re: about a certain reserve

[bedeviledspider]

Excuse me?!

I am not going to be a "brat" to this Patrick guy. I just happen to be very particular about who takes the name Scarlet Spider.

You know why.

Comments

[remake]

Wait- there are Scarlet Spiders now?

[bedeviledspider]

Maybe not for you, kid, but there's been two of them in my world. I hear there are even more in others.

Though if you ask me only one Scarlet Spider counts.

[remake]

Wait, what makes it count?

[bedeviledspider]

W- What's it matter to you? You're not going to start calling yourself that, are you?

[remake]

N-no? I-- I just, I mean, I was just wondering...

[bedeviledspider]

Oh. Sorry.

I-- I guess it boils down to this. The original Scarlet Spider was a great man. A real hero who died saving Spider-Man. The second one, back home... she's just a dumb kid playing hero for kicks.

If this new guy we might be getting is anything like that--

[remake]

Who-- who would do this stuff for fun?

[bedeviledspider]

That is an excellent question.

Someone with a death wish, maybe? That's the only reason I can think of.

[remake]

I'm not a big fan of getting set on fire and punched in the face.

Well- why do you do it?

[bedeviledspider]

Yeah, I prefer setting people on fire and punching them in the face.

[ reilly that better not really be your answer... ]

No. That's not it. Look, someone has to, right? All of that nonsense about power and responsibility.

[remake]

[ BAW REILLY YES ]

Yeah, I-- I know what you mean.

[bedeviledspider]

[ AW MILES ]

Yeah?

Then maybe you'll be an okay Spider-Man after all.

[cloud9]

Be nice, Reilly.

[arach_nerd]

I think he deserves it just by being a decent kid and having to deal with being a clone, but what do I know?

[reasonforbeing]

He's a good guy.

[osborncomplex]

Psst.

Reilly.

Your issues are showing.

[IT'S AN ANXIOUS HALF-JOKE look he knows what it looks like when your issues are showing he's an expert]

[guardiandevil]

You're not going to be a brat to anybody. Got it?

[bedeviledspider]

[ but devil-dad. ]

...Yes, sir. I understand.

/TACKLES

[bedeviledspider]

Oh, shut up, Harry.

[ HE MEANS IT you can by his super serious scowl which is turning into a smile ]

[bedeviledspider]

I'm sure he is.

Doesn't mean this guy can just take other people's names.

[bedeviledspider]

A- Abby!

[ he is totally not trying to keep from freaking because abby is totally not terrifying when she's angry! ]

Okay, okay! I'll give the guy a chance. It's just... that name means a lot to me, you know.

:3

[osborncomplex]

We can be therapy buddies?

[Cause, you know, he was kind of shouting at his half-brother from another universe a few days ago, so, pot and kettle here.]

[bedeviledspider]

I- I didn't know you told him it was all right. Or that he was a clone.

I guess that changes things. But I still reserve the right to get on his case if he screws up.

<3

[bedeviledspider]

You know I'd rather spend my time with some punching bags, right? I don't really do the whole "talking about my feelings" thing.

[ Just. You know. Whines about jerkfaces stealing his Dad's name. Totally different, says kettle to pot. ]

But I guess I could keep you company while you wait for the shrink or something.

[osborncomplex]

But, Reilly, there are only 1.404379 non-evil psychiatrists in universes like ours. You should really take advantage of them. You have to make reservations like six months in advance.

[bedeviledspider]

But, Harry, you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped! I really shouldn't waste the valuable time of such desperately needed professionals.

[osborncomplex]

Oh, no, I just meant seeing them for the novelty. If you weren't completely hopeless in certain respects, I'm not sure you'd be Reilly.

[He's already sort of fake fending off an anticipated punch to the shoulder.]

[bedeviledspider]

You know just the right not-even-slightly-subtle insults to really make a boy feel special, Osborn.

[ A punch to the shoulder? Heavens no how could he possibly-- DUCK HARRY DUCK ]

[osborncomplex]

Well, I don't think anybody could argue that you're not very special.

[He has a really good innocent smile for occasions such as these. Here, have it, Reilly. It is so believable. So very believable.]

[reasonforbeing]

The people who gave it to them probably didn't care about that. [Not that she's bitter. About those people. Or anything.]

But the important thing is that's he's honouring it, isn't it?

[cloud9]

O-Oh.

Hey, Armory.

[cloud9]

I know. It's-- kind of awkward on all fronts, believe me. But. It's not like he can really help it. You know?

[reasonforbeing]

...Hey, Cloud.

...Been a while, huh?

[cloud9]

Uh, y-- yeah. Wow. [ an awkward beat. ] How's it going...?

[reasonforbeing]

[Her voice is flat.] Stuck in a mental institution. I think I can figure out why they haven't let me out.

The mun's dreaming up this fantasy of me getting out on my own, though. Making some kind of difference.

That's what you're doing, right?

[guardiandevil]

[no buts, young man]

Good.

[cloud9]

A mental institution?

[ a half-beat. then, realizing that it might be rude, she hastily goes on: ]

Er-- well. Uh. You seem pretty okay to me. And... Yeah. You could totally make a difference somewhere. As long as there's no spiders involved, I guess.

[reasonforbeing]

[She just. Looks down.] ...Yeah. No spiders.

[And suddenly her gaze ticks back up again.] You know that wasn't your fault, right? What happened.

[cloud9]

[ a long pause. like she doesn't believe what violet said, but she doesn't have the heart to disagree. at length: ]

It-- doesn't really matter now anyway.

[ a heavy exhale. ]

You should come to the City. We could... I don't know. Be a squad again. Or something. We'd figure it out.

[reasonforbeing]

[Her lips part for the argument, but - she knows where that goes, usually, so she just nods.]

I - I don't know. [Her arm wraps around herself as she speaks.] Still kind of feels like they took away the only thing that made me matter. And - even with that, look what happened.

[cloud9]

[ she bites her lower lip. she doesn't like thinking about it much. even now, just remember it makes her stomach twist. it's quiet, a little anxious, and uncomfortable when she answers: ]

You aren't your power. Okay? You. Can still do good things.

[arach_nerd]

Oh, I didn't. If I could find him to talk to him, sure, but I haven't heard anything about him since the entire fact he and his brothers were clones mess came out.

[reasonforbeing]

I...

Thanks. [A strained attempt at a smile.] I haven't gotten the encouragement thing a whole lot.