So at the suggestion/request of Agent Orange I decided to make a Cindy omake. I know a lot of people were expecting an actual update but maybe this'll be a good treat for him and the rest of the Noir/Cindy shippers. Apparently AO and a bunch of you guys thought that not only did these two have good chemistry but they had even better shippy segments than Noir/Gwen.
...And now I realized that, despite my best efforts, Noir kinda feels like a harem lead now. Fuck.
Anyway, this is a Cindy romance chapter starting from an alternate V2. The main difference is that in this omake Noir and Gwen either never got together or successfully broke up in V1, meaning neither Noir or Cindy are paired with anyone by the time the chapter starts.
Hope you guys like it. Unlike Lana's which was dramatic and filled with more overt romance this is a lighter transition with them going from best friends to lovers with some light angst in-between.
It all started with that one invitation.
"So how was your world wide tour?" Cindy took a small sip of her coffee and leaned back on the cafe seat. The place was warm and cozy in a way the more hip (people still said that, right?) places in the city weren't. The shop was a small, out of the way place; perfect for a reunion between old friends. She was glad she found it a couple of months ago.
"Not as fun as you'd think." Peter smirked slightly and drank his own blend of dark caffeine. Gross, "Didn't have much time to go sightseeing. Seems like wherever I went trouble followed." Yeah, she definitely remembered the stories. Tangling with some mobsters over in Russia, a Hand-aligned model he had to fight during one of her performances, France. Seemed like he really had a crappy go of it.
It was nice seeing him again like this. They didn't really have time for long goodbyes before he left and after that it was scattered text messages and calls to everyone just to let them (mostly Gwen) know he wasn't dead just yet. Personally she had her doubts on the whole thing. While she wasn't exactly one for staying in one place cause insert bunker excuse here the thought of leaving to go cross country like an old D&D adventurer never seemed practical. Like those college grads who went backpacking through Europe to find themselves.
"Hey, you were the one who decided he needed to see more of the world." He laughed under his breath while she smiled into her coffee, "Sorry I couldn't meet you when you came back. I've been swamped with cases..."
"I heard. Gotta admit, I'd expect Gwen to go cop before you did."
"Yeah, well...they needed help." A lot of help. Cops were trained to take down guys with guns, not supervillains bouncing around with glue grenades and boomerangs, "It's more of a loan thing anyway. I don't really feel like a cop, especially considering my best friend is." They both smirked at that. Even a year after he left the city the cops were still wary of him. Spider-Man, the guy who helped save the city three times and stubbornly refused to join the Initiative. It made him an unknown variable.
"They're lucky they have you, Cin. Seems like this city's getting more and more insane by the day."
"Tell me about it..." She set down her half-empty cup, fingers drumming against the side, "So where you living now that you're back?" It was an abrupt change in topic but she was curious. He couldn't exactly live with Lana anymore now that she was in that fancy school (or prison, as Lana called it) and she didn't much like the idea of him going to some run down tenement so they wouldn't ask for I.D.
"Moon Knight loaned me one of his safehouses for now. Gwen offered to let me stay with her and Mary but I said no. Didn't wanna feel like a third wheel." Well, she couldn't blame him for that. Gwen and Mary Jane weren't exactly subtle about the two of them dating and she knew what it was like dealing with being the odd man out. Cindy was mostly curious on how it worked considering Mary Jane's pet monster didn't exactly like Gwen.
The next words that came were automatic, "Why not stay with me?" Peter stopped his cup mid-raise and quirked his brow slightly, "My place is pretty big and I have enough room. Makes sense, right?" She shrugged casually.
"Sure that's a good idea? I don't want you to get in trouble with your new police buddies."
"They're not my 'buddies'. The only one I really talk to is Jean, and she doesn't have a leg to stand on." First Frank Castle and now her. At this point she was expecting half the force to be secret vigilantes, "Besides, they don't know where I live. Anyone tries to look me up and they'll find my address is owned by an old Chinese lady living in Denver." One of the benefits of S.H.I.E.L.D's 'retirement' package.
"Hm..." He set the cup on the table and looked down at the murky black liquid, "You sure about this? You know I'm fighting the Hand. Don't want you getting tangled up with them."
"You do realize that we're all dealing with Supervill crap, right? A bunch of ninjas isn't the most insane I've dealt with." She snorted. Call her dumb, but the old wannabe-Illuminati was kinda lame next to H.Y.D.R.A and aliens, "Don't worry about me. So, what do you say?"
"Can't really think of a reason to say no. Lead the way, Cin."
It didn't take them long to get back home. Cindy input the code and opened the door with a slight grin, "Welcome to case de Moon, Pete." She made a grand gesture and he laughed under his breath as he passed by her, "Make yourself at home. I've got like three guest rooms." Along with two bathrooms, a terrace and a well-stocked wine cooler. She really liked the last addition.
S.H.I.E.L.D was generous, but she knew better than to think it didn't come with strings attached. At some point, she just wasn't sure when, something big was gonna happen and they'd come back to save the day. Then the public would be quick to forget all about the Carnage incident till they inevitably did something else to fuck everything up. That was how it always went.
