[texting repository] bc not everything's gotta be action

[hackitudes]

gen texts
spicy sexts
crack...
idc go wild

Comments

[declaw]

You should be a little more self-serving. My therapist says it's good to have balance.

[ There's that pull. It's what separates them, even when they jive so damn well together. Felicia isn't a gloryhound, but she can't imagine a thankless job. It pains her he was so good-natured – in ways she never could be – for no thanks.

Felicia scrunches her face up in disapproval at her phone but, finally pushes herself off her railing and instead walks back towards the glass door of her penthouse, texting and walking all the way. A mental note was there to be a little nicer to him tonight. ]

You're wasting your time talking about this game when you could be hyping me for this moonlight munchie waiting to happen. You know I haven't played that before we chased each other around town, right?

[ Meaning, she's rusty and it's been a while. ]

[radioactivities]

With the order I'm bringing over, there'll be enough self-serving for the two of us!

[ Yeah, not a direct engagement with how Peter can be selfless to a fault. But he's paid a high price for selfish decisions before, and it's made it difficult for him to accept making a self-serving choice that's benign. Maybe what's kept him away from Felicia for so long is how scared he is. Not of her, but of what could come from allowing himself to be happy. ]

I have honestly... only picked up Ultimate a few times at the Avengers Mansion. But hey, I remember enough from 4 to hold my own.

Anyway, I'm here.

[ That's right. Just before she reaches the glass door to reenter her penthouse, she'll hear Peter's clap of his own asscheeks graceful landing on the railing where she was just leaning. He's perched on said bars with the tray of coffee in one hand, and the bag of food in the other, having removed it from where it was webbed to his hip. ]

Special delivery!

Hope you like your avocado toast thrown around like it's been shoved in a dryer.

[ Carefully, he steps off the railing to properly approach Felicia with the food. ]

It's all mush in the end, anyway. So I'm pretty stoked.

[declaw]

[ The asscheeks heard 'round the city was a familiar sound and she turns to face him with a smirk. Of course – it was just typical luxurious Felicia Hardy here, in a robe and with an empty glass of wine. Without Spider-Delivery, she'd be stuck rummaging for a way to spend her night. White girl problems, amiright? ]

Oh, so like every normal delivery driver! Fortunately for you... [ They meet halfway, her fingers giving him one of those distracting scratches right against the tension of his mask against his jawline – intimate and alluring all at once. ] I give really good tips.

[ And she'll yoink the bag with a giddy twist of her hips to motion him inside. ]

Thanks for abandoning your soooo interesting stakeout. It's like we haven't seen each other in a while, right?

[radioactivities]

[ Those cheeks sure produced a familiar thwipping sound when they clapped upon his landing. The large, bug-eyed stare of Peter's mask is also an accurate representation of how he feels just looking at Felicia in her current state. The robe, the wine, and all the luxuriating that he can imagine her doing in that getup... the Amazing Spider-Man is, for once, amazed. ]

I'm not looking to see this play out like one of those intros to... well.

Forget I said anything.

[ That's him shrugging to hide his embarrassment, having caught himself run his mouth in her presence for the umpteenth time. Her attitude, with the brief caress of his mask and all, is not helping matters for him.

Fortunately, he's got no "mad-on" to hide and she starts talking about business. ]

Felt like years, Felicia. It's like I'm seeing a ghost!

[ Despite their last coffee date being, like, three days ago.

As he follows her inside, he's careful to close the door behind him. His suit fares pretty well in most weather, but the draft across New York this evening has caused quite the chill. ]

Though I must say I'm far from opposed to a "visitation." Especially if we keep talking about fighting games.

[ He hopes to god she can tell that he's joking. ]

[declaw]

[ It wasn't as if Felicia was known for dressing anything less than collected and styled. The only difference was she didn't expect visitors, and her naturally playing Sex & the City reflective lounging on her balcony just came with the territory of her downtime. She plays it cute and she almost hates that he makes her laugh more than every lately. Instead of annoyance, it's gone into endearing territory. Congrats. ]

I don't see a pizza box, so I don't think it's that kind of party.

[ The penthouse itself was an amalgam of different past wins. The one she had receipts proving she paid for.... eventually. Chinese dragon decor, statues of Greek goddesses, some cat figurines dating back to ancient Egypt – she was hard to pinpoint in style and interior design. The bag was set down on the coffee table and instead of lounging right onto the couch, she kneels down without worry of this collected persona. Felicia can hang with the guys, grab a beer, and eagerly await an impromptu moment with Peter. Her eyes glance up with a small smirk, going along with the whole back and forth. ]

Sorry, rule #21 of Casa Cat, no fighting game talk. Guess you'll have to deal with boring banter with me. Poor you.

