward her so she could see the screen.
"But they both send you best wishes and regards."
Gwen's smile softened as she looked at the messages, but before she could say anything, Aunt May, who was seated next to Peter, gently reached over and lowered his hands along with the phone.
"No phone at the table for now. You can check your messages and reply back after you've eaten. We're with family right now, celebrating a very special occasion."
Peter didn't argue, simply letting his phone drop back down as he gave a small nod. Gwen, meanwhile, looked down at her plate, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face.
As their plates were filled and they began to eat, the conversation picked up naturally. It moved easily from one topic to another, small jokes, light teasing, and casual updates blending together as everyone settled into the rhythm of the morning, enjoying both the food and each other's company.
Gwen looked at Aunt May with a hint of guilt as she said, "I feel almost bad having left breakfast to you, Aunt May, considering the fact that you're, you know…" Gwen made a small back and forth motion with her hand over her stomach, unsure of how to phrase it without sounding insensitive.
"Oh pish posh," Aunt May scoffed, waving her off without a second thought. "I might be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I'm useless. Don't forget, I'm as strong as an ox now."
There was a lightness in her tone, making it quite clear she wasn't bothered in the slightest. Aunt May leaned forward slightly and reached across the table, taking hold of Gwen's hand in a gentle but reassuring grip.
"So don't worry about a thing, dear. I am more than glad to do this for you. After all, like I've been saying before, you're like the daughter I never had. This much is nothing."
"Thank you," Gwen muttered sincerely, her voice soft as her lips trembled slightly with emotion. She tried to keep herself composed, but the warmth of the moment got to her more than she expected.
Peter, who had been watching the exchange, quietly grabbed a napkin and held it out toward her.
"Here," Peter said in a teasing manner, a small grin tugging at his lips. "For the tears you're holding back."
"I'm… I'm not holding back any tears," she said, though the words came out uneven, betraying her as a small, choked sob slipped through despite her effort to keep it in.
Her cheeks puffed slightly as her eyes turned red, tears pooling at the corners. Peter didn't say anything else, just started lightly waving the napkin in front of her like a flag.
Gwen let out a small hiccup before snatching it from his hand. "You're such a bad man," she sniffled, dabbing at her eyes. "Bullying me on my birthday."
That only made things worse in the best way. The table filled with warm laughter and easy smiles as everyone watched her try to regain her composure. George simply reached over and rubbed her back, a faint smile on his face as he shook his head.
As the moment settled and the laughter eased, George shifted slightly in his seat and turned his attention toward Aunt May.
"Speaking of pregnancies, how have you been coming along, May?"
"It's all been relatively normal so far, as normal as most pregnancies can get," Aunt May replied, letting out a small breath. "Waking up in the middle of the night due to morning sickness is not what I thought I would ever get to experience, and yet here we are." She gave a stiff smile. "Can't say I'm a big fan of that."
"Have you found out the gender yet?" Felicia asked, leaning forward a bit with clear interest.
"No, Felicia dear," May said with a small chuckle. "I'm only two months pregnant, still in my first trimester. You don't find that out until the second."
"Wait, do you want to know the gender? Or do you want it to be a surprise?" Gwen asked, her curiosity pulling her fully into the conversation now.
May and Ben both glanced at each other for a brief moment, silently communicating before looking back at the table.
"We haven't really decided," Ben answered, resting his arm along the back of his chair. "But we're mostly leaning toward it being a surprise."
"Wait, are we going to have a gender reveal party?" Peter asked, leaning forward with sudden interest. "Call dibs on being the secret keeper!"
"That's not something you can just call dibs on," Uncle Ben replied immediately, shaking his head. "And like we just said, we still haven't decided."
Peter leaned back again, though the small grin on his face didn't fade, clearly already thinking ahead anyway.
The conversation lingered on Aunt May's pregnancy for a while longer, shifting between light jokes, small concerns, and shared excitement. Eventually, as it naturally tended to do, the topic drifted into other things, the group moving seamlessly from one subject to another.
Through it all, they continued eating, talking, and laughing together, the atmosphere settling into something warm and steady, like one large extended family coming together to celebrate a special occasion.
************************************************
+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3