𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒|| 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚

𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍

"At your back door, screaming I wanna come in."
[COUNTDOWN]
—THREE MONTHS BEFORE—

(Super long chapter, sorry.
Also there will be two countdowns
in this chapter.)

7:30 p.m. Harley's room, the next day

Harley waited in her room to have that feeling again. The feeling of her mother appearing. Her mother promised the same time and the same place. She stared outside the window. Another rainy day.

She then felt a gust of wind next to her.

Harley's eyes gleamed in excitement and turned her head to see Angelia.

"Mom." Harley smiled at her mom, who smiled back.

"So," Angelia started. "Another boring day?"

"Yup." Harley nodded as she twiddled her thumbs. "Penny got so mad at me yesterday. You should've seen it. She got mad at me for doing my job and not visiting her."

"She cares about you."

"So, you agree with her? Her yelling at me like that?" She muttered, already assuming her mother was taking Penny's side.

"In some aspects, yes. But it was wrong for her to talk to you like that. Just be mindful of other people." Angelia answered.

"I get they care about me, but can they just get off my back about it? I'm already dying, so why does it matter?"

"They care because you're dying. I saw your dad. He was crying. I think he was holding your picture."

Harley's eyes dulled, and she frowned at the thought. "Okay, fine. They care about me, and I appreciate that. But can they just stop complaining about every little thing I do?"

Her mom breathily laughed.

The two were in silence for a little while before pulling something out of her pocket. It was a silver bracelet with a spider on it. "I bought it from the shops nearby. It was expensive, but you're an exception."

Harley placed it on her wrist and grinned, appreciative of the gift.

"Now, you better not be losing it."

"Oh, I won't." Harley examined the bracelet. Her fingers were skimming over the spider emblem. Harley then looked up at her mom, attempting to ask the same question from yesterday. "Mom. How are you here? You're supposed to be dead, remember?"

"I really don't know how I got here either." Angelia shrugs. She truly didn't know why she could go visit her daughter anytime she wanted.

"Wow, thanks, mom."

"Don't give me that attitude—"

The door suddenly flew open. Harley's eyes widened, and she turned around. Her dad stood at the doorway and scanned the area.

"Dad, I can expla—" Harley turned around, only to see that her mom had disappeared. "Never mind."

"C'mon, kiddo, time for bed." Ben said.

"I'm not ten anymore."

"You certainly act like it." Ben tucked Harley inside her bed, brushing some hair out of her face. "Were you talking to someone? I swear I heard another voice."

"Nope. Not at all. You know me, always talking to myself."

Ben let out a noise of amusement before exiting her room. "Night, Charlie."

"Night dad." Harley murmured before closing her eyes.

[COUNTDOWN]
—TWO MONTHS BEFORE—

Harley entered the headquarters and immediately aimed to go to Miguel's office. It was time to return her wristband. If she couldn't keep her job as spider woman might as well return to college.

She struggled to move through the headquarters, hopping on one foot and an immobile arm. It would take her a lifetime to reach his office. That's why she got Hobie to carry her towards the office.

"So that's it, then?" Hobie asked, moving around the hoard of people. His eyebrows quirked up, and he glanced at Harley.

"What is?" Harley asked, confused by the statement.

"You're leaving."

"I'm not leaving. I got fired."

"Why did he fire you for?"

"Apparently having a broken arm and leg gives me liability status." Harley huffed in frustration. If she could, she would punch Miguel in the face. It would give her temporary satisfaction.

"Boss man fired you?" Hobie repeated and scoffed. "Bloody hell, what a fucking git."

Hobie then held onto one of her legs tightly. "Hold on. I have to swing myself from here. If you fall, I'll catch you. Maybe."

The blonde rolled her eyes as Hobie swung through the rest of the way. He avoided any obstacles, such as other spider people and inanimate objects. Hobie finally landed on a platform, and he gently placed her in front of the office door.

"Careful solider." Hobie said teasingly, saluting her.

