tom cruise as paul sersin
✧ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ✦ *.✧.* :✦. ─── ✧

( Y/N )'s been doing pretty... good since the collider incident. She got her power back ( one plus side ), her mom got a new boyfriend who she's had mixed feelings over. Aunt May moved to Florida, but she finally learned how to use FaceTime so they call to talk about... feelings or whatever she calls it.

Sometimes ( Y/N ) wishes that collider got her instead of Peter — blaming herself for it. Of course, she was still the lovable nerd but it wasn't like last time.

The nightmares come and go, but it got... slightly better? Now she's just tryna move on

"Susan!" Rio exclaimed as the two woman embraced each other in a hug.

"It's been forever," Susan smiled.

That evening was Jefferson's party they were having on the roof of their apartment building for him becoming Captain. A banner as held above them for the occasion as a crowd of their neighbors and friends gathered on top. They had a table of food , a DJ and a barbecue. There was also fairy lights strung around them.

Music blasted through the DJ booth s where some people were dance and a group of kids were playing a game on the floor where their legs crossed.

Jefferson gave ( Y/N ) a small fist-bump. Noticing she had a camera wrapped around her. A while she discovered her new interest in photography ( mainly because of inheriting the ability from Peter ) and carried around the camera everywhere. "Hey, look who got a growth spurt!"

Rio gasped. "And is this Paul?"

"Unfortunately," ( Y/N ) muttered under her breathe.

"Uh, hey. Nice meeting you," Paul flashed a light smile. "Rio and Jefferson, right?"

"Nice meeting you, man," Jefferson replied before leaning forward and lowering his voice. "You hurt them, I hurt you. Got it?"

Paul's eyes widened in fear. "Thank you...?"

As Jefferson stood back up, Rio looked around. "Hey, ( Y/N ). Have you heard from Miles?"

"Yeah, he's just... it's traffic, you know? Brooklyn," ( Y/N ) chuckled nervously, trying her best to cover up the real reason.

Thankfully, a woman came towards them with a mic in her hand, handing it to Rio —  who's expression changed as soon as the mic was given to her.

"Speech! Okay, everybody!" The woman announced.

"What? No!" Rio shook her head frantically.

"Todos!"

Now that all eyes were on her, Rio stood frozen in place, leaning forward to the mic. "Hi."

✧ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ✦ *.✧.* :✦. ─── ✧

"And I want you to know, no matter what,"

Miles continued instructing the woman behind the counter of the bakery as she poured the frosting onto the cake, writing the message Miles had prepared to his dad.

"Even though we've had our ups and downs, I am so proud of you today!" Miles continued.

"Hey, Mr. Spider-man," she called out. "It won't fit on one cake."

As Miles went on with his instructions, the baker tried to get his attention, but Miles was stuck in his own little world. Miles stepped up to her and the she took a pause writing Miles's message. He leaned forward, seeing the half written message in red frosting.

Miles tilted his head. "Can't you write smaller?"

"Can't you write shorter?"

✧ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ✦ *.✧.* :✦. ─── ✧

"Uhh, what else can I say about Jeff?"

Rio was doing... her best. Meanwhile, ( Y/N ) was spamming Miles's phone — telling him his parents were onto him ( well. Not about the Spider-Man thing ). She managed to get one response out of him and that was; oh...

In the crowd, Jefferson deadpanned at his wife's attempt at giving speeches. Susan noticed ( Y/N ) staring at her phone, typing away so she nudged her arm, pulling her attention away and making her focus up and front.

Rio gave an awkward smile. "That he was almost ten pounds as a baby! I know, I know! You're gonna be embarrassed. You're gonna be... he almost killed his mother. Look at those shoulders."

"Oh, no," Jefferson's eyes widened as he ran to take the mic from Rio. "Okay, okay, okay that's it, okay."

"Oh, he's so funny!" Rio chuckled.

