scent of burnt car tires (lavender helps)

The first time isn’t noticeable. It was subtle really, but that’s the way Vi was. When they’re at Physical Education and Ekko is holding down Vi’s shoes down so she could do sit ups.

”No, I’m pretty sure that’s Physics.” Vi argues back to an Ekko who’s groaning, eye rolling as Vi is doing one sit up per second. Caitlyn is holding onto Mel, head turned towards Vi.

”Just cause Chemistry doesn’t primarily discuss non-baryonic matters doesn’t meet their concepts are completely mutually exclusive.” Ekko says, nudging her as she continues to do her exercise pretty flawlessly. 

”Little man, if we discuss chemical processes in a physical point of view then it’s literally Physics.” Vi doesn’t look tired or concerned. Not even a single drop of sweat on her forehead.

”Add more weight to it, would you?” Mel is nudging Caitlyn’s elbow with her foot. Caitlyn ignores her completely eyes focused on the surprisingly athletic pink haired girl who she thought was just a… well.. nerd.

”Good going, Valentine!” Their teacher claps his hands together. Caitlyn watches as Vi tenses at that immediately, slowing down and wincing.

Vi Valentine, huh. Caitlyn thinks to herself uselessly, the name replaying itself in her head like a mantra. Caitlyn already knew that.

Caitlyn’s eyebrows furrow together. Vi starts grunting rather excessively and Caitlyn is left confused. She had gone from doing perfect sit ups with not a single sign of struggle to struggling to do one?

Caitlyn admits, the girl was rather cute. Did she overcomplicate every mathematical, scientific concept? Yes, but Caitlyn found that part of her charm. 

She had gruff hair, unkempt most times. Her eyes were round and big like saucers, hair such a bright colour, but she always looked like she was trying not to stand out. She’d keep to herself, camera in hand, and most times was with Jayce or Ekko, discussing weird concepts. 

It was Vi and her odd scientific trivia (or the most optimal way to build legos.)

“Okay, that’s enough!” A sharp whistle blows through the gym. Caitlyn groans as Mel is absolutely gassed. She’s glaring at Caitlyn who doesn’t spare her a glance.

”Write down your number on your sheet and submit it in the box up front. Early lunch.” 

Caitlyn quickly writes her sheet, passing it over to Mel. “Honestly, Caitlyn.” She huffs. “It wouldn’t kill you to be less interested in your little.. infatuation.” Mel emphasizes as she’s scribbling.

There’s a brief silence as Caitlyn just clears her throat instead. Mel looks like she has choice words for her.

”I’ll be back.” Caitlyn finally looks at her, waving as Mel rolls her eyes. Caitlyn’s sneakers squeak against the rubbery gymnasium floor. 

Caitlyn doesn’t have to tiptoe to see over Vi’s shoulder. She’s close enough to hear an awkward shift in Vi’s voice as she looks over Ekko’s writing. “I can do mine.” She squeaks.

”Yeah, that’s good.” Vi is muttering over to him as he hands her the paper. She takes a pen from her pocket and rubs her nose rather cutely.

Caitlyn sees a sixteen written in red next to her name as she folds it up and hands it back to Ekko who doesn’t bother to double check before heading to the box.

”You definitely did more than that.”

Vi jumps, as if Caitlyn had purposely scared her. Her eyes blink widely as she looks perplexed. “What?” Vi says, cheeks beginning to tinge pink almost immediately. She’s wearing a baggy white shirt that is definitely not uniform standard.

”Sixteen? You did at least a hundred.” Caitlyn gives her a look, Vi clears her throat.

“No?” She mumbles awkwardly and Caitlyn isn’t quite sure what to say to that. So, she awkwardly allows her lips to pull up into a grin.

“Alright?” Caitlyn chuckles instead, her eyes try to analyze Vi. She always had clothing that made it hard to see her figure. It was a sweater and polo most days, other times just a big shirt and basketball shorts.

Caitlyn Kiramman, the most beautiful girl Vi has ever laid her eyes on. She was smart, pretty, funny, and absolutely out of Vi’s league. 

She was top of their ranking in their school, one spot above Vi. The class president, debate national champion, honor roll, and on top of that a Kiramman.

She came from a long line of police and enforcers. Not that Vi really cared about all of that. 

Caitlyn and Vi had met as they were classmates back in first year of high school and now the third. Caitlyn was always popular and Vi was silent.

It wasn’t until their first group work together about a year ago where they started talking. Also about a year ago after hopelessly crushing on her when she found out Caitlyn was into girls—openly.

“Do you—uhm,” Vi scratches the back of her head. “Shouldn’t you go eat? Not, like because there’s anything wrong with not wanting to eat or like there’s something wrong with your figure or anything, it’s perfect the way it is and I, uh, I mean—“ Vi takes a really sharp breath in as she looks like she doesn’t know what she said either.

“Lunch. You should, yup. Get some lunch, since time is running.” Vi mutters and Caitlyn’s grin is so cute. 

“Yeah?” She makes this face of contemplation and Vi nods back with enthusiasm. “I know how much you love school lunch.” Vi clicks her tongue, trying to act casual but failing considerably hard.

“Yes, absolutely love the taste of cardboard and near rotten fruit.” Caitlyn says in sarcasm and Vi swears she could do this forever. She could sit here and talk to this beautiful girl and just get lost in her eyes.

”Mhm, you should really ask for oatmeal. Gives you that extra kick of sewage taste you want in every bite.” Vi nods with a wrinkled nose, earning another giggle out of Caitlyn. 

“Where are your glasses, Violet?” Caitlyn says as she’s tilting enough that their height differences aren’t obvious. “I’ve been wondering but it’s been quite a while since you’ve gone to school without them.” 

Oh, yeah. Just got bitten by a spider, gained powers, can see great now.

”I got contacts.” Vi sputters. “It was more convenient.” She says instead hands in her pockets as she rocks on the balls of her feet, trying to ignore Caitlyn’s intense gaze.

”Non coloured then? Your eyes seem as they always have been.” Caitlyn is looking rather closely. Vi chuckles trying not to get the heat get to her head from how casual Caitlyn is with their interactions.

”Observant as always, Cait.” Vi boops her nose slightly, then immediately regrets doing so. That was probably the most nerdy and loser thing she’s done in front of the girl.

Caitlyn looks over carefully with a small smile at her before humming. “Oookay. I will be getting lunch then.” She says trying to keep her poise as Vi’s lips clamp together. Her ears are red, Caitlyn finds that rather cute.

”See you around. Maybe as sit up partners next time?” Caitlyn’s fingers wave as Vi feels her heart drop. 

“Maybe.” Vi waves back.

Caitlyn chuckles at her reaction or rather, lack of. Her eyes notices the scar on her lip, making a soft mental note of it before she turns away.

Vi’s voice dies in her throat—“..Hopefully.”

She mutters when Caitlyn is clearly too far away to hear.

”Oh wow,” Ekko is snickering rather loudly as Vi restricts herself from kicking  his gleaming teeth in. “Real smooth there.” He continues to tease, sliding his arm over her shoulder with too much force.

“Shut up.” Vi sighs wistfully as she feels herself deflate. She feels like she’s going rather crazy.

“She deffo wants you though.” Ekko smacks his lips together in a teasing way. “She just came over to ask why I was being weird, if that’s her wanting me then I have got to question this generation’s flirting methods.” Vi murmurs and Ekko mocks her, mouthing a blah blah.

”I mean you were drooling over her anyway.” Ekko laughs at her, she flips him off casually.

Vi has gotten too used to making sure she was as silent as the peak of nights in Queens. She presses her lips together as she winces at the heightened sounds.

“So, lunch. Subway? Spicy Italiano.” Ekko continues as he’s walking towards the exit of the gym. Vi is still getting used to her senses.

Bitten by a radio active spider four months ago and still had no clue how to control how much she wanted to hear or see. She found out she had night vision and super-hearing pretty quickly.

About three hundred meters to the left. 

“Tonight? Six, yeah. I’ll bring the weed.” It’s a burly man’s voice. Vi has no clue whose voice that is. She recognized him as the pothead though.

She continues walking as Ekko snaps his fingers in eureka. “Jericos. Yeah, that’s the one.” He waves his fingers in front of Vi’s face, doing a little dance excitedly.

“And I was like oh gooood, like what do you mean I have to get a job.” She hears over to her far left, around where the football field should be. The distinct sound of gum being chewed is rather disgusting.

She wishes she could turn off the heightened hearing.

“..Okay, so I say we do half honey butter mayonnaise, fuck yeah. Then we get him to spread it on a flat white oat? Side of the pickles and olives, whole. Dude I swear—“

Ekko’s voice is ignored when Vi can recognize a different voice. She hates how weak her knees feel. Her heart is in knots and she feels more of a loser than she already is.

“Guys, you already know this.” She’s giggling, it’s literal music to Vi’s ears. She tries not to let it show on her face. As the girl is trying to quiet down the way her friends tug on her for gossip.

“I don’t think she likes me but I will ask her to Prom.” Caitlyn sounds so unlike what Vi knows her to be usually. She tries to ignore it, the sinking feeling of knowing Caitlyn was going to Prom with someone else.

“Oh, shit. Prom.” Vi says and Ekko gives her a look of confusion, he stops describing his sandwich from hell and raises an eyebrow. “Planning to ask the big CK?” He clicks his tongue, finger guns in her direction.

She shuts the idea down completely. “Absolutely not.” She responds quickly as they enter the rowdy cafeteria. It’s much harder to track Caitlyn’s voice like this. Though.. Vi supposes it is rather selfish for her to be using her powers this way.

But it wasn’t like she was trying.

Vi’s eyes snap towards the television showing a news cast of the day. 

“Pow!” 

Ekko is tugging Vi by the back of her collar onto one of the plastic lunch chairs. Powder already has her two slices of pizza and tater tots drizzles in… Vi doesn’t want to know.

”Hey, hey.” Powder waves, a little bit of that mystery sauce on the corner of her lip. 

“You’ve got to hear this. Your sister is an absolute loser.” 

Vi looks over at the other tables, trying to find Caitlyn. She disappointingly can’t find the pretty girl, most people sitting over to the other side of the room. 

“What now?” Powder crosses her arms over the grey tables. “All about the CK, it always is.” Ekko sing songs and they laugh in tandem.

Vi’s back is turned towards them, eyes sticking to the television. Her spider senses were feeling… warmed up per say. She couldn’t describe it as well as she wanted to if she tried.

”Hey, are ya listening?” Powder karate chops the top of her head.

”And now moving over to the next segment of today. Vigilantism: the man behind the mask.” The news anchor smiles rather enthusiastically as a clip of Spiderman swinging through the city is played.

The cafeteria is silencing itself as they all watch towards the screens. One on each side keeping the teenagers enamored.

”Hey, Spiderman!” The next clip is of a kid recording, waving his small hand towards the superhero adorned in red and blue.

Spiderman… well Vi, recalls her adventure from yesterday afternoon. “Keep on the move bud, it’s not safe here.” Vi in her full suit approaches the kid, leaning down to fix his shirt on just right.

”I wanna be just like you when I grow up.” The kid exclaims proudly.

”Then you better eat a lot and listen to your mom.” Vi is chuckling in response, waving at the kid as she slings towards the highway splitting in half.

The next clip plays and it’s a video shot from a phone clearly of Vi using her web strings to keep the collapsing highway together. First with strength tugging them corner to corner, and eventually when she gets the timing right she uses her webs to tie them back together.

Vi’s arms feel sore from watching the clips. Yesterday was quite the eventful day. There was a bomb threat, that turned out to be false, and citizens rushed over away from the area.

The highway that was still mid construction couldn’t hold up the mass panic. Vi had been in her room trying to adjust the tenacity of her web shooters.

”I bet those tights give him wedgies though!” A jock howls from across the room, laughter is shared as the 

The television cuts back to the anchor. “I’ve got to say, who is paying this guy? I mean… the New York police department isn’t getting funded any better,” Vi hates those talk show segments on the news. They always talked bad about her to rack in views.

”Well, hey. I say regardless of what his motive is, why don’t we start with why in the world is his outfit blue and red? I mean—-“

The bell rings and the televisions come to a close. “Go now, those who had PE before this go wash up and head to class. Rest of you, off you go.” A bunch of teachers rattle through the cafeteria, shooing them off.

Annoyed teenagers being annoyed teenagers roll their eyes and half heartedly throw their trash. 

Vi shrugs as Powder and Ekko shrug at her. “I think Spiderman is fucking cool.” Powder says with a toothy grin. Vi nods along silently, if only she knew.

”Eh, I guess.” Ekko mutters. “He’s alright.” He huffs childishly, Vi raises an eyebrow.

”Are you jealous over a guy you don’t even know?” Vi looks over at him. He looks surprised she noticed and he shakes his head adamantly.

“Oh, shut up!”

Vi is drumming her pen against her knee, she nervously looks outside the window. Under her school desk she’s still tinkering with her web-shooters.

She had to configure them and she had to do it quickly. “Ms. Valentine.” Her teacher’s voice is strict as Vi smoothly raises her hands in confusion, web shooter stuck under her desk like she’s done this a million times.

She pauses to read the equation on the board, eyes darting over to a Caitlyn in front of the classroom. She’s wearing a white headband and a pastel purple crop top over a blouse white shirt. She has matching white boots and unlike earlier, her hair is down. Her earrings are a beautiful faded colour of jade and her nail colours have changed since last week, now matching her hair and eyes—a deep dark blue.

Vi complains often about having her abilities, but at times like this she enjoys it completely. Recognizing every detail about Caitlyn at one half of a second was pretty convenient when she had to be solving algebra.

Vi wears a striped sweater that’s far too large over her polo and clunky dress pants. 

”You take the derivative of the margin of B, so that makes ten x to the power of two minus forty x, twenty x minus forty or simply put the value of x would be two.” She mutters, eyes meeting those blue ones of Caitlyn who is turning her head all the way backwards to look at her.

Her teacher nods in approvement as she continues speaking. Caitlyn is still looking over at her with curiosity. Vi gives her an awkward boxy grin. 

Caitlyn’s little smirk before turning back towards the board gives Vi’s stomach butterflies. 

A phone dings in the middle of class, “Turn it off.” Her teacher is writing on the white board as Vi looks over to see the Public Safety Announcement.

She holds her breath. 

54th West Point Avenue, child abduction. Female, four years old, last seen wearing yellow shirt and denim shorts. Kidnapper is presumed to be armed.

Vi clicks her jaw into place, eyeing her backpack.. she’d have to throw it away or leave it. She sighs, tucking her phone into her pocket.

”I don’t feel too well.” Vi mutters towards a Jayce who’s too busy taking notes to spare her a glance.

