Pulling Strings For You | Part 3
Part 1 Part2
Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Reader/Female OC (POC) Word count: 3070 Summary: You finally arrive at headquarters and learn a little bit about how things go. Warnings: violence (light gore), mentions of death, hints at depression, eventual smut (minors dni!!)
AN: Sorry for the VERY long wait but it's here!!
[2:30 pm, Thursday, Chicago, Universe 4655]
“Did you drug me?” You questioned, backing up slowly. “I swear I’ll kill you.”
Your back hit the wall as you watched the portal swirl open. It illuminated the room with red, orange, and yellow hues like the sun. You couldn’t see far into the portal, just part of the twisting tunnel it led to.
“Literally, when would I have done that?” Jess asked you, clearly amused by your panicked appearance.
Her casual demeanor was doing nothing to ease your current impending panic attack. All it did was make you wonder why you were dumb enough to invite a crazy person into your home. Everything was hitting you like a freight train. You never believed in the multiverse; the thought of it even scares you a little. And now it was displayed in front of you: a portal that travels into a completely different universe. Or so she says.
“This can't be real!” You shouted, your arms coming up to hug yourself.
Jess was now full-blown laughing at you. You started to become pissed and played with the idea of kicking her towards it and hopping out of your window.
Jess walked up to the portal and pointed. "Here it is," she said. "You said you were coming, so here I am." She shrugged and leaned in, sticking one of her hands into the portal.
You expected it to burst into flames or fall off, but Jess just pulled her hand out of the portal and gave you a thumbs-up, giggling. Jess calmed her giggles to assure you that you wouldn't spontaneously combust.
“See, look, all five fingers too! Now let's go.” She paused before walking in. “Or are you scared?” Jess teased and crossed her arms over her chest.
Reluctantly, you shook your head and lifted your body off the wall you clung to, and stood tall. You were a scientist. A damn good one too, and you weren’t going to let your fear hold you back from experiencing this. You owed it to Joy.
You took a cautionary step forward and felt the surge of energy emanating from the portal like it was sucking you in. A nervous look flashed over your face. Jess put her arm over your shoulders and locked eyes with you.
“It was hard for me, too, the first time. Don't worry, though. We are going to take everything slow,” Jess said and winked.
“Oh, fuck you,” You said and pushed her out of the way.
You attempted to walk into the portal. In your brain, you expected to walk through and you’d be at the Spider-HQ in no time. This wasn’t the case though. You found yourself falling forward. It felt like you were falling endlessly through space, or at least that's what it seemed until you’d finally opened your eyes.
The portal stretched into a long tunnel that you were being pulled through. Once you adjusted to the flow of the current, you positioned yourself in a bullet position. You pinned your arms to your sides as you allowed the current to flow around you aerodynamically. Seeing much more now that you weren't uncontrollably spinning was a relief.
There was an entire network of portals; you could see other Spider-People darting through them. It was an extraordinary sight. The emotions it evoked were a confusing mix of happiness and melancholy. Tears began to pool in your eyes at the thought of Joy not being able to experience something so extravagant. At the sound of Jess’ voice, you’re forced to blink those tears away and refresh your thoughts.
“Hey, you're a natural. I told you it would be fine.”
You turned to look at her, and she flew next to you. Jess looked down at her watch and then turned back towards you. You were too busy trying to take in the entire situation to process her compliment, too busy making a mental note to take pictures on the way back.
A sudden bend in the portal knocks you off balance, and you start to wobble in the air. Jess gripped your shoulder, helping guide you through, the two of you now moving in sync. You could see yourself nearing the end of the portal and felt a bit of panic settle in your chest.
“It's fine. I got ya.” Jess gave you a warm smile.
You dove through the end of the portal with Jess’s guidance and closed your eyes when you made it to the endpoint, still nervous about allowing yourself to experience everything fully. It was a quick movement the way you dropped into the other universe. One second, you were flying confidently; the next, you were shooting a web to the ceiling of some room in the headquarters so you could drop down on the floor smoothly.
[12:30pm, Saturday, Nueva York, Universe 928B]
You peered down to see Jess already standing below you, waving you down. Your hands still gripped the thin web you stuck on the ceiling when you crossed the portal's threshold. Before dropping down, you looked around and then allowed yourself to lower, landing perfectly and standing back up.
The room was vast and empty, your footsteps echoing off the walls as you explored. It was both meeting and failing your expectations. You’d half-anticipated a load of guards, mad scientists, or at least a place buzzing with activity. But instead, it was just this one large, expensive-looking room filled with expensive-looking equipment. Even the floor felt like it was made of money.
The place had an eerie calmness to it. It was a lab, you suspected. There was a few desks, all carrying different equipment, sprawled throughout the area. Further into the room, you could see a platform with equipment larger than all the others. You could hear someone or something shuffling on the platform and squinted, trying to get a better look.
“Are you going to come down?” Jess called out to the person on the platform.
