Joni Storm was flying over New York City when she saw a familiar figure standing on a rooftop, the red and blue of her suit looking vaguely purplish in the neon backlighting coming off a nearby sign.
“Hey, Spidey!” She touched down on the roof, turning off her flames and waving. “How’s it going?”
Spider-Woman didn’t turn around. “Matchstick.” Her voice was low and controlled. “I was hoping to see you tonight. There is something I want you to do for me.”
Joni stifled a laugh. “Wow, Webby. You sound out of sorts. Did your toaster break or something?” She asked. “Or were you hoping I’d warm up something else?” Her tone grew teasingly flirtatious as she walked up to stand beside the masked hero.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Spider-Woman asked, amused. “I’m afraid I need your help with something a little less,” she seemed to be searching for a word “…entertaining”
“Oh?”
“Word on the street is that Reed’s been developing a small-scale cryogenesis device to preserve organic matter for later study.”
“Yeah…”
“I need you to tell me about some of the schematics.”
“Why? I’m sure if you asked, he’d…”
Spidey laughed darkly. “No, he wouldn’t. Let’s just say I’m not going to be using this information for official superhero business.”
“Spidey? What’s gotten into you?” Joni asked, concern etched across her face.
“Nothing that hasn’t been in me for a long, long time.” Spidey moved suddenly, standing inches away and reaching down to take her hands. “So, what do you say, Torchie? Want to take a walk on the dark side with me?”
“I don’t understand. What are you planning?”
“Nothing too dramatic. Certainly nothing that’ll have a horde of heroes on my case.” There was an almost cruelly smug smile on the half of her face that was visible under the rolled-up mask. “Just planning on using it to freeze the security devices in a certain Midtown landmark for long enough to get back what’s rightfully mine. Maybe mess around with an armored truck or two enough to create a diversion to steal some scientific equipment I need. From there, it’s anyone’s guess.”
“What do you need the equipment for?”
“Do you really think I’d tell you that easily? That all you have to do is ask?” Petra shook her head. “Rookie villain mistake. They want the attention and appreciation so they blab everything to the first person who shows any interest. But you know me.” She gave an exaggerated shrug. “I’ve never been one for the spotlight.”
“Please, Spidey. Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.” Joni reached out, her hands warm against Spidey’s arms.
The other woman didn’t pull away from the contact. Instead, she lifted her hands up and wrapped them around Joni’s arms, pulling her closer until they were eye to mask. So close that Joni could practically count the threads.
“Do you know what its like, breaking my back for this city night after night, only to be met with slander every morning? To know that no matter how much good I do, I will never be seen as a hero? I’ve stopped muggers and maulers and bank robberies. I’ve stared into the seedy underbelly of this city and stayed unscathed for so long. But the press only rewards my efforts with violent vitriol.” She reached up and placed her palm against Joni’s cheek. “While all you have to do is help an old lady cross the street or wear a nice outfit on Fifth Avenue and suddenly the press is fawning all over you. Their blonde, blue-eyed. all-American bombshell.” Her other hand came up to rest on Joni’s shoulder, nails digging into the bright blue fabric of her suit.
“Pretty sure you’re confusing me for Captain America.” Joni tried to keep her voice light and steady. But it was a bit difficult to keep an even hand when Spidey was standing so close. So very, very close.
“Are you trying to play smart with me?” Spidey’s lips curled into a cruel grin that made Joni’s insides heat up rapidly as her cheeks flushed. She really couldn’t believe she was into this.
“Better quit while you’re ahead, Blondie. We both know who’s the smartest person on this roof, and here’s a hint - it’s not the Elle Woods look-alike.”
Well, she did take a lot of pride in her perfectly styled hair and designer wardrobe. Besides, twenty-something Reese Witherspoon was very pretty, and twenty-something Joni was going to take this as a compliment.
“So, about those schematics?” Spidey asked again. “Last time I ask nicely.”
“You said it yourself, Webhead. I’m not exactly Miss Science Genius over here. What makes you think I’d know anything about it?” Joni’s hands ignited. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to let you get away with this!”
“Said every hero right before the villain proceeds to get away with it.” Spidey flipped her wrists down and webbed up both of her hands, extinguishing the flames.
“How…”
“Fire retardant webbing.” There was a smug grin on her face as she sauntered over to Joni and webbed her hands together before pushing them over her hand, practically carrying her for a few feet before slamming her back against the concrete wall.
