If you told Panthera from the first day that she met Miles Gonzalo Morales that he was the needy type of boyfriend, she would've called you a dirty liar to your face. The boy was antisocial as they came and looked like he would break out in hives if someone even hinted at getting too close to him (that wasn't his family, of course).
But nope.
As they became friends, she found that Miles welcomed her hugs and touch. When they finally got together (to the joy of Aaron and Rio), the boy forgot the meaning of personal space.
Don't get it twisted; Miles knew there was a time and a place for everything, and he didn't like many people in his business like that anyway. But... that doesn't mean he's not ready to pounce on his girlfriend when they finally have a bit more privacy. And Panthera was by no means a frosty lover. She doted and babied the Afro-Latino.
Kissing, hugging, and taking care of her man. And Miles loved it.
...though maybe a bit too much. Panthera unknowingly created a whiny, needy, and clingy monster.
And that fact became a daily reminder for her almost every time she and Miles were together.
Today, they decided to walk around the safer parts of Brooklyn as a little impromptu date. It was during the summer, so the couple had ample free time together. They had stopped by a corner store for some snacks, seeing how Panthera would be having dinner at the Morales residence later that evening. The girl had been in the mood for something cookie and cream-related and was delighted to find some Pocky sticks in the flavor she wanted. With some chips, a bit of chocolate, candy, and some drinks, Miles paid for their items, and they went to the park. After finding a clean bench, Miles sat down, pulling his girl into his lap. In the early stages of their relationship, Panthera would've put up a fight by trying to sit next to her boyfriend and not on him, but Miles proved to be very stubborn.
Now, she goes willingly, allowing the boy to curl around her and nuzzle her neck and shoulder.
The pair shared earbuds as they listened to music on Miles' phone. The young couple were listening to a shared playlist filled with love songs or songs that filled them with good vibes.
"i'm yours" by Isabel LaRosa echoed in Miles' head as he stared at his girlfriend.
This wasn't something uncommon for the boy to do. He couldn't help the fact that he had a literal angel for a girlfriend. Everything about her was just so pretty.
Her dark complexion that was nicely complemented by her dark blue camo dress. Her lovely long sunbleached locs, mostly tamed under a gray and blue silk beanie. The sound of her voice humming along to the beautifully haunting voice of the artist. Those gorgeous dark brown eyes lit up as she eagerly opened her box of Pocky sticks. Her glossy, plump lips wrapped around the treat-
Damn.
"Mami..." Panthera glanced over her shoulder at her boyfriend with a raised brow. She knew that tone. The "you've been ignoring me for too long, and I want some of your attention" tone. The girl finished chewing on the candy before addressing her lovesick boyfriend.
"Yes, Mi?" Miles wrapped his arms around his girl.
"Can I get one," he asked sweetly, leaning in close. Panthera stared back at him with an unimpressed glare. There were very rare occasions when the girl wasn't in the mood to share her favorite snacks, especially if she hadn't had them in a long time. This was one of those occasions, plus she knew that Miles was just using her snack as an excuse to get her attention.
She will not be fooled by those puppy dog eyes that made him even more cuter than he already was-
'Focus, Panthera.'
"C'mon, please," he whined, pouting a little. Panthera took out another stick, slipping it between her lips, staring pointedly at the Afro-Latino. Before she could turn away, Miles pulled her flush against his chest.
"Don't be mean, mami... lemme get a taste," Miles smirked, leaning in to take the remaining end of the stick that poked out of the stunned girl's mouth. With a soft kiss to her lips, Miles bit down on the treat before pulling away with a satisfied grin.
"Sweet, just like you," he said as he licked his lips. He could taste the cookies and cream from the candy and the blackberry flavor of Panthera's gloss. Panthera blushed, trying to brush off his sudden move with an eye roll.
"You had enough, Mi? So I can go back to my snack," she asked. Miles chuckled, leaning in for another kiss.
"I could never get enough of you, mi dulce gatita. And I think it tastes better if you share, don't you think?" Panthera felt her initial annoyance wane as she felt her boyfriend's plush lips against hers.
She created a lovesick fiend... and part of her can't be mad or annoyed at this.
His Sunshine in The Darkness: A Love Birthed From Blood
Bro, I'm not even going to hold y'all. Just writing this took a lot of me, I had to chuck this day by day. But finally, FINALLY, I present to you all Part 3 of His Sunshine in The Darkness.
Yandere!Miles42 still gives me extreme brainrot and I've been mentally jumping ahead to the part where Panthera finally finds out everything (that's part 4 and I haven't even started it yet. That part might be the shortest of them all and I'm still debating a Part 5). But I have to try to pace this out (not the greatest at it but I try).
Enough of my blabbering, on with the story!
Here are Parts 1 and 2 if you missed them.
Warnings: Blood, Death (Murder), Yandere tendancies (?), Suggestive themes (nothing crazy, I promise), Cursing
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It all started on a chilly Friday in February. It was a week shy of Valentine's Day, and the school was abuzz about the upcoming holiday. Miles would roll his eyes about it as if he wasn't sporting a black eye due to a fight he got into yesterday over a cute purple and black panda plushie (he saw the stuffed animal first, damn it) to gift to Panthera on the holiday (amongst other things...)
The boy was minding his business in study hall, which was luckily the last class of the day, determined to finish his homework until his ears picked up a familiar name. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to find his two "homeboys" chatting.
"Aye, Andre, what do you think of that Panthera girl," Jamal asked. Andre, in return, raised a brow, noting the flustered look on his face.
"That weird, quiet girl from creative writing class? I mean, she aight, but she nothin' special," Andre said with a shrug. Miles felt his eye twitch at the clear dismissal of his girl. Jamal smacked his lips out of annoyance.
"You only sayin' that 'cause you prefer yo girls high maintenance 'nd shit," he scowled. Andre gave another shrug.
"So? Panthera's cute, but she ain't no bad bitch like Jasmine or Monique. Why you even asking about shorty anyway," Andre breezily asked. Miles could see the sheepish grin on Jamal's face and tighten the grip on his pencil.
"I'm thinking of asking baby girl to be my Valentine to be real..." Andre snorted.
"Be so fuckin' for real, bro. Weren't you talkin' to Beatrice just last week?" Jamal scoffed, shoving his friend.
"Nigga, shut the fuck up. I thought I was interested until I found out she was only talking to me to ask about Miles..." The Afro-Latino rolled his eyes. He knew who they were referring to and wouldn't touch the girl with a ten-foot pole. The girl thinks it's fun to collect niggas' hearts like Pokemon, and he's definitely not interested.
"So why Panthera? The girl is weird. Her hair looks like she's been without a retwist for two months, plus it makes her seem more like a nigga than a female. She barely interact with anyone outside of class. She speaks a weird language sometimes. She's named after a literal animal, for Christ's sake! Don't know what her parents were thinkin' when they named her. What about her seem to grab you by the balls, bruh?" Jamal, and Miles, gave Andre the evil eye.
"Mad disrespectful. I think her hair makes her unique. I know she takes care of it, or it wouldn't look as long and thick as it does. And her having locs doesn't make her look like a nigga. And I'm fine with quiet girls. That means she's not caught up in the rachet bullshit that goes on at school. She actually told me that it was the language of her grandfather from some African country. It's unique, which I think is pretty cool. And her name is pretty, don't be a dick. You might notice some really nice girls here if you stop letting these hoes come up in your face. I'm tryna find me a little boo, not someone to post flicks on the gram and then maybe lead into a one-night stand. Panthera could be the one for me." Miles was a smidge appreciative to hear Jamal come to Panthera's defense, but he still didn't like him.
He liked HIS girl. Miles can not let that slide.
"Tch, whatever you say. I can't help you with your lil crush, but I bet we know someone who can. Ayo, Miles!" Miles did his best to keep his face neutral as he turned to face his "friends."
"What's good," he said. Andre smirked, nodding to Jamal.
"Jamal here is thinking of asking Panthera to be his Valentine. You two are friends, right? Maybe you could help a brother out."
"Joder no." Jamal and Andre blinked at the Afro-Latino.
"Uhhh, come again," Jamal asked. Miles shrugged.
"I said I don't know," he lied. Jamal's eyes pleaded with the boy.
"C'mon bro, is there anything you know she may like? I kinda wanna impress her..." Tawny brown eyes narrowed in annoyance.
Miles knows a lot of things that Panthera likes.
Her favorite chocolate and ice cream were cookies and cream. Her top five favorite movies were "Spirit: The Stallion of the Cimarron," "Princess and the Frog," "Finding Forrester," "Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge" (and "The Return of Cooler"), and "Wall-E." Her favorite flowers were sunflowers, hibiscus, and roses. While she wasn't crazy about fashion, she loved some nice or cool-looking jewelry (as long as she could afford it). She loves art, finding comfort in her sketchbook or with her canvases. One of her treasured items was her iPod, filled with various playlists for her moods. Her two favorite games were Temple Run and Fruit Ninja. She loves basketball and can play the sport (his uncle had a good ass laugh watching her wipe the floor with Miles). She likes boxing and even helps Miles with his workouts. Her favorite colors were black, gold, silver, purple, green, and red. She loves canines and wild cats but has a soft spot for pandas. She loves to watch the sunset or the sunrise to watch the sky explode into a series of colors. She likes stargazing and getting lost in the vast night sky.
Miles could write a book about her if he wanted to. But that information is for him and him alone.
"Maybe Miles doesn't want to tell you because he likes her himself," Andre said with a shit-eating grin. Jamal blinked before narrowing his eyes at the Afro-Latino.
Jamal didn't have anything against Miles. He felt bad for what happened to his dad and even attended the funeral. When greeting him, Miles' eyes seem thousands of miles away from here. He heard his heartfelt speech about his dad and how he felt sympathy for him when he was nothing but a wreck of tears. Of course, that same day, he saw Panthera.
Now, it wasn't the first time he noticed her. But that day, it was impossible not to notice her. From her attire, her speech, the song she sang...
Jamal thought she was so beautiful.
He saw Miles sought for her comfort during the service and even where they laid the Police Captain to rest. Jamal thought it was sweet for her to be there for the grieving boy.
That's when Jamal's crush really started. He was excited to share at least two classes with her that year: creative writing and music.
And to be able to sit next to her in their creative writing class?
Jamal thought God was finally blessing him...
...only he could never get his mouth to work and talk to her.
They only had a handful of conversations, and they were in February. Besides, calling them "conversations" was Jamal being generous. Unless Jamal could wriggle in some small talk (which Panthera didn't seem to be a fan of), their conversation would be strictly on the assignment given by the teacher. The boy tried talking to other girls to get his mind off the beauty, but it never worked. None of the girls were really into him like that, and a good majority were only using him to learn about Miles, which pissed him off more than he liked to admit.
What did Miles Morales have that he didn't? Yeah, he didn't have an accent or that effortless mysterious, bad-boy vibe Miles started giving off this year, but it's not like he was anyone special.
The one person he wanted to like him was being hoarded by the guy almost every girl in their grade wanted.
He can't take this shit anymore.
"Ain't no way Panthera would like him like that," Jamal huffed. Miles glared at him.
"What is that supposed to mean," Miles asked quietly, tawny brown eyes meeting near black ones. Jamal scoffed, his jealousy bubbling to a boiling point.
"You've known Panthera for how long 'nd you mean to tell me y'all still not togetha? She probably just pities yo sorry ass. You were the awkward kid mid-freshman year who she just happened to notice. 'Oh woe is me; I lost my daddy to gang violence.' Big fuckin' whoop, my guy. Ain't no way someone like her would ever like crybaby bitch like-ACK!" Jamal's rant was cut off by a sudden hand wrapped tightly around his throat. Fearful dark eyes met menacing light ones.
"Like what, bro," Miles asked quietly. The two boys were nose-to-nose in a silent stare-down. Miles could feel Jamal's pulse fluttering under his fingertips like a frightened caged bird. It made the darker side of him purr in delight.
"I-I..." Jamal couldn't get his words out. Even if Miles' hand wasn't wrapped around his windpipe, the dark promise in his eyes would've still rendered him mute.
"Thought so. This is your only warning, Jackson: Don't let me catch your sorry ass talking to Panthera. You know nothing about our relationship and what she means to me," Miles mumbled, never taking his eyes off his prey. He moved his lips to Jamal's ear, whispering menacingly,
"Panthera's my girl. Always was and always will be. I'm not afraid of getting rid of anyone looking to come between me and her... and that's not just a threat. It's a fucking promise..." Miles shoved the boy away just as the bell rang, walking out of the still classroom without turning back. Still in shock over what happened, their classmates slowly filtered out of the room. Jamal gave a few ragged coughs, half-heartedly accepting Andre's help.
"Damn, he got you good," Andre mumbled as he held Jamal up. When he decided to be a little shit on purpose, he didn't expect Miles to lash the way he did. Miles wasn't going for a fight or anything, as if he knew the outcome.
Jamal shoved Andre back, irritated.
"Ion care what that nigga say, he thinks he big and bad and what he says goes. Nah, Imma try to see if I can ask Panthera out today just to show that fuck nigga he wrong," Jamal hissed, grabbing his bag. Andre stared after his friend with an eye roll, grabbing his stuff and jogging after him.
He wanted front-row seats to this, after all.
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Panthera was shifting through her locker, grabbing the necessary materials for her homework, and placing the material she finished during her classes that day. The girl had her headphones on, humming along to a new song she discovered as she did this. Once she was sure she had everything, she shut her locker.
Only to jump at the sight of Jamal leaning on the locker next to hers. Panthera pulled her headphones off from her ears to rest around her neck.
"Hey, Jamal," Panthera greeted softly, her brows furrowed in confusion. Jamal willed his heart to calm down at the cute expression on his crush's face.
"Hey, beautiful," Jamal said with a flirty grin. He watched as Panthera's cute eyes grew a fraction wider.
"Bast, what happened to your neck?!" He let out a soft hiss when the light touch of Panthera's fingertips brushed against the rapidly forming bruises on his neck. He caught her hand with his, silently hoping his grin didn't transform into a grimace.
"Nothing you should worry your pretty little head about, but I appreciate the concern, sweetness. I got a question for you, though..." Panthera narrowed her eyes briefly, eyeing her hand in his, before meeting his gaze.
"...shoot," she said.
"You busy the night before Valentine's Day, princess? I would love to take you out on a date," Jamal said, feeling bold enough to kiss the palm of her hand.
Panthera blinked.
"You would love to do what now?" Jamal chuckled.
"I said-" Panthera shook her head.
"No, no... I heard you... I guess my real question is why. We barely speak outside of class."
'And that's on purpose...' she thought.
"I always admire you from afar. I'd figured now would be a good opportunity... so how 'bout it, baby girl?" Panthera sized up the boy for a few moments before shaking her head.
"I'm sorry, Jamal, but I'm gonna have to decline. I don't see you like that," Panthera sighed, freeing her hand. Just as the girl was ready to walk away, she felt a hand grab her shoulder.
"C'mon ma, just one date, I promise," Jamal pleaded. Panthera let out a long-suffering sigh.
"Bast, give me strength... if it keeps you from following me home. Fine," Panthera huffed. Jamal gave her a boyish smile, hugging the girl. Panthera let out a confused squeak at the sudden action and was released.
"I promise you won't regret it, Panthera. Meet me at the flower garden near the park at 7, alright?" Panthera gave a nod, watching as Jamal walked up to his homeboy. She shook her head, turning on her heel to walk to the school entrance, only to run face-first into Miles' chest. A steady hand found the girl's waist to hold her up.
"Easy there, gatita..." A soft flush colored Panthera's cheeks at the soft rumble of Miles' voice.
"H-Hey Mi," she said, looking up into his eyes. Miles nuzzled her hair.
"I've been waiting for you. What was taking you so long," he mumbled against her forehead. Panthera let out a tired chuckle.
"Looks like I got a date with Jamal next week." Panthera had her face buried in his chest, which prevented her from seeing the dark smile on Miles' face before it faded into a softer one.
"You don't sound too excited about that," he teased. Panthera looked up at him with a pout.
"I'm kinda not, but I'm not trying to be followed home until I say yes." Miles smirked, gently bumping his nose with hers.
"Hey, if anything happens, you could always hit me up. You know I'll do everything possible to bring that beautiful smile onto that sweet face." Panthera giggled, playfully shoving him.
"Mi! Stop flirting with me. My damn face hurts!" Miles chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he and Panthera walked out of the school building. Miles sent a quick text as they walked before asking his little kitten about her day.
Elsewhere at a corner store, Jamal's phone buzzed with a new message. It was from an unknown number with a single phrase.
Unknown: Bet.
"Ayo, c'mon bro. You found everything," Andre asked. Jamal mentally shook his head, turning to his bro.
"Y-Yeah. Let's go."
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It was the eve of Valentine's Day. The days flew by much quicker than Jamal anticipated, but he felt ready for tonight.
It was 6:30 PM. Jamal sat on a marble bench in the middle of the flower garden. He was dressed in his freshly ironed white button-down shirt, the nicest jeans he owned, and his white Air Forces. He got a haircut yesterday, helping his newly twisted hair pop. A simple Cuban chain hung around his neck, and his nicest watch was on his wrist. He wore his favorite cologne for the finishing touch.
Beside him were a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a cute Valentine's stuffed bear, and a bouquet of purple and light pink roses.
'God, I hope she likes this. I really want her to like me... wait, what's that noise?' The sound of footsteps approaching caused his heart to quiver in excitement. A glance at his watch let the boy know it was 6:37. The young teen scrambled to his feet, holding the bouquet. Jamal could hear those footsteps getting closer, just about to round the corner to the space he was waiting.
He prepared his best smile to greet his date.
"Hey Panthera, you're ear-" The person standing in front of him wasn't Panthera.
Neon-purple lights lit up the garden surrounding them. The person wore a mechanical mask over their face, narrow white slits making up their eyes. Jamal noticed the spray-painted symbol on the person's chest and the sleek metal claw on their arm when the person's identity finally clicked in his mind.
"Y... You're the Prowler," Jamal whispered. A distorted, deep chuckle escaped the person's throat.
"You sound disappointed... expecting someone else," the Prowler asked rhetorically, approaching the frightened teen. Jamal tried to keep his distance as his mind raced.
Why was the Prowler here out of all places? Everyone knows about his reputation as a vigilante, though it was always wise to stay out of his way. Jamal picked a safe place when he planned this date; it didn't make sense for one of Brooklyn's notorious boogeymen to be here-
"Y-Yeah, actually... I-I have a date, so if you d-don't mind. S-she should be here soon..." The vigilante paused for a moment.
"Oh, I know..." Jamal's blood ran cold.
"Wha-ACK!" Before he could even ask what he meant by that, He felt the wind being knocked out of him. Jamal wasn't sure what was happening until searing hot pain shot through the boy's nervous system. Dark eyes looked down to find razor-sharp claws embedded in his abdomen. A firm, gloved hand gripped his jaw, focusing Jamal's teary and terrified gaze on the soulless white glare.
"W-Why," the boy whimpered, blood bubbling from his throat and spilling over his quivering lips. The Prowler didn't answer him, simply staring at Jamal.
Until the mask automatically pulled back. Jamal's lungs choked on his breath.
"M-Miles...?" The Afro-Latino smirked down at his "friend."
"I told you... Panthera's mine. I'm not afraid to take out those who try to take her away from me. Since you refused to listen..." Miles reactivated his mask, removing his claws from the gushing wound. He slowly trailed the bloody tips up the heaving chest before wrapping around the healing handprint he had left nearly a week ago.
"I'm just gonna have to make an example out of you. For anyone foolish enough to try come after what's mine." Jamal wanted to scream. Yell at the boy that he was crazy and that Panthera would never look at him the same way ever again if she found out. But before Jamal could utter a word, Miles swiftly broke his neck.
Those white digital eyes watched as the light faded from those dark eyes before dropping the body. Miles grabbed his phone to check the time.
6:43.
Good. He had plenty of time to leave so he could clean up before Panthera would call him. Luckily, one of the hideouts he and his uncle used wasn't too far away. The young vigilante darted into the night, leaving his victim to bleed out in the garden alone.
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It was 7:02, and Panthera had finally arrived at the flower garden entrance. She would be the first to admit she wasn't crazy eager for this date.
Mainly because she didn't see Jamal like that. But also because she had to deal with the headache of trying to find a nice outfit for the first real date in her life. When she got home from school last week, she immediately went online to find something to wear, already knowing she wasn't gonna find a real outfit in her closet.
It took her ages to find something she liked, seeing how most of the outfits showed too much for her liking. Like she would have to be careful if she needed to pick up something too much.
But she found her ideal dress. She paired it with her silver angel wing necklace and matching earrings. She had delicate silver rings decorating her right hand. White gladiator sandals covered her feet to complete her look. For her hair, she opted for a half-up-half-down situation with a single loc in front to frame her face. She even went ahead to do a bit of makeup. Not much, since she wasn't looking to impress this boy. Just something light. Some brows, mascara, and some mauve-tinted lip oil.
She liked the look she created, only wished she didn't go through all this effort for a guy who she barely looked at twice.
'Welp, at least I look cute for my first, and probably last, date of my life...'
The girl shook her head at the fledging thought. Many people might deem her a "Negative Nancy," but she's calling it how she sees it. No dude at their school would look at her twice. She's heard the whispers and the jokes.
"Would you sleep with Gabriella with no condom on... or go on a date with Panthera?"
"I rather risk catching something than be seen with a girl who is mistaken as nigga outside her uniform any day of the week."
If the girl wasn't secure about who she was as a person, those comments might have hurt her. From Panthera's point of view, those who say ignorant shit like that don't deserve her, and seeing the many sides that make up Panthera Stevens.
Only one guy thus far has seen her for who she is and hasn't shied away from her. And that's her best friend and ever-growing crush, Miles.
When did those feelings start becoming apparent? If Panthera had to take a guess, it would be the night she kissed him. The domestic atmosphere never left the two, from her feeding him in the kitchen with his arms around her to watching the boy snuggle up against her, seeking her out in his sleep.
