Atlantis

Fuck it was way too late, Felix had kept him busy for the better part of two hours, bombarding him with obscure mechanical knowledge. His excuse was that he was “hyperfixated” and that “he couldn’t help but be annoying about it.” Denzel tried not to question it, just like the obnoxiously loud music he played while fixing the vehicles. 

But now that Denzel was out of HQ again, the motivation to find a new recruit had completely disappeared. It would probably be weird finding someone this late anyways (major kidnapper vibes). Instead, he decided to try some new swinging styles, weaving complicated web designs between his fingers and the darkened buildings of Nueva York. Denzel soon found himself falling into a trance, picking up the pace and moving through the tall structures with ease. He chased the adrenaline rush of going at full speed, feeling the thrill of knowing how far above ground he was right now. He was alone. He was free.

Well, until Denzel suddenly heard a loud shout coming from in front of him. The inertia from his last swing was too powerful, leaving him helpless against whatever he was about to crash into. 

He braced himself, yelling as sharp pains in his chest bloomed while someone tall slammed into his side. The two spidermen went tumbling down onto one of the building fences, getting further tangled into the webs as they did. 

The stranger groaned as they finally came to a stop, failing to cut them out with the spikes on his suit. Denzel shifted uncomfortably in the webs, straining to reach his arrows and free them. 

“Shit shit my bad. My bad.” he cringed, looking up to see an extremely grumpy teenager. 

“You’re all good man…just…” the guy grimaced, pointing at his suit. Denzel handed over his weapon, letting the punk clean himself up. 

“Alright, I can work with that.” the guy said after almost everything was cleaned up. “Do you usually run into other people like this?” he smirked. 

Great, the teenager was moody. 

“Names Hobie. Hobie Brown.” the taller guy said, nodding at him. 

“Denzel. Are you headed anywhere now?” He replied. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the blue laces decorating the Hobie’s boots. Sweet. If he was lucky, that guy knew lace code and he could salvage this situation. 

“Yeah, actually. I was heading over to my friend’s dimension, apparently the spot’s managed to get there.” he said glumly. 

“I could help you if you needed. It’s the least I can do after all this.” Denzel offered. 

“You can come with. But I'm not sure anyone could help his situation…” Hobie jumped up around the building, lamely gesturing for him to follow. 

Denzel recognized that phrase. He’d heard it hundreds of times, all from people who had given up on their reality after the canon disrupted it. Hobie rushedly pulled out his gizmo, setting the codes. The portal opened up, staring at them menacingly. As if it was predicting that something bad was going to happen. Hobie jumped in without hesitation. 

They were met with what looked like India in time-space chaos, swinging through hoards of traffic, and making their way to a certain golden ornate bridge. Denzel’s eyes widened when he saw the huge rift, quickly tearing apart the base of the city. Hobie had gone sickeningly green, stumbling past the canon control system to a guy staring down the edge of a giant break in the bridge. 

“Pav?” he said breathlessly, kneeling down in front of the spiderman.

“The bus. Where’s the bus?” Pavitr said, crazed. He didn’t stop shooting webs down below the bridge, trying to reach something that wasn’t there. “Hobie, I need you to tell me the bus is still there.” he said, voice high pitched and cracking. 

Hobie stared at him, confused.  

Then he realized. 

It was Gayatri, she must’ve been- 

The silence sent shivers through his body, he felt the burn of tears from behind his eyes. He almost had her, it was one slip. His throat began to close, his tears threatening to turn into sobs. If all the other spider people could save her why the fuck couldn’t he. She died and he needed her. She died and he needed her. 

Pavitr felt Hobie slip his arms around him, just now realizing he said all of that aloud. The gesture was enough to ruin him. He bit his lip before anyone could hear the violent sobs coming from his chest. Pathetic. 

He woke up with a distinct pain in his arm, like his muscles were being pulled down without any external pressure. Hobie was above him, asking him questions through a thick haze. Pavitr couldn’t understand anything except that he had fallen on the arm he used to pull the bus up. Where were they even going again? He couldn’t remember falling. 

Hobie hoisted him onto his back and began to swing downwards. He felt unconsciousness overtake his mind the further down they went. 

“Kitchen’s to your left and the nurse is right near there too. You should go there after I show you where you’re staying.” Denzel said to Hobie somewhat distantly. The pain of this job made him disassociate often. 

Hobie nodded, half in shock at the location and also incredibly thankful. He carried Pavitr to their room and Denzel finally left, softly shutting the door behind him. 

“Pav? Are you awake?” the punk said carefully. He helped Pavitr get down from his spot onto the bed, movements weak. 

“You know, taking off the mask would make you feel better.” Hobie said in between the silence. Outside the room they could hear the soft whoosh of wind and the faraway sounds of vehicles. He nodded, barely noticeable. 

Hobie reached for his neck, gently pulling the fabric off of skin. He was met with tear stained eyes and a bloody lip. 

Was he crying this entire time? Why was he so good at hiding it? 

Hobie almost felt rage, watching the usually strong and joyful spiderman break into pieces. Pavitr looked away, brushing his hands anxiously through his hair, blinking fast in an attempt to prevent the tears. Hobie couldn’t leave him like this, no matter how late it was.

He moved them into a comfortable position, wrapping a blanket around Pavitr. Hobie’s breath hitched when he felt Pavitr curl up into him. 

“I killed her.” he whispered, eyes shut tight. 

Hobie sighed, “No one can hold up an entire bus full of people alone. No one.”

“Then how come I’m the only one who failed!!” The ruse was up. Pavitr broke down into violent sobs, hitting Hobie’s chest with his fist, shivers wracking his entire body. Hobie said nothing, rubbing circles into his back, secretly praying for the tears to end.  

It was midnight. Pavitr had calmed down, the light from his eyes disappearing under heavy eyelids. 

“Stay here.”

“I will.”

Of course he would. 

Pavitr had two dreams that night. 

He was at Gayatri’s house. It was early in the morning and the light hit her soft hair, turning it gold. She was putting on a purple shirt and telling him about the moon. She always had an obsession with it, how it changed every night. How its phases were all about the right amount of light from the sun. He smelled her mother’s food from the kitchen and pulled their hands together. Warm and inviting. She was his home. He pulled her in for a quick kiss, both of them laughing afterwards. 

It faded. 

He was with her on the bus. They held each other close, hearing people's screams wash around the bridge and seeing the holes appear below. He didn’t have his powers. In this universe someone else was spiderman. Someone else would save them. Pavitr wrapped his arms around her as they plunged through the surface of the bridge, waiting. No one came. In her final moments, he got a chance to look at those eyes again. Her eyes screamed I love you.

Pavitr woke up violently, expecting the worst. Instead he was wrapped in warmth. His tears had dried on his cheeks, and a horrible ache gnawed at his stomach. It was a crescent moon.