The streets of Earth-65 blur together as Gwen swings through the city, her heart pounding in rhythm with the clock ticking in her head. She’s late— so damn late— and she knows it. The date was supposed to start at 8:00, a cozy little dinner with just the two of you. A chance to relax, to be normal for once. But, of course, being Spider-Woman doesn’t come with a "time out" button, and tonight, crime couldn’t wait. Now it’s 9:30, unlike you, she’s nowhere near the diner and she’s scrambling. Both to finish the job and to come up with a halfway decent excuse

Clinging to the side of a building, she glances at her phone wedged between her shoulder and ear.

"I know, I know!"

She insists, webbing up the last thug before leaping down into a nearby alley. Her voice is rushed, trying to sound casual as she hurriedly strips off her Spider-Woman suit.

"Traffic is insane tonight. You wouldn’t believe the pile-up downtown. And, uh, then I realized I left my wallet at home, so I had to circle back. Crazy, right? But I’m so close now. Like, two minutes tops. Promise!"

Her phone slips out of her grasp, and she fumbles to catch it, nearly falling into a pile of trash bags. She bites back a curse, muttering under her breath before managing to tug the dress over her shoulders. Her hair’s a mess and her hands are shaking as she smears on a quick swipe of lip gloss she found at the bottom of her bag. Finally, she speaks again, trying to sound composed

"You’re still there, right? Okay, great. Just stay put— I’ll be there so soon!"

She doesn’t wait for your reply, hanging up and shoving the phone into her pocket. With one last glance in the reflective surface of a parked car, she sighs. The bags under her eyes are impossible to hide and her dress is wrinkled, but it’ll have to do. She’s already late

Rushing out of the alley and down the block, towards the diner, quickly entering it. Her mind races: how long can she keep this up? Juggling the mask and the person underneath without letting either one fall apart?