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A knocking on Wills door slowly turns to banging, causing Will to wake up with a jolt. "Will! This is the third time! You need to get up!" Joyce exclaimed through the walls. Will rolls around in his bed and checks his clock, "shit" he whispers to himself.
Will jumps out of bed, gathering his clothes from the floor and shoving his belongings and books into a bag. "Come on Will!" Joyce yells again, "I'M COMING! I'M COMING!" Will yells back, he grabs his bag but stares at a sketchbook on his art desk, before shoving that into his bag too.
Exiting his room he sees Hopper sitting at the table doing some kind of paper work. "Morning" Will managed to get out as he raced around the house for more of his stationary; Joyce places down a mug of coffee infront of Hopper, "I keep telling the kid to stop leaving all his stuff around the house" Hopper tells Joyce.
"Ah! Will!" Joyce stops Will right before he gets to the door, she flattens his hair that was previously sticking up "There.". She leaves him with a kiss on the forehead before he leaves the building.
Will runs down the streets, narrowly avoiding hitting into people; He pulls out a marker from his bag, holding the cap in his mouth, an begins drawing something. He runs past a skate park concealed behind a chain link fence, someone grabs the fence and yells at him, "BYERS!" a girl calls out.
Will reverses his steps and checks who called from him, it was Max. He closes the marker back into one of his pockets before walking up to the fence. "What?" he asks, "Heyy, can you tell Lucas I'm a bit busy tonight?" Max asks. Will lets out a sigh "This is the fourth time you've postponed your dates, he's going to break up with you", Max tightened her grip on the fence "I know, I know. But he always gets me something on our dates, and I keep forgetting, and then I just feel bad for not getting him anything" she explains.
"So. Your answer to not making Lucas feel bad about not getting him something, is by making him feel worse by not going on your dates?" There was an obvious sarcastic tone in Wills voice, Max's face scrunched "Just do what I tell you, I don't need your judgement." she points at him. "Fiinneee. I'll see what I can do." As he picks up his pace again he can hear a faint "Thanks, Byers!"
Will makes it up the steps to Hawkins High, as he entered, the sound of teens chattering filled his brain. When he made it up to the second floor full of lockers, his spider sense told him as much as he needed for him to duck. He lowered his head and turned around, narrowly avoiding being head locked by... Troy.
"What's his problem?" James whispered, Troy began walking to Will "Hey! I told you to stay out of my way." Will had the straightest face he could manage, "Well I got out of your way, and considering you're approaching me, I think you're in my way." Will comment made some passer-bys laugh a little.
Before Troy could step any closer, someone got in the way, "I think there are some better things you could be doing with your morning." it was El. While El blocked Troys path to Will, she held out her hand behind her, like she wanted Will to give her sometime. He dug through his bag while El kept talking and sneakily passed one of his hand-drawn stickers to her.
El made the same, arm-wrap-around motion to Troy he'd attempted on Will, sticking the sticker to his back without him noticing. "Well, I've also got better things to do." El let go and grabbed Will by the arm, walking away
El had her own kind of 'diplomatic immunity' when it came to the assholes at school. They nearly made it to Wills locker before El waved goodbye to him, leaving Will to walk the rest of the way by himself. Opening his locker and shoving his books inside the neatest way he could, his Spidey-senses went off again; and quickly shut the door to his locker and looked to his right, Dustin had his mouth open like he was going to say something.
"Wha- How did you?!" Dustin was baffled, Will shrugged it off and opened his locker again, Dustin moving to the other side. "You're here early." He questioned, "I'm just not late this time" Will answered, "More time for stalking, I guess" Dustin picked at his teeth. "Stalking is my brothers thing" Will clarified, "Oh yeah, I forgot, stalking the Wheeler family runs in your bloodline" Dustin teased
Will practically stared into Dustins soul, Dustin slapping Wills back to break the awkwardness "Come on, we've got class" Will shut his locker.
Will made it to class, but before he entered, someone else tried to enter at the same time. Mike Wheeler.
"Oh! Uhh, you can go first." Will cringed at his own voice, "No, it's fine, you can go" Mike suggested, "I'll go!" Dustin pushed through the two. Will chuckled and shook his head at Dustin as he walked through, but Mikes gaze lingered on Will. Will sat next to Dustin as usual, "Look, if the club ever opens up a slot then I'll tell you. But right now, Eddie's going through some shit with one of the members" Dustin was explaining the D&D club that Will had wan't to join, but too many excuses had been made not to.
