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Miles looks on with interest, with childlike naiveté and with a surprise that Miguel does not understand. The most surprising thing about the whole situation is the fact that Miguel doesn't look away from Miles. A lump gets stuck in his throat. His hands tremble with anticipation and mute hatred.
- What are you doing? - Miles grins, stretches silently, stands on tiptoe, and presses himself against Miguel's chest. For a moment the man's thoughts go blank, words become meaningless, ambiguous, ridiculous. Both stand silently.
The cold floor of the room, sheltered from ordinary people, now seems as hot as any decent star.
- Why are you doing this to me? - Miguel pulls Miles against him with force, the kid's whole body becoming one with him-a terror in the world of the Spider-Men.
- Because you're falling for it," Miles replies somewhat arrogantly. The young man's eyes burn with fire as the man pulls away from the boy.
Miguel stares intently into Morales' face, familiar features, terrifyingly familiar emotions showing on the man's face.
He remembers his daughter, her laugh, her big hazel eyes, her bright smile. Now Miles is his direct incarnation, the only difference is that Moralez has lost his father, not his daughter.
Spider-Man is synonymous with the word death, you have to admit it.
- It's not your fault he's dead," Miguel said softly.
- I know it was your fault," Miles didn't pull away, his broad palms digging into the man's back, causing him to wince.
- I guess so," O'Hara felt the young man's warmth, heard his heartbeat, every part of his body burning.
How long had it been since he'd seen his daughter?
Years.
Endless years, horrible, terrifying, spent in agony and in the eternal desire to be forgiven. By whom? Doesn't matter.
And while Miles Moralez scratched his back violently, taking his hatred out on him, Miguel O'Hara imagined that he was the one mutilating himself.
All those years, all those centuries spent in mute resentment and fear.
A possessed beast full of despair, fear, guilt, pity, sorrow clutched to his chest a replica of himself, the only difference being that he was the Possessed, Miles was the Resigned.
With death and his situation, with fate, resigned to the very notion of Spider-Man, resigned, accepting the situation, loving.
He didn't lose his humanity, remained himself and tried to fight the grief.
And Miguel?
Miguel forcefully pressed the guy against him, imagining that this is his grown daughter. It was his way of saying goodbye to her.
To his obsession.