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Eduardo isn’t surprised, not really.
His luck has always been brilliant enough that, of course it’s only a matter of time before Mark Zuckerberg walks his way back into his life like he deserves to be there. Eduardo has always expected it to be under different circumstances but a year ago, (has it already been that long?) he hadn’t been bitten by some crazy fucking spider with mutated genes.
Not that he’s particularly sorry about that part because it means he gets awesome powers and he’s always wanted something after Facebook, something that will show Mark that’s he’s okay, that he doesn’t need him and his millions and his false friends.
It means he gets a hated a little but he can fly, or as close as you can get when you’re a giant spider man person, and he can move around at ridiculous speed and save people. Even if saving people sometimes means that you have to save the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world. The Mark Zuckerberg that Eduardo’s always known, the one who used to be his best friend and business partner, who screwed him over and left him with nothing. The Mark Zuckerberg currently cornered by a group of thugs.
It’s ironic to think that if they just opened their mouths and asked, Mark’s sure to hand over everything he has on him. It’s a wonder, anyway, that Mark’s aware of the world enough to know what’s happening.
Which is a bastard thing to think, but Eduardo’s not perfect. He is, however, Spiderman; he can’t leave Mark to this alone, as much as he wants some form of revenge.
Hurting him is never going to be an option.
Mark is backed against the wall, honest fear in his eyes and it surprises Eduardo. He’s never been ignorant of the fact that Mark feels, has emotions and uses them. He hates them, hides them deep where they’re not such a distraction. Still, it’s not like Mark to let anything get to him like this.
"What the fuck," someone shouts and then Eduardo's swinging down, reaching out for the back of Mark's jacket because he knows the hood is going to be there like he knows Mark is going to be so fucking pissed off when they find somewhere to set down, but for now he's wrenching Mark off of the ground and pulling him along and then they're out of there.
Eduardo's pretty sure he's just made the biggest mistake of his life.
Mark's checking him out.
Eduardo wants to punch him in the mouth but he's Spiderman right now and not Eduardo and so he can't. He just has to stand here and -
"Thank you," Mark says.
Eduardo blinks behind the mask.
He can't say anything back because Mark will know. If anyone knows his voice, it's Mark. Mark's staring at him hard, eyes dragging down Eduardo's body and yes, that's definitely checking him out. Which is definitely not something Mark should be doing after five minutes and after Eduardo just saved his life. Which okay, isn’t really all that surprising. Mark’s never been one to conform to expectations, which Eduardo knows.
It's awkward and weird and Eduardo doesn't know why they're still standing here except he can't seem to walk away and Mark's looking at him, confused and open and so unlike the Mark that Eduardo thought he knew.
"Um. I don't suppose you know how I get down from here, do you?"
Eduardo snorts and Mark's head tilts, like he's trying to figure something out.
Shit.
Without looking back, Eduardo takes a dive off of the building and flicks a wrist, the movement almost subconscious. Mark's ruining things again, just like he did before and what does it say about Eduardo that he wants him to?
They meet again and again and every time, Mark looks at him like he’s trying to figure him out. It makes Eduardo uneasy and he’s always afraid that Mark’s going to find out. He’s always been able to read Eduardo deeper than Eduardo’s comfortable with but he supposes that’s fair; nobody knows Mark like Eduardo does, even when he’s being screwed over. It’s hard to keep a distance when Mark manages to worm his way in to dangerous situations just to spite Eduardo but that doesn’t even make sense because Mark doesn’t know he’s Eduardo. He doesn’t know the person behind the mask.
It just makes the situation all the worse because Mark doesn’t even know him and he’s relying on some guy in a spider suit to save his life, to come to his rescue. Mark’s desperate for something and Eduardo’s going out of his mind trying to figure out.
He curses Mark again because it’s the last thing Eduardo wants to be doing.
The next time Mark speaks, he only says three words, forming them in the air and whispering them against the curve of Eduardo’s neck when they land.
“I’m Mark, Mark Zuckerberg,”
but Eduardo hears, “I’m CEO, bitch,” and lets Mark go as soon as their feet touch the ground.
