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Sleep was less and less these days, Steven working in the mornings, Marc enacting vengeance in the afternoon, and Jake being a cab driver all throughout. Out of all of them, Steven cared the most. Steven would always be concerned at the state of the body. He wanted them to all rest, to get the healthy amount of sleep; rather than using Khonshu’s bullshit power to heal any sleep related problems.
Everything was just so hard to do. It seemed like the only thing keeping them all going was sheer determination. And tea, so much of Stevens home-brew tea. And coffee, Jake loved his coffee.
Marc needed to do this though, he needed to protect people. Needed to. He leapt clumsily to the next roof, nearly missing it by a hair and stumbling as he landed. He always thought that he could do this, he was Moon Knight! Fist of Vengeance…
Marc didn’t run with supernatural strength across the next rooftop. Didn’t leap impossibly far into the night sky as he traversed the city. Didn’t let his cape snap into the white shape of a crescent moon as he slowed his descent. What he did do, however, was slowly trudge across the roof, feet feeling like they were stuck in thick mud. He was so tired, so mind numbingly exhausted. But he had to keep going…people needed protecting…
After going four weeks without a lick of sleep, Marc thought Steven was right all along. And deep down, he knew Steven was right all along. He knew sleep was good for all of them, but he kept doing this at night anyways. He continued to make his sorry ass over to the very edge of the roof. He stumbled as he tried to make his way to the edge of the roofs surface, preparing to leap off onto the next…
Suddenly Marcs body snapped back, making him stumble away from the edge. He tiredly yanked whatever had latched onto his back, his hand coming back sticky. Webs. Well, at least he knew what it was now. Marc turned around fully, facing the red and blue clad man.
The mans most comically large lenses widened “Were you going to jump-?” They asked hesitantly, young voice dripping with concern.
"¡Él es solo un niño!" Jake chimed in
Marcs tired brain caught up with the question a second late “No, s’gonna jump to th’ nex’ roof” he slurred
“You sound like a child” Jake commented without a hint of remorse. In fact, he sounded amused. Maybe Jake should stop hanging out with Khonshu, he was rubbing off on him.
Spider-‘man’ scratched the back of his neck awkwardly “Oh uh, my bad then, I just thought-“ he waved his arms out, gesturing vaguely as if to explain.
“Can you get m’ out of this whi’ sticky stuff?” Marc asked, annoyed at the webs sticking to him.
“Wouldn’t be the first time the body was covered in something white and sticky, my amigo” Jake commented with a dry laugh. Marc just ignored it, he didn’t want to think about who Jake fucked when he pushed him and Steven away.
“Oh! Yeah, uh, sorry about that…” Spider-man approached, holding some sort of container in his hands. Usually, Marc would be alert and back away, but he was far too tired to care.
Spider-man moved behind him, padding down the webs, which started to dissolve. Spider-man awkwardly backed away when all the webs had dissolved, and awkwardly cleared his throat to speak.
“So, uh, you a new vigilante?” The guy asked, sounding far too young. Jesus he was in high school, wasn’t he?
Marc shrugged “Somethin’ like that”
The lenses on Spider-mans face widened excitedly “Oh! Cool!”
Marc pointedly stared at the kids wrists “Tha’ stuff come ou’ of you?”
The kid shrugged, kicking a foot at the ground “Uh, sort of? I use formula mostly; Mr. Stark says I need to let my spinnerets develop more before I think about using them” He pointed at his wrist.
Marc hummed in response, swaying a bit in place. Spider-kids eye lenses took on a worried form. “You uh, look tired. When was the last time you slept?”
Marc would have barked a laugh if he weren’t so tired, instead he huffed “Four weeks ago”
The kid was definitely concerned now “That doesn’t sound very healthy.” He pointed out, before pausing “Do you need help sleeping? I- I sometimes use music to help me sleep.” He finished, clearly offering.
Marc shrugged “Sure”
The white eye lenses brightened, and Spider-kid led him to the edge of the roof, overlooking the street. They both sat down, and fuck if it didn’t feel good. Just standing was tiring at this point, and this seat felt like an oasis in a desert.
Spider-kid fiddled with some nearly invisible pockets on his suit, before pulling out two expensive looking headphones. He eagerly offered one to Marc, who took off his hood and put it on. Spider-kid did the same.
After a moment, Marcs sleepless mind remembered he needed to plug the headphones into a phone for it to work. He took out a burner phone, grasped the wire, and clumsily plugged it in, finding a calming song Steven liked and playing it. The music filled his ears, threatening to lull him to a slumber.
They sat like that, together, overlooking the city, listening to music. It was…nice. It was nice, Marc decided. Felt good.
“So, what’s your name?” Spider-kid asked after a small eternity.
“Moon Knight” he responded after a brief second
“Cool, I’m Spider-man” the kid replied easily
Marc gazed out at the city, and the stars, at the moon. A blanket of rarely found calm settled over him, and he let it. His eyes started to flutter, feeling heavy with lead, he started slumping more, and soon he was asleep on the rooftops, getting his much-needed sleep. Sleep he hadn’t gotten in four weeks.
Maybe…
…just maybe…
…everything would be okay.