Peter

Peter's arms were surrounding Lena, her head resting on the space between his head and his shoulder, sitting on her bed with her in his lap. He couldn't count how many times they had watched this episode of Planet Earth, it was to a point where he could hear her reciting it in her mind, practically word for word. To her it was like she was back there, fully immersed in the deep ocean, surrounded by the creatures she used to consider friends.

"The sharks are not as menacing as you might think," she was barely speaking above a whisper as if talking too loud would scare the on-screen sharks away, "they saw us as predators, but they saw me as their equal. They knew something was different about me."

He placed a small kiss in her hair, taking a moment to enjoy the precious moments that he had with her. So many of their days were spent fighting street crime that it was becoming rare to spend time on their own, enjoying the feeling of togetherness. She shifted in his arms, sinking deeper into him, only half of her face focused on the projection. He felt her inhale against his chest, his arms raising with the breath.

"You smell like laundry detergent."

It was a funny statement, and Peter chuckled, "Well, I'm glad I don't smell bad."

"I am learning to identify human scents. Laundry detergent, candles, gasoline. It is all very interesting."

He hadn't thought about that. So many things he had grown up getting used to were all brand new to her, from the ability to walk to the scent of laundry detergent. One day she would be fully there, and it was probably a way away, but for now, Peter was already too proud of the progress she had made to dwell on that.

…

"Class, as you know it is growing close to the end of the school year, and I still have yet to fulfill my requirement for a field trip. Don't get too excited- it's nothing you haven't seen before," Mr. Ellis was sitting on his desk, looking slightly exhausted by the year he had put behind him. It had been an interesting year in American Politics, from the recent election to Mr. Stark's deal with the sirens. Peter could tell that this field trip was only to check a box.

"We're going to MOMA, and I know you all have been there, but we're going, and you can write a short reflection. Mainly, I just want a day off to look at the art, but you didn't hear that from me. I will deny all allegations."

Lena looked at Peter from her desk, What is MOMA?

Museum of Modern Art, I think you'll like it.

MJ, in particular, looked excited. Art was one of the classes she excelled at. She had been recognized by the school with numerous awards for her gifts, and putting her in any sort of artistic setting was like putting a kid in a candy store.

As Mr. Ellis dragged on, Peter couldn't help but let his eyes and mind wander, patiently waiting for the remainder of the school day to end. Prom was on Saturday, and it was the first time Peter had felt genuine excitement for a school dance. Sure, he had felt similar anticipation for the homecoming dance with Liz, but that had ended in disaster. It wasn't his fault that Mr. Tooms had ruined both of their experiences.

He had tried to coax a picture of Lena's dress out of both her and Pepper, but they had both kept it strictly to each other, and when he had searched her memories, she had put up a heavy block, insistent that it remained a surprise.

His pencil tapped against his notebook until the final bell rang, where every student bounded out of their seats. The only thing on anyone's minds was prom, including Peter's and Lena's. Leaning against the locker next to Lena's, he listened to her enthusiastic chatter with MJ about the weekend.

...

Lena

"Has he seen your dress yet?"

Lena bit the inside of her lip and let a small smile escape her mouth, "No, but he's gotten close. He's really good at uncovering secrets, but not this one."

"Good afternoon, ladies." Peter practically materialized behind her, "Excited for prom?"

Lena nodded, spinning around and kissing his nose, "It is a silly little tradition, but I am happy I get to be a part of it."

"I'll catch you guys later, see you tomorrow, Lena!" MJ waved and escaped, leaving them alone.

There was a brief silence, but then Peter leapt into words.

"Come on, L, let me see it!"

"No! I want it to be...a surprise. Like my pool was for me."

He rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead, "I can hardly wait another minute."

…

MJ arrived the next afternoon around 2 PM, which was when Pepper had told her to. Her "aunt" had gone to lengths to provide Lena and her friends with the best prom experience she could provide. The school dance was apparently something that mattered a great deal to humans, and if it made everyone around her happy, Lena was more than happy to comply. Dressing up and putting varied colors of dust on her face felt strange. She hoped there would be a day where human standards of beauty did not confuse her. It all appeared to be superficial.

Lena was in her room brushing her hair after a bath, staring mindlessly at the silver in her eyes when her friend walked in. MJ was usually closed off with a tight seal, but something was light about her. The aura around her was airy and open, and Lena turned to greet her with a smile.