[radioactivities]

Nothing a quick detour across the street can't fix.

[ He's realizing how much he doesn't wanna commit to the bit, so-- ]

I don't mean that. This'll be enough carbs as is.

[ Not that he's particularly concerned. Their lifestyles don't exactly lend to sitting around all the time, anyway.

Peter tries to be attentive to his surroundings in general, so he's not always reliant on his spider-sense. Now, though, he finds himself quite immersed in his own tunnel vision. Any sight of the decor, from fancy jade dragons to ornate marble goddesses, fall away. Rather, he's laser-focused on the sight of Felicia, swaying hips and all, before she settles on down. ]

I have others I can talk to for that. Like Moon Knight.

[ Though that guy's more of a Melee freak. ]

So stakeout was pretty long and a little less than eventful. Means I'm hungry.

Hope you don't mind if I chow down!

[ It's then that he reaches in the bag for his respective serving of avocado toast, nestled in its takeout box. But instead of committing to taking it for himself, he proffers it to Felicia, knowing full he can just pick up the other one. ]

Actually, please. Help yourself. I tried so hard not to do fancy flips while carrying this stuff.

[declaw]

[ She knows what he means, how their teasing had no real filter. She jokes about just as many ridiculous things, a few Pornhub pizza guy jokes was not too off balance. Things were light, airy with their usual back and forths so she doesn't put too much stock into it. This guy was known for finding any situation to quip – would she expect anything else by now? ]

You really should start carrying those protein bars I told you about... [ A quick, sly dig hums past her lips before the coveted toast was revealed. There wasn't an expectation of manners, not that it wasn't humbling and sweet when he remembers he has some – she takes it with a nod. ] Gonna say you still did a few, though. Habits and all that jazz.

[ The resounding crunch was chased by a satisfying sigh. It was a nice fatty food to get down to help with an impending hangover. By now, she was sobering up – but that tongue was far from shy as she points at him idly. ]

You... may have a gift. Your recommendations have been pretty top-notch. Spider and Peter.

[ Emphasize was on both, on their little quick bites on the clock or their out-of-costume meet-ups between busy days. ]

Close to saying you're a clone, but...

[radioactivities]

[ Unfortunately, Peter's prodigious proclivity for puns can't save him from being hungry. At this moment, only avocado toast can. So he takes a seat on the sofa adjacent to Felicia, and pulls his mask off his head. He pries open the takeout box and starts chowing down on said toast, audibly relishing in its savory taste. ]

I'll have to take you up on that idea.

[ He's just worried about protein bars melting on the job, namely when he's out during the day. ]

Can't go punning on empty, after all.

[ Let's just say he heard about Felicia and Matt's little contest.

And when she speaks of Peter's particular gift-- not the spider powers that are a gift and a curse, but his knack for finding nice places in NYC, he scratches the back of his head. He tries not to smile too much, but he's always been a man parched for praise. ]

Aw, shucks. I just learned a lot watching Guy Fieri, y'know?

[ A modest smile becomes one of mischief. ]

Maybe I've been his clone all along.

Might follow his business model for my next venture. Can't go worse than the way Parker Industries went down the toilet!

[declaw]

I'll grab a box next time I stop at my gym. [ And she clarifies, as if she needs to show that she's trying to play the good girl role. ] Buy. Not sticky fingers grab.

[ But, she shoots him a glare mid-bite. If word gets out that she's just as bad with the jokes... her street cred goes out of the window. When her and Peter were at odds, be it personal or professional, she was quick to call his jokes stupid but... she didn't mind them a bit now.

She's going to seriously cash in on Matt for spilling the beans, though. ]

If you're a clone, there has to be some give-away. Something that isn't exact. A mole... a missing scar... [ Sweet words, teasing and light indicate something else but she doesn't quite get there. ] Oh. Yeah, sorry, babe but – business isn't for everyone. Maybe take a community college class before... investing... in that.

[ Truthfully? She's been thinking about it herself. For one reason or another, her private investigation business shuttered its windows – but... hm. Makes her think a revival may not be too far off. ]

Good? [ The toast. ] Weirdly goes well with a bottle of wine. Huh. Ya learn something new every day.

[radioactivities]

Hmm. Wasn't gonna ask, but now...

