Work Text:
Based on a Tumblr request
===
Location: Earth 973
Report: The Prowler from Earth 324 was seen breaking and entering into Alchemax at approximately 11:15 p.m. Two Spiderpeople were sent to support the local Spiderman.
Anomaly capture: In Progress…
===
Atop the rooftop of the esteemed science and research facility during the late hours of the night were three Spiderpeople hidden from plain sight. While that sentence may have rhymed smoothly, the plan these superheroes made could have been anything but smooth.
“Okay,” you said, calling attention to yourself after you had gotten formalities out of the way, “Our best method right now is to sneak in through the roof and head in three different directions. We can throw the Prowler off and subdue them from three different angles.”
The local Spiderman nodded his head, eager to collaborate and earn his place in the Spider Society. Unfortunately, Miguel wasn’t too keen on going with one of your plans, but he rarely ever was.
“Really? A sneak attack with the Prowler?” Miguel mocked, pinching his brow between his fingers. “A sneak attack wouldn’t work against an anomaly with heightened senses.”
You rolled your eyes at him before snapping your fingers.
“Shoot, you’re right! If only we were a team of highly trained superheroes who knew how to move without making a sound— Oh wait—”
Miguel lightly shoved his hand onto your face, groaning at your antics as he directed his attention to the other Spider.
“Don’t listen to them. What we need is a direct attack facing the Prowler head-on. They can’t take all three of us at once, and there is no point wasting time trying to attack from a blind spot.”
Spiderman put his finger up to provide his input, but you quickly swiped the hand away from your face to interject.
“Need I remind you that the reason we were sent to help in the first place was due to the anomaly’s unnatural agility and strength?” You cocked your brow at Miguel. “You’re underestimating the anomaly again.”
“I am not underestimating the anomaly!”
“Then explain last week.”
While you two kept bickering away at one another over this petty little argument, Spiderman heard sensor after sensor going off inside the building. The Prowler was still on the move, and they would get to the reactor in no time. While Spiderman didn’t think he would be playing counselor today, he just had to hope that the two of you would kiss and make up before he billed you for this session.
“Umm…guys?” Spiderman’s voice broke through the argument. The two of you turned to him, unintentionally directing angered glares toward him. “How about you—” He pointed at Miguel— “face the Prowler head-on while we sneak from behind and attack when they’re distracted?”
Like a tantrum child being offered what they want, the angered faces lifted to delight.
“Finally, a voice of reason here,” Miguel complimented as he agreed to the new plan. Your eye twitched at his comment, but you agreed with the rookie nonetheless. Using a plan created out of compromise, the three of you successfully captured the anomaly, recruited the new Spiderman, and went off your merry, separate ways.
That was until your paths would crash into each other again.
===
It was difficult for Miguel to understand how much you cared for him.
Every remark or reminder you made out of love was taken as criticism or a reprimand.
"Hey Miguel," you called out from below his platform. "You’ve been up there for a few hours, so I brought you something to eat." You waved a bag of food from the cafeteria at him even though he wasn’t looking at you.
Miguel sighed and pinched his brow in frustration.
"What I need right now is a partner. An employee . I don’t need someone to parent me every time I do something you don’t approve of," he huffed as he refused to look down at you. Your shoulders sagged at his harsh tone, not meaning to come off as a parent when you offered him food.
"I wasn’t trying to act like that. I just wanted to make sure you’re all right—"
"Well, I am! Thanks for the check-up! You can go now!" he argued as he talked in an eerie tone, like the calm before the storm. Unfortunately, you didn’t bring an umbrella, so you left before it started to thunder.
Sighing, you clutched the bag of food you so desperately wanted to share with him as you headed over to sit with the younger Spiderpeople like your friends Hobie and Pavitr. You ate and laughed alongside your friends as you had a heart-to-heart with some of the people you cared about.
It would be nice if you could have a heart-to-heart with someone you loved though.
