Archive of Our Own

The Prowler’s gloves were cold against Miles’ cheek, and the air stung where the other him, the doppelganger, the Prowler, had carved a line into his skin. Miles let his eyes fall shut, trying not to focus on any of that. His finger pressed against the chain.

Break, he willed it, break.

“Don’t play with him, Miles,” the other Uncle Aaron said. The one who was alive, who had grey in his beard, who wasn’t featured on any memorial wall. “We’ve gotta be places. Leave him tied up and come on.” Other Aaron jerked his head towards the door.

Miles tried to take his finger off the chains. If the doppelganger and Other Aaron left, he would be able to break free and… do what? Head to this universe’s Alchemax, if they had one?

Still, that was probably the best idea–

Snap.

The chains broke, and Miles tumbled to the floor. His doppelganger and Other Aaron stared at him. “Sorry?” Miles offered.

“Clearly we can’t leave him here,” the doppelganger said.

“We can’t turn away from this job. Or do you want to call your little friends and have them handle this?”

“Hey! They could!”

“With the least subtlety possible. Come on. Lock him in the bathroom then.”

The other Miles looked down at Miles on the floor. Miles, unsure what he was supposed to be doing, looked up at him with the best ‘well, this is awkward’ face he could muster. The doppelganger frowned and titled his head, like he was considering something.

“What’s the spider on your chest?”

“Oh, uh, I’m Spider-Man in my universe. It’s like a superhero… I don’t know if–”

“I know what a superhero is. Do you have a mask?”

“Miles G Morales!” Huh. G. “You aren’t thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

Miles G scoffed, crossing his arms and levelling his Aaron with a look Miles never would have been able to give an adult. “Last time I checked, you weren’t a telepath.”

“He’s probably not even from another dimension.”

“I’m not a liar.”

Miles G shrugged and pointed lazily to Miles. “He’s not a liar.”

Other Aaron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “And why would he be here, and not in his dimension?”

“Actually, it’s a really long story that you… probably don’t have time for. It involves a spider. If you mean here like this apartment, you brought me here, and if you mean ‘showed up at my - your? - house, it’s because I thought it was my own.”

“He could be a shapeshifter, Miles.”

“Without my braids?”

“Yeah, without his braids?”

“We’re not bringing him with us, Miles!” Other Aaron said.

Miles climbed up off the floor, lifting his hands up when Aaron started to stand up straight. “Wait, this is about taking me with you? Can I?” Miles didn’t know what the end goal of going with them would be, but it seemed easier than escaping chains and finding Alchemax. Plus, maybe there was some way that Miles could help his dimension while tagging around helping… villains.

Was Miles really asking to come with two villains?

“Miles, no,” Other Aaron told Miles G, “how would we even tell you two apart?”

“You can call me Spider-Man.”

Miles G wrinkled his nose. “That’s cringe. I’m not doing that.”

“How about Other Miles.”

“Obviously that’s what he’s calling me, it’ll make him confused. I’ll call you SpiderMiles.”

“That’s also cringe! You’re just as cringe as me!”

“Boys, boys, you’re both cringe. And we’re still not taking–” Other Aaron looked to the ceiling, like he was either praying or about to be sick “–SpiderMiles to help break into Alchemax.”

“Wait!” Miles started forward slightly. “I need to go to Alchemax. It can help get me home. They might have a collider. Please.” Miles’ voice caught in his throat. It wasn’t Miles G’s dad. It wasn’t Other Aaron’s brother. They didn’t know his dad.

But Miles did. And Miles wasn’t letting some asshole self-mythologizing autocrat tell him his dad needed to die.

“Please,” Miles said, making eye contact with the same face he saw in the mirror every day, “I need to go home.”

Other Aaron made a soft noise in the back of his throat. “Your Jeff’s alive, huh?”

“Yeah. And if I don’t get back he isn’t going to be. I already lost you. Don’t make me lose him.” Miles felt a warm teardrop fall down his cheek.

“Fine, we’re taking you with us. But I’m not fucking calling you SpiderMiles. Suit up, Miles, other Miles. We’re behind schedule. We’ll have to wait for the next rotation. Benji is never going to forgive us for this.”

“Benji can deal. He’s lucky it’s us on this.”

“What are we doing?” Miles asked, shucking off his shirt and pulling on his mask. “Because I’m generally not down with law breaking.”

Other Aaron and Miles G met eyes. “Like the cops give a shit about us,” Other Aaron said, “ And it’s a kid. Alchemax’s got this kid, they need her for her skills or something. Won’t let her leave, have a phone, nothing. We’re getting her out of there.”

Miles followed Miles G as he climbed out the window onto the fire escape, and Aaron followed them. “Who’s Benji?”

“Guard there. Hired gun, but he doesn’t like what they do. He’s been helping us get in and out for months now,” Miles G said, “and other vigilantes.”

“You’re vigilantes,” Miles repeated, stunned. They were vigilantes. Not villains, not henchmen, not bad people. The sort of people breaking in so they could rescue a kid.

“Yeah. What’d you think we were?”

“Nothing. Nothing. I mean, I’m a vigilante too. Kind of.”

“Well come on,” Miles G said, jumping into the air and catching himself with some sort of hover mechanism on his shoe. “Let’s get going. No time to waste.”

Miles stared at the shoes before jumping up and latching to the walls. “Let’s go.”

They made it to the roof easily, even if it was impacted by then having to wait for Aaron to climb up the fire escape.

“Cool shoes. You make them yourself?”

“Yeah. You can stick to walls?”

“Oh yeah! I’ve got like, basically superpowers, you know. I can stick to stuff, I’ve got electricity powers, I can turn invisible, y’know, all the cool stuff.”

Miles G nodded. “Yeah, cool, man.”

Miles nodded back, feeling slightly awkward until Aaron made it to the roof. “What are you two doing standing around?”

“Waiting for you. Come on, just because you don’t have hover boots doesn’t mean you can be slow.” Miles had no idea how Miles G was getting away with saying any of that shit. “We’ve got places to be, until you can’t hover.”

“Kid.”

“Fine. Come on! I’ll even carry you.”

Miles lost attention in the family spat for a second as his hackles raised. His spider sense wasn’t going off, so it couldn’t be a threat but there was something that felt wrong. He glanced over the roof trying to find it – or them.

His eyes landed on the shadow of a chimney. Inside it, something moved, and metal glinted. And then a large form was catapulting itself at Miles G and knocking him to the ground. He rolled into the impact, claws shooting out and nearly ripping into his assailant, who dodged them nearly effortlessly.

“Hell, babe,” the assailant said, standing up and letting Miles G go. “You’re being twitchy today.”

“You weren’t invited,” Miles G.

“Yeah, we know. That’s why we’ve been waiting on the roof for hours to tag along whether you want us or not.”

Miles took in the guy, trying to ignore the fact he had called Miles G babe. Why would other him have a boyfriend? That was unrealistic, and also enviable.

The guy was tall, but he slouched in the sort of cool way people managed to slouch. A long black cape covered his outfit, but Miles could tell there was metal under there. Probably some sort of weapon. Long dreads ornamented with small bits of silver. The bottom half of his face was covered by a leather beak reminiscent of a plague doctor mask.

He didn’t look like Miles’ Vulture, but Miles knew who it was. It couldn’t be anyone else. It was the Vulture.

And this vulture had an accent that Miles just couldn’t place.

Miles G was sighing. “Did all of you come?”

Miles watched as a figure came crawling out from behind the chimney, four long and robotic limbs propelling him. Doc Ock. Was Miles G just friends with all the different versions of Miles’ villains?

“Miles! Priye! Come on! It’s not a date without all of us!” Doc Ock said, face covered entirely by a mask that looked somehow familiar. Or maybe that was just the fact his hair was hanging out the top of it.

Miles turned to Aaron, who looked just as exasperated as when Miles G had tried to bring Miles along. Miles was sure that meant these other villains were coming with them too. “It’s not a date. It’s a rescue mission. And none of you are coming.”

“Aww,” Doc Ock said, “but I wanted to. Also, I think I’d help more than whoever that is.” One of the long orange arms came to poke at Miles’ face. Miles flinched back, resisting the urge to web him.

“Yeah, who is that, baby? What happened to you telling us to fuck off ‘cause the mission was dangerous?”

“I didn’t ask for him here,” Miles G shrugged.

“Yes, you did,” said Aaron, looking close to some sort of aneurysm, “you very much did. Can the Lizard come out, so we can finish this conversation and rescue the girl we said we’d rescue?”

