Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Natasha stared at her phone again.

A new and boring day of watching Elektra Natchios turn up at the address, spend an hour there and then leave. No bag, no indication of cash transactions, not even a hint that she is sleeping with one of the other girls.

Natasha was frustrated to say the least. She had contacted Clint, who laughed and told her to suck it up.

At least this time when Elektra exited the warehouse she had a spring in her step that wasn't there before. A smug grin and that oh-so-familiar walk.

It was always that freshly fucked feeling that brightened a woman’s day.

Clint owed her five bucks. He was most certainly not gay. Without infiltration, she knew that Parker was the only person home at this time.

Her notebook had MJ Watson, Gwen Stacy and then Felicia Hardy all leaving. Thanks to her at least Director Fury had been glad to find they were all persons of interest. Watson was a way to get to Stark, thanks to his stalker syndrome. Stacy was working in the research and development labs of Stark-Tech. Hardy was a criminal, making her the easiest to target and get on their team.

Great, not gay, so, 

Natasha flicked her notebook to grocery day. Peter always went out at nine am, bought groceries and headed home. He stopped for two burgers, two cokes and two fries. If Elektra was there, he might have been training but Natasha still turned her nose up.

Fat American, or soon to be. Urgh. better to get this over with.

⁂

Peter was lost in thought when he slammed right into the woman, sending her flying.

As he looked at where she was laying, he sighed. She had gone down hard, but she was lying, legs open, displaying a very cleanly shaven pussy.

Anime doesn't lie! He laughed to himself before turning around.

“Uh, If you, lower your legs I can help you up,” he said as neutrally as he could. The last thing he needed was some crazy trying to sue him for attacking her, or for sexual harassment.

He heard her scramble to her feet, “it's safe,” he heard her say.

Slight accent, kinda sexy, Peter thought,

“Are you okay? I mean, I wasn't really.” but she interrupted him.

“Fine. I'm fine, I was the same, so uh.” she blushed a little “Did you, uh?”

Peter shook his head, “Nope, wasn't looking,”

She snorted a small laugh, “so you turned because?”

Peter had the decency to look embarrassed. “So, yeah, but I didn’t mean.”

She stuck her hand out, “Talia, Russian transfer student. I start next term, but I was looking for work.”

Peter shook her hand, “Peter. Just grocery shopping.”

Talia looked around, “here? A bit far away from student dorms.”

Peter smiled, “I have a place, close by. Close enough to everything I need.”

Talia shrugged, “Major?”

“Mechanical and Electrical engineering, you?”

“Political science and languages, but aren't your subjects two courses?” Natasha already knew they were. The New York Institute of Technology was not a difficult server to hack, not for a Shield agent anyway,

“Yup, I'm a genius.”

Talia laughed and said several sentences in Russian. Peter tried to guess but she switched to French and then something that sounded harsh, but he had no idea.

“Not the only one,” Talia said with a small smirk.

Peter laughed, “I watch anime, so a little Japanese, but that’s kinda cool.”

Peter hadn't even realised she had followed him to the grocery store, “So uh, I kinda need to get groceries.”

Talia looked at the store, “Yeah, I kinda figured, but uh.” She fished in her pocket for her phone, “Swap? I mean, I intend on collecting.” she leaned in to whisper in his ear, “I know you saw, so you owe me.”

Peter nervously laughed as she waved her phone at him, “Fine.”

It wasn't really, and he was sure he’d get a telling-off from Liv at least. He still tapped his phone to hers, swapping numbers.

“Cya around Pete,” she said as she slid the phone back into her pocket. Waving she looked and crossed the street.

Peter watched her head towards the park before she shook his head.

Yeah, that’s not going to end well for me.

⁂

Natasha stared at her work phone, a small frown on her face,

Target locked, high risk of detection. Phone is a no-go

She took in a deep breath and scowled. There was no reason why Peter Parker had enough cybersecurity to protect a country. Hardy maybe, but Parker?

The report was dry but Natasha knew enough. There was no way she was getting anything without infiltrating the building.

Plan B it was.

She grumbled and reached for the dummy phone,

Hey Pete, so. Drinks, maybe show me around New York?

It didn’t take long before it buzzed,

Sure, I’m free Saturday, meet at the park, west entrance at ten?

She smiled, easy as catching fish with dynamite.

Sure, cya then.

⁂

Peter stared at his phone as Talia text him. Everyone was sitting eating lunch, and as his phone buzzed it was Gwen who was already grinning.

“So, Pete actually made a friend. We should call the Bugle.” She grinned at him as she sipped her coffee.

Liv was eating but still got her own dig in, “I heard she was a very attractive redhead. So, maybe we need to have a little talk about strays, hmm Peter?”

Peter had told them how they met and what had happened. They all agreed it was an accident, but it still didn’t give him a pass.

“Oh, I know, replacing me already. Just because I’m bigger than him,“ MJ said suggestively as she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Gwen had been patient, but she and Felicia had both almost begged MJ for a repeat of her performance with Peter. They cheated, citing power practice as their main interest. Lots of practice.

“Fine, fine. Pick on me. I’ll just go cry on the shoulder of my new friend. The one who doesn't.” Peter huffed back. He knew he needed to be more social. Having double the work didn't mean double the class time, it just meant he was far too busy to actually make friends.

“Aww, poor Pete,“ Felicia finally joined in too, “Elektra can hardly walk and you want another? We should send out a monster warning for Pete. He’s far more dangerous than Venom.”

