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lydias--stiles · 3 years

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juke | spiderman au | tw: violence | title: motion // luke hemmings

🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️

"Hey, Julie," Luke greets, walking into Molina's Flowers & Gifts.

It's quiet in the store. An abundance of flowers packed together winking at him, corners stuffed with candles, books, vases and picture frames. It's a well-loved shop, within the Molina family for decades, their youngest daughter and his classmate now meandering behind the counter.

She smiles, "Hey, Luke. How are your aunt's tulips?"

"Uh," he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck, "very... tulip-y."

"Solid."

"Yeah. Anyway—" he points at her "—about the assignment. I can't do it with you."

She frowns. "Why?"

Because at night, he has to patrol the city! Who else is going to protect and serve New York — or Queens, specifically! They need him! Sure, they don't appreciate him or, y'know, know who he is, but...

As much as he wants to work with Julie — and really, he does, she's amazing — he simply can't. That's the responsibility he's taken upon himself as Spiderman and he has to honour that.

"Family commitment," he lies with a grimace. "I can do some research in the library this week, but—"

"Forget it," she mutters. "I'll do it. But you present, okay? I hate public speaking."

He sighs in relief. "Thank you! Yes, you got it!"

"You owe me now, you know that?" she asks, peering. It reminds him how she, unlike him, is a full-blooded New Yorker. She has bark and bite, while he has that Los Angeles softness buffing the edges of his actions.

Unless he's Spiderman. Then there's no stopping him.

Leaning against the counter, he tries dazzling her with a charming smile. "Like what?"

She thinks for a moment, face twisting up in that cute, pensive face she has; always crossing her features during calculus or physics. Another reason why he hates bailing on her: she's mad cute — and one of the few people at school that doesn't regard his music mania as geeky.

"Every weekend, me and my dad go to the flower market and get our batch. It's at four am. My dad's sick, so you're joining me this Saturday."

He grimaces. "Four? Really?"

"I know you're not Jewish. You're free."

"I could be!"

Her head tilts, amused. "Are you, Patterson?"

Sighing, his head drops along with his resolve. She has him. "Fine. Yes, I'll help you. Don't blame me if I fall asleep with my eyes open!"

Julie giggles at his remark and it makes him look up, a giddy feeling spreading in his chest. Her face is close to his, the colours of the flowers glimmering in her eyes, and he's kind of taken by her. Wow.

"Great. Now get out of my store!" she commands, grabbing the broom beside her. "I need to sweep the floors."

Pushing himself off from the counter, he cheekily salutes at her and bids goodbye, bouncing outside mere seconds later. That went better than expected — he even made her laugh!

Reggie sends him a text. I updated your suit. Good to go for tonight with zero malfunctions!

His grin widens. This Tuesday afternoon could not have gone better!

Fuck. He should've known those words were gonna jinx him.

Luke slings from skyscraper to skyscraper after a gang of armed criminals, failing to capture them with his webs and almost being shot himself just ten minutes ago!

Yeah, sneezing loudly during their very creepy gang meeting in a quiet Queens alleyway was not his proudest moment. Fucking hay fever.

It's even worse that they're fighting in his neighborhood, the streets familiar and well-trodden by him, his friends, his family. His stomach twists up with dread, but he has to keep going. He almost has them!

There's six of them, so he's sure he can get a few from a distance. Quickly mapping out his strategy from the ledge of a building, bug eyes gleaming in the street lights, he launches into action.

(There are police sirens in the distance, likely being called after the thugs broke into that bank, but Luke can't wait. This is his time.)

Webbing two against the brick walls of a bodega, he throws a joke alongside it too and adds extra webbing to their mouths. No need to hear their response!

A third thug gets lassoed towards him, dizzying the man, and a simple swing of the fists knocks him out cold.

The other three keep sprinting, shooting over their shoulder all precariously. If Luke wasn't running on adrenaline and fright, he'd scoff at their mindless use of bullets. One hits a lamppost, a mailbox, a tree.

(On that tree, a “who is spiderman?” poster, something he'd get excited over if, again, there wasn't a crime to be solved. Damn it, thugs!)

He manages to shoot a gun out of one man's hand and then web him down on the pavement, but the last two outsmart him. Exhaustion weighs his bones down — it's one am, school starts at eight, he has to pretend to be all normal and cool — and the police still hasn't arrived.

Any nagging thought gets knocked out of his mind the second he sees them crashing the windows of the Molina's, barelling into their store. His gut plummets while anger rises, reaching a fever pitch shaped in an angry cry and a boost of energy. Screw, strategy! He needs to fix this!

Zooming into the store after them, more bullets hurl by, shattering glass and vases and flying past their faces. It works to his advantage, the criminals trying to shield themselves with their hands, a sudden weak spot. Luke webs one to the ground, extra hard.

But then two arms curl around his neck from behind.

"Whoa!" he chokes out, flailing to be released. "C'mon, man!"