[ He looks at her suspiciously, but in a teasing way, wearing something of a Dreamworks face. Before that attitude overstays its welcome, he quickly relents. ]

Kidding.

[ But then he laughs at her little tangent on clones. He can't forget that this isn't just about clone shenanigans in general, but about the idea of him being a clone of Guy Fieri. Or perhaps, to make matters more confusing, what if Guy Fieri was the clone all along, and he's living the life Peter's supposed to have?? ]

Look, all I need to do next time is get another business-savvy evil genius to take over my body and run a company from the ground-up, just so I can run it back to the ground when I inevitably reclaim my body.

[ That was a mouthful of a joke, and he stops to take a mouthful of more avocado toast. But then he decides to speak while chewing-- ]

Sorry, Felicia. That was one mouthful of a joke!

[ It's like he read my mind. But he won't address that fact because he's not Deadpool ]

You know I'm a bit of a teetotaler, but consider me curious. Mind if I have a sip?

[ He thinks to look at her pleadingly in a facetious way, but then figures he'd be pushing his luck. A more natural sincerity about this will do, he realizes, and just casually continues eating his toast after asking. ]

[declaw]

[ She takes no offense, even if he teases her. It takes a lot to get under her skin, but at least she knows why he can joke. There are multiple instances where... she may have done something unsavory! No one's ledger as clear, but she leaves that guilt in the past for the most part1

The topic of clones could be sore too, but their back and forth puts a lot on the table. It makes it quite easy to shoot the shit in the easiest way possible. ]

You are playing the billion dollar row version of Stonk Market annnnnd, I really hate that. [ How the hell did he really let all these wild adventures happen to him?! ] Why not get rich the easiest way?

[ Steal! ]

No, nevermind – save the conscience talk for later.

[ When he mentions the wine, she instead takes another quick bite of her toast and hops up. There will be no sip in her penthouse. Into the kitchen she goes – a few moments where he's left alone with himself. Clanks echo in the kitchen and a cork is popped – before long, Felicia returns with two glasses of wine poured modestly. Back to the coffee table, she kneels down and slides one glass across towards Peter. ]

If you're going to take a sip, you're going to want more. Just figured I'd cut it off at the pass. This is my favorite, so I don't mind sharing.

[ Honestly, she looks down to it with a small smile. ]

I had it at an Italian place uptown, a few weeks after I sold some stolen art I nabbed during my first few heists. Maaaaybe it tasted best because it was a celebration, but – it's good even now.

[radioactivities]

[ The clone thing left an undeniable impact on Peter, but in many ways, it's quite far behind him. The void left by Gwen still hurts more, but so much in his tumultuous life has happened that it's almost staggering to just... meditate on it all. Some things about clones do still hurt, like what the Kravinoff family did to Kaine. What their hatred and cruelty brought out of Peter, and drove him to do.

But right here and right now, with Felicia, the hurt falls away. The familiar back-and-forth of her antics, the terminally tempted straight-man that she brings out of him... it's a comfort, second only to avocado toast. ]

Felicia, you know I'm only ever gonna steal back what was stolen first. Remember the egg?

[ Speaking of memories, there's a fresher pain in the ass for you. ]

Okay, fine. Thanks. The whole shebang with the wine glass it is.

[ So he takes the thing and allows himself a tentative sip, not quite sure how one should drink wine. ]

You, uh...

[ He'd gulped it hesitantly. ]

This tastes good to you?

[ He chuckles at his own predicament, taking another sip nonetheless. He might not be a fan of the flavor, but boy is he fascinated to keep tasting it. It doesn't even occur to him to take another bite of his avocado toast, too transfixed in his own wine-tasting. ]

Sorry, I don't go by Spider-Wineo for a reason.

And I'm gonna let the stolen art thing slide... for now. I just heard a guy sold an 18-grand art piece even though it was a figment of his imagination.

[ Which is to say, Peter thinks of responsibility in terms of protecting others from harm. Not so much upholding every line of bullshit passed around in the art world, among other institutions. If he was committed to holding what was legal and what was moral as irrevocably identical, an extralegal vigilante such as himself would've never come to be. ]

[declaw]

[ Felicia knows he needs a vacation. Even if prior to their eggscapade, Felicia doesn't even remember the last time he went on vacation? Left the city on non-arachnid business? He dismissed her desires to slide down to Nassau multiple times, ignored her talks of Paris and how beautiful it would be to sit at the very top of that landmark tower... One day, she'll succeed in letting him pretend to live like the 1%.

