Chapter 5-5
Another day, another funeral.
David and Misa attended Barton Hamilton's funeral.
This time, it seems less emotional. I am not standing at Barton Hamilton's grave, I'm standing at the Green Goblin's grave.
When the funeral ended, David turned to his mother.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Can I have a minute alone with Dr. Hamilton?"
She studied him. "Take all the time you need."
Misa left David standing at his psychiatrist's grave.
David looked down at the grave, an emotionless face put on after an hour of putting on a sad face that pained his cheekbones. The pain wasn't as bad as his broken arm, which had no cast and he was having heals on its own.
His hands were clenched into fists in his pockets and his teeth were grinding.
His spider-sense alerted him that no one was within range to see him or hear him and he could finally vent.
"I don't know what to say to you, Dr. Hamilton," David said, "The instant I knew that you were the Green Goblin, you were automatically my enemy. I didn't care about the reason or whatever, you were just my enemy. But ever since that night when you died, I got this feeling in my chest. It was the same feeling I had when Dad died. I'm not supposed to feel this after I kill my enemy but for some reason, I feel it for you. What I am feeling is not emotions, don't get the wrong idea, I have no emotions. I've been pondering over why I felt this stabbing feeling in my chest and I can only come to the conclusion because you had multiple personality disorder, you were both evil and innocent at the same time. When I became Spider-Man, I took a vow never to kill the innocent but in your case, it was different. You had DID and if I were to kill the Green Goblin then I would also be killing the innocent Barton Hamilton."
He kneeled.
"Then, after I quit my pondering, I came to this conclusion: You deserved to die. My reason is that if you were being taken over against your will, you would've naturally begged for me to kill you. It's human nature to ask to be put out of their misery so I decided to put you out of your misery while at the same time, I can satisfy my urge. Even after I told myself that killing you was justifiable, this stabbing feeling remained. I have no idea what to think anymore."
He paused.
"But there is one thing I do want you to know, Barton Hamilton: No matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter what actions you took as either the Green Goblin or Barton Hamilton, I will never cease to be Spider-Man. I will continue to kill criminals and save innocent people like that woman and baby I saved in the alleyway and the science center."
I've never been this talkative when I was standing over Dad's grave. Maybe I should pay Dad a visit and tell him everything that happened to me these last few weeks.
His spider-sense went off.
What in the name of God is she doing here?
David turned around to meet Felicia standing across from him in a black dress. David studied her with his hands tucked into his pockets.
Felicia studied him harder and watched in delight as the wind blew against David's brown hair.
"Hey, David," she said softly, "I came here because I thought you might want to be comforted by me. Eddie told me."
Good old Eddie.
David smirked for a brief second before bowing his head. "You always seem to show up when I least expect it and when you do, you somehow find me at my lowest."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm completely cried out if you're trying to watch me shed tears so don't waste any time."
"I didn't come here to see if you were human or whatnot," she insisted, "I came here because I want to comfort you."
Should I believe her? Maybe she came to me because her mother, father, and little brother were kidnapped by Green Goblin.
Before he could say anything, Felicia stepped forward and stood at his side. David felt awkward but said nothing. He turns and they both face Barton Hamilton's grave.
"You lost your father and your uncle," she said, "It must be hard for you."
Actually, he was never my uncle and I killed him.
"It is," he said, "Do you know what it's like to lose both your father and uncle?"
"I never met your father but I could tell that he was a good man. I met your uncle for a short time but he seemed like a good man as well."
No, he wasn't, he was the Green Goblin.
"Thank you," he smiled. "By the way, I'm sorry I missed our date. But as soon as I got the news that my uncle died, I couldn't leave my mother sobbing by herself. You know, she lost her husband and now her brother."
"I understand," she said, "Nothing's more important than family. I'm grateful Spider-Man saved my family's life."
David suddenly remembered.
"Speaking of which, how has your relationship with your father been?"
She hesitated and David noticed this.
Did I really cross a line? What's wrong with asking a girl about her father's relationship? But if there's one thing I learned when disguised as a human being, it's that if a woman hesitates, back off. Regardless of the reason, you'll make them angry.
She still said nothing.
Yeah, I really should keep my mouth shut. What should I talk about? What do female humans like to talk about at funerals? Maybe I should compliment her dress. Yeah, that should put her at ease.
"Felicia," he began.
Then again, it'll look suspicious if I compliment a dress she's wearing to a funeral. After all, regular humans don't dress to look nice at funerals.
She snapped at him.
"Yes?"
She's putting me on the spot. Come on, David, think.
A thought came to his mind.
