Chapter Text
When Yoongi was a child, he would read all the comics his small little hands would get a hold of. He would imagine a world where superheroes existed, saving the little guys and the whole galaxy. Wishing he could become one, fly close to the sun, meet aliens, and be beloved by your whole city. But as many dreams were, the reality was rather disappointing.
The first superhero showed up when Yoongi was only 10 years old. He was still obsessed with this idea and seeing the iron man flying over New York for a rescue mission felt like a mirage. A human was flying! There were aliens! Villains that the world's mighty heroes would stop and beat.
But everything came crashing down just two years later when New York was decimated. Buildings were collapsing as Hulk moved through the city after flying aliens on weird surfboards. Explosions were everywhere and cars would be used as weapons just to be thrown around. He understood that the enemy this time was trying to take control of their world, of the earth, but for a 12-year-old boy, the only thing he cared about was his parents' death. He cared when he saw the whole building they work in collapse on the news. He saw people trying to jump off from the lower levels before The Iron man was pushed inside it, in a way of trying to make him stop, but only to fly out just a few seconds later when the building came down.
Contrary to Iron man, his parents did not survive.
After this, his life quickly became a mess. His younger siblings and he moved to his grandmother's one-bedroom apartment, living off of the minimum wage for 4 people. He was lucky already that the government didn’t divide the family, which would happen if they were to be put up for adoption. He really couldn’t see his life without his younger siblings. Sure life sucked, they sometimes didn’t eat enough but he knew at least his grandmother was trying her very best.
And now, 8 years later, Yoongi was in his second year at MIT, on a scholarship that paid half the price of his university tuition and doing his very best to send money back home so his family could always eat and pay all the bills.
His job wasn’t… the average type. After all, working at Mcdonald's would never pay the other half of his tuition, dorm and food, never mind feeding his family. So, yeah, that was how he found himself swinging with his rope through the city to get artefacts from museums and sell them on the black market a few times a month. If superheroes could exist, so could a little robber. Yoongi wasn’t harming anyone either, he was basically invisible with his black suit and eye mask and he knew enough to do his job as silently and as fast as possible. Heroes had a lot more to do than to try to get him, police couldn’t get any clues to arrest him and for everyone else, he was just a hardworking, albeit tired, university student. Yoongi did his best so no one could figure out his nightlife, not his family, not the police and neither his friend, Jeon Jungkook.
He met Jungkook on his first day at MIT. The scrawny kid with big eyes looked terrified in the middle of the crowd, enough that Yoongi felt a pang of sympathy and decided to talk to him. He knew how it felt to move cities and be alone, he knew how difficult a crowd could feel and Jungkook being a year younger than everyone else must’ve felt even worse. A prodigy kid, who skipped a grade and has already done a few college classes during high school would finally move to the dorms and so, he had a lot of weight on his back and happily accepted Yoongi as his friend. It helped how they shared the same major and therefore had half of their classes together.
Also, Jungkook's dorm was just 5 doors beside his, which made it really easy to annoy him and to spend time together. Just like him, Jungkook had a scholarship, but his were by the Kim enterprise, CEO Kim Namjoon, aka Iron man. It also paid fully, seriously this kid was so smart to get something like that. He was really proud of him, for everything he has achieved and done in his life.
And maybe he has a crush on him as well, but that was kept under wraps. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship for something as stupid as some feelings.
He had bigger problems than worrying about a stupid crush, like bringing the collar of an English queen back to the dorm and find a way to sell it. Yoongi walks silently through the roofs of the city, jumping from one to the other with his grappling hook. He remembers the first time he tried, after weeks of drawing and making it something that was just his and would always work; he tried it on a small building from the second floor. His body was shaking and when he entered through the open window from the abandoned apartment right in front of his original point, he fell to the ground, his legs giving up on him. Now, swinging from one building to the other, 10, 15 floors up only felt liberating. It was like he was flying like he could fly.
He couldn’t forget he was only human and a fall this high would be fatal.
He stopped halfway through his trajectory, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. Running and jumping was no easy feat, especially when he tried his best to do no breaks.
“ I’ve read about you in the newspaper” Yoongi could feel his body going rigid. He was never caught and who could be here at this time? His heart started to go crazy, hands getting clammy as he straightened his back and looked over his shoulder. “ You’re like, an art thief?”
Leaning against the dormer was spiderman in his flashy red and blue suit and big white eyes. In contrast, spiderman looked relaxed, with no muscle taut while he stared at him. “ You could say something like that,” Yoongi answered, voice lower than his normal tone.
He couldn’t be caught, he couldn’t afford to, not for his family.
