Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Peter had created a stamp out of scrap metal, and it was a simple task to spray them black once they had been cut out.  A small token, a stylised cat with white eyes, similar to her old mask had been made, the mark of her Black Cats.

To be honest, Peter thought it was a great idea. He suggested that he pick up one of those kid's badge makers. He could turn them into more than just a token but Felicia had shaken her head. A token was fine for now.

She needed the underworld to know it was Black Cat at the helm, but it was just a mask. She knew deep inside she was and would always be Huntress.

Word of the measures she was taking got around. To start it was mainly crank calls. They added to her displeasure as they changed to calls expecting free money. Then came the more serious requests. Once Black Cat started to make her mark, the calls changed. The more outlandish requests, especially the ones to kill pimps, were shot down.

People were starting to take her seriously when a few of the more reasonable calls for help were dealt with. Pimps were warned but not killed. Word soon spread that the streets would be run safely or else.

She left the domestic disputes alone. She wasn't some kind of angel, swooping down to give lectures to assholes who didn’t buy their loved one's flowers.

There had only been one case of violence but Felicia knew in her bones that more was coming. Those in power only agreed as long as it was in their best interest. The whorehouses they had already hit cut into profits and that sent a message. But not everyone got that message. She had heard back from a few girls letting her know they were okay. There were also two that had missed their check-ins.

Once more, Hell's Kitchen called her into action.

The girl in question, small and dirty with needle marks across both arms, had hoped to get money. It was a typical argument but Black Cat shook her head.

The network couldn't support itself, let alone buy drugs to stave off withdrawals. She needed a base and as sad as it was she didn't have the money to even rent one. She had even scouted out Liv's old hangouts, only to find them both occupied with squatters. They looked like they needed more than she did, so she quietly left them.

As she travelled to the girl's squat, she knew it was too late.

The girl had OD’d and Black Cat found her with a needle in her arm, blue and limp over the toilet in her musty apartment. She sniffed the brown powder and knew it was the cheapest of the cheap, cut with whatever the dealer could find. To make it that cheap they didn't care if it killed anyone, nobody needed an addict that couldn't pay.

Felicia had stared, stone-faced and sighed. This was not the first time she had seen death. This was the first time it had made her so angry though. After clenching and unclenching her fist a few times, she picked up the phone and called 911. As she recovered herself, she left, silent and angry.

Rule One was now in place. No exploiting anyone, not for money, not for drugs. If they wanted to hook a girl on anything to make her compliant they would answer to her. Black Cat would feed them their tainted shit back to them one baggy at a time.

The second girl was a different story. It was obvious she had been attacked but she was saved in the end. A man in red had swooped down, beaten her attacker, given her the number of a women's shelter and then left.

She was so scared she barely remembered him. Only his red body armour, the two clubs he had used, and the devil horns on the top of his helmet. Black Cat had nodded, made sure she was okay and then left. She had never heard of a third hero working in New York. Was Spider-Man using a new identity, one to act more like Venom or herself?

⁂

Back at the warehouse, Felicia called up old newspapers online, looking for a mention of a man in red. She found him easily enough. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

“It's from five years ago," Felicia had printed out five newspaper articles. All with similar headings. "Muggings stopped, rapists beaten, pretty much your M.O. Pete but that's it. So he’s either a copycat or an old face.”

The first case was a robbery. A gym out in Hell's Kitchen had been broken into. The lock box was taken and it was just the petty cash, but the next day the guy had been found. He had been beaten,  bound and hanged outside a police station, mumbling about a devil.

Whoever had taken the guy down stayed low and that was it. It was only now whoever it was had come back if it was even the same guy.

“What do you think?”

Peter shrugged as he read, “Could be, same Devil name, maybe a friend, or maybe we shook the tree and a monkey fell out. Since I got my powers it does seem like a lot more have started appearing. Maybe Oscorp let out a few more,“ sighing and sitting back down, “maybe Norman is testing something else.”

"Think I should approach him?" Felicia sighed, "I mean, worked out well for us right?"

Peter bit his lip, "wanting to meet strange men in the park?" he asked, grinning.

Felicia snorted, "I have one strange man in my life. I don't want another."

Peter laughed, "Yeah yeah, I'm not the one running around in a black catsuit."

Felicia leaned forwards, "oh, and I suppose last night when you asked if I could wear it, what was it? 'for old times sake' was just."

Peter cleared his throat, "ahem, neither of us complained about that, plus, your ass does look amazing in it."

Felicia laughed and shook her head, "Seriously though. We still need to be careful. If one of the gangs or crime bosses has gotten more enhanced we don't want a repeat of the freaky four do we?” Felicia said bluntly.

Peter leant back, sliding his coffee with him, “So, then try and find the guy. Maybe we find out where he actually stands before approaching him. I mean, he gave her a shelter number, we never thought of that.”

Felicia had to admit he was right. She was so used to just phoning the cops or leaving the situation alone. That she had never thought to use the resources available. There were a lot of pro bono lawyers, free clinics, and shelters. Felicia might not be able to save everyone, but she could make sure that they got as much help as they could.

“Am I over my head?” she asked.

Peter frowned. “Nope, just new. Can't run an empire without breaking a few eggs.”

“That, that doesn't make sense Pete,” but she still smiled as he grinned at her.

“It’s new, it's a learning experience. Just think of it as a giant math club,”

Felicia groaned and buried her face in her hands. “You know I only joined to speak to you right?”

Peter nodded, “Well, Gwen but not gonna complain,”

“Well, yeah considering you boned both of us last night you can’t,”

He laughed, “Boned? What are you twelve? We made sweet sweet love under the stars.”

