(Spiderman does not belong to me!)
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Now Playing:
La Camisa Negra
By Juanes
"Tengo la camisa negra Porque negra tengo el alma Yo por ti perdí la calma Y casi pierdo hasta mi cama."
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I roll my eyes as Jess comes out of the portal, her knowing deadpan aimed at specifically me, I knew I was to blame here and I would rather be held accountable for everything rather than the poor kids that were supposed to be on my watch.
I sigh remorsefully, taking my place right next to her with my arms crossed, watching the back up team I had requested more than once rush out and go on their way to place stabilizers down on the big gaping hole of the collapsed bridge, my eyes filled with an almost scrutinizing gaze, not at them, but more so at the mistakes I had allowed myself to make for this to happen.
"Jess I-"
"[Y/n], I can't help you, Miguel wants you at his office as soon as possible- if you can try to talk him out of whatever attitude he wants to drown himself in."
I chuckle bleakly, clicking my tongue with frustration at my own mishaps, blaming myself for letting not only my student and kids get hurt and engage in combat, but for the destruction of Pav's world, my mind already fully knowing how much of a mental toll this would make on the poor boy, my own experience coming back to haunt me.
I can't hear Jess speaking clearly, I can't hear my kids arguing or being praised by the citizens, I just submerge myself into my consciousness, eyes sharp and dark with resentment. I'm taken out of my contemporary trance as Pav's shaky voice speaks nervously, and I could tell that his mind was filled with nothing but anxiety.
"Uh guys, what's that?"
Hobie quickly answers his question, his witty and could be interpreted as true answer flowing into the air like clockwork for him.
"Must be a metaphor for capitalism."
Gwen chimes in too.
"It's a lot worse than that."
She was most definitely right, not to say that capitalism wasn't bad, but that this was greater and much more dangerous than the political views and rebellion in Hobie's world. I hum in agreement as I take a step forward, looking down at the chaos from up high, my gaze keen and focused.
Jess' commanding and level headed voice finally reaches my ears once again, this time distributing simple orders that the other arachnids were assigned to carry out, flawlessly of course.
"Clear all civilians and lets contain this mess."
Miles greets her with a smile, she just looks down at him, literally. I frown at her unimpressed gaze, clearly following the rules on interacting with anomalies, shooting a raised eye brow my way.
"I know who you are."
She says coldly, waking away from him, authority in every step she takes. I sigh at her stone cold words and steps, gently putting a hand on Miles' back and shaking my head, try to reassure him that he's not in the wrong, but neither is she.
I turn to Pav, gently taking his shaky hand into mind and rubbing circles on his palm with my thumb, trying to soothe his nerves down, his eyes darting to my gentle yet very much tired face, I knew he could tell the shift in tone I had.
The clean up team marches down onto the growing black hole, placing stabilizers around the dark matter in an attempt to get the crumbling world under control, my eyes closing with little to no hope.
I can hear Gwen quickly stammer to try and explain the situation, clearly not wanting to make a fool out of herself in front of Jess, her mentor. After all, she had distinct orders to not visit Miles at any circumstance, but how could I blame her? Miguel knew that she felt Miles was the only one- one of the first- people that could really understand her, and that she may or may not like him more than a friend, though we were unsure.
"Okay- let me-let me explain i-"
"Miguel wants you back at HQ. All of you."
My eyes furrow with a quiet disappointment but not surprise, knowing well I would get an earful for letting the whole Miles situation happen without returning him back home, to be fair we were kind of busy.
"Gwen, calm down. I'll make sure to talk to him."
I assure her, promising that I'll try to be the one to get the blunt force of his dissatisfaction and possible anger, well definitely anger, or more of frustration really.
Jess looks at me and sighs, reminding me again that he was requesting for me urgently.
"[Y/n] you need to calm him down before he actually explodes- He's been grumpy ever since you left."
