Chapter 30
The front door clicked shut behind Miles, the scent of sofrito and warm rice wafting through the air as he kicked off his shoes. His mom’s voice floated in from the kitchen.
“Mijo, is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me!” Miles called, tossing his jacket on the couch. He scratched the back of his head, fingers brushing over the fresh braids Gwen had done just the day before.
His mom peeked around the corner, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. The second she saw him, her eyebrows shot up, followed by a wide grin.
“Wait—hold up. What is this?” she laughed, stepping closer to inspect his head. “When did you start letting people braid your hair?”
Miles looked slightly sheepish, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “Yesterday. Gwen did it.”
“Ohhh,” Rio said with that knowing tone only moms had. “She’s got skills. They’re neat. A little uneven here and there, but... for a beginner?”
“She practiced for like three hours,” Miles chuckled, sinking onto the couch. “She was really into it.”
Rio sat beside him and gave him that look—a soft, amused one. “You like her, huh?”
Miles didn’t answer right away. He just smiled, eyes staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah. I do.”
Rio nodded, patting his hand. “Good. Just remember, mijo, if someone’s braiding your hair, it means they care. That’s sacred stuff.”
Miles looked over, surprised. “You serious right now?”
“Dead serious,” she said, leaning back with a smirk. “Now come eat. Before I braid your hair tighter myself.”
Gwen knocked softly, then cracked the door open. “Miles?”
No answer.
She peeked inside — the room was empty, lights off except for Ganke’s neon keyboard pulsing blue in the corner. His headphones were slung around the back of his chair, but Ganke was clearly out too. Gwen stepped in anyway, fingers brushing over the edge of Miles’ desk.
He wasn’t supposed to be gone. He said he’d be back around now. She sighed and flopped onto the edge of his bed, one strand coming loose behind her ear. Her fingers absentmindedly tucked it back into place as she reached for her phone.
[text to: Miles <3]
Gwen: hey
Gwen: where are you?
Gwen: you said you'd be back by now. i'm in your room stealing your snacks.
Gwen: (also you left your physics notes here and i might be tempted to “accidentally” study them)
She stared at the screen, watching the “Delivered” notification hover under her messages. The little typing bubble didn’t appear. A soft frown tugged at her mouth.
Gwen leaned back, hugging one of Miles’ pillows, and let her eyes close just for a second. His room still smelled faintly like his cologne — warm, earthy, with a trace of something electric she couldn’t name.
The window creaked open with practiced ease. Spider-Man slipped in, feet landing silent on the floor. The night air clung to his suit, humid from late-summer heat, and the faintest shimmer of sweat caught the moonlight on his brow.
He yanked his mask off with a sigh and wiped his forehead with the inside of his elbow.
"Man," he muttered to himself, "one patrol turns into three."
He turned around—and paused.
There she was. Gwen.
Curled up sideways on his bed, clutching one of his hoodies like a pillow, her long legs tangled in the blanket. Her phone lay beside her, screen dark, and one braid dangled loosely across her cheek. She was breathing slow and soft, completely out.
A crooked smile tugged at Miles’ lips.
He tiptoed closer, careful not to wake her. One of his physics notebooks was open on his desk, covered in her familiar scribbles—her handwriting always tilted a bit left when she was sleepy.
Miles carefully pulled the hoodie she was clutching a little higher to cover her shoulders, then sat beside the bed, still in his suit, just watching her for a moment.
She looked peaceful. He didn’t get to see her like this very often.
He pulled out his phone, flicked on the screen, and typed quietly.
[text to: Ganke]
Miles: she's asleep in my bed with my hoodie and she looks like a literal angel
Miles: how am i supposed to survive this bro
He set the phone down, glanced back at her, then rested his head on the desk next to her and closed his eyes.
Just for a minute.
Gwen stirred slowly, her cheek pressed against something warm and soft. For a second, she forgot where she was. The hoodie under her smelled faintly of citrus and detergent — Miles.
She blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the soft morning light leaking through the blinds. The room was quiet, the kind of quiet that made the city feel far away. Her fingers were still tangled in the fabric of his hoodie.
Then she noticed the still figure slumped over at the desk beside the bed.
“Miles?” she whispered.
He was asleep, head cradled on his folded arms next to his open physics notebook, still in the same clothes.
She sat up slowly, the blanket slipping off her legs, and studied him with a mixture of surprise and something warmer. His braids were a little messy. His mouth was slightly open. He looked... tired, but peaceful.
A soft smile tugged at her lips.
She reached for her phone quietly, turned it to silent, and snapped a quick photo—just his sleeping form and the early sunlight casting gold across his desk.
She didn’t even know what she wanted to do with it. She just wanted to keep the moment.
Carefully, Gwen slid off the bed, tiptoed over, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Hey,” she whispered. “Sleeping Beauty.”
Miles groaned softly. “Mmmnhh... five more minutes…”
She laughed under her breath. “You’re gonna get neck pain if you keep sleeping like that.”
He blinked one eye open and groggily looked at her. Then both eyes opened.
“Oh. Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” she said softly. “You didn’t wake me.”
“I didn’t wanna,” he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his neck. “You looked peaceful. Like, weirdly peaceful for someone who drools.”
She swatted his arm with a grin. “I do not drool.”
“Sure,” he said, pretending to stretch while shielding himself. “Tell that to your hoodie.”
They both laughed, and for a moment, everything felt still again. Warm. Safe.
“You hungry?” he asked, voice still hoarse from sleep.
Gwen nodded. “Starving.”
He stood, stretching out fully this time. “Let’s go get something before Amaya realizes you disappeared overnight and sends a search party.”
Gwen chuckled, grabbing her phone and following him toward the door.