"You said you would unlock it!" Miguel complained, shaking the chair.

"You were supposed to eat with Invierno. Now he's sad and lonely, like you," Lyla wagged her finger at him.

"He's in bed relaxing and I don't want to bother him. Lyla," he begged.

"No! Go get your binky and dragon. I'm not unlocking it until you take a proper rest! Eating four crackers and sipping two ounces of water isn't a meal either."

The man slid to the floor in defeat, "I'm going to disable you…"

Miguel laid on the floor for at least ten minutes before pushing himself up to go do something else.

"You win, I'm going to patrol, since YOU WON'T LET ME WORK!"

"How is that a win for me?" It especially wasn't a win considering that she wanted him to take a break, not just hyper focus on some other form of work.

He ignored her, storming out of the house to go see what was happening in town.

X

2099 sat on the roof plotting. He had already dealt with some low levels. He needed someone more durable. Where was Goblin? Vulture? Anyone? Someone!

He growled, kicking the brick. A series of screams caught his attention.

"Finally! Someone to hit!" he jumped into action.

Hopefully it was Vulture. Miguel was still just a little bitter about that other one choking him. Not as bad as attempting to eat him, but still. As long as it wasn't Oc, he wasn't in the mood to deal with tentacles.

To his utter delight it was Vulture. What a pleasant treat to this annoying set of weeks.

X

"Ok, I took a break. I feel much better. I'm on my way home now. Can you please unlock the computers now?"

"Well, you're not home yet, so that can be handled when you get home."

Miguel walked in the house confidently and in a far better mood. Now he could finish his last bit of paperwork, be caught up three months and then he could go back to his chosen home. He even got more coffee!

"There he is," Peter smiled at his buddy when he stepped into the Penthouse, "I was starting to get worried."

"Why…are you here?"

"Oh, Lyla called me," he put an arm around his friend's broad shoulders, "Something about someone being fussy, refusing to take a break and needing someone to help with that."

"Huh. No, no one like that here. Just getting some work done, things updated and upgraded. Planning on going back to Jess tomorrow if I get this last bit of paperwork done."

"No one? Not even someone who's been so focused on work that he's leaked at least twice?"

"Lyla, why do you spread such deceitful statements?" Mig grit his teeth, an angry shade of red cresting his nose and cheeks.

Peter took Miguel's coffee from his hand, "Not even someone who has barely eaten the last three days?"

The giant pouted, reaching for his pods, "I have eaten."

"3 cups of coffee, crackers and yogurt cups are not a meal!"

Miguel hissed something to his assistant in spanish. Peter wasn't super fluent in what he said, but curse out was pretty universal.

"Ok," Pete interrupted, "So, your house is immaculate, you've done two months worth of work. Apparently in two weeks. So I can see that you're fixating again."

"I'm not," he shook his head vehemently, "I'm trying to get as much work done as possible so I can stay with Jess and Virgil longer. So…" he attempted to walk past his friend, "Just going to finish one or two more papers and call it a day."

Pete gripped his muscular forearm, "No, I don't think so. It's time for a break and real food."

"But I have work, and I want my coffee," he pointed to the pods the older man was holding away.

"I already told you what was happening."

"But my work!" Mig whined, pointing towards his office and bouncing unhappily.

"No," Peter told him sternly, using his daddy voice, "No more computer today. You are taking a break."

"I don't want to!" he stretched for his office as his arm was still gripped. Eventually he accepted that Peter wouldn't let him go and merely slumped to the floor for the second time that day.

The older Spider-man looked at his friend sulking on the ground. It would have been honestly hilarious, adorable even. If Peter wasn't already dealing with the terrible twos with May and exhausted of and from tantrums.

"Lyla, no more computer for the day. Please lock it," he let go of his friend's arm, walking away with the coffee to figure out what to feed his fussy little one.

"Done and done."

"She never even unlocked it, it's been locked all morning," Miguel whined into the rug. Just wait. He would deal with his little pest. Delete Lyla's personality profile and make her a proper, subservient assistant.

"When you're done pouting you can come eat food. I'm going to make pancakes," he sang the last part. May could never resist pancakes or waffles with fruit.

Mig laid his cheek on the rug as he was bullied. It wasn't like last time, this had nothing to do with HQ or anything, this was secular work. Why would no one let him get it done?

Peter occasionally glanced at the hallway to see if Miggy was still pouting on the floor, he was. As mildly exasperating as it was, it was actually a good sign. Miguel was becoming more trusting and relaxed, allowing himself to let his emotions flow.

"Your pancakes are ready. I'm sure there is a hungry boy who would really like a yummy, filling meal. There is even milk and syrup!"

Miguel slowly peeked into the kitchen. It did smell good.

"That's it, come sit and eat, that'll make you feel much better," Pete guided him the rest of the way in and sat him at the table, "It's yummy blueberry."

That's right. Gabri did bring him some fruit.

"Here comes the plane," Pete made the noises as he navigated the pancakes toward the blushy baby's mouth, "isn't that good?"

Mig nodded, chewing his food.

"Good! Open again for me," he raised another piece towards his mouth.

Getting Miguel to eat was the first step towards dealing with a major amount of his crankiness. Who was it who said "You're not you when you're hungry"? Whoever they were, they were on to something.