[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/627389932335529985/643301013327183901/image0.jpg?width=375&height=375[/img][/center] [hr] [h3][color=red]September 8th 20XX[/color][/h3] [hr] Marcus stirred, early in the morning, sighing deeply. He sat up, still running the conversation he'd had last night over and over through his head. Powers. He had powers. Weird, spider powers. Not what he would've picked, but... he'd get over that. And it wasn't just the warning signs in his head, either. He'd checked. He could do the wall sticking thing, too. His balance also seemed better, though that was harder to gauge more... in-depth testing. Which was what today was for. And with the school still closed, he had plenty of time to himself while his classes and internship decided on how to handle things. He was interrupted in his thoughts by a pair of arms weaving around his shoulders, and a kiss against his cheek. In spite of the turmoil in his head, Marcus smiled as his boyfriend nuzzled up against him. [color=00a651]"Penny for your thoughts,"[/color] said Hector, still shaking off his own sleep. [color=00a651]"You were pretty restless last night. Couldn't sleep?"[/color] Marcus sighed again. [color=crimson]"Lot on my mind. With the bombing and the hospital and the school and... yeah."[/color] [color=00a651]"Yeah,"[/color] agreed Hector, peppering another couple of kisses on Marcus' cheek and temple. [color=00a651]"It's okay to be worried about things. Something... really bad happened to you."[/color] His arms tightened around Marcus' shoulders. [color=00a651]"...I thought I'd lost you."[/color] Marcus, after a pause, reached up, taking one of Hector's hands and weaving his fingers together with his. [color=crimson]"I came back, though. I came back, and I'm not leaving again."[/color] And for a while, they sat there, basking in each others' presence. And for now, that was all either of them needed. [hr] [color=crimson]"So, work is still kinda fucky for me. How's things at the Bugle?"[/color] Hector shrugged, pushing his glasses up as he finished cooking his own breakfast, Marcus having satisfied himself with just a bagel, jam, and cream cheese. Bacon was deposited next to eggs as he sat down across from his boyfriend, ready to tuck in. [color=00a651]"Getting there, little by little. I'm pretty much a shoo-in once I graduate, but still just as an office monkey. Clerical stuff. Moving files. Still gotta work your way up to things like writing and junk."[/color] Marcus shrugged in return. [color=crimson]"Still better than the place you were interning before."[/color] Marcus stopped chewing, eyes narrowing. [color=00a651]"Don't be too harsh. J. Jonah Jameson is still a respected journalist with years of experience in the field. I learned a lot from him."[/color] Marcus scoffed. [color=crimson]"Sure. I'm sure you learned very well all those long prescription names he had you fetch. Or exactly how many sugars he liked in his coffee. And [i]especially[/i] all those fancy and colorful swear words and insults he came up with."[/color] He chuckled as a piece of bacon beaned him in the forehead, grinning at his now-sulky boyfriend. Hector glowered into his coffee mug. [color=00a651]"...At least he paid me. And despite how crazy that podcast of his is, his name looks good on a resume."[/color] [color=crimson]"Hey, I'm not arguing [i]that.[/i] But don't pretend it was anything else just 'cause you regret it."[/color] His lip was rewarded with another food projectile bouncing off of his forehead. English muffin this time. [color=crimson]"Joke's on you, you're just giving me more food."[/color] [color=00a651]"I can live with that. Hitting you makes me feel better."[/color] [hr] [h3][color=red]September 9th[/color][/h3] [hr] Marcus parked his motorcycle blocks away from City Hall, grumbling as he fed quarters into the parking meter. [color=crimson][i]Bullshit spider powers, and I'm still stuck dealing with traffic. What a joke.[/i][/color] Yesterday's testing had gone well. Not only was he much faster and agile than even his peak days in high school, but now he was strong enough to leap across rooftops like he was in the Matrix. He could clear city blocks in a fraction of the time it used to take him. Sure he'd spooked a few pigeons. And a homeless guy or two. But it was... exhilarating, to say the least. Everything felt so effortless now. Which, to be fair, had its ups and downs. ...He still wasn't sure how he was going to explain the alarm clock to Hector. Not much he [i]could[/i] say to cover up [i]exploding[/i] the goddamn thing into plastic shrapnel. Which was why he was riding today, not running. Convenient or not, things were busy today with the memorial. And the less attention he drew while everyone was on high alert, the better. He wasn't sure if there were any men-in-black types loitering around, but for his and Scott's sakes, he'd rather not find out. He huffed as he walked, glad it was still warm outside for things like this. He'd come to pay his respects to the ones who weren't as lucky as he was, but that didn't mean he wanted to be uncomfortable while it happened. Though, to be fair, he had other reasons for being here. His head started to thrum, slightly. Like the faintest pluck on a guitar string, especially as the crowd grew more dense. He was still trying to figure out if it was just people he was sensing with his new "Strand-sense," or if, as he suspected, there were more "unique" types about. [color=crimson][i]Also on the agenda, thinking of a better name than "Strand-sense."[/i][/color] He looked around, wondering if he'd be able to tell as easily as Scott when there was someone "like him" wandering about. He supposed he'd have to find out when he got there. He kept his eyes open, hoping for... something. Did he want to find anyone else? Or did he hope he was miraculously the only one affected? Hard to say. But he was certainly going to find out.