Chapter Text
Peter wanted to talk too Miguel, and Miguel did not want to talk to him.
When Peter B had approached him earlier that day with a serious expression, Miguel knew that he was done for.
Peter B rarely wore a look of scorn which made it all the more alarming when he did. His thin ribbon like lips were tied up tightly into pale pink bow that sat crooked on his pasty chalky face as he approached Miguel. His empathetic eyes read thick with pages of emotions pointed directly at Miguels wordless expression.
“Can I help you, Parker?” Miguel asked, soaking his words is faintless disdain.
“I want to talk to you. Not now, but later. Before you leave.” Peter was quick to respond and short with his voice.
Peter rest a hand on Maydays fiery hair that puffed out in every direction. She cooed, reaching for his arm, her tiny fingers grasping fleetingly at the air. Miguel did his best not to pay attention to the way she carelessly wriggled in her harness, little feet kicking back and forth.
Miguel nodded his head slowly, not quite sure how he should be processing this information. Miguel began to glance around the wide open hallway, desperately looking for something other than Peter to look at. He did quite know why exactly Peter B was still standing there in front of him.
“That’s it?” Peter cocked an eyebrow at Miguel, but not in the usual goofy Peter B Parker way.
“What do you mean “Thats it”? What do you expect me to do?” Miguel scoffed, getting defensive in the way he so often did.
“Never mind. Just, how about five?” Peter B suggested.
By then, Miguel was already turning around, fleeing the scene.
“Sure. Meet me in my office.” Miguel called over his shoulder.
He felt Peters deep set eyes settling deep into the crevice in between Miguel's broad shoulder blades as he walked on. Miguel just hoped that Peter didn’t know how scared he was. Peter had given him no context, no explanation, no reason. Three things Miguel needed to feel secure. His heart pounded within his chest. A heavy and forceful thrust against his ribcage.
Miguel's ears then finally picked up on the sound of Peters footsteps pivoting and walking in the other direction. There were times he was thankful for his hyper sensitive hearing and times he was not. This was time where he was thankful.
The evening was approaching and Miguel found himself fumbling around in his office looking for things to do just to pass the time. Just to keep him busy. He began to pick up an open file that contained insight into a potential new recruit when Peter Bs voice rang across the dark echoing space. Miguel keeps the lights down low for the sake of keeping his eyes comfortable. The bright lights of HQ were too harsh on them and he wished he had thought of that before building the lobby.
“Hey Miguel.” Peter webbed himself up onto Miguel's hefty platform.
Peter snagged a chair and sat down facing Miguel who was not facing him, and had no intentions of facing him.
“How may I help you?” Miguel asked deadpanned as he watched the orange screens intently in front of him.
“Its not a matter of helping me, but a matter of you helping yourself.” Peter said.
Miguel's shoulders slumped. So it was this kind of conversation.
“I’m perfectly fine Parker. I don’t need you to coach me on life and how to get through it.”
Miguel heard Peter let out thick sigh, “That sentence alone tells me that you’re not. You shouldn’t feel like you have to “get through life”. You should be able to enjoy it.”
“Then I misspoke.” Miguel covered quickly, a sorry attempt at an excuse.
“Look,” Peter got up from the chair and tried to put and arm around Miguels shoulders only for Miguel to snap at him to “not touch him”.
“The other spiders have been observing your stranger behavior and a lot of the younger ones want to get to know you and they can’t with you being all moody and broody locking yourself in your office all day. Heck, you don’t even go to the gym during the day!” Peter scolded Miguel.
“So? It’s better when there’s nobody on the equipment.” Making excuses, again.
“All I’m trying to say is that I think it might be nice for you to get out and maybe socialize a little more? Theres so many spider people who you haven’t even met.”
“Well what exactly do you expect me to do Parker?”
“Stop calling me that.”
“I don’t think anyone would want me going out into the middle of HQ and start declaring my presences just so they can interact with me.” Miguel drawled, finally looking at Peter B, only to give him a cruel glare.
“Can you give me a second? I’m trying to finish explaining shit to you.” Peter was starting to become increasingly more aggravated with Miguel's petty behavior.
Miguel huffed and put his hands on his small waist, cocking his head at Peter, his dark locks falling around his eyes, the gel he used was pretty much nonexistent by the end of the day. And of course it didn’t help that Miguel would run his hands through his hair all through out the day with little remorse.
“Some of the spiders are planning to have a party in a few days and two in particular wanted to ask you, but they were too scared to. So, they’ve asked me to.” Peter B admit, awaiting an angry remark from Miguel.
“Why?” Was all Miguel said, there was a slight discomfort in his words.
“They want to know who they’re working for and they’ve heard some much about you. Theres no doubt about it Miguel, they look up to you. The least you could do is show up.”
Miguel ran a hand through his hair, “who's going?”