Chapter 3
Miguel let more time pass as Spider-Man, fighting the occasion thief or some other, but nothing extraordinary. While he still sometimes struggled on the daily, he felt like he had a better grip on his emotions. Since the passing of his daughter and his brother, he had felt like there were these dark clouds, a storm always brewing above his head.
Now, Miguel thought the weather was getting better.
He swung from one skyscraper to the next, his claws left dents in the sides of the building he hung from, staring at the hulking tower in the distance. A tower he built, but hadn't visited in some time.
Miguel took a deep breath.
Spider HQ.
The events with a young Miles Morales flashed through his mind, and his heart ached momentarily. But then, his eyes landed on the tower again. And the ache in his heart faded, and was replaced by something else.
He felt compelled to pay them a visit, nothing serious, but just to check up on the few people there he considered his friends. He swung away and was in front of Spider HQ in a matter of minutes. He walked into the lobby, his claws clicking against the smooth floors.
Spider people from all over the building would stop and stare, their eyes following him until he disappeared behind a corner. He was beginning to regret the visit, anxiety crept its way up his chest. But, he swallowed the feeling and continued on.
He was here now, no use in running away.
Miguel opted to climb instead of taking the elevator, the exercise would be good for him. When he got to the top floor, his muscles ached pleasantly, he had forgotten just how tall the tower was.
When he arrived on the top floor, there were far fewer spiders than before. A lot had left after the incident with Miles. Some came back, but it wasn't the same.
He stared at the doors of his old office, placing a hand over the bioscanner, he winced as a small buzzer sounded out.
Access Denied
His access had been removed after the events, and he didn't think it had ever been returned. It stung, and he forgot. The anxiety spread like a poison in his veins, his stomach turning at the thought of what people here had heard.
He removed his hand, his fingers curled in on his palms. He was about to turn away, but the doors slid open, a few younger spider teens stood in front of him that he recalled the name of. They stopped talking and laughing, freezing as hid shadow cast over them. He could practically feel his heart beating out of his chest, and wondered if they heard it too.
An older, taller Miles stared back at him, still much shorter than him, but stronger. He filled out a little more, although still on the thin side. His eyes were a bit harder, a bit older. Miguel remembered him as a child, the innocence and youth still clung to his face, even if his eyes were older.
They did not exchange any words other than Gwen beside them, muttering a small 'excuse us' when he stepped aside, allowing them to pass.
Miguel and Miles watched each other, before Miles looked down and turned his back, walking away.
Gwen looked back at him, but said nothing.
Miguel sighed softly to himself, turning back to his old office. It had been stripped of his personal belongings, everything that was once his was removed.
His eyes fell on the large window installed at the very top of the large, tall room.
He shielded his sensitive eyes, the window was new. It was large, and allowed him a great view of the city he was sure. But he couldn't see from where he stood, the room had been modified greatly. There were beams installed similarly to the ones in the lower levels, whoever was in charge now was able to stick to ceilings he presumed. He stared at the platform as it decended, albeit much faster than it used to.
Once it reached the ground, he sucked in a breath. There were seven seats surrounded by various monitors, although the middle seat was slightly larger and raised higher. It was black, sleek, and intimidating. When it turned, Miguel recognized the woman in the chair, although she seemed so much more different than before.
Mrs. Jessica Drew, a Spider-Woman.
Half of her hair was up it a high ponytail, the other half hung loosely down. She looked more tired than before, more aged. Not quite as much as Miguel, but older.
Her face lit up for a moment when her eyes fell on Miguel, her brows relaxed. But her expression quickly turned stern, her lips pressed into a firm line. Her arms rested on the rests of her chair, her hands clasped together. She was thinner than he last saw her too, haven already given birth to her daughter not long ago.
"Miguel, I can't say this is unexpected."
"I'm sure it isn't, Drew. How are you? Is your family doing well?"
"They're doing fine."
He recognized the smells of the room, almost nauseating in a sense. There was Jess, of course, but also the smell of other spiders. Ben Riley, a spider-clone Miguel had known, Madame spider, and a few others he didn't recognize, but one stuck out in particular.
Peter B Parker.
The scent of the older man seemed to linger above all, almost as if he had been sitting right there only a few minutes prior. And underneath it all, if he focused really hard, the faintest smell of him.