The big place was just something they could hold over her head so they could string her back. Till then she was willing to take advantage.
"Oh, hold on." He watched with furrowed brows as she dug through the couch cushions and pulled out a small, lightly beeping device, "Better luck next time, Daisy!" she shouted to the bug before crushing it.
"Spooks keeping track of you, huh?"
"It's just a formality. Pretty sure Daisy's just having fun at this point." Most people would've been more bothered with their friends(?) spying on them. Most people didn't live in a bunker for 10 years with recordings explaining why it was better for everyone they died alone, "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. If you don't like it you can wreck them yourself. Spider-sense should warn you.
"I'm already wondering if I should stay here..."
"They wouldn't be stupid enough to grab you. Not if they don't want me, Gwen and Lana on their asses." She snorted. It was the truth. S.H.I.E.L.D was a lot of things but intentionally suicidal wasn't one of them. Pissing off two of the Avengers and the city's top Initiative graduate wouldn't end well for them even if they did win that fight, "Now go on and get settled in. There's some spare clothes in the dressers. I'll cook us something."
"Shouldn't I do that?"
"We can split up chores later, 'kay? Just let me be a good host."
Peter mumbled a thank you and she made her way to the kitchen. The fridge was well-stocked with fresh food; something she could take full credit for. She made do with canned stuff for those ten years and she was pretty damn sure she was sick of it now, "Spaghetti should be good..." She started cooking up the sauce and grounding the beef. Nothing fancy, but it'd get the job done.
Peter came back later dressed in a baggy black sweatshirt and track pants. It looked weird on him, "Hey, Pete. Mind setting the plates?" She tasted a bit of the sauce and hummed. Needed more sweetener.
"Didn't find anymore bugs," he said as he put down the plates. She hummed again and didn't look back, "...This place is pretty big."
"Daisy stays over sometimes, but it's usually just me." She did her best to add a little more personal touch to it even outside of her room. A few posters here, some pokemon (she was not gonna call it beast balls) plushies there. Still, it did feel a little too...artificial sometimes. Maybe him being here would change that, "You can stay over as long as you need. Just make sure not to bleed all over the carpet."
"I'll do my best." He helped her with the food and, soon enough, they were sitting across from each other and digging in. It was...nice. Most days she was alone and the few times Daisy came over she usually just stayed to steal some beer before leaving. Even the occasional one night stand usually didn't stay for breakfast, which was just fine with her. No sense in getting attached to someone she only wanted one night with.
"Thanks. I really do appreciate it." He smiled, stirring the spaghetti listlessly. He had this weird thing with not eating that Gwen was still trying to fix, "I'll find a way to pay you back till I can find a place of my own."
"Knew you'd say that." She rolled her eyes, "You don't owe me anything, Pete. And I mean I'll literally throw any money you give me off the balcony."
"I don't wanna be a freeloader."
"It's not freeloading if I'm offering." She took a bite and pointed her fork at him, "Seriously, it's cool, but if you really wanna pay me back then just help me out on some of my cases." S.H.I.E.L.D gave her some training, but he still blew her and Gwen out of the water when it came to actual investigating, "We'll keep it on the down low so no one else in the station throws a tantrum."
"Fair enough." He shrugged and went back to his food.
They finished their food and turned in early, "Night, Pete."
"You too, Cin. See you tomorrow."
"Sure. Oh, and don't be afraid to knock if you have a nightmare." He rolled his eyes and made a vulgar gesture (rude) before they went their separate ways. Her room was the only part of this place that really felt like home. Apart from the aforementioned posters and plushies she'd set up her old consoles on the right corner. It was neat with all the clothes folded folded and arranged and her books and manga tucked into neat little genres over by the bookshelf.
Gwen told her it looked too clean. Considering she was the one who used her bookcase to hold everything but books she didn't let it faze her.
She changed into a baggy shirt and some shorts and crawled into the bed before loading up some nature noises on her phone. Back in the bunker it was quiet and for those first few days she spent outside the noise always bothered her. The apartment was high enough that it was cut off from the noises outside and it reminded her far too much of her old home- prison.
Cindy drifted off to a mercifully dreamless sleep.
It didn't take them long to split up the chores. Cindy cooked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while Peter took Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Sunday would depend on 'who looks the less fucked up at the end of the week', to use her words one drunken night. It was actually nice having a roommate. Even if Pete was quiet he made the place feel less lonely just by being there.
"How was work?" he asked one night as she was coming back. It was Saturday, so it was her turn to cook. Cindy grunted and shucked off her shoes and jacket before collapsing on the couch, "That bad, huh?"
"You have no idea." She turned around till she was lying on her back and facing the ceiling, "New case came up about this gang holding up stores over on Midtown. And of course since they're wearing Halloween masks they put it on my desk." She blew a stray tuft of hair out of her eyes in frustration. Just cause they wore masks didn't mean she had to deal with it!