===
Miguel was in love with you. He knew that. Lila knew that. But it was difficult for you to understand how much he cared for you. He couldn’t understand why he had such a short temper when it came to you. Why would he snap when you did something remotely kind to him? Dare he say it’s because you tore his walls down?
You and Miguel used to be so close. Partners on the battlefield and friends on the grass hills. Your battle techniques, strength, and determination were all admirable skills that he admired and even loved. Things between you two dropped off after he found out about his other, happier, self over in another dimension.
You were skeptical of his decision to take a dead man’s place, but to be the person to wipe that smile off his face would kill you. It killed you even more that all the time in the world with you could never seem to make him smile the way his new family did. Even when your friendship grew further apart your feelings toward him remained the same. If having this new family would make him happy, then so be it; it was when his attitude started affecting your happiness that made it difficult for you two to see eye to eye.
To you, he cherished the love of his family so much that he had little room in his heart to share that love with you.
To him, he was so worried that keeping you in his life would tempt him to stray away from his new spouse to continue his family with you. You had a way of alluring him, a skill that not even you seemed to understand that you possessed. A way to make him feel like he was at home when he wrapped his arms around you after a tough mission. A way to make him feel comfortable as he shared a warm meal in the familiarity of your home, your bedroom.
Unfortunately, that was a one-time deal. You, the person who felt like having a relationship with the man who just so happened to be your boss would be a terrible idea if something went wrong. Miguel was a man who believed that you were his metaphorical canon event to a happy ending that he could love and cherish in his own timeline.
While this left you two heartbroken, to stay apart would be a heavier burden, so despite better judgment, you stuck together until Miguel decided to “move on.”
After he had lost his family, he was practically a different person than the man you had known to love.
Fighting strategies were met with taunts. Opinions were met with threats. The worst was when he said he wished he could fire you after you told Gwen and Hobie to go against Miguel’s orders during a mission.
Fortunately, when Miguel spat sparks, you lit matches.
It was a delicious love that turned toxic with the growing silence between you two.
If either one of you decided to have a heart-to-heart in this state, it would be fair to assume combustion would occur.
===
It hadn’t been less than ten minutes before Jessica informed you that Miguel wanted you in his office. You knew it was about your little argument earlier. The conversation-to-be was practically rolling in your head as you made your way to him. This song and dance had been done before.
"Do you want to explain why you went against my judgment in front of the new recruit? Again?" He will say with his back facing toward you as he makes his dramatic, slow descent to ground level.
"Because it wasn’t going to work?" You’ll answer, stating the obvious.
"You undermined my authority!" He’ll snap at you, finally turning to face you as his platform reaches the floor. There’s this look in his eyes that always lets you know when it’s the calm before the storm. He’d smirk at your comment as his eyelids go half-lidded like you were friends just joking around. You knew better.
"I uplifted your authority by showing how flexible you are as a leader," you defend yourself as you reuse the same line you did last time.
"Not as flexible as you were," he’d think to himself, but you never knew that. Then he would say aloud, "I’m disappointed in—
"You’re a disappointment to this team."
Wait. This wasn’t like before.
"What?" You muttered, taken aback by the break in continuity. A disappointment to this team? With your level of commitment, your motivation, and your power, you were seen as a disappointment? Well, a disappointment only to him.
"Every time I open my mouth, you always have something to say against it. You act like you’re on the same level as me. Like you can call the shots. I take you on missions with me so you can prove me wrong—" Lies — "and be the mature Spiderperson that everyone else sees you as, but you’re just the same!" His voice was practically booming by the time he was finished. You weren’t expecting this conversation to ever happen.
To you, it had become clear. He wasn’t just annoyed with you, he hated you, but you’d be a fool to get caught in your own webs.
"I am on the same level as you! I was with you from the very beginning, before Spider Society, before Gabriella, before you started acting like a complete asshole to everyone who cares about you! The only thing disappointing here is your lack of compassion for your team, especially for me!" you yelled, refusing to break eye contact with the man who seemed to hold nothing but discontent. Miguel narrowed his eyes at you, slowly stalking his way over to where you stood.
