just penny

He definitely noticed she wasn’t as sure. He pursed his lips for a moment before he reached over, ghosting his fingers along her forearm. “It’s going to be okay.” he said. It may have been an empty promise and Grayson wasn’t sure if it’d help ease her but he wanted to try, he didn’t want her to spend the night worrying about something that might not even happen. “Don’t worry about, tonight’s just us two. Penny and Grayson. That’s it.” 

His touched caused a shiver to run down her spine. It always amazed her what his touch did to her. It was soothing and like a rush at the same time, which was odd in a way. The only thing she could remember being better was her mother's hugs when she hurt herself as a kid, before they died.

"Definitely Spanish." Grayson said, while still scanning the menu. He hadn’t been sure if she was actually talking to him, he’d noticed that sometimes she wasn’t when she spoke aloud. He glanced up, watching her as she made her choice. He smiled to himself, knowing full well how he felt for her

No matter what Grayson always seemed to know what Penny needed, even if she wasn't aware of it herself. When her aunt had died it was kind of like he understood how to handle her, and in no way had Penny been in control of herself at that point. There were times when she wasn't sure she would've kept being herself without his influence, he was good for her, he kept her from blaminmmmnbbvcg herself for every little thing and still she blamed herself so much every time she looked at him.

"Right, no, right." He nodded. Asking that right away had been stupid. At the mention of the flower arrangements, Grayson tilted his head towards them, ripping off a petal and squashing it between his fingers. He watched her as she read the menu, she looked lovely and it made his unsure smile turn into one that was sure.

Looking at their joined hands on top of the table Penny adjusted her hand slightly to intertwine their fingers. She used her pad of thumb to draw extremely light patterns on inside of Grayson's hand, her nail occasionally tickling his skin faintly. There was something about Grayson that pulled her stress level down an insane amount, he was always there for her and no matter what Penny seemed to have him as a constant factor in her life, something she desperately needed. He was her link to reality in some ways and sometimes she doubted he even realised how important he was to her.

Grayson squeezed her hand as he lead her towards the restaurant. “Try being the keyword here.” He nodded and held the door open for her. Once inside, he felt himself relax a little. This place wasn’t too sophisticated. If anything, it was just a little more posher than the average restaurant. Still, that didn’t stop his grip on her hand tightening. 

The brunette focused on looking around her when they entered the restaurant, and it was a lot nicer than any other place they had ever been to. It didn't look like it was a place where people sat and seemed to be enjoying tension. There were places like that, when the mood was so tense in the air and people still seemed to be enjoying it and Penny was happy that didn't seem to be the case here.

Sorry for not wanting to stick around just so we can tear each other’s throats out.

Whatever, just go ahead and do what you're good at and walk away, I'm busy now, there's a level on Unblock Me I haven't beaten yet.

Okay. Be mad at me then, yell at me all you like but I’m done. I’m not arguing with you any more. 

I wouldn't expect anything else, walking away seems to be what you're really good at.

It was sarcasm, I thought you would have picked that up. I didn’t - I didn’t mean it like that, I know you’ve lost a lot and the fact that you’re still optimistic is admirable. I was just, just trying to lighten the moods that’s all, it was a joke, no, it wasn’t a joke because joking about that is downright shitty and… and… I hate fighting with you. 

I'm a little bit preoccupied with other things than sarcasm, but sorry, my mistake. Yeah well you should be glad you already dumped me because that joke would've ended that relationship in a far more obvious way than your evasive words did. Maybe I don't care about that, maybe I'd rather fight with you and be mad than to focus on the what's actually true.

It’s not that naive, whose the one that works there and goes there on almost a daily basis? You’re optimistic? Yeah, says who? You? The person whose talking about people being after companies and JFK being shot? There’s levels, some people are just crazily after something, some are just crazy. I’m guessing this is Penny Parker speaking and not Spider-Woman?

That would be you, really you should know which one of us works at Oscorp that's kind of worrying. Yes, it was me who said it. Seriously, did you hit your head? Well for someone who's been through what I've been through and literally lost almost everyone I'd like to think I'm still pretty optimistic. Both my parents, my aunt, you... I won't lose Harley as well. Doesn't matter who I am. If someone tries to hurt my best friend I don't need a suit or powers.

I’m sure no one’s after the company, not when Norma Osborn is still living. Not everyone is a crazy person hell bent on murdering someone who wants to make the world a better place, be optimistic. Harley’s got really good security no one is going to hurt her, they wouldn’t even get close to her.

Okay you keep on thinking that, that's cute, pretty naive too. For someone who gets her life threatened every other week for standing up for people who don't really appreciate it anyway I like to think I'm pretty optimistic. Not everyone is a psychopathic murderer that's true, unfortunately the crazier the more drawn to me they seem to be. They better not get close to her if they know what's good for them.