"Doesn't seem like that big a deal."
"It wouldn't be if the witnesses just cooperated." She waved a hand through the air lazily, "Half of them actually wanted to get their stuff back, but the other half are just guys working minimum wage at the counter so they barely gave a shit. A bunch of them kept trying to ask for autographs and take selfies and there was one guy who wanted to be an asshole and blamed all us 'freaks' for what happened to his stupid dollar dog."
"Price of fame, Cin. That's why I wasn't too keen on joining that government sponsored freakshow."
"Gee, thanks." She snorted.
He let the stew simmer and made his way to the couch, "Turn around." She did it without question and was only slightly surprised when he straddled her back and started massaging, "Tell me if the pressure's right."
"It's good." She made a thumbs up gesture and relaxed into the pillow, "Didn't know you could do that..." Not that she was complaining. Last time she had a massage was over a decade ago.
"I don't." He hit a sweet spot between her shoulders and she bit her lip to keep from making it awkward, "Stick trained me to look for pressure points and muscles. Mostly just trying to apply that to this."
"Well I'd say it's working." She smiled and closed her eyes. So far he was more than paying his worth, "What about you? Anything new with your ninja Illuminati besides Murdock coming back to go hero?" Apparently Page even wanted him and Peter to room together. Yeah, fat chance of that happening any time soon. She was lucky Peter didn't kill him. Hell, she was lucky none of the rest of them killed him too. Gwen might've just dumped him in jail but she and Lana would've been willing to blow his head off after everything he did.
"Nothing so far. Don't count on that lasting long, though."
He finished up the massage and they had their dinner. There was an unofficial rule between them both not to talk business while they were eating. They talked about anything that came to mind - video games (she was slowly coaxing him to try them), the things they did when they weren't fighting for their lives; anything that came to mind, really. It was nice. Most of the time the only company she had was her webflicks account on loop.
And it wasn't weird. They were best friends who were also roommates, no big deal. It wasn't like she had the same face as the bitch who tortured him or she was technically a cop who shouldn't have been hanging around him.
"What are your plans after?" she asked suddenly. Peter looked up at her questioningly, "After you beat the ninjas, I mean."
"Thought we didn't talk about that kind of stuff?"
"I'm not, I'm talking about what comes after." She smirked at his tired sigh. He was too easy sometimes, "Seriously, though, you figured out what you're gonna be doing? I mean the Hand isn't gonna be around forever."
"I...don't know," he said eventually, "Wasn't really thinking about it. After I woke up in that alley it's just been one clown after another. My guess? Won't have to wait long for the next psychopath to try something. This city's got more than enough to spare." She couldn't disagree there. She didn't know if it was the Initiative making them bolder or just an inevitability but there were definitely more supervills running around.
"Why not try the P.I gig? Getting a license shouldn't be too hard considering Kate got one even after her identity got exposed. You're good at that stuff and it wouldn't even be weird if you started monologuing about dames and matchbooks."
"...You know I don't actually do that, right?"
"I see you smoldering in front of the mirror sometimes, you can't fool me!" He rolled his eyes and sighed again while she cackled. The rest of the night was spent on lighter topics and Cindy went to bed feeling better than before.
It wasn't weird at all.
Lana made it weird.
"So what's up with you and Pete?" Cindy looked up from her food at the girl sitting across from her. The both of them had one of their rare free days so she figured it was as good a chance as any to hang out.
She slurped up her spaghetti and wiped her face, "What do you mean?" Cindy asked. She and Peter had lived together for over a month now and so far it was going good. He stopped looking for a new place a couple of weeks in once he realized how much more convenient rooming together was. The Hand were a lot more hesitant to attack the place of someone who had a direct connection to the Avengers.
"I mean the whole roommate thing." Lana waved her stick of garlic bread, ignoring the way a few of the other patrons not-so discreetly took pictures of Striker in her school uniform. Cindy already revealed her identity earlier so if people didn't know who she was yet they would soon, "Gotta admit I was surprised when you told us you two were staying together. Thought for sure he'd be with Spider-Woman."
"He didn't wanna be a third wheel."
"What, with her and Scarlet? I'm sure they would've let him in if he asked." Uh...she wasn't talking about staying at the apartment, was she? "I'm just saying you two seem like you're getting close. He's helping you with your investigations, giving you massages..."
Cindy almost choked on her pasta, "Y-You know about that?"
"Yeah. He mentioned it off-hand." Ugh, he really needed to talk to him about that. For someone who was so paranoid he had a bad habit of spilling when it came to Lana, "I'm just wondering if there's something going on there."
"What's there to ask? We're roommates." Lana raised a brow, a distinctly 'I don't fucking believe you' expression, "Hey, you two were roommates last year and you don't see me pointing dirty fingers."
"I mean I tried, but he pulled the 'oh you're too young and like a sister' to me bullshit." She rolled her eyes and set her cup of soda down, "Besides, he wasn't giving me massages."
