Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Marvel, Spider-Man or Disney. Please support official

Peter hated the smell of New York streets; his senses were too heightened compared to the average citizen. Then again even an average citizen wasn't a fan of the urine-soaked sidewalk so being a superhuman with a super nose was hell. "Can we please walk faster?" Peter grumbled. He was walking beside his best friend Harry and probably only his other friend MJ. Despite what happened a few nights ago MJ still seemed to spend time with Peter even bothering to sit next to him in classes that otherwise he would be alone in.

"I'm freezing my ass off, why did we leave so late. The party started half an hour ago." Harry moaned in agreeance seeing his breath in the cold, he covered more of his face with the jacket he was wearing. The three of them were walking along the streets of West Village together in huddled up in jackets. New York can get pretty cold some nights. Harry and Peter had split a taxi with MJ which Peter was strongly against. He would have rather travelled by rooftop and webs, but Harry wanted to spend time with MJ, MJ didn't want to arrive alone, and she didn't have the money Harry and so splitting a cab three ways was better than paying full price. Although MJ didn't want to be seen arriving in a cab even though Peter doubted anyone would care so now the three was stuck walking three blocks.

"Maybe if we didn't have to walk three blocks, we wouldn't have this issue." He sent a pointed glare at MJ. She was wearing the least amount of clothes out of the three yet seemed fine out in the cold. Peter didn't understand girls at all.

"I'm the reason you're even going to this party." Peter rolled his eyes at MJ. Yes, he knew MJ was the reason he was wasting a perfectly good afternoon stuck in a small room with large horny teenagers. Wasn't he supposed to be dealing with a gang war right now? But no! He needed a social life. Stupid dad. Always ruining teenage life by making him go to parties and spending time with people his own age. He just didn't understand what kids like him needs.

"Why do you even want us there. I thought we weren't cool enough to show up. Hell, I'm half certain the second we get to Liz's place that I'm going to spend half the time locked in a closet." Peter was going to complain more but he felt Harry elbow him in the side. Damnit, Harry. Peter supposed going to a dumb party was the least he could do for his best friend.

"Look Peter please just try to pretend you're having fun. If you really try, I'm sure people will see how not awful you are." Harry scoffed at MJ's words. Harry found the thought of Peter trying to be social a joke, it was not out malicious. He really did like his friend, and he spent more time with Peter than he did his own father, but he knew Peter's shortcomings. Peter in Harry's mind was more likely to let himself be tortured than ever do karaoke. "I will admit though, it sure is cold. I wish I had an extra jacket," She looked at Peter expectantly. What did she want? It was her fault for wearing a skirt and a tight shirt, maybe she should have thought of practicality before appearance.

"Want my jacket MJ?" Harry immediately offered already half taking it off, but MJ shook her head.

"Thanks, Harry. I'm fine." She said she was fine but her glare at Peter told him that she didn't really mean it. What was her problem? The super teenager just shrugged; they weren't too far from Liz's house so it wasn't like it was going to be cold for long she could manage. Liz didn't live in an apartment like Peter and Harry, instead, she lived in those New York houses that were two stories tall, but only separated by a single wall.

The three walked up to the door hearing the sound of awful disco tech and Peter could smell sour passion fruit vape, he didn't even know that was a flavour. "So do we just knock?" Harry asked.

"You've never been to many parties, have you?" MJ raised a brow at the two of them. As much as Peter loathed to admit it, she was right. MJ opened the door to the house letting a wave of vape smoke and flashing disco lights envelop the group. Harry and Peter may have been losers to their class but despite what serval people thought they had been to parties before. It was just that Peter's and Harry's parties involved them being dragged around by their fathers through a room full of adults in fancy suits with waiters passing around strange tiny food. They weren't exactly used to seeing kids vaping on a couch, eating pizza and chatting. To say the pair of nerds were out of their dept would put it mildly.

MJ walked confidently into the house as if it was second nature leaving Harry and Peter to look at each other asking each other silently mouthing about what they should do. MJ turned to the two socially inept teens rolling her eyes. It was bad enough for her to bring Peter, but did he really have to bring Harry with him? No offence to Harry but she had never spoken to the kid and her goal was to make her friends like Peter… just because she wanted him to have more friends nothing else. Really! MJ shook those thoughts about Peter out of her head and grabbed him by the hand, they were surprisingly strong and hard. "Surely you two are not that bad at parties?" She said as she led them through the house.

