bury a friend - Billie Eilish
Like it always was after a fierce rainstorm, the sun was a welcome sight. That Saturday, the sunny April skies teased the warm summer sure to follow. It was probably why Lila decided to wear yellow. Her yellow Midtown Tech sweatshirt (there was a slight breeze, and Lila got cold easily), her patched denim jeans, and black Vans were weathered and comfortable, perfect for a day of research.
Peter stopped by her house at around noon, a tired smile plastered on his face and his Spider-Man suit in his backpack (the older spandex model, as the nanotechnology needed to be stored in a special case). The bruises that were so fresh the night before had yellowed, and Lila was sure they'd be gone by the time he went to bed. Grabbing her backpack and locking up her empty home, she joined Peter on their journey to the subway.
"How's your side?" Lila asked quietly as they sat on the train.
She and Peter had been sitting in comfortable silence, thinking about what they had to do that afternoon. After the next stop was announced, Peter turned to her and nodded. "Better, thanks. Those stitches helped out a lot."
Smiling, Lila nodded. "What's N-Ned up to, today?"
"He said something about a game?" Peter shrugged. "I think one of the little kids that play on it challenged him and he took it kind of personal." He let out a sheepish laugh, which grew more confident when Lila let out a giggle, too.
It only took about half an hour before they made it into Manhattan. The tourist season was just beginning, and the warm weather begged for visitors to be out and about. And so, while navigating the various stops, Peter and Lila often had to grab onto each other's backpacks just to avoid losing each other. In the last instance, Peter had to firmly grasp Lila's hand, for fear that a gaggle of tourists would swallow her whole. They came out the other side blushing, Peter retracting his hand and rubbing them against his pant legs awkwardly, and Lila tucking her hair behind her ear.
The New York Public Library was small in comparison to the buildings surrounding it, but the importance of items it held within its walls made Lila feel that it loomed larger than anything else in the area. The stone lions sat protecting the pages and pages of history inside, staring unflinchingly at anyone daring to trespass.
Climbing up the steps, the noise level surrounding them was dialed down. Even though it gathered tourists, it didn't attract nearly as many as Times Square, just a few blocks away. Lila and Peter were both betting on that when they walked inside. They were met with more people than expected, and a sign greeting them at the front door that answered their questions immediately.
Someone on the library staff had a sense of humor, for the stand had a picture of Steve Buscemi wearing his backward trucker hat and baggy clothes ("How do you do, fellow kids?"). Underneath the meme was "Teen's Afternoon: 1 PM-5 PM".
Lila and Peter shared a glance, wondering what to do next. The former took the lead. Shrugging, she said, "A-At least we'll be left alone."
Indeed they were. No one gave them a second glance as they moved around the library, pulling out old maps and diving deep into city records. The few times they needed to ask librarians for help, they were given skeptical looks. But one look at Lila's sweatshirt coupled with the excuse of a school project all doubt disappeared.
Peter and Lila had found a spot near a collection of windows, the sunlight a constant as it illuminated their work. The background noise of teenage activities filling the library meant they didn't have to be as quiet as they needed to. This was the part where they were both grateful that they went to a rigorous academic high school.
The research was almost easy. The only thing that made it difficult was just how many places the CIA had used and abandoned throughout the city in the past. Paranoia was a prevalent theme with them. But both Peter and Lila combed tirelessly through the records and narrowed their search down to just Manhattan. Even still, the numbers seemed to climb higher with each passing hour.
The sun, which had been slowly sinking, cast a light on their newly improved map. Peter had brought it with them, the old circles of Oscorp locations in a different color from the potential hiding places. The geographical profile had narrowed down considerably, and the two teenagers were confident that Macendale was hiding in one of the locations they'd managed to find. Lila stored the original maps in her backpack, but Peter asked to take a picture of the maps just in case.
"Okay," Peter said after putting away the last book and meeting Lila at their table. "Should we head over to Greenwich?"
Lila had seen a sign in the corner while waiting for Peter and was checking her watch. "Well," she gestured to the sign, watching Peter's eyes read it.
Trivia: Test Your Movie Knowledge!
Starts at 4 PM
Peter looked back to her, and Lila shrugged. "W-We've been working so hard. Maybe - Maybe we can just check it out?"