I look at her defeatedly, I know she's probably disappointed in me, I know. She shakes her head as expected, but surprisingly she pats my bicep to half comfort me, pulling back with a nod.
My eyes soften as I watch her walk away.
"Everybody please let me do the talking."
They probably wont let me either way but it's worth a shot, especially when it came to Miguel, he knew me for much longer than he had known these kids, and for that reason it was easier to sympathize with each other.
We walk into the portal, Gwen does begrudgingly, Miles does so with excitement, and Hobie does so neutrality. Before I take a step in, I pull Pav into my arms, squeezing him tightly with my eyes closed.
"I promise it'll be okay."
He holds me even tighter, sniffling under his mask and nodding against my body, soon pulling back and letting me go. I smile fondly at the younger nodding slowly and slipping into the portal. Throughout the trip back to Nueva York I could only feel pity for Pav, he was watching his beloved world that he was supposed to protect crumble right before his eyes, and there wasn't much we could do but hope, hope to whatever would listen to us.
My pity soon turns into awareness, keen on us going all the way up to the lobby via an elevator. We arrive at the elevator to the lobby. And I finally decide to take off my mask in front of Miles, Hobie following soon after.
"How are you guys even cooler under the mask?"
"I was just cool the whole time."
I don't respond, waving it off with a simple flick of my hand, deciding that unnecessary praise was ultimately useless, unneeded words to feed an ego, though I do compliment Miles back.
"You look great too, Miles.
I take sigh of all of Nueve York in our eyes, a soft reminder of what happened before Pav called me over. I missed that, I miss Miguel.
Nueva York
Earth 928.
The lobby door finally opens and Gwen reaches for Miles' attention , many spider people roaming along the lobby and we clearly couldn't afford to leave Miles behind.
Malala Windsor from Earth 835 asks us where the spot is, by us in mean Me and Jess. But since Jess seemed stress as well, she sasses her, in watch Malala unfortunately- or maybe fortunately- did not catch onto. I smile passively as I steer her off somewhere else.
I greet everyone who decides to greet me, which is almost everyone given I was one of Miguel's right hand men. I hear Miles greet everyone with some swagger, or at least tying to, a little overwhelmed by all the great spider people all in one place. I decide to look back to see an awestruck Miles, making me chuckle and slow down to a stop, walking beside him and leading letting him trail behind me like a lost puppy.
"Miles, did you know im one of the founders of this place?"
Miles' eyes widen by a tenfold, surprise was an understatement to the amount of whiplash he was experiencing, his brown- or maybe hazel- eyes reminded me that of a baby deer, maybe it was his freckles too, which makes me laugh for once after the Pav incident.
"What! No way!"
I nod truthfully, pulling my Gizmo towards him and pulling up my messages between Miguel and I, avoiding the last one I received from him, knowing the boy would have questions.
"Why do you think I have his number?"
I elbow him playfully, my mood rising by a lot from how interactive and joyous the boy was, he was great to be around. Miles takes a double take at the amount of spider people gathered around in the society, placing his hands over his head.
"What happened to that small elite strike team?"
He asks Gwen, eye brow raised almost comically as he puts his hands down, grabbing my sleeve as to not get left behind from the amount of people walking up and down the aisle all sorts of ways, up and down, side to side, didn't matter, we would stick to any surface.
"This is actually pretty small kiddo."
His eyes widen once more, his hands choking my arms in excitement as he looks around at the vast space of the spider society. Hobie walks alongside Gwen, talking amongst themselves and look back at Miles. I look at Miles too, watching him lag behind as I sigh, tugging him by his hands and letting him mount my back, piggy backing him easily.
"Come on Miles, we need you here."
He nods, finally relaxing as he lets me carry him, giving him a chance to just take everything in. Before he can speak again, I can feel him fall off my back, glitching down on the floor while he clutches his stomach, making me rush to kneel by his side.
