celestial paradox

chapter twenty one: journey to the past

Once Miles comes back down to earth his eyes find you, and you're on the blankets, waiting for him. He watches you as you look up to the very thing you talk about daily. You're lying on your back with one of the pillows under your head.

You looked comfortable, you looked happy.

He joins you on the blanket, "Aren't they just beautiful?" You asked, not breaking your gaze from the sky. But Miles can't help himself when his gaze turns to you and leaves the quiet skies.

"Yeah...beautiful."

The tone of his voice tips you off and you look over at him to see that he is already looking at you. "What? Is there something on my face?" Your eyes grow wide with worry as you reach for your face but Miles pulls your hands away.

"No. I just uh, I just think you're beautiful too."

His words shock you, "You think I'm beautiful...?" Your words come out in a whisper. The disbelief that runs down your face throws the boy off.

Miles laughs, he can't believe you would ask him something like that, "Y/n, you're the prettiest and smartest girl in school." You wait for him to say but, or to play off what he said as a joke, but it doesn't come.

He meant what he said.

You turn away from him, embarrassed, "Y'know it's nights like these that make me wonder...what is Spider-Man doing." You tuck a strand of hair behind your ear your full focus on anything but the compliment Miles gave you.

You changed the subject and he noticed, he didn't mind. But a small part of him was conflicted."I don't know. Probably saving people." He decided to go with it.

Miles then jumped up from his spot, he sat up with glee as a light bulb came on above his head. "If I was Spider-Man, I would be the strongest one!" You sat up with him.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" He echoed.

"If I was Spider-Man I would never let anything happen to you! Nothing is going through me!" Miles's thumb points to his chest with self-righteousness. His eyes glimmer with determination and a promise.

An amused grin appeared on your face.

"I'll make sure to hold you to it if that ever happens."

. . .

"MILES!"

The boy's eyes snap open. He comes back to earth and the situation at hand becomes aware to him. He shakes his head, the fog of the memory leaving but still lingering.

He starts to remember where he was.

KingPin. He was standing in front of KingPin, but why? Miles looks around and his eyes lock onto your figure in his hands. Is that why his mind took him back to eight years ago? When he made a childish and naïve promise of keeping you safe?

The two stand there, waiting for the other to make the first move. Miles, itching with anticipation. KingPin, ready to ruin the boy's life.

If he had to guess, maybe it did.

KingPin has had enough of standing around and he makes the first move. He slammed down on the glass on the building they were standing on and it's like a domino effect. Each piece of glass that flies off another piece breaks in its wake, falling like crystals.