Archive of Our Own

The bustling on the streets below blur together into splotches of color and overlapping noise. Wind whips against Yuji’s face as he swings past block after block, the high-pitched whistling of the breeze barely noticeable through his mask.

His most recent fight with Octavius led them to this part of the city, but he can’t remember the exact street he’s looking for. The signs started looking the same over an hour ago, and he can’t tell by the cross streets if he’s getting closer or further away.

Yuji stumbles upon his destination by accident just as the sun starts setting, casting orange rays of light that fracture amidst the tall buildings. He perches on top of a light pole and sighs in relief.

The bakery is big for New York City standards, with a large, clear window providing a direct view of the display cases inside and dark wood floors that shine and give away the shop’s newness. Yuji catches a man - the exact man he wanted to catch, thank goodness - flipping the lights to the bakery off and locking the front door. Yuji jumps to follow him before he can disappear in the crowd of people on the street.

He lands in the alleyway just as the man turns to walk down it. The man barely startles, and pulls a knife from his pocket and holds it in front of him with both hands. Yuji throws his own hands up instinctively. 

“I promise I’m more trouble than I’m worth,” says the man. His glare is accentuated by deep circles under his eyes, but the grip on his knife is steady, practiced. Yuji is, for lack of a better word, confused by the reaction.

“I’m not here to cause any trouble. I’m pretty sure we’re on the same team.”

The man lowers the knife, but only slightly. “How am I supposed to know that if I don’t know who you are?”

Yuji motions between his mask and the spider logo on his chest. “I’m…Spider-man.”

The man blinks.

“The wallcrawler? Masked vigilante? Subject of the Webhead Fan Club?”

Recognition dawns on the man’s face, and Yuji slowly lowers his hands. “Oh, right. It’s you.”

“Yes! I’m-”

“You’re the one who sent that mailbox through my shop window last week.”

Ah, Right. That.

“Teeechnically, it was Dr. Octavious who threw the mailbox at me, and by extension, into your shop when I dodged it-”

The man raises his eyebrows and pockets the knife. 

“-but we did cause a disturbance at your store. I came by to see if you and your customers were alright.”

The man looks at him for a beat and then another. Yuji fights the urge to fidget under his gaze.

“Everyone was fine, thankfully. No one was sitting at the window seats at the time, and we retreated to the back kitchen until we heard you - and that…doctor, I suppose - move on to another street.”

“And the window-”

“Was reimbursed through the city’s Vigilante Collateral Fund.”

Yuji winces. He knows the reimbursement program all too well, and there’s some residents of this glorious city that will never let him forget about it. “Right.”

The man regards him again. Without the knife in the way, Yuji can fully appreciate his dark eyes, the way long strands of black hair fall in his face. Pretty is the only word that seems to come to mind.

“Do you always come to check on people after your fights?”

“I try to,” he says honestly. “There always seems to be another threat pulling me to another part of the city, but I come back and help when I can. Rebuilding after the fight is as important as the fight itself.”

The man nods slowly and checks the time with a glance at his watch. “Well, thanks. I have a train to catch soon, but I guess I’ll…see you around?"

Oh, yes you will. “Sure thing! I won’t keep you. Get home safely!”

He waves before taking off, and it’s not until his webbing is carrying him around the corner and out of sight that he realizes he never got the man’s name.

XXX

Contrary to the rogue blogs and anti-vigilante activists, Yuji loves this city and having the power to help protect it. New York City is teeming with life; full to the brim with culture and history and beautiful, passionate people. Knowing that he’s keeping the city just a little safer helps him sleep easier at night.

This part of the job, though, is not one of his favorites.

“You better leave me alone, man,” the low-level criminal huffs. Compared to overpowered supervillains and the occasional city-wide threat, moments like these feel more like an unruly thorn in Yuji’s side than anything. But duty calls. “I don’t wanna have to hurt you.”

Yuji dodges the third punch in a row with a shift of his body weight. “Given your current performance, I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

Unidentified Criminal’s would-be victim, an older man with thinning hair and an ill-fitting business suit, clutches his briefcase to his chest. He looks between Yuji and Unidentified Criminal like he doesn’t know what to make of them. Yuji doesn’t blame him. “I…um- I gotta get back to work-”

Yuji waves him off. “Go ahead.” He motions to the way Unidentified Criminal is shaking out his hands and heaving without ever landing a hit on him. “You can leave this to the professionals.”

The man scampers off down the street, ignoring Unidentified Criminal’s protests.

“He was gonna be my score, man!”

“I really think you could benefit from a more honest way of living,” Yuji says. The man swings at him and Yuji dodges. Again. “Predictable hours, guaranteed income, some places even offer health insurance-”

“Spider-Man?”

Yuji turns. The man from the bakery stands there, a bag Yuji recognizes from the deli on the end of the block in his hand and a bewildered expression on his face. The woman standing by his side looks equally confused.

The lenses in Yuji’s mask zoom in on the man’s nametag. “Megumi, hey!”

The woman’s jaw drops open. “You two know each other?”

“Not exactly-”

Watch out!

Yuji ducks. Unidentified Criminal’s fist swings through empty air and throws off his balance. Yuji uses his momentum to sweep the man’s feet from under him, sending him crumpling to the ground with a yelp.

“Taking advantage of a distraction is not playing fair,” Yuji chides, hoping his frown is somehow conveyed through his mask.

Gunmetal glints in the light as Unidentified Criminal pulls the weapon from his waistband.

“I can’t go back to the boss empty-handed,” he grunts as he stumbles to his feet. His fingers shake around the handle. His eyes dart around the scene wildly. He bypasses Yuji completely to aim at Megumi and the woman. Yuji hears a sharp intake of breath behind him. 

“You two. Empty your pockets. I wanna see what yo-”

Yuji shoots a rapid fire string of webs. They stick to the man’s hand and send him flying back to the wall behind him. The gun clatters to the ground on impact. Unidentified Criminal groans as Yuji webs the rest of his body to the brick.

“Now that was not very nice,” Yuji says. He shoots a web with a little more force than necessary and the man grunts.

“My crew and I are gonna crush you, Spider!”

Yuji sighs. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that.”

Megumi and the woman are still staring at him. 

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Yuji waves his hands at the man webbed to the side of the building. “I was a little busy!”

“How do you two know each other?” the woman repeats. Megumi sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“He came by the other day to make sure the shop was okay after the window break.”

“From when he threw the mailbox?”

“That wasn’t me!”

Megumi smirks. “He alleges that it wasn’t him.”

“Well, thanks. And thanks for…that.” She waves a hand at the man still struggling against the wall.

“All in a day’s work, really.”

The woman sticks her hand out to him. “I guess you should be on a first name basis with both owners. I’m Maki, co-owner and head barista of Hollow Cafe.”

Yuji shakes it. “Spider-Man.”

Maki laughs. “I figured.”

XXX

“And you’ve told no one who you are?”

“No, Mrs. Hernandez,” Yuji grunts as he slowly scales the most unstable light post in New York. A white fluffball of a cat peers at him over the top of the light, disinterested and bordering on annoyed.

The older woman raises her voice as he climbs despite them having this same conversation every time they find themselves in this predicament. “Well, I just find that hard to believe. Even someone like you needs a lucky lady helping you out every once in a while,” she takes a pause and decides to switch it up this time. “Or a lucky guy, who knows!”

Yuji hears a few passersby chuckle below him, and his face heats behind the mask. He inches up the post a little bit faster, ignoring the cat’s aggravated meows at being jostled.

He doesn’t deign the woman with a response until her cat is tucked safely under one of his arms. He sticks a web to the light and lowers the two of them until his feet are back on the ground and the cat is back in Mrs. Hernandez’s hands.

“I’d like to think I do pretty well on my own,” he gestures to the ball of fur curled up against the woman’s chest, “unless you have complaints?”

The woman smiles. She places a warm hand on Yuji’s face. “It just seems like an awfully heavy secret to carry on your own, dear.”

Yuji’s shoulders slump, just a little. There’s more truth in her statement than she will ever know, and more than Yuji will ever admit to out loud. 

He brings Mrs. Hernandez’s hand from his face and gives it a squeeze. “It helps me keep the people of this city safe, ma'am. And it keeps Whiskers here off of the light posts and where she belongs.”

Whiskers flicks her tail once and otherwise doesn’t respond. Mrs. Hernandez laughs. 

“Thank you again, Spider-Man. I’m getting better at making sure she doesn’t get out, I promise.”

“It really is no problem.”

“Excuse me!” A voice rings from behind them. “Excuse me, coming through, ‘scuse me-”

People continue to part on the sidewalk until Megumi comes into view. He has a purple t-shirt with the logo of his bakery on it, and is dragging a wagon behind him that’s weighed down with boxes of chai concentrate and expensive looking milk.

Yuji perks up and immediately regrets it when he feels Mrs. Hernandez’s eyes on him. “Megumi! Hey!”

Megumi’s gaze snaps to him and he sighs. “Can’t talk today, Spider-Man. The cafe’s in the middle of a rush. We ran out of our signature drink, I gotta get this stuff to Maki-”

“I can help out,” Yuji says before thinking. Megumi slows to a stop.

“You can?”

Yuji shrugs. “Sure. The whole Spider-Man-ing thing doesn’t really come with a set schedule.”

