Work Text:
Things have gotten… somewhat calmer. Miles had returned to one of the calmer spots of Brooklyn, allowing him some time to not think about how he got to where he was now. His brain was full of too many memories and self-doubt to be able to focus properly. So what would be a better way to refocus than some time away from it all, venting through art and all that therapeutic jazz. So, he came here. His usual spot, sitting on top of the lion’s head as he looked over everything. It made him feel better, more secure in his position as Brooklyn’s one and only Spider-man.
He turned back to his school bag and rifled through his notebooks and random papers he had forgotten about, to find his beloved sketchbook. (Well, one of many beloved sketchbooks..) Sliding it out of its cozy spot between his Quantum Physics book and some comic books he had traded recently, he pulled it out in front of him and started lightly flipping through the pages, as he quickly thwipped his headphones out of the bag’s side pocket.
Miles held his sketchbook, flipping through pages and calmly watching as the sketches developed more and more until he came across the dozens of pages of Gwen he had drawn. They’re sweet, and reassured that he won’t forget about how he felt about her anytime soon– but something feels different now that he looks back on them… He’d begun to find it embarrassing– if that’s the right word. Gwen’s sweet and all, and is his friend, but he can’t help but hold a slight grudge over when she betrayed his trust and kept something so big from him. He was under the impression that they were all in this together because they were spider-people. Apparently that only applied to those who conformed and fit into the “canon events.” He still wonders how it would turn out, maybe in a different universe. Not this one though. And he was starting to be okay with that.
Well, he was supposed to be avoiding those memories, not focusing on them so much that he actually let an entire Spotify ad play through. Miles hummed, the ad switching to music again. It’s just a typical Post Malone playlist he had created before the mess his life was now, he had been trying to expand his music taste but he would always go back to something he and his Uncle Aaron shared.
He flips to a surprisingly empty page and begins moving his pencil across the thick paper. His muscles gradually relaxed as he mindlessly sketched. The beats in the music caused his hand to involuntarily use stronger pressure on the starts of some of the longer pencil strokes, squinting as he studied the rough drawing, continuing to build the piece– Miles felt like he went on autopilot at that moment, and his subconscious just took control. Loose and unburdened.
It hadn’t occurred to Miles exactly what he was drawing, and this has happened often, just drawing without a single thought– honestly, it might be the best drawing in his sketchbook, but it’s always for some reason difficult to imitate consciously. That’s not the problem though, but what was is that his drawing resembled a particular spider…
Miles huffed, it's just Hobie. Nothing wrong about drawing him, he’d drawn tons of other spider-people. Besides it’s only one sketch, it’s not like he’s going to fill pages upon pages of just Hobie. Would anything really be so wrong with that, anyway? People draw their… friends(?) all the time. He has drawings of Ganke, his cousin Jose, James with the cool dreads from his AP English class, Celeste Booday, and even random strangers he will never meet. But anyway, it’s not a crime to draw. It did still occur to Miles that it was not unlike him to start drawing Hobie, he’d drawn him before. Even gave him one of the more finished pieces Miles did a few months back. Miles can’t say for sure if Hobie has been on his mind often, (spoiler: it’s at least once a day) but he realizes how he can’t avoid the memories of him. Then again, how could he? Hobie was one of the (two) people who helped him escape Spider HQ almost a year ago now, so it’s difficult to ignore that when compared to what Peter B. and Gwen did. People he knew much better than Hobie at the time.
Damn it… Miles sighed. Mission don’t think about Spider HQ failed. Leaning back against his backpack as he did his best to relax again. He held his sketchbook in front of his face, his arms outstretched to get a full view of both pages presented to him. Taking in the now slow music, drawing a blank on everything else. Miles exhaled deeply as he looked up at the blue sky, letting out a breath that he hadn’t even realized he was holding in. His posture dropped back down l as he looked back down at his sketchbook– ignoring the sketch of Hobie– Miles sat forward and continued to draw.
———————————————
Perhaps Miles had gotten way too into the zone, having his subconscious lead his pencil as he continued to listen to the mellow rhythm.! He had filled about five pages already in the course of… about two hours? Shit, Vision’s curfew was in an hour. He really needed to manage his time better.
Miles grumbled when he realized he'd have to return to his dingy dorm with the shoe thief probably still playing video games. Miles pulled back from his hunched-over position and stretched out his arms briefly, his view glancing back onto his sketchbook— Miles pauses… ugh, Hobie again. And again. And again. Miles quickly realized all of today’s sketches were Hobie. Depicted in multiple positions, Miles even tried out same-face turnarounds.
And honestly? Miles snapped the damned sketchbook closed and pushed his brain’s apparent love of drawing Hobie to the back of his thoughts. More worried about getting back to Visions Academy in time for curfew before a security guard gave him detention again.
He put away his sketchbook and headphones leisurely, calmly putting the backpack on and stepping off the lion’s head to swing back to his dorm.