Peter smiled as he set his cup down, “You should. I’ll even help. Maybe lock it up for a while.”

The four women looked at each other before Gwen raised an eyebrow, “Oh, and do you think that’ll work Mr Parker. Do you really?” there was a hint of punishment coming if his answer was to tease them by withholding sex,

“Of course. I’ve got a dangerous animal here and I need a tight comfortable prison for it. Any volunteers?” he asked innocently.

The group burst into laughter, throwing small balls of webbing at him.

“Smooth Pete, real smooth.”

⁂

Natasha finished applying her makeup. The “student” persona was easy. Small talk, local politics, a few drinks and then bring him to a hotel for interrogation. Shaved legs, nice lacy underwear, and a clean-shaven pussy were standard. Pliers, zip ties, and a few vials of sodium thiopental in case he was blind and she needed to apply some pressure.

Given his social circle, she was doubtful it would come to either scenario. It was just good to be prepared. Which was why she also checked its clip and then slid a small calibre pistol into her purse.

⁂

He was waiting for her as she ambled through the park. It was a nice spring day and he was dressed in jeans and a short jacket. Smart but not expensive, Natasha noted. It was perfect.

“Waiting long?” she asked as he stood and got into step with her,

“Nah, but uh, plan? Cause I know the area pretty well but if we want to head into Manhattan or Brooklyn a taxi might be needed. I know I can walk it, but uh.” He paused. It was a good twenty-minute walk, and while the weather was nice it wasn't that nice.

“This area is fine. I've got a small place on the other side of the park. So, Peter, or is it Pete?”

He shrugged, “Either. My uh, tenants use both.”

Talia raised an eyebrow “So, two courses and a landlord. Must be nice.”

He smiled, “Yeah, I wish I had more time though. Classes are alright but,“ he paused. There was a strange smell coming from Talia. Not bad but not great either.

Yeah, can’t really say oh you smell, he mused to himself, maybe a Russian diet?

“But you wish it was over?” she coaxed him,

He shrugged noncommittally as they walked. “Pretty happy, it's what comes after that's the scary part.”

Talis nodded, “Yeah, but why worry right now? Exams, rent, just, you know stuff happens.”

He laughed, it was kinda nice just spending time with someone, and she admitted he at least made an effort. This wasn't some fat Russian oligarch with delusions of self-importance. He was clean-shaven, handsome and dressed smartly. He even picked a strangely alluring aftershave.

Peter snorted, “Yeah, life definitely happens. So.” he waved a hand at the small stretch of road, “the commercial district.”

The talk devolved into talk of which stores were best, and where the best food trucks were. The three tenets of food, good, cheap, and fast, were all here in every combination.

They picked soup and grilled cheese. Not too messy but warming and filling. They picked what was Peter's favourite truck and then moved to a sitting area that sat in the centre of the lot.

“So, I guess the two courses aren’t for fun?” She asked as she dipped the corner into the soup and then gave a small moan as she tasted it with the rich grilled cheese. Even after this assignment, she could see her getting lunch here if she was in the area.

“I uh.” Peter took a deep breath, “I have a paralysed friend. So working on something to help her walk.”

Natasha smiled as she wiped her hands and sipped the soup, “so friend or friend?” She inflected the second friend.

“Uh, yeah. More than,” he admitted as he ate,

Well, that's new. I never saw a love interest and definitely not one in a chair or with prosthetics,

“So, like Stark?” she asked. Maybe if he was clean Fury would add him to the roster. A dead end would get her nothing, a promising and smart scientist would get her a commendation.

Peter laughed, “Yeah, as if the military would let anyone build one of those. No, printed limbs. Smaller and easier to make in a warehouse.”

Feigning surprise, “You own a warehouse? Is that why?” and she waved her sandwich in the air.

“Yeah, close enough to see the water, converted. Small student homes and workshops for me.”

“Rent? ‘Cause you know my placement is two years, and I’ll probably apply for a visa to work. Plenty of rich foreign kids need translators. They want someone my age and not some stuffy shirt following them.” Natasha baited her hook.

“Uh, sure. A thousand a month plus utilities. Unfurnished. Seven by five. One bedroom, bathroom, and living room with built-in kitchen.”

Shit, that's bigger than my place for half the price. Dammit, dont be an asshole or weirdo.

Natasha looked genuinely surprised, “So, uh, my place is on a rolling lease. Any chance?”

Peter smirked at her, “We have a dress code though.”

Natasha laughed and balled up the napkin she had just wiped her fingers on. “Yeah, no flirting. Or does she not mind.”

She caught the brief flicker on his face before he shook his head, “Sorry. I need to be more professional.”

More than one? Is he screwing them all?

It would explain why the rest seemed to have no male contact outside of a professional setting as well. The only contacts she had listed were Matt Murdock and Elektra. Peter's lawyer and Felicia's 'business' partner. She assumed it was work-related. Maybe it wasn’t.

Natasha smiled warmly at him, “It’s fine. I was just teasing you.”

Peter looked relieved, “Yeah, still. Let me see what everyone else's schedule is like. Talk to them and,” he coughed into his hand, “tidy up” before he cleared his throat, “and I can text you a time. Week or weekend?”

Natasha checked her phone, “weekend is fine. Nothing major I can't change.”

Peter smiled, “Yeah, it's been fun. Even if you hate the place we can do this again maybe?”

And she knew her target had taken the bait.