"You're incredibly stupid." Harley murmured, saluting back at him. A grin slowly overtook her face as she glanced at Hobie one last time. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime." Hobie pointed at her before swinging away and finishing his other duties. Harley released a shaky sigh and opened the door. She was walking on thin ice; anything she said wrong would cause catastrophe.

"Miguel." She said her voice echoed through the empty room, reverberating against the metal walls. Her hand curled into a ball due to anxiety as her heart thumped vigorously. She couldn't believe she was getting worked up over a man, especially a man who she always made fun of.

Her confidence was slowly crumbling, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

Miguel's platform finally lowered, and he slowly turned around. His body stiffened at the sight of her. Listening to her voice was fine at first, but finally seeing her for the first time in weeks made him nervous. There was a frog in his throat before he pushed it down.

"Harley." Miguel acknowledged and walked downstairs.

"I came here to return this." She lifted her good arm that had the wristband on it.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, if you're here to fire me, I might as well return this. I won't need this anymore, and you won't have to see me ever again. By the way, the wristband always malfunctions, so it's basically useless to me now." Harley stated this bitterly and glared at the malfunctioning wristband that almost cost her life.

"It can't malfunction."

"Why?"

"Cause I made it."

"Yeah, remember the time I got hit by a big ass truck? It malfunctioned there, you idiot. I wouldn't have glitched if this worked properly."

"It wasn't malfunctioning. It wasn't working properly, that's all."

"It's the same meaning, dipshit." She huffed, her patience running thin. "And I always ask this question, but you never answer me. Why do I glitch in my own universe?"

"It's the first time I've seen it. I'm still researching that. You're certainly not an anomaly. I've been using deductive reasoning, but I still can't figure it out."

Harley sighed in disappointment and pushed the problem away. She was going to leave the headquarters and never return. "Whatever. Now, since you fired me, give me a day pass so I can exit here safely. I don't want to feel like I'm in the movie The Exorcist."

"I never fired you." Miguel denied it; he wouldn't let her leave. "I only said you wouldn't be useful here for now."

"That's the total fucking opposite you said to me several weeks ago. Now give me the day pass so I can leave." She placed the palm of her hand out, waiting.

"I can't let you."

"You can't or won't."

"I won't."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that." Miguel placed his hands on his hips and slowly paced back and forth. He felt very anxious about where this conversation was going to lead. "Also, you still need the watch to not glitch. A day pass isn't going to do anything."

"Of fucking course." She murmured to herself. She didn't care if the day pass wasn't going to do anything. It would only help her escape Miguel's cruel words and actions. She looked towards the floor before looking back up. "You know, after working for you for two years, I expected to gain your trust and be respected—"

"And you are—"

"Oh yeah? What did you say to me the last time we talked?" Harley asked forcefully. This was the moment when it exploded, and they never had to see each other again. It was fine, she thought. Harley would be able to live normally and continue her daily life.

Miguel tried to explain, but for the first time, he was rendered speechless. There was no way for him to defend himself this time. The only thing he could do was admit his mistakes and apologize. It is a very hard thing to do with a man with such a large ego. "It was a mistake. I'm sorry."

"Really? Just an I'm sorry?"

Shit.

That apology was bone dry; he would have to do better.

"I should've never said those things."

"Say what things?" Harley riled him up, waiting for him to fess up all the fucked-up things he said to her. She knew she was treating him like a kid, asking questions she already knew. But if he's going to act like one, treat him like one.

Miguel bit his tongue and distaste. He couldn't do it. He couldn't repeat the words. It was as if his mouth was glued shut.

"I'm done being patient. Give me the day pass so I can get out of here."

"No."

"Why do you always have to be so difficult?! I ask for one simple thing!"

"I'm not being difficult; I'm just telling you to stay."

"You can't just tell me when I leave or stay. I'm not some fucking dog, Miguel. You can't just order me around."

"I'm your boss. It's my job."

"Holy shit!" Harley ran a hand through her hair as she laughed bitterly. She couldn't believe this man's audacity. This man's ego was bigger than the sky. "'I'm your boss'. That doesn't fucking mean anything!"

