Peter's week isn't going too badly if he's being completely honest.
Sure there's some Quentin Beck who claims that Spider-Man is a fraud in the newspaper. But that's nothing new. He's had haters, whether it be a couple of criminals or just an average citizen who finds it in themselves to dislike him. He's sorta gotten used to it. Plus, he's seriously never heard of Quentin Beck before so surely he can't know too much about Spider-Man, he's all talk and no research or anything.
Then he met some Rhino dude, a really big guy with some ugly armor. He was way too confident that he would beat Spider-Man. Peter will at least give him the fact that Rhino almost made him late to meet Dr. Otto Octavius, but that's all Rhino managed to do.
Which, circling back to Otto- Peter is still thinking about that. He actually metthedoctor Otto Octavius in person and saw what he was working on. He really is a brilliant man.
So overall, he's had weeks far worse than this.
Right now, he's trying to unjam his camera lens, squatting on top of a building in his spidey suit. He's capturing some more pictures for Robbie, who he owes for giving him assignments, truly. Not like Mr. Jameson wants anything besides photos of him in his mask, which is something he can't always do nor feels up to all the time. Plus it would be far too suspicious if he could get a picture of Spider-Man just like that, not even a day later. So praise Robbie for helping him get some actual income, no matter how inconsistent.
Peter's camera fixes itself after his help, and he sighs before positioning himself on the edge of the building. "Okay, okay." He mumbles, holding up the camera in front of him and squinting behind the mask as he adjusts the angle and lens, trying to find the best possible setup for the picture. "Alright, this one seems good."
He only gets to snap it a few times before a ringing alarm sets off and Peter snaps his head over to see a Jewelry store right on the corner of the block. A perfect spot for somebody looking to smash some glass and steal some shiny stuff. He huffs, "Guess I don't get a break from my spider job to do my other job."
He tries to be quick as he sets his camera back in its bag and jumps up to his backpack, stuffing it in among some of his papers and notes for his classes and slips it on before turning around towards the store.
There doesn't seem to be anybody actively in distress though, which is normally what would happen when there's a robbery. He looks around the area and doesn't see any thieves running for it either or any cars speeding away, but the alarm is glaringly loud. He hums in thought but his eyes draw upwards and he sees what he's supposed to be looking for.
Black suit accessorized with white fur and a black mask, on the rooftop of the jewelry store slowly walking away. He is not going to let her off that easy, not with that stolen jewelry.
He backs up a little before running towards the edge, jumping at the last moment to cross the distance onto the other roof just as she's leaving it.
"Hey." He tries for a greeting, following after and reaching a hand behind himself to secretly hold his backpack as he flips onto the lower building she's reached, landing with his knees bent and a hand on the roof for balance. Spider-Man's quick to stand up and he only manages to get one step closer and then she's off again, jumping from roof to roof.
He doesn't quit easily though, so he trails after her with ease. "So... You not into small talk or what?"
She tiptoes at the edge of the rooftop before letting herself fall over the edge and Peter rushes over to look over. But she's still there, of course, in a fire escape, smiling up at him.
"Why do you ask?" She questions him, then she's reaching a hand up at him and he has to let the action sink into his brain before he can process and realize what she's offering. He takes it out of being polite, and joins her on the fire escape. She walks over and leans against the railing, turning to face him as he tilts his head wordlessly and remembers she asked a question.
"Just wondering," He answers. Her suit reflects the moon's light and his eye catches the choker on her neck and almost questions himself before quickly reminding himself why he's here. "Also wondering why you stole from that jewelry shop."
She pauses, looking out and Spider-Man spares only a second to look out too and see the familiar view of New York. Then, he's brought back as she laughs, fully facing him. "What?"
"Come, on, you know what I'm talking about." He states, even sets his hands on his hips before he notices the slight change on her face that almost makes him feel judged. So he drops his hands at his side and lazily points at her. "I know you stole that jewelry. You were there on the roof. You know, the one with the alarm going off?"
"I didn't steal any jewelry," She says but she's still smiling and he isn't totally convinced. She can tell clearly as he throws her hands with a laugh. "Really? You don't believe me?" She asks even though she knows. "Trust me," She starts, and bumps her fist just below his shoulder. "I didn't steal anything, okay Spider?"
"Spider?" He repeats, tone only a little accusing and even worse it's teasing. He should not be giving into laughs and nicknames. He steps back, momentarily looking away with his gaze pointed to the ground and lifts a hand up to his head as he groans with mild frustration. "Can you just give me the jewelry, I'll return it and you can go wherever. Eat a pizza, ride a bike, whatever."