Everything about that boy was just so endearing to her. Even as they started the school year and Miles gained more popularity amongst their classmates, especially the female population, he would still seek her out for moments of reprieve.
He would always seek after her.
Panthera sighed as she walked through the garden, searching for the center.
If only he asked her out instead of Jamal. Panthera knew she could just come clean to him and see what happened, but damn it. She wanted to be courted.
According to her father, she would be a princess in the land of their ancestors. Was it wrong of her to want to be treated as such?
The girl sighed as the center of the garden came into sight. She was on a date with Jamal, not Miles. The very least she could do was try to give the boy a fair shot...
As she got closer, she immediately felt something was off. Firstly, there was no Jamal in sight. The garden was quiet except for the occasional chirp from the crickets. She double-checked her phone, noting that the time was 7:05. The boy should be here by now...
Cautiously, she explored a bit deeper, looking for anything amiss...
And then it hit her.
Just barely hidden under the natural perfume of the flowers was a sharp metallic smell. A smell Panthera was very familiar with.
Blood.
The girl froze, eyes narrowing as she tried to take in her surroundings to find anything amiss. Nothing. With a shaky hand, she reached into her bag to grab her phone. Jamal had input his number earlier that day so she could call or text him if she ran late or anything of the sort. The girl wasn't looking to use it, seeing how it meant the boy would have her number, but she had to call to see where he was.
Maybe to change the location of their meet-up. Something. Anything.
She hit the call button, bringing the phone to her ear as she heard the line ringing. Quickly, a phone rang to her right, a little beyond a bush. The girl prayed silently that the boy probably dropped his phone as she stepped along the stone pavement to where she could hear the phone ringing in time with her call.
Her heart stopped at what she saw.
The boy looked back at her with lifeless eyes as he lay in his own pool of blood. The roses he had bought were now stained red, along with the pavement underneath him. His neck was twisted in her direction, seeming broken as his lips were parted with a single streak of blood coming from the corner.
With numb fingers, she ended the call with Jamal and dialed 911.
"911, what's your emergency?"
"Yes, hello... I-I... I would like to report a murder..."
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Miles had just finished thoroughly cleaning his claws when his phone rang at 7:29. The boy smiled as he heard the sound of Juice WRLD's voice.
Panthera was calling him.
He answered after the second ring, putting the phone on speaker as he got dressed.
"Hey, gatita. How's your date," he greeted. He could hear the sound of police sirens and people talking in the background.
"M-Miles... can... can you come and get me, please? S-Something happened..." The boy expected the tremor in his little beloved's voice, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt his heart to hear it.
"Of course, Panthera. Where are you now," he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"T-The garden... by the p-park..." Confirming that he'll be there in a few minutes, he hung up. Grabbing his jacket and slipping on his Jordans, Miles was out the door.
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Panthera sat a little ways away from the crime scene, knee anxiously bouncing. The girl knew this was a common occurrence in their city, but she seriously wasn't expecting this.
After the police took her statement, they pretty much left her alone. That's when the girl called Miles, not feeling mentally sound to be alone. Her stiff posture finally relaxed when she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her.
"Hey, gatita," Miles softly said as the girl curled against his chest. He allowed her to use him to find the comfort she sought, rubbing her back soothingly.
"He's dead," Panthera said flatly as she clung to her best friend. Miles looked down at her, "rightfully," confused by what she meant.
"Jamal... he... he's dead... I found his body," Panthera mumbled. Miles squeezed her closer, kissing her forehead. He could feel the tension ease out of her body as he held her.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Panthera..." Panthera pulled back to find worried tawny eyes staring back at her.
"Can... can I go home with you? Baba isn't gonna be home for a few days... and I don't wanna be by myself..." A kind smile spread on Miles' face.
"Of course, muñeca. As a matter of fact, let's make a date," Miles suggested as he pulled her up to stand alongside him. He chuckled at the confused look on his little kitten's face.
"C'mon, Panthera, let me bring that beautiful smile onto that gorgeous face like I promised. You went through hell tonight. It's the least I could do. Especially when you look so beautiful in your new pretty dress," Miles coaxed, tugging the girl closer by the waist. He watched in mild amusement as she hid her cheeks behind her hands, looking away from him.
"Okay, okay, you flirty menace. Take me somewhere," Panthera relented. Miles smiled, kissing her hand as he tugged her away from the crime scene.
Just as Miles planned.
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It was 9:10, and the pair sat on the rooftop of Miles' apartment. To Panthera's pleasant surprise, Miles had ordered from her favorite restaurant, making sure to get her usual order of a full rack of baby back ribs, lemon pepper fries, and mashed potatoes, and arranged for them to have a little candle-lit dinner in the familiar warm atmosphere of his home. Miles refused to stop complimenting the girl, watching on fondly as the girl blushed and giggled at his comments.
After eating, the pair made their way to the rooftop, where they chatted and gazed out their city.
"You really have no right being this beautiful, muñeca. I could bask in your beauty forever," Miles murmured lovingly as he traced small hearts on Panthera's shoulder. The girl flushed, fidgeting with one of the rings on her hand.
"Miiiiiii, stop," the girl whined, the heat in her face making the girl lightheaded. A light chuckle brushed against her eardrum, eliciting a small shiver. Miles leaned in to kiss a warm cheek, wrapping his arms around his girl.
"Nah, you're too cute when you blush," he teased. Panthera slapped his chest in retaliation, but there wasn't a lot of force for it to hurt. Miles chuckled, taking ahold of her hand as he stood up. Panthera's confused gaze was met with a boyish grin.
"Dance with me, gatita," Miles whispered, tugging her closer. Panthera gave him a shy smile.
"Okay... what song do you have in mind," she asked. Miles whipped out his phone in a quick, decisive fashion, quickly going through his playlist before finding the song he wanted and cranking the volume up.
Panthera felt her face flush more as she recognized the beat. It was the ringtone Miles had set for her, but she never heard it longer than a few seconds. As she wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist, she listened to the lyrics.
"...Really think I found my home,
Shorty make me feel at home...
She made me leave the thrills at home,
And I'm fine with it..."
"This is a nice song. I love it," Panthera whispered, looking into those tawny brown eyes that always seemed to hold a special kind of warmth for just her. Miles rested his forehead against Panthera's, content with drowning in her dark eyes and the lyrics.
"I'm glad. It's how I see you," Miles whispered, watching Panthera's eyes flutter with an innocent blink, the same one she does whenever she's confused or curious.
"There's love at my front door, short notice,
You're not like the same girls I notice...
Think I met my soul mate,
Yeah, I know it...
When it gets dark outside,
In you I confide...
You help me face my demons,
I won't hide, hide...
Girls like you are hard to find,
I hope you don't mind...
If I give you the time of your life, life, life..."
"Miles..." "Shhh... just be with me in this moment, hermosa..."
As the song continued the play, the pair continued to dance on the rooftop. The boy couldn't take his eyes off the beauty in his arms, often twirling her under his arm to get that sweet smile he oh-so-loved. Miles loved how Panthera fitted in his arms.
How right it felt to hold her in such a way.
It felt like two puzzle pieces fitting together.
Deep down in his heart, he knew he had found his soulmate, his other half, his person.
"...Now that you're here,
I want nothing to change...
You pick me up when I'm down,
I need you around...
You seen me through my darkest times,
Girl, is there something that you try to find?
You brought meaning to my life,
All because of you, I do right..."
Panthera found herself in a trance. She could only acknowledge those brown eyes staring into her soul and the prancing of her heart.
With the song filling the space between them and her being wrapped in the loving warmth of Miles' arms...
Panthera felt like she was home.
"...We're just two lost souls,
But we're fine with it..."
With the last lyric fading into the beat of the song, the pair stood in place, swaying gently.
"Panthera?" Dark eyes fluttered open to find a lighter pair staring at her. She smiled.
"Yes?" Miles felt his knees weaken a bit, the weight in his pant pocket becoming more apparent.
"There's something I wanna ask you," Miles said slowly, pulling away a bit to hold both her hands in his. Panthera's brows pinched closer together as she gave a slow nod. Miles took a deep breath.
"I always looked back at freshmen year fondly. Being a new kid during the middle of the school year wasn't something I was happy about, especially since I managed to crush on a super pretty girl in several of my classes, and I had no idea how to approach her. But she turned out to be much bolder than I could ever be and sat next to me in art class to ask if we could be friends. Her smile reminded me of the sun; I just wanted to stay in its warmth forever. Our friendship was something I would always cherish because she always saw me for me and wanted me just as I was. My parents loved her to the point that they saw her as a daughter. My uncle had basically adopted her years ago and was ecstatic to have her back in his life again. She brought something special to my life..." Panthera could feel her heart thundering in her chest. The heat from her cheeks chased away the chill of the cool night air.
But she didn't dare take her eyes off the boy standing before her.
"Even during my life's darkest point, she shone bright as the sun. Wrapping me in the warmth of her loving arms, smile, and heart. She never left my side. Before papá died, he... he told me how she would be good for me. That she would take care of my heart the same way mamá did his; he would've loved to see the two of us get together. I already know mamá y tio having been dying for us to get together... and to be honest, gatita... I've been wanting to ask you this for a long time. Ever since the night of my dad's party, when we both said we loved each other..." Panthera watched with bated breath as Miles lowered himself on a single knee. He released one of her hands to grab the black box in his pocket.
"Panthera Genesis Stevens, I've had a crush on you even before our first conversation, which only grew with each day I've spent with you. While I always loved you as a friend, I knew my heart saw you as something more. The night of the party, I wasn't confessing my love as a friend but as someone who dreamt about being called yours, where I could show off that I had the heart of a literal angel in my possession. I would love nothing more than to shower you with love, affection, respect, comradery, protection, devotion, and dedication every day for the rest of our lives. That one day, I'll find myself in this very position again to ask you to become my Mrs. Morales. Where one day, we'll wear matching rings and be known as husband and wife. But for now, I ask you this... Panthera, mi vida, mi ángel, la reina de mi corazon, will you be my girlfriend?" Miles slowly opened the box, revealing the ring inside.
Panthera stared at the boy with teary eyes, her free hand holding an overheated cheek. But Miles could see the happiness in her sparkling eyes and her smile.
"Yes, Miles... I would love to become your girlfriend..." The stars couldn't rival the brightness in the boy's smile. Unable to contain himself, he quickly stood up, picking up the girl to spin her around. Panthera's joyful laughter was music to his ears.
"MI! I'm getting dizzy," she shrieked, clinging to the boy. Miles chuckled, slowing them to a stop before setting her down. Miles took ahold of her left hand with a smile, slipping the ring onto her ring finger. He watched fondly at his girlfriend's cute expression of awe.
"It's so beautiful," she murmured, lightly trancing over their names. Miles grinned, tilting her chin up so she could meet his gaze.
"Anything for you, mami," he said, squeezing her close. Panthera gave him a shy smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Kiss me, Papi," she asked. Miles inhaled sharply. His hands found her waist, squeezing down briefly.
'Mio dio...'
"Ask me again, gatita," Miles whispered, his tone reminded Panthera of a man starved. Their lips were just an inch apart, teasing the both of them, but they knew that Miles wasn't gonna close the distance until she asked. A canine tooth wore down on the glossy bottom lip as one small hand slithered down the boy's neck to rest over his erratic heart.
"Please, Miles... kiss me..." Who was Miles Morales to deny such a pretty, pretty plea?
Their first kiss was only witnessed by the celestial bodies from up above.
It was the start of something beautiful...
...and the birth of something deadly.
-----------------------
"Miles?" It was the next week. Valentine's Day weekend was a weekend Panthera would never forget. Miles had spent the weekend at her place, and the two spent the next two days inside, per Panthera's request. And boy, was she spoiled.
Her favorite chocolate? Miles got it.
The cute purple and black stuffed panda she named Milo in honor of her new boyfriend? Miles bought it (and fought for it, she came to find out).
Her favorite flowers sitting in a pretty vase in her room? Miles.
Her feet hurt? She would find her feet propped up on her boyfriend's lap, his steady hands working out the tense soles.
She wanted to watch one of her favorite movies? She would find herself lying on Miles' chest under a blanket with the said movie playing on the screen.
She wanted a scalp massage? Her boyfriend's gentle fingers would massage circles throughout the roots of her locs.
She was craving something? Miles already got a delivery app open.
Those were just a few examples. Panthera truly enjoyed herself (and enjoyed covering a lovesick Miles in kisses).
It was now Monday morning, and Panthera was just about to leave to head to school when she opened her door to find Miles standing on the other side, hand raised to knock.
"Good morning, gatita," Miles purred, kissing his girl's cheek. Panthera blushed, playfully pushing the boy away.
"It's too early for you to make me blush like this. What are you doing here," she chuckled. Miles cocked his head at her.
"I'm here to pick up my wife so we can walk to school together." Panthera would deny the deepening blush if you asked her. Miles laughed when the girl smacked his shoulder.
"Mi! What did I just say?!" Miles raised his hands in surrender despite the mischievous glint in his eyes. When he kissed Panthera's lips, he wasn't pushed away.
"Sorry, gatita," he said, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend's waist. As much as Panthera tried, she couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"Fine, I forgive you. And good morning to you too, handsome," she said, nuzzling his chest.
"Ready to go," he asked. The girl nodded, locking the door before the pair headed to school.
The walk was peaceful enough, and when they got to school, they arrived early enough to where there weren't a lot of people there. Which Panthera was grateful for, knowing the day was going to be a tense one.
Someone literally died. And she was the one who found his body.
Plus, she got into a relationship with her best friend/crush literally that same night? With his promise ring on her finger?
Yeah, she knows she's about to be a hot topic for a while...
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours," Miles mumbled in her ear. The young couple was sitting on one of the many benches that could be found in the school's courtyard. Miles, ever the needy one, had the girl in his lap. Panthera fiddled with her ring.
"Just all the attention I'm about to get today... I'm not looking forward to it," she weakly chuckled. Miles tilted her head towards him so she could look into his eyes.
"Try not to stress over it, mi amor. Remember, I'm with you, Panthera. Always..." The girl smiled, kissing her boyfriend's cheek.
"Thank you, sithandwa sam..."
-----------------------
When the school day officially started, and just as Panthera expected, everyone was staring at her. And they were nowhere near subtle about it. Her keen ears could pick their whispers.
'...she was suppose to go out with him that night...'
'...she found his body...'
'...where did she get that ring...'
The situation wasn't much better when Miles picked her up from her math class to go to art together. The kiss on her cheek was enough to enrage the female population of their grade.
If Panthera didn't love him, she probably would've killed him for that stunt. Because now every girl in her classes was giving her the evil eye.
She's just trying to exist. Is that too much to ask for?
"Hey, Panthera." The answer was yes; it was too much to ask for.
Trying to keep the annoyed look off her face, Panthera looked up from her textbook to find Beatrice James looking down at her.
Beatrice was a rather pretty girl: sun-kissed golden skin, cloudy gray eyes, long black curly hair. She was only taller than Panthera by two inches, but she always found a way to look down at the quiet girl.
It wasn't a surprise to find Beatrice in front of her. While Panthera wasn't in drama, she certainly heard about it. So, she was well aware that the girl demanding her attention wasn't pleased about her relationship status change with Miles.
"Good afternoon, Beatrice. How can I help you," Panthera replied monotonelessly. Beatrice placed her manicured hands on either side of Panthera's desk, leaning into the girl's space.
"Don't play coy with me, Stevens. Is it true?" Panthera simply raised a brow at the girl's attempt to look menacing.
The girl literally had death stare at her dead in the face. Besides, if Beatrice were to put her hands on her, Panthera's hands were rated E for Everyone. She was trained to fight, even trained to kill if necessary. If this girl thought she could scare her, she clearly doesn't know Panthera well.
"Gonna have to be a little more specific in what you're referring to," she drawled. She did her best to suppress a smirk at the subtle twitch in Beatrice's left eye.
"Are. You. Dating. Miles." The girl was practically spitting venom at this point. Not that Panthera was particularly concerned or anything: quite the opposite, matter of fact. Something about having the guy that was unattainable to others was a bit of a power trip. While she knew wearing the promise ring was a recipe for trouble... she was proud of her relationship with Miles. She belonged to him just as much as he belonged to her.
"Why? Looking to get an invite to the wedding," Panthera taunted. Beatrice's face steadily turned red; if they were in a cartoon setting, Panthera was 100% sure that steam would be coming from her ears.
"You little-" Beatrice was suddenly cut off by Panthera's hand suddenly thrust in her face. Her ring-cladded hand.
She could clearly make out Miles and Panthera's names engraved on the metal, their birthstone sparkling in her face.
"Does this answer your pointless question?" 'Oh, this bitch...'
Panthera yelped when she pulled out of her seat, feeling the slight burn sensation erupt on her cheek.
'Oh, is that what we're doing? Bet, hoe.'
Panthera growled, the sound a little more animalistic than human. It was enough to give Beatrice pause and give Panthera the opening to return the favor with a punch to the nose. The satisfying feeling of bone meeting bone made Panthera smirk.
"You bitch," she shrieked, going to scratch Panthera's face again. Two small hands wrapped Beatrice's wrists, grip ironclad. Panthera yanked her towards her, her knee connecting to Beatrice's stomach. Beatrice doubled over with a pained gasp. The girl didn't have time to react before Panthera grabbed her arm and flipped her on her back, her head hitting the floor hard.
Panthera glared down at the girl; blood trickled down her cheek. The girl pressed a foot against Beatrice's chest, looming over the dazed girl.
"I'm not some doormat for you to walk over, Bea. I suggest you learn that," Panthera said softly. Beatrice, stunned, didn't utter a word. Panthera finally tuned in, hearing the teacher yelling at her to get off the "poor girl" and go to the front office. The girl simply rolled her eyes, grabbing her bag and walking out.
She suspected that she was probably gonna get suspended or something. Visions didn't tolerate fighting on school grounds, no matter the reason. Not like Panthera cared; she was ahead of her classwork.
Beatrice was sent to the nurse before being sent to the office. Panthera was glaring sightlessly as she was being reprimanded, her eyes only narrowing when she caught sight of Beatrice. Said girl shivered at the cold look in those dark eyes, opting to sit two seats away from the obvious predator in the room. Panthera fought back a smirk while listening to the principal drone on about her punishment. Her dad was "out of town," but he put her umalume as an emergency contact just in case anything happened to her. So he was called in for a quick conference, and she would go home with him.
Less than thirty minutes later, Aaron appeared in the office. Panthera couldn't help but smile at the sight of him.
"Umalume!" The man stumbled back a step when Panthera rammed into him, her arms coming around his waist as she nuzzled his chest. The older man chuckled, squeezing the girl briefly.
"Mr. Davis." The older man made eye contact with the principal with a raised brow. The man didn't partially care for Mrs. Manson until today. He was a bit confused when he received a call from the school. At first, he thought it was about Miles, which to him would still be strange because if the boy were to get into trouble (if he wanted to risk the chance of the wrath of the infamous chancla), they would've reached out to Rio first.
But no, it was about his little niece.
Hearing that Panthera got into a fight struck the man as odd. As far as he can recall, Panthera was a rather passive individual. He knew Eric taught the girl how to fight; that man was adamant about his little girl's safety. But he knew that knowledge was supposed to be used to protect herself.
He knew his little cub wouldn't get into a fight for shits and giggles.
"Mrs. Manson," he greeted curtly.
"Mr. Davis, since you're Ms. Stevens' emergency contact, I hope you'll pass this along to her father when you can. Ms. Stevens will be suspended externally for a week for fighting and injuring Ms. James." Aaron balked at the woman before training his eyes on the other girl in the room. He could see the bandage over the girl's nose and the ice pack she was holding to her head.
"Ms. James sustained bruises on her stomach and back as well as a broken nose and swelling to the back of her head," Mrs. Manson informed. Aaron looked down at Panthera, finding deep scratches on her left cheek. The man narrowed his eyes at the dried blood.
"Any reason why you didn't send my niece to get her cheek bandaged," he drawled, his voice rough around the edges. Mrs. Manson didn't miss a beat.
"Panthera is a big girl, she could handle a small scratch-"
"Nah, you see, that's where you lost me. Those nails on that other girl are literal weapons. Matter fact, who struck who first," Aaron laughed mirthlessly.
"I don't see how that's relevant-"
"Lady, I'm giving you a second chance to answer my question. Don't expect a third." The older woman looked at Aaron with slight unease, eyes quickly scanning him for any possible weapons. She cleared her throat.
"It was Ms. James-"
"And how long is she suspended for?" Mrs. Manson did her best not to wither under the sharp gaze of Aaron Davis.
"Three days internal suspension-"
"Enough said. Fine, suspend my niece over a petty fight that she didn't even start and got no treatment for while this little girl gets coddled because her daddy got money to fund this place. Panthera, let's go." The girl already had her bag in hand, following the man out the door.
"The nerve of that wrinkly, heartless white bitch, the fuckin' favoritism in this damn place is disgusting. I'm gonna need a fuckin' smoke after that," Aaron grumbled angrily, speed-walking off the school hallways.
"Umalume! Slow down! My legs aren't as long as yours!" Aaron paused, remembering about his little niece. He turned to embrace the girl once she caught up, taking her by surprise.
"Umalume?"
"Sorry, lil cub. You didn't deserve to be caught up in some bullshit by some nigga's spoiled brat that led you to get kicked out temporarily..." Panthera noted the sad look in her uncle's eyes before nuzzling him.
"It's alright, umalume. I expected today to be eventful... but it's okay! I'm still ahead of my classes, and I have some extra days off from school... that is, if I'm not in trouble..." Aaron chuckled, squeezing the small girl.
"Of course not. I know how you are and how your ol' man raised ya. Whatever that girl did mostly deserved it. Matter fact, what did she do?" Panthera nibbled on her lip.
She and Miles had planned to tell Aaron and Rio about their newfound relationship... just not like this.
Just before she could answer, her stomach grumbled loudly. Aaron raised an amused brow.
"Didn't have lunch yet," she mumbled. She always got hungry at least an hour before lunchtime. Aaron laughed, throwing an arm around the girl's shoulders as they walked off to where he parked his motorcycle.
