[Third Person POV]
Peter and Gwen stood side by side in the soft glow of the lab's holographic projectors, their faces lit by shifting shades of blue and green. Before them floated two separate holograms—one a slowly rotating DNA helix, shimmering with tiny neon markers, and the other a translucent three-dimensional model of the human body. The second hologram pulsed faintly every time Gwen adjusted the twisting helix, the changes rippling through the figure's anatomy.
Gwen's fingers danced over the hovering control panel, flicking through sequences of genetic code with practiced precision. "Alright," she murmured under her breath, eyes narrowing in concentration as she dragged one glowing strand across the interface. "Let's try this adjustment and—" She froze mid-sentence, her brow arching in confusion. The holographic figure's head flickered and reformed… sporting a long, unmistakably elephant-like trunk in place of a normal human nose.
Peter tilted his head, crossing his arms as he regarded the mutant projection. "I don't know," he said with mock seriousness, tapping the side of his own nose as if comparing. "There's definitely something wrong with this one, but hey, I did tell you to follow your nose."
Gwen bit back a laugh, but the corner of her mouth betrayed her with a twitch. "Shut up, Pete. Please, I really don't want to hear you making wise cracks every time I fail."
"Come on," Peter pressed, unable to resist, his grin widening as he leaned a little closer. "Let me help you sniff out the problem. I've got a real nose for these things."
That earned him an eye-roll. Gwen giggled despite herself, throwing her head back with a small, exasperated groan before turning back to the interface. "You're so annoying," she muttered, fingers flicking across the display once again.
The hologram shimmered, the elephant trunk collapsing inward as new data streamed into place. But instead of a clean correction, the figure's arms and legs elongated and reshaped, reforming into sleek feline limbs tipped with claws.
Peter let out a low whistle. "Hmm. Nice work. If you ever need me to lend you a paw, just say the word. But I think we just scratched the surface of the problem."
Gwen pressed her lips together, pulling the hem of her shirt up to cover the bridge of her nose as she inhaled slowly, a desperate attempt to smother the laughter bubbling in her chest.
Another adjustment. The cat limbs dissolved with a ripple of light, feathers sprouting in their place as a pair of broad, white bird wings. Gwen sighed in partial relief. "Okay… okay, this is progress."
Peter's shoulders shook with restrained amusement. "Absolutely. Just don't let it ruffle your feathers if it takes a few more tries. Like you said, progress."
Gwen turned her head ever so slightly, giving him a slow, dangerous look from the corner of her eye. Her lips twitched again, betraying the smile she was fighting to suppress, but she said nothing and returned to the controls.
The projection flickered once more—and this time, the bird wings vanished entirely while a pair of enormous elephant ears flapped into existence on either side of the figure's head.
Gwen's left eyebrow gave a violent twitch. She could feel Peter's gaze boring into the side of her skull. Tilting her head just enough to send a warning, she hissed through clenched teeth, "Don't. Just don't."
Peter pressed his lips together, his cheeks puffing out as he struggled not to laugh. "Okay… but just hear me out—"
That was as far as he got before Gwen spun on her heel and started playfully swatting his arm with quick, light slaps. "I told you. To. Stop. It!" she said between mock blows, her own laughter spilling through the cracks of her frustration.
Peter raised his hands in surrender, laughing as he tried to block her harmless attacks. "Alright, alright! Truce! But you've got to admit, jumbo ears are kind of adorable."
The tension dissolved into shared laughter that echoed through the quiet lab. Their playful bickering gave way to focused collaboration as they refined the genetic code, testing sequence after sequence until the hologram finally stabilized.
At last, Gwen exhaled a long, satisfied breath and stepped back from the console. "Perfect," she said, her eyes gleaming with triumph. The final projection stood before them: a humanoid figure with sleek, retractable claws and elegant wings folded neatly against its back. "The wings can regress into the spinal cavity and re-form on command. I based the regeneration pattern off Lizzy's X-Gene—one thought is all it takes to trigger the mutation."
"So does that mean we're done here?" Peter asked, rocking back on his heels with an expectant smile. His hands were stuffed casually in his pockets, but there was a telltale glint in his eyes that said he was already plotting something.
"Yes," Gwen replied with a satisfied nod, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "I just need to run the production sequence based on the final modifications." A translucent digital keyboard flickered to life in midair, the keys glowing a soft blue as she began to type. Her fingers danced across the surface with practiced ease.
"Wait—before you start," Peter said suddenly, leaning toward her with exaggerated urgency. He lowered his voice, eyes bright with barely contained mischief. "Can I ask for a small, tiny favor? You're really going to love this. It's nothing big, I swear."
Gwen paused mid-keystroke and turned her head slowly, narrowing her eyes in playful suspicion. "What is it?" she asked, her tone a careful balance of curiosity and warning.
