Archive of Our Own

MOOD BOARD 

Moving away from home was not a spontaneous decision.

Seungmin loved his family, of course—his sisters, his mom, his dad. They were a menacing, chaotic constellation of familiar presences, loud and well-meaning and impossible to ignore. It wasn’t their fault that Seungmin had made a few bad decisions during his first two years of university back in Los Angeles. Still, loving them didn’t make living under the same roof any less suffocating.

A couple of obsessive boyfriends, too many wild nights with roommates and upperclassmen, and far too many semesters spent trying to double major while still commuting from home had shown him one thing very clearly: by his junior year, he needed distance. Not abandonment—just space. Somewhere he could fail quietly, succeed privately, and figure out who he was without an audience keeping score.

Why New York City, one might ask?

Because it was loud enough to drown him out. Because it was anonymous in a way Los Angeles never quite managed to be. Because if he was going to start over, he wanted a city that didn’t blink when people reinvented themselves—and maybe, if he was lucky, wouldn’t ask too many questions while he did. But that’s only about 20% of why.

Even though LA had plenty of unfamiliar universities, New York had something the beaches and sunsets he’d loved his entire life couldn’t even begin to compare to.

Spider-Man.

The first time Seungmin had seen a video of the superhero swinging between towering buildings in New York City, he’d been just as infatuated as he’d been with Los Angeles sunsets.

Maybe it was the red suit, reminiscent of Hello Kitty’s bow. Maybe it was the sheepish humility that reminded him of Pochacco and My Melody. Or maybe it was the acrobatics—reckless and beautiful in the same way the ocean had always been to him, misbehaving.

Whatever the reason, Seungmin had been enamored from states away, and it’s been that way since his freshman year in high school. So when his lawyer uncle offered to cover the expenses of whatever school he chose, Seungmin saw an opportunity.

Some people made fan mail. Fan pages. Fan merchandise. None of it felt grand enough for the devotion Seungmin carried.

He wore Spider-Man merch constantly, owned nearly as many posters and figurines as he did Sanrio ones, and spent most of his paycheck feeding his hyperfixations. Still, it just wasn’t enough.

What was impulsive was the creation of The Spiderweb.

At fourteen, Seungmin had been little more than a kid with a habit of soul-tying himself to his interests, and a talent for graphic design and English. By sixteen, his Sanrio-themed Spider-Man fansite was a full-time job, demanding daily updates and constant maintenance from its consistently growing audience.

He worked all four years of high school to earn the title of Spider-Man’s number one fansite—always the first to post, and always the fastest to update, despite being thousands of miles from the actual action. 

It was funny, watching professional publishing and news companies try and keep up with the traction a Sanrio website made by a too intelligent teen with too much time on his hands. Everyone always assumed the creator of The Spider Web was an adult, someone with experience in writing essays and digging through the internet for lore and rumors. Someone with enough journalism skills to recap interactions and stories from the heroes in a way that keeps people listening. 

That’s exactly why Seungmin had never bothered to tell anyone outside of his team about his identity. 

Of course, running such a big website with such a wide audience and reach wasnt something Seungmin could have done by himself. His friends— fortunately New York citizens — assist him in running such a large project. Felix, Jeongin and Hyunjin are the main contributors names, and they are Seungmin’s biggest source of information and collaborators. 

Photography, fan interaction reports, suit change reports, fight footage, you name it. It turns out that a bunch of young adults living across the city are always at the biggest advantage, too many people for everything to always be running smoothly. 

The Spider Web has articles, videos, fan information, news updates, discussion groups, and more, all upheld by years of steady building and consistency. Seungmin is very proud of his work, his team, his influence. Still, he can only do so much from across the country, relying on others to be awake when spider man is, relying on the internet to communicate how cool it is to see spider man in person. 

Of course, his official decision was not only based on being a fanboy. New York undoubtedly has great universities, and Jeongin was searching for a reliable roommate anyways. 

Though Seungmin loves living Jeongin, the younger man isn't the most affectionate, or the most outgoing. He enjoys the times they have together, watching movies and eating dinner when they aren’t working on the website. But outside of those small moments, Jeongin is rarely home. He works, lives near his family, goes to school, and is dating Hyunjin, who is undoubtedly as clingy as they get.

As one could imagine, he’s almost never home. Seungmin’s main responsibility is his website, so he doesn’t often go out enough to meet other people. Because of this, outside of his classes, his days are filled with sounds of his favorite bands, and his fingers clicking on computer keys. 

For example, today, he sits in the school library, tucked in the back corner as Maneskin plays through his beats, journals and pens spread out on the floor around him as he types up a new article about spider man’s newest costume update. The hero has recently once again posed for fans in a pink suit different from his original red, never one to shy away from fashion suggestions his supporters send him.

Seungmin is strategically tucked in the furthest corner from the crowd, his usual stimming and humming distracting for others in his vicinity and his identity as the Spider Web’s creator kept between himself and his few friends. 

Just this morning, Spider-Man had shown up to stop a double decker bus crash, and this time he was wearing a pink and red costume, with a heart in the center of the web on his chest instead of the usual arachnid. Many people were assuming it was for the upcoming Valentine’s Day, and they weren’t necessarily wrong, but Seungmin still felt the need to clarify to his audience that such a design was also ranked highest in last weeks fan favorites poll. On both the Spider Web site and Instagram as well as twitter. 

Small updates like this are very important for keeping reader counts up, Seungmin has noticed. His site’s frequenters admired constant updates, accuracy, and speed amongst other types of consistency. So saving his work for later was not an option.

Seungmin is pulled from flow state when his beats are tugged off of his ears, the quiet of the library penetrating his jam session when he looks up to see Jeongin and their friend, Jisung, staring at him. 

“You do know that there's these things called tables right?” Comes Jeongin’s voice, Seungmin smiles just a bit as his eyes drift up from his laptop screen to the two men standing in front of him. 

“Innie, hello to you too. We’ve been living together for weeks, you think you’d have picked up on my need for floor time by now.” Seungmin deadpans, eyes swimming from Jeongin’s intense face to Jisung’s softer, rounder, but no less handsome complexion. He gives a small smile, tilting his head as he greets the other. “Hi Sungie.”

Jisung’s eyes widen for half a moment, and he’s so expressive that Seungmin feels like he can see the moment the other's brain processes that he has to respond with a reply. 

The opposite of casual, Jisung nods a bit in greeting as he leans into the nearest bookshelf. “Wassup” he says, miscalculating his movement and pushing a stack of books through the other side, falling towards the ground with them before catching himself prior to hitting the carpeted floor. 