Megumi’s still peering at him like he doesn’t quite believe him, but turns and nods to the contents of his wagon. “Think you can carry some stuff? I can get back to the cafe faster with a lighter load.”

“Of course!” Yuji hefts four industrial sized boxes of chai concentrate in his hands. Mrs. Hernandez is still staring at him. Something tells him that she’s going to let Whiskers out on purpose just to corner him about this. “I’ll see you around, Mrs. Hernandez! You and Whiskers take care!”

He’s turning and following Megumi’s quickly disappearing back before she can respond.

Their destination is only a few blocks away, and Megumi makes quick work of forcing a path for the both of them on the bustling sidewalks. Yuji sees the cafe’s customers before he sees the actual cafe. The line extends out the door and nearly to the corner of the block, and two employees in matching purple shirts are doing their best attempt at crowd control. Their efforts go out the window as Yuji approaches.

“Oh my gosh, is that-”

“Does Spider-Man work here?”

“Wait, can you say hi to my mom-”

“Do a flip, Spidey!”

“Excuse us!” Megumi shouts over the growing commotion. He and Yuji push their way through the front door, and Maki cries out in relief when she sees them.

“Oh, thank god. I just used the last of our oat milk, and I was going to have to-” she pauses midmotion, her hands holding steaming paper cups. “Spider-Man?”

“You said we could use extra hands, right?” Megumi grunts, breezing by her and disappearing behind swinging metal doors. Maki looks to the doors and back at Yuji.

“I’ll admit, you are not who I had in mind. No offense.”

Yuji shrugs. “None taken. I get that a lot.”

Megumi pushes through the doors again and relieves the harried looking man working the register.

“Gloves are in the kitchen,” he says. “We’re way behind on our online orders. They’re on that tablet in the corner, if you could just start boxing pastries up-”

“Sure!” Yuji says dutifully, taking the boxes to the back before slipping behind the stocked display case.

The team eventually falls into a rhythm, the sounds of steaming milk and register transactions creating an ambient soundtrack under the overlapping conversations in the cafe. Yuji’s presence does the opposite of thinning the crowd of people, and soon enough the unofficial job of entertaining waiting customers is added to his list of responsibilities. He’s the cafe’s unofficial mascot for a handful of hours, and the people in the line outside press their faces and phone screens to the front window for a better glimpse of him. Yuji laughs when he hears Megumi grumble about having to clean the glass again.

The sun is just beginning its descent when Yuji starts replacing pastry display placards with little sold out! signs. Maki and Megumi get the last few orders over the counter, and Maki flips the open sign hanging on the door with a flourish.

“We survived,” she sighs happily, melting into one of the dining chairs. She points a finger across the room at Yuji. “You are welcome back any time. We have never sold out of stuff that fast before."

Yuji laughs and waves her off. “I’m sure it’s your coffee and pastries that sell themselves.”

Maki grins. “Of course they do, but it doesn’t hurt to have Spider-Man around, either.” 

“We really do appreciate the help,” Megumi says. It comes out muffled, and Yuji turns to see him using the bottom of his uniform shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow. 

Yuji freezes, eyes zeroed in on the exposed skin of Megumi’s stomach. Megumi remains unaware, talking about Yuji bringing the chai concentrate boxes to the store or something else equally unimportant compared to the moment at present.

He’s staring. He becomes excruciatingly aware of how obviously he’s staring. His mouth is dry when he tries to swallow, confirming that no quip or quick punchline is coming to save him. Yuji is fucked.

A single bead of sweat rolls down the center of Megumi’s sternum and Yuji physically forces himself to look away.

Maki’s shamelessly looking between the two of them when Yuji turns back to her.

“I’ll have Megumi make you fresh pastries next time so you can see for yourself.”

Megumi finally drops the bottom of his shirt and cocks his head at his co-owner. “Sure, I can do that, but why me?”

“If you don’t know by now, you’ll figure it out soon,” she says with a wave of her hand. It doesn’t quell the confused look on Megumi’s face. 

Yuji trips over himself in his desperate attempt to leave. 

XXX

No matter how many times he’s found himself on this particular cliff’s edge, it still takes him a moment to remember how to breathe. 

Inhale, deep and intentional, through the nose. Ignore the parts of the body that protest.

Exhale, slow and measured, through the mouth. A single, maintained push of breath that reminds him that he’s still breathing, despite everything.

The brick is cool against his back. That’s the first detail he can establish. He squints an eye open and looks around, sees that he had been able to duck into an alleyway. Good, that’s good. Away from prying eyes and too many questions.

He attempts another one of his inhale-exhale tricks and, against protocol, his hand flies to grasp at the wound on his side.

Inhale again. Exhale again.

He just needs to catch his breath.

His immediate concern is the gash. The other newly earned welts and cuts make themselves known as his chest heaves, but the main culprit stretches from below his ribcage down to his hip. The blood is making his suit stick uncomfortably to his skin, and every delicate attempt to peel it away makes Yuji wince and grit his teeth.

He’s sustained worse, has had to fight and flee and keep moving through worse, but it doesn’t make dealing with the new ones any easier. 

He stumbles when he tries to push himself from the wall. His side screams at him. Sweat is pouring from his face, stinging his eyes and making the mask itchy and claustrophobic. The unmarked alleyway provides no clues as to what part of the city he ended up in. He has no idea how far he is from home, but the longer he’s out in the open like this, the greater a risk he poses to himself. To others.

Inhale. Exhale.

He mentally prepares himself for another push off of the wall when a metal door further down the way swings open and slams against the wall next to it.

A man hums under his breath as he drags a loaded bag of trash to one of the dumpsters. Yuji holds his breath for all of 7 seconds before the foot on his injured side slips in the dirt and he involuntarily shifts down the wall. He barely muffles his cry of pain with a hand over his mouth.

The man’s humming and feet pause. The silence stretches.

“I’m calling the cops on whoever’s out there,” the man threatens. Yuji almost cries out again, this time in relief at the familiarity of the voice.

“I’m innocent, You Honor.” He says weakly.

“Spider-Man?” Yuji hears quick footsteps approaching, and Megumi comes into view.

“What are you- oh my god.”

“It’s just a scratch. Or…five.”

“Come inside. I have a first-aid kid that might help.”

“I really shouldn’t,” Yuji says, though he really wants to. “You could become a target if you keep associating yourself with me.”

“All I’m worried about right now is making sure you don’t bleed out behind my shop.” Megumi insists. He lifts Yuji’s arm around his neck and holds his weight. Yuji hisses, not finding any movement remotely comfortable at the moment, but Megumi goes slow as he helps him inside.

Megumi leans him against the countertop next to the sink and busies himself in one of the kitchen cabinets. He tells Yuji to sit on the counter, but Yuji hesitates.

“I…can’t take my suit off.”

Megumi turns and looks at him. Yuji’s never seen no, duh so plainly on someone’s face. He pulls out the first-aid kit and a pair of scissors.

“You’ll have to deal with it being cut a little.”

Yuji lifts himself onto the countertop with the grace and speed of a moderately wounded man. “And you’ll have to deal with some choice words from my tailor.”

Megumi rolls his eyes and gently begins cutting the stained fabric open. 

Part of Yuji - the responsible, Superhero part of Yuji - wants to tell the man that all the care isn’t necessary. The wound will stitch itself up overnight as long as he doesn’t re-irritate it. It would be the right thing to do.

But Megumi is so close. He smells like mint shampoo and faintly of coffee grounds. Shorter, wispier strands of hair curl around his ear. Yuji spots a birthmark tucked under his left eye, so small you almost miss it, but there.

And most notably of all, Megumi tends to him with a careful focus, like it’s not something to be taken lightly.

Insisting he’s fine would be the right thing to do. But this newly selfish part of Yuji, the wholly human part that’s swayed by dark eyes and sure hands, doesn’t care about being right. Not right now.

Megumi frowns when he finally has the side of Yuji’s suit open.

“It’s not that bad,” Yuji tries. Megumi scoffs.

“You must not feel what I’m seeing.”

“It doesn’t hurt that much,” He tries again. 

Megumi doesn’t believe that one, either. He shakes his head, douses a few cotton pads in wound disinfectant and holds one a few inches away from Yuji’s side.

“This, though, is gonna hurt like a bitch.”

“Language, Meg- mmph-”

Yuji jerks away instinctively. The pain flares, reignited by the touch, and Yuji feels like a bull trying to buck a rider from its back.

A hand clamps down on his knee. Hard.

The shock stills him in place.

“Sorry,” Megumi mumbles, “I’ll be quick, but I have to clean the whole area. Just a little longer.”

Yuji’s words fail him. He’s staring at the hand holding his knee. Big. Long, bony fingers. Clean fingernails. Big-

A fresh cotton pad dabs against his side. Megumi grips his leg harder as if anticipating a physical reaction. Yuji’s mouth goes dry.

He presses his eyes closed and wills himself to focus on the pain instead of letting his mind wander anywhere else. 

Finally, blessedly, Yuji hears Megumi snapping the first aid kit closed. “It’s clean, but you’re going to need stitches. There might be some bandages big enough in another kit until you can get to a hospital.”

“Thank you. I can take it from here.”

Even as he turns around to throw the trash away, Megumi’s shaking his head at him. “I saw it myself. The cut’s deep. I really think-”

“Can I show you something?”

Megumi pauses. He raises an eyebrow. “Are you really in a state to be showing me things?”

