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behind the mask

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loosely inspired by the new spider-man movie. you’ll see. made up my own antagonist bc i do what i want.

spider-man!anton x (f) reader. friend of a friend to lovers. oral sex (giving and receiving). sub!anton. anton’s kind of a loser in this. anton’s pov mostly. the total opposite of a slow burn. wingman!bff!sohee. angst with a happy ending.

sum. anton’s been crushing on you for months and his best friend sohee can’t stand to watch him yearn like a loser anymore, so he forces him to talk to you. as it turns out, you might be into him too. but with mind man, a supervillain, trying to get into his head, anton might not be able to spare you from what it means to be a part of spider-man’s life.

Shotaro’s party at his house, ANTON POV, 8:33 PM

Until a few seconds ago, Anton had no idea at all that you were coming.

Anton had been looking around—not for you, because he was certain you would not be there—but for the beer. “I think Shotaro’s running low.”

“Yeah. And you’re flying low. Might want to fix that before your girl gets here,” Sohee said with the same voice you would tell a friend it was expected to rain tomorrow. He was casually scrolling through his phone.

Anton’s head snapped towards him. “What?” It was the loudest a whisper could be while still maintaining its whisper quality. “I thought she wasn’t coming!”

Sohee shrugged. “She wasn’t. But Shotaro says she changed her mind.”

Anton fixed his pants, his fingers hastily working to zip them up. Then, he ran them through his hair. “Does my hair look okay?” he asked. He had not particularly dressed himself up tonight. A pair of jeans and a campus hoodie usually sufficed for Shotaro’s parties, but not if you were there.

Sohee glanced up from his phone with the faintest trace of amusement in his eyes. “Relax, dude, it’s a party, not the Met Gala. She’s probably not going to be particularly fancy herself.”

She looks fancy in everything she’s in, Anton was tempted to say, but he withheld. He knew Sohee would only tease him and call him a simp.

Within the hour, you came in holding more beer than one person ought to have been carrying, and Anton would have gone over to help had Shotaro not beat him to it. He only watched instead. You were the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen by far. In jeans and a tank top, you had an otherworldly charm to your beauty. The way you smiled sent his heart fluttering up into the heavens. And your eyes, they were like nothing else, bright and warm as the sun on skin. Whenever you looked at him, he felt as though he was melting away.

Wonbin shot up from the couch. “You came!”

“Yup,” you said. “Shotaro decided to infringe upon my free will.”

What Wonbin must have heard was, “You kidnapped her.”

Shotaro took the accusation in stride, literally, as he gathered everything from your hands and headed for the kitchen. “All I did was introduce her to this beautiful thing called community.” He broke into the crowd and disappeared.

Anton watched your eyes dart across the room and brighten with familiarity as you recognized the face beside him. “Sohee,” you called, “Why are you hugging the wall?”

Sohee glanced up from his phone, grinning. “I like hugging the wall. We’ve been waiting for someone to bring beer. It’s better than getting drunk off that abomination of a punch Shotaro made and kissing the floor.”

You laughed. Then, you laid eyes on him. “Hi, Anton!”

Anton put up his hand in a shy wave. “Hey,” he replied quietly.

You did not linger. You said your greetings and went to join Eunseok and Wonbin on the couch, where they quickly roped you into playing video games.

“Real smooth,” Sohee teased.

“Shut up,” Anton told him. He did not do well with strangers. Perhaps you weren't a total stranger, but you were Shotaro’s friend more than you were his. Even Sohee knew you better than he did.

The first time Anton saw you he had been making a beeline for his Music History class after hurriedly shedding his Spider-Man gear behind one of the the less frequented buildings. A couple of morons had decided to kidnap a politician’s son thirty minutes before Anton was due to leave. The incident culminated in a shaken but otherwise unharmed eighteen-year-old, two prison-bound idiots webbed to a crashed car, some terrified civilians, and a few scratches Anton’d had no time to think on. As he was bolting across the pavement, he saw you sitting at a bench with your friends Willow and Krystal, and he almost gave himself whiplash looking at you.

He remembered hoping that he would see you again so that he could prove to himself that you were not something his mind had deliriously fashioned up after hitting his head a few times too many. He even found Sohee after class and described you vividly, the way your hair framed your face, how your nose fit you, how your lips were moist. Sohee went on Instagram and pulled up a profile, asking, “You mean her?” Anton had spent that night scrolling through your profile. He didn’t mean to be a creep, but the sight of you fascinated him and he wanted to engrave it into his memory.

And the day after that, he had gone to Shotaro and asked him to tell him everything he knew about you. Sohee had told him that you two were friends, and Anton had seen for himself that Shotaro was following you online. Shotaro advised that he should talk to you himself if he wanted to get to know you, but Anton was terribly afraid of that going wrong. What if he said something that scared you away? What if you thought he was weird? What if you decided he was boring?

So Anton never said as much as a word to you unless you spoke to him first. At least that way he knew he was not likely to make a fool of himself.

But tonight Sohee was tired of watching him brooding in the corner. “You’re ruining the vibe, man,” his friend told him. Half an hour later, you set down your controller and went off towards the kitchen. “This is your chance. Go talk to her.”

Anton protested the idea immediately. “Nope. Not doing it.”

Sohee rolled his eyes. “Yes, you are. I can’t keep watching you eat your heart out for this girl you refuse to talk to. You’re a cool, charismatic guy, but how is she supposed to know that if you don’t open your mouth and speak?”

“When I open my mouth, nothing comes out.”

“Have you even tried?” Sohee asked. “Come on. Ten minutes. If you can’t figure out what to say in ten minutes, I’ll consider you incorrigibly doomed and never bring it up again.”

Against his will, Anton wound up meandering towards the kitchen where he found you on your phone, leaning against the counter. “Hey,” he forced out. “Just… needed a break from the noise.”

You glanced up from your phone. “Oh, okay. Cool.” You glanced back down.

“Yeah. Cool.” Anton was already regretting this. What was he supposed to say now? “Wonbin’s gonna be sad you bailed on him. He looked like he was really getting into it.” I’m just making it worse.

“Wonbin gets a little too into it,” you said. “Besides, I’m not a video game person anyway.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Anton said. “I just like to chill and listen to music.”

You put your phone away. “What kind of music do you listen to?”

Although Sohee was still in the living room, Anton could still hear him in his head. She’s engaging. Don’t blow it, Sohee’s voice was saying. “Pretty much everything. I’ve been exposed to a lot of stuff over the years. Lately, I’ve been on a Neo Soul craze.”

“Neo Soul?” you echoed, smiling.

Did I choose the wrong dialogue option? Anton asked himself. “Yeah…? Why do you say it like that?”

You glanced him over. “No reason,” you said, but he could see the amusement in your eyes. “So, do you like D’Angelo?”

Anton willed himself to relax. “Are you kidding? He had something really rare. I’m always in awe with his vocal layering. Actually, I’ve been listening to ‘Another Life’ a lot lately. One of the best songs ever created.”

“‘Another Life?’” You laughed. “Do you have a secret crush I don’t know about?”

Anton’s heart was pounding. “What? No. No. That’s not why. I just… like the music.”

“That’s fair.”

He couldn’t tell if you believed him or not. “What about you?”

You thought about it. “I think my favorite song is ‘Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine.’ I love a song that’s beautiful and yearnful, you know? And he has a way of keeping everything from sounding empty. Stuff like that amazes me. I hear great songs and just wonder about the process behind it.”

That answer surprised Anton. Most people he met didn’t question music that deeply. “Have you ever made music?”

You turned shy. “Well, yes. I’ve written and produced a few songs before. But I’m not an expert or anything. I’d like to learn more.”

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. I can’t believe this. “I’m, uh, a music student. I produce songs in my free time. I’ve been practicing since I was in middle school,” Anton said coolly. “I could show you what I know one day. If you wanted that.”

“That’s really nice of you,” you replied softly.

Her voice is beautiful, Anton was thinking. This was the most he had said to you ever. Just as that realization came to him, his special ringtone went off, drawing his attention to the phone tucked into his back pocket. “Sorry, that’s my little brother. He only calls me when it’s important. I should go, but, uh, maybe we can pick this up later?”

“Yeah. Sure,” you agreed. “Do you want my number?”

Anton’s mind grounded to a halt. “Yes.” But at the same time, every second he was here, someone was out there wreaking havoc across New York.

“I’ll have Shotaro text it to you,” you said. “Bye-bye, Anton.”

The way you said his name always made his chest feel warm. “Thanks. See you later.” He grabbed his backpack and went out through the back door.

Anton had two ringtones: one was his regular ringtone that sounded when someone was calling him, but the other was connected to a feature Sohee had built into his phone that alerted him of when an urgent crime was happening somewhere nearby.

Sohee was the only person who knew Anton’s secret identity, and that was only because he had been waiting for him in his bedroom when Anton climbed in one day in high school. In the end, this proved beneficial for Anton; not only did Sohee cover for him when he was out of excuses, but he helped him design tools that facilitated his Spider-Man endeavors.

Anton donned his Spider-Man wear and swung out into the night. It was windy around this time, but he liked the way the air buffeted his face through his mask. The city was swallowed in the shadows where evil lurked unseen, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was his job to rid this city of these criminals that sought only to destroy and harm, and his responsibility to make sure that people felt safe and protected in their home.

Per the app Sohee had built, some burglars had broken into a woman’s house and ran off with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. They were on the road now in what a neighbor had described as a dark blue-ish sedan. Most likely they had not gotten far.

He was only glad it wasn’t Mind Man tonight. Petty criminals posed no real threat to him, but Mind Man was something else entirely. When they fought, Anton had the sickening feeling that Mind Man was fighting him to understand more than he was fighting him to win. Every time, Anton got the better of him, but the victory never left a sweet taste in his mouth. And with every new duel, Mind Man grew stronger and less predictable.

Anton threw himself into the air over and over. In the sky, he felt untouchable. He liked to get up as high as he could and throw himself off rooftops, dive, pull himself up, and swing on and on and on. There was something about it that gave him a rush. The way the world would swallow him up and then he’d launch himself out of its mouth before it could sink its teeth into him. When he was up here, nothing could hurt him.

He wished other people could feel like this. Free, like a bird… or a spider. Every now and then when Anton was having a hard time he just took to the sky and swung around until his head felt clearer and his heart felt lighter. Up here, there was no need for thinking or feeling. You could just exist.

