Entangled

Arabella sat in a broken-down building In her dimension. Heavy toxic rains splattered against the rotted wood creating a rhythmic beat. Almost artificial-looking lightning turned into thunder over the building, making the wood creak and glass shatter.

Outside, she could hear the city's movement, people whispering, and animals—or what was left of them, roaming. Although an eclipse cast darkness over the world, the town was still bright. Bright with a different feel. It was a mask to cover the grounders' poverty and pain—people she meant to protect. 

Exhaustion settled in her shoulders, watching the wastewater drift into a puddle under her shoes. She rubbed her eyes, trying to get herself to go home. She turned to her bag; she already had most of the needed things. She wasn't expected home anytime soon, her willingness to return wavering. 

It didn't take much contemplation. She wasn't even sure she was at that stage yet, but with brain fog settling in, she didn't care as much. Walking through the portal, she stepped out onto a building, looking down and around the city.

It wasn't raining as hard as in her dimension, but a light pitter-patter. With her bag slung over her shoulder, she raised a wet hand and knocked on the door. The building she was in was similar to one she'd seen before. Stepping back, she watched the door open to be welcomed by her boyfriend's face.

His brows raised in confusion but settled in worry as he looked at her state. Her hair was wet and flat, and droplets of rain covered her wetting the floor. She wore an oversized graphic tee with fishnets under and around her legs. She didn't both much to change
"Hey, Love. You look clapped out; come inside." She didn't make much sound as she slowly walked in.

She set her bag down and cleared her throat when she was past the door threshold.
"I'm sorry…I didn't realize I was here until just now. Kinda on autopilot," She muttered as he grabbed her hand.
"Yeah? Well, let's get you clean up first; I got somethin' you could wear. Then tell me all about it."

He pulled her into his bathroom, handing her a towel. "Need any help?" He asked, brushing his fingers over her knuckles, which were bruised. 

She bit the inside of her lip, looking up at him and seeing that he was concerned. His brows were knitted lightly, his eyes washing over her figure to ensure she wasn't bleeding or hurting anywhere he couldn't see.

"I'll be fine, thank you, Hobie I…Thanks," He leaned forward, kissed her forehead, and left her to change and clean up. 

Hobie had his fair share of people often needing his help. Whether it be someone like Gwen, Miles, or someone he helped in the city. He played a significant brother role for most. So for Arabella? Anything. It did alarm him how she arrived so abruptly. She would usually tell him she'd be coming over, but he didn't mind. 

Arabella watched herself in the mirror, pressing two fingers to each side of her temple and moving them around her face. The cyber makeup dissolved as she did so, leaving her face bare and free of spider makeup. 

She wanted to keep herself together, unsure of what she could name the feeling settling on her shoulders. She changed quickly, not wanting him to worry, tucking herself and pulling the heavy sweatpants over her legs and hips. 

She exited the bathroom and saw him on his bed with his guitar. He looked up from his instrument, set it aside, and gave her his full attention.
"Come on, don't leave me hanging,"

Ari smiled, sitting next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. He looked comfortable, his deep-set eyes low and concerned. He grabbed a hair wrap from behind him that he had made himself and began to wrap her hair with it. 

"Ugh, I'm sorry. Kinda out of it…" Her arms snaked around his waist as he finished. He draped one arm across her shoulders, his thumb running her cheek. 

"Anything for my girl; you looked dead chuffed; what happened?" He leaned back, pulling her against him as they settled softly into his bed. She didn't say anything for a long moment, keeping her ear against his chest. 

"I'm supposed to be saving people. I know I do, but sometimes it feels...not enough," She lifted her head, laying her chin on his chest. She admired his face. He was the most beautiful being she had ever encountered. She then closed her eyes. 

"Tycoons took over a factory. Decommissioned it. Kicking many people from their jobs. Then they set the place on fire. Of course, it's labeled as an unfortunate accident. My Kingpin... has. Ugh. Don't even get me started with J. Jonah. Stupid propaganda AI," She took another deep groan. She noted that he began running softly around her arm, calming her down just enough. 