“I promise I won’t be exerting myself. It’s kind of the opposite.”

Megumi nods and returns to his side.

Yuji motions to the shallowest part of the cut, right under his ribs, where he can already feel the torn muscle and skin slowly trying to fuse itself back together. Megumi sucks in a breath when he sees it for himself.

“How do you…”

“I don’t do anything. It takes time, but they always heal on their own.”

“Does it hurt?”

Yuji shrugs, and winces when it disturbs his side. Megumi shoots a glare at him.

“Not really. It feels kind of…stiff? But it’s better than having to go to the doctor after every fight.”

Megumi hums. His fingers ghost along the perimeter of the cut, feather light where the skins still angry and raised. Yuji shivers.

“Sorry, sorry,” Megumi whispers.

Yuji turns to tell him that it’s fine. Megumi’s already looking at him.

So, so close.

Yuji can feel Megumi’s soft breaths against his mask. He’s looking at Yuji like he can see through him, past the fabric and straight to the man underneath. Yuji realizes that part of him wishes Megumi could do just that. He doesn’t know if that should terrify or exhilarate him. It’s doing both.

They don’t speak. Yuji doesn’t want to risk tainting this bubble that they’ve found themselves in, and he’s too busy using his privilege of a mask to take in every inch of Megumi’s face.

A dumpster lid clangs against a brick wall outside. The men blink and the moment is gone.

“Thank you for your help,” Yuji says. He keeps his voice low, not fully ready to pull away yet. Megumi smiles, small and bordering on shy. Yuji grips the countertop underneath him to keep from doing anything stupid.

“Of course. It’s not everyday you get to nurse the neighborhood hero back to health.”

Yuji laughs. “I know where to come the next time I need saving.”

Megumi helps him off the counter and to the back door. Yuji rolls his shoulders, grateful that the smaller wounds have already become a phantom pain, and prepares himself for the difficult journey home.

Megumi holds the door open for him. “See you around, Spider-Man.”

Yuji almost tells the man his name, just to be able to hear him say it.

“I’ll see you around, Megumi.”

XXX

Civilian-Yuji was in the area. He had finished his afternoon patrols, there was no imminent threat on the horizon or growing out of the subway system, and his very human senses just so happened to be swayed by the smell of baking bread and fresh cream that was wafting down the street.

That’s his story, and if anyone asks him, he’s sticking to it. 

Hollow Cafe isn’t as busy as it was the last time Yuji was here, but there’s still a line in front of the register and no empty seats in the dining area. The display cases are well stocked despite the foot traffic, with rows of fluffy croissants and frosted cakes and sugar-topped muffins. They’re all enticing in their own right, and Yuji remembers more than one of them catching his eye when he was packing orders, but Megumi’s promise of making fresh food just for him sits at the forefront of his mind, so he keeps his eyes resolutely on the drink offerings on the menu. 

He feels oddly exposed being here out of the suit. The people around him don’t know this version of him, not the way he’s gotten to know them. Maki’s behind the espresso machine as always, giving direction to the woman standing next to her as she works, and barely pauses when she sees Yuji. No recognition on her face, just a polite, customer-service smile.

Megumi’s nowhere to be seen. He’s not one of the employees bringing trays of extra baked goods from the kitchen to restock the cases, not deep in the coffee-making side of the cafe, not on the dining floor cleaning tables or sweeping. 

Yuji rolls his shoulders, tells himself that he didn’t go home, change out of his suit, and come all the way back here just to see Megumi (a lie), and picks something random from their coffee menu. A latte. A latte sounds fine. He can do a latte.

The last person in front of him steps out of line, and Yuji steps forward. “Hey, can I have-”

Megumi pushes through the door to the kitchen, fastening his nametag to his shirt.

“You were due for your break 6 minutes ago. Clock out, I can cover.”

The other employee steps away from the register and Megumi slides into place easily, finger tapping away on the screen. 

“Sorry about that, sir. What can we-”

Megumi looks up and his hand freezes in mid-air. His eyes go wide. His mouth hangs open and no words come out.

Yuji’s mind slams into overdrive. Megumi couldn’t have recognized him, could he? Has he somehow given himself away? He flies through their interactions over the last couple of months, trying to pinpoint when or how Yuji unknowingly let something slip.

Then Megumi blinks, seems to realize that he’s standing there without speaking, and clears his throat. 

“Sorry about that,” he says. The tips of his ears are turning pink. “What can we get for you?”

“Just an iced small caramel latte.”

Megumi nods, presses something on his screen. “Anything else?”

“Can you put a lot of caramel in it?”

“...Excuse me?”

“Whatever amount you do when someone asks for extra caramel, double that. That should be enough. Please.”

Megumi looks at his screen again. “I think our head barista is going to kill me, but we can do that.”

Yuji laughs. He could practically see the look on Maki’s face already. “I apologize in advance.”

Megumi’s staring again. Yuji can’t tell if he has something on his face or Megumi’s actually starting to recognize him.

Maki steps up next to the register and clears her throat. Megumi shoots her a glare and finishes the transaction on the tablet screen.

“My apologies,” Maki says, frowning at Yuji. “He’s usually more competent behind the register, but, well, I guess we all have our…weaknesses.”

“Oh, it’s okay-”

“He wants a small caramel latte,” Megumi snaps, ripping the order ticket off the printer and handing it to his co-owner. “As much caramel as you can fit in the cup. Now.”

Maki takes it. “First the crush on the spider guy, and now this,” she mumbles as she walks away.

“I don’t have a crush on-”

“Keep denying it, and I’ll keep not believing you!”

Megumi sighs and lets his head hang for a moment. Yuji bites the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning. 

“I heard he’s pretty nice,” Yuji says. He knows that he’s cheating by stoking a conversation about himself, but with all the sacrifices he makes balancing Spider-Man, he’s allowed to have a little fun. Especially when that fun involves Megumi. 

“He is nice, but that’s his thing. He’s nice to everyone. That doesn’t mean that I…or that he would…”

Megumi runs a hand down his face. Yuji’s own hands are sweating, and he tries to subtly slide them in his back pockets.

When his hand falls away, Megumi’s wearing a tight, slightly awkward smile. His cheeks are pink and his ears are bright red. This is the best day of Yuji’s life.

“Please find a seat, and we’ll call your order when it’s ready.”

Yuji steps out of line with a smile, and he has to convince himself that he cannot fit visits to Hollow Cafe into his daily schedule.

XXX

Yuji tilts his head towards the sun shining on his face. It’s relaxing, the kind of heat just shy of too hot. The exposed lower half of his face is warmer than the rest of him, and he hopes belatedly that he doesn’t get any weird tan lines like he did a couple summers ago. He picks up his second slice of pizza and tears off a bite before the sauce can drip onto his suit.

Yuji is aware of him the moment he steps onto the fire escape. It doesn’t alert his spidey sense, but he can practically see Megumi’s journey to the roof in his mind’s eye as footsteps clang against metal. Yuji smiles to himself when Megumi’s sneaker slips on a ladder rung and he curses under his breath.

“I wasn’t concerned when I was informed of the person dangling from the roof of my building,” Megumi says once he stumbles onto the landing. “I told them not to worry, and I knew exactly who it would be. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

Yuji looks over his shoulder and smiles. “I’m not dangling. It’s just my feet that are comfortably — and safely — over the edge.”

Megumi freezes midstep and turns his face away from him. “Sorry, I didn’t- um- your mask is-” He motions around his own mouth. Yuji’s smile grows wider.

“It’s alright. I gotta eat somehow,” Yuji says, holding up the pizza slice in his hand. “If you could recognize me by my jaw, I’d be seriously impressed.”

He turns back towards the skyline and Megumi resumes his walk to the edge of the roof.

“Hanging off the edge like that doesn’t make you nervous?”

Yuji shrugs. “You get used to it.” He nods to the pizza box sitting next to him, still more than halfway full. “Have some.”

“I should get back to work.” Megumi says. He makes no move to leave. Yuji chances a glance up at him, and he doesn’t look like he wants to leave, either.

“Stay for a slice. I really can’t finish this whole thing. I’ve learned the hard way not to swing on a full stomach.”

Megumi sits. He criss-crosses his legs instead of letting them dangle over the edge and takes a slice with a quiet thanks when Yuji holds the box out to him.

“Your crime fighting has conveniently been bringing you to this side of town a lot recently.”

Yuji coughs into his fist and keeps his gaze forward. “It’s peaceful over here.”

“Peaceful,” Megumi repeats. He makes a point to look over the edge of the building, where dozens of people crowd the sidewalks and push past each other. Two cars get into a honking match at the intersection on the corner. The ever-present screeching of metal signals an oncoming train a few blocks over.

Yuji huffs, not even trying to fight the smile on his face. “Maybe your rooftop is just comfortable.”

Megumi snorts. “A peaceful street and a comfortable roof in New York City. Now you’re just grasping at straws.”

Yuji laughs, loud and surprised. He turns to Megumi, fully planning on continuing the conversation, he swears, but whatever meager response he had gets caught in his throat right then and there.

Megumi’s already looking at him, eyes bright with amusement and crinkling at the corners. The sun is casting him in warm yellow and pale white, his face practically haloed by it. Worse yet, he looks at Yuji like he has no idea what a look like that could do to him. 

