Gwen
I'm such an idiot.
I'm such a selfish idiot.
They told me not to, but I didn't listen. What's wrong with me? Jess, was right. I only hurt him. It took everything for me to keep my composure as his smile crumbled before me; before his eyes glazed over with a guarded expression.
Still, after all that, he suggested I come to his parent's rooftop party. He looked at me with a wobbly smile that didn't reach his eyes, a smile that would haunt me because I knew I had caused that. I caused him this pain, but what else could I do?
I should have just stayed focused on my mission. Instead I let my own emotions get in the way.
Never again
"Oh wow, feelings make me hungry," I joked trying to break the deafening silence between us as I shoveled food into my mouth in a way that I must admit was probably very unattractive.
I wasn't sure if the sound that came from Miles was a laugh or a scoff.
"Oh yeah," he agreed with a wave of his hand, "These plátanos are just deep-fried feelings."
I had to keep myself from frowning at the hollowness in his voice. I had to leave. My presence was doing more harm than good and to top that off, the Spot was still on the move. All the while I stood here with Miles on a water tower, shooting the breeze. Jess would be disappointed.
But... Just ten more minutes.
"So, how does it work?" Miles muttered, "You traveling dimensions? I would have thought discovering would take years and... massive knowledge in quantum physics." His eyes dropped to the floor before flicking back up to meet mine, a tentative expression on his face.
"I don't really know all the specifics. I just know that Miguel is from the year 2099 so their technology is super advanced. That's where the whole Society is. He made these watches," I slip off my Gizmo and hand it to him.
The boy turned it over in his palm, his eyes flooded with concentration and... disappointment? "This is what keeps you from glitching in other dimensions?"
"Yeah, pretty cool."
His fiddling finally stilled and he rested the watch in both hands staring solemnly out into the skyline, the pretty blue skyline that seemed to outshine the colors of the sky in my universe even in all its vibrance. "What's it gonna take for Miguel O'hara to notice Miles Morales?" he asked.
I wasn't sure if that was a question I was supposed to answer. If it was, I wouldn't know how to, because Miguel definitely had noticed him. The futuristic spider had noticed him before me. He just didn't like what he saw. None of that was Miles's fault though. It was just him being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I chuckled, but it sounded nervous and uneasy, "I'll put in a good word."
"I'm just saying, if I had a watch, I could go with you," he prods.
Sighing, I loll my head back. Did we have to have another conversation like this? Couldn't we go back to the lighthearted banter of before? "Miles, look-"
"I did save the multiverse," he continued, lips pursed.
I racked my brain for a response, "It's a really small, elite strike force."
"I can turn invisible," he suggested, beginning to list reasons on his fingers and I felt my frustration grow, "I have like, electric powers. Think about it."
"There aren't a lot of slots," I say a bit more forcefully. I wish he would just let this go, just for a little longer.
His shoulders slumped in defeat and I bit my lip. Gosh, why couldn't I just make him smile?
"I just don't want you to disappear again," he whispered and I felt my heart constrict at the tone of his voice. He placed the device back in my hands but refused to look me in the eye.
I swallowed down the rise of emotion that clawed its way up my throat, "Miles, I-"
"How do I know you're not just gonna leave for another two years? How do I know you'll come back at all?"
I felt all the air leave me in a breath. I didn't answer. How could I? I wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon, if at all.
Miles studied my expression, his eyes racing across my face. I didn't move. I held my breath. It felt like he could see past everything; all the half-truths- all the lies.
Time seemed to slow as the gears whirred in Miles's head. He was deciding whether to trust me or not.
...Maybe he shouldn't.
"Even if we're not... that," he started, his head hung low and his voice breathy, barely above a whisper. "We are still friends," he peeked up at me meekly in a way that made me melt, "Right?"
I nodded. "Yeah," I breathed, "We are."
"So, will you come back?" He gulped, a small smile breaking his face, "I could show you my art. Not just the ones of you! I have some of the others too."
What do I say?
Speak Gwendolyn!
Say something!
Stupid mouth! Form words! You literally have one job!
Miles took my silence as his answer and seeing his expression hurt. I couldn't come back. There was no way they'd let me. I couldn't give him the answer he wanted- the answer we both wanted.
"Hello!"
I nearly jumped at the overly cheerful voice. I woman with beautiful, dark curls and a strange expression suddenly appeared in our midst. I don't think I've ever been more thankful to someone I've never met.
Scratch that. When I first met Miguel and Jess probably lorded over this.
"Hi," she says again. A smile was held, but behind her eyes, there was a burning fire.
