Spider-Man and The Esper

81. How'd It Come To This

Michael stared at the time on the TV seeing that it was 9:30 o'clock at night, sitting around getting lazy which made him think about doing a little bit of patrolling around City-J for a little bit. Fully putting his suit on he headed to the balcony as his walk was interrupted shortly after a knock on the door.

'Who could that be?' Michael wondered to himself as he walked over to the door, opening it to see who it was, "Lily? What are you doing here?"

"Oh I decided to stop by to tell you that we're having a party at Blizzard Headquarters. Truth is you are kind of like family to the Blizzard Group."

"Aw, thanks kid. That means a lot. Is Fubuki already at the party?"

"She should be. I left the Headquarters as soon as I contacted her."

"Oh I see. Want me to web swing us there? I'd be faster that way."

"Wait? You can actually give me a lift? I had to call a cab to get here."

"Nonsense. It'll be fun."

~~~

Just like that, they were flying. Spider-Man had flung them off solid ground and into the unknown. The air streaked across Lily's face, bringing tears to her eyes and blocking out all other noises. Even her screams were lost to the rush of wind. Gravity was working hard to return them to their natural state, but Spider-man had other ideas. A defiant cord of webbing shot across her scope of sight, snagging the top of a smaller tower block.

The first, official swing left her heart in her throat and her brain in a daze. They arced through the air like a pendulum, gaining rapid momentum on the upwards curve. Oxygen was stolen from Lily's open mouth, leaving her gasping. Every part of her body was buzzing, every vein coursing with adrenaline. She'd never felt more alive, or terrified, in her entire life.

At first the only thought on her mind was the threat of imminent death. Every time they passed a building, or any other obstacle for that matter, it was far too close for her liking. She couldn't stop picturing herself flattened against a brick wall with him, a pair of pancakes displayed for all the city to see. It would almost be a comical image if it wasn't so horrifying. Gradually, though, she gained faith in Spider-man's abilities. The screams didn't stop, but now they were more like whoops, jubilant instead of petrified.

Apartment buildings and storefronts transitioned to skyscrapers as they traversed uptown. Lily was thankful for the time of night. The darkness made them appear as little more than a shadowy blob, an indistinct silhouette that most civilians wouldn't blink twice at. If someone did happen to see Spider-man swinging with a passenger, they wouldn't be able to make out who it was, especially at this altitude.

The strain of being restricted to a single arm must've been growing on Spider-man, because shortly thereafter he transferred her to his back. Lily wrapped her legs around his torso and practically put him in a chokehold with her hands, but he didn't seem to mind. Free to switch arms at last, Spider-man sped up and put a little more flair into his movements. He didn't include any flips, thank God, but his banks and zips were less gentle, and the free falls cut things a little closer with every drop on the downswing.

Before Lily knew it, she was laughing aloud. Spider-man joined in, either laughing at her or laughing from the sheer joy of the act. The pair of them went on like that, hooting and howling all the way to the edge of a nearby park. At the last minute before they hit the treeline, he pulled up and alighted on the side of an apartment complex overlooking the park. Whilst he caught his breath, Lily adjusted her grip on him.