Joni was pretty sure her face was bright red. Fantasy had nothing on reality. “You’re so strong.” She breathed. Which wasn’t her smoothest move, but at least it was less embarrassing than moaning and asking a wickedly grinning Spidey to ravish her right there on the roof. She was way too into this. She needed to get her head on straight.
”What makes you think I’ll help you? I would never betray my family!” She said defiantly, tossing her head.
“You like this, don’t you?” Spidey smirked as her grip tightened. “Maybe if I wear you down a little, you’ll be more willing to tell me about the schematics.” She leaned over and gave her a quick peck, Spidey’s tongue darting out briefly to skim against Joni’s lips. “There’s more where that came from if you tell me what you know.”
“I know nothing.” Even if she knew something, there was no way she would tell. Not if withholding information would make her wildest dreams come true. If she strung Spidey out for long enough, maybe she could get more than kisses.
And of course, she wasn’t about to betray her family. That too.
“You have to know something. At least by diffusion. Being around a bunch of scientists working on cutting-edge research has to have meant you overheard something.” She pushed Joni a little more forcefully into the wall, one hand now skimming along her hips. “You should have absorbed something from diffusion at least. Information moving from minds with more of it into ones who claim to know less than they do.”
“See, the fact that I understood almost none of that should clue you into what you’re working with here.” If Spidey was not a good negotiator, not if she thought this was going to make Joni any more likely to divulge information. All this was doing was driving her to distraction.
“Joni.” Petra’s voice was like expensive wine, smooth and acerbic, with sweet undertones. It was positively sinful and Joni could feel herself getting a little light-headed. Hearing her name said like that was doing funny things to her stomach. Which was also something that happened after she’d had too much of the good stuff. She let out a small moan.
“Don’t deny you haven’t felt the same way.” Petra leaned over, her breathe warm against the blonde’s neck. “Watching everyone else get the credit and the fame and the happily ever afters. Always having to start a new scandal just to get a bit of solo action. Haven’t you ever wanted to see what it would feel like to let go of your responsibilities for just one day? To be the bad guy?”
“What’s happened to you, Petra?” Oh yeah, two could play the first-name-game. “Why are you doing this? Is someone controlling you? Are they blackmailing you?” She bit her bottom lip, then ran her tongue along it, very much loving the way it made Petra’s nose twitch beneath the mask. “Take off the mask. I want to see your eyes. I need to know if…” She trailed off, her own expression pleading.
Petra let out a laugh so bitter that it managed to send a shiver down Joni’s spine. She slowly peeled off her mask to reveal deep brown eyes filled with a simmering rage. Joni’s breath hitched as Petra placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her face up, their lips only a millimeter apart. “Tell me, does it look like I’m doing this out of anything besides my own free will?” Her breathe ghosted along Joni’s slightly opened mouth as they stared into each other’s eyes, molten chocolate meeting a stormy sea.
“No.” Joni breathed. “It doesn’t.” She swallowed thickly. “But why?”
“Because I’m tired of being treated like something I am not. Of being pushed around and underpaid and maligned.” Her voice hardened. “If the city wants a villain, then I will give them one they will fear.”
“But what about the people who love you? Won’t they be hurt?” If reason wasn’t going to work, maybe Joni needed to try a different tactic. She gave Petra her best doe-eyed pleading look. The one only Sue was completely immune to. “What about me?”
Petra stilled, her fingers freezing halfway to tucking a blonde curl behind Joni’s ears. “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t want to be made out to be something I’m not.” She let out a bitter laugh. “I guess it’s fitting that my symbol is a spider.” Her fingers curled into a fist against Joni’s stomach. “Humans insist on screaming and running when they see me. The Bugle tries to squash underfoot. They are scared of me, of us, even though we pose no threat to them. Even though we keep the local pest population under control. We are integral to maintaining the ecological balance!”
“Dork.” Joni muttered under her breath.
“What did you say?”
“Uh, work? As in, work it, girl! You should be happy you’re getting so much coverage in the first place. Even if it’s bad press.” She shrugged at Petra’s confused expression. “It’s from a Rihanna song.”