Seungmin’s smile is small but bright when he suppresses laughter, watching the other fumble, attempting to straighten the books that managed to not hit the floor. He smiles sheepishly as he bends down, picking the hardcovers up from the ground, Jisung and Jeongin watching silently together nearby. 

“You're so uncool, Jisung.” Jeongin comments, brows pinched and dimples fully displayed from withholding laughter. He turns back to Seungmin, sitting on the floor next to him to peek at his computer and knock knees with him, he clearly isn't the best at giving physical affection, but Seungmin has long since accepted this quality for what it is. 

“What are you working on now? Website updates?” He asks, Seungmin shifts to allow the other to better see the screen, nodding. “Yeah. I meant to finish this morning before I left for my first class, but I woke up kind of late. That’s gonna cost me later.” he notes. 

Jeongin watches silently as Seungmin types away at his computer, expression peculiar. “For someone who is never on the internet, you're seriously good at this website stuff. Have I ever told you that?”

“Everyday.” Seungmin laughs, knocking their shoulders together. Jisung joins them on the floor, slouching at their feet as he rocks side to side, the picture of cartoonish patience. “What are you guys working on?” he asks after a few moments. 

Jeongin looks to Seungmin, who glances at the both of them before shrugging, nodding his head and going back finishing his update. “Seungminnie here runs a fansite. He’s very busy. Sounds like someone I know.” Jeongin explains. 

“The man in the mirror?” Suengmin responds all too quickly, earning a slap on the back of his neck from his friend. 

“Ohh fansite, that sounds fun. For what? Some sanrio character?” Jisung tries, tracing the pochacco sticker on the back of Seungmin’s computer with his finger. “Nope, for the best person ever.” Seungmin answers, glancing at Jisung as he speaks, to show how serious he is. Jeongin gives a eyeroll so overdramatic Seungmin is surprised he doesn’t get dizzy.

“Oh gosh, please don’t get him started.” 

“What? Who?” Jisung says, promptly ignoring his friends warning. Seungmin’s head whips up from his computer so fast he nearly launches himself from the floor. 

“Spider-Man of course.” he answers, 

“Geez, look what you’ve done Jisung–”

“---He’s the coolest ever. Have you ever met someone built like a god with a heart of gold? No! You haven’t, because it’s rare. It’s like spotting a unicorn.”

Jisung’s eyes are wide as he stares at Seungmin in astonishment, eyes flickering every few moments from Seungmin to Jeongin and back to Seungmin. “You like spider man?” he smiles, wide and full of gums, quirked like he’s feeling smug.

“Dude! You're making it worse!” Jeongin says, head falling into his hands. 

Still, he’s truly gotten Seungmin started, so naturally, he continues. “Like?? I love Spider-Man! He’s so cool. Honestly I hope I die first, I don't think I could live happily knowing he’s gone. Inniie tells me my attachment and devotion is dangerous, but he’s not any better than me. He bought me all my favorite pieces of merch, and he’s one of my biggest info plugs, always knows everything before everyone else. He calls me an obsessed parasocial victim, but I prefer the term “Military wife” because that’s what it feels like. I’ve only seen him a couple times since I’ve been here in New York, but it doesn’t get old.”

“We get it, your a fanboy.” Jeongin sighs, leaning back with his head against the wall as he watches Seungmin practically bounce in his spot next to him, vibrating at the mention of his hyperfixation. “That’s so awesome! He is cool isn’t he? Did you see his new Valentines suit? I bet he worked so hard to have multiple suits he could wear on different occasions!”

“Yes!” Seungmin nearly lights up, vibrating with excitement. His resting complexion from mere moments ago little more than a memory. “I’m writing about it right now, some people say that it will make it hard for the public to identify him, but how many people do you know who are able to climb on walls and shoot webs from his wrists? It’s stupid. He’s a superhuman for crying out loud, I’m sure you’ll be able to make him out.”

Jisung and Jeongin look at each other, Jisung’s smile so big you would have thought he won the lottery. “Is that right? Well who do you think he is?” Jisung leans in, chin in his hand like this is the most important topic of the century. 

“Well, I don’t really know.” Seungmin says after a moment, excitement dimming a bit at the question. “We talk about a lot of stuff on my website, but one thing we don’t allow is discussion about the arachnids' identity.”

Jisung chuckles, hugging himself, beaming brightly. “Yoo, I fucking love that nickname dude! And the site it originated from, their so quick about updating everyone on him. And the arachnid sounds like some badass nickname.”

“Of course, Spider-Man is the ultimate badass! Coming up with it was my favorite part about my website growing over the years.”

Jisung tilts his head at that, curious. “Coming up with?--”

“And he stopped by the library last week, can you believe it?? By the dingy little library I work at and dropped off the books a woman he saved needed to return. So sorry she got hurt, but I seen him up close when he walked in and I nearly knocked over a reshelving cart.”

“Ohhh, you work at Hollow Library?”

“Yeah! How’d you know?” Seungmin turns to Jisung, who looks like he’s daydreaming as he watches the other gush about his favorite hero. 

“What other dingy Library’s are near our apartment, Seungminnie? Use your brain.”
Suengmin pouts, turning to the other man. He leans over, nearly climbing on top of the other man to purposely get on his nerves, Jeongin is smiling, pushing Seungmin away as he shrinks in on himself, trying to move away. “Gross, get off!”

Jisung laughs as he watches, not missing the opportunity to take out his cellphone and snap a few pictures of their position tangled with one another, shushing the pair from behind his device, their laughter bouncing off of the empty walls of the corner their in. 

“Oh, Seungminnie, your phone is buzzing.” Jisung says, pointing at Seungmin’s device where it sits vibrating on the floor near his laptop. Seungmin climbs off of Jeongin, crawling back over to his things and peeking at the screen, huffing as he shuts the noise coming from it off.

“I’ve got a graphic design class in 15 minutes.” is the explanation he offers as he collects his items, packing his ipad, laptop and water bottle into his kuromi tote. “Thank god, I thought I’d never get rid of you.” Jeongin responds, watching as the other takes his time collecting his things. 

“Don’t be like that, I know you love me Innie.”

“Against my will. Do you need a ride home tomorrow? What time do you get off?” is all he says,  “Everybody’s busy fucking on valentines, nobody’s worried about the next novel their going to read, so we are closing early. At like 9 I think, but it’s not too late so I’ll walk.”  