"Do you know what it means to be a Juggalo? Or the ICP message? It's never give up. Always keep trying, and one day it will get better. No matter how bad it is, it will get better. I've felt that in my bones for a long time, and it's true." She tugged in his shirt and blew out a puff of air. She knew Hobie had his ideals, many that she agreed with and understood, and he understood her. That made them great together, the idea that they're opposites but the same in the ways that mattered. 

"With Great power comes no future…." She heard Hobie say under his breath.
"Yeah… I'm just a little tired. I know the bad has to happen…or maybe it doesn't. But at least I'm always trying. I have to, but not for me." 

Hobie understood what she was feeling in the way she was feeling it. 
"We always fight for what's right, but at what point do we just get to live," He tried to sound reassuring, but he saw her smile.

"We can just live now. At this moment, I am cuddling my boyfriend and partner, and you look as handsome as ever." 

Hobie reached down and cupped her face in his hands, "You sounded very poetic," He pecked her lips, making her snicker and smile.
"Ah, that's my girl. "He kissed her one more time, looking over to the time. 

"Oh…I didn't even ask if you had anything going on. I did show up here; I'm sorry again. Are you doing anything tomorrow? I can leave in the morning if you're busy."

"Are you serious? No, I want you here. Mandems comin' in tomorrow. You'll finally get to meet them and see the whole band." 

"Wait? That's cute you want me to meet your friends," She teased him; he rolled his eyes.

"Thank you," She wrapped her legs around his, her arms over him and her head gently against his chest. She fell asleep to the drum of his heartbeat.

Arabella didn't wake up until much later than Hobie. Exhaustion took over and forced her to sleep in. Although the sun was out, his room was dark, making her transition to waking up a lot better. Sensory-wise, it was terrific. 

She didn't feel anyone else in the bed; when she did, she let herself do a full-body stretch. Her shoulders were lighter than the night before, that pressure in her chest was gone, and her back felt new. It was the best sleep that she believed she'd ever had. She wanted to stay in his bed forever.

She cleaned herself up, seeing as his bedroom had no door but a sheet. She chuckled to herself. 

She took her time getting dressed. She pulled on a skirt, fluffed the bottom out, and layered herself with two studded belts. He slipped on a tank top and ensured his hair looked as presentable. 

She searched her bag, found her face paint scan, and put it on, using two fingers at each temple to do the design on her face. She didn't mind not wearing the makeup, but she felt confident. 

She arrived at the entrance, a simple sheet covering the opening. Behind it, she could hear voices. She stayed momentarily but couldn't register anything said through all the slang. She shook off the nerves that pricked her fingers and moved the curtain. 

She wasn't sure how she was supposed to enter. Was she supposed to say hello? She greeted them as she walked in. She didn't like that. She always preferred never to announce herself when walking into a room, which made her come off as a little unsettling. But she loved it, found it comforting. 

Unfortunately for her, Hobie always knew when she entered a room. He never missed a beat when she would arrive, always noticing how she entered rooms. She wondered if it was his spidey sense, almost like he always searched for her. 

"Nah, come on, mate! You're wrong, completely!" Hobie sounded through the flat; his voice was deep and loud. 

"Nope! I am on another level. Riri even said I'm always late but make an impeccable entrance no matter what! I saved you all,"

"Uh, don't forget, just because you go physical skill doesn't mean it outweighs the mental," 

The voices she heard were new, making her nervous, but ultimately she was interested in his friends. So she slowly walked through the entrance, and just like that, Hobie tilted his head back to her. 

He got up, not announcing anything, and made his way over to her, and in a low voice, he spoke. 
"Sleep alright?"

Arabella's attention was on him, looking him up and down as he wore a long green and red skirt. 
"Mhm, your beds comfortable; best sleep I've had in a while,"

"Really? Good. Like to keep my girl rested," he took his hand out of his pocket and looked over her knuckles. They looked a bit more healed, which made him hum. 