Lucas jogged into the class, claiming his seat infront of Dustin, he was out of breath. Will reached over and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey. Max can't make it to your date... Again." he could've sworm Lucas slumped in his seat a little, "She always does this, man.". Will sat back in his seat.
A teacher came into the class, "That doesn't look like Mr Clarke" Will whispered to Dustin, "Ehh, squint your eyes, put him in a wig, looks just like him" Dustin whispered back. "Mr Clarke is taking looking over exams right now, and he told me you have a free study period so... Do that, I guess" The subsitute was as unenthusiastic as the clothes she was wearing
Will pulled out his sketch book, "Don't you have work to do?" Lucas asks, "Oh plenty, I just don't need to do it right now" Will answered. Lucas turned his chair and began talking to Dustin about some Will had tuned out, the only thing to bring him back to reality was the sound of Mikes voice next to him. "Can I borrow your eraser? Mine... Uhh." Mike held up an eraser with practically a billion pencil stabbings in it.
"Sure" Will really hoped his voice wasn't as wobly as he imagined it, and handed Mike the eraser. His Spider-Senses went off, and Will raised his hand, "Can I go to the bathroom?" He asks the teacher, "I don't care" She'd answer. Will discreetly grabbed his mask from his bag and balled it up in his hand so nobody would notice, and was sprinting as soon as he got out the door.
Swinging through the buildings of New Hawk City (I'm cringe but I am free) Will closed his eyes. The breeze flowed through his suit as he glided through the air on his web, "Come on. Come on" he whispered to himself. His brain became sketchy, almost as-if he were drawing the location where it was, and once he had a clear picture, the hairs on the back of his neck stood. He was going the right way.
Will opened his eyes and began sling-shotting through the city, climbing up buildings for extra leverage when needed. He looked down by the pedestrians "Gotcha". He swung as low as he could before grabbing the creature by the back and lifting it up. The demodog, they can only be seen by Will and it's victims. If it wasn't for the photo he'd taken of it to publish at the Daily Bugle, then everyone would think he's some kind of schizophrenic freak.
He lead it to an abandoned warehouse and wrapped it up, finishing the delivering blow by punching back to whatever upside down world it came from ("things have taken a weird route" type shit). Will made sure to race back to the class as soon as he could, but by the time he reached the door, the bell had gone.
"Sorry" He apologised, "I don't care." the teacher yawned. Will picked up his bag before leeching onto Dustin as usual. "So how was your weekend? Was it alright being home?" Will began small talk, "My cat's still missing" Dustin noted, Will grimaced. Last week, Will was fighting a pack of demodogs and one escaped, oops.
They made it to their dorm; Will sat on their swivel chair as dustin locked the door and soundproofed the room. "Okay." Dustin began as he leaned on their bunkbed, "What happened today, in class?" he asked, "Just another demo dog." Will leaned back, "It's not that much, really". Dustin tapped his foot, "The last few weeks have been packs, so why only one?" he questioned, "I think it was the one that got out last week-" "ONE GOT OUT?!" Dustin interrupted Will.
"I handled it, okay?" Will crossed his arms, "How much longer do you think you can keep handling it" Dustin stepped forward. Will opened his mouth to say something, but his Spidey-Senses went off again, he stood up quickly and lightly stepped towards the door. "Spidey-Senses?" Dustin asked, "I think it's just called anxiety, but yeah" Will didn't take his eyes off the door when answering Dustin.
He'd quickly open the door to Mike Wheeler who was just about to knock, "Do I really step that loudly?" Mike asked, "Yes" Will replied, a little too fast, but it was too late to cover up or he'd look like an idiot. "I just wanted to give you this back" He held the eraser in his hands, "It's fine, really, I have a billion of those" Will answered. Mike's smile faded into a dead serious face that sent chills down Wills spine, "I'm going to stand in this doorway until you take it back" to which Will nodded.