Pretty is the word that came to Yuji’s mind when he first saw him. He understands now that he was mistaken. Pretty doesn’t do Megumi justice. Pretty doesn’t make Yuji’s chest ache like this, doesn’t make him want to fling himself off the side of this building just for the chance to make Megumi smile like that again, doesn’t make him feel like for the first time in years he could actually have something in his life to look forward to besides putting this suit on everyday.

Yuji can’t think of an adequate word. Not right now, not with the way Megumi’s still looking at him, but god, he wants to. A deep rooted, scarily hopeful part of himself thinks he could spend the rest of his life thinking of ways to describe Megumi Fushiguro and never tire of it.

Yuji doesn’t even remember what Megumi said, so he clears his throat and nods. Megumi, blessedly, doesn’t mention it.

They lapse into a comfortable silence, passing the pizza box back and forth and letting the city ambience fill the quiet.

He startles when he feels a brush against his exposed cheek.

“You got sauce on your face,” Megumi explains. His thumb is soft on his skin and leaves a path of burning heat in its wake.

Megumi suddenly yanks his hand back. “Fuck, sorry, that’s so weird. I just-”

Yuji clears his throat, convinced that his voice would come out as a squeak otherwise. His cheek is still burning. He is so fucked. “It’s okay! Thanks for getting it. It’s fine.”

They stare at each other for a beat. Yuji can’t tell if the air between them is awkward, electrified, or some conflicting combination of the two. All he knows is that he likes it.

Megumi slowly reaches back out. Yuji goes completely still.

This time, his fingers brush over a bruise on his jaw. He completely forgot it was there, but the new attention makes a throb of pain roll across his face. He winces, and Megumi mutters another apology, but doesn’t pull away.

“You were hurt pretty bad last time.” He doesn’t phrase it like a question, but Yuji nods anyway. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fully healed. It just doesn’t feel great in the moment.”

“Where’d you get this one?”

“Stopped a mugging on my way to get the pizza. It’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

Megumi frowns, concern etched across his features. Yuji is consumed with the need to quell his worries.

“I’m okay, Meg. I promise. You should see the other guy.”

Megumi doesn’t laugh, but he does relax, just a bit. He pulls his hand away and Yuji immediately misses the loss.

“Do you ever get tired of it?” He asks. “Fighting all the fights, taking all the punches?”

“Someone has to. I’d rather it be me than someone who can’t fight back, or someone who could get really hurt.” 

“But you get hurt.”

“I heal.”

Megumi shakes his head and looks away. Yuji takes his hand before the man can fully pull away from him.

“I was given the ability to help people, and I have to use it. My grandfather always used to say that with great power comes great responsibility. I’m just trying to live up to that.”

Megumi sighs. He looks down at their joined hands, rubs a thumb over the fabric of Yuji’s suit. “He sounds like a wise man.”

“He was.”

Megumi looks up at him. He squeezes Yuji’s hand without a word. Yuji squeezes back.

He doesn’t know how long he and Megumi sit there. He doesn't check his watch or risk disturbing the peace by asking for the time. He also doesn’t care. 

He lets his thoughts wander, reassured by the physical anchor of Megumi’s hand in his.

A nearby sound pulls him back to the present. Footsteps clang against metal. 

Yuji looks over his shoulder. “Were you expecting someone?”

Megumi releases Yuji’s hand and checks his watch. “Shit, that’s probably-”

“I don’t mean to interrupt your date,” Maki says as she reaches the last steps leading onto the rooftop, “but I’d appreciate it if my fellow co-owner could join me in working in the shop that we own.”

Yuji doesn’t miss the blush on Megumi’s face as he scrambles to his feet. It makes his heart skip. 

“Shut up. I’m coming.”

“I promise he’s all yours outside of business hours, Spidey, but I need him when we’re open.” Yuji can’t see Megumi’s face as he retreats, but whatever look he shoots Maki just makes her grin wider.

Megumi pushes past her and descends the stairs without a word. Maki turns and watches him, and is still smiling when she looks back at Yuji.

“He’s single, by the way.”

Yuji tries to subtly pull his mask back in place as his face heats. “Uh, good for him. I’m sure being a business owner takes a lot of time and focus.”

“I’ve known that man all of my life. Trust me, he makes time for what he wants to make time for.”

“I am going to kill you,” Megumi hisses from out of sight. With one final smile and wave, Maki follows Megumi down the fire escape, leaving Yuji with lukewarm pizza and a head full of buzzing thoughts.

XXX

One of the busiest days of the year for Spider-Man sneaks up on Yuji. Between Octavius’ mini experiments across labs in Manhattan and his regular crime-fighting, Yuji’s spent more time in the suit the last month than he has out of it. 

A calendar notification on his phone is what reminds him that it’s Halloween when he wakes up, and it takes the rest of his strength not to roll over and go back to bed. 

It's officially been six weeks. Six weeks since the last heat of the summer melted into fall. Six weeks since the trees began fading from lush green to bright yellow and red and orange.

Six weeks since Yuji has last seen Megumi.

He starts his morning patrols in the area Octavius was last seen in and tells himself he hasn’t been avoiding Megumi on purpose. It’s partially true; the sudden spike in crime has kept him busier than he’s been in months, and he hasn’t had his usual downtime to swing by Hollow Cafe or even meander in the neighborhood.

But Yuji can also admit that he’s…nervous. There’s something developing with Megumi, something fragile and promising that makes his heart race and his hands slick with anxiety, but everyone Yuji gets close to gets hurt because of Spider-Man. It’s an unfortunate side effect, not a question of if it will happen but when. And he knows that he’s already playing a dangerous game, toeing the line by going to see Megumi out of the suit and partially exposing himself. It’s only a matter of time before he slips up and fully gives himself away, and he realized on that rooftop that part of him wants to. And that scared him.

So he’s been sticking to his normal routes, throwing himself into fights with a little more focus. He knows that he won’t be able to stay away from Megumi forever, not really, but he needed to clear his head. 

He’s distributed 5 giant sized bags of candy by noon to children and festive adults alike. His fanclub is working overtime today, keeping an online map updated with his whereabouts. He’s even stopped by a few school administrators to pass out candy during recess.

He tries not to think about how he’s subconsciously been gravitating towards Hollow Cafe all day.

He runs into Megumi as afternoon turns to evening and crowds of costumed children fill the streets.

He and Maki are being led by a small group of hyper kids, each swinging a pillowcase or plastic pumpkin bucket. It takes everything in Yuji to not run across the street towards them.

“Hey, guys! Would you like some candy?”

He can feel Megumi’s eyes on him over the happy screams of the children. He gives each child their own heaping handful of sweets before turning to the adults.

“Long time, no see,” Maki says. The only sign of a costume is a floppy witch’s hat on her head, and she holds out a pumpkin of her own. “Any candy left for the bigger kids?”

“Of course.” 

He drops some in Maki’s bucket and turns to do the same to Megumi, but his hands are empty.

“He’s not in the spirit this year,” Maki stage-whispers. “I’ll lead the children down this block and the next if you two bring up the rear.”

She leaves the men to themselves, turning the kids’ attention away from Spider-Man and back to candy collecting. Yuji falls into step next to Megumi.

“Cute kids.”

“We’re on chaperoning duty for some of our friends,” Megumi says. “Maki and I didn’t have any plans, so we said we’d take them.”

“That’s very kind of you both.”

Megumi eyes the nearly empty bag of candy in Yuji’s hands. “And how much candy have you given away today?”

“I genuinely don’t want to think about it. They’re drafting the campaign for me to pay for every pediatric dentist appointment for the next month as we speak.”

Megumi laughs and shakes his head. A bell tinkles with the movement. Yuji looks and sees that like Maki, Megumi is also very minimally costumed, his being a set of black cat ears poking out from his hair. A silver bell hangs from one ear and shines under the street lights.

Megumi glares like he can see where Yuji’s looking. “Not a word. Maki wouldn’t let me out of the apartment without a costume, and this was the most she was getting from me.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything!”

Megumi glares harder. “Liar.”

Yuji laughs. “I was just going to say it’s cute. That’s it, I promise.”

Megumi blinks. The glare dissipates. “Oh.”

Silence falls between them, filled with the chatter of candy-fuelled children. Colorful leaves crunch beneath their feet as they walk. Maki takes the group up a short flight of stairs to the next house. Yuji feels a hand on his arm before he can join them. 

“Can we talk for a second?” Megumi asks.

Yuji’s heart leaps into his throat. Here it comes, the anger at Yuji’s weeks-long disappearance, the demand for answers. Yuji nods and steps out of the main path of the sidewalk. 

“Is everything okay?”

“I wanted to apologize for what Maki said on the roof,” Megumi says. He looks over his shoulder to make sure she’s still busy with the kids. “She means well, but she can overstep sometimes.”

“Oh, it’s okay! I know she likes to tease.”

Megumi frowns. “But it’s not okay. She scared you away.”

Guilt floods Yuji’s chest in waves. He’s spent the past six weeks stewing in his own head, and it’s caused Megumi to do the same. 

“That’s not it at all. I’ve just been busy with hero stuff. There’s a situation with Dr. Octavious that I’ve been keeping an eye on.”

“Oh,” Megumi’s shoulders relax in increments. He nods to himself. “That’s good. Not- not the thing, but- okay. I’m glad you weren’t offended, or anything.”

The nodding makes the bell chime again. Yuji is not a strong enough man for this.

He reaches out and brushes his hand against Megumi’s, barely there. A dangerous, dangerous game. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Megumi.”

