Chapter Text
It had been two years since he had met the punk he had come to know as Hobie Brown.
When he had first met him with the mask on Hobie had been really cool. But when the mask came off, Miles had felt his heart jump in his throat. Hobie was beautiful. Miles loved how the punk was unapologetic in everything he did. He was loud in his protests against pretty much everything. Miles loved that the other boy was inconsistent in everything he did.
Over the last two years Miles had changed up his wardrobe quite a bit. He had mostly all black clothes now with a bunch of platform shoes. When his mother saw that he was changing up his style she had gotten excited and took him to get some piercings. She was his biggest supporter. His dad couldn't get behind his new style as much, but he helped him with booking venues for his concerts with his band. His dad supported his choice to go into the music industry after he had come out to them as Spider-Man. His dad had told him that he should hide his identity while on stage just in case he had any stalkers.
So, Miles did what he thought would be cool.
He altered his suit to fit his wardrobe and what he wanted his stage presence to look like.
(This is what he looks like under the suit and with the suit. I really liked this suit style so I figured it could be his new suit, but I changed the red to purple. Also, he doesn't have the gold earrings. I'll put a picture of the earrings he does have. He also has tattoos. Full sleeves. I'll post what tattoos he has later.)
(He also has a septum piercing, along with shark bite piercings and an eyebrow piercing)
He had altered his mask so only his dreads and his mouth were visible. He kept the part of his mask that covered his eyes.
He also wore black steel-toe platform boots and changed the laces in them. One side had purple laces, and the other side had yellow laces. He tied the extra length around his ankles like Hobie had done with his own laces. He also put some of the better pins he had been gifted from fans on his jacket after shows. He had been gifted an anarchy pin once when he and his bandmates had done a show in an old, abandoned train station. It had reminded him of Hobie. He had immediately pinned it on the left side of his jacket, right over where his heart was.
Someone else had given him an LGBTQ+ ally pin after seeing his laces. Albeit they were really shy about it. He could tell that they had been really nervous.
They'd had a concert almost two months before where he had seen one of his fans rip headphones off of another one's head and they had started yelling at them for wearing headphones to a concert. He had stopped everything right then and there. He had his bandmates stop the music and swung over to the commotion. The person who had been wearing the headphones looked like they were having a panic attack.
Miles had webbed the other person's mouth shut and scolded them for their actions. He told them that it was fine if someone was wearing headphones to one of their events, that maybe they had sensory issues and that that was okay. He had then turned to the panicking fan and tried to get them to calm down. At that point in time the entire place had gone silent.
He had made sure it was okay to touch them before having them match his breathing. It took a while, but they had calmed down significantly. After making sure they were okay he handed them back the headphones and gave them an extra VIP pass that he'd had on him so that they could meet him backstage after the show.
Despite that incident, it had been a good night overall.
At the moment he and his bandmates were getting ready for their show tonight. They were going on in thirty minutes. They had three different songs to sing, and they were playing in an abandoned factory tonight.
He was tuning his guitar to make sure it was good for the show.
As he was tuning, he got lost in his thoughts. He missed Hobie. He may have only known the guy for a day, but he missed him. Was the punk still as pretty as he remembered? Did he get more piercings? What about tattoos? Did he have any more? Is he still as tall as he was before, or was he taller? Did he keep the wicks, or did he have a new hair style? Was he okay?
The day Miles had fought the Spider Society was the day Hobie had quit and left HQ.
Hobie was so freaking cool.
He kinda hoped that Hobie had stayed at the same height. Miles had had two more growth spurts over the last two years. He was now 7'1. With his platform boots he was more like 7'4 though. He might not need the extra height, but he liked platform boots because of the style.
"Spidey! We're on in five!" Zoey called out, breaking him from his thoughts.
"I'll be right there, Z." he called back.
Zoey was their bassist. She was pretty chill except for when it came to getting on stage on time. She was a tiny Japanese girl with a buzzcut. She usually wore a lace front wig when she went home to her parents and played her violin at competitions per their expectations. Her stage name was Viper.
Their drummer's name was Brock. Outside of their band, he plays football. Usually, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, and he used makeup or long sleeves to hide his tattoos from his neglectful rich parents with strict expectations. But when he was with them, he put in his usual black and red dreadlocks and his red contacts. Brock was safe from his parents with them. His stage name was Devil.