"The only one making it weird is you." She rolled her eyes back and focused back on her spaghetti, "Look, the two of us? We're friends. We've been through some shit and that means we don't have to walk on eggshells around each other." He was close to Gwen and Lana too, but neither of them understood what it was like being trapped in her evil twin's torture chamber. That and Gwen still had issues with how he did things, something she never had a problem with.
"I'm just saying I've seen the way you two are acting. If you two end up together could you do it next month? I've got a bet with Norah going that it'll take you two a while to get started."
"Sure, I'll be sure to tell you when the baby comes too." Cindy scoffed. Her and Pete together...yeah, that'd be the day.
"You know you're an idiot, right?"
"It's been known to come up." His wry smirk disappeared as soon as she stabbed the needle into his skin. He was injured, the most noticeable one being the slash across his back that she'd just cleaned up. Apparently it was one of those magic bs swords that made sure he couldn't just sleep and heal up like an old RPG character. Apparently the Hand wanted to fight him through attrition, if what Pete said was true.
Right now she was patching him up. His shirt was off and he sat with his back to her, pale back lined with cuts and discolored skin. Reminded her of a year ago when they went after that Ogre prick.
"Do I even wanna know what you were doing?" She was used to patching herself up so the sight of the blood red skin didn't bother her anymore. Besides, it wasn't the first time she had to sew him up.
"Got baited. Bright side I managed to take down one of their conversion centers."
"And all it took was getting slashed by the cursed blade of null regen." He looked confused at that. She really needed to get him to play more games, "Nevermind. Point is, you gotta be more careful. Won't always be here to watch your back, you know."
"Why? You going somewhere?"
"What? No, it's...it's just something my mom used to say." Felt stupid saying it now that she thought about it. She wasn't going anywhere and neither was Pete. Of course the chances of them dying in a fight wasn't exactly rare but she didn't wanna think about that right now, "Just make sure you avoid getting cut up again, alright? Don't need Gwen on either of our asses if you get laid up."
"She's not that bad." Cindy gave him a flat look that he could feel even while he looked away, "...Alright, she can be...excessive sometimes, but I think she's more worried about Mary than she is with me nowadays."
"How're they doing, by the way? I heard the two of them had an argument."
"It's been...going." Great. Hopefully she didn't have to play peacekeeper again. While Pete was gone she was the one who had to be the go-between whenever they had one of their moments. Once he came back he was taking up the slack, "I'm sure they'll be fine. Gwen hasn't killed me yet so I'm sure she and Mary'll make up sooner rather than later."
"Hope you're right." She cut the thread with her teeth and looked down at her handiwork. Wasn't professional or anything, but it got the job done. She took up sewing while she was trapped. Clothes got holes in them sometimes even when she was careful and it wasn't like she could get any new ones delivered. She never figured she'd switch from sewing up t-shirts to her friends.
"You done?"
"Yeah, the rest of em don't need stitches. Turn around and I'll see if you have any more."
It wasn't the first time she'd seen Peter shirtless, but Lana's words suddenly weighed in on her when she saw his bare chest, "Let's see here..." She gulped and ignored the little voice (Lana...) at the back of her head telling her to linger. He wasn't bad looking by any means, but it was Peter. Her best friend, the one person who knew what it was like to feel like a stranger in this place.
Who cared if he had abs and muscles that must've been rock hard? Not her.
"Uh...just a couple of bruises, nothing unusual." She coughed and backed away. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts that definitely had no place here, "Just make sure to take it easy for a couple of days, okay?"
"Not a problem." He put his shirt back on, much to her disapp- relief, "Could we skip dinner for now? I'm not really feeling hungry right now."
Well, apparently she was really thirsty, "Sure, no prob." She shrugged with forced casualness, "I gotta go to work early tomorrow anyway." Another Lantern gang sighting. She'd make sure to keep it as far away from Peter as possible for both their sakes, "Just holler if you need anything."
"Same. Night, Cin."
He walked back to his room and let herself collapse on the couch. What the hell was that? Was she really...no, no, she was just pent up, that's all. Ever since she exposed her identity getting a date was a nightmare. Sure there were a lot of takers, but way too many of them were creeps who just wanted to brag that they got it into one of the Avengers. It was a problem Kate had too when she tried the online dating gig.
Shaking her head, she pulled out her phone and checked her profile. About a dozen people who swiped right for her. Should she bite the bullet and try it again?
Yes, she really should.
"...I need a date."
The date was a nightmare.
It started off fine. She matched up with a guy called Claude Morgan a few days ago and chatted with him on and off. He was 30 years old, had a younger sister (in the same school Lana was in, coincidentally enough) and he ran a non-profit animal shelter and clinic. He was perfect, or at least as close she could get in a site like Flint. If even half of the things he put in his profile was true then it was a match made in heaven.
Unfortunately he left out just one thing...
"Get back here, you damn bitch!"
He was a sexist asshole.
