Chapter 58: Identity Exposed
Even though the person Aunt May truly loved was Peter Parker—that young man whose soul had vanished to who-knows-where, whose body he now occupied.
But when Batman saw the concern, care, and worry for him in Aunt May's eyes, even his masterful decades of acting as Bruce Wayne nearly exposed him.
Batman quickly raised the flowers in his hand, passing them to Aunt May while using them to hide his face.
"Sorry, Aunt May. These are for you."
"Oh, Peter." Aunt May accepted the bouquet, her face blooming with pure, unmixed joy. Then she firmly embraced Batman.
Batman's body instinctively resisted this familial embrace. But he couldn't dodge—he needed to play Peter Parker's role properly.
So Batman's arms raised somewhat helplessly in the air. Eventually, he gently embraced Aunt May back, patting her back with extremely light force.
"Well then, how long are we going to stand at the door?"
Aunt May was first to release her embrace of her nephew, leading Batman inside to sit at the dining table.
Then Aunt May brought steaming dishes from the kitchen, passing him utensils, watching Batman expectantly.
"Peter, I just learned a pizza recipe from TV. Quick, taste how mine turned out?"
Batman held his knife and fork, looking at the steaming pizza and dishes. He didn't know how many times Aunt May had reheated this food waiting for his return, how long she'd sat alone at the table—all so she could immediately open the door when his knock came.
'This unconditional love...'
'I once possessed it, then lost it. In this strange universe, it appears again—like a warm but fragile bubble.'
Batman made his face display as much smile as possible. Hours ago, the fearsome embodiment that shattered the Green Goblin's will could only play the obedient college student before Aunt May now.
'I can't defile it, nor can I depend on it... I need to maintain this lie, then keep my distance.'
Last Saturday's return to Aunt May was to spend Peter's birthday. Batman had fled in panic without even finishing his meal.
But he couldn't keep avoiding Aunt May. He had to face this elderly woman eventually.
The hand holding knife and fork trembled slightly. Even Batman's astonishing willpower couldn't resist Aunt May's unconditional love. He could only show her a smile, then cut a piece of pizza and eat it.
Then Batman revealed a genuinely sincere smile from the heart, praising Aunt May's cooking:
"This taste reminds me of the best dessert I ate as a child. Thank you, Aunt May."
A trace of surprise flashed through Aunt May's eyes, but she said nothing more. Instead, she pushed the plate further toward Batman.
"Starving, aren't you, child?"
Batman nodded. This moment, he no longer considered his customized meal plans. He ate dinner in large bites, sweeping the table's food clean.
From start to finish, Aunt May watched Batman with a smile—as if she could never look enough at her nephew.
Only Batman sat on pins and needles. He was accustomed to Alfred's restrained, deep, tacitly understanding care.
But Aunt May's overwhelming, warm, direct love made him feel like being under a sunbath he both craved and found strange—somewhat at a loss.
After dinner ended, Batman rose to help Aunt May clear the dishes before proposing to leave.
He still had things to do tonight. SHIELD's security firewall was built by his own hands. Tonight he'd thoroughly extract from this multinational secret organization every clue possibly containing leads to returning to his original world.
He needed to visit Oscorp's sublevels two and three to find more super soldier serum data, understanding why Norman became so madly evil after accepting transformation.
He needed to handle Hell's Kitchen's remaining forces after Kingpin was sent to the precinct, and fulfill his promise to Silver Sable.
He needed to process that New York gang leader list compiled the second day after crossing over, solving them one by one.
Batman never stopped. He always had his next plan.
"Aunt May, see you next Saturday."
Batman opened the door. After embracing Aunt May again, he spoke.
But Aunt May didn't release him. She looked up at Batman, considerably taller than herself, wearing a smile yet speaking words that plunged Batman into an ice pit:
"You're not my Peter, are you? Child."
BOOM!
The gentle evening breeze blowing on Batman felt like a rainstorm suddenly fell, followed by lightning striking him.
His memory contained no Peter content whatsoever. He knew Peter's habitual movements were completely absent from himself. He'd expose himself eventually.
Therefore, Batman had feigned illness upon first meeting Harry, fled in panic upon first meeting Aunt May.
But Batman hadn't expected to be exposed this quickly.
His muscles rapidly tensed, his spirit swiftly focused—but he immediately abandoned this combat-ready posture.
If anyone else had exposed him, Batman might have immediately executed plans long prepared in his mind. But the person before him was Aunt May.
Aunt May—from whom Batman, occupying Peter's body, had felt maternal love he hadn't possessed in decades.
"My Peter is a chatty little tiger."
Having exposed Batman's disguise, Aunt May showed no panic or fear. Instead, she pulled Batman's hand to sit on the doorstep, leaning against his shoulder as she slowly spoke.
"Every time I learn a new skill from TV, Peter and Ben would complain while eating everything clean... I know my cooking isn't good, but I enjoy making dinner for my loved one and child."
"But you're too calm, child. Even though you praised the pizza very sincerely, you're still too calm—too calm to be Peter."
Batman's body stiffened again. He didn't dare look at Aunt May beside him, only gazing into the distance.
"When Peter helps me wash dishes, he always treats it like a game, cheerfully chattering about recent happenings." Aunt May continued. "Last time you fled in panic, I thought Ben's passing hit him too hard... but you and Peter are completely different people."
Aunt May's voice was soft, yet Batman grew increasingly tense. He didn't know how to face Aunt May.
Aunt May finally stopped leaning against Batman's shoulder, instead looking at his profile.
"You don't need to be nervous. I know you're a good child. Perhaps you're also very confused, not knowing why this situation occurred."
Batman opened his mouth, speaking somewhat hoarsely:
"You're right... I... don't know how to explain why I'm here."
Aunt May extended both hands to cup Batman's face, making him meet her eyes.
"Is my Peter still alive?"
Her eyes glimmered, tears vaguely flashing. Batman took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't say "I don't know" again:
"He's alive. His soul is safe and sound. I swear on my life I'll find a way to bring him back."
Whether heaven or hell, no matter how many universe dimensions to cross, wherever the original Peter was, Batman silently decided to bring him back.
This didn't conflict with his ultimate goal of returning to Gotham.
Aunt May seemed relieved. She slowly caressed Batman's face with the back of her hand, smiling kindly.
"Child, whoever you are, you look utterly exhausted. You're carrying something very heavy alone, aren't you?"
Before Batman could say anything, Aunt May had already stood, speaking with forced cheerfulness:
"I need to learn more cooking from TV. Remember to come back next Saturday for a taste."
"Before you find your way home, this place remains your home."
Batman said nothing more. After silently embracing Aunt May once again, he turned and disappeared into the pitch-black night.