[[ATSV Oneshots]]

You Can't Fix Me - Hobie Brown x Fem!Reader

The sound of humming filled your ears as you sat above the supercollider of some random dimension, having been sent here by Miguel for a stake-out mission, searching for the footprints left behind by an anomaly he was looking for.

There was nothing here, no one there, but he'd insisted on having someone stay there a couple hours, just to make sure, and you'd volunteering, hoping to get some peace and quiet, some time to yourself in a beautiful dimension with a clear night sky.

But then, of course, Hobie Brown had to show up and ask to join you. You'd said no, twice actually, but Miguel had added that it would be better for you to go with a partner. Alone was dangerous. Alone was bad.

So you'd given in and he'd followed you into this dimension and hadn't given you a moment of quiet since he'd stepped in.

You looked over at him, gazing over the edge, drumming his fingers against the flat of the rooftop while humming softly. Did he always have to be doing something?

You swore you'd never seen the guy sit still, not even for a moment. It was like he was allergic to being quiet.

You sighed frustratedly, looking back out, only for him to notice and stop humming. He glanced over at you, a slight smile spreading across his face. "What? You didn't like the song?" he asked teasingly, leaning towards you to bump your shoulder.

You practically hissed at the motion, scowling at him before folding your knees against your chest, holding them tightly. "Alright, silent but deadly." He scoffed, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Why're you being so serious? We both know no one's gonna be here."

You stayed silent, biting at the inside of your cheek while he stared at you, progressively getting more annoyed at the fact that you were ignoring him. "Seriously? You gonna pretend I ain't here?"

You looked to the side away from him. He let out a frustrated groan, waving his hand in front of your face. "Oi! I'm right here! Why're you-" he cut himself off with a sigh, looking away, pulling his hand back. "Fine. Be that way." he said quietly.

You relaxed when he pulled his hand away, refusing to look at him as he continued to sigh dramatically. "Come on, love! You're boring the hell out of me, you know that? We're gonna be here for hours, we might as well have a conversation." He pleaded, looking back at you.

"I don't feel like it."

He glared at you. "You don't feel like it? When do you ever feel like it? Look at me, mate, I'm not one to push people to talk, but you never do."

"Maybe you should stop coming on missions with me if it frustrates you so much." You replied coldly, staring straight ahead as he looked at you with an open mouth.

"Is me wanting to get to know you that bad?" He muttered, scowling at his lap as he played with the rings on his fingers. The way he said it, like he was genuinely hurt, made your glare falter. He really wasn't all that bad...maybe just a little lonely. And you were too. But you didn't want to talk. Not to him, not to anyone.

"You can drop the tough guy act." he said quietly, looking back at you. "It's just me. I don't expect you to act like anything. I don't expect you to-" he hesitated. "to act like everything's okay all the time."

You swallowed, shaking your head. "But you're expecting me to speak up to you? I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not some sweet little girl trapped underneath a cold exterior." you said, looking at him angrily. "Stop thinking you can fix me. There's nothing to fix."

That made him stop.

He hesitated before just looking out. "Sorry." he said softly, his hands falling still in his lap. "I never meant to...to make you feel that way." he admitted. "I just...I don't know. I just thought you might be nice."

"Nice?" You scoffed quietly. "There's nothing to be nice about."

"I'm not expecting you to open up to me." He said quietly. "I just...want to get to know you, you know? I know about your canon events. I know why you act like this." he told you, gaze piercing through your soul. "And I know what you've been through. And I understand." he hesitated. "I lost my best friend too."

"Stop-" you said hoarsely, looking away at the mention of what'd you'd lost. "Don't-"

"And it feels like no one understands me." Hobie continued on, not giving you a break. "Because they're all so busy thinking it had to happen. But it didn't, right? It didn't have to happen. It wasn't...it wasn't canon. That's bullshit."

"Hobie-"

"And I know you feel the same way." He finished. "I know you think it's all bullshit too. So I guess I thought-" he inhaled sharply. "-I guess I thought we could be friends over it, I don't know." He said quietly. "Haven't had a friend who understood me in a long time."

Silence.

"I'd say I'm sorry for your loss-" you started quietly. "But I'm sure you're tired of hearing that."

He chuckled softly at that, looking back at you. "Yeah, I am. But it feels nice coming from you." he said, leaning towards you slightly.

You just shook your head. "It shouldn't. You shouldn't be trying to be my friend. People around me get hurt and you will too." You warned, voice breaking slightly as you spoke. You cursed under your breath at yourself for getting emotional, hugging your knees tighter.

"People around me get hurt too." He said softly, looking at you.

"It's not the same."

"Why?"

"It's just not!" You snapped, finally looking at him. His eyes widened slightly and you immediately tensed up, realizing you'd just yelled at him. At the only person you considered even sort of a friend.

"Just leave me alone." you said quietly, looking away from him again. "Go."

"Go where? I'm stuck with you for the next few hours, remember?" He said gently, trying to get you to look back at him. "Love, look at me, come on."

"No." you said, pulling away from him.

"Just for a second. Look at me."

You refused, closing your eyes tightly and keeping your head turned away from him.

You felt his hand slowly creep up your neck to hold your jaw and slowly twist your head to face him, your eyes fluttering open to see him staring at you, a solemn look on his face.

"I'm sorry." he said softly. "For pushing you. Really."

You looked at him for a moment, before nodding. "Thank you."

Then for a moment, your spider-senses began to tingle. Something was about to happen. You thought the anomaly showed up, that Miguel had been right, but then before you could react, you were pulled into a hug by the Spider-man sitting in front of you, your head buried into his chest as he held you tight.

You exhaled softly as his arms wrapped around you, practically melting into his embrace, his face burying itself in your hair. Your arms slowly snaked around his waist, keeping him there, and your eyes closed, reveling in the feeling of being so safe.

For the first time in a long time...you felt protected. Like he was a shield, a vast embrace that shadowed you from the desolate reality of being a Spider-person.

From your canon.

And for a moment, you thought to yourself, maybe just maybe- everything would end up being okay.

He began to pull away slightly, but you didn't let him, keeping yourself against him as he let out a deep chuckle. "Not so scary after all, hmm?"

"Shut up." you whispered, face pressed into his shirt. He smelled like smoked wood, like a crackling fireplace. It was a comforting smell. The smell of home, the smell of warmth. Safety.

He actually giggled at that, holding you closer. "Knew I could fix you."

"Hobie-"

He just smiled. "Alright, alright. I'll shut up."