Spiderman: Venom

Felicia returned with Gwen, feeling uneasy about letting her walk home alone. Despite Gwen's grumbling, this was finally an opportunity for Felicia to visit.

Peter was in the middle of preparing dinner for the pair when Gwen arrived, Felicia following close behind. He simply added a few more ingredients to the stir-fry he was cooking and extended an invitation for her to stay.

"He won't mind?" Felicia asked Gwen hesitantly. She couldn't deny that the place was appealing. It felt cozy, welcoming, and had an inviting warmth. As she glanced around and noticed Peter, she realized she could imagine herself feeling at home here—somewhere she could truly be herself.

Gwen rolled her eyes in response. "He was expecting you to want to move in too, so no. He won't care."

Felicia was stunned at how thoroughly the place had been tidied up. She had scoped it out before and marked it as a potential target, but now... now it genuinely looked like a home. A shame about the four dead drug dealers they had dragged out of here.

"So," Gwen said, clearly proud, "this is my home."

Felicia gave an approving nod. It was compact, but it had enough room for a bed and some personal belongings.

Leaning closer, Gwen whispered, "And the shower is big enough to have sex in."

Felicia's eyes widened in shock, and she lightly smacked Gwen's arm. "No. Not here. Never." It was one thing in her own apartment, but there was no way she would do that while Peter was just on the other side of the warehouse.

"Relax, Fel. He won't—" Gwen stopped mid-sentence and smirked. "Look."

As Felicia wandered further into the space, she had to admit Gwen was right—the shower was spacious enough. She didn't notice Gwen moving.

Gwen walked to the door and shouted, "Hey, Pete! Put our food on hold. Fel and I are going to have sex in the shower first."

Felicia darted out of the bathroom, grabbed Gwen, and dragged her back inside. Slamming the door shut, she snapped, "What the hell, Gwen? Don't yell stuff like that!"

"Stop being so uptight. Even if Pete didn't…" Gwen trailed off, shaking her head. "No. I'm not going through this pointless argument again. Fel, we've discussed this. If you're uncomfortable with how we're dating, just say so."

Before Felicia could respond, there was a knock at the door. It was MJ.

"Uh, hey, Felicia. Just so you know, Peter really doesn't mind. He'll tell you himself at dinner," she said with a faint frown. "But, uh, don't yell like that again. You scared the hell out of me."

Gwen immediately moved to hug MJ. "Sorry."

MJ hugged her back. "And don't be too loud," she added before heading back to assist Peter in the kitchen.

Crossing her arms, Felicia muttered, "You're all insane."

"So?" Gwen teased, lifting her shirt slightly. "You're not interested?"

"This is so weird. Really weird," Felicia muttered, but as her hands moved to her waistband, she hesitated before removing her clothing. "I swear, though, if he says anything, I'll make him regret it."

Gwen laughed and leaned forward to playfully slap Felicia's backside. "He'd probably enjoy that," she joked, leading a baffled Felicia to the shower.

Peter continued cooking, plating two servings for Gwen and Felicia. MJ reheated the hotplate and carried it over to the table.

"We seriously need power here, Pete," MJ remarked as she returned. "And are you really okay with them? I mean, I can hear the water running, but not them."

Peter shrugged. "So can I, but…" He gestured toward a stack of notes taken from the jar. "Do we really have room to judge?"

MJ chuckled. Her resolve had lasted about an hour. She had written Peter little rewards for completing various tasks—one for making dinner, another for designing a proper drainage system—and then casually added, For being so damn sexy.

From there, it had spiraled. She didn't have any problem with Gwen and Felicia having fun in the shower; she and Peter had done the same before Gwen came home.

"Guess we don't."

When Gwen and Felicia returned after half an hour, Peter had prepared a large portion of stir-fry for them. Felicia watched as Gwen piled her plate high with noodles, chicken, and vegetables.

