Arc Eleven. Chapter Three-Hundred Three. It’s A Hard Knock Life

With Jean finally moved in, and everyone discussing the settlements they had received and the plans for the second warehouse, the whole group had gathered for once. 

Natasha had planned to spend the day with everyone to make sure they were up to her standards and one more important matter was finally here. Nakia was arriving.

With permission for Shuri, and a very angry looking African Sorceress, who Peter had resisted the chance to comment on how if Steven went overboard with the ren fair D&D look, then he had nothing on the huge African woman, with tribal beads, headdress and huge spare, all decorated with bones. 

Peter could sense the vibranium all over her, and as she cast a wary eye over him, Peter smiled, and the woman tutted. “You may create your portal, but if we sense any other magicks we will end the practitioner” before swishing her huge animal hide cloak and walking away.

He smiled at Nakia who looked at the portal hesitantly, “I however will not be using it. Unless you would like to explain why an undocumented woman is living with you?” As she smiled at Peter, he shrugged,

“See you when your plane arrives,” and he tossed her a phone, “numbers are all preprogrammed” and he waved as it closed.

It was a day later Nakia called, her flight was in and Natasha volunteered to get her. They had a small rivalry, both proud warriors unrelenting on just how good their skill was, and they had wanted to have an official spar for a while now. One that would cement their position at AIM.

Liv was busy going over sensor data, making sure the internals were functioning properly and had one of the newer smooth helmets hooked up to a diagnostic machine, and was using her tablet to check each sensor while Perter fitted the suit.

Leaving Nakia with Natasha, they had assembled everyone. Eddie and Cindy both had on their normal sparing outfits, while Laura and Carol were trying out the Mark Three armour.

Peter was there today to go back over the specs, let them fight it out and make adjustments based on their input as well as his own from before. It was all test data that let them improve weaknesses and make alterations based on each persons fighting style, and everyone was getting one, even if they were not a fighter.

Peter was busy running a diagnostic on Cindy’s armour. Her new bond with Ghost was going well, and while she had rebuffed Gwen, the atmosphere in the newly decorated second warehouse was pleasant. 

Eddie took one of the homes, as did Ivan, and while they were in New York, Fury made arrangements for Wrath to live there as well. Peter hadn’t heard from Cain or Selene since the Genosha incident, and while Charles had been happy to see him, he felt an oppressive air on the Moon's surface, not every Augment was happy, and once the new rules were in place, Peter already knew tensions would spark up again.

JJ’s little group, Humanity First was gaining traction, claiming the new laws were anti-human in nature, and a supposed splinter group, a more militant faction calling themselves the Ravagers had sprung up, claiming second amendment rights to defend themselves they had rifles and uniforms, and even Peter saw the jackbooted thugs in their behaviour.

While Tony was spreading commercial suits around, and his own harness was starting to make headway, getting an actual licence for combat use was a much harder task. After Osborn's little stunt, and not helped by Tony sending out drones every time there was a problem, the public was resistant to the idea of powered anything. And after the giant mess of the Sentinels, Tony was seen without his armour more often than not, pushing the Iron Halo and other mental rehabilitation projects. Even the constructions suits were more like frames, with armour only protecting the head and chest, leaving the pilot looking less robotic and much more human.

Big Tech was reeling from one disaster after another, and after a talk from Pepper, right now Parker Inc and Octech were barely touching the red, and it was only Gwen’s pharmaceutical and cosmetic lines that were keeping AIM in the black. Spending what little they had manufacturing the Mark Two armour, readying it for an upgrade to the Mark Three was taking all of their funds, and Peter was trying to be as frugal as possible.

Natasha and Nakia stood on the matt across from one another, and after a brief discussion, Natasha came over to Peter, “uh, can we find someone to host Widow, it's not fair on Nakia otherwise.” 

Peter shrugged, “There is only Eddie, and he’ll really hate it,” he laughed, and Cindy shrugged, 

“Isn't your sister somewhere?” Cindy asked her. 

Natasha groaned. “Yes, but I really don't want to.” and Peter raised an eyebrow, “my sister, my, off-limits already making my life hell about things, sister.” 

Peter shrugged “It’s not like I care. I'm not touching anyone else.” and Cindy looked down as Peter had his hand on her thigh, altering the dimensions for a test plate, “Shush, or I’ll mention-” and Cindy pointed a finger at him and glared while Peter smirked and shrugged, “See, go ahead. She’s made a few comments, but really, she’s harmless.”

Natasha groaned and picked up her phone, “sis, I need you to host Widow again.” and Yelena walked out of her apartment naked.

“Shit, sis?” and Natasha shot out two splats of webbing covering her groin and chest,

“What, she ate my clothes last time, and I liked that shirt, plus I don't care, hey Peter, hey Cindy,” and Yelens waved. “Ugh, of all the people I want to get me sticky, I didn’t want it to be you. You're not my type” 

Natasha groaned “See, this is why.” but Yelena moved over and hugged her

“Aww, you love me, give me kisses” and Natasha put a hand on her face, pushing her away

“Your naked, yuck,” and as she pushed her Widow spiled from her hand and covered Yelena in the thick black bodysuit, leaving Natash naked.

“See, and you have no clothes, how is that fair?” Yelena complained,

“Everyone here has seen me naked, and nobody cares.”