You watched as the shadowed figure stood tall from their desk and shifted past an array of monitors. When the figure came fully into view, standing at the edge of the floating platform that towered over the room, you immediately recognized who it was, your eyebrows raising. Miguel. He was still in his mask. You got lost in thought as you wondered if he’d ever take it off and fully reveal himself. The platform lowered slowly; it startled you out of your head, and you crossed your arms in front of yourself.
Jess looked over at you and smiled at your body language. People always had mixed reactions to Miguel's work methods and always had differing opinions on everything he did. Jess could tell that Miguel's dramatics weren’t impressing you, and she liked that. Quietly, you waited for Miguel's long descent to end, a bored display of emotion on your face.
The platform locked into place with a soft click as it stopped. Miguel stepped down from the platform and walked towards you and Jess. You watched Miguel’s hand extending toward you and took it, shaking it gently. A soft breath escaped your lips as you noted the strength of his grip. His hand was large and warm, and it enveloped yours almost completely. He had a firm handshake, but it wasn’t too firm. It was just right.
Internally, Miguel had been a bit worried that you wouldn’t shake his hand and he would be stuck trying to get you to listen to him. But so far, that hadn’t been an issue. You shook his hand and listened to him start his speech.
There was something different about Miguel this time. It was as if his entire energy had been recalibrated, and he had suddenly remembered that he was Spider-Man. He moved and spoke confidently, so smoothly and precisely that you wondered if he had rehearsed the speech or if he had been on drugs the first time you met. This was definitely not the same man that you'd seen get thrown down a flight of stairs.
“There are infinite universes where we all exist. Infinite ones where we don't. We work together here to do what we can to help our worlds,” Miguel stated with a tone of righteousness and determination.
You followed him through the corridors, entering a smaller hallway. Jess followed closely behind, tapping and swiping at the holographic her watch projected. Occasionally you glanced back at her, noticing her eyes shifting between you and Miguel and the watch. It seemed like she was keeping an eye on the two of you to make sure Miguel hadn’t said anything to piss you off.
As you walked and listened to Miguel, you noted how sequestered his area was. As you entered the highly lit, white-walled hallway, it felt like you were entering a different universe. The contrast between the hallway and Miguel's room (or what you’d call it– a dungeon) made your eyes sore from the sudden piercing light.
“Infinite worlds?” You asked. It came out quicker than you thought it would.
Miguel turned and stole a curious glance at you, continuing through the hall.
“Yes. Infinite worlds,” Miguel answered matter-of-factly.
If you were shocked or astonished by all of this, you did a damn good job hiding it. He had seen that before, so that wasn’t shocking. He wasn’t the only genius spider-person; the multiverse constantly reminded him of that. So if you weren't impressed with the fact the multiverse was real, that made sense.
Miguel couldn't tell whether you were amazed or not. He wasn’t surprised if you already knew about the existence of the multiverse. Miguel wasn't the only genius spider person; the multiverse constantly reminded him of such. So if you weren't impressed– which you were– with the fact the multiverse was real, that made sense.
“Seems like quite the workload,” You said and shrugged your shoulders, squinting at the light.
Miguel didn’t give your comment much of a reaction besides a slight nod.
“Yes. It’s– that’s not the point right now.’ After what seemed like a never-ending walk, you finally stopped at two large, double doors. “This might be a bit overwhelming, but I assure you this a calm day,” Miguel warned.
Jess met at your right side, a small smile displayed on her lips. With Lyla’s help, the grand doors opened. A flood of chatter and shuffling filled your ears, and your eyes widened, breath catching in your throat. The noise was overwhelming, but you quickly adjusted to the levels.
“Holy fuck,” You whispered under your breath.
This area was completely different from Miguel’s. It was even more significant, scattered with many different people, animals, robots, etc. Various walkways spanned from one end of the building to the other, all in different directions and heights. It was incredible. The lobby was just like the highways in your universe. The walkways were gray and highly populated. But thankfully, without the cars.
You watched Miguel enter the traffic, people parting and making their way around him. You, on the other hand, remained in your spot next to Jess. The sheer amount of people was mind-boggling. Jess couldn’t help but smile at your appalled expression. The existence of the multiverse was already a lot to take in, but seeing so many spider-people gathered in one place and united in their mission was truly impressive.
You turned your head to the side slightly, keeping your eyes focused on Miguel and the crowd. “All these are members?” You asked quietly, realizing you must walk through the sea of people.
“Well, yeah, but this is just our Saturday crew mostly. Others are just passing by, doing upgrades, using and trading resources,” Jess explained, gesturing to the room.
Miguel patiently waited for you to move. He didn’t seem rushed or annoyed with you at all. In fact, he found it somewhat entertaining that he could see through your tough, sarcastic exterior. It gave him a glimmer of hope.