Jeongin screeches as Seungmin tries to lean down and kiss him while picking up his bag.The three of them laugh at the overdramatic display of refusal, and Jisung’s arms open wide and fast before Seungmin can make his exit.

“I volunteer as tribute! I’ll take a kiss!” Jisung says, eyes closed as he overemphasizes the puckering of his lips, making dramatic smooching sounds as he waits for Seungmin to return the advance openly. 

Suengmin rolls his eyes, mouth hanging open like he can’t believe Jisung’s audacity. Still, without reason Seungmin can comfortably name, he does in fact kneel, pecking Jisung’s cheek before booking it past him, nearly sprinting out of the library before the surprised gasp he hears can process enough to make his face red. 

It’s valentines day today—while everyone else's Saturday is filled with red and pink candies, romantic gestures, and affection—Seungmin’s is filled with the smell of old books and pages, hands cramping from typing and reshelving rather than baking or pleasuring a partner. 

Quiet, alone. Usually, such feelings would bring relief, since he comes from a loud family and even louder bad relationships. But today, Seungmin just feels.. Empty. Like he has nowhere to turn, and no hand to hold. 

Seungmin’s past valentines were never the most ideal way to celebrate, but rather than give his underworking and or toxic exes a call on the clock, he works on updating The Spider-Web instead.  

Only a handful of people have come in today, most of them looking for baking or cook books to impress a partner or loved one, and others in situations similar to Seungmin’s, looking to simply study or find something instead of someone to take home. 

Hours pass in Seungmin’s shift, the same repeated schedule as every other workday. The night sky begins to darken until you can see nothing but black, and the slow flow of citizens drops to nothing long before a familiar face walks into the building.

Seungmin is editing footage of Spider-Mans most recent adventure when a deep voice snaps him out of his headspace. “Can I chill with you? Promise not to knock any books down.”

Seungmin’s eyes flick up from the monitor in front of him to find wide, familiar eyes staring back at him. Jisung stands, adorably awkward with his hands shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants and hair newly dyed a berry raspberry like color. It suits him, Seungmin thinks. Compliments his wide shoulders, his dark alternative clothing. A handsome individual he is.

“Sungie.” Seungmin says simply, smiling just enough to make it so Jisung has to glance away for half a second, for whatever reason. “Seungminnie, why are you working on valentines day? This sucks.” Jisung starts, leaning over onto the front desk to be closer to the man on the other side. 

Seungmin shrugs his shoulders, hands mindlessly finding the keys again. “I’m not really sure. Only a handful of people work here, the others all have boyfriends to celebrate with, even the librarian is married. So it only makes sense that it’s me who works today.”

Seungmin types away at the computer, waiting for a response. When one doesn’t come, he glances up behind the monitor. Jisung is no longer standing there, gone like he was never present. Seungmin gasps quietly as he glances around, looking for someone, anyone in the vicinity. 

He finds no one until he turns to his left for the second time, and suddenly Jisung is just there, leaning over his shoulder and peering at the computer screen like it holds the answers to every question he’s ever asked.

“So how do you feel about it then?” he says, casual, slick. Seungmin suppresses a flinch as he takes in Jisung’s unfairly gorgeous side profile, blinking in surprise at the fact that someone so naturally clumsy can be so.. Smooth. Quiet, like an animal, or… a spider. 

“It?” Seungmin muses, Jisung turns to him, their eyes lock, and it seems like for a moment, the suffocating loneliness he was feeling is nothing but a distant memory. “Working on valentines day I mean?” Jisung says. 

Seungmin is frozen for a moment, suppressing jagged breaths as his brain tries to figure out how someone could move so quickly and silently without being detected. It’s brain racking, so the concern pokes at him even as he answers.

 “Well, being here on Valentine's Day is kind of lonely, if I’m being honest. But it doesn’t matter, I’m getting paid for this, and I have nowhere else to go, no one to spend it with.”

Seungmin turns back to the computer, his face warming the slightest bit at their proximity and the vulnerability of his answer. He hadn’t meant to make it sound so.. Sad. But Jisung’s eyes shine with genuine interest and emotion, which makes Seungmin much more comfortable with his response.

“Bullshit,” Jisung scoffs, standing, hands in his jacket pocket as he looks down at Seungmin, sitting in his librarian chair. “You callin me a liar?” Seungmin says, staring blankly at the other. “No no no no, Im just saying! There’s no way someone like you didn’t get any valentines or date invites, something, right?” 

Jisung’s expression is hopeful, as if he genuinely can’t fathom that Seungmin’s locker wasn’t filled with heart shaped valentines, or that there was no one waiting in line for his attention. 

“Hey, what about you?” he says, flipping the topic onto Jisung. “Why aren’t you spending your evening with anyone? I’m sure there are plenty of people interested in you.”

That puts a smirk on Jisung’s face, and Seungmin immediately regrets his words. “Stop.” Seungmin adds before the other can even start. “You think I pull, Seungminnie? If you want me just say so, don’t be shy.” he says, leaning down onto Suengmin’s shoulders, shoving his face in the other mans neck.

Seungmin laughs, shying away as he gets closer. He shoves Jisung away with weak itty bitty taps and pushes that do little to discourage him, and by time Jisung pulls back, Seungmin’s face is a lively shade of pink, and Jisung is too pleased with himself for his own good. “Fuck off, I was just saying, your a really good catch. Handsome and funny, charismatic, a really cute loser.” Seungmin says, honestly.

Jisung’s ears are red now as he scoffs, avoiding eye contact. “I know that! But not everyone else does.” he says, playing it cool, even as his ears get brighter and brighter. 

“Alright, Doctor Humble. If your pulling, that makes one of us.” Seungmin is smiling now, giddy in the presence of someone good for conversation. “But we’re both alone today anyways, so does it matter?”

Jisung shrugs, shrinking in on himself as he makes a contemplative face, the coloring of his ears delaying to fade even moments later. “Well, we don’t have to be?” he says, unsure, like it’s a question as well as a suggestion.

Seungmin tilts his head questioningly, he spins all the way around in his chair like that, facing Jisung directly now as he eyes the look of hesitance on Jisung’s features. “What are you proposing?” he asks, head still quirked to the side. 

Jisung avoids eye contact, playing with his hands. “Hey! I’m just saying that neither of us has a valentine, could be fate. And we are just coincidentally in the same place on the same night, single, nowhere to turn, all alone. But if we were togetherrrr, we could fix that!”