"I'll never be over how crazy this place is," MJ said, throwing an overnight bag onto Lena's bed. "I never thought I would be friends with someone related to an Avenger."

People always refrained from talking about the Avengers in front of Lena. At school, she heard racing thoughts as she passed her peers about the intimidation that came along with her closeness to them. They were afraid that their curiosity would appear rude. Again, it was these strict rules of politeness that she was continuously getting used to.

But MJ never held back. She was true to Lena and herself, putting honesty above everything else. She was guarded, but she was a real friend.

There was a knock at her door, Pepper and someone she had hired to help them get prepared for the prom. Lena called for PET to open the door for her.

"Hi Miss Potts," MJ smiled shyly. Lena felt her friend's guard go up again. Even Lena could admit that Pepper was a strong presence. She had known that since that first day they met.

"How are you, Michelle?"

"Good."

"This is Jeffree, he's a popular makeup artist on Youtube, I wasn't sure if you two have heard of him but he was very excited to hear from me about doing your prom looks.

The person was very unique looking. A lean body full of what she had recently learned was called "tattoos," his eyebrows were completely gone, and his hair was a vibrant pink color pinned straight to his face. He was an open book. When Lena looked at him she saw all the pain he had endured, the repercussions of his actions, the honest regret that came along with it. The evolution of human nature was fantastical to her, and this person was a phenomenal example.

"How are we today ladies?" he entered the room with warm energy, setting a large trunk onto the desk next to Lena.

Pepper looked ecstatic, her hands clasped together, "Have fun, I'll see you when you all are done."

Jeffree's thoughts were loud and clear inside her head, I heard that their niece was alluring, but I didn't expect the beauty to be as radiant as this.

Lena could not help but blush. It was an honest compliment.

Getting to work, Jeffree explained that he was not there to change the way that the girls looked, just enhance the beauty that both of them already had. With a strong promise not to overdo anything, he set to work on MJ while Lena continued to brush her long, tangled hair.

When he was done, Lena agreed that he had done a perfect job. Her eyes butterflied out with a flick of black, her skin almost sparkled. As MJ looked in the handheld mirror Jeffree had provided, she touched her face as if she was seeing it for the first time. Lena's grin widened and she looked to Jeffree, who was just as excited as her to get started.

The brushes were soft on her eyelids, on her cheekbones, through her eyebrows. She could feel the intricate detail that each stroke carried, how precise he was with each tiny movement. When it was all over, it was like they had gone on a journey together. It was a delicate process that she had not expected to enjoy.

Turning around to view herself in her mirror, she was just as shocked as MJ had been. He had done the perfect job of simply amplifying every aspect of herself that she liked. Her eyes shimmered when they hit the light, her cheeks were rosy in an endearing way, and her small lips were painted a subtle pink.

She had never worn makeup before, and she probably would not ever again, but doing it for the special occasion was proving to be much more fun than she had anticipated.

They all said goodbye as Jeffree made his exit, and Pepper came in gushing over his work. It was almost like she was living through the two girls, her enthusiasm bouncing off the walls.

"Now, let's get to styling your hair," she grinned.

…

Peter

He was nervous. The last time Peter had gone to a school dance, he almost was killed by his date's father. He couldn't see what could possibly go wrong this time, but knowing his own luck anything was possible. He didn't want to screw it all up this time. All Peter wanted was a regular night out with his friends, his girlfriend, without any disruption. He knew that crime wouldn't stop because Spider-Man and The Siren were at prom, but hopefully, they wouldn't have to escape for a universal threat.

Still, something bad was about to happen. Unlike anything they had seen before. It wasn't him who initially had this premonition, it was Lena. The thought kept subconsciously fleeting across the back of her brain. Ever since they shared that dream, standing on the broken planet, staring off into its abyss. It was scary.

It was prom, Peter couldn't think about that.

He pulled on the tux that Tony had sent to him, straightened out the collar, and tied the white tie that Lena had instructed him to buy just the way that Aunt May had taught him. Staring at himself in the mirror, he inhaled deeply, flattened his shirt, then went to the kitchen to ask his Aunt how he looked.

"Oh Peter," his Aunt smiled, adjusted his collar again, and kissed him on the forehead, "you look great. Happy just called, he said the car is waiting downstairs for you."

Peter's eyebrows furrowed, "Why do you have Mr. Happy's number?"

"Oh! No reason. But the car's downstairs."

"Thanks, May," he gave her one last hug before leaving his apartment to go see Lena, and the dress she had been hiding for far too long.