#✒︎: first divider by me; animated divider by cafekitsune

[whosmoraless]

@ask-gwendolyn-stacy

Miles knows he did everything right.

By the skin of his teeth, his plan worked. He escaped the horde of Spiders, Miguel, the people he once believed were his friends. A stranger trusted him and not her leader enough to send him home.

He should be home.

Why isn't he?

Instead, that machine spat him out to yesterday morning. Unscathed, even - save for emotional damage and tremors that could set off a richter scale.

At least now, Miles could get his dad a better cake.

...

He did everything right. Recreated today the best he could, down to the T. Dialogue, actions; feigning a lack of knowledge, that wide-eyed idealism, not being scared of the man he knows will in mere minutes blow up in a way that almost rivals Mount Vesuvius.

But when he leaps into the machine, it's yesterday again.

And so it goes.

...

By the fourth run, Miles is weary. One can only take being hurt so many ways so many times. So he tries something different. He hog-ties the Spot different ways. The swing with Gwen goes different; Miles doesn't show any excitement for the Society, she has no reason to be suspicious. Things with Miguel still go south, but Miles delays it by not charging into saving his dad.

He leaps into the machine. It's yesterday once more.

...

Seventh run, now, is it? Miles stopped keeping track. His body is intact but his mind is tattered. He just wants to go home. What is he doing wrong?

Another day. Another fight with the Spot - though he tries to give the abomination the... validation he asks for, the man(?) still finds a reason to absorb more power. Another painful talk with the counselor.

(His parents notice the way their son's shoulders drag, the way his smiles don't reach his eyes. But then Miles gives whats-her-face a perfect 'what I want to do with my life' speech that could only come from having done it seven times in a row, and they drop it.)

...

The worst part, really, is her.

Now that he's had more than ample opportunity to snoop, he understands, cognitively, that Gwen's been manipulated by her leader at the worst part of her life.

Still doesn't lesson the emotional blow she deals. Still doesn't wash away her betrayals.

But, for the sake of being able to sneak into the Society.

"Miles! Miles! Got a minute?"

He does a convincing fake-startle; though this time his room is clean and figures are put away by the time the portal stops warping gravity. "H- how did you-?"

As always, she hugs him, tight and awkward. Miles holds her, willing his hands not to tremble. Gwen fumbles through her greeting, as aways, and Miles listens, as always. "You grew! Had a little growth spurt."

He's so tired.

"And your hair has gotten pinker."

He just wants to be home.

"Is this where you grew up?"

A nod. Gwen snoops; doesn't open anything except for the sketchbook Miles intentionally left out; though he still acts the part of embarrassment.

Maybe the distraction will keep her from noticing the light having long been snuffed out from his eyes. So long as it's still in hers, it's okay, the run will go right.