bakerstreet | (1) picture prompt.

Like the holograms back at Headquarters. Most of the architecture is custom-built, but the entertainment is pretty much identical from what you'd find in rest of the city.

[ Miles had been given the tour (once during his first arrival, a second time once he'd... been given a proper welcome. The reception he should have gotten from the get-go.) It doesn't occur to Miguel that the Morales kid missed out on the granule of context that the Spider Society was his home dimension. Both the building and the expansive city outside of it.

It begs the question how on Earth Miguel had the resources to provide such a thing - but, there it was. Something about loneliness really drives a guy to set up a colossal spider-themed multiversal refuge. ]

It sounds like the Fifth Floor Library was too boring a location for your grand tour.

[Custom. He's used to that in regards to art. To his suit. Not so much elsewhere. But that doesn't mean Miles can't appreciate that, something unique.]

It wasn't boring! I just -- haven't had as much time there as you have to get through as much of the library. Or any other areas, so much.

[Which. Might change now? Miles obviously still has his home, his family here, but that doesn't change that he does still want to help. Where he can. As Spider-Man. That he is aware there might be some things he can help with better, given his particular skills, his venom and invisibility. He is still processing it all. Still figuring all the implications. There's a lot he might have missed, a lot of details given his initial experience with the Society.]

It's all right either way, Miles. I was just .. uh, attempting "banter".

[ Quipping.. Funny small talk... all that good Spider-Man stuff. Obviously the least interesting thing in a Spider-Lair would be a quiet, dark room full of datalogs. His sense of humor was still dry as a desert, he guesses.

Well. Gonna eat some more hot dog to smooth that over. Miguel will never escape being an overly serious, big brained Dweeb. ]

You're welcome to give it a look when you want. There's no rush, kid.

Edited 2023-07-07 01:26 (UTC)

I just...Still getting a read on you?

[Which? Is probably fair. Considering their interactions and disagreement earlier. He hasn't really had the time to really get to know Miguel so well. Yet. Without all of that earlier kind of putting a damper on the idea of getting to know each other and having any sort of friendship or bond. Not like now where they have the chance. It's a start anyway.]

Yeah? I just gotta figure time to. Between family and school and you know.

[Being Spider-Man.]

You have time. You're just starting your journey in all this.

[ He liked to repeat that the younger Spiders he crossed paths with. The pressure of taking on Spider-Man responsibilities on top of just Living as a Teen was... well, it was never easy. He had the perspective on living a (somewhat) normal, unpowered life for a bit - and frankly, that was complicated enough.

Still, Miguel looked a little stiff himself, for different reasons. Although the conflict was settled between them, he never figured out a way how to apologize for the cruel things he'd said. Maybe he can try to fix that with more reassuring ones. ]

I enjoyed the sights. I'm surprised you agreed to show me around.

I guess. Being a year in doesn't feel like much compared to the rest of you.

[Peter had been doing this for years, after all. He is aware he is probably one of if not the newest to this in comparison. So of course he is still figuring it out, for all that he is learning and getting better after doing this for over a year. Miles figures the other is probably just stiff, tense, not used to being out and about too often, if he was usually holed up helping the Society and all.]

Mm, well. Best tour has to be given by a local, right? This is my home. And somehow, at the moment, I am caught up on homework and stuff so. I have time. And I'm finally not grounded anymore so it's nice to get out of the house any chance I get.

[ Miguel makes a noise that sounds dangerously close to a laugh (it is possible!!). ]

You're less than half my age, Miles. You have time to figure it out. And you will.

[ Spiderteens are going to Spider-Teen. That seems to be a constant across the multiverse. Anyway. He understands the urge to compare when there was a whole clubhouse showing mirrors to your own performance as Spider-Man. He... didn't exactly help. ]

I'd say you're doing pretty good for your first year. Even if you made an astoundingly risky gamble.

[ He would never leave things to chance like that. Never. But Miguel's more precise and rigid way of doing things wasn't always the right way. ]

I will get there. Just. Gonna take time to properly settle in with it.

[He is getting there, just. Usually with smaller villains and such. Rather than the big threats like Kingpin or Spot's potential chaos. He munches his hot dog, walking in leading the other around to some other sights. He shifts, shaking his head slightly.]

Risky. Yeah. Always has been. Kingpin was the first.

[Miles kind of had a lot, a risky situation right from the start when he first put on the suit. But he had made a promise. And he intended to keep it. To do what he could in place of Peter who died trying to save his dimension.]