Only a few minutes had passed before a sedan swerving recklessly caught his eye, blue in color. “Got you,” he muttered to himself. He swung with alarm now. Any more of this and they would cause a wreck. He threw himself down onto the hood of the vehicle. “Stop the car!”

The driver had a battered face and scruffy beard. “Look who it is,” he said gruffly. “Get off my car or I’ll kill you, Spider-Man.”

“I wouldn’t really recommend that. Can we try talking it out over coffee? If you pull over, there’s a nice coffee shop near—”

The man in the passenger seat took out a rifle and started shooting at him.

Anton leapt onto the roof of the car, dodging the bullets as they flew into the air. “Okay, so no coffee. Maybe beer? You guys like beer?”

“Kill him!” shouted the driver.

“Okay, okay, point taken. You know what they say. Don’t bring beer to a gun fight.” The first thing he did was disarm shoots-a-lot in the passenger seat. He reeled the rifle towards himself with a web, used another to block the barrel, and a final shot to bind it out of arm’s reach of the passenger.

When that was done, he dropped back down onto the hood. “You!” the driver snarled. He turned down the corner at break-neck speed, scarcely missing the others cars on the street.

Anton was dismayed. “Holy shit, man. Where did you get your license?” He climbed onto the passenger side of the car and shot a web inside, binding the driver’s hands to the steering wheel.

“You piece of shit! Get this off me!”

“No way, José,” Anton said. Another strand of silky web tugged at the driver’s foot, away from the gas pedal. The car gradually began to slow to a halt.

The man in the passenger seat barreled out of the car and bolted off into the street. “Wow. Really?” Anton said. Just as shoots-a-lot ran beside a wall on the right end of the road, Anton blew another shot that sealed him against the brick.

There were sirens howling behind them. After a few moments they came from around every corner, blocking in the car.

“Got them right here for you, officer,” Anton said. He looked between the two criminals, both locked in place. “You guys are ready for GTA 6. Too bad you can’t play in prison.”

“Thank you, Spider-Man,” an officer said as he came out of his car.

“No problem. Same time tomorrow!” Anton launched a web and pulled himself up and away. There was always a new danger.

The campus courtyard, ANTON POV, 2:57 PM

You were reading something on your phone. “Man, does Spider-Man have a job? Or school? They’re saying he caught, like, a dozen dudes last night.”

Shotaro shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe that is his job.”

“Do you think Spider-Man is making minimum wage?” Sohee asked with a smile.

You giggled. “I wonder who he is. Do you guys think he’s hot?”

Anton made a strangled noise.

Everyone’s heads whipped towards him. “Anton? You good?” Shotaro asked, brows stitched with concern.

Anton forced a smile. “No, yeah. Just choked on my saliva.”

Sohee was grinning from ear to ear. He wrapped an arm around your shoulder. “That’s an interesting question. But the mystery is the whole appeal. It would be boring if everyone knew what he looked like. But who knows? Maybe he’s an absolute beast beneath the spandex.”

Shotaro thought about it. “I mean, you can tell he has a nice build. You have to be in good shape to do all that swinging and stuff,” he agreed. “I never thought about whether or not he was hot though.” He turned towards you. “Why? Do you want him to be hot?”

You shrugged indifferently. “A lot of girls our age think he’s hot. Have you opened any social media platform ever? There’s even Spider-Man fanfiction.”

Anton felt like he was going to die. “I don’t think people should write creepy stuff about him. He’s just some guy trying to do the right thing.”

Sohee ignored him entirely. “Do you read Spider-Man fanfiction?” he asked you.

You shoved Sohee away. “No, I don’t read Spider-Man fanfiction, dude. I’ve moved onto Ghostface now.”

Sohee laughed incredulously. “Ghostface? Really? A serial killer that murders all his friends for fame and glory and whatever the fuck? That’s who you have the hots for?” He shook his head. “Women are so weird, I swear. You gave up a masked vigilante for a masked murderer.”

“I guess she’s got a type,” Shotaro said, “masked, mad and mysterious.”

“Mad?” Anton echoed.

“I think you have to be pretty mad to dedicate your life to trading blows with the Bad Guy of the Day.”

“Ghostface isn’t real, though,” you were saying. “Spider-Man is.”

Anton was in disbelief. “So because Ghostface isn’t real, he’s fair game… and you prefer him to Spider-Man who spends his time making New York City a safer place? Why?”

You shrugged again. “Don’t get me wrong. I love Spider-Man. We need him out here. But when I was reading Spider-Man fanfiction, I was, like, seventeen. Sometimes you just move on from things. And I’ve been watching a ton of horror movies lately,” you explained. “Who do you guys think would win in a fight? Ghostface or Spider-Man?”

“Spider-Man, hands down,” Sohee replied as if it were obvious. “Ghostface is literally just some random with a knife. Spider-Man is Spider-Man. Any attack Ghostface tries, Spider-Man can have him webbed against the wall easily.”

You bit your nail. “He can web me against the wall.”

Everyone’s head turned. “What?”

“Kidding, kidding,” you replied, thoroughly unconvincing. “I just don’t agree. How would Spider-Man beat Ghostface? Ghostface is always fast and strong too. And you can’t really defeat them until they’re dead. When has Spider-Man ever killed anyone?”

Anton was stiff. “I mean, what makes Spider-Man great is that he doesn’t have to kill anyone to be helpful. He doesn’t believe in needless violence.”

Sohee snorted. He’s enjoying this, Anton thought to himself. “Dude, you’re defending him pretty hard. You got a crush on the guy?” he asked knowingly. “She does make a good point, though. Ghostface plays by his own rules.”

“That’s true,” Shotaro agreed. “Ghostface is ruthless, but I think Spidey could kill him if he wanted to, or had to.”

Thank you, Anton was saying in his mind.

“Whatever,” you replied dismissively. “I need to see what Spidey’s working with underneath the suit before I decide if he’s smashable. If he’s jacked but ugly he has to keep the mask on.”

Anton almost walked into Shotaro when you said that. When will this conversation be over?

Sohee was tickled, but he said nothing. For now.

Shotaro, none the wiser, continued to entertain the debate. “There’s just no way he isn’t fit.”

Anton looked to Sohee for help, but the amusement on his face signaled that he was utterly alone. “Guys, you can’t just judge someone’s worth by their body. I mean, what if he’s got a nice personality?”

You rolled your eyes. “Come on. I’m not saying he should be put to death if he’s ugly, but would you fuck someone you don’t find attractive?”

Sohee was almost choking with how hard he was restraining himself from laughter.

Anton couldn’t meet your eyes. “There’s more to attraction than just looks,” he said softly. “Personality, chemistry…”

“I don’t think this is helping your case, man,” Sohee butt in. “In order to judge Spider-Man’s personality, she would have to know him. But she doesn’t.”

Anton sighed. “I don’t know why I’m even arguing about this. I’m just saying that looks aren’t everything. Attraction is made up of a lot of different components, and not everyone needs to see someone’s face to feel a connection.”

Shotaro was touched. “That’s sweet, man.” He patted Anton on the back. “Whoever Spider-Man is, I’m sure he’d appreciate you coming to defend him this hard.”

“I just wouldn’t let an ugly man touch me. I have dignity,” you said abruptly.

“No, yeah,” Anton said. “You should do whatever makes you comfortable.”

Sohee finally burst into laughter. “This conversation just made my whole day, because I’m pretty sure I bombed my exam.”

Shotaro shook his head. “Ease up on the guy. He was just trying to defend Spider-Man’s honor.”

Anton smiled, as if finally understanding the lack of gravity of the dialogue they were having. “I’m just saying we should give him the benefit of the doubt. What if he has a nice voice?”

“Yeah, I’ll make sure to keep that in mind the next time I have a conversation with Spider-Man,” you droned.

Sohee chuckled. “So, who’s your favorite Ghostface?”

You paused to consider it. “I love Stu and Billy, like there’s just something about the magic of the original that I don’t think can be replicated, but I also love Ethan. He’s hot and I’m a sucker for a shy dork.”

A shy dork. Anton looked away.

“I guess I can see the appeal,” Sohee said. “He’s got the whole quiet thing going on, like he’s harmless but a little unhinged beneath the surface. That your thing?”

“I mean, I don’t want to date someone who’s an undercover psychopath,” you said, “but I can handle a little peculiarity. Who wants a serial killer?”

“A little peculiarity. Yeah. Makes sense,” Anton murmured.

Shotaro threw him a curious look, but said nothing. “Anyway, we should all have a movie night again and do a horror theme this time.”

“I’m so in,” Sohee said. “I love watching this girl pretend she’s not scared and then scream out of nowhere.”

You looked annoyed. “I don’t scream. I just make a little noise.”

Anton’s lips twitched. “I believe you.”

“Don’t,” Shotaro said. “The first and last time I watched a movie with her, she couldn’t sit still. And then she kept yelling: ‘are you dumb?’ ‘Look behind you!’ ‘Why aren’t you running?’”

Sohee laughed. “We’re having a movie night for sure. Let’s do my place. Bring your own snacks though.” He turned to Anton. “You’re coming, right?”

You glanced over at Anton who was walking on your far left. “Yeah, you’re coming. Right?”

It was nothing when Sohee had asked him, but when you did it, he felt like there was no way he could refuse. “Yeah. Yeah. For sure.”

You grinned. “Try not to get dragged away this time.”

For a second Anton was afraid he had done something to plant suspicion in your mind that night, afraid that you knew something you should not have known… but then he realized he was being paranoid and there was no way you could have figured him out for a certainty. “I’ll try my best,” he said.

Movie night at Sohee’s house, ANTON POV, 7:22 PM

All four of you had gotten cozy on the sofa, Shotaro, you, Sohee and Anton, in that order. A bowl of popcorn was being shared by each pair.

Anton was not normally one to watch horror films, but he supposed it wasn’t so bad with three friends in his company. And besides you had wanted him here. That alone was more than enough reason to stay.

He was hardly paying the movie any mind anyway. His attention was on you. You became restless when the music grew dramatic and tense, looked away from the screen when something particularly brutal was happening, and yet you seemed totally enraptured by the disturbing contents of this frightening movie. He watched how you clung to Shotaro for comfort and winced when a character took a mortal blow. He noticed how you shrunk when someone you had liked was mangled and butchered beyond salvation. He saw the way your eyes were fixed to the screen with a new intensity during the final act.

