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Hobie ran atop the buildings of Mumbattan late at night, shooting out a web and hooking onto a taller building and using the momentum he had gained to leap off, swing around a corner and land onto another rooftop, frantically searching the vast city.
What was he looking for, you might ask?
Previously, Hobie was sitting in bed and scrolling through tumblr, holding a mug of chai (Freshly made, since Pavitr had been hellbent on teaching him how to make it.) in his left hand and half-laughing-half-wheezing at the posts that crossed his dash, saving a few cat posts to send to Pavitr later, when a few messages popped up from the very boy he was thinking about.
3 new messages from ♡ Pav ♡
hobie
so much blood
Pls hel
♡ Pav ♡ shared their location
♡ Pav ♡ went offline
That was enough to kick Hobie’s boyfriend-senses into absolute panic mode.
He was off of his boat and creating a portal to Mumbattan within minutes, not even bothering to grab his mask in his full-fledged panic, as he swung open his watch and, for the first time in his life, asked Lyla to track Pavitr’s location.
“Ooh?” She teased, raising an eyebrow at Hobie as he stumbled to tie his shoes as quickly as possible. “What, Mr. Independant suddenly needs help from the ‘Fake-ass AI’?” Lyla asked, unamused.
Hobie finally finished tying his shoes and groaned, leaning up to look at her hologram with a pleading expression.
“ Fuckin’ – Okay, I take it back, whatever! You’re not that bad! Please, just,” Hobie looked up at her, hoping the desperation didn’t leak through into his expression too much. “I’ll do anythin’, jus’, where is he?”
Lyla paused to hum for a moment, tapping her chin, and Hobie had the almost irresistible urge to hit her with his guitar at how long she was taking. Pavitr could be dead by now and she was just– standing there!
He restrained himself, however, as a little voice inside his head that sounded a bit too much like his partner reminded him that it wouldn’t do him any good, and might actually make her deny his request altogether.
“Oh, fine,” She eventually concluded, and Hobie jolted slightly at the small buzz his watch gave, letting out a sigh of relief at the directions that began to display themselves. “But I’m gonna take you up on that ‘anything’ one of these days, mister.” She laughed, and flickered out of existence as Hobie quickly hopped through the portal.
He had his watch pulled up as he was swinging, following the directions to the small, red dot on the map as he breathed heavily, adrenaline punching a hole through his heart as he landed and jumped down into a short alleyway via the instructions on the watch.
The alley was long, dimly lit by lamplights that hung on the walls. Normally, Hobie would have called it a street, but something about this area felt more abandoned than any other alley in Mumbattan. It was dirty, and cold, so, so cold. It seeped into his bones and made him shiver, but he didn’t care. This was where Lyla had led him.
“Pav?” He called out loudly, frowning at the dirty alleyway. This was the last place he expected Pavitr to be, which made the situation all the more scary. “Pav? ‘re you ‘ere, love?”
Hobie’s heart was pounding as he looked at the ground and froze, staring at the fresh, bloody footprints in the stone below him.
Footprints . Like somebody was walking barefoot. Like Pavitr was walking barefoot. He must be in his suit.
He followed them down the street swiftly, searching his pockets and pulling out a small roll of bandages and some gauze, suddenly feeling incredibly thankful for Peter B’s insistence that he kept medical supplies on him at all times.
Hobie heard a small coughing noise, and instantly picked up his pace, whirling around the corner to finally spot his boyfriend, curled up neatly under a lampshade and wincing in pain. He was wearing his costume, but it was terribly tattered, cut in places along the arms and legs, shredded savagely and practically dripping in blood.
“Pav!” Hobie exclaimed with relief, and he was next to the boy in seconds, placing one of his hands on Pavitr’s opposite shoulder and leaning into him, scanning his body for wounds. Pavitr was curled in on himself, pressing his hand into his stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
The bleeding . Fuck, there was blood everywhere . Hobie couldn’t even make out any direct cuts from how much blood there was, and if the shakey look on Pavitr’s face was anything to go by, they must have been bad .