"Hungry?" Felicia asked as Gwen twirled her fork and started eating voraciously.

"Pete makes me exercise," Gwen mumbled through a full mouth.

Felicia sighed, hoping that wasn't a euphemism.

Peter poured four glasses of juice and joined them at the table. "We run laps and do fitness drills. All that lab work and studying isn't exactly healthy."

Felicia simply nodded and tried a bite of the stir-fry. It was delicious—better than anything she could cook herself.

The group ate in silence, though it wasn't uncomfortable. Friends who usually felt at ease together now seemed awkward. Felicia shot occasional glares at Peter, while Gwen gave him knowing looks.

MJ, watching them all, finally had enough.

Muse, help me stop feeling anxious for a bit.

We could, but it's not wise.

Why not?

Relying on us would only make you dependent. You'd crave happiness, even when it's unhealthy.

Fine, just give me a little courage.

MJ straightened in her seat, her anxiety momentarily gone.

"Alright, you three. Felicia, stop looking guilty. Pete, quit acting like an idiot. And Gwen, wipe that smug grin off your face. We all agreed to this. We all took the leap. And I swear, if you screw this up, I'll poison you in your sleep."

Peter was the first to laugh, breaking the tension. She was right—despite the absurdity, they were all friends, and now they were more. Once Peter laughed, MJ joined in, and soon even Gwen and Felicia were chuckling.

"If it keeps us safe from MJ's wrath, then anything," Peter joked.

MJ playfully tapped his cheek before kissing him. "Don't forget it."

The rest of the meal went smoothly.

Peter noticed it. The lingering scent of Gwen and Felicia's activities and the excitement of the three women wasn't as strange as he expected. Living with friends with benefits was different in practice than in theory, but he was okay with it. He just hoped it wouldn't all fall apart.

MJ must have noticed his expression because she squeezed his hand. Gwen caught his gaze, while Felicia looked concerned.

"Not going to happen. Stop worrying," Gwen said, placing a hand on his. "Felicia and I have rules. It'll work."

"No thoughts of asking for a steamy threesome?" Peter blurted out before his brain caught up with his mouth.

Felicia's fork instantly shifted from being a utensil to a potential weapon as she glared at him. "Don't test me, Pete."

Peter groaned and rubbed his face. "My bad." He attempted a sheepish smile, but Felicia's glare didn't waver. "It's new, alright? So, just give me a heads-up when you're around so I don't accidentally walk in on you two doing it on the couch. That's all I ask."

Gwen reached over and rested her hand on Felicia's, prying the fork away and placing it back properly in her grip. "Pete, relax. Jokes are fine. I mean, she didn't exactly say no, so… never say never."

Felicia's jaw dropped as she stared at Gwen. "Okay, that's it—I'm finishing my meal and leaving. Naughty Gwen." She turned toward Peter. "And you—no. Don't even entertain the idea, and don't joke about it again."

"I hear you," Peter said, leaning back in his chair. "So, yeah. It's fine."

Felicia looked down, a twinge of guilt crossing her face. "But it's alright if I visit?" she asked quietly. She didn't want to upset anyone or overstep boundaries. Peter's joking was harmless enough, and she could tell how laid-back everyone was. Still, she could already imagine Peter unintentionally walking in on her while she was changing. She wanted a little guilt-free time with Gwen before risking something that might ruin it.

Peter leaned over, grabbed her plate, and carried it to the sink. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" He let out a chuckle. "If I tried to say no, Gwen would riot."

"Damn straight," Gwen said with a grin. "So, change of subject—what's the plan?"

Peter let them continue their conversation as he began collecting the dirty dishes. He'd been working on a system for supplying electricity and running water to the central area, but he needed his powers to complete the job, which meant he couldn't start while Felicia was still around. As he stacked the dishes, he paused briefly.

Returning to the living area, he grabbed the glasses and smiled as the trio disappeared into Gwen's home. He stayed still for a moment until the sound of the TV turning on reassured him that no one else was nearby.