Their keyboardist was a girl named Kareena. She was mixed, Indi-Latina. When she wasn't practicing or making music with them, she was playing classical piano and studying to be a doctor because that's what her parents expected. They were both doctors. When she was around her parents she wore 'teacher's pet clothing' (her words not his), like button up shirts and new blue jeans with sneakers or Mary Janes. When she was with them though, she wore alternative clothing. They mostly consisted of black and maroon colors. Her stage name was Raven.
He understood all of them and their troubles. Every time they got together, he made sure they knew that they could be themselves around him. He was basically the big brother of their group.
Miles was the lead guitarist and lead vocalist most of the time. Sometimes all of them were vocalists when certain songs called for it. His bandmates also wore masks just in case their parents saw their band playing.
He grabbed his jacket and put it on before making sure his dreads looked good then walked out to their makeshift stage. Because, again, they were playing in an abandoned factory. They had built their stage from a bunch of old wooden pallets that had been left and placed some rusty sheets of metal over for their floor. He had webbed it all together with a more permanent formula of his webs.
He climbed up to the rafters and when Kareena started playing, he swung down onto the stage. Their fans went crazy.
The song they were singing was one of their better-known songs. It was fast paced. They had based the song off of an old tv franchise called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Kareena and Zoey had a few separate lines.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked" He and Brock started.
"That's my fam, I'll hold 'em down forever
Us against the word, we can battle whoever
Together ain't no way gonna fail
You know I got your back, just like a turtle shell
Nobody do it better, all my brothers tryna get some cheddar
We all want our cut like the Shredder
Me and my bros come together for the dough
Bought the orange Lamborghini, call it Michelangelo
With the nunchucks doors and I'm pullin' up slow
When we fall up in the party, they know anything goes
Check my rolex, they say I'm the man of the hour
All this green in my pockets, you can call it turtle power!" He rapped. He took a breath during the small break.
"All for one when we fight together." Kareena sang smoothly.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!" He and Brock chanted.
"All for one when we ride together." Zoey chimed in.
"Knock, knock, you about to get- (shell shocked)." They chanted.
"All for one when we fight together." Kareena sang again.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!"
"This family can bear any weather." Zoey chimed in again.
"Knock, knock, you about to get- (shell shocked)" They chanted one last time before he had to rap again.
"Uh, ain't nothin' that could come in between me and my brothers
We all around if it's going down
It's just us, all for one, yeah you hear 'em right
Our business done, we disappear into the night
Came up together, so we all down for the fight
Ain't nothin' wrong with that
Family, ain't nothin' strong as that
And I'll be posted up where the strong is at
Brothers by my side, city on my back, real heroes
That's what the people want
They ain't born, gotta create 'em
Sayin' we gone as soon as we save 'em
That's part of the plan (part of the plan)
By my side I'ma keep my brothers
Live or die man we need each other, uh!" he finished, taking a breath.
"All for one when we fight together." Kareena began again.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!" he and Brock chanted.
"All for one when we ride together." Zoey followed.
"Knock, knock, you about to get- (shell shocked)" the chant continued.
"All for one when we fight together." Kareena sang.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!" they chanted.
"This family can bear any weather." Zoey finished.
"Knock, knock, you about to get-" they cut off before he had to rap again.
"Four hittas, four winners
Tryna tell 'em you don't wanna go to war with us
We be them, we be them, young ridahs
Raised in the gutters, really started from the bottom (hey)
We all we ever had, we all we ever needed and we undefeated
We be goin' hard, and make it look easy
Give me the whole pie, real cheesy
I told ya girl "No!" But you might not believe me
Takin' pics for me, told her smile for me
Pass her off I'm a real team player (player)
Bandana on my face like a gangster (gangster)" He rapped for the last time.
"Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!
Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked!" all four of them chanted at last.
He panted as the song ended and grabbed a bottle of water to refresh his vocal cords before he had to sing the next song. His friends did the same then started on the next song.
Brock and Kareena started them off with the first few chords as he switched places with Zoey.
"Sick of all these people talking
Sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing
Sick of being poised." she began, almost like she was tired.
He loved how she put all her feeling into the songs whenever she sang.
"Now my neck is open wide
Begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride
So, there's no use crying about it." she sang, getting a bit louder. She paused. Kareena, Brock, and he began to sing like a choir.