"Ohh, I'll take the mic. No more mics for you," Jefferson began. "You know, I didn't always know what I wanted to do in life. I was pulled in a lot of different directions when I was young."

Jefferson paused. "You know, me and my brother came up in this neighborhood, just a couple of knuckleheads running the streets — Susan, you know what I'm talking about."

Susan chuckled, remember him and Aaron when they were younger, just a couple of knuckleheads figuring themselves out. Even she sometimes wishes she could go back to those times. A light smile formed formed on Susan's features as she held up her cup, lifting one finger and pointing at Jefferson.

"You know I do," Susan replied with a sarcastic tone.

"You guys used to... chase us outta your stores, and now, if you can believe it, it's my job to look out for you," Jefferson continued. "And then, I had a kid, and everything changed. For the better. I mean, I don't even know about giving a toast, 'cuz I... I should be toasting to you all."

Jefferson lifted his cup up in the air, pointing to the graffiti memorial him, Miles and ( Y/N ) made for Aaron a year ago. Even Susan looked up at it with a sad smile. ( Y/N ) members when Aaron told her and Miles about him and Susan back in the day, 'So, to my brother, who we miss every single day. He's definitely up there laughing at me, right now. They're making me captain, bro!"

"To me wife, mi amor," Jefferson added, making Rio smile. "I can't even start, 'cuz I'll never stop. You'll have to take the mic from me!"

Jefferson signaled Susan and ( Y/N ). "To the Chase's! Been my best friend all my life and now here we are, your kid dating mine."

Some of the crowd got a chuckle out of that as ( Y/N )'s ears flushed a hue of red.

"Speaking of my kid... to my son," a bright smile formed on Jefferson's features as he lifted his cup to search the crowd for Miles, but he was nowhere to be. "The reason that I do any of this in the first place. Well, I love you, Miles. And I will always, always be there for you."

Rio glanced at Jefferson, a sad smile forming on her features. Jefferson sighed, turning to the DJ. "Vinny, man, come on! Drop the beat!"

Rio grumbled. "I'm gonna kill that kid."

Vinny turned the music back on and the crowd went back to what they were doing before. Everyday ( Y/N ) wishes she could just say it — say that he's Spider-Man and lift one weight off her and Miles's shoulders.

Eventually, she spotted Miles coming out of the door, exhausted and panting for breath. He was in his black coat and 42 jersey, carrying two packages of pastries. ( Y/N ) sighed as she stepped passed the crowd, making her way over.

"Where the hell have you been?" ( Y/N ) popped up besides him, causing Miles to jump.

Miles gasped. "Whoa, hey. Look, I am so sorry—"

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't even begin to... I've been covering for you— for an half an hour!"

"I got held up," Miles sighed before beginning his rant. "First the baker had to make two cake because she couldn't fit my speech on them—"

( Y/N ) raised an eyebrow. "A speech?"

"Then when I thought it was safe on the train, I dude in a rhino costume shows up and ruins the whole thing,"

"Rhino dude? I hate that guy," ( Y/N ) grumbled.

"Me too," Miles nodded. "Also... I also got the walkie talkies — I owe a lot of apologies to Ganke for that."

"Yes!" ( Y/N ) made a fist bump to the air.

As they started waking over, Miles's spidey sense starting going off — warning him about his parents's presence. He tried to cover himself with his hood.

"Hey, Miles!" A woman greeted.

"There you are. You keeping your head up with that school?" A man joked.

"Oh, yeah."

"Hola!"

Another woman popped up besides them. "Hey! Your parents have been looking for you."

( Y/N ) winced at the sight of Rio and Jefferson behind him so she took it as the cue to leave — that boy was on his own right there. Once Miles got to the table, he placed the two boxes of cake down.

"I don't know why, I've just been here the whole time—"

"¡Oye!" Rio exclaimed, causing Miles to jump. "You were supposed to be here at five."

"I know, I know, I know, but—"

"You're disrespecting your dad! Missed his beautiful toast," Rio continued.