“Yeah?” He says with a click of tongue.

”Yes, pretty boy.” She tries to say weakly and he snickers.

”I’ll do you a favour if you do me one.” He says back, scribbling onto his notebook. Vi takes a look over to see a feint drawing of a pale guy she’s never seen before.

”Shoot.”

”I need a photographer for the Prom.”

Vi almost groans instantly. She was the school’s unofficial photographer. With the yearbook club, the media club, the sports team, school newspaper, and all else. Sometimes even out of school she’d take favours.

”Well?”

Vi looks at him with a glare. “..fine.”

”Miss! Vi looks really sick and she’s feeling unwell.” Jayce raises his hand out to say and Vi has to hold back her laugh at how quickly he understood her intentions.

“Class president, go with her to the nurse’s office.” The teacher responds nonchalantly.

Caitlyn turns towards her, eyes analyzing her. She stands, dusting off that mini skirt she adorns so well as her boots click against the classroom tiles. “Will be back soon.” Caitlyn mutters as she’s by Vi’s desk.

Vi coughs rather exaggeratedly and Caitlyn gestures towards the door. Vi clutches her chest as they begin leaving the classroom. 

Caitlyn is amused, she was sure Vi enjoyed this class. Why was she trying to get out of it? Vi huffs, as if trying to calm herself.

“So, what’s the deal for getting out of the class?” She asks cautiously when they’re far enough from the classroom.

Vi pauses, she needed to get out of the school premise as soon as possible. 

“Uh,” Vi is in full panic mode. Yellow shirt, denim shorts. Female age four. She’s repeating details in her head.

”Hey, could you do me a favour?” 

Vi says instead, grabbing onto Caitlyn’s shoulders rather aggressively. Caitlyn is more surprised that anything else, breath stolen away from her at their close proximity. It’s Caitlyn that’s completely star stunned this time.

Vi isn’t thinking too deeply about it. She had to focus on saving and doing her job. Suspect is armed, she reminds herself. 

“Sure.” Caitlyn agrees and Vi smiles at her. It’s genuine and real this time and it makes Caitlyn feel warm and fuzzy and—fuck.

”I actually forgot something at home so I got to run back and get it—-“

”What?”

”—so you can just tell the teacher I’m too sick. I’m really sorry, it’s an emergency.” Vi rubs her hands together. Caitlyn looks perplexed, “Uhm..”

”I’ll owe you one. Anything, literally anything.” Vi says when she doesn’t look convinced.

”Okay… I think.” Caitlyn says and Vi takes a step back. “You are a life saviour, Kiramman.” Vi says with such conviction it makes Caitlyn dizzy.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

Vi is bolting it down the hallway, tugging her sweater off before Caitly realizes. “How about… your bag…” 

She’s gone.

What the fuck just happened? Caitlyn is absolutely dumbfounded.

Vi tosses her clothes into a plastic bag she has for these situations. She slides it in between two dumpsters as she tucks her phone into her suit she had under her school clothes the entire day.

She tugs her mask on, tucking her hair in. She presses her suit and it compresses against her skin and muscle. 

“Welcome back, Vi.” The robot voice says. Vi is used to this, she swings through the alleyway and onto the main street. She ignores civilians pointing her way.

”Hey, Karen. Could you give me more details on the recent Amber Alert?” Vi says heading over to 54th Westpoint Avenue. 

Every street in Queens was rather familiar to her. She knows from memory that the upper 50s avenues to the West were packed with the rich side of town. 

Caitlyn happened to live on the 59th Avenue, just a corner away. Though it was in a gated community so it didn’t matter as much.

Vi ignores her own thoughts as Karen is explaining to her the situation.

”It seems as though the child is the daughter of the politician Nevil Reed.” Karen continues and Vi swings around a corner, brick house just five blocks away.

”The guy who was lobbying to switch to renewable energy?” Vi is confused, why would that kind of guy have any enemies. “The suspect Greg Mendel was laid off a coal mine to meet climate quotas. It is escalating.” Karen is so helpful. She’d have to ask and beg Vander to explain to her how he developed her.

”Pulling up the news now.”

Against her eyes, at least one of them, Karen shows a man who has a little girl holding his hand with him. A gun is indeed strapped against his waist. The news anchors are muted thankfully.

The girl doesn’t look scared, she’s eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Vi is trying to figure out the situation. He was taking care of the girl, the camera cuts to a shot of police surrounding the house.

”This seems rather excessive?” Vi mutters softly. “Wait, did he even ask for anything? Ransom?” She asks, slinging faster. Her spidey senses are telling her she needed to get there now.

”Nothing in the report.”

“Have they tried negotiating?” Vi asks again, she sticks against a wall, adjusting and running across it. She slides smoothly downwards before shooting another web against a taller building to swing.

One last block.

”Police and Greg have yet to make any contact.” Karen says and Vi grumbles under her breath.

”Okay.”

Vi tugs higher, swinging as high as she can before she lands on a house. She perches herself as she dissects the scene. Her knees are spread outwards as she’s squatting. 

Greg and the girl seem absolutely clueless as to what is going on. 

A fucking SWAT team is on site. “Update: Greg lost his hearing at a coal mining accident last year—-“ Karen continues and Vi takes a breath in, laser focused.

That would explain why he didn’t know that helicopters and police cars were blaring sirens outside his house.

Vi jumps as high as she can, tumbling and catching a side of a pavement when she comes down. The SWAT team are discussing, Vi needed to get Greg’s side of the story.

This wasn’t adding up. “Hey!”

Vi is caught breathing. “Well, so much for surprises.”

”What are you doing here?” A familiar voice is obviously annoyed with her. Vi tries not to act any different.

It’s Caitlyn’s mother, working as an upper executive for the police. “Spiderman.” Her voice seethes venom.

Cassandra Kiramman.

”Heya. Can’t talk right now, too busy being neighborhood friendly and doin’ my superhero stuff.” Vi clicks and clacks as guns are pointed at her.

”Leave the area at once.”

”Hey, Ms. Kiramman you’re cool and all but cut me some slack.” Vi groans as she webs against a taller building. Cassandra’s eyes widen in surprise as if to question why this superhero knew her name.

“Where are you going?!”

”You told me to leave!” She swings upwards, finding her way across buildings before she ultimately decides to full swing towards the house.

”Don’t go in there—-“ Laser pointers of snipers are following her movement, far too slowly. “Hold fire.” Cassandra is adamant but Vi doesn’t care if they shoot or not.

She had a job to do.

Vi breaks through the roof of the house, webbing it shut as she has to steady her breath. She webs it completely shut when she realizes cameras might see through the gaps of the strings.

Vi releases a steady breath. “Heart rate at abnormal levels.”

”I’m fine.” Vi responds. “I’ve detected a pattern of irregular heartbeats whenever Cassandra Kiramman is around, Vi.” Karen says almost teasingly. If a robot could be teasing even. Vi rolls her eyes as she sneaks around the attic.

The floorboards are creaky. 

Vi eventually finds the stairs, deciding that breaking another floor wasn’t worth the trouble. She slides down, clutching onto railing on the second floor and jumping down to the first. 

Vi huffs, eyeing the cameras that are invading a lot of privacy. Before Greg can realize she’s even there, she webs all the windows, obstructing any police and news vision.

Vi clears her throat, stretching her arm back as she waltz into the kitchen. “Hey.” She smiles sweetly… though it can’t be seen.

The little girl waves back at her with a big grin. “You’re Spiderman!”

Vi is opening the fridge when Greg in panic points a gun at her. The girl frowns at him excessively. “That’s Spiderman.” She says, mouthing the words and trying to tug his arm down.

”What’s your name?” Vi chuckles as Greg is confused, he puts the gun down with the little girl leading him. She grabs a juice box.

“Grace.” The girl grins brightly and Vi looks over to Greg. He has the girl in his lap and to his left is the crust of a sandwich. He seems to have been peeling a mandarin as Vi walked in.

”Grace, could you tell Greg that he’s in trouble cause a lot of people are looking for you? Your daddy is not happy.” She laughs casually as she drags out another seat from the kitchen table and joins them.

She tugs her mouth up just enough for her to drink the juice box. Grace is using sign language, Vi is rather impressed.

”The SWAT team is preparing to break in.” Karen warns and Vi doesn’t respond or react.

Greg looks surprised as he runs a stressed hand through his hair. “Did daddy say anything?” Grace frowns and Vi shakes her head.

“How do you know Greg?” Vi says instead, ruffling her hair as Grace sighs like she’s an adult. Vi finds that pretty cute.

“I met him when I volunteered at the school for the deaf. He was a substitute teacher.” Grace says as she gets up from his lap, Greg helps her by carrying her down enough to where her feet reach the floor.

“I’ll go with you, Mr. Spidey. I don’t want them to be mad at Greg.” Grace says and Vi chuckles at that.

Vi waves over to Greg who’s nodding slowly. Her mask is still tugged up so she mouths what she can. “Police. Outside.” Making sure Grace doesn’t hear or see any of it.

Greg raises an eyebrow and deflates at that.

As Vi holds the girls hand and tries to open the front door, it bursts open.

It’s almost in slow motion really, it was her senses that acted first. Vi webbed the girl back to the top of the railing on the second floor and jumped back down to kick one of the SWAT members from above.

About four guns are pointed at her face. 

She lands on the guy with an oomf. “She’s safe, bozos.” Vi points at Grace who waves at the big scary men with big scary guns.

”Our job isn’t done here. Greg Mendel must be subdued.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong. He was taking a stroll in the park found a lost Grace who was hungry. Shared a sandwich and now she’s leaving, right?” Vi shoves another guy out of the way. She holds the tip of one of the heavy duty guns in annoyance.

”Yup!” Grace raises her hand high to the sky.

”Need the order to pull back.” The guy who owns the gun she’s holding says.

”Then make the order.” Vi clenches her teeth. She refuses to let them any further. “Let our guy go first.” He’s tugging her gun away but Vi is relentless. She isn’t even trying to hold on, the guy under her is groaning in annoyance.

He nudges the end of the gun forward instead, catching Vi off guard. The butt of the rifle slams into her rib hard and she slams the tip right back at him with the same force.

He groans, “You started it.” Vi mutters with a sigh.

”Rest of you out first.” Vi has come to learn that you need to be adamant when dealing with the police.

They look around and the guy huffs, gesturing back with his head. 

Three of the guys exit. Vi slowly releases the gun and steps off the guy, “No harm done then.”

The two members look between themselves before Vi decides now is a perfect time to leave.

“And by the way, Greg’s deaf!” She shouts as she decisively jumps through a side of a window that had shattered upon the impact of the door being broken down.

Greg had to do a lot of maintenance.

“Hold fire!”

She hears Cassandra go again when the same stupid laser pointers are trying to follow her movement.

”You’re welcome.” She shouts towards them as she swings away. She feels dizzy from how stupid the police are.

She hates to think how this might have ended if she didn’t get the full story. Greg would have been arrested? Shot?

She sighs, “Boys in blue always manage to surprise me with their stupidity.” She is swinging back towards where she left her clothes.

”Where would you like to go now?” Karen says and Vi feels tired.

Vi tugs off her top. Wincing in pain from that stupid guy running his gun into her. She should have gripped onto it properly, she hadn’t expected him to well..  do that.

It’s when the top of Vi’s suit is off to see the bruising of her latest adventure with her mask still on at the side of the dumpster that someone decisively calls—“Spiderman?”

Her chest is wrapped in bandages, cause well Vi wasn’t keen on traditional bras and her abdomen is on full display. That isn’t the part that has her tripping though.

She’s turns around and is met with the goddess herself, Caitlyn. Vi pauses, that wouldn’t make sense.

She’s convinced her eyes are playing tricks, but she’s there. She’s so lost. It’s Caitlyn and she is still in her school outfit… and Vi is half naked.

Caitlyn didn’t have to pass by this shady area of town. What in the world was she doing here?

There’s a moment they just stare at each other before Caitlyn’s blue eyes widen.

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry!” Caitlyn is turning around and Vi clears her throat.

In a relief of the panic she just had, Vi feels herself a little dumbfounded. She just couldn’t catch a break today, could she? 

“I’ll be going on my way!” Caitlyn says her voice shaking in nervousness and Vi smiles a little at that.

She has to ground herself. It wouldn’t be very Spiderman of her to just let Caitlyn go, not in the middle of this shady neighborhood. Beyond that.. 

“It’s alright.” Vi says, tugging her superhero suit back on.

“Do you need some saving?” Vi is trying to contort her voice. Scared Caitlyn would catch on. She calls over before Caitlyn can run away.

”No, no! I apologize.” Caitlyn chokes out.

”You can turn around, y’know. Spiders don’t bite.. well, I don’t.” Vi says, leaning onto one of the walls. Caitlyn’s lips are in a muddled smile. Vi melts, she looks so good.

”This isn’t a good part of town for a girl like you. What’s your agenda?” Vi hums as the girl looks enamored. Her eyes are stuck on Vi and she can’t help but feel like her ego is being lifted.

“I was going to drop off a friend’s bag home, she forgot it at school. I unfortunately have no clue where it is.” Caitlyn is sighing, eyeing where skin was showing earlier.

Vi reminds herself—she is not Violet Valentine. She is a cool ass superhero. In front of her Caitlyn Kiramman, her crush of all years in high school, and Vi is a little selfish but she can’t pass up on this opportunity. 

Today she’s just Spiderman. Nothing more.

“You got an address?” Vi tilts her head, she’s still shorter than Caitlyn even in her suit. 

”Just this map…”

She tugs a crumpled paper from the back of her pocket. Vi almost deadpans, this has Ekko written all over it. 

It’s a poorly drawn map of their neighborhood and what is supposed to be Vi’s house encircled. Of course he told her to go through this stupid alleyway. No one ever goes through here.

Things click into place. She sees her red bag draped over Caitlyn’s shoulder and she pauses. 

Caitlyn’s friend was… Vi.

She feels a little stupid that her first thought is: Caitlyn is coming over? Then she catches herself and realizes something rather quickly.

”Alright, pretty lady. How about I swing ya to your friend’s place.” She says more sleazy than she wanted to.

If she dropped Caitlyn in front of her house then she’d have to answer the door… 

She’s already calculating how she plans to drop Caitlyn off swing towards the back of her house, jump through the window, and change. 

She could manage it.

”Oh, no. I’m sure you have other superhero stuff to do. Not a problem.” Caitlyn’s smile is so sweet.

”Not everyday a girl rejects me, but hey.” Vi chuckled deeply. “I have some time.” She says, hand reached out towards her.