Peter leaned closer until his breath brushed the edge of her ear and whispered a few quick words.
Gwen's eyes went wide for a split second before she clapped a hand over her mouth and burst into uncontrollable laughter. "You're ridiculous," she said through her giggles, swatting at his arm.
Gwen continued to laugh within the back of her hand as she said, "You know I don't normally ask for much, but could I be the one to do it? That might just be among one of the top 10 funniest thing we could do"
Peter grinned triumphantly. "Knock yourself out."
Without wasting a second, Gwen pounced on the holographic keyboard like a woman possessed. Her fingers flew over the controls in a flurry of rapid clicks and glowing symbols, the display lighting up with a cascade of data streams. "While that's brewing," she announced, smirking like a mischievous cat, "I'm going to get ready."
---
A short while later, the pair emerged from the lab and into the cool evening air. Peter had changed into a simple navy T-shirt and well-worn jeans. Gwen, by contrast, was effortlessly radiant in a soft pink sweater paired with a pleated skirt, her golden hair falling loose over her shoulders.
The climb up the apartment stairs was filled with quiet anticipation. Peter kept glancing sideways at her, his lips twitching as if he were holding back a laugh, while Gwen maintained the serene composure of someone who was absolutely enjoying a private joke.
When they reached Felicia's door, Gwen knocked lightly. A few seconds later, it opened to reveal Lydia, dressed in cozy home clothes and clutching a half-folded dish towel. She blinked in surprise, her eyebrows lifting.
"What are you two doing here so soon?" Lydia asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and mild suspicion. "I mean, we didn't even finish talking until, what, three hours ago? And we just had dinner. Don't tell me you're already done?"
"It was fairly simple, really," Gwen said with a polite, almost too-innocent smile. "Mind if we come inside?"
"Of course, come right in," Lydia replied, stepping aside to let them through.
The warm smell of soap and leftover pasta filled the small apartment. Peter and Gwen followed the soft clatter of running water to the kitchen, where Felicia stood at the sink, wearing a scowl that was equal parts annoyance and dramatic suffering. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, and she was scrubbing a stubborn pan like it had personally insulted her.
When she saw them, her silver eyes lit up with relief. "Oh thank god, you two! I'm so glad to—"
"Don't you dare stop scrubbing," Lydia cut in sharply, pointing a warning finger without even looking. "This is your punishment, remember?"
Felicia froze mid-turn, then let out a dramatic whimper. "What did I even do to deserve this?" she cried, clutching the sponge to her chest like a tragic heroine. "This is cruel and unfair!"
Peter leaned casually against the counter while Gwen slid onto a nearby stool, both of them struggling not to laugh. Lydia, ever the gracious host, offered them drinks, which they politely declined, their eyes still flicking toward Felicia's theatrical dishwashing.
Felicia shot them a pointed look over her shoulder, soap bubbles clinging to her wrist. "Would you two just give it to her already? She's been pacing around like a junkie waiting for her next fix. Checking her phone, peeking out the window every five minutes—seriously, it's embarrassing."
"Felicia!" Lydia gasped, cheeks coloring as she spun to glare at her. "Do you want me to bump your punishment from weeks to months?"
Felicia shrank back with a sheepish grin, muttering something unintelligible as she went back to scrubbing.
Peter and Gwen exchanged a quick glance before breaking into wide, conspiratorial grins. Gwen reached into the pocket of her sweater and slowly pulled out a sleek silver can, sliding it across the counter toward Lydia with a deliberate flick.
Lydia frowned, curiosity knitting her brow as she picked up the chilled can. The metallic surface gleamed under the kitchen light, its blue and red markings unmistakable. She gave it a small shake, puzzled. "A… Red Bull?"
Peter and Gwen's smiles stretched from ear to ear. In perfect unison, they announced, "Red Bull gives you wings."
For a heartbeat, the room went silent. Then Felicia doubled over, clutching the sink for support as she howled with laughter, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Peter cracked up next, his laugh warm and infectious, while Gwen giggled so hard she had to steady herself against the counter.
Lydia, however, simply stared at the can with the deadpan patience of someone used to dealing with idiots. She rolled her eyes and let out a soft chuckle. "Alright," she said, holding the can up to the light. "Cute. Now for real—where is it?"
Peter, still wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, pointed at the can over and over again. "Right there," he insisted between breaths.
Lydia's eyebrows inched upward. "Wait… Are you telling me you put the serum inside the Red Bull can?"
Gwen covered her mouth to hide a grin, her shoulders shaking. "Kinda," she said, barely suppressing another fit of laughter. "The Red Bull is the serum."
"What?" Lydia asked in a flat baritone, staring at them like they'd both lost their minds.
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