"Punchin' bums in your sleep?" He asked, making her roll her eyes. 
"No, I-"

"Ooh! Who's this!" 
A loud voice rang behind him, followed by a loud drumming against a counter. 

"Oh yeah! Hobie, this the one you've been raving about!?" A girl with short brown hair and a scarf popped out behind her; her smile was adorable. 

"Yeah…chill out, don't cause a panic. Arabella, Kamala Khan, Kamala, Arabella," Hobie introduced her, a grin tugging at his lips that he tried to hide. 

"Wow, didn't even hear you come in," another girl, this time with shaved red mohawk and drumsticks. She sat on top of a counter, drumming gently. 

"Oh yeah, sorry. I don't believe in announcing myself when I walk into a room," Arabella smiled, doing a polite wave. 

"Sick! Your makeup is cool. That's… that's not real paint, is it?" A girl with her hair pulled up into a curly bun. 

"Oh, not really, no, it's a kind of cybernetics from my dimension." Arabella greeted them all, Hobie standing beside her and watching. 

She learned all the girls' names; the one with the red was Mattea—the daredevil of his dimension. She used her drumsticks to help her see a form of echolocation. Arabella recognized her compared to her dimensions daredevil. 

Riri Williams, the iron heart of his dimension. She was calm and primarily interested in the technology of Arabella's dimension, which she gladly talked about. 

Next was Kamala Khan; she was a little silly, which Arabella found adorable. She didn't know a Kamal in her dimension, but she hoped she was as fun as this one. 

It took a while for the rest of his friends to arrive, but she got to know the girls there. 

"Ah, spider slayers, I get it." Arabella leaned into the arm of his torn-down couch. She was introduced to his version of the Hulk; he sported a short Mohawk that she enjoyed. 

Then she met Karl—Captain Anarchy. 

She thought his little band of friends was cute, he never talked much about them at HQ, so it was nice to see how he was out of it.

She was tuned into a conversation about one time when Hobie sang. 
"That's the point, innit? Gwen said my voice was terrible, but that's it. Nothing more." Hobie leaned back, sitting next to Arabella and noticing her silence. He managed to loop his fingers through hers quietly. 

"Subjective! And what about you? Do you sing or play anything?" Kamala focused her attention on Arabella. 

"Me? Oh…not really? I'm not in a band or anything, but I can do a kind of singing. It's nothing special," 

Hobie raised a brow; this was the first time he had heard of this. 

"Yeah, what kind?" Mattea asked, rocking her head back and forth to the music that seemed to play in the distance. 

"Uhm, it's called Void. It's a thing I can do with my vocal cords. Like…some places call it scream or death metal. Yeah, it's not appropriate…sometimes. 

Hobie smirked, leaning into her shoulder. 
"What're you on about? Never said anything to me about it,"

"Oh no, it's just something I learned to do. I have to train my voice before I can get into it."

"Gonna have to show me sometimes, yeah?" He squeezes her hand, making her nose wrinkle. 
"Maybe, if you're nice."

"Me? Nice? Come on," 

Hobies friends watched him with her, all collectively agreeing that Arabella was the best possible choice for this to happen. 

They had seen how he was years prior, how he was still. They remember seeing the con stand, the sense of dread filling his daily. To watch him smile and be playful towards someone like her was refreshing. 

Their little flirting session ended quickly as Bruce went inside after leaving a bit ago. 
"I'm back,"

The moment he walked in, Arabella's eyes widened with the smell that trailed in after him. 

"Ah! You got peng, mate? You smell of it," 

Bruce gave a cheeping smile and held up a small zipped-up bag. Hobie webbed it over to him and opened it. 

"Where did you snatch this from? You Sharin?" 

"Yeah, all yours,"

"Peng?" Arabella asked, leaning over to look in the bag. 
"Oh cool, we have that, but most of my dimensions…peng is all hallucinogenic, and it could cause a complete psychotic breakdown from trying it once." 

Everyone turned to her except Hobie, who was smiling, pulling out a rolling tray. 
"Well, I gotta go, but thanks for having me over, Hobie!" Kamala was the first to leave; she hugged Arabella and wished they'd see more of each other. 

