Flower Child (Peter Parker, MCU)

Do Goblins Have Library Fees?

bury a friend - Billie Eilish

Like it always was after a fierce rainstorm, the sun was a welcome sight. That Saturday, the sunny April skies teased the warm summer sure to follow. It was probably why Lila decided to wear yellow. Her yellow Midtown Tech sweatshirt (there was a slight breeze, and Lila got cold easily), her patched denim jeans, and black Vans were weathered and comfortable, perfect for a day of research.

Peter stopped by her house at around noon, a tired smile plastered on his face and his Spider-Man suit in his backpack (the older spandex model, as the nanotechnology needed to be stored in a special case). The bruises that were so fresh the night before had yellowed, and Lila was sure they'd be gone by the time he went to bed. Grabbing her backpack and locking up her empty home, she joined Peter on their journey to the subway.

"How's your side?" Lila asked quietly as they sat on the train.

She and Peter had been sitting in comfortable silence, thinking about what they had to do that afternoon. After the next stop was announced, Peter turned to her and nodded. "Better, thanks. Those stitches helped out a lot."

Smiling, Lila nodded. "What's N-Ned up to, today?"

"He said something about a game?" Peter shrugged. "I think one of the little kids that play on it challenged him and he took it kind of personal." He let out a sheepish laugh, which grew more confident when Lila let out a giggle, too.

It only took about half an hour before they made it into Manhattan. The tourist season was just beginning, and the warm weather begged for visitors to be out and about. And so, while navigating the various stops, Peter and Lila often had to grab onto each other's backpacks just to avoid losing each other. In the last instance, Peter had to firmly grasp Lila's hand, for fear that a gaggle of tourists would swallow her whole. They came out the other side blushing, Peter retracting his hand and rubbing them against his pant legs awkwardly, and Lila tucking her hair behind her ear.

The New York Public Library was small in comparison to the buildings surrounding it, but the importance of items it held within its walls made Lila feel that it loomed larger than anything else in the area. The stone lions sat protecting the pages and pages of history inside, staring unflinchingly at anyone daring to trespass.

Climbing up the steps, the noise level surrounding them was dialed down. Even though it gathered tourists, it didn't attract nearly as many as Times Square, just a few blocks away. Lila and Peter were both betting on that when they walked inside. They were met with more people than expected, and a sign greeting them at the front door that answered their questions immediately.

Someone on the library staff had a sense of humor, for the stand had a picture of Steve Buscemi wearing his backward trucker hat and baggy clothes ("How do you do, fellow kids?"). Underneath the meme was "Teen's Afternoon: 1 PM-5 PM".

Lila and Peter shared a glance, wondering what to do next. The former took the lead. Shrugging, she said, "A-At least we'll be left alone."

Indeed they were. No one gave them a second glance as they moved around the library, pulling out old maps and diving deep into city records. The few times they needed to ask librarians for help, they were given skeptical looks. But one look at Lila's sweatshirt coupled with the excuse of a school project all doubt disappeared.

Peter and Lila had found a spot near a collection of windows, the sunlight a constant as it illuminated their work. The background noise of teenage activities filling the library meant they didn't have to be as quiet as they needed to. This was the part where they were both grateful that they went to a rigorous academic high school.

The research was almost easy. The only thing that made it difficult was just how many places the CIA had used and abandoned throughout the city in the past. Paranoia was a prevalent theme with them. But both Peter and Lila combed tirelessly through the records and narrowed their search down to just Manhattan. Even still, the numbers seemed to climb higher with each passing hour.