The Heart Stone - Black Cat x Spider Man

Two - Material Girl

I needed space, away from whatever that was. They are getting on my nerves a lot more recently, that's what I tell myself. We're in London for another month, it was supposed to be a vacation but I'll never truly get a break until I'm flat out on a beach somewhere with no internet connection and zero phone signal. Instead I set the gps on my phone to take me to the nearest independent coffee shop. I may be a thief but I'm not heartless.

The barista is pretty, and with a septum piercing and ear stretchers I feel like it isn't a gaping assumption to think that she thinks I'm pretty too. I've always found that men and women take up different spaces in my brain. I have a lot more time for women, I like hearing about their interests and abilities and I like sharing mine with them too. I find that these days my relationships with men are short lived, no matter how sweet they can be. I don't find that I want to spend large amounts of time around them, and any mention of commitment makes my insides churn. I know, somewhere deep inside of me why the reason for that is, but I'll never fully admit to it. Not until I'm dead, and even then..

"Felicia Hardy, in the flesh."

I know that voice, I've replayed it in my head a hundred times. I know the pitch slides and the tonal habits. I catch the pretty barista's eyes flick from me to the shop's entrance. They're very blue, I like good eyes on a woman. It's nice to be watched, I've always felt that way.

I collect my coffee (paid for already, see? I'm not a monster) and spin round on the bottom of my heel.

"Parker."

I don't have to fix my smile, it's very present already. Peter stalks up to the front of the coffee house and orders a flat white. I had him down to be more of a black americano kind of guy. It's all very normal, which is new and different for us.

"Sit with me."

He nods to an empty two seater. I took my coffee to go, but who am I to refuse?

"So, I assume you've heard."

The thing with Peter Parker, is that I never know who's head he's in. He could be about to drop the most mind obliterating superhero news or he could be lovingly informing me that him and MJ are trying for a wonderful little baby (gross.)

I furrow my brows, knowing that he's going to continue whether I present him with a response or not.

"I've been instructed to shut down The Heart Stone exhibit at the Victoria and Albert."

Now it's my heart that turns to stone. I'm already mourning all of the outfits I've already made up in my head that lose their staple piece once the precious jewel is packed away and sent back to wherever the hell it came from, and all before I even got to see it in person. All because he has to be the do gooder. I don't feel myself roll my eyes but it definitely happens.

"Don't look at me like that."

"I'm not looking at you like anything."

I turn my head so I am looking directly at the next wall. Ha, can't argue with that.

I know though, that I should want this. Should want to avoid that thing completely knowing that power it would hold over me once I had it in my hands.

It's all a big mess, and I have a feeling it's about to get messier.