Arc Six. Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two. Fit For A Queen

Naturally, the lawsuit against Nat was thrown out. She had been there as a private citizen and there was nothing to stop her from sleeping with anyone she liked. Unlike Tony, who narrowly avoided a lawsuit of his own, she hadn't used an over strength pheromone cream on someone who was very hesitant. MJ had been brought in to testify, and naturally, Tony’s use of the cream had come out.

In fact, because of the case, a colourant was added to the newly processed cream, marking it visible under not just normal light but UV, and Pepper herself pushed that it be classified as medicinal, adding to their own costs but making it a felony to use it on someone without their permission.

Natasha strode from the meeting with a huge smile on her face, while Tony was being berated by a very angry Pepper. From what Gwen had told the group, this seemed to be a daily occurrence and she knew there was no chance of the pair reconciling their differences.

She had also scored a huge payout for the group, something she hoped was going to win over some of the more reluctant members of the warehouse. Tony’s lawyer had approached her, brandishing an NDA, and while the court had been dealt with, the court records being sealed, Natasha’s involvement was still open for discussion. 

Natasha had pried a hefty fee from Tony before she would sign. Even someone as famous as Tony, sexually harassing and then trying to coerce a movie star into sex would be a huge headline. While Tony refused to budge on returning Parker Industries, he did release all of Liv’s old patents back to her.

Once the court case was over, for her at least it was back to work at Shield. As a new instructor, she would be at the academy, playing the course for Peter to take and as Fury smiled and handed her a timetable and her class roster she swore,

“Now, you can’t say anything,” Fury warned her, and she knew exactly why. Fury had taken Peter's age and joking manner as a slight, and now he was getting revenge. Sighing, she slid the file back into its folder and put it in her locker, she really should warn Peter but Fury was right, he needed to be a bit more serious and adaptable. This was perfect.

Over the next month, despite pestering her she refused to budge on the matter. The course was to train him, not to coddle him and going in blind was a good way to do that. Even when she felt his mind touch hers, Widow sprang into action, she had an annoying habit of singing, very off-key, show tunes, Muse being a really bad influence on her, and while Peter thought it was funny at first, hearing ‘Oklahoma’ being sung out of tune for the tenth time, and only you could hear it, soon drove the point home.

With Natasha back at work, Peter also had to slow down on his construction. While he was busy fixing walls and adjusting plumbing, Natasha had been an extra pair of hands to take the spare offices apart and stack them neatly, and then help hoist and secure fittings. On his own, he had to be extra careful. While Felicia, MJ and Gwen were both providing rent, both Liv and Nat were waiting for wages to come through, and dropping and smashing a segment of office was a waste of money, Especially when Peter had looked to see how much tiling would cost for a bathroom the size Gwen had asked for.

“Then don’t tile it,” Gwen had told him, “make up smooth webbing and use that, you can make it white, just make it look like tile and then varnish it after, hell I’ll varnish it. Wait, Poison can I make varnish?” And after listening to the voice in her head, “I guess I can, but the thing is, you already have been making the foundation from webbing mixed with concrete right? Then why not do more, it's not like we don't all use it every day Pete.” and that was the end of the conversation.

Peter had checked and after a little experimentation found that he could make a thicker and harder webbing that just needed to be smoothed out over the foundations he had built. The main problem was making sure it didn’t clog up the pipes he had laid, requiring him to spend time carefully spreading it rather than firing it off like a hose, something he had imagined and found himself chuckling at.

Rather than asking Gwen, he bought sealant for the whole bathroom. Everything barring the fixtures was made of concrete and webbing and now that extended to the coating, he wanted to do a semi-professional job and leave the decorating and finishing touches to actual professionals. 

As the time moved on Peter began to work on the newer homes, adding in more so that each job was done properly. 

With the apartment finished it was the turn of the homes to be built. He stacked the new homes up, built the walkways and to make sure each had power, water and plumbing, he left the bathhouse until last. It was a luxury, homes were a necessity. Grumbling once more as new tenants and new homes meant another inspection and another cost. 

This time, it was waiting for an inspector to walk and tick off a list on a clipboard. Peter might not have the accreditations he needed to be a licenced home builder, but he didn’t have the actual qualifications, but with Felicia’s help, he used a less than legitimate company as cover for his work.

If everything went according to plan, Wanda would be moving into Peter's old home soon enough and Nat was comfortable sleeping on the recliner in the main area, even after she had been offered a more suitable bed. She had been told off and had picked the home above. It was just waiting until everyone was settled before more permanent arrangements were made.

Over the summer, with diligence, and patience the bathhouse took shape.

