In Every Universe He Pines (Miguel O'hara x Jessica Drew) ATSV

In Every Universe He Pines

He was trying to make it work, but there were so many universes to keep track of. Even a needlessly bizarre one, where he and his partner Jessica Drew were romantically together. Earth-123 had an equally obnoxious name to go with it.

It was another New York, one almost as close as his, that was tempting to move into it. They were both still Spider-people there, and he ran a superhero organization though not one exclusively for Spider-people. He was still a "hard nose with a stick up his butt" in that universe. Their words, not his.

The first few times it was by curiosity and routine monitoring. Then, it became a daily itch to watch the surveillance footage. To see a not-pregnant Jessica Drew married to him with two kids. So rarely did he see her in civilian gear. They were happy. The canon events had to have happened for them to have their powers, but he could see they were happy.

Whenever there was an anomaly in Earth-123, he'd never allow his Jessica to go. As second in command, she was naturally curious, but he brushed her off tersely.

"You're needed elsewhere" was usually enough to put her off the trail.

"Then, who's going to babysit you? And you're using your Batman voice." She laughed.

It annoyed him to think of possibilities, so he didn't expend the brain power to ponder beyond his daily viewing. Once he saw 123!Miguel and 123!Jesika in a loving embrace before a pair of toddlers—their toddlers—made exaggerated gagging sounds. He saw that version of himself scoop the little boy into his arms. Jesika had box braids and smiled widely, and he had different-colored eyes.

How easy would it be to slip into that life? But he knew better.

"Whaaa? Kind of wild that you can smile like that over there? Can you smile like this here?" A voice crept over his shoulder.

He flinched. Immediately straightening up his hunched shoulders. How long had he been watching the screen? He rubbed his eyes.

"O'Hara—Drew." He caught himself. His 123 version often called her their last name affectionately or his flower. So much immersion was sickening him. "Drew, would it kill you to make yourself known? Lyla, why didn't you alert me?" He snapped.

"Uh, shouldn't your spider senses do that, big boy? Or were you too absorbed per usual in Earth 123?" His annoying AI chimed before he muted her.

Jessica snorted. "Gosh, who named this one? They got no kind of creativity." She rubbed a hand on her stomach absentmindedly.

Then, her voice sounded softer. "You knew about this universe where we're a family?"

Miguel furrowed his brow, wanting to stop her. In his head, they were already a kind of diluted family. He didn't let many people get close and Jessica was even worse. For such a friendly woman she was very guarded, and he understood that. They understood each other.

There was no universe where she didn't have suitors. Her smooth, dark brown skin and plump lips with her cute nose caught many people's attention. Unfortunately, her godawful sense of humor followed her in every universe too. He could admit she was beautiful.

It was one of the reasons why he wasn't exactly surprised when she suddenly announced she was considering an engagement to some random man. Her would-be fiancé was handsome but underwhelming enough he could've been named Bystander #30 for all he cared.

Miguel had dryly quipped at the news, "Clock ticking?"

Jessica, not filled with her usual playfulness, had answered seriously. "I'm tired of being alone. Y'know all about that. This job—this life--wears on you."

"Alone and lonely are two different things."

"You're right, Miggy, and I'm tired of waiting too." She had brushed her gloved red hand against his, and he had hesitated. Knowing the decision to take or deny her open hand would set something into motion.

But he had shook his head, changing the subject to work to be done. He threw in an abrupt congratulations as an offering. She gave a small smile, and the next week she was married.

Peter B has hounded him about going in on a wedding gift, but he had remarked with acid, "My gift to her is to keep the universes intact."

A year and some change later, she was pregnant with Bystander #30's baby, and he was even more hardened to the world.

While looking at Earth 123 was an escape to what could have been, it was another reminder to leave the canon events alone.

Earth 2099 Nueva York Miguel wasn't happy, but that didn't mean Earth 123 Miguel couldn't stay that way. He owed it to his other self. No more bodysnatcher shenanigans.

After hard days and long nights of keeping the world from going to mierda, Earth 123 was his reward to end on a peaceful note.

Jesika spoke Spanish in that other world. Maybe he had taught her. She knew way more than the standard Duolingo phrases. And he had lovesickingly murmured "quiero besar tus ojos" in her ear more than once.

Some days he felt like a degenerate watching their family dinners, fighting crime, teaching the kids to play soccer, and even the lovemaking. When Jesika would lay underneath the other him with her legs wrapped around him, rocking with him to no abandon, he shivered when she panted Miguel's name. His name. The other Miguel's. Her husband. Not him. Never him.

Sometimes, he compared what that version of Miguel did to please his wife to what he'd have done. 90% of the time their ideas matched. The similarities to differences between other universe counterparts had made his head spin, which is why he didn't allow himself to indulge in it. He couldn't allow himself to watch the sex anymore, but it was too addicting not to watch the other parts of a near-perfect life.

In the present, he lied. "I only found this universe a few days ago, especially with that—" He rubbed his forehead. "—Moronic child who came through here. I've never seen such a smart kid be so dumb."

Jessica stared serenely at the scene of their Earth 123 versions having a soul food dinner. Jesika was bouncing a baby girl with two Afro puffs in her lap while 123!Miguel wiped sweet potato pie off their curly-haired son's face.

She smiled and touched her baby bump again. No doubt imagining what her actual child with her husband would look like.

"Lay off Miles, Miggy. I'm learning there are so many possibilities when you're not afraid to try."

Against the clear instructions to his nervous system to not do this, his mouth moved into a small smile, a smirk really.

"Miggy? Don't tell me you're starting that up again?" He pushed away from the screen and keyboard. It finally occurred to him to change the screen to another universe, this time the one with the ridiculous pig.

She lifted her yellow goggles up her forehead. Miguel noticed how dark her eyes were and the length of her lashes. Her eyes were prettier than Jesika's. Maybe because he knew this pair instead of the other, which made him feel like less of a parasocial fanboy.

"I'll if you want me to."

He only gave a grunt as confirmation.

"Miggy, it is. Anyway, how are we going to recapture Robo Venom? She's been causing all types of havoc on Earth 5,000. Maybe you should send someone else out. Neither of us could catch her."

Miguel thought for a moment. As much as he wanted to wring Miles' so easily snappable neck, he was along for the ride of however his journey to defy the canon would end. If it was all going to go down in flames and wipe out their existence, was it so wrong to enjoy the end?"

He began, "Your ring?"

She wasn't wearing it. Of course, he noticed everything.

Jessica shrugged.

The silence wore on both their nerves before she explained.

"I'll always love M. Jay in some way, but I think we both rushed into things too fast. As soon as our daughter is born, we've already set up a co-parenting arrangement. I'm going to take the time to get it right this time." She cradled her arms underneath her stomach.

Miguel reached for one of her hands, and she let him grab and caress her palm with his thumb.

He was sure his expression was serious and cool, but he couldn't shake the nervousness in his voice.

"Let's try again— no, let me try again," he said to her.

But they both knew he wasn't referring to catching a villain.