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“He’s just not up for it, Peter.”
Those stupid words had been echoing around Miles’ head all evening, clawing at him from the inside. Each repetition another more painful blow. Stupid Spider-people. Stupid mission. He’d had his powers for like five minutes. What did they expect?
“Sulking won’t get you anywhere.”
Miles nearly jumped out of his skin, whirling around in his chair to glare at Peter. “Don’t do that.”
He held up his hands, a cold breeze strutting past him from the open window and slapping Miles in the face. “Sorry, I just- I can leave, but I didn’t want you walking around all upset.”
“I’m not upset.”
Peter’s lips twitched. “That’s a lie and you know it.”
Miles crossed his arms. “Yeah, well, they weren’t exactly being nice to me.”
“They only want what’s best for you. You’ve not had much training, and bringing you with us would be dangerous. Believe it or not, they shot you down to keep you alive.”
“Which is a death sentence for you.” Miles had hit a nerve. He could tell from the way Peter’s jaw clenched. “Shit, sorry-”
“Don’t apologize. It’s my own choice.”
“It’s a stupid choice when I could just get you all back alive.”
“I’m not risking you, Miles.”
He’d said it so calmly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world to not want Miles to get hurt. He took another step closer, but Miles wheeled the chair away, not sure what to feel.
“Miles-”
“Please don’t.”
“Hey, hey, kid, what’s going on?” Another step, another attempt at wheeling away, only the wall was keeping him in place in this ridiculously small room. “Miles.”
“I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself for me.” He averted his gaze, crossed arms melting into a desperate embrace. “I’m not worth that.”
“I need you to give me the names of every single person who’s ever made you believe that so that I can kick their asses.”
Miles laughed, horrified at how wet it sounded. “It’s all right.”
Peter took the last step and crouched before him, giving Miles the illusion of control as he looked up at him. “You do know that you have much more left to live for, right?”
“Why are you all so convinced I’ll die if I help?”
Peter’s brows furrowed. “Better not risk it, you know?”
“Isn’t every mission a risk? If I ever want to help anyone in this city, won’t there always be a risk?”
“You don’t have to fight super villains. Geez, doesn’t any universe have, like, normal robbers?”
Miles snorted. “Sure. Really helping humanity there.”
“Helping small businesses. Not everything is about saving the world.” He put a hand on Miles’ knee. “Helping in small ways can mean a lot, you know.”
Miles finally let go of himself, his arms dropping to the armrests. “That’s true. Doesn’t help the fact that you’ll die, though.”
Peter gave his knee a squeeze. “That’s my problem. All I want is for you to keep doing good, okay?”
Miles nodded, feeling the knot in his stomach get more tangled by the minute. “All right.”
“Hey, no tears now.”
“Who said I would cry?”
“I can hear how choked up your are.” He squeezed his knee again. “It’s all- woah, what?”
Miles hadn’t done it on purpose. Had practically battled with his bodily reactions for it to not happen. These spider senses didn’t seem to be all good, after all. Not if they heightened his sensitivity.
He smiled sheepishly at Peter. “Nothing.”
“You jerked away from me. Did I cross a line? Sorry, I know not everyone wants to be touched.” He almost tripped in his haste to take a step away while still crouching. “I’ll keep my distance.”
“That’s not it.”
Miles could definitely play along and act as if he had issues with personal space, but- well, he only had so much time left with his new friend and he didn’t feel like lying for the entirety of it.
“It just tickled, s’all.”
The moment those words left his mouth he knew he’d regret them.
Peter’s smile, so surprisingly easily to prod out of him, was on his lips in an instant. “Is that so?”
Miles crossed his arms again, but his burning cheeks gave away whatever facade he was trying to uphold. “I’m a kicker.”
“Is that supposed to scare me off?”
“Is it working?”
“Not really.” Peter stood, his height looming over Miles who refused to leave his chair for some reason. “As much as I’d love to test out this newfound knowledge, now’s not the time.”
“The end of the world. Right.”
“And I can hear the others climbing up the building.”