I look at Jess with worry in my eyes, and in return she wordlessly tosses me a day time pass for him, nodding reluctantly at me.
"Here, this keeps you from glitching."
I slip on the day pass on his wrist, his glitching stopping abruptly as he gets excited, shooting back up with a smile on his face, thinking it was a Gizmo.
"It's just a day pass Miles, sorry."
I smile apologetically as he looks down at his wrist, clicking his tongue in disappointment, but still being grateful for it as he shrugs his shoulder, continuing to walk along sides all of us, telling every one he's a new recruit.
As we get closer and closer to Miguel's sector, it gets darker and darker, redder and much more ominous, perhaps because we were passing through the hall of anomalies, Lyla deciding to Miles what they are.
I look over at all of them, now joined by SpiderByte as they look at the very humane 'Go Home Machine.' I smile as I walk ahead of them, eager to get back with Miguel even if I was bound to get an earful from him.
I quietly swing up to his platform, my eyes turning softer and much more once I see him playing that video of his daughter once again, a harsh reminder of his past mistakes, carelessness, and the fact that he was happy once, that he had a daughter, a child to care for.
I gently wrap my arms around his waist, knowing that he could recognize me by touch alone, even if he were to be blind or deaf, one touch from me and he would know, he would be certain.
"[Y/n]."
"Miguel."
He turns to face me, he looks tired, more so than ever, and I'm sure that said a lot. I frown, running my hands through his hair before propping myself onto a desk and pull him in for a proper hug, his hands wrapping around my body carefully like holding glass, letting himself share the moment of vulnerability with me.
"Why didn't you stop Morales?"
"I wasn't able to, I was saving people O'hara you know that."
I explain softly, my arms letting go of him and his arms squeezing me tightly, a frown plastered on his face before he runs a thick hand through his hair, growing irritated at my excuse. I bite my lip, shaking my head and placing my head on my palm, he knew how I felt about the young spider people, he knew my stance on Morales, but at the same time I tried to be as understanding as possible to his views, often agreeing with his sentiment actually, but then again, we were two different people.
"I just don't understand- I know you don't like this [Y/n], but can't you understand it's necessary? It's not like I like doing this either."
I open my mouth, a sorry expression on my face as I try to argue back, only to be interrupted by Gwen and Miles bickering slightly about the etiquette they should show in front of Miguel.
Gwen shushes Miles, deciding to speak first and for the both of them.
"Miguel O'hara, Number 0, meet Miles Morales."
Miles starts speaking, in Spanish , albeit very botched Spanish, but it's the thought that counts, no?
"Hey-que tal tio? Te tra-je una empanada."
I chuckle softly as Miguel makes space between the both of us, his hand lingering on my knee before I decide to finally reason with him, pulling him back down by his bicep and leaning next to his ear.
"Go easy on him, please."
He casts a side glance at me, rolling his eyes and giving a trained hum, turning his attention on the boy of the hour for now. He webs the empanada from the cafeteria- his favorite- and into his hands, tossing it at me to hold in the mean time for him, his eyes sharp and most definitely irritated.
"Que maravilla."
I let out a sharp sigh, catching onto the catty and sarcastic undertones in his voice, crossing my legs and rubbing my temples with an arising tension.
Miles starts talking again, his voice excited and cheerful, making me pity the boy with how clueless he was onto the context clues of the situation.
"Im really excited to get started and.."
"Oh great, oh woah,uh huh."
I know where this is going, rushing to stand on my guard, practically tasting the pettiness in his voice and the tension between his muscles.
Miguel turns away from Miles and rips out the Empanada box from my hands, making me roll my eyes and swing by to kick it away. I look back up at him with an unimpressed face, putting Miles and Gwen behind me as I watch him out his hand on his forehead, getting much more aggravated and irritable.
"He's worried about the spot? Im worried about the spot!"