And, suddenly, his gaze skipped over to Pavitr’s arm, and he froze at the fact that it wasn’t there. Fresh blood leaked out of the stump, but he couldn’t make out the wound itself, as Pavitr had covered it with a hastily tied rag.
Hobie’s gut twisted in utter rage at the sight of his boyfriend like this. Who dared to do this to Pavitr? Did they even know who Hobie was? What he could do to whoever was stupid enough to go after his boyfriend?
Hobie leaned into Pavitr, pressing his other hand – the one not steadying Pavitr against himself, holding onto the boy’s shoulder – on top of both of Pavitr’s, trying to get the shorter boy to come to his senses.
Pavitr looked shakily up at him, eyes wide and full of a fear that Hobie wanted to wipe away with love and never see again.
“H… Hobie..?”
“ ‘M here love,” Hobie assured swiftly, moving his hand from the other boy’s shoulder to press Pavitr’s head against his chest, grimacing at the blood that wiped against his clothes. “ ‘m here, look at me, yeah? I’m here, everythin’s gonna be okay,” He said softly, trying to calm his racing heart.
He needed to be strong right now, and fix the problem. He needed to be calm, for Pavitr.
“Hobie,” Pavitr said, with a slight clarity, and instantly winced, but looked at him softly. “‘M not gonna.. I can’t..” He stuttered, voice barely above a whisper, and a spike of fear shot through Hobie’ heart, making him clutch down on the wound tighter.
“Shh,” Hobie hushed, leaning over and pressing a kiss to Pavitr’s forehead softly. “I’m here, love. Let me see the wound, look, I got medical, see? You’re gonna be fine,” Hobie reassured frantically, softly trying to peel Pavitr’s hand from his chest, hesitating when Pavitr let out a high whine of pain, which echoed into the alley around them.
Pavitr’s shoulders slipped down, his eyes drooping down as his body began giving more and more slack as the moments passed. Hobie’s eyes went wide and he abandoned the endeavor to peel away Pavitr’s hand in favor of rearranging himself to sit in front of the boy, shaking his shoulders slightly to keep him awake.
“Don’t fall asleep, can you,” Hobie swallowed down the anxiety rising in his throat as his mind filled with several thousands emotions, his form flickering in angry reds and deep, somber blues. No doubt the newspaper on his skin was screaming a thousand different things at once. He gently shook Pavitr’s shoulder again, meeting the shorter boy’s chocolate eyes. “Can you stay awake for me? Need you to stay awake, okay? Can y’do that for me, sunshine?” He begged, reaching up and placing both of his hands on either side of Pavitr’s face, cupping his jaw in his hands and rubbing circles into the boy’s temples. “Let me see?”
“ ‘m sorry,” Pavitr said softly, letting his arm fall to the side. Hobie felt a fresh wave of spikes hit his heart, and saw the dark gray flickering across his form in the reflection of Pavitr’s eyes.
No. Please no. Anything but this. He has to be fine. You can do this, you do this every day, just —
“Don’ be, don’t,” Hobie panicked, forcing Pavitr’s knees down and wincing at the blood that seeped through Pavitr’s stomach and onto the boy’s arms. Stop being a fucking idiot and let me see the wound already! “Who did this to you? I swear to god, I’ll, I’ll–”
“I love you, mera pyaar, ” Pavitr said softly, groaning as he pushed himself forwards and leaned into Hobie’s arms, making the taller boy’s breathing stutter. “Krpaya mere baare mein mat bhoolana. ”
No. No, no no no, this isn’t happening. This is a dream. Wake up.
Please wake up already, this isn’t funny anymore, please just wake up.
“Don’t say that,” Hobie said fiercely, leaning back and grabbing Pavitr’s hand to press back against the wound. “I’ll get you out of here, we can get medical, please, don’t,” Hobie felt fresh tears building in the corners of his eyes, but he frantically wiped them away. “I can’t lose you,”
Hobie would find whoever did this to Pavitr, and he would gut them alive. Fuck ‘spiderman doesn’t kill’, he would slaughter whoever did this without so much as a second thought. He couldn’t imagine a world without the boy’s sunshine smile, his constant enthusiasm, Pavitr was everything to Hobie.
His everything was slipping out of his grasp, right now, and there was nothing he could do about it but watch.