"Are you getting yourself in trouble on purpose?" Eduardo says before he can stop himself.
Thankfully, Mark is too busy checking himself over to properly listen. His hair is dishevelled and there's a smudge of blood on his cheek. Eduardo needs to get out of here before he does something stupid like walk forward and -
Hell no.
"Hey," Mark says when Eduardo turns to leave. "Look, I-"
Eduardo wants to tell him that it's a huge mistake to be attracted to a guy in a suit; you don't know who's underneath. It's bad enough that he has to keep saving Mark's amazingly stupid ass all the time. "Stop it. People might-"
"-really need you." Mark sighs and the expression on his face makes Eduardo want to swear. It's loneliness and awkwardness and everything Mark was at Harvard. There's nothing about the Mark from Palo Alto onwards in the man in front of him.
"Look-"
"I had this-"
Eduardo waves Mark on and Mark nods, looks down at his feet.
"I had this friend. He used to - he was good to me. Too good. I don't know if I'm developing a crush on you or if I'm just transferring my post-Wardo feelings on to you but I would, look, could you maybe just stop being so you. Stop saving me."
It's a statement and Eduardo lets out a
"What?"
before he can stop himself and he sees Mark's blush, the curl of hair at his ear not enough to cover it.
"No."
Mark frowns, looks back up.
It's heady enough that Mark's got feelings for him, whatever the hell that even means and Eduardo doesn't want to think about it, he doesn't. To know that Mark's being deliberately careless is like, is like -
He's going to kill Chris and Dustin.
"Stay out of trouble or I'll kill you myself," Eduardo snaps and strides out of the alley.
It’s stupid to think that Mark is to blame in all of this;
Eduardo watches Dustin watch Chris watch Mark and he feels guilty and angry and frustrated all at once. It’s like they don’t know what to do. Dustin and Chris know they should help, know there’s something they should be able to do but Mark isn’t as open to them as he was to Eduardo and it’s a big difference. Noticeable in the way that Mark visibly shields himself from them, back to the door and head bowed like he’s not even listening.
Eduardo clenches his teeth and wishes things were simpler.
Harvard, he thinks and then shoves that way. The past is the past. It’s not always been good but it’s his and he’s going to keep it that way. He doesn’t want to taint it with his anger of today.
Saving people starts to lose its appeal after a while, mostly because people seem less grateful than they used to. Eduardo doesn’t know if that’s because they’re just asshole people or if he’s changed. It’s something he needs to do, putting his compassion to good use because he’s not able to walk past a person hurting without trying to help. He’s sure that’s his problem with Mark. He wants to walk away but everything about Mark, from the way he’s constantly searching Spiderman out in the only way he knows how, throwing himself in danger, to the way he stands on the rooftops, in the alleys, unsure and awkward and a little lonely, like he doesn’t deserve friends.
The thing is, Eduardo’s never wanted that.
He wishes things on Mark, things like loneliness and hurt, little hurt like you wish upon friends who have wronged you but never -
never abandonment, the thought that he doesn’t deserve anyone else ever. It hurts that Mark would think that, that he’s developed so little self worth when he’s never been able to see much at all, is a kick to Eduardo’s stomach.
When he starts wishing for Mark to appear, somewhere, he knows he needs to stop this like Mark asked so long ago.
“Listen,” Mark says, standing awkwardly in the middle of the burning house.
Eduardo wants to say, “fuck,” or, “get out of here, you asshole,” but all that comes out is, “Mark,” like they’re not about to burn to a crisp, or get smoke inhalation and die. Mark, in true Mark fashion, ignores everything going on around them and inches forward, maybe hoping that if he moves slow enough, Eduardo won’t see him coming.
“Stop. Mark, just stop.”
Then there’s a whole lot of screaming, people needing help and Mark Zuckerberg standing in front of it all and even carrying out a child, like he’s a fucking hero and Eduardo’s just - Eduardo.
“Stop,” Mark says, hand in the air between them. “Look, I - please, stop.”
It’s the please that does it. Eduardo stops and he’s upside fucking down and this should be so much harder than it is but Mark’s moving forward, and there’s rain and it’s like a scene out of the movies that Mark used to scoff at when he’d bother to watch one with Eduardo at all.
