Sunflower (or, a Solangelo Spider-Man AU)

Love's A Fragile Little Flame (but it won't burn out)

Everything that followed felt like a blur in Will's mind.

As soon as Nico pulled away from the guards, he charged towards Nyx. Will wasn't exactly sure what Nico's plan was - Nyx could easily overpower him physically and magically - but Will didn't have a ton of time to think about that, because other members of the Mansion were already closing in on him fast.

Will jerked away from both his guards and quickly bound their hands with webs. He had little reaction time before somehow slammed into him from the side, knocking him to the ground. Air rushed from his lungs, and his ribs throbbed (how long had he been wearing his binder?), but he tried to keep his mind steady. He shot a web towards their feet and knocked them to the ground as well, then stumbled back up to a standing position, gasping in air as best he could against the compression around his chest.

More people came at him from the sides, and his body went into an instinctual flurry of punches, kicks, and anything he could do to keep people away from him. And then...he froze.

His body was literally locked in a position as his mind panicked, wondering why on EARTH he couldn't move. Security ran towards him, tackling him, suffocating him, and them-

He saw them. Standing across the room, laughing at him. Hypnos and Eris.

And Will suddenly realized just how much he hated them. They had been a constant thorn in his side ever since he had met him, obsessively trying to hurt him or recruit him.

And now he was stuck here. Possibly about to die. Because of THEM.

Just as Will thought this was really it, he heard a huge commotion in the room, and suddenly he could move again.

He tossed off the guards that were piled on top of him, filled with some surge of strength, and surveyed the absolutely insane scene before him.

Hypnos and Eris were nowhere to be seen. They were buried under a huge wave of PEOPLE. Normal people, in street clothes, filled the room, fighting everything and everyone in sight. Will swiveled to see if there was some explanation to the sudden crowd, and standing by the door, looking incredibly pleased with themselves, were Cecil (who was somehow uncuffed) and Lou Ellen.

Will sprinted over to them, stumbling slightly as he tried to reorient himself. "What are you guys- what is going on?" Will stuttered out.

Cecil shrugged. "We did what you said. Let everyone go."

"You already let EVERYONE go? But there were so many people- how?"

"Just did."

Lou Ellen rolled her eyes. "Cecil's being modest. Or stupid. We got into the power grid, at the end of the hall, and unlocked all the cells. We got everyone out who wanted to go, but..." she glanced around the room. "A lot of people were real eager for revenge. Leave it to New York, I guess."

Will laughed, something he was surprised he could still do. "How did you guys even find...here?"

"We followed the shadows? Duh."

"The shadows...?" It was then that Will realized the room was slowly becoming filled with swirling clouds of darkness. He wasn't sure when that had started. Or where they were coming from.