Megumi inhales sharply. “Good. That’s good. I actually have something for you, if you still want it.”

“Oh?”

Megumi shrugs off his backpack and pulls out a brown bag with the Hollow Cafe logo on it. He hands it to Yuji without a word. A single brownish-orange muffin sits inside with an intricate spiderweb drawn in delicate chocolate frosting.

“It’s a cinnamon pumpkin muffin,” Megumi explains. “We haven’t attempted a pumpkin recipe in a couple of years, but it’s been really popular with our customers this season. We don’t draw the web on them, though, because that’s for…you know." He shrugs and pulls his backpack back on. “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to, but I promised I’d make you some of our food to try, so.”

Yuji lifts the bottom half of his mask and takes a bite. He slumps his shoulders and shakes his head dramatically. He doesn’t know if he’s more moved by the gesture or the actual taste of the treat, but he is moved. “This is so good.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course! The pumpkin flavor is strong without tasting artificial, and the chocolate is a nice touch without making it too sweet. I really like it.”

Yuji watches a slow, sincere smile spread across Megumi’s face. If Yuji wasn’t convinced that he was fucked, he absolutely is now. “I’m glad.”

“Gumi, look!” one of the children shouts as she bounds down the stairs. “I got a king sized bar!”

“Make sure you wait to eat that with your parents, okay?” Megumi says. “They’re going to be really happy that you got such a cool chocolate bar.”

“Okay!”

The group continue their adventure to the next house. Megumi leans and bumps his shoulder with Yuji’s. Yuji uses the privacy of his mask to grin like a mad man.

The energy of the night fades naturally. The children who snuck pieces of candy early on are crashing hard, barely walking on their own while Maki and Megumi pull them along. Yuji carries a young Princess Tiana and Mario as they nod off on his chest. Their respective parents both take a myriad of pictures before reclaiming their children for the night.

Maki and Megumi have one more kid drop-off around the corner from their apartment. Yuji walks with them to the subway.

“And say your goodbyes now, because you are not joining us on the train.” Maki says, walking backwards and pointing a finger at Yuji. “If I have to watch you two for five more minutes, I’m going to vomit into my bucket.”

“What does vomit mean?” The kid walking next to Maki asks. Maki looks down at him and sighs. 

“Ask your mother when you get home.”

“Kay.”

Megumi rolls his eyes when Maki turns back around. “She is the worst influence ever.”

Yuji smiles. “She’s good with the kids. You are too.”

Megumi bumps his shoulder again and doesn’t respond.

“Besides, she could be right.”

Megumi cocks his head, keeps his eyes on the street in front of them. “Right about what?”

“That afternoon on the rooftop, with the pizza. Was it a date, like she said?”

Megumi stops walking. He turns to look at him. “You’re asking me if I went on a date with Spider-Man?”

“I’m asking you if you wanted to go on a date with Spider-Man.”

Yuji rocks on the balls of his feet, leans into Megumi’s space as if pulled in by an invisible force. He’s toeing the line again, he knows. But this space they find themselves in is thrilling, more than soaring over buildings or swinging across the New York skyline. Nothing makes Yuji feel the way Megumi makes Yuji feel.

The corner of Megumi’s mouth quirks. He purses his lips like he’s trying to fight off a smile. “I didn’t know Spider-Man was allowed to date.”

Yuji scoffs. “Spider-Man’s allowed to do what he wants.”

Megumi squints, disbelieving. 

“Spider-Man’s allowed to do what he wants within legal, geopolitical, and moral reason.”

Megumi throws his head back and laughs. The sound bounces around Yuji’s head, accentuated by that damn bell, and it makes Yuji’s heart leap. He feels like he’s choking up, so full to the brim with emotion that he can barely stand it. All he can do is bask in the man before him.

The roar of a train rattles further down the street. Megumi still has a wide smile on his face when he glances at his watch.

“I gotta get going. Our train is up next.”

Yuji doesn’t point out how he didn’t answer the question. “Of course. I’ll see you around.”

Megumi smiles wider. “See you.”

XXX

Yuji gets an itch. It’s not like his spidey sense, doesn’t come around nearly as often, but it burrows itself deep under his skin and refuses to budge. It makes him jumpier, has him double checking the shadows in back alleys a little longer than usual.

He has an urge to swing by Hollow Cafe, just to check in on Megumi, but promptly feels ridiculous and shakes the idea from his head.

He’s out patrolling later than usual. He can’t sleep when he has an itch. It’s frustratingly unshakable, and he’s had to stop himself from taking it out on a few unfortunate criminals who’d decided to prowl the city earlier in the day.

He swings over buildings on autopilot, every muscle in his body accustomed to the motions. The police radio integrated into his suit chatters in his ear, but he drowns it out. This won’t be something the police alert him to, or are even aware of yet. He can’t explain how he knows that. He just feels it.

The streets in this neighborhood are quiet at this time of night. He goes up a block, then another. He finds nothing out of the ordinary. A few people wave at him, a couple phone shutters go off. Yuji keeps moving.

He doesn’t know how long he’s been looking for it before he finds it.

It looks like a standard drug deal from afar. Burly guys dressed in black and navy, slight of hand movements barely caught under flickering street lamps. Yuji perches on the edge of the building above them and uses the zoom on his lenses to get a closer look.

Wads of cash are passed between two men. They’re handed off to a third for the bills to be unfurled and counted. Yuji waits for the notorious duffel bag of drugs, or perhaps a few stuffed backpacks, but he frowns when two men hold up long, black weapons cases. That’s new.

A case is unlocked and flipped open. It’s full to the brim with customized weaponry — handguns and rifles that glow in the light, brass knuckles and daggers reinforced with shiny purple accents. Yuji’s never seen anything like it.

He rises onto his toes and prepares to intervene. If those things end up in the wrong hands – which Yuji is sure they already are – who knows what kind of damage they can do. 

He scans the area one more time to check for backup or lookouts. Two cars at the end of the street, empty save for an open trunk with more weapons cases. 10 goons total, inspecting the weapons and counting cash. One man stands further off to the side, handgun pointed at a single hostage. Hostages always make things a bit trickier, but Yuji can handle it.

The men keep their heads on a constant swivel, but only the hostage is smart enough to check the rooftops. The man looks up and Yuji locks eyes with Megumi Fushiguro.

The itch turns to fire burning under Yuji’s skin.

He jumps.

The goons startle when he lands. They train their guns on him but don’t fire, not yet.

His eyes are still on Megumi. 

“Are you hurt, sir?”

Megumi shakes his head quickly. “I’m fine. Don’t-”

The man standing above Megumi presses the barrel of his gun to Megumi’s forehead. “He won’t be if you don’t scram, Spider. This is official business.”

Yuji doesn’t have a comeback. There’s not a single joke or quip he wants to say. All he can see is that metal pressed against Megumi’s skin. He’s holding a brave face well, but Yuji can see his hands are shaking where they’re bound in front of him.

Inhale. Exhale.

“I’m giving you all one chance. Lower your weapons, release the hostage, leave the weapons cases, and go about your evening.”

The men laugh.

“That’s the best you got, Spidey?” one of the men jeers.

“You’re actually just in time,” another says. “The boys were wanting a demonstration of the product before final purchase. You’d make an excellent test subject.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Yuji mutters.

He starts with the man next to Megumi. He shoots a web around his gun and yanks with more force than necessary to disarm him. The man staggers off balance, and Megumi sweeps his legs to send him sprawling to the ground. 

The rest of the men open fire. Yuji jumps to the wall closest to him to avoid the spray. He runs along the brick and uses a web from both hands to pull another goon to him. His knee connects with the man’s head and he’s out before he hits the asphalt. An electric whirring grabs his attention, like a piece of tech buzzing to life. A goon holds one of the modified guns in his hands, the wiring around it glowing bright blue.

Yuji pounces off the wall and towards the noise. A shot fires. It barely grazes his arm, doesn’t even tear his suit, but shocks of electricity explode across his skin. He shouts and hits the ground. His arm continues to spasm, his wrist and fingers contorting. He scrambles to his feet the second the electricity begins to subside, but his arm’s still out of commission.

The shooter holds out the gun with pride. “See? Very effective.”

Yuji shakes out his arm as best as he can and tries to catch his breath. He hears more of the modified guns beginning to buzz and knows he has to act fast if he wants to maintain control of the rest of his limbs.

The man who shot him is the closest. Yuji webs his feet to the ground. He swings the goon’s momentum forward with a web yank to the face and leaps, using his good hand to punch him in the chest. The man coughs and blood splatters across Yuji’s mask. He makes sure to kick the gun out of the man’s hand once he’s down.

He’s now in the thick of the remaining goons. One swings at him, predictably, and Yuji dodges and pushes him hard against the far brick wall. He uses a man’s chest as a springboard to jump into a wide arcing backflip. He waits until he’s at the peak of the arc to yank the man to him and shove him back to the ground with his feet on the goon’s ribs. He takes another’s gun and turns it into a projectile, swinging it at the man’s head. He knocks the heads of two more against each other. A crack echoes down the street as they slump into a pile on the ground. 

Behind you!

Yuji spins on a heel, prepared to counter. He’s a second too late. Enhanced brass knuckles connect with his face, blinding and hard. He feels the fabric of his mask tear. The resulting crunch rings in his ears, and with a sick twist in his gut, he assumes it’s the sound of his cheekbone shattering. 