She simply hums and tilts her head up. "Tempting," She tells him. "But I don't have any jewelry."
Spider-Man huffs, looking back at her and shaking his head a little. "You think I'm gonna buy what you're selling?"
She only shrugs, steps closer, like way closer, and Peter blinks down at her through the mask. "Well, of course I do," She says, and when he sees her hand sneaking up he nearly hesitates- but then she just flicks his head like she did the other night and he rears his head away with a displeased noise. "It's all authentic, sweets."
She just about giggles afterwards as Spider-Man whips around and points at her. "Maybe don't do that again."
A fake yawn and a boo is all he is met with as he faces away from him. "You don't do fun, do you?"
He totally does. They just have different ideas of what fun is, clearly. Stealing is not fun for him. "You know you kinda interrupted me while I was doing my job, so you should show me the jewelry."
"Thought your job was stopping crime and chasing people."
"Who said it wasn't?"
She scoffs when she faces him, an accusing finger directed towards him. "You were just sitting there on a rooftop."
Spider-Man pauses for a moment, brows furrowing when the realization hits.
"So you saw me before you started running away?" He asks, "When I was minding my own business." He adds with a half-assed frown she can't even see.
She only lifts her hands up in a 'perhaps' type of gesture and looks up towards the night sky. But the parts of her face Peter can see give her away with hints of her mind and it clicks in his head as he realizes two things.
1) She is telling the truth: she did not steal any jewelry. And 2) She did, however, set off the alarm after she saw him. Knowing he would see her.
It's silent for a moment and he can tell that she knows he's figured it out. He sighs, shoulders sagging.
"What do you want?" He asks, very unenthusiastic but still, there's that underlying curiosity he didn't intend for. But all suspicion is confirmed when he finds the beginning of a gentle smirk making its way onto her face.
"I heard about this deal that's supposed to be going down," She tells him, rolling her shoulders and her tone is suddenly less... Teasing he might say, she almost always sounds like that, like she can laugh at him for just about anything and she would be right to do so. He doesn't really like it, per say, but can't find himself hating it either.
"When is it?"
"Tomorrow," She responds plainly, then moves back to the railing and looks over her shoulders to face him. "At eleven."
"In the morning?" He questions, just a little more than a bit doubtful. But she dismisses that with a smile and a wave of her hand.
"Eleven pm."
He nods and tells himself to make a mental note and then a physical one later to ensure he remembers. "And you want me to show in and stop it." He isn't really asking because regardless of what her answer will be, he's going to swing by, and he knows he's definitely not going to tell him not to, so he expects a simple yes or something similar.
What he does not expect, though, is when she holds out a hand like she did earlier, and smile with determination he thinks it might be. "I want you to help me stop it."
He stills for a second to consider wether or not he should accept. She is going to be there, apparently, so even if he wanted to do it by himself it's no longer really an option. And even if he doesn't want to work with her, he does want to stop crime. That's part of who he is. Who Spider-Man is.
He doesn't even fully believe it as he gives in with a sigh and shakes her hand. "Fine, but no funny business when we do."
"Not entirely sure what you mean by funny business," She starts which sets a unamused grimace to spread on his face, before she quickly adds, "But sure."
"I mean it."
"I know." She tells him simply, then walks up and sets he hand were she had previously bumped him with her fist, fingertips tapping at the near top of his shoulder. "I'll find you tomorrow, Spider-Man."
He tries not to think about how much he can feel it through his suit and swallows with a firm nod. "I'll see you then..." But he comes slowing to a hesitant stop as he realizes he has no idea what to call her. She seems to pick up on that easily and pats him once before stepping back, hands on the railing, and lifts herself up off the ground.
"It's Black Cat."
He honestly could have guessed that if he tried, he thinks. "Okay, well see you tomorrow, Black Cat."
"Sure thing." Black Cat gives him a mock salute and tilts herself back until once again she slips down and out of his view. He knows she won't be there when he looks down, but checks anyway. She is in fact, gone.
He takes a deep breath and spins back, takes off his backpack, and rests against the wall. He looks down, fidgeting aimlessly with the straps of his backpack before lifting his head to look out onto the night of New York, just about everything still open and running, lights and noise and people and all of what he would expect from this city.
He thinks about jumping across buildings, about swinging around them, and about Black Cat being only inches away before she leaps to another building, over and over. But then a part of Peter tries not to think about any of that, and he remembers he still needs pictures to give to Daily Bugle. And to write a paper for Dr. Connors.
He should really get to it, then.