The Joker

5.

(In this chapter, I've included some music for you to listen to to set the mood. I'll be doing this frequently, as the playlist on my phone of songs that inspired parts of this book is 24 tracks long. Enjoy!)

"How do I look?" Peter asked, turning back and forth in front of his bathroom mirror. On his body, he wore a pair of dark, dressy jeans and a simple, white v-neck with a pair of Vans shoes.

"Quite handsome," Loki replied, handing him a bottle of cologne. "Remember, the more you romance her, the more she will likely tell you. Anything that helps us figure out how to help her out of the mess she's in and get us closer to Amora is helpful. Just be your usual charming self and you'll be fine."

Peter swallowed nervously. "I guess."

He was about to leave to pick up Felicia. She lived several blocks away, and he would likely need to take a taxi to get there in time. It had taken him longer than usual to dress himself because this date made him nervous.

It wasn't just the fact that the stakes were high. Peter had actually found himself looking more forward to the date now that he knew Felicia had turned on her benefactor-in-crime. It didn't mean she wasn't a past or current criminal, but it meant there was a chance she might not be all bad. This prospect excited him more than anything, but he made sure to lip his spider spinnerets into his pocket anyway, in case he needed them later. "What are you going to do while I'm gone?" he asked his new roommate.

Loki shrugged. "Cook something, maybe. Or go on a pub crawl. I've been wondering about New York's night life for some time, and I can't hang around with a teenager all the time."

Peter snorted. "As for cooking something, I haven't even taught you how to use the oven yet. As for a bar crawl, you don't have a driver's license for ID, and you don't have any money to buy drinks."

"Or do I?" Loki revealed mischievously. He reached out with his right hand and grabbed a ten dollar bill out of thin air. "As for the ID, I don't know what I would need that for."

Peter chose to keep quiet about that. Best to let Loki figure out his need for ID on his own. It would make for interesting comedy later. In addition, he was running out of time and didn't feel like explaining. Loki would figure it out soon enough.

"See you around, Loki."

"One more thing, Parker. If you bring her home tonight, make sure you, eh, put a sock on your door or something."

The boy's nose scrunched. "Ugh, Loki. Stop."

Smiling warmly, Loki ushered Peter out the door. Once out the door, Peter hailed a taxi and took it towards Central Park. The taxi stopped outside Felicia's building.

It wasn't an expensive looking building, but it wasn't exactly a poorhouse either. It had obviously seen better days, what with the rusting railing and peeling paint, but it looked sound and sturdy enough. The retail spaces below looked bright and cheery, and the sidewalk bustled with activity as people were getting off work and walking home. "Thank you," Peter said, tipping the cabbie. He found the buzzer for Felicia's apartment and pushed it, tapping his foot nervously as he waited.

"Yes?" asked a familiar voice over the speaker.

"Felicia? It's me. Peter. From the restaurant?" His feet shuffled nervously.

"Come right up," she replied. The door buzzed, and Peter pushed it open. He made his way up two flights of stairs and knocked nervously on her door.

Felicia answered wearing a simple, summertime dress. It was white with beautiful, yellow sunflowers on it. On her feet, she wore a pair of beige, suede booties. Her hair was made up in the same short afro she had been sporting at the restaurant the other day, and her brown eyes shone as she seemed genuinely happy to see him. Peter discretely pinched himself when he noticed he had been staring. "Hi," he said sheepishly.