As important as they both knew the information they'd collected was, and how they needed to talk to Doctor Strange as soon as possible, both of them were eager to take a break. And so, the two signed up to do trivia.
Trivia was something Lila was uncommonly competitive in. She loved learning new things, and a game centered around useless facts spoke to her in a way that not many games ever could. It was just like their academic decathlon, only the questions were much more fun. All the questions were geared around movies, which excited both of them.
And they dominated. It wasn't intentional, Peter and Lila faced some pretty intense competition from the other teenagers (they probably should have figured that would be the case since the other teenagers were hanging out in the library on a Saturday). But alas, they emerged victoriously. Winning a gift card to The Cheesecake Factory was a solid prize, the two of them agreeing to split it.
The hour after trivia had both of them caught up in the activities the library had set up. It was surprisingly fun, neither of them expected to be so distracted, but there was so much to do. There was a cool Lego display, coupled with a few books out on the history of Legos (they were still in a library, after all). Peter pointed out the Death Star set some kids were working on and bragged to Lila about how he and Ned cracked it in two days.
Lila and Peter both got to work helping out a few kids with an X-Wing model, just making small talk about where they went to school and Star Wars. They'd joined at the tail end of the work, so finishing didn't take long. But the other teens went to the same private school that Harry went to, and they got on the topic of him. Lila had to bite her tongue when they started talking about what a flake he was but did answer a few questions Lila had secretly been dying to know about what he was like at school. The fact that he didn't have many friends in school made her heart hurt a bit but figured from what he'd said about his classmates (none of it anything good) that he might be better off not being friends with them at all.
The last thing that caught Lila's attention in the library was an enormous chalkboard, coupled with art books and boxes of used chalk. A librarian had taken the time to carefully craft the words "Draw Your Favorite Avenger", and many had risen to the occasion. There were several portraits of Iron Man and Tony Stark in surprising detail. She actively avoided staring too long at the RIP's written under a lot of the drawings, and instead took a picture of all of them, sending them off to Sophie. She knew they'd be appreciated.
Other drawings included Captain America and Black Widow (both with RIP's under them as well), the Hulk, Thor was there. Captain Marvel was there, the Falcon was soaring above, and Rocket Racoon was even present. Her favorite drawing was a carefully drawn Scarlet Witch, whose magic was flowing in between surrounding teammates. King T'Challa was there, as well as his sister, and even Pepper Potts was there. All in tribute, and off in the corner, Lila's eyes fell on her new favorite drawing.
Giggling, she walked over and pointed out the upside-down web-crawler. The armor he wore was incredibly detailed (for chalk drawings, these people really went above and beyond), and his arm was outstretched. Webbing seemed to shoot straight for Lila, who searched for his face. Grinning, she looked down at the eyes, which were different in size. She turned to look at Peter, who began grumbling when he saw the eyes, which made Spider-Man look like a cartoon character.
"Why did no one bother to fix it?" He whined, gesturing towards the drawing.
Lila took up the chalk and did her best to fix the mistake. She turned to him and asked, "All better?"
It was remarkably improved, but maybe Peter thought so because Lila was the one to fix it. He shrugged, "I guess."
"Okay, then. Will you please t-take my picture with it?"
Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Peter took out his cellphone. "You could just take one with the real Spider-Man."
"Don't know wh-what you mean," Lila teased, "I'm never going to meet a s-superhero."
"Yeah, yeah," Peter cracked a grin. "Should we get over to Strange's?"
"Sure," Lila said. "Maybe we - we can find a place to eat on the way o-over? I'm starving."
The pair headed for the library doors. "Lila, this is New York City, there are zero places to eat here," Peter joked, and Lila let out a genuine laugh at his joke.
She held up the gift card, still laughing, and said, "So no Cheesecake Factory?"
It was still a warm and sunny afternoon by the time the pair of them left the New York Public Library. The sun hitting their faces as it settled in grazed the tops of the buildings surrounding them, and the sound of Lila's laughter over the hustle and bustle of New York made it very hard for Peter to complain about anything. He could have listened to her laugh all day, knowing that it wasn't something that he normally got to hear, for she was still rather reserved. Peter was so consumed with watching her laugh at his joke that he almost didn't feel the familiar tingle on the back of his neck.
Almost.