Oh gosh, what do I do?
"Oh, boy," Miles sounded, coming to stand beside me and give me a quick look that told me I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
I smile, waving with a bit more enthusiasm than would be considered normal, "Rio! Hi! I've heard so much about you."
Beside me, Miles made a sound that sounded akin to a wheezing cat.
Rio shoots me an incredulous look, "You're using my first name," she murmured then the mask of enthusiasm returned with frightening speed, "Okay!" She shook her head, then outstretched her hand which had my sweater trapped between her index finger and thumb. "This is nice," she starts, "We found it in Miles's room so... I guess you must have been there, huh?"
I'm so dead. If looks could kill...
Startled once again by the sound of metal shifting, my eyes dart over to see a burly man climbing up the ladder to meet us.
"And you must be Jeff."
"She called me Jeff," the man turned to his wife with a brow raised. "That's very sweet, 'Jeff'. You must mean Lieutenant Morales," he puffed out his chest a bit more at the mention, "Soon to be Captain Morales."
Oh yes, the canon event
I couldn't help, but throw a quick glance in Miles's direction, before turning back to Jeff. "Ah, captain," I do a quick joking salute and attempt to mask my shame with a nervous grin.
Now why exactly would you do that? You
looked stupid.
"Gwanda and I are friends at school," Miles explained, pausing briefly on the mention of my name.
"Yeah, yeah, we were just catching up," I agree placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh," Rio gushed, placing a hand on her heart. She stared me down maintaining that sweet voice, "Don't take him from me." She laughed as Miles groaned, "I'm only serious."
I lifted my hand off the boy beside me as I shrank into myself.
I... Okay then
"I'm kidding," She chuckled, "He's grounded so you can't." She leaned in close after a moment of silence, "Don't break his heart."
And that felt like a punch to the gut.
"Mom," Miles whined. The guy looked mortified. I wasn't too far from that myself.
Would they suspect something if I just jumped off this roof?
My gizmo vibrated on my wrist as information and coordinates regarding my mission obscured the screen. I wasn't sure if this was the best or worst possible timing.
"Oh shoot, I gotta go," I spoke, my hand instinctively going down to cover the watch.
"Really?" Miles spoke, sounding sorely disappointed and I gulped.
"Y-yeah I forgot to get my steps in," I stammered, hoping Miles would understand my ulterior motive, "Really, really wish I could stay longer." I made sure to whisper an apology to Miles before booking it out of there.
A quick change of clothes and I was back on track.
No more pit stops... No more distractions.
I zipped deftly across the city as the blue sky darkened with every passing minute. I checked the coordinates on my Goober multiple times. Even though it had never changed, my mind remained distracted- my thoughts elsewhere.
I wanted one more moment. I wanted to quench the aching in my chest, but I only made it worse... for both of us.
I finally made it back to the tracer I had placed and my eyes narrowed at the sight of officers already swarming the scene.
"Shoot."
Using a technique that I had learned long ago,(the runaway car trick) I was able to distract the officers long enough the make my entrance into the crime scene. Swinging through the fragments of what was once a wall I eyed the mess around me.
"Ah, shoot."
I took too long. He'd gotten away and left destruction in his wake.
I pressed a button on my gizmo, allowing my drone, scanner, and things (that I still don't really understand) to do their work as I scoured the room in vain for any sign of where the villain may have escaped to
"Oh, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot."
When the scans were completed, I lifted the device to my lips and ordered, "Show me what happened."
The scene replayed before me. The spot hooked himself up to some device that gave him more spots (I'm not entirely sure why he'd want that. I guess polka dots are the new stripes) and then everything kind of... went kablooey.
Because I was distracted
"Shoot."
"Gwen, hi. Whatcha doing?"
"Jess!" My eyes widened at the holographic display in front of me, "Nothing. Uh, all good. Everything is good." I tried to smile even though she wouldn't see it behind the mask, "Uh, bye!" I ended the call only for her to appear again not two seconds later.
"Where's the uh, where's the bad guy you were supposed to monitor?"
"Oh him? He uh, he stepped out." I nodded, hoping maybe she'd crack a smile at my humor.
"Dude!"
Okay, maybe not
"He's just some villain of the week," I defended, crossing my arms over my chest self-consciously
"LYLA!" Jess groaned.
Alarm rose in me and I waved my arms frantically in protest. If this goes to LYLA then it goes to Miguel. "Oh! We don't need-"
"Tracking."
Bruh
The AI appeared before a hologram of the web of the multiverse, quickly locking on to the villain's coordinates. That was until they went haywire. The guy seemed to be hopping from one dimension to the next. This was bad.