“Lean back, listen, Let me–”
He shook Pavitr softly, only to be met with limp, slack movement.
Wait, wait, wait,
no, no, stop, please,
no, me instead, how could you,
no, take me instead, anything, anything but this,
me instead, please, please, anything but him—
Hobie shook him again, more forcefully, yet still gentle, and fear shot through him, consuming his mind as he leaned Pavitr’s body up against the wall and took in shaky breaths as Pavitr slumped over, gently hitting the ground.
Limp. Unmoving. Un breathing .
Hobie felt ice seep down his spine as the alley became dead silent, filled now only with the sounds of Hobie’s unsteady breathing as he stared at Pavitr’s body.
Oh, no, please, no, this isn't happening. This is a dream. Please wake up, please wake up, please wake up please wake up pleasewakeuppleasewakeuppleasewake–
Hobie covered his mouth to stop any noises coming out of it as hot, painful tears rolled down his face. Fuck, he can’t remember the last time he cried. His feet were spread out, sitting on either side of Pavitr, and one of his hands was on the bloodied ground below him, holding him up as the other was held around his mouth.
Pavitr lay, against the wall, light hitting his features and illuminating his dull, unfocussed eyes, showing off painfully how still he was.
Hobie stared, eyes wide, and he choked on nothing as he finally allowed himself to openly sob.
Pavitr was..
He was…
Hobie was going to fucking kill Lyla. If he was here a few moments earlier, he could’ve saved him. If he hadn’t been in his room, slacking off like a fucking pillock, he could have been there earlier and stopped this whole thing from happening.
Fucking stupid. You could’ve fixed this, you could’ve done something, and you didn’t. What’s fucking wrong with you? It’s all your fault, isn’t it? It always is.
Always your fucking fault. And now he’s dead, he’s gone, the light of your life, what are you going to do? Stupid, stupid, stupid—
Suddenly, a loud gasp for air rang out in the unusually silent alleyway, and Hobie looked up frantically and saw Pavitr…
.. sit up suddenly.
He took a moment to breathe, and then looked up at Hobie, and.. Smiled?
“Haha!” Pavitr exclaimed, and Hobie watched in absolute shock as Pavitr pulled out his other arm from behind his back, laughing as he rearranged his suit to slip it back through the sleeve, frowning and tsking at the hole he appeared to have cut in his suit. He turned back to Hobie and grinned widely. “Gotcha!”
Hobie gaped at him, gawking as Pavitr straightened himself and pulled out a fucking camera from behind his back, grinning like he was proud of himself. “Did I trick you? Did I?” He asked enthusiastically, tilting his head excitedly at Hobie. “I saw this thing on youtube, isn’t it good? Did I make you think I actually died? It kinda looked like it, or, were you just playing along?” Pavitr bombarded him with questions, leaning forwards slightly.
Pavitr was… okay .
He was fine. He wasn’t dead.
What the fuck?
Hobie’s hand still covered his mouth as his eyes flicked down to Pavitr’s chest to check the wound, only to realize there was none there. There were no wounds at all, actually, just lots of blood. Blood that came from… nowhere?
“Like the fake blood?” Pavitr asked, tilting his head to meet Hobie’s gaze, his eyes lively like usual and not at all glazed over and dull, like they were moments before. “I made it myself! Food dye and corn starch, Gwen gave me the recipe!” He grinned, readjusting himself to sit criss cross.
Hobie stared at him for a long moment, the silence settling in between the two.
Pavitr finally looked up at Hobie, and his face instantly twisted into shock and concern as the punk suddenly let out a loud, choked sob, and surprisingly, he broke into tears that he tried to muffle with his hands desperately.
Pavitr gasped softly, and scooted closer instinctively, wrapping his arms around the sobbing teen in an attempt to comfort him. “Oh– oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you would– Take it seriously, I thought you would look right through it!” Pavitr gasped, leaning close into Hobie, who instantly latched on and clung around him, shoving his face into the crook of Pavitr’s neck, right against his pulse. “Am I that good of an actor?” He half heartedly jokes.