If Petra’s eyes were molten before, they were positively blazing now. Her frustration was palpable. “It is most certainly not from a Rihanna song. Do you even listen to Rihanna? It’s Missy Elliot, you heathen. I’m going to…”
“All I’m saying is, all publicity is good publicity. You should be glad Jameson will put you on the front page all the time. I need to cause a scandal or blow up a planet to get that kind of coverage. Trust me, Webby, you don’t know how good you got it.” Joni interrupted snarkily, trying to get the scene going again. This was the problem with dating a nerd. You make one wrong reference…
“Shut up.” Petra growled.
Before Joni could even get out the requisite “Make me”, Petra mouth had roughly taken hers and they were kissing. Joni sighed as Petra pulled away, brown eyes dark and sparkling as she moved her lips lower, nipping at Joni’s jaw and down her neck.
Scratch that. Dating nerds was the best. Upside of them remembering annoying facts was when they remembered annoying facts about you. Like exactly which places on your neck were the most sensitive. Joni lifted her legs up and wrapped them around Petra’s hips, pulling her in closer. Petra responds by sliding her free hand under Joni, holding her in place. Her other hand still keps Joni’s webbed wrists up. It glorious, knowing that even this is barely a hundredth of the force Petra is capable of maintaining.
Joni, in keeping with a long tradition of bisexuals, was very attracted to women who could crush concrete with their bare hands. Better yet when those women were wisecracking arachnid-themed superheroes with beautiful brown eyes that shone warmly whenever they looked at her. And that hair. Joni wanted to tangle her fingers in those short floppy brown locks and never let go.
Petra’s sucking a hickey onto her collarbone brought her back to reality with a yelp.
“Or maybe you don’t care, as long as you’re the center of attention.” God, the webhead was still talking. Not that Joni was complaining. She rarely got to hear this deep, rough tone that scraped its way along her skin and left her feeling absolutely undone. Petra was very much a sweetheart who enjoyed sweet talking and sweet, cuddly intimacy. So on the rare occasions she got into this less-than-sweet mood, Joni wanted to take as much advantage of it as possible.
“All that showboating…it’s a cry for attention. To have someone look past the act and artifice and see you. Not The Human Torch. Not the younger Storm. Just Joni. Pretty and witty. even if you’re a pain in the neck sometimes.” She presses her lips against Joni’s neck, leaving another hickey to punctuate her point.
“Wanting someone to see the beating heart beneath the suit.” Those words hit close to home, and Joni knows Petra is speaking from a place of personal experience. When she looks up, Joni can see the city lights reflected in her girlfriend’s eyes.
“We all want what we can’t have, don’t we? Grass is greener and all that.” Petra said, gloved fingers tracing down Joni’s spine. She shivers. She can feel the wall-crawler’s bristly skin through the tight fabric of her suit. “I see you, though.”
“You can have me, if you want me.” Joni whispers back, eyes wide as she takes the plunge. She was having a very hard time playing the damsel role right now. It was all she could do to keep her body heat under control, never mind taking Petra by the face and kissing her senseless.
Who knew the quippy idiot could sound so intense?
“I’m a woman of many layers, Petra .” She drags the name out and delights at the way Petra’s eyes darken with desire. “Maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll let you see some of them.” She bats her eyelashes for emphasis.
Yeah, Joni’s never really been good at being a damsel in distress. She’s far too hot-headed for that. Besides, femme fatales have more fun.
Petra laughs, this one less possibly-evil and much more familiar. Then her face stiffens, and Joni feels her insides turn to mush as Petra snaps back into character, eyes hardening to stone. Her voice straddles the find line between menacing and cloying as she says, thumb making soft circles along Joni’s skin, “You know, I’ve always been inspired by you. By your confidence, the way you carry yourself when you walk into the room. How, even with all this power thrust upon you, you never once wavered from being a hero. From doing the right thing. Or mostly the right thing, anyway.” She kissed Joni again. “You are so beautiful, you know. So maddeningly beautiful. You make me feel like myself in a way few people have ever have.”
As if she wasn’t already in love with the Webhead. Petra just had to go and say stuff like this, too. Joni was great at flirtatious one-liners, but the aching sincerity with which Petra could say such words was something else.
“I’ve always wondered, why would a shining star like you want to drag yourself down to be with an alley-wall-crawler like me?”