To say goodbye to him. Right.
Miles wished their parting had been more dignified. He wished it hadn’t ended with Peter webbing him to his chair, keeping him there so that he wouldn’t follow. Truly, he’d take a tickle fight over whatever the hell all that was any day.
Miles hadn’t expected them all to survive. For him to have sent them home and for them to have found a way to jump through the dimensions to visit him from time to time. But that was what this strange experience had unraveled into, and he was grateful. He wasn’t sure he could handle being his universe’s new Spider-Man without them.
“So she agreed to go out with you?” Gwen was saying from where she was curled up at the end of his dorm bed.
Peter hummed, his grin doing more to reveal his excitement. “She’s willing to let us try one more time, but we’re taking it slow. She said for me to not get my hopes up just yet, but-” He shrugged. “I’m willing to make more of an effort this time.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” She gave his arm a squeeze. “Hey, I’m proud of you for turning your life around.”
“I’ve even started working out again,” he said and they laughed.
Miles wasn’t actually a part of the conversation, but having them in the background as he worked on homework was comforting, and he turned back to his desk after his short break to continue.
“Shouldn’t you be hanging out with us while your roommate’s out?” Gwen asked, suddenly standing beside him.
He grinned up at her. “You’re not very fun to hang out with.”
“Excuse you. I’m hilarious to be around.”
“Prove it.”
Miles was so busy being smug that he almost missed Peter’s “he’s ticklish” from somewhere behind them. Gwen’s smirk would’ve been enough of an indication that something was coming either way.
“Oh, really?”
“Hey now.”
“Let me show you just how fun I am to be around, Morales.”
Miles couldn’t help it. He made a run for it, though there really wasn’t many places he could go in this shoebox. Peter, the traitor, remained seated on the bed and watched Gwen chase him in amusement. Miles only steered his steps in his direction with the intention of shoving him just for the hell of it, but Peter was quicker and made a grab for him.
“I got him!” he called out, and Gwen was on the bed with them within seconds, her hands jabbing at Miles’ ribs as Peter held him in his arms and prevented him from fleeing.
“Gah, wait, nononono-”
“Are his words making no sense or is it just me?” Gwen asked, trying to force her way under his arm.
“Wait, those were words?”
“Haha, very funny- don’t!”
“Oh, sweet spot?”
Miles started kicking, nearly shoving her off the bed in the process. “I’m dying, I’m dying.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” she said. Had he not been laughing so hard he might’ve heard her roll her eyes.
“Please no oh god I can’t-” He rolled off the bed himself, somehow, ending the torture for three merciful seconds.
And then Peter decided to get even more involved.
Miles saw the hand coming down for him before he’d even caught his breath, the fingers clawing at his midriff and turning his hands useless as he tried to grab at him to make it stop. “No, no, no-”
Gwen joined in by going for his knees, laughing along with him.
A knock on the door was his savior. He’d never seen two people hide so quickly.
He stood, aware that he had very little time to get himself to look presentable. Clearing his throat, hands trying to both smooth down his hair and straighten out his clothes, he said, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” came the unmistakable voice of his father.
Shit.
“Dad?” he asked, rushing to the door. “Did something happen? Is someone hurt?”
His dad was looking amused when he threw the door open. “No, no, I was just in the area. Thought we could grab some donuts together,” he said, eyes somewhere behind Miles.
Miles winced, glancing behind him. “What?”
“Nothing, I- well, I thought I heard you laughing, but there’s no one here.”
“Oh.”
Jesus, how loud had they been?
“It sounded like a girl.”
Jesus.
“Something you wanna tell me?”
Miles cursed the fact that, despite his dark skin, his blush could probably be seen from miles away. “No. What? What are you talking about? No.”
“You look a little ruffled up, too. If we need to talk about something-”
“Dad. No. Please. We don’t need to talk about anything. Come on, let’s get donuts.”
“Son-”
“Donuts. Now.” He practically pushed his laughing father out of the room, catching Peter and Gwen’s eyes from outside the window just before he slammed the door. They seemed as amused as his dad.