"C'mon then. Let's clean up that wound, and then we can talk this over some burgers and milkshakes. My treat."
-----------------------
Miles was sitting in the cafeteria with some of his "homeboys" with a bored look on his face. He actually got there first in hopes of him and Panthera sitting together, but the guys found him first. He was half listening to what they were saying, something about Jamal's death and other random shit he didn't care for, all while looking for his precious girlfriend.
But the girl was nowhere in sight. He glanced at his phone, finding no new messages from her, and let out an irritated sigh. It wasn't like his precious gatita to ignore him...
"Yo, ain't that Beatrice walking up to us? She looks like hell," Kieran whistled. Logan chuckled.
"Haven't you heard? She got her ass beat by one of the girls last period. That one chick with the dreads. She was supposed to go out with Jamal the night he died, forgot her name..." That got Miles' attention.
"Panthera," he offered, finally turning his attention to the group.
"Yeah, her! Actually, it had to do with her relationship with-"
"Hey Miles~" 'Oh for fuck sake...'
"I'm a little busy, Beatrice," Miles said with a dismissive wave. The girl narrowed her eyes.
"But Milesssss, I need to talk to you! It's important," she whined, leaning dramatically on his shoulder. Miles could feel his eye twitch at the contact, shrugging the girl off.
"I said I'm busy-"
"Busy talking about that brute you call a girlfriend?" Miles froze before slowly turning his head to face the girl.
"Excuse me," he said. He finally took note of the girl's bandaged nose and slightly disheveled appearance. He could slightly see the change of colors peeking out of the bandage.
"Panthera's your girlfriend, isn't she," she asked rhetorically. The other boys focused on the duo, silently eager for more details.
"Damn straight she is, but she's no brute," Miles scoffed. Beatrice pouted.
"She nearly cracked my skull in the middle of class! All because I asked if you two were dating. It's not a good look for you to be with such a loose cannon, Miles. Especially with her seemingly violent family." Tawny brown eyes glared into gray ones.
"First of all, Panthera would never fight anybody without someone giving her a reason to, so I already know you're bullshitting me on a few details there. Second of all, what the fuck do you mean by that," Miles asked, his accent becoming thicker the angrier he got. Beatrice continued to try to play into her innocent act.
"The principal called her uncle into the office to let him know that Panthera has external suspension and she's supposed to be sent home immediately. The man looked as if he was gonna murder Mrs. Manson! He had the nerve to defend Panthera as if she didn't beat me up so viciously. My stomach and back are gonna be bruised for weeks!"
Panthera's uncle... Uncle Aaron.
So, not only is she talking shit about his girl, but she talking about his uncle too?
Miles chuckled. Everyone at the table looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Yo bro, what about that is funny? Beatrice got hurt, and Mrs. Manson was threatened," Logan asked, slightly unnerved.
"So you expect me to fully believe in a girl who basically used other guys as she pleased and wanted me to be her next conquest over a girl I've known ever since I came to this damn school? You want me to believe a girl who is talking shit about my girlfriend but my uncle too? Are you so fucking serious?" Everyone blinked.
"You're dating your cousin or something," Andre asked after being silent most of this time. Miles stared at him blankly.
"No, cabrón. My uncle knew Panthera and her dad ever since they moved to Brooklyn. He's basically an uncle figure to her. My uncle is my dad's brother. As for you-" Miles returned his gaze to Beatrice, who looked a little shocked.
"Hop off my dick and find another to ride. I don't like you and will never like you, perra de dos caras. You already managed to get my baby suspended and disrespected her and my uncle. Lo juro por Dios, if I hear you continue to start some shit about her-" Miles paused, forcing himself to breathe. He simply glared at the group and walked off.
He had a phone call to make...
-----------------------
"IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!" Forget the cigarette; this was the best news Aaron had heard all day.
"Umalume! Not so loud," Panthera scolded as a few patrons turned to look in their direction, though the effect was lost thanks to her flushed face. Aaron playfully cooed, pinching one of her cheeks.
"D'awww, no need to be shy, little cub. I'm just happy for two of my favorite people," Aaron chuckled. Panthera swatted his hand away, looking away bashfully.
"You said my nephew bought you a ring? Lemme see the bling, girl!" Holding out her left hand, Panthera allowed the older man to inspect the metal band on her finger. Aaron whistled in appreciation.
"On the left ring finger, too, haha. Panthera, you sure Miles asked you to be his girlfriend and not his fiancée?" The older man cackled when his niece smacked his arm, her blush worsening.
"You're horrible," she said with a pout. Panthera took a sip of her milkshake in a futile attempt to help her cool down as she waited for Aaron to pull himself together.
Miles wasn't kidding when he said Aaron would be eager to hear they were finally together. She could only imagine how Rio would react...
"You can't blame me for my reaction, lil cub. Do you know how down bad my nephew has been for you? I swear that boy had heart eyes every time he saw you. Jeff, Rio, and I have been dying, waiting for you guys to finally come clean to each other and tell us the good news." Panthera's eyes softened as Aaron mentioned Jefferson. It's been months since he passed, and to think on his death bed, he basically gave Miles his blessings for a potential relationship with her filled the girl's heart with warmth.
"Well, now I know, thanks," she grumbled. Aaron smiled good-naturedly at her, taking a bite out of his burger.
"Soooooo, how long have you guys been together," he asked. Panthera took her time nibbling on her fry.
"Not long, just a few days... I was actually supposed to be on a date with someone else when Miles asked me..." The raised brow silently prompted the girl to elaborate.
"His name was Jamal, Jamal Jackson. He and I had creative writing and music class together. Almost a week before Valentine's Day, he asked me out the night before Valentine's. At first, I told him no since I didn't see him like that, but he was very persistent. So I said yes... the night I was supposed to go out with him..." Aaron frowned, not liking the nervous expression on Panthera's face.
"What? Fool stood you up or something," he asked as he casually sipped his shake. If her answer was yes, then he clearly had another person on his shit list-
"He was murdered." Aaron blinked. Once. Then twice. And then...
"He was what?" Panthera sighed.
"He was murdered, umalume. I found his dead body. He... he had claw marks in his abdomen, and his neck was broken..." A frown tugged on his lips.
'Claw marks, huh?'
"I'm sorry you had to witness that, lil cub... you okay?" Panthera gave him a weak smile.
"I'm fine, umalume. After I called 911 and the police took my statement, I called Miles, and he took me on a date to take my mind off it. He asked me to be his girlfriend on the rooftop of his apartment." Aaron nodded.
"At least something good came out of it. I'm just gonna take a wild shot in the dark and guess that your fight with that James girl was over your relationship with my nephew." Panthera scoffed.
"Yeah..." Another person on his shit list next to Mrs. Manson.
"No need to pay that crazy little girl any mind, lil cub. I know that Miles loves you more than life itself. That boy is not going anywhere-" Aaron was interrupted by Panthera's ringing from a FaceTime call. Aaron didn't recognize the artist by a long shot, but just by the small snippet, it definitely fits his nephew's cheesy, lovey-dovey nature.
Panthera blushed, silently telling him to shut up with a glare before answering the FaceTime call.
"Mamiiiiii," Miles whined. Panthera hid her smile behind a hand, doing her best not to laugh.
"Hey there, Papi," she cooed, snickering at the pout on the boy's usual passive face.
"Don't you 'hey there, Papi' me. Why you ain't tell me you're not in school anymore? Left me all by my lonesome with this bum ass niggas and clingy ass hoes," Miles pouted. The boy was looking forward to holding his girlfriend while she sat in his lap while he stole some kisses. Only to find out he's gonna be without her for a whole fucking week, the boy pissed-
"Not like I had time between getting suspended and getting lunch with umalume. He knew better not to let me go hungry," Panthera sassed. Both males knew how scary or cold the girl could get when she didn't eat.
"Fair- wait a damn minute... what happened to your cheek," Miles asked with narrowed eyes. Panthera let out a nervous laugh.
"Nothing, just a small scratch," she tried to wave it off, but Aaron wasn't having it. Kissing his teeth, he snatched the girl's phone. Miles regarded his uncle with a raised brow.
"Tío?" Aaron used one hand to hold Panthera's wrists so she couldn't get her phone back as he answered his nephew's unspoken question.
"Yo Miles, you know some girl by the last name James? Lightskin, dark curly hair, gray eyes, with some long ass nails that might as well be literal weapons. 'Cause apparently, she was bold enough to use them on Panthera," Aaron asked. Miles blinked at his uncle before letting out a curse.
"That two-timing spoiled bit-"
"Miles, focus." The boy took a breath to cool down his anger.
"Yeah, I do, unfortunately. The puta had the nerve to come up to me during class pretending to "look out for my well-being" by telling me that Panthera's a loose cannon and a brute and how "dangerous" her family could be to me." Aaron raised a brow.
"What was that last comment supposed to mean?" Miles shrugged.
"Something about you condoning Panthera's violent behavior and threatening the principal." Aaron chuckled. Miles knew that chuckle and smirked.
"Ah, so little Ms. James is an actress, okay then. And that old hoe was testing my patience. That little girl had a lesser punishment despite starting this mess first." Miles froze, eyes narrowing.
Panthera frowned, deciding she was done hearing about the two women who seemed to have it out for her.
"Can we change the subject? And can I have my hands back, umalume?" Aaron chuckled, releasing her wrists with a smirk.
"Sooooo... a little birdy told me you off the market, Miles," Aaron started. Miles groaned.
"Mio dio, tío. Don't start." Aaron laughed.
"Oh boy, just wait 'til your mother hears about this. She gonna end throwing a party in y'all's honor."
"Umalume!"
"Tío!"
-----------------------
Needless to say, after school, when everyone was in the Morales' residence, Rio was told the news.
At least more than half the neighbors heard her shout of joy—much to Panthera and Miles' fond embarrassment.
-----------------------
Beatrice was pissed. Livid. Utterly incensed.
Despite getting rid of her rival for a week and smearing Panthera's name for all it was worth (which, according to Beatrice, wasn't worth much), she still didn't have the boy she wanted.
Beatrice would be the first to admit that she wasn't looking at Miles Morales twice in the beginning. He seemed to be like the quiet nerd. A cute one, but still not someone she would really give the time of day to.
Then, junior year started, and Miles returned as a changed person.
He had grown a couple more inches since she last saw him during the summer from the funeral. He lost the rest of the baby fat that lingered on his cheeks from their sophomore year. He buffed up a bit, not crazily so, but his lithe form had more muscle than what she remembered. His accent was much more pronounced. He seemed to lose that shy nerd vibe and took on what could be a bad-boy vibe.
Miles Morales became the most desirable boy in their grade, and Beatrice wanted him. She would flirt with any boy she saw hanging around him for more than a week in hopes of gaining some intel on Miles' type.
That turned out to be much more difficult to gain. Miles doesn't talk about his personal interests with the boys, and he gives no real reaction to girls who flirt with him. Beatrice briefly entertained the idea that he might be closeted because how come some of the prettiest girls in their class only get a blank stare and single-word responses from the boy while others would break their necks and ankles to look and chase them?
Then she thought that maybe Miles could possibly have a girlfriend. It almost sounded just crazy as the gay theory because Beatrice had never seen him interact with another girl like that.
Or so she thought.
She finally remembered Panthera Stevens when she saw her and Miles walking to one of their classes together. She remembered always seeing them together in the halls when Miles first got transferred to Visions Academy. She was Miles's first and perhaps the only friend for a long time. The sight of them together now shouldn't have struck her as unusual, but it did. The boy was holding one of her books and was smiling at her—and not just any smile.
It was one of those "Damn, I love her" smiles. One of those "I'm down bad" smiles. One of those "Where have you been all my life" smiles.
At first, Beatrice thought she was reading too deep into it. Panthera was... well... unique. And she didn't mean that in a nice way.
There was nothing eye-catching about the girl's appearance per se. She had regular dark brown eyes, dark skin, and wore her hair in locs. The girl stuck out because she was so plain-looking. Seeing her wear makeup to school or even having her nails done was incredibly rare. Plus, she was one of the only girls who would even wear her natural hair.
What did Miles see in her that he didn't see in any of them?
Beatrice couldn't wrap her head around it, which pissed her off.
And apparently, Miles wasn't the only one. Jamal Jackson seemed to harbor a crush on the quiet girl and even went as far as to ask her out. It was like a miracle because finally, someone could get the one obstacle to Miles out of the way, and one of the girls, preferably Beatrice, could get with Miles.
The day for their date came...
Panthera found Jamal's body.
And now a promise ring could be found on Panthera's ring finger, with Miles' name on the metal band.
Panthera Stevens became a hot topic overnight, and Beatrice has had it. She wanted to ruin the girl.
So she started a little rumor that Panthera killed Jamal so she could be with Miles; no other guy was feeling Panthera in the first place. Why would anyone date a murderer?
Now Beatrice doesn't really know if Panthera killed Jamal or not, but if people choose to believe it, who was she to correct them?
This should appall Miles so much that he had to break up with her.
Only... it didn't pan out that way.
It was Friday, and the murder was all anyone could talk about. A lot of people thought it made sense. With word about Panthera's fight with Beatrice and her (and Miles, shockingly) uncle's not-so-subtle threat to Mrs. Manson already circulating, it added some "validity" to the rumor. Beatrice couldn't help but feel pleased with herself. When Panthera returned next week on Monday, she would virtually become an outcast in their class. The attention of it all would eventually be too much for Miles, and he'll break up with her.
And Beatrice would be right there, ready to console him.
To celebrate, Beatrice went out with some of her friends for a night out.
The girls went out for a night of dancing and flirting with a few older dudes. Beatrice may have had a drink or two, but that was no one's business but her own. The girl called a car service to take her home safely since walking in the devil's playground at night while tipsy might as well be a death sentence. Beatrice called one of her friends, Jasmine, to let her know she got home safely. As the girl was chopping it up on the phone and fumbling around in her mini purse for her keys, she had no idea that white digital eyes were watching her.
Finally finding her keys, Beatrice opened her front door and stepped inside. Beatrice shut the door behind her, completely forgetting to lock it, before walking further into her house. Quickly and silently, the figure entered through the front door, quietly stalking the girl in the shadows of her own home.
"Whew, girl! I'm so glad to be home; my feet are killing me," Beatrice said as she kicked off her heels. The figure watched as Beatrice laughed at something Jasmine said.
"Girl, even when I get with Miles, Imma still make time for my girls. What are you even talking about?! Just because I'm in a relationship don't mean I can't have fun," the girl giggled. Jasmine said something more, and Beatrice rolled her eyes.
"Girl, whatever, bye." Beatrice walked into her room with a yawn. The girl would love to crash in bed and call it a night, but unless she wants her face to look like that back of a Crunch bar, then she better-
White digital eyes met her eyes in her full-view mirror. She could feel her heart freeze in her chest, her blood slowing to a crawl as the cold brush of fear caressed her spine. It was like all the alcohol that was buzzing in her system was fizzled out.
"W-who... who are you?" The mask the person was wearing lit up, neon purple lights flooded her room. Only one entity would light up the night with those colors.
"P-Prowler..." A distorted chuckle filled the quiet room.
"So you are smart, aren't you, Beatrice?" The girl let out a soft whimper.
"How d-do y-you-" The question died on her lips as she felt a gloved hand grip her waist and a clawed hand around her neck. The Prowler lowered his head, almost resting it on her shoulder.
"Such a smart girl, but yet you decided to make the stupidest decision you could've ever made," the Prowler cooed mockingly.
"W-what are y-you even t-talking about?" Beatrice watched as the mask pulled back, revealing the cold eyes of Miles Morales.
"M-Mil-"
"I fucking warned you, Beatrice." The girl hissed when the hand on her waist tightened roughly.
"I told you not to start shit about my baby, and what do you do?" The tips of Miles' claw began to dig into her skin.
"You accuse mi dulce ángel inocente of murder?" Beatrice's chest began to rise and fall faster and faster with each breath.
"I-I-I'm sor-" Beatrice was whirled around to face the boy, a sneer tugging on his lips.
"Way too late for a sorry, puta. You all must've thought I was joking when I said not to test me. I guess Jamal wasn't a good enough example..." Gray eyes widened, and Miles smirked down at her as the look of horrified realization could be found in them. His clawed hand caressed her cheek, the tips leaving bloody streams behind.
"Maybe you'll be a better one. And trust me, I'm gonna take my time with you, Beatrice. You'll have my attention, just like you always wanted..."
-----------------------
It was roughly 1 AM when Miles finally leaves Beatrice's house. Just as he locked the door behind him, his burner phone began to ring.
"Yo, you took care of her," Aaron's distorted voice filtered through the line. Miles smirked; the memory of stuffing the girl's heart in her mouth as she bled out was gruesomely poetic.
"Eat your heart out, puta."
To Miles' it was a fitting end for the girl—a vain, selfish heartbreaker who got what was coming to her.
"Yup, you took care of her," Miles asked. Aaron chuckled.
"Oh, most definitely," Aaron said, smirking at the sight of Grace Manson's hanging dead body. Her heart lay in a puddle of blood beneath her feet.
"Thanks, Unc."
"Of course, I would do anything for you two."
-----------------------
The next morning felt like a fever dream. Panthera woke up that Saturday morning to watch the news, trying to see if there was any news on Jamal's murder...
...only to find out that Beatrice and Mrs. Manson were dead. Found by their families.
Their hearts were ripped out.
There were no signs of forced entry and no evidence.
The only thing that tied the murders together was how close the times of death were, meaning these murders had to be coordinated.
It was cold, calculated, and clean. While Panthera was annoyed about the whole ordeal from Monday, she wouldn't want the two people who put her in this position dead.
The girl nearly detached herself from reality, the key word being nearly. It was at that exact moment Miles called. It wasn't unusual for him to call when he woke up, and he was a welcome distraction. While she tried to hide her nerves, her boyfriend could hear the slight tremor in her voice. Plus, the rustling in the background.
Whenever she's stressed or upset, Panthera is known to stress-clean. Miles knows she saw the news, which had shaken her up pretty badly. He knew she would've been mentally spiraling alone if he hadn't spent the weekend over at her place for Valentine's Day. Deciding not to let his little kitten go through this alone, he just kept talking to her over the phone as he got ready to head to her place.
The boy used the apartment key Eric gave him to silently enter the home. Panthera was talking about a father-daughter date she and her dad had planned when he comes back later that week, so she was thoroughly distracted. Listening closely, it sounded like she was in her bathroom. With a small smile, he entered the apartment, her room, and the adjacent bathroom. Panthera's back was facing him as she reorganized her shower. Quietly, he snuck up on his girl before looping his arms around her waist.
As expected, Panthera let out a surprise squeal. What wasn't expected was the hard stomp on his foot and the headbutt to his face.
"AH! Gatita, calm down! It's me!" Panthera paused her attack at her boyfriend's voice, turning to find the boy holding his nose.
"Mi! I'm so sorry, but you shouldn't have scared me like that! There's a bloody killer, for Bast's sake!" The girl fussed over her man, checking to see if she may have caused any bleeding. Miles chuckled, holding her wrists.
"My apologies, mami. I wanted to see you to make sure you're okay, which I know you're not, so don't even try to deny it." Panthera sighed, getting on her toes to kiss the bridge of Miles' nose. She allowed herself to be picked up and toted to her bed. Miles sat down, maneuvering her so she would be straddling his lap.
"Talk to me, mi amor. I'm here for you..." Panthera pecked his lips before nuzzling his neck.
"It's just that... I know this city has gotten darker after... well, you know. And I've been trained by my Baba to handle myself if need be, but I know it would be out of self-defensive. It would be my life or theirs... I could even understand if the person was terrible and needed to be taken out, but this..." Panthera shuddered. Miles kissed her forehead, gently rubbing her back.
Silence befell the couple for a few moments before Panthera spoke up again.
"Did you know my grandfather was murdered?" Miles grimaced. Panthera didn't notice this, forging ahead.
"My utatomkhulu, N'Jobu, was a prince in his country. But he did bad things. He smuggled some precious materials out of the country and moved here. Most of the material he sold to a man off the black market, but the rest he kept hidden away. He met my Baba's mother, and they had him. Unfortunately, she died not too long after my Baba was born. It was just the two of them. Until one night, Baba was outside playing basketball with his friends. It wasn't until he looked up at the sky and saw a ship that was similar to the ones he heard in stories. He was excited that maybe our family from our homeland was coming for them, and he ran back to the apartment. That's where he found utatomkhulu's body, lying in a pool of blood. He had claw marks embedded in his chest. My Baba was left alone before he was even a teenager..."
Miles nuzzled his face in her hair, holding her as tight as he could.
So this was what Aaron meant.
"Boy! I outta smack the shit outta you! You impaled the nigga and left the body for her to find?! Did you not think about how it might impact her? Do you not know her fuckin' family history?!"
When Aaron blew up on him for killing Jamal, he thought it was because he left behind the body. Turns out, it had less to do with Jamal and more to do with Panthera. When Miles showed clear confusion over what his uncle was talking about, the man calmed down.
"So she didn't tell you yet... Look, it's not my story to tell, Miles... just know murder is something her family is familiar with. Especially if it seems senseless.."
"Oh, gatita, I'm so sorry that your family had to go through that..." Panthera finally looked up, finding sorrowful eyes staring back at her. She offered a weak smile.
"I'm gonna be okay, love. I'm just happy that you're here with me." Miles smiled softly, caressing her cheek.
"I'll always be here for you, Panthera. Always..." Miles leaned in, kissing those soft lips he loved so much. A soft sigh escaped the girl's lungs. Her arms found their way around Miles' neck as she pressed closer. Panthera didn't change out of her sleepwear before Miles showed up, which the boy was glad for. The girl's pajamas leave little to imagination, as she preferred crop tops, tube tops, comfy short shorts, or little night dresses to sleep in. Only a brown crop top and brown cheetah print covered her body, meaning access to soft dark skin.
A soft moan left Panthera's mouth as she felt her boyfriend's hands massage her thighs. The small calluses that decorated his fingertips and palms felt good against her soft skin. Miles suckled on her bottom lip, earning a sweet little whimper.
