Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ran sits, phone in hand, glued to the smooth plastic of the mass produced chair common to US high schools. The soft thrum of music going from the soft tipped earbuds into his ears, his leg bouncing slightly off beat. He taps boredly at his phone, a yellow dot moving around a map, eating other (smaller) dots before being stopped abruptly by little coloured ghosts as the door to his left swings open diverting his attention. He raises his eyes to meet those of Mr Eatspants, as his throat is cleared he takes the earbuds out tentatively. A bored, monotone voice echoes down the hall. "Ran, I'd like you to meet Toby." Mr Eatspants, rarely seen out of his office, gestures to a short brown haired boy with bright blue shoes and a sweater with a duck on. Ran raises a hand in a half assed attempt at a wave, moving to stand and putting his phone in his back pocket. Toby smiles at him briefly before turning back to Mr Eatspants "Ran, as you know, will be showing you round the school." Mr Eatspants glances at Ran, this was obviously for his benefit. "Unfortunately I can't do it myself, I had prior arrangements for this time,” He glances at a non existent watch on his wrist, Ran knows that if Mr Eatspants can get away with not doing something - he will. “and you were a bit of a last minute surprise." Toby seems unphased at what, to Ran, sounds like an accusation. "I can assure you that Ran is one of our best pupils, perfect for the job of escorting you round. You're in good hands." He sounds like he’s reading off a script. Toby nods, saying a quiet thank you. Mr Eatpants turns away, "I'll leave you to it.'' He closes the door, shutting off the stench of body odour and smoke and leaving Toby and Ran alone together.

The corridor seems to stretch on forever, Ran had been told he'd be showing round a new student but he hadn't expected it to be someone his age or British. He had a lot more work on his plate than he'd planned for. "Where to big man?" He chimes, rocking up onto his tip toes and back down again. Ran can feel the back of his neck tingle, it's a different kind of tingle than the tingle. This was just anxiety, he could feel it pooling in his stomach and pulling at his collar, creeping into his hands. "Right, yeah..." He gestures to the door behind him, "That's Mr Eatspants office."
"Well, yeah. I know that." Toby smiles up at him, which puts him more at ease; at least his small attempt at a joke was humoured, for once. "Follow me."

They walk the corridors, Ran pointing out Tobys classes that line up almost perfectly with his own. Who is this kid? Thinking he can take all the sciences, along with math and computing AND music. At least Ran had English to hold over him (the guy was English for god's sake).

The walls are painted a dull yellow, the lockers grey with faded stickers and worn out posters advertising new bands, clubs and charity events. They come across Niki, the student council leader, with a growing pile of red and green balloons. Hand painted signs with, "thank you spiderboo" written on them leaning against the wall. The halls are empty except for that, everyone else sat in their classes. Ran takes Toby to his locker, number 81. Shows him how to jimmy the scuffed locks, helping him scrape off an old piece of chewing gum from the inner walls and handing him his things to put inside. "Do they do this for every newbie, or just the English ones?" Toby asks, slotting his last textbook beside the others. Ran assumes he means the escorting, "Um, I'm not sure. Can't remember the last time we had someone new." Toby considers this. "Nothing much exciting must happen then." He closes the locker shut, stooping to pick his bag up from the floor. Ran shrugs, if he only knew. "Well, that's all about to change." Toby says mischievously as he stands again. Ran laughs nervously, fiddling with the cord of his necklace. Toby scoffs, "I'm only joking big man, I'm as boring as boring can be!" He turns away from him, walking down a corridor they had yet to explore. Ran didn't believe for a second that Toby was 'boring', he'd only known him an hour and he'd already made him feel at ease, confused and startled all at once. He had a feeling that this one would be trouble. Or maybe, he'd never talk to him again; when Toby realises that he's a total loser with no friends to speak of.

--

“It’s been two weeks since the attack on local highschools across California where the vigilante known as “Spiderboo'' came to the rescue preventing violent escalation. And while the leader of the gang of masked assailants that initiated these attacks got away, the public is in safe hands while Spiderboo’s around, with help from your local emergency services, as always. If you or anyone you know see armed thugs wearing red track suits, get to safety immediately and contact the police using 911. In other news, in some states rules are changing on how final exams are graded, in the past…”

Ran flips the TV remote in his hand thoughtfully, pondering the day. For once, he had gotten home and not felt the need to swing into action to clear his head. His head was already clear, as if he’d had a cool sip of water and it had coated his brain. And he was tired. He slumps further into the couch, the worn fabric familiar to the skin of his cheek as he sinks even deeper. “Darling?” there's a pause “Honey?” with his face flush with the seat he can’t bring himself to sit up to reply and instead attempts a here! Which sounds more like a dog whining. “Oh, there you are! Oh- Ran Boo Enders I thought you had homework to do! Why are you lying around?” his aunt walks into his small frame of view, squatting down to meet his eyes. Her porcelain skin, despite her age, and deep brown eyes turn from mild annoyance to a caring adoration. “Well, I must say you look quite comfortable flopped like that… Would you like something to eat? I just got some of that fruit you like.” Ran manages a half nod and he hears her footsteps grow further away, turning from dull thuds to little slaps as the floor changes from carpet to tile. He supposes his fatigue was from the day of social activity, something that he is so unused to now. His phone was barely used and still at 60% despite the day being almost over. Toby had given him his number and a twitter handle; Tubboxus. Which Ran had yet to search up. As much of an internet user as he is, his Twitter remains unused except for the occasional scroll through the spiderboo hashtag. He had his tumblr days and since then has kept relatively to himself on the internet. Merely an observer. He brings out his phone, shuffling onto his back so he can see it clearly and navigates to the twitter app. He taps on his own profile first, “Ranaway”, bio pending…, 3 followers; one a bot, two his aunts, location: denial. Tweets; 2. His account looks plain, no personality. The profile picture is a grainy image of some clouds he had taken when he had made the account several years ago. He searches for Tubboxus. “Here you go sweetheart.” She places a small bowl full of neatly sliced purple fruit on the arm of the couch. “Thanks.” She smiles at him kindly, glancing at the tv. “Do we really have to have the news on all the time, Ran?”
“I like to know what's going on in the world.” He reaches an arm above him, the bowl of fruit tipping precariously as he misjudges the placement of it slightly. “Can’t you use that mobile of yours for that? They have apps nowadays, you know.” He brings a slice of the fruit to his mouth, the familiar smell permeating his nose. “I know.” He puts the fruit in his mouth, it crunches as he chews, and leans forward to reach the remote. The screen of the tv goes black and the reflection of the two of them greets him, showing the open room. The coffee table in the centre, the double couches facing each other, the mirror on one wall, the paintings on another, small shelving in one corner and all of it a mixture of browns, reds and yellows. “I’ll leave you to your scrolling, I know how important it is for you teens.” She drifts to the door and pauses looking back at him, “I’m taking a couple extra shifts at the hospital this week so you might have to make some dinners for yourself, if that's alright?” He sits up, turning to face her, bringing the bowl into his lap. “Contrary to popular belief, I can actually look after myself.” He sees her expression turn to a frown, “I mean- yeah. I can do that!” Her smile is back again and she nods. “Lasagne for dinner tonight!” and she disappears through the door.

He powers on his phone again. Toby's profile picture is of a figure holding a blue balloon in front of their face. His bio reads; Seasoned joke maker and homewrecker. Location: California Followers: 200
He begins to scroll through the long thread of tweets, likes and retweets. He comes across mostly meme posts, ranting about a show called ‘family guy’, and an abundance of excitement about space. Ran suddenly feels like he shouldn’t be looking at this, it feels too personal. This is someone he just met today and he is practically stalking them. How will he explain to Toby if he makes a reference about something he’s never said to him in person- He keeps scrolling. Ran notices that there is a period where the tweets start to become less frequent before fizzling out completely for a fair few months. He notices a few likes on some Spiderboo pictures just a couple of weeks ago. He checks who he follows, it's the usual actors, influencers, with a couple of scientists and space nerds sprinkled in. He looks like a guy that has interests, makes jokes and has friends. An average normal dude. Had he expected to find anything else?

He follows Tubboxus, shuts off his phone and lays back on the couch.

Chapter Text

For once, Ran had found sleep came to him easily. The chatter on his stolen police radio had been merely background noise and he had drifted off content with his day. This was ruined, however, by the incessant beeping of his bedside alarm the next morning.

He slams the snooze button, and when he looks at his hand to see why it feels all tingly, it is covered in small plastic shards. Another clock smashed. He groans, pulling his pillow over his eyes. He’ll have to buy another set of 2 from Amazon. He counts to ten, hyping himself up to get out of bed. He soon finds his way downstairs, fed, dressed and with his backpack slung on his back, out the front door.

Ran slips his earphones in, making his way through the front door, keeping his head down. He takes in the usual morning bustle, Niki looking exasperated over some graffiti on her locker, Fundy skateboarding down the corridors, Jack laughing as Tommy dumps yet another poor freshman's bag into a bin. Ran skirts round this, beelining for his own locker to pick up his books for the day. He yanks open the sticky door, feeling at the back for a pile of small notebooks- “Hey!” Ran jumps, almost dropping the book in his hand. He tilts the door ajar and peering round the edge is Toby. Ran takes out one of his earbuds, if only to appear polite. “Hi.” He finishes getting his books out, piling them unceremoniously in his arms before attempting to slide them into his bag which lies half open on the floor. “Lemme help.” Toby leans down to hold Rans bag open- “Oh, you really don’t have to-” Toby lifts his bag off the floor and holds it up expectantly. Ran deposits the books in carefully. “Thanks.” Ran smiles, the most successful transfer from locker to bag he’s ever managed.

“Need someone to help tie your shoe laces too, giraffe?” The loud taunting voice makes Toby turn. Ran sighs, his smile gone, shoulders sagging. Well crap. Toby was about to find out how much of a loser he was. “Maybe you need to look in the mirror.” Toby folds his arms, looking pointedly at Tommy's untied shoelaces. Tommy spits on the floor, sneering. “And you need a mouse to stand up for you? Pathetic.” Ran turns towards him then, eyes to the ground. He could sense what was coming. “Almost as pathetic as having no parents.” His cronies, Jack and Eryn, laugh behind him. Toby seems to shake, Ran can’t tell if it’s with anger or fear until he snaps at them, “Fuck off and go learn your timetables. Don’t want ‘miss’ to have to humiliate you again.” Tommy looks stunned for a moment, “Shut up you illiterate fuck. Yeah that's right, I can swear too. Just coz I don’t sound all posh doesn’t mean I can’t.” He splutters. Soft footsteps approach from behind. A throat is cleared, “Tommy, please leave them alone. I know I wouldn’t want to tell your dad you’re harassing SMP High's brightest.” Tommy goes white for a second, glaring at the speaker. “Piss off.” Jack looks apologetically at Niki as they skulk off. “Sorry about them Toby, they aren’t always like that…” She watches them as they turn the corner at the end of the hall. “For some reason I don’t think that’s true.” Toby is still glowering, a soft anger coming off him in waves. “Oh! Ran while I’ve got you, do you think you could be the boy representative for talking to the police visitors today?” Rans worst nightmare. “Um, do you think you could find someone else?” Niki's face drops slightly, then is replaced by a slightly more forced smile, “Sure thing.” She gives them both a wave before walking off, presumably in the direction of her first class. Ran fiddles with the straps on his bag, trying to avoid Toby's gaze. “It's ok, they didn’t mean it.” Ran mutters. It had really only taken this long for his deepest secret to be laid out to him. One of them at least. Toby shakes his head, “Dickhead wankers, the lot of them.” Ran laughs, it comes as much a surprise to him as it does to Toby. Between gasps he manages out, “That is the most British thing I’ve ever heard.” Toby looks at him, an incredulous what?! on his lips. The anger seems to wash off of Toby's hunched shoulders. And they are interrupted by a loud bell.

—

“Would Ran Enders and Niki Nihachu please come to the office.” A crackling voice announces over the tannoy. Ran is dismissed by his teacher, they are used to it by now, he slings his bag on his right shoulder and tries to suppress a scowl. He reaches the office in no time at all, recognising a uniformed blonde accompanied by a tall, broad shouldered man with a pink stripe in his tied back hair. Niki is already talking to them, her smart black trousers and plain knit jumper make more sense now that he thinks about it. Ran reflects on his own oversized colour block hoodie and scuffed jeans, thinking that he maybe should have dressed more appropriately for the police visit to their school. Then again, he hadn’t thought it would be him to meet them. Niki notices his approach and gives him an apologetic smile, he forces what he hopes is an accepting and open smile in return but senses that it misses the mark. “Ah, you must be Ran. I’ve heard a lot about you from my Tommy.” Police Captain Phil Sleeboin, renowned crime fighter, loved by many and according to Tommy, haver of many wives. Although to Rans knowledge, he has only one and she seems lovely. It’s times like these that Ran wonders how it went so wrong for Phil's children. Ran gives him a cheap smile, glancing at the large figure to his right. He wonders what Tommy tells Phil about him, is it the number of times he’s been shoved in a hedge, been the receiver of thrown items or the thing that Tommy finds the most hilarious, flaunting the death of Rans parents at every given moment. “I hear that things have settled down since the attacks the other week? Just thought we’d pop in and give everything a once over.” Phil speaks kindly, looking between Niki and Ran. Niki nods, eyeing Ran to do the same. They begin the walk from corridor to corridor. At first the small talk grates on Rans temper, already being tested by the situation at hand, but the quietude from Phil's companion makes his own seem less awkward and his initial anxiety and anger begins to melt away. He tunes into the conversation as it turns more interesting. “Yeah, we’ve found that in schools that have experienced a major crime event, there tends to be more young people wanting to participate in crime themselves. We have to look active to prevent any of the students here from joining things like gangs and organised crime units. So, how have things been since the attack?” Niki walks him through their mundane school days since then, gesturing to repairing lockers and glass from trophy cases. Ran winces, remembering the glass lodged in his arm from that fight, having to carefully remove and stitch the wound. He returns to the conversation as Niki is showing the various trophies and awards the school had won, her face stuck in an ever polite smile. The “thank you Spiderboo” posters on the walls beside them have already started peeling, some with tears. Phil approaches them, then chuckles. “When do I get a poster saying “Thank you Phil”?” Niki blushes, stuttering, her hands clenching and unclenching. “I guess when you save our school from an attack.” Ran says, clearing his throat to get rid of the raspy tone from disuse. Shit, shit, shit. Phil laughs, turning to pat Ran on the shoulder “I suppose you’re right kid.” Niki gives him a small smile. They go to turn away from the Spiderboo propaganda when Ran asks quietly, “What do you think of him anyway?” Phil looks at him surprised that he’d spoken again, Ran feels a tightness in his stomach, he looks like Tommy when he does that. “Spiderboo?” Ran nods. Unlike Tommy, he considers, “I think we’d get along better if he didn’t wear a mask.”

The large figure that, so far, had said nothing; speaks, “And that's where we disagree, captain. Sometimes masks are necessary to get what's needed done.” Ran is startled at his voice, low and quiet but with a power behind it that would make anyone stop and listen. “Perhaps you’re right. But, things need to get done to the letter of the law or it all goes to shit- excuse my language kids- all goes tits up- oh um… all goes wrong.” Ran thinks he likes Phil, and as they continue, what seem to him like guard rounds, he wishes he was as lucky as Tommy to have a dad like him.

—

The school day comes and goes, Ran finds himself at his locker again, jostled by everyone excited to leave. He’s met by Toby, and then he is having major deja vu. “Hey!” Ran smiles at him, this boy was persistent. “How was the office, big man?” Ran shrugs, unlocking his locker. He is tired, people are exhausting. He takes his bag off his back and Toby offers his hands. “Did you not learn from this morning? Apparently I’m supposed to juggle all this into there by myself.” Toby shrugs, his hands unwavering. Ran relents, releasing the bag into his grip. He pulls out the same books he had this morning, taken aback when Toby starts to do the same. Toby gives him a half smile, “It’s faster this way.” They reach the bottom of the pile in no time at all, Toby's hands go in for the final item, lifting it out. A piece of black material snags on the corner of the cover and Ran quickly pushes it out of sight. “Um… I need that one actually.”
“Oh, ok!”

Ran quickly zips his bag up, the both of them turn towards the exit of the school, falling into step. The corridors near empty, a couple stragglers going to detention or wanting to earn some extra credit. “I am fully capable, you know?” Toby nudges him with an elbow “I know, but sometimes it's nice to have some help.” Ran nods, rolling his eyes and they fall into a comfortable quiet as they reach the threshold of the main door. “What are you up to tonight?” Toby asks when they come to a stop on the steps outside the school. Ran shrugs, he can’t tell Toby what he’ll actually be up to. “Maybe take my dog on a walk or something.” He puts a hand in his pocket, hand curling around his unworn earbuds. He wants to swing from building to building, feeling the air rush past him and blast obscenely loud music in his ears. “Sounds fun.” Toby smiles at him, squinting his eyes at the sun and having to crane his neck up, he looks suddenly nervous. “Um, I don’t really have a guide around here. I was wondering, and you don’t have to obviously- but, yeah I was wondering-”
“Do you wanna come walk my dog with me?” Shit.
“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Toby looks relieved, his hunching shoulders relaxing again. Why had Ran done that, he’d already not gone out as Spiderboo the night before and crime always needed attending to- a potential friend beams up at him, brown hair tinted blond at the ends from the sun's rays, jumper sleeves bunched at his elbows, bright orange backpack half open from absent mindedness. Maybe, he could take another day off, the world doesn't need saving every day.

Ran asks Toby if he wants to stop home first to drop off his things but he insists that it's not a ‘hassle’ to carry his bag and so they go straight to Ran’s, collecting his dog, Frisbee, leaving a note for his aunt. They walk for a couple hours, Ran pointing out shops and important landmarks like the bent out of shape iron wrought fence from when Spiderboo fought “Punz” a mercenary with the power of super strength and weapon accuracy, a broken clock tower, elementary schools and a cat cafe. While Ran thinks his mild ramblings are uninteresting and his commentary boring, Toby listens intently; taking every half story that Ran tells and running with it. Asking exciting questions which lead them down several rabbit holes. Frisbee likes Toby and Ran starts to share his sentiment very much, as Toby skips ahead passionately describing the best food he’d tried since getting here.

Chapter Text

Two days. Two days is all it took for the next “super villain” to gain popularity and cockiness. Can he ever catch a break? Spiderboo surveys the street of calamity from a rooftop, keeping his body almost flush to the flat roof. He places a hand on the surface below him, closing his eyes and lets his senses grow alert. He hears the start of a one sided phone call, a child crying as they drop an ice cream cone, a bike bell and then finally the lips of his current adversary. This one was different from all the others, technically he wasn’t committing any crimes, but what he was doing was of great distaste to the public. Spiderboo listens hard as words form on the mouth of a masked individual; “-you can see here, we have a couple of gangsters giving it their all against each other, we have-” He focuses on the figures frame, his equipment; a go-pro, mic pack and phone are most obvious. This guy, known as “Screwball” much to manys disdain, broadcasts live crime available for all to watch. Ran has been observing him for a couple hours now, seeing if he ever makes his way home or somewhere to take his mask off. In his opinion, he seems like a misguided guy who just needs to be talked to about morality. Ran notices that once he seems finished with these “pieces of content” he moves, he sticks to back alleys, pulling on an old hoodie to hide his ridiculous skin tight blue top which matches his mask, half the same blue and red. Ran supposes he shouldn’t make fun, his own getup is pretty ridiculous, slippery, stretchy black fabric. The “gangsters” finish beating eachother up, Screwball is on the move again, Spiderboo prepares to follow him. This time, he’s gonna get closer, try and get a sense for the guy. As much as his weird power lets him see up close from afar, it's just not the same as the real thing and in the city there are millions of sounds and images to confuse it with. Screwball looks around agitatedly, running not so subtly towards an alley with large overflowing dumpsters. Spiderboo stands, moving swiftly to follow the individual from above. The mid afternoon sun dips just barely behind some buildings, its warm glow casting great orange patches onto the ground. Ran sticks to shadows, ducking onto a fire escape and hovering to see where Screwball goes next. He seems to have stopped in behind a particularly large dumpster, fiddling with his bag. Spiderboo quietly makes his way down the rickety metal steps, dropping to the ground without a sound. He approaches with caution, staying behind large trash cans and garbage bags. Screwball takes something out of his bag which Ran quickly realises is a phone as he begins to talk into it agitatedly. Ran moves closer, dodging loose cans and plastic. Screwball grows more and more animated in his ranting, his hand gesticulating violently. He pulls off his mask, obviously in need of space to breathe. Ran warily moves even closer, he needs to find a way around so he can see his face. Intel like this could be vital. He tiptoes over smashed bottles, ducking under overhanging material. Squatting almost parallel to the floor he puts a hand on the ground, please please work for me now. Sounds of rats skittering past, the electrical whine of cables, and finally Screwball's mouth. Ran focusses harder, he needs an image. He’s so close. Washes of colour swim in his vision, pale skin, thin pink, brown or yellow or red or- Jeffrey Bezos! Jeffrey Bezos! Screwball pulls his mask over his face, sprinting down the alley to the main street. Shit. SHIT SHIT. Ran takes out his phone. Dammit. He swipes to answer, crawling his way hurriedly up the side of the building again. “Hey!” Ran scowls. “Hi.” He tries to keep his voice steady, pulling his mask just above his mouth to avoid it sounding muffled. “Did you want something?” After a beat of silence on the other end. “Um, not really. Was just bored so I called you.” Ran lets out a huff, this guy. He makes it to the top of the building, swinging with his arms to sit with his feet dangling off the edge. “What if I was at work or something-”
“You want me to believe you have a life outside of school and your nerd room? No thanks.” Ran rubs his face through the mask, all that surveillance for nothing. “If only you knew.” He mutters. Toby takes it in his stride, “What are you like, a secret stripper or something?” An unexpected laugh makes its way from the pit in his stomach. “What!?” At the other end of the line Toby chuckles, his laugh coming out in soft wheezes. Suddenly he is immediately forgiven. “You wanna hang out? I’m bored.” Toby asks. “Sure, where are you? I can swing by.” Ran smirks at the joke that Toby will never know about. “Um, in my house. I can meet you at that clock tower in 10?” Ran nods, forgetting he can’t see him, “Yeah, sounds good.”
“See you then!”
“See ya.” They hang up. Ran takes a deep breath, pulling the mask down his face again, looking up at the clouds above him, heels hitting the brick of his perch. He knew this kid would be trouble.

He searches for Screwballs livestream, seeing it offline. So far, no one has managed to take it down successfully. Whenever it had been reported and removed, another would pop up minutes later. Ran clicks off his phone. He wasn’t much for software, his skills lay in hardware. Tangible parts coming together in his hands, fizzling, electrical and real. He’d have to do some digging.

–

Ran throws on his colour block hoodie and sweats over his suit, stuffing his mask into his backpack stowed in an under hang of a tall building. He jumps down, landing with a roll into a practised superhero pose (you never know when you need to look cool, alright). Shoving earbuds in his ears and blasting I WOKE UP THIS MORNING FEELING LONELY- he slips his hood over his head, putting his hands in his hoodie pocket and skipping through the street packed full of people. Pretty soon he sees the large brick clock tower- I WON'T LET YOU DOWN I WON'T LET YOU DOWN- safe to say Ran was VIBING. He avoids street vendors, fundraisers and prams. Hopping around almost in time to the music. He spots a short brown haired boy in a blue hoodie. He jogs the last couple of feet and begins taking his earbuds out. “Hey!” he says, a flush in his cheeks from the rapid pace of the walk. “Hi.” They fall into step once more. They talk about nothing, Ran trying to brush off the tenseness in his shoulders and the grim set still in his jaw. The conversation moves from school to gaming to computers and Ran learns that Toby is a passionate “hacker” and coder. He goes on a 20 minute rant about hosting Minecraft servers, compatibility between ‘java’ and ‘bedrock' and devices, then NFTs then ad blockers. Ran listens, occasionally sprinkling a hm or yeah in pauses in Toby's explanations. After a while of wandering, talk begins to taper off, Toby growing quiet. The summer breeze cools the back of their necks, some birds dart from building to building and the people fade in and out of view. They’re walking nowhere in particular, passing tall apartment complexes, through small park greens, noting shop fronts. They come to a stop outside a record shop, its sign chipped and peeling at the edges; Mellohi. “You wanna go in?” Toby asks. Ran answers by walking through the front door, holding it open for Toby to follow behind him. Ran goes immediately to the rock section, fingers brushing gently over the spines of the records before beginning to thumb through them. Toby looks out of place in a shop full of dark corners and black lettering, his hands float by his side, his eyes unsure where to rest. Psychedelic posters with haunting faces protrude from cracked walls, stacks and stacks of CDs, vinyl's and off brand merchandise lines the shop floor. The cashier seems unimpressed, headphones on and a black hood up. She picks her nails, occasionally turning a page in a worn comic. Ran beckons Toby over pulling out a sleeve. “What music do you like?” he spins the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” vinyl in his hands before returning it to the stack, he already had that one. “Um… you’ll laugh.” he looks sheepish, hands going to his jeans pockets. “I won’t.” Ran says sincerely, stopping his rifling to face him properly. “I like,” He sighs, resigned: “radio music.” Ran grins widely. Of course he does. “Hey! I said no laughing.” Ran raises his hands in a feigned surrender, “I’m not! But, maybe I could show you some other music sometime.” he says, his smile hiding the laughter bubbling in his throat. Toby shrugs, crossing his arms, a faint smile on his lips.

They leave the shop soon after, the afternoon sun has dipped past the city skyline now. They are basked in quiet light, from streetlights, car headlamps and windows. “I should probably get home.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Was nice to…hang.”
“Yeah!”
“See you tomorrow!”
“See ya.”

—

Ran lies in bed, tossing a ball up to the ceiling and catching it deftly as it bounces back at him. He had had a good day. He had talked to a friend. He had eaten good food with someone he loves. He had pet a loving dog. He had let someone get in the way of his mission. He hadn’t found out the identity of a criminal inducer. Hadn’t solved anything. Hadn’t stopped anyone. He grabs the ball, jaw clenched and throws it to the floor. It rolls onto the pile of clothes by his wardrobe door. Why can’t he just be happy with his day? He slides off his bed, flopping into his seat and rolling towards his desk. His lemon demon poster winking at him from above his computer monitor. He flicks the mouse and it comes to life, navigating to the website Screwball streams from. Sure enough the guy is live on a channel called; Screwball Version 30
Ran rubs his eyes, it was already 11pm.

He goes into a frenzy, googling, searching; trying to find out how to stop this Screwball from livestreaming crime. At some points he checks the stream and is met by gruesome fights, robberies and a shaky camera. 1am. He hasn’t found anything. He rubs at his temples, his desk littered with screwed up paper, strewn pens and empty water bottles. Who knew that crime fighting would take this much brain power? Maybe he should just confront the guy, like he’s just like any other villain. Maybe he deserves to be beaten up by Spiderboo. Does anyone deserve to be beaten up by him? Ran sighs, massaging the bottom of his neck. He knows it's something about blocking IPs, but with Screwball moving all the time and streaming from a portable device, it doesn't work.

He just needs to find him, and have a conversation. Maybe with some fists involved.

An alert diverts his attention; hey :D
Hi
wanna game?
Nah
oh ok

Actually, could you help me with something?
sure! what?
Just some, Ran hesitates, homework.
ok!
How would one block a user streaming from a portable device…

Chapter Text

Maybe Ran needs a sidekick, a guy in the chair. No one knows that he’s Spiderboo and he's always wanted to keep it that way. Until now.

With the help of Toby and a few hours into the night, they had figured out how to block a repeatedly reported offender from creating new accounts on this specific site using blah blah yeah, they did it. Ran went to sleep feeling light, which might have been to do with sleep deprivation or their monumental achievement. He had to wake up the next morning and go to school as usual but there was a pep in his step despite the crippling exhaustion creeping at the edges of his vision. The routine of meeting Toby by his locker was comfortable. He met him with a grin, despite the dark circles under his eyes.

The hubbub of the hallway kept Tommy busy and Ran watched out of the corner of his eye as he barged into people making them drop their belongings. Jack and Eryn were just as bad behind him, kicking away papers and pencil cases which skittered along the floor. Ran remembers how they used to be, before Tommy. They were quiet, smart, funny. Now they were just mean.

To avoid a confrontation with the trio, he and Toby make their way through the crowded space to the small water fountain in the cafeteria. Ran fills his bottle, listening to Toby ramble about Server rooms and self cooling computers. He takes a swig. The bell rings. The day goes on.

–

He got another goddamn phone.

Spiderboo looms over the great city stretched out before him perched on a bank building. He had been tracking Screwball for the lesser part of the afternoon. His red and blue suit is stark bright against the dull grey of the roadside below. Spiderboo eyes the road, checking the surrounding area. Screwball is live, but there is no crime… yet.

He doesn’t have to wait long for an unmarked black van to pull up. Screwball begins jumping up and down, on the small replay Ran has open on his phone he can see that he zooms in on the vehicle's door as several masked figures step out, some wearing red tracksuit trousers some wearing red tracksuit jackets, their white vests stained and grotty. Spiderboo watches slightly stunned as they ignore Screwball completely and make their way to the front of the bank, armed with shotguns and crowbars among other weapons. He hears the smashing of glass and springs into action.

He dives head first off the building, securing a web to a trelos, landing swiftly in a rehearsed pose. He can hear the panting breaths from Screwball as if it’s right in his ear, he shakes his head. He has to stop the criminals before he can stop him.

He leaps through the gaping hole left by the tracksuits, perching on the front desk. Somehow they had yet to notice his approach despite his bright red and green suit. He watches for a second as they say the usual, “this is a robbery!” and “get down on the ground, now!” head tilted. He notes the marbled floors, chandeliers lined down the centre of the ceiling, glass dividers and cordoning rope.

“Hey boys! Long time no see.” He says cockily, his voice spilling through the tall ceilinged room. They all turn towards him dumbly, away from the small group of civilians on the ground. “YOU.” One of them makes a grab towards him, but Spiderboo swings easily away, landing on a wall just above the assailant's head. He shoots two webs onto his wrists and throws the balaclava’d man upwards, leaving him swinging on the wall above him. “Next.” He says flatly, letting out a breath.

The first shots are fired. The primary barely missing Spiderboos shoulder and the second taking a chunk out of the wall he previously occupied. “No need for that! Calm down!” He swings from the ceiling, his feet planting firmly into the shooter's chest knocking him over. He lands in the middle of his 5 opponents. They all advance on him at once. “Hey now.” He raises his hands in that way that zookeepers might do to wild animals. They keep coming closer, one with a crowbar makes an overhead swipe for him. Spiderboo ducks under the attack, grabbing his arm and webbing it to the opposing attackers arm. “Holding hands are we? That's cute.” He pulls their heads together with great force, knocking them out. Another gunshot barely misses Spiderboos’ head “You guys are really lethal with those things aren't you.” He jumps, higher than humanly possible and the shooter follows him with the barrel of his gun. His mistake, as Spiderboo propels himself forward with a web to the floor, giving him no time to aim and fire before his balaclava’d head hits the ground with a loud thump. He dusts his hands off, the two remaining enemies only had their fists. “So we could do this the easy way and you don't have to get hurt or-” The taller of the two advances on him quickly, even with the balaclava covering half his face Spiderboo can see the evil glint in his eye. He makes a strike with a massive fist, something bronze covers his knuckles. Spiderboo backflips out of reach, the guy comes closer and Spiderboo bounces away again, “I could do this all day!” The hulking figures movement grows angrier and clumsier, he grunts at his companion who grabs someone from the cowering witnesses on the floor. “Hey, hey, hey! There's no need for hostages.” The shorter figure grapples a blond lady from behind, she starts kicking and screaming until he applies more pressure to her neck, she kicks less and less vigorously.

A wiry voice announces, “Now this is interesting, my first coverage of the infamous Spiderboo and it's a hostage situation! A crowd favourite.” Can this guy be more immoral?

“Leave or the girl gets it.” A raspy voice from the hostage taker. How about, no.

Spiderboo starts running at the man approaching him, with the momentum he gains he webs to the ceiling, swinging over the man's head and landing behind the hostage and her captor. He webs the crowbar from the ground into his hand and gently taps him on the head. He drops soundlessly to the floor, the lady soon following, sinking closer to the other civilians. Spiderboo twirls the metal pole in his hands, “There’s still time for you to back out.” By now he can hear the police sirens are only a couple of blocks away. Spiderboo knows that the final man won't back down, these men had too much of what they liked to call honor; and what he liked to call stupidity. He knows the answer when he dodges a fist, pushing the shoulder that comes after it to the ground and bopping the man on the head as he had done to the other one. He drops the crowbar, its metal ringing through the room. The whimpering from the civilians has yet to cease and Spiderboo turns to Screwball who is making his way swiftly out of the rubble and glass strewn doorway. “Hey, where'd you think you're going?” Spiderboo webs his phone into his hand, then waves at the camera. “Hey California! Go do something productive like walk your dog instead of watching whatever this is. Ok. Bye!” He throws the phone at the ground, wincing, he could never afford something like that. How did a guy like Screwball?

“I-I’ll just get another one you know. I know what you did! This is- this is against freedom of speech. People need to know what the streets are really like!” He gets braver as he speaks but his voice breaks a couple of times before resting at a regular pitch. A teenager then. He would have to be gentler. “Hey, kid, this isn't what you want is it? Look at these people.” He gestures to the shaking group still on the ground, “You want regular, dog walking, flower smelling, newspaper reading people to watch stuff like this happen live and unfiltered? I bet these people won’t ever forget this night. And not in a good way.” Some of them sniffle as if to prove his point.

Screwball shrugs, turning away again. “Hey! I’m talking to you.”
“Piss off.” He leaves and Ran lets him, maybe the police sirens will pick him up on their way past. He doesn’t feel like fighting a kid today.

He shakes some hands and then slings the unconscious bodies of his victims together with a thick wrap of webbing. The police arrive, guns out. But by then Spiderboo is already gone.

Chapter Text

“Did you see that Spiderboo was on that Screwball Live last night?”

“Huh? Oh, he was?”

“Yeah! He was all like WHAM POW and then all the gangsters were dead!” Toby demonstrates with his fists, grinning at Ran as he beats the imaginary bad guy before him.

“I’m pretty sure they weren’t dead.” Ran replies, dryly. Toby's expression doesn’t falter, instead he straightens up, “I like to think they were.” Ran gives Toby an incredulous look. “Ok…I’m gonna get to class now.”

“The bell hasn't even rung yet.” Toby frowns, “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“Ha, never. No, I just promised Mr Star I’d help mark some of the homework papers.”

“You’re such a teacher's pet.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.” Ran shakes his head, giving into the petty teasing with a smile as a similar one flits across Toby's features. “I’ll walk with you.”

“Ok.” Ran looks at their shoes as they walk through the cafeteria and to the east wing corridor. He notes the contrast in them, his black tipped, black topped converse with red laces and Toby's bright blue, slightly fuzzy, ones with a pair of eyes stitched on the toe. The walls here are yellow, the boards bordered with red, small butterflies and leaves dot the blue tacked covered surfaces. He hadn’t been here in a while.

“Where were you last night?” Toby pipes up. Ran looks at him quizzically, “Waddyamean?” He strings together, hoping to sound normal. A small peak of anxiety sends his chest upticking, I wasn’t doing anything, I’m not anything, I’m not spiderboo-

“You weren't online.” He says simply.

“Oh, must have had an early night.” Ran shrugs, attempting to look thoughtful. I’m normal, I’m usual, I don’t have superpowers-

“You never have an early night.”

“True, um, I don't remember. Probably walked the dog or something.” He knows, he knows, he knows-

“And didn't invite me??” Toby attempts to sound offended, his face exasperated. The small twinkle in his eye gives him away.

Ran can breathe fine again, he was just wondering. He was just chatting. Ran scoffs, “Not everything’s about you Mr Tubboxus the third.”

“HEYY- “ Toby shoves him lightly. “I chose that when I was like twelve…” He mutters under his breath, crossing his arms in false annoyance.

They reach the door of the classroom and Ran knocks before pushing it open. “Ah, Ran.” Mr Star looks up from his desk, lowering his glasses, a small pile of yellow books beside him. “I don’t think I’m gonna need your help actually.”

“Oh, well that works for me!” Ran smiles, but notes the concerned look in Mr Star's eyes. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I just didn’t get a lot of homework back is all.” He looks worried, eyebrows a millimetre or two higher than usual and a clench to his jaw.

Ran shrugs, that's usual for the year he teaches. And the days have been sunny. Mr Star returns to his marking, pushing his glasses up, pen in hand and mutters, “More and more absent every day.”

“That is weird…” Ran sympathises with him, brushing off the shiver down his neck as a slight breeze catches him from the open windows in the classroom. “I best get to class Sir.”

Mr Star seems lost in thought, “Yeah, you do that.” He looks up briefly, giving him a strained smile, “Thanks for showing up Ran.“

Ran closes the door softly, grateful for the excuse to not have to do extra work. Toby was still hovering behind Ran as he turned back around into the open hallway now starting to fill with people. “Maths?” “Yeah.” Math.

–

Ran leaves class early the period before lunch, feigning an important career advisory meeting and sneaking out of the school grounds. He had a long list of excuses for bunking off ready for situations like these. He checks his phone and has a voicemail from his Aunt, which he listens to; it tells him she was visiting his Auntie E later on and he should join him. He replies with a quick ‘I’ll be there’ then checks Screwballs stream. He had another phone.

Ran is quick to don the suit, storing his bag in its usual place at a great height. Frankly Ran was impatient, so instead of keeping to back alleys and side streets, which takes that little bit more time and effort; he swings from street light to street light, stop light to building, right down the freeway. Small faces gaze up at him, everyday commuters stopping their endless travel to witness the unusual. Some young kids point at him to their mothers from prams, a vendor drops an ice cream cone, his mouth wide open. He lowers closer to the ground, giving some people sitting in an outdoor cafe a two finger salute before landing crouched next to a mailbox. A couple passers by stare openly at him and he takes in a shallow anxious breath, he isn’t used to being perceived. He gets his bearings, taking out his phone, checking the stream once more. One block away, Screwball seems to be alone.
-
Ran dangles above Screwball's head, lowering himself bit by bit until he's just a couple of feet away from him- he hears a shout, “Oi! Screw-y.” Ran pulls himself out of view. An approaching gang of track suited individuals trail nail studded baseball bats behind them. Screwball turns from his phone to greet them, his smile visible from under his mask. “Hey boys! What have you got for us this time?” His smile falters as the small group continue their steps towards him. Ran clings to the side of the wall, taking in the red brick buildings, darkened corners and large barbed wire topped fence going from one side of the alley to the other. Screwball was cornered. The man who had shouted at him before is big and muscular, his white vest stained with sweat and caked with brown and reddish splatters. He speaks again, “Boss has another list for you.” He shoves a crumpled piece of paper into Screwball's chest, making him stumble back slightly. Screwball grins gleefully, bringing round his phone to address the stream. “Hey! Get that thing outta my face. Are you stupid!?” the large guy yells, shoving the phone clattering to the ground. “First you let Spiderboo,” He spits on the ground, “beat up my guys and then you record our meeting? Come on man.” He looms over Screwball menacingly who shakes to no one but Rans eye. The large man's voice lowers to a hissing whisper, “Just between me and you kid, I think the boss is getting ready to drop you. And you know what happens to people that get dropped.” He pops his knuckles in his large fists one by one. The tension is thick in the air, thick enough that it starts weighing in Rans stomach. “But, unfortunately, that's for him to decide.” The gang turns almost in sync as the leader flicks his hand. They retreat into the daylight of the busy street beyond. He hears the sharp exhale of breath from Screwball's mouth before he puffs out his small chest and plasters on a grin. He swipes his phone up from the ground.

“Hey kid.” Spiderboo emerges from the shadows.

“You.” Ran can sense the glare even from under the mask. “You’re ruining this for me, you know. The viewers want you dead.” He spits out, pointing at Ran to annunciate his words.

“That's a little harsh don't you think.” Ran walks forward, arms lazily at his sides. He just needed to talk to the guy, bring him to his senses. This time they wouldn’t be interrupted. “I’m just looking out for the little guys.”

“No- did you just call me little??” Screwball shakes his head aggressively. “You know what! I agree with them.” He snarls and takes out a shaky pistol.

Spiderboos hands immediately go on the defensive in front of him, “Hey, hey hey.” How hadn’t he noticed it before? “Do you even know how to use that thing?” his voice bounces off the brick walls, stray sheets of old poster paper twists in the wind in a corner, creating a mini whirlwind.

Screwball grips the gun harder, his phone in his other hand pointed right at Spiderboos face just above the barrel of the gun. His voice gains confidence, “I don’t think you wanna stick around to find out.”

“We can talk about this. Right? Just talk. We don’t need guns to talk.” Ran tries to reason with him, gently gesturing with his hands and not moving any closer in fear of it provoking Screwballs untrained trigger finger.

“Hey chat. Do you think we hear him out or- or put a bullet in his brain.” Screwball watches the screen, small text flying by. Ran can see the answer before it reaches Screwball's eyes and he ducks as a stray bullet flies where his head had just been. Ran straightens up again, “Can we talk without the gun? Without the stream? I feel like you’ll be more reasonable-” Another bullet goes flying, this time hitting near Rans foot. “Come on man, don’t you have school to go to?” This only seems to aggravate him more and he shoots several more bullets in his direction, Spiderboo jumps out of the way of them dodging and weaving as they land into the alley walls and the side of dumpsters. “Ok if you're gonna be like that-” Ran tries to web the gun out of his hand, missing by an inch. Damn. Screwball stands triumphantly and aims the gun at his chest. “I don’t wanna fight you, I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“Yeah right,” he turns dramatically, scratching his head with his gun hand, Ran flinches, “That's why you sent those cops after me, right? I’m doing nothing wrong… The world has to know the truth.”

Ran begins walking towards him cautiously, while the gun isn’t aimed at him “What you’re doing, while technically not illegal, is scarring innocent children, toddlers. Would you have wanted to see that when you were…little?”

Screwball seems to ponder it, then puts the gun in his back pocket. His masked face gives away no expression. Ran walks with more confidence towards him, “Well isn't that nice and easy, now how about you end the stream and we can talk like-”

Screwball taps at his screen and takes out the gun again, “Sorry where were we? Chat was complaining about the music being too loud…”

“Uhm, well-” Ran stops in his tracks.

“Oh yeah, I was about to shoot you in the head.”

Another shot rings out, this time Ran blackflips and shoots a web to slam Screwball into a wall and web his hands at his sides. The phone clatters to the floor next to the gun. Spiderboo stands in front of him, hands gesticulating in what he hopes looks like a reasonable argument stance, “Please man, what do you even get from all this anyway?”

Screwball stays quiet.

“Oh come on, you were quite happy talking yourself up a second ago.” He pauses, “You know it's quite impressive being able to stream all this for so long-”

Screwball clears his throat, Ran holds his breath, maybe his half assed attempt at flattery had worked. Instead Screwball leans forward, he spits on the ground and peers up at Spiderboo, “I know you.”

“I don't think so.”

Spiderboo looks through the screen into Toby's eyes and the stream ends. The last image of a web coming straight for the lens loops in static.

–

Ran is back at school. Toby catches him by the arm as he wanders in the general direction of the exit. “Hey man!” Ran squints his eyes at him before smiling back. “Hi.” Toby drops his arm.

“Busy day?” They walk through the near empty corridors, somehow they are always the last to leave. “Huh? um no not particularly.” Ran was tired. Bone tired. His neck ached. “I missed you at lunch today.” Ran stops in surprise, “You did? Aw.”
“I didn’t mean it like that you idiot-” Toby whacks his arm, lightly. “I meant, you weren’t here.”
They continue their wanderings.
“Oh, I- uh must have gone to the restroom and I had a-” ''careers advisory meeting, I know.” Ran must have looked confused because Toby continued in explanation, “Niki told me. She also told me you weren’t on the list for meetings.”

“Oh.” Ran replies. He’s too tired to lie. The whole Screwball situation really took him out of it. He supposes he could just say he bunked off but he had a feeling Toby wouldn’t believe that either, he was an A star student for a reason. Instead he just shrugs. Toby stops walking, Ran stops a moment after turning to him in an obvious puzzlement, “Y’alright?”

“Yeah, just forgot something from my locker. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” Toby's face is, for once, closed off. “Uh sure, catch ya later.”

Ran turns round disoriented-ly. This was the first time he’d felt worse after talking to Toby than before. He sighs after taking a quick breath and makes his way past a drinking fountain before reaching the exit- a tingling sensation prickles at the back of his neck. He turns swiftly, hand flying up - a ball lands firmly in his outstretched palm.

“You’re him aren’t you.” Toby's soft voice echoes down the corridor. Rans hand falls to his side.

Chapter Text

“I can’t tell if it was cool or not.”
“I mean, I saved a lot of innocent eyes from seeing something cursed, I’d say that's cool.”
“Yeah I guess…” there's a soft quiet before he speaks again, “It wasn’t like real fighting though, I wanna see you mess someone up!” He pretends to punch an enemy in front of him, Ran is reminded of earlier in the day where he did the exact same thing.
He looks at him incredulously. “Alright.” Ran pauses, “I suppose that means you’re sticking around then?”
“Hell yeah I am! You’re awesome. Now doubly awesome! Especially more awesome if you let me be your guy in the chair-”

“No. Way.”

“Please!”

“No.”

“Please!”

“No.”

“PLEASE!”

“Fine.”

I mean, what harm would it do?

–

They meet, properly, after school. Rans heart hadn’t stopped jumping in his throat and his hands hadn’t felt steady since. Someone knew. Somebody knew. Toby knew. What if he had told someone else? Ran kept accidentally activating his weird observation powers in stress; hearing whispered conversations in restrooms, laughter from the corner store a block away, a stray cat meowing somewhere distant. How could he have been so careless? He should have known, Tobys big, curious, smart eyes that take in every detail- of course he figured it out. It’s not like he’d been subtle. Avoiding having an opinion on masked individuals, asking for help on such a specific situation, not being in school or online when Spiderboo was active. He wasn’t used to having someone pay attention to him. Even his aunts hadn’t figured it out. Then again, they had their own things going on. Ran checks his phone. This time he was at the crumbling clock tower before Toby. His nervous energy had made his steps brisk and agitated.

He soon sees a brown head of hair bounce towards him. “Big man!” Toby's smile makes Rans anxious fiddling calm. “Hi Toby.”

Toby leans towards him, “Any cRiMe to report, soldier.” He does an extravagant salute, his face the pinnacle of mischief. Ran rolls his eyes, a steady hand swiftly palming his face. “Stop-”

Ran peaks through his fingers, Toby looks at him sheepishly. Ran drops his hand. They lean against the fence surrounding the clock tower, the wrought iron digging into their backs. “You ok?” Toby asks quietly, looking straight ahead. “Yeah, it's just…a lot, yanno?” Toby nods, turning to look at him. “So hey, now that you're totally over me finding out - can I see the suit?” Ran scoffs, his relaxed demeanour remaining as he notes the sarcasm in his tone. Ran doesn’t reply for a couple of seconds, then meets Toby's gaze. “I think- I think this’ll be good.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Ran feels at ease in that moment, his breaths coming out even and measured. His hands loose at his sides, his head tilts backward. The sun of spring speckling his face, peeking through the sifting green leaves. Their jade and emerald tones make way for the bright orb in the sky, aka the sun.

“You know, it might be nice to have someone to talk to about all this.” Toby speaks up again. “Speaking of, I can’t believe you just TALKED to Screwball and he stopped.” His voice turns from thoughtful to outraged disbelief.

Ran lowers his head and chuckles at the dubious look on his face and his outburst, “Yeah, not everything needs to be stopped with fists.” He replies wisely.

“Though I bet they help sometimes.” Toby glances at Rans hands.

“Yeah… One of the perks of just chatting is getting told stuff.” Ran rubs his hands together, then tucks them under his armpits.

“What sort of stuff?”

“Well, for Screwball, how he got his information, some stuff about the gang he was working with…I still need to think through it…”

Toby hums nodding, glancing at his feet before his eyes rest further in the distance watching cars drive lazily past. Toby clears his throat, “I suppose I should thank you for making sure the school I transferred to wasn’t ripped to shreds.” It had been a while since he had seen a school bus on this road.

Ran laughs, “I guess.” He shrugs, his hands moving to his pockets. “I still can’t believe you figured it out after a week of knowing me.”

“Hm, I guess people just don’t pay close enough attention- I’ve noticed things you know?” Toby perks up, his shorter frame growing taller as his posture straightens.

“Oh really. What things?” Mischief toying at the edge of his smile.

Toby waves a hand as if to clear the air of the words, “Oh nothing.”

“No no, I'm genuinely curious now.” Ran gestures with one of his hands, “Come onnn!” He pushes Toby lightly, teasingly. He watches the blush creep to Toby's cheeks and grins wider-

“You try to make yourself smaller to match whoever you’re talking to, you wear the same hoodie every day, you have grey eyes, they change colour when you’re happy-” It's Rans turn to go red this time, he interrupts before he can go any further.

“Oh! You wanna see something cool?”

“Sure?”

“Look at my eyes.” Toby frowns quizzically before his greyish blue ones meet his.

“Okay…?” They stay like that, looking into each others eyes. Toby's glance from left to right, his curiosity clear. Ran focuses on the feeling of metal pressing into his back, the dirt ground beneath his shoes, the tree leaves rustling above and below him, the cars engines humming, a crosswalk beeping- “It's warm in there.” Ran snaps back, “Ok I'm not gonna do it if you-” but before he can finish Tobys surprised expression greets him, “WOAH that's so cool! How’d you do that?” Ran knows from many evenings spent looking in the mirror trying to make it stop that his eyes were now dual toned red and green. “I’m not really sure, was a pain in the ass when it first happened. Ended up wearing sunglasses everywhere for a whole week.” Toby giggles at that, hand coming up to cover his smile, “Now that would have been funny to watch.”

Ran rolls his eyes, his mouth settling into a comfortable grimace. “Yeah… I think it’s got something to do with my powers.” He flexes his hands before wringing them together. Toby watches him funnily. “Yeah? Speaking of, what can you do? I mean I know the webs, the sticking to things, but you’re saying there's others?”

“Mhm.” Ran hums, his too warm face returning to its regularly scheduled warmth. Toby brings out a notepad. “What are you doing?”

“Might be useful yanno? Figure out the power's full potential so you can like, defeat bad guys quicker.” He looks up at him eagerly, pen poised.

“Hm sure, just dont show anyone.”

“I won’t.”

–

“It is thanks to the hero known as Spiderboo once again that the teens of California are safe. The teenage villain, Screwball, that plagued kids screens seems to be gone for good. It's Spiderboo we have to thank for taking this immature and insolent juvenile delinquent off the streets of the city of San Francisco. Take a look at this raw footage taken from Screwballs very own live stream…”

“It’s all a bit ridiculous these days isn't it?” His aunt squints at the blurred out scenes of supposed violence on the small tv screen mounted on the ceiling in the corner of the waiting area. Nurses in blue scrubs walk with purpose, their watches and key cards bouncing as they move quickly through swinging doors. The seat is cold beneath him, Ran fiddles with his fingers. He’d been here plenty of times over the past couple of weeks but it never got any less oppressive. The sounds, the smells, the taste of it even, was overwhelming. Bright white floors, bright white lights, bright white papers with tiny print that is supposed to explain what the hell is wrong with her.

They had no idea what had happened to her. She had been in somewhat of a coma for the better part of three weeks. The first few times he had visited he had clutched wilting flowers or melting chocolates but now his hands were empty. The squeaking of unoiled wheels roll somewhere to his left. He turns his gaze back to the TV, only as somewhere to look.

Auntie E is a journalist, a good one at that. Almost all of her stories have involved overthrowing massive corporations with skeletons in their closet. She had many fans, and many enemies. But also, to put it plainly, she was getting old. Her curious and enthusiastic days of her youth were long since past and she had been hanging on by somewhat of a thread for the past few years, writing short pieces on regurgitated news and the occasional review of some movie or other. She hadn’t had a proper story in 3 years, nothing that really peaked her interest. She had been forgotten about by the public, who now seem more interested in the celebs cheating scandals than slave labour in hidden fast fashion factories. Anyway, she is a bit of a legend. And Ran is proud to be related to her, in that weird way of theirs.

His aunt is chatting with some of her colleagues at the welcome desk that had beckoned her over some minutes ago, she fits right in even with her jeans and sweater and he is reminded of her short cut nails and scraped back ponytails as she drums her fingers on the glass of the reception desk.

“Eliza Enders?” A nurse with brown curly hair announces expectantly, Ran stands up trying to catch his Aunts eye. She’s too focused on her conversation to notice as he follows the nurse to familiar double doors. “No change today.” The nurse recites to him factually, she must see his neutral expression falter because she adds, “But, I’m sure there will be soon.”

‘Soon’

His parents were supposed to be back ‘soon’ and then he was supposed to be rehomed ‘soon’ and then he could show them the funny cat video he had been laughing at too loudly ‘soon’. Tommy would stop bullying him ‘soon’ and then he’d find some friends ‘soon’ and then he’d leave school ‘soon’.

After all that, it’s lost all meaning. But he smiles anyway. She is only being polite.

Auntie E will be better, soon.

Chapter Text

Ran is never prepared to see his Aunties emotionless face, eyes closed.

She is always moving, whether it's painting the bathroom for the 4th time that season or running to meet friends for coffee or making a 5 course meal “Just cause!”. She was truly the opposite to his Aunt who, when she was off duty, wanted peace, quiet and slow moving. Eliza would push up her round glasses, her curly afro spilling out from a sloppily tied hair tie, as she poured over long papers or typed at her battered laptop. His Aunt would shake her head, turning the page in an old battered novel. He supposed opposites attract.

Her green glasses lay unused on the table beside her bed, the machines on the other side softly beeping as her heart pumps gently. Steadily.
She is strong, he had said to himself over and over. Whatever had happened to her, she could overcome it.

And her ink splattered, calloused hands could take his, again. Her grip firm and safe.

The nurse leaves the room and the door closes behind her leaving only the soft blue light from the side lamp and the half gone sun from the open-curtained window. He pulls the plastic chair close to her bedside and takes her hand in his. It’s limp, but he can feel her steady pulse beneath his fingers. His brain goes quiet. It’s not unusual for him to be alone with her during the visiting hours. His Aunt can visit practically whenever she wants, and sometimes it's good for a little distance.

It’s not like he avoids visiting her, it’s that it’s a lot of effort. Whenever he does, he is reminded of how much he misses her. A month without her dad jokes or pestering or laughter. Only flat, motionless skin surrounded by white cloth. His Aunt tries to fill the void, but he can tell she mourns too. One side of her bed is cold where it used to be full of sunshine.
Ran clears his throat, the sound breaks the almost holy quiet of the room. “Um, hi.” He pauses, this feels stupid, he clears his throat again, “Uh, I read somewhere that um sometimes people in- people in comas can hear the stuff around them so…so I thought I’d just talk and see where we go?” He waits as if for an answer, he continues without one, “Well ok, where do I start…” He ponders,

“I met this boy called Toby…

–

A bag slams aggressively on the desk next to him. I won’t make too much noise while I- “Hey freak.” Ran pretends not to have heard him, staring straight ahead. Tommy will get bored or be asked to move out of a seat that isn’t his, any second now- “Are you deaf as well as stupid?” Ran fiddles with the corners of his jotter, his hands shaky and a heat in his stomach rising to his chest and up his neck. I can’t live with this pain, with this anger- “Hey giraffe, I’m talking to you! What are you listening to? More important than addressing your uppers is it?” Somebody giggles behind him, the teacher makes no move to do anything, appearing oblivious to Rans obvious discomfort. He’ll move on, he’ll get bored. I'll do whatever's required of me, to have the roof of your brain- But in Tommy's case no reaction is a reaction in itself. “Well if you aren’t going to tell me I guess I’ll have to-” Ran feels the prickling sensation before Tommy moves to grab his phone from the desk, picking it up subtly as Tommy's hands scrabble for something to snatch. Rans pencils roll around on the table, his notepad is bunched up, the cover half torn.

“Tommy.”

He stops immediately, Ran can sense him turn to the front of the class and imagines his sheepish innocent face of disbelief. The one he is so very used to. Mr Awesam looks at him disapprovingly, his glasses halfway down his nose, his tied back hair adding to the severity of his glare. “Why are you sitting there? That’s Fundy's desk no?” can I sleep in your brain-
Tommy shrugs, “He’s not in.” Mr Awsam sighs, his face returning to calm neutrality. “Well, if you can behave you can sit there for this lesson.” Tommy nods eagerly, “ONLY if you behave, if I hear so much as a peep out of you, you’re out. Understood?”

Tommy clears his throat and squeaks out a soft, “Yes sir.”

There's not many teachers that can control Tommy's class clown persona or his obscene attention span but Mr Awesam rules with an iron fist and, for whatever reason, Tommy respects him. Can I sleep in your brain? Oh, can I sleep in your brain?
“Ran, take your earphones out will you?”

Ran pulls out the earphones, wrapping them around his hand and shoving them in his pocket. While Ran respects Mr Awesam’s strictness towards Tommy, he did wish he’d let him listen to music in class, sometimes it was the only reason he got through the day. A space that only he can step into, free of bullies and school work and- well- anything he wanted really.

He sinks back into his seat, trying to ignore the fuzzy outline of the obnoxious red and white letterman jacket sat next to him. He would rather be anywhere but here, he decides.
–
He survives the class, sitting through the whole thing and contributing as little as he could. When Mr Awesam had demanded an answer from him he had given a half assed response before looking down at the table in simmering shame as Tommy muttered what he had said under his breath in a mocking tone. This had earned a titter from whoever it was that sat behind him. It was stupid, he shouldn’t be bothered by it at this point, but it still stung. The bell rang and Ran stood to leave, pushing ahead of him was a tall brown haired man who smelled of smoke, he had something shiny in his hand and he grinned madly under his thin framed glasses as he waved at Mr Awesam, leaving the room. Ran had seen him before, a long time ago. Or maybe it had been someone that looked like him.

Tommy elbowed past Ran hissing, “Your music taste is shit.” before he sauntered after the man who looked too old to be going to Rans classes. Ran slips his earphones in again, ignoring the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He taps at his phone, navigating to select a song-

“Hey, Ran. Before you go-” he turns to Mr Awesam, hopeful, “I know you’re an A star student, but that doesn’t give you any reason to not contribute in this class.” He leans back on his desk, interlocking his hands and sitting them on his lap, “I know that you’re fully capable so I really don’t understand why you wouldn’t today.” Ran’s mood turns even more sour, a rotten taste in his mouth as he says, “Yeah, won’t happen again. Sorry.” Mr Awesam seems satisfied with his answer, “I think you and Tommy would get along, in another life. You seem to like music just as much as he does.” Rans eyes widen slightly, oh. Ran clears his throat, “Maybe.” Mr Awesam hums thoughtful, standing up again and gestures to the door of the now empty classroom. “You better go.”

–
-anyway just wish that Fundy was in so I didn't have to deal with that whole thing.” Ran finishes his long winded explanation of his uncomfortable class time to an interested Toby.

“Why don’t you just mess him up! I know you can.” He whispers, “I’ve seen it.” He leans closer.

“Well that's sorta the point of being a masked vigilante isn't it.” Ran laughs, sitting back in his seat. The wood creaks beneath him, the grass tickles his ankles.

“I mean I guess…would be worth it so see the look on his face though.” Toby smirks, passing a plastic water bottle between his hands, his bag on the seat beside him, his lunch trash collected in a small pile in front of him.

Ran laughs at that, his almost finished sandwich jostling and dropping crumbs on the table. “Yeah…It would.” He finishes his sandwich, shoving plastic wrappers into his lunch box. Unlike Toby and literally everyone else in his year, his Aunt still made him packed lunches, he didn’t mind it so much now that Tommy was too busy with other things to pick on his every quirk.

“When are you next going out?” Toby asks quietly, glancing around.

“When duty calls.” He replies, staring into the distance.

“Alright Mr Mysterious-”

“I was jokinggg, there's always duty.” He fiddles with his fingers, “Probably tonight. I don’t have any homework.”

“Wait- how do you know where crime is?” Toby asks, his chin resting on his hand.

“Police radio, and my powers help too.” Ran explains easily.

“Huh, where can I get me one of those radios?” He perks up.

“…the police department.” Duh.

“Well I can’t exactly waltz in can I?” Toby rolls his eyes, dropping his hand to the table and leaning his weight forward on it.

“Well no…why do you need one anyway? It’s not like you’re doing any crime fighting.” Ran fiddles with the clasps on his lunch box.

“So I can be your guy in the chair yanno, telling you where and when the crime is, how to solve the problems and kick some arse!” Toby exclaims loudly, sitting up straight before his face falls abruptly and he glances around quickly. Ran chuckles, hand covering his face. There was no one around them, surprisingly most people took their lunch inside even in the sunshine, that or they played basketball or smoked behind the bike sheds. Toby’s red tipped ears make him sober up slightly, his chuckling dying out.

“Ahuh…I guess we should figure out all that ‘guy in the chair’ stuff.” He lowers his hand, folding them in front of him on the table.

“HELL YEAH” Toby's voice loudens, “Tonight??”

“Ugh, fine. We can test it when I go out.” He relents, Toby is hard to refuse, his excitement is contagious.

“Oh!!” Toby burts out, “I made a little doc with your powers so far.”

“What?”

“Yeah! So we can keep track of everything, I can keep adding to it as you discover stuff…and I kinda started designing you a suit.”

“I've got a suit!” his eyebrows raise incredulously.

“It's kinda…sorry, but it's kinda…shit.”

“HEY!! I made it myself.”

Toby goes pale, “You made it-” His shock turns to a smirk, “Well that makes sense…”

“HEYY there's no need to say it like that…is it really that bad?”

“No not at all,” he shakes his head vigorously as if it would convince Ran otherwise, “Would just be good if you had more protection or something right? That's what all the superheroes do in the movies.”

“Ha yeah, I've not really needed it.”

“-so far, who knows what the next bad guy will be.” Ran contemplates this, listening to the slapping of the basketball on concrete from across the field. The laughter bouncing around his head. The whispers from the bike shed, the ignition of a lighter.

“I’ll come to yours?” Toby asks after a moment of quiet.

“Uh, sure.” He’ll have to meet his aunt…that’s fine. OH GOD, he’ll have to tidy his room…

“Meeting the parents this soon.” Toby tilts a head to the side, a cheeky grin lights up his face.

“Uuhhh-” Ran feels his stomach drop, his face growing red.

Toby sees his expression, “I know you don't have parents, idiot, I was joking.” Ran continues to look uncomfortable, he is reminded of the numerous times Tommy had made him feel this way. Toby almost looks like him in the sunlight, dyeing his hair blond and sharpening usually rounded cheekbones, “Hey, sorry. Didn't mean for it to come across like that man.”

This is Toby, not Tommy. Toby wouldn't hurt him.

“It’s ok really, just not used to…that I guess.”

“Sorry.” And he looks it, his eyebrows drawn down and his cheeks flushed in shame. Ran would do anything to never have to see him look so concerned ever again.

“It's ok!! Don’t worry about it!” He rushes out, forcing his face to calm into an expression of neutrality and then into a smile, “You can meet my Aunt, which is practically the same thing.”

Toby's face brightens, still a sheepish tint to the small smile he makes. The bell rings and Toby stands and shoves his garbage into a trashcan next to their picnic table.

“See you after school, yeah?” Ran calls to him, putting his own lunch bits into his bag.

Toby grins at him, “Yeah.”

Chapter Text

The doorbell rings and Ran sprints down the stairs, careening around the corners in the hallway before taking a breath and opening the door.

“Hey!”

Toby clutches a small tupperware in his hands and grins at him widely. “I like the flowers.” He gestures to the overgrown climbing rose and ivy on the lattice to the left of his front door. “Thanks, wanna come in?” Ran squints at the street, noting the grey sidewalks and green patches of grass, the house opposites brown wood door lays closed. “Sure.”

Toby steps over the doormat which reads ‘welcome matt’. They didn’t know anyone called Matt but his Auntie had insisted it was necessary through bouts of loud laughter, so they had thrown it in the back of the car along with the assortment of plant pots and gardening tools that had been the beginning of another of her short lived hobbies. The roses had been her idea too, long ago.

He watches as Toby takes in his home, the warm wall lights either side of an old painting of a landscape, the side table with three sets of keys splayed out, a bowl half full with fruit, a vase of wilting flowers. Ran closes the door behind them, it clicks shut and locks automatically. He pads after Toby who slips off his shoes haphazardly before Ran offers to take the tupperware from him. “You can leave them at the door if you want.” Ran points to where their small pile of shoes lie in neat rows, they never looked like that when his Auntie had been living with them. Her doc's half untied, her bright yellow converse and massive wellington boots would be thrown almost on purpose to disrupt his Aunts attempt at organisation. Toby fits his blue ones next to his black ones and swivels towards him, “You want anything to eat or…?” Toby shakes his head, he fiddles with the straps on his bag looking up at Ran through his lashes, he’d never seen him so quiet. “Umm, that's the kitchen in there, bathroom is through here and my room’s just upstairs.” His Aunt is probably in the living room. Ran begins walking to the stairway, swinging himself round the post of the hand rail and taking the steps two at a time, narrowly avoiding the large leafy plants and books strewn at the edges. He turns to look at Toby when he is almost at the top, “Coming?” Toby nods unsurely, glancing at the ajar doors in the hallway and taking the steps up after Ran, slower.

Ran pushes open his door, for once it was pretty tidy. He had been a mindless whirlwind before Toby had arrived, shoving his laundry in a basket and carrying it downstairs, hanging up loose items of clothing, putting back up fallen down posters, making his bed, putting pens in jars, watering his cactus, hoovering-

Toby stands in the middle of his room now. The blue wheelie chair is pushed neatly into his wooden desk, his laptop lid closed. His lava lamp sends orange and purple light spilling across his cream walls mostly covered in video game posters: sans Undertale smiles back at him, Mae gazes at the stars partially covered by a small print out of Gregg, small amongus stickers dot the empty space and a tall, almost wall height, poster of an Enderman holding a grass block peeks out from behind his wardrobe. He rubs at his arm nervously, he didn't want to admit it but it was the first time someone his age had been in his room in a long time.

“Well…” Toby faces the window, “You’re definitely a nerd.”

“Hey!” Ran takes in his Minecraft themed bean bag and winces, he’s definitely right about that one.

Toby swings his bag off his back and lays it onto Rans bed, unzipping the top of it and pulling out a battered laptop. “I guess I can show you what I’ve been working on? And you can show me how you do all that crime fighting nonsense.” he gestures to the tupperware, “I made us some chocolate brownies too. Help yourself.”

Ran nods, sitting down flamboyantly on his chair which rolls almost instinctively towards the desk it usually resides under. He undoes the box lid and takes out a brownie, taking a bite before setting it offhandedly on his desk. The crumbs gather beneath it. He slides open the drawer to the left of him, fiddling around with the inside of it before something clicks and lifts. The false underside of the drawer comes out as Rans practised fingers lift out the black, taped together handheld walkie talkie. He replaces the wooden bottom, sensing the eyes of Toby on him and stands to reach the shelf above his desk which sports a bright red radio which he plugs it into. He extends the antenna and flops back into the chair turning to face the still standing Toby. “We’re hooked up now, just have to wait for anything interesting to happen.” There’s a pause and he notices that Toby is still hovering with his laptop in hand. “You can sit on my bed if you want? Or take the desk. I don’t mind.”

Toby sits on his bed comfortably crossing his legs under him and opening the lid of his laptop.

They spend half an hour or so studying Toby’s extensive plans for Rans suit, adjusting where he had begun to go out of the realms of reality and readjusting when Ran stated he didn’t want people to be looking at his crotch, and again when he said he couldn’t afford such materials as metal threaded spandex. Toby sat with him patiently changing the technical drawings in front of him, adding and deleting and changing. He had also shown Ran the document he was working on, it held Rans known abilities and had space for weaknesses and allies. He had scrolled further down and shown him the other known powered individuals such as Pixie and Punisher as well as some he had never heard of like The Living Laser and Frogman.

“Where did you find out about all this?” He had asked between silences listening to the buzzing radio interference, he was still waiting for his call to action. “Newspapers, Twitter, just basically the internet.” He explained dutifully, “I’m surprised you’ve not heard of these ones before.”

“I’m usually busy fighting the smaller bads, not really worked up to anything big as of yet.” Toby had nodded, leaning his chin on his hand and scrolling casually through Twitter.

-

There was a knock on his door after that half hour, Ran reacted impulsively webbing the radio into his hand and shoving it haphazardly under his pillow. When the door opens he and Toby are making themselves busy playing a multiplayer game of fire boy and water girl.

“Ran- oh hi! You must be Toby right?” His aunt hovers at the door, her fluffy socks peeking out from the top of a pair of green crocs. Toby nods moving to stand, “Hi! Yeah that’s me.”

“I’ve heard plenty about you.”

Toby flushes a soft shade of pink, “All good things I hope.”

“Well of course! I hope you’re making yourself at home, it's not often that Ran has friends over so he might be a little bit out of practice with the whole hosting thing.” She grins mischievously at Ran. The cheeky-

“Heyy!” His aunt smiles, stepping further into the room. “Just gonna pop in and see Eliza, Ran. There’s snacks in the cupboard- I mean, you know where everything is. Just make sure you clean up after yourself.” She shuffles on one foot to the other. Ran smiles at her, “ Well, it was nice to meet you Toby.” She checks her watch, “I best be off.”

She closes the door behind her and as soon as she does, Ran brings the radio out again, placing it on his desk. “She doesn’t know?”

“What part of ‘I’m a masked vigilante, no one but you knows’ made you think she would know?”

Toby hums, switching the tab on his laptop back to the suit builder. His hands hover over the trackpad for a moment before he asks, “Who’s Eliza?”

“My auntie.” Ran answers simply, it was gonna be brought up eventually. When he saw the three pairs of hand prints framed dutifully above the sink in the bathroom.

“Oh cool where does she live?” Oh.

“Here.” He pauses, guessing he should have expected the question, “She's just in hospital right now.” Ran fiddles with the Mario figurine that somehow made its way into his hands over the course of the conversation. He can sense Toby’s face fall, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Ran shrugs, everyone’s always sorry. At least he hasn’t hit him with the, ‘I’m sure she’ll be better soon’. That is the worst one of all.

Toby goes back to typing, his fingers pause again, “Sorry if this is weird I dunno- where does she sleep? There’s only like 2 bedrooms-” Oh.

“Um, well. She sleeps in my Aunt's bed. They sorta share. Yanno?”

“What, like you can’t afford another bed or?” His eyes squint in puzzlement with a hint of concern.

Is this kid serious? “Uh…no.” He waits for a moment to see if the penny drops, Toby looks just as confused as he did when he first asked. The pink is gone from his cheeks, he seems just genuinely curious.

“They’re gay.”

Realisation dawns on his face immediately, like the sun in the morning. “Oh. That- yeah that makes sense. I see that now.” He smiles, “Well, good for them.”

Ran laughs loudly at that.

But before the moment can last any longer the radio speaks up, the voice is crackly and warbling; “-living laser- Valencia street-“

“Guess that’s my cue!” Ran jumps up from his seated position, throwing open his wardrobe and stretching his fingertips to reach the highest shelf, he pulls the red fabric towards him and catches Toby’s wide eyes as he begins pulling off his socks. “Oh- I’ll get changed in the bathroom.”
-
He emerges into the room, mildly conscious of the open curtained windows before he meets Toby’s slightly stunned expression, “I dunno why but- I mean, it's you.” Toby shakes his head, “It’s actually you.”

“Yeah, it is. Now quit gaping, we’ve got work to do.”

Ran grins under the mask.

Chapter Text

“Hello? Can you hear me?” His earbud presses aggressively in his ears, pushed by the tight mask covering his face and head completely. “Yeah, can you hear me ok?” He can feel his phone pressing against his waistband, the only place it would stay without falling. “Bit muffled but yeah. Lemme get the CCTV pulled up.” Rans rapid swinging falters as he has to catch himself on the side of a building, “Get what- you- huh?”
“I mean, I told you I was a hacker right? Shouldn’t take me too long.”
“Well alright, maybe having you help isn’t such a bad thing after all.” He launches himself off the building, his arm burning as he catches himself with a web to the next building. “The Living Laser should be a couple blocks in front of you, the footage I’ve got is pretty- well- shit. But I’m pretty sure there’s only one guy that could shoot lasers out his eyes that this pixley mess could possibly be.”
“Okay, alright- you got it that fast? Let me just-” He grunts, narrowly avoiding a particularly precarious crane load in front of him. Finally reaching the street that the radio had indicated. “Are they saying anything over the walkie talkie?”
“Nothing, they haven’t reached him yet.”

Ran perches on a short wall that runs along the top of a block of apartments. He can hear the screams of terror, the crashing of cars, the sizzling of singed hair, skin, smoking buildings. The road curls round a patch of grass, trees and park benches. “What do you know about this guy? Any weaknesses?” He watches the figure below him, wearing what from this distance looks akin to a gingerbread costume. He shakes his head, his eyes must be playing tricks on him. “There’s no weaknesses listed specifically but apart from his laser eyes he’s just human- well yanno, weak or whatever.” Ran hums, he’s not sure he can stall any longer but he also doesn’t really want his skin to sizzle like the rest of the people The Living Laser has already zapped.

He dives from the rooftop, landing carefully on top of a streetlight.

“From the file on him, this one likes to talk.”

“Oh, wonderful. Maybe I won’t even have to fight hi-

As he says that the figure turns to look him in the eyes. “Hey, man! Howareyadoin?” Laser's hand moves up abruptly, pointing at Ran before sending a shot of light directly at his face.

Ran drops, landing parallel to the ground. He rolls behind an abandoned car as another lazer beams its way towards him. An unusually accented voice booms across the street, “Come out now spidey-bitch.” The voice demands, Ran peeks his head above the hood of the car and ducks immediately back down as another raging line of light careens towards him, “Fine if you’re gonna be a pussy about it, I wonder how spiders cope with being crushed.” Ran feels the tingle up his spine before he vaults over the car in front of him. Small pellets of plaster and cement drop on his shoulders as a sizable chunk of an apartment complex crumbles; crushing the car he had been hiding behind seconds prior. Ran shakes off his shoulders, meeting the eyes of his attacker. “There you are…You’re a lot taller in person.” The Living Laser is wearing a long brown trench coat, his mouth is painted with a red smile and clear framed glasses with blue angry looking eyebrows attached adorn his face. A baseball bat hangs off a red and white striped strap on his belt. Overall, he looks unintimidating, almost comical. If it weren't for the potential for burning, sizzling and death - he might even say he looked friendly. Ran clears his throat, “What do you want?”

Laser sighs, “Isn’t it obvious?” Ran looks at the carnage of the street and the scorched brown grass in the empty park beside the road. “Chaos, death, destruction?” He crosses his arms. “No dude, my favourite bakery got closed down!” He looks genuinely distressed by the sentiment, his shoulders slumped and his head tilted toward the ground. “This is my public protest.” Ran is very confused, opening his mouth to offer some sort of condolences before Laser's miserable demeanour changes abruptly, “Nah, I’m just pulling your leg. HA! Your faceless face- I really got you with that one didn’t I?” He grins madly, his shoulders shuddering up and down as he laughs. He wipes a fake tear from his eye. His face is all of a sudden neutral. “Now, where were we? Back to burning you and this city off the face of the planet? Sounds about right.” Laser aims with his hands at a street side cafe, letting loose on the canvas awning which sets it ablaze, Laser seems to relish in the screams that follow. He turns to face Ran once more, hands outstretched.

Ran dashes behind another car on the road, its emergency lights are flickering. “I thought you said this guy was reasonable?” A manic laughter reaches Ran as there are more bursts of flames erupting in the street. “I never said that…” Crackles into his ear. The screams of people have died down, Ran can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not. He places a hand on the ground, letting his senses awaken. He snaps back as his mind's eye makes contact with an old man, back turned to Laser, headphones on and newspaper in hand. Laser seems to have noticed him too, his cocky smile plastered on his face, grinning from ear to ear. “Shit Ran you gotta do something, there's an-”

“Old guy.” They say in unison. “I know.”

Without thinking he jumps on the roof of the car, “Hey Mr Laser face, why don’t you pick on someone your own size.” his voice booms across the street, he’s just glad it didn’t crack. Laser scowls at him but continues his lazy walk towards the old man, who remains completely oblivious. He shoots a quick beam in Spiderboos direction, then at a tree, then a storefront window. “If you were a real man, you’d fight me with your fists.” This makes him stop in his tracks. He turns to look at Ran over his shoulder. “Damn, you got him there.” Laser grins, “Alright then, come get me spider-bitch.”

Now where the goshdiddlydarn were the police.

Ran wastes no more time and leaps into action, running the length of road and clearing a park bench as the ground beneath him turns from tarmac, to concrete, to grass. Laser only grins, beckoning with one hand, the other reaching to grab his baseball bat. Ran skids to a stop just a couple of feet from him and stands ready. Laser approaches him quickly, steps impatient. He swings wide for Spiderboo, who jumps just out of harm's way and then ducks to the ground to try and sweep Laser off his feet. Laser side steps out of Spiderboos range and then lunges closer again with an overhead strike. Spiderboo straightens quickly, catching the bat in his hand and twisting it behind Laser's back. Laser lets out a grunt of pain as Spiderboo pulls his arm just further than it's supposed to go. A brown booted foot stamps on Spiderboos’ making him cringe backwards, letting go of the grapple. Laser takes advantage of the sudden opening, aiming his next hit for Spiderboos abdomen. It connects and Ran stumbles back, holding his stomach. For a slight man, Laser can hit hard. Spiderboo leaps away to catch his breath then tries for a running kick to Laser's chest. Laser takes it square, he stumbles less than Ran did and recovers quickly, bringing the butt of the bat to strike Spiderboos head. His black clad hands catch the wood before it can connect, twisting Lasers' already weakened arms, and forcing the bat to the ground.

Laser spits, winding his arms slowly, taking in Spiderboos fighting stance. "How bout we make this more interesting?" He slurs. Feeling with his foot to reach the bat and then leaning down to pick it up again. Before Ran has a chance to move, he sets it alight.

"Ran try webbing the fire out!" The voice makes him jump. He does as it says, rapid firing at the flames that jump menacingly close to Laser's hair as he brings it up to swing at him. Laser runs at him and Spiderboo runs backwards shooting and shooting. The fire keeps burning. This wasn't working.

He spots a brick to his left and webs it into his hand, then lobs it with perfect accuracy for Laser's head. For a moment it looks like it'll hit, and then Laser brings the bat forward, swinging as it's primary intention, to hit the brick away. He succeeds, but the bat breaks in two. Laser growls. "That was my mother's bat!" Ran thinks he is probably lying, but it doesn't stop the rage on Laser's face from being so very real. "I'm not playing by your rules anymore spider-bitch." He raises his hands and Ran glances to his left. "We've had our fun, time to die!"

Laser let's loose. Like the sun, he burns bright. The beams from his hands combine to send a huge blast in Spiderboos direction. The dark black scorch mark left behind is proof of just how screwed Ran would be if he hadn't dashed behind another car.

"FUCK! I'll find you spider-bitch!" He shouts, "There's no use in hiding!"

Ran hears the telltale crackling and feels the power surging from Laser's hands all around him, overturning trees and bins and scorching walls.

"Are you seeing that?" Toby pipes up over the phone.

"Seeing what? I’m kinda busy fighting for my life here!"
Ran grunts as the tree behind the car he hides behind sets alight and he rolls to a tree to his right, to put his back to. Glancing round the trunk he sees Laser laughing maniacally, rubbing his hands together, his eyes searching wildly.

"His eyes." Ran snaps back behind the tree taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, they're green - it's kinda terrifying actually." Ran peeks round the side of the tree again, glimpsing them for himself. Laser smashes a window.

"It's weird."

"Hell yeah it's weird, but so’s shooting lasers out of your hands." Ran makes a mad sprint as the tree he’s concealed behind sets ablaze. Laser spots him and Ran flips around several shots taken at him.

"But it's really weird…"

Spiderboo sends a brick flying towards Laser, which disintegrates mid air.

"I really think the laser shooting is the more pressing matter here Tob- I probably shouldn't say your name-"

He has to find a way to get closer. He dodges another couple of blasts, hoping to keep Laser busy while he thinks of a proper solution.

"Yeah, whatever- his eyes Ran!"

"Dude, spit it out already what is it??" exasperatedly.

"His eyes are different from last time, they aren’t supposed to be all sparkly and shit."

"Ok how does this help me?? I’m dying out here!"

Spiderboo hurls more bricks in Laser's direction, and while he’s distracted, hops behind a car.

“I guess it doesn’t.” Toby says quietly. Spiderboo shrugs off the guilt for shouting at him. He has more pressing matters at hand.

He spots a turned over trash can, metal glinting from the fire light not too far from it. His vision pulses, there's rubble and newspapers and scorched trees, but the metal of lamposts, cars and…and trash can lids- An idea sparks in his head. Before he has another second to breathe the searing rays zig zag at his feet. He moves swiftly towards cover from another car, webbing the can lid into his hand, this one's door left open and the engine still running.

“Tob- crap. Man, if I don’t make it out of this...” He rests his head on the door of the car, breathing.

“Oh shut up bossman, you’ve got this. FUCK HIM UP BOO BOY!”

Ran gulps and steps out from his hiding spot.

He charges towards Laser, the makeshift shield bared in front of him, his eyes peeking over the top. He senses the heat before the blast hits his shield square. The force nearly knocking him back. He braces his legs, pushing against the power. “Come on Ran.” He hears from under Tobys breath. He surges forward, one foot after the other. He must be close now surely. Ran pulls another trash can lid to him, throwing it discus style as he leaps to the right. The lid crashes to the ground as lasers hit it but the distraction is all Spiderboo needs to bring the metal disk swinging towards Laser in one fell swoop-

The metal connects with Laser's head and the world seems to go in slow motion. Ran glances around; then looks at his hands, which twist weirdly in the air. He snaps back as Laser lands on the ground with an almighty thump. Ran checks to make sure the old man is safe; he is sat, still, on the same bench. His shaking hands turning the pages of the newspaper slowly. The tingling crawls up Rans neck and he turns sharply.

He takes a blast to the chest.

Chapter Text

The blast sent a shock through Rans system, the searing sensation suddenly far away and just out of reach. Spiderboo sends a final brick in Laser's direction and that seems to be the final final straw, as he slumps further into the ground. Ran listens for the deep breathing of the unconscious body. “Jesus, you alright bossman?”

He doesn't reply and wastes no time in stringing up the conked out body of Laser to one of the only not on fire trees in the park. As soon as the deed is done the screeching of police cars reaches his ears. “You gotta get out of there, the police are a minute away.”

Ran leaves the way he arrived, swinging to the street lamp then to a rooftop. It's only when he’s crouched behind a chimney stack that the pain from the blast finally pierces through his adrenalin and he lets out a groan. His suit is split open across the chest, he takes a look at the damage caused and winces at the sight. The black scorch only partly covers the red and pink puckered skin. Its bubbling and blistered surface is uncomfortable to look at. “Bossman, you ok?” he makes out just at the corner of his hearing. His hands are shaking, his breaths uneven gasps. He leans back on the chimney and tilts his head upwards to see the open blue sky. “Ran.” Toby presses, “I can’t see you on the cams. Are you alive?” And then quieter, “Please fuck, tell me you’re alive.”

Ran lets out a weak, “I’m alive.” through stuttering breaths. “You don’t sound it, man.” Rans laugh is cut off abruptly as the movement strains his injury making him wince and then cough which only worsens the growing pain. “What are you gonna do?” There's nothing he can do except make his way slowly and painfully home. So that’s exactly what he does.

Toby talks him through it all, encouraging him when his resolve weakens, calming him when his breath races, soothing when his chest aches. Ran is pretty sure that without his weirdass powers, that blast would have killed him. There should be a hole through him, not just the suit.

-

Ran climbs, albeit awkwardly, through the open window of his bedroom. The pain over his front spiders across his chest as he lowers himself onto the floor beneath the window and pulls his mask off. His hair sticking up and sweaty, his face worn. Toby rushes forward, his hands stilling over the wound. “Don’t worry about it Toby. I’ll heal.” Toby’s face is red, his mouth unable to form words for a moment before he sputters out, “How are you going to explain this to your family?” Toby turns and starts to pace, pulling at his hair. “They’re gonna know you’re in pain, they’re gonna find out about the- , they’re gonna think I caused it or even worse they’re gonna find out-” What happened to the calm and collected voice at the end of the phone line just seconds before?

“Toby.” He turns fast on his heel, almost toppling himself at the speed. His shoulders are hunched and his hands fidgety. “It’s fine. I’ll heal. In fact-” Ran looks down at the slightly less angry looking score over his chest. “It’s already halfway there.”

Toby looks at him in quick disbelief and squats in front of him to get closer to the thing in question. “Oh…” He huffs. “Well, that’s alright then.” Ran nods, feeling his body weaken as its energy saps to heal the knitting together fibres of his nicks and scratches, and the more laborious process of healing and sealing over the new skin, mending. Always mending.
-
The first time he’d been hit was his first ever encounter with a criminal. He had been mugged, or almost mugged, that poor guy had left with more than he bargained for. And it wasn’t cash. Ran remembers it vividly. The whole day had been odd, he hadn’t tripped when Tommy had left a purposeful foot in front of him, instead hopping instinctively over it, hadn’t dropped anything off his lunch tray even when he was bombarded by freshers running from all directions - barrelling balls of chaos. He had caught the ball thrown to him, the keys handed to him, the mug that fell from Mr Awesams desk. There had been other things too like, not so great things, but the day had been odd - not great. When a knife was pointed at Ran he had almost been unphased when he had automatically burst into action, dodging and attacking the poor man. As inexperienced as Ran was, he won the fight with only a cut down his arm. And before he had had time to worry about covering it up - it was gone. An odd day indeed.

He took a beating more times than he cared to admit, so often that he began to think his superpower was more “always getting up rather” than “shooting webs out of his wrists”.
-

After a few minutes of Toby anxiously hovering, then getting a drink, then more hovering. Ran felt the strength enough to stand. As he moves across the room, he catches himself in the mirror and his arms go up to cover himself instinctively. “Damn, I really do need a new suit.” Toby hums, passing him a hoodie which he puts on quickly, he can barely feel the strain as he lifts his arms.

“You alright bossman?” Toby asks for what seems like the millionth time. “Like I said the other bazillion times you asked, I’m fine.” Ran ruffles his hair, grimacing at the moisture he feels there. “Are you?” He hops on his bed, crossing his legs underneath him. “Yeah…” Toby has his arms crossed and stares at a point on the wall just above Rans head. “You really scared me out there Ran…” He almost whispers.

“Toby, I’m fine. Really! I’m ok. I always get back in one piece. You’ll get used to it, it's alright.” Ran pauses, noting Tobys unsure expression, “Unless…you don’t want to. You can always leave-”

“No. No way.” Toby stares at him defiantly. “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily. Plus, who’s gonna make you a badass suit?”

Ran chuckles, then turns serious, “Really, Toby, if it ever gets to much-”

“No. It won’t. You’re stuck with me bucko, whether you like it or not.” Toby’s teasing smile is back.

“Yeah, I got that.” Ran smiles up at him. The pain in his chest disappeared almost completely.

Chapter Text

From that evening on, both Ran and Toby's days were spent living and breathing Spiderboo. The next few confrontations they got through quickly and they soon had their little routine down. They would spend their painfully long school lessons in agony, waiting for the bell to toll telling them they could have lunch, where they would discuss strategies, movies, emerging heroes, falling villains. The school day would end soon after that and then it was to Ran’s house where they would wave hello to his Aunt, she would tell of his Auntie’s health, ask about school and then, once the pleasantries were over, they’d race up the stairs - Toby could take two at a time now - and find themselves slouched over Toby's laptop, now covered in stickers from the various TV shows they had watched together, stifling giggles by torch light so that his Aunt wouldn’t be reminded of Toby’s presence and send him home. Ran didn’t question why he didn’t go back until the late hours of the morning, or why his parents let him. Ran would don the lightly repaired and still battered suit and Toby would always remark on the state of it, pushing harder and harder for Ran to splash out a little to get something new! And exciting! And less…shit! In the long moments of quiet of Ran patrolling the streets, Toby on call - Toby had fiddled with an old communications device which he had configured for the both of them. Rans phone is no longer in peril, now in his desk drawer with the record that Toby had bought for him as a gift the other week - “What’s the occasion?” Ran had asked, grinning from ear to ear, tilting the disk carefully in his hands. “Dunno…just felt like doing something nice.” Toby had looked bashful, his cheeks turning pink and spreading to his ears. “That’s unusual.” Ran had replied, but it had none of the usual sneering sarcasm it should have. “Thanks man.” Toby had shrugged it off, fiddling with his fingers and then hopping away to use the restroom. -

Toby had been working on other things too, trying to figure out Rans powers as they tested them haphazardly on low threat thugs - so far they had discovered if he pushed hard enough, he could see through walls or not quite, just in strange small bursts; they hadn’t quite figured that one out yet… and the much more interesting one was short bouts of teleportation. He couldn’t go far, only within eyesight; and sometimes not even that. But they were learning. Toby was now practically plugged into the criminal undernet, scouring the web and putting out alerts for activity. He had even written a code that automatically sorted new criminals (and powered people) into categories. “Look how beautiful it is!” He had exclaimed dramatically, gesturing to his laptop screen. The white had been glaring for Ran to look at, he had just taken his mask off, “um, yeah. Looks great Toby.” The shorter had tutted then, spinning the screen around and then explaining every detail of the complex colour coded sorting system which showed everything from their eye colour to their least favourite sock…if they happened to know that - numbered, alphabetised, capitalised, perfect. Ran had nodded, trying to look convincingly excited at the prospect. But Toby hadn’t noticed and continued ranting about how difficult it was to change to dark mode with how he’d programmed it…that Rans brain had shut off. It was in moments like those that Ran let Toby talk and would take in the energy that radiated off him in awe that someone so full of energy, life, willingness to succeed was someone he got to call his friend.

So far they had logged Captain Reindeer, a curious man who’s mischief included stealing toys from toy stores and giving them to kids. When Spiderboo had tried to talk to him, he had simply gestured rather crudely with his hands before running off. They hadn’t had trouble from him since. Another was called Pixie, who flew around the city on new found wings, not knowing that the dust that fell from every flap was causing violent hallucinations to those below her. With the help of some clever thinking from Toby (now code named Tubbo when on mission) and some haphazardly designed tech in collaboration with Pixie aka Hannah, they had solved that problem and she now flew in other areas of the city helping to fight crime. Another was Frogman who had an obsession with lighting things on fire…this was quickly sorted with the help of the local fire department and Spiderboos web slinging finesse; he had trapped him in the very tunnels that he used to get around and alerted the authorities via an anonymous tip to pick them up. Throughout all of their engagements there were whisperings of other powered individuals - not all bad, and not all good either. More specifically the vigilante; Punisher. From what they’d discovered, he is just a little stronger and faster than the average human and he is a military trained professional with a vendetta against organised crime. Ran wasn’t about to get mixed up in all that and mostly stuck to the surface level stuff, leaving the scarier, more gruesome things to people he deemed more well equipped. However, with each crime fighting escapade his strength and confidence only grew. His fighting skills were now not solely reliant on instinct and he rolled with the punches dealt to him, finishing fights quicker than he ever had before.

A couple of weeks had passed since Toby had begun helping him and although they were keeping busy and having fun, Screwballs whispered information still tickled at the back of Rans mind. He didn’t want to get involved in whatever Punisher was dealing with, organised crime is another breed of scary with repercussions Ran can only dread to imagine. But if what Screwball had told him was in any way accurate…it was his duty to do something about it, right? He was, somewhat, a hero after all.

Ran and Toby hadn’t thought much about the Living Laser since he had been locked up but the haunting green eyes still stick in their minds and with every new powered person they come across, Ran pays closer and closer attention to it as heroes like Jack of Spades turn from beloved to beloathed - his eyes turning from clear blue to green and misty.

-

Ran and Toby go to school as normal. They have a small group of friends now, Toby has this amazing way of attracting lovely people through sheer determination. He simply sees someone he knows he’ll get along with and gets along with them. He picked people out of a crowd that, somehow, Ran had never seen before. Their group now consisted loosely of Freddie and Bill - and as other prime victims of Tommy’s antics, it made their table a large target. Usually, though, he stayed away - opting to joke loudly with the dark shadow of a figure that he followed behind, often sporting an unlit cigarette and a dark hood. It was getting harder and harder to avoid Tommy in Mr Awesam's class now, since Fundy had been off - more and more people were too. Out of a class of usually 30, 15 remained after the mysterious illness that had forsaken them. But as soon as the bell rang to signal the end of the day, Ran was out like a flash and didn’t spare it one thought.

-

“Corporation Manburg is set to make a statement about a missing worker - whose identity will remain anonymous for--”

“Turn it down, would you hon?” His Aunt presses fingers into her temples, massaging. A badly crochet blanket covers her curled up knees and a half full cup of tea sits perilously on the arm of the couch she lies on. Ran is fiddling with a Rubik's cube. “Ran?”
“Hm?” He continues the repetitive turning of the blocks, red, blue-
“Ran.”
“Yeah?” His hands still, something in her tone makes him meet her eyes which he sees are unusually moist. “A-are you ok?” His Aunt is not one for emotions.

She is quiet for a moment, “Ran, you know I never want to bother you, and you and Toby get along so nicely and- you’re always busy and well-” She takes a shallow breath, “It’s hard to keep going when someone you love is- is unwell.” Ran feels frozen in place, all he can offer is a nod, “I don’t mean to worry you- I try to be strong- and- of course she’s going to be fine- but-” She bunches the blanket in her fists.

He remembers when Auntie had made it, she had burst through the door after she had just finished writing a particularly stressful article and decided she wanted to learn to crochet. “Maybe keeping my hands busy will calm my mind!” She had exclaimed to his Aunt's disbelieving smile, “Whatever you say sunflower.” Anything to stop the insistent pacing.

Turns out crocheting is a lot more effort than she bargained for, so she made a quarter of a blanket - all yellows and oranges of little granny squares - and gave up. That was until his Aunt said, “I told you so.” It was done within a week.

“But, it's just been hard to keep positive, you know? It’s been so long- I’m not like you, I’m not busy- well, I am until…I’m not.” She sniffles. Ran has never in his whole life seen her so distraught. Even when he turned up on her doorstep after she had found out her brother had died; she had been calm, put together and ready to solve every problem. But he supposed, there was no problem to solve. Just a whole lot of waiting.

“And you know, maybe it would be better if she was just- if she was just gone it would somehow be easier- I don’t mean that- but this waiting. I- I’m sorry Ran,” She sniffles again, attempting a smile in his direction, “I just wish- she were here- I just wish she got to finish that damn article...I wish-” Tears start streaming down her face, “Oh, I’m such a mess.” She wipes at her eyes with her shaking hands. “I- I have to be the strong one. I have to be the one that keeps us together- I have to! Otherwise it’ll all fall apart…” She takes a shaky breath, visibly attempting to pull herself together and failing.

Whatever was stopping Ran from moving unstuck and he stood, padding towards the couch and to sit beside her. “You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

She sniffs, he leans an arm on the back of the couch and puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to be strong at all.”

-

Screwball said: The King has his pawns, and I am one of them. White plays first, then Black and they are opponents till the end.