Traitors. At least he got to escape the tickling.
He took Peter to a new spot he’d found. He wasn’t sure why, but Peter came along without protests, even carrying some of his spray cans as they journeyed to a rather secluded area of the neighborhood.
“Do you do this often?”
“It’s a guilty pleasure. My uncle used to come along with me sometimes.” The mention of Aaron hurt him, but he didn’t want to pretend as if he hadn’t been a big part of his life.
Peter hummed. “I bet it’s easier now that you can climb the walls.”
Miles let out a laugh. “Doing it upside down isn’t that comfortable though, and I can’t really climb the art until it’s dried.”
“Meaning no, it’s not easier.”
“Not really. I might need your help.”
Peter ruffled his hair. “Your wish is my command.”
“You might grow to regret that.”
They stopped before an entirely bare building, hidden from view from both the residents and people walking past the alley. Miles put down his cans, wiggling his fingers as he tried to picture his idea on the concrete. “Can you hand me the blue can you’re holding?”
Peter did, falling back to watch Miles work. Maybe it was stupid bringing someone along to an activity that was very one sided, but Peter didn’t comment on it. In fact, he seemed rather entertained whenever Miles looked back at him. It made him feel strangely warm.
“Here comes the part where I need you,” he said, turning back to smile timidly at him.
Peter straightened. “Hit me.”
“I need to sit on your shoulders.”
It was only a little awkward to do this with someone who wasn’t Uncle Aaron, but Peter didn’t have any objections. Miles tried to relax.
“Tell me if I need to move,” Peter said below him.
“Can you move a little closer?”
Miles worked his magic, touching up, adding, tweaking, all the while Peter hummed, being too close to the wall to properly see what he was doing. Miles didn’t realize how distracting the humming was until he became utterly aware of it.
“Pete?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you be quiet?”
He snorted, reaching up to give Miles’ knee a squeeze. “Ungrateful. I’m giving you a whole concert for free.”
Miles grabbed his wrist. “Don’t do that.”
“What, this?” Another squeeze, almost making Miles fall off of him had he not been holding onto him.
“Yes, that!”
“Why, you ticklish?”
“Shut up.” It was stupid. Even though Peter knew perfectly well that he was sensitive Miles felt the need to deny it. “All right, I’m done, you can let me down now.”
“Hmm, no. I think you missed a spot.”
“What, where?”
“Here.” Peter reached up to get his belly, making him giggle ridiculously quickly. “I’ll help you.”
“Don’t!”
Peter grabbed his shoe. “Are your feet ticklish?”
Miles nearly did fall in his desperation to stop him from taking his shoes off. Peter found it hilarious.
“Are you really so ticklish you’ll risk hurting yourself to get away?”
He didn’t bestow him with an answer.
Miles was exhausted. Really, he’d never taken as many naps as he did while at this school.
He opened the door to his dorm, finding it blissfully empty, and dumped his bag on the floor and his body on the bed. He could afford a quick nap before starting on homework.
“You forgot we’re supposed to hang out, didn’t you?”
Miles blinked up at Peter, the room dark enough for him to know he’d fallen asleep within seconds. “Wha-?”
Peter’s lips twitched. “Something came up for Gwen, but I figured I could grace you with my presence anyway.” He sat down beside him, the mattress dipping. “Didn’t expect to have to wake you up, though.”
Miles rubbed at his eyes. “Sorry. Today was long.”
“Well, you shouldn’t sleep much longer. You’ll never be able to fall asleep tonight.”
“Could use the time to catch up on homework.”
“And mess up your whole sleeping routine.”
“All right, dad.”
“Don’t make me tickle you.”
“I’m never living that down, am I.”
“Nope.”
Miles groaned, rolling over onto his back. “Five more minutes.”
“No, no, come on.” Peter poked at his belly, evading his swat. “Up and at ‘em, kiddo.”
Miles rolled over to his other side. “Leave me alone.”
