Spiderverse: A Miles Morales AU

It was the weekend, and Miles had decided to spend the day at Jason's house to play video games and hang out. Since his dad was often busy with work. They both settled into a comfortable routine, a competitive combat game that they both loved. Jason was dominating the match, his skills evident as he effortlessly racked up points while Miles struggled to keep up.

As the intensity of the game grew, neither of them noticed a peculiar presence in the room. High above, in the corner of Jason's room, a brown steatoda spider was lurking. This wasn't just any spider; it was the same one that Jason's dad had found dead some time ago. He had meant to dispose of it but had accidentally left it in his pocket, bringing it home instead. Due to the strange incident with the particle accelerator, the spider had somehow been revived. Its genes had been altered, making it radioactive, and it had been living in Jason's house ever since, silently...

As they played, the spider hung from its web, perched on the ceiling. It had grown larger and more vibrant since its resurrection, its body shimmering faintly in the dim light. Slowly, it began to crawl down the silk thread, inching its way closer to the ground.

Miles's backpack lay open on the floor, a treasure trove of snacks and controllers scattered inside. the spider was drawn to the warmth of the bag. It descended gracefully, the world around it vibrant and full of new sensations. It moved slowly and quietly.

As Jason scored another point, he let out a triumphant cheer, startling Miles and causing him to momentarily lose focus. In that brief moment of distraction, the spider landed softly among the items in Miles's bag, curling up among the crumpled snack wrappers and game controllers.

"Come on, how are you this good?" Miles asked in defeat, throwing his hands up in frustration.

"I don't know," Jason replied, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Just a lucky streak, I guess!"

"Let's go again!" Jason suggested eagerly.

Miles quickly shook his head. "No way, man! This is the fifteenth loss! I don't think I can come back from that."

With a sigh, he glanced at the clock. "I should probably head home now; it's getting late."

"Come on, bro, just one more game!" Jason urged, but Miles was already standing up, gathering his things.

"Next time, man. You've definitely won this round," he said, zipping up his backpack. Unbeknownst to him, the unusual spider was inside his bag and he had shut the zipper locking the spider in, hidden among his snacks and controllers.

As Miles swung the bag over his shoulder about to leave, Jason walked with him to the door.

"See you in school on Monday!" Jason called out as they stepped outside.

"You too, man!" Miles replied, waving as he walked away.

Miles got home, found his dad sitting at the dining table, surrounded by a chaotic mess of papers. The stress was evident on his father's face as he rifled through the documents, searching for something that seemed just out of reach. The tension in the air was thick, and Miles could feel the weight of his dad's frustration.

"Hey, son, you're back," Jeff said without looking up, his gaze fixed intently on the papers scattered before him.

"What's all this?" Miles asked, glancing at the clutter.

"It's just work, son," Jeff replied, still focused. "I'm working on a story about this big company. They've been involved in some shady stuff, and it seems like they've taken so many lives. Everyone I've tried to talk to is too scared to speak up against them. I just can't figure out why."

Miles furrowed his brow, concern creeping into his voice. "Take it easy, Dad. You don't want to stress yourself out too much."

"I will," Jeff said, finally looking up at Miles, though the weariness in his eyes remained. "How's your friend Jason?"

"He's good," Miles replied, wanting to lighten the mood.

"Good to hear." Jeff returned to the papers, but there was a slight shift in his posture, as if the conversation had eased him a bit. "I'd better head to the shower," Miles said, sensing his dad needed some space.

"Yeah, do that. I'll prepare dinner for us, okay?" Jeff replied, still looking down at the papers.

"Alright, Dad. I'll be right back," Miles said as he made his way to his room.

Once inside, he dropped his bag onto the bed and headed straight for the shower. The hot water washed away the remnants of the day, and after about eight minutes, he emerged feeling refreshed. He quickly changed into comfortable clothes and glanced at his backpack.

Deciding it was time to unpack, Miles unzipped his bag and began to take out his things. He pulled out his controllers first, feeling a sense of relief at the familiar objects. Then he reached in again to grab the snacks.