Caitlyn is cautious as she takes Vi‘s hand. Vi takes the bag off her shoulder and shrugs it on herself. “Hold on tight.” Vi looks over at her.

Caitlyn looks absolutely perplexed. She drapes her arms over Vi’s shoulders. “May I?” She grins hand hovering over Caitlyn’s waist.

”..yes?”

Vi holds onto her waist and tugs her in tighter. Caitlyn’s eyes widen as they look at each other for a moment. Caitlyn’s cheeks are a full bright red. Vi is enjoying every bit of this.

”Up we go.” Vi chuckles as she launches them full into the air and Caitlyn is basically screaming her lungs out in a way Vi has never heard before.

”Oh my god.” Caitlyn is muffling against her ear as they swing across the buildings.

Caitlyn is holding onto her for dear life. “You alright there?” Vi says and Caitlyn nods her head rapidly. 

Vi notices rather quickly how scared she looks. 

She scales another building and drops them right on top. Caitlyn’s eyes are shut completely closed. Vi releases her waist, “I’m starting to think paying for your taxi would have been better.” Vi chuckles as she moves away from the girl.

She sits over the ledge while Caitlyn is catching her breath. “No, I’m sorry. It’s my first time… swinging.” She says and that makes Vi laugh. She throws her head back as her knee is propped up against the ledge.

“Let me know when you feel prepared then. I’ll bring us down to the floor and we’ll walk the rest of the way.” Vi says instead, stretching her legs outwards. Caitlyn looks embarrassed.

The sun is setting over the buildings over Queens and in New York, it’s about as good as it gets.

”Do you do this often? Pick up girls and… swing them across town?” Caitlyn mumbles as she decisively settles over the ledge next to Vi. 

Vi looks over at her with curiosity.

”Heart rate is high again, Vi.” Karen says, Vi doesn’t react. She’s gotten pretty used to that.

“Nope.” She says making a popping sound over the ‘p.’

Caitlyn crosses her arms.

She glares at Vi, “Yes, cupcake?” Vi says before she can think about it. Caitlyn furrows her eyebrows.

”Cupcake?” Caitlyn mutters.

Vi chuckles. Caitlyn sighs, “You are quite the ruckus.” She says and Vi hums in response.

”Not the type of hero you dreamed about?” Vi continues to tease, she stands on the ledge slightly. Caitlyn rolls her eyes, Vi wants to kiss it off her face.

”I appreciate the help, Spiderman.” She says instead. “I’m more confused at to why you offered it.”

”Is that so?” Vi wants to show off a little, she stops herself from doing anything weird in front of Caitlyn.

”I’m starting to think you’re a playboy.” Caitlyn says and Vi has to focus to not fall off the building.

”Take a girl to a beautiful spot in town and she’ll think you’re a playboy.” Vi shrugs and Caitlyn’s glare is insistent. She looks over at the sunset with a sigh.

”I suppose so.” She says, swinging her legs around as she stands up.

”I’m ready, we can swing all the way.”

Vi stops fooling around and jumps back over to where Caitlyn is. “One thing, cupcake.” Her eyes dart over to her skirt.

”Hm?” Caitlyn says as Vi approaches. She tugs Caitlyn’s skirt down.

“You have nice legs, a little distracting, but you should really be careful.” Vi says and Caitlyn does a full pause.

Caitlyn’s expression contorts to anger as she huffs. “Okay, superhero or not. All of you teenage boys are the same, really.” She rubs her temples in annoyance.

Vi has never really minded the whole.. Spiderman being a man thing. It was kind of in the name. She doesn’t really realize how creepy it must have been until now.

”Oh, uh.” Vi loses her streak of confidence. “Teenage?” Is the first thing she says.

”You can’t be more than seventeen.”

Vi feels steeled. She was exactly seventeen. She finds it slightly amusing Caitlyn could guess that right but had no clue she was not a… man at all.

“Riiight.. Well, sorry if I was being a creep. I didn’t mean it, really. I’ll be smarter about my comments and the way I touch you.” Vi raises her hands up. Caitlyn’s eyes narrow for a moment. Most chicks digged the whole.. confident flirty act.

Caitlyn clearly despised it.

This is the first time she said sorry as Spiderman to anyone. “I’m glad you’ve taken note.”

”Still up for swinging?” Vi offers cautiously. Caitlyn pauses, inspecting Vi. In her tight suit, her muscles are much more apparent than when she’s in school. Well… Vi supposes she purposely tries to hide her abs and all in school.

Caitlyn does a double take.

”You’re not a boy, are you?”

Vi feels her nerves freeze. She laughs it off, “Why would you say that?” She asks with amusement, at least trying to make it seem that way.

”You apologized and admitted fault quickly.” Caitlyn says, still analyzing every bit of Vi with such vigor.

”I’m a superhero an apology is in my nature.” Vi chuckles.

”You’re short.” Caitlyn snaps back.

“Boys can be short too, you know.” Vi says, she holds onto the straps of the bag. She continues being playful and teasing.

”You’re muscular but…” Caitlyn trails off. She looks at Vi, “You’re leaner than most boys.”

”So, you’ve been staring at my muscles huh cupcake.” Vi decides a different approach at shaking her trail. Stepping forward, Caitlyn blinks. Her cheeks are blushing again.

”Well, you were shirtless earlier and… I hadn’t meant to take a look, alright!” Caitlyn is shouting, Vi cackles in response. The girl is huffing at her reaction. The sun is close to setting completely.

Vi gets a bright idea. She knows she shouldn’t. She just do her little superhero duty and go back to fighting crime.

She should have just.. Vi muffles a breath.

”Okay, answer me and I’ll let you ask any question. How about that?” Vi says, Caitlyn takes the bait easily. Anything to sate her curiosity. God this girl was pretty, the last hues of the sun hitting her face at the perfect angle. 

Vi clears her throat.

”You don’t like boys.” She says more assertively than as a question. 

“Because I’m not into your sleazy flirting?”

“Most girls are, cupcake. You’d be surprised what the mask can do.” Vi shrugs and Caitlyn flips her hair ever so slightly. 

Vi knows Caitlyn isn’t straight. What she didn’t know if Caitlyn liked boys at all…

”If you must know then yes. I am not attracted to men at all.”

Vi feels victorious somehow. “Unfortunate for me, I don’t discriminate though. Still making sure you’re getting back home safe.” She says convincingly.

”Not until I get my answer.” Caitlyn responds and Vi prepares herself. 

“Shoot.” Vi nods.

She expects well.. Are you a boy or girl but instead is met with: “What’s your name?”

”Huh?”

”Full name.”

Vi pauses. “You want me to reveal my identity to you?” She looks at her with such bewilderment. Caitlyn shrugs, she really shot her shot.

”Vi, do I activate emergency protocols?” Karen says, “No, I’m alright.” Vi responds to both Caitlyn and Karen.

”You said anything.” Caitlyn looks betrayed and Vi is genuinely amused this time. “I don’t think you want to know anyway. You seem like the type of girl that likes the challenge of mystery.” Vi admits the mask gives her charisma.

“Fine.” Caitlyn backs down. “Are you a boy or a girl?” She says instead and Vi feels satisfied with how the conversation has gone.

”What’s your final answer?”

”You’re a…” Caitlyn trails off, she groans in annoyance. “An alien.” Vi waves her arms around.

Caitlyn gives her this intense state and Vi shrugs.

”I’m a…” Vi pauses. She considers telling Caitlyn. She considers the implications. She tenses a little bit.

”I’m a boy.”

Vi didn’t need Caitlyn on her trail. No one needed to know who Spiderman was. If they did, they’d be in too much danger.

Vi shakes that thought off

“So, just a creep then.” Caitlyn looks deflated and disappointed somehow.

”Yeah, yeah. I’ll be more mindful.” Vi says instead and Caitlyn hums in satisfaction.

Vi drops Caitlyn right in front of their house, she’s still shaken up but much better than earlier. 

“Well, as much as your extra quips have been… interesting. I do appreciate you bringing me all the way.” Caitlyn clears her throat as soon as her feet touch the ground.

”That’s what Spiderman does, no matter how pretty you are or not.” Vi gives her finger guns and Caitlyn doesn’t look amused any longer.

“Right.” Caitlyn says this time. “I’ll be on my way.” She gestures to the house.

”Make sure that girl of yours drops you home.” Vi calls out to her and Caitlyn pauses.

“Never said it was a girl.”

Vi shrugs, “Inference. You don’t like guys,” She laughs and Caitlyn grumbles. She climbs onto a street lamp. 

It’s dark out. “See you around, cupcake.”

Vi has to take every opportunity she can to book it out of there. She swing towards her house, high as possible to make sure Caitlyn can’t see her sneak in.

Caitlyn shudders once Spiderman is gone. 

He was not anything Caitlyn was expecting. She admits… she probably wasn’t the first to daydream. In the back of her mind, she had hoped for him to a be a girl.

She shakes it off. The backpack is leaning on the lamp pole Spiderman was at and Caitlyn picks it up.

She awkwardly walks into the patio of Vi’s house, pressing the doorbell. “Yeah?” A familiar voice shouts from inside.

The door tugs open and Caitlyn is met with a blue haired girl with cookie dough on her nose. They look at each other and before Caitlyn can greet, Powder is shouting.

”Vi, your girlfriend’s here!”

Caitlyn feels her heartbeat grow louder at that. “Sorry for intruding.” She says awkwardly and Powder grins.

”Nah, come in.” She offers and Caitlyn is finding herself in the middle of the Valentine household.

”Our Aunt is out right now, Vi should be up there… actually I haven’t seen her.” Powder finally realizes. “But—“

”I don’t have a girlfrie—“ Vi is running down the stairs, pausing to look at a blushing Caitlyn.

She feels like a loser without the mask on. Realizing Caitlyn can now see her facial expressions. “Oh, hi.” She says shyly.

Caitlyn waves back softly.

“Take it up to your room, I’m baking!” Powder calls back and Vi groans.

She gives Caitlyn a gesture as the girl who feels severely out of place is now walking up the stairs.

Vi feels heat creep up her neck. “Sorry about her.” She mutters as her room door is all the way open. Vi had shoved everything into her closet, expecting them to end up in her room.

”No, it’s alright.” Caitlyn is trailing behind her as they enter her room.

Vi is now noticing how small her room feels when the girl of her dreams is right next to her. Caitlyn shuts the door on her way on.

”I was going to text but… I didn’t have your number.” Caitlyn says apologetically and Vi nods her head. “Oh, uhm.” Vi springs.

”Do you, uh,” She mutters and Caitlyn smiles at how adorable she sputters. Vi wishes she could put a mask on.

”I’ll get it on my way out.” Caitlyn chuckles and Vi nods her head again. She feels useless as Caitlyn sits on her bed.

Vi sits next to her. “Oh, I came by to drop this off.”

Caitlyn has the bag in front of her. She stretches her arm out and Vi takes it with an appreciative smile.

The soft lighting of the room makes Caitlyn look so stunning. “You could have given it to me tomorrow.” Vi says and Caitlyn looks so much more confident and at ease with Vi.

With Spiderman, Caitlyn was frigid and cold. Vi feels her heart melt a little bit. “I thought you might have to do homework.” She says, scooting slightly closer.

”It’s kind of chilly today.” Caitlyn says and Vi feels her heart rate increase. Karen’s voice is in her head even if she isn’t actually there.

”Do you want a sweater..?” Vi offers softly and Caitlyn looks a little more hesitant. “If you don’t mind.” Caitlyn feels her heart flutter a little bit.

”Yeah, of course. Thanks for coming all the way.” Vi tries to be more confident. Caitlyn wants to cuddle up with her. She looks so comfortable.

Vi turns to her other closet, the smaller one that is more of a shoe rack but had been emptied out to use as a clothing rack instead. “Do you want to pick one?” Vi offers as Caitlyn shuffles up from the bed.

“Can I check the big closet?”

Vi whips her head as she sees Caitlyn move towards the closet where her Spiderman suit, her trinkets, web shooters, and other gadgets are thrown into. Also the mess of the laundry that was sprawled across her room had been thrown in there before Caitlyn had arrived.

Vi is jumping across the bed, “Wait!” She shuts the closet door as Caitlyn is pulling it open, a crack of light goes through it before Vi’s arm slams it close

She unintentionally pins Caitlyn between her own body and the now shut closet. Caitlyn’s eyes widen. Vi feels her breath sharpen.

“Sorry, yeah.” She feels heat crawl up her face. “My closet is a mess.” She whispers.

She attempts to pull away but Caitlyn hand tugs her free wrist. “It’s okay.” Caitlyn mutters nervously.

Caitlyn has a little tooth gap Vi had never noticed before. Her eyes are much deeper than she had known and Vi feels like she’s going to collapse with how near they are.

”Vi,” She whispers and Vi looks at her. Grey eyes widened as Caitlyn smiles. Vi is avoiding looking at her lips.

”Do you want to go to Prom with me?”

Vi looks surprised and she stills completely. “Me?” She looks at her in confusion.

“Mhm,” Caitlyn says, hand cautiously trailing over her baggy green shirt with scratched out Minecraft designs. Vi should have picked better but she had no time.

“Cait, I…” Vi trails off.

“You’re kind of muscular, aren’t you?” Caitlyn feels her bicep that’s shaped so well. 

Vi blushes, “I exercise a lot.”

”With Jayce?” Caitlyn asks and Vi nods. They’re still so close against each other. Vi has this level of panic that’s telling her she needs to pull away but then Caitlyn’s touch is addicting.

”That explains the sit ups.” She says removing her hand from getting too touchy. Vi bites her lip as she slowly pulls away, restraining herself.

”So, Prom?” Caitlyn asks again once they both can breathe without feeling each other.

”Uhm, yeah, as long as you’re sure.” Vi nods excitedly. Caitlyn giggles, “Of course I’m sure.” She says, Vi awkwardly hands her a black sweater.

“Violet,” Caitlyn calls over at her when another silence slips into the atmosphere. “Yeah?” Vi says casually and Caitlyn is going back on the bed. Vi follows off a tug from Caitlyn.

She crosses her legs. “What do you think about Spiderman?”

Vi’s brain does a full stop. “He seems fine. Cool guy, probably a smart one. Seems like a friendly guy with good moral.” She says with a shrug for authenticity.

“I met him today.” Caitlyn says and Vi’s lips grin upwards. “Yeah? How was he? Was he hot? Oh, was he as strong as they say?” Vi leans over to ask her questions about… herself.

”I wouldn’t have nicked you as a Spiderman fan.” Caitlyn chuckles at the cute way she’s staring at her in awe.

”To be honest, he seemed nice. A little too flirty, but pretty nice. You guys are the same height I think.” Caitlyn replies mindlessly. Vi feels her palms begin to sweat.