Will grabbed his eraser from Mike's hand, but Mike leaned forward a little when he took it, leading their hands to brush together for a moment. "Yeah, he hates being in debt to people" Dustin announced from the back of the room. "Oh! Yeah! I need to tell you something." Mike brushed past Will to whisper something to Dustin that made Dustin roll his eyes, "I swear, he always does shit like that"
Mike walked back to the door, but before he left, he handed Will an envelope. "You get a lot of photos of that spider guy so I figured you knew him. Think you can give this to him?" Mike asked. "Uh, yeah! S-Sure" Will answered sheepishly. Mike waved to Dustin before closing the door behind him.
Will just sorta stood their until Dustin raced up to him, "What's it say? What's it say?" Dustin pried, "Nuh uh, he said it was for SPIDER-MAN, not for YOU" Will held up the envelope in the air so Dustin couldn't reach it. Dustin began to practically climb Will, so Will resorted to the dirtiest tactic he knew. He shoved off Dustin and quickly ran up to the ceiling, Dustin climbed the bunkbed in retaliation but Will ran to the corner of the ceiling Dustin couldn't reach.
"DUDE! UNFAIR!" Dustin yelled at him. Will opened the envelope-
[ Hey Spider-Man, I was just wondering if you were available for a quick interview? Meet me at the top of SQK Spire (hopefully some time this afternoon)
-Love- From, Mike ]
Will's face turned a bright red, just when he was open, Dustin jumped from a chair and grabbed the envelope from Will, "Hey!" He shouted. Dustin read it, "Oh well now you HAVE to go" Dustin turned to Will on the ceiling. "Do I have to?" Will sighed, to which Dustin unimpressed-ly stared at him "I know you want an excuse to talk to him, and plus, half this city thinks you're a schitzo fighting drug hallucinations, it'd be good to clear some things up" As much as Will hated it, Dustin had a point.
Will landed on top of the building, rails were implemented since the last few incidents up here. "I got your letter" He tried to speak as softly as possible, but he still had a habit of sneaking up on people, "Oh Jeez-! Okay... Whew. Wow, Will works fast" Mike breathed, "Oh I was just swinging by" -Will- Spider-Man answered.
"Do you... Do you not have a house?" Mike asked as he sat down near the edge, resting his arms on the railing and letting his feet dangle. Spider-Man followed Mike's actions, "I do. It's just... I like to be on patrol as long as possible, just to keep an eye out" surprisingly, lying wasn't that hard, considering there were half-truths to it.
"Okay! Well, I have some questions for you" Mike checked the slightly smudged black ink on his hand and began talking. Spider-Man rested his head on his arms, practically staring at Mike the whole time, and Mike (probably) didn't know. All the words had been tuned out but Spider-Man still answered with accuracy... Until the last question.
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"Who's behind the mask?" Mike asked, but there was no answer, he simply just watched the masked figure sit up slowly, the eyes of the mask wide and staring at him. "S-Sorry, I know that might be a bit personal but I-" Mike was flustered at his own question before being quietly interrupted by Spider-Man. "I'll tell you." He began, "... One day" One day, that meant that Mike would see him more often.
Spider-Man stood up, Mike following his action. "Do I know you?" He asked, the mask was emotionless, that made it hard to read what the man in the suit was thinking, "Well... Depends what you count as knowing" Spider-Man jumped off the railing and swung down into the evening reflections of buildings
Mike had his answers, vague, but still answers. While swinging through the city, Will thought long and hard about that interview, before racing to a safe spot to change and get back to his dorm.
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Will's standing on top of a building, letting the wind flow through his suit and focusing on wherever his next enemy may be. "Does it normally take this long?" El asks through comms, "You just gotta give him time... Though he could be a bit fast with it" Dustin noted, "Okay can you two SHUT UP! This just makes it take longer" Will demands, "Jeez" "Okay, mom" Dustin and El grimaced.
The sketch in his brain slowly began to fill in "Demodog... 5? No, a pack... Wait. It's a demogorgon" Will visualised. "Shit wait, really?" Will could hear Dustin lean into his computer, "How long has it been since you've seen one of those?" El asked. "Atleast a month and a half" Will answered.
It clicked in his brain, "Tristan Library" he whispered to himself before jumping off the building and swinging down. "Tristan library? That place is full nearly every day, it's the closest study hall to campus" El informed, "Which means there's too many people to figure out who the victim is. BOOK IT!" Dustin yelled, "On it!" Will replied.