"I'm headed straight for the Castle
They wanna make me their Queen." she finished before Kareena quietly chimed in to make it sound like Zoey had an echo.
"And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the Castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the Castle." she sang, then it was Kareena's turn to sing.
"Oh, all of these minutes passing
Sick of feeling used
If you wanna break these walls down
You're gonna get bruised
Now my neck is open wide
Begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride
So, there's no use crying about it." she finished as he and the others started in with the choir.
"I'm headed straight for the Castle
They wanna make me their Queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the Castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the Castle." Zoey sang again.
"There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it." she repeated before Kareena started singing with her.
"I'm headed straight for the Castle
They wanna make me their Queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the Castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the Castle
They wanna make me their Queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the Castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut." they sang, then it was just Zoey while the rest of them stopped playing and let the leftover sound elongate and soften.
"Straight for the Castle." she finished.
He handed her a bottle of water a moment later so she could hydrate and refresh before their final song.
It was Brock's turn to sing. Miles and Zoey moved back to their original spots as Brock took the mic. Miles started them off with some easy soft guitar.
"Another night, same ceiling, same bed
rain on the glass while I replay what they said
house full of people, but I still felt alone
funny how you can feel homeless inside your own home.
They said, “Respect your parents, they gave you everything.”
yeah, they gave me food, but they also gave me pain I can’t explain
smiles at the table, then shouting in the hall
plates on thе floor, I still remember how thеy’d fall
I learned to walk quiet, read the room fast
check their mood first, hope the anger doesn’t last
if I ever spoke up, they said I was rude
so, I swallowed my truth just to keep the “peace” in the room
people look from the outside, say, “you had it good.”
big house, clean clothes, nice place, good food
but they never saw me shaking in that dark small space
trying not to cry so I wouldn’t “disgrace” the place
the pain that begins with family never truly ends
it hides in your chest; it shows up when you least expect
I was just a kid, trying not to break
calling that place “home” felt like a mistake." He rapped sadly and paused to catch his breath. Brock had been the one to write it. When they had first heard him sing it, all of them had been brought to tears and brought him into a group hug after.
"Family shouldn’t hurt like this
why do I feel scared when they’re the ones I miss?
family shouldn’t hurt like this
if love is what they gave, why does it feel like this?
family shouldn’t hurt like this
family shouldn’t hurt like this." he questioned. His voice almost wavering.
"Now I’m older, but the past still talks
I hear their voices in my head when I try to walk
they said I’m ungrateful, said I turned cold
cause I pulled back, set lines, didn’t do what I was told.
They don’t see the nights I’m awake with the lights off
rain on the glass, heart heavy like a cut off
thinking, “Is it my fault? was I too weak?”
or did I just want a place where I could finally breathe?
a family whose members don’t care are just housemates
living side by side with a locked up face
same roof, same walls, but no real ties
just people sharing space, trading quiet goodbyes
I’m trying to heal, but I feel guilty too
like choosing myself means I’m somehow cruel
they say, “blood is blood, you don’t turn your back,”
but where were they when I broke, when the whole house cracked?
so I’m learning now that distance can be kind
that loving from afar can protect my mind
and even if they don’t get what I had to do
I’m choosing a future where I don’t feel used." he cried softly. Miles could see the tears running down his cheeks silently. He let him feel it as Brock began again.
"Family shouldn’t hurt like this
why do I feel scared when they’re the ones I miss?
family shouldn’t hurt like this
if love is what they gave, why does it feel like this?
family shouldn’t hurt like this
family shouldn’t hurt like this." he hummed.
"Sometimes I break down in the car on the way home
music up loud so nobody hears my tone
I tell myself, “You did what you had to do,”
but the child in me still wishes someone came through
I think about birthdays, fights after cake
smiles in photos that were all half fake
I ask, “Am I bad for wanting to feel safe?”
and the tears say “no,” but the doubt still stays
I’m tired of pretending it was all okay
tired of saying, “it wasn’t that bad,” just to keep them safe
this is me finally saying what I never could
it wasn’t love if it didn’t do me any good." he sighed out.
"Family shouldn’t hurt like this
I’m done blaming myself for the scars they missed
family shouldn’t hurt like this
blood doesn’t mean I’m safe just because we coexist
family shouldn’t hurt like this
family shouldn’t hurt like this
family shouldn’t hurt like this
family shouldn’t hurt like this." he hummed.