It took everything Joni had not to either cringe or burst out laughing. God, that line was atrocious. Way too over the top and unbelievably corny. Like something a sleep-deprived Lifetime Movie writer wrote at three in the morning while caffeinated on chocolate-covered espresso beans. But Joni finds herself responding very seriously. She finds herself telling Petra “Because you are smart and brave and willing to stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets you hurt. Because even though the city hates you, and Jameson hates you, there is still so much love in you beneath all those insecurities. Even if guilt is what drove you to become a hero, it’s not what is keeping you going. You may not be the luckiest woman on earth…” That title went to Domino or Felicia, “…but you’re so unbelievably kind and brilliant and all of that more than makes up for your ten-dollar haircut.”
“Just had to get a dig in there, didn’t you? Looks like I’m going to have to work harder to make sure less annoying sounds come out of that pretty mouth.” Petra says darkly, her voice husky and heavy with promise.
This of course makes Joni moan. And then Petra’s tongue is in her mouth and they are flush against each other, trying to get as close as possible despite the suits they both have on. The very skintight suits that leave little to the imagination.
“Oh.” Joni could feel her eyes fluttering, heart feeling like it was about to shoot right out of her chest as Petra kissed her forehead, trailing and finger along her temple before kissing that spot between her neck and ear. She was so used to be being the butt of the joke, the family black sheep. It was nice to know someone out there saw her as more than tabloid fodder or comic relief. For all their bickering, she knew Spidey appreciated her battle acumen and intelligence. Even if that intelligence was more directed towards scoring one over annoying paparazzi than space science.
She suspected Petra felt the same. Felt glad to be with someone who she didn’t have to feel responsible for, who saw her as more than a masked menace or an awkward disaster. She’d been through a lot, holding the weight of her loved ones lives on her shoulders every day. It must have been a relief, being with someone who could understand all the disparate parts of you.
“You’re my light in the darkness, Matchstick.” Petra whispered tenderly, her thumb on Joni’s lower lip.
“You can’t just say things like that…mmf.” They were kissing again, soft and loving and Joni didn’t want it to end. She had broken character, but neither of them minded. After all, neither of them had fallen for the other’s façade, but for the very real person behind it. The caring, considerate, somewhat hot-tempered idiot whose life was filled with curveballs, but who always managed to stay on their feet.
They weren’t so different, in that regard.
IT was Petra who finally pulled away, but just barely, eyes burning with a heat that made Joni feel like her inside were melting. “Listen, as much as I’ve enjoyed feeling your body temperature shoot up like JJ’s blood pressure during a pitch meeting, can we drop the act now? I don’t want any pretense between us for what I’m about to do.”
“Sure thing. As long as you keep kissing me like that, you can do whatever you want.” Joni grinned, nudging Petra with her shoulder. “You really got into the monologuing there, Webby.”
“It’s classic villainy, isn’t it? Besides, I’m sure Kraven has me beat for most dramatic monologue. Or Doom.” Petra winced. “If there was an award for villain most likely to be a theater school reject, she’d probably win it.”
“Ugh, yeah. Victoria definitely doesn’t know when to can it. I still can’t believe Sue actually dated her. Blegh.” Joni stuck her tongue out, making Petra laugh.
“Well, if you think you can be a better villain, you do it next time.”
“Not a chance.” Joni rolled her eyes. “Every time I get villainized or hypnotized or whatever, you just roast me into oblivion until I get mad enough that my urge to throttle you supersedes whatever heebie-jeebie nonsense someone’s done to me. Doesn’t exactly set the mood, you know? Besides,” She brought her webbed hands down and settled her arms around Petra’s neck, smiling up at her girlfriend. “You’re the dark and brooding one whose identity and motives are shrouded in mystery. I’m the stunning media darling with the perfect smile and great hair.”
“See, all the hot air up there is why I call you Flamebrain.” Petra leaned over to kiss her. “Your ego takes up so much space, it’s no wonder you can’t remember how diffusion works.”
“Oh, bite me, Spidey.”
“You asked for it.” Petra’s eyes darkened as she pulled Joni close. Then she suddenly pulled away, neck craned away and a distracted look in her eyes.
“It’s your sixth sense, isn’t it?” Joni sighed.
“Spidey-sense, Joni. And yes. I think someone is getting mugged in the alley over there.” Petra slipped through Joni’s arms and picked up her mask from the ground. “I’m going to take a look.”
“Do we have to? There are like three bajillion heroes in this city. Someone else is bound to handle it?” It was a question both of them knew the answer to.
“Yeah, and half of them are even worse gloryhounds than you.” Petra voiced it, pulling her mask back on.