“I’m here.”

Miles spun around. Behind Aaron stood the person who had spoken. Miles couldn’t make them out under the thick hoodie that covered their face and body. The only thing that made Miles sure there was someone under there was the way their eyes glinted like an animal’s in the light.

Softly, the person Aaron had called the Lizard pushed past Aaron. “Your mom said you took your braids out. What happened?”

“Told you he didn’t,” Vulture said, tossing an arm around the Lizard and leaning his full body weight onto them. “Cares too much about them.”

“Oh! Maybe he’s been cloned,” Doc Ock said, “you never know what’s happening at Alchemax.”

“I haven’t been cloned. If I’d been cloned, the clone would be a baby. You know this, babe.”

“Touching,” Aaron said, “but we have to go. So if your polycule could leave–”

Miles couldn’t help himself. He was too on edge, too tired, too hungry, to shut up. So he blurted, “polycule?”

“Yeah,” Vulture said, “you got a problem with that, mate?”

“No, I just–” Miles started, but one of Doc Ock’s arms was reaching out and tugging at Miles’ mask. He scrambled to grab it and keep it on, but the arms were strong.

Vulture gaped at him, before pulling off his own plague mask and turning to Miles G. “Baby? What the fuck?”

“Hobie, it’s some weird interdimensional–” Miles G started, but he didn’t get to finish.

“I’m dating Hobie?”

This time, everyone turned to face him. Miles squirmed under the attention. Miles G blinked, then blinked again.

“You… aren’t?”

“I’m single.”

“Wow!” Doc Ock came to rest on the ground. “I cannot imagine that.” he pulled off his mask.

Miles was having a hard time comprehending things anymore. “Pavitr?”

“What? Do you barely know us?”  Doc Pavtir gasped. “Do we hate each other! We can’t hate each other!”

“Guys, I feel like we’re being very cavalier about the whole bloody ‘dimension’ thing–” Vulture Hobie started, but Miles wasn’t paying attention to him. He was looking towards the Lizard, who was pulling down their hood.

He recognized them instantly. Their eyes first, then the blonde hair with darker roots. Only, it was shorter. They were taller. Their voice was deeper. “Um, I know you too. But mine… she’s a girl.”

The Lizard bared her teeth. “I’m a fucking girl.”

“Yeah, mate, rude.”

“Yeah, no, cool. Got it. Still Gwen, or…”

Lizard Gwen gave him a faint smile and nodded. “Still Gwen,” she said, “thanks.”

“Awesome! Hello everybody, I’m Miles Morales, I’m from another dimension. I’m also a vigilante named Spider-Man, I have superpowers. Your Miles is calling me SpiderMiles.”

“That’s stupid,” Vulture Hobie said, “I love it.”

“And you aren’t dating us?” Doc Pavitr asked.

Miles shook his head. “You guys aren’t even from my dimension. You’re all Spider-People from other dimensions. I’ve only just met Hobie and Pavitr.”

“And me?” Lizard Gwen asked.

“I met you a long time ago. I just got to see you again, though. It was… really nice.”

“She’s out, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Lizard Gwen’s smile was sad. “Good for her.” Miles gave her a questioning look, and she just shook her head.

“Lay the fuck off her, man,” Vulture Hobie said, “it’s none of your business, innit? You’ve got your Gwen. Get off ours.”

“Boys and Gwen,” Aaron said, “it’s time to go. Before Benji kills us. Or the kid is moved. You want to come, come. But don’t hold us up.”

“See, I knew you’d come around,” Miles G said, “you always do.”

Aaron levelled his nephew with a look, and Miles G nodded, sliding on his mask. Beside him, Vulture strapped the plague doctor mask on again. Doc Ock pulled on his mask, Miles now recognizing the themes in it from Mumbattan. Lizard didn’t have a fancy mask, instead she pulled up her hood and looped the ends of a plain medical mask around her ears.

Miles didn’t ask. Instead, he pulled on his own mask.

“Here’s the plan. Modified for four extra annoyances,” Aaron said, leading them across the rooftops, “Miles – our Miles – you sneak in through the roof. Take Other Miles–”

“SpiderMiles.”

“Other Miles with you. Doc Ock, Vulture, you’re going to keep an eye from the roof with me. I’ll send you in if anything’s happening. Gwen…”

“They’re Doc Ock and Vulture now, and I’m just Gwen?”

“Do you want me to call you the Lizard?”

Lizard Gwen narrowed her eyes at him under her hood. “Fine. What am I doing?”

“We need you to get inside. As Gwen. Not… as it.”

Lizard Gwen raised an eyebrow. “It’s a she too. But fine.” She pulled down the hood, adjusting the mask and ruffling her own hair. Rolling her shoulders back, she blinked away the guarded light in her eyes. “Anyone know the name of a worker in there?”

“Olivia Octavious,” Miles G and Miles said at the same time.

“Great. Have fun, boys.” Lizard Gwen turned away, heading towards the fire escape.

“Gwen, wait!” Mikes G called out. She looked back to him, and he grabbed something from Aaron’s hand and jogged over. “Earpiece.” He took her chin in his hand and fit into her ear, hands moving slowly. “There you go. Don’t get shot.”

“Like they can shoot me,” she responded, pressing a kiss to his mask, “we’re getting out of this one alive. Again.”

“Always.”

Lizard Gwen grinned, saluting him lazily. “Watch me do this right. Don’t have to sneak in when you’re a polite young man.”

“Alright,” Aaron said as Lizard Gwen crawled down the fire escape, pulling out a laptop and setting it up. Miles peered over his shoulder to see live feed from the security cameras.

Impressive.

“Here’s the plan. Gwen’ll get in. She’s our backup, but you all understand we aren’t using her unless we need to. When she’s in, Miles, other Miles, you go in through that vent opening. Other Miles, here’s your earpiece. Don’t talk unless you have to. Only call everyone by their codenames, except for Gwen.”

“What do I call Gwen?”

“I call her babe, Miles calls her honey, Pavitr calls her jaanu. But I guess none of those will work.”

Miles thought back to various things he could call her. Spider-Woman seemed wrong. So did any other names for his Gwen. Then he thought back to his Hobie, calling her Gwendy offhandedly.

“How about Wendy, like Peter Pan?” Miles offered.

On the security cameras, other Gwen stopped three feet from the door. She turned her face away from the cameras. Her voice came through the earpiece loud and clear. “That’s my middle name. The one I chose, anyway. I like it.”

And with that, Gwen W pulled on her medical mask and was on her way into the building.

“Actually,” Miles said, before Gwen W could reach the security guard, “what’s everyone’s middle initial? For my own purposes.”

“B,” Vulture Hobie said.

“S,” Doc Pavitr said.

“G,” Miles G said, although Miles already knew that.

“Great, thanks.”

“Guys,” Aaron said, “pay attention.” He beckoned them over, and they all crowded around the computer to watch Gwen W walk up to the security desk.

Gwen W’s demeanor completely changed when she was pretending. She didn’t look the same as before, hunching with her hands in pockets. Instead, she looked nervous in an entirely different way. An approachable way.

“Hey,” she said, quirking her shoulder slightly as she reached the desk, “my mom works here, she told me to wait here until she comes out, do you mind?”

“Who’s your mom, son?”

“Olivia Octavious.”

He tapped something into the computer. “You’re not on the approved list, but it’ll be a while before she comes down. How about you go in and don’t tell anyone, huh?”

Gwen W smiled. “Thanks, sir.”

The guard leaned over, scanning his pass and letting Gwen W through the turnstile. “Son, what’s with the mask? And is your mom single?”

Gwen W turned back and shook her head. “Small cough, don’t want anyone to get it. And ask her yourself, man. If you dare.” When she turned back, she found the closet security camera and winked.

Beside Miles, Hobie B smiled. “That’s our girl.”

“Does she do that often?” Miles asked, utterly confused. Spider-people didn’t really do the whole undercover thing, or at least none of the Spider-People he had met. It was just a lot easier to sneak.

“Think about it like this,” Pavitr S said, “it’s a lot more useful to have a Lizard on the inside than on the outside.”

“I heard that,” Gwen W muttered, “but he’s not wrong.”

“I don’t even know what the Lizard does.”

Hobie B nodded, looking like he was biting the inside of his cheek. “Pray you don’t find out, bruv.”

“You don’t have a Lizard in your universe?” Miles G asked.

“Well, I know it’s a villain. My Gwen’s best friend turned into the Lizard. But I’ve never actually dealt with one.”