Seungmin blinks up at the other, Jeongin likes to call him slow, naive, oblivious, every synonym that means he does not understand signals or beating around the bush. Seungmin would be a liar if he denied it, he’s never been the best at picking up on social cues, so he doesn’t even try anymore. 

“Be frank.” Seungmin says instead of trying to put the pieces together, attempting to save them both time and effort. Jisung huffs, rubbing his neck like he’s been caught doing something suspicious before relenting.

“Seungminnie, be my valentine!”

Seungmin pauses, eyes widening as all Jisung’s little  hints click into place. Valentines?
Jisung wants him to be his valentine? 

‘Dammit, that’s so cute,’ Seungmin thinks, against his better judgement. ‘Forgive me spidey, I’ll have to give someone else my heart today.’

Seungmin stops himself from nodding, or blinking, or giving any reaction that might communicate a yes. 

Instead, he scoffs, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair as he feigns amusement over excitement, smiling the slightest bit as he speaks his next words. “We aren’t a little old for valentines?” 

Jisung blinks in silence for a moment, before his jaw drops and he jumps up from where he’s leaning on the front desk, and Seungmin knows he’s got him. “Hey! You're never too old for valentines! We’re young adults, now is the best time for sappy romantic gestures and cheesy sex pick up lines, have some whimsy!”

Suengmin is holding his stomach laughing in quiet ha ha ha’s while Jisung spazzes, the other man is always the easiest target for teasing. “The alt boy is telling the Sanrio boy to have whimsy? How ironic.” He teases, briefly touching the pochaco clip in his hair for good measure.

“Take back what you said about valentines!”

“No.”

“That’s so rude! Don’t be a hater.”

“Well you’ve got a hater as a valentine now I guess, that’s your sin if being a hater is mines.”

Jisung’s smile is so big it nearly hogs his whole face, his laughter echoing through the empty library like a declaration of comfort. Seungmin’s day could have started and ended with him having nobody, but it didn’t. Thanks to Jisung. 

Even so, Seungmin simply loves to get a rise out of him. 

“You know, my husband isn’t going to like this much.”

The man watches with silent entertainment as Jisung’s eyes grow to the size of saucers, his head dropping forward and his face forming a terrified expression. “You’re married?!” he shrieks, volume forgotten entirely.

Seungmin snorts.

“Yeah,” he says easily. “He’s off saving the world, so I’m here writing silly little blogs about him.”

He gestures at the laptop screen, the Spider Web pulled up in editing mode—tabs open, footage paused mid-swing, text half-highlighted.

Jisung exhales dramatically, clutching his chest. “Oh my god. Don’t do that. That’s cruel.”

Seungmin giggles, shoulders shaking. “Relax. He can’t beat you up, he’s not here right now.” Still, Jisung doesn’t immediately recover. His eyes flick back to the screen despite himself—not casually, not politely. Instinctively.

He steps a fraction of an inch closer, Seungmin watches the exact moment something clicks. “…wait,” Jisung says, hands in his hair. Seungmin—confused—tilts his head in question at the other “Hm?” he hums. Jisung squints at the screen. “You format your updates like this?” he tries.

Seungmin blinks, not following. “Like what?”
“The timestamps,” Jisung says slowly. “You don’t queue them. You post live. Even if it’s messy. Even if it’s late, admirable, rare.” Seungmin blinks. “Yeah. I don’t like delaying stuff.”

Jisung’s smile falters—not gone, just… stunned. He scrolls without asking, eyes scanning faster now. “The language,” he mutters. “You never speculate. You shut shit like that down immediately.”

“I don’t like rumors, Spider-Man likely keeps his identity a secret for a reason. It’s safer for him. Why would I endanger him for the sake of public curiosity?” Seungmin shrugs. “Yeah! And the comments,” Jisung continues, barely breathing now. “You filter identity talk automatically. You—” He stops, eyes wide as he stares at Seungmin.

He looks to the screen again, before his eyes move back to Seungmin.

“…you’re The Spider Web.”

A statement, not a question. Seungmin pauses, then smiles, soft and amused. “Yeah? I thought you knew that. Jeongin didn’t already tell you? You're his best friend, I thought he would have after he asked in the library. 

Jisung laughs once, sharp and breathless. “No—no, I thought you were just… on the team. Or that you ran a little hobby fan site or something!” He runs a hand through his hair, pacing once like his body doesn’t know what to do with the information.

“Holy shit,” he mutters. “You’re the Spider-Web. No way” He repeats.

Seungmin’s own eyes are wide and pleading in a way, oblivious to the way this information has just waterboarded Jisung. “I hope that’s a good thing.” Jisung looks at him—really looks this time—and groans, scrubbing his face. “Holy shit. Okay, wait! First of all, Spider-Man does not count as a husband!”

“Oh?” Seungmin raises a brow, crossing his eyes over his chest.  “No. Absolutely not. What did he get you for Valentine’s Day, huh? Where is he while your here all alone?”

Seungmin leans back in his chair, smug, not retreating. “What did you get me for Valentine’s Day, Jisung?”

The other freezes, mouth open like he was about to say something. Seungmin laughs, merciless. “You’re supposed to be my Valentine and I got nothing from you. What makes you think you can judge my hardworking husband when you’re no better than him?”

“That’s not fair!” Jisung protests immediately. “This was last minute! I didn’t even know if you’d say yes! It’s the thought that counts!”

Seungmin’s shoulders shake as Jisung rambles, fully committed to his own defense. “I put in the effort! Who cares about a stupid gift—this was a hoax! Fabricated!”
“Stop,” Seungmin wheezes. “My stomach hurts.”

Jisung cuts himself off abruptly, frustration flashing across his face as something heavier settles in his chest. “No,” he says, suddenly serious. “Actually—no. This is funny, but also—Spider-Man doesn’t deserve you!”

Seungmin blinks.

“You’re running his biggest fan site,” Jisung continues, voice sharper now, emotional edges slipping through, “working on Valentine’s Day, juggling classes and jobs and him, and what do you get in return??”

Despite not seeing eye to eye, Seungmin gently corrects him. “Don’t you think him risking his life every day to make the world a better place is enough?” Jisung huffs, shrugging his shoulders. “He’s a super hero, for crying out loud, Seungminnie! That's his job!”

“And being a fan is my job. Super or not,” he says quietly, “Spider-Man is still just human.”

At that, Jisung stills.

“He shows up when nobody asks him to,” Seungmin continues, eyes soft now, sincere in a way that strips the joke bare. “But at the end of the day, he probably still goes home alone. That can’t be easy. To be that important to so many people, but still only able to do so much.”