He swallowed the lump forming in his throat.
"I can't say this isn't an unexpected visit, but I am happy to see you again. It's been a while."
Miguel couldn't look her in the eyes.
"I've been... busy."
She nodded slowly, it wasn't exactly a lie.
"I've been busy myself, so I understand. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but you're not one to visit for leisure, so what brings you back here?"
He knew what she really meant by that, not just 'why did you come back?' But 'there is not nothing left for you here'.
Miguel's chest felt heavy.
"I just wanted to come check up on things. I see a few faces I haven't seen in a while."
Jess nodded again, this time a bit faster. She sighed softly, leaning on the desk.
"A lot of people have come and gone, some have returned, others haven't. We could always use the extra help, if you're looking for something to do."
He shook his head for a moment, his heart fluttered with hope. His brain told him no, but his heart, the selfish part of him, told him yes. He swallowed, trying to clear his head.
"I don't know Jess, , "
She leaned back, a slight smirk on her face.
"Well, I'm not going to force you to. But we are always open, should you change your mind. You're a part of us, and we're a part of you, whether you like it or not."
It wasn't long after that when he left, accidently bumping past Peter as he left. The man was about to say something, but Miguel didn't give him a chance. He didn't want to talk to him, not right now, not when his head was in such a fog. He didn't want his heart to jump out of his chest and beg him to stay, because the man had that kind of affect on him.
When he laid in bed that night, colors swirled under his lids as he tried to sleep.
The image of several heroes burned into his mind as they leapt past him, the heroic age of the super-heroes. The red, the blue, the gold, and the black. The colors danced around, the sounds of clashing metal, and the screams of civilians rang in his ears. He was so close, yet so far. A decade gracefully danced through him, and he found himself overwhelmed by it all.
It was all so vivid, his heart felt like it would burst with the swell of pride and fear. He could taste the blood on his tongue, the smell of gunpowder, sweat, and grime.
When he opened his eyes, a small tear ran down the side of his face, overcome with the sense of duty from heroes that had been long since gone.
He couldn't ignore it anymore.
For the second time that week, Miguel made his way back to Spider HQ. This time, he wasn't planning on leaving, or turning around.
He stood in front of the doors, the sound of his claws clicking against the floor was louder, and the feeling of the weight off his shoulders was lighter.
Jess smiled at him when he walked into her office, a knowing glint in her eyes. She was expecting him, and the sight of her was comforting.
"So, you've decided to stay."
Miguel didn't hesitate when he spoke.
"I've decided to stay."
Jess nodded, there were a few others present this time. Madame spider spoke up this time.
"And what, pray tell, can you bring to the table?"
She was testing him, but he wouldn't falter.
"Experience, wisdom, leadership, and strength. I know the world, and I have the means and ability to make things better. I'm a hero, and that is what I'll continue to be. For as long as I live."
And as much as he hated to admit it, Gabriel had been right. With great power, comes great responsibility. And he had a lot of great responsibility to carry.
After a few more words exchanged, Miguel was assigned a small team to lead. He hadn't realized that they'd changed so drastically, from assigning individual spiders to specialized missions to a larger group based structure.
Not that he necessarily minded. Jess told him that his team was currently on lunch break, and even told him which table they resided at. Miguel was grateful for her help, but was a bit embarrassed to be seen as an intruder on the team's downtime.
He was nervous, but he was here now, no point in going back. This was so ridiculous, he hated how anxious he felt lately, even more than before. He had a good reason for being here, it was his duty. His heart raced as he made his way over to the table, his feet moving on their own.
Due to his spider sense, everyone seemed to have a smell unique to them, some more than others. He found that a shockingly large amount of smells could make him turn tail and vomit, especially the strong ones. But as he moved further into the cafeteria amongst the spiders he smelt something familiar, not like Peter, but kind of like him, but not him. No, this smell was unique to the people it belonged to. Miguel found himself following it, although he knew it was stupid.
There were plenty of alternate versions of himself, so why was he so focused on the smell?
He moved through the crowd for about five more minutes until he arrived, he felt like the entire cafeteria was staring at him. He stood there, unsure of what to say.
The smell was so strong here, he couldn't deny who it belonged to. Only it wasn't one person, to his dismay. He froze when he stood at the table, his heart leapt into his throat.