“ So, should we do this the easy way? Why don’t you hand over whatever you stole and we can walk to the police station together.” Spider-Man pushed off the wall, moving closer to him. Yoongi held on to his grappling gun tighter, ready to jump off if needed.
“ Uhm…Nah, that won’t do, sorry.”
Spiderman… Spiderman was stronger, faster and much more skilled than he was. He could probably swing around much, much faster than him so he couldn’t outrun him. This would be hard, but if Yoongi plays his cards right, he could find a way out of this.
“ Ah… then I’m sorry, dude, this might hurt.” It was then Spiderman swung forward, trying to punch Yoongi, who barely dodged it. He thinks he knows what to do.
During his youth, Yoongi fought a lot. He was scrawny for someone his age and different from everyone else. It made him a target for bullies and when his father saw him entering home with a black eye, it didn’t take long to start training him in his own way. After his parents’ death…well, fighting was the only way he could let go of his anger and resentment. Of course, he would choose fights with people bigger than him, older than him. The challenge was something he sought, he wanted to feel the pain in his ribs, the taste of blood in his mouth, and most of all, he wanted to win them. Of course, he didn’t win them all, but his father taught him well enough to beat most of them or at least do damage.
The fight wasn’t equal though when spiderman would punch him, Yoongi's breath would escape him with how much force was in it. He had heard about superstrength but being hit like that truly felt much worse than the words in the streets.
However, his plan was working, the little spider kept using his webs and with the last kick to his chest, he was able to push him to his own sticky mess. He moved quickly, this was his one and only opportunity and pushed Spiderman's wrist against his chest. There must have been a button or some way to force the webs out. It could’ve been by luck or Yoongi did it just right but a web-shoot off Spiderman's wrist, effectively locking himself on his webs.
“ H-Hey, what the hell?” Spiderman sputters, wiggling but unable to get off. Yoongi panted tiredly, a smirk coming to his face. He could feel the pain blooming from his chest, it was hard to breathe and he knew he probably -most likely- fractured a rib. At least it was done and now Yoongi could walk closer to the edge of the roof looking back at Spiderman to give him a small salute.
The superhero was struggling, kicking and wiggling but the web wouldn’t budge. “ Wait, wait! Where, fuck, where are you going? Yah! Don’t leave!” he screamed. It was pretty funny how the white of his mask gave so much expression of how surprised he was by this whole ordeal.
“ Sorry, spider boy, but I need to go.” Yoongi took another step back, the edge was ending and with a final smile he said: “ It was nice to meet you, good luck!” And with that, the boy let himself fall back, falling - flying - before he shot his hook and in a mere second his body thrust up as he was catapulted through the skies.
His first meeting with a superhero went particularly well if he says so himself. It surely was a confidence boost to beat one at its own game.
🕷️🕷️🕷️
“ Someone looks tired,” Yoongi said as he let go of his book just for it to fall with a thud. Jungkook, who was half-asleep jumped from his chair, eyes wide open as he stared back at him. It only made him smile as he sat down beside his friend. He understood his pain, classes at 8 am should be illegal. Especially when he worked half the night away and the other half he spent patching himself up, only napping for 2 hours before leaving his dorm.
“ Yeah… Insomnia again,” Jungkook mutters, curling his arms over the table and resting his head on them. Yoongi frowned, his hand going to his friend's back to gently rub it. His insomnia was getting worse and when at the start of their course was once or twice a week, now it was the better half of it.
“ You really need to go see a doctor, Jungkookie, you’re all pale too, maybe you're falling sick.” Each second he kept staring at his friend, the more worried he became. Finals were just a month away and he wonders if maybe it was stressing Jungkook a little too much.
He was a detailed person, after all, an overachiever and someone that wants only the best of the best. So, Yoongi squinted his eyes which made Jungkook laugh the second he noticed he was staring.
“ What?” He asked, putting his hand up to hide his big, bunny smile. It was so cute that Yoongi's heart did a flip which he completely ignored.
“ How many hours are you studying a day without me?” Yoongi blurted out. That might be it, he might be studying instead of sleeping and now he was like this.
“ Damn, rude, BUT! None! I only do it if I have homework left,” Jungkook answered, exasperated. He was still sitting and yet he put one fist against his hip and straightened his back. He surely became a brat sometimes. Yoongi squinted again, bottom lip slightly pouting before he shook his head and sighed.
“I don’t believe you.”
“ What? Why?”