He shrugs a bit, relaxing into his chair. “Showing appreciation is the least I can do. He’s too busy to worry about me anyway. Still, if I can make him smile for even one second out of the millions of moments that pass every day… then it’s worth it.”

Seungmin smiles, small but certain. “And of course, that means the hours I spend uplifting him matter, they count toward something.” he adds, “and that means I matter too, that I’m a small human who is apart of something bigger than myself.”

Jisung doesn’t speak, he just looks at him, pupils shining like Seungmin is a reflective star. Seungmin lets it settle in, and doesn't dare to break the moment.

 Jisung reached down, holding Seungmin’s hand in his, delicately, like he’s a flower petal. “Seungminnie, you do matter. A lot. Without the website, or someone else’s mood having to assure it. You're wonderful as just you, and Spider-Man is damn lucky to have you.” 

Seungmin is smiling as he responds, Jisung does not let go of his hand. “Try telling Spider-Man that.” he hums, though Spider-Man isn’t the first person on his mind at the moment. 

“So, what? If Spider-Man asked you to be his valentine, you’d accept and leave me behind like chopped liver?? That’s so not fair.” Jisung says, as he takes Seungmin’s hand in his, repeatedly placing quick kisses on the back of his palm as Seungmin watches with quirked lips, sheepish, unable to shy away. 

“If it makes you feel better, Spider-Man is the only other person I would leave you for.”

To Seungmin’s surprise, Jisung doesn’t screech or hollar about it, he simply pouts as he nuzzles Seungmin’s hand against his cheek, whining. “Spider-Man this Spider-Man that, what about Jisung Parker?? Eh??” 

Seungmin nods, understanding. “Of course, my valentine. Just don’t bring my husband into this, and we can live in ignorant bliss.”

They laugh together in unison, and despite Seungmin's earlier turmoil, he feels a lot better while he’s closing after Jisung has left than he had when he opened.

Seungmin hums like a disney princess through every tedious closing task. Resheliving, disinfecting, emails, vacuuming, sorting, all of it. He’s too light for his own good, if he wasn’t logical, he’d believe himself capable of floating away at any moment. 

By 9:25, his tasks are complete, and it’s time for Seungmin to head home for the night. His beats play pop music in his ears as he steps down from the back door, turning to lock it when he feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

It isn’t a warning of danger, more like a click of awareness. Still, Suengmin whips around when he feels it, eyes darting up and down the familiar alley. He clutches his pc to his chest, eyes wide and conscious, cautious of the area around him, every nook and cranny that he walks past every day.

Seungmin is well aware of the reputation New York has. Even though the streets are damn near clean because of a certain webbed hero's influence, there’s always the smallest chance that something slips past both a super human and the city's police officers. New York city is big, it would be stupid to assume every single crime has been prevented, right? 

Seungmin doesn’t know, not really. He’s simply worried now that he’s on his lonesome, alone in a backwater street that he deemed safe up until now. 

“I don’t have any money, or assets, or anything of value, if you're gonna kill me at least make it quick, I’m sleepy.” he says into the quiet of the alley, just in case. Nothing comes in response, not a breath, a movement, nothing but the rest of the city going on about their business nearby.

Until Seungmin hears it.

It's not loud, or obnoxious. But it might as well be a gunshot in the silence of the dark, with nothing but leaking moonlight and a few flickering streetlights to cast shadows. 

A laugh.

Or rather—a chuckle. To Suengmin’s left, where he whips around to investigate immediately. “Who’s there? What’s so funny?” he says, voice breaking. The laughter doubles in volume where it's reigning down from the bottom of a fire escape Seungmin can’t make out. Well, excuse him for being a little afraid of being murdered in an alleyway.  

“Geez. That’s it? No effort or fight at all? Not even a little bolt towards the end of the street or anything. Man, you’ve got the survival instincts of a piece of cheesecake, can’t lie.”

Seungmin’s heart plummets in his chest before ascending into his ears, beating with a volume equal to that of a sledgehammer crashing through a drum set. He hasn’t a clue what to do, or where to go, or how to process the situation. Because the shadow he sees hanging from a ladder against the wall is irrevocably, without a doubt, Spider-Man.

“Oh my god.” He says, finally, his inhales jagged and uneven. It seems, suddenly, that Seungmin hasn’t the slightest clue how or when to not suffocate. “Fuck.” he huffs, brain tripping over itself to process the speed at which the shadow moves through the space. 

There one moment, gone the next. Seungmin’s eyes dart across the area, trying to spot where the crouched figure decides to land. He turns, air gone from his lungs as he turns to his left, coming face to face with the wide, white eyes he’s spent so much time admiring from a distance, they’re right in front of him.

“You're panicking, Seungmin.” comes a weirdly familiar, slightly deeper voice from behind the mask, and it does little to help him complete the hero's next command.

“Breath, Seungmin. Breath.”

It’s only then that Seungmin realizes how quickly his heart is beating, how fast he had begun to sweat, how badly his hands were trembling. His chest felt like it was nearly closing in on itself, clawing at his throat for air and his brain for commands. He’s not scared, no. It's different than that. He was simply… startled, astonished, to say the least. And it’s making him look like a fool in front of his idol.

“Right, breathing. Uh–breaths.” he says, trying to downplay the panic attack that had been edging him moments ago. He dares step closer, unable to stop himself, just a couple centimeters. And it almost sends him into another state of nerves—the way he can make out all the details in the costume he’s been analyzing from a distance for such a longtime.

“In.” Spider-Man says, and for some reason, Seungmin inhales without another thought, holding the breath until another low, hushed direction comes from the mouth behind the mask. “Out.” He says simply, and Seungmin exhales, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. It should have been, but the situation makes ‘casual’ a little out of reach, in his defense. 

“You—-you know my name?”

There’s a pause between them, a few seconds where the only thing you can hear is the city noise and the consistently calming pant of Seungmin’s breathing.The silence is undoubtedly heavy before an ironic scoff is heard suddenly, breaking the stillness. 

“Of course, why wouldn’t I know the name of my biggest fan?”

Seungmin’s heart plummets again, and his stomach dances in a million oversized loops. Still, even in his state of euphoria, he cant seem to shake the thought that the hero is unreasonably familiar, that his gentle care and playful sense is not new to him. Something about him just showing up here does not sit right.