What Anton did not expect was for you to ask him halfway through the second movie of the evening, “Anton, do you wanna grab me another water?”

It was a strange request, mostly because he was the furthest from the kitchen, but he did not deny you. “Sure,” he said. He got up; he walked behind the couch to avoid blocking the screen; he went to the kitchen; he grabbed a bottle of water from Sohee’s fridge; he walked back and handed it to you; he sat back down.

You smiled. “Thanks, Anton.”

“No problem,” Anton replied quietly. He forced himself to look at the television mounted on the wall. Something in him died when he felt your fingers brush against yours during the handoff. It came back to life when he heard you say his name.

By the end of the third movie, everyone seemed to have tapped out and had their fill of blood and gore for one evening. Anton and Sohee were hovering in the kitchen. “That could have meant something,” Anton was saying, “or it could have meant nothing. What do you think? I’m overthinking it, right? She was just thirsty.”

Sohee groaned. “My brother, she asked you to get her water. Not me. Not Shotaro. You. She could have asked anyone else in the room, but she asked the guy she barely knows who’s sitting on the other side of the couch. Come on, man.”

Anton didn’t want to get his hopes up over something as insignificant as a bottle of water, but he had to admit that it felt intentional.

Before he could respond, he heard your voice from behind him. “Anton,” you called out, emerging from the living room. “I believe I’m owed a conversation.”

“You remember that?” Anton asked, smiling timidly. “I mean, I’m down.”

Sohee looked smug.

You reached for a family sized bag of barbecue chips that you had brought with you when you came through the door. “Want some?” you asked Anton.

“Yeah,” Anton said softly. “I want some.”

He ignored the way Sohee was grinning at him as he followed you wherever you were taking him. You wound up at the top of the building, a faint breeze making Anton’s hair rustle like leaves in the wind. He watched you settle down near the edge of the rooftop, the city sprawling beneath his feet with a lifelike quality of its own. He lowered himself beside you but kept a respectful distance.

“How do you do that?”

You opened the bag of chips and held it between you both. “Do what?”

Anton looked around. Darkness loomed around them, but the city lights kept everything luminous. “Make everything easy,” he said. “I mean, I’ve been wanting to talk to you for real for months. And you walk up and offer me chips like it’s nothing.”

You chuckled. “I can be shy too,” you confessed. “It’s just that when I meet someone shyer than me, it makes me feel bold. Maybe I’m a predator or some shit. And you’re my prey.”

Anton paused in the middle of reaching for a chip. Then, he burst into laughter. “Prey? That’s what I am to you?” He shook his head. “Should I be nervous?”

“Maybe,” you said. You leaned in. “It makes me feel in control.”

For a small moment Anton felt his heart stop. His eyes darted to your lips, but he forced himself to look away. “In control?” he repeated. “That sounds, uh, dangerous.”

You giggled and pulled away. “So, do you have female friends?”

The question caught Anton off guard, but he was not compelled to lie. “Uh, yeah,” he said. “I have a few. I mean, I don’t have a ton of friends in general, but some of them are girls and some of them are guys. Why?”

“Oh, no reason,” you said, your voice too high-pitched and easygoing for him to believe you. “Do you like kids?”

Anton couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being lured into a trap of some kind. “Do I like kids? I mean, yeah? I have a little brother. He’s not, like, a little kid anymore, but I remember when he was. And I used to help kids learn to swim, back in high school.” He stared at you warily. “Is this a trick?”

“Nope,” you said. “So, like, have you ever heard of artists like SOPHIE? BAYLI? Underscores? Destin Conrad?”

“I know all of them except BAYLI,” Anton said. “Why? Should I get into them?”

You giggled. “Absolutely, she’s amazing,” you told him. “So hypothetically… let’s say you’re really mad at Sohee. Like, he’s teasing you and he just takes it too far one day. And you’re already in a shit mood. What do you do?”

Anton knew for sure he was being tested now, but he said nothing about it. “Well… if Sohee pissed me off, he’d know because I’d stop talking to him for a while. I’d just take a moment to myself to chill out and think on it. And then when I’m ready we can talk it out.”

“Interesting.”

“Is it really?”

You didn’t answer. “So, like… what are your plans for the future?”

Anton glanced off into the distance again. The future. What good had it ever done him to make plans about something so uncertain as that? When he was a boy, all he had cared about was being good enough at swimming that it would open doors for him. Then when he was in high school, a spider bit him, and it changed his life forever.

Now as far as he knew, his future was here, protecting the city he called home by night while by day he was figuring out what it meant to be Anton Lee. “Music. I want to produce and write. Maybe put out my own stuff eventually, but I’m more comfortable behind the scenes.” He had spoken so much about himself he felt as though he was being interviewed. “What about you? What do you want to do?”

You shrugged. “I just like… stories. I love writing and reading. Listening to music too. There’s just something about something that can take you to another world. Even if it’s just for an hour and then reality grounds you back to earth.”

Your words struck a place deep inside him that Anton visited often. “Yeah. I know what you mean.” He met your eyes. “I’d like to read your stories sometime.”

“Maybe one day you can,” you said in a small voice. “Did you grow up here? I love New York.”

She’s shy when it comes to talking about her art, Anton noticed. One time was a coincidence, but twice was a pattern. The thought made him smile. He would have to be gentle about it, then. “I was born in Boston, but I grew up here, yeah. This is home for me. You?”

“I just came here to get away,” you said. “I’m from a really boring city in the south that we shall not name. After graduating high school, I kind of just wanted to be far enough from home that driving is impractical.”

Anton wondered what could have driven you to want to be that far away, but he didn’t pry. Not now. “You’re in the right place, then. Nobody really looks twice at anyone here.”

“It’s really nice,” you said, glancing down at the bustling streets below. “What would you change about it?”

Anton followed your gaze. “What would I change?” he repeated quietly. He sighed. “The rent prices, for one. It shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg just to basically live in someone’s closet. And I’d… make it safer. It can be really dangerous sometimes. I want people to feel like they can walk home without looking over their shoulder.”

You hummed. “That’s reasonable.”

Anton’s heart felt lighter. The conversation had drifted somewhere easy. “You’re really easy to talk to,” he said after a pause.

“Thanks,” you said, grinning. “You too. Although we should probably head back down.”

“You’re right.” Even as he said that, there was a hint of reluctance in his voice. “Sohee’s gonna think I fell down the roof.” He stood up and outstretched his hand.

“Relax. I think I can still stand up by myself.” You accepted his hand anyway.

Anton pulled you up gingerly, his breathing trapped in his throat as he felt your fingers, soft and supple, close around his own. He held them for a second longer than he should have. “Just being polite,” he murmured. “You know, between you and me, I wasn’t in a hurry to go back down.”

“I know,” you said with a teasing smile. You led him down anyway.

“Look who decided to join us,” Sohee said when the two of you returned. “Were you doing a tour or what?”

“Oh, yeah. A very thorough tour at that,” you said as you went to set your barbecue chips on the table. “Had to make sure he saw all the bird shit. He said that was his favorite part.”

Anton played along. “No, yeah. The bird shit really helped set the vibe.”

Sohee crossed his arms. “Right. That’s exactly what happened. I believe you guys.” There was a knowing twinkle in his eyes as he glanced at Anton. “Maybe just try not to get lost next time.”

You stretched your arms above your head and yawned. “I think I’m going to call it a night. Later, boys.”

Anton resisted a frown. “Good night. Text me when you get home. So I know you made it back safe.”

Sohee waved. “Just don’t get murdered. I would miss you a little bit.”

You flipped Sohee off, waved at Anton, bid your goodbyes to Shotaro who was lying on the couch, and slipped through the front door.

When you were gone, Sohee wanted to know the truth of it immediately. “So? What really happened? You guys were gone for nearly forty minutes. Did you kiss her?”

Anton rubbed his nape. “We just… talked.”

Sohee was not impressed. “About…?”

The conversation was always replaying in Anton’s head and you had only just left. “She asked me a bunch of questions. About my future, music, if I like kids, that sort of thing.”

“What?” Sohee was beaming. “Dude. You’re serious? She asked you if you like kids? That’s serious.”

Anton felt restless. “Or she was just curious. Just making conversation.” Even he didn’t believe that himself.

“I don’t think women just go around asking guys they just met if they like children for no good reason,” Sohee told him. “What else did she ask you?”

Anton thought about it. “She asked me if I had female friends.”

Sohee seemed thrilled. “Oh, yeah, man. She wants to see if you’re a good, respectful young man.”

For once Anton let himself feel some kind of hope. “I should probably text her.”

“You absolutely should,” Sohee agreed. “Maybe mention the chips, I don’t know. She brought chips. Girls like when you remember shit. It’s the little things.”

That night, Anton lay in bed, thinking way too much on what would be the best thing to say. He typed a message and deleted it. He typed another and deleted that too. “Fuck,” he swore under his breath. What were you doing to him?

anton: hey, i had a good time tn. hope you got home okay. thanks for the chips

He settled for that message and forced himself asleep.

When he woke, there was a new message from you on his screen.

you: hey, sorry. fell asleep. thanks for looking out tho. see u when i see ya 😝

Anton must have read the text ten times before he realized he needed to start his day.

A party at some dude named Tyler’s house, ANTON POV, 9:42 PM

Normally Anton would have rather been home, but any chance at seeing you was a chance he was willing to take.

Tyler Rockwell threw parties like it was his life’s calling and absolute duty, nearly every weekend without fail. His parties were open to whoever wanted to show and his friends were always coming up with innovative ways to risk a visit to the emergency room. Anton preferred Shotaro’s parties. Shotaro was picky with his guest list, which meant the size was bound to be more intimate, and they shared a social circle to an extent. A smaller crowd with more familiar faces was easier for him. Usually at parties like this one he stuck to who he knew until he got bored or drunk and wanted to go home.