“ Because you’re a perfectionist and I know you’re worried about some of your classes. I can see you awake and instead of trying to sleep or doing something that may help you sleep, you go and study”
“ ...You have a good point but I promise I didn't, okay? I probably got a bit of flu, but tomorrow I’ll be just fine,” Jungkook reassured him. He put his hand on Yoongi's shoulder and his lips turned up into a small smile. “ Besides, how many times have you seen me sick for more than a day?”
Yoongi frown came back and he grumbled. “ Once, when you got that weird fever in our first year. '' To that, Jungkook nodded enthusiastically. Yoongi was sometimes jealous of how good Jungkook's immune system worked. He feels the boy barely got sick, besides his insomnias of course. Yet, when Yoongi got stuck swinging around under heavy rain once, he was one step away from getting pneumonia. Maybe that was an over-exaggeration, but the point still stands. Headaches were something non-existent for Jungkook too, and something that came at least twice a month, if not more to Yoongi.
Younger kids were made different.
Before he could change the subject, their teacher entered the classroom, her voice booming in the room as she immediately started to recap their last lesson. They both opened their notebook and started to scribble down. Yoongi leaned closer to Jungkook and in a whisper said:
“ Don’t worry too much about notes today, okay? Don’t overwork.” Jungkook gave him a soft look and he knew the younger one was thankful for it.
Later that night, Yoongi started to work on his new project. After such a meeting with Spiderman, he needs to step up. It was too dangerous to not have something that would change his voice. It would take a few weeks but in the end, he would have a collar that could change the pitch of his vocal cords.
Thank god the labs were on a reservation basis. It meant he could be in there and no one would come without him knowing so. He could even lock the doors, it was great. Efficient.
He wouldn’t go back to the streets that soon either. In all honesty, meeting spiderman spooked him out. It was different to steal without a person seeing it than having to fight a superhero. Fighting just increased his chances of being caught and ruin his life and his family's lives as well. Spiderman may be on the lookout for him now, he might be looking at what he has stolen in the past - the ones that were noticed, that is - and trying to sketch what he was into. Yoongi didn’t need to go back out there for at least three weeks, as next month's rent was due and the collar paid his university, the dorm and his family's rent.
His grandmother knew the money he would send wasn’t steady. He had told her he did something called freelance and she just smiled and nodded, trusting him fully. He would just need to tell her this month was weaker, not that many sellers. But next month he’ll get something better, more expensive to make up for it. At this rate, by next year Yoongi will have enough saved up to pay his sibling's university tuition.
He didn’t do this for himself, even if he ever gets caught the only one that gets stained would be him.
Yoongi just doesn’t want them to suffer as he did.
🐈🐈🐈
“ You must be kidding me,” Yoongi said under his breath, right after he heard the small thund sound against the floor. His shoulder sagged and he let out a sigh. Spiderman was after him.
“ Hey, black cat.” Yoongi turned around, crossing his arms. He wouldn’t be able to see his frown but he believed his body language screamed that. “ Oh yeah, I looked you up, the newspaper calls you that.”
“ Yes, I’ve read,” his voice was dry, Yoongi would prefer to be anywhere besides here. This guy couldn’t stop being around, could he?
“ You know Black Cat, you’re a mystery to me,” Spiderman said, moving around but always watching him. Like a predator sizing up a prey but this time Yoongi didn’t want to play.
“ How so?”
“ You steal art, jewellery, antiques, anything small and easy to take but you never hurt anyone… besides knocking some guards down sometimes, but not always!”
“ Well, I don’t like to hurt people, unless it’s necessary,” he replied honestly. That was a line he would not cross. His family was hit just like that, he couldn’t fathom doing it as well, specially choosing to hurt someone.
“ Am I a necessity?” That made Yoongi glare, hands going into fists.
“ You’re in my way and don’t let me do my job, so I don’t know spidey, what do you think?” His voice was sarcastic and he could feel himself getting annoyed
“ What you did last time really hurt, you know? I stood there, locked, for over 2 hours and it started to rain!”
“ Aw, I’m terribly sorry, maybe you shouldn’t be, I don’t know, following me? I’m sure there are worse people you could be stopping right now.” Yoongi turned around and stomped his way until the end of the rooftop. If Spiderman was here before he even stole anything, he doesn’t believe that he will leave that soon.
And if he doesn’t give him a reason, he thinks he won’t attack him.
“ I have it handled, you shouldn’t worry about me, but about yourself!”
“ Yeah? Worried about what? About another fight that I’ll win? Or are you trying to take me to the cops and do what? You have no proof it's me, no video evidence and the last time I checked it isn't illegal to swing around buildings. If it is, we will both go to jail.”
For that, the spider man did not have an answer. And so, Yoongi continued moving, jumping off and swinging to land on the very next building. Spiderman followed right behind him.