”Must be one short guy.”

”Well…” Caitlyn is deep into thought. Her skirt is riding up her thigh a little bit. “I don’t actually think he’s a guy, but he insisted so maybe I’m overthinking it.” She huffs.

”You argued with Spiderman?” Vi chuckles in response and Caitlyn warms at how comfortable Vi has eased into the conversation. 

“What can I say, it’s my charm.” Caitlyn says and Vi’s grin only continues to grow upwards.

”You’re actually quite the charmer yourself when you’re not dying on social awkwardness.” Caitlyn says, she shifts enough for her skirt to ride up a little higher. Vi clears her throat, “Yeah?” She says as she leans over to tug Caitlyn’s skirt down.

She considers saying something but she recalls that Caitlyn found it creepy. Maybe she should have just left it alone. “Are my legs distracting?” Caitlyn mutters.

Vi’s eyes widen. “Huh?” She says, ears so red. “I mean…” Vi trails off. Her brain is clicking for answers. “Yes, no? You have nice legs,” Vi mumbles awkwardly and she sighs into her hands.

”I’m sorry if that was a little too much touch.”

Caitlyn shakes her head. “It’s sweet you’re paying attention, thank you.” She says instead, hand on top of Vi’s.

Vi has no clue what she had done differently. She just knows she’s glad she did it.

“Violet.” Caitlyn says again, leaning in closer as their legs are tangled.

Vi melts at her gaze. “Yes, Caitlyn?” She plays along and earns a big grin from her. She’s on her bed with the prettiest girl she’s ever met.

Vi is going to heaven, she’s sure.

Caitlyn touches her upper collar as Vi decisively is leaning in. “How often do you exercise?” Caitlyn says.

Vi looks at her for a moment. She decides that spending this much time with Caitlyn is driving her crazy. Even if Caitlyn doesn’t know that she’s spent basically the entire evening with her already.

“Enough to be able to do stuff like this.” Vi laughs as she drags Caitlyn onto her lap with an oomf. Caitlyn is laughing loudly as Vi has her on her lap, fixing her hair.

”You’re not actually a nerd, hug.”

”Is that a good thing?” Vi has to stop herself from calling her Cupcake.

”I don’t know, I kind of like the nerdy girl at the back of the class. Working on a contraption instead of paying attention to class.” Caitlyn flicks her forehead as she’s now straddling her hip. Vi is holding her hands in.

”I’m just too ahead to be listening.” Vi groans and Caitlyn makes a face. “This is why you’re second and I’m first.” She whispers cockily.

Vi mocks her voice with a smirk. “This is why I’m first!” She says with a high pitched exaggerated whine.

”I do not sound like that.” Caitlyn smacks her chest with a giggle and Vi makes a face back at her.

”Yes, you do.” She copies her accent as Caitlyn leans in enough to push Vi all the way down.

Caitlyn is on top of her and Vi is looking at her, heart beating in her ear. “Are all British people this touchy?”

”Just me with you.” Caitlyn says deadpan and Vi can’t help but smirk a little.

Caitlyn is leaning in slowly, close enough for her breaths to hit Vi’s upper cheek. Vi is holding her waist down, lips slightly parted.

Their lips touch just slightly.

”I BURNT THE TRAY! OVEN IS ON FIRE!”

The door is busted open.

Powder stands there in an apron, a chef’s hat, cookie dough all over her, holding a pair of tongs. “The cookies are fine, don’t worry—-“

Her jaw drops open when she sees Caitlyn on top of Vi, their heads are both snapped towards the door.

”Oh! I’ll put the fire out!” She exits the room, slamming the door.

Vi hears the smoke detector beeping downstairs. She sighs as Caitlyn is laughing, “Sorry about that.” She lifts Caitlyn off of her like she’s nothing. Plops her back on the bed and screams after Powder.

”How the hell is the tray and oven burning but the cookies are fine?!”

She hears through the door.

Caitlyn has to pause to process that Vi had basically bench pressed her up as she was laying down and then put her flat onto the bed like she was air.

Vi was ridiculously strong.

By the time Caitlyn says bye, Vi is too tense to just sit around and do nothing. So she grabs her suit and swings away. Crime happened at night anyway.

“You a cop?”

Vi feels a headache burn through her skull as she webs the guy’s hand to a wall. “Man, do I look like a freaking cop?” She groans as the guy screams in terror.

”I have—I have a gun!”

”Oh yeah?” Vi webs his other hand, rendering him unable to move.

He screams louder and Vi webs his mouth shut. “If I was a cop, I’d legally have to tell you.” She says. “Actually, nah I probably wouldn’t.” She snickers.

”Word of advice, don’t steal cars in Queens.” Vi webs up the broken window as she shoots another attached to a different part of the building. “Holler at Spiderman, if you need a ride. My business card is under the web!” She continues to chuckle before taking the hanging string upwards

She’s back to swinging. It’s the middle of the night and she’s craving a sandwich. Maybe she would go to Jericos.

Today was relatively silent. Not really the type of night she was used to. Giant mutated rats, goblins, creatures from another dimension, and literally just sand or electricity. Vi has dealt with all of them.

Her phone is buzzing in her pocket. Vi settles on-top of a skyscraper. “Hey hey, it’s a busy night. What ya got for me?” She answers with her Spiderman tone.

There’s sniffling on the other side of the line.

“Vi..?” 

Vi has to pause for a moment. She shifts into character, adjusting herself. “Oh, Cait.” Her voice softens.

“Hi, sorry. Are you busy? I’ll call back another time—“

”No, I have time for you.” Vi is immediate in response. She’s nice about because well.. it’s Caitlyn. “Are you alright?” She says as carefully as possible.

The girl sounded like she was crying.

“I just wanted to talk.” Caitlyn mutters and Vi knows not to press on it even if it’s likely not true.

“Over the phone? I could go over to you.” Vi says, pressing the phone against her cheek and using her shoulder to stabilize it as she fiddles around with some of the holographic commands of her suit.

”Really?” Caitlyn sounds so hopeful and Vi feels her heart tug. She would probably have web slinged to space for this girl.

“Of course.” Vi hums sweetly.

”Let’s meet at a cafe near my house, is that okay? It’s 24/7.” Caitlyn sounds like she’s scared of intruding. Vi wishes she just would.

“Argument at a Gas Station. Arson happening at Northpoint.” Karen’s voice alerts with red warning signs. Vi holds back an annoyed sigh. Her hands is up for her web shooter, the eyes of her mask giving her the location. The situation looks terrible.

”Yeah, no worries. Could we meet in about 30? I have to find a cab.” Vi responds and Caitlyn sounds so cheerful when she responds.

It’s a guy holding a bucket of gasoline and a hand held lighter trying to ignite the liquid. Someone else shoves him and the video cuts.

”Take your time! I’ll see you, okay? I’ll buy you cake for coming to see me.” Caitlyn is basically bouncing at the tip of her feet.

Vi clenches her jaw.

”No need, Cait. Anytime, alright? I’ll see you.” Vi responds back cooly as she begins swinging up north.

Caitlyn says her farewell as they end the call and Vi is stressing. “Likelihood of the gas station exploding is—-“

There’s a giant explosion from the corner of Vi’s eye. “Are you serious?” She groans under her breath as she continues swinging. She’s fast with it now, mastered her tech.

”Karen, fireproof the suit. Call the fire station.”

”On it, Vi.” The AI responds.

Vi sticks a landing on a building, getting another running jump start to swing further and faster. The built up momentum helps as the hues of orange and yellow are getting closer.

In fact, Vi can feel the heat.

”That’s a huge issue.” Vi is stressed, she sticks behind the area of arson. There’s a man stuck inside the gas station store, another in between flames, a car that’s catching on fire.

Firetrucks are blaring off in the distance. Vi bites her lip as she continues to analyze. She wasn’t going to be able to save everyone in time. She feels her heart sink to her feet.

She takes a breath in, she’ll have to try. Vi’s eyes dart between the locations of where the fire is most prominent. Her suit is feeling sticky against her skin thanks to the heat.

The culprit is surrounded by his own mistake, gasoline everywhere.

Vi takes a breath in. Car then store then man.

She nods to herself as she swings into action. She jumps straight into a flame, she starts by smashing in the window of the SUV. There’s a passed out man and little boy in the front, coughing his life away.

Vi rips the door open on the Dad’s side, flopping him against the pavement. She jumps over the car quickly, tugging the door off from where the kid is and tucking his small frame under her arm.

She grabs the Dad on her way out and slugs him over her shoulder. Trying to avoid any further damage she sticks a web onto the a the sign board of the station, high enough for her to swing them above the fire that continues to spread.

She leaves them right at the entrance of the road, hoping that the firefighters would be there soon.

She turns back. “Karen, how much more time do I have?” She says in a panic.

”Two minutes for the store, about three for the man over there.” Cursors pop up against her eyes and Vi takes a breath in. She has no time to think about how stupid this is.

She swings towards the glass doors of the store, kicking it down effectively. To her horror, there are three people coughing and dying from the flames that have reached into the structure.

Vi starts by taking an elderly woman then the cashier behind the counter. She looks over at the muscular man. With her right arm she drapes the two passed out women over and with her left, the man who’s half awake is clutching onto her.

”Don’t let go.” She warns him as she breaks open a window and webs the sprinklers to start doing their job.

They’re rusty and old but eventually the webbing works and they turn on.

Vi struggles a little, there were three people in her arm. It was less about the weight, they didn’t weigh much at all. It was more of making sure they all got to safety with her movement restricted like this.

Vi stretches her wrist out as she slings onto a concrete pillar, it thins out but it does the job of getting them out of the burning structure.

She drops off the three people to a now very active medical team. “Spiderman!” One of the firefighters wave.

”Chief—-“

”No time. There are more people.” Vi mumbles as she swings back into the fire. She can’t see through the heavy smoke and no matter how good her suit is, it’s starting to get to her. Her lungs feel heavy and the heat is dizzying.

”Hey! Where did you go!” She’s shouting, trying to find where the man that she saw earlier was.

”Vi, you have thirty seconds before there is more damage to the area is done. Last tank is susceptible to explosion and roof is falling in.” Karen inspects and Vi feels her knees weaken through the lack of oxygen.

”Okay, yeah.” Vi says, she slings back upwards. She sees nothing through the smoke so she’s jumping back down in the matter of two seconds.

Vi continues to search, tricking to fan away the smoke somehow. She’s kicking around and swings up then down a few times.

”Vi, fifteen seconds.”

Vi is going to curse herself to hell if she dies like this. She’s relentless anyway. In the corner of her eye, she sees the red gasoline can the guy had near him earlier.

She bolts, sliding through the asphalt to get a better view of the ground. She sees a hand, immediately she tugs it, over her shoulder.

”Three, two—“

Vi has to throw the guy mid air and web him to the sign board, his head smacking against it, neck flopping back, and Vi winces but the next thing she knows is that there’s heat against her and a loud bang.

Vi goes flying into a wall.

The area of impact isn’t as big when the firefighters have sealed it off as they were supposed to.

”Ah,” She groans, her suit top is torn from the heat. She feels sharp pain course through her.

”Spiderman, Spiderman!”

The first aid workers are coming to her as she sees the guy being taken off the sign board and wheeled into an ambulance. Her heart drops. Was that guy dead?

”Mask is intact, significant damage to your suit top and gloves. Web shooters are functional.” Karen says. “Blood pressure high, heart rate high. High possibility of fractured rib detected. Hair may be damaged. Highly suggested to get a CT scan, low but still possible rates of brain damage are present.” Karen continues as Vi intakes the information.

”I’m alright.” She raises a hand to the three workers who are trying to help her up. She finds herself limping up.

”Is that guy going to be okay?” She says instead, clutching onto the side of her rib. 

They look anxious to answer. “We’re not completely sure.” One of them finally answers.

”Update me on all of their conditions. Here’s my business card.” She says tugging out one of her ridiculous cards. Vi feels pain surge throughout her body.

”Thanks for the help guys.” She waves back, trying to be that cheerful symbol a superhero is supposed to be.

“Karen, probability of that man’s death.” Vi mutters as soon as she swings out of the area.

”Vi, I do not think releasing this information will have positive effects onto your psychological health.” Karen deflects and Vi is breathing heavily. Her head is thumping as the memory of that guy being slammed against the wall, eyes losing color, is played in her head again.

”Give me the information.”

”..a 78 percent chance of death.”

Vi sticks herself between two walls, feet dragging down until she meets the floor.

Vi feels sick to her stomach. She’s paused in a dark alleyway, tugging her suit off. She knows it’s dangerous but she feels stupid. “I should have been faster.” Vi buckles as she punches the wall, it dents.

The mask stays on.

”Vi, according to my calculations, there was no better way you could have saved that man.” Karen says, the AI wasn’t the best comforter but when push came to shove it was what Vi needed.

”He is more likely to be dead than not.” Vi feels frustration in her veins. “Being any faster than you are now would not be probable.” Karen responds, Vi feels like she’s arguing with a wall.

”Vi, if you did not do what you did his probability of death would be 100%. However, I do not think I am the companion you are in need of. I suggest you reply to your friend at the soonest.” Karen pulls up a tab of Caitlyn’s messages from three minutes ago. When Vi was blasted into a wall by an exploding gas tank.

Caitlyn has a smiley next to her text: “ETA? ^^”

Vi bites her lip, bruising it further. “Reply: I’ll be there in five.”

”Replying.” Karen says and Vi feels less heavy. “Thank you for your help, Karen.” Vi says softly.

”Anytime, Vi.”

Vi puts her suit back on. She stays silent as she swings across the buildings. Not even a thought processing in her brain. 

The city lights feel dimmer and duller than usual. She feels empty inside. She tries not to let it get to her head. Vi knows this is part of the job.

You can’t save everyone. 

Vi knows this. This was exactly what Vander was talking about.

Vander designed her suit, took her in, and trained her. He was this genius (playboy?) philanthropist at the top of the superhero food chain and Vi needed to know how he dealt with shit like this.

She feels her self confidence crumble.

Her feet meet solid ground as she settles at the back of the building of the cafe.

She tugs off her suit top and bottom first, grey pants under. They were slightly burnt.

Vi tugs off the mask, half naked in grey sweatpants.

She had no time to swing home for fresh clothes. She takes her black shirt from earlier today and tugs it on, folding her suit and shoving it into her bag.

She slips through one of the corners, eyes looking for Caitlyn. Vi combs her hair, as much as she can when she realizes some strands are beyond singed. After making sure her face isn’t covered in ash, she pushes the door in.

It jingles, Caitlyn’s eyes dart over to the entrance, expression immediately turning into one of pure joy.