Around him the music was booming so aggressively he could feel it beneath his shoes and in his bones. A few people bumped into him wordlessly as they passed by, and he could hardly be mad at them when everyone in the room was standing shoulder to shoulder. Gingerly he wove through them in the sparse spaces where the throng of bodies broke up, passing a bundle of tipsy partygoers playing beer pong and a pair of freshmen smoking in a corner. He saw Shotaro in the kitchen laughing with one of his dance crewmates; Eunseok dueling someone on the couch; and Sohee flirting with that Zoe girl he was crushing on.

When he finally laid eyes on you after minutes of ceaseless searching, you were standing by the patio doors talking to a guy Anton had never seen before. He was tall, maybe even taller than Anton, brown of hair, and standing close enough to you that it made Anton’s chest tighten.

Shotaro came up beside him. “Anton, you made it.”

He wished he hadn’t. “Who’s that?” he asked, gesturing over to where you were laughing with another guy.

Shotaro let his eyes be directed there. “Oh, that’s Mason. Mason Mooney. He’s a friend of Tyler’s. Smooth talker.” His voice was not fond. “Are you just curious or are you asking because you’re jealous?”

Anton tried to play it cool. “I’m not jealous. She can talk to whoever she wants.”

Shotaro was unconvinced. “Yeah. Sure.” He took a sip of his drink. “Mason’s a real flirt. Not really the kind of guy she’s into. She’ll probably get bored of him before the night’s over with. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.”

“I’m not—I don’t care about that,” Anton insisted.

Shotaro snickered. “Okay. You don’t care about that. I’m gonna go grab another drink. You want one?”

When Anton shook his head, Shotaro clapped him on the shoulder and disappeared into the crowd. You were the whole reason he had even come to this party and now he was here for nothing. Maybe he would go back out and spend the night patrolling. He would need to be clearheaded if he did that.

And yet he hardly moved from that spot. His eyes were fixed on you and this Mason guy he had never heard of until now who was making you laugh in the middle of a party where any guy would surely have loved to talk to you. Anton knew he would have. Lately he had been thinking about you and the exchange you’d had up there on Sohee’s rooftop, no one privy to your conversation but the moon and the streets below. It was all he could think about.

Walk away, he told himself, don’t be that guy. Anton almost did turn and head out where he came in. But then he saw Mason gesture towards the stairs. He saw you take Mason’s hand and follow him up.

Against his better judgment, Anton slipped through everyone in the crowd and trailed behind far enough to go undetected. When you disappeared up the stairs, he stayed at the bottom, just within earshot.

“I’ve been waiting to do this all night,” came Mason’s voice in the upper hall.

He heard your voice only a couple of seconds later. “You mean a chance to get me alone?”

“You make it sound so wrong,” Mason was saying. “Is it a crime if I want to be alone with a beautiful woman?”

“Mmmm. No. But you do know I have options, right?”

Mason let out a breathy laugh. “Looking like that, I don’t doubt it,” he said, “but you’re not with your other options. You’re with me. What’s that tell you? ‘Cause I know what it’s telling me.”

“Tells me that I’m a little curious,” you said. “What do you like about me anyway?”

Anton felt his heart thundering.

“I like that you keep me on my toes,” Mason replied smoothly. “Never know what’s gonna come out of your mouth next. I like that you say what’s on your mind. I like that you know you could have anyone in this party, but you’re standing right here with me.” There was a lull of silence where Anton could hear nothing but the two of you breathing. “So, what’s it gonna take for you to give me a chance? A drink? A walk? Another party?”

You chuckled. “I don’t know. I feel like you just want to fuck me.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed,” Mason admitted, “but that’s not the only reason I’m talking to you. I like you. I like your attitude. I like your style. I like that pretty little smile. See, there it is. Look at that smile. Gorgeous.”

Anton heard you giggling. “Let’s just go in here and talk, yeah?”

“Okay. I can talk.”

A door opened and shut. Anton stood frozen at the foot of the stairs before he willed himself to turn away. It’s her life. She’s a grown woman. She can talk to whoever she wants.

He made his way to the front door and slipped back out into the night, perching on the steps. The night was a bleak thing around him, a starless sky straggling far and wide for miles. From here the party was trapped behind the threshold, struggling against the door, resisting its walls, threatening to burst into the streets.

Anton thought about the rooftop: the shared chips, the way you made his name sound grand and monumental, the way he had let himself hope that you might want him the way he wanted you. Then, he thought about Mason, who had seemed so confident and sure of himself, the kind of guy who got any girl he wanted. He didn’t know if he could compete with that.

Behind him the door creaked open, some of the chaos from inside spilling out for a moment. Anton did not turn around, but he recognized Sohee’s footsteps when he heard them. Sohee settled down beside him. “Shotaro saw you leave. Said you looked gloomy. I thought I’d come out and check on you.”

Anton didn’t meet Sohee’s eyes. “Just getting some air.”

Sohee didn’t respond immediately. “She went upstairs with Mason. You know that doesn’t mean shit, right? Plus she can hang out with whoever she wants.”

“I know.” Anton had been reminding himself that much repeatedly.

“Then, what’s going on up there, bro?”

Anton released a weary breath. “I don’t know. It’s just… that night on the rooftop, everything felt… legit, you know? Like it could really be something. And now she’s over here laughing with some other guy that’s smooth and charming…”

Sohee didn’t let him finish. “Hey, man. What Mason has doesn’t take away from who you are. You’re a cool dude. I don’t think she would have spent nearly an hour talking to you up there if she didn’t think you were at least a little interesting.”

“I guess you’re right,” Anton conceded.

“Of course, I am,” Sohee said, grinning. “You wanna get out of here? This party’s a joke anyway.”

“Yeah.” Anton stood up. They descended the stairs. “What about that girl you were talking to, though?”

“Zoe?” Sohee rubbed his nape. “Let’s just talk about you and yours, man.”

“No, no, no, no, no,” Anton said. “You’re always interfering with my love life. It’s only fair I get to hear about yours.”

Sohee groaned. “It’s complicated, dude.”

Anton shrugged. “We’ve got a long walk. I’m all ears.”

The campus courtyard, ANTON POV, 12:01 PM

This time Anton hadn’t meant to pry. He was in the courtyard waiting for Sohee when your voice, lovely as ever, filled his ears. When he looked up he saw you walking between your friends Willow and Krystal, using your hands like they were scales. He caught the tail end of your words. “Ugh. I should just make them duel or something. That’s probably what men did in the Middle Ages. Fight to the death.”

Anton stayed quiet. You hadn’t noticed him.

Willow snickered. “Oh, wow. That’s kinda extreme, no?”

You rolled your eyes. “Okay. Fine. Rock paper scissors, best of three.”

Less than an hour later, you, Shotaro, Sohee and Anton were gathered around a bench. Anton had expected you to sit beside Sohee or Shotaro as you most often did… so it stunned him when you stole Sohee’s spot beside him before he could settle down.

Oh. Okay. That’s not weird, Anton told himself. “Hey,” he said.

“Hi, Anton,” you greeted with a sweet smile. You glanced down at his hands. His knuckles were red. Your brows furrowed. “You okay? What happened to your hands?”

Anton looked at his own hands. Last night he had taken on a group of crooks making trouble downtown, and earned a few scratches for his work, but that was nothing he could mention to you. “No, I’m—I’m good. Just went a little too hard in the gym, I think.”

You seemed to accept his lie. “Oh, okay. You should be more careful.”

A strange feeling blossomed throughout his chest. He smiled. “Yeah. I should. Thanks for being worried.”

“Do you want to come to my place later?”

Everyone’s heads turned. Sohee nearly broke his neck. Shotaro’s coffee cup had been halfway to his lips when he paused. And Anton felt his heart stop. “Your place?” he repeated, blinking. “Tonight?”

“Well, yeah,” you said as if it were no big deal. “Why not? Are you busy?”

“No,” Anton said much too fast. “No. I think I have time, I’m pretty sure. What time should I come over?”

“Is seven okay?”

“Seven. Yeah. I’ll be there.”

You grinned. “Great. Do you like Mexican food? There’s a restaurant down the block from my place. I can order some so it’s ready when you get there.”

“Yeah, I’m not a picky eater,” Anton said.

“Alright. I’ll text you the menu. Just let me know what you want.”

“I’ll pay you back later, then.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Still.”

“Just focus on getting there.”

Anton’s heart fluttered. “Yes, ma’am.”

Your apartment, ANTON POV, 6:58 PM

He was at the door before seven. An entire ten minutes early, in truth, but he’d circled around with a stammering heart until he felt it was appropriate for him to approach. The door swung open a few moments after he rang the doorbell. You stood there with a radiant smile that did nothing to soothe that incessant tremor.

“Anton! Come in. Did you bring me a gift?” You sounded so happy to see him. He wondered if you were this happy with Mason too.

Anton shut the door behind himself and raised the bag in his right hand. “I just brought chips.” He almost hadn’t. He had stood in the middle of the chip aisle in the bodega for a few minutes longer than he should have, going back and forth with himself in his head, afraid that you’d think it was too cheesy; but he could not show up empty-handed, and so he paid for them anyway.

“My favorite chips,” you said, leading him to a wooden table. It was small, but enough for two, and the food was already separated and plated. “That’s very sweet.”

Anton shook his head, silently denying it. He took a glimpse at your apartment and was suddenly grateful that you had let him step into your world. A bookshelf in the living room stood out, tall and brimming with novels, most of which he didn’t recognize. You had an unfolded blanket on the couch and something was playing on the television although it was muted. “You have a nice place.”

“It’s alright,” you said, settling down. “It’s not fancy, but it’s mine.”

It’s fancy because it’s yours, Anton thought, and he was reminded of that night at Shotaro’s party again when you came in wearing a tank top and jeans. “Yeah. It’s yours. And I appreciate you inviting me into your space.” He took his seat in front of you. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day, actually.”

He saw your eyes flicker. “Really?”

“Is that surprising?”

“I’m just surprised you said it out loud,” you told him.

“I’m surprised too,” Anton admitted, chuckling timidly. He briefly avoided your eyes. “But you deserve to know the truth.”

“You deserve to know the truth too,” you said. “I heard you saw me with Mason.”

Anton took a second to find his voice. “I mean, I did. Yeah. But that’s your business.”

You looked thoughtful. “I just feel like we should talk about it. I don’t want you to feel like I’m leading you on or something.”

“I don’t feel that way,” he whispered. “I mean, honestly, I didn’t love seeing you with him, I can admit that. But it’s your life. I do like you, like, a lot, and I’d be happy if this maybe went somewhere, but that’s your choice to make.”

