Spider-Man | Stranger Things AU

Chapter 12

Mike is awoken from his sleep by the ringing of his phone. He groans into his pillow as he rolls over to see his phone on his beside table.

It's a call from Nancy. His brain isn't really working at this point, so he answers it without much thought.

"Hello?" Mike asks in a tired, raspy voice.

"Hey, Mike." Nancy greets him. She is currently sitting in her desk at the Daily Bugle.

"What do you want?" Mike asks, harsher than he intended. As he is sitting up in his bed, he winces at the pain in his ribs. The past few nights have not been kind to him.

"Are you okay?" She is concerned by his tone and the wince she just heard.

"Yeah... I just... nothing, I'm fine." Mike dismisses her. He stands up and looks at his reflection in the mirror, his body being scattered with cuts and bruises.

"Okay..." she says, not entirely convinced, "Well listen... Murray wants you to bring him more pictures of the Spider-guy."

Mike rolls his eyes, "Spider-Man."

"Yeah whatever. But he told me to tell you that."

Mike sighs. This is tough. On one hand, he gets paid money to take pictures of Spider-Man to help his mom out, but on the other hand, Murray is going to bash and criticize Spider-Man until the whole city hates him.

But, if his mom's life is made just a little bit easier by Spider-Man's life getting a whole lot worse, then so be it.

"Tell him I'll do it." Mike sighs.

"Ok I will... but hey, be careful around him. You don't know what he's capable of."

Even though Nancy is just trying to protect him, Mike rolls his eyes. "I'm not worried about Murray. He does't seem that bad." He can't help but joke.

"I'm serious, Mike. This Spider-Man guy isn't safe."

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

He says goodbye to her one last time before hanging up the phone.

Nancy puts her phone down and nods at Murray through his office window, letting him know that Mike agreed.

Jonathan walks up to Nancy's desk and puts his hands on the edge, "What'd he say?"

Nancy doesn't look too thrilled at the whole situation. She is worried about her brother, "He agreed."

Jonathan knows that she's worried. He knows exactly how she is feeling, because he experiences the same feeling for Will, "Nancy, he'll be fine." He places a hand on her shoulder.

Nancy nods and takes a deep breath, "Y-Yeah, I know. We just don't know what this Spider-guy is capable of."

"Well... he did save a bunch of people at the Brooklyn Bridge a few nights ago."

Nancy looks up at him, "People with that much power rarely have good intentions, Jonathan."

Jonathan shrugs, "Well maybe he's different..." he gives her shoulder a small squeeze and walks off.

Nancy puts her head in her hands, wondering how all of this has happened. She had to drop out of college last week because they just don't have the money. She has drowned herself in work and stayed with Jonathan to forget about her dad. The thought of him just hurts so badly.

She has been so thankful for Jonathan during all of this. She couldn't imagine where she would be without him.

But, Nancy is starting to feel like she is spending a little too much time at work and with Jonathan. She feels like she has sorta been neglecting Mike and her mom. She hasn't really been there for them like she knows she should.