The next was Mattea, as she had forgotten something essential to do. Karl, who hadn't said much, needed to get back home to his boyfriend but promised that he and Arabella could hang out sometime. 

Riri left a while ago; something about a force field overheating at her place of stay. It wasn't long before Hobie and Arabella were the last in the flat. 

Music was turned up while Hobies fingers did magic with rolling. Something she never got the hang of but found mesmerizing as he did. He noticed her watching him, holding one out to her. 

"Want one?"

"Me? Oh, I don't…I mean, not in front of people.."

"I'm not just people, am I?" 

She moved herself to face him, ready to take it, but instead of him handing it to her, he held it by the roach, pressing it to her lips. 

She stilled as it slid between them. His eyes were unmoving from hers as he grabbed a lighter, lighting hers first. 

He waited for her to pull before placing his into his mouth, leaning dangerously close to her and using her lit blunt to light his. 

Arabella could've moaned at the act if she didn't have it in her mouth. She had to break her eye contact with him, realizing that she didn't tuck properly as the loosening of her tuck suddenly became a real and aware thing for her to remember. 

The worst part was that she was slowly falling into an 'I very much do not care' attitude. She bunched her skirt, slowly sliding a cat head pillow—courtesy of Kamala—- over her lap. 

She sighed in relief as Hobie wasn't paying attention. 
"Hobie?"

He lifted his eyes, putting his things away and looking at her.
"Yes, love?" 

"You're the prettiest I've ever met," she slurred slowly, leaning closer to him. She stared for a little longer than she should've and got up. 

She said nothing as she reached for the stereo and turned on the music. She needed to drown out the noise of her brain if she was going to smoke. 

She sat back on the couch, leaning against his chest and rolling the blunt between her fingers. 

They sat in a music-filled silence. She liked how intimate the moment was. His thumb rubbed her knuckles, her pinkie popped around him, and his chin set against her head. She wished she could stay like this forever. 

Soon after, she was finished. But Arabella kept her eyes closed as she fidgeted with the pillow over her lap. 

"Ari, look at me," she heard Hobies voice. It was smoother than all the other times he talked. It made her twitch before turning to him. 

She was already holding on to strings, trying to keep her thoughts to herself and letting the music drown out everything. But the moment he grabbed her chin, brushing his thumb along her lip to open her mouth and shotgunning her, all logic flew out the window. 

She gladly took the transferred hit, taking a moment before crunching hard on the inside of her snakebite. She didn't know if the look he was giving her resulted from being high or simply because he was looking at her, but it made her reach and kiss him. 

Hobie tossed the rest into an ashtray, turning to her as she held onto his face. She felt her heartbeat almost break against her rib cage, trying to imprint the taste of his mouth against her tongue and memorizing his fingers against the small exposed skin of her back. She imagined how they would feel wrapped around her throat, her chin, how his hands were more extensive than hers but so perfect when she suspected them on her thigh. 

She felt his breathing change; he practically panted against her lips while he turned his head for her. Her hands slowly drifted from his face down his chest, stopping against his thigh. For a moment, she didn't care about breathing, just needing to be against him, touching him. 

When his hand brushed further up her back, she thought about how his hands would feel around her cock, making her gasp and pull back. 

The thought nearly sobered her up, a floater plastered against her face as Hobie sat up. 
"What'd you wanna do, love?" He asked, panting but with no expectations in his eyes. 

"'M wanna touch you," Arabella pressed down on her skirt, her brow knitted. 
"Whatever you want."

"Really?"

"Fuck, yeah." 

She reached over, pulling him almost wholly on top of her as her head hit the arm of the couch. She pulled his mouth back into her, kissing him deeper than last time. 

He held himself up onto the couch as her hands wandered him. She refused to let his lips free as she pressed her tongue into him, her hands moving into his shirt and pulling it off him. 

She paused, thinking carefully about her next move. 
"Mm…is it okay that..we only do this?" She asked, her hands splayed on his back. 