Once he had each side of the warehouse done, finished his own upper floor apartment, he spent a day making sure that everything was perfect. Eventually, the reveal day came and everyone was there, anticipating the big show. 

There was no ceremony as he showed the women around it, his tastes were simple and all of his things were arranged the same way as his old place. It was simply bigger with a manageable workspace in the back. Taking up more of the warehouse ceiling, at 20 meters each way he had split the space in two, one side was his home, a simple living room, kitchen, and bathroom, and even now he just used a murphy bed, neatly arranged along one wall, Peter had always grown up in small houses and the space just seemed too wasteful otherwise. 

The other 20 by 10 meters was split in two, one half was taken up by Gwen and her brewery and the other a workroom for Peter and Liv. New walkways, moved from adding in the floor, led to them and then, in turn, had doors, lockable if Peter wanted privacy, into his apartment.

They had waited for Liv to have a day off and Peter had covered the front with a huge dust sheet he stood, nervous they would hate it, in front of the finished building.

It was two offices wide, mimicking the homes on the other side at 20 meters deep. The space above had been turned into the spare homes with a deck in front, giving them space to sit out if the mood took them but for now, it was showtime.

Peter pulled the dust sheet away and the group of women stared slack-jawed at the sight before them.

The building was open planned, with white columns adorning the end walls and a simple draw shower curtain for privacy, no one expected company while they were having a bath and as each home had a shower it was more for simple decency sake.

One side was six waterfall showerheads, all positioned so that several people could stand under each one. The walls of the whole room were marble, and they knew Peter couldn't afford it and had mixed his own black and white webbing together to get the desired effect but what an effect it was. He had cut bamboo shapes in the walls, and carefully painted them a subtle gold colour, not shiny and reflective but hidden and it wasn't until they walked into the room they saw its full effect.

Down each wall were three baths, solid rectangles with sloped edges, space for a neck pillow and dipped cup and glass holders. Space for over bath trays was cut, so if someone wanted to relax in the bath with food or drink they could but the group already had plastic plates and glasses prepared, anything breakable was barred, even if the symbskin would stop any cuts.

In the centre was a huge bath, steps cut into the sides allowing anyone entry and the tub itself was at least 3 feet deep, a raised lip edge surrounding the whole thing. Everything was a subtle brass colour, stylish but effective. Lit by warm white LEDs sunk into the ceiling the whole room was warm, Peter pointed at a box, and inside, they could see the water controls, allowing the pool to be drained as well as adjusting the temperature to suit a variety of tastes. It was simple wood, covered in the webbing mixture, and closed with a brass latch.

“This, this is amazing Pete,” Gwen stuttered and rushed over to hug him, kissing him on the cheek and rubbing her face against his, “so, when can we use it?” and he grinned,

“Set the temp and then leave it a few hours to fill, use some of the smaller baths for now if you’re desperate,” but Gwen shook her head,

“Uh no, big bath, soapy wet fun time,” and as she fiddled with the water controls, it rumbled into life before the pumps began to quietly fill the tub with warm water, the temperature preset to mix the water before pumping it to the pool.

“One thing though, rules, I mean, we have the new plastic glasses and stuff but uh, I kinda want to know if we can have sex in it? I mean, I want to, so?” Felicia asked and Peter nodded.

“There are flags. If you’re in there naked, pull the curtain over and set a blue flag out, red for guests, so I don’t walk in on someone, and I dunno, green for groups? The flags were a pack, so if anyone needs one for something else, just uh, tell me,” he explained,

“So, sex is fine?” Gwen asked, and he nodded,

“Isn’t that why it was so big? So we could?” Peter answered,

“Yeah, well, we’re not the one that shoots like a hose, so we’re not the ones making the mess,” and Peter laughed as it clicked.

“So what you really mean is, am I cleaning it and if so do I have to?” and Felicia crossed her arms

“He’s getting cocky again, punishment?” and the others caught on and nodded,

“Thank you for volunteering dear, it is such a big tub to make us clean,” Liv smiled at him and he realised he walked into their trap,

“Aww, come on, even after?” and they nodded.

“Do you not want to have sex with us in it?” MJ asked and Peter nodded, “then shush,” and they looked quite pleased with themselves.

Peter sighed. “Good thing I added in a cleaning system then,” and as he walked to the door, he pushed a button and a sprinkler system came on, dousing the entire room, the 5 women included, in cold water. “And it works too.”

“You fucking shit!” Felicia yelled at him, and soaking wet she launched herself at him, Huntress covering her, and as he laughed and danced out the way the rest simply shook the water off and laughed at the pair, tumbling and rolling around on the floor of the warehouse.