Vi smiles back at her the best she can, fist bunched up in her pocket.

Caitlyn’s eyes dart from Vi’s head to toe then—-

“Oh my, Violet.” Caitlyn’s gaze contort into worry as Vi is approaching. The taller girl is standing, hand cupping her cheek as the other checks her hair.

She pauses as she’s met with the scent of… asphalt, oil, gasoline? Caitlyn has to really process. Burnt car tires. Vi smelt heavily of burnt car tires and other similar burnt rubbers.

”Did something happen?” Caitlyn’s mouth is gaped. Vi winces when Caitlyn touches a scratch on her face. “Uh,” Vi trails off, eyeing the television in the corner.

“I.. I was at the accident, there.” She pointe over and Caitlyn’s eyes widen. “In Northpoint?” Caitlyn responds and Vi nods weakly, her lungs feel hoarse.

”What were you doing there? How did you get here so quick?”

Vi blinks a few times. “Was dropping off Powder for her… pottery lesson, yeah. Some firefighters dropped me off cause I refused to go to the hospital.” She comes up with an excuse and Caitlyn’s eyes soften with worry.

She tugs the girl into the seat she has in the corner of the cafe. “Your hair,” Caitlyn tries to comb through the singed strands. “And your face, are you hurt anywhere else?” She holds her hand.

”I’m alright, Cait.” Vi chuckles from her worry.

Her thumb brushes over Vi’s scar. “Over at the accident site, we have news that Spiderman saved eight people today, isn’t that right?” 

Both their heads snap towards the television. “Did you… see him?” Caitlyn is cautious and Vi shakes her head. “No, I was with the firefighters as soon as it happened.” Vi responds back, leaning into Caitlyn’s touch.

Caitlyn touches Vi’s bicep and tentatively her upper rib, eyes filled with question. “Agh,” Vi groans in pain when Caitlyn brushes over her fractured rib.

“I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Caitlyn holds her in place as Vi is trying to shake it off.

“Mhm, yeah.” Vi tries to sit back down. Caitlyn sighs, “Vi, would you like to head over to my home?” She mutters softer and Vi shakes her head. 

Vi holds her hand tenderly, breathing through the pain of her rib. “You said you wanted to talk.”

Caitlyn frowns, “I do but not like this.” She says adamantly and Vi purses her lips. She tilts her head softly, “You’d rather we be in bed?” She teases with a glint in her eye.

Caitlyn’s eyes widen as if she realizes what that entails. She smacks Vi’s shoulder—“Ow!”

”Sorry!” Caitlyn’s cheeks have reddened.

Vi sticks her tongue out, “I’m just kidding that didn’t hurt.” She chuckles as Caitlyn grumbles something under her breath. She looks visibly upset as she takes a breath in.

She huffs, taking her books into her arms and pressing them against her chest. A half hot and half drunk americano sat on top of the table. Caitlyn’s mini skirt sways as she mutters. “Follow me or.. don’t.” She says, biting her tongue as she begins walking.

Vi raises a curious eyebrow. “Cait, I can barely walk.” She groans in pain excessively, holding onto her chest as she closes both her eyes.

She opens one eye as she hears Caitlyn’s footsteps have come to a halt.

She sees Caitlyn standing over her with puffed cheeks. “Just say you don’t want to come over, idiot.” She mutters softly as she angrily begins stomping away.

Vi’s eyes widen as she begins chasing after Caitlyn out the cafe with panic. Her jaw is slacked, “I want to go!” She calls out as Caitlyn keeps walking.

Vi is following as she curses herself for being an idiot. Caitlyn was feeling sensitive of course she wasn’t up for her teasing. Vi muddles a breath as Caitlyn is forced to stop at a stoplight.

Vi stands right next to her on her tippy toes. “I want to go.” She says again. Caitlyn looks over at her with no expression and looks away.

”Cait,” Vi whines as she tugs her arm. “Why wouldn’t I want to spend more time with you? Especially in your room.” Vi says trying to make amends but it falls on deaf ears.

Vi takes a breath in.

”What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry for teasing you look cute when you blush, I would kill to stay over at your place, and thank you for worrying. I won’t… do it…” Vi starts speed rapping, trailing off when Caitlyn looks over at her with a smirk.

”…again?”

Vi deadpans as they begin crossing the street. “You were never mad at me.” She says in realization.

Caitlyn holds onto her pointer finger that sways right into her open palm. “You started it.”

Caitlyn’s house is too huge for them to be there alone.

Both Caitlyn‘s parents are over at some fundraiser late into the night. Vi’s eye looks over at the clock that shows ten fifteen. 

Caitlyn is shuffling with the first aid kid filled with a million different things as Vi is forced onto her king sized bed that’s stacked with plushies of all sort.

”Take your shirt off.” 

Caitlyn has surgical gloves on as Vi is dumbstruck. “What?” Her elbows are propped against the bed, supporting the weight of her upper back.

“Cait, it isn’t that serious.” Vi smiles at her as sweet as she can muster and Caitlyn doesn’t budge.

“My dad is a surgeon at the best hospital in Queens, I’ll decide for myself how serious it is.” Caitlyn sounds more solemn than usual and Vi frowns as she begins tugging off her black shirt slowly.

Loose bandages cover her chest and purple and black bruising trails her lower ribs. She has wounds that are partially open, bloodied around her skin, and there are multiple scars.

Caitlyn physically comes to a pause when she sees Vi’s injuries.

Vi refuses to look at her. “Violet.” She says after what feels like a lifetime. Caitlyn tugs off her gloves with a lofty sigh hanging from her lips.

”Be honest with me.” She says as she walks around the bed, sitting right next to where Vi is. “Where did you get these wounds?” 

“I told you.. the accident.” She mutters and Caitlyn feels herself sink into the mattress slowly. “The burn marks, the bruising maybe. Even if it is a bit excessive.” Caitlyn remarks, she tugs the kit towards her.

As she’s taking out a cotton ball and alcohol Vi’s eyes glaze over. “But these scars, those wounds here, there’s a bruise I think is hard for you to get in a fire induced accident.”

Caitlyn pauses. “Could you turn around for me?”

Vi swallows her breath as she slowly flips herself over into somewhat of a plank position.

Caitlyn‘s eyes widen at the swelling of her rib, her entire back is bruised. “Did you get thrown against the ground multiple times?” Her breath of surprise is heard.

“Can I?” Caitlyn says as she hovers against her skin. “Yeah.” Vi says quietly as Caitlyn inspects the swelling.

She furrows her eyebrows, “Your rib is fractured or even broken.” She emphasizes as Vi nods her head. “Why did you refuse hospital service?” She sounds breathless.

Vi turns herself back around as soon as Caitlyn’s done. “I get back on my own feet pretty quickly.”

Caitlyn takes in a scattered breath as she  wordlessly presses the cotton ball against Vi’s wound. “Cait!” She winces in pain and Caitlyn gives her a glare.

She continues to clean around the wounds, switching for a second cotton ball, and making sure she doesn’t miss a spot.

Vi stares at her, lip quivering. She couldn’t tell her that she was a superhero that got caught in the explosion of the gas tank or that earlier that morning a bunch of SWAT guys jabbed her rib with a gun.

Vi couldn’t tell Caitlyn her biggest secret.

Caitlyn has ointments and a wrap of bandages out as she softly applies the medicine. “Are you okay?” Vi whispers hoarsely as Caitlyn has to bite her lip to try not to cry.

Caitlyn finishes applying ointment and as she begins wrapping Vi up in bandages Vi holds her wrist. “Let me just… finish this. Please.” Caitlyn says and Vi is forced to release her.

Caitlyn pauses at the bruise right under her chest, the one on her upper rib. Her eyes are narrowing for a moment. It was the bruise she had from earlier this morning, Vi knows that for sure.

”What are you looking at?” Vi says when Caitlyn is still for a little longer than expected.

”No.. nothing. Just the location of the bruise was.. familiar.” Caitlyn says and Vi has to steel herself.

Caitlyn would have never seen Spiderman’s bruises? Was she referring to someone else?

Vi has to stop her brain from thinking when she realizes very quickly that Caitlyn had in fact seen Spiderman’s bruises. Earlier today at the back of that dumpster  but Vi shakes that thought out of her head. There was no way in hell Caitlyn was able to see her bruise from that far.

Vi admits it was very dark and noticeable but in one look? She doubts regular people have such attentiveness.

She can’t take a chance like that. “I lied.” Vi chokes out and Caitlyn’s expression warps with surprise. She tucks in the last of the bandages, wrapping Vi from her collar to her lower waist.

”I saw Spiderman.” She says as she gets up from her lying position to sit at eye level with Caitlyn.

”I got caught in the accident, I was one of the people he saved. I got hit by the explosion and I denied health care because the news stations were following all the medics and victims. I got there quickly cause he brought me over. Rather… swung me over.” Vi fabricates a story off the top of her head. 

Caitlyn looks into her eyes to decide how convinced she is. “Why did you decide to lie?” She says in response.

”Wha—- why?” Vi blinks and she clears her throat. “Ah, I.. don’t know. I’m sorry it was my first instinct. I was trying to not make this about me. I wanted to hear you, talk about how you were doing.” She says, her eyes are widened as she tries not to drag her words.

Caitlyn slams the first aid kit shut.

”I’ll get you ice for the bruising.”

Vi is deciphering what emotions are running through Caitlyn. She doesn’t really think when she grabs onto Caitlyn’s arm as she stands and tugs her onto her.

”Violet! I’m going to hurt you.” Caitlyn says as she lands on Vi’s bare chest. “No, you’re light.” Vi says, Caitlyn is so red as their faces are too close.

Caitlyn’s legs are tangled with Vi’s, her shirt pressing onto Vi’s bare abs, hands on her collar. “Violet.”

”Stop saying my name like that.” Vi says jaw working against her cheek. Caitlyn doesn’t take her attitude, “Well, how would you rather I say it.” She snaps back with sass.

”With less anger,” Vi responds almost immediately. “You’ve sounded so angry with me since you laid eyes on me.” Vi admits with a long breath following her sentence.

Caitlyn stills at that.

”I’m trying to not anger you.” Vi says, hold her wrists in place. Right on top of her collarbones, “But it’s not working and I need to know why.”

Caitlyn sucks her cheeks in. “Because,” She says with emphasis.

Vi looks at her with hopes of genuinity. “Because you looked so beaten when you walked in and you acted like it wasn’t a big deal. You lied to me and it..” Caitlyn looks at her grey eyes. Vi looks back right at her, not avoiding her gaze this time.

”It feels like you’re hiding so much all the time.” Caitlyn says embarrassedly tugging her wrists from Vi’s grasp.

“You’re making machines at the back of class, lying about your physicality to our teachers, hiding your figure with baggy clothing,” Caitlyn’s words are sharp as they are from the cracks of her mind. Vi listens intently, watching as her hair that’s in a high ponytail falls right into place.

She’s gorgeous. ”You said you got contacts but you haven’t, and you’ve clearly been injured many times. I mean look at—-“

Vi can’t stop herself from pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

Caitlyn squeaks immediately.

Vi looks just as surprise as she realizes what she did. “Oh my god,” Vi pauses as Caitlyn is frozen on top of her. “Holy, I’m sorry. You looked really pretty and I didn’t think about it. You were talking about something serious.” Vi is scorning herself.

Caitlyn takes her cheeks with trembling hands. “And you pull this. More confident than you always seem. You’re such a mystery.” Caitlyn mutters as she’s leaning in.

Vi’s eyes are staring right at her lips. “How did you know I don’t have contacts?” She smiles and Caitlyn squeezes her cheek lightly when their noses touch.

”Because you stare at my legs while I’m staring at your eyes dummy.”

”Mm,” Vi mumbles as Caitlyn finally presses their lips together. 

Caitlyn jumps in surprise when Vi’s tongue comes into contact with hers. Vi pulls away slightly, “Sorry is that—-“

Caitlyn is tugging her in, tongue first.

Caitlyn is twirling her hair against the locker, discussing with Jayce about their life as they usually do. “Okay, that’s just ridiculous.” Jayce sneers and Caitlyn rolls her eyes at him.

”No, if Spiderman was a guy he wouldn’t be that lean. It’s biologically impossible.” Caitlyn huffs as Jayce continues to laugh at her.

She pauses for a brief moment, recalling the bruise marks Vi had and how it mirrored the wounds on Spiderman. No.. it wouldn’t make sense.

“Oh, you’re just grumpy cause Auntie didn’t let you have PB for breakfast!” 

Her head snaps over to a Vi who’s groaning as Powder is tugging on her arm, “No, I’m grumpy cause I had to take one for the team and now Aunt May is pissed off that I burnt the oven when it was you!” Vi snaps back.

“Sheesh.” Powder frowns. “I said I was sorry.” She crosses her arms, Vi pushes her aside and continues walking through the hallway.

”See you in class loser.” Vi mutters at her sister as her eyes look around before she’s on her skateboard, dodging other teens.

Caitlyn’s eyes are on her. “You should care less about Spiderman and worry more about getting your crush to go to Prom with you.” Jayce makes this teasing yawning sound and Caitlyn glares at him.

She clicks her tongue as Vi is approaching. “Says you, that’s rich.” She replies and Jayce grins. “Well, Sprout. I’m a senior and he’s a first year in university. I doubt he wants to go to Prom. You on the other hand…” He cackles.

Caitlyn sticks her hand out.

Vi halts to a stop, leaning her skateboard forward just enough for it to slam onto the tiles as she glides off smoothly. Her eyebrow raises, seeing familiar navy hair and she kicks her skateboard up. “Oh, hey Cait.” Vi says with a slight smile.

”Morning, Viii.” She says with a flirty tone, almost like a lovesick puppy.

”Pretty boy.” Vi nods at him and Jayce makes a confused expression as he observes the way the two of them interact.

“Yeah… hey.” Jayce is rubbing his chin.

Caitlyn tugs Vi towards her, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She’s wearing this lipgloss and bright red lipstick that stains Vi’s cheek. “Oh,” Vi seems taken aback as she allows Caitlyn to lace their fingers together.

“Thanks.” Vi mumbles shyly earning a smile from Caitlyn. “Thanks?” She giggles back and Vi clears her throat feeling her ears burn red.

Jayce has to pause.

”Are you two dating?”

”Yes.”

”No.”

They exchange a look.

”No?”

”Yes?”

Jayce smirks with amusement. “Have fun ladies.” He clicks his fingers as he finds that the best time to slop away from the conversation.

Vi and Caitlyn look at each other before bursting into fits of giggles. “I guess it doesn’t really matter right now.” Vi hums as Caitlyn squeezes her hand.