Now it was her turn to laugh, “Cut the shit, Parker. I'll call it what I want.” She scrunched up some paper and tossed the ball at him. Felicia shook her head with a grin. “It doesn't matter. But yeah, math club, president, treasurer, secretary. Don't do it alone, get help, delegate, I remember that.” She paused, “I think I still have it.” She headed into her home and shouted, “hell yeah,” and came out holding a folder above her head like a trophy.

“The organisational booklet on how to run a Midtown Junior High School Club,” she said proudly. If she was honest, she had stolen Cindy’s copy when she was being a bitch. Felicia couldn’t even remember what it was about, just that stupid smug look had pissed her off. Cindy reminded Felicia of Flash, with nicer hair and much nicer breasts. She had the feeling Cindy was gay, but never broached the subject with her. Cindy just irritated her.

Peter just moved over and gave her a kiss. He still had his, and the teacher’s notes he was given from her handbook. It had a list of phone numbers to call for free supplies and other helpful advice. This was her moment though, and he wasn't about to ruin it.

“Right, President, me. Secretary, uh maybe I could ask Liv? I mean, it would free me up to go out more?” but Peter shrugged. “Right, not helping. Treasurer. You? Or Liv?“ Felicia cradled her head in her hands groaning in frustration. “Not enough people, even if you, Liv, and Gwen helped we need more people.”

Peter rubbed her back, “Start small. Ask Liv if she’ll help first. I can do what I can. Leave out Gwen though. She’s got college and the cream, it's enough,”

Felicia threw the pen across the table, but leant back and pulled Peter closer. “Fine. fine, so, treasurer or secretary?” And he shrugged, “not fucking helping.”

“Treasurer. Most of the money in the warehouse goes into my accounts anyway, moving a bit more isn't a huge deal.” Peter suggested. He had his landlord account. It was a business account and could be used, as long as it was marked as expenses.

Felicia muttered under her breath, “was that so fucking hard,” and she ran a hand over his chest to dig him in the ribs.

He laughed and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it, “More dirty talk and you’ll make it hard,”

She snorted. “Trying to be serious,” and she slid her hand around him and pinched his rear. “Okay, so you for money stuff. Sucking up to Liv for secretary, I agree with Gwen, and well, MJ is MJ and she’s busy as well. So, three. It's a start." Felicia pulled her pad over once more and Peter slid from the arm of the chair she was sitting at so she could write.

"First thing, phone numbers. Cops are shit, so shelters, food banks, free clinics and free lawyers.” She chewed the end of the pen as she thought, “What else?” but even Peter was stumped,

“We need a building. A headquarters where I can organise things and not drag it all back here." Felicia leant back, thinking but shook her head. “Cops. The problem is the cops. I don't mind taking over somewhere with cash, but it just needs the cops to show up and everything’s gone. We don't pay the bribes as they do.”

Peter nodded but was frowning. “Right, so then we do what we can. And uh, I’ll speak to Liv, I'm sure I can persuade her better than you can.”

Felicia laughed. “Yeah, silver-tongued devil.” 

As he bent down, she kissed him, “Not that you didn’t mind.”

She pulled him closer and grasping his head with hers deepened the kiss, stopping him from speaking. After a few moments, they separated and she grinned. “Sometimes Pete, less talking is good.” 

Smiling he picked her up and kissed her once more, letting his tongue explore her mouth. As she wrapped her legs around him he carried her into his home.

⁂

Liv was not resistant to the idea of helping. She did have conditions though. She would prefer it if she took over the finances and left the paperwork to Peter.

“It's not that paperwork is boring dear, just.” As Liv looked over the pile “some of what is in these files are projects I was involved in. I’d rather not be reminded of the things I was made to do.”

Liv had spent the last few months dealing with a lot of guilt. She knew it was the collar. She knew it was all Norman's fault, but that didn't stop the nightmares. Peter did his best to comfort her, but it would take time.

Peter nodded, “it's not like I don't understand most of it, and I can look up what I need if it's something like the formula.”

Thankfully Aleksei’s files and Felicia's weren't the most detailed. While they got a brief hint of what Norman had been up to it was more the drug dens and brothels they had been hitting.

“So, the Black Cats are now officially three,” Felicia announced. Making no fan fair she pressed two badges into their hands. “Uh, I got one of those things.” She wasn't going to admit to Peter she had seen it and wanted to play with the badge maker herself.

Peter smiled and kissed her and pinned the badge to his chest. Liv coughed and as he grinned at her he leant over and pinned the badge on her too,

“That's not what I wanted dear,” and as he kissed her, “and neither was that.” A confused Felicia leant over and kissed her and Liv beamed, “much better.”

Felicia gave Liv a confused look but shrugged. It wasn't like MJ didn't have days when she slept with Gwen, and if that was the same for Liv, well.

Looking over at her, the bespectacled woman had a nerdy librarian charm. In a white blouse and pair of black-rimmed glasses, hair in a bun, she wondered if Peter minded if someone else showered her.

Peter snapped his fingers in front of her face, “Earth to Fel. Yeah, drool much?” he teased her.

Liv just swatted him softly, “If a charming young woman wants to fantasise about me then you damn well let her.”

Felicia realised she had been staring and had been caught. Felicia went red and stammered, “I uh, didn’t and uh,”

Peter laughed, it was rare to see Felicia embarrassed. “Cat got your tongue?” He teased her and as she caught what he said she stuck it out at him.

“Never hear you complaining.” Laughing Peter dived at her and began to try and tickle her, with her fighting back.

As the pair began to wrestle Liv just stared.

Well, she thought, never thought a confession would lead to a fight, but at least it's a start.