“I don’t think I like Mason that much anyway,” you confessed. “He’s… nice, but I don’t know. My gut keeps telling me there’s something off about him.” Your voice was soft, tender. Anton didn’t feel deserving of it. “I don’t feel that way around you. I feel like what I see is what I get.”

A profound guilt shot through him and made his body twitch. He wished he could tell you the truth, but he knew that it was far too soon to give his secret away. He decided to tell you what little truth he could for now. “Can I tell you something bad?” he asked quietly.

Your eyes were curious. “What’s up?”

“I was eavesdropping. When you were talking to Mason in the hallway. I know that was wrong of me and I’m not gonna defend that choice. I just thought you should know.” He looked down at his food. The confession was a small thing in the grand scheme of his secrets, but no less important. He wished he would have told you sooner.

“Oh.” You scratched your head. “Thanks for telling me.”

“Are you mad at me?” He had to ask.

“Mad? No,” you said. “I mean, that’s a little weird. But not unforgivable. So it’s fine.”

Anton felt embarrassed. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Anton.” When you reached for his hand, he thought his life was over. “And what I was trying to say is: I won’t be seeing Mason anymore. I just want to explore what this is with you. So, you don’t need to get all jealous anymore, okay?”

“I wasn’t…” The lie died in his throat, knowing it was hopeless, and he laughed at himself. “Okay. I was a little jealous. Sue me.”

You giggled. “Okay, let’s eat. I wanna see if you still like me after watching me demolish this burrito. I’m not gonna pretend to be ladylike.”

I like that about you, he thought. That you don’t pretend. You’re just unabashedly yourself. “I don’t think you being yourself will make me change my mind about you.”

He felt like an idiot saying that, until he saw how your smile bloomed wide across your face. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

He thought about it as he chewed his food. “I love music. I played cello in high school. I’m alright with piano. I started learning when I was a kid but dropped it. I’m good with bass and guitar too. I like movies, especially sci-fi and romance. Cheesy, I know. I’m fascinated by space. I’m allergic to dogs. I like dinosaurs. I hate crowds, so most parties are hell for me. What about you? You said you like writing? I noticed your bookshelf when I came in.”

You glanced back at it. “I love writing. I think a part of it comes from the fact that a lot of the things I’d love to read don’t exist yet. So I make them myself.”

“I get that,” Anton said. “Sometimes I make my own songs because there’s not one that captures the exact feeling I’m going through. What are you into?”

“I’m mostly a fantasy girl, but I’ll probably read any kind of fiction besides romance. I read nonfiction as well, I think it’s important to stay balanced.”

“What’s wrong with romance?”

“I adore romance as a subplot,” you told him, “but I don’t like when the entire book is about that, you know? Romance is a beautiful, human thing, but it shouldn’t consume everything else. I appreciate books that leave room for every aspect of life.”

Anton nodded slowly. “That makes sense.” He was wondering how he would manage that himself—his feelings for you, and the secret identity that meant one way or another, he would always have to lie to you.

Conversation was an easy thing in your company. Anton talked at length about his family, his favorite movies, the things he wanted to do in the future, the places he wanted to see. What he found was that the two of you had a great deal in common. You even exchanged book recommendations (which delighted Anton, who had been wanting to take advantage of his free time to read more lately).

Within the hour his belly was full and his heart was quiet and at ease. There were a few lingering nerves, but he hardly noticed them at all. He was too focused on you. Everything he learned about you only made him like you more, and he liked it for no reason other than that it was yours.

Then you led him to the couch. It was dim there. Now that the kitchen lights were turned off, only the blue hue of the television kept them from being thrust into sheer blackness. When he settled beside you, you asked, “Can I kiss you?”

For once Anton could believe that he wasn’t dreaming. “You can kiss me as much as you want.”

You took that response seriously. When your lips came down against his, they pulled away only to breathe. At first it was a gentle thing, a way of testing the waters. Very quickly you discovered the water was fine, and from there it was all passion and touching and desire.

Anton was not totally inexperienced—he had kissed women before, and slept with a woman before, and he had thoroughly enjoyed it—but the moment you settled onto his lap all his sense went out the window and he felt like a clueless virgin. What was new was that he had never felt the way he did about you for anyone.

Your lips were like warm feathers against his neck. Anton sucked in a breath when he felt them there. They advanced in a downward climb that made him shudder without the knowing of what you might do next. He was willing to surrender himself to you in all the ways he could to make up for the ways he could not.

While this was happening, you must have decided you wanted to kill him, because soon he felt the grind of your body as you pressed yourself against him. He said your name. “That’s…”

You pulled away only barely. It was still too far. “It’s what? Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” Anton blurted, “no, no. I don’t want you to stop. I just… do you know what you’re doing?”

That amused you. “I’m kissing you and grinding against your dick.”

The vulgarity made him flinch, but he supposed he’d liked that you didn’t mince your words. “Right. Yeah. That was a stupid question.”

“Did you mean do I know what I’m doing to you?” you asked with a teasing smile, and pressed yourself against him again. “I have a pretty good idea.” You reached down to squeeze him through his pants. “I didn’t realize you were the type to get hard from just a little bit of kissing and grinding.”

“It helps that it’s you,” he murmured.

“Do you have a soft spot for me, then?” you asked. “Or a hard one, rather?” You squeezed him again.

Anton groaned. “You already know the answer to that.”

“Okay. I have another question.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I suck your dick?”

Anton felt his brain short-circuit. She’s serious. “Yeah. If you want to. I mean, I guess you want to because you asked, but…”

You pressed your index finger against his lips. “Shhh.”

Anton was not going to defy a beautiful woman sitting on his lap and offering to suck him off. He simply nodded his head.

You maneuvered yourself beside him and tugged at his pants and underwear only enough to free his cock. It came up hard and tall and aching. In his mind Anton was begging for you to touch him, and in reality soon enough if you made him wait any longer. He was not too proud. “Wow,” you said, impressed. “You’re pretty big.”

“You think so?”

“Mmhm.” You reached for him, his tip slick with precum, and spread it along his shaft.

Anton tipped his head back against the sofa and let you have control. In that moment he would have let you do almost anything you liked. He was just grateful you were even touching him at all. When he came here he hadn’t imagined he’d end up on your sofa with his dick in your palm.

Your hand teased him up and down in a tight stroke that only made his need grow fiercer than ever. Anton’s breath was heavy on his own ears, and so was his heart’s thudding. He wondered if you heard him the way he heard himself, but you said nothing of it, thoroughly fixated on his length.

When at last you took the head into your mouth, Anton could no longer think, and it did him little good to try. Holy shit. It had been a while since he had been touched by a hand other than his own, and even longer since he felt a mouth there. Yours was supreme. He knew some of his feelings were partial, but that didn’t matter. You were here, and you were real, and you were sucking him, and his mind was reeling, and…

You took him deeper. “Fuck,” he swore out loud. He watched the descent with his own eyes, but the only thing that kept him from believing he was imagining it was that the warmth of your mouth around him and the press of your tongue against his shaft was not something even his most wild dream could fabricate. More than once he had thought about what it would feel like to have your skin on his, a sweet fantasy of you wanting him, craving him, your body warm and trembling and aching for him, and those images in his head were bronze beside your golden touch.

Anton held your hair away from your face, mostly because it was the very least he could do when you were already giving him such a wonderful gift, and partly because he wanted to see you the best he could. He had always found you beautiful. You were no less beautiful now, and he was fascinated by the way you took him in, the way your soft lips sealed around him, the way you would look into his eyes for longer than he could endure without tearing his gaze away. He knew you liked that; he could feel your amusement in the small tremor of your mouth. He didn’t mind, either. Anton knew he was a mess, but he was a mess for you.

If a month someone would have told him that this would be happening, he would never have believed it. The girls of his dreams who unraveled him with a glance inviting him into her home and sucking his cock without prompting. What a wet fantasy come true. He felt indebted and eager to repay the favor. I will, if she lets me. He would feel guilty if he let you walk away from this without making you feel even a fraction of the delights you were giving him now.

Though it was hard to think about that. Every time his thoughts pushed him astray for a few seconds at most, your tongue pulled him back into nothing but you. You grounded him with your touch, not only the wet feel of your mouth, but the way your hand was braced on his thigh and your cheek grazed him. It was a good thing for him. His mind was not naturally a quiet place. At times this did him more harm than not, and it felt freeing, like swinging across the city but infinitely better.

Anton said your name again. “Please, don’t stop.” He was close to the finish, sooner than he would have liked to be, but he never had grand expectations for himself.

You did not stop. In fact, he felt you suck him even faster, and from there Anton lost his mind. Time didn’t feel real. More than that he stopped being concerned with his concept of it altogether. All he knew was that one second you were surely trying to suck him out of a soul, and the next his hips were alive with a mind of their own and his cum was in your mouth.

What really did it for him was watching you swallow. “You…”

You pulled away, licking your lips. “I…?”

He had no words. I think I’m in love. Or that I’ve died and this is heaven. Maybe both. “Thank you,” he said after a moment. “Let me return the favor,” he added after a little longer. “Please.”

That was how Anton wound up on his knees, settled between your legs. At first he did nothing but stare, mesmerized by how gorgeous you were, wet and slick and soft, but then he felt weird about openly gawking at your vagina and raked his fingers through your folds instead. He saw your lips part silently.

Anton didn’t start hastily. He was gentle as ever, pressing kisses to your cunt and the skin around it. When that was through he began licking, and then sucking, and he observed your body closely. This was something he had to get right.

Here and there you told him what to do, and Anton was more than happy to oblige you if it meant you would be satisfied. In fact he appreciated that you knew exactly what you wanted from him. It left no room for guesswork. “Like that,” you said. You sighed softly.

Now was not the time to ask, but Anton wondered if you had ever imagined him before, if you had ever closed your eyes at night and pictured his hands on your body and how they might fit around you, if you had ever imagined what he looked like beneath his clothes. He was still wrapping his head around the fact that you wanted him at all. And that you had given him a mind-numbing blowjob that led to an orgasm that he could still feel remnants of.