"Miles," Panthera whispered, arching against the boy. He let out an inquisitive hum.
"¿Qué pasa, mi dulce ángel?" Miles started spreading kisses to her chin, jaw, cheeks...
"Just... need a second..." Miles nodded, burying his face in her neck. He could feel her pulse fluttering under his lips as he pressed a kiss there.
"Love you so much, mami," he mumbled against the soft skin, his hands rubbing her waist and hips. The girl let out a shy giggle, playing with his braids.
"I love you too, Papi..."
-----------------------
Time passed.
Panthera returned to school, doing her best to ignore the stares from her classmates. Miles had informed her that Beatrice had been spreading the rumor that she had killed Jamal before Beatrice herself was killed. At least she had the weekend to mentally prepare for the amount of eyes trying to flay her skin from her bones.
The students started moving on within a few weeks, much to her and her boyfriend's relief.
Despite the investigations, no clues or evidence that could lead to the killers could be found. Though Panthera doubts they'll ever be solved, the NYPD hasn't been the greatest at their jobs since Jeff died. If her life was on the line, the police would be the last people she would reach out to.
Funerals were had. Tears were shed. Life moves on.
Luckily, no one else was killed. The principal was replaced, and soon junior year was over.
Summer went off without a hitch. With school over, Miles could spend more time with his little girlfriend, much to his evident delight. With all the funds he saved up, he was able to spoil his baby a bit more.
Date nights, gifts, flowers, clothes, whatever he thought she would like, whatever she wanted, and whatever he thought would look good on her. He always loved the cute little surprised expression on her face whenever he gifted her something or where he took her somewhere new.
"Miles, you didn't have-"
"Shhh, I want to, mami. You deserve all this and more..."
Panthera was reluctant to accept a lot of the gifts, mainly because she's not used to getting "just because" gifts that look so nice. Not that her dad doesn't spoil her when he could, but she never expects it nor asks. She was content as long she had the presence of the person she loved. But soon, she felt comfortable wearing a lot of the stuff her boyfriend had got her, mainly the jewelry. Mainly the necklaces with his name on them or the name earrings (pleasing the possessive and obsessive side of his brain.)
Of course, that attracted the attention of some would-be thieves on one of her late-night walks.
Granted, the girl usually wore her necklaces under her hoodie, but she was a bit more spaced out than usual that night. She fiddled with the key-shaped necklace with Miles' name on it; her fingers tracing the letters of her boyfriend's name was the only thing anchoring her.
Her mind was replaying the last few months. As traumatic as it was, she was also happy. She was in a loving relationship with a sweet, handsome, clingy, strong, and protective Afro-Latino. She had a loving maternal figure for the first time in her life. She was reunited with the man she saw as an uncle.
She was happy...
But she couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen... and for the life of her, she's not even sure what it could be.
Maybe she was overthinking-
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" 'Oh, for Bast's sake...'
Panthera turned, finding three men staring down at her. The ringleader smirked at her.
"Lost, little girl?" Dark eyes narrowed.
"Not little." The men laughed.
"Fiesty, I like her, Rando," The guy on the left said. Rando looked Panthera up and down with gleaming eyes.
"You not the only one..."
"What do you want," Panthera hissed, glancing at the trio. Rando stepped closer with a disarming smile.
"Me and my boys couldn't help but notice that you were by your lonesome and wanted to see if maybe you needed some company..."
"Not necessary, fellas. Now, if you'll excuse me-" Before Panthera could even take a step away, Rando trapped her arm. Large fingers studied the key charm around her necklace.
"Pretty necklace you got there. Your boyfriend got it for you?" Panthera sneered.
"Yes, not like it's any of your business-" Panthera hissed when the chain of her necklace dug into her skin as Rando pulled at it.
"I'm making it my business, little girl. A necklace like this probably didn't come cheap. It would be a shame if you-OOF!" Taking advantage of her free arm, Panthera quickly punched Rando's abdomen. Feeling the grip on her arm loosens, the girl jumped back, eyes narrowed as she glared the three men down. Rando returned it with one of his own, a sneer tugging on his lips.
"You little bitch. I'm gonna make you regret that." A wicked grin spread on Panthera's lips.
"I would love to see you try."
-----------------------
It has been some time since Panthera had been in a fight. Her dad was gone a little more frequently recently, so she didn't train often. Yeah, she trains with Miles and Aaron, but she knows they were pulling their punches because they didn't want to hurt her.
These men didn't know they chose the right one on the wrong day.
Rando's accomplices were out cold; one was shot since he wanted to be big and bad and shoot at her first. The sound of the man's pained scream when her bullet struck true into his shoulder, was music to her ears.
Now, it was just Rando and her. Bruises were already starting to form on the girl's body, but she learned to ignore the pain. The girl spat out a glob of blood as she stared down the older guy.
"C'mon Rando, I thought I was gonna regret messing with you," she taunted, bouncing on her feet. Rando snarled, trying to appear intimidating, but the girl could see the fear in his eyes.
"You got a death wish?" Panthera grinned; the sight was enough to unnerve the would-be thief.
"No more than you do." Panthera didn't hesitate to rush forward, more than ready to finish this and go home when pain erupted in her back. A scream ripped through her vocal cords as she faltered in her pursuit. The girl glanced over to find the same man who shot at her earlier aiming his gun at her with a smirk. Before Panthera could do anything, two arms wrapped around her in a vice grip—one around her neck and one around her waist. A wince slipped through her teeth as the arm around her neck tightened.
"Why not you take a little nap, yea? When you sleep off all data the aggression, maybe you could make it up to me and my homeboys for all the trouble you caused." The girl could feel something poking at her lower back and started thrashing, clawing at the arm that was quickly taking her oxygen supply.
She refused to let these guys take advantage of her. She won't allow-
"Let her go." Everyone froze, all eyes trained on the masked newcomer among them. Said mask flickered on, purple lights lighting up the dark alley. Rando quickly released her, backing up from the vigilante.
"A-Aye, easy man. We don't want n-no problems..." The newcomer cocked his head.
"Well, ain't that a shame." Rando didn't even have time to question what he meant as the vigilante slammed him against the nearest wall. The Prowler glanced over his shoulder. White digital eyes met with wide brown ones.
"E-Easy there, Prowler... I-I didn't know that w-was your girl. I-It won't happen again," Rando stammered. The masked being chuckled.
"I know it won't... because you wouldn't be around to attempt such a stupid thing." The soft whirl of the mechanisms and gears was the only sound heard as the Prowler unleashed his claws. Before he could tear into the older man, a loud yell came behind him.
"LOOK OUT!" The vigilante was able to duck, narrowly avoiding the bullet. Rando, however, wasn't so lucky. The man slumped to the ground, a bullet hole found in his neck. Rando let out a pitiful gurgle as his own blood choked the life out of him. The Prowler slowly turned to find the trembling figure on the dirty alleyway floor staring at him with fearful eyes.
"Ballsy, aren't you," the Prowler drawled, fingers flexing in his metal claw.
"I-I-I-" The man didn't get the chance to formulate a response when another gunshot rang out. The Prowler stared at the bullet hole marring the man's forehead before slowly turning to find Panthera holding her gun, albeit with shaky hands.
"Coldblooded, don't you think?" Panthera let out a shaky laugh, the adrenaline pumping in her veins.
"It was either him or us. I'm sure you know how that is." He does, but the vigilante doesn't voice his confirmation. Panthera met the soulless eyes of Brooklyn's shadowy anti-hero. Before she could say anything, she felt her body sway, unable to hold her weight. Before she could hit the ground, two strong arms held her up against a solid chest.
"Hey, stay with me. Keep those pretty eyes open for me. I'm going to help you." Despite the disoriented, gravelly voice of the Prowler rumbling in her ears, Panthera felt oddly comforted by him. She struggled to stay awake as the masked vigilante gently set her on the ground.
She didn't protest when the vigilante lifted her hoodie and shirt to reveal her wound. All she could do was lay there as the Prowler fussed over her.
It kinda of reminded her of her boyfriend whenever she was going through the first two days of her period, where the girl would be dying in bed until her cramps and bleeding lessened. Miles is always so sweet and attentive to her, always looking out for her and taking care of her.
She missed her boyfriend; she just wanted to be wrapped in his arms and sleep...
"Aye, wake up, pretty girl. I'm almost done. Don't close your eyes, stay with me..." Panthera blinked blearily at the vigilante.
"Mmm... s..so tired," she mumbled. The girl obviously couldn't see the nervous panic on the guy's face, but she could faintly hear it in his voice.
"I know you are, but you gotta stay awake. I need to take you somewhere safe. It's not far from here. Just stay awake." The girl could feel herself being lifted up, cradled against the Prowler's chest before he took off running. Panthera felt the fatigue and bruising pain sing from the marrow of his bones; her own eyelids felt like two-ton weights.
"J...just five minutes," she whispered, laxing in the vigilante's grip, despite it tightening on her.
"No, no, no! W...up! P... Damn....!" The Prowler's panicked shouts were the last thing Panthera heard before her world went black.
-----------------------
"Will she be okay?" Aaron turned when he heard the small voice of his nephew. When Aaron received an SOS signal from his nephew, he was worried he may have gotten injured while on patrol. When he arrived at one of their secret warehouses, he quickly realized it wasn't him who needed treatment but his precious niece. The man was no medical professional, but he knew his way around bullet wounds and other injuries, seeing how it comes with the job, unfortunately.
He had just finished wrapping Panthera's abdomen where her bullet wound lay. Thankfully, there was an exit point (he would hate to try to dig around his niece's internal organs for the piece of metal), and it didn't touch any vital organs. If he hadn't tended to her when he did, they would've lost her due to blood loss. Aaron turned back to the unconscious girl to tend to the bruises on her body.
"She'll survive the night, Miles. Don't worry," Aaron said gently. He felt arms wrap around his torso, tears wetting the back of his shirt.
"Thank you, tío. I-I-It means a lot..." Aaron's heart seized at the tone of his nephew's voice. The relief tinged with the undeniable tremble of fear. The girl was more loved than she would ever begin to understand. They all did, Miles especially. He knew how deeply Miles loved Panthera, scarily so.
Aaron didn't want to know what would happen to the boy if the girl was no longer with them. It would shatter him. Hell, it would break him and Rio, too.
"Like I told you before, Miles, I would do anything for you two."
-----------------------
The next time Panthera woke up, it wasn't in her bed. Bleary dark eyes tried to take in her surroundings despite fatigue weighing down on her like a million bricks.
"W-Where..." Bits of her memory flashed in her mind. Rando. A gunshot. The Pr-
"Easy..." The distorted voice she faintly remembered mumbling words of comfort sounded in her ears. Squinting in the dark, she turned to find not only one but two pairs of white slits looking at her. She blinked slowly.
"W-who..." Before she could finish her question, the cool lip of a glass cup kissed her dry lips.
"Drink, you definitely need it," the taller man said. Not in any real shape to argue, Panthera took slow, measured sips of the water being given to her. She let out a soft, relieved sigh when she finished. Soon, something was placed in her lap.
"Eat," the shorter stated. She looked down to find scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, sausages, a cream cheese spread bagel, and fruit on a plate. She raised a brow at the duo before chuckling.
"Bossy," she teased before digging into her food. The two looked satisfied (at least she could assume they were; hard to tell with them wearing masks and all) before leaving her alone in the room. As the girl ate, she couldn't help but take in her surroundings. The bedroom was sparse, leaving no clues of any personality from the two Prowlers. At the very least, the room was clean, so it must be used quite a bit. She could see the dark skyline of the broken city she called home outside the barred window.
Finishing her food, she carefully set her plate on the dresser before approaching the window, staring out in silence.
"Finished?" Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as the younger Prowler approached her. She turned to face him as he stood less than a foot away.
"Thank you... for saving me." The Prowler cocked his head at this.
"I can't say I did much. If anything, I should be thanking you. You were the one who kept me from getting killed and finishing off the other guy," he replied. Panthera let out a soft chuckle, hugging the vigilante.
"And if you didn't show up when you did, those guys would've done unspeakable things to me," she whispered. Prowler froze for a few moments, carefully wrapping his arms around her. The two stood there for a bit, neither saying a word. Panthera knew she shouldn't feel so comfortable around the vigilante, but something about him felt safe.
Like she could trust that he would never hurt her.
That he would always protect her.
Panthera let out a sigh before pulling away. She returned her gaze to the city.
"I need to go home," she said. She overstayed her welcome and would love to crash in her own bed for a few more hours. She felt the Prowler take hold of her hand.
"I can take you," he offered. The girl pursued her lips in contemplation before giving a small nod. Hand in hand, the duo walked out of the bedroom and into the main room. The older Prowler was still there, seemingly cleaning his claws when he heard them.
"You taking her home," the man asked. The younger nodded. Giving the infamous vigilante a shy smile, the girl bowed her head.
"Thank you for taking care of me, sir. I wish you well..." The older Prowler gave a nod.
"Take care of yourself, little one."
-----------------------
Panthera isn't usually afraid of heights. She took gymnastics at one point. But she supposes it's different when you rely on someone else to catch you rather than yourself.
The girl didn't scream but couldn't help but cling to the vigilante's back like a baby koala as he jumped from building to building, occasionally using grappling wires to help bridge the gap. She provided him with her address to make it easier for him to find. Luckily for her and her stomach, the Prowler didn't take long to reach her apartment. The boy swung onto her fire escape, carefully setting her down.
"There, safe and sound," he said once she got her feet on the metal platform. The girl nodded, glancing at the vigilante through her lashes.
"Uh, yeah. Thank you for taking me home," she mumbled. She turned to her window, carefully pulling it up.
"You shouldn't be wandering the streets at night anymore. Too many dangers." The girl paused, glancing over her shoulder, regarding the Prowler with a raised brow.
"'Fraid I can't promise that. It's not my first time doing this; this hasn't been my first fight. Just the first time I got shot," she mumbled. The vigilante didn't like that answer, his eyes narrowing before letting out a sigh.
"Guess I'll just have to keep an eye on you..." The boy trailed off. Panthera immediately caught onto what he was silently asking for.
"Panthera." The Prowler nodded.
"I'll just keep an eye on you then, Panthera." The girl laughed before hugging the boy.
"I guess I could use more people who worry about my well-being. Especially if he's such an infamous figure in Brooklyn's underworld with a soft spot for me," she teased. She didn't need to see the guy's face to know he was blushing.
"I-uh..." Panthera laughed as she pulled away.
"Don't give yourself a stroke, I'm teasing. I'll see you around Prowler." The masked face nodded at her.
"Rest up, Panthera." The vigilante watched as the girl slipped through her window before disappearing in the fading darkness. The girl let out a loud yawn, blinking rapidly.
"Check wounds. Shower. Bed," she mumbled, mentally switching to autopilot. It's been a long night, and the girl wasn't in the mood to think about what happened. She fiddled with her necklace with a sigh.
Never had she ever thought her relationship with the boy she loved would cause her this much hell in such a short amount of time. But she wouldn't trade it for anything.
She wouldn't...
Shaking off that intrusive thought, she went through her mental checklist. Her digital clock read was 8:49 AM when she finally crashed into her bed and fell asleep.
-----------------------
"Mio dio! What happened?!" Panthera groaned into her pillow as she was awakened by a loud cry. She tried to roll over onto her back but almost rolled off her bed if not for the strong pair of arms catching her.
"Jesus, gatita, what happened to you..." Panthera blinked blearily. The blurry picture of her worried and terrified boyfriend finally comes into sharp focus. Her sleepy brain took a few seconds to realize a few things.
One, Rio and Miles were in her bedroom.
Two, she was just in her bra and panties since the tired girl couldn't be bothered to put on actual clothes.
Three, all her bruises and wrapped torso were on full display, emphasized by the bright sunlight streaming through her window.
And four, one thing's for sure and two things for certain: the Morales family was known to the biggest worrywarts and busybodies concerning their loved ones. Which was both beneficial and almost headache-inducing. Miles is most definitely Rio's son, from the accent down to the mother hen nature when it comes to her.
This was not something Panthera wanted to deal with this Saturday morning.
"Uh... buenos días Rio y Mi... ¿cómo están?" Rio and Miles looked nowhere near amused at the girl's poor attempt at deflection. Rio turned to her son with a hard look in her eyes.
"Mijo, set her down on the bed so I can take a look at her and go into the kitchen and see what you can make for her to eat for lunch. I'll pack a bag when I'm finished so she can spend a few nights with us." Panthera was about to protest but decided against it when a pair of green and tawny eyes glared at her.
"Si mamá," Miles replied, kissing the girl's forehead before setting her back down on her bed. Panthera sighed as she was left alone with the nurse, who proceeded to check her over.
"Now. I'm going to ask once, and I expect the honest truth from you, Mija. What happened to you," Rio asked as she looked over the girl's bruises.
"I went for a walk last night, and these three guys tried to rob me. I fought back and knocked two of them out, but one of them woke up and shot at me before I could finish the leader. Using my moment of weakness, the leader tried to choke me out and threaten that he and his friends were gonna rape me..." Rio stared worriedly at the girl as she robotically told her tale.
"That didn't happen, though, because the Prowler came and saved me." Rio rose a brow at this. She was aware of the vigilante that roamed Brooklyn's nightlife. He was something of a Robin Hood figure, albeit a dangerous one. To think this shadowy figure helped the girl she considered as a daughter eased her a bit.
"And I'm assuming he had something to do with why your injuries are healing nicely," she asked lightheartedly. The bullet wound was thoroughly cleaned and nicely wrapped; her bruises didn't look so bad either. Though Rio wanted to keep a close eye on her futura nuera to ensure she healed properly.
"Uh, I don't think so. It seems the old Prowler is his mentor? He probably would have a better understanding of bullet wounds and stuff, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was the one that took care of me." Panthera wasn't too sure what to make of the duo. The Prowler was a name that was feared in Brooklyn. While the vigilante isn't known to harm civilians, like any other Brooklyn underworld figure, it was best to steer clear of him. But it's like the two vigilantes went out of their way to help her. While they were rather firm with her, it was clear that they cared for her well-being.
She could trust that if she were ever to see either of them, she'd be safe.
It was kinda of a word thought to have...
"Well, either way, I'm glad that they helped you when they did, Mija." Rio's voice broke the girl's train of thought. The mother looked satisfied with her check over, finally leaving the girl be so she could pack a bag for her.
"Here, wear this, querida. It's hot outside today after all," Rio said, handing the girl a sundress that she nearly forgot she owned.
The girl blushed. She never wore it because she would have to forgo the comfort of her trusty bras, seeing how it was backless. The material was a bit more on the sheer side. With just enough light, you could see the girl's silhouette underneath.
And considering she's wearing this around her boyfriend in front of his mother-
"You sure that's okay, Rio?" The older woman raised a brow before smirking.
"I was young once upon a time, querida. How did you think I caught my husband's attention, hm," Rio teased, laughing good-naturedly at the girl's growing blush.
"You're beautiful, Panthera. No need to be afraid or ashamed to show off to your boyfriend every once and awhile," Rio said with a wink. Panthera smiled shyly at her maternal figure before taking the dress from her and changing in her bathroom. The dress complimented her skin nicely and fitted her well (a little snug around the chest, but Panthera wasn't gonna complain about the support it gave her). She looked good, even with her bruises. The girl threw her locs in a messy bun with a few hanging around her face. Applying some of her vanilla and sandalwood perfume oil on key parts of her body, the girl felt ready to leave.
Panthera stepped out just in time to see mother and son chatting in Spanish on her bed.
"I'm ready." Miles looked up to greet his kitten, only to stare with a slacked jaw as she approached.
"Buen Dios y todos sus ángeles misericordiosos..." Rio chuckled at her son's reaction.
"De nada, hijo," she said with a smirk. Miles shook himself out of his lovesick stupor, realizing his mom was still very present. The boy stood up to meet his embarrassed girlfriend halfway, kissing her forehead before leading her to the bed.
"Here you go, pretty girl." Panthera took the plate of some leftover subs she had made a day ago, along with some chips and salsa. The girl smiled.
"Thank you, my love." With a kiss on his cheek, Miles watched as his girl snuggled next to him with a content smile. Despite the hell his precious girl had been through these few months, she was still smiling.
She was still here.
She was still here with him.
A small part felt guilty for putting her through half the grief and trauma she's experienced thus far in their relationship. He doesn't know how he'll be able to tell her the truth if she ever finds out that he was the reason behind their classmates' deaths. That his uncle helped to kill the principal for her unfair treatment towards her. That his mom now knows all this and was willing to keep quiet about all this (just as long he came to her for daily checkups after his patrols).
"No puedo decir que lo que estás haciendo sea moralmente correcto, Miles. Pero puedo decir que estás enamorado de esa chica. La has amado durante años. Ella te hace feliz, cariño... y eso es todo lo que quiero para ti. Haz lo que tengas que hacer para protegerla y preservarla, pero por favor no intentes matar a nadie más por celos. Eso es todo lo que te pido, hijo."
Despite his guilt, a larger part of Miles felt content. Panthera was his. He loved her. He loves her. And he would do everything in his power to keep her. No one is going to come and take her away from him.
Not even herself.
Even if she hated him for his morally questionable deeds, they'll have forever for her to learn how to love him again.
"I love you, mi vida," he whispered against her neck, curling around her in a hug. Miles could feel her blush creeping up her neck as her shoulder shook slightly in time with her chuckle.
"Te amo por siempre y para siempre, mi rey," she whispered back. Miles grinned as he nuzzled her further.
They were met to be. And nothing could change that...
...at least, that's what Miles thought.
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Alright, y'all gonna have to give me some time to drop the next one, I'm tired. Imma add the translations later. Hope you guys enjoyed it!
His Sunshine in the Darkness: It All Started With Her Smile
Hello everyone~ I'm back, and it's with a new little series (technically, it's really just one extremely long story, but I broke it up in parts because if not, this post would be dumb long). I literally read two Yandere!Miles fics and kinda been obsessed with the idea (?) ever since.