Harry and Peter pouted at her hurtful questions. They were excellent at parties! They knew how to properly greet someone and could talk about how local politics affects business affairs. Real party stuff, not this nicotine cloud smothered excuse for a party. "Um. Where are you taking us?" Harry asked a little bewildered, though MJ responded with a pointed glare. She was taking Peter to meet Liz, he just happened to be with them.

"It's Liz's birthday, who do you think we need to meet?" She asked rhetorically. Peter let out a small sigh, he could just tell this was going to be a 'fun' time between Harry trying to fit in and MJ trying to keep Peter's and Harry's awkwardness to a minimum to not embarrass her. Peter blinked his eyes repeatedly as MJ lead them through the house. Peter's senses were more sensitive than the normal person, but he could still manage to spend whole nights in clubs. He found that if given a few seconds to adjust his body lowered his sensibility to light and sound back to a regular person like how a person's eye would automatically adjust to different levels of light. The house itself was packed unsurprisingly. Harry did say that basically half of everyone in their year was invited and like Peter, a few of them probably brought a plus one. With so many people It was unavoidable that smaller groups formed, although MJ walked past everyone except for the occasional person saying hi and giving a confused look to Peter and Harry.

Liz, herself was on the second level of her house, clearly, this wasn't the first time MJ had been here as she led him through the house quickly checking every room. The three of them finally made their way till they reached a door which MJ stopped at. "This is Liz's room, she's probably in there. Can you two behave yourselves?"

"Of course." Peter and Harry lied. Harry lied because this was the first time he had been invited to a teenage party and his heart was racing. If someone saw Harry and didn't know him people would think he was on drugs as his eyes were wide and every so often, he would twitch. Peter lied as he didn't care. He was here as a favour to Harry and apparently a slave to MJ as she relentlessly dragged him around. Peter may be here, but he certainly wasn't going to pretend to be happy about it.

MJ opened the door and Peter was surprised, he always saw T.V shows that tried to accurately depict a teenage girl's room and while Peter had never been in one, he always thought they always overdid it. Seeing Liz's room, he knew that he was wrong. Teenage boy band postures line the walls along with a bookshelf she probably never used and all sorts of crystals on a desk. She was one astrology chart away from being the same as every basic girl in the world. Sitting on the bed was the birthday girl herself sitting with a few other people. He recognised two people out of the group of around eight consisting of cheerleaders and football players. The big bulky Flash and next to him was someone he never expected to see. White hair and green eyes. Why the fuck was she here?

Black Cat noticed Peter walk in and gave him a sly smile that made his skin crawl, her green eyes almost shone in the flashing rainbow light coming from some sort of small disco light projector sitting in the middle of the floor. The other's in the group were less than thrilled to see Peter, they didn't hate Peter or Harry they were just some kids in their class who they never spoke to and this was supposed to be just close friends hanging out.

"Happy birthday Liz." MJ greeted with a bright smile, she grabbed pulled Peter with her to the little circle at the bed with Harry following along.

"Thanks for coming to MJ It's so good to have you here." Maybe Liz just wanted to greet MJ by herself but the lack of a welcome to both Peter and Harry were apparent to them. The two of them gave a look at each other in the middle of a silent conversation. Did they really have to be here? Harry just wanted to go to a party with lots of other kids, he wasn't popular, but he was sure one of those larger groups downstairs wouldn't mind having an extra. Peter certainly wasn't opposed to playing cards, he was always good at card counting. Also not spending time with Black Cat was always a win in his book. Before Peter and Harry could politely excuse themselves, MJ dragged Peter to the group by the hand. Harry couldn't leave Peter to his fate of mild boredom, after all, Peter was his ice breaker. Harry didn't think he was capable of just 'joining' a group. He needed Peter to introduce them. MJ sat next to Liz but Peter broke MJ's grip hand going over to sit next to Black Cat much to MJ's annoyance.