"With everything that I have gone through, did you really expect me not to change? If I started caring for people the way I cared for my family, I’d get weak! I’d lose my edge and allow an entire dimension to crumble!" You thought he was done after that. You thought he’d give you room to speak and remind him that he shouldn’t bear the heavy burden of losing his daughter. That no one knew what was going to happen. Despite your argument, you held the same softness you’ve always had for him, but he continued. "If I started caring for someone, I’d think that I can go against everything they say. Try to tell them when to eat and change their plans in front of a new recruit. I can’t allow myself to go soft anymore, and anyone else on the team who’s willing to stoop so low should just leave. "
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
Tears pricked your eyes as your blood rushed to your face in embarrassment. He knew. He knew you still cared for him and still went out of his way to hurt you like this. With sadness turning to anger, you tried to bite your tongue and leave with your dignity intact, but your petty self had to leave with the last word.
By now, Miguel was a mere foot away from you, staring you down like he would an anomaly, but you refused to be seen as the enemy. You swallowed back the lump in your throat and prayed your voice would come out steady.
"Well then," you spoke softly, "Maybe I will. Just like how I left you alone in my sheets the morning after." You let the venom sink in as his eyes softened in pain. Eyeing him up and down, you took in the man you once knew so well, the one you still craved every night. Looking at this stranger in front of you, you wanted him to hurt as much as he was hurting you. "It’s good to know I made the right decision all those years ago."
This wasn’t an argument between fallen-out friends. This was a lovers' quarrel, but neither of them could seem to understand it. It was never just about their relationship as coworkers, in fact, there was never a time that it was.
You didn’t know that Miguel purposefully teamed up with you because he wanted a reason to talk with you, to fight alongside you.
He never knew you brought him food in hopes of having a conversation like nothing had ever changed.
Neither of you knew how much you meant to one another. It was difficult to see each other for who you were now when you both were stuck on the people you used to be.
===
You stormed down the halls refusing to look anyone in the eye, let alone acknowledge their existence. The only thing that existed in your reality was you, Miguel, and the ever-growing distance you wanted to put between you two. However, physical distance did nothing when it came to the emotional connection you two had.
Gwen and Pavitr were walking by with a newly captured anomaly when they saw you. Noticing your glossy eyes and shaking anger, they already knew exactly who had caused this.
Your feelings toward Miguel weren’t much of a secret to the Spider kiddos. While you never outright said anything to anyone about your feelings, you were an open book when it came to your emotions. Gwen found out from the way you would defend him whenever they talked about how scary and intimidating Miguel could be. Pavitr could easily read between the lines during your arguments with him. They knew how much you loved him, but the lack of proper communication between you two seemed childish, even for them.
They shared a look with one another as you walked by, and continued on their way to the Go-Home Machine.
===
"Well, that was super heartfelt," Lyla joked, appearing beside Miguel as he slowly made his way back to his platform. "I could really feel the love coming out of you when you spoke to them."
"Lyla…" He wanted to make some small quip, but all he could think about was the way your eyes looked when he insulted the way you loved him. Even though he didn’t understand how deep he was cutting, the wound was still there.
"I know, too soon, but do you know what I think is too late? Telling them you love them."
He winced, feeling his own eyes slowly grow blurry.
"Wipe your tears, big guy," Lyla encouraged, holding her same nonchalant tone. "I came to tell you that you’re needed at the Go Home Machine. Something went wrong, and Margo needs a little help."
Miguel rolled his eyes before pinching his brow, placing a hand on that slutty waist of his.
"Can’t you go and help?" He asked harshly, not wanting to be seen by anyone.
"I’m not the one who needs a breather. I feel like I’m being suffocated in here, and I don't even have lungs."