Good going, Stacy
Jess turned to me with furrowed brows, "Did you go see, your little friend?"
"What? No."
She rose a brow and continued, "Lover boy? Miles?"
I covered my face with a gloved hand as my eyes darted to the floor, "I mean-"
"Are you kidding me right now!" she threw her arms up in the air.
"Only briefly," I downplayed it, "From afar."
She rolled her eyes in obvious disbelief, "How far?"
I stretch out my arms to my wingspan. "Like y'know about this," under her scrutinizing, unwavering gaze I shortened the distance a bit. "About this far," I repeated. Then grinning sheepishly, I brought my index fingers together, finally settling on my answer, "This."
"Girl," Jess moaned, massaging the bridge of her nose.
"Oh, that's way too close," LYLA spoke up.
"I just- look, I had to know how he was," I said turning away from her, so as to not see the disappointment that practically dripped from her skin.
"We had this conversation," she sighed, "I... I honestly can't with you."
"I know, I messed up, okay!" I sounded, my fists clenching at my sides.
"He can't be a part of this," she reminded me. Nodding in understanding, my lips pursed in distress.
"I know," I sighed. I glanced back at her my voice like stone, "I'll never see him again. All right?"
I'm so sorry, Miles
Jess threw her hands up, "No kidding! You're not coming back to this dimension again."
"Hey guys," LYLA interrupted our conversation, "He's making his own portals."
"What?" Jess sounded, her lips parting in shock.
"He can jump whenever he wants. He could be a total canon killer."
"You said he was a villain of the week!" Jess barked, "Do you know how bad this is for you?"
I hung my head.
Bad, very bad
"Every dimension he stops at has an Alchemex," LYLA continued in her grainy voice.
Jess turned to me, "What's he up to, Gwen?"
"I don't know."
I don't know anything anymore
"You don't know," she scoffed arms across her chest as the corner of her lips
flicked upward, "Amazing. My star pupil everyone."
With clenched teeth, I rushed out the words, "I'll get him, okay? I can get backup."
She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, her internal debate warring loudly, "If Miguel finds out I let you come and-"
"Don't tell Miguel," I begged, "He'll kick me out, and... what if he sends me home?"
I can't go back
I can't go back to the man that was prepared to shoot me in cold blood
"I got him!" LYLA announced, "Earth 50101. What do you wanna do?"
I turned back to Jess, who I found staring at me sternly. I sighed, pleading with her, "You never made a mistake? Never got too close to someone?"
"I did," she responded tilting her chin down in
memory, "But I got over it. You have to do the same."
Determination flooded through me as I looked up at her, my face stoic, "I am over it."
She eyed me for a second, her gaze cold and calculating, then her sight fixed on LYLA as she vocalized her command, "Alert the local spider. Tell him Gwen will meet him there."
My shoulders slumped forward as I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I then began to shower Jess with thanks and assurances that I wouldn't let her down.
"Okay, you're welcome. Shut up," she rolled her eyes, "You got an hour to fix this... or I can't help you."
I nodded resolutely as she signed off.
I opened up a portal to the dimension and I couldn't help but just... stare. There was only one thing on my mind- only one song my heart would sing and I couldn't make it stop.
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
I couldn't turn it off. Tears pricked my eyes and I pulled my mask from my face to rub them away. How could I have been so stupid; so susceptible; so selfish?!
Jess was right... about everything.
I needed to get over it. I needed to get over him.
I needed to overcome my nature, because as said 'Gwen Stacy always falls for Spider-man'.
And it doesn't end well
It was like I was asking for it- begging to seal my fate. That was an absolutely idiotic move for me to make. I had to be better. I had to be stronger. I had to be more than just another Gwen Stacy.
Otherwise, there was nothing worth fighting for.
I took one more look at the glowing spiral of light, before turning around to gaze at the beautiful moonlight sky of 'Earth 65'; a beautiful earth- his earth.
"Goodbye, Miles."
For the last time
*******
Hey guys, I know I've been gone for a while. Life's been kinda hectic, but I missed this and I missed you guys.
I am officially back!
Just a note. I think most of this story will probably take place from Gwen's POV rather than Miles. Obviously, he'll still be in there, but y'know most of the movie was already centered around him and I know that it's Miles's movie, but I kinda want to delve more into Gwen and her thoughts and emotions.
Basically, what I'll be doing is whoever I feel like the scene's main focus was on in the movie, I'll be doing the POV of the opposite character.
But anyway I'll talk to you guys soon, promise.
— Ghost