He stiffened and stopped walking. Lila made it two steps before looking back to see Peter, her smile falling at his expression. She called out his name, but it was somewhat muted, for Peter let his other senses take over his brain. His vision sharpened, and his hearing jumped around to the other people surrounding him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so why did his senses say otherwise? Why did he get the sudden urge to pull his suit out of his backpack and find the nearest-?
"PETER!"
Lila's scream shook him from his thoughts, and before he could react, she pushed him out of the way. He felt a strong breeze pass by him, as though something was flying right next to him. Lila's shove sent him to the ground where he hit his head, and suddenly his world went black.
*****
Lila saw it when she turned around to see Peter standing still. She could tell his senses were onto something, but he couldn't see what was right behind him. Creeping around the tops of the columns was something Lila couldn't make out, and only grew more terrified when it started flying right at the two of them. At first, she didn't believe her eyes, but it was approaching so quickly, Lila reacted before she fully processed.
And then she knocked Peter unconscious (not a smooth move on her part). She felt what was coming at them race by, blowing her hair to the side as she reached for Peter. She vigorously shook him, trying to ignore the screams of other people as whatever attacked them came close, and only focused on her friend. Jostling him roughly, Peter started to stir, moaning slightly. After a few seconds, his eyes blinked open, staring up at Lila as she hovered over him, stroking his face, and eyes shining with worry. The pair didn't stay like that for very long, for soon the screaming grew louder behind them, and Lila turned to see what she immediately wished she could forget.
Closing in quickly was Jason Macendale airborne on his hovercraft. He was flying unbelievably fast, and he was headed straight for Lila and Peter. A high-pitched, bone-chilling cackle reached her ears, and she merely stared with wide eyes as he neared closer and closer. He soared overhead, and Lila threw her body on top of Peter's, feeling the hovercraft slice the air above her, cruel laughter following in its wake. Still gripping onto the front of Peter's jacket, she stared at him, her eyes wide and their breath mixing. Then, the unmistakable sound of something rolling on the concrete right next to them jarred Peter out of his paralysis, and Lila got a glimpse of a bright orange ball before Peter wrapped his arms around her waist, rolled over her, and took the brunt of the explosion that followed.
Lila didn't feel much heat from the source of the explosion, which baffled her, though she wasn't sure why she was thinking about that given her circumstances. She only felt the force of it as she and Peter went sprawling to the side of the steps, at some point separating from each other. Lila landed roughly, falling down a few more steps at an awkward angle, and soon after she was sprawled out on a landing. Hardly having time to adjust to the aches and pains, she quickly opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings for Peter. She found him to her right, a few steps above her, frantically looking around for her. Their eyes met, and Lila felt relief flood her body despite the cut above his eye or the tears in his jacket. But her relief went away almost as quickly as it came, for in-between Lila and Peter, the man on the hovercraft landed and walked straight for her.
On instinct, she scooted backward, yelping in surprise when her back met a stone wall. A brief glance upward and she saw that she'd cornered herself against the statues of the lions resting at the foot of the library. But her attention was quickly brought back to what had been pursuing her, something that came straight out of her nightmares.
Sure enough, Lila's coining of the phrase "Hobgoblin" seemed apt, merely because of what he wore. But in real life, he was so much worse. He dressed medievally: chainmail-looking armor covered exposed skin from the neck down, the remains of his orange clothes ripped to tatters looking almost like a tunic, and a satchel that no doubt had things in it like whatever had caused the explosion. He wore tall boots and gloves, as well as a cape and cowl that were shredded and Lila silently wished that the cowl did a more effective job of covering his face.
Taught, pale skin stretched across his pointed features, giving Lila the impression that his skin was nearly translucent. Under the cowl, tufts of once thick black hair housed rough patches, the color dull and lifeless. As he crouched down and crept closer to her face, Lila saw him grin widely, revealing rotting teeth and warm breath that made her stomach churn. The worst part was his eyes, so manic and hungry that Lila thought she was staring into the eyes of a starving dog. Jason Macendale was no longer recognizable, nor did he retain his good looks. He genuinely looked deranged, and every bit of danger he exuded was a peril Lila felt in her bones to be deadly.