By the time she returns to him with the glass of wine, she isn't going to prod him too much about her thoughts on how wound up he tended to get. ]

What? I'm charitable. You bring the snacks, I bring the 'sip'. You're my guest, y'know.

[ Watching him sip definitely does present a show on its own. She doesn't proceed drinking herself, doesn't take another bite of her toast. He seemed like a kid wanting to take a sip of mom's wine for the first time. ]

It's sweet! It's not moscato, sure, but – [ She defends her taste, refined by years of socializing with upperclass if only to garner her own socialite life – to throw people off her scent. Felicia winces at his words, falling for his rambles and stories like she always does. He has a way with words, that gets her out of her head and let's her see the world in something... good-natured? Funny? Who knew. ] Okay, okay, first of all...

[ A finger point. ]

Can't chase past Felicia down for crimes. I think slinging around the city with you let me get my volunteer hours. Redemption, whatever you want to call it. [ She makes up her own rules, but, she gets away with it with a flutter of those pretty green eyes. ] Secondly? That is a total scam. At least I thieved and sold to make myself feel better.

[ She mumbles into a bite of her toast: ]

Bet he just did it to prove a point.

[radioactivities]

[ Peter’s too scarred by his last trip to rural Scotland. Few high vantage points to web-swing from, spooky ancient warrior ghosts that turned out to be an instance of Scooby-Doo villainy... what a damn nightmare. Worse, that time in Germany when Wolverine showed up and they had an ideological disagreement. Peter then killed a woman on accident, thinking he’d punched Logan. All the trauma associated with leaving New York notwithstanding, Peter can be convinced to take another vacation if Felicia ever broaches the topic. He’s just got a lot of repressed baggage to unload, first.

And god knows there’s still quite a lot of that between himself and Felicia. ]

I have no frame of reference for “moscato,” or even what this is called.

[ From the way he smiles when he says it, he hopes Felicia knows that he knows he’s out of his depth, but nonetheless... ]

I appreciate you sharing this with me, though. While it’s not my ballpark, it’s yours.

[ Despite his attitude, it’s a smile he struggles to muster while stomaching the taste of the wine. ]

It’s like getting to know a part of you better. Know what I mean?

Say I tried to show you a little bit about photography. Or science-y stuff.

[ Come to think of it, he’s looking at the wine glass and can’t help but be reminded of lab glassware. What if he started using one of these for experiments?

Funnier than that idea is Felicia’s response to the ‘high art’ scam of the century. He’s been finishing off the last of his avocado toast all the while, swallowing by the time Felicia finishes. ]

And he made a huge profit from it along the way. Sounds about as committed to a real cause as Banksy.

Between him BS-ing that ‘art’ into ‘existence’ and the patron who’s both gullible and pretentious enough to buy it... I can’t tell who’s worse.

Kinda wish I could just ‘see’ the thing in an exhibit! Maybe my spider-sense will catch it. Maybe you can steal it.

[ Now he’s just laughing at his own jokes. Peter’s not trying to rant too much, here, after all. ]

[declaw]

[ Peter needs more than a therapist – he needs to have fun. Felicia can't prescribe him that but the tension and temptation lingers as bad as that wine does on his tongue. Her reputation always preceded her, Party Hardy without a care in the world... but Peter knows her better than that. There's a reason why he abandoned his stakeout, why a lonely cat overlooking the city would be a tiny red flag. ]

Peter, I have some Coke Zero in the fridge if you're prefer that. Just means two glasses of wine. Which – kinda deadly, already, but...

[ She strings her words with a hum of amusement. His honesty about sharing and wanting something she would take makes her smile a bit more than she wanted. She pushes her hair back out of her face, acting bashful all the while – clearly, an act. ]

Well, goodness, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to get on my good side.

[ But – Felicia wouldn't be drilled into the science stuff, sure but maybe her mind lingers on photography. Hm. No, it's gone before she even sneaks in a perverse flirtation.

The last few bites of avocado toast calls her name and she finishes it with a satisfying 'mmmm', leaning back with one hand propping her up. ]

It's a scam! You know your spider-sense wouldn't pick up on anything. If you were going to go all blacksuit with me again, we'd pick something better to steal. I heard they're bringing the Marie Antoinette collection to town next month...