"Happy birthday Liz." Peter himself said wearily. He eyed the girl by his side, Black Cat was wearing a white fur jacket and form-fitting jeans. The thing that caught his eye though was the small smirk she wore. She knew she got him and that pissed him off more than the Star Wars Attack of the Clones. Not even Hayden Christensen and his gorgeous face could fix that hot mess.

"Thanks." Liz half-heartedly answered. Peter clenched his teeth together, what an ungrateful brat.

"Oh, that reminds me," Harry spoke, he pulled out a small box from his jacket pocket. "Here is the presents we got for you." Peter begrudgingly pulled out his own small box from his pocket. In doing so he realised that both Harry and he made a mistake by the weird looks the people around him gave. Now Peter and Harry didn't go to teenage parties, and they certainly didn't go to large ones wherewith so many people that generally it was less of a birthday and more so just an opportunity to drink underage. These parties were lots of people showed up often who brought guests of their own didn't actually bring presents unless you were really close with the person. Harry and Peter didn't know this as they only really celebrated birthdays with each other, they just assumed to bring a present to every birthday. Another issue was Peter being the son of a crime lord and Harry being the son of a powerful CEO meant they had money, lots of it. Like a lot of it. So much that they had been desensitised to the amount of money that most people would consider too expensive. Another thing to consider Peter and Harry knew little to none about girls so both their first thoughts immediately when to jewellery. Without a price limit and knowing girls like jewellery Harry and Peter may have accidentally gone overboard with a present that wasn't even expected from them.

That was why when Liz opened the two little boxes, she was surprised by the two very expensive necklaces as they both left the receipt in the box in case Liz ever wanted to return them if she didn't like it. Harry got her a golden necklace with the letter L that had gems on it while Peter got a similar gold chain with a heart instead of an L but it also had lots of small gems on the heart. Everyone in the small circle looked at the gifts with surprise and Liz despite hating the fact that these two nerds interrupted her birthday suddenly liked them being here a lot more. She spent a lot of money okay, New York wasn't a cheap place to live and getting presents that she knew cost a lot clicked that little button in her brain that made her happy. However, Peter and to an even worse extent Harry felt nervous. Everyone was just looking silently and while it was only for a few seconds to Peter it felt like a minute and to Harry, it was like a lifetime. Shit, they both got similar presents.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that," Liz said, Peter noted that Harry's checks almost immediately reddened by her words. Wow, he was a virgin. Was Peter like that? He hoped not.

"Let's not get side-tracked." Flash interrupted; he would rather not stay on the topic of presents as his own was a twenty-dollar gift voucher. "How about a game?" Flash gave Black Cat a small smirk. Both she and Peter shuddered.

"Why not play spin the bottle?" Flash seemingly brought out a bottle from nowhere. How did he do that? "Is there enough room for two in the closet Liz?" He wiggled his eyes suggestively. Black Cat held back a bit of vomit. There is nothing wrong with showing interest in girls and a bit of flirting felt nice, but she wasn't here for a muscle brained jock with the smell of a burger on his lips. Black Cat showed a clearly fake smile to Flash who almost glowed at some of her attention.

"Seven minutes in heaven?" Liz thought about it. She certainly wasn't opposed to it but what if she got Harry. Or worse Peter! Sure, the chances were low, but it was like Russian roulette. Low chance to die but if you did get the chance you would die. Low chance high risk. "I guess it isn't the worst idea."

"I think we should really do it!" MJ spoke up, well to Peter it was more of a squeak. She kept sending glances to him as well. Seriously what was her probably. Worse what was with Black Cat. Why the hell was she here.

"I'm down. I'm sorry though who are you?" Peter asked Black Cat.

"Back off Asshole." Flash interrupted. The glare he sent Peter would have scared him if it wasn't for the fact that Peter could throw him through the nearest window with one arm.

"It's okay Flashy," Peter didn't know what was worse, the awful cringy nickname or the way she put her hand on his chest. "Name is Annie, Annie Rection." Annie Rection? Was she being serious? Peter would have laughed if it wasn't for the person who stole his belt and was apparently part of a gang that he was supposed to be at war with.

"Well, an erection-"

"Annie Rection. It's French." Bullshit it was.

