call (me)
If Ganke thinks he's an idiot, then what the hell is Miles?
Because he just swang out of their dorm on a Monday morning after a pretty good weekend with nothing in his system, no note for Ganke, not a care in the world because he has to fight Venom on a Monday morning. He has to fight Venom at four-thirteen on the dot because Ms. Chen ran out of chocolate and the symbiote didn't feel like going to the convenience store a few blocks over. To top this off, he's got an AP Physics test at eight thirty. He doesn't even know if he'll get there in time to take it.
Well, that's more of a win to be honest. Doesn't matter how smart you are, physics humbles everyone.
No matter, Miles is irritated as hell this fine morning. Ganke will be none the wiser though, he'll come back in a better mood once Venom gets his coal black ass back to his apartment.
Ganke Lee was not going to class that morning. Miles was gone and Spiderman didn't take his phone with him, so all that's left is to check the live feed from his bodycam.
First problem, Miles didn't tell him he was fighting anything this early. Second problem, Ganke shouldn't be seeing Spiderman's mask on his bedside table.
"Miles," His voice broke up from the wind, but Miles must've heard him since he looked down to his watch. "you forgot your mask!"
"I did?!"
Ganke, holding it up to the camera. "Yeah."
Huh, he just thought it was windier than normal.
Miles looks at Venom tossing a car into a nearby shop window. No doubt he's looking for some precious chocolate. In the rubble of the clothing racks was a black and red ski mask he promptly snatched up.
"Convenient and thematic!"
"Tellin' you right now, that is not gonna hold. I'm coming over to you."
Miles, huffs, a flaming car engine in hand. "Ganke no. No no no do not-"
Venom shrieks from the flames. Momentarily stunned, the symbiote departs from its host to catch its breath. Miles looks back down at the watch and Ganke's out the door on his way to the subway.
"Ganke I swear to fuck, if I make it back to school and you're not there-" Venom tosses him to the side, Miles punches him- forgetting to pull back.
The symbiote's missing a pretty good chunk of itself, a hole blasted straight through its abdomen. Whatever human was underneath that simply isn't there anymore. That shriek was something primal, and something told Ganke that was the turning point of this fight.
"Fuck, my bad."
"YOUR BAD?" Venom spat, gesturing to the hole in his side.
Well that's fucking ironic.
"Anyways, can we wrap this up? I've got an AP Physics test in like, ten minutes."
"I'LL WRAP YOU UP IN A BODY BAG!"
Welp, seems like Mr. Ditkovich wasn't gonna see Miles in class today. Ganke will come up with some ungodly excuse for him though, he always did. Except this time it might not work, since he wasn't in class either.
He felt the burn holes in his mask and hoodie, retreating into the alleyway. "Ganke, Ganke please hurry up."
Wow, okay. This was not the context he wanted to hear him plead in.
The tendrils chase after him, hooking to powerlines- jabs of electricity from Miles were the only thing holding the symbiote off.
"I'm on my way- you head towards me."
Yeah, no. He expected that. "...Alright."
Miles goes invisible on top of the roof, and hops back towards Visions. Ganke was at the halfway point- Teo's Bodega, where Miles nearly swung into the window had Ganke not banged on the glass.
Miles' breathing labored, now this- this was kind of scary. How long has he been fighting for him to get this tired?
"It's been damn near four hours man." Shit, Ganke felt tired just hearing that.
"You alright? I'll get Ditkovich to lay off. Tell him we overslept- and put your mask on!"
"Cool, cool- I'll swing us back right quick."
"Us? Swing yourself, I'll get home later."
"No, it's fine-"
"Spiderman?" Now Teo's come out with a bag of sandwiches. "Ay mierda- you look like hell."
"Eh, Se nota? Shit."
"Yeah, it's bad. You wanna eat here or-?"
"Nah, don't wanna mess up the floor. Thanks for the sandwiches Teo!"
With that, Miles webs the sandwiches to his left hand. And Ganke, careful as he can, gets on Miles' back despite his reluctance. Ganke didn't realize how high their dorm was, third floor looks a lot lower from inside.
"Right, hop off."
Ganke scurries through their window, Miles slamming it shut.
Silence. Let the obvious drift through the air. He went to fight Venom- without Gwen, who knew how to handle him better than he did. But, he didn't even tell her what was going on. He left at four in the morning for God knows what reason- barely got any rest this week or the last. Then he insists on carrying Ganke back when his ribs and back are clearly bruised.
No, no. Let him get to the bathroom. Let him lock the door- lock the front door too actually. Now he can say it.
"Miles, what the hell was that?"
"Duty calls."
"Stop picking up the phone then!"
Groaning, Miles peels off his suit behind the shower curtain. "Please don't do this right now."
"Why not?!" He yanks the curtain back, a mistake he knew he made the moment Miles' eyes met his.
All Ganke saw was red on black and black on red. Poor boy looked like a chessboard, black patches on thighs and arms all swollen, red gashes creeping down from suit tears and expected scrapes. All he could do was stand, stand and let the water run over him.
"..."
"Out."
Didn't have to tell him once.
When he got out that bathroom, Miles coached him- hoarse and low, on how deep gashes were and how tight the stitches had to be on them. Ganke made sure to get this right, if not anything else.
"Get my left calf- he stuck me while I was runnin'-"
"Don't talk, save that for later."
Miles mumbles. "You sound like you wanna talk anyway."
Ganke sets the bandages down by his leg and gets on Miles' left, his hand in his. He would've took both but he needs Miles to feel this. You can't feel lips through bandages.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"It was four in the morning Gee, who answers that early?"
"I do," He squeezes a little tighter, "And you know I do."
"Yeah, but you had a long week."
"Yours was longer."
"Mine are always long, I don't count."
Ganke scoffs, "You don't count? You've got people here that'll cross the world for you here, and suddenly you don't count? You risked your identity at four in the morning and you don't count?"
"I count on you, and you don't count?" He's by his chest now, barely a whisper. He'd yell, but the walls are thin. "That's not how this works, Miles."
"Thas' how it's been workin'."
"That's not how it's supposed to work."
"Then tell me how it should."
Ganke looks at him dead on, with the warmth of sunsets and Miles knew that gaze well. Knew exactly what he meant cause' that's how he stares at everyone (it's just a bit rosy when it comes to Ganke). Tracing Miles' lips with his right, bandaged hand over his. Slowly- as if to say let me love you, at least this once.
Miles kissed his hand once more, but he didn't kiss him.