Rivers have meanders, human life has phases

Chapter 1

Linh Phan had an ordinary life.

She had a caring family, a good education, and a career that paid her enough to afford an apartment for her and her cat. Things should have continued like this... until they didn't.

It started off as a normal night. Linh finished her shift at the hospital, then decided to watch Beyond the Spider-verse at a movie theater. After which, she headed home.

Ash, her silver tabby cat, greeted her at the door. Linh hugged him and gave him belly rubs, then went about with her business. She noticed that the garbage can was full, so she decided to take it out. Except, when she went out back, she discovered something strange.

There was an unconscious man slumped against the wall. His appearance reminded her of the movie she had just watched. Why was there a man cosplaying as Miguel O'Hara outside her home?

Somehow, the man must have heard her, because his eyes shot open. Inwardly, Linh noted that he had red eyes. Contacts, perhaps?

The man was shocked to see another person, until anger overtook him, and he growled out, "Who are you?! Where am I?!"

Linh remained calm. As a nurse, she had experience dealing with emotional patients. She had already observed that there were no weapons on or around the man. Although he could still hurt her, she knew that he was simply distressed because of the current situation.

She maintained eye contact, speaking softly, "That's what I'd like to know, sir. For some reason, I found you here, outside of my home. You don't appear to have any belongings with you. Do you need to call someone? I can let you borrow my phone."

The man stared at her uncomprehendingly, before shaking his head and sighing. He rubbed his temples, muttering something under his breath. Although she couldn't understand him, Linh recognized it as Spanish.

Linh left the man to throw away her trash, then returned to continue questioning him. He was fiddling with his watch, which she vaguely remembered was Miguel's gizmo to travel the multiverse. A customized watch? Whatever it was, it seemed to frustrate him, as he could be heard cursing in Spanish again.

The man snapped his head towards her as she approached. He still appeared visibly angry, but not at her. Rather, he seemed upset at himself.

Linh decided she needed a different method; "Sir, do you need help getting up?"

It was an innocent enough question, but the man was offended at what Linh suggested. He scowled, then began to stand up by supporting himself on the wall. Suddenly, he winced in pain.

Linh was alarmed, quickly hurrying to steady the man before he fell over. She had a tinge of worry in her voice as she asked him, "Sir, why didn't you tell me you were injured?" Even with the man's cooperation, Linh struggled to carry him into her apartment. He was a foot taller than her, and much, much heavier. Finally, they managed to make it to her couch.

She let the man rest on her sofa, while she went to her bedroom to find the first aid kit. When she returned, she found Ash and the man staring at each other. Ash was on the TV console table, observing the man on the couch.

They broke their staring contest when Linh arrived. She sat next to the man, and placed the first aid kit on her round table. The man stared at her, and she stared back, waiting for him to take off his suit; "Sir, you know I can't treat you if you have that costume on, right?"

The man glared at her, "It's not a costume." Begrudgingly, he started taking off his suit. He wore nothing underneath, except for his boxer briefs. Although the man was handsome, Linh could care less. What she focused on were the painful injuries all over his body.

He had cuts on his back and front, his skin was red and damaged, and more abundant evidence that this man somehow got involved in a fight. These were the visual indicators of strong impacts with his body.

Linh frowned, and began administering first aid. She cleaned his wounds, applied antibiotics, and bandaged him, among other things. The man did not utter a sound throughout her administration.

She placed her tools back in her first aid kid when she was done; "There you are, sir. I strongly recommend that you don't do anything to open your wounds again."

The man snorted, but otherwise seemed grateful for her help; "Sure, thank you."

Linh got up to go to her room again, taking the first aid kit with her. She came back with her phone, which she had left to charge its battery; "This is my phone, you can use it to call whoever you need to."

The man grabbed her phone curiously. He followed her instructions to turn it on, and then widened his eyes when he saw her lockscreen. He narrowed them, turning his dangerous gaze onto her. Ash, who had been quiet the entire time, was now hissing and arching his back.

In a low tone, the man asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

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Miguel O'Hara was having a terrible day.

It all started with Miles Morales. Miguel and the rest of the Spider Society, not including Miles' friends, had to chase after him so he wouldn't destroy the universe. Then, Spot appeared on Earth-1610, determined to kill everyone and everything. Miguel sacrificed himself to stop the Spot, and he was sure that was the end...

Until he woke up in front of an unknown woman. She was Asian, with dark, shoulder length hair, wire rimmed glasses, and overall, a harmless appearance.

Despite snapping at her when he regained consciousness, she did not look annoyed or irate with him. Instead, she was strangely calm and quiet.

Because of her harmless exterior, Miguel did not think she'd be much of a threat. He noticed with irritation that he didn't have his mask on; for some reason, he couldn't get the cloaking function to work. His goober was broken too; no matter what buttons he pressed, he got an error.

Then that woman asked him if he needed help with a simple task like standing up. Miguel scoffed internally, preparing to get up. But suddenly, he felt sharp pain all over his body.

Why? Where did this come from? He was Spiderman, he shouldn't feel pain. His body was built to withstand villain attacks, and even if he did get injured, it would heal quickly.

Miguel grit his teeth, as he and the woman entered her apartment. She let him rest on her couch, and left him with her cat. Soon, she came back with a first aid kit. Miguel endured the arduous task of taking off his suit. Finally, his injuries were able to be treated.

He put his suit back on, noting with bemusement how she didn't react to him being mostly naked at all.

Perhaps he had underestimated this woman. She seemed to be a good medical practitioner. She knew her way around a first aid kit. Miguel was grateful, and thanked her.

She gave him her device, a phone, to call someone. Miguel knew what phones were; they were the antiques people from the early twenty first century used. By 2099, there were other ways to talk to someone. But he appreciated that she was helping him.

That feeling lasted all of a few seconds, until he saw what was on her screen: a Spiderman 2099 picture. Him. Unmasked.

When he had never met her before today.