You were an exception, not every teenager is as smart as you. Some maniac with a machine gun? That’s never happened. And I highly doubt it ever will happen. Why are you so worried about Oscorp’s safety levels anyway? 

Maybe it's not teenagers who'd be after the company and whatever other secret projects you're hiding. No one had killed JFK before he was killed either, there's a first for everything otherwise nothing would happen. Because someone I care about a lot has to spend quite some time there. I'd pretty upset if something happened to her.

Oscorp has impeccable work place safety, it’s not their fault astray teenagers like to wonder the property, breaking into their top secret programmes. Maybe Harley should hire someone to fix that problem. Yeah, well, you know what they say, takes one to know one.

It might not be their fault that astray teenagers like to do so, but it's certainly their fault that they're able to. A teenager is not supposed to be able to fool a high class company like that which supposedly has some form of security. Again, it all goes back to safety, if I can get in, who says some maniac with a machine gun can't do it? That is such a good comeback, I'm stunned.

Maybe if you hadn’t been an idiot in the first place and gotten those stupid abilities then you wouldn’t have to worry about having a semi-normal life. Fine, if that’s what you truly think then yeah, we were over before I even took the notion to break up with you. Have fun trying find someone else that’ll allow you to be a burden on them. 

No, but a lot more people would've been dead as well. All I wanted to do was find out what happened to my parents, I didn't plan on getting bitten by a spider, really you have an unsafe work environment Harley should hire someone to fix that. You're an ass, Grayson.

Not long. Where we ever going to be okay though? Cause, I mean, you have this inability to let things go and I have this inability to communicate properly.  We were doomed from the start. They way I see it, I’m hitting the brakes before we get the chance to crash. And yeah, I lied to you but you can’t come here and call me out for being a liar, because we both know the bullshit you’ve put not only me but everyone that loves you through.

That's not the same thing. Is wanting to have a semi-normal life such a bad thing? My truth puts other people in danger. I'd rather have them find out that I lie to them and hate me for it than have my Uncle or my friends hurt. You know what? It doesn't even matter for how long this relationship was nothing but a lie. Because by hiding that from me you had decided from that very moment that we were over.

I thought that if I ignored the thoughts long enough they’d just stop. And I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it but how do you tell someone that you can’t handle being in a relationship with them after everything that’s happened? How do you tell someone that and have everything be okay? I won’t.

So you lied. How long? Because it makes complete sense. People dating normal people don't deal with what you had to deal with. You don't tell them that to make things okay, you tell them if you care enough to be honest with them. You don't say you love them and take them out on dates. You're not going to have everything be okay? Really? I had no idea this wasn't your definition of okay.

I know. I didn’t mean to hurt you like this, I didn’t want to hurt you at all. Saying this is futile because it won’t reverse anything but… I need you to hear it. And we’re done. We can just leave it here, then that way there’s no worrying about how toxic we are, we can just… move on from each other. 

It doesn't really matter what you meant to do or what you didn't mean to do. How do you make it sound so easy? Like you can just leave everything we've been through behind and walk away. These aren't thoughts people just wake up with one day and I guess I'm just hurt that you didn't talk to me about it. Not like that matters now. We're moving on, obviously, what else is there to do? Move on, and move away, that's it. That's fine, fine, completely fine, just... Don't get hurt.

No. Wait, no, I didn’t mean that. Penny I… I don’t blame you, I never did. It’s not your fault. I… Fuck, Penny just - I’m sorry.

Stop it, don't talk to me, you can't do that you can't say all those things and then the next minute say that you're sorry. We shouldn't be doing this... we're ruining everything, can't you see that? Not just me and not just you, we are ruining this. You think our relationship is toxic? Well we've just added some more fuel to that. But fine, you don't blame me, but I sure as hell do.

I’ve never wanted anything more in my life right now. This isn’t me giving up, this is me getting out of a relationship that’s toxic, this is me getting out of something that was hurting both of us, if anything I’m doing us a favour. You’ve always made it seem that being with me was a problem to your vigilante persona. Yeah, that’s funny, maybe you should say that to my mom. 

You really think I need to hear that it's my fault? That I don't know that? I know better than anyone who's fault it is that she's not around for you anymore. It's my fault that my Aunt is dead, it's my fault that your Mom is dead, it's my fault that people keep dying around me. When the only person who should be dying is me, I know. I know that and I don't need you to remind me. Who do you think you are? Get the hell away from me and don't you dare ever talk to me again. I never want to see you again. You're such a liar.