Touch the Stars {Peter Parker}

Act 6: Weaving Doubts On Arachne's Loom

With reports surrounding the infighting within the Avengers Initiative, New York citizens have been celebrating and backing the appearance of beloved vigilantes Spiderman and Ronin! However, ever since the conflict within the Avengers has died down, Ronin has not been spotted for several weeks. Critics and fans alike are questioning and asking where has Ronin gone. Is he taking a break, recovering, or is he putting down the mantle for good?"

"Honestly," May tutted as she reached up and changed the channel with the remote. "All of these. I can't tell how Emily accepted Liam being the first vigilante in New York."

Peter shifted uncomfortably. The habit of reflexively apologizing reared its ugly head, but Peter managed to stamp down on the urge. Thankfully, Peter didn't have to stop being Spiderman, but it didn't mean that he was spared from the loud and tearful yelling of Aunt May who was stressed out beyond belief. As much as Peter was glad that Uncle Ben and Aunt May accepted him being Spiderman, he still did not want to go through that experience again.

Ever since that day in the Avengers compound where Liam had expelled the alien from Peter's mind, Liam had gone absolutely cold. There was nothing from him, he exchanged pleasantries with a detached distance and barely engaged with them anymore. It was...It was disheartening and it left Peter wondering...

Where did it all go wrong?

Peter had debated texting or calling Liam...but the way that Liam held everyone beyond arm's distance discouraged him from doing so. Everything had been turned on a 180. The usually bright, teasing, and happy Liam was replaced with a cold, distant, and tired Liam. And Peter couldn't help but think to himself that if Tony Stark hadn't shown up on his doorstep on that one day, then none of this would've ever happened.

It... hurt.

"Peter?"

Something must've shown on Peter's face because May turned to her nephew with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"

"I...I'm fine," Peter lied, but May could see through the facade effortlessly.

"Is it something about Liam?"

Peter jerked at the question and he couldn't help the question that tumbled from his lips. "How do you know?"

"It's very obvious," May sighed. "After that day in the Stark building, Liam barely talked to anyone and he clearly didn't want to see anyone else. And ever since then, you've become...like this."

"Oh..."

"Liam needs help, doesn't he?"

Peter opened his mouth to deny it. Because Liam was strong, he was Peter's mentor, he stood up to an Avenger and made them cow away. But the more Peter thought about it, he realized Liam was probably stressed, scared, and barely hanging on by a thread.

"Yeah...," Peter sighed as if the realization punched the air out of him. "He does need help, but...but how do I know how to help him."

"We never really know how to help another person," May shrugged and Peter whirled around to her. She led a charity organization toward helping homeless people, and Peter's aunt seemed to know the objection on his lips. "Really, we don't! No one ever really knows. We may be able to aid them and help in some way, but all we can really do is guide people onto a path where they can finally help themselves."

"After all," Aunt May shrugged. "We're only human after all. Maybe, you just need to be there for him, and then from there you can see where you can help him."

It halted any objections that could have spilled from Peter's tongue. His fingers tapped absentmindedly at the phone burrowed in his pocket. Maybe...Peter dared to hope that there was some way to salvage this relationship.