"I...Gabi.."
The name came out of his mouth before he could stop it, and he couldn't believe the sight. She and the man across from her looked up, their mouths falling open.
Miguel took a few steps back, the noise from the rest of the room was muffled, like he had plunged underwater. He felt nauseated and anxious, he had done so well to get his thoughts in order, his emotions under control. But the sight of his daughter and brother made the world spin around him, his head dizzy.
He was vaguely aware that he was hyperventilating, his eyes burning as his claws dug into the palms of his hands. The stinging sensation grounded him, his heart pounded in his ears. Because it wasn't his daughter, and it wasn't his brother.
It was not once, but twice that Miguel buried an empty casket.
He knew that because when Gabriel and Gabi died there were no bodies.
He could smell the confusion, the surprise, the uncertainty. He could smell the fear. The same smell that he had carried in his soul.
His chest hurt, and the world was blurry. Gabriel placed a hand on his back and quickly ushered him out if the cafeteria, Miguel's body was heavy, and his legs threatened to collapse beneath him. He was vaguely aware that someone else had come, but they were much more quiet than Gabriel.
His voice was soft and soothing, and the sound was comforting, like a warm blanket wrapped around him.
"Hey, hey. Look at me, you're okay. Take a deep breath, okay? Come on, I know you can do it."
He followed the directions, the voice was firm, but gentle.
He felt a hand on his, slowly uncurling his fist. The puncture wounds in his palms had closed up, but there were still remnants of blood.
"You're okay, you're okay."
When his vision cleared, his eyes were met with the face of a concerned Gabriel. He shakily disabled his mask and both Gabriel and Gabriella faltered slightly, and for a moment Miguel panicked, thinking that he'd done something wrong. But their eyes softened, like this was something they had gone through before.
They were now in a more secluded part of the building, away from the bustling noise of the cafeteria.
Miguel had a death grip on his brother, the younger man didn't seem to mind. Gabriella, or the other Gabriella, was sitting on his other side, holding his hand. It was so comforting, like it was supposed to be.
They were quiet for a while, the Gabi squeezed his hand a little tighter.
"You had the same reaction as us when we met one another."
She mentioned softly. Miguel looked at her, and then at Gabriel, and back to her.
"Are... you two..."
"Not blood related, no. We're from different universes."
Gabriel clarified.
"I don't even remember how we met, or when. But we both got pulled into this universe, and it was a whole thing."
"We've been working with the Spider Society for a couple months now, and things are better than we ever imagined."
Miguel was in a sort of awe, his mouth dry. He felt like he couldn't talk.
"I'm glad you're both here."
I'm glad you're both alive.
His voice was strained, and when he really looked at the two, he could tell the difference. There were many ways that they were alike, and there were many ways they were different. But they were still his family.
Gabriel rubbed his back, a slight smile on his face.
"We're glad to see you too."
Miguel's heart fluttered, and his chest tightened. It was almost overwhelming, his head spinning. He hadn't like being touched since his DNA was spliced with the spider, the sensations were always too intense. He couldn't handle it. But for once, his head was quiet.
It was the most peace he'd had in a long time.
The next few days were a bit awkward, but eventually everyone settled down. It was still jarring to see two different versions of his family, and a few times he forgot. But it was nice to have them both, it was nice to have a team. When Miguel wasn't working, whenever he was home, he couldn't stand it. He felt anxious, and uncomfortable. But the few hours he spent with his team, he could breathe.
So he took it upon himself to seek out the one man he'd been avoiding, the only one he couldn't forget.
When Miguel knocked on Peter's personal quarters door, the sound echoed through the halls.
His heart was pounding out of his chest, his hands shaking.
A moment passed, and the door slid open.
Peter stared back at him, a look of shock crossing his face. He wore a sweater and some baggy sweat pants, his hair was tousled and his eyes were tired.
Miguel could feel his heart drop to his stomach, but he swallowed his anxiety and forced himself to speak.
"Can we talk?"
Peter didn't answer for a moment, his expression was hard.
"Yeah, sure. Come in."
Miguel did just that, the room was dark and dimly lit. He could tell that Peter had been asleep, and he suddenly felt bad for intruding. But it was too late, and he'd already made his bed.