“Because, I never attached my real name too-”
“The Spider-Web?” The hero finishes immediately. “Your site, right? Maybe you didn’t attach your name to the blog, but your photographs are always taken by the same three people who happen to all have social media posts of you guy’s matching web tattoo, it’s a wonder no one else has found you yet. You should be more careful, and I know a thing or two about secret identities.”

The hero's tone is playful, still, Seungmin thinks he’s being serious. “You–you dig around on the Spider-Web? Hasn’t a hero got better things to do?” He tilts his head, gazing longingly at the superhumans face, the details of his suit, the feature shapes of what lies beneath it. Without thinking, Seungmin steps closer, and the hero reacts at the speed of light, disappearing into the shadows, crouching on the coping of a nearby fire escape.

“Of course! Naturally I want to know more about the genius who came up with the Spider-Man x sanrio website skin crossover, so I did some searching. So cool by the way! I love sanrio!”

Seungmin blinks, huffing a laugh. “This– is a joke right? You're messing with me? No way.”

“Way way. Of course I’m not messing with you, you’re awesome!”

“Awesome??--” Seungmin repeats, he still can’t believe this is happening. Spider-Man, here, talking to him, all for—what exactly? “Were you–in the neighborhood or something?” the students asks, laptop clutched to his chest like a lifeline.

“I’m always in the neighborhood, I’m Spider-Man.” The hero does a little shimmy, head emoting side to side in his costume. Suengmin can just barely make out his silly dance from his spot on the ground looking up at the other. 

“No– I mean– aren’t you busy? What are you doing here?”
The hero tilts his head at that. There's another beat of silence as he falls forward off of the fire escape, landing silently on both feet against the cement, crouching. “Of course I’m busy. I’m Spider-Man.” he says again. Seungmin’s swooning is effectively interrupted by the hard eye roll he does in response.

Seeing the man himself up close and personal makes it easy to forget that—in reality—Spider-Man is quite the character. Many times in his reviews and research, Seungmin had named the heroes' mannerisms as animated and cartoonistic, and despite the child-like nature of his behaviors, it is one of his favorite qualities about him.

His ability to be in such bad situations with so much at stake, and still be able to have a sense of humor. His ability to uplift citizens, and quite literally carry the city on his back as well as his personal issues, and still be so positive. So kind. It can’t be easy.

Seungmin knows this better than anyone, of course. Even so, the familiarity still seems too personal to be new, and being unable to put his finger on why is driving him half insane.

 “Well, are you also dyslexic? Your lack of vocabulary is concerning.”

The hero gasps, leaping from the ground to the wall, crawling deeper into the shadows until he disappears. Then, from the wall behind him: “I’ll have you know, my vocabulary is perfectly!–eh–”

Seungmin turns, giggling at the hero's struggle. His hold on his laptop losens progressively as he witnesses up close and personally exactly what he has always known: Spider-Man is just that—a man. With feelings, awkward quirks, and a major lack of diverse lexicon. 

“Mhm, take your time.” Seungmin hums while the hero snaps his fingers, trying to find a decent word to use.” 

“aduhquite! Yes! My vocab is very aduhquite!”
Seungmin nods, suppressing the upturn of the corners of his mouth. “Adequate? Is that what you meant?”
“That's what I said! You weren’t listening!”
“Right..” 

Seungmin can’t help it, his grin is wide and bright, untamable by his attempt at nonchalance. The one and only webbed hero is in front of him, spending minutes speaking to him like he means something. And Suengmin doesn’t want to say it out loud to the smug bastard, but it is quite literally the best day of his life. 

“Your smile is so beautiful, do you know that?”

Seungmin’s heart skips a beat, he whips around away from where the hero is hanging on the wall so quickly he gets dizzy, but that could very well just be the fatigue from the racing in his chest. “I already have a valentine. I’m leaving.” he says, booking it down the alleyway in a speed walk that could give the hero a run for his money. 

“Wa!-- Hey!--” comes a call from behind him, Seungmin doesn’t slow, nor does he look to see what the hero is doing when he hears the usual sound of webs shooting out fill the air. But he finds out when his foot catches on something, his laptop flying in the air as he yelps and the ground nearly comes in contact with his face. 

Before it can, there’s a sharp tug at his waist—firm, careful—and suddenly Seungmin isn’t falling so much as redirected. His body tilts, the world spinning just enough to steal the breath from his lungs as something strong and warm pulls him back mid-air.

His feet leave the ground entirely.

Seungmin gasps as he’s swept backward, spine arching instinctively as his balance is stolen on purpose, his fall caught and shaped—one arm braced securely behind his back, the other hand gripping his wrist to keep his laptop from smashing into the pavement. His body folds into the hold like it was meant to be there, chest rising, head tipped back just slightly.

A bow.

A dramatic, ridiculous, painfully cinematic bow. But unfortunately, it devastated Seungmin anyways, and for half a second, the alley disappears.

All Seungmin can see are white lenses inches from his face, all he can feel is the solid press of Spider-Man’s big arm anchoring him, the not-so-subtle flex of muscle keeping him suspended like gravity has personally been told to fuck off.

“Wow,” Spider-Man breathes, voice low and smug behind the mask. “You fall fast for someone who just tried to flee the scene. From your one husband at that? That's messed up! Surely, I’m more important than a silly valentine?”

Seungmin’s heart is in his throat. His fingers curl instinctively into the fabric at the hero’s wrist, knuckles brushing red spandex.

“You—” he starts, then loses the rest of the sentence to a laugh that bubbles out of him, breathless and stunned. “You tripped me! Fucker..”

Spider-Man hums, tilting him just a fraction closer, like he’s considering the angle. “I prefer to think of it as… dramatic intervene”

Seungmin swallows, painfully aware of how close they are. “It’s intervention. And you could’ve just asked me to stay.”

“And miss the opportunity to catch you like a princess on valentines night, all romantic and shit?” the hero shakes his head. “Never.”

Seungmin is spun with the help of a web around his wrist, pulled from his dipped position back onto his feet right before the web is retracted and the hero stands right in front of him, head tilted as he seemingly examines Seungmin from up close. 

“Your.. shorter than I thought you’d be.” Seungmin says mindlessly, the hero makes a sound that can only be described as an indignant squawk, arms and legs wobbling and flailing in a way that reminds the man of an anime character.  

“Are you positive?! Cause last time I checked, only one of us was able to somehow predict the others exact measurements from across the state, and explicitly told the internet that the other was 5’7!”

Seungmin is laughing again, fluster forgotten as his giggles take over his whole body. “Well, you are 5’7 aren’t you?” 