Cindy grit her teeth and ignored how annoying it was to walk in these heels. Ever since she showed up the guy was off. He wouldn't stop bragging to his friends about how he managed to 'bag' Spinerette and every time someone asked her something he'd interrupt and answer for her. She gave him the benefit of the doubt at first - he came from a well-off family so maybe he just needed to keep his reputation. She'd seen it before.
She even held it in when they had dinner and she cut her and every woman off every time they tried to talk. At that point she considered the date a wash and figured there was no point in making a scene. She'd eat the dinner, block him on the app and move on to the other guy after more careful investigation. Lesson learned and all that. Just another bad date in a pool full of them.
And then she overhead him talking about her to one of his friends when he thought she wasn't listening. How he lorded over them for managing to get an Avenger for a date and that he was going to dump 'that girl he was seeing' as soon as he managed to 'put it in her tonight'. He was dating someone else and he was just waiting to make sure she'd put out before he did anything.
So she splashed him in the face with their expensive wine and walked out.
"I said wait." He made to grab her shoulder. He didn't get a chance to before she turned, grabbed his wrist and pinned him against the wall. She was on the light side of tipsy so it was easy, "Agh, you fucking cu-"
"Did you forget that I'm an Avenger? I've fought a lot scarier than some rich asshole with an overinflated ego." She pushed up and he squeaked in pain. Pathetic, "I heard how you talked about me, Morgie. 'She'll be begging for it before the end of the night'? 'I'll dump that tramp Evelyn once I'm done with her'?" She sneered, "Never talk to me again, you hear me?"
"Y-You can't just-"
"Do. You. Hear. Me?" She inched his twisted arm up slowly. His squeaks got louder before he eventually shouted in the affirmative, "Good. Don't follow me." She shoved him off and went back home. It was the best she could do. As much as she hated it being a cheating, sexist jackass wasn't ground to being arrested. He could live it up to be a scumbag another day, just without her.
She trudged in to the apartment with her heels in her hands and her hair mussed up from the perfect updo. So much for that hour styling it, "Honey, I'm home!" she shouted with forced cheer. Peter was on the couch and didn't say anything as she tossed the heels aside and collapsed next to him. The body makeup was fading now and her numerous scars were becoming more obvious.
"Bad date?" He finally looked up from his book and gave her a sympathetic smile.
"You've got no idea." She scoffed, "Could you get us some wine? The Chardonnay should be good."
"Bit late for happy hour, isn't it?" He gestured to the clock that told them it was 11:07 pm.
"Says the guy who decides smoking laws don't apply to him."
He got the wine and, after however much time later, she was on her fifth glass of wine. Peter abstained and made do with some whiskey he got from his own personal cooler instead - one of the things he bought to make himself more at home.
"Tell me about it?" he asked. His face was slightly red, but apart from that she couldn't tell he was drinking at all.
"Just another prick." She sighed and downed the fifth glass. She'd already drunk in the party and it was really catching up to her, "I got suckered. Fell for the 'oh, he takes care of animals!' bs on his profile. Turns out he's just another guy who thought bagging Spinerette would make his wiener feel longer than it is." Least she didn't sleep with him. She would've needed a shower afterwards.
On the not so bright side it didn't help her little 'pent-up' problem.
"I hate to say I told you so, but..." She threw him a weak scowl and he shrugged, "What did you expect would happen once people found out who you were? You saw how they treated Lana." She grunted and didn't say anything. Back home the big heroes with the open identities were Iron Man, Hulk and The Fantastic 4. Tony Stark was already a fugitive, Bruce Banner was a fugitive on the run and the F4...well, two of them were married to the other, one a rock dude and Johnny Storm was competing with Stark on whose book was filled first.
The Spider-Man back home kept his identity secret too.
"Maybe I should give up on the dating thing," she mumbled. So far she hadn't had any luck. Maybe she'd just be one of those old ladies with a dozen cats. She could probably get a couple from Felicia.
"On the bright side you won't be alone there." He finished off his own glass of whiskey and lied back, staring up at the ceiling, "I'm not exactly a paragon of dating myself so I can sympathize."
"Yeah..." She smiled crookedly, "You know, I thought you and Gwen would've..."
"Maybe, but there's too much..." He stopped, trying to find the right words, "Too much history there," he said eventually. She hummed and poured herself another glass, "We've moved on from our fights before, but it's just...she still remembers her best friend. Peter Parker, the guy who followed after her like a puppy, played D&D with her, cheered her on every time she played in that band of hers. I'm sure we could've worked it out, but I'm happy for her and Mary. They're good together."
"Yeah..." She took a sip of the white wine and closed her eyes, "Hey, I've got an idea. If neither of us find anyone in like 10 years we marry each other. It'll be just like that Julia Roberts movie!" Except she would go psycho and try to break him up if she did find someone. She wasn't that desperate.
"Marriage, huh?" He swirled the whiskey in the bottle then laughed, "Sure, why not? Can't be any worse than dying alone."
"Flatterer." She snorted and finished off her sixth...or was it seventh? Her whatever number it was cup of wine. Whatever, she could use another.