"I'm sure it is. Why are you here exactly? I don't recognise you from class."

"I met Flash here after his game. He was just so incredible out there on the field, you should see his… um? Passes. Passes are a thing." Wow, they weren't seriously believing this monster! A blind person could tell she was lying. Unfortunately, the eyes Flash was giving her said otherwise. Seriously all it takes is a little compliment and he would probably believe the world is flat.

"Passes are totally a thing." Flash agreed and just like that any little faith Peter had in Flash vanished without a trace.

"Exactly! Anyway, I met him after the game, and we really hit it off and he invited me here."

"Without asking me," Liz whispered under her breathe.

"Enough boring chatter. Come on let's play!" Flash eagerly put down the bottle in the middle of the circle, but before he could go Black Cat stopped his hand.

"You don't mind if I go first? Do you?" Peter and Liz let out a small growl. Neither of them wanted this annoying girl to just waltz in and steal all the attention.

"Of course, you can," Flash said readjusting the way he sat to take up as most space as possible. If anyone was going to spend seven minutes with the girl who was totally into him, it would be him.

Black Cat gave him a fake smile as obviously fake as her fake name. She gave Peter a small glance, it probably didn't mean much but to Peter, it was the most offensive thing someone had done to him. She spun the bottle going round and round. The top of the bottle kept spinning and every time it passed Harry and Flash, they had a bright smile. Peter however had a different reaction, every time the bottle passed him he fought the urge to jump out of the second-story window and duck dive into the pavement.

Black Cat leaned over to Peter, "Hey you want to know what's easier than getting into some random party. Rigging some stupid game." Almost as if one cue the bottle stopped on him. How! Peter could wrap his head around it. You can rig card games; you can even rig the stocks through inflation bubbles. A bottle though? She had no idea where he was going to sit, and it was Flash's bottle! What did she do! He had to know!

"Listen Annie you don't hav-" Flash began to talk not wanting the girl he wanted to make out with getting into a closet with Peter the loser Parker.

"No, I want to. It'll be fun." Black Cat cut him off immediately.

"I don't know, this was just a very silly game I don't think we should go any further." MJ was the next to protest agreeing with Flash. The two of them who seemed quite happy to play immediately wanted this game to stop. He understood why Flash was against it but why MJ? "I mean we are kids; I don't think it's morally acceptable for us to promote indecent behaviour. Peer pressure is a real issue."

Black Cat rolled her eyes and grabbed Peter by his hands pulling him up. She could have sworn she saw MJ's eyes turn red when she did it. Black Cat's first thought in this whole ridiculous plan wasn't to make other girls jealous but that was just icing on the cake. Black Cat didn't know what it was but having other people hate her just made her feel the best. First, it was that arrogant Liz and now this lovey-dovey redhead. Today was a good day.

Peter just let himself be carried by Black Cat. One of two things was going to happen, either A he was going to make out with the devil or B he was going to find out why the hell she was ruining his civilian life. Ignoring the displeasure coming from Flash and MJ the two went into the closet. It was… uncomfortable. The closet was small, not in the attractive let's push our bodies together way. It was more of the elbows in his face kind of way. Peter had never done this before; he wasn't exactly sure what was supposed to happen, but he had a good feeling that there wasn't meant to be Liz's dress in his mouth. Maybe they should have taken all the clothes out first before they did this.

"Huh, so this isn't as comfortable as I thought this would be." Black Cat mentioned flicking a hanger out of her hair. "Also, can you stop pushing me away from you this is closet is small enough as it is without you refusing any touch?"

"Back off temptress! I'm not going to be swayed by your swaying hips." Peter wasn't going to be tricked that easily. Despite his protests, though Black Cat's chest pressed against his own, their faces only inches apart. She smelt like lavender. Damnit why did the devil have to smell amazing? Peter looked down at her emerald eyes. He could barely see her in the dark, but he knew that if he just went a few inches forward he could kiss her. Peter tried to mentally light his thoughts on fire, why was he thinking like this. Was he blushing? Thank God, she couldn't see him in this dark, he would never hear the end of this from Prowler if he ever found out. This is all this succubus's fault with her stupid body against his in this stupid closet with these stupid dresses in their face.