Here are the two works, written by the lovely @l0v3morales (please write more of these, I'm begging you):
Stay With Me
Yours Forever
Thus I present to you, His Sunshine in the Darkness: Part One! This will most likely be divided into three parts (because I'm still writing this story, I'm currently at 12,838 words and counting. Buckle up kiddies, this is gonna be a long one).
I title Part One, "It All Started With Her Smile." I'm gonna ease y'all in with some fluff. Enough of me rambling. Enjoy!
Warnings: None, unless you're allergic to fluff
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It all started with her smile.
Miles Gonzalo Morales was the new kid at Visions. It was the middle of the recorded school year, and he was a new kid. He wasn't a huge fan of the school, but his parents insisted it would be good for him... whatever that meant.
The first few days, he pretty much kept to himself. Socializing wasn't his strong suit, and he didn't desire to make a fool of himself in front of his new classmates, who seemed to understand that he didn't belong like the rest. It just so happened the school was "wise" enough to recognize he had a brain and offer him a scholarship to be there. His only escapes were his dorm (Ganke seemed like a cool enough guy), his home, and his art class.
Miles loved to draw more than anything. Whether it was his pencils, markers, or his uncle's spray paints, he found his freedom—the freedom to be himself.
And she noticed it, too.
Panthera Stevens was a fellow freshman who shared quite a few classes with him—including art. Upon seeing her for the first time, Miles swore Cupid must've stabbed him when he wasn't paying attention because he must've died and was meeting one of God's angels. She had to be the prettiest girl that he'd ever seen. Smooth dark chocolate skin, thick dark shoulder-length sunbleached locs, naturally full, thick brows, plump lips, and almond-shaped expresso-colored eyes. She was on the short side, about 5'5 if Miles had to guess. While Miles was raised to be a gentleman, he was still a teenage boy. He had eyes and could see that Panthera was slowly developing a sweet little figure. He admired the girl from afar, seeing how he wasn't sure how to approach the beauty (Miles didn't care what his uncle said. The "hey" trick had to be the stupidest and most embarrassing thing he'd ever heard).
So you could imagine the boy's surprise when he heard the screech of a chair being pulled up next to him and found her big dark brown eyes staring into his soul.
"Hey, you're Miles, right," she said with a smile. The boy could feel his face heating up at the sight.
'She even has dimples... Buen Dios Todopoderoso, ella es tan linda...'
"U-uh... yeah, that's me," he said, fidgeting with his pencil. Panthera giggled, making the boy's blush worse.
"Nice to meet you, Miles. I'm Panthera. I couldn't help but notice that you're always by yourself and... well, I was wondering if you wanna be friends," she said; a bit of shyness could be seen in that smile. The boy blinked owlishly at her.
His crush wanted to be friends with him? The awkward, quiet new kid?
"I'm sorry. Was I being too forward?" Panthera asked softly, mistaking the boy's silence for rejection. Miles mentally slapped himself, urging his mouth to form words.
"N-No! Not at all. I-I would love to be friends with you!" That could've come out much smoother, but it still did the job.
Panthera Stevens's smile could rival the sun at that very moment, and Miles wanted to bask in its warmth forever.
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Panthera and Miles became close friends very quickly. They would have study sessions at least three times a week and pretty much hung out every other weekend. Miles brought her to meet his parents toward the end of their freshmen year.
As expected, Panthera was the perfect angel. She came to the apartment in one of the prettiest dresses he'd ever seen with a bouquet in hand.
He always remembers her soft laugh at his dumbfounded expression.
"What are you staring at, Mi?" God, that nickname will always make his stomach explode with butterflies...
"I-uh, it's j-just that..." Panthera blinked those pretty eyes at him, waiting for him to finish.
"You look so beautiful, gatita," Miles muttered breathlessly. Panthera did a cute, shy shuffle. A sweet smile was on those soft lips.
"Thank you, Mi. My Baba always told me a good first impression is everything." Miles nodded mindlessly, eyes still trained on her lips.
"Mijo? Is that your friend at the door? Don't keep her waiting now!" Rio's voice broke the boy's trance, and he promptly ushered the girl inside. Miles secretly smiled as the girl slid off her shoes and left them by the front door, already knowing his parents would like that.
The meeting went even better than the young boy expected. Panthera greeted his parents with the same smile as when they first met. She called them by their last names. She gifted his mother with the bouquet, who happily accepted the flowers—even going as far as explaining the meaning of each one.
"I wanted to find something to represent the family you two built. The Black-Eye Susans represent justice, seeing how you live to serve and protect Mr. Morales. The Daylilies represent the Chinese emblem for the mother of the home, something you're doing such a wonderful job at, Mrs. Morales. And finally, the honeysuckle represents your love for each other and your son. I hope you like them."
The more his parents talked with the girl, the more taken they were with her. Rio insisted that she stay for dinner, which Panthera gracefully accepted. As the two women entered the kitchen, Miles turned to find his father looking down at him with a knowing smile and a teasing glint in his eye.
"You know, son, you seem pretty taken by Panthera... you sure you two are just friends?" Jefferson did his best not to laugh too hard at the sight of his son's red face.
"C'mon papá, stop it. W-we're just friends, nothing more," Miles huffed, not without shooting a glance of longing at the kitchen.
Panthera and his mamá seemed to chat joyfully, Panthera even stepping alongside Rio to help cook dinner. Rio's green eyes glowed with approval as she taught the girl how to make Mofongo.
God, if that didn't do funny things to his heart...
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Miles knew his feelings were getting stronger by the day in their sophomore year. There wasn't a sketchbook he now owns that didn't have a sketch of Panthera somewhere among the pages. After meeting her, Rio insisted he bring Panthera around as often as possible. His room started carrying the faint smell of her and her vanilla and cocoa musk perfume.
If he cuddled his pillow that carried the scent of her hair oil that smelt like honey and cocoa butter, that shouldn't be anyone's business but his own.
The boy had it bad.
Everyone in his family could see it.
Uncle Aaron had demanded that he introduce the girl he was partially head over heels in love with (Miles can't even deny it anymore; it's been at least a year). Only to find out it was Eric's little girl, whom Aaron had basically adopted as his niece when she and her father first came to Brooklyn. The man was ecstatic, privately telling Miles that Panthera would make a kickass future wife. Miles nearly screamed that he was too young to think about that (even though that thought has passed his mind... multiple times).
She was invited to his dad's party to celebrate his upcoming position of becoming the Police captain. It was a little embarrassing having his family coo and giggle at the two of them, excitingly asking Miles if she was his girlfriend. Panthera was nice enough not to laugh out loud at the permanent blush that settled on his cheeks.
Miles thought his head would explode when his mom had the DJ play a song with everyone breaking into couples to dance bachata.
"C'mon, Miles! You could dance with Panthera," Rio encouraged as she danced with her husband, who looked a little awkward trying to keep up with his wife's graceful movements. Panthera cocked her head at the boy, reminding him of the animal he, oh so fondly, nicknamed her.
"I don't mind dancing with you... but I don't want to step on your toes," Panthera offered. Miles focused on the girl, not the heat melting his face.
"I doubt you could do that, gatita. I could show you some basic steps," Miles said. Panthera nodded, relaxing as she allowed the Afro-Latino to guide her through the dance. Once she felt she got a feel of it, she was able to flow much easier with the boy. Miles' could feel his heart pounding away at his ribcage as he twirled the girl under his arm before holding the beauty close once more.
"I don't think I ever told you how beautiful you look tonight, gatita," Miles said softly as he rested his forehead against hers. Panthera's dark eyes twinkled at him.
"Thank you, Mi. I asked my dad to take me shopping for the occasion. Since I was gonna meet more of your family and all," she said shyly. Miles couldn't help but drink at the sight of her for the umpteenth time that night.
"I'm going have to send him a thank you card then. Not for just the outfit but for siring the most beautiful girl of all of Brooklyn," he said, a flirty grin tugging on his lips. Panthera laughed freely, the sound reverberating deep in her throat.
"Mi! Such a flirt," she giggled as she was spun about yet again. The girl seemed at peace, humming contentedly as she felt the heat of Miles' palms bleed through the material of her dress. Miles couldn't help the easygoing smile tugging on his lips as he lost himself in the music and those sparkling eyes.
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"Your dad's speech was beautiful." Miles turned to look at the girl next to him. The pair decided to get some air from all the people. Panthera was looking out at the party lighting up the rooftop, her face glowing from the bright lights. Miles knew this image of her would be the newest addition to his sketchbook later that night when everyone went home, and he was alone in his room.
"Yeah, it was," Miles said softly. Panthera turned to him, reaching up to cup Miles' face with her hands.
'So soft...' Miles thought as he was pulled to Panthera's height. Puberty finally decided to be nice to him these past few months and give him some inches, much to Panthera's annoyance.
"Something in me is telling me to say this, so listen to me for a second, yeah?" Panthera could be reading dictionary definitions to him, and he would still hang onto her every word like he was now.
"Y-Yeah, sure. Anything for you, princesa," Miles mumbled. Panthera chuckled and shook her head at the nickname. Miles could tell he managed to fluster her a little, which he joyfully counted as a win.
"Never for one moment think you're alone. You have beautiful parents who love you more than life itself. You have a dope ass uncle who considers you his own son. And you have me. I wasn't sure what would happen the first day I sat next to you in art class, but I can say this is something I cherish deeply. You will always have me, Miles. Even if you feel like the world is crashing down around you... when you feel as if you have no one left... when you want to fall into the darkness... I'll be there to shield you as best I can. I'll be there to hold your hand. I'll be there to show you the light. I love you, Mi. Always." Miles felt his heart stall.
'I love you, Mi...'
Miles knew that Panthera could just be confessing her love for him as a friend, but his lovesick brain wouldn't let him see it as such. He wants to believe that Panthera sees him as something more. See them as something more.
Miles' shaky hands found Panthera's waist, tugging her closer.
"T-Thank you, Panthera... a-and I-I love you too," the boy whispered, breathless by the sheer intensity of it all. Her eyes, her warmth, her scent, her lips-
Miles nervously licked his own as he focused on Panthera's. So many times, he's daydreamed and dreamed about those lips. Full, soft, and oh so kissable. He often saw her put on some tinted lip oil (she barely believes in chapstick, only having one or two as a backup) which made them all the more enticing. It made the boy wonder what flavors she uses and how good she'll taste.
He may have kissed his pillow pretending it was Panthera for practice, but again, that was nobody's business but his own.
Miles leaned in, gauging the girl's reaction to him. Those lovely dark eyes lower, eyeing his wet bottom lip. Her hands migrated to his shoulders as she carefully balanced herself on her toes.
"I love you, mi vida," he whispered in the small space between their lips. He could hear the soft hitch in the girl's breath at his quiet confession.
There was no denying it. He loves Panthera Genesis Stevens. And finally, one of his fantasies was about to come true.
Miles closed his eyes as he felt their lips brush against each other... only for them to snap open when he heard,
"Hey Miles, you up- WHOA, MY GOD!" Miles and Panthera instinctively jumped away from each other to find an embarrassed Jefferson and an exasperated Rio.
"Dios mío, amor. I told you that there was a chance they would be up here and to leave them be. Now look what you have done," Rio playfully scolded her husband. Miles groaned out of embarrassment, tugging his braids while Panthera laughed nervously.
"Sorry about disappearing like that, Mr. and Mrs. Morales. Was there something that you need," Panthera asked, hoping to ease the tension and move on from... what almost happened between her and their son. Jefferson, still fighting off his embarrassed blush, let out a chuckle.
"Nothing crazy important. We just wanted to let you kids know that we're about the cut the cake Miles brought. Just in case you wanted some." The pair nodded.
"Yeah, we'll be there in a few minutes. Thanks for letting us know, papá," Miles said, finding the city skyline much more interesting than it was a minute ago. He could hear his mother's quiet laughter, dragging his father away to leave him alone with Panthera again. Before he could turn to her to apologize (for what, Miles wasn't entirely sure because, damn it, he wanted that kiss to happen), he felt something on his cheek.
That something was Panthera.
He turned to the girl, whose arms wrapped around one of his. She had a goofy smile.
"Don't apologize, alright? We're fine, I promise. Now come on, I heard you got red velvet, and I always wanted to try it!" Miles allowed himself to be dragged away by the cheerful girl, hand on the cheek that held a faint kiss print.
Not exactly what he was hoping for... but he certainly isn't complaining. And also trying to figure out how was he going to wash his face but preserve the mark...
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Tags: @444morales thanks for being an amazing friend to listen to all my random ideas at odd hours at night. 💜💜💜
-Translations-
~Spanish~
Buen Dios Todopoderoso, ella es tan linda : Good God Almighty, she's so cute
I present to you all, Panthera Genesis Stevens in the ATSV art style (probably the last time I attempted this, had me stressed asl because I really did try fam).
Next time you see her, it’ll be more of my art style with a bit of adjustments (I’m still learning with each new piece. We don’t believe in consistency in this house). But I hope you like it!
His Sunshine in the Darkness: I'm Safe in Her Heart
Back again with anotha' one. Welcome to His Sunshine in the Darkness Part Two!
Here is where things start picking up. You should already have idea of what's about to go down in this chapter so I'm not even gonna hold y'all.
Here's Part One, in case any of you guys missed it!
Enjoy!
Warnings: Main Character Death
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Everything was going so well for Miles... until it wasn't.
It all happened so fast. It was the start of summer, Miles' sophomore year becoming nothing more than a distant sweet memory. His dad left for work that morning, along with his mom. One of the last things he told him,
"Have a good day at work, papá. I love you." Jefferson smiled that good-natured smile, hugging his son in his famous bear hugs as the boy laughed at his antics.
"Will do, son. I love you too." And he was out the door with a large hand around his mom's waist.
That was the last time he'd seen him so alive.
The next time Miles would see his dad was in the hospital, lying on the bed with his mother weeping over his body. He and Uncle Aaron stood behind her. He felt the weight of his tío's hand on his shoulder while he rubbed his mamá's heaving back.
It was the only thing teetering him to this Earth. The only thing that was keeping him mentally here. He could feel the memories of what had happened earlier that led him to this point.
Seeing the building collapse from the window of his room.
Turning on the news to see his dad's body placed in an ambulance.
Reading the news headline, "NYPD Captain in Critical Condition After Saving A Little Girl From Building Collapse."
Seeing Uncle Aaron on the other side of the door, telling Miles they were going to the hospital to see his dad.
Clinging onto Uncle Aaron as he sped through the streets on his motorcycle, silently praying for his dad to be alright.
Hearing his dad's final words as he stood on Death's doorstep.
"I will always love you, Rio. You're... the love of my life. Aaron, despite... despite our differences, you'll always... always be my baby brother. Take... take care of Rio and Miles for me, yeah? And... Miles... you'll always be my son. My pride... and joy. P-Panthera... is a good girl for you... she'll t-take care of your heart like your mom has done for me... Just know that... Whatever... you choose to do, I-I know you'll be great at it. I... I believe in you. Never forget that... I love all of you... I love you..."
The sound of the heart monitor flatlining in time with his dad's final confession and the limpness on his hand on all of theirs was deafening.
Just like that... Jefferson Morales was gone. Taking part of his family's heart with him to the great beyond.
The next few days felt like a blur. The most Miles remembers was watching the news, trying to understand why.
Why he now had to grow up with a father. Why his mother had to continue on this journey called life without her husband. Why his uncle had to bury his older brother so damn soon.
Why. Why? Why?!
The answer? A premeditated plan made by some unknown gang. Since being sworn into his position, Jeff had to deal with the steady rise in crime in Brooklyn. He has done a great job thus far, which made criminals hate him even more. What is the best way to solve the problem?
Get rid of him by any means necessary.
The statement left in his dad's office at the station by said gang about his demise said that much.
That stuck with Miles.
While everyone else was enjoying their summer, Miles spent his time rotting away in his bed. His normally pristine room was a wreck from the rage fit he had when he returned from the hospital.
Plenty of his classmates had stopped by the apartment to offer their condolences, but Miles could barely remember who showed up. Miles never felt more out of touch with reality in his short life.
Uncle Aaron and his mother worked together to put together the funeral. Miles never questioned his tío on how he managed to get the funds to pay for everything, and neither did his mother, who was just grateful to have the funds in the first place.
Then the day came.
Miles was awake in the wee hours of the morning, sightlessly staring up at the ceiling. The boy knew he was nowhere ready to face it.
The physical manifestation that his dad was never coming back.
But he knew he had to.
The mother and son showered, ate breakfast, and dressed in their respective black dress and suit in silence. They went to the local church early so his mother could ensure everything was in order. Miles sat on the steps outside. Aaron arrived soon after, patting the boy on the shoulder, who nodded in acknowledgment, before heading inside to ensure his sister-in-law didn't stress herself even more.
Soon, it was time for the funeral to start. He, his mom, and Uncle Aaron stood towards the church entrance. A lot of Miles' classmates and their parents showed up. Some of his teachers too. Some old friends from his old school showed up. A lot of his dad's coworkers came as well. Members of his mom's side of the family showed up, at least who could on such short notice. Uncle Aaron and his mom did handle most of the conversations. Miles just nodded in acknowledgment.
Until she showed up.
Miles always considered Panthera to be an angel. But he didn't expect her to come to her to come as one.
While everyone, including his family, showed up wearing black, she and her father, whom Miles finally had the opportunity to meet, showed up in white with white face paint adorning their features.
Miles felt a bit of himself return to reality for the first time since the hospital.
Panthera had left Brooklyn with her dad to visit Oakland just a few days before his dad passed away. He texted her what happened, which led to a late-night FaceTime call with her comforting him. A part of him desperately wanted her to be there with him, hold him, and comfort him. But he knew that she couldn't. When she promised to be there for the funeral, it eased his bleeding heart for the night.
Seeing her physically in front of him was like a breath of fresh air after being underwater for so long...
Miles finally tuned in to the conversation being had between the adults.
"No disrespect or anything, Eric, but um... why white," Aaron asked as he took in the outfits of the young man he helped years ago and his daughter.
"It's customary in our culture to wear white to funerals," Eric answered easily. Aaron raised a brow at this but accepted this.
"Well, thank you for coming and honoring my husband in your unique way, Mr. Stevens and Panthera. Your... Your support means a lot," Rio spoke up, her voice shaky. Eric squeezed her hand.
"Please, call me Eric. And, of course. I'm sorry I never got to meet the man himself, but from Panthera has told me about him... it sounds like he was an amazing man and an incredible father..." Eric's eyes focused on Miles. "I know what it's like to lose a dad. Just know you're always welcome in our home if you ever need it..." With a pat on the boy's shoulder, Eric entered the church. Panthera was about to follow her father when someone grabbed her hand. She turned to find Miles' eyes nervously searching her own.
"I... C-Could you sit next to me during the service, gatita?" Panthera's brows nearly kissed her hairline at the sudden request. She wasn't family, so she had no real reason to be with them...
...but she could see that Miles wanted her to be by his side. No... needed her to be by his side.
"...If it's alright with your mother and uncle, then sure," she said softly. The pair turned to Rio and Aaron, who were already observing the exchange. Rio gave the girl a watery smile, hugging the girl tightly.
"Of course, you can. We already consider you to be family, mija. Please, sit with us." Panthera hugged the grieving widow back.
"Then it will be my honor..."
Soon, the group entered the church to start the service.
Aaron acted as Rio's pillar of support, and Panthera acted as Miles' as they made their way down the aisle. Panthera sent a silent look to her Baba, who seemed to understand that she would be with family rather than with him. His eyes softened at the boy walking beside her, knowing he needed a friend, and Eric was proud that Panthera could be that friend. Miles had a death grip on Panthera's arm as they walked through the pews with people staring at them. Luckily, his precious gatita didn't seem to mind, rubbing his arm soothingly as she offered her quiet support. Soon they were finally in front of the casket.
An open casket.
From the side, Jeff looked as if he was sleeping. It's not until you get closer you see the enormous gash on the other side of his head. The suit concealed his other injuries well.
Still, the sight of his body was enough to break Aaron, Miles, and Rio into tears. Miles couldn't cry for days. Upon hearing the news of his father's condition, the numbness he felt seeped into his bones and nervous systems, stifling all other emotions.
But now? It was like the floodgates were broken, splintered into millions of tiny, unfixable pieces. He collapsed on his knees alongside his mother, crying for a man long gone. Aaron stared at his brother's face as he held his grieving widow, tears running down his angular face like neverending waterfalls. Panthera's comforting arms found their way around Miles' shoulders, a few tears escaping her eyes into his hair.
"I'm here, Mi. Let it all out. I'll still be here..."
The service soon started after Miles and his family calmed down. A slideshow of Jeff throughout his life played on a projector in the background. A choir sang. Tears were shed. And the sermon was preached. Miles felt himself zone in and out until the preacher focused on him specifically, bringing him back with sharp focus.
"For the Bible says in Romans 13 verse 4, "...if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer." Young man... Your father died protecting this city and its citizens. I'm sure one of the things he taught you was to follow your conscience... in an often cruel world. Trust in that. Trust and believe in your heart that the criminals who took him away will face judgment."
Miles felt something twist in his chest as he looked at the preacher, giving a slow nod. Aaron didn't have to look to know that his nephew was glancing at him periodically as the preacher continued his message.
He knew there was gonna be a talk later.
When the man was done, it was time for those who wanted to share a few last words to take a stand and go to the front of the church.
Rio gave a heartfelt speech about her husband and how they spent many happy years together in their marriage.
Uncle Aaron talked about their childhood and how even though Jeff was a pain in the neck to him, he'll always be his older brother and will always love him as such.
Some of Jeff's coworkers spoke on his leadership, his love for the law, and his heart always wanting to serve and protect those who needed it most.
It took Miles a bit of courage to go up, but with reassuring hugs from his family and Panthera, he made his way to the podium. He shared how much of a loving, caring, doting, protective, and goofy dad he was—reminiscing on all the good, bad, and ugly times in their relationship. How much he loves him, even then, as he gazes at his dad's coffin.