“Maybe he’ll have to find out,” Gwen W said to the security cameras, “but either way, aren’t you guys coming in?”

“Yeah.” Miles G nodded. “SpiderMiles, with me. Darling, Babe. See you soon.”

“Not too soon! Don’t need backup, Miles. I mean it.”

Behind the mask, Miles G rolled his eyes and gave Aaron a lazy salute. “Got it, dad.” and with that, Miles G was leading Miles into the building. Or, more precisely, the vents of the building.

“I’ve got the layout,” Miles G said as they started crawling through, voice quiet, “I’ll say when to turn. There’s no vents where they’re keeping Peni, so we’ll drop out by Benji, right after telling Uncle Aaron to drop the camera feeds. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Aaron’s voice came growly over the earpieces. “No names, Prowler.”

“Fine, the kid, our guard. Man in the chair. If we need help, Doc Ock and Vulture’ll come in – this time with force.”

“It’s what I’m best at, babe,” Hobie B’s British accent said directly into the earpiece, “your tracker dots are above our guard. Overlord about to cut cameras in three… two… one.”

“Get off my ass, all of you,” Aaron said, “and the cameras are cut. Prowler, …Spider-Man, go.”

Miles G spun around, kicking open the vent and dropping down. He caught himself with his hover shoes and moved out of the way for Miles to crawl out.

“Prowler,” the guard said, in a deep voice far too familiar to Miles, “you’re late. And you brought a friend.”

He turned, and Miles’ eyes widened as the light glinted off his round glasses. Was Miles G’s entire circle of friends and acquaintances people Miles knew from other universes? “Sorry. Got held up. Complications,” Miles G said, “she's still in there?”

“Of course. C’mon kid. Make it hurt.”

“You’re nineteen, Benji. You can’t call me kid.”

“Make it look real, Prowler.”

Miles G took a deep breath in, pulled off his metal plated glove, and rammed a hard fist into Noir’s – Benji’s, in this universe – face. Miles wanted to yelp, but he managed to stop himself. “You know I hate knocking you out.”

“We don’t have to,” Miles offered, maybe too quickly, “I’ve got webs. I can tie him up.”

Miles G nodded, gave Benji one more blow across his face, and stepped back to let Miles have his turn. Miles stepped forwards, grabbed Benji’s ID, and immediately webbed him up. Mouth too.

As Miles G dragged Benji away, Miles glanced down at the ID. Achemax Security Guard, it said, Peter B Parker.

Miles’ heart twinged. Like his Peter. Like his Noir. “Hey, is Benji his middle name?”

“Benjamin.” Miles G brushed off his hands, frowning. “What’re those webs made of, man? They’re sticky as hell. Give me that.” He grabbed Benji’s ID out of Miles’ hands and tapped it against the door’s authorization.

“Oh, it’s a chemical compound. I make it myself.”

“I see some things are the same everywhere,” Miles G said, kicking up one heel and tapping his shoes, “I made these.”

“Yo!” Miles looked down with a grin on his face, “And they’re Jordans! Did you revamp an actual pair, or did you make knockoffs?”

“They don’t make shoes like this anymore, so I had to make them myself.”

“Oh great,” Pavitr S’s voice said over the comms, “you’ve got him talking about shoes.”

“I’m almost to the room,” Gwen W said, and when Miles looked over his shoulder he could see her behind them. “Go in. Get her before we get caught.”

Miles gave her a small salute and pushed the door open.

The room was empty. Unnervingly empty. In the center was the vague shape of a young girl, sitting on top of a desk and fixing something together. She barely looked up from her work as they came in, and she didn’t stop singing. Her voice danced around the too large room, echoing slightly.

Japanese.

Miles didn’t want to see who it was, because he already knew. He knew from the second he had seen Spider-Man Noir, and Hobie, and Pavitr, and Gwen, and himself. This was a world where he wasn’t Spider-Man, and neither were any of these people.

This was a world where they had found each other anyway.

The girl, who Miles knew was Peni even without seeing her, drummed on the top of her contraption, humming the bridge of music. “I’m almost done,” she called out, “and then you can let me go.”

“You don’t have to finish for us to let you go,” Miles G called out, and Peni looked back up. This time, she took them in. Two masked guys, not scientists. “We’re here to help.”

Peni slid off her desk, stepping forwards. She couldn’t have been more than fourteen. “Benji said you were coming.”

“Hey. He said you’re the smartest person in the room, even if you’re younger than any of these scientist assholes. I’m the Prowler, this is Spider-Man.”

“Those names are stupid.”

“Come up with a better one, kid,” Miles G said, as if he wasn’t just a year older than her, “and come on, before someone notices you’re missing.”

“Too late.”

The Mileses spun around. The door to the large room was hanging open, with a singular form silhouetted in it. “You’re taking my secret weapon.”

“I’m literally a kid,” Peni said.

Miles G sighed, and Miles glanced over to him. He was fiddling with controls on his glove. “Vulture, Doc Ock,” Miles G muttered, “this would be a great time.”

The form in the doorway was holding a gun. Miles could do a lot, but he couldn’t stop a bullet.

“See, this girl is a genius. We just need her to finish our dimension collider and then she can go home,” the figure said, sounding familiar, “come on, Peni. You understand how important this is for us.”

Peni frowned. “For you, Dr. Octavious,” she said, just softly enough that Olivia couldn’t hear it.

“That’s some super villain shit,” Miles G commented before dropping his voice again, “Vulture, Doc Ock. Even you, honey, if you’re up to it.”

“I’m fucking tr-” Gwen W’s voice came over the comms before someone crashed feet first into the back of Olivia’s head.

“Oi!” Spider-Punk called out, standing on top of a now possibly unconscious scientist, “you miss me?”

Miles beamed. “Hobie!”

Miles G looked between him and Spider-Punk. “That’s your Hobie?”

Miles nodded, before the intense and wracking pain of glitching out overtook him.

“Ah, shit man.” Hobie ran forwards, grabbing Miles’ hand and shoving a bootleg watch on him. “That should help. Gwen’s coming in a sec, got waylaid by a fight, Pav’s out there trying to keep a bunch of scientists with guns away, Peter B’s fending off any Spider-Assholes who might come after us, Peni’s – shit, that’s another Peni – our Peni is hacking into the security with Margo, Noir, the fucking legend, is fighting some gang of supervillains, Ham is… hamming? Anyways, it’s the whole gang. We’re here to help.”

“That’s your Hobie?” Miles G repeated.

“Who’s this?” Hobie nodded over to Miles G. “The Prowler? Did you get swept up in crime two seconds after leaving Spider-Society?”

“He’s me. Kind of. Other me? This would be easier if I’d already met other mes.”

“The one…?”

Miles nodded, unwilling to say ‘the one who was meant to be Spider-Man’ aloud. And then he immediately lost the chance to say anything aloud, when they were descended on by a lot of scientists who also had guns.

“Pav!” Hobie yelled out. “You had one job!”

Mumbattan’s one and only Spider-Man swung into the room, “it’s not my fault! I saw a Vulture and Doc Ock coming into Achemax and got distracted.”

“Fuck!” Miles G yelled. “SpiderMiles, did your Pavitr fight our backup?”

“He didn’t know! They’re villains in our universes! Okay, Miles G–”

“That's what you’re calling me?”

“Not the time! Miles G, go get Hobie B and Pavitr S. Bring them in. I know Gwen W is on her way. If you see a Spider-Woman in a white suit with a hood… bring her too. Please. And take Peni with you. We need to protect her.”

“You can’t handle yourself.”

“You’ve got your team. I’ve got mine.”

“Don’t die. I want our dad to live.”

“I thought he was my dad.”

Miles could barely make out anything through Miles G’s mask, but he was sure his counterpart rolled his eyes. He held out his hand and Miles G took it. “I’ll be back.”

“Better be.”

They separated and Miles G ran over to Peni. “Wow!” Pavitr said, “No one shot! Are you sure you don’t have plot armor?”

“It’s not that,” Hobie shot a web up to the ceiling, springing up and taking out two people with guns with a quick spinning kick. “They kill someone on Alchemax property, that’s their problem. Plus, we’re scientific curiosities. Come on, we better hit as many of them as we can before they decide we’re worth the legal troubles.”

“Alright. Let’s go!”

Miles, Pavitr, and Hobie each ran for a difference segment of the circle of attackers, and each were able to throw a few punches before more of the scientists tried to pile on top of them.

“Yo! SpiderMiles!” a thick Cockney accent called out, not from the Hobie that was fighting scientists. “Heard you needed backup!”