"Come on, did you even see the cakes? There's some heartfelt messages on them!" Miles flashed a sympathetic smile.

Miles lifted the tops of the boxes and instead of the heartfelt paragraphs he had on them before, they spelt out I'm not proud. Miles winced at this. "That's... not what I meant."

"Your dad studied for eight months,"

"Nine!" Jefferson added. "It was like giving birth!"

"No it wasn't,"

Miles tried leaving within the crowd, but Rio and Jefferson trailed behind him continuing their rant. He tried covering his face with his hood, but Rio popped up right besides him.

"You made us sit in that office and talk to that lady without you!" Rio snapped in low volume.

Miles groaned. "Gah, it was an emergency!"

"What, a graffiti emergency? A party with some friends I've never met emergency?! Smooching with ( Y/N ) emergency?" Jefferson continued.

"Jeff, she's right there," Rio signaled to where ( Y/N ) was standing with Susan before turning back to mom mode. "Explain yourself."

"Sounds like you're explaining it pretty well," Miles muttered loud enough for Rio and Jefferson to hear.

Rio scoffed. "That's funny. Jeff, we have a funny son."

"I'm not laughing."

Just then, a woman appeared in front of the Morales family, embracing them in a tight hug before turning to Miles, squeezing his cheeks.

"I don't feel grown up," Miles muffled.

"Wow, this is a cool shirt!" She examined his shirt.

Before she could take a look at it and see his spider suit, Miles stopped her, covering it with his black coat. "Okay! Okay. You know, have you checked out the tray...?"

Miles chuckled nervously, rushing off away from his parents and the woman. But before he could reach the stairs, Rio and Jefferson were standing right in front of him.

"¡Oye!" Rio exclaimed. "Who are you running around with, anyway?"

"Just..."

"Is it Ganke? I never liked him," Jefferson stated.

"Yes you did—"

"—He calls me by my first name,"Jefferson crossed his arms.

"Ugh. We hate that."

"I have more friends than just Ganke and ( Y/N )," Miles stated.

"Like who?"

"Well, there's... Peter — not ( Y/N )'s Peter, but a different one," Miles listed off. "Uh... but he left town. There's Gwanda! Y'know? She— she also... left town."

"Miles, por favor, dame un break," Rio snapped.

Miles raised an eyebrow. "Is that Spanglish?"

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, I'm just doing... benign, private, unremarkable things when I'm not with you guys?" Miles questioned.

"Nope."

"Never."

"I am fifteen years old! I am basically an adult!"

"Oh, right!"

"You don't even have a driver's license!" Jefferson pointed out.

"Neither does mom!"

"Because we live in New York and we never plan to leave," Jefferson added.

"It's my life!"

"It's not your life!" Rio continued. "It's mine. And your father's, and your abuelos y abuelas, who put you in this spot I'd give anything to be in."

Miles shrugged. "Alright, alright. Whatever."

And at that moment— Miles knew what he was in for. He winced, looking up at his parents who stood their more ticked off, Jefferson taking a deep breath and lowering his head.

"Whatever?"

"Wooow."

"Do I get to say it?" Jefferson chuckled.

"Say it."

"You're grounded!"

"What?"

"For how long?" Miles questioned.

"A month!"

"Dad! Mom! Are you serious?"

"Yeah! Dead serious!"

"You don't understand!" Miles exclaimed.

"You are right. I have no idea what's going on with you!"

This started getting everyone else's attention, turning their heads. Vinny turned up the volume on his music to try and block them out, but it wasn't working as well as he hoped it would.

Miles sighed. "You know what? Never mind."

Miles drifted away from them, pulling his hood over his head and stuffing his hands in the pockets.

don't rlly like this chapter, but i had to get it up. also for the sake of this scene the jacket's back with miles. and the season 3 luz noceda vibes are coming in 😔

also we luv protective jefferson ❤️

pls don't be ghost readers 🥲

- see you soon, meg!