”Let’s head to class?” Caitlyn offers and Vi nods.

“I’ll follow, just got to get my skateboard into my locker.”

”Alright,” Caitlyn says as she waves along, a smile blooming on her lips as she makes her way to class.

Vi has a pleasant smile on her face as she skips over to her locker a few paces away. She punches in the code and throws in her skateboard. Shifting into place, she grabs her suit’s mask and stuffs it into the inner pocket of her jacket.

Vi was wearing an oversized hoodie with a varsity jacket today, she admits the night with Caitlyn had her in a good mood for the morning.

She taps on her watch a few times, “New Message from Mr. Warwick.” Karen’s voice is on the lowest volume possible.

Vi winces, “Play it, please.”

A holographic from her watch spits out Vander, her mentor, her father figure, and the best superhero in the world. Vi is eyeing the hallway that’s more empty now that class is due to start.

“Hey, kid. In Germany right now, got some extra work I have to do for Warwick Industries. I have something I need you to check out. I’ll send the file over… now. You’re doing good? Yeah, I know you are. See you around.” He tilts his champagne glass towards her as he’s wearing casual clothes.

Vi smirks to herself, that never got old. “Would you like me to dissimulate mission information?”

The bell rings.

”Later, thanks!”

She slams her locker shot as she begins running down the hallway. She slides over to class, jogging in before her teacher is. Her usual spot is taken and her eyebrows are furrowing but her mathematics teacher clears his throat and Vi takes the only seat that’s free left.

Her eyes trail over to the girl in front of her. 

She unzips her backpack, settling it on the floor as she rips out a page of her notebook.

Her teacher begins discussing their module and Caitlyn is laser focused. She needed to get a ninety two to guarantee subject excellency in math.

She feels something smack against her head, quite light. She eyes the crumpled paper that flops onto the floor. In a moment of annoyance she reaches over, jaw clenching as she turns behind her briefly.

The cutest smile is looking at her, waving. Caitlyn raises an eyebrow and Vi winks. The girl promptly turns back around with a heaved sigh.

She uncrumples the paper and sees in a bright pink pen and round handwriting: 

Cait!

Caitlyn looks over at her own pencil case as she digs to find her dark blue pen. She smiles to herself as she writes back under it.

?

She pauses.

Yes?

She adds next to the question mark. Without turning back to Vi she slides the paper over her shoulder. Vi grabs it with ease, her feet swinging as she writes back enthusiastically.

What are you doing today?

Vi purses her lips, adding a cute star next to the sentence. She taps Caitlyn’s shoulder and her hand extends for the paper.

The exchange follows a long list of conversation.

Cait!

Yes?

What are you doing today?⛤

Are you asking me out? ^^

Kiss a girl once and she’ll think you’re obsessed with her (I am)

Meet me after class <3

I like your hair today

Just today?

… ):

I’m kidding. Thank you, Violet

YW! Do I get to hold your hand later?

Pay attention to class and maybe

kayy 

Caitlyn looks over her shoulder to give Vi a satisfied smile. Vi tilts her head cutely to show that she’s in fact paying attention.

Caitlyn turns back feeling herself melt into a puddle of goo.

It’s about two days before Prom. Vi has to beg Ekko to find her an outfit cause Vander is making her do so much work it’s a little unsettling.

Apparently under one of the abandoned subway stations in Queens one of the traps Vander had put up was set off. What kind? Vi has no clue.

She has her feet stuck onto the ceiling as she fiddles with her camera. Remembering the functions.

Prom on way meant work. Vi didn’t like work… but a deal was a deal.

Vi sticks onto the ceiling, climbing upside down slowly. Her mask feels stuffier than usual. She slings her camera over her shoulder.

The quiet drip drops of the leaking pipes in the dirty dusty subway station gives her a chill. Vander had explained to her that from what can be gathered, someone was trying to gain access to Warwick technology to make some kind of prosthetic?

Vi isn’t completely sure. She continues crawling across the ceiling, silence being a familiar sound. Her nightvision helps severely, she looks over at the train with smashed glass. She jumps down, feet splashing against a shallow puddle.

Vi tumbles and flips over a few pieces of debris. She eyes the empty subway cart and the smashed window. It looked recent. 

Vi purses her lips, she jumps through the window easily as she looks at how empty the entire railway is. It was just this one cart stuck onto it.

The sharp shards of the windows are narrowly missed as Vi examines some more. 

She shoots her web through the open window, sticking it into a crevice on the floor. She boxes a pattern across the cart floor. It’s meticulous but thin enough. A trap with tripwires of sorts. 

She jumps onto the ceiling, hand pressing the bulb that’s still warm.

The cart was weirdly empty too. No materials, no technology.. nothing. Vi surely had more exploring to do.

She sees in the corner of her eye: purple. She looks at shards of glass once more. They all looked different. 

The spilt purple liquid on the floor seems to be an indicator for something… but what? Vi isn’t quite sure. “Vi, I do not advise you touch that.” Karen warns as her hand is extending towards it.

It’s almost neon.

”I need a sample, don’t I?”

Karen scans the liquid.

There’s shuffling that sounds awfully like metal clanking together, gears churning and gurgling. Vi’s eyes widen as she jumps through the window in panic once more.

She groans slightly as her thigh nicks the glass due to carelessness. Vi slides under the track quietly.

With her thankfully still clean hand she presses against the wound, blood evident. She webs it up and holds her breath.

”Nothing! Nothing is working.” 

The voice sounds frustrated, rather raspy. Like a grandfather that had smoked packs.

Vi has to bite her tongue to silence herself. “This isn’t enough.” 

Vi listens as an ominous silence settles. She looks over at the web she had shot through the floor earlier, scooting towards it. Her arm extends enough to reach it.

She closes her eyes and tries to just listen. The sound of leather boots on glass shards; fifteen meters… then thumping against the hollow metal of the cart floor.

The sound of webs sticking against fabric. “Spider webs.” The voice snarls. Vi feels her heart rate heighten.

”Vander said to avoid contact, Vi.” Karen warns as Vi is reaching over to tug her trap. She considers it for a moment, feeling her hand tremble.

Vi almost misses it off her hesitation but her Spidersenses go off, brain waves sharp as a long blade stabs through the metal like it’s butter and Vi has to play dodge the knife before it guts your organs.

Her body shimmies and she tugs the web, latching onto a foot and turning whoever is in that cart upside down. Vi muffles a breath, turning herself horizontal as she kicks, still barely pulling back her strength.

The cart flies sideways like a Jenga tower and Vi rolls enough to climb out and up from under the rails.

“What? Huh? Karen, where did—-“ Before Vi can address the missing man from her rather perfect trap if she can say so herself, there’s smoke. A lot of it.

Smoke that’s all consuming. It’s grey and black, it’s almost hypnotizing. The colours look like death itself, staking its claim. Vi can’t get that picture out of her head for some reason.

Vi swallows heavily, feet feeling frozen. “Vi, that is poison.” Karen warns. Vi has to move, her breath is stunned and she isn’t sure why.

The sight of smoke is… 

“Vi.” Karen warns again. 

Vi feels like her nerves are giving up on her. “Violet!” It’s the sound of Caitlyn’s voice played from where Karen usually speaks.

Vi’s eyes widen as she reaches her hand as far as it can and webs up from where she came from. Her web lands against a manhole and she takes it up, coughing against her mask.

She presses against the metal bars as she’s sliding the manhole open, eyes widened with shock with whatever the hell just happened.

When fresh air meets her in the dead of night, Vi feels like she can actually breathe again.

”I apologize for the shock, Vi. It was an emergency. I kept that recording just in case.” Karen admits and Vi shakes her head, swallowing her sorrows willfully.

She had to debrief this and she had to debrief it now. “May I ask why the sight of smoke made you freeze?” Karen says, analyzing her physical needs.

Vi is laid on the open asphalt road. Just Spiderman lying in the middle of New York, nothing new.

She tugs the sewer hole shut as she contemplates tugging her mask off for better air.

”I…” Vi trails off in her own annoyed way. Feeling disappointment roll with her incompetence. “May it have something to do with the gas station incident?” Karen is more direct this time.

Vi drapes an arm over her eyes. She feels gross in her suit today. There really weren’t many days she felt like being Spiderman was more harmful than it was helpful.

”Did the guy survive? They never gave me a call.” Vi’s voice is weak and Karen seems to be stumped at what to reply. She did that sometimes, took longer to reply and ran more calculations.

”He is still in coma. I suggest talking to someone about this, Vi. Would you like me to contact Vander?” Karen replies, seemingly pasting all her reply options into one.

“No… it’s okay. Where am I?” Vi asks instead, finally sitting up. She takes a breath in as she looks over at a street she can’t really recognize.

”Fifty ninth on Wespoint Avenue.” Karen says instantaneously.

Vi blinks a few times, that was near Catlyn’s place.

Vi isn’t sure why she’s decided to swing towards Caitlyn’s area. She supposes she was near by.. but then what? She could keep the suit on and then? 

Or she could take it off and act like she was what? Vi muffles a breath of annoyance as she slides down the lamp pole. She shoots a web against a wall and tugs upwards, giving her enough momentum to get a good view of the neighborhood.

She sees a dimly lit park a little towards the left of where she knows Caitlyn’s house to be. Vi swings towards it, deciding to get rid of her suit there.

“Vi, would you like me to contact Vander? You seem unhappy.” Karen asks as she’s cruising through the air.

”No thanks, Karen. Not yet.” She mumbles as she shoots one more swing before she’s hauling herself towards the park that looks creepier than it was from afar.

”Noted.” 

Vi takes a breath in as she lands into the gravel, wincing. She overshoots her landing.

“Blegh.” She says to herself as her feet sink into the ground, dragging against it, and leaving trail marks.

She has to physically stop herself from tumbling into the girl that’s swinging, Vi flips over her before turning her head whimsically.

”Sorry!“ She calls over.

She pauses as she has to process that the girl who was evidently sobbing on the swing was also the girl she had been planning to visit.

Caitlyn is wiping her eyes and sniffling as she clears her throat. “Nice landing, idiot.” She calls back and Vi is unsure what to do.

Being Spiderman now was the worst thing she could do. Vi is biting her tongue from under her mask, “Did not expect you to be around, Cupcake.” She responds with a light teasing tone. She hops over, smoothly landing onto the swing.

Caitlyn’s eyes are completely red and she looks extremely upset. “How have you been?” Vi says cautiously as Caitlyn looks like she’s about to burst into tears from just the question.

”What do you think?” 

Vi chuckles airily at her, “Not great, I see.” She tries not to stare too much, just looking off into her own space. Caitlyn had sounded like she was crying the other day too.

“Messages from: Cait.” Karen is pulling up about five consecutive messages from Caitlyn ranging from an hour ago to just five minutes ago.

Violet

Are you busy?

I’m sorry to disturb

Could you stop by?

hey ):

Vi tries not to punch herself in the face. Caitlyn wouldn’t get suspicious over Spiderman showing up, would she? Vi’s eyes trail over to Caitlyn, that was an issue for another day.

“Girlfriend didn’t show up?” Vi jokes and Caitlyn nods.

”Not my girlfriend but…” She sighs and Vi feels stupid for her quip. “I don’t even think she likes me half as much as I like her.” Caitlyn sighs into her hands as Vi swallows her words as soon as they come up.

”Sorry, I don’t mean to rant.” She mumbles and Vi shakes her head. “Go ahead, Cupcake.”

”Why do you keep calling me that?” Caitlyn slumps and Vi tilts her head at her. “I don’t know your name.” She responds quietly to that.

”Oh, right.” Caitlyn looks rather embarrassed. “It’s… Caitlyn.” She says and Vi nods back at her.

“Caitlyn…?”

”No need to know my last name, I can’t even know your first.” Caitlyn huffs to which Vi laughs at. “Okay, Caitlyn.” She says, crossing her arms.

Caitlyn furrows her eyebrows, looking at her with a gaze filled with questions. “The way you say my name…” She trails off and Vi clears her throat awkwardly.

”You’re right, on second thought, cupcake is just much better.” Vi nods along excessively trying to get her to drop it.

”No, I meant it’s awfully familiar to—-“

”So, what are you doing here sobbing alone?” Vi changes the topic and Caitlyn deflates almost instantly.

Caitlyn gurgles as she sounds tired. “If you must know, my mother and I have been in a rather… stupid fight over the month. I’m just worried she won’t make it home sometimes!” She exasperates. 

“..she’s a police officer, and I know you don’t have good relations with blue, but I’m—-“

”That’s fine, cupcake. She’s your mother. I’m all ears.” Vi says encouragingly and Caitlyn’s eyes glaze over at her.

“She hasn’t been home lately. Working on this case I can’t even know about.” Caitlyn sounds frustrated, “Even then, she monitors my every movement.” She takes another deep breath in.

”It’s unsightly for the daughter of the chief of police to be doing this or that or…anything apparently.” She makes these big gestures and Vi isn’t quite sure what overcomes her.

She takes a short breath in and decisively reaches over. She pats Caitlyn’s head.

“I think being yourself is a right, not a privilege. Don’t let anyone strip that away from you. Not even your mom, cupcake. She fights for those rights everyday with that badge she adorns, y’know.” Vi is leaning towards her.

She lightly tucks a hair against her ear and Caitlyn’s eyes widen like she’s been starstruck a little. 

There’s this pause briefly as Caitlyn goes speechless. Vi blinks in shock at her lack of silence as she slowly pulls back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep my boundaries.”

Caitlyn doesn’t say anything back. 

For a moment Vi considers swinging away but Caitlyn stands up all of a sudden, towards Vi. “Spiderman.” Caitlyn mutters and Vi feels panic in her throat.

Caitlyn still looks so pretty. She just always does. “Yeah?”

Caitlyn tugs her mask off in one smooth motion. Vi feels her breath steal away, “Activating emergency protocol.” 

Caitlyn tugs but her mask won’t move any further above her lip. Vi thanks the lord she clipped her hair up today.

”Caitlyn.” Vi’s tone drops a little.

“I’m sorry. I had to know.” 

Vi clenches her jaw, Caitlyn can see it for once. “I trusted you.” Vi releases a breath, before she’s tugging her mask down, Caitlyn stops her.

“And you still had protocols in place anyway.” Caitlyn responds, Vi takes another breath in. She’s controlling the adrenaline in her veins.

“You’re not a guy.”

Vi tries not to make any expression.

“What now?” She responds snappier, Caitlyn winces. Her eyes trail over to her lips.

”Your features…”

She looks at the scar on Spiderman’s lip, pausing. “Fine.” Vi takes a breath in. She could concede that much. “I’m not a guy. I’m a girl.” Vi grumbles with a scratchier tone.