"Time to sleep, Spiderman!" the criminal snarls with a thick east coast accent, tightening his iron hold.

Luke helplessly tries hitting him with his feet and elbows, but the man is rock solid and his spidey system malfunctions again from the high levels of stress. Shit!

Just as he feels lightheaded, a resounding clang! makes the arms slacken, the man slumping on the ground like a heavy sack of potatoes. Staggering away, he whirls around, only to come face to face with an enraged Julie Molina.

She squeaks out an undignified warrior cry, raising her baseball bat once more to knock him out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he yells, grabbing onto the end of the stick before she gives him a concussion. "I'm the good guy! I'm—" he lowers his voice "—I'm Spiderman!"

The bat clatters to the ground. Her eyes slowly drift to the webbed man and the man's ass she whooped. And then, when he thinks she'll start crying from shock, she looks back at him in confusion.

"Why did you lower your voice like that?"

He blinks. Not what he expected. "Wha-? No, I didn't."

"You did. You sounded like a boy and now you don't."

He groans, stomping his foot. "I didn't! Anyway, Ju- miss. Girl. Thanks for the help. The police is on their way."

Her shoulder sag, now seemingly registering what just transpired. Her eyes, previously so pretty in daylight, well up with tears as she takes stock of her ruined family establishment. Luke swallows back the guilt, the immense urge to comfort her.

If he had just been faster... none of this would've happened.

A sob wracks her body. "My- my store. My dad. The flowers. We- we-" Her gaze locks on his, furiously devestated. "Why did you lead them here?!"

He raises his hands in defense. "I didn't! They trespassed! I- I'm so sorry, miss."

Her head shakes, more tears slipping down her cheeks. "That's not... good enough. Please go."

"Miss—"

"Go!" she shouts, pointing at the broken window.

He nods, obliging, utters once more the police is coming, and flies out the window. His mask rubs uncomfortably against his skin, cold sweat and tears pricking like needles.

When the next day at school Julie is nowhere to be found, he's not surprised.

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@blush-and-books @bluefirewrites @thedeathdeelers @unsaid-emily @willexx @ourstarscollided @pink-flame @constantly-singing

#juke #jatp fanfiction #julie and the phantoms #otp: i think we make each other better

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okjagk · 6 years

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Happier

|7 times Aaron looked happier with Alex and one time he didn’t. Or the Ed Sheeran songfic no one asked for.|

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AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13252023/chapters/30446670

[Chapter 6]

Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you

But ain't nobody need you like I do

I know that there's others that deserve you

But my darling, I am still in love with you

Robert wakes with a start, silent sobs wracking his body and a layer of sweat sticks to his bare skin. It’s been a long time since he had this nightmare, the one where Aaron never makes it out of that sinking car, but it doesn’t hurt any less. He tries to steady his breathing but the fiery panic is still burning in his lungs.

In the past it had always been Aaron to calm him down. He would wipe Robert’s damp face and hold him tight. He can still hear Aaron’s voice, calm and unwavering, in his ear; “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere, I’ll never leave you.”

Alex probably doesn’t get nightmares.

He reaches for the glass of water he knows is on his bedside table and tries to take a drink. His hands are still shaking though and he just spills it down his chest and soaks his sheets. He lets out a sharp gasp as the cold liquid hits his burning skin and suddenly he’s drowning all over again. He tries to breathe but it’s like the air gets lost between his mouth and his lungs and his body’s convulsing in painful shivers. He’s choking on loud, gasping breaths when Victoria comes barreling into his room. She’s at his side in an instant, one hand on his back the other on his face wiping at the steady stream of tears. But Robert doesn’t even know she’s there. He’s far away now, back in that dirty lake, and Aaron is dying and he can’t do anything to stop it.

Victoria watches as her brother gasps for air and she feels helpless and frightened and she thinks maybe he’s dying. She doesn’t even have to think about who to call before she’s dialing his number and begging him to come save her brother.

He’s there in almost no time, all heavy breaths and watery eyes, and it’s clear he ran the whole way. Under different circumstances Vic would take the mick but right now her brother is in a serious state and she’s just grateful he still cares enough to come when Robert needs him.

Aaron is at Robert’s side instantly, pushing Victoria’s hand from his back and replacing it with his own. He looks into his ex-husband’s eyes and knows instantly where the other man is. He begins to move his hand in circles over Rob’s bare back, scratching lightly with his bitten down fingernails, and begins talking.

“Hey Rob… It’s me, Aaron. I’m here okay, I’m not leaving, I won’t go anywhere. I’m safe, we’re both safe.” The faraway look is still in Robert’s eyes, but the panic seems to dim a bit at Aaron’s soothing words. Aaron thinks back to the first time this happened, that one had been bad too. He moves his hand from Robert’s back and begins carding it through his soft blonde hair instead, rubbing gently at his scalp.

