I'm Terrified Of Talking To My Friends
Despite what Gwen may think Peter does have friends. And despite what Lyla and Peter think Miguel also has friends.
For instance Jessica, who although reluctant in every casual request Miguel gives her sticks beside him. That might just be because they have the titles of leader and right hand man though. Even so Miguel knows that he can count on her to do most things for him.
He also has Ben Riley. Well to be fair Miguel saw Ben as more of a sad excuse for a person who was so trapped in his own angst that he was too oblivious to consider betraying him. But that was enough for Miguel.
Even though he doesn't acknowledge it both Miguel and Ben are alike in that aspect, but don't tell Miguel because he nearly meanmugged a rookie to death after they pointed it out.
He had to have a serious talk with Peter about his attitude after that.
"You seriously have got to stop bullying the new recruits man."
"Its not bullying! If anything they're bullying me."
"And yet I'm reprimanding you."
Not counting those two he has Peter who is kinda cheating because his whole point is that he has more friends than Peter. So he counts everyone that's ever approached him in an annoying light. Most of the time is was to ask for mentoring and most of the time it ended in Miguel revoking a watch.
But if he adds the number together he has about a couple hundred friends.
"223." Lyla specifies.
Exactly! That's enough people for him to be the friendliest man on Earth. And yet when he tries to think of someone to radio up for a conversation none of those 220 names pop into his mind. He's narrowed to three and he thinks he'd rather gag himself than talk to either one of them. So he does just that.
It's not often that Miguel calls for casual discussion so when the phone rings it surprises both Peter and Gwen who are expecting the worst.
"Miguel? Yeah what do you need?"
Peters ready to jump into battle and Gwen eyes his phone anticipating Miguel's words. They're strained and they come out careful.
"What are you doing right now?"
Peter and Gwen share a look.
"I'm in Gwen's dimension. Why? Do you need help eith something?"
"No, No. I was just bored and uh, decided to call around."
The two share another, more amused, look.
"So you didn't have any friends to hangout with?"
"Huh? No I have hundreds."
"223!" Lyla chimes in.
"Yeah as I said hundreds. I just wanted to check up on you. I guess."
Miguel sounds nervous and Peter wants to laugh so hard but Gwen does it for him.
"I'm doing fine buddy."
"Uh huh cool. Well I better call my other friends."
"Wait. Why don't you come hang out with us?"
It's a question that stops Gwen's laughter.
"Excuse me?" She asks.
"Yeha it'll be great, the three of us swinging and...swinging."
"Is Gwen okay with it?"
"Uh. Not real-"
"Of course she is!"
"Then sure."
Peter very quickly hangs up and Gwen stares at him.
"Really?"
"It'll be good for us. Team bonding and all that."
"I'm gonna stop being your friend if you keep doing this stuff."
What Peter doesn't tell her is that he's so scared of hanging out with Miguel by himself that he feels like he's gonna puke.
Peter rolls his eyes and they both wait for Miguel's arrival. It takes Moguel a bit before he's there and he finally arrives he's met with two very conflicting facial expressions. Peter looks happy, and Gwen. Gwen couldn't care less about his presence, but if Peter was so insistent on his being here than she could put up with him. After all, in all their time spent together Peter was a trustworthy friend.
Gwen cringes realizing that she had just called Peter her friend. The old man was really rubbing off on her.
"Miguel hey!"
"Why are you acting shocked you literally invited him here."
Lyla appears infront of Gwen.
"She right. And funny. I like her."
"Lyla please."
"Come in Miguel you never let me have any gal-pals!"
Miguel ignores her and walks uo to the both of them. Gwen takes note of his intimidating stature, like always, and meets his eyes.
"Hey."
"Hello."
It's a small gesture but it's enough for them both. Peter starts talking about racing to some building across town and Hwen doesn't really pay attention to him. What she does notice is the way that Miguel seems to be really listening to him and that Peter seems more excited than usual
She then realizes that of all the people Peter could've chosen to be attracted to he chose the giant ogre thats always grumpy and way to stuck In his ways to see why he's wrong. And the worst part is Miguel liked him back.