Cindy woke up with a raging hangover.
"Ugh..." She opened her eyes slowly before shutting her eyes again when the morning sun peeked through the curtains, "Shit..." She turned to the side and snuggled into the covers. She was very likely late for work, but she didn't care too much. Technically speaking she was only supposed to be on-call for cases. She was the one who decided to try and play the Spider-Cop thing to the hilt.
What the hell happened last night? Last thing she remembered was getting another cup and then... "Mmh..." Forcing her eyes to open, she was met with the sight of a black bra hanging off the nearby desk.
It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, but the fact that she hadn't come back with a date last night narrowed things down to an uncomfortable answer.
"Oh no..." She forced herself up on her side and turned to look back. There was Peter, sleeping with his back to her. His arms and chest were bare, "Oh shit...!" She raised the blanket and cringed. Yep, she was naked. So was he. She ignored the urge to stare at his butt and swung her legs over to the side quietly, "Shit, shit, shit...!" She hissed. How drunk was she last night?!
She had to leave, make sure he never realized what happened. She grabbed her bra and put it on quickly followed by the rest of her underwear. She grabbed the discarded dress on the floor and slowly made her way to the door. Just make breakfast and pretend that-
"...You know I can hear you, right?" Cindy froze, hand stuck on the knob as she heard a shuffling behind her. She was not gonna look back, "One thing about the Spider-God's gifts is that you hear things even if you try not to." She heard him walking around behind her. Changing back?
"Pete..." She took a deep breath and turned around. He was fully dressed now, which only made her feel worse in her undies, "I...look, what happened last night."
"You don't have to say anything," he said. His cheeks were slightly red but apart from that he looked calm as could be, "We were both drunk and you just had a bad date. Alright?"
"I'm just saying, if I forced you into anything-"
"As if you could do that." He scoffed, like the very idea that she could make him do something was stupid in and of itself, "It takes two to tango, Cin. You didn't force me into anything."
"I...thanks for saying so." She rubbed her mussed up hair and didn't say anything else. Peter did the same, making sure to look away. Sometimes, whenever she took someone back who didn't know about her scars, she saw the look of repulsion in their eyes when they saw it. He didn't have any of that. He was just trying to be respectful, "Uh...you got a shirt I could change into?"
"Huh? Oh, sure." He handed her an oversized sweater and a pair of pants. She could've been imagining it but she swore he looked at her back when she changed, "...What are your plans today?"
"What day is it?" She picked up her phone, "Oh, it's Sunday. I gotta go see Laura." After she took a hot shower to wash the smell off.
"I'm still waiting on Murdock so I guess I'll go over to Gwen's."
"Right..." She bit her lower lip and self-consciously touched the edge of the sweater, "So...you won't tell the others, right? I-I mean I'm sure they won't have a freak out or anything but...let's just keep it a secret, okay?"
"Sure, no problem." He smiled slightly, "Come on, let's get something to eat."
The shower didn't work.
Laura sniffed the air as soon as she arrived to pick her up, "Uh..." Cindy stood uncomfortably as the little girl turned her and she smiled. Not good, "H-Hey, kiddo. What's up?"
"You were joined with Uncle Peter last night." If it was any other time she would've found it cute she considered Peter an uncle. Right now she just cringed, "I would've liked if you went with daddy instead but this is fine too."
"What? No, no. Laura, sweetie, we aren't..." She paused. How exactly could she explain the concept of one night stands to a little girl? Sure said little girl had a body count in the double digits but that didn't stop it from feeling weird, "It was...we aren't together like that."
"But you two have had se-"
"Shh!" Thank God Shadowcat wasn't here. She'd find some way to make fun of her for it, "Yes, we did, but..." She sighed, "It's kind of hard to explain. The point is we're not together, okay? We're just friends."
"Oh..." Laura's pout almost made her take it back. Almost, "A shame. I was hoping for brothers and sisters."
"...What?"
"You are my mother so any children you give birth to will be my siblings," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Cindy just gaped at her, "I would've liked to have 9. 4 brothers, 4 sisters and the last one could be either."
"Nine kids? Even if we were together you're kinda reaching there!"
"Am I? I do not think so." And before Cindy could say anything to that the little girl took up her right side and held her hand, "Come, let us go out now. You are late."
"Yeah, yeah..."
Cindy had another nightmare.
She didn't get nightmares a lot. She got them sometimes in the bunker. Nightmares about her family dying that week before she got trapped, or her finally leaving the bunker only to get eaten by that Morlun bastard like Ezekiel always told her.
Ever since she got out the nightmares were different. Now she dreamed of being trapped. Trapped in the bunker again and dying alone,trapped by her evil twin and being experimented on till she died. Always trapped, and it always ended with her in tears. She never screamed - or if she did then Daisy never mentioned it - but the tears were always there.
"Damn it..." She wiped away the tears and stood up. The clock told her it was 4 in the morning and at this point she figured she wasn't gonna get any more sleep. She ignored the way her heart raced and made her way to the kitchen to brew some chamomile tea. Wasn't her favorite, but it was the best at getting her to calm down. She couldn't let the others see her like.
