Cheer Spider (Miles Morales x OC)

Epilogue

Earth 1711.

Brooklyn, New York.

Scarlett Janiyah Davis.

1 Month Later

The marching band has already occupied their designated spots on the football field.

Normally, my team and I execute our routines on the surrounding track, and tonight is no different as we head in that direction, walking in a single file line. I lead the way, and we eventually arrange ourselves in our customary formation.

The game hasn't begun, but the bleachers are already filled with enthusiastic students, teachers, and families.

"Alright, team, remember to stay in formation!" I turn around to address my teammates, and they respond with nods and voiced assurances.

I stand upright, pom-poms held together, anticipating the game's start as we wait for the whistle. Suddenly, my spider sense tingles, making my heart drop, only to soar right back up again as soon as I spot Miles fucking Morales walking towards me. He's holding a bouquet of pink and white flowers and nearing the fence that separates the track and field from the bleachers.

My stomach begins its familiar fluttery dance, an expected reaction because of Miles being overwhelmingly cheesy sometimes.

He waves at me. "Yo, Scar!"

He has that goofy half-grin half-smirk on his face, his eyes exuding a gentle warmth that makes my face feel all hot and tingly. I attempt to direct my focus somewhere else, and pretend he isn't there, but ever since Miles and I began talking and deepening our connection on a more... romantic level, my teammates haven't given me a moment's rest. Following a few weeks of us swinging through each other's cities and enjoying meals together, we planned a day to visit one of the popular downtown malls in my dimension.

Unfortunately, that's where we crossed paths with half of the cheer squad.

They bombarded us with questions, asking if I was intentionally keeping things "lowkey" between Miles and I. They probed him about where he went to school, how we met, and how he managed to win over the "Unapproachable and Grumpy Scarlett Davis."

Bethany Richardson, our frontspot, immediately starts squealing.

"OH EM GEEEE! Scar, he brought you flowers! That is so cute!"

The other girls immediately jump into the conversation, intensifying my embarrassment.

"Wow, she is so lucky!"

"My boyfriend told me he hates me."

"Okay, but those flowers are really pretty!"

"I wonder if they smell good?"

I'm beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed, and it's moments like these that make me want to playfully smack Miles upside the head from time to time.

I swear he loves seeing me flustered.

Now, he stands before me, extending the bouquet of mixed flowers. I accept them with a roll of my eyes, and I can tell he's about to tease me, evident from the way his lips are twitching.

"Hey, ma, how's it going?" he starts with that affectionate yet slightly embarrassing pet name. I cherish it in private, but not so much in front of my teammates.

"Don't call me that!" I hiss, reaching over to lightly swat his arm. He bursts into laughter, confirming that he's definitely here to troll.

"Just came to show my support." he grins, and I can't resist rolling my eyes again.

"You're so cheesy," I giggle with a small shake of my head. Miles is aware of my tendency to deflect and sometimes even reject affection. I'm just not used to it, and it does make me uncomfortable at times, but we're slowly working on that together.

"Hold on, hold on, I'm cheesy for pulling up to my girl's game to cheer her on?" he playfully argues, and it's all in jest. We can't seem to stop grinning at each other, looking like a pair of dumbasses.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when Scarlett flirts with a guy," Samira Dickens whispers to another cheerleader, but my enhanced hearing picks up on it.

With a heavy sigh, I step away from the fence, shooting Miles a feigned look of annoyance.

"You're distracting me."

He can see right through my bullshit because now he's laughing even more, talking about some, "Yeah, whatever, man. I'll go sit in the bleachers and be distracting over there." He gestures with his thumb behind him, and I have to hold back from smothering his face with kisses.

Ugh.

Love has made me so corny.

"Okay, everyone, let's take it easy," I attempt to pacify my teammates, who are determined to clown my "new personality." Eventually, everyone settles down, and most of the crowd is seated, with anticipation in the air. I give my pom-poms a light shake, a movement to help dispel my nerves.

"Scarlett!" Another voice calls from the far end of the bleachers. I look up, and it's Momma and Daddy, waving in my direction. Daddy proudly holds up a poster displaying my face and cheer number.

Why does it seem like everyone's goal is to embarrass me tonight?

I find it hard to suppress the growing smile on my face.

The whistle blows.

•

Earth 2099.

Nueva York.

Miguel O' Hara.

"Lyla!" Miguel calls out for the algorithm, and she immediately spawns over his shoulder, her heart-shaped glasses perched atop her head.

"What can I do for ya, Miggy?" she asks, and he's soon sighing in frustration.

"I told you not to call me that. Did you ever get the update on Scarlett Davis's last canon event?"

It had occurred to him a few days ago that a canon event was supposed to take place for her weeks prior. He had sent Jessica to check on her, in case it had been another distressing ordeal, but Jess returned with a shrug and a small smile, explaining that Scarlett seemed to be in better shape than she had been in months.

Miguel was personally relieved not to have to deal with another crisis management situation.

"Of course! I'll have it up in a jiffy!" Lyla enthusiastically goes to work, conjuring various screens displaying data and charts. Finally, she hums contentedly, a subtle grin playing at the corners of her lips.

"Looks like our cheerleader finally got her happy ending!" Lyla is being vague as usual and Miguel hates when she does this.

"Get to the point, Lyla," he demands with a tired sigh.

"She's found her MJ! That was her last canon event," Lyla's demeanor exudes enthusiasm for Scarlett, and Miguel surprisingly feels a twinge of happiness for her, too. Among everyone he knew, she was the one person who could use a little more happiness in her life.

"Mary Jane?" he inquires, fueled by curiosity and a need for confirmation.

"Ah, you're gonna love this, boss," Lyla smirks deviously which suggests he is very much not going to love it.

"Spit it out, Lyla."

"Not exactly a Mary Jane, but more like a Miles Jayden Morales..." she instigates, hoping he'll crack and start tossing shit left and right.

In reality, Miguel couldn't care less.

"I guess I'm happy for her," he mutters halfheartedly.

"What was that, boss?"

"Cállate, Lyla."