"Another night, same ceiling, same bed." Brock paused. Miles could see him take a deep breath before continuing.
"But now I’m learning not to live inside their heads
maybe home isn’t where I came from, but where I heal
where love doesn’t cut, and my fear can finally kneel.
Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they’re safe
I’m still broken, but I’m walking to a safer place." he finished softly. A hopeful tone filling his voice at the end.
Miles smiled at him before turning to the crowd. As he looked out into the small sea of people, one face caught his eye and his breath hitched.
Hobie was there. He froze for a moment before going over to his bandmates and motioning for a huddle.
"Guys, you know that one guy that I told y'all about? The one that I haven't seen in like two years?" he asked nervously.
"Yeah, he's like, all you ever talk about bro." Brock replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, he showed up. He's here." he explained quietly.
"And you want us to do that one song for you so you can confess your feelings?" Kareena finished. She was smirking at him.
"Please?" he begged.
His friends nodded before leaving him to go back to their instruments.
He walked to the front of the stage and grabbed the mic.
"Hey guys, I know we were only supposed to play three songs tonight, but someone real special to me showed up. So. I dedicate this last song to them." he explained.
Brock started playing and Miles began singing.
"Aye, aye, aye, aye (ooh)
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (ooh)
Aye, aye
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh." he hummed.
"Needless to say, I keep it in check
He was a bad-bad, nevertheless
Callin' it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck
Crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck (wreck)
Needless to say, I'm keeping in check
He was all bad-bad, nevertheless
Callin' it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck
Crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck
Thinkin' in a bad way, losin' your grip
Screamin' at my face, baby, don't trip
Someone took a big L, don't know how that felt
Lookin' at you sideways, party on tilt
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Some things you just can't refuse
He wanna ride me like a cruise
And I'm not tryna lose
Then you're left in the dust
Unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower
I think your love would be too much
Or you'll be left in the dust
Unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower
You're the sunflower!" he sang, recounting the day they met. Hoping Hobie would hear the message he was trying to send him.
"Every time I'm leavin' on you (ooh)
You don't make it easy, no (no, no)
Wish I could be there for you
Give me a reason to, oh (oh)
Every time I'm walkin' out
I can hear you tellin' me to turn around
Fightin' for my trust and you won't back down
Even if we gotta risk it all right now, oh (now)
I know you're scared of the unknown ('known)
You don't wanna be alone (alone)
I know I always come and go (and go)
But it's out of my control
And you'll be left in the dust
Unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower
I think your love would be too much
Or you'll be left in the dust
Unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower
You're the sunflower!" he finished, still playing his guitar for a moment longer.
He was still staring at Hobie.
Miles took off his guitar and handed it to Zoey. She gave him a gentle push and whispered to him as she did.
"Don't let him get away this time." she teased.
He didn't take his eyes off the punk and stepped off the stage. Hobie's eyes were wide and his entire being was pink. There were hearts in the newspaper that he was outlined in. Miles smiled and strode towards him with purpose. As he walked, the people in front of him parted like the red sea. Once Miles got to the brit he noticed something.
Hobie was still the same height that he had been when they had met two years ago.
Miles stopped in front of him and took one of Hobie's hands before leaning down and whispering into his ear.
"Hey Hobes. What took you so long, mi cariño?" he asked, his voice low and sultry.
He smirked as the punk seemed to shiver and his body becoming a hot pink. The hearts in his outline almost multiplying.
"S-Sorry I took so long M-Mate, the tech w-was a bit more c-complicated than I originally th-thought." he stammered, lowering his head as if to hide how red his face was from Miles. Well, that was no good. Though it was cute that he had this much effect on the other boy.
Miles cupped the punk's face and lifted his chin so Hobie would have to look at him.
"Hermoso, look at me." he commanded gently.
Hobie gazed nervously into his eyes.
"Todavía tan bonita." he said lovingly.
"W-What?" the brit squeaked softly, confusion in his eyes.
Miles just smiled and shot out a web before bringing Hobie to his chest and wrapping an arm around his waist snugly.
"I'll tell you later but first, let's get outta here." he replied and took off.
As soon as Hobie's feet left the ground he yelped and wrapped his arms around Miles' neck. Miles laughed as they swung off into the direction of his new apartment.
They had a lot of catching up to do.