"You didn't really think I got you in here to make out with you?"

"You wish. I'm not that easy."

"Oh really."

"Yeah really."

"You sure?" She pressed her body harder against his. Curse her and her boobs, every teenage boy's weakness. Why did he have to be such a virgin?

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure, you seem to be quite a stalker. I mean you were able to track down some random kid in my grade then stalked me to a birthday party only to rig a spin the bottle game to get me alone in the closet. You know I have Snapchat, right? Hungdaddy69."

"I am not a stalker! Why does everyone call me that? Also seriously, Hungdaddy69. That's the best you can do. I thought you were supposed to be a genius?"

"I am a genius. It's no better than Annie Rection."

"Hey fuck you! Annie Rection was a stroke of brilliance; you will never be as funny as Annie."

"I'm sure you are just a well of knowledge. After all, when someone wants to find someone instead of, I don't know the normal thing like just looking up their Instagram you instead go full stalker mode."

"I didn't know your Instagram dick."

"Then ask someone! You found some random kid in my grade, but an Instagram account is where you draw the line? How did you even find him!"

"After the meeting with Tombstone, I asked Sandman about you, and he said that you were with some girl. After which I stal- watched your building till the girl left, followed her home. P.S Her dad. Not a good guy, completely unattracitve.

"Are you horny twenty-four seven?" Peter interrupted.

"W-What? No!"

"Really? Cause I'm getting some mixed messages right now. You are kind of crawling all over me." Peter smirked, he really did enjoy the face of embarrassment and anger of the girl trapped in a closet with him.

"Oh, is that how it works. Cause it seems to me your heart is beating so hard that I can feel it shaking the closet."

"How did you solve that equation, Sherlock? Did you stalk it to a birthday party to find out?"

"I didn't stalk you! I stole that redhead's phone found she was texting a guy named Flash who was playing a game which I tracked down then found who was Flash, did a bit of flirting and boom. Now I'm here."

"You say that like you aren't crazy."

"I'm not!"

"I liked you more when you were dressed like a maid." Peter couldn't see well in the darkness of the closet, but his eyes were better than most he relished the sight of her face flushing red. Made this whole lame party worth it.

"I-I-I-I I couldn't control that!" Black Cat didn't know what to say. It was hard to find a good comeback to your enemy seeing you in a maid costume. "W-well speaking about outfits maybe you could help me out." Peter gave her a questionable look though he didn't think she could see him in the dark.

"What do you mean."

"You made the Prowler's and Spider-Perv's suit. I want one."

"Spider-Perv?"

"Yeah, the old man was totally checking me out last time we met."

"Old-man? He is super young and, you stalked him!"

"I did not and if he was 'so young'" She tried to do air quotations, but she couldn't really move her arms in the cramped closet without poking someone's eye out. "Then why does he have a man in his name. Only people over thirty do that."

"How dare you. The man is a classic and works for a verity of ages."

"Look I don't care about that creepy old man in a spider suit. I want you to make me a cat suit."

"Just look up furies on the internet. I'm sure you can find a cat suit there."

"No, you moron. I want a high-tech suit and I think you know that."

"And why would I ever do that?"

"Because what would your classmates think if I told everyone that Peter Fisk was a crime lord?" Peter let a genuine laugh at the girl. Peter Fisk was many things in his peer's eyes, constantly tired, a loser, lonely, but he was never someone would consider to be a criminal. At worst they thought he might be a drug addict.

"Good luck with that. You spent a few minutes with Flash, you've probably heard about how he tied me to a flagpole upside-down."

"It… may have come up."

"Yeah, no one is going to believe you, much like how nothing you can do can convince me to make you a super suit."

"I could kill Flash."

"As a reward?" Black Cat growled. Maybe she didn't think this plan through, she just thought she could blackmail him and get him to do what she wanted. He looked like such a scared little boy at the meeting, he twitched every time his dad did something. She couldn't really talk though, she hated being in a room with Tombstone. For a guy who can't die he sure did smell like a corpse.

"You are unbelievable! Just make me the suit. I asked politely!"

"When did you do that?"

"By the end of the night you will agree to make me my suit."

"Want to bet?"