He grabs at his face as he staggers. Glass and metal sit in his palm when he pulls his hand away. His bones are still thankfully intact, but the weapon splintered the lens in his mask.

The goon tries the same swing again, a delighted grin on his face. Yuji catches the man’s wrist and twists his arm until he feels it break. The man cries out. Yuji keeps twisting. He can rip it off if he could just get the right angle-

“Spider- mmph!”

Yuji drops the man immediately. He turns toward Megumi’s voice to see him being forced out of the shadows by the two remaining men. One seems to be unarmed, focused on pushing Megumi around, and the other holds a glowing rifle to Megumi’s cheek.

“Now, now, Spidey, no need to get hostile,” the gunman says. His words are injected with false bravado. Yuji can see the slight tremor in his fingers around the trigger. Good. They’re easier to fight when they’re scared.

“You can have your precious hostage if you let us leave with our loot.”

Yuji rolls his shoulders, tries to get his bad arm back online. “Not really in the mood for a compromise.”

The unarmed man sucks his teeth. “What a shame. We aren’t either.”

Megumi’s looking at him. Yuji should be used to his looks by now, but this one is wildly different. His eyes are wide, but not with fear. He’s trying to convey something to Yuji without letting the men around him know. Yuji can’t tell if they’re on the same page, but he readies himself regardless. Whatever Megumi’s got planned, Yuji will follow.

He nods once, almost imperceptibly. Megumi blinks, steadies himself with a breath. Then he’s throwing his head back and smashing the nose of the man behind him.

The unarmed man cries and curses. The gunman tries to react, but he’s too jumpy and caught on the backfoot. Yuji webs his gun, yanks it, and snaps it in two across his chest. Electricity crackles and explodes around them. It’s just the distraction Yuji needs.

He uses the wall to jump off of and land a kick across the former gunman’s face. His head and neck twist unnaturally, but Yuji’s far from empathetic.

He lands back on the ground to see the final goon attempting to flee. Yuji uses the last of his strength in his bad arm to shoot two webs further down the street. He leans back, feeling the tension in his web-made slingshot growing, and flings himself forward feet first. He feels his heels connect with the man’s spine before he sees it, and the goon nosedives into the pavement. Yuji doesn’t step off of him until he confirms that the man’s unresponsive.

He double, triple, and quadruple checks the area around them. 10 threats, now neutralized. 10 men in various heaps across the deserted street. For now, Spider-Man has won. For now, Yuji and Megumi are safe.

Megumi.

Yuji spins around. The street is deserted. “Meg? Where did you go? Are you hurt?”

Megumi emerges from a dark corner further up the street. He’s visibly shaken, but he’s not walking with a limp or holding himself in a way that indicates a broken bone or sprain.

“I’m alright,” Megumi says. He attempts a smile and it comes out more like a grimace. 

With the enemies and Megumi accounted for, Yuji finally allows himself to bend at the waist and gulp in lungfuls of air. His exposed eye burns, most likely with debris from the lens break. His arm throbs and twitches with leftover electricity, but he’s regained control of his hand, at least.

The mask practically falls off of his face when Yuji tugs on it. It’s unsalvageable, the right eye ruined and the fabric shredded and bloodied. He winces and tries to focus on next steps through the pain. 

“Okay, we need to get these weapons seized and off the streets.” He turns to Megumi as he mentally takes inventory of the pieces around them. “Do you happen to have your phone on you? My police radio is probably compromised from the blow to the mask.”

Megumi stares, silent and unmoving. His hands are still bound in front of him.

“Ah, right. Sorry,” Yuji says. The rope is tight against Megumi’s skin but the knot is a basic one. Yuji makes quick work of undoing it and rubs gentle fingers over the dark bruises left in its wake.

“It’s you.”

Yuji freezes.

His mask is still in his hand.

He jerks back as if he’d been hit with another supercharged bullet.

Yuji shoves the tattered mask back on. It makes him feel silly, the fabric covering just half of his already exposed face, and he’d find the humor in it if bubbles of panic weren’t already ballooning in his chest.

“Pretend that didn’t just happen. That’s usually not part of the whole crime-fighting thing,” Yuji says. He tries to laugh and it sounds more like a wheeze. 

Megumi’s still staring at him like he doesn’t believe what he’s seeing. Yuji can’t believe it, either. 

“Your eye is swollen-“

Yuji grabs Megumi’s hands before they can reach the remnants of his mask. “Don’t. Please. We- I can’t.”

“You’re hurt, and I’ve already seen your face.” Megumi frowns. “I won’t tell anyone, I swear.” 

“It’s not that. You’ve already become a target by being so close to me. Any closer, any more lines crossed, and it’ll just become more dangerous for you.”

“I’m right where I want to be,” Megumi says. He says it so easily, so obviously, that it steals Yuji’s breath from his lungs. “I’m right where I’ve wanted to be for months. No amateur criminal is taking this away from me.”

Yuji shakes his head and fights to keep the smile off of his face. He’s trying to be serious, dammit. “They’re not all amateurs, Meg. Some of them are really dangerous.”

“I believe you. But I also believe that there’s something here. That there’s been something here. I believe I’m not alone in feeling that way.”

The next time Megumi reaches for his face, Yuji releases his hold. He doesn’t move to take off the mask, just holds Yuji’s face in his hands. Yuji lets his eyes slip close.

The responsible, Superhero part of Yuji would pull away and insist they keep their distance. Neither of them know what threats lay on the horizon, who’s waiting to jump at the opportunity to take this away from him.

The wholly human part of Yuji doesn’t remember the last time he was touched so tenderly. He’s still in pain, his body still screams at him to rest, but he can only focus on the warmth where Megumi holds him.

“Megumi.”

“I’m right where I want to be,” he repeats, barely audible, “and I think you are, too.”

Police sirens wail in the distance. Someone must’ve called in the gunshots. Yuji estimates that they’ve got 8 minutes, maybe 10, before they find themselves in the middle of a long, complicated police investigation. 

“You should get going. You don’t want to get roped into police questioning.”

“You should come with me,” Megumi says. “It’s been a long night. You should make sure I get home safely.”

He’s still cupping Yuji’s face like he’s something worth holding. And what’s Yuji supposed to say to that?”

“Okay,” is his answer. “Yeah, okay.”

XXX

Megumi takes the subway to his apartment. Yuji doesn’t protest, not fully trusting his ability to swing with another person in his arms right now, but still rides on top of Megumi’s train car the whole way.

Megumi rolls his eyes when Yuji insists on climbing through the window (“It’s not a good look for Spider-Man to be walking through anyone’s apartment building. Trust me.”) but directs him to which one leads to his bedroom anyways. Yuji waits on the roof while Megumi traverses his building and finally slides his window open.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous and right,” Yuji whispers as he climbs inside.

Megumi shuts and locks the window behind him. “Stay here. I can grab an ice pack for your eye-”

Yuji stops him with a hand around his wrist. “It’ll be fine. Can we take a shower?”

Megumi raises his eyebrows.

“Not like that! I didn’t mean like that, I’m just gross and don’t want to get dirt and bad-guy blood everywhere, and you probably want to shower too, but-”

“You go shower,” Megumi interrupts, putting him out of his misery and directing him to the en suite bathroom, “and I’ll grab the ice pack.”

Yuji leaves the bathroom door cracked and takes his time maneuvering his throbbing arm out of his suit. His face undeniably took the brunt of the damage, the skin around his eye already turning yellow as it fights to rapidly heal itself.

He closes his eyes and lets the hot spray of the shower wash over him. Post-fight showers are usually comforting, and one part of his job that he looks forward to the most. But here, he grows more restless with each passing moment. He’s surrounded by things that remind him of Megumi — his smell is in the shampoo, the body wash, even in the laundry detergent engrained in the towels on the rack. If he focuses his hearing, he can hear the man pattering around the rest of the apartment. He abruptly stops his eavesdropping when he hears Megumi go into the second bathroom.

He immerses his head fully under the water and forces the Megumi-focused thoughts from his mind.

A fresh towel, a pair of sweatpants, and an old t-shirt are folded and waiting for Yuji on the bathroom counter when he turns the shower off. He emerges from the bathroom in a cloud of steam and finds Megumi in a similar state, dressed in fresh clothes with a damp towel around his neck.

Megumi watches him fold his suit and place it by the window.

“This is so…strange,” he says. He takes a seat on the edge of his bed and Yuji joins him. “You really are just a guy wearing a suit.”

Yuji laughs. “A little bit more than that, but yeah, that’s mainly it.”

“Do you have a non-Spider related name?”

Yuji takes a breath before he responds. “Yuji. Yuji Itadori.”

Megumi smiles. It’s one of those ones he seems to reserve just for Yuji, slow and shy. Yuji’s stomach flips over on itself.

“Nice to meet you, Yuji Itadori.”

Yuji scoots closer. The bed creaks beneath him.

“You said that you don’t think you’re alone in feeling that there’s something here.” Yuji says, dropping his voice to a whisper. He’s leaning into the pull that is Megumi Fushiguro once again, and he doesn’t want to do anything to risk popping such a delicate bubble.

Megumi wets his lips. Yuji watches him and doesn’t look away.

“You should rest. You’re still healing-“

Yuji leans closer. He’s still staring at Megumi’s mouth. “I’m okay.”

