Newspaper scandals + death = your typical blooming romance... right?
Raimiverse!Peter Parker story.
Book [2] of the Paracosm series (but can also be read as a stand-alone).
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⋆ twelve ⋆
Liliana isn't expecting the paparazzi to be swarming her the moment she steps out of Oscorp. She doesn't see them at first, but when she steps out, the pain of all the lights flashing at her reach her eyes.
She throws her hands up to cover her face, Jesse immediately turning her to try to get her inside, but the cameras have already circled around, blocking her in. It's times like these that Lily remembers what it was like to have bodyguards during her father's meetings and events, wishing she'd kept them around. For some people, just the sight of Lily Osborn is intimidating enough. For others, it's the blessing they look forward to.
Their shouts reach her ears, all chorusing for her to "look this way" and "is it true" and invading her personal space in order to close her in. Some are holding up photos of the Daily Bugle's paper from this morning, something Lily didn't have a chance to look at with all her meetings for the day.
If she's being hounded like this, how is Peter doing?
"Miss Osborn! Is it true you attended Peter Parker's graduation last week?"
"Miss Osborn! Were you really spotted kissing Peter Parker at a cafe yesterday?"
"Is this official? Are you officially dating now?"
"Is it true you've been secretly together since your brother's funeral?"
"Did your brother know you were screwing his best friend? Is that why he had a heart attack?"
Lily's head swiftly turns in the direction of the last reporter, mentally noting down the company name on his microphone, ready to get him blacklisted the moment she gets out of here. Jesse glances around uncertainly, not sure how to get them out of the situation. After all, he's a scrawny PA without any muscle wearing an orange jacket and khaki jeans. No one would listen to him.
This seems to be getting to him, JJ shifting slightly closer to Lily in an effort not to get crushed. The sight gets on her nerves, the woman shouting, "Everyone take a step back! Move before I report you!"
Her voice gets drowned out in the rest, no one listening, repeating their questions constantly. Lily reaches for her phone in her pocket, dialling the police, only for a flash of red and blue to catch her eye till Spider-Man has shoved himself right in the gap in front of her and the reporters.
"Hi, ma'am!" his voice squeaks. Lily just stares in shock and disbelief as he turns to face the others, holding his arms out behind him protectively. "Everyone step back! Let the lady through!"
Pink raises to Lily's cheeks, yet not because of awe, but embarrassment. How ridiculous that this girl, barely out of her teenage years, is being escorted out of a crowd of reporters by Spider-Man.
"Let the lady through! Everyone, let–"
"Stop calling me a lady!" Lily hisses at him, conscious of all the photos being taken with his arms practically around her. "I've got this, just go."