Hobie looked up, watching Hobie B jump in through a high up window, gliding down and planting a boot directly into a scientist’s face.

Spider-Punk looked up, eyes widening. “Is that me?” he asked, voice gleeful.

“You are way too pleased about being a villain!” Pavitr said, hitting someone in the face with a kara. “I bet I’m–”

“Sorry, bruv, but I think that Doc Ock is in fact you. Yeah, Miles?”

If Miles’ face wasn’t covered by his suit he would have given Pavitr an apologetic grin as he knocked down his opponent and nodded. “His hair looks just like yours.”

“Yeah, mate, how didn’t you notice?”

“I wasn’t assuming a villain would be me!” Pavitr spun around, dragging a scientist with him and slamming them into the floor. He looked up at Pavitr S. “Why am I emo? I left that behind ages ago!”

“Speak for yourself on having problems with yourself. I like his fucking dreads. I mean, I ain’t getting rid of my wicks for shit, but he’s peng, innit?”

“Don’t call yourself hot,” Miles yelled over at him.

“I am hot! I’m fit as hell, bruv, and me in a plague doctor mask is also fit! He gets bitches, right? Yo, me! Vulture! You get bitches, right?”

“‘Course I get bitches. Got three bitches in this very building. How about you?”

“Nah,” Hobie held up his hands like he was apologizing, only to slam his head back into the man trying to grab him. One of his spikes left a nasty cut as a heavy boot slammed into the man’s groin. “Pitifully single.”

“Holy shit.” Vulture levelled a punch straight into an opponent's throat. “You guys are boring as hell. Have you never learned about polyamory?”

“I’m polyamorous. I’m just not dating anyone!”

“I’m poly!” Pavitr protested, moving quickly to protect Miles’ back.

“Oh fuck yeah.” Hobie swung over, using his legs to throw someone to the ground. “Pavitr, you wanna go out?”

“Yes, but I’ll need to ask Gayatri when I get home.”

“Of course.”

“I’m sorry,” Miles said, “did you just start dating during the middle of a fight?”

“Clearly not.” Hobie stomped on someone’s stomach. “We’ve set the foundations, but Pav’s gotta check with Gayatri. Also, I hate to be a bummer, but we’re about to lose this fight if we don’t get back up.”

Like being summoned, the doors flew open and a blur of white and black flew in. “Called for backup?” Gwen shouted over the din.

Miles, Hobie, and Pavitr smiled and watched her as she immediately set to work helping them fight. They were so distracted that Miles nearly missed the figure trudging in behind her. Gwen W, who wasn’t fighting. She barely seemed to be paying attention as Miles G came running in.

He stopped for a second at her side, murmuring something, and she shook her head. He nodded and ran into the fight.

Miles’ spider-sense went off, and he spun around and kicked back the guy trying to sneak up on him. He turned back to see Gwen W, but she was walking forwards towards Miles’ Gwen.

“Miles!” Gwen called out, “I’m glad to see you.”

“You too,” Miles yelled back, voice breaking, “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m sorry!”

“Hey!” Miles G yelled across the room, “the fight? There’s a fight, lovebirds!”

Miles pulled up the lower half of his mask just to scowl at Miles G, who slid off his mask to glare back.

“Cameras?” Gwen said, stunned.

“Dead.”

Gwen sighed, pushing her hood back and pulling off her mask. “Thank god. Do you know how long I’ve been wearing this?” she shook out her hair, running a hand through it. Halfway through, her spider sense went off, and she jumped up, knocking a nearby enemy to the ground and standing on his back. “Shut up,” she told him.

From beside them, there came a small punched out noise, and Miles turned to see Gwen W. Gwen looked down at her.

Gwen W was slightly taller than Gwen, but the difference was more than made up by the person Gwen was standing on and Gwen W’s hunched back. Gwen W looked up, lips parting slightly. “You’re me,” Gwen W said.

“You’re me,” Gwen responded.

“You…” Gwen W’s face broke into a large smile. “You’re out. You’re me.” Her eyes were glossy with tears, and Gwen exhaled in sync with her.

“You’re me. But…”

Gwen W gave her a miserable smile, spread her arms, and looked down at her men’s clothes and hoodie. “Yeah. I know. Sorry.”

Gwen stumbled forwards, towards Gwen W. “No,” she said, “please don’t apologize.” Her arms wrapped around Gwen W’s shoulders. “We have nothing to apologize for.”

Gwen W sighed, burying herself into Gwen. Gwen held her. Miles G stared, on the cusp of saying something. Miles glared at him. Then the Hobies glared, and then the Pavitrs.

Someone tried to charge the distracted Gwens, but Miles just hit them with a ball of webs. He was not going to stop Gwen and other Gwen from having this moment.

The Gwens pulled apart, and Gwen W pushed short strands of blonde hair out of her face. “Miles!” she called out, to her Miles. “We’re losing the fight, right?”

“Honey, you don’t have to.”

“Babe, not unless–”

“Jaanu–”

Gwen W grinned, underpinned with resignation. “See, that’s a yes.”

“Hey, what was–” Gwen started, but Gwen W was calling out.

“Everyone get back. Please.” Miles grabbed onto Gwen, as the only one of his people who knew why Gwen W wanted them back.

“Come on,” he said, pulling her back towards the wall, beckoning Hobie and Pavitr to follow them.

“Miles, are we dating in this universe?” Gwen muttered.

“Um… technically all four of us are dating,” Miles said, looking to Miles G, Hobie B, and Pavitr S for cues. They were crouched against the wall, with a desk in front of them. Miles figured that was about the right thing to do.

“What?”

“What’s other Gwen doing?”

“We’re all in a relationship?”

“This is a lot of questions given what’s going on,” Miles complained, “I don’t know. I didn’t ask myself, hey, why is this happening. I was busy!”

“Yo, Gwendy,” Hobie called over Miles’ back, “you poly in your universe too?”

Gwen shrugged. “Yeah, I’ve always had crushes on multiple people, I’m willing to date multiple people.”

“Cool, cool. Miles, you?”

“Uh, sure, doesn’t bother me, why?”

“Aces. Gwen, luv, c’mere, I’m gonna kiss you if you’re up for it.”

“Seriously?” Miles asked. “Do that later? Gwen W is about to win this fight for us, and it isn’t going to be pleasant for her. Don’t fucking kiss now.”

For some reason, Gwen looked a little sad. “You don’t mind us kissing?”

“I’m just confused. I like you. I think you like me. I don’t get why Hobie asked me whether I was poly before kissing you. And I just want to sleep! I’m tired!”

“Hey!” Miles G yelled. “Can you fucking shut up, assholes! We’re letting Gwen do her thing, it already sucks enough!”

Miles grimaced and shot his other self a thumbs up. His Gwen peeked over the table to look at her alternate self.

Gwen W huffed out an annoyed voice. Her hoodie lay on the floor, along with her mask. “I don’t need you guys to take care of me.” She popped out her earbud, stowing it in her pocket. “I’m fine. I don’t like this, but I’ll do it. You know I will.” she tugged her shirt off from the bottom and kicked off her trainers.

“Love you, babe!” Hobie B called out. “Win this for us.”

“I always do.” Gwen W took in a deep breath, and Miles watched in horror as she got bigger, skin turning harder, greener, scalier.

Gwen gasped, covering her mouth. “...No.” She turned, sitting back against the table. Her eyes closed, but tears still slipped out between her lashes. “No.”

“Gwen?” Miles asked, reaching out to lay a hand on her bicep, but Hobie reached out and caught his wrist.

“No, mate, that ain’t gonna help. Pav, babe, make sure Miles doesn’t freak. I’m gonna help Gwen calm down.” Hobie pushed past Miles, kneeling down in front of Gwen. “Hey, luv. I’m not gonna touch you, don’t worry about that.” He continued in soft murmurs as Pavitr tugged on Miles’ arm to grab his attention.

“Hobie knows Gwen really well.”

“Yeah. Doesn’t mean Gwen doesn’t love you. That’s why Hobie was asking. He wasn’t going to come onto Gwen unless you and her still had the chance to end up together.”

“What?”

“Oh, this isn’t helping. Nevermind. Hobie knows Gwen well, yes, don’t be jealous. He also knows mental health well. Let’s be more simple. Are you polyamorous?”

Aaron’s voice came over the comms. “Other Miles, please don’t make us all listen to this instead of paying attention to the Lizard.”

“No, I wanna hear this,” Pavitr S said. All that any of the comm-noise was accomplishing was making Miles very confused.