“ Look, you obviously have talent and I looked it up.”
“ I’m honored,” he answered dryly. Yoongi idly wondered how spiderman webs worked. He knew it was coming out of a machine on his wrist and as a future scientist, he wondered how it was made. It must be something completely new and out of the norm if only Spiderman was able to do them.
“ You never hurt anyone, never to the point of going to the hospital, you take small things and never leave a clue behind... Why don’t you do this for a good cause?” Spiderman sounded so confused like he had thought this through. Like he had seriously considered Yoongi could be a superhero. It made his stomach twist, but he kept his face as nonchalant as possible. He was doing this for his family first and himself second.
“ What are you talking about?”
“ Like a superhero, like me.”
“ I’m no damn hero, spidey.” His voice was slightly bitter but he couldn’t stop it. Some people could call him a sort of robin hood, but what he did was hidden, so even that title didn’t fit him.
“ But you could! You have the skills! And I think that you have the mind for it too!”
“ Does being a superhero pay your shit?” Yoongi asked, ironically. They knew what they did was selfless work, to keep the peace, even if that took a toll on them. A price Yoongi knew damn well how much it was.
“ …No.”
“ Then my answer is no, now leave me alone.” Yoongi turns around, “ And what the hell are you doing asking such things to someone you’re supposedly trying to stop? Like seriously, I feel this shouldn’t be happening.”
“ Things-” Spiderman cut himself off, his posture changing from relaxed to alert and in a second he jumped forward, taking Yoongi down with him. Yoongi huffed, a swear coming out as he almost hit his head on the ground if it wasn’t for Spiderman's hand cushioning the fall.
“ What the fuck-” His words were cut down again when he finally heard it, rather saw it. A bullet flew above both of them right where Yoongi was standing.
Well, this was new.
“ Since when do you have someone trying to kill you?” There was a pitch of worry that Yoongi felt shouldn’t be there. Spiderman shouldn’t be worried about him. They stayed in the same position for a few seconds, Yoongi too stunned that someone actually tried to shoot him in his life.
“ Since now I guess… Why did you do that?” he asked, trying to think of a reason for someone to do just that but his mind came blank. It was bad, this was horribly bad. It made his chest constrict and he knew a panic attack was trying to come up to the surface but Yoongi couldn’t deal with that. Thus, change of topic. To think of something else.
“I can feel it, don’t ask, we need to get away from here, we are like sitting ducks.” Spiderman put his hand on Yoongi's chest, propping himself just a bit to glance around. There was no sound but the superhero wasn’t so sure yet. Yoongi on the other hand couldn’t do anything until he decided to move.
“ So you vibe it, got it.”
“ Can we focus on the most important things?” Spider-Man said, a frown coming to his mask and the white part diminishing. It was amazing that his suit reacted to his emotions, in the back of his mind he wondered how it was possible. Nano-tech?
“ Like you're still being all over me?” Yoongi teased. It might have been only when the other noticed their position because saying it, the superhero rolled off of him as if he had just burnt him. He wondered if he blushed. He bet he did. Now, there were more important things to take care of… “ So… this is new for me, how do we get out of this situation?”
“ …Look, you get out and go to a safe place for you, I’ll stop whoever is trying to kill you.”
“ Am I supposed to just trust you that you can do that by yourself?” Yoongi sat down, still slightly crouching but he followed Spiderman who crawled closer to the end of the building and peeked.
“ I AM spiderman, cat boy, this isn’t my first rodeo and also it’s like, my thing to save people in need.” That made him frown. This might be a critical condition even for him, but he never let his problems be someone else’s. It didn't feel fair and also he needed to know who wanted to shoot him. They could come back in the future. What if they knew who he was? Suddenly his life wasn’t as safe as he thought and my god how stressful that was.
“ I don’t need he-” he started but was quickly cut by the other who looked at him annoyed.
“ And we don’t have time for this! Just go okay?” Spiderman got up, shooting his web to the nearby building before he jumped off. There was another shot fired but it wasn’t directed to this side and honestly, Yoongi wouldn't stay there. For once he would follow the superhero order.
“ Fuck, fine. Don’t get hurt spidey,” he whispered before fully getting up and leaving the area. He knows the guy probably didn’t hear him, yet he still felt the need to answer.
Deep inside, he hoped to see him again, to at least say thanks. Even if they shouldn’t, it really does make everything more difficult. Yet, that guy just put his life at risk for him. Maybe Spiderman wasn’t so bad after all.