"Harley, think logically!" Miguel raised his voice, having a hard time making Harley hear him out. If she was still going to leave after his apology, then might as well use her life or death card. "If you leave right now, you'll die! If you don't take your injections, you won't live! It's a life-or-death situation right now. You're giving up your life for a petty argument."

"Petty argument?!" Harley was baffled; she couldn't believe he would use her condition to make her stay. "You saying I'm a liability, I'm useless, and I don't belong here is a petty argument? You think belittling me is a petty argument?! You're more of a fucking moron than I thought!"

"I'm a fucking moron?! You're essentially burying yourself in a grave right now! Get that through your thick skull of yours. You will die!"

Harley turned around quickly and shook her head. She couldn't look at him right now. If she did, she might as well blow a hole through his head. Harley could feel a headache coming along, and if she didn't stop the argument now, it would get worse.

Her wristband beeped abruptly. Harley perked up and examined it.

—Body inspection: seventy percent coverage, two percent increase.
Symptoms: fatigue, irregular heart rate, shortage of breath. (No injection is needed; regulated.)—

At least the mutation scanning thingy was actually working.

She sighed in agitation before turning around and looking at Miguel, who had a huge frown on his face. "Look, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. We're getting nowhere. Now, I would appreciate it if you would give me the day pass so I can get out of here."

"And I said no."

"Oh, fuck this then." Harley stiffly moved her arm that was in the arm sling. She then ripped the wristband on her wrist and threw it on the floor. Her emotions went out of control as her logic and judgment were clouded over between hate and anger. Harley tightly held her crutch and quickly hopped towards the exit.

Miguel's eyes widened, he sprinted towards the wristband, before snatching it. He was scared that she would lag at any moment and drop dead. If she lagged even for a second, her body would be severely harmed. If the mutation caused her severe pain, then the glitch would worsen it.

His arms engulfed her body and pinned her arms down. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. Harley gasped in shock as she felt arms from behind her. "Get the fuck off me!"

"Calm down! Let me put this back on you!"

"No!" She tried to escape his grasps, but unfortunately, she was too weak. Harley cursed her broken bones.

Miguel finally got a good grip on her arm and placed it back on her wrist. He sighed in relief when he got it back on. Only for him to be stressed when he saw her attempting to take it off again.

Miguel finally turned her around, grasped her shoulders, and pulled her in closely. Harley was still shouting at him, and he could see she was struggling to breathe. So, being the smart man he is, he had to do something.

Harley could tell he was thinking of something. "What the hell are you—"

She was cut off by Miguel's lips, harshly smashing into hers but gradually softening.

Harley's body tensed up, and she didn't kiss back for a moment. But slowly, she accepted the new situation and melted into the kiss. After two years of tension leading up to the kiss, she waited for months.

Harley continued to kiss him, and the taste of peppermint entered her mouth. She didn't know what to do with her hand—would she place them on his arm, shoulder, or hair?

A storm of emotions erupted in her body as euphoria consumed her body. It was like falling. Falling into soft, white clouds that steadily glided across the sky. It feels like she lost complete control of her body, and it was just floating in another universe. She could get lost forever in Miguel, and she's not really sure how.

Miguel's heart beat erratically as his hands tightened around her waist. His body slightly shook in ecstasy, forgetting everything and anything going on. His only focus was on her. She tasted like cherries, he noted; he loved cherries. The light touch she gave sent shivers down his spine. He was craving her. The feel of her was so close to him that he was unsure where she ended and began.

Unfortunately, the kiss had come to a stop from the lack of air. The two pulled back and looked at each other in shock, unable to say anything. The kiss that felt like forever was only for several seconds.

"I got carried away. I shouldn't have—"

"Don't say that." Harley murmured, shaking her head. Her lips still parted to intake more air. "Don't walk away from me again."

Miguel wanted to walk away for her safety, but he needed this; he was craving her. "I won't."