[ She gives him a challenging gaze, waggling her eyebrows as if she was enticing him to seriously consider going baddie blacksuit with her. It was a good look, what can she say? ]

[radioactivities]

[ See, Peter thinks he has fun whenever he's out there quipping at villains, workshopping all his material while bullying them. Other than that, it's always something serious about responsibility. The guilt at the core of his morality will always haunt him, it seems. That same guilt might've been the very thing that's made him and Felicia so difficult to get off the ground-- why the answer to what they were was always never certain. ]

Nah, don't worry. I've still got the coffee right here. Not too many espresso shots this time, if you're worried.

[ Being Spider-Man's both thankless and restless. He's gonna have to cut down on the coffee lest it become another dependency, like the black suit that was alive.

But then Felicia teases him, her response being something to show for his flattery. He quirks a brow at the mention of her "good side." ]

Funny. From where I'm sitting, every side's your good side.

[ And with that, he discreetly takes a sip of his coffee. A deep and rich mocha from a fancy artisanal place-- someplace Peter's gonna have to come back to the next time he has to appease Fin Fang Foom with chocolate. ]

I know it's a scam. I just love belaboring how ridiculous the whole thing is!

But uh. Say no more about Marie Antoinette. The stealing, the black suit... that's a no-go for me.

Maybe the black suit the next time I dump this thing in the wash.

[ Not that he's particularly malodorous from exertion right now. The fabric's state-of-the-art and sweat/odor resistant, so it's nothing anybody can find at a Party City. Or... that costume shop in Germany where he had that traumatic episode with Wolverine. The recollection vaguely passes Peter's mind and it drives him to drink some more coffee. ]

[declaw]

[ She scoffs at the espresso shot line – he's already wired enough. Fingers crossed he really didn't ask for a little bit extra just to keep him up. He'd be a good spokes person for Bouncing off the Walls Again if it had a TikTok cover at that point. It's inevitable. Everything gets covered on TikTok.

Anyways, fancams aside... Felicia almost recoils at his comment but – she'll instead just grab her wine and take a few modest sips to match him. ]

Uh huh. Flattery will get you nowhere here.

[ A light tease, but she instead finally gets off the floor and sits across from him on the couch, her back hitting the arm's cushion. Even if only one cushion separates them... she feels like there's oceans between them at times. This was the first time in a while besides their dates that she feels like they're on the same shore, go figure. She nudges him with her foot before curling it under her form, lounged like the prettiest cat in all of New York. ]

Okay, okay, Mr. Uptight. Tell me what sounds like a good time, then. I'm all ears.

that spidey booba image i keep sending.jpeg

[radioactivities]

[ Peter can't wait to audition again the next time Turn Off the Dark comes back to Broadway. He swears he'll land the lead role, even though the judges said he just doesn't feel like Spider-Man. Turns out the whole 'secret identity' thing works wonders, but it's almost too effective. A veritable... Monkey's Paw situation. ]

Not a problem. [ About flattery, that is. ] I'm right where I need to be.

[ Felicia has no reason to expect this to happen, but the nudge of her foot startles Peter before the sweetness of his words can settle. It's like his first instinct tells him that his spider-sense failed to apprehend danger, the way he jolts in his seat and nearly drops his coffee. At least he laughs as soon as he realizes his own error. In all this, he's just relieved he didn't spill anything on Felicia! ]

Okay, I'm clearly too wired. Got all this excess energy.

So how about we smash?

[ His eyes widen as his brain catches up to his words. ]

Like, play Smash. Smash Ultimate!

[ In a futile effort to save face, he goes back to drinking the last of his coffee. ]

Though...

[ And when he puts it down on an adjacent side table, he turns in his seat to properly face Felicia. He makes no further move, only appraising her in her state of relaxation. With no mask to hide his trepidation, he faces her anyway, thinking to himself of the worst that could happen if his entire gesture represents a total misread. The end of coffee dates, to be sure, and the end of... quite frankly? Something that's been the highlight of Peter's day on a consistent basis.

But maybe, progressing further than just coffee is worth the risk. Something beyond avocado toast is worth the very possible L he may take. All things considered, it definitely won't be the biggest ever handed to him. ]

I'll say this.

[ It's long overdue that he bridges the ocean between them. And he begins by reaching over the pillow, his gloved hand landing gently on Felicia's thigh. ]

I don't take back the first suggestion.

i'm gonna block you

[declaw]

[ Tension was dangling on a string between them like the stereotypical spider on a single line of web – they both knew it was there, but they didn't kill it. Felicia was a glass too many in to think about this opening old wounds, to revive things she thought were dead. Peter, as much as she admired him, was also insufferable. He's... too good. Not even in the physical sense, the proverbially. The moral. Felicia sits across from him and she still feels like she'll be lectured if she does something wrong. Instead of getting bitter? Felicia gets better. For him. Most of the time.