She was just steaming up the water when she heard the footsteps behind her, "Up already, Pete?" She looked back with crossed arms. He was dressed in only a pair of baggy pants and socks. Suddenly her heart was beating quick again, "...Did I wake you up?"
"I heard footsteps." She'd take that as a yes. He looked her in the eyes, "...Are you okay?"
"...Just bad dreams." She turned back around and put her hands at the edge of the island. She didn't like anyone seeing her like this. Around the others she always tried to look in control, like nothing could faze her.
He took up her left side and put a hand on top of hers, "Talk to me."
"...It's nothing-"
"I know that's not true." She winced. Blunt as always, "We all have bad dreams. Gwen thinks about that night at prom, Lana remembers her mom getting shot in front of her and Mary..." He trailed off. Yeah, she could figure out what she dreamed about, "I do too."
"...What are yours like?" she asked softly.
"I dream I'm the Lizard and that Gwen's...beating me to death." She pursed her lips and closed her eyes, "I dreamed it every night before Moon told me who I was."
"Is that why you don't like sleeping?"
"Yeah." The tea maker beeped. Neither of them moved to get the cup, "...You?"
"Dreamed I was back in the bunker again." She felt the tears threatening to spill out again and quickly suppressed them, "I know I always joke about it, but...I lost ten years there, Pete. I thought I was going to die in there." No family and no friends to mourn her, "Sometimes I still think that this is all just a dream. That the second I'm not expecting it I'll wake up back in the bunker. Alone."
She had dreams like those sometimes. Back then she dreamed that one day she'd open the bunker and reunite with her miraculously alive family. They'd spend weeks just trying to catch up and then, just when it seemed like everything was right in the world, she'd wake up back in the walls of her prison.
The first time it happened she screamed and cried and punched the wall so hard that her fists bled. It was cruel, dangling that hope in front of her only to toss it all away. Her family was still dead and she was still trapped in that hole in the ground.
Pete's voice knocked her out of her depressing thoughts, "Hey." She looked at him and he tightened his hold on her hand, "You're not alone, alright? I'm...we're all here. That old bastard Ezekiel tries to put down under again we'll kick his teeth in."
"What if he told you an invincible vampire would kill you if you didn't?" she asked back with a wry smile.
"Then we'll fight. Even if no one else decides to I'll do it. I owe you my life, Cin. Without you I'd still be down there in that...goddamn butcher shop." They never talked about what happened to them or the fact that she had the exact same face of the woman who tortured him for God only knew how long. He never treated her as anything but Spinerette.
"Yeah..." She licked her lips and, before she could stop herself, leaned forward and kissed him. It was brief and she quickly regained her bearings, "Shit, I'm sorry! I was just, I don't know what-"
He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her again. It was different from hers. Less uncertain, more...hungry. Tea forgotten, Cindy wrapped her arms around his shoulders and returned the gesture. This was wrong, the rational part of her mind said, he was her best friend.
Eventually the voice (and their desire to breath) won out and they separated with a loud pop. Cindy panted, her face flush and her legs shaky. She rarely ever actually kissed anyone nowadays. Most of the time it was straight to bed or if they did kiss it was quick lead up to what came after. This felt different. She felt lightheaded and there was a fluttering in her chest. The last time she'd felt that was when Hector gave her their anniversary present.
...Did that mean?
"We need to stop this." She forced herself to separate from him.
She expected him to agree. Instead he just looked hurt, "Why? Did I do something?"
"No, no! It's just..." She bit her lip and looked down at the floor, "You're my best friend, Pete. And I...what if we fuck this up? You've seen my luck with dating! I don't...if something bad happens then I don't wanna lose you." After she broke up with Hector they tried to stay friends. It didn't work. There was too much there for them to pretend everything could be okay.
"Do you really think we couldn't survive that?" She didn't answer, "Cin...you saved me. You didn't owe me anything and you spent months getting mangled because of it." He traced two fingers through a nasty scar on her upper arm and she shuddered, "Even after that you kept helping me. Jack, Madripoor and Octavius...I owe you too much. Trust me, no matter what happens you aren't getting rid of me that easily."
"...You sure?" She hated how small she sounded.
"I promise."
"...Alright then. I guess we can try."
Going out with Pete was...good. Actually it wasn't that different from how they were already. They still split the chores and they still gave each other shit. The only difference was what they did at night. Some people would've found it odd, maybe a sign that the relationship wasn't meant to be, but she found it comforting. She wasn't looking for grand romantic gestures or any of that other crap. She just needed end the day with someone and be sure they'd still be there the next day.
"Maybe I should fix up these scars," she said one night when they were in bed together. Peter didn't say anything as she raised up her hand and twisted, exposing the pale marks on her wrist. She didn't mind the scars usually but she had to admit they stuck out.
"Why?"
"I dunno. Don't they look ugly?"