Their next meeting was one that Yoongi wanted to happen. So, for that, Yoongi sat down in one of the most central buildings in the city and patiently waited. It had only been 2 days since that incident but the boy couldn’t sleep. There was someone, who, he had no clue, trying to assassinate him for a reason he also didn’t know. Maybe spidey would have answers, he fought the guy and maybe got the info. That information might make Yoongi sleep again.
Or never, but it was a risk he had to take.
“ Are you waiting for someone?” As usual, the voice came from behind him followed by a low thump as the other landed on the flat roof. Yoongi turned around and pushed his hands into his pockets. Doing this in person feels harder than he had envisioned.
“ I was waiting for you.”
“ Should I be flattered?” Spiderman moved around, ending his stroll to plop down at the edge of the building, legs swinging around slightly. He was completely at ease and Yoongi would even dare to say he was relaxed. Not him though, he still felt as stiff as board. Letting out a sigh, he looked down and went to stand closer to the hero.
“ Did you find out who was after me?”
“ Black cat…” Spiderman looked up, voice soft but he knew where he was heading and what Yoongi hated the most was pity.
“ I can’t sleep, okay? I need... Please tell me, I need to know.” His voice was lower too, chin almost against his chest. He sat beside the other, legs stiff instead of swinging them around.
“ It's Kingpin.” That made Yoongi look up briskly. Kingpin was the crime lord of the city, known by everyone but the police couldn’t even touch him because of his power. What did he want with Yoongi? He was just a low-end robber, one small speciality and seriously couldn't harm anyone.
“ ...What? Why? Why would the crime lord care about me?” In his voice, there was a bit of desperation. It was worse than he thought. Kingpin had the money and power to discover his own family back in New York, he could be putting everyone at risk.
“ I don’t know yet, Black cat, but I’ll figure it out, you don't need to worry-” His voice was low, worried with his own words. He could sense the stress seeping out of the Black cat and he didn’t want to make it worse. But Yoongi cut him off, voice higher, more desperate than before.
“ Don’t need to worry? THE kingpin wants my head on a stick, I'm screwed. I’m fucked, what if he knows who I am?” His arm shot up and he felt his breathing pick up. This wasn’t right, this couldn’t be happening. Not to him.
“ Calm down, it’ll be okay, it'll be okay, he hasn't attacked you when you're not wearing your mask right?" ” Spiderman put one hand on his shoulder, pulling his thoughts away and grounding him to earth. His breathing was still a little bit too fast but as Yoongi looked into the white lenses of the hero’s mask, he could feel himself calm down.
“ No, but-”
“ No buts, it means he doesn’t know or doesn't care enough to find out. In the meanwhile, I'm already looking for why he cared about you, okay?”
Spiderman, a hero that definitely had more to do than help him, was doing all of this. If he had been a normal civilian he would get it, but he knows he steals, he knows he sells art. Yet, the other is there, looking for the reason for this attack. Yoongi nodded slightly, pursed his lips and in one second he said something he never thought he would in his life.
“ I want to help you.”
“ What?” Spiderman was just as dumbfounded as Yoongi felt after the words slipped past his lips. His hand slid from his shoulder to his arm, in shock at what he had said.
“ It's my life in danger, he’s looking for me, he wants me!” Both his hands shot to his chest. He could feel his own heartbeat going fast.
“ More reasons for you to not come out to the streets, Black Cat.” Spiderman's voice was deep, disapproving. Even if he couldn’t see his face, Yoongi could hear the frown in his voice.
“ You don’t... You don’t understand. I can't sleep, spidey, I need, I need to do something about it and helping you out can be it, I’m paranoid, I don’t feel safe, I don’t want to put my friends in danger.” As the words left him, he could feel himself deflating, laying himself bare for the hero to pick apart. To understand him. Yoongi wasn’t a bad person, just someone that was forced to do bad things.
“ ….Are you sure?”
“ 100%.”
“ Fine, you can help, but follow my lead okay? This is not my first time against Kingpin and I kinda know how he works.” Spiderman looked to the front, eyeing the city they both cared about. This wouldn’t be easy and deep inside Spiderman could feel the weight forming. He would lead Blackcat and fix this.
Spiderman just wanted to help others, even a stray like Yoongi.
“ Yeah, yeah I’ll follow you.” He nodded, looking forward like the other.
What he didn’t know was that this was a new beginning in his life. Yoongi could’ve tried to do it alone and yet he chose to ask for help. Hell, a year ago he wouldn’t do such things. But he was trying to learn how to trust, better yet, who to trust. And spidey? Yeah, he felt like someone he could be honest with.
Even if they were playing a cat and mouse game before, now they were a group, working together against the biggest gang in the city.