It wasn't long before Miguel turned around, and they fell back into their old rhythm.
It was like they had never stopped.
He slammed Peter against the door, the older man let out a grunt and his hands flew up to wrap around Miguel's wrists, trying to pry his hands away. But he was far too strong, and Miguel easily overpowered him. His mind spun as they progressed, not processing much other than cold, warm, pressure, pain and pleasure.
There was no hesitation, no words exchanged. Their kisses were messy, their movements desperate.
Miguel couldn't breathe, Peter's scent was all over him, in his nose, in his mouth. His fingers gripped and clawed at him, the sound of his heartbeat thumping in his ears. Somewhere along the way clothes were forgotten along the floor and it was soft touches, hot breaths, and the sweet taste of skin.
They were pressed together, their bodies molding and fitting perfectly like they had always belonged together. The heat of the room made his head spin, the noises of their labored breathing, and the creak of the bed was all he could focus on.
They were a mess of tangled limbs and sweat, and Miguel couldn't take his eyes off him.
And when it was over, the world fell away and it was just them. Miguel curled in on himself, the sound of Peter's breathing was all he could focus on. Everything felt distant, yet real. Peter's arms wrapped around him, and the warmth was comforting.
His head was empty, and the world was calm.
When he awoke the next morning, after showering, he was gone before Peter woke up. He was back on his own schedule, the rest of the day was his to do with what he pleased.
He was tired, but a good tired. He could have fallen back asleep at any moment, but he didn't. Gabriel did not fail to notice the forming eyebags under his eyes, and the fact that Miguel looked exhausted. But he didn't ask any questions, and Miguel didn't volunteer any information.
The next day at lunch, Miguel had been chatting with Gabri and Gabi about work. Things had been going smoothly, and their teamwork was better than ever. They'd been discussing the new training exercise that they'd be doing the next day, and Miguel was looking forward to seeing their progress.
Until Gabi asked him a question that caught him off guard.
"How do you control your talons? I can't get mine to stay closed."
She pouted. Miguel blinked, his heart clenched a little.
"Well, you can't force them. Just relax, and you'll have more control."
Gabi raised her hand, smaller but no less deadly talons extended. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, but nothing happened.
"How can I relax? They're so sharp!"
Miguel sighed softly, extending his own.
"Watch me, see how my wrist moves?"
She nodded, her eyes fixed on his.
"They're connected to our tendons, like the way we move our fingers. The more we can move them, the more they respond. Like this."
He flexed his wrist, and the talons slid out, before sliding back in.
"But what if you have to do it in a hurry?"
Gabriel asked, Miguel looked over at him.
"Practice."
Was all he said. The two nodded, Miguel's heart swelled with pride.
He was getting used to the idea of them, and they were getting used to him. It wasn't long before he found himself sitting next to them, joining them in conversation. The feeling of familiarity was comforting, and Miguel couldn't help the underlying feeling of protectiveness he felt. When Gabriel and Gabi met him yet again for lunch, Gabriel waved as they approached.
"¡Buenas tardes, papi! ¿Cómo estás?"
"Viviendo la vida al límite, luchando contra el hambre y el sueño."
Gabriel seemed satisfied by the response, Gabi giggled.
"You haven't changed at all, have you?"
"Not much, no."
Miguel admitted, staring down at his plate of chilles rellenos and rice. It wasn't as good as his mother's, but it would do.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
Gabriel started, Miguel nodded.
"Yeah, go ahead."
"You're... from earth 928, right? What's the rest of the world like?"
The question surprised him, Miguel had never really thought about the rest of the world.
"Depends. You two are also from future universes, correct?"
He asked, the two nodded.
"What's the world like, where you're from?"
They exchanged a glance, and Gabriel answered.
"Well, it's a bit different. The super-heroes are all gone, but it's not all bad. There's still a lot of megacorp and Alchemax is,,,,"
Gabriel shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, you know how the government is. And the corporations, they're ruthless. Alchemax owns basically everything, and my mi- my brother was CEO."
Miguel cringed at the parallels between their universes, he was CEO of Alchemax here too, but he was trying to change it for the better. He looked at Gabriel.
"And your family? What were they like?"
Gabi looked over at him, her eyes curious. Gabriel was quiet for a moment, and Miguel wondered if he'd asked the wrong question.