“I care, who wants to see my sister's funny bits, it's gross, you should take me shopping to Italy next time, oh and mom too. Dad, yeah, we can leave him at home.”

Natasha rolled her eyes, “Thanks Widow, of all the things you had to tell her.” and Yelena shrugged as Widow changed into a white t-shirt and black jeans,

“Hey, Cindy right? Natasha’s sister, but not really,” and Cindy looked down at Peter.

“Uh, sleeper agents for a secret Russian spy organisation, pretending to be an American family.” and Cindy shrugged

“Yeah, don't care, more the shopping in Italy? Since when do we have a jet?” and Peter  shook his head at Yelena

“We don't, and we ask nicely.”

“Yeah, not doing that, not with your hand on my ass and your fingers closer to my grand canyon than I’d ever wanted.” and 

Peter rolled his eyes, “Yeah, and I already said Liv could do this and you said, ‘hell no, let that loser get a grip on a real woman for once’ and if I remember rightly Liv just laughed at you, so now, shut the hell up.”

Cindy crossed her arms and huffed, “it's Ghost,” she mumbled, and peter stopped, moving both his hands away from her,

“Uh what?” he asked, making sure he had bread correctly.

“It’s Ghost okay, she isn't, she’s not,” and Cindy sighed, “she misses you, she wants you to hug her, and uh, oh I am going to fucking kill you, you shit.” and Peter was sure he heard laughter, “she misses having her belly rubbed when she was on that rat. You made her promise not to push me into bed, but she still likes” and she waved a hand around, ”the other stuff.”

Peter grinned, “does Cindy want her belly tickled?” and he laughed and rolled as she swiped at his head

“I will fucking kill you.” Cindy hissed at him, “just, fit the armour, take your time, and don't worry about where your hands are, okay?” she said, and Peter caught the slight blush on her face, “but hands, I feel anything else and I’ll let Ghost eat it.”

Peter laughed and rolled back to his feet, “okay, let's talk boundaries first, with both of you, and once Natasha has recovered from being unbonded watch the fight.”

Yelena moved over and sat next to Peter, “yeah, I want to talk about that as well,” and Peter looked up from the tablet,

“Fighting Nat?” and Yelena laughed

“No, stupid, moving into the bigger house next door. Not for you know, hanky panky stuff but, I want to spend more time with Natasha.” Yelena explained

Peter shook his head, and moved his hands around Cindy's waist, adjusting the plates, and making another note, “sorry, it's family only.”

Yelena shrugged, “I don't mind, Widow tells me everything, and I really don't mind. What I do mind is my idiot father forgetting to leave a flag out and walking in on him floating naked in the pool. I mind that my mother, who might love my dad a lot, seems to also like Ivan, and you are a stupid bad influence on them.” Peter looked up at Cindy, and then at Yelena,

“Your mom, your dad and Ivan?” and Yelena nodded,

“Seems Peter Parker's little sexcapades have opened a hill of worms”

Peter shook his head, “That feel better?” and as Cindy twisted, she nodded

“Still catches on the inseam, but it's smoother now.” Peter nodded and moved his hands, loosening the plate and sliding it a few millimetres,

“Try now,” and as he moved back, Cindy stretched and tilted forwards into a handstand

“Better.” and Peter nodded

“I need permission, and you can't say anything, naked, sex, this is more like an apartment block, so I’ll be having a word with Alexsi, but next door is a home, one big home.” and Yelena nodded

“I know I know, Widow remember? but also a Black Widow. No shame, no conscience, and you know, not interested anyway. Her yes, you not so much, I mean, if I was bored or the batteries ran out, then sure, but to date, eugh, no thanks.”

Peter raised an eyebrow, “thanks, nice pep talk. But it's up to the others, not just me, Natasha might have an objection.”

Yelena looked over at Natasha and Naki, who were in a tangle of limbs. Natasha had Nakia on the mat with both her arms pinned while he struck her face, light taps to represent a blow, and as she flicked her nose, Nakia patted the mat and Natasha rolled off her and offered her a hand up.

Yelena frowned and shrugged, “Natasha will be fine, if she wasn't so grumpy. I mean, she did give me Widow, so how upset can she be at her little sister knowing all her naughty things.” Peter laughed,

“Point taken. Right,” and he looked over at Nakia who was standing with her arms crossed, scowling. “Get Alexsi and your mom. We’ll do the power removal and rebonding over the next few days. Nakia first though, before she breaks something.”

“I can hear you, and she cheated.” Peter sprang to his feet and smiled,

“It was never fair to begin with. Nat’s got what fifteen years on you, plus she trains with Logan, who’s I dunno, a hundred or something, and Steve. She’s got the new formula, and even without Widow that gives her an edge. It was never fair to begin with.”

“So why the humiliation.” and Nakia scowled at him.

“So you can get the Extremis formula as well, and training with Nat and Logan, and maybe Steve. No point in guessing how well trained you are when we can actually gauge it.” and as Peter moved over to her, “plus, we need to fit you for armour, and a new spear.”

Nakia frowned as she looked at the shorts and form-fitting sports top she had on, “I cannot wear my Dora uniform?” and Peter shook his head

“You’re not allowed, remember?” and she nodded but frowned “Plus, there is also one important piece of information you forgot about the fight.” and Natasha came back over, offering Nakia a water bottle, which she took graciously.

“Watching two toned and very attractive women spar was hot.”