☀︎︎
𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝑊𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑌 𝑁𝐼𝑁𝐸
𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
☀︎︎
Before he could think twice about it, Eddy was skidding to the side, bringing his palm to slap down against the band against his wrist, letting the black, shadow-like material of his suit unfurl against his frame, tightening against his body until it was like a second skin. It was only as he went to step forward, sending himself through that otherworldly space, that he remembered why he had separated from the rest of the group. Peter was missing. If Eddy knew the boy enough to be able to say that he liked him, then he knew enough to say that Peter was smart enough not to get himself into too much trouble. Spiderman needed his help. Eddy wasn't one to let people down.
With a hardened sigh, he threw himself forward, slipping through the curling swathes of black and magenta, emerging seconds later on the other side as Split. But his feet seemed to drop from beneath him. He was falling. Falling so fast that he was halfway down the side of whatever he'd dropped from before he could teleport himself upwards again, landing wobbly on the tip of a monument, Spiderman hanging from the side of it by his web. A red leg was hanging from the edge, his foot tapping at a small boxy window.
"You always have to be in the worst places when I teleport to you," Split shouted, letting the boy know of his presence.
"Couldn't you have gone to the ground first?"
"I'm still getting used to it. What's wrong?" Split asked.
Spiderman jumped slightly, already nervous. "You came?"
"You called."
In a swift second, Spiderman swung himself over the side of the monument, catching himself with a web above the window. He pushed himself backwards, angling his feet toward it like a dart.
"We have 125 seconds until the fatal drop," he shouted.
"I won't be able to get them all out in time!"
"Go!"
Split said nothing else. He stepped forward and came back out on the other side of the wall. Already the students who were trapped were trying to scramble upwards, putting their weight on the very top of the structure. As he moved to teleport again, split hesitated. If he added any more weight, the lift would only strain more, snapping the last of what held it up. Just then, Spiderman came slinging through the window, webs ejecting to hold himself in place.
"Web the top of the lift. You'll need to hold it up while I get them out."
Spiderman did as he said and Split teleported into the lift, taking the first person he saw by the arm and teleporting out again. It was only as he did so, that he recognised the blue and yellow uniform and the horrified face of the person he was helping. These people were his friends.
There was a crashing sound and the lift fell downward, dragging Spiderman with it as Split emerged by the crowd of emergency workers. Spiderman flipped, webbing the ceiling trapping the lift with his feet poised against the wall.
Split kept doing teleporting, zipping back and forth until only a few remained and he felt out of breath. Something about dragging another person through that second state took everything from him. As if it was only that added entity that was unnatural. As he dropped another person to safety and returned to the lift where Spiderman strained with his webs to keep it up, Split collapsed to the floor, legs giving away beneath him.
He couldn't ignore the urgency in the other boy's voice. "Split! You alright?"
"Fine."
His eyes went to Ned and the life inside him seemed to return again. He took his friend by the arm, pulling him upwards, teleporting him to the rest of his friends. Only Liz was left. He stood shakily, readying to teleport again. Then the metal beneath the webbing snapped.
One of Spiderman's arms flung upwards reinforcing the webs that held his body up. The other reached downwards, webbing Liz's hand to his, leaving her danging, letting the rest of the lift crash down beneath them into the gaping hole. Managing to pull her up, Split took her hand, pulling her from the boy and into the arms of her best friend.
"So is everyone okay?" Spiderman asked, his voice going funny in the presence of the others.
There was a pause as they all looked at him in disbelief, eyes wide and mouths open. Spiderman nodded slowly, his gaze shifting to Split who still stood beside them.
He looked as if he was about to say something. But then, again, the metal he was hung from broke, sending him hurtling down the massive space, flipping slightly as the metal came beside him. The boy would land on his feet, webbing securing himself, but Split still threw himself, diving into the space as if it was water. He caught up to him, arms wrapping around his waist, hitting against the underside of his arms. They were falling for only a second before Split teleported them away, whisking them through what he called the other world, before landing on a bed of grass, the scene of the commotion nowhere in sight.
"Thank you for coming," Spiderman said, letting out a breath.
"Always."