Once back in his own space, Peter donned his suit. Instantly, his senses sharpened, and the world seemed to come alive with new details.

Picking up the glasses, he sniffed each one. As his suit retracted, Peter couldn't stop a laugh from bubbling out.

He finally understood where he'd recognized Black Cat's scent before. It was Felicia. He'd long ago realized it wasn't a fragrance but rather their natural musk when aroused. Given that Gwen and Felicia had just had sex, her saliva carried traces of it.

So… do I say something or keep it to myself?

Peter knew that Black Cat had always been cautious around him. Their tentative trust had been growing, built on mutual gain. But if Felicia discovered who he was, how would she react?

Damn it, would she be furious after the time I beat her in a fight?

No. Peter decided to leave it alone for now. If she hadn't figured out their connection but suspected it, that was fine. He wouldn't press the issue.

For Gwen's sake, he needed to wait until he could trust Felicia fully. If the two leads he was investigating turned into a trap or led nowhere, then he'd address it privately with her. Gwen and MJ didn't need to know until absolutely necessary.

Still, Peter chuckled to himself. That bodysuit of hers really is something else.

Felicia was lounging on Gwen's couch, with Gwen clinging to one side of her arm and MJ nestled on the other. The close proximity made it easy to catch scents—Peter and MJ had definitely been intimate recently. But beyond that, Felicia also noticed something unusual: that faint, chemical-like smell.

It wasn't strong enough to be MJ, so it had to be Peter. She pieced it together quickly—Peter was enhanced, just like her. Gwen had mentioned he'd gotten sick after being bitten at Oscorp, and now everything clicked. Her eyes widened in realization.

Oh, crap. He's got powers. Oh no, no, no. He's Venom.

It was the only explanation that made sense. He must be a mutated variant, just like the others. No wonder she hadn't connected the dots until now. She hadn't been close enough to detect his scent on MJ.

Felicia's heart raced. She needed to leave. If Peter knew her identity, she couldn't risk him telling Gwen. No, she had to confront him later—on her terms. They'd talk about keeping secrets. She figured he wouldn't expose her as long as it would also mean exposing himself. Gwen and MJ were oblivious, which gave her some leverage.

Damn it. He's supposed to be my friend. Felicia took a deep breath. No, he is my friend. We can talk this through without changing anything.

She glanced at her watch. "Uh, Gwen, I can't stay much longer. My dad's calling tonight."

Gwen pouted, leaning against her dramatically. "Not even for a little more hugs and kisses?"

You're killing me here, Gwen, Felicia thought. "Sorry, not even for that."

Gwen made an exaggerated duck face, earning a laugh from Felicia, who leaned forward and kissed her. "Definitely not if you keep doing that."

Gwen laughed as well. "Alright, fine. But you're coming back, right? You're not pulling some dumb move and bailing?"

Felicia stood and grabbed her coat. "I promise. I'm not running away. It's strange, but… it's nice. Really nice." She nodded toward MJ. "Good to see you doing better too. See you both around."

Gwen hopped up. "I'll walk you out."

Damn it, I was comfortable, MJ thought as she snuggled under a blanket. Watching Felicia and Gwen head to the door, she grabbed the remote and resumed the movie.

Yes, more of this. Tiny people doing silly things. We like this.

At the door, Gwen leaned against it after closing it behind them. "Be honest."

Felicia frowned before smiling. She stepped closer, cupped Gwen's face in her hands, and kissed her deeply. For once, Felicia allowed herself to lose control, letting her tongue tangle with Gwen's until the other girl moaned softly.

"I'm coming back. You're my girlfriend now, and I'll make sure you never forget that." Felicia stepped back, pressing one last quick kiss to Gwen's lips. "Call you tomorrow?"

Gwen nodded numbly, her brain short-circuiting along with Poison.

Felicia chuckled. "If you remember how to use a phone."