"I remember the last thing I told you was 'I love you.' And... only God knows h-how glad I-I am that was the last thing I ever s-said to you. I know there were t-times wh-where we d-didn't see eye to eye, b-but you were still m-my dad at the e-end of the day... a-and I was still your s-son. I-I hope you're a-at peace, d-dad.Te quiero... te quiero mucho papá..." The boy couldn't hold back his tears, sobbing into the sleeve of his suit jacket. The boy couldn't see past his tears as he staggered away from the podium. Luckily, he didn't need to see.
He felt Panthera's familiar embrace wrap around his waist, silently urging him to lean on her as she led him back to their assigned bench. The girl silently handed him off to his mother, who immediately wrapped him in her arms and kissed his forehead. Through his sobs, he heard the preacher ask for one more person to come up before they ended, and much to his surprise, Panthera gracefully turned on heel and made her way back up to the podium.
She pulled the wireless mic from the stand before turning her attention to address the crowd.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Panthera Stevens. A close friend of Miles Morales... I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Morales towards the end of my freshman year. Upon our first meeting, I could see how fiercely he loved. How he would tenderly gaze at Mrs. Morales. How warmly he would watch Miles speak about our experiences and interactions. How welcoming he was to me, curious and willing to open his home to someone his son befriended. Since then, I have spent much time with the family. They made me feel as if I was family. He spoke to me as if I was a daughter than just a friend of his beloved son. I could see where Miles got his heart from..." The family gazed up at the girl in awe as she spoke. Her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears, but her voice remained steady and resolute. Panthera's warm gaze lingered on the trio.
"What happened to Jefferson Morales was sudden, tragic, and heartbreaking. I know... I know it may seem as if this is the end of life, but I beg to differ. You see... in my culture, my father's culture, my grandfather's culture... death is not the end. It's more of a... stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands, and Bast and Sekhmet... they lead you to the green veld where you can run forever. We celebrate the life the person lived on this plane and the start of their new one in the plane beyond, which is why we dress in white. He may not be here with us physically, but he will always live in the hearts he touched while he was here. If the family permits, I love to sing one song in his honor and memory." Rio nodded to the girl, giving a weepy smile.
A member rushed up to the front; one quick conversation was all needed before sprinting away.
Soon the instrumental of the song played through the stereo system.
"Stand if you would like. Mr. Morales... Jeff, this for you..."
If you were to ask Miles to describe Panthera's voice in one word, he would say "passionate." He's heard her sing many times before, but this time...
It was like she was pouring out everything within her to sing this song in front of everyone. To say the words his father could no longer say for himself. From the corner of his eye, he could see his mother clasp both hands over her heart, beaming despite her heartache. Aaron's eyes shimmered with pride, happy to see his brother's philosophy performed so beautifully by a girl he would've loved to see become his daughter-in-law. Panthera approached the family, a ghost of a smile could be seen on her lips.
"I just want them to know..."
She grasped Aaron's large hand with her small one, squeezing comfortingly, "That he gave his all, did his best..."
Panthera moved on to Rio, hugging her briefly but fiercely, "Brought people some happiness..."
She stopped in front of Miles, cupping the back of his neck so he could rest his forehead against hers for a moment. His teary tawny eyes met her warm expresso ones. "Left this world a little better just because..."
The girl turned to face the closed casket, a single tear escaping her eye. "He was here..."
Panthera sang the song's final lines with all she had, laying a single hand over the smooth wood of the casket as she sang the last line. When she finished, the crowd burst into tearful applause, but she wasn't paying them any mind. Her gaze remained focused on the closed lid that hid its occupant from sight.
"Rest in Power, Jefferson Morales..."
-----------------------
The funeral procession made its way to the cemetery. Panthera and Eric ended up riding with the family at the insistence of Rio and Aaron. The adults were talking amongst themselves while Miles held onto Panthera in silence. Panthera mindlessly rubbed Miles' neck as his face was hidden in hers.
"You okay, Mi," she asked softly, not wanting to draw too much attention to them. She felt him nod, lips brushing against her sensitive skin.
"Just wanna hold you..." The girl let out a mute chuckle, relaxing further in the boy's arms, much to his delight.
"Of course, anything for you..."
-----------------------
The burial was a quick affair. When the time came to lay Jeff to rest, everyone was emotionally haggard. When everyone threw in their choice of flowers, Panthera and Eric threw in a single Black-Eye Susan.
Eric and Panthera silently crossed their arms over their chests as the dirt was thrown to cover the coffin.
"Phumla ngoku, joni," Eric whispered. Panthera felt her bottom lip wobble but stood strong alongside her Baba.
"Enkosi ngenkonzo yakho... siyakuthanda," she said quietly.
It was finished.
Here Lies Jefferson Morales: Father, Husband, Brother, Hero.
Rest in Peace...
-----------------------
It's been about two hours after the funeral and burial, and Miles hasn't moved from his position on the couch for about an hour and a half. Aaron had stepped out for a while, promising to return by dinner. His mother had decided to take some time to sleep before deciding on dinner.
It would most likely be takeout again. Rio Morales hasn't had the energy to cook since Jeff died. The most she'll do is figure out what her son and brother-in-law were in the mood for and go from there.
Miles was mulling over what he could possibly eat tonight when there was a knock on the door. The boy huffed from his position on the couch, not in the mood to deal with any more people for the day. Whoever it was seemingly didn't get the message and knocked again, more insistently. Miles glared tiredly at the barrier, hoping the person would get the hint and go away.
Soon his phone started to ring. LOUDLY.
The song "Hide" played through the phone speakers, immediately alerting Miles of who was calling him.
Panthera.
The boy scrambled to answer the call.
"P-Panthera," he asked slowly, confused as to why she was calling.
"Mi! I know you're inside, get off your ass and open the door before my arms give out!" Miles didn't need to be told twice, as he could literally hear her annoyance over the phone and outside his front door.
He met with the sight of Panthera and his father holding bags and containers. The pair were dressed down, wearing matching black wife beaters, gray sweats, and black socks with black Nike slides.
Miles blinked owlishly as he moved back to make room for the duo to enter his home (shoes off, of course) and head to the kitchen.
"Not be rude or anything, but... why are you two here," Miles asked as they set everything down on the counter or on the floor. Eric gave the boy a smirk.
"Your mom has mentioned to Panthera in passing how you all have been eating takeout more often than an actual home-cooked meal. My little girl has taken it upon herself to change that and make dinner for you all." Panthera glared playfully at her father, smacking his chest.
"Not little," she mumbled, completely ignoring how she was the shortest of the group. Miles and Eric chuckled, choosing not to comment on it.
"Sure, gatita. Thank you for Panthera... for everything." The girl spared a glance at her friend, finding a tired, vulnerable, yet grateful expression on his face. She sent him a small smile.
"Think nothing of it, Mi. Now go to sleep. You look half dead," she said, shooing the boy away. The boy let out a tired chuckle, leaning over to brush a sleepy kiss on the girl's temple before he went on his way. Eric raised a brow at that.
"Baby girl?" Panthera looked up to her father, who had a thoughtful look.
"That boy Miles... do you think he likes you more than just a friend," Eric quietly asked, not wanting to be overheard.
'I love you, mi vida...' Panthera cleared her throat, pulling the produce she'll need for the recipe she had in mind for tonight.
"What makes you say that," she asked instead, cleaning off the veggies in the sink. A hand landed on her shoulder, forcing the girl to acknowledge her father's presence.
"I'm serious, Panthera. I know he's grieving the loss of his father, and it's wonderful that he has someone like you in his corner. He seems really comfortable with you to be considered just a friend..." Panthera pursed her lips, mulling over her next words.
"...It wouldn't surprise me if he liked me like that... I like him too, Baba. Very much," Panthera whispered, glancing at the slumbering boy on the family couch. Eric could see the soft look in his daughter's eyes as she looked at him. She didn't have to admit this to him. Eric knew Panthera loved the boy. And he could see Miles' love for her, clear as day whenever he looked at her...
But there was something there. Something... darker...
Maybe it was just Eric, but he could see a bit of himself in Miles. He lost his father when he was a young boy, having to witness his body grow colder and colder until nothing but a shell remained. He had to grow up alone. All Eric wanted was to be seen.
To be heard.
To be loved.
But he was left alone, unable to get into contact with the people who seemingly rejected his father—rejected him.
If he had someone like his daughter in his corner, he would've done anything and everything to keep them in his life.
Even if it meant getting rid of others that stood between him and his person.
He would burn it all if it meant that one person who showed their love to an unfortunate soul such as himself would stay, be with him, and continue to love him. All because he loved them.
And if they didn't... well... they would have forever to learn to love him again, now wouldn't they?
Eric mentally shook off that last thought and looked at his daughter, who was looking up at him, those dark eyes peering curiously into his own.
"I know you do, inkosazana yam encinci. Anybody would be lucky enough to have your love... just be careful." Eric watched as Panthera's brows pinched in confusion.
"What do you mean, Baba..." Eric sighed, gazing at the occupant in the next room over.
"Love is a powerful emotion. It could empower you, give you purpose, and make this thing called life all the more worth it... but sometimes, it can change one's moral compass. Make them wanna do anything and everything to keep it close. People do unexplainable things when they're in love... I just want to know that the person that falls in love with my little girl can make her happy the same way she makes them happy. Freely..." Panthera hugged her father.
She wasn't entirely sure what to make of his words, but she knew that there was a reason behind it all. Maybe he'll explain it more when she's older...
"I'll do my best to be careful, Baba. Ndiyakuthandana," she mumbled into his broad chest. The man hugged her back, squeezing her.
"Nam ndiyakuthanda..." He kissed her forehead.
"I have to go now. I have another job tonight. You going to be okay," Eric asked softly. Panthera nodded.
"I'll be fine, Baba, I know things are getting worse ever since Mr. Morales died, but you took a lot of precautions to make sure I can defend myself if necessary. Hopefully, I can get home before it gets too late, but if not, I'll see if I could spend the night here and go home in the morning," Panthera said. Eric nodded. It wasn't the first time Panthera had spent the night at the Morales household, so either way, Eric can trust she'll be in good hands.
"Okay. Bye, baby girl, see you soon..." The girl followed her dad to the front door.
"Bye, Baba, see you later."
-----------------------
Miles awoke to the smells of rich spices and seasoned meat a few hours later. The boy blinked blearily, eyes catching sight of Panthera cooking and dancing to the music playing through his portable speaker in the kitchen. Miles sighed dreamily as he watched his little wife-
I mean girlfriend-
I MEAN, FRIEND!
Yes, friend, make herself more comfortable in his home. It seemed so natural for Panthera to be there. God, what he would give to have something like this every day...
Panthera turned around, finding Miles' sleepy grin there to greet her. She smiled.
"Hey there, sleepyhead. How are you," she cooed, walking over to the couch. The Afro-Latino immediately sat up, pulling the girl into his lap before she could try to find open space on the couch. Panthera raised a brow at this.
"Mi, I'm not a teddy bear, you know," she drawled as Miles nuzzled her neck.
"Mmm... yes, you are. You're my teddy bear," he mumbled, pressing his lips against her throat as if to imprint those words onto her skin. Panthera chuckled, trying to pull Miles out of his hiding place only for him to let out a whine of complaint.
"Nooooooo..." She could partially feel his pout.
"C'mon, Mi, let me up. I need to double-check to see how the food's doing." As if on cue, Miles' stomach let out a loud growl. Panthera laughed freely, knowing the boy was blushing.
"C'mon, you can come with me, and we'll see if I can feed the beast from within," she teased, poking his belly. The boy let out a disgruntled grumble before releasing the girl, simpering happily as she held his hand to lead him into the kitchen.
"Smells amazing, gatita. What're you making," Miles asked as he watched Panthera taste-test the dish.
"Injera, Doro Wat, and Gomen, it's Ethiopian Spicy Chicken Stew and Collard Greens served a Flatbread," Panthera said offhandedly, leaning into Miles' embrace when she felt his arms make themselves at home around her waist. Miles rested his head on the girl's shoulder, curious.
"Want a bite," Panthera offered. After a small nod, Panthera guided a forkful of chicken dipped in sauce into the boy's awaiting mouth. The boy let out a happy moan at the series of flavors exploding on his tongue.
"Ohmygod," he groaned, squeezing the girl. Panthera smiled at the reaction.
"Good," she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Mhmmmm... I'm so marrying you so I can have this for the rest of my life," he said. Panthera burst out laughing. Little did the girl know that Miles was being dead serious.
"Relax, Mi. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Plus, we're still years away from even thinking about that," Panthera chuckled, plating the food.
"Can you go set the table and wake up your mother? I'll finish plating everything and wash the rest of the dishes." Miles nodded, kissing Panthera's cheek before wandering off. The girl paused a bit, blushing.
'That felt... oddly romantic? I mean, we did almost kiss at his dad's party, but it's not like either of us has really made a move since then. What changed? Could Baba really be onto something here?'
Before the girl could think harder on the matter, she heard the front door open and close, hearing Aaron announcing his presence.
"Umalume! Just in time for dinner," she smiled. The older man looked surprised to see her, similar to Rio, as she groggily trailed behind her son, who immediately helped his friend set the plates on the table.
"Hello, Mrs. Morales. I hope you managed to get some rest." Rio blinked at the table arrangement before on Panthera's shy smile.
"Hello, Panthera and I did, thank you. Wh... What is all this?" Panthera's smile brightens a little.
"After you told me that your family hasn't had a real home-cooked meal since Mr. Morales' passing, I got my Baba to take me to the supermarket and brought some food prep from home to make you all something." A slow smile spread on Rio's lips as she hugged the girl.
"Oh, mija, thank you. You've been a literal angel throughout this time, and I can't be more grateful that Miles has someone like you in his corner. Muchas gracias querida." PAnthera hugged the woman back, heart full.
"Of course, Mrs. Morales. You've all been through a lot. This is the least that I can do," Panthera said. Rio pulled back, hands firmly on Panthera's shoulders as she looked the girl squarely in her eyes.
"Please, mija. Call me Rio. I meant what I said today when I said that we consider you to be family. You are family, Panthera." The girl teared up a bit but smiled, nodding her understanding.
"Okay, Rio. Now come, best to eat while it's still warm." Panthera urged the family to find a seat at the table, taking a seat by a heart-eyed Miles.
Rio and Aaron sent each other a silent look.
'She's good for him.'
'Yeah, she is.'
-----------------------
The Morales/Davis family finished dinner with full bellies and content smiles. They complimented the girl on her culinary skills, who accepted the praise with a blush. Panthera offered to take care of the dishes, which was vehemently rejected by Miles.
"You've done so much today, muñeca. Lemme do this for you." Then proceeds to kiss her cheek in front of his mother and uncle. You could cook on an egg of Panthera's face with how hot her cheeks were burning. Rio and Aaron only smiled secretly, chuckling at the two teens.
As soon as Miles was done, they all sat and chatted, occasionally laughing and joking with each other. Panthera soon looked down at her phone, staring in shock at the time.
"Bast! I didn't realize how late it was getting! I need to go home," Panthera exclaimed, standing up and patting her pockets to ensure she had everything. Miles felt his heart drop to his stomach.
Panthera squeaked when she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her, pulling her into a solid chest. Miles buried his face in the crock of her neck, not caring if his mamá y tío could see him and Panthera like this.
"Miles-"
"Stay." Panthera shivered as the single word was whispered right next to her ear.
"I probably really should try-" Rio interjected.
"No, please, Panthera. Stay the night. Walking the streets alone is too dangerous, especially since crime has been increasing nearly every day." Panthera looked into the pleading eyes of Rio before turning to Aaron.
"Umalume, can't you walk me home? You know I don't live that far from you," Panthera tried. Aaron sighed.
"Sorry, lil cub, but Rio is right. I've been caught in a couple of fights just trying to get home. I don't want to risk you being caught up in that." Panthera pursed her lips in thought. It wasn't until Miles turned her around and cupped her face in his hands.
"Please, gatita. I don't want to lose another person. I can't lose another person in my life. Especially not you. You mean too much to me. Please, stay... I need you..." Damn it, if the vulnerable look in those tawny brown eyes didn't seal it for her, his words did.
"...okay, I'll stay. I'll take the guest bedroom..." Panthera's question trailed off when she noticed the semi-sheepish look on Aaron's face.
"Sorry, Panthera, but I've kinda been using it." The girl smiled at the man, silently reassuring him.
"No worries then, I could take the couch-"
"No, the heck you not!"
"Absolutely not, mija!"
The girl looked at mother and son with an exasperated expression.
"Then what do you suggest," she huffed. Miles was quick to respond.
"You could sleep in my room. It's not like you haven't done so before." Panthera glanced at Rio, silently asking if that was okay. Rio smiled and nodded.
"Just keep the door open, you two~!"
"RIO!" "MAMÁ, PLEASE!"
-----------------------
After a quick and embarrassing escape, a change of clothes, and a quick night routine, Panthera and Miles lay side by side in the dark room. Miles, in his wife beater and gym shorts, couldn't help but admire Panthera in his clothes.
He gave her one of his old t-shirts that swallowed her frame, reaching her thighs. She rejected the shorts he tried giving her, claiming too much clothing makes it harder for her to sleep at night. He didn't put up much of a fight, finding the view she provided quite enticing. He wanted nothing more but to reach out and caress those brown thighs...
"You can come closer, you know," he quietly stated, drawing random shapes on her arm. Panthera blushed.
"You sure? Wouldn't that seem..." The boy raised a brow, waiting for the girl to finish her sentence.
"Intimate?" The boy blinked before giving a little shrug.
"I mean... it would. But I wouldn't mind that... do you?" Panthera chewed on her bottom lip, mulling over her answer.
"I... I don't mind either..." Miles smiled, tugging on the girl's waist to pull her closer. The boy even went as far as to rest one of her legs on his hip.
"Mmm, comfy," Miles asked, finding Panthera's eyes in the dark. The girl nodded, unable to get her voice to work without it coming out as a high pitch squeak. Miles chuckled, kissing her forehead.
"Heh, so freaking cute. Goodnight, gatita. Sweet dreams."
"Goodnight, Mi. Sweet dreams..."
The pair managed to doze off into a comfortable slumber.
-----------------------
Miles stared at the beauty sitting next to him. The pair was out on top of one of the building's rooftops. The moon was out tonight, ethereal light bathing the girl in a breathtaking glow. He could see the stars twinkling in her eyes, creating a new galaxy in those dark orbs. Panthera glanced at him, noting the dazed look in Miles's eyes.
"What are you looking at, Mi," she teased good-naturely, ignoring the warmth feeling flooding her cheeks.
"You, princesa," Miles answered easily, scooting closer to the girl. He took note of the confused blink he received as he cupped her cheek.
"God, you're so beautiful, Panthera. How are you even real," Miles whispered, looking into her galaxy-decorated eyes. The girl's eyes began to cross as Miles approached her face.
"Mi...?" A shiver escaped the boy. He always loved the way that nickname sounded coming from her.
"I love you, Panthera. Te amo tanto, mi vida," Miles sighed, leaning in for a long-awaited kiss...
Only to be shoved away at the last second.
Miles' furrowed expression turned into one of fear. The disgusted look on Panthera's face, the cold look in her eyes.
"What the hell, Miles?! I don't love you like that." His heart shuddered to a stop.
"Wh-what?" The girl stood, backing away from him.
"Why would I ever love someone as needy and broken as you? Be so for real, Morales. I don't want your deranged love. Keep that shit to your fucking self." Panthera turned on her heel and ran inside the building.
"Panthera, wait! I'm sorry, please!" The boy chased after her, heart aching as she remained out of reach. The staircase seemed to go on forever as he tried racing down them.
"Leave me alone, Miles!"
"No, gatita, please! Don't leave me, don't leave me!" Tears ran down the boy's cheeks in ragged streaks, losing sight of her. The boy took a harsh tumble as he accidentally stepped on his untied shoelaces. After an eternity of rolling, the boy reached the bottom of the staircase. He could see the exit just meters away—the door was left wide open, blowing in the seductive scent of his beloved. Miles stared into nothingness. The aches and pains going off in different parts of his body were nothing compared to the gaping hole in his chest.
He curled into himself and sobbed.
"Panthera, mi amor, mi vida... Vuelve, por favor. Te amo. Lo lamento, Lo lamento..." He begged and cried. Silently pleading for the girl to hear his cries and come through that door. To hold him and say she was sorry. That she didn't mean any of her cruel words and will never leave him...
That she will always love him.
-----------------------
"...les... Mil... Mi, wake up! You're having a nightmare. Wake up, please..." Miles let out a tired moan, his swollen eyes struggling to open. His eyes struggled to focus, but slowly, he could see and worried and frantic Panthera straddling him.
"P... Panthera," he croaked, his voice thick with sleep and unshed tears. He watched as her face morphed into one of relief.
"Oh, thank Bast, you scared me, Mi! I just slipped out to use the bathroom, and when I came back, you were shaking and crying in your sleep. You were speaking in Spanish, but you sounded so hurt, Mi," Panthera whispered frantically. She didn't want to wake Aaron or Rio with their conversation. Miles shuddered at the lingering memory of his dream, wrapping his arms around the girl, hugging her tight.
"I'm sorry I scared you, Panthera," he weakly apologized, snuggling closer to the girl's warmth. Panthera returned the embrace, running her fingers over the week-old stitch pattern of the boy's braids.
"Shhh, it's okay, Mi. I'm here, I promise," she whispered. He looked into her dark brown eyes, seeing their familiar warmth.
"Really," he asked in a small voice. As much as Miles didn't want to admit it, that dream scared him just as much as he had seen his dad's broken body on the news. The strong potential of losing someone close to his heart scared him.
He loves the girl. He would move heaven and Earth to keep her in his life.
He needed to know that she'll stay.
"Of course, I promise. I love you, Mi." Miles let out a shaky breath when he felt those full lips press against his clammy forehead. God, he wanna bask in this moment forever...
"I love you too, Panthera..." Miles couldn't help himself. He kissed her clothed chest, right where her heart was. Panthera allowed herself to be maneuvered to Miles' comfort. She laid on her back with his head on her chest; his ear pressed against it to hear her heartbeat. Miles' long body was nicely accommodated by the softness of Panthera's thighs over his hips. The featherlight touch over his hair and eyes coaxed the boy into a peaceful slumber.
