resume
Miles had eight minutes until his dad got there. That was more than enough time to get down there, take care of business, and leave, right? But there’s a little spot at the back of his mind- not the nape of his neck- that’s telling him to linger around for just a little longer.
He webs up a gun here, ties down a criminal there- overall there’s about sixteen armed men. Quite overkill for just one station in Brooklyn, meaning this was either an isolated incident, or a diversion. With the way they’re not actively targeting anyone, just making his day way harder by shooting aimlessly, he’s leaning towards the latter.
From the little bits those goons mouthed off he’s learnt that Tombstone’s trying to buy up buildings near shipyard space to make his operation more convenient. It’s always a full length operation too, not like a standard drug deal or weapons dealing in a one off-warehouse. It’s some sort of chemical that gives people powers or alien equipment. Or that god damn particle accelerator at Alchemax- he’s never forgiving Kingpin for that.
His thoughts stop entirely when sense alerts him to a car speeding up at him from behind, jumping to avoid the one swerving right after it.
In the wake of the tire tracks he spots that captain sticker and the license plate. That’s Jeff’s assigned car. That’s his father, who’s about to take a bullet straight through the heart from one of the stragglers but Miles is small enough that it’ll stick in his shoulder and- his side feels warm. He barely registers his blood as it follows the bold red line underneath his arm and down his side.
Jeff froze as Spiderman’s blood stains his shirt where his heart should be. Spiderman merely checks the bullet wound to see if it went through, giving his own shoulder a jab on both sides and Jeff’s chest a few careful yet rough pats. It didn’t, and Jeff feels him visibly relax when he confirms it.
Miles pushes Jeff back into the car, tells him to stay put. He didn’t have to tell Jeff twice. Before he closed the door, he caught a glimpse of Jeff’s lock screen from the cup holder and it’s a photo of Miles from his first day at Brooklyn Visions.
He misses Jeff calling Rio first. Rio didn’t answer the phone right away because she just saw her baby take a bullet to the shoulder and she couldn’t do shit about it. Ganke immediately ran to the bathroom for their first aid kit, when Rio leads him to the better one she keeps in her bedroom. She doesn’t miss the second call though, her voice frantic as she turns the volume on the TV up.
“One of Brooklyn’s Police stations is currently in a hostage situation. Hostages being the officers with Spiderman who’s taken one solid shot to the shoulder- maybe two, we can’t get a good look at his other side.”
Rio prays its just the one. Ganke knows it’s never less than two.
On the scene, Miles turns his attention to the last goon who drops his gun, another bullet discharging into Miles’ leg. The man shivers, panicking a little before he makes a run for it. Miles doesn’t let him get away, picking up his gun in the process. He slings a web towards his ankles to keep him there. His right arm’s burning, and the muzzle of the gun’s hot against his palm, but nonetheless he squeezes the barrel with his fist like it’s a soda can. He chucks it beside the man’s head, a warning unlike any other he’s given. Because that wasn’t a warning, it was a promise that next time, he won’t miss.
He darts off to make one last round around the station for any other goons, checking on the officers and patching up wounds where he could.
Jeff jolts as Spiderman lands on the back of his car, about to open up the door to let him out. Then Miles hears his ringtone a little too late, his own caller ID staring him in the face. This one’s a picture of him even younger, around eight or nine. Bright eyed, bushy tailed, freckles faint across his face.
Miles knew he was staring at the phone too long, but he couldn’t bring himself to move away. Not when he’s so tired and his fathers’ right there. What got him moving is Jeff dropping his phone in the front of his car, trying his hardest to get out. He can’t talk now.
Jeff finally uses his brain and goes through the back doors to get out, stumbling towards Spiderman because he knows that Miles hasn’t changed his ringtone since middle school and that part of Sunflower is ingrained into his head. He hums it to himself when he’s on patrol, or bored out of his mind doing paperwork. He hums along to it on the radio in hopes Miles would sing along. He always does.
“Mi- Spiderman, wait-!”
Miles hesitates before turning around, letting the phone ring on in his pocket. His lenses soften at his dad’s face as his fellow officers check him over despite their own wounds. His dad’s trying to pry himself from their grasp but it’d be pointless now. There's so many things Jeff could yell right now, instead he just gapes at his son for as long as he'll allow it.
“I’ll see you at home Dad.”
“Miles! Shit-” Jeff covers his mouth, and despite his pain, Miles chuckles as he swings off.
“Spiderman!”
Miles chooses not to see his father reaching out after him, through the arms of his coworkers. He stops fidgeting after a while and lets his coworkers do what they need to. Once confirming he’s not injured, the back off just a little.