"Mom was stay at home, dad worked as a technician. He was good with his hands, and he was pretty smart. I had one older brother but he wasn't around much when we were kids."
Gabriel shrugged, Gabriella seemed to be pondering something.
"Is that why Papa never really talked about you?"
She asked, and Miguel's heart hurt. Gabriel looked away, staring at the wall.
"Probably. But he didn't need to, he was a good father."
The air grew tense, and Miguel could tell the subject was a touchy one.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
Gabriel waved a hand dismissively, a small smile on his face.
"Nah, you're fine. I was just thinking, is all. Gabi is Mig's kid. She was only eight when, well... I'd only seen her a few times, but she's a sweet kid."
Miguel felt a pang of guilt, the fact that Gabi was his daughter, and yet, she wasn't. But it was the same feeling that he got when he looked at Gabriel, and Gabriella. His eyes were drawn to the younger girl, her hair was dark brown and curly, and she had a soft tan complexion. She looked similar to his own Gabriella, except there were obvious differences. Her face was rounder, her jawline wasn't as sharp, and her cheekbones weren't as high. But they were the same height, and had the same build.
But when Miguel looked at Gabriel, the differences were again not all that significant. Gabriel had the same green eyes, and his facial features were similar to his own. He had dark reddish brown hair, although more red than brown, and freckles dusted his face and shoulders. Funnily enough, even the beauty marks on his face matched with Miguel's, except he was missing the one below his lip.
Miguel felt his chest tighten, and he couldn't shake the feeling of sadness that lingered.
He was glad they were alive, and that they had each other.
Gabi was the one to break the silence, and their conversation returned to its previous nature. Miguel felt a little guilty, and the feeling was odd. He knew Gabi was a teenager and Gabriel was an adult, but he couldn't help feeling protective over them.
Even so, the conversation continued.
"You don't look all that different, from them."
Miguel explained softly, a soft smile on his face.
"Although you've certainly grown since my own universe, haven't you?"
Gabriel laughed, nodding his head. Gabriel, his Gabriel, stopped existing before he turned twenty-three. This Gabriel was almost thirty-seven, and had seen and done more than his Gabriel ever would.
"I think I'm doing alright, but I'm not sure. My mom would say I'm too scrawny, and she'd want me to eat more."
He rolled his eyes.
"We both know I'm plenty filled out, thank you very much."
Miguel couldn't hold back a snort of amusement.
"No, no. You are definitely not scrawny. I think you look fine."
Miguel didn't mention that he thought that Gabriel looked like George, his biological father.
"You look pretty much the same, too."
Gabriel mentioned. Miguel glanced over at him, unsure.
"No, no I'm much more handsome."
Miguel joked, the two laughed.
"If you're more handsome, I'm a super-model."
Gabriel scoffed, Gabi interjected.
"Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty."
The two were startled into laughter, and again, Miguel's chest tightened. The feeling was foreign and familiar, it was strange and he couldn't explain it. But the conversation went on, and he ignored it.
"We should have a movie night sometime, I miss movies."
Gabi suggested, Gabriel gave her a soft look.
"Gabi, , ,"
He spoke softly, Gabi gave him a knowing look and a small sigh. Miguel knew what was going on.
"We don't have to, I just thought it would be fun. It's fine."
Miguel's heart twisted, and his mind was set.
"No, it's fine. I want to, I haven't used the projector in a while anyway. Why not, yeah?"
Gabriel and Gabi both looked at him in surprise, before the latter lit up.
"Really? It's not an inconvenience, is it?"
Gabriel asked, Miguel shook his head.
"Nope, no problem. Besides, I'm free tomorrow night."
Miguel wasn't entirely sure why he was offering, but the smile the two flashed him caught him off guard. Between Gabi's braces, he spotted small fangs, and even Gabriel's own crooked teeth had four canines that stood out. Miguel's heart warmed.
"Okay! I'll bring the snacks, and Gabe, you bring the drinks."
Gabriel snorted.
"We'll get it handled chiquita."
Gabi gave him a thumbs up, a bright smile on her face.
"Alright then, tomorrow it is."
Miguel smiled.
"We'll bring the popcorn."
They agreed, and the trio split up. Miguel couldn't keep the smile off his face.