You deserved to feel that good too, he thought. Perhaps even better. By the end of it he wanted to see you shuddering and swearing with all the ecstasy your body could handle at once. He wasn’t sure if that would be enough, even then. He might have had to do it twice. Or three times. He was not opposed…

“You’re doing so good, baby,” you told him breathlessly.

Anton felt his own breath still. “You can’t just call me that.”

“Why? You like it?”

“Too much,” he muttered.

You grinned mischievously. “Don’t stop, baby. I like your mouth so much…”

Fuck. If she keeps this up I’m gonna get hard again. But he tried not to think about himself for now. You had told him not to stop, and he was determined not to until he had made you come on his tongue.

Anton was hungry for it. The more he thought about it the more he wanted it. He wanted to see you surrender to his mouth, he wanted to feel your body yield to him. He wanted to know what effect he could have on you, and if it was anything like the one you had on him. He was a curious person by nature, that had always been true.

Soon he was introducing his fingers. You gasped when he slid them inside you with ease. You were so wet, so ready. For only a few seconds he let himself imagine what it would feel like to fill you with his cock… but only for a few seconds, and then he banished that thought. Anton had been told before that he had big hands and long fingers, and he was intent on making good use of them.

“Feel okay?” he asked as he curled his fingers inside.

Your hips arched into his hand, which was an answer of its own. “Mmhm.”

He pressed the heel of his free hand down just shy of your stomach while his other hand stroked you with his fingers. He could feel you gushing and tightening around his digits, the need burning within you, bringing you closer and closer. Your eyes fluttered shut and you were making the prettiest sounds he had ever heard.

It occurred to him then, with the end drawing near, that he almost didn’t want this to be over. Or he wished he had some way of reliving it again at least. But he let himself be present. He would not get this first moment again, so he could not let it go to waste.

Finally you had taken all you could and your pussy seized his fingers tight when you reached your climax. “Oh, fuck, fuck,” you cursed. His mouth stayed on you through it, and he grabbed your thigh with one hand, and felt it twitching. His eyes never left you as you came for him. He wanted to keep that image there in his mind forever.

When it was done and you were slack and panting, he withdrew his fingers and reached for your cheek. “You okay?” he asked.

Your eyes were fluttering. “I’m marvelous.”

Anton grinned.

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

He had to learn to stop being surprised by you. “Already?”

“Should we slow down?” you asked.

Anton considered it. “Probably,” he said, “but if you want me to be your boyfriend, I won’t say no.”

“I want you to be my boyfriend.”

I can’t believe this whole day has been real. Anton’s smile was uncontrollably wide, and it was all for you. “Okay. Then, I’m your boyfriend. And you’re my girlfriend.”

No specific location or time, ANTON POV

After you became his girlfriend, Anton felt that every other problem he’d ever had was of little consequence. That was not to say that he neglected his responsibilities, but he began to approach the world with an optimism that surprised even himself.

His friends noticed it, but they did not question him, mostly because they already knew the cause of it. What they did do was tease the hell out of him. When he came to them with the news, everyone was happy for him and supportive of the new pairing. Sohee in particular was amazed by how hastily Anton had managed to make you his girlfriend (Anton himself seldom believed it), but he had always been confident in him, more than Anton had been in himself.

It was important to him that he was a good boyfriend. You still made his stomach swim painfully, but he was intent on keeping you around so that the likes of Mason Mooney didn’t get their hands on you. He wanted you to be as happy around him as he was around you. Anton took you on dates when he had the time for it, and sometimes when he did not have the time for it he made time. He was more reckless with his money than proper, but he could afford it. Anything to see you smile. What he loved most of all was fostering the connection between you. With every date he learned more about the kind of person you were and he fell even deeper for her.

It was Sohee that told him one day, You’re a goner, man. Every day, every week, every second, it was even more true.

One day he was out patrolling the city when from behind him came a voice he had come to despise. “Hello, Anton.”

He froze. Anton. He had called him Anton, not Spider-Man. Slowly he turned around. “Who are you?”

Mind Man stood there in his purple-and-yellow suit. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He laughed. “You look afraid. Are you, Anton? Afraid?”

Anton willed himself to remain calm, but there was no way that anyone other than Sohee could have known his identity. He frequently underwent several annoying measures to maintain his anonymity. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Maybe Mind Man was bluffing. Maybe he was merely testing him.

Mind Man tilted his head. “But I think you do. You’re Anton Lee. Boston born, New York raised. You have a little brother that you love with your whole heart. You’ve been surrounded by music your whole life. You were a swimmer in high school. You read books about space. You like going to the movies. You have that little girlfriend of yours that you’ve been crushing on for months. Sohee Lee is your best friend and the only person who knows that you’re Spider-Man, other than me, of course. Should I go on?”

Anton felt paralyzed. “What do you want?”

“I’m glad you asked, Anton,” Mind Man said. “I want to understand you. I want to get inside your head. You’re the only person I can’t control. So if I can’t get to you from the inside, I’ll get in from the outside.”

Anton wished he understood what he meant, but it sounded like a threat. “If you touch any of my friends, my family…”

Mind’s Man laughter cut him off. “What will you do if I touch your friends and family, Anton? Web me to a wall?” He stepped closer, as if urging Anton to give it a try. “Who’s to say I already haven’t?”

Anton reached for him, but Mind Man leapt away.

“Not so fast, spider,” taunted Mind Man. “Are you going to hurt an innocent man? What if I haven’t done anything? Would that sit right with your conscience?”

“You’ve done enough,” Anton reminded. “You’ve terrorized this city with your plots.” Mind Man was behind some of the more elaborate crimes Anton had dealt with, or at the very least he was always involved in them. Anton remembered one time someone had set up a false alarm on one side of town while a robbery took place on the opposite end. When he finally got there, some of the damage was catastrophic, and Mind Man delayed him even more. He’d felt a terrible guilt that day for the lives that had been expended, that he had not saved.

“The only terror is you,” Mind Man spat. “What good do you think you’re doing for this city, really? For every crook you catch, there’s ten more like him. You give the people hope, but nothing will ever change. Why make them believe in a reality that will never be true?”

Anton gestured around. “In case you haven’t noticed, the crime rates are down. I can’t stop every single bad guy, sure, but the ones I can, that makes a difference. Don’t act like it doesn’t.”

“But it’s true. There’s a great deal of people interested in Spider-Man, and they’re not all just novice lowlifes.” With that, Mind Man went off into the night.

Anton didn’t follow. He knew it would be useless. But he felt a terrible dread rousing within him, a dread of something without a name. He could not know what was to happen.

For a while he stood there alone, wondering if he truly was enough for this wondrous city, if perhaps all his efforts would one day be in vain, if nothing was certain but that he’d endangered those he loved… No. He’s trying to get into my head. That’s what he does. And while true, Mind Man was never one to be idle. His words were meant to confuse, to stifle, but there was always a hint of truth to them one way or another.

Building up to the party at Tyler’s house, ANTON POV, 9:10 PM

Anton was afraid that the honeymoon phase was already over, but he could not think of any other way to rationalize your behavior.

You were not only quiet but uncharacteristically standoffish. The first time you bailed on a plan last minute, Anton thought nothing of it. Things could come up unexpectedly, he knew that all too well. But then it became a frequent problem. When you did finally show to one of the hangouts, you hardly engaged with the others, mostly on your phone or giving curt responses.

He had sat beside you on Sohee’s couch, trying to get you to speak to him. “Hey.”

You hardly looked at him. “Hey.”

Anton felt his chest tightening. He wracked his brain for something to say. “You got a new bracelet,” he pointed out. “That’s cool. Where’d you get it from?”

You glimpsed at the purple bracelet on your arm. “Krystal,” was all you said.

“Oh, cool.”

It got to the point that Sohee had pulled him aside and asked, “Did you guys get into a fight?”

“No,” Anton had told him, because it was the truth. He hadn’t remembered doing anything wrong either. One day, you were this exuberant person that was always smiling in his company, and now you wanted little to do with him, or anyone for that matter.

Friday night was the final nail in the coffin. When Anton texted you to ask if you were coming, you told him, very bluntly: “no.” He almost didn’t come himself, but Sohee and Shotaro insisted that being alone right now would do him no good.

Which was why he found it strange that the second he made it into the hallway, they immediately came up to him, as if they had been waiting. “Hey, man,” Sohee said, clasping a hand on his shoulder. “You want a drink? Tyler’s got some crazy shit in the kitchen. You got to try it.” He started to steer him towards the kitchen.

Shotaro’s face was tight with thinly veined anger, but he encouraged it. “Yeah, come on. I want to see your face when you drink it.”

Anton knew something was wrong. “What’s going on?” he asked forthrightly. He pried Sohee’s hand away. “You guys would normally already be doing your own thing by now.”

Shotaro and Sohee exchanged glances. Neither of them said a word.

“I’m not going to the kitchen,” he said, and went to the main room.

He almost immediately wished he hadn’t.

There you were, in Mason’s arms, kissing him and smiling like you hadn’t with Anton in seven days. You knew he would be here. You knew Sohee and Shotaro would be here. But you made no attempt to hide it, existing in your own world where it was just you and Mason.

He could have gone over. He was angry enough. He could have lashed out, and he might have even been justified in it, but he let you have that world. If this was your choice, if this was what you wanted all along, then so be it. He just wished you would have said that from the beginning.

“Anton,” Sohee started, coming up beside him.

“You weren’t going to tell me?” Anton asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the sight that was making his heart wrench.

“We were,” Sohee said, “but we didn’t want you to see it.”

They were trying to protect him. Anton could understand that. But he was not sure if he could believe it otherwise. You had been different lately, there was no doubt, but he’d hoped time and space would bring you back to normal. “Well, I saw it,” he said, and turned for the door.

Sohee followed him out. “Anton, wait. Shotaro’s going to talk to her. I don’t know what’s going on. She’s not usually like this. She’s not this kind of person.”

The night felt cooler on his shoulders than it had before he came in only a few minutes ago. “Doesn’t matter what she’s usually like. She did what she did.” His voice was flat. “I’m going home. Or maybe I’ll just patrol instead. The city still needs me, even if she doesn’t.”

“Okay,” Sohee said. He sighed. “Just don’t shut me out.”

Anton nodded. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” Both of them turned and walked opposite directions, Sohee back into the chaos, and Anton wherever his feet led him.