“Y– Y’fuckin’ –” Hobie hissed through his tears after a moment, choking and breathing shakily as Pavitr leaned into him, allowing Hobie to hear the steady thrum of his heartbeat. “You bloody– I thought you–” He sobbed out, gripping onto Pavitr’s bloodied clothes and weakly hitting Pavitr across the arm. “I thought you were dead .”
Pavitr frowned, regret covering his face instantly. “I– This is not at all how the youtube videos portrayed this part going–” He huffed, reaching up and rubbing Hobie’s neck for comfort. “I’m okay, I promise! I just saw a funny compilation on youtube! I thought it would be a wholesome prank!” Pavitr explained. “I don’t know, usually people just laugh and think it’s funny!”
“This isn’t fuckin’ funny to me, Pav.” Hobie sobs, chest heaving, and Pavitr winces in guilt. “Don’ ever do that again, y’hear me? I swear, you– I thought— I thought—”
“I know, love, I know,” Pavitr promised, pressing small kisses into Hobie’s shoulder. “Never again, promise!” He said, grabbing Hobie’s hand and squeezing gently. “Sorry, mera pyaar.”
They sit there for a moment, and eventually Hobie relaxes into Pavitr’s hold, ear pressed into Pavitr’s pulse point and one hand against his chest, feeling him breathe, Pavitr realizes with a pang of guilt.
“Do you want to come and sleep over at my place to make up for it?” Pavitr asks gently, smiles as Hobie laughs breathily.
“You’re sleepin’ on the fuckin’ floor.” He hissed, jabbing Pavitr harshly. “Don’ scare me like that. I actually thought y’were brown bread!”
“Agh,” Pavitr nods his head. “Yeah, I deserve that.” He sighed, but then grins fondly into Hobie’s shoulder. “Would you be so kind as to sleep on the floor with me?”
“I hope y’know you just earned a ticket to not sleeping alone f’the next three weeks, mister.” Hobie responds simply, further burying his face into Pavitr’s neck. “You’re the worst.”
“You love me.” Pavitr counters simply, smiling.
“Yeah, I do,” Hobie sighs. “ ‘N apparently, it’s gonna kill me from wakin’ up an’ thinkin’ you’re dead!” He snapped, poking Pavitr firmly again. “Don’ do that. I swear to fuck, Pav. You do that again, and I swear I’m never leaving you alone, not for one second.”
“What? Even in the bathroom?” Pavitr teases lightheartedly.
“Yeah, even in the bathroom, y’daft fucker.” Hobie retorts, cuddling into him further. “An’ you’re carrying me back t’your place.”
“Of course, Jaan .”
“Don’t jaan me, I’m still mad at you!” Hobie protests softly, as Pavitr picks him up and straddles him like a koala.
“Sorry about that, again." He responded softly. "Hm, maybe there was a reason Gwen told me not to do this." Pavitr said thoughtfully.
Hobie laughed, rolling his eyes. "It's fine, darlin', jus, don't do that to me, scared me half t'death." He groans, squeezing his eyes shut.
"I promise." Pavitr assures, grins as Hobie tries to tame the smile rising on his face. “Want me to cook or pick up food on the way there? There’s probably still a good restaurant open somewhere.” He asked, pressing a kiss to Hobie’s nose affectionately.
Hobie hums, still frowning, but eventually he sighs and leans into Pavitr’s chest. “Cook,” He decides, “Your cookin’s better than anythin’ else here, and you deserve to make me somethin’ for doin’ that to me.”
Pavitr laughs. “Of course, my moon. Anything for you.” He promises, leans in and kisses Hobie softly, relishing in the way Hobie immediately kisses back.
Even if he still felt really bad for worrying him like that, Pavitr was definitely looking forwards to these next few weeks. What was better than having an excuse to hang out with his boyfriend?
"You're really, really fuckin' good at acting." Hobie compliments suddenly as Pavitr shifts to hold onto him better, shooting out a web to catch on a building above them.
"Awh," Pavitr smiles, kisses Hobie's cheek as he tugs on the web softly, to make sure it was secure. "What, getting ideas?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Hobie rolls his eyes, "You wish." And leans over to hold onto Pavitr's chest as he pulls them up and into the night.