Hanging On By a Web

2

"What are you doing here?" He asked, unlacing Gio's wrist from the web.

"Came to see you, you left without a word." Gio replied bluntly, trying to ignore the pain in the wrist he was focusing his energy on to maybe heal it quicker.

"So you snuck through my home and watched me n my sister? You know Maya loves you."

"I keep myself mysterious."

He chuckled and Gio could see that he was nibbling on his lip as he finished unlacing his wrists, Gio held the messed up one protectively and winced at the touch, he was gently undoing Gio's ankles and after a few awkwardly quiet minutes he was sitting criss cross on his bed. Hobie zipped up his jacket and sat next to him, smiling. Gio was not.

"Hobie. Why'd you leave without a word?" Gio demanded to know, he sighed and he could see the gears turning in his head like he was concocting the perfect response, or maybe he really was just thinking about why, maybe he didn't even know. And there went the lip biting again.

"I didn't leave to spite anyone, except maybe Miguel but who wouldn't y'know? Family issues really kept me away, I'd come home that last night with you lot and my dad had been throwing things about the house, not at any of my siblings which is what kept me from annihalating him in that very second, but like he was looking for something, or someone. He found out that night I was Spiderman. I'd webbed his hands to the counter." He chuckled but only at the last bit. "I wasn't trying to upset anyone, I just had to be where things were a touch more important. He's not angry with me by the way, he was looking for Mum, and was rather thankful I was there to keep him from hurting any of the kids. They all know now too."

"Are you still Spiderman here?" I asked quietly.

"Yea, I am, just a bit extra communication and I can hear them downstairs talking about some news clipping I was in." Gio could hear it too.

"I'm just glad you're okay."

"Me too, anyways, what you doin', how's Miles?"

"Uh not much, applying for colleges and saving the city. He's been a little off recently but Mamí hasn't hopped off his case. Honestly, I think she knows something is up with him. They don't know how to approach me though." Gio sighed, looking down. "Hey, uhm. Do you have pants and a shirt I could borrow?"

Hobie smirked, rolling his eyes and standing up to his dresser. "American pants or British pants?"

"Oh uhm American pants, trousers if I must call them, please."

Hobie mumbled to himself as he opened the drawers and fished out what he was looking for, tossing them to Gio who went to the bathroom to change. He could hear the younger kids out in the hallway and made himself invisible so he wouldnt scare any of them. He came back and sat down on Hobie's bed, putting his folded up suit on the dresser.

"Well don't you just look ravishing?"

"Don't start." Gio warned leaning back and relaxing his body for the first time in a while. He had missed this room, Hobie, the comfort he felt when he was off the grid and in another dimension. He even figured out how to disable the tracking feature so Miguel wouldn't catch on. Of course, he knew where Gio was and what he was doing but he didn't particularly feel like breaking it up right now. Hobie looked over to his friend and sighed, he did miss Gio, he missed Miles and Gwen and Pav and Margo but Miguel knew just the right way to get under his skin and piss him the hell off. He shuddered at the thought and leaned against the wall, brushing his fingers over the un-tuned strings of his guitar.

"You still in the band or did consistency bother you again?" Gio mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Oh uh yeah, still with them." Hobie replied, standing up to flop himself down on the bed next to Gio. The bed jumped slightly and Gio opened his eyes, looking to Hobie like he was the only important thing in the universe.

"Hey what time is it here?" Gio questioned, sitting up in a panic.

"'Round eight I think."

"Shit! I didn't tell Miles I was going somewhere, I'll be right back I swear."

Gio jumped up and popped open a portal, stepping through and hearing the familiar pop of it closing behind him and landed in his room, looking around before opening the door and peering into the hallway, where it looked like Miles had been waiting for him.

"Heeeyyyy Miles." Gio said, very obviously trying to act cool. Miles looked him up and down and then smirked.

"Looks like you got impatient, yeah G?" Miles teased. "I don't remember you having those pants but oh, wait! Aren't they Hobie's?" Gio flashed a threatening look and scowled at his brother.

"I came home to tell mom I'm staying at Miki's. Please don't rat me out."

"Never! I was thinking of going to Gwen's anyways."

"After what happened last time? Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Hey! ¡No te preocupes! It'll be fine, I think maybe he's over it. Mamís not home."

"Shit, I'll call her."

Gio pulled out his phone and called their mom, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. She picked up and sounded very stressed.

"Hola Mijo, what's up?" His mom asked as she picked it up.

"Hey mamí, can I go stay at Miki's? It's the weekend and I don't have any homework, promesa!"

"I suppose, is Miles going with you?"

"Nah! He was gonna ask if he could go to Gwen's."

"That's fine, both of you keep me updated. I love you!"

"¡Te amo, mamí! Adios."

Gio hung up the phone and smiled at his brother who was also beaming with excitement. Miles high fived Gio, thanking him for asking their mom for him and they went to their rooms to grab bags to take with them.

"How long are you staying at Hobie's?" Miles yelled from the other room, Gio shrugged even though he couldn't see it. He really wasn't sure.

"I dunno, a day maybe two if mom'll let me."

"Goodluck, she's been on my ass."

"Cuz you're sneaky, Miles."

"Am not! I just got things to do, that's all."

"Uh huh, sure. Tell Gwen hi for me, I'm off."

"Same to Hobie, tell him don't be a stranger steppah."

"Yeah whatever."

Gio opened the portal back up and stepped through, appearing in Hobie's bedroom, the tall man smiled.

"Thought you'd never come back."