You took a slow, tentative step into the lobby, hoping no one would notice your labored breathing. With Jess following behind, Miguel gave you a slight nod and began moving again. As you walked past the members of the society, he noted little important things about them to you (mainly just names and where they stand in his little gang). Some spider people waved as you walked by, and some even walked up to you, introducing themself. Everyone was unique, making you feel like a kid in a candy store– excited and curious about what was to come.
As Miguel and Jess discussed potential tech upgrades and a training area, a robot suddenly materialized in front of you in a swirl of purple and pink. You stopped in your tracks and turned to Jess for an explanation. Before you could get a word out, the girl spoke.
“Hey, I’m Margo. It's nice to meet you!” The girl extended her hand toward you.
You turned back toward her, eyes squinting slightly. You didn't make a move at first, trying to decide if she was a threat. Settling on the fact she probably meant no harm, you shrugged and extended your hand to meet hers.
“Nice to meet you.” You shook her hand and froze when a thought popped into your head.
You turned towards your left to look at Miguel.
“Why do you have two different A.I’s?” you asked, dropping Margo’s hand.
There was a small laugh that came from the right of you. Margo rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. You didn’t see the humor in the situation.
“Girl, what?” Margo asked, partially annoyed with your assumption.
“She’s n–” Miguel began to explain but got cut off.
“–not an AI,” Margo finished.
Margo gave a look that read, ‘Who the fuck is this?’. Jess returned her gaze with a small smile and tapped on her not-shoulder.
“Did you make her say that?” You asked and looked Margo up and down. You weren’t too sure, and to be fair, you had seen a lot of technological advances you never thought you’d live to see.
“I’m not even gonna get into this– here, you need this.” Margo huffed and handed you a blue wristband.
“What is this?” You took the wristband from her and inspected it.
“A wristband we give to guests to identify them… And make them feel more at home.” Margo had a smile for the first time since the convo started.
“Oh, wow. Thank you so much,” You said, not making an effort to sound sincere. Discretely, you tucked the bracelet into the top of your suit and gave her a slight nod.
Margo rolled her eyes before a half-mask covered her face. She waved to Jess and gave Miguel a
small salute.
“Bye, Jess,” Margo said, her voice still wearing the sound of leftover irritation.
“Bye, hun. Be safe,” Jess said, smiling at her.
Margo looked toward Miguel and gave him a small salute. Miguel didn’t return the action. He opted to give her a nod.
“For sure, Miguel,” Margo said.
“Goodbye. I’ll see you later in the lab,” Miguel said.
Margo disappeared without a trace, leaving you bewildered and wondering if she was some sort of advanced hologram. However, you couldn't dwell on it for too long as Miguel swiftly advanced with a clear goal.
[2:00pm, Saturday, Nueva York, Universe 928B]
“We don’t have anything like that here,” You said, leaning into the machine.
Just as you decided to reach out to touch the instrument, your body seemed to crumple. Your hands held your abdomen, and you looked at your feet. They began to flicker, each time flashing a new color. You could've sworn they even left you briefly because you felt like you were suddenly falling. Instinctively, your hands hit the ground first to protect your face from the impact.
Jess immediately came to your aid, and you heard Miguel let out a slight chuckle behind her. You shot him a serious glare and coughed a bit.
“What the hell was that?” You asked angrily, staring up at him from the floor.
“I’m not sure why that’s happening. You're wearing the wristband Margo gave you, right?”
“I have it,” You replied.
You reached into your suit, pulled out the wristband, and showed it to him. Miguel rolled his eyes and took a step closer to you. For a second, you thought about scooting away but decided against it. He took the wristband from you and held it for you to slide on.
“No, no, tsk. You have to wear it. It stops you from glitching,” He explained.
“Well, why didn’t she just say that? Is there any other freaky shit I should know about?” You asked and slipped on the wristband.
Miguel shook his head as he grabbed your hand and helped you to your feet. He was careful with you, but it felt like he was lifting a feather. The feeling of Miguel's warm hand and his strength as he lifted you with ease left a strange warm feeling in your stomach.
“Sometimes it gets a bit violent at the cafe when they run out of burgers,” Miguel joked.
You could hear a smile in his voice as he spoke, but you couldn’t see it. You wished you could.
“Ooo, we should get those after this,” Jess suggested.
“Sure. Is my body going to make it down the hallway?” You sassed Jess and crossed your arms.
Jess knew you didn't mean to back-talk her and were just joking about the awkward situation. Miguel, on the other hand, didn’t fully understand the fact you were kidding and felt a bit offended by the question.
“Your body is perfect,” Miguel replied plainly.
He regretted it as soon as it left his mouth. The words hung awkwardly in the air, and Jess did everything she could not to burst into a fit of laughter, but once you started giggling softly, there was no going back.
“Ay Coño,” He mumbled to himself.
Miguel flushed immediately and was grateful for his mask. Jess gave him two pats on the shoulder as he tried to regain his typical temper.
“As long as you keep this on, it will keep your body from trying to erase itself from our universe,” Miguel continued, keeping his flat tone.
“Jeez, that’s not frightening at all,” You said, nodding slowly.
