Another Me - Miguel O'hara

Five

"I love the summer," Penelope hummed, baring her face to the sun as she felt the warmth trickle across her skin. The suns rays shone through her red mass of curls allowing a bright golden hue form around her.

Vanessa pulled her hair up as she looked out at the sun soaked Nueva York beneath them. "It's pretty," she stated hunching over and resting her hands upon her crossed legs.

The pair sat in the rooftop seating of the facility, Vanessa's phone playing music quietly as they soaked in some of summers first rays of light. It was early morning and Nueva York seemed to just be waking up, the streets soon flooding with the usual hustle and bustle they carried. The sunlight creeping across the city flooding into each and every street, the warmth licking against the concrete.

Slowly Vanessa pulled her bare legs out from beneath her, stretching as she hummed to the song playing. "This is nice. Make's me feel more like me."

Penelope sighed in agreement rolling her head around her shoulders until the joint cracked. "I wish I could do this every morning."

"That'd require you waking up early every morning."

She groaned. "Yeah and crossing over here that early in the morning is just not fun. Even if I get to spend some quality one on one time with my 'sister from another mister'" She teased bumping shoulders with Vanessa.

Vanessa shuddered at her words shooting a cool glare at the redhead. "I hate that."

"That's why I say it," Penelope giggled. "But let's be serious spider women now and get off our butts before they go flabby."

"Hey speak for yourself," Vanessa exclaimed. "This is never sagging. And I'd like to thank my latina heritage for it."

Penelope rolled her eyes and hoisted her gym bag over her shoulder. "Yeah yeah, let's wait a few years and we'll see!"

The summer sun was slowly lowering across the horizon as Vanessa swung between skyscrapers, watching over her city haphazardly. She kept an earphone plugged into her right ear, music blasting through as she quietly sung along.

"Remember how I used to kiss you, you can kiss that all goodbye," she mumbled flying over the busy streets. "And I can't remember why I ever let you walk all over me, I won't take your shit forever, now it's time for me to leave."

Her feet hit the beats as she ran up a skyscraper, flipping her body backwards as the chorus hit. "I gave you everything you ever wanted, you gave me nothing but grief."

Beneath her mask Vanessa allowed a smile to stretch across her lips. The evening sun felt magical as it tickled the skin beneath her suit. Her arms spread wide as she engulfed herself in the music, silently counting the beats as she dropped before quickly webbing a nearby building before she hit the ground. The rush made her heart beat heavy in her ears and her chest, a feeling she loved more than anything.

Landing atop a gleaming skyscraper Vanessa pulled the mask from her face, catching her breathe as the song finished. She sat down, feet nestled beneath her legs as she stared out over her New York. It was peaceful nestled in the skies, listening to the city living and breathing beneath her feet as she felt her hair fall behind her carried by the light breeze.

A chill ran down the back of her spine causing a shiver to shake through her body. Without turning her head she could feel the heavy presence behind her.

"Miguel." She felt him freeze. "If you're here to criticise me for a mission I don't want to hear it. Enjoy the view in silence for once in your life," she said patting the spot beside her.

Wordlessly he obeyed her. He dropped his body down beside her letting his legs hang over the edge of the roof and removing the mask from his face. They sat side by side silently watching the sun set, it's rays almost completely out of sight before he opened his mouth.

"Vanessa?" She hummed in acknowledgement. He looked over at her, small purple strands of hair blowing across her cheek, her jaw looking sharper than a blade as the light hit her face, her eyes sparkling in the setting sun. "I'm sorry for how we ended."

She huffed amusingly. "It's the past Miguel. Don't put me in a bad mood I've had a good day today." It'd been awhile since she spoken to him, avoiding him in the halls, her expression darkening when he passed her as a silent warning to stay back. "I'm tired of fighting today."

"Then stop."

"Stop being such a pain in my ass then."

He sighed wiping a hand down his face. "You were never this hard before."

"Ha, yeah a year to sit on our train wreck of a relationship does that to a person." She looked over at him. "You don't like how I act because it's how you act."

Miguel fell silent as they stared at one another, eyes waging a war that neither could gain ground on. She searched his features for any sign of regret, of sadness, of heartbreak. She searched for any kind of emotion other than the anger that always seemed to strain his features. Though as usual her searches turned up nothing as he finally looked away, his dark eyes circled in red.

"And you wonder why I left," Vanessa said with a sigh. "Nothings changed here Miguel. You apologised too late and even when you do we both know it's empty."

She moved to stand but was halted when his hand caught her wrist forcing her head to snap in his direction. "You're wrong," he stated the fire in his eyes settling into a gentle warmth. "Stay, I interrupted your peace. I'll stop."

Her heart beat against her chest as she stared down at him. He almost looked as vulnerable as he'd been when she'd first met him. Before he'd turned cold and harsh. It scared her in a sense. She was tentative as she lowered herself back down, frightened that his words and his expression were just another way to guilt her into continuing his work.

Miguel sensed the uncertainty buried within her as she moved. His chest aching as he watched her inch away. He could only imagine the thoughts running through her head, the doubt swirling round her mind as he looked at her. It pained him to see her look at him like that, like she was afraid of what he could do to her, like she was afraid that he'd quickly use the moment of vulnerability against her. And he knew it was his fault she felt that way.

He had to change this. He had to end this battle that was constantly between them, waging war over his heart every time he saw her.

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Authors note

Truth be told while writing this i've slowly been adding to a playlist of songs that i've had playing while i'm writing. I feel like they really fit the story and kinda wanted to add it to maybe the intro? what do you guys think. would that be cool or no? it's kinda varied tbh since i plan chapters in the most haphazard order imaginable so one second you'll have the most depressing song you've ever heard and the next one makes you wanna shake some ass.

Let me know!!