“Rob what’s your favorite color?” Victoria gives him a questioning look that he ignores, instead focusing on Robert’s reaction. When this first started happening Aaron did loads of research, looking for any tip or trick that could help him help Robert, and one of the things that seemed to help the most was asking questions. Usually Aaron asked Robert about them, their relationship, but that felt wrong to do now so he tries a different approach.

Robert, however, doesn’t respond, he just looks blankly at Aaron, still fighting to breathe, probably near passing out.

“Robert what’s your favorite food?” Still no answer. “What’s my favorite food?” Nothing. He’s desperate now; Robert’s breathing as erratic as ever. “Where did we first kiss?” No response and Aaron gives up. He’s pulling out his phone to search for another tactic when Robert’s hoarse voice croaks out “Layby.” His head shoots up, eyes finding Robert’s, and he finally seems to be registering Aaron’s existence.

“What was the first film we watched together?” Aaron ignores the fact that Vic is in the room, focusing only on Robert.

“Rocky Balboa.” Robert’s body visibly relaxes.

“What did we do for our first real date?”

“Amusement Park” Strangled gasps settle into easy breaths.

“What song did we dance to at our wedding?”

“Make You Feel My Love.” A small sad smile curls at Robert’s lips. “But I thought it wasn’t dancing.” And Aaron knows he’s back.

Robert feels the flames in his lungs extinguish and his mind clear as he comes back to reality fully. The first things he registers are the tears silently slipping down Aaron’s cheeks. He doesn’t think the other man is even aware of them and reaches out to brush them away before he can stop himself. Aaron’s hand lifts to cover his own and his leans forward, pressing their foreheads together.

“Alright?” Aaron’s voice is low and gentle and full of concern.

“Alright.”

They stay in that position, sharing each other’s breaths, for a small eternity. Neither notices Vic leave the room, feeling as though she was intruding on an intimate moment.

Aaron breaks the spell first, standing to get Robert a new glass of water. When he returns he helps Rob drink it, he’s still shaky from the attack. When the glass is empty Robert feels suddenly heavy, like he could sleep for a week. Aaron pushes him back until he’s lying down and then strips the damp sheets off the bed. He collects new ones from the hall closet and tucks them around Robert as he just lies there, too emotionally and physically exhausted to move.

“Try to get some sleep now.” Aaron whispers as he bends to kiss him on the forehead and Robert thinks he will feel that press of lips on his skin for the rest of his life.

Aaron makes a move to leave and Robert feels his chest constrict in panic again at the thought.

“Stay.” He chokes out before he can stop himself. Aaron just looks at him with this horrible expression, part pity, part heartbreak, and part want. Robert finds he has no shame and begins to well and truly beg. “Please Aaron, please, I need you, please stay.” And he’s crying as he says the words and Aaron gutted but he can’t stop because if Aaron leaves the fear will return so he just keeps saying please over and over and over. Until Aaron cracks. Of course he does, because it’s Robert and he needs him. He toes off his shoes and removes his jacket but leaves everything else on before climbing into the bed next to Robert and scooping him up in his arms. The feeling of Aaron’s beard scraping across his naked shoulder and the quiet sound of them breathing in sync with each other is enough to lull Robert to sleep instantly. It’s the best night’s sleep either of them has had in over a year.

When Robert wakes Aaron is long gone and he isn’t completely sure the previous night wasn’t a dream. He makes his way to the kitchen for some brekkie and finds Vic there, sitting at the table with a magazine and a brew. She looks up at him when he enters and her eyes soften.

“Alright?” She asks him and he nods as he fills a mug from the kettle.

“Sorry for scaring ya last night.” He kisses her head before taking the seat next to her. “Don’t apologize for being human Rob.” His only response is a small smile as he nicks a piece of toast from her plate. “Wasn’t sure if you would have a go at me for calling Aaron but when I peeked in to check on you earlier he was still here so you can’t be too mad.” She tries to hide her cheeky smile behind her mug but fails miserably.

“Don’t get excited Vic, he only stayed to help me sleep.” He avoids her eye because even though she witnessed almost the whole ordeal it’s still mortifying to talk about. “But you were properly cuddling.” She never could leave well enough alone. “Drop it Vic, please. He was just helping out a mate. He’s with someone else now, someone who actually deserves him.” He’s looking her dead on now, trying to make her see how serious he is being.

“But I think…” And he snaps before she can even finish her sentence.

“I said leave it!” She gives him a stern look for his outburst but then presses on like she didn’t even hear it.

“I think you’re still in love with him.” She stares him dead on as she says it but he looks away as soon as the words are out there. He makes a big deal of buttering his stolen toast and doesn’t say a word for the rest of the morning. Vic doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t need to, because they both know she was right.

Robert doesn’t know that Aaron still has nightmares too. That some nights he wakes gasping on lake water that isn’t there. Robert would never expect that on the nights Aaron’s panicked cries stir a sleeping Alex, the doctor pretends not to hear. Robert doesn’t realize that Aaron needs him just him just as much as he needs Aaron.

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