I let it him mumble and grumble, swinging back up to the platform, being taken by surprise as he holds my chin, keeping me in place as I dart my eyes everywhere but his face, his grip tightening as he follows my eyes around, expecting eye contact all the time.
"No listen to me, I've been carrying the society on my back- granted you do too- only for some 15 year old boy to bring it to shambles!?"
"Miguel it's not his fault!"
Gwen chimes in, as soon as she says that he goes off, his eyes going over to the younger as he loosens his grip on me, fully letting go as he jumps down, making me let out a string of curses as I prevent him from coming fully face to face as I push him back.
"You blew another hole in the multiverse!"
"Miguel calm down. He didn't know."
I try to calm him down, but Miguel just bares his fangs in frustration, his hands squeezing around my shoulders tightly.
"Miguel please! He didn't know any better!"
"But you did Gwen," he turns to look at Hobie, and so do I, he was just rolling stolen tech on his hands, a coy smile all over his face.
"And you! I was gonna try to ignore you, I just can't."
"Miguel if anything you should be blaming me. I was supposed to be the adult in that situation."
I jump into their defense, keeping my promise of taking the blunt of the blow fully rather than letting them get cross in Miguel's cross fire.
"[Y/n], I know. I already have something planned out to keep you in check."
"What? Will I be kicked out?"
"What--no. It's something else."
I stare up at him in confusion and slight fear, his eyes softening as he takes note of the fear in my voice, but soon turning twice as sharp in the span of a pin drop. The tension between us was thick and muddy with unspoken emotions, unspoken fears and worries, unspoken feelings that had to be chained down by our duties, we couldn't go further than the kiss, we just couldn't.
Another voice cuts through the air along with the thick tension between Miguel and I; Peter B.
"Hey Miguel come on go easy on the kid he had a terrible mentor!"
Peter walks in the ceiling while holding Mayday,and for a brief moment I forget about all of my worries, eyes flickering with warmth and joy towards the baby. I swing myself up there and grab her from Peter's baby carrier, his aged face flashing a charming smile towards me.
Cooing at her, I retreat to Miguel's side, keeping a safe distance from the man in case he didn't want a child- a reminder of his daughter- in his vicinity.
"Look at cute you are Mayday, you sweet girl."
I feel her tiny hands squeeze and grab at my face, making me laugh as I throw her up, finding that to be a mistake as she shoots her way out of my arms. I hear Miguel sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose and saying some curses in spanish.
"Ya no puedo más...ya no puedo más."
"Mayday...come down here!"
I usher her sweetly down holding out my arms ready to catch her in case if she fell, but instead she climbs on top of O'hara's head, making me hold back a laugh as he looks damn annoyed, his eyes taking a glance at my face and his tongue clicking.
"I knew I was gonna regret making her that web shooter!"
Peter then goes on to showing everyone baby photos of mayday, most of them were the exact same thing, but I suppose that was what he did being a girl dad, loving and overprotective of Mayday.
"Im trying to hold a serious adult conversation."
"You know you're the only Spider-man who isn't funny, we're supposed to be funny."
I nod along with Peter's words, I was subsequently sarcastic and humorous when kids weren't around. My agreement is come to a halt when I watch Mayday fall onto Miguel's burly arms, my eyes softening at his easy catch, knowing well that he didn't have spider senses like the rest of us. I lean close to his ear, pulling him down as he passes Mayday back to Peter.
"You know maybe I should adopt a baby."
His eyes goes wide. He turns his head unbelievably fast, cheeks hot and eyes looking for any signs of me just joking, while I stood there not knowing how much his heart ached with the sweet thought but the reminder of his daughter.
"Oh? What did [Y/n] say to get you so expressive?"
Peter asks, looking to me and back at Miguel with a cheeky smirk, that is until a stench hits his nostrils, his face scrunching up as he swings away to a small web Hobie, presumably, had made for Mayday.
And only then does Miguel decide to take the conversation back on track.
"Miles you interrupted a cannon event."