“Yeah, I guess? I mean, I used to dream about dating both my crushes at once and honestly what Miles G is doing makes a lot of sense to me…”

“Great. Do you find me hot?”

Miles was too sleep deprived to lie. “Yeah, of course.”

“Chalega. Stop me if you don’t want to” Pavitr pulled up the bottom half of his mask and leaned in to kiss Miles.

For a second, Miles floundered. Every single thought he could have ran through his head, from hot, to just because Miles G’s got his Pavitr doesn’t mean…, to oh my god. His lips are so soft.

That was when Miles’ thoughts shorted out. He sighed into the kiss, letting his hands find Pavitr’s hair and pull him in. Behind him, he could hear the ruckus of Gwen W winning the fight, but he couldn’t even pay attention to that. Not when Pavitr’s mouth was so warm, and gentle, and soft, and–

Miles tugged away as a great booming sound filled the air. Miles’ spider-sense went up, and he found himself standing without even thinking about it.

The door was flat on the floor. Above it stood a figure that Miles knew well. Too well. Large, muscular. Single mindedly looking past the Lizard and directly at Miles.

“Miles Morales,” Miguel O’Hara said, “that was smart, coming here and not going home. You’ve still got time, of course. But I don’t think I’m going to be giving you that time.”

“Hell no!” Miles G yelled, popping out, “you aren’t doing shit to him. This is my universe, and you don’t have any control here.”

Miles looked down at Hobie and shook his head. He didn’t know how to convey what he was thinking, which was:

“Don’t betray our advantage until we need to,” Gwen said, like she had read Miles’ mind, “right now it’s just you and other Miles. No us. No spiders outside. No other vigilantes. Just you two.”

Miles nodded minutely, pulling out his earpiece as sneakily as he could so he could drop it to her and have her share the information with the vigilantes. He met Miles G’s eyes. Clearly, the other him had had the same thought.

“How cute. Unfortunately, Miles here has been lying to you. You were supposed to be Spider-Man. If he hadn’t stolen your spider, you would have been Spider-Man, and this world wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Alright.” Miles G stepped out from below the table, glancing at Gwen W, who was standing still. The scientists were gone and knocked out. He shook his head at her, willing her not to go back yet. “SpiderMiles, guess I should say thanks, eh? I wouldn’t have wanted to be Spider-Man.”

“This isn’t your fight.”

“It’s his fight,” Miles G said, sliding on his mask and leaning back into a fighting position, “and he’s me. Ergo, my fight. Your move, asshole.”

Miles pulled on his mask. He and Miles G could make this a good fight, and if they couldn’t? That was what the backup was for. “Hey, Miles G.”

“Yeah, SpiderMiles?”

“Thanks.”

“Nah, thank you. Do you know how sick I’ve gotten of fighting the Sinister Six?” Miles G spread out his claws. Miguel responded by showing off his own. “Does this seem like a dick measuring contest to you?”

“A little. Where are my claws?”

“You’re children,” Miguel said.

“That’s exactly why this is insane,” Miles said, and he ran at him to get the first blow in, “I don’t wanna fight you! I wanna go home and make sure my dad doesn’t die!” his voice broke as he yelled and his feet made contact with Miguel’s face.

“Yeah, you bitch!” Miles G shouted, joining the fight. Miguel tried to push him off, but he only grabbed onto his arm and kneed him. “We’re literally just kids. Who said we had to do this? Lose people? SpiderMiles has to lose his dad for what? I’ve done that. It’s not good. It’s not right. It’s not fate. It’s just fucking horrible!”

“It’s required!”

“Requirements are a bitch! Fuck them!”

No matter how good the Mileses were at fighting, or how many advancements they had, they were both tired. Miles felt like he hadn’t slept in ages. Miles G had school before the nights where he was the Prowler. And Miguel was an adult.

The fight was easy to be on the losing side of, especially as Jess and Scarlet Spider showed up.

“Miguel–” Jess said, but Ben didn’t seem to have a single qualm about pulling Miles G away from Miguel. Miles looked over at him, eyes widening.

“SpiderMiles, you ever get backup as Spider-Man?” Miles G asked, kicking back at Ben. Ben didn’t loosen his grasp. “I bet it’s pretty lonely, right? No other Spiders?”

“Nah, man. No other Spiders. Just the cops.”

Miles watched it dawn on Miguel at just the wrong second. “That’s too bad. ‘Cause I’ve always got backup.”

There was an ungodly screech, that sounded more like music than a scream, and then a heavy boot hit into the back of Ben’s head. Miles G unwound himself from Ben’s arms, giving him a final punch in the face.

“How are there more people here?” Miguel yelled. “What the fuck is happening!”

Hobie B looked at Miguel through the eyes of his plague mask. “Ah, mate, see there’s the problem. There’s a fuck lot more than just me.”

Miguel’s mouth opened, then closed again without saying something. “Spider-Punk? Dios mio, you’re just as annoying in all universes.”

“Oi, you cunt.” Hobie B rolled his eyes. “You know what spells trouble for you?” Miguel didn’t say anything. In fact, he looked like he was considering whether punching Hobie was worth Miles G’s claws in his face. “Miles pulls mad bitches in this universe. He’s fit and all, innit? And each of his bitches are fucking fighters like me.”

“I don’t know, mera pyaar. I prefer… hero?” Pavitr S called out.

“We aren’t heroes, luv,” Hobie B said, watching Pavitr S crawl across the room, “we’re assholes in costumes. The only thing that separates us from villains is wanting to do the right thing.”

“Nope,” Miles said, letting Hobie B and Pavitr S throw punches at Miguel before getting another one in. Miguel managed to dodge all of them and lash out back. Miles hit his hand away. “You guys are heroes. If this guy’s a hero and not an asshole in a suit, then you guys are heroes.”

“Like you’re a hero, Miles.”

Miles glanced back at the table his Spider-Band was behind. He hoped that Gwen wasn’t still crying. “I’m a hero,” he said, tilting his chin up, “I know I’m a hero.”

“Really?”

“Hey!” Miles spun his head around, looking at where Gwen had stood up from behind the table. “Miles is more of a hero than you and half your spider-cult.”

Hobie, next to her, grinned. “That’s my girl.”

“What, it’s just you, and Ben – fucking Ben, really? – and Jess against our Miles and the other Miles.”

“Gwen,” Miguel said, smiling like he had a trick up his sleeve, “you’re forgetting something. I’ve got every single Spider-Person I could want.” Miguel raised his arms like he was about to do something impressive and big… and then a large hammer hit him directly on top of his skull.

Margo stood behind him, whacking Ben in the face too. She looked at Jess. For a second, neither of them moved. And then Margo stashed the hammer and Jess did nothing. “Look what the pig gave me!”

“Hi Margo!” Miles said. “The others coming?”

“Yeah. Peni and I had a little trouble, there was someone else in the security systems and it was like tug of war.”

“Hey!” Miles G complained. “That was my uncle! He was on our side!”

“Uncle,” Gwen breathed out, jumping over the table to come to Miles’ side. “Uncle?”

Miles forced a smile. “Miles G gets Uncle Aaron, and I get my dad.”

Gwen threw her arms around Miles’ shoulders. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry you couldn’t trust me, and that I lied.”

“I forgive you.”

Gwen grinned, tilting Miles’ head down and going on her tiptoes. Her face came closer and closer and Miles let his eyes flutter closed, ready–

“Spider-Man!”

“Fucking seriously?” Miles yelled as he pulled back. “Can I get a break! Please! It’s been so much shit! I’m grounded for like three months–”

“It’s five now,” Gwen muttered.

“Five months! My parents think I’m lying to them, my father is going to die, I’m in another dimension with myself and his polycule, I’m very slowly discovering I’m polyamorous at a terrible time for that, and I have to deal with Spider-Vampire over here, and now I have to–” Miles finally looked at the man calling out to him. He looked directly into the black hole that was the Spot’s face. “You?”

“I said, see you at home, Spider-Man, I didn’t say see you in a different universe, and yes, yes, very clever, because this is where the Spider was from, but that's not our home. We’re supposed to have this battle in our universe– how old are you?”

“Does it matter? Can we just fight and get it over with?”

“Not here! Did you hear anything just said about home? But I’ll be nice. I’ll let you bring all your little spider-friends, even the ones who are trying to break into here through the fabric of the dimension. Those would be with mr…” Spot reached his hand through a hole and poked at Miguel. “Whatever here. But of course, I’ve gotta bring my friends too.”