The thief puts up with quips and puns, with topics that she'd never have with socialites or billionaires in highrises overlooking the city. He reminds her it's okay to take the costume off – and she wonders if she inspires him to friggin' live a little. ]

You should have stuck with toast, it's true.

[ His words leave his lips and she nearly drops her glass trying to set it on the end table by her couch blindly. Eyes wide, she laughs in a coy... interested, but totally shocked way when he stumbles over his words. ]

Huh. Didn't know you were still wanting to play games.

[ Maybe he liked the challenge – keeping her flirtations at bay and finding room for his. Felicia thinks she can handle the joke about a game, but the second she feels the ridges of his gloves against her thigh – her eyes drag from hand to his face. That stupid... adorable... face. The one young Felicia was an idiot for putting lower on the pedestal, that she spurred in favor of costumed risk. She sits up a bit, her hand moving to stroke against his wrist and tilt her head inquisitively. ]

Peter... [ It's almost sad, as if she has to ask him if he was sure in less words. They danced – they liked this dance and they knew it – but for once? Felicia stood them still. ] Is that what you want? All that you want...?

[ She has to be sure, but... there's also room for some honesty: ]

I don't know if that's all I want.

[radioactivities]

[ When it looks like Felicia's about to drop her glass, Peter feels the pull of the spider-sense compelling him to reach out and preempt its fall. He does none of that, however, exercising enough restraint when the moment comes to simply trust in Felicia's luck. She's definitely got more of it than he does, and it pays off in the crisis averted, though neither of them verbally acknowledge it. He almost drops his coffee, and she her wine... so it's like they're matching. ]

Well, y'know. Smash is fun. Never had a bad time with it!

But the other kind of smash. Smashing.

[ That's enough of him stammering through more of his words, never quite delivering the punchline as effectively as he wants to. This is a whole different wheelhouse from quipping away at villains he's beating up. Typically, they're not people he's been intimate with, or wants to be intimate with. So Felicia's definitely... a special exception. Maybe too special, in the way her presence leaves him second-guessing himself all too much. He's ready to consider going this far in a mistake, but.

It's clear she's not against it. Against this. But she needs more from him. She needs the honesty she deserves. ]

Those coffee dates weren't just an elaborate leadup to this. We've still got 25 more to go, I think!

[ Yeah, he's a science whiz, but right now he doesn't remember the math. ]

But after the quota's finished, I'd like more. Not just coffee dates, but... more of this.

Spending time with you, shooting the breeze with you, fighting bad guys with you.

[ Even if that's not entirely her thing. ]

I don't know what I'm saying. But I know hanging out's been... nice. Something to look forward to.

And you know I haven't always had that. Not often enough.

[ He... relinquishes his hand. Crosses his arms, having begun to look away since he started speaking. He'd been trying to gather his thoughts, center himself. But also? He's scared. Scared that he's fooling himself and the rug's just gonna be pulled from under his feet again. That even if Felicia wants this too, something's gonna happen. Something always does. Bad stuff, Mephisto levels of bad.

But he realizes it can't be all bad if he can still hope, if there's always a chance he can be every bit as good as Felicia believes him to be. But she has to know, too, that she's worth it. Even and especially as a friend, she's always been worth it. Otherwise, what good were all these coffee dates? ]

[declaw]

[ The funny thing? Felicia talks about bad luck more than anything else. Don't cross a black cat's path or face a life of bad luck. But... very few people knew that time and time again, she was afflicted with it too. She's let things go, had things stolen from her – and thinking back on it hurts. When she has moments like this, alone in her penthouse full of things she had stolen, bought, or earned... she still feels a bit empty. No amount of cats or decor can change that.

But, tonight? There was life here. There was laughter, there was happiness, there was... well, another emotion she isn't quite ready to realize. It was fun above all else.

Her question lingers in the air and those emerald greens look for truth. Even if she misunderstood, even if his damn morals keeps him from her – they found common ground when they were alone. Sure, it was most likely curled up together under the sheets or rolling on the rooftops but... neither here nor there. ]

25, give or take, yeah.

[ She mutters under her breath, of course, keeping a small smile on her face as he talks. Honestly, she could shut her eyes and just be... fine with this. Listening to him ramble on. When he pulls his hand away, Felicia feels her heart seize up for a moment. She doesn't let him get too far from her, not emotionally or physically. Onto her knees, she crawls across the couch and closes the distance. Both of her hands take his face, forcing him to her.