Will slinged through town, passing through every obstacle as smoothly as he could, "Demogorgon, that means they're after multiple people, right?" Dustin asked, "The Demodogs are sent when a place needs to be overhauled, the Demogorgon's are sent if they after a specific person or people" El explained, "Wow, she's catching onto this faster than you did in half a year, Dustin" Will teased, "Oh please, like the guy in the piss-coloured suit can say shit." Dustin retaliated.
By the time Will had made it across the city to the Tristan Library, damage had been done. People were running out of the library "There're still people in there. Dustin?" Will flung his way in through one of the broken windows. Dustin accessed the remaining cameras that weren't glitching, "Bottom floor is making it to the door, middle floor is clear, 3 people left on top floor" Dustin elaborated. "On it" Will nodded
He swung himself up to the top floor, seeing the Demogorgon run up to someone. Will quickly shot out his webs, grabbing it by the arms and landing on its back like a horse trainer "Hope I'm not late to the party" he quipped. The Demogorgon broke free of his webs and was now focused on Will, "Hey! Eyes- uhm- Teeth up here!" The Demogorgon rushed towards him as he led it up to the roof.
simply
He managed to wrap up the Demogorgon in his webs, but before he had the chance to open a gate and send it back, another Demogorgon rushed from the corner of his eye and slammed him back down to the floor below. Will Spider-Man, quickly thwipped out web to stop him from hitting the ground, which left him face to face with one of the Demogorgon's targets. Mike. "You gotta get outta here man" He twisted himself and used his web to slingshot himself back up to the roof.
Rushing back up to the roof he managed to knee the Demogorgon in whatever it's face was, sending it flying in the air. While still mid-air, Spider-Man sent webs towards the second Demogorgon, wrapping it up and dragging his feet across the roof to keep it still as it pulled him closer. "Will! Do you need help?!" El exclaimed over comms. "Nah, I've got this pretty well handled" Will told El, has he wiped the blood away from his nose.
"No! I'm helping you!" El retaliated, Will continued to prohibit El from doing what she wanted to as he dodged more swings from the Demogorgons. But then it clicked, "You need to help Mike!" He asked her, "Mike's there?!" Dustin exclaimed. "Yeah! Now El, go get the last few people out while I deal with this!" He commanded her, "On it!" She replied
Mike ran down stairs, blocked by rubble he tried to find another way. Once he finally found an un-blocked passage a Demogorgon slammed down through the roof to him. Mike stepped back as it left a slimy trail. It clenched its fists and roared at him. About to swing, Mike covered his face in his hands when something bright pink and white kicked it through the neck, slamming it through shelves of books.
Mike stood there in awe at the hooded figure, as it turned, he realised, this was another Spider-Person, a Spider-Woman. "How many times does he have to say 'leave' before you get it through your THICK BOY SKULL!" Spider-Woman obviously didn't attempt making such good first impressions as Spider-Man did, so he ran as fast as he could, looking back to see her kicking the Demogorgon up to the roof the same way Spider-Man did.
El landed right next to Will, their backs towards each other and the Demogorgons surrounding them. "Whoever beats the least has to drive to school with Hopper next weekend" El suggested, "Oh fuck you, I know you like driving with him" Will complained. And before they knew it, 3 Demogorgons laying flat on the floor as they both pushed their lifeless bodies through the gate.
Before pushing the last one through, El held up a camera with her web to take a photo of the two pushing the Demogorgon down. She checked the photo and showed it to Will, "Look believable enough?" She asked him, "Mmm, I can edit it a little, nobody holds the camera THAT straight after a monster attack" He critiqued.
El stretched her legs and looked down and the news vans that had made their way outside the library. Without saying a word, the two played rock paper scissors, and El groaned as she swung down to the vans. Will closed the gate and looked to one of the buildings, Mike was standing on the roof, completely alone.
He swung up in an obvious way so Mike wouldn't be spooked again. "Who was that?" Mike asked him, "My sister" Spider-Man answered. Mike was somewhat shocked that Spider-Man had given him a straight forward answer. Spider-Man sat down next to Mike, "So do the powers run in your family?" Mike asked, "Nope, but the balls to do crazy shit like this does" that answer got a laugh out of Mike.