Spot raised his hands, and this time there wasn’t a convenient hammer to knock him out. Miguel came groggily to as the entire floor dissolved into a jet black hole.

“Does this never end?” Miles asked. Somewhere in the darkness, Spot laughed.

“Nope!”

Miles crashed to the floor of the old Achemax collider room, all his friends around him. Even the ones who weren’t actually in the room, like Peter B. and Other Aaron. In front of them were Miguel, surrounded by various spiders.

Spot stood on a piece of scaffolding, surrounded by various villains from other universes.

“Where are we?” Miles G asked.

“This is my universe,” Miles said, pushing to his feet unsteadily, “and unfortunately, we’re about to have to fight both a lot of Spider-People and villains.”

Since Miguel and his team were still getting oriented, Miles turned to his friends, pulling on his mask. Gwen followed him. “Alright,” he said, voice breaking slightly, “we’ve got a Lizard, a Vulture, a Doc Ock, and a Prowler on our team. Make sure you don’t hit those villains. And make sure you know what Spiders are with us and which aren’t. Because this fight is very unfair.”

“We aren’t winning this,” Hobie B said, “even if we avoid infighting, which seems impossible.”

“The problem is that we’re not all Spiders, and we’re not only vigilantes. If Doc Ock is against us, how do you know it isn’t me?” Pavitr S said, “We could raise a white flag.”

“We’re not doing that!” Gwen W snapped. “We wanna help people? Let’s help Miles’ doppelganger. What happened to impossible odds? If we aren’t dating here, if we’re not even from the same universe here… that’s impossible odds. We found each other. We can win this.”

“Is that… Gwen?” Peter B asked. “But a b–”

“I’m a fucking girl!” Gwen W scowled. “If I didn’t hate it so much, I’d go back to being the Lizard. I’ve lost my hoodie and my mask and my fucking shirt and my shoes!”

“Oh, babe, sorry.” Hobie B pulled off his cape and unbuttoned the button up he had under it.

“I cannot believe there’s a universe where I’m goth and not punk,” Hobie said, “do it fast, me, once everyone’s got their bearings we’re gonna have to fight for our lives.”

“I know that,” Hobie B snapped, handing Gwen his button up and wrapping his cape around his tank top. “But I care about my girlfriend’s comfort.”

“Hey, not judging. I get it. If my Gwendy needed that, I’d do it right away no matter the fight.”

“Miles!” Miguel yelled. “Whatever you’re trying to do, it won’t work.”

“Does he think I’m a mastermind? What? Alright. Anyone got a plan?”

“Don’t attack, there’s not enough of us,” Noir said, “defense only.”

“Fighting a Spider-Person? Try to convince them to join our side,” Margo said, “we’re in the right. We know it. Plus, they just saw Miguel go crazy on a fifteen-year-old.”

“In that vein, teens fighting a villain that isn’t from their universe should try to convince them to fight Miguel or Ben, since they’re adults,” Peter B added.

“Listen, I don’t know anything about you guys,” Pavitr S said, “but you guys don’t have multiple arms. Except for Peni. Shoutout to Peni. Asian folks rise up? Anyways, you need to throw someone? I can help. Especially while fighting the… Spiders? Hobie, Gwen, Miles – not SpiderMiles, and I have different skill sets and can help with the element of surprise.”

“Ham too, if you need something nonsensical.”

“This isn’t a plan,” Gwen pointed out.

“Best we’ve got, hun. And now we’ve got some bloody Spiders running at us, so it’s time to fight.” and with that, Hobie turned around and planted his fist in the face of a Spider charging at him. “Plus, when do Spiders plan shit? Anarchy, baby!” Hobie stuck his tongue out and made a rock’n’roll sign with his hands before vaulting into the air.

“He’s so dramatic,” Pavitr said dreamily, sliding back into a fighting stance. Miles took one next to him.

“Hey, man, what was that with the kiss and everything?”

Pavitr tilted his head, before slipping off his kara and slamming it into the face of a villain. “Okay, listen, you’re hot, alright? And I’m poly. And I’ve already had a massive crush on Hobie and Gwen for ages, even if I still have to check with Gayatri. But Gwen’s got a crush on you, and you’re hot. So I kissed you to distract you.”

“Why?” Miles asked, kicking a Mysterio in the balls.

“Well, I also wanted to. But also, you were all freaked out and jealous, and I wanted to give you something to focus on. I’m sorry it wasn’t fully consensual–”

“I was fine with it,” Miles interrupted, “I promise.”

“Still. I’m sorry. Behind you!” Pavitr yelped, as if Miles didn’t have his spider sense. “But, if you’re fine with it, and if Gwen’s fine with it – since obviously you two are going to get together – and if Gayatri’s fine with it, I’d like to do it again?”

“Yeah.” Miles glanced away from the Spider-Person he was fighting and nodded. “Ask me out after this.”

Pavitr grinned. “Done! You think we’re going to win this?”

“I don’t think we have a choice, do we?”

“I was wrong about how easy it is to be Spider-Man.” Pavitr kicked at his opponent, sighing. “I thought helping people would be easy.”

“Nope,” Miles dodged a punch, spinning out a leg to make the Spider trip. “But it’s still worthwhile, right?”

“Yeah. It is.”

Miles grinned behind the mask, throwing himself into fighting the Spider. “Hey, man, listen, I know Miguel is saying all this shit about us being anomalies and trying to wreck Spider-Society – don’t try to kick me when I’m talking, that’s rude! – but like, I’m just a kid. You really wanna be beating up a kid right now? That’s not what being Spider-Man is!”

“Do you want the multiverse to crumble?”

“I’m fifteen! I just want to live! Haven’t you been fifteen? Plus, we don’t need any of this shit to happen. There’s a dinosaur Spider-Man. Did he have a police captain die? Really? How do we know this isn’t just all made up?”

“If it’s made up, are you saying my Uncle Ben died for nothing?”

“No! I’m saying that we don’t need more Uncle Ben’s to die. We don’t need to stop having it hurt so bad because it’s ‘normal’, we don’t need people not to take it seriously ‘cause it’s canon and gonna happen to all of us!”

“But it is canon!”

“All Miguel is doing is making it so you can’t grieve your uncle because he was a plot point!” Miles slammed his fist into the Spider’s face. “I’m fifteen, man. I’m a kid. And you’re trying to, what, hurt me? Incapacitate me? Kill me? Because some guy who also destroyed a universe told you to? I’m not asking you to fight him, but there are a bunch of villains also trying to attack us. Go fight them. Please.”

“There are three villains on your team,” the Spider pointed out, but he had stopped attacking Miles. Miles counted that as a win.

“They’re vigilantes. I’d rather you fight the other ones.”

The Spider-Person sighed, but he turned away from the fight. “Kid. This isn’t for you.”

“I know. But thanks.”

Miles turned, shouting over the fight, “everyone on our side doing alright?”

“Could use some help here!” Peter B yelled, “Or somewhere safe to put Mayday!”

Miles glanced over their team. “Hobie B! 42 Hobie! Vulture! Help Peter B. Gwen W, can you get Mayday somewhere safe?”

“Yeah, but I can fight.”

“I know, but they’re right. You don’t like to, and plus you’re a good surprise.”

“I can fight outside of that. But sure. I’ll take the kid. But then I’m coming back.” Gwen W held out her arms and Peter B put Mayday in them. “This is your universe, right, SpiderMiles? Where do I take her?”

Miles glanced around. “First Mercy Hospital should be close. Ask for Rio Morales. Give her Mayday and explain nothing.”

Gwen W nodded. “Got it.” Miles grinned at her and threw himself back into the fight, taking on a Green Goblin right next to Margo.

“Hey, how you doing?”

“Hey, Miles. You know, I didn’t expect this.”

“Neither did I.”

Margo groaned, then frowned at the Spider-Person she was fighting. “C’mon, Harry, you know me. I always let you get away with playing snake on Spider-Society time.” Whoever Harry was, he didn’t stop trying to attack Margo.

Miles wanted to help, but he was too focused on the Green Goblin. “Hey, one of you 42 people! Someone help Margo!” he yelled out, and in a flash, Pavitr S was there and grabbing hold of Harry. Then he threw him over the buildings.

“Is he going to die?” Margo asked.

“Hopefully not,” Pavitr S responded, “didn’t think fully about that.”

“Do you alternate universe guys all have a kill count?”

“Um…” Pavtir S had to think about it, which didn’t calm down Miles one bit. “Hobie definitely does. Gwen yes, on accident, don’t bring it up to her. Me, probably, not sure? Miles – not SpiderMiles, my Miles, this is confusing – tries his best not to.”