Gwen doesn't pay attention so she doesn't notice Peter yelling go, signaling the start of the race and she doesn't care to. Suddenly Lyla materializes next to her.
"So you notice it too?" Lyla asks.
"How could I not!"
"They're kinda cute though."
"Like Romeo and Juliet."
Gwen looks at Lyla.
"I don't think you're thinking of the right couple."
"No I am."
Gwen shakes her head slowly.
"No I think you're wrong."
"Welp. I'm an AI so I can't be wrong." Lyla shrugs her shoulders and dissappears before Gwen can argue.
Gwen eventually catches up with the two and lands herself in second place. There's a string of dialogue that plays before her and it's as of the two don't realize it.
Are they? Gwen asks herself.
They so are!
In front of her eyes is a toothy Peter B and a smiling Miguel and they're actively flirting with eachother but Gwen thinks they don't quite realize that. So they also don't notice when she stares at them mouth wide open.
"Close your mouth honey you're gonna catch flies." Lyla reprimands.
Gwen third wheels for a while before Miguel makes eye contact with her and sees her heavily distraught expression and so he smiles a bit less and moves away from Peter a bit because wow that's embarrassing. Peter is confused by the sudden distance both physically and emotionally from Miguel and he's a less confused when he sees Gwen looking like she just saw her dad flirting.
In a way she did. Lord knows the girl needs to work that out with her father so Peter was just as good as any. It's awkward after and this time it's not for anything bad but Gwen clears her throat a few times to many before speaking.
"So Miguel. How you doing?"
It's a sad attempt at conversing but Miguel is the same so he makes the most of it. And that's how every single one of thier conversations went for the night. It was horrible for everyone involved but they got through it.
Peter was the only one who seemed to enjoy Miguel's pitiful attempts at socializing. Lyla was too busy recording the events and Gwen was too caught in trying to understand that Miguel had feelings other than rage and sarcasm. More than that the fact that he was displaying them with her. She's unsure if it's because Peters there but whatever it is she's happy that it's easy to tall to him now because otherwise this would be the worst hangout ever.
Miguel on the other hand is freaking out because to be honest he wasn't the best woth Gwen before. Though he wasn't the best with anyone he was worse with children who were old enough to be accurate with thier criticism. So when Miguel smiles at Gwen in hopes to come off as nicer than he has been she accepts it.
At least he thinks she does. She kinda just lifts a corner of her mouth and nods, but her eyes don't seems so confused so he takes it as a win. Peter comes uo besides them and wraps an arm around them.
"Look at you two. You're already great friends."
They both shake their heads but only Gwen speaks up against Peter.
"Dont say that."
Peter argues otherwise and for once all night Miguel and Gwen agree of something. They weren't enemies but they were not friends. Miguel doesn't need a highschooler for a friend and Gwen decides she needs to start talking to more people her age.
The afternoon is quick to change and the three grow more comfortable with eachother though they figure they'll never hang out again. This was nice Peter caught a break of having to deal woth Moguel by himself and Miguel got to see Peter.
One thing neither of them cared for was the fact that despite them not being able to mess up again there was still too much silence and too many questioning glances from Gwen whenever Miguel was nice to her and overly nice to Peter.
She didn't know that they were working through something and neither did anyone in the groupchat she's been texting. Comprised of Pavitr, Miles, and Hobie these four have a groupchat used primarily to shit talk and complain. So when Gwen texts at rapid succession asking for help they are all quick to ask her what's wrong.
"Miguel's being nice!"
"Didn't know he could do that."
Everyone's doubtful and Pavitr even asks if he's been cloned. She's unsure but fairly positive that that's not the case so when she ends up having a good time she's quick to inform the others.
"Guys Miguel is a decent person!"
"Definately a clone then"
She rolls her eyes at Pavs text but agrees with him none the less.
When she had told Peter to find friends his age she wasn't really imagining Miguel but she supposes its better than her. She supposes that they're also more than friends in a way that she didn't want to know because she's seen too much already.
She looks down at her phone before looking back up at the two who are flirting once again. She unlocks her phone and smiles at it.
"You guys wanna make a bet?"