"Anything you want, princess," the title from his mouth made the blood rush from her face and to her cock. She didn't realize she'd like that title until he said it. 

She pushed her lips back into him, her trimmed nails brushing against his back, hips, and sides. She touched all over him, even brushing the Anarchist tattoo hovering over his heart. 

Arabella sighed into his mouth, pushing and pulling him back and forth until she bit his lip and pulled. She watched it settle back, her hands gliding down his torso to the edge of his skirt. 

"Can I?" She asked,

He leaned back down to kiss her once more. 
"Mm' go'head" 

She undid the tie to his skirt, pulling it down and looping her fingers underneath his boxers. Before she could even touch him, he moaned into her mouth. 

Every bit of their senses had been heightened, so when she brushed her fingers down his black happy trail, he paused to breathe, closing his eyes until his boxers came mid-thigh and her hand wrapped around him. 

"You sure you just want to touch me?" He asked desperation settled in his voice, and his fingers twitched at her hip. 

"Mhm, I just don't…" she paused, trying to find a good excuse—something from her box of reasons. But nothing came, and he just nodded. 

"Okay. Just touch me," 

She placed her lips against his jaw this time, slowly stroking his cock as she sucked against parts of his neck, leaving unnoticeable hickeys. 

She could feel his lips hot against her skin, allowing her to look down. His cock fit in her hands, using one to grip the base and the other to stroke what she wasn't holding. 

His cock was pretty as he was, dark and uncut with the slightest curve that made her cock hard. She wanted him inside her badly, but as much as she wanted to have those thoughts, she beat them away by trying to make him feel good in her hands. 

She bit her lip, shaking herself of those thoughts because when she looked up at him with a twist of her hand around his cock head, he groaned and hissed.

"Fuck. Princess, bloody hell," 

She gripped his base hard, holding him in a death grip while adding pressure to the head of his cock, her thumb stimulating his slit. She heard a slew of curses exit him, feeling his hips press forward. She kept him down, waiting for the head of his cock to get slick with precum. 

"Mmm," Hobie grunted, his hands gripping so far into the couch that he indebted the fabric with his strength. This brought a lazy smile to her lips, she switched her hands, but this time to focus on the head of his cock and the other to massage his balls gently. 

“No fuckin’ way…” With his hips being freed, he bucked into her hand. This time she reached up and pecked his lips. 

"Fuck my hand Hobie~" she whispered.

She could feel him shake for a second before she felt the pull of his hips. 
"Yeah…? Yeah." Hobie suddenly became more vocal, his grunts matching her hand's slow, soft rhythm of strokes, squeezing gently at his cock head each time he pulled his hips away. 

She saw how he knitted his brows; she could tell he was holding back. She hummed, liking that he was trying to hold back for her. She leaned again, kissing him and taking his lip between her teeth. 

"Hobie?" She whimpered innocently, looking up with low-lidded eyes. 
"Cum? Please? For me?" 

She watched as Hobies mind went blank, and the request washed around him, feeling his cock twitch in her hand. She stroked him faster, this time not letting him pace himself as his arousal began to drop from the head of his cock. 

"Princess—Ari. Bloody fuckin'” he let out a low deep groan, her hands becoming hot wet and sticky. She darted her eyes down, wanting to watch the show as spurts of cum landed all over her hands, all over the front of her shirt, and even lightly catching some on her neck. 

She shivered; it was a fantastic sight. She had an even more incredible feeling as she decided to keep stroking his cock, covering it in as much cum as he could. 

"Oi—hey, might as well Shag me like this…" he pulled his hips back at the sensitivity. His eyes glazed over her, "shite. Your shirt-"

"That's okay; I can take it off." She didn't hesitate to pull her shirt over her head, not caring to wipe the cum off her neck and drop it to the floor. 

He then admired the solid black bra she wore. He noted how nice they looked and even groaned as she removed her brah. They fell softly against her; he wasn't sure if he could fit one in his hand if he wanted to. 

"You like them?" She asked, squeezing them together and brushing her thumbs over her nipples. 