If there's anything Felicia is honest about, it's the way she looks at him. There's no lie, no ulterior motive. ]

We're not 20 anymore. [ No starry-eyed costumed strangers. Even if their issues and disagreements caused their paths to stray, now she had him where she liked him best. Where things started to feel like it was okay to try to be 'good' again. ] We were good, weren't we? Fun... happy...

[ Her voice drips in nostalgia, recalling the best parts while trying to heal from the more... embarrassing behavior on her part. There's care in how her thumb strokes at his jawline, sympathy in his eyes as much as interest. ]

But, now...? It's been very nice, Peter. It feels like we're making up for lost time. Like we're clicking. Even now, you know I'm not going to be playing around with the Avengers... but, you still make me want to play the good girl role – even just for one night. For you.

[ But, he likes when she's bad – he can't deny that. So, she doesn't just stop there. The couch cushions shift as she moves to literally mount him. To sit onto his lap with her hands still commanding his features. Her forehead presses to his, headbutting him softly like some cat would showing affection. Hm. ]

For once, you make me want to give more than get. You know how infuriating that is?

[ She's left smirking, hiding a giggle with a bite of her bottom lip. There was no hiding how she feels about him when she just... looks at him like she does, as if making amends for horrible 80's writing wanting him to keep that mask on. Oh well. ]

[radioactivities]

[ With her cupping his face in her hands, he can no longer look away. Nor does he want to. Being held like this, by Felicia? Peter's made some stupid choices, and he's not about to make another by wrenching himself free. No, he's sticking around. He's listening. Meeting her gaze when she replies, looking her in the eye in a way he really hasn't with anyone else. At least not for a long time. ]

Happy's pushing it.

...Kidding. There were definitely happy moments. The stuff that kept me going. You were involved in a lot of those.

[ It almost tickles, once she appraises his jawline. But for once, he's having a hard time being distracted. Right now, this is too important for him to just... drift away. To become the one-man peanut gallery that is Spider-Man and retreat, emotionally, from the matter at hand. So he may joke still, attempting to buffer the emotional impact of proceedings with a quip, but he's as present now as he'll ever be.

For even though it still scares him, he knows he needs this. And he knows she does, too.

Once she starts sitting on his lap, how could he ever doubt it? He laughs at the brazenness with which she moves. A distinct lack of hesitation that he wishes he had, doing away with any meddling inhibitions. He wants to kiss her here, now that she's so close... but inhibitions of his own keep him from doing so. Too soon, he tells himself. Like he needs to know more before he can be sure, before he can commit his heart yet again, no matter how much he trusts Felicia. ]

Don't worry. I'm not extending an invitation any time soon. Seems they're kinda busy off-world, anyway.

But don't have change just for me, Cat-- Felicia. I just like that you wanna be better.

Seriously. That means a lot to me.

And I know I could stand to pull the stick out of my proverbial, but.

[ He's interrupted by the nuzzling. Stunned, even. Her clambering onto his lap didn't phase him that much, but this did. Something about the intimacy of the gesture, the extended proximity it entailed... really reached him. Prior to this, he wasn't planning to get this close, for them to basically have started cuddling on her sofa. An hour ago, playing Smash seemed more realistic in his mind. ]

Well for everything you give, you're getting the same in return.

[ In a gesture that surprises even himself, Peter nuzzles back. He tilts his head to gently brush his forehead against her cheek, acting like he's just discovered another species' love language. ]

Reciprocity.

[declaw]

[ It was a different vulnerability. More risky than facing a man wielding metal arms or an oversized man in a rhino suit – scarier than freefalling off the empire state building. Felicia had faced a lot of scary things in her time, but it took her a while to face her own shame. Her own regret.

When she looks at Peter now, she thinks she knows what he views of her. A bad idea wrapped in black leather. She isn't... safe, in her opinion, like a certain redhead – but maybe the novelty was there. Someone who gets Spider and finally has been taking the time to learn how the man operates.

She isn't a sob story – no daddy issues or tragic college incident would leave her feeling bad about herself. He makes her want to give it another go, to let him know that he can quip with her and chase her across the city as much as he wants. When he speaks, she sobers up and listens. ]

Didn't know you had a weird praise kink, but... also didn't know you had some chocolate sense as well... [ A joke, sure but she was mostly teasing about being the cause for someone improving, she implies but she knows why. It's because it's proof that being selfless isn't for nothing. It'll get that guy killed one day... but the world needs more people like Peter Parker.