He’s not scoffing now. He’s reaching for Eduardo, sliding his hands against the mask on Eduardo’s face and the world stills, nothing feels real and Eduardo feels like he’s going to die and Mark, Mark,
Mark's hands are hot against his neck even through the suit and Eduardo sucks in a breath because it’s not supposed to happen like this. Only Mark Zuckerberg can fall in love with Spiderman and not the guy wearing the suit. His chest feels like it might burst when Mark slides his fingers under the bottom of his mask and starts to curl it upwards.
"No," Eduardo says, but he doesn’t really mean it.
Mark shifts on his feet and sighs. "It's okay."
Mark tugs a little more and only pulls it down past Eduardo's nose. It isn’t like Mark to allow anyone this kind of privacy; not like him to do something only by half. Not that anything about Mark lately has been predictable or expected. It’s like he’s determined to make Eduardo - Spiderman - think better of him, even though he’s unaware that it’s Eduardo he’s trying to impress. "It's okay."
It feels like everything has slowed;
Mark's fingers are trembling against the suit and Eduardo thinks, he's afraid. Mark pushes forward, pressing their lips together. Eduardo doesn’t know whether it’s supposed to be chaste or unsure but all too soon it deepens and he can't help but kiss back. He wants this, wants Mark, just like he always has and it’s a scary thought, that he could forgive and let go this easily. The kiss is hot and it‘s close and Mark's fingers slide across his neck, curve around his shoulder and it‘s all Eduardo can do to hang on, to push forward for more, so much more.
"Wardo," Mark says and then freezes, like he’s said something wrong.
It’s Eduardo who is terrified, worried that Mark knows who he is but then Mark backs off, apologies dropping from his lips like Eduardo has always wanted them to but not for the kissing, never for that.
Mark’s turning away and running and it’s all over too soon. Eduardo doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do now. Mark still thinks he’s Spiderman, doesn’t know it’s Eduardo when it’s Eduardo he’s wanted all along and -
Shit.
Next time Eduardo finds Mark, it’s an accident and he never meant for it to happen and it was meant for him, for him.
"Mark, Mark, Mark," Eduardo says, echoing the name over and over like it might make a difference. He's touching Mark's shoulder, fingers tight against the skin and he doesn't know what he's doing because he usually saves people.
Mark's blinking lazily up at him and he raises a hand, touches the cheek of Eduardo's mask. "I wish I knew..."
He trails off like he's, but Eduardo isn't going to let, he just needs, look, please just don't.
"Mark, Mark please don't do this to me."
His voice breaks like it did at the Facebook offices and he wishes he were stronger, wishes he could peel off the mask and let Mark see because this was never supposed to happen. Mark was never supposed to get hurt, not like this.
"S'okay," Mark slurs. "Wardo would know what to do."
Fuck. He doesn't, Eduardo wants to scream. He doesn't have a fucking clue.
"I miss Wardo."
The words are so low and airy, like they'll drift away and Eduardo will never get them back. Mark's hand falls from Eduardo's cheek and there's blood all over his gloves and where the fuck are the paramedics?
"When you kissed me," Eduardo says, wishing he could just tell Mark. "Did you think I was someone else?"
Mark makes a soft noise and turns on the bed, like he's trying to get away from him. He grunts in pain and closes his eyes. "Please go away."
Months ago, Eduardo would have been surprised that Mark’s asking. Now he just touches Mark's shoulder, slides his fingers up into Mark's hair and makes smooth, scratching motions against his head.
Mark freezes.
Eduardo remembers too late that it's a Wardo move; something Mark's best friend would have done and not Eduardo as Spiderman. “Mark-”
But Mark’s not listening because he never has, because it’s been months, years and Mark’s been missing Eduardo; he’s said as much. Mark rolls back over, wincing and making a soft noise of pain that Eduardo doesn’t want to ignore but Mark’s sitting up, staring at him. “Take it off.”
