Work Text
Miguel O’Hara was in his office, quietly immersed in his work. The dim lights gave the man a stoic aura. He moved his hands across luminous screens methodically when the swift noise of the door caught his attention, an unknown figure made his way through the door. Someone new in the headquarters? Without his knowledge? He turned around and, obviously, there they were. He unsheathed his talons immediately, visibly tense."Who are you? What are you doing here? Who let you in?!" said the man to the enigmatic intruder.“I'm new” said the stranger nervously.Miguel squinted his eyes at the newcomer, his tension evident as he gripped his talons tightly, ready to attack if necessary. "New, huh? Well, 'new' doesn't give you a free pass to waltz into my headquarters unannounced. State your name and why you're here before I make you regret it."“They said you called me in” they said, walking towards him.Miguel's expression shifted from anger to confusion, his guard still up but slightly lowered. "Called you in? Who said that? I don't remember summoning anyone. Are you sure you're not just some random intruder trying to play mind games?" He scrutinized the newcomer, waiting for a satisfactory answer.“Jessica said you needed me, well she implied it and I took the initiative to come and see you, boss” the intruder had a sly smile as he continued to come closer. Miguel's eyebrows furrowed, his curiosity piqued by the mention of Jessica. He retracted his talons slightly, though still ready for action. "Jessica, huh? If she sent you, then you must have something worthwhile to offer. Fine, I'll hear you out. But make it quick, I don't have all day." He crossed his arms, awaiting an explanation.The intruder stopped his pace meters away from Miguel looking up to meet his defiant gaze. “She said you were stressed lately and that you might need someone to… cheer you up”Miguel's eyes widened ever so slightly at the intruder's words, a mix of disbelief and amusement washing over his face. He had to hand it to Jessica, she certainly had a way of surprising him. "Oh, is that so?" he replied, a mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, she's not wrong about me being stressed, but I can handle my own cheering up, thank you very much. Now, if you don't have anything else to add, I suggest you make yourself useful or get out of my sight." Miguel's sarcasm dripped from every word, his eyes fixed on the intruder, daring them to prove themselves.The stranger widened their smile with amusement. "Oh I'm sure you are more than capable boss but you misunderstood me, I'm here quite literally to keep you company, like come on this office is depressing" Miguel couldn't help but be caught off guard by the sudden shift in the intruder's tone. His eyebrows furrowed and he regarded them with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Keep me company?" he repeated, his voice tinged with skepticism. "This office may not be the most uplifting place, but trust me when I say I don't need a babysitter. So, unless you have some other hidden talent up your sleeve, I suggest you find a more productive use for your time." Miguel's tone held a hint of warning, his instincts telling him to maintain his guard."Sadly I'm ordered to stay here and you can't change that" they grinned "but don't worry I'm sure you'll find out about my hidden talents eventually, in the meanwhile. Call me Y/N. Want some coffee?"Miguel's eyes narrowed at the intruder's mention of being ordered to stay. He couldn't deny the slight spark of curiosity that ignited at the idea, but he quickly quashed it. "Coffee?" he repeated, his voice laced with skepticism. "Fine, get me a cup. But don't think for a second that it changes anything. You're still on thin ice, and I'll be watching you closely." With a flick of his talon, he gestured for the intruder to get moving. "You are the boss, boss" they saluted jokingly before heading to the door.Miguel couldn't help but let out a snort of amusement at the intruder's sarcastic salute. As they headed towards the door, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of anticipation for what was to come. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered under his breath, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Let's see if you can keep up with the legendary Miguel O'Hara."
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As promised Y/N is there everyday just doing menial tasks and trying not to bother Miguel. Miguel observed the other’s consistent presence, begrudgingly acknowledging their commitment to their promise of keeping him company. Though he continued to focus on his work, a small part of him appreciated the familiar presence in the otherwise solitary office. Still, Miguel couldn't shake the feeling of unease as he watched the newcomer casually navigate through his office, their nonchalant attitude towards his status only adding to the puzzle. His curiosity grew stronger as he found himself searching for more information about them, uncovering fragments of their past from the files he had secretly perused. The mysterious nature of their presence only fueled his determination to unravel their true intentions.One particularly boring afternoon he decided to make some questions to them, just casual chit chat, nothing that would raise suspicion. He watched them swing from side to side of the office immersed in the work, teal and red suit on, no mask just headphones and a small bounce of their head to the music. Miguel, feeling a momentary lull in his own work, leaned back in his chair and decided to strike up a conversation with the newcomer. With a sarcastic tone, he inquired, "So, Swing-Dancer, what's your deal? You come here every day, listening to your tunes and acting like you own the place. What brings you to our headquarters?"Y/N takes their headphones off, looking weirdly at Miguel, it was unlike him to start a conversation. "I'm just doing my work” he stated “Is the music a problem? Want to listen too? didn't take you for the musical type" they say smugly.Miguel raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by the newcomer's jest. With a smile, he responded, "Oh, don't worry, Swing-Dancer. I have enough tunes in my head to last a lifetime. But I'm more interested in figuring out why you're swinging around here. You don't strike me as just an average worker. What's your game?"Y/N let out a short and cold laugh "I Guess it's my time to settle, can't be a kid forever, ya know?"Miguel's interest piqued as he leaned forward in his chair, intrigued by the mysterious answer.He remembered their file, the canon event, they lost their dad.Miguel nodded, his expression softening slightly as he remembered the pain of losing loved ones himself. "I understand what it's like to lose someone important. We all have our burdens to carry. Just remember, Swing-Dancer, you're not alone here in the Spider Society. We’re a team, whether we like it or not.""Oh my God! A pet name. The interest. I’ve done it, you've gone soft on me" they say sarcastically.Miguel couldn't help but chuckle at the playful comment, though he would never admit that it struck a chord with him. "Don't get too excited, Swing-Dancer. It was just a momentary lapse in judgment. And don't even think about getting used to it. We have work to do."Y/N ignored him completely as he continued teasing him. "No, no, you don't understand, this is big. I softened up the big, grumpy Miguel O’hara! You should make a statue of me! or at least a plaque"Miguel rolled his eyes, trying to hide the faintest hint of a smile. "You wish, Swing-Dancer. I'd sooner make a statue of myself. But go ahead, spill it. Tell me your motives. I'm not here to entertain your whims, so make it quick."They settled beside him, cutting the crap "I'm not sure either, I thought here I'd have someone that understood me, geez, we are supposed to be the only ones in the universe who understand each other. Don’t get me wrong everyone has been great but… it’s still hard" They quiet down, the air suddenly feeling very gloomy."I saved my city, lost my dad, graduated, still it's hard to move on'' they stay in silence "but you know what the song says" they are cheerful again "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger” They sing very purposefully out of tune.Miguel couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the off-key singing, finding himself oddly comforted by the genuine vulnerability behind the jest. "Well, Swing-Dancer, I can't promise to understand everything, but I can promise that we're in this together. And if singing terribly out of tune helps, then I suppose we'll get through it one off-key note at a time.""Karaoke time it is boss, I heard you got a fabulous voice" Miguel smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Sure, Swing-Dancer. I'll give you a taste of my fabulous voice. And don't worry, I won't hold back." He playfully punched Y/N’s arm. "Let's see if your ears can handle it."The night continued with their off-key karaoke session, belting out songs and laughing until their sides hurt. As they parted ways, they both felt lighthearted. Maybe, just maybe, loners do understand each other after all.