“Captain Morales, would you care to comment on the-”
Oh hell. Jeff grits his teeth and composes himself though, smiling through the bloodstain on his shirt. A full body shiver racks over him once he gets into the office because that’s his son’s blood sticking to his chest- his son with a hole in his shoulder and-
He doesn’t even change out of his uniform before running back outside to the car, his coworker’s protests falling on deaf ears.
Ganke pulls Miles up through the window, Rio swiftly taking over once he was on the ground. She leads him over to the couch, where there’s a little station of medical supplies on the coffee table.
“Two bullet holes, no exit wounds so you guys’ll need to dig them out." He relays, sitting himself down.
"Each of you take a hole.”
Ganke snickers involuntarily and Miles follows, but his mom doesn’t find it very funny. “Boys-”
“-Sorry Mami.”
“Sorry Mrs. Morales.”
Miles furrows a brow. When did Ganke get demoted to Mrs. Morales? But judging by Rio’s look, his demotion wasn’t permanent. It’ll be up after these bullets are out of his body.
Ganke makes quick work of the bullet in his leg, that one was shallow though. Miles grips the couch as his mom digs deep into his shoulder, the first half of the bullet clanging onto one of his dad’s ashtrays. He briefly wonders what his dad would say about this all, if he could see it. Rio waves that thought away already.
“He doesn’t need to smoke those things in here anyway.” She remarks, dropping half a shard into the tray.
“It broke again, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, the other part of this one’s traveling deeper. Your swinging didn’t help either.”
Ganke puts his phone flashlight up to the wound, giving Rio more light. She can’t quite get the other bit out, getting frustrated at herself.
“If you don’t mind Mrs. Morales…can I try and get it?”
“Sure…”
Rio gives him a quick peck on the cheek, moving to bandage up Miles’ leg. She knows he’s too old for it, but he doesn’t seem to care right now. Ganke pushes up softly to coax the bullet out, switches his forceps and- “got it!”
“Thank God- thank you Ganke.”
“You’re welcome Mrs-”
“Please go back to Rio. That already doesn’t sound right.” She chuckles, grabbing an alcohol pad. Miles eyes Ganke knowingly, Ganke rolling his eyes in response.
Rio and Ganke get startled by the front door, its hinges scream as it bangs open, knocking a few things on the stand off.
“Miles!”
Jeff didn’t even hang up his hat as he charges towards his son. Ganke scoots out of the way just in time, Jeff moving the couch back a solid inch at this impact. Rio swats at Jeff’s back to lay off of him, even though Miles hugs back with the same might.
“Be careful you big oaf!” She smacks him hard enough to get a few ow’s out of him.
“I know. I know, ow! I just-”
Miles’ body may ache in protest but his mind couldn’t give less of a damn if his dad broke a rib. He needs to feel that they’re here- that he’s here. Miles feels left shoulder dampen, and Jeff hugs tighter, trying to mute his sniffles in the couch. Miles fully tugs his mask off at last, Miles’ his curls brush against his father’s cheek and everything’s okay now.
“-Let him, Mami. It’s okay. I’mokay.”
Rio watches from the side, watches until Miles beckons her over with a hand. She doesn’t move, content seeing both of her boys battered, bloody, but here.
Their hug closes out, Jeff moving onto hug Rio just as he did Miles. Through the ache in his side, the TV finally registers in his ears:
“The morning shootout at one of Brooklyn’s stations has come to a close. Fortunately there were no casualties with twenty-one men arrested for their involvement. Hopefully our afternoon isn’t as hectic, whaddaya say Jim-”
Miles let his parents stay by his side, shooting a text to Ganke in the bedroom.
you wanna come out here?
nah, i’m good
you guys need it
come the hell out here
i want my boyfriend
and your parents want their son
seriously dude it’s fine
they need you and you need them
i need you too dumbass
And Miles finds Ganke grinning ear to ear coming out of the bedroom, draping a blanket over Miles’ shoulders. Miles picks up one corner and throws it over Ganke, whos’ head is against his chest, an arm around his waist, his glasses crooked as he rests against him.
Jeff takes a picture of the two, forgetting his shutter’s on and Miles scrambles to get the phone out of his hand. Rio and Ganke don’t say a word as Miles chases his father down the hall to his parents’ bedroom and back around the island in the kitchen.
“Yeah, they’ll be alright.”
Ganke muses, recording Miles chase his dad. Rio gives him her phone to record them to, not even moving when Jeff trips and falls over a pair of shoes and into another little table when Miles cheats and crawls up the wall. Yeah, they'll be alright.
And for once, Miles is sure of it.