“Your lip scar. It looks exactly like—“

Vi looks over at her, panic rushing her again. “You can’t be…” Caitlyn looks confused.

”I don’t know who you are.” Vi releases a long dragged out sigh.

”Your height, the scar on your lips, you… you smell like burnt car tires. That’s exactly just like—“

”Like what, cupcake?” Vi doubles down. Annoyance in her voice as she takes a step closer to Caitlyn. “You smell just like lavender, you don’t hear me saying you’re like every fan girl I meet.” She says, trying to thwart any accusations.

”Lavender.” Caitlyn enunciates in confusion. 

Vi cups her cheek, “I’m really not anyone you think I am. If I knew who you were without this mask, trust me, I would have made moves a long time ago.” Caitlyn looks at her with conflict.

Here she was, a superhero openly hitting on Caitlyn either because she could or to absolutely just deny any allegation Caitlyn had against her.

Caitlyn is absolutely conflicted. 

She was so sure that the details added up. This girl had to be.. right?

Spiderman just had to be Vi Valentine.

Caitlyn takes a step back, “I don’t believe you.” 

But what if she wasn’t? Would Caitlyn take that risk?

“So, you think you know who I am.” Vi responds, her lips getting drier from the air. 

“I…”

Vi sighs.

“I hope things resolve quickly in your life, Caitlyn Kiramman.” She says, decisively tugging her mask down.

“How’d you know my last name?”

”You said your mom was the chief of police.” Vi says with a soft huff. Caitlyn looks rather mortified, “No hard feelings.” She waves.

“Just don’t tug my mask off next time we meet.”

”I’m sorry—-“

Vi jumps onto one of the street lights as she shoots a web. She doesn’t bother to look at Caitlyn as she starts swinging.

Caitlyn is left dumbfounded.

Vi is overly angsty, tinkering with her camera as she’s fitting her suit today. Caitlyn fixes her tie for her with a soft smile, yet to question her on her secret identity.

Vi has a bandaid over her nose. “I like your dress, Cait.” She smiles sweetly. Caitlyn presses a kiss on her nose.

”Tomorrow will be perfect,” She says back as Vi nods, eyes creasing into half crescents as she smiles. “I’ll pick you up at five sharp?” Vi squeezes her hand.

”You look quite dashing.” Her accent peeps through her words and Vi swears it’s to die for.

”I’ll bring a corsage.” Vi hums back and Caitlyn gives her a curt nod back, smoothing her backless dress. They stand next to each other by Caitlyn’s giant mirror in her closet.

”No need to do all that, Violet.”

”I want to.” Vi kisses the cusp of her ear, Caitlyn giggles. She tugs her in closer and Vi obliges.

”Caitlyn.”

Vi and Caitlyn freeze, separating from each other quickly as her mother walks in with a stern look on her face. Vi feels like she’s going to sink into the floor.

Cassandra looks over at the two, sighing as she shakes her head. “I’m glad your dress is at least looking alright.” She says, crossing her arms and examining Vi. “Your suit is quite alright as well.” She nods.

Vi takes it as approval.

”Do change out and join us for dinner. Promptly, please.” Cassandra adds as she leaves the door stretched all the way open and Caitlyn is giving Vi an apologetic look as she begins unhooking her dress.

”I hope your mom at least liked the flowers?” Vi laughs tensely and Caitlyn nods back, undoing her tie for her. “I’m sure she appreciated them.” She kisses her cheek and Vi allows her to.

This was almost as natural as air now. The sweet touches, soft kisses, the feeling of being near Caitlyn, and just being able to hold her. Vi relished this moment she was starting to learn to get used to.

”Dinner is potato gratin probably. Dad has been obsessed with that stuff.” Caitlyn makes a face as Vi turns to give her the space to change. She’s chuckling like she knows what that is.

She imagines Gratin to be a crossover between swedish fish, potato, and cornflakes (she finds out she’s severely wrong.)

“I love potato.” Vi says with a charming boxy smile that Caitlyn can’t quite see. “Turn around,” Caitlyn murmurs and Vi does as she’s told.

“Come on now, quickly.”

Vi speeds up unbuttoning her shirt and tugging off her blazer. “I’m sure your mom’s cooking is great, Cait.” She tries again. Pushing her smile back onto her lip. It does work, partially. Enough to get Caitlyn to giggle, but she retorts anyway.

“The chefs cook it, my mother hasn’t cooked in quite a while.” She says, watching Vi unbutton her pants and reveal her spiderweb themed boxers. 

“Uh, well I’m sure that the money your mom makes to pay your private chefs to cook—“

”Oh stop it,” Caitlyn rolls her eyes, nudging Vi who is laughing in her boxers. Caitlyn’s eyes snap down to them with a soft snicker threatening to escape her lips.

Caitlyn raises a careful eyebrow at that. “Spiderman fanatic.”

”What does this have to do with the guy? Maybe you’re the real fanatic, huh.” Vi clicks back at her.

”Oh, please—-“

”Caitlyn!” Her mother’s voice calls out from down the hallway.

”Coming!”

Caitlyn throws a pair of pants towards Vi. She gives her an apprehensive look as she shimmies them on, allowing Caitlyn to drag her out by the hand as they slide through the giant house.

In a moments time Caitlyn is settled in her seat with Vi next to her. Tobias, Caitlyn’s father, is nestled by Cassandra quite warmly.

She looks down at a fish she’s never seen before in her life, cooked with asparagus, a side of potato and rice decorated prettily on the plate. She looks over at Caitlyn who silently picks up her utensils.

Vi does the same, awkwardly trying not to clank the metal against the porcelain.

”So, Vi.” Cassandra’s voice is quite clear and distinctive, Vi is sure she could hear it in her dreams. 

“Caitlyn tells me you’re ranked second in school studies.” Cassandra says, almost interrogative. It’s a positive comment and yet Vi feels smaller under her raking gaze.

Her lips part. “Yeah—I mean.. yes. Yes I like Science and Math and… stuff.” She says awkwardly, avoiding Cassandra’s eyes as Caitlyn has to try not to smile.

”That’s great.” Tobias hums in response, a soft look on his face. Vi feels slightly more at ease. “How about sports? Do you do any sports? Caitlyn is part of a professional rifle sports team outside of school. Every Sunday.” Cassandra is cutting her vegetables into perfectly bite sized pieces.

Vi rakes together a bunch of the food and takes a big chomp. So that’s why Caitlyn didn’t come out to play on Sundays. “Uhm, I didn’t know.” She scratches the back of her head looking over at Caitlyn who shrugs at her.

”I don’t really do sports, nah… no.” She repeats, trying to not make a fool of herself. “So, what do you do on your free time then? Surely, you have more time to study than Caitlyn.” Cassandra says carefully.

Vi isn’t sure how to respond. “She’s ranked first after all.” Cassandra emphasizes.

Caitlyn sighs, “Mother.”

“I… like to build stuff and watch news. I guess. Engineering is fun.” She rubs her hands on her jeans as Cassandra raises a tentative eyebrow at her.

“I see.” She says, Vi has a hard time understanding what she means or deciphering her expression for that matter.

”How about your parents?”

Caitlyn looks over at Vi, she doesn’t know this one either. Vi clumsily clanks her utensils onto the plates as she wipes her mouth with the napkin.

The moment of silence goes by as Vi takes a break in. She nods her head back and forth indecisively before spitting it out without a second thought.

“They’re dead. Plane crash when I was really young.”

Cassandra doesn’t seem fazed. Caitlyn pauses completely, eyeing Vi who refuses to look back at her.

”How about your guardian?” Cassandra says simply instead, unaffected. 

“Just my aunt and I got a younger sister from the foster home. My uncle died this year. A gun accident.”

Cassandra pauses, eyeing her carefully. “What was his name?”

Vi uncomfortably shifts in her seat. Caitlyn looks horrified, “You don’t have to answer that.”

”It’s fine.” She murmurs quietly.

”She says it’s fine, Caitlyn.”

”Mother.” Caitlyn repeats, more adamantly. 

“Ben Valentine.” She mumbles as Cassandra curiously hums back. “I’ve never heard.”

Vi clenches her jaw. “Well, that‘s just how it is in Queens. Not everyone gets justice.” She tries not to sound so bitter.

”And why do you say that?”

Vi takes a breath in, eyeing Caitlyn who looks so worried and hurt for her. Vi feels grateful, she considers just biting her tongue and letting it go.

But then the memory of her uncle comes to mind. How easily he died. How sharply he was forgotten by the world. How no one did anything for her, for him, for them.

Her grip tightens.

”If everyone did indeed get justice, Queens wouldn’t need a Spiderman.” She says, it’s soft, but the glazed and glassy way her eyes look is enough of an indication to Caitlyn.

”Spiderman.” Cassandra repeats, clearly not buying any of her words. She sighs, far too long and Vi regrets saying anything at all.

”He’s a symbol of the people.”

Cassandra repeats on queue.

”He’s a vigilante that is dragging down the image of the police force.”

Vi places her utensils down, her mouth opens to respond but Caitlyn’s hand squeezes her knee.

”I think I’m quite full from dinner.” Caitlyn says, eyes dark as she glares over at her mom. “Caitlyn.” Cassandra responds, eyebrow raised.

”Vi and I will be heading back to my room.” Caitlyn stands, tugging Vi right behind her as the girl makes a surprised noise.

“Cait—-“

”Quiet.”

They’re up the stairs as Caitlyn refuses to explain why she’s so worked up. Instead she’s throwing Vi onto her king sized bed and—“You didn’t tell me that.”

”You never asked…” Vi avoids her gaze tenderly.

”Why in the world would I ask if your parents have passed away?” Caitlyn says, clearly mad at something. Vi is afraid it’s her.

”And honestly, why do you bother to entertain my mother? Your pain is not a tool for either of you. Not for you to wear on your sleeve and not for her to parade as a spectacle.” Caitlyn scolds as she settles next to her, she sighs and holds her rugged hands.

”I’m sorry.”

”You have nothing to be sorry for.” Caitlyn frowns and Vi looks back at her semi-confused.

”It’s just my mother.” Caitlyn sighs once more, Vi leans in slowly and presses a light kiss on her cheek.

”Thank you for getting us out of there.”

Caitlyn narrows her eyes, analyzing Vi once more. “Violet, come here.” She says, standing up all of a sudden and gesturing towards her balcony.

”I already told you Spiderman is a girl, right?”

”Uh..”

Caitlyn opens up the balcony doors, looking over the ledge. “Sure?” Vi mutters back awkwardly as she stares onto the giant spread of the city in the backdrop.

Her first thought is about how stunning Caitlyn is.

“You’re Spiderman.”

Vi full freezes, eyeing the girl like she’s spouted the most ridiculous thing in the world. “Cait, what are you even saying?” She laughs, it’s hollow, but she tries.

“You know exactly what I’m saying.” Caitlyn’s hand comes up to her face as her arm reaches over the balcony.

”If I jump off, you’d save me, right?”

”What?!”

Vi’s eyes widen as she looks at the ledge, at Caitlyn, and the space between them. “I’m not letting you do that.” She sighs as she tugs Caitlyn nearer to her. They press against each other, Vi’s grip tightening.

”Then I guess we both have to jump.”

”No—“

Caitlyn is tugging them towards the ledge, dragging Vi over it. Vi grabs the railing, hand sticking to it. Caitlyn struggles against her grip.

”I said no.” Vi says sternly as Caitlyn is half seated over the balcony, trying to shrug Vi’s hand off of her.

”Just tell me the truth then.”

“Okay, just… just get off.” Vi concedes with a sigh. “Look at my eyes. Tell me you’re not Spiderman.” Caitlyn says as she swings her legs backwards (they’re so long.)

Vi clears her throat, holding Caitlyn’s hands which Caitlyn proceeds to swat away. “I’m… not Spiderman.”

Vi’s pupils dilate at this point and Caitlyn has her answer.

”I know you are.”

She slips away in an instant, falling fast and over the balcony. “Caitlyn!”

Vi has no time to think, no time to make excuses, no time to make plans.

In ten seconds tops, Caitlyn would splat onto the ground.

She tugs her shirt off, “Karen, mask.” She mumbles as she jumps off the ledge. The suit she was wearing under materializes and everything finally comes undone. 

She shoots her webs outwards, launching herself towards Caitlyn. Vi catches her midair, landing smoothly on two feet with web trails behind them.

Vi is holding her princess style and on, mask on and suit without a single crease.

”Are you insane?!”

Caitlyn looks at her with satisfaction, “My hero.”

”Holy fucking shit.”

Vi drops Caitlyn back onto her balcony. She’s leaning onto it as Caitlyn is happily hopping back. Vi stands on the rail bars with a sigh.

She tries to tug off her mask but before she can Caitlyn stops her. “You’re still outside you know?”

Vi’s jaw clenches and Caitlyn can see the way she‘s tensing. She smiles, “Are you upset?” The way she teases is keeping Vi on edge.

”What would you have done if you were wrong? You would have died!” Vi feels a headache arise.

”I knew I wasn’t.”

Vi’s eyebrows furrow. Caitlyn’s hands runs across her well defined abdomen, “I can tell from just looking at this.” She says and Vi is glad the mask is on because she’s sure her head is flushed a bright red.

”And plus I saw your suit peeking out earlier.” She giggles. “You’re not as good as hiding it as you think.”

”No,” Vi stops her there. “You’re just observing me way closer than everyone else.” She denies and Caitlyn doesn’t reject the accusation.

”Is that so?” 

Vi sighs, relaxing into the way Caitlyn is leaning on her. She presses their bodies together, her taller structure makes it hard for Vi to deny her (not that she wants to anyway.)

”Can I kiss you?”

Vi tilts her head confusedly, Caitlyn runs her thumb across her lip scar. “The suit has a different… charm.” Caitlyn smiles. Vi swears this girl would drive her insane.

Vi tugs her neck down to kiss her, Caitlyn hums as she bites down softly on Vi’s bottom lip. 

Caitlyn is giggling into the kiss as Vi’s hands hold her waist in place, deepening—“You’re too good at this.” Caitlyn mutters as Vi kisses her jaw.

“You bring out the best in me.” Vi says sarcastically as she’s halfway through tugging her mask off, entirely not giving a fuck.

Caitlyn sees just a speck of pink before her door bursts open, “Caitlyn?”

Vi jumps off the balcony, shooting a web up. She sticks herself onto the bottom, hanging upside down with a breath held in her lung.

She tugs her mask back on.

”Mother.” Caitlyn fans herself, back facing Cassandra as she tries to relax herself.

Cassandra’s heels click against the floor before she sighs, settling on Caitlyn’s bed. “Where is your friend?” She asks cautiously.