Her thumb catches the corner of his lip softly, just watching for truth between his sly remarks. He's guarded too, she knows it – there's no denying. She goes ahead and just... nuzzles him. To move her hands from his jawline and just wrap her arms around his neck. He can neck her all he wants, nuzzle into her in return but Felicia grins to herself to hear him talk about the same. Real equal opportunity over here. ] You make it really easy to fall all over you. When you peel away the red and blue spandex... proverbially, I mean, it's nice to know you're still the same.

[ Literally, that's coming soon. Their impromptu hug wasn't going anywhere, but she pulls back enough to be honest again: ]

Stay the night with me. You want it too, don't you?

[radioactivities]

[ It's true. At least Peter can recover from any way the Rhino might bulldoze him into next week. But the shame of making a mistake he's too stupid to regret till it's too late... nothing's scarier. Neither of them need to enunciate this kind of terror, one that's only accumulated with the passage of time, for them both to understand it implicitly. Because no matter how pleasant things have been, how relaxing of a constant it's proven to hold these coffee dates... they really are making up for lost time. Mending what hasn't always been stable, and what has in fact been broken once or twice.

But again. No matter how cynical Peter gets, he always hopes. And he's damn sure he's gonna have to die before he can ever lose hope. ]

There's a lot you don't know. Yet.

Not that I'll confirm or deny either of those things!

[ Well, then. Yet more nuzzling comes his way, and Peter's positively smothered. This is more affection than he can remember getting, and he's genuinely struggling to recall. That sus af writing pheromone stuff with Cindy doesn't count. No, this is different. Not predicated by instinct beyond his control, but by an active will. Far more emotional than (god forbid) olfactory. So he nuzzles back at her, as if he internalized that love scene from The Lion King just a little too much when he was a kid. ]

"Peel." Maybe that's it. You only fell so easily because really, you just slipped on a banana...

[ But then, after Felicia inevitably repudiates him for his stupid joke, Peter regards her sincerely. Being held at bay, Felicia pulling back to give herself the space to ask him that fateful question... he can only smile at her wistfully. ]

Like I said, Felicia.

I'm right where I want to be.

[ And as if to seek forgiveness for the dumb joke, Peter stops nuzzling, but stays close. Close enough to instead kiss Felicia's cheek. It's a chaste peck that precedes another, on the corner of her lip. Then he throws caution to the wind, quickly peppering her lip with just one more kiss. Her lips are only another kiss away when he's done, resting his forehead on hers. Looking right into her eyes, too, as if all else disappears. ]

But if you needed a clearer answer than that, yes. I'll stay over.

Something tells me a coffee date's on for tomorrow morning. We're both gonna need the pick-me-up.

[declaw]

Oh? You won't be honest with me? After I've been soooo honest with you. See how it is.

[ They can tease, play back and forth idly as if they were young and dumb again. They balance progress with a safety net made of webs and good intentions. They had to figure themselves out first. Spiderwebs don't ever go in a straight line either, y'know...

But, for all the different web weaving analogies I could do, there was something clear: they were stuck together. Fate brings them back, fate makes sure that even after being enemies, they can... heal. Felicia's not an open person, but she definitely tries here. If she doesn't speak about their tension, lets it go on after dozens of coffee dates... did she even have a right to be jealous? Still would happen, but... she doesn't take this risk. Not right now. They've made it a habit to try not to miss their dates, catch up on things outside of their costumes... finally blending parts of their lives together. During their talks, it's clear Felicia doesn't have too much going on – that her loneliness was hidden by staying busy with minor things.

And it culminates to her making a stand. Here and now, she finally fights for what she wants instead of playing some stupid game of cat and mouse. Was she scared he'd return her affections? That she wasn't stealing his attention right now? All she did was want him here and when he accepts – he can see the pout of her lips curl up into a smirk. The kisses were familiar, they were cute in their own way – but she has to one-up him. What kind of femme fatale would she be, either way?

She almost calls the whole thing off when he makes his joke, but fortunately – ]

You're so lucky I'm on top of you right now or I'd kick you out after that...

[ However... Talks of coffee fade away with how her lips mold against his. It's softer than usual, longing and full of relief. Her teeth catch his bottom lip with a playful tug, deepening the kiss with open mouth and, yeah tongue. You knew what you were signing up for.

When she's barely had her fill, she pulls back – hand combing through his brown strands of hair, cradling the back of his head with her palm. ]

If we can even get out of here in the morning... you know I like to sleep in.