“Come on,” Peter sang, spidering his fingers up his back. “I’m not gonna stop.”
Miles giggled. He couldn’t help it. “No.”
“No?” Peter poked his shoulder blade. “Can’t handle it?” He leaned over him. “Are you blushing?”
“Stop ,” Miles groaned, hiding his face in the pillow as Peter laughed.
“Did you know that was the very first time you actually ask me to stop whenever I mess with you?”
Miles didn’t reply.
“It’s almost as if you like it.”
Jesus.
“Hey.” Peter poked his side. “Look at me.”
“No.”
“It’s okay. I wouldn’t be doing it if I thought you hated it, you know.” Another poke. “I’m not judging you.”
Miles peeked out at him. “You’re not?”
“Of course not.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
Miles sat up, not looking Peter in the eyes. He cleared his throat. “So what you wanna do?”
“Grab dinner?”
“Sounds good. Burgers?”
“Obviously.”
“Let’s go then.”
Peter ruffled his hair. “Silly.”
Miles batted his hand away half-heartedly. “Speak for yourself.”
The second time Peter walked in on him sleeping wasn’t as cheerful. Miles could tell from the look on his face when he woke him that something was wrong. “What?”
Peter shook his head. “You… nothing, you just- well, I think you were having a nightmare.”
“Oh.” Miles rubbed his eyes. “Did I say something in my sleep?”
“I think you were dreaming about everything that’s gone down.”
Miles remembered it then. The dream that had tormented him for the entirety of the afternoon. He hadn’t realized his body had made it so apparent.
“Oh.”
“You wanna talk about it? I realize I haven’t even checked in with you about it all.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Miles.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Miles.”
“I wouldn’t know what to say anyway.”
“You’re rambling.”
“I’m still partly asleep.”
“Uh huh.”
“Aren’t you gonna tickle the info out of me?”
“Nah.” Peter put an arm around him when he sat up. “It’s not the time. Now talk.”
Miles hung his head. “Sometimes I have nightmares about it, but it’s not, like, plaguing me or anything.”
“It doesn’t have to haunt your every moment to be a problem.”
“I’m all right”
“All right. If you say so.”
They sat in silence, Peter still holding Miles and Miles slowly leaning closer to him.
Of course that was when Gwen decided to make her grand appearance with Noir at her side. “Uh oh, did we just walk into a love fest?”
Miles crossed his arms. “What about it?”
She ruffled his hair. “Testy. Can we join?”
“Only if you don’t tickle me.”
She sighed dramatically and said, “Fine,” while Noir said, “You ticklish?” and Miles was quite certain he’d never live a life in peace again.
“Have you ever been in love, Miles?”
Miles glanced at Peter, having tuned out most of his gushing about his third date with MJ after their reunion and thus not having been prepared to get invited into what had been a monologue. “Uh, no.”
“Had a crush?”
“Sure.”
“Why is this topic making you uncomfortable? Do you have a crush now?”
He wagged his eyebrows in such a ridiculous way that Miles had to laugh. “No. I can assure you I don’t.”
“Mm, they all say that.” He poked Miles’ chest. “Is this where I tickle it out of you?”
“You know, say what you want about me liking it. I think you definitely have a fondness for dishing it out.”
“Tickling, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t even say the word.”
“Shut up.”
“Also don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the subject.”
Miles wasn’t sure why his face had heated up. “I really don’t have a crush on anyone, Peter.”
“Uh huh. Not even Gwen?”
“I’m too young for her.”
“So? Doesn’t stop your heart from longing.”
“She’s my friend and only that.”
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you.”
Miles knew Peter was just riling him up for fun, but he couldn’t help but to feel embarrassed. And a bit annoyed.
Geez, it was like having two dads.
“Don’t pout,” Peter said, grabbing the back of his neck. “I’m only joking- oh. Your neck’s ticklish, isn’t it.”
Miles was having a seriously ticklish week and he wasn’t sure what to think. He only knew he didn’t fully mind.
Don’t tell Peter.
He probably knew anyway.