“Your face is bruised and your arm was electrocuted-“

“It’s fine now.”

“Yuji-“

“Megumi.”

Yuji leans ever closer. He can feel the puffs of Megumi’s breath against his face.

He bumps his nose against Megumi’s. “I’m right where I want to be.”

Megumi kisses him. It’s quick and chaste at first, like it surprised him as much as it surprised Yuji, but then he’s gripping Yuji’s shirt in his fist and pulling their mouths together again. Yuji groans and presses himself closer. The smell of him, the drag of Megumi’s mouth against his, the heat of his hand on Yuji’s chest, are all blending together and making his head spin.

Yuji pulls away to kiss the side of Megumi’s jaw and down his neck. Megumi sighs and tips his head back. “Yuji-”

“I’ve been wanting you to say my name for months,” Yuji whispers. He pulls the towel from around Megumi’s shoulders and lets it fall to the floor.

“It’s a nice name,” Megumi pants when Yuji tugs on his earlobe with his teeth. He yanks on the shirt still gripped in his hand. “I’ll say it more if you take this off.”

Yuji jumps from the bed so quickly that he almost makes himself dizzy. Megumi laughs outright and Yuji can’t help but laugh with him.

He’s shedded his shirt and is pushing his sweatpants down when he realizes Megumi hasn’t moved. “This isn’t a striptease. Take yours off, too.”

Megumi lifts his hips and pulls his sweats down without getting off of the bed. “But you were giving me such a good show.”

Yuji feels his cheeks flame. He focuses on not tripping over his pant legs instead of responding.

Megumi directs him onto his back before Yuji can climb back to bed. He straddles him with one graceful swing of his leg, and before Yuji can begin to appreciate that image, Megumi cups his face with both hands and kisses him again. It’s entirely different from their first kiss, slick and heated and desperate. Yuji grasps Megumi’s wrists when he licks into Yuji’s mouth, both to keep Megumi close and to ground himself so he doesn’t melt into the sheets.

“How do you want to do this?” Yuji asks when Megumi pulls away. Megumi doesn’t answer immediately, more focused on kissing his way down Yuji’s neck and chest. 

“Just want you to lay back and relax,” Megumi mumbles against Yuji’s sternum. “I’ll do all the work.”

Yuji lifts his head. “You don’t have to-”

“Want to.”

“Megumi-”

“Yuji.” Megumi lifts his head. His eyes are dark. His lips are red and kiss swollen. Yuji’s not going to survive the night.

He runs a hand down Yuji’s chest, lets his fingers bump over his ribcage. “You spend all of your time and energy protecting the city, protecting me. Let me do this for you.”

All Yuji can manage is a weak “If you’re sure” in response. Megumi kisses his chest.

“I’m sure. You don’t have to-”

Megumi tries to press Yuji’s arm to the mattress. His hand slips. Yuji gasps and wrenches his hand away and Megumi spooks.

“Shit, sorry, did I hurt you?” He rushes. “I knew we should’ve-”

“Meg, I’m fine.” Yuji says, soothing his hands up Megumi’s bare thighs. He stops before he accidentally distracts himself. “You just brushed my web shooter and it caught me off guard.”

Megumi blinks. “Your…what?”

Yuji holds his arm out. “My web shooter. Look.”

Megumi takes his arm hesitantly and gives him a dubious look. “I thought the webs came from a mechanic in your- whatthefuck?”

Megumi traces a light finger around the thin slit in Yuji’s wrist.

“No, they’re organic. A result of the spider mutation.”

“And they hurt when they’re touched?”

“Nah, I wouldn’t say hurt. You just surprised me.”

Megumi glances at him. His finger brushes directly over the slit, just once. A shock of something, unfamiliar and strange and too-much-not-enough, zips up Yuji’s spine. He jerks in Megumi’s hold and gasps.

Megumi’s eyes widen.

“Megumi-”

He brushes it again, more deliberately this time. 

Yuji whimpers and pulls his arm free. The room goes quiet save for the creaking of the bedframe and Yuji’s panting breath.

“Okay,” Yuji says slowly, “they don’t hurt, but I would say they’re…sensitive.”

“Sensitive,” Megumi echoes faintly. He’s staring at Yuji like he just revealed the secrets of the universe. “We’re testing how sensitive they are next time.”

All Yuji can do is nod, his brain stopping all function at the words next time.

Megumi resumes his path down Yuji’s body. He licks between Yuji’s pecks, bites at his abs, kisses the hairs on his lower abdomen.

“I’m a little rusty,” Megumi admits. His cheeks are pink and Yuji reaches out to trace the color with his thumb. “If you don’t like something, just…tell me.”

Without another warning, Megumi’s wrapping a hand around his cock and his lips around the cockhead.

“Jesus, fuck-”

Dark eyes stay glued to his as Megumi begins to bob his head and twist his wrist. Yuji buries a hand in Megumi’s hair and has to squeeze his eyes shut to not come just from the sight alone.

Yuji moans when he feels blunt nails dig into his thigh. “Meg-”

Megumi pulls off and licks wet stripes up his shaft. “Keep your eyes open. Want you to watch.”

Yuji whines even as he does what he’s told. The longest strands of Megumi’s hair are falling in his face. His eyes are half lidded. His cheeks are still pink when he hollows them and makes Yuji’s toes curl against the comforter.

Megumi takes him deeper and deeper until his nose bumps Yuji’s stomach. Yuji’s hold in Megumi’s hair turns to a desperate tug. “Megumi, I – ah, fuck – this is all going to be over embarrassingly fast if you don’t – ngh! – pull off.”

Megumi relents with one final bob of his head. He releases Yuji with a pop and Yuji hauls him back up into a dirty kiss. He moans into Megumi’s mouth, reveling in the taste of himself on Megumi’s tongue.

Megumi kisses along his cheek and jaw, gentle around the tender skin of his bruised eye. “Can you reach my nightstand?”

Yuji nods, using the hand not running up Megumi’s back to blindly reach out until it connects. There’s a singular drawer, and Yuji rustles around until he feels what Megumi’s probably looking for, a bottle of lube and a condom.

Yuji shakes the half full bottle pointedly when Megumi sits up. He huffs and takes it without meeting Yuji’s eyes.

“What? You develop a crush on a masked man who lifts cars and passes out Halloween candy and your imagination gets a bit creative.”

Yuji preens. Megumi rolls his eyes and pops the lube cap open.

“Shut up.”

“Didn’t say anything.”

“But you were thinking something.”

Yuji grins and squeezes Megumi’s thighs. He watches him warm lube in his fingers and reach behind himself.

“You want me to-”

“Nope,” Megumi bats Yuji’s hand away with his free one, “I got it.”

“But I can-”

“Busy yourself with the condom if you want to be helpful.”

Another grin fights its way onto Yuji’s face. “I didn’t realize you were going to be so bossy.”

Megumi smirks. It takes him a moment to pry his eyes open. “Any complaints?”

Yuji shakes his head against a pillow. His hair is probably a mess. “Nope.”

Megumi nods, eyes slipping closed as he refocuses. Yuji follows directions again and rips open the condom as Megumi works himself open.

Before long, Megumi’s blinking back to the present and wrapping his lubed hand around Yuji. He takes a breath as he lines them up and slowly begins to slide downward. Yuji digs his fingers into Megumi’s thighs and closes his eyes against the sensation. 

Megumi waits until he’s fully seated to speak again. He drums his fingers on Yuji’s chest. “Keep your eyes open.”

“Cut me some slack, Meg,” Yuji laughs breathlessly. “I’m trying to last longer than the next 90 seconds.”

Megumi lifts up and slams back down again in response, pulling a gasp from both of them. 

Yuji’s hands slide up from Megumi’s thighs to grip his waist as he starts a languid rhythm. Megumi tips his head back and rolls his hips, and Yuji would call him out on breaking their eye contact if he wasn’t entranced by the image – the vision – of the man above him.

Megumi’s smell is in the sheets below him, his skin is soft in Yuji’s hands, his pale chest is flushed and heaving as he moves. Yuji’s mind races to remember each and every detail, almost delirious with just how good Megumi feels.

“God, I wish you could see what you look like,” Yuji pants. Sweat’s pooling at his temples, in the dips of his collarbones. “You’re fucking unreal.”

Megumi brings his head forward to look at him. His eyes are glazed over, mouth parted as he gasps for breath.

“Says you,” he responds. “I just watched you – fuck – snap a gun in half with your bare hands. I didn’t even know a person could do that.”

Yuji smirks and lowers his gaze so he doesn’t do something stupid like come just at the look on Megumi’s face. “All for you, babe.”

Megumi squeezes his eyes shut. He leans forward to balance his hands on Yuji’s chest as he picks up the pace. “Yeah, just- just keep talking.”

Yuji’s ego won’t be able to fit back out the window at this rate. 

“This is so fucking unfair,” he mutters. “How am I supposed to focus on anything else knowing you sound like this?” He snaps his hips up to match Megumi’s tempo and Megumi cries out. “How can I think of anything else besides you?”

He starts spouting anything that comes to mind, sweet nothings and dirty compliments and everything in between, and it all spurs Megumi on. He doesn’t seem to be aware of the sounds he’s making, soft moans of ah-ah-ah barely heard over the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing in the room.