Panthera watched as the boy slipped back into unconsciousness, her mind wired.
She wasn't expecting such a drastic reaction when she returned from using the bathroom. Miles was sleeping so peacefully when she left...
She also didn't tell Miles she heard her saying her name. She had an okay understanding of his mother tongue and could help but blush at the parts she did understand.
'Panthera, my love... please... I love you...'
She wasn't entirely sure what Miles was begging for, but whatever the dream version of her did left him with an empty, scared, and heartbroken look in his tired eyes.
Something about that look unsettled her. She never wanted to be the cause of that look; she loved Miles. She wanted him to be happy...
The girl let out a tired sigh.
'Sleepy, sleepy...'
She looked down at the boy sleeping on her chest and bit her lip.
As carefully as she could, she tilted the boy's head up. She watched fondly as his face unconsciously scrunched up and let out a whine at being moved. Only to be silenced when she gently pecked his lips. She had to suppress an amused giggle when a dopey smile crossed his face, and he snuggled up to her.
"Goodnight, Mi..."
-----------------------
The rest of the year was very busy for Miles. When Panthera left that morning to go back home, and his mom went to take a shift at the hospital, he spoke to his Uncle Aaron about his "business dealings."
"Miles, I don't think it'll be a good idea-"
"Tío, please. You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important to me. I want to be able to protect the people I love. What if papá wasn't enough for them? What if they manage to get to mamá or even Panthera? I can't lose anyone, Uncle Aaron, I can't. I won't let those bastards get away with what they've done to my family."
"...alright, kid. Lemme take care of a few things first, and we can start...."
It took a couple of months of training and remodeling a suit, but soon Brooklyn had a new Prowler.
The newcomer was just as good as his predecessor, if not better. And he was always in high demand.
Miles was proud of the name he had created for himself in the crime underworld. The business was doing well, so he could support his mother at home and at her job. With the extra bonuses he and his uncle received, he would save most of it, spend a little on himself, and hopefully soon, on his precious gatita.
With it being their junior year and his new mantle as Prowler, Miles had difficulty spending time with her outside of school. He missed the days when they would spend their days together, whether they drew in their respective sketchbooks or curled up on his couch watching "Spirit: The Stallion of the Cimarron" for the 50th time (it was Panthera's favorite movie, he wasn't going to deny his precious kitten anything).
The last time they spent real time together (like for more than an hour) was toward the end of summer. School was supposed to start in less than two weeks, and Miles was still training but was about to take up his first assignment as the Prowler in just a few days. Miles had stopped by Panthera's apartment to ask her to come tagging with him. What resulted from that was a mural of his father. He remembers staring up at the smiling face of his papá. At that point, it's been over a month and a half since Jeff died. He wanted a physical reminder of what he was doing this for...
The comforting feeling of having Panthera's arms around his waist warmed his chest. Her words rang sweetly in his ears.
"Whatever you do, I know your dad would be proud of you, Miles. You will always be his pride and joy..." Miles allowed his hand to find hers, intertwining against his stomach.
"Thank you, Panthera... it means more than you know..."
In the months since then, the two would spend time in class, studying, or spending a rare Saturday together. Despite their limited time together, Panthera could clearly see the difference in Miles. The coldness in his stare. His aloofness to the majority of their classmates around him. The silent, almost predatory vibe in his stance and walk.
He morphed from the Summer Child she knew from their freshmen and sophomore year until a Winter Soldier.
Their classmates had noticed this, some choosing to stay out of the boy's way while others flocked to him, finding this change cool and finally worthy of their attention. Guys soon began calling him their homeboy, while girls batted their eyes at him with flirtatious grins on their glossy lips.
Miles remained indifferent to this attention. Only seeking the attention of one person.
Panthera.
He knew his precious kitten never liked having so many eyes on her, and ever since he became "popular," he was hardly alone. There were a few moments when he could snag her away for a few minutes of solitude. Panthera would always find herself in the boy's lap. His arms circled around to keep her close. He would normally find his face buried in her neck or resting on her chest to listen to her heartbeat.
She was his small piece of heaven.
Miles had found his eyes straying to the couples in the halls during passing or in the lunchroom. Often times imagining himself and Panthera in the same setting. His mamá y tío have been waiting for him to finally take the leap of fate and ask her to be his, officially.
He decided their junior year would be the start of their love story.
Neither of them anticipated how bloody of a start it would be...
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CLIFFHANGERRRRR! Sorry not sorry lol. P.S. I know the font with Miles' dream is off, I honest to God don't know what Tumblr is on.
Dedicated to @444morales and @l0v3morales
Translations:
~Spanish~
Mija : Darling
Te quiero... te quiero mucho papá : I love you… I love you so much dad
Muchas gracias querida : Thank you so much dear
muñeca : doll
Te amo tanto, mi vida : I love you so much my life
Panthera, mi amor, mi vida... Vuelve, por favor. Te amo. Lo lamento, Lo lamento... : Panthera, my love, my life… Come back, please. I love you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…
-Xhosa-
Phumla ngoku, joni : Rest now, soldier
Enkosi ngenkonzo yakho... siyakuthanda : Thank you for your service… we love you
Back with another one! Welcome to Part Four of Sorpresa (Surprise)
In case you miss the previous parts, they’re right here:
Part One , Part Two , Part Three
I’m not gonna hold y’all any longer so I hope you enjoy Part Four 💜
Warnings: Cursing
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Summary: Miles vaguely understood that his girlfriend was a bit of a wild card. Quiet people tend to be like that. But it never fails to surprise him how often she could pull off such a thing.
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Aaron Davis didn't survive the streets this long if he didn't know one of the most basic survival rules.
Stay vigilant.
Being aware of your surroundings is key to staying alive. It allows you to get the drop on others.
Which is how he knew about Miles' little crush turn romance way before the boy willingly came clean. At the beginning of Miles' junior year, he noticed a shift in his nephew's behavior. He seemed more lost in thought over something. Then he noticed Miles using his phone more, catching him smiling at it occasionally.
He hasn't really seen the boy crack a genuine smile unless he's around him or his sister-in-law.
Aaron knew that Miles didn't consider the boys at Visions his "friends" and usually got annoyed by girls who tried to get his number.
So who is this mysterious person who managed to catch his attention?
"It's nobody special, tío—just a classmate who so happens to be a little funny." Yeah. Bullshit.
That "classmate that so happens to be a little funny" seemed to be his partner in many assignments. Aaron had times when he had to wait for Miles to get back to him to show up for a job because he was caught in a partner assignment.
He hopes they're actually doing an assignment and not anything else.
Then when Miles' secret identity was discovered by this particular classmate nonetheless, things became even more obvious. Sometimes, he would come into his sister-in-law's home to find the boy on the phone, laughing as he chatted with the female voice. Shit, he caught his nephew on his phone with his feet kicking in the air. He would text her occasionally during a job when he thought his uncle wasn't looking.
The girl's contact was saved as "Gatita" in the boy's phone, which meant "Kitten" in Spanish.
The boy got it bad.
So when Miles comes around his apartment with nervous eyes, he already knows what this conversation was going to be about.
"So... there's something I got to tell you," Miles says. Aaron hums.
"This gotta do with your precious "gatita"," Aaron drawled, watching with an amused smirk as his nephew blushed.
"How did you-"
"Boy, you ain't slick. I've seen your phone screen whenever you're texting her. So, she your girlfriend?" Miles stared at his uncle briefly before letting out a long-suffering sigh.
'Well, that's half the battle...'
"Yes... and I want you to meet her first before I bring her to mi mamá," Miles said. Aaron tilted his head at the boy, mulling over his words before nodding. It would make sense.
Since his brother died, Aaron was more or less Miles' surrogate father figure. Even though Miles has grown up to be more independent, he knew that his nephew would still come to him for advice, help, or a listening ear when needed.
If meeting this girl to help vet her out before she went to meet Rio helps put Miles at ease, then he's willing to do it.
"Fine by me. Though, it's fair that at least you tell me a little about her," Aaron conceded. Miles nodded.
"So, what's her name?"
"Panthera Genesis Stevens." Aaron raised a brow before chuckling.
"Damn boy, you didn't have to give me a full government name," he teased. Miles grumbled, something along the lines of 'you would've tried to find out one way or another.' The kid wasn't wrong, but that shouldn't be nobody's business but his own.
Also...
"You said her name was Panthera," he asked. Something about that name was familiar, but Aaron couldn't figure out why for his life.
"Yeah, I met her in my music class, but we had a couple of classes together," Miles confirmed. Hm...
"So she's your main partner in your music class? Since you're always mentioning an assignment for that class?" Miles nodded.
"Interesting... what's she like?" Miles let out a dramatic sigh.
"Man, where do I start..."
"When you say it like that, you make it seem like she's a handful..." Miles shook his head at that.
"Nah, it's not that. Panthera's a wild card, for lack of a better phrase. She's nothing like the normal girls you've seen whenever you come to get from after school. She's very quiet and to herself. But she's very confident in who she is as a person. Like she keeps her personality hidden, but when it's exposed, she doesn't care who sees it. She's blunt, straight to the point, and no-nonsense, but she could be shy, goofy, and laidback." Aaron listened, watching his nephew talk about the girl he was dating. His eye sparkled, and he was animated, waving his hands about with curious awe ringing in his voice.
"The quiet ones usually hold the most surprises... and you said she knows about you being the Prowler," he drawled. When he first heard about that, he almost tore the boy a new one out of worry. The girl could be a liability to his nephew and everything he worked so hard for, but she proved loyal. She took him in, dressed his wounds, fed him, and ensured he had ample rest before Miles came to the apartment. And since then, none of their enemies seem to be none the wiser when it comes to Prowler's secret identity.
"Yeah, she does. I slipped up a bit, but even if I didn't, she's very smart. Says her dad always stressed the importance of staying vigilant. Same thing you always tell me." Aaron hummed.
'So the girl was street smart and book smart, interesting...'
Miles could see the glimmer of respect in Aaron's eyes, fighting back his smile.
"I think you two would get along pretty great. She's a total badass, Uncle Aaron. Not too long ago, we went on a date, and man, it was crazy," Miles rambled as he pulled out his phone to show his uncle the videos he had taken that day.
"How so," Aaron asked, genuinely curious. Miles was going through her photo library, searching as he answered.
"So I found that my beautiful girlfriend could hoop that day. Some guys that were playing were hitting on her while she was with me. It wasn't until one dude said something outta pocket that really got her attention, and rejected him in front of everyone. When I laughed at him, he got in my face and told me to play against him to embarrass me in front of her. Before I could answer, she said he was gonna play her instead." Aaron cocked his head to the side.
"It's not strange for a girl to know how to play basketball..." Miles shook his head.
"Nah, tío. Just look at her and look at the dude," Miles said, finally passing the phone to the man. Aaron glanced at his nephew before pressing play on the video. Immediately, he could see what his nephew meant.
The guy playing looked like your average dude, someone you can expect to know how to play ball. But when Panthera came on screen, she couldn't look more outta place if she tried. She was certainly dressed for a date, not to play ball against a grown-ass man.
The girl didn't even have shoes on.
"Hold the fuck up. Did she manage to block this man? She's tiny compared to him. How the hell did she manage to jump that high? How tall is she," Aaron stressed, finally looking at Miles. The boy laughed.
"Don't say that to her face; she's already sick of me mentioning it to her. And she's 5'5. Trust me, I was worried for her in the beginning, but my little baby could hold her own. Wait, you gotta see when she finally beats this man. She legit dunks on his ass," Miles said, clearly proud.
"Bullshit, ain't no way."
"Bet I got you." Even as Aaron watched the video, he was still shocked. He could barely see her face, but when she finally got down, Aaron knew there was a smirk on her face.
As she should, of course.
"Damn, I would have never thought..."
"Shit, me neither. Check this, though. She pulled a gun on that nigga because he was talking out his neck and coming after us all crazy." Aaron stared at his nephew.
"Ain't no way-"
"I have no reason to lie to you. Her dad made sure she knew how to look out for herself. Says she always remained strapped, even at school. I honest to God thought she was gonna lay his ass out right there on the court." Aaron shook his head out of disbelief.
The girl knowing how to hoop? A smidge shocking but believable.
The girl knowing how to kill a man, at her age and with her looks? Questionable.
"Imma say I believe you for now... Does her mother know she carries a gun?" Miles winced.
"So, about her mom... she's not in Panthera's life. From what Panthera told me, her mom wanted to abort her. She didn't only because her dad told her that he'll take care of her and even paid her mom to sweeten the deal." Aaron frowned, nodding.
He can see how it's a bit of a sensitive topic.
"So it's just her and her dad," he asked. Miles gave another nod.
"Whatchu know about her pops?" Miles had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
"Uhh... not much?"
"How is that possible?" Miles raised his hands as if he was going to defend himself.
"Look, I never even ran into the man, despite spending a lot of time at the girl's apartment. And I admit I'm a little scared to meet him, hearing how this man legit raised a literal badass and might hang me if anything bad happened between us. She does mention him in passing. The most I know is that he's from Oakland and moved to Brooklyn to start a new life for himself and Panthera. And by the sounds of it, her grandfather was born in some African country and moved to the States, where he had her father. I notice a lot of different trinkets that look like they come from there." Aaron frowned bits and pieces of old memories resurfacing.
"I just moved from Oakland, California. It's just me and my baby..."
"Honestly, I feel like my little girl saved me from a dark path. I wanted to avenge my father but found out my ex-baby mama was pregnant. Shit was unexplainable. I felt a pull, a connection to someone that wasn't even here yet. Something told me to save this part of me that I would've never anticipated for my life."
"Aw, would you look at that? She likes you, Aaron."
"AYO! Open up, nigga!" "Aaron, what the hell, man? Had me thinking you the feds or some shit." "Boy, hush! Where she at, you promised that I could have her for the day." "Bro, you sound like a grandfather looking for they grandbaby." "Nigga, shut yo ass up and give me my little baby."
"Uma-lu...me...!" "What did she just call me?" "She called you 'uncle' in our language. I've been teaching her bit and- Aaron, are you crying?" "No! I got something in my eye!"
"A..on? Unc...? Tío!" Aaron blinked, locking eyes with his very confused nephew.
"Sorry... I was thinking about something. Uhh, when do you plan on bringing Panthera over?"
"Today's Wednesday, so is Friday good for you?"
"Yeah... see you guys Friday..."
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"Miles, I'm having second thoughts about this..." Miles looked down at his girlfriend, who was fiddling with the ring on her chain. The girl opted to dress simply for the occasion: a simple white cami, black acid-washed ripped jeans, and black combat boots. Matching Cuban chain bracelets could be found on her wrists. The ring and dragon claw studs from their recent date made a reappearance. Her locs were in two barrel twists with two free ones hanging in front of her ears.
"Why is that, princesa?" Panthera let out a shaky sigh. This was her first relationship and the first time she's ever met any family members of the people she interacted with. She didn't want to mess this up.
"What if your uncle doesn't like me," she asked quietly, anxiously glancing at Miles' hand that hovered over the hardwood door. The boy frowned, taking her face in his hands so she could look at him.
"Hey, none of that negative thinking, gatita. My tío already likes you. There's nothing you have to be worried about, okay," he whispered. He could still see a bit of insecurity in her eyes, but she rolled her shoulders and nodded. Miles kissed her forehead before facing the door again and knocked. Miles knew his uncle was home; he could hear the man's music playing from the other side of the door.
Panthera could hear the heavy footsteps approaching the door's other side, taking a deep breath.
'It's okay, Panthera. Miles seems confident in his uncle's approval. That's all you need... You got this...'
The door unlocked and swung open to reveal a tall, lanky man. His facial features were sharp and hard. The man had no hair, save the goatee with a bit of gray hair. Panthera looked up to find his dark eyes already trained on her. The initial fear Panthera felt slowly started to disappear as she took in the older man.
'He feels so familiar... but from where?' Miles cleared his throat, snapping the pair out of the stupor they seemed to fall under.
"Uncle Aaron, this is my girlfriend, Panthera Stevens. Panthera, this is my uncle, Aaron Davis." Panthera trusted out her hand with a small smile on her face.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Davis. Miles speaks highly of you," she said. Aaron smirked as he clasped his hand in hers for a solid handshake, a glimmer of approval shining in his eyes.
"The pleasure is all mine, Panthera. Call me Aaron. I'm not normally one for formalities all the time." Panthera's smile widened as the pair were ushered inside. The girl immediately bent down to remove her shoes, placing them by the front door. The strange sense of deja-vu seemed to grow stronger as the girl took in the apartment's interior.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Mi casa es tu casa. At least I'm pretty sure that's something my sister-in-law would say," Aaron said, nodding at the sight of her shoes near the door.
'At least I know she was raised in a cultured household...'
"Thank you, Mr.- I mean Aaron. This is a nice place you have here," Panthera said as she looked around. Aaron let a small smile, one Miles noticed. The boy grinned, happy to see his uncle being receptive to his girlfriend.
"Thanks, lil miss. Why not we get comfortable in the living room before we step out?" The two teens nodded, walking to the couch. Miles plopped down first before the girl could sit down, grabbing her wrist to pull her into his lap. The girl blushed, trying to get up to sit beside her boyfriend but failed when he simply tightened his grip on her.
"Miles, seriously," she whined, pouting. Miles smirked, pecking her lips.
"Calm down. Uncle Aaron is chill; besides, he might as well get used to seeing us like this anyways," Miles said, glancing at the man to confirm this. Aaron chuckled at his nephew's antics.
"It's fine." The man sat beside the pair and fell into a comfortable silence. Aaron studied the girl on Miles' lap. She was trying to suppress her giggles as Miles nuzzled her neck, seeking her affection. She threw an arm around his neck, thumb rubbing the skin behind his ear as she kissed his temple. Miles seemed completely at ease, eyes droopy with a lazy grin.
The older man suppressed a smile to take in the girl who seemed to hold his nephew's heart in her hands.
Aaron took note of her simple fit, understanding what Miles meant. He definitely wouldn't have noticed her immediately since many girls at Miles' school like their high maintenance expenses.
Panthera was simple, a natural beauty. It was refreshing for Aaron to see.
However, one thing caught the man's attention.
"What's with the necklace?" Panthera looked to the lounging man, eyes trained on the ring hung on her chain.
"It was my father's. The ring belonged to my grandfather. My dad gave it to me when I was 12, so I had a connection with him," Panthera answered, fiddling with the cool metal. Aaron hummed, his eyes narrowing in thought.
He remembers seeing that same exact ring on a similar chain on a man he met years ago. His baby girl seemed to love to play with it when he held her to his chest.
Before Aaron could say something, Panthera perked up at the sound of a new song playing. A song she hasn't heard in years.
"Oh my gosh, I haven't heard this song in so long," the girl gushed, her head nodding along with the beat. Aaron raised a brow.
"I wouldn't have suspected you to be a 2Pac fan, Panthera. The song's called My Block, in case you wanted to know," Aaron drawled. Big dark brown eyes shone happily at him, reminding Aaron of a familiar look from a little girl who loved this song whenever he played it.
"Baba would play him from time to time, but I mostly remember listening to him whenever I visited my umalume's apartment. Oh man, my dad probably has a video of me trying to sing along with the chorus with my uncle cheering me on," Panthera reminisced with a fond yet sad smile.
She last saw her uncle when she was six years old. It's like he just vanished from their lives almost. Eric told her he was too busy to visit them anymore, and Panthera asked her dad to play 2Pac to remember him. The girl was sad that someone who she considered family was just gone, but she had no choice but to move on.
Unknowing to her, Aaron froze, staring at the girl with wide eyes.
Umalume... uncle.
Aaron remembered returning to his apartment one day when a man with a baby and a couple of bags came off a bus. Aaron slowed, noticing the man's pinched expression. Normally he would've just kept walking, but the man looked rather young and tired. Plus, it was at that very moment the babe let out an ear-piercing wail.
"Ayo!" The man turned to Aaron, looking sheepish as he tried rocking the baby back to sleep.
"Yes, sir?" Aaron approached the young cat with a hint of a smile.
"Need a hand there?" The older man watched as relief washed over the man.
"Yes. Definitely." The Brooklyn native chuckled, carrying the bag, leaving the young father with one as he soothed his baby. Dark brown eyes met a matching pair, a tired smile on the younger's face.
"Name's Eric, by the way. Eric Stevens. And this is my little girl, Panthera Stevens." Aaron peered at her little face, smiling at the pout on her lips and big dark brown eyes.
"Nice to meet you, Eric. I'm Aaron Davis. And Panthera's a cute little girl. She looks like you a little bit."
The pair became fast friends, Aaron helping Eric find a place for him and little Panthera after discovering he was new to the city. He watched the little girl grow for years, growing a strong attachment to her after he held her in his arms for the first time. It reminded him of his young nephew, born shortly before her.
"Yo, tío... you okay," Miles asked, seeing the man's eyes grow misty the longer he stared at his girlfriend. The man shook his head, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
"Lil cub? Is... is that you?" Panthera's head snapped in Aaron's direction, eyes wide. But Aaron could see the spark of recognition in her eyes.
"...Umalume," she asked, really looking at the man. A younger, less jaded version of the man appeared in her mind's eye. She remembers his bright smile and his bolstering laugh. How his eyes would soften the same way Aaron's was right now-
"Oh my goodness! It is you!" Miles was confused by his girlfriend's outburst, which only worsened when Panthera partially jumped out of his arms into the arms of his uncle.
Aaron let out a genuine, joyful laugh as he stood up and spun the girl around.
"Damn, I can't believe it. It's really you, lil cub," Aaron said, squeezing Panthera. The girl pouted at him, reminding him of the kid version of her.
"I'm not little..."
"Yo feet still can't even touch the ground-"
"We not gonna talk about that-"
"So, does someone wants to clue me in here?" The pair stared at the Afro-Latino, who looked more than a little lost. Aaron chuckled as he set Panthera down, resting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Panthera is my non-biological niece. I met her father when he first moved to Brooklyn when Panthera wasn't more than a few months old. Her pops and I became fast friends, and like you, Panthera wormed her cute little self into my heart." Miles blinked before laughing. Panthera gave him that usual innocent blink whenever she managed to do something that baffled him.
