S P I D E R L I N G

Even though Malik had his headphones on at nearly full blast, he still managed to feel his phone vibrate against his desk, as he was hunched over it, working away at rough sketch. He turned it over, turned his screen on, and raised an eyebrow, before swiveling his chair around to look out his window. As soon as the teen recognized his friend, he gave a breathy laugh and pulled his headphones off before opening the window.

“Nah, it’s all good bro,” Malik assured Benji as they hugged. The whole in-person talk did worry him though, as well as Benji’s nervousness.

“You okay there, man? Did… Something happen?”

“Basically, I’m gonna use my powers to put up a giant neon sign around Stark Tower. I wanna make sure there’s a whole buncha people to see it though… Do y’know if they give tours at night over there?”

Meme: Accepting @sevenbulletsavior

“I’m ‘bout to pull off the biggest art stunt in New York City history, but I need someone to watch my back. You with me or nah?” 

Malik noticed Benji’s body expression and frowned a bit. “Hey dude, don’t sweat it. I’m probably gonna end up doin’ a victory lap cuz I ain’t got no fuckin’ clue what I wanna do either. I mean, art school just seems logical, but… I dunno dude. Don’t need a bunch of elitist profs tellin’ me what is an’ isn’t art, y’know?”

The mutant was fairly sure his art style would offend some art schools anyways. Plus, he wasn’t too good at adopting other styles like Baba was. There was a few he could copy, sure, but… He preferred further developing his own style. 

“Plus, like you said, we still both got time to figure this shit out.”

“Actually I heard of a great artsy school out in North Carolina that I think you should check out man.” he smiles warmly. “It’s called Warren Wilson College.” he sits back a bit and looks over at his friend.

Benji enjoyed art, but he wasn’t like Malik or Uncle Steve. He just dabbled. He sort of felt that described a lot of things he did; he just dabbled. There wasn’t just one thing he stuck to solidly, something that was well... his thing. Though the boy truly believed his best friend was gonna do great things, Malik was special.

Matthew feels his heart break again as Benji utterly wails for his lost dad. His blood turns to ice when the ashy hands rest on him. He had heard whispers of something big, that the invasion a while back was more of a scouting mission. He didn’t want to believe it at the time. Why would anyone want to attack and destroy Earth? He knew of the scum that rotted the planet, yet there was also so much good and beauty. Apparently, this was the more. Suddenly those rumors and murmurs were more than just that.

Peter was gone. Plain and simple.

Didn’t mean it hurt less. Didn’t mean that there wasn’t a gaping chasm in Matthew’s chest at the thought. But, Benji’s voice reminded Matt that he wasn’t alone; that the chasm wasn’t as large as it could have been. That he had his son to be strong for and protect.  

“Shh! Benji, it’s gonna be okay, I’ve got you, bud,” he says as a mantra as he holds Benji close, rubbing a hand along his back and through his hair in the most comforting way Matt could muster. “Benji, I know you’re scared, I’m scared too, but I’m here now, and I promise you I will protect you with everything I have and get your Babi back, okay? It’s gonna be okay.”

Matt just hoped these were promises he could keep for Benji’s sake.

Benji had no idea what was going on. All he knew was his babi was gone and he didn’t know why. The chaos around them only making him cry more. Though now that Matt was here, he had somewhere to hide. The little boy just curled further into his father, little hands clutching at the man’s suit as he did. Everything was so loud and he hated it.

“I want to go home!” he cries out softly. He was smart enough to understand his babi was gone, that there was nothing to be done about it, but he didn’t want to be outside anymore. Outside was loud, people were screaming, and it smelled bad (a combination of ash from the disappearances and all the crashing cars and the explosion). “Please daddy I don’t like it out here.” he whimpers.

The day had started just like any other day. Matt had kissed Peter and wished Benji a great time at the park before heading into his office. There was some paperwork he needed to comb through for an upcoming trial. Foggy and him were confident they could win their client’s case, but it never hurt to run over the details again in case he or Foggy somehow missed something.

After a few hours of fruitless work, Matt decided that he would take the rest of the day and spend it with Peter and Benji. He’s too wrapped up in getting to spend time with Peter and Benji, that it’s easy to ignore the tension he feels rising from the streets as he leisurely strolls with his cane. Keeping up appearances was important with whispers of what could go down with The Accords. He does seem to sense something…other. Matt shrugs it off, figuring that it’s just a new weirdness happening in New York.

But then…

S i l e n c e.

Utterly, deafening silence. Like a calm before the proverbial storm. But then…

All hell broke loose.

Chaos, screams, salt, fear, and ash hung heavy in the air. Matt didn’t know what was going on–but something seized his heart. Was it fear? Crippling loss and despair? Whatever it was causes him to ditch his cane and run like very fires of hell were at his heels. It is a miracle he didn’t run into anyone on his way to the park where he knew Peter and Benji were.

His heart thumps like an ominous metronome in his chest while the absolute hell New York had apparently descended into pulled at his other senses. He had to find Peter and Benji, now!

“Peter! Benji!” he starts to howl, voice getting drowned out by the other wails of people. Why was the air smelling and tasting of ash? Why were there less heartbeats? Why did everything seem so wrong? What was happening?!? He prayed that whatever was going on hadn’t touched Benji or Peter. Prayed that they were safe and could tell him what the hell was happening.

“Benji! Peter!” Matt keeps shouting as he gets closer and closer to the park. His focus narrows and nearly falls over himself in relief when he hears Benji’s heartbeat, strong but scared…why would…“BENJI!” he shouts, running to the boy and sliding up to him to hold him close, to feel the familiar beat of this heart, not knowing where the other one was…the one that Matt knew almost like he knew his own heartbeat.

“Benji,” he gasps, hands roaming all over the boy to make sure he’s okay. “Benji, where is Peter?” he asks, dreading the response (though he thinks he knows–Peter’s scent lingers but it’s stale and ashy), tears already falling, heart breaking into a million pieces…again. Someone he loved has left him. 

“Where is your Babi?”

He didn’t hear Matt at first, everything was just so loud. All of it overwhelming him and making him curl in on himself. It was so much! People were screaming, things were exploding, cars ramming into each other, one so close it made the little boy jump and scream in fear. People just ran past him. Then Matt appears and Benji looks up at his dad, wailing and crying. “Daddy!” he cries loudly as he leans into Matthew. 

The little boy starts to hiccup, trying to speak but it all comes out stuttered, like he’s having a hard time verbalizing what he just saw. Where is Peter? Where is you Babi? Little did Matt know the small boy had some of the person in question balled up in his fists, and Matt was sitting right in what used to be Peter.