Spiderdad

38

Peter hesitated awkwardly for a moment, "I say it's friendly," he decided, "I'm loyal to my girlfriend."

"Oh how gross, you're in love," Black Cat rolled her eyes as she pushed her empty salad dish to the side.

Peter chuckled in response, "it's not just that, we got a-" he quickly shut himself off shut it, Parker.

"You got a what?" She leaned forward curiously, keeping her hands under the table, "wedding?"

"No, too young for that."

"Dog?" She pulled out a gun.

"Nope."

"Cat?" She cocked her gun with the quietest click.

"We don't have any pets."

"Hmm- Oh my goodness," her voice went up a pitch in excitement, "do you have a baby?"

With an awkward laugh, Peter shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, "no? What would make you think that?"

"You totally have a baby!" She wrapped her finger around the trigger.

"Well," he gave in, "not yet. In about two months. I think."

Black Cat's expression went soft and gentle as she tilted her head to the side with a sweet smile, "that's so cute."

Peter smiled briefly then leaned forward with his hands resting on the table, "yeah, it is. Now... still plan on shooting me?"

The burglar raised her eyebrows, how the hell did he know? She thought to herself briefly, but then the more important question presented itself: Do I still plan on shooting you? A soon-to-be father— will I end his life? These thoughts circled around in her head for several moments, it was so tempting. Her finger was resting on the trigger, anymore pressure and a bullet would go flying out of the barrel and smash into the hero's side— right into a vital artery. He would die instantly. She would never have to deal with him again. He wouldn't stop her from robbing banks, jewelry stores, and large businesses that had too much money anyways. He wouldn't lecture her on stealing and responsibilities. He wouldn't stop her colleagues from taking things they truly didn't need. He wouldn't buy her dinner or laugh at her jokes she had been waiting all day to say, but never got the chance to. He wouldn't hold her hand as they walked down the street. But most importantly... he wouldn't raise his child. His stupid, disgusting, unborn, child.

She sighed, leaned back, and rested her gun on the table, "no."

Peter copied her stance and smiled, "thank you."

"It's not because I care about you," she clarified, "I'm just a sucker for babies."

"Then on my baby's behalf, I say thank you."

"Psh," she rolled her eyes, "I know what it's like growing up without a father, too many children do. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, not even your child."

Peter relaxed, sympathy washing over him in the most bittersweet way, "I'm sorry to hear that..." he shook his head and spat out his next words, "damn, that just feels so inadequate."

Black Cat leaned forward again and clasped his hands, "no, it's... it's the most anyone's said."

Peter could only simper kindly in response, and somehow he knew the cat could tell he was smiling. Veering away from the heavy topic, the two continued to make small talk, attempting to stay away from personal topics. Eventually, Peter paid for Black Cat's meal and the two left to walk along the deserted roads. Neither knew why, but they had a strange urge to hold each other's hand, so they listened to that urge. The cat's paw was cold while the spider's limb was welcomingly warm. Holding each other seemed so wrong and right all at once. He was a hero and she was a villain, but she was cold and he kept her warm.

They had lost track of all time and before they knew it, the clocks announced the time as 3:21am. With a sigh, Peter stopped in his tracks.

Black Cat stopped with him and looked over at him, "What's up?"

"It's late. Or early? I dunno how you wanna say that, but I should head out," Peter admitted, "but we should do this again."

"Yeah, I mean it's friendly right?" Black Cat clarified.

"Of course, think of it as me trying to make sure you don't starve," Peter silently wished he could do that for everyone, but he could only do so much, he was only one person, "but please don't steal anything."

"Oh right, like it's that easy," She rolled her eyes.

"I can buy you dinner every night. You won't have steal again."

"Thank you, it means a lot... but I don't have a choice sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Peter frowned.

"I mean I'm good at my job. People notice that. Sometimes I'm put in a position where I'm stealing for someone else and it's either steal or be killed," she explained bitterly, "and I'd much rather steal."

Peter was quiet for several moments as his heart broke for her, "well... just don't get caught."

"I rarely do," Black Cat assured, "now shoo."

Peter chuckled, "alright, alright I'm leaving."

He smiled at her one last time then shot a web onto a nearby building and yanked himself off the ground. He swung through the city until he reached the hospital where he redressed himself on the roof then crawled down to MJ's window. He crept inside then paused, sitting on the windowsill as he gazed at his girlfriend who sat up in her bed with her phone to her ear as she spoke quietly to someone on the other end of the line.

"I don't know, he probably-" she cut herself off as her eyes trailed over to Peter, "never mind, I gotta go... bye."

Peter smiled at her then closed the window, "who were you talking to?"

"Jake from State Farm," MJ stated so casually it made Peter raise an eyebrow.

"Jake from State Farm at three in the morning?" he decided to just roll with it.

She chuckled quietly in response, "no. It was just Adrian."

Peter smiled warmly at her and sat on the edge of her bed. He wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her in to a gentle, yet loving kiss. MJ smiled softly against his lips then pulled away with a sharp gasp. Peter searched her eyes with his brow knit in concern as she gazed down at her stomach.

"Are you alright?" He cautiously checked.

"Yeah," she nodded as her tense muscles relaxed, "she just kicked."

Peter smiled down at her baby bump, "I can't wait to meet her."

"Neither can I."