Wiping away the tears that threatened to spill, he reluctantly made his way out to resume his duties. He didn’t look at anyone as he walked by, let alone acknowledge anyone who gave him a greeting. This wasn’t abnormal behavior for him, though.
He walked by the vast cages of captured anomalies waiting for their turn to go home, until he heard a conversation that piqued his interest. Slowing down, he noticed Gwen and Pavitr off to the side as they placed an anomaly into one of the cages. Curiosity killed the cat the moment he heard your name roll off Gwen’s tongue.
"We caught this anomaly faster than they could get over Miguel," Gwen joked about your "unrequited" love.
"It’s sad, but I don’t think a confession is going to happen any time soon. Give it ten more anomalies, then maybe they’ll start treating each other nicely," Pavitr joined in.
Surprisingly, your love life was not an uncommon conversation between the Spider kids. There was always something that happened between you and Miguel that would be the next day's gossip among them. While they would be sympathetic toward you in these conversations, they couldn’t help but feel that your constant attempts to reconnect with him were pathetic. Of course, they would never say such a thing to your face.
"They’d really be cute together if they weren’t bitching each other out every time they talked to each other," Gwen admitted, locking the cage.
"Not to intrude, but it sounds like these people have chemistry, but they don’t know how to dilute their emotions to a base rather than acid. If they talked heart-to-heart, which by the sound of it, it isn’t very probable that would occur, they could stabilize their relationship. But, since that’s not going to happen, your friend should move on."
Gwen and Pavitr turned to the cage to see that the Dr. Octavius they captured was fully awake and very much engaged in their conversation. The doctor shrugged at their confused stares.
"I just thought I’d provide my input. It doesn’t mean you have to take it into consideration," Doc Oc continued.
Miguel couldn’t tell if his heart was crushed or if it had begun to bloom, but the heavy burden of guilt weighed it down. This was the first time the two had argued to this extent. It was so raw it hurt, but he knew that they had only scraped the surface of what years of disharmony had done to them.
"Hey Miguel, over here! Mind giving me a hand?" Margo called out from across the room, noticing Miguel slightly hidden behind a bundle of captured anomalies. At hearing Margo’s words, Gwen and Pavitr snapped their heads up to see Miguel’s tall frame staring them down. Their jaws dropped.
Shit, they’re gonna die.
While Miguel was furious at the way the kids talked about you, he’d be damned if he let an anomaly predict the downfall of his relationship with you. He tapped his watch to summon Lyla.
"I need you to help Margo. I have to go do something," he told her before heading back off to his office.
"It better not be something stupid!" Lyla yelled off after him, but she knew what he was about to do was probably one of the smartest choices he had made in a long time.
===
You were never going to abandon Spider Society, even if you weren’t on good terms with the leader. You did, however, plan on avoiding him at all costs till you died. It was the most logical explanation you could think of as you sobbed on the couch in your apartment. The argument kept replaying in your head, and you bid your time by reimagining the conversation if you had been honest with him. If you had been kind.
Being part of the Spider Society meant you had to be the bigger person, yet the words you threw at him were anything but. If you wanted to redeem yourself and grow, you needed to muster up the courage to go and apologize to him.
It was time to accept that things with him weren’t going to change. He wasn’t the same man you fell in love with, and you weren’t the same person he once adored.
While it was important that you apologized to him, you were still too busy being sad. You made a mental checklist in your head: Be sad, then go apologize. Solid plan.
As you sunk into the couch cushions to try and take a nap, the doorbell rang.
Fuck. Okay, pause that.
You checked the peephole before going to open the door. The moment you registered who was on the other side you froze. You had half the mind to pretend you didn’t hear him and go back to sleep, but you noticed something through your small, distorted view. Maybe it was the red rim around his eyes or the way he nervously shifted from foot to foot, but he seemed raw like a rose that just lost its thorns. Effortlessly beautiful, but lacking the edge to cause pain. It tempted you to open your doors to it, to touch the stem without fear, to cup the head of the flower with your palms before you leaned in—
Blinking away the remains of your tears, you unlocked the door.