“Am I in your universe?” Margo asked, more interested in talking to a guy with a body count than Miles would have expected.

“Yeah, actually!” Pavitr S’s voice was cheery as he started fighting an alternate universe’s version of Doc Ock. “Dude,” he said to the guy as an aside, “my outfit is so much cooler than yours. But yeah, Margo, you are. You’re in my Ap CompSci class. You’ve got like an A plus plus. I’m incredibly jealous of you, my maa wishes I had an A plus plus.”

“Huh. Doc Ock is jealous of me. Awesome.”

“Pav!” Miles G yelled across the fight. “Behind you!”

Both Miles’ Pavitr and Pavtir S looked around, but it was a spider heading straight towards Pavitr S, holding a sword, that Miles G was worried about. He grabbed onto Peter B’s arm. “Can you use a web to sling me over there?”

“Sure, kid. Why?”

“That’s my fucking boyfriend, and I’m going to protect him. Send me over there, fucking bathrobe Spider.”

“Jesus, you’re mean,” Peter B said, but he slingshotted Miles G over to Pavitr S. as he flew through the air, Miles G unsheathed double swords, holding them in front of him. Miles stared, stupefied.

“Why do you get swords?” he yelled.

“Do you want a sword?” Miles G yelled, hitting the floor in front of Pavitr S and blocking the Spider with a sword. “‘Cause if this guy has a sword, I think you deserve a sword.” He spun back, kicking the guy square in the stomach. “Don’t you fucking touch him,” Miles G snarled, twisting his arm under the other guy’s to disarm him.

“Why do you have a sword?” the Spider asked and Miles G passed one of his swords to his other hand to pick up the Spider-Sword.

“Why do you? Jesus. SpiderMiles, you want it?”

“No idea how to wield it.”

“Kids these days,” Miles G scoffed, before running towards his Uncle Aaron. “Since you don’t have any weapons,” he said, pressing it into his Uncle’s hand.

“Thanks, Miles.”

“No problem, Unc.”

“You know, he’d let us leave if we asked? The other you.”

Miles G nodded. “That’s exactly why I’m still fighting.” Something caught in his throat. “I don’t want his dad to die.”

“Neither do I. Go get ‘em, kid.” Aaron punched Miles G’s shoulder lightly, affectionately. Miles held a sword in either hand and kicked himself into the air on his hover shoes.

“Let’s win this fucking thing.” He glanced over the crowd, eyes lighting on Gwen, W who was studying the crowd. “Honey!” he yelled over the crowd. “You need someone to hold your stuff?”

Gwen W smiled, a sickening and nervous smile. “Yeah.”

Miles G pushed his way through the crowd, including punching a Tombstone in the face so he couldn’t stop him from getting to his girlfriend. “I’m not gonna say shit.”

“No, you aren’t.” Gwen W stripped off the shirt Hobie B had lent her and shoved it at him.

“Can I kiss you first?”

Gwen W nodded, stepping closer. She was a few inches taller than Miles G, the inverse of the other Miles and Gwen. Miles G hovered a few inches above the ground, cupped her cheek, and kissed her.

Gwen W leaned in, humming into the kiss and resting her hand on the back of Miles G’s neck. “I love you,” she said, “and I need you to apologize to the other Gwen for me.”

“What for?”

Gwen W shook her head. “There’s something she doesn’t like about me being the Lizard. And I’ll take it up with her after this fight, but I can’t before we win it.”

“Which we will.”

“Which we will.” Gwen W’s smile was genuine this time. “What was it Hobie called us? The Fearsome Four? The Prowler, Doc Ock, the Vulture, and…”

“Our wonderful girlfriend, the Lizard. Let’s go fight.”

Miles G turned towards the fight, and behind him he could hear the creaking of skin turning to scales. Love you, hon, he thought, and then the Prowler and the Lizard threw themselves back into the center of the fight.

Miles looked over at his Gwen, who was steadfastly not looking at her counterpart as Jess Drew approached her. “Gwen,” Jess said.

“Please don’t fight me,” Gwen said, “I couldn’t handle it.”

“I’m not going to fight you Gwen. I just… which villains are on your team?”

“Short Prowler, the only Lizard, Vulture with dreads, Indian Doc Ock,” Gwen listed, careful not to reveal that they were alternates of people Jess had met, “Why?”

Jess nodded. “I’m changing sides,” she said, like it was painful, “I’ve realized some things.”

“Good. Come on then. We’ve got a real fight ahead of us.” Gwen nodded, ignoring tears beading up under her mask. And then she looked around. It might have just been her, but the villains and Spiders on their feet seemed… less. Like they could really win this.

She turned, catching Miles’ arm. “I want to take Miguel.”

“Really?”

“He lied to me and led me into a cult. I want to take Miguel. You take the Spot.” Gwen moved, like she was going to head over to Miguel, but Miles caught her arm. “Miles?”

“I love you,” Miles said, “and I like Hobie and Pavitr. After this, we all go out?”

Gwen stepped forwards, pulling her mask up just enough to expose her mouth. “I love you. And Hobie. And Pavitr. And after this, we are all going to go out.” She reached out and tugged Miles’ mask up, and then leaned in and kissed him.

Miles kissed back, frantic. He would get this again, he knew, but he was unwilling to let it go. Just in case. “I love you,” he said against her lips.

“I love you. We’ll win this. We’re Spider-People. And Spider-People win.”

“We’re also up against a lot of Spider-People,” Miles pointed out.

“I’ll figure that out.” Gwen smiled. She jumped up, pulling her mask back down and blowing Miles a kiss.

Miles yanked his own mask back down, looking around for the Spot. Then he saw him.

Spot sat on scaffolding, legs crossed. He looked almost satisfied, like he was just waiting for his turn to appear in front of Miles and land the last blow. Or worse, like he was waiting for the cops – and Miles’ dad – to show up.

Miles took a deep breath and headed towards him.

Gwen made her own trek up rubble. Miguel was coming towards her at the same pace she approached him, claws out. “Hello, Gwen.”

“Miguel. Fancy seeing you here.”

“I see you picked a side.”

“Yeah, it’s not a side so much as ‘not the weird cult that wanted me to live with my father dying’. And with the person – people – I love.”

Miguel scoffed, and then ran at Gwen as fast as he could. She jumped up and out of his way.

“Listen, Miguel. I get it. You want to kill me, and by all means try. You’re bigger than me, and stronger, and have claws. But you’re forgetting something.” Gwen dodged him near effortless. “I’m a dancer. And an actual Spider.”

“You’re an insolent child.”

“I trusted you, you know. I trusted you so much. You gave me a place when my dad didn’t, and you understood the Spider-Woman part of me. But you didn’t know Gwen Stacy. And you didn’t care to, not more than you could manipulate her.”

“We never–”

“Don’t lie to yourself. You told me I could only get Estrogen if I didn’t fuck up missions. You told me that I could never see Miles. You were a cult, and I fell for it but by bit. That’s why you didn’t like me spending time with Hobie, right? Because he didn’t buy the bullshit?”

“It was never bullshit–”

“It was!” Gwen drove her fist into Miguel’s face, ignoring the way it stung underneath her gloves. “It was pure bullshit! You destroyed a whole universe, Miles saved one. You did the destruction.”

“He’s an anomaly.”

Miguel! You manipulated me. You manipulated all these Spiders. And you don’t have a shred of humility.” Gwen’s voice cracked. “I love Miles. And I’m not willing to have you be the leader anymore.” And with that, she kneed Miguel in the balls.

Miguel, due to only having a hologram between the world and the most sensitive part of his body, buckled over, and Gwen slammed her fist down on the back of his neck. He made a pained noise, and she knocked him out with a final:

“Fuck you.”

Across the battlefield, Miles was approaching Spot in a similar way. “Spot!”

“Spider-Man!” Spot said, voice delighted, stepping forwards and appearing directly in front of Miles. “I thought I’d let you have an easy one before it’s my turn. And before the cops show up. That Officer Morales… he is your father, right? It would be so embarrassing if I got that wrong.”

“We don’t have to do this.”

“But we do!” Spot still hadn’t lashed out, instead just leaning into Miles. If he had a face, it was clear he would have a leering grin on. “You created me, and then you had the gall - the nerve – to treat me like nothing. We need to do this, yes.”

“I didn’t create you,” Miles said, “I didn’t. I didn’t mean to create anything. If anything, Dr. Octavious created you, with making the collider. Or Kingpin, who wanted the collider made. But I didn’t do anything. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“But you hurt me!”