Split cleared his throat when he realised he was still laying flat against him on the floor. He stood quickly, stretching his shoulders as they observed their surroundings. They weren't too far from the monument, perhaps only two blocks. Once he realised, Split dropped to the floor again, crossing his legs.
"I am exhausted," he said. "I really need to get used to doing that."
"I could help you."
Split looked up at him and thought of his friends. They were safe now. Didn't he deserve a break? Spiderman held out his hand, his other arm reaching to scratch behind his neck. Split took his hand, pulling himself up again.
"I have about an hour," he said. "Where do you want to go?"
"Wherever you can take me."
Split looked away for a moment, only to look back again when he remembered there was a mask covering his face, making him feel a little less exposed. Spiderman knew who he was in a way few others did. He may not know his face or his name, but that didn't really matter. He liked who he was around him. He liked that he knew his history, even if it had been simplified when he'd told it.
"Alright partner, I have something I want to show you. I think you can help me," he said and Spiderman nodded. "Hold-"
"I know," he said, stepping forward slowly, a single arm wrapping around his waist. "Hold on tight."
☀︎︎
England was dark and damp in a warm sort of way. The paradox was Split's favourite way of describing his home country. The scent of tall oak trees filled his nose, the remnants of rain tickling at his cheeks. The evening was cutting in swiftly, the moon like a shining beacon, seeming brighter on this side of the waters. But perhaps that was just his sentimentality speaking again. For being a superhero, he wasn't very tough spirited. He hoped that would come with experience.
Teleporting so far away hadn't been the best idea, on Split's part. As they moved, Spiderman's arm wrapped around his waist, he half expected to drop the boy somewhere or end up in the middle of the sea. But his accuracy while teleporting had never failed. In fact, of anything, he was too accurate, if all his other run-ins were anything to go from.
As the two walked down the street, not having shared a single word since they emerged into the new location, Split itched to remove his mask. It felt wrong to wear his suit in such a place. The people of London had most likely never heard of Split, and his real name was probably lost to the past. Knowing what he was about to do, Split's heart rate rocketed. But the more time he spent in Spiderman's company, the more relaxed he felt.
"Where are we?"
It took all his strength not to whisper the answer. "London."
"London?"
"Yeah, that's what I said."
"I heard you. But- why are we here?" Spiderman said, quickening his steps until he walked backwards to the side of him.
"I told you, I want to show you something. I have some things that you could maybe help with," Split said. "Besides, I needed to come here for myself. I didn't think I could do it alone and Tony is still in India. I know I was being selfish, bringing you along..."
"No. It's not selfish. I said I would come," he said, and then shook his head. "Wow, we're in London. I can't quite get over the fact we were in Washinton D.C two minutes ago."
"Neither can I," Split said. "My head feels about ten times heavier."
He left no time for Spiderman to ask if he was okay. The empty street ended, merging into a scene of darkness, void of any shadows as there was no light. London was warm, in his mind. But this place... this was cold. The grass crunched beneath his feet as if frozen. Spiderman stopped him with a hand to his chest.
"Here," he said, just as a small, drone-like device detached from his suit and lit up, moving just past his shoulder.
"You need to show me how to do that."
Light erupted from the bug drone, casting the graveyard into a sea of shadows. Split went forward first, using his hand to guide around hidden stones. He didn't know where he was going- he only had a vague idea of where the graves would be. Under the willow tree, as he'd imagined, was where they stood, large grey gravestones carved intricately with roses and angels.
"I don't want you to see the name," he said, glancing back to Spiderman who soon followed.
"That's okay."
His eyes trailed along with the names. His mother and father's, Peggy's... It took all of his energy not to let out the sob that was building in his chest. Michael Carter's name was carved in the last stone, the date matching the same as the certificates and files. Split swallowed and turned away, unable to look at them any longer. His eyes were dry. It was as if he'd cried too much and dried the very stores of his body, but that didn't stop the sounds from wanting to leave his lips. He let out a haggard breath.
"He was my brother. I told him everything," he said slowly. "Turns out he didn't do the same."
His eyes closed beneath the mask.
"He died in the war. But that was a lie. His grave says 2000 was his death year, not 1940. I needed to see it. In-person," Split said. "I think I have the name of an organisation he might've dealt with."
Spiderman came from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Who?"
"The guard."
☀︎︎