Suddenly, the spider, feeling threatened by the sudden movement, bit his back right hand. In that instant, it released a strange venom into Miles's body. A sharp pain shot through his hand, causing him to jerk it back in shock.

"What could that be?" he muttered to himself, his heart racing. The pain was intense, like a burning sensation radiating through his skin, but when he looked down, there was no sign of injury or blood. Confused, he clenched his hand, trying to alleviate the discomfort.

Wincing, Miles turned his back to the desk, determined to find out what had bitten him. As he moved, he felt a strange tingling sensation spread through his fingers and up his arm. He fumbled through the remaining items in his bag, hoping to locate the source of the bite.

Finally, he spotted the spider at the edge of his desk, its small body shimmering faintly in the light. "You!" Miles exclaimed, realization dawning on him. "How did you get in my bag?"

As the pain pulsed in his hand, frustration bubbled over. The spider moved slowly, almost languidly, and then suddenly stopped altogether. In that instant, the sharp pain in Miles's hand began to fade away. He blinked in confusion, wondering if it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

"Wait… what?" he murmured to himself, puzzled. He tried to nudge the spider to see if it would respond, but it remained completely still. His heart raced as he realized the truth: the creature was dead.

"Strange," he said quietly, a mix of disbelief and intrigue coursing through him. Just moments ago, it had seemed so alive and vibrant. He reached for the now lifeless spider, carefully picking it up between his fingers. There was no sign of the venomous bite anymore, just a tingling sensation that lingered in his arm.

He walked over to the bin by his desk and dropped the spider inside. He didn't think is was a big of a deal.

Miles went back to the dining area, waiting for his dad to finish preparing the meal. As he settled into a chair, he glanced at the TV screen. A news report flashed before him, detailing a recent string of robberies plaguing the city.

"Countless robberies, and the police just can't keep up," his dad said, shaking his head as he stood in the kitchen, focused on the stove. "Bank heists, car thefts, even kidnappings—it's become a normal part of life in New York."

Miles frowned, feeling a sense of unease settle in his stomach. The city he loved felt increasingly dangerous, and the news only seemed to highlight that reality.

He decided to switch to another station, hoping for something more uplifting. Instead, he was met with another grim report: a devastating fire incident that had claimed the lives of twenty people.

"That's so sad," Miles murmured, his heart heavy. It seemed like bad news was everywhere. He couldn't help but think about how fragile life could be, especially after the bizarre encounter with the spider earlier.

His dad, overhearing him, looked over and nodded. "Yeah, it's terrible. Sometimes it feels like the world is getting darker. But we just have to stay hopeful, you know?"

Miles sighed, feeling the weight of his dad's words. "Yeah, I guess so," he replied, trying to push aside his own worries. As he sat there, waiting for dinner.

Dinner is ready, Jeff said he had prepared meatballs and salad. Miles rushed to the table to have a his dinner. He took the first bite, "this is really god dad he complimented".

"Thanks, son. I learned from your mom—the best cook in the world," his dad said, stirring the pot on the stove.

 Miles felt a pang in his chest at the mention of his mom. He missed her so much, but he pushed the feelings aside. She is in a better place now, he reminded himself. Mrs. Carol Morales had been taken from them far too soon, shot by robbers on the streets of Los Angeles. Even after she had reluctantly handed over her money and bag, they had still pulled the trigger.

Miles was eight years old at the time. The trauma of that day had lingered in his mind, shaping much of his childhood. Since then, he had been living with his dad, and now, at 17.

His dad continued to talk about the meal, but Miles found it hard to focus. The memories of his mom flooded back—her laughter, her cooking, the way she had made their small apartment feel warm and inviting. He could still picture her in the kitchen, creating dishes that filled the room with amazing aromas.

"Hey, you okay?" Jeff asked, glancing over with concern.

Miles forced a smile. "Yeah, just thinking about… stuff," he replied, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Gotcha. Just remember, she would want us to keep moving forward," Jeff said gently.

Miles nodded, appreciating the sentiment, but the weight of loss was still heavy on his heart. As they prepared for dinner, he silently vowed to honor her memory by making the most of his life.