"You're bloody beautiful."

"Mmm yeah? You touch them. However you want. I'm okay with that," 

Hobie let go of the couch, lowering himself and moving her tits together. His first action was the brush his whole tongue over her nipple. She whined from the warm wet rough feeling. He was getting used to them as he seemed to use them as the stress balls he kneaded his hands into. His mouth found comfort in sucking them. 

She forced her hips down, her bottom lip jutting out of her mouth as she tried to focus on not cumming then and there. She hated it, but she felt that she got whiny the hornier she got, and him using her nipples as his popsicle wasn't helping. 

She clenched her jaw and grabbed his face. 
"Hm?" He questioned, a dazed look on his face. 

"Can I? Use my mouth?" 

"Yeah, but the thought of you below me is a little..issue." 

She was going to respond, hoping she didn't make him feel bad but was interrupted as he gripped her hips and turned them over to where he laid on his back. 

If it was one thing, he liked the thought of his girlfriend being on top. She smiled, enjoying this position better, able to conceal more of herself if needed. She hovered over him first, attacking his lips softly, her hands running down his chest and torso before using the cum still on her neck to make her thumbs soft. 

She pressed them over his nipples and enjoyed the groan he let out as she moved her fingers over them. She could see they were more sensitive, something she took pleasure in. 

She leaned down, brushing her tongue over his nipples as he did to her. She tasted his cum but couldn't get the taste down. 

"Cheeky fucking bird, got any more surprises in you?" He asked, watching as she kissed his nipples and trailed down to his now hard cock. 

"Mm, maybe?" She said, her eyes batting at him while she took him into her hands again. Using his cum as lube, she didn't spare anytime and put his tip in her mouth, making a seal and sucking as both her hands stroked and twisted. 

Hobie gripped the couch, his head arching back as his hips bucked upwards. She held him down with her arms, her eyes batting softly as she slowly inched her mouth along his cock. 

He tasted terrific, better than anything, and she didn't mind. His cock was big enough, just barely to fit her mouth; trying not to struggle, she lifted herself, bobbing her head while listening to his groans. She let her tongue press against a soft vein on the side of his cock to the tip. 

His voice was more impressive than she thought it would be. Like the finest music to her ears, it only fueled her lust more. Wanting him to cum down her throat. 

She let out her moans, allowing them to vibrate down his cock. Saliva spilled from the corner of her mouth, moaning excruciatingly slowly while hollowing her cheeks out. 

"You're…blinding…cumming," Hobie let out a soft moan, arching himself lightly as another load spilled. 

She popped her mouth off, closing her eyes and letting his cum hit her face. She opened her mouth and pressed her tongue to his head to gather the rest. 

He settled back down into the couch, his legs spread and his head back, arms over the sides of the sofa. 
Ari, on the other hand, wiped around her eyes and sat up, her fingertips glazing his cock. 

"Ey, watch those hands of yours. Those are weapons of destruction," he looked at her, reaching over and pulling her against his bare chest. 

He used his thumb to wipe off the cum on her face. She found it endearing and intimate. 
"Fuck, bloody hell Ari.." he kissed her. Again again and again. He enjoyed every second of her as much as it took to get it to her. 

He praised her, calling her pet names and finding his hands wandering all over her front and torso. He didn't mind the taste in her mouth; the idea of his cum lingering on her tongue turned him on. 
"So good, so fucking perfect. My pretty princess knows how to use her mouth, huh? And these hands…like magic." 

"Mm, really?" She asked, becoming flustered a bit as he kneaded against her chest. 
"Oh yeah. We should get you cleaned up first, though." 

She agreed, getting up and heading to his bathroom. She insisted on washing up first while he checked the couch. She tried to clean up as quickly as possible, wiping her cock clean and unable to tuck for the rest of the night. 

When they were finished, she lay in the bed with him—messing with each other's fingers, giving lingering kisses, and marking each other with hickeys that no one else could see. 

They spent together like that until she needed to return to her dimension, feeling much better.