“I’ll have you know, I’m 5’8 and a quarter! Thats so rude! Your supposed to be my biggest fan and your calling me tiny in your daily posts, fuckin’ ridiculous man!”
“It’s not my fault you're below average.”
“Below average my ass! I’ve got something big enough to blow your mind, you just don’t know!” 

Seungmin nearly startles at that, it’s rare you’ll hear the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man cussing or making adult jokes, he usually tries to keep it friendly. 

He scoffs as the hero jumps up onto the wall, scurrying towards the roof of the library and into a window ledge as Seungmin wanders closer to the wall he’s occupying, cheeks warm and tinted pink. “I’m sure Spider-Man didn't come to my job to simply imply that his cock was big. If he did, he should use his time more wisely.” 

There's laughter from above him, genuine, bubbly laughter that makes Seungmin’s chest turn. Suddenly, his kuromi cardigan is too warm. He watches the heroes figure from the ground, curiosity tugging at him again, because the damn human arachnid still hasn’t answered his question. 

“So what’s the sitch, spidey?” He says, louder than before. Too loud for the other to easily deflect again. “Why are you here?”

The hero looks right back at Seungmin from his perch, head titling to the right slowly, the rest of his body still in a classic, crouched spidey position. It’s mindful, curious, contemplating—his body language. Seungmin allows him a moment, and for a short second, he thinks the hero isn't going to answer. Then—

“Seungmin, I wanted to see you, of course.”

Seungmin thinks he’s gonna catch fire.

He’s spent years loving Spider-Man from a distance. Safely. Abstractly. Now today, his favorite person to ever exist sits right in front of him, complimenting, flirting, and it feels like a damn fever dream.

“Shut the fuck up.” Seungmin says instead of trying to communicate his joy, he turns his body in a different direction, just slightly. He can hear Spider-Man crawling and laughing somewhere along the wall, but he can’t bring himself to look up.

“I’m very serious, I’ll have you know! I think about you all the time, you know, not many people can take their favorite things and turn them into a fulltime job while also in school. You built an entire website from nothing, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read about the Spider Webs origin online!-”

“Gosh, shut up!” Your really fucking annoying you know that?”
“Hey! I’m complimenting you! Is this how you treat your beloved, friendly local superhuman companion? Hey, what’s it you called me? Your husband??”

“Oh my god. Shut up about that!” he can feel the tint on his face and ears darkening as the moments pass and he tucks himself behind his hands. Seungmin thanks every higher power that does, has, or will exist that the alley is dark. 

“You’re a superhero, for crying out loud. What are you doing spending your Valentines day here? I’m sure super rich super pretty women have shrines and yacht parties committed to you today. Am I in danger or something?” Seungmin wants to shrink behind his laptop, to think that the Spider-Man is here, chalking it up with him during the most romantic day of the year, it just doesn’t make sense.

“Seungmin, what could be more important than you today? You’ve probably committed the most time to me out of anyone, why do you think I shouldn’t be here? That’s unfair!”

Seungmin shakes his head, disbelieving. “You expect me to believe that the face of New York city just wanted to drop by for my company? Ridiculous.” 

There’s a subtle sigh that comes from nearby, and Seungmin knows the hero has to be getting tired of him by now. He expects the hero to flee, to give in, to find an excuse to leave, but he doesn’t. He simply.. watches from above, before speaking again. 

“Seungmin, you don’t have to save the city to be someone worth seeing. You're awesome, honestly! You have a good heart, and that’s what matters the most. To me anyways. And if you feel like your not enough, remember, the incredible Spider-Man says you’ve got the thing that counts.”

Seungmin’s eyes find the hero's crouched figure again, mouth slightly ajar, eyes shining and full of thought. Spider-Man jumps down from the ledge so quickly that Seungmin startles, backing up a few steps to make space for him. 

The hero stands in front of him—eye level now—and despite the mask, Seungmin’s thinks the expression he’s making is thoughtful as well.

“Just like you said, we’re both human. In your heart is where it begins. You're not less important just because you haven’t got special powers, or super strength, or because other people are more popular. You make people smile, you make me smile.”

And that’s it. The doubt, the irrelevance, the years of wondering if Seungmins effort will ever matter, if any of the work he’s spent the past 6 years on means anything.
Tonight, it’s no longer a question. 

“Let me take you home, Seungmin.”

Seungmin doesn’t think, he doesn’t assume, he doesn’t hesitate, he simply nods. Spider-Man steps closer, slowly—he takes the laptop from Seungmin’s arms, slipping it into his mocha tote bag, neither of them looking away from the other. 

A breath escapes the man when slowly—securly—the heroes hands reach, holding Seungmin’s waist for just a moment. Then, they grip it—just barely—lifting Seungmin from the ground, his legs and arms instinctively coming up to wrap around the hero's shoulders and middle. 

Its hard to forget that Spider-Man’s got more than enough muscle to spare for a task like this—with his big arms in his tight suit and habit of carrying large, inhuman amounts of weight on his back everyday. But somehow, Seungmin still manages. And the turning of his stomach triples when he’s reminded.

“Hold on tight.” the hero says. “This can be kinda scary.” Seungmin does, and a strong arm is placed around his little waist right before reality rushes past him, and the pair of them are yanked from the ground and into the air.

The alley falls away beneath them in a rush of wind and light, the city unfolding like someone shook it loose all at once. Seungmin yelps, a startled, undignified sound, his grip tightening instinctively as gravity reconsiders its loyalties.

“I said it can be scary!” Spider-Man laughs, voice vibrating through his chest, bright and warm and far too amused for someone currently kidnapping him into the sky.

The first swing steals everything from Seungmin—his breath, his bearings, the ability to form a coherent thought. His stomach drops like he’s cresting a roller coaster, the air roaring past his ears as the city blurs into streaks of gold and white below them.

Then the second swing comes smoother, as does the third.

The motion settles into something rhythmic, almost gentle. Up, arc, release. The snap of webbing. The glide. The fall caught again just before it becomes real. Spider-Man moves like this is second nature—effortless, precise, like the city itself is something he knows how to hold without breaking.

Seungmin presses his face instinctively into the hero’s shoulder, laughing now despite himself, breath torn loose by the wind. His fingers curl tighter into fabric at Spider-Man’s broad back, grounding himself in the solid, undeniable proof that this is actually happening.

There’s a terrifying kind of thrill that comes with it, not just the webbing across the city, but the entire night's events. Meeting Spider-Man in an alley, flirting with him, flying with him. It’s all exhilarating, nothing else matters. 

