Lev gets to work.

He doesn't sleep well that night. 

School is hard, the next morning, but he drags himself in. He doesn't speak, does his best not to be noticed; it reminds him of when he was very young and only pretending to speak the language. Someone asks if he's okay and he pretends he didn't hear. 

He looks at the texts from Lev and from Asher over and over and over again. Maybe he shouldn't but he does. He gets yelled at for being on his phone; he tries to take notes but can't concentrate on anything but Asher's face, Lev's voice, how worried Lev had been — 

He goes home. His parents aren't home yet. He could go to Lev's but he doesn't really want to be in Stark Tower right now. He tries to sleep. He fails again. 

Lev doesn't sleep much. Food appears mysteriously at his elbow; he eats it. He doesn't get out of his chair.

He learns everything he could possibly know about Wilson Fisk. 

Asher sleeps eight hours a night, because when you don't sleep you aren't sharp. He eats well-balanced meals, because nutrition is important to make your brain function. He exercises, because exercising improves cognitive function. 

He doesn't talk to anyone other than Jarvis. 

He reverse-engineers the Hate Ray, modifies his suit so it's invulnerable to it, sends the design to SHIELD. He designs a fleet of drones with facial-recognition technology and the ability to call the cops, sends the design to Pepper with a note that it might be good for abuse survivors. He notices some inefficiencies in how the Stark Foundation is directing its money, fixes them, makes some new grants. 

He can tell his parents are worried about him. He isn't sleeping, even more so than usual; he stares into space more blatantly than usual in class. He doesn't break down. He doesn't do any of his homework. He texts Lev, sometimes, when he's pretty sure Lev isn't busy; he doesn't go to visit him, he knows Asher would clear out of Stark Tower if he asked but he really really doesn't want to ask. Some of his teachers are angry; some are disappointed; his history teacher makes a point of being concerned instead. Sasha considers telling him — not everything, not the parts about being Spiderman, but that something happened and he isn't scared but he's still hurt — and rejects it; there would be too many questions, too much attention on his parents, too much attention on what he does with his free time. 

Sasha hasn't come to visit him since that day. He doesn't know what it would be, if it's something he did. 

He almost invites Sasha to Central Park, remembers that Sasha was almost killed there, types out "do you want to go somewhere to hang out?", deletes it, retypes it, decides it's too vague, spends three hours going down a research hole of places to go in New York City, doesn't find anything perfect, and eventually texts

do you want to go wander around new york city sometime?

before he can talk himself out of it.

The reply comes in about ten seconds, as if Sasha had been watching his phone and waiting for a text. 

I would love to wander around New York City with you

or just hang out at a park or something 

or watch a movie again? 

He stops himself from adding more date suggestions. He types "I miss you" and then deletes it. 

I would like all those things

He hesitates and then writes:

I miss you

I miss you too 

💜

We could hang out now if you want, I'm not busy.

neither am I 

...I mean I have homework but lbr that's not going to get done either way 

where do you want to meet

Lev names a place midway between Stark Tower and Sasha's house and bounces in his seat the entire way there.

Sasha hugs him tight as soon as he sees him. 

"I missed you." 

"I missed you! Why did we not hang out."

"Because I really didn't want to be in Stark Tower and I knew Asher would leave if I asked him to but I didn't want to ask. And I thought maybe you were busy." 

"I'm not! --Well, I sort of am, Asher has some sort of revenge plan against Wilson Fisk and I'm helping, but revenge against Wilson Fisk can wait two hours for me to see you."

"I'm glad." Is snuggling on this bench a thing that they can do? 

It is!

"How have you been doing?"

"...school's been harder than usual. Haven't been sleeping much. My parents and teachers are getting worried but it's not like I can tell them." 

Hugs. "If you need anything from me I'm here."

Hugs.

...he's really missed hugging Lev. 

"I know. I think just having people who know will help, maybe not with school but in general. 

I love you." 

"I can come over to your place every afternoon, maybe? And then you can have somebody to talk to, or help with homework, or whatever." 

A soft hum. "That'd be good. I don't think I'm going to ask for much homework help but that'd be good." 

"Homework help, homework doing-as-fast-as-I-can-with-my-powers-so-you-don't-have-to-worry-about-it, whatever."

"I love you."

He pauses.

"....is Asher doing okay?"