𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛// 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚡 𝘖𝘊

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟸

Lilah's POV

I leaned back in the wooden chair, crossing my legs under the table. I tapped my fingers on my leg, my eyes scanning the restaurant over and over again. It was a nice autumn day outside, but I was sweating from nerves in my white turtleneck sweater. My hair fell down my back in waves. 

I had texted Harry about wanting to meet up for some coffee. I was about to play as Elle again in order to get more information about his plans. Something was up and the ball was going to be the catalyst for it. 

My spidey sense went off, and then so did the little bell above the door as the one and only Harry Osborne stepped in. He had on a black overcoat. He was dressed nicely but there was something off about him. I just couldn't put my finger on it. 

I waved and smiled towards him. I finally caught his attention and he came to sit by me. 

His eyes. That was the problem.

Harry had bags under his eyes, it looked like he hadn't slept well in days. 

"Hi Harry!" I said sweetly, "How have you been?" I pushed a coffee cup towards him, "I ordered the usual for you." Thankfully, Miles had reminded me of his preferred drink order before I came here. 

He took the cup towards him but didn't start to drink it. "I've been--great." He had on a smile that looked like it would shatter at any moment. 

My eyebrows furrowed, "Could...would you tell me about what happened in the restaurant? I don't understand what's going on. You showing up on my balcony, the ball, the Green Goblin, just all of it."

He sighed and took a sip of the coffee. Humming in satisfaction at the drink, he looked back up at me. Harry chuckled, the sound was quiet but it had a twinge of darkness behind it. "I don't even understand the half of it either." He rubbed his eyes. 

I looked down at my cup, not wanting to rush him. I took a sip of my drink. I felt his eyes on me. I tried to control the shiver running down my spine. I looked back up at his eyes from across the table. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't wanna make you uncomfortable." I smiled softly.

Harry's eyes scanned my face, examining my expression. He then looked down at his coffee cup. "N-no I do want to tell you." He reached and placed his hand on top of mine. Then he looked around at the shop. "There's too many people here." The paranoia in his eyes was clear as day. 

I stood, put on my coat and scarf, then held out a hand to him, "Then let's leave. On the way here I saw how pretty the park was. Let's go sit and look at the trees." His gaze traveled to my hand, then he smiled softly. He grabbed my hand, then his coffee and we walked out the door together.

........

I didn't like our hands entwined. It felt unnatural. 

We sat close together on a bench in a small park, looking at the scenery in the brisk air of the early afternoon. Our hands rested on his leg. I looked around, admiring the park. I stayed silent, waiting for him to speak, but if he didn't feel comfortable, I wouldn't push it. It would look too suspicious.

After a moment of silence between us, I heard him take in a sharp intake of air. And then he just started talking, getting all of it off his chest. "My dad, the one I thought was dead, is apparently not dead. He's also Green Goblin, who is also not dead. And he wants to enact his revenge on Spiderman and the other two Spider-people. I don't really know what to do. I trust him, but he doesn't seem like...my dad anymore. He has this elaborate plan, and I want to help him. Yet at the same time, I don't know if I trust him." He paused for a breath of air and then rushed into the next thought. 

"He found me at the restaurant that night. He explained to me everything. At that time, I was happy that it was my dad. My dad was alive again! Or at least he had never died." He hesitated, "But I don't know if this is actually him." 

I made my eyes widen as I took in the information. I already knew this but Elle Carter didn't. I took my time responding. His eyes scanned my face, watching my every reaction. "Wow...that's--a lot to deal with." I paused. "Why don't you trust him?"

Harry's eyebrows raised slightly. "He's not the same. It's not my dad. Yes, it's a version of him, but there is something off." He shook his head and looked away.

I watched him, "Are you still planning on helping him with this...plan then? What is the plan?" I maintained an innocent look on my face. 

He blew out a breath and looked straight ahead. "He won't tell me all the details. But he wants me to start taking this serum thing. He says it will make me stronger. Claims it will stop me from getting the disease my mother had."

I almost coughed at his words, that serum would most likely be the serum that made Norman into the Green Goblin. And two people flying around on gliders in a room full of people, was a plan for disaster. 

I scrutinized his face. "But you haven't taken it because you don't trust him?"

He looked over at me, "Exactly."

I nodded and looked down at our hands, "Why does he want to take out all the spidermen? I thought they were good. I mean...haven't you seen the things they've done."

Harry disconnects our hands and leans his elbows onto his legs. He buries his face in his palms. "I thought that Spiderman killed my father. But my father isn't dead. That's why I'm confused." He looked over at me. "I don't know what to do."

I breathed deeply, trying to say the right thing. I rested a hand on his back and looked down at him. "Harry...I don't want anyone to get hurt. Not even your father." I was most definitely lying about that last part. His foolishness killed my brother. "But I feel like you already know your answer."

........

Miles and Peter sat down on the couch in Peter's apartment as I explained to them what had happened over our 'coffee date'. 

I paced back and forth. "He's trying to convince Harry that all of us," I gestured to the three of us, "are the bad guys. And in the process of doing that, I'm pretty confident he's trying to turn Harry into the second green goblin." 

Miles looked down at his phone and started typing, "I could get started on another cure for the serum. I still have the serum information from the last time--" His voice trailed off as he looked at Peter. 

I saw Peter's jaw tighten but he nodded at Miles, "We should each have one, just in case Harry does end up taking the serum and we get close to him." He turned to look at me. "Do you have a plan for the ball?"

My eyebrows raised in surprise at his trust in me. I nodded slowly, "perhaps. But it's gonna require some planning. And I need both of you."

Peter smirked, "You thought we were gonna sit this one out?"

Miles laughed and shook his head, "Not a chance."