Despite being the one to ring the bell, he looked like a deer caught in the headlights when you finally greeted him, not expecting you to be very welcoming of him at the moment.
Wordlessly, you moved to the side to let him in, and he did so with little hesitation. He followed you to the couch where he sat on the opposite side from you. As you tried to muster up the courage to speak, he was already a step ahead of you.
“I’m sorry,” he finally spoke, feeling the tension start to roll off his shoulders at his apology.
“No, I’m sorry—” You tried to say before he raised a hand to stop you.
“Please, let me finish,” he urged, his eyes pleading with you to not turn this into an argument. Agreeing, you kept your mouth shut. “I went too far. I was frustrated that you wouldn’t listen to me, and I decided to hurt you rather than talk to you.
You could tell Miguel was a bit uncomfortable opening his heart to you like this after all this time, yet your heart still warmed at his attempt.
“I don’t think you’re weak. You are one of the strongest fighters this team has ever seen and I don’t want you to stop being kind to others… kind to me.”
Your face flushed, but with his silence, you decided to speak.
“I’m sorry, too. What I said was cruel, and I shouldn’t have dug up the past like that. It’s just…” You took in a shaky breath, “…I miss the way we used to be and I feel like we won’t get to that place anymore.”
Miguel looked down, understanding where you’re coming from and remembering the conversation he overheard earlier.
“We aren’t the same people anymore, so I know that we’ll never go back to what we used to be, but I don’t believe that things can’t be fixed. I still want to keep our friendship.”
You smiled at his hope, you wanted to tell him that you still had feelings for him. That this wasn’t just about your friendship. If you two were going to have the first honest conversation after years of bitter rivalry, then you wanted to be on the same page.
“That’s not what I mean—”
“But I hope you understand—”
“I still love you,” you both confessed, taken aback by the confession of the other. Flustered yet determined, you continued,
“I still love you, but I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”
Miguel blinked away his surprise but didn’t hesitate to move closer to you on the couch. You slowly did the same.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve talked, but I’ve missed you even if I don’t really know you.”
Testing your boundaries, he reached his hand up to cup your cheek. Reveling in his affection, you leaned into his touch and took in a deep breath as you closed your eyes for a moment. You missed this. You missed him.
“Then let’s start over,” you suggested, holding the hand that held your face and giving it a small kiss before you brought it out in front of you. You shook his hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
Miguel chuckled as he went along with your ministrations.
“My name is Miguel O’Hara.”
You two lived your impromptu first date to the fullest learning everything about one another, the old and the new. You discussed clear boundaries, triggers, and how to better communicate from here on out as you shared a warm meal with him in the comfort of your home.
Miguel agreed that he wanted to take things slow with you. He didn’t want to rush into anything that made you uncomfortable and wanted to make a clear foundation so that you two could grow together rather than drift apart again. It was going to take time and hard work but no one said you two couldn’t have fun while you did it, even if that fun could be seen as a little too soon…
“So, what do you like to do?” you asked him as you sipped on drinks after dinner.
“You.”
===
It had been a long time since Miguel had slept in your bed. The covers were still the same soft material he knew. There were some new pictures on the walls he hadn’t noticed until now. It was hard to see anything other than you in the dark, not that he minded. It felt nice running his fingers down your body, feeling new battle scars, and taking note of any new mole or freckle that he hadn’t noticed before.
He felt like he was falling in love with you all over again. He loved holding you. Kissing you. Loving you. He loved the way you teased him. The way you cared for him. The way your eyes were like an open book of your emotions.
He wanted to make a new life with you in his own timeline, one chapter at a time.
When he woke up the morning after, he sighed and turned over to face your side of the bed. A small smile grew on his face as he felt his heart reignite with love.
After all the arguments you’ve had in the past and present, even after you bled each other dry.
There you were, warm under the sheets next to him the morning after.
You stayed.