He didn’t go straight home. For a while Anton ambled around aimlessly, his hands in his pockets, his mind racing. It made no sense to him. You had told him that you wanted him, that Mason felt wrong. Then, you turned around and kissed him at a party with dozens of people as witnesses. There was no reason to do that unless you wanted to hurt him, and he had no idea what he could have done to deserve something so needlessly cruel.

It had hurt him. Anton may not have been wearing it on his face beyond some tautness and glowering, but he felt it deep in his chest, a crushing throb that ached without end. He had let himself have hope and dared to be honest about his feelings, and that had taken great strength. To think that it was for nothing, only to be taunted in the middle of some party… he felt like a fool. He should have seen it, but even as he looked back he couldn’t determine what might have prompted the shift, only that a shift did happen, and it did so abruptly.

You had seemed more than content with him. Anton might have let himself wonder if he’d made it up, if he had been seeing your happiness because that was what he wanted to see, but the others had noticed it too. They had teased him ruthlessly and asked if he had perhaps done some sort of sorcery. There was no way none of that hadn’t been real, or at least so he had thought. But everything changed when you became distant, and now you were in another man’s arms, and no one could make sense of it, not even his friends.

Maybe he should have approached you and asked you himself. It would have been one thing if you changed your mind after being with him and decided he wasn’t the right fit. Anton would have been hurt, but not so hurt as he was now. You chose to do it in the most brutal way imagined.

When he did finally make it home, he spent hours trying to sleep, but his mind would not grant him that peace. He sighed and got up to don his suit, and went out the window. There’s always crime to fight.

Even after he caught criminals, Mind Man’s words rang out in his head like a mantra. He sat down on the ledge of a rooftop and started to wonder if he was doing any good for this city. There were many people he had saved, he knew that, but it also seemed that he attracted more danger with the name Spider-Man alone. There were people out there that were willing to jeopardize entire boroughs if it meant getting their hands on him. He glanced down at the raging city beneath him, full of people, of history, of life, of pain, of joy, of opportunity. Maybe they would be better off without him.

“Lose your girlfriend, Anton?”

Anton sighed. As if tonight could get no worse. “Mind Man,” he said coolly, “it looks like you’re keeping tabs on me. I’m flattered.”

Mind Man snickered. “I am curious about you, after all.”

No shit, Anton thought. “Yeah, I’m starting to get that. Do you want to date me instead or something? Because I have to admit, this is getting kind of creepy. You know a lot about me, and I don’t even know your real name.”

“Isn’t that what makes this fun?”

“You know, when most people want to have fun, they play games or hang out with friends or get a hobby.”

“Aren’t we friends by now?”

“Not a chance.”

“That cut me, really,” Mind Man said. “Almost as much as your girlfriend cheating on you must have hurt you. I mean, damn. Didn’t you guys just get together two weeks ago? That’s gotta sting. Did you bore her that bad with your moral righteousness?”

“Cut it out,” Anton warned. “You don’t know her. You don’t know why she did it.”

“I don’t need to know her,” Mind Man insisted. “I just need to know you.”

That was the part that made him anxious. Mind Man knew too much about him. No one could have known about you kissing another man unless they were in the room when it happened. If this guy is someone I know... “Who are you, seriously?” Anton asked.

“The mystery kills you, doesn’t it? Who is Mind Man? What did you do wrong? Why did she do that? Was it something you said?”

Anton stood up. “I asked you a question.”

Ignoring him, Mind Man continued, “When will you face the truth? You’re not as important as you think you are. All it takes is one little accident before Spider-Man goes buh-bye. The world might mourn him, but will they mourn Anton? I know your girlfriend won’t.”

“You won’t get rid of me that easily,” Anton told him. He was pushing the right buttons, but Anton couldn’t give him the satisfaction of a victory.

“Maybe I can’t get rid of you. But I can get rid of her.”

Anton’s hand acted before he even knew it. He grabbed Mind Man by the arm. “That’s your second time threatening people in my life. I’m not going to let it slide a third time.”

Mind Man laughed. “Have a good night, Anton.” He wrested his arm away and vanished.

Anton stood there, picturing you at the party tonight, kissing Mason Mooney. As badly as you had wounded him, there was no part of him that was going to let Mind Man hurt you. Not now. Not ever.

The campus library, ANTON POV, 2:12 PM

Anton was in the middle of perfecting a melody when he heard footsteps stopping in front of him.

Before him stood Krystal, a close friend of yours. After the night of the party, you had stopped hanging with the boys altogether. The only time he saw you was when you were with Krystal and Willow or Mason. None of his texts had gone through when he tried to reach out to you, and the boys had said the same was true for them.

“Hey, Krystal,” Anton said cautiously. “Is there something I can do for you?”

Krystal glanced around. “I need to talk to you about ____.”

Anton was stiff. “What about her?”

“I know you’re upset with her because of what happened at the party, and you should be. What she did was wrong. But it was super unlike her. I think something’s seriously wrong with her. She’s been acting like an entirely different person. When you guys got together, she was telling us how much she liked you and how Mason gave her bad vibes, and now he’s all she talks about.”

Anton’s brows furrowed. “Really?”

“Yes,” she said. “Not that long ago, she was normal. And then she was aloof. And, like, a week before the party, Mason gave her this bracelet and she’s been weird ever since. I asked her when she was going to finish A Feast for Crows. She said she doesn’t read fantasy. Willow got her barbecue chips. She said she prefers salt and vinegar.”

“What?” Anton was flabbergasted. “Wait a minute. A bracelet. You mean the purple bracelet she’s been wearing?”

“Yeah. That one.”

Anton was quiet for a moment. “She told me that you gave that to her.”

She looked bemused. “No? She just showed up wearing it one day and said Mason had given it to her.”

“A week before the party?”

“Yeah. Why?”

Motherfucker. Anton shot up in a hurry. “I gotta go. Thanks for telling me this, you have no idea how helpful that is. Bye!” He gathered his things and scurried out.

How could I have been so blind? Anton thought as he ran through the courtyard. It was all right there in his face the whole time. I want to get inside your head. You’re the only person I can’t control. So if I can’t get to you from the inside, I’ll get in from the outside. That was what Mind Man had told him. At first it made no sense to him. But Mind Man always seemed to know a great deal about his life, and he knew about the party. Which would only make sense if he was there himself.

And he was there, holding you, kissing you where he knew Anton would see. He was Mason Mooney.

Anton went straight to your apartment. He was drenched in sweat by the time he got there, but he had to do something. He couldn’t just sit around knowing what he knew. In your bedroom there was a window you kept open. He slipped in through there and crept inside. You were sitting on the couch, watching some show.

Anton stepped forward and said your name. “It’s me.”

You jolted. “What the fuck?”

Anton held up his hands. “Listen, I know how this looks, but I need you to listen to me. That bracelet Mason gave you, I need you to take it off.”

“Absolutely not,” you said. “I love this bracelet!”

Anton was cautious. “It’s a gorgeous bracelet, I can see why you would love it. But can you take it off for just a minute? Please?”

“Stay away from me! I don’t like you anymore. I like Mason.”

Anton’s felt like there was a rope around his heart. “I know you think that’s how you feel. But it’s not. You told me you wanted to be with me. Remember? You told me you weren’t going to see Mason anymore. This isn’t you.”

“This is who I’ve been all along,” you insisted. “Maybe you’re just not as important as you think you are.”

Those were Mind Man’s words. Anton remembered them, because they hit him as hard then as they did now. He took a step closer. “That’s what he said. Just before telling me that he can’t get rid of me, but he can get rid of you. Is that the kind of man you want? The kind that will use you to hurt me?”

“Don’t touch me, I’ll scream!”

Anton surrendered. “Okay. Okay. I’m not touching you. But if you want me to leave, you just have to answer a simple question: what kind of food did we eat when you first invited me over?”

“That doesn’t matter,” you spat.

“It does matter,” Anton replied flatly. “It matters because she would remember that. But you don’t know that. You don’t know anything about her because you’re not her.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re playing a dangerous game, Anton.”

It sounded like something Mind Man would say. “Mason put the bracelet on you to turn you against me,” Anton said. “He’s using it to control what you think and how you feel.”

You walked to the window and opened it. “Stop!”

Anton stilled. “I just want you to take the bracelet off.”

“I’ll sooner die,” you told him, and climbed onto the ledge of the open window.

His heart stopped. “Okay. Okay. I’m leaving. Please come down from there.” He walked backwards to the door. But I’m not giving up on you that easily.

You came down from the window and closed it, and turned to watch him with expectant eyes.

Anton left, but that choice was not a concession. He just had to figure out another way to get to you.

A rooftop in the city, ANTON POV, 12:17 AM

For once Anton was looking for Mind Man, but the only problem was that Mind Man usually came to him, or he drew Anton out where he wanted him.

Tonight was going to be different. Mind Man was good at what he did because he studied Anton thoroughly. When Anton finished patrolling for the night, he sat around on a rooftop nearby to gather his bearings before he headed home. Mind Man must have known that and used it to find him every so often.

Anton did the same thing tonight, except this time he was waiting for him.

Like clockwork, Mind Man materialized from behind him and said, “You look very morose, Anton. Want to talk about it?”

“I’m not in the mood for talking,” Anton said, getting up to his feet. “Fight me.”

He could imagine Mind Man’s smile behind his mask. “What happened? Did someone kill a puppy? Did the thieves get away before you web them to a bench in Central Park?” Mind Man cracked his neck. “It’s been a while since our last dance.”

They traded elementary blows at first, as if warming up to something larger. Anton flung himself up into the air and landed on his hands and feet to dodge an attack; Mind Mind sidestepped his strikes effortlessly.

When Mind Man grew bored of it, he opted for something a little more advanced. The blow came at Anton as quick as light. He leapt off the rooftop and swung out onto another one.

Mind Man followed suit. “Trying to get away, Anton?” he asked with amusement.

Anton said nothing. Mind Man came at him hard, throwing up his arms in an attack that might have made his mouth bleed had it landed. Anton rolled away and charged. Mind Man sidestepped him. He grabbed a flower pot and threw it at Anton.

The pot struck his foot. Anton swore underneath his breath, but Mind Man gave him no time to recover. He picked up another pot and launched it at Anton’s head.

