[Third Person Pov]
"You seriously want to be the one to style my hair?" Gwen asked, a hint of amusement in her voice as they stood together in her room after finishing their shower.
"Yes," Peter answered without hesitation, his tone full of enthusiasm. "Since today is your special day, I want to make sure you look absolutely divine. Trust me."
Gwen raised a brow, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him. "So you're saying I looked ugly before?"
Peter blinked at her, a lopsided smile forming as he tried to follow her logic. "Where did you even get that from what I said…?"
Gwen let out a soft giggle, shaking her head. "I'm just kidding. But seriously, it's a little weird how enthusiastic you are about this."
"It's just that I've been practicing," Peter said, his eyes lighting up with a quiet intensity. "And I've been wanting to actually put it to the test."
Gwen covered her mouth as she laughed, eyeing him skeptically. "You've been practicing how to do hairstyles?"
Peter shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I have three girlfriends and a daughter with very different kinds of hair. It kind of comes with the territory."
Gwen smiled despite herself and rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. Knock yourself out."
"Yes," Peter whispered under his breath, pumping his fist in a small, victorious motion before moving over to her dresser. He began gathering her hair products with surprising familiarity, picking out what he needed with careful consideration.
"So what style are you going for?" Gwen asked, watching him as he returned with his arms partially full.
"Actually, what style do you want?" Peter countered.
Gwen shrugged lightly, meeting his eyes. "Surprise me. If you were this eager to do it, then you must already have something in mind that you think would look good on me. I want to see what you come up with."
Peter nodded, his expression sharpening with focus as he sat down on the bed and patted the spot in front of him. Gwen took the hint and sat at the edge, settling comfortably as he positioned himself behind her.
He started by blow-drying her hair, running his fingers through it with careful precision to avoid tangling it. Once it was dry, he moved on to straightening sections before curling the ends, working in a steady rhythm that suggested he really had done this before.
Through the mirror, Gwen watched him closely. His face was set in concentration, his movements deliberate and gentle, as if he were handling something fragile rather than just her hair. The seriousness of it all made her smile widen, and she had to bring a hand up to her mouth to keep from laughing.
"So what exactly are you doing?" Gwen asked after a moment, noticing the shift in his technique as he began sectioning off strands.
"Since you're the star of the show today, I'm going for a half-down crown braid," Peter explained, fingers deftly weaving sections together as he spoke.
Gwen hummed thoughtfully, her eyes tracking the forming pattern. "I have to admit, that's actually a really good choice."
Peter didn't respond, too focused on getting the braid just right as he wrapped it carefully around the back of her head, forming a soft halo. He left the rest of her hair down, the curled ends resting neatly against her shoulders. After that, he reached for a small container and began placing decorative flower-shaped pins along the braid, spacing them out so they resembled a floral crown.
Once he was satisfied, he gave her hair a final touch, lightly spraying it so it caught the light with a soft shine. "And… tada."
Gwen stood up and turned her head from side to side, examining her reflection from different angles. Her expression shifted from curiosity to genuine surprise. "Wow… I wasn't expecting this. It looks really good. I might actually have to come to you whenever I need my hair done."
"Please do," Peter said, placing a hand over his chest before giving her a small, theatrical bow. "I will happily oblige.
"
Gwen smirked at him, clearly entertained. "What else have you been practicing? Did you also learn how to do nails?"
Peter hesitated for a second, his expression shifting just enough to give him away. "Well…"
…
George finished getting dressed, settling into something that balanced casual and formal for Gwen's birthday breakfast with the Parkers. He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, then checked his watch, giving his wrist a small shake to straighten it before stepping out of his room.
He barely made it a few steps before he froze.
His eyes flicked toward the dining room, then immediately back again as he did a double take.
Peter and Gwen were seated across from each other at the table, but instead of breakfast, the entire surface was covered in nail supplies. Bottles of polish, tools, small brushes, and cotton pads were spread out in an organized chaos. George's gaze landed on Peter, and he blinked again, trying to process what he was seeing.
Peter was dressed like a nail technician.
He had a face mask covering his mouth and nose, and strapped around his head was a small torchlight that illuminated Gwen's hands. He held one of her hands with surprising care, focused entirely on painting her nails with steady precision.
George stepped fully into the room, his voice cutting through the quiet concentration. "What's going on here?"
"Dad, look!" Gwen said immediately, her face lighting up with a bright, excited grin. She lifted her hand toward him, fingers spread slightly. "Peter is doing my nails!"
George walked over and gently took her hand, angling it toward the light as he examined her nails. They were painted a soft, light blue, each one decorated with delicate snowflake designs that looked far more detailed than he expected.
"They look really nice, honey," he said, a note of genuine approval in his voice.
"Thank you," Gwen replied, clearly pleased as she pulled her hand back and began lightly blowing on them to help them dry.
George's attention shifted back to Peter, his expression turning more curious as he watched him continue working without looking up. The kid's focus was intense, like he was handling something far more important than a simple manicure.
"You seriously know how to do someone's nails…?" George asked, unable to hide the disbelief in his tone.
"Yup…" Peter answered simply, not breaking his concentration for even a second.
George let out a quiet snicker, shaking his head. "You're such a strange kid."
"He also did my hair," Gwen added, turning slightly so George could get a better look. There was pride in her voice as she showed it off. "Doesn't it look great?"
George leaned in a bit, taking in the details properly this time. The half-down crown braid, the soft curls, the subtle floral pins woven in—it was all done with a level of care and skill he hadn't expected.
"It really does," he admitted, then glanced back at Peter with raised brows. "Which is also weird… He seriously did that too?"
"Yup," Peter replied again in the exact same tone, still focused on finishing the last few details on her nails.
George huffed out another amused laugh under his breath. He looked back at Gwen, watching the way she admired her nails, the way her smile lingered as she flexed her fingers slightly, careful not to smudge anything.
He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her this openly, effortlessly happy.
It wasn't that she didn't smile before—she did, she laughed, she joked—but this was different. There was something lighter about her now, something more unguarded. Like she couldn't be any happier than in that moment right there.
As she continued looking at her hands with that same bright expression, George found himself smiling too, softer this time.
His gaze shifted back to Peter, and for once, there was less irritation in it.
The kid still got on his nerves more often than not, but watching him now, seeing the effort he put in over something as small as this just to make Gwen happy, George couldn't help but reassess him, even if just a little.
At the end of the day, that was all he had ever really wanted from him.
For Gwen to be happy.
And, whether he liked it or not, the kid was clearly doing something right.
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