Miles felt himself stepping back again, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew Hobie was right, knew that he shouldn't let himself get distracted. But no matter how hard he tried to push the feelings down, they kept bubbling up inside of him. He felt like he was on the cusp of something new, something that he didn't quite understand, and it was both exciting and terrifying in equal measure.
He looked up at Hobie, his eyes meeting the older man's gaze. "She's my friend, Hobie. I can't just ignore her."
Hobie's eyes narrowed further, and he took another step forward, his hands clenching even tighter. "She's a distraction," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
"And what are we then, Miles?" Hobie asked softly, his eyes locked on Miles'. The room seemed to fade away, as if the two of them were the only ones there.
"We're...friends," he finally managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hobie glared at Miles, his hands clenching into fists. "You don't even notice me, Spider-Man," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't even know that I'm here for you, that I want to be your friend."
Hobie's eyes narrowed, his lips parting in a soft smile. "We're friends," he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
He looked up at Hobie, his eyes meeting the older man's gaze. "What are you saying, Hobie?" he asked, his voice low and intense.
Hobie's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer, his hands resting lightly on Miles' arms. "I'm saying that you should be with me, Miles," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Not with her."
.
"I don't understand," he finally managed to say, his voice low and intense. "I don't understand."