Do humans kiss at funerals? Fuck it, I'm going for it.
David kisses Felicia on the lips. The kiss was long and thanks to the kisses he had with Black Cat, almost intimate.
He licked her lips.
This taste on her lips is familiar.
His eyes widened.
He pulled away.
She looked at his shocked expression. She studied him and wondered why he was shocked when he was the one who kissed her.
"What?"
…
…
…
I'm done being in denial.
"That's twice I kissed you," he said, turning on his charm.
"It's not common to kiss at funerals."
He hugs her suddenly. "Who says I'm common?"
"I'm not going to make out with you in front of a grave."
"Felicia, you've got the wrong idea. I didn't kiss you out of sexual excitement, I just kissed you because you came to comfort me even when I didn't ask for it."
"I never knew you could be emotional," she said in a confused voice. "I feel like you're up to something."
"I am mysterious, remember? I don't care if it is common to kiss a girlfriend at funerals."
She replayed that last sentence in her head.
"Girlfriend?"
"Yes," David said sternly, "You are my girlfriend."
She shoved him back. "You've got kissing skills but don't push it."
She turned and walked away.
David was left by himself. When he was sure he was alone he turned back to the grave.
"Did you see that, Hamilton?" David said in a somewhat mocking voice. "I kissed my girlfriend right in front of you. She tasted good." He licks his lips. "Ahh, the sweet taste of strawberries."
He went silent before bowing his head. He kneels on the grave.
"I'll see you later, Hamilton. I've never been a believer in heaven and hell but if I was, then you'll be trapped for eternity in purgatory. Barton Hamilton should go to heaven and Green Goblin to hell but since you're the same person, you'll spend eternity in oblivion."
He walks away and over to his father's grave.
He kneels before the grave.
"Hey, Dad," he said nonchalantly. "If I believed in heaven then that's where you are. Honestly, I don't see the point of believing in going to a good place for doing good or a bad place for bad but that's what mother believes."
He reaches into his pocket.
"I got you some flowers. I got the ones you like: Asters." He places them against the tombstone. "They say that you should give flowers to your loved one in death because it's a beautiful thing to do. I don't know if that's true but Mom did it so I have to do it as well. If it were up to me, I'd use something else besides flowers. I know it won't make a difference but I don't like giving flowers to dead people."
He stands and pockets his hands.
"I'm Spider-Man," he said, "About a week or two after you died, I became Spider-Man to kill criminals like the one that killed you. I can already hear you lecturing me on how wrong it is to kill but because I didn't kill, you died. If I spare some other criminal, he could hurt Mom and I love Mom in my own way. If you are listening to me, I want you to know that you don't have to worry. As long as I'm Spider-Man, I'll kill criminals and protect my mother. She is my parent after all and I would hate to be an orphan."
Right on cue, his mother walked up to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and they both looked down at Jim Dante's grave.
"I miss him every day," Misa said.
David nodded. "So do I." He looked at her. "In my own way of course."
"What do you miss about him?" she questioned, as if unto him.
David contemplated. "I miss his cooking, I miss him driving me around, I miss him buying soda and paying the bills, the usual stuff."
She nodded in a somewhat disappointing way.
David clutched his chest. "But, I guess I miss him in general. I guess I wish he was back in life because it turns out, I can deal with not having the stuff I listed but life feels weird without Dad present. If I was feeling empty before, my Dad dying increased the empty feeling tenfold."
She hugged him. David patted her shoulder in a comforting way.
I was saying that stuff to put on a facade; I guess I really do miss Dad being around.
"He's watching over us," Misa said, "Just remember that."
David didn't know how to respond. He turned to the gravestone.
"I love you, Dad."
He turned and walked away.
Ever since I was born, I've accepted that I was a monster and to this day, I still believe. I don't know if I'll ever become human, or if I want to become human but if there's one thing I do know...this feeling in my chest after I told Dad that I love him…
He clutches his chest.
I love it...
XXXXX
My name is David Dante.
Spidey was swinging across the city.
I'm sadistic and emotionless, but overall, a psychopath.
Spidey swings between two trucks and launches himself into the air.
If you think I'm your average hero who saves the innocent and throws the bad guys in jail, you're wrong. I kill those who deserve it and the innocent thank me for it. I'm not an average hero.
He swings towards the same crane from earlier.
I'm just a kid born a monster who was given superpowers.
Instead of swinging over the crane, he hangs upside-down from a web.
Psycho, socio, monster, Dark David, I'm fine with being called any of those names...
He lets go and swings off to stuff another body bag with a villain.
...But I think the one name that really matters is 'Spider-Man'.