THE SHADOW THIEF | peter parker

one

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Della pulled her hood over her head as she turned the corner. Despite the mid-August heat of Queens New York she had to, not that she minded much. It was technically "illegal" but she wasn't harming anyone- not really- of course, you'd say differently if you had a conscience, but Della didn't really care much for morals these days.

Peter walked out of the alley with a white-knuckling grip on the straps to his backpack. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, a warning, but to what? He did not know, his eyes searched the busy street for the source. It didn't take him long to spot it- and by it he meant her. Blinked and you would have missed it, he nearly did. Peter had to do a double-take he could barely believe what he was seeing.

There she was weaving in between people, slipping her hands into unsuspecting victim's pockets. She moved with such grace there was almost a beauty to the way she stole, most didn't even give her a second glance. She would go unnoticed until the poor unlucky bastard decided to open their wallet to find an empty space where their money should be.

Peter took off after her in a near sprint, muttering Sorry to the few people he bumped into along the path. He got within a few feet of her, not knowing what else to do Peter grabbed her upper arm and yanked her into a nearby alley. He dragged her in deep enough where no one could hear them and she couldn't escape. She pulled her hood down halfway along and he faced her. "What was that." He demanded.

"Well, I was walking home before you rudely grabbed me." She stated in a tone as though it was obvious. He would have nearly believed her if not for what he witnessed not even 2 minutes ago.

"No, you were stealing." He accused and crossed his arms like a disappointed parent that caught you doing something you weren't supposed to.

"I like to call it borrowing." She shrugged nonchalantly, she was so nonchalant about the whole situation it frustrated Peter.

"It's not borrowing, it's stealing, and you were stealing because you are a thief."

"You know thief is a strong word," Della commented raising her eyebrows. She noticed the frustrated crease between his eye getting more prominent and the frown that pulled at his plump lips, it was almost dare say, adorable.

"You're going to give that money back and turn yourself in." He declared, as though he had already made up the decision for the both of them.

"Oh like hell I will."

Then she noticed it, the boy had on a backpack, without warning an idea struck her. Della tuned him out as he was lecturing her about how what she did was wrong. So out of spite she slowly began to extend her arm, she tugged on the zipper slightly and slipped her hand into the bag.

Sure it was petty, but who was he to yell at her like a naive child, he probably wasn't a saint himself. But he made it too easy, like stealing candy from a baby. Della's fingers skimmed something that felt like spandex and that caused a pause to her thoughts. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled it out, it appeared to be some sort of mask. oh. OH. Her eyes went wide and a toothy grin slowly began to pull at her face.

"Are you even listening to- why are you smiling?" Peter looked at her as though she had grown a second head. He couldn't understand her, he was reprimanding her and she smiled like an idiot. He was usually pretty patient, understanding even sometime, but not with her, there was already something about her that ticked him off.

Della slowly pulled her hand into the front of Peter's face and began to wave the mask around. Peter's eyes went wide, confused how she just so casually pulled out half of his spidey suit. How didn't his spider-sense catch this or how didn't he notice? Peter snatched his mask out of her hands. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came, out he was speechless.