That's right. Each one of us is different in their own way, even with all the commonalities. What I'm saying is not to get caught up in comparing yourself.

[ Miguel was certainly an odd one out. Hell, he often had to explain multiple times over that he was Spider-Man due to lacking the Spider-Sense that instinctually tied them together. He knows a thing or two about getting lost in comparisons.

He'd much rather the kid feel okay finding his own path. Keeping his chin up. The Society will always be there for large threats, as they were before.

So Miguel will trail behind Miles, letting him take the lead and enjoying their joywalk. Brooklyn was certainly a lot more busy and chaotic than Nueva York's manicured uptown. He can't deny the hotdogs were pretty good. ]

Right. Gotta be me, right?

[He might have different ways of thinking about things, different priorities and instincts in comparison to the others that have more experience, that have had a very different upbringing compared to him. Miles having a nurse and cop for parents. Being black.

Miles gives a nod, considering what Miguel says as he takes another bite, glancing around for anything else to point out for Miguel.]

Yeah.

[ The word comes out quiet. It felt like the right thing to say, but Miguel couldn't help but feel a little envious of Miles' optimism, sometimes. He had his whole future ahead of him with a decent start. Hopefully, life won't crush this kid's spark quite so hard.

He will join Miles in his hotdog-eating, mulling on the thought for a bit. Some distance ahead of them, he spots a skateboarder beefing it at the base of some stairs while trying to grind down the railing with her friends. She gets up just in time to run away from shop security trying to scare off the rabblerousers. Hm. Teenagers. ]

[Miles of course isn't aware on the other being envious. He's just figuring he has time. To adjust and properly settle in to being Spider-Man. To visit the Society. To keep in touch with Gwen.]

Wonder what they were doing?

[Miles says, more to himself. He just figures they were hanging around skateboarding is all. But of course he can't be sure on what they might have been up to before he saw them. What might have irked the security guard to try flee them away from the mall premises. He shifts, watching them as he walks and steps to the side to let someone else pass. Making sure he isn't getting too far ahead of Miguel.]

Making a mess of things, clearly.

[ Well, Miguel sounds critical, but in a toothless way. When his Spiderly duties got upscaled to multiversal trouble, small shenanigans here and there really didn't get under his skin like work stress did.

He seems satisfied as a spectator, finishing his hot dog and watching the chase scene unfold as his dinner and entertainment. The scrabbling around ends with a lot of fleeing skateboarder kids and one out-of-breath guard deciding to give up and head back. ]

How's your father doing?

I'm sure it wasn't that big a deal.

[Probably just hanging around too close to the mall for too long or something. At least from what he can tell. Of course he doesn't have the full context. But he is staying out of it. Simply letting the moment play out. He finishes his last bite of his hot dog, giving a nod as he swallows and answers the question.]

Mm. He's alright. Didn't want that promotion he was gonna get. And he's keeping a closer eye on me but at least I'm finally not grounded anymore?

[Yeah. Jefferson might have had a tiny inkling that it was Miles ever since Kingpin with that hug and 'Love you'.]

...Grounded?

[ He has the self-restraint not to blurt out 'You're Spider-Man.' in a crowded sidewalk. The concept of 'Grounded' was so distant to Miguel it felt laughable that such a thing would actually stop Miles. This is one awfully nice cinnamon roll of a teenager. ]

It sounds like he took his near-death experience well, if that's what you two talked about.

[ After the Spot? After a proper Villainous Nemesis climactic fight making a mess of the city? It was quaint by comparison. Miguel can find it in him to be happy the kid got to keep his dad and be caught up in such silly family troubles. ]

Yeah. They didn't know. At first. So when I kept being late for stuff, sometimes for class. Yeah, I got grounded.

[Of course. As Gwen had countered, they hadn't grounded Spider-Man. Miles, though. Yeah, he had to stay at home for a while outside of school. Which sucks but at least he still got to see Ganke during that period. And it was easier to focus on figuring getting his homework done. But, well. Miles wasn't always where he was supposed to be. If he was, he would never have been bitten or gotten involved with Kingpin in the first place.]

I mean. As well as could be expected?

[Considering everything. It's been a bit in the aftermath of it all but things had mostly worked out, probably still some repairs here and there around the city and all. But it kind of did force Miles's hand in revealing himself to his parents, in talking to them about the need to keep Jefferson safe, the threat to his safety.]

(1) picture prompt.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject