𝐏𝐔𝐙𝐙𝐋𝐄, 𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻¹

[1.12] Joke

EARTH 1610 | Brooklyn, New York
・┈・┈・┈・┈・

Hobie hissed in pain as Marina gently applied ointment on his wounds. "No need to do any of this, luv. It'll heal in no time anyways." He tried to tell her, only to receive a glare from Marina. "Shut it."

Marina's eyes widened at her sharp reply, and immediately gave Hobie a sorry look. "I'm sorry — I just... That was Venom. I don't know, but please, let me help you. The fight could've had a better turn if you'd only listened and followed along my plan." She scolded him.

Miles pressed a frozen bag of peas against the bruise on his cheek, and nodded. "Sorry, but Marina's right." He said, and Hobie rolled his eyes stubbornly. "Aight. I don't apologize, but that fight coulda been better if I did play along." He says, and that's enough to put a smile up on Marina's face.

"Even though most of us went along with the plan, it was still so unbelievable that we won! Like — It was us against the most powerful Spiderpeople out there!" Gwen exclaims, and Marina smiles. "Right?!" Miles agrees.

Hobie tilts his head, staring at Marina who focused on patching his wounds up. The voices of Gwen and Miles fall on deaf ears, as he finds himself unable to move his eyes away from Marina. What the hell?

"Something on my face?" Marina asks him quietly, too afraid to meet his eyes. Hobie smirks, "Nah. But you're real pretty, y'know that?" He raises an eyebrow, and her mouth slightly parts as she struggles to find a proper response.

Marina blinks rapidly, Miles and Gwen stopping their conversation when they hear Hobie's words. They glance at the two, then at each other before stepping out of the room to give the two some privacy. Something Marina didn't want, or else she'd explode into pieces.

"Awkward." Venom says in Marina's head, and she fights the urge to tell him to shut up.

"You... too?" Marina hesitantly says, and Hobie lightly chuckles. He leans on the wall beside Miles' bed, head tilted back. "You're bad at takin' compliments." He states, and Marina stares at him, unamused.

"You made the two leave. Now they probably think something's happening in here." Marina mutters, tossing the used cotton to the trash can. Something Marina enjoys about bitten by a radioactive spider, is the aim. She didn't even have to spare a glance to throw or catch something properly.

Hobie leans forward, close to Marina's face. Too close. "Let's make that true then."

The terrified look on Marina's face brings loud laughter out of Hobie's lips. "Luv, calm it. Was just jokin', alright?" He grins widely, and Marina lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh my God. Don't say stuff like that, Hobie." She whines.

"Why not? M'not a bad kisser, just sayin'" He shrugs, and Marina rolls her eyes. "It's not — I'm not assuming you're a bad kisser! But we're friends, and... I don't know. Don't you find it weird to be making those kind of jokes with me?"

The joyous look on Hobie's face drops, and he pulls away. "So all you really think of me is a friend?" He asks, and Marina stares into his eyes. Why does he suddenly sound disappointed?

"I don't... I don't know. You said it yourself, that you don't like labels. Plus, what does that even mean — Why are you even asking that?" Marina laughs nervously, fiddling with the hem of Hobie's spiky vest.

Hobie shrugs. "Can't I have exceptions?" He scans Marina's features, and her eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"

He glances up on her eyes, then at her lips, then back up to her eyes once again. Marina gulps nervously as she watches his eyes travel up and down, her heart beating so fast it could just pop out of her chest and run miles.

"Hobie?"

"Oh SHIT!" Venom exclaims in Marina's head.

For a second, the two was just staring at each other. And then suddenly, their lips were now syncing against each other. Marina was stunned, but fuck how long she wished for this happen. Actually — She never really knew she wanted to kiss him this bad until they finally did.

And it felt so fucking right?

Closing her eyes, she leaned in to deepen the kiss. Hobie smiles through the kiss, his hands finding their way to hold Marina's waist.

Marina is first to pull away, and there's this giddy smile on her face. "Not a bad kisser. Got it." She whispers, and Hobie snickers. "Glad we got that cleared for 'ya, luv."

Glancing down at his lips, Marina almost leans in for another kiss before something clicks in her brain.

What the fuck am I doing?

Fuck. This isn't right. Nope. This is a big mistake. We can't — This can't happen. We're from different universes. How would we even figure that out? We have millions of people to protect, and long distance relationships never work. Do they? I don't fucking know! We're universes apart, and we just — it doesn't make any sense. Fuck. Shit.

"Do not do it –" Venom tries to tell Marina, but it seems like her brain and heart are fighting for control at the moment.

"Mari? Luv, what's wrong?" Hobie asks, furrowing his eyebrows. Marina lets out a shaky sigh as she moves away from Hobie. "I have to go. Um... I'll — Yeah, just tell the others bye for me. I gotta go — save... do something important. Spindrift stuff." She stammers, standing up from the bed and pressing buttons on her bracelet.

Hobie stands up, trying to hold Marina. She stops him, and shakes her head. "I just... I have to go. Please." She says, and a portal opens behind her. Marina doesn't spare Hobie another glance as she quickly enters the portal.

"Mari..." Hobie stands still in the middle of the room. Alone, and confused.