Anton scrambled out of its trajectory and threw himself onto another rooftop. He had only one goal, and it was not winning a fight. Still he did not want to get too badly injured. As Mind Man was on him he pulled a chair towards himself with a string of web and hurled it at him.

Mind Man grunted. He went after Anton again. The assaults were relentless. With every blow Mind Man got on him, Anton leapt out onto another building, and another, and another… until they were on top of the building adjacent to yours.

“Recognize this place?” Anton asked. “Mason?”

Mason looked around. He removed his mask and threw it down. “We’re outside her apartment. Was that your grand plan tonight? I’m not very impressed.”

“Take the bracelet off her,” Anton said.

Mason didn’t look the least bit bothered that Anton knew. If anything, it amused him more. “Why would I do that? She’s mine now, Anton. Mind and body. Just accept that it’s over.”

“I’ll never let you break me,” Anton told him in a tone that left no room for uncertainty.

There was a glimmer of satisfaction in Mason’s eyes. “You can think that, but I know you. I know exactly how to break you down. I know what squeezes at your heart like nothing else. Would you like to hear what we’ve been up to? How she kisses me every night? How she says she loves me? How she begs me to fuck her?”

Anton was abhorred. “You piece of shit. You’re taking advantage of her.”

“Advantage?” Mason grinned. “I’m just giving her what she needs, because let’s face it: she doesn’t need you.”

“Get the bracelet off her,” Anton told him again.

“Why? Doesn’t it look beautiful on her? Maybe I should add something else to complement it. A necklace, or a ring. What do you think?”

“I think you’re pathetic,” Anton said with a sharpness that surprised himself. “I think that you have some sick obsession with me. I think you have an amazing power, but the only thing you can think to do with it is force someone to do things you know they would never do otherwise. I think you need me to satisfy your ego because you can’t accept that you don’t like the person you are when you’re not wearing that suit. And the fact that I have a life, that I have people who love me with or without mine, feels like a personal affront.”

Mason’s smile fell. “Watch your mouth, spider.”

The sound of a window drawing open distracted Anton long enough for Mason to strike him in the side. Anton stumbled back, grunting in pain.

You poked your head outside the window. “Mason?”

Mason waved at you. “Hey, babe. Miss me?”

Anton leaned over the rooftop and said your name. “Take the bracelet off. Please.”

“I’m never taking it off. This is my favorite bracelet,” you told him, crossing your arms. “How do you even know my name?”

Anton remembered that he was masked. She doesn’t know who I am. Right now, he wasn’t Anton to you.

Mason laughed. “Do you want to tell her, ‘Spider-Man’, or should I?”

No. She might not listen to me, Mason’s made sure of that. But she might listen to Spider-Man.

“I know things about Mason,” Anton started. “I know what he does to people. He’s been involved in murders, robberies, all those elaborate crimes you see on the news. And that bracelet he gave you, he didn’t give it to you to make you happy. He gave it to you to control your thoughts.”

“What?” Your brows were stitched. “Mason wouldn’t do that. He loves me.”

“Exactly, babe,” Mason agreed. “Don’t listen to this moron. He’s just trying to get in your head. He’s jealous and he can’t stand that you chose me. That bracelet is a gift, a symbol of what we have. You don’t need to take it off for anyone.”

Anton didn’t give up. “Think about it. If it’s just a harmless bracelet, why is he so adamant on you not taking it off? Isn’t that suspicious to you?”

You thought about it. “Mason… are you scared of me taking it off?”

Mason’s confidence was wavering. “Scared? No, baby. That’s ridiculous. I just don’t like seeing you doubt us. He’s putting stuff in your head. You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

Your eyes narrowed. “I’m taking it off for just a second, okay?”

Mason moved to stop you, but before he could even reach the edge of the rooftop, the bracelet was tugged off your wrist. He froze. Anton did too, watching, waiting, his heart racing. Please. Remember…

You stood still, but your eyes changed with a different awareness, and began to water. You looked down at your hands and flexed your fingers. A sigh of relief escaped you. “Oh my god.”

Anton smiled beneath his mask. He could have cried himself.

“No,” Mason said. In a rage, he leapt at your window, grabbed a hold of you, and threw you into the air.

Your scream cut through the night.

Anton moved on nothing but instinct. He dove after you and strung a web around your waist to catch you. When you were secure, he reeled you down onto a fire escape. “You’re okay. You’re okay. I promise.”

You glanced up at him. “Spider-Man?” Your chest was undulating.

“I’ve got you,” Anton whispered, kneeling beside you. “Are you okay?”

Your eyes were wet. “I need… I need to call my boyfriend… and my friends… but this is crazy, they won’t believe me. I was acting so different, but I wasn’t trying to. I couldn’t stop it. It’s like I was possessed or something.”

Anton’s voice was gentle. “They’ll believe you. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He reluctantly lifted his mask. “It’s me.”

Your body went still. “Anton?”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “Mason found out who I was somehow. He targeted you to get to me. I’m so sorry.”

You cried harder. “I didn’t want to do those things. I couldn’t stop it. I’m really sorry, Anton, I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“No. No. Listen to me. What he did is not your fault. That wasn’t you. It was him,” Anton told you. He wiped your eyes.

“I wanted to take it off so badly. Shotaro’s pissed at me. Sohee too.”

Anton reached for your hand and squeezed it. “They were concerned because they recognized that you weren’t acting like yourself. Once they get the full story, they’re going to be pissed at Mason, not you.” He kissed your forehead. “Sohee already knows that I’m Spider-Man. Explaining it to him will be the easiest. We’ll figure out Shotaro. Okay?”

You nodded. “Are you sure you’re not mad at me?”

“I’m not mad at you at all,” Anton said. “If anything, I’m mad at myself. I should have realized it sooner. I knew that you weren’t being yourself. But I spent so long being mad at you that I didn’t connect the dots and now he’s done God knows what to you.”

You reached out to hold him. “What are you going to do about Mason?”

Anton turned around. Mason was gone. He had been so focused on saving you that everything else in the world became secondary. “I know who he is now. He’s not going to get away with it and he’s not going to touch you ever again. I just have to call in a favor.”

“With who?”

Anton grinned. “You have a lot to catch up on. Come on. Let’s get you inside. And then tomorrow, we’ll tell the boys together.”

Sohee’s apartment, NO CHARACTER POV, 1:33 PM

Sohee and Shotaro were gathered on the couch with cups of coffee, their eyes fixed to the television as the news played. “Mind Man, revealed to be twenty-two-year-old NYU student Mason Mooney, has been taken into special custody. Authorities apprehended him last night after allegedly being tipped off by Spider-Man.”

Sohee turned to Shotaro. “Wait. That’s the guy.”

Shotaro was stunned. “What the hell?”

Given the ludicrousness of the situation, Anton had advised waiting until after the news broke out to tell the boys what happened. With that part of it already out in the open, there was no doubt that they would believe you.

Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Shotaro said. He went up to the door and glanced through the peephole. You were standing there with Anton. Shotaro opened the door. “Well, this is unexpected.”

“Who is it?” Sohee called out.

“____ and Anton.”

“What? Together?”

Shotaro widened the door. He was wary, but the fact that you were both there meant something had changed since the last time he saw either of you. “Come in. Sohee’s in the living room.”

You and Anton walked into the living room hand in hand.

Sohee noticed your hands instantly. He glanced at Anton, silently communicating his bemusement, but Anton said nothing. Sohee said your name. “Did you decide to stop hating us now that your boyfriend’s in ‘special custody?’”

You rubbed your neck. “About that…”

“Yeah. About that,” Shotaro echoed. He dropped back onto the couch. “Care to explain what the past week and half have been about?”

You looked at Anton.

“It’s okay,” he said, squeezing your hand.

You braced yourself. “Mason came over to my apartment one day. He said he understood I didn’t want to continue seeing him, but he wanted to give me one final gift. A bracelet. I didn’t really want it, but he asked me to at least try it on. So I did. I didn’t think that a bracelet could hurt me. I was very wrong… he used it to control my mind and get into my head. Everything I said and did after that day, that wasn’t stuff I was choosing to do. I didn’t choose to kiss Mason in the middle of the party. I didn’t choose to say those awful things to Shotaro. I didn’t choose to ignore Sohee’s messages. But I was helpless to stop it.”

Whatever bit of anger Shotaro might have felt washed away and suddenly he just felt terrible for you. “What? That’s… insane.”

“But it explains everything,” Sohee continued. “Aw, man. I’m really sorry that happened to you. I knew that shit was weird. You wouldn’t do that kind of thing.”

“So you guys are back together?” Shotaro asked.

“Yes,” Anton said, keeping you close to him. “Now that I know the truth, it’s impossible to be mad at her.”

You nodded. “I’m really sorry about how I treated you guys.”

“You didn’t do that,” Shotaro said. “This changes everything. Mason’s more of a dipshit than I thought.”

“Yeah,” you muttered. “He is.”

Sohee smiled softly. “Well, it’s good to know my gossiping buddy is back to normal. Every time something happened, I kept wanting to text you, but then I remembered you hated us for some reason.”

You gasped. “Wait, what? What happened? Did I miss a lot? Are you dating the Zoe girl now?”

Anton snickered. “See. She’s back.”

“It’s a long story,” Sohee said. He patted the spot beside himself. “Let’s get you up to speed.”

Anton’s apartment, YOUR POV, 9:04 PM

That night, you were laying on Anton’s chest in his bed, playing with his hair. “I’m definitely gonna need therapy, but you know what makes me feel better about this whole situation?”

Anton’s arm was curled around your waist. It made you feel safe in a way you hadn’t since Mason put that bracelet on your wrist. “Yeah. What is it?” he asked softly.

“Spider-Man is handsome beneath the mask,” you said. You ran a hand under his shirt. “And ripped too.”

A laugh broke through him. “Really? That’s what makes you feel better?” His eyes were soft. “What a relief. I mean, I was starting to worry I’d have to keep the mask on forever in case you found me ugly.”

“No, the mask and suit stays on during sex,” you quipped, “but you don’t need it.”

Anton shook his head. “You’re a freak. I should have never told you that I was Spider-Man. You read fanfiction about me.”

“Oh my god, when I was a teenager,” you groaned. “Not better than the real thing, though.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.” You kissed his nose. “Even though this has been the craziest month of my life by far, I’m really glad I met you.”

Anton was grinning. “I’m really glad I met you too.”