"Pretty," Gone was the curt and authoritative tone he once had; instead, his voice was sharp, like nails raking slowly across a chalkboard, causing Lila's skin to crawl and her hair to stand up on end. His smile was so wide that it hurt Lila's cheeks subconsciously, and she was unable to tear her eyes away from him. The Hobgoblin reached out a hand, slowly dragging it down the side of her face. Lila merely whimpered in response, pressing herself as close to the wall as she could. Her discomfort seemed to entertain him, for his grin grew wider, and he laughed a small laugh. "What a pity."
"Hey," Came a voice from behind them. Looking over the Hobgoblin's shoulder, Lila saw Peter standing a few steps away from the two of them. He was leaning on his right leg slightly like his left was injured in some way. No doubt due to the explosion, but Lila thought Peter was good at hiding it in the face of something so haunting. "Get away from her." Lila was shocked at how his tone was so commanding. Gone was the light humor that accompanied Spider-Man, and in its place was authority. It was so Avenger-like, so unlike Peter, that it only amplified how serious the situation was.
The Hobgoblin stood up slowly and walked toward Peter in a threatening manner. Shakily, Lila also got to her feet, ready to run wherever Peter told her to, but also making sure she didn't lose sight of him in the process. But Hobgoblin's words stopped her from moving. "Pretty Lila is friends with Spider-Man. Up in her greenhouse on the roof, she takes care of him. Killing her is going to be so fun!" Her blood was roaring in her ears, and her breathing quickened. It became clear that he knew of Lila's association with Spider-Man, but didn't know Peter's. Which meant Peter's identity was protected, even if Lila was out in the open. It also meant that whatever happened next, Peter had to act like a teenage boy, not his superhero alter-ego.
Judging by the look on his face, Peter knew all of that, too. But his lips were set in a tight line, and he kept glancing over at Lila in fear. Without even realizing, she shook her head in warning, pleading that he would be smart. He wouldn't. Stupidly, Peter charged Hobgoblin, without any means of protection or Spider-related weaponry. With ease, he was lifted off his feet and thrown into a stone decoration next to the stairs. Lila could hear the air leave his lungs with a grunt and watched in horror as he collapsed to the ground and tried to regain his breath.
"NO!" Lila yelled, a guttural scream ripping out of her lungs. Racing forward, she only saw Peter and didn't see the hand that reached out to her and lifted her off the ground by her neck. Her eyes bulged, and she began clawing at the hand encompassing her throat and clenching down tightly. She fought for air that wouldn't come to her, and spots danced in her eyes as she lost her remaining oxygen. Then, with her eyes still on Peter Parker, and a shrill laugh mixing with the blood rushing in her ears, a jolt of electricity came from the gloved hand, shaking her, and pitched her into unconsciousness.
*****
Peter felt the hum of electricity from above him, and Lila's scream echoed in his head. Holding onto his stomach, he shakily got to his feet just in time to see the Hobgoblin place an unconscious Lila over his shoulder before stepping onto the hovercraft that was nearby. Staggering toward it, Peter tried to reach them but was too late, Hobgoblin had launched himself into the air and out of his grasp, menacing laughter filling the air. His wild eyes connected with Peter's own, and he grinned wickedly. "Tell Spider-Man who has pretty Lila. I might tell him where he can find her... if she's even still alive." His laughter soon followed, filling Peter's stomach with dread.
Peter raced after him as the Hobgoblin sped off with Lila still over his shoulder, dropping more miniature bombs in his wake. The explosions caught Peter off guard, taking up his attention to try and avoid them. When the smoke cleared, the Hobgoblin had vanished, taking Lila in his wake. Peter was left with the screams of the passerby and a colossal knot in his stomach.
His breathing grew hoarse, erratic, and heavy as he stared at the buildings Macendale disappeared behind. "No," he said, chanting the word a few more times.
Quick question, did anyone notice the little exerpt that I'd hinted at in the Part Two summary (the one with my cast for the Osborns) was in this chapter? Because I was real proud of myself for not saying anything. Also, this chapter was why I created this storyline. And it's also about to get reeeeeeeeal intense. Sorry not sorry.
Friendly reminder to register to vote if you are American. Wear a fucking mask, just be nice to the people around you. Love you all, there's gonna be so much music from folklore in this story, I can just tell.
Unedited. Xx.