"You'll always look beautiful to me, Cin."
"Pfft, that's super cheesy, dude. And maybe tell me that when you aren't looking at my boobs." She lightly bonked the side of his head and moved back so they could spoon. Most of the time they slept together in her bed now. Easier that way.
"...We're telling them tomorrow, right?"
"Yep..." Cindy chewed on her lower lip nervously. They'd been going out for a couple of weeks now but they hadn't actually told anyone. It wasn't that she was ashamed of it - and anyone who said otherwise would get a smack right up the jaw - but it was...weird. Despite Lana and Laura's teasing she was pretty sure no one actually expected them to get together. They needed to be careful about this.
"We could keep it secret if you want?"
"No, I wanna tell them." She felt him smile into her neck. Sap, "I mean...you guys are the closest thing I have to family in this world. Sure there's my evil twin's family but there's this...awkwardness in the air. You all knew me before you knew Ms. Negative so I don't feel that with you all."
"Alright then. Guess we'll see tomorrow."
They gathered up the next day - her, Peter, Gwen, Mary Jane, Lana, Norah and Laura. It was one of their status meetings; the weekly thing Cindy suggested to make sure they were caught up on what everyone else was doing. She brought Laura along cause she needed to hear it too.
Lana finished off her report when Cindy spoke up, "Alright, now that the meeting's done there's actually something I have to say." She looked to Peter sitting next to her and he nodded encouragingly, "Okay, uh...I don't know how to say this, so I'll just tell you all straight out: me and Pete are going out together."
She expected stunned silence, maybe disbelief that it actually happened, but the first thing she heard was a snort that came from Gwen, "Uh...yeah?" The blonde asked. Cindy just gaped at her, "I mean, we know? Is this supposed to be news?"
"W-What?!"
"You two were pretty obvious," Mary Jane said with a smirk, "You two aren't nearly as stealthy as you think you are. We kinda figured it out...what, a week ago?"
"A week and a half," Norah said casually, "And of course that's something I can't go to the news about cause I'm such a good friend." Norah looked so smug at that, "But demand an interview! It'll look real good for the Front Line if I can snag an interview with one of the Avengers."
"...Lana?" She turned to the youngest one there. They kept it a secret from someone, right?
"Nope, figured it out too. You were all giggly when we had lunch a week ago." Was she? She didn't remember, "I gotta say, I expected him to end up with Spider-Gwen, but I guess it makes sense. You two've been through enough shit that I can see it. Only thing I'm kinda pissed about is the whole 'Oh, it's cool if I date someone ten years older than me, but two years younger?' That's way too young!' thing. Nice double standards there, Pete."
"It wasn't just the age, you know. You're-"
"Like a sister to you. Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand through the air flippantly, "Seriously, though, we're all happy for you both. We've all been through so much shit that we deserve whatever we can get."
"Yeah..." Cindy looked to Laura finally. She hadn't said anything but the bright smile on her face told a thousand words, "I...guess you were right, kiddo."
She didn't say anything. She just walked till she stood between them and looked at both of them in turn. And then, "I look forward to my nine siblings."
"...Nine?" Pete gave her a wary look.
"N-No, that's...that's just her being weird!" They talked about kids, if only casually. They both agreed it wasn't in the cards, at least for now. Their lives were so hectic that bringing a kid into it would've just been cruel.
He looked weirded out for a few more seconds before he started laughing softly. Cindy was shocked at the sudden shift before she and the rest joined him. God, this was so weird. Dating Spider-Man - her best friend, now her boyfriend.
She never would've thought she'd end up here but it felt...right. She had no regrets.
And done. Unlike Lana, which ended with them getting married and having a kid, this one is a more casual 'they're still dating and the adventure continues' kind of thing.
Up next is the Mary Jane/Gwen/Noir threesome chapter! ...Okay, not really. Wouldn't know what the chapter would be about. I could make a Mary Jane/Noir oneshot diverging from the start of her Carnage arc but that'd be much more angsty with a more uncertain ending. Lemme know if that'd interest you guys.
Anyway, Noir not having POV's during the omakes really makes Noir look like one of those stock Shoujo manga heroines :/ If I ever make a Mary Jane oneshot it'd probably have alternating POV's so he doesn't just look like the designated woman's love interest.
Question:
1. So what do you guys think of Noir and Cindy as a couple? AO told me that, from what he read, it felt like these two had the potential to be a couple due to their interactions and simply chose not to for one reason or another. This extends to the chapter itself since unlike Lana in her omake where she's more overt about her affections this is more of a transition from 'best friends' to 'best friends who sleep together'.
Review Answers:
Time-Space Lord Eon - Yeah...that's just Miguel. Cyberpunk tends to be mired with noir and Miguel is a very cynical, brooding character in his comics.
connor1504 - Guess you'll just have to see :)
Demon dark mezzo sangue - Ironically enough I never watched Dexter, though I know the general idea of it. Also never watched Code Geass either so the relationship to Silver is unintentional.
As for the prison arc...guess we'll see.