“I know. And I’m sorry. But you can’t keep blaming me. It’s not healthy. Do I blame you for giving me the Spider and making me Spider-Man?”

“Don’t you want to be Spider-Man?” Spot scoffed.

“Nope. I would have loved to be the kid I was.” Miles reached up and pulled off his mask, trying to trust Spot. Trying to convince Spot to trust him. “I would have loved to go to school and hit on girls and guys and people who were neither who were cooler than me and do art. But I am Spider-Man now. And I love that too.”

“Then thank me!”

“Thank you. But that’s because I made the most out of something that killed the previous Spider-Man. And I think you need to make the most of this.”

“Don’t tell me to make the most of this.” Spot raised an arm, black holes bubbling up around him. “I’m gonna hurt you, Spider-Man. And then I’m going to take your family away from you, like you took mine away from me.”

Miles took a deep breath, and reminded himself that he couldn’t possibly make anything worse. And then he hugged Spot.

“What– what?”

“I forgive you. And I’m really sorry.”

Spot stared. It sounded like the battlefield came to a hush around them, like all arms were on Spider-Man hugging his nemesis. Then there was an audible deficit of sound as all the villains and all the Nueva York Spiders fell into black holes.

“I don’t wanna be this,” Spot said, voice breaking.

“It’s not going to make you feel better if I’m dead. If my dad’s dead.”

Spot held Miles. A few bits of black dripped from his face, almost like tears. They landed on the ground around his feet, only to be sucked back into his skin.

“It’s alright,” Miles said, pulling back, “if it’s any consolation, I think you have really cool powers.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course. Can I ask a favor?”

“Sure, yeah, anything, Spider-Man.”

Miles smiled, and then heard sirens heading their way. He pulled his mask on, just in case his dad was going to come onto the scene. “I’m going to say goodbye to the people from Earth-42. Then, could you send them back for me?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Spot?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to help me fight crime?”

Spot nodded eagerly, almost like a dog. For a second, Miles thought how weird it was that he had to be the one helping a grown ass man not kill people because he was angry. And then he realized he was already stuck doing this anyway. Plus, now Spot wasn’t killing people.

His father wouldn’t die.

Thank god.

Miles gulped down his emotions, ready to go and sleep for days. Except he had to come up with a lie. And talk to Miles G first. He turned and started to walk across the now trashed Alchemax ruins.

Gwen stumbled towards him, throwing her hands around his neck the second she reached him and pulling him into a hug. Her eyes were wet with tears.

“What are we going to do now?” she asked.

“Go home.”

Pavitr and Hobie came stumbling over, throwing themselves into the hug. “Is it over?” Pavitr asked.

“Nah, mate. But for today, maybe.”

“I’ve gotta talk to Miles G,” Miles said as they separated. Gwen nodded.

“I’ve gotta talk to other Gwen.” Miles nodded, and they turned to the vigilantes from Earth-42.

Gwen W was pulling on Hobie B’s black button up again. She looked up as Gwen approached and gave her a feeble smile. “I’m sorry about… that. I can tell you don’t like it very much. It must be hard to see your alter-ego being a… a monster.”

“It’s not that.” Gwen stopped in front of her doppelganger, and Miles watched her. He briefly met Miles G’s nod, and an understanding passed between them. This wasn’t something they were going to interrupt.

“What, then?”

Gwen took a deep breath, chest heaving. “My best friend was named Peter Parker, and he was my only friend. And he was bullied, and because he was bullied, he took a serum to become the Lizard. Like you. And when I fought him, something went wrong. The serum, or I hit wrong, or… anything. And he died.”

Gwen W looked at her, eyes sad and sympathetic.

“Seeing you like that, me like that, it’s hard. But it’s also motivating, in a way. You are me without Spider-Woman. You’re me without transitioning. And you’re so brave, and you’ve turned something that’s haunted me into a way to help people, to be a vigilante.” Gwen smiled. “And it’s not easy, no, but I’m so proud of us.”

“I’m proud of us too. You transitioned.”

“Yeah, I did. And you will too soon, and even if you don’t, you have three wonderful boyfriends who have an even more wonderful girlfriend.”

“Oi!”

Gwen W snorted. “And you’ve got…”

“Something we’re going to figure out. But this is about you. It’s hard, yeah. I look at you, and I see a face I used to see everyday in the mirror, and I see Peter, and I see a completely different woman, and it’s weird, but I want to see it again.”

Gwen W tumbled forwards, hugging Gwen. “We will.”

“You know, every time I hear about another me, she’s always gone. She’s always dead, and she’s almost always cis. I like knowing it’s us. Us out here, being ourselves.”

Gwen W pulled back. “Us. I like that.”

Miles grinned and looked to Miles G. “We’ll see each other again, right?”

“We better! You’re the one who can go through dimensions. Plus, you lost your Uncle Aaron, right? You can have mine. Sometimes.”

“You lost your dad. And I can’t offer… he doesn’t know.”

“Alright.” Miles G said, stepping forwards. “How about you, within the year, tell him? Just so I can see him one more time.”

“I’ll try. Hey, you know how you guys don’t think you’re the good guys?”

“We aren’t.”

“Well, you just did a lot of good things. So, maybe you are. I’ll visit.”

“You fucking better! I need a reprieve from school and vigilantism. C’mere, man.” Miles moved towards him, and Miles G hugged him. “I’ll see you soon, right?”

“Yeah. Please.”

“Spider-Man!” Spot’s voice carried over the battlefield. “The cops are coming. Do you want me to send your friends home now?”

“I’m sorry you lost your dad.”

“I’m sorry you lost your uncle. And now me and my boyfriends and girlfriend need to go home and make sure Peni is alright. So we’ll see you.”

“See you.” Miles smiled. “Yeah, Spot, you can send them home!”

A black hole opened up underneath the people from Earth-42, sending them tumbling through before they had any chance to react. “That was a bit mean,” Pavitr remarked, “but effective, I suppose. I cannot believe I was still emo there. Terrible fate. I wonder if he had a Gayatri.”

“Why aren’t you emo anymore, mate?”

“Gayatri ended her emo phase for modeling. I was a supportive boyfriend.” Hobie snorted.

“Well, I’m shocked I was goth. If the world had been different, I suppose.”

There was a pregnant pause before Gwen said, “and the polyamory.”

“I want that,” Miles said, “I want that with you three. Please. I might be grounded for three months after this–”

“Five, actually.”

“Five months, but I want to date all three of you.”

“I do too,” Gwen agreed, “I really want to. I’ve liked Miles for years, and I’ve liked Hobie since I started staying with him, and I’ve liked Pavitr since we got to know each other, and I really want something with all of you.”

“Done, bruv.”

“Of course! Again, if Gayatri is alright with it. Consent is the most important part of polyamory.”

They all smiled at each other underneath their masks, but before anyone else could say anything, there was the sound of people bursting into the room.

“Spider-Man? Four Spider-Men?”

All of them turned to see Miles’ dad with a few other cops, looking altogether confused. “Actually, I’m Spider-Woman!” Gwen called out.

“And I’m the Spot! You can’t arrest me, Spider-Man and I are friends now!”

“We can still arrest you for attempted robbery.”

Spot disappeared into a hole.

“Damn it. Spider-Man, what happened?”

“Big dimensional fight,” Miles said, deepening his voice, “I got Spot to send them away. It was… bad, but we handled it. Nothing for you guys to worry about.”

“You sure?”

Miles tripped a little bit. “Yeah. It's fine. Jesus, I need to sleep. We’re all fine. Go back to the precinct.”

“You alright?” Jeff rushed forwards, catching Miles as he fell again.

“Nope,” Miles’ voice broke, and he could feel water getting caught between his mask and his eyes. “But you don’t need to worry, officer. It’ll be fine.”

“Oi!” Hobie ran forwards, taking Miles’ off Jeff’s hands. “Don’t worry ‘bout him, p– officer. He’ll be alright with some sleep. We don’t need you here. Piss off.” And with that, he was steering him back towards Gwen and Pavitr.

“That was my dad,” Miles hissed the second they were out of earshot.

“Shit, really? Sorry. You gonna get home alright, or does Gwen have to escort you.”

“I better,” Gwen said, when they reached her, “because I kinda saw them when he was missing, and told them I was looking for him. So I’ve gotta redeem myself and help him.”

Miles started to break down laughing.

“What?”

“I am going to have to think up an amazing lie for this one.”