“Yuji,” Megumi says as a warning, and Yuji almost cries in relief that it’s not just him tipping dangerously close to the edge. Megumi sits back up, his legs shaking as he continues to lift and lower himself. “I’m getting close-”

Yuji doesn’t stop talking. He grips Megumi’s hips harder, plants a foot on the bed to thrust into Megumi more consistently. “You feel so fucking incredible. So good, so good, so good-”

Megumi shouts as he comes across Yuji’s stomach and his own. The sight alone almost makes Yuji follow right after him.

“Megumi,” Yuji whispers. He rolls his hips once, twice, and a third time, trying to regain some semblance of the pace that Megumi had set. The man above him looks like he’s in a daze, jaw slack and eyes barely open, but he uses the last of his strength to lift and lower his hips again.

“Want your hand,” Megumi says. Yuji obliges, of course he does, and Megumi presses soft, slick kisses into his palm. It’s such a contrast to the dirty grind they’ve found themselves in, but it still makes Yuji’s heart feel close to bursting. Then Megumi’s eyes are focusing on his, and he flicks his tongue across Yuji’s web shooter. Yuji hurtles over the edge with a sharp cry.

Yuji hears Megumi faceplant into the pillow next to him before his brain has fully come back online. 

He grabs the abandoned bath towel from the floor and cleans them both as best as he can with his waning energy. He still feels gross, and he undoubtedly will need another shower, but he can’t bring himself to care.

“I think that was the best sex of my life,” Yuji whispers at the ceiling. “Actually, I don’t think it was. It was.”

Megumi blindly slaps a hand against Yuji’s chest. “Ditto,” he mumbles sleepily.

Yuji takes Megumi’s hand and presses a kiss to his knuckles. The last thing he sees before he drifts off is Megumi smiling against his pillowcase.

XXX

Yuji wakes in increments, which is new. There’s no early morning train screaming past his window and startling him awake, no sun rays passing through thin blinds and shining directly in his eyes.

The room is dark and blissfully quiet. His cheek is warm, warmer than the rest of his body, and he only has to shift a little bit to find out why. 

Megumi is fast asleep beneath him, lips slightly parted and dark hair wild against his pillow. Yuji's head rises and falls with the man’s deep breathing. He doesn’t know how they became so entangled throughout the night, but this moment, this warmth, is more than enough to lure Yuji back into restful sleep.

A phone alarm blares on the other side of the room just as Yuji’s eyes slip closed. He groans as the familiar early-morning-shock washes over him.

Megumi barely stirs. “My alarm,” he explains, his voice still heavy with sleep. “Gotta open the shop.”

“Noooo,” Yuji rubs his cheek against Megumi’s chest. “You’re warm. Stay.”

“Maki would kill me,” Megumi says, even as he rubs an arm up Yuji’s back and makes no move to get up. “Don’t you also have things to do?”

“Crime took a day off. They just told me,” Yuji says. Megumi snorts. “Can we go back to sleep now?”

“Not unless you want to be banned from this apartment for being a bad influence.”

Yuji sighs, officially admitting defeat. 

Megumi’s phone is still screeching. Yuji webs it and pulls it onto the bed to hit snooze.

“I still have so many questions,” Megumi says, eyeing the webbing stuck to the back of his phone.

“I promise to answer them all when I’m more clothed and more awake.”

Yuji props his chin on Megumi’s chest and stares unabashedly. He’s still as gorgeous as he was on that rooftop, still as gorgeous as he was when he pulled that knife on him. Yuji’s heart squeezes in his chest.

Megumi reaches out and runs gentle fingers down Yuji’s face. Yuji closes his eyes and leans into the touch. 

“I wasn’t expecting the pink hair,” Megumi admits. Yuji smiles. 

“I wanted something that was for me. The rest of my body, my voice, my mannerisms,  are also Spider-Man’s. The pink hair is just mine.”

Megumi hums. “I like it. I never thought pink hair would suit someone, but it suits you.”

“I’m really enjoying your pillow talk, Meg.”

“Shut up.”

Yuji hums, more than okay with letting Megumi’s touch wander as it pleases and secretly drifting back to sleep.

“I can’t believe the cute guy from my shop is Spider-Man.”

Yuji grins. Megumi’s blushing when he opens his eyes, but he doesn’t look away.

“I thought you were staring because you’d somehow figured me out.”

Megumi shakes his head. “You should’ve heard the shit Maki was talking. I didn’t live that down for-”

Megumi groans and checks the time on his phone. He pulls a face when his hand touches the webbing residue and Yuji laughs. 

“Speaking of, Maki’s going to kill both of us if I’m late. And we need to shower before leaving this room.”

Yuji finally heaves himself off the bed and helps Megumi to his feet. “Sounds like we should shower together, save some time,” he says with an exaggerated shoulder shimmy. Megumi rolls his eyes and pushes past him.

He follows Megumi into the en suite and wraps his arms around Megumi’s waist.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” Yuji whispers.

Megumi pauses with his toothbrush raised halfway to his face. He catches Yuji’s eyes in the bathroom mirror.

“About keeping your secret? Of course. I would never-”

Yuji shakes his head and kisses Megumi’s shoulder. “Not that. Though I do appreciate that. I mean when you said there would be- there could be- a next time. With us.”

“Yuji, I cleaned your blood off my kitchen counter and carried around a handmade muffin for hours just on the off chance that I’d run into you on Halloween. I’ve been a lost cause for a while.” Megumi raises an eyebrow. “The question is if you want a next time-”

“Of course!” Yuji rushes. Megumi smirks at him through the mirror and Yuji clears his throat. “Of course I want that. Of course I want you.”

Megumi nods once. “Good. Glad we cleared that up. But if I can’t take a shower in the next five minutes, I swear-”

Yuji holds his hands up in surrender. “Fine, I’m going, I’m going!”

XXX

“I just don’t know how this keeps happening!”

“It’s really no problem-”

“I’ve been getting better at keeping her contained, I really have-”

“Mrs. Hernandez!” Yuji laughs as he hands Whiskers back to her owner. “It’s a tradition I look forward to when I’m on this side of town, at this point. It’s really no problem.”

The woman doesn’t look convinced as she cradles her cat to her chest. “Well, it’s a good thing you’ve found yourself over here so often lately, or I’d be worried for Whiskers’ safety.”

It’s a trap, and Yuji knows it. There are very few answers he can give to cleanly sidestep the impending line of questioning.

“I’m just trying to be as helpful as I can, ma’am,” is Yuji’s most heartfelt attempt.

“And I’m sure that bakery boy really appreciates all the help,” Mrs. Hernandez smirks. 

Mission failure. Denial will just help Yuji dig himself a deeper hole. “I really should get going-”

“I don’t mean to prod. He just seems good for you,” the woman says. She reaches out and squeezes his arm. “I’ve never seen your face, but you seem happier, lighter.”

Yuji cups her hand. “Thank you. I am,” he says sincerely. She gives him a genuine smile.

“Good.”

“I really do have to go, though-”

“Go, go. Don’t let me keep you. And tell him I said hello!” Mrs. Hernandez calls after him. 

Yuji slips through the backdoor of Hollow Cafe. Though the commotion of customers and a business in full swing is audible through the kitchen doors, the kitchen itself is quiet and nearly empty. Megumi’s back is to him, his shoulders tensing and moving as he washes his hands in the sink.

Yuji makes it two steps into the kitchen when Megumi speaks. “I can hear you.”

Yuji scoffs and slides behind Megumi. He pokes him in the side and Megumi jerks. “I have snuck past hundreds of security guards and villains with superhearing. How can I never sneak up on you?!”

Megumi turns around and shrugs nonchalantly. He dries his hands with the towel slung over his shoulder. “I guess they didn’t know you like I do.”

Yuji grins, lets Megumi peel the bottom of his mask up just as he’s leaning in to kiss him. “Guess not.”

Yuji only gets two kisses in before Megumi pulls away. “I have another pastry I want you to try.”

“I want you first,” Yuji mumbles. He pulls Megumi close and kisses the spot behind his ear that never fails to make him shiver. “I missed you.”

“You saw me two nights ago.”

“Don’t care. How’s the shop been today?”

Megumi tips his head back with a hum. “It’s been good. Some people have been asking when you’re coming back again.”

Yuji kisses Megumi’s pulse. “Whenever you want me to.”

“What I want is for you to try these new scones that we’re experimenting with-”

Yuji pulls away with a laugh. “Sure, sure, I’ll try it.” 

Megumi glares when Yuji refuses to let him go and they have to shuffle to the corner of the kitchen together. He pulls a glass lid off of a plate of pastries and holds one up to Yuji’s mouth.

“Let me know if you can taste the orange,” Megumi says as Yuji takes a bite. “Maki thinks it’s too much that it overpowers the cranberry, but I honestly don’t think it’s enough-”

Yuji cocks his head as he chews. “I think it’s really good.”

Megumi gives him a look. “You say that with everything.”

“Everything you make is good,” Yuji shrugs, “But I do think the orange already comes through well enough.”

Megumi nods and looks at the pastry in his hands. “Good. I’ll let Maki know.”

Yuji presses a kiss to Megumi’s forehead before finally untangling himself and stepping away. “I have to get back to my patrols. Are we still on for tonight?”

Megumi smiles and leans against the kitchen counter. “Yeah. I’ll see you tonight, Spider-Man.”

Yuji smiles and rushes back for one last kiss before pulling his mask back in place. “I’ll see you tonight.”