Solangelo Oneshots

Spider-Man beats crime and wins hearts (Pt.5)

I went through like 7 different titles for this stupid chapter, from "Spider-Man seduces millions" to "Spider-Man is a lucky mother fucker" because my brain hates me. Hopefully this one is a bit better because my brain is broken
~
Will's pov
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I shouldn't be inside on this beautiful spring day, birds chirping, cars honking, children giggling on sidewalks with their chalk hopscotch, jump ropes and bubbles. It was nearly 25 degrees (Celsius) for gods sake! In May! I could basically smell the flowers.

Or maybe that was the hydrangeas in a glass vase on the kitchen counter next to me as I stared angrily at my homework, because biology, truly, was the bane of my existence. I've said it about a million times at this point.
The flowers smelt like sunshine and also the mini putt course me and Nico loved as kids. When we didn't have to worry about sun damage, or frown lines, or school, or super powers, or adrenaline-driven kisses at the wrong place and time.

I rubbed the sweat off my forehead and stared at the small box tv on the counter so my mum could watch the news while she made dinner. It was boiling in my apartment, and with our currently broken AC, my only relief was the ceiling fan in the living room and the rare breeze trickling through the sheer curtain covered kitchen windows. I could sense the cicadas buzzing, even if I couldn't hear them over the sounds of the city.

I had the news playing on the small tv, looking for Nico as I worked on my genetics worksheet.
Well, I was probably watching the news more than I was working, but no one was here to tell me otherwise. I was allowed to pine and sulk and sweat in the safety of my home.

Nico and I haven't talked properly in two weeks, ever since the school was targeted because there was a chance Nico—Spider-Man— attended. Ever since I was held hostage, and he took his mask off in front of a stranger to save me. Ever since he kissed me.
We haven't talked properly since then, and we have absolutely not talked about the kiss.

Which was kind of rude, in my opinion. He kissed me and then tossed me out a window! As if that wasn't bad enough, then he practically ghosts me? Rude. He could have at least explained himself. Or not, because that would be even more awkward... what would I do in this situation?
Probably the same, expect without a straight face when we were around each other. He acted like nothing happened while simultaneously avoiding me. I am not that smooth.

He also hasn't come over after patrol at all, which was also kind of worrying, because I am the only one who knows about him being Spider-Man (besides my mom) and the only one who patches him up after a bad fight. I've resorted to watching the local news every night to keep an eye on him. He's gotten in some fights that would normally warrant a visit (he usually came over after every patrol, but.) but it was nothing too bad. But still. Still.
I was obviously being avoided.

And I don't want to text him, either, because I knew Nico was probably freaking out in his Nico way. The Nico way where he isolates himself from the world when he's overwhelmed and doesn't have the capacity to deal with others. Usually that doesn't include me, though.

He'll get over it eventually, I know, but if it goes on for much longer I'm going to have to prod him to come back, because I'm going crazy without him.

At school he barely talks to me (we've been back for 4 days after the damages were repaired), he only goes to lunch if Cecil and Lou Ellen are there, and he avoids one-on-one contact with me like I have a deadly disease. Or really bad breath.

And yeah, it hurt. It hurt a lot. I missed my best friend. I don't think we've ever gone this long without talking properly. Ever!

The worst part, though, is that all I want to do is talk to Nico about how lonely I am, but I can't, because he's the reason I'm lonely, and I don't want Nico to freak out or break down or feel guilty.
Nico may be a superhero with advanced strength and a tough backbone, but he's more sensitive than anyone would think of Spider-Man. He doesn't show it often, and when he does, it's only ever to me, but he hurts, and he struggles with the burden of his new job.
He feels guilty when he can't save someone, like it's his fault, like he was the reason they died, like it's his duty to keep New York safe, and he still aches over his mother and sister's deaths every day.
He keeps everything pent up, so deep inside, in a sealed box in the darkest crevice of his mind, and this added weight, the weight of the tension between us, was probably making it harder.