Eduardo shakes his head no because this is all he has, this distance. He isn’t ready for this and doesn’t think he can forgive Mark yet
but he’s seen Mark lying on the floor
blood pooling by his shoulder and he thinks
God, Mark,
and sucks in a breath, grips the base of the mask and pulls it off his head. It’s not fast like ripping off a band aid and it’s not so slow that Mark's skin starts to itch with the wait; it’s just long enough for the both of them.
“Wardo,” Mark breathes and he reaches for Eduardo, tentative and scared, as if Eduardo is going to deny him this now. He can’t. He lets Mark touch, lets him drag his fingers along the curve of Eduardo’s jaw, thumb rubbing at Eduardo’s bottom lip. Eduardo is scared;
he doesn’t want Mark to hate him for lying, for keeping this secret, for letting Mark fall in love with someone who isn’t really Eduardo when it is. It’s confusing and it hurts and he’s afraid Mark is going to hate him and he’ll feel just like he did at the depositions.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, because he’s never been afraid of it.
Mark flinches and it’s so startling to see that Eduardo swallows thickly and kisses the pad of Mark’s thumb. They’re both frozen, trapped in time with a broken laptop, a contract with barely-dried ink and a fractured friendship beyond repair. They can make it past it, though. Eduardo knows they can. They’ve come this far.
“I’m sorry,” he repeats.
“I heard,” Mark snaps but it lacks venom. He leans forward, until their foreheads are touching and he closes his eyes. “I’m sorry, too.”
It means so much, here and now. Eduardo’s heart quickens and he kisses Mark before he can tell himself not to. It’s like that night in the rain, pretending to be something he’s not when all he’s wanted to do is take Mark in his hands and kiss him, touch him.
“YOU’RE FUCKING SPIDERMAN,” Dustin crows.
Eduardo rolls his eyes because he doesn’t know if he’s being addressed or Mark; with Dustin it’s never easy to tell and he’s always been under the impression that Eduardo and Mark were doing each other back at Harvard anyway.
Eduardo’s never really thought about it because it’s easier not to. Ignoring Dustin completely, he stares down at his hands and asks, “That day you were cornered. Why were you afraid?”
Mark shrugs, not looking at anyone. He pokes his head out of the office to yell at Dustin and Eduardo can understand; maybe it’s easier to take it out on Dustin than it is to admit that something is wrong.
Chris raises an eyebrow. “You don’t know?”
“No. I wouldn’t be asking.”
“He was vulnerable and he’s never been like that before,” Chris says, smiling. His tone is anything but amused, though. “After you left, walked away like you should have. He just - I don’t know. It was like he’d finally realised that losing you hurt more than he’d expected it to.”
It’s oddly comfortable to hear; to know that he’s not been the only one hurting. That Mark can realise such a profound thing and change because of it makes Eduardo’s chest tight. He tilts his head, looks at Mark laying into Dustin about duct-taping his mouth shut, with Dustin smiling through it all like it doesn’t bother him. With Chris sitting next to him, amused and exasperated all at once, Eduardo thinks that things might not be so bad after all.
“With great power comes great responsibility,” Dustin intones, as he and Mark settle whatever it is and come back into the room.
“Shut up, Dustin,” Eduardo says, but he’s grinning.
Later, Mark is curled up against his side, face pressed against Eduardo’s neck but they’re just lying there, pretending that the outside world doesn’t exist and they’re just Eduardo and Mark like they used to be.
“We could have skipped the middle,” Mark says in that way he has of forgetting you’re not inside his head and can’t follow his every thought. As if he realises, he finishes with, “left out everything that happened. Kept Facebook and we’d still be, you know.”
He’s less worried about mentioning what he did than Eduardo’s reaction to it. Eduardo’s oddly touched. It’s nice to know Mark’s thinking about him and about his feelings. They matter.
“Fuck you, I’m Spiderman,” Eduardo says and when Mark laughs, traces the lines on his face.
There’s a beat and then, “We’re CEO, bitch.”
It’s soft. Quiet. We’re CEO. It’s such a contrast to Mark’s usual I that Eduardo leans down to kiss him. Mark responds, curls a hand around the back of Eduardo’s neck and holds him in place.
“We’re CEO, bitch,” Mark says again, and Eduardo feels the words right down to his bones.