“Hey.”
“Please, you think Tony Stark is going to stop a low-level mugging? The man doesn’t change his underwear without calling a press conference to announce it.” Petra snorted, already at the edge of the roof. Joni ran over and watched her girlfriend dive off, landing in between the mugger and the woman with a graceful flip. “Besides,” She called back up. “My spidey-sense also told me that we were going to have to take this inside soon enough.”
“Pfft. Prude.” Joni muttered.
“What was that?” Petra called up, eyes still on the slightly scared-looking mugger.
Stupid enhanced hearing. “I said, rude. It is very rude of this mugger to ruin our…this random civilian’s evening. How dare he.” Joni called back, superheating the webbing off her hands. Petra could definitely handle this by herself, but Joni still wanted to be prepared. Sometimes petty criminals ended up having crazy powers and even Spider-Woman needed backup on occasion.
“See that, buddy? You’ve made my friend upset.” Petra told him. “Not to mention this lovely lady.” She pointed to the terrified woman who was clutching her bag with white knuckles. “So whaddya say…”
The mugger didn’t wait before firing off a shot. Petra dodged it with ease, pulling the woman behind her. “And here I thought we’d talk this out like adults.” She shook her head and Joni could clearly imagine the smirk beneath her mask. The man lifted his gun up for another shot. But Petra wasn’t about to let that happen.
“Well, if you’re going to throw a tantrum…” She fired a web at his gun, sending it skittering down into the dark alley. “…I’m going to have to take away your toys.”
When the mugger turned around to see where his weapon had gone, Petra took the opportunity to push him into a wall before webbing his hands against it.
The man grunted and hissed, staring at Petra with loathing. “You little…”
“I’m going to stop you right there before you say something cliched, unoriginal and probably misogynistic.” She webbed his mouth shut. “Don’t you know? Man-children should be seen and not heard.” She stepped away and turned to the slightly shaken woman.
“Are you okay?”
“Ye…yes. Thank you.” She was visibly shaking.
“I’m guessing you couldn’t afford an Uber back. Price-gouging is the worst, amirite?”
“Uh…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you a taxi. On me.”
“Thank you.”
“No sweat. Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Gal. Drop in a good word for me with your friends, okay? The media doesn’t give me a fair shake.”
Joni listened from overhead, rolling her eyes. The mix of old-timey and modern speak should have sounded weird, but coming from Petra it sounded quaint and cute. Though, she probably wasn’t the most objective observer…
“So where did we leave off?”
Joni shrieked and almost fell off the roof. “Why do you always do that? Almost gave me a heart attack.” She glared as Petra rolled up the mask to her nose and kised her softly on the cheek. “Hmph.”
“Sorry, Torchie. I’ll make it up to you.” Petra gave her an arch grin. “Now that that’s taken care of, what do you say we go back to my place? Give this story a happy ending?”
“Yes, please.” Joni held her arms out and latched onto Petra’s waist. She let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, please, Spider-Woman. Don’t kidnap me and websling me back to your evil lair. I couldn’t bear it.” She clung tighter, practically draping herself over Petra.
“Yeesh. All you have to do is ask, you know.” The eye roll was clear in her voice, but her mask was crinkled in that way it did when she was grinning widely.
“What’s the fun in thaaaAAAA…” Joni screeched delightedly as they leapt off the roof. Flying was great, but there was something to be said for swinging through the New York City skyline with your arms around your very strong girlfriend’s very ripped body. It was like a very sexy roller coaster.
Petra made a sputtering choked sound when Joni said as much, and they dropped a little bit further before she managed to regain her composure. tt was exhilarating, both the drop and the way it was so easy to rile Petra up.
“Only you would come up with something like that, Flame Brain.” She muttered. “And stop feeling me up.” Joni dropped her hand with an unabashed grin that quickly developed into a blush when Petra whispered. “You’re making it hard to concentrate. I can’t think straight when your hands are on me.”
“Of course you can’t think straight. You’re bi.” Joni retorted, a bit too quickly for it to not have been rehearsed.
“How long were you sitting on that one?” Petra sounded amused.
“Long enough to be surprised you didn’t say it first.” Joni snuggled in closer, watching the city lights whirl around her as they swung home. Then she looked up at Petra’s masked face, the bottom half rolled up just enough for her to make out a few curls of brown hair and that perfect mouth pursed slightly in concentration.
It was a spectacular view.