“Still with me, Minnie?” comes the teasing murmur near his ear, over the sound of city ambience and wind. “Fuck no!” Seungmin shouts back, voice whipped away by the rush of air. “You could’ve started with—I don’t know—one building!”

“Nahhhh!”

They soar over traffic, headlights crawling like glowing water droplets far below. Rooftops rush past at eye level. Below ground, the subway tracks rattle, music spills from an open apartment window, laughter echoes up from the street like the city itself is alive and watching them pass.

Seungmin dares to lift his head.

The skyline stretches endlessly in front of him—New York laid bare and beautiful, impossibly vast and impossibly close all at once. The wind tugs at his hair, at his cardigan, his pochaco hair charms, at everything that makes him him, and for the first time in a long while, his thoughts go blissfully, mercifully quiet.

Seungmin exhales a laugh he didn’t realize he was holding. “You love this huh?”

“Every day! Highlight of my week!” Spider-Man says easily.The words settle in Seungmin's chest, warm and fluttering.

Another swing carries them higher, the city opening up beneath their feet, and Seungmin finds himself smiling into the rush of air, chest light for reasons that have nothing to do with altitude.

By the time Spider-Man slows—landing securely in a familiar alley next to Seungmin’s apartment building—he almost forgets to let go.

Almost.

Instead, his grip hesitates to falter, and Spider-Man rubs comforting circles in his waist, attempting to loosen him up from the intense ride. “We’re here, Seungmin. You can let go now, but please, no rush.” he chuckles. 

“Shut up, that was annoyingly awesome.” Seungmin huffs as he eases off of the other, legs slowly slipping from around his waist, arms following soon after. He crouches, hands on his knees, attempting to find his gravity again.

As he regains his stability, the hero shoots a web from his wrist, attaching himself to the nearest, highest street light in the vicinity. He hangs from it, just low enough so that he and Seungmin are at eye level

Seungmin scoffs softly as he approaches.

“You.. kind of ruined my life tonight, in the best way, Spider-Man.”
The hero chuckles a bit, staring at Seungmin for a few moments longer before he speaks one last time. “You‘ve ruined mine, Kim Seungmin. I don’t think I can move on after tonight. Promise not to forget me?”

Seungmin itches for something, to do something, to give, to receive. He doesn’t know what exactly, so for now, for just a moment—he stops trying so hard to be something, and simply lets himself be.

Without thinking, he steps forward again. This time, Spider-Man doesn’t move, even as Seungmin closes the distance between them. The wind blows, sweeping through the students' floppy, clipped hair, doing wonders for his overheating, hesitant hands as they caress the hero's neck, slowly peeling down his mask from the throat.

Spider-man doesn’t move, he doesn’t object, he doesn’t flee. Seungmin pulls the mask down just enough to reveal pink lips and honey skin, and he stays still to admire just long enough for the other to get impatient. Spider-Man takes it upon himself to lean forward, pressing their lips together, taking Seungmin’s between his.

It’s a magical few seconds, not like explosives or wild fires, more like the colors, vibrations and patterns you see when you close your eyes. Quietly enjoyable, intimate, personal. 

When they each pull back, Seungmin’s smile is small and content, not showcasing the waves of emotions swimming behind it, or the recognition ticking in his eyes.

Quiet, private, theirs—this moment is. 

“Good night, Jisung.” Seungmin whispers, still and soft. There’s a soundless beat of awareness, of understanding. And then: 

“Goodnight, Seungmin.”

Just like that, the streetlight flickers, and the hero is sucked back into the darkness, disappearing before you can say the word ‘arachnid.’ 

It took Seungmin a while to figure it out, to put all the pieces together in the correct order. Seungmin never told Spider-Man what his name was, or where he lived for that matter. But Jisung Parker knows Jeongin’s address, and by default Seungmin’s. Spider-Man shouldn’t know his address, his name, or how long he’s run the Spider-web. Seungmin only has a couple of friends here, a couple of connections, a couple of instagram followers, a couple of people who liked the post about his and Jeongin’s matching fanboy tattoos. 

It all makes sense.

Seungmin sighs as he turns on his heel. Slow, heavy, dreamy—ready to walk towards his building's side entrance. But he’s stopped when he sees something glinting in the dark of the night.

His eyes follow the silk, blinking rapidly in curiosity. He thinks for a moment that it might be waste—leftover webbing spider man had expelled too much of—but no. Suengmin walks deeper into the alleyway, and something appears in the space when the moonlight hits it just right. 

First, he only makes out a single heart, then another, then—hello kitty? 

The most adorable, silk version of Hello Kitty on a web—an actual web, a grand one, spun between the rooftops of the buildings to either side of Seungmin. When he tilts his head, it reflects just right, and Seungmin’s breath is stolen for what feels like the millionth time tonight. 

Seungmin takes a slow step closer, heart kicking up again—the web stretches wider than he first thought, layered carefully, intentionally, spun thicker in some places than others. Little knots hold delicate shapes suspended in place.

On it—high in the sky— there's dozens of little hearts and Sanrio characters sewn into a glistening web, featuring  multiple large words in the middle.

‘To: Kim Seungmin
From: Spider-Man
Happy Valentine’s Day,
I’m your biggest fan!’

Seungmin huffs a laugh, he can’t believe his fucking eyes. “Oh my gosh” he murmurs, mouth pressed into a smile, he feels all too special.

Not only did the details of such a stunt look like they took hours to do, but there's a box hanging from the web at the very bottom. Terribly oversized, yes, and undoubtedly for Seungmin’s enjoyment only. 

He reaches out hesitantly, half-expecting it to vanish, but of course, it doesn't. The web releases with a soft snap, the weight of the gift dropping gently into his hands. Seungmin laughs, the sound breaking loose and echoing softly in the empty street. He tilts his head back, eyes scanning the rooftops, the fire escapes, the shadows between buildings. He’s undoubtedly here, somewhere, watching. 

“Are you insane?” he says fondly to no one. “You're ridiculous. You know that, right?”

Somewhere above him, a web line twitches, quick and  faint yet unmistakable. Seungmin walks inside with the large box clutched to his chest, extra careful to not harm the hello kitty wrapping paper on it. 

Inside, he holds back tears of affection as he unpacks countless Sanrio and Spider-Man plushies, chocolates, and accessories. Suengmin—for the first time in a long time—believes that his little corner of the world matters on a broader scale than ever before.