”She.. uhm.. She left.”

Cassandra raises a confused eyebrow. “Your father and I were by the living room. We didn’t see anyone leave?” She says and Caitlyn clears her throat.

”She climbed down… through the balcony.” Caitlyn knows she sounds ridiculous but it’s the most believable half-truth.

”I thought she wasn’t the athletic type.” Cassandra takes a breath in. “Well, no matter. I’m here to talk about what happened during dinner.”

Vi can almost feel Caitlyn tense as she walks back into her bedroom, purposely leaving her doors open.

”Is there anything to talk about?” Caitlyn says preemptively. Cassandra looks troubled.

”Caitlyn, dear.” She starts, Caitlyn is trying not to roll her eyes.

”I do admit I was quite brash in conversation.” She says softly, Caitlyn adjusts in place. 

“It’s alright—“

”I accept whoever you choose to love.”

Caitlyn’s head almost explodes out of embarrassment. “Mother! I am not… I am not in love with her,” She muffles a breath of frustration.

Vi feels her heart sink at that.

“There is no need to be embarrassed, I promise you I have completely understood your viewpoint after reflecting. The way you look at her, your father and… more so, I.. we don’t think it’s right to take that away from you.” Cassandra squeezes Caitlyn’s hand softly.

”We’ve had our differences and I understand I have been quite sensitive with… the Spiderman issue this last month, but—-“

”That’s enough,” Caitlyn sighs. Cassandra looks surprised as Caitlyn sucks her cheeks in. “I’m sorry..” Caitlyn mumbles as she leans in to hug her mom.

Cassandra embraces her, patting her hair down adoringly. She sighs into it, half satisfied and half filled with worry. She was angsty knowing Vi was waiting around somewhere but kicking her mom out of her room seemed rather—

A sharp ringing cuts the warm atmosphere. Cassandra tenses, a sigh against her lips. Caitlyn knows what that sound means.

She’s heard it ever since she was just a little girl, “Caitlyn.”

”I know.” Caitlyn says, no bitterness on her tongue as she squeezes her mom’s hand back. “Just please.. stay safe.” 

Cassandra presses a light kiss on her forehead. 

Caitlyn doesn’t want to wait to see her mom put on that belt and badge, watch her leave for the city emergency. She doesn’t want to think about the conquest or dangers that await outside the door.

Because Caitlyn knew that alarm only meant bad things.

”I’ll be back before you know it.” Cassandra says softly and Caitlyn nods back.

Caitlyn doesn’t need to hear it to know her mom loves her. So instead she waves, watching as the familiar back exits the room.

She slumps over, taking a breath in before recalling an important guess.

”Vi?”

Caitlyn walks back over to the balcony. No response? “Violet?” She calls out again, leaning over to check all sides.

Caitlyn’s voice fades into the dark of the night.

“This has something to do with that stuff from the subway, doesn’t it?” Vi eyes the holographies Karen pulls up. 

Begrudgingly she had left her post. The city was at danger and as much as she wishes she could kiss Caitlyn goodbye, the mask was on and she couldn’t ignore it.

”The substance discovered seems to be present at the area of destruction.” Karen responds back, robotic voice distinct. Vi clenches her jaw down, half considering whether she should have contacted Vander.

“Vi, I highly suggest contacting Vander now.” Karen is rather adamant this time. Vi swings forward, eyeing the destruction on the Nothern part of the city.

”…contact him in thirty minutes. Once I have made contact with the enemy.” Vi emphasizes as she swings higher, trying to get a better view of what’s going on.

She finally sees it once she reaches a high enough height, just close enough to get a good view. 

A giant man…? Vi’s eyebrows furrow as her jaw goes slack. He has the greenest tongue and purple skin. Warts all over his face, he swings around a giant butcher knife, and he summons electricity through the bolts sticking out of his shoulders by will.

He looks like a half built Frankenstein.

His jaw is completely rotten, eyes so bright purple Vi swears they’re like Angler Fish. 

“Mundo!” He stomps on the ground, kicking a car in. “Must cure!” 

“He has a heavy concentrate of the substance we found at the subway station in his body.” Vi purses her lips, observing his white pants and bandages taped around his rather muscular body.

“Mundo! Doctor! You… need to be cured!” He’s sluggish but his giant hands open enough to palm whoever is in front of him. 

Vi groans, swinging into action. She uses the momentum of her web to kick his face in. It clearly doesn’t do enough damage as he simply turns towards her instead.

Green aura emulates off of him, Vi feels creeped out as she muffles a breath. “Aye, big guy! Didn’t know Hulk had a cousin?”

”You sick! Mundo cure!”

”Huh?”

Then the giant machete knife looking thing is being hurled at her, Vi’s spidersenses make her react immediately, dodging before slugging back.

”Vi, you musn’t pull your punches. This man has regenerative capabilities and it is on a very high level.” Karen warns and Vi cracks her neck, fists up.

”Alright, fella. Let’s square up then, yeah?”

”Sick!”

Vi has to jump when he tries to grab at her, she turns and kicks him in the face. She isn’t holding back nearly as much as earlier, a tooth goes flying out somewhere.

”You very ill.”

”Vi, it seems he believes—“ Karen is cut off by the creature tearing off a car door and throwing it towards Vi. She dodges, sticking her webs onto the same door and sending it straight back at him.

”I cure you! Me, doctor, Me, Mundo! Doctor Mundo!” He uses one fist to slam it away.

”Jeez.” Vi grumbles. “He seems to believe you are sick and he is curing you by trying to cut you into pieces.” Karen continues to explain.

”That’s quite assuring.” 

Vi looks over at him, clearing her throat. “Hey, hey!” She waves her hands boisterously.

He reacts immediately, a fist flying towards Vi. This time Vi catches it, her feet break into the cement upon impact. She groans, “Pretty big hand there… but I’m not sick.” She tries to stretch her arms forward.

”Not? Sick?”

”Yeah,” Vi nods swatting his hand away. The creature scratches his head at that, another giant knife stuck at his belt. Where the hell did he even get that?

”NYPD, hands up!”

Vi’s eyes widen, “No!”

The first gun shot that’s fired is too quick. It hits Dr. Mundo straight in the back of the head, squishing into a metal ball as it drops. More of the green smoke radiates from him, “He’s regenerating.” Karen says.

”Oh, fuck me!” Vi swings up as he roars in anger, smashing the floor under him.

”Is he actually related to Mr. Banner?” Vi asks and before she can get her answer, a police car is being flung off to the South side.

Vi stops yapping, swinging towards it. She jumps over a wall, creating intricate strings and a web. She breaks the fall, car landing onto the sticky contraption, strong enough to hold it up.

Vi sticks herself onto the car to stabilize it. She kicks in the window, hand reached out to the police officer inside.

He looks beyond terrified. Vi grabs him, releasing the car that falls down onto the ground, smashing into bits and pieces.

She sighs as she locates him to safety.

Vi snaps her head back over to where the fight is going on. Cassandra Kiramman is standing right there.

Vi feels her blood run cold a little.

”You are confused, we understand. We are just trying to help—-“

Vi swears her body reacts first and as much as she dislikes this woman and her posh lifestyle, death is not something Vi wants for anyone.

And so as soon as she sees sparks of electricity brewing, almost in slow motion, Vi is slinging herself towards Cassandra.

She presses a button on her web shooter, a bomb of strings exploding to stick against Cassandra and the other two SWAT team members in front of her.

Vi tugs sticks the string she flicks on her left arm to the ball of strings she just released, tugging it all the way back with controlled strength.

In a matter of literal seconds, Cassandra and two police officers are flung from their place behind the cars and against a brick building with an oomph.

“Violet, that is very dangerous.”

Before she can hop away the electricity that had been just a threat just a millisecond ago turns into a very big issue. Vi winces as blue electricity crackles against the cement floor, hitting Vi’s suit and singe-ing the bottom of her soles.

It is at times like this she’s glad her suit is spandex.

What she doesn’t notice quick enough are the broken cars and the electricity that has a widening range with every step Dr. Mundo takes.

And then just like at the gas station, at the sight of smoke, and Vi’s irrational fear of fire—everything explodes.

It’s the sharp whistle Vi swears she hears that allows her to barely make out the sound of thunking footsteps leaving the area.

Vi stands upright. 

She pauses involuntarily. Her lungs choke up at the sight of—“Fire!” A citizen screams.

Vi feels her hands tremble, she… she was Spiderman. She needed to resolve this. She turns her head around the area, no citizens, no one. Just by standers, she takes a shallow breath in.

The fire worsens, “Violet?” Karen tries to get her to focus again.

Vi can’t physically move her feet.

”Violet.” 

Vi feels pathetic. Smoke is filling the air and the sight of it makes her want to throw up.

She dizzies, head hitting the floor before she knows it. “Spiderman? Spiderman!” There’s a chorus of people.

”Activating emergency protocol. Vander Warwick has been contacted.”

Vi hates the feeling of the heated air against her suit, the way the smoke seems like it’s about to swallow her whole.

”Violet?”

That’s not Karen?

Then everything goes black.

“Uh, no.” A finger is being pointed in Caitlyn’s face, her eyebrows furrow in frustration. “The mask stays on.” This older man’s sass was beyond her.

”Oh, please. How are we supposed to look at her—-“ She pauses with a brief sigh. “his injuries otherwise?”

”Well, Miss…” His eyes trail over to where a familiar face stands outside the room. He traces A back to B, the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh. “Kiramman.” He says with finality.

”I’ve got it. You’re free to go home.” 

Caitlyn’s eyes rake over Vi who has her mask on, Vi who has bruises all over her body, Vi whose muscles twitch as she groans.

Vi who is awake. Caitlyn’s eyes widen.

”What the—“ She’s coughing hysterically, looking towards the blinding lights of the hospital room provided by Caitlyn’s father.

Vi takes a big breath in as she gets up, “Oh my god.” The IV line is tugged on before Vander pushes her back down.

”You’re staying here.”

Vi pauses, freezes, almost icily. “Mister… Mister. Warwick…” She trails off. “Weren’t you in Hawaii?”

”Germany.” He corrects, tilting his sunglasses upwards. “I messed up.” Vi drawls a sigh.

Caitlyn tries not to tsk at his agreement, “Yup! You did, but I expected this much.”

Vi turns away from him. “What was that purple stuff?” She says instead, changing the topic.

”Shimmer.” He answers simply, rolling a test tube full of her webbing material through his fingers. “That guy you fought, yeah what was it? Moon-doughy or somethin’ he got his panties all twisted cause of that stuff.” He says, yawning.

”What happened?” Vi sits up.

Caitlyn feels so unseen… “You uhm.. passed out after the fire broke out.” She says softly. Vi’s head snaps towards her, she clears her throat.

”Yeah, your girlfriend here dragged you out of the smoke. Found her trying to give you CPR, surprised she didn’t tug the mask off.” Vander laughs as Vi grumbles with frustration.

”Speaking of, we need to have a chat.” Vander’s voice drops a few octaves. He looks over at Caitlyn and she sighs, knowing where she’s not needed.

She stands but is stopped by Vi’s hand tugging her back down next to her. “Anything you say to me you can say to her.”

Vander pauses, observing them. His eyes narrow, barely visible through his sunglasses. “You told her.” It isn’t a question.

”I figured it out.” Caitlyn corrects.

”Yeah? That so?” He clicks his tongue, eyeing Vi who looks avoidant. “Well, that’s for another time. Let’s start with the bigger issue.” He tosses the test tube over to Vi who catches it with ease.

”I reviewed the tape from your suit.” He says, crossing his arms, blazer swishing against the wooden chair. “You’re afraid of smoke.. fire. All of that combusting stuff.” He makes a gesture with his hand.

“What? No I’m not.”

”Kid.” Vander stands from where he is sitting. “I’m putting you off the road for now.”

”What?!” Vi almost jumps up. “Go meet Happy, get some therapy done. Fix whatever is going on with your fire trauma.” He emphasizes, hands shoved into his pocket, clearly unable to sit still.

”That guy is still out there! Who’s going to deal with him?”

”Not you.” Vander says, his voice is so commanding that Caitlyn finds her spine straightening. “Mister. Warwick, I’m beyond fine—“

”No, you’re not.” His jaw tenses. “You are not fine and you are not ready to be taking on someone of that caliber.”

”How much longer am I supposed to play the neighborhood clean up!” Vi is the one tugging her mask off, Vander reaches over for a remote on the bedside, clicking a button for the shades.

The windows tint as Vi puts her mask on the bed side table. Her outburst is unusual to watch, more because Caitlyn has never thought Vi could scream.

”Neighborhood clean up, huh? Saving a deaf guy and little girl from getting shot? Shutting down a forest fire, saving how many people from there?” Vander rolls his eyes.

Vi seems genuinely pissed off, she pulls the IV out of her, Caitlyn winces. “Do you know… do you even know why it’s this way?” She says with anger.

Vander knows what it’s like to wear your heart on your sleeve. He looks over to Caitlyn Kiramman, who Vi allows to see this part of who she is.

”Because of that guy who’s still comatose.” Vander knows. Somehow that makes Vi angrier.

”Then why won’t you let me save people!”

”Because being a superhero means knowing you can’t save everyone.” Vander answers back instantaneously, snapping back at her.

Vi slams her hand onto the table, “Then what am I supposed to be doing?”

Vander looks at her, shaking his head. “Go to your prom. Be a kid. You aren’t responsible for lives. You aren’t ready.”

Caitlyn tenses as Vi goes speechless. He nods over at Caitlyn, almost a wordless way of asking her to make sure Vi stayed put.

Caitlyn who thought she had Vi under control realizes very much that it is the furthest thing from true.

Vi settles back into her bed.

”Go back to Germany.”

”Oh, I will.” Vander says, giving her a look that speaks volumes.

“Why’d you even come? Just send your suit next time.” Vi drapes an arm over her eyes. Caitlyn looks over at him, so he was a superhero too. She tries to fit the puzzles together.

”This is why I say you’re not ready.” He bites. He sighs heavily before standing up. “When you feel like talking it out or maybe when you’re done with puberty, you know where to come to, yeah?”

Vi tsks under her breath as Vander heads for the door. “And you better thank Miss. Kiramman.” He says before waving and finding his way out.

Vi’s eyes glaze over as she looks at Caitlyn.

”I—-“

Caitlyn presses a soft kiss on her lips.

”I didn’t know how to make you feel better.”

Vi melts. “This is good.” She finds herself relaxing as they intertwine fingers.

”Who was that anyway?” Caitlyn finds herself asking. Vi raises a confused eyebrow, “Vander Warwick? You know.. like Ironman.”

”Oh.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widen. “Oh!”