When the talking died down, they sat in silence for a moment, before Mike asked the same question he had been asking every interview. "Who are you, anyway? You have a family and a home, but you're always out here." Mike's voice was soft, as if he was making sure nobody could hear him. Spider-Man turned to him, but was briefly interrupted again "I think I've talked to you long enough for you to stop saying 'you know me' because that doesn't help at all" Mike huffed out.
"Can you take it off? Or do you just look like that?" Mike attempted to joke. Spider-Man Will stayed silent, but he made a 'come here' motion with his hand to his mask. "D-Do you want me to-?" Mike stumbled over his own words as Will nodded. Everything was silent; no reporters, no police, no sirens, no traffic, it was just them two now.
Mike moved his hands slowly towards Will chin and lifted the mask up to his lips before debated "Y'know you don't have to feel pressure by me just cause I want to" he stammered, "It's fine" Will answered. That was surreal, seeing Spider-Man talk AND have his mouth move at the same time.
He lifted the mask full, holding it in his hands as he watched Will brush out his hair that'd been sticking up. There was a glimmer to Mike's eyes, had he been staring too much? He felt like he was. Will lifted his knees to his chest and rested on it, "We can just put the mask back on if you like-" the humor from Spider-Man still came from Wills mouth, "NO! No, no, i-it's fine, really." He interrupted Will, attempting the nicest smile he could that didn't make him look like a blushing idiot.
"So... All the stuff you've been telling me?" Mike leaned in slightly, "Half-truths and whatnots" Will answered. Mike had leaned back away, which made Will realise how close they were. "And... Spider-Woman?" Mike turned back to Will, whereas Will seemed slightly disappointed when El was brought up, but answered anyway, "It's El, she's my step-sister, not sister, but there's still truth to that" Mike seemed shocked by something.
"El's your sister?" Mike seemed genuinely dumbfounded, "Wait, you didn't know?" Will held himself together with that stupid smile that made Mike re-think his life choices, trying his best not to laugh. "We look exactly the same" a chuckle came out of Will. "I don't know, man" Mike closed his eyes and laughed out his words.
"So... How do you balance school and Spider-Man stuff?" Mike inquired, "You've seen me run out of classes, there is no balance" Will answered. "Though, it becomes slightly more easy to handle when others know" Will admitted, he slightly scooched towards Mike. "Who else knows? Well, aside from El." Mike asks, "Only Dustin, he helps me with tech and finding people to help. And, now you, I guess." Will nudged Mike playfully with his shoulder on that last comment.
"Well, I'll help how I can" Mike grinned, "Well, if you really want to be of help" Will turned around and lied his head on Mike's lap, he was far to exhausted this time of evening to be embarrassed, "You can just let me sleep here, for like, the next... 2 days, maybe" Will yawned. However, after what just happened, Mike was wide awake, and he was definitely wide awake now.
"Maybe we could just... Go to your dorm instead. What if someone comes up here and sees us?" Mike was clearly more anxious about this than Will was. Will groaned as he got up "Yep, you're right. I'll see you tomorrow" Will stretched as he was ready to start swinging again. "Actually, I think it'd be better if I stayed in... Your dorm." Mike seemed to get quieter and quieter as the sentence went on.
"Y'Know, it'd be more helpful to have the people who know who you are, stay with you" Mike attempted to make himself seem reasonable. Will walked up to Mike and held out his hand, "Don't you have roomates?" he asked, Mike took Wills hand and stood himself up "Yeah but, she doesn't give a shit." Mike explained. Mike began walking to the fire escape, "Mike" Will called out, "You know Maxine Mayfield, right?" Mike started, Will calling out Mikes name again, "Yeah she doesn't care if I go missing for a week" Mike continued, Will attempting to call out Mikes name again.
"Honestly I could die and she'd just be happy she has a room to herself" Mike blabbered on, "MIKE!" Will yelled. The volume sent a shock to Mike, but he finally turned. Will held out his hand, "Mask." He stated, it clicked in Mikes brain what Will was trying to do earlier. "RIGHT! Sorry." Mike apologised, "All good" Will answered as he walked up to the edge of the building settling on his mask.
"I'll see you back at... My dorm" Will stated, then he swung from one building to the next until he was gone. Mike kept track of him with his eyes until he was gone