"Just when I thought you couldn't surprise me anymore than you already have, you managed to do so again? What's next? You've met my mom too?" Panthera blushed, giggling.
"Funny, babe, but I haven't. Promise." Aaron turned to his nephew, eyes shining.
"Your mom is going to love her. I wouldn't stress it, lil man." Miles smiled at that.
"But... if you break her heart, you have more to worry about than just her Pops coming for your ass, Miles."
"Wha-?! But I'm your nephew!"
"And I would love for you to make Panthera my niece officially. Don't let me find out you two are no longer together now." Miles let out a groan as Panthera stifled a laugh behind her hand. The trio soon left the apartment, heading to a diner. Aaron took both of them there at some point in their childhood for some food. The couple were happy to revisit it, now older and as a couple.
Despite his uncle's threat, he couldn't help watching on happily as his uncle and girlfriend joyfully interacted with each other.
Things were looking up for Miles.
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Dedicated to @444morales apprecite your support, friend 💜💜💜
So, the initial idea was to make this 5 +1 fic into one post. Then I realized how long this was getting. The word count is getting a little ridiculous so Imma break this up in separate posts and make a masterlist later.
I’ve been kinda obessed with ATSV ever since watching the movie and I wanted to be different and make more of a “regular” character instead of a Spiderpersona (but trust, she’s not a regular). It’s been hard to write a bio about her because I have so many fic ideas I wanna do for her, so I wanna hear from you guys on who do you think Panthera Stevens is.
So I present to you all, Sorpresa (Surprise) Part One: Baddie.
Five times Panthera surprises Miles + One time Miles surprises Panthera
Enjoy Part 1!
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Summary: Miles vaguely understood that his girlfriend was a bit of a wild card. Quiet people tend to be like that. But it never fails to surprise him how often she could pull off such a thing.
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Miles was glad for the summer, despite the heat waves taking over Brooklyn. It meant the school year was finally over, and he could spend some much-needed quality time with his Ángel hermoso, Panthera Stevens.
He offered that they go on a date. Just a walk around the city and see what happens. He realized that his girlfriend was rather simple, unlike most girls at school. Outside of her usual uniform, she liked to hide behind her baggy clothes and his hoodies that she occasionally stole from him (not that he minded).
So you can only imagine his expression when she opens the door to her apartment dressed like an angel sent from above.
The dress hugged her figure perfectly, emphasizing the curve of her chest and waist to flare out from the waist down. The skirt of the dress stopped at mid-thigh to show off her legs. Her shoulders were sweetly exposed to the elements (aka Miles' lips).
Her accessories consisted of a white gold plated claw necklace with matching bracelets. Silver dragon claw diamond stud earrings decorated her ears. A silver personalized Cuban ID ring rested on her left middle finger. White slip-on sandals are on her feet, showing off her white-painted toes.
She was even wearing a bit of makeup. He noticed her eyebrows were darker and more filled in but still kept their natural shape. Black eyeliner outlined those almond-shaped eyes, similar to an Egyptian-style look. A hint of purple can be seen on half of her bottom waterline, meshing with the black. Those full lips that gave the sweetest kisses took on a faint purple tint.
He could smell the warm vanilla oil perfume on her skin. Some of her locs were maneuvered in two high pigtails while the rest remained down, with a few locs in front to frame her face. A few shells were attached to the ends of them.
'Ay, dios mío...'
"Hey, love," Panthera greeted with a smile and hugged her stunned boyfriend. Miles willed his arms to wrap around her waist, semi-baffled.
"Hola mamí..." Still oblivious to her boyfriend's shellshock state, Panthera perked up at the sight of the bouquet in his arm.
"Sunflowers and roses? Aww, you shouldn't have," she cooed, kissing his cheek. Somewhere in Miles' attention-starved and lovesick brain hoped she left a mark. She ushered the Afro-Latino inside so she could quickly place the flowers in a vase.
Panthera was rambling on how excited she was to go out with him, and Miles was barely listening. It wasn't until Panthera asked a question that went unanswered that she finally looked at Miles to see the hooded look on his face.
"Miles? You okay," she asked as she carefully placed the flowers in a vase. Miles blinked as if waking up from a dream.
"Sí, mamí... It's just that..." Panthera cocked her head at him, watching him approach her. Miles wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her chin so she could look him in the eyes.
"Eres tan hermosa, gatita. Soy un hombre afortunado de estar con un ángel así..." Panthera blushed. She's been getting a better understanding of Spanish thanks to Miles teaching her ever since they started dating. She could tell there was a compliment in what he said, but she would still appreciate a translation.
"Eh... gracias," she said. Miles chuckled softly, knowing his little kitten didn't fully understand him. He kissed her forehead.
"My apologies, ma. I said that you're so beautiful, kitten. I'm a lucky man to be with such an angel," he whispered, looking into those dark brown eyes of hers. Panthera blushed harder.
"Stop it. I'm alright-EEP!" The girl's words were cut off as she found herself in Miles' arms and carried off bridal style to her room. The pair stopped in front of the girl's full-length mirror. Miles gently set her down and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her left shoulder.
"Miles, what are-"
"Panthera, what do you see?" The girl raised a brow at the sudden question, staring at the reflection of her and her boyfriend.
"I see me and you," she answered slowly. She watched as Miles shook his head.
"I see a goddess and her devout follower. I see a queen and her most loyal servant. I see the most baddest, most beautiful, most drop-dead gorgeous girl in all of Brooklyn with the most jaded boy who just so happens to be lucky enough to be called her boyfriend. I'm so damn lucky that you even want to be with me. Believe me when I say it's not the other way around. Everything about you is so beautiful, don't matter if you're in a dress or one of my hoodies that you know is too big for you. Another man would consider himself lucky to experience both and trust me when I say I'm so blessed," Miles said, squeezing Panthera closer. Panthera's expression reminded him of a startled kitten, and he could feel the heat of her blush radiating from her cheeks. The two swayed a bit in front of the mirror as Panthera mulled over what to say.
"Thank you, sithandwa sam. I... I guess I barely saw myself that way. But know that you're always worthy. Tu eres el rey de mi corazon," she whispered, kissing Miles' cheek. The boy sighed, a small grin tugging on his lips.
You are the king of my heart...
"Of course, bella..." The pair held hands as they walked out of the girl's room and out of her apartment with her bag in tow. Miles couldn't help but ask one more question as he watched Panthera lock the front door.
"Where did you get all that jewelry? I've never seen those around your room before, and you don't seem like the type to wear stuff like that." He'd seen her wear a simple silver 5mm Miami Cuban chain necklace with a ring that looked a few sizes too big for her, along with some simple small hoop earrings—nothing like the flashy jewelry that adorned her body. Not that Miles was complaining or anything. It was nice, and Panthera wore them well. He might get some for himself (and her) if she told him where she got them from.
Panthera glanced at Miles from the corner of her eye, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as if he knew what he was thinking. She probably did because he was determined to spoil her (she has yet to tell what she likes or wants).
"That's my secret to know, Morales. Now come on, you promised me a date." Miles sighed, mentally noting to find out this "secret" later.
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Shoutout to @444morales much love to you, friend 💜💜💜
Welcome to Part 5 of Sorpresa (Surprise). We’re almost there, just need to do the +1 (I’m not gonna lie to you guys, I’m still debating on that one but it might be posted on a later date because I’m having brain rot over one particular idea).
Anywho, here are the previous parts if you missed them: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four
Enjoy Part 5!
Warning: Cursing, blood (not a lot)
Side note: There’s mentions of Punkflower in here, don’t like it? Don’t read. I’m too grown for the back and forth, I like the pairing (and I see them platonically as well but I do like them as a couple so hush). And there will be Punkflower in future fics as well.
Alright, I’m done.
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Summary: Miles vaguely understood that his girlfriend was a bit of a wild card. Quiet people tend to be like that. But it never fails to surprise him how often she could pull off such a thing.
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When Miles Morales of E-1610 stepped into Earth 42, he had planned to find his hermano gemelo for some much-needed advice.
Like how to handle having a crush advice.
As much as it pains him to admit it, Miles 1610 thought Miles 42 seemed much cooler than himself. He bet that he was much smoother at flirting than him.
...and since his Uncle Aaron was gone, he needed someone to talk to. No offense to his parents, but he doubted they could help, especially when his crush looked like someone manifested from his dad's worse nightmare.
Maybe his mamá would-
"Milo?" The young Spider jumped, silently cursing his tendency to space out. He was about to use his fake deep voice when he paused, processing what was said.
'Wait, is that-' Miles turned to find the warm eyes of Panthera looking back at him.
"Milo! It is you!" Miles, or as Panthera affectionately called him Milo, caught the girl in his arms with a laugh, briefly spinning them around before setting her down. The boy took off his mask to properly face her.
"Hey Panthera, it's been a while," the spider grinned. Panthera looked back at him with a pout.
"Yeah, because you don't visit me anymore," she whined, swatting his arm. Milo let out a soft chuckle, along with an apology. Miles has been busy with school, crime fighting, Spider HQ, and trying to have a life. As he and Miles 42 grew closer, Milo tended to visit his Prowler variant more than the girl before him.
But he always made sure to stop by and say hi whenever he was there.
"I'm sorry, Panthera. Can you forgive me," he said, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. Panthera side-eyed him for a few seconds before chuckling.
"You're lucky, you're cute. And you can make it up to me by actually hanging out with me." Milo paused, mulling over the suggestion.
'I did plan on seeing the other Miles... but it has been a long time since I spent time with Panthera, and I have missed her. And, maybe she could help me with my little situation...'
"Okay, what do you do wanna do," he agreed. Panthera narrowed her eyes at the boy's hair.
"Bast! Milo, have you been taking care of your hair lately?!" The boy shrunk away from the girl who was currently glaring at him.
"Uh... I've been busy-"
"Busy my butt. C'mon, we can go to my place to catch up while I take care of that bird's nest on your head. Maybe we can dive into my self-care stash if you're up for it. My boyfriend doesn't seem too into that stuff to do it with me." Milo, choosing not to argue and actually interested in what the girl could have in store for him, wrapped an arm around Panthera's waist and swung off to her apartment.
"About time you finally admit that you like Hobie. I've been telling you that you do for years-"
"Is now the time for the "I told you so" speech," Milo whined. Panthera let out a hearty laugh as she finished another twist. The pair have been catching up, well more so Milo was catching up and talking about his little crush situation while Panthera listened.
"Yes. Because the romantic tension between you two is suffocating," Panthera teased. She could tell Milo was pouting with a blush heating his cheeks. Panthera couldn't help but coo at the Spider version of her boyfriend.
"Hey, when you get married, I better be a bridesmaid and your hairstylist."
"I think you're getting ahead of yourself-"
"¡¿Qué demonios?! ¡¿Milo, qué haces aquí?!" The pair blinked to find a frozen Miles 42, one leg in Panthera's bedroom.
When Miles 42 was blowing up his girl's phone, which was on DND (why the hell would she not put him on the specialized list to reach her, Miles couldn't tell you. And quite honestly, he's offended), he figured she wanted him to pull up in person.
In case you didn't peep, he doesn't like being ignored by his girlfriend... at all.
But he didn't expect to see his girl with his hermano gemelo. The pair looked extremely cozy. Milo looked comfortable sitting between Panthera's thighs, leaning his head back as she worked on a twist. Milo seemed to be clipping his nails in the meanwhile. The pair were wearing matching blue face masks. The sound of "Sunflower" playing in the background registered in the confused boy's mind.
'Do I whoop my brother's ass or nah?'
"Oh, uh, hey bro... um, what are you doing here," Milo said with an awkward laugh. Panthera blinked at her boyfriend and one of her favorite spiders.
"Milo, you never told me you were finally cool with my Miles," Panthera said with an annoyed pout.
"Well, you never told me you personally knew the other version of me either," Milo retorted.
"Alright, pause." The pair turned to Miles, who looked like he was trying to gather himself.
"Let's start from the beginning. How do you two even know each other?" Milo was the one who answered.
"Oh, we've known each other for a while now. You know, ever since I landed your dimension instead of mine." Miles blinked.
"How?" Panthera decided to jump in.
"I found him in an alley, barely conscious and scared out of his mind. I was confused since he looked like you but clearly wasn't you. He was mumbling about how he needed to run and how he was coming for him. Before I could even ask what he meant by that, Milo passed out, and I noticed a very familiar purple glow passing by." The girl raised a brow, staring at her boyfriend, unimpressed.
"Miles, were you hunting poor Milo here?" The two boys stared at the girl in shock.
"You hid him from me?!"
"You know he's the Prowler?!" Panthera rolled her eyes as she gently parted another small section and began twisting.
"Yes, and yes. Now answer my question, babe." Panthera noticed Milo's jaw-dropping.
"My twin brother is your boyfriend?!" Miles blushed, scowling.
"Problem, hermano?" Milo opened and shut his mouth, reminding Miles of a fish.
"Wha-? N-no! No problem, I-I just-"
"Miles, leave Milo alone. Your brother doesn't like me like that. Especially since he has someone else in mind. Now answer my question before I throw something at you!" Miles raised a brow before sighing.
"Yes, I was. But c'mon ma, you can never be too careful when you're in my line of work. He could've been a threat." He watched as Panthera's eyes softened slightly. Only slightly, though.
"Fair, but I'm not saying you're completely off the hook. The boy was terrified and hurt. Not only that, glitching-"
"I didn't notice that until afterward when I found him again-"
"Glad you came to your senses then. I almost killed yo ass if it weren't for Milo," she frowned. Miles paused at that, mulling over how she phrased it.
"What are you talking about?" Panthera raised a brow.
"Think back to before Milo's spider group showed up, babe..." Miles frowned, thinking.
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Miles finally caught sight of the familiar figure of his doppelganger swinging from building to building to the city's outskirts. He was pissed over the little stunt the guy pulled when he managed to escape him and his uncle and stay hidden for hours.
It made no sense. The person who was roaming the city, wearing his face, was injured even before Miles came up and rocked his shit. He and his uncle saw the extensive claw marks adorning his shoulder and chest. Whoever this guy was fighting before had something out for him. A person that hurt, even when running on adrenaline, wouldn't last that long by himself.
He had to have a contact to help him escape.
But it didn't matter now. He caught sight of his prey and was going to make sure that this "Spiderman" wasn't gonna escape him twice. Miles looked down to find his uncle riding the custom-made Prowler bike from below as Miles settled for jumping from building to building, using his specially made shoes to stick to the surface.
Miles watched from the shadows as his double landed near the forest line. Miles crept up on the unsuspecting boy before he pounced-
Miles, however, was caught by surprise as his double ducked out of the way to evade his claws. Spider Miles glared at him, but the slight fear in his eyes was still present.
"Dude, back off already! I don't mean no trouble!" Miles let out an unamused chuckle.
"That remains to be seen," he drawled. Miles watched as his double pursed his lips, eyes frantically looking around for something. Or someone.
"No one's coming to save you, Spider-Boy. Might as well give up now," Miles mocked, flexing his clawed hand. A loud engine roared behind him, and Miles knew his tío had finally arrived. Two against one. Not so good for the injured version of himself, but that didn't stop Spider Miles from glaring at him.
"It's SpiderMAN!" Miles smirked behind his Prowler mask, gearing up for a fight.
---
Despite his injuries, the other boy definitely could hold his own. Miles was more secretly impressed than he was annoyed. He got Miles good a few times- turning invisible a few times to take Miles off guard and using his electricity to short-circuit Miles' suit. Even using those webs of his, really on theme by the looks of it, could be used to tie him up and swing him about.
The other Miles was good. However, not good enough.
When his uncle Aaron took out his gun and opened fire at the other version of his nephew, it was enough to scare him—giving Miles the opening he needed to punch his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Miles held him up by the throat with his claw-free hand, staring the imposed in the face.
"Any last words, Spider-Boy," Miles asked, the Prowler claw whirring to life, ready to take out his target. Tears built up in Spider Miles' eyes before he closed them.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you..." Miles narrowed his eyes at the boy. Why would he-
"Get on with it, Prowler." Aaron's sharp tone cut through Miles' thought, urging his nephew to finish the job.
"Myeke ahambe." Aaron and Miles sharply inhaled at the sound of the new voice among them. The pair turned to a figure melting out of the shadows, which turned out to be a female. A black and gold bandana wrapped around her forehead with a black mask with a jaguar fang design covering the lower part of her face. Leaving only her gold eyes exposed. A black long-sleeve turtleneck with faint gold spots, especially like a jaguar's, clad her torso. Black cargo pants covered her legs, with black combat boots on her feet. The most interesting detail about her was what was on her wrists.
Matching gold-plated fanged bracelets that laid snug on her small wrists.
Spider Miles's eyes snapped open, taking in the newcomer with newfound hope.
"Y-you... you came," he said. A soft chuckle escaped the girl; warmth could be seen in her eyes.
"Of course, Milo..." Aaron scowled at the girl.
"Ain't nothing to see here, little girl. Move along before you get hurt," he said. The girl tilted her at the man before lunging at him. Aaron raised his gun to fire at her, but to the older man's surprise, the girl was fast. She reached him just as he was about to pull the trigger, punching him square in the jaw.
Before he could regain his bearings, Aaron felt two slender figures on his pressure points before everything turned black. The newcomer turned to the Prowler, who was already sneering at her.
"You'll pay for that," the Prowler hissed, dropping his counterpart in favor of facing his "friend." The girl crossed her arms in an X formation in front of her chest. Miles' eyes widened under his mask as he watched a pair of long sleeve gloves materialize on her hands and forearms. Those fingers flexed open, revealing hidden gold claws.
"Prove it then," she said.
And the brawl began.
---
Miles had been the Prowler for at least over a year now. The boy took his training seriously so that he couldn't be bested. He has had a few humbling experiences, but damn, this has to be the most humbling of them all.
The girl was good. Like really good. Unlike his "spider" counterpart, she could handle hand-to-hand combat. Her punches hurt, and Miles almost knew she had cracked a rib. And her claws. The boy wasn't sure what material she used to make them, but he might need some for gauntlets because goddamn.
She managed to tear into his gauntlet with them, getting to the skin of his forearm. And let's not forget the multiple claw marks on his clothes and skin, the biggest injury being the claw marks on his chest (she managed to tear through the bulletproof vest he had underneath, and quite honestly, Miles didn't think that was fair because what kind strange ass metal did she use to craft those claws?!) Granted, she's not faring any better, but he never met someone to get him in such bad shape.
He was pinned to a tree, held up by his throat, with her claws scraping the delicate skin of his neck.
"Yield," she quietly demanded. He gave her a digital glare.
"Go to hell," he hissed back. Those gold eyes glowered at him, and her grip on his neck tightened. He could feel those claws dig into his neck, drawing small rivers of blood. Despite his stubbornness, he knew she could feel the nervous rhythm of his heart beneath her fingers.
"W-WAIT!" The pair turned to the spider among them, his bright eyes wide in feared awe.
"Please... don't hurt him..." The girl cocked her head at the boy, but before she could fully decide whether she really wanted to do that, her eyes widened in fear as the spider violently glitched. Miles froze at the sight.
"Milo!" The girl legit threw him (rude...) to the side like an unwanted toy as she rushed to the boy's side. She cradled him to her chest, holding him as she could as the spider's cells struggled to reassemble themselves. Finally, the glitch lost its grip on the anomaly, leaving Milo panting into her shoulder.
"Are you okay," she whispered, running her hand through the boy's curls.
"Y-Yeah... I-I don't think I have much time left," Milo whispered. The girl stiffened at that. They were still far away from Alcehmax, and despite their fight, it wouldn't surprise Panthera if the Prowler wanted another go at them.
Fuck, what were they gonna-
The sound of something tearing could be heard before the portal could be seen. A group of Spider-People stepped out of the portal before it closed behind them. Each group stared at each other in shock before the shouting began.
"Miles!"
"Gwen?!"
"Wait, you're the white bitch that broke Milo's heart?! Why I outta-"
"What the hell is going on-?!"
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"So you mean to tell me that person who knocked out Uncle Aaron, nearly unalived me and that Spider chick was you," Miles asked. Panthera gave an innocent shrug.
"Yeah, pretty much." Miles ran his hands threw his hair and sighed.
Welp, out of all the surprises he's experienced in their relationship, this one takes the cake.
Nope, scratch that. It takes the whole bakery 'cause damn...
"Well damn, okay, ma. Remind me never to piss you off again for as long I live," Miles said, sitting beside her on the bed. Panthera chuckled as she finished the last twist.
"There you go, my beloved Sunflower. Now, do you want me to add a bit of color to some of them? I got gold and red," Panthera said as she played with Milo's hair. The Spider variant pondered for a second before choosing gold.
"Sooooo.... you two do this often," Miles asked as Panthera cracked out a jar of temporary hair color.
"This is the first time in a while since I've been coming to see you and Aaron," Milo said aloud. Panthera pouted, clearly peeved.
"I should've known. You need to start sharing him, babe. I've been missing my guy bestie." Miles' face did a funny spasm.
"You have me to hang out with you-"
"I said, guy bestie. You know where I can happily gossip, do face masks, and manicures and shit? Which you barely wanna do with me. You literally screamed when I walked out with one of my homemade face masks-"
"Your face looked like it was cracking-"
"I needed to wash it off. I was trying to say hi before you started searching through my room-"
"Hey, Panthera, can we take a quick break? I think I need to wash this mask off now." Panthera smiled down at Milo, using an old shirt to wipe her hands.
"Of course, I'll come with you. Be right back, babe." Not even the kiss on his cheek could get the E-42 boy to stop pouting.
Call Miles a selfish bastard, but he liked having Panthera to himself. Uncle Aaron has occasionally been stealing her from him, and now he had to share her with his twin?
Maybe he should be more open when it comes to the face masks and shit...
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Dedicated to @444morales appreciate your support, friend 💜💜💜
Translation:
-Spanish-
¡¿Qué demonios?! ¡¿Milo, qué haces aquí?! : What the hell?! Miles, what are you doing here?!
